pose we have a moral virtue, is not that enough? No: "and to your virtue knowledge." You must not only have moral virtues, but you must know Jesus Christ. But suppose he hath knowledge, is not that yet enough? No: "and to your knowledge add temperance," whereby you may be kept from the immoderate use of the things of this world. But suppose we have that, is not that enough? No: "add to your temperance patience :" you shall meet with many afflictions and crosses, and therefore you must have patience. But suppose we have patience, is not that yet enough? No: "and to your patience add godliness;" there must be a right worshipping of God in his service. Well, but suppose we have godliness, and do worship God after a right manner, is not that enough? No: "add to your godliness brotherly kindness;" you that are saints are brethren, and therefore it is not enough that ye have the worshipping of God in a right way, but ye must agree together as brethren; add to your right worship and godliness brotherly kindness. But suppose we have that, is not that enough? No: "add charity;" brotherly kindness may be towards you that are brethren, but there must be charity towards all, to those that are not of the body. Well, but suppose we do these things, what then? Read verse 8: "For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." You complain that your hearts are barren, and that you lie as barren ground in the family; why if you would not be barren and unfruitful, you must grow and add one grace unto another: "And if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful." Well, but suppose a man lack these things? Read verse 9: "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off;" he may see some things in religion that are near, but those things that are afar off he is blind in them, "and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins," that is by baptism. But suppose we do all this, what then? Pray see what encouragement there is to this in verse 10: "Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure;" this will be a sign to you of your election. "And if you do these things you shall never fall.” Whereas those that are weak, and do not grow in grace, they

stumble at all occasions; "but if ye do these things ye shall never fall," and not stumble as those that are weak do. And yet further, at verse 11, you shall not only have this benefit for the present but for the future: for so "an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Do you abound in grace, and grow in grace, and are rich in grace? Why look as you abound, so there shall be an abundant entrance ministered to you into the everlasting kingdom. "Wherefore (he saith) I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things." It may be you will tell me you knew these things before; but mark verse 12: "I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth." Yea, at verse 13: "I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance." And that you may see that it is a matter of great concernment, he doth not only say that he would put them in remembrance as long as he lived, but he would take some course when he was dead that this exhortation should be pressed upon them, verse 15: "Moreover, I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance." Oh, therefore what a necessity is there that we should grow in grace. Wherefore, brethren and beloved in the Lord, as you have been exhorted not only by me at this time, but by others of God's servants; so now labour to abound in all well pleasing, to abound yet more and more. And for me I shall say to you and concerning you, as the apostle in Phil. i.: "This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that ye may approve things that are excellent: that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

SERMON II.

THE FIRST AND LAST IN SUFFERING WORK.

"But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.” MATTHEW XIX. 30.

AT verse 27., Peter doth propound a question unto Christ, saying, "Behold we have forsaken all, and followed thee: what shall we have therefore?"

Jesus answered him in the following verse; and his answer is partly comfortable, and partly cautional.

In the comfortable part he doth declare what great reward his disciples or any other should have, that did suffer, or leave any worldly interest for his name's sake.

The first part concerns his disciples only, in verse 28. "I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regenetion, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." This shall be your reward.

And as for others, though you make the question, I will give my answer so, saith he, as shall concern more than you: my promise shall be extended unto others also; at verse 29., "And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold:" here is their reward," an hundred fold." It is a very great improvement. We account ten in the hundred a great matter; and if merchants can venture to sea, and gain twelve or ten in the hundred, and be insured of so great a gain, they account it a great matter: but here is " an hundred fold:" not ten or twelve, but an hundred for one; and this insured too: "Verily, I say unto you, (saith Christ) every one that hath forsaken, &c., shall receive an hundred-fold."

And as for the cautional part, that follows at verse 30., "But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first."

Wherein he doth give a caveat, not only unto his disciples, but unto all those that should suffer, and forsake any worldly interest upon his account. As if he should say thus: It is true, you have indeed left all to follow me; thereupon you ask me what you shall have; and I lay before you very great

rewards: but I would have you for to walk warily, and to take heed how you walk in the matter of your sufferings: for though you suffer for my name's sake, and though those that do so in truth shall have very great rewards, an hundred-fold in this life; yet many that are very forward, shall appear to be backward; and many that are backward, shall appear to be forward; and many that stand behind, they shall stand before; and many that stand before, they shall be set behind: "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first." Which being spoken in reference unto suffering and forsaking of our worldly interest for the name of Christ; the doctrine then is this:

"That many that are first shall be last, and many that are last shall be first," in suffering work.

For the clearing whereof, there were four things propounded.

First, What it is for a man to be first that is last, and to be last that is first.

Secondly, How it may appear that many that are first shall be last, and many that are last shall be first in suffering-work. Thirdly, How and in what respect that is true.

Fourthly, What are the reasons on it.

And then the application.

First, What is it for one that is first to be last, and one that is last to be first? What is this?

Some think this is to be understood in regard of the sameness of reward; as if Christ had said thus: The first shall be as the last, and the last shall be as the first, in matter of reward. And for this, they have the next parable to shew, where this same speech is brought in. "A certain householder went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard, and agreed with the labourers for a penny a day and he hired some at the first hour, and some at the last; and those that came in at the last, received a penny as the first did." Whereupon the first they grumbled. The Master answered, verse 15. " Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last." Why? because the last had the same penny. As if the meaning of this therefore should be thus much, that there should be the same reward given to the one as to the other. But this can

not be the meaning on it: for it is not true; for there shall not be the same reward given to all; some shall have more than others, some shall have greater degrees of glory than others.

If there be degrees of torments in hell, then there are degrees of glory in heaven. There are degrees of torment in hell; for Christ hath said, " He that knoweth his Master's will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes," with more stripes than those that are ignorant and know it not. Now if there be degrees of torment in hell, there are degrees of glory in heaven: and therefore the thing is not true, that there shall be the same reward.

And here in chap. xix. we see, that the apostles are set higher in their reward. "When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

And our Saviour Christ here, he doth not speak universally, nor indefinitely he doth not say that all that are first shall be last, and all that are last shall be first; neither doth he speak definitely, the first shall be last, and the last first: but he speaks thus, "That many that are first;" he doth not say "all that are first shall be last;" neither doth he say indefinitely, "The first shall be last," but, "many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first." That is the meaning then.

Others think therefore the meaning is this, and the words are to be understood in reference to men's conceit and opinion; as if he should say, Be not conceited; for though ye suffer much, and forsake a great deal for me, and for my name's sake, yet many that are first in their own conceit, shall be last and many that are last in their own opinion and conceit, shall be first. This is true: but this is not all the meaning.

Therefore we must know that a person or thing is said to be first or last, in regard of time, or in regard of dignity or chiefdom.

In regard of time: so we say the last day is the first day of the week; first in regard of time.

In regard of chiefdom; and so Paul saith, "Whereof I am chief." In the original it is: This is a true saying, that Christ came into the world to save sinners, whereof I am the first; but we read it chief, because the chief is the first.