Chapter II: Front Matter (2)

_Vse_ 1. This may serve _to condemne_ those, that with the wicked Jewes say, they are the Children of Abraham and of God, when notwithstanding, they doe the workes of the Devill, _Iohn 8.41,2,4._ _1 Iohn 3.8,10._ 2. _To exhort us_, in all things to make it appeare, that we are the true sonnes of God, by obedience unto his will, and our practise of holinesse: for unlesse we beare the chastisements of the Lord, that by them we may be made partakers of his holinesse, hereby we shew that we are bastards, and nor true sonnes. _Hebrews 12.8,10._

Doctrine 6. _This filiall obedience, and the fashioning of our selves according to the former lusts of our sins, cannot stand together._

This is gathered from the opposition, that is made betwixt these two, verse 14. where the one being affirmed, that we are obedient Children, the other is denyed, that we should not fashion our selves according to our lusts.

_Reason_ 1. Because they, which by regeneration are made the Children of God, are new creatures, have a new nature and new affections, so that they have wholy renounced their former nature and affections: and for this very cause they are called in the Text, _Former lusts_, or, _which were before_.

2. Because the former lusts of sinne do wholly withdraw us from the will of God, which we ought to obey.

3. Because the former lusts of sinne are such, that all that are come to the knowledge of the truth, may be asham’d of them; this is intimated in the Text, where they are called _lusts which were in our ignorance_: because they cannot endure the light.

_Vse_ 1. This may serve _to condemne_ those, that professe themselves the children of God, and call upon God as their Father, & yet follow the same course of life that the children of this world do.

2. _To exhort us_, not to conforme our selves to this world, _Romans 12.2._ where there is a reason also given of this exhortation, in the 1 Verse, because if we do this we cannot present our selves to God as a living sacrifice, acceptable unto him. So _2 Timothy 2.19._

Doctrine 7. _The calling of the faithfull doth necessarily require holinesse in them._

This is gathered from Verse 15,16.

_Reason_ 1. Because holinesse is one of the chiefe ends of this calling, therefore it is usually called in the Scriptures a holy calling, _2 Timothy 1.9._

2. Because God which calleth us is most holy, and he cals us to have communion with him in holinesse, as it is in the Text.

3. Because the calling it selfe is in its own nature a setting of a man apart from the common and corrupt use of the world to a sacred use; and therefore it is a consecration or dedication of men unto holinesse.

_Vse_ 1. This may serve _to rebuke and condemne those_, that seek for nothing by their Christian calling, but justification and blisse, and in the meane time altogether neglect the care to live holily.

2. _To exhort us_, in all our conversation to endeavour to be holy, as it is in the Text; _Be ye holy in all manner of conversation_; that is, so walke, as it becommeth the calling, wherewith ye are called.

Doctrine 8. _The severity of Gods judgement should stirre us up to the practise of piety._

This is gathered from Verse 17.

_Reason_ 1. Because God in executing his judgements is no respecter of persons, as it is in the Text. Now the name and profession of the faith, is nothing else, but the person of the Christian; as circumcision and the profession of the law was the person of the Iew: Such a profession therefore without sound holinesse cannot stand before Gods Tribunall.

2. Because God doth in some sort more severely require holinesse of those that by their calling draw neere unto God, & call him Father, as it is in the Text, then he doth of others, _Leviticus 10. 3._ _I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me._

_Vse._ This may serve _to admonish us_ not to cosen our selves in relying wholly upon the outward profession of faith, but to appeare before God alwayes with feare and reverence, as it is in the Text: because our God is a consuming fire, _Hebrews 12.29._

Doctrine 9. _The consideration of our redemption should be a strong argument to stir up in our hearts a desire of holinesse._

_Reason_ 1. Because we are redeemed from all our vaine conversation, although it be commended unto us by the use and tradition of our Fathers, Verse 18. Therefore for a man to follow such fashions, after that he is come to the knowledge of redemption, is nothing else, but to oppose himselfe against his owne redemption, and as much as in him lies, to make it void and of none effect.

2. Because by this redemption we are bought to be the servants of God, _1 Corinthians 6.20._ & _7.23._ So that we ought no longer to serve sinne, nor the world, nor to live according to our owne will and pleasure, but according to the will of God and our Redeemer.

3. Because the price wherewith we are redeemed; is of so great worth, that it doth farre surpasse all the most precious things of this world: therefore there ought to be made an excellent use thereof; and yet notwithstanding only those that endeavour to be holy, make any esteeme of it, Verse 18,19.

_Vse_ 1. This may serve _to condemne_ those that by their life dishonour Christ, and put their Redeemer to an open shame, _Hebrews 6.6._ they doe as it were tread under foot his blood, that was the price of our redemption, and count it an unholy thing _Hebrews 10.29._

2. _To exhort us_, as often as we think of our redemption, (which we ought to do very oft,) so often should we thinke that there are as it were coales of fire heaped upon our heads, wherewith we should be inflamed to this holinesse.

Doctrine 10. _That we may gaine profit and benefit by the consideration of our redemption, we should diligently meditate upon Christs predestination, his incarnation, humiliation, and glorification._

This is gathered from Verse 20,21.

_Reason_ 1. Because by this meanes alone is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of Gods love in Christ made manifest, _Ephesians 3.18._

2. Because by this meanes alone doe we come to know, what a great worke, and of how great difficulty it was, to deliver men from their sinnes.

3. Because by this also we may easily gather, how fit and just it is, that we should live unto God and Christ in all holinesse, which is the scope of this Text.

_Use._ This may serve _to admonish_ us not to passe over this mysterie slightly in our thoughts and meditations, but to continue in contemplation thereupon, that so we may, as it were, suck therehence the juice of true godlinesse.

Doctrine 11. _The proper and immediate use of all our contemplation upon Christ, and our redemption obtained by him, is, to confirme our faith and hope in God._

This is gathered from Verse 21, at the end.

_Reason_ 1. Because the end of Christs mediation is, that through him we should believe in God, as it is here affirmed.

2. Because Christ left us an example of putting our faith and hope in God; for he in his way perfectly performed it, and by that meanes attained the highest glory.

3. Because for our sakes and for our good was that glory given unto Christ, which our faith and hope look and seeke after.

_Use._ This may serve _to exhort us_, alwayes to look unto Iesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith, _Hebrews 12.2._ and by looking unto him to quicken our faith and hope.

Doctrine 12. _The calling of the faithfull hath the purification of the soule joyned with it._

This is gathered from the beginning of the 22 Verse. So _2 Peter 2. 20._ Hence it is that the washing of baptisme represents that grace which is given in their calling: Now this purification and washing, which is communicated in their calling, and signified by baptisme, is not by justification only, which consists in the imputing thereof unto remission of sinnes, but also by sanctification and the reall clensing of the soule, _1 Corinthians 6.11._ _Titus 3.5._ And this sanctification is chiefly referred to the soule as to its proper object.

_Reason_ 1. Because outward purification and sanctification is nothing worth at all, if it be divided from the inward: for this was the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees, that are said to have made clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, when within they were full of extortion and excesse, _Matthew 23.15._

2. Because the operation of the Spirit begins at the soule, and from the soule is derived to the outward man: for as all pollution proceeds first out of the heart, _Matthew 15.19._ so also purification.

3. Because if the soule be once purified within, outward purity will follow of its owne accord, _Matthew 23.26._

4. Because this purity doth more properly consist in the affection & intention of the soule, then in the outward practise; for the same outward works may be done by impure men; but the ♦faithfull differ from all impure hypocrites by their inward dispositions and affections.

♦ “faithull” replaced with “faithfull”

5. Because the faithfull themselves are oftentimes sustained and receive comfort by the purity which they have within in their will and purpose, though they cannot produce it into act according to their desire, _Romans 7.21,25._

_Use_ 1. This may serve to condemne those that are whited over with the name of Christians, but never look after the purity of their soules: and therefore they may be rightly called whited wals, _Acts 23.7._ and whited Sepulchres, _Matthew 23.27._

2. _To exhort us_ to use the utmost of our endeavours to purifie our souls, that they may be made the temples of the holy Ghost.

Doctrine 13. _This purification is wrought by the hearing of the word, & the effectuall operation of the holy Ghost by the word._

This is gathered from these words: _in obeying the truth through the Spirit_. Where the word of God, especially of the Gospell, is called the truth, partly for that excellency of truth that it hath above all other sayings or writings, and partly because by vertue of the truth or faithfulnesse of those promises which are contained in the word, this purification is wrought, together with all those spirituall blessings, that pertaine to the consolation and salvation of the faithfull.

_Reason_ 1. Because the word together with the Spirit doth reveale unto us that true purity which is pleasing and acceptable to God, whereof we are ignorant.

2. Because the word together with the Spirit is the oracle or power of God unto salvation, and consequently is able to beget every grace in us.

3. Because faith purifies the hearts of the faithfull, _Acts 15.9._ and faith comes by hearing of the word, _Romans 10.17._

_Vse_ 1. This may serve _to refute_ the heresies of those, which either hold that there is such power in the strength of nature, that men may sanctifie themselves at their own free will and pleasure, or, which comes all to one, maintaine that the outward preaching of the word is sufficient without the powerfull operation of the Spirit.

2. _To exhort us_, first, to hearken diligently unto the word of God; secondly, not to rest our selves satisfied in the bare letter of the word, but alwayes to crave the grace of God and the operation of his Spirit: thirdly, in the use of the word through the Spirit to seek the purification of our soules.

Doctrine 14. _The effect and signe of a purified soule, is a pure, sincere, and fervent love of the faithfull, as of brethren._

This is gathered from these words: _unto love of the brethren._

_Reason_ 1. Because hatred, envie, wrath, strife, enmities, and such like affections, especially, when they reflect upon the good, are some of those filthy pollutions of the flesh, from which the soule of the faithfull is purified, _Galatians 5.19,20._

2. Because the purification of our soules makes us to love purity in others, and no man can take delight in the purity of others, unlesse he be in some measure purified himselfe.

3. Because in the mutuall love of the faithfull divers operations are exercised, to the performing whereof, their soules are in a speciall manner purified and sanctified, as doing good, bearing with infirmities, edification of the Church, and glorifying the name of the Lord.

_Vse_ 1. This may serve _to condemne_ those, that shew themselves great enemies to godly men: they may rightly be called Cainites, for they have gone in the way of _Cain_, with those to whom the woe is denounced by _Iude_, Verse 12.

2. _To exhort us_ by all meanes to endeavour to gaine this brotherly love of the godly: wherein there is required, First, sincerity, that it should be without hypocrisie or simulation, so that it ♦should not be _in words or in shew_, as the Apostle speaks, but _in heart_. Secondly, that it should be not only from the heart, but from a pure heart; because there is a kinde of love that is in some sort sincere, but yet it is impure, whiles that it doth either neglect the chiefest good or else useth such means to procure some good as are contrary thereunto: as if a man to deliver his brother from danger, should perswade him to deny the truth, or to dissemble. Thirdly, That it should be fervent, because the affection ought to be set in the highest degree upon those objects, where there is found to be the chiefest reason to stirre it up.

♦ “shold” replaced with “should”

Doctrine 15. _Regeneration, that is common to all the faithfull, is a strong argument to provoke them to love one another._

This is gathered from the end of verse 22. and the beginning of the 23. where this reason is given, why they should love one another, because they are borne againe.

_Reason_ Because by this regeneration all the faithfull are brethren, begotten by the same Father, of the same blood, and partakers of the same spirit.

_Vse._ This may serve _to exhort us_, to be mindfull all this argument, and to give it roome and power in our hearts, so that we may upon occasion say as _Abraham_ did, _Genesis 13.8._ _Let there be no strife betweene me and thee; for we are brethren_: and to admonish others also in those words of _Moses_ _Acts 7.26._ _Sirs, Ye are brethren: Why doe ye wrong one another?_

Doctrine 16. _The word of God is the incorruptible seed or principle of this regeneration._

This is gathered from the 23. verse.

_Reason_ 1. Because it is the word of God, (as it is in the Text;) which liveth and abideth for ever; whose nature it resembleth in this, that the operation thereof is not ♦momentary or temporary, but it abideth for ever. 2. Because to speake properly, it is the word of eternall life, _Iohn 6.68._ for the end and use thereof is, to bring men to eternall life. 3. Because where it is once truly received, it never faileth. _Iohn 4.14._

♦ “momentany” replaced with “momentary”

_Use_ 1. This may serve _to refute_ the errour of those, which hold that they that are truly regenerated, usually fall away from the grace of God, and so are borne againe and againe, after they have beene regenerate: This is contrary, not only to the promise and covenant of God, that he will keepe the faithfull, that they shall not depart from him _Ieremiah 32.40._ and to that comfort which Christ gives his members, that no man shall pluck them out of his hand, _Iohn 10.28._ But also to the operation of the spirit in the hearts of the faithfull, and to the nature of the life it selfe, that is communicated unto them, which is incorruptible and eternall, as it is in the Text.

2. _To comfort us_ against all those feares and terrours, that may arise from the consideration of our own infirmities; for although of our selves we are continually falling to corruption, yet there is something borne in us, if we be truly faithfull, which is incorruptible and shall abide unto eternall life.

3. _To exhort us_ to carry our selves answerable in all Christian duties, that is, to be constant and incorruptible in performing them: and this is it at which the Apostle doth especially aime at in this place, when he stirres up the faithfull to a fervent and constant love one of another, by this argument, because they are borne againe by the incorruptible word.

Doctrine 17. _The condition wherein the faithfull are put by this incorruptible regeneration of the word, is farre more excellent then all the glory of this world._

This is gathered from verse 24,25. where there is a comparison made betwixt, flesh, grasse, the flower of grasse, and the glory of man, on the one side, and the word of God on the other; not as the word is considered in it selfe, but as it is received by the faithfull, and translates them into the kingdome of God.

_Reason._ Because as it is in the text, there is nothing in all the world but vanity, that quickly falleth away: whereas the word of God endureth for ever.

_Vse_ 1. This may serve _to exhort us_ to make more precious account of the word of God and of his kingdome, then of all the world, and that not only in respect of our selves, but of others also; as the Apostle doth in this place extoll the word of God and the condition of the regenerate above all the things of the world, that by this consideration among others he might move the faithfull to esteeme of others, that are regenerate, more highly, and to love them more fervently, then all the things of the world.

2. To comfort us, in that God of his bounty and grace hath advanced us to such a dignity.

Doctrine 18. _We ought to have a singular respect unto this dignity and excellency in the word of God, as it is preached unto us by the Gospell._

This is gathered from the 22 verse at the end.

_Reason_ 1. Because the same word of God is preached unto us, that is so much commended by the Prophets, Apostles, and by Christ himselfe, as it is in the Text, _this is that word_.

2. Because it makes much unto our salvation, as it is preached unto us.

_Use._ This may serve _to admonish us_, not to satisfie our selves with some generall esteeme of the word, as many are wont to doe, that are weary of the word that is preached unto them, and loathing it do reject it; but religiously and reverently to receive the word that is preached unto us, as the eternall word of God.

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