PRESENTED  TO  THE  LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 
 
 BY 
 
 |V[ps.  Rleij^ander  Ppoudfit. 
 
 511 1 
 
"^X 
 
 THE 
 
 EXPOSITORY 
 
 wo   R   K  S, 
 
 WITH  .'tin; '^ /£a/i  . 
 
 OTHER     REMAINS, 
 
 {SOME  OF  WHICH  WERE  NEVER  BEFORE  PRINTED), 
 
 OF 
 
 ROBERT   LEIGHTON,  D.  D. 
 
 ARCHBISHOP   OF   GLASGOW. 
 
 IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 
 
 Vol.  II. 
 
 EDINBURGH : 
 
 PRINTED  FOR  BELL  &  BRADFUTE,  J.DICKSON,  W.  LAING, 
 
 J.  FAIRBAIRN,   J.  OGLE,   J.  GUTHRIE,   AND   ARCH. 
 
 CONSTABLE  :      AND  M.  OGLE,  GLASGOW. 
 
 AMD    FOR 
 
 C.  DILLY,  VERNOR  &  HOOD,  OGILVY  &  SON, 
 
 W.  BUTTON,  J,  MATHEWS,  AND 
 
 T.  CHAPMAN,  LONDON. 
 
 M,OCC,XCVIII, 
 
CONTENTS  of  Vol.  II. 
 
 A  Pra6lical  Commentary  on  the  Firjl  Epijlle  Gene^ 
 ral  of  Peter. 
 
 Chap.  III.         -  -            -           Page     i 
 
 IV.            -  -            -            135 
 
 V.         -  -            -            272 
 
 Expojitory  LeBures  on  Pfalm  xxxix.,  on  Ifaiah 
 vi.,  and  on  Romans  xii. 
 
 On  Psalm  xxxix.  -  -  357 
 
 —  Isaiah  vi.  -  -  393 
 
 —  Romans  xii.  -  -  413 
 
 Charges,  i^c,  to  the  Clergy  of  the  Diocefs  of 
 Dunblane,  -  -  -  431 
 
 Seven  Letters  written  hy  Bi/bop  Leigh  ton  on 
 different  Occajions,  -  -  45:3 
 
 Rules  and  Injlruclions  for  a  Holy  Life^        -       465 
 
 Hijlorical  Facts  in  the  Life  of  Bijhop  Leighton, 
 ISc.  ^  ^  -  481 
 
 A   PRAC- 
 
PRACTICAL 
 
 COMMENTARY 
 
 UPON     THE 
 
 FIRST  EPISTLE  GENERAL  OF 
 St    peter. 
 
 Chap.  III.  ver.  13* 
 
 And  who  is  he  that  will  harm  you^  if  you  he  followers 
 of  that  which  is  good  ? 
 
 THIS  the  Apoftle  adds,  as  a  further  reafon  of  the 
 fafety  and  happinefs  of  that  way  he  points  out, 
 from  its  own  nature.  There  is  fomething  even  in- 
 trinfecal  in  a  meek,  and  upright,  and  holy  carriage, 
 that  is  apt,  in  part,  to  free  a  man  from  many  evils  and 
 mifchiefs  that  the  ungodly  are  expofed  to,  and  do  na- 
 turally draw  upon  themfelves.  Your  fpotlefs  and 
 harmlefs  deportment  will  much  bind  up  the  hands 
 even  of  your  enemies,  and  fometimes,  poffibly,  fome- 
 what  allay  and  cool  the  malice  of  their  hearts,  that 
 they  cannot  fo  rage  againft  you  as  otherwife  they 
 rhight.  It  will  be  fomewhat  ilrange  and  monftrous 
 to  rage  againft  the  innocent ;  Who  is  he  that  will 
 harm  you?  Sec.  Here  are  two  things,  i.  The  carriage. 
 2.  The  advantage  of  it. 
 
 I.  Their  carriage  exprelTed, /o//oi£;^rj',  Sec.  Or,  as 
 the  word  is,  Imitators  of  that  which  is  good. 
 
 Vol.  II.  A  Ther^ 
 
2  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IH. 
 
 There  is  an  imitation  of  men  that  is  impious  and 
 wicked,  taking  the  copy  of  their  fins ;  again,  an  imi- 
 tation, that,  though  not  fo  grofsly  evil,  yet  is  poor  and 
 fervile,  being  in  mean  things,  yea  fometimes  defcend- 
 ing  to  imitate  the  very  imperfedions  of  others,  as 
 fancying  fome  comelinefs  in  them  ;  as  fome  of  Bafil's 
 fcholars,  that  imitated  his  flow  fpeaking,  which  he 
 had  a  lirtle  in  the  extreme,  and  could  not  help  :  but 
 this  is  always  laudable,  and  w^orthy  of  the  beft  minds, 
 to  ht  imitators  of  that  which  is  good,  wherefover  they 
 find  it.  For  that  ftays  not  in  any  man's  perfon,  as  the 
 ultimate  pattern,  but  arifes  to  the  higheft  grace, 
 being  man's  neareft  iikenefs.  to  God,  his  image  and 
 refemblance;  and  fo,  following  the  example  of  the 
 faints  in  holinefs,  we  look  higher  than  them,  and 
 confider  them  as  receivers,  but  God  as  the  firft  owner 
 and  difpenfer  of  grace,  bearing  his  ftamp  and  fuper- 
 fcription,  and  belonging  peculiarly  to  him,  in  what 
 hand  ioever  it  be  found,  as  carrying  the  mark  of  nO' 
 other  owner,  but  his  only. 
 
 The  word  of  God  hath  our  copy  in  its  perfedion, 
 and  very  legible  and  clear  ;  and  fo  the  imitation  of 
 good,  in  the  complete  rule  of  it,,  is  the  regulating  our 
 ways  by  the  word :  But,  even  there  w^e  find,  befides 
 general  rules,  the  particular  tracks  of  life  of  divers 
 '  eminent  holy  perfons,.  and  thofe  on  purpofe  fet  before 
 us,  that  we  may  know  holinefs  not  to  be  an  idle 
 imaginary  thing,  but  that  men  have  really  been 
 holy  ;  though  not  altogether  finlefs,  yet  holy  and  fpi- 
 litual  in  fome  good  meafure  ;  that  there  have  been 
 thofe  who  have  Jhined  as  lights  amidjl  a  perverfe  ge- 
 neration, as  greater  ftars  in  a  dark  night,-  and  yet  men, 
 as  St  James  fays  of  Elias,  Uke  us  in  nature,  c^oiOTraOftf, 
 and  the  frailty  of  it ;  fuhje^  to  like  pajjions  as  we  are, 
 James  v.  17.  Why  may  we  not  then  afpire  to  be  holy, 
 as  they  were,  and  attain  to  it,  although  we  fhould 
 fall  fhort  of  the  degree?  Yet  not  flopping  at  a  fmall 
 meafure,  but  running  further,  prejjing Jlill  forward 
 toward  the  mark,  Phil,  iii,  14. ;  following  them  in  the 
 
 wav 
 
V£R.  13.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  3 
 
 way  they  went,  though  at  a  diftance ;  not  reaching 
 them,  and  yet  walking,  yea,  running  after  them  as 
 fad  as  we  can  :  Not  judging  of  holinefs  by  our  own 
 floth  and  natural  averfenefs,  taking  it  for  a,  fingularity 
 fit  only  for  rare  extraordinary  perfons,  fuch  as  Pro- 
 phets and  Apoftles  were,  or  as  the  Church  of  Rome 
 fancies  thofe  to  be,  to  whom  it  vouchfafes  a  room  in 
 the  roll  of  faints.  Do  you  not  know  that  holineis  is 
 the  only  via  regia,  this  folloiving  of  good^  that  path 
 wherein  all  the  children  of  God  muft  walk,  one  fol- 
 lowing after  another,  each  ftriving  to  equal,  and,  if 
 they  could,  to  outftrip  even  thofe  they  look  on  as  moil 
 advanced  in  it  ?  This  is,  amongft  many  other,  a  mit- 
 conceit  in  the  RomiQi  Church,  that  they  feem  to  make 
 holinefs  a  kind  of  impropriate  good,  that  the  common- 
 fort  can  have  little  fhare  in  ;  almoft  all  piety  being 
 fhut  up  within  cloyiler-walls,  as  its  only  fit  dwelling. 
 Yet  it  hath  not  liked  their  lodging,  it  feems,  but  is 
 flown  over  the  walls  away  from  them  :  for  there  is 
 little  of  it  even  there  to  be  found  ;  but,  however,  their 
 opinion  of  it  places  it  there,  as  having  little  to  do 
 abroad  in  the  w^orld. 
 
 Whereas  the  truth  is,  that  all  Chriflians  have  this 
 for  their  common  talk,  though  fome  are  under  more 
 peculiar  obligations  to  lludy  this  one  copy.  Look  on 
 the  rule  of  holinefs,  and  be  followers  of  it,  and  fol- 
 lowers or  imitators  one  of  another,  fo  far  as  their  car- 
 riage agrees  with  that  primitive  copy,  as  writ  after  it  ; 
 Be  ye  followers  of  me,  (xi^rircu,  fays  the  Apoftle,  even  to 
 the  meaneft  Chriftians  amongft  thofe  he  wrote  to,  but 
 thus,  as  I  am  of  Chrifly  i  Cor.  xi.  i. 
 
 Is  it  thus  with  us  ?  Are  we  zealous  and  emulous 
 followers  of  that  which  is  good,  exciting  each  other 
 by  our  example  to  a  holy  and  Chriftian  converfation, 
 provoking  one  another  (fo  the  Apoftle's  word  is)  to 
 love,  and  to  good  works  P  Heb.  x.  24.  Or,  Are  not 
 the  moft,  mutual  corrupters  of  each  other,  and  of  the 
 places  and  focieties  where  they  live ;  fome  leading, 
 and  jothers  following,  in  their  ungodlinefs  ?  Not  re- 
 garding 
 
4  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAp.  III. 
 
 garding  the  coiixfe  of  tliofe  that  are  moll  defirous  to 
 walk  holily,  or,  if  at  all,  doing  it  with  a  corrupt  and 
 evil  eye;  not  to  ftudy  and  follow  what  is  good  in 
 them,  their  way  of  holinefs,  but  to  efpy  any  the 
 lead  wrong  ftep,  to  take  exad:  notice  of  any  imper- 
 fedion,  and  fometimes  only  charged  on  them  by  ma- 
 lignant falfehood  ?  and  by  this,  either  to  reproach  re- 
 ligion, or  to  hearten  or  harden  themfelves  in  their  ir- 
 religion  and  ungodlinefs,  feeking  warrant  for  their 
 own  willing  licentioufnefs  in  the  unwilling  failings  of 
 God's  children  ? 
 
 And,  in  their  converfe  with  fuch  as  themfelves,  they 
 are  following  their  profane  w^ay,  and  flattering  and 
 bleffing  one  another  in  it,  **  What  need  we  be  fo 
 '^^  precife  ?  and.  If  I  fhould  not  do  as  others,  they 
 **  would  laugh  at  me,  I  fhould  pafs  for  a  fool," 
 Well,  thou  wilt  be  a  fool  in  the  moft  wretched  kind, 
 rather  than  be  accounted  one  by  fuch  as  are  fools, 
 and  know  not  at  all  wherein  true  wifdom  confifts. 
 
 Thus  are  the  moft  carried  with  the  ftream  of  this 
 ■wicked  world,  their  own  inward  corruption  eafily 
 agreeing  and  fuiting  with  it ;  every  man,  as  a  drop, 
 falling  into  a  torrent,  and  eafily  made  one,  and  run- 
 ning along  with  it  into  that  dead  fea  where  it  emp- 
 ties itfelf. 
 
 But  thofe,  whom  the  Lord  hath  a  purpofe  to  fever 
 and  fave,  he  carries  in  a  contrary  courfe,  even  to  that 
 violent  ftream  ;  and  thefe  are  the  ftudents  of  holinefs, 
 the  folIowc7's  of  good ;  that  bend  their  endeavours 
 thus,  and  look  on  all  fides  diligently,  on  what  may 
 animate  and  advance  them  ;  on  the  example  of  the 
 faints  in  former  times,  and  on  the  good  they  efpy  in 
 thofe  that  live  together  w^ith  them  ;  and,  above  all, 
 lludying  that  perfect  rule  in  the  Scriptures,  and  that 
 higheft  and  firft  pattern,  there  fo  often  fet  before  them, 
 even  the  Author  of  that  rule,  the  Lord  himfelf; 
 Jludying  to  be  holy  as  be  is  holy^  to  be  bountiful  and  mer- 
 0ful  as  their  heavenly  Father^  ;  and  in  all  labouring 
 
 to 
 
VER.  13.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  5 
 
 to  be,  as  the  Apoftle  exhorts,  followers  of  God  as  dear 
 children^  Eph.  v.  i,  2,  As  children  that  are  beloved 
 of  their  father,  and  do  love  and  reverence  him  ;  who 
 therefore  will  be  ambitious  to  be  like  him,  and  par- 
 ticularly aim  at  the  following  any  virtues  or  excel- 
 lency in  him  :  Now,  thus  it  is  mod  reafonable  in  the 
 children  of  God,  their  Father  being  the  higheil  and 
 bell  of  all  excellency  and  perfedion. 
 
 But  this  excellent  pattern  is  drawn  down  nearer 
 their  view  in  the  Son  Jefus  Chriil ;  where  we  have 
 that  higheft  example  made  low,  and  yet  loling  no- 
 thing of  its  perfection.  So  that  we  may  ftudy  God 
 in  man,  and  read  all  our  leflbn,  without  any  blot,  eveii 
 in  our  own  nature.  And  this  is  truly  the  only  way 
 to  be  the  bed  proficients  in  this  following  and  imitat- 
 ing of  all  good.  In  him  we  may  learn  all,  even  thole 
 lelTons  that  men  mofl  defpife  ;  God  teaching  them, 
 by  ading  them,  and  calling  us  to  follow  ;  Learn  of  mCy 
 for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  hearty  Mat.  xi.  29.  But 
 this  is  too  large  a  fubjed.  Would  you  advance  in  all 
 grace  ?  ftudy ^Chrift  much,  and  you  lliall  find  not  only 
 the  pattern  in  him,  but  ilrength  and  fivill  from  him 
 to  follow  it. 
 
 2.  The  advantage  ;  Who  is  he  that  ivill  harm  you  P 
 The  very  name  of  it  fays  fo  much  ;  a  good^  worthy 
 l\\t  following  for  itfelf :  But  there  is  this  further  to 
 perfuade  it,  that,  befides  higher  benefit,  it  oftentimes 
 cuts  off  the  occaiions  of  prefent  evils  and  dilluibance's^ 
 that  otherwife  are  incident  to  men.  Who  is  he  ?  Men, 
 even  evil  men,  vvill  often  be  overcome  by  our  blame- 
 lefs  and  harmltrfs  behaviour. 
 
 1.  In  the  life  of  a  godly  man,  taken  together  \i\ 
 the  whole  body  and  frame  of  it,  there  is  a  grave 
 beauty  or  comelincfs,  that  oftentimes  forces  fome 
 kind  of  reverence  and  refpedl  to  it,  even  in  ungodly 
 minds. 
 
 2.  Though  a  natural  man  cannot  love  them  fpiri- 
 tually,  as  graces  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  (for  fo  only 
 the  partakers  of  them  are  lovers  of  them  ;)  yet  he 
 
 may 
 
6  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  |[cHAP.  III. 
 
 may  have,  and  ufually  hath,  a  natural  liking  and 
 efleem  of  feme  kind  of  virtues  which  are  in  a  Chri- 
 flian,  and  are  not,  in  their  right  nature,  in  any  other 
 to  be  found  ;  though  a  moralift  may  have  fomewhat 
 like  them,  meeknejs,  and  patience^  and  charity^   and 
 
 fidelity,  &c. 
 
 3.  Thefe,  and  other  fuch  like  graces,  do  make  a 
 Chriftian  life  fo  inoffenfive  and  calm,  that,  except 
 where  the  matter  of  their  God  or  religion  is  made 
 the  crime,  malice  itfelf  can  fcarce  tell  where  to  fa- 
 flen  its  teeth  or  lay  hold,  or  hath  nothing  to  pull  by, 
 though  it  would  ;  yea,  oftentimes,  for  want  of  work 
 or  occalions,  it  will  fall  afleep  for  a  while  ;  whereas 
 ungodlineis  and  iniquity,  fometimes  by  breaking  out 
 into  notorious  crimes,  draws  out  the  fword  of  civil 
 juftice,  and  where  it  rifes  not  fo  high,  yet  it  involves 
 men  in  frequent  contentions  and  quarrels,  Prov.  xxiii. 
 29.  How  often  are  the  lufts,  and  pride,  and  cove- 
 toufnefs  of  men,  paid  with  dangers,  and  troubles,  and 
 vexations,  that,  belides  what  is  abiding  them  hereafter, 
 do  even  in  this  prefent  life  fpring  out  of  them  ?  Now, 
 thefe  the  godly  efcape,  by  their  jull,  and  mild,  and 
 humble  carriage.  Whence  fo  many  jars  and  Jlrifes 
 amongfl:  the  greateft  part,  but  from  their  unchriftian 
 hearts  and  lives, /ro/;/  their  lujis  that  war  in  their  mem- 
 hers?  Jam.  iv.  i.;  their  felf-love  and  unmortified  paf- 
 iions  ?  One  will  bate  nothing  of  his  will,  nor  the 
 other  of  his.  Thus,  where  pride  and  paffion  meet 
 on  both  fides,  it  cannot  be  but  a  fire  will  be  kindled  ; 
 when  hard  flints  ftrike  together,  the  fparks  will  fly 
 about  \  but  a  foft  mild  fpirit  is  a  great  preferver  of 
 its  own  peace,  kills  the  power  of  contefl:  ;  as  wool-^ 
 packs,  or  fuch  like  foft  matter,  moft  deaden  the  force  of 
 bullets.  A  [oft  aufwer  turns  away  wrath,  fays  Solo- 
 mon, Prov.  XV.  I.  ;  beats  it  off,  breaks  the  hone,  as  he 
 fays  •  the  very  (Irength  of  it,  as  the  bones  are  in  the 
 
 body. 
 
 And  thus  we  find  it,  they  that  think  themfelves 
 
 hieh  fpirited,  and  will  bear  leaft,  as  they  fpeak,  are 
 ^     ^  often. 
 
VER.  13.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  7 
 
 often,  even  by  that,  forced  to  bow  moft,  or  to  burft 
 under  it ;  while  humility  and  meeknefs  efcape  many 
 a  burden,  and  many  a  blow,  always  keeping  peace 
 within,  and  often  without  too. 
 
 Reflexion  1.  If  this  were  duly  confidered,  might 
 it  not  do  fomewhat  to  induce  your  minds  to  love  the 
 way  of  religion,  for  that  it  would  fo  much  abate  the 
 turbulency  and  unquietnefs  that  abounds  in  the  lives 
 of  men  ;  a  great  part  whereof  the  mod  do  procure 
 by  the  earthlinefs  and  diilemper  of  their  own  carnal 
 minds,  and  the  diforder  in  their  ways  that  arifes 
 thence. 
 
 1.  You,  whofe  hearts  are  fet  towards  God,  and 
 your  feet  entered  into  his  ways,  I  hope  will  find  no  rea- 
 fon  for  a  change,  but  many  reafons  to  commend  and 
 endear  that  way  to  you  every  day  more  than  another  y 
 and,  amongft  the  relt,  even  this,  that,  in  them,  you 
 efcape  many,  even  prefent,  mifchiefs,  that  you  fee  the 
 ways  of  the  world  are  full  of.  And,  if  you  will  be 
 careful  to  ply  your  rule,  and  ftudy  your  copy  better, 
 you  Ihall  find  it  more  fo.  The  more  you  follow  that 
 which  is  good f  the  more  fliall  you  avoid  a  number  ot 
 outward  evils,  that  are  ordinarily  drawn  on  upon  men 
 by  their  own  enormities  and  paflions.  Keep  as  clofe 
 as  you  can  to  the  genuine,  even,  track  of  a  Chriftian 
 walk  ;  and  labour  for  a  prudent  and  meek  behaviour, 
 adorning  your  holy  profellion,  and  this  fiiall  adorn  you,. 
 and  fometimes  gain  thofe  that  are  without,  i  Cor.  ix. 
 21.;  yea,  even  your  enemies  (hall  be  conftrained  to 
 approve  it. 
 
 it  is  known  how  much  the  fpotlefs  lives  and  pa- 
 tient fufferings  of  the  primitive  Chriftians  did  fome- 
 times work  upon  their  beholders,  yea,  on  their  per- 
 fecutors  j  and  perfuaded  fome  that  would  not  fliare 
 with  them  in  their  religion,  yet  to  fpeak  and  write 
 for  them. 
 
 Seeing,  then,  that  reafon  and  experience  do  jointly 
 aver  it,  that  the  lives  of  men,  converfant  together, 
 have  generally  a  great  influence  one   upon  another ; 
 
 for, 
 
8  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [cHAP.  III. 
 
 for,  example  is  an  animated  or  living  rule,  and  is  both 
 the  fhorteft  and  moft  powerful  way  of  teaching :  Let 
 me  graft  an  exhortation  or  two,  on  this  obvious  re- 
 mark. 
 
 I.   Whofoever   are   in  an    exemplary    or  leading 
 place,  in  relation  to  others,  be  it  many  or  few,  hQ  ye 
 Jirji  followers  of  God.     Set  before  you  the   rule  of 
 holinefs,   and  withal,   the   bed  and  higheft  examples 
 of  thefe  that  have  walked  according  to  it,   and  then 
 you  will  be  leading  in  it  ;  and  thofe  that  are  under 
 you,   and  bent  to  follow  you  in  fo  doing,   \V\SS.  follow 
 that  which  is  good,  i  ThefT.  v.  15.     Lead   and  draw 
 them  on,   by  admonifliing,   and  counfelling,  and  ex- 
 horting, but  efpeciallyby  walking. — Pallors,  be  [ruTroi] 
 enfampks  to  the  flock,  or  models,  as  our  Apoftle  hath 
 it,    I  Pet.  V.  3.    that    they    may    be    ilampt   aright, 
 taking  the  impreflion  of  your  lives.     Sound  dodlrine 
 alone  will  not  lerve  ;  though  the  water  you- give  your 
 flocks  be  pure,  yet  if  you  lay  fpotted  rods  before  them, 
 it  will  bring  forth  fpotted  lives  in  them  ;  either  teach 
 not  at  all,  or  teach  by  the  rhetoric  of  your  lives  *. — 
 Ye,  elders,  befuch  in  grave  and  pious  carriage,  what- 
 foeverbeyour  years;  for  young  men  may  be  fo,  and, 
 pollibly,  gray  hairs  may  have  nothing  under  them  but 
 gadifhnefs  and  folly  many  years  old,   habituated  and 
 inveterate  ungodhnefs. — Parents  and  mailers,  let  your 
 children  and  fervants  read  in  your  lives  the  life  and 
 power  of  godlinefs,  the  pradiice  of  piety  ;  not  lying  in 
 your  windows  or  corners  of  your  houfes,  and  confined 
 within  the  clafp  of  the  book,  bearing  that  orany  fuch 
 like  title,  but  fhining  in  your  lives. 
 
 2.  You  that  are  eaiily  receptive  of  the  impreflion 
 of  example,  beware  of  the  ftamp  of  unholinefs,  and 
 a  carnal  formal  courfe  of  profeflion,  whereof  the 
 examples  are  mofl:  abounding ;  but,  though  they  be 
 fewer  that  bear  the  lively  image  of  God  imprefl^ed  on 
 their  hearts,  and  expreflTed  in  their  adlions,  yet  fl:udy 
 thefe,  and  he  followers  of  thofe  as  they  are  of  Chrift, 
 
 I  Cor. 
 
VER.  13.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  FETER.  9 
 
 I  Cor.  iv.  16.  I  know  you  will  efpy  much  irregu- 
 lar and  unfandtified  carriage  in  us  that  are  fet  up  for 
 the  miniftry  ;  and  if  you  look  round,  you  will  find 
 the  world  lying  in  wickednefs  ;  ytt,  if  there  be  any 
 that  have  any  fparks  of  divine  light  in  them,  con- 
 verfe  with  thofe  and  follow  them, 
 
 3.  And,  generally,  this  I  fay  to  all,  for  none  are  fo 
 complete,  but  they  may  efpy  fome  imitable  and 
 emulable  good,  even  in  meaner  Chriftians  ;  acquaint 
 yourfelves  with  the  word,  the  rule  of  holinefs ;  and 
 then,  with  an  eye  to  that,  look  on  one  another,  and 
 be  zealous  of  progrefs  in  the  ways  of  holinefs. 
 Choofe  to  converfe  with  fuch  as  may  excite  you  and 
 advance  you,  both  by  their  advice  and  example. 
 Let  not  a  corrupt  generation,  in  which  you  live,  be 
 the  worfe  by  you,  nor  you  the  worfe  by  it.  As  far 
 as  you  neceflarily  engage  in  fome  converiation  with 
 thofe  that  are  unholy,  let  them  not  pull  you  into  the 
 mire,  but,  if  you  can,  help  them  out ;  and  let  not  any 
 cuflom  of  fin  about  you,  by  familiar  feeing,  gain 
 upon  you,  fo  as  to  think  it  fafiiionable  and  comely  ; 
 yea,  or  fo  as  not  to  think  it  deformed  and  hateful. 
 Know,  that  you  mufi:  rowagainfl:  the  ftream  of  wick- 
 ednefs in  the  world,  unlefs  you  would  be  carried  with 
 it  to  the  dead  fea,  or  lake  of  perdition  ;  take  that  grave 
 €ounfel,  given,  Rom.  xii.  2.  be  not  conformed  to  this 
 'world,  but  be  ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your 
 mind,  which  is  the  daily  advancement  in  renovation, 
 purifying  and  refining  every  day. 
 
 NiDw,  in  this  way  you  (hall  have  fweet  inward  peace 
 and  joy,  and  fome  outward  advantage  too  ;  that  men, 
 except  they  are  monitroufiy  cruel  and  malicious,  will 
 not  fo  readily  harm  you*  It  will  abate  much  of  their 
 rage  ;  but,  however,  if  you  do  not  efcape  fuflfering  by 
 your  holy  carriage,  yea,  if  you  fuffer  even  for  it,  yet 
 in  that  are  ye  happy,  as  the  Apoftle  immediately  adds. 
 
 Vol.  II.  S  Ver.  14, 
 
10  A  COMMENTARY  Ui'ON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 Ver.  14.  But  and  if  ye  fuffcr  for  righteoufnefs  fake, 
 happy  are  ye  ;  and  be  not  afraid  of  their  terror^ 
 neitber  be  troubled, 
 
 IN  this  verfe  we  may  obferve  two  things:  i/?,  Even 
 in  the  mod  blamelefs  way  of  a  Chriftian's  life,  his 
 fufFering  fuppofed.  2^/)',  His  happinefs,  even  in  fuf- 
 fering,  alTerted, 
 
 1.  Suffering  is  fuppofed  notwithflanding  of  righte- 
 oufnefs, yeayor  righteoufnefs  ;  and  that  not  as  a  rare 
 unufual  accident,  but  as  the  frequent  lot  of  Chrif- 
 tians ;  as  Luther  calls  perfecutien^  malus genius  Evan^ 
 geiii.  And  we,  being  forwarned  of  this,  as  not  only 
 the  poffible,  but  the  frequent  lot  of  the  faints,  ought 
 not  to  hearken  to  the  falfe  prophecies  of  our  own 
 felf-love,  that  divines  what  it  would  gladly  have,  and 
 eafily  perfuades  us  to  believe  it.  Think  not  that  any 
 prudence  will  lead  you  by  all  opofitions  and  malice 
 of  an  ungodly  world  ;  but  many  winter  blafts  will 
 meet  you  in  the  mod  inoffenfiye  way  of  religion,  if 
 you  keep  flraight  to  it.  Suifering  and  war  with  the 
 world  is  a  part  of  the  godly  man's  portion  here,  which 
 feems  hard,  but,  take  it  altogether,  it  is  fweet ;  none 
 in  their  wits  Vv^iil  refufe  that  legacy  entire,  In  the 
 *worid  ye  fhall  have  trouble,  but  in  ine  ye  Jhall  have 
 peace y  John  xvi.  ult. 
 
 Look  about  you,  and  fee  if  there  be  any  eftate  of 
 man,  orcourfe  of  life,  exempted  from  troubles.  The 
 greateft  are  ufually  fubjedt  to  greateft  vexations  ;  as 
 the  largefl  bodies  have  the  largeft  fhadows  attending 
 them.  We  need  not  tell  nobles  and  rich  men,  that 
 contentment  doth  not  dwell  in  great  palaces  and 
 titles,  nor  in  full  coffers  ;  they  feel  it,  that  they  are  not 
 free  of  much  anguifh  and  moleftation,  and  that  a 
 proportionable  train  of  cares,  as  conflantly  as  of  fer- 
 vants,  follows  great  place  and  wealth.  Riches,  and 
 trouble,  or  noife,  are  lignified  by  the  fame  Hebrew 
 word,  ^^^z^  \,  compare  Job  xxxvi.  19.  with  xxx.  24.  \ 
 
 and 
 
VER.  14.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  II 
 
 and  kings  find  that  their  crowns,  that  are  fet  fo  rich- 
 ly with  diamonds  without,  are  lined  with  thorns 
 within. 
 
 And,  if  w^e  fpeak  of  men  that  are  fervants  to  un- 
 righteoufnejs,  befides  what  is  to  come,  are  they  not 
 often  forced  to  fuffer,  amongllthe  fervice  of  their  lulls, 
 the  diftempers  that  attend  unhealthy  intemperance; 
 and  poverty  that  dogs  luxury  at  the  heels  ;  and  the 
 fit  puniiliment  of  voluptuous  perfons  in  painful  difea- 
 fes,  that  either  quickly  cut  the  thread  of  life,  or  make 
 their  aged  hones  full  of  the  fins  of  their  youth  ^  Job.  xx. 
 II  ?  So  that,  on  the  whole,  take  what  way  you  Vv'ill, 
 there  is  no  place  nor  condition  fo  fenced  and  guarded, 
 but  public  calamities,  or  perfonal  griefs,  find  a  way 
 to  reach  us. 
 
 Seeing,  then,  we  mud  fuffer,  whatever  courfe  we 
 take,  this  kind  of  fuffering,  to  fuffer  for  righteoufnefs, 
 is  far  the  bell.  What  Julius  Ctefar  (aid  ill,  of  doing 
 ill*,  we  may  well  fay  of  fuffering  ill ;  if  it  mull  be, 
 it  is  bell  to  be  for  a  kingdom.  And  thofe  are  the 
 terms  on  which  Chridians  are  called  to  fuffer  for 
 righteoufnefs  ;  if  we  will  reign  with  Chrijl^  certain  it 
 is  we  mufi  fuffer  with  him  ;  and,  if  %ve  do  fuffer  with 
 him,  it  is  as  certain  wejhall  reign  with  him,  2  Tim, 
 ii.  12.    And  therefore  fuch  fuflerers  are  happy. 
 
 But  I  Ihall  profecute  this  fuffering  for  righteouf- 
 nefs, only  with  relation  to  the  Apollle's  prefent  rea- 
 foning.  His  conclufion  he  ellablilhes  :  i.  From  the 
 favour  and  proteclion  of  God.  2.  From  the  nature 
 of  the  thing  itfelf.  Now,  we  would  confider  the  con- 
 fillence  of  this  fuppolition  with  thofe  reafons. 
 
 i/?,  From  the  favour  or  protedion  of  God.  The 
 eyes  of  the  Lord  being  on  the  righteous  for  their  good, 
 and  his  ear  open  to  their  prayer  ;  how  is  it,  that,  not- 
 withllanding  all  this  favour  and  infpedlion,  they  are 
 fo  much  expofed  to  fuffering  ;  and,  even  for  the  re- 
 gard and  affedlion  they  bear  towards  him,  fuffering 
 
 for 
 
 *  Si  violandum  efljuSj  regnanal  caufd  violundum. 
 
J2  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  II«r 
 
 for  righteoiijnefs  P  Thefe  feem  not  to  agree  well,  yet 
 they  do. 
 
 It  is  not  faid  that  his  eye  is  fo  on  them,  as  that  he 
 will  never  fee  them  afflided,  nor  have  them  fufFer 
 any  thing  ;  no :  But  this  is  their  great  privilege  and 
 comfort  in  fuffering,  that  his  gracious  eye  is  then  upon 
 (hem,  and  fees  their  trouble,  and  bis  ear  towards  them  ; 
 not  fo  as  to  grant  them  an  exemption,  (for  that  they 
 will  not  feek  for),  but  feafonable  deliverance,  and,  in 
 the  mean  while,  ftrong  fu^port,  as  is  evident  in  that 
 XXX iv.  Pfahn.  If  his  eye  be  always  on  them,  he  fees 
 them  fuffer  often^  for  their  afflictions  are  many,  ver. 
 1 9. ;  and  if  his  ear  be  to  them,  he  hears  many  (ighs 
 and  cries  prefTed  out  by  fufferings :  And  they  are 
 content ;  this  is  enough,  yea  better  than  not  to  fuffer  ;. 
 they  fufFer,  and  often  dire6lly  for  him;  but  he  fees  it 
 all,  takes  perfe6t  notice  of  it^-  therefore  it  is  not  loft. 
 And  they  are  forced  to  cry,  but  none  of  their  cries 
 efcape  his  ear  ;  he  hears,  and  he  manifefts  that  he 
 fees  and  hears,  for  he  delivers  them  /  and,  till  he  does 
 that,  he  keeps  them  from  being  crufhed  under  the 
 weight  of  the  fuffering ;  He  keeps  all  bis  hones^  not 
 one  of  the7n  is  broken,  Pfal.  xxxiv.  20. 
 
 He  fees,  yea  appoints  and  provides,  thefe  conflids 
 for  his  chotceft  fervants :  he  fets  his  champions  to  en- 
 counter the  malice  of  Satan  and  the  world,  for  his 
 fake,  to  give  proof  of  the  tmth  and  the  ftrength  of  their 
 Ipve  to  him  for  whom  they  fuffer,  and  to  overcome 
 even  in  fuffering. 
 
 He  is  fure  of  his  defigned  advantages  out  of  the 
 fufferings  of  his  church  and  faints  for  his  name  5  he 
 lofes  nothing,  and  they  lofe  nothing  :  but  their  ene- 
 mies, when  they  rage  moft,  and  prevail  moft,  are  ever 
 the  greateft  lofers.  His  own  glory  grows,  the  graces 
 of  his  people  grow,  yea,  their  very  number  grows,  and 
 that  fometimes  moft  by  their  greateft  fufferings ;  it 
 was  evident  in  the  firft  ages  of  the  Chriftain  churches  : 
 where  were  the  glory  of  fo  much  invincible  love  and 
 patience,  if  they  had  not  been  fo  put  to  it  ? 
 
 2dly, 
 
V£R.  14.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE-  OF  PETER.  I3 
 
 idly^  For  the  other,  that  argument  from  the  na- 
 ture of  the  thing  :  It  is  certain  that,  when  it  is  inti- 
 mated that  the  {^aA  following  of  good  would  preferve 
 from  barrrif  it  fpeaks  what  it  is  apt  to  do,  and  what, 
 in  fome  meafure,  it  often  doth  ;  hut  then,  confidering 
 the  nature  of  the  world,  its  enmity  agairijl  God  and 
 religion,  that  ilrong  poifon  in  the  ferpent's  feed,  it  is 
 not  ftrange  that  it  often  proves  other  wife  ;  that,  not- 
 withftanding  the  righteous  carriage  of  Chritlians, 
 >-ea  even  becaufe  of  it,  they  fufFer  much.  It  is  a  re- 
 folved  cafe,  all  that  will  live  godly  muji  fuffer  peffecU' 
 tion,  2  Tim.  iii.  12.  It  meets  a  Chriftian  iii  his  en- 
 try to  the  way  of  the  kingdom,  and  goes  along  all 
 the  way.  No  fooner  can'lt  thou  begin  to  feek  the 
 way  to  heaven,  but  the  world  will  feek  how  to  vex 
 and  moleft  thee,  and  make  that  way  grievous  ;  if  no 
 other  way,  by  feoffs  and  taunts,  intended  as  bitter 
 blafts  to  deftroy  the  tender  blolfom  or  bad  of  reli- 
 gion, or,  (as  Herod),  to  kill  Chriil  newly  born.  You 
 Ihall  no  fooner  begin  to  inquire  after  God,  but,  twen- 
 ty to  one,  they  will  begin  to  inquire,  if  thou  art  gone 
 mad.  But  if  thou  knowell  who  it  is  whom  thou  hafl 
 trufledy  2  Tim.  i.  12.  and  whom  thou  lovcil,  this  is 
 a  fmall  matter.  What  though  it  were  deeper  and 
 fharper  fufferings,  yet  ilill,  if  you  fuffer  for  righteouf- 
 nefs,  happy  are  you  : 
 
 Which  isth^ fecond  thing  that  was  propofea,  and  more 
 particularly  imports,  i. That  a  Chrifliaii,  under  the 
 heavieft  load  oi  fufferings  for  righteoufnefs ,  is  yet  ftiil 
 happy y  notwithftanding  thefe  fufferings.  2/l'hat  he 
 is  happier  even  by  thefe  fuiferings.     And, 
 
 ij/?.  All  the  fufferings  and  diftreiTes  of  this  world 
 are  not  able  to  deftroy  the  happinefs  of  a  Chriffian, 
 nor  diminifh  it ;  yea,  they  cannot  at  all  touch  it,  it 
 is  out  of  their  reach.  If  it  were  built  on  worldly 
 enjoyments,  then  wqrldly  deprivements  and  fuffer- 
 ings might  fhake  it,  yea,  might  undo  it  \  when.thofe 
 rotten  props  fail,  that  which  refts  on  them  mull  fall. 
 He  that  hath  fet  his  heart  on  his  riches^  a  kvi  hours 
 
X4  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  lit; 
 
 can  make  him  miferable ;  he  that  lives  on  popular 
 applaufe,  it  is  almoil  in  any  body's  power  to  rob 
 him  of  his  happinefs,  a  little  flight  or  difgrace  un- 
 does him  ;  or,  whatfoever  the  foul  fixes  on  of  thefe 
 moving  unfixed  things,  pluck  them  from  it,  and  it 
 mud  cry  aft.er  them,  Te  have  taken  away  my  gods. 
 
 But  the  believer's  happinefs  is  fafe,  out  of  the 
 reach  of  fhot ;  he  may  be  impoverifhed  and  impri- 
 foned,  and  tortured  and  killed  ;  but  this  one  thing  is 
 oat  of  hazard,  he  cannot  be  miferable ;  ftill,  in  the 
 midfl  of  all  thefe,  fubfifts  he  a  happy  man.  If  all 
 friends  be  fliut  out,  yet  the  vifits  of  the  Comforter 
 may  be  frequent,  bringing  him  glad  tidings  from 
 heaven,  and  communing  with  him  of  the  love  of 
 Chrilf,  and  folacing  him  in  that.  It  was  a  great 
 word  for  a  heathen  to  fay  of  his  falfe  accufers,  Kill 
 me  they  may ^  hut  they  cannot  hurt  vie:  How  much 
 more  confidently  may  the  Chriftian  fay  fo  I  Banifli- 
 ment  he  fears  not,  for  his  country  is  above  ;  nor 
 death,  for  that  fends  him  home  into  that  country. 
 
 The  believing  foul,  having  hold  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
 can  eafily  defpife  the  beft  and  the  word  of  the  world, 
 and  bid  defiance  to  all  that  is  in  it ;  can  fhare  with 
 the  Apofile  in  that  of  his,  /  am  perfuaded  that  nei- 
 ther death  nor  life  /hall  feparate  me  from  the  love  of 
 God,  which  is  in  Chrifl  Jefus  our  Lord ^  Rom.  viii.  ult. 
 Yea,  what  though  the  frame  of  the  world  were  a- 
 difiblving,  and  falling  to  pieces !  This  happinefs 
 holds,  and  is  not  ftirred  by  it ;  for  it  is  in  that  Rock 
 of  eternity,  that  ilirs  not,  nor  changes  at  all. 
 
 Our  main  work,  truly,  if  you  will  believe  it,  is  this, 
 ,to  provide  this  immovable  happinefs,  that  amidft 
 all  changes,  and  lofies,  and  fufferings,  may  hold  firm. 
 You  may  be  free,  choofe  it  rather  ;  not  to  fl:and  to  the 
 courtely  of  any  thing  about  you,  nor  of  any  man, 
 whether  enemy  or  friend,  for  the  tenure  of  your 
 happinefs.  Lay  it  higher  and  furer,  and,  if  you  be 
 wife,  provide  fuch  a  peace  as  will  remain  untouched 
 in  the  hotteft  flame  ^  fuch  a  light  as  will  fhine  in 
 
 the 
 
VER.  14.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  "I5 
 
 the  deepell  dungeon,  and  fuch  a  life  as  is  fafe  even 
 in  death  itfelf ;  that  life  that  is  hid  with  Chrijl  in  God, 
 Col.  iii.  3. 
 
 But  if  in  other  fufferings,  even  the  word  "'and  fad- 
 deft,  the  believer  be  ftill  a  happy  man,  then  more  ef- 
 pecially  in  thofe  that  are  the  heft  kind,  fufFering  for 
 righteoufnefs :  Not  only  do  they  not  detradl  from  his 
 happinefs ;  but, 
 
 idlj,  They  concur  and  give  acceffion  to  it ;  he  is 
 happy  even  fo  by  fuffering ;  as  will  appear  from  the 
 following  confiderations, 
 
 I.  It  is  the  happinefs  of  a  Chriftian,  until  he  at- 
 tain perfection,  to  be  advancing  towards  it ;  to  be 
 daily  refining  from  fin,  and  growing  richer  and 
 itronger  in  the  graces  that  make  up  a  Chriftian,  a 
 new  creature  ;  to  attain  a  higher  degree  of  patience, 
 and  meeknefs,  and  humility,  to  have  the  heart  more 
 weaned  from  the  earth  and  fixed  on  heaven  :  now, 
 as  other  afflidlions  of  the  faints  do  help  them  in  thofe 
 their  fufterings  for  righteoufnefs,  the  unrighteous  and 
 injurious  dealings  of  the  world  with  them  have  a 
 particular  fitnefs  for  this  purpofe.  Thofe  trials  that 
 come  immediately  from  God's  own  hand,  feem  to 
 bind  to  a  patient  and  humble  compliance,  with  more 
 authority,  and,  (I  may  fay),  neceflity  :  There  is  no 
 plea,  no  place  for  fo  much  as  a  word,  unlefs  it  be  di- 
 rectly and  exprefsly  againft  the  Lord's  own  dealing ; 
 but  unjuft  fuffering  at  the  hands  of  men,  requires 
 fome  uncommon  degrees  of  refped;  unto  God,  with- 
 out whofe  hand  they  cannot  move  ;  fo  that  for  his 
 fake,  and  for  reverence  and  love  .to  him,  a  Chriftian 
 can  go  through  thofe  with  that  mild  evennefs  of 
 fpirit,  that  overcomes  even  in  fufi^ering. 
 
 And  there  is  nothing  outward  more  fit  to  perfiiade 
 a  man  to  give  up  with  the  world  and  its  friendftiip, 
 than  to  feel  much  of  its  enmity  and  malice  ;  and 
 that  directly  venting  itfelf  againft  religion,  making 
 that  the  very  quarrel,  which  is  of  all  thines  dearcft 
 to  a  Chriftian,  and  in  higheft  efteem  with  him. 
 
 If 
 
l6  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  Ill, 
 
 If  the  world  fheuld  carefs  them,  and  fmile  on 
 them,  they  might  be  ready  to  forget  their  home  ; 
 or  at  leall  to  abate  in  the  frequent  thoughts  and  fer- 
 vent defires  of  it,  and  to  turn  into  fome  familiarity  with 
 the  world,  and  favourable  thoughts  of  it,  fo  as  to  let 
 out  fomewhat  of  their  hearts  after  it ;  and  thus  grace 
 would  grow  faint  by  the  diverlion  and  calling  forth 
 of  the  fpirits ;  as  in  fummer,  in  the  hotteft  and  fair- 
 eil  weather,  it  is  with  the  body. 
 
 It  is  a  confirmed  obfervation,  by  the  experience  of 
 all  ages,  that  when  the  Church  flourifhed  moll  in 
 outward  peace  and  wealth,  it  abated  mod  of  its  fpi- 
 ritual  luftre  *,  which  is  its  genuine  and  true  beauty  ; 
 'and,  when  it  feemed  moft  miferable  by  perfecutions 
 and  fufferings,  it  was  moft  happy,  in  fincerity,  and 
 zeal,  and  vigour  of  grace.  When  the  moon  lliines 
 brighteil  towards  the  earth,  it  is  dark  heaven-wards ; 
 and,  on  the  contrary,  when  it  appears  not,  is  neareft 
 the  fun,  and  clear  towards  heaven. 
 
 2.  Perfecuted  Chriftians  are  happy  in  a6ling  and 
 evidencing,  by  thofe  fufferings  for  God,  their  love  to 
 him.  Love  delights  in  difficulties,  and  grows  in 
 them  :  The  more  a  Chriftian  fuffers  for  Chrift,  the 
 more  he  loves  him,  and  accounts  him  the  dearer  ; 
 and  the  more  he  loves  him,  ftill  the  more  can  he 
 fuffer  for  him. 
 
 3.  They  are  happy,  as  in  teflifying  love  to  Chrifl 
 and  glorifying  him,  fo  in  conformity  with  him, 
 which  is  love's  ambition.  It  afFeds  likenefsand  har^ 
 niony  at  any  rate.  A  believer  would  readily  take 
 it  as  an  affront,  that  the  world  fhould  be  kind  to 
 him,  that  was  fo  harfh  and  cruel  to  his  beloved  Lord 
 and  Mafter.  Canft  thou  exped:,  or  would'ft  thou 
 wifh,  fmooth  language  from  that  world  that  reviled 
 thy  Jefus,  that  called  him  Beelzebub  ?  Could'ft  thou 
 own  and  accept  friendHiip  at  its  hands,  that  buffeted 
 him,  and  (bed  his  blood  ?  Or,  art  thou  rather  moft 
 willing  to  fliare  with  him,  and  of  St  Paul's  mind, 
 
 *  Opihus  major,  virtutihus  minora 
 
V£R.  14.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I7 
 
 uuho  executed  his ejnbajjy  in  chains'^,  Eph.  vi.  20.;  and 
 yet  could  boldly  fay,  Gal.  vi.  14.  God  forbid  that  I 
 Jhould  glory  in  any  thing  fave  in  the  crofs  of  Chrifty 
 uoherehy  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the 
 -world, 
 
 4.  Suffering  Chriftians  are  happy  in  the  rich  fup- 
 plies  of  fpiritual  comfort  and  joy,  that  in  thofe  times 
 of  fuffering  are  ufual ;  fo  that  as  their  J  uffe  rings  for 
 Chriji  do  abound,  their  confolations  in  him  abound  much 
 more,  as  the  Aj^oftle  telliftes,  2  Cor.  i.  5.  God  is 
 fpeaking  mofl  peace  to  the  foul  when  the  world 
 fpeaks  moft  war  and  enmity  againlf  it  ;  and  this  com- 
 penfes  abundantly.  When  the  Chriftian  lays  the 
 greatefl  fufferings  men  can  infiid:  in  the  one  balance, 
 and  the  lead  glances  of  God's  countenance  in  the 
 other,  he  fays,  it  is  worth  all  the  enduring  of  thefe 
 to  enjoy  this ;  fays  with  David,  Pfal.  cix.  28.  Let  them 
 curfe,  but  hlefs  thou ;  let  them  frown,  but  fmile  thou. 
 And  thus  God  ufually  doth  ;  refreflies  fuch  as  are 
 prifoners  for  him  with  vifits,  that  they  would  buy 
 again  with  the  hardell  redraint  and  debarring  of 
 neareft  friends.  The  world  cannot  but  misjudge  the 
 ftate  of  fuffering  Chriftians ;  it  fees,  as  Bernard 
 fpeaks,  their  crolles,  but  not  their  anointings  f . 
 Was  not  Stephen,  think  you,  in  a  happy  polUire 
 even  in  his  enemies  hands  ?  Was  he  afraid  of  the 
 Ihowers  of  ftones  comino:  about  his  ears,  that  fuw  the 
 heavens  opened,  and  Jefus  flanding  on  the  Father^s 
 right  hand  P  fo  little  was  he  then  troubled  with  the 
 ftoning  him,  that,  as  the  text  hath  it,  in  the  midit  of 
 them  he  fell  ajleep.  Ads  vii.  55.  60. 
 
 5.  If  thofe  fufferings  be  fo  fmall,  that  they  are 
 weighed  dowm  even  with  prefent  comforts,  and  fo 
 the  Chriftian  be  happy  in  them  in  that  regard,  how 
 much  more  doth  the  weight  of  glory,  2  Cor.  iv.  17. 
 furpafs,  that  follows  thefe  fufferings  ?  They  are  not 
 worthy  to  come  in  comparifon ;  they  are   as  nothing 
 
 Vol.  II.  G  to 
 
 Vident  cruces  nojiras,  unBiones  non  "uident*     St  Bern, 
 
l8  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 to  ihzt  glory  that  Jhall  he  revealed,  in  the  Apoflle's 
 arithmetic.  That,  his  expreffion,  imports,  [Xcyi^o/Aa*], 
 when  I  have  call  up  the  fum  of  the  fufferings  ot  this 
 prefent  time,  this  inftant  now,  [to  ^uv],  they  amount 
 to  jull  nothing  in  refpe6l  o^  that  glory,  Rom.  viii.  i8. 
 Now,  thefe  fufferings  are  happy,  becaufe  they  are  the 
 way  to  this  happinefs,  and  pledges  of  it,  and  (if  any 
 thing  do)  they  raife  the  very  degree  of  it ;  however, 
 it  is  an  exceeding  excellent  weight  of  glory  ;  the  He- 
 brew word  that  lignilies  ^/{>rj',  iignifies  weight,  13D  ; 
 yet  the  glories  that  are  here  are  ail  too  light,  to  ika^^w, 
 except  in  the  weight  of  cares  and  forrows  that  attend 
 them,  but  that  hath  the  weight  of  complete  bleifed- 
 nefs ;  fpeak  not  of  all  the  fufferings,  nor  of  all  the 
 profperities  of  this  poor  life,  nor  of  any  thing  in  it, 
 as  worthy  of  a  thought,  when  that  glory  is  named  ; 
 yea,  let  not  this  life  be  called  life,  when  we  mention 
 that  other  life,  that  our  Lord,  by  his  death,  hath  pur- 
 chafed  for  us. 
 
 Be  7iot  afraid  of  their  terror, "^  No  time,  nor  place 
 in  the  \vorld,  is  fo  favourable  to  religion,  that  it  is 
 not  ilill  needful  to  arm  a  Chrillian  mind  againft  the 
 outward  oppolitions  and  difcouragemepts  he  Hiall 
 meet  with  in  his  way  to  heaven.  This  is  the  Apoftle's 
 fcope  here  ;  and  he  doth  it,  ijl.  By  an  affertion  ;  idly, 
 ^"^  an  exhortation.  The  affertion,  that,  in  fvffering 
 for  righteoufnefs,  they  ai'e  happy.  The  exhortation, 
 agreeable  to  the  affertion,  that  they  fear  not.  Why 
 fiiould  they  fear  any  thing  that  are  affured  of  happi- 
 nefs,  yea,  that  are  the  more  happy  by  thofe  very  things 
 that  feem  moft  to  be  feared  : 
 
 The  words  are  in  part  borrowed  from  the  Prophet 
 Ifaiah,  who  relates  them  as  the  Lord's  words  to  him, 
 and  other  godly  perfons  with  him  in  that  time, 
 countermandmg  in  them  that  carnal  diflruflful  fear, 
 that  drove  a  profane  king  and  people  to  feek  help, 
 rather  any  where  than  in  God,  who  was  their  ftrength  ; 
 fear  not  their  fear,  hut  fanElify  the  Lord,  and  let  him 
 be  yqur  fear,  &c.  Ifa,  viii,  12,  13. 
 
 This 
 
V£R.  I4.J  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  tg 
 
 This  the  Apoftle  extends  as  an  unlverfal  rule  for 
 Chriltians  in  the  miclft  of  their  greateit  troubles  and 
 dangers. 
 
 The  things  oppofed  here  are,  a  perplexing  trou- 
 bling/^^r  offujferings,  as  the  foul's  diftemper,  and  a 
 JanEiifying  of  God  in  the  heart,  as  the  fovereign  cure 
 of  it,  and   the  true   principle  of  a  healthful  found 
 conditution  of  mind. 
 
 Natural  fear,  though  not  evil  in  itfelf,  yet,  in  the 
 natural  man,  is  conltantiy  irregular  and  dif  )rdered 
 in  the  adlngs  of  it,  ilili  miffing  its  due  objed:,  or 
 meafure,  or  both  ;  either  running  in  a  wrong  chan- 
 nel, or  overrunning  the  banks.  As  there  are  no  pure 
 elements  to  be  found  here  in  this  lower  part  of  the 
 world,  but  only  in  the  phiiofopher's  books,  (they 
 define  them  indeed  as  pure,  but  they  find  them  no 
 where),  thus  we  may  fpeak  of  our  natural  paffions  as 
 not  fmful  in  their  nature,  yet  in  us  that  are  natural- 
 ly finful,  yea,  full  of  fin,  they  cannot  eicape  the  mix- 
 ture and  allay  of  it. 
 
 Sin  hath  put  the  foul  into  fuch  an  univerfal  dif-* 
 order,  that  it  neither  loves  nor  hates  what  it  ought, 
 nor  as  it  ought ;  hath  neither  right  joy,  nor  forrow, 
 nor  hope,  nor  fear  ;  a  very  fmall  matter  flirs  and 
 troubles  it  ;  and,  as  waters  that  are  ftirred,  f«oa;^3-»)Tf, 
 lb  the  word  fignifies,  having  dregs  in  the  bottom, 
 become  muddy  and  impure;  thus  the  foul,  by  carnal 
 fear,  is  confufed,  and  there  is  neither  quiet  nor  clear- 
 nefs  in  it.  A  troubled  fea,  as  it  cannot  rejt,  fo,  in  its 
 refllefnefs,  it  cajis  up  mire,  as  the  Prophet  fpeaks, 
 Ifa.  Ivii.  20.  Thus  it  is  with  the  unrenewed  heart 
 of  man,  the  lead  blafls  that  arife  didurb  it,  and  make 
 it  reftlefs,  and  its  own  impurity  makes  it  call:  up 
 mire  ;  yea,  it  is  never  right  with  him  ;  either  he  is 
 •alleep  in  carnal  confidence,  or,  being  ftiaken  out  of 
 that,  he  is  hurried  and  tumbled  to  and  fro  with  car- 
 narl  fears ;  either  in  a  lethargy,  in  a  fever,  or  trem- 
 bling ague :  When  troubles  are  at  a  difl:ance,  h^  folds 
 his  bands,  and  takes  eale  as  long  as  it  ma/  be ;  and 
 
 then. 
 
^0  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [gHAP.  III. 
 
 then  J  being  furprifed,  when  they  come  rufhing  on 
 him,  his  fluggilli  eafe  is  paid  with  a  furcharge  of  per- 
 plexing and  affrighting  fears.  And,  is  not  this  the 
 condition  of  the  moft  ? 
 
 Now,  becaufe  thofe  evils  are  not  fully  cured  in 
 the  believer,  but  he  is  fubjed:  to  carnal  fecurity,  as 
 David,  I /aid  in  my  profperity,  IJhall  never  he  moved ^ 
 Pfal.  XXX.  6. ;  and  filled  with  undue  fears  and  doubts 
 in  the  appreheniions  or  feeling  of  trouble,  as  he  like- 
 wife,  complaining,  confefTes  the  dejedion  and  dif- 
 quietnefs  of  his  foul  ;  and  again,  that  he  had  almoil 
 loft  his  ftanding,  his  feet  had  well  nigh  Jlipty. 
 Pfal.  Ixxiii.  2.  :  therefore,  it  is  very  needful  to  cau- 
 tion them  often  with  fuch  words  as  thefe,  Fear  not 
 their  fear,  neither  he  ye  troiihled.  It  will  be  proper, 
 if  you  take  it  objedively,  their  fear,  be  not  afraid  of 
 the  world's  malice,  or  any  thing  it  can  effed  ;  or  it 
 may  be  taken  fubjedively,  as  the  Prophet  means, 
 **  Do  not  you  fear  after  the  manner  of  the  world  ; 
 "  be  not  diftniflfully  troubled  with  any  afflidion  that 
 **  can  befal  you."  Sure  it  is  pertinent  in  either 
 fenfe,  or  both  together  ;  Fear  not  what  they  can  do^ 
 nor  fear  as  they  do. 
 
 If  we  look  on  the  condition  of  men,  ourfelves  and 
 others,  are  not  the  minds  of  the  greateft  part  conti- 
 nually tofled,  and  their  lives  worn  out  betwixt  vain 
 hopes  and  fears  =^,  providing  inceflantly  new  matter 
 of  difquiet  to  themfelves  ? 
 
 Contemplative  natures  have  always  taken  notice 
 of  this  grand  malady  in  our  nature,  and  have  at- 
 tempted much  the  cure  of  it ;  they  have  beftowed 
 much  pains  in  feeking  out  prefcriptions  and  rules  foF 
 the  attainment  of  a  fettled  tranquillity  of  fpirit,  free 
 from  the  fears  and  troubles  that  perplex  us ;  but  they 
 have  proved  but  mountebanks,  that  give  big  words 
 enow,  and  do  little  or  nothing,  all  phyficians  of  no 
 value,  or  of  nothing,  good  for  nothing,  as  Job  fpeaks. 
 Job  xiii.  4.     Some  things  they  have  faid  well  con- 
 
 -     cerning 
 
 *  H^c  inter  duhii  vivinms  ct  morimur. 
 
VER.  14.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  21 
 
 earning  the  outward  caufes  of  this  inward  evil,  and 
 of  the  inefficacy  of  inferior  outward  things  to  help 
 it;  but  they  have  not  defcended  to  the  bottom  and 
 inward  caufe  of  this  our  wretched  unquiet  condition, 
 much  lefs  afcended  to  the  true  and  only  remedy  of 
 it.  In  this,  divine  light  is  needful,  and  here  we  have 
 it  in  the  following  verfe. 
 
 Ver.  15.  But  fanclify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts : 
 And  be  ready  always  to  give  an  anfwer  to  every 
 man  that  a/ketb  you  a  reafon  of  the  hope  that  is  in 
 yoUy  with  meeknefs  and  fear, 
 
 IMPLYING  the  caufe  of  all  our  fears  and  troubles 
 to  be  this,  our  ignorance  and  difregard  of  God ; 
 and  the  due  knowledge  and  acknowledgn:sent  of  him 
 to  be  the  only  eftablifhment  and  ilrength  of  the 
 mind. 
 
 In  the  words  we  may  conlider  thefe  three  things  : 
 I.  This  refpedt  of  God,  as  it  is  here  exprefled,  Sanc- 
 tify the  Lord  God,  i.  The  feat  of  it,  in  your  hearts, 
 3.  The  fruit  of  it,  the  power  that  this,  fanclifying 
 God  in  the  heart,  hath  to  rid  that  heart  of  thofe  fears 
 and  troubles  to  which  it  is  here  oppofed  as  their 
 proper  remedy. 
 
 i/?,  We  have  the  refpecl  to  God  exprelfed  by  the 
 word  fanEiify,  He  is  holy,  motl  holy,  the  fountain 
 of  holinefs ;  it  is  he,  he  alone,  that  powerfully  fancli- 
 fies  us,  and  then,  and  not  till  then,  we  fandify  him. 
 When  he  hath  made  us  holy,  v/e  know  and  confefs 
 him  to  be  holy  ;  we  worfhip  and  ferve  our  holy  God^ 
 we  glorify  him  with  our  whole  fouls,  and  all  our  af- 
 fedlions ;  we  fandlify  him,  by  acknowledging  his 
 greatnefs,  and  power,  and  goodnefs ;  and,  which  is 
 here  more  particularly  intended,  we  do  this  by  a  holy 
 fear  of  him,  and  faith  in  him.  Thefe  confefs  his 
 greatnefs,  and  power,  and  goodnefs,  as  the  Prophet  is 
 exprefs,  Santlify  him,  and  let  him  he  your  fear  and 
 your  dread,  Ifa.  viii.  13.     And  then  he  adds,  if  thus 
 
 you 
 
22  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 you  fandify  him,  you  fhall  further  fandlify  him.  He 
 /hall  be  your  fanBuary  :  You  fhall  account  him  fo,  in 
 believing  in  him,  and  ihall  find  him  fo,  in  his  pro- 
 teding  you  ;  you  fhall  repofe  on  him  for  fafety  :  And 
 thefe  particularly  cure  the  heart  of  undue  fears. 
 
 2.dly^  We  have  the  feat  of  this,  with  refpecl  to 
 God,  in  your  hearts.  We  are  to  be  fanclified  in  our 
 v/ords  and  adlions,  but  primely  in  our  hearts,  as  the 
 root  and  principle  of  the  reft.  He  fandiifies  his  own 
 throughout,  i  ThefT.  v.  23.  makes  their  language  and 
 their  lives  holy,  but  firfl:,  and  moil:  of  all,  their  hearts; 
 and,  as  he  chiefly  fandifies  it,  it  chiefly  fanciifies  him. 
 The  heart  acknowledges  and  worlliips  him  often 
 when  the  tongue  and  body  do  not,  and  poflibly  can- 
 not well  join  with  it ;  it  fears,  and  loves,  and  trufls 
 in  him,  which  properly  the  outward  man  cannot  do, 
 though  it  does  follow  and  is  aded  by  thefe  afFedions, 
 and  fo  fhares  in  them  according  to  its  capacity. 
 
 Beware  of  an  external  fuperflcial  fandifying  of 
 God,  for  he  takes  it  not  fo  ;  nay,  he  will  interpret 
 that  a  profaning  of  him  and  his  name.  Gal.  vi.  7.  Be 
 not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked.  He  looks  through 
 all  vifages  and  appearances  in  upon  the  heart ;  fees 
 how  it  entertains  him,  and  ftands  affeded  to  him.  If 
 it  be  pofTefTed  with  reverence  and  love,  more  than 
 either  thy  tongue  or  carriage  can  exprefs,  he  gra- 
 cioufly  approves ;  and  if  it  be  not  fo,  all  thy  feeming 
 worfliip  is  but  injury,  and  thy  fpeaking  of  him  is 
 but  babbling,  be  thy  difcourfe  never  fo  excellent  ; 
 yea,  the  more  thou  hall  feemed  to  fandify  God, 
 while  thy  heart  hath  not  been  chief  in  the  bufinefs, 
 thou  Ihalt  not,  by  fuch  fervice,  have  the  lefs,  but  the 
 more  fear  and  trouble  in  the  day  of  trouble^  when 
 it  comes  upon  thee.  No  eftate  is  fo  far  ofl'  from  true 
 confolation,  and  fo  full  of  horrors,  «s  that  of  the 
 rotten-hearted  hypocrite;  his  rotten  heart  is  fooner 
 lliaken  to  pieces  than  any  other.  If  you  would  have 
 heart-peace  in  God,  you  mufl  have  this  heart-fandi- 
 fying  of  him.      It  is  the  heart  that  is  vexed   and 
 
 troubled 
 
VER.  15.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE   OF  PETER,  2$ 
 
 troubled  with  fears  ;  the  difeafe  is  there,  and  if  the 
 prefcribed  remedy  reach  not  thither,  it  will  do  no 
 good.  But  let  your  hearts  fandify  him,  and  then  he 
 Ihall  fortify  and  ejlabli/b  your  hearts,  i  ThefT.  iii.  13. 
 
 3^/y,  For  the  fruit  of  this  holy  affedion  ;  this 
 fanclifying  of  God  in  the  heart,  compofes  the  heart, 
 and  frees  it  from  fears. 
 
 1.  In  general,  the  turning  of  the  heart  to  confi- 
 der  and  regard  God,  takes  it  off  from  thofe  vain, 
 empty,  windy  things,  that  are  the  ufual  caufes  and 
 matter  of  its  fears.  It  feeds  on  wind,  and  there- 
 fore the  bowels  are  tormented  within.  The  heart 
 is  fubjed  to  difturbance,  becaufe  it  lets  out  itfelf  to 
 fuch  things,  and  lets  in  fuch  things  into  itfelf  as  are 
 ever  in  motion,  and  full  of  inftabiiity  and  relllefnefs ; 
 and  fo  it  cannot  be  at  quiet  till  God  come  in  and 
 cad  out  thefe,  and  keep  the  heart  within,  that  it 
 wander  out  no  more  to  them. 
 
 2.  The  particulars  of  this  religious  fear  and  faith 
 work  particularly  in  this, 
 
 I.  That  fear,  as  greateft,  overtops  and  nullifies 
 all  lefTer  fears.  The  heart,  poflelTed  with  this  fear, 
 hath  no  room  for  the  other  ;  it  refolves  the  heart, 
 in  point  of  duty,  what  it  fhould  and  mult  do,  that  it 
 muft  not  offend  God  by  any  means ;  that,  it  lays  down 
 as  indifputabie,  and  fo  eafes  it  of  doubtings  and  de- 
 bates in  that  kind  ;  Whether  fhall  I  comply  with  the 
 world,  and  abate  iomewhat  of  the  iiricerity  and  exadl 
 way  of  religion  to  pie afe  men^  or  to  efcape  perfecution 
 or  reproaches  ?  No,  it  is  unqueftionably  bell,, and  only 
 neceiiary  to  obey  Jmn^  rather  than  men  ;  to  retain  his 
 favour,  be  it  with  difpleafing  the  moll  refpedled  and 
 conliderable  perfons  we  know  ;  yea,  rather  to  choofe 
 the  univerfal  and  higheft  difpleafure  of  all  the  world 
 forever,  than  his  fmallefl  difcountenance  for  a  mo- 
 ment ;  it  counts  that  the  only  indifpen fable  neceility, 
 to  cleave  unto  God  and  obey  him.  If  I  pray,  I  fhall 
 be  accufed,  might  Daniel  think  ;  but  yet,  pray  I  muft, 
 come  on  it  what  will.     So,  if  I  w^orfhip  God  in  my 
 
 prayer, 
 
24  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 prayer,  they  will  mock  me,  I  Ihall  pafs  for  a  fool. 
 No  matter  for  that,  it  muft  be  done.  I  muft  call  on 
 God,  and  flrive  to  walk  with  him.  This  fets  the 
 mind  at  eafe,  not  to  he  halting  betwixt  two  opinions ^ 
 but  refolved  what  to  do.  We  are  not  careful,  faid 
 they,  to  anfwer  thee,  0  king ;  our  God  can  deliver  us, 
 Dan.  iii.  i6.  but,  however,  this  we  have  put  out  of 
 deliberation,  we  will  not  worjhip  the  image.  As  one 
 faid,  Non  oportet  vivere,  fed  oportet  navigare ;  it  is 
 not  neceflary  to  have  the  favour  of  the  world,  nor  to 
 have  riches,  nor  to  live  ;  but  it  is  neceflary  to  hold 
 fall  the  truth,  and  to  walk  holily,  to  fandlify  the  name 
 of  our  Lord,  and  honour  him,  whether  in  life  ox 
 death. 
 
 2.  Faith  in  God  clears  the  mind,  and  difpels  car-^ 
 nal  fears,  fo  it  is  the  moft  fure  help ;  What  time  I  am 
 afraid  (fays  David)  /  will  trujl  in  thee,  Pfal.  Ivi.  3. 
 It  refolves  the  mind  concerning  the  event,  and  fcat- 
 ters  the  multitude  of  perplexing  thoughts  that  arife 
 about  that ;  what  fhall  become  of  this  and  that  ? 
 what  if  fuch  an  enemy  prevail  ?  what  if  the  place  of 
 our  abode  grow  dangerous,  and  we  be  not  provided, 
 as  others  are,  for  a  removal  ?  No  matter,  fays  faith, 
 though  all  fail,  I  know  of  one  thing  that  will  not ;  I 
 have  a  refuge,  that  all  the  ftrength  of  nature  and  art 
 cannot  break  in  upon  or  demolilb  ;  a  high  defence, 
 my  rock  in  whom  I  trufl,  &c.  Pfal.  Ixii.  5,  6.  The 
 firm  belief  of,  and  refting  on  his  power,  and  wifdom, 
 and  love,  gives  a  clear  fatisfying  anfwer  to  all  doubts 
 and  fears.  It  fuffers  us  not  to  Hand  to  jangle  with 
 each  trifling  grumbling  objedion,  but  carries  all  be- 
 fore it ;  makes  day  in  the  foul,  and  fo  chaces  away 
 thofe  fears  that  vex  us  only  in  the  dark,  as  affrightful 
 fancies  do.  This  is  indeed  to  fanclify  God,  and  give 
 him  his  own  glory,  to  reji  on  him.  And  it  is  a  fruit- 
 ful homage  done  to  him,  returning  us  fo  much  peace 
 and  vidlory  over  fears  and  troubles,  it  perfuades  us 
 that  nothing  can  feparate  from  his  love,  and  that  on- 
 ly 
 
VER.  15.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  2^ 
 
 ly  we  feared ;  and  fo  the  things   that  cannot  reach 
 that,  can  be  eafily  defpifed. 
 
 Seek  to  have  the  Lord  in  your  hearts,  and  fandtify 
 him  there,  he  fhall  make  them  ftrong,  and  carry 
 them  through  all  dangers  ;  Though  I  walk,  fays  Da- 
 vid, through  the  valley  of  the  JJnidow  of  death,  I  will 
 fear  no  ill,  for  thou  art  with  me,  Pfal.  xxiii.  fo  Pfal. 
 xxvii.  I.  What  is  it  that  makes  the  Church  fo  firm 
 and  ftout,  though  the  fea  roar,  and  the  mountains  be 
 cafl  into  the  midfl  of  the  fea,  yet  we  will  not  fear  ?  It 
 is  this,  God  is  in  the  midfl  of  her,  Jhe  Jhall  not  he  mo^ 
 ved,  Pial.  xlvi.  2,  3.  5.  No  wonder,  he  is  immov- 
 able, and  therefore  doth  ellablilh  all  where  he  re- 
 lides.  If  the  world  be  in  the  middle  of  the  heart,  it 
 will  be  often  fhaken  ;  for  all  there  is  continual  mo-  ~ 
 tion  and  change,  but  God  in  it  keeps  it  liable.  La- 
 bour, therefore,  to  get  God  into  your  hearts,  refiding 
 in  the  midft  of  them,  and  then,  in  the  midfl:  of  all 
 conditions,  they  ihall  not  move. 
 
 Our  condition  is  univerfally  expofed  to  fears  and 
 troubles,  and  no  man  is  fo  fl:upid  but  he  fl:udies  and 
 projeds  for  fome  fence  againfl:  them  j  fome  bulwark 
 to  break  the  incurfion  of  evils,  and  fo  bring  his  mind 
 to  fome  eafe,  ridding  it  of  the  fear  of  them.  Thus 
 the  moil  vulgar  fpirits  in  their  way,  for  even  the 
 brutes,  from  whom  fuch  do  not  much  differ  in  their 
 adings  and  courfe  of  life  too,  are  initruded  by  na- 
 ture to  provide  themfelves  and  their  young  ones  of 
 ihelters,  the  birds  their  neds,  and  the  beails  their 
 holes  and  dens.  Thus,  men  gape  and  pant  after 
 gain,  with  a  confufed  ill- examined  fancy  of  quiet 
 and  fafety  in  it,  deliring  once  to  reach  fuch  a  day, 
 as  to  fay  with  the  rich  fool  in  the  gofpel,  Soul^  take 
 thine  eafe,  thou  hafl  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years  ^ 
 ^c»  Luke  xii.  19.  though  warned  by  his  fhort  eafe^ 
 and  by  many  watch- words,  yea,  by  daily  experience, 
 that  days  may  come,  yea,  one  day  will,  where  fear 
 and  trouble  fhall  rufh  m,  and  break  over  the  higheft 
 tower  of  riches,  that  there  is  a  day,  called  the  day  of 
 
 Vol.  IL  D  ^vrath, 
 
i6  A    COMMENTARY   UPON  [cHAP.  Itl. 
 
 wrath,  wherein  they  profit  not  at  all,  Prov.  xi.  4. 
 Thus  men  feek  fafety  in  the  greatnefs,  or  multitude, 
 or  fuppoied  faithfulnefs,  of  friends  ;  they  feek  by  any 
 means  to  be  ftrongly  underfet  this  way,  to  have  many, 
 and  powerful,  and  conftant  friends.  But  wifer  men, 
 perceiving  the  unfafety  and  vanity  of  thefe,  and  all 
 external  things,  have  call  about  for  fome  higher 
 courfe.  They  fee  a  neceffity  of  withdrawing  a  man 
 from  externals,  that  do  nothing  but  mock  and  de- 
 ceive thofe  moft  that  truft  moil  to  them,  but  cannot 
 tell  whither  to  dired:  him.  The  bed  of  them  bring 
 him  into  himfelf,  and  thmk  to  quiet  him  fo ;  but  the 
 truth  is,  he  finds  as  little  reft  and  fupport  there. 
 Nothing  truly  ftrong  enough  within  him,  to  hold  out 
 againft  the  many  forrows  and  fears  that  flill  from 
 without  do  afiault  him.  So  then,  though  it  is  well 
 done  to  call  off  a  man  from  outward  things,  as  mov- 
 ing fands,  that  he  build  not  on  them,  yet  it  is  not 
 enough  ;  for  his  own  fpirit  is  as  unfettled  a  piece  as 
 is  in  all  the  world,  and  muft  have  fome  higher 
 ftrength  than  its  own  to  fortify  and  fix  it.  This  is 
 the  way  that  is  here  taught.  Fear  not  their  fear,  but 
 fandlify  the  Lord  your  God  in  your  hearts  ;  and  if  you 
 ean  attain  this  latter,  the  former  will  follow  of  it- 
 felf. 
 
 In  the  general,  God  taking  the  place  formerly 
 pofTelTed  by  things  full  of  motion  and  unquietnefs, 
 llrengthens  and  eftabliflies  the  heart ;  but  we  may 
 more  particularly  confider,  i.  Fear  of  him.  2.  Faith 
 in  him. 
 
 ijl.  This  fear  of  God  turns  other  fears  out  of 
 doors  ;  there  is  no  room  for  them  where  this  great 
 fear  is,  and  being  greater  than  they  all,  yet  it  difturbs 
 not  as  they  do,  yea,  it  brings  as  great  quiet  as  they 
 brought  trouble.  It  is  an  eaie  to  have  but  one  thing 
 for  the  heart  to  deal  withal,  for  many  times  the  mul« 
 titude  of  carnal  fears  is  more  troublefome  than  their 
 weight,  as  flies  that  vex  moft  by  their  mimber. 
 
 Again* 
 
VER.  15.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  RETER.  27 
 
 Again,  This  fear  is  not  a  terrible  appreheniion  of 
 God  as  an  enemy,  but  a  fvveet  compofed  reverence  of 
 God  as  our  King,  yea,  as  our  Father ;  as  very  great, 
 but  no  lefs  good  than  great ;  fo  highly  eftecining  of 
 his  favour,  as  fearing  mod  of  all  things  to  offend  him 
 in  any  kind  ;  efpecially  if  the  foul  have  been  former- 
 ly cither  under  the  lafh  of  his  apprehended  difplea- 
 fure,  or,  on  the  other  lide,  have  had  fome  fenfible  taftes 
 of  his  love,  and  have  been  entertained  in  his  banqueU 
 ting  boufe,  where  his  banner  over  it  was  love^  Cant, 
 ii.  4.  Faith  carries  the  foul  above  all  doubts,  with  af- 
 furance  that  if  fufferings,  or  licknefs,  or  death  come, 
 iiothing  can  feparate  it  from  him,  this  fuffices ;  yea, 
 what  though  he  may  hide  his  face  for  a  time,  though 
 that  is  the  hardeft  of  all,  yet  there  is  no  feparation. 
 His  children  fear  him  for  his  goodnefs  ;  are  afraid  to 
 lofe  fight  of  that,  or  deprive  themfelves  of  any  of  its 
 influences.  They  delire  to  live  in  his  favour,  and 
 then  for  other  things  they  are  not  very  thoughtful. 
 
 idly.  Faith  fets  the  foul  in  God,  and  where  is  fafe- 
 ty  if  it  be  not  there  ?  It  reds  on  thofe  perfuafions  it 
 hath  concerning  him,  and  that  intereft  it  hath  in 
 him.  Faith  believes  that  he  fits  and  rules  the  affairs 
 of  the  world,  with  an  all-feeing  eye  and  all-moving 
 hand :  The  greatefl  affairs  furcharge  him  not,  and  ^ 
 the  very  fmalleft  efcape  him  not.  He  orders  the 
 march  of  all  armies,  and  the  events  of  battles,  and 
 yet  thou  and  thy  particular  condition  flips  not  out  of 
 his  view.  The  very  hairs  of  thy  head  are  numbered^ 
 Matth.  X.  30.  Are  not  all  thy  fleps,  and  the  hazards 
 of  them,  known  to  him,  and  all  thy  de fires  before  him? 
 Doth  he  not  number  thy  wanderifigs,  every  weary  l^ep  ( 
 thou  art  driven  to,  and  put  thy  tears  in  his  bottle  ?  l 
 Pfal.  Ivii.  8.  Thou  mayefl  affure  thyfelf,  that  bow-^ 
 ever  thy  matters  feem  to  go,  all  is  contrived  to  fub- 
 ferve  thy  good,  efpecially  thy  chief  and  highefl:  good. 
 There  is  a  regular  motion  in  them,  though  the  wheels 
 ijo  feem  to  run  crofs.     All  tl^ofe  things  are  againfl  me, 
 
 faid 
 
28  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  ill* 
 
 faid  old  Jacob,  Gen.  xlii.  36.  and  yet  they  were  all 
 for  him. 
 
 In  all  eftates,  I  know  no  heart's  eafe,  but  to  be- 
 lieve ;  Xofandlify  and  honour  thy  God,  in  refting  on 
 his  word.  If  thou  art  perfuaded  of  his  love,  fure 
 that  will  carry  thee  above  all  diltrufting  fears.  If 
 thou  art  not  clear  in  that  point,  yet  depend  and  re- 
 folve  to  (lay  by  him,  yea,  to  Hay  on  him,  till  he  fhew 
 himfelf  unio  thee.  Thou  haft  fome  fear  of  him,  thou 
 canft  not  deny  it  without  grofs  injury  to  him  and 
 thyfeh;  thou  would'ft  willingly  walk  in  all  well-plea- 
 ling  unto  him  :     Well  then,  who  is  aijiong  you  that 
 
 feareth  the  Lord,  though  he  fee  no  prefent  light,  yet  let 
 him  triifl  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  andjtay  upon  his 
 
 '  God,  Ifa.  1.  10.  Prefs  this  upon  thy  foul,  for  there  is 
 not  fuch  another  charm  for  all  its  fears  and  unquiet ; 
 therefore,  repeat  it  ftill  with  David:  Sing  this  ftill, 
 till  it  be  ftilled  ;  chide  thy  diftruftful  heart  into  be- 
 lieving, Why  art  thou  cafl  down,  0  my  foul  ?^  why  art 
 thou  difquieted  within  me  F    Hope  in  God,  for  I  Jhall 
 
 yet  praife  him,  Pfal.  xliii.  5.  Though  I  am  all  out  of 
 tune  for  the  prefent,  never  a  right  ftring  in  my  foul, 
 yet  he  will  put  to  his  hand  and  redrefs  all :    And  I 
 
 Jhall  yet  once  again  praife ;  and  therefore,  even  now,  I 
 will  hope. 
 
 It  is  true,  v/ill  the  humble  foul  reply,  God  is  a  fafe 
 ihelter  and  refuge,  but  he  is  holy,  and  holy  men 
 may  find  admittance  and  protedion  ;  but  can  fo  vile 
 a  iinner  as  1  look  to  be  proteded  and  taken  in  under 
 his  fafeguard  ?  Go  try.  Knock  at  his  door,  and  (take 
 it  not  on  our  word,  but  on  his  own)  it  Jhall  be  opened 
 to  thee,  Matth.  vii.  7.  ;  and  if  that  be  once  done,  thou 
 fhalt  have  a  happy  life  on  it  in  the  worft  times. 
 Faith  hath  this  privilege,  never  to  he  aJJjamed ;  it 
 takes  fan^luary  in  God,  and  fits  and  fings  under  the 
 
 Jbadow  of  his  wings,  as  David  fpeaks,  Pfal.  Ixiii.  7.     . 
 Whence  the  unfettlednefs  of  mens  minds  in  trou- 
 ble, or  when  it  is  near,   but  becaufe  they  are  far  off 
 fjrorri  God  ?    The  heart  is  Jhaken  as  the  leaves  of  the 
 
 tree 
 
VER.  15.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  2^ 
 
 tree  with  the  wind,  Ifa.  vii.  2.  there  is  no  liability  of 
 fpirit ;  God  is  not  fandlified  in  it^  and  no  wonder, 
 for  he  is  not  known.  Strange!  the  ignorance  of  God, 
 and  the  precious  promifes  of  his  word  I  the  moll  liv- 
 ing and  dying  llrangers  to  him  I  When  trouble  comes 
 they  have  not  him  a  knovon  refuge^  but  are  to  begin 
 to  feek  after  him,  and  to  inquire  the  way  to  him  ; 
 they  cannot  go  to  him  as  acquainted,,  and  engaged 
 by  his  own  covenant  with  them.  Others  have  empty 
 knowledge,  and  can  difcourfe  of  fcripture,  and  fer- 
 mons,  and  fpiritual  comforts,  and  yet  have  none  of 
 that  fear  and  trull  that  quiets  the  foul  :  Notions  of 
 God  in  their  heads,  but  God  not  fandlified  in  their 
 hearts. 
 
 If  you  will  be  advifed,  this  is  the  way  to  have  a 
 high  and  llrong  fpirit  indeed,  and  to  be  above  trou- 
 bles and  fears.  Seek  for  a  more  lively  and  divine 
 knowledge  of  God  than  moll  as  yet  have,  and  reft 
 not  till  you  bring  hiui  into  your  hearts,  and  then  you 
 fhall  relt  indeed  in  him. 
 
 Sanclify  him  by  fearing  him  ;  Let  him  he  your  fear 
 and  your  dread,  Ifa.  viii.  13.  ;  fear  not  only  outward 
 grofs  offences,  do  not  only  fear  an  oath,  and  the  pro- 
 fanation of  the  Lord's  holy  day,  but  fear  all  irregular 
 earthly  delires  :  Fear  the  diilempered  affeding  any 
 thing,  entertaining  any  thing  in  the  fecret  of  your 
 hearts  that  may  give  dillalle  to  your  Beloved.  Take 
 heed,  refped  the  great  Perfon  you  have  in  your  com- 
 pany, who  lodges  within  you,  the  Holy  Spirit.  Grieve 
 him  not,  for  it  will  turn  to  your  own  grief  if  you  do; 
 for  all  your  comfort  is  in  his  hand,  and  flows  from 
 him.  If  you  be  but  in  heart  dallying  with  fin,  it 
 will  unfit  you  for  fuffering  outward  troubles,  and 
 make  your  fpirit  low^  and  bafe  in  the  day  of  trial : 
 Yea,  it  w^ill  fill  you  with  inward  trouble,  and  difturb 
 that  peace,  which,  I  am  lure,  you  that  know  it,  elleem 
 more  than  all  the  peace  and  flourilhing  of  this  world. 
 Outward  troubles  do  not  moleft  nor  ftir  inward  peace, 
 ^ut  an  unholy  unfandified  aftedion  doth.  All  the 
 #  winds 
 
3©  A  COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 winds  without,  caufe  not  an  earthquake,  but  that 
 within  its  own  bowels  doth.  Chriftians  are  much 
 their  own  enemies  in  unwary  walking  ;  hereby  they 
 deprive  themfelves  of  thofe  comforts  they  might  have 
 in  God ;  and  fo  are  often  ahnoft  as  perplexed  and 
 full  of  fears,  upon  fmail  occalions,  as  worldlings  are. 
 
 Sandlify  him  by  believing.  Study  the  main  que- 
 llion,  your  reconcilement  with  him  ;  labour  to  bring 
 that  to  feme  point,  and  then  in  all  other  occurrences 
 faith  will  uphold  you,  by  relying  on  God  as  now 
 yours;  for  thofe  three  thmgs  make  up  the  foul's 
 peace  :  i/?,  To  have  right  apprehenlions  of  God, 
 looking  on  him  in  Chrili,  and  according  to  that  cove- 
 nant that  holds  in  him.  And,  idly,  A  particular 
 apprehenlion,  that  is,  laying  hold  on  him  in  that  co- 
 venant, as  gracious  and  merciful,  as  fatisfied  and  ap- 
 peafed  in  Chrift,  fmelling,  in  his  facritice,  (which  was 
 himfelf),  a  favour  of  reft,andfetting  himfelt  before  me, 
 that  I  may  rely  on  him  in  that  notion.  3^/^,  A  per- 
 fualion,  that  by  fo  relying  on  him  my  foul  is  at  one, 
 yea,  is  one  with  him.  Yet,  while  this  is  wanting,  as 
 to  a  believer  it  may  be,  the  other  is  our  duty,  to  fanc- 
 tify  the  Lord  in  believing  the  word  of  grace,  and  be- 
 lieving on  him  ;  repoling  on  his  word  ;  and  this 
 even  fevered  from  the  other  doth  deliver,  in  a  good 
 nieafure,  from  diftracling  fears  and  troubles,  and  fets 
 the  foul  at  fafety. 
 
 Whence  is  it,  that,  in  times  of  perfecution  or 
 trouble,  men  are  troubled  within  and  racked  with 
 fears,  but  becaufe  inftead  of  God,  their  hearts  are 
 glued  to  thofe  things  that  are  in  hazard  by  thole 
 troubles  without,  their  eftates,  or  their  eafe,  or  their 
 lives  ?  The  foul  defcitute  of  God  efteems  fo  highly 
 of  fuch  things,  that  it  cannot  but  exceedingly  feel 
 when  they  are  in  danger,  and  fear  their  lofs  moil, 
 gaping  after  (ome  imagined  good,  and  faying.  Oh  I  if 
 I  had  but  this,  I  were  well.  But  then,  fuch  or  fuch 
 a  thing  may  flep  in  and  break  all  my  projeds :  And 
 this  troubles  the  poor  fpirit  of  man  that  hath  no  high- 
 
VER.  15.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  3s 
 
 er  deligns,  bat  fuch  as  are  fo  ealily  blafted,  and  {till 
 as  any  thing  in  man  lifts  up  his  Joul  to  vanity,  it  muft 
 needs  fall  down  again  into  vexation.  There  is  a  word 
 or  two  in  the  Hebrew  for  idols ^  that  lignify  withal  troii" 
 hles'^,  and  terrors  ^^  and  fo  it  is  certainly.  All  our  idols 
 prov^e  lo  to  us ;  they  fill  us  with  nothing  but  anguifh 
 and  troubles,  with  unprofitable  cares  and  fears,  that 
 are  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  fit  punifhments  of  that 
 folly  out  of  which  they  arife.  The  ardent  love  or 
 obrtinate  defire  of  profperity,  or  wealth,  or  credit  in 
 the  world,  carries  with  it,  as  infeparably  tied  to  it,  a 
 bundle  of  fears  and  inward  troubles  :  ney  that  will 
 he  richy  fays  the  Apoftle,  i  Tim.  vi.  9.  fall  into  a 
 fnare,  and  many  noifome  and  hurtful  lufis,  and,  as  he 
 adds  in  the  next  verfe,  they  pierce  themfelves  through 
 with  many  for  rows.  He  that  hath  fet  his  heart  upon 
 an  eitate,  or  a  commodious  dwelling  and  lands,  or 
 upon  a  healthful  and  long  life,  cannot  but  be  in  con- 
 tinued alarms  of  renewed  fears  concerning  them  • 
 tfpechWy  in  troublous  times,  the  lead  rumour  of  anv 
 thing  that  threateneth  his  deprivement  of  thofe  advan- 
 tages (Irikes  him  to  the  heart ;  becaufe  his  heart  is  ia 
 them.  I  am  well  feated,  thinks  he,  and  I  am  of  a 
 found  ftrong  conftitution,  and  may  have  many  a  good 
 day.  Oh  I  but  befide  the  arrows  of  peftilence  that 
 are  flying  round  about,  the  fword  of  a  cruel  enemy 
 is  not  far  off,  1  his  will  aflf'right  and  trouble  a  heart 
 void  of  God  ;  but,  if  thou  would'ft  readily  anfwer  and 
 difpel  all  thefe,  and  fuch  like  fears,  fanUify  the  Lord 
 God  in  thy  heart.  The  foul  that  eyes  God,  renounces 
 thefe  things,  looks  on  them  at  a  great  diftance,  as 
 things  far  from  the  heart,  and  therefore  that  cannot 
 eafily  trouble  it,  but  it  looks  on  God  as  within  the 
 he^Yt,fan^ifes  him  in  it,  and  refts  on  him. 
 
 The  word  of  God  cures  the  many  foolifh  hopes 
 and  fears  that  we  are  naturally  fick  of,  by  reprefent- 
 
 *  Dn^\:  Ka.  xlv.  16,  from  nil*  arBamt,  hofliliter  egit, 
 
 \  n^*73D  I  Kings  XV.  i^,from  "^Sh^contremifcereyet  O»0*i^ 
 Job  XX,  i^.from  Xiy^  firmidabilisi  terrifcin^ 
 
^2  A  Commentary  upon  [chap.  nU 
 
 ing  to  us  hopes  and  fears  of  a  far  higher  nature, 
 which  fwallow  up  and  drown  the  other  ;  as  inunda- 
 tions and  land-floods  do  the  little  ditches  in  thofe 
 meadows  that  they  overflow.  Fear  not,  fays  our  Sa- 
 viour, fmn  that  caii  kill  the  body,  what  tiien  ?  Fear 
 iTiuft  have  fome  work,  he  adds,  but  fear  Him  that  can 
 kill  both  foul  and  body,  Mat.  x.  28.  Thus  in  the  paf- 
 fage  cited  here,  Fear  not  their  fear,  but  fanElify  the 
 Lord,  and  let  him  be  your  fear  and  your  dread.  And 
 fo  for  the  hopes  of  the  world,  care  not  though  you 
 lofe  them  for  God  ;  there  is  a  hope  in  you  (as  it  fol- 
 lows here)  that  is  far  above  them. 
 
 Be  ready  always  to  give  an  aifwerJ\  The  real  Chri- 
 ilian  is  all  for  Chrifl,  hath  given  up  all  right  of  him- 
 felf  to  his  Lord  and  Mafter  ;  to  be  all  his,  to  do. and 
 fuffer  for  him  ;  and  therefore  fure  will  not  fail  in  this 
 •which  is  ieaft,  to  fpeak  for  him  upon  all  occaiions. 
 If  he  fandify  him  in  his  heart,  the  tongue  will  fol- 
 low, and  be  ready  [tt^o^  ociroXoyiixv]  to  give  an  anfwer, 
 a  defence  or  apology.  Of  this  here  are  four  things 
 to  be  aoted. 
 
 ifl.  The  need  of  it,  Men  will  afk  an  account, 
 idly.  The  matter  or  fubjedt  of  it,  the  hope  in  you, 
 '^dly.  The  manner,  with  meeknefs  cind  fear, 
 j^thly,  The  faculty  for  it,  Be  ready, 
 I.  For  xh^firfl,  the  need  of  a  defence  or  apology. 
 Religion  is  always  the  thing   in  the   world  that  hath 
 the  greateil  calumnies  and  prejudices  cafl   upon   it  y 
 and  this  engages  thofe  that  love  it  to  endeavour  to 
 clear  and  difourden  it  of  rhera.    This  they  do  chiefly 
 by  the  track  of  their   lives.     The  faints,   by  their 
 blameiefs  adions  and  patient  fufFerings,  do  write  mofl: 
 real  and  convincing   apologies ;  yet  fometimes  it   is 
 expedient,  yea,  necelTary,  to  add  verbal  defences,  and 
 to  vmdicate  not  fo  much  themielves,  as  their  Lord 
 and   his  truth,   fuffering   m  the  reproaches  cafl  upon 
 them.     Did  they  reit  in  their  own  perfons,  a  regard- 
 lefs  contempt  of  them  were  ufually  the  fittefh  an- 
 
 fwer ; 
 
V£R.  15.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  33 
 
 fwer  ^  ;  but  where  the  holy  profeffion  of  Chriftians  is 
 likely  to  receive  either  the  main  or  the  indired  blow, 
 and  a  word  of  defence  may  do  any  thing  to  ward  it 
 off,  there  we  ought  not  to  fpare  to  do  it. 
 
 Chriftian  prudence  ^oes  a  great  way  in  the  regu- 
 lating of  this  ;  for  holy  things  are  not  to  he  cajl  to  dogs^ 
 Mat.  vii.  6.  Some  are  not  capable  of  rational  an- 
 fvvers,  efpecially  in  divine  things  ;  they  were  not 
 only  loll  upon  them,  but  religion  indignified  by  con- 
 tefting.  But  we  are  to  anfwer  every  one  that  inquires 
 a  reafon  or  an  account ;  which  fuppofes  fomething 
 receptive  of  it.  We  ought  to  judge  ourfelves  engag- 
 ed to  give  it,  be  it  an  enemy,  if  he  will  hear:  if  it. 
 gain  him  not,  it  may  in  part  convince  and  cool  him  ; 
 much  more  be  it  one  that  ingenuouily  inquires  for 
 fatisfaction,  anxl  poffibly  inclines  to  receive  the  truth, 
 but  is  prejudiced  again  (I  it  by  falfe  mifreprefentations 
 of  it  :  As  Satan  and  the  profane  world  are  very  in- 
 ventive of  fuch  (hapes  and  colours  as  may  make  truth, 
 moll;  odious,  drawing  monrtrous  miiconfequences  out 
 of  it,  and  belying  the  pradices  of  Chriftians,  mak- 
 ing their  alTemblies  horrible  and  vile  by  falfe  impu- 
 tations ;  and  thus  are  they  often  neceiiirated  to  de- 
 clare the  true  tenor,  both  of  their  belief  and  lives,  in 
 confeffions  of  faith,  and  remonflrances  of  their  car- 
 riage and  cuftom. 
 
 The  very  name  of  Chriftians,  in  the  primitive  times, 
 was  made  hateful  by  the  fouleft  afperlions  of  ftrange 
 wickedneiTes  committed  in  their  meetings  ;  and  they 
 paiTed  credibly  through  with  all  that  were  not  particu- 
 larly acquainted  with  them.  Thus  it  alfo  was  with 
 the  Waldenfes  ;  and  {o  both  were  forced  to  puhliJJy 
 apologies  ;  and,  as  here,  every  one  was  and  is  bound, 
 feafonably,  to  clear  himfelf,  and  his  brethren,  and  re- 
 ligion. Such  is  the  expreffion  here,  he  ye  always 
 ready  ;  which  intimates  it  was  not  always  to  be  done 
 to  every  one ;  but  we,  being  ready  to  do,  are  to  con- 
 lider  when,  and  to  whom,  and  how  far. 
 
 Vol.  II.  E  2.  We 
 
 *  Spreta  vilefcerent. 
 
34  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IIlT, 
 
 2.  We  have  the  matter  or  fiibje6t  of  the  apology. 
 All  that  they  are  to  give  account  of  is  coniprifed  here 
 under  this,  the  hope  that  is  in  you.  Faith  is  the  root 
 of  all  graces,  and  of  all  obedience  and  holinefs  ;  and 
 hope  is  fo  near  in  nature  to  it,  that  the  one  is  com- 
 monly named  for  the  other  :  For,  the  things  t\\?ii  faith 
 apprehends,  and  lays  hold  on,  as  prefent  in  the  truth 
 of  divine  promifeSy  hope  looks  out  for  as  to  come  in 
 their  certain  performance.  To  believe  a  promife  to 
 be  true  before  it  be  performed^  is  no  other  but  to 
 believe  that  it  fliall  be  performed  ;  and  hope  expeds 
 that. 
 
 Many  rich  and  excellent  things  do  the  faints  re- 
 ceive, even  in  this  mean  defpifed  condition  they  have 
 here  ;  but  their  hope  is  rather  mentioned  as  the  fub- 
 }zdi  they  may  fpeak  and  give  account  of  with  mod 
 advantage  ^  both  becaufe  all  they  receive  at  prefent 
 is  but  as  nothing,  compared  to  what  they  hope  for  ; 
 and  becaufe,  fuch  as  it  is,  it  cannot  be  made  known 
 at  all  to  a  natural  man,  and  is  fo  clouded  with  their 
 aillidlions  and  forrows.  Thefe  he  fees,  but  their 
 graces  and  comforts  he  cannot  fee;  and  therefore 
 the  very  ground  of  higher  hopes,  fomewhat  to  come, 
 though  he  knows  not  what  it  is,  fpeaks  more  fatisfac- 
 tion.  To  hear  of  another  life,  and  happinefs  hoped 
 for,  any  man  will  confefs  it  fays  fomething,  and  de- 
 serves to  be  conlidered. 
 
 So,  then,  the  whole  fum  of  religion  goes  under  this 
 word,  the  hope  that  is  in y&u,  for  two  reafons,  i.  As 
 it  terminates  in  hope  :  And,  2,  as  that  is^  by  way  of 
 eminence,  the  hope,  the  moil  noble  of  all  others. 
 
 I.  For  that  it  doth  indeed  all  refolve  and  terminate 
 into  things  to  come,  and  lead^  and  carries  on  the 
 foul  towards  them  by  all  the  graces  in  it,  and  all  the 
 exercife  of  them,  and,  through  all  fervices  and  fufFer- 
 ings  ;  dill  it  aims  at  this,  as  its  main  fcope,  to  keep 
 that  life  to  come  in  the  believer's  eye,  till  he  get  it 
 in  his  hand  ;  to  entertain  the  hope  of  it,  and  bring 
 him  home  to  polTefs  iu     And^ 
 
 2.  It 
 
VER.  15.3  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  35 
 
 2.  It  is  eminently  The  hope  ;  therefore  the  Apollie 
 calls  faith  the  fuhjiance  of  things  hoped  for,  that  which 
 makes  them  be  before  they  be,  gives  a  folidity  and 
 fubftance  to  them.  The  name  of  hope,  in  other  things, 
 fcarce  fuits  with  fuch  a  meaning,  but  founds  a  kind 
 of  uncertainty,  and  is  fomewhat  airy.  For,  of  all 
 "Other  hopes  but  this,  it  is  a  very  true  word,  that  hopt 
 is  the  name  of  an  uncertain  good  ^':  But  the  gofpel, 
 being  entertained  by  faith,  furnilhes  a  hope  that 
 hath  fubftance  and  reality  in  it ;  and  all  its  truths  do 
 concentre  into  this,  to  give  fuch  a  hope.  There  was 
 in  St  Paul's  word,  befides  the  fitnefs  for  his  Itratageni 
 at  that  time,  a  truth  fiiiiable  to  this,  ^vhere  lie 
 afligns  his  whole  caufe  for  which  he  was  in  quellion» 
 by  the  name  of  his  hope  of  the  refurrecilon,  Acts 
 xxiii.  6. 
 
 And,  indeed,  this  hope  curries  its  own  apology  in 
 it,  for  itfelf  and  for  religion.  What  can  more  perti- 
 nently anfwer  all  exceptions  againft  the  way  of  god- 
 linefs  than  this,  to  reprefent  w^hat  hopes  the  faints 
 have,  that  walk  in  that  way.  If  you  alk.  Whither 
 tends  all  this,  your  precifenefs  and  fingularity  ?  Why 
 cannot  you  live  as  your  neighbours,  and  the  reil  of 
 the  world  about  you  ?  Truly  the  reafon  is  this,  we 
 have  fomewhat  further  to  look  to  than  our  prefeut 
 condition,  and  far  more  coniiderabie  than  any  tiling 
 here ;  we  have  a  hope  of  bldlednefs  after  time,  a 
 hope  to  dwell  in  the  prefcnce  of  God,  where  our  Lord 
 Chrifl  is  gone  before  us ;  and  v/e  know  that  as  many 
 iis  have  this  hope,  mufl  purify  themfelves  even  as  he  w 
 P)ure,  I  John  iii.  3.  The  city  v^^e  tend  to  is  holy,  and 
 no  unclean  thing  Jh all  enter  into  it,  Rev.  xxi.  17.  The 
 hopes  we  have  cannot  fubfift  in  the  way  of  the  un- 
 godly world  ;  they  cannot  breathe  in  that  air,  but 
 are  choked  and  ftified  with  it ;  and  therefore  we 
 muft  take  another  way,  iinlefs  we  will  forego  our 
 hopes,  and  ruin  ourfelves  for  company.  **  But 
 *^  all  that  buille  of  godlinefs  you  make,  is  but  often- 
 
 •*    miois 
 
 *  Stei  efi  nomen  honi  incertu     Sen^ 
 
36  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.llI, 
 
 "  tation  and  hypocrify."  That  may  be  your  judg- 
 ment ;  but.  if  it  were  fo,  we  had  but  a  poor  bargain. 
 Mat.  vi.  They  have  their  reward,  that  which  they 
 delire  (to  he  feen  of  men)  is  given  them,  and  they 
 can  look  for  no  more  ;  but  we  fhould  be  loath  to  have 
 it  fo  with  us.  That  which  our  eye  is  on,  is  to  come  ; 
 our  hopes  are  the  thing  which  upholds  us.  We 
 know  that  we  ihall  appear  before  the  Judge  of  hearts, 
 where  fhews  and  formalities  will  not  pafs :  And  we 
 are  perfuaded,  that  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite Jhall  pe- 
 rijh,  Job  viii.  13.;  no  man  fhall  be  fo  much  difap- 
 pointed  and  afhamed  as  he  ;  but  the  hope  that  we 
 have  makes  not  afhained,  Rom.  v.  5.  And  while  we 
 confider  that,  fo  far  are  we  from  the  regard  of  mens 
 eyes,  that,  w^ere  it  not  we  are  bound  to  profefs  our 
 hope,  and  avow  religion,  and  to  walk  like  it,  even  be- 
 fore men,  we  would  be  content  to  pafs  through  alto- 
 gether unfeen,  and  defire  to  pafs  as  if  it  were  fo  ; 
 as  regardlefs  either  of  the  approbation,  or  of  the  re- 
 proaches and  miftakes,  of  men  ;  as  if  there  were  no 
 fuch  thing,  for  it  is  indeed  nothing. 
 
 Yea,  the  hopes  we  have  make  all  things  fweet. 
 Therefore  do  we  go  through  difgraces  and  fufferings 
 ■with  patience,  yea  with  joy,  becaufe  of  that  hope  of 
 glory,  and  joy,  laid  up  for  us.  A  Chrillian  can  take 
 joyfully  the  fpoilings  of  his  goods,  knowing  that  he  hath 
 in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  fubjtance,  Heb. 
 X.  34. 
 
 It  is,  as  we  faid.  The  hope.  All  the  eflate  of  a  be- 
 liever lieth  in  hope,  and  it  is  a  royal  eftate  ;  for  out- 
 ward things,  the  children  of  God  have  what  he 
 thinks  fit  to  ferve  them,  but  thofe  are  not  their  por- 
 tion, and  therefore  he  gives  often  more  of  the  world 
 to  thofe  that  fhail  have  no  more  hereafter :  But  all 
 their  flourifli  and  luftre  is  but  a  bafe  advantage,  as 
 ^  lackey's  gaudy  clothes,  that  ufually  make  more 
 Hiew  than  his  that  is  heir  of  the  eitate.  How  often 
 pnder  a  mean  outward  condition,  and  very  defpica- 
 |)le  every  way,  goes  an  heir  of  glory,  horn  of  God,  and 
 
 fo 
 
V£R.  15.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  3? 
 
 fo  royal;  born  to  a  crown  that  fadeth  not,  an  eftate  of 
 hopes,  but  fo  rich  and  fo  certain  hopes,  that  the  leaft 
 thought  of  them  furpaffes  all  the  world's  poffeffions. 
 Men  think  of  fomevvhat  for  prefent,  a  bird  in  hand, 
 as  you  fay,  the  beft  on  it :  But  the  odds  is  in  this, 
 that  when  all  prefent  things  iliall  be  pad  and  fwept 
 away,  as  if  they  had  not  been,  then  fliall  thefe  ho- 
 pers  be  in  eternal  poffeffion  ;  ^^^^j' only  fliall  have 
 all  for  ever,  that  feemed  to  have  little  or  nothing 
 here. 
 
 Oh  I  how  much  happier,  to  be  the  meaneft  ex- 
 pedant  of  the  glory  to  come,  than  the  fole  polTeffor 
 of  ail  this  world.  Thefe  expedants  are  often  held 
 fhort  in  earthly  things,  and,  had  they  the  greateft 
 abundance  of  them,  yet  they  cannot  reft  in  that; 
 yea,  all  the  fpiritual  bleflings  that  they  do  poiTefs 
 here,  are  nothing  to //^^  ^0/?^ /^<^/  is  in  them,  but  as 
 an  earneft-penny  to  their  great  inheritance.  So,  in- 
 deed, it  confirms  their  hope,  and  alTures  it  unto  them 
 of  that  full  eftate,  and  therefore,  be  it  never  fo  fmall, 
 they  may  look  on  it  with  joy,  not  fo  much  regarding 
 it  (imply  in  itfelf,  as  in  relation  to  that  which  it  feals 
 and  afcertains  the  foul  of.  Be  it  never  fo  fmall,  yet 
 it  is  a  pledge  of  the  great  glory  and  happinefs  which 
 we  defire  to  (hare  in. 
 
 It  is  the  grand  comfort  of  a  Chriftian  to  look  often 
 beyond  all  that  he  can  polTefs  or  attain  here  ;  and  as 
 to  anfwer  others,  when  he  is  put  to  it  concerning  his 
 hope,  fo  to   anfwer  birnfelf  concerning  all  his  prefent 
 griefs   and   wants  :    **  I   have  a  poor  traveller's   lot. 
 •*  here,   little  friendQiip,    and  many  ftraits,  but  yet  I 
 **  may  go  cheerfully  homewards:   For  thither  I  ftiall 
 *'  come,  and  there  I  have  riches  and  honour  enough; 
 '*  a  palace  and  a  crown  abiding  me :    Here  nothing 
 "  but    depth    calling    unto   depth,    one    calamity  and 
 •<  trouble  (as  waves)  following  another  ;  but  I  have 
 "  a  hope  of  that  Refi  that  remaineth  for  the  people  of 
 <*  God,   Heb.  iv.  9.  I  feel  the  infirmities  of  a  mortal 
 *^  ftate,  but  my  iiopes  of  immortality  content  me  un- 
 
 "  der 
 
3^  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 **  der  them.  I  find  flrong  and  cruel  aflaults  of  temp- 
 **  tations  breaking  in  upon  me,  but  for  all  that,  I 
 '^^  have  aflured  hope  of  a  full  vidory,  and  then  of 
 **  everlafting  peace.  I  find  a  law  in  my  members  rc- 
 **  belling  againft  the  laiv  of  my  mind,  Rom.  vii.  23. 
 "  the  worlt  of  all  evils ;  fo  much  ftrength  of  corrup- 
 •*  tion  within  me  :  Yet  there  is  withal  a  hope  with- 
 •*  in  me  of  deliverance,  and  I  look  over  all  to  that  ; 
 ^*  /  lift  up  my  head,  becaufe  the  day  of  my  redemption 
 '*  draws  fiigb^  Luke  xxi.  28.  This  I  dare  avow  and 
 **  proclaim  to  all,  and  not  be  alliamed  to  anfwer^  con- 
 "  cerning  this  bleffed  hope." 
 
 Bat  then,  ^dly^  For  the  manner  of  this,  it  is  to  be 
 done  with  meeknefs  and  fear.  Meeknefs  towards  men, 
 and  reverent  fear  towards  God. 
 
 I.  With  meeknefs.  Not  therefore  bluftering  and 
 flying  out  into  invedlives,  becaufe  he  hath  the  better 
 on  it,  againft  any  man  that  queftions  him  touching 
 this  hope  ;  as  fome  think  themfelves  certainly  autho- 
 rifed  to  rough  fpeech,  becaufe  they  plead  for  truth, 
 and  are  on  its  fide.  On  the  contrary,  fo  much  the 
 rather  fiudy  meeknefs,  for  the  glory  and  advantage  of 
 the  truth.  It  needs  not  the  fervice  of  pafiion ;  yea,  no- 
 thing fo  difTerves  it,  as  pafiion  when  fet  to  ferve  it. 
 The  Spirit  of  truth  is  withal  the  Spirit  of  meeknefs^ 
 the  Dove  that  refted  on  that  great  Champion  of 
 Truth,  who  is  the  Truth  itfeif,  and  fiom  him  is  de- 
 rived to  the  lovers  of  truth,  and  they  ought  to  feek 
 the  participation  of  it.  hnprudence  makes  fome 
 kind  of  Chriilians  lofe  much  of  their  labour,  in 
 fpeaking  for  religion,  and  they  drive  thofe  further  ofi', 
 that  they  would  draw  into  it. 
 
 And,  2.  This  defence  is  to  be  made  with  fear. 
 Divine  things  are  never  to  be  fpoke  of  in  a  light  per- 
 fundory  way,  but  with  a  reverent  grave  temper  of 
 fpirit ;  and,  for  this  reafon,  fome  choice  is  to  be  made 
 both  of  time  and  perfons.  The  confidence  that  is  in 
 this  hope  makes  the  believer  not  fear  men,  to  whom 
 Jie  anfwers,  but  fi:ill  he  fears  his  God,  for  whom  he 
 
 anfwers 
 
VER.  15.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  39 
 
 anfwers,  and  whofe  interefl  is  chief  in  thofe  things  he 
 fpeaks  of.  The  foul  that  hath  the  deepeft  fenfe  of 
 fpiritual  things,  and  the  trued  knowledge  of  God,  is 
 mod  afraid  to  mifcarry  in  fpeaking  of  him,  moll  ten- 
 der and  wary  how  to  acquit  itfelf  when  engaged  to 
 fpeak  of  and  for  God. 
 
 ^thly.  We  have  the  faculty  of  this  apology,  be 
 ready.  In  this  there  is  implied  knowledge,  and  af- 
 fedlion,  and  courage.  For  knowledge  is  not  requi- 
 red of  every  Chriftian,  to  be  able  to  profecute  fubtil- 
 ties,  and  encounter  the  fophiflry  of  adverfaries,  efpe- 
 cially  in  obfcure  points  ;  but  all  are  bound  to  know 
 fo  much,  as  to  be  able  to  aver  that  hope  that  is  in 
 them,  the  main  dod^rine  of  grace  and  ialvation^ 
 wherein  the  moft  of  men  are  lamentably  ignorant. 
 
 Affeftion  lets  all  on  work  ;  whatfoever  faculty  the 
 mind  hath,  it  will  not  fuffer  it  to  be  ufelefs,  and  it 
 hardens  it  againft  hazards  in  defence  of  the  truth, 
 and  produces  that  undaunted  courage  which  this 
 readinefs  exprelTes. 
 
 But  the  only  way  fo  to  know  and  love  the  truth ^ 
 and  have  courage  for  itj  is  that,  to  have  the  Lord 
 fanclified  in  the  heart.  Men  may  difpute  ftoutly 
 againft  popery  and  errors,  and  yet  be  ftrangers  to 
 God  and  this  hope.  But  fure  it  is  the  iivelieft  de- 
 fence, and  that  which  alone  returns  comfort  within, 
 when  it  arifes  from  the  peculiar  intereft  of  the  foul 
 in  God,  and  in  thole  truths,  and  that  hope,  that  are 
 queftioned.  It  is  then  pleading  for  the  neareil  friend, 
 and  for  a  man's  own  rights  and  inheritance,  and 
 tliefe  will  animate  and  Q.6.gQ.  it,  when  you  apologfie, 
 not  for  a  hope  you  have  heard  or  read  of  barely,  but 
 a  hope  in  you ;  not  merely  a  hope  in  believers  in 
 general,  but  in  you,  by  a  particular  fenfe  ot^  that  hope 
 within. 
 
 But,  although  you  find  it  not  fo  [Irong  in  you  for 
 your  particular  intereft,  yet.  Are  you  feeking  after  it, 
 and  defiring  it  mainly  ?  Is  it  your  chief  delign  to  at- 
 tain unto  it?  then  forbear  not,  if  you  have  occulion, 
 
 to 
 
4b  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.   III. 
 
 to  fpeak  for  it,  and  commend  it  to  others,  and  to 
 maintain  the  fweetnefs  and  certainty  of  it. 
 
 And,  to  the  end  you  may  be  the  more  eftablifhed 
 in  it,  and  fo  the  ftronger  to  anfwer  for  it,  not  only 
 againft  men,  but  that  great  adverfary  that  feeks  fo 
 much  to  infringe  and  overbear  it,  know  the  right 
 foundation  of  it  ;  build  it  never  on  yourfelves,  nor 
 any  thing  in  you. 
 
 The  work  of  grace  may  evidence  to  you  the  truth 
 of  your  hope  ;  but  the  ground  it  fattens  on  is  Jefus 
 Chrift,  in  whom  all  our  rights  and  evidences  hold 
 good  :  His  death  aifuring  us  of  freedom  from  con- 
 demnation, and  his  life  and  poiTellion  of  glory  being 
 the  foundation  of  our  hope,  Heb.  vi.  19. 
 
 If  you  would  have  it  immovable,  reil  it  there  ; 
 lay  all  this  hope  on  him,  and,  when  aifaulted,  fetch 
 all  your  anfwers  for  it  from  him,  For  it  is  Chrift  in 
 you  that  is  your  hope  of  glory ^  Coloffl  i.  37. 
 
 Ver.  16.  Having  a  good  confcience,  that  whereas  they 
 fpeak  evil  of  you,  as  of  evil-doers,   they  may  he  a- 
 JJ)amed  that  falfely  accufe  your  good  converfation  in 
 Chrifl. 
 
 1^ 
 
 HE  profperity  of  fools  is  their  deffrudion,  fays 
 Solomon,  Prov.  i.  32.  But  none  of  God's- chil- 
 dren die  of  this  difeafe,  of  too  much  eafe.  He  knows 
 well  how  to  breed  them,  and  fit  them  for  a  king- 
 dom. He  keeps  them  in  exercife,  but  yet  fo  as  they 
 are  not  furcharged.  He  not  only  diredts  them  how 
 to  overcome,  but  enables  and  fupports  them  in  all 
 their  conflids,  and  gives  them  vidory.  One  main 
 thing,  tending  to  their  fupport  and  vidory,  is  this, 
 which  is  here  required  in  the  faints,  and  is  withal 
 wrought  and  maintained  in  them  by  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  Having  a  good  confcience,  &c. 
 
 I.  We  have  here  two  parties  oppofed  in  conteft, 
 the  evil  tongues  of  the  ungodly,  and  the  good  con- 
 fcience and  converfation  of  the  Chriftian  \  they  fpeak 
 
 evil 
 
V£R.  l6.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  41 
 
 evil  of  you  and  falfely  acatfe  you,  but  have  you  a  good 
 confcience. 
 
 2.  The  fuccefs  of  their  conteft  ;  the  good  confci- 
 ence prevails,  and  the  evil-fpeakers  are  afliamed. 
 
 For  the  fir/l.  The  parties  engaged  :  of  the  firfl;,  it 
 is  faid,  They  /peak  evil.  This  is  a  general  evil  in  the 
 corrupt  nature  of  man,  though  in  fome  it  rifes  to  a 
 greater  height  than  in  others.  Are  not  tables  and 
 chambers,  and  almoil  all  focieties  and  meetings,  full 
 of  it?  And  even  they  that  have  fome  diflikings  of  it, 
 yet  are  too  ealily  carried  away  with  the  flream,  and, 
 for  company's  fake,  take  a  fhare,  if  not  in  lending  in 
 their  word,  yet  in  lending  their  ear.  Men  willing- 
 ly hear  the  detractions  of  others;  and,  unlefs  it  be  of 
 their  friends,  or  fuch  as  they  have  intereft  in,  do 
 infenfibly  Hide  into  fome  forced  complacency,  and 
 tafily  receive  the  imprelTion  of  calumnies  and  de- 
 famings.  But  the  moft  are  more  adive  in  this  evil, 
 can  caft  in  their  penny  to  make  up  the  fhot ;  have 
 their  taunt  or  criticifm  upon  lomebody  in  readinefs, 
 towards  furnifliing  out  the  feaft,  fuch  as  moll  com- 
 panies entertain  one  another  withal :  But  it  is  a  vile 
 diet:  Satan's  name,  as  the  Syriack  calls  him,  is  an 
 eater  of  calumnies.  This  tongue-evil  hath  its  root  in 
 the  heart,  in  a  perverfe  conftitution  there.  Pride 
 and  felf-iove,  an  overweening  eileem  that  men  na- 
 turally have  of  themfelves,  mounts  them  into  that 
 chair,  gives  them  a  fancied  authority  of  judging 
 others;  and  felf-love  a  delire  to  be  efteemed;  and,  for 
 that  end,  they  fpare  not  to  deprefs  others,  and  load 
 them  with  difgraces  and  injurious  cenfures,  feeking, 
 upon  their  ruins,  to  raife  themfelves  ^, 
 
 But  this  bent,  of  the  unrenewed  heart  and  tongue, 
 to  evil-fpeaking,  works  and  vents  moft  in  the  world, 
 againft  thofe  that  walk  mod  contrary  to  the  courfe 
 of  the  world  ;  againft  fuch  this  furnace  of  the  tongue, 
 which  iV  kindled  from  hell,  as  St  James  tells  us,  Ja. 
 iii.  6.  is  made  feven  times  hotter  than  ordinary.     As 
 
 Vol.  II.  F  for 
 
 *  Kx  alieni  noTninis  jactitra  j?radum  Jili  faciunt  ad  ^loriam, 
 Salluft.  -  ^ 
 
4^  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAF.  111. 
 
 for  iincere  Chriftians,  a  company  of  hypocrites,  (fay 
 they,)  who  fo  godly  ?  hut  yet  they  are  falfe,  and  ma- 
 licious, and  proud,  &c. ;  and  no  kind  of  carriage  in 
 ihem  fliall  efcape,  but  there  fhali  be  fome  device  to 
 wrelt  and  mifname  it.  If  they  be  cheerful  in  fo- 
 ciety,  that  Ihall  be  accounted  more  hberty  than  fuits 
 with  their  profeliion  ;  if  of  a  graver  fad  temper,  that 
 ihall  pais  for  fulleii  feverity  :  Thus,  John  Baptift  and 
 Chriit  were  cenfured,  Matth.  xi.  i8,  19.  If  they  be 
 diligent  and  wary  in  their  affairs,  then,  in  the  world's 
 tonllrudijon,  they  are  as  covetous  and  worldly  as 
 any  ;  if  carelefs  and  remifs  in  them,  then  filly  wit- 
 lefs  creatures,  good  for  nothing :  Still  fomething 
 Hands  crofs. 
 
 The  enemies  of  religion  have  not  any  where  fo' 
 quick  an  eye,  as  in  obferving  the  ways  of  fuch  as 
 Jeek  after  God ;  my  remarkers,  David  calls  them, 
 Ffal.  Ivi.  6.  they  that  fcan  my  ways,  as  the  word  is, 
 and  will  not  let  the  lead  ftep  pafs  unexamined.  If 
 nothing  be  found  faulty,  then  their  invention  works, 
 either  forges  complete  falfchoods,  or  difguifes  fome- 
 thing that  lies  open  to  miftake  ;  or  if  they  can  catch 
 bold  on  any  real  failing,  there  is  no  end  of  their 
 triumph  and  infultations.  i*  They  aggravate  and 
 raifc  It  to  the  higheft.  2.  While  they  will  not  ad- 
 mit to  be  judged  of  themfelves  by  their  conftant  walk, 
 they  fcruple  not  to  judge  of  the  condition  of  a  Chri- 
 llian  by  any  one  particular  adion,  wherein  he  doth, 
 or  feems  at  lead  to  mifcarry.  3.  They  re  if  not  there, 
 but  make  one  failing  of  one  Chriftian  the  reproach 
 of  all  ;  '*  Take  up  your  devoto's,  there  is  never  one 
 **  of  them  better/'  4.  Nor  rell  they  there,  but  make 
 perfonal  failings,  of  thofe  that  profefs  it,  the  difgrace 
 of  religion  itfeif.  Now,  all  thefe  are  very  crooked 
 rules,  and  fuch  as  ufe  them  are  guilty  of  grofs  in- 
 juftice. 
 
 I.  There  is  a  great    difference  betwixt  a  thing 
 
 taken  favourably,  and  the  fame  adion  mifconftrued. 
 
 And, 
 
 2, 
 
VER.  16.]        THE  URST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  43 
 
 2.  A  great  difference  betwixt  one  particular  ad 
 and  a  man's  eftate  or  inward  frame,  which  they 
 either  confider  not,  or  willingly  or  malicioully  ne- 
 gled. 
 
 3.  How  large  is  the  difference  that  there  is  be- 
 twixt one  and  another  in  the  meafure  of  grace,  and 
 ot  their  prudence,  either  in  their  naturals,  or  in 
 grace,  or  poffibly  in  both  ?  Some  who  are  honed  in 
 matter  of  religion,  yet,  being  very  weak,  may  mif- 
 carry  in  fach  things  as  other  Chriitians  come  feldom 
 near  the  hazard  of;  and  though  fome  fliould  wholly 
 forfake  the  way  of  godlinefs,  wherein  they  feemed  to 
 walk,  yet  why  fliould  that  reded  upon  fuch  as  are 
 real  and  ftedfall  in  it  ?  They  went  out  from  us,  f  :ys 
 the  Apoille,  but  were  not  of  us,  1  John  ii.  19.  OjCfi- 
 ces  of  this  kind  muft  be,  but  the  wo  reds  on  him  by 
 whom  they  come,  not  on  other  Chriftians :  And  if  it 
 fpread  further  than  the  party  offending,  the  wo  is  to 
 the  profane  world,  that  take  offence  at  religion  be- 
 caufe  of  him  ;  as  our  Saviour  hath  expreffed  it,  Wo 
 t^  the  world  hecaufe  of  offences,  Matth.  xviii.  7.  They 
 diall  flumble  and  fall,  and  break  their  necks  upon 
 thele  tumbling- blocks  or  fcandals.  Thou  that  arc 
 profane,  and  feeil  the  failing  of  a  Minifter  or  Chri- 
 dian,  and  art  hardened  by  it,  this  is  a  judgment  to 
 thee,  that  thou  meeted  with  fuch  a  block  in  thy  way. 
 Wo  to  the  world:  It  is  a  judgment  on  a  place,  when 
 God  permits  religion,  in  the  perfons  of  fome,  to  be 
 fcandalous. 
 
 4.  Religion  itfelf  remains  dill  the  fame,  vvhatfo- 
 ever  be  the  failings  and  blots  of  one  or  more  that 
 profefs  it.  It  is  pure  and  fpotlefs  ;  if  it  teach  not  hor- 
 iinefs,  and  nreeknefs,  and  humility,  and  all  good 
 purely,  then  except  againd  it.  But,  if  it  be  a  draight 
 golden  reed  by  which  the  temple  is  meafured,  then 
 let  it  have  its  own  edeem,  both  of  draightnefs  and 
 precioufnefs,  whatfoever  unevennefs  be  found  in  thofe 
 that  profefs  to  receive  it. 
 
 Sufped 
 
44  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  lil. 
 
 Sufpect  and  fearch  yourfelves,  even  in  general,  for 
 this  evil,  of  evil-fpeaking.  Coniider  that  we  are  to 
 g'-.  e  [xoyov  Xoym']  an  account  of  words  j  and  if  for 
 idle  [ac^yov  ^yifji.x']  worklefs  words,  how  much  more 
 of  lying  or  biting  words  *?  Learn  more  humility 
 and  felf-cenfure.  Blunt  that  fire- edge  upon  your 
 own  hard  and  difordered  hearts,  that  others  may 
 meet  with  nothing  but  charity  and  lenity  at  your 
 hands. 
 
 But,  particularly,  beware  of  this,  in  more  or  lefs, 
 earned  or  in  jeft,  to  reproach  religion,  or  thofe  that 
 profefs  it.  Know  how  particularly  the  glorious  name 
 of  GOD  is  interefted  in  that;  and  they  that  dare  to 
 be  affronting  him,  what  fhall  they  fay  ?  How  (hall 
 they  ftand  when  he  calls  them  to  account  ?  If  you 
 have  not  attained  to  it,  yet  do  not  bark  againft  it,  but 
 ,  the  rather  elleem  highly  of  religion.  Love  it,  and 
 the  very  appearance  of  it,  where  you  find  it.  Give  it 
 refpecl  and  your  good  word  at  lea  ft: ;  and,  from  an 
 external  approbation.  Oh  I  that  you  would  afpire  to 
 inward  acquaintance  with  it,  and  then  no  m*ore  were 
 needful  to  be  faid  in  this.  It  would  commend  itfelf 
 to  vou  fufficiently.  But,  in  the  mean  time,  be  afiia- 
 med,  be  afraid  of  that  profefled  enmity  againfi  God 
 that  is  amongfi  you,  a  malignant  hateful  fpirit  againft 
 thofe  that  deiire  to  walk  hojily,  vyhetting  your  tongues 
 againfi:  them. 
 
 I.  Confider,  What  do  you  mean,  this  religion 
 which  we  all  profefs,  is  it  the  way  to  heaven,  or  is 
 it  not  ?  Do  you  believe  this  word  or  not  ?  If  you  do 
 not,  what  do  you  here  ?  If  you  do,  then  you  muft 
 believe  too,  that  they  that  walk  cloiefl:  by  this  rule 
 are  furefi:  in  that  way.  They  that  dare  not  fhare 
 with  your  oaths,  and  exceflive  cups,  and  profane 
 converfation,  what  can  you  fay  ?  It  is  not  pofiible 
 to  open  your  mouth  againil  them  without  renoun- 
 cing this  word  and  faith  :  Therefore,  either  declare 
 you  are  no  Chriftians,  and   that  Chrift:  is  not   yours ; 
 
 or, 
 
 f  De  verho  mendaci  aut  mordaci.    Bern 
 
VER.  l6.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  45 
 
 or,  in  his  name,  I  enjoin  yon,  that  you  dare  no  more 
 fpeak  an  ill  word  of  Chrillianity,  and  the  power  of 
 religion,  and  thofe  that  feek  after  it.  There  are  not 
 many  higher  figns  of  a  reprobate  mind,  than  to  have 
 a  bitter  virulent  fpirit  againft  the  children  of  God. 
 Seek  that  tie  of  aftecflion  and  fraternity,  on  which 
 the  beloved  Apoftle,  St  John,  lays  fuch  ilrefs,  when 
 he  fays,  Hereby  we  know  that  we  are  tranjlated  from 
 death  to  life,  hecaufe  we  love  the  brethren,  ijohn, 
 iii.  14. 
 
 But  becaufe  thofe  hiflings  are  the  natural  voice 
 of  the  ferpent's  feed,  expect  them,  you  that  have  a 
 mind  to  follow  Chrift,  and  take  this  guard  againfl 
 them  that  you  are  here  directed.  Having  a  good  con- 
 fcience ;  the  fecond  party  we  mentioned  above,  as 
 engaged  in  contefl. 
 
 It  IS  a  fruitlefs  verbal  debate,  whether  confcience 
 be  a  faculty  or  habit,  or  not ;  and  as  in  other  things, 
 fo  in  this,  that  molt  of  all  requires  more  folid  and 
 ufeful  confideration,  the  vain  mind  of  man  feedeth 
 on  the  wind,  loves  to  be  bufy  to  no  purpofe  *  :  How- 
 much  better  is  it  to  have  this  fupernatural  goodneis 
 of  confcience,  than  to  difpute  about  the  nature  of 
 it ;  to  find  it  duly  teaching  and  admonifliing,  re- 
 proving and  comforting,  rather  than  to  define  it  mod 
 exactly  f  ? 
 
 When  all  is  examined,  it  will  be  found  to  be  no 
 other  but  the  ?iiind  of  man,  tinder  the  notion  of  a  par- 
 ticular  reverence  to  himfef  and  his  own  actions.  And 
 there  is  a  twofold  goodnefs  of  the  confcience,  purity 
 and  tranquillity,  and  this  latter  flows  from  the  for- 
 mer ;  To  that  the  former  is  the  tiling  we  ought 
 primely  to  itiidy,  and  the  htter  will  follow  of  itfelf. 
 For  a  time,  indeed,  the  confcience,  that  is  in  a  good 
 meafure  pure,  may  be  unpeaceable,  but  itill  it. is  the 
 apprehenfion  and  fenfe  of  prefent  or  former  impurity 
 that  makes   it  fo  ;  for,  without  the  confideration  of 
 
 guiltinefs, 
 
 *  Ma^no  conatu  magnas  nugas. 
 
 f  Malo  /entire  compU7i6iionem,  ipiam  fcire  ejus  defniiionem. 
 
.46  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 guiltinefs,  there  is  nothing  that  can  trouble  it.  It 
 cannot  apprehend  the  wrath  of  God,  but  with  rela- 
 tion unto  fin. 
 
 The  goodnefs  of  confcience  here  recommended,  is 
 the  integrity  and  holinefs  of  the  whole  inward  man  in 
 a  Chrijlian ;  fo  the  ingredients  of  it  are,  i.  A  due 
 light  or  knowledge  of  our  rule  :  That  as  the  lamps 
 in  the  temple  mud  be  ftill  burning  within,  as  filthi- 
 nefs  is  always  the  companion  of  darknefs ;  therefore, 
 if  you  w^ould  have  a  good  confcience,  you  muft  by 
 all  means  have  fo  much  light,  fo  much  knowledge 
 of  the  will  of  God,  as  may  regulate  you,  and  fhew 
 you  your  way,  may  teach  you  how  to  do,  and  fpeak, 
 and  think,  as  in  his  prefence. 
 
 2.  A  conllant  regard,  and  ufing  of  this  light,  ap- 
 plying it  to  all  \  not  fleeping,  but  working  by  it ; 
 ilill  feeking  a  nearer  conformity  with  the  known 
 will  of  our  God  ;  daily  redrefling  and  ordering  the 
 afFedions  by  it ;  not  fparing  to  knock  off  whatfoever 
 we  find  irregular  within,  that  our  hearts  may  be  po- 
 liflied,  and  brought  to  a  right  frame  by  that  rule. 
 And  this  is  the  daily  inward  work  of  the  Chriilian, 
 his  great  buiinefs,  to  purify  hhnfelf  as  the  Lord  is 
 pure,  I  John  iii.  3. 
 
 And,  3.  For  the  advancing  of  this  work  is  needful, 
 a  frequent  fearch  of  our  hearts  and  of  our  adions, 
 not  only  to  confider  what  we  are  to  do,  but  what  we 
 have  done.  Thefe  reflex  inquiries,  as  they  are  a 
 main  part  of  the  confcience's  proper  work,  they  are 
 a  chief  means  of  making  and  keeping  the  confcience 
 good  :  I.  Acquainting  the  foul  with  its  own  Hate  ; 
 with  the  motions  and  inclinations  that  are  mod  na- 
 tural to  it.  2,  Stirring  it  up  to  work  out,  and  purcre 
 away,  by  repentance,  the  pollution  it  hath  contrad- 
 ed  by  any  outward  a6l  or  inward  motion  of  lin. 
 3.  This  fearch  both  excites  and  enables  the  con- 
 fcience to  be  more  watchful ;  teaches  how  to  avoid 
 and  prevent  the  like  errors  for  the  time  to  come. 
 As  natural  wife  men  labour  to  gain  thus  out  of  their 
 
 former 
 
VER.  l6.]  TH£  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  47 
 
 former  overfights  in  their  aifairs,  to  be  the  wifer  and 
 warier  by  them,  and  lay  up  that  as  bought  wit,  that 
 they  have  paid  dear  for,  and  therefore  are  careful  to 
 make  their  bed  advantage  of  it  ;  fo  God  makes  the 
 conlideration  of  their  falls  prefervatives  to  his  chil- 
 dren from  falling  again  ;  he  makes  a  medicine  of  this 
 poifon.  Thus,  that  the  confcience  may  be  good,  it 
 mud  be  enlightened  ;  and  it  mud  be  watchful,  both 
 advifing  before,  and  after  cenfuring,  according  to 
 that  light. 
 
 The  greater  part  of  mankind  little  regard  this  ; 
 they  walk  by  guefs,  having  perhaps  ignorant  con- 
 fciences,  (and  the  blind,  you  fay,  fw allow  many  a 
 fly  J,  yea,  how  many  confciences  without  fenie,  as  fear- 
 ed with  an  hot  iron,  i  Tim.  iv.  2.  fo  ftupifled,  that 
 they  feel  nothing  I  Others  reft  fatislied  with  a  civil 
 righteoufnefs,  an  imagined  goodnefs  of  confcience, 
 becaufe  they  are  free  from  grofs  crimes.  Others  that 
 know  the  rule  of  Chriftianity,  yet  ftudy  not  a  con- 
 fcientious  refpedl  to  it  in  all  things.  They  caft  fome 
 tranlient  looks  upon  the  rule,  and  their  own  hearts, 
 it  may  be,  but  fit  not  down,  they  make  it  not  their 
 buiinefs,  to  compare  them.  They  have  time  for  any 
 thing  but  that  ^  ;  but  diare  not  with  St  Paul,  do  not 
 exercife  themfelves  in  this,  to  have  a  confcience  void 
 of  offence  towards  God  and  men.  Ads  xxiv.  16. 
 Thofe  were  his  Afceticks,  [aorx«,]  he  breathed  him- 
 ^^X't,  in  ftriving  againft  what  might  defile  the  con- 
 I'cience,  or,  as  the  word  figniiies,  elaborately  wrought 
 and  dreffed  his  confcience  f .  Think  you,  that  other 
 things  cannot  be  done  without  diligence  and  inten- 
 tion, and  is  this  a  work  to  be  done  at  random  ? 
 No,  it  is  the  moft  exa6l  and  curious  of  all  works,  to 
 have  the  confcience  right,  and  keep  it  fo.  As  watcher, 
 or  other  fuch  neat  pieces  of  workmanllup,  except 
 .  they  be  daily  wound  up  and  ikilfully  handled,  they 
 
 will 
 
 *  JtTon  vacant  hojite  menti.    . 
 
 ■\  ^7K-natca-a  ^iTuvti.     Horn, 
 
48  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Hi. 
 
 will  quickly  go  wrong  ;  yea,  befides  daily  infpedion, 
 confcience  fliould  (as  thefe)  at  fometimes  be  taken  to 
 pieces,  and  more  accurately  cleanfed  ;  for  the  beft 
 kept  will  gather  foil  and  dud.  Sometimes  a  Chri- 
 llian  fiiould  fet  himfelf  to  a  more  folemn  examina- 
 tion of  his  own  heart,  beyond  his  daily  fearch  ;  and 
 all  little  enough  to  have  fo  precious  a  good  as  this,  a 
 good  cojifcience.  They  that  are  molt  diligent  and  vi- 
 gilent,  find  nothing  to  abate  as  fuperiiuous,  but  ilill 
 need  of  more.  The  heart  is  to  be  kept  with  all  di- 
 ligence, Prov.  iv.  23.  or  above  all  keeping.  Corrup- 
 tion within  is  ready  to  grow  and  gain  upon  it,  if  it 
 be  never  fo  little  neglected,  and  from  without,  to  in- 
 vade it,  and  get  in.  We  breathe  in  a  corrupt  infedt- 
 ed  air,  and  have  need  daily  to  antidote  the  heart 
 againll  it. 
 
 You  that  are  Undying  to  be  excellent  in  this  art 
 of  a  good  confcience,  go  on,  feek  daily  progrefs- in 
 it  ;  the  lludy  of  confcience  is  a  more  fvveet  profit- 
 able iludy  than  of  all  fcience,  wherein  is  much  vex- 
 ation, and,  for  the  moil  part,  little  or  no  fruit.  Read 
 this  book  diligently,  and  corredt  your  errata  by  that 
 other  book,  the  Word  of  God.  Labour  to  have  it 
 pure  and  right ;  other  books  and  works  are  ns^n^ya^ 
 curious,  and  Tra^s^yac,  by-works  ;  they  fliall  foon  dif- 
 appear,  but  this  is  one  of  the  hooks  that  Jhall  be 
 opened  in  that  great  day,  according  to  which  we  mujl 
 be  judged,  Rev.  xx.  12. 
 
 On  this  follows  a  good  converfation,  as  infepara- 
 bly  conne(5led  with  a  good  confcience.  Grace  is  of 
 a  lively  adlive  nature,  and  doth  ad;  like  itfelf ;  holi- 
 nefs  in  the  heart  will  be  holinefs  in  the  life  too  ;  not 
 fome  good  adlions,  but  a  good  converfation,  an  uni- 
 form even  tradt  of  life,  the  whole  revolution  of  it 
 regular  :  The  inequality  of  fome  Chriftians  ways  doth 
 breed  much  difcredit  to  religion,  and  difcomfort  to 
 themfelves. 
 
 But    obferve    here,   i.   The  order  of  thefe   two. 
 2,  The  principle  of  both. 
 
 I.  The 
 
VER.  16.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  49 
 
 I.  The  confcience  good,  and  then  the  converfa- 
 tion  ;  Make  the  tree  good,  and  the  fruit  will  he  goody 
 fays  our  Saviour,  Mat.  xii*  33.  ;  fo,  here,  a  good  con- 
 fcience is  the  root  ot  a  good  converfation  :  Mod  men 
 begin  at  the  wrong  end  of  this  work  ;  they  would  re- 
 form the  outward  man  firll  ;  that  will  do  no  good,  It 
 will  be  but  dead  work. 
 
 Do  not  reft  upon  external  reformations,  they  will 
 not  hold,  there  is  no  abiding,  nor  no  advantage,  in 
 fuch  a  work ;  you  think,  when  reproved,  Oh  I  I  will 
 mend,  and  fet  about  the  redrefs  of  fome  outward 
 things  ;  but  this  is  as  good  as  to  do  nothing  ;  the  7iiind 
 and  confcience  being  defiled,  as  the  Apoftle  fpeaks, 
 Tit.  i.  15.  doth  defile  all  the  reft  ;  it  is  a  mire  in  the 
 fpring  ;  although  the  pipes  are  cleanfed,  they  will 
 grow  quickly  foul  again  ;  fo  Chriftians,  in  their  pro- 
 grefs  in  grace,  would  eye  this  moft,  that  the  con- 
 fcience be  growing  purer,  the  heart  more  fpiritual, 
 the  affedions  more  regular  and  heavenly,  and  their 
 outward  carriage  will  be  holier;  whereas,  the  out- 
 ward work  of  performing  duties,  and  being  much 
 exercifed  in  religion,  may,  by  the  negled  of  this,  be 
 labour  in  vain,  and  amend  nothing  foundly.  To 
 fet  the  outward  adions  right,  though  with  an  honeft: 
 intention,  and  not  fo  to  regard  and  find  out  the  in- 
 ward diforder  of  the  heart,  whence  that  in  the  ac- 
 tions flows,  is  but  to  be  ftill  putting  the  index  of  a 
 clock  right  with  your  finger,  while  it  is  foul,  or  out 
 of  order  within,  which  is  a  continual  bufinefs,  and 
 does  no  good.  Oh  !  but  a  purified  confcience,  a 
 foul  renewed  and  refined  in  its  temper  and  affedions, 
 will  make  things  go  right  without,  in  all  the  duties 
 and  a61s  of  our  callings. 
 
 2.  The  principle  of  good  in  both  is  Chrift  ;  Tour 
 good  converfation  in  Chrifl,  The  converfation  is  not 
 good,  unlefs  in  him,  fo  neither  is  the  confcience. 
 
 I.  He  the  perfon,  we  muft  be  in  him,  and  then 
 the  confcience  and  converfation  will  be  good  in  him^ 
 the  confcience  that  is   morally  good,  having  fome 
 
 Vol.  it,  G  kind 
 
go  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  llf, 
 
 kind  of  virtuous  habits,  yet,  being  out  of  Chrifl,  is 
 nothing  but  pollution  in  the  light  of  God;  it  mud 
 be  waflied  in  his  blood  ere  it  can  be  clean  ;  all  our 
 pains  will  not  cleanfe  it,  floods  of  ttars  will  not  do 
 it ;  it  is  blood,  and  that  blood  alone,  that  hath  the 
 virtue  of  purging  the  conjcience  from  dead  works, 
 Heb.  ix.  14. 
 
 2.  In  hi?2i,  the  perfedl  pattern  of  holinefs ;  the 
 heart  and  life  is  to  be  conformed  to  him,  and  fo  made 
 truly  good. 
 
 3.  He  is  the  Spirit  of  Grace,  whence  it  is  firlt  de- 
 rived, and  always  fed  and  maintained,  and  made 
 adlive ;  a  fpirit  goes  forth  from  him  that  cleanleth 
 our  fpirits,  and  lo  makes  our  converfation  clean  and 
 holy. 
 
 If  thou  would'ft  have  thy  confcience  an.d  heart 
 purified  and  pacified,  and  have  thy  life  certified,  go 
 to  Chrift  for  all,  make  ufe  of  him  ;  as  of  his  blood  to 
 walh  off  thy  guiitinefs,  fo  of  his  Spirit  to  purify  and 
 fandtify  thee.  If  thou  would'ft  have  thy  heart  re- 
 ferved  for  God,  pure  as  his  temple  ;  if  thou  would'd 
 have  thy  lufts  call  out  that  pollute  thee,  and  findeft 
 no  power  to  do  it ;  go  to  him,  defire  him  to  fcourge 
 out  thy  filthy  rabble,  that  abufe  his  houfe,  and  make 
 it  a  den  of  thieves.  Seek  this,  as  the  only  way  to  have 
 thy  foul  and  ways  righted,  to  be  in  Chrifi^  and  then 
 ivalk  in  him.  Let  thy  converfation  be  in  Chrift, 
 iludy  him,  and  follow  him  ;  look  on  his  way,  on  his 
 graces,  his  obedience,  and  humility,  and  meeknefs, 
 till  by  looking  on  them,  they  make  the  very  idea  of 
 thee  new,  as  the  painter  doth  of  a  face  he  would 
 draw  to  the  life  *,  fo  behold  his  glory,  that  thou 
 la^iyG^ht  transformed  from  glory  to  glory  :  But,  as  it 
 is  there  added,  this  muft  be  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord^ 
 caCor.  iii.  iS.  Do  not,  therefore,  look  on  him  fimply 
 as  an  example  without  thee,  but  as  life  within  thee, 
 having  received  him  ;  walk  not  only  like  him,  hut  in 
 hiviy  as  the  Apoftle  St  Paul  fpeaks,  Colof  ii.  6.  and 
 as  the  word  is  here,  have  your  converfation  not  only 
 
 according 
 
VEfe.  16.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETIR,  51 
 
 according  to  Chriit,  but  in  Chrijl ;  draw  from  his  fuU 
 nefs  grace  for  grace,  ]o\\n  i.  i6. 
 
 idly.  The  other  thing  in  the  words  is,  the  advan- 
 tage of  this  good  confcience  and  converfation,  its  fuc- 
 cefs  in  this  conteit  with  eviUfpeakers.  (i.)  Even 
 external  towards  the  malicious  ungodly  world  ;  they 
 Jball  he  ajhamed  that  falfely  accufe  you.  Thus  often 
 it  is  even  mod  evident  to  men  ;  the  vidory  of  inno- 
 cency,  filent  innocency,  moft  ilrongly  confuting  all 
 calumny,  making  the  ungodly  falfe  accufers  hide 
 their  heads.  Thus,  without  (lirring,  .the  integrity  of 
 a  Chriftian  conquers ;  as  a  rock,  unremoved,  breaks 
 the  waters  that  are  dafliing  againft  it.  And  this  is 
 not  only  a  lawful  but  laudable  way  of  revenge, 
 (haming  calumny  out  of  it,  and  punifhing  eviUfpeak- 
 ers  by  well-doing ;  fhewing  really  how  falfe  their 
 accufers  were.  This  is  the  moft  powerful  apology  and 
 refutation  ;  as  his  was  of  the  fophifter,  that  would 
 prove  there  was  no  motion,  by  riling  up  and  walk- 
 ing. And  without  this  good  confcience  and  conver- 
 fation, we  cut  ourfelves  fhort  of  other  apologies  for 
 religion,  whatfoever  we  fay  for  it.  One  unchriftian 
 adion  will  difgrace  it  more  than  we  can  repair,  by 
 the  largeil  and  beft  framed  fpeeches  on  its  behalf. 
 
 Letthofe,  therefore,  that  have  given  their  names  to 
 Chrift,  honour  him,  and  their  holy  profeffion,  moft 
 this  way  ;  fpeak  for  him  as  occafion  requires  ;  why 
 fhould  we  not,  provided  it  be  with  meeknefs  andfear^ 
 as  our  Apoftle  hath  taught  ?  But  let  this  be  the  main 
 defence  of  religion,  live  like  it^  and  commend  it  fo. 
 Thus  all  fhould  do  that  are  called  Chriftians,  ihould 
 adorn  that  holy  profeffion  with  holy  converfation  : 
 But  the  moft  are  nothing  elfe  hut  fpots  and  hlemijhesy 
 fome  wallowing  in  the  mire,  and  provoking  one  an- 
 other to  all  uncleannefs.  Oh  I  the  unchriftian  life 
 of  Chriftians  I  an  evil  to  be  much  lamented,  more 
 than  all  the  troubles  we  fuftain.  But  thefe  indeed 
 do  thus  deny  ChriJ},  and  declare  that  they  are  not  his. 
 So  many  as  have  any  reality  of  Chrift  in  you,  be  fo 
 
 much 
 
gl  A  COMIVIENTARY  UPONT  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 much  the  more  holy  :  The  more  wicked  the  reft  are, 
 ftrive  to  make  it  up,  and  to  honour  that  name  which 
 they  difgrace.  And  if  they  will  reproach  you,  be- 
 caufe  ye  walk  not  with  them,  and  caft  the  mfre  of 
 faife  reproaches  on  you,  take  no  notice,  but  go  on 
 your  way  ;  it  will  dry,  and  eafily  rub  off.  Be  not 
 troubled  with  misjudgings, ;  fhame  them  out  of  it  by 
 your  blamelefs  and  holy  carriage,  for  that  will  do 
 moft  to  put  lies  out  of  countenance.  However,  if 
 they  continue  impudent,  the  day  is  at  hand,  wherein 
 all  the  enemies  of  Chrift  fhall  be  all  clothed  over 
 and  covered  with  Jhame,  and  they  that  have  kept  a 
 good  confcience,  and  walked  in  Chri/l,  fiall  lift  up 
 their  faces  with  joy, 
 
 nelly y  There  is  an  intrin fecal  good  in  this  goodnefs 
 of  confcience,  that  fweetens  all  fufferings,  as  follows: 
 
 Ver.  17.    For  it  is  better,  if  the  will  of  God  be  fo^ 
 that  ye  fuffer  for  well- doing ,  than  for  evil-doing, 
 
 THERE  is  a  necelTity  of  fuffering  in  any  way 
 wherein  ye  can  walk ;  if  ye  choofe  the  way  of 
 wickednefs,  you  ihall  not,  by  doing  fo,  efcape  fuffer- 
 ing :  And  that  fuppofed,  this  is  by  far  the  better,  to 
 fuffer  in  welUdoing^  and  for  it,  than  to  fufier  either 
 for  doing  evil,  or  limply  to  fuffer  in  that  way,  as  the 
 words  run,  to  fiffer  doing  evil,  xaxo7ro»xvTa?  ttok^e^v. 
 
 f .  The  way  of  the  ungodly  is  not  exempt  from 
 fuffering,  even  in  their  prefent  circumftances,  fetting 
 aiide  the  judgment  and  wrath  to  come.  They  often 
 fuffer  from  the  hands  of  men,  whether  juflly  or  un- 
 juftly ;  and  often  from  the  immediate  hand  of  God, 
 always  juft,  both  in  that  and  the  other,  caufing  the 
 linner  to  eat  of  ihe  fruit  of  his  (m>n  ways,  Prov.  i.  30. 
 When  profane  ungodly  men  offer  violences  and 
 wrongs  one  to  another  ;  in  this  God  is  juft  againft 
 both,  in  that  wherein  they  therafelves  are  both  un- 
 juft ;  they  are  both  rebellious  againft  him,  and  fo,. 
 though  they  intend  not  his  quarrel,  he  means  it  him-? 
 
 felf^ 
 
ITER.  17.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  53 
 
 'elf;  fets  them  to  lafti  one  another.  The  wicked 
 irofet's  their  combined  enmity  againft  the  children 
 jf  God,  yet  they  are  not  always  at  peace  amongft 
 :hemfelves:  They  often  revile  and  defame  each  other, 
 md  fo  enmity  is  held  up  on  both  lides ;  whereas  the 
 yodiy  cannot  hold  them  game  in  that,  being  like 
 ;htir  Lord,  wbo^  when  he  was  I'evikd,  reviled  not 
 igain,  I  Fet.  ii.  23.  Bcfides,  although  the  ungodly 
 iourifh  at  fome  times,  yet  they  have  their  days  of 
 buffering,  are  fubjedt  to  the  commdn  miferies  of  the 
 ife  of  man,  and  the  common  calamities  of  evil 
 :imes ;  the  fvvord  and  peftilence,  and  fach  like  pu- 
 blic judgments :  Now,  in  what  kind  foever  it  be  that 
 ;hey  futfer,  they  are  at  a  great  difadvantage,  com- 
 pared with  the  godly,  in  their  fufFerings. 
 
 Here  impure  confcicnces  may  lie  fleeping,  while 
 lien  are  at  eafe  themfelves ;  but  when  any  great 
 Touble  comes  and  (liakes  them,  then  the  confcience 
 laturally  begins  to  awake,  and  buflle,  and  proves 
 more  grievous  to  them  than  all  that  comes  on  them 
 Tom  w^ithout.  When  they  remember  their  defpifing 
 :he  ways  of  God,  neglecting  him  and  holy  things, 
 whence  they  are  convinced,  how  that  comfort  might 
 DC  reaped  in  thefe  days  of  dillrefs ;  this  cuts  and 
 Tails  them  moft,  looking  back  at  their  licentious  pro- 
 fane ways  ;  each  of  them  ftrikes  to  the  heart.  As 
 :he  Apoftle  calls  (in,  the  Jling  of  death y  i  Cor.  xv.  56. 
 x)  is  it  of  all  fufFerings,  and  the  (ling  that  flrikes 
 ieepeft  into  the  very  foul :  No  ftripes  are  like  thofe 
 that  are  fecretly  given  by  an  accuhng  confcience  *. 
 
 A  fad  condition  it  is,  to  have  from  thence  the 
 greated  angLii(h,  whence  the  greateft  comfort  (liould 
 be  expected  ;  to  have  thickeft  darknefs,  whence  they 
 (hould  look  for  the  cleare(t  light.  Men  that  have 
 ?vil  confciences,  love  not  to  be  with  them  ;  they  are 
 not  much  with  themfelves,  as  Auguftine  compares 
 them  to  fuch  as  have  flirewd  wives,  and  therefore 
 love  not  to  be  much  at  home.     But  yet,  outward 
 
 di(trefs 
 
 ^  Surdo  verhere  cedit,    Juv, 
 
54  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  Ill, 
 
 <3iftrefs  fets  a  man  inward,  as  foul  weather  drives 
 him  home  ;  and  there,  where  he  fliould  find  com- 
 fort, he  is  met  with  fuch  accufations  as  are  like  u 
 continual  dropping,  as  Solomon  Ipeaks  of  a  cofitentious 
 woman,  Prov.  xix.  3.  It  is  a  moft  wretched  ftate  to 
 live  under  fufferings  or  afflidions  of  any  kind,  and 
 a  ftrang^r  to  God  ;  for  a  man  to  have  God  and  his 
 confcience  againfl:  him,  that  fhould  be  his  folace  in 
 times  of  diftrefs,  being  knocked  off  from  the  com- 
 forts of  the  world,  whereon  he  relied,  and  having 
 no  provifion  of  fpiritual  comfort  within,  nor  expec- 
 tation from  above.     But  let  us  now, 
 
 'Icily,  Confider  the  ftate  of  the  children  of  God  in 
 their  fufferings,  (efpecialJy  fuch  as  are  for  God)  ;  and 
 here,j^r/?,  They  c^n  retire  themfelves  inwards,  and 
 rejoice  in  the  teJtimo?iy  of  a  good  confcience,  2  Cor.  i. 
 12. ;  yea,  the  polTellion  of  Chrift  dwelling  within 
 them.  All  the  trouble  that  befals  them,  is  but  as 
 the  rattling  of  hail  upon  the  tiles  of  the  houfe  to 
 a  man  that  is  fitting  within  a  warm  room  at  a  rich 
 banquet ;  fuch  is  a  good  confcience,  a  feaft,  yea,  a 
 continual  feajl.  The  believer  looks  on  his  Chnft, 
 and  in  him  reads  his  deliverance  from  condemna- 
 tion, and  that  is  a  ftrong  comfort,  a  cordial  that 
 keeps  him  from  fainting  in  the  greateft  dillreiles. 
 When  the  confcience  gives  this  teftimony  that  tin 
 is  forgiven,  it  raifes  the  foul  above  outward  fuffer- 
 ings. Tell  the  Chriftian  of  lofs  of  goods,  or  liberty^ 
 or  friends,  or  life,  he  anfwers  all  with  this,  **  Chrift 
 **  is  mine,  and  my  fin  is  pardoned  ;  that  is  enough 
 **  for  me.  What  would  I  not  have  fuffered,  to  have 
 *^  been  delivered  from  the  wrath  of  God,  if  any  fuf- 
 *'  feringof  mine  in  this  world  could  have  done  that? 
 "  Now  that  is  done  to  my  hand.  Ail  other  fuffer- 
 ^'  ings  are  light ;  they  are  light,  and  hut  for  a  moment, 
 '*  One  thought  of  eternity  drowns  the  whole  time  of 
 **  the  world's  endurance,  which  is  but  as  one  inftant, 
 **  or  twinkling  of  an  eye,  betwixt  eternity  before, 
 ^*-  ^nd  eternity  after.     How  much  lefs  is  any  ftiort 
 
 *'  life^  , 
 
V£R.  17.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  55, 
 
 "  life,  and  a  fmall  part  of  that  is  fpent  in  fufferings  ? 
 **  Yea,  what  is  it,  though  it  were  all  fufferings,  with- 
 "  out  interruption,  which  yet  it  is  not?  When  I  look 
 **  forward  to  the  crown,  all  vaniflies,  and  I  think  it 
 *'  lefs  than  nothing y  Now,  thefe  things  the  good 
 confcience  fpeaks  to  the  Chriftian  in  his  fufferings ; 
 therefore,  certainly,  his  choice  is  belt,  that  provides  it 
 for  his  companion  agamft  evil  and  troublous  times  :  If 
 moral  integrity  went  fo  far,  (as  truly  it  did  much  in 
 fome  men  that  had  much  of  it),  that  they  fcorned 
 all  hard  encounters,  and  elleemed  this  a  fufficienc 
 bulwark,  a  ftrength  impregnable,  hie  viurus  aheneus. 
 ejlo^  nil  conjcire  fihi ;  how  much  more  the  Chri- 
 ftian's  good  confcience,  which  alone  is  truly  fuch  I 
 
 2.  As  the  Chriftian  mav  thus  look  inward,  and  re- 
 joice    in    tribulation ;  fo   there   is    another  look,  up- 
 wardy  that  is  here  likewife  mentioned,  that  allaysve- 
 ry  much  all  the  fufferings  of  the  faints;  If  the  will  of 
 God  be  fo,   i  Pet.  iii.  17. 
 
 The  Chriftian  mind  hath  ftill  one  eye  to  this,  above 
 the  hand  of  men,  and  all  inferior  caufes,  in  fuffer- 
 ing,  whether  for  the  name  of  God,  or  otherwife  ; 
 it  looks  on  the  fovereign  will  of  God,  and  fweetly 
 complies  with  that  in  all.  Neither  is  there  any  thing 
 that  doth  more  powerfully  compofe  and  quiet  the 
 mind  than  this.  It  feels  itfelf  invincibly  firm  and 
 content,  when  it  hath  attained  this  felf-relignation  to 
 the  will  of  God ;  to  agree  to  that  in  every  thing. 
 This  is  the  very  thing  wherein  tranquillity  of  fpirit 
 lies:  It  is  no  riddle,  nor  hard  to  be  underftood,  yet 
 few  attain  it.  And  i  pray  you,  what  is  gained  by 
 our  reiudlan-cies  and  repinings,  but  pain  to  ourfelves  ? 
 God  doth  what  he  will,  whether  we  confent  or  not ; 
 our  difagreeing  doth  not  prevent  his  purpofes,  but 
 our  own  peace.  If  we  will  not  be  led,  we  are 
 drawn.  We  muftfulfer,  if  he  will ;  but  if  we  will 
 what  he  wills,  even  in  fuffering,  that  makes  it  fweet 
 and  eafy  ;  when  our  mind  goes  along  with  his,  and 
 we  willingly  move   with  that  ft  ream  of  providence, 
 
 which 
 
go  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Ill* 
 
 which  will  carry  us  with  it,  though  we  row  againft 
 it;  in  which  cafe  we  ftill  have  nothing  but  toil  and 
 wearinefs  for  our  pains. 
 
 But  this  hard  argument,  of  neceffity,  is  needlefs  to 
 the  child  of  God  ;  perfuaded  of  the  wifdom  and 
 Jove  of  his  Father,  he  knows  that  to  be  truly  beft 
 for  him  that  his  hand  reaches.  Sufferings  are  un- 
 pleafant  to  the  fiefh,  and  it  will  grumble ;  but  the 
 voice  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  children,  is  that  of 
 that  good  king,  Good  is  the  word  of  the  Lord  that  he 
 bath  fpoken,  11a.  xxxix.  8.  ;  or  that  other,  2  Sam.  x* 
 12.  Let  him  do  with  vie  as  feemeth  good  in  his  eyes. 
 My  foolifli  heart  would  think  thefe  things  I  fuffer 
 might  be  abated,  but  my  wife  and  heavenly  Father 
 thinks  othervvife  :  He  hath  his  defign  of  honour  to 
 himfelf,  and  good  to  me  in  thefe,  which  I  would  be 
 loath  to  crofs  if  1  might.  It  would  think,  I  may  do 
 God  more  fervice  by  thefe  advantages  ;  but,  doth  not 
 he  know  bell  what  is  lit?  Cannot  he  advance  his 
 njrace  more  by  the  want  of  thefe  things  I  delire,  than 
 1  could  do  myfelf  by  having  them  ?  Cannot  he  make 
 me  a  gainer  by  iickners  and  poverty,  and  difgraces, 
 and  lofs  of  friends  and  children,  by  making  up  all 
 in  himfelf,  and  teaching  me  more  of  his  all-fuffi- 
 ciency  ?  Yea,  even  concerning  the  affairs  of  my  foul, 
 1  am  to  give  up  all  to  his  good  pleafure.  Though  I 
 defire  the  light  of  his  countenance  above  all  things  in 
 this  world,  yet  if  he  fee  it  fit  to  hide  it  fometimes  ;  if 
 that  be  his  will,  let  me  not  murmur :  There  is  no- 
 thing loft  by  this  obedient  temper ;  yea,  what  w^ay 
 foever  he  deals  with  us,  there  is  much  more  advan- 
 tage in  it.  No  foul  (hall  enjoy  fo  much  in  all  eftates, 
 as  that  which  hath  divefted  and  renounced  itfelf,  and 
 hath  no  will  but  God's. 
 
 Ver,  3  8. 
 
V£R.  l8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  57 
 
 Ver.  18.  For  Chrijl  alfo  hath  once  fnffered  for  fins  ^  the^ 
 j  lift  for  the  unjuft^  (that  he  might  bring  us  to  God  J, 
 being  put  to  death  in  the  Jie/b,  but.  quickened  by  the 
 Spirit. 
 
 THE  whole  life  of  a  Chriftian,  is  a.fteady  aiming 
 at  conformity  with  Chrift  ;  fo  that,-  in  any 
 thing,  whether  doing  or  fuffeiing,  there  can  be  no 
 argument  fo  appolite  and  perfualive  as  His  example; 
 and  no  kind  or  degree  of  obedience,  either  ad:ive 
 or  paffive,  fo  difficult,  but  the  view  and  contempla- 
 tion of  that  example  w^ill  powerfully  fweeten  it.  The' 
 Apoitle  doth  not  decline  the  frequent  ufeof  it :  here 
 we  have  it  thus, /or  Chrift  alfo  fujf ere d. 
 
 Though  the  doctrine  of  Chriftian  fuffering  is  the 
 occalion  of  fpeaking  of  Chriil's  fuffering,  yet  he  in^ 
 iiils  on  it  beyond  the  iimple  neceffity  of  that  argu- 
 ment, for  its  own  excellency,  and  further  ufefulnefs. 
 So  we  fhall  confider  the  double  capacity  *  I.  As  an 
 encouragement  and  engagement  for  Chrillians  to 
 fufFer.  \1,  As  the  great  point  of  their  faith,  where- 
 on all  their  hopes  and  happinefs  depend,  being  the 
 means  of  their  reduction  to  God. 
 
 I.  The  due  confideration  of  Chriil's  fufferings 
 doth  much  temper  all  the  fufferings  of  Chriltians, 
 efpecially  fuch  as  are  diredly  for  Chrift. 
 
 I.  It  is  fome  known  eafe  to  the  mind,  in  any  di- 
 ftrefs,  to  look  upon  examples  of  the  like,  or  greater 
 ditlrefs,  in  prefent  or  former  times ''f'.  It  diverts  the 
 eye  from  continual  poring  on  our  own  fuffering;  and, 
 when  we  return  to  view  it  again,  it  Jeffens  it,  abates 
 of  the  imagined  bulk  and  greatnefs  of  it.  Thus 
 public,  thus  fpiritual,  troubles  are  lightened  ;  and  par- 
 ticularly the  fufferings  and  temptations  of  the  ^oiSXy^ 
 by  the  confideration  ofthis-as  their  common  lot,  their 
 highway,  and  not  new  in  the  perfon  of  any,  i  Cor. 
 X.  13.  A^o  temptation  has  befallen  you ,  but  what  is 
 common  to  men.     If  we.  trace   the  lives  of  the  moft 
 
 Vol.  11.  H  eminent 
 
 ^  Ferre  quam  fortcm  patiuntnr  omnes. 
 
58  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 eminent  faints,  fhall  we  not  find  every  notable  ftep 
 that  is  recorded  marked  with  a  new  crofs ;  one 
 trouble  following  on  another,  as  the  waves  do=^,  in 
 an  incefTant  fucceffion  ?  Is  not  this  manifeft  in  the 
 life  of  Abraham,  and  of  Jacob,  and  the  rell  of  God's 
 worthies,  in  the  Scriptures  ?  And,  doth  not  this  make 
 it  an  nnreafonable,  abfurd,  thought,  to  dream  of  an 
 exemption  ?  Would  any  one  have  a  new  untrodden 
 way  cut  out  for  him,  free  of  thorns,  and  ft  revved 
 with  flowers  all  along?  Would  a  man  meet  with  no 
 contradiclious,  nor  hard  meafure  from  the  world,  or 
 imagine  that  there  may  be  fuch  a  dexterity  necef- 
 fary,  as  to  keep  its  good  will,  and  the  friendfhip  of 
 God  too?  This  will  not  be;  and  it  is  an  univerfal 
 conclufion.  All  that  will  live  godly  in  Chrijl  Jcfus^ 
 viujt  fiiffer  perfecutio?!^  2  Tim.  iii.  12.  This  is  the 
 path  to  the  kingdom,  that  which  all  the  fon^  of  God^ 
 the  heirs  of  it,  have  gone  in,  even  Chrift  ;  as  that 
 known  word  is,  One  Son  without  lin,  but  none  with- 
 out fuffering  ;  Chriji  alfo  fuffered, 
 
 2.  As  the  example  and  company  of  the  faints  in 
 fuffering  is  very  confiderable,  fo  that  of  Chrifl  is 
 more  than  any  other,  yea,  than  all  the  reft  together. 
 Therefore,  the  ApolUe  having  reprefented  the  former 
 at  'arge,  ends  in  this,  as  the  top  of  all,  Heb.  xii.  i,  2. 
 There  is  a  race  fet  before  us,  it  is  to  be  run,  and  run 
 with  patience,  and  without  fainting :  Now,  he  tells 
 us  of  a  cloud  of  witneffes ;  a  cloud  made  up  of  in- 
 ftances  of  believers  fuffering  before  us ;  and  the  heat 
 of  the  day  wherein  we  run  is  fomewhat  cooled,  even 
 by  that  cloud  compallifig  us  :  But  the  mwin  ftrength 
 of  their  comfort  here,  lies  in  looking  to  Jefus,  eyeing 
 of  his  fulferings,  and  their  iflue.  The  confidering 
 and  contemplating  of  him  will  be  the  ftrongell  cor- 
 dial, will  keep  you  from  wearying  ?Lud  fainting  in  the 
 w?y»  ver  3. 
 
 The  iingular  power  of  this  inftance  lies  in  many 
 particulars,  confiderable  in  it.     To  fpecify  fome  chief 
 
 things 
 *  P'eht  unda  peliitur  undd. 
 
VER.  l8.]  THE  FIRST  £PISTLE  OF  PETER*  59 
 
 things  briefly  in  the  fteps  of  the  prefent  words :  The 
 example  is  great  and  fit,  and  the  refult  of  the  fufTer- 
 ings  contemplated,  of  infinite  imporfance  to  the 
 Chriftian.  Confider,  ift,  the  greatnels  or  the  exam- 
 ple, which  will  appear  from  the  greatnefs  of  the  per- 
 ion,  and  of  the  fLitVermg?. 
 
 1.  From  the  grean^efs  of  the  perfon  :  Chrift^  and 
 that  marked  to  us  by  the  manner  of  expreffion,  [x«i 
 X^\Tof\^  Chriji  alfuy  befjdes  and  beyond  ail  others,  even 
 Cbrijt  himfelf. 
 
 There  can  be  no  higher  example  :  Not  only  arc 
 the  fons  of  adoption  fuffcrers,  bur  the  begotten^  the 
 only  begotten  Son,  the  eternal  Her  of  glory,  in  whom 
 all  the  rell  have  their  title,  their  f  )nihi[>,  and  heir- 
 fhip,  derived  from,  and  dependent  on^,  his  :  Not  only 
 all  the  faints,  but  the  Kn^g  of  faints.  Who  fliall 
 now  repine  at  fuffcring  ?  Shall  the  wretched  fons  of 
 men  refufe  to  fuffer,  after  the  fuffeiing  of  the  fpotlefs 
 glorious  Son  of  God  :  as  one  fpeaks  of  pride,  that 
 after  Majefty,  highelt  Majeily,  to  teach  humility, 
 hath  fo  humbled  himfelf,  how  wicked  and  impudent 
 a  thing  will  it  be  for  a  worm  to  fwell,  to  be  fiig^ 
 conceited*?  So  thui,  our  Lord  hath  taught  us,  by 
 fuffering  in  his  own  perfon,  and  hath  dignified  iuf- 
 ferings,  fo  that  we  fhould  certainly  rather  be  ambi- 
 tious than  afraid  of  them.     Recoiled, 
 
 2.  The  greatnefs  and  continuance  of  his  fufferings. 
 That  which  the  Apolxle  fpeaks  here  of,  his  once  fiif- 
 fer'ing^  hath  its  truth,  taking  in  all.  Hefvffered  once  ; 
 his  whole  life  was  one  continued  line  of  fuJfermg, 
 from  the  m. anger  to  the  crois  ;  all  that  lay  betwixt 
 was  fuitable.  His  eftate  and  entertainment  through- 
 out his  whole  life  agreed  well  with  fo  mean  a  begin- 
 ning, and  fo  reproachful  an  end,  of  it :  Forced  upon 
 a  flight,  V,  hile  he  could  not  go  ;  and  living  till  he 
 appeared  in  public,  in  a  very  mean  defpifed  condi- 
 tion, as  the  carpenter's  fon  ;  and,  after  his  bell  work"?, 
 paid   yiixh   envy  and    reviiings,  called   a   wine  biber, 
 
 and 
 
 *  Vhi  fe  humiliavit  MajeJlaSy  vermiculus  infletur  tt  intumefcatf 
 Bern. 
 
6o  A  COMMEMTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 and  a  cajler  out  of  devils  hy  the  prince  of  devils  ;  his 
 life  often  laid  in  wait  and  fought  for.  Art  thou 
 mean  in  thy  birth  and  life,  defpifed,  misjudged,  and 
 reviled,  on  all  hands  ?  Look  how  it  was  with  Him, 
 that  had  more  right  than  thou  had,  to  better  enter- 
 tainment in  the  workL  Thou  wilt  not  deny  this, 
 for  it  was  his  own  ;  it  %vas  made  by  hi??!,  and  he  was 
 ■In  it,  and  it  knew  him  not.  Are  thy  friends  harfli  to 
 thee  ?  He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own  received  him 
 not,  John  i.  lo,  ii.  Halt  thou  a  mean  cottage,  or 
 .art  thou  drawn  from  it  ?  Haft  thou  no  dwelling,  and 
 art  thou  every  way  poor  and  ill  accommodated  ?  He 
 was  as  poor  as  thou  can  ft  be,  and  had  no  where  to 
 lay  his  head.  Mat.  viii.  20.  worfe  provided  than  the 
 birds  dtiiA  foxes.  But  then,  confider  to  what  a  height 
 his  fuffernigs  rofe  in  the  end,  that  moft  remarkable 
 piece  of  them  here  meant,  by  his  once  fuffering  for 
 fins.  If  thou  iliouldft  be  cut  off  by  a  violent  death, 
 or  in  the  prime  of  thy  years,  may'ft  thou  not  look 
 upon  him  as  going  before  thee  in  both  thefe  ?  and  in 
 fo  ignominious  a  way  ;  fcourged,  buffeted,  and  fpit 
 on;  he  endured  all, /)^ ^^71'^  ,^??V  back  to  the  fmiters, 
 Ifa.  i.  6.  ;  and  then,  as  the  fame  Prophet  hath  it,  He 
 was  numbered  arnongjl  the  tranfgrejjors,  \{'^\.,  liii.  idt. 
 When  they  had  ufed  him  with  all  that  ftiame,  they 
 hanged  him  betwixt  two  thieves,  and  they  that  palTed 
 by,  wagged  their  heads,  and  darted  taunts  at  him,  as 
 at  a  mark  fixed  to  the  crofs  ;  they  J co  fed  and  faid^ 
 Hefaved  others,  himfclf  he  cannot  fave :  But,  for  the  joy 
 fet  before  him,  he  endured  the  crofs,  defpifing  the 
 Jhavie,  as  the  Apoftle  fays,  Heb.  xii.  2. 
 
 Thus  fee  we  the  outfide  of  his  fufferlngs.  Bar 
 the  Chriftian  is  fubje(5t  to  grievous  temptations,  and 
 fad  defertion*^,  that  ^re  heavier  by  far  than  the  fuffer- 
 ings  which  indeed  the  iVpoftle  fpeaks  of  here.  Yet 
 even  in  thefe  this  famiC  argument  of  his  holds.  For 
 our  Savionr  is  not  unacquainted  with,  nor  ignorant 
 of,  either  of  thofe,  though  ftill  without  fin.  And,  if 
 any  of  that  had  been  in  any  of  his  fufferings,  it  had 
 "    '    .  .  ■     '  '        not 
 
V£R.   18.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  61 
 
 not  furthered,  but  undone  all  our  comfort  in  him. 
 But  tempted  he  was  ;  he  fuffered  that  way  too,  and 
 the  temptations  were  terrible,  as  you  know.  And, 
 was  there  not  fome  ftrong  conflict  when  he  fell  down 
 and  prayed  in  the  garden,  and  fwet  drops  of  blood  P 
 Was  there  not  an  awful  eclipfe,  when  he  cried  out 
 on  the  crofs,  My  God^  my  God,  why  haji  thou  forfaken 
 me  f  So  that,  even  in  thefe,  we  may  apply  this  com- 
 fort, and  ftay  ourfelves  or  fouls  on  him,  and  go  to 
 him  as  a  companionate  High-prieii,  Heb.  iv.  15,  16. 
 For  Chrijl  alfo  fuffered, 
 
 2.  Confider  the  fitnefs  of  the  example  :  As  the 
 fame  is  every  way  great,   yea  greateJJ,  fo  it  is  fit,  the 
 
 fittejl  to  take  with  a  Chriftian,  to  fet  before  him  fo 
 near  a  pattern,  where  he  hath  fo  much  intereft.  As 
 the  argument  is  ftrong  in  itfelf,  fo  is  it  to  the  new 
 man,  the  Chriftian  man,  particularly  ftrongeft ;  it 
 binds  him  mod  ;  for  it  is  not  far  fetched,  but  a  home 
 pattern  '^;  as  when  you  perfuade  men  to  virtue,  by 
 the  example  of  thofe  that  they  have  near  relation  to. 
 They  are  his  fervants,  and  fhall  they,  or  would  they, 
 think  to  be  greater  than  their  Majter,  to  be  exempt 
 from  his  lot  in  the  world?  They  are  his foldiers^  and 
 will  thev  refufe  to  follow  him,  and  to  endure  with 
 him  ?  buffer  hardjlnp  (fays  the  Apoftle  to  Timothy), 
 as  a  good  f oldie r  of  Jefus  Chrifl,  2  Tim.  ii.  3.  Will 
 not  a  word  from  him  put  a  vigour  in  them  to  go  af- 
 ter him,  whether  upon  any  march  or  fervice,  when 
 he  calls  them  friends,  Cunniilitones,  an  appellation  ufed 
 by  Julius  Ciefar,  which  wrou'ght  fo  much  on  his 
 trained  bands  :  Yea,  he  is  net  ajhamed  to  call  them 
 brethren^  Heb.  ii.  11.;  and,  will  they  be  ailiamed  to 
 Ihare  with  him,  and  to  be  known  by  their  fuitable 
 eft  ate  to  be  his  brethren  ? 
 
 3.  There  is  from  thefe  fufferings  of  Chrift,  fuch  a 
 refult  of  fafety  and  comfort  to  a  Chriftian,  that 
 makes  them  a  moft  effectual  encouragement  to  fuffer- 
 ing  ;  which  Is  this,  if  he  fuffered  once,  that   wasybr 
 
 fm; 
 
 *  Excmp/um  dom'ficujn. 
 
62  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Ill* 
 
 Jin  ;  fo  that  now,  that  heavy  intolerable  fuffering  for 
 fin  being  once  taken  out  of  a  believer's  way,  it 
 makes  all  other  fufferings  light,  exceeding  light,  as 
 nothing  in  their  account.  He  fuffered  once  for  Jin^ 
 fo  that  to  them  that  lay  hold  on  him,  this  holds 
 fure,  that  fin  is  never  to  be  fuffered  for  in  the  way 
 of  ilrid;  juftice  again;  as  not  by  him,  fo  not  by 
 them  that  are  in  him  ;  for  he  fuffered  for  fins  once, 
 and  it  was  for  their  fins^  every  poor  believer's.  So 
 now  the  Ibul,  finding  itleif  rid  of  that  fear,  goes  cheer- 
 fully through  all  other  hazards  and  fufferings. 
 
 The  foul,  perplexed  about  that  queflion,  finds 
 no  relief  in  all  other  enjoyments  ;  all  propofitions 
 of  lower  comforts  are  unfavoury  and  troublefome  to 
 it.  Tell  it  of  peace  and  profperity  ;  fay,  however 
 the  world  go,  you  Hiall  have  eafe  and  pleafure,  and 
 you  fliall  be  honoured  and  efteemed  by  all;  yea, 
 though  you  could  make  a  man  fure  of  thefe,  yet,  if 
 his  confcience  be  working  and  flirred  about  the  mat- 
 ter of  his  lin,  and  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  tied 
 clofe  to  fin,  he  will  wonder  at  your  impertinency, 
 in  that  you  fpeak  ^o  far  from  the  purpofe.  Say  what 
 you  Will  of  ihefe,  he  llillafks,  **  What  do  you  mean  by 
 "  this  ?  thole  things  anfwer  not  me.  Do  you  think 
 "  I  can  find  comfort  in  them,  fo  long  as  my  fin  is  iin- 
 '*  piirdontdy  and  there  is  a  fentence  of  eternal  death 
 **  iianding  above  my  head.  I  feel  even  an  imprefs 
 '*  offomewhat  of  that  hot  indignation;  fome  flafhes 
 •*  of  it,  flying  and  lighting  upon  the  face  of  my  Ibul. 
 **  and  how  can  I  take  pleafure  in  thefe  things  you 
 '*  fpeak  of?  And  though  I  fiiouid  be  fenfelefs,  and 
 **  feel  nothing  of  this  all  my  life,  yet  how  foon  fliall 
 **  I  have  done  with  it,  and  the  delights  that  reach 
 "  no  further  ?  and  then  to  have  everlajting  burnings, 
 "  eternity  of  wrath  to  inter  to  ;  how  can  1  be  fatis- 
 •*  fied  with  that  ellate  ?'*  All  you  offer  a  man  in  this 
 poflure  is,  as  if  you  iliould  fct  dainty  fare,  and  bring 
 n;Uiic  with  it,  to  a  man  lying  almofl  prefild  to  death 
 under  great  weights,  and  you  bid  him  eat  and  be 
 
 merry, 
 
V£R.  18.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  63 
 
 merry,  but  lift  not  off  his  prelTure ;  you  do  but 
 mock  the  man  and  add  to  his  mifery.  On  the  other 
 fide,  he  that  hath  got  but  a  view  of  his  Chrift,  and 
 reads  his  own  pardon  in  Chrift's  fufferings,  cati 
 rejoice  in  this,  in  the  midll  of  all  other  fuffer- 
 ings,  and  look  on  death  without  apprehenfion,  yea, 
 v^^ith  gladnefs,  for  the  Jling  is  out :  Chriit  hath  made 
 all  pleafant  to  hi  in  by  this  one  thing,  that  he  fujftred 
 once  for  Jins.  Chriit  hath  perfumed  the  crofs,  and 
 the  grave,  and  made  all  fweet.  The  pardoned  man 
 finds  himfelf  light,  ikips  and  leaps,  and,  through 
 Chrijl Jlrengthening  him,  he  can  encounter  with  any 
 trouble,  if  you  think  to  fhut  up  his  fpirit  within 
 outward  fufFerings,  he  is  now,  as  Sampfon  in  his 
 flrength,  able  to  carry  away  on  his  back  the  gates 
 with  which  you  would  inclofe  him  ;  yea,  can  fub- 
 mit  patiently  to  the  Lord's  hand  in  any  correc- 
 tion. '*  Thou  haft  forgiven  my  fin,  therefore,  deal 
 "•  with  me  as  thou  wilt,  all  is  well/'  For  the  im- 
 provement of  what  has  been  faid, 
 
 I.  Learn  to  confider  more  deeply,  and  elleeui 
 more  highly,  of  Chriil,  and  his  fuffering,  to  fiience 
 our  grumbling  at  our  petty  light  crofles  ;  for  fo  they 
 are  in  comparifon  of  his.  Will  not  the  great  odds 
 of  his  perfe<fl  inriocency,  and  of  the  nature  and 
 meafure  of  his  fufterings  ;  will  not  the  fenfe  of 
 the  redemption  of  our  fouls  from  death  by  his 
 death  ;  will  none  of  thefe,  nor  all  of  them,  argue 
 us  into  more  thankfuhiefs  and  love  to  him,  and 
 patience  in  our  trials  ?  Why  will  we  then  be 
 called  Chriftians?  It  is  impofRble  to  be  fretful  and 
 maleconrent  with  the  Lord's  dealing  with  us  in  any 
 kind,  till  firft  we  have  forgot  how  he  dealt  with  his 
 deareft  Son  for  our  fakes  *.  But  thefe  things  are  not 
 weighed  by  the  moft  ;  we  hear  and  fpeak  of  them,  but 
 our  hearts  receive  not  the  impreilions  of  them ; 
 therefore  we  repine  againfl  our  Lord   and  Father, 
 
 and 
 
 *  Enimvero  non  fentient  fua,  qui  iUius  vulnera  mtucrUur. 
 Bera.  in  Cant.      Ssrm,  61. 
 
64  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.   III. 
 
 and  drown  a  hundred  great  bleffings  in  any  little 
 trouble  that  befals  us. 
 
 2.  Seek  furer  intereft  in  Chrift  and  his  fuftering 
 than  the  mofl  either  have  attained,  or  are  afpiring  to, 
 othervvife  all  that  is y//^r^r/ Z?(?r^  will  afford  thee  no 
 eafe  ■  nor  comfort  in  any  kind  of  fuffering.  No, 
 though  thou  fuffer  for  a  good  caufe,  even  for  his 
 caufe,  ftill  this  will  be  an  extraneous  foreign  thing 
 to  thee  ;  and  to  tell  thee  of  his  fufferings,  will  work 
 no  otherwife  with  thee  than  fome  other  common  itory. 
 And  as  in  the  day  of  peace  thou  regardeft  it  no  more, 
 fo  in  the  day  of  thy  trouble  thou  (halt  receive  no  more 
 comfort  from  it.  Other  things  which  you  efteemed 
 {hall  have  no  comfort  to  fpeak  to  you  ;  though  you 
 purfue  theni  with  words  (as  Solomon  fays  of  the  poor 
 man's  friends)  yet  they  Jfjall  he  wanting  to  you,  Prov. 
 xix.  7.  And  then  you  would  furely  find  how  happy 
 it  w^ere  to  have  this  to  turn  you  to,  that  the  Lord 
 Jefus  fuffered  for  fins,  and  for  your's,  and  therefore 
 Rath  made  it  a  light  and  comfortable  bulinefs  to  you 
 to  undergo  momentary  paffing  fufferings. 
 
 Days  of  trial  will  come ;  do  you  not  fee  they  are 
 on  us  already  ?  Be  perfuaded,  therefore,  to  turn  your 
 eyes  and  deiires  more  towards  Chritl:.  This  is  the 
 thing  we  would  dill  prefs  ;  the  fupport  and  happi- 
 nefsofyour  fouls  lie  on  it.  But  you  will  not  be- 
 lieve it.  Oh,  that  you  knew  the  comforts  and  fweet- 
 nefs  of  Chrift  !  Oh,  that  one  would  fpeak  that  knew^ 
 more  of  them  I  Were  you  once  but  entered  into  this 
 knowledge  of  him,  and  the  virtue  of  his  fufferings, 
 you  would  account  all  your  days  but  loft  wherein 
 you  have  not  known  him  ;  and  in  all  times  your 
 hearts  would  find-  no  refreihment  like  to  the  remem- 
 brance of  his  love. 
 
 Having  fomewhat  confidered  thefe  fufferings,  as 
 the  Apoftle's  argument  for  his  prefent  purpole,  we 
 come  now, 
 
 2dly,  To  take  a  nearer  view  of  the  particulars,  by 
 which  he  illuftrates  them,  as  the  main  point  of  our 
 
 faith 
 
TER.  18.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  65 
 
 faith  and  comfort :    Of  them  here  are  two  things, 
 their  caufe  and  their  kind. 
 
 I.  Their  caufe  ;  both  their  meriting  caufe  and  their 
 final  caufe.  What  in  us  procured  thefe  fufferings 
 unto  Chrift  ;  and  what  thofe  his  fufferings  procured 
 unto  us.  Our  guiltinefs  brought  fuffering  upon  him ^ 
 and  his  fuffering  brings  us  unto  God. 
 
 i/?,  For  the  meritorious  caufe,  our  guilt  brought 
 fufferings  on  Chrift.  The  evil  of  fin  hath  the  evil 
 of  punilhment  infeparably  connedled  with  it :  We 
 have  a  natural  obligation  of  obedience  unto  God, 
 and  he  juftly  urges  it ;  fo  that  where  the  command  of 
 his  law  is  broke,  the  curfe  of  it  prefently  followeth. 
 And  though  it  was  fimply  in  the  power  of  the  Su- 
 preme Lawgiver  to  have  difpenfed  with  the  infliclion, 
 yet  having,  in  his  wifdom,  purpofed  to  be  known  a 
 juft  God  in  that  way,  following  forth  the  tenor  of  his 
 law,  of  neceHity  there  mult  be  a  fuffering  for  fin. 
 
 Thus,  the  angels  that  kept  not  their  ftation,  falling 
 from  it,  fell  into  a  dungeon,  where  they  are,  under 
 chains  of  darknefs,  referved  to  the  judgment  of  the  great 
 day,  Jude  6.  ;  and  man  fell  under  the  fentence  of 
 death.  But  in  this  is  the  difference  betwixt  man  and 
 them  •  they  were  not  of  one,  as  parent  or  common 
 root  of  the  reft,  but  each  one  fell  or  ftood  for  himfelf 
 alone,  fo  a  part  of  them  only  perifhed  ;  but  man  fell 
 altogether  ;  fo  that  not  one  of  all  the  race  could  efcape 
 condemnation,  unlefs  fome  other  way  of  fatisfadlion 
 be  found  out.  And  here  it  is,  Chrift  fuffered  for  Jins, 
 the  juft  for  the  unjuft ;  Father,  fays  he,  I  have  glorified 
 thee  on  earth,  John  xvii.  3.  In  this  plot,  indeed,  do  all 
 the  divine  attributes  fhine  in  their  full  luftre  ;  infi- 
 nite mercy,  and  immenfe  juftice,  and  power,  and  wif- 
 dom. Looking  on  Chrift  as  ordained  for  that  purpofe, 
 I  have  found  a  ranfom,  fays  the  Father,  Job  xxxiii. 
 24. ;  one  fit  to  redeem  man,  a  kinfman,  one  of  that 
 very  fame  ftock,  the  Son  of  Man  ;  one  able  to  re- 
 deem man  by  fatisfying  me,  and  fulfilling  all  1  lay 
 upon  him  ;  my  Son,  my  only  begotten  Son^  in  whom  my 
 
 Vol,  IL  1  foul 
 
66  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 Jbul  delights  :  And  he  is  willing,  undertakes  all,  fays, 
 Lo  'I  come y  See.  Plal.  xl,  7.  We  are  agreed  upon  the 
 way  o:  this  redemption  ;  yea,  upon  the  perfons  to  be 
 redeemed  ;  it  is  not  a  roving  blind  bargain,  a  price 
 paid  for  we  know  not  whom.  Hear  his  own  words': 
 Thou  h aft  given  the  Son  (fays  the  Son  to  the  Father) 
 power  over  all  jlejh  ;  that  he  Jhould  give  eternal  life  to 
 as  many  as  thou  haji  given  him,  John  xvii.  2.  ;  and 
 afterwards,  all  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  rnine,  and 
 I  am  glorified  in  them,  ver.  ic. 
 
 For  the  fins  of  thoie  he  fuffered,  Handing  in  their 
 room  ;  and  what  he  did  and  fuffered,  according  to 
 the  law  of  that  covenant,  was  done  and  fuffered  by 
 them.  All  the  fins  of  all  the  eled;  were  made  up 
 into  an  huge  bundle,  and  bound  upon  his  flioulders. 
 So  the  Prophet  fpeaks  in  their  name  ;  Surely  he  hath 
 home  our  griefs,  and  carfied  our  for  rows  ;  and  the  Lord 
 laid  [or  made  to  meet'\  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all, 
 lla.  liii.  5.  where  he  had  fpoken  of  many  ways  of 
 fin,  and  iaid,  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his  own 
 way  ;  he  binds  up  all  in  the  word  of  iniquity  as  all 
 one  fin,  as  if  it  were  that  one  tranfgreflSon  of  the  firft 
 Adam  that  brought  on  the  curfe  of  his  feed,  borne  by 
 the  fecond  Adam,  to  take  it  away  from  all  that  are 
 his  feed,  that  are  in  him  as  their  root. 
 
 He  is  the  great  High  Prieft  appearing  before  God 
 with  the  names  of  the  eled;  upon  his  fhoulders ;  and 
 in  his  heart  bearing  them  and  all  their  burdens,  and 
 offering  for  them,  not  any  other  facrifice  but  himfelf ; 
 charging  all  their  fin  on  himfelf,  as  the  priefi:  did  the 
 fins  of  the  people  on  the  head  of  the  facrifice.  He^ 
 hy  the  Eternal  Spirit,  fays  the  Apoifle,  offered  up  him^ 
 felf  without  f pot  unto  God,  fpotlefs  andfinlefs,  Heb.  ix. 
 14. ;  and  fo  he  only  is  fit  to  take  away  our  fin,  being 
 a  fatisfadory  oblation  for  it.  He  fuffered  ;  in  him 
 was  our  ranfom,  and  thus  it  was  paid.  In  the  man 
 Chrid  was  the  Deity,  and  To  his  blood  was  as  the 
 Apoftle  calls  it,  the  blood  of  God,  A6ls  xx.  28.  ;  and, 
 being  pierced,  it  came  forth,  and  was  told  down^j  aa 
 
 the 
 
VER.  l8.]  THE  FIRST  EPIStLE  OF  PETER.  6j 
 
 the  rich  price  of  our  redemptioh  ;  not  fdver  nor  gold^ 
 nor  corruptible  things y  as  our  Apoltie  hath  it  berore, 
 hut  the  precious  blood  of  Chrijl^  as  of  a  lamb  without 
 blemijh,  i  Pet.  i.  17. 
 
 Obf  I.  Shall  any  man  offer  to  bear  the  name  of  a 
 Chriftian,  that  pleafes  himfelf  in  the  way  of  Hn?  that 
 can  delight  and  fport  himfelf  with  it,  when  he  con- 
 fiders  this,  that  Ghrift  fuffered  for  fin  ?  Dn  not  think 
 it,  you  that  ftill  account  fin  fweet,  which  he  found  fo 
 bitter  and  light,  which  was  fo  heavy  to  him,  and 
 made  \\\%  foul  heavy  to  the  death.  You  are  yet  far  off 
 from  him  ;  if  you  w^ere  in  him,  and  one  with  him, 
 there  would  be  fome  harmony  of  your  hearts  with 
 his,  and  fome  fympathy  with  thefe  fufferings,  as  en- 
 dured by  your  Lord,  your  head,  and  for  you.  They 
 that,  with  a  right  view,  fee  him  as  pierced  by  their 
 fins,  that  fight  pierces  them,  and  makes  them  mourn; 
 brings  forth  tears,  beholding  the  guiliing  forth  of  his 
 blood.  This  makes  the  real  Chriilian  an  avowed 
 enemy  to  fin  :  Ihall  I  ever  be  friends  with  that,  fays 
 he,  which  killed  my  Lord  ?  No,  but  I  will  ever  kill 
 it,  and  do  it  by  applying  his  death.  The  true  peni- 
 tent is  fworn  to  be  the  death  of  fin  :  He  may  be  fur- 
 prifed  by  it,  but  there  is  no  poifibiiity  of  reconcile- 
 ment betwixt  them. 
 
 Thou  that  liveft  kindly  and  familiarly  with  fin, 
 and  either  openly  declarefl  thyfelf  for  it,  or  haft  a 
 fee  ret  love  for  it,  where  can  ft  thou  reap  any  comfort  ? 
 None  can  flow  from  thefe  fufterings  to  thee  continu- 
 ing in  that  pofture.  It  is  all  one,  as  if  Ghrift  had  not 
 fuffered  for  fins  ;  yea,  it  is  w^orfe  than  if  no  fuch 
 thing  had  been,  that  there  is  falvation,  and  terms  of 
 mercy,  unto  thee,  and  yet  thou  perifheft  :  That  there 
 is  halm  in  Gilead^  Jer.  iii.  18.  and  yet  thou  -art  not 
 healed.  And  if  thou  haft  not  comfort  from  Jefus 
 crucified,  I  know  not  whence  thou  canft  have  any 
 that  will  ho.d  out.  Look  about  thee,  tell  me  what 
 thou  feeft,  either  in  thy  poirefiion,  or  m  thy  hopes, 
 that  thou  efteemeft  moft,   and  layeft  thy  confidence 
 
 on  ; 
 
68  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.   XII. 
 
 on  ;  or,  to  deal  more  liberally  with  thee,  fee  what 
 eilate  thou  would'ft  choofe,  hadft  thou  thy  wifh. 
 Stretch  thy  fancy  to  devife  an  earthly  happinefs. 
 Thefe  times  are  full  of  unquietnefs  ;  but  give  thee  a 
 time  of  the  calmeft  peace,  not  an  air  of  trouble  ilir- 
 ring ;  put  thee  where  thou  wilt,  far  off  from  fear  of 
 fw^ord  and  peflilence,  and  encompafs  thee  with  chil- 
 dren, friends,  and  polTeffions,  and  honours,  and  com- 
 fort, and  health  to  enjoy  all  thefe  ;  yet  one  thing 
 thou  mull  admit  in  the  midft  of  them  all,  within  a 
 while  thou  muft  die  ;  and,  having  no  real  portion  in 
 Chriil,  but  a  deluding  dream  of  it,  thou  iinkefl 
 through  that  death  into  another  death  far  more  ter- 
 rible. Of  all  thou  enjoyelt,  nothing  goes  along  with 
 thee  but  unpardoned  lin,  and  that  delivers  thee  up 
 to  cndlefs  forrow.  Ob !  that  you  were  wife  and 
 would  conjider  your  latter  endy  Deut.  xxxii.  29.  Do 
 not  Hill  gaze  about  you  upon  trifles,  but  yet  be  en- 
 treated to  take  notice  of  your  Saviour,  and  receive 
 him,  that  he  may  be  yours.  Fallen  your  belief  and 
 your  love  on  him  ;  give  all  your  heart  to  hirn,  who 
 lluck  not  to  give  himfelf  an  offering  for  your  fins^ 
 Eph.  V.  2. 
 
 2.  To  you  that  have  fled  in  to  him  for  refuge,  if 
 fenfible  of  the  Church's  diilrefs,  be  upheld  with  this 
 thought,  that  he  that  fuffered  for  it  will  not  fuffer  it 
 to  be  undone.  All  the  rage  of  enemies,  yea,  the 
 gates  of  hell^Jh all  not  prevail  againfl  it,  Matth.  xvi. 
 18.  ;  he  may,  for  a  time,  fuffer  the  Church  to  be 
 brought  low  for  the  fins  of  his  people,  and  other  wife 
 reafons,  but  he  will  not  utterly  forfake  it.  Though 
 there  is  much  chaff,  yet  he  hath  a  precious  number 
 in  thefe  kingdoms  that  he  fhed  his  blood  for.  Many 
 God  hath  called,  and  yet  is  to  call :  He  will  not  lofe 
 any  of  his  flock  that  he  bought  fo  dear,  Adls  xx.  28.  ; 
 and  for  their  fake  he  will,  at  one  time  or  another,  re- 
 pair our  breaches,  and  eflablifh  his  throne  in  thefe 
 kingdoms.  And  for  yourfelves,  what  can  affright 
 you  while  this  is  in  your  eye  ?   Let  others  tremble  at 
 
 the 
 
<( 
 
 V£R.  I  8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  6g 
 
 the  apprehenfion  of  fvvord  or  peflilence  ;  but  fure  you 
 have  for  them,  and  all  other  hazards,  a  mod  fatisfy- 
 ing  anfwer  in  this,  Rom.  v.  i,  2,  3.  *'  My  Chrift 
 *'  hath  fuffered  for  11  n  ;  I  am  not  to  fear  that ;  and 
 "  that  fet  alide,  1  know  the  worft  is  but  death.  But 
 "  I  am  wrong  ;  truly  death,  that  is  the  belt,  to  be 
 
 dijfolved ;  and  to  be   with  Chrift   is  [%qXK^  ^olKMv 
 
 K^iiiT<iov\  much  more  better,"^"*  Phil.  i.  23. 
 
 This  were  a  happy  eftate  indeed  ;  but  what  fhall 
 they  think  that  have  no  affurance  ?  Thofe  that  doubt 
 that  Chrift  is  theirs,  and  that  he  fuffered  for  their 
 fins :  I  know  no  way  but  to  believe  on  him,  and 
 then  you  fhall  know  that  he  is  yours :  From  this  is 
 the  grand  miftake  of  many ;  they  would  firft  know 
 that  Chrift  is  theirs,  and  they  would  believe,  which 
 cannot  be,  before  he  becomes  theirs  by  believing.  It 
 is  that  which  gives  title  and  propriety  to  him  ;  he  is 
 fet  before  finners  as  -a.  ^'ax'iomv  that  hath  fuffered  for  Jin^ 
 that  they  may  look  to  him  and  be  faved  ;  that  they 
 may  lay  over  their  louls  on  him,  and  then  they  may- 
 be afllired  he  fuftered  for  them. 
 
 Say  then,  what  is  it  that  fcares  thee  from  Chrift? 
 this  thou  feeft  is  a  poor  groundlefs  exception,  for  he 
 is  fet  before  thee  as  a  Saviour  to  believe  on,  that  fo  he 
 may  be  thy  Saviour.  Why  wilt  thou  not  come  unto 
 him  ?  why  refufeft  thou  to  believe  ?  Art  thou  a  lin- 
 ner  ?  art  thou  unjuft  .-^  Then  he  is  lit  for  thy  cafe  : 
 He  fuffered  for  (ins,  the  Jufl  for  the  unjufl.  Oh  ! 
 but  fo  many  and  fo  great  fins  I  yea.  Is  that  it  r  It  is 
 true  indeed,  and  good  reafon  thou  think  fo.  But, 
 i/?,  Confider  if  they  be  excepted  in  the  proclamation 
 of  Chrift,  the  pardon  that  comes  in  his  name  :  If 
 not,  if  he  make  no  exception,  why  wilt  thou  ?  idly^ 
 Confider  if  thou  wilt  call  them  greater  than  this  fa- 
 crifice,  he  fuffered.  Take  due  notice  of  the  greatnefs 
 and  worth,  tirft  of  his  perfon,  and  thence  of  his  fuf- 
 ferings,  and  thou  wilt  not  dare  to  fay  thy  fin  goes 
 above  the  value  of  his  fuffering,  or  that  thou  art  too 
 unjuft  for  him  to  juftify  thee  :    Be  as  unrighteous  as 
 
 thou 
 
^O  A  COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 thou  canft  be,  art  thou  convinced  of  it  ?  then  know 
 that  Jefus  the  juft,  is  more  righteous  than  thy  un-  ^ 
 righteoufnefs :  And  after  all  is  faid,  that  any  linner 
 hath  to  fay,  they  are  yet,  without  exception,  blejfed  ] 
 that  trujl  in  him,  Pfal.  2.  ult, 
 
 2.  We  have  the  final  caufe  of  his  fufferings,  nat  he 
 might  bring  us  to  God^^  It  is  the  chief  point  of  wif- 
 dom,  to  proportion  means  to  their  end  :  Therefore, 
 the  all-wife  God,  in  putting  his  only  Son  to  fo  hard  a 
 talk,  had  a  high  end  in  this,  and  this  was  it,  T^hat  he 
 might  bring  us  unto  God,  In  this  we  have  three 
 things,  ly?,  The  nature  of  this  good,  nearnefs  unto 
 God.  idly,  Our  deprivement  of  it,  by  our  own  fin. 
 3<i/^,  Our  reftorement  to  it,  by  Chrifl's  fufferings. 
 
 I.  The  nature  of  this  good,  nearnefs  to  God. 
 God  hath  fuited  every  creature  he  hath  made  with  a 
 convenient  good  to  which  it  tends ;  and  in  the  ob- 
 tainment  of  which  it  refts  and  is  fatisfied.  Natural 
 bodies  have  each  their  own  natural  place,  whither, 
 if  not  hindered,  they  move  incefTantly  till  they  be  in 
 it  ;  and  they  declare,  by  refling  there,  that  they  are 
 (as  1  may  fay)  where  they  would  be.  Senfitive  crea- 
 tures are  carried  to  feek  a  fenfitive  good,  as  agreeable 
 to  their  rank  and  being,  and,  attaining  that,  aim  no 
 further.  Now,  in  this  is  the  excellency  of  man  ;  he 
 is  made  capable  of  a  communion  with  his  Maker,  and, 
 becaufe  capable  of  it,  is  unfatisfied  without  it ;  the 
 foul,  being  cut  out  (fo  to  fpeak)  to  that  largenefs,  can- 
 not be  filled  with  lefs,  though  he  is  fallen  from  his 
 right  to  that  good,  and  from  all  right  deiire  of  it,  yet 
 not  from  a  capacity  of  it,  no,  nor  from  a  neceflity  of 
 it,  for  the  anfwering  and  filling  of  his  capacity. 
 
 Though  the  heart  once  gone  from  God,  turns  con- 
 tinually farther  away  from  him,  and  moves  not  to- 
 wards him  till  it  be  renewed  ;  yet,  even  in  that  wan- 
 dering, it  retains  that  natural  relation  to  God,  as  its 
 centre,  that  it  hath  no  true  reft  elfewhere,  nor  cannot 
 by  any  means  find  it.  It  is  made  for  him,  and  is 
 therefore  ftill  reftlefs  till  it  meet  with  him. 
 
 It 
 
V£R.  l8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  7;t 
 
 It  is  true,  the  natural  man  takes  much  pains  to 
 quiet  his  heart  by  other  things,  and  digefts  many 
 vexations  with  hopes  of  contentment  in  the  end,  and 
 accomplifhment  of  fome  delign  he  hath  i  but  Hill  the 
 heart  mifgives.  Many  times  he  attains  not  the  thing 
 he  feeks ;  but  if  he  do,  yet  he  never  attains  the  fatis- 
 fadlion  he  leeks  and  expeds  in  it;  but  only  learns 
 from  that  to  delire  fomething  further,  and  ilill  hunts 
 on  after  a  fancy,  drives  his  own  fnadow  before  him, 
 and  never  overtakes  it ;  and  if  he  did,  yet  it  is  but  a 
 Ihadow.  And  fo  in  running  from  God,  befides  the 
 fad  end,  he  carries  an  interwoven  punifhment  with 
 his  fin,  the  natural  difquiet  and  vexation  of  his  fpirit, 
 fluttering  to  and  fro,  nnd  finding  no  reft  for  the  Jole  of 
 his  foot :  The  waters  of  inconflancy  and  vanity 
 covering  the  whole  face  of  the  earth* 
 
 We  ftudy  to  abafe  our  fouls,  and  to  make  them 
 content  with  lefs  than  they  are  made  for  ;  yea,  we 
 llrive  to  make  them  carnal,  that  they  may  be  pleafed 
 with  fenlible  things.  And  in  this  men  attain  a  bru- 
 tilh  content  for  a  time,  forgetting  their  higher  good. 
 But,  certainly,  we  cannot  think  it  fufficient,  and  that 
 no  more  were  to  be  deiired  beyond  eafe  and  plenty, 
 and  pleafures  of  fenfe  ;  for  then,  a  beaft  in  good  cafe, 
 and  a  good  pafture,  might  conteft  with  us  in  point  of 
 happinefs,  and  carry  it  away  ;  for  that  fenfitive  good 
 he  enjoys  without  lin,  and  without  the  vexation  that 
 is  mixt  with  us  in  all. 
 
 Thefe  things  are  too  grofs  and  heavy;  the  foul,  the 
 immortal  foul,  defcended  from  heaven,  muit  either 
 be  more  happy  or  remain  miferable.  The  higheft 
 increated  Spirit  is  the  proper  good;  the  Father  offpi- 
 ritSy  that  pure  and  full  good,  raifes  the  foul  above  it- 
 felf;  whereas  all  other  things  draw  it  down  below 
 itfelf.  So,  then,  it  is  never  well  with  the  foul,  but 
 when  it  is  near  unto  God,  yea,  in  its  union  with  him  ; 
 married  to  him,  and  mifmatching  itfelf  elfewhere,  it 
 hath  never  any  thing  but  fhame  and  forrow,  All 
 that  forfake  thee  Jhall  he  ajhamed^  fays  the  Prophet, 
 
 Jer. 
 
*J^  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 Jer.  xvii.  13.  and  the  Pfalmift,  Pfal.  Ixxiii.  27.  They 
 that  are  far  off  from  theejhall  perijh.  And  this  is  in- 
 deed our  natural  miferable  condition,  and  it  is  often 
 expreft  this  way,  by  efirangednefs  and  diflance  from 
 God,  Eph.  ii.  The  Gentiles  w  eve  far  off  by  their  pro- 
 feffion  and  nation,  but  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  far  off 
 by  their  natural  foundation  ;  and  boih  are  broi^bt 
 near  by  the  blood  of  the  New  Covenant ;  and  that  is  the 
 other  thing  here  implied,  that  we  are  far  off  by  rea- 
 fon  of  fin  ;  otherwife  there  were  no  need  of  Chrift, 
 efpecially  in  this  way  of  fuffering  for  fin,  to  bring  us 
 tmto  God,     This  we  propofed  to  confider  fecondly, 
 
 2.  Our  deprivement  of  this  great  good  of  nearnefs 
 to  God,  by  our  fin.  Now  fin,  as  the  breach  of  God's 
 command,  broke  off  man  and  feparated  him  from 
 God,  and  ever  fince  the  foul  remains  naturally  re- 
 mote from  God,  i.  Under  a  fentence  of  exile,  pro- 
 nounced by  thejufl:ice  of  God;  condemned  to  ba- 
 nilliment  from  God,  who  is  the  life  and  light  of  the 
 foul,  as  the  foul  itfelf  is  of  the  body.  2.  It  is  under 
 a  flat  impoffibility  of  returning  by  itfelf;  and  that  in 
 two  refpeds,  1.  Becaufe  of  the  guiltinefs  of  fin  Hand- 
 ing betwixt,  as  an  unpalTable  mountain  or  wall  of  fe- 
 paration.  2.  Becaufe  of  the  dominion  of  fin  keeping 
 the  foul  captive,  yea,  llill  drawing  it  farther  off  from 
 God,  and  increafing  the  diftance  and  the  enmity 
 every  day.  Nor  is  there  in  heaven,  nor  under 
 heaven,  any  way  to  remove  this  enmity,  and  make 
 up  this  diftance,  and  return  man  to  the  poffeffion  of 
 God,  but  this  one,  by  Chrift,  and  him  fuffering  for 
 fins  ;  which  we  are  to  confider, 
 
 '^dly,  Our  reftoration  to  nearnefs  to  God  by  Chrift's 
 fufferings.  He  endured  the  fentence  pronounced 
 againft  man  ;  yea,  even  in  this  particular  notion  of 
 it,  as  one  main  ingredient  in  his  fuffering  was  his 
 being  deferted  of  God,  as  to  any  fenfible  communi- 
 cation of  comfort  from  him  ;  of  that  he  cried  out, 
 Mat.  xxvii.  46.  My  God,  my  God^  why  haft  thou  for- 
 faken  meP  And,  by  fuffering  the  fentence  pronounced, 
 
 he 
 
TEK.  1 8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  73 
 
 he  took  away  the  guiltinefs  of  fin,  He  himfelf  being 
 Jpotlefs  and  undejiled  ;  for  fuch  an  High  Priejl  became 
 uSf  Heb.  vii.  26.  The  more  defiled  we  were,  the 
 more  did  we  ftand  in  need  of  an  undenled  Prieft  and 
 Sacrifice  ;  and  He  was  both.  Therefore  the  Apoftle 
 here  very  fitly  mentions  this  qualification  of  our  Sa- 
 viour, as  neceflary  for  reducing  us  unto  God,  the 
 Jujlfor  the  unjujl ;  fo  taking  on  him,  and  taking  away, 
 the  guilt  of  fin,  fetting  his  ftrong  Ihoulder  to  remove 
 that  mountain,  he  made  way  or  accefs  for  man  unto 
 God.  ^^ 
 
 This  the  Apoflle  hath  excellently  exprefled,  Eph, 
 ii.  16.  He  hath  reconciled  us  by  his  crofs^  having  JIuin 
 the  enmity ;  he  killed  the  quarrel  betwixt  God  and 
 us  ;  killed  it  by  his  death.  Hti  thus  brings  the  par- 
 ties together,  and  hath  laid  a  fure  foundation  of  agree- 
 ment in  his  own  fiifferings  ;  appeafes  his  Father's 
 wrath  by  them,  and  by  the  fame  appeafcs  the  finncv',3 
 confcience.  All  that  God  hath  to  fay,  in  poi:)',  )f 
 juftice,  is  anfwered  there  ;  all  that  the  poor  humbled 
 finner  hath  to  fay,  is  anfwered  too.  He  hath  oiTVr^d 
 up  fuch  an  atonement  as  fatisfies  the  Father  ;  fo  ne 
 is  content  that  finners  come  in  and  be  reconciled : 
 And  thenChrift  gives  notice  of  this  to  the  foul,  to  re- 
 move alljealoufies  :  It  is  full  of  fear;  though  it  would, 
 it  dare  not  approach  unto  God,  apprehending  him  to 
 be  a  confuming  fire.  They  that  have  done  the  offence 
 are  ufually  the  hardeft  to  reconcile  ;  becaufe  they  are 
 Hill  in  doubt  of  their  pardon  :  But  Chrifl:  afllires  of 
 a  full  and  hearty  forgivenefs,  quenching  the  flame  of 
 God's  wrath  by  his  blood.  "  No,  fays  Chrifl:,  upon 
 **  my  warrant  come  in  ;  you  will  now  find  my  Fa- 
 "  ther  otherwife  than  you  imagine  :  He  hath  declar- 
 "  ed  himfelf  fatisfied  at  my  hands,  and  is  willing  to 
 **  receive  you,  to  be  heartily  and  thoroughly  friends  ; 
 **  never  to  hear  a  word  more  of  the  quarrel  that  was 
 "  betwixt  you  ;  he  grants  a  full  oblivion."  And  if 
 the  foul  bear  back  ftill  through  diftruft,  he  takes  it  by 
 the  hand,  and  draws  it  forward,  leads  it  in  to  his  Fa- 
 
 VoL.  II.  Ki  ther, 
 
74  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 ther,  as  the  word  Tr^oo-ayayw  imports ;  prefents  it  to 
 him,  and  leaves  not  the  matter  till  a  full  and  fure 
 agreement  be  made. 
 
 But  for  this  purpofe,  that  the  foul  may  be  able  and 
 wilhng  to  come  unto  God,  the  fufl'erings  of  Chrift 
 take  away  that  other  impediment.  As  they  fatisfy 
 the  fentence,  and  fo  remove  the  guiltinefs  of  iin,  {o 
 he  hath  by  them  purchafed  a  deliverance  from  the 
 tyrannous  power  oY  Iin,  that  detains  the  foul  from 
 God,  after  all  the  way  made  for  it.  And  he  hath  a 
 power  of  applying  his  fufferings  to  the  foul's  deliver- 
 ance in  that  kind  too.  He  opens  the  prifon  doors  ta 
 them  that  are  led  captive^  Ifa.  Ixi.  i. ;  and  becaufe  the 
 great  chain  is  upon  the  heart  willingly  enthralled  in 
 iin,  he,  by  his  fovereign  power,  takes  off  that ;  he  frees 
 the  heart  from  the  love  of  iin  ;  fhews  what  a  bafe  fla- 
 viifi  condition  it  is  in,  by  reprefenting,  in  his  effedlu- 
 al  way,  the  goodnefs  of  God,  his  readinefs  to  entertain 
 a  returning  finner,  the  fweetnefs  and  happinefs  of 
 communion  with  him.  Chrid  powerfully  perfuades 
 the  heart  to  fhake  off  all,  and,  without  further  delay, 
 fo  to  return  unto  God,  as  to  be  received  into  favour 
 and  friendfliip,  and  fo  to  walk  in  the  way  of  friend- 
 ihip  with  God,  to  give  up  itfelf  to  his  obedience,  to 
 difdain  the  vile  fervice  of  Iin,  and  live  fuitably  to  the 
 dignity  of  fellowfliip  and  union  with  God. 
 
 And  there  is  no  other  but  the  power  of  Chriit 
 alone  that  is  able  to  effect  this,  to  perfuade  a  finner 
 to  return,  to  bring  home  a  heart  unto  God.  Com- 
 mon mercies  of  God,  though  they  have  a  leading  fa- 
 culty to  repentance,  Rom.  ii.  4.  yet  the  rebellious 
 heart  will  not  be  led  by  them.  The  judgments  of 
 God,  public  or  perfonal,  though  they  fhould  drive  us 
 to  God,  yet  the  heart,  unchanged,  runs  the  farther 
 from  God,  Do  we  not  fee  it  by  ourfelves  and  other 
 linners  about  us  ^  they  look  not  at  all  towards  him 
 that  fmiles,  much  lefs  do  they  return  ;  or  if  any  more 
 ferious  thoughts  of  returning  arife  upon  the  furprife 
 of  an  affliction,  how  foon  vanifh  they  ?  either  the 
 
 ilroke 
 
tEK,  l8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTlE  OF  PETER.  75 
 
 ftroke  abating,  or  the  heart,  by  time,  growing  hard 
 and  fenfelefs   under  it.     Indeed,  where  it  is  renewed 
 and  brought  in  by  Chrift,  then  all  other  things  have 
 a  fandified  influence,  according  to  their  quality,   to 
 ftir  up  a  Chriftian   to  feek  after  fuller  communion, 
 clofer  walk,  and   nearer  accefs  to  God  :    But,    leave 
 Chrift  out,  I  fay,  and  all  other   means   work  not  this 
 way  ;  neither  the  works,   nor  word  of  God  founded 
 daily  in  his  ear,  Return,  return.     Let  the  noife  of  the 
 rod  fpeak  it  too,  and  both  join  together  to  make  the 
 cry  the  louder,  yet  the  wicked  will  do  wickedly ^  Dan. 
 xii.  10. ;   will  not  hearken  to  the  voice  of  God,   will 
 not  fee  the  hand  of  God  lifted  up,  Ifa.  xxvi.  11. ;   will 
 not  be  perfuaded  to  go  in  and  feek  peace  and  recon- 
 cilement with   God,   though   declaring  himfelf  pro- 
 voked to  punifh,  and  to  behave  himfelf  as  an  enemy 
 againft  his  own  people.     How  many  are  there,  that, 
 in  their  own  particular,  have  been  very  (harply  lafhed 
 with  divers  fcourges  on  their  bodies  or  families,  and 
 yet  are  never  a  whit  the  nearer  God  for  it  ail,   but 
 their  hearts  as  proud,  and  earthly,  and  vain,  as  ever  ; 
 and,  let  him  lay  on  ever  fo  much,  they  will  ftill  be 
 the  fame  ;  a  divine  virtue,  only,  going  forth  from  Chrilt 
 lifted  up,  draws  men  unto  him  ;  and,  being  come  unto 
 him,  he  brings  them  unto  the  Father. 
 
 Reflexion  I,  You  that  ftill  are  ftrangers  to  God, 
 who  declare  yourfelves  to  be  fo,  by  living  as  ftran- 
 gers far  off"  from  him,  do  not  ftill  continue  to  abufe 
 yourfelves  fo  grofsly.  Can  you  think  any  confola- 
 tion  in  the  fufferings  of  Chrift  yours,  while  it  is  fo 
 evident  they  have  not  gained  their  end  upon  you; 
 have  not  brought  you  to  God  ?  Truly,  moft  of  you 
 feem  to  think,  that  our  Lord  Jefus  fuftered  rather  to 
 the  end  wc  might  neglect  God,  and  difobey  him  fe- 
 curely,  than  to  reduce  us  to  him.  Hath  "he  purchafed 
 you  a  liberty  to  fin  ;  or,  is  not  deliverance  from  fin, 
 which  alone  is  true  liberty,  the  thing  he  aimed  at, 
 and  agreed  for,  and  laid  down  his  life  for  ? 
 
 2.  Why 
 
y6  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 2.  Why  ler  we  (till  his  blood  run  in  vain  as  to  us  ? 
 He  hath  by  it  opened  up  our  way  to  God,  and  yet  we 
 refufe  to  make  ufe  of  it.  Oh  I  how  few  come  in* 
 They  that  are  brought  unto  God,  and  received  into 
 friendlhip  with  him,  they  entertain  that  friendfhip^ 
 they  delight  in  his  company,  love  to  be  much  with 
 him  :  Is  it  fo  with  us  ?  By  being  fo  near,  they  be- 
 come like  him,  daily  know  his  will  better,  and  grow 
 more  fuitable  to  it ;  but,  alas  I  in  the  raoft,  there  is 
 nothing  of  this. 
 
 3.  But  even  they  that  are  brought  unto  God  may 
 be  faulty  in  this,  in  part,  not  applying  fo  fweet  a  pri- 
 vilege. They  can  perhaps  comply,  and  be  too  friend- 
 ly with  the  vain  world,  can  pafs  many  days  without 
 a  lively  communion  with  God,  not  afpiring  to  the 
 increafe  of  that,  as  the  thing  our  Lord  hath  pur- 
 chafed  for  us,  and  that  wherein  all  our  happinefs 
 and  welfare  lie,  here  and  hereafter  :  Your  hearts 
 cleaving  to  folly,  and  not  delighting  yourfelves  in  the 
 Lord  ;  not  refrefhed  with  this  nearnefs  to  him,  and 
 union  with  him  ;  your  thoughts  not  often  on  it,  nor 
 your  ftudy  to  walk  conform  to  it :  Certainly  it  ought 
 to  be  thus ;  and  you  fhould  be  perfuaded  to  endeavour 
 it  may  be  thus  with  you. 
 
 4.  Remember  this  for  your  comfort,  that  as  you 
 are  brought  unto  God  by  Jefus  Chrift,  fo  you  are 
 kept  in  that  union  by  him.  It  is  a  firmer  knot  than 
 the  firft  was ;  there  is  no  power  of  hell  can  diflblve 
 it.  He  fuffered  once  to  bring  us  once  unto  God, 
 never  to  depart  again  ;  as  he  fuffered  once  for  all,  fo 
 we  are  brought  once  for  all :  We  may  be  fenhbly 
 nearer  at  one  time  than  another,  but  yet  we  can 
 never  be  feparate  nor  cut  off,  being  once  knit  by 
 Chrifl,  as  the  bond  of  our  union.  Neither  principal 
 lities,  nor  powers,  i^c/ball  be  able  to  feparate  us  from 
 the  love  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  37,  38.  becaufe  it  holds 
 in  Chrift  Jefus  our  Lord. 
 
 Being  put  to  death  in  the  fiejh,  but  quickened  by  the 
 Spirit.^  The  true  life  of  a  Chriftian,  is  to  eye  Chrift 
 
 in 
 
VER.  j8,]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  77 
 
 in  every  ftep  of  his  life,  both  as  his  rule,  and  as  his 
 ftrength  ;  looking  to  him  as  his  pattern,  both  in  doing 
 and  fuffering,  and  drawing  power  from  him  for  go- 
 ing through  both  ;  for  the  look  of  faith  doth  that, 
 fetches  life  from  Jefus  to  enable  it  for  all,  being  with- 
 out him  able  for  nothing.  Therefore  the  Apoftle  doth 
 ilill  fet  this  before  his  brethren  ;  and  here,  having 
 mentioned  his  fufFering  in  general,  the  condition  and 
 end  of  it,  he  fpecifies  the  particular  kind  of  it,  that 
 which  was  the  utmoft,  put  to  death  in  the  ftejb,  and 
 then  adds  this  iffue  out  of  it,  quickened  by  the  Spirit, 
 
 It  is  at  once  the  ftrongeft  engagement,  and  the 
 ftrongeft  encouragement.  Was  He,  our  Head,  crown- 
 ed with  thorns,  and  (hall  the  body  look  for  garlands? 
 Are  we  redeemed  from  hell  and  condemnation  by 
 him,  and  can  any  fuch  refufe  any  fervice  he  calls  them 
 to  ?  They  that  are  wajhed  in  the  Lamb'^s  blood  will 
 follow  him  whitberfoever  he  goes,  Rev.  xiv.  4. ;  and, 
 following  him  through,  they  Ihall  find  their  journey's 
 end  overpay  all  the  troubles  and  fufferings  of  the 
 way.  Thefe  are  they,  faid  the  elder  who  appeared  in 
 vifion  to  John,  Rev.  vii.  14.  which  came  out  of  great 
 tribulation  ;  tribulation,  and  great  tribulation,  yet  they 
 came  out  of  it,  and  glorious  too,  arrayed  in  long 
 white  robes.  The  fcarlet  llrumpet,  as  follows  in  that 
 book,  dyed  her  garments  red  in  the  blood  of  the 
 famts :  But  this  is  their  happinefs,  that  their  gar^ 
 7nents  are  waJJjed  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
 
 Once  take  away  ftn,  and  all  fuffering  is  light ;  now, 
 that  is  done  by  this,  his  once  fuffering  for  fin  ;  they 
 that  are  in  him  (hail  hear  no  more  of  that  as  con- 
 demning them,  binding  them  over  to  fuffer  that 
 wrath  that  is  due  to  lin.  Now,  this  puts  an  invin- 
 cible ftrength  into  the  foul  for  enduring  all  other 
 things,  how  hard  foever. 
 
 Fut  to  death.]  This  the  utmoft  point,  and  that 
 which  men  are  moft  ftartled  at,  to  die,  and  a  violent 
 death,  put  to  death  ;  and  yet  he  hath  led  in  this  way 
 who  is  the  Captain  of  our  faivation.     In  the  fiejh.'\ 
 
 Under 
 
•?S  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHil?P.  IIL 
 
 Under  this  fecond,  his  human  nature,  and  divine  na- 
 ture and  power,  are  differenced.  Put  to  death  in  the 
 fleff}  is  a  very  fit  expreffion,  not  only,  (as  is  ufual), 
 taking  the  fiefh  for  the  whole  manhood,  but  becaufe 
 death  is  moil  properly  fpoken  of  that  very  perfon,  or 
 his  fiefh  :  the  whole  man  fuffers  death,  a  dilfolution, 
 or  taking  to  pieces,  and  the  foul  fuffers  a  feparation 
 or  diilodging ;  but  death,  or  the  privation  of  life  and 
 fenfe,  belongs  particularly  to  the  fiefh  or  body :  But 
 the  Spirit,  here  oppofed  to  thtjie/b  or  body,  is  certain- 
 ly of  a  higher  nature  and  power  than  is  the  human 
 foul,  which  cannot  of  itfelf  return  to  reinhabit  and 
 quicken  the  body. 
 
 Put  to  death.']  His  death  was  both  voluntary  and 
 violent ;  that  fame  power  that  reflored  his  life  could 
 have  kept  it  exempted  from  death  ;  but  the  defign 
 was  for  death.  He  therefore  took  our  fiefh,  to  put  it 
 off  thus,  and  offered  it  up  as  a  facnfice  ,  which,  to 
 be  acceptable,  muff  of  necefiity  be  free  and  volun- 
 tary ;  and,  in  that  fenfe,  he  is  faid  to  have  died  even 
 by  that  fame  Spirit,  that  here,  in  oppofition  to  death, 
 is  faid  to  quicken  him,  Heb.  ix.  14.  Through  the  eter- 
 nal Spirit,  he  offered  himfelf  without  fpot  unto  God. 
 They  accounted  it  an  ill  boding  fign  when  the  fa- 
 crifices  came  conflrainedly  to  the  altar,  and  drew 
 back  ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  were  glad  in  the  hopes 
 of  fuccefs,  when  they  came  cheerfully  forward  ;  but 
 never  facrifice  came  fo  willingly  all  the  way,  and 
 from  the  firll  Itep  knew  whither  he  was  going.  Yet, 
 becaufe  no  other  facrifice  would  ferve,  he  was  mofl 
 content :  Sacrifices  and  burnt  offerings  thou  didfi  not 
 defire :  Then  faid  I,  Lo  I  come,  &.c.  Pfal.  xl.  6,  7, 
 He  was  not  only  a  willing  facrifice,  as  Ifaac,  bound 
 peaceably,  and  laid  on  the  altar,  but  his  own  facri- 
 fice r:  The  beafls,  if  they  came  willingly,  yet  offer- 
 ed not  themfelves ;  but  he  offered  up  himfelf ;  and  thus, 
 not  only  by  a  willingnefs  far  above  all  thofe  facri- 
 fice s  of  bullocks  and  goats,  but  by  the  eternal  Spirit, 
 he  offered  up  himfelf.  Therefore  he  fays,  in  this  re- 
 gard, 
 
V£R.  18.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  79 
 
 gard,  /  lay  down  my  life  for  my  /beep  j  it  is  not  pulled 
 from  nie,  but  I  lay  it  down  ;  and  fo  it  is  often  ex- 
 preiTed,  by  [a7rfOa«]  he  died  ;  and  yet  this  fuits  with 
 it,  [OavaTwOfif]  put  to  d^atb :  yea,  it  was  alfo  expedi- 
 ent to  be  thus,  that  his  death  fhould  be  violent,  and 
 fo  the  more  penal,  fo  as  to  carry  the  more  clear  ex- 
 preffion  of  a  punidiment,  and  fuch  a  violent  death 
 as  had  both  ignominy  and  a  curfe  tied  to  it ;  and 
 this  inflided  in  a  judicial  way,  (though  as  from  the 
 hands  of  men  moft  unjuflly),  that  he  Ihould  (land, 
 and  be  judged,  and  condemned  to  death  as  a  guilty 
 perfon,  carrying  in  that  the  perfons  of  fo  many  that 
 Ihould  otherwife  have  fallen  under  condemnation,  as 
 indeed  guilty ;  He  was  numbered  with  tranfgrejfors^ 
 (as  the  Prophet  hath  it),  hearing  the  fins  of  many^ 
 Ifa.  liii.  ult. 
 
 Thus,  then,  there  was  in  his  death  external  vio- 
 lence joined  with  internal  willingneis :  But  what  is 
 there  to  be  found  but  complications  of  wonders  in 
 our  Lord  Jefus  ?  Oh  I  high  inconceivable  myftery  of 
 godlinefs  I  God  manifefied  in  the  flejh  I  Nothing  in 
 this  world  fo  flrange,  and  fweet,  as  that  conjundlure, 
 God  man,  humanitas  Dei  I  What  a  Itrong  foundation 
 of  friendfhip  and  union  betwixt  the  perfon  of  man 
 and  God,  that  their  natures  met  in  fo  clofe  embraces 
 in  one  perfon  I  And  then,  look  on,  and  fee  fo  pooip 
 and  defpifed  an  outward  condition  through  his  life  ; 
 yet,  having  hid  under  it  the  majefty  of  God,  all  the 
 hrightnefs  of  the  Father'' s  glory  ;  and  this  the  top  of 
 all,  that  he  was  put  to  death  in  the  fiejh  ;  the  Lord  of 
 life  dying,  the  Lord  of  glory  clothed  with  fhame. 
 But  it  quickly  appeared  what  kind  of  perfon  it  was 
 that  died  :  by  this,  he  was  put  to  death  indeed  in  the, 
 flefb,  but  quickened  by  the  Spirit, 
 
 ^ickened'l  He  was  indeed  too  great  a  morfel  for 
 the  grave  to  digeft.  For  all  its  vaft  craving  mouth, 
 and  devouring  appetite,  crying,  Sheol,  Give,  give ; 
 yet  was  it  forced  to  give  hira  up  again,  as  the  fifh 
 ^hich  fwallowed  up  the  Prophet  Jonah,  when  the 
 
 Lor4 
 
So  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 Lord  /pake,  was  obliged  to  vomit  him  out,  who  in  t  ;at 
 was  the  figure  of  Chrift,  Jonah  i.  17.  ii.  10.  The 
 chains  of  that  prifoij  are  ftrong ;  but  he  was  too 
 ilrong  a  prifoner  to  be  held  by  them  ;  as  our  Apoftle 
 hath  it  in  his  fermon,  Ads  ii.  24.  that  it  was  not 
 pojjiible  that  hejhould  be  kept  by  them.  They  thought 
 all  was  fure,  when  they  had  rolled  to  the  ftone,  and 
 lealed  it ;  that  then  the  grave  had  indeed  /hut  her 
 mouth  upon  him  ;  it  appeared  a  done  bufinefs  to  them, 
 and  looked  as  if  it  w^ere  very  complete  in  his  enemies 
 eyes,  and  very  defperate  to  his  friends,  his  poor  dif- 
 ciples  and  followers.  Were  they  not  near  the  point 
 of  giving  over,  when  they  faid.  This  is  the  third  day^ 
 &c.  And  we  thought  this  had  been  he  thatjhould  have 
 delivered  Ifrael,  Luke  xxiv.  21.  And  yet  he  was 
 then  with  them,  who  was  indeed  the  Deliverer  and 
 Salvation  of  Ifrael.  That  rolling  of  the  ilone  to  the 
 grave,  was,  as  if  they  had  rolled  it  towards  the  eaji 
 in  the  night,  to  flop  the  riling  of  the  fun  the  next 
 morning ;  much  further  above  all  their  watches  and 
 power  w^as  this  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs  in  his  riling 
 again.  That  body  that  was  entombed,  was  united 
 to  the  fpring  of  life,  the  divine  Spirit  of  the  Godhead 
 that  quickened  it. 
 
 Reflexion  i.  Thus  the  Church,  which  is  likewife 
 his  body,  when  it  feems  undone,  when  it  is  brought 
 to  the  loweft  poilure  and  (late,  yet  by  virtue  of  that 
 myftical  union  with  Jefus  Chrift,  (as  his  natural  body, 
 by  perfonal  union  with  his  Deity),  fhall  be  preferved 
 from  deftrudion,  and  fhall  be  delivered  and  raifed  in 
 due  time :  Yea,  as  he  was  neareft  his  exaltation  in 
 the  loweft  ftep  of  his  humiliation,  fo  is  it  with  his 
 Church  :  when  things  are  brought  to  the  moft  hope- 
 lefs  appearance,  then  fhall  light  arife  out  of  darknefs : 
 Cum  dupJicantur  lateres  venit  Mofes, 
 
 Therefore,  as  we  ought  to  feek  a  more  humble 
 fenfe  of  Sion's  diftrefs,  fo  we  fhould  alfo  be  felici- 
 tous not  to  let  go  this  hope,  that  her  mighty  Lord 
 will,  in  the  end,  be  glorious  in  h?r  deliverance,  and 
 
 tha; 
 
VER.  1 8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  tl 
 
 that  all  her  fufFerings  and  low  eftate  fhall  be  as  a  dark 
 ground  to  fet  off  the  luftre  of  her  reftoration,  when 
 the  Lord  fhall   vilit  her  with  falvation.     As  in  the 
 rifing  of  Jefus  Chritl,  his  Almighty  Power  and  Deity- 
 was  more  manifefted  than   if  he  had  not  died  :  And 
 therefore  we   may  fay  confidently,  with  the  Pfalniift 
 to  his  Lord,  Pfal.  Ixxi.  20,  21.  'Iboii,  which  hajij/jew- 
 ed  me  great  atid  fore  troubles,  /halt  quicken  me  again^ 
 and /bah  bring  me  up  from  the  depths  of  the  earth  : 
 Thou  Jhalt  increafe  my  greatnefs,   and  comfort  vie  on 
 every  fide.    Yea,  the  Church^  comes  more  beautiful  out 
 of  the  deepell  diftrefs ;  let  it  be  overwhelmed  with 
 waves,  yet  it  finks  not,  but  rifes  up  as  only  wafiied. 
 And  in  this  confidence  we  ought  to  rejoice,  even  in 
 the  midft  of  our  forrows ;  and,  though  we  live  not  to 
 fee  them,  yet,  even  in  beholding  afar  off,  to  be  gladded 
 with  the  great  things  the  Lord  will  do  for  his  Church 
 in  the  latter  times.     He   will  certainly  make  hare  his 
 holy  arm  in  the  eyes  of  the  nations,  and  all  the  ends  of 
 the  earth  fJjall  fee  the  falvation  of  our  God,  lid.  lii.  10. 
 His  King  that  he  hath  fet  on  his  holy  hill,  Ihall  grow 
 in  his  conquefls  and  glory  ;  and  all  that  rife  againff 
 him  fJj all  he  break  with  a  rod  of  iron,  Plal.  ii.  He  was 
 humbled  once,  but  his   glory  fhall  be   for  ever  ;  as 
 many  were  aftoniJJjed  at  him,  his  vifage  being  marred 
 more  than  any  man,  they  fliall  be   as   much  aftoniflied 
 at  his  beauty  and  glory.     So  fhall  he  fpr inkle  m,any 
 nations;  the  kings  JJ) all fhut  their  mouths  at  him,  Ifa.  lii. 
 14,  15.    According  as  here,   we  find  that  remarkable 
 evidence  of  his  divine  power  in  rifing  from  the  dead  j 
 put  to  death  in  the  flefh,  but  quickened  by  the  Spirit, 
 
 2.  Thus  may  a  believing  foul  at  the  loweft,  when, 
 to  its  own  fenfe,  it  is  given  over  unto  death,  and 
 fwallowed  up  of  it,  as  it  were  in  the  belly  of  hell,  yet 
 look  up  to  this  divine  power  ;  He  whofe  foul  was  not 
 left  there,  will  not  leave  thine  there.  Yea,  when 
 thou  art  moll  funk  in  thy  fad  apprehenfions,  and  far 
 off  to  thy  thinking,  then  is  he  nearell  to  raife  and 
 comfort  thee  J  as  fometimes  it  grows  darkefl  immedi- 
 
 VoL.  IL  L  atelv 
 
82.  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  Ill* 
 
 ately  before  day.  Reft  on  his  power  and  goodnefs, 
 which  never  failed  any  that  did  fo  :  It  is  he  (as  Da- 
 vid fays)  that  lifts  vp  the  foul  from  the  gates  of  deaths 
 Ifa.  ix.  13. 
 
 3.  Would  any  of  you  be  cured  of  that  common 
 difeafe,  the  fear  of  death,  look  this  way,  and  you 
 fliall  find  more  than  you  feek  \  you  fhall  be  taught, 
 not  only  not  to  fear,  but  to  love  it.  Confider,  i.  his 
 death  :  He  died.  By  that,  thou  that  receiveft  him  as 
 thy  life,  mayeit  be  fure  of  this,  that  thou  art  by  that 
 his  death,  freed  from  the  fecond  death  *,  and  that  is 
 the  great  point.  Let  that  have  the  name  which  was 
 given  to  the  other,  the  mofl  terrible  of  all  terrible 
 things ;  and  as  the  fecond  death  is  removed,  this 
 death  that  thou  art  to  pafs  through,  is,  I  may  fay, 
 beautified  and  fweetened ;  the  ugly  vifage  of  it  be- 
 comes amiable,  when  ye  look  on  it  in  Chrift,  and  in 
 his  death,  that  puts  fuch  a  pleafing  comelinefs  upon  it, 
 that  whereas  others  fly  from  it  with  affrightment, 
 the  believer  cannot  ehoofe  but  embrace  it.  He  longs 
 to  lie  down  in  that  bed  of  reft,  fince  his  Lord  lay  in 
 it,  and  hath  warmed  that  cold  bed,  and  purified  it 
 with  his  fragrant  body.  2.  But  efpecially  look  for- 
 ward to  his  return  thence,  quickened  by  the  Spirit  i 
 this  being  to  thdfe  that  are  in  him  the  certain  pledge, 
 yea,  the  eftedlual  caufe,  of  that  blefiTed  refurredion 
 that  is  in  their  hopes.  There  is  that  union  betwixt 
 them,  that  they  fiiall  rife  by  the  communication  and 
 virtue  of  his  riling  ;  not  fimply  by  his  power,  fo  the 
 wicked  to  their  grief  ftiall  be  raifed,  but  they  by  his 
 life,  as  theirs.  Therefore  is  it  fo  often  reiterated, 
 John  vi.  where  he  fpeaks  of  himfelf  as  the  living  and 
 life-giving  bread  to  believers^  he  adds  again  and  again, 
 I  will  raife  them  up  at  the  lafl  day,  ver.  39,  40,  44. 
 This  comfort  we  have  even  for  the  hoiife  of  clay  we 
 lay  down ;  and  for  our  more  confiderable  part,  our 
 immortal  fouls,  this  his  death  and  rifing  hath  provid- 
 ed 
 
 *  Defcendit  hue  vita  noflra,  et  tulit  mortem  noflram,  et  occi- 
 dit  earn  de  ahmdantia  liitcsfua,  &c.   Aug. 
 
VER.  1 8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  83 
 
 ed  for  them,  at  their  diflodging,  an  entrance  into  that 
 glory  where  he  is.  Now,  if  thefe  things  were  lively 
 apprehended  and  laid  hold  on,  Chrifl  made  ours,  and 
 the  firft  refurredion  manifeft  in  us,  were  we  quick- 
 ened by  his  Spirit  to  newnefs  of  life,  certainly  there 
 would  not  be  a  more  welcome  and  refrefhing  thought, 
 nor  a  fweeter  difcourfe  to  us,  than  that  of  death  ;  and 
 no  matter  for  the  kind  of  it.  Were  it  a  violent  death  ; 
 fo  was  his.  Were  it  what  we  account  mod  judg- 
 ment-like amongft  difeafes,  the  plague  ;  was  not  his 
 death  very  painful  ?  and  was  it  not  an  accurfed 
 death  ?  and  by  that  curfe  endured  by  him  in  his,,  is 
 not  the  curfe  taken  away  to  the  believer  ?  Oh  how 
 welcome  Ihall  that  day  be,  that  day  of  deliverance  ! 
 To  be  out  of  this  woful  prifon  :  I  regard  not  at  what 
 door  I  go  out,  being  at  once  freed  from  fo  many 
 deaths,  and  let  in  to  enjoy  Him  who  is  my  life. 
 
 Ver.  19.  By  which  alfo  he  zvent  and  preached  unto  the 
 fpirits  in  prifon  : 
 
 20.  Hljich  fometime  were  difobediefit,  when  once  the 
 long-fuffering  of  God  waited  in  the  days  of  Noah^ 
 while  the  ark  was  a  preparing,  wherein  few,  that 
 is,  eight  folds,  were  faved  by  water. 
 
 21.  The  like  figure  whereitnto,  even  haptifm,  doth  alfo 
 now  five  us,  {not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the 
 flejh,  hut  the  anfwer  of  a  good  confidence  toward 
 
 God),  by  the  refiurrediion  of  Jefus  Chrifi, 
 
 THERE  is  nothing  that  fo  much  concerns  a 
 Chriftian  to  know  as  the  excellency  of  Jefus 
 Chrift,  his  perfon  and  works  ;  fo  that  it  is  always 
 pertinent  to  infift  much  on  that  fubject.  The  Apoftle 
 having  fpoken  of  this  Spirit  or  divine  nature,  and 
 the  power  of  it,  railing  him  from  the  dead,  takes  oc- 
 cafion  to  fpeak  of  another  work  of  that  Spirit,  to  wit, 
 the  emiffion  and  publifliing  of  his  divine  dodtrine ; 
 and  that,  not  as  a  new  thing  following  his  death 
 ^nd  riling,  but  as  the  fame  in  fubftance  with  that 
 
 which 
 
84  A  COMMENTARY  UPpN  [cHAP.  III. 
 
 which  was  by  the  fame  Spirit  promulgated  long  be- 
 fore, even  to  the  firft  inhabitants  of  the  world. 
 ^ickened  by  the  Spirit  that  is  in  our  days,  fays  the 
 Apoftle  ;  but  then,  long  before  that,  by  the  fame  Spi- 
 rit, he  went  and  preached  to  the  fpirits  in  prifon. 
 
 This  place  is  fomewhat  obfcure  in  itfelf,  but  as  it 
 ufually  happens,  made  more  fo  by  the  various  fan- 
 cies and  contefts  of  interpreters,  aiming  or  pretend- 
 ing to  clear  it.     Thefe  I  like  never  to  make  a  noife 
 of.     They  that  dream  of  the  defcent  of  Chriji^s  foul 
 into  hell,  think  this  place  founds  fomewhat  that  way; 
 ■  but,  being  examined,  it  proves  no  way  fuitable,  nor 
 can,  by  the  ftrongeft  wrellmg,  be  drawn  to  fit  their 
 purpofe  ;    For,   i.   That  it   was  to  preach  he  went 
 thither,  they  are  not  willing  to  avow;  though  the 
 end  they  ailign  is  as  groundlefs  and  imaginary  as  this 
 is.     2.  They  w^ould   have  his  bulinefs  to  be  with  the 
 fpirits  of  the  faithful  deceafed  before  his  coming,  but 
 here  w^e  fee  it  is  with  the   difobedient.     And,  3.  His 
 Spirit  here  is  the  fame  with  the  fenfe  of  the  fore- 
 going words,  which  mean  not  his  foul,   but  his  eter- 
 nal deity.     4.  Nor  is  it  the  fpirits  that  were  in  pri- 
 fon,  as  they  read  it,   but  the  fpirits  in  prifon,   which, 
 by  the  oppoiition  of  their  former  condition,  fometime 
 or  formerly  difobedient,  doth   clearly  fpeak  their  pre- 
 fent  condition,  as  the  jufl  confequent   and  fruit  of 
 their  difobedience. 
 
 Other  milinterpretations  I  mention  not,  taking  it 
 as  agreeable  to  the    whole    ftrain   of  the   Apoftle's 
 words  *,    that  Jefus  Chrill  did,   before  his  appear- 
 ing 
 
 *  Thus  I  then  thought,  but  do  now  apprehend  another  fenfe 
 as  probable,  if  not  more,  even  that  fo  much  rejected  by  moft 
 interpreters  :  The  miffion  of  the  Spirit,  and  preaching  of  the 
 Gofpel  by  it,  after  his  refurredion,  preaching  to  iinners,  and 
 converting  them,  according  to  the  prophecy  which  he  firft  ful- 
 filled in  perfon,  and  after  more  amply  in  his  Apoftles,  That 
 prophecy  I  mean,  Ifa.  Ix.  i.  The  Spirit  upon  him  ;  and  it  was 
 fent  from  him  on  his  Apoftles,  to  preach  to  fpirits  in  prijon ; 
 tQ  preach  liberty  to  thofe  captives^  captive  fpirits ;  and  there- 
 fore 
 
VER.  19.  &C.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  85 
 
 ing  in  the  flefb,  fpeak  by  his  Spirit  in  his  fervants  to 
 thofe  of  the  foregoing  ages,  yea  the  moil  ancient  of 
 them,  declaring  to  them  the  way  of  life,  though  re- 
 jeded  by  the  unbelief  of  the  moil  part.     This  is  in- 
 ferted  in  the  mentioning  of  Chrift's  fufferings,  and 
 exaltation  after  them.     And,   after  all,  the  Apoftle 
 returns  to  that  again,  and  to  the  exhortation  which 
 he  ftrengthens  by  it ;  but  fo  as  this  difcourfe  taken 
 in,  is  pertinently  adapted  to  the  prefent  fubjecl.    The 
 Apoltle's  aim  in  it,  we   may  conceive  to  be  this,  (his 
 main  fcope  being  to  encourage  his  brethren  in  the 
 faith  of  Chrift,  and  way  of  holinefs,  againll  all  oppo- 
 fition   and  hardfhip,)    fo  to  inftrudl   his    readers  in 
 Chrift's  perpetual  influence  into  his  Church  in  all 
 ages,  even  before  his  incarnation,  as  that  they  might 
 at  the  fame  time  fee  the  great  unbelief  of  the  world,    f 
 yea    their  oppofing  of  divine   truth,  and  the  fmall    | 
 number  of  thofe  that  receive  it,   and  fo  not  be  dif-    | 
 couraged  by  the  fewnefs  of  their  number,  and  the    | 
 hatred  of  the  world;  finding  that  falvation  in  Jefus 
 Chrill  dead  and  rifen  again,  which   the  reft  mifs  of 
 by  their  own  wilful  refufal.     And  this  very  point  he 
 infifts  on  clearly  in  the   following  chapter,  ver.  3,  4, 
 And  thofe  very  ways  of  ungodlinefs  there  fpecified, 
 which  believers  renounce,  were  thofe  that  the  world 
 was  guilty  of  in  thefe  days,  and  in  which  they  were 
 furprifed  by  the  flood :  They  eat  and  drank  till  the  flood 
 came  upon  them. 
 
 In  the   words  of  thefe  three  verfes  we  have  three 
 things :  i.  An  alTertion  concerning  the  preaching  of 
 
 Chrift, 
 
 fore  called  fpirits  in  prifon^  to  illuftrate  the  thing  the  more,  bj 
 oppofition  to  that  Spirit  of  Chrift,  the  Spirit  of  liberty,  fetting 
 them  free ;  and  this  to  Ihew  the  greater  efficacy  of  Chrift's 
 preaching  than  of  Noah's,  though  he,  a  fignal  preacher  of  riohte- 
 oufnefs,   T^et  only  himfelf  and  his  family,  eio;ht  perfons  laved    f 
 
 ^D^ium,  but  multitudes  of  all  naUons  by  the  Spirit  and  preach-    :? 
 
 "Ing  of  Chrift  in  the  Gofpel ;  and  that  by  the  feal  of  baptifm, 
 and  the  refurre6lion  of  Chrift,  reprefented  in  the  return  from 
 the  water,  and  our  dying  with  him  by  immerlion,  and  that 
 figure  of  baptifm  like  their  ark. 
 
86  A    COMMENTARY   UPON  [cHAP.  III. 
 
 Chrift,  and  the  perfons  he  preached  to.  2.  The  de- 
 fignment  and  delcription  of  the  time  or  age  wherein 
 that  was,  and  the  particular  way  of  God's  dealing 
 with  them.  3.  The  adapting  or  applying  of  the 
 example  to  Chriilians. — Firft,  the  affertion  concern- 
 ing the  preaching  of  Chrift,  and  the  perfons  he 
 preached  to,  in  thefe  words,  which  I  take  together, 
 By  the  which  Spirit  he  went  and  preached  to  the  Jpi- 
 fits  in  prifon,  which  fometime  were  difohedient. 
 
 In  thefe  words  we  have  a  preacher  and  his  hear- 
 ers. Firft,  Of  the  preacher.  We  fhall  find  here,  i. 
 His  ability.  2.  His  adtivity  in  the  ufe  of  it.  i.  His 
 ability,  altogether  fingular  and  matchlefs ;  the  very 
 fpring  of  all  abilities,  the  Spirit  of  Wifdom  himfelf, 
 being  the  co*eternal  Son  of  God :  That  Spirit  he 
 preached  by,  was  that  Spirit  by  which  he  raifed 
 himfelf  from  the  dead  ;  and  without  this  Spirit  there 
 is  no  preaching  :  Now  he  was,  as  our  Apoftle  calls 
 him,  a  preacher  of  righteoufnefs  ;  but  it  was  by  the 
 power  of  this  Spirit ;  for  in  him  did  this  Spirit  preach. 
 The  Son  is  the  Wifdom  of  the  Father :  his  name  is 
 the  Word  ;  not  only  for  that  by  him  all  things  were 
 created,  as  John  hath  it,  John  i.  4. ;  not  only  as  the 
 Son  is  that  power  by  which,  as  by  the  word  of  his 
 mouth,  all  things  were  made ;  but  he  is  the  Word, 
 likewife,  as  revealing  the  Father  ;  declaring  to  us  the 
 counfel  and  will  of  God  :  therefore  he  is  by  the  fame 
 Evangclift,  in  the  fame  place,  called  that  Light  that 
 illuminates  the  worlds  John  i.  9.  without  which  man, 
 called  the  leflef  world,  the  intelledlual  world,  were 
 as  the  greater  world  without  the  fun.  And  all  that 
 bring  aright  the  dodrine  of  faving  wifdom,  derive  it 
 neceflarily  from  him ;  all  preachers  draw  from  this 
 Sovereign  Preacher,  as  the  fountain  of  divine  light, 
 as  all  the  planets  receive  their  light  from  the  fun,  and 
 by  that  difFuiing  amongft  them,  it  is  not  diminiftied 
 in  the  fun,  but  only  communicated  to  them,  remain- 
 ing ftill  full  and  entire  in  it,  as  its  fource.  Thus 
 doth  the  Spirit  flow  from  Chrift,  in  a  particular  de- 
 gree, 
 
Vj:R.  19.  Stc]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER*  87 
 
 gree,  unto  thofe  he  fends  forth  in  his  name,  and  it  is 
 in  them  that  he  preaches  by  the  power  and  light  of 
 his  eternal  Spirit. 
 
 Hither,  then,  mult  they  all  come  that  would  be     [ 
 rightly  fupplied   and  enabled  for  that  work.     It  is 
 i-mpoffible  to  fpeak  duly  of  him  in  any  meafure,  but 
 by  his  Spirit.     There  muft  be  particular  accefs,   and 
 a  receiving  of  inftrudions  from  him,  and  a  transfu- 
 lion  of  his  Spirit  into  ours.     Oh  I   were  it  thus  with 
 us,  how  fweet  were  it  to  fpeak  of  him  ?    To  be  much 
 in  prayer,  much  dependence  on   him,  and  drawing 
 from  him,   would  do  much  more  in  this,   than  read-       | 
 ing  and  ftudying,  feeking  after  arts  and  tongues,  and       | 
 common  knowledge,     Thefe,   indeed,   are  not  to  be       j 
 defpifed  nor  negleded.     Reading  is  good^  and  learn-       | 
 ing  goody  but  above  all    anointing  is    necejfary^  that       I 
 anointing  that  teacheth  all  things'^.     And  you  that       | 
 are  for  your  own  intereft,  be  earnefl  with  this  Lord,       ^ 
 this  Fountain  of  Spirit,  to  let  forth  more  of  it  upon  his 
 melfengers  in  thefe  times  ;  you  would  receive  back 
 the  fruit  of  it,  were  ye  bufy  this  way ;  you  ihould 
 find  more  life  and  refrefhing  fweetnefs  in  the  word 
 of  life,  how  weak  and  worthlefs  foever  they  were  that 
 brought  it ;  it  fhould  defcend  as  Iweet  fhowers  upon 
 the  valleys,  and  make  them  fruitful. 
 
 2.  We  have  the  activity  of  Chrifl  as  a  preacher. 
 By  this  Spirit,  it  is  faid  here,  he  preached :  Not  only'  , 
 did  he  fo  in  the  days  of  his  abode  on  earth,  but  in 
 all  times,  both  before  and  after;  he  never  left  his 
 Church  altogether  deflitute  of  faving  light,  which  he 
 difpenfed  himfelf,  and  conveyed  by  the  hands  of  his 
 fervants  ;  therefore  it  is  faid,  be  pre ac he'd ;  that  this 
 may  be  no  excufe  for  times  after  he  is  afcended  in- 
 to heaven,  no,  nor  for  times  before  he  defcended  to  » 
 the  earth  in  human  flefn  ;  though  he  preached  not 
 then,  nor  does  now  in  his  fielh,  yet  by  his  Spirit  be 
 then  preached,  and  dill  doth ;   fo  atcording  to   what 
 
 was 
 
 *  Utilis  leBiOy  utilis  eruditio,  fed  magis  nnSio  necejfaria,  auip 
 pe  qua  fola  docet  de  omnibus*     Bern, 
 
88  A  COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 was  chief  in  him,  he  was  dill  prefent  with  his  Church, 
 and  preaching  in  it,  and  is  fo  to  the  end  of  the  world.  | 
 This  his  infinite  Spirit  being  every  where,  yet  it  is 
 faid  here,  by  it  he  went  and  preached,   fignifying  the 
 remarkable  clearnefs  of  his  admin iflration  that  way  : 
 As  when  he  appears  eminently  in  any  work  of  his 
 own,   or  taking  notice  of  our  works,  God  is  laid  to    | 
 come  down  ;  fo  to  thofe  cities  of  Babel  and  Sodom, 
 Gen.  xi.  5.  7.  Let  us  go  down ;  and,   Gen.  xviii.  21. 
 I  will  go  down  and  fee\  So,  Exod.  iii.  8.  I  am  come 
 down  to  deliver  Ifrael ;     Thus  here,  fo  clearly  did  he 
 admonifh  them  by  Noah,  coming  as  it  were  himfelf 
 on  purpofe  to  declare  his  mind  to  them.     And  this 
 word,   I  conceive,   is  the   rather  ufed  to  fhew   what 
 equality  there  is  in  this:    He  came,   indeed,   viiibly, 
 and  dwelt  amongfl  men,  when  he  became  flefh  ;  yet 
 before  that,  he  vifited  by  his  Spirit ;  he  went  by  that 
 and  preached.     And  fo  in  after-times,  himfelf  being 
 afcended,  and  not  having  come  vifibly  in  his  flefli  to 
 all,  but  to  the  Jews  only  ;  yet  in  the  preaching  of 
 the  Apoftles  to  the  Gentiles,  as  the  great  Apoftle  fays 
 of  him  in  this  exprelTion,  Eph.  ii.  17.  he  came  and 
 preached  to  you  which  were  afar  off i  and  this  he  con- 
 tinues to  do  in  the  miniitry  of  his  word  :  And,  there- 
 fore, fays  he,  He  that  defpifeth  you,  defpifeth  me,  Luke 
 X.  16. 
 
 Were  this  confidered,  it  could  not  but  procure  far 
 more  refped  to  the  word,  and  more  acceptance  of  it. 
 Would  you  think  that  in  his  word  Chriit  fpeaks  by 
 his  eternal  Spirit  ?  yea,  he  comes,  and  preaches,  ad- 
 drefles  himfelf  particularly  to  you  in  it ;  could  you 
 flight  him  thus,  and  turn  him  off  with  daily  refufals, 
 or  delays  at  lead  ?  Think  it  is  too  long  you  have  fo 
 unworthily  ufed  fo  great  a  Lord,  that  brings  unto  you 
 fo  great  falvation  ;  that  came  once  in  fo  wonderful  a 
 way  to  work  that  falvation  for  us  in  his  flefh,  and  is 
 flill  coming  to  offer  it  unto  us  by  his  Spirit;  does 
 himfelf  preach  to  us,  tells  us  what  he  undertook  on 
 our  behalf,  and  how  he  hath  performed  all ,  and  now 
 
 nothing 
 
V£R.  19.  &C.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  89 
 
 nothino;  reds  but  that  we  receive  him,  and  believe 
 on  him,  and  all  is  ours.  But  alas !  from  the  moil, 
 the  return  is,  which  we  have  here,  difobedience.  And 
 this  is  what  we  are 
 
 idly.  To  conlider  of  his  hearers.  You  may  in- 
 deed obferve  two  things  in  tliefe  hearers,  by  which 
 they  are  characlerifed  :  their  prefcnt  condition  in  the 
 time  the  Apoftle  was  fpeaking  of  them,  they  are  Jpirits 
 in  prifon ;  and  this  former  difpolition,  when  the 
 Spirit  of  Chrift  was  preaching  to  them,  they  were 
 fometime  difohedient :  This  latter  went  firil  in  time, 
 and  was  the  caufe  of  the  other.  Therefore  of  ic 
 firft. 
 
 I.  The  pad  difpofition  of  the  hearers  fpoken  of; 
 they  were  jfovietime  di/Gbedient,     If  you  look  to  their 
 vifible  fubordinate  preacher,  you  find  he  was  a  holy 
 man,  and  an  able  and  diligent  preacher  of  righteouf- 
 nefsy  both  in  his  dodtrine,  and  in  the  track  of  his  life, 
 w^hich   is   the   moll  powerful   p'reaching  ;    on    both 
 Xvhich  accounts  it  feems  ilrange  that  he  prevailed  fo 
 little.     But  it    appears  much   more  ^o^  if  we   look 
 higher,   even  to  this  height,  at   which  the  Apoille 
 points,  that  almighty  Spirit  of  Chrijl  that  preached  to     / 
 them;  and  yet  they  were  difohedient.     The   word  is,      \ 
 ftTfiGijo-ao-j,  they  were  not perfuaded  \  and  it  iignifies  both 
 unbelief  and  difobedience,  and  that  very  fitly  ;  unbe- 
 lief being  in  itfelf  the  grand  difobedience,  the  mind 
 not  yielding  to  divine  truth,  and  fo  the  fpring  of  all 
 difobedience  in  affedion  and  action.     And  this   root 
 of  bitter nefs^  this  unbelief,  is  deep  faflened  in  our  na-- 
 tural  hearts  ;  and  without  a  change  in  them,  a  taking 
 them  to  pieces,  they  cannot  be  good.     It  is  as  a  tree     / 
 firmly  rooted,    which  cannot  be  plucked  up  without    \ 
 loofening  the  ground  round  about  it ;   and  this   ac-     i 
 curfed  root  brings  forth  fruit  unto  death,  becaufe  t\iQ 
 word  is   not  believed  ;  the  threats  of  the  law,   and 
 promifes  of  the  gofpel :    Therefore  men  cleave  unto 
 their  fins,  and   fpeak   peace   unto  themfelves  while 
 they  are  under  the  ciirfe. 
 
 Vol.  XL  M  It 
 
pO  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.  HIv 
 
 It  may  feem  very  ftrange  that  the  gofpel  is  fo  fruit- 
 lefs  amongft  us ;  yea,  that  neither  word  nor  rod,  both 
 preaching  aloud  to  us  the  doclrine  of  humihation  and 
 repentance,  perfuade  any  man  to  return,  or  fo  much 
 as  to  turn  inward,  and  queflion  himfelf  to  fay,  I'Vbat 
 have  I  done?  But  thus  it  will  be,  till  the  Spirit  he 
 poured  from  on  high,  to  open  and  foften  hearts.  It  is 
 to  be  defired,  as  much  wanting  in  the  miniftry  of  the 
 word  ;  but  were  it  there,  that  would  not  ferve  unlefs 
 it  were  by  a  concurrent  work  within  the  heart,  meet- 
 ing the  word,  and  making  the  impreffions  of  it  there  ; 
 for  here  we  find  the  Spirit  went  and  preached,  and 
 yet  the  fpirits  of  the  hearers  iliil  unbelieving  and  dif- 
 obedient.  It  is  therefore  a  combined  work  of  this 
 Spirit  in  the  preacher  and  hearers  that  makes  it  fuc- 
 eefsful,  otherwife  it  is  but  (houting  in  a  dead  man's 
 ear ;  there  mull  h^fomething  within,  as  one  faid  in  a 
 like  cafe. 
 
 But,  ^dljy  We  have  the  prefent  condition  of  thefe 
 hearers,  Tb  the  fpirits  in  prifon.  That  is  now  their 
 pofture ;  and  becaufe  he  fpeaks  of  them  as  in  that 
 pofture,  he  calls  them  fpirits;  for  it  is  their  fpirits  that 
 are  in  that  prifon  ;  and  likewife  calls  them  fpirits  to 
 whom  the  Spirit  of  Chrirt  preached  \  becaufe  it  is  in- 
 deed that  which  the  preaching  of  the  word  aims  at ; 
 it  hath  to  do  with  the  fpirits  of  men.  It  is  not  con- 
 tent to  be  at  th^ir  ear  with  a  found,  but  works  on 
 their  minds  and  fpirits  fome  way,  either  to  believe 
 and  receive,  or  to  be  hardened  and  fealed  up  to  judg- 
 ment by  it,  which  \%for  rebels.  If  difobedience  foI=. 
 low  on  the  preaching  of  that  word,  the  prifon  follows 
 on  that  difobedience ;  and  that  word,  by  which  they 
 would  not  be  bound  to  obedience,  binds  them  over 
 to  that  prifon,  whence  they  fhall  never  efcape,  nor 
 be  releafed  for  ever. 
 
 Take  notice  of  it,  and  know  that  you  are  warned ; 
 jou  will  not  receive  falvation,  offering,  preffing  itfelf 
 upon  you.  You  are  every  day  in  that  way  of  difo- 
 bedience, haftening  to  this  perpetual  imprifonment. 
 
 Conlider 
 
VEKo  19,  Sec]       THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  9I 
 
 Coniider  you  now  fit  and  hear  this  word  ;  fo  did 
 thefe  that  are  here  fpokcn  of:  they  had  their  tune 
 on  earth,  and  much  patience  was  ufed  towards 
 them  ;  and  though  you  are  not  to  be  fwept  away  by 
 a  flood  of  waters,  yet  you  are  daily  carried  on  by 
 the  flood  of  time  and  mortality,  Pfal.  xc.  5.  And 
 how  foon  you  fnall  be  on  the  other  fide,  and  fent  into 
 eternity,  you  know  not.  I  befeech^ou,  be  yet  wifr ; 
 hearken  to  the  offers  yet  made  you ;  for  in  his  name 
 I  yet  once  again  make  a  tender  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  / 
 falvation  in  him,  to  all  that  will  let  go  their  fins,  i 
 to  lay  hold  on  him.  Oh  I  do  not  deftroy  yourfelves. 
 You  are  in  prifon,  he  proclaims  unto  you  liberty^ 
 Chrift  is  ftill  following  us  himfelf  with  treaties*. 
 Chrift  proclaims  your  liberty,  and  will  you  not  ac- 
 cept of  it  ?  Think,  though  you  are  pleafed  with  your 
 prefent  thraldom  and  prifon,  it  referves  you  (if  you 
 come  not  forth)  to  this  other  prifon,  that  fhall  not 
 pleafe  you  :  thefe  chains  of  fpiritual  darknefs,  in 
 which  you  are,  unlefs  you  be  freed,  will  deliver 
 you  up  to  the  chains  of  everlajling  darknefs,  wherein 
 thefe  hopelefs  prifon ers  are  kept  to  the  judginent  of  the 
 great  day  ;  but  if  you  will  receive  jefus  Chrift  pre- 
 fently,  upon  that,  life  and  liberty,  and  bleffednefs, 
 are  made  yours.  If  the  Son  make  you  free,  you  fo  all 
 he  free  indeed,  John  viii.  35. 
 
 idly.  We  have  the  defignation  of  the  time  or  age 
 of  this  preacher  confidered  under  the  former  head. 
 When  once  the  long-fuffering  of  God  waited  in  the  day? 
 of  Noah,']  There  are  too  main  continuing  wonders 
 in  the  world  ;  the  bounty  of  God,  and  diiloyalty  of 
 man  :  And  the  fucceffion  of  times  is  no  other  but 
 new  additions  of  thefe  two.  One  grand  example  is 
 here  fet  before  us,  an  oecumenical  example  as  large  as 
 the  whole  world  ;  much  patience,  and  yet  invincible 
 difobedience.  Here  are  two  things  in  the  inltance  : 
 I/?,  The  Lord's  general  dealing  with  the  world  of 
 
 the 
 
 *  Clamans  diftis,  faciis,   morte,  vita,  defcefifu^  afoenfu^  cla* 
 mans  ut  redeamus  ad  eurn,     Aug, 
 
92  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 the  ungodly  at  that  time,  idly,  His  peculiar  way 
 with  his  own  chofen,  Noah  and  his  family :  He 
 waited  patiently  for  all  the  reft  ;  but  he  effectually 
 faved  them. 
 
 Obf,  I.  The  time  defigned  thus,  in  the  days  of  Noah, 
 There  were  many  great  and  powerful  perfons  in 
 theie  days,  that  overtopped  Noah  (no  doubt)  in  out- 
 ward refpects,  as  well  as  in  their  ftature,  the  proud 
 giants  ;  and  they  begot  children,  mighty  men  of  old^ 
 men  of  renoivn,  as  the  text  hath  it,  Gen.  vi.  3.  And 
 yet,  as  themfelves  periQ:ied  in  the  flood,  their  names 
 are  drowned.  1  hey  had  their  big  thoughts  certain- 
 ly, that  their  houfes  and  their  names  Ihould  continue^ 
 as  rhe  Pfalmiil  fpeaks,  Pfal.  xlix.  11.  and  yet  they 
 are  funk  in  perpetual  oblivion.  And  Noah's  name, 
 who  walked  in  humble  obedience,  you  fee,  in  thefe 
 moft  precious  records  of  God's  own  book,  ftill  looks 
 freih,  and  fmells  fvveet,  and  hath  this  honour,  that 
 the  Very  age  of  the  world  is  marked  with  this  name, 
 to  be  known  by  it :  In  the  days  of  Noah.  That  which 
 profane  ambitious  perfons  do  idolatroufly  feek  after, 
 they  are  often  remarkably  difappointed  of:  They 
 would  have  their  names  memorable  and  famous,  yet 
 they  rot ;  they  are  either  buried  with  them,  or  re- 
 membered with  difgrace  ;  and  rotting  above  ground 
 as  carcafes  uninterred,  and  fo  are  the  more  noifom  ; 
 and  it  is  as  little  credit  to  them  to  be  mentioned,  as 
 for  Pilate  that  his  name  is  in  the  Confeffion  of  Faith, 
 But  the  name  and  remembrance  of  the  righteous  is 
 llill  fweet  and  delightful :  As  the  name  of  Abraham, 
 the  father  of  the  faithful,  and  of  Ifaac  and  Jacob  : 
 Their  names  are  embalmed  indeed,  that  they  cannot 
 rot  ;  embalmed  with  God's  own  name,  [Eternal^  ; 
 that  name  is  wrapt  about  theirs.  The  Godof  Ahraham^ 
 Ifaac  and  Jacob, 
 
 Thus  is  Noah  here  mentioned  as  preferred  of  God; 
 and  fo  in  the  fecond  epiftle,  as  a  preacher  of  righte^ 
 Qufnefs  ;  and  Heb.  xi.  among  thefe  worthies  whofe 
 honour  is  that  they  believed.    This  is  only  a  name,  a 
 
 fmali 
 
VER.   19.  Stc]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  93 
 
 *fmall  thing,  not  to  be  mentioned  in  comparifon  of 
 their  other  privileges,  and  efpeciaily  of  that  venerable 
 life  and  glory  which  they  are  heirs  to.  And  indeed 
 it  is  a  thing  they  regard  very  little  ;  yet  this  we  fee, 
 that  even  this  advantage  follows  them,  and  flies  from 
 the  vain  and  ungodly  that  hunt  and  purfue  it. 
 
 Obf,  1.  The  Lord's  dealing  Vv'ith  the  wicked  in 
 thofe  times,  before  he  fwept  them  away  by  the  de- 
 luge, is  reprefented  in  thefe  two  particulars  :  i.  Long- 
 fulFering  ;  and  withal,  2.  Clear  warning.  Long-fuf- 
 fering  ;  long  forbearing  to  be  angry,  as  the  Hebrew 
 word  is  in  his  name,  Exod.  xxxiv.  8. ;  which  fuppo- 
 fes  a  great  provocation,  and  the  continuance  of  it, 
 and  yet  patience  continuing.  And  in  this  appears 
 the  goodnefs  of  God,  coniidering  how  hateful  lin  is  to 
 him,  and  how  powerful  he  is  to  punifh  it ;  were  it, 
 if  it  pleafed  him,  in  one  m^oment  to  cut  off  all  the 
 ungodly,  high  and  low,  throughout  the  whole  world  ; 
 yet  he  bears,  and  forbears  to  punifh.  Oh  I  what  a 
 world  of  lin  is  every  day  committed  in  nations,  in 
 cities  and  villages,  yea,  in  families  ;  and  therefore 
 how  wonderful  is  it  that  he  doth  not  ftrike  with  pre- 
 fent  judgments,  and  not  only  forbears  to  punifh,  but 
 multiplies  his  common  mercies  on  them  ;  Sim  and 
 rain,  and  fruitful  feofo?n  !  Acts  xiv.  17. 
 
 Yea,  there  is  fo  much  of  this,  that  it  falls  under  a 
 grofs  mifconftru^lion  ;  yet  he  bears  that  too.  Becaufe 
 fentence  againfl  an  evil  work  is  not  fpeedily  executed^ 
 therefore  the  hearts  of  the  fons  of  men  is  fully  fet  in 
 them  to  do  evil,  Ecclef.  viii.  11.  Becaufe  there  is  not 
 fo  much  as  a  zvord  of  it  for  the  time,  (fo  the  word  is), 
 this  fwells  and  fills  the  heart  of  man,  and  makes  it 
 big  to  do  evil.  And  not  only  is  the  Lord's  long  fuf- 
 fering  miflaken  by  the  ungodly,  but  even  by  his 
 own,  that  fliould  underfland  him  better,  and  know 
 the  true  fenfe  t)f  his  ways  ;  yet  fometimes  they  are 
 milled  in  this  point :  beholding  his  forbearance  of 
 punifhing  the  workers  of  iniquity,  inflead  of  magni- 
 fying his  patience,  they  fall  very  near  into  queflion- 
 
 ing 
 
54  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  III.     ^ 
 
 ing  his  juflice  and  providence,  Pfal.  xiii.  Jer.  xii.  Job 
 XX.  &c.  Our  narrow  hafty  fpirits,  left  to  their  own 
 meafures,  take  not  in  thefe  larger  views  that  would 
 fatisfy  us  in  the  ways  of  God,  and  forget  the  im- 
 menfe  largenefs  of  his  wife  defigns,  his  deep  reach 
 from  one  age  to  another,  yea,-  from  eternity  to  eter- 
 nity. Conlider,  i.  How  ealily  he  can  right  himfelf, 
 in  point  of  juftice,  when  he  will ;  that  none  can 
 make  efcape  from  him  *,  how  loofe  foever  their  guard 
 feem,  and  how  great  liberty  foever  appears  in  their 
 prefent  condition.  2.  That  as  he  can  mofl  eafily,  fo 
 be  will  moft  feafonably,  be  known  in  executing  judg- 
 ment;  and  that  his  juftice  ihall  lliine  the  brighter, 
 by  all  that  patience  he  hath  ufed,  by  the  fun  of  pro- 
 fperity.  3.  We  think  not  how  little  that  time  is  to 
 him,  that  feems  long  to  us,  to  whom  a  thouf and  years 
 are  as  one  day^  Pfal.  xc.  4.  It  feemed  a  long  time 
 of  the  Church's  diftrefs,  and  their  enemies  triumph, 
 in  thofe  feventy  years  of  the  Babyloniih  captivity ; 
 and  yet,  in  God's  language,  it  is  fpoken  of  as  a  mo- 
 ment^ a  f mall  moment^  Ifa.  liv.  7,  8.  However,  in  the 
 iiTue,  the  Lord  always  clears  himfelf;  he  is  indeed 
 long  fuffering  and  patient;  but  the  impenitent  abulers 
 of  his  patience  pay  intereft  for  all  the  time  of  their 
 forbearance,  in  the  weight  of  judgment  when  it 
 comes  upon  them.  But  thus  we  fee  the  Lord  deals  ; 
 thus  he  dealt  with  the  world  in  the  beginning,  when 
 aUfleJh  had  corrupted  their  way  ;  yet,  faith  he,  their 
 days  Jhall  he  one  hundred  and  twenty  years.  Gen. 
 vi.  3. 
 
 Let  us  learn  to  curb  and  cool  our  brifk  humours 
 towards  even  ftubborn  finners ;  be  grieved  at  their 
 iin,  for  that  is  our  duty  ;  but  think  it  not  ftrange,  nor 
 fret  at  it,  that  they  continue  to  abufe  the  long  fuf- 
 fering  of  God,  and  yet  that  he  continues  ever  abufed 
 by  fuifering  them.  Xeai  is  good,  bift  as  it  fprings 
 from  love,  if  it  be  right,  fo  it  is  requited  by  love,  and 
 carries  the  impreffions  of  that,  of  love  to  God,   and 
 
 fa 
 
 ^'  Neino  decoguit  huic  creditori^ 
 
VSR.  19,  8&C.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  93 
 
 fo  a  complacency  in  his  way,  liking  it  becaufe  it  ia 
 his ;  and  of  love  to  men,  fo  as  to  be  pleafed  with 
 that  waiting  for  them,  in  poffibility,  at  lealt,  of  their 
 being  reclaimed  ;  knowing  that,  however,  if  they  re- 
 turn not,  yet  the  Lord  will  not  lofe  his  own  at  their 
 hands.  Fi^ilt  thou,  faid  thefe  two  fiery  dil'ciples,  that 
 we  call  for  fire  as  Klias  P  Oh  I  but  the  fpirit  of  the 
 dove  rcfted  on  him  that  told  them,  They  knew  rioi 
 what  fpirit  they  were  of  Luke  ix.  54,  55.  You  fpeak 
 of  Elias,  and  you  think  you  are  of  his  fpirit  in  this 
 motion  :  But  you  millake  yourfelves  •,  that  comes 
 from  another  fpirit  than  you  imagine:  Inftead  of  look- 
 ing for  fuch  fudden  juilice  without  you,  look  inward, 
 and  fee  whence  that  is ;  examine  and  correct  withia 
 you. 
 
 When  you  are  tempted  to  take  ill  that  goodnefs 
 and  patience  of  God  to  linners,  confider,  i.  Can  this 
 be  right,  to  differ  from  his  mind  in  any  thing  ?  Is 
 it  not  our  only  wifdom,  and  ever  fafe  rule,  to  think 
 as  he  thinks,  and  will  as  he  wills  ?  And,  I  pray  you, 
 does  he  not  hate  fin  more  than  you  do  ?  Is  not  his 
 intereft  in  punifhing  it  deeper  than  yours?  And  if 
 you  be  zealous  for  his  intereft,  as  you  pretend,  then 
 be  to  with  him,  and  in  his  way  y  for  iiarting  from 
 that,  fure  you  are  Vv^rong.  2.  Gonfider,  did  he  not 
 wpit  for  thee?  What  had  become  of  thee,  if  long 
 fuifering  had  not  fubferved  his  purpofe  of  further 
 mercy,  of  free  pardon  to  thee  ?  And  why  v/ilt  thou 
 not  always  allow  that  to  which  thou  art  fo  much 
 obliged  ?  Vv^ouldft  thou  have  the  bridge  cut  becaufe 
 thou  art  fo  over  ?  Sure  thou  wilt  not  own  fo  grofs  a 
 thought.  Therefore,  efteem  thy  God  ftill  the  more 
 thou  feeft  of  his  long  fuffering  to  finners  ;  and  learn 
 for  him,  and  with  him,  to  bear  and  wait. 
 
 But,  zdly.  This  was  not  a  dumb  forbearance,  fuch 
 as  may  ferve  for  a  furprife,  but  continual  teachingv 
 and  warning  joined  with  it,  as  before.  We  fee  they 
 wanted  not  preaching  of  the  choiceft  kind.  He,  the 
 Son  of  God ^  by  his  eternal  Spirit^  went  and  preached 
 
 $0 
 
g6  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  If 
 
 to  them*  It  was  his  truth  in  Noah's  mouth,  and 
 "with  that  we  have  a  continued  real  fernion,  exprefl 
 in  this  verfe,  While  the  ark  was  preparing  :  thatfpoke 
 God's  mind,  and  every  knock,  (as  the  ufual  obferva- 
 tion  is),  of  the  hammers  and  tools  ufed  in  building, 
 preached  to  them,  threatening  aloud  defigned  judg- 
 ment, and  exhorting  to  prevent  it.  And  therefore 
 that  word  is  added,  «H«^«x*'^*>  ^^^^  ^^^  long-fuffering 
 of  God  waited  or  expected  ;  expeded  a  believing  of 
 his  word,  and  returning  from  their  wickednefs :  But 
 we  fee  no  fuch  thing  followed ;  they  took  their  own 
 courfe  (till,  and  therefore  the  Lord  took  his.  They 
 had  polluted  the  earth  with  their  wickednefs ;  nov/, 
 the  Lord  would  have  the  cleanling  by  repentance  ^ 
 that  being  denied,  it  mud  be  another  way,  by  a 
 flood  :  And  becaufe  they  and  their  fins  remained 
 one,  they  would  not  part  with  them,  therefore  was 
 one  work  made  of  both  ;  they  and  their  fins,  as  infe- 
 parable,  mufl  be  cleanfed  away  together. 
 
 Thus  impenitency,  under  much  long- fufFering,'makes 
 judgment  full  and  complete,  I  appeal  to  you,  hath 
 not  the  Lord  ufed  much  forbearance  towards  us? 
 Hath  he  not  patiently  fpared  us,  and  clearly  w^arned 
 us,  and  waited  long  for  the  fruit  of  all?  Hath  any 
 thing  been  wanting  ?  Have  not  temporal  mercies 
 been  multiplied  on  us  ?  Have  not  the  fpi ritual  riches 
 of  the  Gofpel  been  opened  up  to  us. 
 
 And  each  of  you,  for  yourfelves,  confider  how  it  is 
 with  you  after  fo  much  long-fuffering  of  God,  which 
 none  of  you  can  deny  he  hath  ufed  towards  you ;  and 
 fo  many  gracious  invitations,  with  that  patience, 
 have  they  gained  your  hearts  ?  or  do  you  ftill  remain 
 fervants  to  fin,  fi:ill  (hangers  to  him,  and  formal  wor- 
 ihippers  ?  I  befeech  you  think  on  it,  what  will  be 
 the  iflue  of  that  courfe  ?  Is  it  a  light  matter  to  you 
 to  die  in  your  fins,  and  to  have^Z?^  wrath  of  God  ahid- 
 ing  on  you?  To  have  refufed  Chrifi:  fo  often,  and 
 that  after  you  have  been  fo  often  requefted  to  receive 
 
 falvation  ; 
 
V£R.  19,  &C.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.         ^'^. 
 
 falvation  ;  after  the  Lord  hath  followed  you  with  in- 
 treaties,  h^th  called  to  you  fo  often,  Why  will  ye  die  P 
 yet  wilfully  to  perifh,  and  withal  to  have  all  thefe 
 intreaties  come  in  and  accufe  you,  and  make  your 
 burden  heavier?  Would  you  willingly  die  in  this 
 eftate  ?  If  not,  then  think  that  yet  he  is  waiting,  if 
 at  length  you  will  return.  This  one  day  more  of 
 his  waiting  you  have,  and  of  his  fpeaking  to  you; 
 and  fome  that  were  here  with  you  the  la(l  day  are 
 taken  away  fince.  Gb  !  that  we  uoere  wife,  and  would 
 conjider  our  latter  end,  Deut.  xxxii.  29.  Though 
 there  were  neither  fword  or  pelliience  near  you, 
 you  mull  die,  and,  for  any  thing  you  know,  quickly. 
 Why  wear  you  out  the  day  of  grace  and  thofe  precious 
 feafons  ftill  \  As  uncertain  of  Chrill,  yea,  as  undili- 
 gent  after  him,  as  you  were  long  ago?  As  you  love 
 your  fouls,  be  more  ferious  in  their  bufineis.  This 
 was  the  undoing  of  the  linners  we  are  fpeaking  of  %- 
 they  were  ail  for  prefent  things  ; '  they  eat  and  drafik, 
 they  married,  in  a  continued  courfe,  without  ceafing, 
 and  without  mindiryj-  their  after  eftate,  Luke  xvii. 
 27.  They  were  drov**Hed  in  thefe  things,  and  that 
 drowntd  them  in  a  flood.  Noah  did  alfo  eat  and 
 drink,  but  his  main,  work  w^as  in  that  time  the  pre- 
 paring of  the  ark.  The  neceifities  of  this  life  the 
 children  of  God  are  tied  to,  and  forced  to  bellow  fome 
 time  and  pains  on  them  ;  but  the  thing  that  takes  up 
 their  hearts,  that  which  the  bent  of  their  fouls  is  feE 
 on,  is  their  intereft  in  Jefus  Chriil :  And  all  your  wife 
 defigns  are  but  a  pleafing  madnefs,  till  this  be  chief 
 v/ith  you.  Others  have  had  as  much  of  God's  pa- 
 tience, and  as  fair  opportunity,  as  you,  whofe  fouls 
 and  Chrift  had  never  met,  and  ,now  knovv^  that  they 
 never  fhall.  They  had  their  time  of  worldly  pro- 
 jects and  enjoyment,  as  you  now  have,  and  follow-^ 
 ed  them,  as  if  they  had  been  immortally  to  abide 
 with  them  ;  but  they  are  palied  away  as  a  iliadow, 
 and  we  are  polling  after  them,  and,  within  a  while 
 Ihall  lie  down  in  the  dull.  Oh!  how  happy  they^ 
 Vol;  IL-  N  '      whofe 
 
98  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  III,. 
 
 whofe  hearts  are  not  here,  trading  with  vanity,  and 
 gathering  vexation,  but  whofe  thoughts  are  on  that 
 blefled  life  above  trouble.  Certainly  they  that  pafs 
 for  fooJs  in  the  world,  are  the  only  children  of  wif- 
 dom  ;  that  have  renounced  their  lufts  and  their  own 
 \vills,  have  yielded  up  themfelves  to  Jefus,  taken  him 
 for  their  King,  and  have  their  minds  reding  on  him 
 as  their  falvation. 
 
 While  the  ark  was  a  preparrng.^  Obferve,  The  de- 
 lay of  the  Lord's  determined  judgment  on  the  un- 
 godly was  indeed  long-fuffering  towards  them  ;  but 
 here  was  more  in  it  to  Noah  and  his  family  ;  the 
 providing  for  their  prefervation  ;  and  till  that  was 
 completed  for  them,  the  rell  were  fpared.  Thus, 
 the  very  forbearance  that  the  ungodly  do  enjoy,  is 
 nfually  involved  with  the  intereit  of  the  godly  y 
 fomething  of  that  ufually  goes  into  it ;  and  fo  it  is  in 
 a  great  part  for  their  fakes,  that  the  reft  are  both 
 fpared,  and  are  furnifhed  with  common  mercies. 
 The  faints  are  ufually  the  fcorn  and  contempt  of 
 others  ;  yet  are,  by  that  love  the  Lord  carries  towards- 
 them,  the  very  arches,  pillars  of  ilates  and  kingdoms^ 
 and  families,  where  they  are,  yea  of  the  world  "^^  the 
 frame  whereof  is  continued  mainly  in  regard  to 
 them,  Ifa.  vi.  13.  But  they  that  are  ungrateful  to  the 
 great  Maker  and  upholder  of  it,  and  regardlefs  of 
 him ;  what  wonder  if  they  take  no  notice  of  the  ad- 
 vantage they  receive  by  the  concernment  of  his 
 children  in  the  world.     Obferve 
 
 Here,  i.  The  work.  2.  The  end  of  it.  I.  In  the 
 work,  preparing  of  the  ark,  obferve,  ift,  God's  ap- 
 pointment ;  2diy,  Noah's  obedience. 
 
 iji.  For  the  appointment  of  God.  The  divine 
 power  was  not  tied  to  this,  yet  his  wifdom  chofe  it. 
 He  that  fteered  the  courfe  of  this  ark  fafely  all  that 
 time,  could  have  preferved  thofe  he  defigned  it  for 
 without  it :  but  thus  it  pleafes  the  Lord,  ufually,  to 
 mix  his  moft  wonderful  deliverances  with  fome  fe- 
 
 leded 
 
 *  ^emen  fanSitim  Jlatumen  terra. 
 
V£R.  19.  &C.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PET£R.       99 
 
 ledled  means ;  exerciling  that  way  our  obedience  in 
 their  ufe,  yet  fo  as  the  lingular  power  of  his  hand  in 
 them,  whereon  faith  rells,  doth  clearly  appear,  doing 
 by  them  what,  in  a  more  natural  way,  they  could  not 
 poffibly  efFedt. 
 
 idly^  For  the  obedience  of  Noah,  if  we  fhould 
 infill  on  the  difficulties,  both  in  this  work,  and  in  the 
 way  of  their  prefervation  by  it,  it  would  look  the 
 clearer,  and  be  found  very  remarkable.  The  length 
 of  the  work,  the  great  pains  in  providing  materials, 
 efpccially  coniidering  the  oppofition  that  probably 
 he  met  with  in  it,  from  the  profane  about  him,  the 
 mightier  of  them  at  lead,  the  hatred,  and  continual 
 feoffs  of  ail  forts,  it  required  principles  of  an  invin- 
 cible refolution  to  go  through  with  it.  What,  (would 
 they  fay),  means  this  old  dottard  to  do  ?  whither 
 this  monftrous  voyage  ?  and  for  that  it  fpoke,  as  no 
 doubt  he  told  them  their  ruin,  and  his  fafety  ;  this 
 would  incenfe  them  fo  much  the  more.  You  look 
 far  before  you  ;  and  what,  fliail  we  all  periih,  and  yoii 
 alone  efcape  ?  But  through  all  the  fovereign  com- 
 mand and  gracious  promife  of  his  God  carried  him, 
 regarding  their  feoffs  and  threats  as  little  in  making 
 the  ark,  as  he  did  afterwards  the  noife  of  the  waters 
 about  it,  when  he  was  fitting  fafe  within  it.  This 
 his  obedience,  having  indeed  fo  boiflerous  winds  to 
 encounter,  had  need  of  a  well  faftened  root,  that  it 
 might  Hand  and  hold  out  againfi;  them  all,  and  fo  it- 
 had.  The  Apoftle  St  Paul  tells  us  what  the  root  of 
 it  was ;  byfaitb,  being  warned  of  God^  he  prepared  an 
 ark,  Heb.  xi.  7.  And  there  is  no  living  and  lading 
 obedience  but  what  fprings  from  that  root :  He  be- 
 lieved what  the  Lord  fpake  of  his  determined  judg- 
 ment on  the  ungodly  world  ;  and  from  the  belief  of 
 that  arofe  that  holy  fear,  which  is  exprefsly  men- 
 tioned as  exciting  him  to  this  work.  And  he  be^ 
 lieved  the  word  of  promife,  that  the  Lord  fpake  con- 
 cerning his  prefervation  by  the  ark  ;  and  the  be- 
 lief of  thefe  two  carried  him  ftrongly  on  to  the  work, 
 
 and 
 
100  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 and  through  it,  againft  all  counter  blafts  and  oppo- 
 fition  ;  overcame  his  own  doubtings,  and  the  mock- 
 ings  of  the  wicked,  flill  looking  to  him  that  was  the 
 mailer  and  contriver  of  the  work. 
 
 Till  we  attain  fuch  a  fixed  view  of  our  God,  and 
 fuch  firm  perfuafion  of  his  truth  and  power,  and 
 goodnefs,  it  will  never  be  right  with  us.  There  will 
 be  nothing  but  wavering  and  unfettlednefs  in  our 
 fpirits  and  in  our  ways;  every  little  difcouragement 
 from  within,  or  without,  that  meets  us,  will  be  like 
 to  turn  us  over.  We  ihall  not  walk  in  an  even 
 courfe,  but  ilill  reeling  and  ilaggering,  till  faith  be 
 fet  wholly  upon  its  own  bafis,  the  proper  foundation 
 of  it:  not  fet  betwixt  two,  upon  one  fiirong  prop, 
 and  another  that  is  rotten,  partly  on  God,  and  part- 
 ly on  creature  helps  and  encouragements,  or  our 
 own  ilrength  ;  that  is  the  way  to  fall  off.  Our  only 
 fafe  and  happy  way,  is,  in  humble  obfdience,  in  his 
 own  fi;rength,  to  follow  his  appointments  withont 
 ftanding  and  queftioning  the  matter,  and  to  religu 
 the  condudl  of  all  to  his  wifdom  and  love  ;  to  put 
 the  rudder  of  our  life  into  his  hand,  to  rteer  the 
 courfe  of  it  as  feemeth  him  good,  reding  quietly  on 
 his  word  of  promife  for  our  fafety.  Lord,  whither 
 thou  wilt,  and  w^hich  way  thou  wilt,  be  thou  my 
 guide,  and  it  fufficeth. 
 
 This  abfolute  following  c^f  God,  and  trufting  him 
 with  all,  is  marked  as  the  true  charader  of  faith  in 
 Abraham,  going  after  God  from  his  counxty,  not 
 knowing,  nor  afking  whither  be  went,  Heb.  xi.  8. 
 fecure  in  his  guide.  And  fo  in  that  other  greater 
 point  of  offering  his  fon,  he  filenced  all  difputes 
 about  it,  by  that  mighty  concluiion  of  faith,  account- 
 ing that  he  was  able  to  raifs  him  from  the  dead,  Heb. 
 xi.  19.  Thus  here,  Noah,  hy  faith,  prepared  the  ark  \ 
 did  not  argue  and  queftion  how  faail  this  be  done, 
 and  if  it  were,  how  (hall  I  get  all  the  kinds  of  beafts 
 gathered  together  to  put  into  it,  and  how  fhall  it  be 
 ended,  when  ^ve  are  fhut  in  ?  No,  but  believed  firm- 
 ly 
 
VER.  19.  &C.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.        lOI 
 
 ly  that  it  ftiould  be  finiftied  by  him,  and  he  faved  by 
 it ;  and  he  was  not  difappointed, 
 
 II.  The  end  of  this  work  was  t\\t  faving  of  Noah, 
 and  his  family,  from  the  general  deluge,  wherein  all 
 the  reft  perifhed. 
 
 Here  it  will  be  fit  to  confider  the  point  of  the  pre- 
 fervation  of  the  godly  in  ordinary  and  common  ca- 
 lamites,  briefly  in  thefe  pofitions. 
 
 1.  It  is  certain  that  the  childreh  of  God,  as  they 
 are  not  exempted  from  the  common  univerfal  cala- 
 mities and  evils  of  this  life,  that  befal  the  reft  of 
 men,  fo  not  from  any  particular  kind  of  them.  As 
 it  is  appointed  for  them,  with  a// others,  o?ic€  to  diey 
 Heb.  ix.  27.  fo  we  find  them  not  privileged  from 
 any  kind  of  difeafe,  or  other  way  of  death  ;  not  from 
 falling  by  fword,  or  by  peftilence,  or  in  the  frenfy  of 
 a  fever,-  or  any  kind  of  fudden  death  :  Yea,  when 
 thefe,  or  fuch  like,  are  on  a   land,   by  way  of  public 
 
 judgment^  the  godly  are  not  altogether  exempted 
 from  them,  but  may  fall  in  them  with  others ;  as  we 
 find  Mofes  dying  in  the  wildernefs  with  thofe  he 
 brought  out  of  Egypt.  Now,  though  it  was  for  a 
 particular  failing  in  the  wildernefs,  yet  it  evinces, 
 that  there  is  in  this  no  encroachment  upon  their  pri- 
 vileges, nothing  contrary  to  the  love  of  God  towards 
 them,  and  his  covenant  w^ith  them. 
 
 2.  The  promifes  made  to  the  godly,  of  preferva- 
 tion  from  common  jugdments,  ,have  their  truth,  and 
 are  made  good  in  many  of  them  fo  prefer ved  ; 
 though  they  do  not  hold  abfolutely  and  univerfally : 
 For  they  are  ever  to  be  underftood  in  fiibordination 
 to  their  higheft  good  :  Bat  when  they  are  preferved, 
 they  ought  to  take  it  as  a  gracious  accompliftimerit, 
 even  of  thefe  promifes  to  them,  which  the  wicked, 
 many  of  which  do  likewife  efcape,  have  no  right  to, 
 but  are  preferved  for  after-judgment. 
 
 3.  It  is  certain,  that  the  curfe  and  fting  is  taken 
 out  of  all   thofe  evils   incident   to   the    godly   with 
 others,  in  life  and  death,   which  makes  the  main  dif- 
 ference. 
 
102  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  III. 
 
 ference.  thongh  to  the  eye  of  the  world  invilible. 
 And  it  may  be  obferved,  7  hat  in  thefe  common 
 jud'^ments  of  fword  or  peftilence,  or  other  epide- 
 mic difeafes,  a  great  part  of  thofe  that  are  cut  off  are 
 of  the  wickedeft,  though  the  Lord  may  fend  of  thofe 
 arrows  to  fone  few  of  his  own,  to  call  them  home. 
 
 The  full  and  clear  diftindion  of  the  godly  and 
 wicked,  being  rcfcrved  tor  their  after  eftate  in  eter- 
 nity, it  needs  not  feem  flrange,  that  in  many  things 
 it  appears  not  here  :  One  thing  ab.)ve  all  others,  mo(l 
 grievous  to  the  child  of  God,  may  take  away  the 
 wonder  of  other  things  ^hey  fuffer  in  common,  that 
 is,  the  remainders  of  fin  in  them  while  they  are  in 
 the  flefh  :  Th<jugh  there  h  a  fpirit  in  them  above  it, 
 and  contrary  to  it,  which  makes  the  difference  ;  yet 
 fometimes  the  too  much  Jikenefs,  efpecially  in  the 
 prevadings  of  corruption,  doth  confiife  the  matter, 
 not  only  to  otiiers  eyes,  but  their  own. 
 
 4.  Though  the  great  diftindioy  and  fevering  be 
 referved  to  chat  great  and  folemn  day,  that  Ihall 
 clear  all,  yet  the  Lord  is  pleafed,  in  part,  more  re- 
 Bif^ikably  at  fome  times  to  difference  his  own  from 
 the  ungodly,  in  the  execution  of  temporal  judg- 
 ments, and  to  give  thefe  as  preludes  of  that  final  and 
 full  judgment.  And  this  of  Noah  was  one  of  the 
 in  oft  eminent  in  that  kind,  being  the  moft  general 
 judgment  that  ever  befel  the  world,  or  that  fhall 
 till  the  laft,  and  fo  the  liveiieft  figure  of  it  :  This  was 
 hy  water,  as  the  fecond  fhall  be  by  fire,  and  it  was 
 moft  congruous  that  it  fhould  reiemble  in  this,  as 
 the  chief  point,  the  faving  of  righteous  ISoah  and 
 his  family  from  it ;  prefiguring  the  eternal  falvation 
 of  believers,  as  our  Apoftle  teacheth. 
 
 Wherein  few,  that  is,  eight  per  Jons,  were  faved  hy 
 water, '\  This  great  point  of  the  fewnefs  of  thofe 
 that  are  faved  in  the  other  greater  falvation,  as  in 
 this,  I  fliall  not  now  profecute :  Only, 
 
 I.  If  fo  few,  then  the  inquiry  into  ourfelves,  whe- 
 ther we  be  of  thefe  few,  fhould  be  more   diligent, 
 
 and 
 
VeK,  19.  &C.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.         IO3 
 
 and  followed  more  home  than  it  is  yet  with  the  moft 
 of  us.  We  are  wary  in  our  trifles,  and  only  in  this 
 eafily  deceived,  yea,  our  own  deceivers  in  this  great 
 point.  Is  not  this  folly  far  beyond  what  you  ufual- 
 ly  fay  of  fome,  Penny  wife  and  pound  fool ;  to  be  wife 
 for  a  moment,  and  fools  for  eternity  ? 
 
 2.  You  that  are  indeed  feeking  the  way  of  life^ 
 be  not  difcouraged  by  your  fewnefs;  it  hath  always 
 been  fo ;  you  fte  here  how  few  of  the  whole  world, 
 and  is  it  not  better  to  be  of  the  few  in  the  ark,  than 
 of  the  multitude  in  the  waters?  Let  them  fret,  as 
 ordinarily  they  do,  to  fee  fo  few  more  diligent  for 
 heaven,  as  no  doubt  they  did  of  Noah  ;  and  this  is 
 it  that  galls  them,  that  any  fliouldhave  higher  names, 
 and  furer  hopes  this  way  :  "  What  I  are  none  but 
 **  fuch  as  you  going  to  heaven,  think  you  us  all 
 "  damned?''  What  can  we  fay,  but  there  is  a  flood 
 of  wrath  wafting  many  who  fay  fo,  and  certainly  all 
 that  are  out  of  the  ark  (hall  perifh  in  that  flood. 
 
 3.  This  is  that  main  truth  that  I  would  leave  with 
 you  ;  look  on  Jefus  Chrift  as  the  ark,  of  whom  this 
 was  a  figure ;  and  believe  it,  out  of  him  there  is  no- 
 thing but  cert-iin  deftrudion,  a  deluge  of  wraih,  all 
 the  world  over,  on  thofe  out  of  Chrift.  Oh  I  it  is 
 our  life,  our  only  fafety,  to  be  in  him.  But  thefe 
 things  are  not  believed.  Men  think  they  believe 
 them,  and  do  not.  Were  it  believed  that  we  are  un- 
 der the  fentence  of  eternal  death  in  our  natural  ftate, 
 and  that  there  is  no  efcape,  but  by  removing  out  of 
 ourfelves  unto  Chrift,  Oh  1  what  thronging  would 
 there  be  to  him  ;  whereas,  now  he  invites  and  calls,, 
 and  how  i^^  are  perfuaded  to  come  to  him.  Noah 
 believed  the  Lord's  word  of  judgment  againft  the 
 world,  believed  his  promife  made  to  him,  and  pre- 
 pared an  ark.  Is  it  not  a  high  fign  of  unbelief,  tiiat 
 there  being  an  ark  of  everlafting  falvation  ready  pre- 
 pared to  our  hand,  we  will  not  fo  much  as  come  to 
 it?  1.  Will  you,  who  are  not  yet  entered,  be  per- 
 fuaded certainly  that  the  ark-door  itands  open  ;  his 
 
 offers 
 
104  ^  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP,  HI. 
 
 offers  are  free ;  do  but  come,  and  try  if  he  will  turn 
 you  away;  no,  he  will  not,  Him  that  comes  to  me,  I 
 will  in  no  ways  cajl  out,  John  vi.  37.  And  as  there 
 is  fuch  acceptance,  and  fure  prefervation  in  him, 
 there  is  as  fure  periftiing  without  him,  truft  on  what 
 you  will.  Be  you  of  a  giant's  flature,  as  many  of 
 them  were,  to  help  you  to  climb  up,  as  they  would 
 fure  do  when  the  flood  came  on,  to  the  hfghell 
 mountains,  and  tallefl  trees,  yet  it  fhall  overtake  you. 
 Make  your  bed  of  your  worldly  advantages,  01;  good 
 parts,  or  civil  righteoufnefs,  all  fhall  prove  poor  Qiifts 
 from  the  fiood  of  wrath,  which  rifes  above  all  thofe, 
 and  drowns  them  ;  only  the  ark  of  our  falvation  is 
 fafe.  Think  how  gladly  they  would  have  been  with- 
 in the  ark,  when  they  found  death  without  it,  and 
 now  it  was  too  late  I  How  would  many,  that  now 
 defpife  Chrift,  wifli  to  honour  him  one  day  ?  Men, 
 fo  long  as  they  thought  to  be  fafe  on  the  earth  would 
 never  betake  them  to  the  ark,  but  rather  would  think 
 it  a  prifon  ;  and  could  men  find  falvation  any  where 
 elfe,  they  would  never  come  to  Chrift  for  it :  This 
 is,  becauTe  they  know  him  not  :  But  yet,  be  it  necef- 
 fity,  let  that  drive  thee  in  ;  and  then  being  in  him, 
 thou  faalt  find  reafon  to  love  him  for  himfeif,  befides 
 the  falvation  thou  haft  in  him. 
 
 '2.  You  that  have  fled  in  to  him  for  refuge,  wrong 
 him  not  fo  far  as  to  queftion  your  fafety.  What 
 though  the  floods  of  thy  former  guiltinefs  rife  high, 
 thine  ark  fhail  ftill  be  above  them  ;  and  the  higher 
 they  rife,  the  higher  he  fhall  rife,  fhall  have  the  more 
 glory  in  freely  juftifying  and  faving  thee.  Though 
 thou  ftnd  the  remaining  power  of  fin  ftill  within 
 thee,  yet  it  Ihall  not  link  thine  ark  ;  there  was  in  this 
 ark  fin,  yet  they  were  faved  from  the  flood.  If  thou 
 doft  believe,  that'  puts  thee  in  Chrift,  and  he  will 
 bring  thee  fafe  through,  without  fplitting  pr  linking. 
 3.  As  thou  art  bound  to  account  thyfelf  fafe  in 
 him,  fo  to  admire  that  love  that  fet  thee  there.  Noah 
 was  a  holy  man ;  but  whence  was  both  his  holinefs 
 
 and 
 
TER.  19.  &C.]    THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I05 
 
 and  prefervation  while  the  world  periflied,  but  be- 
 caufe  he  found  favour,  ox  free  grace,  as  the  word  is,  in 
 the  eyes  of  the  Lord.  And  no  doubt  he  did  much 
 contemplate  this,  being  fecure  within,  when  the  cries 
 of  the  reft,  drowning,  were  about  him.  Thus,  think 
 you,  feeing  fo  few  are  faved  in  this  blelTed  ark, 
 wherein  I  am,  in  comparifon  of  the  multitudes  that 
 perifh  in  the  deluge  ;  whence  is  this?  Why  was  I 
 chofen,  and  fo  many  about  me  left  ?  why,  but  be- 
 caufe  it  pleafed  him.  But  all  is  ftraight  here.  We 
 have  neither  hearts  nor  time  for  ample  thoughts  of 
 this  love,  till  we  be  beyond  time ;  then  fliall  we  ad- 
 mire and  praife  without  ceafing,  and  without  weary- 
 ing. 
 
 We  have  now  confidered  the  great  and  remarkable 
 example  the  Apoftle  makes  ufe  of.  It  is  time  we 
 proceed  to  coniider,  Thirdly,  The  adapting  or  ap- 
 plying it  to  the  inftruclion  of  Ghriftians,  for  which 
 it  is  indeed  fo  fit  and  fuitable,  which  he  clears  in  the 
 particular  refemblance  of  it  with  the  rule  of  Chri- 
 Itianity. 
 
 Ver.  21.  The  like  figure  wbereunto,  even  haptifm, 
 doth  cilfo  nowfave  us,  (not  the  putting  away  the  filth 
 of  the  fleJJj,  but  the  anfwer  of  a  good  confcience 
 toward  God),  by  the  refurre^ion  of  Jefus  Chrifi, 
 
 IN  which  words  we  have,  i.  The  end  of  haptifm, 
 2.  The  proper  virtue  or  efficacy  of  it  for  that 
 end.  And,  3.  A  refemblance  in  both  thefe  to  Noah's 
 prefervation  in  the  flood. 
 
 ifi.  The  end  of  baptifm,  to/ave  us.  This  is  the 
 great  common  end  of  all  the  ordinances  of  God  ;  that 
 one  high  mark  they  all  aim  at.  And  the  great  and 
 common  miilakc  of  them  is,  that  they  are  not  {"o  un- 
 derftood  and  ufed.  We  come  and  fit  a  while,  and,  if 
 we  can  keep  awake,  give  the  word  the  hearing;  but, 
 how  few  of  us  receive  it  as  the  ingrafted  word  that  is 
 able  tofave  our  fouls  P  James  i.  21.  W^ere  it  thus  ta- 
 
 Voju.  il.  .     O  ken. 
 
106  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 k'-n,  what  fweetnefs  would  be  found  in  it,  which 
 moil  that  hear  and  read  it  are  flrangers  to  ?  How 
 precious  would  thefe  lines  be,  if  we  looked  on  them 
 thus,  law  them  meeting  and  concentring  in  falvation 
 as  thdir  end.  Thus  likewife  the  facraments,  con- 
 lidt^red  indeed  as  feals  of  this  inheritance,  annexed 
 to  tiie  great  charter  of  it,  feals  of  falvation,  would 
 be  highly  regarded  :  This  would  powerfully  beget  a 
 iii  .ppetiie  for  the  Lord's  Supper,  when  we  are  in- 
 vited to  it,  and  would  beget  a  due  efteem  of  bap- 
 tifm  ;  would  teach  you  more  frequent  and  fruitful 
 thoughts  of  your  own,  and  more  pious  confidera- 
 tions  of  it  when  you  require  it  for  your  children. 
 A  natural  eye  looks  upon  bread,  and  wine^  and  wa- 
 ter, and  the  outward  difference  of  their  ufe  there, 
 that  they  are  fet  apart  and  differenced,  as  is  evident 
 by  external  circumftances,  from  their  common  ufe  ; 
 but  the  main  of  the  difference,  Vv'here  their  excel- 
 lency lies,  it  fees  not,  as  the  eye  of  faith  above  that 
 efpies  falvation  under  them  :  And  Oh  I  what  a  dif- 
 ferent thing  are  they  to  it,  from  what  they  are  to  a 
 formal  ufer  of  thetn.  We  fliould  afpire  to  know  the 
 hidden  rich  things  of  God,  that  are  wrapt  up  in  his 
 ordinances.  We  flick  in  the  fhell  and  fuperhcies  of 
 them,  and  feek  no  further ;  that  makes  them  uobeau- 
 tiful,  and  uniavoury  to  us,  and  that  ufe  of  them  turns 
 into  an  empty  cuflom.  Be  more  earneft  with  him 
 that  hath  appointed  them,  and  made  this  their  end, 
 to  fave  us,  that  he  would  clear  up  the  eye  of  our 
 fouls,  to  fee  them  thus  under  this  relation,  and  fee 
 how  they  fuit  to  this  their  end,  and  tend  to  it,  and 
 ferioufly  feek  falvation  in  them  from  his  own  hand, 
 and  we  fnaii  find  it. 
 
 This  doth  fave  us.  So  that  this  falvation  of  Noah 
 and  his  family  from  the  deluge,  and  all  outward 
 deliverances  and  falvations,  are  but  dark  fhadows  of 
 this.  Let  them  not  be  compared,  thefe  reprivals  and 
 prolongings  of  this  prefent  life,  to  the  deliverance 
 of  the   foul   from    death,    the    fecond    death ;    the 
 
 ilretching 
 
VER.  2I»]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  207 
 
 ftretching  of  a  moment  to  the  concernment  of  eter- 
 nity. How 'would  any  of  you  welcome  a  full  and 
 fure  prote(5lion  from  common  dangers,  if  fuch  were 
 to  be  had  ?  That  you  fliould  be  afcertained  of  fafety 
 from  fword  and  peftilence  ;  that  whatever  others  fuf* 
 fered  about  you,  you  and  your  family  ihould  be 
 free  ?  (And  they  that  have  efcaped  a  near  danger  of 
 this  kind  are  too  apt  to  reft  there,  as  if  no  more  were 
 to  be  feared  ;  whereas  this  common  favour  may  be 
 lliewed  to  thefe  that  are  far  off  from  God)  ;  and 
 what  though  you  be  not  only  thus  far  fafe,  but,  I 
 fay,  if  you  were  fecured  for  the  future,  which  none 
 of  you  abfolutely  are?  Yet,  when  you  are  put  out  of 
 danger  of  fword  and  plague,  ftill  death  remains,  and 
 lin  and  wrath  may  be  remaining  with  it;  and  fhall 
 it  not  be  all  one  to  die  under  thefe  in  a  tim.e  of  public 
 peace  and  welfare,  as  if  it  were  now  ?  Yea,  it  may 
 be  fomething  more  uphappy,  by  the  increafe  of  the 
 heap  of  lin  and  wrath  ;  guiitinefs  augmented  by  life 
 prolonged;  and  will  be  more  grievous  to  be  pulled 
 away  from  the  world,  in  the  midfc  of  peaceable  en- 
 joyment, and  to  have  everlaiiing  darknefs  to  fucceed 
 to  that  fnort  fun-fhine  of  thy  day  of  eafe.  Alas  I 
 the  fad  fucceflion  I  Happinefs  of  a  fliort  date,  and 
 mifery  for  ever.  What  availed  it  wicked  Ham,  to 
 outlive  the  flood,  to  inherit  a  curfe  after  it;  to  be 
 kept  undrowned  in  the  waters,  to  fee  himfeif  and 
 his  pofterity  biafted  with  his  father's  curfe?  Think 
 ferioully;  what  will  be  the  end  of  all  thy  temporary 
 fafety  and  prelervation,  if  thou  Ihare  not  in  this  fai- 
 vation,  and  find  not  thyfelf  fealed  and  marked  for  it; 
 to  flatter  thyfelf  with  a  dream  of  happinefs,  and  walk 
 in  the  light  of  a  few  /parks,  Tfa.  1.  11.  that  will  foon 
 die  out,  and  then  lie  down  in  for  row  ?  A  fad  bed  that 
 the  mod:  have  to  go  to,  after  they  have  wearied  them- 
 felves  all  the  day,  all  their  life,  in  a  chace  of  vanity ! 
 idly^  The  next  thing  is,  the  power  and  virtue  of 
 this  means  for  its  end.  That  baptilm  hath  a  power, 
 is  clear,  in  that  it  is  fo  exprefsly  faid,  it  doth fave  us: 
 
 Which 
 
I08  A  COMMENTARY   UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 Which  kind  of  power  is  as  clear  in  the  way  of  it  here 
 expreft  ;  not  by  a  natural  force  of  the  element, 
 though  adapted  and  facramentally  ufed  ;  it  only  can 
 waih  away  the  filth  of  the  body ;  its  phyiical  efficacy 
 or  power  reaches  no  further  :  But  it  is  in  the  hand 
 •of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  other  facraments,  and  as  the 
 word  itfelf  is,  to  purify  the  confcience,  and  convey 
 grace  and  falvation  to  the  foul,  by  the  reference  it 
 hath  to,  and  union  with,  that  which  it  reprefents.  It 
 faves  by  the  anfwer  of  a  good  confcience  unto  God,  and 
 it  affords  that,  by  the  refurrection  of  Jefus  from  the 
 dead* 
 
 Thus,  then,  we  have  a  true  account  of  the  power 
 of  this,  and  fo  of  other  facraments,  and  a  difcovery 
 of  the  error  of  tw^o  extremes:  (i.)  Of  thofe  that 
 afcribe  too  much  to  them,  as  if  they  wrought  by  a 
 natural  inherent  virtue,  and  carried  grace  in  them  in- 
 feparably.  (2.)  Of  thofe  that  afcribe  too  little  to 
 them,  making  them  only  ligns  and  badges  of  our 
 profeffion.  Signs  they  are,  but  more  than  iigns, 
 merely  reprefenting  ;  they  are  means  exhibiting,  and 
 feals  confirming,  grace  to  the  faithful.  But  the  work- 
 ing of  faith,  and  the  conveying  of  Chrift  into  the 
 foul  to  be  received  by  faith,  is  not  a  thing  put  into 
 them  to  do  of  themfelves,  but  ftill  in  the  Supreme 
 Hand  that  appointed  them  :  And  he  indeed  both 
 caufes  the  fouls  of  his  own  to  receive  thefe  his  feals 
 with  faith,  and  makes  them  effectual  to  confirm  that 
 faith  which  receives  them  fo.  They  are  then,  in  a 
 word,  neither  empty  iigns  to  them  that  believe,  nor 
 effedual  caufes  of  grace  to  them  that  beiieve  not. 
 
 The  miftake  on  both  fides  arifes  from  the  want  of 
 duly  confidering  the  relative  nature  of  thefe  feals, 
 and  that  kind  of  union  that  is  betwixt  them,  and  the 
 grace  they  reprefent  ;  which  is  real,  though  not  na- 
 tural or  phyfical,  as  they  l^^eak.  So  that  though  they 
 do  not  fave  all  that  partake  of  them,  yet"  they  do  real- 
 ly and  effedually  fave  believers,  (for  whofe  falvation 
 they  are  rheans),  as  the  other  external  ordinances  of 
 
 God 
 
V£R.  21,]  "       THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I09 
 
 God  do.  Though  they  have  not  that  power  which 
 is  peculiar  to  the  Author  of  them,  yet  a  power  they 
 have,  fuch  as  befits  their  nature  ;  and  by  reafon  of 
 which  they  are  truly  faid  to  fandify  and  ju(l;ify,  and 
 fo  to  fave,  as  the  Apoftle  here  avers  of  baptifr.i. 
 
 ISJovv,  that  which  is  intended  for  our  help,  our  car- 
 nal minds  are  ready  to  turn  into  a  hinderance  and 
 difadvantage.  The  Lord  reprefenting  invifible  things 
 to  the  eye,  and  confirming  his  proraifes  even  by  vi- 
 lible  feals,  we  are  apt,  by  the  grolTnefs  of  our  uri- 
 fpiritual  hearts,  inftead  of  ftepping  up  by  that  which 
 is  earthly  to  the  divine  fpiritual  things  reprefented, 
 to  ftay  on  the  outward  element,  and  go  no  further  : 
 Therefore  the  Apoftle,  to  lead  us  into  the  infide  of 
 this  feal  of  baptifm,  is  very  clear  in  clefigning  the 
 efFed;  and  fruit  of  it :  JSlot  (fays  he)  putting  avuay  the 
 filth  of  the  jlejh  ;  and  water,  if  you  look  no  further, 
 can  do  no  more.  There  is  an  inviiible  impurity  upon 
 our  nature,  chiefly  on  our  invifible  part,  our  foul : 
 This  wafhing  means  the  taking  away  of  that  ;  and 
 where  it  reaches  its  true  effed,  it  doth  fo  purify  the  ^ 
 confcience,  and  makes  it  good,  truly  fo  in  the  fight 
 of  God,  who  is  the  Judge  of  it. 
 
 Conlider  :  i.  It  is  a  pitiful  thing  to  fee  the  igno- 
 rance of  the  moft  profefling  Chriitianity,  and  par- 
 taking of  the  outward  feals  of  it,  yet  not  knowing 
 what  they  mean  ;  not* apprehending  the  fpiritual  dig- 
 nity and  virtue  of  them.  They  are  blmd  in  the  my- 
 fieries  of  the  kingcloiii^  and  not  fo  much  as  fennble  of 
 that  blindnefs.  And  being  ignorant  of  the  nature  of 
 thefe  holy  things,  they  cannot  have  a  due  efteem  of 
 them,  which  arifes  out  of  the  view  of  their  inv/ard 
 worth  and  efncacy.  A  confufed  fancy  they  have  of 
 fome  good  in  them  ;  and  this  riling  to  the  other  ex- 
 treme, to  a  fuperftitious  confidence  in  the  fimple  per- 
 formance and  participation  of  them,  as  if  that  carried 
 fome  infeparable  virtue  with  it,  which  none  could 
 mifs  of,  that  are  fprinkled  with  the  waters  of  bap- 
 tifm. 
 
no  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  III. 
 
 tifm,  and  Ihare  in  the  elements  of  bread  and  wine  in 
 the  Lord's  fupper  I 
 
 And  what  is  the  utmoft  plea  of  the  mod  for  their 
 title  to  heaven,  that  in  thefe  relative  and  external 
 things  they  are  Chriftians,  are  baptized,  hear  the 
 word,  and  are  admitted  to  the  Lord's  table;  not  con- 
 iidering  how  many  have  gone  through  all  thefe,  and 
 daily  are  going  on  in  the  ways  of  death  ;  never  co- 
 ming near  Jefus  Chriit,  who  is  the  way,  and  truths 
 and  the  life\  whom  the  word,  and  the  feals  of  it,  hold 
 forth  to  believers,  aflliring  them  that  they  are  walhed 
 in  his  blood,  and  quickened  with  his  life,  and  made 
 like  him,  and  co-heirs  of  glory  with  him. 
 
 2.  Even  they  that  have  fome  clearer  notion  of  the 
 nature  and  fruit  of  the  feals  of  grace,  yet  are  in  a 
 practical  error,  that  they  look  not  with  due  diii,gence 
 into  themfelves  ;  inquiring  after  the  efficiency  of 
 them  in  their  hearts ;  do  not  ftudy  the  life  of  Chriit ; 
 to  know  more  what  it  is,  and  then  to  fearch  into 
 themfelves  for  the  truth,  and  the  growth  of  that 
 life  within  them.  Is  it  not  an  unbecoming  thing  for 
 a  Chriftian  (when  he  is  about  to  appear  before  the 
 Lord  at  his  table,  and  fo  looks  fomething  more  nar- 
 rowly within)  to  find  as  little  faith,  as  little  divine 
 afFedion,  a  heart  as  un mortified  to  the  world,  as  cold 
 towards  Chrill,  as  before  his  laft  addrefs  to  the  fame 
 table,  after  the  intervening,  pofliibly,  of  many  months; 
 in  which  time,  had  he  been  careful  often  to  refled 
 inwards  on  his  heart,  and  to  look  back  upon  that  new 
 fealing  in  his  laft  participation,  he  might  probably 
 have  been  more  improved  ?  And,  truly,  as  there  is 
 much  guiltinefs  cleaves  to  us  in  this,  fo,  generally, 
 much  more  in  reference  to  this  other  facrament  that 
 is  here  the  Apoftle's  fubjed-,  baptifni,  which  being  but 
 once  adminiftered,  and  that  in  infancy,  is  very  feldom, 
 and  nightly,  confidered  by  many,  even  real  Chriftians. 
 And  fo  we  are  at  a  lofs  in  that  profit  and  comfort ; 
 that  increafe  of  both  holinefs  and  faith,  that  the  fre- 
 quent recolleding  of  it,   after  a  fpiritual  manner, 
 
 would 
 
VER.  2T.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  III 
 
 would  no  doubt  advance  us  to.  And  not  only  do  we 
 negledl  to  put  ourfelves  upon  the  thoughts  of  it  in 
 private,  but,  in  the  frequent  opportunities  of  fuch 
 thoughts  in  public,  we  let  it  pafs  unregarded,  are 
 idle,  inconliderate,  apd  fo  truly  guilty  beholders. 
 And  the  more  frequently  we  have  thefe  opportunities, 
 the  lefs  are  we  touched  with  them  ;  they  become 
 common,  and  work  not ;  and  the  flighting  of  them 
 grows  as  comaion  with  us  as  the  thing.  Yea,  when 
 the  engagement  is  more  fpecial  and  peiTonal ;  when 
 parents  are  to  prefent  their  infants  to  this  ordinance, 
 and  then  might,  and  certainly  ought  to  have  h  more 
 particular  and  fixed  eye  upon  it,  and  themfelves,  as 
 being  fealed  with  it,  to  aik  within  after  the  fruit 
 and  power  of  it,  and  to  ilir  up  themfelves  anew  to  the 
 actings  of  faith,  and  ambition  after  newnefs  of  life, 
 and  with  earneft  prayer  for  their  children,  to  be 
 fuitors  for  themfelves,  for  further  evidence  of  their 
 interefl  in  Chrift  :  Yet,  poffibly,  many  are  not  much 
 in  thefe  things  at  fuch  times,  but  are  more  bufied  to 
 prepare  their  houfe  for  entertaining  their  friends, 
 than  to  prepare  their  hearts  for  offering  up  their  in- 
 fant unto  God  to  be  fealed  ;  and  withal,  to  make  a 
 new  offer  of  their  own  hearts  to  him,  to  have  renew- 
 ed on  them  the  inward  feal  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
 the  outward  feal  whereof  they  did  receive,  as  it  is 
 now  to  be  conferred  upon  their  infant. 
 
 Did  we  often  look  upon  the  face  of  our  fouls,  and 
 obferve  the  many  fpots  with  which  we  have  defiled 
 them  after  our  wafliing,  it  might  work  us  to  ihame 
 and  grief,  and  would  drive  us,  by  renewed  applica- 
 tion, to  wafh  often  in  that  blood  which  that  water  fi- 
 gures ;  which  alone  can  fttch  out  the  ilain  of  fin  ; 
 and  then  it  would  fet  us  upon  renewed  purpofes  of 
 purity,  to  walk  more  carefully,  to  avoid  the  pollu- 
 tions of  the  world  we  walk  in,  and  to  purge  out  the 
 pollutions  of  the  hearts  that  we  carry  about  with  us, 
 that  defije  us  more  than  ail  the  world  befides.  It 
 .would  work  an  holy  difdain  of  fin,  often  to  contem- 
 plate 
 
112  A    COMMENTARY   UPON  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 plate  ourfelves  as  waflied  in  fo  precious  a  lavertl 
 "  Sliall  J,  would  the  Chriilian  fay,  confidering  that 
 **  I  am  now  cleanfed  in  the  precious  blood  of  my 
 *'  Lord  Jefus,  run  again  into  that  puddle  out  of  which 
 **  he  fo  gracioufly  took  me,  and  made  me  clean?  Let 
 <'  fwine  wallow  in  it ;  he  hath  made  me  of  his 
 *'  iheepfold  ;  he  hath  made  me  of  that  excellent 
 ***  order  for  which  all  are  confecrated,  by  that  waih- 
 **  ing,  that  partake  of  it:  He  bath  wajhed  us  in  his 
 **  blood,  and  made  us  kings  and  priejls  unto  God  the 
 "  Father,  Am  I  of  thefe  ?  and  -fhall  I  debafe  myfelf, 
 *'  to  the  vile  pleafures  of  fin  ?  No,  I  will  think  my-  ; 
 **  felf  too  good  to  ferve  any  iinful  lulls  ;  feeing  he 
 **  hath  looked  on  me,  and  taken  me  up,  and  walhed 
 **  and  dignified  me.;  I  am  wholly  his,  all  my  ftudy 
 '^  and  bulinefs  fhall  be  to  honour  and  magnify  him." 
 
 The  anfwer  of  a  good  confcience^  Stc]  The  taking 
 away  of  fpiritual  filthinefs,  as  the  true  and  faving 
 effedl  of  baptifm,  the  Apoftle  here  exprefles  by  that 
 which  is  the  further  refult  and  efFecl  of  it,  The  an- 
 Jwer  of  a  good  confcience  unto  God,  For  it  is  the 
 wafliing  of  that  filthinefs  which  makes  both  the  con- 
 fcience good,  and,  in  making  it  fuch,  fits  it  to  make 
 anfwer  unto  God.  A  good  confcience,  in  its  full 
 fenfe,  is  a  pure  confcience,  and  a  peaceable  con- 
 fcience; and  it  cannot,  indeed,  be  peaceably  good,  un- 
 lefs  it  be  purely  good.  And  although,  on  the  other 
 fide,  it  may  want  the  prefent  enjoyment  'of  peace, 
 being  purified,  yet  certainly  in  a  purified  confcience 
 there  is  a  title  and  right  to  peace  ;  it  is  radically 
 there,  even  when  it  appears  not.  And,  in  due  time,  it 
 ihaii  appear,  Ihail  fpring  forth,  bud  and  flourifti. 
 
 The  purified  and  good  condition  of  the  whole  foul 
 may  well,  as  here  it  doth,  go  under  the  name  of  the 
 good  confcience,  it  being  fo  prime  a  faculty  of  it,  and 
 as  the  glafs  of  the  whole  foul,  wherein  the  eftate  of 
 it  is  reprriented.  Therefore,  Heb.  ix.  the  efficacy  of 
 the  blood  of  Chrill  is  exprefled  thus,  that  it  purgeth 
 our  confcience^  from  dead  works,  which  expreffion  is 
 
 the 
 
V£R.  21.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  II3 
 
 the  fame  thing  in  effed:  with  that  here,  the  anfwer  of 
 a  good  confcience  unto  God. 
 
 The  anfwery  iTrf^ojTTj/Aa.]  The  afking  or  queftioning 
 of  confcience,  which  comprifes  likewife  its  anfwer, 
 for  it  intends  the  whole  correfpondence  of  the  con- 
 fcience with  God,  and  with  itfelf,  as  towards  God,  or 
 in  the  light  of  God  ;  and  indeed  God's  queftioning 
 it,  is  by  itfelf;  it  is  his  deputy  in  the  foul ;  he  makes 
 it  pofe  itfelf  for  him,  and  before  him,  concerning  its 
 own  condition  ;  and  fo  the  anfwer  it  gives  itfelf  in 
 that  pofture,  he  as  it  were  fitting  and  hearing  it  in 
 his  pretence,  is  an  anfwer  made  unto  him  :  This 
 queftioning  and  anfwering,  (if  fuch  a  thing  were  at 
 this  time,  as  it  was  certainly  foon  after),  yet  means 
 not  the  queftions  and  anfwers  ufed  in  the  baptifm  of 
 perfons,  who,  being  of  years,  profefled  their  faith  in 
 anfwering  the  queftions  moved  ;  it  poffibly  alludes 
 unto  that,  but  it  further,  by  way  of  refemblance,  ex- 
 prelTes  the  inward  queftioning  and  anfwermg  which 
 is  tranfaded  within,  betwixt  the  foul  and  itl'elf,  and 
 the  foul  and  God  ;  and  fo  is  allufively  called  fTrf^&jT*)/*^, 
 a  queftioning  and  anfwering,  but  diftindivcly  ipeci- 
 fied,  IK  ^eof ',  fo  that  whereas  the  other  was  towards 
 men,  this  is  unto  God. 
 
 I.  A  good  confcience  is  a  waking,  fpeaking  confci- 
 ence ;  and  as  the  confcience  that  queftions  itfelf  moft 
 is  of  all  forts  the  beft,  fo  that  which  is  dumb,  or 
 afleep,  and  is  not  adive  and  frequent  in  felf-inquiries, 
 is  not  a  good  confcience.  The  word  is  judicial, 
 i7r«^wT>i^a,  interrogation  uied  in  law  for  the  trial  and 
 executing  of  procefles  ;  and  this  is  the  great  bulinefs 
 of  confcience,  to  fit,  and  examine,  and  judge  withm; 
 to  hold  courts  in  the  foul  ;  and  it  is  of  continual  ne- 
 ceflity  that  it  be  fo.  There  can  be  no  vacation  of 
 this  judicature  without  great  damage  to  the  eftate  of 
 the  foul  ;  yea,  not  a  day  ought  to  pafs  without  a  ^^i- 
 lion  of  confcience  within  ;  for  daily  diforders  arife  in 
 the  foul,  which,  if  they  pafs  on,  will  grow  and  gather 
 more,  and  fo  breed  more  difficulty  in  their  trial  and 
 
 Vol.  II.  P  redrefs. 
 
114  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.   III. 
 
 redrefs.  Yet  men  do  eafily  turn  from  this  work  as 
 hard  and  unpleafant ;  and  make  many  a  long  vacan- 
 cy in  the  year,  and  protrad:  it  from  one  day  to  ano- 
 ther. In  the  morning  they  muft  go  about  their  bufi- 
 nefs,  and  at  night  they  are  weary  and  lleepy  ;  and  all 
 the  day  long  one  affair  rteps  in  after  another  ;  and  if 
 halinefs  fail,  fome  trifling  company  or  other  ;  and  fo 
 their  days  pafs  on  ;  the  foul  is  overgrown  with  im- 
 purities and  diforders. 
 
 You  know  what  confufions,  and  diforders,  and 
 evils,  will  abound  amongft  a  rude  people,  where  there 
 is  no  kind  of  court  nor  judicature  held.  Thus  is  it 
 with  that  unruly  rabble,  the  lulls  and  paffions  of  our 
 fouls,  when  there  is  no  difcipline  nor  judgment  with- 
 in ;  or  where  there  is  but  a  negledl  and  intermiffion 
 of  it  for  a  fhort  time.  And  the  moil  part  of  fouls 
 are  in  the  poilure  of  ruin  ;  their  vile  aifedions,  as  a 
 headflrong  tumultuous  muhitude,  that  will  not  fuf- 
 fer  a  deputed  judge  to  fit  amongfl  them,  cry  down 
 their  coniciences,  and  make  a  continual  noife,  that 
 the  voice  of  it  may  not  be  heard  ;  and  fo  force  it  to 
 defiil  and  leave  them  to  their  own  ways. 
 
 But  you  that  take  this  courfe,  know,  you  are  pro- 
 viding the  fevered  judgment  for  yourfelves  by  diitur- 
 bing  of  judgment  ;  as  when  a  people  rife  againll  an 
 inferior  judge,  the  prince  or  fupreme  magiftrate  that 
 fent  him,  hearing  of  it,  doth  not  fail  to  vindicate  his 
 honour  and  jaftice  in  their  exemplary  punilhment. 
 
 Will  you  not  anfwer  unto  confcience,  but  when  it 
 begins  to  fpeak,  turn  to  bufinefs  or  company,  that 
 you  may  not  hear  it  ?  know,  that  it  and  you  mud 
 anfwer  unto  God  ;  and  when  he  ihall  make  inquiry, 
 it  mud  report,  and  report  as  the  truth  is,  knowing 
 that  there  is  no  hiding  the  matter  from  him.  "  Lord, 
 *'  there  are  to  my  knowledge  a  vrorid  of  enormities 
 -*  within  the  the  circuit  1  had  to  judge,  and  I  would 
 *'  have  judged  them,  but  was  forcibly  redded  and 
 ^'interrupted  ;  and  was  not  ftrong  enough  to  oppofe 
 '''  the  tumultuous  power  that  rofe  againd  me.     Now 
 
 "  the 
 
VER.  21.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  II5 
 
 <*  the  matter  comes  into  thine  own  hand  to  judge  it 
 *'  thyfeli-."  What  fhail  the  foul  fay  in  that  day, 
 when  confcience  (hall  make  fuch  an  anfwer  unto 
 God,  and  it  lliali  come  under  the  feveiity  of  hi^ 
 juitice  for  ail  ?  Whereas  if  it  had  given  way  to  the 
 confcience  to  find  out,  and  judge  and  rectify  matters, 
 fo  that  it  could  have  anfvvered  concerning  its  proce- 
 duie  that  way,  God  wuuid  have  accepted  this  as  the 
 anf\rer  of  a  good  confcience,  and  what  confcience 
 had  done,  he  would  not  do  over  again.  It  hath 
 judged,  then  I  acquit;  for  if  'w;  would  judge  our- 
 y^'/z'^j,  (fays  the  Apoftle),  we  JljGuld  not  be  judged^ 
 I  Cor.  xi.  31. 
 
 The  quedioning  or  inquiry  of  confcience,  and  fo 
 its  report  or  anfwer  unto  God,  extends  to  all  the  af- 
 fairs of  the  foul,  all  the  afFedions  and  motions  of  if, 
 and  all  the  adlions  and  carriage  of  the  whole  man. 
 The  open  wickednefs  of  the  mod  teftifies  againft 
 them,  that  though  fprinkled  with  water  m  baprilm^ 
 yet  they  are  Grangers  to  the  power  and  gracious  ef- 
 ficacy of  it ;  not  baptized  with  the  Holy  Gbcff  and  with 
 fire  ;  dill  their  drofs  and  filth  remaining  in  them,  and 
 nothing  eife  appearing  in  their  ways ;  fo  that  their 
 confciences  cannot  fo  much  as  make  a  good  anfwer 
 for  them  unto  men,  much  lefs  unto  God.  What  fhall 
 it  anfwer  for  them,  being  judged,  but  that  they  are 
 fwearers,  and  curfers,  and  drunkards,  er  unclean  \ 
 or  that  they  are  llanderers,  delighting  to  pafs  their 
 hours  in  defcanting  on  the  adlions  and  ways  of  others, 
 and  looking  through  the  mifcoloured  glafs  of  their 
 own  malice  and  pride;  that  they  are  negledlers  of 
 God  and  holy  things ;  lovers  of  themfelves,  and  their 
 own  pkafureSy  more  than  lovers  of  GodP  2  Tim.  iii. 
 2,  4.  And,  have  fuch  as  thefe  impudence  enough  to 
 call  themfelves  Chriflians,  and  to  pretend  themfeives 
 to  be  fuch  as  are  waihed  in  the  blood  of  Chrifl  ?  Yes, 
 they  do  this.  B^t  be  afhamed  and  confounded  ia 
 yourfelves,  you  that  remain  in  this  condition.  Yea, 
 although  thou  art  blamekfs  in  mens  eyes,  and  pof- 
 
 fiblf 
 
Il6  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 libly  in  thy  own  eyes  too,  yet  thou  mayeft  ht  filthy 
 ftiil  in  the  fight  of  God.  There  is  fuch  a  generation^ 
 a  multitude  of  them,  that  is  pure  in  their  own  eyeSj 
 and  yet  are  not  wn/hed  from  their  filthinefi^  Prov.  xxx. 
 12.  There  are  many  moral  evil  perfons  that  are  mod 
 fatisfied  with  their  own  eftate,  or  fuch  as  have  fur- 
 ther a  firm  of  godlinefs,  but  their  lufts  are  not  xxxot- 
 ii^tdihythepowerofit.  Secret  pride,  and  earthli- 
 nefs  of  mind,  and  vain  glory,  and  carnal  wifdom,  are 
 Hill  entertained  with  pleafure  within  ;  thefe  are  foul 
 pollutions,  filthy  and  hateful  in  the  fight  of  God  : 
 Sq  that  where  it  is  thus,  that  fuch  guefts  are  in  peace- 
 able pofleflion  of  the  heart,  there  the  blood  and  Spirit 
 of  Chrijl  are  not  yet  come  ;  neither  can  there  be  this 
 anfwer  of  a  good  c'onfcience  unto  God, 
 
 This  anfwer  of  a  good  confcience  unto  God,  as  like- 
 wife  its  queftioning,  to  enable  itfelf  for  that  anfwer, 
 is  touching  two  great  points,  that  are  of  chief  concern 
 to  the  foul,  lis  juflification  2Lnd.  fandtification  ;  for  bap- 
 tifm  is  the  feal  of  both,  and  purges  the  confcience  in 
 both  refpedts.  That  water,  is  the  figure  both  of  the 
 blood  and  water,  the  jufi:ifying  blood  of  Chrift,  and 
 the  pure  water  of  the  fandifying  Spirit  of  Chrift  ;  he 
 takes  away  the  condemning  guiltinefs  of  fin  by  the 
 one,  and  the  polluting  filthinefs  by  the  other. 
 
 Now,  the  confcience  of  a  real  believer  inquiring 
 within,  upon  right  difcovery,  will  make  this  anfwer 
 unto  God  :  *'  Lord,  I  have  found  that  there  is  no 
 (landing  before  thee,  for  the  foul  in  itfelf  is  over- 
 whelmed with  a  world  of  guiltinefs  ;  but  I  find  a 
 blood  fprinkled  upon  it,  that  hath,  I  am  fure,  vir- 
 tue enough  to  purge  it  all  away,  and  to  prefent  it 
 pure  unto  thee.  And  1  know  that  wherefoever 
 thou  findeft  that  blood  fprinkled,  thine  anger  is 
 quenched  and  appeafed  immediately  upon  the  fight 
 "  of  it.  Thine  hand  cannot  finite  where  that  blood 
 **  is  before  thine  eye."  And  this  the  Lord  does 
 agree  to,  and  authorifes  the  confcience,  upon  this  ac- 
 
 count^ 
 
<( 
 
 <( 
 
 «( 
 
 VER.  21.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  Of  PETER.  II7 
 
 count,  to  return  back  an  anfwer  of  fafety  and  peace 
 to  the  foul. 
 
 So  for  the  other,  "  Lord,  I  find  a  living  work  of 
 holinefs  on  this  foul ;  though  there  is  yet  corrup- 
 tion there,  yet  it  is  as  a  continual  grief  and  vexa- 
 tion, it  is  an  implacable  hatred  ;  there  is  no  peace 
 betwixt  them,  but  continual  enmity  and  hoftility : 
 And  if  I  cannot  fay  much  of  the  high  degrees  of 
 ^^  grace,  and  faith  in  Chrift,  and  love  to  him,  and 
 **  heavenlinefs  of  mind  ;  yet  1  may  fay,  there  is  a 
 **  beginning  of  thefe;  at  leaft  this  I  moft  confidently 
 **  affirm,  that  there  are  real  and  earneft  defires  of  the 
 **  foul  after  thefe  things.  It  would  know  and  con- 
 **  form  to  thy  will,  and  be  delivered  from  itfelf  and 
 *^  its  own  will ;  and  though  it  were  to  the  higheft 
 **  diipieafure  of  all  the  world,  it  would  gladly  walk 
 **  in  all  well'pleaJiNg  unto  thee."  Now,  he  that  fees 
 the  truth  of  thefe  things,  knowing  it  to  be  thus,  owns 
 it  as  his  own  work,  and  engages  himfelf  to  advance 
 it,  and  bring  it  to  perfedion. 
 
 This  is  a  tafte  of  that  intercourfe  the  purified 
 confcience  hath  with  God,  as  the  faving  fruit  of  bap- 
 tifm. 
 
 And  all  this  it  doth,  not  of  itfelf,  but  by  virtue  of 
 the  refur  region  of  J  ejus  Chrijl,  which  refers  both  to 
 the  remote  e^t^,falvation^  and  the  nearer  effed,  as 
 a  means  and  pledge  of  that,  the  purging  of  the  confcU 
 ence. 
 
 By  this,  his  death,  and  the  effafion  of  his  blood  in 
 his  fufFerings,  are  not  excluded,  but  are  included  in 
 it :  His  refurredlion  being  the  evidence  of  all  that 
 work  of  expiation,  both  completed  and  accepted  ; 
 full  payment  being  made  by  our  Surety  ;  and  fo  he 
 fet  tree,  his  freedom  is  the  caufe  and  the  afiTurance  of 
 ours.  Therefore  the  Apoflle  St  Paul  expreifes  it  fo, 
 nat  he  died  for  our  fins  ^  and  rofe  for  our  righteovf- 
 nefs  ;  and  our  Apollle  fhev/s  us  the  worth  of  our  liv- 
 ing hope  in  this  fame  refurrection,  chap.  i.  ver.  3. 
 Blejfed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrijl\ 
 
IlS  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  HI, 
 
 which,  according'  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten 
 us  again  unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  refurre6lion  oj  Jefus 
 Chrijlfrom  the  dead. 
 
 Now,  that  baptifm  doth  apply  and  feal  to  the  be- 
 liever his  intereft  in  the  death  and  refurredlion  of 
 Chrift,  the  Apolile  St  Paul  teaches  to  the  full,  Rom, 
 vi,  4.  We  are  buried  with  him,  fays  he,  by  baptifm  into 
 his  death,  that  like  as  Chrijl  was  raifed  up  from  the 
 dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  fo  we  Jhould  alfo 
 walk  in  newnefs  of  life,  A¥here  the  dipping  into  the 
 waters  is  referred  to,  as  Feprefeniiiig  our  dying  with 
 Chrift  ;  and  the  return  thence^  as  exprellive  of  our 
 riling  with  him. 
 
 3^/j/,  The  laft  thing  is,  the  refemblance  of  baptifm 
 in  thefe  things,  with  the  faving  of  Noah  in  the  flood. 
 And  it  holds  in  that  we  fpoke  laft  of:  For  he  feem- 
 ed  to  have  rather  entered  into  a  grave,  as  dead,  than 
 into  a  fafeguard  of  life,  in  going  into  the  ark  ;  yet, 
 being  buried  there,  he  rofe  again,  as  it  were,  in  his 
 coming  forth  to  begin  a  new  world.  The  waters  of 
 the  flood  drowned  the  ungodly,  and  waflied  them 
 aw^y,  and  their  fin  together,  as  one  infeparable  heap 
 of  filthinefs  ;  and  upon  the  fame  waters  the  ark  float- 
 ing, preferved  Noah.  Thus  the  waters  of  baptifm 
 are  intended  as  a  deluge  to  drown  fln,  and  10  fave 
 the  believer,  who  by  faith  is  feparated  both  froiii 
 the  world  and  from  his  fin  ;  fo  it  links,  and  he  is 
 faved. 
 
 And  there  is,  further,  another  thing  fpecified  by 
 the  Apoftle,  Vi^herein,  though  it  be  a  little  hard,  yen 
 he  chiefly  intends  the  parallel  ;  the  fewnefs  of  thefe 
 that  are  faved  by  both.  For  though  many  are  fprink- 
 led  with  the  elemental  water  of  baptifm,  yet  few,  {o 
 as  to  attain  by  it  the  anfwer  of  a  good  confcience  to- 
 wards God,  and  to  live  by  participation  of  the  refiir- 
 redion  and  life  of  Chrift. 
 
 Thou  that  feeft  the  world  perifhing  in  a  deliige  of 
 wrath,  and  art  now  raoft  thoughtful  for  this,  how 
 thou  ihalt  efcape  it ;  fly  in  to  Chrift  as  thy  fafety, 
 
 and 
 
VER.  21.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  II9 
 
 and  reft  fecure  there.  Thou  (halt  find  life  in  his 
 death,  and  that  life  further  afcertained  to  thee  in  his 
 rifing  again,  i.  There  is  fo  full  and  clear  a  title  to 
 life  in  thefe  two,  that  thou  canft  challenge  all  adver- 
 faries  upon  this  very  ground,  as  unconquerable,  whilfl 
 thou  ftandeft  on  it,  and  mayeft  fpeak  thy  chalkiige 
 in  the  Apoftle's  ftyle.  It  is  God  that  jvJUfietb,  u:hoJhnll 
 condemn  f  But  how  know  you  that  He  juftifies  ?  It  is 
 Cbrijlthat  died ^  yea,  rather ,  that  is  rife?!,  wbojitteth  at 
 the  right-hand  of  God,  who  alfo  maketh  inter.ceffion  for 
 us^  Rom.  viii.  33,  34.  It  alludes  to  that  place,  Ifa.  1. 
 B.  where  Chrift  fpeaks  of  himfelf,  but  in  the  name  of 
 all  that  adhere  to  him;  He  is  near  that  juftifies  me^ 
 who  is  he  that  will  contend  with  me  ?  So  that  what 
 Chrift  fpeaks  there,  the  Apoftle,  with  good  reafon,  im- 
 parts to  each  believer  as  in  him.  If  no  more  is  to  be 
 laid  to  Chrift's  charge,  he  being  now  acquitted,  as  is 
 clear  by  his  riling  again,  then  neither  to  thine,  who 
 art  clothed  with  him,  and  one  with  him. 
 
 This  is  the  grand  anfwer  of  a  good  confcience  ; 
 and,  in  point  of  juftifying  them  before  God,  there  can 
 be  no  anfwer  but  this,  What  have  any  to  fay  to 
 thee  ?  thy  debt  is  paid  by  Him  that  undertook  it, 
 arid  he  is  free.  Anfwer  all  accufations  with  this, 
 Chrijt  is  rifen. 
 
 And  then,  fo^-  the  mortifying^of  fin,  and  ftrength- 
 ening  of  thy  graces,  look  daily  on  that  death  and  re- 
 furredion  :  Study  them,  let  thine  eye  upon  them, 
 till  thy  heart  take  on  the  impreffion  of  them  by  much 
 fpiritual  and  affectionate  looking  on  them  ;  beholding 
 the  glory  of  thy  Lord  Chrift,  then  be  transformed  into 
 it,  2  Cor.  iii.  18.  It  is  not  only  a  moral  pattern  or 
 copy,  but  an  effedlual  caufe  of  thy  fanclification,  hav- 
 ing real  influence  into  thy  foul  ;  dead  with  him^ 
 and  again  alive  with  him.  Oh  I  happinefs  and  dig- 
 nity unfpeakable,  to  have  this  life  known  and  cleared 
 to  your  iouls  I  If  it  were,  how  would  it  make  you 
 live  above  the  work!,  and  all  the  vain  hopes  and 
 fears  of  this  wretched  life,   and  the  fears  of  death 
 
 itfelf! 
 
120  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 itfelf  I  Yea,  it  would  make  that  vifage  of  death, 
 "which  to  the  world  is  mod  afFrightful,  mofl  lovely 
 to  thee. 
 
 It  is  the  Apoftle*s  maxim,  that  the  carnal  mind  is 
 enmity  againjl  God  ;  and  as  it  is  univerfally  true  of 
 every  carnal  mind,  fo  of  all  the  motions  and  thoughts 
 of  it,  even  where  it  feems  to  agree  with  God,  yet  it 
 is  Hill  contrary  ;  if  it  acknowledge  and  conform  to 
 his  ordinances,  yet,  even  in  fo  domg,  it  is  in  diredt 
 oppolite  terms  to  him,  particularly  in  this,  that  which 
 he  eileems  mofl  in  them,  the  carnal  mind  makes  lead 
 account  of.  He  chiefly  eyes  and  values  the  inlide  ; 
 the  natural  man  dwells  and  refts  in  the  Ihell  and  Ui- 
 perficies  of  them.  God,  according  to  his  fpiritual 
 nature,  looks  mod  on  the  more  fpiritual  part  of  his 
 worftiip  and  w^orfhippers.  The  carnal  mind  is  in 
 this,  juit  like  itl'elf  altogether,  for  the  fenlible  exter- 
 nal part,  and  unable  to  look  beyond  it.  Therefore 
 the  Apollle  here,  having  taken  occafion  to  fpeak  of 
 baptifm,  in  terms  that  contain  a  parallel  and  refem- 
 blance  between  it  and  the  flood,  is  exprefs  in  correc- 
 ting this  miflake.  It  is  not,  fays  he,  in  putting  away 
 the  jilih  of  the  jlfjh,  but  the  anjwer  of  a  good  con- 
 fcience. 
 
 Were  it  poflfible  to  perfuade  you,  I  would  recom- 
 mend one  thing  to  you  ;  learn  to  look  on  the  ordi- 
 nances of  God  fuitably  to  their  natures,  fpiritually, 
 and  inquire  after  the  Ipirituai  effedl  and  working  of 
 them  upon  your  confciences.  We  would  willingly 
 have  all  religion  reduced  to  externals.  This  is  our 
 natural  choice,  and  we  would  pay  all  in  this  coin,  as 
 cheaper  and  ealier  by  far,  and  would  compound  for 
 the  fpiritual  part,  rather  to  add  and  give  more  ex- 
 ternal performance  and  ceremony.  Kence  the  na- 
 tural complacency  of  Popery,  which  is  all  for  this 
 fervice  of  the  flefli  and  body-fervices  ;  and,  to  thofe 
 prefcribed  of  God,  all  deal  fo  liberally  with  him  in 
 that  kind,  as  to  add  more,  and  frame  new  devices  and 
 rites  \  what  you  will  in  this  kind,  fprinklings,  and 
 
 w^afliings, 
 
VER.  21.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  121 
 
 wafhings,  and  anointings,  and  incenfe  :  But  whither 
 tends  all  this  ?  Is  it  not  a  grofs  miftake  of  God  to 
 think  him  thus  pleafed  ;  or,  is  it  not  a  direcl  affront, 
 knowing  that  he  is  not  pleafed  with  thefe,  but  de- 
 fires  another  thing,  to  thrufl  that  upon  him  that  he' 
 cares  not  for,  and  refufe  him  what  he  calls  for  ?  that 
 lingle  humble  heart-worfhip  and  walking  vvith  him, 
 that  purity  of  fpirit  and  confcience  that  he  only 
 prizes,  and  no  outward  fervice,  but  for  thefe  ;  as  they 
 tend  to  this  end  and  do  attain  it  ?  Ghe.  me,  fliys  he, 
 nothing,  if  you  give  not  this.  Oh  !  faith  the  carnal 
 mind,  any  thing  but  this  thou  fu'dli  have.  As  many 
 wafhings  and  offerings  as  thou  wilt,  tboiifands  of 
 rams,  and  ten  thoufand  rivers  of  oil ;  yea,  rather  than 
 fail,  let  the  fruit  of  my  body  go  for  the  Jin  of  my  foul, 
 Micah  vi.  6.  Thus  we  ;  will  the  outward  ufe  of  word 
 and  facraments  do  it  ?  then  all  fhail  be  well ;  baptized 
 we  are  ;  and  fhall  I  hear  much  and  communicate  often, 
 if  I  can  reach  it  ?  Shall  1  be  exact  in  point  of  family 
 worfnip  ;  fhall  I  pray  in  fecret  ?  all  this  I  do,  or  at  le^lt 
 I  now  promife.  Ay,  but  when  all  that  is  done,  there 
 is  yet  one  thing  may  be  wanting,  and  if  it  be  fo,  all 
 that  amounts  to  nothing.  Is  thy  confcience  purged 
 and  made  good  by  all  tliefe  ;  or  art  thou  feeking  and 
 aiming  at  this,  by  the  ufe  of  all  means  ?  then  certain- 
 ly thou  flialt  find  life  in  them.  But,  does  thy  heart 
 lUH  remain  uncleanfed  from  the  old  ways,  not  puri- 
 fied from  the  pollutions  of  the  world  P  Do  thy  beiovecJ 
 fins  {till  lodge  with  thee,  and  keep  pofTelfion  of  thy 
 heart?  then  art  thou  flili  a  firanger  to  Chrill,  and 
 an  enemy  to  God.  The  word  and  fea!s  of  life  are 
 dead  to  thee,  and  thou  art  (lill  dead  in  the  ufe  of 
 t*hem  all.  Know  you  not,  that  many  have  made 
 Ihipwreck  upon  the  very  rock  of  falvation  ?  That  many 
 which  were  baptifed  a^  well  as  you,  and  as  conflant  at- 
 tendants on  all  the  worfliip  and  ordinances  of  God  as 
 you,  yet  remained  without  Chrirt,  and  died  in  their 
 fins,  and  are  now  paft  recovery  ?  Oh  1  that  you  would 
 be  warned  !  There  are  ftill  multitudes  running  head- 
 VoL.  IX.  Q^  long 
 
I2r2  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAF.  llir 
 
 long  that  fame  ccurfe,  tending  to  deftruclion,  through 
 the  midfl  of  all  the  means  of  falvation  ;  the  faddeft 
 way  of  all  to  it,  through  word  and  facraitients,  and 
 all  heavenly  ordinances,  to  be  walking  hell-wards. 
 .  Ghriftians  and  yet  no  Chriftians  ^  baptized  and  yet  un- 
 baptized  ;  as  the  Prophet  takes  in  the  profane  mul« 
 titude  of  God's  own  people  with  the 'nations,  Jer.  ixe 
 26.  Egyptf  and  Judah,  and  Edom  ;  all  thefe  nations 
 are  nncircumcifed :  and  the  woril  eame  lad,  and  all  the 
 houfe  of  Jfrael  are  uncircumcifed  in  the  heart.  Thus, 
 are  the  mo<l  of  us  unbaptized  in  the  heart;  and  as 
 this  is  the  way  of  perfonal  deftrudtion,  fo  it  is  that, 
 as  the  Prophet  there  declares,  that  brings  upon  the 
 Church  io  many  public  judgments :  And,  as  the 
 Apodle  tells  the  Corinthians,  1  Cor.  xi.  30.  that  for 
 the  abufe  of  the  Lord's  table,  many  were  Jick^ 
 arid  many  Jlept^  certainly  our  abufe  of  the  holy 
 things  of  God,  and  want  of  their  proper  fpiritual 
 fruits,  are  amongft  the  prime  fins  of  this  land,  for 
 which  fo  many  flain  have  fallen  in  the  fields 
 by  the  fvvord,  and  in  the  ftreets  by  pciiilencc  \  and 
 more  are  likely  yet  to  fall,  if  we  thus  continue 
 to  provoke  the  Lord  to  his  face.  For,  it  is  the 
 moft  avowed  direct  affront  to  profane  his  holy 
 things ;  and  thus  we  do  while  we  anfwer  not 
 their  proper  end,  and  are  not  inwardly  fandlified  by 
 them.  We  have  no  other  word,  nor  other  facraments, 
 to  recommend  to  you,  than  thefe  that  you  have  ufed 
 fo  long  to  no  purpofe  ;  only  we  would  call  you  from 
 the  dead  forms,  to  feek  the  living  power  of  them> 
 that  you  perifh  not. 
 
 You  thi'nk  the  renouncing  of  baptifm  a  horrible 
 word,  and  that  we  would  fpeak  only  fo  of  witches  % 
 yet  it  is  a  common  guiltinefs  that  cleaves  to  all,  who 
 renounce  not  the  filthy  lufts,  and  the  felf-will  of 
 their  own  hearts  ;  for  baptifm  carries  in  it  a  renoun- 
 cing of  thefe  ;  and  fo  the  cleaving  unto  thefe  is  a  re- 
 nouncing of  it.  Oh  I  we  all  were  fealed  for  God  in 
 baptifm  \  but  who  lives  fo  ?  How  few  have  the  ini- 
 
 preflion 
 
VER.  2^.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PET£R.  12^ 
 
 preflion  of  it  on  the  confcience,  and  the  expreflion  of 
 it  in  the   walk  and  fruit  of  their  life  I  We  do   not, 
 as  clean  wafhed  perfons,  abhor  and  fly  all  pollutions, 
 all  fellow/hip   with  the  unfruitful  works  of  darknefs^ 
 Eph.  V.  II. 
 
 We  have  been  a  long  time  hearers  of  the  Gofjiel, 
 whereof  baptifm  is  the  feal,  and  moll  of  us  ofcen  at 
 ,  the  Lord's  table.  What  hath  all  this  done  upon  us  ? 
 afk  within  :  Are  your  hearts  changed  ?  Is  there  u  new 
 creation  there?  Where  is  that  fpiritual  mindednefs? 
 Are  your  hearts  dead  to  the  world  and  fin,  and  alive 
 to  God  ;  your  confcience  s  purged  from  dead  works  P 
 
 What  mean  you ;  Is  not  this  the  end  of  all  the  or- 
 dinances, to  make  all  clean,  and  to  renew  and  make 
 good  the  confcience  ?  to  bring  the  foul  and  your 
 Lord  into  a  happy  amity,  and  a  good  correfpondence, 
 that  it  may  not  only  be  in  fpeaking  terms,  but  often 
 fpeak  and  converfe  with  him  ?  may  have  liberty  both 
 to  demand  and  anfwer,  as  the  original  word  implies  ? 
 That  it  may  fpeak  the  language  of  faith  and  humble 
 obedience  unto  Gcd  ;  and  he  may  fpeak  the  lan- 
 guage of  peace  to  it ;  and  both,  the  language  of  the. 
 Lord  each  to  other  ? 
 
 That  confcience  alone  is  good,  that  is  much  bulled 
 in  this  work;  in  demanding  and  anfwering;  that  ' 
 fpeaks  much  with  itfelf,  and  with  God  :  This  is  both 
 the  lign  that  it  is  good,  and  the  means  to  make  it  bet- 
 ter. That  foul  will  doubtlefs  be  very  wary  in  its  walk, 
 that  takes  daily  account  of  itfelf,  and  renders  up  that 
 account  unto  God,  It  will  not  live  by  giiels,  bur  na- 
 turally examine  each  rtep  beiovehand,  becaufe'it  is 
 rtfolved  to  examine  ail  after;  will  conlider  well  what 
 it  (hould  do,  becaufe  it  means  to  aik  over  again  what 
 it  hath  done  ;  and  not  only  to  anfwer  itfelf,  but  to 
 make  a  faithful  report  of  all  unto  God;  to  lay  all 
 before  him,  continually  upon  trial  made  ;  to  tell  him 
 what  is  in  any  meafure  well  done  as  his  own  work, 
 and  blefs  him  for  that,  and  tell  him,  too,  all  the  flips 
 and  mifcarriages  of  the  day,  as  our  own ;  complaining 
 
 af 
 
124  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 of  ourfelves  in  his  prefence,  and  ftill  entreating  free 
 pardon,  and  more  wifdom  to  walk  more  holily  and 
 exadly ;  and  gaining,  even  by  our  failings,  more  hu- 
 mility and  more  watchfulnefs. 
 
 If  you  would  have  your  confciences  anfvver  well, 
 they  muft  inquire  and  queflion  much  beforehand, 
 Whether  is  this,  I  purpofeand  go  about,  agreeable  to 
 my  Lord's  will  ?  Will  it  pleafe  him  ?  Afk  that  more, 
 and  regard  that  more,  than  this  that  the  moft  follow  ; 
 will  it  pleafe  or  profit  myfelf  ?  fits  that  my  own  hu- 
 mour ?  And  examine  not  only  the  bulk  and  fub- 
 llance  of  thy  ways  and  adions,  but  the  manner  of 
 them,  how  thy  heart  is  fet  :  So  think  it  not  enough  to 
 go  to  church,  or  to  pray,  but  take  heed  how  ye  hear  ; 
 coniider  how  pure  He  is,  and  how  piercing  His  eye, 
 whom  thou  ferve'd. 
 
 Then,  again,  reilecl  afterwards  ;  think  it  not  enough 
 J  v.'as  praying,  or  hearing,  or  reading,  it  was  a  good 
 work,  what  need  I  queftion  it  further?  No,  but  be 
 flill  refledling,  and  afking  how  it  was  done  ;  how  1 
 have  heard,  how  I  have  prayed  ?  Was  my  heart 
 humbled,  by  the  difcoveries  of  lin,  from  the  word  ? 
 Was  it  refreihed  with  the  proraifes  of  grace?  Did  it 
 lie  level  under  the  word,  to  receive  the  ilamp  of  it? 
 Was  it  in  prayer  fet  and  kept  in  a  holy  bent  towards 
 God?  Did  it  breathe  forth  real  and  earneft  deiires 
 into  his  ear,  or  was  it  remifs,  and  roving,  and  dead  in 
 The  fervice  ?  So,  in  my  fociety  with  others,  in  fuch  and 
 fuch  company,  what  was  fpent  of  my  time,  and  how 
 did  i  employ  it  ?  Did  I  feek  to  honour  my  Lord,  and  to 
 edify  my  brethren,  by  my  carriage  and  fpetrches  ; 
 or  did  the  time  run  out  in  trilling  vain  difcoarfe  ? 
 when  alone,  what  is  the  carriage  and  walk  of  my 
 hbart  ?  where  it  hath  moft  liberty  to  move  in  its 
 own  pace,  is  it  delighted  in  convcrle  with  God  ?  Are 
 the  thoughts  of  heavenly  things  frequent  and  fweet 
 to  it  ;  or  does  it  run  after  the  earth  and  the  delights 
 of  it,  fpinning  out  itleif  in  impertinent  vain  contri- 
 
 vances ? 
 
 The 
 
VER.  21.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I25 
 
 The  negledl  of  fuch  inquiries  is  that  which  enter- 
 tains and  increafes  the  impurity  of  the  foul,  fo  that 
 men  are  airaid  to  look  into  themfelves,  and  to  look 
 up  to  God.  But  oh  !  what  a  foolilh  courfe  is  this, 
 to  ihift  off  that  which  cannot  be  avoided  I  in  the  end 
 anfwer  muft  be  made  to  that  AU-ieeing  Judge  with 
 whom  we  have  to  do,  and  to  whom  we  owe  our  ac- 
 compts. 
 
 And,  truly,  it  fliould  be  feriouily  confidered,  what 
 makes  this  good  confcience,  that  makes  an  accept- 
 able anfwer  unto  God.  That  appears  by  the  oppo- 
 lition,  not  the  putting  away  the  filth  of  the  fle/h  ;  then 
 it  is  the  putting  away  o^ foul-Jilt hinefs  ;  fo  then  it  is 
 the  renewing  and  purifying  of  the  confcience  that 
 makes  it  good,  pure  and  peaceable.  In  the  purifying 
 it  may  be  troubled,  which  is  but  the  ftirring  in  clean- 
 ling  of  it,  which  makes  more  quiet  in  the  end,  as 
 phyiic,  or  the  lancing  of  a  fore  ;  and  after  it  is  in 
 fome  meafure  cleanfed,  it  may  have  fits  of  trouble, 
 which  yet  Hill  add  further  purity  and  further  peace:. 
 So  there  is  no  hazard  in  that  work  ;  but  all  the  mil'ery 
 is,  a  dead  fecurity  of  the  confcience  remaining  filthy, 
 and  yet  unltirred  ;  or,  after  fome  ftirring  or  prick- 
 ing, as  a  wound  not  thoroughly  cured,  Ikinned  over, 
 which  will  but  breed  more  vexation  in  the  end  ;  it 
 will  felter  and  grow  more  difficult  to  be  cured ;  and 
 if  it  be  cured,  it  muft  be  by  deeper  cutting  and  more 
 pain,  than  if  at  fiill  it  had  endured  a  thorough  fearch. 
 
 O,  my  brethren  !  take  hired  of  ileeping  unto  death 
 in  carnal  eaf^.  Refolve  to  take  no  reft,  till  you  be 
 in  the  element  and  place  of  foul  reft,  where  folid  reft 
 indeed  is.  Reft  not  till  you  be  with  Chrift  *,  though 
 all  the  world  ihould  ofter  their  beft,  turn  them  by 
 with  difdain  \  if  they  uiil  not  be  turned  by,  thro\^ 
 them  down,  and  go  over  them,  and  trample  upon 
 them.  **  You  have  no  reft  to  give  me  ;  nor  will  I 
 "  take  any  at  your  hands,  nor  from  any  creature. 
 "  There  is  no  reft  for  me  till  I  be  under  his  fhadow, 
 **  who  endured  fo  much  trouble  to  puichafe  my  reft ; 
 
 **  and 
 
126  A  COMMENTARY  UPOjN  fCHA*P.  Ill* 
 
 •*  and  whom  having  found,  I  may  lit  down  quiet  and 
 "  fatisfied  ;  and  when  the  men  of  the  world  make 
 **  boaft  of  the  higheft  contents,  I  will  outvy  them  all 
 **  with  this  one  word,  My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  ain 
 **  his.  Cant.  ii.  i6/' 
 
 The  anfwer  of  a  good  confcience  toward  God,"]  The 
 confciencc  of  man  is  never  right  at  peace  in  itfelf, 
 till  it  be  rightly  perfuaded  of  peace  with  God; 
 which,  while  it  remains  filthy,  it  cannot  be  ;  for  he  is 
 holy,  and  ifiiquity  cannot  dwell  with  him  :  What  com- 
 viunion  betwixt  light  and  darknefs  P  2  Cor.  vi.  14.;  fo 
 then  the  confcience  rauft  be  cleanfed  ere  it  can  look 
 upon  God  with  alTurance  and  peace.  This  clean- 
 ling  is  facramentally  performed  by  baptifm,  efFedu- 
 ally  by  the  Spirit  of  Chrift  and  the  blood  of  Chrill ; 
 and  he  lives  to  impart  both  :  Therefore  here  is  men- 
 tioned his  refurredion  from  the  dead,  as  that  by  vir- 
 tue whereof  we  are  alTured  of  this  purging  and  peace. 
 Then  can  it,  in  fome  meafure,  with  confidence  an- 
 fwer, "  Lord,  though  polluted  by  former  fins,  and 
 by  fin  Hill  dwelling  in  me,  yet  thou  {t^^  that  my 
 defires  are  to  be  daily  more  like  my  Saviour ;  I 
 would  have  more  love  and  zeal  for  thee,  more 
 ***  hatred  of  fin,  that  can  anfwer  with  St  Peter,  when 
 he  was  pofed,  Lovejl  thou  me  P  Lord,  I  appeal  to 
 thine  own  eye,  who  feefl:  my  heart;  Lord,  thou 
 kfwwejl  that  I  love  thee,  John  xxi.  15.  at  lead  1  de- 
 fire  to  love  thee,  and  to  defire  thee,  and  that  is 
 love.  Willingly  would  I  do  thee  more  fuitable 
 fervice,  and  honour  thy  name  more  ;  and  1  do  fin- 
 cerely  defire  more  grace  for  this,  that  thou  mayefl 
 have  more  glory  ;  and  I  entreat  the  light  of  thy 
 **  countenance  for  this  end,  that,  by  feeing  it,  my 
 "heart  mav  be  more  weaned  from  the  world,  and 
 *'  knit  unto  thyfelf "  Thus  it  anfwers  touching  its 
 inward  frame,  and  the  work  of  holinefs  by  the  Spirit 
 of  holinefs  dwelling  in  it.  But  to  anfwer  juilice, 
 touching  the  point  of  guilt,  it  flies  to  the  blood  of 
 fprinklingy  fetches  all  its  anfwers  thence,  turns  over 
 
 the 
 
 « 
 
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 <4 
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 it 
 
VER.  21.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I27 
 
 the  matter  upon  it,  and  that  blood  anfwers  for  it ; 
 for  it  doth  fpeak,  and  /peaks  better  things  than  the 
 blood  of  Abel,  Heb.  xi.  24. ;  fpeaks  full  payment  of  all 
 that  can  be  exadled  from  the  finner  ;  and  that  is  a 
 fufficient  anfwer. 
 
 The  confcience  is  then,  in  this  point,  made  fpeech- 
 lefs  at  once  ;  driven  to  a  nonplus  in  itl'tlf ;  hath  from 
 itfelf  no  anfwer  to  make  ;  but  then  it  turns  about  to , 
 Chrift,  and  finds  what  to  fay,  '*  Lord  there  is  indeed 
 **  in  me  nothing  but  guiltinefs  ;  1  have  deferved 
 "  death,  but  I  have  fled  in  to  the  city  of  refuge, 
 **  which  thou  haft  appointed  ;  there  I  refolve  to 
 **  abide,  to  live  and  die  there.  If  juftice  purfue  me, 
 "  it  Qiall  find  me  there:  I  take  fanduary  in  Jefus. 
 **  My  arreft  laid  upon  me  will  light  upon  him,  and 
 **  he  hath  wherewithal  to  anfwer  it.  He  can 
 **  ftraightway  declare  he  hath  paid  all,  and  can 
 **  make  it  good ;  hath  the  acquittance  to  fliew  ;  yea, 
 **  his  own  liberty  is  a  real  fign  of  it.  He  was  in 
 *'  prifon,  and  is  let  free,  which  declares  that  all  is 
 **  fatisfied."  Therefore  the  anfwer  here  rifes  out  of^ 
 the  refurreBion  of  Jefus  Chrifit 
 
 And  in  this  very  thing  lies  onr  peace  and  way,  and 
 all  our  happinefs :  Oh  !  it  is  worth  your  time  and 
 pains  to  try  your  intereft  in  this ;  it  is  the  only  thing 
 worthy  your  higheft  diligence.  But  the  moft  are  out 
 of  their  wits,  running  like  a  number  of  diftradled 
 perfons,  and  ftili  in  a  deal  of  bufinefs,  but  to  what 
 end  they  know  not.  You  are  unwilling  to  be  de- 
 ceived in  thofe  things  that  at  their  beft  and  fureft 
 do  but  deceive  you  when  all  is  done  ;  but  are  con- 
 tent to  be  deceived  in  that  which  is  your  great  con- 
 cernment. You  are  your  own  deceivers  in  it ;  glad- 
 ly gulled  with  lliadows  of  faith  and  repentance,  falfe 
 touches  of  forrow,  and  falfe  flafhes  of  joy,  and  are 
 not  careful  to  have  your  fouls  really  uiibottomed 
 from  themfelves,  and  built  upon  Chrift ;  to  have  him 
 your  treafure,  your  righteoufnefs,  your  all,  and  to 
 have  hif|i  your  anfwer  unto  God  your  Father.     But 
 
 if 
 
128  A  COMMENTARY  upon  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 if  you  will  yet  be  advifed,  let  go  all,  to  lay  hold  on 
 him  ;  lay  your  fouls  on  him,  and  leave  him  not ;  he 
 is  a   tried  foundation  Jlone,  and   he  that  triijis  on  him 
 Jhall  not  he  confounded,  I  fa.  xxviii.  i6.  i  Pet.  ii.  6. 
 
 Ver.  22.   Who  is  gone  into  heaven,  and  is  on  the  right 
 hand  of  God;   angels,  and  authorities,   and  powers,"^ 
 being  made  fuhjeci  unto  him. 
 
 ' "I^^HIS  is  added    on    purpofe  to  fhew    uk   further 
 J^     what  he  is,  how   high  and  glorious  a  Saviour 
 we  have. 
 
 We  have  here  four  points  or  fteps  of  the  exaltation 
 of  Chriit  :  i.  Reiurreciion  from  the  dead.  2.  Afcen- 
 lion  -into  heaven.  3.  Sitting  at  the  right  hand  of 
 God.  4.  In  that  poiture,  his  royal  authority  over 
 the  angels.  The  particulars  are  clear  in  themfeives. 
 Of  the  lifting  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  you  are  not 
 ignorant  that  it  is  a  borrowed  expreffion,  drawn  from 
 earth  to  heaven,  to  bring  down  fome  notion  of  heaven 
 to  us;  to  lignify  to  us  in  our  language,  fuitably  to 
 our  cuftoms,  the  fupreme  dignity  of  Jefus  Chrift,  God 
 and  man,  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  his 
 matchlefs  nearnei's  unto  his  Father,  and  the  love- 
 reignty  given  him  over  heaven  and  earth.  And  that 
 of  the  fubjedion  of  angels,  is  but  a  more  particular 
 fpecifying  of  that  his  dignity  and  power,  as  enthron- 
 ed at  the  Father's  right  hand,  they  being  the  mod 
 elevated  and  glorious  creatures ;  fo  that  his  authority 
 over  all  the  world  is  implied  in  that  fubjedion  of 
 the  higheft  and  noblell  part  of  it:  His  vidory  and 
 triumph  over  the  angels  of  darknefs,  is  an  evidence 
 of  his  invincible  power  and  greatnefs,  and  matter  of 
 comfort  to  his  faints  ;  but  this  which  we  read  of  here 
 is  his  fupremacy  over  the  glorious  elcd  angels. 
 
 That  there  is  amongfl  them  priority  we  find  ;  that 
 there  is  a  comely  order  in  their  differences  cannot 
 be  doubted  :  But  to  marfhal  their  degrees  and  fta- 
 tions  above,  is  a  point,  not  only  of  vain  fruitlefs  cu- 
 
 riofity. 
 
V-Ek.  2l.]  THE  rikST  EPtSTLE  OF  PETER.  1 29 
 
 rioiity,  but  of  prefumptuous  iiitrujion,  whether  thefe 
 are  names  of  their  different  particular  dignities,  or 
 <3nly  different  names  of  their  general  excellency  and 
 power,  as  I  think  it  cannot  be  certairdy  well  deter- 
 mined, fo  it  imports  us  not  to  determine  ;  only  this 
 we  know,  and  are  particularly  taught  from  this  place, 
 that  whatfoever  is  their  common  dignity,  both  in 
 names  and  differences,  they  are  all  fubject  to  our  glo- 
 rious Head,  Ghrift. 
 
 What  confirmation  they  have  in  their  eflate  by 
 him,  (though  pioufly  afferted  by  divines),  is  not  fo 
 infallibly  clear  from  the  alleged  fcriptures,  which 
 may  bear  another  fenfe.  But  this  is  certain,  that  he 
 is  their  King,  and  they  acknowledge  him  to  be  fo, 
 and  do  inceffantly  admire  and  adore  him.  They  re- 
 joice in  his  glory>  and  in  the  glory  and  happinefs  of 
 mankind  through  him  ;  they  yield  him  rnoft  cheer- 
 ful obedience,  and  ferve  him  readilyin  the  good  of 
 his  Church,  and  each  particular  believer,  as  he  de- 
 putes and  employs  them. 
 
 Which  is  the  thing  here  intended,  having  in  it 
 thefe  two,  his  dignity  above  them,  and  his  authority 
 over  them,  i*  His  fuperior  dignity  ;  that  even  that 
 nature  which  he  ftoopt  below  them  to  take  on,  he  hath 
 carried  up  and  railed  above  them  ;  the  very  earth,  the 
 iiefh  of  man  exalted  in  his  perion  above  all  thofe 
 heavenly  fpirits,  who  are  of  fo  excellent  and  pure 
 a  being  in  their  nature,  and  from  the  beginning  of 
 the  world  have  been"  clothed  with  fo  tranicendent 
 glory.  The  text  affures  us,  that  a  parcel  of  clay  is 
 made  fo  bright,  and  let  fo  high,  as  to  outiliine  thefe 
 bright  flaming  fpirits,  thefe  f\ars  of  the  morning, 
 that  flefh  being  united  to  the  Fountain  of  Light,  the 
 bleffed  Deity  m  the  perfon  of  the  Son. 
 
 In  coming  to  fetch  and  put  on  this  garment,  he 
 fnade  himfelf  lower  than  the  angels  j  but  carrying  it 
 with  him  at  his  return  to  his  eternal  throne,  and  fit- 
 ting down  with  it  there,   it  is  high  above  them,  as 
 
 Vol.  II.  R  the 
 
l^O  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Ill* 
 
 the  Apoftle  teaches  excellently  and  amply,  Heb,  i.  Ou 
 To  which  of  them  /aid  he.  Sit  on  my  right  hand? 
 
 This  they  look  upon  with  perpetual  wonder,  but 
 not  with  envy  nor  repining  :  No,  amongft  all  their 
 eyes,  no  fuch  eye  is  to  be  found  ;  yea,  they  rejoice 
 in  the  infinite  wildom  of  God  in  this  defign,  and  his 
 infinite  love  to  poor  Joft  mankind.  It  is  wonderful 
 indeed  to  fee  him  filling  the  room  of  their  fallen 
 brethren  with  new  guefts  from  earth  ;  yea,  fuch  a» 
 are  born  heirs  of  hell  :  not  onlv  that  linful  man 
 lliould  thus  be  raifed  to  a  participation  of  glory  with 
 them  who  are  fpotlefs,  finlefs  fpirits,  but  that  their 
 ilefh,  in  their  Redeemer,  fhould  be  dignified  with  a 
 glory  io  far  beyond  them.  This  is  that  myftery  they 
 are  intent  in  looking  and  prying  into,  and  cannot, 
 nor  ever  (haU,  fee  the  bottom  of  it  ^  for  it  hath  no 
 bottom. 
 
 2.  Jefus  Chrift  is  not  only  exalted  above  the  an- 
 gels in  abfolute  dignity,  but  in  relative  authority  over 
 them.  He  is  made  Captain  over  thofe  heavenly 
 bands ;  they  are  all  under  his  command,  for  all  fer- 
 vices  wherein  it  pleafes  him  to  employ  them  ;  and 
 the  great  employment  he  hath,  is  the  attending  on 
 his  Church,  and  particular  eledl  ones ;  are  they  not 
 all  minijlring  fpirits,  fent  forth  to  minifier  to  thevh. 
 that  Jhall  he  heirs  of  falvation  F  Heb.  i.  ult.  They 
 are  the  fervants  of  Chrift,  and  in  him,  and,  at  his  ap- 
 pointment, the  fervants  of  every  believer  ;  and  are 
 many  ways  ferviceable  and  ufeful  for  their  goody 
 which  truly  we  do  not  duly  confider.  There  is  no 
 danger  of  overvaluing  them,  and  inclining  to  wor- 
 fhip  them  upon  this  confideration  ;  yea,  if  we  take 
 it  right,  it  will  rather  take  oflf  from  that.  The  an- 
 gel judged  his  argument  lirong  enough  to  St  John 
 againfi:  that,  that  he  was  but  his  fellow  fervant,  Rev, 
 xix.  IO.  But  this  is  more,  that  they  are  fervants  to- 
 us,  although  not  therefore  inferior,  it  being  an  hono- 
 rary fervice^  yet  certainlv  inferior  to  our  Head,  and 
 
VBR.  42.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I3I 
 
 fo  to  his  myftical  body,  taken  in  that  notion  as  a  part 
 of  him. 
 
 Reflexion  i.  The  height  of  this  our  Saviour's  glory 
 will  appear  the  more,  if  we  refledl  on  the  defcent 
 by  which  he  afcended  to  it.  Oh  I  how  low  did  w^e 
 bring  down  fo  high  a  Majefty,  into  the  pit  wherein 
 we  had  fallen,  by  climbing  to  be  higher  than  he  had 
 fet  us.  It  was  high  indeed,  as  we  were  fallen  fo 
 low,  and  yet  he,  againfl  whom  it  was  committed, 
 came  down  to  help  us  up  again,  and  to  take  hold  of 
 us,  took  Its  on;  fo  the  word  is,  BtnXce.fxpa.i^iToti^  fieb.  ii. 
 16.  ;  he  took  not  hold  of  the  angels;  let  them  go  ;  hath 
 left  them  to  die  for  ever  :  But  he  took  hold  of  the  feed 
 of  Abraham^  and  took  on  him  indeed  their  fiefh, 
 dwelling  amongll  us,  and  in  a  mean  part ;  emptied 
 himfelf  iy.i\tmi,  Phil,  ii,  7.  and  became  of  no  repute; 
 and  further,  after  he  defcended  to  the  earth,  and  in- 
 to our  flefh,  in  it  he  became  obedient  to  death  upon 
 the  crofs,  ver.  8.  and  defcended  into  the  grave;  and 
 by  thefe  fleps,  was  walking  towards  that  glory  where- 
 in he  now  is  ;  he  abafed  hirnfelf  wherefore,  lays  the 
 ApolUe,  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  ver.  9.  So  he 
 himfelf,  Luke  xxiv.  26.  Ought  not  Chrift  Jirfi  tofuf^ 
 fer  thefe  things,  and  fo  enter  into  his  glory  .^  Now  this 
 indeed  it  is  pertinent  to  coniider,  and  the  Apoftle  is 
 here  upon  the  point  oi  Chrifl'S  fuffering.  That  is  his 
 theme  ;  and  therefore  he  is  fo  particular  in  the  afcend- 
 ing  of  Chrift  to  his  glory.  Who,  of  thofe  that  would 
 come  thither,  will  refufe  to  follow  him  in  the  way 
 where  he  led  ?  He  is  ct^p^ryo?,  the  leader  of  our  faithy 
 Heb.  xii.  2.  And  who  of  thofe  that  follow  him,  will 
 not  love  and  delight  to  follow  him  through  any  way, 
 the  loweft  and  darkeft  ?  it  is  excellent  and  fafe,  and 
 then  it  ends  you  fee  where. 
 
 2.  Think  not  ftrange  of  the  Lord's  method  with 
 his  Church,  bringing  her  to  fo  low  and  defperate  a 
 pofture  many  times.  Can  flie  be  in  a  condition  more 
 feemingly  defperate  than  was  her  Head  ?  not  only  in 
 i^gnominious   futlerings,   but   dead   and   laid  in  the 
 
 grave, 
 
132  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 grave,  and  the  ftone  rolled  to  it  and  fealed,  and  all 
 made  fure  ?  and  yet  he  arofe  and  arcended,  and  now 
 fits  in  glory,  and  (hall  fit  till  all  his  enemies  become 
 his  footjiooL  Do  not  fear  for  him,  that  they  fliall 
 overtop,  yea,  or  be  able  to  reach  him,  who  is  exalted 
 higher  than  the  heavens ;  neither  be  afraid  for  his 
 Church,  which  is  his  body,  and,  if  her  Head  be  fafe 
 and  alive,  cannot  but  partake  of  fafety  and  life  with 
 him.  1  hough  flie  were,  to  fight,  dead  and  laid  in  the 
 grave,  yet  fliall  flie  rife  thence,  and  be  more  glorious 
 than  before,  Ifa.  xxvi.  19.  ;  and  ftill  the  deeper  her 
 diftrefs  be,  fhali  rife  the  higher  in  the  day  of  deli- 
 verance. 
 
 Thus,  in  his  dealing  with  a  foul,  obferve  the  Lord's 
 method  \  think  it  not  firange  that  he  brings  a  foul 
 low,  very  low,  which  he  means  to  comfort  and  exalt 
 very  high  in  grace  and  glory  ;  that  he  leads  it  by 
 hell-gates  to  heaven  ;  that  it  be  at  that  point,  My 
 God,  my  Godf  why  hajl  thou  Jorfaken  me?  Was  not 
 the  Head  put  to  ufe  that  word,  and  fo  to  fpeak  it,  as 
 the  head  fpeaks  for  the  body,  feafoning  it  for  his 
 members,  and  fw^eetening  that  bitter  cup  by  his  own 
 drinking  of  it  ?  Oh  !  what  a  hard  condition  may  a 
 foul  be  brought  unto,  and  put  to  think,  Can  He  love 
 me,  and  intend  mercy  for  me,  that  leaves  me  to  this  P. 
 And  ytt,  in  all,  the  Lord  is  preparing  it  thus  for  com- 
 fort  and  bltilednefs. 
 
 3.  Turn  your  thoughts  more  frequently  to  this 
 excellent  fubjecl,  th,e  glorious  high  eftate  of  our^r^^z: 
 High  Priejl.  The  angels  admire  this  rayftery,  and 
 we  flight  it;  they  rejoice  in  it,  and  we,  whom  it  cer- 
 tainly more  nearly  concerns,  are  not  moved  with  it ; 
 we  do  not  draw^  that  comfort  and  that  in{lru(5lion 
 from  it,  which  it  would  plentifully  afford,  if  it  were 
 fought  after  :  It  comforts  us  againfl  all  troubles  and 
 fears.  Is  He  not  on  high  who  hath  undertaken  for 
 us  ?  dot'h  any  thing  befal  us,  but  it  is  pafl  firft  in 
 heaven  ?  and  fliall  any  thing  pafs  there  to  our  pre- 
 judice OT  darnage  ?  He  fits  there,  and  is  upon  the 
 
 council 
 
VER.  22.3  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I33 
 
 council  of  all,  who  hath  loved  us,  and  given  hinifelffor 
 us ;  yea,  who  as  he  defcended  thence  for  us,  did 
 Jikewife  afcend  thither  again  for  us  ;  hath  made  ouc 
 inheritance  there  which  he  purchafed  fure  to  us,  ta- 
 king pofleffion  for  us,  and  in  our  name  ;  lince  he  is 
 there,  not  only  as  the  Son  of  God,  but  as  our  Surety, 
 and  as  our  Head  ;  and  {o  the  believer  may  think 
 himfelf  even  already  polTeired  of  this  right,  inafmuch 
 as  his  Chrifl  is  there.  The  faints  are  glorified  al- 
 ready in  their  Head.  Where  he  reigns,  there  I  believe 
 7nyfelf  to  reign,  fays  Auguftine  *.  And  coniider  in 
 all  thy  ftraits  and  troubles,  outward  and  inward,  they 
 are  not  hid  from  him.  He  knows  them,  and  feels 
 them,  is  a  companionate  High  Prieft,  and  hath  a  gra- 
 cious fenfe  of  thy  frailties  and  griefs,  fears,  and  temp- 
 tations ;  and  he  will  not  fuffer  thee  to  be  furcharged  ; 
 but  is  (till  prefenting  thy  eflate  to  the  Father,  and 
 uiing  that  intereil  and  power  he  hath  in  his  affedion 
 for  thy  good.  And  what  wouldeft  thou  more  ?  Art 
 thou  one  whofe  heart  defires  to  reft  upon  him,  and 
 cleave  to  him  ?  Thou  art  knit  fo  to  him,  that  his  re* 
 furredion  and  glory  fecures  thee  thine  :  His  life  and 
 thine  are  not  two,  but  one  life,  as  that  of  the  head 
 and  members  ;  and  if  he  could  not  be  overcome  of 
 death,  thou  canft  not  neither,  Oh  I  that  fweet  w^ord, 
 Becaufe  I  live,  ye  Jha II  live  alfo,  John  xiv.  19. 
 
 Let  thy  thoughts  and  carriage  be  moulded  in  this 
 contemplation  rightly,  ever  to  look  on  thy  exalted 
 Head.  Coniider  his  glory  ;  fee  not  only  thy  nature 
 raifed  in  him  above  the  angels,  but  thy  perfon  inte- 
 refted  by  faith  in  that  his  glory,  and  then  think  thy- 
 felf  too  good  to  ferve  any  bafe  luft.  Look  down  on 
 lin  and  the  world  with  a  holy  difdain,  being  united 
 to  him  who  is  fo  exalted  and  fo  glorious.  And  let 
 not  thy  mind  creep  here  ;  engage  not  thy  heart  to 
 any  thing  that  time  and  this  earth  can  afford.  Oh  I 
 why  are  we  fo  little  there,  where  there  is  fuch  a 
 fpring  of  delightful  and  high  thoughts  for  us }  If  ye 
 
 h& 
 
 ^  Ubi  Caput  meum  regnat,  ibi  me  regnare  credo. 
 
134  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  III. 
 
 he  rifen  with  CbriJI,  feek  thoje  things  which  are  above^ 
 where  he  Jits,  Col.  iii.  i.  What  mean  you  ?  are  ye 
 fuch  as  will  let  go  your  interefl  in  this  once  crucified, 
 and  now  glorified,  Jefus  ?  if  not,  why  are  ye  not  more 
 like  it  ?  why  does  it  not  poflefs  your  hearts  more  ? 
 ought  it  not  to  be  thus  ?  fhould  not  our  hearts  be, 
 where  our  treafure,  where  our  blefTed  Head,  is  ?  Oh  I 
 how  unreafonable,  how  unfriendly,  is  it,  how  much 
 may  we  be  afhamed  to  have  room  in  our  hearts  for 
 earneft  thoughts  or  defires,  or  delights,  about  any 
 thing  belide  Him  ? 
 
 Were  this  deeply  imprefled  upon  the  hearts  of  thofo 
 that  have  a  right  in  it,  would  there  be  found  in  them 
 any  engagement  to  the  poor  things  that  are  paffing 
 away  ?  Would  death  be  a  terrible  word  ?  yea,  would 
 it  not  be  one  of  the  fweeteft,  moft  rejoicing,  thoughts, 
 to  folace  and  eafe  the  heart  under  all  prelTures,  to 
 look  forward  to  that  day  of  liberty  ?  This  infedious 
 difeafe  *  may  keep  poiTeffion  all  the  winter,  and  grow 
 hot  with  the  year  again.  Do  not  therefore  flatter 
 yourfelves,  and  think  it  is  paft  ;  you  have  yet  re- 
 membering ftrokes  to  keep  it  in  your  eye.  But,  how-* 
 ever,  fliall  we  abide  ftill  here  ?  or  is  there  any  reafon, 
 when  things  are  duly  weighed,  why  we  Ihould  delire 
 it  ?  Well,  if  you  would  be  untied  beforehand,  and 
 fo  feel  your  feparation  from  this  world  lefs,  this  is 
 the  only  way.  Look  up  to  him,  who  draws  up  all 
 hearts  that  do  indeed  behold  him.  Then,  I  fay,  thy 
 heart  Ihall  be  removed  beforehand,  and  the  reft  is 
 eafy  and  fweet :  When  that  is  done,  all  is  gained. 
 And  confider  how  he  defires  the  completing  of  cur 
 union  with  him.  Shall  it  be  his  requeft,  and  earneft 
 defire,  and  fhall  it  not  be  ours  too,  that  where  he  is^ 
 there  we  may  he  aJJo.?  John  xvii.  24.  Let  us  expert 
 it  with  patient  fubmiffion,  yet  driving  by  delires  and 
 
 fuits, 
 
 '^  This  prohahly  refers  to  the  Peftilence  in  1665.,     See  the  lec- 
 ture on  chrip.  iv.  6.   I  hough  the  Pejiilence  doth  not  f^fff  ight  yot^ 
 
Ver.  21.]         tKE  FIRST  EPISTLE  61P  PETER.  I35 
 
 fuits,  and  looking. out  for  our  releaieyVo;/2  this  body  of 
 Jin  and  death. 
 
 CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Ver.  I.  For af much  then  as  Chrijl  hath  fuffered  for  us 
 in  the  fiefljy  arm  yourfelves  likewije  with  the  fame 
 viind  :  for  he  that  hath  fuffered  in  the  flejh  hath 
 ceafedfromfitu 
 
 THE  main  of  a  Chriftian's  duty  lies  in  thefe  two 
 things,  patience  in  fufFering,  and  avoidance  of 
 fin,  «v5p^8  xa»  aiTip^K  and  they  have  a  natural  influence 
 each  upon  the  other.  Although  afflidion  limply 
 doth  not,  yet  affliction  fweetly  and  humbly  carried 
 doth,  purify  and  difengage  the  heart  from  fin,  wean 
 it  from  the  world  and  the  common  ways  of  it.  And 
 again,  holy  and  exad:  walking  keeps  the  foul  in  a 
 found  healthful  temper,  and  fo  enables  it  to  patient 
 futfering,  to  bear  things  more  eafily  ;  as  a  ftrong 
 body  endures  fatigue,  heat,  cold,  and  hardfhip,  with 
 eafe,  a  fmall  part  whereof  would  furcharge  a  fickly 
 conllitution.  The  confcioufnefs  of  fin,  and  carelels 
 unholy  courfes,  mufi:vvonderfully  weaken  a  foul  and 
 diftemper  it,  fo  that  it  is  not  able  to  endure  much ; 
 but  every  little  thing  difturbs  it :  Therefore  the 
 Apoftle  hath  reafon,  both  to  infifl:  fo  much  on  thefe 
 two  points  in  this  epiftle,  and  likewife  to  interweave 
 the  one  fo  often  with  the  other,  prefling  jointly 
 throughout,  the  chearful  bearing  of  all  kind  of  af- 
 fliclons,  and  the  careful  forbearing  all  kind  of  fin  ; 
 and  out  of  the  one  difcourfe  he  Hides  into  the  other, 
 as  here. 
 
 And  as  the  things  agree  in  their  nature,  fo  in  their 
 great  pattern  and  principle,  Jefus  Chrift  ;  and  the 
 
 Apoftle 
 
1^6  A    COMMENTARY    UFON  [cHAP.  if 6 
 
 Apoftle  flill  draws  both  from  thence  ;  that  of  pa- 
 tience, Chap.  iii.  i8.  ;  that  of  hohnefs  here,  Foraf- 
 viuch  then  as  Cbrifl  hath  fuffered  for  us^  &c. 
 
 The  chief  ftudy  of  a  Chriftian,  and  the  very  thing 
 that  makes  him  to  be  a  Chriftian,  is  conformity  with 
 Chrift.  This  is  the  fum  of  religion^  (faid  that  wife 
 heathen),  to  he  like  him  whom  thou  worjhippejl^. 
 But  this  example  being  in  itfelf  too  fubhme,  is 
 brought  down  to  our  view  in  Chrift  ;  the  brightnefs 
 of  God  is  veiled,  and  veiled  in  our  own  flefti,  that  we 
 may  be  able  to  look  on  it.  The  inacceflible  light  of 
 the  Deity  is  fo  attempered  in  the  humanity  of  Chrift, 
 that  we  may  read  our  leftbn  by  it  in  him,  and  may 
 direct  our  walk  by  it  ;  and  that  truly  is  our  only 
 way  ;  there  is  nothing  but  wandering  and  perilhing 
 in  all  other  ways ;  nothing  but  darknefs  and  mifery 
 out  of  him  ;  but  he  that  follows  me,  fays  h.&,Jhall  not 
 walk  in  darknefs,  Joi^in  viii.  12.  And  therefore  is  he 
 fet  before  us  in  the  gofpel,  in  fo  clear  and  lively  co- 
 lours, that  we  may  make  this  our  whole  endeavour  to 
 be  like  him. 
 
 Conftder  here  :  i.  The  high  engagement  to  this 
 conformity.  2.  The  nature  of  it.  3.  The  adual 
 improvement  of  it.  i.  The  engagement  lies  in  this, 
 that  he  fuftered  for  us.  Of  this  before  ;  only  in  re- 
 ference to  this,  had  he  come  down,  as  fome  have  mif- 
 imagined  it,  only  to  fet  us  this  perfedt  way  of  obedi- 
 ence, and  give  us  an  example  af  it  in  our  own  na- 
 ture ;  this  had  been  very  much.  That  the  Son  of 
 God  fnould  defcend  to  teach  wretched  man,  and  the 
 great  King  to  defcend  into  man,  and  dwell  in  a  ta- 
 bernacle oF  clay,  to  fet  up  a  fchool  in  it,  for  fuch 
 Ignorant  accurfed  creatures  !  and  Ihould  in  his  own 
 perfon  ad  the  hardeft  leftons,  both  in  doing  and  dif- 
 fering, to  lead  us  in  both.  But  the  matter  goes  yet 
 higher  than  this.  Oh  I  how  much  higher  hath  he 
 fuftered,  not  limply  as  our  rule,  but  as  our  Surety, 
 and  in  our  ftead.    '  He  fuffered  for  us  in  the  fieJJ},    We 
 
 are 
 
 *  Su?nma  rdigioiiis  imitari  quern  colis,     Pyth» 
 
WEK*  I.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I37 
 
 are  the  more  obliged  to  make  his  I'ufflring  our  ex- 
 ample, becaufe  it  was  to  us  more  than  an  example,  it 
 was  our  ranfom. 
 
 This  makes  the  conformity  reafonable  in  a  double 
 refpedt :  i.  It  is  due  that  we  follow  him,  who  led 
 thus  as  the  Captain  of  our  Salvation  ;  that  we  follow 
 in  fuffering,  and  in  doing,  feeing  both  were  fo  for  us. 
 It  is  llrange  how  fome  armies  have  add  idled  them- 
 felves  to  their  head,  to  be  at  his  call  night  and  day, 
 in  furamer  and  winter  ;  to  refufe  no  travel  or  endu- 
 rance of  hardfhip  for  him  ;  and  all  only  to  pleafe 
 him,  and  ferve  his  inclination  and  ambition  ;  as 
 Casfar's  trained  bands,  efpecially  the  veterans,  what 
 hardfhips  did  they  not  endure  in  counter-marches, 
 and  in.  trayerfing  different  and  diftant  countries? 
 But  befides  that,  our  Lord  and  leader  is  moll  great 
 and  excellent,  and  fo  w^ell  deferves  following  for  his 
 own  worth.  This  lays  upon  us  an  obligation  beyond 
 all  conceiving,  that  he  firfl  fuffered  for  us  ;  that  he 
 endured  fuch  hatred  of  men,  and  fuch  wrath  of  God 
 the  Father,  and  went  through  death,  fo  vile  a  death, 
 to  procure  our  life.  What  can  be  too  bitter  to  en- 
 dure, or  too  fweet  to  forfake,  to  follow  him  ?  Were 
 this  duly  confidered,  would  we  cleave  to  our  lulls,  or 
 to  our  eafe  ?  Would  we  not  go  through  fire  and  wa- 
 ter, yea,  through  death  itfelf,  and,  were  it  poiTible, 
 through  many  deaths,  to  follow  him? 
 
 I.  Coniider,  as  it  is  juftly  due,  fo  it  is  made  enjj 
 by  that  his  fuffering  for  us.  Our  burden,  that  pref- 
 fed  us  to  hell,  being  taken  off,  is  not  all  that  is  left,  to 
 fuffer  or  do,  as  nothing  ?  Our  chains,  that  bound  us 
 over  to  eternal  death,  being  knocked  olf,  fhall  we  not 
 walk,  (hall  we  not  run,  in  his  ways  ?  Oh  I  think 
 what  that  burden  and  yoke  w^s  he  hath  eafed  us  of; 
 how  heavy,  how  unfufftrabie,  it  was,  and  then  w^e 
 Ihall  think  what  he  fo  truly  fays,  that  all  he  lays  on 
 is  fweet ;  Hij  yoke  eafy,  and  his  burden  light,  Matth. 
 xi.  30.    Oh  1  the  happy  change,  to  be  refcued  from 
 
 Vol.  II.  S  the 
 
I3S  A  COMMENTARY    UPON  .     [CHAP.  IT. 
 
 the  vilefl:  llavery,   and  called  to  conformity  and  fel- 
 low<liip  with  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 2r.  The  nature  of  this  conformity  (to  lliew  the 
 nearnels  of  it)  is  exprelTed  in  the  very  fame  terms  as  in 
 the  patiern  ;  it  is  not  a  remote  refemblance,  but  the 
 fame  thing,  even  Suffering  in  the flejh.  But  that  we  " 
 may  underftand  rightly  what  fuffering  is  here  meant, 
 it  i^  plamiy  this,  ceafmg  from  fin  ;  io  fuffering  in  the 
 JitPj  here,  is  not  fimply  the  enduring  of  afflictions, 
 which  is  a  part  of  a  Chridian's  conformity  with  his 
 head  Chrifl,  Rom.  viii.  29.  but  implies  a  more  inward 
 ard  fpi ritual  fuffering.  It  is  the  fuffering  and  the 
 dv'ng  of  our  corruption,  the  taking  away  the  life  of 
 fin  by  the  death  of  Chrift  ;  and  that  death  of  his  fin- 
 lets  fiefh  works  in  the  believer  the  death  of  finful 
 ^^^\\.  that  is,  the  corruption  of  his  nature,  which  is  fo 
 ufaaily  in  fcripture  called  fieJJo,  Sin  makes  man 
 bafe,  drowns  him  in  flefh,  and  the  lulls  of  it  ;  makes 
 the  very  foul  become  grofs  and  earthly  ;  turns  it  as 
 it  were  t(  fleih  :  So  the  Apofi:le  calls  the  very  mind 
 that  is  unrenewed,  a  carnal  mind,  Rom.  viii.  7.  And 
 what  doth  the  mind  of  a  natural  man  hunt  after  and 
 run  out  into,  from  one  day  and  year  to  another  ?  Is 
 it  nor  on  the  things  of  this  bafe  world,  and  the  con- 
 cernment ot  his  fiefli^  :  What  would  he  haW^  but 
 be  accommodated  to  eat,  and  drink,  and  drefs^  and  live  ' 
 at  eafe  1  He  minds  earthlf  things,  favours  and  Teiifiies 
 them,  and  cares  for  them  :  examine  the  moft  of  vour 
 pains  and  time,  and  your  ftrongefi:  defires,  and  mod 
 ferious  thoughts,  if  they  go  not  this  way,  to  raife 
 yourfelves  and  yours  in  your  vvorldly  condition.  Yea, 
 the  highed  projedfs  of  the  greated  natural  fpirits  are 
 but  earth  dill,  in  refped  of  things  truly  fpiritual. 
 All  their  date  defigns  go  not  beyond  this  poor  life 
 that  perifhes  in  the  fiedi,  and  is  daily  perilhing,  even 
 Vv^hile  we  are  bufied  upholding  it,  and  providing  for 
 it.  Prefent  things,  and  this  lodge  of  clay,  this  dedi 
 and  its  intered,  take  up  mod  of  our  time  and  pains  \ 
 
 the 
 
 •?  Corporis  negotium^ 
 
VER.  I.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  13$ 
 
 the  moft,  yea  all,  till  that  change  be  wrought  the 
 Apoftle  fpeaks  of,  till  Ghriil  be  put  on,  Rom.  xiii.  14. ; , 
 Put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jefus  Chriji  ;  and  then  the  other 
 will  ealily  follow  that  follows  in  the  words,  Make  no 
 provijlonfor  the  flejh,  to  fulfil  the  lujls  thereof.  Once 
 in  Chrift,  and  then  your  necelTary  general  care  for 
 this  natural  life  will  be  regulated  and  moderated  by 
 the  Spirit.  And  for  all  unlawful  and  enormous  de- 
 fires  of  the  flelh,  you  iliall  be  rid  of  providing  for 
 thefe.  Inflead  of  all  provifion  for  the  life  of  the  fiefli 
 in  that  fenfe,  there  is  another  gueft,  and  another  life, 
 for  you  now  to  wait  on  and  furniili  for  :  In  them 
 that  are  in  Chrill,  that  ilefh  is  dead,  they  are  freed 
 from  its  drudgery  ;  He  that  hath  fuffered  in  the  fleJh 
 hath  refied  from  fin, 
 
 Ceafed  from  fin, '\  He  is  at  refl  from  it,  a  godly 
 death,  as  they  that  die  in  the  Lord  refl  from  their  la- 
 hours,  Rev.  xiv.  13.  He  that  hath  fuiiered  in  the 
 flefh,  and  is  dead  to  it,  dies  indeed  in  the  Lord  ;  refls 
 from  the  bafe  turmoil  of  (in  ;  it  is  no  longer  his  raaf^ 
 ter.  As  our  lin  was  the  caufe  of  Chrill's  death,  his 
 death  is  the  death  of  fin  in  us  ;  and  that  not  (imply, 
 as  he  bore  a  moral  pattern  of  it,  but  as  the  real  work- 
 ing caufe  of  it.  The  death  of  Ghriil  has  in  tliis 
 refped:  an  effectual  influence  on  the  foul,  kills  it  to 
 fin  :  I  am  crucified  with  Chrifi^  fays  St  Paul,  Gal.  xi. 
 20.  Faith  fo  looks  on  the  death  of  Chritt,  that  it 
 takes  the  imprefllon  of  it  \  fets  it  on  the  heart,  kills 
 it  unto  iln  :  Chrift  and  the  believer  do  not  only  be- 
 conie  one  in  law,  fo  as  his  death  (lands  for  theirs,  but 
 are  one  in  nature,  fo  as  his  death  for  lin  caufes  theirs 
 to  it,  Rom.  vi.  3.   Baptifed  into  his  death. 
 
 This  fuffering  in  the  llefii  being  unto  death,  and 
 fuch  a  death  {jorucifying),  hath  indeed  pain  in  it ;,  but 
 what  then,  it  mud  be  fo  like  his,  and  the  believer 
 like  him,  in  willingly  enduring  it.  All  the  pain  of 
 his  fuffering  ia  the  tieih,  his  love  to  us  digefted  and 
 went  through  it ;  fo  all  the  pain  to  our  nature  in  fe- 
 vering and  pulling  us  from  our  beloved  fins,  and  our 
 
 dying 
 
140  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV, 
 
 dying  to  them,  if  his  love  be  planted  in  our  hearts, 
 that  will  fweeten  it,  and  make  us  delight  in  it.  Love 
 defires  nothing  more  than  likenefs,  and  Ihares  willing- 
 ly in  all  with  the  party  loved  ;  and  above  all  lo)je, 
 this  divine  love  is  pureft  and  higheft,  and  works  moli 
 ftroiigly  that  way  ;  takes  pleafure  in  that  pain,  and 
 is  a  voluntary  death,  as  Plato  calls  love.  It  is  Jlrong 
 as  deathy  fays  Solomon,  Cant.  viii.  6.  As  death  makes 
 the  (Irongefl  body  fall  to  the  ground,  fo  doth  the  love 
 of  Chrift  make  the  mod  adive  and  lively  (inner  dead 
 to  his  iin  :  And  as  death  fevers  a  man  from  his 
 dearell  and  moil  familiar  friends,  thus  doth  the  love 
 of  Cbrift,  and  his  death  flowing  from  it,  fever  the 
 heart  from  its  moft  beloved  fins. 
 
 1  befeech  you  feek  to  have  your  hearts  fet  again  ft 
 fin,  to  hate  it,  to  wound  it,  and  be  dying  daily  to  it. 
 Be  not  fatisfied,  unlefs  ye  feel  an  abatement  of  it^ 
 and  a  life  within  you.  Difdain  that  bafe  fervice,  and 
 being  bought  at  fo  high  a  rate,  think  yourfelves  too 
 good  to  be  flaves  to  any  bafe  lufi:.  You  are  called  to 
 a  more  excellent  and  more  honourable  fervice.  And 
 of  this  fuffering  in  the  flelh,  we  may  fafely  fay  what 
 the  Apoftle  fpeaks  of  the  fufferings  with  and  for 
 Chriit,  that  the  partakers  of  thefe  fufferings  are  co- 
 heirs of  glory  with  Chriit  ;  If  we  fufftr  thus  with  him, 
 we /ball  alfo  he  glorified  with  hiniy  Rom.  viii.  17.  If 
 we  die  \^>ith  him,  we  fhall  live  with  him  for  ever. 
 
 3.  We  have  the  adlual  improvement  of  this  con- 
 formity ;  Arm  yourfelves  with  the  fanie  mind,  or 
 thoughts  of  this  mortification.  Death,  taken  naturally 
 in  Its  proper  fenfe,  being  an  entire  privation  of  life, 
 admits  not  of  degrees  :  But  this  figurative  death, 
 this  mortification  of  the  flelh  in  a  Chriflian,  is  gra- 
 dual ;  in  fo  far  as  he  is  renewed,  and  is  animated  and 
 a6led  by  the  Spirit  of  Chrifl;,  he  is  thoroughly  mor- 
 tified ;  ^for  this  death,  and  that  new  life  joined  with 
 it,  and  here  added,  ver.  2.  go  together  and  grow  to- 
 gether) ;  but  becaufe  he  is  not  totally  renewed,  and 
 there  is  in  him  of  that  corruption   ftill  that  is  here 
 
 called 
 
VJER.  I.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  14! 
 
 called  flefh,  therefore  it  is  his  great  talk  to  be  gain- 
 ing further  upon  it,  and  overcoming  and  mortifying 
 it  every  day  ;  and  to  this  tend  the  frequent  exhorta- 
 tions of  this  nature ;  Mortify  your  members  that  are 
 on  the  earth  ;  So,  Rom.  vi.  Likewife  reckon  yourfe'lves 
 deadtojitiy  and  let  it  not  reign  in  your  mortal  bodies. 
 Thus  here,  Arm  your/elves  with  the  fame  ?ni7id,  or 
 with  this  very  thought.  Confider  and  apply  that  fuf- 
 fering  of  Ghrift  in  the  flefh,  to  the  end  that  you  with 
 him,  fuffering  in  the  flefh,  may  ceafe  from  fin.  Think 
 it  ought  to  be  thus,  and  feek  that  it  may  be  thus, 
 with  you. 
 
 Arm  your f elves, '\  There  is  flill  fighting,  and  fln 
 will  be  moiefting  you  \  though  wounded  to  death, 
 yet  will  it  flruggle  for  life,  and  feek  to  wound  its 
 enemy  ;  will  affault  the  graces  that  are  in  you.  Do 
 not  think  if  it  be  once  ftruck,  and  you  have  given  it 
 a  flab  near  to  the  heart,  by  the  fword  of  the  Spirit^ 
 that  therefore  it  will  ftir  no  more.  No,  fo  long  as 
 you  live  in  the  flefh,  in  thefe  bowels  there  will  be 
 remainders  of  the  life  of  this  flefh,  your  natural  cor- 
 ruption ;  therefore  ye  muft  be  armed  againft  it.  Sin 
 will  not  give  you  reft,  fo  long  as  there  is  a  drop  of 
 blood  in  its  vein,  one  fpark  of  life  in  it ;  and  that  will 
 be  fo  long  as  you  have  life  here.  This  old  man  is 
 ftout,  and  will  fight  himfelf  to  death  ;  and  at  the 
 weakeft  it  will  roufe  up  itfelf,  and  exert  its  dying 
 fpirits,  as  men  will  do  fometimes  more  eagerly  than 
 when  they  were  not  fo  weak,  nor  fo  near  death. 
 
 This  the  children  of  God  often  find  to  their  grief, 
 that  corruptions  which  they  thought  had  been  cold 
 dead,  flir  and  rife  up  again,  and  fet  upon  them,  A 
 paifion  or  iufl,  that,  after  fome  great  flroke,  lay^a 
 long  while  as  dead,  ftirred  not,  and  therefore  they 
 thought  to  have  heard  no  more  of  it,  though  it  fhall 
 never  recover  fully  again,  to  be  lively  as  before,  yet 
 will  revive  in  fuch  a  meafure  as  to  moleft,  and  poifi- 
 bly  to  foil,  them  yet  again  :  Therefore  is  it  continu-v 
 ally  necefTary  that  they  live  in  arm.s,   and   put  them 
 
 not 
 
I4i  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IVo 
 
 not  ofF  to  their  dying  day  ;  till  they  put  off  the  body, 
 and  be  altogether  free  of  the  fiefh.  You  may  take 
 the  Lord*s  promife  for  vidory  in  the  end  ;  that  fhall 
 not  fail ;  but  do  not  promife  yourfelf  eafe  in  the  way, 
 for  that  vviil  not  hold.  If  at  fome  times  your  enemy 
 have  the  advantage,  give  not  all  for  loft.  He  hath 
 often  won  the  day  that  hath  been  foiled  and  wound- 
 ed in  the  fight.  But  likewife  take  not  all  for  won,  fo 
 as  to  have  no  more  conflidl,  when  fometimes  you 
 have  the  better,  as  in  particular  battles.  Be  not  def- 
 perate  when  you  lofe,  nor  fee u re  when  you  gain 
 them  :  Vv  hen  it  is  worft  with  you  do  not  throw 
 away  your  arms,  nor  lay  them  away  when  you  are 
 at  bell. 
 
 Now,  the  way  to  be  armed  is  this,  the  fame  mind : 
 How  would  my  Lord,  Chrift,  carryhimfelf  in  this  cafe? 
 and  what  was  his  bufinefs  in  all  places  and  compa- 
 nies ?  Was  it  not  to  do  the  will,  and  advance  the 
 glory,  of  his  Father?  If  I  be  injured  and  reviled, 
 coiilider  how  would  he  do  in  this  ?  Would  he  repay 
 one  injury  with  another,  one  reproach  with  another 
 reproach  ?  No,  beiri^  reviled^  he  reviled  not  again^ 
 I  Pet.  ii.  23.  Well,  through  his  llrength,  this  fhall 
 be  my  way  too.  Thus  ought  it  to  be  with  the 
 Chriftian,  framing  all  his  ways  and  words,  and  very 
 thoughts,  upon  that  model,  the  mind  of  Chrifl,  and  to 
 ftudy  in  all  thmgs  to  walk  even  as  he  walked^  i  John 
 ii.  6.  ;  ftudying  it  much,  as  the  reafon  and  rule  of 
 mortification,  and  drawing  from  it,  as  the  real  caufe 
 and  fpring  of  mortification. 
 
 The  pious  contemplation  of  his  death  w^ill  moft 
 powerfully  kill  the  love  of  fin  in  the  foul,  and  kindle 
 an  ardent  hatred  of  it.  The  believer,  looking  on  his 
 Jefus  crucified  for  him,  and  wounded  for  his  tranf 
 grefjions,  and  taking  in  deep  thoughts  of  his  fpotlefs- 
 innocency  that  deferved  no  fuch  thing,  and  of  his 
 raatchlefs  love  that  yet  endured  it  all  for  him,  will 
 then  naturally  thmk,  *'  Shall  I  be  a  friend  to  that 
 "  which  v/as  his  deadly  enemy  ?  Shall  fin  be   fweet 
 
 "  to 
 
VER.  I.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I43 
 
 **  to  me,  that  was  fo  bitter  to  him,  and  that  for  my 
 *'  fake  ?  Shall  1  ever  lend  it  a  good  look,  or  enter- 
 *'  tain  a  favourable  thought  of  that  which  fhed  my 
 **  Lord's  blood  ?  Shall  1  live  in  that  for  which  he 
 "  died,  and  died  to  kill  it  in  me?"  Oh  I  let  it  not 
 be. 
 
 To  the  end  it  may  not  be,  let  fuch  really  apply 
 that  death  to  work  this  on  the  foul ;  for  this  is  al- 
 ways to  be  added,  and  is  the  main  thing  indeed,  by 
 holding  and  fallening  that  death  clofe  to  the  foul,  ef- 
 fedtually  to  kill  the  effeds  of  fin  in  it ;  to  (tifle  and 
 crufli  them  dead,  by  prefling  that  death  on  the  heart ; 
 looking  on  it,  not  only  as  a  moil  complete  model,  but 
 as  having  a  moft  effedual  virtue,  for  this  effect,  and 
 defiring  him,  entreating  our  Lord  himfelf,  who  com- 
 municates himfelf,  and  the  virtue  of  his  death,  to  the 
 believer,  that  he  would  powerfully  caufe  it  to  flow 
 in  upon  us,  and  let  us  feel  the  virtue  of  it. 
 
 It  is  then  the  only  "thriving  and  growing  life,  to 
 be  much  in  the  lively  contemplation  and  application 
 of  Jefus  Chrift  ;  to  be  continually  ftudying  him,  and 
 converling  with  him,  and  drawing  from  him  ;  re- 
 ceivi7ig  of  his  fulnefs^  grace  for  grace,  John  i.  16. 
 Wouldfl  thou  have  much  power  againll;  (in,  and 
 much  increafe  of  holinefs,  let  thine  eye  be  much  on 
 Chrifl ;  fet  thine  heart  on  him  ;  let  it  dwell  in  him, 
 and  be  flill  with  him.  When  iin  is  like  to  prevail 
 in  any  kind,  go  to  him,  tell  him  of  the  infurredlion 
 of  his  enemies,  and  thy  inability  to  refifl,  and  deiire 
 him  to  fupprefs  them,  and  to  help  thee  againll  them, 
 that  they  may  gain  nothing  by  their  llirring,  but  fome 
 new  wound.  If  thy  heart  begin  to  be  taken  with, 
 and  move  towards,  fin,  lay  it  before  him  ;  the  beams 
 of  his  love  fhall  eat  out  that  fire  of  thefe  finful  lufts. 
 Wouldfl  thou  have  thy  pride,  and  pafiions,  and  love 
 of  the  Vv'orld,  and  felf-love,  killed,  go  fue  for  the  vir- 
 tue of  his  death,  and  that  faall  do  it;  feek  his  Spirit, 
 the  Spirit  ot  meeknefs,  and  humility,  and  divine  love. 
 Look  on  him,  and  he  ffiall  draw  thy  heart  heaven- 
 wards, 
 
144  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 wards,  and  unite  it  to  himfelf,  and  make  it  like  him- 
 felf.     And  is  not  that  the  thing  thou  delireft  ? 
 
 Ver.  2.  That  he  no  longer  Jhould  live  the  rejl  of  his 
 time  in  the  jiejh  to  the  lujis  of  men^  hut  to  the  will 
 of  God, 
 
 ^.  For  the  time  paji  of  our  life  may  fuffice  us  to  have 
 wrought  the  will  of  the  Gentiles,  when  we  walked 
 in  lafcivioufnefs,  luJls,  excefs  of  wine,  revellings, 
 banquetings,  and  abominable  idolatries, 
 
 THE  chains  of  fin  are  fo  flrong,  and  fo  faftened 
 on  our  nature,  that  there  is  in  us  no  power  to 
 break  them  off,  till  a  mightier  and  ftronger  Spirit 
 than  our  own  come  into  us.  The  Spirit  of  Chrifl 
 dropped  into  the  foul,  makes  it  able  to  break  through 
 a  troop,  and  leap  over  a  wall,  as  David  fpeaks  of  him- 
 felf furniflied  with  che  (length  of  his  God,  Pfal.  xviii. 
 29.  Mens  refolutions  fall  to  nothing  :  And  as  a  pri- 
 foner  that  offers  to  efcape,  and  does  not,  is  bound 
 faller,  thus  ufually  it  is  with  men  in  their  felf-purpo- 
 fes  of  forfaking  fin  ;  they  leave  out  Chrifl  in  the  work, 
 and  fo  remain  in  their  captivity,  yea,  it  grows  upon 
 them ;  and  while  we  prefs  them  to  free  themfelves, 
 and  (hew  not  Chrifl  to  them,  we  put  them  upon  an 
 impoffibility  :  Bat  a  look  to  him  makes  it  feafible 
 and  eafy.  Faith  in  him,  and  that  love  to  him  which 
 faith  begets,  breaks  through  and  furmounts  all  diffi- 
 culties. It  is  the  powerful  love  of  Chrifl  that  kills 
 the  love  of  fin,  and  kindles  the  love  of  holinefs  in  the 
 foul ;  makes  it  a  willing  fharer  in  his  death,  and  fo 
 a  happy  partaker  of  his  life  :  For  that  always  follows, 
 and  mud  of  neceffity,  as  here  is  added.  He  that  hath 
 fiiffered  in  the  flejh  hath  ceafed  from  Jin,  is  crucified 
 and  dead  to  it,  but  he  lofes  nothing  :  Yea,  it  is  his 
 great  gain,  to  lofe  that  deadly  life  of  the  flefli  for  a 
 new  fpiritual  life  ;  a  life  indeed,  living  unto  God, 
 That  is  the  end  why  he  fo  dies,  that  he  may  thus 
 live,   That  he  no  longer  Jhould  live,  i£c,  and  yet  live 
 
 far 
 
VER.  2,  3.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER*  145 
 
 far  better,  live  to  the  will  of  God.  He  that  is  one 
 with  Chriil  by  believing,  is  one  throughout  in  death 
 and  life.  As  Chrift  role,  fo  he  that  is  dead  to  fin 
 with  him,  through  the  power  of  his  death,  rifes  to 
 that  new  life  with  him,  through  the  power  of  his 
 refurredlion.  And  thefe  two  are  our  fandifieation, 
 which,  whofoever  do  partake  of  Chrid,  and  are  found 
 in  him,  do  certainly  draw  from  him.  Thus  are  they 
 joined,  Rom.  vi.  it.  Likewife  reckon  you  yourfehes 
 dead  indeed  tojitiy  but  alive  to  God,  and  both  through 
 Cbrijl  Jejus  our  Lord, 
 
 All  ihey  that  do  really  come  to  Jefus  Chrift,  as 
 they  come  to  him  as  their  Saviour,  to  be  cloathed 
 with  him,  and  made  righteous  by  him  ;  they  come 
 likewife  to  him  as  their  Sandtifier,  to  be,  made  new 
 and  holy  by  hirn,  to  die  and  live  with  him,  to  follow 
 the  Lamh  wberefoever  he  goes,  through  the  hardeft 
 fufferings,  and  death  itfeif  And  thjs  fpiritual  fuf- 
 fering  and  dying  with  him,  is  the  univerfal  way  of 
 all  his  followers :  They  are  all  martyrs  thus  in  the 
 crucifying  of  finful  flelh,  and  fo  dying  for  him,  and 
 with  him  ;  and  they  may  well  go  cheerfully  through, 
 though  it  bear  the  unpleafant  name  of  death  :  Yet 
 as  the  other  death  is  (which  makes  it  fo  little  terri- 
 ble, yea,  often  to  appear  fo  very  delirable  to  them,  fo  is 
 this)  the  way  to  a  far  more  excellent  and  happy  life, 
 fo  that  they  may  pafs  through  it  gladly,  both  for  the 
 company  and  end  of  it.  It  is  with  Chrift  they  go 
 into  his  death,  as  unto  life  in  his  life.  Though  a 
 believer  might  be  free  upon  thefe  terms,  he  would 
 not.  No,  fure  :  Could  he  be  content  with  that  eafy 
 life  of  fin,  inftead  of  the  divine  life  of  Chrift  ?  No, 
 he  will  do  thus,  and  not  accept  of  deliverance,  that 
 he  may  obtain  (as  the  Apoftle  fpeaks  of  the  martyrs, 
 Heb.  xi.  35.)  a  better  refurreBion,  Think  on  it  again, 
 you  to  whom  your  fins  are  dear  ftiil,  and  this  life 
 fweet  ;  you  are  yet  far  from  Chrift  and  bis  life. 
 
 The  Apoftle,  with  intent  to  prefs  this  more  home, 
 exprefles  more  at  large  the  nature  of  the  opp'-^hte 
 
 Vol.  II.  T  eftates 
 
146  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV% 
 
 eftates  and  lives  that  he  fpeaks  of,  and  fo  fets  before 
 his  Chriftian  brethren,  i.  The  dignity  of  that  new 
 life  ;  and  then,  2.  By  a  particular  refledtion  upon  the 
 former  life,  he  prefles  the  change.  The  former  life 
 he  calls  a  living,  to  the  lujis  of  men  ;  this  new  fpiritual 
 life,  to  the  will  of  God* 
 
 The  luJls  of  meni\  Such  as  are  common  to  the  cor- 
 rupt nature  of  man ;  fuch  as  every  man  may  find  in 
 himfelf  and  perceive  in  others.      The  Apolile  in  the 
 3d  verfe  more  particularly,  for  further  clearnefs,  fpe- 
 cifies  thofe  kinds  of  men  that  were  moil  notorious  in 
 thefe    lufts,    and    thofe    kinds   of    lulls    that    were 
 moil  notorious   in  men.     Writing   to   the    difperfed 
 Jews,  he  calls  finful  lulls  the  will  of  the  Gentiles,  as 
 having  leail  controul  of  contrary  light  in  them  ;  and 
 yet  the  Jews  walked  in  the  fame,  though  they  had 
 the  law  as  a  light  and  rule  for  the  avoiding  of  them  ; 
 and  implies,  that  thefe  lufts  were  unbefeeming  even 
 their  former  condition  as  Jews ;  but  much  more  un- 
 fuitable  to  them,  as  now   Chriftians.     Some  of  the 
 grolTeft  of  thefe  lufts  he  names,  meaning  all  the  reft, 
 all  the  ways  of  fin,  and  reprefenting  their  vilenefs  in 
 the  mare   lively  manner;  not  as  fome  take  it,   when 
 they  hear  of  fach  heinous  fins,  as  if  it  were  to  leflen 
 the  evil  of  more  civil  nature  by  the  comparifon,  or 
 intimate  freedom  from  thefe  to  be  a  blamelefs  condi- 
 tion,   and    a  change  of  it  needlefs.     No,   the  Holy 
 Ghoft  means  it  juft  contrary.     That  w^e  may  judge 
 of  all  fin  and  of  our  finful  nature,  by  our  eftimate  of 
 thefe  fins  that  are  moft  difcernible  and  abominable  ; 
 all  fin,  though  not  equal  in  degree,  yet  is  of  one  na- 
 ture, and  originally  fpringing  from   one   root,  arifing 
 from  the  fame  unholy  nature  of  man,  and  contrary 
 to  the  fame  holy  nature  and  will  of  God. 
 
 So  then,  1.  Thefe  that  walk  in  thefe  highways  of 
 impiety,  and  yet  will  have  the  name  of  Chrifiians, 
 they  are  the  (hame  of  Chriftians,  and  the  profefted 
 enemies  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  of  all  others  the  mpft 
 hateful  to  him :    They  feem  to  have  taken  on  his 
 
 name. 
 
i^ER.  2,  3.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I47 
 
 name,  for  no  other  end  but  to  (hame  and  difgrace  it ; 
 but  he  will  vindicate  himfelf,  and  the  blot  fhali  reft 
 upon  thefe  impudent  perfons,  that  dare  hold  up  their 
 faces  in  the  Church  of  God  as  parts  of  it,  and  are  in- 
 deed nothing  but  the  diiliondur  of  it,  fpots  and  blots ; 
 that  dare  profefs  to  worfhip  God  as  his  people,  and 
 remain  unclean,  riotous  and  profane  perfons.  How 
 fuits  thy  fitting  here  before  the  Lord,  and  thy  fitting 
 with  vile  ungodly  company  on  the  ale-bench  ?  How 
 agrees  the  word,  founds  it  well^  "  There  goes  a 
 **  drunken  Chriftian,  an  unclean,  a  bafely  covetous, 
 "  an  earthly  minded,  Chriftian  I"  and  the  naming  of 
 thefe  is  not  befides  the  text,  but  agreeable  to  the 
 very  words  of  it ;  for  the  Apoftle  warrants  us  to  take 
 it  under  the  name  of  idolatry  ;  and  in  that  name  he 
 reckons  it  to  be  mortified  by  a  Chriftian.  Col.  iii.  5. 
 Mortify  therefore  your  members  which  are  upon  the 
 earth,  fornication,  uncleannefs^  inordifiate  affection,  evil 
 concupifcence,  and  covetoufnefs,  which  is  idolatry, 
 
 2,  But  yet  men,  that  are  fomeway  exempted  from 
 the  blot  of  thefe  foul  impieties,  may  ftill  remain  flaves 
 to  fin,  alive  to  it,  and  dead  to  God,  living  to  the  lufts 
 of  men,  and  not  to  the  will  of  God,  pleafing  others 
 and  themfelves,  difpleafing  him.  And  the  fmootheft, 
 beft  bred,  and  moft  moralized  natural  man,  is  in  this 
 bafe  thraldom  :  And  the  more  miferable,  that  he 
 dreams  of  liberty  in  the  midft  of  his  chains,  thinks 
 himfelf  clean  by  looking  on  thofe  that  wallow  in 
 grofs  profanenefs ;  takes  meafure  of  himfelf  by  the 
 moft  crooked  lives  of  ungodly  men  about  him,  and 
 fo  thinks  himfelf  very  ftraight ;  but  lays  not  the 
 ftraight  rule  of  the  will  of  God  to  his  ways  and 
 heart,  which,  if  he  did,  he  w^ould  then  difcover 
 much  crookednefs  in  his  ways,  and  much  more  in 
 his  heart,  that  now  he  fees  not,  but  takes  it  to  be 
 fquare  and  even, 
 
 Therefore  I  advife  and  defire  you  to  look  more 
 narrowly  to  yourl'elves  in  this,  and  fee  whether  you 
 bs  not  ftili  living  to  your  own  lufts  and  wills  inftead 
 
 of 
 
14^  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  fcHAF.  iV-r 
 
 of  God  ;  feeking,  in  all  your  ways,  to  advance  an^ 
 pleafe  yourtelves,  and  not  him.  Is  not  the  bent  of 
 your  hearts  fet  that  way  ?  Do  not  your  whole  de- 
 lires  and  endeavours  run  in  that  channel,  how  you 
 and  yours  may  be  fomebody,  and  you  may  have 
 wherewithal  to  ferve  the  fleih,  and  to  be  accounted 
 of  and  relpeded  amongll  men?  And  if  we  trace  it 
 home,  all  a  man's  honouring  and  pleafing  of  others,, 
 tends  to,  and  ends  in  pleaiing  of  himfelf.  It  refolves 
 in  that,  and  is  it  not  fo  meant  by  him?  He  pleafes 
 men,  either  that  he  may  gain  by  them,  or  be  re- 
 fpedled  by  them,  or  fomething  that  is  ftiil  pleaiing  to 
 himfelf  may  be  the  return  of  it.  So  felf  is  the  grand 
 idol,  for  vt'hich  all  other  heart-idolatries  are  commit- 
 ted. And,  indeed,  in  the  unrenewed  heart  there  i& 
 no  fcarcity  of  them.  Oh  I  what  multitudes,  what 
 heaps,  if  the  wall  were  digged  through,  and  the 
 light  of  God  going  before  us,  and  leading  us  in  to 
 fee  them  ?  The  natural  motion  and  way  of  the  na* 
 tural  heart  is  no  other  but  ftill  feeking  out  new  in- 
 ventions, a  forge  of  new  gods,  Hill  either  forming 
 them  to  itfelf,  or  worfhipping  thefe  it  hath  already 
 framed  y  committing  fpiritual  fornication  from  God 
 with  the  creature,  and  multiplying  lovers  every 
 where,  as  it  is  tempted  :  As  the  Lord  complains  of 
 his  people,  upon  every  high  hilly  and  under  e'very  green 
 tree,  Jer.  ii.  20.  iii.  6. 
 
 You  will  not  believe  fo  much  ill  of  yourfelves,. 
 will  not  be  convinced  of  this  unpleafant  but  necelTary 
 truth  :  And  this  is  a  part  of  our  felf-pleaiing,  that 
 we  pleafe  ourfelves  in  this,  that  we  will  not  fee  it  -^ 
 not  in  our  callings  and  ordinary  ways,  not  in  our 
 religious  exercifes,  for  in  thefe  we  naturally  aim  at 
 nothing  but  ourfelves  ;  either  our  reputation,  or  at 
 bell  our  own  fafety  and  peace;  either  to  Hop  the 
 cry  of  confcience  for  the  prefent,  or  efcape  the  wrath 
 that  is  to  come  :  But  not  in  a  fpiritual  regard  of  the 
 will  of  God,  and  out  of  pure  love  to  himfelf  for  him- 
 felf j  yet  thus  it  Ihould  be,  and  that  love  the  divine 
 
 fixe- 
 
VER.  2,  3.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I49 
 
 fire  in  all  our  facrifices.  The  carnal  mind  is  in  the 
 dark,  and  fees  not  its  vilenefs  in  living  to  itielf ;  will 
 not  confefs  it  to  be  fo ;  but  when  God  comes  into 
 the  foul,  he  lets  it  fee  itfelf,  and  all  its  idols  and  ido- 
 latries, and  forces  it  to  abhor  and  loath  itfelf  for  all 
 its  abominations ;  and  having  difcovered  its  filthinefs 
 to  itfelf,  then  he  purges  and  cleanfes  it  for  himfelf, 
 from  all  its  filthinefs^  and  from  all  its  idols,  Ezek. 
 xxxvi.  25.  according  to  his  promife,  and  comes  in 
 and  takes  poflellion  of  it  for  himfelf,  enthrones  him- 
 felf in  the  heart,  and  it  is  never  right  nor  happy  till 
 that  be  done. 
 
 But  to  the  will  of  God,'\  We  readily  take  any  little 
 illght  change  for  true  converfion,  but  we  may  fee 
 here  that  we  millake  it ;  it  doth  not  barely  knock  off 
 fome  obvious  apparent  enormities,  but  calls  all  in  a 
 new  mould  ;  alters  the  whole  frame  of  the  heart  and 
 life  ;  ^n^^a^manj^and  makes  him  alije  again  ;  and 
 this  new  life  is  contrary To~tRe  old  :  For  the  change 
 is  made  with  that  intent,  that  he  live  no  longer  to  the 
 lufis  of  men,  hut  to  the  will  of  God, 
 
 He  is  now,  indeed,  a  new  creature,  having  a  new 
 judgment  and  new  thought  of  things,  and  fo  accord- 
 ingly, new  defires  and  affedlions,  and  anfwerable  to 
 thefe  new  ad  ions ;  Old  things  pafl  away,  and  dead^ 
 and  all  things  become  new,  2  Cor.  v.  17. 
 
 Politic  men  have  obfcrved,  that  in  flates,  if  alte- 
 rations muft  be,  it  is  better  to  alter  many  things  than 
 a  few.  And  phylicians  have  the  fame  remark  for 
 one's  habit  and  cullom  for  bodily  health,  upon  the 
 fame  ground  ;  becaufe  things  do  fo  relate  one  to  ano- 
 ther, that  except  they  be  adapted  and  fuited  together 
 in  the  change,  it  avails  not  ;  yea,  it  fometimes  proves 
 the  worfe  in  the  whole,  though  a  few  things  in  par- 
 ticular feem  to  be  bettered.  Thus,  half  reformations 
 in*  a  Chriftian  turn  to  his  prejudice  ;  it  is  only  beft  to 
 be  thoroughly  reformed,  and  to  give  up  with  all 
 idols ;  not  to  live  one  half  to  himfelf  and  the  world, 
 and,  as  it  were,  another  half  to  God  j  for  that  is  but 
 
 falfely 
 
15^  A  COMMENTARY     UPON  [cHAI*.  iV; 
 
 falfely  fo,  and,  in  reality,  it  cannot  be.  The  only 
 way  is  to  make  a  heap  of  all,  to  have  all  facrificed 
 together,  and  to  live  to  no  luft,  but  altogether,  and 
 only,  to  God.  Thus  it  muft  be  ;  there  is  no  monfter 
 in  the  new  creation,  no  half  new  creature,  either  all^ 
 or  not  at  all,  oXo^  n  fx-n  oA«f.  We  have  to  deal  with 
 the  Maker  and  the  Searcher  of  the  heart  in  this  turn, 
 and  he  will  have  nothing  unlefs  he  have  the  heart, 
 and  none  of  that  neither,  unlefs  he  have  it  all.  If 
 thou  pafs  over  into  his  kingdom,  and  become  his 
 fubjed,  thou  mull  have  him  for  thy  only  Sovereign, 
 Loyalty  can  admit  of  no  rivality  "^j  and  leaft  of  all 
 the  higheft,  and  beft  of  all.  If  Chrift  be  thy  King, 
 then  his  laws  and  fceptre  muft  rule  all  m  thee,  thou 
 muft  now  acknowledge  no  foreign  power ;  that  will 
 be  treafon. 
 
 And  if  he  be  thy  huft)and,  thou  muft  renounce  all 
 others  ;  wilt  thou  provoke  hiin  to  jealoufy?  yea,  be^ 
 ware  how  thou  giveft  a  thought  or  a  look  of  thy  af™ 
 fedlion  any  other  way,  for  he  will  fpy  it,  and  will 
 not  endure  it.  The  title  of  a  huftDand  is  as  ftrid  and 
 tender  as  the  other  of  a  king. 
 
 It  is  only  beft  to  be  thus :  it  is  thy  great  advantage 
 and  happinefs  to  be  thus  entirely  freed  from  fo  many 
 tyrannous  bafe  lords,  and  now  fubjedl  only  to  one^ 
 and  he  fo  great,  and  withal  lo  gracious  and  fweet  a 
 King  :,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  Thou  -vvaft  hurried  be- 
 fore, and  racked  with  the  very  multitude  of  them  ; 
 thy  lufts,  fo  many  cruel  talk-mafters  over  thee,  they 
 gave  thee  no  reft,  and  the  work  they  fet  thee  to  was 
 bafe  and  ilavifti,  more  than  the  burdens,  and  pots^ 
 and  toiling  in  the  clay  of  Egypt ;  thou  waft  held  to 
 work  in  the  earth,  to  pain,  and  to  foil  and  foul  thy- 
 felf  with  their  drudgery. 
 
 Now  thou  haft  but  one  to  ferve,  and  that  is  a  great 
 eafe  ;  and  it  is  no  llavcry,  but  true  honour,  to  ferve 
 fo  excellent  a  Lord,  and  in  fo  high  fervices :  For  he 
 puts  thee  upon  nothing  but  what  is  neat,  and  what 
 
 is 
 
 *  Omnisque  potejlas  impatiens  conjortis^ 
 
¥ER.  2,  3.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OP  PETER.  I5I 
 
 is  honourable.     Thou  art  as  a  veffel  of  honour  in  his 
 houle,   ror  his  belt  employments ;  now   thou  art  not 
 in  pain  how  to  pleafe  this  peri'on  and  the  other ;  nor 
 needclt   thou  to  vex  thyl'elf  to  gain  men,  to  ftudy 
 their   approbation  and  honour  ;  nor  to  keep  to  thine 
 own  lults   and  obferve  their  mind.     Thou  hall  none 
 but  th>  God  to  pleafe  in  all  *,  and  if  he  be  pleafed, 
 thou   mayeft  difregard  who  be  difpleafed.     His  will 
 is  not  tickle   and   changing  as  mens  are,   and  as  thine 
 own  hath   often   been  ;  he  hath  told  thee   what  he 
 likes,  and  defires,  and  alters  not :  So  now  thou  know- 
 eft  whom  thou  haft  to  do  withal,  and   what  to  do, 
 whom  to  pleafe,  and  what  will  pleafe  him,  and  this 
 cannot   but  much  fettle  thy  mind,   and   put  thee  at 
 eafe  :  Thou  mayeft  fay  heartily,   as  rejoicing  in  the 
 change  of  fo  many  for  one,  and  fuch,  for  fuch  a  one, 
 as  the   Church   fays,  Ifa.  xxvi.  13.  0  Lord  our  God, 
 other  lords  hejide  thee  have  had  dominion  over  me,  but 
 now  by  thee  only  will  I  make  mention  of  thy  name  ;  now 
 pone   but  thyfelf,  not  fo  much  as  the   name  of  them 
 any  more;  away  with  them  ;  through  thy  grace,  thou 
 only  fhalt  be  my  God.     It  cannot  endure  that  any 
 thing  be  named  with  thee. 
 
 Now  that  it  may  be  thus,  that  we  may  wholly  live 
 to  the  will  of  God,  we  firft  muft  know  his  ivill,  what 
 it  is.  Perfons  grofsly  ignorant  of  God,  and  of  his  will, 
 cannot  live  to  him  ;  we  cannot  have  fellow/hip  with 
 him,  and  walk  in  darknefs,  for  he  is  light,  i  John  i. 
 6,  7.  This  takes  off  a  great  many  amongft  us,  that 
 have  not  fo  much  as  a  common  notion  of  the  will  of 
 God,  But  befides,  that  knowledge,  which  is  a  part, 
 and  (I  may  fay)  the  firft  part,  of  the  renewed  image 
 of  God,  is  not  a  natural  knowledge  of  fpiritual  things, 
 merely  attained  by  human  teaching  or  induftry  ;  but 
 it  is  a  beam  of  God's  own,  iflliing  from  himfelf,  both 
 enlightening  and  enlivening  the  whole  foul.  It  gains 
 the  afte^lion  and  ftirs  to  adion  :  and  fo,  indeed,  it 
 ads,  and  increafes  by  ading  ;  for  the  more  we  walk 
 ^^cording  to  what  we  know  of  the  will  of  God,  the 
 
 inoro 
 
t^2  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 more  we  fhall  be  advanced  to  know  more.  That  is 
 the  real  proving  what  is  his  good^  and  holy^  and  ac- 
 ceptable will,  Rom.  xii.  2.  So  fays  Chrift,  If  any  will 
 do  the  will  of  my  Father,  he  [ball  know  of  the  doBrine, 
 John  vii.  17.  Our  lying  off  from  the  lively  ule  of 
 known  truth,  keeps  us  low  in  the  knowledge  of  God, 
 and  communion  with  him. 
 
 2.  So  then  upon  that  knowledge  of  God's  will, 
 where  it  is  fpiritual,  and   from   himfelf,   follows  the 
 
 fuiting  of  the  heart  with  it,  the  affeclions  taking  the 
 ftamp  of  it,  and  agreeing  with  it ;  receiving  the  truth 
 in  the  love  of  it,  fo  that  the  heart  may  be  transformed 
 into  it,  and  now  not  driven  to  obedience  violently, 
 but  fweetly  moving  to  ir,  by  love  within  the  heart 
 framed  to  the  love  of  God,  and  fo  of  his  will. 
 
 3.  As  Divine  knowledge  begets  this  affe(n:ion,  fo 
 this  affedtion  will  bring  forth  adion,  real  obedience. 
 For  thefe  three  are  infeparably  linked,  and  each  de- 
 pendent on,  and  the  produd  of,  one  another.  The 
 affedlion  is  not  blind,  but  flowing  from  knowledge, 
 nor  adtual  obedience  conftrained,  but  flowMng  from 
 affedlion ;  and  the  affedion  is  not  idle,  feeing  it 
 brings  forth  obedience  ;  nor  the  knowledge  dead, 
 feeing  it  begets  affedicn. 
 
 Thus  the  renewed,  the  living  Chriftian,  is  all  for 
 God;  a  facrifice  entirely  offered  up  to  God,  and  a  li- 
 qjing  facrifice,  which  lives  to  God.  He  takes  no  more 
 notice  of  his  own  carnal  will ;  hath  renounced  that 
 to  embrace  the  holy  will  of  God  ;  and,  therefore, 
 though  there  is  a  contrary  law  and  will  in  him,  yet 
 he  docs  not  acknowledge  it,  but  only  the  law  of 
 Chrift,  as  now  eftablillied  in  him  ;  that  law  of  love, 
 by  which  he  is  fweetly  and  willingly  led  to  real  obe- 
 dience. So  that  he  confults  not  now  in  his  ways, 
 with  fiejlj  and  blood,  what  will  pleafe  them,  but  only 
 irtquires  what  will  pleafe  his  God  ;  and,  knowing  his 
 mind,  refolves  to  demur  no  more,  nor  to  aik  confent 
 of  any  other.  That  he  will  do;  and  it  is  reafoii 
 enough  to  him,  my  Lord   wills  it;  therefore  in   his 
 
 ftrength 
 
VER.  «,  3.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I53 
 
 llrength,  I  will  do  it ;  for  now  I  Jive  to  his  will,  it  is 
 my  life  to  ftudy  and  obey  it. 
 
 Now,  we  know  what  is  the  true  charadler  of  the 
 redeemed  of  Chrifl,  that  they  are  freed  from  the  fer- 
 vice  of  themfelves  and  of  the  world,  yea,  dead  to  it, 
 and  have  no  life  but  for  God,  as  all  his. 
 
 Let  this,  then,  be  our  ftudy  and  ambition,  to  attain 
 this,  and  to  grow  in  it ;  to  be  daily  further  freed  From 
 all  other  ways  and  delires,  and  more  wholly  ad- 
 dicted to  the  will  of  our  God ;  difpleafed  when  we 
 find  any  thing  elfe  ftir  or  move  within  us,  but  that, 
 — that,  the  fpring  of  our  motion  in  every  work. 
 
 1.  Becaufe  we  know  that  his  fovereign  will  is  (and 
 is  mod  juftly)  the  glory  of  his  name,  therefore  are 
 we  not  to  reft  till  this  be  fet  up  in  our  view,  as  our 
 end  in  all,  and  to  count  all  our  plaufible  doings  as 
 hateful  (as  indeed  they  are)  that  are  not  aimed  at 
 this  end  ;  yea,  endeavouring  to  have  it  as  frequently, 
 and  as  exprefsly,  before  us  as  we  can,  ftill  keeping 
 our  eye  on  the  mark  ;  throwing  away,  yea  undoing, 
 our  own  intereft,  not  feeking  ourfelves  in  any  thing, 
 but  him  in  all. 
 
 2.  As  living  to  his  will  is  the  great  and  ultimate 
 end  we  fhould  propofe  in  all  our  intentions  and  ac- 
 tions, fo  in  all  and  every  ftep  towards  their  execu- 
 tion or  accomplifhment :  For  we  cannot  attain  his 
 end  but  in  his  way,  nor  can  we  intend  it  without  a 
 reiignation  of  the  way  to  his  prefcription ;  taking  all 
 our  diredions  from  him,  how  we  Ihall  honour  him 
 in  all.  The  foul  that  lives  to  him  hath  enough,  not 
 only  to  make  any  thing  warrantable  but  amiable ;  it 
 is  his  care  to  feek  his  will ;  and,  having  found  it,  he 
 not  only  does  it,  but  delights  to  do  it ;  that  is,  to  live 
 to  him,  to  find  it  our  life  ;  as  we  fpeak  of  a  work 
 wherein  men  do  mod,  and  with  mofl  delight  employ 
 themfelves.     **  That  fuch  a  luft  be  crucified,  is  it  thy 
 
 '  **  will,  Lord  ?  then  no  more  advifing,  no  more  de- 
 
 "  lay.     How  dear  foever  that   was  when  I  lived  to 
 
 ^*  it,  it  is  now  as  hateful,  feeing  I  live  to  thee  who 
 
 Vol.  IL  U  *^-  hateit 
 
«< 
 it 
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 tl 
 it 
 
 154  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  1\% 
 
 **  hateft  it.  Wilt  thou  have  me  forget  an  injury, 
 though  a  great  one,  and  love  the  perfon  that  hath 
 wronged  rae  ?  While  1  lived  to  myfeif  and  my 
 paffions,  this  had  been  hard.  But  now,  how  Tweet 
 is  it  I  feeing  I  live  to  thee,  and  am  glad  to  be  put 
 upon  things  mod  oppofite  to  ray  corrupt  heart ; 
 glad  to  trample  upon  my  ow^n  will,  to  follow  thine  ; 
 and  this  I  daily  afpire  to  and  aim  at,  to  have  no 
 **  will  of  my  own,  but  that  thine  be  in  me,  that  I 
 **  may  live  to  thee,  as  one  with  thee  ;  and  thou  my 
 rule  and  delight.  Yea,  not  to  ufe  the  very  natu- 
 ral comforts  of  my  life  but  for  thee ;  to  eat,  and 
 drink,  and  fleep  for  thee  ;  and  not  to  pleafe  my- 
 feif, but  to  be  enabled  to  ferve  and  pleafe  thee  ;  to 
 make  one  offering  of  myfeif  and  all  my  anions  to 
 thee  my  Lord." 
 Oh  I  it  is  the  only  fweet  life  to  be  living  thus, 
 and  daily  learning  to  live  more  fully  thus.  It  is  hea- 
 ven this,  a  little  fcantling  of  it  here,  and  a  pledge 
 of  whole  heaven  ;  This  is,  indeed,  the  life  of  Chrift  ; 
 not  only  like  his,  but  one  with  his;  it  is  his  Spirit, 
 his  life  derived  into  the  foul ;  and,  therefore,  both 
 the  moft  excellent,  and,  certainly,  mod  permanent,  for 
 he  dieth  710  more,  and  therefore  this  his  life  cannot  be 
 cxtinguifhed.  Hence  is  the  perfeverance  of  the  faints ; 
 becaufe  they  have  one  life  with.  Chrift,  and  fo  are 
 alive  unto  God,  once  for  all,  for  ever. 
 
 It  is  true,  the  former  cuftom  of  fin  would  plead 
 old  polTeffion  with  grace  ;  and  this  the  Apoftle  im- 
 plies here,  that  becaufe  formerly  we  lived  to  our 
 lufts,  they  will  urge  that ;  but  he  teaches  us  to  beat 
 it  diredly  back  on  them,  and  turn  the  edge  of  it  as 
 a  moft  ft;rong  rcalbn  again  ft  them.  '*  True  you  had 
 **  fo  long  time  of  us,  the  more  is  our  forrow  and 
 *'  111  a  me,  and  the  more  reaibn  that  it  be  no  longer 
 '*  fo." 
 
 The  rejf,  of  this  time  in  the  fle/Jj,']  That  is,  in  this 
 body,  not  to  be  fpent  as  the  foregoing,  in  living  to  the 
 flejljy  that  is,  the  corrupt  lufts  of  it,  and  the  common 
 ■^  '  wavs 
 
Ver.  2,  3.3        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER. 
 
 ways  of  the  world  :  But  as  often  as  the  ChriftiaiT^ 
 looks  back  on  that,  to  find  it  as  a  fpur  in  his  fide,  to 
 be  the  more  earneft,  and  more  wholly  bufied  in  li-> 
 ving  much  to  God,  having  lived  fo  long  contrary  to 
 him,  in  living  to  the  flefli.  The  pajl  may  fiiffice  ;  there 
 is  a  figure  in  that  ^,  meaning  much  more  than  the 
 words  exprefs :  It  is  enough^  Oh  1  too  much,  to  have 
 lived  fo  long  fo  miferable  a  life. 
 
 Now,  fays  the  Ghriftian,  "  Oh  !  corrupt  lulls  and 
 deluding  world  I  look  for  no  more,  I  have  ferved 
 you  too  long.  The  reft,  whatfoever  it  is,  muft  be 
 to  my  Lord  ;  to  live  to  him  by  whom  I  live  ;  and 
 afiiamed  and  grieved  I  am  I  was  fo  long  in  be- 
 ginning. So  much  paft,  it  may  be,  the  mod,  of  my 
 fhort  race  paft,  before  I  took  notice  of  God,  or 
 **  looked  towards  him.  Oh  !  how  have  I  loft,  and 
 worfe  than  loft,  all  my  by  paft  days  ?  Now,  had 
 I  the  advantages  and  abilities  of  many  men,  and 
 were  I  to  live  many  ages,  all  ftiould  be  to  live  to 
 "  my  God,  and  honour  him.  And  what  ftrength  I 
 **  have,  and  what  time  I  fiiall  have,  through  his 
 "  grace,  fliall  be  wholly  his."'  And  when  any  Ghri- 
 ftian hath  thus  refolved,  his  intended  life  being  fo 
 imperfed:,  and  the  time  fo  ftiort,  the  poorntfs  of  the 
 offer  would  break  his  heart,  were  there  not  an  eter- 
 nity before  him,  wherein  he  ftiall  live  to  his  God, 
 and  in  him,  without  blemifii  and  without  end. 
 
 Spiritual  things  being  once  difcerned  by  a  fpiri- 
 tual  light,  the  whole  foul  is  carried  after  them  ;  and 
 the  ways  of  holinefs  are  never  truly  fweet  till  they 
 be  thoroughly  embraced  with  a  full  renunciation  of 
 all  that  is  contrary  to  them. 
 
 All  his  former  ways  of  wandering  from  God  are 
 very  hateful  to  a  Ghriftian,  who  is  indeed  returned 
 and  brought  home  ;  and  thofe  moft  of  all  hateful, 
 wherein  he  hath  moft  wandered  and  moft  delighted. 
 A  fight  of  Ghrift  gains  the  heart,  makes  it  break  from 
 all  intanglements  of  its  own  lufts,  and  of  the  profane 
 
 world 
 *  Called  in  the  Schools,  Liptoteu 
 
156  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 World  about  it.  And  thefe  are  the  two  things  the 
 Apoflle  here  aims  at,  exhorting  Chriftians  to  the 
 ftudy  of  newnefs  of  life,  and  fliewing  the  neceffity 
 of  it.  He  intimates  that  they  cannot  be  Chriftians 
 without  it ;  he  oppofes  their  new  eftate  and  engage- 
 ment, to  the  oid  cuftoms  of  their  former  condition, 
 and  to  the  continuing  cuftom  and  conceit  of  the  un- 
 '  godly  world ;  that  againft  both  they  may  maintain  that 
 rank  and  dignity  to  which  now  they  are  called,  and, 
 in  a  holy  difdain  of  both,  walk  as  the  redeemed  of 
 the  Lord.  Their  own  former  cuftom  he  fpeaks  to, 
 ver.  2,  3*  and  to  the  cuftom  and  opinion  of  the  world, 
 ver.  4.  and  both  thefe  will  fet  ftrong  upon  a  man,  efpe- 
 cially  while  he  is  yet  weak,  and  newly  entered  into 
 that  new  eftate. 
 
 I.  His  old  acquaintance,  his  wonted  lufts,  will  not 
 fail  to  beftir  themfelves  to  accoft  him  in  their  moft 
 obliging  familiar  way,  and  reprefent  their  long  con- 
 tinued friendftiip.  But  the  Chriftian,  following  the 
 principles  of  his  new  being,  will  not  entertain  any 
 long  difcourfe  with  them,  but  cut  them  fhort ;  tell 
 them  that  the  change  he  hath  made  he  avows,  and 
 finds  it  fo  happy,  that  thefe  former  delights  may  put 
 off  hopes  of  regaining  him.  No,  though  they  drefs 
 themfelves  in  their  beft  array,  and  put  on  all  their 
 ornaments,  and  fay,  as  that  known  word  of  that 
 courtefan,  I  a7Ji  the  fame  I  was,  the  Chriftian  will  an- 
 fwer  as  he  did,  I  am  not  the  fame  I  was ,  And  not 
 only  thus  will  he  turn  off  the  plea  of  former  acquain- 
 tance that  fm  makes,  but  turn  it  back  upon  it,  as,  in 
 his  prefent  thoughts,  making  much  againft  it.  "  The 
 **  longer  I  was  fo  deluded,  the  more  reafon  now  that 
 **  I  be  wifer  ;  the  more  time  fo  mifpent,  the  more 
 **  prefling  neceflity  of  redeeming  it.  Oh  I  I  have 
 **  too  long  lived  in  that  vile  flavery.  All  was  but 
 **  hulks  I  fed  on  ;  /  was  laying  out  my  money  for  that 
 **  which  was  no  bread,  and  my  labour  for  that  which 
 **  fatisfied  not,  Ifa.  Iv.  2.  Now  I  am  on  the  purfuit 
 **  of  a  good  that  I  am  fure  will  fatisfy,   will  fill  the 
 
 **  largeft 
 
VER.  2.  3.]  THE  FIRSf  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I57 
 
 "  largefl  defires  of  my  foul ;  and  (hall  I  be  fparing 
 "  and  flack,  or  fliall  any  thing  call  me  off  from  it? 
 "  Let  it  not  be.  I  that  took  fo  much  pains,  early 
 **  and  late,  to  ferve  and  facrifice  to  fo  bafe  a  god  ; 
 "  Ihall  I  not  now  live  more  to  my  new  Lord,  the 
 **  living  God,  and  facrifice  my  time  and  ftrength,  and 
 **  my  whole  feif,  to  him  ?'' 
 
 And  this  is  ftill  the  regret  of  the  fenfible  Chriftian^ 
 that  he  cannot  attain  to  that  unwearied  diligence, 
 and  that  ftrong  bent  of  affe6lion,  in  feeking  com- 
 munion with  God,  and  living  to  him,  that  fometimes 
 he  had  for  the  fervice  of  lin  ;  he  wonders  that  it 
 Ihould  be  thus  with  him,  not  to  equal  that  which  it 
 were  fo  reafonable  that  he  Ihould  fo  far  exceed. 
 
 It  is,  beyond  expreffion,  a  thing  to  be  lamented, 
 that  fo  fmall  a  number  of  men  regard  God,  the  au- 
 thor of  their  being,  that  fo  few  live  to  Him  in  whoin 
 they  live ;  returning  that  being  and  life  they  have, 
 and  all  their  enjoyments,  as  is  due,  to  him  from 
 whom  they  all  flow^  And  then,  how  pitiful  is  it,  that 
 the  fmall  number  that  is  thus  minded,  minds  it  fo  re- 
 mifsly  and  coldly,  and  is  fo  far  outftripped  by  the 
 children  of  this  world,  that  they  follow  painted  follies 
 and  lies  with  more  eagernefs  and  induftry  than  the 
 children  of  wifdom  do  that  certain  and  folid  blefled- 
 nefs  that  they  feek  after  *,  Strange  I  that  men  fhould 
 do  fo  much  violence  one  to  another,  and  to  them- 
 felves  in  body  and  mind,  for  trifles  and  chaff !  and 
 that  there  is  fo  little  to  be  found  of  that  allowed  and 
 commanded  violence,  for  a  kingdom,  ^mdifuch  a  king- 
 dom that  cannot  be  moved,  Heb.  xii.  28.;  a  word  too 
 high  for  all  the  monarchies  under  the  fun. 
 
 And,  fliould  not  our  diligence  and  violence  in  this 
 fo  worthy  a  defign  be  fo  much  the  greater,  the  later 
 we  begin  to  purfue  it  ?  They  tell  it  of  Ca^far,  that 
 when  he  paffed  into  Spain,  meeting  there  with  Alexan- 
 der's ftatue,  it  occafloned  him  to  weep,  confidering 
 that  he  was  up  fo  much  more  early,  having  perform- 
 ed 
 
 *  Plus  illi  ad  njanitatemy  qudm  nos  ad  viritatem^ 
 
I5S  A  COMMENTARY  UPOIT  [cHAP.  IW 
 
 ed  fo  many  conquefts  in  thofe  years,  wherein  he 
 thought  he  himfelf  had  done  nothing,  and  was  but  yet 
 beginning.  Truly  it  will  be  a  fad  thought,  to  a  really 
 renewed  mind,  to  look  back  on  the  flower  of  youth 
 and  ilrength  as  lofl  in  vanity  ;  if  not  in  grofs  pro- 
 fanenefs,  yet  in  felf-ferving  and  felf-pleafing,  and  in 
 ignorance  and  negled:  of  God.  And  perceiving  their 
 few  years  fo  far  fpent  ere  they  fet  out,  they  will  ac- 
 count days  precious,  and  make  the  more  hafte,  and 
 delire,  with  holy  David,  enlarged  hearts  to  run  the 
 *way  of  GocTs  commandment Sy  Pfal.  cxix.  32.  They 
 will  ftudy  to  live  much  in  a  little  time ;  and,  having 
 lived  all  the  paft  time  to  no  purpofe,  will  be  feniible 
 they  have  none  now  to  fpare  upon  the  lulls  and  ways 
 of  the  flefh,  and  vain  focieties  and  vifits :  Yea,  they 
 will  be  redeeming  all  they  can  even  from  their  ne- 
 celTary  affairs,  for  that  which  is  more  necelTary  than 
 all  other  neceffities,  that  one  thing  needful,  to  learn 
 the  will  of  our  God,  and  live  to  it ;  this  is  our  bufi- 
 nefs,  our  high  callings  the  main  and  moil  excellent  of 
 all  our  employments. 
 
 Not  that  we  are  to  call  off  our  particular  callings, 
 or  omit  due  diligence  in  them  ;  for  that  will  pr6ve  a 
 fnare,  and  involve  a  perfon  in  things  more  oppofite 
 to  godlinefs.  But  certainly  this  living  to  God  requires, 
 I.  A  fit  meafuring  of  thy  own  ability  for  affairs,  and, 
 as  far  as  thou  canfl  choofe,  fitting  thy  load  to  thy 
 llioulders,  not  furcharging  thyfelf  with  it.  An  ex- 
 ceffive  burden  of  buiineifes,  either  by  the  greatnefs 
 or  multitude  of  them,  will  not  fail  to  entangle  thee, 
 and  deprefs  thy  mind  ;  and  will  hold  it  fo  down, 
 that  thou  fhalt  not  find  it  poffible  to  walk  upright 
 and  look  upwards,  with  that  freedom  and  frequency 
 that  becomes  heirs  of  heaven. 
 
 2.  The  raeafure  of  thy  affairs  being  adapted,  look 
 to  thy  affedion  in  them,  that  it  be  regulated  too. 
 Thy  heart  may  be  engaged  in  thy  little  bufinefs  as 
 much,  if  thou  watch  it  not,  as  in  many  and  great  af- 
 fairs.     A  man  may  drown  in  a  little  brook  or  pool 
 
 a? 
 
VER.  2,  3.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I59 
 
 as  well  as  in  a  great  river,  if  he  be  down  and  plunge 
 himfelf  into  it,  and  put  his  head  under  water.  Some 
 care  thou  mull  have,  that  thou  mayeil  not  care ; 
 thefe  things  are  thorns  indeed  ;  thou  mull  make  a 
 hedge  of  them,  to  keep  out  thofe  temptations  that 
 accompany  floth,  and  extreme  want  that  waits  on 
 it :  But  let  them  be  the  hedge  ;  fufFer  them  not  to 
 grow  within  the  garden:  Thovgh  they  increafe^fet 
 not  thy  heart  on  them^  nor  fet  them  in  thy  heart. 
 That  place  is  due  to  another,  is  made  to  be  the  gar- 
 den of  thy  beloved  Lord  ;  made  for  the  beft  plants 
 and  flowers  ;  and  there  they  ought  to  grow,  the  love 
 of  God,  and  faith,  and  meeknefs,  and  the  other  fra- 
 grant graces  of  the  Spirit.  And  know  that  this  is  no 
 common  nor  eafy  matter  to  keep  the  heart  difengaged 
 in.  the  midft  of  affairs,  that  ilill  it  be  referved  for 
 Him  whofe  right  it  is. 
 
 3.  Not  only  labour  to  keep  thy  mind  fpiritual  in 
 itfeif,  but  by  it  put  a  fpiritual  itamp  even  upon  thy 
 temporal  employments ;  and  fo  thou  fhalt  live  to 
 God,  not  only  without  prejudice  of  thy  calling,  but 
 even  in  it,  and  Ihalt  converfe  with  him  in  thy  fhop, 
 or, in  the  field,  or  in  thy  journey,  doing  all  in  obe- 
 dience to  him,  and  offering  all,  and  thyfelf  withal, 
 as  a  facrifice  to  him  :  Thou  flill  with  him,-  and  he 
 flill  with  thee,  in  all.  This  is  to  live  to  the  will  of 
 God  indeed,  to  follow  his  diredion,  and  intend  his 
 glory  in  all.  Thus  the  wife,  in  the  very  overfight 
 •  of  her  houfe,  and  the  hufljand,  in  his  affairs  abroad, 
 may  be  living  to  God,  raifing  their  low  employments 
 to  a  high  quality  this  way,  *'  Lord,  even  this  mean 
 work  I  do  for  thee,  complying  with  thy  will,  who 
 hafl  put  me  in  this  flation,  and  given  me  this  talk ; 
 thy  will  be  done.  Lord,  I  offer  up  even  this  work 
 to  thee,  accept  of  me,  and  of  my  defire  to  obey 
 **  thee  in  all."  And  as  in  their  work,  fo  in  their  re- 
 frefliments  and  reft,  fuch  Chriflians  purfue  all  for 
 him,  whether  they  eat  or  drink,  doing  all  for  this  rea- 
 fon,  becaufe  it  is  his  will  j  and  for  this  end,  that  he 
 
 may 
 
 (C 
 
l6o  A    COMMENTARY   UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 may  have  ghry ;  bending  the  ufe  of  all  thesr  ftren.£>;th, 
 and  all  his  mercies,  that  way  ;  fetting  this  marl  on 
 all  their  deiigns  and  ways,  this  for  the  glory  of  my 
 Gody  and  this  further  for  his  glory,  i  Cor  x.  31.  fo 
 from  one  thing  to  another  throughout  their  whole 
 life.  This  is  the  art  of  keeping  the  heart  fpiritual 
 in  all  affairs,  yea,  of  fpiritualifing  the  affairs  them- 
 felves  in  their  ufe, ,  that  in  themfelves  are  earthly. 
 This  is  the  elixir  that  turns  lower  metal  into  gold, 
 the  mean  adions  of  this  life,  in  a  Chriilian's  hands, 
 into  obedience  and  holy  offerings  unto  God, 
 
 And,  were  we  acquainted  with  the  way  of  inter- 
 mixing holy  thoughts,  ejaculatory  eyings  of  God,  in 
 our  ordinary  ways,  it  would  keep  the  heart  in  a  fweet 
 temper  all  the  day  long,  and  have  an  excellent  in- 
 fluence into  all  our  ordinary  adlions  and  holy  per- 
 formances, at  thofe  times  when  we  apply  ourfeives 
 folemnly  to  them.  Our  hearts  would  be  near  them, 
 not  fo  far  off  to  feek,  and  call  in,  as  ufually  they  are 
 through  the  negled  of  this.  This  were  to  walk  with 
 God  indeed  ;  to  go  all  the  day  long  as  in  our  Father's 
 hand ;  whereas,  without  this,  our  praying  morning 
 and  evening  looks  but  as  a  formal  vifit,  not  delight- 
 ing in  that  conflant  converfe  which  yet  is  our  happi- 
 nefs  and  honour,  and  makes  all  eflates  fweet.  This 
 would  refrefh  us  in  the  hardeft  labour  ;  as  they  that 
 carry  the  fpices  from  Arabia  are  refrefh ed  with  the 
 fmell  of  them  in  their  journey  ;  and  fome  obferve, 
 that  it  keeps  their  flrength,  and  frees  them  from  famt- 
 ing. 
 
 If  you  would  then  live  to  God  indeed,  be  not  fa- 
 tistied  without  the  conflant  regard  of  him;  and  who- 
 foever  hath  attained  mofl  of  it,  fludy  it  yet  more  to 
 fet  the  Lord  ahvays  before  you,  as  David  profeffeth, 
 Pfal.  xvi.  8.  and  then  fliall  you  have  that  comfort 
 that  he  adds,  Hejhall  he  Jlill  at  your  right  hand^  that 
 youJ})all  not  he  moved* 
 
 And  you  that  are  yet  to  begin  to  this,  think  w^hat 
 l^is  patience  is,  that,  after  you  have  flighted  fo  many 
 
 calls^ 
 
VEK,  2,  3.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  l6x 
 
 calls,  you  may  yet  begin  to  feek  him,  and  live  to 
 him;  and  then,xon(ider,  if  you  Itill  defpife  all  this 
 goodnefs,  how  loon  it  may  be  otherwife  ;  you  may 
 be  paft  the  reach  of  this  call,  and  may  not  begin,  but 
 be  cut  off  for  ever  from  the  hopes  of  it.  Oh,  how 
 fad  an  eftate  I  and  the  more,  by  the  remembrance  of 
 thefe  flighted  offers  and  invitations  1  Will  you  then 
 yet  return,  you  that  would  fliare  in  Chrift  ?  Let  go 
 thefe  lulls  to  which  you  have  hitherto  lived,  and  em- 
 brace him,  and  in  him  there  is  fpirit  and  life  for  you. 
 He  fhall  enable  you  to  live  this  heavenly  life  to  the 
 will  of  God,  bis  God  and  your  God,  and  his  Father 
 and  your  Father,  John  xx.  17.  Oh  I  delay  no  longer 
 this  happy  change  ;  how  foon  may  that  puff  of  breath 
 that  is  in  thy  noilrils,  who  hearefl  this,  be  extinguifh- 
 ed  I  and  art  thou  willing  to  die  in  thy  fins,  rather 
 than  that  they  die  before  thee?  Thinkeft  thou  it  a 
 pain  to  live  to  the  will  of  God  ?  Sure  it  will  be  more 
 pain  to  lie  under  his  eternal  wrath.  Oh  I  thou 
 knoweft  not  how  fweet  they  find  it  that  have  tried 
 it  I  Or  thinkeft  thou,  I  will  afterw^ards  ?  Who  can 
 make  thee  fure  either  of  that  afterwards,  or  of  that 
 will,  if  but  afterwards  ?  Why  not  now  prefently, 
 without  further  debate  ?  Hall  thou  not  ferved  fin 
 long  enough  ?  may  not  the  time  paft  in  that  fervice 
 fuffice,  yea,  is  it  not  too  much  ?  Wouldft  thou  only 
 live  unto  God  as  little  time  as  may  be,  and  think  the 
 dregs  of  thy  life  good  enough  for  him  ?  What  in- 
 gratitude and  grofs  folly  is  this  I  Yea,  though  thou 
 wert  fure  of  coming  into  him,  and  being  accepted  ; 
 yet,  if  thou  knoweft  him  in  any  meafure,  thou 
 wouldft  not  think  it  a  privilege  to  defer  it,  but  wil- 
 lingly choofe  to  be  free  from  the  world  and  thylufts 
 to  be  immediately  his,  and  wouldft,  with  David,  7nake 
 hajle,  and  not  delay  to  keep  his  righteous  judgments : 
 all  the  time  thou  liveft  without  him,  what  a  filthy 
 wretched  life  is  it,  if  that  can  be  called  life  that  is 
 without  him  ?  To  live  to  fin,  is  to  live  ftill  in  a  dun- 
 geon ;  but  to  live  to  the  will  of  God,  is  to  walk  in  li- 
 VoL.  n.  %  berty 
 
162-  A  COMMENTARY  UPOK  [CHA?.  Itfv 
 
 Lerty  and  light ;  to  walk  by  light  unto  light,  by  the 
 beginnings  of  it  to  the  fulnefs  ot  it,  that  is  in  his  pre- 
 fence. 
 
 Ver.  4,  5.  Wherein  they  think  itjlrange  that  you  run 
 not  with  them  to  the  fame  excefs  of  riotyfpeaking 
 evil  of  you  ; 
 
 Who  Jhall  give  account  to  him  that  is  ready  to  judge 
 the  quick  and  the  dead, 
 
 GRACE,  until  it  reach  its  home,  and  end  in  glo- 
 ry, is  flill  in  conflid,  with  a  reftlefs  party  with- 
 in and  without,  yea,  the  whole  world  againft  it.  It 
 is  a  flranger  here,  and  is  accounted  and  ufed  fo  ; 
 they  think  it  jlrange  that  you  run  not  with  them^  and 
 they  fpeak  evil  of  you.  Thefe  wondering  thoughts 
 they  vent  in  reproaching  words. 
 
 In  thefe  two  verfes  we  have  thefe  three  things : 
 
 1.  The   Chriflian's    oppofite    courfe   to   the   world. 
 
 2.  Their  oppofite  thoughts  and  fpeeches  of  this  courfe, 
 '3.  The  fupreme  and  final  judgment  of  both. 
 
 I.  The  oppofite  courfe  in  that,  They  run  to  excejfes 
 of  riot,  1.  Tou  run  not  with  them.  They  run  to 
 exceifes,  ocauriotg^  of  riot  or  luxury.  Though  all  na- 
 tural men  are  not,  in  the  groffefl:  kind,  guilty  of  this, 
 yet  they  are  all  of  them  fome  way  truly  riotous  or 
 luxurious,  lavifliing  away  themfelves,  and  their  days, 
 upon  the  poor  periihing  delights  of  fin,  each  accord- 
 ing to  his  own  palate  and  humour.  As  all  perfons 
 that  are  riotous,  in  the  common  fenfe  of  it,  gluttons 
 or  drunkards,  do  not  love  the  fame  kind  of  meats  or 
 drink,  but  have  feveral  relifhes  or  appetites ;  yet  they 
 agree  in  the  nature  of  the  fin  ;  fo  the  notion  enlar- 
 ged after  that  fame  manner,  to  the  difterent  cufl;om 
 of  corrupt  nature,  takes  in  all  the  ways  of  fin  ;  fome 
 glutting  in,  and  continually  drunk  with  pleafures 
 and  carnal  enjoyments,  others  with  the  cares  of  this 
 life,  which  our  Saviour  reckons  with  furfeiting  ancj 
 drunkennefs,  as  being  a  kind  of  it,  and  furchargin^ 
 
 the 
 
"^iR.  4,  5.]  THE  :fIR§T  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  163 
 
 the  heart  as  they  do,  as  there  he  expreffes  it,  Luke  xxi. 
 34.  Take  heed  to  your/elves ^  left  at  any  time  your  hearts 
 he  overcharged  with  furfeiting  and  drunkennefs,  and 
 cares  of  this  life,  Whatfoever  it  is  that  draws  away 
 the  heart  from  God,  that,  how  plauiible  foever,  doth 
 debauch  and  deitroy  us.  We  fpend  and  undo  our- 
 felves  upon  it,  as  the  word  aaojTta  fignities,  making 
 havock  of  all.  And  the  other  word,  avap^uo-*?,  profu- 
 Jiun  and  dijfolute  lavijhing,  pouring  out  the  affeclion 
 upon  vanity.  It  is  Icattered  and  defiled  as  water 
 fpilt  upon  the  ground^  that  cannot  be  cleanfed  nor  ga- 
 thered up  again.  And  the  reprefentation  is  indeed 
 very  juft  ;  it  paiTes  all  our  Ikiil  and  ftrength  to  re- 
 cover and  recoiled  our  hearts  for  God  ;  he  only  can 
 do  it  for  himfelf;  he  that  made  it  cdn  gather  it,  and 
 cleanfe  it,  and  make  it  new,  and  unite  it  to  himfelf. 
 Oh  I  what  a  fcattered,  broken,  unliable  thing  is  the 
 carnal  heart  till  it  be  changed,  falling  in  love  with 
 every  gay  folly  it  meets  withal,  and  running  out  to 
 reft  profufely  upon  things  like  its  vain  felf,  that  fuit 
 and  agree  with  it,  and  ferve  its  lufts ;  it  can  dream 
 and  mufe  upon  thefe  long  enough,  any  thing  that 
 feeds  the  earthlinefs  or  pride  of  it,  can  be  prodigal 
 of  hours,  and  let  out  floods  of  thoughts,  where  a  little 
 is  too  much)  but  is  bounded  and  ftraitened  where  all 
 are  too  little  ;  hath  not  one  fixed  thought  in  a  whole 
 day  to  fpare  for  God. 
 
 And  truly  this  running  out  of  the  heart  is  a  conti- 
 nual drunkennefs  and  madnefs ;  it  is  not  capable  of 
 reafon,  and  will  not  be  Hopped  in  its  current  by  any 
 perfualion  ;  it  is  mad  upon  its  idols,  as  the  Prophet 
 fpeaks,  Jer.  1.  38.  You  may  as  well  fpeak  to  a  river 
 in  its  courfe,  and  bid  it  ftay,  as  fpeak  to  a:n  impeni- 
 tent flnner  in  the  courfe  of  his  iniquity  ;  and  all  the 
 Other  means  you  can  uie,  is  but  as  the  putting  of 
 your  finger  to  a  rapid  ftream  to  ftay  it.  But  there 
 is  a  hand  can  both  flop  and  turn  the  moft  impetuous 
 torrent  of  the  heart,  Prov.  xxi.  i.  be  it  even  of  a- 
 King,  that  will  leaft  endure  any  other  controlment. 
 
i64  A   COMMENTARY   UPON  [CHAf,  W, 
 
 Now,  as  the  ungodly  world  naturally  moves  to  this 
 |)rofufion  with  a  ftrong  and  fwift  motion^  runs  to  it, 
 {o  it  runs  together  to  it,  and  that  makes  the  current 
 borh  the  ftronger  and  fv/ifter ;  as  a  number  af  brooks 
 falling  into  one  main  channel  make  a  mighty  ftream.^ 
 And  every  man  naturally  is,  in  his  birth,  and  in  the 
 courfe  of  his  life,  juft  as  a  brook,  that  of  itfelf  is  car- 
 ried to  that  ftream  of  lin  that  is  in  the  world,  and 
 then  falling  into  it^  is  carried  rapidly  along  with  '\U 
 And  if  every  (inner,  taken  apart,  be  fo  inconvertible 
 by  all  created  power,  how  much  more  hard  a  tafk  i* 
 a  public  reformation,  and  turning  a  land  from  its 
 Gourfe  of  wickednefs  y  all  that  is  fet  to  dam  up  their 
 way,  doth  at  the  befl  but  flay  them  a  little,  and  they 
 fwell,  and  rife,  and  run  over  with  more  noife  and 
 violence  than  if  they  had  not  been  flopped.  Thus 
 we  find  outward  reflraints  prove,  and  thus  the  very 
 public  judgments  of  God  on  us.  They  may  have 
 made  a  little  interruption,  but  upon  the  abatement 
 of  them,  the  courfe  of  fin^  in  all  kindsy  feems  to  be 
 now  more  fierce,  as  it  were  to  regain  the  time  lod  in 
 that  conflrained  forbearance  :  So  that  we  fee  the  need 
 of  much  prayer  to  entreat  his  powerful  hand,  that 
 can  turn  the  courfe  of  Jordan,  that  he  would  work, 
 not  a  temporary,  but  an  abiding  change  of  the  courfe 
 ©f  this  land,  and  caufe  many  fouls  to  look  upon  Jefus 
 Chrifl,  and  flow  into  him,  as  the  word  is,  nni? 
 Pfal.  xxxrv.  5. 
 
 This  is,  their  courfe,  hut  you  run  not  with  them. 
 The  godly  are  a  fmall  and  weak  con^pany,  and  yet 
 run  counter  to  the  grand  torrent  of  the  world,  juft 
 againfl  them.  And  there  is  a  Spirit  within  them, 
 whence  that  their  contrary  motion  flows  ;  a  Spirit 
 Urong  enough  to  maintain  it  in  theni,  againfl  all  the 
 crowd  and  combined  courfe  of  the  ungodly,  i  Johrr 
 iv.  4,  Greater  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  be  that  is  in 
 the  world.  As  Lot  in  Sodom,  his  righteous  foul  was^ 
 not  carried  with  them,  but  vexed  with  their  ungodly 
 doings.     There  is  to  a  believer  the  example  of  Chrifl, 
 
VSR.  4,  5.]        THE  FIRST  EI*ISTtE  OF  PETER.  165 
 
 to  fet  againft  the  example  of  the  world,  and  the  Spirit 
 of  Chrift  againft  the  fpirit  of  the  world  i  and  thefe 
 are  by  far  the  more  excellent  and  ftronger.  Faith, 
 looking  to  him,  and  drawing  virtue  from  him,  makes 
 the  foul  furmount  all  difcouragements  and  oppofitions; 
 fo  Heb.  xii.  2.  Looking  to  Jefus  :  And  not  only  as  an 
 example  worthy  to  oppofe  to  all  the  world's  examples^ 
 the  faints  were  fo,  Chap.  xi.  and  Chap.  xii.  ;  but  he 
 more  than  they  all :  But  further,  he  is  the  Author  and 
 Finijher  of  our  faith  ;  and  fo  we  eye- him,  as  having 
 endured  the  crofs,  and  defpifed  the  Jhame,  and  as  fet 
 down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God,  !Not 
 only  that  in  doing  fo,  we  may  follow  him  in  that 
 way,  unto  that  end  as  our  pattern,  but  as  our  Head, 
 from  whom  we  borrow  our  ftrength  to  follow  fo,  the 
 Author  and  Finijher  of  our  faith.  And  fo,  i  John  v. 
 4.  nis  is  our  vidlory^  whereby  we  overcome  the  worlds 
 even  our  faith. 
 
 The  Spirit  of  God  fhews  the  believer  dearly  both 
 the  bafcnefs  of  the  ways  of  fin,  and  the  wretched 
 meafure  of  their  end.  That  divine  light  difcovers 
 the  fading  and  falfe  blufti  of  the  pleafures  of  fin,  that 
 there  is  nothing  under  them  but  true  deformity  and 
 rottennefs,  which  the  deluded  grofs  world  does  no£ 
 fee,  but  takes  the  firft  appearance  of  it  for  true  and 
 folid  beauty,  and  fo  is  enamoured  with  a  painted 
 ftrumpelt.  And  as  he  fees  the  vilenefs  of  that  love  of 
 fin,  he  fees  the  final  unhappinefs  of  it,  that  her  ways 
 lead  down  to  the  chambers  of  death*  Methinks  a  be- 
 liever is  as  one  ftanding  upon  a  high  tower,  that  fees 
 the  way  wherein  the  world  runs,  in  a  valley,  as  an 
 unavoidable  precipice,  a  fteep  edge,  hanging  over  the 
 bottomlefs  pit,  where  all  that  are  not  reclaimed  fall 
 over  before  they  be  aware  ;  this  they,  in  their  low 
 way,  perceive  not,  and  therefore  walk  and  run  on  in 
 the  fmooth  pleafures  and  eafe  of  it  towards  their  per-^ 
 dition  ;  but  he  that  fees  the  end  will  not  run  with 
 them,  » 
 
 And 
 
t6G  A  CbMMENTARY  UPON  [chAP;  f'^^ 
 
 And  as  he  hath  by  that  light  of  the  Spirit  this  clear 
 reafon  of  thinking  on,  and  taking  another  courfe,  fd 
 by  that  Spirit  he  hath  a  very  natural  bent  to  a  con- 
 trary motion,  that  he  cannot  be  one  With  them. 
 That  Spirit  moves  him  upwards,  whence  it  came,  and 
 makes  that,  in  fo  far  as  he  is  renewed,  his  natural 
 motion,  though  he  hath  a  clog  of  flefh  that  cleaves  to 
 him,  and  fo  breeds  him  fome  difficulty  ;  yet  in  the 
 flrength  of  that  new  nature  he  overcomes  it,  and  goes 
 on  till  he  attain  his  end,  where  all  the  difficulty  in 
 the  way  prefently  is  over- rewarded  and  forgotten  ; 
 that  makes  amends  for  every  weary  Hep,  that  every 
 one^of  thefe  that  walk  in  that  way  does  appear  in  TAon 
 before  God,  Pfal.  Ixxxiv.  6. 
 
 2.  We  have  their  oppoiite  thoughts  and  fpeeches 
 of  each  other  ;  tbey  think  itjirange^  /peaking  evil  of 
 joii.  The  Chriftian  and  the  carnal  man  are  mod 
 ^wonderful  to  each  other.  The  one  wonders  to  fee 
 the  other  walk  fo  ftridlly,  and  deny  himfelf  to  thefe 
 carnal  liberties  that  the  moil  take,  and  take  for  fo  ne- 
 cefTary,  that  they  think  they  could  not  live  without 
 them.  And  the  Chriftian  thinks  it  ftrange  that  men 
 ihould  be  fo  bewitched,  and  ftill  remain  children  in 
 the  vanity  of  their  turmoil,  wearying  and  humouring 
 themfelves  from  morning  to  night,  running  after  fto- 
 ries  and  fancies,  ever  bufy  doing  nothing ;  ^w^onders 
 that  the  delights  of  earth  and  fin  can  fo  long  enter- 
 tain and  pleafe  men,  and  perfuade  them  to  give  Jefus 
 Chrift  fo  many  refufals ;  to  turn  from  their  life  and 
 happinefs,  and  choofe  to  be  miferable ;  yea,  and  take 
 much  pains  to  make  themfelves  miferable.  He  knows 
 the  depravednefs  and  blindnefs  of  nature  in  this ; 
 knows  it  by  himfelf  that  once  he  was  fo,  and  there- 
 fore wonders  not  fo  much  at  them  as  they  do  at  him  ; 
 yet  the  unreafonablenefs  and  frenzy  of  that  courfe 
 now  appears  to  him  in  lb  ftrong  a  light,  that  he  can- 
 not but  wonder  at  thefe  woful  miftakes.  But  the 
 ungodly  wonder  far  more  at  him,  not  knowing  the 
 inward  caufe  of  his  difterent  choice  and  way.     The 
 
 believer^ 
 
i;r£JU  4,  5.3         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  l6j 
 
 believer,  as  we  faid,  is  upon  the  hill;  he  is  going  up, 
 looks  back  on  them  in  the  valley,  and  fees  their  way 
 tending  to,  and  ending  in,  death,  and  calls  them  to 
 retire  from  it  as  loud  as  he  can ;  tells  them  the  dan- 
 ger ;  but  either  they  hear  not,  nor  underlland  this 
 language,  or  will  not  believe  him  ;  finding  prefent 
 eafe  and  delight  in  their  way,  they  will  not  confider 
 and  fufped:  the  end  of  it ;  but  they  judge  him  the 
 fool  that  will  not  fhare  with  them,  and  take  that  way 
 where  fuch  multitudes  go,  and  with  fuch  eafe ;  and 
 fome  of  them  with  their  train,  and  horfes,  and  coach^ 
 es,  and  all  their  pomp  :  And  he,  and  a  few  ftraggling 
 poor  creatures  like  him,  climbing  up  a  craggy  fteep 
 hill,  and  will  by  no  means  come  off  from  that  way, 
 and  partake  of  theirs ;  not  knowing,  or  not  believing, 
 that  at  the  top  of  that  hill  he  climbs,  is  that  happy 
 glorious  city,  the  new  Jerufalem^  whereof  he  is  a  ci- 
 tizen, and  whither  he  is  tending  ;  not  believing  that 
 he  knows  the  end  both  of  their  way  and  his  own  ; 
 and  therefore  would  reclaim  them  if  he  could,  but 
 will  by  no  means  return  unto  the7Ji,  Jer.  xv.  19.  as  the 
 Lord  commanded  the  Prophet. 
 
 The  world  thinks  ftrange  that  a  Chriftian  can 
 fpend  fo  much  time  in  fecret  prayer,  not  knowing, 
 nor  being  able  to  conceive,  the  fweetnefs  of  com- 
 munion with  God,  which  he  attains  that  way  ;  yea, 
 while  he  feels  it  not,  how  fweet  it  is,  beyond  thp 
 world's  enjoyments,  to  be  but  feeking  after  it,  and 
 waiting  for  it.  Oh  I  the  delight  that  is  in  the  bitter- 
 eft  exercife  of  repentance  I  The  very  tears,  much 
 more  the  fucceeding  harveft  of  joy  !  It  is  ftrange 
 unto  a  carnal  man  to  fee  the  child  of  God  difdain  the 
 pleafures  of  lin,  not  knowing  the  higher  and  purer 
 delights  and  pleafures  that  he  is  called  to*,  and  of 
 which  he  hath,  it  may  be,  fome  part  at  prefent ;  but 
 however  the  fulnefs  of  them  in  alTured  hope. 
 
 The  ftrangenefs  of  the  world's  way  to  the  Chrifti- 
 ^n,  and  his  to  it,  though  that  is  fomewhat  unnatural, 
 
 '    yet 
 
 J  Incontinentes  verce  voluptatis  ignari.    AriH.  Eth» 
 
|68  U  COMMENTARY    UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 yet  afFe^ls  them  very  differently.  He  looks  on  the 
 deluded  finners  with  pity,  they  on  him  with  hate. 
 Their  part,  which  is  here  exprefled,  of  wondering, 
 breaks  out  in  reviling;  they  f peak  evil  of  you  ;  and 
 what  is  their  voice  ?  "  What  mean  thefe  precife 
 *'*■  fools  ?  will  they  readily  fay.  What  courfe  is  this 
 *'  they  take,  contrary  to  all  the  world  ?  Will  they 
 **  make  a  new  religion,  and  condemn  all  their  honeft 
 **  civil  neighbours  that  are  not  like  them  ?  Ay,  for- 
 **  footh,  do  all  go  to  hell,  think  you,  except  you,  and 
 **  thofe  that  follow  your  way  ?  We  are  for  no  more 
 "  than  good-fellowfhip  and  liberty  ;  and  as  for  fo 
 <*  much  reading  and  praying,  thefe  are  but  brain- 
 *'  lick  melancholy  conceits ;  a  man  may  go  to  hea- 
 "  ven  like  his  neighbour,  without  all  this  ado,'* 
 Thus  they  let  fly  at  their  pleafure  :  But  this  troubles 
 not  the  compofed  Chriftian's  mind  at  all ;  while  curs 
 fnarl.and  bark  about  him,  the  fober  traveller  goes  on 
 his  way,  and  regards  them  not.  He  that  is  acquaint- 
 ed with  the  way  of  holinefs,  can  endure  more  than 
 the  counter  blafts  and  airs  of  feoffs  and  revilings ;  he 
 accounts  them  his  glory  and  his  riches :  So  Mojes 
 efteemed  the  reproach  of  Chrijl  greater  riches  than  the 
 treafures  in  Egypt.  And  befides  many  other  things 
 to  animate,  v.'e  have  this  that  is  here  exprefled, 
 
 yl/y,  As  the  fupreme  and  final  judgment ;  and 
 oh  I  how  full  is  it  *,  They  Jhall  give  account  to  him 
 that  is  ready  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  And 
 he  hath  this  in  readinefs,  tw  {toi/iAWf  jx^vt*,  hath  the 
 day  fet ;  and  it  fliall  furely  come,  though  you  think 
 it  far  off*. 
 
 Though  the  wicked  themfelves  forget  their  fcoflfs 
 againft  the  godly,  and  though  the  Chriftian  flights 
 them,  and  lets  them  pafs,  they  pafs  not  fo ;  they  are 
 all  regiilered  ;  and  the  great  court-day  fliall  call  them 
 to  account  for  all  thefe  riots  and  exeejfes,  and  with- 
 al for  all  their  reproaches  of  the  godly,  that  would 
 not  run  with  them  in  thefe  ways.  Tremble,  then, 
 ye  defpifers  and  mockers.  oJf  holinefs,  though   you 
 
 ^001^ 
 
VER.  5.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  jfip 
 
 come  not  near  it.  What  will  you  do  when  thefe  you 
 reviled  fhall  appear  glorious  in  your  light,  and  their 
 YLxug^  the  King  of  fault s  here,  much  more  glorious, 
 and  his  glory  their  joy,  and  all  terror  to  you  ?  Oh  I 
 then  all  faces  that  could  look  out  difdainfuily  upon 
 religion,  and  the  profeiTors  of  ir,  fhall  gather  black- 
 nefs,  and  be  bathed  with  {hame  ;  and  the  defpifed 
 faints  o^  God  Jh  all  JJj  out  fo  much  the  more  for  joy. 
 
 You  that  would  rejoice,  then,  in  the  appearing  of 
 that  holy  Lord,  and  Judge  of  the  world,  let  your  way 
 be  now  in  holinefs ;  avoid  and  hate  the  common  v;ays 
 of  the  wicked  world  :  They  live  in  their  foolifh  opi- 
 nion, and  that  fhall  quickly  end  ;  but  the  fentence  of 
 that  day  fhall  ftand  for  ever. 
 
 Ver.  6.  For,  for  this  caitfe  was  the  gofpel  preached 
 alfo  to  them  that  are  dead,  that  they  viight  be  judged 
 according  to  men  in  the  flejh,  but  live  according  to 
 God  in  the  fpirit, 
 
 IT  is  a  thing  of  prime  concernment  for  a  Chriiiian 
 to  be  rightly  informed,  and  frequently  put  in 
 mind,  what  is  the  true  eftate  and  naiure  of  a  Chri« 
 ftian  ;  for  this  the  multitude  of  thofe  that  bear  that 
 name,  either  know  not,  or  commonly  forget,  and  fo 
 are  carried  awav  with  the  vain  fancies  and  miftakes 
 of  the  world.  The  Apollle  hath  charaderifed  Chrifti- 
 anity  very  clearly  to  us  in  this  place,  by  that  w^hich 
 is  the  very  nature  of  ir,  conformity  with  Chrijl,  and 
 that  which  is  necelTarily  confequent  upon  that,  difcon- 
 formity  with  the  world.  And  as  the  nature,  and  na- 
 tural properties,  of  things  hold  univerfally  ;  thus  it  is 
 in  thofe  that,  in  all  ages,  are  fo  effednally  called  by 
 the  gofpel,  as  to  be  moulded  and  framed  thus  by  it. 
 Thus  it  was,  fays  the  ApoRle,  with  your  brethren 
 that  are  now  at  reft,  as  many  as  received  the  gofpel  ; 
 and  for  this  end  was  it  preached  to  them,  that  they 
 7night  be  judged  according  to  men  in  the  jlejh,  hut  live 
 according  to  God  in  the  fpirlt, 
 Yql.  II.  Y  We 
 
/ 
 
 70  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  lV« 
 
 We  have  firft  here,  the  preaching  of  the  gofpel  a$ 
 the  fuitable  means  to  a  certain  end.  2.  The  exprefs 
 nature  of  that  end. 
 
 I.  The  preaching  of  the  gofpel  as  a  fuitable 
 means  to  a  certain  end  ;  for  this  caufe.  There  is  a 
 particular  end,  and  that  very  important,  for  which 
 the  preaching  of  the  gofpel  is  intended;  this  end 
 many  conlider  not,  hearing  it,  as  if  it  were  to  no  end, 
 or  not  propounding  a  fixed  determined  end  in  their 
 hearing.  This  therefore  is  to  be  confidered  by  thofe 
 that  preach  this  gofpel,  that  they  aim  right  in  it  at 
 *  this  end,  and  no  other.  There  mud  be  no  felf-end. 
 The  legal  priefts  were  not  to  be  fquint-eyed,  Lev. 
 xxi.  2c.  nor  mud  evangelical  miniflers  be  thus  fquint- 
 ing  to  bafe  gain,  or  vain  applaufe  :  And  alfo,  it  is  ne- 
 celTarily  incumbent  upon  them,  that  they  make  it 
 their  ftudy  to  find  in  themfelves  this  work,  this  living 
 to  God,  otherwife,  they  cannot  fkilfully  nor  faithfully 
 apply  their  gifts  to  work  this  efFe6l  on  their  hearers  ; 
 iind  therefore  acquaintance  with  God  is  mod  necef- 
 fary. 
 
 How  founds  it  to  many  of  us,  at  the  lead,  but  as  a 
 well  contrived  dory,  whofe  ufe  is  to  amufe  us,  and 
 poflibly  delight  us  a  little,  and  there  is  an  end  I  and 
 indeed  no  end,  for  this  turns  the  mod  ferious  and 
 mod  glorious  of  all  meflages  into  an  empty  found. 
 If  we  keep  awake,  and  give  it  a  hearing,  it  is  much  ; 
 but  for  any  thing  further,  how  few  deeply  before- 
 hand confider,  "  I  have  a  dead  heart ;  therefore 
 *'  will  I  go  unto  the  word  of  life,  that  it  may  be 
 **  quickened  :  It  is  frozen,  I  will  go  and  lay  it  be- 
 '■^  fore  the  warm  beams  of  that  Sun  that  fhines  in  the 
 *'  gofpel  ',  my  corruptions  are  mighty  and  drong, 
 *•  and  grace,  if  there  be  any  in  my  heart,  is  ex- 
 ceeding weak  ;  but  there  is  in  the  gofpel  a  power 
 to  weaken  and  kill  fin,  and  to  drengthen  grace  ; 
 and  this  being  the  intent  of  my  wife  God  in  ap- 
 **  pointing  it,  it  diall  be  my  defire  and  purpofe,  in 
 '*  reforting  ta  it,  to  find  it  to  me  according  to  his 
 
 **  gracious 
 
 a 
 
 it 
 
VER.  ^.J         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  IJX 
 
 *'  gracious  intendment;  to  have  faith  in  my  Chrid, 
 **  the  fountain  of  my  life,  more  llrengthened,  and 
 "  made  more  aclive  in  drawing  from  him  ;  to  have 
 "  my  heart  more  refined  and  fpiritualized,  and  to 
 "  have  the  fluice  of  repentance  opened,  and  my  af- 
 **  fecflions  to  divine  things  enlarged  ;  more  hatred  of 
 *'  fin,  and  more  love  of  God  and  communion  with 
 *'  him." 
 
 Afk  yourfelves  concerning  former  times  ;  and  to 
 take  yourfelves  even  now,  inquire  within,  '*  Why 
 "  came  I  hither  this  day  ?  what  had  I  in  mine  eye 
 **  and  defires  this  morning  ere  1  came  forth,  and  in 
 "  my  way  as  I  was  coming  ?  Did  I  ferioully  pro- 
 **  pound  an  end  or  no,  and  what  was  my  end?" 
 Nor  doth  the  mere  cuftom  of  mentioning  this  in 
 prayer  fatisfy  the  queftion.;  for  this,  as  other  fuch 
 things  ufually  do  in  our  hand,  may  turn  to  a  lifelefs 
 form,  and  have  no  heat  of  fpiritual  afFedion  ;  none 
 of  David's  panting  and  breathing  after  God  in  his 
 ordinances  ;  fuch  defires  as  will  not  be  Hilled  with- 
 out a  meafure  of  attainment,  as  the  child's  defire  of 
 the  bread ;  as  our  Apoflle  refembies  it,  chap.  ii.  i. 
 
 And  then  again,  being  returned  home,  refied:  on 
 your  hearts,  **  Much  hath  been  heard,  but  is  there 
 "  any  thing  done  by  it  ?  Have  I  gained  my  point  } 
 ^*  It  was  not  fimply  to  pafs  a  little  time  that  I  went, 
 **  or  to  pafs  it  with  delight  in  hearing  ;  rejoicing  in 
 "  that  lights  as  they  did  in  St  John  Baptiil's,  John 
 "  V*  35*  f^^'  ^'  fe^fi^i  ['^e^^  w^5tv],  as  long  as  the  hour 
 *'  lafts  I  It  was  not  to  have  my  ear  pleated,  but  my 
 '*  heart  changed  ;  not  to  learn  fome  new  notions, 
 <'  and  carry  them  cold  in  my  head,  but  to  be  quick- 
 ^^  ened,  and  purified^  and  renewed  in  the  fpirit  of  my 
 •*  mijidP  Is  this  done?  Think  I  now  with  greater 
 **  efteem  of  Chrift,  and  the  life  of  faith,  and  the 
 "  happinefs  of  a  Chriftian  ?  And  are  fuch  thoughts 
 '*  folid  and  abiding  with  me  ?  What  fin  have  I  left 
 ^*  behind  ?    What  grace  of  the  Spirit  have  I  brought 
 
 *'  home  ? 
 
1^2  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 **  home  ?  or  what  new  degree,  or  at  leaft  new  defire 
 "  of  it,  a  living  defire,  that  will  follow  its  point  ?" 
 Oh  I  this  were  good  repetition. 
 
 It  is  a  ftrange  folly  in  multitudes  of  us  to  fet  our- 
 felves  no  mark,  to  propound  no  end  in  the  hearing 
 of  the  gofpel.  The  merchant  fails  not  only  that  he 
 may  fail,  but  for  traffic,  and  traffics  that  he  may 
 be  rich.  The  hulbandman  plows  not  only  to  keep 
 himfelf  bufy  with  no  further  end,  but  plows  that  he 
 may  fow,  and  fows  that  he  may  reap  with  advan- 
 tage :  And  ihall  we  do  the  mod  excellent  and  fruit- 
 ful work  fruitlefsly  ?  hear  only  to  hear,  and  look  no 
 further  ?  This  is  indeed  a  great  vanity,  and  a  great 
 mifery,  to  lofe  that  labour,  and  gain  nothing  by  it, 
 which,  duly  ufed,  would  be  of  all  others  moil  advan- 
 tageous and  gainful ;  and  yet  all  meetings  are  full  of 
 this. 
 
 Now,  when  you  come,  this  is  not  (imply  to  hear  a 
 difcourfe,  and  relifh  or  diilike  it  in  hearing  ;  but  a 
 matter  of  life  and  death,  of  eternal  death  and  eternal 
 life  ;  and  the  fpiritual  life,  begot  and  nouriffied  by 
 the  word,  is  the  beginning  of  that  eternal  life. 
 Which  leads  us  to  conlider, 
 
 2.  The  exprefs  nature  of  the  end,  that  they  might 
 live  to  God  in  the  fpirit :  But  firfl  obferve,  it  was  to 
 them  that  are  dead.  By  which,  I  conceive,  he  in- 
 tends fuch  as  had  heard  and  believed  the  gofpel,  . 
 when  it  came  to  them,  and  now  were  dead.  And 
 this,  I  think,  he  doth  to  llrengthen  thefe  brethren  to 
 xvhom  he  writes,  to  commend  the  gofpel  to  this  in- 
 tent, that  they  might  not  think  the  condition  and 
 ,end  of  it  hard  ;  as  our  Saviour  mollifies  the  matter  of 
 outward  fufferings  thus.  So  perfecuted  they  the  Pro- 
 phets that  were  before  you,  Matth.  v.  12.  And  the 
 Apoftle  afterwards  in  this  chapter  ufes  the  fame  rea- 
 fon  in  that  fame  fubjed  :  •  So  here,  that  they  might 
 not  judge  the  point  of  mortification  he  prefTes  fo 
 grievous,  as  naturally  men  will  do^  he  tells  them,  it  is 
 fhe  cpnitant  end  of  the  gofpel  3  and  they  that  have 
 
 been 
 
V£R.  6.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I73 
 
 been  faved  by  it,  went  that  fame  way  he  points  out 
 to  them.  They  that  are  dead  before  you,  died  this 
 way  that  I  prefs  on  you,  before  they  died  ;  and  the 
 gofpel  was  preached  to  them  for  that  very  end. 
 
 Men  pafs  away  and  others  fucceed,  but  the  gofpel 
 is  ftill  the  fame,  hath  the  fame  tenor  and  fubftance, 
 and  the  fame  ends.  As  Solomon  fpeaks  of  the  hea- 
 veijis  and  earth,  that  remain  the  fame,  whiie  one  ge- 
 neration pajfes,  and  another  cometh,  Eccl.  i.  4. ';  the 
 gofpel  furpalTes  both  in  its  {lability,  as  our  Saviour 
 teftifies,  Mat.  v.  18.  they /ball  pafs  away,  but  not  one 
 jot  of  this  word.  And  indeed  they  wear  and  wax 
 old,  as  the  Apoftle  teaches  us  ;  but  the  gofpel  is  from 
 one  age  to  another,  of  moll  unalterable  integrity,  hath 
 ilill  the  fame  vigour  and  powerful  influence  as  at  the 
 firil. 
 
 They  that  formerly  received  the  gofpel,  received 
 it  upon  thefe  terms  ;  therefore  think  it  not  hard  : 
 And  they  are  now  dead ;  all  the  difficulty  of  that 
 work  of  dying  to  fin  is  now  over  with  them  ;  if  they 
 had  not  died  to  their  fins  by  the  gofpel,  they  had 
 died  in  them,  after  a  while,  and  fo  died  eternally. 
 It  is  therefore  a  wife  prevention,  to  have  fin  judged 
 and  put  to  death  in  us  before  we  die  ;  if  we  will  not 
 part  with  fin,  if  we  die  in  it,  and  with  it,  we  and  our 
 fin  perifii  together  ;  but  if  it  die  firll  before  us,  then 
 we  live  for  ever. 
 
 And  what  think  you  of  thy  carnal  will,  and  all  the 
 delights  of  fin  ?  What  is  the  longefl:  term  of  its  life  ? 
 Uncertain  it  is,  but  mofl  certainly  very  fiiort :  Thou 
 and  thefe  pleafures  mufi:  be  fevered  and  parted  with- 
 in a  little  time  ;  however,  thou  muil  die,  and  then 
 they  die,  and  you  never  meet  again.  Now,  were  it 
 not  the  wifefl  courfe  to  part  a  little  fooner  w^ith  them, 
 and  let  them  die  before  thee,  that  thou  mayeft  inherit 
 eternal  life,  and  eternal  delights  in  it,  pleafures  for 
 evermore  P  It  is  the  only  wife  and  profitable  bargain, 
 kt  us  therefore  delay  it  no  longer. 
 
 This 
 
174  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV, 
 
 This  is  our  feafon  of  enjoying  the  fweetnefs  of  the 
 gofpel ;  others  heard  it  before  us  in  thefe  places  that 
 now  we  fill,  and  now  they  are  removed,  and  we  mult 
 remove  fhortly,  and  leave  our  places  to  others,  to 
 fpeak  and  hear  in.  It  is  high  time  we  were  confider- 
 ing  what  we  do  here  ;  to  what  end  we  fpeak  and 
 hear ;  high  time,  without  further  delay,  to  lay  hold 
 on  that  I'alvation  that  is  held  forth  unto  us  ;  and  that 
 we  may  lay  hold  on  it,  we  muft  immediately  let  go 
 our  hold  of  fin,  and  thofe  perifhing  things  that  we 
 hold  lb  firm  and  cleave  fo  fail  to.  Do  they  that  arc 
 dead,  who  heard  and  obeyed  the  gofpel,  now  repent 
 their  repentance  and  mortifying  the  flefh  ?  Or,  do 
 they  not  think  ten  thoufand  times  more  pains,  were 
 it  for  many  ages,  all  too  little  for  a  moment  of  that 
 which  now  they  enjoy,  and  fhall  enjoy  to  eternity  ? 
 And  tbey  that  are  dead,  who  heard  the  gofpel  and 
 flighted  it,  if  fuch  a  thing  might  be,  what  would  they 
 give  for  one  of  thefe  opportunities  that  now  we  daily 
 have,  and  daily  lofe,  and  have  no  fruit  or  efteem  of 
 them  I  You  have  lately  feen  many  of  you,  and  you 
 that  ihifted  the  light  have  heard  of  numbers,  cut  off 
 in  a  little  time  ;  whole  families  fwept  away  by  the 
 late  ilroke  of  God's  hand  =*,  many  of  which  did  think 
 no  other  but  that  they  might  have  flill  been  with 
 you  here  in  this  place  and  exercife,  at  this  time,  and 
 many  years  after  this.  And  yet,  who  hath  laid  to 
 heart  the  lengthening  out  of  his  day,  and  confidered 
 it  more  as  an  opportunity  of  fecuring  that  higher  and 
 happier  life,  than  as  a  little  protracting  of  this  wretch- 
 ed life,  which  is  haftening  to  an  end  ?  Oh  I  therefore 
 be  entreated  to-day,  while  it  is  called  To-day,  not  to 
 harden  your  hearts,  Pfal.  xcv.  7,  8.  Heb.  iii.  7.  iv.  7. 
 Though  the  peflilence  doth  not  now  affright  you  fo, 
 yet  that  ftanding  mortality,  and  the  decay  of  thefe 
 earthen  lodges,  tell  us  that  ihortly  we  ihall  ceafe  to 
 preach  and  hear  this  gofpel.  Did  we  confider,  it 
 wojld  excite  us  to  a  more  earnell  fearch  after  our  evi- 
 dences of  that  eternal  life  that  is  fet  before  us  in  the 
 
 /  gofpel ; 
 
VER.  6.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I75 
 
 gofpel ;  and  we  fhould  feek  them  in  the  charaders 
 of  that  fpiritual  life,  which  is  the  beginning  of  eter- 
 nal life  within  us^  and  is  wrought  by  the  gofpel  in  all 
 the  heirs  of  falvation. 
 
 Think  therefore  wifely  of  thefe  two  thing?,  of  the 
 proper  end  of  the  gofpel,  and  of  the  approaching 
 end  of  thy  days,  and  let  thy  certainty  of  this  latter 
 drive  thee  to  feek  more  certainty  of  the  other,  that 
 thou  mayeft  partake  of  it;  and  then  this  again  will 
 make  the  thoughts  of  the  other  fweet  to  thee.  That 
 vifage  of  death,  that  is  fo  terrible  to  unchanged  fin- 
 ners,  fliall  be  amiable  to  thine  eye;  having  found  a 
 life  in  the  gofpel  as  happy  and  lading  as  this  is  mifer- 
 able  and  vanifhing,  and  feeing  the  perfection  of  that 
 life  on  the  other  fide  of  death,  thou  wilt  long  for  the 
 paflage. 
 
 Be  more  fei^ious  in  this  matter,  of  daily  hearing 
 the  gofpel  ;  conlider  why  it  is  fent  to  thee,  and  what 
 it  brings,  and  think  it  is  too  long  I  have  flighted  its 
 meiTage,  and  many  that  have  done  fo  are  cut  off,  and 
 fhall  hear  it  no  more  :  I  have  it  once  more  inviting 
 me,  and  it  may  be  this  may  be  the  laft  invitation  1 
 ihall  receive  ;  and  in  thefe  thoughts,  ere  you  come, 
 bow  your  knee  to  the  Father  of  fpirits,  that  this  one 
 thing  may  be  granted  you,  that  your  fouls  may  find 
 at  length  the  lively  and  mighty  power  of  his  Spirit 
 upon  yours,  in  the  hearing  of  this  gofpel,  that  you 
 viay  he  judged  according  to  men  in  the  Jiejh,  but  live  ac- 
 cording to  God  in  the  fpirit. 
 
 Thus  is  the  particular  nature  of  that  end  expreffed. 
 And,  not  to  ftnn  and  perplex  you  with  the  noife  of 
 various  fenfes,  the  Apoftle  intends,  I  conceive,  no- 
 thing elfe  but  the  dying  to  the  world  and  fin,  and 
 living  unto  God  ;  which  is  his  main  fubjed  and  fcope 
 in  the  foregoing  difcourfe.  That  death  was  before 
 called  2i  fuffering  in  the  fiejfj,  which  is  in  effed  the 
 fame  ;  and  therefore,  though  the  words  may  be  drawn 
 another  way,  yet  it  is  fl:range  that  interpreters  have 
 been  fo  far  wide  of  this  their  genuine  and  agreeable 
 
 fenfe. 
 
.176  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  it"* 
 
 fenfe,  and  that  they  have  been  by  almofl  all  of  them 
 taken  in  fome  other  intendment. 
 
 1^0  he  judged  in  the  flefi^  in  the  prefent  fenfe,  is  to 
 die  to  fin,  or  that  iin  die  in  us ;  and  it  is  thusexpref- 
 fed  :  I.  Suitably  to  the  nature  of  it,  it  is  to  the  flefh 
 a  violent  death,  and  it  is  according  to  a  fentence  ju- 
 dicially pronounced  againft  it.  That  guilty  and  mi- 
 ferable  life  of  fm  is  in  the  gofpel  adjudged  to  death ; 
 there  that  arreft  and  fentence  is  clear  and  full,  Rom. 
 vi.  6.  &c.  viii.  13.  That  fin  mud  die  that  the  foul 
 may  live  ;  it  mult  be  crucified  in  us,  and  we  to  it,  that 
 we  may  partake  of  the  life  of  Chrift  and  happinefs 
 in  him :.  And  this  is  called  to  he  judged  in  tke  Jle/J?,  to 
 have  this  fentence  executed.  2.  The  thing  is  the  ra- 
 ther fpoke  here  under  the  term  of  being  judged,  in 
 counter-balance  of  that  judgment  mentioned  imme- 
 diately before,  ver.  5.  the  laft  judgment  of  quick  and 
 dead  ;  wherein  they  that  would  not  be  thus  judged, 
 but  mocked  and  defpifed  thofe  that  were,  Ihall  fall 
 under  a  far  more  terrible  judgment,  and  the  len- 
 ience of  a  heavy  death  indeed,  even  everlalling  death  ; 
 though  they  think  they  fhall  efcape  and  enjoy  liberty 
 in  living  in  fin.  And  that,  to  be  judged  according  to 
 men,  is,  I  conceive,  added,  to  fignify  the  connatural- 
 nefs  of  the  life  of  fin  to  a  man's  now  corrupt  nature  ; 
 that  men  do  judge  it  a  death  indeed  to  be  fevered 
 and  pulled  from  their  fins,  and  that  a  cruel  death  ; 
 and  the  fentence  of  it  in  the  gofpel  a  heavy  fentence, 
 a  bard  faying,  to  a  carnal  heart,  that  he  muft  give  up 
 all  his  finful  delights,  muft  die  indeed  in  felf-denial, 
 muft  be  feparated  from  himielf,  which  is  to  die,  if 
 he  will  be  joined  with  Chrift,  and  live  in  him.  Thus 
 men  judge  that  they  are  adjudged  to  a  painful  death 
 by  the  fentence  of  the  gofpel  ;  although  it  is  that 
 they  may  truly  and  happily  live,  yet  they  underftand 
 it  not  fo.  They  fee  the  death,  the  parting  with  fin 
 and  all  its  pleafures ;  but  the  life  they  fee  not,  nor 
 can  any  know  it  till  they  partake  of  it.  It  is  known 
 to  Him   in   whom  it  is  ^  It  is  bid  with  Chrijl  in  God^ 
 
 Col, 
 
VMR.  6.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I77 
 
 dol.  iii.  3. ;  and  therefore  the  oppofition  here  is  very 
 fitly  thus  reprefented,  that  the  death  is  accordiiig  to 
 men  in  thejle/b,  but  the  life  is  according  to  God  in  the 
 fpirit. 
 
 As  the  Chriftian  is  adjudged  to  this  death  in  the 
 Jiejh  by  the  gofpel,  fo  he  is  looked  on  and  accounted, 
 by  carnal  men,  as  dead  ;  for  that  he  enjoys  not  with 
 them  what  they  efteem  their  life,  and  think  they 
 could  not  live  without  it.  Gne  that  cannot  caroufe 
 and  fwear  with  profane  men,  is  a  lilly  dead  creature, 
 good  for  nothing ;  and  he  that  can  bear  wrongs,  and 
 love  him  that  injured  him,  is  a  poor  fpiritlefs  fool, 
 hath  no  metal  nor  life  in  him,  in  the  world's  account. 
 Thus  is  h^  judged  according  to  men  in  the  flejb,  he  is 
 as  a  dead  man,  but  lives  according  to  God  in  the  fpirit ; 
 dead  to  men,  and  alive  to  God,  as  ver.  2. 
 
 Now,  if  this  life  be  in  thee,  it  will  ad: :  All  life  is 
 in  motion,  and  is  called  an  a6i  ;  but  moll  adiive  of 
 all  is  this  moft  excellent,  and,  as  I  may  call  it,  mofl 
 lively,  life.  It  will  be  moving  towards  God ;  often 
 feeking  to  him,  making  ftill  towards  him  as  its  prin- 
 ciple and  fountain,  exerting  itfelf  in  holy  and  affec- 
 tionate thoughts  of  him ;  fometimes  on  one  of  his 
 fweet  attributes,  fometimes  on  another.;  as  the  bee 
 amongft  the  flowers.  And  as  it  will  thus  ad  within, 
 fo  it  will  be  outwardly  laying  hold  on  all  occafions, 
 yea,  feeking  out  ways  and  opportunities  to  be  fervice- 
 able  to  thy  Lord  ;  employing  all  for  him,  commend- 
 ing and  extolling  his'  goodnefs,  doing  and  fuffering 
 cheerfully  for  him,  laying  out  the  ftrength  of  defires, 
 and  parts,  and  means,  in  thy  flation,  to  gain  him 
 glory.  If  thou  be  alone,  then  not  alone,  but  with 
 him  ;  feeking  to  know  more  of  him,  and  be  made 
 more  like  him.  If  in  company,  then  calling  abou=t 
 how  to  bring  his  name  in  elleem,  and  to  draw  others 
 to  a  love  of  religion  and  holinefs  by  fpeeches,  as  it 
 may  be  fit,  and  moft  by  the  true  behaviour  of  tby 
 •carriage.  Tender  over  the  fouls  of  others,  to  do  them 
 ■good  to  thy  utmoft  ;  thinking,  each  day,  an  hour  loft 
 
 ¥oL.  II.  %  wheo 
 
1^8  A  COMMENTARY  UPON-  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 when  thou  art  not  bufy  for  the  honour  and  advantage 
 of  him  to  whom  thou  now  liveft.  Thinking  in  the 
 morning,  '*  Now,  what  may  I  do  this  day  for  my 
 **  God  ?  How  may  I  mod  pleafe  and  glorify  him, 
 **  and  ufe  my  ftrength  and  wit,  and  my  whole  felf, 
 **  as  not  mine  but  his  ?  "  And  then  in  the  evening, 
 refleding,  "  O  Lord,  have  I  feconded  thefe  thoughts 
 *'  in  reality  ?  What  glory  hath  he  had  by  me  this 
 "  day  ?  Whither  went  my  thoughts  and  endeavours  ? 
 *'  What  bulled  them  mort  ?  Have  I  been  much  with 
 **  God  ?  Have  I  adorned  the  gofpel  in  my  converle 
 *'  with  others?  "  And  if  thou  iindeft  any  thing  done 
 this  way,  this  life  will  engage  thee  to  blefs  and  ac- 
 knowledge him,  the  fpring  and  worker  of  it.  If  any 
 ftep  has  been  taken  aiide,  were  it  but  to  a?i  appear- 
 ance of  evil,  or  if  any  fit  feafon  of  good  hath  efcaped 
 thee  unprofitably,  it  will  lead  thee  to  check  thyfelf, 
 and  to  be  grieved  for  thy  floth  and  coldnefs,  and  fee 
 if  more  love  would  not  beget  more  cjil-gence. 
 
 Try  it  by  fympathy  and  antipathy,  which  follow 
 the  nature  of  things  \  as  we  fee  in  fome  plants  and 
 creatures,  that  cannot  grow,  cannot  agree  together, 
 and  others  that  do  favour  one  another,  and  profit  mu- 
 tually. If  thy  foul  hath  an  averiion  and  reludancy 
 againft  whatever  is  contrary  to  holiaefs,  this  is  an 
 evidence  of  this  new  nature  and  life.  If  thou  haft 
 this  principle  within,  thy  heart  rifes  againft  wicked 
 ways  and  fpeeches,  oaths  and  curlings,  and  rotten 
 communication  ;  yea,  thou  canll  not  endure  unwor- 
 thy difcourfes,  wherein  mod  fpend  their  time  ;  find- 
 eil  no  relifh  in  the  unfavoury  focieties  of  fuch  as 
 know  not  God;  canjl  not  Jtt  with  vain  per  Jons,  but 
 fmdeft  a  delight  in  thofe  that  have  the  image  of  God 
 upon  them  ;  fuch  as  partake  of  that  divine  life,  and 
 carry  the  evidences  of  it  in  their  carriage.  Da- 
 vid did  not  difdain  the  fellow  Chip  of  the  faints  ;  and 
 that  it  was  no  difparagement  to  him,  is  implied  in 
 the  name  he  gives  them,  Pfal.  xvi.  i.  the  excellent 
 gnes^  the  niagnific  or  noble,   nnj^ ;   and  that  word  is 
 
 taken 
 
VER.  6.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I79 
 
 taken  from  one  that  fignifies  a  robe  or  noble  garment, 
 Jlll^,  toga  magnified  ;  [o  he  thought  them  nobles  and 
 kings  as  well  as  he  ;  they  had  robes  royal^  and  there- 
 fore were  tit  companions  of  kings.  A  fpiritual  eye^ 
 looks  upon  fpiritual  dignity,  and  efteems  and  loves 
 them  that  are  born  of  God,  how  low  foever  be  their 
 natural  birth  and  breeding.  The  fons  of  God  have 
 of  his  Spirit  in  them,  and  are  born  to  the  fame  inhe- 
 ritance, where  all  (liall  have  enough  ;  and  they  are 
 tending  homewards  by  the  condud:  of  the  fame  Spirit 
 that  it  is  in  them,  fo  that  there  mull  be  amongft  them 
 a  real  complacency  and  delight  in  one  another. 
 
 And  then  conlider  the  temper  of  thy  heart  towards 
 fpiritual  things,  the  word  and  ordinances  of  God, 
 whether  thou  doft  efteem  highly  of  them,  and  delight 
 in  them  ?  Whether  there  be  compliance  of  thy  heart 
 with  divine  truths  ?  fomething  in  thee,  that  fuits  and 
 fides  with  them  againft  thy  corruptions  ?  In  thy  af- 
 iiidion  doli  thou  not  feek  to  the  puddles  of  earthly 
 comforts,  but  haft  thy  recourfe  to  the  fweet  cryflal 
 ilreams  of  the  divine  promifes,  and  doll  thou  find! 
 refrelhment  in  them  ?  It  may  be,  at  fome  times,  in  a 
 fpiritual  diiiemper,  holy  exercifes  and  ordinances  will 
 not  have  that  prefent  fenlible  fweetnefsto  a  Chriftlan, 
 that  he  delires ;  and  fome  will  for  a  long  time  lie  un- 
 der drynefs  and  deadnefs  this  way  ;  yet  there  is  here 
 an  evidence  of  this  fpiritual  life,  that  thou  ftayefl  by 
 thy  Lord  and  relied  on  him  ;  and  wilt  not  leave  thefe 
 holy  means,  how  faplefs  foever  to  thy  fenfe  for  the 
 prefent.  Thou  findeft  for  a  longtime  little  fweetnefs 
 in  prayer,  yet  thou  prayed  dill ;  anxl  when  thou 
 cand  fay  nothing,  yet  offered  at  it,  and  looked  towards 
 Chrid  thy  life.  Thou  dod  not  turn  away  from  thefe 
 things  to  feek  confoiation  elfewhere,  but  as  thoii 
 knowed  that  life  is  in  Chrid,  thou  wilt  day  till  he 
 refrefh  thee  with  new  and  lively  influence  :  It  is  not 
 any  where  but  in  him,  as  St  Peter  faid,  Lord  whithjr 
 JJjQuld  we  go,  thou  ba^d  the  words  of  eternal  life,  John 
 vi.  68, 
 
 Conlider 
 
/l8o  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.   IV*. 
 
 Confider  with  thyfelf,  if  thou  haft  any  knowledge 
 of  the  growth  or  deficiencies  of  this  fpritual  life?  for 
 it  is  here  but  begun,  and  breathes  in  an  air  contrary 
 to  it,  and  lodges  in  an  houfe  that  often  fmokes  and 
 darkens  it.  Canrt  thou  go  on  in  formal  performan- 
 ces from  one  year  to  another,  and  make  no  advance- 
 ment in  the  inward  exercifes  of  grace,  and  reftefl 
 thou  content  with  that  ?  it  is  no  good  lign.  But  art 
 thou  either  gaining  victories  over  lin,  and  further 
 ftrength  of  faith  and  love,  and  other  graces,  or,  at 
 leaft,  art  thou  earneftly  feeking  thefe,  and  bewailing 
 thy  wants  and  difappointments  of  this  kind  ?  Then 
 thou  liveft.  At  the  worft  wouldft  thou  rather  grow 
 this  way,  be  further  off  from  (in,  and  nearer  God, 
 than  grow  in  thy  eftate,  or  credit,  or  honours  ? 
 Efteemeft  thou  more  of  grace  than  of  the  whole 
 world?  There  is  life  at  the  root;  although  thou 
 findeft  not  that  flourifhing  thou  deiireft,  yet  the  de- 
 lire  of  it  is  life  in  thee:  And,  if  growing  this  way, 
 art  thou  content,  whaifoever  is  thy  outward  eftate  ? 
 Canft  thou  folace  thyfelf  in  the  love  and  goodnefs  of 
 thy  God,  though  the  world  frown  on  thee  ?  Art 
 thou  not  able  to  take  comfort  in  the  fmiles  of  the 
 world  when  his  face  is  hid  ?  This  tells  thee  thou 
 liveft,  and  he  is  thy  life. 
 
 Although  many  Chriftians  have  not  fo  much  fen- 
 iible  joy,  yet  they  account  fpiritual  joy,  and  the  light 
 of  God's  countenance,  the  only  true  joy,  and  all  other 
 without  it  madnefs ;  and  they  cry,  and  figh,  and 
 attend  for  it.  Meanwhile,  not  only  duty,  and  the 
 hopes  of  attaining  a  better  ftate  in  religion,  but  even 
 love  to  God,  makes  them  to  do  fo,  to  ferve,  and  pleafe, 
 and  glorify  him  to  their  utmoft.  And  this  is  not  a 
 dead  refting  without  God,  but  it  is  a  ftable  compli- 
 ance with  his  will  in  the  higheft  point  ;  waiting  for 
 him,  and  living  by  faith,  which  is  moft  acceptable  to* 
 him.  In  a  word,  whether  in  feniible  comfort  or 
 without  it,  ftill  this  is  the  fixed  thought  of  a  believ*  c, 
 ing  foul,  it  is  good  for  me  to  draw  nigb  to  God,  PlaU 
 
VER.  6.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETtR  l8l 
 
 Jxxiii*  28.  only  good';  and  it  will  not  live  in  a  wil- 
 ling ellrangednefs  from  him^  what  way  foever  he  be 
 pleafed  to  deal  with  it. 
 
 Now,  for  the  entertaining  and  ftrengthening  this^ 
 life,  which  is  the  great  bufinefs  and  care  of  all  that 
 have  it,  i.  Beware  of  omitting  and  interrupting  thofe 
 fpiritual  means,  that  do  provide  it  and  nourifh  it. 
 Little  negleds  of  that  kind  will  draw  on  greater,  and 
 great  negleds  will  make  great  abatements  of  vigour 
 and  livelinefs.  Take  heed  of  uiing  holy  things  cold- 
 ly and  la:zLily,  without  affedion  ;  that  will  make  them 
 fruitlefs,  and  our  life  will  not  be  advantaged  by  them, 
 unlefs  they  be  ufed  in  a  lively  way.  Be  adlive  in  all 
 good  within  thy  reach  ;  as  this  is  a  fign  of  the  fpiritual 
 lif(^  fo  it  is  a  helper  and  friend  to  it.  A  flothful 
 unftirring  life,  will  m^ke  a  iickly  unhealthful  life,. 
 Motion  purifies  and  fharperis  the  fpirits,  and  makes 
 men  robuft  and  vigorous. 
 
 2.  Beware  of  admitting  a  correfpondence  with  any 
 fin  ;  yea,  do  not  fo  much  as  difcourfe  familiarly  with  it^ 
 or  look  kindly  toward  it  ;  for  that  will  undoubtedly 
 caft  a  damp  upon  thy  fpirit,  and  diminiili  thy  graces 
 at  lead,  and  will  obftrud  thy  communion  with  Godo 
 Thou  knowelt  (thou  who  haft  any  knowledge  of  this^ 
 life)  that  thou  eanil  not  ga  to  him  wiih  that  fweet 
 freedom  thou  wert  wont,  after  thou  haft  been  but 
 tampering  or  parlying  with  any  of  thy  old  loves. 
 Oh  I  do  not  make  fo  foolifti  a  bargain,  as  to  prejudge 
 the  leaft  of  thy  fpiritual  comfort  for  the  greateft  and 
 lortgeft  continued  enjoyments  of  lin,  which  are  bafCp 
 and  but  for  a  feaf on. 
 
 But  would  ft  thou  grow  upwards  in  this  life  ?  3^/)'^ 
 Have  much  reeourfe  to  J.efu&  Chrift  thy  Head,'  the 
 fpring  from  whom  flow  the  animal  fpirits  that  quick- 
 en thy  foul.  Wouldft  thou  know  more  of  God  .^ 
 He  it  is  that  reveals  the  Father,  and  reveals  him  as 
 his  Father  \  and  in  him  thy  Father,  zndi  xXvdt  is  the 
 fweet  notion  of  God.  Wouldft  thou  overcome  thy 
 hifts  further?  Our  vidory  is  in  him,  apply  his  con- 
 
 queft  ; 
 
l82  A  COMMENTARY     UPON  [cHAK  IV. 
 
 queft ;  We  are  more  than  conquerors^  through  him  that 
 loved  us,  Rom.  viii.  37.  Wouldft  thou  be  more  re- 
 plenifhed  with  graces,  and  fpiritual  afFedions  ?  His 
 fulnefs  is,  for  that  ufe,  open  to  us;  life,  and  more  life, 
 in  him,  and  for  us ;  this  was  his  bufinefs  here,  he 
 came,  that  we  might  have  Ufe,  and  might  have  it  more 
 abundantly,  John  x.  10. 
 
 Ver.  7.    But  the  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand:  beye^ 
 therefore,  fober,  and  watch  unto  prayer, 
 
 THE  heart  of  a  real  Chriftian  is  really  taken  off 
 •  from  the  world  and  fet  heavenwards  ;  yet  there 
 is  ftili  in  this  flelh,  fo  much  of  the  flefh  hanging  to 
 it,  as  will  readily  poife  all  downwards,  unlefs  ij  be 
 often  wound  up  and  put  in  remembrance  of  thefe 
 things,  that  will  raife  it  ftiil  to  further  fpirituality. 
 This  the  Apoitle  doth  in  this  epillle,  and  particularly 
 in  thefe  words. 
 
 In  which  are  three  things  to  be  confidered,  i.  A 
 threefold  duty  recommended.  2.  Their  mutual  re- 
 lation, that  binds  them  to  one  another.  3.  The  rea- 
 fon  here  ufed  to  bind  them  upon  a  Chriftian. 
 
 I.  A  threefold  duty  recommended,  fobriety, 
 watchfulnefs  and  prayer ;  and  of  the  three  the  laii  is 
 evidently  the  chief,  and  is  here  fo  meant,  the  other 
 being  recommended  as  faitable  and  fubfervient  to  it : 
 Therefore  I  fhall  fpeak  firft  of  it. 
 
 I.  Prayer.  And,  truly,  to  fpeak,  and  to  hear  of  it 
 often,  were  our  hearts  truly  and  entirely  acquainted 
 with  it,  would  have  ftiil  new  fweetnefs  and  ufefulnefs 
 in  it.  Oh  I  how  great  were  the  advantage  of  that 
 lively  knowledge  of  it,  beyond  the  exacleft  defini- 
 tion of  it,  and  knowledge  that  can  difcourfe  moft  co- 
 pioufly  and  accurately  on  the  heads  of  dodtrine  that 
 concern  it. 
 
 Prayer  is  not  a  fmooth  expreffion,  or  a  well  con- 
 trived form  of  words ;  not  the  produdt  of  a  ready 
 memory,   flor  rich  invention,  exerting  itfelf  in  the 
 
 performance. 
 
VER.  7.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  183 
 
 performance.  Thefe  may  draw  a  neat  pidlure  of  it, 
 but  flill  the  life  is  wanting.  The  motion  of  the 
 heart  Godwards,  holy  and  divine  affedion,  makes 
 prayer  real  and  lively,  and  acceptable  to  the  living 
 Gody  to  whom  it  is  prefented  ;  the  pouring  out  of 
 thy  heart  to  him  that  made  it,  and  therefore  hears 
 it,  and  underftands  what  it  fpeaks,  and  how  it  is 
 moved  and  affected  in  calling  on  him.  It  is  not  the 
 gilded  paper,  and  good  writing  of  a  petition,  that 
 prevails  with  a  king,  but  the  moving  fenfe  of  it ; 
 and  to  the  King  that  difcerns  the  heart,  heart  fenfe 
 is  the  fenfe  of  all,  and  that  wiiich  he  alone  regards ; 
 he  liilens  to  hear  what  that  fpeaks,  and  takes  all  as 
 nothing  where  that  is  filent.  All  other  excellence 
 in  prayer  is  but  the  outlide  and  fafhion  of  it ;  that  is 
 the  life  of  it. 
 
 Though  prayer,   precifely  taken,   is   only   petition, 
 yet,  in   its  fuller  and  ufual  fenfe,  it  comprehends  the 
 venting  our  humble  fenfe  of  vilenefs  and   fin,   in   iin- 
 cere  confeliion,  and  the  extolling  and  prailing  the  ho- 
 ly name  of  our  God,   his   excellency  and  goodnefs, 
 with  thankful  acknowledgment  of  received  mercies. 
 Of  thefe  fweet  ingredient  perfumes  is  the  incenfe  of 
 prayer  compofed,  and  by  the   divine  fire  of  love  it 
 afcends  unto  God  ;  the  heart,  and  all  with  it  :    And 
 when  the  hearts  of  the   faints  unite  in  joint  prayer, 
 the   pillar   of  fvveet  fmoke   goes  up  the  greater  and 
 fuller.     Thus  fays  that  fong  of  the  fpoufe,  ^0/.'?^  ?//> 
 from  the  wildernefs^  as  pillars  of  fmoke  perfuined  with 
 ijiyrrh  and  frankincenfe,   and  all  the  powders  of  the 
 merchant^   Cant.  iii.  6.      The  word  there  *   fignines 
 flraight  pillars,   like    the    talleft   flraighteft    kind    of 
 trees ;  and,  indeed,  the  fincerity  and  unfeignednefe  of 
 prayer  makes  it  go  up  as  a  flraight  pillar,  when  there 
 is   no  crookednefs  in  it,  but  it  is  tending  ftiaight  to- 
 wards heaven,   and  bowing  to   no  fide  by  the  way. 
 Oh  I  the  fingle  and  fixed  viewing  of  God,  as  it,  in 
 
 other 
 
184  A  t:OMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IT* 
 
 Other  ways,  is  the  thing  makes  all  holy  and  fweet, 
 fo  particularly  does  it  in  this  divine  work  of  prayer. 
 
 It  is  true  we  have  to  deal  with  a  God,  who  of 
 himfelf  needs  not  this  our  pains  either  to  inform,  or 
 «xcite  him  ;  he  fully  knows  our  thoughts  before  we 
 ^xprefs  them,  and  our  wants  before  we  feel  them,  or 
 think  of  them.  Nor  doth  his  affeiflion,  and  gracious 
 bent  to  do  his  children  good,  wax  remifs,  or  admit  the 
 leaft  abatement  and  forgetfulnefs  of  them. 
 
 But  inftead  of  neceflity  on  God's  part,  which  can- 
 not be  imagined,  we  fhall  find  that  equity,  and  that 
 fingular  dignity  and  utility  of  it,  on  our  part,  which 
 cannot  be  denied. 
 
 1.  Equityy  That  thus  tJbe  creature  fignify  his  ho- 
 mage to,  and  dependence  on,  his  Creator,  for  his  be- 
 ing and  well-being  ;  that  he  takes  all  the  good  he 
 enjoys,  or  expeds,  from  that  fovereign  good,  declar- 
 ing himfelf  unworthy,  waiting  for  all  upon  the  terms 
 of  free  goodnefs,  and  acknowledging  all  to  flow 
 from  that  fpring. 
 
 2.  Dignity^  Man  was  made  for  communion  witk 
 God  his  maker ;  it  is  the  excellency  of  his  nature  to 
 be  capable  of  this  end,  the  happinefs  of  it  to  be  raifed 
 to  enjoy  it.  Now,  in  nothing  more,  in  this  life,  is 
 this  communion  adlually  and  highly  enjoyed,  than 
 in  the  exercife  of  prayer.  That  he  may  freely  im- 
 part his  affairs,  and  eftate,  and  wants,  to  God,  as  the 
 moil  faithful  and  powerful  Friend,  the  richeft  and 
 mofl  loving  Father;  may  ufe  the  liberty  of  a  child, 
 telling  his  fether  what  he  ftands  in  need  of,  and  de- 
 lires  ;  and  communing  with  him  with  humble  con- 
 fidence, while  admitted  fo  frequently  into  the  pre- 
 fence  of  fo  great  a  King. 
 
 3.  The  utility  of  it.  i.  Ealing  the  foul  in  times  of 
 difficulty,  when  it  is  preiTed  with  griefs  and  fears, 
 hy  giving  them  vent,  and  that  in  fo  advantageous  a 
 way;  emptying  them  into  the  bofom  of  God.  The 
 very  vent,  werr  it  but  into  the  air,  gives  eafe  ;  or 
 fpeak  it  to  a  llatue  rather  than  fmothec  it ;  much 
 
 more 
 
V*ER.  7.J         THE  FIUST  EPrSTLET  QF  FtTzk,  '  1^ 
 
 more  cafe  then  is  found,  when  it  is  poured  into  the 
 la^  of  a  confident  and  lympathizing  friend,  though 
 unable  to  help  ;  yet  much  more  of  one  that  can  heip* 
 And,  of  all  friends,  our  God  is,  beyond  all  comparifoiT, 
 the  furcft,  and  moll  affedtionate,  and  mod:  powerful. 
 So,  Ifa.  Ixiii.  9.  both  compaffion  and  effedual  falva- 
 tron  are  exprelfed,  In  all  their  affli5iion  he  was  affliB- 
 ed,  and  the  angel  of  his  prefence fatied  them',  in  his 
 love  and  in  his  pity  he  redeemed  them  ;  and  he  hare 
 them,  and  carried  them  all  the  days  of  old.  And  fo, 
 retting  on  his  love,  power,  and  gracious  promifes, 
 the  foul  quiets  itfelf  in  God,  upon  this  afTurance,  that 
 it  is  not  vain  to  feek  him,  and  that  he  defpifeth  not 
 the  fighing  of  the  poor,  Pfal.xii.  5. 
 
 2.  The  foul  is  more  fpiritually  affecled  with  its 
 own  condition,  by  laying  it  open  before  the  Lord  \ 
 more  deeply  fenfible  of  fin,  and  aihamed  in  his  fight, 
 in  confeffing  it  before  him  ;  more  dilated  and  en~- 
 larged  to  receive  the  mercies  fued  for ;  as  the  open^ 
 ing  wide  of  the  mouth  of  the  foul  that  it  7720^  be  filled^ 
 Pfal.  Ixxxi.  10;  more  difpofed  to  obferv^e  the  Lord  in 
 anfwering ;  and  to  blefs  him,  and  trufl  on  him,  upon 
 the  renewed  experiences  of  his  regard  to  its  diftref- 
 fes  and  defiies. 
 
 3.  All  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  in  prayer,  are  llirred 
 and  exerciied  ;  and,  by  cxercife,  ftrcngthened  and  in- 
 creafed.  Faith,  in  applying  the  divine  promifes, 
 which  are  the  very  ground  that  the  foul  goes  upan 
 to  God  •,  and  Hope  looking  out  to  their  performance ; 
 and  Love  particularly  exprefling  itfelf,  in  that  fweet 
 converfe,  and  delighting  in  it,  as  love  doth  in  the 
 company  of  the  perfon  loved;  thinks  all  hours  too 
 Ihort  in  fpeaking  with  him  :  Oh  1  how  the  foul  is 
 refre filed  with  freedom  of  fpeech  with  its  beloved 
 Lord  I  And  as  it  delighrs  in  that,  fa  it  is  continually 
 advanced,  and  grows  by  each  meeting  and  confe- 
 rence; beholding  the  excellency  of  God,  and  relifii- 
 ing  the  pure  and  fublime  pleafures  that  are  in  rtear 
 communion  with  him.    r.*  Looking  upon'  the  Fatlier 
 
 Vol.  IL  A  a  ia 
 
1 86  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 in  the  face  of  Chrift,  and  ufing  him  as  a  mediator  in 
 prayer,  as  ftill  it  muft,  it  is  drawn  to  further  admi- 
 ration of  that  bottomlefs  love,  which  found  that  way 
 of  agreement,  that  new  and  living  way  of  our  accefs, 
 when  all  was  fhut  up,  and  we  to  have  been  fhut  out 
 forever.  And  then  the  afFedionate  expreffions  of 
 that  reflex  love,  finding  that,  vent  in  prayer,  do  kindle 
 higher ;  and  being  as  It  were  fanned  and  blown  up, 
 rife  to  a  greater,  and  higher,  and  purer  flame,  and 
 fo  tend  upwards  the  more  fl:rongly.  David,  as  he 
 doth  profefs  his  love  to  God  in  prayer  in  his  Pfalms, 
 fo  no  doubt  it  grew  in  the  exprefling,  I  will  love  tbee, 
 0  Lord  myjlrerigth,  Pfal.  xviii.  i. ;  and  Pfal.  cxvi.  i. 
 doth  raife  an  incentive  of  love  out  of  this  very  confl- 
 deration  of  the  correfpondence  of  prayers  ;  /  love  the 
 Lord  hecaiife  he  hath  heard,  and  refolves  thereafter 
 upon  perfiltance  in  that  courfe,  therefore  will  I  call 
 upon  him  as  long  as  L  live*  And  as  the  graces  of  the 
 Spirit  are  advanced  in  prayer  by  their  adings ;  fo 
 for  this  further  reafon,  beeaufe  prayer  fets  the  foul 
 particularly  near  unto  God  in  Jefus  Chrifl:.  It  is 
 then  in  his  prefence,  and  being  much  with  God  in 
 this  way,  it  i«  powerfully  aflTimilated  to  him  by  con- 
 verfe  with  him  ;  as  we  readily  contrad  their  habits 
 with  whom  we  have  much  intercourfe,  efpecially  if 
 they  be  fueh  as  we  fingularly  love  and  refpedl.  Thus 
 the  foul  is  moulded  further  to  the  likenefs  of  God,  is 
 llamped  with  brighter  characters  of  him,  by  being 
 much  with  him  ;  becomes  liker  God,  more  holy  and 
 fpiritual,  and,  like  Mofes,  brings  back  a  bright  fhin- 
 ing  from  the  mount,  Exod.  xxxiv.  29,  30. 
 
 4.  And  not  only  thus,  by  a  natural  influence,  doth 
 •prayer  work  this  advantage,  but  even  by  a  federal 
 efficacy,  fuing  for,  and  upon  fuit  obtaining,  fupplies 
 of  grace,  as  the  chief  good ;  and  befides  all  other 
 needful  mercies,  it  is  a  real  means  qf  receiving; 
 Whatfoever  you Jhall  ajk,  that  I  will  do,  fays  our  Sa- 
 viour, John  xiv.  13. ;  God  having  eftabliflied  this  in- 
 tercourfe,  and  engaged  his  truth  and  goodnefs  in  it^ 
 
 that 
 
¥lER.y.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  1 87 
 
 that  if  they  call  on  him,  they  fhall  be  heard  and  an- 
 fwered.  If  they  prepare  the  heart  to  call,  he  will  in-- 
 <:line  his  ear  to  hear;  and  our  Saviour  hath  alTured 
 us,  that  we  may  build  upon  his  goodnefs,  and  the  af- 
 fedion  of  a  Father  in  him;  that  he  will  give  good 
 things  to  them  that  ajk,  fays  one  Evangelift,  Math; 
 vii.  II.  ;  and  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ajk  it,  fays 
 another,  Lukexi.  13.  as  being  the  ^oo<i  indeed,  the 
 higheft  of  gifts,  and  the  fum  of  all  good  things,  and 
 that  for  which  his  children  are  moft  earneil  fuppli- 
 cants.  Prayer  for  grace  doth,  as  it  were,  fet  the 
 mouth  of  the  foul  to  the  fpring,  draws  from  Jefus 
 Chrift,  and  is  replenilhed  out  of  his  fulnefs,  thirfting 
 after  it,  and  drawing  from  it  that  way. 
 
 And  for  this  reafon  it  is,  that  our  Saviour,  and  from 
 him,  and  according  to  his  example,  the  Apoftles^  re- 
 commend prayer  fo  much  ;  Watch  and  pray,  fays  our 
 Saviour,  Math.  xxvi.  41.  ;  and  St  Paul,  Fray  conti- 
 nually, I  Their,  v.  17.  And  our  Apoftle  here  particu- 
 larly fpecifies  this,  as  the  grand  mean  of  attaining 
 that  conformity  with  Chrift  which  he  prefTes ;  this 
 is  the  highway,  to  it.  Be  fober,  and  watch  unto  prayer. 
 He  that  is  much  in  prayer,  fhall  grow  rich  in  grace. 
 He  fhall  thrive  and  increafe  moft  that  is  bufieft  in 
 this,  which  is  our  very  traffic  with  heaven,  and  fetch- 
 es the  moft  precious  commodities  thence.  He  that 
 fets  ofteneft  out  thefe  fhips  of  dejire,  that  makes  the 
 moft  voyages  to  that  land  of  fpices  and  pearls,  fhall 
 be  fure  to  improve  his  ftock  moft,  and  have  moft  of 
 heaven  upon  earth. 
 
 But  the  true  art  of  this  trading  is  very  rare.  Every 
 trade  hath  fomething  wherein  the  Ikill  of  it  lies  ;  but 
 this  is  deep  and  fupernatural,  is  not  reached  by  hu- 
 man induftry.  Induftry  is  to  be  ufed  in  it,  but  we 
 muft  kno^v  the  faculty  of  it  comes  from  above  ;  that 
 Spirit  of  prayer,  without  which  learning,  and  wit, 
 and  religious  breeding,  can  do  nothing  :  Therefore, 
 this  is  to  be  our  prayer  often,  our  great  fuit  for  the 
 Spirit  of  prayer,  that  we  may  fpeak  the  language  of 
 
 the 
 
|88  .-,yil  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 the  fons  of  God  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  alone 
 teaches  the  heart  to  pronounce  aright  thofe  things, 
 that  the  tongue  of  many  hypocrites  can  articulate 
 well  to  man's  ear ;  and  only  the  children  in  that 
 right  ftrain  that  takes  him,  call  God  their  Father^ 
 and  cry  unto  him  as  their  Father,  And  therefore 
 many  poor  unlettered  Chrillians  far  outftrip  your 
 ichooUrabbies  in  this  faculty,  becaufe  it  is  not  effec- 
 tually taught  in  thefe  lower  academies ;  they  mud  be 
 in  God's  own  fchool,  children  of  his  houfe,  that  fpeak 
 this  language.  Men  may  give  fpiritual  rules  and  di- 
 rections in  this,  and  fiich  as  may  be  ufeful,  drawn 
 irom  the  word,  that  furnifhes  us  with  all  needful 
 precepts  ;  but  you  are  ilill  to  bring  thefe  into  the 
 Jeat  of  this  faculty  of  prayer,  the  heart ;  and  flamp 
 them  upon  it,  and  fo  to  teach  it  to  pray,  without 
 which,  there  is  no  prayer;  this  is  the  prerogative  . 
 royal  of  Him  that  framed  the  heart  of  man  within 
 him. 
 
 But,  for  advancing  in  this,  and  growing  more  fkil- 
 ful  in  it,  prayer  is,  with  continual  dependence  on 
 the  Spirit,  to  be  much  ufcd.  Praying  much  thou 
 flialt  be  bleft  with  much  faculty  for  it.  So  then, 
 afkeft  thou,  what  fhall  I  do  that  1  may  learn  to  pray? 
 There  be  things  here  to  be  confidered,  that  are  ex- 
 prefled  as  ferving  this  end  ;  but  for  prefent  this,  and 
 chiefly  this,  **  by  praying  thou  ftialt  learn  to  pray." 
 Thou  (halt  both  obtain  more  of  the  Spirit,  and  find 
 more  the  cheerful  working  of  it  in  prajer,  when 
 thou  putteft  it  often  to  that  work  for  which  it  is  re- 
 ceived, and  wherein  it  is  delighted  ;  and  as  both  ad- 
 va.ntaging  all  graces,  and  the  grace  of  prayer  itieif, 
 this  frequency  and  aboundmg  in  prayer  is  here  very 
 clearly  intended,  in  that  the  Apoftle  makes  it  as  the 
 main  of  our  work,  and  would  have  us  to  keep  our 
 hearts  in  a  conftant  aptnefs  for  it;  Be  fober  and 
 'wntcb  ;  to  what  end  ?  unto  prayer^ 
 
 2,  Sobriety  is  recommended;  Be  fober.    They  that 
 have  no  better,  mull  make  the  bell  they  can  of  car- 
 dial 
 
VJ;R*  7.3  THE  FIRST  EPISTIE  OJ"  PJETER,  aSp 
 
 nal  delights.  It  is  no  wonder  they  take  as  large  a 
 fiiare  of  them  as  they  can  bear,  and  fometimes  more* 
 But  the  Chriftian  is  called  to  a  more  excellent  ilate, 
 and  higher  pleafures ;  lb  that  he  may  behold  men 
 glutting  themfelves  with  thefe  bafe  things,  and  be  as 
 little  moved  to  fhare  with  them,  as  men  are  taken 
 with  the  pleafure  a  fwine  hath  in  wallowing  in  the 
 viire^  2  Pet.  ii.  22. 
 
 It  becomes  the  heirs  of  heaven  to  be  far  above  the 
 love  of  the  earth  ;  and  in  the  neceflary  ufe  of  any 
 earthly  things,  dill  to  keep  within  the  due  meafure 
 of  their  ufe,  and  to  keep  their  heart  wholly  difen- 
 gaged  from  an  exceffive  affedlion  to  them.  This  is 
 the  fobriety  to  which  we  are  here  exhorted. 
 
 It  is  true,  that,  in  the  moll  common  fenfe  of  the 
 word,  it  is  very  commendable,  and  it  is  lit  to  be  fo 
 coniidered  by  a  Chriftian,  that  he  fly  grofs  intemper- 
 ance, as  a  thing  moft  contrary  to  his  condition,  and 
 holy  calling,  and  wholly  inconliftent  with  the  fpiri- 
 tualtemper  of  a  renewed  mind,  and  thole  exercifes  to 
 which  it  is  called,  and  its  progrefs  in  its  way  home- 
 wards. It  is  a  moft  unfeemly  fight  to  behold  on^ 
 fimply  by  outward  profeffion  a  Chriftian,  overtaken 
 wnlhfurfeiting  and  drunkennefs^  much  more  to  be  gi^ 
 ven  to  the  vile  cuftom  of  it :  All  fenfual  delights 
 even  the  filthy  luft  of  uncleannefs,  go  under  the  com- 
 mon name  of  infobriety,  intemperance,  axoAao-ia  ;  and 
 they  all  degrade  and  deftroy  the  noble  foul ;  are  un- 
 v»7orthy  of  man,  much  more  of  a  Chriftian  j  and  the 
 contempt  of  them  preferves  the  foul,  and  elevates  it. 
 
 But  the  fobriety  here  recommended,  though  it 
 takes  in  that  too,  yet  reaches  further  than  temperance 
 in  meat  and  dnnk.  It  is  the  fpiritual  temperance  of 
 a  Chriftian  mind  in  all  earthly  things,  as  our  Saviour 
 joins  thefe  together,  Luke  xxi.  34.  ;  Surfeiting  and 
 drunkennefsy  and  cares  of  this  life:  And  under  the 
 cares  are  comprehended  all  the  exceflive  defires  and 
 delights  of  this  life,  which  cannot  be  followed  and 
 attended  without  diftcmpcred  carefulneft. 
 
 Many 
 
I9»  A  COMMENtA'RY  UPON  f  CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Many  that  are  Ibber  men,  and  of  temperate  diet^ 
 yet  are  fpintually  intemperate,  drunk  with  pride  or 
 covetoufnefs,  or  paflion;  drunk  with  felf-love,  and 
 love  of  their  pleafures  and  eafe,  with  lo^e  tlf'the 
 nsjorld,  and  the  things  of  it,  which  cannot  cohiift  with 
 the  love  of  God^  as  St  John  tells  us,  i  John  ii.  15.  ; 
 drunk  with  the  inordinate  unlawful  love  even  of  their 
 lawful  calling,  and  the  lawful  gain  thej  piirfue  by  it. 
 Their  hearts  are  ftill  going  after  it,  and  fo  reeling  to 
 and  fro,  never  fixed  on  God  and  heavenly  things,  bat 
 either  hurried  up  and  down  with  inceflant  bulinefs, 
 or,  if  fometimes  at'  eafe,  it  is,  as  the  eafe  of  a  drunken 
 man,  not  compofed  to  better  and  wifer  thougiits,  but 
 falling  into  a  dead  lleep,  coptrary  to  the  watching 
 here  joined  with  fobriety. 
 
 3.  We  are  to  confider  the  remaining  duty  of 
 watch fulnefs ;  Watch,  There  is  a  Chriitian  rule  t9 
 be  obferved  in  the  very  moderating  of  bodily  lleep, 
 and  that  particul'^rlj  for  the  intereit  of  prayer  ;  but 
 watching,  as  fobriety  here,  is  chiefly  the  fpiritual 
 circumlpednefs  and  vigilancy  of  the  mind,  in  a  wary 
 waking  pofture,  that  it  be  not  furprifed  by  the  af- 
 faults  or  flights  of  Satan,  by  the  world,  nor  its  near- 
 «fl:  and  moft  deceiving  enemy,  the  corruption  that 
 dwells  within,  which  being  fo  near,  doth  mofl:  readily 
 watch  unperceived  advantages,  and  eafily  circum- 
 vents us,  Heb.  xii.  i.  The  foul  of  a  Chriftian  being 
 furrounded  with  enemies,  both  of  fo  great  power  and 
 wrath,  and  fo  watchful  to  undo  it,  fbould  it  not  be 
 watchful  for  its  own  fafety,  and  live  in  a  military  vi- 
 gilancy continually,  keeping  conftant  watch  and  fen- 
 tinel,  and  fuffering  nothing  ^to  pafs  that  may  carry 
 the  lead  fufpicion  of  danger  ?  Should  he  not  be  dif- 
 trufliful  and  jealous  of  all  the  motions  of  his  own 
 heart,  and  the  fmilings  of  the  world  ?  And  in  rela- 
 tion to  thefe,  it  will  be  a  wife  courfe  to  take  that 
 word  as  a  good  caveat.  Be  watchful,  and  remember  to 
 mijlrufl*.     Under  the  garment  of  fome  harmlefs  plea- 
 
 fure, 
 
VZK.  5.3  J         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PEt£R.  I9I 
 
 fure,  or  feme  lawful  liberties,  may  be  conveyed, into 
 thy  foul  fome  thief  or  traitor,  that  will  either  betray 
 thee  to  the  enemy,  or  at  lead  pilfer  and  fteal  of  the 
 tnoit  precious  things  thou  haft.  Do  we  not  by  experi- 
 ence find  how  ealily  our  foolilh  hearts  are  feduced 
 and  deceived,  and  how  apt  they  are  even  to  deceive 
 themfelves  ?  and  by  things  that  feem  to  have  no  evil 
 in  them,  yet  are  drawn  from  the  height  of  aifedion 
 to  the  higbeft  good,  and  from  communion  with-  God, 
 and  ftudy  to  pleafe  him  ;  which  iliould  not  be  inter- 
 mitted, for  then  it  will  abate^  whereas  it  ought  fliii 
 to  be  growing.  ■  :  ^?(<}-a\'  y^i. 
 
 IL  We  propofed  to  confider  the  mutual  relation  of 
 thefe  duties :  Now,  this  relation  is  clear  ^  they  are 
 each  of,  them  alliftant  and  helpful  to  the  other,  andj» 
 in  their  nature,  infeparably  linked  together,  as  they 
 are  here  in  the  words  of  the  Apoftle.  ,  Sobriety  is  the 
 friend  of  iMatcbfuinefs^  ^nd  prajer  o£  both.  Intem- 
 perance doth  of  neceility  draw  on  lleep  ;  exceffive 
 eating  or  drinking,  fending  up  too  many,  and  fo  grofs, 
 vapours,  furcharge  the  brain ;  and  when  the  body  is 
 thus  deadened,  how  unfit  is  it  for  any  adive  employ- 
 ment ?  Thus  the  mind,  by  a  furcharge  of  delights  ou 
 defires,  or  cares  of  earth,  is  made  fo  heavy  and  dull,, 
 that  it  cannot  awake  ;  hath  not  the  fpiritual  adlivity 
 and  clearnefs  that  fpiritual  exercifes,  particularly 
 prayer,  do  require.  Yea,  as  bodily  infobriety,  full 
 feeding  and  drinking,  not  only  for  the  time  indifpofes 
 to  adion,  but,  by  culfom  of  it,  brings  the  body  to  fo 
 grofs  and  heavy  a  temper,  that  the  very  natural  fpirits 
 cannot  llir  to  and  fro  in  it  with  freedom,  but  are. 
 clogged,  and  ftick  as  the  wheels  of  a  coach  in  a  deep 
 miry  way  ;  thus  is  it  with  the  foul  glutted  with 
 earthly  things  ;  the  affedlions  bemired  vyith,  them, 
 make  it  fluggifli,  and  inadive  in  thofe  that  are,  fpi- 
 ritual, and  render  the  motions  of  the  fpirit  lifelefs  ; 
 and,  obilrucled  thus,  grows  carnally  fecure  and  ileepy; 
 and  prayer  comes  heavily  off^  But  when  the  a  Sec- 
 pions  are  foberlyaded^  and  care  is  taken,  that,  even  in 
 
 lawful 
 
l^'i  A  COMMENTARY  UPON*  [cHAP.  IT* 
 
 lawful  things,  they  have  not  full  lityerty,  with  the 
 reins  laid  on  their  necks,  to  follow  the  world,  and 
 carnal  projedls,  and  delight,  to  the  utmoft,  when  the 
 unavoidable  affairs  of  this  life  are  done  with  a  fpi- 
 ritual  mind,  a  heart  kept  free  and  difengaged  ;  then 
 is  the  foul  more  nimble  for  Spiritual  things,  for  divine 
 meditation  and  prayer.  It  can  watch  and  continue 
 in  thefe  things,  and  fpend  itfelf  in  that  excellent  way 
 with  more  alacrity. 
 
 Again»  as  this  fobriety,  and  the  watchful  temper 
 attending  it,  enables  for  prayer,  lb  prayer  preferves 
 thefe.  It  winds  up  the  foul  from  the  earth,  raifes  it 
 above  thefe  things  which  intemperance  feeds  on,  ac- 
 quaints it  with  the  tranfcending  fweetnefs  of  divine 
 eomforts,  the  love  and  lovelinefs  of  Jefus  Chrift  ;  and 
 thefe  moil  powerfully  wean  the  foul  from  thefe  low 
 creeping  pleafures  which  the  world  gapes  after,  and 
 fwallows  with  fuch  greedinefs.  He  that  is  admitted 
 to  neareft  intimacy  with  the  king,  and  is  called  daily 
 tp  his  prefence,  not  only  in  the  view  and  company  of 
 others,  but  likewife  in  fecret,  will  he  be  fo  mad  as  to 
 fit  down  and  drink  with  the  kitchen-boys,  or  the 
 common  guards,  fo  far  below  what  he  may  enjoy  ? 
 Surely  not. 
 
 Prayer  being  our  near  communion  with  the  great 
 God,  certainly  it  fubli mates  the  foul,  and  makes  it 
 look  down  upon  the  bafe  ways  of  the  world  with  dif- 
 dain,  and  defpife  the  truly  befotting  pleafures  of  it. 
 Yea,  the  Lord  doth  fometimes  fill  thofe  fouls,  that 
 converfe  much  with  him,  with  fuch  beatific  delights^ 
 fuch  inebriating  fweetnefs,  as  I  may  call  it,  that  it  is, 
 in  a  happy  manner,  drunk  with  thofe  :  And  the  more 
 it  enjoys  of  this,  the  more  is  the  foul  above  bafe  in- 
 temperance in  the  ufe  of  the  delights  of  the  world. 
 As  common  drunkennefs  makes  a  man  lefs  than  a 
 man,  this  makes  him  more  ;  that  finks  him  below 
 himfelf,  and  makes  him  a  beaft  ;  this  raifes  him  above 
 himfelf,  and  makes  him  an  angel. 
 
 -  Would 
 
V£R.  7.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I93 
 
 Would  you,  as  fure  you  ought,  have  much  faculty 
 for  prayer,  and  be  frequent  in  it,  and  find  much  the 
 pure  fweetnefs  of  it  ?  Then,  iji,  D^^ny  yourlelves 
 more  the  muddy  pieafures  and  fweetnefs  of  the 
 v/orld.  If  ycu  would  pray  much,  and  with  much 
 advantage,  then  he  fobtr,  and  zvatcb  u?ito  prayer. 
 Suffer  not  your  hearts  to  l^ng  fo  after  eafe  and  wealth, 
 and  elleeni  in  the  world.  Thefe  will  make  your 
 hearts,  if  they  mix  with  them,  become  like  them, 
 and  take  their  quality  ;  will  make  them  grofs  and 
 earthly,  and  unable  to  mount  up  ;  will  clog  the  wings 
 of  prayer;  and  you  ihall  find  the  lofs,  when  your 
 foul  is  heavy  and  drowfy,  and  fails  off  from  aclighr- 
 ing  in  God,  and  your  communion  with  him.  Will 
 fuch  things  as  thofe  you  foUovv,  be  able  to  counter- 
 vail your  damage  ?  Can  they  fpeak  you  peace,  and 
 uphold  you  in  a  day  of  darknefs  and  diftrefs  ?  cr  may 
 it  not  be  fuch  now,  as  will  make  them  all  a  burden 
 and  vexation  to  you  ?  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
 more  you  abate  and  let  go  of  thefe,  and  come  empty 
 and  hungry  to  God  in  prayer,  the  more  room  fhall 
 you  have  for  his  confolations  ;  and  therefore  the  more 
 plentifully  will  he  pour  in  of  them,  and  enrich  your 
 foul  with  them  the  more,  the  lefs  you  take  in  of  the 
 other. 
 
 2.  Would  you  have  yourLlves  ralfed  to,  and  con- 
 tinued and  advanced  in,  a  fpiiitual  heavenly  temper, 
 free  from  the  furfcits  of  earth,  and  awake,  and  adive, 
 for  heaven  ?   Be  inceiTant  in  prayer. 
 
 Bur,  thou  wilt  fay,  I  find  norhingbut  heavy  indif- 
 pofednefs  in  it  ;  n.)thing  but  roving  and  vanity  of 
 heart:  And  fo,  though  I  have  ufed  it  fome  time,  it 
 is  ftill  unprofitable  and  uncomfortable  to  me.  Al- 
 though it  be  fo,  yet  hold  on,  give  it  not  over.  Or, 
 need  i  fay  this  to  thee,  though  it  were  referred  to 
 thyfelf,  wouldti  thou  foriuke  it  and  leave  oa  ?  then, 
 what  .wouidit  thou  do  next  ?  for  if  there  be  no  com- 
 fort in  it,  far  lefs  any  for  thee  in  any  other  way.  If 
 temptation  fKould  fo  far  prevail  with  thee  as  to  try 
 
 Vol*  !!•  B  ^  intermiiTion, 
 
194  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 iniermiffion,  either  thou  wouldft  be  forced  to  return 
 to  it  pieiently,  or  certainly  wouldil  fall  into  a  more 
 grievous  condition  ;  and,  after  horrors  and  lafhings, 
 mull:,  at  length,  come  back  to  it  again,  or  perilh  for 
 ever :  Theretore,  however  it  go,  continue  praying. 
 Strive  to  believe  that  love  thou  canft  not  fee.  For 
 where  fight  is  abridged,  there  it  is  proper  for  faith  to 
 work.  If  thou  canft  do  no  more,  lie  before  thy  Lord, 
 and  look  to  him.  "  Lord,  here  I  am,  thou  mayeft 
 '*  quicken  and  revive  me,  if  thou  wilt:  and  I  truft 
 •'  thou  wilt;  but  if  I  muft  do  it,  1  will  die  at  thy 
 "'  feet-;  my  life  is  in  thy  hand,  and  thou  art  goodn^fs 
 "  and  mercy  ;  while  1  have  breath  I  will  cry  ;  or 
 "  if  I  cannot  cry,  yet  I  will  wait  on,  and  look  to 
 '*  thee." 
 
 One  thing  forget  not,  that  the  ready  way  to  rife 
 out  of  this  fad,  yet  fafe  ftate,  is  to  be  much  in  view- 
 ing the  Mediator,  and  interpofing  him  betwixt  the 
 Father's  view  and  thy  foul.  Some  who  do  ortho- 
 dcxly  believe  this  to  be  right,  yet  (as  often  befals  us 
 in  other  things  of  this  kind)  they  do  not  fo  conlider 
 and  ufe  it,  in  their  neceffity,  as  becomes  them,  and 
 therefore  fall  Ihort  of  comfort.  He  hath  declared 
 it,  No  7nan  comes  to  the  Father  hut  by  7ne,  How  vile 
 foever  thou  art,  put  thyfelf  under  his  robe,  and  into 
 his  hand,  and  he  will  lead  thee  in  to  the  Father,  and 
 prefent  thee  acceptable  and  blamelefs  :  The  Father 
 ihall  receive  thee,  and  declare  himfelf  well  pleafed 
 with  thee  in  his  well-beloved  Son,  vA\o  hath  covered 
 thee  with  his  righteoufnefs,  and  brought  thee  fo 
 clothed,  and  fet  thee  before  him. 
 
 in.  The  third  thing  we  are  to  conlider  is,  the 
 reafon  binding  on  thefe  duties  of  fobriety,  watchful- 
 nefs  and  prayer,  ne  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand. 
 
 It  is  neceflary  often  to  remember  this ;  tor  even 
 believers  too  readily  forget  it;  and  it  is  very  fuitable 
 to  the  Apoftle's  foregoing  difcourfe  of  judgment,  and 
 to  his  prefent  exhortation  to  fobriety  and  watchful- 
 nefs  unto  prayer,  even  the  general  end  of  all  is  at 
 
 band  ; 
 
VER.  7.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  I95 
 
 handy  though,  lince  the  Apoftle  wrote  this,  many 
 ages  are  pall.  For,  i.  The  Apollles  ufually  fpeak 
 of  the  whole  time  after  the  coming  of  Jefus  Chrift 
 in  the  flefti  2ls  the  lajt  time;  for  that  two  double 
 chiliads  of  years  paft  before  it,  the  one  before,  the 
 other  under  the  law  ;  and  in  this  third,  it  is  concei- 
 ved, fhall  be  the  end  of  all  things.  And  the  Apodles 
 feem,  by  divers  exprellions,  to  have  apprehended  it 
 in  their  days  not  far  off.  So  St  Paul,  i  Theff.  iv.  17. 
 l¥e  which  are  alive,  and  remain^  Jhall  be  caught  up  ~ 
 together  with  theni  in  the  clouds.  As  not  impoffible, 
 that  it  might  come  in  their  time,  which  put  him  up- 
 on fome  explication  of  that  corredlion  of  their  mif- 
 takes,  in  his  next  epiftie  to  them,  wherein,  notwith- 
 Itanding  he  feems  not  to  affert  any  great  tradl  of 
 time  to  intervene,  but  in  that  time  great  things  were 
 lirll  to  come.  2.  However,  this  might  always  have 
 been  faid  in  refpecH:  of  fucceeding  eternity.  The 
 whole  duration  of  the  world  is  not  conliderable,  and 
 to  the  eternal  Lord  that  made  it,  and  hath  appointed 
 its  period,  a  thoufand  years  are  hut  as  one  day.  We 
 think  a  thoufand  years  a  great  matter,  in  relped:  of 
 our  fhort  life,  and  more  through  our  fhort-fightednefs, 
 that  look  not  through  this  to  eternal  life:  But  what 
 is  the  utmoft  length  of  time,  were  it  millions  of  years, 
 to  a  thought  of  eternity  I  We  find  much  room  in  this 
 earth,  but  to  the  vaft  heavens,  it  is  but  as  a  point. 
 Thus,  that  which  is  but  fmall  to  us,  a  field  or  little 
 inclofure,  a  fly,  had  it  flvill,  would  divide  it  into  pro- 
 vinces in  proportion  to  itfelf.  3.  To  each  man  the 
 efid  of  all  things,  is,  even  after  our  meafure,  at  hand  ; 
 for  when  he  dies,  the  world  ends  for  him.  Now, 
 this  coniideration  fits  the  fubjed,  and  preffes  it 
 ftrongly ;  feeing  all  things  fliall  be  quickly  at  an  end, 
 even  the  frame  of  heaven  and  earth,  why  fliould  we, 
 knowing  this,  and  having  higher  hopes,  lay  out  io 
 much  of  our  defires  and  endeavours  upon  thefe  things 
 that  are  pofting  to  ruin  ?  It  is  no  hard  notion  to  be 
 fober  and  v/atchful  to  prayer,  to  be  trading  that  way, 
 
 and 
 
jg6  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 and  feeking  higher  things,  and  to  be  very  moderate 
 in  thcle,  which  are  of  fo  fhort  a  date.  And  as,  in 
 themfelves,  and  their  utmoft  term,  they  are  of  ihort 
 duration ;  fo  more  evidently  to  each  of  us  particu- 
 larly, who  are  fo  foon  cut  off^  and  flee  away.  Why 
 (hould  our  hearts  cleave  to  thofc  things  from  which 
 we  ihail  ib  quickly  part,  and  from  which,  if  we  will 
 not  freely  part  and  let  them  go,  we  fhall  be  pulled 
 away,  and  pulled  with  the  more  pain,  the  clofer  we 
 cleave,  and  fafter  we  are  glued  to  them  ? 
 
 This  the  Apoftle  St  Paul  cafts  in  feafonably,  though 
 many  think  it  not  feafonable  at  fuch  tin\es,  when  he 
 is  difcourfing  of  a  great  point  of  our  life,  marriage, 
 to  work  Chriftian  minds  to  a  holy  freedom  both  ways, 
 whether  they  ufe  it  or  no ;  not  to  view  it,  nor  any 
 thing  here,  with  the  world's  fpedacles,  which  make 
 it  look  fo  big  and  fo  nxed,  but  to  fee  ii  in  the  ilream 
 of  time  as  paffing  by,  and  no  fuch  great  matter.  The 
 faJJjion  of  this  world  pajfeth  away,  Troc^ayn^  I  Cor.  vii. 
 31.  as  a  pageant  or  Ihew  in  a  itreet,  going  through 
 and  quickly  out  of  light.  What  became  of  all  the 
 marriage  folemnities  of  kings  and  princes  of  former 
 ages,  which  they  were  fo  taken  up  with  in  their 
 time  ?  When  we  read  of  them  defcribed  in  hiflory, 
 they  are  as  a  night-dream,  or  a  day- fancy,  which 
 paifes  through  the  mind  and  vaniflies  1 
 
 Oh  I  foolifli  man,  that  hunteth  fuch  poor  things, 
 and  will  not  be  called  off  till  death  benight  him,  and 
 iinds  his  great  work  not  done,  yea,  not  begun  ;  no, 
 nor  ferioully  thought  of.  Your  buildings,  your  tra- 
 ding, your  lands,  your  matches,  and  friendfnips,  and 
 projects,  when  they  take  with  you,  and  your  hearts 
 are  after  them,  fay.  But  for  how  long  all  thefe  ?  Tbeir 
 end  is  at  hand;  therefore  he  fober^  and  watch  unto 
 prayer.  Learn  to  divide  better;  fet  apart  more  hours 
 for  it,  and  fewer  for  them  :  Your  whole  heart  for  it, 
 and  none  of  it  for  them.  Seeing  they  will  fail  you 
 fo  quickly,  prevent  them.  Become  free  ;  lean  not 
 on  them  till  they  break,  and  you  fall  into  the  pit. 
 
 It 
 
VER.  7.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  igj 
 
 It  is  reported  of  one,  that,  hearing  the  5th  of  Ge- 
 nefis  read,  fo  lon^  lived,  and  yet  the  burden  ft  ill,  tbey 
 died,  Enoch  lived  905,  and  he  died,  Setb  912,  and  he 
 died,  Methufelah  ()6g,  and  be  died,  he  took  fo  deep 
 the  thought  of  death  and  eternity,  that  it  changed 
 his  whole  frame,  and  fet  him  from  a  voluptuous  to  a 
 mod  ftridt  and  pious  courfe  of  life.  How  finall  a 
 word  will  do  much,  when  God  fets  it  into  the  Leurtl 
 But  fure  this  one  thing  would  make  the  foul  more 
 calm  and  fober  in  the  purfuit  of  prefect  things,  if 
 their  term  were  truly  computed  and  confxdered.  How 
 foon  fhall  youth,  and  health,  and  carnal  delights,  be 
 at  an  end  ?  How  foon  fliall  flate^raft  and  king-craft, 
 and  all  the  great  projects  of  the  higheft  wits  and 
 fpirits,  be  laid  in  the  duft  ?  This  calls  a  damp  upon 
 all  thofe  fine  things.  But  to  a  foul  acquainted  with 
 God,  and,  in  affedion,  removed  hence  already,  no 
 thought  fo  fweet  as  this ;  it  helps  much  to  carry  it 
 cheerfully  through  wreillings  and  difficulties,  through 
 better  and  worfe;  they  fee  land  near,  and  (hall  quick- 
 ly be  at  home;  that  is  the  way.  The  end  of  all  things 
 is  at  hand :  An  end  of  a  few  poor  delights,  and  the 
 many  vexations  of  this  wretched  life  ;  an  end  of 
 temptations  and  fins,  the  worft  of  all  evils;  yea,  an 
 end  of  the  imperfed  fafhion  of  our  bcft  things  here, 
 an  end  of  prayer  itfelf,  to  which  fucceeds  that  new 
 fong  of  endlefs  praifes. 
 
 Ver.  i.  And,  above  all  things,  have  fervent  charity  a- 
 mong  your/elves  :  for  charity  Jh all  cover  the  jnulti- 
 ttide  of  fins, 
 
 HE  graces  of  the  Spirit  are  an  entire  frame, 
 making  up  the  new  creature,  and  none  of  them 
 can  be  wanting;  therefore  the  dodrine  and  exhorta- 
 tion of  the  Apollles  fpeak  of  them  ufually,  not  only 
 as  inieparable,  but  as  one.  But  there  is  amongit 
 them  all  none  more  comprehenlive  than  this  of  hve^ 
 infomuch  that  St  Paul  calls  it  the  fulfilling  of  the  law, 
 
 Rom. 
 
jpS  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 Rom.  xiii.  lo.  Love  to  God  is  the  fum  of  all  rela- 
 tive to  him,  and  fo  likewife  is  it  towards  our  bre- 
 thren. Love  to  God  is  that  which  makes  us  live  to 
 him,  and  be  wholly  his;  that  which  mod  powerfully 
 weans  us  from  this  world,  and  caufeth  us  delight  in 
 communion  with  him,  in  holy  meditation  and  prayer. 
 Now,  the  Apoftle  adding  here  the  duty  of  Chriftians 
 to  one  another,  gives  this  as  the  prime,  yea,  the  fum 
 of  all ;  Above  all  have  fervent  love. 
 
 Concerning  this,  coniider  i.  The  nature  of  it.  2. 
 The  eminent  degree  of  it.  And,  3.  The  excellent 
 fruit  of  it. 
 
 L  The  nature  of  this  love.  i.  It  is  an  union, 
 therefore  called  a  bond  or  chain,  that  links  things  to- 
 gether. 2.  It  is  not  a  mere  external  union,  that  holds 
 in  culloms,  or  words,  or  outward  carriage,  but  an 
 union  of  hearts.  ,3.  It  is  here  not  a  natural,  but  a 
 fpiritual  fupernatural  union  ;  it  is  that  mutual  love  of 
 Chrirtians  as  brethren.  There  is  a  common  benevo- 
 lence and  good  will  due  to  all ;  but  a  more  particular 
 uniting  afFedlion  amongft  Chriftians,  which  makes 
 them  interchangeably  one. 
 
 The  devil  being  an  apoftate  fpirit,  revolted  and 
 feparated  from  God,  doth  naturally  projed:  and  work 
 diviiion.  This  was  his  firft  exploit,  and  ftill  his 
 grand  defign  and  bufmefs  in  the  world.  He  firft  di- 
 vided man  from  God  ;  put  them  at  an  enmity  by  the 
 firft  fin  of  our  firft  parents  ;  and  the  next  we  read  of 
 in  their  firft  child,  was  enmity  againft  his  brother. 
 So  Satan  is  called  by  our  Saviour,  juftly,  a  liar  and 
 a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  John  viii.  44.;  he  mur- 
 dered man  by  lying,  and  made  him  a  murderer. 
 
 And  as  the  devil's  work  is  divifion,  Chrift's  work 
 is  union  \  he  came  to  diffolve  the  works  of  the  devil, 
 Im  \M(rv],  I  John  iii.  8.  by  a  contrary  work.  He  came 
 to  make  all  friends ;  to  recoiled  and  reunite  all  men 
 to  God,  and  man  to  man  ;  and  both  thofe  unions  hold 
 in  him  by  virtue  of  that  marvellous  union  of  natures 
 in  his  perfon,  and  that  myfterious  union  of  the  per- 
 
 ions 
 
VER.  8.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I99 
 
 fons  of  believers  with  him  as  their  Head.  So  the 
 word,  ay»}ii(p»x<mu(r»<r^xi,  Eph.  i.  10.  To  unite  ail  in  one 
 Head, 
 
 This  was  his  great  project  in  all ;  this  he  died  and 
 fuiFered  for,  and  this  he  prayed  for,  John  xvii. ;  and 
 this  is  llrong  above  all  ties,  natural  or  civil,  union  in 
 Chrift.  This  they  have  that  are  indeed  Chriftians  ; 
 this  they  pretend  to  have,  if  they  underftood  it,  who 
 profefs  themfelves  Chriftians.  If  natural  friendlhip 
 be  capable  of  that  expreilion,  one  fpirit  in  two  bodies^ 
 Chriftian  union  hath  it  much  more  really  and  pro- 
 perly :  For  there  is,  indeed,  one  Spirit  more  exten- 
 iive  in  all  the  faithful ;  yea,  fo  one  fpirit,  that  it 
 makes  them  up  into  one  body  more  extenlive  :  They 
 are  not  fo  much  as  divers  bodies,  only  divers  mem- 
 bers  of  one  body. 
 
 Now,  this  love  of  our  brethren  is  not  another  from 
 the  love  of  God,  it  is  but  the  ftreaming  forth  of  it,  or 
 the  reflexion  of  it.     Jefus  Chrift  fending  in  his  Spirit 
 into  the  heart,   unites  it  to  God  in  himfelf  by  love^ 
 which  is  indeed  all,  that  loving  of  God  fupremely  and 
 entirely,  with  all  the  mind  and  foul,  all  the  combined 
 Jlrength  of  the  heart  I    And  then  that  fame  love,  fir  ft 
 wholly  carried  to  him,  is  not  divided  or  impaired  by 
 the  iove  of  our  brethren,   but  is  dilated,  as  derived 
 from  the  other.     God  allows,  yea,  commands,  yea, 
 caufes,   that  it  ft  ream  forth,    and  ad:  itfelf   toward 
 them  ;   remaining  ftill  in  him,   as  in  its  fource  and 
 centre;  beginning  at  him,  and  returning  to  him,  as 
 the  beams  that  diffufe  themfelves  from  the  fun,  and 
 the  light  and  heat,  yet  are  not  divided  or  cut  oft  from 
 it,  but  remain  in  it,  and,  by  emanation,  iifue  from  it. 
 Loving  our  brethren  in  God,   and  for  him  ;   not  only 
 becaufe  he  commands  us  to  love  them  ;   and  fo  the 
 law  of  love  to  him  ties  us  to  it,   as  his  will  ;  but  be- 
 caufe that  love  of  God   doth   naturally  extend  itfelf 
 thus,  and  ads  thus;  in  loving  our  brethren  after  a  fpi- 
 ritual  Chriftian  manner,  we  do  even  in  chat  love  our 
 God, 
 
 Loving 
 
aOO  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Loving  of  God  makes  us  one  with  God,  and  fo 
 gives  us  an  impreffion  of  his  divine  bounty  in  his 
 Spirit;  and  his  love,  the  proper  work  of  his  Spirit, 
 dweUing  in  the  heart,  enlarges  and  dilates  it,  as  felf- 
 love  contrads  and  flraitens  it :  So  that  as  felf-love 
 is  the  perfed:  oppofite  to  the  love  of  God,  it  is  like- 
 wife  fo  to  brotherly  love ;  it  (huts  out  and  undoes 
 both  :  And  where  the  love  of  God  is  rekindled  and 
 enters  the  heart,  it  deilroys  and  burns  up  felf-love, 
 and  fo  carries  the  afFedion  up  to  himfelf,  and  in  him 
 forth  to  our  brethren. 
 
 This  is  that  bitter  root  of  all  enmity  in  man  againft 
 God,  and  amongtt  men,  againft  one  another,  felf^ 
 man's  heart  turned  from  God  towards  himfelf;  and 
 the  very  work  of  renewing  grace  is,  to  annul  and 
 deftroy  felf,  to  replace  God  in  his  right,  that  the 
 heart,  and  all  its  affections  and  motions,  may  be  at 
 his  difpofaL  So  that,  inftead  of  felf-will  and  felf- 
 love  that  ruled  before,  now  the  will  of  God,  and  the 
 love  of  God,  command  all. 
 
 And  where  it  is  thus,  there  this  ^lAaJ'fA^ja,  this 
 love  of  our  brethren,  will  be  lincere.  Whence  is  it 
 that  wars,  and  contefts,  and  mutual  difgracings  and 
 defpifings,  do  fo  much  abound,  but  that  men  love 
 themfelvcs,  and  nothing  but  themfelves,  or  in  rela- 
 tion to  themfelves,  as  it  pleafes,  or  is  advantageous^ to 
 them  ?  That  is  the  ftandard  and  rule  ;  all  is  car- 
 ried by  intereft,  fo  thence  are  ftrifes  and  defamings, 
 and  bitternefs  againit  one  another  ;  but  the  Spirit  of 
 Chrift  coming  in,  undoes  all  feliilhnefs.  And  now, 
 according  to  God,  what  he  wills  and  loves,  that  is 
 law,  and  a  powerful  law  ;  the  law  of  love  is  fo  writ- 
 ten on  the  heart,  that  it  obeys  not  unpleafiintly,  but 
 with  delight,  and  knows  no  conftraint,  but  the  fweet 
 conflraint  of  love.  To  forgive  a  wrong,  to  love  even 
 thine  enemy  for  him,  is  not  only  eafy  now  but  de- 
 legable, although  a  little  while  ago  thou  thoughtefl  it 
 was  quite  impoffible. 
 
 That 
 
Ver.  S.]        the  first  epistle  of  peter*  201 
 
 That  Spirit  of  Chrift,  which  is  all  fweetnefs  and 
 love,  fo  calms  and  compofes  the  heart,  that  peace 
 with  God,  and  that  unfpeakably  blefled  corfefpon- 
 dence  of  love  with  him,  doth  io  fill  the  foul  with 
 lovingnefs  and  fweetnefs,  that  it  can  breathe  nothing 
 elfe.  It  hates  nothing  but  fin,  pities  the  finner,  and 
 carries  to  the  word  that  love  of  good  will,  deliring 
 their  return  and  falvation.  But  as  for  thofe,  in  whom 
 appears  the  image  of  their  Father,  their  heart  cleaves 
 t6  them  as  brethren  indeed.  No  natural  advantages^ 
 no  birth,  no  beauty,  nor  wit,  draws  a  Chriftian's  love 
 fo  much,  as  the  refemblance  of  Chrift: ;  wherever 
 that  is  found,  it  is  comely,  and  lovely  to  a  foul  that 
 loves  him. 
 
 Much  communion  with  God  fweetens  and  calms 
 the  mind,  cures  the  diitempers  of  paflion  and  pride, 
 that  are  the  avowed  enemies  of  love  ;  particularly 
 prayer  and  love  fuit  w^ell.  (i.)  Prayer  difpofes  to 
 this  love  ;  he  that  loveth  not,  knowetb  not  God,  faith 
 the  beloved  Apofl:le,  fo?'  God  is  love,  John  iv.  8.  He 
 that  is  mofl:  converfant  with  love,  the  fpring  of  it, 
 w^here  it  is  pureft  and  fuilefl:,  cannot  but  have  the 
 fuUeft  meafure  of  it,  flovving  in  from  thence  into  his 
 heart,  and  flowing  forth  from  thence  unto  his  bre- 
 thren. If  they  that  ufe  the  fociety  of  mild  and  good 
 men,  are  infenfibly  aflimilated  to  them,  grow  like 
 them,  and  contract  fomewhat  of  their  temper;  much 
 more  doth  familiar  v/alking  with, God  powerfully 
 transform  the  foul  into  his  likenefs  ;  makes  it  mer- 
 ciful and  loving,  and  ready  to  forgive,  as  he  is.  On 
 the  other  hand, 
 
 (2.)  This  love  difpofes  to  prayer,  to  pray  together. 
 Hearts  mud  be  conforted  and  tuned  together  ;  other- 
 wife,  how  can  they  found  the  fame  fuits  harmoniouf- 
 ly  ?  How  unpleafant,  in  the  exquifite  ear  of  God^ 
 that  made  the  ear,  are  the  jarring  difunited  hearts, 
 that  often  feem  to  join  in  the  fame  prayer,  and  yet 
 are  not  fet  together  in  love  ?  And  when  thou  prayed 
 alone,  while  thy  heart  is  imbittered  ?.r.d  difalFeded 
 
 Vol.  II,  C  c  \t> 
 
2(Si  '        A  COrvlMi:NTARY  UPOK  [cHAP.  Il?a 
 
 fo  thy  brother,  although  upon  an  offence  done  to 
 thee,  it  is  as  a  miftuned  inllrument ;  the  firings  are  not 
 accorded,  are  not  in  tune  amongfl  themfelves,  and  fo 
 the  found  is  hardi  and  offenfive.  Try  it  well  thy- 
 felf,  and  thou  wilt  perceive  it  ;  how  much  more  he, 
 to  whom  thou  prayeft,  when  thou  art  ftirred,  and  in 
 paflion  againrt  thy  brother,  or  not,  on  the  contrary, 
 lovingly  afFeded  towards  him;  what  broken,  difor- 
 dered,  unfaftened  (tuff  are  thy  requefls  I  Therefore 
 the  Lord  will  have  this  done  firft,  the  heart  tuned  ; 
 Go  thy  way,  (fays  he),  leave  thy  gift  and  be  reconciled 
 to  thy  brother^  then  come  and  offer  thy  gift^  Mat.  v.  23^ 
 24. 
 
 Why  is  this  fo  much  recommended  by  Chrift,  and 
 fo  little  regarded  by  Chriflians  ?  It  is  given  by  him 
 as  the  charadleriftic  and  badge  of  his  follow-ers,  and 
 of  them  that  pretend  ta  be  fo,  how  few  wear  it  ? 
 Oh  !  a  little  real  Chriflianity  were  more  worth  than 
 all  that  empLy  profeffion  and  difcourfe,  that  w^e  think 
 fo  much  of.  Hearts  receiving  the  mould -and  flamp 
 of  this  rule,  thefe  were  living  copies  of  the  gofpel  ; 
 ye  are  our  epiflle,  fays  the  Apoftle,  2Cor.  iii.  2.  We 
 come  together,  and  hear,  and  fpeak^  fometimes  of 
 one  grace,  and  fometimes  of  another ;  and  the  mofli 
 never  feek  to  have  their  hearts  enriched  with  the 
 poffeflion  of  any  of  them.  We  fearch  not  to  the 
 bottom  the  perverfenefs  of  our  nature,  and  the  guirl- 
 tinefs  that  is  upon  us  in  thefe  things  ;  or  we  fhift  off 
 the  conviction^  and  find  a  way  to  forget  it,  wdien  the 
 hour  is  done. 
 
 That  accurfed  root,  felf- love,  that  makes  man  an 
 enemy  to  God,  and  men  enemies  and  devourers  one 
 of  another,  who  fets  to  the  difcovery  and  the  dif- 
 planting  of  it  ?.  Who  bends  the  force  of  holy  endea- 
 vours and  prayer,  fupplicating  the  h^ind  of  God  for 
 the  plucking  of  it  up  ?  Sonie  natures  are  quieter  and 
 make  lefs  noife,  but  till  the  heart  be  pofTefTed  with 
 the  love  of  God,  it  fliall  never  truly  love  either  men, 
 
 -  \   •  -     '  ia 
 
VER.  S.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  203 
 
 in  that  way  due  to  all,  or  the  children  of  God  in 
 thcT  peculiar  relation. 
 
 Among  your/elves^  &c.]  That  is  here  the  point,  the 
 peculiar  love  of  the  faints  as  thy  brethren,  glorying 
 and  rejoicing  in  the  fame  Father  ;  as  the  fons  of 
 God,  begotten  again  to  that  lively  hope  of  glory.  Now 
 thefe,  as  they  owe  a  bountiful  difpofition  to  all,  are 
 mutually  to  love  one  another  as  brethren. 
 
 Thou,  that  hateft  and  reproached  the  godly,  and 
 the  more  they  ftudy  to  walk  as  the  children  of  their 
 holy  Father,  hateft  them  the  more,  and  art  glad  to 
 find  a  fpot  on  them  to  point  at,  or  wilt  daih  mire  on 
 them  where  thou  iindeft  none  ;  know  that  thou  art 
 in  this  the  enemy  of  God  ;  know  that  the  indignity 
 done  to  them,  Jefus  Chrift  will  take  as  done  to  him- 
 felf ;  truly  we  know  that  we  have  pujfed  from  death 
 unto  life,  becaufe  we  love  the  brethren  :  He  that  loveth 
 not  bis  brother  abideth  in  death,  ijohn  iii.  14.  So 
 then  renounce  this  word,  or  elfe  believe  that  thou  art 
 yet  far  from  the  life  of  Chrift,  that  fo  hateft  it  in 
 others.  Oh  I  but  they  are  a  number  of  hypocrites, 
 wilt  thou  fay.  If  they  be  fo,  this  declares  fo  much 
 the  more  thy  extreme  hatred  of  holinefs,  that  canft 
 not  endure  fo  much  as  the  picture  of  it ;  canft  not  fee 
 any  thing  like  it,  but  thou  muft  let  fly  at  it.  And 
 this  argues  thy  deep  hatrecf  of  God.  Holinefs,  in  a 
 Chriftian,  is  the  image  of  God,  and  the  hypocrite,  in 
 the  refemblance  of  it,  is  the  image  of  a  Chriftian  ;  fo 
 thou  hateft  the  very  image  of  the  image  of  God ;  for, 
 deceive  not  thyfelf,  it  is  not  the  latent  evil  in  hypo- 
 crify,  but  the  apparent  good  in  it,  that  thou  hateft. 
 The  profane  man  thinks  himfelf  a  great  zealot  againft 
 hypocrify,  he  is  ftill  exclaiming  againft  it ;  but  it  is 
 only  this  he  is  angry  at,  that  all  fliould  not  be  un- 
 godly ;  wicked  enemies  of  religion,  as  he  is  ;  either 
 diflblute,  or  merely  civil ;  and  the  civil  man  is  fre- 
 quently the  bittereft  enemy  of  all  ftriclnefs  beyond 
 his  own  fize,  as  condemning  him,  and  therefore  he 
 .cries  it  down,  as  all  of  it  falfe  and  counterfeit  wares. 
 
 Let 
 
%04  A  COMMENTARY  UPOK  [CHAP.   IV. 
 
 Let  me  entreat  you,  if  you  would  not  be  found 
 fighters  againfi  God,  let  no  revilings  be  heard  amongft 
 you,  againft  any  who  are,  or  leem  to  be,  followers  of 
 holinefs.  If  ye  will  not  reverence  it  yourfelves,  yet 
 reverence  it  in  others,  at  lead  do  not  reproach  it.  It 
 fliould  be  your  ambition,  elfe  why  are  you  willing  to 
 be  called  Chriftians  ?  But  if  you  will  uoX.  purfue  boli- 
 ne/s,  yet  perfecute  it  not :  If  you  w^ill  not  have  fer^ 
 vent  love  to  the  faints,  yet  burn  not  with  infernal 
 heat  of  fervent  hatred  againft  them  ;  for,  truly,  that 
 is  one  of  the  mofl  likely  pledges  of  thefe  flames,  and 
 fociety  with  damned  fpirits  ;  as  love  tt)  the  children 
 pf  God  is,  of  that  inheritance  and  fociety  with  them 
 in  glory. 
 
 You  that  are  brethren,  and  unitl^d  by  that  pureft 
 and  ftrongeil  tie,  as  you  are  one  in  your  Head,  in 
 your  life  derived  from  him,  in  your  hopes  of  glory 
 with  him  ;  feek  to  be  more  one  in  heart  ;  in  fervent 
 love  one  to  another  in  him.  Confider  the  combina- 
 tions and  concurrences  of  the  wicked  againil  him 
 and  his  little  flock  ;  and  let  this  provoke  you  to  more 
 united  aiFections.  Shall  the  fcales  of  Leviathan, 
 Job  xli.  15.  (as  one  alludes),  Hick  fo  clofe  together, 
 and  fhali  not  the  members  of  Chrifl  be  more  one  and 
 undivided:  You  that  can  refent  it,  (lir  up  yourfelves, 
 to  bewail  the  prefent  d*ivifions  and  fears  of  more  ; 
 entreat  earnefily  for  that  one  Spirit  to  acl  and  work 
 more  powerfully  in  the  hearts  of  hjs  people. 
 
 II.  We  may  obferve  the  eminent  degree  of  this 
 love.  I.  Its  eminency  amongft  the  graces,  above  alL 
 2.  The  high  meafure  of  it  required,  fervent  love, 
 ffHTfvji];  a  high  bent,  or  ilrain  of  it;  that  which  ads 
 itrongly,  and  carries  far.  ^ 
 
 I.  It  is  eminent,  that  which  indeed  among  Chri- 
 ftians preferves  all,  and  knits  all  together  ;  therefore 
 called,  Col.  iii.  14.  the  bond  of  perfediion,  to  fignify, 
 that  all  is  bound  up  by  it.  How  can  they  pray  to- 
 gether, advance  the  name  of  their  God,  keep  in  and 
 Itir  up  all  grace  in  one  another;  unlefs  they  be  united 
 
V£R.  8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  acJJ 
 
 in  love  ?  How  can  they  have  accefs  to  God,  or  fel- 
 iowfhip  w^ith  Him  who  is  love,  as  St  John  .fpeaks,  if 
 inftead  of  this  fvveet  temper  there  be  rancour  and 
 bitternefs  ^mong  them  ?  So  then,  uncharitablenefs 
 and  divifions  amongft  Chriftians,  do  not  only  hinder 
 their  civil  good,  but  their  fpiritual  much  more ;  and 
 that  not  onjy  lucYo  cejfante,  (as  they  fpeak),  interrupt- 
 ing the  ways  of  mutual  profiting,  but  damno  emer-^ 
 gente,  it  doth  really  damage  them,  and  brings  them 
 to  lolTes ;  preys  upon  their  graces,  as  hot  withering 
 winds  on  herbs  and  plants.  Where  the  heart  enter* 
 tains  either  bitter  malice,  or  but  uncharitable  pre- 
 judices, there  will  be  a  certain  decay  of  fpirituality 
 in  the  whole  foul. 
 
 2.  Again,  for  the  degree  of  this  love  required,  it  is 
 not  a  cold  indifFerency,  a  negative  love,  as  I  may 
 call  it,  or  not  willing  of  evil ;  nor  a  lukewarm  wifti- 
 ing  of  good,  but  fervent  and  adive  love  ;  for,  if  fer- 
 vent, it  will  be  active,  a  lire  that  will  not  be  fmother- 
 ed,  but  will  find  a  way  to  extend  itfelf. 
 
 111.  The  fruits  of  this  love  follow,  i.  Covering 
 of  evil,  in  this  verfe.     2,  Doing  of  good,  verfe  9.  Sj-c. 
 
 For  the  firft  of  thefe,  it  is  faid.  Charity Jh all  cover 
 the  multitude  of  Jin  s.  The  expreffion  is  taken  from 
 Solomon  ;  and  as  covering  fins  is  reprefented  as  a 
 main  ad:  of  love,  fo  love  is  commended  by  it,  this 
 being  a  moft  ufeful  and  laudable  ad  of  it,  that  it  co- 
 vers Jins,  and  ^  multitude  of  fins, 
 
 Solomon  faith,  Prov.  x.  12.  as  the  oppofition  clears 
 the  fenfe.  Hatred  Jiirs  Jirife,  aggravates  and  makes 
 the  worfl:  of  all,  but  love  covers  a  multitude  of  fins  ;  it 
 delights  not  in  undue  difclofing  of  brethrens  failings, 
 doth  not  eye  them  rigidly,  nor  expofe  them  willing- 
 ly to  the  eyes  of  others. 
 
 Now,  this  recommends  charity,  in  regard  of  its  con- 
 tinual ufefulnefs  and  necelfity  this  way,  confidering 
 human  frailty  ;  and  that  in  many  things  (as  St  Jamesf 
 fpeaks)  we  all  offend^  James  iii.  2. ;  fo  that  this  is  ftill 
 needful  on  all  hands.     What  do  they  think  that  arc 
 
 ftill 
 
706  A  COMMENTARY     UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 ftill  picking  at  every  appearing  infirmity  of  their  bre- 
 thren ;  know  they  not  that  the  frailties  that  cleave 
 to  the  faints  of  God  while  they  are  here,  do  ftand 
 in  need  of,  and  call  for,  this  mutual  office  of  love,  to 
 cover  and  pafs  them  by  ?  Who  is  there  that  (lands 
 not  in  need  of  this  ?  If  none,  why  are  there  any  that 
 deny  it  to  others  ?  There  can  be  no  fociety  nor  en- 
 tertaining of  Ghriflian  converfe  without  it ;  giving 
 (as  we  fpeak)  allowance  ;  reckoning  to  meet  with 
 defeds,  and  weaknefles  on  all  hands ;  covering  the 
 failings  of  one  another,  feeing  it  is  needful  from  each 
 to  another. 
 
 Again,  as  the  neceffity  of  this  commends  it,  and 
 the  love  whence  it  flows,  fo  there  is  that  laudable  in^ 
 genuity  in  it,  that  fhould  draw  us  to  the  liking  of  it. 
 It  is  the  bent  of  the  bafefl  and  mod  worthlefs  fpirits 
 to  be  bufy  in  the  fearch  and  difcovery  of  others  fail- 
 ings, pafiing  by  all  that  is  commendable  and  imi- 
 table  ;  as  bafe  Hies  readily  fitting  on  any  little  fore 
 they  can  find,  rather  than  upon  the  found  parts. 
 But  the  more  excellent  mind  of  a  real  Ghriflian  loves 
 not  unnecelTarily  to  touch,  no,  nor  to  look  upon  them, 
 rather  turns  away  ;  fuch  never  uncover  their  bro- 
 ther's fores,  but  to  cure  them  ;  and  no  more  than  is 
 neceflary  for  that  end  ;  they  would  willingly  have 
 them  hid,  that  neither  they  nor  others  might  fee 
 them. 
 
 This  bars  not  the  judicial  trial  of  fcandalous  of, 
 fences,  nor  the  delation  of  them,  and  bringing  them 
 under  due  eenfure.  The  forbearing  of  this  is  not 
 charity,  but  both  iniquity  and  cruelty;  and  this 
 cleaves  too  much  to  many  of  us.  They  that  cannot 
 pafs  the  leaft  touch  of  a  wrong  done  to  themfclves, 
 can  digeft  twenty  high  injuries  done  to  God  by  pro-» 
 fane  perfons  about  them,  and  refent  it  not  ;  and  fuch 
 piay  be  aifured,  that  they  are  yet  deititute  of  love  tcr 
 Pod,  and  of  Ghriflian  love  to  their  brethren,  which 
 Iprings  from  it, 
 
 ThQ 
 
VEKi  8.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETI;R  ^OJ 
 
 The  uncovering  of  fin,  necelTary  to  the  curing  of 
 it,  is  not  only  no  breach  of  charity,  but-  is  indeed  a 
 main  point  of  it^  and  the  negledl  of  it  the  higheft 
 kind  of  cruelty.  But  further  than  that  goes,  cer- 
 tainly this  rule  teaches  the  veiling  of  our  brethrens 
 infirmities  from  the  eyes  of  others,  and  even  from 
 our  own,  that  we  look  not  on  them  with  rigour ;  no, 
 nor  without  cornpaffion. 
 
 1.  Love  is  witty  in  finding  out  the  faireft  con- 
 ftrudion  of  things  doubtful,  and  this  is  a  great  point. 
 Take  me  the  beft  adlion  that  can  be  named,  pride 
 and  malice  (hall  find  a  way  to  dil^race  it,  and  put  a 
 hard  vifage  upon  it.  Again,  what  is  not  undeniably 
 evil,  love  will  turn  to  all  the  ways  of  viewing  it,  till 
 it  find  the  beft  and  moft  favourable. 
 
 2.  Where  the  thing  is  fo  plainly  a  fin,  that  this 
 way  .of  covering  it  can  have  no  place,  yet  then  will 
 love  confider  what  may  lefien  it  moft;  whether  a 
 furprife,  or  ftrength  of  temptation,  or  ignorance,  as 
 our  Saviour,  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  net 
 what  they  do,  Luke  xxiii.  34.  or  natural  complex- 
 ion ;  or  at  leaft  will  ftill  take  in  human  frailty,  to 
 turn  aH  the  bitternefs  of  paflion  into  fweet  cornpaf- 
 fion. 
 
 3.  x\ll  private  reproofs,  and  where  confcience  re* 
 quires  public  delation  and  cenfure,  even  thefe  will 
 be  fweetened  in  that  compafiion  that  flows  from  love.* 
 If  it  be  fuch  a  fore  as  muft  not  be  let  lie  covered  up, 
 led  it  prove  deadly,  fo  that  it  muft  be  uncovered,  to 
 be  lanced  and  cut,  that  it  may  be  cured,  ftill  this  is 
 to  be  done  as  lovmg  the  foul  of  the  brother.  Where 
 the  rule  of  confcience  urges 'it  not,  then  thou  muft 
 bury  it,  and  be  fo  far  from  delighting  to  divulge  fuch 
 things,  that,  as  far  as  without  partaking  in  it  thou 
 mayeft,  thou  muft  veil  it  from  all  eyes,  and  try  the 
 way  of  private  admonition;  and  if  the  party  appear 
 to  be  humble  and  willing  to  be  reclaimed,  then  for- 
 get it,  caft  it  quite  out  of  thy  thoughts,  that,  as  much 
 as  may  be,  thou  mayeft  learn  to  forget  it  more.     But 
 
 this. 
 
^08  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  it. 
 
 this,  I  fay,  is  to  be  done  with  the  tendered  bowels  of 
 pity,  feeling  the  cuts  thou  art  forced  to  give  in  that 
 neceflkry  incifion,  and  uling  mildnefs  and  patience. 
 Thus  the  Apoftle  inftrudls  his  Timothy,  Reprove,  re- 
 buke, exhort,  but  do  it  with  long-Juffering,  with  all 
 long-fuffering,  2  Tim.  iv.  2.  And  even  them  that  op- 
 pofe,  in/lrud,  fays  he,  withineeknefs  ;  if  God peradven^ 
 ture  will  give  them  repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of 
 the  truth,  chap.  ii.  ver.  25. 
 
 4.  If  thou  be  interefted  in  the  offence,  even  by  un- 
 feigned free  forgivenefs,  fo  far  as  thy  concern  goes, 
 let  it  be,  as  if  it  had  not  been.  And  tht)ugh  thou 
 meet  with  many  of  thefe,  charity  will  gain  and  grow 
 by  fuch  occafions :  And  the  more  it  hath  covered, 
 the  more  it  can  cover,  cover  a  multitude,  fays  our 
 Apoftle;  covers  all  Jins,  fays  Solomon ;  yea,  though 
 thou  be  often  put  to  it  by  the  fame  party,  what  made 
 thee  forgive  once,  well  improved,  will  ftretch  our  Sa- 
 viour's rule  to  feventy  times  f even  times  in  one  day^ 
 Mat.  xviii.  21,  22. 
 
 And,  truly,  in  this,  men  miftake  grofsly,  that  think 
 it  is  greatnefs  of  fpirit  to  relent  wrongs,  and  bafenefs 
 to  forgive  them  ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  only  ex- 
 cellent fpirit  fcarce  to  feel  a  wrong,  or,  feeling,  ftraight 
 to  forgive  it.  It  is  the  greateft  and  beft  of  Spirits 
 that  enables  to  this,  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  dove-like 
 Spirit  that  refted  on  our  Lord  Jefus,  and  from  him 
 is  derived  to  all  that  are  in  him.  I  pray  you  think, 
 is  it  not  a  token  of  a  tender  iickly  body,  to  be  alter- 
 ed with  every  touch,  from  every  blaft  it  meets  with  ? 
 And  thus  is  it  a  (ign  of  a  poor  weak  fickly  fpirit,  to 
 endure  nothing,  to  be  diftempered  at  the  leaft  air  of 
 an  injury  ;  yea,  with  the  very  fancy  of  it,  where  there 
 is  really  none. 
 
 Inf  I.  Learn  then  to  beware  of  thefe  evils,  that  are 
 contrary  to  this  charity.  Do  not  difpute  with  your- 
 felves  in  rigid  remarks  and  cenfures,  when  the  matter 
 will  bear  any  better  fenfe. 
 
 1.  Do 
 
t£R.  8.J  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  20g 
 
 2.  Do  not  delight  in  tearing  a  wound  wider,  and 
 itretching  a  real  failing  to  the  utmoft. 
 
 3.  In  handling  of  it,  ftudy  gentienefs,  pity  and 
 meeknefs.  Thefe  will  advance  the  cure,  whereas 
 thy  flying  out  into  paflion  againft  thy  fallen  brother, 
 will  prove  nothing,  but  as  the  putting  of  thy  nail  into 
 the  fore,  that  will  readily  rankle  it,  and  make  it 
 worfe.  Even  fin  may  be  finfully  reproved  ;  and  how 
 thinkeft  thou^  that  fin  fiiall  redrefs  fin,  and  reduce 
 the  finner  ? 
 
 There  is  i  great  deal  of  fpiritual  art  and  fkill  in 
 dealing  with  another's  fin  ;  and  it  requires  much  fpi- 
 rituality  of  mind,  and  much  prudence,  and  much  love, 
 efpecially  ^  mind  clear  from  paffion,  for  that  blinds 
 the  eye,  and  makes  the  hand  rough  ;  fo  that  a  man 
 neither  rightiy  fees  nor  handles,  the  fore  he  goes 
 about  to  cure.  And  many  are  lofl:  through  the  ig- 
 norance and  negled  of  that  due  temper  to  be  brought 
 to  this  work.  Men  think  otherwife,  that  their  ri- 
 gours are  much  fpirituality  ;  but  they  mifi:ake  it. 
 Gal.  vi.  li  Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a  faulty 
 ye  which  are  fpiriiucU  rejiore  fuch  an  one  in  the  fpi^ 
 rit  of  meeknefs,  conjidering  thyfelf  lejl  thou  alfo  he 
 tempted, 
 
 4.  For  thyfelf,  as  an  offence  touches  thee,  learn  to 
 delight  as  much  in  that  divine  way  of  forgivenefs,  as 
 carnal  minds  do  in  that  bafe  inhuman  way  of  re- 
 venge. It  is  not,  as  they  judge,  a  glory  to  blufter  and 
 fwagger  for  every  thing,  but  th^ glory  of  a  man  to  pafs 
 by  a  trangreffion,  Prov.  xix.  11.  This  makes  him  god- 
 like. And  confider  thou  often  that  love  that  covers 
 all  thine,  that  blood  that  was  (bed  to  wafii  off  thy 
 guilt  ;  needs  any  more  be  faid  to  gain  all  in  this,  that 
 Can  be  required  of  thee, 
 
 .  Now,  the  other  fruit  of  love,  which  is  doing  good^ 
 is,  I.  Exprefled  in  one  particular,  ver.  9.  Then  di- 
 lated to  a  general  rule,  ver.  10.  which  will  be  con- 
 lidered  below. 
 
 Vol.11.        ^■  J>  d  Ver. 
 
il6  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHA?.  IV<i 
 
 Ver.  9.  life  hofpitality  one  to  another  without  grudge 
 ing. 
 
 TJOSPITALITT,  or  kindnefs  to  ftrangers,  is  men- 
 tioned  here  as  an  important  fruit  of  love  ;  it 
 being,  in  thofe  times  and  placres,  in  much  ufe  in  travel, 
 and  particularly  then  needful  to  be  often  exercifed 
 among  Chriftians  one  to  another,  by  reafon  of  hot  and 
 general  perfecutions.  But  under  this  name,  I  con- 
 ceive, all  other  fupply  of  the  wants  of  our  brethren 
 in  outward  things  to  be  her©  comprehended. 
 
 Now%  for  this,  the  way  and  meafure,  indeed,  mufl 
 receive  its  proportion  from  the  eftate  and  ability  of 
 perfons.  But  certainly  the  great  ftraitning  of  hands 
 in  thefe  things,  is  more  from  the  ftraitnefs  of  hearts 
 than  of  means.  A  large  heart,  with  a  little  eftate, 
 will  do  much  with  cheerfulnefs  and  little  noife,  while 
 hearts  glued  to  the  poor  riches  they  polTefs,  or  rather 
 are  poflefted  by^  can  fcarce  part  with  any  thing,  til! 
 they  be  pulled  from  alL 
 
 Now,  for  fupply  of  our  brethrens  neceffities,  one 
 good  help  is,  the  retrenching  of  our  own  fuperiiuities. 
 Turn  the  ftream  into  that  channel  where  it  will  re- 
 frefh  thy  brethren,  and  enrich  thyfelf,  and  let  it  not 
 run  into  the  dead  fea.  Thy  vain  excelTive  entertain- 
 ments, thy  gaudy  variety  of  dreifes,  thefe  thou  doll 
 not  challenge,  thinking  it  is  of  thine  own  ;  but  know, 
 as  follows,  thou  art  hut  Jlezvard  of  it,  and  this  is  not 
 faithfully  laying  out ;  thou  canft  not  anfwer  for  it  ; 
 yea,  it  is  robbery  ;  thou  robbeft  thy  poor  brethren 
 that  want  neceflaries,  whilil  thou  laviflieft  thus  on 
 tinnecelTaries.  Such  a  fealt,  fuch  a  fuit  of  apparel, 
 is  direct  robbery  in  the  Lord's  eye,  and  the  poor  may 
 cry.  That  is  mine  that  you  caft  away  fo  vainly,  by 
 which  both  I  and  you  might  be  profited,  Prov.  iii. 
 27,  28.  With-bold  not  good  from  him  therefore  to  whom 
 it  is  due,  &c. 
 
 Without  grudging,']  Some  look  to  the  adions,  but 
 few^  to  the  intention  and  poflure  of  mind  in  them  ; 
 
 and 
 
¥SK,  9.J  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  21 1 
 
 and  yet  that  is  the  main  ;  it  is  indeed  all,  even  with 
 men,  fo  far  as  they  can  perceive  it ;  much  more  with 
 thy  Lord,  who  always  perceives  it  to  the  full.  He 
 delights  in  the  good  he  does  his  creatures :  He  would 
 have  them  fo  affeded  to  one  another,  efpecially  would 
 fee  his  children  to  have  this  trace  of  his  likenefs. 
 See,  then,  when  thou  givefl  alms,  or  entertaineft  a 
 Uranger,  that  there  be  nothing  either  of  under  grum- 
 bling, or  crooked  felf-feeking  in  it.  Let  the  left-band 
 have  no  hand  in  it,  not  fo  much  as  k?iow  of  it,  as 
 our  Saviour  directs,  Mat,  vi.  3.;  not  to  pleafe  men,  or 
 to  pleafe  thyfelf,  or  limply  out  of  a  natural  pity  or 
 conlideration  of  thy  own  poffible  incidency  into  the 
 like  cafe,  which  many  think  very  well,  if  they  be  fo 
 moved  :  But  if  there  be  here  a  higher  principle  mov- 
 ing thee,  love  to  God,  and  to  thy  brother,  in,  and  fox 
 him,  this  will  make  it  cheerful  and  pleafant  to  thy- 
 felf, and  well-pleafing  to  him,  for  whom  thou'  doll 
 it.  We  lofe  much  in  adlions,  of  themfelves  good, 
 both  of  piety  and  charity,  through  difregard  of  our 
 hearts  in  them  ;  and  nothing  will  prevail  with  us, 
 to  be  more  intent  this  way,  to  look  more  on  our 
 hearts,  but  this,  to  look  more  on  Him  that  looks 
 on  them,  and  judges,  and  accepts  all  according  to 
 them. 
 
 Though  all  the  iins  of  former  ages  gather,  and 
 fall  into  the  latter  times,  this  is  pointed  out  as  the 
 grand  evil,  uncharitablenefs.  The  Apoftle  St  Paul, 
 2  Tim.  iii.  2.  tells  us.  That  in  the  lall  days,  men  Jhall 
 he  covetous^  Jlanderers,  lovers  of  pleafures  more  than 
 lovers  of  God  :  But  how,  from  whence  all  this  con- 
 fluence of  evils?  The  fpring  of  all  is  fet  firft,  and 
 that  is  the  direct  oppofite  of  Chriflian  love  ;  they 
 Jhall  he  [^iAauroi]  lovers  of  themfelves.  This  is  it,  that 
 kills  the  love  of  God,  and  the  love  of  our  brethren, 
 and  kindles  that  infernal  fire  of  love  to  pleafe  them- 
 felves ;  fo  that  riches  make  men  voluptuous  and  co- 
 vetous, &.C,  Truly,  whatfoever  become  of  mens  cu- 
 y;ou^  computation  of  times,  this  wretched  felfifhnefs 
 
ai2  A  COMMENTARY    UPON  [gHAP,  !¥• 
 
 and  decay  of  love,  may  fave  us  the  labour  of  much 
 chronological  debate  in  this,  and  lead  us  from  this 
 certain  charadler  of  them,  to  conclude  thefe  to  be 
 the  latter  times,  in  a  very  ftrid  fenfe.  All  other  fins 
 are  come  down  along,  and  run  combined  now  ;  but 
 truly  uncharitablenels  is  the  main  one.  As  old  age 
 is  a  rendezvous  or  meeting  place  of  maladies,  but 
 efpecially  fubjed:  to  cold  difeafes  :  Thus  is  it  in  the 
 old  age  of  the  world,  many  fins  abound,  but  efpe- 
 cially coldnefs  of  love,  as  our  Saviour  foretells  it, 
 that  in  the  lajl  days  the  love  of  many  Jh all  wax  cold^ 
 Mat.  xxiv.  12.  As  the  difeafe  of  the  youth  of  the 
 >vorld,  was  the  abounding  of  luff,  Gen.  vi.  fo  of  its 
 age,  decay  of  love  :  And  as  that  heat  called  for  a  to- 
 tal deluge  of  waters  ;  fo  this  coldnefs  for  fire,  to  the 
 Jcindling  an  univerfal  fire,  that  fhall  make  an  end  of 
 it  and  the  world  together  *. 
 
 But  they  alone  are  the  happy  men,  and  have  the 
 advantage  of  all  the  world,  in  whom  the  world  is 
 burnt  up  beforehand,  by  another  fire  ;  that  divine 
 lire  of  the  love  of  God,  kindled  in  their  hearts,  by 
 which  they  afcend  up  to  him,  and  are  refledted  from 
 him  upon  their  brethren,  with  a  benign  heat  and 
 influence  for  their  good.  Oh  I  be  unfatisfied  with 
 yourielves,  and  reftlefs  till  you  find  it  thus,  till  you 
 find  your  hearts  pofiTefled  with  this  excellent  grace  of 
 love,  that  you  may  have  jt,  and  ufe  it,  and  it  may 
 grow  by  ufing  and  ading.  I  could,  methinks,  hearti- 
 ly fi:udy  on  this,  and  weary  you  with  reiterated 
 prefling  this  one  thing,  if  there  were  hopes  in  fo 
 wearying  you,  to  weary  you  out  of  thefe  evils  that  are 
 contrary  to  it ;  and  in  prefling  this  grace,  to  make 
 any  real  impreflion  of  it  upon  your  hearts :  Befides 
 all  the  further  good  that  follows  it,  there  is  in  this 
 love  itfelf,  fo  much  peace  and  fweetnefs,  as  abun- 
 dantly pays  itfelf,  and  all  the  labour  of  it ;  whereas 
 pride  and  malice  do  fill   the   heart  wuth  continuaj 
 
 vexations 
 
 *  Aqua  propter  ardorem    lididims,  ignis  propter  teporem 
 char  it  at  is. 
 
yjtH.  9«]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  ^t^ 
 
 vexations  and  difquiet,  and  eat  out  the  very  bowels 
 wherein  they  breed.  Afpire  to  this,  to  be  wholly 
 bent,  not  only  to  procure  or  defire  hurt  to  none,  but 
 to  wilh  and  feek  the  good  of  all ;  and,  for  thofe  that 
 are  in  Chrift,  fure  that  will  unite  thy  heart  to  them, 
 and  ftir  thee  up,  according  to  thy  opportunities  and 
 power,  to  do  them  good,  as  parts  of  Chrift,  and  of 
 the  fame  body  with  thyfelf. 
 
 Ver.  lo.  ^s  every  man   bath  received  the  gift^  even 
 Jo  minijier  the  fame  one  to  another^  as  goodjlewards 
 of  the  manifold  grace  of  God, 
 
 T'HIS  is  the  rule  concerning  the  gifts  and  graces 
 beftowed  on  men  ;  and  we  have  here,  i.  Their 
 difference  in  their  kind  and  meafure.  2.  Their  con- 
 qordance  in  their  fource  and  ufe. 
 
 I.  Their  difference  in  their  kind  and  meafure, 
 w^hich  is  expreffed  in  the  firft  claufe,  as  every  one  hath 
 received.  Then  again  in  the  laft  claufe  [irotxiAn  X'^f^f] 
 various  or  manifold  grace,  where  x^ftc,  grace,  is  all 
 one  with  the  former,  ;^a^i<r/A«,  gift,  and  is  taken  at 
 large  for  all  kind  of  endowments  and  furniture  by 
 which  men  are  enabled  to  mutual  good.  One  man 
 hath  riches,  another  authority  and  command,  another 
 wit  or  eloquence,  or  learning ;  and  fome,  though 
 eminent  in  fome  one,  yet  have  a  fuller  conjun61ure  of 
 divers  of  thefe.  We  find  not  more  difference  in  vi- 
 fages  and  ftatures  of  body,  than  in  qualifications  and 
 abilities  of  the  mind,  which  are  the  vifage  and  ftature 
 of  it;  yea,  the  odds  is  far  greater  betwixt  man  and 
 man  in  this  than  it  can  be  in  the  other. 
 
 Now,  this  difference  accords  well,  idly.  With  the 
 accordance  here  expreffed  in  their  common  fpring  and 
 common  ufe  ;  for  the  variety  of  thefe  many  gifts  fuits 
 well  with  the  Angular  riches  and  wifdom  of  their  one 
 Giver,  and  with  the  common  advantage  and  benefit 
 pf  the  many  receivers.     And  in  the  ufefulnefs  of  that 
 
 variety 
 
214  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.  IV, 
 
 variety  to  the  receivers,  ftiines  forth  the  bounty  and 
 wifdom  of  the  Giver,  in  fo  ordering  all  that  diverfityj, 
 to  one  excellent  end ;  fo  this  mfmifold  grace  iromiXn 
 X'^Pi^  here,  commends  that  TroXv-rroixtX^  ao^ioc,  manifold 
 wifdonif  that  the  Apoftle  fpeaks  of,  Eph.  iii.  lo. 
 
 There  is  fiich  an  admirable  beauty  in  this  variety, 
 fuch  a  fymmetry  and  contemperature  of  different, 
 yea,  of  contrary,  qualities,  as  fpeaks  his  riches,  that  fo 
 divers  gifts  are  from  the  fame  Spirit.  A  kind  of 
 embroidering  ^,  of  many  colours  happily  mixt,  as  the 
 word  noiytiXMiv  lignifies ;  as  it  is  in  the  frame  of  the 
 natural  body  of  man  as  the  leffer  world,  and  in  the 
 compofure  of  the  greater  world;  thus  in  the  Church 
 of  God,  the  myftical  body  of  Jefus  Chrift,  exceeding 
 both  the  former  in  excellency  and  beauty. 
 
 And  as  there  is  fuch  art  in  this  contrivance,  and 
 fuch  comelinefs  in  the  refulting  frame,  fo  it  is  no 
 lefs  ufeful ;  and  that  chiefly  commends  the  thing  it- 
 felf,  and  the  fupreme  wifdom  ordering  it,  that  as,  in 
 the  body,  each  part  hath  not  only  its  place  for  pro- 
 portion and  order,  but  each  its  ufe  ;  and  as,  in  the 
 world,  each  part  is  beneficial  to  another  ;  fo  here, 
 every  man's  gift  relates,  and  is  fitted,  to  fome  ufe  for 
 the  good  of  others. 
 
 Infer,  i.  The  firil  thing  which  meets  us  here  is 
 very  ufeful  to  know,  that  all  is  received,  and  received 
 of  gift,  of  mod  free  gift ;  fo  the  words  do  carry. 
 Now,  this  fhould  moft  reafonably  check  all  murmur- 
 ing in  thofe  that  receive  lead  ;  and  infulting  in  thofe 
 that  receive  moft  :  Whatever  it  is,  do  not  repine, 
 but  praife,  how  little  foever  it  is,  for  it  is  a  free  gift. 
 Again,  how  much  foever  it  is,  he  not  high  minded,  hut 
 fear  ;  boaft  not  thyfelf,  but  .humbly  blefs  thy  Lord  ; 
 for  if  thou  haft  received  it,  how  canfi  thou  hoaft  P  i  Cor. 
 iv.  7. 
 
 2.  Every  man  hath  received  forae  gift^  no  man 
 all  gifts ;  and  this,  rightly  confidered,  would  keep  all 
 
 V  in 
 
 *  T?je  Ffahiiijl\s  word  for  the  body  Pfal.  cxxxix,  15.  /j,  CU^i- 
 
VeR.  10.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  ^15 
 
 in  a  more  even  temper ;  as,  in  nature,  nothing  is  al- 
 together ufelefs,  fo  nothing  is  felf-fufficient :  This^ 
 duly  coniidered,  would  keep  the  meaneft  from  repin- 
 ing and  difcontent,  even  him  that  hath  the  loweft 
 rank  in  molt  refpefls ;  yet  fomething  he  hath  receiv- 
 ed, that  is  not  only  a  good  to  himldf,  but,  rightly 
 improved,'  may  be  fo  to  others  likewiie.  And  this 
 will  curb  the  loftinefs  of  the  molt  advanced^  and 
 teach  themj  not  only  to  fee  fome  deficiencies  in  them- 
 felves,  and  fome  gifts  in  far  meaner  perfons,  which 
 they  want :  But,  belides  the  fimple  difcovery  of  this^ 
 it  will  put  them  upon  the  ufe  of  what  is  in  lower 
 perfons,  not  only  to  floop  to  the  acknowledgment, 
 but  evenj  withal^  to  the  participation  and  benefit  of  it  ^ 
 not  to  trample  upon  all  that  is  below  them,  but  to 
 take  up,  and  ufe,  things  ufeful,  though  lying  at  their 
 feet.  Some  flowers  and  herbs  that  grow  very  low^ 
 are  of  a  very  fragrant  fmell,  and  healthful  ufe. 
 
 Thou  that  carried  it  fo  high,  lofeft  much  by  it* 
 Many  poor  Chriftians  whom  thou  defpifeft  to  make 
 ufe  of,  may  have  that  in  them  which  might  be  very 
 ufeful  for  thee,  though  thou  overlookell  it,  and 
 treadefl:  on  it.  St  Paul  acknowledgeth  he  was  com- 
 forted by  the  coming  of  7itus,  though  far  inferior  to 
 him.  Sometimes  a  very  mean  illiterate  Chriftian 
 may  fpeak  more  profitably  and  comfortably,  even  to 
 a  knowing  learned  man,  than  multitudes  of  his  own 
 bed  thoughts  can  do,  efpecially  in  a  time  of  weak- 
 nefs  and  darknefs. 
 
 3.  As  all  is  received,  and  with  that  difference,  fo 
 the  third  thing  is,  that  all  is  received,  to  minifler  to 
 each  other  ;  and  mutual  benefit  is  the  true  ufe  of  all> 
 fuiting  the  mind  of  him  that  difpcnfes  all,  and  the 
 way  of  his  difpenfation.  Thou  art  not  proprietary 
 lord  of  any  thing  thou  haft,  but  oncovoiAoif  afieward ; 
 and  therefore  oughteft  gladly  to  be  a  good  fteward, 
 that  is,  both  faithful  and  prudent  in  thy  intrufted 
 gifts,  ufing  all  thou  haft  to  the  good  of  the  houfehold, 
 and  fo  to  the  advantage  of  thy  Lord  and  mafter* 
 
 Haft 
 
tl6  A  COMM^NTARt  UPON  [cHAP.  it: 
 
 Haft  thou  abilities  of  eftate,  or  body,  or  mind  ?  let  all 
 be  thus  employed.  Thinkeft  thou  that  thy  wealth, 
 or  power,  or  wit,  is  thine,  to  do  with  them  as  thou 
 wilt,  to  engrofs  to  thyfelf,  either  to  retain  ufelefs,  or 
 to  ufe  ;  to  hoard  and  wrap  up,  or  to  lavifh  out,  ac- 
 cording as  thy  humour  leads  thee  ?  No,  all  is  given^ 
 as  to  a  fteward,  wifely  and  faithfully  to  lay  up  and 
 lay  out.  Not  only  thy  outward  and  common  gifts  of 
 mind,  but  even  faving  grace,  which  feems  moft  inte- 
 refted  and  appropriated  for  thy  private  good,  yet  is 
 not  wholly  for  that ;  even  thy  graces  are  for  the  good 
 of  thy  brethren. 
 
 Oh  !  that  we  would  confider  this  in  all,  and  look 
 back  and  moiirn  on  the  fruitlefnefs  of  all  that  hath 
 been  in  our  hand  all  our  life  hitherto.  If  it  have 
 not  been  wholly  fruitlefs,  yet,  how  far  Ihort  of  that 
 fruit  we  might  have  brought  forth  I  any  little  thing 
 done  by  us  looks  big  in  our  eye  ;  we  view  it  through 
 a  magnifying  glafs ;  but  who  may  not  complain  that 
 their  means,  and  health,  and  opportunities,  of  feverai 
 kinds,  of  doing  for  God,  and  for  our  brethren,  have 
 Iain  dead  upon  their  hands  in  a  great  part  ?  As 
 Chriftians  are  defedive  in  other  duties  of  love,  fo 
 moft  in  that  moft  important  duty,  of  advancing  the 
 fpiritual  good  of  each  other.  Even  they  that  have 
 grace,  do  not  duly  ufe  it  to  mutual  edification.  I 
 defire  pone  to  leap  over  the  bounds  of  their  calling, 
 or  rules  of  Chriftian  prudence  in  their  converfe  ;  yeaj, 
 this  were  much  to  be  blamed  ;  but  I  fear  left  unwary 
 hands,  throwing  on  water  to  quench  that  evil,  have 
 let  fome  of  it  fall  by  upon  thofe  fparks,  that  Ihould 
 rather  have  been  ftirred  and  blown  up. 
 
 Neither  ft:iould  the  difproportion  of  gifts  and  graces 
 hinder  Chriftians  to  minifter  one  to  another,  nor 
 move  the  weaker  to  envy  the  ftrong-er,  nor  the  ftrong- 
 er  to  defpife  the  weaker ;  but  each  is,  in  his  place,  to 
 be  ferviceable  to  another,  as  the  Apoftle  excellently 
 prefles  by  that  moft  fit  refemblance  of  the  parts  of 
 the  body,  i  Cor.  xii.  15^  21.  As  the  foot  Jays  not,  Why 
 
 aw 
 
V£R.  10.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER*  21') 
 
 am  I  not  the  eye,  or  the  bead  ;  the  head  cannot  fay  of 
 the  foot  ^  I  have  no  need  of  thee.  There  is  no  envy,  no 
 defpiling,  in  the  natural  body.  0*1  what  piry  is  it 
 there  (bould  be  fo  much  in  the  myftical  !  Were  we 
 more  fpiritual,  this  would  lefs  be  found.  In  the 
 mean  time,  Oh  I  that  we  were  more  agreeable  to 
 that  happy  eilate  we  look  for,  in  our  prcfent  afpedt 
 and  carriage  one  to  another.  Though  all  graces  are, 
 in  fome  meafure,  where  there  is  one,  yet  all  not  in  a 
 like  meafure.  One  Chrillian  is  mure  eminent  in 
 meeknefs,  another  in  humility,  a  third  in  zeal,  l^c* 
 Now  by  their  fpiritual  converfe,  one  with  another^ 
 each  may  be  a  gainer  ;  and  many  ways  may  a  private 
 Chriftian  promote  the  good  of  others,  \s  ith  whom  he 
 lives,  by  feafonable  admonitions,  and  advice,  and  re- 
 proof, fweetened  with  meeknefs  ;  but  mod  by  holy 
 example,  which  is  the  moll  lively,  and  moll  effediual 
 fpcech. 
 
 Thou  that  haft  greater  gifts,  haft  more  entrufted  in 
 thy  hand,  and  therefore  the  more  engagement  to  fide- 
 lity and  diligence.  Men  in  great  place  and  public 
 fervices,  ought  to  ftir  themfelves  up  by  this  thought 
 to  lingular  watchfulnefs  and  zeal ;  and,  in  private 
 converfe,  one  with  another,  to  be  doing  and  receiv- 
 ing fpiritual  good.  Are  we  not  ftrangers  here  ;  and, 
 is  it  not  ftrange  that  we  fo  often  meet  and  part,  with- 
 out a  word  of  our  home,  or  the  way  to  ir,  or  our  ad- 
 vancement towards  it  ?  Chriftians  fnould  be  trading, 
 one  with  another,  in  fj^iritual  things  ;  and  he,  fure, 
 that  faithfully  ufeth  moft,  receives  moft.  That  is 
 comprehended  under  that  word.  Math.  xxv.  29.  7'o 
 him  that  hath^  (i.  e,  poiTeiTes  adively  and  ufe fully), 
 Jhall  be  given  ;  and  from  him  that  bath  not^  (J.  e,  ufes 
 not),  /ball  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  bath. 
 Merchants  can  feel  in  their  trading  a  6.Q:xd  time,  and 
 complain  ferioully  of  it  ;,  but  Chriftians,  in  theirs,  ei- 
 ther can  fuffer  it,  and  not  fee  ir,  or  fee  ir,  and  not 
 complain;  or,  poffibly,  complain,  and  yet  not  be  deep- 
 ly fenfible  of  it.  • 
 
 Vol.  II.  ^.  e  Certainly 
 
2I&  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IT, 
 
 Certainly  it  cannot  be  fufficiently  regretted,  that 
 we  are  fo  fruitiefs  in  the  Lord's  work  in  this  kind,, 
 that  when  we  are  alone  we  ftudy  it  not  morfe,  nor 
 feek  it  more  by  prayer,  to  know  the  true  ufe  of  all  we 
 receive,  and  do  not  in  fociety  endeavour  it  according- 
 ly ',  but  we  trifle  out  our  time  ;  and  inilead  of  the 
 commerce  of  grace,  to  our  mutual  enriching,  we  trade 
 in  vanity,  and  as  it  were  children  exchanging  iliells 
 and  toys  together. 
 
 This  furely  will  lie  heavy  upon  the  confcience 
 when  we  refledl  on  it,  and  fhall  come  near  the  brink 
 of  time,  looking  forwards  on  eternity  ;  and  then  look- 
 ing back  to  our  days,  fo  vainly  wafted,  and  worn  out 
 to  fo  little  purpofe.  Oh  !  let  us  awake,  awake  our- 
 felves  and  one  another,  to  more  fruitfulnefs  and  faith- 
 fulnefs,  whatfoever  be  our  received  meafure,  lefs  or 
 more. 
 
 Be  not  difcouraged;  to  have  little  in  the  account 
 fhall  be  no  prejudice.  The  approbation  runs  not^ 
 nou  hadjl  much  ,*  but,  in  the  contrary.  Thou  haji  been 
 faithful  in  little:  Great  faithfulnefs  ni  the  ufe  of 
 fmall  gifts  hath  great  acceptance,  and  a  great  and 
 fure  reward.  Great  receipts  engage  to  greater  re- 
 turns, and  therefore  require  the  greater  diligence  ; 
 and  that  not  only  for  the  increafe  of  grace  within, 
 but  the  afliftance  of  it  in  others.  Retired  contem- 
 plation may  be  more  plealing ;  but  due  adlivity  for 
 God  and  his  Church  is  more  profitable.  Rachel  was 
 jfair,  but  fhe  was  barren ;  Leah  blear  eyed,  but  fruitful. 
 
 Ver.  11,  If  any  man  fpeahy  let  him  fpeak  as  the  ora- 
 cles  of  God  ;  if  any  man  minijter^  let  him  do  it  as  of 
 the  ability  which  God  giveth  ;  that  God  in  all  things 
 may  be  glorified  through  Jefas  Chrijl :  to  whom  be 
 
 ,    praife  a?id  dominion  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen, 
 
 EVERY  part  of  the  body  of  Chrirt,  as  it  partakes 
 life  with  the  reft,   imparts  fervice  to  the  reft  ; 
 btit  there  be  fome  more  eminent,  and,  as  I  may  fay, 
 
 organic 
 
VEK.  II.J  THE  FIRST  iiPISTLE  OF  PETER.  II9 
 
 i^rgafiic  parts  of  this  body,  and  thefe  are  more  emi- 
 nently ufeful  to  the  whole,  iherefore  the  Apoitle, 
 having  enlarged  himfelf  into  a  general  precept,  adds 
 a  word  in  fpecial  to  thefe  fpecial  parts,  the  preachers 
 of  the  word,  and  (which  here  I  conceive  is  meant  by 
 deacons  or  minifters)  the  other  affiltant  officers  of  the 
 church  of  God. 
 
 Thefe  are  co-ordained  by  Jefus  Chrift,  as  Lord  of 
 his  own  houfe,  to  be  ferviceable  to  him  in  it.  He 
 fits  and  fandlifies  for  this  great  work  all  who  are  call- 
 ed unto  it  by  himfelf,  and  they  are  dire£led  for  the 
 acquitting  of  their  great  work  :  (i.)  By  a  clear  rule 
 of  the  due  manner.  (2.)  ^y  2l  view  of  the  main  end 
 of  its  appointment. 
 
 Particular  rules  for  the  preaching  of  the  word  may 
 be  many,  but  this  is  a  moft  comprehenfive  one  which 
 the  Apoftle  gives ;  If  any  /peak,  let  hivi  fpeak  as  of 
 the  oracle  of  God,  It  is  clear  from  the  rule  what 
 fpeaking  is  regulated,  and  for  brevity  once  expreffed. 
 If  any  fpeak  the  oracles  of  God,  let  him  fpeak  them 
 like  themfelves,  as  the  oracles  of  God, 
 
 It  is  a  chief  thing  in  all  ferious  adions  to  take  the 
 nature  of  them  aright,  for  this  chitfly  regulates  them, 
 and  diredls  in  their  performance.  And  this  efpecially 
 fhould  be  regarded  in  thofe  things,  that  are  of  higheft 
 worth  and  greateft  weight,  in  fpiritual  employments, 
 wherein  it  is  moft  dangerous,  and  yet  with  us  moft- 
 ordinary,  to  miftake  and  mifcarry.  Were  prayer  con- 
 lidered  as  prefence  and  fpeecii  with  the  great  God, 
 the  King  of  glory,  Oh  I  how  would  this  mould  the 
 mind  I  What  a  watchful,  holy,  and  humble  deport- 
 ment would  it  teach  I  So  that  truly  all  directions  for 
 prayer  might  be  fummed  up  after  this  flime  model  in 
 this  one,  if  any  man  pray,  let  him  fpeak  as  fpeaking 
 'with  God ;  juit  as  here  for  preaching,  if  any  man 
 fpeak  in  that  way,  let  him  do  it  2>.%  fpeaking  from  Gody 
 that  is,  as  the  oracles  of  God.  Under  this,  all  the  due 
 qualifications  of  this  holy  work  are  comprifed :  I 
 ihall  name  but  thefe  three  which  are  prime,  and  o- 
 
 thers 
 
ja20  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 thers  may  be  eaiily  reduced  to  thefe  :    i.  Faithfully^ 
 'i.  Holily.     3.  Wifely, 
 
 \\\  the  firll,  Fidelity^  it  is  fuppofed  that  a  man  have 
 competent  infight  and  knowledge  in  thefe  divine 
 Oiacles,  that  firft  he  learn  before  he  teach.  Which 
 many  of  us  do  not,  though  we  pafs  through  the 
 fchools  and  clafles,  and  through  the  books  too,  where- 
 in thefe  things  are  taught,  and  bring  with  us  fome 
 provilion,  fuch  as  may  be  had  there.  He  that  would 
 faithfully  teach  of  God  muft  be  taught  of  God,  be 
 ^io^iSix.xioi,  God-learned ',  and  this  will  help  to  all  the 
 l-ell ;  this  will  effedually  engage  him  to  be  faithful 
 in  delivering  the  meiTage  as  he  receives  it,  not  de- 
 tracting or  adding,  nor  altering  ;  and  as  in  fetting 
 forth  that  in  general  truths,  fo  in  the  particular  fet- 
 ting them  home,  declaring  to  his  people  their  Jins,  and 
 God's  judgments  following  fin,  efpecially  in  his  own 
 peop-e. 
 
 2.  A  minifter  fliould  fpeak  holily  :  With  the  high- 
 «ll  efteem  and  reverence  of  the  great  Majefty  whofe 
 melTage  he  carries,  and  the  divinity  of  the  meiTage 
 itfelf ;  thofe  deep  myfteries  that  no  created  fpirits  are 
 able  to  fathom.  Oh  I  this  would  make  us  tremble  in 
 the  difpenfing  of  thefe  oracles,  confidering  our  impu- 
 rities, and  weaknefles,  and  unfpeakable  difproportion 
 to  fo  high  a  talk.  He  had  reafon  that  faid,  "  I  am 
 ^*  feized  with  amazement  and  horror  as  often  as  I 
 **  begin  to  fpeak  of  God."  And  with  this  humble 
 reverence  is  to  be  joined  ardent  love  to  our  Lord,  to 
 his  truth,  to  his  glory,  and  his  peoples  fouls.  Thefe 
 holy  affedions  fland  oppolite  to  our  blind  boldnefs  in 
 ruihing  on  this  fublime  exercife,  as  a  common  work  : 
 Our  dtdiil  coldiiefs  in  fpeaking  things  which  our 
 hearts  are  nor  warmed  with  ;  and  fo  no  wonder 
 though  what  we  fay  feldom  reaches  further  than  the 
 ear,  or,  at  furtheft:,  than  the  underftanding  and  me- 
 mory, of  our  hean:rs.  There  is  a  correfpondence  ;  it 
 is  the  heart  fpeaks  to  the  heart,  and  the  underltand- 
 jug  and  memory  the  fame;   and  the  tongue  fpeaks 
 
 but 
 
VER.  II.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  221 
 
 but  to  the  car.  Further,  this  holy  temper  fhuts  out 
 all  private  paffion  in  delivering  divine  truths.  It  is 
 high  profaning  of  his  name  and  holy  things,  to  make 
 them  fpeak  our  private  pleas  and  quarrels ;  yea,  to  re- 
 prove (in  after  this  manner  is  a  heinous  tin  ;  to  fly 
 out  into  invedives,  that  though  not  exprefled  fo,  yet 
 are  aimed  as  blows  of  felf-revenge  for  injuries  done  to 
 us,  or  fancied  by  us.  This  is  to  wind  and  draw  the 
 holy  word  of  God  to  ferve  our  unholy  diftempers, 
 and  make  it  fpeak  not  His  meaning,  but  our  own. 
 Sure  this  is  not  to  fpeak  as  the  oracles  of  God,  but 
 bafely  to  abufe  the  word,  as  impoflors  in  religion  of 
 old  did  their  images  ;  fpeaking  behind  them  and 
 through  them  what  might  make  for  their  advantage. 
 It  is  indeed  very  true,  that  the  word  is  to  be  parti- 
 cularly applied,  to  reprove  moll  the  particular  fins 
 which  moft  abound  amongft  a  people  ;  but  this  is  to 
 be  done,  not  in  anger,  but  in  love.  Which  leads  to 
 add, 
 
 3.  That  the  word  is  to  be  fpoken  wifely .  ^y  this 
 I  mean,  in  the  way  of  delivering,  it,  that  it  be  done 
 gravely  and  decently  ;  that  light  expreflions,  and  af- 
 fedted  flourifhes,  and  unfeemly  geflures,  be  avoided  ; 
 and  that  there  be  a  fweet  contemperature  of  authori- 
 ty and  mildnefs:  But  who  is  fufficientfor  thefe  tlnngs? 
 z  Cor.  ii.  16. 
 
 ^ow,  you  that  hear  would  certainly  meet  and  fuit 
 in  this  too.  If  any  hear,  let  him  hear  as  the  oracles 
 of  God  ;  Not  as  a  well  tuned  found,  to  help  you  to 
 lleep  an  hour  :  Not  as  a  human  fpeech  or  oration, 
 to  difpleafe  or  pleafe  you  an  hour,  accoiding  to  the 
 fuiting  of  its  ftrain  and  your  palate  :  Not  as  a  fchool 
 lefTon,  to  add  fomewhat  to  your  (lock  of  knowledge ; 
 to  tell  you  fomewhat  you  knew  not  before,  or  as  a 
 feaft  of  new  notions.  Thus  the  moil  rehlh  a  preach- 
 er, while  they  try  his  gift,  and  it  is  new  with  them, 
 whereas  a  little  time  difgufts  them.  But  hear  as  the 
 oracles  of  God^  the  difcovery  of  fm,  and  death  lying 
 on  us,  and  the  difcovtu-y  of  a  Saviour,  that  takes  thefe 
 
 off: 
 
424  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 off:  The  fweet  word  of  reconciliation,  God  wooing 
 man  ;  the  Great  King  entreating  for  peace  with  a  com- 
 pany of  rebels ;  not  that  they  are  too  ftrong  for  him  : 
 Oh  !  no,  but,  on  the  contrary,  he  could  utterly  deftroy 
 in  one  moment.  Thefe  are  the  things  brought  you 
 in  this  word  ;  therefore  come  to  it  with  fuitable  re- 
 verence, with  ardent  defires,  and  hearts  open  to  re- 
 ceive it  with  meeknefs,  as  the  ingrafted  word  that  is 
 able  to  fave  your  fouls y  Ja.  i.  21.  It  were  well  worth 
 one  day's  pains  of  fpeaking  and  hearing,  that  we 
 could  learn  fomewhat,  at  lead  how  to  fpeak  and  hear 
 henceforward  ;  to  fpeak  and  hear  as  the  oracles  of 
 God, 
 
 In  the  other,  o^  miniflring  as  of  the  ability  that  God 
 giveth,  we  may  obferve  :  i.  Ability,  and  that  re- 
 ceived from  God  ;  for  other  there  is  none  for  any 
 good  work,  and  lead  of  all  for  the  peculiar  miniftra- 
 tion  of  his  fpiritual  affairs  in  his  houfe.  2.  The 
 uling  of  this  ability  received  from  him  for  them. 
 
 And  this,  truly,  is  a  chief  thing  for  minifters,  and 
 for  each  Chriflian,  flill  to  depend  on  the  influence 
 and  llrength  of  God  ;  to  do  all  his  works  in  that 
 ilrength  ;  the  hiimbleft  Chriftian,  how  weak  foever, 
 is  the  llrongeft.  There  is  a  natural  wretched  inde- 
 pendency in  us,  that  we  would  be  the  authors  of  our 
 own  works,  and  do  all  without  Him,  without  whom 
 indeed  we  can  do  nothing.  Let  us  learn  to  go  more 
 out  of  ourfelves,  and  we  ihall  find  more  ilrength  for 
 our  duties,  and  againil  our  temptations.  Faith's 
 great  work  is,  to  renounce  felf-povver,  and  to  bring 
 in  the  power  of  God  to  be  ours.  Happy  they  that 
 are  weakdl  in  themfelves,  raoft  fenfibly  fo.  That 
 word  of  the  Apollle  is  theirs  ;  they  know  what  it 
 ^means,  though  a  riddle  to  the  world;  When  lam 
 weak,  then  am  Ifirong,  2  Cor.  xii.  10.     Now, 
 
 2.  The  end  of  all  this  appointment  is,  that  in  all 
 God  may  be  glorified  through  Jefus  Cbrifl  I  All  meet 
 in  this,  if  they  move  in  their  ftraight  line,  here  they 
 concentre  :  Not  only  thefe  two  forts  fpecified  in  this 
 
 verfe, 
 
V£R.  II.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  223 
 
 verfe,  but  all  forts  of  perfons  that  ufe  aright  any  gift 
 of  God,  as  they  are  generally  comprehended  in  the 
 former  verfe  ;  for  this  end  relates  to  all,  as  it  is  ex- 
 prefled  univerfally,  That  in  all,  in  all  perfons,  and  all 
 things ;  the  word  bears  both,  and  the  thing  itfelf  ex- 
 tends to  both. 
 
 Here  we  have,  like  that  of  the  heavens,  a  circular 
 motion  of  all  fandlified  good ;  it  comes  forth  from 
 God,  through  Chrift,  unto  Chriftians  ;  and,  moving 
 in  them  to  the  mutual  good  of  each  other,  returns 
 through  Chrift  unto  God  again,  and  takes  them  along 
 with  it,  in  whom  it  was  and  had  its  motion. 
 
 All  perfons  and  things  ihall  pay  this  tribute,  even 
 they  that  moft  wickedly  feek  to  withhold  it ;  but 
 this  is  the  happinefs  of  the  faints,  that  they  move 
 willingly  thus,  are  fweetJy  drawn,  not  forced  or 
 driven.  They  are  gained  to  feek  and  deiire  this,  to 
 fet  in  with  God  in  the  intention  of  the  fame  end ;  to 
 have  the  fame  purpofe  with  him,  his  glory  in  all,  and 
 to  profecute  his  end  by  his  direction,  the  means  and 
 ways  he  appoints  them. 
 
 This  is  his  due,  as  God ;  and  the  declining  from 
 this,  fquinting  from  this  view  to  felf-ends,  efpecially 
 in  God's  own  peculiar  work,  is  high  treafon  ;  yet  the 
 bafe  heart  of  man  leads  naturally  this  way,  to  intend 
 himfelf  in  all,  to  raife  his  own  efteem  or  advantage 
 in  fome  way. 
 
 And  in  this  the  heart  is  fo  fubtle,  that  it  will  de- 
 ceive the  moil  difcerning,  if  they  be  not  conltant  in 
 fufpecling  and   watching  it.     This  is  the  great  talk- 
 to  overcome  in  this  point.     To  have   felf  under  our 
 feet,  and  God  only  in  our  eye  and  purpofe  in  all. 
 
 It  is  moll  reafonable,  his  due  as  God,  the  Author 
 of  all,  not  only  of  all  fupervenient  good,  but  even  of 
 being  itfelf,  feeing  all  is  from  him,  that  ail  be  for 
 him,  Rom.  xi.  tilt.  For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and 
 to  him,  are  all  things :  'To  whom  he  glory  far  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
i24  A  COMMENTARY  UPOK  [CHA?.  if. 
 
 As  it  is  moll  juft,  fo  it  is  alfo  moft  fvveet,  to  aim  all 
 at  this,  that  God  be  glorified :  It  is  the  alone  worthy 
 and  happy  delign,  that  fills  the  heart  with  heaven- 
 lineis,  and  with  a  heavenly  calmnefs ;  fets  it  above 
 the  clouds  and  ftorms  of  thofe  paffions  that  difquiet 
 low  felf-feeking  minds.  He  is  a  miferable  un fettled 
 wretch,  that  cleaves  to  himfelf  and  forgets  God  ;  is 
 perplexed  about  his  credit,  and  gain,  and  bafe  ends,, 
 which  are  often  broke  ;  and  which,  when  he  attains, 
 yet  they  and  he  mud  Ihortly  perifh  together.  When 
 his  eftate,  or  defigns,  or  any  comforts  fail,  how  can 
 he  look  to  Him  whom  he  looked  fo  little  at  before  ? 
 May  not  the  Lord  fay.  Go  to  the  gods  whom  thou  hajl 
 fervedy  and  let  them  deliver  and  comfort  thee  P  Seek 
 comfort  from  thyfelf,  as  thou  didil  all  for  thyfelf. 
 What  an  appaleraent  will  this  be  ?  But  he  that  hath 
 refigned  himfelf,  and  is  all  for  God,  may  fay  confi- 
 dently, that  the  Lord  is  his  portion.  This  is  the 
 Chriftian's  aim,  to  have  nothing  in  himfelf,  nor  in 
 any  thing,  but  in  this  tenure  ;  all  for  the  glory  of 
 my  God,  my  eftate,  family,  aljilities,  my  whole  felf, 
 all  I  have  and  am.  And  as  the  love  of  God  grows 
 in  the  heart,  this  purpofe  grows ;  the  higher  the  flame 
 rifes,  the  purer  it  is ;  the  eye  is  daily  more  upon  it; 
 it  is  oftener  in  the  mind  in  all  adions  than  before. 
 In  common  things,  the  very  works  of  our  callings, 
 our  V€ry  refrefhments,  to  eat,  and  drink,  and  fleep, 
 are  all  for  this  end  ;  and  with  a  particular  aim  at  it 
 as  much  as  may  be  ;  even  the  thought  of  it  often  re- 
 newed throughout  the  day,  and,  at  times,  generally 
 applied  to  all  our  ways  and  employments.  It  is  that 
 elixir  that  turns  thy  ordinary  v/orks  into  gold,  into 
 facrifices,  by  touch  of  it. 
 
 Through  Jejus  LhriJlJ\  The  Chrillian  in  covenant 
 with  God,  receives  all  this  way,  and  returns  all  this 
 way  ;  and  Chrifi;  poflefles,  and  hath  equal  right  with 
 the  Father  to  this  glory,  as  he  is  equally  the  fpring 
 of  it  with  him  as  God.  But  it  is  conveyed  through 
 him  as  Mediator,  that  obtains  all  the  grace  we  re- 
 ceive \ 
 
VER.  II.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETEft.  225 
 
 ceivc  ;  and  all  the  glory  we  return,  and  all  our  praife, 
 as  our  Ipiritual  facrifice,  is  put  into  his  hand,  as  our 
 High-Prieft,  to  offer  up  for  us,  that  they  may  be  ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 Now  the  holy  ardour  of  the  Apoflle's  affedlions, 
 taken  with  the  mention  of  this  glory  of  God,  carries 
 him  to  a  doxology,  as  we  term  it,  a  rendering  of  glory 
 in  the  middle  of  his  difcourfe.  Thus  often  we  find 
 in  St  Paul  likewife.  Poor  and  fliort-livcd  is  the 
 glory  and  grandeur  of  men;  like  themfelves,  it  is  a 
 fhadow,  and  nothing ;  but  this  is  folid  and  lafling,  it 
 is  lupreme,  and  abideth  for  ever.  And  the  Apoftles, 
 full  of  divine  affedions,  and  admiring  nothing  but 
 God,  do  delight  in  this,  and  cannot  refrain  from  this 
 at  any  time  in  their  difcourfe ;  it  is  always  fweet  and 
 feafonable,  and  they  find  it  lb.  And  thus  are  fpi ritual 
 minds ;  a  word  of  this  nature  falls  on  them  as  a  fpark 
 on  fome  matter  that  readily  takes  fire  ;  they  are 
 flraight  inflamed  with  it.  But  alas  !  to  us  how  much 
 is  it  otherwife  !  The  mention  of  the  praifes  and  glory 
 of  our  God,  is  to  our  hearts  as  a  fpark  falling  either 
 into  a  puddle  of  water,  and  foul  water  too,  or  at  leafl 
 as  upon  green  timber,  that  much  fire  will  not  kindle: 
 So  much  moifture  of  our  humours  and  corruptions, 
 that  all  dies  out  with  us,  and  we  remain  cold  and 
 dead. 
 
 But  were  not  this  a  high  and  bleffed  condition,  to 
 be  in  all  eflates  in  fome  willing  readinefs  to  bear  a 
 part  in  this  fong,  to  acknowledge  the  greatnefs  and 
 goodnefs  of  our  God,  and  to  wifh  him  glory  in  all  ? 
 What  are  the  angels  doing  ?  This  is  their  bufinefs 
 without  end.  And  feeing  we  hope  to  partake  with 
 them,  we  fhould  even  here,  though  in  a  lower  key, 
 and  not  fo  tunably  neither,  yet  as  we  may,  begin  it : 
 And  upon  all  occafions,  our  hearts  fliould  be  often 
 following  in  this  fwcet  note,  or  offering  at  it.  To  him 
 he  glory  and  dominion  for  ever. 
 
 Vol.  II.  F  f  Ver, 
 
226  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  fcHAP.  IV. 
 
 Ver.  12.  Beloved,  think  it  not  Jirange  concerning  the 
 fiery  trial  which  is  to  try  you,  as  though  fome  firange 
 thing  happened  unto  you  : 
 
 13.  But  rejoice,  in  as  mUch  as  you  are  partakers  of 
 ChriJVs  Jufferings  ;  that  when  his  glory  Jhall  he  re^ 
 vealed,  ye  may  he  glad  alfo  with  exceeding  joy, 
 
 THIS  fighting  life  I  furely  when  we  confider  it 
 aright,  we  need  not  be  dilTuaded  from  loving 
 it,  but  have  rather  ne^d  to  be  flrengthened  with  pa- 
 tience to  go  through,  and  to  fight  on  with  courage 
 and  alTurance  of  vidory  ;  dill  combating  in  a  higher 
 ftrength  than  our  own,  againft  fin  within,  and  troubles 
 without.  This  is  the  great  fcope  of  this  epifl:le,  and 
 the  Apoftle  often  interchanges  his  advices  and  com- 
 forts in  reference  to  thefe  two.  Againjl  fin  he  in- 
 firudls  us  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  and  here 
 again,  againfi  fuffering,  and  both  in  a  like  way  ;  and 
 urges  us  to  be  armed,  armed  with  the  fame  mind  that 
 was  in  Chrift.  After  the  fame  manner,  in  the  mor- 
 tifying of  fin,  we  fuffer  with  him,  as  there  he  teaches, 
 verfe  i.  of  this  chapter;  and  in  the  encountering  of 
 affliclion  we  fufer  with  him,  as  here  we  have  it ;  and 
 fo  the  fame  mind  in  the  fame  fufferings,  will  bring  us 
 to  the  fame  iffue.  Beloved,  think  it  not  firange  concern* 
 ing  the  fiery  trial  which  is  to  try  you,  i^c.  But  re- 
 '  joice,  in  as  much  as  ye  are  partakers  of  Chrifi'^s  fuffer^ 
 ings  ;  that  when  his  glory  Jhall  he  revealed,  ye  likewife 
 may  he  glad  with  exceeding  joy. 
 
 The  words  to  the  end  of  the  chapter  contain 
 grounds  of  encouragement  and  confolation  for  the 
 children  of  God  in  fufferings,  efpeciaily  in  fuffering 
 for  God. 
 
 Thefe  two  verfes  have  thefe  two  things,  (i.)  The 
 clofe  conjundlion  of  fufferings  with  the  eflate  of  a 
 Chriftian.  2.  The  due  compofure  of  a  Chriflian  to- 
 ward fuffering. 
 
 I.  The  connexion  of  fufferings  with  the  eflate  of 
 a  Chriflian  \  it  is  no  new,  and  therefore  no  firange 
 
 thing. 
 
VER.  12,  13.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  227 
 
 thing,  that  fufFerings,  hot  fufFerings,  fiery  ones,  be 
 the  companions  of  religion  ;  belides  the  common  mi- 
 feries  of  human  life,  there  is  an  acceflion  of  troubles 
 and  hatreds  for  that  holinefs  of  life  to  which  the 
 children  of  God  are  called. 
 
 It  was  the  lot  of  the  Church  from  her  wicked 
 neighbours,  and  in  the  Church,  the  lot  of  the  mod 
 holy  and  peculiar  fervants  of  God  from  the  profane 
 multitude.  M^o  is  me  my  rnother,  (fays  Jeremiah), 
 thou  bajl  horn  me  a  man  of  contentions^  Jer.  xv.  10. 
 And  of  all  the  Prophets,  fays  not  our  Saviour,  hand- 
 ling this  fame  argument  in  his  fermon,  So  perfecuted 
 they  the  Prophets  that  were  before  you,  Matth.  v.  12.  ? 
 And  after  tells  them  what  they  might  look  for.  Be- 
 hold, fays  he,  I  fend  you  forth  as  Jheep  in  the  midfl  of 
 wolves,  Matth.  x.  16.  And,  in  general,  there  is  no 
 following  of  Chrift,  but  with  his  badge  and  burden. 
 Something  is  to  be  left,  we  ourfelves  are  to  be  left ; 
 whofoever  will  he  my  difciple,  let  him  deny  himfelf ; 
 and  fomewhat  to  take  ;  take  up  my  crofs  and  follow 
 me,  Matth.  xvi.  24.  And  doth  not  the  Apoftle  give 
 his  fcholars  this  univerfal  leflbn,  as  an  infajlible  truth, 
 all  that  will  live  godly  in  Chrifl  Jefus  Jhall  fuffer  per- 
 fecution  ?  Look  in  the  clofe  of  that  roll  of  believers 
 conquering  in  fufFering,  what  a  clufter  of  fufFerings 
 and  torture  you  have,  Heb.  xi.  36,  37,  6^c.  Thus  in 
 the  primitive  times,  the  trial  and  fiery  trial,  even  li- 
 terally fo,  continued  long;  thefe  wicked  emperors 
 hated  the  very  innocency  of  Chriftians ;  and  the  peo- 
 ple, though  they  knew  their  blamelefs  carriage,  yet, 
 when  any  evil  came,  would  pick  this  quarrel  and  ftiil 
 cry,  Cbrifiianos  ad  leones. 
 
 Now  this,  if  we  look  to  inferior  caufes,  is  not 
 flrange,  the  malignant  ungodly  world  hating  holi- 
 nefs, hating  the  light,  yea,  the  very  (hadow  of  it ;  and 
 the  more  the  children  of  God  walk  like  their  Father, 
 and  their  home,  the  more  unlike  muft  they,  of  necef- 
 fity,  become  to  the  world  about  them ;  and,  there- 
 fore, 
 
^28  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 fore,  become  the  very  mark  of  all  their  enmities  and 
 malice. 
 
 And  thus  indeed  the  godly,  though  the  fons  of 
 peace,  are  the  improper  caufes,  the  occafion  of  much 
 noife  and  dillurbance  in  the  world,  as  their  Lord,  the 
 Prince  of  Peace,  avows  it  openly  of  himfelf  in  that 
 fenfe,  I  came  not  to  fend  peace,  but  a  fword,  to  fet  a 
 man  at  variance  with  his  father,  and  the  daughter 
 againfl  the  mother,  l^c,  Matth.  x.  34.  If  a  fon  in  a 
 family  begin  to  inquire  after  God,  and  withdraw 
 from  their  profane  or  dead  way,  Oh  I  what  a  clamour 
 rifes  prefently,  Oh  !  my  fon,  or  daughter,  or  wife,  is 
 become  a  plain  fool,  &c.  And  then  is  all  done  that 
 rnay  be,  to  quell  and  yex  them,  and  make  their  life 
 grievous  to  them. 
 
 The  exadl  holy  walking  of  a  Chriftian  really  con- 
 demns the  world  about  him  ;  fhews  the  diforder  and 
 foulnefs  of  their  profane  ways  ;  and  the  life  of  reli- 
 gion fet  by  the  fide  of  dead  formality,  difcovers  it  to 
 be  a  carcafe  and  lifelefs  appearance  ;  and,  for  this, 
 neither  grofsly  wicked,  civil,  nor  formal  perfons,  can 
 well  digeft  it.  There  is  in  the  life  of  a  Chriftian  a 
 convincing  light,  that  lliews  the  deformity  of  the 
 works  of  darknefs,  and  a  piercing  heat,  that  fcorches 
 the  ungodly,  which  ftirs  and  troubles  their  confci- 
 ences :  This  they  cannot  endure,  and  hence  rifes  in 
 them  a  contrary  fire  of  wicked  hatred  ;  and  hence 
 the  trials,  the  fiery  trials  of  the  godly.  If  they  could 
 get  thofe  precife  perfons  removed  out  of  their  way, 
 think  they,  then  they  might  have  more  room,  and 
 live  at  more  liberty,  as  it  is.  Rev.  xi.  10.  a  caroufing 
 Cx^f^^*"-]'  What  a  dance  there  was  about  the  dead 
 bodies  of  the  two  witnefles  ;  the  people  and  nfitions 
 rejoiced  and  made  merry,  and  fent  gifts  one  to  another, 
 becaufe  thefe  two  Prophets  tormented  them  that  dwelt 
 on  the  earth*  And  from  the  fame  hearth,  I  mean  the 
 fame  wicked nefs  of  heart  in  the  world,  are  the  fires 
 of  perfecution  kindled  againft  the  faints  in  the  world  j 
 and  the  bonefires  of  joy  when  they  are  rid  of  them. 
 
 And 
 
VER.  12,  13.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.        229 
 
 And  as  this  is  an  infernal  fire  of  enmity  againft 
 God,  it  is  blown  by  that  fpirit  whofe  element  it  is. 
 Satan  ftirs  up  and  blows  the  coal,  and  railes  the  ha- 
 tred of  the  ungodly  againft  Chriftians. 
 
 But  while  he,  and  they  in  whom   he  powerfully 
 works,   are   thus  working  for  their  vile  ends  in  the 
 perfecutions  of  the  faints,  He  that  fovereignly  orders 
 all,   is  working  in  the  fame,  his  wife   and  gracious 
 ends ;  and  attains  them,  and  makes  the  malice  of  his 
 enemies  ferve  his  ends,   and  undo  their  own.     It  is 
 true,  that  by  the  heat  of  perfecution,  many  are  feared 
 from  embracing  religion  ;  fuch  as  love  themfelves  and 
 their  prefent  eafe,   and   others  that  feemed  to  have 
 embraced  it,  are  driven  to  let  it  go  and  fall  from  it ; 
 but  yet,  when  all  is  w^ell  computed,  it  is  ftill  upon  the 
 gaining  hand.     Thofe  that  rejecl  it,  or  revolt  from 
 it,  are  fuch  as  have  ^o  true  knowledge  of  it,  nor  fhare 
 in  it,  nor  in  that  happinefs  in  which  it  ends ;  but 
 they  that  are  indeed  united  to  Jefus  Chrift,  do  cleave 
 the  clofer  to  him,  and  feek  to  have  their  hearts  more 
 fattened  to  him,  becaufe  of  thefe  trials,  that  they  are, 
 or  likely  may  be,  put  to.     And  in  their  vidorious  pa- 
 tience appears  the  invincible  power  of  religion  where 
 it  hath   once   gained    the   heart,    that  it  cannot    be 
 beaten,  nor  burnt  out ;  itfelf  is  a  fire  more   mighty 
 than  all  the  fires  kindled  againft  it.     The  love  of 
 Chrift  conquers  and   triumphs  in  the  hardeft  fuffer- 
 ings  of  life,  and  in  death  itfelf. 
 
 And  this  hath  been  the  means  of  kindling  it  in 
 other  hearts  which  were  ftrangers  to  it,  when  they 
 beheld  the  vidtorious  patience  of  the  faints,  who  con- 
 quered dying,  as  their  Head  did  ;  who  wearied  their 
 tormentors,  and  triumphed  over  their  cruelty  by  a 
 conftancy  far  above  it. 
 
 Thus,  thefe  fiery  trials  make  the  luftre  of  faith 
 appear  moft,  as  gold  fhines  brighteft  in  the  furnace  ; 
 and  if  any  drofs  be  mixed  with  it,  it  is  refined  and 
 purged  from  it  by  thefe  trials,  and  fo  it  remains  by 
 the  fire  purer  than  before.     And  both  thefe  are  in 
 
 the 
 
230  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  fcHAP.  IV. 
 
 the  refemblance  here  intended  ;  that  the  fire  of  fuf- 
 ferings  is  the  advantage  of  believers,  both  trying  the 
 excellency  of  faith,  giving  evidence  of  it,  what  it  is, 
 and  alfo  purifying  it  from  earth  and  drofly  mixtures, 
 and  making  it  more  excellently  vi^hat  it  is ;  railing  it 
 to  a  higher  pitch  of  refinednefs  and  worth.  In  thefe 
 fires,  as  faith  is  tried,  the  word  on  which  faith  relies 
 is  tried,  and  is  found  all  gold y  moft  precious,  no  refufe 
 in  it.  The  truth  and  fweetnefs  of  the  promifes  are 
 much  confirmed  in  the  Chriilian's  heart,  upon  his 
 experiment  of  them  in  his  fufFerings ;  his  God  is 
 found  to  be  as  good  as  his  word,  being  with  bi?n  when 
 he  goes  through  the  fire,  Ifa.  xliii.  2. ;  preferving  him, 
 that  he  lofeth  nothing  except  drofs,  which  is  a  gain- 
 ful lofs,  leaving  only  of  his  corruption  behind  him. 
 
 Oh  I  how  much  worth  is  it,  and  how  doth  it  en- 
 dear the  heart  to  God,  to  have  found  him  fenfibly 
 prefent  in  the  times  of  trouble,  to  have  found  him 
 refrefhing  the  foul  with  dews  of  fpiritual  comfort,  in 
 the  midft  of  the  flames  of  fiery  trial  I 
 
 One  fpecial  advantage  of  thefe  fires,  is  the  purging 
 of  a  Chriftian's  heart  from  the  love  of  the  world  and 
 of  prefent  things  ;  it  is  true,  the  world  at  befl  is  bafe 
 and  defpicable,  in  refpedl  of  the  high  eftate  and 
 hopes  of  a  believer,  yet  ftill  there  is  fomewhat  with- 
 in him,  which  would  bend  him  downwards,  and 
 draw  him  to  too  much  complacency  in  outward 
 things,  if  they  were  much  to  his  mind  :  Too  kind 
 ufage  might  fometimes  make  him  forget  himfelf,  and 
 think  himfelf  at  home,  at  leafl  fo  much,  as  not  to  en- 
 tertain thefe  longings  after  home,  and  that  ardent 
 progrefs  homewards  that  become  him  :  It  is  good  for 
 us  certainly  to  find  hardlhip,  enmities  and  contempts 
 here,  and  to  find  them  frequent,  that  we  may  not 
 think  them  fl:range,  but  ourfelves  ftrangers,  and 
 think  it  were  ftrange  for  us  to  be  otherwife  enter- 
 tained. This  keeps  the  affedions  more  clear  and 
 difengaged,  fets  them  upward.  Thus  the  Lord 
 makes  the  world  difpleafing  to  his  own,  that  they 
 
 may 
 
VIR.  12,  13,]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  231 
 
 may  turn  in  to  him,  and  feek  all  their  confolations  in 
 himfelf :  Oh  I  unfpeakable  advantage. 
 
 2.  The  compofure  of  a  Chrijlian  in  reference  to  fiif-^ 
 ferings,  is  prefcribed  in  thefe  two  following,  refolving 
 and  rejoicing  ;  i.  Refolving  to  endure  them,  reckon- 
 ing that  he  fhali  meet  with  them,  think  it  tiotftrange, 
 l^n  Im^sBe ;  2.  Rejoicing  in  therri,  x**?**^*?  ^^  <f ^«^,  2« 
 as  much,  &c. 
 
 Be  not  jlrangers  in  it,"]  Which  yet  naturally  we 
 would  be  :  We  are  willing  to  hear  of  peace  and  eafe, 
 and  would  gladly  believe  what  we  extremely  deiire. 
 It  is  a  thing  of  prime  concern  to  take  at  firit  a  right 
 notion  of  Chriflianity,  which  many  do  not,  and  fo 
 either  fall  off  quickly,  or  walk  on  llowly  and  heavily ; 
 do  not  reckon  right  the  coft,  take  not  into  the  ac- 
 count the  duties  of  doing  and  fuffering;  but  think 
 to  perform  fome  duties,  if  they  may  with  eafe,  and 
 have  no  other  forefight ;  they  do  not  coniider  thai 
 felf-denial,  that  fighting  againft  a  man's  felf,  and 
 vehemently  with  the  woi:ld,  thefe  trials,  fiery  trials, 
 which  a  Chriftian  mud  encounter  with.  As  they 
 obferve  of  other  points.  Popery  in  this,  is  very  com-^ 
 pliant  with  nature,  which  is  a  very  bad  fign  in  re- 
 ligion ;  we  would  be  content  it  were  true  that  the 
 true  Church  of  Chrifl  had  rather  profperity  and 
 pomp  for  her  badge  than  the  Crofs,  much  eafe  and 
 riches,  and  few  or  no  crofles,  except  they  were  pain- 
 ted and  gilded  crofles,  fuch  as  that  church  hath  cho- 
 fen,  inftead  of  real  ones. 
 
 Moft  men  would  give  religion  a  fair  countenance, 
 if  it  gave  them  fair  weather  ;  and  they  that  do  in- 
 deed acknowledge  Chrift  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  as  St 
 Peter  did,  Matth.  xvi.  22,  23.  yet  are  naturally  as 
 unwilling  as  he  was  to  hear  the  hard  news  of  fuf- 
 fering; and  if  their  advice  might  have  place,  would 
 readily  be  of  his  mind.  Be  it  far  from  thee.  Lord,  His 
 good  confeflion  was  not,  but  this  kind  advice  was, 
 from  flejb  and  bloody  and  from  an  evil  fpirit,  as  the 
 
 fharp 
 
232  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IT, 
 
 fharp  anfwer  tells,  Gei  thee  behind  me,  Satarii  thou  art 
 an  offence  unto  me. 
 
 You  know  what  kind  of  Meffiah  the  Jews  gene- 
 rally dreamed  of,  and  therefore  took  offence  at  the 
 meannefs  and  fufferings  of  Chrifl,  expeding  an  earth- 
 ly king,  and  an  outward  flourifhing  (late  ;  and  the 
 difciples  themfelves,  after  they  had  been  long  with 
 him,  were  ftill  in  that  fame  dream,  when  they  were 
 conteftmg  about  imaginary  places ;  yea,  they  were 
 fcarce  well  out  of  it,  even  after  his  fufFering  and 
 death  ;  all  the  noife  and  trouble  of  that  had  not  well 
 awaked  them,  Luke  xxiv.  21.  We  trujted  it  had  been 
 He  which  Jhould  have  rejlored  IfraeL 
 
 And,  after  all  that  we  have  read  and  heard  of  an- 
 cient times,  and  of  Jefus  Ghrift  himfelf,  his  fuffer- 
 ings in  the  flefh,  and  of  his  Apoilles  and  his  faints, 
 from  one  age  to  another,  yet  ftill  we  have  our  incli- 
 nations to  this,  of  driving  troubles  far  off  from  our 
 thoughts,  till  they  come  upon  our  backs,  and  fancy 
 nothing  but  reft  and  eafe,  till  we  be  fhaken  rudely 
 out  of  it. 
 
 How  have  we  of  late  flattered  ourfelves,  many  of 
 us  one  year  after  another,  upon  flight  appearances  ! 
 Oh  !  now  it  will  be  peace,  and,  behold,  ftill  trouble 
 hath  increafed,  and  thefe  thoughts  have  proved  the 
 lying  vijions  of  our  own  hearts,  while  the  Lord  hath 
 not  fpoken  it,  Ezek.  xiii.  7.  And  thus,  of  late,  have 
 we  thought  it  at  hand,  and  taken  ways  of  our  own 
 to  haften  it :  That,  I  fear,  will  prove  fools  hafte,  as  you 
 
 fay. 
 
 You  that  know  the  Lord,  feek  to  him  earneftly  for 
 the  averting  of  further  troubles  and  combuftions  ; 
 which,  if  you  look  aright,  you  will  fee  do  threaten 
 us  as  much  as  ever :  And  withal,  feek  hearts,  prepa- 
 red and  fixed  for  days  of  trial,  Jiery  trial-,  yea, 
 though  we  did  obtain  fome  breathing  of  our  outward 
 peace,  yet  fliall  not  the  followers  of  Ghrift  want  their 
 trials  from  the  hatred  of  the  ungodly  world,   If  it 
 
 perfecuted 
 
VER.  12,  13.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.         233 
 
 perfecutedmcy  (fays  he),  it  will  alfo  perfecute  yoUy  John 
 XV.  20. 
 
 Acquaint  therefore  your  thoughts  and  hearts  with 
 fufFerings,  that  when  they  come,  thou  and  they  not 
 being  ilrangers,  may  agree  and  comply  the  better. 
 Jyo  not  afflid  yourfelves  with  vain  fears  beforehand, 
 of  troubles  to  come,  and  fo  make  uncertain  evils  a 
 certain  vexation  by  anticipation  ;  but  rather  fore- 
 think  the  hardeft  trial  you  may  probably  be  put  to, 
 for  the  name  and  caufe  of  Chrift,  and  labour  for  a 
 holy  liability  of  mind,  for  encountering  it,  if  it 
 Ihould  come  upon  you  :  Things  certainly  fall  the 
 lighter  on  us,  when  they  fall  firft  upon  our  thoughts. 
 In  this  w^ay,  indeed,  of  an  imagined  fuffering,  the 
 conqueft  beforehand  may  be  but  imaginary,  and 
 thou  mayeft  fail  in  the  trial :  Therefore  be  ftill  hum- 
 ble, and  depend  on  the  ftrength  of  Chrift,  and  feek 
 to  be  previoufly  furnifhed  with  much  diftruft  of  thy- 
 felf,  and  much  truft  in  him,  with  much  denial  of 
 thyfelf,  and  much  love  to  him  ;  and  this  preparing 
 and  training  of  the  heart  may  prove  ufeful,  a^d 
 make  it  more  dexterous,  when  brought  to  a  real  con- 
 flid  :  In  all,  both  beforehand,  and  in  time  of  the 
 trial,  make  thy  Lord  Jefus  all  thy  ftrength  ;  that  is 
 our  only  way  in  all  to  be  conquerors,  to  be  more  than 
 conquerors^  through  him  that  loved  us,  Rom.  viii.  37. 
 
 Think  it  notjlrange,  for  it  is  not ;  fuit  your  thoughts 
 -to  the  experience  and  verdidl  of  all  times,  and  to  the 
 warnings  that  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  Scriptures, 
 and  our  Saviour  himfelf  hath  given  us  from  his  own 
 mouth,  and  in  the  example  which  he  fhewed  in  his 
 own  perfon.     But  the  point  goes  higher. 
 
 Rejoice:  though  we  think  not  the  fufFerings  ftrange, 
 yet  may  we  not  well  think  that  rule  fomewhat 
 ftrange,  to  rejoice  in  them  ?  No,  it  will  be  found  as 
 reafonable  as  the  other,  being  duly  conlidered  :  And 
 it  refts  upon  the  fame  ground,  which  is  well  able  to 
 bear  both,  ///  as  much  as  you  are  partakers  of  the  Juf^ 
 ferings  of  Chrifi, 
 
 Vol.  II.  G  g  If 
 
234  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV, 
 
 If  the  children  of  God  confider  not  their  trials  in 
 their  natural  bitternefs,  but  in  the  fweet  love  from 
 whence  they  fpring,  and  the  fweet  fruits  that  fpring 
 from  them  ;  that  we  are  our  Lord's  gold,  and  he 
 tries  us  in  the  furnace  to  purify  us,  (as  in  the  former 
 verfe),  this  may  beget  not  only  patience,  but  gladnefs 
 even  in  the  fufFerings.  But  add  we  this,  and  truly 
 it  completes  the  reafon  of  this  way  in  our  faddefl  fuf- 
 ferings,  that  in  them  we  are  partakers  of  the  fuffe rings 
 ofChr'ifi, 
 
 So  then,  i.  Coniider  this  twofold  connected  parti- 
 cipation of  the  fufFerings  of  Chrift,  and  of  the  after- 
 glory.  2.  The  prefent  joy  even  in  fufFerings  fpring- 
 ing  from  that  participation. 
 
 I  need  not  tell  you,  that  this  communion  in  fuf- 
 ferings  is  not  in  point  of  expiation,  or  fatisfadion  to 
 divine  ju(f  ice,  which  was  the  peculiar  end  of  the  fuf- 
 ferings  of  Ch\'\^  perfo rial,  not  of  the  common  fufFer- 
 ings of  ChrilF  myjlical;  he  bare  our  fins  on  his  own  body 
 on  the  tree,  i  Pet.  li.  24.  and  in  bearing  them,  took 
 them  away  ;  we  bear  his  fufFerings,  as  liis  body 
 united  to  him  by  his  Spirit.  Thole  fufFerings  that 
 were  his  perfonal  burden,  we  partake  the  fweet  fruits 
 of;  they  are  accounted  ours,  and  we  acquitted  by 
 them  ;  but  the  endurance  of  them  was  his  high  and 
 incommunicable  tafk,  in  which  none  at  all  were  with 
 him  ;  our  communion  in  thefe,  as  fully  completed  by 
 himfelf  in  his  natural  body,  is  the  ground  of  our 
 comfort  and  joy  in  thefe  futFerings  that  are  comple- 
 ted in  his  myflical  body,  the  Church. 
 
 This  is  indeed  our  joy,  that  we  have  fo  light  a 
 burden,  fo  fweet  an  exchange,  the  weight  of  fin  quite 
 taken  off  our  backs,  and  all  bound  on  his  crofs  only, 
 and  our  crofFes,  the  badges  of  our  conformity  to  him, 
 laid  indeed  on  our  flioulders,  but  the  great  weight  of 
 them  likewife  held  up  by  his  hand,  that  they  over- 
 prefs  us  not.  Thefe  fires  of  our  trial  may  be  correc- 
 tive, and  purgative  of  the  remaining  power  of  fin, 
 and  they  are  fo  intended  ;  but  Jefus  Chrifl  alone,  in 
 
 the 
 
VER.   12,  13.]       THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  235 
 
 the  fufFerings  of  his  own  crofs,  v/as  the  burnt-offer- 
 ing, the  propitiation  for  our  fins. 
 
 Now,  although  he  hath  perfedlly  fatisfied  for  us, 
 and  faved  us  by  his  fufferings  ;  yet  this  conformity 
 with  him  in  the  way  of  fuffering,  is  moft  reafonable. 
 As  our  holinefs  doth  not  ftand  in  point  of  law,  nor 
 come  in  at  all  in  the  matter  of  juftifying  us,  yet  we 
 are  called  and  appointed  to  holinefs  in  Chrift,  as  af- 
 fimilating  us  to  him  our  glorious  Head  ;  and  we  do 
 really  receive  it  from  him,  that  we  may  be  like  him; 
 fo  thefe  our  fufferings  bear  a  very  congruous  likenefs 
 with  him,  though  not  as  an  acceffion  to  his  in  expia- 
 tion, yet  as  a  part  of  his  image;  and  therefore  the 
 Apoflle  fays,  even  in  this  refped:,  that  we  are  pre- 
 deftinate  to  he  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son, 
 Rom.  viii*  29.  Is  it  fit  that  we  fhould  not  follow, 
 where  our  Captain  led,  and  went  firft,  but  that  he 
 fhould  lead  through  ragged  thorny  ways,  and  we 
 pafs  about  to  get  away  through  flowery  meadows  ? 
 As  his  natural  body  fhared  with  his  head  in  his  fuf- 
 ferings, fo  ought  his  mjflical  to  fhare  with  him,  as  its 
 Head.  Confider  the  buffetings  and  fpittings  on  his 
 face,  and  thorny  crown  on  his  head,  a  pierced  fide, 
 nailed  hands  and  feet ;  and  if  we  be  parts  of  him,  can 
 we  think  that  a  body  finding  nothing  but  eafe,  and 
 bathing  in  delights,  can  be  truly  united  to  a  Head  fo 
 tormented  ?  I  remember  what  that  pious  Duke  is  faid 
 to  have  declared  at  Jerufalem,  when  they  offered  to 
 crown  him  king  there,  '*  I  will  have  no  crown  of 
 **  gold  where  Chrifl  Jefus  was  crowned  with 
 *'  thorns*'." 
 
 This  is  the  way  we  muft  follow,  or  elfe  refolve  to 
 leave  him  ;  the  way  of  the  crofs  is  the  royal  way  to 
 the  crown.  He  faid  it,  and  put  them  in  mind  of  it 
 again,  that  they  might  take  the  deep  imprefiion  of  it, 
 Remember  "what  I  faid  unto  you,  the  fervant  is  not 
 greater  than  the  Lord :  If'  they  have  perfecuted  me, 
 they  will  alfo  perfecute  you :  If  they  have  kept  my  fay- 
 ing, 
 
 *  Nolo  auream^  uhi  Chrijlus  fpinsam^ 
 
236  A  COMMENTARY  UPON^  [CHAP.  IV* 
 
 in^,  they  will  keep  yours  alfo,  John  xv,  10,  And  par- 
 ticularly in  point  of  reproaches,  If  they  called  the 
 Mafler  Beelzebub,  how  much  more  Jhall  they  call  them 
 of  his  hou/boldP  Matth.  x.  24.  A  bitter  feoff,  an  evil 
 name,  reproaches  for  Chrift,  why  do  thefe  fret  thee  ? 
 they  were  a  part  of  thy  Lord's  entertainment  while 
 he  was  here,  thou  art  even  in  this  a  partaker  of  his 
 fufferings ;  and,  in  this  way  is  he  bringing  thee  for- 
 ward to  the  partaking  of  his  glory  :  That  is  the  other 
 thing. 
 
 When  his  glory  Jhall  he  revealed.  Now  he  is  hid, 
 little  of  his  glory  is  feen  ;  it  was  hid  while  he  was 
 on  earth,  and  now  it  is  hid  in  heaven,  where  he  is, 
 and  for  his  body  here,  his  Church,  it  hath  no  pom- 
 pous drefs,  nor  outward  fplendour  ;  and  the  particu- 
 lar parts  of  it,  the  faints,  are  poor  defpifed  creatures^ 
 the  very  refufe  of  men  in  outward  refpedls  and  com- 
 mon efleem  ;  fo  he  himfelf  is  not  feen,  and  his  fol- 
 lowers, the  more  they  are  feen  and  looked  on  by  the 
 world's  eye,  the  more  meannefs  appears  :  As  in  the 
 days  of  his  humiliation,  fome  rays  were  breaking 
 forth  through  the  veil  of  his  fiefli,  and  cloud  of  his 
 low  defpicable  condition  ;  thus  is  it  with  his  follow-- 
 ers,  fometimes  a  glance  of  his  image  flrikes  the  very 
 eye  of  the  world,  and  forces  fome  acknowledgment 
 and  a  kind  of  reverence  in  the  ungodly  :  But  com- 
 monly Chi  ill  and  his  followers  are  covered  with  all 
 the  difgraces  and  ignominies  the  world  can  put  on 
 them.  But  there  is  a  day  wherein  he  will  appear^ 
 and  it  is  at  hand  ;  and  then  he  Jhall  he  glorious^  even 
 in  his  defpifed /^f/z/j-,  and  admired  in  them  that  believe, 
 1  ThefT.  i.  x.  how  much  more  in  the  matchlefs  bright- 
 nefs  of  his  own  glorious  perfon. 
 
 In  the  mean  time,  he  is  hid,  and  they  are  hid  in 
 him  ;  our  life  is  hid  with  Chrift  in  God,  Colof.  iii.  3, 
 The  world  fees  nothing  of  his  glory  and  beauty,  and 
 even  his  own  fee  not  much  here,  they  have  but  a 
 little  glimmering  of  him,  and  their  own  happinefs  in 
 him ;  know  little  of  their  own  high  condition,  and 
 
 what 
 
VER.  12,  t3.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OP  PETER  I37 
 
 what  they  are  born  to.  But  in  that  bright  day  he 
 Ihali  fhine  forth  in  his  royal  dignity,  and  every  eyejhali 
 fee  hwiy  Rev.  i.  7.  and  be  overconie  with  his  fplen- 
 dour ;  terrible  fliall  it  be  to  thofe  that  formerly  de- 
 fpifed  him  and  his  faints  ;  but  to  them  the  glad  deft 
 day  that  ever  arofe  upon  them,  a  day  that  ihall  never 
 let  or  be  benighted;  the  day  they  fo  much  longed 
 and  looked  out  for,  the  full  accomplifhment  of  all 
 their  hopes  and  defires.  Oh  !  how  dark  wer^  all  our 
 days  without  the  hope  of  this  day  I 
 
 Then,  fays  the  Apoftle,  ye  Jhall  rejoice  with  ex- 
 ceedingy^jK/  and  to  the  end  you  may  not  fall  fhort  of 
 that  joy  in  the  participation  of  glory,  fall  not  back 
 from  a  cheerful  progrefs  in  the  communion  of  thefe 
 fufFerings  that  are  fo  clofely  linked  with  it,  and  will 
 fo  furely  lead  unto  it,  and  end  in  it ;  for  in  this  the 
 Apoftle's  expreliion,  this  glory  and  joy  is  fet  before 
 them,  as  the  great  matter  of  their  defires  and  hopes^ 
 and  the  certain  end  of  their  prefent  fufFerings. 
 
 Now,  upon  thefe  grounds  the  admonition  will  ap- 
 pear reafonable,  and  not  too  great  a  demand,  to  re^ 
 joke  even  in  the  fufferings. 
 
 It  is  true,  that  paffagc  in  the  Epiflle  to  the  Heb.  xii, 
 II.  oppofes  prefi^nt  afilidion  to  joy.  But,  i.  If  you 
 mark,  it  is  but  in  the  appearance  or  outward  vifage, 
 it  fee  me  th  not  to  be  matter  of  joy,  but  of  grief  To 
 look  to  it,  it  hath  not  a  fmiling  countenance,  yet  joy 
 may  be  under  it.  And,  2.  Though  to  the  fielh  it  is, 
 what  it  feems,  grief,  and  not  joy,  yet  there  may  be 
 under  it  fpirituai  joy  ;  yea,  the  affliction  itfelf  may 
 help  and  advance  that  joy.  3.  Through  the  na- 
 tural {(tr\{t  of  it,  there  will  be  fome  allay  or  mix- 
 ture of  grief,  fo  that  the  joy  cannot  be  pure  and  com- 
 plete, but  yet  there  may  be  joy  even  in  it.  'i'his  the 
 A^poftle  here  cleurly  grants,  rejoice  now  in  fuiiering, 
 that  you  may  rejoice  exceedingly  after  it,  «yaAAtw/:/gi/&», 
 leaping  for  joy  :  Doubtlefs,  this  joy,  at  preient,  is  but 
 a  little  parcel,  a  drop  of  that  fea  of  joy.  Now  ir  is 
 joy,  but  more  reierved,  then  they  Jhall  leap  for  joy  ^ 
 
 Luke 
 
238         A  COMMENTARY  UPON        [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Luke  vi.  23.  Yet,  even  at  prefent,  rejoice  in  trials 
 yea,  in  fiery  trial.  This  is  poflible  ;  the  children  of 
 God  are  not  called  to  fo  bad  a  life  as  the  world  ima- 
 gines ;  beiides  what  is  laid  up  for  them  in  heaven, 
 they  have,  even  here,  their  rejoicings  and  fongs  in 
 their  diftrelTes,  as  thofe  prifoners  had  their  pfalms, 
 even  at  midnight  after  their  llripes,  and  in  their 
 chains,  Ads  xvi.  25.  before  they  knew  of  a  fudden 
 deliverance  :  True,  there  may  be  a  darknefs  within, 
 clouding  all  the  matter  of  their  joy  ;  but  even  that 
 darknefs  is  the  feed-time  of  after  joy,  and  light  is  /own 
 in  that  darknefs,  and  Ihall  fpring  up ;  and  not  only 
 ihall  they  have  a  rich  crop  at  full  harveft,  but  even 
 fome  firft  fruits  of  it  here,  in  pledge  of  the  harveft. 
 
 And  this  they  ought  to  exped,  and  feek  after  with 
 minds  humble  and  fubmiffive,  as  to  the  meafure  and 
 time  of  it,  that  they  may  be  partakers  of  fpiritual  joy, 
 and  may  by  it  be  enabled  to  go  patiently,  yea,  cheer- 
 fully, through  the  tribulations  and  temptations  that 
 be  in  their  way  homeward  ;  and  for  this  end  ought 
 they  to  endeavour  after  a  more  clear  difcerning  of 
 their  intereft  in  Chrift,  that  they  may  know  they  par- 
 take of  him,  and  fo  in  fuffering,  are  partakers  of  his 
 fufferings,  and  fhall  be  partakers  of  his  glory. 
 
 Many  afflidtions  will  not  cloud  and  obftrudl  this 
 fo  much  as  one  fin  ;  therefore,  if  ye  would  walk 
 cheerfully,  be  moft  careful  to  walk  holily.  All  the 
 winds  about  the  earth  make  not  an  earthquake,  but 
 that  within  its  bowels. 
 
 Now  this  joy  is  grounded  on  this  communion  ; 
 I.  In  fufferings ;  then,  2.  In  glory,  i.  Even  in  fuf- 
 ferings themfelves  :  It  is  a  fweet  joyful  thing  to  be 
 a  fharer  with  Chrift  in  any  thing  ;  all  enjoyments 
 wherein  he  is  not,  are  bitter  to  a  foul  that  loves  him, 
 and  all  fufferings  with  him  fweet.  The  worft  things 
 of  Chrift  are  more  truly  delightful  than  the  beft 
 things  of  the  world  ;  his  afflictions  fweeter  than  their 
 pleafures  ;  his  reproaches  more  glorious  than  their 
 honours,  and  more  rich  than  their  treafures,  as  Mofes 
 
 accounted 
 
VIR.  12,  13.]      THE  FIRST  EPiSTLE  OF  PETER.  239 
 
 accounted  them,  Heb.  xi.  26.  Love  delights  in  like- 
 ncfs  and  communion,  not  only  in  things  otherwife 
 pleafant,  but  in  the  hardell  and  harfheft  things, 
 which  have  not  any  thing  in  them  defirable,  but  only 
 that  likenefs :  So  that  this  thought  is  very  fweet  to  a 
 heart  poffefled  with  this  love.  What  does  the  world 
 by  its  hatred  and  perfecuticns,  and  revilings  for 
 Chrift,  but  make  me  more  like  him,  give  me  a  greater 
 fliare  with  him,  in  that  which  he  did  fo  willingly 
 undergo  for  me?  When  he  was  fought  to  be  made  a 
 king,  he  efcaped  ;  hut  when  he  was  fought  to  the  crofs^ 
 he  freely  yielded  himfelf  Bern.  And  fhall  I  fhrink 
 and  creep  back  from  what  he  calls  me  to  fuffer  for 
 his  fake  ;  yea,  even  all  my  other  troubles  and  fuffer- 
 ings  1  will  delire  to  have  ftamped  thus,  with  this 
 conformity  to  the  fufferings  of  Chrift,  in  the  humble, 
 obedient,  cheerful  endurance  of  them,  and  the  gi- 
 ving up  my  will  to  my  Father's. 
 
 The  following  of  Chrift:  makes  any  way  pleafant ; 
 his  faithful  followers  refufe  no  march  after  him,  be 
 it  through  defarts,  and  mountains,  and  ftorms,  and 
 hazards,  that  will  affright  felf-pleaftng  eafy  fpirits  : 
 Hearts  kindled  and  aduated  with  the  Spirit  of  Chrift, 
 Vi'iW  follow  him  wherefever  he goetb. 
 
 As  he  fpeaks  it  for  warning  his  Difciples,  If  they 
 perfecuted  me,  they  will  perfecute  you  ;  fo  he  fpeaks 
 it  for  comforting  them,  and  fufficient  comfort  it  is. 
 If  they  hate  you,  they  hated  me  before  you,  John  xv.  i8, 
 
 20. 
 
 2.  Then  add  the  other;  fee  whether  it  tends,  He 
 flmll  be  revealed  in  his  glory,  and  ye  fliall  even  over- 
 flow with  joy  in  the  partaking  of  that  glory.  There- 
 fore rejoice  now  in  the  midft  of  all  your  fufferings ; 
 ftand  upon  the  advanced  ground  of  the  promifes  and 
 Covenant  of  Grace,  and  by  faith  look  beyond  this 
 moment,  and  all  that  is  in  it,  to  that  day  wherein 
 everlafiing  joy  Jhall  be  upon  your  heads,  a  crown  of  it, 
 and  forrow  and  mourning  JIj  all  fly  away,  Ifai.  li.  11, 
 Believe  this  day,  and  the  vidory  is  w^on.     Oh  I  that 
 
 bleftTed 
 
240  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 bleffed  hope,  well  iixed  and  exercifed,  would  give 
 other  manner  of  fpirits  :  What  zeal  for  God  would  it 
 not  infpire  ?  What  invincible  courage  againil  all  en- 
 counters? How  foon  will  this  pageant  ol  the  world 
 vanifh,  that  men  are  gazing  on,  thefe  pidures  and 
 fancies  oi  pie  a  fares  and  honours^  falfely  fo  called,  and 
 give  place  to  the  real  glory  of  the  fons  of  God,  when 
 this  blefled  Son,  who  is  God,  Ihall  be  feen  appearing 
 in  full  majefty,  and  all  his  brethren  in  glory  with 
 him,  all  clothed  in  their  robes  ?  And  if  you  aik,  Who 
 are  they  ?  Why,  ihefe  are  they  that  came  out  of  great 
 tribulatlori,  and  wajhed  their  robes  in  the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb,  Rev.  vii.  14. 
 
 Ver.  14.  If  ye  be  reproached  for  the  name  of  Chrifl^ 
 happy  are  ye  ;  for  the  fpirit  of  glory  and  of  God 
 refleth  upon  you  :  On  their  part  he  is  evil  fpoken  of, 
 hut  on  your  part  he  is  glorified, 
 
 15.  But  let  none  of  you  fuffer  as  a  murderer,  or  as  a 
 thief  or  as  an  evil-doer,  or  as  a  bufy-body  in  other 
 mens  matters, 
 
 16.  Tet  if  any  man  fuffer  as  a  Chriflian,  let  him  not 
 be  ajhamed ;  but  let  him  glorify  God  on  this  behalf, 
 
 THE  Word  is  the  Chriftian's  magazine,  both  of 
 inilrudions  and  encouragements,  for  doing  or 
 fuffering,  and  this  epiftle  is  rich  in  both.  Here  what 
 the  Apoflle  had  faid  concerning  fuffering  in  general, 
 he  fpecifies  in  the  particular  cafe  of  fuffering  re- 
 proaches ;  but  this  exprellion  feems  not  to  come  up 
 to  the  height  of  that  which  he  hath  ufed  before ;  he 
 fpoke  of  fiery  trial,  but  this  of  reproach  feems  rather 
 fit  to  be  called  an  airy  trial,  the  blaft  of  vanifhing 
 words.  Yet,  upon  trial,  it  will  be  found  to  be,  (as 
 here  it  is  accounted),  a  very  fliarp,  a  fiery  trial, 
 
 Firfl,  then,  let  us  take  a  view  of  this  particular 
 kind  of  fuffering.  And,  2dly,  Of  the  comfort  and 
 advice  furniflaed  againft  it. 
 
 If 
 
VER.  14,  &C.]       THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,         24I 
 
 If  we  confider  both  the  nature  of  the  thing  and 
 the  drain  of  the  Scriptures,  we  will  find  that  re- 
 proaches are  amongft  the  fliarpefl  fort  of  fufferings, 
 and  are  in  deed  ^^'rj  trials.  The  tongue  is  afire,  fays 
 St  James,  iii.  6.  and  reproaches  are  the  flafhes  of 
 that  fire ;  they  are  a  fubtile  kind  of  flame,  like  that 
 lightning  which,  as  naturalifts  fay,  crufheth  the  bones, 
 and  yet  breaks  not  the  fleih ;  they  wound  not  the 
 body,  as  do  tortures  and  whips,  but,  through  a  whole 
 ikin,  they  reach  the  fpirit  of  a  man,  and  cut  it.  So 
 Pfal.  xlii.  lo.  As  with  a /word  in  my  bones  mine  ene- 
 mies reproach  me.  The  fire  of  reproaches  preys  upon 
 and  dries  up  the  precious  ointment,  to  which  Solomon 
 compares  a  good  name,  Ecclef.  vii.  i.  A  good  name 
 is  in  itfelf  a  good,  a  prime  outward  good ;  and,  take 
 us  according  to  our  natural  temper  and  apprehenlions, 
 (according  to  which  we  feel  things),  moft  men  are, 
 and  fome  more  exceffively,  too  tender  and  delicate  in 
 it.  Although,  truly,  1  take  it  rather  to  be  a  vveak- 
 nefs  than  true  greatnefs  of  fpirit,  as  many  fancy  it, 
 to  depend  much  on  the  opinion  of  others,  and  feel  it 
 deep,  yet,  I  fay,  coniidering  that  it  is  commonly  thus 
 with  men,  and  that  the  remains  of  this,  as  of  other 
 frailties,  are  to  be  found  in  the  children  of  God,  it 
 cannot  well  be  but  reproaches  will  ordinarily  much 
 afflid:  men,  and  to  fome  kind  of  fpirits,  poffibly,  will 
 be  more  grievous  than  great  bodily  pain  or  fuffer- 
 
 And  as  they  are  thus,  the  Scripture  accounts  them 
 To,  and  very  ufually  reckons  them  amongft  fuffer- 
 ings, and  names  them  rather  more  than  any  other 
 kind  of  fuffering,  and  that  with  good  reafon,  not  on- 
 ly for  their  piercing  nature,  (as  we  have  faid),  but 
 withal  for  their  frequency  and  multitude ;  and  fome 
 things  we  fuffer  do  (as  flies)  more  trouble  by  their 
 number  than  by  their  weight. 
 
 Now,  there  is  no  one  kind  of  fuffering  of  fuch  con- 
 ftancy,  and  commonnefs,  and  abundance,  as  re- 
 proaches are.     When  other  perfecutions  ceafe,  yet 
 
 Vol,  II.  H  h  thofe 
 
^42  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 thofe  continue ;  when  all  other  fire^  of  nnartyrdom 
 are  pat  out,  thefe  burn  ftilL  In  all  times  and  places^ 
 the  malignant  world  is  ready  to  revile  religion  -,.  m^t 
 only  avowed  enemies  of  it  do  fo^  but  the  greateit 
 part  even  of  thofe  that  make  a  vulgar  profeifiofi  of 
 it:  They  that  outwardly  receive  x.\\Qform  of  relrgion, 
 yet  are  many  of  them  inwardly  haters  of  the  power 
 of  it,  2  Tim.  iii.  5. ;  and  Chriliians,  who  are  fuch  on- 
 ly in  name,  will  fcorn  and  reproach  thofe  that  are 
 Chriftians  indeed. 
 
 And  this  is  done  with  fuch  eafe  by  tytry  ohe,  that 
 thefe  arrows  fly  thick  ;  every  one  that  hath  a  tongae 
 can  fhoot  them,  even  bale  abje^ls,  Pfal.  xxxv.  15.; 
 and  the  drunkards  make  Jongs  ^  as  Jeremiah  complains  ; 
 the  meanefl  fort  can  reach  this  point  of  peiffecution, 
 and  be  adive  in  it  againfi  ^^he  children  of  God  :  They 
 that  cannot,  or  dare  not,  offer  them  any  other  injury, 
 will  not  fear,  nor  fpare,  to  let  fly  a  taunt  or  bitter 
 word ;  fo  that  whereas  other  fuiferings  are  rarer, 
 thefe  meet  them  daily,  Pfal.  xlii.  10.  While  they  fay 
 daily  unto  nie,  where  is  thy  uod  F 
 
 We  fee  how  juftly  reproaches  are  often  mentioned 
 amongft,  and  beyond  other  trials,  and  accounted 
 perfecution.  Mat.  v.  10,  11.  Bicrffed  are  ye  when  men 
 Jhall  revile  you,  and  per fe cute  you,  and  Jhall  fay  all 
 manner  of  evil  againfi  you  falfely,  for  my  fake.  In 
 the  hifl:ory  of  the  cafling  out  Hagar  and  her  fon. 
 Gen.  xxi.  9.  all  we  find  laid  to  Ifhmael's  charge  was, 
 Sarah  f aw  him  mocking.  And  as  he  that  was  horn 
 after  the  fie  ft  did  then  in  this  manner  perfecute  him 
 that  was  born  after  the  Spirit,  Gal.  iv.  29.  even  fo  it 
 is  now.  And  thus  are  reproaches  mentioned  amongft 
 the  fuiferings  of  Chrrft  in  the  gofpel,.  and  not  as  the 
 leait ;  the  railings  and  mockings  that  were  darted  at 
 him,  and  ffxed  to  the  crofs,  are  mentioned  more  than 
 the  very  nails  that  fixed  him.  And,  Heb.  xii.  2.  the 
 fbame  of  the  crofs,  though  he  was  above  it,  and  de- 
 Tpifed  it,  yet  that  fliame  added  much   to  the   burden 
 
 of 
 
V£R.  14,  &C.]       THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  P£T£R.         24J 
 
 of  it'y  fo  vcr,  3.  He  endured  the  contradiBion  of  Jin- 
 Tiers, 
 
 Mow,  the  other  thing  is,  that  this  is  the  lot  of 
 Ghrjfii^cfcs,  as  it  was  ofChdit  ;  and  why  fhould  they 
 look  for  more  icindnefs  and  better  ufage,  and  think 
 to  fiad  acclamations  and  applaufes  from  the  world, 
 that  fo  vilified  their  Lord  ?  Oh  no  I  The  vain  heart 
 muft  be  weaned  ;rom  thefe  to  follow  Chrift,  if  we 
 will  indeed  follow  him  ;  it  mufl  he  tamed  to  fhare 
 with  him  in  this  point  of  fuffering,  not  only  mi- 
 it^kes  and  mlfconArudions,  but  bitter  fcoffings  and 
 reproaches.  Why  Hiould  not  our  minds  ply  and 
 fold  to  this  upon  that  very  realbn,  which  he  fo  rea- 
 fonabJy  prefies  again  and  again  on  his  Difcipks,  The  / 
 fervant  is  not  greater  than  his  majler  ;  (and  when  gi- 
 ving the^m  exprefs  warning  to  lay  their  account  with 
 jfep roaches),  If  they  called  the  Majier  Beelzebyb,  boiv 
 vmcb  mor£  will  tbey  fpeak  fo  of  tb£  jervants  ?  Mat.  x. 
 24,  25. 
 
 Infer,  i.  Seeing  it  is  thus,  I  Ihall  firft  prefs  upon 
 the  followers  of  Ghritt,  the  Apollle's  rule  here,  to 
 keep  their  fuffering  Tpotleis,  that  it  may  not  be  com- 
 fortiefs ;  refolve  to  endure  it,  but  refolve,  likewife, 
 xhat  it  {hail  be  on  your  part  innocent  fuffering  \  fvffer 
 n-jt  as  eviidoersy  ver.  15.  Beiides  that,  the  ways  of 
 wickednefs  are  raoif  unfuitable  to  your  holy  calling; 
 look  to  the  enmity  about  you,  and  gain,  even  out  of 
 that  evil,  this  great  good,  of  more  circumfped  and 
 holy  walking ;  recoiled  who  you  are,  and  where  y-ou 
 are,  your  own  weaknefs,  and  the  u-orld's  wickednefs. 
 This  our  Saviour  reprefents,  and  upon  it  gives  that 
 fuitable  rule.  Behold  I  fend  you  forth  as  Jheep  in  the 
 midjl  of  wolves y  be  ye  therefore  wife  as  ferpentSy  and 
 harnilefs  as  doves ^,  Mat.  x.  16.  Know  you  not 
 what  exadt  eyes  of  others  are  upon  you?  Will  you 
 not  thence  learn,  exadrly  to  eye  yourfelves,  and  ail 
 your  ways^  and  feek  of  God,  with  David,  to  be  led  in 
 
 righteovfnefs, 
 *  Frudens  fmplicitas. 
 
244  A    COMMENTARY   UPON  [CHAP,  IV. 
 
 righteoufnefs,  becaufe  of  your  enemies,  your  ohfervers^ 
 Pfal.  xxvii.  II. 
 
 This  is  the  rule  here,  ver.  i6,fuffer  as  Chrijlians^ 
 holily  and  blameiefsly,  that  the  enemy  may  not  know 
 where  to  faften  his  hold  :  As  the  wreftlers  anointed 
 their  bodies,  that  the  hands  of  their  antagonifts  might 
 not  faften  upon  them  ;  thus,  truly,  they  that  walk 
 and  fufFer  as  Chriftians  anointed  "with  the  Spirit  of 
 Chrift,  their  enemies  cannot  well  faften  their  hold 
 upon  them. 
 
 To  you,  therefore,  that  love  the  Lord  Jefus,  I  re- 
 commend this  efpecially,  to  be  careful,  that  all  your 
 reproaches  may  be  indeed  for  Chrift,  and  not  for  any 
 thing  in  you  unlike  to  Chrift,  that  there  be  nothing 
 fave  the  matter  of  your  rod  ;  keep  the  quarrel  as  clean 
 and  unmixed  as  you  can,  and  this  will  advantage 
 you  much,  both  within  and  without,  in  the  peace  and 
 lirmnefs  of  your  minds,  and  in  the  refutation  of  your 
 enemies.  This  will  make  you  as  a  brazen  wall,  as 
 the  Lord  fpeaks  to  the  Prophet,  they  Jhall fight  againjl 
 you,  but  Jhall  not  prevail,  Jer.  xv   20. 
 
 Keep  far  off*  from  ail  impure  unholy  ways  ;  fuffer 
 not  as  evil-doers,  no  nor  as  hufy-bodies,  be  much  at 
 home,  fetting  things  at  rights  within  your  own  breaft, 
 -where  there  is  fo  much  work,  and  fuch  daily  need 
 of  diligence,  and  then  you  will  find  no  leifure  for 
 unneceftary  idle  pryings  into  the  ways  and  affairs 
 of  others  ;  and  further  than  your  calling,  and  the 
 rules  of  Chriftian  charity,  engage  you,  you  will  not 
 interpofe  in  any  matters  without  you,  nor  be  found 
 proud  and  cenforious,  as  the  world  is  ready  to  call 
 you. 
 
 2.  Shun  the  appearances  of  evil ;  walk  warily  and 
 prudently  in  all  things  ;  be  not  heady  nor  felf-willed, 
 no  not  in  the  beft  thing ;  walk  not  upon  the  utter 
 blink  and  hedge  of  your  liberty,  for  then  you  ftiall 
 be  in  danger  of  overpafling  it ;  things  that  are  law- 
 ful may  be  inexpedient,  and  in  cafe  there  is  fear  of 
 fcandal,  ought  either  to  be  wholly  torborne,  or  ufed 
 
 with. 
 
^ER.  14,  &G.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.         I45 
 
 with  much  prudence  and  circumfpedion.  Oh  !  ftudy 
 in  all  things  to  adorn  the  gofpel,  and  under  a  fenfe 
 of  your  own  unfkilfulnefs  and  folly,  beg  wifdom  from 
 above,  that  anointiiig,  that  will  teach  you  all  things, 
 much  of  that  holy  Spirit,  that  will  lead  you  in  the  way 
 of  all  truth,  John  xvi.  13.  and  then  in  that  way,  what- 
 foever  may  befall  you,  fufFer  it,  and  however  you 
 may  be  vilified  and  reproached,  happy  are  you,  for 
 the  Spirit  of  glory  a?id  of  God  refleth  upon  you. 
 
 Inf.  1.  But  if  fuch  as  are  thus  reproached  be  happy, 
 then,  certainly,  their  reproachers  are  no  lefs  unhap- 
 py ;  if  on  thofe  refteth  the  Sprit  of  glory  and  of  God, 
 what  rpirit  is  in  thefe  but  the  fpirit  of  Satan,  and  of 
 fhame  and  vilenefs  ?  Who  is  the  bafeil  and  moft  con- 
 temptible kind  of  perfon  in  the  world  ?  truly,  I  think 
 an  avowed  contemner  and  mocker  of  holmefs.  bhall 
 any  luch  be  found  amongft  us  ? 
 
 I  charge  you  all  in  this  name  of  Chrift,  that  you 
 do  not  entertain  godlefs  prejudices  againft  the  people 
 of  God.  Let-  not  your  ears  be  open  to,  nor  your 
 hearts  clofe  with,  the  calumnies  and  lies,  that  may  be 
 flying  abroad  of  them  and  their  pradtices,  much  lefs 
 open  your  mouths  againft  them,  or  let  any  dilgraceful 
 word  be  heard  froni  you  :  And  when  you  meet  with 
 undeniable  real  frailties,  know  the  law  of  love,  and 
 pradife  it :  Think,  "  this  is  blame-worthy,  yet  let  me 
 **  not  turn  it  to  the  rt-proach  of  thofe  perfons,  who, 
 **  notwithilanding,  may  be  fincere,  much  lefs  to  the  re- 
 ^'  proach  of  other  perfons  profeffing  religion,  and  then 
 "  call  it  upon  religion  itfelf." 
 
 My  brethren,  beware  of  (baring  with  the  ungodly 
 in  this  tongue-perfecution  of  Ghriftians.  There  is 
 a  day  at  hand,  wherein  the  Lord  will  make  inquiry 
 after  thofe  things ;  if  we  liiall  be  made  accountable 
 for  idle  words  (as  we  are  warned,  Mat.  xii.  36.)  how 
 much  more  for  bitter  malicious  words  uttered  againft 
 any,  efpeciaily  againft  the  faints  of  God,  whoui,  how- 
 ever the  world  may  reckon,  he  efteems  his  precious 
 ones,  his  treafure.     You  that  now  can  look  on  them 
 
 with 
 
ij^6  A  COMMENTARY  UPOJf  fc^AP.  I'V', 
 
 with  a  fcornful  eye,  which  way  Ihail  you  look  when 
 they  fhall  be  beaauful  and 'glorious,  and  all  the  un- 
 godly clothed  withjhame  ?  Oh  I  do  not  reproach  them, 
 but  rather  come  in  and  fhare  with  them  in  the  way 
 of  holinefs,  and  in  all  the  fufferings  and  reproaches 
 which  follow  it :  For  if  you  partake  of  their  difgraces, 
 you  liiall  (hare  in  glory  with  them,  in  the  day  of  their 
 Lord's  appearing. 
 
 The  words  have  two  things.  The  evil  of  thefe  re^ 
 proaches  fuppofed,  and  the  good  exprelTed.  The  evil 
 fuppokd  is,  that  they  are  trials,  and  hot  trials :  Of 
 .this  I  have  fpoken  already.     Let  us  now, 
 
 idly^  Confider  the  ^oW  exprefled :  Ye  are  happy, 
 even  at  prefent,  in  the  very  midft  of  them  ;  they  do 
 not  trouble  your  happy  eftate,  yea,  they  advance  it. 
 
 So  very  folid  indeed  is  the  happinefs  of  the  faints, 
 that,  in  the  lowed  condition,  it  remains  the  fame  :  Caft 
 them  where  you  will,  into  difgraces,  or  caves,  into 
 prifons  and  chains,  ftill  they  are  happy  :  A  diamond 
 in  the  mire,  fullied  and  trampled  on,  yet  iliil  retains 
 its  own  worth. 
 
 But  this  is  more,  that  the  very  things  that  feem  to 
 xnake  them  miferable,  do  not  only  not  do  that,  but, 
 ^on  the  contrary,  do  make  them  the  more  happy  ;  they 
 ai'e  gainers  by  their  loifes,  and  attain  more  liberty 
 -by  their  thraldoms,  and  more  honour  by  their  dif- 
 graces,  and  more  peace  by  their  troubles :  The  world, 
 and  all  their  enemies,  are  exceedingly  befooled  in 
 ilriving  againft  them  ;  not  only  can  they  not  undo 
 them,  but  by  all  their  enmity  and  pradtices,  they  do 
 them  pleafure,  and-  raife  them  higher ;  with  what 
 weapons  fhall  they  fight  ?  How  fliall  a  Chriftian's 
 enemies  fet  upon  him  ?  Where  (hall  they  hit  him, 
 feeing  all  the  wrongs  they  do  him,  do  indeed  enrich 
 and  ennoble  him  ;  and  the  more  he  is  depreffed,  he 
 flourilhes  the  more  ;  certainly  the  bleffednefs  of  a 
 Chriftlan  is  matehlefs  and  invincible. 
 
 But  how  holds  this,  that  a  Chriftian  is  happy  in  re- 
 proaches and  by  thetru?  it  is  not  through  their  nature 
 
 and 
 
VSR.  14,  Sec]       THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.         247 
 
 aed  virtue,  for  they  are  evil,  fo  Mat.  v.  12.  ;  but 
 (i.)  By  reafon  of  the  cauie.  (2.)  Of  the  accompaoy-' 
 ing  and  confequent  comfort. 
 
 Firft,  the  caufe.  We  have  it  negatively,  ver.  15. 
 not  as  an  evil-doer^  that  ftains  thy  holy  profeffion, 
 damps  thy  comfort^  clouds  thy  happinefs,  difproiitd 
 thee  ^nd  dilhonours  thy  Lord.  We  have  it  alto  po- 
 fitively,  ver.  14,  16.  for  the  name  qfChriJi\  and  what 
 is  there  fo  rough,  which  that  will  not  make  pleafant, 
 to  fuffer  with  Chrift  and  for  Chritl,  who  fuifered  fo 
 much  and  fo  willingly  for  thee  ?  Hath  he  not  gone 
 through  all  before  thee,  and  made  all  eafy  and  love- 
 ly ?  hath  he  not  fweetened  poverty,  and  perfecutions, 
 aiid  hatred,  and  difgraces,  and  death  itfelf,  perfumed 
 the  grave,  and  turned  it  from  a  pit  of  horror  into  a 
 fweet  refting  bed  ?  And  thus  the  love  of  Chrill  judg* 
 eth,  it  thinks  all  lovely  which  is  endured  for  him, 
 is  glad  to  meet  with  difficulties,  and  ambitious  of  fuf- 
 fering  for  him  :  Scorn  and  contempt  is  a  thing  of 
 hard  digeftion  ;  but  much  inward  heat  of  love  digeils 
 it  eafily;  reproaches  are  bitter,  but  the  reproaches  of 
 Chrift  are  fweet.  Take  their  true  value,  Heb.  xi.  26. 
 The  reproaches  of  Chriji  are  greater  riches  than  the 
 treafures  of  Egypt ;  his  very  worji  things  are  better 
 than  the  hefi  of  the  world,  A  touch  of  Chrift  turns 
 all  into  gold  ;  his  reproaches  are  riches,  as  there,  and 
 honour,  as  here  :  Not  only  fnall  ye  be  happy  after-^ 
 wards,  but  happy  are  ye  at  prefent,  and  that  not  only 
 in  appiehenfion  of  that  after  happinefs,  as  fure,  and 
 as  already  prefent,  faith  realizing  it ;  but  even  for 
 that  they  poffefs  the  prefence  and  comforts  of  the 
 Spirit. 
 
 For  the  Spirit  of  ghry.'\  This  accompanies  dif- 
 graces for  him  ;  his  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  glory  and  of 
 God ;  with  your  fufferings  goes  the  name  of  Chrift, 
 and  the  Spirit  of  Chrift:  Take  them  thus,  when  re- 
 proaches are  caft  upon  you  for  his  name,  do  you  bear 
 them  by  his  Spirit  ?  And  furely  his  Spirit  is  moft  fit 
 to  fupport  you  under  them,  yea^  to  raife  you  above 
 
 them  ; 
 
248  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV* 
 
 them  ;  they  are  ignominious  and  inglorious,  he  is  the 
 Spirit  of  glory ;  they  are  human  reproaches,  he  the 
 divine  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God,  that  is,  the 
 glorious  Spirit  of  God, 
 
 And  this  is  the  advantage,  the  lefs  the  Chriftian 
 finds  elleem  and  acceptance  in  the  world,  the  more 
 he  turns  his  eye  inward,  to  fee  what  is  there,  and 
 there  he  finds  the  world's  contempt  counterpoifed 
 hy  a  weight  of  excellency  and  glory,  even  in  this 
 prefent  condition,  as  the  pledge  of  the  glory  before 
 him.  The  reproaches  be  fiery ;  but  the  Spirit  of 
 glory  refleth  upon  you,  doth  not  give  you  a  paffing 
 vifit,  but  ftays  within  you,  and  is  indeed  yours.  And 
 in  this  the  Chriltian  can  take  comfort,  and  let  the 
 foul  weather  blow  over,  let  all  the  feoffs,  and  con- 
 tempts abroad,  pafs  as  they  come,  having  a  glorious 
 Spirit  within,  fuch  a  gueil  honouring  him  with  his 
 prefence,  abode,  and  fvveet  fellowlhip,  and  indeed 
 one  with  him.  So  that  rich  mifer  at  Athens  could 
 fay,  when  they  fcorned  him  in  the  ilreets,  he  went 
 home  to  his  bags  and  hugs  himfelf  there  at  that  light, 
 fay  they  wiiat  they  would  *.  How  much  more  rea- 
 fonably  may  the  Chrillian  fay,  *'  Let  them  revile  and 
 *'  bark,  I  have  riches  and  honour  enough  that  they 
 **  fee  not."  And  this  it  is  that  makes  the  world,  as 
 they  are  a  malicious  party,  fo  to  be  an  incompetent 
 judge  of  the  Chriftian's  eftate.  They  fee  the  rugged 
 unpleafant  outiide  only,  the  right  inlide  their  eye 
 cannot  reach.  We  were  miferable  indeed,  were  our 
 comforts  fuch  as  they  could  fee. 
 
 And  as  this  is  the  conilant  ellate  of  a  Chriftian,  it 
 is  ufually  molt  manifelled  to  him  in  the  time  of  his 
 greateft  fufferings.  Then  (as  we  laid)  he  naturally 
 turns  inward  and  fees  it  moft,  and  accordingly  finds 
 it  mofl.  God  making  this  happy  fupplement  and 
 compenfation,  that  when  they  have  leail  of  the 
 world,  they  have  moft   of  himfelf;  when   they  are 
 
 mofl: 
 
 * Populus  me  fibilat ;  at  mihi  plaudo 
 
 Ipfe  domi,  fimul  ac  nummos  contemplor  in  area. 
 
VER.  14,  &C.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  ^^49 
 
 nioft  covered  with  the  world's  disfavour,  his  favour 
 Ihines  brighteft  to  them.  As  Mofes,  when  he  was 
 in  the  cloud,  had  nearefl  accefs  and  fpeech  with 
 God  ;  fo  when  the  Chriftian  is  molt  clouded  with 
 diilrefles  and  difgraces,  then  doth  the  Lord  often  fliew 
 himfelf  moll  clearly  to  him. 
 
 If  you  be  indeed  Chriftians,  you  will  no  be  fo 
 much  thinking  at  any  time,  how  you  may  be  free 
 from  all  fuiFerings  and  defpiiings  ;  but  rather  how 
 you  may  go  ftrongly  and  cheerfully  through  them. 
 Lo,  here  is  the  way,  feek  a  real  and  firm  interefl  in 
 Chrift,  and  the  participation  of  Chrill's  Spirit,  and 
 then  a  look  to  him  will  make  all  eafy  and  delightful. 
 Thou  wilt  be  afhamed  within  thyfelf,  to  Hart  back, 
 or  yield  one  foot,  at  the  encounter  of  a  taunt  or  re- 
 proach for  him.  Thou  wilt  think,  "  for  whom  is  it, 
 "  is  it  not  for  him,  who  for  my  fake  hid  not  his  face 
 "  from  fh  a  me  and  fpitting  ?  and  further,  he  died  ; 
 **  now,  how  would  I  meet  death  for  him,  if  I  fhrink 
 **  at  the  blaft  of  a  fcornful  word?" 
 
 If  you  would  know  whether  this  his  Spirit  is  and 
 refteth  in  you,  it  cannot  be  better  known,  tha^n, 
 i/?,  by  that  very  love,  ardent  love  to  him,  and  high 
 cfteem  of  him  ;  and  from  thence  a  willingnefs,  yea, 
 a  gladnefs,  to  fufFer  any  thing  for  him.  2.  This  Spi- 
 rit of  Glory  fets  the  heart  on  glory.  True  glory 
 makes  heavenly  things  excellent  in  our  thoughts,  and 
 fets  the  world,  the  better  and  worfe,  the  honour  and 
 dilhonour  of  it,  at  a  low  rate. 
 
 The  fpirit  of  the  world  is  a  bafe  ignoble  fpirit,  even 
 the  higheft  pitch  of  it.  Thofe  that  are  projeding 
 for  kingdoms,  form  but  poor  defigns,  compared  to 
 thofe  of  the  Chriftian,  who  afcends  above  ail  things 
 under  the  fun,  and  above  the  fun  itfelf,  and  therefore 
 he  is  not  fnaken  with  the  threats  of  the  world,  nor 
 taken  with  its  offers.  Excellent  is  that  anfwer  St 
 Ealil  gives,  in  the  perfon  of  thofe  martyrs,  to  that  em- 
 peror, who  made  them  (as  he  thought)  great  proffers 
 to  draw  them  off,  "  Why,  fay  they,  doll  thou  bid  us 
 
 Vol.  IL  I  i  **  fo 
 
d^a  A  COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP,  fV* 
 
 **  fo  low  as  pieces  of  the  world,  we  have  learned  to 
 **  defpife  it  all  ?"  This  is  not  ftupidity  nor  an  af- 
 fedled  tloutnefs  of  fpirit,  but  a  humble  fublimity^ 
 which  the  natural  fpirit  of  a  man  cannot  reach  unto. 
 But  wilt  thou  fay  ftill,  "  This  ftops  me,  I  do  not 
 **  find  this  Spirit  in  me  ;  if  1  did,  then  I  think  I 
 **  could  be  willing  to  fiiffer  any  thing."  To  this^ 
 for  the  prefent,  I  fay  only,  Doll  thou  defire  that 
 Chrifl  may  be  glorified,  and  couldft  thou  be  content, 
 though  it  were  by  thy  fuffering  in  any  kind,  thou 
 mayeft  be  called  to  undergo  for  him  ?  Art  thou  wil- 
 ling to  give  up  thy  own  intereft,  to  lludy  and  follow 
 Chrifi;'s,  and  facrifice  thine  own  credit,  and  name, 
 to  advance  his?  Art  thou  unwilling  to  do  any  thing 
 that  may  diflionour  him  ?  Art  thou  willing  to  fufFer 
 any  thing  that  may  honour  him,  or  defirelt  thou  to 
 be  thus  ?  Then  difpute  not,  but  up  and  w^alk  on  in  his 
 ftrength. 
 
 Now,  if  any  fay,  "  but  his  name  is  dishonoured  by 
 *'  thefe  reproaches  */'  true,  fays  the  Apoftle,  on  their 
 part  it  is  fo^  but  ?iot  on  yours,  Thty  that  reproach 
 you  do  their  bed  to  refiedt  on  Chrift  and  his  caufe, 
 but  this  it  is  only  on  their  part :  You  are  fufferers  for 
 his  name,  and  fo  you  glorify  it :  Your  faith,  and  pa- 
 tience, and  victory  by  thefe,  do  declare  the  power  of 
 divine  grace,  and  the  efficat^y  of  the  gofpeL  They 
 have  made  torturers  afiiamed,  and  induced  fome  be- 
 holders to  (hare  with  thofe  who  were  tortured. 
 Thus,  though  the  profane  world  intends,  as  far  as  it  can,. 
 to  fix  diQionour  upon  the  profeffion  of  Chrifi,  yet  it 
 Hicks  not,  but  on  the  contrary  he  is  glorified  by  your 
 €onfl:ancy. 
 
 And  as  the  ignominy  fafiens  not,  but  the  glory 
 from  the  endurance,  fo  Chrifiians  are  obliged,  and 
 certainly  are  ready,  according  to  the  Apoftle's  zeal, 
 ver.  1 6.  to  glorify  God  on  this  behalf'^  that  as  h«  is 
 glorified  in  them,  fo  they  may  glorify  and  blefs  him 
 who  hath  dignified  us  f o  ;  that  whereas  we  might 
 have  been  left  to  a  fad  finking  talk,  to  have  fuffered 
 
VER.  14,  &C.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  2^1 
 
 fcr  various  guilts,  our  God  hath  changed  the  tenor 
 ai  d  nature  of  our  fufFerings,  and  makes  them  to  be 
 Jbr  the  name  of  Chrijl, 
 
 Thus  a  fpiritual  mind  doth  not  fwell  on  a  conceit 
 of  conftancy  and  courage,  which  is  the  readied  way 
 of  felf-un doing,  but  acknowledges  all  to  ht  gift,  even 
 luffering,  To  you  it  is  give?i  not  only  to  believe,  but  to 
 fuffer,  and  fo  to  blefs  him  on  that  behalf,  Phil.  i.  29. 
 Oh  I  this  love  grows  in  fufFering  ;  fo  Adls  v.  41.  They 
 went  away,  rejoici?ig  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to 
 fuffer Jhame  for  his  name, 
 
 Conlider,  it  is  but  a  (hort  while,  and  the  wicked 
 and  their  feoffs  (hall  vanifh  ;  they  Jh all  not  be*  This 
 (hame  is  of  fhort  date,  and  will  prefently  be  over  ; 
 but  the  glory,  and  Spirit  of  Glory,  are  eternal.  What 
 though  thou  (houldd  be  poor,  and  defamed,  and 
 defpifed,  and  be  the  common  mark  of  fcorn  and  all 
 injuries,  yet  the  end  of  them  all  is  at  hand.  This 
 is  now  thy  part,  the  fcene  fhall  be  changed.  Kings 
 here,  real  ones,  are  in  the  deepeft  reality  but  ftage 
 kings ;  but  when  thou  comeft  to  alter  the  perfon 
 thou  now  beared,  here  is  the  odds,  thou  wad  a  fool 
 in  appearance,  and  for  a  moment,  but  thou  dialt 
 be  truly  a  king  for  ever. 
 
 Ver.  17.  For  the  time  is  come  that  judgment  muji 
 begin  at  the  houfe  of  God :  and  if  it  firjl  begin  at 
 uSf  what  fhall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the 
 gofpel  of  God  P  .  .  , 
 
 ^T^HERE  is  not  only  perfed  equity,  but  alfo  a 
 A  comely  proportion  and  beauty  in  all  the  ways 
 of  God,  had  we  eyes  fufficiently  opened  to  difcern, 
 particularly  in  this  point,  of  the  fufferings  and  afflic- 
 tions of  the  Church.  The  Apodle  here  fets  it  before 
 his  brethren,  For  the  time  is  come,  Uc. 
 
 Where  is,  i/?,  a  parallel  of  the  Lord's  dealing  with 
 his  own  and  with  the  wicked,  ver.  17,  18.     2.  A  per- 
 
 fualion 
 
25^  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [gHAP.  IV. 
 
 fuafion  of  due  compliance  and  confidence  in  his  own 
 upon  that  confideration. 
 
 The  parallel  is  in  the  order  and  the  meafure  of 
 punifhing  ;  and  it  is  fo,  that,  for  the  order,  it  begins 
 at  the  houfe  of  God,  ends  upon  the  ungodly  ;  and  that 
 carries  in  it  this  great  difference  in  the  meafure,  that 
 it  paffes  from  the  one  on  whom  it  begins,  and  relts 
 on  .the  other  on  whom  it  ends,  and  on  whoni  the  full 
 weight  of  it  lies  for  ever.  It  is  fo  expreffed,  Whatjhall 
 he  the  end,  &c.  which  imports,  not  only  that  judgment 
 iliail  overtake  them  in  the  end,  but  that  it  fliall  be 
 their  end  ;  they  fhall  end  in  it,  and  it  fliall  be  endlefs 
 upon  them. 
 
 T^he  time  //.]  Indeed  the  w'hole  time  of  this  pre- 
 fent  life  is  fo  ;  it  is  the  time  of  fuffering  and  purging 
 for  the  Church,  compaffed  with  enemies  who  will 
 afflicl  her,  and  fubjed:  to  thefe  impurities  which  need 
 afflid;ion.  The  children  of  God  are  in  their  under- 
 age here  ;  all  their  time  they  are  children,  and  have 
 their  frailties  and  chiidifli  follies :  And  therefore, 
 though  they  are  not  always  under  the  ftroke  of  the 
 rod,  for  that  they  were  not  able  to  endure,  yet  they 
 are  under  the  difcipline  and  ufe  of  the  rod  all  their 
 time.  And  whereas  the  wicked  efcape,  till  their  day 
 of  full  payment,  the  children  of  God  are  in  this  life 
 chaflifed  with  frequent  afflidions,  and  fo  the  time 
 [o  y.Qt.\^ti<i\  may  here  be  taken  according  as  the  Apoftle 
 St  Paul  ufes  the  fame  word,  Rom.  viii.  18.  TraGji^aTas 
 TR  n)i  xaj^H,  The  fuffering s  of  this  prefent  time. 
 
 But  withal  it  is  true,  and  appears  to  be  here  im- 
 plied, that  there  are  particular  fet  times,  which  the 
 Lord  choofes  for  correcting  of  his  Church.  He  hath 
 the  days  prefixed  and  written  in  his  Ephemerides, 
 hath  his  days  of  correding,  wherein  he  goes  round 
 from  one  church  to  another ;  we  thought  it  would 
 never  come  to  us,  but  we  have  now  found  the  fmart 
 of  it. 
 
 And  here  the  Apoftle  may  probably  mean  the 
 times  of  thefe  hot  perfecutions  that  were  begun  and 
 continued,  though  wdth  fome  intervals,   for  two  or 
 
 (hree 
 
VER.  17.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  253 
 
 three  ages.  Thus  Apocal.  vi.  after  the  white  horfe^ 
 immediately  follows  at  his  heels  the  red,  and  the 
 blacky  2Lnd  the  pale  horfe.  And  as  it  was  upon  the 
 firft  publifliing  of  the  gofpel,  fo  ufually,  upon  the  re- 
 ftoring  of  it,  or  upon  remarkable  reformations  of  the 
 Church,  and  revivings  of  religion,  follow  fharp  and 
 fearching  trials.  As  the  lower  caufe  of  this  is  the 
 rage  and  malice  of  Satan,  and  the  ungodly  world, 
 a^ed  and  ftirred  by  him  againit  the  purity  and  pre- 
 valency  of  religion,  fo  it  is  from  a  higher  hand  for 
 better  ends.  The  Lord  will  difcover  the  multitudes  « 
 of  hypocrites,  and  empty  profeflbrs,  that  will  at  fuch 
 a  time  readily  abound,  when  religion  is  upon  an  ad- 
 vancing way,  and  the  ftream  of  it  runs  ftrong.  Now, 
 by  the  counter  current  of  troubles,  fuch  fall  back 
 and  are  carried  away.  And  the  truth  of  grace  in 
 the  hearts  of  believers,  receives  advantage  from  thefe 
 hazards  and  fufferings,  they  are  put  to  fallen  their 
 hold  the  better  on  Chrift,  to  feek  more  experience 
 of  the  real  and  fweet  confolations  of  the  gofpel, 
 which  may  uphold  them  againft  the  counter:  blafts  of 
 fuffering.  Thus  is  religion  made  a  more  real  and 
 folid  thing  in  the  hearts  of  true  believers ;  they  are 
 entered  to  that  way  of  receiving  Chrift  and  his  crofs 
 together,  that  they  may  fee  their  bargain,  and  not 
 think  it  a  furprife. 
 
 Judgment.']  Though  all  fufferings  are  not  fuch, 
 yet,  commonly,  there  is  that  unfuitable  and  unwary 
 walking  among  Chriftians,  that  even  their  fufferings 
 for  the  caufe  of  God,  though  unjuft  from  men,  yet 
 are  fpom  God  juft  punifhments  of  their  mifcarriages 
 towards  him,  in  their  former  ways;  their  felf-pleafing 
 and  earthlinefs,  having  too  high  a  relifli  for  the  de- 
 lights of  this  world,  forgetting  their  inheritance  and 
 home,  and  conforming  themfelves  to  the  w^orld,  walk- 
 ing too  like  it. 
 
 Mi/Ji  begin,]  The  Church  of  God  is  punilhed^ 
 while  the  wicked  are  free  and  flourifh  in  the  world, 
 poffibly  all  their  days;  or  if  judgment  reach  them 
 ^ere,  yet  it  is  later ;    it  begins  at  the  hotife  of  God. 
 
 I.  This 
 
254  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 1.  This  holds  in  them  who  profefs  his  name,  and  are 
 of  the  viiible  Church,  compared  with  them  who  are 
 without  the  pale  of  it,  and  are  its  avowed  enemies. 
 
 2.  Thofe  who  profefs  a  defire  of  a  more  religious  and 
 holy  courfe  of  life  within  the  Church,  compared 
 with  the  profane  multitude.  3.  They  who  are  in- 
 deed more  fpiritual  and  holy,  and  come  nearer  untq 
 God,  compared  with  others  who  fall  fhort  of  that 
 meafure ;  in  all  thefe  refpeds  it  holds,  that  the  Lord 
 doth  more  readily  exercife  them  with  afflidions,  and 
 cprredl  their  wanderings,  than  any  other. 
 
 And  this  truly  is  molt  reafonable,  and  the  reafon 
 lies  iq  the  very  name  given  the  Church,  The  Houjc 
 of  God, 
 
 1,  There  is  equity  in  fuch  a  proceeding :  The  fins 
 of  the  Church  have  their  peculiar  aggravations, 
 which  fall  not  upon  others  ;  that  which  is  limply  a 
 lin  in  ftrangers  to  God,  is,  in  his  people,  the  breach 
 of  a  known  and  received  law,  and  a  law  daily  un- 
 folded and  fet  before  them  ;  yea,  it  is  againft  their 
 oath  of  allegiance ;  it  is  perfidy  and  breach  of  cove- 
 nant, committed  both  againft  the  cleared  light,  and 
 flriclefl  bonds,  and  higheft.  mercies  ;  and  the  more 
 particular  profcffion  of  his  name,  and  teftimonies  of 
 his  love,  which  make  fin  the  more  linful,  and  the 
 punifliment  of  it   the  more  reafonable.     The  fms  of 
 
 I    the  Church  are  all   twice  dipt,   Dibapba,  Ifa.  i.  18. 
 I    have  a  double  dye  ;  they  are  both  breaches  of  the  law, 
 
 and  they  are  beiides  ungrateful  and  difloyal  breaches 
 
 of  promife. 
 
 2.  As  there  is  unqueftionable  equity,  !lq  there  is 
 an  evident  congruitym  it.  God  is  ruler  of  all  the 
 world,  but  particularly  of  his  Church,  therefore  here 
 called  bis  Hoiifey  wherein  he  hath  a  fpecial  relidence 
 and  prefence.  And  therefore  it  is  moft  fuitable  that 
 there  he  be  fpecially  obferved  and  obeyed,  and  if 
 difobeyed,  that  he  take  notice  of  it  and  punilh  it ; 
 that  he  fufFer  not  himfelf  to  be  difhonoured  to  his 
 face  by  thofe   of  his    own   houfe.     And  therefore, 
 
 whofoever 
 
VEll*  17.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  I53 
 
 whofoever  efcape,  his  own  (hall  not ;  JTou  only  have  I 
 known  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth  :  Therefore  will 
 I punijh  you  for  all  your  iniquities,  Amos  iii.  2.  He 
 that  righteoully  judges  and  rules  all  nations,  it  is  fit 
 he  make  his  judice  moft  evident  and  exemplary  iri 
 his  own  houfe,  where  it  may  beft  be  remarked,  and 
 where  it  will  beft  appear  how  impartial  he  is  in  pu- 
 niihing  iin.  So  a  king,  as  the  Pfalmift,  Pfal.  ci.  2. 
 that  he  may  rule  the  land  well,  makes  his  own  houfe 
 exemplary.  It  is,  you  know,  one  fpecial  quaiificanon 
 of  a  bifhop  and  paftor,  i  Tim.  iii.  4.  To  be  one  that 
 ruleth  well  his  own  houfe,  having  his  children  infub- 
 je6iion  ;  for  if  a  man  know  not  how  to  rule  his  own 
 houfe,  howjhall  he  take  care  of  the  Church  of  God  ? 
 Now  this,  therefore,  more  eminently  appears  in  the 
 fupreme  Lord  of  the  Church  \  he  rules  it  as  his  own 
 houfe ;  and  therefore,  when  he  finds  difobedience 
 there,  he  will  firft  punifh  that.  So  he  clears  himfelf ; 
 and  the  wicked  world  being  afterwards  punifhed, 
 their  mouths  are  flopped  with  the  preceding  punifh*- 
 ment  of  the  Church  :  Will  he  not  fpare  his  own  ; 
 yea,  (hall  they  be  firil  fcourged  ;  What  then  Jloall  be 
 the  end  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gofpeV^  • 
 
 And  indeed  the  purity  of  his  nature,  if  it  be  every 
 where  contrary  10  all  (inful  impurity,  cannot  but  moft 
 appear  in  his  peculiar  dwelling-houfe  ;  that  he  will 
 be  fare  to  have  neat  and  clean.  If  he  hate  Iin  all 
 the  world  over,  he  hates  it  moil,  and  teftifies  his 
 hatred  of  it  moft,  where  it  is  ncareft  to  him.  He  will 
 not  endure  it  in  his  prefence  ;  as  cleanly  neat  perfons 
 caimot  well  look  upon  any  thing  that  is  nafty,  much 
 lefs  will  they  fuffer  it  to  come  near  them,  or  touch 
 them,  and  to  continue  in  their  prefence  in  the  houfe 
 where  they  dwell.  The  Lord  that  is  of  purer  eyes 
 than  to  behold  iniquity,  Hab.  i.  17.  vnW  not  abide  it 
 within  his  own  doors  ;  and  the  nearer  any  comes  to 
 him,  the  lefs  can  he  endure  any  unhoiinefs,  or  finful 
 pollution,  in  thtmy  he  will  be  fandlified  in  all  that 
 come  nigh  him,  Lev.x.  3.    So  in  his  rainifters :    Oh  1 
 
 how 
 
^^6  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 how  pure  ought  they  to  be,  and  how  provoking  and 
 hateful  to  him  are  their  impurities  !  Therefore,  in 
 that  commiffion  to  the  deftroyers,  Ezek.  ix.  6.  to 
 which  place  the  Apoftle  here  may  have  fome  eye, 
 Go,  fays  he,  Jlay  the  old  and  young  ;  and  begin  at  my 
 fandluary*  They  were  they  who  had  polluted  his 
 w^orfhip,  and  tht:re  the  firft  flroke  lighted.  And,  in 
 a  fpiritual  fenfe,  becaufe  all  his  people  are  his  eledt 
 priefthood,  and  Ihould  be  holinejs  to  the  Lord,  and 
 when  they  are  not  really  fo,  and  do  not  JanEiify  him 
 in  their  walking,  \\^  fantlifies  hinijelf^  and  declares 
 his  holinefs  in  his  judgments  on  them. 
 
 3.  There  is  mercy  in  this  difpenfation  too  ;  even 
 under  the  habit  of  judgment,  love  walks  fecretly  and 
 ■works  ;  fo  loving  and  fo  wife  a  Father  will  not  undo 
 his  children  by  fparing  the  rod,  but  becaufe  he  loves, 
 rebukes  and  chajle7is,  Heb.  xii.  6.  Prov.  iii.  11.  Apoc, 
 in,  19.  His  Church  is  his  houfe  ;  therefore,  that  he 
 may  delight  in  it,  and  take  pleafure  to  dwell  in  it, 
 and  make  it  happy  with  his  prefence,  he  will  have  it 
 often  wafhed  and  made  clean,  and  the  filth  and  rub- 
 bifh  fcoured  and  purged  out  of  it  :  This  argues  his 
 gracious  purpofe  of  abiding  in  it. 
 
 And  as  he  doth  it,  that  he  may  delight  in  his 
 people,  fo,  that  they  may  delight  in  him,  and  in  him 
 alone,  he  imbitters  the  brealf  of  the  world  to  wean 
 them  ;  makes  the  world  hate  them,  that  they  may 
 the  more  eafily  hate  it ;  fuffers  them  not  to  fettle 
 upon  it,  and  fall  into  a  complacency  with  it ;  but 
 makes  it  unpleafant  to  them  by  many  and  fharp  af- 
 fliclions,  that  they  may,  with  the  more  willingnefs, 
 come  off,  and  be  untied  from  it,  and  that  they  may 
 remember  home  the  more,  and  feek  their  comforts 
 above,  that  finding  fo  little  below,  they  may  turn  in 
 to  him,  and  delight  themfelves  in  communion  with 
 him.  That  the  fvveet  incenfe  of  their  prayers  may 
 afcend  the  more  thick,  he  kindles  thefe  fires  of  trial 
 to  them  ;  for  though  it  fhould  not  be  fo,  yet  fo  it  is, 
 
 thaty. 
 
VER.  17.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  257 
 
 that,  in  times  of  eafe,  they  would  eafily  grow  remifs 
 and  formal  that  way. 
 
 He  is  gracious  and  wife,  knows  what  he  does  with 
 them,  and  the  thoughts  he  thinks' toward  tbe?n^]t\\ 
 xxix.  II.  All  is  for  their  advantage,  purging  their 
 iniquitieSjIfa.  xxvii. ;  purges  out  impatience  and  earth- 
 linefs,  and  felf-will,  and  carnal  fecurity  ;  and  thus 
 refines  them  for  velTels  of  honour.  We  iee  in  a  jewel- 
 ler's fhop,  that  as  there  are  pearls  and  diamonds,  and 
 other  precious  Hones,  there  are  iiies,  cutting  inltru- 
 ments,  and  many  (harp  tools,  for  their  poHfliing  : 
 And  while  they  are  in  the  work-hoiife,  they  are  con- 
 tinual neighbours  to  them,  and  come  often  under 
 them.  The  Church  is  God's  jewellery,  his  work^ 
 houfe,  where  his  jewels  are  a  polifhing  for  his  palace 
 and  houfe;  and  thofe  he  efpecially  edeems  and  means 
 to  make  mod  refplendent,  he  hath  ofteneft  his  tools 
 upon  them. 
 
 Thus  obferve  it,  as  in  the  Church  to  other  focie- 
 ties,  fo  is  it  in  a  congregation  or  family  belonging  to 
 it,  if  there  be  one  more  diligently  feeking  after  God 
 than  the  reft,  he  flaall  probably  meet  with  more  trials, 
 and  be  oftener  under  afflidion  than  any  of  the  coni- 
 pany  ;  either  under  contempt  and  fcorn,  or  poverty 
 and  (icknefs,  or  fome  one  preffure  or  other,  outward 
 or  inward ;  and  thofe  inward  trials  are  the  neiirvrll 
 and  lliarpeft  which  the  world  fees  leaft,  and  yet  the 
 foul  feels  moft  :  And  yet  all  thefe,  both  outward  and 
 inward,  have  love,  unfpeakable  love  in  them  all,  to 
 purge  and  poliih  them;  and,  by  increaiing  of  grace, 
 do  fit  them  for  glory. 
 
 Inf.  I.  Let  us  not  be  fo  foohfli  as  to  promife  our- 
 felves  impunity  on  account  of  our  relation  to  God, 
 as  his  Church  in  convenant  with  him.  \i  once  we 
 thought  fo,  fure  our  experience  hath  undeceived  us. 
 And  let  not  what  we  have  fuffered  harden  us,  as  if 
 the  worft  were  paft.  We  may  rather  fear  its  being 
 a  pledge,  and  beginning,  of  fnarper  judgment.  Why 
 do  we  not  confider  our  unhumbled  and  unpurg^d 
 
 Vol.  II.  K  k  condhion, 
 
•255  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV* 
 
 condition,  and  tremble  before  the  Lord  ?  Would  we 
 fave  him  a  labour,  he  would  take  it  well.  Let  us 
 purge  our  fouls,  that  he  may  not  be  put  to  further 
 purging  by  new  judgments.  Were  we  bufy  read- 
 ing our  prefent  condition,  we  would  fee  very  legible 
 fore-ligns  of  further  judgments;  as  for  inftance: 
 I.  The  Lord  taking  aw^ay  his  eminent  and  worthy 
 fervants,  who  are  as  the  very  pillars  of  the  public 
 peace  and  welfare  ;  and  taking  away  counfel  and 
 courage,  and  union,  from  the  reft  ;  forfaking  us  in 
 our  meetings,  and  leaving  us  in  the  dark  to  grope 
 and  mill  one  upon  another.  2.  The  diifenfions  and 
 iarrhisrs  in  the  ftate  and  church,  are  likelv  from  ima- 
 gination  to  bring  it  to  a  reality.  Thele  unnatural 
 burnings  threaten  new  fires  of  public  judgments  to 
 be  kindled  amongft  us.  3.  That  general  defpifing  of 
 the  gofpel,  and  abounding  of  profanenefs  throughout 
 the  land,  not  yet  purged,  but  as  our  great  tin  remain- 
 ing in  us,  calls  for  more  fire  and  more  boiling.  4. 
 The  general  coldnefs  and  deadnefs  of  fpirit,  wanJt  of 
 that  zeal  for  God,  that  communion  of  faints,  that 
 mutual  ilirring  up  one  another  to  holinefs,  and  which 
 is  the  fource  of  all,  the  ceafing  of  prayer,  that  frozen 
 benummednefs  in  that  fo  necelTary  work,  in  that  pre- 
 venter of  judgments,  that  binder  of  the  hands  of 
 God  from  puniihments,  and  opener  of  them  unto  us, 
 for  the  pouring  forth  of  mercies.  Oh  !  this  is  a  fad 
 condition  in  itfelf,  though  it  portended  no  further 
 judgment,  the  Lord  hiding  himfelf,  and  the  fpirit  of 
 zeal  and  prayer  withdrawn,  and  fcarce  any  lamenting 
 it,  or  fo  much  as  perceiving  it.  Where  are  our  days 
 either  of  folemn  prayer  or  praifes,  as  if  there  were 
 caufe  of  neither,  and  yet  there  is  clear  caufe  of  both. 
 Truly,  my  brethren,  w^e  have  need,  if  ever,  to  beftir 
 ourfelves  ;  are  not  thefe  kingdoms  at  this  preient 
 brought  to  the  extreme  point  of  their  higheft  hazard  ? 
 and  yet,  who  lays  it  to  heart  ? 
 
 Inf,  2.  Learn  to  put  a  right  conftrudlion   on  all 
 God's  dealings  with  his  Church,  and  with  thy  foul. 
 
 For 
 
VER.   I7-]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  259 
 
 For  his  Church,  there  may  be  a  time  wherein  thoii 
 Ibalt  fee  it  not  only  tolTed,  but,  to  thy  thinking, 
 covered  and  fwallowed  up  with  tears  ;  but  wait  a 
 little,  it  fhall  arrive  fafe.  This  is  a  common  (tum- 
 bling (tone,  but  walk  by  the  light  of  the  word,  and 
 the  eye  of  faith  looking  on  it,  and  thou  fhalt  pats  by 
 and  not  (tumble  at  it.  The  Church  mourns,  and 
 Babylon  (ings,  fits  as  a  queen.  Rev.  xviii.  7.  bat  for 
 how  long  ?  She  fhall  come  down  and  Jit  in  the  dujl, 
 Ifa.  xlvi.  I.  ;  and  Sion  fhall  be  glorious,  and  put  on 
 her  beautiful  garments,  Ifa.  iii.  i.  while  Babylon  (hall 
 not  look  for  another  R.evclation  ^^  to  raife  her  agnin  ; 
 no,  Hie  (hall  never  rife.  The  angel  took  up  a  ilone 
 like  a  great  millltone,  and  call  it  into  the  fea,  fayin.e-, 
 Thus,  with  violence,  Jljall  the  great  city  Babylon  he 
 thrown  down,  and  Jh  all  he  found  no  more  at  all.  Rev. 
 xviii.  20,  21. 
 
 Be  not  fudden,  take  God's  work  together,  and  do 
 not  judge  of  it  by  parcels.  It  is  indeed  all  wifdom 
 and  righteoufnefs ;  but  we  fliail  belt  difcern  the 
 beauty  of  ic  when  we  look  on  it  in  the  frame,  and 
 when  it  ftiall  be  fully  completed  and  finilhed,  and 
 our  ^"^it^  enlightened  to  take  a  fuller  and  clearer 
 view  of  it  than  we  can  have  here.  Oh  I  what 
 wonder  I  what  endlefs  v»^ondering  will  it  then  com- 
 mand i 
 
 We  read  of  Jofeph  hated,  and  fold,  and  imprifon- 
 ed,  and  all  molt  unjuftly  ;  but  becaufe  within  a  leaf 
 or  two,  we  find  him  freed  and  exalted,  and  his  bre- 
 thre;i  coming  fupplicants  to  him,  we  are  fatisflcd. 
 But  when  we  look  on  things  which  are  for  the  pre- 
 fent  cloudy  and  dark,  our  impatient  hafty  fpirits 
 cannot  learn  to  wait  a  little  till  we  fee  the  other  ilde, 
 and  what  end  the  Lord  makes.  We  fee  judgment 
 beginning  at  the  houfe  of  God,  and  this  perplexes  us, 
 while  we  confider  not  the  reft,  What  JJj all  he  the  end 
 
 .of 
 
 *  Perhaps  the  original  reading  might  be  revolution ;  but  as 
 Revelation  or  Apocalypie  will  give  fome,  though  a  lefs  perfpi- 
 CU0U3  ienfe,  the  Editor  would  not  take  the  liberty  to  change  ir. 
 
26a  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV* 
 
 of  them  that  obey  not  the  go/pel  P  God  begins  the 
 judgment  on  his  Church  for  a  little  time,  that  it  may 
 end  and  reft  upon  his  enemies  for  ever.  And  in- 
 deed he  leaves  the  wicked  laft  in  the  punifliment ; 
 and  defers  it  that  he  may  make  ufe  of  them  for  the 
 punilhing  of  his  Church.  Tiiey  are  his  rod,  Ifa.  x.  i. 
 But,  then  when  he  hath  done  t;hat  work  with  them, 
 they  are  broken  and  burnt,  ver.  i6.  and  that  when 
 they  are  at  the  height  of  their  infolence  and  boail- 
 ing  ;  not  knowing  what  hand  moves  them,  and 
 fmites  his  people  with  them  for  a  while,  till  the  day 
 of  their  confuming  covie^  ver.  24,  25.  Let  the  vile  ene- 
 my that  hath  ihed  our  blood,  and  infulted  over  us, 
 rejoice  in  their  prefent  fparing,  and  in  mens  pro- 
 curing of  it,  and  pleading  for  it*.  There  .is  another 
 hand  whence  we  may  look  for  juftice  \  and  though  it 
 may  be  the  judgment  begun  at  us  is  not  yet  ended, 
 and  that  we  may  yet  further  (and  that  juftly)  find 
 them  our  fcourge,  yet,  certainly,  we  may  and  ought 
 to  look  beyond  that  unto  the  end  of  the  Lord's  work; 
 which  iliall  be  the  ruin  of  his  enemies,  and  the  peace 
 of  his  people,  and  the  glory  of  his  name. 
 
 But  we  now  come  to  conllder  God  dealing  with 
 the  wicked,  The  end  of  them  that  obey  not  the  g  of  pel. 
 The  end  of  all  the  ungodly  is  terrible  ;  but  efpecially 
 of  fuch  as  heard  the  gofpel,  and  have  not  received 
 and  obeyed  it. 
 
 The  word  «7r£i6«^T«v  hath  in  it  both  unbelief  and 
 difobedience,  and  thefe  are  infeparable.  Unbelief 
 is  the  grand  point  of  difobedience  in  itfelf,  and  the 
 fpring  of  all  other  difobedience  :  And  pity  it  is  that 
 men  will  not  believe  it  tobe  thus. 
 
 They  think  it  an  eafy  and  a  com.mon  thing  to  he- 
 lievs.     Who    doth    not    believe  ?    Oh  !    but   rather, 
 
 who 
 
 *  I  am  ready  to  believe  this  refers  to  the  efcape  of  many 
 who  had  deferved  the  fevereft  punifhments,  for  their  part  in  the 
 grand  Irifh  rebellion,  but  were  fcreened  by  the  favour  of  fome 
 great  men,  in  the  reign  of  King  Charles  II. 
 
VER.  17.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  261 
 
 who  does  ?  Who  hath  believed  our  report  P  Ifa.  liii.  i. 
 Were  our  own  mifery,  and  the  happinefs  that  is 
 in  Chrift,  believed,  were  the  riches  of  Chrift,  and 
 the  love  of  Chrift,  believed,  would  not  this  perfaade 
 men  to  forfake  their  iins  and  the  world,  to  embrace 
 him  ? 
 
 But  men  run  away  with  an  extraordinary  fancy 
 of  believing,  and  do  not  deeply  confider  what  news 
 the  gofpel  brings,  and  how  much  it  concerns  them. 
 Sometimes,  it  may  be,  they  have  a  fudden  thought  of 
 it,  and  they  think,  I  will  think  on  it  better  at  fome 
 other  time.  But  when  comes  that  time  ?  One  buli- 
 nefs  fteps  in  after  another,  and  (huffles  it  out.  Men 
 are  not  at  leifure  to  be  faved. 
 
 _  Obferve  the  phrafe.  The  gofpel  of  God.  It  is  his 
 embafly  of  peace  to  men,  the  riches  of  his  mercy  and 
 free  love  opened  and  fet  forth  ;  not  fimply  to  be 
 looked  on,  but  laid  hold  on.  The  glorious  holy  God 
 declaring  his  mind  of  agreement  with  man  in  his 
 own  Son ;  his  blood  ftreaming  forth  in  it  to  wafh 
 away  uncleannefs,  and  yet  this  gofpel  is  not  obeyed. 
 Sure  the  conditions  of  it  muft  be  very  hard,  and 
 the  commands  muft  be  intolerably  grievous,  that 
 they  are  not  hearkened  to.  Why,  judge  you  if  they 
 be.  The  great  command  is  that,  to  receive  that  fal- 
 vation  ;  and  the  other  is  this,  to  love  that  Saviour  ; 
 and  there  is  no  more.  Perfect  obedience  is  not  now 
 the  thing.  And  the  obedience  which  is  required, 
 that  love  makes  fvveet  and  eafy  to  us,  and  acceptable 
 to  him.  This  is  proclaimed  to  all  that  hear  the  goi^ 
 pel,  and  the  greateft  part  refufe  it ;  they  love  them- 
 felves,  and  their  lufts,  and  this  prefent  world,  and 
 will  not  change,  and  fo  they  perifli.  ' 
 
 They  ptrifti.  What  is  that  ?  What  is  their  end  ?  I 
 will  anfwer  that  but  as  the  Apoitle  doth,  and  that  is 
 even  aiking  the  queftion  over  again,  Whcitjhall  he 
 their  end  ? 
 
 There  is  no  fpeaking  of  it ;  a  curtain  is  drawn  ; 
 filent   wonder  exprefles  it  beft,  telling  it  cannot  be 
 
 expreiied. 
 
262  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 exprefled.  Mow  then  fhall  it  be  endured  ?  It  is  true, 
 that  there  be  refemblances  ufed  in  Scripture,  giving 
 us  fome  glance  of  it ;  we  hear  of  a  burning  lake,  a 
 fire  that  is  not  quenched,  and  a  worm  that  dies  not, 
 Ifa.  Ixvi.  24.  Mark  ix,  44.  Rev.  xxi.  8.  ;  butthefe  are 
 but  fhadows  to  the  real  mifery  of  them  that  obey  not 
 the  gofpel.  Oh  I  to  be  filled  with  the  wrath  of  God, 
 the  ever  living  God,  for  ever  I  What  words  or 
 thoughts  can  reach  it  I  Oh  I  eternity,  eternity  ;  Oh  1 
 that  we  did  believe  it.  , 
 
 This  fame  parallel  of  the  Lord's  dealing  with  the 
 righteous  and  the  wicked,  is  continued  in  the  fol- 
 lowing verfe  in  other  terms,  for  the  clearer  expref- 
 fion,  and  deeper  impreffion  of  it* 
 
 Ver.  18.  And  if  the  righteous  fcdrcely  befaved,  where 
 Jhall  the  ungodly  and  the  finner  appear  f 
 
 IT  is  true,  Xh^WyXhdXth^y^x^  Jcarce faved,  even  they 
 that  endeavour  to  walk  uprightly  in  the  ways  of 
 God,  that  is,  the  righteous  ;  they  ^xt  fcarcely  Javed, 
 That  imports  not  any  uncertainty  or  hazard  in  the 
 thing  itfelf  to  the  end,  in  refped:  of  the  purpofe,  and 
 performance  of  God,  but  only  the  great  difficulties, 
 and  hard  encounters  in  the  way  ;  that  they  go 
 through  fo  many  temptations  and  tribulations,  fo 
 vci2iwy  fightings  without,  and  fears  within  ;  the  Chriili- 
 an  being  fo  fimple  and  weak,  and  his  enemies  fo 
 crafty  and  powerful  ;  and  the  oppolitions  of  the 
 wicked  world  being  fo  many  and  great,  their  hatreds, 
 and  fcorns,  and  moledations,  the  flights  and  violence 
 of  Satan,  and,  the  worft  of  all,  the  ftrength  of  their 
 own  corruptions.  Alas  there  is,  by  reafon  of  abound- 
 ing corruption,  fuch  frequent,  aimoft  continual, 
 need  of  purging  by  afflidions  and  trials ;  to  be  Hill 
 under  phyfic  ;  to  be  of  neceffity  at  fome  times 
 drained  and  brought  fo  low,  that  there  is  fcarcq 
 ftrength  or  life  remaining  in  them. 
 
 And 
 
VER.  1 8.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  263 
 
 And,  truly,  all  outward  difficulties  would  be  but 
 matter  of  eafe,  would  be  as  nothing,  were  it  not 
 the  incumbrance  of  lufts  and  corruptions  within. 
 Were  a  man  to  meet  difgraces  and  fufferings  for 
 Chrid,  how  ealily  would  he  go  through  them,  yea, 
 and  rejoice  in  them,  were  he  rid  of  the  fretting  im- 
 patience, the  pride,  and  felf  love,  of  his  ovvn  carnal 
 heart.  Thefe  clog  and  trouble  him  worft,  and  he 
 cannot  fhake  them  off,  nor  prevail  againft  them  with- 
 out much  pains,  many  prayers  and  tears ;  and  many 
 times  atter  much  wreftling,  he  fcarce  finds  that  he 
 hath  gained  any  ground :  Yea,  foinetimes  he  is  foil- 
 ed and  caft  down  by  them. 
 
 And  fo  in  all  other  duties,  fuch  a  fighting  and 
 continual  combat  with  a  revolting  backiliding  heart, 
 the  flefli  pulling,  and  dragging  dowmwards;  when 
 he  would  mount  up,  he  finds  himfelf  as  a  bird  with  a 
 ftone  tied  to  its  foot ;  hath  wings  that  flutter  to  be 
 upwards,  but  is  prelTed  down  with  the  weight  faft- 
 ened  to  him.  What  ftruggling  with  wanderings  and 
 deadnefs  in  hearing,  and  reading,  and  prayer  1  and 
 that  which  is  molt  grievous  is,  that,  by  their  unwary 
 walking,  and  the  prevailing  of  iome  corruption,  they 
 grieve  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  provoke  him  to  hide  his 
 face,  and  withdraw  his  comforts  I  How  much  pain 
 to  attain  any  thing,  any  particular  grace  of  humility, 
 or  meeknefs,  or  felf- denial ;  and  if  any  thing  be  at- 
 tained, how  hard  to  keep  and  maintain  it  againll  the 
 contrary  party  I  How  often  are  they  driven  back  to 
 their  old  point  I  If  they  do  but  ceafe  from  ftriving  a 
 little,  they  are  carried  back  by  the  llream  :  And  what 
 returns  of  doubtmgs  and  milbelief,  after  they  thought 
 they  were  got  fomewhat  above  them  I  in  fo  much  that 
 fometimes  they  are  at  the  point  of  giving  over,  and 
 thinking  it  will  never  do  for  them.  And  yet  through 
 all  thefe  they  are  brought  fafe  home.  There  is  ano- 
 ther ftrength  which  bears  them  up,  and  brings  them 
 through  ;  but  thefe  things,  and  many  more  of  this 
 nature,  argue  the  difficulty  of  their  courfe,  and  that 
 
 it 
 
264  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 it  is  not  fo  eafy  a  thing  to  come  to  heaven  as  moft 
 imagine  it. 
 
 Inf,  Thou  that  findeft  fo  little  flop  and  conflid  in 
 it,  goefl  thy  round  of  external  duties,  and  all  is  well, 
 art  no  more  troubled  ;  thou  haft  need  to  inquire,  after 
 a  long  time  fpent  in  that  way,  Am  I  right  ?  Am  I 
 not  yet  to  begin  ?  Sure  this  looks  not  like  the  way  to 
 heaven,  as  it?  is  defcribed  in  the  Scripture  ;  it  is  too 
 fmooth  and  eafy  to  be  right. 
 
 And  if  the  way  of  the  righteous  be  fo  hard,  then 
 how  hard  (hall  be  the  end  of  the  ungodly  and  lin- 
 ner  that  walks  in  lin  with  delight.  It  were  ftrange 
 if  they  (hould  be  at  fuch  pains,  and  with  great  diffi- 
 culty attain  their  end :  And  he  ftiould  come  in  a- 
 mongft  them  in  the  end.  They  were  fools  indeed, 
 true  !  if  it  were  fo ;  but  what  if  it  be  not  fo  ?  Then 
 the  wicked  is  the  fool,  and  fhall  find  he  is :  When 
 he  iliall  not  be  able  to  Jland  in  judgment,  where  Jhall 
 he  appear  ?  Pfal.  i.  5.  When  to  the  end  he  might 
 not  appear,  he  would  be  glad  to  be  fmothered  under 
 the  weight  of  the  hills  and  mountains,  if  they  could 
 fhelter  him  from  appearing  ? 
 
 And  what  is  the  aim  of  all  this  which  we  have 
 fpoken,  or  can  fpeak,  on  this  fubjed,  but  that  ye  may 
 be  moved  to  take  into  deeper  thoughts  the  concern- 
 ment of  your  immortal  fouls.  Oh  I  that  you  would 
 l)e  perfuaded.  Oh  !  that  you  would  make  in  to  Jefus 
 Chrift,  and  feek  falvation  in  him.  Seek  to  be  cover- 
 ed with  his  righteoufnefs,  and  to  be  led  by  his  Spirit 
 in  the  ways  of  righteoufnefs.  That  will  feal  to  you 
 the  happy  certainty  of  the  end,  and  overcome  for 
 you  all  the  difficulties  of  the  way.  What  is  the 
 gofpel  of  Chrift  preached  for  ?  What  was  the  blood 
 of  Chrift  ftied  for?  Was  it  not,  that  by  receiving 
 him,  we  might  efcape  condemnation  ?  Nay,  this  drew 
 him  from  heaven  ;  for  he  came  that  we  might  have 
 Ufey  and  might  have  it  more  abundantly^  John  x.  4. 
 
 Ver, 
 
VER.  19.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  265 
 
 Ver.  19.  Wherefore,  let  them  that  fuffer  according  to 
 the  will  of  Gody  commit  the  keeping  of  their  fouls 
 to  him  in  well-doing,  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator. 
 
 NOTHING  doth  fo  eftablifli  the  mind  amidd 
 the  rollings  and  turbuiency  of  prefent  things, 
 as  both  a  look  above  them,  and  a  look  beyond  them  ; 
 above  them,  to  the  ileady  and  good  hand  by  which 
 they  are  ruled  ;  and  beyond  them,  to  the  fweet  and 
 beautiful  end,  to  which,  by  that  hand,  they  fhall  be 
 brought.  This  the  Apoftie  lays  here  as  the  founda- 
 tion of  that  patience  and  peace  in  troubles,  where- 
 with he  would  have  his  brethren  furnilhed.  And 
 thus  he  clofes  this  chapter  in  thefe  words  :  Wherefore^ 
 let  them  that  fuffer  according  to  the  will  of  God,  com- 
 mit  the  keeping  of  their  fouls  to  him  in  well-doing,  as 
 unto  a  faithful  Creator, 
 
 The  words  contain  the  true  principle  of  Chriflian 
 patience  and  tranquillity  of  mind  in  the  fufFerings  of 
 this  life,  expreffing  both  wherein  it  conlifts,  and  what 
 are  the  grounds  ot  it. 
 
 I.  Wherein  it  conlifts:  it  lies  in  this,  committing 
 the  foul  unto  God  ;  the  word  iv  (xya^Q-niza,  added,  is  a 
 true  qualification  of  this,  that  it  be  in  well-doing,  ac- 
 cording to  the  preceding  dodrine,  which  the  Apoftie 
 gives  clearly  and  largely,  ver.  15,  16.  If  men  would 
 have  inward  peace  amidil  outward  trouble,  they  mu ft: 
 walk  by  the  rule  of  peace,  and  keep  ftridly  to  it. 
 If  you  would  commit  your  foul  to  the  keeping  of 
 God,  know  he  is  a  holy  God ;  and  an  unholy  foul 
 that  walks  in  any  way  of  vvickednefs,  known  or  fe- 
 cret,  IS  no  fit  commodity  to  put  into  his  pure  hand 
 to  keep:  Therefore,  as  you  would  have  this  con'fidence 
 to  give  your  holy  God  the  keeping  of  your  foul,  and 
 that  he  will  accept  of  it,  and  take  it  off  your  hand,. 
 beware  of  wilful  pollutions  and  unholy  ways.  Walk 
 fo  as  you  may  not  difcredit  your  Protedor,  and  move 
 him  to  be  aQiamed  of  you,  and  difclaim  you.     Shall 
 
 Vol.  II.  L 1  it 
 
266  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 it  be  faid  that  you  live  under  his  fhelter,  and  yet 
 walk  inordinately  ?  As  this  cannot  well  be,  you  can- 
 not well  believe  it  to  be.  Loofe  ways  will  loofen 
 your  hold  of  him,  and  confidence  in  him.  You  will 
 be  driven  to  queftion  your  intereft,  and  to  think, 
 **  Sure,  I  do  but  delude  niyfelf ;  can  I  be  under  his 
 "  fafeguard,  and  yet  follow  the  courfe  of  the  world, 
 '*  and  my  corrupt  heart  ?"  Certainly,  let  who  will 
 be  fo,  he  will  not  be  a  guardian  and  patron  of  wick- 
 ednefs :  No,  he  is  not  a  God  that  bath  pleafure  in 
 wickednefs,  nor  Jhall  evil  dwell  with  him^  Pfal.  v.  4. 
 If  thou  give  thy  foul  to  him  to  keep  upon  terms  of 
 liberty  to  fin,  he  will  turn  it  out  of  his  doors,  and 
 remit  it  back  to  thee  to  look  to  as  thou  wilt  thyfelf. 
 Yea,  in  the  ways  of  fin,  thou  doft,  indeed,  fl:eal  it 
 back,  and  carriefi:  it  out  from  him.  Thou  putted 
 thyfelf  out  of  the  compafs  of  his  defence,  goeft  with- 
 out the  trenches,  and  art,  at  thine  own  hazard,  ex- 
 pofed  to  armies  of  mifchiefs  and  miferies. 
 
 Inf.  This,  then,  is  principally  to  be  looked  to;  you 
 that  would  have  fafety  in  God  in  evil  times,  beware 
 of  evil  ways ;  for  in  thefe  it  cannot  be.  If  you  will 
 be  fafe  in  him,  you  muft  ftay  with  him,  and  in  all 
 your  ways  keep  within  him  as  your  fortrefs ;  how 
 in  the  ways  of  fin  you  run  out  from  him. 
 
 Hence  it  is  we  have  fo  little  eftablilhed  confidence 
 in  God  in  times  of  trial.  We  take  ways  of  our  own, 
 and  will  be  gadding,  and  fo  we  are  furprifed  and 
 taken,  as  they  that  are  often  venturing  out  into  the 
 enemy's  reach,  and  cannot  ftay  within  the  walls.  It 
 is  no  idle  repetition,  Pfal.  xci.  i.  He  that  dwelleth  in 
 the  fecret  place  of  the  Mojt  High,  Jhall  abide  under 
 the  JJmdow  of  the  Almighty.  He  that  wanders  not, 
 but  ftays. there,  fliall  find  himfelf  there  hid  from 
 danger  ;  they  that  rove  out  from  God  in  their  ways, 
 are  difquieted  and  tofled  with  fears  ;  this  is  the  fruit 
 of  their  own  ways ;  but  the  foul  that  is  indeed  given 
 to  him  to  keep.  Keeps  near  him. 
 
 Study 
 
V£R.  19.3  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  267 
 
 Study  pure  and  holy  walking,  if  you  would  have 
 your  confidence  firm,  and  have  boldnefs  and  joy  in 
 God.  You  will  find  that  a  little  fin  will  fliake  your 
 truft,  and  difl:urb  your  peace  more  than  the  greateft 
 fufferings;  yea,  in  the  greatefi:  extremity  of  fiifferings, 
 your  aflurance  and  joy  in  God  will  grow  and  abound 
 moft,  if  fin  be  kept  out.  That  is  the  trouble- feaft 
 that  difquiets  the  confcience,  which,  while  it  conti- 
 nues good,  is  a  continual  feajl.  So  much  fin  as  gets 
 in,  fo  much  peace  will  gK:^  out :  Afflidlions  cannot 
 break  in  upon  it  to  break  it,  but  fin  doth.  All  the 
 winds  which  blow  about  the  earth  from  all  points 
 ftir  it  not,  only  that  within  the  bowels  of  it  makes 
 the  earthquake. 
 
 I  do  not  mean  that  for  infirmities  a  Chriftian  ought 
 to  be  difcouraged  ;  but  take  heed  of  walking  in  any 
 way  of  fin  ;  for  that  will  unfettle  thy  confidence. 
 Innocency  and  holy  walking  makes  the  foul  of  a 
 found  conftitution,  that  the  counter-blafi:s  of  afllic- 
 tion  wear  not  out,  nor  alter  it.  Sin  makes  it  fickly 
 and  crazy,  that  it  can  endure  nothing ;  therefore 
 iludy  to  keep  your  confciences  pure,  and  they  fiiall 
 be  peaceable,  yea,  in  the  worft  times  commonly  moil 
 peaceable,  and  bed  furnifhed  with  fpiritual  confi- 
 dence and  comfort. 
 
 Let  fuch  commit  the  keeping  of  their  fouls  to  God, 
 The  Lord  is  an  entire  protedor,  he  keeps  the  bodies, 
 yea,  all  that  belongs  to  the  believer,  and  as  much  as 
 is  good  for  him,  makes  all  fafe,  keeps  all  his  hones,  not 
 one  of  them  is  broken^  Pfal.  xxxiv.  18. ;  yea,  fays  our 
 Saviour,  The  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  numbered ^ 
 Matth.  X.  30.  But  that  which,  as  in  the  believer's 
 account,  and  in  God's  account,  fo  is  certainly  in  itfelf 
 mofl:  precious,  is  principally  committed  and  received 
 into  keeping,  their  fouls. 
 
 They  would  moft  gladly  be  fecured  in  that  here, 
 and  that  fliall  be  fafe  in  the  midft  of  all  hazards; 
 their  concern  is^  that  whatfoever  be  loft,  that  may 
 not ;  that  is  the  jewel ;  therefore  the  prime  care  of 
 
 that, 
 
268  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 that,  if  it  be  fafe,  all  is  well,  it  is  riches  enough. 
 Wbat  Jhall  it  profit  a  man^  though  he  gain  the  whole 
 *ivorld,  fays  our  Saviour,  and  lofe  his  own  foul?  Mark 
 viii.  36.  ;  and  fo,  whatfhall  it  difprofit  a  man,  though 
 he  lofe  the  whole  world,  if  he  gain  his  foul  ?  JNothing 
 at  all. 
 
 When  times  of  trial  come.  Oh  I  what  a  buftle  to 
 hide  this  and  that,  to  liy,  and  carry  away,  and  make 
 fafe,  that  which  is  but  trafh  and  rubbilb  to  the  pre- 
 cious foul  :  but  how  few  thoughts  of  that  !  Were  we 
 in  our  wits,  that  would  be  all  at  all  times,  not  only 
 in  trouble,  but  in  days  of  peace.  Oh  !  how  (hail  1 
 make  fure  about  my  foul  ?  Let  all  go  as  it  may,  can 
 I  be  fecured  and  perfuaded  in  that  point?  1  delire 
 no  more. 
 
 Now,  the  way  is  this,  commit  (he7?i  to  God;  this 
 many  fay,  but  few  do,  give  them  into  his  hand,  lay 
 them  up  there  ;  fo  the  w^ord  is,  and  they  are  fafe,  and 
 may  be  quiet  and  compofed. 
 
 In  patience  poffefs  your  fouls,  fays  our  Saviour, 
 Luke  xxiv.  19.  ;  impatient  fretting  fouls  are  out  of 
 themfelves,  their  owners  do  not  poITefs  them.  Now, 
 the  way  to  poffefs  them  ourfelves  in  patience,  is  thus 
 to  commit  them  to  him  in  confidence  ;  then  we  only 
 polTefs  them,  when  he  keeps  them.  They  are  ealily 
 difquieted  and  fhaken  in  pieces  while  they  are  in  our 
 hands ;  but  in  his  hand,  they  are  above  the  reach  of 
 dangers  and  fears. 
 
 Inf.  1,  Learn  from  hence,  what  is  the  proper  a6l 
 of  faith  ;  it  rolls  the  foul  over  on  God,  ventures  it  in 
 his  hand,  and  refls  fatisfied  concerning  it,  being 
 there.  And  there  is  no  way  but  this,  to  be  quiet 
 within,  10  be  inipregnable  and  immovable  in  all 
 alfaults,  and  fixed  in  all  changes,  believing  on  free 
 love  ;  therefore  be  perfuaded  to  refolve  in  that,  not 
 doubting  and  difputing,  whether  fiiall  1  believe  or 
 y\rAl  Shall  1  think  he  w^ill  fufier  me  to  lay  my  foul 
 ppon  him  to  keep?  fo  unworthy,  fo  guilty  a  foul, 
 ^vere  it  riot  prefumption  ?    Oh  I   what  lay  ell  thou  ? 
 
 why 
 
VER.  19.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  fl6g 
 
 why  doft  thou  thus  difhonour  him,  and  difquiet  thy- 
 felf  ?  if  thou  haft  a  purpofe  to  walk  in  any  way  of 
 wickednefs,  indeed  thou  art  not  for  him  ;  yea,  thou 
 comeft  not  near  him  to  give  him  thy  foul.  But 
 wouidft  thou  have  it  delivered  from  lin,  rather  thaa 
 from  trouble,  yea,  rather  than  from  hell ;  is  that  the 
 chief  fatety  thou  teekeft,  to  be  kept  from  iniquity, 
 fro?n  thine  iniquity^  thy  beloved  fins?  Doft  thou  delire 
 to  dwell  in  him,  and  walk  with  him  ?  then,  whatfo- 
 ever  is  thy  guiltinefs  and  unworthinefs,  come  for- 
 ward, and  give  him  thy  foul  to  keep.  If  he  ftiould 
 feem  to  refufe  it,  prefs  it  on  him  ;  if  he  ftretch  not 
 forth  his  hand,  lay  it  down  at  his  foot,  and  leave  it 
 there,  and  refolve  not  to  take  it  back ;  fay,  **  Lord 
 "  thou  haft  made  us  thofe  fouls  ;  thou  caileft  for 
 *'  them  again  to  be  committed  to  thee  :  Here  is  one. 
 "  It  is  unworthy  ;  but  what  foul  is  not  fo?  Is  moft 
 *'  unworthy  ;  but  therein  will  the  riches  of  thy  grace 
 "  appear  moft  in  receiving  it."  And  thus  leave  it 
 with  him,  and  know  he  will  make  thee  a  good  ac- 
 count of  it.  Now,  lofe  goods,  or  credit,  or  friends, 
 or  life  itfelf,  it  imports  not ;  the  main  concern  is  fure, 
 if  fo  be  thy  foul  be  out  of  hazard ;  I  fuffer  thefe  things 
 for  the  go/pel,  fays  the  Apoftle,  2  Tim.  i.  11,  12.  ne- 
 'verthelefs  I  am  not  afhamed  ;  why  ?  for  I  know  whom 
 I  have  trufied^  and  am  perfuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep 
 that  which  I  have  committed  to  him  againji  that  day, 
 
 idly.  We  now  proceed  to  conlider  the  ground  o^ 
 this  confidence  ;  which  is  in  thele  two  things  in  him 
 whom  we  truft,  ability  cind  fidelity.  There  is  much 
 in  peri'uafion  of  the  power  of  God  ;  though  few  think 
 they  queftion  that ;  there  is  in  us  fecret  undifcovered 
 unbtiief,  even  in  that  point  ;  therefore  the  Lord  fo 
 often  makes  mention  of  it  in  the  Prophets,  Ifa.  1.  3. 
 8tc.  And,  in  this  point,  the  Apoftle  particularly  ex- 
 prefles,  /  am  perfuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep,  &c. 
 So  this  Apoftle,  chap.  i.  5,  Kept  by  the  power  of  God 
 through  faith  unto  falvation,  ready  to  be  revealed  in 
 the  laji  time.     This  is  very  needful  to  be  confidered 
 
 in 
 
ayo  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP,  IVa 
 
 in  regard  of  the  many  and  great  oppoiitions  and  dan- 
 gers, and  powerful  enemies  that  leek  after  our  fouls. 
 He  is  able  to  keep  therriy  for  he  is  Jironger  than  all, 
 and  none  can  pluck  them  out  of  his  hand,  fays  our  Sa- 
 viour, John  X.  29.  This  the  Apoftle  here  hath  in 
 that  word.  Creator  ;  if  he  was  able  to  give  them  be- 
 ing, fure  he  is  able  to  keep  them  from  perifhing. 
 This  relation  of  a  Creator  implies  likewife  a  benign 
 propenfion  and  good  will  to  the  works  of  his  hands. 
 If  he  gave  them  us  at  firft,  when  once  they  were  not, 
 forming  them  of  nothing,  will  he  not  give  us  them 
 again,  being  put  into  his  hand  for  fafety  ? 
 
 And  as  he  is  powerful,  he  is  no  lefs  faithful,  a 
 faithful  Creator^  truth  itfelf.  Them  that  believe  on 
 him  he  never  deceives  nor  difappoints.  Well  might 
 St  Paul  fay,  /  know  whofji  I  have  trujled,  1  Tim.  i, 
 12.  Oh  1  the  advantage  of  faith.  It  engages  the 
 truth  and  power  of  God,  his  royal  word  and  honour 
 lies  upon  it,  to  preferve  the  foul  that  faith  gives  him 
 in  keeping.  If  he  remain  able  and  faithful  to  per- 
 form his  word,  that  foul  Ihail  not  perifh. 
 
 There  be  in  the  words  other  two  grounds  of  quiet- 
 nefs  of  fpirit  in  fufferings :  i.  It  is  a^rcording  to  the 
 will  of  God.  The  believing  foul,  fubjeded  and  le- 
 velled to  that  wiil,  complying  with  his  good  pleafure 
 in  all,  cannot  have  a  more  powerful  perfuafive  than 
 this,  that  all  is  ordered  by  his  will.  This  fettled  in 
 the  heart,  would  fettle  it  much,  and  make  it  even  in 
 all  things,  Uf  t  only  to  know,  but  wifely  and  deeply 
 to  confider,  that  it  is  thus :  That  all  is  meafured  in 
 heaven,  <  very  drachm  of  thy  troubles  weighed  by  that 
 Ikilful  hand,  that  doth  all  in  weight,  number,  and 
 meafure. 
 
 And  then,  conlider  him  as  thy  God  and  Father, 
 who  hath  taken  fpecial  charge  of  thee,  and  thy  foul ; 
 thou  hall  given  it  to  him,  and  he  hath  received  it. 
 
 And,  upon  this  confi deration,  ftudy  to  follow  his 
 will  in  all,  to  have  no  will  but  his.  This  is  thy  duty 
 and  thy  wifdom.     Nothing  is  gained  by  fpurning 
 
 and 
 
VER.  19.]  THE  riRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  ajt 
 
 and  ftruggling,  but  to  hurt  and  vex  thyfelf ;  but  by- 
 comply  ing,  all  is  gained,  fweet  peace;  it  is  the  very 
 fecret,  the  myftery  of  folid  peace  within,  to  refign  to 
 his  will,  to  be  difpofed  at  his  pleafure,  without  the 
 leaft  contrary  thought.  And  thus,  as  two-faced  pic- 
 tures, thofe  fufferings  and  troubles,  and  whatfoever 
 elfe,  (while  beheld  on  the  one  fide,  as  painful  to  the 
 flelh),  hath  an  unpleafant  vifage,  yet  go  about  a  lit- 
 tle, and  look  upon  it  as  thy  Father's  will,  and  then 
 it  is  fmiling,  beautiful  and  lovely.  This  I  would 
 recommend  to  you  not  only  for  temporals,  as  ealier 
 there,  but  in  fpiritual  things,  jsour  comforts  and  fen- 
 lible  enlargements,  to  love  all  he  does.  It  is  the 
 fum  of  Chriftianity,  to  have  thy  will  crucified,  and 
 the  will  of  thy  Lord  thy  only  defire  ;  joy  or  forrow, 
 ficknefs  or  health,  life  or  death,  in  all,  in  all,  thy  will 
 he  done. 
 
 The  other  ground  is  in  the  firft  word,  refledling 
 on  the  foregoing  difcourfe,  wherefore ;  what  ?  fee- 
 ing your  reproaches  and  fufFerings  are  not  endlefs^ 
 yea,  they  are  fhort,  they  (hall  end,  quickly  end,  and 
 end  in  glory,  be  not  troubled  about  them,  overlook 
 them,  the  eye  of  faith  will  do  it ;  it  fees  them  to  be 
 but  for  a  moment.  What  are  they  ?  This  is  the  great 
 caufe  of  our  difquietnefs  in  prefent  troubles  and  griefs, 
 we  forget  their  end.  We  are  alFeded  with  our  con- 
 dition in  this  prefent  life,  as  if  it  were  all,  and  it  is 
 nothing.  Oh  I  how  quickly  fhall  all  the  enjoymentSj, 
 and  all  the  fufferings,  of  this  life  pafs  away,  and  it 
 "be  as  if  it  had  not  been  ? 
 
 CHAP,- 
 
272  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP,  V. 
 
 C  H  A  P.     V. 
 
 Ver.  I.  T!he  elders  which  are  among  you  I  exhort,  who 
 am  alfo  an  elder,  and  a  witnefs  of  the  fufferings  of 
 Chriji,  and  alfo  a  partaker  of  the  glory  thatjhall  he 
 revealed. 
 
 THE  Church  of  Chrifl  being  one  body,  is  inte- 
 relled  in  the  condition  and  carriage  of  eacE 
 particular  Chriflian,  as  a  part  of  it ;  but  more  emi- 
 nently in  thofe  whoo^re  more  eminent  and  organic 
 parts  of  it.  Therefore  the  Apoftle,  after  many  ex- 
 cellent directions  given  to  all  his  Chriflian  brethren 
 to  whom  he  writes,  doth  moll  reafonably  and  fitly 
 add  this  exprefs  exhortation  to  thofe  who  had  over- 
 light  and  charge  of  the  reft,  T!he  elders  which  are 
 among  you,  8tc. 
 
 The  words  have,  i.  A  particular  definition  of  the 
 perlons  exhorted  and  exhorting.  2.  The  tenor  of 
 the  exhortation  itfelf. 
 
 The  former  of  thefe  we  have  in  the  firft  verfe. 
 
 And,  I.  The  perfons  exhorted,  The  elders  among 
 you. 
 
 Elders  here,  as  often  in  other  places,  is  a  name 
 not  of  age,  but  of  office  ;  yet  the  office  is  named  by 
 that  age,  which  is  or  ought  to  be  moft  fuitably  qua- 
 lified tor  it ;  and  that  appellation  imports,  that  nrjen, 
 though  not  aged,  yet  if  called  to  that  office,  fhould 
 be  noted  for  fuch  wifdom  and  gravity  of  mind  and 
 carriage  as  may  give  that  authority,  and  command 
 that  rented;,  which  is  requifite  for  perfons  in  their 
 calling :  Not  novices,  as  St  Paul  fpeaks  ;  not  as  a  light 
 bladder,  being  eafily  blown  up,  as  young  unftable 
 minds  are,  but  fuch  as  young  Timothy  was  in  humi- 
 lity and  diligence,  as  the  Apoftle  teftifies  of  him, 
 PhiL  ii.  20.  1  have  none  like  minded,  who  will  natu- 
 ru'y  care  for  your  eflate  ;  and  fuch  as  the  Apoftle 
 Paul  further  exhorts  him  to  be,  iTim.  iv.  12.  Let 
 
 n& 
 
V£it.  1^3  tHE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  ^73 
 
 no  man  defpife  thy  youth  ;  but  be  an  example  of  belie- 
 vers in  word,  in  converfation,  in  charity,  in  faith,  in 
 purity. 
 
 The  name  of  elders  indifferently  llgriifies  either 
 their  age  or  their  calling  ;  and  the  name  of  ruling 
 elders  fometimes  denotes  civil  rulers,  fometimes  pa- 
 llors of  the  church  ;  as^  amongft  the  Jews,  both  offices 
 often  met  in  the  fame  perfon;  Here  it  appears,  that 
 pajlors  are  meant,  as  the  exhortation  of  feeding  the 
 flock  evidences  ;  which,  though  it  fometimes  iignify 
 ruling,  and  here  may  comprife  it,  yet  is  chiefly  by 
 dodlrine  :  And  then  the  title  given  to  Chrift  in  the 
 encouragement  added,  further  confirms  the  interpre- 
 tation, The  Chief  Shepherd, 
 
 A  due  frame  of  fpirit  and  carriage  in  the  elders,, 
 particularly  the  Apoftles  of  the  Charch,  is  a  thing  of 
 prime  concern  for  the  good  of  it.  It  is  one  of  the 
 lieavieft  threatenings,  when  the  Lord  declares,  that 
 he  v/ill  give  a  rebellious  people  fuch  teachers  and 
 prophets  as  they  deferved,  and  indeed  delired  :  If 
 there  be  a  man  to  prophefy  of  wine  andflrong  drink, 
 fuch  a  one  fhall  he  a  prophet^  fays  he  to  that  people, 
 Micah  ii.  ii»  And,  on  the  other  fide,  amongd  the 
 fweeteft  promifes  of  mercy,  this  is  not  the  leall,  to  be 
 furnifhed  with  plenty  of  faithful  teachers.  Though 
 profane  men  make  no  reckoning  of  it^  yet,  were  it  in 
 the  hardefl  times,  they  who  know  the  Lord  will  ac- 
 count of  it  as  he  doth,  a  fweet  allay  of  ail  fufferings 
 and  hardfhip  :  Though  the  Lord  give  you  the  bread  of 
 adverfity  and  the  water  of  affliction,  yet  Jhall  not  thy 
 teachers  he  removed  into  a  corner,  but  thine  eyes  Jhall 
 fee  thy  teachers,  Ifa.  xxx.  20.  Oh  I  how  rich  a  pro- 
 mife  is  that,  Jer.  iii.  15.  /  will  give  you  paflors  ac^ 
 cording  to  my  own  heart ! 
 
 This  promife  is  to  be  prelTed  and  fuited  for  by  ear- 
 ned prayer.  Were  people  much  in  chis  duty,  pa- 
 llors would  find  it,  and  fo  people  themielves  receive 
 back  their  prayers,  with  much  gain,  into  their  own 
 bofom  ;  they  would  have  the  returned  benefit  of  it, 
 
 Vol.  II.  M  m  as 
 
274  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  V* 
 
 I  as  the  vapours  that  go  up  from  below  fall  down  up- 
 I  on  the  earth  again  in  fweet  ihowers,  and  make  it 
 \  fruitful.  Thus,  went  there  many  prayers  up  for  pa- 
 llors, their  dodrine  would  drop  as  rain,  and  dijiil  as 
 dew,  Deut.  xxxi.  2.  and  the  fweet  influence  of  it 
 would  make  fruitful  the  valleys,  humble  hearts  re- 
 ceiving it.  And,  at  this  time,  it  is  very  needful  that 
 the  Lord  be  much  importuned  for  the  continuance 
 and  increafe  of  his  favour  in  this  his  Church:  As 
 they  who  have  power  fhould  be  more  careful  of 
 thofe  due  means,  which  in  fchools  of  learning,  or 
 ofherwife,  are  needful  for  qualifying  men  for  this 
 fervice  ;  fo  all  in  general,  both  people  and  paflors, 
 and  fuch  as  are  offering  themfelves  to  that  fervice, 
 Ihould  chiefly  beg  from  the  higher  academy,  that 
 teaching  abundance  of  that  Spirit  to  thofe  employed 
 in  that  work,  that  might  make  them  able  minijlers  of 
 the  New  Tejlament. 
 
 Oh !  it  is  an  ineflimable  blefling  to  have  the  faving 
 light  of  the  gofpel  fhining  clear  in  the  faithful  and 
 powerful  mi nifl:ry  of  it :  They  thought  fo  who  faid 
 of  their  worthy  teacher,  **  They  had  rather  for  them 
 "  the  fun  fhould  not  fhine,  than  he  fhould  not 
 «  teach*." 
 
 2.  The  perfon  exhorting  :  /,  a  co-prejhyter  ox  feU 
 low-elder  with  you.  The  duty  of  mutual  exhorting 
 lies  on  each  Chriflian  to  another,  though  it  be  little 
 known  amongfl  the  greatefl  part ;  but,  truly,  paflors 
 Ihould  be,  as  in  other  duties,  fo  particularly  in  this, 
 eminent  and  exemplary  in  their  intercourfes  and  con- 
 verfe,  faying  often  one  to  another,  "  Oh  I  let  us  re- 
 **  member  to  what  wx  are  called  ;  to  how  high  and 
 *'  heavy  a  charge  ;  to  what  holinefs  and  diligence  : 
 **  How  great  is  the  hazard  of  our  mifcarriage,  and 
 **  how  great  the  reward  of  our  fidelity  I  "  They 
 Ihould  be  often  whetting  and  iharpening  one  another 
 by  thofe  weighty  and  holy  confiderations. 
 
 And 
 *  S alius  folem  non  lucere^  quam  Chryjojlomum  non  docere-* 
 
VER.  I.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  2,7^ 
 
 And  a  witnefs  of  the  Sufferings  of  Chrijl.  He  did 
 indeed  give  witnefs  to  Chrift,  by  fufFering  for  him 
 the  hatred  and  perfecutions  of  the  world  in  the  pub- 
 lifliing  of  the  gofpel,  and  fo  was  a  witnefs  and  mar- 
 tyr before  the  time  that  he  was  put  to  death.  And 
 this  I  exclude  not ;  but  that  which  is  more  particu- 
 larly here  intended  is,  his  certain  knowledge  of  the 
 fuffe^ings  of  Chrift,  in  his  own  perfon  ;  as  an  eye- 
 witnefs  of  them,  and  upon  that  knowledge  a  publifh- 
 er  of  them,  Luke  xxiv.  48.  And  thus  thefe  two  fiiit 
 with  the  two  motives  urged,  to  bear  home  the  ex- 
 hortation. The  one  couched  in  that,  the  flock  of  God^ 
 ver.  1,  which  he  purchafed  with  thofe  his  fufferings, 
 w^hereof  I  was  an  eye- witnefs.  And  the  other  ot  a 
 crown,  ver.  4.  I  may  fpeak  the  more  confidently  of 
 that,  for  I  am  one  of  thofe  who  have  real  intereft  in 
 it,  and  firm  belief  of  it,  a  partaker  of  the  glory  that 
 Jhall  he  revealed. 
 
 And  thefe  indeed  are  the  things  which  give  weight 
 to  a  man's  words,  make  them  powerful  and  prelling, 
 a  witnefs  of  the  fufferings  of  Chrift,  The  Apoftles  had 
 a  lingular  advantage  in  this,  that  were  auroTrron,  eye- 
 'witneffes  ;  and  St  Paul,  who  wanted  that,  had  it  fup- 
 plied  by  a  vifion  of  Chrift,  in  his  converfion.  But, 
 certainly,  a  fpiritual  view  of  Chrift  crucified  is  gene- 
 rally (I  will  not  fay  abfolutely)  neceflary  to  make  a 
 minifter  of  Chrift,  but  certainly  very  requifite  for  the 
 due  w^itnefiing  of  him,  and  difplaying  the  excellency 
 and  virtue  of  his  fufierings ;  fo  to  preach  the  gofpel 
 that  there  needs  no  other  crucifix  ^,  after  fo  clear  and 
 lively  a  way  as  that ;  it  may  in  fome  meafure  fuit 
 the  Apoftle's  word.  Gal.  iii.  1.  Before  whofe  eyes 
 Jefus  Chrijl  hath  been  evidently  fet  forth  crucified  among 
 you. 
 
 Men  commonly  read  and  hear,  and  may  poflibly 
 preach,  of  the  fufferings  of  Chrift  as  a  common  ftory, 
 and  that  way  it  may  a  little  move  a  man,  and  wring 
 
 tears 
 
 *  Alluding  to  the  cuftom  of  many  Popilh  preachers,  to  carry 
 "^  little  crvicifix  into  the  pulpit  with  them. 
 
%jG  *  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAF.  V9 
 
 tears  from  his  eyes  ;  but  faith  hath  another  kind  of 
 light  of  them,  and  fo  works  other  kind  of  affedions, 
 and  without  that,  the  very  eye-light  of  them  availed 
 the  Apoilles  nothing  :  For  how  many  faw  him  fuf- 
 fer  as  they  did,  who  reviled,  or  at  leaft  defpifed  him? 
 But  by  the  eye  of  faith  to  fee  the  only  begotten  Son 
 of  God,  asjlricken  a?7d  fmitten  qf  God,  bearing  our  f ar- 
 rows, and  wounded  far  our  tranfgrejjion,  Jefus  Chrifi: 
 the  righteous,  reckoned  amongft  the  unrighteous  and 
 malefaclors  ;  to  fee  him  ftripped  naked,  and  fcourged, 
 and  buffetted,  and  nailed,  and  dying,  and  all  for  us  ; 
 this  is  the  thing  that  will  bind  upon  us  moft  ftronglv 
 all  the  duties  of  Chriflianity,  and  of  our  particular 
 calling?,  and  beft  enable  us,  according  to  our  callings, 
 to  bind  them  upon  others.  But  our  ilender  view  of 
 thefe  things  makes  light  fenfe,  and  that,  cold  incite- 
 ments to  anCvverable  duty  ;  certainly  deep  impreffion 
 would  caufe  lively  expreffion. 
 
 Would  we  willingly  ftir  up  our  own  hearts,  and 
 one  another,  to  holy  diligence  in  our  ftation,  fludy 
 Chrift  as  futfering  and  dying  more  thoroughly  :  That 
 is  the  very  life  of  the  gofpel  and  of  our  fouls  ;  it  is 
 all  we  have  to  learn,  and  all  we  have  to  teach  and 
 prefs  on  you,  1  deter fiiined  to.  know  nothing  among  you 
 fave  Jefus  Chriji  and  him  crucified ^  i  Cor.  ii.  1,  Ta 
 make  ChriiVs  crofs  the  fum  of  all  my  learning. 
 
 The  other  motive  is^  that  he  was  2i  partaker  of  the 
 glory  to  he  revealed.  As  a  witnefs  of  thofe  fufferings, 
 io  a  partaker  of  the  glory  purchafed  by  thefe  fuffer- 
 ings  ;  and  therefore,  as  one  infighted  and  interefted 
 in  what  he  fpeaks,  the  Apoftle  might  fitly  fpeak  of 
 that  pecviliar  duty  which  thefe  fufferings  and  glory  do 
 peculiarly  pe^'fuade.  This  is  the  only  way  of  fpeak- 
 ing  of  thofe  things,  not  as  a  difcourfer  or  contempla^ 
 tive  iludent,  but  a  partaker.  There  is  another  force 
 of  a  pallor's  exhortation  either  to  his  people  or  hits 
 brethren,  who  brings  his  meffage  written  upon  his 
 Qwn  heart ;  fpeaks  of  the  guilt  of  fin,  and  fufferings 
 of  Chrift  for  it,  as  particularly  feeling  his  o.wn  guilt, 
 
 anc| 
 
VER.  I.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  S^J 
 
 and  looking  on  thefe  fufferings  as  taking  it  away ; 
 fpeaks  of  free  grace,  as  one  who  either  hath  drunkea 
 of  the  refrefhing  flreams  of  it,  or  at  leaft  is  earneftly 
 thirfting  after  it ;  of  the  love  of  Chrift,  from  a  heart 
 kindled  with  it ;  of  the  glory  to  come,  as  one  who 
 looks  to  be  a  iharer  in  it,  and  longs  earneftly  for  it,  as 
 one  who  hath  all  his  joy  and  content  laid  up  in  the 
 hopes  of  it. 
 
 And  thus  with  refped  to  Chriftians  converfing 
 with  each  other  in  their  mutual  exhortings  and  com- 
 fortings,  all  is  cold  and  dead  that  flows  not  from  fome 
 inward  perfuafion  and  experimental  knowledge  of 
 divine  things ;  but  that  gives  an  edge  and  a  fweetnefs 
 to  Chriftian  conference.  To  be  fpeaking  of  Jefus 
 Chrift,  not  only  as  a  King  and  as  a  Redeemer,  but 
 their  King  and  their  Redeemer,  in  David's  ftyle,  My  1 
 Kiti^  and  my  God^  Pfal.  Ixviii.  24.;  and  of  his  fuflfer- 
 ings  as  theirs,  applied  by  faith,  and  acquiting  them, 
 in  St  Paul's  ftyle,  Ga!.  ii.  20.  Who  loved  me,  and  gave  , 
 himfelffor  vie.  To  fpeak  of  the  glory  to  come  as  their 
 inheritance,  of  which  they  zxe  partakers,  their  home, 
 as  ftrangers  meeting  together  abroad,  in  fome  foreign 
 pountry,  delighting  to  fpeak  of  their  own  land*,  and 
 their  parentage,  their  friends,  and  their  rich  patrir 
 mony,  there  abiding  them  :  And  this  ought  to  be  the 
 entertainment  of  Chriftians  when  they  meet.  Away  . 
 with  trifling  vain  difcourfes,  caufe  all  to  give  place  to 
 thefe  refreftiing  remembrances  of  our  home.  Were 
 our  hearts  much  on  that  rich  inheritance  above,  it 
 would  be  impoffible  to  refrain  our  tongues,  and  to 
 pafs  on  fo  fiient  concerning  it,  to  find  matter  of  emp- 
 ty pratings,  and  be  pleafed  with  them,  and  to  have 
 no  relifh  of  this.  Whither  go  your  hearts  ?  They 
 are  out  of  their  way,  and  abafe  themfelves,  that  turn 
 fo  much  downwards,  and  are  not  more  above  the  fun  ; 
 eying  ftill  that  blefled  land  where  our  pu^chafed  in- 
 heritance lies. 
 
 Oh! 
 
 *  Peregrinis  in  ierris  nulla  ajl  jucundior  vecot:datiQ  quamjudb 
 ^iifitqtiss     -^^g-  i^  P^^l*  C3dv. 
 
a7S    '  A    COMMENTARY   UPON  [cHAP.  V, 
 
 Oh  !  feek  after  more  clear  knowledge  of  this  glory, 
 and  of  your  intereft  in  it,  that  your  hearts  may  re- 
 joice in  the  remembrance  of  it,  that  it  be  not  to  you 
 as  the  defcription  of  a  pleafant  land,  which  men  read 
 of  in  hiftory,  and  have  no  portion  in.  They  like  it 
 well,  and  are  pleafed  with  it  while  they  read,  be  it 
 but  fome  imagined  country  or  commonwealth  finely 
 fancied.  But  know  this  country  of  yours  to  be  real, 
 and  no  device  ;  and  feek  to  know  yourfelves  to  be 
 partakers  of  it. 
 
 This  confidence  depends  not  upon  a  lingular  re- 
 velation, but  on  the  power  of  faith,  and  the  light  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  which  clears  to  his  children  the 
 things  that  he  hath  freely  given  them,  though  fome  of 
 them,  at  fometimes,  yea  fome,  it  may  be,  all  or  mod 
 of  their  time,  do  want  it :  God  fo  difpoiing  it,  they 
 fcarce  clearly  fee  their  right,  till  they  be  in  polTeffion  ; 
 fee  not  their  heaven  and  home,  till  they  arrive  at  it, 
 or  are  hard  upon  it.  Yet,  truly,  this  we  may  and 
 ought  to  feek  after  in  humility  and  fubmiffion,  that 
 we  may  have  the  pledge  and  earneji  of  our  inheritance^ 
 Eph,  i.  14.  ;  not  fo  much  for  the  comfort  within  us, 
 though  that  is  allowed,  as  that  it  may  wean  our  hearts 
 from  things  below  ;  may  raife  us  to  higher  and  clofer 
 communion  with  God,  and  enable  us  more  for  his 
 fervice,  and  excite  us  more  to  his  praifes,  even  here. 
 What  were  a  Ghriftian  without  the  hope  of  this  glory, 
 as  one  faid,  l^olle  religionem,  et  nulliis  erisy  Take  away 
 religion,  and  you  take  aivay  the  man.  And,  having 
 this  hope,  what  are  all  things  here  to  him  ?  how  poor 
 ^nd  defpicable  the  better  and  worfe  of  this  life,  and 
 this  life  itfelf !  how  glad  is  he  that  it  will  quickly 
 end  !  and  what  were  the  length  of  it  to  him,  but  a 
 long  continuance  of  his  banifhment,  a  long  detain- 
 ment from  his  home  I  and  how  fweet  is  the  raelTage 
 that  is  fent  for  him  to  come  home  I 
 
 Juftly  it  is  called,  The  glory  that  is  to  he  revealed. 
 |t  is  hid  for  prefent,  wholly  unknown  to  the  children 
 ^f  this  world,  and  even  but  little  known  to  the  chil- 
 dren 
 
VER.  I.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  ^79 
 
 dren  of  God,  who  are  heirs  of  it.  Yea,  they  who 
 know  .YiGmftlYGs  partakers  of  it,  yet  know  not  mucl| 
 what  It  is ;  only  this,  that  it  is  above  all  they  know 
 or  can  imagine.  They  may  fee  things  which  make 
 a  great  fhew  here ;  they  may  hear  of  more  than  they 
 fee  ;  they  may  think  or  imagine  more  than  either 
 they  hear  or  fee,  or  can  diftinclly  conceive  of;  but 
 ftill  they  muft  think  of  this  glory  as  beyond  it  ail. 
 Do  I  fee  pompous  (hews,  or  read  or  hear  of  them  ? 
 yet  this  1  fay  of  them,  Thefe  are  not  as  my  inheri- 
 tance :  Oh  I  it  is  far  beyond  them.  Yea,  does  my  mind 
 imagine  things  far  beyond  them,  golden  mountains 
 and  marble  palaces  ?  Yet  thofe  fall  fhort  of  my  inhe- 
 ritance, for  it  is  fuch  as  eye  hath  notfeen^  nor  ear  heard^ 
 nor  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive^ 
 I  Cor.  ii.  9.  Oh  !  the  brightnefs  of  that  glory  when 
 it  Jhall  he  revealed  !  How  (hall  they  be  aftonifhed  who 
 fhall  fee  it,  and  not  partake  of  it  I  How  fhall  they  be 
 filled  with  everlafting  joy,  who  are  heirs  of  it  !  Were 
 the  heart  much  upon  the  thoughts  of  that  glory,  what 
 thing  is  there  in  this  perilhmg  world,  which  could 
 either  lift  it  up  or  call  it  down  ? 
 
 Ver.  2.  Feed  the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you, 
 taking  the  overjight  thereof  not  hy  conflrainty  hut 
 willingly  ;  not  for  filthy  lucre,  hut  of  a  ready  mind; 
 
 3.  Neither  as  being  lords  over  God*s  heritage,  hut 
 being  enfamples  to  the  flock  : 
 
 4.  And  when  the  Chief  Shepherd  Jhall  appear,  ye  Jhall 
 receive  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away, 
 
 IN  thefe  words  we  have,  i.  The  duty  enjoined. 
 Feed  the  flock  of  God  isjhich  is  among  you,  taking 
 the  overfight  of  it.  2.  The  due  qualifications  of  their 
 duty  negatively,  not  by  conftraint,  for  filthy  lucre^ 
 as  lording  it  over  God's  heritage,  but  willingly,  of  a 
 ready  mind,  and  as  being  erfamples  to  the  floe L  3. 
 The  high  advantage  to  be  expedted,  an  unfading 
 crown  of  glory,  when  the  Chief  Shepherd  Jhall  appear, 
 
 MkB 
 
a86  A  COMMENTARY  UPOM  fcilAl^.  f^ 
 
 I.  Tht  duty  Gujointd,  Feed  the  Jlock  of  God:  Every 
 Itep  of  the  way  of  our  falvation  hath  on  it  the  print 
 of  infinite  majefty,  wifdom  and  goodnefs ;  and  this 
 amongft  the  reit^  that  men,  finful  weak  men,  are 
 made  fubfervient  in  that  great  work  of  bringing 
 Chrill  and  fouls  to  meet ;  that  by  the  fooliJJmefs  of 
 preachings  (or  what  appears  fo  to  carnal  wifdom),, 
 the  chofen  of  God  are  called,  and  come  unto  Jefus, 
 and  are  made  wfe  unto  falvation ;  and  that  the  life 
 which  is  conveyed  to  them  by  the  word  of  life  in 
 the  hands  of  poor  men,  is  by  the  fame  means  pre- 
 ferved  and  advanced.  And  this  is  the  Handing  work 
 of  the  miniilry,  and  this  the  thing  here  bound  upon 
 them  that  are  employed  in  it,  to  feed  the  flock  of 
 God  that  is  among  them,  Jefus  Chrill  defcended  to 
 purchafe  a  Church,  and  afcended  to  provide  and  fur- 
 nifli  it,  to  fend  down  his  Spirit:  He  afcended  and  gave 
 ^f/rj,  particularly ybr  the  work  of  the  miniflry  ;  and 
 the  great  ufe  of  them  is  this,  to  feed  the  flock  of 
 God, 
 
 Not  to  fay  any  more  of  this  ufual  refemblance  of 
 a  flock,  im.porting  the  weaknefs  and  tendernefs  of 
 the  Church,  the  continual  need  Ihe  ftands  in  of  in- 
 fpedion,  and  guidance,  and  defence,  and  the  tender 
 care  of  the  Chief  Shepherd  for  thefe  things  ;  the 
 phrafe  enforces  the  prefent  duty  of  fubordinate  pa- 
 llors, their  care  and  diligence  in  feeding  of  that 
 flock.  The  due  rule  of  difcipline  not  excluded,  the 
 main  part  of  feeding  is  by  dodrine,  leading  them  in- 
 to the  wholefome  and  green  paflures  of  faving  truths 
 revealed  in  the  gofpel,  accommodating  the  way  of 
 teaching  to  their  condition  and  capacity  ;  to  be^  as 
 much  as  may  be,  particularly  acquainted  with  it, 
 and  fuit  diligently  and  prudently  their  dodtrine  to  it; 
 to  feed  the  Jheeps  thofe  more  advanced;  to  feed  the 
 lamhs^  the  younger  and  weaker  ;  to  have  fpecial  care 
 of  the  infirm  5  to  learn  of  their  Mafter,  the  great  Shep- 
 herd, to  hind  up  that  "which  is  broken,  and  flrengthen 
 that  which  is  flek,  Ezek.  xxxiv.  i6»  thofe  that   are 
 
 broken 
 
V£R.  2,  3,  4.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  28f 
 
 broken  in  fpirit,  that  are  exercifed  with  temptations, 
 and  gently  to  lead  thofe  that  are  with  young,  Ifa.  xl. 
 II.  in  .whom  the  inward  work  of  grace  is  as  iYi  the 
 conception,  and  they  heavy  and  weak  with  the 
 weight  of  it,  and  the  many  difficulties  and  doubtings 
 which  are  frequent  companions  and  fymptoms  of 
 that  work.  Oh  I  what  dexterity  and  ikilfulnels,  what 
 diligence,  and,  above  all,  what  affedion,  and  bowels 
 of  compaflion,  are  needful  for  this  taik  I  Who  is  fuffi- 
 cient  for  thefe  things  P  2  Cor.  ii.  16.;  who  would  not 
 faint  and  give  over  in  it,  were  not  our  Lord  the 
 Chief  Shepherd ;  were  not  all  our  fufficiency  laid  up 
 in  his  rich  fulnefs,  and  all  our  infafficiency  covered 
 in  his  gracious  acceptance  ? 
 
 Inf  I.  This  is  the  thing  we  have  to  eye  and  ftudy, 
 to  fct  Him  before  us,  and  to  apply  ourfelves  in  His 
 ftrength  to  his  work.  Not  to  feek  to  ^/^o/^,  but  to 
 feed ;  not  to  delight  the  ears,  but  to  feed  the  fouls, 
 of  his  people  ;  to  fee  that  the  food  be  according  to 
 his  appointment  ;  not  empty  or  fubtile  notions,  not 
 light- affeded  expreffions,  but  wholefome  truths,  folid 
 food,  fpiritual  things,  fpiritually  conceived  and  utter- 
 ed, with  holy  underftanding  and  affection. 
 
 And  to  conlider  this,  wherein  lies  a  very  preffing 
 motive,  it  is  the  flock  of  God,  not  our  own,  to  ufe 
 as  we  pleafe,  but  committed  to  our  cuftody  by  him, 
 who  loves  highly  and  prizes  his  flock,  and  will  re- 
 quire an  account  of  us  concerning  it.  It  is  his 
 bought,  his  purchafed,  flock,  and  at  fo  dear  a  rate, 
 as  the  Apoftle  St  Paul  ufes  this  fame  coniideration, 
 in  the  fame  argument.  Ads  xx.  28,  The  flock  of 
 God  that  he  hath  bought  with  his  own  blood.  How 
 rcafonable  is  it  that  we  beftovv  our  fl:rength  and  life 
 on  that  flock,  which  our  Lord  laid  down  his  life 
 for ;  that  we  be  mod  ready  to  draw  out  our  fpirits  for 
 them,  for  whom  he  let  out  his  blood  ?  Had  /,  fays 
 that  holy  man  *,  fome  of  that  blood  poured  forth  on 
 the  crofs,  how  carefully  would  I  carry  it  j  and,  ought 
 
 Vol.  IL  N  n  / 
 
 "^  Bern*  Advent,  Serm.  3, 
 
1^2  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  T. 
 
 /  not  to  be  as  careful  of  thofe  fouls  that  it  wasjhed 
 for  !  Oh  !  that  price  which  was  paid  for  fouls,  which 
 he  who  was  no  fooli(h  merchant,  but  wifdom  itfelf, 
 gave  for  them  !  Were  that  price  more  in  our  eyes, 
 and  more  in  yours,  nothing  would  fo  much  take 
 either  you  or  us,  as  the  matter  of  our  fouls.  In  this 
 would  our  delires  and  endeavours  meet,  we  to  ufe, 
 and  you  to  improve,  the  means  of  faving  your  pre- 
 cious fouls. 
 
 Inf  a.  This  mainly  concerns  us  indeed,  who  have 
 charge  of  many,  efpecialy  finding  the  right  cure  of 
 one  foul  within  us  fo  hard  :  But  you  are  concerned 
 in  it  each  for  one  :  At  leaft  remember  this  is  the  end 
 of  the  miniflry,  that  you,,  may  be  brought  unto 
 Chrjft,  that  you  may  be  led  to  the  fweet  pallures 
 and  pleafant  llreams  of  the  gofpel ;  that  you  may  be 
 fpirituaily  fed,  and  may  grow  in  that  heavenly  life, 
 which  is  here  begun  in  all  thofe  in  whom  it  fhall 
 hereafter  be  perfeded. 
 
 And  as  we  ought  in  preaching,  fo  you  in  hearing, 
 to  propound  this  end  to  yourfelves,  that  you  may  be 
 fpirituaily  refreflied,  and  walk  in  the  llrength  of  that 
 divine  iiourifhment.  Is  this  your  purpofe  when  you 
 come  hither  ?  Inquire  of  your  own  hearts,  and  fee 
 what  you  feek,  and  what  you  find,  in  the  public  ordi- 
 nances of  God's  houfe.  Certainly  the  moft  do  not 
 fo  much  as  think  on  the  due  intendment  of  them, 
 aim  at  no  end,  and  therefore  can  attain  none  ;  feek 
 nothing,  but  fit  out  their  hour,  afleep  or  awake,  as 
 it  may  happen,  or,  poflibly,  fome  feek  to  be  delighted 
 for  the  time,  as  the  Lord  tells  the  Prophet,  to  hear^ 
 as  il  were,  a  pleafant  fon^,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  32. ;  if  the 
 gifts  and  ft  rain  of  the  fpeaker  be  any  thing  pleaiing. 
 Or,  it  may  be,  they  want  to  gain  fome  new  notions,  to 
 add  fome  what  to  their  ftock  of  knowledge,  either  that 
 they  may  be  enabled  for  difcourfe,  or,  fimply,  that 
 they  may  know.  Some,  it  may  be,  go  a  little  further  ; 
 they  itke  to  be  ftirred  and  moved  for  the  time,  and 
 to  have  fome  touch  of  good  affedion  kindled  in 
 
 them  ; 
 
VER.  2,  3,  4.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTI^E  OF  PETER.        283 
 
 them  ;  but  this  lafts  but /or  a  while,  till  their  other 
 thoughts  and  affairs  get  in,  and  Imother  and  quench 
 it ;  they  are  not  careful  to  blo\v  it  up  and  improve  it. 
 How  many,  when  they  have  been  a  little  affedled 
 with  the  word,  go  out  and  fall  into  other  difcouries 
 and  thoughts,  and  either  take  in  their  affairs  fecretly, 
 as  it  were,  under  their  cloak,  and  ^heir  hearts  keep  a 
 conference  with  them  ;  or  if  they  forbear  this,  yet,  as 
 foon  as  they  go  out,  plunge  themfelves  over  head  and 
 cars  in  the  world,  and  lofe  all  which  might  have  any 
 way  advantaged  their  fpiritual  condition.  It  may  be, 
 one  will  fay.  It  was  a  good  fermon  ;  is  that  to  the  pur- 
 pofe  ?  But  what  think  you  it  hath  for  your  praife  or 
 difpraife  ?  Inftead  of  faying,  "  Oh  I  how  well  was 
 "  .t;^at  fpoken  I  you  ihould  fay.  Oh  I  how  hard  is 
 **  repentance  I  how  fweet  a  thing  is  faith  I  how  ex- 
 "  cellent  the  love  of  Jefus  Chrift  I"  That  were  your 
 bed  and  moft  real  commendation  of  the  fermon,  with 
 true  benefit  to  yourfelves. 
 
 If  fome  of  you  be  careful  of  repeating,  yet  reft  not 
 on  that  ;  if  you  be  able  to  fpeak  of  it  afterwards  upon 
 occafion,  there  is  fomewhat  requiiite  befide  and  be- 
 yond this,  to  evidence  that  you  are  indeed  fed  by  the 
 word,  as  the  flock  of  God.  As  when  fheep,  you  know, 
 or  other  creatures,  are  nourifhed  by  their  pafture, 
 the  food  they  have  eaten  appears  not  in  the  fame 
 fafhion  upon  them  ;  not  in  grafs,  but  in  growth  of 
 flefh  and  fleece  ;  thus  the  word  would  truly  appear 
 to  feed  you,  not  by  the  bare  difcouriing  of  the  -word 
 over  agaifi,  but  by  the  temper  of  your  fpirits  and 
 adlions  ;  if  in  them  you  really  grow  more  fpiritual ; 
 if  humility,  felf-denial,  charity  and  hoii-nefs,  are  in- 
 creafed  in  you  by  it.  Otherwife,  whatfoever  liieral 
 knowledge  you  attain,  it  avails  you  nothing,  though 
 you  heard  many  fermon s  every  day,  and  attained 
 further  light  by  them,  and  carried  a  plaulible  pro- 
 fefliion  of  religion  ;  yet,  unlefs  by  the  gofpel  you  be 
 transformed  into  the  likenefs  of  Chrift,  and  grace  be 
 
 indeed 
 
^84  A  COMMENTARY  UPONT  [cHAP.  V. 
 
 indeed  growing  in  you,  you  are  but,  as  one  fays  of 
 the  cyprefs  trees,  fair  and  tall,  but  fruitlefs*. 
 
 Are  you  not  grieved  and  afraid,  or  may  not  many 
 of  you  be  fo,  who  have  lived  many  years  under  a 
 fruitful  minillry,  and  yet  are  as  earthly  and  felfilh,  as 
 unacquainted  with  God,  and  his  ways,  as  at  the  firft? 
 Conlider  this,  that  as  the  negledl  of  fouls  will  lie 
 heavy  on  unholy  or  negligent  miniilers,  fo  a  great 
 many  fouls  are  ruining  themfelves  under  fome  mea- 
 fure  of  fit  means ;  and  fo  the  flighting  of  thofe  means 
 will  make  their  condition  far  heavier  than  that  of 
 many  others  ;  remember  our  Saviour's  word,  Mat.  xi. ; 
 Wo  to  thee,  Chorazin  I  Wo  unto  thee,  Bethfaida !  It 
 Jhall  he  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  in  the  day 
 of  judgment  than  for  you* 
 
 11.  The  difcharge  of  this  high  taflc  we  have  here 
 duly  qualified  :  the  Apoftle  exprefles  the  upright  way 
 of  it,  both  negatively  and  politively. 
 
 I.  Negatively.  There  be  three  evils  the  Apoftle 
 would  remove  from  this  work,  conflrainednefs^  co* 
 *vetoufnefs,  and  amhiiion  ;  and  the  pofitive  qualifica- 
 tions oppofed  to  them,  which  I  fhall  confider  with 
 them,  are  willingnefs,  a  ready  mind,  and  an  exempla- 
 ry temper  and  behaviour,  i.  We  are  cautioned  againft 
 conjirainedriefs,  fAvt  avayx«r<yf,  either  driven  to  the  work 
 by  neceflity,  indigence,  and  want  of  other  means  of 
 fubfifttence  ;  as  it  is  with  too  many,  making  a  trade 
 of  it  to  live  by,  and  fetting  to  it  as  to  any  other  call- 
 ing for  that  end  ;  yea,  making  it  the  refuge  and  for- 
 lorn refource  of  their  infufficiency  for  other  callings. 
 And  as  men  are  not  to  undertake  the  work,  driven  to 
 it  by  that  hard  weapon  of  neceflity,  fo,  being  engaged 
 in  it,  they  are  not  to  difcharge  the  duties  of  it  merely 
 upon  neceflity,  becaiife  of  fines  binding  to  it,  and  for 
 fear  of  cenfure ;  this  is  a  violent  forced  motion,  and 
 cannot  but  be  both  very  unpleafant  and  unprofitable, 
 as  to  the  proper  end  and  profiting  of  this  work.  And 
 ns  the  principle  of  the  motion  in  this  fervice  Ihould 
 
 not 
 
VER.  2,  3,  4.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  285 
 
 not  be  a  compelling  neceffity  of  any  kind,  but  true 
 willingnefs  of  heart ; 
 
 So,  idly.  This  willingnefs  fhould  not  arife  from 
 any  other  but  pure  affedtion  to  the  work,  uoi  for  filthy 
 gain,  but  purely  from  the  inward  bent  of  the  mind. 
 As  it  fhould  not  be  a  compuKive  or  violent  motion  by 
 neceffity  from  without,  fo  it  fhould  not  be  an  artifi- 
 cial motion  by  weights  of  avarice,  and  love  of  gain, 
 hung  on  within.  The  former  motive,  neceffity,  makes 
 the  mind  like  a  wheel,  that  is  driven  or  drawn  for- 
 cibly ;  the  latter,  avarice,  makes  it  like  a  clock,  which 
 is  kept  going  by  art,  and  by  weights  hung  to  it. 
 But  there  fhould  be  a  natural  motion,  as  that  of  the 
 heavens  in  their  courfe  ;  a  willing  obedience  to  the 
 Spirit  of  God  within,  moving  a  man  in  every  part  of 
 this  holy  work  ;  that  is,  wgo&ujtAWf,  his  mind  carried  to 
 it  as  the  thing  he  delights  in,  and  in  which  he  loves 
 to  be  exercifed^.  There  may  be  in  a  faithful  paftor 
 very  great  reludlancies  in  engaging  and  adhering  to 
 the  work,  upon  a  fenfe  of  the  excellency  of  it,  and 
 his  unfitnefs,  and  the  deep  apprehenfion  of  thofe 
 high  interefts,  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  falvation 
 of  fouls;  and  yet  he  enters  into  it,  and  continues  in 
 it,  with  this  readinefs  of  mind  too,  that  is,  with  mofl 
 fingle  and  earnell  defires  of  doing  all  he  can  for 
 God,  and  the  flock  of  God ;  only  grieved  that  there  is 
 in  him  fo  little  fuitablenefs  of  heart,  fo  little  holinefs 
 and  acquaintance  vi^ith  God,  for  enabling  him  to  it. 
 But  finding  that,  he  is  fatisfied,  and,  in  attendance 
 upon  that,  goes  on,  and  waits,  and  is  doing  according 
 to  his  little  ikill  and  flrength,  and  cannot  leave  it. 
 He  is  conflrained  indeed,  but  all  the  conftraint  is  that 
 of  love  to  Jefus,  2  Cor.  v.  14. ;  and  for  his  fake  to  the 
 fouls  he  hath  bought ;  and  all  the  gain  fought  is  to 
 gain  fouls  to  Chrift,  which  is  far  diffepent  from  the 
 conflraint  and  the  gain  here  prohibited  ;  yea,  is  in- 
 deed that  very  willingnefs  and  readinefs   of  mind 
 
 which 
 
 f  Timothy  careth  yvno-iwj,  not  artificially,  but  naturally.  Phil, 
 ii.  20. 
 
a86  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  IT. 
 
 which  is  oppofed  to  that  other  conftraint;  that  is 
 without,  this  is  within  ;  that  other  gain  is  bafe  fihhy 
 gain,  at^foxff^w;,  this  noble  and  divine. 
 
 Lif,  1.  Tar  be  it  from  us,  that  necelfity  and  con- 
 ftraint fnould  be  the  thing  that  moves  us  in  fo  holy  a 
 work.  The  Lord  whom  we  ferve,  fees  into  the 
 heart ;  and  if  he  find  not  that  primely  moving,  ac- 
 counts all  our  diligence  nothing.  And  let  not  bafe 
 earth  within  be  the  caufe  of  our  willingnefs,  but  a 
 mind  touched  with  heaven.  It  is  true,  the  tempta- 
 tions of  earth  with  us,  in  matter  of  gain,  are  not  great ; 
 but  yet  the  heart  may  cleave  to  them,  as  much  as  if 
 they  were  much  greater  ;  and  if  it  do  cleave  to  them, 
 they  ihall  ruin  us,  as  well  a  poor  (tipend  and  glebe, 
 if  the  afFedion  be  upon  them,  as  a  great  deanry  or 
 biihopric.  If  a  man  fall  into  it,  he  may  drown  in  a 
 fmall  brook,  being  under  water,  as  well  as  in  the 
 great  ocean.  Oh  I  the  little  time  that  remains,  let 
 us  join  our  deilres  and  endeavours  in  this  work,  bend 
 our  united  ftrength  to  ferve  him,  that  we  may  have 
 joy  in  that  day  of  reckoning. 
 
 And,  indeed,  there  is  nothing  moves  us  aright,  nor 
 {hall  we  ever  find  comfort  in  this  fervice,  unlefs  it 
 be  from  a  cheerful  inward  readinefs  of  viind^  and  that 
 from  the  h've  of  ChriJL  Thus  faid  he  to  bis  Apollle, 
 Loveji  thou  me  P  then  feed  inyjheep,  and  feed  my  Iambs, 
 John  xxi.  Love  to  Chrifl:  begets  love  to  his  peoples 
 fouls,  that  are  fo  precious  to  him,  and  a  care  of  feed- 
 ing them  :  He  devolves  the  working  of  love  towards 
 him  upon  his  flock  for  their  good  ;  puts  them  in  his 
 room,  to  receive  the  benefit  of  our  fervices,  which 
 cannot  reach  him  confldered  in  himfeU  ;  he  can  re- 
 ceive no  other  profit  from  it.  Love,  much  love,  gives 
 much  unwearied  care,  and  much  Ikill  in  this  charge. 
 How  fweet  is  it  to  him  that  loves,  to  beftow  himfelf, 
 to  fpe?id  and  befpent^  upon  His  fervice  whom  he  loves. 
 Jacob,  in  the  fame  kind  of  fervice,  endured  all  that 
 was  impofed  on  him,  and  found  it  light  by  reafon  of 
 love,  the  cold  of  the  nights,  and  heat  of  the  days ; 
 
VER.  2,  3,  4.]      THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  187 
 
 feven  years  he  ferved  for  his  Rachel,  and  they  feemed 
 to  him  hut  a  few  days^  becaiife  he  loved  her.  Gen. 
 xxix.  20. 
 
 Love  is  the  great  endowment  of  a  fhepherd  of 
 Chrill's  flock.  He  fays  not  to  Peter,  Art  thou  wife, 
 or  learned,  or  eloquent  j  but,  Lovejt  thou  me?  Then 
 feed  my  fieep. 
 
 The  third  evil  is  ambition,  and  that  is  either  in 
 the  afFeding  of  undue  authority  ;  or  the  overtrained 
 and  tyrannical  exercife  of  due  authority  ;  or  to  feek 
 thofe  dignities  that  fuit  not  with  this  charge,  which 
 is  not  doviinium  bat  minijlerium.  This  temper,  there* 
 fore,  is  forbidden  in  Luke  xxii.  25,  26.  The  kings 
 of  the  gentiles  exercife  lor djhip  over  them,  hut  ye  Jhall 
 not  be  fo.  There  is  a  minitierial  authority  to  be  ufed 
 in  difcipline,  and  more  Iharpnefs  with  fonie  than 
 others;  but  ilill  lowlinefs  and  moderation  mufl  be 
 predominant,  and  not  domineering  with  rigour  ; 
 rather  being  examples  to  them  in  all  holinefs,  and 
 efpecially  in  humility  and  meeknefs,  wherein  our 
 Lord  Jefus  particularly  propounds  his  own  example. 
 Learn  of  me ^  fur  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of  heart. 
 
 Being  enfamples^  rvTrot.]  Such  a  pattern  as  they 
 may  {lamp  and  print  their  fpirits  and  carnage  by ; 
 2LndLhQ  followers  of  you^  as  you  are  of  Chrifl,  And 
 without  this,  there  is  little  or  no  fruitful  teaching. 
 Well  fays  Nazianzen,  Either  teach  not,  or  teach  by 
 living.  So  the  Apofile  exhorteth  Timothy  to  be  an 
 example  in  word,  but  withal  in  converfation^  i  Tim, 
 iv.  12.  that  is  tutt^,  the  beft  printed  copy. 
 
 But  this  pares  off,  will  fome  think,  all  encourage- 
 ments of  learning.  No  advantage,  no  refpecl,  nor 
 authority.  Oh  !  no,  it  removes  poor  worthlefs  en- 
 couragements out  of  the  way,  to  make  place  for  one 
 great  one,  that  is  fufficient,  which  all  the  other  to- 
 gether are  not.     That  is, 
 
 IIL  The  high  advantage  to  be  expeded  :  A  crown 
 hf  glory  which  fadeth  not  aijvay,  to  be  received  when 
 the  chief  Shepherd  Jhall  appear.     Thou  (halt  lofe  no- 
 thing 
 
l88  A  COMMENTARY    UPON  fcHAP.  V. 
 
 thing  by  all  that  reftraint  from  bafe  gain,  and  vain 
 glory,  and  worldly  power.  No  matter,  let  them  all 
 go  for  a  crown^  that  weighs  them  all  down,  that  (hall 
 abide  for  ever.  Oh  I  how  far  more  excellent  I  A 
 crown  of  glory,  pure  unmixed  glory,  without  any  in- 
 grediency  of  pride  or  linful  vanity,  or  any  danger  of 
 it.  And  a  crown  that  fadeth  not,  wpa^ailt^op,  of  fuch  a 
 flower  as  withers  not ;  not  a  temporary  garland  of 
 fading  flowers,  fuch  as  all  here  are,  Wo  to  the  crown 
 of  pride,  Ifa.  xxviii.  i.  Though  it  be  made  of  flowers 
 growing  in  a  fat  valley,  yet  their  glorious  beauty  is 
 a  fading  flower  ;  but  this  will  remain  frefli  and  in 
 perfect  luftre  to  all  eternity.  May  th^y  not  well 
 trample  on  bafe  gain,  and  vain  applaufe,  who  have 
 this  crown  to  look  to  ?  They  that  will  be  content 
 with  thofe,  let  them  be  doing  ;  but  they  have  their 
 reward,  and  it  is  done  and  gone,  when  faithful  fol- 
 lowers are  to  receive  theirs.  Joys  of  royal  pomp, 
 marriages  and  feafts,  how  foon  do  they  vanifh  as  a 
 dream  ?  That  of  Ahafuerus  lafted  about  half  a  year, 
 but  then  ended  ;  and  how  many  fince  that  are  gone 
 and  forgot !  But  this  day  begins  a  triumph  and  a 
 feaft,  that  fhall  never  either  end  or  weary,  affording 
 flill  frefh,  ever  new  delights.  All  things  here,  the 
 choicefl:  pleafures,  cloy,  but  fatisfy  not.  Thofe  above 
 fhall  always  fatisfy  and  never  cloy.  When  the  chief 
 Shepherd  Jhall  appear,  and  that  (hall  Ihortly  be,  this 
 moment  will  ihortly  be  out. 
 
 What  is  to  be  refufed  in  the  way  to  this  crown  .'^ 
 all  labour  is  fweet  for  it.  And  what  is  there  here 
 to  be  defired  to  fl:ay  your  hearts,  that  we  fliould  not 
 moft  willingly  let  go,  to  reflfrom  our  labours  and  re- 
 ceive  our  crown  ?  Was  ever  any  king  Ikd  to  think 
 that  the  day  of  his  coronation  drew  nigh  ?  There 
 vj^ill  be  no  envy,  nor  jealoufies,  but  all  kings,  each 
 with  his  crown,  and  each  rejoicing  in  the  glory  of 
 another  \  and  all  in  his,  who  that  day  (hall  be  all  in 
 all 
 
 Ver. 
 
VJER.  5.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  289 
 
 Ver.  5.  Likewife  ye  younger,  fuhmit  y our f elves  unto 
 the  elder  ;  yea^  all  of  you  he  fuhjeci  one  to  another, 
 and  be  clothed  with  humility :  for  God  rejijieth  the 
 proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble. 
 
 SIN  hath  difordered  all;  fo  that  nothing  is  to  be 
 found  but  diftemper  and  crookednefs  in  the  con- 
 dition and  ways  of  men  towards  God,  and  towards 
 one  another,  till  a  new  Spirit  come  in  and  redify  all : 
 And  very  much  of  that  redrefs  lies  in  this  particu- 
 lar grace  of  humility,  here  recommended  by  the 
 Apoftle. 
 
 That  regulates  the  carriage,  i.Of  the  younger  to- 
 wards  the  ^Ider,  2,  Of  all  men  one  to  another,  3.  To- 
 wards God. 
 
 jji,  He  enjoins  the  younger  to  he  fubjeB  to  the  elder. 
 Which  I  take  fo  to  refer  to  difference  of  years,  that 
 it  hath  fome  afpedl  likewife  to  the  relation  of  thofe 
 that  are  under  the  difcipline  and  government  of  the 
 slders,  TT^icQuTB^i  ;  who,  though  not  always  fuch  in 
 years,  ought  however  to  fuit  that  name  in  exemplary 
 gravity  and  wifdom.  It  is  no  feigniory,  but  a  mini- 
 Ifry ;  yet  there  is  a  facred  authority  in  it,  when 
 rightly  carried,  which  both  duly  challenges,  and  ef- 
 fedually  commands,  that  refpedl  and  obedience  which 
 is  fit  for  the  right  order  and  government  of  the  houfe 
 of  God, 
 
 The  Spirit  of  Chrift  in  his  miniflers  is  the  thing 
 that  makes  them  truly  elders,  and  truly  worthy  of 
 double  honour  ;  and  without  that,  men  may  hunt  rcf- 
 pedl  and  credit  by  other  parts  ;  and  the  more  they 
 follow  it,  the  fafter  it  flies  from  them  ;  or  if  they 
 catch  any  thing  of  it,  they  only  grafp  a  fliadow. 
 
 Infer,  Learn^  you,  my  brethren,  that  obedience 
 which  is  due  to  the  difcipline  of  God's  houfe.  This 
 is  all  we  plead  for  in  this  point.  And  know,  if  you 
 refufe  it,  and  defpife  the  ordinance  of  God,  he  will 
 refent  the  indignity  as  done  to  him.  And  Oh  I  that 
 all  who  have  that  charge  of  his  houfe  upon  them, 
 
 Vol.  II.  O  0  would 
 
:^90  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 would  mind  his  intereft  wholly,  and  not  rife  in  con- 
 ceit of  their  power,  but  wholly  employ  and  improve 
 it  for  their  Lord  and  Mafter,  and  look  on  no  refpedl 
 to  themfelves,  as  for  its  own  fake  delirable,  but  only 
 fo  far  as  is  needful  for  the  profitable  difcharge  and 
 advancement  of  his  work  in  their  hands  !  What  are 
 human  differences  and  regards,  how  empty  a  vapour? 
 And  whatfoever  it  is,  nothing  is  lod  by  lingle  and 
 entire  love  of  our  Lord's  glory,  and  total  aiming  at 
 that :  Them  that  honour  him  be  will  honour  ;  and  thoje 
 that  defpife  hi7n,JJjall  be  defpifed,  i  Sam.  ii.  30. 
 
 But  though  this  {likeivije^  implies,  1  conceive, 
 fomewhat  relative  to  the  former  fubjed,  yet  certain- 
 ly its  full  fcope  is  more  extenlive,  and  directs  us, 
 touching  the  difference  of  years,  to  yield  xht  fuhjec^ 
 tionf  that  is,  the  refpedl  and  reverence,  which  is  due 
 from  younger  to  elder  perfons. 
 
 The  prefumption  and  unbridlednefs  of  youth  re- 
 quires the  preffing  and  binding  on  of  this  rule  :  And 
 it  is  of  undeniable  equity,  even  written  in  nature, 
 due  to  aged  perfons.  But,  doubtlefs,  thofe  reap  this 
 due  fruit  in  that  feafon  the  moll,  who  have  ripened 
 it  mod  by  the  influence  of  their  grave  and  holy  car- 
 riage. The  hoary  head  is  indeed  ti  crown  j  but 
 when  ?  vjhen  foimd  in  the  way  of  right eoujnefs^  Prov. 
 xvi.  31.  There  it  fhines,  and  hath  a  kind  of  royalty 
 over  youth  ;  otherwife  a  graceleis  oid  age,  is  a  moll 
 defpicable  and  lamentable  light.  What  gains  an 
 unholy  old  man  or  woman,  by  their  Icorcs  of  ycari>, 
 but  the  more  fcores  of  guiltinefs  and  mifery  ?  And 
 their  white  hairs  fpeak  nothing  but  ripenefs  for 
 wrath.  Oh  !  to  he  as  a  tree  planted  in  the  houfe  of 
 the  Lord,  bringing  forth  fruit  in  old  age^  PfaJ.  xcii.  12, 
 13.  Much  experience  iw  the  ways  of  God,  and 
 much  difdain  of  the  world,  and  much  defire  of  the 
 love  of  God,  a  heavenly  temper  of  mind  and  frame  of 
 life;  this  is  the  advantage  of  many  years.  But  to  have 
 feen  and  felt  the  more  milery,  and  heaped  up  the 
 more  fin,  the  greatefl  bundle  of  it  againfl  the  day  of 
 
 wrath  ^ 
 
VER.  5.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  2gt 
 
 wrath,  a  woful  treafure  of  it,  threefcore,  or  three/core 
 and  ten^ymrs  a  gathering,  and  with  fo  much  increafe 
 every  day  ;  no  vacancy,  no  dead  years,  no,  not  a  daj 
 wherein  it  was  not  growing  I  How  deplorable  a 
 caie  I 
 
 A  fad  refledion  to  look  back,  what  have  I  done  for' 
 God  ?  and  to  lind  notiiing,  but  fuch  a  world  of  fin 
 committed  againft  him  I  How  much  better  he  that 
 gets  home  betimes  in  his  youth,  if  once  delivered 
 hom  (in  and  death,  at  one  with  God,  and  fome  way 
 ferviceable  to  him,  or  deliring  to  be  fo,  and  hath  a 
 quick  voyage,  having  lived  much  in  a  little  time. 
 
 2.  The  precept  alfo  regulates  the  carriage  of  all 
 men  to  each  other  :  All  of  you  be  fuhjed;  one  to  ano^ 
 ther.  This  yet  further  dilates  the  duty,  makes  it 
 univerfally  mutual,  one  fubjecl  to  another.  This 
 diredly  turns  about  the  vain  contcft  of  men,  that 
 arifes  from  the  natural  mifchief  of  felf-love  ;  every 
 one  would  carry  it,  and  be  bcft  and  higheft.  The 
 very  company  of  Chnil,  and  his  exemplary  lowlinefs, 
 and  the  meannefs  of  himfeif  and  thofe  his  followers, 
 all  thefe  did  not  bar  out  this  frothy  foolifh  quetlion, 
 IVhopoald  begreatejl;  and  it  was  ^o  far  difputed,  that 
 it  occafioned  a  heat  about  it,  a  Jirife  amongjl  them, 
 Luke  xxii/24.  Now,  this  rule  is  jufl  oppoiite,  each 
 drive  to  be  lo w til y/uhjcci  one  to  afiotber. 
 
 This  doth  not  annul  either  civil  or  church  govern- 
 ment, nor  thofe  differences  that  are  grounded  upon 
 the  law  of  nature,  or  of  civil  iociety  ;  for  we  fee  im- 
 mediately before,  that  fuch  differences  are  allowed^ 
 and  the  particular  duties  of  them  recommended  ; 
 but  it  only  requires  that  all  due  relpeiSi:,  according  to 
 their  iiation,  be  given  by  each  Chriftian  to  another  ;^ 
 and  though  there  cannot  be  fuch  a  fubjedion  of 
 mailers  or  parents  to  their  fervants  and  children,  as 
 is  due  to  them  from  thefe,  yet  a  lowly  meek  carrying 
 of  their  authority,  a  tender  refpedl  of  their  youth, 
 receiving  of  an  admonition  from  them  duly  qualified* 
 is  that  which  fuits  with  the  rule.     And,  in  general^ 
 
 not 
 
apa  A  eoMMENTAkY  UPON  [chap.  V, 
 
 not  delighting  in  the  traaipling  on,  or  abuling  of 
 any,  but  rather  feeking  the  credit  and  good  efteera 
 of  all  as  our  own,  taking  notice  of  that  good  in  them,, 
 wherein  they  are  beyond  us  ^  for  all  have  fonie  ad- 
 vaniage,  and  none  hath  all.  And,  in  a  word,  and  it 
 is  that  of  St  Paui,  like  this  of  our  Apollle  here^ 
 Rom*  xii.  lo.  ///  honour  prefer rin^q  one  another^  q.  d. 
 Let  this  be  all  the  ftrife,  who  fhall  put  moft  refpedl 
 each  on  another,  according  to  the  capacity  and  fta- 
 tion  of  each  one  \  in  giving  honour^  go  each  one  before: 
 another  *. 
 
 Now,  that  fuch  carriage  may  be  fincere,  no  empty 
 compliment,  or  court  holy  water,  (as  they  fpeak),  but 
 a  part  of  the  folid  holintfs  of  a  Chriftian  ;  the  Aportle 
 requires  the  true  principle  of  fuch  deportment,  the 
 grace  of  humility.  That  a  Chriftian  put  on  that^  not 
 the  appearance  of  it,  to  ad:  in  as  a  ftage-garment,  but 
 the  truth  of  it,  as  their  conftant  habit,  Be  ye  clot  bed 
 with  humility.  It  mull  appear  in  your  outward  car- 
 riage ;  fo  the  refemblance  of  clothing  imports ;  but 
 let  it  appear,  as  really  it  is,  fo   the  very  name  of  it 
 
 imports.      It  is  not  ro(,'mivo<p!x.no(,,    but    TaTrnvo^^oau^ij,    not 
 a  JJjew  of  humility,  but  heart  lowlinefs,  humility  of 
 mind. 
 
 As  it  is  the  bent  of  humility  to  hide  other  graces, 
 fo  far  as  piety  to  God,  and  our  brethren  will  permit, 
 fo  it  would  willingly  hide  itfelf;.  loves  not  to  appear 
 but  as  neceffity  urges  :  Appear  it  muft,-  and  doth 
 fomewhat  more  appear  than  many  other  graces  do, 
 though  it  feeks  not  to  appear.  It  is  feen  as  a  modeil 
 man  or  w^oman's  apparel,  which  they  wear  not  for 
 that  end  that  it  may  be  feen,  and  do  not  gaudily 
 fliiunt  and  delight  in  dreffing  ;  though  there  is  a  de- 
 cency as  w^ell  as  neceffity,  which  they  do  and  may 
 have  refpedt  to,  yet  that  in  fo  neat  and  unafFeded  a. 
 way,  that  they  are  a  good  example  even  in  that 
 point.     Thus  humility  in  carriage  and   words  is  as- 
 
 the 
 
V^R.  5.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  293 
 
 the   decorum  of  this  clothing,  but  the  main   is  the 
 real  ufefulnefs  of  it. 
 
 And  therefore,  a  truly  humble  man  defires  not 
 much  to  appear  humble  ;  yea,  were  it  not  for  dif- 
 cdifying  his  brethren,  he  would  rather  difguife  and 
 hide  not  only  other  things  by  humility,  but  even  hu- 
 mility itfelf ;  and  would  be  content,  upon  miitake  of 
 fome  words  or  geftures,  to  pafs  for  proud  and  vain, 
 being  humble  within,  rather  than  to  be  big  in  his 
 own  eyes,  under  a  femblance  of  outward  lowlinefs  : 
 Yea,  were  it  not  that  charit_f  and  piety  do  both  for- 
 bid it,  he  would  not  care  to  do  fome  things  on  pur- 
 pofe  that  might  leem  arrogant,  to  carry  humility  un- 
 fQtn,  that  doth  fo  naturally  delight  in  covering  of 
 ail  graces,  and  is  forry  that  it  cannot  do  fa  without 
 being  ftQn  itfelf,  as  that  garment  that  covers  the  reft 
 mufl:  of  neceihty  be  feen  itfelf.  But  feeing  it  muft 
 be  fo,  it  is  with  the  lead  fliew  that  may  be,  as  a  dark 
 veil  caft  about  rich  attire  hides  their  fhew,  and 
 makes  very  little  itfelf. 
 
 This  therefore  is  mainly  to  be  ftudied,  that  the 
 feat  of  humility  be  the  hsart.  Although  it  will  be 
 feen  in  the  carriage,  yet  as  little  as  it  can  ;  as  few 
 words  as  may  be  concerning  itfelf  5  "and  thofe  it  doth 
 fpeak  nmft  be  the  real  thoughts  of  the  mind,  and  not 
 an  afteded  voice  of  it  ciiifering  from  the  inw^ard 
 fenfe  ;  otherwife  humble  fpeech  and  carriage  only  put 
 on  without,  and  not  failcned  in  the  infide,  is  the  mod 
 refined  and  fubtile,  and  indeed  the  molt  dangerous 
 kind  of  pride.  And  this  1  would  recommend  as  a 
 fafe  way  :  Ever  let  thy  thoughts  concerning  thyfelf 
 be  below  what  thou  uttereft ;  and  what  thou  feed 
 needful  or  fitting  to  fay  to  thy  own  abafemunt,  be 
 not  only  content  (which  mod  are  not)  to  be  taken  at 
 thy  word,  and  believed  to  be  fach  by  them  that  hear 
 thee,  but  be  defirous  of  it ;  and  let  that  be  tliC  end 
 of  thy  fpeech,  to  perfuade  them,  and  gain  it  of  them, 
 that  they  really  take  thee  for  as  worthlefs  and  meua 
 fis  chou  doft  exureis  thyfelf. 
 
 Inf. 
 
^94  ^   COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.  V, 
 
 Inf.  I.  But  how  little  are  we  acquainted  with  the 
 real  frame  of  Chriftianity  ?  the  moft  living  without 
 a  rule,  not  laying  it  to  their  words  and  ways  at  all, 
 nor  yielding  fo  much  as  a  feeming  obedience  to  the 
 gofpel ;  others  take  up  a  kind  of  profellion,  and  think 
 all  confifts  in  fome  religious  performances,  and  do 
 not  ftudy  the  inward  referve  of  their  heart-evils,  nor 
 labour  to  have  that  temple  purged  ;  for  the  heart 
 fhould  be  a  temple,  and  it  itands  in  much  need  of 
 fweeping  out  the  filthinefs,  and  putting  out  idols. 
 Some  there  be,  who  are  much  bufied  about  the  mat- 
 ter of  their  aflurance,  ftill  upon  that  point,  which  is 
 lawful  indeed,  and  laudable  to  inquire  after,  yet  not 
 fo  as  to  negledl  other  things  more  needful.  It  v;ere 
 certainly  better  for  many,  when  they  find  no  ilfue 
 that  way,  to  turn  fomewhat  of  their  diligence  to  the 
 ftudy  of  Chriftian  graces  and  duties  in  their  ftation, 
 and  to  talk  themfelves  for  a  time,  were  it  to  the  more 
 fpecial  feeking,  firft  of  fome  one  grace  and  then  of 
 another,  as  meeknefs  and  patience,  and  this  particu- 
 larly of  humility.  To  be  truly  heart  humble,  many 
 men  defpife  it  in  others,  but  fome  that  will  commend 
 it  m  the  general,  or  in  fome  of  thofe  in  whom  they 
 behold  it,  yet  feek  not  to  put  it  on  themfelves  :  They 
 love  to  be  more  gay,  and  to  feem  to  be  fomebody, 
 and  will  not  abafe  themfelves.  It  is  the  way,  fay 
 they,  to  be  undone  :  This  clothing  is  too  poor  a  fluff, 
 and  of  too  fad  a  colour  for  them.  Oh  I  my  brethren, 
 you  know  not  the  excellency  of  it,  ye  look  out  at  a 
 diftance,  and  judge  according  to  your  light  vain 
 minds :  But  will  you  fee  it  by  the  light  of  the  word, 
 and  then  you  iliall  perceive  much  hidden  richnefs 
 and  comelinefs  in  it :  and  do  not  only  approve  it, 
 and  ca?il  it  comely  on  others,  but  put  it  on,  and  fo  it 
 is  mod  comely.  And  as  it  is  with  refpedl  to  all  gra^ 
 ces.  fo  particularly  this  clothing  of  humility,  though 
 it  make  leaft  fliew,  yet  come  near,  and  you  will  fee  it 
 both  rich  and  comely  ;  and  though  it  hides  other 
 graces,  yet  when  they  do  appear  under  it,  as  fome- 
 times  they  will,  a  little  glance  of   them   fo,  makes 
 
 the 
 
VER.  5.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  295 
 
 them  much  more'efteemed.  Rebecca's  beauty  and 
 her  jewels  were  covered  with  a  veil :  but  when  they 
 did  appear,  the  veil  fet  them  off,  and  commended 
 them,  though  at  a  diftance  it  hid  them. 
 
 2.  In  all,  fo  particularly  in  this  grace,  take  heed 
 of  a  difguile  or  counterfeit  of  it ;  Oh  I  Sincerity  is 
 all  ill  all,  and  particularly  in  this,  only  be  low  in 
 thine  own  eyes,  and  willing  to  be  fo  in  the  eyes  of 
 others  ;  that  is  the  very  upright  nature  of  this  heart 
 humility. 
 
 1.  Not  deluded  with  falfe  conceit  of  advantages 
 thou  had  not.  2.  Not  fwelled  with  a  vain  conceit 
 of  thofe  thou  really  haft,  3.  Not  affedling  to  be 
 efteemed  by  others,  either  upon  their  imagining  thee 
 to  have  fome  good  that  is  not  in  thee,  or  difcerning 
 that  which  is.  Is  not  the  day  at  hand,  when  men 
 will  be  taken  off  their  falfe  heights  they  Hand  on, 
 and  fet  on  their  own  feet;  and  when  all  the  efteem 
 of  others  (hall  vanifti  and  pafs  away  like  fmoke,  and 
 thou  fliait  be  juft  what  God  finds  and  accounts  thee, 
 and  neither  more  nor  lefs  ?  Oh  I  the  remembrance 
 of  that  day,  when  a  true  eftimate  will  be  made  of  all : 
 This  would  make  men  hang  lefs  upon  the  unftable 
 conceits  and  opinions  of  one  another,  knowing  our 
 judgment  and  day  (hall  fhortly  end.  Be  it  little  or 
 much  thou  haft,  the  lov.^er  and  clofer  thou  carrieft 
 it  under  this  cloak,  the  fafer  ftiall  it  and  thou  be,  the 
 more  fliall  it  increafe  ;  and  thou  fiialt  be  the  liker 
 Him  in  whom  allfuhiefs  dwells  ;  in  this  he  hath  moft 
 exprefsy  fet  himfelf  before  us  as  our  pattern  ;  and 
 one  fays  well,  '*  Sure  man  might  now  be  conftrained 
 **  to  be  proud,  for  whom  God  himfelf  became  hum- 
 «*  ble." 
 
 Now,  to  work  the  heart  to  a  humble  pofture, 
 I.  Look  into  thyfelf  in  earneft  ;  and,  truly,  whofot  ver 
 thou  be  that  haft  the  higheft  conceit  of  thyfelf,  and 
 the  higheft  caufes  of  it,  a  real  fight  of  thylelf  will  lay 
 thy  creft.  Men  look  on  any  good,  or  fancy  of  it,  in 
 ^hemfelves  with  both  eyes,  and  Ikip  over,  as  unplea- 
 
 fant^ 
 
HgS  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  "[cHAP.  V. 
 
 fant,  their  real  defeds  and  deformities.  Every  maa 
 is  n^ituraiiy  his  own  flatterer  ;  otberwife  flatteries,  and 
 falfe  cryings  up  from  others,  would  make  little  ira- 
 predion  ;  hut  hence  their  fucctfs,  they  meet  with 
 the  fame  conceit  within  But  will  any  man  fee  his 
 ignorance,  and  lay  what  he  knows  not,  over  againft 
 what  he  knows ;  the  diforders  in  his  heart  and  af- 
 fections, over  againft  any  right  motion  in  them  ;  his 
 fecret  follies  and  tins,  againft  his  outwardly  blamelefs 
 cairiage;  and  this  man  (liall  not  readily  love  and 
 embrace  hjmfelf ;  yea,  it  fnall  be  impolfible  for  him 
 not  to  abafe  nvA  abhor  himfelf.  2.  Look  on  the 
 good  in  others,  and  the  evil  in  thyfelf.  Make  that 
 the  parallel,  and  then  thou  v/ilt  walk  humbly.  Mofl 
 amen  do  juil  the  contrary,  and  that  foolifh  and  unjuil 
 comparifon  puffs  them  up.  3.  Thou  art  not  requir- 
 ed to  be  ignorant  of  that  good,  which  really  is  fo  in- 
 deed :  But  beware  of  imagining  that  to  be  good 
 which  is  not;  yea,  rather  let  fomething  that  is  truly 
 good  pafs  thy  view,  and  fee  it  within  rather  than 
 beyond  its  tru«  fize.  And  then,  whatloever  it  be,  fee 
 it  not  as  thine  own,  but  God's,  his  free  gift ;  and  fo 
 the  more  thou  hafl,  looking  on  it  in  that  view,  thou 
 wilt  certainly  be  the  more  humble,  as  having  the 
 more  obligations :  the  v/eight  of  them  will  prefs 
 thee  down,  and  lay  thee  flill  lower  ;  as  you  fee  it  in 
 Abraham,  the  clear  viiions  and  promifes  he  had, 
 made  him  fall  down  flat  to  the  ground.  Gen.  xv.  12. 
 4.  Pray  much  for  the  fpint  of  humility,  the  Spirit 
 of  Chrifl: ;  for  that  is  it ;  otherwife  all  thy  vilenefs 
 will  not  humble  thee.  When  men  hear  of  this  or 
 other  graces,  and  how  reafonable  they  are,  they  think 
 prefently  to  have  them,  and  do  not  coniider  the  na- 
 tural ennvity  and  rebellion  of  their  own  hearts,  and 
 the  neceility  of  receiving  them  from  heaven  ;  and 
 therefore,  in  the  ufe  of  all  other  means,  be  moil 
 dependent  on  that  influence,  and  mofl;  in  that 
 mean  which  opens  the  heart  mofl:  to  thar  influence, 
 and  draws  it  down  upon  the  heart,  and  that  is  prayer. 
 
 Of 
 
V^R.  5.3  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  297 
 
 Of  all  the  evils  of  our  corrupt  nature, -^th'ere  is 
 none  more  connatural  and  univerlal  than  pride ;  the 
 grand  wickcdnefs,  felf-exalting  in  our  own  and  others 
 opinion.  Though  I  will  not  conteft  what  wa!t  the 
 iirft  Hep  in  that  complicated  firft  fin,  yet  certainly 
 this  of  pride  was  one,  and  a  main  ingredient  in  it ; 
 that  which  the  unbelief  conceived  going  before,  and 
 the  difobedience  following  after,  were  both  fervants 
 to  ;  and  ever  fince  it  fticks  ftill  deep  in  our  nature. 
 So  that  St  Auguftine  fays  truly,  **  That  which  firft 
 **  overcame  man,  is  the  laft  thing  he  overcomes." 
 Some  fins,  comparatively,  may  die  before  us,  but  this 
 hath  life  in  it,  feniibly,  as  long  as  we.  It  is  as  the. 
 heart  of  all,  the  firft  living,  and  the  laft  dyi'.g  ;  and 
 hath  this  advantage,  that,  whereas  other  fiub  are  fo- 
 mented by  one  another,  this  feeds  even  on  virtues 
 and  graces,  as  a  moth  that  breeds  in  them,  and  con- 
 fumes  them ;  ev^n  in  the  fineft  of  them,  if  it  be  not 
 carefully  looked  to.  This  hydra,  as  one  head  of  it 
 is  cut  oft^  another  rifes  up  :  It  will  fecretiy  cleave  to 
 the  beft  adlions,  and  prey  upon  them :  And  there- 
 fore is  there  lb  much  need  that  we  continually  watch 
 and  fight,  and  pray  againft  it ;  and  be  reftlefs  in  the 
 purfuit  of  real  and  deep  humiliation,  daily  feeking  to 
 advance  further  in  it ;  to  be  nothing,  and  defire  to 
 be  nothing;  not  only  to  bear,  but  to  love  our  own 
 abafement,  and  the  things  that  procure  and  help  it ; 
 to  take  pleafure  in  them,  fo  far  as  may  be  without 
 fin  ;  yea,  even  of  our  finful  failings,  when  they  are 
 difcovered,  to  love  the  bringing  low  of  ourielves  by 
 them,  while  we  hate,  and  grieve  for  the  fin  of  them. 
 
 And,  above  all,  it  is  neceflary  to  watch  ourfelves  in 
 our  beft  things,  that  (elf  get  not  in  ;  or  if  it  break  in, 
 or  fteal  in  at  any  time,  that  it  be  prefently  found  out 
 and  caft  out  again  ;  to  have  that  eftabliftied  within 
 us,  to  do  all  for  God  ;  to  intend  him  and  his  glory 
 in  all,  and  to  be  willing  to  advance  his  glory,  were 
 it  by  our  own  difgrace  ;  not  to  make  raifing  or  plea- 
 fing  thyfelf  the  rule  of  exercifing  thy  parts  and  gra- 
 
 Vou  II.  P  u  ces, 
 
IqS  a  commentary  upon  [chap,  v^ 
 
 ces,  when  thou  art  called  to  life  and  Kriri^  them 
 forth  ;  but  the  good  of  thy  brethren,  and  in  that  the 
 glory  of  thy  Lord.  Now  this  is  uideed  to  be  levered 
 from  felf,  and  united  to  him,  to  have  Rlf-Jove  turned 
 into  the  love  of  God.  And  this  is  his  ov»'n  work  ;  it 
 is  above  all  other  hands ;  therefore  the  main  combat 
 sgainft  pride,  and  the  conquell:  of  it,  sml  gaining  of 
 humility,  is  certainly  by  prayer.  God  bellows  hini- 
 felf  moil  to  them  that  are  moll  abundant  in  pfayer  ; 
 and  they  to  whom  he  fnews  himfelf  moft^  are  ce;rtain- 
 ly  the  moft  humble. 
 
 Now,  to  ftir  us  up  to  diligence  in  the  Hudy  and 
 exercife  of  this  grace,  take  briefly  a  consideration  or 
 two. 
 
 1.  Look  on  that  above  pointed  at,  the  high  ex- 
 ample of  lowlinefs  fet  before  us  ;  Jefus  Chrill  re- 
 quiring our  particular  care  to  take  this  leiTon  from 
 Jiim.  And  is  it  not  moft  reafonable  ?  He  the  mod 
 fair,  the  moil  excellent  and  complete  of  all  men,  and 
 yet  the  moll  humble  :  He  more  than  ia  man,  and  yet 
 "willingly  became,  in  fome  fort,  lefs  than  a  man,  as  it 
 is  exprefled,  a  worm  and  no  man,  Pfal.  xxii.  6. ;  and 
 when  majelty  itfelf  emptied  itfelf,  and  defcended  fo 
 low,  faall  a  worm  fvveil  and  be  high  conceited  ? 
 
 Then,  confider  it  was  far  us  he  humbled  himfelf, 
 to  expiate  our  pride;  and  therefore  it  is  evidently 
 the  more  juft  that  we  follow  a  pattern  which  is  both 
 fo  great  in  itfelf,  and  doth  fo  nearly  concern  us.  **  O 
 ♦'  humility  I  the  virtue  of  Chrift,  (that  which  he  fo 
 **  peculiarly  efpoufed),  how  doll  thou  confound  the 
 **  vanity  of  our  pride  ?" 
 
 2.  Confider  the  fafety  of  grace  under  this  cloth- 
 ing. It  is  that  which  keeps  it  unexpofed  to  a  thou- 
 land  hazards.  Humility  doth  grace  no  prejudice  in 
 covering  it,  but  indeed  fhelters  it  from  violence  and 
 wrong;  therefore  they  do  juflly  call  it,  confirvatrix 
 rclrtutum,  the  preferver  of  grace  ;  and  one  fays  well, 
 *^  That  he  who  carries  other  graces  without  humility, 
 
 "  carries 
 
VJER.  5.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  2^Cf 
 
 *^  carries  a  precioiis  powder  in  the  wind  without  a 
 *'  .cover." 
 
 3.  .Gonlivler  the  increafe  of  grace  by  it,  and  that 
 is  here  exp/eired  ;  the  perfe<fl  enmity  of  God  againil 
 pridv,  and  his  bounty  towards  humility  y  He  rejijletb 
 the  proud,  and  giveth  '^race  to  the  humble, 
 
 1.  The  enmity  of  God  againft  the  proud,  he  re- 
 Jijletb  them^  a^'Ji'l«<ra■^Tat  ;  heiingles  it  out  for  his  grand 
 e.ntmy^  ^.u'lfets  bhfy'elf  in  battle-array  digdAU^  it,  fo 
 the  wprd  is.  it  breaks  the  ranks  of  men  in  which 
 he  h^atU  fet  ihem,  when  they  are  not  fubjecl,  *o7ro- 
 ^x^(r-:ixiyQi,  as  tlie  word  is  before  ;  vea,  it  not  only 
 breaks  rank,  but  rifcs  up  in  rebellion  againil  God, 
 and  doth  what  it  can  to  dethrone  him  and  ufurp  his 
 .place  :  Therefore  he  orders  his  forces  againil*  it ; 
 and  to  be  fure,  if  God  be  able  to  make  his  party 
 good,  pride  Hi  all  not  ffcape  ruin.  He  will  break  it, 
 and  bring  it  low  ;  for  he  is  let  upon  that  purpofe,  and 
 will  not  Le  diverted.        * 
 
 2    The  bounty  of  God  to  the  humble  ;   But  he gi- 
 
 ,^etb  grace,    ^Fours   it  out   plentifully  upon  humble 
 
 .hearts.     His  fweet  dews  and  fhowers   of  grace  Aide 
 
 .off  the  mountains  of  pride,  and  fail  on  the  low  val- 
 
 lies  of  humble   hearts,    and  make  them  pleafant  and 
 
 fertile,     'i'he  fweiling  heart,  puft  up  \vith  a  fancy  of 
 
 fulneis,  hath  no  room  for  grace,     it  is  lifted  up,   is 
 
 iiot   hollowed   and  fitted   to  receive  and  contain  the 
 
 '    graces  that  defcend  from  above.     And  again,   as  the 
 
 Jiumble  heart  is  moft  capacious,  and,  as  being  emptied 
 
 ^and  hollowed,  can  hokf  moll,  fo  it  is  moil  thankful, 
 
 '    acknowledges  alias  received,  but  the  proud  cries,  ali 
 
 is  his  own.     The   return  of  glory  that   is  due  from 
 
 grace,   comes  molt   freely   and  plentifully   from    an 
 
 .humble  heart :    God  delighrs  to  er-rich  it  with  grace, 
 
 and    it   delights  to  return  him  glory.     The  more  he 
 
 bellows  on  it,  the  more  it  defires  to  honour  him  with 
 
 all ;  and  the  more  it  doth  fo,  the  more  readily  he  be- 
 
 flows  flill  more  upon  it  ;  and  this  is  the  fweet  inter- 
 
 ccurfe  betwixt  God  and  the  humble  foul.     This  is 
 
300  &    COMMENTARY   UFOlN  [CHAP.  V, 
 
 the  noble  ambition  of  humility,  in  refpedl  whereof^ 
 all  the  afpi rings  of  pride  are  low  and  bafe.  When 
 all  is  reckoned,  the  lowlieft  mind  is  truly  the  highell ; 
 and  thefe  two  agree  fo  well,  that  the  more' lowly  it  is, 
 it  is  thus  the  higher  ;  and  the  higher  thus,  it  is  ftill 
 the  more  lowly. 
 
 Oh !  my  brethren^  want  of  this  is  a  great  caufe  of 
 all  our  wants.  Whv  fhould  our  God  beftow  on  us, 
 what  we  would  bellow  on  our  idbl-lelf ;  or  if  not  to 
 idolize  thyfelf,  yet  to  idolize  the  thing,  the  gift  that 
 grace  bellowed,  to  fetch  thy  believing  and  comforts 
 from  that,  which  is  to  put  it  in  his  place  that  gave, 
 and  to  make  Baal  of  ?V,  as  fome  would  render  Hofeah 
 ii.  8.*.  Now  he  will  not  furnilh  thee  thus  to  his  own 
 prejudice  therein  ;  feek  therefore  to  have  thine  heart 
 on  a  high  dcfign,  feeking  grace  ftill,  not  to  reft  in  any 
 gift,  nor  to  grow  vain  and  regardlefs  of  him  upon  it. 
 If  we  had  but  this  fixed  with  us;  "  What  gift  or 
 "  grace  I  feek,  what  corAfort  I  feek,  it  (hall  be  no 
 "  fooner  mine,  but  it  ftiall  be  all  thine  again,  and 
 **  myfelf  with  it.  I  defire  nothing  from  thee  but 
 "  that  it  may  come  back  to  thee,  and  draw  me  with 
 "  it  unto  thee.  This  is  all  my  end,  and  all  my  de- 
 **  fire  :"  The  requeft  thus  prefented  would  not  come' 
 back  fo  often  unanfwered. 
 
 This  is  the  only  way  to  grow  quickly  rich  ;  come 
 ftill  poor  to  him  that  hath  enough  ever  to  enrich 
 thee,  and  defire  of  his  riches  not  for  thyfelf,  but  for 
 him.  Mind  entirely  his  glory  in  all  thou  haft  and 
 feekeft  to  have.  What  thou  haft,  ufe  fo,  and  what 
 thou  wanteft,  vow  that  thou  wilt  ufe  it  fo  ;  let  it  be 
 his  in  thy  purpofe,  even  before  it  be  thine  in  pofiTef- 
 fion,  as  Hannah  did  in  her  fuit  for  a  fon,  i  Sam.  i,  ii. 
 and  thou  ftiak  obtain  as  ftie  did;  and  then,  as  flie 
 was,  be  thou  faithful  in  the  performance  :   Him  whom 
 
 I 
 
 *  The  words  h^^j?  WV  which  we  render,  which  they  pre^ 
 pared  for  Baal,  may,  as  the  margin  notes,  be  tranflated,  w^^r*?- 
 Ifiith  they  made  Baal. 
 
YER.  5.3  THE  riRST  EPISTLE  OF  PSTIfR.  ^OX 
 
 I  received  (fays  (he,  ver.  27,  28.)  by  petition,  I  have 
 returned  to  the  Lord, 
 
 It  is  undoubtedly  the  fecret  pride  and  felfifhnefs 
 of  our  hearts  that  obftruds  much  of  the  bounty  of 
 God's  hand  in  the  meafure  of  our  graces,  and  the 
 fweet  embraces  of  his  love,  which  we  (hould  other- 
 wife  find.  The  more  that  we  let  go  of  ourfelves,  ftill 
 the  more  fhould  we  receive  of  himfclf.  Oh,  foolifh 
 we,  that  refufe  fo  blefled  an  exchange  I 
 
 To  this  humility,  as  in  thefe  words  it  is  taken  in 
 the  notion  of  our  inward  thoughts  touching  ourfelves^ 
 and  our  carriage  in  relation  to  others,  the  Apoftle 
 joins  the  other  humility,  in  relation  to  God  ;  being 
 indeed  the  different  adlings  of  one  and  the  fame 
 grace,  and  infeparably  coniiedled  each  with  the  other^ 
 which  we  are  next  to  conlider. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Humble  your f elves,  therefore^  under  the  mighty 
 hand  of  God,  that  he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time. 
 
 THIS  is  preft  by  a  reafon,  both  of  equity  and  ne- 
 ceffity,  in  that  word,  the  mighty  hand  of  God> 
 He  is  Sovereign  Lord  of  all,  and  all  things  do  obei- 
 fance  to  him  ;  therefore  it  is  juft  that  you  his  peopk, 
 profeffing  loyalty  and  obedience  to  him,  be  moil  fub- 
 miffive  and  humble  in  your  fubjedion  to  him  in  all 
 things.  Again  the  neceffity,  his  mighty  hand  :  There 
 is  no  driving  ;  it  is  a  vain  thing  to  flinch  and  ilrugglej, 
 for  he  doth  what  he  will ;  and  his  hand  is  fo  mighty, 
 that  the  greateft  power  of  the  creature  is  nothing  to 
 it.  Yea,  it  is  all  indeed  derived  from  him,  and  there- 
 fore cannot  do  any  whit  againft  him  ;  if  thou  wilt 
 not  yield,  thou  muft  yield  ;  if  thou  wilt  not  be  led, 
 thou  (halt  be  pulled  and  drawn  \  therefore  fubmiilion 
 is  your  only  eourfe. 
 
 The  third  reafon  by  which  humility  is  prelTed,  is 
 that  of  utility  or  certain  advantage,  as  there  is  no- 
 thing to  be  gained,  yea,  rather  as  you  are  certainly 
 i:uiued  by  reludanc^,   fo  this  bumble  fubmiilion  is 
 
 the 
 
302  A  COMMENTARY  UPON      .  [CKAr.  t* 
 
 the  only  way  to  gain,  if  gain  be  the  point  you  aim 
 at.  What  would  you  have  under  any  afflidlion,  but 
 be  delivered,  and  raifed  up ;  thus  alone  you  attain 
 that,  humble  yourfihes,  and  he  Jhall  raife  you  up  in 
 due  time. 
 
 This  is  the  end  why  he  humbles  you,  lays  weights 
 upon  you,  that  you  may  be  deprelTed.  Now,  when 
 it  is  gained,  that  you  arc  willingly  fo,  then  the 
 weights  are  taken  off,  and  you  are  lifted  up  by  his 
 gracious  hand.  Otherwife,  it  is  not  enough,  that  he 
 hath  humbled  you  by  his  hand,  unlefs  you  humble 
 your/elves  ^nder  his  hand.  Many  have  had  great  and 
 many  preiTures,  one  afflidion  after  another,  and  been 
 humbled,  and  yet  not  made  humble,  as  they  com- 
 monly expiefs  the  difference :  Humbled  by  force  in 
 regard  of  their  outward  condition,  but  not  humbled 
 in  their  inward  temper  ;  and  therefore,  as  foon  as  the 
 weight  is  off,  like  heaps  of  wool,  they  rile  up  again, 
 and  grow  as  big  as  they  were. 
 
 If  we  would  coniider  this  in  our  particular  trials, 
 and  aim  at  this  deportment,  it  were  our  wifdom. 
 Are  they  not  mad,  that,  under  any  ftroke,  quarrel  or 
 llruggle  againft  God?  What  gain  your  children  thus 
 at  your  hands,  but  more  blows  ?  Nor  is  this  only  an 
 unfeemly  and  unhappy  way,  openly  to  relilt  and 
 11; rive,  but  even  fecretly  to  fret  and  grumble  :  For  he 
 hears  the  leait  whifpering  of  the  heart,  and  looks 
 moil  how  that  behaves  itfelf  under  his  hand.  Oh  ! 
 humble  acceptance  of  his  chaftifemeut,  is  our  duty 
 and  our  peace  ;  that  which  gains  moil  on  the  heart 
 of  our  Father,  and  makes  the  rod  fall  fooneil  out  of 
 his  hand. 
 
 And  not  only  Ihould  we  learn  this,  in  our  outward 
 things,  but  in  our  fpiritual  condition,  as  the  thing 
 the  Lord  is  much  pleafed  with  in  his  children* 
 There  is  a  ftubborrinefs  and  fretting  of  heart  con^ 
 ceining  our  fouls,  that  arifes  from  pride  and  the  un- 
 tamednefs  of  our  nature  ;  and  yet  fome  take  a  plea- 
 f\iX9  is  ^t,  touching-the  matter  of  comfort  andaffu- 
 
 ranee, 
 
ViR.  6.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  3G3 
 
 ranee,  if  it  be  withheld ;  or  which  they  take  more 
 liberty  in,  if  it  be  fand:ification  and  vidlory  over  {in 
 they  feek  ;  and  yet  find  little  or  no  fuccefs.  But  the 
 Lord  holding  them  under  in  thefe,  they  then  vex 
 themfelves,  and  wax  more  difcontented,  and  nothing 
 pleafes  them  ;  as  peevifli  children,  upon  the  refufal 
 of  fomewhat  they  would  have,  take  difpleafure,  and 
 make  no  account  of  the  daily  provifion  made  for 
 them,  and  all  the  other  benefits  they  have  by  the 
 care  and  love  of  their  parents.  This  is  a  folly  verj 
 unbefeeming  the  children  that  are  the  children  of 
 ivifdom,  and  fiiould  walk  as  fuch  :  And  till  they  learn 
 more  humble  refped  for  their  Father's  will,  they 
 are  fiill  the  farther  oflT  from  their  purpofe.  Wei'e 
 they  once  brought  to  fubmit  the  matter,  and  give 
 him  heartily  his  will,  he  would  readily  give  them 
 theirs,  as  far  as  were  for  their  good ;  as  you  fay  to 
 your  children  of  any  thing  they  are  too  fiiffand  ear- 
 ned in,  and  make  a  noife  for,  *'  Cry  not  for  it,  ad^ 
 "  you  Ihall  have  it." 
 
 And  this  is  the  thing  we  obferve  not,  that  tbfe 
 Lord  often  by  his  delays  is  aiming  at  this;  and  were 
 this  done,  we  cannot  think  how  gracioufly  he  would 
 deal  with  us.  His  gracious  defign  is  to  make  much 
 room  for  grace  by  much  humbling  ;  eipecially  in 
 fome  fpirits  that  need  much  trying,  or  w-hen  hb 
 means  much  to  enable  for  fome  fingular  fervice  :  And 
 thus  the  time  is  not  loll,  as  we  are  apt  to  imagine, 
 but  it  furthers  our  end,  while  we  think  the  contrary. 
 It  is  neceflary  time  and  pains  that  is  given  to  the  un- 
 ballalling  of  a  fnip,  calling  out  the  earth  and  fand, 
 when  it  is  to  be  load  en  with  ipices.  We  muft  be 
 ^emptied  more,  if  we  would  have  of  that  fulnefs  and 
 riches  which  we  are  longing  for. 
 
 So  long  as  we  foam  and  chafe  againft  his  w^ay% 
 though  it  be  in  our  belt  fuits,  we  ^re  not  in  a  poRure 
 for  a  favourable  anfwer.  Would  we  wring  things 
 out  of  his  hand  by  fretfulnefb  ?  that  is  not  the  way. 
 JnFo,  but  prefeot  bumble  ftxbmiflive  fuits.     **  Lord, 
 
 **  this 
 
^rQA  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  fcHAP.  ▼• 
 
 *<  this  is  my  delire,  but  thou  art  wife  and  gracious; 
 *<  I  refer  the  matter  to  thy  will  for  the  thing,  and 
 **  for  the  meafure,  and  time,  and  all."  Were  we 
 moulded  to  this  compofure,  then  were  mercy  near. 
 When  he  hath  gained  this,  broke  our  will,  and  ta- 
 med our  ftoutnefs,  then  he  relents  and  pities.  See 
 Ter.  XXX.  17,  18.  Becaufe  they  called  thee  an  outcajl^ 
 6tc.  thus  faith  the  Lord,  behold  I  will  bring  again  the 
 captivity  of  Jacobus  tents y  &tc. 
 
 This  I  would  recommend  in  any  eftate,  the  humble 
 folding  under  the  Lord's  hand,  kilTing  the  rod,  and 
 falling  low.  before  him.  And  this  is  the  way  to  be 
 raifed.  But  one,  perhaps,  may  thmk  he  hath  tried 
 this  a  while,  and  is  ftill  at  the  fame  point,  hath  gain- 
 ed nothing,  and  he  may  therefore  be  ready  to  fall 
 back  to  his  old  repiniiigs :  Let  fuch  a  one  know  his 
 humbling  and  compliance  was  not  upright.  It  was 
 a  fit  of  falfe  conftrained  fubmillion,  and  therefore 
 lafts  not ;  it  was  but  a  tempting  of  God,  inftead  of 
 fubmitting  to  him.  "  Oh!  will  he  have  a  fubmif- 
 **  fion  ?  I  will  try  it,  but  with  this  referve,  that  if 
 **  after  fuch  a  time  1  gain  not  what  1  feck,  I  fhall 
 <*  think  it  is  loft,  and  that  I  have  reafon  to  return  to 
 **  my  difcontent."  Though  the  man  fays  not  thus, 
 yet  this  temper  is  fecretly  under  it.  But  wouldft  thou 
 have  it  right,  it  muft  be  without  condition,  without 
 referve  ;  no  time,  nor  any  thing,  prefcribed  ;  and  then 
 he  will  make  his  word  good,  He  will  raife  thee  up. 
 
 And  that  in  due  time.  Not  thy  fancied  time,  but 
 his  own  wifely  appointed  time.  Thou  thinkeft»  now 
 I  am  finking,  if  he  help  not  now,  it  will  be  too  late ; 
 yet  he  fees  it  otherwife  ;  he  can  let  thee  fink  yet 
 lower,  and  yet  bring  thee  up  again  :  He  doth  but 
 day  till  the  moft  fit  time.  Thou  canft  not  fee  it  yet, 
 but  thou  flialt  fee  it,  that  his  chofen  time  is  abfolute- 
 ly  beft  ;  God  waiteih  to  be  gracious,  Ifa.  xxx.  18. 
 Doth  he  wait,  and  wilt  not  thou  ?  Oh  I  the  firm  be- 
 lief of  his  wifdom,  power  and  goodnefs,  what  dif- 
 ficulty will  it  not  furmount  ?  ^0  then  be  humble 
 
 under 
 
V£R.  6.]  TH£  flRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  305 
 
 under  his  hand;  fubmit  not  only  thy  goods,  thy 
 health,  thy  life,  but  thy  foul.  Seek  and  wait  for  thy 
 pardon  as  a  condemned  rebel,  with  thy  rope  about 
 thy  neck.  Lay  tbyfelf  low  before  him,  (loop  at  his 
 feet,  and  crave  leave  to  look  up,  and  fpeak,  and  fay, 
 **  Lord,  I  am  juftly  under  the  fentence  of  death.  If 
 "  I  fall  under  it,  thou  art  righteous,  and  I  do  here 
 **  acknowledge  it :  But  there  is  deliverance  in  Chrift, 
 "  thither  I  would  have  recourfe  :  yet  if  1  be  beateri 
 **  back,  and  held  out,  and  faith  with-heid  from  me, 
 "  and  I  perifh,  as  it  were,  in  view  of  faivation,  if  I 
 **  fee  the  rock,  and  yet  cannot  come  at  it,  but  drown  ; 
 *'  what  have  1  to  fay  ?  In  this  likewife  thou  art  righ- 
 *'  teous.  Only,  if  k  feem  good  unto  thee  to  iave  the 
 "  vileft,  moil  wretched,  of  finners,  and  fhew  great 
 **  mercy  in  pardoning  fo  great  debts,  the  higher  will 
 **  be  the  glory  of  that  mercy.  However,  here  1  am  re- 
 *'  folved  to  wait,  till  either  thou  gracioully  receive  me, 
 or  abfolutely  rcjedl  me.  If- thou  do  this,  1  have 
 not  a  word  to  fay  againll  it ;  but  becaufe  thou  art 
 gracious,  I  hope,  I  hope,  thou  wilt  yet  have  mercy 
 on  me."  I  dare  fay  that  the  promife  in  the  text 
 belongs  to  fuch  a  foul,  and  itjhallhe  raifed  up  in  due 
 time. 
 
 And  what  though  mod  or  all  of  our  life  fhould 
 pafs  without  much  fenfible  tafte  even  of  fpiritual 
 comforts  ;  a  poor  all  it  is.  Let  us  not  over-efteem 
 this  moment,  and  fo  think  too  much  of  our  better  or 
 worfe  condition  in  it,  either  in  temporals,  yea,  or  in 
 fpirituals,  fuch  as  are  more  arbitrary  and  accelTory  to 
 the  name  of  our  fpiritual  life.  Provided  we  can 
 humbly  wait  for  free  grace,  and  depend  on  the  word 
 of  promife,  we  are  fafe.  If  the  Lord  will  clearly 
 fhinc^oh'us,  and  refrefh  us,  this  is  much  to  be  defired 
 and  prized  ;  but  if  he  fo  think  fit,  what  if  we  fhould 
 be  all  our  days  held  at  a  diftance,  and  under  a  cloud  of 
 wrath  ?  It  is  but  a  moment  in  his  a?iger^  Plal.  xxx.  5. 
 Then  follows  a  lifetime  in  his  favour,  an  endlefs  life- 
 time. It  is  but  weeping,  as  it  there  follows,  for  a 
 Vol.  II.  Q-^c  flight, 
 
306  A  COMMENTARY  V^Ol^  [cHAP.  V* 
 
 n'l^bty  arid  joy  comes  in  the  mornings  that  clearer  morn- 
 ing of  eternity,  to  which  no  evening  fucceeds. 
 
 Ver.  7.  Cajling  all  your  care  upon  bim,  for  he  careth 
 for  you, 
 
 AMONGST  other  fpiritual  fecrets,  this  is  one,  and 
 a  prime  one,  the  combination  of  lowlinefs  and 
 boldnefs,  humble  confidence :  This  is  the  true  temper 
 of  a  child  of  God,  towards  his  great  and  good  Father ; 
 nor  can  any  other  have  it,  but  they  that  are  indeed 
 his  children,  and  have  within  them  that  fpirit  of 
 adoption,  which  he  fends  into  their  hearts.  Gal.  iv.  6. 
 
 And  thefe  two  the  Apoftle  here  joins  together, 
 Humble  your f elves  under  the  hand  of  God,  and  yet  cafl 
 your  care  on  him  ;  upon  that  fame  hand  under  which 
 you  ought  to  humble  yourfelves,  mud  you  withal 
 cafl  over  your  care,  all  your  care,  for  he  caretb  for 
 you. 
 
 Conlider,  i.  The  nature  of  this  confidence,  cafiing 
 all  your  care  on  him,  2.  The  ground  or  warrant  of 
 \t^  for  he  caretb  for  you, 
 
 I.  For  the  nature  of  it,  every  man  hath  fome  de- 
 lires  and  purpofes  that  are  predominant  with  him, 
 belides  thofe  that  relate  to  the  daily  exigencies  of 
 life  with  which  he  is  compafled ;  and  in  both  accord- 
 ing to  their  importance  or  his  efteem,  and  the  dif- 
 ficulties occurring  in  them,  he  is  naturally  carried  to 
 be  proportionally  thoughtful  and  careful  in  them. 
 Now,  the  excefs  and  diftemper  of  this  care  is  one  of 
 the  great  difeafes  and  miferies  of  man's  life.  Moral 
 men,  perceiving  and  refenting  it,  have  been  tamper- 
 ing at  the  cure,  and  prefcribing  after  their  fafhion, 
 but  with  little  fuccefs.  Some  prefent  abatement  and 
 allay  of  the  paroxifm  or  extremity,  their  rules  may 
 reach  ;  but  they  never  go  near  the  bottom,  the  caufe 
 of  the  evil ;  and  therefore  cannot  work  a  thorough 
 found  cure  of  it. 
 
 Something 
 
VER.  7.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  307 
 
 Something  they  have  fpoken,  fomewhat  fitly,  of 
 the  furpaffing  nature's  rule  and  iize  in  the  purfuit  of 
 fuperfluous  needlefs  things ;  but  for  the  unavoidable 
 care  of  things  needful,  they  knew  no  redrefs,  but  re- 
 fer men  entirely  to  their  own  induftry  and  diligence. 
 They  can  tell  how  little  w^ill  ferve  him,  that  feeks 
 no  more  than  what  will  ferve  ;  but  how  to  be  pro- 
 vided of  the  little,  or  to  be  affured  of  it,  and  freed 
 from  troubling  care,  they  cannot  tell.  • 
 
 Now,  truly,  it  were  a  great  point  to  be  well  in- 
 flrudled   in  the  former ;  and   it  is  necelTary  for  the 
 due  practice  of  this  rule  here  given,  touching  neceU 
 fary  cares,  firfl  to  cut  off  cares  unneceiTary,   to   re- 
 trench all  extravagant  fuperfluous  defires.     For,  cer- 
 tainly, a  great  part  of  the  troubling  cares  of  men  re- 
 late merely  to  things  that  are  fuch  as  have  no  other 
 neceflity  in  them,   but   what  our  difordered  defires 
 create,  nor  truly  any  real  good  in  them,  but  what 
 our  fancy  puts  upon  them.     Some  are  indeed  forced 
 to  labour  hard  for  their  daily  bread ;  but,  undoubtedly, 
 a  great  deal  of  the  fweat  and  toil  of  the  greateft  part 
 of  men  is  about  unnecefTaries  *.     Such  an  eftate,  fo 
 much  by  the  year,  fuch  a  place,  fo  much  honour  and 
 efleem,  and  rank  in  the  world  ;  thefe  are  the  things 
 that  make  fome  flaves  to  the  humours  of  others  whom 
 they  court,  and  place  their  dependence  on,  for  thefe 
 ends ;  and  thole,  poflibly,  to  whom   they  are  fo  en- 
 thralled, are  themfelves  at  as  little  liberty,  but  cap- 
 tivated to  the  humours  of  fome  others,  either  above 
 them,  or  that  being  below  them,  may  give  acceflion 
 and  furtherance  to  their  ends  of  enrichment,   ad- 
 vancement, or  popularity.     Men  fet  on  thefe  things 
 forge  neceffities  to  themfelves,   and  make  vain  things 
 as  neceffary  as  food  and  raiment,  refolving  that  they 
 will  have  them,  or  fall  in  the  chace,  being  wilfully 
 and  unavoidably  bent  on  them.     They  that  will  be 
 rich,  fays  the  Apoflle,  iTim   vi.  9.  that    are  refolved 
 on  it  upon  any  terms,  meet  with  terms  hard  enough  ; 
 
 they 
 Ad  fupervacua  fudatur. 
 
308  A  COMMENTARY  UPOK  [CHAP.  V, 
 
 they  fall  into  temptation,  and  a  fnare,  and  into  many 
 fooliJJy  and  hurtful  lufis,  iiuhich  drown  men  in  deflruc-- 
 tion  and  perdition.  There  is  no  recovering,  but  dill 
 they  are  plunged  deeper  and  deeper,  and  thefe  are 
 fooliJJ)  lujis  too,  unreaibnable,  cbildifh  delires ;  after 
 one  bargain,  fuch  another  ;  and  after  one  fin,  ano- 
 ther ;  to  make  even,  and  fomewhat  then  to  keep  that 
 •whole  ;  and  fo  on  without  end.  If  their  hearts  are 
 fet  upon  purchafe  and  land,  ftill  fome  houfe  or  neigh- 
 bour-field, fome  Naboth'Vineyard  is  in  their  eyes,  and 
 all  the  reft  is  nothing  without  that,  which  difcovers 
 the  madnefs  of  this  humour,  this  dropfy-thirft. 
 
 And  this  is  the  firft  thing  indeed  to  be  looked  to, 
 that  our  defires  and  cares  be  brought  to  a  due  cora- 
 pais ;  and  what  would  we  have  ?  Do  we  think  con- 
 tentment lies  in  fo  much,  and  no  lefs  ?  Alas  I  when 
 that  is  attained,  it  Ihall  appear  as  far  off  as  before. 
 When  children  are  at  the  foot  of  a  high  hill,  they 
 think  it  reaches  the  heavens  ;  and  yet,  if  they  were 
 there,  they  find  themfelves  as  far  off  as  before,  at 
 leaft  not  fenfibly  nearer.  Men  think.  Oh  I  had  I 
 this,  I  were  well ;  and  when  it  is  reached,  it  is  but 
 an  advanced  ftanding  to  look  higher,  and  fpy  out  for 
 fome  other  thing. 
 
 We  are  indeed  children  in  this,  to  think  the  good 
 of  our  eftate  is  in  the  greatnefs,  and  not  in  the  fit- 
 nefs  of  it  for  us.  He  were  a  fool  that  would  have 
 his  clothes  fo  ;  and  think  the  bigger  and  longer  they 
 were,  they  would  pleafe  him  the  better.  And  certain- 
 ly as  in  apparel,  fo  in  place  and  eftate,  and  ail  out- 
 ward things,  their  good  lies  not  in  their  greatnefs, 
 but  in  their  fitnefs  for  us :  As  our  Saviour  tells  us 
 exprefsly,  that  man\^  life  confifleth  not  in  the  ahmidance 
 of  the  things  he  pojfejfeth,  Luke  xii.  13.  Think  you 
 great  and  rich  perfons  live  more  content ;  believe  it 
 not.  If  they  will  deal  freely,  they  can  tell  you  the 
 contrary  ;  that  there  is  nothing  but  a  fhew  in  them ; 
 and  that  great  eftates  and  places  have  great  grief  and 
 
VER.  7.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  309 
 
 cares  attending  them,  as  fliadows  are  proportioned  to 
 their  bodies. 
 
 And  if  they  have  no  real  crolTes,  luxury  frames 
 troubles  to  itfelf ;  variety  of  difhes  corrupting  the 
 itomach,  and  cauiing  variety  of  difeafes  ;  and  for 
 need,  fantaftic  vain  difcontents  that  will  trouble  men 
 as  much  as  greater,  be  it  but  this  hawk  flies  not  well, 
 or  that  dog  runs  not  w^ell,  to  men  whofe  hearts  arc 
 in  thofe  games. 
 
 So  then,  I  fay,  this  is  firfl  'to  be  regulated  ;  all 
 childilh  vain  needlefs  cares  are  to  be  difcharged,  and, 
 as  being  unfit  to  cad  on  thy  God,  are  to  be  quite 
 cad  out  of  thy  heart.  Entertain  no  care  at  all  but 
 fuch  as  thou  mayeil  put  into  God's  hands,  and  make 
 his  on  thy  behalf;  fuch  as  he  will  take  off  thy  hand, 
 and  undertake  for  thee. 
 
 All  needful  lawful  care,  and  that  only  will  he  re- 
 ceive ;  fo  then  rid  thyfelf  quite  of  all  that  thou  canft 
 not  take  this  courfe  with,  and  then,  without  fcruple, 
 take  confidently  this  courfe  with  all  the  reft.  Seek 
 a  well  regulated  fober  fpirit.  In  the  things  of  this 
 life,  he  content  with  food  and  raiment ^  not  delicates, 
 hMl  foody  not  ornament  but  raiment ,  Tr^oq^tv  «  r^v^nv, 
 ffXETrac/tAara  a  x oo-ju-y) jtxara  *.  and  conclude,  that  what  thy 
 Father  carves  to  thee,  is  beft  for  thee  ;  the  fitteil 
 meafure,  for  he  knows  it,  and  loves  thee  wifely. 
 This  courfe  our  Saviour  would  have  thee  take, 
 Matth.  vi.  31.  firft  to  cut  off  fuperfluous  care,  then 
 to  turn'  over  on  thy  God  the  care  of  what  is  necef- 
 fary  ;  he  will  look  to  that ;  thou  haft  him  engaged, 
 and  he  can  and  will  give  thee  beyond  that,  if  he  ice 
 it  fit. 
 
 Only  this  is  required  of  thee,  to  refer  the  matter 
 to  his  difcretion  wholly.  Now,  in  thy  thus  w^ell  re- 
 gulated affairs  and  defires,  there  is  a  diligent  care 
 and  ftudy  of  thy  duty.  This  he  lays  on  thee  ;  there 
 is  a  care  of  fupport  in  the  work,  and  the  fuccefs  of 
 it ;  this  thou  oughteft  to  lay  on  him,  and  fo  indeed 
 all  the  care  is  turned  off  from  thee  upon  him,  even 
 
 that 
 
310  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [gKaFo  Vo 
 
 ;  that  of  duty,  which  from  him  lies  on  us.  We  offer 
 '  our  fervice,  but  for  fkill  and  (Irengrh  to  difcharge  it^ 
 that  care  we  lay  on  him,  and  he  allows  us  ;  and  then 
 for  the  event  and  fuccefs,  with  that  we  trufl  him  en  - 
 tirely.  And  this  is  the  way  to  walk  contentedly  and 
 cheerfully  homewards,  leaning  and  relling  all  the 
 way  on  him,  who  is  both  our  guide  and  our  Jirengthy 
 \vho  hath  us  and  ail  our  good  in  his  gracious  hand. 
 Much  zeal  for  him,  and  defire  of  his  glory,  minding 
 our  duty  in  relation  to  that,  is  the  thing  he  requires, 
 and  we  bending  our  whole  care  to  that,  he  under- 
 takes the  care  of  us  and  our  condition.  As  that  king 
 faid  to  his  favourite,  when  perfuading  him  to  fidelity 
 and  diligence  in  his  flate-truft,  *'  Do  my  affairs  and 
 **  I  will  do  yours."  Such  a  word  diredly  hath  St 
 Chryfoftom,  2u  /x^^ij^tmo-ov  tx  m  0i»,  xai  auToj  ^.t^ifAvtia-Bi 
 TO  aoif.  **  If  thou  have  a  concern  for  the  thingb  that 
 "  are  God's,  he  will  alfo  be  careful  of  thee  and 
 "  thine." 
 
 The  care  of  duty  thus  carried  is  fweet  and  light, 
 doth  not  cut  and  divide  the  mind,  it  is  united  and 
 gathered  in  God,  and  refts  there,  and  walks  in  his 
 hand  all  the  way.  He  bears  the  weight  of  all  our 
 works,  and  works  theui  in  usy  and  for  us,  and  therein 
 lies  our  peace  that  he  ordains  for  us,  Ifa.  xxvi.  12. 
 If  thou  wouldft  fhake  off  the  yoke  of  obedience, 
 thou  art  likewife  to  be  fhaken  ofi^  thyfelf ;  but  if,  in 
 humble  diligence  in  the  ways  of  God,  thou  walk  on 
 in  his  Itrength,  there  is  nothing  concerns  thee  and 
 thy  work,  but  he  will  take  the  charge  and  care  of 
 it,  thyfelf  and  all  thine  interefts.  Art  thou  troubled 
 with  fear,  enemies  and  fnares  ?  untrouble  thyfelf  of 
 that,  for  he  is  with  thee.  He  hath  promifed  to  lead 
 thee  in  a  Jlraight  and  fafe  path,  Pfal.  xxvii.  11.  ;  and 
 to  rebuke  all  thine  enemies,  to  fiibdue  thine  iniquities, 
 for  thee,  Micah  vii.  19.  and  to  fight  againfl  thofe  that 
 fight  againfl  thee,  Pfal.  xxxv.  i;  No  weapon  formed 
 againfl  thee  Jh  all  prof  per,  Ifa.  liv.  17  ;  yea,  when  thou 
 '^affefl  through  the  water,  and  through  the  fire^  he  will 
 
VER.  7.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  3!! 
 
 be  with  thee,  lia.  xliiio  2,  Doth  thine  own  weaknefs 
 difcourage  thee  ?  hath  not  he  engaged  for  that  too  ? 
 fo  lay  over  that  care  upon  him  :  Hath  he  not  fpoke 
 of  Jirengthening  the  weak  hands  and  feeble  knees ,  and 
 that  the  lame  Jhall  leap  as  an  hart  ?  Ifa.  xxxv.  3.6.; 
 and  though  there  is  nothing  in  thyfelf  but  unrighte- 
 cufnefs  and  weaknefs,  yet  there  is  in  him  for  thee 
 righteoufnefs  and Jlrength^  Ifa.  xlv.  24.  Righteoufnejfes^ 
 to  exprefs  the  abundance  of  righteoufnefs.  When 
 thou  art  ready  to  faint,  a  look  to  him  will  revive,  a 
 believing  look  draws  in  of  his  ftrength  to  thy  foul^ 
 and  renews  it,  Ifa.  xl.  29.  And  know,  the  more  ten- 
 der and  weak  thou  art,  the  more  tender  he  is  over 
 thee,  and  the  more  ftrong  will  he  be  in  thee.  He 
 feeds  his  flock  like  a  Jhcpherd,  and  the  weakeft  is  he 
 the  mofl  careful  of;  they  are  carried  in  his  arms  and 
 hofoniy  Ifa.  xl.  11. ;  and  it  is  eafy  for  the  feeblell  to 
 go  fo. 
 
 And  as  for  the  iflue  and  fuccefs  of  thy  way,  let 
 not  that  trouble  thee  at  all ;  that  is  the  care  he  would 
 have  thee  wholly  dilburden  thyfelf  of,  and  lay  it  en- 
 tirely uppn  him.  Do  not  vex  thyfelf  with  thinking, 
 how  will  this  and  that  be  ?  what  if  this  and  the  other 
 fail  out  ?  I'his  is  his  part  wholly  ;  and  if  thou  meddle 
 with  it,  thou  at  once  difpleafefl  him,  and  difquieteft 
 thyfelf.  This  {\x\  carries  the  punilhment  of  it  clofe 
 tied  to  it.  If  thou  wilt  be  flruggling  with  that 
 which  belongs  not  to  thee,  and  poiting  at  that  bur- 
 den that  is  not  thine,  what  wonder,  yea,  I  may  fay, 
 "what  pity,  if  thou  fall  under  it  ?  Art  thou  not  well 
 ferved  ?  is  it  not  juft,  that  if  thou  wilt  do  for  thyfelf, 
 and  bear  for  thyfelf,  what  thy  Lord  calls  for  to  bear 
 for  thee,  thou  feel  the  weight  of  it  to  thy  cofl  ? 
 
 But  what  is  the  way  of  this  devolving  of  my  bur- 
 den ?  There  is  a  faculty  in  it  that  every  one  hath 
 not,  though  they  would  do  thus  with  it,  they  can- 
 not. It  lies  on  them,  and  they  are  not,  able  to  call: 
 it  on  God.  The  way  is  doubtlefs  by  praying  and  be- 
 lieving j  thofe  are  the  hands  by  which  the  foul  can 
 
 turn 
 
312  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 turn  over  to  God  what  itfelf  cannot  bear,  all  cares  ^ 
 the  whole  bundle  is  mofl  dexteroufly  tranflated  thus, 
 Philip,  iv.  6.  Be  careful  in  nothing;  a  great  word,  Oh  1 
 but  how  Ihall  it  be  ?  why,  thus,  fays  he,  In  all  things 
 make  your  requejis  known  unto  God  ;  and  in  a  confi- 
 dent cheerful  way,  fupplication  mixt  with  thankfgi^ 
 ving.  It  will  be  the  more  lively  and  adlive  to  carry 
 forth,  and  carry  up  thy  cares,  and  difcharge  thee  of 
 them,  and  lay  them  on  God.  Whatfoever  it  is  that 
 prelTes  thee,  go  tell  thy  Father.  Put  over  the  matter 
 into  his  hand,  and  fo  thou  (halt  be  freed  from  jtAt^i/xpa, 
 that  dividing  perplexing  care,   that  the  world  is  full 
 
 of. 
 
 No  more,  but  when  thou  art  either  to  do  or  fuffer 
 any  thing,  when  thou  art  about  any  purpofe  or  bufi- 
 nefs,  go  tell  God  of  it,  and  acquaint  him  with  it ; 
 yea,  burden  him  with  it,  and  thou  haft  done  for  mat- 
 ter of  caring :  No  more  care,  but  quiet  fweet  dili- 
 gence in  thy  duty,  and  dependence  on  him  for  the 
 carriage  of  thy  matters.  And  in  this  prayer,  faith 
 ads  ;  it  is  a  believing  requefting ;  ci/k  in  faith,  not 
 doubting  ;  fo  thou  rollefl  over  all  on  him,  that  is  the 
 very  proper  working  of  faith  :  The  carrying  the 
 foul,  and  all  its  delires  out  of  itfelf  unto  God,  is  fo 
 exprefled,  Pfal.  xxxvii.  5.  Roll  over  on  God ;  make 
 one  bundle  of  all ;  roll  thy  cares  and  thyfelf  with 
 them  as  one  burJicn,  all  on  thy  God. 
 
 Now,  faith  to  do  this  Hays  itfelf  on  the  promife. 
 It  cannot  move  but  on  firm  ground,  and  the  promifes 
 are  its  ground  ;  and  for  this  end  is  this  added.  He 
 careth  for  thee. 
 
 This  muil  be  eftablifhed  in  the  heart.  i.  The 
 firm  belief  of  the  divine  Providence,  that  all  things 
 are  managed  and  ruled  by  it,  and  that  in  higheft 
 power  and  wifdom  ;  that  there  is  no  breaking  of  his 
 purpofes,  nor  refifting  of  his  power,  Pfal.  xxxiii.  11. 
 The  counfel  of  the  Lord  Jlandeth  for  ever,  and  the 
 thoughts  of  his  heart  to  all  generations.  2.  The  belief 
 of  his  gracious  Providence  to  his  own  people,  that  he 
 
 order 
 
VER.  7.]  THE  IIRST  EPISTLE  OT  PETER.  3I3 
 
 orders  all  for  their  true  advantage,  and  makes  all 
 different  lines  and  wa^'s  concentre  in  their  hightfl 
 good  ;  all  to  meet  in  that,  how  oppofite  foever  in 
 appearance,  Rom.  viii.  28.  3.  A  particular  confidence 
 of  his  good  will  towards  thee,  and  undertaking  for 
 thee.  Now,  if  this  be  the  queftion,  the  promile  re- 
 folves  thee;  truft  him,  and  he  takes  on  the  truft,  and 
 there  is  no  other.  Caft  on  him  thy  care,  aiid  he 
 takes  it  on,  he  cares  for  thee.  His  royal  word  is  en- 
 gaged not  to  give  thee  the  flip,  if  thou  do  really  lay 
 it  upon  him,  Pfal.  U\  22.  Cq/i  thy  burden  upon  the 
 Lord,  Hand  it  over,  heave  it  upon  him,  and  be  fiall 
 fujlain  thee,  (hall  bear  both,  if  thou  truft  him  with 
 both  ;  both  thee  and  thy  burden  ;  Hejhall  never  fuffer 
 the  righteous  to  be  moved, 
 
 Inf,  I.  The  children  of  God  have  the  only  fweet 
 life :  The  world  thinks  not  fo,  rather  looks  on  them 
 as  poor  difcontented  lowring  creatures ;  but  they 
 fee  not  what  an  uncaring  truly  fecure  life  they  are 
 called  to.  While  others  are  turmojling  and  wreft- 
 ling  each  with  his  projects  and  burdens  for  himielf, 
 and  at  length  crufhed  and  finking  under  them,  (for 
 that  is  the  end  of  all  that  do  for  themfelves},  the 
 child  of  God  goes  free  from  the  preflure  of  all  that 
 concerns  him  ;  for  it  is  laid  over  on  his  God.  If  he 
 ufe  his  advantage,  he  is  not  racked  with  mufings,  Oh  I 
 what  will  become  of  this  and  that ;  but  goes  on  in 
 the  flrength  of  his  God  as  he  may ;  offers  up  poor, 
 but  fincere,  endeavours,  to  God,  and  is  fure  of  one 
 thing,  all  Jh all  he  well.  He  lays  his  affairs  and  him- 
 felf  on  God,  and  fo  hath  no  prefling  care :  No  care 
 but  the  care  of  love,  how  to  pleafe,  how  to  honour, 
 his  Lord;  and  in  this  he  depends  on  him,  too,  both 
 for  Ikill  and  ftrength  :  And,  touching  the  fuccefs  of 
 things,  leaves  that  as  none  of  his,  to  be  burdened 
 with  ;  cafts  it  on  God,  and  he  careth  for  it.  They 
 need  not  both  care,  his  care  alone  is  fufficient ;  hence 
 peace,  inconceivable  peace,  Phil.  iv.  6,  7.  Be  careful 
 for  nothing  ;  but  in  every  thing,  by  prayer  and  fuppli- 
 VoL.  II.  R  r  cation. 
 
 \ 
 
214  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [cHAP.  V. 
 
 cation,  with  thank/giving^  let  your  requejis  be  made 
 known  unto  God.  jind  the  peace  of  God,  which  pojfctb 
 all  underjlanding,  ftjall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds ^ 
 through  Jefus  Chrifc.  , 
 
 Inf.  2.  But,  truly,  the  godlvare  much  in  the  wrong 
 /  to  themfelves,  by  not  improving  this  their  privilege. 
 They  too  often  forget  this  their  fweet  way,  and  fiet 
 themfelves  to  no  purpofe  ;  wreille  with  their  burdens 
 themfelves,  and  do  not  entirely  and  freely  roll  them 
 over  on  God,  They  are  furcharged  wiih  them,  and 
 he  calls  for  them,  and  yet  they  will  not  give  thtm 
 bim.  They  think  to  fpare  him,  but  indeed  in  this 
 they  difobey,  and  diilionour,  and  io  grieve  him  ;  and 
 they  find  the  grief  return  on  them,  and  yet  cannot 
 learn  to  be  wife. 
 
 Why  deal  we  thus  with  our  Gad  and  with  our 
 fouls,  grieving  both  at  once  ?  Let  it  never  be,  that 
 for  any  outward  thing  thou  perplex  thy ielf,  and  en.^ 
 tangle  thy  thoughts,  as  in  thickets,  wirh  the  cares  of 
 this  life.  Oh  I  how  unfuitable  are  thcfe  to  a  child 
 of  God,  for  whom  a  life  fo  far  more  excellent  is  pro- 
 vided I  Hath  he  prepared  a  kingdom  for  thee,  and 
 W  will  he  not  beftow  thy  charges  in  the  way  to  it  ? 
 "T"  ^Think  it  nof.  He  knows  you  have  ncedoftheje  things. 
 Mat.  vi.  32.  Seek  not  vain  things,  nor  great  tliing'*, 
 in  the  expreiTicn  thefe  things  \  for  thefe,  it  is  iikely, 
 are  not  fit  for  thee  \  but  what  is  needful  and  couve- 
 nient,  in  his  judgment,  he  will  give  :  and  refer  thyfclf 
 cheerfully  to  that  judgment. 
 
 Then,  for  thy  fpiritual  eilatc,  lay  over  upon  God 
 the  care  of  that  too:  Be  not  fo  much  in  thorny  quef- 
 tionings  doubtipg  and  difputing  each  (lep.  Oh  I  is 
 this  accepted  and  that,  and  fo  much  deadncfs,  &c,; 
 but  apply  more  thyfelf  limply  to  thy  duty  ;  lamely 
 as  it  may  be,  halt  on,  and  believe  that  he  is  gracious, 
 and  pities  thee,  and  lay  the  care  of  bringing  thee 
 through  upon  him.  Lie  not  complaining  and  ar- 
 guing, but  vp  and  he  doing,  and  the  Lordf/xill  he  with 
 ',   I  Chron.  5ixii,  16.     I   am    perfuadcd   .many  a 
 
 fculj, 
 
I  ney  win  not 
 2  they  want  af-  \     /} 
 courfe  they  take    y   ^ 
 ino:  humbly  arid 
 
 VER.  7.]  THE  FIRST  ZPISTLE  OF  PllTER.  315 
 
 foul,  that  hath  Tome  truth  of  grace,  falls  tnuch  be- 
 hind in  the  progief^,  by  this  accuilomed  way  of  end- 
 leTs  queflionings.  Men  can  Icarce  be  brought  to  ex- 
 amine and  fufpecl  their  own  condition,  being  carnal- 
 ly fjcure,  and  fatished  that  all  is  well  ;  but  then, 
 when  once  they  av\  aken  and  fet  to  this,  they  are 
 ready  to  entangle  thendelves  in  it,  tind  negledt  their 
 wsy,  by  poring  on  their  condition.  They  will  not 
 fet  chearfully  to  any  thing,  becaufe 
 fnrances  and  height  of  joy  ;  and  this  coi 
 is  the  way  to  want  it  flill.  Walking  humbly 
 iincerely,  and  offering  at  thy  duty,  and  waiting  on 
 the  Lord,  is  certainly  the  better  way,  and  nearer  that 
 very  purpole  of  thine  ;  ^ov  he  meetetb  him  that  rejoi- 
 ci'tb  ar.d  worketh  righteovfnefs,  thofe  that  remember  him 
 in  bis  ways,  Ifa.  Ixiv.  5.  One  thing  the  Chriflian 
 fnould  endeavour  to  obtain,  firm  belief  for  the 
 Church  ;  all  the  care  of  that  muft  be  call  on  Gpd, 
 that  he  will  heaiuify  Xiori^  and  perform  all  his  word 
 to  her;  and  then  think.  Do  1  truil  him  for  the  whole 
 Church,  and  the  great  atlairs  concerning  it,  and  fhall 
 1  doubt  hiin  for  mylelf,  or  any  thing  that  concerns 
 me?  Do  I  confide  in  him  for  the  fteering  and  guid- 
 ance of  the  whole  fliip,  and  fliall  1  be  peevifhly 
 doubting  and  diftruiling  about  my  pack  in  it  ? 
 
 Again,  when  to  the  prefent  and  pail,  thou  callefl 
 in  after  evils  by  advance,  and  art  flill  revolving  the 
 dangers  before,  and  thy  vveaknefs  ;  it  is^  good,  indeed. 
 To  entertain  by  thefe,  holy  fear  and  felf-diflruil :  But 
 by  that  be  diiven  in  to  truft  on  thy  undertaker,  on 
 him  in  whom  thy  ilrength  lies  ;  and  be  as  fure  and 
 confident  in  him,  as  thou  a:  f,  and  juflly  art,  dillrult- 
 fulofthyfelf 
 
 Further,  learn  to  prefcribe  nothing  :  Study  entire 
 refignation,  for  that  is  thy  great  duty  and  i\\y  peace, 
 that  gives  up  all  into  the  hand  of  thy  Lord  ;  and,  can 
 it  be  in  a  better  hand  ?  Firfl,  refer  the  carving  of 
 outward  things  to  him,  heartily  and  fully;  then  flay 
 hot  there,  but  go  higher  :   If  we  have  renounced  jhe 
 
 comforts 
 
V. 
 
 3l6  A  eoiilMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 comforts  of  this  world  for  God,  let  us  add  this,  re- 
 nounce even  fpiritual  comforts  for  him  too.  Put  all  in 
 his  will :  **  If  I  be  in  light,  bleffed  be  thou  ;  and  if  in 
 "  darknefs,  even  there,  blefled  be  thqjLi  too."  As  he 
 faith  of  thefe.  Gold  is  mine,  andjilver  is  mine  ;  and  this 
 may  fatisfy  a  Chriitian  in  thofe  too,  to  defire  no  more  of 
 them  than  his  Father  fees  fit  to  give  ;  knowing,  that 
 he,  having  all  the  mines  and  trealures  of  the  world  at 
 his  command,  would  not  pinch  and  hold  fhort  his 
 children,  if  it  were  good  for  them  to  have  more : 
 Even  thus  it  is  in  refpedl  to  the  other,  the  true  riches, 
 **  Is  not  the  Spirit  (may  he  fay)  and  all  his  comforts 
 "  mine  ?  I  have  them,  and  enough  of  them."  And 
 ought  not  this  to  allay  thy  affli£ling  care,  and  to  quiet 
 thy  repinings,  and  eflablifh  thy  heart,  in  referring  it 
 to  his  difpofal,  as  touching  thy  comforts  and  fupplies? 
 The  whole  golden  mines  of  all  fpiritual  comfort  and 
 good  are  his,  the  Spirit  itfelf.  Then,  will  he  not  fur- 
 nifh  what  is  fit  for  thee,  if  thou  humbly  attend  orv 
 him,  and  lay  the  care  of  providing  for  thee  upon  his 
 wifdom  and  love  ?  This  were  the  fure  way  to  honour 
 him  with  what  we  have,  and  to  obtain  much  of  what 
 we  have  not;  for  certainly  he  deals  beft  with  thofe 
 that  do  mod  abfolutely  refer  all  to  him. 
 
 Ver.  8.    Be  fober^  he  vigilarit ;   becaufe  your  adverfarf\ 
 
 the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  feeking 
 
 whom  he  may  devour : 
 9.  Whom  rejijl  Jledfajl  in  the  faith,  knowing  that   the 
 
 fame  affliiiions  are  accomplijhed   in  your  brethren 
 
 that  are  in  the  world. 
 
 THE  children  of  God,  if  they  rightly  take  their 
 Father's  mind,  are  always  difburdened  of  per^ 
 plexing  carefulnefs,  but  never  exempted  from  dili- 
 gent watchfulnefs.  Thus  we  find  here  they  are  al- 
 lowed, yea,  enjoined,  to  caft  all  their  care  upon  theit 
 wife  and  loving  Father,  and  are  fecured  by  bis  care^ 
 He  takes  it  well  that  they  lay  all  over  on  him,  yea,t 
 he  takes  it  not  well  when  they  forbear  him  and  bur- 
 
 dea 
 
VeR.  S,  9.]       THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  JETER.  315^ 
 
 den  themfelves.  He  hath  provided  a  fweet  quiet 
 life  for  them,  could  they  improve  and  ufe  it ;  a  calm 
 and  firm  condition  in  all  the  llorms  and  troubles  that 
 are  about  them.  However  things  go,  to  find  content, 
 and  be  careful  for  nothing. 
 
 Now,  upon  this,  a  carnal  heart  would  iraagine^ 
 ftraight,  according  to  its  fenfe  and  inclination,  as  it 
 delires  to  have  it,  fo  would  it  dream  that  it  is ;  that 
 then  a  man,  devolving  his  care  on  God,  may  give  up 
 all  watch  and  ward,  and  need  not  apply  himfelf  to 
 any  kind  of  duty.  But  this  is  the  ignorance  and 
 perverfe  miflake,  the  groundlefs  reafoning  of  thefiefh. 
 You  fee  thefe  are  here  joined,  not  only  as  agreeable, 
 but  indeed  infeparable.  Cajl  all  your  care  on  him^fov 
 he  careth  for  you  ;  and  withal,  he  foher^  he  vigilant, 
 ■  And  this  is  the  Scripture  logic.  It  is  he  that  work- 
 ethinyou  to  will  and  to  do,  Phil.  ii.  13.  Then  would 
 you  pollibly  think,  1  need  not  work  at  all,  or  if  I  do^ 
 it  may  be  very  eaiily  and  fecurely.  No.  Therefore,. 
 fays  the  Apollle,  becaufe  he  worketh  in  you  to  will 
 and  to  do,  work  out  your  falvation,  yea,  and  do  it 
 with  fear  and  trembling  ;  work  you  in  humble  obe- 
 dience to  his  command,  and  in  dependence  on  him 
 that  worketh  all  in  you. 
 
 Thus,  here,  Cajt your  care  on  him;  not  that  you 
 may  be  the  more  free  to  take  your  own  pleafure  and 
 flothful  eafe,  but,  on  the  contrary,  that  you  may  be 
 the  more  adlive  and  apt  to  watch  :  Being  freed  from 
 the  burden  of  vexing  carefulnefs,  which  would  prefs 
 and  incumber  you,  you  are  the  more  nimble,  as  one 
 eafed  of  a  load,  to  walk  and  work,  and  watch  as  be- 
 comes a  Chriilian.  And  for  that  purpofe  is  that 
 burden  taken  off  from  you,  that  you  may  be  more 
 able  and  difpofed  for  every  duty  which  is  laid  upon 
 you. 
 
 Obferve  thofe  two  conneded,  and  thence  gather, 
 f/r/?,  There  is  no  right  believing  without  diligence 
 and  watch fulnefs  joined  with  it.  That  flothful  re- 
 liance of  mofl  fouls  on  blind  thought?  of  mercy,  will 
 
 undo 
 
3l8  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  V. 
 
 undo  them.  Their  faith  is  a  dead  faiths  and  a  deadly 
 faith  ;  they  are  perilhing  and  will  not  conlider  it, 
 do  not  duly  caji  their  care  on  God  for  their  fouls,  for 
 indeed  they  have  no  fuch  care.  Secondly,  The  other 
 thing  is,  that  there  is  no  right  diligence  without  be 
 lieving. 
 
 There  is,  as  in  other  affairs,  fo  even  in  fpiritual 
 things,  an  anxious  perplexing  care,  which  is  a  dif- 
 teniper  and  dilturbance  to  the  foul  ;  feeins  to  have 
 a  heat  of  zeal  and  a  tied  ion  in  it:  But  is  indeed  not 
 the  natural  right  heat  that  is  healthful,  and  enables 
 for  adiioh,  but  a  difeafed  feveriih  heat,  that  puts  all 
 out  of  frame,  and  unfits  for  duty.  It  fecms  to  ftir 
 and  further,  but  indeed  it  hinders  ;  and  does  not 
 haileii  us,  but  fo  as  tcT  make  us  iUunble  ;  as  if  there 
 was  one  behind  a  man,  driving  and  thrufling  him  for- 
 ward, and  not  fufFering  him  to  fet  and  order  his  fteps 
 in  his  courfe  ;  this  were  the  ready  way,  inflead  of 
 advancing  him,  to  weary  him,  and  poflibly  give  him 
 a  fall. 
 
 Such  is  the  diftruflful  care  that  many  have  in  their 
 fpiritual  courfe.  A  hundred  queflions  about  the  way 
 of  their  performances,  and  their  acceptance,  and  their 
 ellate,  and  the  iifue  of  their  endeavours.  Indeed,  we 
 Ihould  endeavour  to  do  all  by  our  rule,  and  to  walk 
 exadty,  and  examine  our  ways,  efpecially  in  holy 
 things;  to  feek  fome  inlight  and  faculty  in  their 
 performance  fuiting  their  nature  and  end,  and  his 
 greatnefs  and  purity  whom  weworQiip.  This  Hiould 
 be  minded  diligently,  and  yet  calmly  and  compoft'd- 
 ly  ;  for  diffident  doubtings  do  retard  and  di(«:«rder 
 all  \  but  quiet  Ifayednefs  of  heart  on  God,  dependence- 
 on  him  and  his  ftrength  for  performance,  and  his 
 free  love  in  Chrift  for  acceptance,  this  makes  the 
 work  go  kindly  and  fwceily  on,  makes  it  pleaiing  to 
 God,  and  refrelhing  to  thy  foul. 
 
 Inf\  Certainly  thou  art  a  vexation  to  thyfelf,  and 
 difpleafed  thy  Lord,  when  thou  art  queftioning  whe- 
 ther thou  fliait  go  on  or  not  j  finding  in  thy  fervice  fo 
 much  deadnefs  and  hardnefsj  thinking^  therefore,  that 
 
 It 
 
V2R.  8,  9']  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  319 
 
 it   were  as  good  to  do  nothing  ;  that  thou  doll  but 
 difhonour  him  in  all*     Now,  thou  confidereft  not,  that 
 in   thefe   very  thoughts  thou   doll  more  wrong  and 
 diihonour  him,  than   in   thy  woril  fervices,   for  thou 
 calieH:  in  queiliori  his  lenity  and  goodnels,  takeft  h.irri 
 for  a  rigoious   exa(f^or,  yea,   reprefenteft   to  thyfelf, 
 him  as  a  hard  ir.aiter,  who  is  the  mod  gentle  and  gra- 
 cious of  all  mailers.     Do  not  ufe  him  (o  :  Indeed  thoii 
 ougl^tell  to  takQbecd  to  thy  foot ;  fee  how  thy  heart  is  af- 
 feded  in  his  wovihip,  keep  and  watch  it  as  thou  canft  ; 
 but  doing  fo,  or  endeavouring  to  do  (o,  however  thou 
 find  it,  do  not  think   he  will  ufe  rigours  with  thee", 
 but  the  more  thou  obfervefl  thine   own  mifcarriages 
 towards  him,  the   lefs  feverely  will  he  obferve  ihera  ; 
 and  to  think  otherwife,  and  fret  and  repine,   that  thy 
 heart  is  not  to  his   mind,   nor   indeed  to  thine  own, 
 to  go  on  in  a  difcontented  impatience,  this  is  certain- 
 ly not  this  commanded  watchfulnefs,  but  that  forbid- 
 den careful  nefs. 
 
 Bcfober.']  This  we  have  formerly  fpoke  of;  the 
 'Apoille  having  formerly  exhorted  it  once  an  J- again 
 ill  this  epiltle.  It  were  eafy  to  entertain  m.ens  mind 
 with  new  difcourfe,  if  our  talk  were  rather  to  pleafe 
 than  to  profit  ;  for  there  be  many  things  which  With 
 little  labour  m.ight  be  brought  forth  as  new  and 
 ii range  to  ordinary  hearers.  But  there  be  a  few 
 things  which  chiefly  concern  us  to  know  and  praciife, 
 and  thefe  are  to  be  more  frequently  reprefented  and 
 prelTed.  This  Apoiile,  and  other  divine  writers,  drew 
 from  too  full  a  fpi  ing  to  be  ebb  of  matter  ;  but  they 
 rather  choofe  profitable  iterations,  than  unprofitable 
 variety,  and  fo  ought  we. 
 
 This  fobriety  is  not  ftnly  temperance  in  meat  and 
 drink,  but  in  all  things  that  concern  the  £e.fh  ;  even 
 that  of  diet  is,  though  not  all,  yet  a  very  confiderable 
 part  of  it  ;  and  that  not  only  hath  in  it,  that  one  ex- 
 ceed not  in  the  quantity  or  quality,  but  even  requires 
 a  regulating  ourfelves  in  the  manner  of  uling  our  re- 
 pafl :    As  that  w«  make  not  careful  and  ftudious  pro- 
 
 VI  (ion, 
 
320  A  COMMENTARY  UPOI^  [CHAP.  V, 
 
 vifion,  do  not  take  up  our  thoughts  how  to'pleafe  our 
 palate  ;  fo  even  in  the  ufe  of  fober  mean  diet,  we 
 muft  endeavour  the  mortifying  of  our  flefh,  not  to  eat 
 and  drink  merely  to  pleafe  ourfelves,  or  to  fatisfy  our 
 natural  defire,  but  for  God  ;  even  to  propound  this  in 
 our  fitting  down  to  it,  in  obedience  to  him  ;  to  ufe 
 thefe  helps  of  life,  and  the  life  itfelf,  to  be  fpent  in 
 his  obedience,  and  endeavour  of  advancing  his  glory. 
 
 It  is  a  moll  fhameful  idol,  a  dunghill- god  indeed, 
 to  ferve  the  belly,  and  to  delight  in  feailings,  or  in 
 our  ordinary  repaft,  laying  the  reins  loofe  on  our  ap- 
 petite to  take  its  own  career.  And  yet  in  this  they 
 moft  commonly  offend,  even  perfons  that  are  not  no- 
 tably intemperate,  neither  gluttonous  nor  drunken, 
 and  yet,  I  fay,  have  not  that  holy  retained  bridled 
 way  of  ufing  their  repaft,  with  an  eye  upon  an  higher 
 end. 
 
 But  this  fobriety,  in  its  ample  fenfe,  binds  not  only 
 that  fenfe  of  luft,  but  all  the  reft  in  the  ufe  of  their 
 feveral  delights,  yea,  and  in  the  whole  man  ;  all  the 
 affedlions  of  the  foul,  in  relation  to  this  world,  and 
 the  thmgs  of  it,  to  be  in  it  as  weaned  from  it,  and 
 raifed  above  it  in  the  bent  of  our  minds ;  to  ufe  it  as 
 if  we  ufed  it  not^  i  Cor.  vii.  31. 
 
 This  we  fpeak  and  hear  of,  but  do  not  apply  our- 
 felves really  to  this  rule.  Each  hath  fome  trifle  or 
 earthly  vanity,  one  or  more,  but  efpecially  fome 
 choice  one,  that  they  cannot  be  taken  off"  from,  as 
 children  readily  have  fome  toy  that  they  fet  more 
 by  than  the  reft.  We  have  childifti  hearts 'cleaving 
 to  vanity ;  one  hankering  after  fome  preferment,  ano- 
 ther after  fome  eftate,  lands,  or  houfes,  or  money,  and 
 we  are  drunk  in  the  purfuit  of  thefe  ;  fo  that  when 
 our  hearts  fhould  be  fixed  on  divine  exercifes  ihey 
 cannot  ftand,  but  reel  to  and  fro,  or  ftumble  down 
 and  fall  afleep,  roving  after  thefe  thoughts  of  that 
 which  We  affedl,  ftaggering  ever  and  anon,  or  elfe 
 fo  plunged  in  them  all  the  time,  that  we  are  as  afleep 
 in  them. 
 
 Therefore 
 
VER.  8,  p.J         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  321 
 
 Therefore  thefe  two  are  here,  and  ordinarily,  join- 
 ed, Befober  and  watchful.  Glutting  ourfelves  either 
 with  the  delights,  or  with  the  defires  and  cares  of 
 earth,  makes  us  lleepy ;  the  fumes  that  arife  from 
 them  furcharge  us,  and  call  us  into  a  deep  Deep  ;  a 
 fecure  unminding  of  God  and  of  ourfelves,  the  inte- 
 reft  of  our  immortal  fouls. 
 
 Tlie  pleafures  of  fenfe  are  too  grofs  for  the  divine 
 fouh  divine  I  call  it,  for  fo  by  original  it  is ;  but  we 
 abafe  it,  and  make  it  fiefh  by  thofe  grofs  earthly 
 things,  and  make  it  unfit  to  rife  heavenwards.  As 
 infobriety,  intemperance  in  diet,  prejudices  the  very 
 natural  fpirits,  making  them  dull,  clogs  their  paflage, 
 and  makes  them  move  as  a  coach  in  a  miry  way  ; 
 thus  doth  all  inordinate  ufe  and  love  of  inferior 
 things  ;  it  makes  the  foul  of  a  low  heavy  conftitution, 
 that  it  cannot  move  freely  in  any  thing  that  is  fpi- 
 ritual.  Yea,  where  there  is  fome  truth  of  grace,  yet 
 it  is  obftruded  and  dulled  by  taking  in  too  much  of 
 the  world,  and  feeding  on  it  ^  which  is  no  more  pro- 
 per for  the  fineft  part  of  the  man,  for  the  foul,  than 
 the  coarfe  plowman's  diet  is  for  delicate  tender  bo- 
 dies of  higher  breeding,  yea,  the  difproportion  is  far 
 greater. 
 
 If  then  you  would  have  free  fpirits  for  fpi ritual 
 things,  keep  them  at  a  fpare  diet  m  ali  things  tempo.- 
 ral.  Let  not  out  your  hearts  to  any  thing  here  be- 
 low. Learn  to  delight  in  God,  and  feek  to  tafte  of 
 his  tvanfcendent  fweetnefs,  that  will  perfedly  difre- 
 lifh  all  lower  delights  ;  fo  your  fobriety  in  abftaining 
 from  them  fliall  be  flill  further  recompenfed  with 
 more  enjoyment  of  God  ;  and  you  fhall  not  lofe  plea- 
 fure  by  denying  the  pleafures  of  earth,  but  (liall 
 change  them  for  thofe  that  are  unfpeakably  better 
 and  purer  in  their  Head  ;  he  fhall  communicate  him- 
 felf  unto  you,  the  light  of  whofe  countenance  feeds 
 and  fatisfies  the  glorified  fpirits  that  are  about  his 
 th  rone. 
 
 VoL.IL  Sf^  Be 
 
322  A  COMMENTARY  UPOIf  [CHAP.  V» 
 
 Be  vigilant, \  This  watchfulnefs,  joined  with  fo- 
 briety,  extends  to  all  the  eftates  and  ways  of  a  Chri- 
 ftian,  being  farrounded  with  hazards  and  fnares.  He 
 that  defpifetb  his  ivayjoall  die,  fays  Solomon,  Prov. 
 xix.  16.  ;  the  mofl  do  thus  walk  at  random,  give  at- 
 tendance on  public  worfbip,  and  have  fome  cufto- 
 mary  way  of  private  prayer ;  but  further  do  not  re« 
 gard  how  they  walk,  what  is  their  carriage  all  the 
 day  long,  what  they  fpeak,  how  they  are  in  com- 
 pajiy,  and  how  alone,  which  way  their  hearts  go 
 early  and  late,  what  it  is  that  Heals  away  moil  of 
 their  affeciion  from  God. 
 
 Oh  I  my  beloved,  did  w^e  know  our  continual  dan- 
 ger, it  would  ihake  us  out  of  this  rniferable  dead  fe- 
 curity  that  pofieiTes  us.  We  think  not  on  it,  but 
 there  are  fnares  laid  for  us  all  the  way,  in  each  path 
 we  walk  in,  aiid  each  itep  of  it ;  in  our  meat  and 
 drink  ;  in  our  calling  and  labour  ;  in  our  houfe  at 
 home  ;  in  our  journeying  abroad  ;  yea,  even  in  God's 
 houfe,  and  in  our  fpiritual  exercifes,  both  there  and 
 in  private.  Knew  we,  or,  at  leaft,  confidered  we 
 this,  we  would  choofe  our  fteps  more  exacftly,  and 
 look  to  our  v/ays,  to  our  words,  our  thoughts,  which 
 truly,  Vv'hatfoever  noife  we  make,  we  really  do  not. 
 Ponder  the  path  of  thy  feet,  fays  Solomon;  and  before 
 that,  Let  thine  eyes  look  right  on,  and  let  thine  eye-lids 
 look  fir  aight  before  thee,  Prov.  iv.  25,  26.  And  further, 
 Fut  away  afroward  mouthy  and  perverfe  lips  put  far 
 from  thee.  But  firfl  of  all,  as  the  main  reafon  and 
 fpring  of  all,  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence,  or  above 
 all  keeping,  for  out  of  it  are  the  iffues  of  life, 
 
 Becaufe  your  adverfary  the  deviL^  An  alarm  to 
 watchfulnefs  is  here  given,  from  the  watchfulnefs  of 
 our  grand  adverfary.  There  be  other  two  ufually 
 ranked  with  him,  as  the  leading  enemies  of  our  fouls, 
 the  world  and  our  own  flefh  ;  but  here  he  is  exprefsly 
 named  who  commands  in  chief,  and  orders  and  ma- 
 nages the  war,  ufes  the  fervice  of  the  other  two 
 againft  us,  ^s  prime  officers,  under  which  moll  of  the 
 
 forces 
 
V£R.  8,  9.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  323 
 
 forces  of  particular  temptations  are  ranked.  Some 
 others  there  be  which  he  immediately  commands  and 
 leads  on  himfelf,  a  regiment  of  his  own,  fome  fpiritual 
 temptations. 
 
 And  we  have  need  to  be  put  in  mind  of  the  hofti- 
 lity  and  pradices  of  Satan  againft  us ;  for  if  the  mofl 
 were  put  to  ir,  they  would  be  forced  to  contefs  that 
 they  very  feldom  think  on  their  fpi ritual  danger  from 
 this  hand  :  As  we  keep  loofe  guard  againil  the  allure- 
 ments of  the  world,  and  of  our  own  corruption,  we 
 watch  not  againft  the  devices  of  Satan,  but  go  on  by 
 guefs,  and  fufpedl  nothing,  and  fo  are  ealily  a  prey 
 to  all. 
 
 The  lead  enemy  being  defpifed  and  negleded,  as 
 men  obfcrve,  proves  often  too  great ;  the  fm  a  lit  ft  ap- 
 pearances of  evil,  the  leaft  things  that  may  prejudice 
 our  fpiritual  good,  while  we  make  no  reckoning  of 
 them,  may  do  us  great  mifchief.  Our  not  confideiing 
 them  makes  them  become  confiderable,  efpecially 
 being  under  the  command  of  a  vigilant  and  ikilful 
 leader,  that  knows  how  to  improve  advantages: 
 Therefore,  in  things,  which  we  many  times  account 
 petty,  and  not  worthy  our  notice,  as  having  any  evil 
 in  them,  we  fhould  learn  to  fufped  theaddrefs  of  this 
 adverfary,  who  utually  hides  himfelf,  and  couches 
 under  fome  covert,  till  he  may  appear  irreliliible, 
 feize  on  us,  and  then  indeed  he  roars. 
 
 And  this  feeking  the  deftrudion  of  fouls,  is,  you 
 fee,  marked  as  all  his  work.  The  prey  he  hunts  is 
 fouls,  that  they  may  be  as  miferable  as  himfelf: 
 Therefore  he  is  juftly  called  our  adverfary  ;  the  ene- 
 my of  hoiinefs,  and  of  our  fouls,  tempting  to  fin,  and 
 then  accufing  for  fin,  as  his  name  here  imports  ;  ap- 
 pearing againft  us  upon  the  advantages  he  hath  gain- 
 ed. He  ftudies  our  nature,  and  fits  his  temptations 
 to  it ;  knows  the  prevalency  of  luft,  or  earthlinefs,  or 
 that  great  and  moft  general  evil  of  pride,  fo  like  him- 
 felf, and  that  is  his  throne  in  the  heart.  Soaietimes 
 he  bowetb  dowjiy  as  it  is  faid  ot  the  lion,  Piai.  x.  9,  lo* 
 
 H«s 
 
J14  A    COMMENTARY   UPOH  [cHAP.  V<, 
 
 He  waits  his  opportunity  craftily,  and  then  alTaults 
 fiercely ;  and  the  children  of  God  find  fometimes  fo 
 much  violence  of  his  temptations,  that  they  furprife 
 them  ;  and  the  mod  horrid  thoughts  are  caft  in,  as 
 poifoned  arrows,  ox  fiery  darts,  as  the  Apoftle  fpeaks, 
 Eph.  vi.  1 6.  And  this  his  enmity,  though  it  is  againll 
 man  in  general,  yet  is  moil  enraged  againft  the  chil- 
 dren of  God  ;  he  goes  about  and  fpies  where  we  are 
 weakefl,  and  amongft  them  moil  againft  thofe  that 
 are  moft  advanced  in  holinefs,  and  neareft  unto  God. 
 
 They  were  once  under  his  power,  and  now  being 
 efcaped  from  him,  he  purfues  them,  as  Pharoah  did 
 the  Ifraelites,  with  all  his  forces,  raging  and  roaring 
 after  them,  as  a  prey  that  was  once  in  his  den,  and 
 under  his  paw,  and  now  is  refcued. 
 
 The  refemblance  hath  in  it,  his  ftrength,  his  dili- 
 gence, and  his  cruelty.  His  ftrength,  a  lion  ;  his  di- 
 ligence, going  about  and  fe eking  ;  his  cruelty,  roaring, 
 audfeeking  to  devour, 
 
 Inj\  Is  it  not  moft  reafonable  hence  to  prefs  watch- 
 fulnefs  ?  and  to  keep  continual  watch,  to  fee  what 
 comes  in,  and  what  goes  out ;  to  try  what  is  under 
 evevy  offer  of  the  world,  every  motion  of  our  own 
 natural  hearts,  whether  there  be  not  fome  treachery, 
 fome  fecret  intelligence  or  not  ?  efpecially  after  a 
 time  of  fome  fpecial  feafons  of  grace,  and  fome  fpe- 
 cial  new  fupplies  of  grace  received  in  fuch  feafons  ; 
 as  after  the  holy  facrament,  then  will  he  fet  on  moft 
 eagerly,  when  he  knows  of  the  richeft  booty.  The 
 /  pirates  that  let  the  fliips  pafs  as  they  go  by  empty, 
 /  watch  them  well  when  they  return  richly  laden  : 
 So  doth  this  great  pirate.  Did  he  not  aflault  cur  Sa- 
 viour ftraight  after  his  baptifm  ?  'O  Trfi^afojj'. 
 
 And,  that  we  may  watch,  it  concerns  us  to  he  fo- 
 her.  The  inftruclion  is  military,  and  a  drunk  foldier 
 is  not  fit  to  be  on  the  watch.  This  moft  of  us  are 
 with  our  feveral  fancies  and  vanities,  and  fo  expofed 
 to  this  adverfary,  yea,  when  we  have  gained  fome 
 advantage  in  a  conflid,  or  when  the  enemy  fcems  to 
 
 retire 
 
VER.  8,  9.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  325 
 
 retire  and  be  gone,  yet  even  then  are  we  to  be  watch- 
 ful, yea,  then  efpecially.  How  many,  prefuming  on 
 faife  fafeties  that  way,  and  fitting  down  to  caroufe, 
 or  lying  down  to  fleep,  have  been  reaflaulted  and  cut 
 ofF=^.  Oh  I  beware  when  you  think  yourfelves  moll 
 fafe  ;  that  very  thought  makes  you  leaft  fafe.  Keep 
 always  your  fpirits  free  of  furcharges,  and  lavifh  pro- 
 fulion  upon  the  world,  applying  your  hearts  to  any 
 thing  in  it,  fitting  down  to  it.  Oh  !  no.  Be  like  Gi- 
 deon's army,  Judges  vii.  5.  fit  to  follow  God,  and  be 
 vidlorious  in'  him,  not  lying  down  to  drink,  but  ta- 
 kmg  of  it  only,  as  for  neceflity,  in  pafling.  Take  our 
 Saviour's  own  word,  Take  heed  left  at  any  time  your 
 hearts  he  furcharged  with  furfeitiiigs  and  drunkennefs, 
 and  the  cares  of  this  life,  Luke  xxi.  34.  Thofe  will 
 overcharge  you,  and  make  you  drunk,  and  call  you 
 alleep. 
 
 Oh  !  mind  your  work  and  your  warfare  always, 
 more  than  your  eafe  and  pleafure.  Seek  it  not  here, 
 your  refl  is  not  here.  Oh  I  poor  fliort  reft,  if  it 
 were  ;  but  follow  the  Lord  Jefus  through  conflicts 
 and  fufferings,  a  little  while,  and  you  fhall  have  cer- 
 tain vidtory,  and  after  it  everlafting  triumph  ;  reft 
 and  pleafure^  and  a  feaft  that  fhall  not  end,  where 
 there  is  neither  danger  of  furfeiting  nor  wearying,  but 
 pure  and  perpetual  delight.  In  this  perfualion,  you 
 ih^)uld  be  abftinent  and  watchful,  and  endure  hard- 
 Jhip^  as  good  foldiers  of  Jefus  Chrift,  as  the  Apoftle 
 fpeaks,  not  entangling  yourfelves  with  the  affairs  of 
 this  life,  2  Tim.  xi.  4.  and  thus  be  ready  for  encoun- 
 ters, fland  watching,  and  if  you  be  affaulted,  refill. 
 
 Whom  refift  ftedfaft  in  the  faith,']  To  watchfulnefs, 
 courage  Ihould  be  joined.  He  that  \vatches  and 
 yields,  feems  rather  to  watch  to  receive  than  to  re- 
 lift  the  enemy. 
 
 And  this  refiftance  Ihould  be  continued  even  againft 
 multiplied  aflaults ;  for  thou  haft  to  deal  with  an 
 enemy  that  will  not  eafily  give  over,  but  will  try  fe- 
 
 veral 
 
 ■   *  Invadunt  urhem  fomno  vinoque  fepultam. 
 
326  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHPA.  V. 
 
 veral  ways,  and  will  redouble  his  onfets  *  ;  fome- 
 times  very  thick,  to  weary  thee  out,  fometimes  after  a 
 little  forbearance  interpofed,  to  catch  thee  unawares, 
 when  he  is  i^ot  expeded  ;  but  in  all  faint  not,  but 
 be  ftedfaft  in  thy  reliftance. 
 
 This  is  ealily  faid,  but  how  may  it  be  ?  how  Ihall 
 I  be  able  fo  to  do  '^  Thus : 
 
 Stedfaji  in  the  faith.']  The  mofl  of  men  are  under 
 the  power  of  one  of  thefe  two  evils,  fecurity  or  dif- 
 truft,  and  out  of  the  one  we  readily  fall  into  the  other : 
 Therefore  the  Apoftle  frames  his  exhortations,  and 
 the  arguments  of  it,  in  oppolition  to  both  thefe.  Firft, 
 againil  fecurity  in  the  former  verfe.  Be  fober  and 
 watch,  and  prelTes  that  by  the  proper  argument  of 
 great  and  centinuing  danger.  Here  againft  dillrull ; 
 Whovi  rejijl,  Jledfajl  in  the  faith  ;  and  adds  an  en- 
 couraging confideration  of  the  common  condition  of 
 the  children  of  God  in  the  world. 
 
 Stedfaji,  or  folid,  hy  faith.  This  is  abfolutely  ne- 
 celTary  for  refiftance  ;  a  man  cannot  fight  upon  a 
 quagmire  ;  there  is  no  (landing  out  without  a  ftand- 
 ing,  fome  firm  ground  to  tread  upon  ;  and  this,  faith 
 alone  furnifhes.  It  lifts  the  foul  up  to  the  firm  ad- 
 vanced ground  of  the  promifes,  and  fattens  it  there, 
 and  there  it  is  fare,  even  as  Mount  Sion,  that  cannot 
 be  removed.  He  fays  not,  Jledfajl  by  your  own  refo- 
 lutions  and  purpojes,  hut  jledfajl  by  faith.  The  power 
 of  God  by  faith  becomes  ours,  for  that  is  contained 
 and  engaged  in  the  Word  of  Promife  ^  faith  lays  hold 
 there,  and  there  finds  Almighty  ilrength  ;  and  this  is 
 our  mSiory,  fays  the  Apoltle  St  John,  whereby  we  over- 
 come the  world,  even  our  faith,  1  John  v.  4. ;  fo  is  our 
 victory,  whereby  we  overcome  the  prince  of  the  worlds 
 whom  rejift  jledfajl  in  the  faith.  And,  univerfally,  all 
 difficulties,  and  all  enemies,  are  overcome  hy  faith. 
 Faith  fets   the   ilronger  Z/ow  of  the   tribe  ef  Judah 
 
 againft 
 
 Marcel. 
 
VER.  8,  9.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  327 
 
 againft  this  roaring  lion  of  the  hottomkfs  pit  s  that  de- 
 livering Lion  againft  this  devouring  lion^ 
 
 When  the  foul  is  furrounded  with  enemies  on  all 
 hands,  fo  that  there  is  no  way  of  efcape,  faith  flies 
 above  them,  and  carries  up  the  foul  to  take  refuge  in 
 Chrift,  where  it  is  fafe.  That  is  the  power  of  faith  ; 
 it  fets  a  foul  in  Chrift,  and  there  it  looks  down  upon 
 all  temptations,  as  at  the  bottom  of  the  rock,  break- 
 ing themfelves  into  foam.  When  the  floods  of  temp- 
 tations rife  and  gather,  fo  great  and  many,  that  the 
 foul  is  even  ready  to  be  fwallowed  up,  then,  by  faith, 
 it  fays,  **  Lord  Jefus,  thou  art  my  ftrength,  I  look  to 
 **  thee  for  deliverance ;  now  appear  for  my  help  1" 
 And  thus  it  overcomes  the  guilt  of  fin  ;  that  is  an- 
 fwered  by  his  blood,  and  the  power  of  lin  is  conquer- 
 ed by  his  Spirit ;  and  afflidlions  that  arife  are  no- 
 thing to  thefe.  His  love  and  gracious  prefence  makes 
 them  fweet  and  eafy. 
 
 We  miftake,  if  we  think  to  do  any  thing,  or  be 
 any  thing,  without  him  ;  and  we  miftake  again,  if  we 
 think  any  thing  too  hard  to  be  done  or  fuffered  with 
 him  :  Without  me  you  can  do  nothings  fays  he,  John  xv. 
 5.  And  I  am  able  to  do  all  things,  or  can  all  things, 
 TTocvToc  KT^vu,  (fo  thc  Apoftlc's  word  is),  through  Chrijl 
 that  fir ength ens  me,  Phil.  iv.  13.  All  things.  Oh  I 
 that  is  a  big  word,  yet  it  is  a  true  word  ;  and  thus 
 made  geod  through  Cbrifi  empowering  me  ;  that  frees 
 it  both  from  falfehood  and  vanity.  An  humble  con- 
 fidence ;  for  it  is  not  in  himfeif,  but  in  Chrift,  and 
 this  boafting  is  good.  My  foul  JJj all  make* her  boafl 
 in  God,  fays  David,  Pfal.  xx;xiv.  2.  Oh  I  they  have 
 only  warrant  to  boaft,  and  to  triumph  even  before 
 the  vidlory,  that  do  it  in  this  ftyle  ;  fuch  may  give  a 
 challenge  to  all  the  world,  and  to  all  advcrfe  powers 
 of  earth  and  hell,  as  the  Apoftle  doth  in  his  own  and 
 every  believer's  name,  Rom.  viii.  35.  38.  Who  Jhall 
 feparate  us  from  the  love  of  Chrifi?  &c.  See  the  vic- 
 tory recorded  in  this  fame  way,  Apocal.  xii.  1 1.  and 
 they  overcame  him^     But  how  J  by  the  Hood  of  the 
 
 Lamb^ 
 
328  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 Lcimhy  and  the  word  of  their  tejlimony.  That  blood, 
 and  the  word  of  their  teftimony,  believing  that  word 
 concerning  that  blood  :  Thefe  are  the  ftrength  and 
 victory  of  a  Chriilian. 
 
 Inf,  Although,  then,  thou  feeil  thyfelf  the  moil  wit- 
 lefs  and  weak,  and  findeft  thyfelf  nothing  but  a  prey 
 to  the  powers  of  darknefs ;  yet  know,  that,  by  belie- 
 ving, the  wifdom  and  ftrength  of  Chrift  is  thine. 
 Thou  art  and  oughtefi:  to  find  thyfelf  all  weaknefs, 
 but  he  is  ail  ftrength,  Almightinefs  itfelf.  Learn  to 
 apply  his  victory,  and  fo  it  is  thine.  Be  ftrong,  how  ? 
 In  him,  and  the  power  of  his  might.  But  thou  wilt 
 fay,  I  am  often  foiled,  yea,  I  cannot  find  that  I  pre- 
 vail at  all  againft  mine  enemies,  but  they  ftill  againft 
 me  :  Yet  rely  on  him,  he  can  turn  the  chace  in  an 
 inftant ;  ftill  cleave  to  him,  when  the  whole  powers 
 of  thy  foul  are,  as  it  were,  fcattered  and  routed. 
 Kally  them  by  believing.  Draw  thou  but  into  the 
 Hand ard  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  the  day  lliall  be  thine  : 
 For  viclory  follows  that  ftandard,  and  cannot  be  fe- 
 vered from  it.  Yea,  though  thou  find  the  fmart  of 
 divers  ftrokes,  yet  think  that  often  a  wounded  foldier 
 hath  won  the  day  ;  believe,  and  it  ftiall  be  fo  with 
 thee. 
 
 And  remember  that  thy  foils,  through  the  wifdom 
 and  love  of  thy  God,  may  be  ordered  to  advance  the 
 victory ;  to  put  courage  and  holy  anger  into  thee 
 againft  thine  enemies ;  to  humble  thee,  and  drive 
 thee  from  thine  own  imagined  ftrength,  to  make  ufe 
 of  his  real  ftrength.  And  be  not  hafty  ;  think  not 
 at  the  very  firft  to  conquer ;  many  a  hard  conflid 
 muft  thou  refolve  upon,  and  often  be  brought  very 
 low,  almoft  to  a  defperate  point,  that  to  thy  fenie  it 
 is  paft  recovery  :  then  it  is  his  time  to  ftep  in,  even 
 in  the  midft  of  their  prevailing.  Let  God  but  arife^ 
 and  his  enemies  Jhall  he  fcattered,  Pfal.  Ixviii.  i.  Thus 
 the  Church  hath  found  it  in  her  greatcft  extremities, 
 and  thus  likewife  the  believing  foul. 
 
VER.  8,  9.]         TH£  FIRST  ^PISTLE  OP  PETER.  JZ^^ 
 
 The  Apoftle  adds  in  the  clofe  of  the  verfe,  Know^ 
 ing  that  the  fame  afflidlions  are  accompHJbed  in  your 
 brethren  that  are  in  the  world.  There  is  one  thing 
 that  much  troubles  the  patience,  and  weakens  the 
 faith,  of  fome  Chriftians ;  they  are  ready  to  think^ 
 there  is  none,  yea,  there  was  never  any  beloved  ot 
 God,  in  fuch  a  condition  as  theirs.  Thus  fometimes 
 they  fwelJ,  even  their  outward  trials,  in  imagination, 
 but  oftener  their  inward,  which  are  moil  heavy  and 
 preffing  to  themfelves,  and  the  parallel  of  them  lead 
 difcernible  by  them  in  others.  Therefore  the  Apoftle 
 St  Paul  breaks  this  conceit,  i  Cor.  x.  13.  No  tempta- 
 tion hath  taken  you,  but  fuch  as  is  common  to  men  t 
 And  here  is  the  fame  truth,  "The  fame  affliElions  are 
 accomplijhed  in  your  b  rethren. 
 
 But  alas !  we  had  rather  hear  of  eafe,  and  cannot, 
 after  all  that  is  faid,  bring  our  hearts  to  comply  with 
 this,  that  temptations  and  troubles  are  the  famts  por- 
 tion here,  and  that  this  is  the  royal  way  to  the  king» 
 dom.  Our  King  led  in  it,  and  all  his  followers  go 
 the  fame  way ;  and  befides  the  happy  end  of  it,  is  it 
 not  fweet,  even  for  this  (imply,  becaufe  He  went  in  it  ? 
 Yet  this  is  the  truth,  and,  taken  altogether,  is  a  moll 
 comfortable  truth  ;  the  whole  brotherhood,  all  our 
 brethren,  go  in  it,  and  our  Eldeft  Brpther  went  firft. 
 
 Ver.  10.  But  the  God  of  all  grace,  who  hath  called  us 
 into  his  eternal  joy  by  Cbriji  Jefus,  after  that  ye  ha'ue 
 fuffered  a  while,  make  you  perfe5l,jlaoliJh,flrengthen^ 
 fettle  you, 
 
 HIS  divine  dodrine  and  exhortations  the  Apoftle 
 clofes  with  prayer,  as  we  follow  this  rule  in 
 public  after  the  word  preached  :  So.  St  Paul  fre- 
 quently did,  and  fo  Chrifl  himfelf,  John  xvii.  after 
 that  fermon  in  the  preceding  chapters.  It  were 
 well  if  both  minifters  and  people  would  follow  the 
 fame  way  more  in  privaite,  each  for  themfelves,  and 
 each  for  the  other  ;  for  the  want  of  this  is  mainly  the 
 Vol.  II.  T  t  thing 
 
33©  A  COMMENTARY  UFOM;  [cHAP.  V. 
 
 thing  that  makes  our  preaching  and  hearing  fo  bar- 
 ren and  fruitlefs.  The  minifters  of  the  gofpel  (hould 
 indeed  be  as  the  angels  of  God,  going  betwixt  him 
 and  his  people  ;  not  only  bringing  down  ufeful  in- 
 ftrudions  from  God  to  them,  but  putting  up  earned 
 fupplications  to  God  for  them.  In  the  x.  of  St  Luke, 
 the  difciples  are  fent  forth  and  appointed  to  preach  ; 
 and  in  the  xi.  we  have  them  defiring  to  be  taught  to 
 pray  ;  Lord  teach  us  to  pray.  And  without  this  there 
 can  be  little  anfwer  or  fuccefs  in  the  other  ;  little 
 fpringing  up  of  this  feed,  though  minifters  fow  it 
 plentifully  in  preaching,  unlefs  they  fecretly  water  it 
 with  their  prayers  and  tears. 
 
 And  people,  truly,  (hould  keep  fome  correfpondence 
 in  this  duty  ;  and  that,  if  other  engagement  will  not 
 perfuade,  even  for  their  own  advantage,  for  it  returns 
 unto  them  with  abundant  intereft.  If  much  of  the 
 Spirit  be  poured  forth  on  minifters,  are  they  not  the 
 more  able  to  unfold  the  fpiritual  myfteries  of  the  gof- 
 pel, and  build  up  their  people  in  the  knowledge  of 
 them  ?  Oh  !  that  both  of  us  were  more  abundant  in 
 this  rich  and  fweet  exercife. 
 
 The  prayer  is  addrefted  to  the  God  of  all  grace^ 
 who  hath  called  us  to  eternal  glory  by  Chrijl  Jefus  ; 
 wherein  it  fuits  the  Apoftle  St  Paul's  word  in  his  di- 
 redion  to  the  Philippians,  Chap.  iv.  6.  ;  it  is  Juppli- 
 cation  with  thank/giving,  prayer  with  praife.  In  the 
 prayer  or  petition,  coniider  the  matter  and  the  ftyle. 
 The  matter  or  thing  requefted  is  expreffed  in  divers 
 brief  words,  Make  you  perfe6l,JlahliJh,Jirengthen,  fettle 
 you  ;  which,  though  they  be  much  of  the  fame  fenfe, 
 yet  are  not  fuperfluoufly  multiplied  ;  for  they  both 
 carry  the  great  importance  of  the  thing,  and  the 
 earneft  deiire  in  alking  it.  And  though  it  be  a  little 
 light  and  unfolid  to  frame  a  different  fenfe  to  each 
 of  them  ;  nor  are  any  of  the  ways  that  fuch  kind  of 
 interpreters  have  taken  in  it  very  fatisfadtory  to  any 
 difcerning  judgment ;  yet  I  conceive  they  are  not  al- 
 together without  fome  profitable  difference.     As  the 
 
 firft. 
 
VER.  10.]  rut  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  ^^ 
 
 firft,  PerfeSly  implies  more  clearly  than  the  reft,  their 
 advancement  in  vidory  over  their  remaining  corrup- 
 tions and  infirmities,  and  their  progrefs  towards  per- 
 fedion.  Stahli/h,  hath  more  exprefs  reference  to  both 
 the  inward  iightnefs  and  inconltancy  that  is  natural 
 to  us,  the  counter-blafts  of  perfecutions  and  tempta- 
 tions, and  to  outward  oppofitions  ;  and  imports  the 
 curing  of  the  one,  and  fupport  againft  the  other. 
 Strengthen,  the  growth  of  their  graces,  efpecially  gain- 
 ing of  further  meafures  of  thofe  graces  wherein  they 
 are  weakeft  and  loweft.  And  fettle,  though  it  feems 
 the  fame,  and  in  fubftance  is  the  fame  with  the  other 
 word  Jiablijb,  yet  it  adds  fomewhat  to  it  very  confi- 
 derable  ;  for  it  fignifies  to  found  or  fix  upon  a  fure 
 foundation,  and  fo  indeed  may  have  an  afpedl  to  Him 
 who  is  the  foundation  and  ftrength  of  believers,  on 
 whom  they  build  by  faith,  even  Jefus  Chrifl,  in  whom 
 we  have  all,  both  vidory  over  fin,  and  increafe  of 
 grace,  eftablifhment  of  fpirit,  and  power  to  perfevere 
 againft  all  difficulties  and  aflTaults  :  He  is  that  corner 
 foundationflone  laid  in  Zion,  that  they  that  build  upon 
 him  may  not  he  ajhamed,  Ifa,  xxviii.  i6. :  That  rock 
 that  upholds  the  houfe  founded  on  it  in  the  midft  of  all 
 winds  and  florins,  Matth.  vii.  ult. 
 
 From  hence  we  may  obferve,  ifl,  That  thefe  ex- 
 preflions  have  in  them  that  w^hich  is  fo  earneftly  and 
 principally  to  be  fought  after  by  every  Chnftian, 
 perfevernnce  and  progrefs  in  grace.  Thefe  two  are 
 here  interwoven  ;  for  there  be  two  words  importing 
 the  one,  and  two  the  other,  and  they  are  interchange- 
 ably placed.  This  is  often  urged  on  Chiiftians  as 
 their  duty,  and  accordingly  ought  they  to  apply  them- 
 felves  to  it,  and  ufe  their  higheft  diligence  in  it :  Not 
 to  take  the  beginning  of  Chriftianity  for  the  end  of 
 it ;  to  think  it  enough,  if  they  are  entered  into  the 
 way  of  it,  and  fit  down  upon  the  entry  ;  but  to  walk 
 on,  to  go  from  flrength  toflrengtb,  Pfal.  Ixxxiv.  7.  ; 
 and  even  through  the  greateft  difficulties  and  difcou- 
 ragements,  to  pafs  forward  with  unmoved  ftabiiity 
 
33^  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 end  fixednefs  of  mind.  They  ought  to  be  aiming  at 
 perfedion  :  It  is  true,  we  lliall  flill  fall  exceedingly 
 iliort  of  it;  but  the  more  we  ftudy  it,  the  nearer 
 {hall  we  come  to  it ;  the  higher  we  aim,  the  higher 
 ill  all  we  flioot,  though  we  fhoot  not  fo  high  as  we 
 aim. 
 
 It  is  an  excellent  life,  and  it  is  the  proper  life  of 
 ^  Chriftian,  to  be  daily  outftripping  himfelf,  to  be  fpi- 
 ritually  wifer,  holier,  more  heavenly  minded  to-day 
 than  yefterday,  and  to-morrow  (if  it  be  added  to  his 
 life)  than  to-day*.  Every  day  loving  the  world  lefs, 
 |ind  Chrift  rjiore,  than  the  former,  and  gaining  every 
 day  fome  further  vidlory  over  his  fecret  corruptions, 
 having  his  paffions  more  fubdued  and  mortified,  his 
 defires,  in  all  temporal  things,  more  cool  and  indif- 
 ferent, and  in  fpiritual  things  m.ore  ardent ;  that  mi- 
 ferable  lightnefs  of  fpirit  cured,  and  his  heart  render- 
 ed more  folid  and  fixed  upon  God,  afpiring  to  more 
 near  communion  with  him,  labouring  that  particular 
 graces  rnay  be  made  more  lively  and  llrong,  by  often 
 lexerciiing  and  ftirring  them  up  :  Faith  more  con- 
 firmed and  flayed,  love  more  inflamed,  compofed 
 meeknefs  producing  more  deep  humility.  Oh  I  this 
 were  a  worthy  ambition  indeed  !  you  would  have 
 your  eflates  growing,  and  your  credit  growing  ;  how 
 imuch  rather  fhould  you  feek  to  have  your  graces 
 growing,  and  not  be  content  with  any  thing  you  have 
 attained  to  ?     But, 
 
 idfyf  All  our  endeavours  and  diligence  in  this  will 
 be  vain,  unlefs  we  look  fop  our  perfecting  and  efta- 
 blilhing  from  that  right  hand,  without  which  we  do 
 npthing;  thither  the  Apoftle  moves  his  defires  for  his 
 brethren,  and  fo  teaches  them  the  fame  addrefs  for 
 themfelves,  The  Ged  of  all  grace  make  you  perfedi. 
 
 This  prayer  is  grounded  (as  all  prayer  of  faith 
 mull  be)  on  the  promife  and  covenant  of  God«  He 
 is  our  rocky  and  bis  work  is  perfeB,  Beut.  xxxii.  4. 
 Jle  doth  not  begin  a  building,  and  then  leave  it  off: 
 
 none 
 
 "^'Suwuiffima  'vita  eji  indies  fentire  fe  fieri  meliorenio 
 
VER.  10.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  333 
 
 none  of  his  deiigns  break  in  the  middle,  or  fall  (hort 
 of  their  end.  He  will  perfedl  that  good  work  which 
 he  hath  begun,  to  the  day  of  Jefus  Chrijl,  Phil.  i.  6. 
 And,  how  often  is  he  called  the  Jirength  of  thofe  that 
 truji  on  him,  Pfal.  xviii.  30. ;  their  buckler,  and  his- 
 way  perfeSi. 
 
 Hence  is  the  (lability  of  grace,  and  perfeverance 
 of  the  faints;  it  is  founded  upon  his  unchangeable- 
 nefs.  Not  that  they  are  fo,  though  truly  fandified, 
 if  they  and  their  graces  were  left  to  their  ow^n  mar 
 nagement ;  no,  it  is  he  who  not  only  gives  that  rich 
 portion  to  thofe  he  adopts  to  be  his  children,  but 
 keeps  it  for  them,  and  them  in  the  polfeflion  of  it ; 
 He  maintains  the  lot  of  our  inheritance,  Pfal.  xvi.  5. 
 And  to  build  that  perfualion  of  perfeverance  upon 
 his  truth  and  power  engaged  in  it,  is  no  prefump- 
 tion,  yea,  it  is  high  difhonour  to  him  to  quellion 
 it. 
 
 But  when  nature  is  fet  to  judge  of  grace,  it  muft 
 fpeak  according  to  itfelf ;  and,  therefore,  very  unfuit- 
 ably  to  that  which  it  fpeaks  of.  Natural  wits  appre- 
 hend not  the  fpiritual  tenor  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace, 
 but  model  it  to  their  own  principles,  and  quite  dif- 
 guife  it ;  and  they  think  of  nothing  but  their  refolves 
 and  moral  purpofes :  Or,  they  take  up  with  a  con- 
 fufed  notion  of  grace  ;  they  imagine  it  put  into  their 
 own  hands,  to  keep  or  lofe  it,  and  will  not  ftoop  to 
 a  continual  dependence  on  the  ilrength  of  another ; 
 .  rather  choofing  that  game  of  hazard,  though  it  is  cer- 
 tain lofs  and  undoing,  to  do  for  themfclves. 
 
 But  the  humble  believer  is  otherwife  taught ;  he 
 hath  not  fo  learned  Chrifl,  He  fees  himfelf  befet  with 
 enemies  without,  and  buckled  to  a  treacherous  heart 
 within,  that  will  betray  him  to  them  ;  and  he  dare 
 no  more  truft  himfelf  to  himfelf,  than  to  his  moft 
 profeiTed  enemies.  Thus  it  ought  to  be,  and  the 
 more  the  heart  is  brought  to  this  humble  petitioning 
 for  that  ability,  and  llrengthening  and  perfecting,  from 
 
 God, 
 
334  ^  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  V. 
 
 God,  the  more  ihall  it  find  both  (lability  and  peace, 
 from  the  affu ranee  of  that  liability. 
 
 And  certainly,  the  more  the  Chriflian  is  acquainted 
 with  himfelf,  the  more  will  he  go  out  of  himfelf  for 
 his  perfeding  and  ellablifliing.  He  finds  that  when 
 he  thinks  to  go  forward,  he  is  driven  backward,  and 
 fin  gets  hold  of  him,  oftentimes,  when  he  thought  to 
 have  fmitten  it.  He  finds  that  miferable  inconftancy 
 of  his  heart  in  fpiritual  things,  the  vanifhing  of  his 
 purpofes  and  breaking  off  of  his  thoughts,  that  they- 
 ufually  die  ere  they  be  brought  forth  :  So  that  when 
 he  hath  thought,  **  I  will  pray  more  reverently,  and 
 '•  fet  mylelf  to  behold  God  when  I  fpeak  to  him,  and 
 "  watch  more  over  my  heart,  that  it  fly  not  out  and 
 *'  leave  me ;"  poffibly  the  firfl  time  he  fets  to  it, 
 thinking  to  be  mader  of  his  intention,  he  finds  him- 
 felf more  fcattered,  and  difordered,  and  dead,  than  at 
 any  time  before.  When  he  hath  conceived  thoughts 
 of  humility  and  felf^abafement,  and  thinks,  "  Now 
 '*  I  am  down,  and  laid  low  within  myfclf,  to  rife  and 
 *'  look  big  no  more ;"  yet  fome  vain  fancy  creeps 
 in  anon,  and  encourages  him,  and  raifes  him  up  to 
 his  old  eilate :  So  that  in  this  plight,  had  he  not 
 higher  ilrength  to  look  at,  he  would  fit  down  and 
 give  over  all,  as  utterly  hopelefs  of  ever  attaining  to 
 his  journey's  end. 
 
 But  when  he  confiders  whofe  work  that  is  withia 
 him,  even  thefe  fmall  beginnings  of  defires,  he  is  en- 
 couraged, by  the  greatnefs  of  the  work,  not  to  defpife 
 and  defpair  of  the  fmall  appearance  of  it  in  its  begin- 
 ning; not  to  defpife  the  day  of  fmall  things,  Zech.  iv. 
 lo.  ;  "and  knowing,  that  it  is  not  by  any  power  nor 
 might,  but  by  his  Spirit,  that  it  fiiall  be  accomplifiied, 
 he  lays  hold  on  that  word,  Job  viii.  7.  Though  thy 
 beginning  be  fmall,  yet  thy  latter  end  Jlmll  greatly  in^ 
 creafe. 
 
 The  well  inftruded  Chriftian  looks  to  Jefus,  u(po^uv- 
 ti^,  Heb.  xii.  2.  looks  off  from  all  oppofitions  and  dif- 
 ficulties ;  looks  above  them  to  Jefus,  the  Author  and 
 
 Finijher 
 
V£R.   10.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  335 
 
 Finijher  of  our  faith;  Author^  and  therefore  Finijher. 
 Thus  that  royal  dignity  is  interefted  in  the  maintain- 
 ance  and  completing  of  what  he  hath  wrought :  not- 
 withftanding  all  thy  imperfedions,  and  the  (Irength 
 of  fin,  he  can  and  will  fubdue  it ;  though  thy  condi- 
 tion Ihould  be  fo  light  and  loofe,  that  it  were  ealy 
 for  any  wind  of  temptation  to  blow  thee  away,  yet 
 he  fhall  hold  thee  in  his  right  hand,  and  there  thou 
 fhalt  be  firm  as  the  earth,  that  is  fo  fettled  by  his 
 hand,  that  thoxx^  it' hangs  on  nothings  yet  nothing 
 can  remove  it.  Though  thou  art  weak,  he  is.flrong; 
 and  is  he  that  Jirength  ens  thee,  and  renews  thy  fire  ngth^ 
 Ifa.  xl.  28.  ;  when  it  feems  to  be  gone  and  quite 
 fpent,  he  makes  it  frefh,  and  greater  than  ever  be- 
 fore. The  word  I5"'^n''  which  we  render  rencWj  lig- 
 nifies  change;  they  fhall  have  for  their  own,  his/ 
 flrength ;  a  weak  believer,  and  his  ftrong  Saviour, 
 will  be  too  hard  for  all  that  can  rife  againll  them  : 
 It  is  here  fit  hominem  cum  baji  metiri,  as  in  fiatues, 
 to  meafure  the  man  with  the  balls  on  which  he  ftands; 
 and  there  is  no  taking  the  right  meafure  of  a  Chri- 
 flian  but  that  way. 
 
 Thou  art  now,  indeed,  expofed  to  great  florms  and 
 tempefts,  yet  he  builds  thee  on  himfelf,  makes  thee, 
 by  believing,  to  found  on  him  ;  and  fo,  though  the 
 winds  blow  and  the  rain  fall,  yet  thou  ftandeft,  being 
 built  on  him  thy  rock,  Matth.  vii.  25.  And  this,  in- 
 deed, is  our  fafety,  the  more  we  cleave  to  our  rock 
 and  faften  on  him :  This  is  the  only  thing  that  efla- 
 blifhes  us,  vtnd  perfe^s  and  Jlrengthens  us ;  therefore, 
 well  is  that  word  added  S-fjuiAtwcr**,  found  you,  or 
 fettle  you,  on  your  foundation.  This  is  the  firmnels 
 of  the  Church  againft  the  gates  of  hell :  he  is  a  firong 
 foundation  for  eftablifhment,  and  a  living  founda- 
 tion ;  having  influence  into  the  building  for  perfect- 
 ing it ;  for  it  is  a  living  houfe,  and  the  foundation  is 
 a  root  fending  life  to  the  ftones,  that  they  grow  up, 
 as  this  Apoftle  fpeaks,  i  Epift.  ii,  4,  5.  - 
 
 It 
 
33^  A  COMMENTARY  tPON  [^CHAP.  V* 
 
 It  is  the  want  of  this  adivity  of  faith  on  Jefus^ 
 that  keeps  us  fo  imperfedt,  and  vvreflling  ftill  with 
 our  corruptions  without  any  advancement.  We 
 wreftle  in  our  own  llrength  too  often,  and  fo  are  jufl- 
 ly,  yea  neceflarily,  foiled  ;  for  it  cannot  be  other- 
 wife,  till  we  make  him  our  flrength.  This  we  are 
 ftill  forgetting,  and  we  had  need  to  be  put  in  mind 
 of  it,  and  frequently  to  recoiled  it.  We  would  be 
 at  doing  for  ourfelves,  and  infenlibly  fall  into  this 
 folly,  even  after  much  fmarting  for  ir,  if  we  be  not 
 watchful  againfl  it ;  there  is  this  wretched  natural 
 independency  in  us,  that  is  fo  hard  to  beat  out.  All 
 our  projedlings  are  but  caftles  in  the  air,  imaginary 
 buildings  without  a  foundation,  till  once  laid  on 
 Chrift.  But  never  fhall  we  find  heart  peace,  fweet 
 peace,  and  progrefs  in  holinefs,  till  we  be  driven 
 from  it,  to  make  him  all  our  flrength  ;  till  we  be 
 brought  to  do  nothing,  to  attempt  nothing,  to  hope 
 or  expedt  nothing,  but  in  him  ;  and  then  fhall  we 
 indeed  find  his  fulnefs  and  all-fufficiency,  and  be 
 more  than  conquerors  through  him  who  hath  loved  us, 
 Rom.  viii.  37. 
 
 But  the  God  of  all  grace.'\  By  reafon  of  our  many 
 wants  and  great  weaknefs,  we  had  need  to  have  a 
 very  full  hand,  and  a  very  flrong  hand  to  go  to, 
 for  fupplies  and  fupport.  And  fuch  we  have  indeed  \ 
 our  Father  is  the  God  of  all  grace^  a  fpring  that  can- 
 not be  drawn  dry,  no,  nor  fo  much  as  any  whit  di^ 
 minifhed. 
 
 He  is  the  God  of  all  grace :  The  God  of  imputed 
 grace,  of  infufed  and  increafed  grace,  of  furnifhed 
 and  aflifting  grace.  The  work  of  falvation  is  all 
 grace  from  beginning  to  end.  Free  grace  in  the 
 plot  of  it,  laid  in  the  counfel  of  God,  and  performed 
 by  his  own  hand  all  of  it.  His  Son  fent  in  the  flefh, 
 and  his  Spirit  fent  into  the  hearts  of  his  chofen,  to 
 apply  Chrift.  All  grace  is  in  him,  the  living  fpring 
 of  it,  and  flows  from  him  ;  all  the  various  adings, 
 and  all  the  feveral  degrees  of  grace;  he  is  the  God 
 
 of 
 
TER.  10.]  THE  FIRST  EPlSTLE  OF  PETER.  337 
 
 of  pardoning  grace,  that  blots  out  the  tranfgrejfions  of 
 his  own  children,  for  his  ow?i  name* s  fake,  Ila.  xliii, 
 25. ;  that  takes  up  all  quarrels,  and  makes  one  ad  of 
 oblivion  ferve  for  all  reckonings  betwixt  him  and 
 them.  And,  as  the  God  of  pardoning  grace,  fo  he 
 is  alfo  the  God  of  fandlifying  grace,  who  refines  and 
 purifies  all  thofe  he  means  to  make  up  into  veflels  of 
 glory,  and  hath  in  his  hand  all  the  fit  means  and 
 ways  of  doing  this ;  purges  them  by  aliiidions  and 
 outward  trials,  by  the  reproaches  and  hatreds  of  the 
 world.  The  profane  world  little  know  how  fervice^ 
 able  they  are  to  the  increafe  of  the  graces  and  com- 
 forts of  a  Chriflian,  when  they  indignify  and  perfe- 
 cute  him ;  yea,  little  doth  a  Chriilian  himfelf  fome- 
 times  think  how  great  his  advantage  is  by  thofe 
 things,  till  he  find  it,  and  wonders  at  his  Father's 
 wifdom  and  love.  But  mofl  powerfully  are  the  chil- 
 dren of  God  fandified  by  the  Spirit  within  them, 
 without  which,  indeed,  no  other  thing  could  be  ad- 
 vantage to  them  in  this.  That  divine  fire  kindled 
 within  them  is  daily  refining  and  fublimating  them  ; 
 that  Spirit  of  Chrift  is  conquering  fin,  and,  by  the 
 mighty  flame  of  his  love,  confuming  the  earth  and 
 drofs  that  is  in  them  ;  making  their  aff^clions  more 
 fpiritual  and  difengaged  from  all  created  delights : 
 And  thus  as  they  receive  the  beginnings  of  grace 
 freely,  fo  all  the  advances  and  increafes  of  it.  Life 
 from  their  Lord  ftill  flowing  and  caufing  them  grow, 
 abating  the  power  of  fin,  ftrengthening  a  fainting 
 faith,  quickening  a"  languifiiing  love,  teaching  the 
 foul  the  ways  of  wounding  fiirong  corruptions,  and 
 ibrtifying  its  weak  graces  :  Yea,  in  wonderful  ways 
 advancing  the  good  of  his  children  by  things  not 
 only  harih  to  them,  as  afflidions  and  temptations, 
 but  by  that  which  is  diredly  oppofite  in  its  nature, 
 lin  itfelf,  raifing  them  by  their  falls,  and  ftrengthen- 
 ing them  by  their  very  troubles ;  working  them  up 
 to  humility  and  vigilance,  and  fending  them  to  Chrift 
 Vol..  IL    .  U  u  for 
 
A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 for  ftrength  by  the  experience  of  their  weaknefles 
 and  failings. 
 
 And  as  he  is  the  God  of  pardoning  grace,  and 
 fandtifying  grace  in  the  beginning  and  growth  of  it, 
 fo  alfo  the  God  of  fupporting  grace  ;  that  fuperve- 
 nient  influence,  without  w^hich  the  graces  placed 
 within  us  would  lie  dead,  and  fail  us  in  the  time  of 
 greatell  need.  This  is  the  immediate  affifting  power 
 that  bears  up  the  foul  under  the  hardeft  fcrvices,  and 
 backs  it  in  the  fharpeft  conflidls,  communicating  frefli 
 auxiliary  ftrength,  when  we  and  all  the  grace  we 
 have  within,  dwelling  in  us,  is  furcharged.  Then 
 he  fteps  in,  and  oppofes  his  ftrength  to  a  prevailing 
 and  confident  enemy,  that  is  at  the  point  of  infult- 
 ing  and  triumph.  When  temptations  have  made  a 
 breach,  and  enter  with  full  force  and  violence,  he 
 lets  in  fo  much  prefent  help  on  a  fudden,  as  makes 
 them  give  back,  and  beats  them  out.  When  the  ene- 
 my comes  in  as  a  floods  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  lifts  up  a 
 Jiandard  againfi  him,  Ifa.  lix.  ii.  ;  and  no  fiege  can 
 be  fo  clofe  as  to  keep  out  this  aid,  for  it  comes  from 
 above. 
 
 And  by  this  a  Chriftian  learns  that  his  ftrength  is 
 in  God ;  whereas  if  his  received  grace  were  always 
 party  enough,  and  able  to  make  itfelf  good  againft 
 all  incurfions,  though  we  know  we  have  received  it, 
 yet,  being  within  us,  we  fliould  poflibly  fometimes 
 forget  the  receipt  of  it,  and  look  on  it  more  as  ours 
 than  his ;  more  as  being  within  us  than  as  flowing 
 from  him.  But  when  all  the  forces  we  have,  the 
 Handing  garrifon,  is  by  far  overmatched,  and  yet  we 
 find  the  aflailants  beaten,  back ;  then  w^e  muft  ac- 
 knowledge him  that  fends  fuch  feafonable  relief,  to 
 be,  as  the  Pfalmift  fpeaks,  a  very  prefent  help  in 
 trouble,  Pfal.  xlvi.  i. 
 
 All  St  Paul's  conftant  ftrength  of  grace  inherent 
 in  him,  could  not  fence  him  fo  w^ell  as  to  ward  oft' 
 the  piercing  point  of  that  Iharp  temptation,  whatfo- 
 ever  it  was,   which  he  records,  2  Cor.  xii.  7.     The 
 
 redoubled 
 
VER.  10.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER,  339 
 
 redoubled  buffetings  that  he  felt  came  fo  thick  upon 
 him,  that  he  was  driven  to  his  knees  by  it,  to  cry  for 
 help  to  be  lent  down,  without  which  he  found  he 
 could  not  hold  out,  and  he  had  an  anfwer  alTuring 
 him  of  help  ;  a  fecret  fupport  that  iliould  maintain 
 him,  My  grace  is  fufficient  for  thee^  ver.  8.  though 
 thine  own  be  not ;  that  is,  that  which  I  have  already 
 given  thee  ;  yet  mine  is ,  that  is,  that  grace  which  is 
 in  me,  and  which  I  will  put  forth  for  thy  affillance. 
 
 And  this  is  our  great  advantage  and  comfort,  that 
 we  have  a  Protedor  who  is  Almighty,  and  is  always 
 at  hand  ;  who  can  and  will  hear  us  whenfoever  we 
 are  befet  and  ilraitened.  That  captain  had  reafon, 
 who,  being  required  to  keep  Milan  for  the  king  of 
 France,  went  up  to  the  higheft  turret,  and  cried  three 
 times.  King  of  France,  and  refufed  the  fervice,  bc- 
 caufe  the  king  heard  him  not,  nor  nobody  anfwered 
 for  him  ;  meaning  the  great  diilance,  and  fo  the  dif- 
 ficulty of  fending  aid,  when  need  fhould  require. 
 But  we  may  be  confident  of  our  fupplies  in  the  mod 
 fudden  furprifes.  Our  King  can  and  will  hear  us 
 when  we  call,  and  will  fend  relief  in  due  feafon. 
 We  may  be  in  apparent  hazards,  but  we  fbali  not 
 be  wholly  vanquiilied  ;  it  is  but  crying  to  him  in  our 
 greatefl  flraits,  and  help  appears.  Poffibly  we  fee 
 the  hofl  of  the  enemies  firfl,  and  that  fo  great,  that 
 there  is  ^lo  likelihood  of  efcaping  ;  but  then  praying, 
 we  efpy  the  fiery  chariots  and  horfemen,  and  may 
 fay.  There  are  more  with  us  than  with  them,  2  Kings 
 vi.  16. 
 
 The  Apoille  St  Paul  calls  our  God,  the  God  of  all 
 Confolatio7i,  Rom.  xv.  5.  as  here  he  is  ftyled  the  God 
 of  all  Grace :  And  this  is  our  rejoicing,  that  in  his 
 hand  is  ail  good  ;  our  fan  edification  and  confolation, 
 affiftance  and  alTurance,  grace  and  glory.  And  this 
 ftyle  fuits  moil  fitly  with  the  prefent  petition,  that 
 for  our  perfecting,  andfiahlifhing,  and  ftrengthening  in 
 grace,  we  have  recourfe  to  the  God  of  all  Grace,  whole 
 former  gifts  do  not  difcourage  us  from  ieeking  more, 
 
 but 
 
340  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  .       [CHAP.  V, 
 
 but  indeed  both  encourage  us,  and  engage  him  for 
 the  perfedling  of  it.  It  is  his  will  that  we  have  con- 
 ftant  recourfe  to  him  for  all  we  want.  He  is  fo  rich, 
 and  withal  fo  liberal,  that  he  delights  that  we  feek 
 and  draw  much  from  him  ;  and  it  is  by  believing 
 and  praying  that  we  do  draw  from  him.  Were  thefe 
 plied,  we  would  foon  grow  richer  ;  but  remember^ 
 all  this  grace,  that  we  would  receive  from  the  God 
 of  all  Grace,  mull  be  from  God  in  CJjriJi,  There  it 
 flows  for  us,  thither  we  are  direded.  It  'Was  the  Fa- 
 ther''s  good  pleafure,  that  in  himjhould  allfulnefs  dwell^ 
 Col,  i.  19.  and  that/br  us^  that  we  might  know  whi-> 
 ther  to  go,  and  where  to  apply  for  it. 
 
 Now  for  the  further  opening  up  of  his  riches,  ex- 
 prelTed  in  this  title,  the  God  of  all  Grace,  is  added 
 one  great  a6l  of  grace,  which  doth  indeed  include  -all 
 the  reft  ;  for  we  have  in  it  the  beginning  and  end  of 
 the  work  linked  together.  The  firft  effeifl  of  grace 
 upon  us,  in  effe^ual  calling,  and  the  laft  accomplifh- 
 nient  of  it,  in  eternal  glory.  Who  hath  called  us  to. 
 his  eternal  glory. 
 
 For  that  calling,  I  conceive,  doth  not  (imply  mean 
 the  deiign  of  the  gofpel  in  its  general  publication, 
 wherein  the  outward  call  lies,  that  it  holds  forth  and 
 fets  before  us  eternal  glory  as  the  refult  of  grace. 
 But  the  calling  here  fpoken  of,  is  the  real  bringing 
 of  a  Chriftian  to,  and  uniting  *him  with,  Cl^rift,  and 
 fo  giving  him  a  real  and  firm  title  to  glory.  Such  a 
 call  is  here  intended,  as  powerfully  works  grace  in 
 the  foul,  and  fecures  glory  to  the  foul ;  gives  it  right 
 to  that  inheritance,  and  fits  it  for  it ;  and  fometimes 
 gives  it  even  the  evident  and  fvveet  afTurance  of  it. 
 This  afTurance,  indeed,  all  the  heirs  of  glory  have 
 not  ordinarily  within  chem,  and  fcarce  any  at  all 
 times  equally  clear.  Some  travel  on  in  a  covert 
 cloudy  day,  and  get  home  by  it ;  having  fo  much 
 light  as  to  know  their  way,  and  yet  do  not  at  all 
 clearly  fee  the  bright  and  full  fun-lhine  of  afTurance; 
 others  have  it  breaking  forth  at  forae  times,  and  anon 
 
 under 
 
V£R.  10.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  34I 
 
 under  a  cloud,  and  fome  more  conllantly.  But  as 
 all  meet  in  the  end,  fo  all  agree  in  this  in  the  begin- 
 ning, that  is,  the  reality  of  the  thing ;  they  are  made 
 unalterably  fure  heirs  of  it,  in  their  effedlual  calling. 
 
 And  by  this  the  Apoflle  advances  his  petition  for 
 their  fupport,  and  eftabliihment,  and  advancement,  in 
 the  way  of  grace.  The  way  of  our  calling  to  fo 
 high  and  happy  an  eftate,  did  we  apply  our  thoughts 
 more  to  it,  would  work  on  us,  and  perfuade  us  to  a 
 more  fuitable  temper  of  mind,  and  courfe  of  life  ; 
 would  give  us  more  noble  fublime  thoughts  and  ways 
 above  the  world  ;  and  the  ftronger  were  our  perfua- 
 lion  of  it,  the  more  ftrongly  fliould  we  be  thus  per- 
 fuaded  by  it.  And  as  it  w^ould  thus  prevail  with  us, 
 fo  might  we  ufe  it  to  prevail  with  God  for  all  need- 
 ful grace. 
 
 All  you  that  hear  the  gofpel,  are  in  the  general 
 called  to  this  glory.  It  is  told  you  where  and  how 
 you  may  lay  hold  on  it.  You  are  told,  that  if  you 
 will  let  go  your  fins  and  embrace  Jefus  Chrill,  this 
 glory  fhall  be  yours.  It  is  his  purchafe,  and  the 
 right  of  it  lies  in  him,  and  not  elfewhere ;  and  right 
 to  him  is  the  receiving  him  for  a  Saviour,  and  at  the 
 fame  time  for  Lord  and  King  ;  to  become  his  fub- 
 jedts,  and  fo  be  made  kings.  This  is  our  meflage  to 
 you,  but  you  will  not  receive  it.  You  give  it  a  hear- 
 ing, it  may  be,  but  do  liot  indeed  hearken  to  the  mo- 
 tion :  And  this  muft,  of  necellity,  proceed  from  un- 
 belief. Were  you  indeed  perfuaded,  that  in  coming 
 unto  Chrilt,  you  were  prefcntly  not  only  fet  free 
 from  a  fentence  of  death,  which  is  flill  Handing  over 
 your  head  while  you  are  out  of  him,  but  withal  en- 
 titled to  a  crown,  made  heirs  of  a  kingdom,  an  eter- 
 nal kingdom,  I  fay,  if  this  were  believed,  were  it  pof- 
 lible  to  flight  him  as  the  moll  do,  and  turn  back  the 
 bargain,  and  beftow  their  money  elfewhere  upon 
 trifles  of  no  value,  childrens  commodities,  rattles,  and 
 painted  toys  ?  Such  are  your  greatelt  projetfls,  were  it 
 ^ven  for  earthly  kingdoms,  in  refped  of  Chrift,  and 
 
 this 
 
342  A    COMMENTARY    UPON  [CHAP.  T. 
 
 this  glory  provided  in  him.  What  a  wonder  is  it, 
 that  where  this  happinefs  is  daily  proclaimed,  and 
 you  are  not  only  informed  of  it,  but  entreated  to  re- 
 ceive it,  where  it  is  not  only  offered  you,  but  prelTed 
 and  urged  upon  you,  and  you  fay,  you  believe  the 
 matter;  yet  fliil  the  falfe  glory  and  other  vanities  of 
 this  world  amufe  and  entangle  you,*  that  you  clofe 
 not  with  this  rich  offer  oi  eternal  glory  ! 
 
 But  where  any  do  clofe  with  it,  it  is  indeed  by  a 
 call  that  goes  deeper  than  the  car  ;  a  word  fpoken 
 home  to  within,  a  touch  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon 
 the  heart,  which  hath  a  rriagnetic  virtue  to  draw  it, 
 fo  that  it  cannot  choofe  but  follow  ;  and  yet  choofes 
 it  moil  freely  and  fweetly  :  Doth  moil  gladly  open 
 to  let  in  Jefus  Chrifl  and  his  fweet  government  upon 
 liis  own  terms,  takes  him  and  all  the  reproaches  and 
 troubles  that  can  come  with  him.  And  well  it  may, 
 feeing,  beyond  a  little  palling  trouble,  abiding  eternal 
 glory. 
 
 The  ftate,  to  which  a  Chriflian  is  called,  is  not  a 
 poor  and  fad  cftate,  as  the  world  judges  ;  it  is  to  no 
 lefs  than  eternal  glory.  The  world  thinks  ilrange  to 
 fee  the  believer  abridge  hirafelf  in  the  delights  of 
 iin,  their  common  purfuits  and  eager  grafpings  after 
 gains  or  honours,  or  pleafures  of  fenfe  ;  but  they 
 know  not  the  infinite  gain  that  he  hath  made,  in  that 
 he  hath  exchanged  this  drofs  for  down-weight  of 
 pure  gold.  The  world  fees  what  the  Chriilian  leaves, 
 but  they  fee  not  what  he  comes  to;  what  his  new 
 parchale  is,  in  another  place  ;  they  fee  what  he  fuf- 
 fers,  but  not  what  he  expedls,  and  fhall  attain  as  the 
 end  of  thefe  fufferings,  which  Ihall  fhortly  end.  But 
 he  knowing  well  upon  what  conditions  all  thefe 
 things  run,  may  well  fay,  *'  How  fmall  is  what  1  for- 
 "  fake,  how  great  that  which  I  follow  after*." 
 
 It  is  glory,  eternal  glory,  his  eternal  glory.  Glory, 
 true  real  glory.  All  that  is  here  fo  named,  is  no 
 inorcbut  a  name,  a  ihadow  of  glory,  cannot  endure 
 
 the 
 
 *  Non  magna  relinquo,  magna  Je<^UQr^ 
 
VER.  10.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTlE  OF  PETER.  343 
 
 the  balance,  but  is  found  too  light :  As  was  laid  of  a 
 great  Monarch,  Dan.  v.  and  lb  many  principalities 
 and  provinces  put  into  the  fcale  one  after  another,* 
 ilill  added  no  weight ;  yea,  poilibly,  as  a  late  politic 
 writer  wittily  obferves  of  a  certain  Monarch,  *'  The 
 **  more  kingdoms  you  call  in,  the  fcale  is  ftill  the 
 "  lighter/'  Men  are  naturally  defirous  of  glory,  and 
 gape  after  it ;  but  they  are  naturally  ignorant  of  the 
 true  nature  and  place  of  it ;  they  feek  it  where  it  is 
 not,  and,  as  Solomon  fays  of  riches,  y^r  their  hearts  on 
 that'*whieb  is  not,  Prov.  xxiii.  5.  hath  no  fubliltence 
 nor  reality.  But  the  glory  above  is  true  real  glory, 
 *  and  bears  weight ;  and  fo  bears  *  aright  the  name  of 
 glory,  which  in  the  Hebrew  [i12D]  lignines  weight ; 
 and  the  Apoftle's  expreflion  feems  to  allude  to  that 
 fenfe  ;  fpeaking  of  this  fame  glory  to  come,  he  calls  it 
 tifar  more  excellent  weight  of  glory,  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  It 
 v»^eighs  down  all  labour  and  fufferings  in  the  way,  fo 
 far,  that  they  are  not  once  worth  the  fpeaking  of  in 
 refped:  of  it.  It  is  the  hyperbole,  J4a&*  uVf^PoAnk  nj 
 J7rf^(3oA>iv,  other  glory  is  overfpoke,  but  this  glory,  over 
 glorious  to  be  duly  fpoke,  it  exceeds  and  rifes  above 
 all  that  can  be  fpoke  of  it. 
 
 Eternal,  Oh  I  that  adds  much  I  Men  would  have 
 fome  more  reafon  fo  to  aifecl  and  purfue  the  glory 
 of  the  prefent  world,  fuch  as  it  is,  if  it  were  lafling, 
 if  it  ftayed  with  them  when  they  have  caught  it,  and 
 they  Itayed  with  it  to  enjoy  it.  But  how  foon  do 
 they  part  I  they  pafs  away,  and  the  glory  pafTes  away, 
 both  as  fmoke,  as  a  vapour.  Our  life,  and  all  the 
 pomp  and  magnificence  of  thofe  that  have  the  great- 
 eft  outward  glory,  and  make  the  faireft  fliew,  it  is 
 but  a  fliew,  a  pageant,  wu^xyn,  which  goes  through 
 the  ftreet,  and  is  feen  no  more.  But  this  hath  length 
 of  days  with  it,  eternal  glory.  Oh  I  a  thought  of  that 
 fvvallows  up  all  the  grandeur  of  the  world,  and  the 
 ncife  of  reckoning  years  and  ages.  Had  one  man 
 coniinued  from  the  creation  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
 in  the  top  of  earthly  dignity  and  glory,  admired  by 
 
 all; 
 
344  ^  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cKAP.  Vi 
 
 all ;  yet,  at  the  end,  everlafling  oblivion  being  the 
 clofe,  what  nothing  were  it  to  eternal  glory !  But, 
 alas !  we  cannot  be  brought  to  believe,  and  deeply 
 take  the  irapreffion  of  eternity  ;  and  that  is  our  un- 
 doing. 
 
 By  Jefus  Chr'iji,'\  Your  portion  out  of  him  was 
 eternal  fhame  and  mifery  ;  but  by  him,  it  is  even  all 
 glory.  And  this  hath  iikewife  an  evidence  of  th€ 
 greatnefs  of  this  glory ;  it  can  be  no  fmall  eftate, 
 which  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  was  let  out  to 
 purchafe. 
 
 His  glory. "]  It  is  that  which  he  gives,  and  gives  as 
 his  choice  of  all,  to  his  chofen,  his  children  :  And  if 
 there  be  any  thing  here  that  hath  delight  or  worth 
 in  the  things  which  he  gives  in  common  even  to  his 
 enemies  ;  if  there  be  fuch  a  world  and  variety  of 
 good  things  for  them  tliat  hate  him,  oh  I  how  excel- 
 lent muil  thofe  things  be  he  hath  referved  for  his 
 friends,  for  thofe  he  loves,  and  caufes  to  love  him  1 
 
 As  it  is  his  gift,  it  is  indeed  himfelf ;  the  behold- 
 ing and  enjoying  of  himfelf.  This  we  cannot  now 
 conceive.  But,  oh  I  that  blelTed  day,  when  the  foul 
 fhall  be  full  of  God,  faall  be  fatisfied  and  ravillied 
 with  full  viiion  I  fliould  we  not  admire  that  fuch  a 
 condition  is  provided  for  man,  wretched  linful  man  : 
 Lord,  what  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  hiin,  and 
 the  fan  of  man,  that  thou  vifitefi  him  P  Pfal.  viii.  3  ; 
 **  and  is  it  provided  for  me,  as  wretched  as  any  that 
 **  are  left,  and  fallen  fhort  of  this  glory  I  a  bafe  worm 
 **  taken  out  of  the  mire,  and  vvafhed  in  the  blood  of 
 "  Chrifl,  and  within  a  while  fet  to  lliine  in  glory 
 *'  without  fin  1"  Oh  I  the  wonder  of  this  1  how  Ihould 
 it  excite  us  to  praife,  when  we  think  of  fuch  an  one 
 there,  who  will  bring  us  up  in  the  way  to  this  crown, 
 how  will  this  hope  fweeten  the  lliort  fufferings  of 
 this  life  I  and  death  itfeif,  which  is  otherwife  the  bit- 
 terefl  in  itfeif,  is  mod  of  all  fweetened  by  this,  as  be- 
 ing neareft  it,  and  fetting  us  into  it.  What  though 
 thou  art  poor,  difeafed,  and  defpifed  here.    Oh  I  con- 
 
 fider 
 
V^K*  1 1.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  345 
 
 lider  what  is  there,  how  worthy  the  afFe6tion,  wor- 
 thy the  earneft  eye  and  fixed  look  of  an  heir  of  this 
 glory  !  What  can  he  either  defire  or  fear,  whofe 
 heart  is  thus  deeply  fixed  ?  Who  would  refufe  this 
 other  claufe,  to  fnffer  a  while,  a  little  while,  any 
 thing  outward,  or  inward,  he  thinks  fit  ?  how  foon 
 fhall  all  this  be  overpaft,  and  then  overpaid  in  the 
 very  entry,  at  the  beginning  of  this  glory  that  fliall 
 never  end  ! 
 
 Ver.  II.  7b  him  he  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and 
 ever.    Amen. 
 
 THEY  know  little  of  their  dwn  wants  and  empti- 
 nefs,  that  are  not  much  in  prayer ;  and  they 
 know  little  of  the  greatnefs  and  goodnefs  of  God, 
 that  are  not  much  in  praifes.  The  humble  Chrillian 
 hath  a  heart  in  fome  meafure  framed  to  both.  He 
 hath  within  him  the  beft  fchoolrtiafterj  that  teaches 
 him  how  to  pray,  and  how  to  praife,  and  makes  him 
 delight  in  the  exercife  of  them  both. 
 
 The  Apoftle  having  added  prayer  to  his  dodrine, 
 adds  here,  you  fee,  praife  to  his  prayer.  To  him  be 
 glory  and  dominion  for  ever, 
 
 Th'e  living  praifes  of  God  fpring  from  much  holy 
 affedlion,  and  that  affedlion  fprings  from  a  divine 
 light  in  the  underllanding.  So  fays  the  Pfalmift„ 
 Sing  ye  praifes  with  widerflanding,  or  you  that  have 
 under/landing,  Pfal.  xlvii.  7. 
 
 It  is  a  fpiritual  knowledge  of  God  that  fets  the 
 foul  in  tune  for  his  praifes  ;  and  therefore  the  moil 
 can  bear  no  part  in  this  fong :  They  miftune  it 
 quite,  through  their  ignorance  of  God,  and  unac- 
 quaintance  with  him.  Praife  is  unfeemly  in  the 
 mouth  of  fools  ;  they  fpoil  and  miftune  it. 
 
 Ohf.  I.  The  thing  afcribed.  2.  The  term  or  en- 
 durance of  it.  I.  The  former  is  expreifed  in  two 
 words,  glory  and  power.  Glory,  when  afcribed  to 
 God,  imports  the  ihining  forth  of  his  dignity,  the 
 
 Vol..  11.  X  X  knowledge 
 
34^  A  COMMENTARY    UPON  [cHAP.  ^6 
 
 knowledge  and  acknowledgment  of  it  by  his  crea- 
 tures ;  that  his  excellency  may  be  confeiTed  and 
 praifed,  his  name  exalted,  that  fervice  and  homage 
 may  be  done  to  him  ;  which  all  adds  nothing  to  him  ; 
 for  how  can  that  be  ?  But  as  it  is  the  duty  of  fuch 
 creatures  as  he  hath  fitted  for  it,  to  render  praife  to 
 him,  fo  it  is  their  happinefs.  All  the  creatures,  in- 
 deed, declare  and  fpeak  his  glory ;  the  heavens  found 
 it  forth,  and  the  earth  and  fea  refound  and  echo  it 
 back.  But  his  reafonable  creatures  hath  he  peculiar- 
 ly framed,  both  to  take  notice  of  glory  in  all  the  reft, 
 and  to  return  it  from  and  for  all  the  reft,  in  a  more 
 exprefs  and  lively  way. 
 
 And  in  this  lower  Worldj  it  is  man  alone  that  is 
 made  capable  of  obferving  the  glory  of  God,  and 
 offering  him  praifes.  He  exprefles  it  well,  that  calls 
 man  the  worlcTs  high  priejl ;  all  the  creatures  bring 
 their  oblations  of  praife  to  him,  to  offer  up  for  them 
 and  for  himfelf,  for  whofe  ufe  and  comfort  they  are 
 made.  The  light  and  motion  of  the  heavens,  and 
 all  the  variety  of  creatures  below  them,  fpesk  this  to 
 man  :  "  He  that  made  us  and  you,  and  made  us  for 
 "  you,  is  great  and  wife,  and  worthy  to  be  praifed  5 
 '*  and  you  are  better  able  to  fay  this  than  we  ;- 
 "  therefore  praife  him  on  our  behalf  and  your  own. 
 "  Oh  !  he  is  great  and  mighty,  he  is  the  Lord  our 
 "  Maker." 
 
 Power  is  alfo  afcribed  to  God,  which  here  ex- 
 prefles not  only  ability,  but  authority  and  royal  fo- 
 vereignty  ;  that  as  he  can  do  all  things,  he  rules  and 
 governs  all  things,  is  King  of  all  the  world,  Lord 
 Paramounf^  fo  that  all  hold  their  crowns  of  him,  and 
 the  Jhields  of  the  earth  belong  unto  God,  he  is  greatly 
 to  he  exalted^  Pfal.  xlvii.  9. ;  difpofeth  of  ftates  and 
 kingdoms  at  his  pleafure,  eftabliftieth  or  changethj 
 turns  and  overturns,  as  feems  him  good,  and  hath 
 not  only  might,  but  right  to  do  fo.  He  is  the  Moji 
 High,  ruling  in  the  kingdoms  of  the  children  of  men^ 
 and  giving  them  to  wh^nifoever  he  will^  Dan.  iv.  32. 
 
 and 
 
VER.  II.]         THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  347 
 
 and  feldom  fails  to  pour  contempt  upon  princes  when 
 they  contemn  his  power. 
 
 2.  The  term  or  endurance  of  this  glory,  is  alfo 
 worthy  of  our  remark, /or  ever.  Even  in  the  fhort 
 life  of  man,  men  that  are  raifed  very  high  in  place 
 and  popular  efleem,  may,  and  often  do,  outlive  their 
 own  glory  ;  but  the  glory  of  God  lafteth  as  long  as 
 himfelf,  for  he  is  unchangeable,  his  throne  is  for  ever^ 
 and  his  wrath  for  ever,  and  his  mercy  for  ever  ^  and 
 therefore  his  glory  for  ever. 
 
 Reflection  i.  Is  it  not  to  be  lamented,  that  he  is  fo 
 little  glorified  and  praifed  ?  that  the  earth  being  fo 
 full  of  his  goodnefs,  is  fo  empty  of  his  praife  froni 
 them  that  enjoy  and  live  upon  it  ? 
 
 How  far  are  the  greateft  part  from  making  this 
 their  great  work,  to  exalt  God,  and  afcribe  power 
 and  giory  to  his  name  ?  fo  far,  that  all  their  ways  are 
 his  difhonour  ;  they  feek  to  advance  and  raife  them- 
 felves,  to  ferve  their  own  lulls  and  pleafures,  while* 
 they  are  altogether  mindlefs  of  his  glory  I  yea,  the 
 Apoillc's  complaint  holds  good  againft  us  all,  we  are 
 feeking  our  own  things,  and  none  the  things  of  the  Lord 
 Jefus  Chrifl,  Phil.  ii.  21,  It  is  true,  fome  there  are, 
 but  as  his  meaning  is,  they  are  fo  few,  that  they  are, 
 as  it  were,  drowned  and  fmothered  in  th^  crowd  of 
 felf-feekers,  fo  that  they  appear  not.  After  all  the 
 judgments  of  God  upon  us,  how  doth  (till  luxury  and 
 excefs,  uncleannefs,  and  all  kind  of  profanenefs,  out- 
 dare the  very  light  of  the  gofpel,  and  the  rule  of  ho- 
 linefs  ihining  in  it  I  fcarce  any  thing  is  a  matter  of 
 common  (hame  and  fcorn,  but  \\\t  power  of  godlinefsi 
 turning  indeed  our  true  glory  intofbame,  and  glorying 
 in  that  which  is  indeed  our  Jhame :  yet  holinefs  is 
 not  only  our  trueft  glory,  but  that  wherein  the  ever 
 glorious  God  doth  efpecially  glory,  and  hath  made 
 known  himfelf  particularly  by  that  name,  l^he  holy 
 Cod.  And  the  exprefs  ftyle  of  his  glorious  praifes, 
 uttered  hy  feraphimsy  Ifa.  vi.  3.  is,  Holy^  holy,  holy  is 
 the  Lord  of  Hoflsy  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  bis  glory. 
 
 Inftead 
 
348  A.  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  V, 
 
 Inllead  of  fandifying  and  glorifying  this  holy  name, 
 how  doth  the  language  of  hell,  oaths  and  curfes, 
 abound  in  our  flreets  and  houfes  !  How  is  that  blef- 
 fed  name,  that  angels  are  blelling  and  praifing,  abufed 
 by  bafe  worms  !  Again,  notwithftanding  all  the  mer- 
 cies multiplied  upon  us  in  this  land,  where  are  our 
 praifes,  our  fongs  of  deliveraiice,  our  afcribing  glory 
 and  power  to  our  God,  who  hath  prevented  us  with 
 loving  kindnefs,  and  tender  mercies  ;  hath  removed 
 the  ftrokes  of  his  hand,  and  made  cities  and  villages 
 populous  again,  that  were  left  defolate  without  inbahi- 
 tants  P 
 
 Oh  1  why  do  we  not  flir  up  our  hearts,  and  one 
 another,  to  extol  the  name  of  our  God,  and  fay,  Give 
 unto  the  Lord  glory  and  ftrength  ;  give  unto  the  Lord 
 the  glory  due  unto  his  name,  Pfal.  xxix.  i,  2.  Have 
 we  not  feen  the  pride  and  glory  of  all  flelli  ftained 
 and  abafed  !  Were  there  ever  affairs  and  times  that 
 more  discovered  the  folly  and  weaknefs  of  men,  and 
 the  wildom  and  power  of  God  I  Oh  I  that  our  hearts 
 were  fet  to  magnify  him,  according  to  that  word,  fo 
 often  repeated  in  Pfal.  cvii.  Oh/  that  men  would 
 praife  the  Lord  for  his  good?iefs,  and  his  wonderful 
 works  to  the  children  of  men, 
 
 -  Reflexion  2.  But  what  wonder  is  it  that  the  Lord 
 iofes  the  revenue  of  his  praifes  at  the  hands  of  the 
 common  ungodly  world,  when  even  his  own  people 
 fall  fo  far  behind  in  it,  as  ufually  they  do  I  1'he  dead 
 cannot  praife  him,  FfaL  cxv,  17.  But  that  they  whom 
 he  hath  quickened  by  his  Spirit,  fliould  yet  be  fo 
 furprifed  with  deadnefs  and  dulnefs  as  to  this  exercife 
 of  exalting  God  ;  this  is  very  flrange.  For  help  of 
 this,  take  the  three  following  direcliona. 
 
 DireB.  I.  We  fhould  feek  after  a  fit  temper,  and 
 labour  to  have  our  hearts  brought  to  a  due  difpofitioa 
 for  his  praifes.  And  in  this  view  :  i.  See  that  they 
 be  fpirituaL  All  fpiritual  fervices  require  that,  but 
 this  moft,  as  being  indeed  the  moft  fpiritual  of  all. 
 Affections  to  the  things  of  this  earth  draw  down  the 
 
 fbu^j 
 
VER.  II.]  THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETER.  349 
 
 foul,  and  make  it  fo  low  fet,  that  it  cannot  rife  to 
 the  height  of  a  fong  of  praife  :  And  thus,  if  we  ob- 
 ferved  ourfelves,  we*  fhould  find,  that  when  we  let 
 our  hearts  fall,  and  entangle  themfelves  in  any  infe- 
 rior defires  and  delights,  as  they  are  unfitted  generally 
 for  holy  things,  fo,  efpecially,  for  the  praifes  of  our 
 holy  God.  Creature-loves  abafe  the  foul,  and  turn 
 it  to  earth,  and  praife  is  altogether  heavenly.  2.  Seek 
 a  heart  purified  from  felf-love,  and  pofleired  with  the 
 love  of  God.  The  heart  which  is  ruled  by  its  own 
 intereft,  is  fcarce  ever  content,  ilill  fubjed:  to  new 
 difquiet.  Self  is  a  vexing  thing,  for  all  things  do 
 not  readily  fuit  our  humours  and  wills ;  and  the  leaft 
 touch  that  is  wrong  to  a  felfifh  mind  diftempers  it, 
 and  difrelifhes  all  the  good  things  about  it.  A 
 childifli  condition  it  is,  if  crofTed  but  in  a  toy,  to 
 throw  away  all.  Whence  are  our  frequent  frettings 
 and  grumblings,  and  why  is  it  that  we  can  drown  a 
 hundred  high  favours  in  one  little  difpleafure  ;  fo 
 that  flill  our  finger  is  upon  that  firing  ;  and  there  is 
 more  malcontent  and  repining  for  one  little  crofs, 
 than  praifes  for  all  the  mercies  we  have  received  ? 
 Is  not  this  evidently  the  felf-love  that  abounds  in  us  ? 
 Whereas,  were  the  love  of  God  predominant  in  us, 
 we  fliould  love  his  doings  and  difpofals,  and  blefs  his 
 name  in  all  :  Whatfoever  w^ere  his  will,  would,  in 
 that  view,  be  amiable  and  fvveet  to  us,  however  in  it-, 
 felf  harfii  and  unpleafant.  Thus  would  we  fay  in 
 all,  **  This  is  the  will  and  the,  hand  of  my  Father, 
 "  who  doth  all  wifely  and  well ;  blefled  be  his 
 **  name," 
 
 The  foul  thus  framed  would  praife  in  the  deeps  of 
 troubles  ;  not  only  in  outward  afilidlions,  but  in  the 
 faddefi:  inward  condition,  would  be  ftill  extolling 
 God,  and  faying,  **  However  he  deal  with  me,  he  is 
 worthy  to  be  loved  and  praifed.  He  is  great  and 
 holy,  he  is  good  and  gracious  ;  and  whatfoever  be 
 his  way  and  thoughts  towards. me,  I  wifli  him 
 **  glory.     Jf  he  will  be  pleafed  to  give  me  light  and 
 
 *^  refrefiimentj 
 
it 
 
 3^0  A  eOMMZNTTARY  UPON  [CHAP.  V, 
 
 ^^  refrediment,  blelTed  be  he;  and  if  he  will  have 
 ^'  me  to  be  in  darknefs  again,  blefled  be  he,  glory  to 
 *'  his  name  I  yea,  what  though  he  fliould  utterly  re- 
 •**  je6l  me,  is  he  not  for  that  to  be  accounted  infinite- 
 ly merciful  in  the  faving  of  others  ?  muft  he  ceafe 
 to  be  praife- worthy  for  my  fake  ?  If  he  condemn, 
 yet  he  is  to  be  praifed,  beiing  merciful  to  fo  many 
 **  others  ;  yea,  even  in  fo  dealing  with  me,  he  is  to 
 "  be  praifed,  for  in  that  he  is  jufl:.'* 
 
 Thus  would  pure  love  reafon  for  him,  and  render 
 pi^ife  to  him  ;  but  our  ordinary  way  is  mod  unto- 
 ward and  unbefeeming  his  creatures,  the  belt  of  them,^ 
 much  more  fuch  worms  as  we  are  ;  that  things  muft 
 rather  be  to  our  mind  than  his ;  and  we  muft  either 
 have  all  our  will,  or  elfe,  for  our  part,  he  ihall  have 
 none  of  his  praifes. 
 
 3.  Labo\^r  for  that  which,  on  thefe  two,  will  follow', 
 z  fixed  heart.  If  it  be  refined  from  creature-love  and 
 felf-love,  fpirituality  and  love  of  God  will  fix  it,  and 
 then  flaall  it  be  fit^to  praife,  which  an  unftable  un- 
 compofed  heart  can  never  be,  any  more  than  an  in- 
 ftrument  can  be  harmonious  and  fit  to  play  on,  that 
 hath  loofe  pins,  ftill  flipping  and  letting  down  the 
 firings,  pins  that  never  faften.  And  thus  are  the 
 moft ;  they  cannot  fix  to  divine  thoughts,  to  confider 
 God,  to  behold  and  admire  his  excellency  and  good- 
 iiefs,  and  his  free  love.  Oh  I  that  happy  word  of 
 David,  worthy  to  be  twice  repeated,  when  ihall  we 
 fay  it  ?  0  God,  my  heart  is  fixed  ;  well  might  he  add, 
 J  willfing  and  give  praife,  Pfal,  Ivii.  7.  Oh  !  that  we 
 would  pray  much  that  he  would  fix  our  hearts  ;  and 
 then  he  having  fixed  them,  we  would  praife  him 
 piuch. 
 
 Direct,  II.  If  any  due  difpofition  be  once  attained 
 for  praifes,  then  muft  the  heart,  fo  difpofed,  be  fet  to 
 ftudy  the  matter  of  praifes. 
 
 And  that,  i.  The  infinite  excellency  of  God  in 
 himfelf ;  which  though  we  know  little  of,  yet  this 
 we  know,  and  fiiould  confider  it,  that  it  is  far  beyond 
 
 \vhi^t 
 
rin.  it.]       tHe  first  epistle  or  PEtiixi.         ^^t 
 
 what  all  the  creatures  and  all  his  works  are  able  to 
 teftify  of  him  ;  that  he  tranfcends  all  we  can  fpeak^ 
 or  hear,  or  know  of  him.  2.  Look  on  him  in  his 
 works;  Can  we  behold  the  vaft  heavens  above,  or 
 the  firm  earth  beneath  uSj  or  all  the  variety  of  his 
 works  in  both,  without  holy  wonder  ftirred  in  uSj 
 and  that  llirring  us  up  to  iing  praifes  ?  Oh!  his  great- 
 nefs,  and  might,  and  wifdom  fliining  in  thefe,  Lord^ 
 bow  vlaiiifold  QLre  thy  worksy  in  ivifdom  haft  thou  mad€ 
 them  all^  Flal.  civ.  24.  But  above  all,  that  work,  that 
 marvel  of  his  works,  the  fending  of  his  Son  forth  o^' 
 ^is  bofom.  This  is  the  myftery  which  the  Apoftles 
 do  fo  much  magnify  in  their  writings,  this  is  the  chief 
 incentive  whereby  our  Apoftle  was  induced  to  clofe 
 this  epillle  with  praife,  afcribing  glory  to  him.  This 
 praife  looks  particularly  back  to  the  flyle  in  th^ 
 prayer,  The  God  of  all  grace y  who  hath  called  us  to  bis 
 eternal  glory  by  Jefus  Chrijl,  So  many  other  mercies 
 are  not  to  be  forgotten,  but  chiefly  is  he  to  be  praifed 
 for  that  choice  of  mercies,  to  his  glory^  who  bath 
 called  us  to  his  glory^  Then  look  through  the  work 
 of  faving  his  chofen,  fo  redeemed  by  the  blood  of 
 his  Son,  his  maintaining  his  own  work  in  them,  a* 
 gainft  all  furrounding  enemies  and  oppolitions  ;  the 
 advancing  it  in  the  midft  of  them^  and  even  by  thofe 
 oppolitions,  and  bringing  them  fafe  to  glory  ;  that 
 perfecting  and  ejlahlijhmenty  as  in  the  foregoing  words  % 
 it  is  that  which  fo  affeds  the  Apoftle  in  the  very  en- 
 try of  this  epiftle,  that  there  he  muft  break  forth  intoi 
 praife,  chap.  i.  ver*  3.  Blejfed  be  the  God  and  Fathef 
 of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrijl^  who,  according  to  his  abun* 
 dant  mercy,  bath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  bope^ 
 by  the  refurrediion  of  Jefus  Chrijl  from  the  dead*  He 
 begins  there  in  praife,  and  here  ends  in  it,  and  fo  in- 
 doles all  within  that  divine  circle.  And  as  we  fhould 
 confider  thefe  things  in  general,  fo  fhould  we  alfo  re- 
 fled  on  his  particular  dealing  with  us  \  his  good 
 providence  in  fpirituals  and  temporals.  Would  we 
 fearch,  oh  I  what  a  furcharge  of  innumerable  mercies 
 
 Hiould 
 
35^  A  COMMENTARY  UPON  [cHAP.  Vi 
 
 fhould  each  of  us  find  !  and  were  we  better  acquaint- 
 ed with  the  holy  fcriptures,  had  we  more  our  delight 
 in  them,  they  would  acquaint  us  better  withall  thefe 
 things,  and  give  us  light  to  fee  them,  and  warm  our 
 hearts,  and  excite  them  to  His  praifes,  who  is  the  God 
 of  all  our  mercies. 
 
 DireB.  III.  The  heart  being  fomewhat  difpofed  to 
 praife,  and  then  fludying  the  matter  of  it,  Ihould  be 
 applied  adually  to  render  praife ;  and  in  order  to 
 this  we  mud  be  careful,  i.  To  aim  at  God  in  all, 
 which  is  continued  praife,  to  eye  his  glory  in  every 
 thing,  and  chiefly  to  defire  that  as  the  great  end  of 
 all,  that  his  name  may  be  exalted.  This  is  the  ex-^ 
 cellent  way  indeed  ;  whereas  moil  are  either  wholly 
 for  their  felf-ends,  or  often  fquinting  out  to  them. 
 That  foul  is  moil  noble  that  fingly  and  fixedly  aims 
 at  exalting  God,  and  feeks  this  ftamp  on  all  it  fpeaks 
 and  does,  and  defires ;  all  to  the  greater  glory  of  my 
 God.  2.  To  abound  in  the  exprefs  and  folemn  re- 
 turn of  praife  this  way.  To  him  be  glory,  not  a  cu- 
 ftomary  dead  faying  of  it  over,  as  is  ufual  with  us, 
 but  the  heart  offering  it  up.  What  is  fo  pure  and 
 high  as  this  exercife,  the  praifes  of  the  ever  glorious 
 Deity  ?  What  is  heaven  but  thefe  ?  and  were  it  not 
 beft,  as  we  can,  to  begin  it  here,  and  long  to  be  there, 
 where  it  fhall  never  end  ?  To  him  be  glory  and  domi- 
 nion for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 Ver, 
 
VeR.  12,  &C.]        THE  FIRST  EPISTLE  OF  PETiR,        353 
 
 Ver.  12.  By  Sylvanus,  a  faithful  brother  unto  you y  (as 
 Ifuppofe\  I  have  'Written  briefly,  exhorting^  and  tejli'- 
 fying  that  this  is  the  true  grace  of  God  wherein  ye 
 ft  and, 
 
 13.  The  Church  that  is  at  Babylon,  eledled  together  with 
 you,  faluteth  you ;  andfo  doth  Marcus  my  fon, 
 
 14.  Greet  ye  one  another  with  a  kifs  of  charity.    Peace 
 be  with  you  all  that  are  in  Chrift  Jefus,     Amen. 
 
 THIS  is  a  kind  of  poflfcript,  and  contains  its  te- 
 ftimony  of  the  bearer,  and  the  Apoftolic  form 
 of  fainting.  Withal,  he  exprelTes  the  mealure  of  his 
 writing,  that  it  was  brief  and  the  end  of  it,  that  it 
 was  to  teftify  the  true  grace  of  God,  And  this  is,  in- 
 deed, the  end  of  our  preaching  ;  and  we  ought  each 
 to  feek  it  by  the  word,  and  by  mutual  exhortations  ; 
 and  fometimes  a  few  words  may  avail  much  to  this 
 purpofe,  to  our  hearty  ellablifhment  in  the  faith  ; 
 and  not  only  are  we  to  believe,  but  to  remember  that 
 we  have  the  beft  of  it  \  that  there  is  truth  in  our 
 hopes,  and  they  (hall  not  deceive  us.  They  are  no 
 fancy,  as  the  world  thinks,  hut  the  true  grace  of  God  ; 
 yea,  when  all  things  elfe  fnall  vaniih,  their  truth  fhall 
 molt  appear  in  their  full  accomplilhment. 
 
 The  entertainment  and  increafe  of  Chriftian  love, 
 of  due  efteem  of  one  another,  and  affedion  one  to 
 another,  is  no  matter  of  empty  compliment,  but  is 
 the  very  ilamp  and  badge  of  Jefus  Chrift  upon  his 
 followers :  It  is,  therefore,  molt  carefully  to  be  pre- 
 ferved  entire,  and  unhappy  are  they  that  do  by  any 
 means  willingly  break  it.  Oh  !  let  us  beware  of  do- 
 ing fo,  and  follow  peace,  even  when  it  feems  to  fly 
 fromjus.  --^..^^  - 
 
 This  peace  that  is  the  portion  of  thofe  in  Chrift, 
 is  indeed  within  them,  and  with  God  ;  but  through 
 Him  it  is  likewife  one  with  another,  and  in  that  no- 
 tion to  be  delired  and  wiihed  jointly  with  the  other. 
 
 Vol.  II.  y  y  They 
 
354  A  COMMENTARY,  &C.  fcHAP^  ▼. 
 
 They  that  are  in  Chrifl  are  the  only  children  and 
 heirs  of  true  peace.  Others  may  dream  of  it,  and 
 have  a  falfe  peace  for  a  time,  and  wicked  men  may 
 wilh  it  to  themfelves  and  one  another  ;  but  it  is  a  molt 
 vain  and  infignificant  hope  :  But  to  wiih  it  to  them 
 that  arc  in  Chrifl,  hath  good  ground  ;  for  all  folid 
 peace  is  founded  in  him,  and  flows  from  him.  ISJow 
 the  peace  of  God,  which  pajftth  all  underjlanding,  keep 
 your  hearts  and  minds  through  Jejus  Chrijl.     Amen* 
 
 END  OF  THE  COMMENTARY  ON  FIRST  PETER, 
 
 EX« 
 
EXPO  SITORY 
 
 LECTURES 
 
 O  N 
 
 Pfalm  xxxix,  ;    on  Ifaiah  vi.  ;    and 
 on  Romans  xii. 
 
[    357    3 
 
 EXPOSITORY     LECTURES 
 
 O  N 
 
 PSALM     XXXIX. 
 
 LECTURE    I. 
 
 Ver.  I.  I  /aid  I  will  take  heed  to  my  ways,  that  I  Jin 
 not  with  my  tongue  :  I  will  keep  my  mouth  with  a 
 bridle,  while  the  wicked  is  before  me, 
 
 CERTAINLY  it  is  an  high  dignity  that  is  confer- 
 red upon  man,  that  he  may  as  freely  and  fre* 
 quently  as  he  will,  converfe  with  Him  that  made  him, 
 the  great  King  of  Heaven  and  earth.  It  is  indeed 
 a  wonder  that  God  Ihould  honour  poor  creatures  fo 
 much  ;  but  it  is  no  lefs  ftrange  that  men  having  fo 
 great  privileges,  the  mod  part  of  them  do  ufe  them 
 fo  little.  Seldom  do  we  come  to  him  in  times  of 
 eafe.  And  when  we  are  fpurred  to  it  by  afflictions 
 and  pains,  commonly  we  try  all  other  means  rather 
 than  this,  that  is  the  alone  true  and  unfailing  com- 
 fort. But  fuch  as  have  learned  this  way  of  laying 
 their  pained  head  and  heart  in  bis  bofom,  they  are 
 truly  happy,  though  in  the  world's  language  they  be 
 never  fo  miferable. 
 
 This  is  the  recourfe  of  this  holy  man  in  the  time 
 of  his  afflidlion,  whatever  it  was,  prayer  and  tears, 
 bemoaning  himfelf  before  his  God  and  Father,  and 
 that  the  more  fervently,  in  that  he  finds  his  fpeaking 
 to  men  fo  unprofitable  j  and  therefore  he  refrains 
 from  it. 
 
 The 
 
35^  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES        [lECT.  I. 
 
 The  Pfalm  confills  of  two  parts ;  his  filence  to 
 men,  and  his  fpeech  to  God  ;  and  both  of  them  are 
 fet  with  fuch  fweet  notes  of  mufic,  though  they  be 
 fad,  that  they  deferve  well  to  be  committed  to  the 
 Chief  Mujician. 
 
 Ifaid^  I  will  take  heed  to  my  ways.l  It  was  to  him- 
 felf  that  he  faid  it ;  and  it  is  impoliible  for  any  other 
 to  prove  a  good  or  a  wife  man,  without  much  of  this 
 kind  of  fpeech  to  himfelf.  It  is  one  of  the  molt  ex- 
 cellent and  diftinguifliing  faculties  of  a  reafonable 
 creature,  much  beyond  vocal  fpeech,  for  in  that  fome 
 birds  may  imitate  us;  but  neither  bird  nor  beall 
 have  any  thing  of  this  kind  of  language,  of  refleding 
 or  difcourfing  with  itfelf.  It  is  a  wonderful  bru- 
 tality in  the  greatefl:  part  of  men,  who  are  fo  little 
 converfant  in  this  kind  of  fpeech,  being  framed  and 
 difpofed  for  it,  and  which  is  not  only  of  itfelf  excel- 
 lent, but  of  continual  ufe  and  advantage  ;  but  it  is 
 a  common  evil  among  men,  to  go  abroad,  and  out  of 
 themfelves,  which  is  a  madnefs  and  a  true  diftrac-* 
 tion.  It  is  true  a  man  hath  need  of  a  well  fet  mind, 
 when  he  fpeaks  to  himfelf;  for  otherwife  he  may 
 be  worfe  company  to  himfelf  than  if  he  were  with 
 others  ;  but  he  ought  to  endeavour  to  have  a  better 
 with  him,  to  call  in  God  to  his  heart  to  dwell  with 
 him.  If  thus  we  did,  we  (hould  find  how  fweet  this 
 were  to  fpeak  to  ourfelves,  by  now  and  then  inter- 
 mixing our  fpeech  v%ith  difcourfes  unto  God.  For 
 want  of  this  the  mod  part  not  only  lofe  their  time 
 in  vanity,  in  their  converfe  abroad  with  others,  but 
 do  carry  in  heaps  of  that  vanity  to  the  flock  which 
 is  in  their  own  hearts,  and  do  converfe  with  that  in 
 fecret,  which  is  the  greatefl  and  the  deepell  folly  in 
 the  world. 
 
 Other  folitary  employments,  as  reading  the  dif- 
 putes  and  controverlies  that  are  among  men,  are 
 things  not  unufeful,  yet  all  turns  to  walle,  if  we 
 read  not  our  own  heart,  and  fludy  that :  This  is  the 
 ftudy  of  every  holy  man,  and  between  this  and  the 
 
 confideratiori 
 
VER.  1.3  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  359 
 
 coniideration  of  God,  he  fpends  his  hours  and  en- 
 deavours. Some  have  recommended  the  reading  of 
 men  more  than  books  :  But  what  is  in  the  one,  or 
 both  of  them,  or  all  the  world  befide,  without  this  ? 
 a  man  Ihall  find  himfelf  out  of  his  proper  bufinefs, 
 if  he  acquaint  not  himfelf  with  this,  to  fpeak  much 
 with  God  and  with  himfelf,  concerning  the  ordering 
 of  his  own  ways. 
 
 It  is  true,  it  is  neceflary  for  fome  men,  in  fome 
 particular  charges  and  ftations,  to  regard  the  ways 
 of  others;  and  befides,  fomething  alio  there  may  be 
 of  a  wife  obferving  others,  to  improve  the  good  and 
 evil  we  fee  in  them,  to  our  own  advantage,  and  bet- 
 tering our  own  ways,  looking  on  them  to  make  the 
 repercuflion  the  ftronger  on  ourfelves :  but  except 
 it  be  out  of  charity  and  wifdom,  it  flows  either  from 
 uncharitable  malice,  or  elfe  a  curious  and  vain  fpirit, 
 to  look  much  and  narrowly  into  the  ways  of  others, 
 and  to  know  the  manner  of  living  of  perfons  about 
 us,  and  fo  to  know  every  thing  but  ourfelves ;  like 
 travellers,  that  are  well  feen  in  foreign  and  remote 
 parts,  but  flrangers  in  the  affairs  of  their  own  coun- 
 try at  home.  The  check  that  Chrift  gave  to  Peter 
 is  due  to  fuch,  What  is  that  to  thee  F  follow  thou  me^ 
 John  xxi.  22.  **  Look  thou  to  thine  own  feet,  that 
 **  they  be  fet  in  the  right  way."  It  is  a  ft  range 
 thing  that  men  ihould  lay  out  their  diligence  abroad 
 to  their  lofs,  w^hen  their  pains  might  be  beftowed  to 
 their  advantage  nearer  at  hand,  at  home  within 
 themfelves. 
 
 This  that  the  Pfalmift  fpeaks  here  of,  taking  heed 
 to  his  waySy  as  it  imports  his  prefent  diligence,  fo 
 alfo  it  hath  in  it  a  refle6tion  on  his  ways  paft,  and 
 thefe  two  do  mutually  affift  one  another ;  for  he 
 (ball  never  regulate  his  ways  before  him,  that  has 
 not  wifely  conlidered  his  ways  paft ;  for  there  is  wif- 
 dom gathered  from  the  obfcrvation  of  what  is  gone 
 to  the  choofing  where  to  walk  in  time  to  come,  to  fee 
 where  he  is  weakeft,  and  lies  expofed  to  the  greateil 
 
 hazard, 
 
360  EXPOSITORY    lECTURES  [lECT.  I« 
 
 hazard,  and  there  to  guard.  Thus  David  exprefles 
 it  in  another  Pfalm,  I  thought  on  my  ways,  and  turned 
 my  feet  unto  thy  tejiimonies,  Pfal.  cxix.  59.  And  this 
 would  not  be  done  only  in  the  great  change  of  one's 
 iirft  converfion  from  fin,  but  this  double  obfervance 
 Itill  continued  every  day,  looking  to  his  rule,  and 
 laying  that  rule  to  his  way,  and  obferving  where  the 
 balk  and  nonconformity  to  the  rule  is,  and  renewing 
 his  repentance  for  that,  and  amending  it  the  next 
 day,  that  flill  the  piefent  day  may  be  the  better  for 
 yeflerday's  error. 
 
 And  iureiy  there  is  much  need  of  this,  if  we  confi- 
 der  how  we  are  encompalTed  about  with  hazards  and 
 fnares,  and  a  variety  of  temptations,  and  how  lit- 
 tle we  have,  either  of  ftrength  to  overcome,  or  wif- 
 dom  to  avoid  them,  efpecially  they  being  fecretly 
 fet  and  unfeen  (which  makes  them  the  more  dan- 
 gerous) every  where  in  the  way  in  which  we  muft 
 walk,  and  even  in  thofe  ways  where  we  lead  think. 
 Every  where  does  the  enemy  of  our  fouls  lay  traps 
 and  fnares  for  us ;  in  our  table,  in  our  bed,  in  our 
 company,  and  alone.  If  the  heart  be  earthly  and- 
 carnal,  there  is  the  fnare  of  riches  and  gains,  or  plea- 
 fures,  prefent,  to  think  upon  ;  and  if  they  delight  in^ 
 fpiritual  things,  that  walk  is  not  exempted  neither ; 
 there  are  fnares  of  doubtings,  prefumption  and  pride  ; 
 and  in  converfe  of  one  Chriftian  with  another,  where 
 fpiritual  affedion  hath  been  ftirred,  it  turns  often- 
 to  carnal  paliions,  as  the  Apoftle  fays  of  the  Gala- 
 tians,  They  begin  in  the  Spirit,  and  end  in  the  JieJJj, 
 Gal.  iii.  3. 
 
 This  obferving  and  watching,  as  it  is  needful,  fo 
 it  is  a  very  delightful  thing,  though  it  will  be  hard 
 and  painful  to  the  unexperienced,  to  have  a  man's 
 adions  and  words  continually  curbed  ;  fo  that  he 
 cannot  fpeak  or  do  what  he  wouid  :  Thefe  are  fet- 
 ters and  bonds,  yet  to  thofe  that  know  it,  it  is  a  plea- 
 fure  to  gain  experience,  and  to  be  more  Ikilled  in 
 preventing  the  furprifes  of  our  enemies^  and  upon 
 
 that 
 
V£R.  i.]  bN  PSALM  XXXIX.  361 
 
 that  to  have  fomething  added  to  our  own  art,  and  to 
 be  more  able  to  refift  upon  new  occafions,  and  to 
 find  ourfelves  every  day  outftripping  ourfelves ;  that 
 is  the  fweetefl  life  in  the  world  ;  the  foul  to  be  dref- 
 fing  itfelf  for  the  efpoufals  of  the  Great  King,  putting 
 on  more  of  the  ornaments  and  beauties  of  holinefs  ; 
 that  is  our  glory,  to  he  made  conformable  to  the  image 
 of  God  and  of  Jefus  Chrifl.  If  an  image  had  fenfe, 
 it  would  deiire  nothing  fo  much  as  to  look  on  the 
 original  whence  it  received  its  name,  and  to  become 
 more  and  more  like  it :  So  it  is  the  pleafure  of  re- 
 newed fouls  to  be  looking  on  him,  and  fo  growing 
 daily  more  like  him,  whofe  living  image  they  are, 
 and  to  be  fitting  themfelves  for  that  day  of  glory, 
 wherein  they  fliall  be  like  him  in  the  perfeftion  they 
 are  capable  of:  And  this  makes  death  more  pleafant 
 than  life  to  the  believer  ;  that  which  feems  fo  bitter 
 to  the  mod  of  men,  is  fweetened  to  them  mod  won- 
 derfully :  The  continual  obfervance  of  a  man's  ways, 
 keeping  a  watch  continually  over  them  ;  this  cads 
 a  light  upon  the  dark  pafiage  of  death,  which  is  at 
 the  end  of  that  walk,  and  conveys  him  through  to 
 the  fulnefs  of  life  :  So  that  man  who  obferves  him- 
 felf  and  his  ways  through  his  life,  hath  little  to  do 
 in  examining  them  when  he  comes  to  die.  That  is 
 a  piece  of  ftrange  folly,  that  we  defer  the  whole,  or 
 a  great  part  of  our  day's  work  to  the  twilight  of  the 
 evening,  and  are  fo  cruel  to  ourfelves,  as  to  keep  the 
 great  load  of  our  life,  for  a  few  hours  or  days,  ?.nd 
 for  a  pained  (ickly  body.  He  who  makes  it  his  daily 
 work  to  obferve  his  ways,  is  not  aftonifhed  when 
 that  day  comes,  which  long  before  was  familiar  to 
 him  every  day. 
 
 That  I  Jin  not  with  my  tongue,']  It  is  the  wife  man's 
 
 advice.   Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence^  or  above 
 
 all  keeping,  and  he  gives  the  fatisfying  reafon  of  it, 
 
 for  out  of  it  are  the  iffues  of  life,  Pro  v.  iv.  23.     Such 
 
 as  the  fpring  is,   fo  will  the  dreams  be  ;  the  heart  is 
 
 he  fpring  from  whence  all  the  natural  life  and  vital ' 
 
 Vol.  II.  Z  z  fpirits 
 
362  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES        [lECT.  U 
 
 fpirits  flow  through  the  body,  and,  in  the  Scripture 
 fenfe,  it  is  the  fpring  of  all  our  adlions  and  converfa- 
 tion  ;  for  it  fends  out  emiiTarics  through  all,  through 
 the  eye,  hand,   and  all  the  fenfes  and  organs  of  the 
 body,  but  through  none  more  conftantly  and  abun- 
 dantly than  the  tongue  :  and  therefore   Solomon,  af- 
 ter thefe  words,   immediately  adds,  Put  away  frovi 
 thee  a  f Toward  mouthy  and  perverfe  lips  put  far  from 
 thee.     The  great  current  of  the  heart  runs  in  that 
 channel ;  for  it  is  the  organ  of  focieties,  and  is  com- 
 monly employed  in  all  the  converfe  of  men  ;  and  we 
 can  (till,  when  all  the  other  members  are  ufelefs,  ufe 
 our   tongues   in    regretting  their  unfitnefs  for  their 
 offices;  fo  lick  and  old  perfons  :  Thus  David  here, 
 as  it  feems  under  fome  bodily  ficknefs,  labours  to  re- 
 frain his  tongue  ;  and,  left  it  fhould  prove  too  ftrong 
 for  him,  he  puts  a  curb  upon  it ;  though  it  did  not 
 free  him  from  inward  frettings  of  his  heart,  yet  he 
 lays  a  reftraint  upon  his  tongue,  to  ftay  the  progrefs 
 of  fin,  that  grows  in  vigour  by  going  out,  and  pro- 
 duces and  begets  fin  of  the  fame  kind  in  the  hearts 
 and  mouths  of  others,  when  it  pafTes  from  the  heart 
 to  the  tongue.     The  Apoftle  James  does  amply  and 
 excellently  teach  the  great  importance  of  ordering 
 the  tongue  in  all  a  Chrillian's  life  ;  but  we  are  eve¥ 
 learning  and  never  taught.     We  hear  how  excellent 
 a  guard  this  is  to  our  lives,  to  keep  a  watch  over  our 
 tongue  ;  but  I  fear  few  of  us  gain  the  real  advan- 
 tage   of    this   rule,    and    are   far   from    the    ferious 
 thoughts  that  a  religious  perfon  had  of  this  fcripture, 
 who,  when  he  heard  it  read,  retired  himfelf  for  many- 
 years  to  the  ftudy  of  this  precept,  and  made  very 
 good  proficiency  in  it. 
 
 In  all  the  diforders  of  the  world,  the  tongue  hath 
 a  great  (hare  ;  to  let  pafs  thofe  irruptions  of  infernal 
 furies,  blafphemies  and  curfing,  lying  and  unchari- 
 table fpeeches ;  how  much  have  we  to  account  for 
 unprofitable  talking?  It  is  a  lamentable  thing,  that 
 there  is  nothing,  for  the  moil  part,  in  common  enter^ 
 
 tainments 
 
VER.  1.3  ON  PSALM  XXXIX,  36^ 
 
 tainments  and  focieties  of  men  together,  but  refufe 
 and  trafh,  as  if  their  tongues  were  given  them  for 
 no  other  end  but  to  be  their  Ihame,  by  difcovering 
 their  folly  and  weaknefs.  As  like  wife  that  of  impa- 
 tient fpeech  in  trouble  and  afflidion,  which  certain- 
 ly fprings  from  anunmortified  fpirit,  that  hath  learn- 
 ed nothing  of  that  great  leflbn  of  fubmiliion  to  the 
 will  of  God  ;  but  for  all  the  diforders  of  the  tongue, 
 the  remedy  mud  begin  at  the  heart,  purge  the  foun- 
 tain, and  then  the  ftreams  will  be  clean ;  keep  thy 
 hearty  and  then  it  will  be  eafy  to  keep  thy  tongue* 
 It  is  a  great  help  in  the  quality  of  fpeech,  to  abate 
 in  the  quantity ;  not  to  fpeak  rafhly,  but  to  ponder 
 what  wc  are  going  to  fay.  Set  a  watch  before  the  door 
 of  thy  lips,  Pfal.  cxli.  3.  He  bids  us  not  build  it  up 
 like  a  flone  wall,  that  nothing  go  in  or  come  out ; 
 but  he  fpeaks  of  a  door,  which  may  be  fometimes 
 open,  oft-times  (hut,  but  withal  to  have  a  watch  Hand- 
 ing before  it  continually.  A  Chriftian  mud  labour  \ 
 to  have  his  fpeech  as  contracted  as  can  be,  in  the 
 things  of  this  earth  ;  and  even  in  divine  things,  our 
 words  fhould  be  few  and  wary.  In  fpeaking  of  the 
 greateft  things,  it  is  a  great  point  of  wifdom  not  to 
 fpeak  much  ;  that  is  David's  refolution,  to  keep 
 jilence^  efpecially  before  the  wicked,  who  came  to  viiit 
 him,  probably,  when  he  was  (ick ;  whik  they  were 
 there,  he  h^ld  a  watch  before  his  lips,  to  fpeak  no- 
 thing of  God's  hand  on  him,  left  they  fhould  have 
 miftaken  him  ;  and  a  man  may  have  fome  thoughts 
 of  divine  things,  that  were  very  impertinent  to  fpeak 
 out  indifferently  to  all  forts,  even  of  good  perfons. 
 This  is  a  talkative  age,  and  people  contrad  a  faculty 
 to  fpeak  much  in  matters  of  religion,  though  their 
 words  for  the  moft  part  be  only  the  produdions  of 
 their  own  brain,  little  of  thefe  things  in  their  hearts. 
 Surely  thefe  kind  of  fpeeches  are  as  bad  as  any,  when 
 holy  things  are  fpoken  of  with  a  notional  freedom, 
 where  there  is  nothing  but  empty  words.  They 
 who  take  themfelves  to  folitude,  choofe  the  beft  and- 
 
 eafieft 
 
364  EXPOSITORY    LECTURES  [LECT.  I. 
 
 eafieft  part,  if  they  have  a  warrant  fo  to  do :  For  this 
 world  is  a  tempelluous  fea,  in  which  there  are  many 
 rocks,  and  a  great  difficulty  it  is  to  fleer  this  little 
 helm  aright  amidft  them  ;  However,  the  Apoftle 
 James  makes  it  a  great  character  of  a  Chriftian's  per- 
 fedion,  If  any  man  offend  not  in  word,  the  fame  is  a 
 perfe5l  man,  chap.  iii.  ver.  2.  But  where  is  that 
 man  ?  Seeing  we  find  men  generally,  and  moft  of  all 
 ourfeives,  fo  far  from  this,  it  cannot  choofe  but  work 
 this,  to  ftir  up  ardent  deiires  in  us,  to  be  removed  to 
 that  bleffed  fociety,  where  there  fhall  be  never  a  word 
 amifs,  nor  a  word  too  much. 
 
 LECTURE    II. 
 
 Ver.  1,  I  was  dumb  with  Jilence :  J  held  my  peace, 
 even  from  good  ;  and  my  for  row  was  flirred, 
 
 3.  My  heart  was  hot  within  me  ;  while  I  was  mufing 
 the  fire  burned :  then  f pake  I  with  my  tongue, 
 
 IT  is  a  very  ufeful  and  profitable  thing  to  obferve 
 the  motions  and  deportments  of  the  fpirits  of 
 "wife  and  holy  men,  in  all  the  various  poftures  and 
 conditions  they  are  in  ;  it  is  for  that  purpofe  they  are 
 drawn  out  to  us  in  the  Scriptures.  There  are  fome 
 graces  that  are  more  proper,  and  come  more  in  adion 
 in  times  of  eafe  and  profperity,  fuch  as  temperance, 
 moderation  of  mind,  humility,  and  compalfion.  Others 
 are  more  proper  for  times  of  diftrefs,  as  faith,  forti- 
 tude, patience,  and  refignation.  It  is  very  expe- 
 dient, if  not  neeeflary,  that  affiidion  have  its  turns, 
 and  frequently  in  the  lives  of  the  children  of  God  : 
 It  is  the  tempeft  that  gives  evidence  of  the  pilot's 
 Ikill ;  and  as  the  Lord  delighteth  in  all  his  works, 
 looks  on  the  frame  and  condud  in  all  things  with 
 pleafure,  fo  he  is  delighted  to  look  on  this  part,  on 
 this  low  fea  of  troubles,  to  fee  his  champions  meet 
 4vith  hard  and  prefiing  trials,  fuch  as  fometimes  do 
 
 not 
 
VZK,  2,  3.]  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  365 
 
 not  only  make  them  feel  them,  but  do  often  make 
 the  conflid:  dubious  to  them,  that  they  feem  to  be 
 almoft  foiled  ;  yet  do  they  acquit  themfelves,  and 
 come  off  with  honour.  It  is  not  the  excellency  of 
 grace  to  be  infenfible  in  trouble,  (as  fome  philofo- 
 phers  would  have  their  wife  men),  but  to  overcome 
 and  be  vidorious. 
 
 Among  the  reft  of  this  holy  man's  troubles,  this 
 was  one,  that  the  wicked  did  reproach  him  :  This  is 
 a  fliarp  arrow,  that  flies  thick  in  the  world.  It  is 
 one  of  the  (harpeft  flings  of  poverty,  that  as  it  is 
 pinched  with  wants  at  home,  fo  it  is  met  with  fcorn 
 abroad.  It  is  reckoned  among  the  fharp  fufferings  of 
 holy  men,  Heb.  xi.  that  they  fuffered  bitUr  mockings. 
 Now,  men  commonly  return  thefe  in  the  fame  kind, 
 that  is,  by  the  tongue^  whereof  David  is  here  aware  ; 
 he  refrains  himioii  Q,\tn  from  good ^  not  only  from  his 
 juft  defence,  but  even  from  good  and  pious  difcour- 
 fes.  We  do  fo  eafily  exceed  in  our  words,  that  it  is 
 better  fometimes  to  be  wholly  filent,  than  to  fpeak 
 that  which  is  good  ;  for  our  good  borders  fo  near 
 upon  evil,  and  fo  eafy  is  the  tranlition  from  the  one  to 
 the  other,  that  though  we  begin  to  fpeak  of  God  and 
 good  things,  with  a  good  intention,  yet  how  quickly 
 run  we  into  another  channel ;  paflion  and  felf  having 
 ftolen  in,  turn  us  quite  from  the  firft  defign  of  our 
 fpeech  ;  and  this  chiefly  in  difputes  and  debates  about 
 religion,  wherein,  though  we  begin  with  zeal  for 
 God,  yet  oft-times  in  the  end,  we  tettify  nothing  but 
 our  own  pafilcn,  and  fometimes  we  do  lie  one  againil 
 another  in  defence  of  what  we  call  the  truth. 
 
 It  cannot  be  denied,  that,  to  an  holy  heart,  it  is  a 
 great  violence  to  be  fhut  up  altogether  from  the 
 fpeech  of  God.  It  burns  within,  efpecially  in  the 
 time  of  afllidion,  as  was  the  cafe  of  Jeremiah  ;  Then 
 I  /aid,  I  will  not  make  mention  cf  him,  nor  fpeak  any 
 more  in  his  name  :  But  his  word  was  in  my  heart  as 
 a  burning  fire  Jhut  up  in  my  bones  ;  and  I  was  weary 
 with  forbearing,  and  could  not  flay,  Jerem.  xx.  9.;  fo 
 
 is 
 
366  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECT.  II. 
 
 is  it  here  with  David  ;  therefore  he  breaks  out ;  the 
 fire  burns  upward,  and  he  fpeaks  to  God. 
 
 Let  this  be  our  way,  when  we  cannot  find  eafe 
 among  men,  to  feek  it  in  God ;  he  knows  the  lan- 
 guage of  his  children,  and  will  not  miftake  it ;  yea, 
 where  there  may  be  fomewhat  of  weaknefs  and  di- 
 flemper,  he  will  bear  with  it.  In  all  your  diftrefles, 
 in  all  your  moanings,  go  to  him,  pour  out  your  tears 
 to  him ;  not  only  fire,  but  even  water,  where  it 
 wants  a  vent,  will  break  upward  ;  thefe  tears  drop 
 not  in  our  own  lap,  but  they  fall  on  his,  and  he  hath 
 a  bottle  to  put  them  in ;  if  ye  empty  them  there^ 
 they  fhall  return  in  wine  of  ftrong  confolation. 
 
 Ver.  4.  Now  David's  requeft  is,  Lord,  make  me  t^ 
 know  mitie  end,  and  the  meafure  of  my  days,  what  it  is; 
 that  I  may  know  how  frail  I  am."]  In  which  he  does 
 not  defire  a  refponfe  from  (God,  about  the  day  of  his 
 death,  but  inftrudion  concerning  the  frailty  and 
 fhortnefs  of  his  life  :  But  did  not  David  know  this  ? 
 Yes,  he  knew  it,  and  yet  he  defires  to  know  it.  It 
 is  very  fit  we  aik  of  God  that  he  would  make  us  to 
 know  the  things  that  we  know,  I  mean,  that  what  we 
 know  emptily  and  barely,  we  may  know  fpiritually 
 and  fruitfully  :  If  there  be  any  meafure  of  this  know- 
 ledge, that  it  may  increafe  and  grow  more.  We 
 know  that  we  are  finners,  but  that  knowledge  come 
 monly  produces  nothing  but  cold,  dry,  and  fenfelefs 
 confufion  ;  but  the  right  knowledge  of  fin  would 
 prick  our  hearts,  and  caufe  us  to  pour  them  out  be- 
 fore the  Lord.  We  know  that  Jefus  is  the  Saviour 
 of  finners  ;  it  were  fit  to  pray,  that  we  knew  more  of 
 him,  fo  much  of  him  as  might  make  us  fhape  and 
 fafliion  our  hearts  to  his  likenefs.  We  know  we  mud 
 die,  and  that  it  is  no  long  courfe  to  the  utmoft  pe- 
 riod of  life,  yet  our  hearts  are  little  inftruded  by  this 
 knowledge  ;  how  great  need  have  we  to  pray  this 
 prayer  with  David  here,  or  that  with  Mofes,  Teach 
 us  to  number  our  days,  that  we  may  apply  our  hearts 
 unto  wifdom,  Pfal.  xc.  12.  Did  we  indeed  know  and 
 confider  how  quickly  we  (hall  pafs  from  hence,  it 
 
 were 
 
V£R.  4,  50  ON  PSALM  XXXIX*  367 
 
 were  not  poffible  for  us  to  cleave  lb  fail  to  the  thingi 
 of  this  life  ;  and,  as  foolifli  children,  to  wade  in 
 ditches,  and  fill  our  laps  with  mire  and  dirt;  to  prefer 
 bafe  earth  and  flelh  to  immortality  and  glory. 
 
 That  I  may  know  how  frail  I  am,]  Mod  part  of 
 men  are  foolifh  inconliderate  creatures,  like  unto  the 
 very  beajis  that  perijb,  PfaL  xlix.  12.  only  they  are 
 capable  of  greater  vanity  and  milery ;  but,  in  as  ir- 
 rational a  way,  they  toil  on  and  hurry  themfelves  in 
 a  multitude  of  bufmefs,  by  multitudes  of  defires,  fears,, 
 and  hopes,  and  know  not  whither  all  tends ;  but  one 
 well  advifed  thought  of  this  one  thing  would  temper 
 them  in  their  hottell  purfuits,  if  they  would  but 
 think  bow  frail  they  are,  how  vain  a  paffing  thing, 
 not  only  thefe  their  particular  defires  and  projeds 
 are,  but  they  themfelves,  and  their  whole  life.  David 
 prays  that  he  may  hiow  his  end\  and  his  prayer  is 
 anfwered,  Behold  thou  haji  made  my  days  as  an  hand- 
 breadth,  V.  5.  If  we  were  more  in  requefls  of  this 
 kind,  we  (hould  receive  more  fpeedy  and  certain  an- 
 fwers.  If  this  be  our  requeft,  to  know  ourfelves,  our 
 frailties  and  vanity,  we  lliall  know  that  our  days  are 
 few  and  euil,  both  the  brevity  and  vanity  of  them. 
 
 Ver.  5.  Thou  hajl  meafured  out  my  days  as  an  hand- 
 breadth,']  That  is  one  of  the  Ihorteft  meafures;  we 
 need  not  long  lines  to  meafure  our  lives  by,  each  one 
 carries  a  meafure  about  with  him,  his  own  hand,  that 
 is  the  longeft  and  fulleil  meafure.  It  is  not  fo  much 
 as  a  fpan  ;  that  might  poffibly  have  been  the  mea- 
 fure of  old  age  in  the  infancy  of  the  world,  but 
 now  it  is  contradled  to  an  hand-breadth,  and  that  is 
 the  longed  ;  but  how  many  fall  Ihort  of  that  ?  ma- 
 ny attain  not  to  a  finger-breadth  ;  multitudes  pafs 
 from  the  w^omb  to  the  grave  ;  and  how  many  end 
 their  courfe  within  the  conxpafs  of  childhood  I 
 
 Whether  we  take  this  hand- breadth  for  the  four^ 
 fcore  years,  that  is  ordinarily  the  utmoft  extent  of 
 man's  life  in  our  days,  or  for  the  four  times  of  our 
 age,  in  which  we  ufe  to  diftinguilli  it,  childhood, 
 
 youth, 
 
368  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECT,  U, 
 
 youth,  manhood,  and  old  age ;  there  are  great  num- 
 bers we  fee  take  up  their  lodging  ere  they  come  near 
 the  laft  of  any  of  thefe,  and  few  attain  to  the  outmoft 
 border  of  them.  All  of  us  are  but  a  hand-breadth 
 from  death,  and  not  fo  much  ;  for  many  of  us  have 
 pafled  a  great  part  of  that  hand-breadth  already,  and 
 we  know  not  how  little  of  it  is  behind.  We  ufe 
 commonly  to  divide  our  lives  by  years,  months, 
 weeks  and  days,  but  it  is  all  but  one  day  ;  there  is 
 the  morning,  noon,  afternoon  and  evening ;  Man  is 
 as  the  grafs  that  Springs  in  the  mornings  Pfal.  xc.  5. ; 
 as  for  all  the  days  that  are  pad  of  our  life,  death 
 hath  them  rather  than  we,  and  they  are  already  in 
 its  poffeffion  ;  When  we  look  back  on  them,  they  ap- 
 pear but  as  a  fliadow  or  dream,  and  if  they  be  fo  to 
 us,  how  much  more  fhort  are  they  in  the  light  of 
 God  ?  So  fays  David  here.  When  I  look  on  thee  and 
 thy  eternity,  mine  age  is  as  nothing  before  thee  ;  what 
 is  our  life,  being  compared  to  God,  before  whom  a 
 thouf and  years  are  hut  as  one  day,  and  lefs,  like  yefter- 
 day,  when  it  is  paft,  and  that  is  but  a  thought  I  The 
 whole  duration  of  the  world  is  but  a  point  in  refpedt 
 of  eternity  ;  and  how  fmall  a  point  is  the  life  of 
 man,  even  in  comparifon  with  that  I 
 
 The  brevity  of  our  life  is  a  very  ufeful  confide- 
 ration  ;  from  it  we  may  learn  patience  under  all  our 
 croffes  and  troubles  ;  they  may  be  (horter  than  life, 
 but  they  can  be  no  longer.  There  are  few  that  an 
 afflidtion  hath  lain  on  all  the  days  of  their  life  ;  but 
 though  that  were  the  cafe,  yet  a  little  time,  and  how 
 quickly  is  it  done  !  While  thou  art  afleep,  there  is  a 
 ceflation  of  thy  trouble ;  and,  when  awake,  bemoan- 
 ing and  weeping  for  it,  and  for  fin  that  is  the  caufe 
 of  it,  in  the  mean  time  it  is  Hiding  away.  In  all 
 the  bitter  blafls  that  blow  on  thy  face,  thou  who  art 
 a  Chriftian  indeed,  mayeil  comfort  thyfelf,  in  the 
 thought  of  the  good  lodging  that  is  before  thee.  To 
 others  it  were  the  greateft  comfort,  that  their  afflic- 
 tions in  this  life  were  lengthened  out  to  eternity. 
 
 Like  wife 
 
VER.  5.3  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  369 
 
 Likewife,  this  may  teach  us  temperance  in  thefe 
 things  that  are  called  the  good  things  of  this  world. 
 Though  a  man  had  a  leafe  of  all  thefe  fine  things 
 the  world  can  afford  for  his  whole  life,  (which  yet 
 never  any  man  that  I  know  of  had),  what  is  it  ?  a 
 feigned  dream  of  an  hour  long.  None  of  thefe  things 
 that  now  it  takes  fo  much  delight  in,  will  accom- 
 pany the  cold  lump  of  clay  to  the  grave.  Within  a 
 little  while,  thofe  that  are  married  and  rejoice,  Jbah 
 he  as  if  they  rejoiced  not,  1  Cor.  vii.  29.  nor  ever  had 
 done  it  ;  and  if  they  fhall  be  fo  quickly,  a  wife  man 
 makes  little  difference,  in  thefe  things,  betwixt  their 
 prefence  and  their  abfence. 
 
 This  thought  Ihould  alfo  teach  us  diligence  in  our 
 bulinefs.  We  have  a  fhort  day,  and  much  to  do  ;  it 
 were  fit  to  be  up  early,  to  remember  thy  Creator  in 
 the  days  of  thy  youth  ;  and  ye  that  are  come  to  riper 
 years,  be  advifed  to  lay  hold  on  what  remains,  ye 
 know  not  how  little  it  is. 
 
 The  more  you  fill  yourfelves  with  the  things  of 
 this  life,  the  lefs  defires  you  will  have  after  thofe  ri- 
 vers  of  pleafures  that  are  at  God^s  right  hand ;  thofe 
 fhall  never  run  dry,  but  all  theie  other  things  ftiall 
 be  dried  up  within  a  little  fpace ;  at  the  furtheft, 
 when  old  age  and  death  come,  if  not  fooner.  And 
 on  the  other  fide,  the  more  we  deny  ourfelves  the 
 fenfual  enjoyments  of  a  prefent  world,  we  grow  the 
 liker  to  that  divine  eltate,  and  are  made  the  furer  of 
 it ;  and  I  am  fure  all  will  grant  that  this  is  a  very 
 gainful  exchange. 
 
 Verily,  every  man  at  his  hefi  efiate  is  altogether  va^ 
 nity.']  It  is  no  wonder  that  the  generality  of  men  are 
 ftrangers  to  God,  for  they  are  firangers  to  themfelves. 
 The  cure  of  both  thefe  evils  is  from  the  fame  hand. 
 He  alone  can  teach  us  what  he  is,  and  what  we  are 
 ourfelves.  All  know  and  fee  that  their  life  is  fiiort, 
 and  themfelves  vanity.  But  this  holy  man  thought 
 it  needful  to  afk  the  true  notion  of  it  from  above, 
 and  he  receives  the  meafure  of  his  life,  even  an  hand- 
 
 Vol,  JL  3  A  breadth. 
 
370  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [LECT.  II. 
 
 breadth.  There  is  a  common  impollure  among  peo- 
 ple, to  read  their  fortunes  by  their  hands ;  but  this  is 
 true  palmeftry  indeed,  to  read  the  iliortnefs  of  our 
 life  upon  the  palms  of  our  hands. 
 
 Our  days  are  not  only  few,  but  we  ourfelves  are 
 zmnity.  Every  many  even  a  godly  man,  as  he  is  a 
 partaker  of  this  life,  is  not  exempted  from  vanity, 
 nay,  he  knows  it  better  than  any  other :  But  this 
 thought  comforts  him,  that  he  hath  begun  that  life 
 that  is  above,  and  beyond  all  vanity.  The  words  are 
 weighty  and  full.  It  is  not  a  problem,  or  a  doubtful 
 thing  ;  but  furely  every  man  is  vanity,  I  may  call  it 
 a  definition,  and  fu  it  is  proven,  Pfal.  cxliv.  2,  3. 
 What  is  man?  He  is  like  to-  vanity,  and  bis  days  are 
 as  a  Jhadoiv  that  pajjes  azL^ay,  His  days  do  not  only 
 foon  decline  and  pafs  away  as  a  fhadow,  but  alfo  they 
 ^re  like  vanity.  While  he  appears  to  be  fomething, 
 he  is  nothing  but  the  figure  and  picture  of  vanity. 
 He  is  like  it,  not  the  copy  of  it,  but  rather  the  ori- 
 ginal and  idea  of  it  ;  for  he  hath  derived  vanity  to 
 the  whole  creation  ;  he  hdilh.  fuhjeBed  the  creatures  to 
 it,  and  hath  thrown  fuch  a  load  of  it  upon  them, 
 that  they  groan  under  it  ;  and  fo  vanity  agrees  to 
 him  properly,  conltantly,  and  iiniverfally.  Every  man, 
 and  that  at  his  hejt  ejiate,  as  the  word  is,  in  his  fettled 
 and. fixed  Itate  ;  i'et  him  as  fure  and  high  as  you  will, 
 yet  he  is  not  above  that,  he  carries  it  about  with  him 
 as  he  does  his  nature. 
 
 This  is  a  very  profitable  truth  to  think  on,  though 
 fome  kind  of  hearers,  even  of  the  better  fort,  would 
 judge  it  more  profitable  to  hear  of  cafes  of  con- 
 fcience ;  but  this  is  a  great  cafe  of  confcience,  to  con- 
 lider  it  well,  and  carry  the  impreflion  of  it  home 
 with  you  on  your  hearts.  The  extreme  vanity  of 
 ourfelves,  that  we  are  nothing  but  vanity  ;  and  the 
 note  that  is  added  here,  Sehih,  if  it  import  any  thing 
 to  the  fenfe  and  confirmation  of  what  it  is  added  to, 
 it  agrees  well  to  this  :  But  if  it  be  only  a  mufical 
 jiote,  10  dired:,  as  fome  thi^ik,  the  elevation,  or,  ac- 
 cording 
 
VEIL  5.]  OK  PSALM  XXXIX.  37I 
 
 cording  to  others,  the  falling  of  the  voice,  it  fits  the 
 fenfe  very  well.  For  you  have  man  here  lifted  up 
 and  call  down  agani  ;  lifted  up  man  at  his  heft  ejlate^ 
 and  from  that  thrown  down  to  nothing,  even  in  that 
 eflate  he  is  altogether  'vanity.  What  is  that  ?  It  is,  as 
 the  word  iignifies,  an  earthly  vapour,  and  it  is  gene- 
 rally ufed  to  fignify  things  of  the  leafl  and  meaneft 
 ufe,  the  moil  empty  airy  things.  So  idols  are  oft 
 called  by  that  name  ;  they  are  nothing,  in  refpect  of 
 what  is  attributed  to  them  by  the  children  of  men  ; 
 and  fuch  a  thing  is  man,  he  feems  to  be  fomething, 
 and  is  indeed  nothing,  as  it  is  Pfal.  Ixii.  9.  Men  of 
 low  degree  are  vanity :  Poflibly  that  may  be  granted 
 for  a  truth,  and  they  pals  for  fuch  ;  and  he  adds. 
 Men  of  high  degree  are  a  lie :  They  promife  fome- 
 thing,  and  look  bigger  like,  but  they  are  nothing 
 more,  except  this,  a  He,  and  the  greater  they  are,  the 
 louder  lie. 
 
 This  it  is,  then,  that  v/e  fliould  acquaint  ourfelves 
 with,  that  man,  in  this  prefent  life,  in  all  the  high 
 advantages  of  it,  is  an  empty,  feeble,  fading  thing. 
 If  we  look  to  the  frame  of  man's  body,  what  is  he 
 but  a  muddy  wall,  an  houfe  of  clay^  whofe  foundation 
 is  in  the  dujt.  If  we  look  within,  there  is  nothing 
 there  but  a  link  and  heap  of  filth.  The  body  of  man 
 is  not  only  fubjed  to  fevers,  hedics,  Stc  that  makes 
 the  wall  to  moulder  down  ;  but,  take  him  in  his 
 health  and  ftrength,  what  is  he  but  a  bag  of  rotten-^ 
 nefs  ?  and  why  fliould  he  take  delight  in  his  beauty  ? 
 which  is  but  the  appearance  of  a  thing,  which  a  fit 
 of  licknefs  will  fo  ealily  deface,  or  the  running  of  a 
 few  years  fpoil  the  faihion  of;  a  great  heat  or  a  cold 
 puts  that  frame  into  dilorder  ;  a  few  days  iicknefs 
 lays  him  in  the  duft,  or  much  blood  gathered  within 
 gathers  fevers  and  pleurifies,  and  fo  deilroys  that  life 
 it  (liould  maintain  ;  or  a  fly  or  a  crumb  of  bread  may 
 flop  his  breath,  and  fo  end  his  days. 
 
 If  we  conlider  men  in  focieties,  in  cities  and  towns^ 
 «ften  hath  the  overflowmg  fcourge  of  famine  and 
 
 ppftilence 
 
37^  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECIT.  Its 
 
 peftilence  laid  them  wafle,  and  from  thofe  they  can- 
 not fecure  themfelves  in  their  greateft  plenty  and 
 health,  but  they  come  in  a  fudden,  and  unlooked  for. 
 If  we  could  fee  all  the  parts  and  perfons  in  a  great 
 city  at  once,  how  many  woes  and  miferies  fliould  we 
 behold  there  ?  how  many  either  want  bread,  or 
 fcarcely  have  it  by  hard  labour  ?  then,  to  hear  the 
 groans  of  dying  perfons,  and  the  fighs  and  weep- 
 ings of  thofe  about  them  ;  how  many  of  thefe  things 
 are  within  the  walls  of  great  cities  at  all  times  ? 
 Great  palaces  cannot  hold  out  death,  but  it  breaks 
 through  and  enters  there,  and  thither  oft-times  the 
 moft  painful  and  (hameful  difeafes  that  are  incident 
 to  the  fons  of  men  refort.  Death,  by  vermin,  hath 
 feized  on  fome  of  the  greateft  of  kings  that  have  ever 
 been  in  the  world.  If  we  look  on  generals  who  have 
 '  commanded  the  greateft  armies,  they  carry  about 
 with  them  poor  frail  bodies,  as  well  as  others  ;  they 
 may  be  killed  with  one  fmall  wound,  as  well  as  the 
 meaneft  foldier  ;  and  a  few  days  intemperance  hath 
 taken  fome  of  the  moft  gallant  and  courageous  of 
 them  away  in  the  midft  of  their  fuccefs.  And,  fure 
 I  am,  he  who  believes  and  conliders  the  life  to  come, 
 and  looks  on  this,  and  fees  what  it  is,  makes  little 
 account  of  thofe  things  that  have  fo  big  a  found  in 
 the  world,  the  revolutions  of  ftates,  crowns,  king- 
 doms, cities,  towns;  how  poor  inconfiderable  things 
 are  they,  being  compared  with  eternity  I  And  he 
 that  looks  not  on  them  as  fuch  is  a/oo/. 
 
 LECTURE    III. 
 
 Ver.  6.  Surely  every  man  walks  in  a  vain Jhew ;  fure- 
 ly  they  are  difqiiieted  in  vain  :  he  heapeth  up  riches^ 
 and  knoweth  not  who  J}j all  gather  them. 
 
 T 
 
 HERE  is  a  part  of  our  hand-breadth  paft  lince 
 we  laft  left  this  place,  and,  as  we  are  faying  this, 
 
 we 
 
VflR.  6.]  ON  PSALM  xxxix.  373 
 
 we  are  wearing  out  fome  portion  of  the  reft  of  it : 
 It  were  well,  if  we  confidered  this  fo  as  to  make  a 
 better  improvement  of  what  remains,  than,  I  believe, 
 we  fliall  find,  upon  examining  of  our  ways,  of  what 
 is  paft.  Let  us  lee  if  we  can  gain  the  fpace  of  an  hour, 
 that  we  may  be  excited  to  a  better  management  of 
 the  latter  part  of  our  time  than  we  have  made  of  the 
 former. 
 
 We  are  all,  I  think,  convinced  of  the  vanity  of 
 man,  as  to  his  outfide,  that  he  is  a  feeble,  weak,  poor 
 creature ;  but  we  may  have  hope  of  fomewhat  better^ 
 in  that  which  is  the  man  indeed,  his  mind  and  in- 
 tellectual part.  It  is  true,  that  that  was  originally 
 excellent,  and  that  there  is  fomewhat  of  a  radical 
 excellency  flill  in  the  foul  of  man  ;  yet  it  is  fo  defpe- 
 rately  degenerate,  that,  naturally,  man,  even  in  that 
 conlideration,  is  altogether  'vanity^  in  all  the  pieces  of 
 him ;  his  mind  is  but  a  heap  of  vanity,  nothing  there 
 but  ignorance,  folly  and  diforder ;  and  if  we  think 
 not  fo,  we  are  the  more  foolifli  and  ignorant.  That 
 which  palTes  with  great  pomp,  under  the  title  of 
 learning  ^nd  fcierice,  it  is  commonly  nothing  elfe  but 
 a  rhapfody  of  words  and  empty  terms,  which  have 
 nothing  in  them  to  make  known  the  internal  nature 
 of  things. 
 
 But  even  thofe  who  have  the  improvement  of 
 learning  and  education,  who  underfland  the  model 
 and  government  of  affairs,  that  fee  their  defeds,  and 
 entertain  themfelves  with  various  fliapes  of  amending 
 and  reforming  them,  even  in  thofe  we  fliall  find  no- 
 thing but  a  fadder  and  more  ferious  vanity.  It  is  a 
 tormenting  and  vexing  thing  for  men  to  promife  to 
 themfelves  great  reformations  and  bettering  of  things  ; 
 that  thought  ufually  deludes  the  wufefl:  of  men ;  they 
 mud  at  length  come  to  that  of  Solomon,  after  much 
 labour  to  little  purpofe,  that  crooked  things  cannot  be 
 made  jlraight s  Ecclef.  i.  15.  yea,  many  things  grow 
 worfe,   by  iabourmg  to  reclify  them  ;  therefore  he 
 
 adds, 
 
374  BXPOSITORY    LECTURES  [lECT,  151. 
 
 adds,  but  he  that  increafeth  knowledge  increafeth  for- 
 row. 
 
 As  for  knowledge  in  religion,  we  fee  the  greatell 
 part  of  the  world  lying  in  grofs  darknefs  :  And  even 
 amongft  Chriftians,  how  much  ignorance  of  thefe 
 things  I  which  appears  in  this,  that  there  are  fuch 
 fwarms  and  productions  of  debates  and  contentions, 
 that  they  are  grown  pall  number,  and  each  party 
 confident  that  truth  is  on  his  fide,  and,  ordinarily,  the 
 moil:  ignorant  and  erroneous,  the  mofi:  confident  and 
 mofi:  imperious  in  their  determinations ;  furely  it 
 were  a  great  part  of  our  wifdom  to  free  our  fpirits 
 from  thefe  empty  fruitlefs  janglings,  that  abound  in 
 the  Chriftian  world. 
 
 It  were  an  endleis  toil  to  go  through  all  degrees, 
 profefiions  and  employments  of  men  in  the  world  ; 
 we  may  go  through  nations,  countries,  crafts,  fchools, 
 colleges,  courts,  camps,  councils  of  ftate,  and  parlia- 
 ments, and  find  nothing  in  all  thefe,  but  fi:ill  more 
 of  this  trouble  and  vexation  in  a  more  fine  drefs  and 
 falhion,  altogether  vanity. 
 
 Every  man  walks  in  a  vainjljew."]  His  walk  is  no- 
 thing but  a  going  on  in  continual  vanity,  adding  a 
 new  tlock  of  vanity,  of  his  own  coining,  to  what  he 
 has  already  within,  and  vexation  of  fpirit  woven  all 
 along  in  with  it.  He  walks  in  an  image,  as  the  word 
 is,  converfes  with  things  of  no  reality,  and  which 
 have  no  folidity  in  them,  and  he  himfelf  as  little. 
 He  himfelf  is  a  walking  image,  in  the  midft  of  thefe 
 images.  They  that  are  tak-in  with  the  conceit  of 
 images  and  pictures,  that  is  an  emblem  of  their  own 
 life,  and  of  all  other  means  alfo.  Every  man's  fan- 
 cy is  to  himfelf  a  gallery  of  pictures,  and  there  he 
 walks  up  and  dov^^n,  and  confiders  not  how  vain  thefe 
 are,  and  how  vain  a  thing  he  himfelf  is. 
 
 My  brethren,  they  are  happy  perfons,  (but  few  are 
 they  in  number),  that  are  truly  weaned  from  all  thofe 
 images  and  fancies  the  world  doats  fo  much  upon. 
 If  many  of  the  children  of  men  would  turn  their 
 
 own 
 
VER.  6.]  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  375 
 
 own  thoughts  backwards  in  the  evening  but  of  one 
 clay,  what  would  they  find  for  the  moil  part,  but 
 that  they  have  been  walking  among  thefe  pidures, 
 and  paffing  from  one  vanity  to  another,  and  back 
 again  to  and  fro  ;  to  as  little  purpofe  as  the  running 
 up  and  down  of  children  at  their  play  I  He  who 
 runs  after  honour,  pleafure,  popular  efleem,  what  do 
 you  think?  does  not  that  man  walk  in  an  image, 
 purfuing  after  that,  that  hath  no  other  being  bi^t 
 ■what  the  opinion  and  fancy  of  men  give  to  it,  efpe- 
 cially  the  lafl,  which  is  a  thing  fo  fluduating,  uncer- 
 tain and  inconftant,  that  while  he  hath  it,  he  hath 
 nothing  ?  The  other  image  that  man  follows  and 
 worfliips  is  that  in  the  text,  that  wretched  madnefs 
 of  heaping  up  riches :  this  is  the  great  fooliflmefs  and 
 difeafe,  efpecially  of  old  age,  that  the  lefs  way  a  man 
 has  to  go,  he  makes  the  greater  provifion  for  it ; 
 when  the  hands  are  ftiff,  and  for  no  other  labour, 
 they  are  fitted  and  compofed  for  fcraping  together. 
 But  for  what  end  dofi  thou  take  all  this  pains  ?  If 
 for  thyfelf,  a  little  fober  care  will  do  thy  turn,  if  thy 
 defires  be  fober  ;  and  if  not  fo,  thy  diligence  were 
 better  beftowed  in  impairing  and  diminiiliing  of 
 thefe,  and  that  is  the  eafier  way  a  great  deal.  And 
 if  it  be  for  others,  Vv'hy  doji  thou  take  a  certain  un- 
 eafe  to  thyfelf  for  the  uncertain  eafe  of  others  ?  And 
 who  thefe  are,  thou  doll  not  know  ;  may  be,  fuch  as 
 thou  never  intended  them  for.  It  were  good  we  ufed 
 rnore  eafy  and  undiilra cling  diligence,  for  increafing  of 
 thefe  treafures,  which  we  cannot  deny  are  far  better, 
 and  whofoever  hath  them,  may  abound  therein  with 
 increafe  ;  he  knovvs  well  for  whom  he  gathers  them  ; 
 he  himfelf  fhall  poiTefs  them  through  all  eternity. 
 
 If  there  were  not  a  hope  beyond  this  life,  there 
 were  reafon  for  that  palTionate  word  in  Ffal.  Ixxxix. 
 47.  I'Vhy  hojl  thou  made  all  men  in  vain  ?  To  what 
 purpofe  were  it  for  poor  wretched  man,  to  have  been 
 all  his  days  tofled  upon  the  waves  of  vanity,  and 
 ^hen  to  lie  down  in  the  grave  and  be  no  more  heard 
 
 of? 
 
276  EXPOSITORY    LECTURES  [lECT.  Ill, 
 
 of?  But  it  is  not  fo,  he  is  made  capable  of  a  noble 
 and  blefTed  life  beyond  this ;  and  our  forgetfulnefs 
 of  this,  is  the  caufe  of  all  our  mifery  and  vanity  here. 
 It  is  a  great  folly  to  complain  of  the  fliortnefs  of 
 our  life,  and  yet  to  lavifli  it  out  fo  prodigally  on 
 trifles  and  lliadows  :  If  it  were  well  managed  it 
 would  be  fufFicient  for  ail  we  have  to  do.  The  only 
 way  to  live  indeed,  is  to  be  doing  fervice  to  God, 
 and  good  to  men :  This  is  to  live  much  in  a  little 
 time.  But  when  we  play  the  fools  in  mifpending 
 our  time,  it  may  be  indeed  a  fad  thought  to  us,  when 
 we  find  it  gone,  and  we  are  benighted  in  the  dark 
 fo  far  from  our  home.  But  thole  that  have  their 
 fouls  untied  from  this  world  and  knit  to  God,  they 
 need  not  complain  of  the  fhortnefs  of  it,  having  laid 
 hold,  on  eternal  life  ;  for  this  life  is  flying  away, 
 there  is  no  laying  hold  on  it  ;  it  is  no  matter  how 
 foon  it  go  away,  the  fooner  the  better,  for  to  fuch 
 perfons  it  feems  rather  to  go  too  flow. 
 
 LECTURE     IV. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  now,  Lord,  what  wait  IforP  my  hope  is 
 in  thee. 
 
 TO  entertain  the  minds  of  men  with  thoughts  of 
 their  own  vanity,  and  difcourfes  of  their  own 
 mifery,  feems  to  be  fad  and  unpleafant  ;  but  certain- 
 ly it  is  not  unprofitable,  unlefs  it  be  our  own  choice 
 to  make  it  fo ;  and  that  were  the  greatefl  vanity  and 
 mifery  of  all.  Indeed,  if  there  were  no  help  for  this 
 fore  evil,  then  the  common  fhift  were  not  to  be  blam- 
 ed, yea,  it  were  to  be  chofen  as  the  only  help  in  luch 
 ^  defperate  cafe,  not  to  think  on  it,  to  forget  our  mi- 
 fery, and  to  divert  our  thoughts  from  it,  by  all  pof- 
 fible  means,  rather  than  to  increafe  it,  and  torment 
 ourfelves,  by  infifting  and  poring  on  it;  and  in  that 
 c^f(?,  fliiallow  pinds  would  have  the  advantage,  that 
 
 could 
 
VER.  7.]  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  377 
 
 could  not  converfe  with  thefe  fad  thoughts ;  for  to 
 increafe  this  knozvledge  were  but  to  increafe  forrow. 
 But  far  be  it  from  us  thus  to  determine ;  there  is  a 
 hope  which  is  a  help  to  this  evil,  and  this  is  it  that 
 this  holy  man  fixes  on,  And  noWy  Lord,  &c.  other- 
 wife  it  were  ftrange,  that  the  mofl  excellent  piece  of 
 the  vilible  creation  fliould  be  made  fubjedt  to  the 
 moll  incurable  unhappinefs,  to  feel  mifery  which  he 
 cannot  (liun,  and  to  be  tormented  with  defires  that 
 cannot  be  fatisfied.  But  there  is  fome  better  expec- 
 tation for  the  fouls  of  men,  and  it  is  no  other  but 
 /^i/zz/d'/^  who  made  them. 
 
 The  wifeft  natural  men  have  difcourfed  of  man's 
 vanity,  and  paffionately  bemoaned  it,  but  in  this 
 they  have  fallen  ihort,  how  to  remedy  it.  They 
 have  aimed  at  it  and  come  near  it,  but  were  not  able 
 to  work  it ;  they  ilill  laboured  to  be  fatisfied  in  them- 
 felves ;  they  fpeak  fomewhat  of  reafon,  but  that  will 
 not  do  it,  for  man  being  fallen  under  the  curfe  of 
 God,  there  is  nothing  but  darknefs  and  folly  in  him- 
 felf.  The  only  way  to  bleflednefs  is  by  going  out  of 
 ourfelves  unto  God. 
 
 All  our  difcourfes  of  our  own  vanity  will  but  fur- 
 ther difquiet  us,  if  they  do  not  terminate  here,  if 
 they  do  not  fix  on  his  eternal  happinefs,  goodnefs 
 and  verity. 
 
 I  am  perfuaded,  if  many  would  alk  this  quefl:ion 
 at  themfeives.  What  wait  I  for  P  they  would  puzzle 
 themfelves  and  not  find  an  anfwer  :  there  are  a  great 
 many  things  that  men  defire  and  are  gaping  after, 
 but^  few  after  one  thing  chiefly  and  fiayedly  ;  they 
 float  up  and  down,  and  are  carried  about  without  any 
 certain  motion,  but  by  fancy,  and  by  guefs  ;  and  no 
 wind  can  be  fair  for  fuch  perfons,  that  aim  at  no  cer- 
 tain haven. 
 
 If  we  put  this  queflion  to  ourfelves,  What  would 
 I  have  ?  It  w^ere  eafy  for  many  to  anfwer,  I  would 
 have  an  eafy,  quiet,  peaceable  life  in  this  world  ;  fo 
 would  an  ox  or  a  horfe  j    and,  is.  that  all  ?  may  be, 
 
 Vol.  II.  3  B  you 
 
378  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECT.  IV. 
 
 you  would  have  a  greater  height  of  pleafure  and  ho- 
 nour ;  but  think  on  this  one  thing,  that  there  is  this 
 one  crack  and  vanity  that  fpoils  ail  thefe  things,  that 
 they  will  not  bear  you  up  when  you  lean  to  them  in 
 times  of  dillrefs  ;  and  belides,  when  you  have  them, 
 they  may  be  pulled  from  you,  and  if  not,  you  muft  be 
 plucked  away  from  them  within  a  little  while  ;  there 
 is  much  feeming  content  in  the  purfuit  of  thefe 
 things,  but  they  are  loft  with  greater  difcontent.  It 
 is  God's  goodnefs  to  men,  to  blaft  all  things  in  the 
 world  to  them,  and  to  break  their  faireft  hopes,  that 
 they  may  be  conft rained  to  look  about  to  Himfelf ; 
 he  beats  them  from  all  (hores,  that  he  may  bring  them 
 to  the  Rock  that  is  higher  than  they,  Pial.  Ixi.  2. 
 
 01  that  God  would  once  touch  fome  of  your  hearts, 
 that  are  under  the  chains  of  darknefs,  that  ye  might 
 once  bethink  where  to  reft  your  heads  in  the  midft 
 of  all  our  confufions ;  and  here  is  the  refting- place, 
 hope  in  God.  Now,  Lord,  what  wait  I  for  ?  my  hope 
 is  in  thee.  BhiTQd  foul  that  can  fay,  "  Lord,  thou 
 **  feeft  I  defire  nothing  but  thyfelf,  (as  Peter  faid, 
 Lord,  thou  knoweji  L  love  thee,)  all  the  corners  of 
 my  heart  ftand  open  in  thy  light ;  thou  feeft  if 
 there  be  any  other  delire  or  expedlation  but  to 
 pleafe  thee,  and  if  there  be  any  fuch  thing  in  me, 
 (for  I  fee  it  not,)  I  pray  thee  difcover  it  to  me, 
 *■*  and  through  thy  grace  it  ftiall  lodge  no  longer. 
 My  heart  is  thine  alone,  it  is  confecrated  to  thee  ; 
 and  if  any  thing  would  profane  thy  temple,  if  it 
 will  not  go  forth  by  fair  warning,  let  it  be  fcour- 
 ged  out  by  thy  rod,  yea  any  rod  whatlbever  it 
 **  pleafeth  thee  to  choofe." 
 
 My  hope  is  in  thee.]  This  holy  man,  feeing  the 
 vanity  of  all  other  expectations  and  purfuits  of  men, 
 at  length  runs  to  this  ;  ^nd  now.  Lord,  what  watt 
 I  for  P  my  hope  is  in  thee  :  he  finds  nothing  but  mo- 
 ving fand  every  where  elfe ;  but  he  iinds  this  eternal 
 Rock  to  be  a  ftrong  foundation,  as  the  Hebrew  word, 
 by  which  he  is  ftyled,  doth  fignify.     It  is  true,  the 
 
 union 
 
 a 
 it 
 
 it 
 
 ti 
 
 t( 
 
VER,   y,]  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  ^Jg 
 
 union  of  the  heart  with  God  is  made  np  by  faith  and 
 love,  but  yet  both  thefe  in  this:  our  prefent  condition 
 of  our  abfence  and  diltance  from  God,  do  adl  them- 
 felves  much  by  tlie  third  grace,  which  is  joined  with 
 them,  and  that  is  hope.  For  taitii  is  converfarit  about 
 things  that  are  not  feeri,  and  in  a  great  part  that  are 
 not  yet,  but  are  to  come  ;  and  the  fpirit  of  faith 
 chooling  things  that  are  to  come,  is  called  hope.  It 
 is  true,  they  are  not  fo  wholly  deferred,  as  that  they 
 poiTefs  nothing,  but  yet  the  utmoft  they  poiTefs  is  but 
 a  pledge  and  earnelt-penny,  a  fmall  thing  in  refpedt 
 of  that  eternal  inheritance  they  look  for.  What  they 
 have  here,  is  of  the  fame  kind  with  what  they  ex- 
 pert ;  but  it  is  but  a  little  portion  of  it,  the  fmiles 
 and  glances  of  their  Father's  face,  foretafles  of  hea- 
 ven, which  their  fouls  are  refrefhed  with ;  but  thefe 
 are  but  rare,  and  for  a  fliort  time. 
 
 Hope  is  the  great  llock  of  believers,  it  is  that 
 which  upholds  them  under  all  the  faintings  and  for- 
 rows  of  their  mind  in  this  life,  and  in  their  going 
 through  the  'valley  and  JJjadow  of  death.  It  is  the 
 helmet  of  their  falvation,  which,  while  they  are  look- 
 ing over  to  eternity,  beyond  this  prefent  time,  co- 
 vers and  keeps  their  head  fafe  amidft  all  the  darts 
 that  fly  round  about  them.  In  the  prefent  difcom- 
 fort  and  darknefs  of  mind,  and  the  faddeft  hours  they 
 meet  with  in  this  life,  hope  is  that  which  keeps  up 
 the  foul,  and  is  that  which  David  cheered  up  his  foul 
 with,  Pfal.  xlii.  5.  Why  art  thou  cafl  down  0  my  foul P 
 and  'why  art  thou  difquieted  in  me  ?  Hope  thou  in  God, 
 for  Iff) all  yet  praife  him  for  the  help  of  his  countenance. 
 And  even  in  this  point  the  children  of  the  world  have 
 no  great  advantage  of  the  children  of  God,  as  to  the 
 things  of  this  life,  for  much  of  their  fatisfadion,  fuch 
 as  it  is,  does  hang,  for  the  m>o(l  part,  on  their  hope  ; 
 the  happieft  and  richeft  of  them  do  flill  piece  it  out 
 with  fome  further  expedation,  fomething  they  look 
 for  beyond  what  they  have,  and  the  expedation  of 
 that  pleafes   them  more  than  all  their  prefent  polTef- 
 
 fions. 
 
38a  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [leCT.  IV. 
 
 fions.  But  this  great  difadvantage  they  have,  all 
 their  hopes  are  but  heaps  of  delufions  and  lies,  and 
 either  they  die  and  obtain  them  not,  or  if  they  ob- 
 tain them,  yet  they  obtain  them  not,  they  are  fo  far 
 fliort  of  what  they  fancied  and  imagined  of  them 
 before-hand.  But  the  hope  of  the  children  of  God, 
 as  it  is  without  fail  fure,  fo  it  is  inconceivably  full 
 and  fatisfying,  far  beyond  what  the  largeil  appre- 
 henlion  of  any  man  is  able  to  reach.  Hope  in  God! 
 what  is  wanting  there  ? 
 
 This  hope  lodges  only  in  the  pure  heart ;  it  is  a 
 precious  liquor  that  can  only  be  kept  in  a  clean  vef. 
 fel,  and  that  which  is  not  fo,  cannot  receive  it  *,  but 
 what  it  feems  to  receive,  it  corrupts  and  deilroys. 
 It  is  a  confidence  arifing  from  peace,  agreement  and 
 friendfiiip,  which  cannot  be  betwixt  the  God  of  pu- 
 rity, and  thofe  who  allow  unholinefs  in  themfelves. 
 It  is  a  ftrange  impudence  for  men  to  talk  of  their 
 triijl  and  hope  in  God,  who  are  in  perfed  hoftility 
 againft  him  ;  bold  fellows  go  through  dangers  here, 
 but  it  will  not  be  fo  hereafter,  Jer.  ii.  27.  They  turn 
 to  vie  the  hack  and  not  the  face  ;  yet,  in  theit  trouble^ 
 they  fay,  Arife  and  fave  us  ;  they  do  it  as  confidently 
 as  if  they  never  had  defpifed  God  ;  but  they  miftake 
 the  matter,  it  is  not  fo.  Go  and  cry,  fays  he,  to  the 
 gods  whom  ye  have  chofen,  Judg.  x.  14.  When  men 
 come  to  die,  then  they  catch  hold  of  the  mercy  of 
 God  ;  but  from  that  their  filthy  hands  are  beat  off, 
 there  is  no  help  for  them  there,  and  fo  they  fall  down 
 to  the  pit.  An  holy  fear  of  God,  and  a  happy  hope 
 in  him,  are  commonly  linked  together  ;  Behold  the 
 eye  of  the  Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear  him,  upon  them 
 that  hope  in  his  mercy,  Pfal.  xxxiii.  18. 
 
 And  even  in  thofe  who  are  more  purified  from  fin, 
 yet  too  large  draughts  of  lawful  pleafures  do  clog 
 the  fpirits,  and  make  this  hope  grow  exceeding  weak  \ 
 furely  the  more  we  fill  ourfeives  with  thefe  things, 
 we  leave  the  lefs  appetite  for  the  confolations  of  this 
 blefi^ed  hope.     They  cannot  know  the  excellency  of 
 
 this 
 
VER.  7.]  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  381 
 
 this  hope,  who  labour  not  to  keep  it  unmixed  ;  it  is 
 beft  alone,  as  the  richeil  wines  and  oils,  which  are 
 the  worfe  of  mixtures.  Be  fober  and  hope,  i  Pet.  i. 
 13. ;  keep  your  mind  lober,  and  your  hope  fhall  be 
 pure.  Any  thing  or  perfon  that  leans  on  two  fup- 
 porters,  whereof  the  one  is  whole  and  found,  and  the 
 other  broken  or  crooked,  that  which  is  unfound 
 breaks,  though  the  other  remain  whole,  and  they  fall ; 
 whereas  the  one  that  was  whole  had  been  fufficient : 
 Thus  it  is,  when  we  divide  our  hopes  betwixt  God 
 and  this  prefent  world,  or  any  other  good,  thofe  that 
 place  their  whole  hopes  on  God,  they  gather  in  all 
 their  defires  to  him  ;  the  ilreams  of  their  aifedions 
 are  not  fcattered  and  left  in  the  muddy  ditches  of  the 
 world,  they  do  not  fall  into  linking  pools,  but  being 
 gathered  into  one  main  torrent,  they  run  on  in  that 
 channel  to  the  fea  of  his  eternal  goodnefs. 
 
 My  hope  is  in  thee,']  We  cannot  choofe  but  all  of 
 us  think  that  God  is  immenfely  good  in  himfelf; 
 but  that  which  is  nearer,  whereon  our  hearts  moil 
 rife,  is  a  relative  goodnefs,  that  he  is  good  to  us, 
 and  that  he  is  fo  perfedly  and  completely  good,  that 
 having  made  choice  of  him,  and  obtained  union  with 
 him,  we  need  no  more.  Were  once  the  hearts  of 
 the  children  of  men  perfuaded  of  this,  all  their  deli- 
 berations were  at  an  end,  they  would  not  only  choofe 
 no  other,  but  defer  no  longer  to  fix  on  him.  And 
 what  can  trouble  the  foul  that  is  thus  eftablifhed  ? 
 No  change  or  overturning  of  outward  things;  though 
 the  frame  of  the  world  itfelf  were  fhaken  to  pieces, 
 yet  ftill  the  bottom  of  this  hope  is  Him  that  changeth 
 not:  And  whatever  thy  prefiures  be,  poverty,  lick- 
 nefs,  or  difquiet  of  mind,  thou  mayeil  draw  abundant 
 confolation  from  Him  in  whom  thou  haft  placed  thy 
 hope.  There  is  only  one  thing  that  cruelly  aifaults 
 it  by  the  way,  and  that  is  the  guilt  of  lin.  All  af- 
 flidlions  and  troubles  we  meet  with  are  not  able  to 
 mar  this  hope  or  quench  it ;  for  where  it  is  flrong,  it 
 either  breaks  through  them,    or  flies  above  them  : 
 
 Thev 
 
382  JE.XPOSITORY  LECTURES  [leCT.  V. 
 
 They  cannot  overcome  it,  for  there  is  no  affliclioii 
 inconfiflent  with  the  love  of  God,  yea,  the  Iharpeft 
 afflidlion  may  fometimes  have  the  cleareft  characters 
 of  his  love  upon  it ;  but  it  is  fin  that  prefents  him 
 as  angry  to  the  view  of  the  foul.  When  he  looks 
 through  that  cloud,  he  feems  to  be  an  enemy  ;  and 
 when  vv^e  apprehend  him  in  that  afpedt,  we  are  af- 
 frighted, and  prefently  apprehend  a  ftorm ;  but  even 
 in  this  cafe,  this  hope  apprehends  his  mercy.  And 
 thus  David  here. 
 
 LECTURE    V. 
 
 Ver.  8.  Deliver  me  from  all  my  tranfgre^ons ;  make 
 me  not  the  reproach  of  the  fooli/Jj, 
 
 THIS  is  indeed  the  bafis  and  foundation  of  all 
 our  other  hopes,  the  free  pardon  of  our  lins  ; 
 but  none  mud  entertain  thefe  lins,  if  they  defire  to 
 be  pardoned.  Repentance  and  remijjion  of  fins  are 
 {till  linked  together  in  the  Scriptures  ;  and  he  that 
 V7ould  have  iin  pardoned,  and  yet  live  in  it,  or  retain 
 the  love  of  it,  would  have  God  and  fin  reconciled  to- 
 gether, and  that  can  never  be.  David  finds  his  fins 
 preffing  him  down  ;  he  fees  them  as  an  army  of  men 
 let  in  battle  array  about  him  ;  and  whither  flies  he 
 for  a  deliverance  ?  even  to  Him  whom  he  had  of- 
 fended. 
 
 Ver.  10,  II.  Remove  thy  flroke  away  from  me;  I 
 am  confiimed  hy  the  blow  of  thine  hand,  V/hen  thou 
 with  rebukes  doft  correct  man  for  iniquity,  thou  makefi 
 his  beauty  to  confume  away  like  a  moth  :  Surely  every 
 man  is  vanity,  Selah.]  V/e  are  naturally  very  par- 
 tial judges  of  ourfelves ;  and,  as  if  we  were  not  fuffi- 
 ciently  able  by  nature,  we  fi;udy  and  devife  by  art  to 
 deceive  ourfelves.  We  are  ready  to  reckon  any  good 
 that  is  in  us  to  the  full,  nay,  to  multiply  it  beyond 
 what  it  is  \  and  yet  to  help  this,  we  ufe  commonly 
 
 to 
 
V£R.  10,  II.]  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  383 
 
 to  look  on  thofe  who  have  lefs  goodnefs  in  them,  who, 
 ^re   weaker,  more  fooliili   and  worfe  than  ourfelves ; 
 and   fo  we  magnify  the  fenie  of  our  own  worth  and 
 goodnefs   by  that  comparifon.     And  as  in  the  good- 
 nefs  we  have,  or  imagine  we  have,  fo  hkewife  in  the 
 evils  we  fuffer,   we  ufe  to  extol  them  yery  much  in 
 conceit.      We   account  our  lightefl  afflidtions   very 
 great ;  and  to  heighten  our  thoughts  of  them,  we  do 
 readily  take  a  view  of  thofe   who   are  more  at  eafe, 
 and  lefs  afHicted   than  ourfelves  ;   and,  by  thefe  de- 
 vices,  we  nourifli  in  ourfelves  pride,  by  the  over- 
 weaning  conceit  of  our  goodnefs ;  and  impatience, 
 by  the  over-feeling  fenfe   of  our  evils.     But   if  w^e 
 would  help  ourfelves  by  comparifon,   we  ihould  do 
 well  to  view  thefe  perfons  who  are,  or  have  been, 
 eminent  for  holinefs,  recorded  in  holy  writ,  or  whom 
 we  know  in  our  own  times,  or  have  heard  of  in  for- 
 mer ;  and  by  this  means  we  ihould  leifen  the  great 
 opinion  we  have  of  our  own  worth  ;  and  fo  likewile 
 ihould  we  conlider  the  many  inftances  of  great  cala- 
 mities  and   forrows,   which  would  tend  to  quiet  our 
 minds,  and  enable  us  to  pojfefs  our  fouls  in  patience^ 
 under  the  little  burden  of  trials  that  lies  upon  us : 
 And.,  eipecially,  we  ihall   find  thofe  inftances  to  fall 
 in  together,  that   as  perfons  have  been  very  eminent 
 in  holinefs,  they  have  alfo  been  eminent  in  liuTering 
 very  fore  ftrokes  and  lliarp  fcourges  from  the  hand  of 
 God.     If  we  would  think  on  their  confuining  blows 
 and  broken  bones,  their  bones  burnt  as  an  hearth,  and 
 Xh^ix  Jle/h  withered  as  grafs  ;.  certainly  we  Ihould  en- 
 tertain our  thoughts  fometimes  with  wonder  of  God's 
 indulgence  to  us,  that  we  are  fo  little  afflided,  when 
 10  many  of  the  children  of  men,  and  fo  many  of  the 
 children  of  God,  fuffer  fo  many  and  fo  hard  things  ; 
 and  this  would  very  much  add   to  the  ftock  of  our 
 praifes.     We  ihould  not  think  that  we  are  more   in- 
 nocent in  not  deferving  thefe  things  that  are  inflicted 
 on  others,  but  rather,  that  He  who  thus  meafures  out 
 to  them  and  to  us,  knows  our  iize,  and  fees  how  weak 
 
 we 
 
384  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECT.  V. 
 
 we  are  in  comparifon  of  them  ;  and  that  therefore  he 
 is  indulgent  to  us,  not  becaufe  we  are  better,  but  be- 
 caufe  we  are  weaker,  and  are  not  able  to  bear  fo  much 
 as  he  lays  on  the  flronger  Ihoulders.  Even  in  the 
 fharpeit  of  thefe  rods  there  is  mercy.  It  is  a  privi- 
 lege to  the  fheep  that  is  ready  to  wander,  to  be  beat- 
 en into  the  right  way.  When  thou  art  corrected, 
 think  that  thereby  thy  fins  are  to  be  purged  out,  thy 
 paffions  and  lufts  to  be  crucified  by  thefe  pains ;  and 
 certainly  he  that  finds  any  cure  of  the  evils  of  his 
 fpirit  by  the  hardell  fufFerings  of  his  flefli,  gets  a  very 
 gainful  bargain.  If  thou  account  fin  thy  greateft  un- 
 happinefs  and  mifchief,  thou  wilt  be  glad  to  have  it 
 removed  on  any  terms.  There  is  at  lead  in  the  time 
 of  afriiclion  a  cefiation  from  fome  fins ;  the  raging 
 luft:  of  ambition  and  pride  do  ceafe,  when  a  man  is 
 laid  upon  his  back  ;  and  thefe  very  ceflations  are 
 fome  advantages.  But  there  is  one  great  benefit  of 
 afflidtion,  which  follows  in  the  text,  that  it  gives  him 
 the  true  meafure  of  himfelf. 
 
 When  with  rebukes  thou  dojl  correEi  man,  thou  tnakeji 
 his  beauty  to  confume  away  like  a  moth  :  Surely  every 
 7nan  is  vanity.  Selah.]  Man  at  his  hejl  ejlate  is  alto- 
 gether vanity  ;  but  at  his  lowed  eftate  it  appears  bed: 
 unto  him,  how  much  vanity  he  is,  and  how  much 
 vanity  he  was  at  his  bed  edate,  feeing  he  was  then 
 capable  of  fuch  a  change,  to  fall  fo  low  from  fuch  a 
 height.  As  that  great  man  v;ho  was  feeking  new 
 conqueds,  when  he  fell  upon  the  fand,  and  faw  the 
 print  of  his  own  body,  "  Why,  fays  he,  fo  fmall  a 
 ♦^  parcel  of  earth  will  ferve  me,  who  am  feeking  af- 
 "  ter  new  kingdoms."  Thus  it  is,  when  a  man  is 
 brought  down,  then  he  hath  the  right  meafure  of 
 himfelf,  when  he  fees  how  vain  a  thing  he  is. 
 
 Thus  the  Pfalmid  reprefents  it  here,  both  as  an 
 argument  to  move  God  to  compafiion,  and  to  indrucl 
 himfelf  and  other  men.  So  Job  xiii.  25.  Wilt  thou 
 break  a  leaf  driven  to  and  fro  with  the  zvind  ?  and 
 wilt  thou  purfue  dry  flubhle?    Pfal.  ciii.  14.  For  he 
 
 knoweth 
 
VER.  12.]  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  385 
 
 knoweth  our  frame  ;  he  remember eth  that  we  are  dujl. 
 And  his  beauty,  which  fcemed  to  be  his  pertedion, 
 yet,  when  the  hand  of  God  is  on  him,  it  is  blalled  as 
 a  moth-eaten  garment ;  this  Ihould  teach  us  humi- 
 lity, and  to  beware  of  fiVi,  which  provokes  God  to 
 pour  out  his  heavy  judgments  upon  us.  If  any  be 
 proud  of  honour,  let  him  remember  Nebuchadnezzar 
 and  Herod  ;  or  of  riches,  or  of  wit  and  endowments 
 of  mind,  let  him  think  how  foon  God  can  make  all 
 thefe  to  wither  and  melt  away.  Surely  every  man  is 
 vanity. 
 
 Ver.  12.  Hear  my  prayer,  0  Lord,  and  give  ear  unto 
 my  cry  ;  hold  not  thy  peace  at  my  tears  :  for  I  am  a 
 fir  anger  with  thee,  and  a  fojourner,  as  all  my  fathers 
 were,']  What  is  this  life  we  cleave  fo  fall  to,  and  are 
 fo  uneafy  to  hear  of  parting  with  ;  what  is  it  but  a 
 trance,  and  a  fucceflion  of  forrows,  a  weary  tolling 
 and  tottering  upon  the  waves  of  vanity  and  mifery  I 
 No  eftate  or  courfe  of  life  is  exempted  from  the  cau- 
 fes  of  this  complaint ;  the  poorer  and  meaner  fort  are 
 troubled  with  wants,  and  the  richer  with  the  care  of 
 what  they  have,  and  fometimes  with  the  lofs  of  it; 
 and  the  middle  fort  betwixt  the  two,  they  partake,  in 
 comn>on,  of  the  vexations  of  both,  for  their  life  is 
 fpent  in  care  for  keeping  what  they  have,  and  in  tur- 
 moil for  purchaling  more.  Beiides  a  world  of  mi- 
 feries  and  evils  that  are  incident  equally  to  all  forts  of 
 men,  fuch  as  iicknefs  and  pain  of  body,  which  is  both 
 a  Iharp  afflidion,  and  fits  clofe  to  a  man,  and  which 
 he  is  leaft  able,  either  by  ftrength  of  mind,  or  by  any 
 art  or  rule,  to  bear ;  and  this  gueft  does  as  oft  haunt 
 palaces  as  poor  cottages ;  as  many  groans  of  lick  and 
 difeafed  bodies  within  filken  curtains  as  in  the  mean- 
 eft  lodging.  Neither  does  godlinefs  exempt  the  beft 
 of  men  from  the  fufFerings  of  this  life.  David,  who 
 was  both  a  great  man  and  a  good  man,  did  fhare 
 deeply  in  thefe  ;  fo  that  his  conclulion  ftill  holds  true  ; 
 no  inftance  can  be  found  to  infringe  it ;  Surely  every 
 man  is  altogether  vanity. 
 
 Vol.  II.  3  C  It 
 
386  EXPOSITORY    LECTURES  [lECT*  V. 
 
 It  remains  only  to  inquire,  what  manner  of  men 
 they  are  who  are  furnifhed  with  the  beft  helps,  and 
 with  the  moft  comfortable  mitigations  of  their  trou- 
 blcy  and  with  the  ftrongeft  additions  of  fapport  and 
 llrength  to  bear  them  np  under  it?  And  it  will  cer- 
 tainly be  found  that  godlinefs  alone  hath  this  advan- 
 tage. And  among  the  many  confolations  godly  men 
 have  under  their  trouble,  this  is  one,  and  the  chief 
 one,  their  recourfe  unto  prayer.  So  here,  and  Pfal. 
 cxlii.  4,  5.  Ifa.  xxxviii.  2.  Hezekiah  turned  bis  face 
 towards  the  wall ;  he  turns  his  back  on  all  wordly 
 councils  and  vain  helps,  and  betakes  himfelf  to  pray- 
 er ;  and  prayer  brings  eafe  and  fupport,  and  feafon- 
 able  deliverance  to  the  godly  man  ;  but  their  for  rows 
 Jhall  he  multiplied  that  hajlen  after  other  gods,  Pfal. 
 xvi.  4.  ;  and  this  all  ungodly  men  do  when  they  are 
 afRidled  ;  they  run  to  other  imaginary  helps  of  their 
 own,  and  they  prove  but  the  multipliers  of  forro  ws, 
 and  add  to  their  torment  :  They  are  mljrrahle  or 
 troublefome  comforters  ;  like  unfkilful  phyficians,  that 
 add  to  the  patient's  pain,  by  naufeous,  ill  chofen,  and, 
 it  may  be,  pernicious  drugs. 
 
 Now,  in  this  prayer  of  David,  we  find  three  things, 
 which  are  the  chief  qualifications  of  all  acceptable 
 prayers  :  the  firil  is,  humility.  He  humbly  confeffes 
 his  fins,  and  his  own  weaknefs  and  worthlefnets.  We 
 are  not  to  put  on  a  ftoical  flinty  kind  of  fpirit  under 
 our  affiidlions,  that  fo  we  mav  feem  to  fiiun  woman- 
 ifh  repinings  and  complaints,  left  we  run  into  the 
 other  evil,  of  defpijing  the  hand  of  God,  but  we  are 
 to  humble  our  proud  hearts,  and  break  our  unruly 
 paffions.  There  is  fomething  of  this  in  the  nature  of 
 afflidion  itfelf ;  as  in  the  day-time  men  are  abroad, 
 but  the  night  drawls  them  home,  fo  in  the  day  of 
 profperity  men  run  out  after  vanities  and  pleafures, 
 and  when  the  dark  night  of  affii(fi ion  come«5,  thert 
 men  (hould  come  home,  and  wifely  lay  the  matter  to 
 heart.  It  is  meet  we  humble  ourfelves  under  the 
 mighty  hand  of  God*     It  is  meet  to  fay  unto  him,  as 
 
 Job, 
 
V£R,  12.]  ON  PSALM  XXXIK*  3^7 
 
 Job,  xxxiv.  3  Is  I  have  been  chajlifedy  ox  have  borne 
 cbajlifement^  and  I  will  not  offend  any  more :  That  is 
 a  kind  of  janguage  that  makes  the  rod  fall  out  of  his 
 hand  ;  that  prayer  aicends  higheft  that  comes  from 
 the  lowed  depth  of  an  humbled  heart.  But  God  re- 
 jijls  the  proud,  he  proclaims  hirafeif  an  enemy  to 
 pride  and  ftitTiiers  of  fpirit,  but  his  graces »feeks  the 
 humble  heart,  as  water  does  the  low  ground. 
 
 If  an  holy  heart  be  the  temple  of  God,  and  there- 
 fore an  bfjufe  of  prayer,  certainly  when  it  is  framed 
 and  buiided  for  fuch,  the  foundation  of  that  temple 
 is  laid  in  deep  humility,  otherwife  no  prayers  that 
 are  offered  up  in  it  have  the  fmell  of  pieafing  incenfe 
 to  him. 
 
 The  fecond  qualification  of  this  prayer  \%^  fervency 
 aiid  importunity^  which  appears  in  the  elegant  grada^ 
 tion  of  the  words,  hear  my  prayer,  my  words  ;  if  not 
 that,  yet,  give  ear  to  my  cry,  which  is  louder  ;  and  if 
 that  prevail  not,  yet,  hold  not  thy  peace  at  my  tears^ 
 which  is  the  loudeil  of  all :  So  David,  elfewhere,  calls 
 it  the  voice  of  his  ^weeping.  Though  this  gift  of  tears 
 doth  often  flow  from  the  natural  temper,  yet  where 
 that  temper  becomes  fpiritual  and  religious,  it  proves 
 a  (ingular  inilrument  of  repentance  and  prayer.  But 
 yet  there  may  be  a  very  great  height  of  piety  and 
 godly  affedions  where  tears  are  wanting  \  yea,  this 
 defsd:  may  proceed  from  a  fjngular  fublimity  of  re- 
 ligion in  their  fouls,  being  aded  more  in  the  upper 
 region  of  the  intelledual  mind,  and  fo  not  commu- 
 nicating much  with  the  lower  affedions,  or  thefe  ex- 
 preffions  of  them.  We  are  not  to  judge  of  our  fpi- 
 ritual proficiency  by  xht  gift  of  prayer  y  for  the  heart 
 may  be  very  fpiritualiy  affedted,  where  there  is  no 
 rcadinefs  or  volubility  of  words;  the  fure  meafure  of 
 our  growth  is  to  be  had  from  our  holinefs,  which 
 (lands  in  this,  to  fee  how  our  hearts  are  crucified  to 
 the  world,  and  how  we  are  poireiTed  with  the  love  of 
 God,  and  with  ardent  longings  after  union  with  him, 
 
 and 
 
38S  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [tECT.  V. 
 
 O 
 
 and  dwelling  in  his  prefence  hereaftet,  and  in  being 
 conformed  to  his  will  here. 
 
 It  is  the  greateft  folly  imaginable  in  fome  to  ihed 
 tears  for  their  iins,  and  within  a  little  while  to  re- 
 turp  to  them  again  ;  they  think  there  is  feme  kind 
 of  abfolution  in  this  way  of  eafy  venting  themfelves 
 by  tears  ic^^  prayer,  and  when  a  new  temptation  re- 
 turns, they  eafily  yield  to  it.  This  is  lightnefs  and 
 foolifhnefs,  like  the  inconftancy  of  a  woman,  who 
 entertains  new  lovers  in  her  mourning  apparel,  ha- 
 ving exprefled  much  forrow  and  grief  for  her  former 
 hulband. 
 
 Now,  fervency  in  prayer  hath  in  it,  i/?.  Attentive- 
 nefs  of  mind.  If  the  mind  be  not  prefent,  it  is  im- 
 poflible  that  much  of  the  heart  and  affedions  can  be 
 there.  How  Ihall  we  think  that  God  ihall  hear  thejfe 
 prayers  which  we  do  not  hear  ourfelves  ?  And  fhall 
 we  think  them  worthy  of  his  acceptance,  that  are  not 
 worthy  of  our  thoughts  ?  Yet  we  fhould  not  leave 
 off  prayer  becaufe  of  the  wanderings  of  our  hearts  in 
 it,  for  that  is  the  very  deiign  of  the  devil,  but  ftill 
 we  mufl  continue  in  it,  and  amend  this  fault  as 
 much  as  we  can  ;  by  remembering,  in  the  entry,  with 
 whom  we  have  to  do,  by  freeing  our  minds  as  much 
 as  may  be,  from  the  entanglements  and  multiplicity 
 of  bufinefs,  and  by  labouring  to  have  our  thoughts 
 often  in  heaven  ;  for  where  the  heart  is  much,  it  will 
 be  ever  and  anon  turning  thitherward,  without  any 
 difficulty. 
 
 idly^  Fervency  of  prayer  hath  in  it  an  intenfe  bent 
 of  the  afFedtions,  to  have  our  defires  as  ardent  as  can 
 be  for  the  pardon  of  fin,  for  the  mortifying  our  lulls 
 and  paffions,  for  the  delivering  us  from  the  love  of 
 ourfelves  and  this  prefent  world  ;  and  for  fuch  fpiri- 
 tual  things  to  pray  often,  and  to  follow  it  with  im- 
 portunity, that  is,  to  pray  fervently,  never  to  reft  till 
 an  anfwer  come. 
 
 The  third  qualification  is  faithy  Heb.  xi.  6.  Hg 
 who  comes  to  God  mujl  believe  that  he  is,  atid  that  he 
 
 is 
 
VER.  12.]  .  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  389 
 
 is  a  rewarder  of  all  that  diligently  feek  him.  And 
 certainly  as  he  that  comes  to  God  mull  believe  this, 
 fo  he  that  believes  this  cannot  but  come  to  God ;  and 
 if  he  be  not  prefently  an  I  we  red,  he  that  believes 
 makes  no  hade,  he  refolves  patiently  to  wait  for  the 
 Lord,  and  to  go  to  no  other. 
 
 Surely  there  is  much  to  be  had' in  prayer,  all  good 
 may  be  obtained,  and  all  evil  averted  by  it,  yea,  it  is 
 a  reward  to  itfelf.  It  is  the  greateft  dignity  of  the 
 creature  to  be  adnntted  to  converfe  with  God  ;  and 
 certainly  the  foul  that  is  much  in  prayer,  grows  in 
 purity,  and  is  raifed  by  prayer  to  the  defpifing  of  all 
 thefe  things  that  the  world  admires,  and  is  m  love 
 with,  and  by  a  wonderful  way  is  conformed  to,  the 
 likenefs  of  God. 
 
 For  I  am  ajiranger  with  thee,  and  a  fojoiirner,  as 
 all  my  fathers  were.^  In  the  law,  God  recommends 
 ftrangers  to  the  care  and  compaffion  of  his  people : 
 Now  David  returns  the  argument  to  him,  to  per- 
 fuade  him  to  deal  kindly  with  him  ;  for  I  am  ajiran- 
 ger with  thee,  that  is,  before  thee,  "in  this  world 
 **  wherein  thou  haft  appointed  me  to  fojourn  a  few 
 **  days,  and  I  betake  mytelf  to  thy  protedlion  in  this 
 "  ftrange  country  ;  I  feek  (belter  under  the  fliadow 
 "  of  thy  wings,  therefore  have  compaffion  upon  me.'* 
 He  that  looks  on  himfelf  as  a  ftranger,  and  is  fen- 
 fible  of  the  darknefs  both  round  about  him  in  this 
 wildernefs,  and  alfo  within  him,  he  will  often  put  up 
 that  requeft  with  David,  Pfal.  cxix.  19.  I  am  ajiran- 
 ger on  this  earth  ;  hide  not  thy  commandments  from  me  ; 
 do  not  let  me  lofe  my  way.  And  as  we  fliould  ufe 
 this  argument  to  pertuade  God  to  look  down  upon 
 us,  fo  likewife  to  perfuade  ourfelves  to  fend  up  our 
 hearts  and  defires  to  him.  What  is  the  joy  of  our 
 life,  but  the  thoughts  of  that  other  life,  our  home, 
 before  us  ?  And,  certainly,  he  that  lives  much  in  thefe 
 thoughts,  fet  him  where  you  will  here,  he  is  not 
 much  pleafed  nor  difpleafed ;  but  if  his  Father  call 
 him  home,  that  word  gives  him  his  heart's  delire. 
 
 LEG- 
 
390  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [LECT.  VI. 
 
 LECTURE    VI. 
 
 Ver.  13.   0 /pare  me,  that  I  may  recover  Jlrength^  be- 
 fore I  go  bence^  and  he  no  more. 
 
 WHY  is  it  that  we  do  not  extremely  hate  that 
 which  we  fo  defperately  love,  lin  ?  For  the 
 deformity  of  itfelf  is  unlpeakable ;  and  befides,  it  is 
 the  caufe  of  all  our  woes  :  Sin  hath  opened  the 
 Unices,,  and  lets  in  all  the  deluges  of  forrows,  which 
 makes  the  life  of  poor  man  nothing  elfe  but  vanity 
 and  mifery  ;  fo  that  the  meaneil  orator  in  the  world 
 may  be  eloquent  enough  on  that  fubjed:.  What  is 
 our  life,  but  a  continual  fucceffion  of  many  deaths  ? 
 Though  we  ihould  fay  nothing  of  all  the  bitternefles 
 and  vexations  that  are  hatched  under  the  fweeteft 
 pleafures  in  the  world,  this  one  thing  is  enough,  the 
 multitudes  of  difeafes  and  pains,  the  variety  of  di~ 
 llempers,  that  thofe  houfes  we  are  lodged  in  are  ex- 
 pofed  to.  Poor  creatures  are  oft-times  tofied  betwixt 
 two,  the  fear  of  death,  and  the  tedioufnefs  of  life  ; 
 and  under  thefe  fears  they  cannot  tell  which  to 
 choofe.  Holy  men  are  not  exempted  from  fome  ap- 
 prehenfions  of  God's  difpleafure  becaufe  of  their 
 lins  ;  and  that  may  make  them  cry  out  with  David, 
 0  fpare  me,  that  I  may  recover  Jlrength,  before  I  go 
 hence ^  and  be  no  more.  Or,  perhaps,  this  may  be  a  de- 
 lire,  not  fo  much  limply  for  the  prolonging  of  life,  as 
 for  the  intermitting  of  his  pain  ;  to  have  eafe  from 
 the  prefent  fmart :  the  extreme  torment  of  ibmefick- 
 nefs  may  draw  the  moll  fixed  and  confident  fpirits  to 
 cry  out  very  earnellly  for  a  little  breathing  ;  or  rather, 
 if  it  be  the  defire  of  a  recovery,  and  the  fpinning  out 
 of  the  thread  of  his  life  a  little  longer,  furely  he  in- 
 tended to  employ  it  for  God  and  his  fervice  ;  but 
 long  life  was  fuitable  to  the  promifes  of  that  time ; 
 fo  Hexekiah,  Ifa.  xxxviii.  There  is  no  doubt  thefe 
 holy  men,  under  the  law,  knew  fomewhat  of  the 
 
 ftate 
 
VER.  I3.J  ON  PSALM  XXXIX.  39I 
 
 flate  of  immortality,  Heb.  xi. ;  they,  calling  themfelves 
 Jlrangers  on  earthy  argued  that  they  were  no  ftrangers 
 to  thefe  thoughts  ;  but  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  that 
 dodlrine  was  but  darkly  laid  out  in  thefe  times ;  it  is 
 Chrift  Jcfus  that  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to 
 lights  who  did  illuminate  life  and  immortality,  that 
 before  flood  in  the  dark. 
 
 Surely  the  deiire  of  life  is,  for  the  moil  part,  fen- 
 fual  and  bafe,  when  men  deiire  that  they  may  ftill 
 enjoy  their  animal  pleaiures,  and  are  loath  to  be  part- 
 ed from  them.  Th^y  are  pieaied  to  term  it,  a  deiire 
 to  live  and  repent ;  and  yet  few  do  it  when  they  are 
 fpared  ;  like  evil  debtors,  who  deiire  forbearance  from 
 one  term  to  another,  but  with  no  delign  at  all  to  pa3^ 
 But  there  is  a  natural  deiire  of  life,  fomething  of  ab- 
 liorrence  of  nature  againil  the  dilfolution  of  thefe  ta- 
 bernacles. We  are  loath  to  go  forth,  like  children 
 who  are  afraid  to  walk  in  the  dark,  not  knowing 
 what  may  be  there.  In  fome,  fuch  a  deiire  of  life 
 may  be  very  reafonablc  ;  being  furprifed  by  iicknefs, 
 and  apprehenlions  of  death,  and  iin  unpardoned, 
 they  may  deiire  a  little  time  before  they  enter  into 
 eternity  ;  for  that  change  is  not  a  thing  to  be  hazard- 
 ed upon  a  few  days  or  hours  preparation  :  I  will  not 
 fay  that  death-bed  repentance  is  altogether  deiperate, 
 but  certainly  it  is  very  dangerous,  and  to  be  fufpedl- 
 ed  ;  and  therefore,  the  deiire  of  a  little  time  longer, 
 in  fuch  a  caie,  may  be  very  allowable. 
 
 I  will  not  deny"  but  it  is  poffibie,  even  for  a  belie- 
 ver, to  be  taken  in  fuch  a  pofture,  that  it  may  be  very 
 uncomfortable  to  him  to  be  carried  off  io,  through 
 the  affrightments  of  death,  and  his  darknefs  as  to  his 
 after-ilate.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  an  argument 
 of  a  good  meafure  of  fpirituality  and  height  of  the 
 love  of  God,  to  dejire  to  depart,  and  he  diffhlved,  in  the 
 midil  of  health,  and  the  affluence  of  worldly  com- 
 forts ;  but  for  men  to  deiire  and  wiQi  to  be  dead, 
 when  they  are  troubled  and  vexed  with  any  thing,  is 
 but  a  childiih  folly,  flowing  from  a  difcontented  mind, 
 
 which 
 
^^2  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [LECT.  V£, 
 
 which  being  over,  they  deiire  nothing  lefs  than  to 
 die.  It  is  true  there  may  be  a  natural  defire  of  death, 
 which  at  fonietimes  hath  fhined  in  the  fpirits  of  fome 
 natural  men  ;  and  there  is  much  reafon  for  it,  not 
 only  to  be  freed  from  the  evils  and  troubles  of  this 
 life,  but  even  from  thofe  things  which  many  of  this 
 fooliih  world  account  their  happinefs,  fenfual  plea- 
 fures,  to  eat  and  drink,  and  to  be  hungry  again  ;  and 
 ftill  to  round  that  fame  courfe,  which,  to  fouls  that 
 are  raifed  above  fenfual  things,  are  burdenfome  and 
 grievous. 
 
 But  there  is  a  fpiritual  defire  of  death,  which  is 
 very  becoming  a  Chriftian  ;  for  Jefus  Chrift  hath  not 
 only  opened  very  clearly  the  dodrine  of  eternal  life, 
 bur  he  himfelf  hath  paffed  through  death,  and  lain 
 down  in  the  grave ;  he  hath  perfumed  that  paflage, 
 and  warmed  that  bed  for  us ;  lo  that  it  is  fweet  and 
 amiable  for  a  Chriftian  to  pafs  through  and  follow 
 him,  and  to  be  where  he  is.    It  is  a  ftra^ge  thing,  that 
 the  fouls  of  Chriftians  have  not  a  continual  deli  re  to 
 go  to  that  company  which  is  above,  (finding  fo  much 
 difcord  and  difagreement  among  the  beft  of  men  that 
 are  here),  to  go  to  the  fpirits  ofjujt  men  made  perfeB, 
 where  there  is  light  and  love,  and  nothing  elfe,  to  go  to 
 the  company  of  angels^  an  higher  rank  of  bleifed  fpirits, 
 but  moft  of  ail,  to  go  to  God,  and  to  Jefus  the  Media- 
 tor of  the  New  Teflament.     And,  to  fay  nothing  po- 
 litively  of  that  glory,   (for  the  truth  is,  we  can  fay 
 nothing  of  ir),  the  very  evils  that  death  delivers  the 
 true  Chriftian  from,  may  make  him  long  for  it ;  for 
 fuch  an  one  may  fay,  "  I  ihall  die,  and  go  to  a  more 
 *«  excellent  country,  where  1  ftiall  be  happy  for  ever, 
 **  that  is,  1  fhall  die  no  more,  I  Ihall  forrow  no  more, 
 <<  I  fhall  be  fick  no  more  ;  and,  which  is  yet  more 
 **  confiderable,  I  fhall  doubt  no  more,  and  fhall  be 
 **  tempted  no  more  ;  and,  which  is  the  chiefeft  of  all, 
 "  I  fhall  fm  no  more." 
 
 End  of  the  Ledures  on  Pfalm  xxxix. 
 
 EX. 
 
[    393     3 
 
 EXPOSITORY     LECTURES 
 
 O   N 
 
 ISAIAH     VI. 
 
 LECTURE  I.     on  Ver.  r 
 
 THE  divifion  of  this  chapter  (were  that  to    any 
 great  purpofe)  may  be  ftated  thus : 
 
 I.  The  prophet's  vifion,  from  ver  i.  to  the  3.  In 
 the  year  that  king  Uzziab  died  I  faw  alfo  the  Lord 
 
 Jilting  upon  a  throne ^  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train 
 jilled   the   temple,     2.  Above  it  Jlood  the  feraphims : 
 
 each  one  had  fix  wings  ;  with  twain  he  covered  his 
 face,  and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with 
 
 twain  he  did  fly,     3.  ^nd  one  cried  unto  another^   and 
 
 (aid.  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hojls  ;  the  whole 
 
 .earth  is  full  of  his  glory, 
 
 II.  The  effe6ls  of  it  upon  him,  relating  to  his  call- 
 ing,  from   ver.  4. 13.  And  the  pofis  of  the  door 
 
 jnoved  at  the  voice  of  him  that  cried,  and  the  hovfe  was 
 filled  with  f moke,  &c. 
 
 In  the  vifion,  belides  the  circumflances  of  time 
 and  place  fpecified,  ver.  i.  we  have  a  glorious  repre- 
 fentation  of  the  majefty  of  God,  ver.  2.  A  fuitable 
 acclamation,  a  voice  of  praife  being  joined  with  it, 
 ver.  3,  4. 
 
 The  efFeds  of  it  on  the  prophet  towards  his  call- 
 ing are  three,  viz.  I.  His  preparation  ;  II.  His  mif- 
 lion  ;  III.  His  meffage.  I.  The  preparation,  in  thefe 
 two  particulars  :  i.  Humiliation  :  2.  Purification, 
 ver.  6,  7.  a  deep  convidion,  and  then  effedual  remo- 
 val of  pollution. 
 
 Vol.  II.  3D  IL 
 
394  EXPOSITORY    LECTURES  [lECT*  I. 
 
 II.  In  his  million  we  have  three  things  :  i.  God's 
 inquiry  for  a  melTenger,  ver.  8.  former  part.  2.  The 
 prophet's  offer  of  himfelf,  the  latter  part  of  ver.  8. 
 3.  God's  acceptance,   ver.  9.  former  part.     III.  His 
 
 mefiage,  a  heavy  commination,   from  ver.  9. 12. 
 
 yet  allayed  with  a  gracious  mitigation,  ver.  13.  The 
 judgment  very  lailing  and  wafting,  yet  a  remnant 
 referved. 
 
 Ver.  I.  In  the  year  that  king  Uzziah  died  I  faw  alfo 
 the  Lord  fitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up, 
 and  his  train  filled  the  temple, 
 
 Ifiiw."]  Obferve  the  freedom  of  God  in  his  choice 
 of  men  to  be  near  him  and  know  him  ;  and  in  the 
 meafuring  out  the  degrees  of  difcovery  unto  thofe 
 men  differently,  fome  had  extraordinary  revelations  ; 
 and  though  prophetic  vifions  now  ceafe,  yet  there 
 ^re  certainly  higher  and  clearer  corrufcations  of  God 
 upon  fome  louls,  than  many  others,  that  yet  are  chil- 
 dren of  light,  and  partake  of  a  meafure  of  that  light 
 fhining  within  them  ;  thus  we  are  not  carvers  and 
 choofers,  and  therefore  are  not  peremptorily  to  delire 
 any  thing  in  kind  or  rneafue  that  is  lingular,  that 
 were  pride  and  folly  ;  but  above  all  things  we  are  tp 
 efteem,  and  fubmillively  delire  Hill  more  and  more 
 knowledge  of  God,  and  humbly  to  wait  and  keep 
 open  the  palTage  of  light,  not  to  clofe  the  windows, 
 not  to  be  indulgent  to  any  known  lin,  or  impure  af- 
 fedlion,  that  will  foon  obllrudl  it :  Into  a  filthy  foul 
 wifdom  will  not  enter. 
 
 In  the  year  that  king  Uzziah  died  I  faw  the  Lord 
 on  his  throne,'\  There  is  another  king  named  here, 
 to  denote  the  time  by,  but  he  was  a  difeafed  and  a 
 dying  king,  who  lived  fome  years  a  leper,  and  then 
 died.  Men  may  fpeak  in  a  court  ftyle  of  vain  vvifhes, 
 O  king  live  for  ever  :  But  this  King  here  on  the 
 throne,  is  indeed  the  King  immortal,  the  ever  living 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
VER.  I.]  ON  ISAIAH   VI.  395 
 
 God  meafures  and  proportions  all  his  means  to 
 their  ends.  When  he  calls  men  to  high  fervices,  he 
 furnifhes  them  with  fuitable  preparations  and  enable- 
 ments :  Thus  here  with  the  prophet,  he  was  to  de- 
 nounce heavy  things  againft  his  own  nation,  a  proud 
 Jiuhhorn  people,  to  deal  boldly  and  freely  with  the 
 higheit,  yea,  with  the  king  himfelf,  chap.  vii.  and  he 
 is  prepared  by  a  vijion  of  God.  What  can  a  man 
 fear  after  that  ?  All  regal  majefty  and  pomp  looks 
 petty  and  poor  after  that  light.  Two  kings  together 
 on  their  thrones  in  robes  royal,  (i  Kings  22.)  did  no 
 whit  aftoniOi  him  that  had  feen  a  greater;  I  faw 
 (fays  Micajah)  the  Lord  fitting  on  his  throne  y  and  all 
 the  hofis  of  heaven  fiandinghy.  Much  like  this  is  the 
 vilion  of  Ifaiah,  here  before  us. 
 
 Eyes  dazzled  with  the  fun,  fee  not  the  glittering 
 of  drops  of  dew  on  the  earth,  and  thefe  are  quickly 
 gone  with  all  their  faint  and  fading  glory,  to  a  foul 
 taken  with  the  contemplation  of  God.  How  meanly 
 do  they  fpend  their  days,  that  beftow  them  on  count- 
 ing money,  or  courting  little  earthen  idols  m  ambi- 
 tion or  love.  From  buw  high  a  ftand  doth  he  look 
 down  on  thofe,  that  looks  on  God,  and  admires  his 
 greatnefs,  wonders  at  what  he  fees,  and  ftill  feeks  af- 
 ter more  ;  thefe  two  are  therefore  joined  together, 
 BehoJdifig  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  inquiring  in  his 
 temple,  Pfal.  xxvii.  4.  One  thing  have  I  defired  of 
 the  Lord^  that  will  I  feek  after  ;  that  I  may  dwell  in 
 the  boufe  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold 
 the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple, 
 
 Ver.  2.  jibove  it  fiood  the  feraphims  :  each  one  had 
 fix  wings  ;  with  twain  be  covered  his  face,  and  with 
 twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did  fly, '^ 
 Thefe  glorious  courtiers,  flaming  fpirits,  are  light  and 
 love,  whofe  very  feet  are  too  bright  for  us,  as  his 
 face  is  too  bright  for  them,  and  they  cry,  Holy,  holy, 
 holy,  thrice  holy,  mod  holy  three,  one  God,  Lord  of 
 l^ofis,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory.     This  they 
 
 cry 
 
39^  EXPOSITORY    LECTURES  [LECT.  Ir 
 
 cry  one  to  another,  echoing  it,  and  returning  it  in- 
 ceflantly  ^  they  that  praife  him  moft,  come  neareft 
 their  life.  When  we  are  to  pray,  or  offer  any  wor- 
 fliip  to  the  Great  God  thus  on  his  throne  above,  and 
 the  diffulion  of  his  glory  there,  in  the  fanctuary,  efpe- 
 cially  in  folemn  worQiip  there,  let  us  think  of  his 
 train  filling  the  upper  temple,  and  fo  ftoop  low  and 
 fall  down  before  him,  {Holy,  holy,  holy,)  This  is  the 
 main  thing  wherein  he  is  glorious,  and  we  are  to 
 know  and  adore  him  in  this  view,  and  abho-r  our* 
 felves  as  in  his  light. 
 
 Ver.  3.  And  one  cried  unto  another,  and  /aid.  Holy, 
 holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hojls,  the  whole  earth  is  full 
 of  his  glory. 
 
 T^he  whole  earth.']  So  many  creatures  and  various 
 works  and  affairs,  fruits  and  plants,  and  rich  com- 
 modities, and  fo  many  calamities  and  miferies,  that 
 kingdoms  and  people  are  afflidted  with,  as  by  turns, 
 and  fo  many  diforders,  and  fuch  wickednefs  of  men 
 in  public  and  private  matters;  and  yet  in  all  thefe 
 varieties  and  contrarieties  of  things,  this  one  is  the 
 fum  of  all,  and  all  taken  up  in  it,  the  whole  earth  is 
 full  of  his  glory,  in  framing  and  upholding,  in  ruling 
 and  ordering  all,  what  a  depth  of  power  and  wif- 
 dom  1 
 
 Ver.  ^,The  pofis  of  the  door  moved  at  the  voice  of 
 hifn  that  cried,  and  the  houfe  was  filled  with  f moke. 
 
 How  true  mull  that  be,  that  at  his  voice  the  earth 
 quakes,  and  the  mountains  tremble,  when,  at  the  voice 
 of  an  angel,  crying  or  proclaiming  his  name,  the  very 
 threfhold  of  the  temple  (the  then  holieft  part  of  the 
 earth)  moves  :  This  in  the  vifion  was  intended  to 
 reprefent  the  dreadfulnefs  of  his  great  name,  that 
 vile  men  dare  baffle  in  vain  oaths,  and  can  fpeak 
 thereof  without  fenfe  :  But  hearts  that  are  indeed  his 
 living  temples^   will  find  this  refentment,  when  his 
 
 name 
 
VER.  4>  5']  ON  ISAIAH  VI.  397 
 
 name  is  proclaimed,  or  when  they  mention  or  think 
 of  it,  the  pojl  will  be  moved  with  an  awful  trembling. 
 And  the  houfe  was  filled  with  fmoke.']  This  was 
 here  a  fymbol  of  the  prefence  and  niajelly  of  God, 
 (Pfal.  xcvii.  2.  Clouds  and  darknefs  are  round  about 
 him^  righteoufnefs  and  judgment  are  the  habitations  of 
 his  throne)^  not  a  fignal  of  dilpleafure,  as  fome  take  it. 
 He  dwells  in  light  that  is  inaccejjible,  and  round  about 
 is  thick  darknefsy  fhutting  out  the  weak  eyes  of  men, 
 that  were  not  able  to  abide  the  brightnefs  of  his 
 glory  :  Much  of  our  knowledge  here  lies  in  this,  to 
 know  that  we  know  him  not,  and  much  of  our  praile, 
 to  confefs  that  we  cannot  praife  him  ;  Jilentium  tibi 
 laus,  as  they  read,  Pfal.  Ixv.  i. 
 
 Ver.  5.  Then /aid  7,  Wo  is  me  I  for  I  am  undone;  be- 
 caufe  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midfi 
 of  a  people  of  unclean  lips  :  for  mine  eyes  have  feen  the 
 King,  the  Lord  of  hojls, 
 
 Then  f aid  I,  Wo  is  me.']  He  is  not  lifted  up  with 
 the  dignation,  that  he  fliould  be  honoured  with  fuch 
 a  viiion  of  God ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  Itruck  with 
 humble  holy  fear,  Oh,  I arn  undone!  This  is  much  of 
 the  exercife  of  fouls  admitted  neareft  to  God,  even 
 this  aftonifliment  and  admiration,  that  fuch  as  they 
 fliould  be  regarded  and  raifed  to  that  height,  and 
 holy  fear  in  a  fenfe  of  their  unholinefs.  When  the 
 blelTed  virgin  heard  a  voice  very  much  to  her  own 
 advantage,  (Luke  i.  28,  29.  xind  the  angel  came  in 
 unto  her,  and  [aid,  hail,  thou  art  highly  favoured,  the 
 Lord  is  with  thee :  blcffed  art  thou  among  women.  And 
 whenjbefaw  him,Jhe  was  troubled  at  bis  faying,  and 
 caji  in  her  mind  what  manner  of  falutation  this  Jhould 
 be,)  inftead  of  riling  in  her  own  conceit  upon  it,  fhe 
 was  troubled,  and  marvelled  what  manner  of  faluta- 
 tion it  lliould  be,  and  was  ftruck  with  fear  ;  fo  that 
 the  angel  found  it  needful  to  fay,/^^/  not, 
 
 Illufions  and  deceits  of  fpirit  of  this  kind  cannot  be 
 better  differenced  from  true  manifeilations  of  God, 
 
 than 
 
39^  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES        [LECT.  I, 
 
 than  by  this,  that  they  may  breed  pride  and  prefump- 
 tion  in  the  heart,  make  it  vain  and  haughty,  but  true 
 fenfes,  and  joys,  and  difcoveries  of  love,  in  what  kind 
 foever,  do  mod  powerfully  humble.  Is  eji^  quifiiper- 
 hire  non  potejl^  ciii  Deus  ojlendit  mifericordiam  Jiuniu 
 Aug. 
 
 Then  /aid  /,  Wo  is  me  I  for  I  am  undone  ;  becaitfe  I  a%n 
 a  man  of  iniclean  lips.']  The  mother  and  nurfe  of  pride 
 is  ignorance  of  God.  A  fmall  glance  of  him  will 
 make  the  bell  of  men  abhor  themfelves,  and  iiill  the 
 nearer  fight  of  him,  the  lower  conceit  will  there  be 
 of  felf,  and  the  deeper  fenfe  of  impurity  and  vilenefs  : 
 this  tells  us,  though  we  hear  and  fpeak  of  God,  alas  I 
 we  know  him  not. 
 
 I  am  a  man  of  polluted  lips.']  He  mentions  this  the 
 rather,  becaufe  he  heard  that  fong  which  he  would 
 have  joined  v^^ith,  but  durft  not,  becaufe  of  polluted 
 lips ;  thus  we  muft  confefs  we  are  polluted  all  over; 
 but  much  of  our  pollution  breaks  out  by  the  lips, 
 yet  commonly  we  think  not  on  it. 
 
 I  am  undone J\  We  could  not  indeed  bear  much, 
 not  fee  God  and  live  ;  therefore  he  vails  himfelf ;  but 
 fure  we  might  fee  much  more  than  wo  do,  and  live 
 the  better  for  it,  the  more  humbly  and  holily.  Our 
 pollutions  hinder  and  unfit  us,  as  he  implies,  when  he 
 fays,  a  man  of  polluted  lips :  But  oh  I  that  we  faw  fo 
 much  of  him  as  to  fee  this  pollution,  that  makes  us 
 fo  unworthy  and  fo  unfit  to  fee  him. 
 
 He  firft  cries,  /  am  a  man  of  polluted  lips,  and  then 
 adds,  /  dwell  in  the  midfl  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips,] 
 This  is  the  true  method  ;  there  can  be  no  right  fenfe 
 of  pollutions  about  us,  but  that  which  begins  with  a 
 fenfe  of  thofe  within  us.  Few^  men  refie6l  much  on 
 themfelves,  or  if  they  do,  they  view  themfelves  by  a 
 falfe  light. 
 
 Polluted  lips,]  This  he  fays  in  regard  of  the  voice 
 he  heard  ;  and  with  regard  to  the  much  irreverence 
 with  which  we  mention  God,  both  minifters  and 
 people,  as  alfo  much  of  all  our  heart  pollutions,  have 
 
 their 
 
VER.  5.]  ON  ISAIAH  VI.  399 
 
 their  vent  this  way  ;  fo  the  promife  of  fandifying  his 
 people  runs  much  on  this,  Zeph,  iii.  8.  and  12.  They 
 of  a  pure  lip  ihall  offer ;  all  are  of  the  holy  order,  a 
 royal  priejtbood,  and  through  fandified  lips,  as  the 
 cencer,  (till  they  offer  incenfe  of  prayer  and  praife. 
 He  is  a  perfedi  man  that  offends  not  in  word,  James  iii, 
 2.  Commonly  by  much  fpeaking  there  is  much  pollu- 
 tion ;  in  many  words  there  wants  not  Jin,  Prov.  x. 
 19.  ;  therefore,  let  your  fpeech  he  always  feafon- 
 ed  with  fait,  Col.  iv.  6.  Now,  many  fpeeches  need 
 much  fait,  otherwife  fome  part  will  be  rotten,  at  leafl 
 unfavoury  ;  much  of  the  lin  of  the  land  conliils  in 
 this  ;  there  are  few  companies  where  God  is  not 
 difhonoured  and  provoked  by  their  communication ; 
 and  till  this  be  laid  to  heart,  judgment  will  multiply, 
 and  grow  inftead  of  decrealing.  Few,  even  of  thefe 
 that  fear  the  Lord,  fpeak  often  one  to  another,  in  a 
 ftrain  that  God  delights,  not  only  to  hearken  to,  but 
 to  w^ite  down,  and  regifler  for  their  good. 
 
 And  dwell  amidfl  a  people  of  unclean  lipsJ]  We 
 infed  each  other  when  we  meet ;  little  converfe  that 
 a  man  returns  the  better  by,  yea,  by  the  mofl  is  the 
 worfe  ;  he  brings  back  often  more  pollution,  more 
 folly  and  vanity  by  mod  companies  and  difcourfcs  ; 
 but  we  fee  here,  that  impurity  humbly  acknowledged 
 is  graciouily  removed. 
 
 LECTURE     II. 
 
 On  Ver.  6—8. 
 
 Ver,  6.  Then  flew  one  of  the  Seraphims  unto  me,  ha- 
 lving a  live  coal  in  his  hand,  which  he  had  taken  with 
 the  tongs  from  off  the  altar,  ^ 
 
 IMpurity  well  difcovered  to  a  man  is  half  cured  ; 
 whenfoever  God  graciouily  fhews  a  man  his  own 
 unfandifiednefs,  there  he  goes  on  to  clean  fe  and  fanc- 
 
 tify 
 
400  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [LECT.  II. 
 
 tify  him  ;  the  light  that  difcovcTS  is  followed  with  a 
 burning  coal  that  purges  away. 
 
 The  Holy  Spirit  is  that  purifying  fire,  a  touch  of  it 
 cleanfeth  the  hearts  and  lips,  and  all,  and  kindles  that 
 affiedlion  in  the  foul  that  cannot  die  out,  that  many, 
 that  no  waters  can  quench  again.  It  doth  this  to  all 
 that  are  fandified,  but  eminently  (it  doth  it,  or  at 
 lead  they  defire  it  may)  to  thefe  that  are  to  be  the 
 inilruments  of  enlightening,  purging  and  kindling 
 others:  So,  in  the  refemblance  oi fiery  tongues,  came 
 down  this  Spirit  on  the  Apoftles,  and  thence  they 
 themfelves  were  as  burning  coals  fcattered  through 
 the  nations,  bleft  incendiaries  of  the  world,  fetting  it 
 on  fire  with  the  love  of  Chdit,  tanquam  ligna  ardentia 
 difperfa,     Aug. 
 
 Ver.  7.  And  he  laid  it  upon  my  mouth,  and  f aid,  Lo, 
 this  hath  touched  thy  lips,  and  thine  iniquity  is  taken 
 away,  and  thy  fin  is  purged. 
 
 Thine  iniquity  is  taken  awayJ]  How  impure  foever 
 before.  This  free  grace  is  wonderful,  to  make  foiiie 
 that  have  been  notorioufly  unclean,  by  the  change 
 wrought  by  this  fire,  the  touch  of  a  coal,  to  become 
 eminently  gracious,  and  meffengers  of  grace  to  others, 
 carrying  this  and  fpreading  it.  They,  though  origi- 
 nally of  dark  clay,  are  by  this  fire  made  tranfparent 
 glafs,  through  which  the  light  of  the  gofpel  Ihines 
 into  the  Church, 
 
 This  coal,  taken  from  the  altar,  may  denote  the  de- 
 riving of  the  Spirit  from  Jefus  Chrill,  our  Prieft, 
 Altar,  Sacrifice,  and  all,  by  which  we  are  purged  and 
 made  fit  for  his  fervice  ;  he  is  the  fountain  of  light, 
 and  life,  and  purity,  and  all  grace  to  his  meffengers 
 and  all  his  followers.  His  grace  is  indeed  a  live  coal, 
 where  heavenly  heat  is  mixed  with  earth,  the  fulnefs 
 of  the  Godhead  with  our  nature  in  human  flefii  : 
 Thence  we  draw  near,  and  efpecially  they  that  bear 
 his  name  to  men,  in  a  fenfe  of  their  own  impurity, 
 intreat  his  touchy  as  devout  Bernard,  and  in  a  holy 
 
 hyperbole, 
 
VER.  7.]  ON  ISAIAH  VI.  40! 
 
 hyperbole,  *'  Had  the  Prophet  need  of  a  coal ;  Oh 
 *'  then  grant  for  me  a  whole  globe  of  fire,  to  purge 
 **  away  my  filth inefs,  and  make  me  a  fit  melTenger  to 
 "  this  people  I" 
 
 Tiby  Jin  is  purged,"]  The  children  of  God  are 
 a  wonder  to  themfelves,  when  that  Spirit  comes  in 
 that  conquers  and  purges  fo  fuddenly  and  eafily  what 
 they  before  groan  under,  and  wrellle  with  very  long  to 
 iittle  or  no  purpofe.  It  is  a  change  of  the  right  hand 
 of  the  Moji  High^  as  the  Latin  reads  that  word  in 
 Pfalm  Ixxvii.  10.  I  faid.  This  is  my  infirmity y  hut  I 
 will  rememher  the  years  of  the  right  band  of  the  Mofl 
 High;  mutatio  dextra  Excelji :  a  touch  of  that  will 
 cleanfe  and  heal;  the  ail-purifying  virtue  of  his  Spirit, 
 whereof  this  baptifm  of  the  Prophet's  lips  was  a 
 fymbol,  takes  away  the  drofs,  which  by  other  means 
 than  that  fire  cannot  be  purged  :  So  in  metals  much 
 pains  may  be  taken,  and  ftrength  of  hand  ufed  with 
 little  efFed,  at  moll  that  does  but  fcratch  the  fuper- 
 ficies,  make-s  the  outfide  a  little  bright  and  (liining, 
 but  fevers  not  the  drofs  from  within  ;  that  cannot  be 
 done  without  fire.  Have  we  not  found  how  vainly 
 WQ  attempt,  while  God  withholds  his  hands  ?  yea, 
 while  a  man  fancies  felf-purenefs,  he  is  the  more  im- 
 pure, as  Job  ix.  30,  31.  If  I  waJJj  myfelf  with  fnow- 
 'water,  and  make  myfelf  ev^r  fo  clean,  yet  fhalt  thou 
 plunge  me  in  the  ditch,  and  mine  own  clothes  Jhall  ab^ 
 hor  me:  Therefore  prayer  is  the  great  refource  of  a 
 foul  under  a  fenfe  of  uncleannefs,  begging  a  nev.'- 
 creation  ;  fo  it  is  indeed ;  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  0 
 God,  and  renew  a  right  fpirit  zvithin  ?ne,  Pfal.  li.  10.  ; 
 following  God  with  this  fuit,  and  refolving  to  follow 
 him  till  be  ^rant  it;  for  we  well  know  he  is  able, 
 and  may  fay,  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canfl  make  me 
 clean. 
 
 This  fire  hath  two  effedls ;  it  works  purity  and  ac- 
 tivity, it  takes  away  fin,  and  puts  iiWpirit  and  life 
 for  obedience ;  and  fo  here,  thy  Jin  is  purged;  and 
 then,  fays  he.  Here  am  I;  fend  me:  and  the  former  is 
 
 ¥oi/lI.  3E       *  eflfectual 
 
402  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECT.  II. 
 
 effe6lual  towards  the  latter;  the  more  the  foul  is 
 cleanfed,  the  more  alive  and  able  it  is  made  for  fer- 
 vice.  The  purging  out  of  thofe  fickly  humours 
 makes  it  more  vigorous  and  able,  whereas  they  a- 
 bounding,  clog  the  fpirits,  and  make  the  vital  opera- 
 tions heavy  and  v\/eak.  A  foul  well  cleanfed  from 
 the  love  of  fin,  and  the  world,  and  felf,  is  in  a  health- 
 ful temper,  and  goes  nimbly  to  any  work  ;  outward 
 difcouragements  and  difficulties  are  then  nothing :  a 
 feverifh  dillemper  within,  hinders  and  makes  one 
 lazy  and  unwieldy,  unwilling  and  unabfe  to  labour; 
 but  that  well  purged  and  cured,  he  cares  lefs  for  the 
 hot  weather  without ;  ilrength  of  nature  endures  that 
 more  eadly.  Oh  I  how  fvvcet  to  be  thus  acted  by 
 JoVe  I  pure  intention  and  defire  of  doing  God  fervice, 
 and  bringing  him  in  glory  1  Other  motives,  or  the 
 mixtures  of  them,  are  bafe  ;  and  though  God  may 
 make  uie  fometimes  of  fuch,  yet  he  fees  v.'ithin,  and 
 Ivnows  what  fpring  maakes  the  wheels  go,  and  he  gives 
 them  their  reward  here,  fomcwhat  poffibly  of  that 
 they  feek,  (fuccefs,  and  credit,  and  a  name),  but  the 
 after  reward  of  faithful  fervants  they  need  not  look 
 for  in  that  work ;  for  they  receive  their  reward,  and 
 can  they  expecl  more  ?  Many  an  Here  am  /,  comes 
 from  ether  incentives  than  an  altar  coal ;  and  fo  they 
 may  burn  and  fliine  awhile,  but  they  foon  confume 
 and  die  out  in  a  fnuff;  the  heavenly  altar  fire  alone 
 keeps  in,  and  returns  to  heaven  where  it  was  kin- 
 dled. 
 
 There  is  many  a  hot  furious  march  under  the  fem- 
 blance  and  name  of  zeal  for  God,  that  loves  to  be  feen, 
 as  Jehu,  2  Kings  x.  16.  Come  with  me,  and  fee  my 
 'zeal  for  the  Lord.  Such  perfons  may  flatter  them- 
 felves  into  that  conceit  in  the  heat  of  adlion,  to  think 
 it  is  for  God,  while  he  fees  through  it,  and  judges  it 
 as  it  is,  zeal  for  felf  and  their  ow^n  interefl: ;  and  he 
 gives  them  accordingly  fome  hireling  journeyman's 
 wages,  and  then  turns  them  off.  But  Oh  I  where 
 the  he^rt  is  piirely  aded  by  ^  deiire  of  this  glory, 
 
 an4 
 
VER,  7.]  ON  ISAIAH  VI,  403 
 
 and  feeks  nothing  elfe ;  for  fuch  remains  that  blelTed 
 word,  H^ell  done  good  and  faithful  ftrvunt,  enter  into 
 thy  Majler''s  joy. 
 
 This,  then,  is  to  be  fought  for  by  minillers  and  e- 
 minent  fervants  in  public  affairs,  yea,  by  all  that 
 offer  any  fervice  to  God,  a  readinefs  from  love  ;  fome-* 
 thing  of  this  there  is  in  all  that  are  truly  his,  though 
 held  down  in  many,  and  almoft  fmothered,  with 
 rubbifh  ;  and  in  thefe  there  is  fome  mixture  of  flefh 
 drawing  back,  The  fpirii  is  ready,  but  the  flejh  is 
 «ie;^a^,  and  a Joad  to  it,  hindering  its  working;  and 
 this  ftrife  is  often  found  as  a  horfe  to  an  unfeiiful 
 rider,  at  once  pricked  with  the  fpur,  and  checked 
 with  the  bridle :  But  where  this  fpirit  of  love  is,  it 
 doth  prevail,  and  waftes  that  oppolition  dally,  and 
 groweth  in  ftrength,  more  quick  and  ready,  more 
 freed  from  felf,  and  acted  by  the  will  of  God  ;  attain- 
 ing fomewhat  further  in  that  conformity  with  hea- 
 ven, where  fliall  be  no  will  ftriving  but  His  alone,, 
 where  thofe  glorious  bright  fpirits  fland  ready  for 
 all  commands,  that  excel  in  ftrength,  and  employ  it 
 all  to  do  his  commandments,  Pfal.  ciii.  20.  ;  and  the 
 more  like  them  we  be  here,  the  more  lively  hope 
 have  we  to  be  (hortly  with  them,  and  to  be  wholly 
 as  they  are. 
 
 Ver.  8.  Alfo  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lsrd,  faying ^ 
 Whom  fh  all  I  fend,  and  who  will  go  for  us  P  Then  f aid 
 /,  Here  am  Is  fend  me. 
 
 This  inquiry  imports  not  a  doubtful  deliberation 
 in  God,  but  a  purpofe  to  fend.  He  is  reprefented  as 
 a  king,  advifing  with  himfelf  or  council ;  and  this  is 
 by  fome  conceived  as  an  intimation  of  the  myftery 
 of  the  Trinity,  as  Gen.  i.  26  ;  and  God  faid,  Let  us 
 make  man  in  our  own  image.  lVho?nJ7jall  I  fend,  and 
 who  will  go  for  us  ?  But  were  there  not  ready  mil- 
 lions of  thefe  winged  meffengcrs ;  what  need  then 
 fuch  a  word  ?  True,  angels  were  ready,  but  a  man 
 was  fought  I  God,  vouchi'afing  to  fend  an  embaffy  to 
 
 inen^ 
 
4^4  EXPOSITORY    LECTtJRES  [tECT.  lf# 
 
 men,  will  fend  one  that  might  fpeak  their  langua^^e 
 to  them,  and  might  flay  and  treat  with  them  in  a  fa- 
 mibar  friendly  way,  (an  ambaffador  in  ordinary  to 
 lie  ilill  and  treat  with  them)  ;  and  in  this  condefcen- 
 iion  much  wildom  and  love  appears  ;  he  will  take  men 
 fubjedl  to  the  like  infirmities  and  pollutions  with  the 
 people,  as  the  Prophet  here  acknowledges,  but  one 
 purged  from  thefe  pollutions,  made  holy,  though  not 
 perfectly,  yet  eminently  holy.  This  is  very  fuitablc,. 
 were  not  men  invincibly  obltinate,  more  fuitable  than 
 that  God  (hould  fend  by  angels,  that  one  of  them- 
 felves  fliould  come  and  deal  with  men  for  God,  and 
 bear  witnefs  of  this  gracioufnefs  and  readinefs  to  for- 
 give, fo  as  to  give  himfelf  for  an  inftance  of  it,  and 
 fay,  *'  I  have  found  him  fo."  And  they  bemg 
 changed  and  fandiified,  fliow  really  that  the  thing  ma}r 
 be  done  ;  that  it  is  feaiible  to  fandtify  a  (inner  ;  and 
 fo  finful  men  appear  to  be  fitter  for  this  fervice  than 
 embodied  angels. 
 
 I  /aid,  Here  am  I ;  find  me,]  What  a  blelTed  change 
 on  Paul  cafl:  to  the  ground  I  his  own  will  was  broke- 
 all  to  pieces,  and  now  he  is  only  for  His  fervice,  whofe 
 name  he  fo  hated,  and  perfecuted  his  fervants  ;  Lord, 
 what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do^  Ad:s  ix.  6. ;  thefe  are  the 
 very  words  and  charadlers  of  a  true  convert,  and  thus 
 the  foul  turned  to  Chrilt  mav  in  fome  cafes  doubt  what 
 is  his  will,  but  that  once  refolved,  there  is  no  delibe- 
 ration whatever  to  do  it  or  not.  He  fays  not,  i^  the 
 fervice  be  honourable  or  profitable,  that  is,  carrying 
 worldly  credit  or  profit  in  it,  then  will  1  do  it  ;  no,  but 
 whatever  it  is,  if  it  be  thine,  and  thou  appoint  me  to 
 it,  here  am  I ;  and  this  makes  the  meaneft  work  of  this 
 llation  excellent. 
 
 Then  /aid  I,  Here  am  /.]  A  ilrange  change  in  the 
 Prophet,  even  now  an  undone  man,  and  here  prefent- 
 ly  a  ready  melTenger,  and  fo  turned  an  angel.  Some- 
 thing of  this  mofl  find  that  are  truly  called  to  this 
 high  work  of  delivering  mefiages  from  God  ;  fome- 
 times  a  fenfe  of  pollution  benumbs  and  (Irikes  them 
 
 deady- 
 
VER.  ^.3  ON  ISAIAH  VI.  405 
 
 dead,  and  anon  again  they  feel  the  flame  of  love 
 kindled  with  that  coal,  quickening  them  to  fuch  a 
 readinefs,  and  fuch  free  oifers  of  themfelves  to  Ibr- 
 vice,  as  to  thofe  that  underliand  not  the  reafon  of  ir, 
 would  feem  prefumptuous  forward ncfs ;  and  there 
 may  be  in  fome  minds,  at  one  and  the  fame  time,  a 
 ftrange  mixture  and  counterworking  of  thefe  two  to^- 
 gether;  a  fenfe  of  unfitnefs  and  iinworthinefs  draw- 
 ing back,  and  yet  the  Itrength  of  love  driving  for- 
 ward, thinking  thus,  "  How  can  1,  who  am  fo  tilthy, 
 *'  fo  vile,  fpeak  of  God  ?  yet  hath  he  fhown  me 
 "  mercy,  how  then  can  1  be  iilent  ?'' 
 
 Send  me,']  Mofes'  reludlance,  this  fame  Prophet 
 would  have  vented  too  before  the  touch  of  the  coal, 
 while  he  faid,  Wo  is  7jie,  I  am  undone ^  or  (truck 
 down,  as  the  word  may  lignify,  cannot  fpeak  with 
 fuch  unholy  lips  of  fo  holy  a  God.  ifaiah  cries  out 
 of  polluted  lips,  as  Mofes  complained  of  jlammering 
 lips  ;  and  this  is  fit  to  precede,  tirft  a  fenfe  of  extreme 
 inability  and  indignity,  and  then,  upon  a  change  and 
 call,  ready  obedience.  A  man  once  undone  and  dead, 
 and  then  recovered,  is  the  only  tit  meflcnger  for  God  ; 
 in  fuch  an  one  love  overcomes  all  difficulties  without 
 and  within,  and  in  his  work  no  conftraint  is  he  feel- 
 ing but  that  of  love,  and  where  that  is,  no  other  will 
 be  needed;  the  fweet  all-povv'erful  conftraint  of  love 
 will  fend  thee  all-cbeerful,  though  it  were  through 
 the  fire  or  water  :  No  water  can  quench  it,  nor  fire 
 out-burn  it ;  it  burns  hotter  than  any  other  kindled 
 agamll  it ;  after  the  touch  of  that  coal,  no  forbearing. 
 ( Jer.  XX.  9.  But  his  ivord  was  in  my  heart  as  a  burning 
 fire^JJout  up  in  my  hones,  and  I  was  weary  with  for^ 
 bearing,  I  could  not  Jlay,  i  Pet.  v.  2.  Feed  the  flock 
 of  God  which  is  among  you^  taking  the  overjtght  there- 
 of,  not  by  conftraint,  but  willingly  ;  not  for  filthy 
 lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mijid).  Yet  he  fays,  fend  me ; 
 though  he  had  fo  ardent  a  defire  and  readinefs  to  go, 
 yet  he  will  not  go  unfent,  but  humbly  offers  himfelf, 
 
 and 
 
406  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECT.  III. 
 
 and  waits  both  for  his  <:oinmiiIion  and  inflrudlions ; 
 and  how  awful  are  they  I 
 
 LECTURE    III. 
 
 Ver.  9.  Afid  he  faid^  Go  and  tell  this  people ^  Hear  ye 
 indeed,  but  under/land  not ;  and  fee  ye  indeed,  but 
 perceive  not. 
 
 Ver.  10.  Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat,  and  mak& 
 their  ears  heavy,  and  Jhut  their  eyes  ;  lefl  they  fee 
 with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and 
 underfland  with  their  heart,  and  convert,  and  be 
 healed. 
 
 IS  melTage  you  fee  is  mod  fad,  and  fo  be  is  put 
 to  it,  put  to  the  trial  of  his  obedience,  as  men 
 ulually  are  according  to  the  degree  of  their  fitnefs. 
 Nothing  is  more  fweet  to  a  melfenger,  than  to  have 
 good  news  to  carry.  Oh  I  it  is  a  bleffed  fweet  thing 
 to  conv^ert  fouls  I  But,  how  heavy  to  harden  them  by 
 preaching  I  Yet  thus  it  is  to  many,  at  fome  times, 
 and  almoit  generally  to  ail  ;  certainly  before  this 
 much  had  been  heard  and  defpifed  ;  they  had  been 
 hardening  their  own  hearts,  and  now  they  fhall  have 
 enough  of  it  ;  their  very  lin  iliall  be  their  plague,  a 
 plague  of  all  others  the  moft  terrible  ;  yet,  as  was  faid 
 above,  there  are  times  of  the  height  of  this  plague, 
 as  of  others,  and  this  was  one  of  thofe  times  of  its 
 raging  mortality.  The  Prophet  did  nothing  but 
 preach,  and  yet  they  were  itupified  by  it ;  and  in- 
 deed wherever  the  word  does  not  foften  and  quick- 
 en, it  hardens  and  kills ;  and  the  more  lively  the  mi- 
 niltry  of  the  word  is  where  it  works  this  efted,  the 
 more  deeply  doth  it  work  it. 
 
 This  was  verified  on  the  Jews ;  though  then  God's 
 own  people,  yet  it  was  verified  on  them  to  the  ut- 
 mofl ;  and  this  context  is  often  cited  againft  them  in 
 the  New  Teftament,  no  place  fo  often.    So  excellent 
 
 0 
 
VER.  9,  10.]  ON  ISAIAH  VI.  407 
 
 a  preacher  as  Ifaiah,  and  fo  well  reputed  amongft  his 
 people,  yet  was  fent  to  preach  them  blind,  and  deaf, 
 and  dead  ;  and  this  fame  does  the  gofpel  to  moil  of 
 many  a  congregation  in  Scotland  :  and  the  more  of 
 Chrift  that  is  Tpoken,  the  more  are  unbelievers  harden- 
 ed. Ilaiah,  the  moll  evangelical  of  all  the  Prophets,  was 
 yet  brought  to  that,  Who  hath  believed  our  report  ?  Yea, 
 this  was  fulfilled  in  the  preaching  of  Chrifl  him- 
 felf ;  as  the  hotter  the  fun,  the  more  is  the  clay  hard- 
 ened. 
 
 Go  tell  this  people,']    Obferve  the  mighty  power  of 
 the  word,  to  whatfoever  it  is  fent ;  as  it  is  wonderful- 
 ly efficacious  for  foftening,  melting,  reducing  to  God  ; 
 10,  if  it  be  fent,  to  harden,  to  feal  to  judgment,  to  bring 
 in  and  haften  it;;  and  therefore  fpoke  of,  as  effeding 
 the  things  it  fpeaks ;  as  in  Jer.  i.  lo.  See,  I  have  this 
 day  Jet  thee  over  the  nations,  and  over  the  kingdoms,  to 
 root  out,  and  to  pull  down,  and  to  dejiroy,  and  to  throve 
 down,  to  build  and  to  plant ;  Ezek.  xliii.  3.   And  it 
 was  according  to  the  appearance  of  the  vijion,  which  I 
 faw  when  I  came  to  deftroy  the  city  ;   Hofeah  vi.  5. 
 Therefore  hav,e  I  hewed  them  by  the  Prophets  j  I  have 
 Jlain  them  by  the  words  of  my  mouth*     Therefore  de- 
 fpife  it  not,  fpiritual  judgments  are  the  heavieil  of  all  ; 
 though  lead  felt  for  a  time,  yet  they  llick  clofeft,  and 
 prove  faddeil  in  the  end  :   The  not  feeling  is  a  great 
 part  of  the  plague  ;  in  this  is  the  nature  and  maligni- 
 ty of  the  difeafe,  that  it  takes  away  the  fight  and 
 fenfe  of  other  things,  and  of  itfelf.     The  plague  is  a 
 difeafe  feizing  on  the  fpirits,  and  therefore  is  fo  dan- 
 gerous \  but  this  only  feizes  on  the  fpirit  of  the  mind  ; 
 and  is  any  thing  fo  dreadful  ?  Oh  I  any  plague  but  that 
 of  the  heart.    People  think  it  a  good  thing  not  to  feel 
 the  word,  not  to  be  troubled  :    Well,  as  they  love 
 this,  they  are  filled   with  it,  and  fiiall  have  enough 
 of  it ;  fo  in  felf-love,  fui  amator  fibi  dat,  God  is  righte- 
 ous and  pure  in  this,  there  are  many  vain  cavils  about 
 his  working  on  the  heart  to  harden,  which  arife  from 
 ^n  ignorant  low  conceit  of  God,  as  of  a  dependent  be- 
 ing. 
 
40S  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECT.  III. 
 
 ing,  or  tied  to  la^vs,  or  to  give  account.     We  ought 
 rather  to  tremble  before  him  ;  be  doth  no  iniquity  ;  and 
 we  fhall  be  forced  to  confefs   it.      Many  ways  of  his 
 are  obfcure,  but  none  are  unjuil.     Find   we  not  this 
 people  fit  under  the  found,  and  are  many  of  them  as 
 if  abfent,  as   if  they  had   never    heard   fiich    things 
 fpoke  of?  fo  grofsly  ignorant  of  all  thefe  ;  hearing  bear^ 
 but  underjiand  not:  others  are  yet  worfe  ;  they   get  a 
 kind  of  knowledge,  but   it  is   dead,   and   works    no- 
 thing ;  thefe  fee,  and  yet  perceive  not,  and  know  not 
 even  what  they  know  ;  molf  are  of  this  fort,  and  they 
 are  of  all  others  the  w^orft  to  convince.     When   they 
 ^re  told   of  Chrili,  and   forgivenefs  of  fins,   and   are 
 entreated  to  believe  thefe  myfleries,  they  cry  out^Oh  I 
 we  do,  we  know  them,  and  can  anfwer,  if  you  aflv  us, 
 what  thefe  do6lrines   are.     Eut  the  heart  is  not  chan- 
 ged, no  jin  is  forfaken,  no  lludy  of  holinefs,  no  fianie 
 of  love.    This  not  perceiving  is  the  great  judgment 
 of  this  land,  this  the  great  caufe  of  lamentation,  that 
 Chrift  is  fo  much  known  and  yet  fo  little  :   People  do 
 not  think  whither  it  tends,  and  what  the  importance 
 of  this  melTage  is ;  they  hear  it  as  a  pajjtng  tale,  or, 
 at  the   bed,  as   for  the  prefent,   a   pleahng   found,  a 
 lovely  fong,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  32.  ;  and  if  by  an  able  mi- 
 nirter,  fung  by  a  good  voice,  but  no  impreffion  is  made, 
 it  dies  out  in  the  air,  it  enters  not  into  their  hearts  to 
 quicken  them,  and   fo  their  evil  is  the  more  deadly. 
 Oh  1   bemoan   this,  beg  the   removal   of  it  above  all 
 judgments,  and  the  fending  forth  of  that  Spirit,  that 
 caules  the  moimiains  to  flow  down,  ifa.  Ixiv.  i.     Ma- 
 ny of  you,  my  brethren,  may  be  under  fomewhat  of 
 this,  as  there   are  divers   degrees  of  it,  ere  it  come 
 to  be  incurable  ;  Oh  1  pray  to  be  delivered,  left  it  grow 
 fo    far   that  it    be  in'  vain  to  bid  you  do  fo.     Better 
 to  be  call  into  extreme  terrors  for  a  time,  than  to  con- 
 tinue thus ;  better  to  fall  into  a  fever  than  into  this  le- 
 thargy, Vv'hich  makes  you  fieep  to  death. 
 
 Convert,  and  he  healed.']  Thefe  two  go  together  ;  all 
 Ijijferies  are  healed,  and  grace  and  favour  iiow  forth, 
 
 when 
 
VER.  9,  10.]  ON  ISAIAH  VI.  469 
 
 when  once  the  foul  is  flirred  up  to  feek  after  God,  and 
 turn  in  to  him :  other  courfes  of  healing,  public  or 
 private  evils,  are  but  mountebank  cures,  that  vex  and 
 torment,  as  unapt  phylic  does,  and  do  no  good ;  yea 
 make  things  worfe  than  before;  Hofea  v.  13.  When 
 Ephraim  Jaw  his  Jicknefs\  and  Judah  his  wound  ;  then 
 went  Ephraim  to  the  Ajfyrian^  and  fent  to  King  Ja- 
 reb,  yet  could  he  not  heal  you^  nor  cure  you  of  your 
 wound:  compared  with  chap.  vi.  ver.  i.  Come  and  let 
 us  return  unto  the  Lord^  for  he  hath  torn,  and  he  will 
 heal  us ;  he  hath  fmitten^  and  he  will  bind  us  up. 
 
 There  is  much  in  a  cuftom  of  fruitlefs  hearing  to 
 flupify  and  make  hard  ;  to  make  men  fermon-proof ; 
 and  the  hearing  of  the  mofl  excellent,  hardens  mod, 
 both  againil  them,  and  againil  all  others  that  are  their 
 inferiors  ;  for,  being  accuilomed  to  hear  the  moft  mo- 
 ving firains,  unmoved,  makes  them  fcorn,  and  eafily 
 beat  back,  that  which  is  lefs  preffing.  A  largely  en- 
 dued, and  very  fpiritual  minifler,  is  either  one  of  the 
 higheft  bleffings,  or  heaviefl  curfes,  that  can  come  up- 
 on a  people. 
 
 Hearing  hear.'\  This  even  the  minifters  themfelves 
 may  fall  under  :  fpeakers  may  have  no  ears;  as  the  Ita- 
 lian fays  of  preachers,  they  do  not  hear  their  ow^n 
 voice :  They  may  grow  hard,  by  cuftom  of  fpeaking 
 of  divine  things  without  divine  affedlion  ;  fo  that  no- 
 thing themfelves,  or  others,  fay,  can  work  on  them  : 
 Hence  it  is  that  fo  few  formal  dead  minifters  are  con- 
 verted, that  one  faid,  raro  vidi  clericum  pcenitentem  ; 
 fo  hardened  are  they  againft  the  means  of  convidlion, 
 in  which  they  have  been  fo  long  converfant,  and  not 
 converted  by  them.  They  have  been  fpeaking  fo 
 often  of  heaven  and  hell,  and  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and 
 feeling  nothing  of  them,  that  the  words  have  loft 
 their  power,  and  they  are  grown  hard  as  the  Ikin  of 
 leviathan,  ejleeming  iron  as  Jhaw,  and  brafs  as  rotten 
 wood.  And  this,  by  the  way,  befide  that  God's  dif- 
 penfation  is  fo  fixed,  may  be  a  reafon  why  that  fin, 
 mentioned  in  the  fixth  of  the  Hebrew's,  is  unpardon- 
 
 VoL.  II.  3  F  able : 
 
4IO  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [lECT.  HI. 
 
 able  :  it  is,  in  the  nature  of  things,  and  without  fuch 
 a  miracle  as  God  will  not  exert,  i7npoJfibl€,  that  they 
 who  have  (lood  out  fuch  things  in  vain,yZ>ow/^  be  re- 
 newed :  This  Ihould  make  us,  that  are  minifters  ef- 
 pecially,  to  tremble  at  an  unholy  life,  or  at  the  thought 
 of  declining  from  thofe  ways  of  religion,  of  which 
 we  have  known  fo  much,  and  for  which  we  have  fo 
 many  means  of  improvement. 
 
 Ver.  II.  nen  /aid  /,  Lord,  how  long  P  And  he  an- 
 fweredy   Until  the  cities  he  wafted  without  inhabit  ant  ^ 
 and  the  houfes  without  man,  and  the  land  be  utterly  de- 
 Jo  late  ; 
 
 Ver.  12.  And  the  Lord  have  removed  men  far  a- 
 way,  and  there  be  a  great  forfaking  in  the  midfi  of 
 the  land. 
 
 Now  this  judgment  fattening,  was  fure  to  draw  on 
 all  other  judgments ;  therefore  the  Prophet,  touched 
 with  companion,  inquires,  How  long  P  and  receives  a 
 very  fad  anfwer,  Until  the  cities  be  wafied.  God  is 
 fovereignly  free  in  this ;  but  ufually  he  keeps  that 
 courfe,  that  long  continued  and  fpared  finning  makes 
 long  continued  calamities  when  they  come  :  Judg- 
 ments, as  the  ancients  thought  comets  to  be,  are  as 
 lafting  as  the  matter  is  they  are  kindled  with  ;  and 
 truly,  upon  this  account,  we  may  juflly  apprehend 
 that  our  troubles  are  butjuit  beginning,  rather  than 
 near  their  end  ;  yet,  repentance  might  prevail  for  the 
 fhortening  them  ;  thefe  fweet  Ihowers  fooneft  lay  the 
 ilormy  winds. 
 
 And  this  coniideration  may  have  fomething  hope- 
 ful in  it,  that,  in  thefe  latter  times,  things  move  fome- 
 thing more  fpeedily,  as  natural  motions  do  towards 
 their  end  ;  for  a  Jhort  work  will  God  make  upon  the 
 earth,  as  the  Apoftle's  word  is ;  and  we  fee,  in  our 
 particular  (traits  that  were  greateft,  that  the  Lord 
 hath  made  them  Ihort  even  beyond  our  expedation  ; 
 and  what  remains,  is  in  his  hand.  I  truil  he  will  haften 
 the  defeat  of  the  plots,  and  powder  of  his  enemies ;  and 
 
 doubt 
 
VER.  II,  12.]  ON  ISAIAH  VI.  4H 
 
 doubt  not  all  the  late  and  prefent  commotions  of 
 thefe  poor  kingdoms,  are  the  birth-pangs  of  a  happy 
 deliverance  and  peace  ;  and,  wli,en  they  grow  thickeft, 
 it  is  neareft  the  birth. 
 
 How  long  P']  Obferve  the  compaffion  of  the  mef- 
 fengers  of  God,  not  defiring  the  evil  day,  but  mourn- 
 ing for  it,  pitying  thofe  they  denounce  judgment  a- 
 gainft,  and  melting  for  thofe  they  harden. 
 
 Till  the  cities  he  wajied.]  This  intimates  there 
 would  be  no  relenting  under  all  thefe  judgments,  but 
 that  thefe,  as  well  as  the  word,  and  together  with  it, 
 would  harden  them  more,  till  they  were  almofl  quite 
 confumed  ;  and  this  is  ufual ;  men  think  it  would  be 
 otherwife  ;  but  it  is  found,  times  of  great  plagues  and 
 judgments  are  no  times  of  great  converlion  ;  but  men 
 are  more  hardened  both  againfl  word  and  rod  ;  their 
 fpirits  grow  ftiff  and  obdured  in  a  kind  of  defpera- 
 tion  ;  but  mercy,  coming  as  the  fpring  fun-fhine, 
 mollifies  and  diflblves,  and  makes  fruitful ;  therefore, 
 fuch  a  day  is  to  be  longed  for.  I  fufpedl  we  iliall  not 
 fee  much  done  by  the  gofpel  till  then  ;  and  before  that, 
 we  may  fuffer  yet  more  difmal  things,  and  be  wafted 
 with  peftilence,  fword  and  famine  ;  yet  there  is  com- 
 fort in  this,  the  Lord  will  not  make  a  full  end  of  us ; 
 a  tenth  Ihall  be  left ;  and  if  not  we,  yet  at  leaft  our 
 pofterity  lliall  reap  the  fweet  fruits  of  our  bitter  ca- 
 lamities, that  are  the  juft  fruits  of  our  iniquities. 
 
 Ver.  13.  But  yet  in  it  Jhall  he  a  tenth ,  and  it  Jhall 
 return,  and  JJ? all  he  eaten ;  as  a  teil-tree,  and  as  an  oak^ 
 whofe  fuhjlance  is  in  them  when  they  cajl  their  leaves^ 
 Jo  the  holy  feed  Jhall  he  the  Juhjlance  thereoj. 
 
 There  is  ftill  a  remnant  holy  to  God,  the  prefervers 
 of  a  land  from  utter  ruin.  Profane  perfons  defpile 
 the  children  of  God,  and  know  not  that  they  are  be- 
 holden to  them  for  the  fubfiftence  of  the  land,  and 
 of  the  world  ;  they  are  as  thefe  oaks,  whofe  roots  dii 
 bear  up  the  earth  of  that  high-way,  that  went  be- 
 tween 
 
412.  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES,  [lECT.  Ill, 
 
 tween  the  king's  houfe  and  the  teraple,  as  the  refeni- 
 blance  is  taken  by  feme. 
 
 In  judgments,  the  Lord  remembers  that ;  Dejlroy 
 it  not,  there  is  a  hiejftng  in  it.  As  for  tl^e  perfonal 
 condition  of  believers,  there  may  be  a  great  decay  ;  a 
 winter  vifage  may  be  upon  it ;  but  yet  the  holy  feed 
 abideth  in  them,  and  is  their  liability ;  and  flill  that 
 word  is  true  that  is  borrowed  hence,  femen  JanElumy 
 Jlattimen  terns ;  *'  the  holy  feed,  the  fubfiftence  or 
 <<  eftablifliraent  of  the  earth."  When  their  number 
 is  completed,  time  fhall  end,  and  this  vifible  world 
 Ihall  be  fet  on  fire :  and  this  day  is  haftening  for- 
 ward, though  moft  of  us  think  but  little,  if  at  all^ 
 of  it. 
 
 End  of  the  Lectures  on  Ifaiah  vi. 
 
 KX- 
 
 # 
 
[    413     3 
 
 EXPOSITORY     LECTURES 
 
 O  N 
 
 ROMANS    XII.   3 12. 
 
 Ver.  3.  For  I  fay,  through  the  grace  given  unto  me,  to 
 
 every  man  that  is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  himfelf 
 
 more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think ;  hut  to  think 
 
 foherly,  according  as  God  hath  dealt  to  every  man 
 
 the  meafure  of  faith, 
 
 BESIDES  the  common  word  of  edification  imply- 
 ing it,  we  find  often,  in  the  Scriptures,  teaching 
 compared  to  building  ;  and,  amongft  other  things,  the 
 refemblance  holds  in  this,  that  in  both,  of  neceffity, 
 there  is  a  foundation  firft  to  be  laid,  and  then  the 
 ftru6ture  to  be  raifed  upon  it.  He  that  gives  rules 
 of  life,  without  firft  fixing  principles  of  faith,  offers 
 prepofteroufly  at  building  a  houfe  without  laying  a 
 foundation  ;  and  he  that  inftruds  what  to  believe, 
 and  directs  not  withal  a  believer  how  to  live,  doth  in 
 vain  lay  a  foundation,  without  following  out  the 
 building  :  But  the  Apoftles  were  not  iofooliJJj  huil- 
 ders,  as  to  fever  thefe  two  in  their  labours  in  the 
 Church.  In  this  epiltle,  we  find  our  Apoftle  excel- 
 lently acquitting  himfelf  in  both  thefe.  He  firft 
 largely  and  firmly  lays  the  ground- work,  in  the  fore- 
 going part  of  the  epiftle,  now  he  adds  exhortations 
 and  diredions  touching  the  particular  duties  of  Chri- 
 ftians. 
 
 The  firft  thing,  certainly,  to  be  done  with  a  foul, 
 is  to  convince  it  of  fin  and  death,  then  to  addrefs 
 and  lead  it  in  to  Ghrift,  our  righteoufnefs  and  life  ; 
 
 this 
 
414  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES        {VER.  3. 
 
 this  done,  it  fhould  be  taught  to  follow  him  :  This  is 
 Chriftianity,  to  live  in  Chrijl,  and  to  live  to  Cbrijl ;  to 
 live  in  him  by  faith,  and  to  live  to  him  in  holinefs ; 
 thefe  our  Apoftle  joined  in  his  dodrine,  chap.  viii.  i. 
 There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which 
 are  in  ChriJl  JefuSy  who  walk  not  after  thefiejh,  but 
 after  the  Spirit, 
 
 The  exhortation  that  begins  this  chapter,  hath  in 
 it  the  whole  fum  of  Chriftian  obedience,  fitly  ex- 
 prelTed,  and  llrongly  urged  ;  and  in  that  are  all  par- 
 ticular rules  comprifed. 
 
 But  becaufeof  our  ignorance  and  our  floth,  we  do 
 not  always  readily  draw  forth  particulars  from  thefe 
 comprehenfive  general  rules  wherein  they  lie ;  we  need 
 therefore  to  be  allifled  in  this  ;  and  to  this  the  Scrip- 
 tures defcend,  particularly  the  Apoftles,  in  their  e- 
 piftles,  and  that  ufually  in  the  latter  part  of  them  ; 
 and  this  is  a  main  part  of  our  duty  in  preaching  the 
 word,  often  to  reprefent  thefe  rules  to  you,  not  fo 
 much  that  you  may  underftand  them  better,  though 
 fomewhat  of  this  like  wife  may  be  needful,  as  that  you 
 may  remember  them,  and  eye  them  more,  and  walk  ac- 
 cording to  them  ;  and  there  is  no  more  in  thefe  things 
 truly  known,  than  what  is  known  after  this  manner. 
 1  have  endeavoured,  in  the  courfe  of  my  teaching,  to 
 reach  this  end  :  My  defign,  and  I  hope  yours  likcwife, 
 hath  been,  not  to  pafs  fo  much  time,  nor  to  pafs  it 
 with  empty  delight,  which  in  other  things  might  be 
 done  at  an  eafy  rate,  but  that  you  be  really  built  up 
 heavenwards,  and  increafe  with  the  increafe  of  God  ; 
 that  the  truth  and  powder  of  Chriftianity  may  poiTefs 
 our  hearts,  and  grow  there,  and  may  be  evident  in 
 our  lives,  to  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jefus. 
 
 We  fhall  endeavour  to  lay  before  you  the  particu- 
 lar graces  that  are  the  ornaments  of  Chriftians ;  and 
 this,  not  that  you  may  look  on  them  fimpiy,  and  com- 
 mend them,  but  may  purfue  them,  and  be  clothed 
 with  them,  and  then  they  will  be  much  more  come- 
 ly and  commendable ;  as  a  robe  of  rich  apparel,  if 
 
 it 
 
VER.  3.]  ON  ROMANS  XII.  4I5 
 
 it  feem  fine  while  it  hangs  or  lies  by,  it  appears  far 
 better  when  it  is  put  on. 
 
 The  rules  the  Apoftle  is  to  give»  he  prefaces  thus, 
 For  I  fay,  through  the  grace  given  to  me,  I  fpeak  as 
 the  Meflenger  or  Apoftle  of  Chrift,  according  to  that 
 knowledge  and  experience  that  he  hath  given  me 
 of  thefe  things;  and  fo  take  it,  as  from  one  that  hath 
 fome  intereft  in,  and  fhare  of,  thefe  graces  I  recom- 
 mend to  you  :  And  this,  indeed,  makes  recommenda- 
 tions carry  home.  Oh  I  that  we  could  truly  fay  this. 
 Alas  !  it  is  an  uncomfortable,  and  commonly  an  un- 
 profitable, thing  to  fpeak  of  Chrift,  and  the  graces  of 
 his  Spirit,  only  as  having  heard  of  them,  or  read  of 
 them,  as  men  that  travel,  in  their  ftudies,  do  of  fo- 
 reign co^ntries. 
 
 C^a.  T»if  ya^hroq.  The  Apoftle  reprefents  this,  to  add 
 the  more  authority,  and  gain  the  more  acceptance,  td" 
 what  he  had  to  fay ;  and  for  this  end,  fome  care  is 
 to  be  had  of  the  good  opinion  of  people,  fo  flir  as 
 their  intereft  is  concerned,  that  the  meflage  we  bring 
 be  not  prejudged  ;  otherwife,  this  truly  fet  afide,  it 
 were  little  matter  how  we  were  miftaken  or  defpifed  ; 
 yea,  it  were  a  thing  fome  way  defirable ;  only  pro- 
 vided nothing  be  done  on  purpofe,  that  may  juftly, 
 yea,  or  that  may  probably,  procure  it ;  for  that  both 
 piety  and  charity  forbids. 
 
 To  every  man.l  This  is  more  preffing  than  if  he 
 had  faid  fimply,  to  you,  or  generally,  to  you  all;  for  in 
 men's  talking  of  things,  it  proves  often  too  true,  quod 
 omnibus,  nemini ;  but  to  every  one,  that  each  one  fup- 
 pofe  it  fpoke  to  him,  as  an  ingenious  pidure  looking 
 to  each  in  the  room.  Thus  we  ought  to  fpeak,  and 
 thus  ye  ought  to  hear.  We  to  fpeak,  not  as  telling 
 fome  unconcerning  ftories,  but  as  having  bulinefs 
 with  you  ;  and  you  to  hear,  not  each  for  another,  as 
 you  often  do,  *'  Oh  I  fuch  a  paflage  touched  fuch  an 
 "  one,"  but  each  for  ourfelves. 
 
 The  firft  particular  the  Apoftle  recommends,  is, 
 that  gracing  grace  of  humility,  the  ornament  and  the 
 
 fafety 
 
4l6  EJ^POSITORY    LECTURES  [VJSK..  3. 
 
 fafety  of  all  other  graces,  and  which  is  fo  peculiarly 
 Chriftian.  Somewhat  philofophers  fpeak  of  tempe» 
 ranee,  juflice,  and  other  like  virtues,  but  thefe  ra- 
 ther  to  blow  up  and  fweli  the  mind  with  big  conceit 
 and  confidence  of  itfelf,  than  to  dwell  together  w^ith 
 felf-abafement  and  humility  :  But  in  the  fchool  of 
 Chrift,  the  fir  ft  leiTon  of  all  is,  f elf -denial  and  humi- 
 lity  ;  yea,  it  is  written  above  the  door,  as  the  rule  of 
 entry  or  admiffion,  Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and 
 lowly  of  heart,  Matth.  xi.  29.  And,  out  of  all  quef- 
 tion,  that  is  truly  the  humbleft  heart  that  hath  moft 
 of  Chrift  in  it. 
 
 Not  to  think  highly,']  ISIot  afpiring  and  intending 
 in  things  too  high  :  And  a  great  point  of  humility  is 
 fubjedion  to  God  in  the  point  of  knowledge :  in  this 
 v^as  our  firft  climbing  that  proved  our  fall ;  and  vet 
 ftill,  amidft  all  our  ignorance  and  darknefs,  we  are 
 catching  and  gaping  after  the  deadly  fruit  of  unal- 
 lowed knowledge. 
 
 This,  withal,  hath  in  it  the  attempering  of  our 
 thoughts  and  pradlices  to  our  meafure  and  ftation  ;  to 
 know  ourfelves  truly  and  thoroughly ;  for  that  will 
 certainly  beget  a  very  low  efteem  of  ourfelves,  to 
 judge  ourfelves  the  unworthieft  and  meaneft  of  all. 
 
 And  having  truly  this  eftimate  of  ourfelves,  we  (hall 
 not  vainly  attempt  any  thing  above  our  reach,  nor 
 difdainfully  negledl  any  thing  that  is  within  the  com- 
 pafs  of  our  calling  and  duty,  which  are  the  two  evils 
 fo  common  among  men,  yea,  even  amongft  Chriftians, 
 and  in  the  church  of  God,  and  are  the  caufc  of  moft 
 of  the  enormities  and  diforders  that  fall  out  in  it;  it  is 
 a  ftrange  blindnds,  that  they  that  do  grofsly  mifcarry 
 in  the  duties  of  tneir^wn  ftation,  yet  fo  readily  fancy 
 themfelves  capable  of  fomewhat  higher,  and  think 
 themfelves  wronged,  if  it  be  refufed  them. 
 
 The  felf-knowing  Chriftian  would  rather  defcend, 
 and  find  himfelf  very  difproportioned  to  his  prefent 
 ftation,  be  it  never  fo  mean  ;  he  can  fay  with  David, 
 Lord,  my  heart  is  not  haughty,  nor  mine  eyes  lofty ; 
 
 neither 
 
V£R.  3.3  ON  ROMANS  XII.  41? 
 
 neither  do  I  exercife  viyfelf  in  great  matters^  or  in  things 
 too  high  for  me,  Pfal.  cxxxi.  i.  But  vain  minds  would 
 ftill  be  tampering  with  the  greateft  affairs,  and  dwell 
 not  with  themfelves.  Oh  I  my  brethren,  be  entreat- 
 ed to  iludy  your  own  hearts  better  ;  be  lefs  abroad  in 
 things  that  concern  you  not;  there  is  work  enough 
 within' you ;  heaps  of  bafe  lulls,  and  felf-deceits,  and 
 follies,  that  you  fee  not  yet ;  and  many  advantages  of 
 good  things  you  feem  to  fee  in  yourfelves,  that  in- 
 deed are  not  there  :  Self-love  is  a  flattering  glafs, 
 which  reprefents  us  to  ourfelves  much  fairer  than  we 
 are  ;  therefore,  turn  from  it,  if  you  deiire  a  true  ac- 
 count of  yourfelves,  and  look  into  the  pure  and  faith- 
 ful mirror  of  God's  law.  Oh  !  what  deformities  will 
 that  difcover,  that  you  never  faw  nor  thought  of  be- 
 fore, and  will  make  you  the  loweil  of  all  perfons  in 
 your  own  eyes. 
 
 The  low  felf-efteem  doth  not  wholly  take  away  the 
 fimple  knowledge  of  what  gifts  and  graces  God  hath 
 bellowed  on  a  man  ;  for  that  were  to  make  him  both 
 unthankful  and  unufeful.  He  that  doth  not  know 
 what  God  hath  freely  given  him,  cannot  return  praife 
 to  God,  nor  make  ufe  of  himfelf  for  God  in  his  fla- 
 tion  *  ;  yea,  the  Apoille's  caution  intimates  a  fober, 
 humble  refleclion  on  the  meafure  God  hath  given  a 
 man,  which  he  not  only  allows  but  requires  :  and 
 himfelf  gives  example  of  it  in  his  own  prefent  ex- 
 preffion,  declaring,  that  he  fpeaks^thefe  things  through 
 the  grace  that  is  given  to  him. 
 
 But  this  knowledge  of  a  man's  own  gifts  and  gra- 
 ces, -that  it  may  not  prejudge  him  of  more,  but  help 
 him  to  more,  in  the  humble  acknowledgment  and  ufe 
 of  what  he  hath,  would  have  thefe  two  qualifica- 
 tions :  I.  That  he  beware  of  over-weening,  rather 
 that  he  take  his  meafure  much  below,  than  any  whit 
 beyond,  what  he  truly  hath.  2.  That  whatfoever  it 
 is,  that  he  always  look  on  it  not  as  his  own,  but  as 
 God's,  having  his  fuperfcription  on  it,  and  all  the 
 
 Vol.  II.  3  G  glory 
 
 *  ^z^/  fenefcit,  nefcit  fc  uti. 
 
4l8  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [VER.  3. 
 
 glory  of  it  being  his  peculiar  tribute  ;  nothing  of 
 that  to  be  interrupted  or  retained  :  Not  unto  us^  Lord  ; 
 not  unto  us,  hut  unto  thy  name  give  glory,  Pfal,  cxv.  i. 
 ftili  all  the  glory  entirely  fent  up  to  him  :  Thus,  here, 
 the  Apoftle  fets  all  grace  in  that  view,  as  God  bath 
 difpenfed  tie  meafure ;  and  fo  fpeaks  of  his  own, 
 through  th^  grace  given  to  me  ;  ftill  fo  to  be  looked 
 on,  not  as  that  we  have,  but  that  he  hath  given  ;  that 
 is,  the  gofpel  ftyle,  grace^  free  gifts,  x*^*f>  x^^V'^l*'^'^^ » 
 whereas  philofophy  fpeaks  of  all  as  habits,  or  havings, 
 or  oofleffions. 
 
 Now,  in  that  relative  dependent  notion  of  freely 
 given,  a  man  fhall  never  be  puffed  up  by  any  endow- 
 ments, though  he  fee  and  know^  them  ;  yea,  the  more 
 he  knows  them  thus,  will  be  the  more  humble  flill, 
 as  being  the  more  obliged.  The  more  he  harh  recei- 
 ved, the  greater  they  are  ;  the  lower  he  bows,  prefTed 
 down  under  the  weight  of  his  engagements  to  God  ; 
 as  Abraham,  Gen.  xvii.  3:  fell  on  his  face^  when  God 
 talked  with  him,  and  made  fo  rich  pron.ifes  to  him. 
 See  David's  ftrain,  i  Chron,  xxix.  14.  But  who  am 
 I,  and  what  is  my  people,  that  we  Jhould  be  able  to  of- 
 fer fo  willingly  after  this  fort  ^  for  all  things  come  of 
 thee,  and  of  thine  own  have  we  given  thee.  Thus,  the 
 Apoftle  gives,  as  the  fovereign  preventative  againft 
 the^fwelling  poifon  of  felf-conceit,  What  hcijt  thou 
 that  thou  didji  not  receive  ^  1  Cor.  iv.  7. 
 
 He  that  is  thus  regulated  in  his  own  efteem,  will 
 by  this  certainly  be  moderated  in  his  defire  of  efteem 
 from  others,  and  cannot  well  meet  with  any  thing 
 that  way,  that  will  either  puff  him  up,  or  call  him 
 down  \  if  over-prized  by  others,  he  takes  that  as  their 
 miftake ;  if  undervalued,  he  rejoices  in  that,  having 
 Tet  himfelf  fo  low  in  himfelf,  that  others  cannot  well 
 fet  him  lower:  So  when  men  account  meanly  of  him, 
 they  are  really  of  his  own  opinion ;  and  you  know 
 that  offends  none,  but  pleafes  them  rather,  to  have 
 pthers  agree  with  their  opinions,  and  be  of  their  mind. 
 
 They 
 
VER.  4,  5.]  ON  ROMANS  XII.  419 
 
 They  that  are  bufy  after  reputation,  and  would  be. 
 efteemed,  are  but  begging  voices ;  would  have  others 
 think  with  them,  and  confirm  the  conclufion  they 
 have  already  refolved  on,  in  favours  of  thenilelves  ; 
 and  this  is  a  moll  foolifh  thing ;  for,  difappointed  in 
 this,  men  are  difcontented,  and  fo  their  peace  hangs 
 on  others  fancies ;  and,  if  fatisfied  with  it,  they  fur- 
 feit  and  undo  themfelves  with  the  delight  of  it.  Bees 
 fometimes  kill  themfelves  with  their  own  honey  ;  and 
 there  is  fuch  a  word  to  this  purpofe,  Frov.  xxv.  27, 
 //  //  not  good  to  eat  much  honey  ;  fo  for  men  to  fearch 
 their  own  glory,  is  not  glory, 
 
 Ver.  4,  5.  For  as  we  have  many  members  in  one  hody^ 
 and  all  members  have  not  the  fame  office  ;  fo  we,  being 
 many,  are  one  body  in  Chrifl,  and  every  one  members 
 one  of  another. 
 
 In  this  conlideration  we  have  God's  wifdom  mani- 
 fefled,  and  are  inflructed  what  is  our  wifdom.  He, 
 in  the  great  world,  made  all  in  weight,  number  and 
 meafure  ;  fo  in  the  leffer  world,  man,  and  in  the  new 
 world,  his  Church,  he  proportions  all  to  the  ufe  he 
 hath  deligned  them  for.  He  could  give  more  to 
 them  that  have  leaft  than  the  very  greateft  have,  but 
 he  thought  this  unfit ;  it  might  be  fomc  advantage  to 
 them,  yet  to  the  whole  body  not  fo  ;  and  therefore 
 not  truly  fo  to  them  neither,  being  parts  of  it,  and 
 having  their  good  involved  in  the  good  of  the  body. 
 
 This  refemblance  is  often  uftd  in  Scripture,  and 
 holds  excellently  well,  but  is  little  learned.  Our 
 temper  and  carriage  correfpond  not  to  it.  Who  is 
 there  almoll  that  finds  it,  the  Spirit  of  Chrifl  in  them, 
 knitting  them  to  him  as  the  common  head,  and  01  e 
 to  another,  as  one  in  him,  each  bufy  to  advance  him, 
 and  to  feek  his  glory,  and  to  promote  the  good  of  one 
 another  ?  But  alas  1  rather  each  for  felf,  accurfed  litif^ 
 as  of  an  independent  divided  fubllance  ;  yea  worfe^ 
 hating  and  tearing  one  another  ;  a  monilrous  fight, 
 as  if  one  limb  of  the  fame  body  fhould  be  pulling 
 
 another 
 
42©  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES      [VER.  4.  ^o 
 
 another  to  pieces.  It  fignifies  little  to  tell  men  what 
 mutual  tendernefs  is  in  nature  ;  that  for  a  thorn  in  the 
 foot  the  back  bows,  the  head  ftoops,  the  eyes  look, 
 the  hands  feel,  and  feek  it,  and  pull  it  out*.  Chrifti- 
 ans  are  ftill  fo  rigid,  fo  unchriilian  to  each  other, 
 they  drive  one  another  with  the  thorn  flicking  in, 
 forcing  their  brethren  to  ways  againft  the  perfualions 
 of  their  confciences. 
 
 In  the  following  verfes,  viz.  6,  7,  8,  we  have  a 
 fpecification  of  divers  offices,  and  the  duties  of  them  ; 
 the  due  obfervance  of  which  is  the  peace  and  growth 
 of  the  Church,  makes  all  go  on  fweetly  and  fruitful- 
 ly :  but  men  are  either  prefumptuoully  or  prepofte- 
 roufly  bufy  out  of  their  own  Italiota,  or  ilothfully  ne- 
 gligent in  it ;  and  both  thefe,  inftead  of  edifying, 
 are  difcompoiing  and  deilroying  things. 
 
 Not  to  inlifl  on  the  diftindion  of  offices,  it  is  evi- 
 dent, in  all  enumerations  of  this  kind,  the  fame  word 
 Ibmetimes  means  divers  things,  and  divers  words  the 
 fame  things,  as  mmijlry  may  comprife  all,  ^though 
 fometimes  peculiar  to  deacons,  fometimes  taken  for 
 teachers  or  paftors :  here  it  is  general,  and  the  parti- 
 culars following  diftribute  it  ;  fome  are  to  teach, 
 ■which  is  dodlorial ;  fome  to  exhort^  which  is  more 
 paftoral ;  fome  are  to  give,,  which  is  proper  to  dea- 
 cons ;  fome  have  their  whole  charge /o  rw/<f,  as  el- 
 ders ;  fome  are  particularly  for  attendance  on  the 
 fick. 
 
 But  in  all,  fidelity  and  feduUty  are  requifite :  how 
 high  fo  ever  men  are  placed,  if  they  are  unfaithful, 
 the  higher  judgment  awaits  them  ;  how  low  fo  ever, 
 if  thou  be  fincere  and  ftudious  of  thy  duty,  thou 
 flialt  fuflain  no  lofs  by  thy  low  ftation,  but  rather 
 thy  faithfulnefs  will  be  the  more  fet  off"  by  it ;  he  that 
 is  faithful  in  little  Jh  all  he  7nade  ruler  over  much.  Oh  ! 
 that  WE  were  more  eat  up  with  zeal  of  our  Lord's 
 Houfe,  and  winning  of  fouls,  whom  he  deputes  to 
 that.     Oh  I  that  they  that  rule,   would  ftudy  more 
 
 rule 
 *  Spinam  calcat  pes,  <b'c,  -Aug. 
 
VER.  4V5*]  ON  ROMANS  XII.  42I 
 
 rule  of  their  own  houfes,  that  fhould  go  before,  and 
 your  own  hearts,  that  fhould  be  firfl  of  all.  Alas  I  how 
 (hall  men,  whofe  paflions  and  lulls  rule  them,  well 
 rule  the  houfe  of  God  I  Be  afraid  and  wife  ye  that  are 
 called  to  that,  and  know  at  length  what  is  fo  generally 
 either  unknown  or  unconiidered,  the  exemplary  ho- 
 linefs  required  in  your  perfons,  and  the  diligent 
 watchfulnefs  over  ih^  flock  of  God,  There  are  many 
 debates,  and  troubles,  and  pains,  about  thefe  our  liber- 
 ties, but  little  diligence  in  the  ufe  of  them  ;  congre- 
 gations are  ftill  as  full  of  impiety  and  profanenefs  as 
 ever.  Oh  1  take  heed,  left  we. thus  forfeit  them  after 
 all  they  have  coft,  and  provoke  God  to  bereave  us  of 
 them.  Men  are  bufy  that  we  know  are  not  friends 
 to  the  Church  of  God  ;  but  oh  I  that  we  w%re  more 
 careful  to  be  in  good  terms  with  him  :  If  he  be  for 
 us,  who  can  be  againfl  us?  It  is  no  matter  who  be, 
 he  is  too  wife  and  too  ftrong  for  them  ail. 
 
 Ver.  9.  Let  love  be  without  dijflmulation.     Abhor  thai 
 which  is  evil,  cleave  to  that  which  is  good. 
 
 The  whole  fum  of  the  law  is  love ;  love  to  God, 
 and  love  to  man,  th^e  two  contain  all,  and  the  for- 
 mer of  the  two  contains  the  latter  :  love  to  God  is  the 
 only  true  principle  and  fpring  of  all  due  love  to  man  • 
 and  all  love  that  begins  there,  returns  thither  like- 
 wife,  and  ends  there. 
 
 The  engaging  the  whole  mind  and  foul  to  the  love 
 ef  God,  does  not  engrofs  it  fo,  that  there  fliould  be 
 no  kind  of  love  communicable  to  man  ;  on  the  con- 
 trary, it  is  to  refine  it,  that  it  may  flow  forth  the 
 purer  and  better.  All  love  (hould  be  once  called  in 
 to  God,  to  be  fublimated  and  purified  there,  and  then 
 fet  in  its  right  channel  and  motion,  fo  as  man  be  lo- 
 ved in  him  and  for  him  ;  not  to  impair  our  love  to 
 him,  but  indeed  to  extend  and  ad  it  as  lie  allows; 
 and  fo  to  love  man  is  to  love  God,  that  love  taking  its 
 :->'irife  from  him,  and  terminating  in  him  ;  and  in  this 
 circle  is  the  proper  motion  of  celeftial  divine  love. 
 
 The 
 
422  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES       [VER.  9. 
 
 The  duty,  then,  here  meant  and  commanded,  is 
 this,  that  we  love  one  another;  and  our  love  muft  be 
 thus  qualified,  it  muft  be  unhypocritical  and  fincere  ; 
 fuch  as,  though  it  may  conlift  with,  yet  doth  not 
 wholly  confiil  in,  civilities  of  expreffion  and  beha- 
 viour, but  a  real  benevolence  of  foul,  and  good  will 
 to  all ;  a  love,  difpofing  readily  to  forgive  evil,  and 
 do  good  upon  all  occafions. 
 
 Yet  this  is  not  fuch  a  tendernefs  of  complacency, 
 a§  to  partake  with  any  in  any  evil  ways  ;  Oh  I  no,; 
 abhorring  that  which  is  evil,  flying  from  it  with  in- 
 dignation, with  a  kind  of  antipathy.  And  thus  it 
 will  be  from  the  new  nature  in  a  Chriftian,  the  holy 
 fpirit  o^  Chrift,  which  cannot  endure  the  unholinefs 
 or  impurity  of  the  world,  but  is  chafed  away,  as 
 doves  with  noifome  fmells,  or  bees  with  fmoke :  this 
 delicacy  of  fpirit  profane  men  laugh  at,  as  a  weak 
 fooliih  meannefs ;  but,  fools  as  they  are,  they  know 
 not  that  it  arifes  from  that  higheft  wifdom  which  is 
 from  above,  which  indeed  is  peaceable,  but  firft  is  pure, 
 and  can  admit  of  no  peace  nor  agreement  with  any 
 perfons  or  things  that  are  impure  ;  this  is  to  be  like 
 the  all- wife  God,  with  whom  wickednefs  cannot 
 dwell ;  his  pure  <?j^j  cannot  pleafantly  behold  any  ini- 
 quity. 
 
 Oh  I  much  of  the  love  of  God  would  work  more 
 hatred  of  fin  ;  but  if  thy  hatred  of  evil  be  right, 
 know,  it  will  begin  at  home,  as  we  feel  averfions  and 
 abhoirences  moft  when  the  things  are  neareil  us. 
 It  is  not  the  upright  nature  of  holinefs  to  hate  fin  in 
 others,  and  to  hug  it,  or  fpare  it  in  thyfelf,  either  the 
 fame  kind  of  fin,  or  any  other  ;  for  if  this  abhorrence 
 be  right,  it  is  againft  all  fin,  the  whole,  as  natural 
 contrarieties  are,  and  it  is  moft  againft  it,  when  near- 
 eft  in  thyfelf;  it  is  the  true  divine  fire  of  zeal,  kin- 
 dled by  the  love  of  God,  that  burns  up  fin,  but  firft 
 that  which  is  neareft  it,  as  a  fire  in  the  hearth  does, 
 and  fo  reaches  what  is  further  off.  But  if  thy  zeal 
 fly  moft  abroad  upon  others,  it  is  an  unruly  diforder- 
 
 ed 
 
VER.  9.]  ON  ROMANS  XlU  4I3 
 
 ed  wild-fire,  cracking  and  fquibing  up  ^nd  down, 
 good  for  nothing  but  to  fet  houfes  and  towns  on  fire. 
 Cleave  to  that  which  is  good,']  This  expreffes  a  ve- 
 hement and  in  reparable  affedion  ;  loving  and  rejoi- 
 cing in  all  the  good  thou  feeft  in  others  ;  defiring  and 
 ieeking  after  all  the  good  thou  canl^  attain  unto  thy- 
 felf ;  and  more  pleafed  with  the  fociety*of  godly  per- 
 fons  than   any  other ;  fuch  as  will  put  thee  and  keep 
 thee  mod  in  mind  of  thy  home,  and  the  way  thither, 
 and  admonifh  and  reduce  thee  from   any  declining 
 iteps ;  their  reproofs  are  more   fweet  to  thee,  than 
 the  laughter  and  flattery  of  profane  men,   as  one  faid 
 to  his  mafter,  **  Thou  (halt  find  no  (laif  hard  enough 
 to  beat  me  from  thee  *.''     Though  they  feem   harlh 
 to  thee,  yet  wilt  thou  fay,  Let  the  rlgbtcous  finite  me^ 
 it  JJmll  he  a  kindnefs^  Pfal.  cxli.  5.  ;  and  no  oppofi- 
 tion  will  drive  thee  from  the  truth  of  God,  and  his 
 way§,  which   are  only  good,  if  thy  heart  be  once 
 glued  by  love  and  faftened  to  them  ;  yea,  thou  wilt 
 cleave  the  clofer  to  it,  the  more  thou  art  perfecuted 
 for  the  truth  ;  and  the  more  thou  fuftereft  for  it,  wilt 
 love  it  the  better  :  The   word  that  is  ufed   in  mar- 
 riage, of  the  hufband  cleaving  to  the  wife,  holds  true 
 in  the  foul  once  married  to  that  which  is  good  ;  all 
 violence  will  be  too  weak  to  fever  thee.     Learn  to 
 know  what  this  is  that  is  truly  good,  to  know  the  ex- 
 cellency and  fvveetnefs  of  holinefs,  and  it  will  be  ini- 
 pollible  to  part  thy  affedion  from  it ;  but  this  is  the 
 reafon  why  men  are  fofoon  fliaken,  and  the  llender  hold 
 t?hey  have  removed,  the  fuperficies  of  the  ioul  only,  is 
 tied  to  the  outfide  of  religion,  by  fome  external  rela« 
 tions  and  engagements,  and  thofe  are  a  running  knot, 
 that  eafily  flips.     Few  receive  the  truth  in  the  love  of 
 it,  and  have  their  hearts,  united  to  Jefus  Chrift,  who 
 is  indeed  all  that  good  we  have  to  feek  after,  and  to 
 cleave  to. 
 
 Ver 
 
424  EXPOSITORY  LECTtJRES  [VER.  IO» 
 
 Ver.  10.  Be  kindly  affeclioned  one  to  another  with 
 brotherly  love  ;  in  honour  preferring  one  another. 
 
 Now,  in  this  way  of  holy  fpiritual  affedion,  feek- 
 ing  the  true  good  one  of  another,  be  kind  in  bro- 
 therly lovey  not  upon  defign  or  particular  intereft, 
 but  by  a  natural  propeniion  ;  fuch  as  in  creatures  to 
 their  young  ;  fuch  a  tendernefs  as  is  amongft  men  of 
 neareft  relations,  parents,  and  children,  and  brethren  ; 
 and  know  that  you  are  indeed  brethren  of  the  high- 
 cll  birth  and  parentage;  and  fo,  beyond  all  brethren, 
 Chriftians  are  obliged  to  love  one  another  :  alas  1 
 that  in  them,  likewife,  it  Ihould  prove  fo  unhappily 
 true,  that  the  love  of  brethren  is  rare  *  ;  that  they 
 ihould  be  fo  hardly  drawn  to  ads  of  love,  and  fo  ealily 
 ilirred  to  fits  of  anger  and  bitternefs,  one  towards  an- 
 other. My  beloved,  are  we  Chriftians  ?  Oh  1  where 
 is  the  fpirit  of  Chrift  ?  Where  that  great  law  of  his, 
 that  badge  of  his  followers,  Love  one  another  !  that 
 by  which  the  Chriftians  of  the  firft  times  aftonifhed 
 the  Pagans  about  them  ?  Yea,  their  very  enemies  and 
 perfecutors  were  amazed  at  it.  It  were  Well,  and 
 would  be  one  confiderable  gain  by  our  enemies,  if 
 their  combinations  and  malice  againft  the  godly 
 might  drive  them  ciofe  together,  and  unite  them  more 
 to  one  another  in  love. 
 
 In  honour  preferring  one  another.']  Putting  all  pof- 
 fible  refped  on  one  another;  this  not  in  ceremony  or 
 compliment,  though  thefe  civilities,  that  are  due,  and 
 done  without  feignednefs  or  affedation,  are  not  dif- 
 allowed,  yea,  are,  I  conceive,  included  ;  but  in  mat- 
 ter of  real  efteem,  each  preferring  one  another  ;  for 
 though  a  man  may  fee  the  weaknefs  of  thofe  he  con- 
 verfes  with,  yet  palling,  and  what  he  can,  covering 
 thefe,  he  ought  to  take  notice  of  what  is  good.  All 
 have  fomething  commendable,  and  none  hath  all ;  fo 
 the  meaneft  may  in  fomething  be  preferable  to  the 
 higheft  ;  and  Chriftian  humility  and  charity  will  feek 
 
 out 
 
 ■-•     Fratrum  quoque  gratia  vara  ejlt 
 
VER.  10.]  ON  ROMANS  XII.  425 
 
 out  for,  and  efpy  that,  and  for  it  put  all  refped  upon 
 them,  that  their  quality  and  ftatioh  is  able  to  bear  ; 
 and  in  this  one  fhould  prevent  another,  and  itrive 
 who  (hall  do  moft  in  this  .kind,  as  a  good  and  happy 
 contention. 
 
 And  the  fource  of  this  is  love  to  God,  that  fo  mor- 
 tifies the  heart  to  all  outward  advantages,  that,  fur- 
 ther than  ^  man  is  tied  by  place  and  calling,  he 
 would  not  receive,  much  lefs  defire,  any  kind  ot  re- 
 fpedl  from  any,  but  had  rather  be  flighted  and  difre- 
 garded.  What  cares  a  foul,  enamoured  with  the  glo- 
 ry to  come,  for  the  vain  palling  air  of  preference  and 
 honour  here  I  That  it  can  ealiiy  bate  to  any,  and,  fo 
 far  as  a  man  has  any  power  of  it,  would  put  it  upon 
 others,  far  rather  than  own  it  himfelf ;  fuch  an  one 
 can  fweetly  pleafe  himfelf  in  being  the  meaneil  in 
 all  companies  where  he  comes,  and  pafTing  for  fuch  ; 
 and  he  is  glad  of  refpedl  done  to  others,  ilill  looking 
 homeward,  where  there  is  no  prejudging  one  another 
 at  all,  but  perfed:  unenvying  and  unenvied  glory. 
 Glory  here  is  to  be  fhunned  rather  than  purfued  ;  and, 
 if  it  will  follow,  yet  is  it  lefs  to  be  regarded  than 
 thy  ihadow.  Oh  I  how  light  and  vanifliing  is  it,  and 
 -even  things  more  folid  than  it ;  the  faJJoion  of  this 
 world  pajfeth  awa^.,  1  Cor.  vii.  31, 
 
 Ver.  1 1.  Not Jlothful  .in  hujinefs,  fervent  in  fpirit,  fer- 
 ving  the  Lord. 
 
 Not  Jlothful  'in  bujinefs.l  Thefe  condenfed  rules 
 'have  much  in  them,  and  this  is  very  needful,  for  of- 
 ten a  lilllefs  indifpofed  wearinefs  overtakes  even  good 
 men  ;  feeing  fo  little  to  be  done  to  any  purpofe,  they 
 •are  almeft  ready  to  give  over  all ;  yet  they  ought  to 
 beftir  themfelves,  and  apply  to  diligence  in  their 
 place,  not  unduly  ilickling  and  bufy  in  things  im- 
 proper, but  incloling  thy  diligence  within  thy  fphere, 
 .Suffer  it  not  to  Hand,  but  keep  it  there  in  motion  : 
 as  to  thy  worldly  affairs,  be  fo  diligent  as  to  giy.e 
 
 Vol,,  II.  3  H     .  them 
 
426         EXPOSITORY  LECTURES        [VER.  II. 
 
 them  good  defpatch,  when  thou  art  about  them,  but 
 have  thy  heart  as  little  in  them,  as  much  difengaged, 
 as  may  be  \  yet,  fo  acquitting  them  wifely,  they  fhall 
 trouble  thee  the  lefs,   when  thou  art  in  higher  and 
 better  employments.     As  to  thyfelf,  be  often  exa* 
 jnining  thy  heart  and  w^ays,  driving  conftantly  againft 
 fin  ;  though  little  fenfible  advantage  be  gained,  yet  if 
 thou  yield,  it  will  be  w^orfe.     If  it  prevail  fo  much 
 amidft  all  thy  oppoiition,   what  would  it  do  if  thou 
 Ihouiail  lit  ftill  1   Ufe  all  holy  means,  how  fruitlefs 
 foever  they  feem  for  the  prefent,  and  wait  on  GoH, 
 We  have  toiled  all  night,  faid  Simon,  and  taken  nothing, 
 Luke  V.  5.  ;  and  yet  at  his  command,  eflaying  again, 
 they  took  more  at  once,  than  if,  after  their  ordinary 
 way,  they  had  been  taking  all  night.    So  as  to  others, 
 pive  not  up  becaufe  thou  feeil  no  prefent  fucccfs,  but, 
 in'  thy  place,   admonijk,  exhort  and  rebuke,   with  all 
 meeknefs  and  patience.     Doth   God   wait  on  linners> 
 and  wilt  not  thou  wait  a  little  for  others  ? 
 
 Fervent  in  fpirit.']  Beware  of  a  fretful  impatience; 
 that  is  a  lickly  diftempered  heat,  as  that  of  a  fever, 
 that  makes  a  man  unfit  for  work  ;  and  men  common- 
 ly in  this  break  away  from  their  bufinefs  :  But  much 
 healthful  natural  heat  makes  a  man  ftrong,  and  able 
 to  endure  labour,  and  continue  in  it.  This  is  the  thing 
 here  recommended.  To  be  fo  hot  ^ndi  ferve7it  in  fpirit 
 is  a  great  advantage  ;  it  is  the  very  ftrength  of  the  foul 
 in  all  emplovments :  much  love  to  God,  and  defire  of 
 his  glory  ;  this  is  the  heat  that  will  not  wearyJwiU 
 ^cheerfully  go  through  all  difcouragements ;  many  wa- 
 ters will  not  quench  it.  This  fervour  of  fpirit,  wrought 
 by  the  Spirit  of  God,  doth  clearly  dilYerence  itfelf 
 from  that  inordinate  heat  of  pur  fpirits,  which  may 
 fometimes  either  adl  alone,  or  mingle  itfelf  with  the 
 other  in  the  beft  caufes  and  affairs.  That  holy  fervaur 
 is  compofed  and  regular  in  working,  runs  not  headily 
 to  unadviied  or  diforderly  ways  ;  it  is  a  fweet  delight- 
 ful! hear,  not  painful  and  vexing  as  the  other;  it  car- 
 ries on  to  duty,- and  is  not  diHurbed  about  events. 
 
 Serving 
 
Vf?R.  I  I.J    '  ON  PvOMANS  XII.  427 
 
 Serving'  the  LordJ]  Some  copies  have  it,  feruing  the 
 time  ;  wihich  though  it  may  bear  a  fair  conllrucStion, 
 of  taking  prefent  occafions  of  good,  and  being  iifeful 
 in  our  generation,  and  accommodating  ouvfelves  in 
 all  lawful  things  to  times  and  perfons,  for  their  good, 
 as  our  Apoftle  became  all  things  to  all,  to  win  fame  ; 
 yet,  this  kind  of  expreliion  not  being  found  elfewhere 
 in  Scripture,  and  the  moft  copies  having  it  as  we  read 
 it,  and  fome  miftake  of  letters  in  tranfcribers  feem- 
 ing  to  have  occafioned  it,  it  is  much  rather  to  be 
 taken  as  in  our  verlion. 
 
 But,  out  of  all  queftion,  fome  do  follow  that  mif- 
 taken  reading  in  its  worfl  fenfe ;  inftead  of  y^rz;//?^ 
 the  Lord,  ferving  the  times  :  And  this  fome,  even  in 
 evil  ways ;  others,  in  w^ays  that  ave  good ;  yet  follow- 
 ing upon  trufl,  and  complying,  though  unwillingly, 
 becaufe  the  times  carry  things  fo ;  but  where  times 
 change  to  the  worfe,  thefe  men  are  difcovered  ;  for 
 Hill  they  ferve  their  mailer,  the  times,  and  their  own 
 advantage  in  them  ;  which  way  foever  that  goes,  they 
 follow  :  So  that  their  following  the  better  fide,  in  bet- 
 
 ,^er  times,  is  but  accidental. 
 
 j\  But  this  ferving  the  Lord  is  more  even  and  lafling  : 
 Serving  him  ftili  in  all  times,  doing  all  for  him,  ha- 
 ying no  aim  but  his  glory ;  fuch  a  heart  cannot  be 
 
 ^.Adiverted  from  its  courfe  by  any  counter-blaft  of  times. 
 
 Jo.  Would  you   be   ftedfaft  in  times  of  approaching 
 
 iitrial,  feek  hearts  acquainted  with  God,  and  fixed  on 
 'him  ;  for  others  will  be  Ihaken  ;  but  fuch  will  follow 
 him  through  all  hazards,  and  fear  no  ill  while  he  is 
 with/ them. 
 
 '""-■*  V  '■   ■ 
 
 ;'      :•  /    ■   ■  4  ♦  ■ '    - .  r  ^  ■  r 
 
 Ver.  12,  Rejoicing  in  hopeJ]   Oh  I    this  we  feidom 
 -^do.     When  are  our  hearts,  as  tranfported  with   the 
 \i[Q^tdL  hope  of  our  inheritance?  this  would  make  us 
 what  follows, 
 
 Patient  in  tribulation,']  People  would  hear  much  of 
 
 vthis,  of  preparing  for  fuffering :   there  may  be  a  dif- 
 
 temper  iti  defiring  to  hear  and  fpeak  fo  much  of  that. 
 
 What 
 
4^8  EXPOSITORY  LECTURES  [VER.  I2o- 
 
 What  though  trials  be  coming,  as  it  is  likely  they 
 are,  we  fhould  account  too  much  of  ourfelves,  and 
 this  prefent  world,  to  dwell  exprefsly  on  that  fubjedl. 
 We  lee  the  Apoftles  do  not  fo,  though  they  lived  and 
 wrote  in  times  of  other  fort  of  perfecution  than  we 
 have  yet  feen  ;  and  they,  to  whom  the  Apoftle  here 
 writes,  lived  where  it  was  moil  violent  and  potent, 
 and  yet  they  fpend'  not  all  on  this :  Some  brief  words 
 of  it,  rnterfpejfed  v.?ith  the  difcourfe,  thrown  as  it 
 were  into  a  parenthefis ;  but  ftill  the  main  is,  the 
 dodtrine  of  faith  and  rules  of  holinefs ;  and  theCs  arg 
 indeed  the  great  furniture  for  all  fufferings  :  I  know 
 no  other.  To  fee  much  the  excellency  and  worth  of 
 Jefus  Chrift,  the  riches  of  our  hope  in  bim ;  to  have 
 thefe  in  our  view,  much  in  our  hearts  and  in  our 
 mouths  ;  thefe  drown  all  the  little  fears  of  prefent 
 things.  See  how,  in  palling,  our  Apoftle  fpeaks,  as 
 it  were  in  a  flighting  way,  of  all  fufferings  for  him  : 
 I  have  caft  it  up,  fays  he  ;  and  I  reckon^  thai  the  fuf^ 
 ferings  of  this  prefent  time  (of  this  now)  are  not  wor- 
 thy to  be  compared  to  the  glory  which  fij all  he  revealed 
 in  us. 
 
 Again,  the  other  thing  is  the  rules  of  holinefs  ;. 
 thefe  powerfully  enable  for  fuffering  any  thing,  ra- 
 ther than  unholinefs  r  The  (icknefs  of  the  foul,  thefe 
 corrupt  humours  of  lin,  make  it  crazy,  that  it  can 
 endure  no  blafts  of  air  ;  but  when  it  is  purged  and 
 free  from  thefe,  and  m  communion  with  God  in  his 
 ways,  then  is  it  healthful  and  llrong  ;  and  fo  is  able 
 to  endure  any  thing.  The  mortifying  of  our  affec- 
 tions to  the  world,  that  is  it  that  enables  for  fuffer- 
 ing. Whither  reaches  the  cruelty  of  man,  but  to 
 thy  goods  or  body  ?  And  what  makes  any  faint,  but 
 an.  over-efteem  of  thefe,  by  which  they  are  filled 
 with  delires  to  preferve,  and  fears  to  lofe  them  ?  Now, 
 when  the  heart  is  difengag^;d  from  thefe,  and  hath 
 taken  up  in  God,  is  rich  and  content  in  him,  it  ftands 
 not  much  to  the  courtefy  of  any  ;  let  them  take  the 
 reft  \  it  fyffcrs^.with  joy  the  fpoiling  of  goods,  having 
 ^  "  -  i/i 
 
VER.  12. J  ON  ROMANS  XII,  ^2^ 
 
 in  heaven  a  more  enduring  fuhjlance^  Heb.  x.  34,  And 
 for  the  utmoft,  killing  them,  they  look  on  it  as  the 
 higheft  favour  ;  it  is  to  them  but  the  making  a  hole 
 for  them  in  their  prifon-wall  to  get  out  at.  There- 
 fore, I  fay,  there  is  nothing  doth  fo  fit  for  all  encoun- 
 ters^  as  to  be  much  inftrudted  in  that  which  is  the 
 fubflance  of  Chrillianity,  hearts  purified,  and  lives  ho- 
 lily  and  fpiritually  regulated.  In  a  word,  much  ftu« 
 dy  of  Chrift,  and  much  ftudy  of  thyfelf,  for  ought 
 I  know,  are  the  wifeft  and  flrongeft  preparatives  for 
 all  poflible  fufferings. 
 
 wHow  fweetly  can  the  foul  retire  into  him,  and  re- 
 pofe  in  him,  in  the  greateft  dorms.  I  know  nothing 
 that  can  much  difmay  him  that  can  believe  and  pray*. 
 That  you  fee  is  added, 
 
 inContiniting  injl ant  in  prayer."]  If  afraid  of  fainting, 
 yea,  if  at  the  point  of  fainting,  this  revives  the  foul,, 
 draws  in  no  lefs  than  the  flrength  of  God  to  fupport 
 it :  And  what  then  can  furcharge  it  ? 
 
 Thy  accefs  to  him  all  the  enemies  in  the  world 
 cannot  hinder ;  the  clofeft  prifon  fhuts  not  out  thy 
 God  ;  yea,  rather  it  fhuts  out  other  things  and  com- 
 panies, that  thou  mayefl  have  the  more  leifure  for 
 him,  and  the  fvveeter  converfe  with  him.  Oh  1  ac- 
 quaint yourfelves  with  this  exercife  of  prayer,  and 
 by  it  with  God,  that  if  days  of  trouble  come,  you 
 may  know  whither  to  go^  and  what  way  ;  and  if  you 
 know  this  way,  whatever  befala  you,  you  arc  not 
 much  to  be  bemoaned. 
 
 »  Nempe  tenens  quod  amo^  nihil,  ilium  amplexusy  timeb^* 
 
 i^  Ji  i .  A  i.  V  V-»  ii*>>; 
 
[    431     3 
 
 CHARGES,    &c. 
 
 To  the  Clergy  of  the  Diocefan  Synod  of  Dun- 
 blane, by  Bifhop  Leighton. 
 
 Never  before  printed. 
 
 I.  Bi/hop  Leighton' s  Charge  to  his  Clergy ^ 
 Septemher  1662. 
 
 FOR    DISCIPLINE. 
 
 First,  That  all  diligence  be  ufed  for  the  repreffing 
 of  profanenefs,  and  for  the  advancement  of  folid  piety 
 and  holinefs. 
 
 Secondly,  That  not  only  fcandals  of  unchaftity, 
 but  drunkennefs,  fwearing,  curfing,  filthy^ fpeaking, 
 and  mocking  of  religion,  and  all  other  grofs  offence§, 
 be  brought  under  chnrch-cenfure. 
 
 Thirdly,  That  fcandalous  offenders  be  not  abfol- 
 ved,  till  there  appear  in  them  very  probable  figns  of 
 true  repentance. 
 
 Fourthly,  That  inquiry  be  made,  by  the  minifter, 
 not  only  into  the  knowledge,  but  the  pradice  and  track 
 of  life,  of  thofe  who  are  to  be  admitted  to  the  holy 
 communion  ;  and  all  profane,  and  evidently  impeni- 
 tent, perfons  be  fecluded,  till  their  better  converfa- 
 tion,  and  obedience  to  the  gofpel,  be  more  apparent. 
 
 Fifthly,  That  family-prayer  be  inquired  after ;  and 
 they  that  can,  be  exhorted  to  join  with  it  reading  of 
 the  Scriptures. 
 
 FOR 
 
43^  CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY.' 
 
 FOR    WORSHIP. 
 
 FirH,  That,  tnfledd  of  ledluring  and  preaching 
 both  at  one  meeting,  larger  portions  of  the  Holy 
 Scripture's,  one  whol6  chapter  at  1 6a ft  of  each  Tefta- 
 nient,  and  pCalms  withal,  be  conftantiy  read ;  and 
 this  not  as  a  by-work,  while  they  are  convening,  but 
 after  the  people  are  well  convened,  and  the  worfhip 
 iblemnly  begun  with  confeffion  of  fins  and  prayer, 
 cither  by  the  rainifter  or  fome  fit  perfon  by  him  ap- 
 pointed. 
 
 Secondly,  That  the  Lord's  prayer  be  reftored  to 
 more  frequent  ufe  \  likewife,  the  doxology  and  the 
 creed. 
 
 Thirdly,  That  daily  public  prayer,  in  churches, 
 morning  and  evening,  with  reading  of  the  Scriptures, 
 be  ufed,  where  it  can  be  had  conveniently,  and  the 
 people  be  exhorted  to  frequent  them ;  not  fo  as  to  think 
 that  this  fhould  excufe  them  from  daily  private 
 prayer,  in  their  families  and  in  fecret,  but  rather  as 
 a  help  to  enable  them,  and  difpofe  them  the  more 
 for  both  thefe  '^  and  let  the  conftant  ufe  of  fecret 
 prayer  be  recommended  to  all  perfons,  as  the  great 
 inftrument  of  fan-difying  the  foul,  and  of  entertain- 
 ing and  increafing  in  it  the  love  of  God. 
 
 Fourthly,  That  the  younger  fort,  and  the  ignorant, 
 be  diligently  catechifed,  at  fit  times,  all  the  year 
 through  ;  and  that  work  not  wholly  laid  over  on  fome 
 days  or  weeks  before  the  celebration  of  the  commu- 
 nion ;  but  that  the  inquiry,  at  that  time,  be  rather 
 of  their  good  converfatfon,  and  due  difpoGtion  for 
 partaking  of  that  holy  ordinance,  as  was  faid  before 
 in  ail  article  touching  difcipline. 
 ..  Fifthly,  That  minifters  ufe  fome  fhort  form  of  ca- 
 techiim,  fuch  as  they  may  require  account  of,  till  a 
 common  form  be  agreed  on. 
 
 Sixthly,  That  preaching  be  plain,  and  ufeful  for 
 all  capacities;  not  entangled  with   ufelefs  queftions 
 
 and 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY.  433 
 
 and  difputes,  nor  continued  to  a  wearifome  length. 
 The  great  and  moft  neceflary  principles  of  religion, 
 moft  frequently  treated  upon  ;  and  oftentime  larger 
 portions  of  Scripture  explained,  and  filitable  inftruc- 
 tions  and  exhortations  thence  deduced  ;  and  let  that 
 bethefermon  at  that  time  ;  which  will  doubtlefs  be  as 
 truly  preaching  and  ufeful,  if  not  more  fo,  than  in- 
 lifting,  for  a  whole  fermon  or  more,  upon  one  ftiort 
 verfe  or  fentence. 
 
 The  Bifhop  propounded  to  the  brethren,  that  it 
 was  to  be  reminded,  by  himfelf  and  them  both,  to 
 how  eminent  degrees  of  purity  of  heart  and  life  their 
 holy  calling  doth  engage  them  ;  to  how  great  con- 
 tempt of  this  prefent  world,  and  inflamed  afFedions 
 toward  heaven,  fpringing  from  deep  perfuafions  with- 
 in them  of  thofe  things  they  preach  to  others,  and 
 from  the  daily  meditation  of  them,  and  fervent  prayer : 
 and  that  we  coniider  how  ill  it  becomes  us  to  be 
 much  in  the  trivial  converfation  of  the  world ;  but, 
 when  our  duty  or  neceflity  involves  us  in  company, 
 that  our  fpeech  and  deportment  be  exemplarily  holy, 
 miniftering  grace  to  thofe  with  whom  we  converfe  ; 
 and,  (to  add  but  this  one  thing,  fo  fuitable  to  mini- 
 fters  of  the  gofpel  of  peace),  that  we  be  meek  and 
 gentle,  and  lovers  and  exhorters  of  peace,  private 
 and  public,  amongft  all  ranks  of  men  ;  endeavouring 
 rather  to  quench,  than  to  increafe,  the  ufelefs  debates 
 and  contentions  that  abound  in  the  world  ;  and  be 
 always  more  ftudious  of  pacific  than  polemic  divini- 
 ty ;  that  certainly  being  much  diviner  than  this,  for 
 the  ftudents  of  it  are  called  the  fons  of  God. 
 
 II.    The  Bifhop* s  Addrefs  after  the  bujinefs  was  over^ 
 
 Odlober  1665. 
 
 After  the  affairs  of  the  Synod  were  ended,  the 
 Bifhop  fhewed  the  brethren  he  had  Ibmewhat  to  im- 
 par*  to  them  that  concerned  himfelf,  which,  though 
 
 Vol.  IL  3  I  it 
 
434  CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY. 
 
 it  imported  little  or  nothing,  either  to  them  or  the 
 church,  yet  he  judged  it  his  duty  to  acquaint  them 
 with  :    And    it   was,    the   refolution   he   had   taken 
 of    retiring    from  this   public  charge  ;  and   that  all 
 the   account    he    could    give    of  the  reafons  moving 
 him  to  it,  was   briefly  this  :  The   fenfe   he   had   of 
 his  own    unworthinefs   of  fo   high  a  ftation  in   the 
 church,  and  his  wearinefs  of  the   contentions  of  this 
 church,  which  feemed  rather  to  be  growing  than  aba- 
 ting ;  and,  by  their  growth,  did  make'fo  great  abate- 
 ments of  that  Chridian  meeknefs  and   mutual  chari- 
 ty, that  is  To  much  more  worth   than   the  whole  fum 
 of  all  that  we  contend  about.    He  thanked  the  breth- 
 ren for  all  their  undeferved  refped  and  kindnefs  ma- 
 nifefted  to  himfelf  all  along  ;  and  defired   their  good 
 conftrudion  of  the  poor  endeavours  he  had  ufed  to 
 ferve  them,  and  to  aflift  them  in  promoting  the  work 
 of  the  miniftry,  and  the  great  defigns  of  the  gofpel, 
 in  their  bounds;  and  if,  in  any  thing,  in  word  or 
 deed,  he  had  offended  them,  or  any  of  them,  he  ve- 
 ry earneftly  and  humbly  craved   their  pardon  :   And 
 having  recommended  to  them  to  continue  in  the  ilu- 
 dy  of  peace  and  holinefs,  and  of  ardent  love  to  our 
 great  Lord  and  Mafter,  and  to  the   fouls  he  hath  fo 
 dearly  bought,  he  clofed  with  theie  words  of  the  A- 
 poftle  :    *V  Finally,   brethren,    farewell:    Be  perfect, 
 "  be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one  mind,  and  live  in 
 "  peace;  and   the   God   of  peace  and   love  fhall  be 
 "with  you." 
 
 III.     The  Blfhop^s  Charge,  OBoher  1666. 
 
 I.  It  was  enadcd,  That  all  the  minifters  do  en- 
 deavour to  bring  their  people  to  a  high  efteem  of  the 
 Hcly  Scriptures,  and  of  the  reading  of  them  in  pub- 
 lic ;  and  to  give  evidence  thereof,  by  reverent  and 
 attentive  hearing,  none  being  permitted  to  fland  a- 
 bout  the  doors,  or  lie  in  the  kirk -yard,  during  the 
 
 time 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY.  435 
 
 time  of  reading ;  and  if,  after  warning  given  them 
 of  this,  any  Ihall  be  found  to  continue  in  the  fame 
 diforder,  they  are,  by  due  rebukes  and  cenfures,  to 
 be  brought  to  obedience. 
 
 2.  That  the  miniflers  be  careful  to  diredl  the  read- 
 ers what  parts  of  the  Scriptures  are  moll  frequently  to 
 be  read:  as,  the  hiftories  of  the  gofpel,  and  the  epif- 
 tles  ;  and  of  the  Old  Teflament,  the  moft  intelligible 
 and  practical  parts,  particularly,  large  portions  of  the 
 Pfalms  at  all  times,  being  both  fo  excellently  inftruc- 
 tive,  and  withal  fo  divine  forms  of  prayers  and  prai- 
 fes,  and  therefore  have  been  fo  much  ufed  by  the 
 Chriitian  churches  in  all  ages,  and  always  made  fo 
 great  a  part  of  their  public  fervice. 
 
 3.  That  no  readers  be  permitted,  but  fuch  as  are 
 tried  and  approved  by  the  Prelbytery. 
 
 4.  That,  belides  the  reading  betwixt  the  fecond 
 and  third  bell,  which  is  but  as  in  the  interval  for 
 thofe  that  are  come,  till  the  reft  do  convene,  fome 
 part  of  the  Scriptures  be  read  after  the  laft  bell  is 
 rung  out,  and  the  congregation  more  fully  met,  and 
 the  minifter  is  come  in  ;  either  by  himfelf,  or  by  the 
 reader  at  his  appointment ;  one  chapter  at  leaft,  toge- 
 ther with  fome  of  the  Pfalms,  one  or  more,  as  they 
 are  of  length,  and  of  which  fome  part  afterwards 
 may  be  fung,  and  fo  the  people  (hall  the  better  un- 
 derltand  what  they  fing.  Thus  fhall  this  fo  ufeful 
 ordinance  of  public  reading  of  the  Scriptures  be  per- 
 formed with  more  folemnity,  and  brought  into  great- 
 er refped:  and  veneration,  and  the  people  be  more 
 univerfally  and  plentifully  edified  by  it.  But,  toge- 
 ther with  thi?,  the  reciting  of  the  ten  command- 
 ments, and  the  belief,  according  to  the  adls  o^  for- 
 mer Synods,  is  no  Lord's-day  to  be  omitted  ;  nor  is 
 this  only  or  mainly  meant  as  a  help  to  the  peoples 
 learning  the  words  of  them,  and  fo  being  able  to  re- 
 peat them,  but  as  a  folemn  publication  of  the  law  or 
 God,  as  the  rule  of  our  life,  and  a  folemn  profeffion 
 
 or 
 
43^  CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY. 
 
 of  our  believing  the  articles  of  our  Chriflian  faith, 
 and  for  the  quickening  of  our  affedions  toward  both. 
 
 And  as  to  that  excrcife  of  reading  the  Scriptures, 
 it  cannot  be  imagined  that  any  well-inftruded  and 
 folid-minded  Chnftian  can  queftion  the  great  expe- 
 diency and  ufefulnefs  of  it  for  all  ranks  of  people  : 
 for,  betides  that  many  of  our  commons  cannot  read, 
 and  fo  ciiQnot  ufe  the  Scriptures  in  private,  and  too 
 many  that  can,  yet  do  negledt  it,  even  they  that  ufe 
 them  moft  in  private,  will  not  only  no  whit  the  lefs, 
 but  \'o  much  the  more,  be  well  fatisfied  and  edified 
 with  hearing  them  read  in  public,  and  will  more  re- 
 verently and  religioully  attend  to  them,  and,  with 
 the  bleffing  of  God  upon  them  fo  doing,  not  fail  to 
 find  (what  others  can  fay  t.^ey  have  often  found)  di- 
 vers paiTages  and  fentences  falling  frequently  in  upon 
 their  hearts  in  public  reading,  with  particular  warmth 
 and  divine  force,  nothing  below,  if  not  fometimes 
 beyond,  what  they  ufually  find  in  private. 
 
 If  the  minilter  think  fit  to  make  his  fermon  for  the 
 time,  upon  fome  part  of  what,  by  himfelf,  or  by  his 
 appointment,  hath  been  read,  it  may  do  well ;  and 
 poflibiy  fo  much  the  better,  the  longer  the,  text  be, 
 and  the  fhorter  the  fermon  be  ;  for,  it  is  greatly  to 
 be  fufpeded,  that  our  ufual  way  of  very  fhort  texts, 
 and  very*  long  fermons,  is  apt  to  weary  people  more, 
 and  profit  them  lefs. 
 
 But,  vvhatfoever  they  do  in  this,  they  would  be- 
 ware of  returning  to  their  long  expofitions^  befides 
 their  fermon,  at  one  and  the  fame  meeting  ;  which, 
 befides  the  tedioufnefs  and  other  inconveniencies,  is 
 apt  to  foment  in  peoples  minds,  the  fooliih  prejudice 
 and  proud  difdain  they  have  taken  againfl  the  Scrip- 
 tures read  wiihout  a  fuperadded  difcourfe,  in  which 
 conceit,  for  all  their  zeal  againfi:  Popery,  they  feem 
 to  be' too  much  of  the  Romilli  opinion,  as  accounting 
 the  Holy  Scriptures  fo  obfcure  in  themfelves,  that  it 
 is  fome  way  dangerous,  or  at  lead  altogether  unprofit- 
 able, to  intruit  the  cotiimon  people  either  with  read- 
 ing 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY.  437 
 
 ing  or  hearing  any  part  of  them  at  any  time,  unlefs 
 they  be  backed  with  continual  expolitions. 
 
 5.  That  minifters  do  endeavour  to  reduce  the  peo- 
 ple from  the  irreverent  deportment  they  have  gene- 
 rally contraded  in  the  public  worfhip ;  particularly, 
 from  their  mod  indecent  fitting  at  prayer;  to  kneel 
 or  Hand,  as  conveniently  they  may,  that  we  may 
 worlhip,  both  with  our  bodies  and  with  our  fouls,  Hini  f 
 that  made  both,  and  made  them  for  that  very  end.  ' 
 Oh  I  how  needful  is  that  invitatory  to  be  often  rung 
 in  our  ^ars,  that  feem  wholly  to  have  forgot  it,  "  Oh ! 
 
 **  come,  and  let  us  worfhip,  and  bow  down  and  kneel 
 **  before  the  Lord  our  Maker." 
 
 6.  That  people  be  frequently  and  earneflly  ex- 
 horted to  morning  and  evening  prayer  in  their  fami- 
 lies, efpecially  the  prime  families  in  parifties,  as  moft 
 exemplary. 
 
 7.  That  the  way  of  catechifing  be  more  adapted 
 to  the  capacity  of  our  rude  and  ignorant  people  ;  and 
 that  our  fermons,  particularly  thofe  of  the  afternoon, 
 may  be  more  frequently  bellowed  on  the  moft  plain 
 and  intelligible  way  of  explaining  fome  point  of  ca- 
 techetical dodlrine. 
 
 8.  It  was  recommended.  That  convenient  utenfils 
 be  provided  in  every  kirk,  for  the  adminiftration  of 
 the  holy  facraments. 
 
 9.  That,  according  to  our  great  and  ftanding  duty, 
 we  be  dill  m.ore  and  more  zealous  and  careful,  by 
 dodrine  and  difcipline,  to  purge  out  all  profanenefs ; 
 particularly^  the  moft  common  and  crying  fins,  as 
 drunkennefs,  curfing,  fwearing,  railing,  and  bitter 
 fpeaking,  and  rotten  filthy  fpeaking,  fo  ufual  amongft 
 the  common  fort,  in  their  houfe  or  field  labour  to- 
 gether, particularly  in  harveft  :  and  that  it  be  by  all 
 minifters  recommended  to  the  owners  of  the  crops, 
 and  overieers  of  the  reapers,  to  range  them  fo  to  their 
 work,  and  in  fuch  divifions,  as  may  give  leaft  occa- 
 fion  to  any  thing  of  that  kind. 
 
 10.  That, 
 
438  CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY. 
 
 '  10.  That,  as  we  ourfelves  would  be  exemplary  in 
 holinefs,  we  would  endeavour  that  our  feniores  ple~ 
 bis,  or  elders  of  the  people,  be  fo  too  :  and,  for  that 
 efid,  rather  to  have  them  well  chofen,  though  fewer, 
 than  a  great  number  of  fuch  as  too  often  they  are. 
 
 II.  That  the  Prefbyteries  do  inquire  of  each  one 
 of  their  number  concerning  the  celebration  of  the 
 communion,  that  at  leall  our  ufual  returns  of  it  be 
 negleded  by  none  ;  for,  it  is  one  of  the  great  defedls 
 and  reproaches  of  our  church,  that  that  great  ordi- 
 nance, being  fo  ufeful  for  the  increafe  of  holinefs, 
 Ihould  be  fo  feldom  adminiftered,  as  with  us  it  is, 
 even  where  it  is  oftenell.  For  the  way  of  examina- 
 tion in  order  to  it,  fomewhat  is  fet  down  in  our  firft 
 Synod,  which  may  be  looked  at,  if  poflibly  it  may 
 prove  to  be  of  any  ufe. 
 
 IV.  Paper  given  in  hy  the  Bijhop  to  the  Synod, 
 
 April  1667. 
 
 I  confefs  that  ray  own  inadive  and  unraeddling 
 temper  may  be  too  apt  to  prevail  againil  the  known 
 duty  of  my  flation,  and  may  incline  me  rather  to  in- 
 quire too  little  than  too  much  into  the  deportment  of 
 others ;  and  rather  to  be  deficient,  than  to  exceed  in 
 admonitions  and  advices  to  my  brethren,  in  matters 
 of  their  dutv  :  And,  befides  this  natural  averfion,  the 
 feiife  of  my  own  great  unworthinefs  and  filthinefs, 
 may  give  me  check,  and  be  a  very  ftrong  curb  upon  me, 
 in  ceafuring  others  for  what  may  be  amifs,  or  in  of- 
 fering any  rules  for  the  redrefs  of  it  :  And  there  is 
 yet  another  coniideration,  that  bends  liill  further  that 
 way  ;  for,  I  am  fo  delirous  to  keep  far  off  from  the 
 reach  of  that  prejudice,  that  abounds  in  thefe  parts, 
 againft  the  very  name  of  ray  facred  fundion,  as  apt 
 to  command  and  domineer  too  much,  that  I  may 
 poffibly  err  on  the  other  hand,  and  fcarce  perform 
 the  duty  of  the  lowed  and  m.ofl  moderate  kind  of 
 
 moderator  j 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY.  439 
 
 moderator ;  fo  that  I  am  forced  to  fpur  and  drive  up 
 myfelf  againft  all  thefe  retardments,  to  fuggeft  any 
 thing,  how  ufeful  foever,  beyond  our  road  or  accuf- 
 tomed  way,  efpecially,  finding  how  little  any  thing 
 of  that  kind  takes,  and  prevails  to  any  real  effec^t. 
 
 However,  when  any  thing  appears  to  me  of  evi^ 
 dent  reafon  and  ufefulnefs,  and  that  eafily  joins -ini 
 and  paceth  with,  our  (landing  cuftoms,  I  judge  it  my 
 duty  to  offer  it  to  yon  ;  and  I  hope,  if  that  ye  fliall  find 
 it  of  any  ufe,  ye  will  not  rejed  it,  but  rather  improve 
 it  to  fomewhat  better,  that  by  occafion  of  it  may  arife 
 in  your  own  thoughts. 
 
 Something  of  this  kind  I  have  formerly  moved^ 
 concerning  the  way  of  dealing  with  perfons  fallen 
 into  fcandalous  fin  :  Frequent  fpeaking  with  them  in 
 private,  to  the  convincing  and  awakening  their  con- 
 fciences  to  a  lively  fenfe  of  fin,  and  directing  them 
 in  the  exercifes  of  repentance,  and  exhorting  them 
 to  fet  apart  fome  time  for  a  folemn  humbling  of  their 
 fouls  in  faft:ing  and  prayer;  and  not  to  admit  them 
 to  public  confeflion,  until  they  have,  to  our  beft  dif- 
 cerning,  fome  real  he  art- fenfe  of  fin,  and  remorfe  for 
 it,  and  ferious  purpofes  of  newnefs  of  life. ' 
 
 Likewife,  I  fuggefl:ed  fomewhat  touching  the  way 
 of  examining  of  all  perfons,  toward  their  admilfion 
 to  the  holy  communion,  befides  the  ordinary  way  of 
 catechifing  the  younger  and  more  ignorant  fort.;  and 
 fome  other  particulars,  much  like  thefe,  that  now  1 
 will  not  repeat. 
 
 That  which  I  would  recommend  at  this  time,  re- 
 lates to  the  bufinefs  of  Privy  trials  (as  they  are  call- 
 ed) of  minifl:ers  in  their  Prefijyteries,  toward  the 
 time  of  the  Synod  ;  in  Which  I  have  perceived,  in  fome 
 places,  (if  1  may  be  pardoned  that  free  word),  very 
 much  of  fuperficial  empty  form ;  for  the  help  of 
 which,  befides  other  ways  which  m.ay  be  thought  on, 
 that  v.7hich  occurs  to  me  at  prefent,  is  this  :  That 
 fome  certain  quefliioris  be  afked  of  every  minifl:er  be- 
 fore he  withdraws ;   and.  thefe  be  much  the  fame 
 
 with 
 
^40  CHARGES  Tb  THE  CLl^RGY. 
 
 with  thofe  that  ufually  are,  or  fitly  may  be,  propoun- 
 ded to  the  elders  and  people  concerning  their  mini- 
 Iter,  at  the  vifitation  of  particular  kirks.  For. 
 though,  in  the  cafe  we  now  fpeak  of,  we  can  have 
 nothing  but  every  man's  own  word  concerning  him- 
 Xelf,  yet  this  does  not  render  it  an  ufelefs  thing  ;  for, 
 befides  that  divers  of  the  queftions  will  be  of  things 
 fo  '  obvious  to  public  knowledge,  that  no  man  will 
 readily  adventure  to  give  an  untrue  anfwer,  where  it 
 may  be  fo  eafily  traced,  there  is  much  to  be  given  to 
 the  prefumed  ingenuity  and  veracity  of  a  minifter, 
 efpecially  in  what  is  folemnly  and  pundlually  inquir- 
 ed of  him;  and  whatfoever,  formerly,  hath  been,  or 
 hath  not  been,  his  former  degree  of  diligence  in  the 
 particulars,  the  very  inquiry  and  afking  concerning 
 them,  will  be  apt  to  awake,  in  every  man,  a  more  fe- 
 rious  refledtion  upon  himfelf  touching  each  point ; 
 and  the  drawing  forth  fuch  an  exprefs  anfwer  to 
 each  before  his  brethren',  vvill  probably  excite  and 
 engage 'him  to  higher  exadnefs  in  all  of  them  for  the 
 time  to  come. 
 
 The  particulars  I  conceive  may  be  thefe,  and  fuch 
 others,  like  them,  as  may  be  further  thought  fit. 
 
 1.  Whether  he  be  conftantly  afliduous  in  plain 
 and  profitable  preaching,  inftruding,  and  exhorting, 
 and  reproving,  moft  exprefsly  and  frequently,  thofe 
 fins  that  abound  moft  among  his  people  ;  and  in  all 
 things,  to  his  beft  ikill,  fitting  his  dodrine  to  the  ca- 
 pacities, neceflities,  and  edification  of  all  forts  with- 
 in his  charge  ? 
 
 2.  Whether  he  be  diligent  in  catechifing,  employ- 
 ing throughout  the  year  fuch  feafons  and  times  for  it, 
 as  may  be  eafieft  and  fitteft  for  the  people  to  attend 
 it,  and  not  wholly  cafting  it  over  upon  fome  few  days 
 or  weeks  near  the  time  of  the  communion  ? 
 
 3.  How  often  in  the  year  he  celebrates  the  holy 
 communion  ?  for  I  am  afhamed  to  fay,  whether,  at 
 leaft,  once  every  year  ? 
 
 4- 
 
CU^fMES,  TO  THi:  GJ[;^;PX^Y.  44I 
 
 4.  Whether  he  does  faithfully  and  impartially  ex- 
 crcife  difcipline,  and  bring  aj^  known  fcandals  to  due 
 cenfure ;  and  does  fpeak  privately,  and  that  oftener 
 than  once,  with  the  perfojis.^onvicted,  and  admits 
 them  not  to  public  acknowledgment,  till  he  fees  in 
 them  fome  probable  ligns  of  true  repentance.ig--  ^i^^ 
 
 5.  Whether  he  be  diligent,  by  himfelf  and'  his 
 elders,  in  ail  convenient  ways,  to  know  the  deport- 
 ment of  the  feveral  families  and  perfons  of  his  flock  ; 
 and  do  frequently  viflt  the  families,  and  not  only  aik, 
 but  do  his  bell  certainly  to  inform  himfelf^  whether  they 
 conilantly  ufe  morning  and  evening  prayer,  together 
 with  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  if  they  have  any  that  can 
 do  it ;  and  whether  this  point  of  family  exercife  be 
 fpecially  provided  for  in  the  choice  families  in  the 
 pariin«>.rr  e  "^?iv3,f" 
 
 6.  Whether  he  be  careful  of  the  relief  of  the  poor, 
 and  of  vifiting  the  fick,  whenfoever  he  knows  of  any, 
 even  though  they  negled:  to  fend  for  him  ;  and  for 
 this  end  make  inquiry,  and  the  rather  prevent  their 
 fending,  becaufe  they  commonly  defer  that,  till  it 
 can  be  of  little  or  no  ufe  to  them. 
 
 7.  Whether  he  does  in  private  plainly  and  freely 
 admonifh  thofe  he  knows,  or  hath  caufe  to  fufpedl,  to 
 be  given  to  uncleannefs,  or  drunkennefs,  or  fwearing, 
 or  any  kind  of  inordinate  walking,  efpecially  if  they 
 be  of  that  quality  that  engages  him  frequently  to 
 converfe  with  them;  and  if  they  continue  fuch, 
 leaves  off  that  converfe ;  and  if  their  mifcarriage  be 
 public,  brings  them  to  public  cenfure. 
 
 8.  Whether  he  watches  exadlly  over  his  -own  con- 
 verfation  in  all  things,  that  he  not  only  give  no  of- 
 fence, but  be  an  example  to  the  flock,  and  preach  by 
 living. 
 
 9.  Whether  he  fpend  the  greatefl:  portions  of  his 
 time  in  private,  in  reading,  and  prayer,  and  medita- 
 tion,—-a  thing  fo  neceflary  to  enable  him  for  all  the 
 other  parts  of  his  duty. 
 
 Vol.  II.  3  K  lo.  Whether 
 
442  CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY, 
 
 10.  Whether  he  makes  it  the  great  bufincfs,  and 
 withal  the  great  pleafure,  of  his  life,  to  fulfil  the  work 
 of  his  minillry,  in  the  feveral  parts  and  duties  of  it, 
 out  of  love  to  God,  and  to  the  fouls  of  his  people. 
 
 11.  If  he  does  not  only  avoid  grofs  offences,  (which, 
 in  a  guide  of  fouls,  were  intolerable),  but  itudies 
 daily  to  mortify  pride,  and  rafli  anger,  and  vain-glo 
 ry,  and  covetoufnefs,  and  love  of  this  world  and  of 
 fenfual  pleafures,  and  felf-love,  and  all  inordinate 
 pailions  and  affections,  even  in  thofe  inilances  where- 
 in they  are  fubtileft  and  leail  difcernible  by  others, 
 and  commonly  too  little  difcerned  by  ourfelves. 
 
 12.  If  he  not  only  lives  in  peace  with  his  brethren 
 and  flock,  and  withal  as  much  as  is  poilible,  but  is 
 an  ardent  lover  and  promoter  of  it,  reconciling  diffe- 
 rences, and  preferving  good  agreement,  all  he  can, 
 amongil  his  people. 
 
 It  hath  not  efcaped  my  thoughts,  that  fome  of  thefe 
 queilions,  being  of  things  more  inward,  may  [ecm 
 lefs  fit  to  be  publicly  propounded  to  any  ;  and  that 
 the  bell  obfervers  of  them,  will,  both  out  of  modelly^ 
 and  real  humility,  and  fevere  judging  of  themfelves, 
 be  apteil  to  charge  themfelves  with  deficiency  in 
 them,  and  will  only  own,  at  nioft,  lincere  dcfires 
 and  endeavour,  which,  likewife,  they  that  pracflife  and 
 mind  them  leait,  may,  in  general,  profefs  ;  neither  h 
 there  any  more  particular  and  pundual  account  to 
 be  expected  of  fuch  things  from  any  man  in  public  : 
 but  the  main  intent  in  thefe,  (as  was  faid  before),  is 
 ferious  reflection,  and  that  each  of  us  may  be  flirred 
 up,  to  afk  ourfelves  over  again  thefe  and  more  of  the 
 like  quefiions,  in  our  moft  private  trials,  and  our  fe- 
 cret  Icrutinies  of  our  own  hearts  and  lives,  and  may 
 redouble  our  diligence  in  purging  ourfelves ;  that  we 
 may  be  in  the  hoiife  of  God  veffeis  of  honour,  fanc- 
 tified  and  meet  for  the  Mafter's  ufe,  and  prepared 
 to  every  good  work  :  and,  for  thofe  other  things  more 
 expofed  to  the  knowledge  of  others,  if  any  brother 
 hears  of  any  faultinefs  in  any  of  the  number,  he  fhall 
 
 not 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE-CLERGY.  ^4^ 
 
 net  do  well  to  think  rudely  to  vent  it  in  the  meeting, 
 till  firft  he  have  made  ail  due  inquiry  after  the  truth 
 of  it;  yea,  though  he  hath  it  upon  inquiry  to  be 
 true,  yet  ought  he  not,  even  then,  to  make  his  firft 
 eilay  of  rectifying  his  brother,  by  a  declaration  to  the 
 full  meeting,  without  having  formerly  admoniflied 
 him,  firft  alone,  and  then  (according  to  our  Saviour's 
 rule)  in  the  prefence  of  one  or  two  more  ;  but  having 
 done  fo,  if  neither  of  thefe  reclaim  him,  then  follows  of 
 neceffity  to  tell  the  church  :  but  that  is  likewife  to 
 be  done  with  great  iinglenefs  of  heart,  and  charity, 
 and  compaftion ;  and  the  whole  procedure  of  the 
 whole  company,  with  the  perfon  fo  delated,  is  to  be 
 managed  with  the  fame  temper,  ,  according  to  the 
 excellent  advice  of  the  Apoftle,  Gal.  vi.  2.  "  My 
 '*  brethren,  if  any  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye 
 *'  wdiich  are  fpiritual  reftore  fuch  a  one  in  the  fpirit 
 ■**  of  meeknefs,  conlidering  thyfelf,  left  thou  alfo  be 
 *'  tempted." 
 
 V.  Paper  given  in  by  the  BiJ/jop  to  the  Synod,  Odlo- 
 her  1067,  containing  Propofuls  touching  the  follow- 
 ing things  : 
 
 1.  Solemn  reading  of  the  Scriptures. 
 
 2.  Reducing  of  the  people  to  a  reverend  gefture 
 in  prayer. 
 
 3.  Plain  and  pradlical,  and  catechetical,  preach- 
 ing. . 
 
 4.  A  weekly  day  for  catechifing,  and  the  reading 
 of  the  Scriptures  joined  with  it. 
 
 5.  A  ftiort  and  plain  form  of  catechifm. 
 
 6.  A  more  exadl  and  fpiritual  way  of  dealing  with 
 public  penitents. 
 
 7.  As  likevv'ifc  of  preparing  people  for  the  com- 
 munion ;  more  frequent  celebration  whereof  is  fo 
 much  to  be  wiftied,  but  fo  little,  or  fcarce  at  all,  to 
 be  hoped  in  this  Church, 
 
 g.  That, 
 
444  CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY. 
 
 8.  That,  in  preaching,  the  mod  abounding  and 
 crying  fins  be  more  fharply  and  frequently  reproved, 
 particularly  curfing  and  fvvearing  ;  and  the  worfhip  of 
 God  in  families  more  urged. 
 
 9.  The  due  educating  and  moulding  the  minds  of 
 young  ftudents  in  prefbyterie^. 
 
 10.  More  frequent  and  more  exad:  vifitation  of 
 churches ;  and  the  viliting  of  families  by  each  mini- 
 ller  in  his  own  charge. 
 
 The  words  of  the  Paper  were  as  follow : 
 
 1.  That  the  reading  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  our 
 public  meetings,  when  they  are  folemneft  and  fuUeft, 
 be  conllantly  ufed,  and  that   we   endeavour  to  bring 
 our  people  to  a  reverend  and  affedionate  efteem  of 
 that  ordinance,  and  attention  to  it. 
 
 2.  That,  both  by  our  own  example,  and  by  fre- 
 quent inilrudion  and  exhortation,  we  ftudy  to  reform 
 that  extreme  irreverence  and  indecency  that  hath 
 generally  prevailed  in  peoples  deportment  in  time  of 
 public  worfhip,  and  particularly  of  prayer:  and  that 
 they  be  reduced  to  fuch  a  geflure,  as  may  lignify  that 
 we  are  acknowledging  and  adoring  the  great  Ma- 
 jeity  of  God. 
 
 3.  That  we  endeavour  to  adapt  our  way  of  preach- 
 ing, with  all  evidence  and  plainnefs,  to  the  informing 
 of  the  peoples  minds,  and  quickening  their  affeclions, 
 and  railing  in  them  renewed  purpofes  of  a  Chriftian 
 life  ;  and  that  fome  part  of  our  fermons  be  defigned 
 for  the  plain  and  practical  explication  of  the  great 
 principles  of  religion. 
 
 4.  That  we  fix  fome  certain  times,  at  leaft  one  day 
 in  the  week,  throughout  the  year,  for  catechifing, 
 and  that,  withal,  there  be  reading  of  the  Scriptures, 
 and  prayer  at  the  fame  time  ;  to  which,  befides  that 
 part  of  the  people  that  are  for  each  time  particularly 
 warned  to  be  prefent,  thole  others  that  are  near  the 
 church,  and  at  leifure,  may  refort ;  for,  the  work  of 
 the  miniftry  is  a  hufbandry  of  more  continual  labour 
 
 and 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY.  445 
 
 and  attendance  than  that  of  our  country  people  that 
 labour  the  ground,  and  therefore  cannot  well  be  duly 
 difcharged  if  it  be  wholly  caft  over  upon  the  Lord's 
 day,  without  ever  meeting  with  them,  or  bringing 
 any  conliderable  part  of  them  together,  all  the  week 
 long. 
 
 5.  It  feems  abfolutely  neceflary  that  each  minifler 
 would  refolve  on  fome  ftiort  and  plain  form  of  ca- 
 techifm,  for  the  ufe  of  his  people  ;  for,  it  is  not,  I 
 think,  to  be  imagined,  that  ever  people  will  have  any 
 fixed  knowledge  of  the  articles  of  religion,  by  lax,  and 
 continually  varied,  difcourfes  and  forms,  or  by  cate- 
 chifms  too  long  and  too  hard  for  them  :  and  would 
 fome  draw  up  ieveral  ihort  forms,  they  might  be  re- 
 vifed  at  the  next  Synod,  and  poffibly  one  framed  out 
 of  them,  which,  by  confent,  might  be  appointed  for 
 the  ufe  of  this  diocefs  for  the  interim,  till  one  ihall 
 be  publifhed  for  the  whole  church. 
 
 6.  That  which  hath  been  formerly  propofed,  would 
 be  reminded,  of  a  more  exa6l  and  fpiritual  way  of 
 dealing  with  public  offenders,  that  their  reception 
 might  be  both  more  apt  to  recover  the  penitents 
 themfelves,  and  to  edify  the  church. 
 
 7.  For  more  frequent  communion,  (if  it  could  be 
 had),  or,  however,  for  the  better  improving  it,  when 
 we  have  it,  feldom  as  it  is,  what  hath  been  formerly 
 fuggefted,  touching  the  way  of  examining  and  pre- 
 paring people  to  it,  and  other  particulars  relating 
 thereto,  need  not  be  repeated,  but  need  very  much 
 to  be  really  pra6tifed,  if  they  can  be  of  any  ufe. 
 
 8.  Like  wife,  enough  hath  been  formerly  faid,  (it 
 were  well  if  any  thing  might  once  appear  to  be  done), 
 touching  the  worfhip  of  God  in  families,  efpecially 
 the  prime  ones  within  our  bounds :  as  likevvife  touch- 
 ing the  exercife  of  diicipline,  for  the  reprcffing  of 
 fwearing  and  drunkennefs,  and  all  profanenefs,  fo 
 much  abounding  every  where ;  and  that  our  doclrine 
 be  likewife,  more  particularly  and  frequently,  applied 
 to  that  purpofe, 
 
 9.  Something 
 
44^  CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY. 
 
 9.  Something  hath  likewife  been  faid  concerning 
 the  training  up  of  fiich  young  men  amongft  us  as 
 intend  the  miniftry,  not  only  as  to  their  ilrain  of 
 preaching,  but  the  moulding  of  their  minds  to  more 
 inward  thoughts,  and  the  fludy  of  a  devout  life,  and 
 more  acquaintance^  with  the  exercifes  of  mortifica- 
 tion, and  purging  of  their  own  hearts,  by  thofe  divine 
 truths  which  they  are  to  pi'each  to  others,  for  the 
 fame  purpcfe ;  for  how  fhall  they  teach  what  they 
 have  not  learned  ? 
 
 10.  That  churches  be  more  frequently  and  exad:- 
 ly  vilited,  and  by  each  miniiler  the  families  of  his 
 congregation. 
 
 This  paper  being  publicly  read,  and  confented  to, 
 and  approved  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  Synod^ 
 conform  to  it  was  framed  the  following  a6t  : 
 
 The  Bifhop  and  Synod  having  feriouily  confidered 
 the  height  of  profanenefs,  and  grofs  iins  abounding 
 among  their  people,  particularly  drunkennels  and  un- 
 cleannefs,  and  mofl  univerfally  the  heinous  fin  of 
 curfing  and  fwearing,  and,  that  w^hich  foments  and 
 increafes  tliofe,  and  all  fins,  the  great  contempt  oi 
 the  Lord's  holy  day  and  ordinances  ;  and  the  grofs 
 and  ahnoit  incredible  ignorance  of  the  common  fort, 
 under  fo  much  affiduous  preaching  and  catechifing  : 
 for  the  more  effeclual  redrefs  of  all  thefe  evils,  have 
 agreed  and  refolved,  through  the  Lord's  help,  each 
 one,  within  himfelf,  to  ftir  the  grace  and  zeal  of  God 
 that  is  within  him,  to  renewt^d  vigour  and  fervour, 
 and  more  earnefl  endeavours  in  the  ufe  of  all  due 
 means  for  that  effedf  ;  and  particularly, 
 
 I.  The  applying  of  their  fermons  and  doctrines 
 more  exprefsly  and  frequently  to  the  reproof  of  thofe 
 wickednefles,  efpecially  of  that  horrible  fin,  which  al- 
 mofi:  all  ranks  of  men  do  more  eafily  and  frequently 
 commit  than  they  can  pofiibly  do  other  grofs  fins, 
 and  that  with  lefs  fenfe  and  remorfe, — curfing  and 
 fwearing  :  And  that  they  will,   by  God's  afilfl:ance, 
 
 not 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY.  447 
 
 not  only  ufe  fhort  and  frequent  reproofs  of  this  and 
 other  iins,  but  at  fometimcs  more  largely  iniift  in 
 reprefenting  the  exceeding  finfulnefs  and  vilenefs  of 
 fuch  a  particular  lin,  and  the  great  danger  of  the 
 Lord's  wrath  and  heavieil  judgments  upon  thofe  that 
 perfifl  in  it. 
 
 2.  That  with  this  they  will  join  conflant  private 
 infpeclion  over  the  lives  of  their  people,  and,  by  all 
 due  means,  particularly  inquire  into  them  ;  and  when 
 they  find  any  one  guilty  of  any  grofs  fin,  privately 
 to  admonifli  him,  meekly  and  affectionately,  but  yet 
 with  all  freedom  and  plainnefs ;  and  if  upon  that 
 they  mend  not,  to  proceed  in  the  regular  way  of  dif- 
 cipline  and  cenfure  within  their  own  charge  ;  and  if 
 they  be  not  by  that  reclaimed,  but  prove  obftinate, 
 then  to  delate  them  to  the  higher  judicature,  in  the 
 ufual  order  of  this  church. 
 
 3.  To  ufe  more  frequent  catechifing,  and  that  in 
 fo  plain  a  method  and  way,  as  may  be  moft  apt,  both 
 to  inform  the  minds  of  the  moil  ignorant,  and,  through 
 the  bleffing  of  God,  to  make  more  deep  impreflion 
 upon  their  hearts. 
 
 4.  That,  as  much  as  is  competent  for  minifters, 
 they  will  endeavour  to  procure  the  executing  of  thefe 
 penal  lav/s  made  againil  curfing  and  fvvearing,  and 
 other  fcandalous  offences,  in  fuch  a  way  as  may  be 
 moft  convenient  and  feafible  in  each  of  their  refpec- 
 tive  parilbes. 
 
 5.  That  they  will  endeavonr,  both  by  exhortation, 
 and,  where  need  is,  by  ufe  of  difcipline,  to  bring 
 their  people  to  more  careful  and  conftant  attendance 
 on  all  the  ordinances  of  God,  at  all  times  of  the  ac- 
 cuftomed  public  meetings,  and  to  a  more  religious 
 and  reverend  deportment  in  them  throughout  the 
 whole,  but  particularly  in  time  of  prayer. 
 
 6.  That  they  be  particularly  careful  to  inquire  af- 
 ter the  daily  performance  of  the  worfliip  of  God  in 
 families,  and,  where  they  find  it  wanting,  to  enjoin 
 it,  and  make  inquiry  again  after  it  j  and  this  would 
 
 be 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY. 
 
 be  efpecially  provided  for,  in  the  choice  and  moil 
 eminent  families  in  the  feveral  congregation,  as  ex- 
 emplary to  all  the  reft.  ■  ^ '^^  ^^  -  -^ ';  ^•'  ;uunwr 
 '^i^^'  >»  Vhmoiq  crenel 
 
 VI.     Concluding  Paragraph,  April  1668. 
 
 The  Bifliop  having  commended  the  Brethrch^f 
 their  unity  and  concord,  and  good  converfation,  ex- 
 horted them  to  continue  therein,  and  to  be  more  and 
 more  exemplary  in  holinefs,  and  in  modefty  and  gra- 
 vity, even  in  the  externals  of  their  hair  and  habit, 
 and  their  whole  deportment ;  and  to  the  regulating 
 of  their  children,  and  their  whole  families,  to  be 
 patterns  of  religion  and  fobriety  to  all  about  them  ; 
 and  that  they  themfelves  afpire  daily  to  greater  ab- 
 itradlion  from  the  world,  and  contempt  of  things  be- 
 low ,  giving  themfelves  wholly  to  their  great  work 
 of  watching  over  fouls,  for  which  they  muft  give  ac- 
 count ;  and  to  reading  and  meditation  ;  and  to  prayer, 
 that  draws  continual  frefh  fupplies  from  heaven,  to 
 enable  them  for  all  thefe  duties. 
 
 ^     VII.     Paragraph  refpeEiing  iapti^frtiUPW^s^ 
 ,     ■  Oclober  1668..       ^^   ^   ^^'  V^- 
 
 That  which  had  been  fometimes  fpoke  of  before, 
 the  Bifhop  now  again  recommended  to  the  Brethren, 
 that,  at  their  fet  times  of  catechifing  and  examining 
 their  people,  they  would  take  particular  notice  of 
 young  perfons,  towards  their  firft  admiffion  to  the 
 holy  communion  ;  and,  having  before  taken  account 
 of  their  knowledge  of  the  grounds  of  religion,  would 
 then  caufe  them,  each  one  particularly  and  exprefs- 
 ly,  to  declare  their  belief  of  the  Chriftian  faith,  into 
 which,  in  their  infancy,  they  were  baptized  ;  and, 
 reminding  them  of  that  their  baptifmal  vow,  and  the 
 great  engagement  it  lays  upon  them  to  a  holy  and 
 
 Chriftian 
 
CHARGES  TO  THE  CLERGY.  449 
 
 Chriftian  life,  would  require  of  them  an  explicit 
 owning  of  that  vow  and  engagement,  and  their  fo- 
 lemn  promife  accordingly,  to  endeavour  the  obferving 
 and  performance  of  it,  in  the  whole  courfe  of  their 
 following  life  :  And  then,  in  their  prayer  with  which 
 they  ufe  to  conclude  thole  meetings,  would  recom- 
 mend the  faid  young  perfons,  now  thus  engaged,  to 
 the  efFedual  bleffing  of  God,  befeeching  him  to  own 
 them  for  his,  and  to  beftow  on  them  the  fandtifying 
 and  ftrengthening  gi;ace  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  as  his 
 fignature  upon  th^m,  fealing  them  to  the  day  of  re- 
 demption. 
 
 And  this  pradlice,  as  it  hath  nothing  in  it  that  can 
 offend  any,  even  the  moft  fcrupulous  minds,  fo  it 
 may  be  a  very  fit  fuppletory  of  that  defed:  in  infant 
 baptifm,  which  the  enemies  of  it  do  mainly  obje<ft 
 again  ft  it,  and  may,  through  the  bleffing  of  God, 
 make  a  lafting  impr^ffion  of  religion  upon  the  hearts 
 of  thofe  young  perfons  towards  whom  it  is  ufed,  and 
 effectually  engage  them  to  a  Chriftian  life  ;  and  if 
 they  fwerve  from  it,  make  them  the  more  inexcufable. 
 and  clearly  convincible  of  their  unfaithfulnefs,  and 
 breach  of  that  great  promife,  and  facred  vow,  they 
 have  fo  renewed  to  God  before  his  people.  And  for 
 authority  of  divines^  if  we  regard  it,  it  hath  the  ge- 
 neral approbation-  of  the  moft  famous  reformers,  and 
 of  the  moft  pious  and  learned  that  have  followed 
 them  iince  their  time  ;  and,  being  performed  in  that 
 evangelical  ftmplicity,  as  it  is  here  propounded,  they 
 do  not  only  allow  it  as  lawful,  but  defire  it,  and  ad- 
 vife  it  as  laudable  and  profitable,  and  of  very  good 
 ufe,  in  all  Chriftian  churches. 
 
 Vol.  II.  3  L  LET- 
 
4^0  LETTER.  TO  THE  SYNOD  OF  1?UKBLANE. 
 
 LETTER  to  the  Synod  of  Dunblane] 
 
 Reverend  Brethren^      Glafgow^  April  6.  i67i* 
 
 The  fupcradded  burden  that  I  have  here  fits  fo 
 hard  upon  me,  that  I  cannot  efcape  from  under  it, 
 to  be  with  you  at  this  time ;  but  my  heart  and  de» 
 fires  (hall  be  with  you,  for  a  bleffing  from  above  up- 
 on your  meeting.  I  have  nothing  to  recommend  to 
 you,  but  (if  you  pleafe)  to  take  a  review  of  things 
 formerly  agreed  upon  ;  and  fuch  as  you  judge  mofl 
 ufeful,  to  renew  the  appointment  of  putting  them  in 
 practice;  and  to  add  whatfoever  further  fhall  occur 
 to  your  thoughts,  that  may  promote  the  happy  difv 
 charge  of  your  miniilry,  and  the  good  of  your  peo- 
 ples fouls.  I  know  I  need  not  remind  you,  for  I  am 
 confident  you  daily  think  of  it,  that  the  great  prin- 
 ciple of  fidelity  and  diligence,  and  good  fuccefs,  in 
 that  great  work,  is  love ;  and  the  great  fpring  of  love 
 to  fouls,  is  love  to  Him  that  bought  them.  He  knew 
 it  well  himfelf;  and  gave  us  to  know  it,  when  he 
 faid,  Simon,  lovejl  thou  me  P  Feed  my  Jheepj  feed  my 
 lambs*  Deep  imprellioa  of  his  blelTed  name  upon 
 our  hearts,  will  not  fail  to  produce  lively  expreffion 
 of  it,  not  only  in  our  words  and  difcourfes  in  private 
 and  public,  but  will  make  the  whole  tradt  of  our 
 lives  to  be  a  true  copy  and  tranfcript  of  his  holy  life  : 
 And,  if  there  be  within  us  any  fparks  of  that  divine 
 love,  you  know  the  bell  way,"  not  only  to  preferve 
 them,  but  to  excite  them,  and  blow  them  up  into  a 
 fiame,  is  by  the  breath  of  prayer.  Oh  prayer  !  the 
 converfe  of  the  foul  with  God,  the  breath  of  God  in 
 man  returning  to  its  original,  frequent  and  fervent 
 prayer,  the  better  half  of  our  whole  work,  and  that 
 Avhich  makes  the  other  half  lively  and  effedlual ;  as 
 that  holy  company  tells  us,  when  defigning  deacons 
 to  ferve  the  tables,  they  add,  But  we  will  give  our- 
 ft'lves  continually  to  prayer,  and  the  miriijlry  of  the 
 
 word. 
 
LETTER  TO  THE  SYNOD  OF  fil)Ni'tANE.  45 1 
 
 word.  And  is  it  not,  brethren,  our  unfpeakable  ad- 
 vantage, beyond  all  the  gainful  and  honourable  em- 
 ployments of  th€  world,  that  the  whole  work  of  our 
 particular  calling  is  a  kind  of  living  in  heaven,  and 
 belides  its  tendency  to  the  faving  of  the  fouls  of  others, 
 is  all  along  fo  proper  and  adapted  to  the  purifying 
 and  faving  of  our  own  ?  But  you  will  poffibly  fay, 
 what  does  he  hi'mfelf  that  fpeaks  thefe  things  unto  us? 
 Alas  I  I  am  afhamed  to  tell  you.  All  I  dare  fay  is 
 this,  I  think  I  fee  the  beauty  of  holinefs,  and  am  ena- 
 moured with  it,  though  I  attain  it  not;  arid  how 
 'little  foever  I  attain,  would  rather  live  and  die  in 
 the  purfuit  of  it,  than  in  the  purfuit,  yea,  or  in  the 
 poifeffion  and  enjoyment,  though  unpurfued,  of  all 
 the  advantages  that  this  world  alFords.  And  I  truft, 
 dear  Brethren,  you  are  of  the  fame  opinion,  and  have 
 the  fame  deiire  and  defign,  and  follow  it  both  more 
 diligently,  and  with  better  fuccefs.  But  L  will  ftop 
 here,  left  I  Ihould  forget  myfelf,  and  poffibly  run  on 
 till  I  have  wearied  you,  if  I  have  not  done  that  al- 
 ready \  and  yet  if  it  be  fo,  I  will  hope  for  eafy  par- 
 don at  your  hands,  as  of  a  fault  I  have  not  been  ac- 
 cuftomed  heretofore,  nor  am  likely  hereafter  often  to 
 commit.  To  the  all-powerful  grace  of  our  great  Lord 
 and  Mafter,  I  recommend  you  and  your  flocks,  and 
 your  whole  work  amongft  them  ;  and  do  earneilly 
 entreat  your  prayers  for 
 
 Tour  UTiworthieJl,  but  mq/i  affedionate. 
 
 Brother  and  Servant, 
 R.  Leightok- 
 
 SEVEN 
 
-j<^,^^r^ 
 
 1  rr  •  p'  r : 
 
 SEVEN  LETTERS, 
 
 Written  by  Blfhop  Leighton  on  different 
 Occalions:  the  firft^ taken  fram  an  Authen- 
 tic Copy  ;  the  reft,  from  the  Author's  Ori  - 
 ginals.     [Edit.  1748.]  * 
 
 i  pd 
 
 •  LETTER  to  the  Synod  0/*  Glasgow,  convened 
 
 April  i6f]y 
 
 Reverend  Brethren^ 
 
 It  is  neither  a  matter  of  much  importance,  nor 
 can  I  yet  give  you  a  particular  and  fatisfying  ac- 
 count of  the  reafons  of  my  abfence  from  your 'meet- 
 ing, which  I  truft,  with  the  help  of  a  httle  time, 
 will  clear  itfelf;  But  I  can  affure  you,  I  am  prefenc 
 .with  you  in  my  tnoft  afFeittionate  wifties  of  the  graci- 
 ous prefence  of  that  Holy  Spirit  amongfl:  you,  and 
 within  you  all,  who  alone  can  make  this  and  all  your 
 meetings,  and  the  whole  work  of  your  miniilry,  hap- 
 py and  fuccefsful,  to  the  good  of  fouls,  and  His  glo- 
 ry that  bought  them  with  his  own  blood.  And  I  (Joubt 
 not,  that  your  own  great  deiire,  each  for  yourfelf, 
 and  all  for  one  another,  is  the  fame  j  and  that  your 
 daily  and  great  employment  is,  by  inceifant  and  fer- 
 vent prayer,  to  draw  down  from  above  large  fupplies 
 and  increafes  of  that  blefTed  Spirit,  which  our  Lord 
 
 and 
 
''  LETTERS,  &C.  453 
 
 and  Mailer  hath  aflured  us  that  our  heavenly  Father 
 will  not  fail  to  give  to  them  that  a/k  it.  And  how 
 extreme  a  negligence  and  folly  were  it  to  want  fo 
 rich  a  gift  for  want  of  alking,  efpecially  in  thole  de- 
 voted to  fo  high  and  holy  a  fervice,  that  requires  fo 
 great  degrees  of  that  fpirit  of  holinefs  and  divine 
 love  to  purify  their  minds,  and  to  raife  them  aboi?e 
 their  ferries  and  this  prefent  wprld  1  Oh  I  my  dear 
 Brethren,  what  are  we. doing,  that  fuffer  our  fouls  to 
 creep  and  grovel  on  this  earth,  and  do  fo  little  afpire 
 to  the  heavenly  life  of  Chriftians,  and  more  eminent- 
 ly of  the  mefTengers  and  miniilers  of  God,  as  liars, 
 yea,  as  angels,  which  he  hath  made  JplritSy  and  his 
 minijlers  a  fiame  of  fire  !  Oh  1  where  are  fouls 
 to  be  found  amongfl  us,  that  reprefent  their  own 
 original,  that  are  poiTeffed  with  pure  and  fublime 
 apprehenfions  of  God,  the  Father  of  fpirits,  and 
 are  qften  raifed  to  the  ailoniHiing  contemplation 
 of  his  eternal  and  bleffed  being,  and  his  infinite 
 holinefs,  and  greatnefs,  and  goodnefs ;  and  are  ac- 
 cordingly burnt  up  with  ardent  love  I  And  where 
 that  holy  fire  is  wanting,  there  can  ..bt^  ,p,Q  facrifice, 
 whatfoever  our  invention,  or  utterance,  or  gifts  may 
 be,  and  how  blamelefs  foever  the  externals  of  our 
 life  may  be,  and  even  our  hearts  free  from  grafs  pol- 
 lutions ;  for  it  is  fcarce  to  be  fufpeded,  that  any  of 
 us  will  fuffer  any  of  thofe  llrange,  yea,  infernal  fires 
 of  ambition,  or  avarice,  or  malice,  or  impure  lulls 
 and  fenfualititis,  to  burn  within  us,  which  would  ren- 
 der us  priefts  of  idols,  of  airy  nothings,  and  of  duhg- 
 hil  gods,  yea,  of  the  very  god  of  this  world,  the 
 prince  of  darknefs.  Let  men  judge  Us  and  revile  us 
 as  they  pleafe,  that  imports  nothing  at  all  •,  but  God 
 forbid  anything  fhould  poilefs  our  hearts  but  He  that 
 loved  us,  and  gave  himfelf  for  us ;  for  we  know  we" 
 cannot  be  vejfels  of  honour  meet  for  the  Majhr''s  vfe'^ 
 unlefs  we  purge  our f elves  from  all  filth  uiefs  offltpj  and 
 fpirit,  and  empty  our  hearts  of  ail  things  belide  him,- 
 and  even  of  ourfelves  and  our  own  will,  and.b;i,vb  qb 
 
 more 
 
454  LETTERS,  &C- 
 
 more  any  delires  ,nor  deli,:;;hts,  but  his  will  alone,  and 
 his  glory,  who  is  our  peace,  and  our  life,  and  our  alL 
 jVnd,  truly,  I  think  it  were  our  heft  and  vvifeft  reflec- 
 tion, upon  the  many  difficulties  and  difcouragements 
 without  us,  to  be  driven  by  them  to  live  more  with- 
 in; as  they  obferve  of  the  bees,  that  when  it  is  foul 
 weather  abroad,  they  are  bufy  in  their  hives.  If  the 
 .power  of  external  difcipline  be  enervated  in  our 
 hands,  yet,  who  can  hinder  us  to  try,  and  judge,  and 
 cenfure  ourfelves  ;  and  to  purge  the  inner  temples, 
 our  own  hearts,  with  the  more  feverity  and  exad:- 
 nefs  ?  And  if  we  be  dafhed  and  befpattered  with 
 reproaches  abroad,  to  ftudy  to  be  the  cleaner  at  home  : 
 And  the  lefs  we  find  of  meeknefs  and  charity  in  the 
 world  about  us,  to  preferve  fo  much  the  more  of  that 
 fweet  temper  within  our  own  hearts  ;  hlejjing  them 
 that  curfe  us,  and  praying  for  them  that  perfecute  us  ; 
 fo  ihall  we  moft  effedually  prove  ourfelves  to  be  the 
 children  of  our  heavenly  Father,  even  to  their  convic- 
 tion, that  will  fcarce  ailov^  us,  in  any  fenfe,  to  be  call- 
 ed his  fervants. 
 
 As  for  the  confufions  and  contentions  that  dill  a- 
 bound  and  increafe  in  this  Church,  and  threaten  to 
 undo  it,  I  think  our  wifdom  fhall  be,  to  ceafe  from 
 many  and  look  for  no  help  till  we  look  more  upwards, 
 and  difpute  and  difcourfe  lefs^  and  faft  and  pray 
 more;  and  fo  draw  down  our  relief  from  the  God 
 of  order  and  peace,  w^ho  made  the  heavens  and  the 
 earth. 
 
 Concerning  myfeif,  I  have  nothing  to  fay,  but  hum- 
 bly to  entreat  you  to  pafs  by  the  many  failings  and 
 weaknelTes  you  may  have  perceived  in  me  during  my 
 abode  amongft  you  ;  and  if  in  any  thing!  have  inju- 
 red or  offended  you,  or  any  of  you,  in  the  manage- 
 ment of  my  public  charge,  or  in  private  converfe,'  I 
 do  fincerely  beg  your  pardon  :  Though,  I  confefs,  I 
 cannot  make  any  requittal  in  that  kind ;  for  I  do  not 
 Xnow  of  any  thing  towards  me,  from  any  of  you, 
 that  needs  a  pardon  in  the  leaft ;  having  generally 
 
 paid 
 
LETTERS,  &C.  455 
 
 paid  me  more  kindnefs  and  refped,  than  a  much  bet- 
 ter or  wifer  man  could  either  have  expeded  or  defer- 
 ved.  Nor  am  I  only  a  fuitor  for  your  pardon,  but 
 for  the  addition  of  a  further  charity,  and  that  fo  great 
 a  one,  that  I  have  nothing  to  plead  for  it,  but  that  I 
 need  it  much, — your  prayers.  And  I  am  hopeful  as 
 to  that,  to  make  you  fome  little,  though  very  dif- 
 proportioned  return  ;  for  whatfoever  becomes  of  me, 
 (through  the  help  of  God),  while  I  live,  you  (hall 
 ^e  no  one  day  of  my  life  forgotten  by, 
 
 Tour  mojl  unworthy^  but  viojl  affeEiionatey 
 
 Brother  and  Servant^ 
 
 R.  LeigiixQN. 
 
 P,  S,  I  do  not  fee  whom  it  can  offend,  or  how  any 
 fhall  difapprove  of  it,  if  you  will  appoint  a  faft 
 throughout  your  bounds,  to  entreat  a  bleffing  on  the 
 feed  committed  to  the  ground,  and  for  the  other 
 grave  caufes  that  are  ftill  the  fame  they  were  the 
 laft  year,  and  the  urgency  of  them  no  whit  abated, 
 but  rather  increafed :  but  in  this  I  prefcribe  nothing, 
 but  leave  it  to  your  difcretion,  and  the  direction  of 
 opod. 
 
 The  two  following-  Letters  were  written  to  Perfons 
 under  Trouble  of  Mind, 
 
 Chrijlian  Friend^ 
 
 Though  I  had  very  little  vacant  time  for  it,  yet 
 X  would  have  feen  you,  if  I  could  have  prefumed 
 It  might  have  been  any  way  ufeful  for  the  quiet- 
 ing of  your  mind  ;  however,  lince  I  heard  of  your 
 condition,  I  ceafe  not  daily,  as  I  can,  to  prefent 
 it  to  Him,  who  alone  can  effedlually  fpeak  peace 
 to  your  heart  j  and  I  am  confident,  in  due  time, 
 will   do   fo.       It   is   he   that  Jlilletb  the  raging  of 
 
 the 
 
4S6  lETTERS,  &C. 
 
 the  fea ;  and,  by  a  word,  can  turn  the  yiolentefl 
 florm  into  a  great  calm.  What  the  particular 
 thoughts  or  temptations  are  that  difquiet  you,  I 
 know  not;  but  whatfoever  they  are,  look  above 
 them,  and  labour  to  fix  your  eye  on  that  infinite 
 goodnefs,  which  never  faileth  them,  that,  by  naked 
 faith,  do  abfolutely  rely  and  reft  upon  it,  and  patient- 
 ly wait  upon  Him,  who  hath  prono^jjced  them  all, 
 without  exception,  blelTed  that  do  lb.  Say  often 
 within  your  own  heart,  Though  hejlay  me,  yet  will  I 
 trujl  in  him  ;  and  if,  after  fome  intervals,  your  troub- 
 led thoughts  do  return,  check  them  ftill  with  the 
 holy  Pfalmifl's  words,  Why  art  thou  cajl,  down,  0  my 
 foulP  l^c,  if  you  can  thoroughly  fink  yourfelf  down, 
 through  your  own  nothingnefs,  into  Him  who  is  all, 
 and  entirely  renouncing  your  own  will,  embrace  that 
 bleft  and  holy  will  in  all  things,  there,  I  am  fure,  you 
 ihall  find  that  refi:,  which  all  your  own  diftempers, 
 and  all  the  powers  of  darknefs,  fhali  not  be  able  to 
 bereave  you  of.  I  incline  not  to  multiply  words  ; 
 and  indeed  other  advice  than  this  I  have  none  to 
 give  you.  The  Lord  of  peace,  by  the  fprinkling  of 
 the  blood  of  his  fon  Jefus,  and  the  fweet  breathings 
 of  the  great  Comforter,  his  X)wn  Holy  Spirit,  give  you 
 peace  in  himfelf,     Amen^ 
 
 Madatn^ 
 Though  I  have  not  the  honour  to  be  acquainted 
 with  your  Ladyfhip,  yet  a  friend  of  yours  has  acquain- 
 ted me  with  your  condition,  though  I  confefs  the  un- 
 fitteft  of  all  men  to  minifter  any  thing  of  fpiritual  re- 
 lief to  any  perfon,  either  by  prayer  or  advice  to  you; 
 but  he  could  have  imparted  fuch  a  thing  to  none  of 
 •greater  fecrecy,  and  withal  of  greater  fympathy  and 
 tender  compaffion  towards  fuch  as  are  exercifed  with 
 thofe  kinds  of  confii61s  \  as,  having  been  formerly  ac- 
 quainted with  the  like  myfelf,  all  forts  of  fceptical 
 and  doubtful  thoughts,  touching  thofe  great  points, 
 
 having 
 
LETTERS,  See,  457 
 
 having  not  only  paft  through  ray  head,  but  fome  of 
 them  have  for  ibme  time  fat  more  fad  and  painfully 
 upon  my  mind  ;  hut,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  they 
 were  at  length  quite  difpelled  and  fcattered.  And 
 oh  I  that  I  could  love  and  blefs  Him,  who  is  my  de- 
 liverer and  ftrength,  my  rock  and  fortrefs,  where  I 
 have  now  found  fa fety  from  thefe  incurfions ;  and  I 
 am  very  confident  you  fhall  very  fhortly  find  the 
 fame  ;  only  wait  patiently  on  the  Lord,  and  hope  in 
 b;m,  for  you  fhall  yet  praife  him  for  the  help  of  his 
 :ountenance  ;  and  it  is  that  alone  that  can  enlighten 
 ioUy  and  clear  your  mind  of  all  thofe  fogs  and  mifts  that 
 TOW  pofTefs  it,  and  calm  the  florms  that  are  raifed 
 kvithin  it.  You  do  well  to  read  good  books  that  are 
 3ropei*  for  your  help,  but  rather  the  fhorteft  and 
 ^lainell,  than  the  more  tedious  and  voluminous,  that 
 bmetimes  entangle  a  perplexed  mind  yet  more,  by 
 ^rafping  many  more  queftions,  and  anlwers  and  ar- 
 guments, than  is  needful :  But,  above  all,  flill  cleave 
 :o  the  incomparable  fpring  of  light  and  divine  com-^ 
 brt,  the  Holy  Scriptures,  even  in  defpite  of  all  doubts 
 :oncerning  them  ;  and  when  you  find  your  thoughts 
 n  diforder,  and  at  a  lofs,  entertain  no  difpute  with 
 hem,  by  any  means,  at  that  time,  but  rather  divert 
 Torn  them  to  fhort  prayer,  or  to  other  thoughts,  and 
 bmetimes  to  well  chofen  company,  or  the  befl  you 
 ^an  have  where  you  are  *,  and  at  fome  other  time, 
 vhen  you  find  yourfelf  in  a  calmer  and  ferener  tem- 
 per, and  upon  the  vantage  ground  of  a  little  more 
 ,'onfidence  in  God,  then  you  may  refume  your  rea- 
 bus  againit  unbelief,  yet  lb  as  to  beware  of  calling 
 rourfeif  into  new  difturbance ;  for  when  your  mind 
 s  in  a  fober  temper,  there  is  nothing  fo  fuitable  to  its 
 trongeft  reafon,  nothing  fo  wife  and  noble,  as  reli- 
 gion ;  and  believe  it  is  fo  rational,  that,  as  now  I  am 
 "ramed,  I  am  afraid  that  my  belief  proceeds  too 
 nuch  from  reafon,  and  is  not  fo  divine  and  fpiritual 
 is  I  would  have  it ;  only  when  I  find  (as  in  fome 
 Tieafure  through  the  grace  of  God  I  do)  that  it  hath 
 Vol.  1L  3  M  fome 
 
458  LETTERS,  &C. 
 
 fome  real  virtue  and  influence  upon  my  afFedions 
 and  track  of  life,  I  hope  there  is  fomewhat  of  a  higher 
 tindlure  in   it ;  but,  in  point  of  reafon,  I  am  well 
 aflured,  that  all  that  I  have  heard  from  the  wittieft 
 atheifls  and  libertines  in  the  world,   is  nothing  but 
 bold  revery  and  madnefs,  and  their  whole  difcourfe 
 a  Heap  of  folly  and  ridiculous  nonfenfe :  for,  what 
 probable  account  can  they  give  of  the  wonderful  frame 
 of  the  vifible   world,  without   the   fuppofition  of  an 
 eternal  and  infinite  power,  and  wifdom  and  goodnefs, 
 that  formed  it  and  themfelves,  and  all  things  in  k  ? 
 And  w^hat  can  they  think  of  the  many  thoufands  of 
 martyrs  in  the  firll  age  of  Chriitianity,-that  endured 
 not  limple  death,  but  all  the  inventions  of  the  mod 
 exquifite  tortures,  for  their  belief  of  that  mod  holy 
 faith  ;  which,  if  the  miracles  that  confirmed  it  had 
 not   perfuaded   them   to,   they  themfelves  had  been 
 thought  the  moft  prodigious  miracles  of  madnefs  in 
 all  the  w^orld  ?  It  is  not  want  of  reafon  on  the  fide  of 
 religion  that  makes  fools  difiDelieve  it,  but  the  inte- 
 reft  of  their  brutifii  lulls  and  diflolute -lives  makes 
 them  wifii  it  were  not   true  ;  and  there   is   the  vaft 
 difference  betv^-ixt  you  and  them  ;  they  would  gladly 
 believe  lefs  than  they  do,  and  you  would   alfo  gladly 
 believe  more  than  they  do:  They  are  fometimes  pained 
 and  tormented  with  apprehenfions,  that  the  dodrine 
 of  religion  is  or  may  be  true  ;  and  you  are  perplexed 
 with  fuggeftions  to  doubt  of  it,  which  are  to  you  as 
 unwilling  and  unwelcome,   as  thefe  apprehenfions  of 
 its  truth  are  to  them.     Believe  it.  Madam,  thefe  dif- 
 ferent thoughts  of  yours,  are  not  yours,   but  his  that 
 inferts  them,  and  throws  them,  as  fiery  darts,  into 
 your  mind  ;  and  they  fhall  aflurediy  be  laid  to  his 
 charge,  and  not  to  yours.     Think  you,  that  infinite 
 goodnefs  is  ready  to  take  advantage  of  his  poor  crea- 
 tures, and  to  rejed:  and  condemn  thofe,  that,   againft 
 all  the  alTaiilts  inade  upon  them,  defire  to  keep  their 
 heart  for  him,  and  to  acknowledge  him,  and  to  love 
 liim,  and  live  to  him.     He  made  us,  and  knows  our 
 
 mould, 
 
XETTERS,  &C,  459^ 
 
 inould,  and,  as  a  father,  pities  his  children,  and  pitie 
 them  that  fear  him  ;  for  he  is  their  father,  and  the 
 tenderefl  and  kindcfl  of  all  fathers ;  and,  as  a  father 
 pities  his  child  when  it  is  fick,  and  in  the  rage  and 
 revery  of  a  fever,  though  it  even  utter  reproachful 
 words  againfl  himfeif,  fliall  not  our  deareft  Father 
 both  forgive  and  pity  thofe  thoughts  in  any  child  of 
 his,  that  arife  not  from  any  wilful  hatred  of  him,  but 
 are  kindled  in  hell  within  them  ?  And  no  tempta- 
 tion hath  befallen  you  in  this,  but  that  which  has 
 been  incident  to  men,  and  to  the  bed  of  men  ;  and 
 their  heavenly  Father  hath  not  only  forgiven  them^ 
 but  in  due  time  hath  given  them  an  happy  ilTue  out 
 of  them,  and  fo  he  will  alTuredly  do  to  you  ;  in  the 
 mean  time,  when  thefe  aflaults  come  thickeil  and 
 violenteft  upon  you,  throw  yourfelf  down  at  his  foot-, 
 ftool,  and  fay,  "  O  God,  Father  of  mercies,  fave  me 
 "  from  this  hell  within  me.  I  acknowledge,  I  adore, 
 "  I  blefs  thee,  whofe  throne  is  in  heaven,  with  thy 
 ^'  blefTed  Son  and  crucihed  Jefus,  and  thy  Holy  Spi- 
 **-rit,  and  alfo,  though  thou  flay  me,  yet  will  I  truft 
 ••Vin  ;  thee  :  But  1  cannot  think  thou  canil  hate  and 
 ^*  rejedl  a  poor  foul  that  defires  to  love  thee,  and 
 **  cleave  to  thee,  fo  long  as  I  can  hold  by  the  Ikirts 
 ^*  of  thy  garment,  until  thou  violently  iliake  me  off, 
 'fs  which  I  am  confident  thou  would  not  do,  becaufe 
 J*4hou  art  love  and  goodnefs  itfelf,  and  thy  mercies 
 ^^  endure  for  ever.^''  -  Thus,  or  in  what  other  frame 
 your  foul  fhall  be  carried  to  vent  itfelf  into  his  bofom, 
 be  alfured,  your  words,  yea,  your  filent  iighs  and 
 breathings  fliail  not  be  loft,  but  ihall  have  a  mod 
 pov7erful  voice,  and  afcend  into  his  ear,  and  fliall  re- 
 turn to  you  with  melfages  of  peace  and  love,  in  due 
 time,  and,  in  the  mean  time,  with  fecret  fupports, 
 that  you  faint  not,  nor  fmk  in  thefe  deeps  that 
 threaten  to  fvvallow  you  up.  But  I  have  wearied 
 you,  inflead  of  refrediing  you.  I  will  add  no  more, 
 but  that  the  poor  prayers  of  one  of  the  unworthiefl 
 caitiffs  in  the  world^  fuch  as  they  be,  Ihall  not  be 
 
 wanting 
 
460  LETTERS,  &C, 
 
 wanting  on  your  behalf,  and  he  begs  a  Ihare  in 
 yours ;  for  neither  you,  nor  any  in  the  world,  needs 
 that  charity  more  than  he  does.  Wait  on  the  Lord, 
 and  he  of  good  courage,  and  he  /hall  Jlrengthen  your 
 heart :  wait,  ^f^jj  on  the  Lord, 
 
 LETTER  to  the  Heritors  of  the  Parijh  of  Straton. 
 
 Worthy  Gentlemen  and  Friends, 
 
 Being  informed  that  it  is  ray  duty  to  prefent  a 
 perfon  fit  for  the  charge  of  the  miniftry  now  vacant 
 with  yon,  I  have  thought  of  one,  whofe  integrity  and 
 piety  I  am  fo  fully  perfuaded  of,  that  I  dare  confi- 
 dently recommend  him  to  you  as  one  who,  if  the 
 hand  of  God  do  bind  that  work  upon  him  amongft 
 you,  is  likely,  through  the  blefilng  of  the  fame  hand, 
 to  be  very  ferviceable  to  the  building  up  of  your  fouls 
 heavenwards,  but  is  as  far  from  fuffering  himfelf  to 
 be  obtruded,  as  I  am  for  obtruding  any  upon  you  : 
 So  that  unlefs  you  invite  him  to  preach,  and  after 
 ,  hearing  of  him,  declare  your  confent  and  defire  to- 
 wards his  embracing  of  the  call,  you  may  be  fecure 
 from  the  trouble  of  hearing  any  further  concerning 
 him,  either  from  himfelf  or  me  ;  and  if  you  pleafe 
 to  let  me  know  your  mind,  your  reafonable  fatisfac- 
 tion  ihall  be  to  my  utmofl;  power  endeavoured  by, 
 
 Tour  affectionate  Friend, 
 and  humhle  Servant, 
 
 R.  Leighton. 
 
 4 IP-  The  perfon's  name  is  Pvir  James  Aird  ;  he  was  mi- 
 ,  nifter  at  Ingram  in  Northumberland,  and  is  lately 
 removed  from  thence,  and  is  now  at  Edinburgh.  It 
 you  v^^rite  to  him,  dired  it  to  be  delivered  to  Hugh 
 Paterfon,,  writer  in  Edinburgh,  near  the  Crofs,  on  the 
 north  fide  of.  the  ftreet. 
 
 This,  if  you  pleafe,  may  be  communicated  to  fuch 
 -.ctf  the  inhabitants  of  the  parifli  as  vou  fliall  think  fit, 
 
 Thii 
 
LETTERS,  &C..  46I 
 
 This  and  the  two  following  Letters  were  wrote  to  the 
 Rev*  Mr  James  Aird,  Minijier  at  Torry, 
 
 Dear  Friend, 
 
 I  did  receive  your  letter,  which  I  would  have 
 known  to  be  yours,  though  it  had  no  other  lign  but 
 the  piety  and  affectionate  kindnefs  exprelTed  in  it. 
 
 I  will  offer  you  no  apology  (nor  I  hope  I  need  not) 
 for  not  writing  fince  that ;  yea,  I  will  confefs,  that  if 
 the  furprifing  and  unexpedled  occalion  of  the  bearer 
 had  not  drawn  it  from   me,   I  fliould  hardly  for  a 
 
 ^long  time  to  come  have  done  what  I  am  now  doing ; 
 
 3nd  yet  ftill  love  you,  more  than  they  do  one  an- 
 
 ^6lher  that  interchange  letters,  even  of  kindnefs,  as 
 often  as  the  gazettes  come  forth,  and  as  long  as  they 
 are  too.  And  now  I  have  begun,  I  would  end  juft 
 here  j  for  T  have  nothing  to  fay,  nothing  of  affairs 
 (to  be  fu re)  private  nor  public  ;  and  to  ftrike  up  to 
 difcourfes  of  devotion,  alas.  I  what  is  there  to  be  laid, 
 l)ut  what  you  fufficiently  know,  and  daily  read,  and 
 daily  think,  and,  I  am  confident,  daily  endeavour  to 
 49;?  And  I  am  beaten  back,  if  I  had  a  great  mind  to 
 fpeak  of  fuch  things,  by  the  fenfe  of  fo  great  defi- 
 ciency in  doing  thofe  things,  that  the  moft  ignorant 
 among  Chriflians  cannot  choofe  but  know,  Inflead 
 of  all  fine  notions,   I   fly  to  Kv^n  fAitjcov,  X^ktte  zKi-nvov, 
 
 ,J.  think  them  the  great  heroes  and  excellent  perfons 
 of  the  world  that  attain  to  high  degrees  of  pure  con- 
 templation and  divine  love  ;  but  next  to  thofe,  them 
 that,  in  afpiring  to  that,  and  falling  fhort  of  it,  fall 
 down  into  deep  humility  and  felf-con tempt,  and  a 
 real  defire  to  be  defpifed   and  trampled  on  by  all 
 
 ,^  the.  world.  And  I  believe,  that  they  that  fink  lowefl 
 into  that  depth,  ftand  neareft  to  advancement  to  thofe 
 other  heights :  For  the  great  King,  who  is  the  foun- 
 tain of  thgt  honour,  hath  given  us  this  character  of 
 himfelf,  that  be  rejijls  the  proudy  and  gives  grace  to 
 
 the 
 
462  LETTERS,  6c.C, 
 
 the  humble.     Farewell,  my  dear  friend,  and  be  fo 
 
 charitable  as  fometimes,   in  your  addrelTes  upwards, 
 
 to  remember  a  poor  caitiff,  who  no  day  forgets  you. 
 
 I'^tb  December  i6y6.  R.  L, 
 
 Dear  Friend, 
 
 I  trull  you  enjoy  that  fame  calm  of  mind,  touch- 
 ing your  prefent  concernment,  that  I  do  on  your  be- 
 half. I  dare  not  promife  to  fee  you  at  Edinburgh  at 
 this  time,  but  it  is  poffible  I  may.  I  know  you  will 
 endeavour  to  fet  yourfelf  on  as  Itrong  a  guard  as  you 
 can,  againft  the  affaults  you  may  meet  with  there 
 from  divers  well  meaning  perfons,  but  of  weak  un- 
 derftandings  and  ftrong  paffions ;  and  will  maintain 
 the  liberty  of  your  own  mind  both  firmly  and  meek- 
 ly. Our  bufinefs  is  the  Hudy  of  fincerity  and  pure 
 intention  ;  and  then,  certainly,  our  blefled  guide  will 
 not  fuifer  us  to  lofe  our  way  for  want  of  light ;  we 
 have  his  promife,  that  if  in  ail  our  ways  we  acknow- 
 ledge him,  he  will  direci  our  paths.  While  we  are 
 confulting  about  the  turns  and  new  motions  of  life, 
 it  is  Hiding  away,  but  if  our  great  work  in  it  be  go- 
 ing on,  all  is  well.     Pray  for 
 
 Tour  poor  Friend, 
 
 Dunhlain,  Jan,  J'^th.  R.  L. 
 
 My  Dear  Friend y 
 
 I  have  received  from  you  the  kindeft  letter  that 
 ever  yon  writ  me  ;  and,  that  you  may  know  I  take  it 
 fo,  I  return  you  the  free  and  friendly  advice,  never 
 to  judge  any  man  before  you  hear  him,  nor  any  bu- 
 finefs by  one  fide  of  it.  Were  you  here  to  fee  the 
 other,  I  am  confident  your  thoughts  and  mine  would 
 be  the  fame.  You  have  both  too  much  knowledge  of 
 me,  and  too  much  charity  to  think,  that  either  fuch 
 little  contemptible  fcraps  of  honour  or  riches  fought 
 in  that  part  of  the  world,  with  fo  much  reproach,  or 
 any  human  complacency  in  the  world,  will  be  ad- 
 mitted 
 
LETTERS,  &C.  463 
 
 mitted  to  decide  fo  grave  a  queftion,  or  that  I  would 
 fell  (to  fpeak  no  higherj  the  very  fenfual  pleasfure  of 
 my  retirement  for  a  rattle,  far  lels  deliberately  do  any- 
 thing that  I  judge  offends  God.-    For  the  offence  of 
 good  people,  in  cafes  indifferent  in  themfelves,  but 
 not  accounted  fo  by  them  ;  whatfoever  you  do  or  do 
 not,  you  fhall  offend  fome  good  people  on  the  one 
 lide  or  other  :  And  for  thofe  with  you,  "the  great  fal- 
 lacy in  this  bufinefs  is,  that  they  have  mifreckoned 
 themfelves  in  taking  ray  filence  and  their  zeals  ta 
 have  been  confent   and  participation,  which,  how 
 great  a  miflake  it  is,  few  know  better  or  fo  well  as 
 yourfelf ;  and  the  truth  is,   I  did  fee  approaching  an 
 inevitable  neceffity  to  ftrain   with    them-   in   divers 
 practices,  in  what  ftation  foever,  remaining  in  Bri- 
 tain, and  to  have  efcaped  further  off  fwhich  hath 
 been  in  my  thoughts)  would  have  been  the  greatefh 
 fcandal  of  all.     And  what  will  you  fay,  if  there  be  in 
 this  thing  fomewhat  of  that  you  mention,  and  would 
 allow,  of  reconciling  the  devout  on  different  fides, 
 and  of  enlarging  thofe  good  fouls  you  meet  with  from 
 their  little  fetters,  though  poffibly  with  little  fuccefs? 
 yet  the  defign   is  commendable,  pardonable  at  leaft. 
 However,  one  comfort  I  have,  that  in  what  is  preffed 
 on  me,  there  is  the  lead  of  ray  own  choice,  yea,  on 
 the  contrary,  the  ftrongefl  averfion  that  ever  I  had 
 •in  any  thing  in  all  my  life  ;  the  difficulty,  in  fhort, 
 lies  in  a  neceffity,  of  either  owning  a  fcruple  which 
 I  have  not,  or  the   rudeft  difobedience  to  authority 
 that  may  be.     The  truth  is,  I  am  yet  importuning 
 and  ftruggling  for  a  liberation,  and  look  upward  for 
 it  *  ;  but  whatfoever  be  the  iffue,  I  look  beyond  it, 
 and  this  weary  weary  wretched  life,  through  which 
 the  hand  I  have  refigned  to,   I  truft,  will  lead  me  in 
 paths  of  his  own  choofing ;  and  (o  I  may  pleafe  him, 
 
 I 
 
 *  It  is  highly  probable  this  has  been  wrote  when  he  was 
 4pliberating  about  accepting  a  biflioprick. 
 
464  LETTERS,  Si-C. 
 
 I  am  fatisfied.     I  hope,  if  ever  we  meet,  you  ftiali 
 find  me  in  the  love  of  folitude  and  a  devout  life. 
 Tour  unaltered  Brother  and  Friend, 
 
 R.  L. 
 
 When  I  fet  pen  to  paper,  I  intended  not  to  exceed 
 half-a-dozen  lines,  but  flid  on  infenhbly  thus  far ; 
 but  though  I  Ihould  fill  the  paper  on  all  lides,  ftill 
 the  right  view  of  this  bufinefs  would  be  neceflarily 
 fufpended  till  meeting.  Meanwhile,  hope  well  of 
 me,  and  pray  for  me.  This  word  I  will  add,  that  as 
 there  hath  been  nothing  of  my  choice  in  the  thing, 
 fo  I  undergo  it  (if  it  muft  be)  as  a  mortification, 
 and  that  greater  than  a  cell  and  hair-cloth ;  and 
 svhether  any  will  believe  this  or  no,  I  am  not  careful. 
 
 RULES 
 
f  465  ] 
 
 ■Mi 
 
 RULES    and    INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 FOR      A 
 
 HOLT      LIFE. 
 
 FOR    difpofing   you  the   better  to  obferve  thefe 
 rules,  and  profit  by  them,  be  pleafed  to  take  the 
 following  advices  : 
 
 I.  Put  all  your  trilft  in  the  fpecial  and  lingular 
 mercy  of  God,  that  he,  for  his  naercy's  fake,  and  of 
 his  only  goodnefs,  will  help  and  bring  you  to  per- 
 fection ;  not  that  abfolute  perfedtion  is  attainable 
 here,  but  the  meaning  is,  to  high  degrees  of  that  fpi- 
 ritual  and  divine  life,  which  is  always  growing,  and 
 tending  towards  the  abfolute  perfedion  above  ;  but 
 in  fome  perfons  comes  nearer  to  that,  and  rifeth  high- 
 er, even  here,  than  in  the  moft.  If  you,  with  hearty 
 and  fervent  defires,  do  continually  wilh  and  long  for 
 it,  and  with  moll  humble  devotion,  daily  pray  unto 
 God,  and  call  for  it,  and  with  all  diligence  do  bulily 
 labour  and  travel  to  come  to  it,  undoubtedly  it  Ihall 
 be  given  you  ;  for  you  muil  not  think  it  fufficient  to 
 ufe  exercifes,  as  though  they  had  fuch  virtues  in 
 them,  that,  of  themfelves  alone,  they  could  make  fuch 
 as  do  ufe  them  perfed: ;  for  neither  thofe,  nor  any 
 other,  whatever  they  be,  can  of  themfelves  (by  their 
 ufe  only)  bring  unto  perfedion.  But  our  merciful 
 Lord  God,  of  his  own  goodnefs,  when  you  feek  with 
 hearty  defires  and  fervent  fighings,  maketh  you  to 
 find  it:  When  you  afk  daily  with  devout  prayer. 
 
 Vol.  IL  3  N  then 
 
^66  RULES  AND  INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 then  he  giveth  it  to  you  ;  and  when  you  continually, 
 with  unwearied  labour  and  travel,  knock  perfevering- 
 ly^jthen  he  doth  mercifully  open  unto  you  :  And  be- 
 cauYe  that  thofe  exercifes  do  teach  you  to  feck,  aik, 
 and  knock ;  yea,  they  are  none  other  but  very  devout 
 petitions,  feekings,  and  fpiritual  pulfations,  for  the 
 merciful  help  of  God  ;  therefore  they  are  very  pro- 
 fitable means  to  come  to  perfeclion  by  God's  grace. 
 
 2c  Let  no  particular  exercife  hinder  your  public 
 and  Handing  duties  to  God  and  your  neighbours  ; 
 "but  for  thefe,  rather  intermit  the  other  for  a  time^ 
 and  then  return  to  it  as  foon  as  you  can. 
 
 3.  Ifi  in  time  of  your  fpiritual  exercife,  you  find 
 yourfelf  drawn  to  any  better,  or  to  as  good  a  contem- 
 plation as  that  is,  follow  the  track  of  that  good  motion 
 fo  long  as  it  fhall  laft. 
 
 4,  Always  take  care  to  follow  fuch  exercifes  of  de~ 
 Vout  thoughts,  withal  putting  in  pra6lice  fuch  lef-- 
 fpns  as  they  contain  and  excite  to. 
 
 *  ;  5.  Though  at  firfl  ye  feel  no  fweetnefs  in  fuch  ex- 
 ercifes, yet  be  not  difcouraged,  nor  induced  to  leave 
 them,  but  continue  in  them  faithfully,  whatfoever 
 pain  or  fpiritual  trouble  ye  feel ;  for,  doing  them  for 
 God  and  his  honour,  and  finding  none  other  prefent 
 Iriift,  yet  you  fhall  have  an  excellent  reward  for  your 
 ^iligent  labour  and  your  pure  intentions :  ^nd  let 
 iiot  your  falling  iliort  of  thefe  models  and  rules,  nor 
 your  daily  manifold  imperfedions  and  faults,  difheart- 
 len  you  ;  but  continue  fiedfafi  in  your  defires,  pur- 
 pofes  and  endeavours ;  and  ever  aflc  the  befl,  aim  at  the 
 beft,  and  hope  the  bell,  being  forry  that  you  can  da 
 no  better  ;  and  they  Ihall  be  a  niofl  acceptable  facri- 
 lice  in  the  light  of  God,  a/id  in  due  time  yon  Jb all  reap 
 if  you  faint  nat :  And  of  all  fuch  inftrudions,  let  your 
 ri^le  be  to  follow  them  as  much  as  you  can  ;  but  not 
 loo  fcrupuioufly,  thinking  your  labour  loft  if  you  do 
 .not  exadly  and  firidly  anfwer  them  in  e^^ery  thing  : 
 purpofe'ftiii  better,  and  by  God's  grace  all  fiiall  be 
 
 SECT, 
 
 *'nT- 
 
FOR  A  HOLY  LIFE.  46% 
 
 SECT.     I. 
 
 Rule  I.  Exercife  thyfelf  in  the  knowledge  and 
 deep  conlideration  of  our  Lord  God,  calling  humbly 
 to  mind  how  excellent  and  incomprehenlible  he  is^ 
 and  this  knowledge  fhalt  thou  rather  endeavour  to 
 obtain  by  fervent  deiire  and  devout  prayer,  than  by 
 high  ftudy  and  outward  labour  :  It  is  the  lingular 
 gift  of  God,  and  certainly  very  precious.  Pray  then, 
 ^iri?:*  "  Moil  gracious  Lord,  whom  to  knov/  is  the 
 <*  very  blifs  and  felicity  of  man's  foul,  and  yet  none 
 ^"  can  know  thee,  unlefs  thou  wait  open  and  Ihevv 
 **  thyfelf  unto  him,  vouchfafe,  of  thy  infinite  mercy, 
 *'  now  and  ever,  to  enlighten  my  heart  and  mind  to 
 **  know  thee,  and  thy  molt  holy  and  perfect  will,  to 
 **  the  honour  and  glory  of  thy  name.     Amen." 
 
 3.  Then  lift  up  thy  heart  to  coniider  (not  with 
 too  great  violence,  but  foberly)  the  eternal  and  in- 
 finite, power  of  God,  w4io  created  all  things  by  his 
 2^xcellent  wifdom  ;  his  unmeafurable  goodnefs,  and 
 ^incomprehenlible  love  ;  for  he  is  very  and  only  God, 
 mod  excellent,   mod  high,  moll  glorious,   the  ever- 
 lafting  and  unchangeable  goodnefs,   an  eternal  fub- 
 ^itance,   a  charity  infinite,  fo  excellent  and  ineffable 
 jin  himfelf,  that  all  dignity,  perfe6lion  and  goodnefs, 
 j^hat  is  poffible  to  be  fpoken  or  thought  of,  cannot  fuf- 
 ficiently  exprefs  the  fmallefl  part  thereof. 
 ..^-,   4.  Confider  that  he  is  the  natural  place,  the  centre, 
 .and  reft  of  thy  foul :  If  thou  then  think  of  the  moll 
 .j^jblefTed  Trinity,  mufe  not  too  much  thereon,  but  with 
 ^jdevout  and  obedient  faith,   meekly  and  lowly  adore 
 j^^nd  worfhip. 
 
 •  5.  Confider  Jefus,  the  Redeemer  and  Hufband  of 
 ,,thy  foul,  and  walk  with  him  as  becomes  a  chafte 
 ^.ipoufe,  with  reverence  and  lowly  fhamefulnefs,  obe- 
 -  dience  and  fubmiflion. 
 
 6.  Then  turn  to  the  deep,  profound  confideration 
 of  thyfelf,  thine  own  nothingnefs,  and  thy  extreme 
 
 defilement 
 
RULES  AND  INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 defilement  and  pollution,  thy:  natural  a verfi on  from 
 God,  and  that  thou  muft,  by  converfion.to  him  again, 
 and  union  with  him,  be  made  'happy,  fmn  nodi  xi'i^^w 
 ry.  Confider  thylelf  and  all.  creatures 'as  nothing, 
 in  comparifon  of  thy  Lord  ;  that  fo  thou  mayeft  not 
 only  be  content,  but  delirous  to  be  unknown,  or,  be- 
 ing known,  to  be  contemned  and  defpifed  of  all  men, 
 yet  without  thy  faults  or  defervings,  a§  much  as  thou 
 canft.  fl  ,n 
 
 ,S.  ^^  O  God,  infufe  into  my  heart  thy  heavenly 
 **  light  and  bleiTed  charity,  that  I  may  know  and 
 ^'  love  thee  above  all  things ;  and  above  all  things 
 **  loath  and  abhor  myfelf.  Grant  that  I  may  be  fo 
 "  ravifhed  in  the  wonder  and  love  of  thee,  that  I 
 *'  may  forget  myfelf,  and  all  things  ;  feel  neither 
 **  profperity  nor  adverlity  ;  may  not  fear  to  fufFer  all 
 ^'  the  pains  of  this  world,  rather  than  to  be  parted 
 *^  and  pulled  away  from*  thee,  whofe  perfedions  in- 
 finitely exceed  all  thought  and  underftanding. 
 O  I  let  me  find  thee  more  inwardly  and  verily 
 prefent  with  me,  than  I  am  with  myfelf;  and  make 
 **  me  mod  circumfpedt  how  I  do  ufe  myfelf  in  the 
 '*  prefence  of  thee,  my  holy  Lord. 
 *,  V  Caufe  me  alway  to  remember  how  everlafting 
 **  and  conftant  is  the  love  thou  beareft  towards  me, 
 *'  and  fuch  a  charity  and  continual  care,  as  though 
 *^  thou  hadil  no  more  creatures  in  heaven  ©r  earth 
 **  befides  me.  What  am  1  ?  A  vile  w^orm  and  filth." 
 
 9.  Then  afpire  to  a  great  contrition  for  thy  fins^ 
 and  hatred  of  them,  and  abhoring  of  thyfelf  for  them  ; 
 then  crave  pardon  in  the  blood  of  Jefus  Chrift  ;  and 
 then  ofier  up  thyfelf,  foul  and  body,  an  oblation  or 
 facrifice,  in  and  through  him,  as  they  did  of  old,  lay- 
 ing wood  on  the  altar,  and  then  burning  up  all ;  fo 
 this  fiiail  be  a  facrifice  of  fweet  favour,  and  very  ac- 
 ceptable, to  God.  -./7VW-}  1P-  /x:9cf 
 ^jp.jPif^r  all  that  thou  haft,  to  be  nothing,  to  ufe 
 nothing  of  all  that  thou  hail  about  thee,  and  is  called 
 thine,  but  to  his  honour  and  glory  :    And  re folve,. 
 
 through 
 
 << 
 
 tfC 
 
J*OR  A  HOLY  LIFE.  469 
 
 through  his  grace,  to  ufe  all  the  powers  of  thy  foul, 
 and  every  member  of  thy  body,  to  his  fervice,  as  for- 
 merly thou  haft  done  to  fin. 
 
 11.  Confider  the  paflion  of  thy  Lord,  how  he  was 
 buffetted,   fcourged,   reviled,  ftretched  with  nails  on 
 the  crofs,  and  hung  on  it  three  long  hours  ;  fuffered" 
 all  the  contempt  and  fhame,  and  all  the  inconceivable- 
 pain  of  it,  for  thy  fake,  >x 
 
 12.  Then  turn  thy  heart  t©  him,  humbly  fay  in  g=;'> 
 •Vliord  Jefus,  whereas  I  daily  fall,  and  am  ready  to 
 *i)iin,  vouchfafe  me  grace,  as  oft  as  1  Ihall,  to  rife  a- 
 *f-j>gain ;  let  me  never  prefume,  but  always  mod 
 *^;  meekly  and  humbly  acknowledge  my  wretched- 
 *f  nefs  and  frailty,  and  repent,  with  a  firm  purpofe 
 *^'^to  amend  ;  and  let  me  not  defpair  becaufe  of  my 
 *ll  fgreat  frailty,  but  ever  truft  in  thy  moft  loving 
 •L mercy,  and  readinefs  to  forgive." 
 
 SECT.     11. 
 
 aa.  Thou  fhalt  have  much  to  do  in  mortifying  of 
 thy  five  fenfes,  which  muft  be  all  (hut  up  in  the  cru- 
 cified humility  of  Jefus  Chrifl,  and  be  as  they  were 
 plainly  dead. 
 
 2.  Thou  muft  now  learn  to  have  a  continual  eye 
 inwardly  to  thy  foul  and  fpiritual  life,  as  thou  haft 
 ufed  heretofore  to  have  all  thy  mind  and  regard  to 
 outward  pleafure  and  worldly  things. 
 
 3.  Thou  muft  fubmit  and  give  thyfelf  up  unto  the 
 difcipline  of  Jefus,  and  become  his  fcholar,  refign- 
 ing  and  compelling  thyfelf  altogether  to  obey  him  in 
 all  things;  fo  that  thy  willing  and  nilling,  thou  ut- 
 terly and  perfedly  do  caft  away  from  thee,  and  do 
 nothing  without  his  licenfe :  At  every  word  thoa 
 wilt  fpeak,  at  every  morfel  thou  wilt  eat,  at  every 
 ftirring  or  moving  of  every  article  or  member  of  thy 
 body,  thou  muft  alk  leave  of  him  in  thy  heart,  and 
 ^fk  thyfelf,  whether,  having  fo  done,  that  be  accord- 
 ing 
 
4JQ  RULES  AiiD  INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 ing  to  his  will,  and  holy  example,  and  with  lincere 
 intention  of  his  glory.     Hence, 
 
 4.  Even  the  moft  neceffary  adions  of  thy  life, 
 though  lawful,  yet  mud  thus  be  offered  up  with  a 
 true  intention  unto  God,,  in  the  union  of  the  moft 
 holy  works,  and  biefled  merits,  of  Chrift;  faying, 
 <»  Lord  Jefus,  bind  up  in  the  merits  of  thy  bleffed 
 "  fenfes,   all  my  feeling  and  fenfation,  and  all  my 
 
 .«*  wits  and  fenfes,  that  I  never  hereafter  ufe  them 
 Hi  to  any  fenfuality  I" 
 
 5.  Thus  labour  to  come  to  this  union  and  knitting 
 lip  of  thy  fenfes  in  God,  and  thy  Lord  Jefus,  and  re- 
 main fo  faft  to  the  crofs,  that  thou  never  part  from 
 it,  and  ftill  behave  thy  body,  and  all  thy  fenfes,  as  in 
 the  prefence  of  thy  Lord  God,  and  commit  all  things 
 to  the  moft  trufty  providence  of  thy  loving  Lord, 
 who  will  then  order  all  things  deledlably  and  fweet- 
 ly  for  thee;  reckon  all  things  belides  for  right  nought; 
 and  thus  mayeft  thou  come  unto  wonderful  illumina- 
 tions, and  fpiritual  influence  from  the  Lord  thy  God. 
 
 6.  If,  for  his  love,  thou  canft  crucify,  renounce  and 
 forfake  perfedlly  thyfelf,  and  all  things ;  thou  muft 
 fo  crucify  thyfelf  to  all  things,  and  love  and  defire 
 God  only,  with  thy  care  and  whole  heart,  that  in  this 
 moft  ftedfaft  and  ftrong  knot  and  union  unto  the  will 
 of  God,  if  he  would  create  hell  in  thee  here,  thou 
 mighteft  be  ready  to  offer  thyfelf,  by  his  grace,  for  his 
 eternal  honour  and  glory,  to  fufter  it,  and  that  purely 
 for  his  will  and  pleafure. 
 
 7.  Thou  muft  keep  thy  memory  clean  and  pure, 
 as  it  were  a  wedlock  chamber,  from  all  ftrange 
 thoughts,  fancies  and  imaginations ;  and  it  muft  be 
 trimmed  and  adorned  with  holy  meditations  and  vir- 
 tues of  Chrift's  life  end  pailion,  that  God  may  con- 
 tinually and  ever  reft  therein. 
 
 PRAYER. 
 
 ,    .8.,  "Lord,  inftead  of  knowing  thee,  I  have  fought 
 **- to  know  wickednefs  andiin^  and  whereas  my  will 
 
 •*  and 
 
:rOR  A  HOLY  tlTEi':l.V:-i  471 
 
 i/i,and  defire  were  created  to  love  thee,  I  have  loft 
 "  that  love,  and  declined  to  the  creatures  ;  while  my 
 •'  memory  ought  to  be  filled  with  thee,  I  have  paint- 
 "  ed  it  with  the  imagery  of  innumerable  fancies,  not 
 **  only  of  all  creatures,  but  of  all  linful  wicked nefs. 
 •^Ohl  blot  out  thefe  by  thy  blood,  and  imprint  thine 
 own  blefled  image  in  my  foul,  blelTed  Jefus,  by 
 that  blood  that  ilTued  out  from  thy  moft  loving 
 heart,  when  thou  hangedft  on  the  crofs ;  fo  knit 
 my  will  to  thy  moft  holy  will,  that  I  may  have  no 
 other  will  but  thine,  and  may  be  moft  heartily  and 
 "  fully  content  with  whatfoever  thou  wilt  do  to  me 
 ffi  in  this  world;  yea,  if  thou  wilt,  fo  that  I  hate 
 *i*  thee  not,  nor  fin  againft  thee,  but  retain  thy  love, 
 M-  make  me  fuffer  the  greateft  pains." 
 
 SECT.      III. 
 
 Rule  I.  Exercife  thyfelf  to  the  perfedl  abnegation 
 of  all  things  which  may  let  or  impede  this  union  ; 
 mortify  in  thee  every  thing  that  is  not  God,  nor  for 
 God,  or  which  he  wiileth  and  loveth  not :  Religning 
 and  yielding  up  to  the  high  pleafure  of  God,  ail  love 
 and  affedlion  for  tranlitory  things ;  defire  neither  to 
 have  nor  hold  them,  nor  beftow  or  give  them,  but 
 only  for  the  pure  love  and  honour  of  God  :  Put  away 
 fuperfluous  and  unneceflary  things,  and  affect  noE 
 even  things  neceifary.  • 
 
 ?-  2.  Mortify  all  affection  to,  and  feeking  of  thyfelf^ 
 which  IS  fo  natural  to  men,  in  all  the  good  they  de- 
 lire,  and  in  all  the  good  they  do,  and  in  all  the  evil 
 th?y  fufler;  yea,  by  the  inordinate  love  of  the  gifts 
 and  graces  of  God,  initead  of  himfelf,  they  fall  into 
 fpiriaial  pride,  gluttony  and  greedinefs.  • 
 
 3.  Mortify  all  affedtion  to,  and  deledation  in,  meat 
 and  drink,  and  vain  thoughts  and  fancies,  which 
 though  they  proceed  not  to  confent,  yet  they  defile 
 
 the 
 
472  RULES  AND  INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 the  foul,  and  grieve  the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  do  great  da- 
 mage to  the  fpiritual  life. 
 
 4.  Imprint  on  thy  heart  the  image  of  Jefus  cruci- 
 fied; the  impreffions  of  his  humility,  poverty,  mild- 
 nefs,  and  ail  his  holy  virtues ;  let  thy  thoughts  of  him 
 turn  into  afFedion,  and  thy  knowledge  into  love  ;  for 
 the  love  of  God  doth  moll  purely  work  in  the  mor- 
 tification of  nature  ;  the  life  of  the  fpirit,  purifying 
 the  higher  powers  of  the  foul,  begets  the  folitarinefs 
 and  departure  from  ail  creatures,  and  the  influence 
 and  flowing  into  God. 
 
 5.  Solitude,  lilence,  and  the  fl:rait  keeping  of  the 
 heart,  are  the  foundations  and  grounds  of  a  fpiritual 
 life. 
 
 6.  Do  ail  thy  neceflary  and  outward  works  with- 
 out any  trouble  or  carefuinefs  of  mind,  and  bear  thy 
 mind  amidft  all,  always  inwardly  lifted  up,  and  ele- 
 vated to  God,  following  always  more  the  inward  ex- 
 crcife  of  love,  than  the  outward  ads  of  virtue. 
 
 7.  To  this  can  no  man  come,  unlefs  he  be  rid  and 
 delivered  from  all  things  under  God,  and  be  fo  fwal* 
 lowed  up  in  God,  that  he  can  contemn  and  defpife 
 himfelf  and  all  things ;  for  the  pure  love  of  God 
 maketh  the  fpirit  pure  and  fimple,  and  lb  free,  that 
 without  any  pain  and  labour,  it  can  at  all  times  turn 
 and  recoiled  itfelf  in  God. 
 
 8.  Mortify  all  bitternefs  of  heart  towards  thy  neigh- 
 bours, and  all  vain  complacency  in  thyieif ;  all  vain 
 glory  and  defire  of  efteem,  in  words  and  deeds,  in 
 gifts  and  graces.  To  this  thou  (halt  come  by  a  more 
 clear  and  perfed  knowledge  and  conlideration  of  thy 
 own  vilenefs,  and  by  knowing  God  to  be  the  foun- 
 tain of  all  grace  and  goodnefs. 
 
 9.  Mortify  all  ail'edion  towards  inward,  fenfible, 
 fpiritual  delight  in  grace,  and  the  following  devotion 
 with  fenfible  fweetnefs  in  the  lower  faculties,  or 
 powers  of  the  foul,  which  are  nowii'e  real  fandity  and 
 holinefs  in  themfelvcs,  but  certain  gifts  of  God  to 
 
 help  our  infirmity, 
 
 TO.  Mortifv 
 
FOR  A  HOLY  LIFE.  473 
 
 10.  Mortify  all  curious  inveftigation  or  fearch,  all 
 fpeculation  and  knowledge  of  unnccelTary  things,  hu- 
 man or  divine  ;  for  the  perfect  life  of  a  Chriftian 
 confifteth  not  in  high  knowledge,  but  profound  meek- 
 nefs ;  in  holy  fimplicity,  and  in  the  ardent  love  of 
 God ;  wherein  we  ought  to  defire  to  die  to  all  affec- 
 tion to  ourfelves,  and  all  things  below  God  ;  yca^  to 
 fuftain  pain  and  dereliction,  that  we  may  be  perfectly 
 knit  and  united  to  God,  and  be  perfedly  fwallowed 
 up  in  him. 
 
 11.  Mortify  all  undue  fcrupuloufnefs  of  confcience, 
 and  trull  in  the  goodnefs  of  God  ;  for  our  doubting 
 and  fcruples  oft-times  arife  from  inordinate  felf-love, 
 and  therefore  vex  us ;  they  do  no  good,  neither  work 
 any  real  amendment  in, us  ;  they  cloud  the  foul,  and 
 darken  faith,  and  cool  love  ;  and  it  is  only  the  ftrong- 
 er  beams  of  thefe  that  can  difpel  them,  and  the 
 ftronger  that  faith  and  divine  confidence  is  in  us,  and 
 the  hotter  divine  love  is,  the  foul  is  fo  much  the  more 
 excited  and  enabled  to  all  the  parts  of  holinefs,  to 
 mortifications  of  paffions  and  lufts,  to  more  patience 
 in  adverfity,  and  to  more  thankfulnefs  in  all  eftates. 
 
 12.  Mortify  all  impatience  in  all  pains  and  trou- 
 bles, whether  from  the  hands  of  God  or  men,  all 
 defire  of  revenge,  all  lefentment  of  injuries,  and  by 
 the  pure  love  of  God,  love  thy  very  perfecutors,  as 
 if  they  were  thy  d^areft  friends. 
 
 13.  Finally,  Mortify  thy  own  will  in  all  things, 
 with  full  reiignation  of  thyfelf  to  fuffer  all  derelic- 
 tion, outward  and  inward,  all  pain,  and  preffures,  and 
 defolations,  and  that  for  the  pure  love  of  God  :  For, 
 from  felf-Iove,  and  felf-will,  fpring  all  fin,  and  all 
 pain^ 
 
 A    PRAYER. 
 
 14.  "  O  I  Jefus,  my  Saviour,  thy  blelTed  humility  I 
 "  imprefs  it  on  my  heart ;  make  me  moll  fenfible  of 
 "  thy  infinite  dignity,   and  of  my  own  vilenefs,  that 
 
 Vol.  IL  '  3  O  "I 
 
^4  RULES  ANb  INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 •'  I  may  hate  myfelf  as  a  thing  of  nought,  and  be 
 "  willing  to  be  defpifed,  and  trodden  upon  by  all,  as 
 "  the  vileft  mire  of  the  ftreets,  that  I  may  flill  retain 
 ^'  thefe  words,  I  AM  NOTHING,  I  HAVE  NO- 
 "  THING,  I  CAN  DO  NOTHING,  AND  I  DE- 
 ^'  SIRE  NOTHING  BUT  ONE." 
 
 S  E  C  T.     IV. 
 
 ;  r.  Never  do  any  thing  with  propriety  and  lingu- 
 lar afFedlion,  being  too  earneft,  or  too  much  given  to 
 it ;  but  with  continual  meeknefs  of  heart  and  mind, 
 lie  at  the  foot  of  God  ;  and  fay,  "  Lord,  I  defire  no- 
 thing ;  neither  in  myfelf,  nor  in  any  creature,  fave 
 only  to  know  and  execute  thy  blefled  will,  (faying 
 alway  in  thy  heart),  Lord,  what  wouldft  thou  have 
 *'  me  to  do  ?  Tra*nsform  my  will  into  thine  ;  fill  full, 
 **  and  fwallow  up,  as  it  were,  my  afFedlions  with  thy 
 
 ■  *  love,  and  with  an  infatiable  defire  to  honour  thee, 
 *'  gnd  defpile  myfblf:"  ^^  ^^^   '^  ^>  ^'^■^-^' 
 
 li.  If  thou  afpire  to  attain  to  the  perfedl  knitting 
 and  union  with  God,  know  that  if  requireth  a  perfedt 
 expoliation,  and  denudation,  ,or  bare  nakednefs,  and 
 utter  forfaking  of  all  fin,  yea,  of  all  creatures,  and  of 
 thyfelf  particularly  :  Even  that  thy  mind  and  under- 
 ftanding,  thy  afFedions  and  defires,  thy  memory  and 
 fancy,  be  made  bare  of  all  things  in  the  world,  and 
 all  fenfual  pleafures  in  them,  fo  as;  thou  wouldfi,  be 
 content  that  the  bread  which  thou  eatefi:  had  no  more 
 favour  than  a  flone,  and  yet,  for  his  honqur  and  glory 
 that  created  bread,  thou  art  pleafed  that  it  favoureth 
 well :  But  yet  from  the  delegation  thou  feelefl:  in  it, 
 turn  thy  heart  to  his  praifes  and  love  that  made  it. 
 
 3.  The  more  perfectly  thou  livefl:  in  the  abftrac- 
 tion  and  departure.,  and  bare  nakednefs  of  thy  mind, 
 from  all  creatures,  the  more  nakedly  and  purely  fhalt 
 thou   have  the  fruition  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 
 
 fhalt 
 
FOR  A  HOLY  LXFE.  475 
 
 (halt  live  the  more  heavenly  and  angelical  a  life. 
 Therefore, 
 
 4.  Labour,  above  all  things,  mod  exadly  to  forfake 
 all  for  him  ;  and  chiefly  to  forfake  and  contemn  thy- 
 felf,  purely  loving  him,  and  in  a  manner  forgetting 
 thyfelf  and  all  things,  for  the  vehement  burning  love 
 of  him  :  thus  thy  mind  will  run  fo  much  upon  him, 
 that  thou  wilt  take  no  heed  what  is  fweet  or  bitter^ 
 neither  wilt  thou  conlider  time  or  place,  nor  mark 
 one  perfon  from  another,  for  the  wonder  and  love  of 
 thy  Lord  God,  and  the  defire  of  his  blefled  will, 
 pleafure,  and  honour  in  all  things  ;  and  whatfoever 
 good  thou  doft,  know  and  think  that  God  doth  it,  and 
 not  thou. 
 
 5.  Choofe  always  (to. the  beft  of  thy  fkill)  what  is 
 moll  to  God's  honour,  and  mofl  like  unto  Chrift  and 
 his  example,  and  moft  profitable  to  thy  neighbour, 
 and  moft  againft  thy  own  proper  will,  and  leaft  fer- 
 viceable  to  thy  own  praife  and  exaltation. 
 
 6.  If  thou  continue  faithful  in  this  fpiritual  work 
 and  travel,  God  at  length,  without  doubt,  will  hear 
 thy  knocking,  and  will  deliver  thee  from  all  thy  fpi- 
 ritual trouble,  from  all  the  tumults,  noife,  and  in- 
 cumbrance of  cogitations  and  fancies,  and  from  all 
 earthly  afFedions,  which  thou  canft  by  no  better  means 
 put  away,  than  by  continual  and  fervent  defire  of  the 
 love  of  God. 
 
 7.  Do  not,  at  any  time,  let  or  hinder  his  work- 
 ing, by  following  thine  own  will ;  for,  behold,  how- 
 much  thou  doft  the  more  perfedly  forfake  thine  own 
 will,  and  the  love  of  thyfelf,  and  of  all  worldly 
 things,  fo  much  the  more  deeply  and  fafely  (halt  thou 
 be  knit  unto  God,  and  increafe  in  his  true  and  pure 
 love. 
 
 SECT.    V. 
 
 I.  If  thou  ftill,  above  all  things,  feek  that  union, 
 thou  muft  transfund  and  pour  thy  whole  will  into  the 
 
 high 
 
476'  RULES  AND  INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 high  pleafure  of  God  ;  and  whatfoever  befals  theei, 
 ihoa  mull  be  without  murmuring,  and  retradion  of 
 heart,  accepting  it  moft  joyfully  for  His  love,  vvhofe 
 will  and  work  it  is. 
 
 2,  Let  thy  great  joy  and  comfort  evermore  be,  to 
 have  his  pleaiure  done  in  thee,  though  in  pains,  iick- 
 nefs,  perlecutions,  oppreffions,  or  inward  griefs  and 
 preffures  of  heart,  coldnefs,  or  barrennefs  of  mind,, 
 darkening  of  thy  will  and  fenfes,  o-r  any  temptations, 
 fpiritual  or  bodily.     And, 
 
 3;  Under  any  of  thefe,  be  always  wary  thou  tura 
 not  to  finfu I  delights,  nor  to  fenfual  and  carnal  plea- 
 fures,  nor  fet  thy  heart  on  vain  things,  feeking  com- 
 fort thereby,  nor  in  any  wife  be  idle,  but  always,  as 
 thou  canfl:,  compel  and  fof^e  thyfelf  to  fome  good 
 fpiritual  exercife  or  bodily  work  ;  and  though  they 
 be  then  unfavoury  to  thee,  yet  are  they  not  the  lefs^ 
 but  the  more,  acceptable  to  God. 
 
 4.  Take  all  afflic^iot)s  as  tokens  of  God's  love  tt 
 thee,  and  trials  of  thy  love  to  him,  and  purpofes  ot 
 kindnefs  to  enrich  thee,  and  increafe  more  plentiful*- 
 ly  in  thee  his  bleiTed  gifts  and  fpiritual  graces,  if  thou 
 perfevere  faithfully  ui^to  the  ervd  ;  not  leaving  off 
 the  vehement  delire  of  his  love,  and  thy  own  peir 
 fed  ion. 
 
 \  5.  Offer  up  thyfelf  wholly  to  bim,  and  fix  the  point 
 of  thy  love  upon  his  moil  bleffed  increated  love  ;  and 
 there  let  thy  foul  and  iieart  tell  and  delight,  and  be,, 
 as  it  were,  rtfolvedand  melted,  moft  happily,  into  the 
 blelTtrd  Godhead  ;  and  then  take  that  as  a  token,  and 
 be  ailared  by  ir,  that  God  will  grant  thy  lovely  and 
 holy  defire  ;  then  (halt  thou  feel,  in  a  manner,  no  dif- 
 ference betwixt  honour  and  fhamc,  joy  and  fbrrow  : 
 But  whatfoever  thou  perceiveft  to  appertain  to  the 
 honour  of  thy  Lord,  be  it  ever  fo  hard  and  unplea- 
 fant  to  thyfelf,  thou  wilt  heartily  embrace  it,  yea, 
 trith  all  thy  might,  follow  and  delire  it;  yet,  when 
 thou  haft  done  what  is  poffible  for  4hce,  thou  wilt 
 think  thou  haft  done  nothing  at  all,  yea,  thou  fliait 
 
 be 
 
rOR.  A  HOLY  LIFE.  47/ 
 
 be  afhamed,  and  deleft  thyfelf,  that  thou  haft  fo 
 wretchedly  and  imperfedly  ferved  fo  noble  and  wor- 
 thy a  Lord  ;  and  therefore,  thou  wilt  defire  and  en- 
 deavour every  hour  to  do  and  fufFer  greater  and  more 
 perfedl  things  than  hitherto  thou  haft  done,  forgetting 
 the  things  that  are  behind,  and  prefling  forward,  &c, 
 
 6.  If  thou  haft  in  any  meafure  attained  to  love,  and 
 abide  in,  God,  then  mayeft  thou  keep  the  powers  of 
 thy  foul  and  thy  fenfes,  as  it  were,  fhut  up  in  God, 
 from  gadding  out  to  any  worldly  thing  or  vanity,  as 
 much  as  pofiihle,  where  they  have  fo  joyfully  a  fecu- 
 rity  and  iafenefs :  Satiate  thy  foul  in  him,  and  in  all 
 other  things  ftill  fee  his  bleifed  prefence. 
 
 7.  Whatfoever  befalleth  thee,  receive  it  not  from 
 the  hand  of  any  creature,  but  from  him  alone,  and 
 render  back  all  to  him,  feeking  in  all  things  his  plea- 
 fure  and  honour,  the  purifying  and  fubduing  thy- 
 felf. What  can  harm  thee,  when  all  muft  fiirlt 
 touch  God,  within  whom  thou  haft  inclofed  thyfelf. 
 
 8.  When  thou  perceiveft  thyfelf  thus  knit  to  God, 
 and  thy  foul  more  faft  and  joiiied  nearer  to  him  thaa 
 to  thine  own  body,  then  ihalt  thou  know  his  ever- 
 lafting,  and  incomprehenfible,  and  ineffable  good- 
 iiefs,  and  the  true  noblenefs  of  thy  foul^^  that  came 
 from  him,  and  was  made  to  be  reunited  to  him, 
 
 9«  If  thou  wquJdft  afccnd  and  come  up  to  thy 
 Lord  Gotl,  thou  muft  climb  up  by  the  wounds  of 
 his  blcffed  humanity,  that  remain  as  it  were  for  that 
 ufe  ;  aad  when  thou  art  got  up  there,  thou  wouldft 
 rather  fuffer  deaths  tlian  willingly  commit  any  fin, 
 ..liXAf  Entering  into  Jefus,  thou  cafteft  thyfelf  into  an 
 infinite  fea  of  goodntfs,  that  more  eafily  drowns  and 
 happily  fvvallows  thee  up,  than  the  ocean  does  a  drop 
 of  water.  Then  fnalt  thou  be  hid  and  transformed 
 in  him,  and  (halt  often  be  as  thinking  without  thought, 
 and  knowing  without  knowledge,  and  loving  with- 
 out ioycy  comprehended  of  l^im  whom  thou  canft 
 not  compreheod.  . 
 
 SECT, 
 
478  RULES  AND  INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 SECT.     VI. 
 
 1.  Too  much  deiire  to  pleafe  men  mightily  prejudg- 
 eth  the  pleafing  of  God. 
 
 2.  Too  great  earneftnefs  and  vehemency,  and  too 
 greedy  delight,  in  bodily  work  and  external  doings, 
 icattereth  and  lofeth  the  tranquillity  and  calmnefs  of 
 the  mind.  "^"■' 
 
 •  3.  Call  all  thy  care  on  God,  and  commit  all  to  his 
 good  plcafure ;  laud  and  praife,  and  applaud,  him  in 
 all  things,  fmall  and  great;  forfake  thy  own  will,  and 
 deliver  up  thyfelf  freely  and  cheerfully  to  the  will  of 
 God,  without  referve  or  exception,  in  profperity  and 
 adverlity,  fwect  or  four,  to  have  or  to  want,  to  live 
 or  to  die. 
 
 4.  Difunite  thy  heart  from  all  things,  and  unite  it 
 only  to  God. 
 
 5.  Remember,  often  and  devoutly,  the  life  and  paf- 
 lion,  the  death  and  refurredion,  of  our  Saviour  Jefus. 
 
 6.  Defcant  not  on  other  mens  deeds,  but  conlider 
 thine  own  ;  forget  other  mens  faults,  and  remember 
 thine  own. 
 
 7.  Never  think  highly  of  thyfelf,  nor  defpife  any 
 other  man. 
 
 8.  Keep  lilence  and  retirement  as  much  as  thou 
 canft,  and,  through  God's  grace,  they  will  keep  thee 
 from  fnares  and  offences. 
 
 9.  Lift  up  thy  heart  often  to  God,  and  deiire  in  all 
 things  his  affiftance. 
 
 10.  Let  thy  heart  be  filled,  and  wholly  taken  up, 
 with  the  love  of  God,  and  of  thy  neighbour,  and  do 
 all  that  thou  doft  in  that  fincere  charity  and  love. 
 
 The  fum  is : 
 oi»  Remember  always  the  prefence  of  God. 
 
 2.  Rejoice  always  in  the  will  of  God.     And, 
 
 3,  Dired  all  to  the  glory  of  God. 
 
 SECT. 
 
FOR  A  HOLY  LIFE.  479 
 
 SEC  T.    VII. 
 
 1.  Little  love,  little  truft  ',  but  a  great  love  brings  a 
 great  confidence. 
 
 2.  That  is  a  blefTed  hope  that  doth  not  flacken  us 
 in  our  duty,  nor  maketh  us  fecure,  but  increafeth 
 both  a  cheerful  will,  and  gives  greater  flrength  to 
 mortification  and  all  obedience. 
 
 3.  What  needeft  thou,  or  why  travelleft  thou  about 
 £0  many  things  ?  think  upon  one,  defire  and  love  one, 
 and  thou  fhalt  find  great  reft.     Therefore, 
 
 4.  Wherever  thou  be,  let  this  voice  of  God  be  ftill 
 in  thine  ear  ;  My  fon,  return  inwardly  to  thy  heart ; 
 abftrad  thyfelf  from  all  things,  and  mind  me  only  : 
 Thlis, 
 
 5..  With  a  pure  mind  in  God,  clean  and  bare  from 
 the  memory  of  all  things,  remaining  unmoveably  in 
 him,  thou  (halt  think  and  defire  nothing  but  him  a- 
 lone ;  as  though  there  were  nothing  elfe  in  the  world- 
 but  he  and  thou  only  together  ;  that  all  thy  faculties 
 and  powers  being  thus  recolledted  into  God,  thou 
 mayeft  become  one  fpirit  with  him. 
 
 6.  Fix  thy  mind  on  thy  crucified  Saviour,  and  re- 
 member continually  his  great  meeknefs,  love  and  obe- 
 dience, his  pure  chaftity,  his  unfpeakable  patience,  and 
 all  the  holy  virtues  of  his  humanity. 
 
 7.  Think  on  his  mighty  power  and  infinite  good- 
 nefs  ;  how  he  created  and  redeemed  thee  ;  how  he 
 juftifieth  thee,  and  worketh  in  thee  all  virtues,  gra- 
 ces, and  goodnefs  ;  and  thus  remember  Him,  until 
 thy  memory  turn  into  love  and  aftedion.    Therefore, 
 
 8.  Draw  thy  mind  thus  from  all  creatures,  unto 
 a  certain  filence,  and  reft  from  the  jangling  and  com* 
 pany  of  all  things  below  God ;  and  when  thou  canft 
 come  to  this,  then  is  thy  heart  a  place  meet  and  rea- 
 dy for  thy  Lord  God  to  abide  in,  there  to  talk  with 
 thy  foul. 
 
 9.  True 
 
480  RULES  AND  INSTRUCTIONS,  &C. 
 
 9.  True  humility  gaineth  and  overcometh  God 
 Alniighty,  and  maketh  thre  alfo  apt  and  meet  to  re- 
 ceiv  all  graces  and  gitts  ;  but  alas  I  who  can  fay 
 that  he  hath  this  blefled  meeknefs,  it  being  fo  hard, 
 fo  uncertain,  fo  fccret  and  unknown  a  thing,  to  for- 
 fake  and  mortify  perfedly  and  exadly  thyfelf,  and 
 that  mod  venomous  worm  of  all  goodnefs,  vain- 
 glory ? 
 
 10.  Commit  all  to  the  high  providence  of  God, 
 and  fufFer  nothing  to  reft  or  enter  into  thy  heart, 
 ftve  only  God ;  all  things  in  the  earth  arc  too  bafe 
 to  take  up  thy  love  or  care,  or  to  trouble  thy  noble 
 heart,  thy  immortal  and  heavenly  mind  :  Let  them 
 care  and  forrow,  or  rejoice,  about  thefc  things,  who 
 are  of  the  world,  for  whom  Chrift  would  not  pray, 
 
 11.  Thou  canft  not  pleafe  nor  ferve  two  matters 
 at  once  ;  thou  canft  not  love  divers  and  contrary 
 things ;  if  then  thou  wouldft  know  what  thou  lo- 
 veft,  mark  well  what  thou  thinkeft  moft  upon  ;  leave 
 earth,^  and  have  heaven  ;  leave  the  world,  and  have 
 God. 
 
 12.  All  lin  and  vice  fpringeth  from  the  property 
 of  our  own  will :  AH  virtue  and  perfedlion  cometh 
 and  groweth  from  the  mortifying  of  it,  and  the  re- 
 Hgning  of  it  wholly  to  the  pleafure  and  will  of  God. 
 
 Historical 
 
HISTORICAL  PARTICULARS,  &C.  48t 
 
 Historical  Facts  in  the  Life  of  Bifliop 
 Leighton,  with  his  Laft  Will;  andfome 
 Particulars  about  the  founding  of  the 
 Public  Library  at  Duriblane.  Extraded 
 from  the  original  Library  Catalogue,  and 
 never  before  printed. 
 
 Archbishop  Leighton,  after  refigning  his  arch- 
 bifhoprick,  took  leave  of  the  court  and  the  world, 
 and  retired  to  the  houfe  of  Mr  Edward  Lightmaker 
 of  Broadhurft,  his  nephew,  by  his  fifter  Madam  Light- 
 maker,  in  Suflex,  where  he  lived,  in  an  abfoiute 
 retirement,  a  moft  devout  and  contemplative  life, 
 for  the  fpace  of  about  feven  years.  In  all  this  time 
 he  met  with  no  interruption  of  his  folitude,  but  one, 
 which  gave  no  fmall  alarm  to  his  thoughts.  It  was 
 by  a  private  letter  from  the  King,  whereof  the  true 
 copy  follows,  and  is  configned  in  this  town  : 
 
 "  My  Lord,  Wind/or,  i6tb  July  1679. 
 
 **  I  am  refolved  to  trye  what  clemencie  and  gentle- 
 nefs  can  prevaill  upon  fuch  in  Scotland  as  will  not 
 conforme  to  the  government  of  the  church  there  : 
 for  effectuating  of  which  defign,  I  defy  re  ye  may 
 go  down  to  Scotland,  with  your  ift  conveniencie, 
 and  take  all  poffible  paines  for  perfuading  all  you 
 can,  of  both  opinions,  to  as  much  mutual  corre- 
 fpondence  and  concord  as  can  be  ;  and  fend  me, 
 from  tyme  to  tyme,  characlers,  both  of  men  and 
 things.  In  order  to  this  delign,  I  Ihall  fend  a  pre- 
 cept for  two  hundreth  pounds  Str.  on  my  Exche- 
 quer, till  ye  refolve  how  to  ferve  me  in  a  ftated 
 employment." 
 
 "Your  loving  friend. 
 For  the  Bp,  of  Dunblane.  Charles  R." 
 
 Vol.il  3P  Bifliop 
 
482  HISTORICAL  PARTICULARS,  &.C. 
 
 Bifhop  Lelghton  mortified  L.  300  for  a  philolbphy 
 burfary  at  Glafgow  : — L.  300  for  the  maintenance  of 
 four  old  men  in  St  Nicholas'  Hofpital  at  Glafgow,  in 
 the  town  of  Glafgovv's  hands : — L.  50  to  the  philofo- 
 ph  7  burfary  in  Edinburgh: — And  L.  1024  Scots  to 
 the  poor  of  Dunblane  parifli. 
 
 The  Bifnop's  teftament  and  latter  will  follows  : 
 
 "  At  Broadhurji,  Feb,  17.  1683. 
 
 "  Being  at  prefent  (thanks  be  to  God)  in  my  ac~ 
 *'  cuftomed  health  of  body,  and  foundnefs  of  mind 
 **  and  memory,  I  do  write  this  with  my  own  hand,  to 
 "  fignify,  that,  when  the  day  I  fo  much  wifhed  and 
 *'  longed  for  is  come,  that  fliall  fet  me  free  of  this  pri- 
 "  fon  of  clay,  wherein  I  am  lodged, — What  I  leave  be- 
 •*  hind  me  of  money,  goods,  or  chattels,  or  whatfo- 
 *'  ever  of  any  kind  that  was  called  mine,  I  do  de- 
 **  vote  to  charitable  ufes,  partly  fuch  as  I  have  re- 
 *«  commended  particularly  to  my  lifter  Mrs  Sophia 
 *'  Ligbtmaker,  and  her  fon  Mr  Edward  Lightmaker 
 <*  of  Broadhurft,  and  the  remainder  to  fuch  other 
 **  charities  as  their  own  difcretion  fliall  think  fitteft  ; 
 **  only  I  delign  each  of  them  to  accept  of  a  fmali 
 "token  of  a  little  grateful  acknowledgment  of  their 
 V  great  kindnefs,  and  their  trouble  they  have  had 
 **  with  me  for  fome  years  that  I  was  their  gueft  ;  the 
 "  proportion  of  which  (to  remove  their  fcruple  of 
 **  taking  it)  I  did  exprefsly  name  to  themfelves  while 
 *'  I  was  with  them,  before  the  writing  hereof,  and  like- 
 ^*  wife  after  r  had  written  it :  But  they  need  not  give 
 **  any  part  of  it  to  any  other;  the  vfhole  being  left 
 *^  to  their  difpofe :  Neither,  I  hope,  will  any  other 
 ♦*  friend  or  relations  of  mine  take  it  unkindly  that 
 **  I  leave  no  legacy  to  any  of  them,  defigning,  as  is 
 **  f^id,  fo  entirely  to  charitable  purpofes  the  whole 
 ^*  remainder  :  Only,  my  books,  I  leave  and  bequeath 
 *'  to  the  Cathedral  of  Dunblane  in  Scotland,  to  re- 
 '  f*  m^in  there,  for  the  u/e  of  the  clergy  of  that  dio- 
 
HISTORICAL  PARTICULARS,  &C.  483 
 
 *'  cefSfc  I  think  I  need  no  more,  but  that  I  appoint 
 j!^*  ray  faid  fifter  Mrs  Sophia  Lightmaker  of  Broad- 
 "  hurft,  and  her  fon  Mr  Edward  Lightmaker  of 
 "  Broadhurft,  joint  executors  of  this  my  will,  if  they 
 "  be  both  living  at  my  deceafe,  as  1  hope  they  fhall ; 
 "  or,  if  that  one  of  them  fhall  be  furviving,  that  one 
 **  is  to  be  fole  executor  of  it.  I  hope  none  will  raife 
 "  any  queftion  or  doubt  about  this,  upon  any  omif- 
 **  lion  or  informality  of  expreffion  in  it ;  being,  for 
 <<  prevention  thereof,  as  plainly  exprefled  as  it  could 
 **  be  conceived  neceflary  by  me.  And  this  I  de- 
 *'  clare  to  be  the  laft  will  and  teflamcnt  of 
 
 **  Ro.  Leighton." 
 
 Having  tbus  fettled  his  worldly  affairs,  he  continu- 
 ed in  his  beloved  retirement,  waiting  daily  for  his 
 happy  exit,  which  fell  out  the  next  year.  He  re- 
 ceived a  letter  from  Dr  Gilbert  Burnet,  giving  him  an 
 account,  that  fome  of  his  bcft  friends  were  come  from 
 Scotland  to  London,  who  had  a  great  defire  to  fee 
 him,  after  fo  many  years  abfence,  and  that  one  of 
 them  had  thoughts  to  wait  on  him  in  his  folitude  in 
 the  country.  He,  to  prevent  this,  and  upon  a  tender 
 regard  to  thofe  noble  perfons,  then  at  Coupt,  chofe 
 rather  to  come  up  himfelf,  than  to  give  them  the 
 
 ijrouble  to  come  down  to  the  country.  Propofals  were 
 then  made  him  of  coming  down  to  Scotland  ;  but  he 
 did  abfoiutely  (top  his  ears  to  all  motions  of  that  kind, 
 aiTuring  thefe  noble  perfons  that  treated  with  him, 
 that  his  race  was  near  at  an  end,  and  that  the  time  of 
 his  diflblution  was  drawing  on.  Accordingly,  a  few 
 days  thereafter,  he  iickened  at  London,  25th  June 
 1684,  and  rendered  up  his  fpirit  to  the  Father  of  fpi- 
 rits.  He  keeped  not  his  chamber  above  a  week,  nor 
 his  bed  above  three  days.     He  was  attended  during 
 
 ^^is  ficknefs  by  Dr  Burnet,  and  Dr  Call,  Principal  or 
 the  College  of  Glafgow,  who  may  poffibly  publifli  to 
 the  world  a  more  full  account  of  his  life  and  death, 
 there  being  in  both  very  remarkable  inftances  wor-i 
 
 thy 
 
484  HISTORICAL  PARTICULARS,  &c. 
 
 thy  of  record  ;  that  the  memory  of  the  jull  may  be 
 had  in  remembrance,  and  that  the  example  of  fo 
 great  and  good  a  man  may  preach,  and  prove  an  in- 
 citement to  virtue  and  godlinels,  and  a  practical  copy 
 of  holy  living  and  dying.  He  was  buried  in  Broad- 
 huril  church. 
 
 His  nephew,  feemingly  a  man  of  the  fame  fpirit, 
 fent  L.  100  Sterling  to  build  a  chamber  for  the  books  ; 
 that  too  fmall,  L.  60  more,  afterwards  remitted:  Like- 
 wife,  L.  200  for  a  librarian.  Clerk  Graham,  who 
 had  been  prefented  to  St  Stephen's  chaplainry  in  Dun- 
 blane for  life,  refigned  it  to  the  library.  Lord  Vif- 
 count  Strathallan  gave  the  carriages ; — ^James  Robert- 
 fon,  his  chamberlain,  mafter  of  work  ; — George,  his 
 fon,  in  1688,  after  the  houfe  was  finifhed.  Sir  Hew 
 Paterforl  carried  on  the  correfpondence  with  Mr  Ed- 
 ward Haverfield,  of  the  Middle  Temple;  the  former 
 having  been  a  fpecial  truflee  of  Bifhop  Leighton. 
 
 /    N    I    S.