themselves from the Church were scorners and that these who were sensuall and void of the spirit did follow their ungodly lusts Or in the words Jude expresseth 1. The sin of these seducers in Separating themselves 2. The cause thereof which was 1. Their being sensuall and 2. their not having the spirit For the first their separation EXPLICATION Two things are here to be opened 1. What the Apostle here intends by separating themselves 2. Wherein the sinfulnesse thereof consists 1. segregantes separantes Disterminantes Exterminantes For the first The words in the Originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 severall wayes rendred by severall interpreters may signifie the unbounding of a thing and the removing of a thing from those bounds and limits wherein it was set and placed for the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie to terminate or circumscribe a thing within limits and bounds and the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to it may import * Thus the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently taken in Scripture the taking away or exempting a thing from those bounds and limits wherein it was contained and this interpretation of making themselves boundlesse as being a generation of Libertines that would be kept within no bounds or compasse of restraint by Scripture Magistrates Church-discipline c. doth both agree to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also the whole series of the Epistle and context in which the Apostle immediately before saith they walked after their own lusts and immediately after saith they were sensuall given over to sensuall pleasures These seducers were sons of Belial without a yoke like yokelesse heifers Scope and Liberty were their study They would needs make the way to heaven as he who went over a narrow bridge with spectacles before his eyes desired to make the bridg seeme broader then it was This interpreation I dare not reject I desire to present it to the learned but though upon my maturest thoughts I much incline to it yet seeing the streame of interpreters going another way I shall not refuse the second according to which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports the parting and separating of one thing from another by bounds and limits put between them and the putting of bounds and limits for distinction and separation between severall things it being thus a resemblance taken from fields or Countries which are distinguisht and parted from each other by certain boundaryes and Land-marks set up to that end and thus it s commonly taken by interpreters in this place wherein these seducers may be said to separate themselves divide or bound themselves from others either first doctrinally or secondly practically 1. Doctrinally by false and hereticall doctrines whereby they divided themselves from the truth and faithfull who were guided by the truth of the Scripture and walked according to the rule of the word hence these seducers were deceiving and deceved and it s said that they brought in damnable heresies and many followed their pernitious wayes and that they spake perverse things to draw away Disciples after them 2 Pet. 2. And thus they separated themselves from the Church 1. By holding that the grace of God gave men liberty to live as they pleased and by maintaining of unchristian libertinisme because Christ had purchased Christian liberty for us Whereas the word teacheth the contrary namely because the grace of God hath appeared therefore that we should deny ungodlinesse and worldly lust 2. By teaching that among the people of God there ought to be no Civil Magistrate no superiority nor any to restraine and hinder people from their going on in what wayes they pleased whereas the word commands every soule to be subject 3. By denying the day of judgment at which they scoft as at a vaine scar-crow because it was deferred whereas the faithfull were 1 Pet. 4.4 to account the long suffering of the Lord salvation to labour to be made meet for the approach of Christ and to look for the mercy of the Lord to eternall life 2. Practically they might separate themselves as by bounds and limits 1. By prophaneness and living in a different way from the Saints namely in all loosenesse and uncleannesse for as the faithfull separate and difference themselves from the wicked by their holy and heavenly Conversation so the wicked divide themselves from the faithfull by prophaneness and falling from the profession of godlinesse into all manner of loosenesse and irregularity and thus the ungodly make such bounds between themselves and saints as saints dare not break over ungodlinesse being too high a wall for a godly man to scale or rather too deep a mote for him to swim over and wade through 2. Calv. in loc discessionem faciunt ab ecclefiâ quia disciplinae jugum ferre nequeunt By Shismaticalness and making of Separation from and divisions in the Church Because they proudly despised the doctrines or persons of the Christians as contemptible and unworthy or because they would not endure the holy severity of the Churches discipline they saith Calvin departed from it They might make rents and divisions in the Church by schismaticall withdrawing themselves from fellowship and Communion with it Their heresies were perverse and damnable opinions their schism was a perverse Separation from church-Church-Communion the former was in doctrinalls the latter in practicals Schismaticos facit non diversa fides sed communionis disrupta societas Aug. Coâ—tr Faust l. 20. c. 3. The former was opposite to faith this latter to charity By faith all the members are united to the head by charity one to another and as the breaking of the former is heresie so their breaking of the latter was schism And this schisme stands in the dissolving the spirituall band of love and union among Christans and appears in the withdrawing from the performance of those duties which are both the signes of and helps to Christian unity as prayer hearing receiving of Sacraments c. for because the dissolving of Christian union chiefly appears in the undue separation from church communion therfore this rending is rightly call'd schisme It is usually said to be twofold 1. Negative Camero de schismate 2. Positive The first the Negative is when there is onely simplex secessio when there is onely a bare secession a peaceable and quiet withdrawing from Communion with a Church without making an heâ—d against that church from which the departure is 2. The other the positive is when persons so withdrawing doe so consociate and draw themselves into a distinct and opposite body setting up a church against a church or as divines expresse it from Augustine an altar against an altar and this it is which in a peculiar manner and by way of eminency is called by the name of schisme and becomes sinful either in respect 1. of the groundlesnesse or 2. the manner
Common-wealths suffer In troublous times the walls and temple of Jerusalem went but slowly on Though Jesus Christ the head be the only fountaine of spiritual life yet the usual way of Christs strengthning it and perfecting thereof is the fellowship of the body that by what every joynt supplies the whole may be encreased when Church-members are put out of joint they are made unserviceable and unfit to perform their several offices They who were wont to join in prayer sacraments fasting and were ready to all mutuall offices of love are now fallen off from all 4. It s opposite to the future estate of the Church in glory In heaven the faithful shall be of one mind wee shall all meet saith the Apostle in the unity of the faith Eph. 4.13 when we are come to our manly age Wrangling is the work of child-hood and folly and a great peice of the folly of our child-hood Lutheâ— and Calvin are of one mind in heaven though their disciples wrangle here on earth OBSERVATIONS 1. Naturally men love to be boundlesse Obs 1. they will not be kept within any spiritual compasse nor endure to bee held in any bounds This according to one signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle Jude aimes at in this place Wicked men are sons of Belial they cannot endure the yoke of Christ though it be sweet and easie They break his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from them Men love to have liberty to damn their own souls Psal 2 3. Hos 4 16. They back-slide like a back-sliding heifer Though men account it no unwelcome streightning to them to have a fence between them and their bodily enemyes yet they cannot endure those limits and bounds of Gods law or corrections which stop them from sin their fear of hurt makes them love preservation their love of pleasure makes them desirous of sinful liberty How good a sign of a gracious heart is it rather to desire to be in Christs inclosure then in Satans champain to account Christs service our liberty and Satans liberty our bondage How just also is God in suffering sinners to take their course and swinge in the wayes of sin and destruction They who wil not be kept within Gods compass are deservedly left to Satans disposall They who are back sliding heifers who will not endure the yoke are justly threatned to be suffered to be as a lamb in a large place without a keeper or preserver They shall have their fill of liberty but their liberty is like that of the Deer which though it were gotten out of the park-pale yet it was at the cruel curtesie of the hounds On the contrary God is very gracious in stopping up his churches way though with a thorny hedge Oh happy thorns that stop us in our waies to hell Such thorns are better then roses The setting up of the thorny hedge Hos 2.6 is a promise a branch of the Covenant Our separation from Rome cannot be charged with schism Obs 2. This will evidently appear if we consider either the ground or the manner of our separation 1. For the ground and cause thereof our separation from Rome was not for some slight and tolerable errours but damnable heresies and grosse idolatries The heresies fundamental and idolatries such as those who hold communion with her cannot but partake of In respect of both which the church of Rome was first Apostatiz'd before ever we separated nor was there any separation from it as it had any thing of Christ or as it was Christian but as it was Romane and Popish The Apostacy of the Roman church which was the ground of our separation appeared sundry ways 1. In that she did thrust the Lord Jesus the great and onely teacher of the church out of the chair and in it placed the Pope as the infallible Doctor of the church to whom she ties her beliefe and subjects her faith though he alwayes may and oft doth rise up against Christ himself 2. The Scriptures the alone rule of faith the Romanists slight and impiously despise and make them an insufficient rule of faith by joyning their over-fond and false traditions to it by preferring a vitious and barbarous interpretation before the sacred originals by making the holy Scriptures to have neither life nor soul nor voice till the interpretation of the church or rather the Pope be added 3. They have depraved the great and main article of faith concerning the justification of a sinner the nature whereof though the Scripture makes to stand in the remission of sinnes and the application of Christs righteousnesse by faith yet they ascribe it partly to Christs and partly to our own merits and righteousnesse in which respect that of the Apostle sutes with them Christ is become of no effect to you who are justified by the law 4. Though the worshipping of the immortal and invisible God under any visible image or representation or the likenesse of a mortal creature be frequently and expresly forbidden in Scripture Ecclesia Romanaeusus admittit basce trinitatis imagines caeque pinguntur non solum ut ostendantur sed ut adorenâ— tur In 3 Aq. 9.29 art 3. yet they set forth and teach the worshiping of the Father under the image of an old man the Son under the image of a Lamb and the holy Ghost of a Dove And Cajetan confesseth that they draw these images of the Trinity not only to shew but to adore and worship them To these I might add their maiming or rather marring the Sacrament of the Lords Supper their denying the cup to the laity Their ascribing of remission and expiation of sin to the sacrifice of the Mass their seven Sacraments their praying to Saints Auge piâ—s justitiam Reisque dona veniam Solve vinela reis Profer lumen Coecis Psalt Rom. and ascribing to the Virgin Mary the bestowing grace and glory pardon of sin c. Their dispensations with the most hideous and bellish abominations as murders incest Sodomy c. for mony c. 2. For the second the manner of our separation it was not uncharitable rash heady and unadvised nor before all means were used for the cure and reformation of the Romanists by the discovery of their errors that possibly could be thought of notwithstanding all which though some have been enforced to an acknowledgment of them they still obstinately persist in them Our famous godly and learned reformers would have healed Babylon but she is not healed many skilful Physicians have had her in hand but like the woman in the Gospel she grew so much the worse By praier preaching writing yea by sealing their doctrine with their bloods have sundry eminent instruments of Christ endeavoured to reclaim the Popish from their errors but in stead of being reclaimed they anathematized them with the dreadfullest curses excommunicated yea murdered and destroyed multitudes of those who endeavoured their reducement not permitting any to trade
buy or sell to have either religious or civil communion with them except they received the beasts mark in their hands and forheads All which considered we might safely forsake her nay could not safely do otherwise Since instead of our healing of Babylon we could not be preserved from her destroying of us we did deservedly depart from her and every one go into his own Country and unlesse we had so done Jer. 51.9 we could not have obeyed the cleare precept of the word Apoc. 18. Come out of her my people c. Apoc. 18.4 Timothy is commanded to withdraw himself from perverse and unsound teachers Though Paul went into the Synagogue 1 Tim. 6.3.5 disputing and perswading the things concerning the Kingdome of God yet when divers were hardned and beleeved not Acts 19.9 but spake evill of that way 1 Cor. 10.14 he departed from them and separated thâ— disciples And expressely is Communion with idolaters forbidden 2 Cor. 6.14.17 what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse what Communion hath light with darknesse what concord hath Christ with Belial what agreement hath the temple of God with idols Come out from among them and be ye separate And Hos 4.11 Though thou Israel play the harlot yet let not Judah offend and Come ye not unto Gilgal neither goe ye up to Bethaven Though in name that place was Bethel the house of God yet because Jeroboams calf was set up there it was indeed Bethaven the house of vanity If Rome be a Bethaven for idolatry and corrupting of Gods worship our departure from it may be safely acknowledged and justified In vaine therefore do the Romanists Stapleton Nic. Sanderus de visib monar eccles praefat ad lect Staplet demonstrat Princ. fid l. 4. c. 10. Sanders others brand our separation from them with the odious imputation of Donatisme and schisme it being evident out of Augustine that the Donatists never objected any thing against nor could blame any thing in the Church from which they separated either for faith or worship whereas we have unanswerably proved the pseado-Catholick Romane-Church to be notoriously guilty both of heresie and idolatry and our adversaries themselves grant in what ever Church either of those depravations are found Communion with it Schisma aliud malum aliud bonum Malum quo bona bonum quo mala scinditur unitas Musc de schism is to be broken off I shall conclude this discourse with that passage out of Musculus concerning schisme There is saith he a double schisme the one bad the other good the bad is that whereby a good union the good that whereby a bad union is broken asunder If ours be a schisme it is of the later sort 3. Obs 3. The voluntary and unnecessary dividing and separation from a true Church is schismaticall When we put bounds and partitions between it and our selves we sin say some as did these seducers here taxed by Jude If the Church be not hereticall or Idolatrous or do not by excommunication persecution c. thrust us out of its Communion If it be such an one as Christ the head hath communion with we the members ought not by separation to rend and divide the body To separate from Congregations where the word of truth and Gospel of salvation are held forth in an ordinary way 1 Tim. 3.15 as the Proclamations of Princes are held forth upon pillars to which they are affixed where the light of the truth is set up as upon a candlestick to guide passengers to heaven To separate from them to whom belong the Covenants and where the Sacraments the seals of the Covenant Rev. 1.13 and for substance rightly dispensed where Christ walketh in the midst of his golden Candlesticks and discovers his presence in his ordinances whereby they are made effectuall to the Conversion and edification of soules in an ordinary way where the members are saints by a professed subjection to Christ and his Gospell and haply have promised this explicitely and openly where there are sundry who in the judgement of charity may be conceived to have the work of grace really wrought in their hearts by walking in some measure answerable to their profession I say to separate from these as those with whom Church Communion is not to be held and maintaind is vnwarrantable and schismaticall Pretences for separation I am not ignorant are alledged Frequently and most plausibly that of mixt Communion and of admitting into Church-fellowship the vile with the pretious and those who are chaff and therefore ought not to lodge with the wheat Answ 1. Not to insist upon what some have urged viz. that this hath been the stone at which most Shismaticks have stumbled and the pretence which they have of old alledged as having ever had a spiritum excommunicatorium a spirit rather putting them upon dividing from those who they say are unholy then putting them upon any godly indeavours of making themselvs holy as is evident in the examples of the Audaeans Novatians Donatists Anabaptists Brownists c. 2. Let them consider whither the want of the exact purging and reforming of these abuses proceed not rather from some unhappy obstructions and politicall restrictions whether or no caused by those who make this objection God knowes in the exercise of discipline then from the allowance or neglect of the Church it selfe Nay 3. Let them consider whether when they separate for sinfull mixtures the Church be not at that very time purging out those sinfull mixtures and is that a time to make a separation from a Church by departing from it when the servants of Christ are making a separation in that Church by reforming of it But 4. Let it be seriously weighed that some sinfull mixtures are not a sufficient cause of separation from a Church Hath not God his Church even where corruption of manners hath crept into a Church if purity of doctrine be maintained and is separation from that Church lawful from which God doth not separate did the Apostle because of the sinful mixturess in the Church of Corinth direct the fuithful to separate Must not he who will forbeare communion with a Church till it be altogether freed from mixtures tarry till the day of judgment til when we have no promise that Christ will gather out of his Church whatsoever doth offend 5. Let them consider whether God hath made private Christians stewards in his house to determine whether those with whom they communicate are fit members of the Church or not or rather whether it be not their duty when they discover tares in the Church in stead of separating from it to labour that they may be found good corne that so when God shall come to gather his corn into his garner they may not be thrown out Church-officers are ministerially betrusted with the ordering of the Church and for the opening and shutting of the doors of the Churches Communion by the Keyes of doctrine and discipline and herein if they shall either be hindred or negligent private Christians shall not be intangled in the guilt of their sin if they be humbled and use all lawful means for remedy though they do communicate 6. Let them search whether there be any Scripture warrant to break off communion with
AN EXPOSITION Of the EPISTLE of JUDE Together With many large and usefull DEDUCTIONS Formerly Delivered In sundry LECTURES in Christ-Church LONDON May 24th BY WILLIAM JENKYN Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ AND PASTOR of the Church at Black-friars LONDON The SECOND PART LONDON Printed by Tho. Maxey for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the golden BALL in Paul's Church-yard 1654. TO My Dear FLOCK and much honoured Friends The CHURCH of GOD In the Precinct of BLACK-FRYARS LONDON Christian and respected Friends IT cannot seeme strange that I who have lately given my selfe to the service of your soules should now dedicate my Booke to you for that purpose Nor can any wonder since you have lately imitated your Predecessors in the loving and unanimous Call of your though now unworthy Pastor that he should endeavour to follow the steps of those excellent servants of Christ your former Ministers who in their times both by Preaching and Printing bestowed their labours upon you for your spirituall benefit I have frequently heard that Black-fryars is one of those places in London commonly accounted and called by the name of Priviledged in respect of sundry civil Immunities bestowed upon it But what are all those Political in comparison of the Spiritual priviledges which God hath afforded to you of this place in regard whereof I much question whether any Congregation in London I think I may take a far larger compass hath been equal to you in the priviledg of enjoying so long a continuance of an Able Orthodox Soul-saving Ministry Those two excellent and eminently faithful Servants of Christ Mr. Egerton and Doctor Gouge lately deceased spent as I am informed about seventy years in their Ministerial Labors among the people of Black-fryars The Gospel in your Congregation hath continued I think beyond the remembrance of the oldest the Lord grant that it may outlive the youngest now living among you God hath as it were made his Sun to stand still upon your Gibeah and his Moon upon your Ajalon to give you light to overcome your spirituall Enemies How many learned and pithy expositions savoury discourses and excellent tractates have had their conception in your Parish and their birth in your pulpit You have enjoyed the monthly administration of the Lords Supper as your late reverend Pastor informed me these five and forty yeares without any interruption I mention not these things to occasion your glorying in men or any outward priviledges but onely to put you upon self-reflexion and holy examination how you have thriven in holinesse under all these enjoyments Church priviledges I grant are excellent mercies in their kinde Without the Ordinances places are commonly as void of Civility as Christianity They are but magna latrocinia dens of robbers and places of prey darke places of the Earth fill'd with violence Church-priviledges so far forth as they are visibly owned make men visible saints in opposition to the world yea and in their due and holy use real and true saints in opposition to hypocrites But notwithstanding all these the meanes of grace without grace by those meanes leave those who injoy them in the same condition in respect of any saving benefit with those who want them Jer. 9.25 26. Is 29.1 2 Hag. 12.14 Rom. 2.25.28 29. The Arke at Shiloh the sacrifices devoured by Ariel Circumcision in the flesh The temple of the Lord The Rock and Mannah The Lords Supper at Corinth c. 1 Cor. 11.20 Jer. 7.12 were priviledges which did not savingly profit the enjoyers who were not holy by their holy things but their holy things rather were made unholy by them Nay bare outward priviledges increase condemnation The valley of vision hath the heavyest burden The Israelites who had not monthly but daily sacraments eating and drinking them every meal were most severely destroyâ—d These were but as Uriahs letters which they carryed to their owne destruction The higher Corazin and Bethsaida's elevation was the greater was their downfall Justice will pluck the unreformed from the Altar of priviledges Sermons do but heat hell and Sacraments are but oyl and pitch to make its flame scald and consume the more painfully The barren oak was not so near cursing as the barren fig-tree Nor are weeds on the dunghill so near plucking up as those in the Garden by none is the name of God so much dishonoured mercy so much abused hypocrisie so odiously veiled the power of godlinesse so bitterly hated Joh. 8.33 Rom. 1.27 as by many who have most enjoyed Church priviledges Put not off your souls therefore dear Christians with outward Priviledges without inward grace by those Priviledges What is it more to have a name to live and to be spiritually dead to have titular sanctity and real impiety then for a starving man to be vâ—iced up for a plentiful house-keeper When God had bestowed upon Abram a new name and changed it to Abraham he gave him also a new blessing The unprofitable under the means of grace are therfore worse then those who want those means because they are not better the more aship is laden with gold the deeper she sinks the more you are laden with golden priviledges the deeper if you miscarry wil be your destruction Though the Ministers industry without succeâ—ss acquits him yet it condemns his people He may be sincere yet unsuccessfull but then the people in the mean time if unprofitable shew themselvs hypocritical You never commend your Ministers but by getting the saving impressions of what they preach upon your hearts Christ reproved the young man for calling him good Master because saith Calvin he had never received any saving good from Christ The sheep onely prayse the care of the carefull shepherd by their wool milk fruitfulnesse and fatness Let it never be said that God gives the food of life to you as a rich man gives a nurse good dyet for the benefit of his child onely for the thriving of strangers Be not as Indians who go naked and beggarly in the midst of all their heaps of gold Let not sermons be as jewels onely to hang in your ears but let them be lockt up in the cabinets of your hearts Consider ordinances are never yours till you get the savour of them upon your spirits Meat upon the table may be taken away but not when by eating 't is turned into a mans substance Books may be stoln out of a Scholars study but a thousand theeves can never take away the learning which he hath gotten into his head by studying those Books The grace of priviledges is onely safe You shall be stript of these when you come to dye but the grace of them will stick by you for ever Christ may say to those at the last day depart who have eat and drunk with him and cast out devils but never will he say so to those who having eat and drunk with him have also eat and drunk himself who have cast lust out of their souls and gotten a broken
there is no other office which these Seducers could invade answering to that of the Legall Priesthood but this office of the Evangelical Ministry From all which it will unavoidably follow that they who shall enter into the office of the Ministry onely upon the pretence of inward abilities without receiving a Commission and authority from God and a particular separation to that office are guilty of sin against God and that no light and slight one Corahs sin The receiving then of a power by way of authority external mission and commission from those whom God hath appointed to confer it Verbum quod proximis privati annunciant authoritate specialis officii non constringit auditores ad obedientiam sed virtute objecti seu materiae quae verbo isto continetur Apol. de min. Ec. 1 Thes 4.18.5.14 Heb. 3.13 1 Pet. 3.1 is requisite for those who will enter upon the Ministerial function which no man may undertake but by power lawfully thus conferred That private Christians in a way of Christian charity may yea ought to confer with one another by way of information admonition consolation c. and so communicate their gifts for their mutual edification 't is not denied or envied but granted yea earnestly desired It s yeelded also that in some cases of urgent necessity befalling the Church when t is as yet not fully planted formed or when 't is scattered and disperst by persecution and so hindred from that ordinary and orderly course of ministration which it enjoys in times of peace and setledness private Christians may publikely instruct others yet this cannot be alledged against the course which the Scripture hath establisht for sending forth of Ministers Rom. 10.15 Heb. 5.4 2 Tim. 1 6. 1 Tim. 4.14 1 Tim. 5.22 5. Acts 13.1 2. and 14.22 23. Tit. 1.5 2 Tim. 2.2 As neither were the great eminency and commonness of gifts in the Church of Christ in the times of the Apostles which were bestowed upon many who were not ordaind and set apart for the Ministry any hindrances from the conferring of Ministerial power on them by setting them apart for the Ministerial employment Timothy was a man of much holiness and of excellent parts and yet these hindred not his after separation to his holy function by the Presbytery The command of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.22 that Timothy should lay hands suddenly on no man clearly argues that they on whom he did lay hands were before to be men gifted with internal qualifications for the tryall whereof Timothy was forbidden to be too sudden in ordaining And most clear is that of 2 Tim. 2.2 where for a succession of teachers Timothy is commanded to commit the things which he had heard of Paul to faithful men able to teach others whereby its evident that they were to be able and faithful before Timothy committed those things to them There is not onely a meetness for but an inauguration into the office of the Ministry required of those who are to enter into it and gifts are not sufficient to make Ministers without the ordinary call and Mission setled in the Church by Christ Every Israelite or Levite able to offer Incense was not admitted to offer none but the Sons of Aaron who were particularly set apart thereto had that honour nor can any under the times of the Gospel who hath never so much inward furniture of gifts be a right Minister or Officer from Christ where there is not a right Commission and Patent given in his Name by due Ordination As it is Treason for the ablest Statesman or Lawyer to undertake the office of an Embassadour or Judg before he be made such by those who only can confer that power so it s an insufferable affront offered to Jesus Christ for any to pretnd the doing of that in his Name which is done without his declared will and consent Of this more page 10 11. Part. 1. 12. How ready are men to be weary of enjoying those things Observ 12. which they did most impatiently desire when they wanted them What would not these Rebels have given for a Moses and an Aaron to deliver them out of their Egyptian bondage how welcome were the first tidings of Gods appointing them to be the instruments of so great a mercy And yet now they have a while enjoyed them and tasted the benefit of their government how weary were they of both and therein of their own happiness The people who with passionate and sinful earnestness cryed out for a King after the manner of other Nations so soon as God had gratified their desires therein were a great part of them weary of what they so ardently wished despised their King brought him no presents and muttered their unthankful discontentedness in these words Plerunque acci dit hominibus ut non habita desiderent habita detestentur A bulens q. 24. How shall this man save us 1 Sam. 10.27 And long before that the same people who would have been glad of the coursest pulse in a starving Wilderness murmured because they had no better commons then bread from heaven Angels food herein in a sort resembling David whose soul longed for the water of Bethlehem and yet when his three Worthies with the endangering of their lives had brought of that water to him he poured it out on the earth and would not drink thereof 2 Sam. 23.15 16 17. How righteous is God in denying us many a comfort notwithstanding our earnest and impetuous craving thereof he knowing that when he gives it us we shall either unthankfully despise it or rather prophanely abuse it How willingly should we justifie God in all his deferrings and denyals of creature-enjoyments for though we think that the want of them will undo us yet he knows that the having of them would both hurt us and dishonour him 13. Observ 13. God opposeth the opposers of lawfull authority They are enemies more to themselves then to those to whom they are enemies Quid si princeps jubeat quod non debes facere Contemne potestatem tiâ—endo potestatem Si aliquid â—usserit curator nonne faciendum est ita quidem tamen si contra Proconsulem jusscrit non utique contemnis potestatem sed mâ—jori servire eligis â—ursum si aliquid proconsul jubeat aliud jubeat Imperator nunquid dubitatur iâ—o contempto isti serviendum Ergo si aliud Imperator aliud Deus quid judicat c. Aug. de verb. Dâ—m Seâ—m 6. Nequaquam mores illorum consectari velis qui ordinem istum invertunt regi primum deinde Deo deferendum esse honorem existimant Salaz in Prov. 24. they perish in their gainsayings with this Corah An evil man seeketh onely rebellion therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him Prov. 24 2â— My son saith Solomon Fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change for their calamity shall arise suddenly and
praemissi sunt uti secundum alium modum quae sunt illoruÌ„ audientes homines putantes omnes nos tales esse avertant aures suas à praeconio verita tis Iren. l. 1. cap. 24. p. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. ult Epiph. lib. 1. tom 2. cap. 26. pag. mihi 86. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Refert Clemens Alexandrinus illis verbis Luc. 6.30 Omni petenti te tribue ad impurissimae libidinis defensionem abusos Ad epulas solemni die coeunt cum omnibus liberis sororibus matribus sexus omnis homines omnis atatis Illic post multas epulas ubi convivium caluit incestae libidinis fervor exarsit canis qui candclabro nexus est jactu offusae extra spatium lineae quâ vinctus est ad impetum saltum provocatur sic everso atque extincto conscio lumine impudentibus tenebris nexus infandae cupiditatis involvunt Minut. Fel. in Octavio Hence it was that Irenaeus writes concerning the Carpoeratians that they were men sent by Satan to defame the Name of God and the Church that men observing their wickedness and thinking that we all were such might turn away their ears from the preaching of the truth To the same purpose likewise speaks Epiphanius These men saith he were sent forth by Satan to be a disgrace to the Church they putting upon themselves the name of Christians that for their sakes the Nations might abhor to get any good by the Church of God reject truth preached and think that all who are in the Church are like to them and for the wickedness of a few reproach all the rest and therefore where-ever any of them come the Gentiles will have nothing to do with us 3. They were spots of deformity to themselves they disgraced not onely their professions but their very persons and blemisht even humane nature it self they turned themselves into beasts and caus'd in themselves an interregnum of reason making reason the Prince to be a Lacquey and sense the servant to ride and be exalted if ever any deserved to be called brute beasts dogs turned to their vomit or sows wallowing in mire they were these impure Borborites 2. They were spots of defilement 1. Carnally they defiled themselves their own bodies their flesh these defile the flesh vers 8. by drunkenness and especially by uncleanness I tremble to English what Epiphanius reports of these impurities among the Gnosticks and Clemens Alexandrinus and Minutius Felix among the Carpocratians at their meetings That sins of unchastity are peculiarly defiling hath been shewn before Part. 1. pag. 614 615. 2. They defil'd one another spiritually they were pitch and it was hard to touch them and not to be defiled they were leaven plague-sores gangrenes lepers diffusive of sin infectious to others the Divel conveyed his puddles through these pipes The contagion of these infected the sound but the soundness of the healthful recovered not the infected That Christian had need be of a very hail constitution indeed who conversing with such Pestilential persons contracts not their sickness Every sin as we say of some diseases is catching Any root of bitteruess springing up may defile many Hebr. 12.15 Thus we see the first thing opened viz The Name which the Apostle affixeth to them he calls them Spots 2. For the second Erasmum qui charitates vertit Gagneus reprehendit quiâ nunquam vel rarò pro dilectine sumitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in plurati Lorin Si dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impiis istis vindicaretur quod totius ecclesiae erat neque enim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 istorum hominum erant propriae ac proinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addi non potuit cum communesessent Ecclesiae toâ—ius Gerh. in 2. p. The places where these spots did cleave and stick or the meetings and companies which these Seducers frequented are exprest in these words Your feasts of charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular number signifieth love or charity yet the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the plurall is seldome or never taken in that sense but for Feasts or Banquets of love whence it is that Erasmus is by some reprehended for turning these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in charitatibus in your charities and as deservedly do Beza and Gerard correct the Vulgar Translation which reads this place in epulis suis in their feasts viz. of love as if the Apostle intended that these Seducers were spots in their own feasts whereas these love-feasts were the brotherly meetings of the Church into which these sensual Epicures intruded and unto which like spots they cleaved And therefore our Apostle in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which some Copies adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tels the Christians that these impure companions did feast with them by that occasion they manifesting their lewdnesse The Institution of these love-feasts was founded on the custome of the Church which immediately before the celebration of the Lords Supper used to have a feast Longè probabilius est morem fuisse ut prius haberetur convivium illud commune postea fierèt participatio sacrae Eucharistiae Estius in 1 Cor. 11.20 Videatur quoque Aug. Ep. 118. ad Januar. Tert. cap. 39. A polog Coena nostra de nomine rationem suam ostendit vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id quod dilectio penes Graecos est quantiscunque sumptibus constet lucrum est pictatis nomine facere sumptum siquidem inopes quosque refrigerio isto juvamus c. non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad Deum praegustetur editur quantum esurientes capiunt bibitur quantum pudicis est utile ita saturantur ut qui meminerint etiam per noctem adorandum Deum sibi esse ita fabulantur ut qui sciant Dominum audire Post aquam manualem lumina ut quisque de Scripturis sanctis vel de proprio ingenio potest provocatur in medium Deo canere hinc probatur quomodo biberit aeque oratio convivium dirimit inde disceditur non in catervas caesionum neque in classes discursationum nec in eruptiones lasciviarum sed ad eandem curam modestiae pudicitiae ut qui non tam coenam coenaverint quam disciplinam to testifie continue increase brotherly love among themselves as also to the poor who hereby were releived whence they had their name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charities as if they were so intended for love that there could not be so fit a name by which to call them as Love it self Of these Feasts speaks the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.21 when he saith That every one taketh before other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own supper as also 2 Pet. 2.13 where he speaks concerning the feasting of these Seducers with the Christians and frequeâ—t mention is made of these Feasts among the Ancients Of whom Tertullian speaks the most fully
in his 39th Chapt. of his Apolog. where he tells us That the name of those feasts manifested their nature they being called by a Name which signifies love In them saith he our spiritual gains countervail for all our worldly costs we remember the poor we ever begin with prayer In eating and drinking we relieve hunger but shew no excess In our feeding at Supper we remember that we are to pray in the night In our discourse we consider that God hears us As soon as water for our hands and lights are brought in any one sings either out of the Scriptures or as he is able some meditation of his own and by this he shews how temperate he was at Supper-time Prayer is the first and last dish of the Feast with this it began and with this it ends and when we depart our behaviour is so religious and modest that one would have thought we had rather been at a Sermon then a Supper And Tertullian writing to the Martyrs in Prison relates how they were relieved Per curiam Ecclesiae agapen fratrum by the care of the Church and the Charity of the brethren at their Love Feasts Of these also speaks Cyprian Cypr. l. 3. ad Qurrinum Agapen dilectionem fraternam Religiese firmiter exercendam c. in his third book to Quirinus where he saith that these Feasts of Charity and brotherly love are Religiously and firmly to be exercised so that the ground of those ancient Love-Feasts was provision for the poor brethren the preserving of mutual love among themselves and the expressing by both their thankfulness to God for bestowing his Son upon them in which respect they thought it most sit to celebrate them immediately before their receiving of the Lords Supper Justin Mart. pro. Christian Apol. 2. though in a short time in the Church of Corinth these Feasts of Charity grew to be corrupted and abused by divisions the excluding of the poor Christians from them as also by Riot and Luxury 1 Cor. 11.21 Some conceive that these Feasts of Charity were by the Christians converted from Gentilisme brought into the Church to retain some thing like the customes of the Heathens who were wont at the time of their sacrificing to their Gods to have publick Feasts of Joy which Feasts Paul 1 Cor. 10.21 calls the Cup of Divels and the Table of Divels Others think they were introduced in imitation of the Jewes who by Gods appointment were wont to joyn Feasting to their offering of their Eucharistical Sacrifices and their Peace-Offering as Deut. 27.7 Thou shalt offer Peace-Offerings and shalt eat there and rejoyce before the Lord thy God So Exod. 18.12 Jethro having taken Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for God Aaron came and all the Elders of Israel to eat bread with him before God See likewise Deut. 14.23 and 12.7 and 16.11 and Exod. 3.18 though God bids Moses ask Pharaoh that Israel might go and Sacrifice in the Wilderness yet chap. 5.1 Moses desires Pharaoh that they might hold a Feast unto God in the Wilderness And Calvin thinks that this both Jewish and Heathenish custom of joyning Sacrificing and Feasting together Nec dubito quin Sacrificio rum ritus tam Judaels quam Gentibus communes causam praebuerint Video enim Christianos sic vitia rituum ferè correxisse ut simiâ—itudinem aliquam retinerent Calvin in 1 Cor. 11. Ad exemplum quandam repraesentationem illius coenae quam Christus ultimam habuit cum suis discipulis priusquam corporis sanguinis sui Mysterium institueret Estius in locum was imitated by the Christians in these Feasts they being almost ever wont saith he so to correct and reform the vitiousness of Superstitious Rites and Customes as yet to retain a resemblance to them Estius with sundry others think that these Love-Feasts being before the Sacrament were used in imitation of Christ who instituted the holy Sacrament immediately after the ordinary Supper An opinion which seems most probable both in regard of the great likelihood that the Christians would imitate their Master rather then Heathens as also because the Jewish and Heathenish Feastings were after their Sacrificing whereas the Love-Feasts of the Christians were before the Sacrament as the best Interpreters observe on 1 Cor. 12.23 * Vid. Estium Diodat Cor. à La. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unà epulor à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coepulantes unà epulantes convivantes Dicitur de Nebuchadnezare Judith 1.16 quod fuerit in Nineve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soluto animo convivatus seu luxuriosa convivia agitans The third thing to be explained is what these Seducers did in these meetings of the Christians Set down in these two expressions 1 They feast with you 2 They feed themselves 1. They feast with you Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to Feast or Banquet though Eustathius derives from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies food or nourishment yet Athenaeus rather thinks it to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is said to be well with them or they fare well or live merrily who are feasted and entertained with Banquets Hence Clemens Alexandrinus said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Feast or Banquet is only in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Paed. cap. 1. p. 142. Some think the word signifies to feast or banquet publickly which may aptly agree to this place the Love-Feasts being publick Meetings And Peter speaks them riotous in the day time openly and in the light they not seeking to shelter their Luxury in darkness and corners According to others it notes a Feasting or Banquetting riotously and Luxuriously Thus it s taken in Lucian who tells us of one Gorgias who being a hundred and eight years old and being askt by what means he had lived to so great an age answered That he had reached those years because he never could be induced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to go about to any Feasts or Banquets to which by his friends he was invited And this signification of Riotous Banquets is most sutable to this place where these voluptuous Epicures are said to feed without fear Ex suis Erroribus fructum planè nullum praeter usum deticiarum carpunt Id enim spectant unum ut genio gulaeque indulgeant seseque omnibus voluptatibus ingurgitent Justinian in 2 Pet. Quin etiam dum nobiscum epulantur non oâ— caritatem id faciunt ut salâ—â— mensae communicatio nem ineant sed ut occasionem ad decipiend 〈◊〉 mulieres nancâ—s cantur Oâ—cum the bridle of excess These served their belly and made it their God Peter saith 2 Pet. 2.13 that they count it pleasure to ryot being given up to and swallowed up in Voluptuousness Lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God Pleasure was the fruit which they expected by sowing all their Heresies And when the Apostle tells these Christians not
they feed at the same Table serve the same Master own the same Father so that they shall live together in the same habitation for ever they pattaking of that meritorious blood which is the parchase of the same Inheritance they having all thereby the same Key to open Paradise withal They who receive Christ as Communicants profess to do shal be received One Saint may truly say to another You and I must be better acquainted And what an Engagement to love is this for us to consider we shal for ever live and love together in Heaven Oh! how should Christians begin to do that here which they shall never be weary of doing to all eternity If one house then one Heaven calls for one heart Thus the appellations given to the Sacrament the Table of the Lord the Lords Supper the Communion c. shew it to be a Love-Feast 3. The outward Elements Bread and Wine us'd at the Supper evince the same Separated and several grains and grapes make one and the same Bread and Wine They who are severed and disjoyned from one another Vid. Cvpr. Ep. 76. ad Magnum not onely by sea habitation trades but in heart also and affection are by the receiving of Christ in this Sacrament re-united into one Spirituall Body as the Elements though originally severall are into one artificiall Masse We being many saith the Apostle are one Bread How necessary then is the Lords Supper in these times when Love doth so much decay If the Christians in their Summer season when Love was burning hot did so lay on this fewel what need have we then to do so in this Winter Season when the Love of most grows so cold Confident I am that the withdrawing of this Sacrament that feeds and foments Love hath much tended to the decay therof among us And further this discovers the great policy of Satan not onely in hindering from the Sacrament which was appointed to strengthen Love but in breaking Love by this very Sacrament Who would ever have expected to have heard of a Sacramentary war How many valiant Champions lost their livs in this Land in their Smithfield fights about the controversie of Transubstantiation and how subtilly hath the Murderer of souls mixt his poyson with the Sacramental bread and stoln away the Cup in the Papacy What fierce contestations have there been between Calvinists and Lutherans about consubstantiation Who remembers not the Prelaticall fury in imposing superstitious for Sacramental gestures and oh that the flames of these unchristian quarrels about the Sacrament did not blaze and spread even at this very day Oh the unbrotherly breaches between Brethren about the admission and qualification of Communicants Consider dear Christians whether Satan be not like to prevail when he turns that Artillery whereby we should batter his Forts upon our selves and makes his strongest weapons oâ— War even of Olive Branches Ensigns and Emblemes of Peace and is not Love in danger of death when â—ts Food is dayly poyson'd Who warms his hands at these flames of Contention but only our Adversary Satan as they say of the Lawyer will be the only gainer when you fall out like unkind Brethren about your Fathers will and Testament The Lord humble us for all those unworthy receivings which have made us so unkind and quarrelsome about the receiving this Feast of Love the Lords Supper and he make us for the future in all our opinions about and participations of it to be men in understanding and children in malice Part 1. For the tryals of Love see page 144.145.146 c. 4. Obs 4. Spotted and spotting sinners are unfit guests at holy feasts The Apostle by saying these seducers were spots in the Feasts of Charity notes the unsutableness of such blemishes to Assemblies that should be clean and Christian these spots casting an uncomliness upon those holy Meetings which made those spots appear and set off with the more uglines and uncomlines The mixture of scandalous persons in Church-fellowship is here by the Apostle blam'd and if their meeting at these feasts of Charity be reprehended here by the Apostle if at these Feasts these spots appeared so black and deformed how much more reproveable was their meeting at the Lords Supper which is an Ordinance of Christ wherein approaches to him are more near and ought to be more holy then in those Feasts of Charity Spots and blemishes as Mr. Perkins well spake of his times ought to be washt off by Ecclesiasticall Discipline from the faces of holy Assemblies at the Lords Supper because they pollute it True it is that first there are two sorts of pollution of the Lords Supper the one that which makes the Sacrament no Sacrament but a common or unhallowed thing to those that do receive it as if it were given by those who are no Ministers or to those who are no Church or without the blessing and breaking of the Bread the other sort of pollution of the Sacrament is that which makes the administration thereof to be sinful and those who administer it to be guilty they doing that which is contrary to the revealed wil of God This latter kind of pollution is by admitting spotted and scandalous sinners 2. It s granted that the mixture of the scandalous pollutes not the Sacrament to those who have used all the lawful means against it who have being Officers discharged their duty by exercising Church Discipline and being private Christians admonished the offenders and petitioned those who have the authority for the restraining of them from the Sacrament in that case though the scandalous partake of the Sacrament Indisciplinata patientia Aug. yet officers and worthy Communicants partake not of their sin But otherwise that the admission of scandalous persons to the Sacrament is a pollution of that Ordinance its evident Give not saith Christ that which is holy to dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine Mat. 7.6 By that which is holy I understand though primarily yet not solely the Word but consequently the Sacraments Prayer Christian admonition Christ doth not speak of one holy thing onely nor doth he say the pearl but he saith that which is holy c. and pearls And by dogs and swine are not onely to be understood Infidels Heathens and open Apostates and persecuters which like dogs bite bark and contradict but also such who like swine prophane trample these Pearls under their feet and by an impure swinish life shew how much they despise holy things And needs must the Sacrament be prophaned when in the use thereof not grace but sin is encreased because hereby the main end of the Sacrament which is to be food to nourish grace and poyson to kill sin is perverted but no grace is nourished in any prophane impenitent sinner he being spiritually dead and so without the life of grace And further his hand is strengthened in sin for by his receiving the Sacrament he is much more difficultly
converted than such a sinner who hath been kept back from the Sacrament altogether by joining in the highest act of Church Communion an impenitent sinner intertains a good opinion of his spiritual happiness and so trusts in lying vanities Haec enim Dei voluntas non erit in aternum ut Ecclesia christiana alicui gratiam Christi remissionem peccatorum annunciatione verbi divini deneget eidem exhibitioÌ„ne Sacramentorum spondeat Ursin judicium de discâ—pl Ecclesiast Mat. 26.28 Luk. 22.19 20 And again the giving of the Sacrament to those who are known to live in gross sins without repentance is a contradiction to and a confutation of the Word which denounceth condemnation against them that eat and drink unworthily and in the faithful delivery thereof we pronounce the wrath of God to such as live impenitent in sin the word saith Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulteâ—ers c. shal inherit the Kingdom of God And do we not by giving the Sacrament to these give the ly to the Word do we not in the Sacrament absolve those whom we condemn in the Word and open the Kingdom of Heaven in the Sacrament to those against whom we shut in the Word for is not the Sacrament a Seal of the Covenant the righteousness of Faith and the promises of the Gospel as is evident by those Sacramental Phrases This is my body this is my bloud which denote a spirituall obsignation and exhibition of the Benefits of Christs Body and Bloud and doth not Christ say to those to whom he delivered the Sacrament This is my body which is given for you and this is my bloud which is shed for you and for many for the Remission of sins Do not they then who consent to wicked and scandalous persons their taking of the Sacrament acknowledge the children of the devil to be the children of God and the enemies of God to be in Covenant with him and so partake of the Benefits of the Covenant from him Further is it not a prophanation of the Sacrament of Baptism to baptize a Jew or a Pagan professing a resolution to turn Christian who yet is an openly prophane and wicked liver and continues under the power of visible and abominable sins although he be able to make a sound and Orthodox confession of Faith And shall a scandalous living in murder adultery swearing lying c. keep a man from entering into the visible Church by the door of Baptism and shall they not as wel hinder him from being welcom'd at the Table in the house as a child and friend Yet again Is the Sacrament Prophan'd by admitting Infants and Ideots who can make no good use of it and is it not as much if not more polluted by admitting those to it who will make a very bad use of it also may not one man by ignorance drunkenness defence of sin heresie c. ly under a finfull contracted dissability to examine himself and so to be an unfit Communicant as another man may lye under a naturall disability and is not a man more blameable for the former then the latter Further holy things under the Leviticall Law were polluted and prophaned by wicked and prophane persons Ezek. Chap. 23.38.39 They have defiled my sanctuary c. For when they had slain their children to their idols they came the same day into my sanctuary to prophane it And Psal 15.1 in that Question Who shall abide in thy Tabernacle The Prophet shews by those offences for which men were excluded from the Sanctuary what it was which should keep men from eternal Life and why that morall unholinesse for of such he speaks which made men unfit to go into the Sanctuary which had a sacramentall signification of Christ should not as well excludethem from the Sacrament I understand not Were not the Sacrifices of old polluted by the offering of them by prophane and morally unholy persons Haggai 2.14 so that is unclean is this people before me so is every work of their hands and that which they offer therein unclean Where its plain that the morall unholiness of the persons defiled holy Ordinances the people and their works being evil the Lord for that cause accounteth their Sacrifices to be unclean If morally prophane persons defil'd the Sacrifices of old Psal 50.16 they may surely be charged with defiling our Sacraments now 5. Obs 5. Luxuriantur de â—acultatibus vestris in sustentationem Ministerii usum pauperum collatis Gerh. in 2 Pet. 2.13 Sacrilegium dicatur q. sacri Laedium vel q. sacrae legis laesio Committitur vel in personam vel locum vel â—em Altentstaig Lexic Levit. 5.16 17 Levit. 22.14 Such things as are given for the Publick benefit of the Church are not to be consumed in or converted to any other uses These Feasts of Charity which were appointed for the relief of the poor Christians and Ministery were profanely wasted by these Seducers This sin is commonly called sacriledg which by som is thought to be so called q. sacrae legis vel rei laesio the hurting spoiling or violation of an holy Law or thing Others better consider it q. sacra legere to gather holy things and they define it to be a taking away of things consecrated and devoted to the Lord. This is mentioned in Scripture to be done either ignorantly or knowingly if ignorantly it required according to the Law restitution of the Principal with an addition of the fifth part over and above as a forfeiture for the offence and a Caveat against the like in future time 2. Reconciliation or Atonement the Priest being to make an Attonement with the ram of the trespass-offering to note the greatness of the offence against God If this sin were committed of knowledg and wittingly that which was taken and all that the taker had was for the Lord as a Sacrifice for restâ—tution and he with his whole family stoned and burnt for purgation This judgment of God upon Achan for taking that to his own use which was devoted to God is largely related Josh 7. As also the punishment inflicted upon * The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we barely translate Kept back properly signifies a nimming or purloining so is the word rendred Tiâ— 2.10 significat surripere suffurari aut clam subduâ—ta in Commodum nostrum convertere Sic usurpatur à 70. in casu sacrilegii Josh 7.1 2 Mac. 4.32 Graecè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur qui furtim aliquid decerpit cum totam rem tollere non ausit Estius in loc Dum ex eo quod promiserat partem subtraxit sacrilegii condemnatur Aug. de verb. Ap Ser. 25. pa. mihi 378. Deo displicuit detrabere de pecunia quam voverat Deo Id Ser. 10. de diversis pag. mihi 1570. Ideo condemnati quia post votum obtulerunt quasi sua non ejus cui semel ea voverant Hieron Ep. 8.
with the wicked though they may be cast among them Let us not censure the faithful in their most tossed estate There 's not a drop of wrath in a sea of a Saints sufferings Could you see how free his inside is and his end shall be from storms and tossings you would rather envy then censure him the waves which Satan raiseth shew that he hath a treasure which that enemie would fain have cast away but yet should he so far prevail t is a treasure which wil swim to shore with him To conclude let the faithful of all people most prepare for storms and waves as it is best for them to be among raging waves so it s too much for them both to have a haven in their passage and in the end of their passage too As long as the people of God are sayling to that port the divel wil tosse them and this he wil do though nay because he cannot destroy them Let them be sure that by faith they get Christ into the ship or rather into their souls that by obedience they undertake their voyage for him that their cause be good and that by repentance they cast out every Jonah and then let them fear no waves 4 The Church hath most trouble from those within her Obser 4. She hath sometime saith Bernard had peace from Heathens Pax à Pagauis nunquam à filiis never or but very rarely from her own children No adversaries were such raging waves as these who were domestical Of your selves saith Paul Acts 20.30 shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Grievous wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the flock These Seducers were not Heathens without but Professours who had crept into the Church No evils are so great as those which come to the Church from within The inward intestine divisions ruptures heresies schisms have cost the Church more lamentations then ever did her persecution from without The heathen Emperors never were so vexatious to her as Arians Donatists Anabaptists Papists Outward enemies scratch the face they within stab the heart of the Church From the former she suffered by the latter she both sinned and suffered by the former she was under Persecution from men by the latter under Provocation against God by the former she was but sollicited to tell where her great strength lay by the latter she cut off her locks threw away her own weapons and betrayed her strength by her suffering from without the enemies laboured to beat her off from continuing Christian by her scandal within she beats them off from becoming Christians Wonder not then that the Divel hath alwayes used this home-bred engine of evil against the Church namely the ungodly carriage of those within her and the stirring up troubles in her own bowels He knows that there is no sword to this and that they will never adventure their lives for God and one another in war who will neither love God nor one another in peace Oh how should Christians labour to disappoint and countermine this the Divels most destructive policie Christians if we must die let us die like men by an unanimous holy contention against the common Enemie not like fools by giving him our sword and destroying one another by heresies schisms prophaneness in our own bowels 5 Sin is a persons greatest shame Observ 5 That which should most make him ashamed and confounded in himself and that which shall make him a spectacle of shame disgrace and infamie to others O my God said Ezra chap. 9.6 I am ashamed and blush to lift up my sace to thee for our iniquities are increased c. There is the shame that sin should make in us Thou hast consulted shame to thine own house Hab. 2.10 by cutting off many people and hast sinned against thine own soul Psal 40.14 Let them be brought to shame So Nah. 3.5 I will shew c. the Kingdoms thy shame there is the shame that sin brings upon us In the former respect sin should be shame in the latter it shall be shame It s sin only which deprives a man of true glorie and excellencie and is the degradation of his nature Men account that their shame which to do or suffer is much below their port and rank Oh how much goes that man below himself who was created Gods favourite and son having his love fixt and image stampt upon him the Viceroy of the creation a consort with Angels whose nature is taken into the union of the person of the son of God whose purchase was no less then the blood of God whose soul is a little heaven for the great God to dwell in whose bodie is the Temple of the holy Ghost whose habitation shall be the Empyrean heaven a Citie a Kingdome purer more glorious then a thousand Suns nay in comparison whereof a thousand Suns are but sack-cloth How much I say goes this excellent creature below himself in being a thorow-fare threshold foot-stool vassal to unclean spirits yea in having his heaven-born soul a very sink or common receptacle for that which is infinitely baser then all the dung off-scouring filth excrements upon earth or then any thing which hath a being How much lower is this descending then for a King to imbrace dung-hils or for Nebuchadnezzar to be a companion for beasts Rom. 6.21 Well might the Apostle say that of this condition the Romans were now ashamed Indeed there is nothing but sin which truly disgraceth a man Nothing but sin which disgraceth a man in Gods eye whose estimate is the true Standard of Honour nothing but sin makes us unfit for that habitation of glory nothing shameful unless sinning but befell the Lord of glory Nothing but sin which will make us unglorious at the last day when Christ shall appear with ten thousands of glorious Saints and Angels Oh how much are they mistaken who account sinne their glory who are asham'd of their glory holiness Pudor est medi. cina pudoris and glory in their shame their sin Are there not many who cannot blush in the doing of that Eph. 5.12 Jer. 8.12 at the hearing whereof t is our duty to blush They were not ashamed neither could they blush they have sin'd away shame in stead of being ashamed of sin and will not now suffer nature to draw her vail of blushing before their abominations When the Colours and Ensigns of a battle are lost we then give the battle for lost some have aptly called blushing the colour of vertue displaid by nature in the countenance When Satan hath taken away our colours and custome of sin hath banished even sense of sin and shame for sin our case seems to be desperate Other evils which sin bringeth are curable the anguish of conscience the wrath of God the breach of charity but the shame of sin can nay must never be got out the more holy we are now the more should we be
meanes by this terme Apostles and wherein stands the difference between them and ordinary Ministers of Christ as namely in respect of immediate calling their authenticall authority in writing and speaking their work and office to plant Churches to worke miracles to give the holy Ghost by imposition of hands to use the Apostolicall rod against obstinate offenders But to passe by these as not concerning our purpose and as being spoken to by others Two things in relation to this testimony here alledged by Jude may be touched by way of explication 1. What Apostles these were of whom Jude speaks and where this testimony is to be found 2. Why Jude makes use of that testimony which came from them and tells that it did come from them 1. Sermo videtur esse tum de verbis scriptis tum de praedicatis Lor. in 2. Pet. 3.2 Non id in propbanis autoribus observavi Id. For the first who these Apostles were that gave this prediction which Jude here alledgeth and where they gave it Although possibly sundry of the Apostles might by word of mouth testifie what Jude here mentions yet I doubt not but he principally relates to their writings And in them doe they frequently foretell and forewarne of these seducers Matthew chap. 24.11 tells us from Christs mouth that many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many John ep 2. cap. 2. ver 18. tells the Christians that there are many Antichrists whereby they knew that it was the last time Possibly Jude might intend these proofs among others but I conceive with Oecumenius that he principally aims at that which Paul and Peter before him had foretold concerning these seducers Paul warned of these seducers in sundry of his Epistles Peter particularly in his second Paul especially foretells of them 1 Tim. 4.1 The spirit speaketh expressely that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits c. and 2 Tim. 3.1 2. This know that in the last dayes perilous times shall come and the description of those who shall make the times so perilous exactly agrees to these seducers as I have shewn throughout this Epistle of Jude for men shall be lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemers c. incontinent fierce despisers of those who are good traitors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God And 2 Tim. 4.3 The time will come when they will not indure sound doctrine but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers Plainly likewise doth Paul foretel the Coming of seducers Act. 20.29 I know this that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them But especially Jude seemes to intend the remembring of that prediction concerning seducers which Peter gives us 2 Pet. 3.3 There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lusts And our Apostle in exhorting the Christians to remember the words of the Apostles wherein they foretold the coming of these mockers seemes to some to imitate Peter who in the forementioned place ver 2. exhorted the Christians to remember the command of the Apostles namely to avoid the doctrines of seducers knowing that there shall come in the last dayes mockers c. For the second It was not without weighty reason that Jude makes use of the Apostles testimony and mentions the coming thereof from the Apostles and that in respect of Those Apostles Jude himselfe these Christians 1. In respect of those Apostles by the mentioning of their foretelling of these Mockers Jude shews the great care which those faithfull servants of Christ had of the Churches welfare their desires being that the Church should get good by them and live holily and peaceably when they had done living and that they might by their writings live even when they were dead to be serviceable to the Church of Christ 2. In respect of Jude himselfe he mentions the words of the Apostles as to shew his humility in acknowledging the grace and gifts of God bestowed upon others so to shew the sweet accord and agreement beween them and him in the doctrines which he delivered to them in this Epistle concerning these seducers that hereby he might gaine the more credit to himselfe and present service there being a joint concurrence between him and the other Apostles as to this end he had before told the Christians that James was his brother in respect of parentage so here he tells them that he and the other Apostles were brethren in respect of judgement and opinion all the Apostles were stars enlightned by the same sun they drew the waters of life out of the same fountain pluckt the fruits of wholesome doctrines off from the same tree and by the producing of the testimony of so many others who witnessed the same thing with him he more clearly evidenced that he had spoken nothing but the truth against these seducers whom he had so sharply reproved 3. In respect of the Christians to whom he wrote he mentions the Apostles 1. To shew how zealous they ought to be against these seducers and their doctrines in regard the Apostles who were so holy and unerring had given the Christians warning of them and with such vehemency spoken against them as if they were desirous to leave hatred of error as their legacy to their spiritual children 2. To preserve these Christians against discouragements by seeing such ungodly soul-subverting seducers rage and prevail in the Church it being no other than what was foretold by those who could not be deceived and therefore they were not to look upon it as if some strange thing had hapned to them Joh. 16 14. 3. To direct the Christians to the right means to discover and so toavoid all those seducers and seductions wherewith the Church of God was then infested The words of the Apostles being observed these Characters of seducers which they had delivered might be so plainly seen to agree to these who had crept into the Church that the one being known the other could not be hid and they being seen they surely ought to be shun'd OBSERVATIONS 1. Obs 1. Great should be the care of the ministers of Christ to warn the Church of approaching evils especially of seducers The Apostles of Christ foretold of the coming of these seducers among the Christians see the forecited places in the explication Paul warned every one night and day with tears Act. 20.31 They are Watchmen and it s their duty to give warning of every enemy They should be unfaithfull to your souls if they should be friends to your adversaries Their loving and faithfull freeness herein creats them many enemies but they can much more easily endure the wrath of man here for discharging than the wrath of God hereafter for neglecting their duty It s better that the lusts of seducers should curse
Christ He hath lost none his sheep never perish Joh. 10.29 2. The Church is an house in respect of Believers who are the stones of which this house is built up and these stones are naturally 1 rugged and unpolished til they be hewen smooth'd and made fit for the building Hos 6.7 the word of God takes away their natural asperity and makes them fit for the building and submissive to Gods disposal and fit for his purpose 2. These stones are of several sizes some greater some lesser Christians are of divers degrees some more eminent some more obscure some of stronger others of weaker graces 3. The stones which are different in their bignesse are yet cemented and united one to another As there is an union of faith betwixt the building and the foundation so there is an union of love between the parts of the building And hence Eph. 4.16 The whole body is said to be fitly joyned together and compacted The greatest stone in the building cannot say to the least it hath no need thereof The Foundation disdaines not the least pibble no more should the strongest stone in the building 3. The Church is an house He who dweleth every where by his essence dwels in his church by the presence of his grace in respect of God Who 1. Dwels in this house He hath two houses That above of glory this below of grace God takes more delight in his Church then in all the world He rests in this house 2. He furnisheth his house with all necessaries yea ornaments his ordinances graces c. 3. He protects his house he that destroyeth the temple of God him will God destroy His enemies shall answer for dilapidations for every breach they have made 4. He repaires his house and when his enemies have broken it he restores it and makes up its breaches it shal never utterly be destroyed 5. He purgeth and cleanseth his house disorders abuses are too ready to creep into it it oft wants reformation Amos. 3.2 Judgment begins at the house of God You have I known of all the families of the earth and therefore I will punish you Man regards not much what lies in his field but he is curious that nothing offensive be laid in his house Judgements begin at the sanctuary Sinnes in the Church are most heinous Christians are so much worse then others by how much they should be better The meditation of this resemblance should therefore put us upon tryal and strengthning of our union to Christ our foundation upon dependency on and trusting to him It serves also to strengthen the love neernesse and dearnesse of believers living stones to make us dedicate our selves to the Lord as his house and temple to offer up the daily sacrifice of prayer and prayse to him to tell Satan and lust whensoever they sue for a roome in our house that every roome is taken up for God that his enemy must not be be let in We are the temple of God on let us not make our selves a temple of idol by covetousnesse or a stewes by uncleanenesse or a tap-house by drunkennesse or a stye by any swinish lusts To conclude this labour for the costly furniture of holinesse for thy house use the perfume of prayer the washing of godly sorrow give the Lord costly intertainment Repaire all thy breaches by repentance Run not too long to ruine Patiently bear the Lords visitation and the meanes he useth to mend and cleanse thee And lastly depend upon him for care and protection in all dangers 2. The word of God is the foundation of a Christian Obs 2. Build your selves on your faith It s a foundation to bear a Saint out in all his duties comforts beleef of truths 1. All our duties services must be built upon a word That which will not stand with the word must be no part of the building the word must be the foundation of practice he that walks by this rule Gal. 6.16 peace shall be upon him 'T is not the shewing of any warrant of man that will bear thee harmelesse at the day of judgment 2. The word is the foundation of a Christians comfort no promises but scripture promises but may deceive No other promises can bear the weight of an afflicted soule Vnlesse thy law had been my delight I should have perished in my affliction Ps 119.92 Absque Scriptura claudicat cogitatio Thy statutes were my songs in the house of my pilgrimage Psal 119.54 3. But especially the word is the foundation of a Christians beleefe of truths asserted we can onely securely assent to the assertions of the word That which I read not I beleeve not A written word is the only food of faith the formall object of faith is the truth manifested in scripture every truth hath an esse credibilis Baron contr Turnbullum Deus verax manifestans Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 17.18 because it was delivered in the written word and spoken by God Faith is carried to its object under the notion of infallibility which can never be without divine revelation all humane testimony being fallible though not false and hence it is that the revelation of God in his word is onely propounded by God as a foundation of faith Joh. 20.31 These things are written that ye might beleeve 2 Pet. 1.19 We have a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye doe well to take heed So 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written to you that ye beleeve on the name of the Son of God Isa 8.20 To the Law and the Testimony Joh. 5.39 Search the scriptures for in them ye think to have eternall life And this word of God hath onely been embraced by the faithfull in all ages as the foundation of their faith When ever they would prove any thing to be beleeved they have gone to the written word for a foundation of beleefe Thus the noble Bereans Act. 17.11 who searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so Thus Paul Act. 13.33 1 Cor. 2.9 1 Cor. 15.54 Rom. 14.11 grounded what he wrote upon scripture and Act. 24 14. professed that he beleeved all things written in the Law and the Prophets and Act. 26.22 that he said no other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come So that the doctrine of faith revealed in the scripture must be the foundation to bear us up and out in all duties to be performed Comforts to be entertained Truths to be embraced And hence as we may see the misery of those who have no foundation at all holding their religion onely for forme fashion example fear of superiours which sandy bottomes will never keep them up from sin nor bear them out in sufferings especially death and and judgment so we should labour to improve the doctrine of faith as our foundation in all the forementioned respects 1. By having a deep sence and feeling of our misery so that not