that Preservation flowes from the decree of Election Quod datur ex efficaci intentione infallibiliter servandi illam personam cui donatur illud ex decreto dilectionis dimanare manifestum est Suffr Br. p. 197. is most manifest in regard it s given with a previous intention of infallible bringing him to salvation to whom it is given for what is election but to ordain infallibly to obtain salvation And this immutable purpose the all-powerfull and faithfull God backs with infallible promises The mountains shall depart but the covenant of his peace shall not Isa 54.10 I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.40 My sheep shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Joh. 10.29 I will betroth thee unto me for ever Hos 2.19 Christ shall confirm you to the end 1 Cor. 1.8 Nay this stablenesse of his Councel he shews by an oath also which was Luc. 1.75 That we being delivered c. might worship him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life This purpose and these promises God even in this life backs with such performances as prove Perseverance infallibly to follow he bestows upon his people an inward continuing principle of holinesse the seed of God remaining in Gods people which makes them that they cannot sin 1 Joh. 3.9 A well of water springing up unto everlasting life Joh. 4.14 An annointing abiding in them 1 Joh. 2.27 The Spirit abiding for ever Joh. 14.26 The fear of God in their hearts not suffering to depart from God Jer. 32.40 Gifts without repentance Rom. 11.29 Upon these performances of God 1 Joh. 5.13 Heb. 3.6 2 Pet. 1.10 beleevers have been assured and are commanded to labour for the assurance of their salvation A priviledge not to be attained if assurance of perseverance were impossible for without perseverance there is no salvation 3. The third and fullest preservation is Eternal which shall be perfectly from every enemy that may hurt in a way of sin and misery truly called foelix securitas secura foelicitas happy safety and safe happinesse when the people of God shall neither offend nor be offended when there shall be neither a sin in the soul nor a sinner in their society when Satan shall no more solicite when the faithfull shall not onely be exempted from foyls but even from fighting when in stead of swords they shall only have palms in their hands Oh blessed condition to have rest on every side fulnesse of grace perfection of peace to be freed from all fears to be lodg'd in the bosom and lock'd up in the embraces of God to eternity to be in our haven our center our fathers house O my soul 't is a heaven to hope it what then is it to have it And this for the explication of the nature of this Preservation the second kinde of priviledge bestowed upon the faithfull The Observations follow 1. Obs 1. Sanctified persons have many enemies 'T is true none are safe but such and yet none so much solicited as such What need this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this carefull preservation this garison of Gods power if there were none feared to give and take the possession of thy soul from God Is there not a false party within The best-govern'd City hath some traytors and so hath the best-govern'd heart nay is not the better party in the soul far the lesser and how oft doth the disaffected conspire to let in the enemy without which they had long agoe done and destroy'd the good party too Perfectiones sibi relictae sunt pondera ad ruinam Gers for Grace left to it self falls had it not been for Gods power The great designe of Satan is to surprize Sanctity the thief gotten into the house presently enquires where the jewels and money are laid up the Divel had rather catch one fish then a hundred frogs he is sure already he thinks of his own Besides they do not much credit his cause but could he bring over to himself one sanctified person he would boast in such an addition to his Kingdom It s the tree that bears fruit which is pluck'd and cudgel'd under other trees which have onely leaves men sit and walk indeed but they pluck them not And of all trees which bear fruit those which bear the best are pull'd and beaten most It s the richly laden ship that is most endangered by the Pirates the soul enrich'd with holinesse for which Satan lyes most in wait There are as many miracles wrought as a Saint is preserved minutes Let us neither be secure nor discouraged Not secure we live in the midst of enemies He that will be alway safe must never be secure we cannot trust God too much nor our own hearts too little the former is our keeper the later is our traytor there 's no Christian his own keeper we can neither stand not rise alone all we can do alone is to fall Not discouraged thy many robbers shew thou hast something worth the taking from thee thy enemies though they endanger thy holinesse yet grant it in opposing thee they speak thee none of theirs nay they engage Jesus Christ to oppose them who will lose none of his Cadit mundus sed non cadit Christianus quia non cadit Christus Aug Obs 2. to pity thee who will not suffer thee to be tempted above thy power Let the world fall yet a Christian falls not as long as Christ stands 2. Then God keeps most graciously when he keeps us from sin then he keeps us as his own people He keeps from sicknesse or poverty by way of a generall providence but from sin by way of peculiar preservation what-ever other preservation he bestows without this 't is but a reservation to eternall ruine Christ that loveth all his members most tenderly never desired of his Father to keep them free from outward troubles he prayeth not that he should take his disciples out of the world Joh. 17.15 but keep them from the evill Not that they should be exempted from suffrings but preserved from sin the evill that they might never side with the times against God that they might never apostatize or forsake the truth Every one seeks safety but who desires this true safety this soul-safety Worldly policy would that a man sleep in a whole skin but true wisdom puts a man upon preserving a whole conscience A whole skin countervails not for a wounded conscience And yet this is the study of the times every one labours to save one to fall upon his feet to keep from being plundred c. but who study to be kept from offending God If thou couldst as easily keep thy self from Gods wrath as from mans by all thy projects thy policy would be a good pattern gain in the chist and loss in the conscience is but a bad exchange he that will save his life when he should
And custome without truth is at the best but the antiquity of error The old path and the good way are put for the same Jerem. 6.16 If the removall of the ancient bounds and landmarks which our fathers have set be a sin so frequently prohibited how heinous is the violation of the ancient boundary of holinesse which at the first was fixed by God himself 3. The depravation of nature Observ 3. introduceth all disorder in practice When these angels had left their originall purity they soon forsake their originall employment and Mat. 7.18 the divel abiding not in the truth becomes a murderer All the irregularities of life are but derivations from unholy principles The corrupt tree yeelds not good fruit Luk. 6.45 Out of the evill treasure of the heart are evill things brought forth The wheels of the Clock going wrong needs must the hand do so the Translation will be according to the Original We see at what door to lay all the prodigious impieties in the world which are but the deformed issues of corrupted nature How foolishly are men angry with themselves for outward and visible transgressions in their lives when they tamely and quietly endure an unchanged nature like men who dung and water the roots of their trees and yet are angry for their bearing of fruit How preposterous and how plainly begun at the wrong end are those endeavours of reformation which are accompanyed with the hatred of renovation If the tree be bitter and corrupt all the influences and showrs of heaven cannot make the fruit good When these angels had lost the integrity of nature even heaven it self did not help them to it How miserable lastly is he who hath no better fountain than corrupted nature for the issuing forth of all his services Even the best performances of an unrenewed person cannot be good coming not from a pure heart Phil. 1.11 Eph 2.10 a good conscience and faith unfained they are but dead carcasses embalmed and at the best but hedg-fruit sowre and unsavoury till they who bear them are ingrafted into Christ and partake of his life 4. Corrupt nature cares not for the joyes Observ 4. joyned with the holinesse of heaven As soon as these angels had left their first estate of integrity they forsook even that holy though most happy habitation Heaven it selfe was no heaven to them when they became unholy A sinner may not unfitly be compared to a common beggar who had rather live poorly and idly than plentifully in honest imployment How great is the antipathy of corrupt nature to heavenly performances when they will not down though never so sweetened The enmity of sin against God and holinesse is not to be reconcil'd How little are we to wonder that heaven is a place only for the pure in heart and that Christ at the last day will say to the workers of iniquity Mat. 7.23 Job 22.17 Depart from me since they not only in this life say to God Depart from us Job 21.14 but should they be admitted into that habitation of blisse with unholy hearts they would be unwilling there to continue with him Let it be our care to be made meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light if we expect to have nay to love the joyes thereof 5. Observ 5. How irrationall is every sinner There 's no person in love with any sin but is indeed out of love with his owne happinesse These angels for a meer supposed imaginary happinesse of their own contriving part with the reall blessednesse of enjoying the satisfying presence of the blessed God None can become a divell till first he become a beast A sinner can with no better plea of reason yeeld to any tentation of sin Jud. 16.6 then could Samson to that motion of Delilah Tel me where thy great strength lieth and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee Wicked men are rightly call'd unreasonable 2. Thes 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jud. 10. Psal 49. ult or absur'd such whom no reason will satisfie and brute beasts led with humour and sense against all reason Who that had not laid aside even reason would lose his soul for a trifle a shadow and die as Jonathan said for tasting of a little hony He who accounts it unreasonable to part with the poorest worldly commodity without a valuable consideration much more to exchange a conveyance of a thousand pound per annum for a painted paper is yet much more absur'd in sinning against any command of God which is back'd with the very height of reason both in respect of our duty to the Commander and benefit by the command 6. It s a sin for any even the highest Observat 6. to exempt himselfe from service Angels have their tasks set them by God which they must not leave There 's no creature but hath an allotment of duty Though we cannot be profitable yet must we not be idle God allowes the napkin to none upon whom he hath bestowed a talent nor hath he planted any to cumber the ground and only to be burdens to the earth If wee are all of him we must be all for him It s not consistent with the soveraignty of this great King to suffer any subject within his dominions who will be absolute and not yeeld him his homage nor to his wisdome to make any thing which he intends not to use The first who adventur'd to cease from working was a divel and they who follow him in that sin shall partake with him in the sutable punishments of chains and darknesse It s a singular mercy to have opportunities of service abilities for it and delight in it at the same time It s the priviledg of the glorious angels to be confirmed in their work as well as in their happinesse God never is so angry with any as those whom he turns out of his service 7. The glorifyed are in heaven as in an habitation Observ 7. Luk. 16.9 Joh. 14.2 2 Cor. 5.1 Heb. 11.10 16 Heb. 13.14 Heb. 4.9 Omnis homo est advena nascendo incola vivendo quia compellitur migrare moriendo Aug. in q. 91. sup Lev. Heaven is in Scripture often set out by expressions importing it to be a place of stability setlement and abode as Everlasting habitations a Fathers house Mansions a building of God an House not made with hands eternall in the heavens A city a city which hath foundations a continuing city a Rest How sutable are fixed and immovable affections to this permanent and stedfast happinesse everything on this side Heaven is transitory The fashion of this world passeth away here we have no continuing city Our bodies are tabernacles and cottages of clay which shortly shall bee blown down by the wind of death * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Pelus l. 1. ep 65. yea their falling begins with their very building and this whole world is an habitation which ere long will be
down his work is done A person spiritually enlightned hath not onely Spiritum adstantem but assistentem should hee have all the incouragements of honour or profit from without he could never do any thing cheerfully but would ever be complaining unlesse he enjoyed inward quicknings and enlivenings of heart in duty by the Spirit of Christ the supplyes of the Spirit 2. A sanctified person lives a holy life as in acting from so according to a principle of holy life Now his actings are according to his principle of holinesse 1. In regard of their kinde they are of the same sort or nature with the principle of holinesse Water in the stream is of the same nature with that in the fountan He that is sanctified lives like himself his regenerated self A spirituall life produceth spirituall living the seed of God puts forth it self in the fruits of godliness if he be a fig-tree he bears no thistles the working of a Saint follows his being The Vnderstanding acts in a sound efficatious Eph. 1.17 18. Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.23 operative influentiall knowing both of God and our selves The Conscience acts in a holy tendernesse and remorsefulnesse for sin Psal 16.7 2 Chr. 34.27 and in a pious peaceablenesse and quietnesse giving witnesse of a persons reconciliation to Rom. 5.1 and walking with God sincerely 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of a good conscience The Memory retaining heavenly things as a treasury Psal 119.11 repository or spirituall store-house of the Word an Ark for the two Tables The Will acts by a plyable yeelding to God in all things both to do what God enjoyns and to undergo what God inflicts in both its flexible Rom. 7.18 Psal 39.9 It desires to please God in all things though it find not alway to perform The Affections act in a holy regularity and order being streams not dried up but diverted 1 Tim. 1.5 Psal 18.2 Love is out of a pure heart a spark flying upwards set upon God principally and that for himself set upon man for God either because we see God in him or desire we may Psal 139.25 Hatred is now of those things that God hates and that hate God Joy is now spiritual in the Lord in communion with him in serving of him though in tribulation Sorrow is now for ours and others sin and the sufferings of the Church not for such poor things as worldly trifles the pearls of tears not being cast upon the dunghill Our Desires are now set upon the presence and pleasing of God pardon of sin a soft heart fruitfulnesse under the means the prosperity of Sion the appearance of Christ Our Zeal is not now hot for our selves and cold for God like fire well ordered burneth for the service not the consuming of the house Hope is now lively and well grounded not false and carnall This spirituall acting outwardly reacheth the body making it a weapon of righteousnesse fire within will break out The whole body is the souls instrument in all its members being obedient to effect good actions according to the dictate of renewed Reason and the command of sanctified Will the Eye is as it were a watch-man the Tongue a spokes-man the Ear a disciple the Arm a champion the Leg a lackquey all at the dispofall of God If the wares of holinesse be in the Shop those of the same kind will be on the Stall the life of a Saint is a visible Sermon of sanctification he who hath his heart ordered aright hath his conversation ordered aright Psal 50. the hand of the clock goeth according to the wheels Out of the good treasury of the heart he brings forth good things The body will be the interpreter of a gracious heart the law is written in the heart and commented upon in the life a clean stomack sends forth a sweet breath The matter of our actions shall be warranted by the word Psal 119.35 Mic. 6.8 Luk. 17.10 Act. 4.19 Psal 32.2 Psal 112.1 the manner humble cheerfull resolute sincere In a word glory ends are propounded and our workings if God require shall crosse our own interest ease profit Tohave a good heart and a wicked life is a walking contradiction A sanctified person is not as Ephraim a cake not turn'd only baked on one side 2. The actings of a sanctified person are conformable to his principle of Sanctification as that principle is extensive to and puts upon all the wayes of holinesse and as it is a seed of all the fruits of Sanctification A sanctified person embraceth every holy duty he fructifieth in every good work Col. 1.10 hath respect to every precept Ps 119.6 128 esteems every precept concerning all things to be right There 's a concatenation of all graces they are linked together in a divine league he hath not any grace that wholly wants any The instructions of the Law are copulative Jam. 2.10 he that would seem to make conscience of keeping all the Commandments of God save one Non est justa causatio cur praeferuntur aliqua ubi facienda sunt omnia Salv. de Pro. l. 3. observes none at all out of any obedience to God who hath alike commanded all A sanctified person preferrs not one Command before another 1 Tim. 5.21 his foot can endure to walk being sound in a stony as well as a sandy path he will do not many things but all even to the parting with Herodias and the putting down the Calves as well as Baal he is not double-diligent in some matters and negligent in others he is neither maimed to want any limb nor a monster one part excessively outstripping another 3. The actings of a sanctified person are conformable to the principle of spirituall life as it is the same a permanent abiding principle not somtimes in us and at other times quite gone from us but at all times remaining in us A sanctified person is holy in a continued course he walks with God Psal 119.112 he applyes himself to keep the Commandments continually He is not holy upon extraordinary occasions his duties are not like a misers feast all at one time nothing at another he is not holy by fits and pangs upon a rainy day reading only good in thundring and lightning or in a storm at sea moved passionatly with an affectionate sermon trembling for the present Acts 24.25 and presently after following bribery At the first coming on to profession seething hot after a while luke-warm at length key-cold slashing with Peter at the first and shortly after flying and denying His infirmities and falls are but for a fit but his holinesse is constant his goodnesse is not like the morning cloud and early dew Hos 6 4. not like the redness of blushing but the ruddiness of complexion his religion is not operative in company silent in secret he is not like water that conforms it self to the shape of every thing into which its poured or like
though what is done be commanded yet it is not done because it 's commanded Oculus ad coelum manus ad clavum or in obediencee to a precept The hand must not only be at work but the eye must also be upon the word It 's very possible for a work commanded to be an act of disobedience in respect of the intent of the performer 3. When 't is not given him inwardly heartily when men are eye-servants and do not the will of God from the heart Col. 3.23 Rom. 1.9 nor serve him in the spirit Ungodly men rather act a service than yield a service they rather complement with God Mat. 15.7.8 2 Tim. 3.5 Ezek. 33.31 than serve him They bring a bone without marrow They glister but they burn not like some men who lifting with others at a burden make as loud a cry as the rest but yet they put to it no strength at all In Gods account they who do but appear godly are nothing at all but ungodly 4. When honour is not given to God impartially Ungodly men pick out one work and reject another chuse an easie and forbear a difficult work serve and honour God so far as they may not disserve and dishonour themselves engaging no further than they may safely come off Whereas nothing should come amiss to one who rightly serves this Mâ—ster Psal 119.6.128 1 Tim. 5.21 One piece of his service must not be preferred before another We must answer to every call We must not examine what the service is which is commanded but who the Master is that commands 5. When honour is not given him cheerfully Ungodly men do the will of God against their will Psal 40.8 2 Cor. 9.7 it is not their meat and drink it goeth not down as their food but as a potion not upon choice but constraint whence 't is that their services are neither easie to themselves nor acceptable to God whose service is as well our priviledg as our duty 6. When he is not honour'd constantly Ungodly men wil have their rest from labour before they dye The honour which they give to God is full of gapps Their heart is not stedfast with God Psal 78.37 Ungodly men want a fountain a principle from whence their services should issue and therefore like a standing water Hos 6.4 they will in time dry up They are not friends and therefore they love not at all times The honour they give to God is like the redness of blushing soon down not like the ruddiness of complexion abiding 7. When honour is not given to God fervently and diligently with all the might and strength Ungodly men honour not God as a God as the best the greatest but without cost slightly and coldly The heart hath no love and the hand hath little labour When the spleen swels all other parts decay and those who nourish any lust will honour God but with lean and thin services A divided heart will be a lazy heart 8. When honour is not given to God with single aims and sincere intentions Ungodly men propound not to themselves glory-ends God is not honoured by them for himself They love not the lesson wherein there is not some gay of pleasure or profit they seek themselves and not God 2 Kin. 10.28 29. and therefore they lose God and themselves too remaining ungodly here and unrewarded hereafter 1. Observ 1. It s possible for men to attain to highest estimation for godliness and yet to be inwardly at the same time ungodly Men may be accounted the godly party and yet not have a dram of true godliness in them Had not these seducers been seemingly godly they had never been admitted by the Church and had they not been really ungodly they had never been by the Spirit of God call'd so Ungodliness is a close a secret evill It may creep into our profession participation in ordinances and Church communion undiscerned An ungodly heart may be in a glistring professor 2 Tim. 3.5 even in those who have a form of godliness Judas Simon Magus the Corinthian teachers were not without their estimation from men for piety nor without detestation from God for hypocrisie Christians should not like some tradesmen live altogether upon credit Quid juvat bonum nomen reclamante conscentiâ What doth a good name help a rotten heart how poor an advantage to a dying man is it for one to come and say Sir I am glad to see you well Truth of grace is alone beyond the reach of hypocrites Shape may be pictur'd life cannot The Magicians imitated Moses till God discover'd his own finger in the miracles True godliness is Gods handywork of this the most specious pretender falls short Oh Christian put not off the soul alone with shadowes Labour to be what thou seemest and then seem to be what thou art 2. Vngodliness is the root of all lewd Observ 2. irregular and licencious practices The Apostle placeth the ungodlinesse of seducers in the fore-front of all that wickednesse wherewith he chargeth them A man who hath no care of Gods honour will make no conscience of any sin Where God is not served man will not be obeyed Abraham rightly collected Gen. 20.11 that they who fear'd not God would not fear to take away his life By the fear of God men depart from evill Prov. 16.6 Prov. 8.13 Religion in the heart is the best means to order the hand Education exigency of condition resolutions humane lawes shame fear c. may for a while curb but they cannot change a sinner They may cloake not cure sin They may work a palliative not an eradicative cure All they can do till the heart be changed is but to sow a piece of new â—loth to an old garment new expressions professions to an old disposition which will but make the rent the greater How imprudent are those parents who expect obedience to themselves from their children who are ever suffered to be disobedient to God! How little policy do those Magistrates express who only care to make men subjects to them willingly suffering them to be rebels to God! I confess Satan loves to lay the brats of wars treason and rebellion c. at the door of Religion But as truly may Politicians utter those words as ever they were uttered O Religion if thou hadst been here our nation had not dyed And if that death may be attributed to the absence of religion how little are people beholding to them who hinder it from coming to the Nation to cure it 3. Observ 3. Eminent if meer profession will end in eminent profâ—nenesse A fiery hypocrite will grow from being lukewaâ—m in religion to be stone-cold in irreligion The seeming piety and glorious appearances of these seducers in advancing Christ grace and Christian liberty was soon followed with the utter rejection of godlinesse What profane and even godlesse persons and how purely neglective of all
yet these froward children refused to suck and draw them by beleeving and in stead thereof struck and beat them away by unbeleef and rebellion Unbeleef as to the Israelites cut asunder the sinews of the promises so as they could not stir hand or foot to help them and turned the promises into fallacies Heb. 3. ult Num. 20.22 Only unbeleef concluded this people under the necessity of destruction Needs must they perish who cast away the means of recovery What shall be a remedy for him who rejecteth the remedy other sins are sores but unbeleef throwes away the plaister Every sin made Israel obnoxious to destruction but unbeleef made them opposite also to deliverance This sin stopt as it were the spouts and passages of grace Christ * Mark 6.5 Significatur hoc loquendi modo quod incapaces scipsos reddiderint indignósque divinis beneficiis et propensioni animi Christi beneficae impedimentum objecerint non permittunt ut virtutis divinae rivus se in ipsos diffundat Brugens in loc could do no mighty works because of their unbeleef They who beleeve not render themselves incapable of blessings and lay rubs in the way of mercy binding the hands of God lest he should help them Other sins lay persons as it were in the grave this of unbeleef lays the grave stone upon them and makes them rot therein Upon them wrath abides Joh. 3.18 OBSERVATIONS 1. Observat 1. Difficulties soon discover an unbeleeving heart Many seemingly beleeving Israelites upon the news of the Anakims and the walled Cities beleeved not Jorams profane pursuivant discovered his temper when he said This evill is of the Lord why then should I wait upon the Lord any longer 2 King 6.33 Saul appear'd to depend upon God and sought to him in his troubles but when God seemed to neglect him and gave him no answer then left he God and sought to a sorceresse Rotten fruit wil not hang upon the tree in a windy day A shallow a highway-plash of water will soon be dryed up in a scorching sunshine One who is only a beleever by a shallow outside profession will soon leave beleeving and professing 2 Chro. 32.31 Deut. 8.2 13.3 For a while he will beleeve but in time of persecution he falls away Wisely therefore doth God seem somtime to disregard and reject his own children to try the sincerity of their confidence in him and whether they will cease to depend upon him because he seemeth not to provide for them Nec iratumcolere destitit numen Virtus fidei credere quod non vides merces fidei videre quod credis Aug. in Ps 109. They who depend upon God continually depend upon him truly God makes it appear to all the world that his people serve not him to serve their own turn upon him and that they are neither hirelings nor changelings It is the efficacy of faith to beleeve what we see not and the reward of faith to see what we beleeve How improvident are those meer professours and appearing Israelites who please themselves with shews of beleeving and cleaving to God their paint will not endure the washing nor their refuge of lies keep out the storme when sufferings death or judgment approach their confidences will be rejected Christians labour for a faith unfained yea both true and strong there may come times that will require it 2. In vain do they who live in unbeleef Observat 2. pretend against their other sins So long as that lives no sin will dye notwithstanding instructions or corrections Sin may be brought to the place of Execution but it will not die so long as unbelief brings it a protection and while it is back'd by this it will but laugh at all the means used to mortifie it As faith quencheth the fiery darts of the divel so will unbeleef quench the holy darts of the Spirit The sin which is armed with it will not be wounded by the sword of the word but wil save its skin much more its heart till faith set it naked to the stroaks of that sword Our neglect of and coldnesse in holy duties comes from our not beleeving a benefit that will bear the charges of fervency and frequency in performing them Unbelief clips the wings of prayer that it cannot ascend and turns much praying into much speaking Whence is all our trouble and impacience in adversity but from want of that grace which comforts the heart in God and makes us quietly to rest and trust on and in him Whence are those base indirect courses to get a living by lying deceiving c. to be made rich by a worse than the king of Sodome but from the not beleeving God to be an alsufficient portion that he will never leave or forsake us c From what but unbelief proceed all the temporizings haltings and sinfull neutralities In tentations to all these faith is our victory and unbelief our defeat which makes men unworthily to render themselves prisoners to every promise and threat causing them either to have two hearts with the hypocrite or no heart with the coward They who have little faith have much fear and they who have no faith Jer. 17.5 will be all fear even slain and not by the sword Whence proceeds all our carnall confidence and trusting in an arme of flesh but from this sin which makes the heart depart from the Lord. Peccatum furti homicidii sunt peccata carnis et facilè intelliguntur in parte superiore animâ scilicet intellectu sed ipsa anima suum incomparabiliter majus vitium et trabem in oculo suo non sentit sed festucam corporis facilè videt Luth. Trabenses judicant festucenses Id. Whence come the unbrotherly breaches and divisions among brethren but from the distance which by unbeleef is between God and us Christians being like lines which come the nearer to one another as they come nearer to the Center Unbelief lies at the bottom of all these sins And all mortification of sin which comes not from a principle of affiance in God through Christ is imaginary How short sighted are they into their misery who are troubled for their scandalous sins of drunkennesse adultery murther c. but neither observe nor sorrow for their unbelief the mother sin the main sin the nursery of all sins The soul saith Luther is an hypocrite that sees a mote in the eye of the flesh but not a beame in its own eye namely infidelity which is incomparably greater than all sins committed by the body 3. Great is our forwardnesse to fall into the sin of unbeleef Observat 3. God seemed to study the prevention of this sin among the Israelites but it broke the barrs that he put in the way to stop it Covenants Oaths Miracles Plagues were all as easily snapt in sunder by this sin as were the Cords by Samson Even Christ himself marvelled at the strength thereof in opposing the
Christian of strong grace that can bear the strong wine of his commendations without the spiritual intoxication of pride It s as hard humbly to hear thy self praised as it is patiently to hear thy selfe reproached That Minister of whom I have heard was a rare example of humility who being highly applauded for a sermon preach'd in the Vniversity was by a narrow observer found weeping in his study presently after for fear that he had sought or his auditors unduly bestowed upon him applause Lutb pref in Gen. Ridiculum est si anxius es quomodo honoraretur homo nondum creatus tu es nihil Nieremb de ador in spir How heavenly was the temper of John the Baptist when he said Christ shall increase but I shall decrease It was a good fear of Luther namely lest the reading of his books should hinder people from reading the Scriptures Would wee account our selves nothing and indeed in our selves we are so we should think it as ridiculous a thing to be solicitous for our own as for that mans honour who is not yet created 5. The better the persons are who become wicked Observ 5 the more obstinate they are in wickednesse When angels fal into sin they continue in it with pertinacy the hottest water cooled becoms the coldest They whose light of knowledg is most angelicall sin with highest resolution and strongest opposition against the truth The greater the weight of that thing is which falls the more violent is its fall and the greater is the difficulty to raise it up again They who leave God notwithstanding their clear light are justly left by God to incurable darknesse None should so much tremble at sin as those who are inlightned obstinacy is most like to follow their impiety It may be impossible to recover them Seducers saith the Apostle wax worse and worse and do not only shew themselves men in erring but divels in persevering But of this before Ver. 4. 6. The happinesse of beleevers by Christ Observ 6. Est in nobis per hanc Dei gratiam in bono recipiendo perseveranter tenendo non solum posse quod volumus verum etiam velle quod possumus Aug. de cor gra c. 11. 1 Pet. 1.5 1 Pet. ult 10. is greater than that of Angels meerly as in the state of nature These had a power to stand or fall we by Christ have a power whereby we shall stand and never fall By creation the creature had a power either to abide with God or to depart from him But by Regeneration that fear of God is put into the hearts of his people whereby they shall not depart from God Jer. 32.40 And this power of not falling is in them indeed but not from them The faithfull are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation They are stablish'd setled strengthned Created will hath a power to will to presevere in that which is good Prima gratia data primo Adamo est quâ fit ut habeat homo justitiam si velit sed gratia potentiae est in secundo Adamo quâ fit ut velit tantóque ardore diligat ut carnis voluntatem contraria concupiscentem voluntate spiritus vincat August de Cor. gra c. 12. but it hath not the will it selfe to presevere neither the act of preseverance as the regenerate will hath Of this before p. 64 65. 83 84 85 c. 72 73. Thus far of the sift part of this verse viz. the defection of these angels The second followes namely their punishment and herein first that of the prison is considerable which is twofold 1. Everlasting chains 2. Darknesse EXPLICATION For the first Everlasting chains It may here be inquired 1. What we are to understand by these chains 2. How and why these chains are everlasting 1. What is meant by chains The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in bonds which bonds are not to be taken literally for those materiall instruments or bonds whereby things are bound that they may stand firm and steddy or persons are hindred from acting what they would or drawn whither they would not but metaphorically as are also those chains into which Peter saith these fain angels were delivered for that condition 2 Pet. 2.4 of punishment and woe wherein they shall remain like prisoners in bonds Certus inclusos tenet locus nocentes utque fert fama impios supplicia vinclis saeva perpetuis domant Senec. in Herc. Fur. The Metaphor being taken from the estate of malefactors who in prison are bound with chains to hinder them from running away that so they may be kept to the time of judgement and execution or who by the Mittimus of a Justicer are sent to the Gaol there to lie in chains till the Sessions And thus these angels are kept in chains or bonds of three sorts 1. They are in the chain of sin bound by the bond of iniquity as the phrase is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8.23 and Prov. 5.22 the wicked are said to be holden with the cords of their sins and deservedly may sins be called bonds or chains they both holding sinners so strongly as that without an omnipotent strength they can never be loosed as also being such prison-bonds as goe before their appearing at the bar of the last and dreadfull Judgement The bonds of sin wherein wicked men are held are often by the goodnesse and power of God loosed but the bonds of sin wherein wicked angels are held shall be everlasting there is and ever shall be a total inability in those cursed creatures to stir hand or foot in any wel-doing they are in arctâ custodiâ Non dicit Apostolus peccavit ab initio sed peccat nam ex quo diabolus peccare coepit nunquam peccare definit Bed A peccatis nunquam feriatur quia sicut non dormitabit neque dormiet qui custodit Israel it a nunquam dormitat neque dormit qui impugnat Israel Est in 1 John 3.8 Vid. Jun. in Jud. Non voluntatis confessio sed necessitatis extorsio Hier. close prisoners in these chains of iniquity stak'd down wedg'd wedded to sin chained as it were to a block hence it is said 1 John 3.8 that the divell sinneth from the beginning whereby may be noted not only how early he began but also how constantly he poceedeth in sin for as Bede well observes it is not said he sinned but he sinneth from the beginning to note saith he that since he began he never ceased to sin he keeps no holy dayes makes no cessation from pride and other impieties and as he sleeps not who keeps so neither doth he who opposeth Israel he walketh about seeking c. 1 Pet. 5.8 to this purpose our Saviour saith John 8.44 that the divell hath no truth in him to note his utter impotency saith Junius to any thing of goodnesse and integrity and when he speaks a lie he