The answer to the voyce of the Caller 1. The term from which we are called is a sinfull and damnable state of nature expressed in Scripture under terms of greatest terrour We are called out of darknesse Col. 1.13 Acts 26.18 Ephes 4.18 Ephes 5.8 1 Pet. 2.9 turned from darkness translated from the power of darknesse Man before his calling is dark in his understanding as a blind man is said to be dark he knows no truth savingly 1 Cor. 2.14 3 Joh. 19. Eph. 4.11 sees no commanding beauty in any of the ways of God accounts them foolishness being blind he loves darknesse and his works are the works of darknesse he falls every step sins in every action every comfort he useth is a stumbling-block he is afraid of the stirring of every leaf stirs not a foot in holinesse as the Egyptians who in darknesse sat stil never enjoying the light of Gods countenance alwayes full of grief and trouble of which darkness is the emblem and ready to fall into utter darknesse Col. 1.13 An uncalled person is under the power of darknesse Ephes 2.2 born in the kingdom and under the dominion of Satan walking according to the Prince of the power of the air led captive by him at his will In a word we are called from a state not of darknesse only and blindnesse but slavery rebellion poverty pain ignominy banishment nakednesse filthinesse deformitie sicknesse the company of lions and leopards death perdition and every thing that 's miserable all the woes of the world were they a thousand times greater being but a faint representation of the misery of wicked men they being miserable within without here hereafter in life in death after death liable to the loss of the glorious and soul-ravishing presence of God to all eternity and to be tortured with a fire to which ours is but painted 2. The term to which we are called is a state of all blessednesse the good of grace here and the good of glory hereafter Isa 42.7 Acts 26.18 2 Cor. 4.6 John 8.12 Luk. 16.8 1 Pet. 2.9 Called into his marvellous light the light of saving knowledge of the wil of God such a light as is influentiall like the light of the Sun not that of a Torch a commanding light to beleeve and love what we know this being a knowledge of things as they are a seeing divine beauty in every word and wil of God acounting the things of God foolishnesse no more A light that discovers the deeds of darkness and makes them loathsom that makes the called walk as children of the light and of the day which discovers heaven in every grace and hel in every lust Psal 97.11 This calling is also to the light of joy sown for the righteous and only bestowed upon them this oyl of joy being onely put into a viall clean and without cracks joy beyond the joy of harvest Psal 4.7 joy more then that of corn and wine spoyle treasures nay life this light coming from the Sun the face of God without which all the candles in the world could never make a day for a gracious heart In a word a light that leadeth to eternal light the inheritance with the Saints in light Col. 1.12 2 Tim. 1.9 Heb. 3.1 Ephes 1.18 1 Thess 2.12 2 Thess 2.14 Phil. 3. In which respect the faithfull are not onely said to be called with an holy but partakers of an heavenly calling and it s the Apostles prayer that they may know the hope of their calling they being called to a Kingdom to the obtaining the glory of Christ deservedly therefore termed a high-calling But why attempt I to give you an Inventory of the benefits by vocation when eternity shall be little enough to contemplate them 2 Thess 2.14 Who can think what it is to be called to sanctification to have of every grace the least dram or drop of any one whereof is infinitely more worth then an ocean a world of wealth and treasures to be called to the priviledges as well as the graces of a Christian justification of our persons freedom from the wrath of God and all those millions of mountains of sins that before lay upon us to be called out of a dungeon of wo as Joseph out of prison to be favourites of the King of glory to be called to the adoption of sons liberty of children comfortable enjoyment of all bessings admission with boldnesse to the throne of grace exemption from the least drop of curse in the greatest deluge of crosses in a word to be called to the full fruition of God in heaven from not onely corruption by and with sin world divel but even from their very company not onely from curses but even crosses too to have the perfection of all happinesse in our God Psal 16. ult in whom all delights are concentred and in comparison whereof the worlds ocean of pleasure is not a drop and to see and have all this to eternity without either intermission or amission This and ten thousand times more is not a shadow of that substantial happinesse laid up in the consideration of this terminus ad quem this term to which a Christian is called This for the terms of Vocation the first pair of parallels between mans calling man and Gods calling man The next pair is 1. The Caller 2. The Caller 1. The Caller is God 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Pet. 1.15 1 Thes 5.24 2 Pet. 1.3 1 Pet. 5.10 Rom. 8.28 2 Tim. 1.9 He hath called us with an holy calling He that calleth us is holy Faithful is he that hath called He hath called out of darknesse The God of all grace hath called us Our calling depends 1. upon his purpose it being therefore said to be according to purpose he purposing the means with the end 2. Our calling depends upon his power He must draw otherwise we never follow He onely calls things that are not as if they were He onely can call so loud Joh. 5.28 Ephes 2.1 that the deaf the dead should hear He onely who creates can call and the work of creation is in effectual vocation 2 Cor. 4.6 he who created the light can onely make us see he who made onely remaking 3. The happy estate of our calling is onely from his bounty Gal. 4.6 1 Cor. 1.9 1 Pet. 5.10 exemption from death divel world condemnation the bestowing of grace fellowship with Christ and the kingdom of glory Eternal life is the gift of God 2. The Called are considerable in this doctrine of vocation and they fall under a double consideration 1. In respect of themselves and so they are sinners with others Paul tels us 2 Tim. 1.9 Praedestinavit nos Deus antoquam essemus vocavit cum aversi essemus justificavit cum peccatores essemus glorificavit cum mortales essemus Nemo dicat ideo me vocavit quia colui Deum Quomodo coluisses si vocatus non suisses
as the Angels Shall we there cease to be true substances This for their Essence 2. The consideration of the Office of angels follows and this the word Angels properly denotes Angelus nomen officii spiritus naturae Aug. in Psal 104. Luk. 7.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nuncii legati Mat. 11.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex co quod est spiritus est ex eo quod agit angelus est Aug. ubi sup Mal. 3.1 Dan. 4.17 which is not a word expressing the nature but the office of angels and the words both in the Hebrew and Greek intend the same they importing messengers or such as are sent The word Angels or messengers is applyed in Scripture both to good and bad angels 1. To good angels most frequently who are those ministring spirits spoken of Heb. 1.14 and are in Scripture more commonly called by a name of office than of nature because God delights in their service and they themselves are more glad of obeying God than of their very being In regard of office that Christ himselfe accepted the name and is called the Angel of the Covenant They are by God sent forth for the good of his people Hence they are called watchers ministring spirits c. And for those who shall be the heirs of salvation they minister three wayes 1. In their life 1. By defending them from their enemies Their angels saith Christ always behold the face of my Father Matt. 18.10 Apoc. 12.7 2 Kin. 6.16 Psal 91.11 Dan. 10.20 Psal 34.7 Isai 37.36 Act. 12.23 Michael and his angels fought in defence of the Church and the prophet Elisha spake of the angels when he told his fearfull servant that there were more with them then against them The angels of the Lord pitch their tents about them that fear him An angel it was that slew the army of the Assyrians that delivered Peter out of prison as also preserved Lot 2. By comforting them Thus an angel encouraged Jacob Gen. 32.5 when he feared his brother Esau an angel it was who bid Mary not to fear Luk. 1.30 and who stood by Paul and bid him be of good chear Act. 27.24 when Daniel had fasted an prayed and angel it was who said O Daniel greatly beloved c. And afterward fear not Dan. 9.13 10.19 Luk. 22.43 Mat. 28.5 The women at the sepulchre meet with an angel who comforted them Yea an angel appeared unto Christ and strengthned him The servant comforted the master 3. By inciting and stirring them up to holinesse and in furthering their salvation they suggest nothing but what is agreeable to the will of God they can no more suggest a doctrine contrary to that which is revealed in the Scripture Gal. 1.8 Rev. 22.16 Act. 7.53 Gal. 3.19 Luk. 1.31 Act. 1.11 Rev. 19.10 Act. 8.26 Act. 10.5 Act. 12.7 than they can be accursed The law was revealed by the disposition of angels in respect of their service and attendance in the giving thereof by an angel was the incarnation of Christ foretold to the virgin and by a multitude of angels was it proclaimed afterward These instruct the Apostles concerning the coming of Christ to judgement and forbid the worshipping of themselves as idolatrous An Angel leads Philip to expound the Scripture to the Eunuch sets Peter at liberty to preach the Gospel bids Cornelius send for Peter to be instructed by him Act. 16.9 and prayes Paul to come over to Macedonia to help them namely by preaching the Gospel 2. In and after their death An angel strengthned Christ when he was in his great heavinesse of soul Angels conveyed the soul of Lazarus into Abrahams bosom Luk. 16.22 he who living was lick'd by dogs is now dead attended by angels The glorious angels are as forward to carry the souls of the faithfull to heaven as every one is to share in the bearing the body of a great prince to the grave The good angels in this work of conveying souls are thought to watch for prevention of the bad who alwayes seek to devour the Saints living and dying At the end of the world the angels shall be the glorious attendants of the great Judge shall cite all to appear and shall separate between the good and the bad gathering the elect from the four winds Mat. 24.31 from one end of the heaven to the other so that there shall not one be lost 2. The term Angels or Messengers is also in Scripture bestowed upon the wicked and unclean spirits Thus it s said Diodat Annot. Psal 78.49 1 Cor. 6.3 that God sent evill angels among the Egyptians and of this the Apostle speaks in that Scripture Know ye not that we shall judge the angels and 2 Pet. 2.4 He spared not the angels that sinn'd And these evil angels are imployed 1. In exercising the faithfull with tentations which God alwayes turns to their good Job 1. Luk. 22.31 these angels stir up terrors against the faithfull inwardly and troubles outwardly Satan sent his messenger to buffet Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 Apoc. 2.10 He casts the faithfull into prison He casts his fiery darts sometime tempting and alluring at other times affrighting and dismaying 2. In being the executioners of Gods displeasure against the wicked whom for their wickednesse 2 Cor. 4.4 Gal. 3.1 God delivers up to these wicked angels to blind harden and bewitch them with sin and then to drive them to despair for sin Satan imployes them as slaves in the basest of work and rewards them as slaves with the smartest of stripes often in this life as in the case of Saul and Judas and Abimilech alwayes after it both by dragging away those soules to punishment who have followed him in sin and by being a tormentor afterward of those of whom first he was the tempter OBSERVATIONS 1. Observ 1. How glorious a majesty is the God of Angels If the lowest of earthly creatures if a spire of grasse a worme an ant speak his wisdome and power how much more do those glorious spirits who excell in strength and understanding How pure and simple a being is that God who is the father of all these spirits How glorious he whom angels adore and before whom principalities fall down How strong is he who with one word of his mouth made so many thousands of those angels one of whom overthrew an hundred fourscore and five thousand men in one night How wise he who is the father of all that light which angels have and which is but one ray of his sun Infinitely greater is the disproportion between one God and all the angels than between all those glorious hosts and the least ant upon the molehill How can that king of glory want forces who hath such a militia so many thousands of such Chariots to ride upon Psal 68.7 such a heavenly host as all the millions of angels Wonder O man that this Majesty who is furnish'd with the attendance of angels should
c. as well as to our selves should make us love grace Thus much for the third and last particular in the description of the Authour of this Epistle the brother of James and so for the first part of the Title of the Epistle The description of the Penman of it The 2d part of the title or preface of the Epistle viz. The parties to whom the Apostle writes The second part of the Title followeth which is the Description of those persons to whom he wrote which persons are described from a threefold priviledge 1. They are sanctified by God the Father 2. Preserved in Jesus Christ 3. Called Of these in their order The first branch of this description 1. is They are sanctified by God the Father Wherein I consider two Particulars 1. The sort or kinde of the priviledge bestowed upon them viz. Sanctification To them that are sanctified 2. The Author therof or by whom it was bestowed By God the Father 1. Of the kind of Priviledg Sanctification Of which I shall speak 1. By way of Explication of it 1. By way of collecting Observations from it 1. Of the Priviledge Sanctification by way of exposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To them that are sanctified Beza speaks of two Copies that read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence the Vulgar Translation renders it Dilectis This other reading mentioned also by Ro. Steph. and Gagnaeus To them that are beloved of God the Father which manner of speech as Beza well notes is unusuall in Scripture which speaketh of us being for and in Christ beloved of the Father And Estius though a Papist acknowledgeth that the former reading Estius in loc sanctified is not onely more pure but more sutable to the scope and drift of the Apostle who by calling them sanctified would deterr them from and make them take heed of those unholy and impure Seducers against whom he was now about to write The word here used by the Apostle admits of and signifieth in Scripture severall kinds of Sanctification as 1. Sanctification by way of destination or separation To this purpose the Greeks use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 29.44 1 King 9.3 2 Chro. 7.16 Esa 13.3 i.e. when things are separated to an holy use so the Lord sanctified the Sabboth day by separating it from other dayes and appointing it for the duties of his own Service Thus also the Tabernacle the Temple the First-born were sanctified Exod. 13.2 God commandeth Moses to sanctifie all the First-born which he explains ver 12. Thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix 2. There is a sanctification by way of celebration acknowledging manifestation declaration of the goodness of a thing thus the creature sanctifieth the name of the Creator Isa 29.23 They shall sanctifie my name and sanctifie the holy One of Jacob. 3. Sanctification by way of fruition comfortable use and blessed enjoyment of the gifts of God so 1 Cor. 7.14 the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife and 1 Tim. 4.5 Every creature of God is sanctified 4. Sanctification by way of application to apply a thing to such a holy use as God appointed so we sanctifie the Sabboth Exod. 20.8 i.e. imploy it to the holy use for which God ordained it 5. By exhibition introduction or bestowing actuall holinesse by putting holinesse really and properly into one This the Creator only can do to his creature this God doth by his Spirit which is called the holy Ghost and the Spirit of sanctification 2 Thess 2.13 And thus man particularly is sanctified or made holy three wayes 1. Of not holy negatively Ex non sancto negativè and so Christ as he was man was sanctified for there was a time when as Christ had not this holinesse in his humane nature when his humane nature was not 2. Of not holy privatively Ex non sancto privativè and so man that had lost totally his holinesse is made holy by regeneration or effectuall vocation 3. Of lesse holy and so Gods children are sanctified Ex minus sancto by being enabled to the exercise of an actuall mortifying of sin and living in holinesse with proceeding in both The sanctification here spoken of presupposeth the second afterward in the word Called more particularly to be handled and intendeth the third namely the actuall exercise of the abolition of our naturall corruption and the renovation of Gods image in us begun in grace here and perfected in glory hereafter So that this Sanctification stands 1. In an actuall putting off of corrupt qualities Ephes 4.22 23 24. Col. 2 9 10. Rom. 6.2 Gal. 2.20 Gal. 5.24 Rom. 6.8.5 Gal. 6.14 Col. 3.5 Eph. 2.1 2 a putting on the new and sanctified 1 A Buriall 2 a Resurrection 1 A mortification of the old 2 a vivification of the new man 1 One thing is destroy'd and pull'd down 2 Another set up 1 A taking away of what is redundant 2 an addition of what is wanting 1 The killing power of the Cross 2 the quickning power of the Resurrection of Christ 1. Mortification of the old man is the first part of sanctification wherby the strength power and tyranny of sin is weakened and more and more abolish'd like John Baptist it decreaseth like old folks in a house who are going out of the world and crowded out as it were by the younger the heirs The living of the old man is onely as a clog and eye-sore to the new This work of Mortification stands principally in these three acts or degrees of acting 1. An act of discerning 2. Detesting 3. Destroying sin the souls enemy Knowing causeth hatred and hatred puts us upon seeking the destruction of an enemy 1. An act of discerning Sin may hurt us when wee know it not but we not hate it unlesse we know it Sin had deformity always but we had not always eys to see it It was Leah that lay by Jacob all night but he discern'd her not till the morning Sin is now discovered as it is not as it is coloured over by Satan Sin is uncomly onely to a renewed understanding Nature never sets up a light to discover its own deformities Of others its often said They know not what they do In understanding they are children nay brutes they see with Satans spectacles But a renewed minde discerns between things that differ looks upon the old bosom favourite as a traytor there are new apprehensions of the old man The Apostle not without an emphasis speaks of those things wherof we are now ashamed now not formerly nay heretofore sin was gloryed in but now the soul sees its not onely unsafe and its own death but unsutable and the death of Christ It was striking at me saith a gracious heart but Christ step'd between me and the blow Herein standing sins great deformity as that of drunkennesse in a mans wounds 2. Detestation The eye increaseth loathing It cannot
of sight and troubles not his lusts or from some accidentall circumstantiall Ornaments which attend the Ministery and Truth as wit learning expression elocution or credit of visible conformity to them not from an inward apprehension of the proportionablenesse sutablenesse and fitnesse of Christ to all his desires and capacities Luke 7.47 1 Joh. 4.16.19 as being the fairest of ten thousand or from any reall interest and propriety in Christ which are the grounds of love when true and sincere 2. This love to God is superlattive it surpasseth all other loves the soule in which it abides seeing infinitely more lovelinesse in one God then in all the combined assembled excellencies of all worldly Objects loves him infinitely more than them all It often not only steps over them but kicks them away not only laying them down as sacrifices but hating them as snares when they would draw from Christ When Christ and the World meet as it were upon so narrow a bridge that both cannot passe by Christ shall go on and the World shall go back Christ in a Christian shall have no Corrivals as Christ bestowes himselfe wholly upon a Christian wholly upon every one as every line hath the whole indivisible point so a Christian gives himselfe wholly to Christ he shares not his heart betwixt him and the world all within him he sets on work to love Christ keeping nothing back from him for whom all is too little The greatest worth that it sees in any thing but Christ is this that it may be left for Christ ever rejoycing that it hath any thing to which it may prefer him To a soul in which is this love Christ is as oyle put into a viall with water in which though both be never so much shaken together the oyl will ever be uppermost or as one rising Sun which drowneth the light of a numberlesse number of Stars It loves the world as alwayes about to leave and loath it not as that for which it doth live but as that without which it cannot live The world hath not the top and strength of it's affection It loves nothing much but him whom it cannot love too much It lodgeth not the world in it's best room and admits not such a stranger into the closet of the heart but only into the hall of the senses 3. It 's a jealous or zealous love suspicious lest any thing should and burning in a holy heat of indignation against any thing that doth disturb the Souls beloved Love is a solicitous grace and makes the soul account it selfe never sufficiently trim'd for Christs imbracements never to think that any thing done is well enough done All the soul is and can is esteemed too little for him who is its optimus maximus its best and greatest the more brightly shining the beams of love to Christ are the more motes and imperfections doth the soule ever see in its services It s fear only is lest by sinne and unsutable carriage it stirs up Gal. 4.11.16 Act. 15.2 17.16 18.25 19.8 Jude 3. and awakes the beloved It cannot put up a disgrace expressed by the greatest against Christ It zealously contends for his Word Wayes Worship Worshippers Kingdome All it's anger is against those intercurrent impediments that would stop it in the advancing of Christ it labours to bear down those hinderances of Gods glory with a floud of tears if it cannot with a stream of power The meekest soule in love with God knowes how to be holily impatient and like Moses though when with God to pray for men yet when with men to contend for God Every sin by how much the nearer to it by so much is it more detested by it Of all sins therefore its own have the deepest share of hatred for what it cannot remove Rom. 7. Heb. 12. it mourns heartily crying out of the body of death the sin that doth so easily beset it as of the constant companie of a noysome carcasse endeavouring that every sin may be more bitter to remember then 't was ever sweet to commit looking upon the want of sorrow after sinne as a greater argument of want of love then was the sin it self 4. It 's a chast a loyall love not set upon what God hath so much as upon what God is not upon his but him not upon his rings but his person not his cloathes but his comelinesse upon a Christ though not adventitiously adorned his gifts are loved for him not he for them he is sweet without any thing though nothing is so without him Love desires no wages 't is wages enough to it selfe it payes it selfe in seeing and serving the Beloved A Nurse doth much for the child and so doth the Mother but the former for the love of wages the later for the wages of love Love carries meat in the mouth the very doing of Gods will is meat and drink to one who loves him A heart in love with Christ is willing with Mephibosheth that others should take all so it may behold the King Worldly Comforts shall not fallere but monere Nil dulcescit sine Jesu only they shall be used to admonish how much worth is in Christ not to bewitch the soul from Christ Si ista terrena diligitis ut subjecta diligite ut munera amici ut beneficia domini ut arrham Sponsi Aug. Med. as spectacles by which the soul may read him the better or as steps by which it may be raised up to him the nearer and no further shall they be delighted in then as they are pledges of or furtherances unto the injoyment of him Should God give all to one who loves him and not give himselfe he would say with Absalom What doth all availe me so long as I see not the Kings face Communion with God is the Heaven of him who loves God It 's heaven upon earth for God to be with him and the Heaven of Heaven for him to be with God 5. It 's an active John 14.24 Psal 119.68.140 Esay 45 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say some 2 Cor. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stirring expressive love the fire of love cannot be held in 't will break out at lips hands feet by speaking working walking Love saith as Elijah to Obadiah as the Lord liveth I will shew my selfe the strength of love will have a vent The Love of Christ constraineth and as the word used by the Apostle signifieth hemmeth in shutteth up pinfolds the heart that it cannot winde out from service and cannot chuse but do for Christ Love is a mighty stream bearing all before it It cares not for shame or losse It carries away these as did Samson the other gates upon it's shoulders 'T is strong as death A man in love with God is as a man who is carried away in a crowd who cannot keep himselfe back but is hurried without his own labour with the throng Love
monument of his love and their duty Words passe away and are forgotten when writing remains Every new tide blots out a writing on the sand and every new Sermon makes the former forgotten but writing deceives even death it selfe It 's a kind of image of eternity Some by idlenesse have been dead while they lived others by their labours have lived when they have been dead 2 Pet. 1.15 Peter endeavoured that the Christians might be put in remembrance even after his decease Psal 102.18 This shall be written saith the Psalmist for the generation to come 1. Observ 1. The desire of Ministers should be to benefit as many as may be To help in the way to heaven not their present but even their absent friends nor the age only in which they live but even succeeding generations they should like a great fire heat those who are a great way off The world should smell of the sanctity and holy labours of a godly Minister even when he is removed out of it He should like Zisca who commanded that a drum should be made of his skin to terrifie his enemies even after his death be serviceable Though the Prophets live not ever yet their labours should Zech. 1.5 Some of the ancient Worthies like Samson have thus done more good by their deaths than by their lives 2. Obser 2. Gods giving us the constant and standing rule of a written word shews our great readinesse to leave and swerve from him As we could not have found out so neither could we have kept in the right way without a written word We have ingenium erraticum we love to wander should without this light shining in a dark place In the Infancy of the Church and while it was contained in narrow bounds God manifested his will without the written word by dreams visions and audible voice But errour and prophanenesse increasing in after-generations men could not be without Gods will committed to writing without it we can neither find nor keep our way to heaven The Pope unwritten traditions the Sun Moon and Stars Reason and Revelations are all erring guides 3. Observ 3 Great is the goodnesse of God who would have his will committed to writing giving us a sure 2 Pet. 1.19 a more sure word of prophesie that upon which we may more safely build than upon the voice which came from heaven when Christ was transfigured How full of love is Christ to send Epistles to his Spouse the Church in his absence from her Great is his care who hath safely transmitted an uncorrupted canon to every age of his Church and set up a light which the rage and subtilty of Satan can no more blow out then can a man the Sun with a pair of bellows God provides not only light in heaven but light to heaven He teacheth us in the School of Scripture He hath not dealt so with every nation the Heathen have but the school of creatures Psal 147.20 the Jewes though our carefull Library-keepers yet understood not this written word 4. Observ 4. The great impiety of those who neglect and undervalue the written word I have written saith God the great things of my Law Hos 8.12 but they were accounted a strange thing The written word is undervalued by some practically their lives are visible as much as in them is confutations of it they live crooked lives though they have a strait rule They commit the sins of darknesse in a Land of light and they do their work worse under this glorious light than those who lived in darknesse Others disgrace the written word doctrinally Papists say Alb. Pighius Costerus in Euchirid Eccius Bailius p. 1. Bellar. de verb. Dei l. 4. c. 4. John Goodwin Yo. Eld. p. 32. Vid. Blind guide guided p. 47. it is not necessary for the Church calling it by way of contempt Atramentariam Theologiam a dead letter a divinity made of ink and paper preferring before it the scripture which is made in the Popes breast To these may be added the Sectaries of our times who peremptorily write That no writing whatsoever whether Translations or Originals is the foundation of Christian Religion And to prove it they borrow the popish arguments whereof this is the prime Religion was founded before the Scriptures therefore the Scripture cannot be the foundation of Religion They never remembring what is truely answered by our Divines Chamier Rivet * Patribus olim Deus se familiariter ostendit atque iis per se voluntatem suam patefecit tum Scripturas non fuisse necessarias fatcor at postea mutavit hanc docendae Ecclesiae rationem scribi suam voluntatem voluit tum necessaria esse Scriptura coepit Whitak de perfec Scrip. cap. 7. Whitaker c. the later whereof tels them that though of old time when God familiarly made known himselfe to the fathers and by himselfe manifested to them his will the Scriptures were not necessary yet after God did change the course of teaching his Church would have his word written the Scriptures were a necessary foundation Obser 5. The misery of those times and places where writing is made an engine to advance the devils kingdom It 's pity so usefull an invention should be imployed for any but for God and that it should be used as a weapon against him Hereticall and prophane writings kill souls at a distance leaven a whole Kingdom with sin and propagate impiety to posterity Satan hath prevailed more with his pen than his sword against the Church Far be it from a Christian Commonwealth to suffer weekly Advocates to write for Satan to take away the pen from Jude and to put it into the hand of the Seducers against whom he desires to write We put not a sword into the hand of our own may we never put a pen into the hand of Gods exemies This for the second Particular in the second reason of the Apostles sending this following Exhortation namely by what kind of means he endeavoured the good of these Christians viz. by writing The third follows the excellency and weightinesse of that subject about which he was to write the common salvation Wherein he expresseth 1. The nature thereof it was salvation 2. It 's property it was common 1. The kind and nature of that subject about which he wrote Salvation The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Explicat here render'd salvation properly signifieth a deliverance from danger and distresse as also a preservation of a thing in a condition of safety such a preservation or safety Chemnit Har. in Luc. 1. Cameron in Myroth Evang. without which a thing would be lost and destroy'd and by which it is perpetually preserved and kept safe from all danger and evill whatsoever But Salvation is taken in Scripture sundry wayes 1 Sam. 14.45 19.5 Isai 59.11 Jer. 3.23 1. First For deliverance from temporall miseries and calamities Exod. 14.13
first particular expression of the ungodlinesse of these seducers Their perverting of the grace of God The second followes viz. their denying of the God of grace Denying the only Lord God c. In the words I consider 1. The description of his dignity whom they opposed the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ 2. How they opposed him or wherein that opposition did stand They denyed him 1 The description of his dignity I conceive with Beza and the best interpreters that it is not to be understood partly of God the Father and partly of Christ but altogether of Christ and that not so much because it seems to be paralel with that place of Peter denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 as because in the Original the prefixing of only one article to all these titles seems to require this reading The onely Lord who is God and or even our Lord Jesus Christ In this description of the dignity of Christ I shall not that I may avoid tediousnesse and repetition speak of his person and offices as they are held forth in these later words Jesus Christ but I shall principally consider from these words The onely Lord God Our Saviours dignity 1. In respect of his place and authority So hee is called the onely Lord. 2. In respect of his divine nature and essence and so he is called God 1. In our Saviours dignity in respect of his place and authority he is Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which title is set out by the peculiarity of it to himself The onely Lord. In the explication of Christs dignity in this first respect I shall briefly shew 1. In what respect he is called Lord. 2. Only Lord. EXPLICATION The title given to Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word betokening a private right to rule Herile Imperium such as is exercised in the guiding and governing of a family and it most properly signifieth a Master Ruler or governour over servants who are bound to him And such a Lord and ruler is Christ whether we consider 1 His Title to this rule and dominion 2 His exercise of this rule and dominion 1. His Title to it And a title hee hath to it 1. By a right of Creation Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made Col. 1.16 by him were all things created And this his Creation of all things the Apostle makes the argument of his dominion 1 Cor. 8.6 To us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him 2. Joh. 5.17 Sicut vasis beneficio potiùs quà m suâ naturâ accidit ne percat aqua diffluendo sic Deus in se creaturae labilitatem continet ita ut ejus actione conservetur ne pereat in nihilum recidendo Gers de vit spir lec 1. Joh. 17.6 Psal 2.8 Mat. 28.18 Col. 1.15 Joh. 3.35 Act. 10.42 Of sustentation and preservation Col. 1.17 By him all things consist If he withdraw his divine power and manutenency they all fall into nothing Hee is a being by his owne nature but all others have their beings by their participation of essence from him and his continuation of that action whereby hee gave them being Heb. 1.3 He upholding all things by the word of his power 3. By a right of ordination designation and appointment from God Act. 2.36 God hath made him Lord and Christ God hath given his elect to Christ that he should be their Lord and head that they should be his possession God hath given him power over all flesh he hath the right and prerogative of the first born to be the Lord of all God hath given all things into his hand he hath ordained him to be judg he hath appointed him over his own house Heb 3.2.6 4. By a right of unction and reception of that furnishment and fulnesse of the spirit of grace whereby hee was abundantly meet to be the Head and Lord of his Church He had as much of grace as there was of grace All fulnesse dwelt in him Col. 1.19 and hee received not the spirit by measure Hee had not the fulnesse of the vessell but of the fountain all others had only a measured fulness Luk. 1.15 Act. 7.55 1 Cor. 12.11 1 Joh. 16. Isa 61.1 Luk. 1.74 75. Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 1.19 2 Pet. 2.19 Rom. 14.7.8 and for themselves Christ had a fulness of redundancy for the whole Church 5. By a right of redemption Hee is our Lord because hee hath delivered us from the hands of our Enemies and when we were bond-slaves to sin Satan and death paid our ransome The ransomer of a bondslave was wont to be his Lord. No bondage so great as ours was no price so great as that which Christ paid and therefore no service so great as that which we owe. 6. Lastly by right of Covenant he is the Lord of Christians Wee promise to take him for our Lord both 1. By a marriage Covenant so we take him for our head guide governour and protector And 2. By a Covenant of hiring and binding out our selves to his service not only baptismally and visibly but by an effectuall and saving resignation of our selves to all the works of new obedience 2. Christ is a Lord if we consider his exercise of Dominion And this he puts forth 1. By giving Laws to binde his servants to obedience None but Christ can give lawes and there are none of Christs servants but receive lawes from him Onely Christ can ordain lawes to binde the conscience Mans lawes binde not as they are man's but as they are back'd by Christ nor can any beside Christ so give lawes to which we should be obedient as withall to make us obedient to the lawes which he gives Humane lawes can make men cover sinne but not make them cast off sinne Christ onely can write his lawes in the heart Nor are there any servants of Christ but so far forth as they are such receive lawes from him Christs servants are no sons of Belial Every one must have a yoke upon him though it be made by the spirit sweet and easie By becoming servants of Christ we do not cast off but only change our yokes 2. Eph. 4.11 12 Christ exerciseth his dominion by appointing officers in his house These he furnisheth with gifts sutable to their places He makes them able Ministers and appoints them to be his Stewards 2 Cor. 3.6 1 Cor. 4.1 Luk. 12.42 to distribute to every one in his family their due proportion by way of feeding and governing The carriage of these Stewards is not arbitrary but appointed They are all accountable to their Lord for and from whom they rule 3. By finding his family with all necessaries for body and soul Psal 23.1 Psal 84.11 His servants shall want no good thing They shall neither pine for want nor surfet with abundance they
and yet he needs no informer but knows what every servant doth in his absence and will manifest every ones work to all the world His eyes are as a flame of fire and clearer then ten thousand Sunnes Heb. 4.12 all things are naked and open before him Exod. 3.7 Nor doth he lesse observe the wants and troubles than the wayes and workes of his servants He hath an eye therefore as pittying as it is piercing For 2. He is the most gracious Lord and Master No Lord ever bought servants so dear he having bought them from slavery by laying down his dearest and most precious blood for them never such a price He hath given not his mony but himself for them 2. No Lord ever fed his servants so highly and so plentifully The servants of Christ have various and sumptuous dishes First the word after that the Sacrament The table of the Lord is furnish'd with the body and blood of the Lord to nourish the servants not only to labour but also to eternall life 3. No Lord ever clothed servants so sumptuously their garments are made of that web which was woven out of his own bowels they put on the scarlet of his righteousnesse and the merit of his death The fine linnen of holinesse and sanctification yea the beautifull robes of glory and immortality which they shall change for the filthy raggs of sinne and mortality 4. No Lord ever used his servants so gently and mercifully He puts them only upon honourable safe comfortable imployments He puts no more upon them than they can go through He is not only their Lord and Master but their helper and fellow worker when they grow faint and weary Phil. 4.13 Psal 25.4 5.9 Hab. 1.12 he strengthens them when doubtfull he teacheth them when slothfull sometimes indeed he corrects them yet not to kill but quicken them and not to destroy them but their slothfulnesse when they are sick he pitties and spares them when old he turns them not out of his service but the longer they live in it the more they love it yea the more able they are to perform it In a word when they die he neither suffers them to lie still nor sends them to seek another master for then they change not their master for another but their work for a better or rather for their wages For 5. No Master ever rewarded his servants so bountifully As Christ gives more for so more to his servants than any master That happinesse which Christ gives his servants in this life is unspeakable their work seems to have more of wages than work but in the next life their joy will be so great as that it cannot so well be said to enter into them as they to enter into it Mat. 25.21 For why it is the joy of their Lord whose bosome is the hive and center of all goodnesse and that in which all the scattered parcels of blessednesse are bundled up Study but yet expect not to understand either the comfort or condescension of that promise made Luke 12.37 to the faithfull servants of Christ He shall gird himselfe and make them sit down to meat and come forth and serve them Lord did I not think that the chear and the attendance were both one I should say the attendance were infinitely better then the chear Think what it is for Christ himself to serve at the table What is it but infinite delight for the guests to have him set himselfe to sollace them who is infinite as in sweetnesse so in knowledg to make his sweetnesse please them Nor will the dignity of those servants be lesse then their delight who have majesty it self to serve them Certainly in heaven there shall be as many kings as subjects 6. He is the only Lord for the duration of his dominion Of his government there shall be no end Luke 1.33 He is the King immortall 1 Tim. 1.17 He only hath immortality 1 Tim. 6.16 To other Potentates though they be called Gods yet he who is the true God saith that they shall die like men Psal 82.7 Of our twenty five Monarchs since the conquest thirteen taking in three who are thought to be poisoned are said to have had violent and untimely deaths Few earthly Monarchs there are whose lives are not tyrannicall and their deaths untimely Who ruling by the sword commonly die by it And should they escape the ponyards the poysons the powder-plots bullets axes which have swept away the most one disease or other will lay all their glory in the dust In an evening a mid-day yea perhaps a more early cloud shall be the sun-set both of their lives and raigns But Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever his throne is for ever and ever Death it self the King of terrours and the terrour of kings is subdued by Jesus Christ and that not only so as it shall never touch him but also never hurt any of his servants OBSERVATIONS 1. Observ 1. All our obedience to earthly Lords must bee only such as this only Lord allowes and only in the Lord. We must take heed of the sinne of the Israelites Hos 5.11 Regula regulans Regula regulata willingly to walk after the Commandment and of that of the Papists blind obedience to any superiour The greatest Lords in the world are but rules ruled Jesus Christ is the only rule ruling 2. Observ 2. Mat. Rom. 12.11 The greatest diligence and servency of spirit is requisite in the service of this only Lord. Wee must not do the work of this great Lord negligently nor offer him a female in stead of a male This only Lord must have as it were our only service Wee must not serve him as if we served him not Though the best servant of this Lord be but an unprofitable yet the least must not be an idle servant Wee must not offer to this Lord that which cost us nothing The blind and the maimed are too bad for our ordinary Lords Our Only Lord must have our best our hearts our all even the whole of our created abilities This great Lord hath much more businesse than all the time and strength of his servants can bring about If every hair of the head were an hand we might have our hands full of work Our Lord requires the service of thoughts 2 Cor. 10.5 of words Ephes 4.29 of works 1 Cor. 10.31 Of body and spirit 1 Thes 5.23 A vast deal of diligence is requisite about the honouring of God the attending of our own heart and wayes the helping and edifying of others 3. Observ 3. How warily and conscionably should all other Lords govern They are Lords but not only Lords they are but servants to this only Lord and must as well be accountable to him for their commanding as others must be responsible to them for their obeying They must remember they have a master in heaven with whom there is no respect of
In Christo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the two Natures should be united 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as that there should be no confusion mutation commixtion of them but that both natures should remain distinct and entire in their properties wils and actions without any change of one into the other 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 individually and inseparably so as one nature should never be separated from the other no not by death there never being two Christs but one Son of God manifested in the flesh How great was that wisdome which found out a way for the Mediator between God and Man to partake of the natures of both those parties between whom he mediates and which contrived a Reconciliation between God and Man by the marriage of the natures of both 2. How eminent was that Justice of God that would be satisfied no way but by the Son of God his assuming the nature of man the vailing his Glory emptying himself of Majestie and a debasing to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 So that God may seem more severe in sparing man this way then if he had punish'd him without sending his Son thus to redeem him 3. How transcendent was the Love of God to poor lost man to weave the garment of his spotted and defiled nature anew in the Virgins womb to become a new and living way over that gulf of separation which was between God and Man whereby God might be willing to come to man and man able to go to God! to disrobe himself of Majestie and to cloath himself with the rags of Mortalitie Did ever Love cause such a condescention as this The Thistle did not here send to the Cedar but the Cedar comes to the Thistle to wo for a marriage Let the deepest apprehensions despair to dive to the bottom of this humble undertaking Angels themselves may stoop to look into it 1 Pet. 1.12 and be Students in this piece of Divinitie but never can they be compleatly apprehensive what it is for the Maker of the World to be made of a woman for the everlasting Father to be an infant in the womb for Majestie to be buried among the chips for him who thundred in the clouds to lie in the cradle for him who measured the heavens with a span to be a child of a span long 3. Observ 3. Isai 43.11 Hos 13.4 Any other Saviours beside Christ are altogether needlesse and fictitious If Christ be God there is no other Saviour and he no more wants the help of men or Angels in the Redemption of the world then he did in the Creation To an infinite power nothing can be added and the strength of Christ to save is infinite What brings the creature to God but wants and weaknesses That which receives all its strength from God adds no strength to God There 's none but a God able to do the Work and fit to receive the Honour of a Saviour The highest of all Popishly voyced Saviours throw down their Crowns at the feet of Christ and with one voice acknowledg him their Saviour The Crown of purchasing our salvation is too heavie for any created head Did those glorified spirits in heaven know how much honour is taken from Christ by casting it upon them some think that heaven should be no heaven to them 4. Divine Justice is compleatly satisfied Observ 4. and the sins of beleevers are perfectly removed The Merits of Christ are of infinite value the least sin was a burden too heavie for all the created backs of Men and Angels to undergo None but he that was God Heb. 7.25 John 1.29 Mic. 7.19 Isa 44.22 Isa 38.17 Psal 32.1 Jer. 31.34 could perfectly satisfie a God Christ is able to save to the uttermost He taketh away the sin of the world Our iniquities are said to be subdued Thrown into the bottom of the sea Covered washed away Blotted out as a cloud Vtterly forgotten and Cast behind the back of God Beleevers have nothing to pay to Justice The payments of Popish Merits are not in currant but copper coin which will not goe in heaven but will certainly be turned back again The sins of one beleever are ten thousand times greater than Satan can represent but yet the merits of the blood of God infinitely exceed all the sins of all men put together The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 John 1.7 Christians take heed of a sacrilegious ransacking of the grave of Christ wherein he hath buried your sins If Christ be God desperation is the greatest of sins Is there any spot so deep which the blood of God cannot wash out any disease so desperate which the blood of God cannot cure any heart so faint which the blood of God cannot revive any debt so great which the blood of God cannot satisfie any burden so heavie which the shoulders of God cannot bear away Oh beleever Luke 1.47 let thy spirit rejoyce in God thy Saviour 5. How high is the advancement of humane Nature Observ 5. Hee who hath taken it into the unity of his Person is true God Hebr. 2.16 Phil. 2.10 The seed of Abraham is now more highly dignified then the nature of Angels There 's not a knee either in heaven in earth or under the earth but shall bow at the name of Him who is God and man in one person Let us fear to debase that nature which Christ hath magnified Psal 15.4 There 's nothing but sin that makes a man a vile person How unworthy a condescension is it for that nature to stoop to Divels which is advanced above Angels 1 Sam. 5.5 The Philistims tread not on that threshold upon which their Idol Dagon fell and shall man suffer lust and Divels to trample upon and defile that nature which the Son of God assumed Oh man acknowledg thy dignitie and being made a companion of the divine Nature be not so degenerous as to become a slave to Sin 6. Observ 6. How peculiarly dignified and blessed are all Beleevers Their Head their Husband is very God They have not onely the common honour of all men in the union of humane nature with the Son of God but a speciall priviledg in being united to him by his Spirit through Faith Man is advanced above other creatures in respect of the first Beleevers are advanced above other men in respect of the second union And if thus we are united to him who is God what influences of holinesse wisdom power c. shall flow to us from such a Head A Prince who hath all the gold and ornaments of the world will not suffer his Wife to want necessaries and certainly the Spouse of Christ shall have what shee wants if not what she would 7. Observ 7. Whatever it is that Christ who is God ordains and owns deserves our highest estimation The Day instituted by
decisive passing of sentence To the former sentence viz. that of their own consciences shall be added that of the Judg wherby they shall be adjudged to the punishment of loss pain for ever A sentence which shall be openly promulgated Quo maledicti acrius doleant videntes quid amiseri◠justi videbunt et laetabuntur considerantes quid evascrint Bern. Ser. 8. in Psal Heretofore it was written down in the book now it shall be pronounced before all the world A sentence which shall be published soon after that of benediction hath been uttered to the godly that so the damned may grieve the more to consider what they have lost and the saved rejoyce to observe what they have escaped A sentence every syllable whereof is more dreadfull then ten thousand thunder-claps roaring in their ears to all eternity Wonder one may that so much woe can be couched in so few words In being sentenced to depart from God what pleasure are they not adjudged to lose In being sentenced to the flames what pain are they not adjudged to feel 3 In the judgment to which these angels shall be brought Mat. 5.22 Mar. 3.29 Joh. 5.24.29 Act. 8.33 2 Thes 1.5 Jam. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ille judex nec gratiâ praevenitur nec misericordiâ flectitur nec pecuniâ corrumpitur nec poenitentiâ mitigatur Aug. l. 3. de fid symb 2 Thes 1.9 Expulsi à facie hac terribili ipsius vocē Sicut servi fugitivi post multum temporis dominum suum videntes nihil aliud nisi de verberibus deprecantur sic daemones videntes Dominum in terris ad judicandum se venisse credebant Hierom. in Mat. 8. there shall be an execution of the sentence denounced and frequently in Scripture is judgment taken for punishment to which men are adjudged The sentence shall not bee an empty sound as a report without a bullet a noise without a sting but it shall be executed without any exception delay reply appeal The sentence of malediction shall be a fiery stream proceeding from the throne of the Judg and sweeping the condemned into hell The wicked shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power which place Beza expounds of their expulsion from the presence of the Lord by that terrible voice Go ye cursed Others thus interpret it The glorious power and majesty of Christs presence shall suffice to destroy the wicked If the divels were unable to endure the presence of Christ upon earth when emptied of glory upon considering that hereafter Christ should be their Judg crying out and asking whether hee was come to torment them before their time how shall they abide his presence when fill'd with dreadfull majesty For the second 2 Branch of Explicat Justin in Apol 1. daemones igni sempiterno nondum traditi sunt sed in die judicii tradendi Hanc opini onem amplectitur Irenaeus l. 5. cont Haer. Diabolus non statim in primordiis transgressionis ad poenam detrusus est à Deo idque ut hominem malitiâ suâ exerceret ad virtutem Lactant. lib. 3. Divin Instit cap. 28. How the angels who are already punished and therefore judged can be reserved to judgement We must not conceive with some that because they are said to be reserved to judgment therefore for the present they are not punish'd For if the good angels are before the general judgment in a state of happinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alway beholding the face of God then why should not the bad be in a state of misery Besides if the souls of wicked men are now tormented in hell which neverthelesse may be said to be reserved to judgment why may it not be asserted that the angels who seduced men have been ever since their fall tormented considering that the fall was that to the angels which death is to ungodly men And further if the faln angels be in hell a place of punishment with the damned souls then it is as certain they partake of the same punishment with them as it is absurd to imagine that the holy angels should be in heaven with the souls of the blessed and not be with them partakers of the fruition of Gods presence There is therefore a threefold judgement which the fallen angels incur That wherwith they were punished immediately upon their fall when by God they were thrown into misery Of this speaks Peter 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels which sinned but cast them down into hell c. 2 That whereby they are cast out of their dominion Joh. 12.31 and their power over us destroyed by the death of Christ 3 Their full and finall judgement to which they are here by Jude said to be reserved in respect whereof though they are in part punished already yet by it there shall be a dreadfull addition and accession to their present torments in regard 1. of Ignominy 2 Restraint 1. Ignominy for they being most proud creatures cannot but deem it an unspeakable shame 1. To have all their malice and mischeifs that ever they committed since their fall manifested to all the world whereby all who have heretofore honour'd them as gods shall know their vilenesse and look upon them as abominable deceivers and never be brought as formerly to worship them 2 To have it publickly seen that poor man whose nature is so much inferiour to theirs hath done that which they were not able to do in imbracing of holiness and honouring his Creator and obtaining those mansions of glory which they have lost 3 To have it known to all the world how often they would have done evil when they could not and how frequently even women and children have overcome their fierce and fiery tentations 4. To have judgment pass'd upon them not onely by Christ himself but even by those somtimes poor Saints whom formerly they so vilified and persecuted even these shall judg the Angels 1 Cor. 6.3 And that not onely 1 By having their practices compared to those of the damned as the Ninivites and the Queen of the South are said to rise up in judgment Mat. 12.41.42 Luk. 11.31.32 Nor 2 Only by their consenting to and approving of the Sentence which Christ shall pass upon the wicked But also 3. In regard of that dignitas assessoria that dignity whereby they shall be advanced to an honourable assessorship with the Lord Christ in sitting as it were with him upon the Bench Dolet diabolus quòd ipsum angelos ejus Christi servus ille peccator judicaturus est Tert. lib. de poen c. 7 or about the Throne of Judicature As likewise 4. they in that judgment being to appear with Christ manifest victors over all their enemies By trampling upon all the pride malice and weakness of Divels before the whole world and holily insulting over them as vile vanquished and contemptible
only in himselfe but as he is attended by others and so he will make the day great if we consider 1. by whom 2. by how many he shall thus be attended 1. By whom They shall be creatures of great glory and excellency The glorious Angels shall be Christs attendants at the great day in which respect Christ is said to come Luk. 9.26 in the glory of the holy Angels and Mat. 25.31 it 's said that the Son of man shall come and the holy Angels with him and Luk. 12.9 that Christ will deny some before the Angels of God and 2 Thes 1.7 the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels These angels that excell in strength are his heavenly hosts his Ministers to do the pleasure of Christ their great Lord and Commander If at the time of his Nativity Tentation Passion Resurrection Luk. 2.13 Ascension they readily gave Christ their attendance how much more shall they do it at the great day when all the glory of Christ shall be revealed Luk. 7.53 Gal. 3.19 Deut. 33.2 Illi in obsequio hic in gloriâ Illi in comitatu hic in suggestu illi stant hic sedet hic judicut illi ministrant Ambros lib. 3. de fid Mat. 24.31 Psal 103.20 2 Thes 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.4 1 Thes 4.17 If at the promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai Angels waited upon him how readily shall they serve him when he shall come to Judgment for the execution of that Law What glory shall be in that day when the very servants of the Judge who shall wait upon him run at every turne and upon every errand who shall blow the Trumpet summon to appear bring the prisoners before the Bar and take them away again when even these waiters I say shall be Angels of power the heavenly host every one being stronger then an earthly army holy Angels creatures of unspeakeable agility and swiftnesse glorious Angels who as much exceed in glory the greatest Emperour in the world as the Sun in the Firmament doth a clod of earth Nor can it be but the day must be very illustrious if we consider that the Saints shall appear also with Christ in glory that they shall meet the Lord in the air and be witnesses for nay assessors with Christ in judgement and partakers of that victory which in the last day he shall have over all his enemies That all the enemies of Christ and his Church shall stand before the Saints to be justly judged whom they in this world have judged unjustly and in a word that every one of these Saints shall in their spiritual bodies shine as the Sun Mat. 13.43 when it appears in its perfect lustre But 2 Christ as attended will make the day great if we consider by How many he shall bee attended At that great day there shall be a generall assembly a great number even all his servants waiting upon him both Saints and Angels hence 1 Thes 1.13 is mentioned the Coming of the Lord Jesus with all his Saints and Eph. 4.13 the meeting of all In this glorious concourse there shall not be one wanting If Christ will raise up every Saint from the grave then doubtlesse shall every Saint appear in glory at the last day Joh. 6.39 He will not lose his cost laid out upon them But if he bestowes new liveries upon his servants they shall all when adorned with them wait upon him Nor shall there be one Angel but shall glorifie him in that day Psal 148.2 Heb. 1.6 If all the angels of God are commanded to praise and worship him then undoubtedly will they performe this duty at that day wherein the glory of Christ shall be so eminently manifested all the holy angels Mat. 25.3 shall come with the son of man And if all the Angels and Saints must wait on Christ the number must needs be vast Heb. 12. and the multitude exceeding great of angels there must be an innumerable company Myriads ten thousands of Saints or holy ones Dan. 7.10 Jude 14. a definite number being put for an indefinite And about the throne Rev. 5.11 are said to be ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands ten thousands of Saints An innumerable company of Angels attended the solemn delivery of the Law at Mount Sinai Deut. 33.2 Vid. Rivet in loc in allusion to which the triumphant Ascension of Christ into heaven is described Psal 68. to be with twenty thousand Chariots even thousands of angels and of those who stood before the throne clothed with white robes and having palmes in their hands there was Rev 7.9 a great multitude which no man could number c. Now if the glory of one angel was so great Judg. 6.22.13.22 that those who of old time beheld it expected death thereby and if for fear of an Angel whose countenance was like lightning the keepers Mat. 28.4 did shake and became as dead men how great shall be the glory of all the millions of Angels and Saints at the great day when God shall let out his glory unto them and fill them as full of it as they can hold that he may be admired in them Who can imagine the greatnesse of that day wherein the Judge shall be attended with so many millions of servants every one of whom shall have a livery more bright and glorious then the Sun The splendor of this appearance at the great day will ten thousand times more surpass that of the attendance of the greatest Judges and Kings in the world than doth theirs excell the sporting and ridiculous acting of their more serious solemnities by children in their playes 2. This day of Judgement shall be great in respect as of the Judge so likewise of the Judged and the judged shall make the day great as they fall under a fourfold consideration or in four respects 1. In respect of the greatnesse of their company and number 2. The greatnesse of their ranks and degrees 3. The greatnesse of their faults and offences 4. The greatnesse of their rewards and recompences 1. In respect of the greatnesse of their numbers When many persons are tryed and judged many prisoners cast and condemned we ordinarily say that the Assizes or Sessions are great though the number of the persons judg'd be not so great by an hundred parts as the number of those who stand by to hear the Tryall How great then shall the day of Judgement be wherein all shall be tryed and judged It was of old prophesied by Enoch that the Lord would execute judgement upon all Before the Throne of the Son of man all nations shall be gathered Mat. 25.32 Rom. 14.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.10 Act. 17.31 And 2 Thes 2.1 the day of judgement is call'd the time of our gathering together unto Christ We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done
in the body c. He cometh with cloudes and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 He is call'd The judge of the whole earth Gen. 18.25 All men are divided into two sorts or ranks 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Pet. 4.5 Apoc. 20.12 living and dead and both these shall Christ judge Act. 19.42 Who hath power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 Who shall reward every one according to his works Mat. 16.27 And to whom God hath sworn every knee shall bow Isai 45.23 Rom. 14.11 So that if there should but one be exempted from appearing before Christ at the last day the oath of God should be broken which is impossible If God number all the hairs of our head how much more all the persons whose those hairs are Mat. 10.30 Psal 56.10 Joh. 5.24 If he number all our steps how much more all those who take those steps And whereas it 's said that the Beleevers shall not come into judgement Psal 1.5 and that the wicked shall not stand in the judgment the former is to be understood of the judgement of condemnation and Joh. 5.24 condemnation it is translated or rather expounded saith one in our ordinary Bibles The later of prevailing in judgement Causâ cadent by receiving a judgement of absolution men may hide themselves and flie from mens Courts and Tribunals but the judgement seat of Christ cannot bee avoided It will be in vaine to call for the Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them and hide them for the mountains shall melt like wax at the presence of the Lord. There 's no flying from this Judge but by flying to him and death it self which prevents judgment among men shall give up its dead to this great judgement 2. The day shall be great in respect of the judged as they are considered in the greatnesse of their ranks and degrees Among men not the judging of every meane contemptible person but of Noble men Princes of the blood or great Monarchs makes the day of their judgment great How solemn in this world is the judiciary tryall of a King But how glorious and magnificent shal be the arraignment of great and small persons Rev. 20.12 of all ranks and degrees at that great day Angels and Principalities as at large hath been shewed before as well as men Luk. 21.36 good as well as bad Watch and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man He that judgeth me is the Lord 1 Cor. 4.4 and Every one of us must give account of himselfe to God Rom. 14.12 They who have been high and mighty Emperors as well as the poorest outcasts The tallest Cedar the stoutest Oak must bend yea break at that great day Psal 110.5 Christ he shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath The grave and the Judgement-seat put no difference between Monarchs and vassals The grave-dust of a Queen smels no sweeter then that of a beggar none can difference between the ashes of an Oak and those of an humble shrub There will be no other crowns worn at that day but the Crownes of righteousnesse no other robes but those wash'd in the blood of Christ and these will better fit the head and back of a Lazarus than a rich Glutton True greatnesse goodnesse I meane will be the onely greatnesse at that truly great day The glorious sunshine of this day will extinguish the Candle of worldly glory Oh great day wherein majesty shall lye and lick the dust of the feet of Christ the stiffest knee bend before his majesty and the strongest back of sinners break under his wrath when the great sword-men and Emperors the Alexanders the Caesars who once made the earth to tremble shall now tamely tremble before him 3. The day of judgement shall be great in respect of the judged if we consider them as great offenders When men are tryed before humane Judicatories for common crimes as for pilfering or stealing some small or inconsiderable summe the day of their tryall is soon forgotten and not greatly regarded but when they are arraigned for such horrid and heinous offences as the ears of the hearer tingles to hear and his heart trembles to think of some Sodomiticall villany wilfull murder of some good King the blowing up of a Parliament c. the day of their judgement is great and greatly observ'd there is great admiration at their boldnesse in sin great indignation against them for it great joy when they are sentenced and greater when they are executed How great then shall this judgement day be for how great at that day shall every sin appear to be Sin can never bee seen to be what it is or in its due dimensions but by the light of the fire of Gods wrath In the dim and false light of this world it 's nothing it 's nothing a trick of youth a toy a trifle but at the appearing of the light of divine disquisition when conscience shall be search'd with candles and all paint pretexts and other refuges swept away the least sin will appear infinite The cloud a while since no bigger then a mans hand will overspread the face of the heavens The least breach of a law infinitely holy and the smallest offence unpardoned against a God infinitely both just and powerfull will then appear unconceivably more heinous then any breaches of the peace or offences against the greatest of men there 's nothing little which as sin doth kils and damnes the soul yea Omne peccatum est deicidium the least sin will then be look'd upon as striking even at God himselfe But how great shall that day be made by the judging of those prodigious abominations the commissions whereof the earth groaned to bear Scarlet Crimson transgressions at which even naturall conscience is affrighted as blasphemies murders open oppressions unnaturall uncleannesse c. How greatly shall the justice of God be magnified in the punishing of them How great the joy of the Saints when the enemies of that God whom they so dearly love and highly admire shall be sentenced against whom the soules under the Altar have so long prayed when every Divel Rev. 6.9 who hath here so often tempted them and every adversary who for their profession of Christ have so cruelly persecuted them shall be condemned 4. Lastly This day shall be great in respect of the judged if we consider the greatnesse of their rewards and recompences The setencing to a slight punishment as that of a small fine a few stripes burning in the hand c. is not regarded greatly even by the sufferers or spectators but the sentencing to a losse of all even of life it self a terrible death as burning pressing rending limb from limb starving hanging in chaines makes the judgment great The sentence whereby a man for a while is reprieved recovers a little losse or hath small damages given is little regarded and soon forgotten but that whereby a man hath his
and manifest There is nothing hid but shall be revealed Sinners shall be openly sham'd their secret sins their speculative impurities their closest midnight-impieties shall be publickly discovered and their feined hypocriticall appearances shall then be unmasked Then Saints shal be openly honour'd the good which they have done in secret shall be divulged from their sins against which they have mourn'd pray'd beleev'd secretly they shall be acquitted openly and honourably from all the censures suspicions aspersions and wrong judgements upon earth before all the world of men and Angels they shall be publickly cleared In a word As the Judge is righteous he will bee known to be so and therefore not onely his sentencing but the equity therof shal be manifestly known Every tongue shall confess to God the just proceedings of that day and Christ shall be clear when he judgeth and justified when sinners are condemned 6. This judgement shall be immediate Christ will not any more judge by man They whom he hath intrusted with Judicature have often miscarryed in the work acquitting where they should condemne and condemning where they should acquit now therefore he will trust others with the work no more but will take it into his own hands Judgement here among men is the Lords mediately but the great judgement shall be his immediately Sinners might hope to escape while sinners were their Judges Saints might fear cruelty while sinners were their Judges In a word when frail sinfull man is Judge he like the unjust steward in the Gospel who cut off fifty in the hundred punisheth malefactors by the halfs and with him wicked men can tell how to deal Ezek. 22.14 but can their hearts endure or can their hands be strong in the day wherein the Lord shall deal with them When Gideon commanding young Jether to slay Zebah and Zalmunna and he feared to draw his sword against them Judg. 8.20 being but a youth Gideon himselfe ariseth and fals upon them and as was the man so was his strength for hee instantly slew them And God commands those who should resemble him in righteousnesse to cut down sin and cut off sinners but alas they are oft either unwilling or afraid to draw the sword of Justice and therefore the Lord himselfe will come and take the sword into his own hands and as is he so will his strength be found and felt to be infinite The mountaines and hills will be but light burdens to fall upon sinners in comparison of this mighty God 7. This Judgement shall be the last Judgement The sentence that there shall be pronounced is the finall conclusive and determinating sentence The day of Judgement is frequently call'd The last day The last day Joh. 11.24.12.48 and the Great day are sometimes put together Joh. 7.37 Wicked men have had in this world many dayes of Judgement by the word by temporall troubles by the examples and warnings of the Saints but now their last day their last judgement is come after which there shall be no more tryall Former judgements might be reverst upon repentance but this last is irrevocable Repentance will not move the Judge to repent of his sentence Jer. 11.7 8 9. repentance will be hid from his eyes From his sentence there can be no appeal nor is there any Judicatory above or after it 8. This judgement is call'd Eternall How great are those dayes wherein an earthly Judge sentenceth to a temporal punishment of a few minutes Heb. 6.2 Judicium humanum est vix alphabetum illius ultimi Luth. But Christ sentenceth to an eternall state the effect of his judgement shall last for ever An earthly Judge allowes men to put the sentenced to death out of their paine at their execution but this shall be the bitter ingredient into the sentence of the great day namely that the sentenced shall be executed but never die Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire Departure for losse and Fire for sense are the greatest punishments but this Everlasting is that which makes both insupportable Dreadfull sentence Without this everlasting departure hell would not be hell This Everlasting burnes hotter then the fire or rather is the heat of the fire in hell and oh the bottomelesse Ocean of sweetnesse in this word Ever when joyned with Being with the Lord this is that which like the faggot-band binds all the scattered parcells of heavens blessednesse together and keeps them from dropping out In a word This stability of happinesse is that which makes it happinesse Great day wherein there is a sentence to no estate shorter then Eternity OBSERVATIONS 1. Great is the vanity of all earthly greatnesse While we are in this world troubles and comforts seem far greater then they are Observ 1. the former we think too great to bear the other too great to forsake How do men groan under small burdens and how do they admire the poor enjoyments of the world but when this great day is come neither of these will seem great How smal will former disgraces be esteem'd by those who shall bee honour'd before all the world How contemptible shall then poverty be in the thoughts of those who shall ever be inriched with the satisfying enjoyment of God himself How slight yea forgotten will the few bitter drops of pains be to those who shall be filled with Rivers of pleasures What poor trifles will all the profits and revenues of the earth be esteem'd when all the stately edifices and the richest treasures upon earth shall be consum'd in the flames What a bubble a shadow will all worldly honour and dignities appear when the faint candle light of the earthly glory of the greatest Monarchs shall be swallowed up in the glorious sun-shine of the appearance of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords How will a sentencing to the everlasting flames of fire and brimstone blast those former dreams of pleasure in cool and pleasant Arbors costly Perfumes sumptuous Banquets c To those who so admire earthly injoyments I say as Christ to his Disciple Mar. 13.2 when he shewed him the buildings of the Temple Seest thou these great buildings There shall not be one stone left upon another the flame of that day wil devour them as easily as the fire from heaven did consume the stones and sacrifice of and lick up the water about Elijahs Altar 2. Boldnesse in sin is no better then madnesse The great Judgement day is by the Apostle call'd The terror of the Lord. Observ 2. Eccl. 12.14 Magna peccati poena metum fu turi judicii perdidisse Aug. ser 120. de Tem. And though it may be our sin to be afrighted at mens judgement days and to be afraid of their terror yet is it our folly not to fear this great day of the Lord and a great punishment of sin not to fear the punishment of sin What Judge would not be incens'd when the prisoners being warned of his solemn approach
Dead-sea having neither fish nor any living creature therein Called also Joh. 3.16 The salt sea Ezek. 47.8 And this is confirmed by the Prophet who foretelling how these waters should be healed by the waters running out of the Sanctuary eastward on which side this lake is situate and that then the creatures should live therein that there should be a multitude of fish and that the fishers should stand upon it from Engedy even unto Eneglaim the two cities at either end of the lake doth hereby imply that for the present before this healing the waters were dead that no fish nor any creatures lived therein and that no fisher man did frequent the same as they did the lake of Genezareth and other places Olet adhuc incendio terra Tert. Apol. c. 40. Penpetuo poenas luere videtur Brocard 1 p. c. 7. thorow which the River Jordan did run 6. The punishment by this fire is lasting ever lasting a standing monument of Gods displeasure in Mosee's time it was so Deut. 29. and the Lord never repented him of this overthrow It is under a perpetuall destruction recorded by Authors of great credit and reputation Strabo Solinus Tacitus Josephus Plinius Tertul. c. 40. Augustin de C. D. c. 21. Adrichomius Brochardus and it shall continue as long as the world shall last or there shall be any time or age in allusion whereunto when the enemies of the Church are destroyed it is foretold that their Land shall become burning pitch It shall not be quenched night nor day the smoak thereof shall go up for ever 3. The fire of Hell and this some think the Apostle only here intends because he calls it Eternall fire I acknowledge that these Sodomites were punished with the eternall fire of hell Gods dealing with some infants or aged I dare not determin but 't is sure their children were part of their parents enjoyments by nature the children of wrath and that God is an absolute Lord and the Lord saith concerning Sodom remarkably Ezek. 16.5 I took them away as I thought good Christ saith it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of Judgment then for Corazin c. but a more tolerable condition in regard of degrees takes not away but implies the kind of the condition the temporall punishment of the impenitent Sodomites was but a degree to the eternall and in regard of the suddenness of their destruction they might want time of repentance Notwithstanding all which with submission to better judgements I conceive that the Apostle doth not in this place intend primarily much lesse solely the destruction of these Sodomites by hell-fire Inclusively and secondarily I suppose he doth as the fire of hell was typified by that which fell upon them from heaven Nor do I clearly understand how these cities can be set forth as an example to sinners by suffering the punishment of hell-fire when of that the History of Genesis doth not speak at all and the example saith * Quomodo civitates illae per hoc quòd sustinent poenam ignis aeterni sunt peccatoribus in exemplum propositae cum de poena ignis aeterni Genesis historia non loquatur exemplum autem ab historia petatur Ut omittam quod exemplum sumi debeat à re not â notum autem non crat peccatoribus adversus quos hic agitur Sodomitas igne aeterno cruciari Estius in loc Sic Lorinus Probabilior expositio quod ignis aet crnus dicitur quia civitates igne deletae nunquam restituendae sunt effect us illius perseverat nec unquam cessaret si mundus uunquam desineret Sci Rivet 97. exerc in Gen. Ignis aeternus intelligi potest cujus effectus in illa regione perpetuò manent Heb. 5.6.7.17 Gen. 48.4 Exod. 32.13 Jer. 7.7.25.25 Psal 74.1 Illud ignis aeterni etsi jungi potest cum illo paenam sustinen tes commodius tamen aptatur illi voci exemplum ut sit sensus Sodomiticum illud incendium fuisse exemplum ignis aeterni Peter in Gen. 19. Vid. Estium quoque in Judam Estius should be taken from the History which sinners may read and hear And although it be said the fire wherewith these Sodomites were punished was eternall yet is it not necessarily to be understood of hell fire for even that fire which consumed these Cities may be called eternall 1. Because the punishment by this fire is rreparable to last to the end of the world these cities being never to be restored and in this sense eternall is often taken in Scripture where we read of the eternall hils Deut. 33.15 Psal 74.3 Perpetuall desolations That the land of Canaan was given to the seed of Abraham for an everlasting habitation Gen. 17.8 and for ever Gen. 13.8 That the Leviticall Ceremonies are for ever Lev. 6.22 2. Because these cities suffering the punishment of fire and brimstone described in Genesis are a type or figure of Everlasting fire and of the eternall punishment of wicked men therein And this some learned men seem to make good out of the text they reading these words as referring eternall fire to example thus are set forth for an example of eternall fire suffering vengeance not as here our Translators do who refer Eternall fire to Vengeance thus are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall fire by which construction they gather that the fire which irreparably hath destroy'd Sodom was a figure or type of that eternall fire reserved for wicked men in hell and by which sinners ought to be warned And as Learned Paget in that Treatise of his called Meditations of death observes Hell is denominated from the similitude of this place * The lake of fire burning with brimstone And of the Great Whore it is said Her smoke rose up for ever and ever And God saith he hath made a visible hell in that great lake which had once been a pleasant plain And Brochardus who spent ten yeers in the viewing of the Country saith That the Dead-sea is alwayes black smoaking and the very face of hell Nor yet do I conceive because in these words Eternall fire Jude may also include the punishment of the Sodomites in hell fire that therefore they are there tormented with materiall or bodily fire it is sufficient that the torments of the damned are set out by the paines of fire then which no creature is accounted by men more tormenting so that undoubtedly they are unconceivably greater and more exquisite then are any which can be caused by materiall fire and they are more tormenting in sundry respects Hell fire burns the soul Christ bids us fear none but soul-torments Mat. 10.28 and indeed if we can bear them least we should fear them most Hell fire though it burns yet it consumes not the wicked shall be its perpetuall fuel and it shall be a living death preying upon them not making an end of them Hell fire cannot as
ours be relieving or refreshing they who are in it shall never say Aha I have seen the fire but Oh I am tormented in this flame Hell fire is blowne not as ours Isai 44.16 Luk. 16.24 by the breath of man or any other created blast but by God himself whose breath is both the fire and a stream of brimstone Isai 30.33 and the bellowes A powerfull God powerfully punisheth as is he so is his strength How unsupportable must needs be the pains inflicted by angry omnipotency Hell fire cannot be extinguished Mat. 25.41 46. Hell fire cannot be extinguished nor tears nor time can put it out The many thousands of yeers that the effect of Sodoms fire lasteth here upon earth are but a faint resemblance of the true everlastingnesse of hell fire Nor yet is God unjust in punishing those eternally who have sinned but a little time He measures the punishment by the greatnesse of the offence not by the time of the doing the crime Treason or Murder may be committed in an instant but the punishment may last for scores of yeers nay when men punish by death there is a removing of the Malefactor from the society of men for ever and if the offence committed against God be infinitely heinous why may not the punishment be infinitely lasting besides how ordinarily do men sell away their possessions by bargaine or refuse an offered gift in a moment which thereby they part with for ever and how justly are sinners deprived of true blessednesse and that is not less then eternall which in a short time they refused and sold away for the satisfying of their lusts Nor can it be unjust with God to punish those in his eternity who have sinned against him in theirs who if they had to eternity been allowed to live would have improved it altogether in sin yea and who dispositively and in respect of their inclination did so OBSERVATIONS 1. The sin of uncleannesse is remarkably followed with vengeance As pleasure is that which the unclean mainly expect and which this lust principally promiseth so woes and pains are afterward by God constantly inflicted fornication and vengeance are by Jude joyned together 1. Spirituall vengeance attends upon this sin 1. It ensnares and captivates the soul God oft justly saith to the lovers thereof He that is filthy let him be filthy still It is both an inlet to all impiety in the world a lustfull man bogling at no sin that may bring him to enjoy his impure pleasure and also a lust which so binds down a sinner ingulphs him in and engageth him so deeply to the love of it self that notwithstanding the longer he lives in it the more he is afflicted and weakned by it yet the more unable and unwilling he is to leave it it lyes down with sinners in the dust Seldome is this sin found in the way of repentance a whore is a deep ditch Few are the foot-prints of returners from this den Prov. 23.27 and they too have escaped very narrowly In steed of repentance it labours concealment and men rather study to hide it then to turn it out of doors to cover it with a rag of secrecy then to cure with the plaister of repentance Nor doth this sin less disquiet then captivate It wasteth both the strength of the body and the peace of the conscience It 's pleasures are short It 's terrors are lasting By how much the sweeter Satan makes it in the mouth by so much the bitterer God makes it in the stomack The fall into this sin brake Davids bones Psal 51.8 The deep impression of its stain and the communicativenesse of its guilt and defilement to others are standing troubles to the conscience when once it is awakened 2. This sin is pursued with Externall vengeance 1. Upon the name a dishonour is gotten and a reproach that shall not be wiped away Prov. 6.33 Though the sore may be heald yet the scar abides although repentance should be the plaister Though Samson and Solomon were pardoned as to their own execution yet were they burnt in the hand and branded in the fore head for a warning to others Such was the hatred of God against this sin that God hath not left it a blank but a blemish in Davids story Nay so deep was the spot of dishonour which cleaved to this sin that the bastard issue of the adulterer was shut out from the congregation to the tenth generation 2. Upon the body It makes a man the Divels martyr Deut. 23.2 this sin is the seed of diseases and though it loves to lie hid in the shop yet the distempers bewray it that are laid in open view upon the stall The noysome breath the unclean botches the inflamed blood the consumed flesh the speedy age the short life Prov. 5.11 Lev. 20.10 Deut. 22.22 of many are some of the favourablest productions of carnall uncleannesse The penalty inflicted by the law of God upon adultery was death by stoning as it is generally thought and for some other excesses in this sin death by burning The woman suspected of adultery Mumb. 5.27 drinking those waters of jelousie which if she were guilty plagued her with the rotting of her belly and thigh was a cleer testimony of the heinousnesse of this sin and if these instances suffice not remember the death of 24000 Israelites at Peor 3. Upon the estate Lust is a flame that hath burnt down whole families cities it spoyled David's posterity of the greatest part of his kingdome It gives raggs for its livery and though it be furthered by the fulnesse Prov. 5.10.6.26 Job 31.12 yet it s followed with a morsell of bread It is a fire saith Job that consumeth to destruction and roots up all increase It is a secret canker and moth in the substance of the wealthiest Witnesse the destruction of many Noble Families and irreligious houses in England 3. Eternall vengeance followes this sin Whoremongers and adulterers God himself will judg Heb. 13.4 God returns flames for flames and revengeth the hell of this fire in the heart with the fire of hell The strange woman lodgeth her guests in the dephs of hell Prov. 9.18 Nor shall dogs be admitted into the new Jerusalem Rev. 21.15 nor the unholy see the face of God How great then is their sin who account this carnall uncleanness no sin who drink down this pleasant poyson of stoln waters and never think of its certain operation and throwing this fire brand into their beds their bodies families revenues say they are in sport What prodigious heaven-daring impudence is it to glory in this both sin and shame What are those bold enticers to it by paint speeches naked-breasts fire and brimstone shall one day cover them but the Divels dequoyes the emissaries and factors of hell the stratagems of Satan the increasers of transgressours Prov. 23.28 Let it be too much for Rome to suffer it to set open shop by
the second viz. Why the Lord would shew forth such an example of Caution Hereby he would shew 1. Our naturall forwardnesse to sin in like manner He who saith Take heed of such a practice shews a likelihood without care of doing the very same The naturall inclination of our hearts answers to that of the greatest sinners as face answers face in the glasse Their practices are but expositions upon our natures It is a Proverb What fools speak wise men think I am sure 't is a truth To that which the worst man acteth the heart of the best man without grace inclines And though the godly are not companions with the wicked in sin yet should they be humble for the very sinning of the wicked 2. His constant abhorrence of sin Examples of Caution speak both Gods hatred of the sin of those who went before whose punishments are the monuments of his vengeance as also his equall dislike of it in those who succeed against whom if they will sin he is prepared to do what he hath done against the former Though Gods forbearance towards some shews that sometime he can spare sinners yet his punishing of others shews that he never loves sin 3. The aptitude of examples for to prevent sin Greater is our forwardnesse to be affected with what we see executed then with what we hear denounced My eye saith the Prophet affecteth mine heart Examples either of imitation or caution work more on us then Doctrines The rod hath a louder voice then the word a mans word will not be so soon taken as his hand and seal God hath not only set seals to his promises but to his threatnings also and such seals as are examples Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord and beleeved c Exod. 14.31 When thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Isai 26.9 When a scorner is punished saith Solomon the simple is made wise Prov. 21.11 At the death of Ananias and Saphira Act. 5.11 Luk. 16.30 great fear came upon all the Church If one went from the dead said that tormented Glutton they will repent 4. His mercifull willingnesse to prevent our ruine The Lord gives us to see that so we may not be examples and lets us read the stories of others that so we may not be stories to others Such is the goodnesse of God that he had rather we should be drove away from then destroyed in sin Oft doth God recall to the minds of Israel the sins and punishments of their forefathers and his plagues upon the Egyptians It had been as easie for God to have destroyed them with as warned them by others had not mercy pâ—â—ased him Quot vulnera tot ora Every wound of another is a mouth that calls upon us to repent 5. The inexcusablenesse of sinning after the setting examples before us Dan. 5.22 This was the great aggravation of Belshazzers pride that he humbled not his heart though he knew the judgment which God had layed upon his father for the very sin of pride Thus likewise the Prophet hightens the impiety of Judah in that notwithstanding Judah saw the idolatry which Israel had committed against God and what judgements God had laid upon Israel yet Judah feared not but went and played the harlot also How just is God in hitting those to whom he had said before Stand off They who sin against examples sin presumptuously and even to a contempt of all Gods attributes his Immutability Power Righteousnesse Long suffering c. They cannot sin at so cheap a rate as those who never were warned He who will ride into the depth of the river notwithstanding the stake deserves irrecoverably to be drowned That thief offends obstinately who will rob in that place where his fellow hangs in chains OBSERVATIONS 1. The works of God especially his judgements Observ 1. have a language as well as his word Examples of judgement are visible Sermons and speak the pleasure of God When God forbears to punish he is said to keep silence Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath saith the Psalmist and vex them in his sore displeasure A word is significative and God is not only known by his word but even by his works also and particularly by his judgment which he executeth Psa l 9.16 Idem Deo facere loqui A word is not more easily uttered then the greatest work is performed by God There is nothing done by God but as a word is filia mentis produced by the mind was first determined before in his secret counsell There is no word so diffusive and scattered among so many as the works of God are there being no speech nor language where their voice is not heard In short Quot verbera tot verba No word or speech requires so much attention as the works of God do observation It is a shame for us that God hath spoken so often and so loud so long so plainly by them and that wee will not hear If that voice be not loud enough and if he hath stood too far to be heard he will speak more loudly and come nearer to us to our cost Intreat the Lord to open the ear as well as to speak the word and to teach as well as to speak Psal 94.12 2 Great Observ 2. is the excellency of the word in point of purity It sets not forth sins by way of meer relation much lesse by way of imitation but by way of caution As in it the filthiest of sins are spoken of modestly and purely so they are mentioned as punished severely Gen. 39.5 Gen. 38.26 Lev. 18.6 7. Sodoms filthinesse is set forth in Scripture but so likewise are Sodoms flames and both to warn us not to allure us The Scripture mentions the scourge as well as the sin of the holyest man the Medicine as well as the Malady how groundlesse is their impiety who take liberty to sin from reading of sins especially of good men in the Word what is this but to read it with Satans spectacles who as he cites so alwayes shews Scripture by halfs To sin without examples of caution is bad to sin against them is worse to sin by them is worst of all the first is to walk the second to run the third to flye to hell 3 Publick and notorious offenders Observ 3. ought to be open examples Sodom is not afraid to declare their sin and God declares it to make others afraid Though punishment should reach but a few yet fear should reach all Secret punishment is a plaister not broad enough for an open a scandalous fault God threatens even his otherwise dear David that he who had made the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.12 should be punished before all Israel and before the Sun Private corrections for open crimes are not plaisters to cure but only
severest punishing of offenders and not wound like murderers to destroy but like Chyrurgeons to cure and to prevent the spreading of sin yea punishment 8. Observ 8. It should be our great desire by all our own sufferings for sin to prevent the like sin in and sufferings of others We must not be like those that have the Plague who love to inffect others with it A gracious heart rather desires to hear of converts by his falls and woes then to have companions in either They who have been by sin examples of imitation should pray that by their sufferings they may become examples of Caution How rare is this heavenly temper in sufferers Most Christians when they are in troubles only desire the removall of them perhaps the sanctifying of them to themselves but who prayes for the sanctifying of them unto others It s ordinary for men under their sufferings to have thoughts of impatience against God and of revenge against the instrument of their troubles but unusuall for men to have aimes of benefiting beholders by their troubles If the Lord would throughly affect us with love to his glory and hatred to sin we should be willing to have the house pulled down upon our own heads so as sin may be destroyed in others and hereby we may do more good at our death then we have done throughout our whole lives The sinners of these laters times sin more heinously then they who lived in former ages Observ 9. The sins committed by those who have others for an example are greater then those committed formerly though they be the same for kind He who falls by stumbling at the same stone at which he dash'd who went before him falls without apology Wee in these times stand upon the shoulders of those who lived of old and therefore ought to see further we may behold by what meanes they stood where also and how they fell and how by either they sped More exactnesse in working and walking becomes us who have more light to guide us How happy were we if as we strive to excell our forefathers in other arts we did not come behind them in that heavenly art of a holy life though their helps were fewer then ours It is a common observation concerning our buildings that though they are of more curious contrivement yet lesse substantiall and durable then those of old time Non tulit nos sine exemplo◠ut inveniat sine delicto vel tollat sine patrocinio I fear this may be more truly said of our religion then of our buildings It will be more tolerable at the last day for those who lived in the times of Sodom then for sinners in these days upon whom the ends of the world are come Vnto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Surely as we pay dearer for our worldly commodities we must pay much dearer for our sinfull pleasures then our fore-fathers have done We had better never have heard of Sodoms ruin then not to mend our lives by the example 10. Observ 10 It s our duty to make an holy improvement of the worst things which fall out in the world Even Sodom and Gomorrha were our examples and we should make lye to cleanse us of their ashes A good man should sail as they say of skilfull Mariners with every wind and as Samson take honey out of the carcass of the Lion Vespasian raised gain out of an excrement the Estrich concocts iron Even the waters of jelousie which rotted the bellies and limbs of some made others healthfull and fruitfull The sins of the worst should and sometimes do teach the godly to walk more closely and humbly with God Were we not wanting to our selves the sin of Sodom might be to us felix culpa an happy fault But alas most men more imitate then shun the sins of others nay which is much worse they rather take occasion to oppose deride and so get hurt by seeing the holy strictnesse of the godly then to grow more watchfull and holy by observing the sinfull loosenesse of the wicked But here is the excellency of grace to make a man like David Therefore to love the Commandments of God Psal 119. i 27. because wicked men make void the Law 11. Observ ult It is our wisdome to learn how to behold the examples of caution which God hath set forth especially in Scripture with most advantage to our souls Against that which God shews we must not shut our eyes To this end 1. Let us give our assent to the truth of examples as delivered in Scripture which doth not only relate the judgments themselves but their causes also the supreme God the deserving sin Faith takes into its vast comprehension every part of Gods word It hath been the Divels policy to strike at the truths of Scripture-stories either by denying or adulterating them * Prophani quidam ex Schola Porphirii ut miraculū elevarent Confinxerunt Mosem peritissimum naturae observasse fluxum refluxum maris Erithraei refluente illo suos traduxisse Riv. in Exod. Porphiry to overturn the miraculousnesse of the Israelites passing through the Red sea saith that Moses took the advantage of a low ebbing water and so went through safely which the Egyptians not understanding were drowned by the flowing of the water Strabo likewise perverts the truth of this story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha Graeci Scriptores Sodomam cum vicinis civitatibus eam ob causam incendio periisse sentiunt quod regio illa cavernosa esset sulphurea atque ita hujusmodi exitio obnoxia Muscul in 19. Gen. by attributing it to naturall causes and reporting that these cities were seated on a soyl sulphureous and full of holes from which fire breaking forth consumed them Examples of the dreadfullest aspect will never affright us from sin when we look upon them in the Divels dress Let us not sport at examples and make them our play-fellows Read not the example of Lots wife as the Poeticall fiction of turning Niobe into a stone What judgement thou readest beleeve though never so severe never so farre beyond thy apprehension 2. Look upon examples with deep and diligent observation They must sink into us we must set our hearts to them Steep our thoughts in them and ponder them in their certainty causes severity Posting passengers cannot be serious observers of any place How profitable is it sometime to dwel in our meditations upon these monuments of divine justice Assent must be followed with consideration Transient thoughts become not permanent examples 3. Look upon these examples with an impartiall examination Enquire within whether was such an one whom vengeance overtook a greater sinner then I am Ask thy conscience that question which the Prophet put to the Israelites are there not with me even with me the same sins against the Lord Ransack thy soul to find out the traytor hide not that in
with ease dispatcheth great imployments The Commands of God are not grievous to it Love is the wing that weight and holy proclivity of the soul which if it finds not makes a way Nay 't is so speedy and present an affection that it endures no delayes It accounts not the least time little in which God is withdrawn It follows hard after God and puts not off it's pursuits of dutie or comfort till to morrow or a more convenient time 6. It 's an expensive Psal 16. bountifull costly love It will not offer that which cost it nothing even the meanest gift as alas how much below Christ is all we are or doe comes from a Kingly heart Love contends after excellency and perfection in attending upon that object which it loves under the apprehension of the greatest good How willingly did those Converts lay down all their goods at the Apostles feet and those afterwards burn their books of curious Arts 1 Chr. 22.29 2 Sam. 24.24 though of great value How great was Davids expence for the Temple and his desire that his purchase which he bought of Araunah should be being for his God costly Luke 7. How bountifull was that formerly sinfull woman in her expression of love to Christ How freely were her tears hairs kisses ointment imployed The greatnesse of the debt forgiven her made her love much and the greatnesse of her love made her spend much What save love made Zachâ—â— part with halfe of his goods to the poor Luke 19.8 John 1. Actâ—â—â— â—â— Gâ—n 43.34 and a four-fold restitution to the wronged by false accusation Love will make Peter willing to feed the sheep of Christ and Paul not to account his life dear to him to finish his Ministery Joseph loved Benjamin most and gave him a messe five times so much as any of the rest He that loves God most will lay out most for God 1 Thes 1.3 Heb. 6.10 More then once we read in the Scripture of the labour of love Love resteth in its labour and then resteth most when it laboureth most Nothing labours more or thinks it labours lesse then love I have heard of one that was ask'd for what sort of men he laboured most he answered for his friends He was again ask'd for whom then he laboured least he answered for his friends both answers were true for love made him think he did least for those for whom indeed he did most 7. It 's a submissive stooping patient love bearing from and forbearing for the Beloved any thing It puts us upon things below us for the pleasing of him whom we love it makes us to undertake that which another may esteem weaknesse and indecencie Davids love to Gods presence transported him to leaping and dancing thereby though Mical esteemed it basenesse to honour God Parents out of love to their children play and lisp and stammer Christ himselfe emptied and humbled himselfe for our sakes Love flies not like chaffe in the face of him that fans Rom. 8.38 39 The soule that loves is reconciled to God Cant. 8.7 though it sees not that God is reconciled to it It hath a child-like ingenuity to love and stay with a father that scourgeth it not a servile unsubmissivenesse to threaten presently after stripes departure It doth iratum colere numen follow a frowning father It lives contented with Gods allowance It will patiently be without what he thinks either fit to remove or not fit to bestow and all this not upon force but upon choice It loseth its own will in Gods and had rather will as doth God than understand as doth an Angel It taketh with joy the spoiling of its goods It ever thinks it hath enough left so long as God takes not away himselfe Omnia quae horribilia audis servire mori expiata sancta sunt amori Nier de art vol. It beareth the indignation of the Lord and accepteth the punishment of its iniquity and is willing to receive evill as well as good because from the hand of a God whom it loves For his sake it 's willing to be kill'd all the day long nor can the waters of death extinguish the taper of love 8. It 's a conforming love The Will of God is the Compasse by which it steers It fashions not it selfe according to the world It walkes not by example but by rule The heart will be set like a Watch which goeth exactly not by others but by the Sun It walks not by president but precept It regards not what is either its own or other mens but what is Gods will Its will and Gods are like two strings of an Instrument the one whereof being tuned to the other if the one be struck and sound the other also stirs and trembles when Gods will is declared the will of him that loves God moves accordingly It is much more solicitous to understand duty then to avoid danger It desires to have a heart according to Gods heart to be effigiated and moulded according to Scripture Impressions to love what God loves and hate what he hates to think and will the same with God 9. It 's a sociable love It moves to the full enjoyment of God as its Center Converse with God is its Element The soule where this love is debarr'd from prayer hearing is as the fish on dry land It restrains not prayer from the Almighty It walks with God It sings in the absence of Christ no more than did they in a strange land It loves to have its bundle of Myrh all the night between its breast It delights in every thing in which Christ may be seen Word Sacraments Conditions Soscietie Ministers and the more these have of Christs presence the more it loves them the closest purest powerfullest and most sin-discovering sin-disturbing preaching it loves best The holiest and most exactly walking Saints it loves best The Sacrament or Prayer wherein Christ smiles most sweetly it loves best The condition though outwardly bitterest wherein it sees the face of Christ most clearly it loves best 2 Tim 4.8 2 Pet. 3.12 Chiefly is the sociableness of love discovered in longing after the second coming of Christ in counting it best of all to be with him in loving his appearance in hasting to the coming of the day of God The unwillingness to have that day come proceeds from a Christians unrenewed part so much soreness as is in the eye so much lothness is there in a man to see the light proportionable to our love to sin is the disaffection to Christs appearance and the fear which is in a gracious heart of Christs second coming rather proceeds from a sense of its own unfitness to appear before Christ than an unwillingness to have Christ appear to it and more from a desire to be made meet for him than to remain without him 10. Lastly It s an uncessant Love A flame never to be quenched The Waters of affliction cannot drown it but