ere they believe me Num. 14. 11. So it may be extended more generally we are too ready and apt to doubt of or be unbelieving concerning what he speaks unto us and therefore because of our backwardness and unaptness to believe he confirms his Saying with his Oath Our Saviour saith to his Disciples Let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil or is from or out of evil Not that he hereby condemns all swearing but instructs his Disciples that Oaths though in some Cases useful and needful are yet out of evil And so amongst other things mens unbelief or doubting of the truth of what is affirmed by a bare Word occasions an Oath for the Confirmation of it So warily understanding it we may say as with respect to Gods swearing it is at sometimes out of or from evil Matth. 5. 37. And so here particularly The House of Israel being convinced of their evil and Judgment being threatned against them therefore thus they spake saying If our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how then should we live Ezek. 33. 10. They were ready to despond and despair of Gods mercy towards them Now then God thus swears unto them because of their slowness of heart to believe him on his Word Thus also it is said An Oath of Confirmation is an end of all strife gain-saying or contradiction Heb. 6. 16. So here God because of their readiness to contradict and gain-say in their hearts at least swears by himself As also to the end they might not gain-say any more but firmly believe the truth of that so Affirmed and Confirmed he interposeth himself by an Oath Exod. 17. 15 16. And that he might lift up their hands which hang'd down and they might have strong Consolation in returning to him from their evil and wicked ways And as God interposed himself by an Oath to Abraham to the end that the Heirs of his Promise might by this Immutable thing also assuredly know and believe the truth of that so confirmed and might have strong consolation Heb. 6. 16-18 So here also God hath sworn by himself that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked That men might give glory to him in believing and have solid Consolation in this great Encouragement set before them to the truth whereof he hath as it were bound himself or his soul with the Bond of this most Indubitable Oath as Num. 30. 2-4 Acts 23. 12-14 3. We have in the next place to consider and speak unto the subject-matter thus Affirmed and Confirmed by this most excellent Person And by this undeniable Oath And that is laid down and propounded to us 1. Negatively I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked Now hereto we may speak in this Order to wit 1. By way of Explication or explaining the words 2. We shall give some further Evidences of the Truth hereof 3. We shall note some Instructions here-from 1. By way of Explication let us enquire into and consider these things 1. What Death is that here spoken of and intended 2. Who are the wicked in the Scripture account 3. What are we to understand by this Phrase no pleasure 4. What time is that in which he hath no Pleasure I have 1. What is the Death here spoken of and intended when he saith I have no Pleasure in the Death of the wicked c. Now in Answer thereto we may say The Scripture speaks onely of two Deaths in General As the Wages of Sin In one of which all lesser Deaths are contained and comprehended namely 1. There is that Death which is intimately called the first Death which was threatned unto the First Man Adam Male and Female in case they should eat of the forbidden Fruit As it is said Of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof in dying thou shalt die Gen. 2. 17. And under the Sentence whereof Adam and all his Posterity fell upon his eating of that Tree whereof God commanded him he should not eat As the Apostle saith By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that or in whom all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. By Man even by the first publick man came Death for in Adam all die 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. And this First Death had been an Eternal Death had not our Lord Jesus Christ by the Grace of God tasted it for every man and overcome and abolished it 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. And he will in due time destroy it 1 Cor. 15. 26. It is a strange unreasonable and dangerous mistake of some who say that Christ died not for this first Oflence or the necessary Branches thereof or that he tasted not this first Death for men For if so how then came he to be promised of God before he passed the Sentence upon our First Parents Gen. 3. 15-19 Or how shall men be Raised out of this First Death but by him who was delivered for our Offences and raised again for our Justification By Man came the Resurrection of the Dead for as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive To wit Quickned and Raised out of the First Death 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. God hath given Christ authority to execute judgment And by his Voice to Bring forth all Men out of their Graves Because he is the Son of Man John 5. 27 28 29. 2. There is another and worse Death which is several times called expresly The second Death To wit as with respect to Men into which such will be cast for their own personal transgressions after they are raised out of the first Death and judged by Christ who remained in their Impenitency Unbelief and Disobedience till the Day of Grace and Patience was ended and died therein Mark 16. 16. 2 Thes 1. 8 9. This Death was not prepared for Men for or by reason of their sinning in the first Publick Man simply but for the Devil and his Angels But they must go into it and be hurt by it who personally and voluntarily listned to and were led by Satan and followed after him and did his Lusts and died the first Death in such transgression Mat. 25. 31-41-46 Of which second Death they shall not be hurt who overcome their spiritual enemies On such the second Death shall have no power Rev. 2. 11. and Chap. 20. 6. But whosoever shall not be found written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death Rev. 20. 14 15. The fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Rev 21. 7 8. This second Death is called the wrath to come because it
will fully seize on none until they be brought out of the first Death and judged by him who died for all and rose again and whom God hath ordained the Judge of quick and dead Mat. 3. 7. 1 Thes 1. 10. Rev. 11. 18. There are some indeed and too many that talk of a third Death but in so doing they speak not according to the Word contained in the Law and Testimony of God And therefore therein there is no light in them And that in speaking of a third Death as the wages of sin they consent not to wholsom words may easily appear to themselves who use this groundless Distinction for some of them to prove that there is such a third Death do weakly enough bring the Scriptures which speak of the second for the proof thereof But it is a very evil and dangerous thing to make such a Distinction where the Scripture makes none but plainly enough opposes and rejects it and may do more harm than they are aware of who make use of it rather I conceive out of ignorance and custom than judgment and consideration It is good for us to hear what the Scripture faith and to receive that But no more to this at present But now the Enquiry is Of which of the two Deaths fore-mentioned are we here to understand these words to mean And to that we say not of the first which is now abolished 1. Because it is Gods Will and Appointment that all men should die the first Death Though not that all should sleep or abide in it 1 Cor. 15. 51 52. It is appointed to men once to die Heb. 9. 27. I know saith Job Thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living To wit the Grave which is called Mans long home Job 30. 23. with Eccles 12. 5. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Selah Psal 89. 48. with Eccles 7. 2. and Chap. 8. 8. 2. Because the Death here spoken of is called the Death of the wicked as being their proper and onely Death Ezek 18. 23. And therefore it appears hereby is meant directly and fully the second Death or Hell-fire For the wicked so abiding shall be turned into Hell Psal 9. 17. whereas in the first Death there is no difference but all die that good and bad wise and unwise How dieth the wise man as the fool Eccles 2. 16. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not As is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Eccles 9. 1 2-10 The most holy and righteous men generally have died this first Death And some of them have said They were going the way of all the earth meaning thereby they were going to die the first Death Josh 23. 14. 1 Kin. 2. 2. But none of them shall be hurt of the second Death Rev. 2. 11. 3. It also plainly appears that by the Death here spoken of we are to understand the second Death directly and fully because this Death may while it is called to Day be escaped and avoided as it is here signified in saying I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Men may now in this day of his Grace and Patience flee from and be delivered from the wrath to come Matth. 3. 7. 1 Thes 10. But now no man can by any turning from evil or exercising himself unto and following after Godliness and Goodness escape or be delivered from the first Death As hath been said No man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit neither hath he power in the day of death and there is no discharge in that war Eccles 8. 8. By all which it doth plainly and fully appear the Death here spoken of and intended is directly and most properly and fully the second Death as hath been said before Object If any one should object against what hath been said and say That though by the Death here spoken of the first Death as it was appointed to fallen Man after the Promise of Christ by God cannot be meant yet it may mean it of that Death as it is judicially executed upon some for their voluntary and personal Iniquities and Transgressions for so it was not appointed to all men to die it To this I say Ans 1. By way of Grant God did not at first appoint that Men in a Personal Consideration or as fallen in Adam or because of their sins of weakness and unadvisedness simply should die this first Death judicially But 2. When Men are become wicked and have sinned with an high hand against God he may notwithstanding their turning from their evils order the first Death to them judicially and they may not die the common Death of all men or not die it as commonly and ordinarily men die it But in testimony of wrath for their former personal evils it may be executed upon them Num. 14. 28 29. Isa 22. 12-14 And sometimes for the evils of others As upon the little Ones in the old World And of Sodom and Gomorrah c. So that still I say By the Death here spoken of is meant directly and fully the second Death And so we are to understand it That God hath no pleasure in the Death that is in the Eternal Destruction of the wicked Or that they should perish in that Everlasting Fire which was prepared for the Devil and his Angels who sinned without a Tempter But we shall add no more to that 2. Who are the wicked in the Scripture account in whose Death the Lord God hath no pleasure Answ To that we may say Those who are called Wicked in Scripture are not such simply as have sinned in the first Publick Man and come forth into the World polluted and defiled as all do who partake of the Nature of Man by an ordinary way of Generation For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 14. 4. and 25. 4. Psal 51. 5. Nor are they such as have sin in them simply as all while here have Rom. 7. 17. 20. 1 Joh. 1. 8. Or that sin through infirmity and weakness or through unadvisedness as all do For there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not 1 Kin. 8. 46. Eccles 8. 20. And yet all are not therefore wicked Good men who have acknowledged themselves to have sinned have yet truly acquitted themselves of being wicked As Job thus acknowledgeth I have sinned c. Job 7. 20. And yet he appealeth to God and saith Thou knowest or it is upon thy knowledge that I am not wicked Job 7. 20. And God himself saith of him That he was a perfect and an upright man one that feared God and
who receive not or receive not to purpose that more grace so as to be saved thereby but giveth grace to wit following and more abundant grace to the humble Jam. 4. 5 6. with 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. But to this somewhat hath been spoken before and therefore I shall adde no more to it 4. Seeing the wicked may turn from their evil ways and live and it is Gods good will and pleasure they should so do whereto also he is inabling them by his grace and spirit Let such then be encouraged moved and prevailed withal to repent and turn from all their transgressions As Samuel saith unto the people of Israel Ye have done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the LORD but serve the LORD with all your heart and turn ye not aside for then should ye go after vain things which cannot proflt nor deliver because they are vain 1 Sam. 12. 20 21. Though you have played the Harlot with many Lovers and though your tongue and your doings have been against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory yet in returning to him from your ransgressions he will have mercy upon you O then say as they did when they were called to repentance and put your words into Act Behold we come unto thee for thou art the LORD our God Jer. 3. 22-25 But to this also we may speak somewhat further and therefore shall not enlarge to it here 3. And Lastly From the Affirmative Branch of the Oath of the Lord GOD in which he swears That he hath pleasure that the wicked turn from his way and live We may note That the wicked must turn or perish There is an absolute necessity for their turning that they may live for without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. If they will still do wickedly they will be consumed as 1 Sam. 12. 25. Or as our Saviour saith Except they repent they will all perish Luk. 13. 3 5. Though God hath manifested his love to manward and manifested himself to be Love and Charity it self in sending his Son the Saviour of the World yet he sent him not nor did he come to save men in their sins but from their sins 1 Joh. 4. 8-14 with 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. he gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Gal. 1. 4. Tit. 2. 14. And if we could have been happy or lived abiding in our sins what needed Christ to die for All and rise again And God hath exalted him with and to his right hand a Prince and Saviour for to give repentance and forgiveness of sins not to give forgiveness before or without repentance But to give the former that they might receive and be made partakers of the latter Act. 5. 31. and Ch. 26. 18. Jer. 36. 3. And though God daily loadeth us with his benefits and be a God of Salvation even the Saviour of all men yet he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such as go on still in their trespasses His hand will find out all his enemies his right hand will find out them that hate him And he will make them as a fiery oven in the time of his anger Psal 68. 18-21 and 21. 8 9. If the wicked man turn not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready be hath also prepared for him the Instruments of Death c. Psal 7. 11-13 And he who now assures us That he hath no pleasure none at all neither revealed nor secret in the death of the wicked he at the same time assures us That he hath pleasure that they turn from their sinful ways and live And thus speaks unto the wicked Repent and turn from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin plainly intimating to us That if they turn not iniquity will be their ruin Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord GOD wherefore turn and live ye Ezek. 18. 23-30 32. The wicked may live there is life prepared for mankind in Christ 1 Joh. 5. 11. And by the Gospel life and immortality is brought to light and shined forth 2 Tim. 1. 10. And the Bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto or quickeneth the World to wit preventingly Joh. 6. 32 33. But still if men as thus prevented do not repent and believe the Gospel they have no life in them Joh. 6. 51-53 But he who now is their Saviour will hereafter in flaming fire yield vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1. 7-10 Notwithstanding all God hath done for sinners and made known to them yet if the wicked turn not from his wickedness nor from his wicked way he shall die in his iniquity Ezek. 3. 19. and Ch. 33. 9 11. God is not indeed willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and he is as willing with the latter as unwilling with the former 2 Pet. 3. 9. And if they do not come to repentance they must go into perdition as Rev. 17. 8. for though God doth create the fruit of his lips peace peace to him that is far off far off from righteousness as Isa 46. 12. yet There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Jsa 57. 19 21. There is no other way for wicked ones to flee from the wrath to come but by repentance unto salvation not to be repented of Matth. 3. 7 8. 1 Thess 1. 9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God Namely Abiding such and not being washed sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. and Ch. 6. 7 8. Eph. 5. 3-7 Col. 3. 5 6. Rev. 21. 8 27. and Chap. 22. 15. Consider we seriously that he who so solemnly swears That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked swears also That he hath pleasure that the wicked turn from his way and live or otherwise the wicked will certainly die And God will swear in his wrath That they shall not enter into his Rest unless a separation be made between them and their sins they will die in their sins and they and them will perish together for ever Ezek. 24. 6-13