subject thyself therefore to it. Though we behave ourselves as stubborn horses, he will tame us and overrule us well enough; he is too mighty for us. Our stubbornness is the ground of all our crosses and afflictions; for if we will not easily be brought in, God, that out of his mercy chose us, will bring us in to yield. For he will have his will in us, or of us. He will glorify his justice upon us, if his mercies will not work. Lastly, consider the greatness of this sin, to whet us on to the duty enjoined. Though we seem to murmur only against men, we murmur against God; for what saith he to Moses ?* They have not cast off thee, but they have cast off me,' 1 Sam. viii. 7. God takes part with those in authority, as Moses was. For there is no contempt of man, but comes from a contempt of God. The breaches of the second table do spring from the breaches of the first. Observe also, this sin hath ever been grievously punished, it being a sin that pulls God out of his throne, and makes men dare to teach God how to rule. It robs God of his worship, fear, trust, reverence; for it proceeds from the want of them; and lastly, it brings with it great unthankfulness, making men forget all God's goodness bestowed on them.

Disputing or reasoning.'

It issues from murmuring. For when we are come to that pass that we murmur, lest men should think us rash in doing it without cause, we then endeavour to defend ourselves with reason; and indeed there is nothing that a carnal man does, but he will have reason for it; and he will have the world see that he doth not anything without reason. He will dispute with God by questioning whether this or that duty is necessary, and against civil authority by questioning the lawfulness or necessity of such duties as he is enjoined. This is a great sin. In divine truths, disputing is partly about probables, and therefore it is excellent to find out of probables the truth; but in divine truths, to dispute or make question, is little less than blasphemy. And it is observable that in those times when there was most disputing, as among the schoolmen and the like, about religion and divinity, there was least divinity practised, and very few good men. For the heart

of man was then taken up in the consideration of this or that quiddity; and quite neglected the practice of those truths that were known. Quest. But it will be asked, is all disputing evil?

Ans. No. The Turk will have none about the Alkoran, and the pope he will not have men dispute about anything that concerns him. The devil and his instruments they ever run into extremes. Either men must call in question all the grounds of divinity, or else receive upon trust whatsoever is delivered to us. No. We must know in doubtful things, this is good and required to find out certainty. The end of motion is rest, and the end of questions and doubts tends to truth. Yet have we many spend all their life in this or that question or doubt, and edify little or nothing. Like those physicians are they who contend and question about the goodness or badness of this or that meat, when a strong labouring man eats it, and finds as good nourishment out of it as out of While men other. any dispute and talk about this or that doctrine, a sound downright Christian receives it, digests it, and is nourished thereby, while the others do even starve themselves. Let therefore God alone with his secret will. Homo sum, said Salvian, secreta Dei non intelligo (d). God does what is done, be thou content. In human authority also we ought not to dispute, for the subject hath no calling to know the mysteries of state. It may be a sin to command, and yet a virtue to obey. It is thy duty to obey, not to question.

*Samuel.-G.

But if in thine understanding it be plainly evil which is commanded, obey not.* Job did thus, and Job would hear his servant speak, Job xix. 16. But if it be uncertain to thee and doubtful, certain it is thou must obey. Obedience must be without syllogisms. The servant ought to obey, the master must question.

VERSE 15.

'That we may be blameless, and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights

in the world.'

This verse contains a reason, drawn from the end, why we should do all things without murmuring or disputing. The reason is threefold.

First, that you may be blameless. Secondly, harmless. Thirdly, that you may be the sons of God.

'Blameless.' This word, if it be taken generally, is a thing that none can attain to. God cannot be without blame, for wicked men will quarrel with him, be he never so good. Christ could not live without blame, though he went about doing good continually, Heb. xii. 3. It is said he endured the cross and despised the shame; nay, the best men are subject to most shame. Stop wicked men in their lewd courses, they are thought presently to be enemies. And the wicked take that for a wrong, whenas they receive so much good from others that they cannot requite it. But the proper signification of the word is in effect thus much, that they should so behave themselves, as they should not give any just occasion of offence, either to their own consciences, or that of other men. Walk towards God without all manner of profanation or irreligious course, and let your gesture towards men be just, that your conscience may clear you of all fraud or guile; and let your carriage toward your own self be free from all abuse of your person, by gluttony, drunkenness, and the like. In a word, be holy, righteous, and sober.

'Harmless.' The word signifies simple, without all mixture or composition; or else void of hurt, without horn, as the word imports (e).

The doctrine is, that it is the property of Christians to do no harm. The reason is, because our nature now is changed from that it was; for by nature we are to one another lions and wolves, as Heb. xi. 33. Now therefore our nature being changed, our actions also become changed. The gospel makes us tame. The Spirit of Christ in all our members is as Christ himself. His miracles were for good, and they were beneficial to men. He did all things well. Those therefore that are led by this Spirit of his do no harm, so far as they are Christ's.

Use. For use note this as a main difference between the Christian and another man. For all other people are harmful creatures. The four monarchies were as so many beasts, because to the poor church of God they were as so many beasts, cruel and devouring. Nay, the civillest man of all, to his neighbours he seems to be harmless, but towards the church none so fierce as they.

On the contrary, Christians are meek as doves. The wicked are as ravenous birds, like eagles' feathers; self-love turns all to its own end.

* Cf. above sentiments with those referred to by Bishop Patrick, note g, Vol. I. page 290, seq.-G.

+ Qu. you'?-ED.

Qu. 'feathered eagles.' Cf. Ezek. xxxix. 17, and Ps. Ixxviii. 27.-G.

Among the beasts, the Christian is as a lamb, innocent, fruitful; a common good. 'When he is exalted the land rejoices,' Prov. xi. 11. Contrarily the wicked are termed lions and bears, and the like. Among the plants wicked men are as briars: a man must be fenced that deals with them, 2 Sam. xxiii. 7; the godly as lilies, sweet, not fenced with pricks. Among earthly creatures the godly are as the worm; the wicked, a generation of vipers and serpents. They will do no right, take no wrong, but a word and a blow; a word and presently to suit, right Esaus and Ishmaels. Nay, they glory in it. Oh, say they, he is a shrewd man. Hence comes duels, combats, and the like. Men now are come to that pass, they will not put up a word. Nay, those that are innocent, and will pass by injuries, tush! they are fools. But know, thus to be foolish is to be wise, to be Christian like; and such fools as these are shall find comfort on their deathbeds, when those wise men shall wish they had been such fools.

Such fools as these are, I mean the innocent, shall have God for their help and shelter, for want whereof these worldly wise men come often to ill ends, and to be made fearful examples. The Psalms are full of encouragements herein Ps. xviii. 2, The Lord is my rock and fortress,' said David ; and so in Ps. xxv. 8, 9, 10, &c. Wicked men have horns, but God is a hammer to break the horns of the wicked. The innocent person, and he that is harmless, brings peace to the land, and a blessing to the place where he lives. Here prayers and intercessions are as the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof. Let those things be noted to provoke us unto this duty. 'Sons of God.'

This is the third ground whereby we are incited, to be without murmuring and disputing, that you may be the sons of God;' that is, that by this you may appear to your own comfort to be the sons of God, or that herein you may be as the sons of God, in shewing yourselves harmless and blameless, which may testify it to yourselves and others.

Doct. Therefore Christians that are harmless and blameless indeed, are the sons of God. The ground of this is the love of God, who freely gave his own Son to take our nature upon him, and to die to save us from the sting of death; he became the Son of man to make us the sons of God without rebuke. And as God gave him to us, so by faith doth he give us to him; and by this God gives us power to be his sons, John i. 12. Our nature is hereby changed; for whom he makes sons he sanctifies them and makes them new, and thus become we his sons. God hath adopted us, not as natural men, for this or that respect, to an earthly inheritance, but God freely adopts us to an heavenly inheritance that fadeth not; neither doth God adopt us as men do men in solamen orbitatis,* for God hath a Son in whom he is pleased; neither again can men's adoption make their adopted sons to be good; but when God adopts us, he makes us as he would have us to be, like himself. Fourthly, other adopted sons, many of them are not sharers together of the inheritance to one allotted; but we are made heirs and fellow-heirs with Christ himself. This love of God was such as the apostle could not express in any fit terms; therefore he saith, Behold what love hath the Father shewed us!' 1 John iii. 1. David thought it not to be a small thing to be the son-in-law of an earthly prince, 1 Sam. xviii. 23; behold, we are sons of the King of kings. By nature we are sons of the devil, and rebels. Now, that God should freely, out of his own free love, set his love on us, passing over angels and other men, and not sparing his own Son, have we not hence cause to cry, Behold what love!' and * That is, for the solacing of childlessness.-G.

·

Oh the depth of that love!' Earthly fathers adopt sons because they die, but God is eternal; he never dies; his Son is everlasting. Consider this as a point of comfort, for this relation is everlasting; he never leaveth us nor forsakes us. Servants are cast out, but the Son abideth for ever; servants know not the counsels of their masters, but sons they know the whole will of God. Consider this as a ground of protection in all dangers, and of provision of all good. I have a father,' saith the prodigal; what need I die for hunger? I will go to him,' Luke xv. 17. In a word, the word Father is an epitome of the whole gospel. All the promises therein contained are sealed up by and in this one word, God is our Father. Can we go to our Father for pardon of sin and not obtain it? By Christ's death and satisfaction he is become our Father; and therefore Christ is Christ after his resurrection. Can we then want any good thing? How can we think he will deny us his Spirit, or that inheritance in heaven, which as a Father he hath promised! How then, or at what shall we be dismayed and discomforted? What can trouble us? Mark what is promised in Ps. ciii. 2, seq. All good that may any way concern thy soul or body. Dost thou fear thy corruptions? The Spirit tells thee that God is thy Father; there can be no condemnation to thee, Rom. viii. 1. Dost thou fear want? Surely he that hath given thee Christ, his own Son, how shall he not with him give thee all things, Rom. viii. 32. Thou shalt want nothing for thy good. Thou mayest fall into sin, but God is still thy Father. This relation is everlasting. He will not forsake thee. From hence thou mayest have an argument against all suggestions. This brings with it comfort; but to whom? It must be to such as are sons, not to the traitorous and rebellious. It hath been treason for any man to term himself the son of a king, not being indeed so, yea, though the king were dead; and is it not high treason for a presumptuous traitor to come into the presence chamber of the great God, and with an impudent face to style God his Father? Verily God's answer will be to such, You are of your father the devil: his works ye do,' John viii. 44.

1. Those that are God's sons* he renews to do his will and commandments. 1 Pet. i. 16: Be ye holy,' saith he, for I am holy.' But when men hate goodness and good men, nay, and persecute them, defame them, murder them, John viii. 44, they are of the devil. They are murderers and liars; and that religion that teacheth them is devilish.

2. Again, If God be thy Father, thou wilt have a spirit of prayer. We are no sooner born but we begin to cry, as Paul did at his first conversion, Acts ix. 11. Every child of God, in respect of his measure of grace, he will do his endeavour to sigh and sob out his grief to God: and as the grace increases, so will this duty be more perfect, till at length he comes to provoke God, by his promise to urge and bind him by reasons to hear him. Those, therefore, that pass day after day, never finding time for the performance of this duty, they have not God's Spirit; for by it we have access to God, Eph. ii. 18; Eph. iii. 12; and there is no child but will use this privilege; and those that use it not may well suspect they are not children.

9. Thirdly, If thou be the child of God, and hast his Holy Spirit in thee, thou shalt have, whensoever thou standest in need, a sweet consolation; for that ever reveals to thee what thou art, and comforts thee in all distress. For, Rom. v. 1, 'being justified by faith, thou hast peace with God.' In margin here, Signs of God's sons.'-G. †That is, etymologically, to call forth,'

to appeal to.-G.

What cross soever troubles the child of God, this will ever comfort him: Well! I am the child of God; I am assured God is reconciled to me; I have my confidence in him, that when he sees fit I shall be eased; in the mean time I am assured I shall not be overcome. This is that which no natural man can have; he cannot rejoice in affliction.

4. Fourthly, If thou beest the son of God, thou art not overmuch careful for the things that concern this life. Thou usest the means that God hath ordained, and thou trustest God with the issue and event of all. It is the property of orphans to care much for their living, and for the things of this world; not for those that have such a father as God, that provides for all his children liberally; and men in thus doing shew themselves orphans, or bastards, and not sons.

Quest. But some will ask, Is it not possible to be the son of God, and yet ignorant thereof?

Ans. I answer, Yes. For the child at the first knows not his father; but by little and little he comes to know him as he grows in years. So is it with the child of God. At the first he only cries and bewails his miserable estate; but as they grow up, out of the word they learn to see their estates that is laid up for them, and to know their Father that hath been so good to them, and to call upon him as their Father for anything that they want. They know that the Scripture gives it as a note of one that is born of God, that he sins not'; that is, that not with delight and continuance in sin, but that his new nature stirs him up to repent, and to beg pardon and to strive against it, so as at length he comes to grow so perfect as no temptation shall overthrow him, though it may foil* him. But he always considers his estate when any temptation comes: Shall I, that am a prince, a son and heir to God, do thus, and offend against him?

This is comprehended in the former words, and therefore I speak the less thereof. The words are not to be taken in a strict legal sense, but in an evangelical sense, implying that we should walk so as we may be free from rebuke of the best, from gross sins, from common infirmities and personal corruptions. Whether it be rashness, anger, worldliness, intractableness, the child of God must labour to free himself of them. He ought to endeavour to attain to perfection, though we cannot attain to it in this world; and we ought to pray as the apostle, Eph. iii. 18, 'to know the length, breadth, depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, that passeth knowledge;' and thus doing we shall dignify this estate of ours. In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.'

The word 'crooked,' or ' perverse,' is a borrowed word from timber,† whose excellency is to be right and straight; and if it be not, must be squared by the rule. Here it is applied to the disposition and nature of men, who naturally are of a crooked condition, especially those that are in the bosom of the church. They are so crooked as they cannot be squared aright by means; and so it is with those that are right, they are very right. Doct. The doctrine then is, that wicked men are all perverse and crooked, Deut. xxxii. 5.

Reason. The reason hereof is, since the fall of Adam we are under sin and Satan. Sin is nothing but crookedness. We lying in sin are therefore crooked inwardly and outwardly, in will and in judgment. Even in the church, men perversely judge of a Christian's life, and of preaching. So * That is, sometimes get the better of him.-G.

†That is, oxoλós, on which cf. Bishop Ellicott in loc., with his references.-G.