Jude 2 (part 1 of 2)

IN which Prayer we consider,

1. The blessings which the Apostle requesteth may be bestowed; which are three: [1. Mercy. 2. Peace. 3. Love.]

2. The measure in which the Apostle desireth they may be bestowed: [Be multiplyed.]

3. The persons upon whom he prayeth that these blessings may be in this measure bestowed: [ Unto you.]

1. In this Prayer, To consider of the Blessings which the Apostle requesteth for: And first of the first of them, Mercy. Concerning which I shall speak by way

Of 1. Exposition.

Of 2. Observation.

1. For the expository part. Mercy is referr’d either to Man, or to God. Misericordia est dolor et aegricudo animi, ex miseria alterius injuriâ laborantis conceptus, Cic. in Tus. 4. Misericordia est alienae miseriae in nostro corde compassio, quâ utique si possemus, subvenire compellimur. Aug. de C.D. l. 9. c. 5. Ex eo appellata est misericordia quòd miserum cor faciat condolescent is alieno malo. 〈Greek〉. Arist. Nemo parricidae supplicio misericordiâ commovetur. Cic. Tusc. 4. Mat. 5.7. Luke 6.36. Luc. 10.37. 1 Pet. 3.8. Col. 3.12.

1. To Man: and so mercy is (according to some) a grief of heart arising from the apprehension of anothers misery: according to Scripture, Such a holy compassion of heart for the misery of another, as inclines us to relieve him in his misery. It is a compassion or sympathy, because it makes the mercifull heart a partaker of the misery of him who is distressed; and therefore (say some) called misericordia, because it translates the misery of another into the heart of the merciful. And for this cause it is called the bowels of compassion, Col. 3.12. 1 John 3.17. Phil. 1.8. and 2.1. So likewise by the LXX. Pro. 12.10. And to have compassion is usually set out in Scripture by a Verb that signifieth, to have the bowels moved, Mark 6.34. Matt. 14.14. and 15.32. Mar. 1.41. Luk. 7.13. &c. because mercy expresseth it self in the bowels especially; he that is affected vehemently with anothers sufferings, having his very intrals and bowels moved and rouled in him, (Hos. 11.8.) and is affected, as if the bowels of him that is in misery were in his body: Nor is this Scripture compassion a foolish pity, whereby a man doth unlawfully tender him that is in deserved misery, as Ahab pitied Benhadad, and Saul Agag against Gods command; but such a compassion as God approveth, a fruit of the Spirit, commanded and commended in the Word. In this grace of mercy is also comprehended a forwardness to succour the miserable; the bowels of the mercifull not being shut up, 1 Joh. 3.17. This grace the Scripture honours with many precepts and promises. A merciful man is Gods Almner, his conduit-pipe to convey his blessings, his resemblance, like unto his heavenly Father, who is the Father of mercy.

And that’s the second consideration of mercy, as it is referr’d to God; and so indeed it is in this place by Jude.

In which consideration of mercy as referr’d to God, there are three things to be explained.

1. How mercy can be attributed to God.

2. What sorts of mercy are attributed to God.

3. What be the properties of the sorts of mercy attributed to God.

1. How mercy can be attributed to God: Not as it is an affection of grief for the misery of another: But 1. As it signifieth a promptitude and forwardness of the will to succour the miserable: Not as ‘tis miseria cordis, or as to be mercifull is taken passively, for one to be a fellow-sufferer; Zanc. de Nat. Dei l. 4. c. 4. q. 1. Misericordem hominem appellare solemus, non passivè, qui miserum habet cor (talis enim potius est miser, quàm misericors); sed activè, hoc est, illum qui miscro homini ex corde cupit succurrere. Si licuit Augustino, dicere quod sit cordis miseria, ex alterius miseria concepta: our non liceat nobis dicere, misericordiam dici, quia nobis sit cordi alterius miseria? Misericordia duo importat; unum tanquam essentiale, aliud tanquam accidentale: Primum est promptitudo voluntatis ad subveniendum miseris; alterum est passio tristitiae, quae oritur in appetitu ex cognitione miseriae alterius, quantum ad primum summè est in Deo, non quantum ad secundum. Rich. d. 46. a. 2. qu. 1. lib. 4. Zech. 2.8. Acts 9.4. Exod. 34. Psal. 100.5. Psal. 145.9. but as ‘tis miseria cordi, (as learned Zanchy distinguisheth) and as to be mercifull is taken actively, for one so to be mindfull of the miseries of others, that hee desires, and is willing from the heart to help them. Suffering with the distressed in their miseries, is not essential to mercy, but only accidental, in regard of our nature, which is so subject to passions, that without a fellow-feeling we cannot look upon the miseries of those whom we love; and this is not in God: but a propension and inclination of will to relieve the miserable (which is the essential part of mercy) is most properly and abundantly in God; although sympathy or fellow-feeling be often attributed to God improperly, and by way of resemblance to humane affections, for the relieving of our capacities, and strengthening our faith: And in respect of this propensenesse and willingnesse in God to help the distressed, are we to understand those Scriptures where God calls himself merciful, and of great mercy; that is, of a most forward nature to help us in our distresses.

2. Mercy is attributed to God, as it signifieth Gods actual helping and relieving us in our distresses; as he bestows those blessings upon us spirituall or bodily, which proceed from his alone mercy: and of this are those places of Scriptures to be understood, where God is said to have, or shew mercy, as Rom. 9.18. He hath mercy on whom he will. 1 Tim. 1.13. I found mercy, because I did it ignorantly. In which places mercy is put for calling to Christ, So Psal. 136. Rom. 11.31. 2 Tim. 1.18. and all graces which follow it. These works or effects of mercy being various and innumerable, it comes to pass, that (though mercy be single and one in God) the Scripture speaks of it in the plurall number: as Gen. 32.10. 2 Cor. 1.3. Rom. 12.1.

2. For the sorts or kindes of Gods mercy: It is either 1. A general mercy, extended to all creatures in common, as there is no creature in any misery which in some respect he doth not succour; he giving food to the hungry, warmth by wool, and sundry sorts of skins to the naked; medicine by many kindes of herbs; the Sun, the Clouds, the Winds, the Rain to refresh the earth severally: Psal. 147.9. Luke 6.37. Psal. 145.15. and thus he is mercifull to the elect and reprobate, just and unjust, nay men and beasts.

Or 2. A special mercy bestowed upon the elect alone, different from the former both in regard of Gods will to help, as also in regard of the effects of that will. John 6.39. ‘Tis the will of God that the Elect should be delivered from their sins, his wrath, Satans power, the sting of death, and that they should obtain eternal life in Christ: Isa. 62.4. Mal. 1.10. the wil and pleasure of God is to do them good, they are his hephsibah; but he hath no pleasure in, or speciall love to others. The effects likewise of his will to help are different toward the elect, from those he expresseth upon the reprobate; Rom. 9.15, 18. 1 Tim. 1.13. Rom. 11.31. Psal. 103.13. Psal. 32.10. Psal. 86.5. he calling effectually, justifying, redeeming, glorifying the elect. The Lord pitieth them that fear him. He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compasse him about. The Lord is plenteous in mercy to them that call upon him. Of others he saith, I will deal in fury, mine eye shall not spare, Ezek. 8.18. neither will I have pitie: The elect are vessels of mercy, the other of wrath: To the former he is mercifull in bestowing upon them an eternall, to the later, in affording a temporal life. These two differing as much, as the mercy with which a man regards his beast, doth from that wherewith he tenders his son; the beast is fed to be slain, or to be fit for labour; the son to be preserved, and out of a paternal care for his good: To the wicked God affords a drop, to the godly a draught of mercy; to the wicked, the crumbs under the table, to the godly, Christ with all his benefits, that bread of life which endureth to eternal life.

This special mercy of God here pray’d for by the Apostle, is distinguish’d according to those several miseries of his people in which he succours them. Take a taste of the kinds of it.

God is mercifull 1. With a preventing mercy, when he makes us holy, of unholy ones; he loved us first: Hee waited to shew mercy, Isa. 30.18. he doing good to us when we knew him not: Ezek. 16.22. Pitying us when we were in our blood; regarding us, when we neither regarded him nor our selves; keeping us from falling into the sins to which of our selves we were prone. So that, as in respect of good, we are what we are from Gods meer mercy; so, in respect of evil, we are not what we are not from the same mercy.

2. He is merciful to his with a forgiving mercy: fully freeing them from wrath; their sins are as if they never had been, blotted out as a cloud, Isa. 44.22. thrown into the bottom of the sea, Mic. 7.19. though sought for, yet not to be found, Deus vindictae gladium miserationis oleo exacuit. Jer. 50.20. In a sea of affliction there’s not a drop of wrath: The faithfull are look’d upon as sons, not as malefactors; their sufferings are not to satisfie God, but to sanctifie them, Heb. 12.6, 7.

3. He is mercifull with accepting mercy, taking in good part the desires of the soul, whenas it findes not to perform; accepting a sigh in stead of a service; a cup of cold water, a mite, a broken reed, smoking flax, a groan in stead of a duty, the stammerings of his childe above the eloquence of a beggar, a broken heart as the box of spike-nard.

4. Hos. 14.4. He is mercifull with re-accepting mercy; looking upon a returning Prodigal as a son; pitying as a father, not punishing as a Judg; Isa. 55.7. multiplying to pardon, receiving back-sliders again.

5. He is mercifull with providing mercy; supplying all our wants; suffering no good thing to be wanting to us; Psal. 23.2 Pet. 1.3. Psal. 84.11. alwayes giving what we need, if not what we would; either asswaging, or answering our desires; bestowing temporall blessings in subordination, not opposition to eternall blessedness: giving us, if not riches with godliness, contentment with our poverty.

6. He is mercifull with directing mercy in our doubts, guiding us by his counsels; Psal. 73.24. Gal. 6.16. shewing us the way wherein we are to walk; being eyes to us in our blindness, light in our darkness, a teacher in our ignorance, a pillar and a cloud in every wildernesse, giving his Word for a rule, his Spirit for a guide.

7. Mercifull he is with sustaining mercy, upholding us in all our distresses, making every affliction fordable, and carrying us thorow, visiting us in prison, feeding us thorow our grate, knowing our souls in adversity, Psal. 94.18. leading us gently, proportioning our burdens to our back; casting a tree into every Marah, shining thorow every showre, sending supplyes in every siege, 2 Cor. 12. Luke 22.32. making his grace sufficient for us in all our buffetings, keeping us from being swallowed up of sin, and our grace from being totally obliterated.

8. Mercifull with quickning, enlivening mercy to any holy duty; so that we can do all things; Phil. 4.13. making us a willing people, oyling the wheels of our souls, putting into us delight in his law, Psal. 119. so that we account it sweeter then our appointed food, and run the wayes of his commandments: he giving, as work and wages, so hands.

9. Mercifull with a restoring, recovering mercy; and that, not onely from sin and miseries; but even by them: 1. From them, bringing out of every distresse, bodily and friritual; causing every cloud to blow over, making the longest night to end in a morning; raising us after the fowlest fall, and out of the deepest grave, Psal. 103.9. Joel 2.13. Lam. 3.22. Hab. 3.2. making faith to work out of the greatest Ecclipse; he chides not for ever, but repents him of the evil; through his mercy he suffers us not to be consumed: In wrath he remembers mercy. 2. By sin and miseries, making our afflictions, nay our very sins to work for our good, and all the smutchings with both to make us brighter, more humble, watchful; and our fiery tryals to burn in sunder only our bonds.

10. Rom. 8.28. Mercifull with crowning mercy, when he brings us into heaven; 2 Tim. 1.18. there he perfectly freeing us not only from the contagion by, but even the company of every sin: nay, the fear of ever being annoyed again thereby; delivering us from impure hearts, and imperfect graces, from foyles, from fighting, from all our causes of complaint: he then giving for every combat we have had, a crown, for every tear, a pearl, for every light affliction, a mass of glory, for a drop of gall a sea of joy, for appearing troubles, reall blessednesse: 2 Tim. 1.18. This is the mercy of that day, crowning mercy.

3. For the properties of Gods mercy; 1. Its full: 2. Its free.

1. Its a full and unmeasurable mercy: the unmeasurablenesse whereof is set forth 1. More generally, when God is said to be plenteous in mercy, Psal. 86.5. 1 Pet. 1.3. Ephes. 2.4. Psal. 108.4. Psal. 51.1. Neh. 9.19. Psal. 103.11. 2 Cor. 1.3. Psal. 145.9. Psal. 33.5. Matt. 5.15. abundant, rich in mercy, his mercy great, above the heavens, his mercies unsearchable, high as the heaven is from the earth; multitudes of tender mercies. 2. More particularly, the unmeasurableness of his mercy is set forth, 1. In that there is no creature in heaven or earth but tasteth of it: His mercies are over all his works; the very dumb creatures speak him mercifull: The whole earth is full of his goodnesse: he preserveth man and beast; nay, his enemies.

2. In that resemblances to set forth his mercy, are taken from the most tender-hearted creatures: Hos. 11.4. he drawes with the cords of a man: He pitieth as a father; nay, more then the most tender-hearted mother doth her sucking-childe; he gathereth people as a hen doth her chickens: He hath bowels of mercy, Isa. 49.15. Jer. 31.20. Luke 1.78. and such as sound; and therefore his mercy pleaseth him; he delights to shew mercy, he forgets not his mercy.

3. He is the fountain of the mercy and mercifulnesse in all the creatures in the world toward one another: the mercies of all parents to their children, of every mother to her little ones, of every Christian, of every tender-hearted person, of every beast and foul to their young ones, are but drops that come from the sea of Gods mercy; he is the Father of mercies. 2 Cor. 1.3.

4. He can deliver from every misery: Bread takes away hunger, drink thirst, clothes nakedness, knowledge ignorance; but no creature can take away every misery: Phil. 4.19. 2 Cor. 1.3 Psal. 23.1. Psal. 34.10 wheras God is the God of all comfort, he supplyes all our wants, comforts in every trouble, he hath a plaister for every sore, is a Physician for every disease, inward and outward: and so merciful is he, that in the very not removing of miseries, he is mercifull: Were it not for trouble, how should corruption be kill’d, holinesse encreased, 1 Cor. 11.32 Heb. 12.10 heaven be sweet, eternal crowns and triumphs be injoyed?

4. He is merciful to his enemies: ful of patience and forbearance, expecting their return many yeers together; giving them rain, and fruitful seasons, Acts 14.17 Mat. 5.15 filling their hearts with gladness, notwithstanding they sin and fight against him with all his goodnesse; yea, so merciful is he, that in their greatest enmity to him, Rom. 5.10 he hath often done them the greatest good, changing their hearts, and making them his friends.

6. He bestows mercy with greatest frequency and reiteration: he hath many, manifold mercies, Psal. 51.1 Psal. 40.5 mercies for thousands, more than can be exprest: innumerable are the sins of one man; how innumerable the sins of the whole world? how numberless then are those mercies of forbearance expressed every time sin is committed, there being so many millions of sinners, every one committing so many millions of sins? innumerable are the morsels of food, drops of drink, the motions, deliverances, provisions received by one man; what then are those received by a whole world? and every such expression is a mercy.

7. The mercy of God is eternall, 1 King. 8.2• and therefore immeasurable: he keepeth mercy for ever: he will not take away his mercy from his servants: Psal. 89.2 Psal. 23. ult. Psal. 103.17 Psal. 136 it shall follow them all the dayes of their life: his mercy shall be built up for ever: It endureth for ever: ‘tis from everlasting to everlasting: He may hide his face for a moment (though that is but according to our thinking) but with everlasting mercies will he receive us. Isa. 54.7, 10 The hils may be removed, and the mountains may depart, but Gods covenant of peace shall not be removed. God never repented himself of bestowing his best mercies.

8. Gods Mercy is so immeasurable, that to help us out of our miseries, he that was God sustained them himself: It had been mercy, to have help’d us by speaking comfortably to us; more, to have help’d us by the bounty of his hand; but, to help us out of misery by bearing our miseries, by coming to man, by becoming of man, by suffering so much paine, hunger, ignominy, griefs, wounds, nay death for man! Oh, immeasurable mercy! Oh, my soul, acknowledge thine insufficiency either to conceive, or requite it.

2. The Mercy of God is not only full, but free, without desert on our parts: We deserve no healing from his mercy, unlesse by being sore and sick; no riches from mercy, unlesse by our poverty; no deliverance from mercy, unlesse by being captives; no pardon from mercy, unlesse by being guilty; no preservation from mercy, unlesse by being in danger; no mercy, unlesse by being miserable. God is not tyed to one man more than another; he hath mercy on whom he will: he hath mercy on the beggar, as well as the King; on the Barbarian, as well as the Grecian; the bond, Eph. 1.5, 6 Rom. 11.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Phil. 1.29. Rom. 3.24 Phil. 2.13 Rom. 6.23 〈◊〉 . 43.25 as well as the free; the Jew, as well as the Gentile; Election is the election of grace; Vocatiou is according to grace; Faith is said to be given; Justification is freely by Gods grace; every good motion is of Gods working; Life eternal is Gods gift; the putting away of every sin is for his own sake. God is mercifull, because he will be so; his arguments of mercy are drawn from his own pleasure: What can our works deserve, that are not ours, but his working; that are all due to him, if a thousand times more and better; that are all maimed and imperfect, Luke 17.10 1 Cor. 4.7 Rom. 11.35 Rom. 8.18 that are all vitious and polluted, that are all unequall to the recompence?

This for the explication of the first benefit which the Apostle requesteth for these Christians, [Mercy.]

2. The Observations follow.

1. Obs. 1. How unbeseeming a sin is pride in any that live upon Mercy! Mercy our highest happinesse calls loudest for a lowly heart. He that lives upon the alms of Mercy, must put on humility, the cloth of an Alms-man. Renounce thy self and thine own worthinesse both in thy receiving and expecting blessings.

1. In receiving them: If thou hast spiritual blessings, Mercy found thee a bundle of miseries, a sinner by birth, Ephes. 2.1 a sinner in life, deserving to be a sufferer for both; without grace, nay, against it; by thy birth, a poor out-cast, Ezek. 16.22 in thy blood, as naked of grace, as of clothes. The Apostle therefore speaks of putting on the graces of the Spirit: Col. 3.12 Job 1.21 1 Chro. 22.16 Gen. 24.35 Gen. 33.5, 11 the spots upon these clothes are onely thine; the garment it self was anothers before it was thine. Thou art beholding to mercy for any endowment of minde or body; wisdom, estate, riches, honours, &c. Its hard to be high in place, and low in our own esteem. Sacrifice not to thine own yarn, or net; let Mercy have the praise of all thou art and hast. Pride is the moth of mercy; nay, Magnus dives est, & major divitiis suis, qui non ideo magnum sc putat quia dives est: Aug. the winde that dryes up the streams both of Gods bounty, and thy gratitude: That which by mercy was thine, by thy pride may become anothers. He is truly great in his riches, that thinks not himself great by riches. The greater our receipts, the lesse room for pride, the greater cause of thankefulnesse.

2. In expecting of blessings, only have an eye to mercy: Idco Deus meus, quia bonorum meorum non in diget: Omne bonum nostrum aut ipse est, aut ab ipso: Aug. de Doc. Ch. l. 5. c. 31. In desires of pardon for sin, acceptation of services, obtaining of heaven, renounce thine own worthinesse, either in what thou art, or dost. How purely unprofitable to God is thy greatest goodnesse? it is nothing unto him, he is neither the better for thy goodness, nor the worse for thy wickedness. Is it any benefit to the fountain, that thou drinkest of it; or to the light, that thou seest? How full of mixtures of sin are thy holyest services? in the sense whereof holy Augustine pray’d, Regard, O Lord, in me not my work, but thine own: If thou regardest mine, thou damnest me; if thine own, thou crownest me: what-ever good I have is from thee, and ‘tis rather thine then mine. How full of pride is thy humility, thy faith of distrustfulnesse, Phil. 3.13 thy zeal of lukewarmnesse, of self-seeking thy performances, what darknesse is in thy light, how unrighteous thy righteousnesse! If God should contend with us, Job 9.2, 3 Qui de perfectione se erigit, habere se bene vivendi nec initium indicat: Gr. Mo. l. 9. c. 1. In sola Christi morte te totum contege; huic morti te involve; & si Deus te voluerit judicare, dic, Do mine, mortem Domini mei objicio inter me et te. Ans. de art. Mor. Meritum meum miseratio Domini: Bern. Serm. 61. in Cant. Prece post justitiam indiget, ut quae succumbere discussa poterat, ex sola Judicis pietate convalescat: Gr. Mor. l. 9. cap. 14. Etsi ad opus virtutis excrevero, ad vitam non ex meritis, sed ex venia convalesco: Id. Ib. Sordet in districtione Judicis, quod in aestimatione fulget operantis: Gr. Mor. l. 5. c. 7. James 2.13. 2 Tim. 1.16. 2 Tim. 4.8. we cannot answer for one of a thousand. He that boasteth of the perfection, wants the very beginning of holiness. That which appears beautifull in thine eyes, is foul in Gods. The wisest counsell is, to cover over thy self, and winde up thy soul in Christs death, to set that between God and thy soul; to acknowledge his mercy thy onely merit. Death is a stipend, Life is a donative, a free gift, not a due debt. God crowneth with mercy; but a swoln head is not fit to have that crown put upon it. Who can say, he hath cleansed his heart? We want a thousand times more grace than we have: though sin be cast down in regard of its regency, yet it is not cast out in regard of its inherency: Thy rectitude compared to thy rule, is crookedness. ‘Tis not thy purity, but thy pardon that must save thee. If there shall be judgment without mercy, to those that shewed no mercy; then must it be with mercy even to those also which shew mercy. Its mercy that must stand Onesiphorus in stead at that day. The Crown of righteousnesse Paul speaks of, is a crown of mercy too: the bestowing it is of justice; but the promising it was of mercy.

2. Obs. 2. The duty of contentation in our greatest wants, or smallest receipts. If one not engaged to us, deny us a courtesie, we have no cause of discontentment: when God gives, it is free mercy; when he with-holds, he useth his liberty: Thy supplyes are without desert, and thy wants must be without discontent. Wonder not at the blessings thou dost not, wonder more at those thou dost enjoy: Thy condition is begging, and thy part is not choyce. Cum aspexeris quot te antecedant, cogita quot sequantur: Sen. Ep. 15. Repine not if thou canst not reach thy richest neighbour, who hast nothing to say against God, should the poorest overtake thee. Murmur not for what is lost, but be thankfull for what is left. We must not controll God in the disposing of his alms, as if he did not distribute with equality: We should bring our hearts to his hand; where he stayes his bounty, there must we stint our desires.

3. I note The impiety and folly of those that abuse mercy, that spurn against Gods bowels: Obs. 3. Sins against mercy are double-dy’d: This is the provocation, Heb. 3.8 to see Gods works of love and care forty yeers, and yet to sin; this is to sin against the remedy: other sinners may, these who thus sin must die: These sin at a higher rate than others: These in sin cast not off God onely, but even the very man; Isa. 1.3 nay, are sham’d by the beasts. If to requite good for evill is our duty in reference to man, surely, to requite evill for good, and that to God, must needs be impiety. This sin renders inexcusable: God appeals to the very consciences of mercy-despisers, Isa. 5.3, 4 and offers themselves to judge of the righteousnesse of his proceedings in punishment; nay, the recollecting of abused mercy will be the most scalding ingredient in that fiery lake, when the flaming sufferer remembers, he that is now mocking at my calamity, once wept over my unkind soul; he who is now harder than flint and marble against me, was once a tender-hearted God toward me; he who now thunders in wrath, formerly soundin bowels: the way of mercy was once open and plain, but now the bridge of mercy is drawn, my possibilities are ended: I am now in a gulf of woe, that heretofore was unprofitably a gulf of mercy. How many Kingdoms, nay Worlds, would I now give for but one drop of that love, the sweet and swelling streams whereof I heretofore did but paddle in? O Christian, sin not against Mercy; if that be thine enemy, what shall Justice be? when Love it self shall be inexorable, who shall plead for thee? Let mercy make thee blush, that justice may not make thee bleed. Trifle not away the day of grace. The wine of mercy is to refresh the sorrowfull with hope, not to intoxicate the sinner into presumption. If mercy cannot thaw thee, ‘twill burn thee. O let the long-suffering of God be salvation.

4. 2 Pet. 3. Obs. 4. Great is the hainousnesse of sin, that can provoke a God of much mercy, to expresse much severity. That drop of gall must needs be bitter, that can imbitter a sea of honey. How offensive is sin, that can provoke a God, to whose ocean of pity the sea is but a drop? Ephraim (saith the Prophet) provoked God to anger most bitterly, Hos. 12.14 or, with bitternesses. God afflicts not willingly: he gives honey naturally, but stings not til provoked. Every sufferer coyns his own calamities: There is no arrow of judgment which falls down upon us, but was first (in sinning) shot upwards by us; no showr of miseries that rains down, but was caused by the ascent of the vapours of sin; no print of calamity upon the earth, but sin was the stamp that made it. What a folly is it, in our sufferings to be impatient against God, and to be patient towards sin: to be angry with the medicine, and in love with the disease? Let us justifie God in all our sufferings, and condemn our selves. God commands, that if a man were found dead, the City that by measure was found to be neerest to the place where he was found, Deut. 21.2 should offer up a sacrifice: In all our deaths and woes, would we measure impartially, we should finde sin neerest, let us sacrifice it.

5. Obs. 5. It should be our care to obtain the best and choycest of mercies. God hath mercies of all sorts; wicked men are easily put off with the meanest: their enquiry is, Who will shew them any good? But, O Christian, let nothing please thee but the light of Gods countenance: so receive from God, as that thou thy self mayst be received to God. Desire not gifts, but mercies from God; not pibbles, but pearls. Labour for that which God alwayes gives in love. There may be angry smiles in Gods face, and wrathful gifts in his hand; the best worldly gift may be given in anger. Luther having a rich present sent him, profess’d with a holy boldnesse to God, That such things should not serve his turn. A favourite of the King of heaven rather desires his favour than his preferment. We use to say, when we are buying for the body, that the best is best cheap: and is the worst good enough for the soul? The body is a bold beggar, and thou givest it much; the soul is a modest beggar, asketh but little, and thou givest it less. O desire from God, that thy portion may not he in this life, Psal. 17.14 that what thou hast in the world, may be a pledg of better hereafter: that these things may not bewitch thee from, but admonish thee what is in Christ. The ground of Pauls thanks-giving was, Ephes. 1.3 that God had blessed the Ephesians with spirituall blessings in Christ.

6. Obs. 6. How little should any that have this God of mercy for theirs, be dismayd with any misery? Blessed are those tears which so merciful a hand wipes off; happy twigs, that are guided by so indulgent a father: Psal. 25.10 All his severest wayes are mercy and truth to those in covenant; if he smiles, ‘tis in mercy; if he smites, ‘tis in mercy: he wounds not to kill thee, but sin in thee: the wounds of mercy are betthan the embraces of anger: if sicknesse, poverty, dishonour be in mercy, why dost thou shrink at them? Wrath in prosperity is dreadfull, but Mercy makes adversity comfortable. Its the anger of God which is the misery of every misery. Peter, at the first, was not willing that Christ should wash his feet; but when he saw Christs mercifull intent therein, feet, and hands, and head are all offered to be wash’d: A child of God, when he sees the steps of a father, should be willing to bear the stripes of a child: God will not consume us, but onely try us: He afflicts not for his pleasure, but for our profit, Heb. 12.10. Psal. 89. God visits with rods, yet not with wrath; He takes not away his loving-kindnesse. Mercy makes the sufferings of Gods people but notions. It would do one good to be in troubles, and enjoy God in them; to be sick, and lye in his bosome. God gives a thousand mercies to his people in every trouble, and for every trouble: He burdens us, but it is according to our strength; the strokes of his flail are proportioned to the hardnesse of the grain; Is•. 28.27 and merciful shall be the end of all our miseries: There’s no wildernesse but shall end in Canaan; no water but shall be turn’d into wine; no lions carcass but shall be a hive of honey, and produce a swarm of mercies. The time we spend in labouring that miseries may not come, would be spent more profitably in labouring to have them mixt with mercy, nay, turned into mercies when they come. What a life-recalling cordial is the apprehension of this mercy of God to a fainting soul under the pressure of sin! Mercy having provided a satisfaction, and accepted it; nay, (which is more) it beseeching the sinner to beleeve and apply it! That fountain of mercy which is in God, having now found a conveyance for it self to the soul, even Jesus Christ, through whom such overflowing streams are derived unto us, as are able to drown the mountains of our sins, even as easily as the ocean can swallow up a pibble. O fainting soul, trust in this mercy. Psal. 33.18 and 147.11 If the Lord takes pleasure in those that hope in his mercy, should not we take pleasure to hope in it? Mercy is the onely thing in the world more large than sin; Its easie to presume, Exod. 34.7 Psal. 77.7 but hard to lay hold upon mercy. Oh beg, that since there is an infinite fulnesse in the gift, and a freenesse in the giver, there be a forwardnesse in the receiver.

7. Obs. 7. Its our duty and dignity to imitate God in shewing mercy: Obs. 7. 1 Pet. 3.8 Matth. 5.45 Luke 6.36 Col. 3.12 Rom. 12.15 Plus est aliquando compati, quàm dare: nam qui exteriora largitur, rem extra se positam tribuit; qui compassionem, aliquid sui-ipsius dat: Gr. Mor. 20. A grace frequently commanded and encouraged in the Scripture. Mercy we want, and mercy we must impart: As long as our fellow-members are pained, we must never be at ease. When we suffer not from the enemies of Christ by persecution, we must suffer from the friends of Christ by compassion. When two strings of an instrument are tuned one to the other, if the one be struck upon and stirred, the other will move and tremble also. The people of God should be so harmonious, that if one suffer and be struck, the other should be moved and sympathize. Jer. 9.1. Luke 19.41. 2 Cor. 11.29. Holy men have every been tender-hearted, Grace not drying up, but diverting the streams of our affections. Christ was mercy covered over with flesh and blood; his words, his works, life, death, miracles, were all expressions of mercy, in teaching, feeding, healing, saving men; If there were any severity in his miracles, it was not toward man, but the swine and the barren-fig-tree. Insensiblenesse of others miseries is neither sutable to our condition as men, nor as Christians: according to the former, we are the same with others; according to the later, grace hath made the difference. Mercy must begin at the heart, Sic mens per compassionem doleat, ut larga manus affectum doloris ostendat. Greg. Luke 14.14. Gal. 6 9. but must proceed further, even to the hand; they whose hands are shut, have their bowels shut also: We are not Treasurers, but Stewards of Gods gifts. Thou hast so much only as thou givest. The way to get that which we cannot part with, is by mercy to part with that which we cannot keep. Our good reacheth not to Christs person, it must to his members. Jonathan is gone, but he hath left many poor lame Mephibosheths behinde him. We must love Christ in his worky-day clothes. We cannot carry these loads of riches to heaven; Its best to take bils of exchange from the poor saints, whereby we may receive there, what we could not carry thither. Especially should our mercy extend it self to the souls of others; as soul-miseries, so soulmercies are the greatest. They who are spiritually miserable cannot pity themselves: though their words speak not to us, yet their woes do. Wee weep over a body from which the soul is departed; and can we look with tearless eys upon a soul from which God is departed? If another be not afflicted for sin, grieve for him; if he be, grieve with him. If thou hast obtained mercy, thou dost not well (as said the Lepers) to hold thy peace: Mercy must never cease till its objects do; in heaven both shall.

Thus much for the first blessing which the Apostle prayes may be bestowed upon these Christians to whom he wrote, viz. Mercy.

The second follows, viz. Peace; of which, by way Of 1. Exposition. Of 2. Observation.

Peace is a word very comprehensive, and is ordinarily used to denote all kinde of happinesse, welfare and prosperity. And 1. I shall distribute it into severall kindes. 2. Shew the excellency of that here intended.

1. There’s Pax temporis, or external, among men.

2. Pax pectoris, or internal, in the heart.

3. Pax aeternitatis, or eternal, in heaven. Or more distinctly thus: 1. There’s a Peace between man and man. 2. Between man and other creatures. 3. Between man and (or rather, in man with) himself. 4. Between God and man.

1. Peace between man and man: and that is publick or private:

1. Publick; and that either Political of the Commonwealth, when the politick State is in tranquility, and free from forrein and civill Warrs (2 King. 20.19. Jer. 29.7. There shall be peace in my dayes. In the peace thereof ye shall have peace. This is either lawful, and so a singular mercy; or unlawfull, as when one People is at peace with another against the expresse wil of God; as the Israelites with the Canaanites and Amalekites: or joyn in any sinfull attempt, as did the Moabites and Ammonites against the Israelites:) Or Ecclesiasticall, and of the Church, when its publick tranquility and quiet state is not troubled within, by Schisms and Heresies; or without, by persecuting and bloody Tyrants. Psal. 122.6. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Acts 9.31. The Churches had rest. and Acts 4.32. 1 Cor. 14.33.

2. Private; and that, either between the good and the good: or between the bad and the bad: or between the good and the bad. 1. Between the good and the good; 1 Pet. 3.8. Love as brethren; and, Let brotherly love continue. and Col. 1.4. The love ye have to all Saints. 2. Hebr. 13.1 Between the bad and the bad: 2 King. 9.22. Is it peace, Jehu? And that either lawfully, for their own preservation; or wickedly, against the people of God; or to strengthen one another in some sinful attempt, and to that end, joyning hand in hand. 3. Between the good and the bad; which is either lawfull, as Abraham’s with Abimelech; and commanded, Rom. 12.18. Render to no man evil for evil; but, if it be possible, have peace with all men. So Psal. 120.7. I am for peace. And sometime caused by a work from God upon the hearts of wicked men, as in the case of Daniel, Chap. 1.9. and in Esan’s love to Jacob: according to that of Solomon, Pro. 16.7. The Lord will make his enemies at peace with him, &c. Or unlawful, when against the mind of God the godly make leagues with them, or agree in any way of sin.

2. There is a peace between man (the faithful I mean) and other creatures; the good Angels are at peace with, 2. Heb. 1.10 Ephes. 1.14 and ministring spirits to them: as Job 5.23. Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the earth shall be in peace with thee. and Hos. 2.18. Hujus foederis vigore, mala hujus vitae sic laedunt pios, ut non noccant, non perdant, sed prosint. Ubi notandum est, vocabulum foederis accipi 〈Greek〉, & per similitudinem effectus. Riv. in Hos. 2.18 I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fouls of the heaven, and with the creeping things of the earth: The meaning is, There shall be such a work of God upon the beasts and fouls, &c. for the good of the Church, as if God had bound them to do them good by way of covenant, (There is mention Jer 33.20. of Gods covenant of the day, and of the night: that is, the establishment of Gods decree upon the day and the night, wherby they come to be in such and such a way from the creation to the end of the world:) so that although the beasts, the fouls, the stones, &c. may annoy them, nay kill them; the true safety of the Church shall not be hindred by them; yea, All things shall work together for their good: neither nakedness, nor sword, nor death, nor any of these things shall separate them from the love of God in Christ: and if God sees it for their good, all the creatures in the world shall be so far from hurting the godly, that they shall all agree to advance their temporall good and welfare.

3. There is a peace in man with himself; and that is either false, or sound: False peace is, when sinners thinking themselves free from the fear of dangers, falsly promise safety to themselves: 1 Thess. 5.3. When they shall say, Peace and safety, &c. Sound peace in man with himself is twofold: 1. Of Assurance, when sanctified conscience ceaseth to accuse and condemn us, speaking comfortably in us, and for us before God: 1 John 3.21 This sweet quietnesse and tranquility of conscience being the immediate fruit of our attonement with God; that peace of God which passeth all understanding, Phil. 4.7. and in which the Apostle placeth the Kingdom of God, Rom. 14.17. the peace that Hezekiah was not destitute of, when he said, Remember now, O Lord, Isa. 38.3 I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, &c. This peace sweetens every condition, is as musick within, when the rain and storms fall upon the house; a friend (as Ruth to Naomi) that will go along with us in every distresse: though we change our place, our garments, our conditions, our companies, yet our enemies cannot take this from us; its a continual feast, Pro. 15.15. This peace preserves our hearts and minds in all afflictions, Phil. 4.7 Psal. 4.8 and puts into us a holy security and neglectivenesse of all dangers. 2. Of subordination, when the will, affections, and inclinations of a man submit themselves to the minde savingly inlightned by, and subjugated to God; which, although it be not perfect, by reason of that repugnant law in our members; yet is it true and progressive, the imperfection of it occasionally being an incentive to godlinesse, making us more fervent in prayer, humble, broken-hearted, and receptive of that peace we long for.

4. There is a peace with God; and that is twofold: 1. In this life: 2. In the next.

1. In this life; and so it is two-fold: 1. A peace of Reconciliation; and 2. of Contentation. 1. Of Reconciliation, wherby God in Christ is at one with man: The chastisements of our peace were upon Christ; Isa. 53.5. 1 John 29. the wrath deserved by us for our sins Christ sustained, and satisfied divine justice fully; so that now God (not requiring satisfaction twice for the same offences) is at peace with us. Isa. 9.6 Ephes. 2.14 Rom. 10.15 2 Cor. 5.20 Rom. 5.1 This, the foundation of all the former, and following kindes of good peace, is purchased by Christ the Prince of peace, and our peace; and proclaimed in the preaching of the Gospel, the glad tidings of peace, by the Ministers of it, the Embassadors of peace; and accepted by faith, whereby we therefore enjoy and have peace with God. 2. Of Contentation, or holy submission, by which a man is peaceable, Phil. 4.11 and not murmuring or impatient against God, but quietly accepting whatsoever is his will; the way indeed to live a truely quiet life, and (as one says well) ever to have our wil; the waves of unquietness being ever raised by the winde of pride and unsubmissiveness.

2. Peace with God in the next life, or peace eternal, is the perfect rest which the Saints shall enjoy in heaven; called (Rom. 8.6.) life, and peace, and the rest that remaineth for the people of God; their resting from their labours, both inward and outward; not only from hurt, but from danger by, nay, from the presence of any thing that ever did molest them.

The Apostle in this salutation by peace, intends principally, peace with our selves; that peace of God which passeth all understanding, so often commended; which includes peace with men, commanded, and peace with the other creatures, promised to accompany it; and peace with God, presupposed as its cause and original. Rom. 1.7. 1 Co. 1.3 Col. 1 2 Pet. 1

2. This sanctified tranquillity & quietness of conscience, (a singular blessing, often requested by the Apostles for the faithfull to whom they wrote) is of rare excellency:

1. For its author and original; ‘tis from God, 1 Thess. 5.23 2 Cor. 13.11 Col. 3.15 Phil. 4.7 he being called the God of peace, and it the peace of God. He is the authour of external peace in Church and Commonwealth; the peace of Jerusalem must be begg’d of him; He maketh warrs to cease, and all stirs to be husht; He maketh peace between us and the creatures, making a covenant for us with them: He is the authour of eternall peace; for, eternal life is the gift of God. But after a speciall manner is he the God of internal peace, the peace of conscience, at which S. Jude. aimeth: for 1. He sent his Son, [1] To merit it for us, when we lay in the horrour of an accusing conscience; who is therefore called in himself, the Prince of peace; Isa. 9.6 Ephes. 2.14. John 14.27. and in respect of us, our peace: and the peace we speak of is said to be his peace, he making peace by slaying hatred on the cross, by his perfect obedience abolishing whatsoever God might hate in us. [2] He sent his Son to preach and publish this peace, and to invite men to it, and that, first, In his own person, Isa. 61.1. Luk. 4.18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, to preach glad tidings, &c. Secondly, In his Ministers, Ephes. 2.17. Christ came and preached peace to you who were afar off; he thus preaching it to the worlds end. As hee sent his Son to merit and preach this peace: so. 2. He sent his Spirit to apply and seal this peace in the hearts of the elect; it being called a fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. this Spirit enabling us to cry for this peace, Gal. 4.6. and working faith in our hearts, whereby we have peace with God, Rom. 5.1. and boldness and access to the throne of grace, Eph. 3.12. creating the fruit of the lips to be peace, Isa. 57.19. Nothing that the world either is or hath; nay, neither men nor Angels can give Peace, they may wish and publish it, God only gives it; some say there is a disease which only the King can heale: I am sure a broken heart, a wounded conscience, can be healed only by the Prince of Peace.

2. The excellency of this Peace appeares in the subject of it; and that both in respect of [1] the Parties that have it, and [2] the part of every of those parties in which it resides.

1. The parties that enjoy it are onely the faithful; It is only promised to them, the true children of the Church; Isa. 54.13. Psal. 29.11 and 37.11 Psal. 85.8 Isa. 26.12 Psalm 37.37 Isa. 57.2 Jer. 33.6 Luke 10.6 Rom. 5.1 Psal. 119.165 Isa. 57.22 and 59.8 Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3, Gal. 1.3 Phil. 1.2 Col. 1.2, &c. Gal. 6.16 2 Thess. 1.2 Great shall be the peace of thy children: The Lord will blesse his people with peace: The meek shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace: He will speak peace to his people: Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us: The end of that (the upright) man is peace: He shall enter into peace: God will reveal unto such abundance of peace.

2. Its only reported of the faithful, that they have peace; They are the sons of peace; the justified only have peace with God: There is no peace to the wicked; The way of peace they know not. Great peace have they which love the law.

3. Peace is only wished and requested for the faithfull: for others, either onely as they were with an eye of charity look’d upon as faithful; or as in those requests the terms upon which they should obtain this peace are also included; namely, the disturbing of their own unsound, the accepting of him that deserves the true peace, and the walking in the ways of holinesse. But peace from God is never desired for men to continue in a state of warr against God.

4. Rom. 5.9, 10 Rom. 5.1 Eph. 1.6 Hebr. 2.15 1 Cor. 15.31 Job 15.20, 21 Jude 19. Gal. 5.22 Ephes. 2.12 Rom. 12.12 The faithfull onely have taken the right course to obtain peace: They alone are freed from Gods wrath, more dreadful then the roaring of a Lion, or the wrath of all the Kings of the world, it destroying body and soul in hell: they onely have pardon of sin; the other, like guilty malefactors, are in an hourly expectation of the worst of deaths, through the fear whereof they dye before they dye. The faithfull onely have Christ, who is our peace, and the Prince of Peace; the Spirit of God, of which peace is a fruit and effect; they alone rejoyce in hope, and live in expectation of a crown incorruptible, an everlasting kingdom; others live a hopelesse, heartlesse life.

2. The part of these parties in which this peace resides, is the heart and conscience, Col. 3.15. The peace of God rules in the heart, Joh. 16.22. Your heart shall rejoyce, and Psal. 4.7. Thou hast put gladnesse into my heart; and Phil. 4.7. The peace of God shall preserve your heart,; in which respect, 1. Tis a sustaining, strengthening, reviving peace; so long as the heart is kept safe, a man fals not, faints not; when the heart is relieved with a Cordiall, a fainting man revives; Now the peace of God keeps up the heart, it brings aid and relief to it in all dangers, when sin and Satan, temptation and persecution lay siege to it; It brings strong consolation, 〈Greek〉. Phil. 4.7. Act. 16.25. Act. 21.13. 2 Cor. 1.3, 4 Rom. 5.3.5. Heb. 10.34. Heb. 6.18. Its a Banner over us in warre, a Cordiall, an Antidote against all Poyson; It makes Paul and Silas sing in Prison, Paul to be ready to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus, the faithfull to be comforted in all tribulation, and consolation to abound as sufferings abound; it making the faithfull in a cold winter of persecution to be warmest within, making a Martyr to go as merily to a Stake, as another to a Feast. 2. The seat of this peace, the heart, notes as our sustentation by it, so the soundnesse, truth and reality of it: ‘tis not in cortice, but in corde; in the heart, not in the habit; in the conscience, not in the looks; It’s in the breast, not in the brow; not suffering a man to be like some Prisons, beautifull without, but full of horror, blacknesse, chaines and dungeons within; It’s a Peace not residing in the hall of the senses, but in the closet of the heart: A Saints peace is a silent calmnesse, an unseen quietnesse; meat, of which those without know not, like the windows of Salomons temple, narrow without, Pro. 14.10. broad within; the worst, the unbeautifull, the black-side of his cloud is seen, when the bright is hidden. 3. The seat of this Peace the heart, implyes it’s seriousnes, weightinesse, Tu illum judicas gaudere qui ridet? animus debet esse alacer. Res severa est verum gaudiam, caeterae hilaritates leves sunt; frontem remittunt, pectus non implent. Sen. Ep. 23. Ego neminem posse scire arbitror, quid sit, nisi acceperit, Bern in Cant. Melius impressum quam expressum innotescit. In his non capt, intelligentia nisi quantum attingit experientia, Id. ibid. greatnesse, that the ground of it is not slight, and toyish, but some great matter, not lightly pleasing the fancy, and superficially bedewing the senses, but like a ground-showr, soaking even to the heart-root. The peace of a Saint is not like the mirth of a Child, caused more by a gay, or a toy, then by a conveyance of a thousand pounds by the year; or like our laughter which is more at a jest, than at the finding of a bag of gold of ten thousand pounds; No, his peace is not idle, frothy and ludicrous meriment, but deep and affecting the heart with apprehensivenesse of an interest in the great things of eternity; a peace that passeth understanding: Light, either griefs or contentments, are easily exprest, not so those which are deep and weighty; these are joyes unspeakeable and glorious, superabundant, 1 Pet. 1.8. 2 Cor. 7.4. 4. The seat notes the safety of this peace: the heart is too deep for a man to reach; a Saints peace is laid up in a Cabinet that man cannot open; Joh. 16.22. men may break into his house, but not into his heart; Your joy (saith Christ) no man taketh from you: The power of adversaries is but skin-deep: There is a three-fold impotency of man in reference to a Christians peace; 1 Man cannot give this peace: 2 He cannot hinder it from entring. 3. He cannot remove it, or hinder it from abiding; It continues like a Fountaine in the hottest Summer, and is warmest in the coldest Winter of affliction; like a Candle which is not overwhelmed, or quenched in the dismall darknesse of the night, but is made thereby to give the cleerer light: David in greatest straits comforted himselfe in God; 1 Jam. 1, 2. 2 Cor. 7.4. Rom. 5.3. 1 Thes. 5.16. 2 Cor. 14.5. Phil. 4.4. Heb. 12.11. the faithfull glory in tribulation; they are commanded to rejoyce evermore; as the sufferings of Christ abound in them, so their consolations abound by Christ. The faithfull have oft drawne matter of joy from their sufferings, they yeeld the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse. A sick man may rejoyce at the coming of the Chyrurgeon, though he knows he will put him to paine; Phil. 1.19 2 Cor. 4.17 I know (saith the Apostle) that this shall turne to my salvation: The light affliction that lasteth but for a moment, procureth an exceeding, excessive, eternall weight of glory: If we suffer for Christ, 2 Thess. 2.12 Rom. 8. we shall also reigne with him: None can separate us from Christ, and therfore not from peace: the Spirit of peace by us may for a time be sinn’d away, but he cannot by enemies be persecuted away: The Sun may as easily be blown out with bellowes, as true peace be driven away by sufferings. 5. The seat of this peace, the heart imports, the spiritualnesse and sublimity of it; it is not, sensuall, earthly and drossy; the heart is no more relieved with worldly comforts, then are the belly, bags and barnes, fill’d with grace and holinesse. What is it to the soule that, thou hast goods laid up for many yeares? The rarest delicacies of the earth, are not such food as the soule loves, spirituall blessings of Communion with God, Illud verum & solum est gaudium, quod non de terrâ, sed de Caelo est; quod non de creatura, sed de Creatore accipitur, Bern. Ep. 114. enjoying of Christ, a view of our names as written in heaven, alone pacifie the heart; This peace is upheld by the promises of God, not of men; by Scripture, not Politick props; The Father of Spirits is onely the Physician of Spirits: Thus the Jewel of Peace is rare, obtained but by a few, the faithfull; and regarded, laid up in the Casket of the heart; There’s the subject of it.

3. The excellency of this peace appeares in it’• effects, 1 It most disturbes sin, when it quiets the soul most. A pacified conscience is pure: The soule at the same time time tasteth and feareth the goodness of God: the Sun of mercy thawes the heart into teares for sin; Hos. 3.5 Peace with God increaseth feare of transgression, as it diminisheth fear of damnation, making us who formerly feared because we sinned, now to fear lest we should sin. If mercy be apprehended, sin will be hated: spirituall joy causeth godly grief. As God is wont to speak peace to the soul that truly mourns for sin; so the soul desires most to mourn for sin, when God speaks peace unto it. The pardoned traytor (if he have any ingenuity) most grieves for offending a gracious Prince. Godly peace doth at the same time bannish slavish horror, and cause filial fear. Besides, the more quietnesse we apprehend in enjoying God, the more are we displeased with that trouble-heart sin.

2. Another effect of this peace is activenesse and stirring in holy performances: When the faithfull are most quiet, they should be least idle; When David had rest from his enemies, he then was carefull how to build God an house: when the soul seeth it is redeemed from the hands of his enemies, Luke 1.74, 75 its most engaged to serve the Redeemer in holinesse and righteousnesse. This peace is as oyl to the wheels, to make a Christian run the ways of Gods commandments. The warmth of the Spring draws out the sap of trees into a sprouting greenness; and the peace of God refresheth the soul into a flourishing obedience. Jonathan having tasted hony, his eys were inlightned; and the soul which hath tasted the sweetnesse of inward peace, is holily enlarged. Some who professe they enjoy an ocean of peace, expresse not a drop of obedience: Suppose their profession true, they defraud God; but it being false, they delude themselves. The joy of Gods people is a joy in harvest; as it is large, so it is laborious: they are joyfull in the house of prayer. Isa. 56.7

3. This inward peace from God, inclines the heart to peaceablenesse toward man: A quiet conscience never produced an unquiet conversation; 1 Pet. 3.8, 9 the nearer lines come to the center, the nearer they are one to another; the peaceable approaches of God to us, will not consist with a proud distance between us and others. Pax ista reddit offendentes ad sat is faciendum humiles, & offensos ad remittendum faciles: Dau. in Col. 3.15. This peace of God maketh those who have offered wrong to others, willing to make satisfaction, and those who have suffered wrong from others ready to afford remission: The equity of the former stands thus; If the great God speaks peace to man when offended by him; should not poor man speak peace to man when offending of him? The equity of the later thus; If God be pacified toward man upon his free-grace, should not man be pacified toward man, Mat. 18.24 it being a commanded duty? and, if God by his peace have sealed to man an acquittance from a debt of ten thousand talents; should not man by his peace acquit man from the debt of an hundred pence? In a word, this peace from God makes us peaceable toward all: it keeps us from envying the rich, from oppressing the poor; it renders us obedient to superiours, gentle to equals, humble to inferiours; it preserves from Sedition in the Common-wealth, from Schism in the Church; it cools, it calms, it rules, in heart and life.

4. Peace from God makes us commiserate those who are under his wrath: a pacified soul loves to impart its comforts, and is most ready to give a Receit of what eased it; it labours to comfort those that are in trouble, by the comfort wherewith it is comforted. 2 Cor. 1.4 The favourites of the King of heaven envie not his bestowing favour also upon others: They pity both those who please themselves with an unsound peace; and also those who are pained with the true wounds of conscience.

5. This peace from God makes us contented and quiet in every affliction: since the Lord hath spoken peace in the first, we shall take it well, whatsoever he speaketh in the next place: what-ever God doth peaceably, the soul beareth it patiently. The great question of a godly heart, when any trouble cometh, is that of the Elders of Bethlehem to Samuel, Comest thou peaceably? and it answering peaceably, is entertained with welcome. Lord, thou hast pardoned my sin, (saith a pacified soul) and now do what thou pleasest with me. Men destitute of this peace, are like the leaves of a tree, or a sea (calm for the present) moved and tossed with every winde of trouble: their peace is nothing else but unpunish’d wickednesse.

And this for the Explication of the second blessing which the Apostle requesteth for these Christians, viz. Peace.

The Observations to be drawn from it, follow.

1. Obs. 1. They who are strangers to God in Christ, are strangers to true peace: True peace comes from enjoying the true God. A quiet conscience, and an angry God are inconsistent; A truth deducible as from the preceding exposition of Peace, so even from the Apostles very order in requesting peace: First he prayeth for Mercy, then for Peace. 2 King. 6.27 If the Lord do not help us, how shall we be helped to this blessing, out of the barn-floor, or the wine-presse? The garments that we wear must receive heat from the body, before they can return any warmth again unto it; and there must be matter of peace within, ere any peace can accrue from any thing without; If God be against us, who can be for us? if he disquiets us, what can quiet us? if He remain unpacified, the conscience will do so, notwithstanding all other by-endeavours. A wicked mans peace is not peace, but at the best onely a truce with God: The forbearance of God to strike is like a mans, who thereby fetcheth his blow with the greater force and advantage; or like the intervals of a quartane, the distemper whereof remaining, the fits are indeed for two days intermitted, but return with the greater violence. A wicked mans conscience is not pacified, but benummed; and the wrath of God not a dead, but a sleeping Lion: Pro. 14.13 A sinners peace is unsound and seeming, in the face, not in the heart; a superficiall sprinkling, not a ground-showr; he having in laughter his heart sad, may truly in it say with Sarah, I laughed not; he being in his rejoycing, Vides convivium, laetitiam: Interroga conscientiam. Amb. Off. l. 1. cap. 12. Evasisse putas quos diri conscia facti, Mens habet attonitos et surdo verbere coedit, Occultum quatiente intus tortore flagellum. Job 20.5, 7. Eccl. 7.6 as well as in his mourning, an hypocrite. Ask not the countenance, but the conscience of a sinner, whether he rejoyceth? The guilt of his sin is an unseen sore, an hidden scourge: His peace relieves him not, its no preservative to his heart in persecution or distresse; it leaves him (like Absoloms mule) when he hangs in any woe, and stands most in need thereof: His peace stands onely in the avoyding of troubles, not in the sweet enjoying of God in his troubles; its as uncertain as a dream, or as the crackling of thorns under a pot: his dayes of mourning will shortly come: Deluded he is with a groundlesse conceit of vain hopes; he is like a child in a Siege, not appehensive of his danger, but busie at sport, while the parents are at the breach, and the City ready to be sack’d: He is secure, but not safe.

2. Its a mistake, Obs. 2. Gal. 5.22 Rom. 14.17 Isaacum, i. e. gaudium jugulandum tibi formidas? securus esto; non Isaac, sed Aries mactabitur; non peribit tibi laetitia, sed contumacia, cujus utique cornua vepribus haerent, & sine punctionibus anxietatis esse non potest. Bern. to think there is no peace to be found in the good wayes of God. True peace is a fruit of Gods Spirit, and a branch of Christs Kingdom: Godlinesse doth not quell, but qualifie mirth, not consume, but correct it; it deprives neither of the use of, nor comfort in any lawful delights, being procured by Christ, and bestowed by God as fruits of love. As for sinful and inordinate delights, which have no more pleasure in them, than is found in the scratching of some unsound part when it itcheth; a Saint being now healed of his disease, it is no pain for him to part with them: If holy men want peace, ‘tis because they, or others, or both are not more holy; nor are they sad because they are now holy, but because they were no sooner so: Their greedy desire of more holinesse, often hinders them from taking notice of what already they have: they judge not aright of their present state; they have a pardon signed and sealed, but haply they cannot read it, in regard some sin hath blurr’d it, Vid. Mr. Gatakers Just mans joy. or Satan casteth some mist before their eyes. If the holyest will sport with, they must expect to smart for sin; Satan who was their tempter, will soon prove their torturer: And, in mercy doth God correct a wandring child home, when in wrath he suffereth a vagabond to take his course; and, The tears of the godly for sinning, are full of peace, they are a showre mixt with a sunshine; and more delight is there in godly grief, than in sinful pleasures, in mourning with Christ, than in sporting with Satan. Or it may be, sorrowing Saints are but newly entered into the wayes of God: Milstones, though they be hewed fit either to other, yet they grinde not well, till they have wrought some time together: Apparel, though made fit, is not so easie at the first putting on, as when it hath been worn a while. Matt. 11.29 Grave dum tollis, suave dum tuleris. Greg. in Ezek. l. 2. c. 7. Quam malè inassueti veniunt ad aratra juvenci! Christs yoke seemeth heavie at the first putting it upon us, but it becometh easie and delightfull when we have born it a while. Nor is the peace of a Saint to be estimated by its not appearing; his peace is inward, and often maketh but little shew in the face: The wealthy Merchant cryes not his rich wares (worth many thousands) about the street, when the poorer sort, who carry toyes, proclaim them in every corner of the Citie: The godly have their souls fraught with inward joys, though their looks outwardly shew them not, while the hypocrite boldly voyceth up his supposed happinesse; As the glory, so the joy of a Saint is most within. In a word, This life is the time of obscurity to a Saints happinesse; its in some sort a winter with him, while it is a summer with the wicked; now the lofty oak in winter seemeth dead, while the dunghil grasse is fresh and green; Job 16. ult. but when summer cometh, the oak is flourishing, and the grass is withered, or made hay of. The happinesse of the people of God is hidden in their root, in this winter of affliction and desertion: They are now the sons of God, 1 John 3.2 Col. 3.3, 4 Gramen hieme virescit, astate ares•it: Arbor (arescente gramine) virescit. Aug. in Psal. 36. but it doth not yet appear what they shall be: Their life is hid with Christ; but when Christ who is their life shall appear, then shall they appear also with him in glory. But then at the approach of this Sun shall that foenea faelicitas (as Augustine calls it) that grasse-like happinesse of wicked men consume and wither.

3. How carefull should the people of God be to preserve their peace! Shall a blessing so excellent in it’s originall, Obs. 3. nature, use, and so earnestly desired by this, and all the other Apostles for the faithfull, be by them neglected? Oh forfeit not, disturbe not this happy peace.

1. Preserve in thee a feare of God; As sin gets in, peace goeth out: Nor is it the being, but the allowing of it in us that makes the soule unquiet: No sin shall destroy peace in us, but that which findes peace from us. The tares of desention between God and us are only sowne by the enemy sin: This was the instrument which broke the bones, and wounded the conscience of David and Peter; This is the mint of a Saints misery, the source of his sorrowes: every sin hath a bitter farewell; sin is nothing else but sorrow in the seed: when ever thou art tempted, before thou consentest, take up and weigh thy sin in thy meditations, as a Porter doth his burthen before he agrees to carry it, and aske thy soule whether thou art able to go through with thy burthen. 2. Delight in the Ordinances: These are the feast of peace: They shall be joyfull in my house of prayer: Isa. 56.7 Prayer is fitly called the leech of cares: Its a breathing out the heates of inward grief, and a breathing in the cooling delights of Gods spirit. The Gospel hath glad tydings in the very name of it. A promise spread with the blood of Christ is the onely plaister for a wounded conscience. The directions of the word are the wayes of peace: Great peace have they that love the Law, Gal. 6.16 and walk according to that rule. 3. Be sincere and upright in thy services; the end of the upright man is peace; Psal. 37.37. sincerity and walking before God with an upright heart, darted a beam of peace into Hezekiahs showre of tears: Isa. 38.3 God puts not the oyle of peace into a crack’t Vial: Heart-peace is a Companion only of Heart-purity. 4. Love not the world; for tis enmity with God: The Sun-shine of earthly enjoyments, puts out the fire of spirituall peace: the thornes of worldly cares make the peace of many a Saint to goe but with a scratch’t face. They who have suffered with joy the spoyling, have suffered sorrow for the loving of their goods; when men sweat in outward imployments, their peace is coldest inwardly.

4. Holinesse makes no man unpeaceable and turbulent. The more God quiets us, the lesse shall we sinfully discontent men: The world condemns the Godly as authors of dissension; but the true reason why they are accounted unpeaceable by the world is, because they will not lose their Peace with God: to finde trouble in the world is their portion, but to cause trouble in the world is not their property: They are wont indeed to disquiet mens lusts; but are wicked men and sin so neer, that the one cannot be distinguish’d from the other? The will of a Saint is for peace, but ‘tis necessity that makes him contend. Peace rules in his heart, Col. 3.15. it doth βραβεύειν, it sits as the Judge or Umpire was wont to do in the publick games of wrastling or running, Apostolus innuit hoc esse hujus virtutis officiū, ut agat brabeutem sive agonothetam inter caeteros affectus; nam 〈Greek〉 id significat. Cum igitur insurgunt in cordibus nostris turbidi affectus irae, odii, vindictae, haec pax Dei debet suum officium facere; id est, instar agonothetae, lites dirimere, tumultuantes affectus compescere, & omnia ad pacem deducere. Davenant in Col. who did rule and order the runners or wrastlers, deciding their controversies, and giving rewards to the best-deserving: so this peace of God, when the troublesom affections of anger, hatred, and revenge arise in our hearts, appeaseth strifes, ends controversies, and renders us peaceable. As for wicked men, who seem sometimes to be very peaceable among themselves in sin, they must know, that agreement against God is not Peace but Conspiracy, and such a rotten peace makes way for a real war, both with others and within themselves.

5. Its most sutable to a Ministers Function to further and pray for the peace of others. As they are Christians, Obs. 5. they are cald to peace, Col. 3.15. and as Ministers, they are cald to be Ambassadors of peace. The bodily peace of others, should be pray’d for by them, Jam. 5.14. Brotherly peace should they promote among their people: An unpeaceable people among themselves, will be an unprofitable people under him, Jam. 3.16. Ministers should endeavour the civil peace, put people in mind to be subject to Principallities and Powers, Tit. 3.1 and to take heed of Treason and Rebellion: To revile them for this, is to be angry with the fift Commandement. But especially should Ministers labour to bring people into peace with God, and to pray them to be reconciled to God; 2 Cor. 5.27 and by Ministerial directions to help them to attain peace of Conscience within themselves. Confident I am, That while mens lusts speak Ministers contentious, their Consciences speak them peaceable. Ἀγάπη dicitur vel ab 〈Greek〉, i.e. seipsum toto animo in rem dilectā; vel ab 〈Greek〉, quod est, valdè in re amata acquiescere. Ita ἀγάπη significat vehementem affectū, ardentemque amorem, quo quis alicui sese intimè adjungit et in eo totus quiescit; unde et pater Caelestis de filio suo, hic est (inquit) filius meus ἀγαπητός. et mox, quasi etymologiam subdens, in quo mihi complaceo: Zanc. de na. dei. l. 4. c. 3. Amicitia est quasi habitus. Amor autem et dilectio significant actum vel passionem: Charitas autem utroque modo accipi potest, defferenter tamen significatur actus per ista tria: nam amor est aliquid communius inter ea; omnis enim amor dilectio est vel charitas, sed non è converso. Addit dilectio super amorem, electionem praecedentem; unde dilectio est in sola voluntate rationalis creaturae, charitas autem ultra amorem addit perfecttionem amoris in quantum illud quod amatur, carum, i. e. magni pretii aestimatur: Tho. 1.2. qu. 16. Art. 3.

The third and last Blessing desired by this Apostle for these Christians is Love: Of which likewise

By way of 1 Exposition. 2 Observation.

For the Expository part, I shall 1. Specifie the several kinds of Love, principally that at which the Apostle seems most to aim. 2. Set down the excellent Properties of this kind of Love which make it so desirable.

Not to stay upon the consideration of the word ἀγάπη, Love, Amor aliarum rerum est, charitas inter solos homines, dilectio ad Deum spectat: diligimus Deum; charos habemus parentes, liberos, &c. amamus omnes. Aret. in Probl. or of its agreement with those other Expressions ordinarily used to set forth (after a sort) the same thing; as charity, friendship, &c. This Love in the general, being that inclination or tendency of any thing to the good beloved; or, that principle whereby one joyns himself to, and resteth in an object, is of sundry sorts.

Not to speak of those which are either far from, or contrary to the Scope of the Apostle; as of natural love, which is that quality in any thing following its form, by which it tends to, and resteth in what is agreeable to it; Nor of animal love, whereby the sensitive appetite in men or beasts tends to its good, and resteth in it: Nor of love meerly rational, or intelective, whereby the will freely embraceth any object presented to it by the understanding: Nor of Angelical love; Nor of that love which God hath towards himself, as the chief good.

There are Three sorts of Love, any of which may be desired from God as a blessing:

Namely, a love of 1 God to man. 2 Man to God. 3 Man to man, himself, or others.

I yet conceiving, (since the Apostle had desired that these Christians might receive mercy from God, and that every particular Beleever might have peace in himself) that he seemeth now in the last place to pray, That they might again both return love to God, and render it also to one another.

1 There is a love of God to man, (though without passion, sympathy, or any imperfection or weakness; these being attributed to him only to relieve the weakness either of our Faith or apprehensions.) And this love is

1 Considered as a love of desire; as love desireth to be carried to the union of the thing beloved. This desire of union with man, God sheweth many ways; as, 1 By being neer unto, nay present with him, by his universal care and providence; he being not far from every one of us; for in him we live, &c. Act. 17.27, 28. 2 By assuming the nature of man into a personal conjunction with himself in the Mediator, Christ. 3 By conversing with man by signs of his presence, extraordinary visions, dreams, oracles, inspiration; and ordinarily by his holy Ordinances, wherewith his people (as it were) abide with him in his house. 4 By sending his holy Spirit to dwell in man, and bestowing upon man the divine nature. 5 By taking man into an eternal habitation in heaven, Psal. 16. ult. where he shall be ever in his glorious presence.

2 There is a love of God to man, considered as a love of benevolence, or of good will, or of willingness to do good to the thing beloved; what else was his eternal purpose to have mercy upon his people, and of saving them, Rom. 9.13 but (as its exprest concerning Jacob) this loving them? And to whom can a will of doing good so properly agree, as to him whose will is goodness it self?

3 There is a lover of God to man, considered as a love of beneficence, bounty, or actual doing good to the thing beloved. Thus he bestoweth the effects of his love, both for this life, and that which is to come. And the beneficence of God, is called Love, 1 Joh. 3.1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God. And Joh. 3.16. So God loved the world that he sent, &c. By this love of beneficence bestowes he the good things of nature, grace, glory: God doth good to every creature, hating though the iniquity of any one, yet the nature of none; Gen. 1.31. for the being of every creature is good, and God hath adorn’d it with many excellent qualities. According to these loves of benevolence, and beneficence, God loveth not his creatures equally, but some more then others; in as much as he willeth to bestow, and also actually bestoweth greater blessings upon some than upon others: he makes and preserves all creatures, but his love is more especially afforded to mankinde; he stileth himself from his love to man, Tit. 3.4. and not from his love to Angels, or any other creature. He is called φιλάνθρωπος, a lover of man, but never φιλάγγελος, or φιλόκτιστος, a friend of Angels or creatures without man. His love is yet more peculiarly extended to man in creating him after his own image, Psal. 8.5 Heb. 2.16 Rom. 5.8 and in giving him lordship over the creatures, in giving his Son to take upon him mans nature, and exalt it above heavens and Angels, to dye for sinning, dying man; offering him to man in the dispensation of the Gospel with wooing and beseechings; Mat. 28.18 and yet of men he loveth some more especially and peculiarly than others; Omnia diligit Deus quae fecit, etinter ea, magis creaturas rationales; et de illis, eas amplius quae sunt membra Unigeniti, et multo magis ipsum Unigenitum. Aug. T. 9. in Joh. namely those whom he loveth with an electing, calling, redeeming, justifying, glorifying love. God loves all creatures, and among them the rational, and among them the members of his Son, and much more the Son himself.

4. There is a love of God to man, considered as a love of complacency, and delight in the thing beloved; he is pleased through his Son with his Servants; and he is much delighted with his own image wheresoever he finds it. He is pleased with the persons and performances of his people, He hath made us accepted in the Son of his loves; the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him. Psal. 147.11 Zeph. 3.17 They reflecting his excellencies, and shewing forth his vertues, he rejoying over them with joy: he resting in his love, accounting a Beleever amiable: his soul, a lesser heaven; his prayers, melody; his sighs, incense; his stammerings, eloquence; his desires, performances.

2 There is a love of Man to God: which is, when the Soul is moved, Amor concupiscentiae non requiescit in quacunque extrinseca aut superficiali adeptione amati, sed quaerit amatum perfectè habere quasi ad intima illius perveniens. Aq. 1.2 ae. q. 28. ar. 2. drawn, and called out to desire the participation of his presence; yeelding up, and conforming it self to his will; as also quietly resting in the enjoying of him. This love is considerable in its several kinds.

1 Its a love of desire to enjoy him for ours as the source of all our happiness: The Soul loves God, under the apprehension of the greatest good, and therefore puts forth it self in strongest desires toward him. This love is as strong as death, and can take no denyal. It is the wing and weight of the Soul, that carries all the desires into an intimate unity with the thing beloved, stirreth up a zeal to remove all obstacles, worketh an egress of the Spirits, and as it were an haste of the Soul to entertain and meet it: According to those expressions of the Saints in Scripture, The desire of our soul is to thy name: Es. 26.8 Ps. 119.10.81 119.20 Psal. 42.2 Psal. 84.2 With my whole heart have I sought thee: My soul fainteth for thy salvation. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgements at all times. My soul thirsteth for God, I am sick of love, &c. Oh the vehement panting, breathing, and going forth of the soul of one toward God who is in love with him; he contemns the most serious worldly employments when he is taken up with this, and who so discourseth with him of earthly concernments, speaks as with one not at home; all the world not satisfying without the kisses of the lips of our beloved, our desires being a thousand times more for one smile of his face than for all the wealth under the Sun. No difficulty so great, no danger so imminent, nay no death so certain, which this love carries not through for the obtaining of the thing beloved; this love being a falling mountain that breaks down all that stands betwixt it and the place of its rest. In a word, no means shall be left unused that by God are appointed for the obtaining of our beloved; enquiries of, or from others, how to find him; letters of love, sighs, tears, sobs, groans unutterable, are sent to win him; desires to hear again from him in his promise of grace are expressed. The soul is never gotten neer enough till it be in the arms, the bosome of God in heaven. It saith not (as Peter of his Tabernacles) Lord, Let there be one for me, and another for thee; but let us both be together in one. Its ever night with one who loves Christ till the Sun of his presence be arising. He is like a certain kinde of Stone, of which some report, That if it be thrown into the water whole, it swims; if broken, it sinks: he never droops in any trouble, unless he apprehends a breaking between him and Christ. He is like the marigold that opens with the shining, and shuts with the setting of the Sun. His heart is lockt up in sorrow when God hides his face, and he cannot find another key fit to open it again among all the keyes in the house. What’s all the world to him without the presence of God but as a sive pluckt out of the water? His comforts are only full, when God is in them. What are companions to him in whom he sees nothing of God, but objects either irkesome, or pitied? What are Ordinances unless with Christ, but as candles that have no light put to them? Nay, what would the joyes of heaven it self be, if it were not for the presence of God, but as a funeral feast or banquet where is much provision, but no chear.

2 There’s a love of Complacency and delight, Amor Complacentiae. when the soul having ark’d it self in Gods embracements; now with infinite sweetness and security reposeth it self in them, saying then as David, Psal. 4.7, 8. Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than when their Corn and Wine encreased. I will lay me down in peace and sleep: and with Peter, Lord, its good being here: and with the Spouse, I charge you stir not up, nor awake my beloved. And when Christ meets it sweetly in Prayer, Sacraments, or a Sermon, breathing thus, Oh that (Lord) this meeting might never end; deer Jesus, why comest thou so seldom, and stayest no longer! All the night long do thou lodge between my brests. Psal. 84.10 A day in thy house, is better than a thousand elsewhere. Cant. 2.4 My soul is fill’d as with marrow: Thou hast brought me into a banquetting-house; thou hast made me drink abundantly: Thy left hand is under me, thy right hand embraceth me. How contented could the soul be in such an in-come of Christ, were not his pleasure otherwise, that it had no avocation to take it off; no earthly employment; no family, feeding of body or relations to call it away from those secret enjoyments of such a beloved? Oh thinks the soul, what a blessed place will heaven be, where I shall never be severed one moment from the embracements of Christ to eternity!

3 There’s Amor amicitiae: A love to be set upon God, for the goodness and excellency which is in himself. To love God for the creatures is not to enjoy, but to use God. To love him for another end than himself, Medium, quà tale, et per se, nullam boni appetibilis rationem possidet, tota quippe ratio amandi medium, est convenientia cum fine. Aquin. Mat. 13.21 is to turn the ultimate end into a mean. Love to God, grounded upon humane inducements, is but spurious. When the inducement (suppose profit, preferment) is removed, that love will discover its falsness. And by that very reason for which men contend for the outward appearance and profession of love to God, viz. because they love their pleasures and profits, which without such a profession they cannot peaceably enjoy: By that very reason (I say) they will be beaten off even from that their outside appearing profession, when thereby those profits and pleasures which they love so much shall come to be hazarded. Its a dead love to God that cannot stand unless it be shored up. True love will stand alone without politick props. To shroud our own private ends under the name of love to God, is not amicitia, but mercatura; not to love, but to make merchandize of him. The love that cannot be warm any longer than ‘tis rubd with the warm clothes of preferment is but the carkasse of love. Then hath this love a soul, when God himself is the object of it, when ‘tis not of what he hath, but of what he is; when he is beloved though we beg with him, or though all his Rings and Ornaments are pluckt off; nay, when he plucks off ours: In a word, all his wayes, ordinances, people, will have our love drawn out to them, for that of God which is imparted to them. The word will be received in its purity and power, most loved, when least adulterated: when it discovers most of God to us, and most of sin in us; when the dearest corruption is struck at, the closest duty urged, the secret corners of the soul searched, when the spiritual sword is laid on with severest blows: The persons also in whom most shines the beauty of Gods likeness, we shall most be taken with; and those shall have our love shine upon them, who can reflect nothing back again but holiness.

4. There’s Amor benevolentiae; A love set upon God, endeavouring to bring to him (so far as creatures can to an infinite Creator, Psal. 16 (to whom their good extendeth not) all service and honour: This love returns to God not only a heart, but a tongue, a hand of praises and obedience. All its pleasant fruits are laid up for its beloved; all it is and hath is accounted too little. (Lord, saith the soul) that I could love thee more, and serve thee better! how impure is my heart! how poor and imperfect are my performances! what I have is neither enough, nor good enough for thee: but had I something better than my self, (and Oh that I my self were a thousand times better for thy sake!) it should be bestowed upon thee. A soul in love with God is boundless in duty: The smalness of his obedience, is the greatness of his trouble, when another man observes his zeal and vehemency, his tears, and sobs, and wrastling in prayer, and sees him so strict and exact in living, he thinks it a great matter, and is ready (as the Disciples, who looked upon the beautiful buildings of the Temple) to admire him; but then the party himself that loves Christ thinks all this as nothing, in comparison of what Christ deserves: he looks upon his services as Christ fore-told of the Temple, as if there were not one stone left upon another. This love causeth an universal, Joh. 14.24 cheerful, constant obedience to the Commandments of Christ: In it all our services are steep’d, and with it, made easie to us; and coming from Faith, acceptable to God. Nor will love think it much to suffer much for Christ; 1 Cor. 13.7 nay, it accounts it little to endure all things for him who hath born our burdees, and shed better bloud for us than any we have to shed for him: Faith worketh by love. Love is the instrument in the hand of Faith. A hand alone can lay hold and receive; and so the proper work of faith is to lay hold upon Christ: but a hand without an instrument cannot cut any thing, no more can faith practise any morall duties without love. Faith in justification is alone, but in the life of man it worketh by love.

3 From this love to God floweth another sort (in respect of the object) of love, and a third to be considered, viz. Love to man; whereby our neighbour is loved as our selves.

This comprehends a love 1 Of our selves. 2 Of others.

1 Of our selves; Levit. 19.18. Mat. 22.39. Quid anima invides carni? Nemo tam proximus tibi, quem post Dominum diligas. Princeps amor humanus est sui ipsius. Qui sibi malignus, cui bonus? Its made the rule of loving others: None is so neer us, after God, as our selves. Frequent are the commands of Scripture for the regarding of our selves. Act. 20.28. Take heed to your selves. 1 Tim. 4.16. Take heed to thy self. Phil. 2.12. Work out your own salvation. 1 Cor. 11.28. Let every one examine himself. And vers. 31. If we would judge our selves, &c. Examine your selves whether you be in the faith: Prove your selves. Every one is bound to wish to himself that good, which to wish is truest love; namely, The everlasting enjoyment of God. None can love God, but at the same time he loves himself; for he that loves God, desires to enjoy him; but whosoever desireth to enjoy such a good, must needs love himself: and this enjoyment of God a man more desires for himself, than for another: and if it could be communicated to no more than one, a man should desire it rather for himself, than any one: for there are more causes concur why a man should thus love himself than any other; Precepto non est opus ut se quis que et corpus suum diligat; quoni am id quod sumus et id quod infra nos est, in concussâ naturae lege diligimus, quae in bestias etiam promulgata est, restabat ut et de illo quod supra nos est, et de illo quod juxta nos est, praecepta sumeremus. Aug. de Doct. Chr. l. 1. c. 25, 26. for another man may miss of true blessedness without either my fault or misery, but I my self cannot: And though there be not this express and direct precept in terms, Thou shalt love thy self; yet where we are commanded to love God, we are at the same time enjoyned to love our selves; for to love God is to desire to enjoy him for ours, who is the chief good; and this is the chiefest love. And some note that the written Law of God was given for help and relief of the Law of Nature, which was much defaced and darkned in every one by sin; but the Law of Nature was not impaired, as it moved and put men upon the loving and caring for themselves; and therefore an expresse command of loving our selves was not needful. And whereas the love of our selves is noted in the Scripture as a great sin, 2 Tim. 3.2. There’s a Threefold love of our selves;

1 Naturalis, whereby every Creature by natures instinct desires its own preservation, and this is not discōmended.

2 Spiritualis; or Amor Charitatis: A true Charitative love, whereby a man desireth to obtain divine and spiritual good; and this damps not, but inflames the love of God: None can desire a divine good too much. This is commended, and commanded.

3 Inordinatus: Love which only respecteth good things that please the sense: Such a love which so makes us love our selves, as to contemn God, and to neglect spiritual good things: this inordinate love of our selves is taxed by the Apostle: We should not so love our bodies as to neglect God; but we must so love God as to neglect, nay, to hate our bodies: and this hatred of our bodies, is true love to our selves, because its most profitable for us. A man may be willing to have a limb cut, nay cut off, and yet this man may love himself: nay because he loves himself, and desires the preservation of the rest, he therefore yeilds to lose one limb. To love our selves, is, not Curare cutem, but Animam, to regard our souls, not our skins; and to regard the soul, is to love God, and loath sin. Prov. 8.36. He that sinneth, hateth his own soul. He that loves a garment, hates the Moth that eats it. Neither can he love his neighbor well, who doth not so love himself; as he cannot write a right line, who writeth by a wrong rule. It were better that some man should say to one, Proximus est, vel cui à nobis praebendum est, vel à quo nobis praebendum est officium misericordiae. Aug. l. 11. c. 30. de Doct. Chr. Proximus non sanguinis propinquitate, sed rationis socictate pensitandus est. Aug. E. 52 Rom. 15.16 I love you as well as my swine, than as well as my soul.

2 Love to man comprehends a love to all others, who are meant by the word neighbor; Thou shalt love thy neighbor. Now he is our neighbor, and to be beloved with a love both of benevolence and beneficence; not only who is our friend, as the Pharisees thought, Mat. 5.43. but every one who standeth in need of our help, Luk. 10.37. He is a neighbour who may want our relief, and whose relief we may want. A neighbour is to be esteemed not by the neerness of blood, but by the society of reason.

1 Even those who are most remote in respect of place, are to be beloved, and are comprehended within this neighbour-hood. They of Macedonia and Achaia made a Contribution for the poor Saints at Jerusalem. 3 Joh. 5 Quod praestamus nostris per affectum, praestamus aliis per humanitatem. Lactant. Mat. 5.44 1 Pet. 2.23 Luk. 6.27 Ps. 35.13, 14 Rom. 12.14 Amicos diiige re omnium est, inimicos solorum Christianorum. Tert. ad Scap. Gaius is commended for his love to strangers. A good man, having ability, is as diffusive as a common treasury, or a fountain. A great fire will warm those that sit far from it, and love that is fervent, will extend to them that are most remote.

2 Our Enemies. Its the command and example of Christ to love our enemies: Blesse them that curse you: Do good to them that hate you. Every one can love his friend, but tis only a Christian that can love his enemy. Love, like fire in cold weather, must be made the hotter by the sharpnesse of cold unkindnesse. Our Saviour and Stephen prayed for their enemies. Davids imprecations are rather Prophesies, than Curses. His and Pauls were both against men as they were known to be enemies to God, and incurable sinners. In our enemy we may find something to be beloved; a participation of that nature which may possibly partake of holinesse and eternal blessednesse. Theodosius being moved to execute one that had reviled him; Answered, That if his enemy were dead, he had rather restore him to life, if it were in his power, than being alive, to put him to death” . Its not manhood, but childishness, to be quieted with striking the thing that hurt us. Though enemies be not worthy to be loved by us, yet malice is unworthy to be lodged in us. ‘Tis true, the precept of loving enemies is contrary to unsanctified nature. It was once said by a good man, Either this Precept is a fable, or we are no Christians: Fatigatur improbitas patientiâ. But God alone knows how to punish our enemies without passion and inequality: Its our duty to weary Persecutors with patience: A Christian must not, like the flint, seem to be cool, but be fiery when struck. He that takes up fire to throw (though against his enemy) hurts himself most. To be kind to the kind, argues civility: To be unkind to the unkind, argues corruption: To be unkind to the kind, argueth divelishnesse: To be kind to the unkind, argueth Christianity. He hath nothing supernatural in charity, that comes not to this, To be ready to requite evil with good: Publicans doing good for good; and Heathens absteyning from returning evil for evil. When the godly in Scripture have rejoyced in the destruction of their enemies, it was not out of delight in the punishment of their enemies, whom they loved not; but in the Justice of God, whom they loved: Non de malo inimici, fed de bono Judice: not that their enemies suffered such evil, but that they had so good and upright a Judge. We must not so much as use the Magistrate to revenge us on our adversary; for this were to make Gods ordinances an instrument of our malice. Violent things have the more force upon those that resist them: A sword may be spoyled with the force of lightning, Rom. 12.19 Eccles. 7.9 the scabberd not being hurt at all. To give place to wrath, is councel both wise and holy. Anger resteth in the bosome of fools. Love to an enimy is a token of a truly noble mind: 1 Sam. 24.20 Prov. 16.32 Rom. 12.21 When David spared Saul, having power to kill him; Saul told him, He knew that he should be King. It’s a sign of a weak stomack not to be able to concoct light meats, and of a weak mind not to digest injuries. Wicked men account revenge to be valour. These are not like Adam in his innocency that gave Names to things according to their natures. Its an unhappy victory to overcome a man, In foelix victoria, ubi superans virum, succumbis vitio. Bern. and to be overcome by a lust. The wisdome of the World and the Word are contrary. Is it not a thrice noble conquest to overcome our own and our enemies passions, and Satans tentations; three enemies at one blow, and all this without shedding blood? Nay, not only not to hurt an enemy, but to help him, to feed him, give him drink in his hunger and thirst; nay, to feed him cheerfully, tenderly; such being the feeding commanded by Paul, who bids us ψωμίζειν, Ψωμίζω propriè significat cibum concisum et intinctum frustulatim veluti in os inderc, ut puerulis et aegrotis solemus. Non significat simpliciter pascere, sed indulgenter pascere, ut in conviviis fieri solet, quum quis alteri ministrat de iis quae ipsi apponuntur. Significat et abundanter pascere; frustulatim distribuere. Pisc. Tollet. Eras. Bez. Steph. 〈Greek〉 ex 〈Greek〉 propina illi: Quod verbum in conviviis locum habet. Salaz. in Prov. 25.1. feed our enemies, as birds feed their yong, or as sick folks and yong children are fed, with much tending and tendernesse; their meat being minced and cut; or as a man feeds his friend, carving him the best. And the Hebrew word, rendered, Give him drink, signifieth most properly, propina, Drink to him as a token of true love.