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
upon these clothes are onely thine the garment it self was anothers before it was thine Thou art beholding to mercy for any endowment of minde or body wisdom estate riches honours c. It s hard to be high in place and low in our own esteem Sacrifice not to thine own yarn or net let Mercy have the praise of all thou art and hast Pride is the moth of mercy nay Magnus dives est major divitiis suis qui non ideo magnum sc putat quia dives est Aug. the winde that dryes up the streams both of Gods bounty and thy gratitude That which by mercy was thine by thy pride may become anothers He is truly great in his riches that thinks not himself great by riches The greater our receipts the lesse room for pride the greater cause of thankefulnesse 2. In expecting of blessings only have an eye to mercy Idco Deus meus quia bonorum meorum non in diget Omne bonum nostrum aut ipse est 〈◊〉 ab ipso Aug. de Doc. Ch. l. 5. c. 31. In desires of pardon for sin acceptation of services obtaining of heaven renounce thine own worthinesse either in what thou art or dost How purely unprofitable to God is thy greatest goodnesse it is nothing unto him he is neither the better for thy goodness nor the worse for thy wickedness Is it any benefit to the fountain that thou drinkest of it or to the light that thou seest How full of mixtures of sin are thy holyest services in the sense whereof holy Augustine pray'd Regard O Lord in me not my work but thine own If thou regardest mine thou damnest me if thine own thou crownest me what-ever good I have is from thee and 't is rather thine then mine How full of pride is thy humility thy faith of distrustfulnesse Phil. 3.13 thy zeal of lukewarmnesse of self-seeking thy performances what darknesse is in thy light how unrighteous thy righteousnesse If God should contend with us Job 9.2 3 Qui de perfectione se â—rigit habere se bene vivendi neâ— initium indicat Gr. Mo. l. 9. c. 1. In sola Christi morte te totum contege huic morti te involve si Deus te voluerit judicare dic Do mine mortem Domini mei objicio inter me et te Ans de art Mor. Meritum meum miseratio Domini Bern. Serm. 61. in Cant. Prece post justitiam indiget ut quae succumbere discussa poterat ex sola Judicis pietate convalescat Gr. Mor. l. 9. cap. 14. Etsi ad opus virtutis excrevero ad vitam non ex meritis sed ex venia convalesco Id. Ib. Sordet in districtione Judicis quod in aestimatione fulget operantis Gr. Mor. l. 5. c. 7. James 2.13 2 Tim. 1.16 2 Tim. 4.8 we cannot answer for one of a thousand He that boasteth of the perfection wants the very beginning of holiness That which appears beautifull in thine eyes is foul in Gods The wisest counsell is to cover over thy self and winde up thy soul in Christs death to set that between God and thy soul to acknowledge his mercy thy onely merit Death is a stipend Life is a donative a free gift not a due debt God crowneth with mercy but a swoln head is not fit to have that crown put upon it Who can say he hath cleansed his heart We want a thousand times more grace than we have though sin be cast down in regard of its regency yet it is not cast out in regard of its inherency Thy rectitude compared to thy rule is crookedness 'T is not thy purity but thy pardon that must save thee If there shall be judgment without mercy to those that shewed no mercy then must it be with mercy even to those also which shew mercy It s mercy that must stand Onesiphorus in stead at that day The Crown of righteousnesse Paul speaks of is a crown of mercy too the bestowing it is of justice but the promising it was of mercy 2. Obs 2. The duty of contentation in our greatest wants or smallest receipts If one not engaged to us deny us a courtesie we have no cause of discontentment when God gives it is free mercy when he with-holds he useth his liberty Thy supplyes are without desert and thy wants must be without discontent Wonder not at the blessings thou dost not wonder more at those thou dost enjoy Thy condition is begging and thy part is not choyce Cum aspexeris quot te antecedant cogita quot sequantur Sen. Ep. 15. Repine not if thou canst not reach thy richest neighbour who hast nothing to say against God should the poorest overtake thee Murmur not for what is lost but be thankfull for what is left We must not controll God in the disposing of his alms as if he did not distribute with equality We should bring our hearts to his hand where he stayes his bounty there must we stint our desires 3. I note The impiety and folly of those that abuse mercy that spurn against Gods bowels Obs 3. Sins against mercy are double-dy'd This is the provocation Heb. 3.8 to see Gods works of love and care forty yeers and yet to sin this is to sin against the remedy other sinners may these who thus sin must die These sin at a higher rate than others These in sin cast not off God onely but even the very man Isa 1.3 nay are sham'd by the beasts If to requite good for evill is our duty in reference to man surely to requite evill for good and that to God must needs be impiety This sin renders inexcusable God appeals to the very consciences of mercy-despisers Isa 5.3 4 and offers themselves to judge of the righteousnesse of his proceedings in punishment nay the recollecting of abused mercy will be the most scalding ingredient in that fiery lake when the flaming sufferer remembers he that is now mocking at my calamity once wept over my unkind soul he who is now harder than flint and marble against me was once a tender-hearted God toward me he who now thunders in wrath formerly soundin bowels the way of mercy was once open and plain but now the bridge of mercy is drawn my possibilities are ended I am now in a gulf of woe that heretofore was unprofitably a gulf of mercy How many Kingdoms nay Worlds would I now give for but one drop of that love the sweet and swelling streams whereof I heretofore did but paddle in O Christian sin not against Mercy if that be thine enemy what shall Justice be when Love it self shall be inexorable who shall plead for thee Let mercy make thee blush that justice may not make thee bleed Trifle not away the day of grace The wine of mercy is to refresh the sorrowfull with hope not to intoxicate the sinner into presumption If mercy cannot thaw thee 't will burn thee O let the long-suffering of God be
Quaenam foeditas carmen occinere quo Satanas oblectetur And never should we more suspect Satans poyson then when he offers us to drink in a golden cup. Never more fear his seducements then when he useth men and men whose plausibilities are most taking 2. The Apostle describes the entrance of these Seducers by the indefinite and uncertain expressing of their number that had entred among them He neither names who they were nor determines thereby how many they were but only saith they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certain men 'T is here demanded Why the Apostle mentions not their names or who they were 1. Explicat It was possible though not likely their names might be altogether unknown to him 2. It is by sundry conceived that the Apostle did know them by name Thus Oecumenius Aretius and others the former whereof tels us himselfe some of their names Homines nullius nominis as Nicholas Valentinus Simon and Marcion But it 's conceived that the Apostle did forbear to name them though he knew them 1. To shew how much he disdained them as if he apprehended them to be such vile persons as were not fit and worthy to be named among Christians or by him distinctly but confusedly to be bound up in this bundle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certain men And this some who conjecture that the discourse of Christ concerning the rich glutton is an history conceive to be the reason why our Saviour gives us the poor mans name Lazarus not so much as vouchsafing to name the rich epicure calling him only a certain rich man * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 16.19 as if it were unfit his name should be left to posterity And this conjecture concerning these Seducers in the text seems to be strengthned not only by the consideration of their detestable practices and opinions which deserved that their founders should be buryed in forgetfulness but also by the Apostles expressing their base and contemptible manner of entrance in the very next word by creeping in unawares as if he had set himself to slight them 2. It 's thought the Apostle forbears to express the names and thereby to determine the numbers of these Seducers to make these Christians more wary and vigilant in their carriage and conversing they living among Seducers and yet not knowing who they were That there were sundry many of them he intimates who or how many he conceals that so they might be the more circumspect in taking heed of all who might any way seduce them And thus the Apostle exhorts the Christians 1 John 4.1 to try the spirits because there are many false prophets gone out into the world If a man be to converse among persons infected by the plague when he is uncertain which of them or how many have that disease he will be the more wary of every one Our not knowing of all those who are erroneous should make us try what we hear even from those who are soundest 1. How much are hereticks and Seducers deceived Observ 1. who expect to grow famous and honoured by being patrons of ungodly and erroneous opinions Heresie never was a foundation of honour to the contriver though the hopes of gaining of honor be a furtherance to become heresiarchs While the pure lights of the Church have burnt sweetly and shined bright even to after ages there is nothing remaining of old Hereticks notwithstanding all their new and pretended light but stink and smoke and snuff Howsoever they may be for a time respected in the world yet as even at first the Scripture proclaimes their infamy and discovers their impostures to some so shall posterity by the advantages of time and Scripture-study reckon their sometimes adored names among the notes of greatest disgrace So that even those who through the love of errour imbrace their opinions shall through the love of honour be ashamed of their names Seducers love to call their books and companies by their own name but their names are not up in Gods Book 2. False teachers are wont to be many and numerous in the Church of God Observ 2. In Saint John's time many though as here 1 John 4.1 2 John 2 7. Tit. 1.10 he names not how many false Prophets were gone out into the world And he saith also Many deceivers are entred into the world And Paul tels Titus that there were many deceivers The Prophets of Jezebel were four hundred Satans Emissaries are sent out by troops what they want of weight they make up in number The goodnesse of any cause cannot be judged by the number of its patrons There may be an hundred false prophets to one and if there were an hundred true ones to one false that false one may possibly have an hundred friends for one that truly loves the hundred who are true Should religion be carried only by vote heresie would oft prevail Argumentum pessimum turba The most are usually the worst Numbers are but a slight argument to a heart that resolves to follow Scripture It 's better to go to heaven with and after a few than to hell with and after the throng Multitudes neither warrant in the way nor comfort in the end 3. Observ 3. Mat. 7.15 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Ephes 4. Christian vigilancy is most needfull in dayes of herefie Beware of false prophets saith Christ Beware saith Peter left ye be led away with the errour of the wicked The cunning craftinesse of false prophets in deceiving our readinesse to be deceived and our hurt in being so call aloud for the duty of circumspection Seducers are crafty errour is catching and it being imbraced hurt to the soul is certain How sad is it to see so many wary men in trading for the world and so many childish and simple in negotiating for heaven Most men invert the Apostles advice for in malice they are men in knowledge children Should all be reckon'd children as indeed they may who know not their right hand from their left in religion where should we find an man The wisdome of the prudent is to understand his way Prov. 14.8 old Scripture preservatives should much be used in times of hereticall infection in ways wherein there are many turnings it 's safe often to enquire The Word is the way the Spirit is the guide humility prayer vigilancy excellent helps to walk in the one and to follow the other Thirdly The Apostle describes the entrance of these Seducers into the company of these Christians from the subtilty and slynesse of their entrance and that thus They crept in unawares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Explicat Two things offer themselves in the Explication The first The sense and force of the word Secondly The agreement of it to these Seducers in their entrance among these Christians Exod. 15.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 23.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 60.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Gospel even against the inward operation and supernaturall revelation of the holy Ghost This as I conceive is the unpardonable sin and was the sin of Alexander the copper-smith 2 Tim. 4.14 and of Julian 2. By an open and wilfull apostatizing from the faith and profession of religion haply for fear of persecution and out of too much love of this world This I conceive was the sin of Demas and Spira 2 Tim. 4.10 3. By a politick and terme-serving neutrality a lukewarmenesse and halting between two opinions for fear or shame when a man is oft on either side but truly on neither They on that side think him theirs we on this side think him ours his own conscience thinks him neithers To hold our peace when the honour of Christ is in question is to deny Christ even to a mistaking of the end of our redemption 1 Cor. 6.20 Yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie Christ in your body Joh. 1.20 and spirit Christ is not glorified when his name is concealed John Baptist confessed and denyed not Whosoever doth not openly confesse Christ Pet. 3.15 doth secretly deny Christ Christ is not to be hid as the woman hid the spies in the deep well of our hearts and covered over as she did the mouth of the well with corn for worldly concernments Rom. 10.10 Christum deseserit qui Christianum se non asserit If it be enough to beleeve in the heart why did God give thee a mouth He denyes Christ that doth not professe himselfe a Christian We are bound both consentire and confiteri both to consent to and confesse Christ If it be sufficient for thee to know Christ without acknowledging him for thy Lord it shall be sufficient for Christ to know thee but not to to acknowledg thee for his servant 2 Tim. 2.12 He who refuseth to suffer for dinies Christ He who is not for Christ is against him There may be a sinfull a damnable moderation The following Christ a far off in this life is no sign that thou shalt be near to him in the next No man will be afraid of being too professed a Christian at the day of judgment or will think that he hath lost too much for Christ when he is presently to lose all things by death If the time wherein we live be a night of profanenesse it s our duty the more brightly to shine as lights Phil. 3.15 4. By despairing of salvation offered through the merits of Christ in the promise of the Gospel This is a thrusting from us the hand that would and a casting away the plaister that should cure us 1 John 5.10 This sin makes God a lyar changeth his truth into a lye and Satans falsehood into a truth and justifies the divell more than God He that despairs of mercy what-ever he pretends practically denies the faithfulnesse sufficiency and sincerity of the Lord Jesus and asserts the faithfulnesse of him who is the father of lies 5. Lastly By a loose and profane conversation and this kind of practicall reall denying of Christ I conceive the Apostle particularly chargeth upon these seducers They walked after their own ungodly lusts their lives being full of earthlinesse and epicurism and their mouths of reproaches against holy obedience they encouraging themselves and others herein by perverting the sweet doctrine of the grace of God Ii qui sanguine Christi redempti fuerant diabolo se rursus mancipantes incomparabile illud pretium irritum faciunt Calv. in loc They professed the grace of Christ but led most gracelesse lives Their practice gave their profession the lye If they were not ashamed of Christ yet were they a shame to Christ their Lord who kept such servants they walked not worthy of their Lord. They had the livery of Christ upon their backs and the works of the divell in their hands The merit of his redemption they acknowledged but they denyed the efficacy thereof whereby he fanctifieth and reneweth the heart subdueth sin and quickneth to new obedience They acknowledged Christ a Jesus but denyed him as a Lord Christ they took for their Saviour but Satan for their master They like it well to come to Christ for ease but they will not take his though easie yoke upon them II. 2d Branch of Explicat Wherein appeares the sinfulnesse of this denyall of Christ 1. It plainly comprehends the sinne of Atheism There 's none who denies this only Lord God in his life but first denyed him in his heart and they who serve him not as the word commands apprehend him not as the word discovers They who are corrupt and do abominable works Psal 14.1 have said in their hearts there is no God Life-Atheisme is but the daughter of heart-Atheisme All outward actions are the genuine productions of the inward man they are as I may say the counter-panes of the spirit and so many derivations from that fountain Now think O Christians what an heinous sin it is to deny that being which thine own proves nay to hear to speak of God to plead for God to pray to God so frequently and in appearance feelingly and yet to deny that this God is 2. The denyall of this Lord as clearly contains the sin of unbeleife and distrust They who deny the service of this their Lord truly think what that wicked servant in the Gospel said namely that Christ notwithstanding all his promises Mat. 25.24 is as an hard man that reaps where he did not sow and that there is no profit in serving him Heb. 3.12 'T is this evill heart of unbelief that makes men depart from the living God When men see no excellencie in Christ 't is easie for them to be perswaded to reject him He who beleeves not a jewel is precious will easily part with it He who denyes Christ plainly shews that he hath no trust in him to receive any benefit from him And how great a sin is this unbelief whereby fulnesse it self is esteemed empty Mercy it self is reckoned cruell Gain it self deemed unprofitable and all because faithfulnesse it self is accounted false 3. The denyall of Christ is notorious and unspeakable profanenesse it evidently shews that a man preferrs other things before and loves other things more than Christ No man ever denies and leaves this best of Masters till he be provided of a Master whom he thinks and loves better But how great a disparagement and indignity do they who set up any thing above Christ offer to Him who hath sent and designed Christ Joh. 5.23 and 6.27 the master-piece of all his mercifull and wise contrivements and to Christ himself For there 's nothing which can come in competition with Christ but is infinitely below him All the combined excellencies of creatures put into the balance with Christ bear not so much proportion as doth a feather to a mountain To forsake Christ for the world or a lust is to leave a
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
the generall are persons of an holy conversation To him who ordreth his conversation aright will God shew his salvation Christ will blesse people not by the voice when they shall say they are Christians but by the hands he will handle and feel them And more particularly it is a Good day to those only who have done good to the afflicted friends of Christ No good duty is acceptable to Christ if we reject works of mercy Psal 16.3 2 Thes 1.5 6 7. How chearfully may he look upon the Judge that hath saved the lives of the Judge his wife and children The Saints are tyed to Christ in both relations Phil. 4.5 Si tanta percussione digna est pietas non impensa perpende quid mercatur injustitia illata What can cruelty and oppression expect from Christ at that day but the measure which Zebah and Zalmunnah found from Gideon who wereslain by him for slaying his brethren If the not relieving of the Saints deserve a curse what shall the robbing of them do 6. Observ 6. Great should be the consolation of every friend of Jesus Christ in thinking of this great day It shall be to them a Good day A day of clearing from all undue imputations Moses being charged with ambition in taking too much upon him comforted himself with the thoughts of the morrow Numb 16. 1 Cor. 4.4 To morrow saith he shall the Lord shew who are his When the counsells of the heart shall be manifest every one shall have praise of God When a Christian is call'd a dissembler and an hypocrite he may say at the great day the Lord shall shew whether it be so or no. All slanders defamations shall fall off from the Saints as do drops of water from an oyled post The weight of their glory shall weigh down all their light slight disgraces In all the wants and losses of the faithfull for Christ in this life how great may be their consolation Great shall be their reward in heaven Mat. 5.12 none shall be losers by Christ that are losers for him The day of Judgement shall be the day of restitution of all their comforts God takes away nothing but what he gave and what he will again restore yea for which he will restore a thousand fold This great day should relieve us against the length of our troubles and the slownesse of deliverance Though God asks day for the rewarding of his children yet the greatnesse of the recompences of that Great day shall infinitely more then countervail for the slownesse of the bestowing them In all obscurity and contempt how may the Saints rejoyce to consider that at the great day they shall appear with Christ in glory and shine as the Sun in the Firmament When a Master is absent from a School the Scholers are mingled together those who are of the highest Form are perhaps standing amongst those of the lowest but when the Master comes into the School every Scholer takes his right place so at the last day every one shal have their due place allotted to them though now there be nothing but confussion This great day may comfort Saints in their greatest distances In this world they are oft far from one another Eph. 4.13 both in respect of places opinions affections at this great day they shal all meet yea and in the unity of the faith of the Son of God In all the cruelties and unkindnesses of wicked men It s the duty of the Saints in this life to be patient among it shall be their priviledge hereafter to be freed from the company of the wicked * Quomodo Christus eum damnabit quem propriamors redemit Ambros lib. de Jacob. cap. 6. Quis venturus est judicare te nisi qui venit judicaripro te Aug. in Psal 147. they shall neither be troubled with sin nor sinners nor sorrows the day of Judgement shall be a day of redemption Luk. 21.28 Eph. 4.30 of refreshment Act. 3.19 the thoughts of this day may support them in their absence from Christ At that great day they shall meet with their Redeemer their Spouse their Head how shall not Christ save those from death for whom he hath suffred death Who shall come to judge the Saints but he who came to be judged for them VER 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall fire THis Verse containes the third example of Gods severe displeasure against the sinners of former times and it is that of Sodom and Gomorrha c. which the Apostle sets down by way of comparison noted in these words Even as the former part or proposition whereof is in this verse and the reddition or second part in the two next following In this example I observe four parts 1. The Places punished Sodom and Gomorrha and the cities about them 2. The deserving cause of their punishment In like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh 3. The severity of their punishment Suffering the vengeance of eternall fire 4. The end and use of their punishment they are set forth for an example For the first The Places punished Sodom and Gomorrha and the cities about them EXPLICATION Four things may be by way of Explication inquired into 1. What places these cities of Sodom and Gomorrha were 2. What were these Cities about them 3. Why Sodom and Gomorrha are rather named then those Cities about them 4. Why these places are rather named then the persons and inhabitants thereof 1. For the first concerning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha to reserve the speaking of their sin and punnishment unto the two following parts of the text Wee read Gen. 13.10 upon occasion of Lots choice of the plain of Jordan for the place of his habitation that all that plain was well watred every where before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha even as the garden of the Lord like the land of Egypt * Hoc cave cum Lyrano referas ad proxime dictum de Egypto quasi Aegyptum veâ—it esse feracem maxime qua ex ea venitur ad Segor Id non vult sed cum remotiori jungendum Erat inquam illa Jordanis planicies irrigua qua itur in Segorem Mercerus in locum Hanc Lectionem amplectuntur Musculus Mercerus Pererius Willetus as thou comest unto Zoar. The River Jordan taking beginning from the mountain Libanus and arising say some out of two fountaines call'd Dan and Jor which joyned together make the name Jordan after it hath run saith Pererius about fifteen miles falleth into the lake Samechonitis the same that is call'd the waters of Merome Josh 11.7 then it passing along by Chorazin and Capernaum falleth into the lake Genesareth and so it having continued a current of an hundred miles in length till it falleth