A commentary upon the three first chapters of the first Epistle general of St.…A commentary upon the three first chapters of the first Epistle generall of St.…

1. For consolation to the godly:¹ God useth them and ever will use them like a Father, both for the affections of a father, and for the provisions of a ⟨p. 12⟩father: he both loves them, and provides for them, as a father for his children. Gods affection to the godly is a fatherly affection: for it is 1. free, and 2. tender, and 3. constant. 1. A fatherly love is a free love, there needs no argument to a father, but that, this is my child; so it is with God. 2. A fatherly love is a tender love, it hath much compassion and care in it▪ such is Gods love to the godly: Look how Parents pity their children so doth God pity them, that fear him, Psal. 103.13. yea God is troubled in their troubles, and his bowels are turned in him in their discouragements and griefs Isaiah 63.8. Jer. 31.18, 19. 3. A father still loves his child, so doth God, and much more, then all fathers, or any of them. For he loves with an everlasting love, Isaiah 49.14. and is called an everlasting father, Isaiah 9.6. Add unto these, that a father will love his child, though no body else do: so can God love us, though he love alone. Though natural fathers, and kindred forsake us, Psal. 27.5.10. and spiritual fathers forget us, Isaiah 63.16, 17. yet God will never cease to love us, he will never leave us nor forsake us. Only we must ever remember, that Gods love is a pure love: For it hath not in it hurtful indulgence, he will not mar his children with too much fondness: He can hide his face, and though he will never take his mercies from them, yet if they sin, he will scourge them with the rod of men, he will afflict them, though it be but for a short time. Psal. 89. Isaiah 67.7, 8, 9.

1. For consolation to the godly:¹ God useth them and ever will use them like a Father, both for the affections of a father, and for the provisions of a ⟨p. 12⟩father: he both loves them, and provides for them, as a father for his children. Gods affection to the godly is a fatherly affection: for it is 1. free, and 2. tender, and 3. constant. 1. A fatherly love is a free love, there needs no argument to a father, but that, this is my childe; so it is with God. 2. A fatherly love is a tender love, it hath much compassion and care in it▪ such is Gods love to the godly: Looke how Parents pitty their children so doth God pitty them, that feare him, Psal. 103.13. yea God is troubled in their troubles, and his bowels are turned in him in their discouragements and griefes Esay 63.8. Ier. 31.18, 19. 3. A father still loves his childe, so doth God, and much more, then all fathers, or any of them. For he loves with an everlasting love, Esay 49.14. and is called an everlasting father, Esay 9.6. Adde unto these, that a father will love his childe, though no body else doe: so can God love us, though he love alone. Though naturall fathers, and kindred forsake us, Psal. 27.5.10. and spirituall fathers forget us, Esay 63.16, 17. yet God will never cease to love us, hee will never leave us nor forsake us. Onely we must ever remember, that Gods love is a pure love: For it hath not in it hurtfull indulgence, he will not marre his children with too much fondnesse: He can hide his face, and though he will never take his mercies from them, yet if they sinne, he will scourge them with the rod of men, he will afflict them, though it be but for a short time. Psal. 89. Esay 67.7, 8, 9.

1. 1Comforts to the godly as God is their father.

As is the affection of God, so is his provision for the godly, a fatherly provision, he provides for them like a father, yea like a heavenly father in their 1. attendance. 2. diet. 3. preservation in trouble. and 4. portion. 1. For their attendance: he provides for them better, then the great men of the earth can do for their children: He hath given his Angels to be ministering spirits to all these heirs of salvation, and these pitch their tents round abo•t them, Psal. 34. Heb. 1.14.2. And for diet, they are fed with the food that perisheth not, yea such food, as he that eateth thereof shall live for ever. John 6.27. 3. And for preservation in trouble, the power of God doth so keep them, that a hair of their heads cannot fall to the ground without the providence of their heavenly father, Mat. ••. and •o that […] all the hairs of their head are numbered, and the spirit of God is given them to teach them, to comfort them, and uphold them. 4. And for portion: he hath blessed them with all spiritual blessings ìn heavenly things, and since the earth was forfeited into Gods hands again, he hath restored the inheritance of the earth to none (as is the opinion of many learned) but to them: Other men hold without any title from God, Ephes. 1.3. Isaiah 45.11, 17, 18, 19. and in the world to come, they shall shine as the stars of heaven, and as the sun in the firmament, Mat. 13.43.

As is the affection of God, so is his provision for the godly, a fatherly provision, he provides for them like a father, yea like a heavenly father in their 1. attendance. 2. dyet. 3. preservation in trouble. and 4. portion. 1. For their attendance: he provides for them better, then the great men of the earth can doe for their children: He hath given his Angels to bee ministring spirits to all these heires of salvation, and these pitch their tents round abo•t them,

¹Ob. But God hath so many sons of this kind, how can he provide for them all?

¹Ob. But God hath so many sonnes of this kinde, how can hee provide for them all?

1. 1Object.

1. 1Solut.

¹Ob. But they have so many adversaries without and within, that there is great danger, lest they be pulled out of their inheritance.

1. 1Object.

¹Sol. God that hath begotten them, and given them to Christ, is greater then all: no man can pluck them out of his hands, John 10.29.

¹Sol. God that hath begotten them, and given them to Christ, is greater then all: no man can plucke them out of his hands, John 10.29.

1. 1Solut.

¹Object. But they are for the most part a people of many, and those continual wants, there is scarce any moment, wherein they want not something, and therefore must either be uncomfortable in themselves, or burdensome to God.

¹Object. But they are for the most part a people of many, and those continuall wants, there is scarce any moment, wherein they want not something, and therefore must either be uncomfortable in themselves, or burthensome to God.

1. 1Object.

¹Sol. Whatsoever they ask the father he will give it them: It is no trouble to ⟨p. 13⟩God to receive Petitions from them continually, he delights in it, and rather blames them for asking so seldom, and so little, John 16.23.

¹Sol. Whatsoever they aske the father he will give it them: It is no trouble to ⟨p. 13⟩God to receive Petitions from them continually, he delights in it, and rather blames them for asking so seldome, and so little, Iohn 16.23.

1. 1Solut.

Ob. God himself plagues them with troubles as much,¹ or rather more then he doth other men.

Ob. God himselfe plagues them with troubles as much,¹ or rather more then he doth other men.

1. 1Object.

Sol. The fathers of our flesh, correct us, ¹and shall not the father of spirits do it? and the rather if we consider, that he shows his love therein: a man will correct his own son more, then another mans, and he doth correct us for our profit, that we might partake of his holiness and live, and there is much fruit in the afflictions of the godly, all working together for the best unto them: If God spare wicked men, it is because they are bastards, and not sons, and yet there is a great deal of difference between Gods usage of wicked men, and of godly, even in their trouble. For he spares and pities his own children as a man will spare and pity his own son. He never strikes them but it is in measure, and in their branches. He doth not make a full end of them to confound them, as he will do with wicked men, Heb. 12. Isaiah 27.

Sol. The fathers of our flesh, correct us, ¹and shall not the father of spirits do it? and the rather if we consider, that he shewes his love therein: a man will correct his owne son more, then another mans, and he doth correct us for our profit, that we might partake of his holinesse and live, and there is much fruit in the afflictions of the godly, all working together for the best unto them: If God spare wicked men, it is because they are bastards, and not sonnes, and yet there is a great deale of difference betweene Gods usage of wicked men, and of godly, even in their trouble. For he spares and pitties his owne children as a man will spare and pitty his owne son. He never strikes them but it is in measure, and in their branches. He doth not make a full end of them to confound them, as he will doe with wicked men, Heb. 12. Esay 27.

1. 1Solut.

Ob. The world sees no such excellency in them, or in their Estate.¹

1. 1Object.

Sol. The world knows them not, because it knows not God their father: ¹they are now the sons of God, but it doth not appear, what we shall be: but we know, that when Christ shall appear, we shall be all like him, 1 John 3.1, 2.

Sol. The world knowes them not, because it knowes not God their father: ¹they are now the sonnes of God, but it doth not appeare, what we shall bee: but we know, that when Christ shall appeare, we shall be all like him, 1 Iohn 3.1, 2.

1. 1Solut.

This doctrine of Gods fatherly love to his people may serve for instruction.¹

This doctrine of Gods fatherly love to his people may serve for instuction.¹

1. 1Use 2.Vse 2.

1. To godly men. 2. To carnal men. 3. To earthly fathers.

1. To godly men. 2. To carnall men. 3. To earthly fathers.

1. Godly men should learn here to live like the children of God, and so they do, if they look to three things.

1. Godly men should learne here to live like the children of God, and so they'doe, if they looke to three things.

1. That they live without sin, ¹and not shame their father by their wicked lives: their works should show, and bear witness by their care to finish them, that God is their father, and set them about them, John 5.36. Their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of civill men in this world: Mat. 5.20. and therefore their daily prayers unto God should be, that he would establish them in holiness before him, till the coming of Jesus Christ, 1 Thess. 3.13.

1. That they live without sin, ¹and not shame their father by their wicked lives: their workes should shew, and beare witnesse by their care to finish them, that God is their father, and set them about them, Iohn 5.36. Their righteousnesse must exceed the righteousnesse of civill men in this world: Mat. 5.20. and therefore their daily prayers unto God should be, that hee would establish them in holinesse before him, till the comming of Iesus Christ, 1 Thess. 3.13.

1. 1How we may live like Gods children.