King was so vexed because Mordecai would not bow to him And truly it is a sinful baseness in Saints that when God hath raised them to such glory as to be members of and coheirs with his Son and hath provided for them the glory of Heaven yet for all this when they have but a mock from men to be so discouraged and cast down as if all the honour that God had put upon them were nothing Think likewise how much religion hath been scoft at for your sake and is it so great a matter for you to be mocked for religion Chrysostome saith that when for us our Lord is blasphemed 't is worse then if we perished Consider also the goodnesse of God in keeping in those many secret wickednesses of thy heart from appearing which had they been suffered by God to break forth would have been matter enough of scorn and reproach whereas now the enemies are fain to watch and pry and pump for some occasion yet can hardly find any Remember also that there is more danger in being honored then contemned by men Luther said his greatest fear was the praise of men that reproach was his joy and that he would not have the glory fame of Erasmus Lastly The bearing of scoffs patiently is a great help to our progress in godlinesse As they who have overcome the evil of shame in a way of sin grow hardned in sin so they who regard no reproach cast upon them for holinesse will much proceed therein And that we may beare the cruellest mockings patiently 1. Labour to get good by them If thou seest another so vigilant to find thee out to reproach thee how vigilant shouldst thou be over thy selfe to find out what is in thee to humble thee Psal 119. Herein as David speaks be wiser then thine enemies and the lesse credit thou hast in the world labour for the more in heaven 2. Perswade thy soul of the reality of the honour that is in the waies of God Prov. 18.7 consider thy honour here is real true and hereafter it shall be visible to all 3. Pity your reproachers be troubled for their sin in stead of thine own disgrace 4. Spread thy condition before the Lord when thou art mocked Psal 109.12 prayer was Davids best medicine against mocks 5 Labour for holy magnanimity and greatnesse of spirit Psal 57.2.3 Great men think themselves above reproaches exercise thy soul with the great things of eternity It s a weak spirited man who cannot endure contempt St Johns spirit was so holily high that he calls all the malicious words of Diatrophes but triflings 6. Return not scoffe for scoffe for hereby as you will harden scoffers in their sin 3 John 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for hereby as you will harden scoffers in their sin who will think they do not worse then you and shew that you think there is a greater evil in suffering then sinning so you are put to base shifts as if you thought that you had no other remedy for an ill name but an ill tongue and you deprive your selves of relief from God and ever remember that he who is willingly overcome in the fight of scoffing is ever the better man 7. Keep conscience quiet let not thy heart reproach thee Job 27.6 Winds move not the earth unlesse they get within it be carefull of what you do and then you need not care what men say 4. Obser 4. It s our duty to shun the sin of scoffing especially at the people word and waies of God To this end 1. See the beauty and excellency of them Men deride that which they account base and contemptible let not worldly bravery dazle your eyes Study the glory of holinesse the comlinesse and rationality of every way of God Learning and religion meet with no other mockers but the ignorant 2. Consider Satans end in stirring up mockers against the waies and people of God the divel knowes there is no such likely way to darken religion and to damp the hearts of people from embracing it as by these and therefore it is observable that Julian one of the subtilest enemies that ever the cause of God had would not oppose religion by open persecution but sought all means to cast contempt upon it by jeers and scoffs and hereby he drew off multitudes from it 3. Labour for faith in threatnings faith fears a threatned evil as much as sense mourns under an inflicted evil faith takes into its vast comprehension the threatnings of judgments as wel as the promises of mercies and causeth holy fear in respect of the former as it quells unholy fear in respect of the latter 4. Study the end of Gods forbearance 2 Chron. 36.16 It is not that thou shouldst mock at God but repent of sin Scoffers turne the motive to repentance 25.16 into an incouragement of rebellion God is not long-suffering that the wicked should be securely sinning How unavoidable is his destruction who is ruin'd by the meanes of recovery 5. Study the vanity of all earthly refuges Judgment will throw them down all the overflowing scourge will easily break down these weak banks nor will any fancyed defences appear any other then paper towers when wrath approacheth Ezech. 22.24 Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong saith God in the day when I shall deal with thee T is not so easie to resist judgments when they come as t is to scoff at them before they come Scoffers when vengeance meets them will be found to be but like cowardly souldiers who though they vaunt and boast and swagger before the enemy comes will run away as soon as they see him come 5. It s our duty to take heed that mockers at our holiness Obs Vlt. hinder us not in the wayes of holinesse Though the clouds darken the light of the Sun yet the Sun ceaseth not its course Was there ever such a fool as to be scoft out of his inheritance and yet it s a greater folly to be scoft out of holiness this will make us a reproach before God Angels and Saints yea and before our very enemies who will when they have got their will of us the more vilifie and contemn us whereas if we persist in holinesse they inwardly admire us They who sought by scoffing to hinder Nehemiahs work would have mockt him much more had they made him to have given it over He that will not suffer scoffes for Gods name shall deservedly suffer it for his own sin The second property of these seducers was their walking after their own ungodly lusts of which I have spoken largely before ver 16. The fifth and last particular in this first direction viz. the remembring the words of the Apostles is the application of their testimony to these seducers ver 19. in these words These are they who separate themselves sensuall having not the spirit In which words the Apostle shewes that these who separate
Exhorting one another Salvation is large enough for our selves and others If Gods eye be good ours should not be evill The doing good to others soules is encouraged Jam. 5.20 And rewarded Dan. 12.3 It s the nature of grace to propagate it selfe The Spirit appeared in the likenesse of fiery tongues and both fire and tongues are very communicative the one of it selfe and heat the other of sound and voice Our relations of Brethren fellow members c. call for this expression of love Yea the contrary practice of sinners who damne and defile one anothers soules may put us upon this duty How great then is their sin who destroy the soules of others by error and seduction and ungodly example c. who watch over others for evill and to make proselites for hell who are factors for Satan and agents for that Prince of darknesse If their own sin and damnation will be so heavie a burden what will other mens sinnes and damnations also be to them in hell O what a holy covetousnesse should be in every Saint to propagate holinesse and leven others with grace in the world Oh pray Lord let hell never be the fuller for me or mine but heaven for both In respect of the priviledge of saving of soules it s by some said that saints on earth excell the very glorified in heaven 2. Obs 2. Others Necessity should be the mother of severity Others i. e. they who will be by no other means reclaimed upon whom compassion will not worke must be saved by feare First gentle meanes must be used severe afterwards Severity though good is but accidentally good not in it selfe but onely because of mans stubbornenesse Medicines were only brought in and kept up by sicknesse The Bee gives its honey naturally its sting onely when provok't We should run to Compassion but be driven to rigor If the birds will be driven away its needlesse to shoot them our will must bring forth peace necessity war Paul was much more willing to come to the Corinthians with the Spirit of meeknesse then with the rod of severity Even when we are most deeply engaged in rigor let all see that in afflicting others we more afflict our selves 3. Obs 3. Others Severity is to be regulated not by outward respects but by the merit of the offence Others that is they who are more obdurate not who are further from us in relation or poorer c. should be affrighted Though the nature of the offence should should make us put a difference in our rigours yet other considerations forraigne to the cause should not Some are fiery hot in terrifying the poorer sort whereas the rich are like the mount that might not be toucht Having mens persons in admiration An ungodly base respecting of persons Of it see at large before pag. 536 537. Part. 2. 4. Save Even a man may be a saviour of soules Obs 4. See the proofs in the Explication Paul speaks of labouring by all meanes to gaine some And we read of those who catch men and win soules and Christ mentions the gaining of thy brother How great an honour doth God cast upon weak wormes 1. If the supreme Cause be pleas'd to attribute salvation to men because of ministry should not men attribute salvation to God in regard of efficacy How carefull should we be to honour that God who so dignifies dust and ashes Lay that Crown at his feet which he sets on thy head How industrious should this likewise make us in doing good to others The Lord reckons it as our own Though he guided thy hand every letter yet he saith thou hast written the faire copie whereas indeed onely the blots and blurs were thine Though thou didst but lay on the plaister yet he attributes the cure to thee who couldst never put vertue into the salve To conclude this how fearfull should any be of despising the ministry of man Though salvation sometime be attributed to our selves that we may not be negligent and properly to God that we may not idolize man yet it s often ascribed to others that we may not contemn their help 5. Save with fear Obs 5. Severity should be exercised to this end to save The scope of using the sharpest rebukes by spirituall Physicians should be cure Mercifull intentions must be lodged under severest performances The end of Excommunication must be the saving of the Spirit Tit. 1.13 The most cutting reproofs must be given to others that they may be sound in the faith Even the dreadfullest Censures of the Church are not mortall but medicinable In the body of the Church members are wounded and cut that themselves and the whole body may be saved And herein Ecclesiasticall censures excell civill punishments the latter being to preserve the publick peace and for warning to others the former being principally to save the offenders soule How sharply did Peter reprove Simon Magus when he said Thy mony perish with thee and thou art in the gall of bitternesse and yet he addeth repent and pray c. We must not reprove men to disgrace their persons but to shame their sins and neither insulting over mens falls nor despairing of their risings And therefore let not people sume and rage against the constrained rigour of the faithfull especially Ministers for 't is not butchery but Surgerie As reprehension faithfully ministred shewes the strength of zeale so meekly received the sincerity of grace A godly heart would not one threatning lesse to be in the Bible 'T is a bloodlesse martyrdome humbly to embrace the strokes of a reprover To conclude how ridiculously prophane are the Papists whose loudest thunderings out of excommunication are against the holiest persons But Christs Spirit is not in their counsells nor will he refuse graciously to meet thee unjustly ejected as he did the blinde man sinfully cast out by the Jewes 6. Save with feare Obs 6. Severity to sin is mercy to the soule This affrighting made way for saving Holy severity is a wholsome thing even rending Mastiffes are very usefull to kill woolves The nipping frosts of winter though not so pleasant as summer Sunshine yet are as needfull for the earth they killing the wormes and vermin Jacob is said to * Every one according to his blessing Gen. 49.28 Nonnul lis bene dixit maledicendo blesse his sons and yet he sharply censured three The smitings of the righteous are desirable to a saint They are precious ointment They slay sin and save the soule How wilde a madnesse is it then to be angry with them who by telling thee truth love thy peace There 's none but fools that oppose faithfull reprovers and who are such that if the truth be told them will not be pleased and if they be pleased the truth is not told them Such a disposition as this is an evident token that God hath a purpose to destroy them 2 Chron. 25.16 How much is this cruelty to their
AN EXPOSITION Of the EPISTLE of JUDE Together With many large and usefull DEDUCTIONS Formerly Delivered In sundry LECTURES in Christ-Church LONDON May 24th BY WILLIAM JENKYN Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ AND PASTOR of the Church at Black-friars LONDON The SECOND PART LONDON Printed by Tho. Maxey for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the golden BALL in Paul's Church-yard 1654. TO My Dear FLOCK and much honoured Friends The CHURCH of GOD In the Precinct of BLACK-FRYARS LONDON Christian and respected Friends IT cannot seeme strange that I who have lately given my selfe to the service of your soules should now dedicate my Booke to you for that purpose Nor can any wonder since you have lately imitated your Predecessors in the loving and unanimous Call of your though now unworthy Pastor that he should endeavour to follow the steps of those excellent servants of Christ your former Ministers who in their times both by Preaching and Printing bestowed their labours upon you for your spirituall benefit I have frequently heard that Black-fryars is one of those places in London commonly accounted and called by the name of Priviledged in respect of sundry civil Immunities bestowed upon it But what are all those Political in comparison of the Spiritual priviledges which God hath afforded to you of this place in regard whereof I much question whether any Congregation in London I think I may take a far larger compass hath been equal to you in the priviledg of enjoying so long a continuance of an Able Orthodox Soul-saving Ministry Those two excellent and eminently faithful Servants of Christ Mr. Egerton and Doctor Gouge lately deceased spent as I am informed about seventy years in their Ministerial Labors among the people of Black-fryars The Gospel in your Congregation hath continued I think beyond the remembrance of the oldest the Lord grant that it may outlive the youngest now living among you God hath as it were made his Sun to stand still upon your Gibeah and his Moon upon your Ajalon to give you light to overcome your spirituall Enemies How many learned and pithy expositions savoury discourses and excellent tractates have had their conception in your Parish and their birth in your pulpit You have enjoyed the monthly administration of the Lords Supper as your late reverend Pastor informed me these five and forty yeares without any interruption I mention not these things to occasion your glorying in men or any outward priviledges but onely to put you upon self-reflexion and holy examination how you have thriven in holinesse under all these enjoyments Church priviledges I grant are excellent mercies in their kinde Without the Ordinances places are commonly as void of Civility as Christianity They are but magna latrocinia dens of robbers and places of prey darke places of the Earth fill'd with violence Church-priviledges so far forth as they are visibly owned make men visible saints in opposition to the world yea and in their due and holy use real and true saints in opposition to hypocrites But notwithstanding all these the meanes of grace without grace by those meanes leave those who injoy them in the same condition in respect of any saving benefit with those who want them Jer. 9.25 26. Is 29.1 2 Hag. 12.14 Rom. 2.25.28 29. The Arke at Shiloh the sacrifices devoured by Ariel Circumcision in the flesh The temple of the Lord The Rock and Mannah The Lords Supper at Corinth c. 1 Cor. 11.20 Jer. 7.12 were priviledges which did not savingly profit the enjoyers who were not holy by their holy things but their holy things rather were made unholy by them Nay bare outward priviledges increase condemnation The valley of vision hath the heavyest burden The Israelites who had not monthly but daily sacraments eating and drinking them every meal were most severely destroyâ—d These were but as Uriahs letters which they carryed to their owne destruction The higher Corazin and Bethsaida's elevation was the greater was their downfall Justice will pluck the unreformed from the Altar of priviledges Sermons do but heat hell and Sacraments are but oyl and pitch to make its flame scald and consume the more painfully The barren oak was not so near cursing as the barren fig-tree Nor are weeds on the dunghill so near plucking up as those in the Garden by none is the name of God so much dishonoured mercy so much abused hypocrisie so odiously veiled the power of godlinesse so bitterly hated Joh. 8.33 Rom. 1.27 as by many who have most enjoyed Church priviledges Put not off your souls therefore dear Christians with outward Priviledges without inward grace by those Priviledges What is it more to have a name to live and to be spiritually dead to have titular sanctity and real impiety then for a starving man to be vâ—iced up for a plentiful house-keeper When God had bestowed upon Abram a new name and changed it to Abraham he gave him also a new blessing The unprofitable under the means of grace are therfore worse then those who want those means because they are not better the more aship is laden with gold the deeper she sinks the more you are laden with golden priviledges the deeper if you miscarry wil be your destruction Though the Ministers industry without succeâ—ss acquits him yet it condemns his people He may be sincere yet unsuccessfull but then the people in the mean time if unprofitable shew themselvs hypocritical You never commend your Ministers but by getting the saving impressions of what they preach upon your hearts Christ reproved the young man for calling him good Master because saith Calvin he had never received any saving good from Christ The sheep onely prayse the care of the carefull shepherd by their wool milk fruitfulnesse and fatness Let it never be said that God gives the food of life to you as a rich man gives a nurse good dyet for the benefit of his child onely for the thriving of strangers Be not as Indians who go naked and beggarly in the midst of all their heaps of gold Let not sermons be as jewels onely to hang in your ears but let them be lockt up in the cabinets of your hearts Consider ordinances are never yours till you get the savour of them upon your spirits Meat upon the table may be taken away but not when by eating 't is turned into a mans substance Books may be stoln out of a Scholars study but a thousand theeves can never take away the learning which he hath gotten into his head by studying those Books The grace of priviledges is onely safe You shall be stript of these when you come to dye but the grace of them will stick by you for ever Christ may say to those at the last day depart who have eat and drunk with him and cast out devils but never will he say so to those who having eat and drunk with him have also eat and drunk himself who have cast lust out of their souls and gotten a broken
they wheras they deserve damnation both for the corruption of nature and the fruits thereof also some dream thus because of the faults of the godly mentioned in Scripture they making that an argument of boldnes in sinning which should be an argument of fear to sin some because they are ignorant and not Book-learn'd whereas ignorance though simple only somewhat extenuates but it excuseth not sin keeps not from hell but only from such a degree of torment as that of unfruitful knowledg and wilful now the common ignorance increaseth both sin and punishment as shewing that men will willingly suffer the damage of ignorance to enjoy the freedom of sinning Som dream that the imployments of their callings may excuse them for the neglect of holy duties as if callings were made to call us away from God or as if eternity were to give way to trifles Others fondly dream that outward tentations the counsels or commands of others inticing them to sin shall sufficiently excuse them whereas the outward tentation could do nothing without the compliance of the inward corruption and the disobeying of God for mans command is a disobedience with a greater disparagement to God then if man had said nothing Endlesse it would be to mention all those spirituall dotages and deluding dreams of sinners about their actions as that they may sin because they dream some places of Scripture will give them allowance or that much good will ensue of their sin that they may take liberty though excessive in things because lawfull that they may do evil because they make account to make amends for it afterward or upon pretence that they do it only for tryall to learn the vanity of sin or that the necessity of their living urgeth them or upon presumption of Gods mercy or by the painting of sin with the colour of vertue To these may be added a sinners dreaming that good duties may be omitted because they are difficult or because of their many other important occasions or because ther 's a purpose of doing them hereafter or in regard of their troubles threatned or because they have done enough good already or more then others or by reasoning from predestination as if being ordained to salvation though they live never so wickedly it shall never disadvantage them c. All which with many more are the vain dreams and delusions of sinners whereby with these seducers they take liberty to offend God and thereby to overthrow themselves OBSERVATIONS 1. Spirituall judgments are the sorest Observ 1 Insensiblenesse in sin and self-delusion were judgments which made these seducers miserable They are judgments which seize upon the soul No blessings so sweet as soul-blessings and no judgments so sore as soul-judgments The soul is the excellency of a man the body is a body of vilenesse the soul is precious excellent every way but only as depraved with sin It s noble in regard of its original functions endowments If all be well with the soul all is well with the man though the body be never so miserable If it go ill with the soul the man is wretched let the body be never so happy The funerall of a noble man is much spoken of when a Prince dies all lay it to heart when his Page dies it is never regarded The body the souls page is not to be lamented from which the soul parts but the soul from which God himself parts And further the distempers which befall the soul are of all others hardest to remove There is no herb in the garden no receipt from the Physician no medicine in the shop that can cure the soul men are only parents and physicians of the body he that made the soul can only mend it the Father of spirits is the only Physician of spirits 'T is omnipotent strength that recovers a sin sick and raiseth and rouzeth a sleeping soul man can cast thee into thy sinful sleep only God can awaken thee outward helps cannot cure the inward man he that sits in heaven can only touch and teach the heart And further the distempers of the soul uncur'd are of all others the most deadly and destructive A scratch on the finger we call a slight wound but a wound that reacheth to the heart is deadly Whatever befals the body is comparatively slight and to be slighted The worst things which befall the body may be sent in mercy they part between us and contemptible enjoyments yea oft they make way for the enjoying of the best blessings but they which befall the soul sever from him in whom all blessednesse is laid up spiritual comforts or miseries are true real the temporal of either are but opinionative Fear not him saith Christ that can kill the body but fear him that can throw both body and soul into hell To conclude Spiritual judgments are alway inflicted in displeasure in the last place as the forest of all as a reckoning for all other faults when all other chastisements are despis'd when God is shewing mercy the last mercies are the best and the further he goeth in mercy the sweeter he is and when he is punishing the last punishments are the forest and the further he goeth the bitterer he is the judgment of pining away in iniquity is the last of all that dismal catalogue Lev. 26.39 The spirit of a deep sleep is contiguous to hell it self Rev. 22.11 he that is filthy let him be filthy still is the last judgment we read of befalling in this life in all the new Testament yea the more God inflicts it the more he is provok'd to inflict it outward punishments move God to pity but this being a sin as wel as a punishment the more it lies upon man the more it offends God 2. Observ 2 All the sinfull sleepinesse of Saints differs much from that of the wicked Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart awaketh saith the Spouse The godly have ever in them a regenerate principle that is waking when they seem to be most sleeping that is contending against natural self The godly as one speaks are more pained and laborious in their sleep Laboriosius dormiunt quam vigilare potucrunt then in their waking it more troubles them to be idle then to do their Lords work their souls yeild not to that slothfulnesse wherewith their senses are overtaken Sensuall sinners sleep all at once all in them and of them sleeps but the Saint keeps his heart watchful The very business of the wicked is but vanity and dreams but the sleeps of the godly are busie and vigilant the wicked sleeps and trifles when he is most serious to work his wickednesse but when the righteous sleepeth his heart riseth and worketh upwards toward God in whom only he finds rest when thus imployed The wicked man sleeps and loves to sleep laies himself to sleep shuts the door draws the curtaines puts out the candle chargeth that none wake him but a Saint is like
every word but the wise man as he ponders his own words before he utters them so the words of another before he credits them Let not thy heart perswade thee of thy good condition by laying before thee common marks which may agree even with hypocrites as external profession an orthodox judgment opposing of Error or pleading for the Truth attending upon Ordinances freedom from scandalous sins some sweet and sudden motions of heart in holy Duties but ever build upon such marks as will necessarily infer sincerity and a principle of saving grace in the heart such as have some singular excellency in them which an hypocrite cannot reach a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Christ speaks something more then others ordinarily attain things which alwayes accompany salvation Heb. 6.9 3 Possess thy heart with an apprehension of Gods presence Set thy self as in his eye Consider though thou mayest baffle thy conscience yet not the eye of Gods Omnisciency Never think thou art out of the reach of his hand or the view of his eye Psal 44.17.21 Tell thy conscience as the Church speaks there is no dealing falsly for shall not God search it out who knoweth the secrets of the heart Would not a Malefactor speak truly at the Bar did he know the Judg had windowes into his brest Vitia nostra quia amamus defendimus malâ—mus excusare illa quam excutere Sen. Ep. 116. 4. Look not upon thy self through the spectacles of self-love A man that is in love with any thing thinks the blemishes and deformities of the thing beloved to be beauties and Ornaments Self-love makes shadowes to be substances and mole-hills to be mountains Let not affection bribe or throw dust into the eye of thy judgment The more thou lovest thy self the more thou wilt desire to appear amiable and adorned with a specious and seeming goodness Joseph loved his bro her Benjamin and he gave him five changes of rayment Till thou denyest thy self and putest off the person of a friend thou wilt never put on the person of a just Judg. Study to know thy self as thou art in thy self not as thou art partially represented to thy self Be not like Limners who so as thy can make a mans picture gay and gaudy Luke 6.48 care not to draw it so as to resemble him The want of true humiliation and denyal of our selves is the ground of all self-flattery and heart delusion Gold must be melted and dissolved before it can be defecated and rid of the dross Bodies full of vicious humours must be emptied by purgation before they can come to an healthful state Crooked things cannot be made strait without the wringing and bowing of them by the hand The greater our humiliation the greater our integrity 4. Observ 4. It s our wisdom to take heed of spiritual sleeping in sin For which purpose 1 Make much of a stirring Ministry Love that preaching most which is most exciting The Word preach'd is both light and noise both which disquiet sleepers A still easie Minister makes a sleepy drowzie people Ministers must stir those who sleep in sin though they stir them up to rage They must be sins of Thunder against sinners not sweet singers and pleasant Musicians No employment requires so much holy vehemency and fervor as the welfare of souls Cry aloud saith God to his Prophet and lift up thy voice as a Trumpet and people should be so far from blaming the loudness of the sound of the Word that they should only blame the depth of their own slumber They should ever take part with the Word against their lusts and intreat God that his word may be an awakening though it be a displeasing voice as also that he would cry in the ears of the soul by the voice of his own Spirit and to stir it in the Ministry with his own arm for indeed otherwise Ministers shall rend their owne sides before they rowze their peoples souls 2. Labour for a fruitful improvement of sufferings Beseech the Lord that no affliction may blow over without benefit to thy soul None sleep so soundly as they who continue sleeping under the greatest joggings Physick if it works not is hurtful to the Patient If thou art so close nailed to thy sin that afflictions cannot part it and thee it s a provocation to God to leave thee Isai 1 5. and an incouragement to Satan that he shall keep thee God is never more displeased then when he takes away judgments in judgment then when he punisheth by delivering thee from thy trouble and delivers thee up to thy own heart Oh beg earnestly of God that the blessed opportunities of suffering times may never leave thee as bad as they found thee for if so they will leave thee worse and that no wind may go downe till it have driven thee nearer thy Haven 3 Endeavour for a tender trembling heart at the very beginning of the solicitations of sin That which makes way for eternal takes away spiritual feeling Men sleep by little and little from slumber they fall to sleeping Every sin neglected is a step downward to a deep sleep A deluge of sin is made up of several drops Prov. 5.22 Many knots tied one upon another will hardly be loosed Every sin repeated and not repented of binds downe the soul in insensibleness and sloth Dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo et dum consuctudini non resistatur facta est necessiâ—as Aug. â—onf l 8. c. 5. Every sin suffered to defile the conscience makes it the more regardless of it self Sin is of an incroaching nature like a smal River it growes in going like a Gangreen it creeps by degrees The deceitful modesty of sin by asking little at first quickly enticeth us to more Smal beginnings usher large proceedings One bit draws down another As every good work increaseth our ability for obedience so every sin leaves upon the soul a readiness for further disobedience The not resisting the first inclination to sin makes way to stupefaction by sin He who dares not wade to the ancles is in no danger of being swallowed up 4 Labour for faith in threatnings Restrain not belief only to what God hath promised Let faith comprehend all Truths in its vast bosom and overcome all the improbabilities that seem to keep away Judgment as well as those that seem to keep away Mercies Noah was not drown'd in a deep sleep of sin and in a deluge of waters with the old world and the reason was faith taught Noah to fear Hebr. 11. and fear that watchful Grace prevented feeling Faith makes a man solicitous for a while and safe to eternitie Naturalâ—y we are more moved with fear then stirr'd with hopes 5 Vigorously and constantly exercise thy self in Godliness Never think thou hast done enough Think not thy work is ended til thy life is ended Take heed of remisness in holy Duties Fervency of spirit is by the Apostle join'd
Truth and to give the glory of God reparations as it were by wiping off the blemishes cast upon it by foolish and ignorant men When we have upon grounded deliberation chosen our Love we should zealously express the love of our choice Sinners as they say of young mens thoughts of old think that Saints are foolish but Saints know that sinners are so Let not their prosecution of sin be more zealous then thy reprehension of it nor their opposition of any way of God be more hot then thy contention for it Let thy fire have more purity then theirs but let it not be inferior in its fervor The Christians Serpent must not devour his Dove How good a Master do the godly serve who requires no duty but such as he warrants in and rewards after the doing Satans servants are scepticks and he puts them upon such imployments in the doing whereof they cannot know they do well and afterward they shall know they have done ill and that to their cost 5. Corrupt affections blear and darken the judgement Observ 3. These Seducers hated the wayes of God and deilghted to oppose them and therefore they did not would not know them He who will be disobedient in heart shall soon have a dull head They who love sin will leave the Truth Lust opposeth the entrance of the Light Repentance makes men acknowledg the Truth 2 Tim. 2.25 Every one who doth evil hateth the light John 3.20 Men love not to study such Truths as will hinder them being known from going on in some gainful wickedness It s from unrighteousness that men imprison Truths They who thought the believing of the Resurrection would hinder their course in sin Prov. 28.5 taught that the Resurrection was past 2 Tim. 2.18 Lust perverts Light and makes men in stead of bringing their hearts and lives to the Scripture to bring to draw the Scripture by carnal and wittily wicked distinctions and evasions to both Knowledg is the mother of Obedience and Obedience the nurse of Knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former breeds the latter and the latter feeds the former Of this largely before Part 1. pag. 616 617 c. Observ 6. Qui prius quam chord as exploraverit omnes simul inconcinnè percutit absonum et absurdum strepitum reddit sic judex qui singulas liâ—ga torum causas non pulsavis nec audivit stultam planè absurdam sententiam pronuntiet necesse est Petrarc 6. It s our duty to forbear speaking against any thing which we understand not He that answereth a matter saith Solomon before he heareth it it is folly and shame to him Prov. 18.13 As men are not to be commended so neither to be condemned before the knowledge of their cause As he causeth an harsh and unmusical sound who strikes and playes upon the strings of an Instrument before he hath tryed and tuned them so he must needs pass a foolish and absurd Sentence upon any cause who passeth that Sentence before he hath seriously heard and weighed the cause to which he speaks Herein Eli manifested his fault and folly 1 Sam. 1.14 rashly and weakly charging Hanna with Drunkenness Thus also David discovered his folly in giving credit to the information of flattering and false-hearted Ziba against good Mephibâ—sheth 2 Sam. 16.3 4. before he had heard what Mephibâ—sheth could alledg for himself Potiphar likewise shewed himself as unjust as his wife shewed her self unchast by an over-hasty heeding of his wives false and forged accusation against righteous Joseph Gen. 39.19 20 To these may be added the ignorant censure of those Scoffers who derided the Apostles filled with the Holy Ghost as if filled with new wine Inter triâ—icum lolium quamdâ—u herba est nondum â—uâ—mus venit ad spâ—cam grandis similitudo eft in disceruendo aut nulla aut perdifficilis distanâ—ia Praemonâ—t ergo Dominus ne uâ—i quid ambignum est cito sententiam proferamus sed Deo judici terminum reservemus Hieron Ut nobis exemplum proponat ne mâ—la hominum ante praesumamus credere quam probare Gr. Mor. l. 19. c. 23. Doubtful cases are to be exempted from our censure The wheat and courser grain saith Hierom are so like to one another when newly come up and before the stalk comes to the ear that there 's no judging between them and therefore the Lord by commanding that both should be let alone till the Harvest admonisheth as that we should not judge of doubtful things but refer them to the judgment of God Even God himselfe who clearly discernes the secrets of the heart and needs not examine any cause for his own information determines not by sentence till after examination that so he might teach us by his example the method of judging Gen. 18.21 Which is to know before we censure They who to make shew of what they have not a quick understanding and nimble apprehension will take off a speaker in the midst of his relation and make as if they knew all the rest of his speech which is to follow and others who though they will hear the whole speech out yet not clearly understanding it scorn to have it repeated again lest they might be thought slow of apprehension by their foolish and ill accommodated answers do often grosly bewray their ignorance and folly And this speaking of any thing ignorantly should principally be avoided by Magistrates and Ministers By Magistrates because their passing of a sudden and overhasty answer is accompanied with the hurt of others and withal by so much the more should they take heed of this folly because when they have once passed though a rash and unjust sentence Vid. Cartw. in Prov. 18.13 yet so great a regard must be had forsooth to their Honours by themselves already dishonoured that seldom or never will they be induced to retract or recal any unrighteous censure when once they have uttered it Which sinful distemper appeared not only in those Heathen Governours * In their censuring of John and Christ Herod and Pilate but in that holy man David in the case of Mephibosheth By Ministers likewise should this speaking ignorantly and doubtfully of anything be avoided whose work being to direct souls and that through greatest dangers to the obtaining of greatest happiness they cannot be blind Leaders and ignorant Teachers without the infinite hazard of their followers How unlike are they who will be Teachers before they themselves have been taught and Affirmers of what they understand not to him who spake only what he knew Joh. 3.11.32 and testified onely what he saw and heard Thus of the first part of this verse their malicious and unchristian ignorance They speak evil of what they know not The second followes their sensual knowledg What they know naturally as brute Beasts in those things they corrupt themselves In which words two things are mainly considerable 1. The sensuality of their
and hurryed downward moves the swifter because the natural weight thereof is improved by an accessory impression And the natural motion of a person in sin is made much more eager and impetuous by the impulsions of Satan sinners then in the following their lusts are both carried down the tide of their own nature and withall vehemently driven by the winds of Satans Instigations and how swift a passage must needs be made by both conjoyned Besides wicked men follow their lusts and indeavour their satisfaction as their chief end and good and they have no other God gain was Balaams God Quic quid proponitur tanquam fin is quaeritur nullâ adhibitâ mensurâ Aquin. and advantage was the godliness of these seducers And whatsoever saith Aquinas rightly any one propounds to himself as his chief end he seeks and prosecutes without measure Every man endeavouring to obtain that with his best and greatest industry which he apprehends as the best and greatest good To conclude Lust knows no enough no satisfaction it always desiring more ever needy and therefore ever greedy ever empty and therefore ever earnest lust can finde no center or terme and therefore it will be eager in motion Sinners are said to drink iniquity like water Job 15.16 not onely in regard of the easinesse of drinking drink being more easily and speedily taken down then meat but in regard of the excessivenesse men drink water without measure because without the bridle of fear to restrain them fear of drunkenness may restrain men from drinking much wine but men care not how much water they take in they fearing no danger The Apostle Eph. 4.19 speaks of working uncleanness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with greediness or as the word properly signifies with having more There 's enough in the objects of lust to entice it not enough to content it there are reserves of desires in the soul fresh supplies of lustings new rays'd whensoever the old are cloy'd or foiled no more is lust satisfied with its objects then the fire is with wood then the grave with carcases the more we give it the more it will demand and if by lading it with courtesies we think to oppress it the more it s thus oppressed with the Israelites in Egypt the more it will grow OBSERVATIONS 1. Observ 1. Satan makes use of the meetest and ablest Instruments to advance his designs Balaam a Prophet he deems of all other the fittest to curse Israel He oft employs refined wits to defend Error as Arius Sabellius Pelagius Socinus Arminius He carves his Mercury on the most promising peeces He useth those to pervert the world who transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11.13 15. and the Ministers of righteousnesse he speaks by those who know how to use fair speeches wisdome of words sleight cunning craftiness and can lye in wait to deceive Ephes 4.14 Satan knows that his cause is bad and therefore he imploys those in the mannaging thereof who are able to make the best of a bad matter rotten stuffs want most watring and wrinkled faces most painting and error and impiety skilfullest pretences subtillest evasions fairest glosses and most cunning insinuations Tertullus is fittest to plead against Paul Soothsayers to oppose Moses A Simon Magus to deceive the whole City Besides Satan is most hurtfull to the Church when he opposeth it by subtilty and seduction Balaam did more hurt to the Israelites by his counsel then the Moabites could by their courage the daughters of Moah by tempting to Adultery and Idolatry destroyed 24000 the sons of Moab could not overcome one they whom God hath furnisht with the best weapons of arts and parts have oft given his Church the deepest wounds Men of great ability should labour to be men of good abilities and great integrity There 's no eminency either of outward power or inward parts but the Devil labours to make usefull and subservient to his own ends and interest and a stirrup to lift him up into the saddle How great a pitty is it that a good a clear head should be accompanied with a bad an unclean heart Tremble to think that any of thy accomplishments should be ornaments to beautifie the Devil Diabolus cupit abs te ornari That thy voice should make him Musick that thy wit eloquence strength authority should be weapons to fight for him against thy Lord and their Donor Oh let not Satan drink the wine of that vineyard which he never planted or draw out of that Well which he never digged inhabit that house which he never built Oh let all thy endowments be Engines imployed for the Giver Thy abilities never have their due improvements but when they advance Christ Never had the Ass so rich so precious a burden as when Christ sate upon it 2. Observ 2. God often gives excellent endowments to wicked persons Balaam famous for his prophesies was in famous for his prophanenesse they who are workers of iniquity may prophesie in Christs Name work miracles Matth 7. and cast out Devils both Judas and Caiphas prove this point God is a very bountifull Master some bones and crumbs he le ts fall even to dogs Gods bounty is so full a Cup that though it be fill'd for his children some drops run over upon the wicked And by the endowments of the worst of men God often doth good to his Church gifts are ministrantia not sanctificantia beneficial to others not to the owners for edifying not sanctifying they are as it were Gods shipping to convey his treasury of grace upon the shore of his people souls God oft gives men excellent parts and abilities to benefit others as some rich or noble man who causeth the Nurse to fare daintily for the good of his child to which she gives suck not out of love to her self The Israelites were enriched even by gold that was Egyptian they who preach Christ out of envie may yet preach Christ to the benefit of hearers A Raven brought Elijah food and wicked men may sometimes profitably dispence the food of life the dull whetstone may sharpen the knife the deaf bell may give a found to the ears of others a sweetly sounding Lute not it self delighted with the Musick may yet recreate yea almost ravish others An unskilful Serving-man may open the gate for his Master and let it shut to again before he himself can get through Balaams mouth uttered an excellent prophesie of Christ and his Church for the good of others his own heart mean while being untoucht untaught God put the word of prophesie but into his mouth And further God will have a tribute of glory even from his enemies Balaam in the midst of his rage and covetousness praised God he can extract water out of the rock and raise children out of stones it is not so much glory for God to take away wicked men as to use their evill to his own holy purposes as the heart of
intention be the root of sin as its the scope and end which the sinner looks at in his sinning the end of obtaining all Temporal good things being as he saith that a man thereby may get a kind of singular perfection and excellency to himself yet that covetousness is the root and beginning of sin in respect of execution as its that which furnisheth a man with matter to act and commit sin and gives opportunity to fulfil all the desires of sin Agreeable to this is that of Solomon Prov. 28.20 He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent and chap. 23.4 Labour not to be rich He that desires more then enough will not know where to stop will break all bounds To desire beyond the bounds of sufficiency is to seek for more then man may pray for No sooner doth a man step over this hedge but he is presently in the wide wild and boundless Champain of Covetousness and being once there he hath no limits to keep him in Achans taking of the accursed thing Ahabs violent and injurious snatching away of Nabohs Vineyard Judah his selling of his Master Gehezie's and Ananias's and Saphyrah's lying Demetrius's contention for Idol Diana Saul's disobeying of God in sparing the cattle and Jehu's halt in Reformation sufficiently prove this Truth The covetousness of the Scribes Luke 20.47 made them devour widowes houses for it the Priests made the Temple a Den of Thieves by admitting of Money-Changers c. They cared not with what corruption they filled the Temple so as they might fill their own Treasuries Popery hath hewen the principal Pillars of her Superstition out of this Rock of Covetousness It s a Religion wholly compacted and contrived for gain not only gotten from the living by Pardons Masses Confessions Offerings Pilgrimages Worshipping of Saints Indulgences Multò aequanimius decem millium animarum ferunt jacturam quà m decem solidorum Nicol. Clemangis de Pontif. Magis aurum suspiciunt quam Coelum Neh. 13.16 Amos 8. by making of a Money-matter of the most crying Abominations of Witch-craft of Murder of Father Mother Child Wife of Incest Sodomy Beastiality c. But also from the Dead who pay large Tributes by meanes of their Purgatory a toy which they cry not up at all for Truth but meerly for Traffick Silver is in the sacks mouth of every Popish Error Covetousness swallowes down any equivocation oath lye perjury 'T is this sin that makes the Sabbath Sabbatum Tyri Bacchi a Marketting and Junketting a selling and swilling day that stupifies the bowels of nature and maketh men without natural affection toward dearest relations desiring their deaths in stead of preserving their lives The thirst after gain makes men thirsty after blood as Balaam Ahab and Judas were both covetous and bloody If the hands be not defiled with blood it s the Law not conscience that keeps them clean It s Covetousness that licenseth the publick Stewes at Rome and those sties of Curtezans Many have violated their matrimonial faith and chastity and the Covenant of their God allured more with the Adulterers purse Jer. 6.13 then his person And what are all the Thefts False-dealings Oppressions Usury but the issues of this sin Judas was covetous and therefore a Thief Theft and Covetousness are joined together 1 Cor. 6.10 Whence come false-accusing pleading for an unrighteous cause the making the conscience a very hackney the flattering of men in sin and the having of their persons in admiration but from love of advantage Covetousness damps holiness as the damp of the earth puts out a candle A covetous heart like places where most Gold is is most barren Christians think not to be free of any one if you will embrace this one sin To overcome it 1. Overcome the unbelief of thy heart the root of this root of all evil is distrust of Gods promise and providence Sinful care comes from small faith Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation saith the Apostle be without Covetousness for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee He who hath God for his in him finds his Gold and all things else The Lord is my Shepherd saith David I shall not want Psal 23.1 Job 22.23 If thou return to the Almighty c. then shalt thou lay up Gold as dust c. yea the Almighty shall be thy defence or Gold Aurum lectissimum Jun. ver 25 or choice Gold as Junius reads it He that by Faith makes God his Gold shall never through covetousness make Gold his God 2. Rectifie thy opinion of Riches The earth is the lowest of Creatures and made to be trampled under our feet and the Primitive Christians laid the price of their possessions at the feet of the Apostles Act 4. ult Gold and Silver are fitter to set our feet then our hearts upon It would be against nature for earth and heaven to joyn together when an incongruity is it then for our souls purer then the heavens to be glued to the clods To have much is not to be rich God is called Rich in Scripture not for Money but for Mercy Rom. 10.12 True Riches stand more in doing then in receiving good Nec vera nec vestra Worldly enjoyments have but the name the shew of Riches There 's nothing but opinion that makes them excellent The common names given to Riches are bestowed but abusively They are not gain by them for them men oft lose their souls Not goods they neither make us good nor are they signs of goodness They are not substance they are but shadowes nor can they so much as shadow the Excellency of those which are true They are not means conducing to the chief end happiness indeed they are means to damn and undo many a soul they are nothing Solomon saith they are not i. e. in point of Duration Satisfaction efficacy and usefulness when we are in distress To conclude this 3. To overcom Covetousness study the Excellency of Riches indeed true Riches of being rich to God 1 Tim. 6.11 Math. 6 19. Quodam cordis itinere divitias tuas sequere Sequatur totum nostrum quo praecesserit aliquid nostrum Aug. rich in faith rich in Heavenly Treasures Look upon him that is Invisible view the Sun and then thy eyes will be so dazled that in other things thou wilt behold no beauty Consider thy Crown and contemn the Dung-hill Our Head is in Heaven let head and heart be together Let thy soul take a journey every day by Faith to thy Country thy Treasure thy Christ Largely of this see Part 1. pag. 372 6. Observ 6. Much is the power and goodness of God seen in the turning of the violent propensions of the heart from any way of sin toward himself His power for what but the power of Grace can turn the tide and stream of Nature Humane Lawes can curb us from the act and exercise of sin but only the Law
Daniel ub supr in the Reign of Henry the Seventh who though the greatest Peer in the Realm and laden with many Favours and great Offices yet was a man of that exorbitant and unbounded Ambition that nothing would please him but a Preferment which used to go to the Kings Eldest Son Though Peleon be layed upon Ossa and one Mountain of greatness upon another yet will an ambitious mind look upon them all as too low Kingdom added to Kingdom and could it be so world to world would but be a drop to the belly of the Elephant Ambition The best way to satisfie the thirst of one in a Feaver is in stead of giving him drink to cure his Distemper and he who hath the Itch shall more wisely take away the inward cause there of then think to allay it by scratching Le ts not think to satisfie our Lusts by making provision for them its Christian wisdom rather to study to kill then content inordinate desire and more to bring our hearts to our condition then our condition to our hearts Let us look upon that station of life wherein God hath set us as the best for us A garment which fits us is better for us though it be plain then one which is gaudy and three or four handfuls too big God best knowes how to order our Estates Should we be our own carvers we should often cut our fingers Let us also compare our Receipts with our deserts * and our selvs with our inseriors Observ 6. Naturae bonitas nisi pietate confirmetur facile illabescit Cart. Harm and though the former seem small when they stand by themselves yet if we set them by the latter they will appear of a large size and a tall stature 6. A meer man is firm and steady in no relation Natural relations unless back'd by grace are very slippery and unstable foundations of friendship Corah a wicked man though a neer kinsman to Moses proves his greatest Adversary Abels brother Josephs brethren Davids son could not be kept from Murder and Treachery by the bond of nature It is not the alliance but the renovation of nature that can establish friendship easily break the bonds of nature as Samson did his cords till his locks his Lusts be cut off No natural man accounts his own brother that lay in the same womb with him so near to him as the lust that lodgeth in his heart He provides friends most wisely for himself who either finds or makes them friends to God An enemy to God will not long be a friend to thee Natural love oft ends in an unnatural hatred A bad man will not conscienciously be a good husband son brother Grace doth not slay but sanctifie not annihilate but elevate nature turns water into Wine and Spiritualizeth carnal affection How just with God is it that he whom thou dost not desire to make Gods friend shall prove thy foe that thy child which is most cockered by thee in sin should afterward prove the greatest grief to thy heart God suffering to thy sorrow him to rebel against thee whom thou hast suffered and seen without sorrow to rebel against God 7 Innocency is no shelter from opposition Observ 7. The goodness of no person nor cause can exempt either from hatred No man meeker then Moses none better beloved then Aaron none more beneficial to Israel then both no cause more Righteous then the holding a Government to which they were appointed by God himself yet neither the persons nor their cause could be free from the conspiracies and contestations of sinners Jesus Christ himself endured their contradictions Heb. 12.3 and gainsayings It s no sign of a good man to have few opposers nor of a good Cause to have many abettors He who is not opposed by the stream goeth with it The world will hate where God loves So far is Holiness from exempting the Godly from the ill will of sinners that it drawes it forth Let other qualifications of Learning sweet nature Birth c. never so much abound yet Grace marrs the taste of all these in a carnal palat Antipathies can never be smothered reconciled The meekest Moses will he be a Moses shall be gainsayed notwithstanding his meekness The wicked rise up against the Faithful not for doing any evil against but for not doing evil with them If in our keeping close to God we meet with unkindness from the wicked let us not wonder if with love let us be thankful but yet withal suspicious of our selves that we do or at least cautelous that we may not sinfully correspond with them 8. Instruments of publick good Observ 8. often meet with unkind requitals Moses and Aaron Israels deliverers and defenders were gainsayd by an unthankful people Israel owed to these saithful Governors under God their provision peace and protection but for this the tribute which they paid was Conspiracy and Rebellion Nothing is so easily forgotten as the benefits we enjoy by Governors The lightest injuries are easily remembred and are like feathers that swim on the top of the water weighty favours like a piece of lead sink to the bottom and are forgotten Gideon had been a famous Deliverer of Israel Judg. 9.5 but the benefits which that unthankful people enjoyed by him are so neglected that they slew his sons 2 Chro. 24.21 22 Though Jehoiada was the renowned Restorer of Israels Government and Peace yet was his son destroyed by them who next to God owed all that was dear to them to his Faithfulness and Wisdom It s a Kingly honour to meet with unthankful returnes from those to whom we do much good The mothers brest gives milk to the froward Infant that strikes it God would have all especially Publick Officers in all the good they do to eye his Glory and command and not the applause of men No opposition must discourage us in the Faithful discharging of our places nor chase us from the station wherein God hath set us 9 Excellency and Superiority are the marks of Envy Observ 9. Invidemus inferiori ne nobis aequetur pari quia nobis aequatuâ— superiori quia ei nou ae quamur Though Moses and Aaron cannot be opposed for their sin yet they may be envyed for their Power As Equals are envyed because they are such and Inferiors lest they should be our Equals so principally Superiors because we are not equal to them Joseph was envyed because he was higher then his brethren in his fathers favour Nullae necessitudinis jura tam sancta et inviolaâ—a quae suâ—â— invidiae stimulos non pariuntur praescrtim cum quis inter cognatos ad impertum promovetur Mendez in 1 Sam. 10.16 Paterna largitatis memor non est qui est fraternae immemor charitatis haedum sibi datum negat qui tantam substantiam accepit Chrysol Ser 4. Senior dicitur eò quòd cito aliquis per invidiam consenesâ—â—t Ambr. in Luc. Haec est
consciences and the judgments of all others 9. The empty are also unstable Observ 9. These clouds without water are by the Apostle said to be carried about of the winds The Apostle 2 Pet. 3.16 joyns the unlearned and unstable together and Heb. 13.9 he mentions the establishment of the heart with grace A heart then empty of saving knowledg and true holiness is soon unsetled and needs must it be so being not firmly united to and set into Christ by faith unbelief and distrust make a man carried up and down like a Meteor He who is not built upon the Rock can never stand if a Reed be not tyed to some stronger thing it can never be kept from bending and shaking where grace the fruit is not there Christ the root is not and where there is no root there is no stability Further where there is a total emptiness of holiness there is an emptiness of peace and contentment there is no peace to the wicked And he who wants true contentment will ever be looking out for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it is not to be had without joy life is no life and if it be not gotten one way another will be tryed Who will shew us any good is the language of natural men they have still hopes to be better and like men in a Fever they toss from one side of the bad to the other in hope to finde coolness and refreshment but a soul that exerciseth it self in the ways of holiness tells every temptation You would draw me away to my lose 2 Cor. 7.32 35 Cor non tutum nisi totum Scinditur in certum studia in contraria Yet again a heart void of grace is divided in the service of God and therefore an unsetled heart t is not united to fear Gods Name it serves not the Lord without distraction all of its love fear joy runs not one way but having inclinations not wholly bestowed upon God and several ways of the hearts out-going from God being allowed its never safe and certain when the scales are even in weight they tremble and waver sometime one is up sometime another they who will serve two Masters God and the creature and are double-minded and will divide their hearts between them will often be wavering and shew themselves sometimes for Religion sometime for the world grace fixeth and weighs down the heart for God and to God and chuseth him onely Here 's the true Reason then in the general why men are so tossed and carried away from the truth of the Gospel they are empty of the truth of grace they go from us because they were never of us they are a Land-flood a Cistern onely receiving from without and void of an inward living principle and fountain 10. Observ 10. Christians should beware of unstedfastness of being carried away with any winds from their holy stedfastness in the truth Continue in the things which you have learned 2 Tim. 3.14 Be not as children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine To this end 1. Let the Word of Christ ballast your souls store them with the knowledg of saving Principles of Religion Empty Table-books are fit to have any thing written in them and a soul empty of the knowledg of wholsome truths is a fit receptacle for any error Do ye not err saith Christ because ye know not the Scriptures Mat. 22.29 Stones will easily be removed unless fixed upon a foundation He who buyes commodities without either weighing or measuring them may easily be deceived the Scripture is the measure and ballance of every opinion How easily may he be cheated with Errors in stead of truth who buyes onely in the dark Ignoran◠Christians are like Infants which gape and take in whatsoever the Nurse puts to their mouths 2. Labour to get your hearts fastned to the truth by love as well as your heads filled with the truth by light he who never loved truth may easily be brought to leave truth and to imbrace error He who embraced truth he knew not why will forsake it he knows not how the heart which hath continued deceitful under truth may soon be deceived by error a literal without an experimental knowledg of the truth may quickly be drawn to error from that wherein we find neither pleasure nor profit we may easily be enticed But when once we feel the truth both enlightning and delighting unloading its treasures of glory into our souls quieting our consciences quelling our lusts changing us into the Image of the Lord quickning our graces Seducers will not be able to cheat us of this Jewel because we know they can bring us nothing in exchange for which we should barter it away 3. Let there not be any one lust * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph in Rom. 16. allowed within thee to loosen thee from the truth They who are not sound in the fear of God may easily become unsound in the faith of God A remisse heart will close with remiss principles The mystery of Faith must be held in a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.9 which some saith the Apostle having cast away have made shipwrack of the faith he comparing conscience to a ship and faith to a treasure therein imbarked which must needs miscarry if the ship be cast away any corrupt affection entertained the soul like an unwalled and unfenced City lies open to the rage and rapine of and ruine by any enemy If Seducers sute their bait to the unmortified lust of a sinner Prov. 25.8 he is easily made their prey Of this at large before Particularly beware of Pride the proud Christian Page 615 616 617 part 1. like a light puft bladder will easily be puft any way of Error a Bird of a very small carkass and of many Feathers is easily carried away with the wind Pride is the mother of Heresie the proud man it is who consents not to wholsome Doctrine but dotes about questions 1 Tim. 6.3 4. Humility is the best fence against Error an humble man is so small in his own eyes that the shot of Seducers cannot hit him and lies so low that all their Bullets fly over him God teacheth the humble but the proud person is Satans Scholler 2. Fence thy soul against worldly mindedness a worldly heart will be bought and sold at every rate The truth can never be safe in the closet of that heart which Error can open with a golden picklock The covetous both make merchandise of others 2 Pet. 2.13 14. and will be made merchandise by others The hook of error is easily swallowed down by a worldly heart if it be baited with though filthy lucre Take heed of being a servant of truth Fraus malitia haereticorum vel dolend a est tanquam hominum vel cavenda est tanquam haereticorum vel irridenda tanquam imperitorum Aug. for gain for if so thou wilt soon be a slave unto error for more
afterward In like manner these seducers of whom Jude speaks had a double death or were twice dead first they were dead in respect of their natural condition by being as are others born in sin and so as the Apostle speaks Ephes 2.1 dead in sin from this they were so far recovered as that they seem'd to live and as Peter speaks 2 Pet. 2.20 to have escaped the pollutions of the world and by visible profession to flourish and to give fair hopes of bearing good fruit notwithstanding this first death they were not given over as irrecoverable but their later death which was by Apostacy from the faith of Christ by reintangling themselves in the pollutions of the world and returning to their vomit and wallowing in the mire brought them into such a hopelesse deplorable condition that our Apostle no more expected their recovery then the restoring of a tree dead twice or the second time Indeed there is an Apostacy of impotency of affection and prevalency of lust a recidivation or relapse into a former sinfull condition out of forgetfulnesse and falsenesse of heart for want of the fear of God to ballance the conscience and to fix and unite the heart to him This was the frequent sin of Israel in breaking their Covenants Psal 106.7 8 9 12 13. and this falling from our first love and returning again to folly though it be exceeding dangerous yet God is pleased sometimes to forgive and heal it as he promiseth to some Hos 14.3 But there is another kind of Apostacy which is proud wilful stubborn malicious and whereby after the taste of thâ— good word of God and the powers of the world to come Men set themselves to hate and oppose godlinesse to do despight to the spirit of grace to rage against the word to trample upon the blood of the Covenant and when they know the spiritualness and holiness of Gods waies the innocency and piety of his servants they do yet set themselves against them for that very reason though under other pretences This speaking against the Spirit this opposing persecuting the doctrine worship waies servants of Christ so as that the formal motive of malice against them is the lustre and holinesse of that spirit which appeareth in them and the formal principle of it neither ignorance nor self ends but very wilfulnesse and immediate malignity is that daring height of enmity against godlinesse which shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come i. e. say some Matth. 12.32 neither in this life by justification nor in the world to come by publick judiciary absolution or rather as others shal be plagued and punished in this life and in that which is to come In the former spiritually in the other eternally and God leads those who thus offend forth with the workers of iniquity as cattle are led to slaughter or malefacters to execution And hence it was that Peter Epist 2 2 20. said their later end is worse then their beginning and that it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandments delivered to them Nor is the irrecoverablenesse of such backsliders any wonder 1. This their Apostacy in the formal nature of it is quâ—tâ— contrary to faith and repentance John 6.37 by faith we come to Christ cleave to him prize Christ as infinitely precious but by this apostacy we draw back depart from him let him go vilifie set him at naught and after covenant entred into with God fling up the bargain and deal with our sins as the Israelites did with their servants dismiss them and then take them again and in a word so repent of our former that our heart is incurably hardned against future repentance Luke 12.47 2. And further such of all sinners most provoke God to beat them with many stripes a much sorer punishment do they deserve then did those who died without mercy they sin wittingly and willingly not out of ignorance but against knowledg not only against light but love also and they trampling upon the blood spurning against the bowels of Christ even mercy it self becoms their enemy and pardoning grace frequently tendred Ex perversâ voluntate facta libido Dum servitur libidini facta consuetudo Dum consuetudini non resistitur facta necessitas Aug. l. 8. Conf c. 5. and seemingly received but truly rejected now condemns them so that they cannot sin at so cheap a rate as they who never had the knowledg of Christ 3. Besides their foreheads are now steeld and they are made impudent in sin The oftner a thief is imprisoned the less he blusheth Custome in sin makes the heart brawny insensible and seared as with an hot Iron lust causeth custome and custome contracts necessity and every return to sin makes the sinner more unable to resist it When a disease first meets with a strong constitution it finds an enemy to grapple with as it weakens the body so the body weakens it both their forces spend together one upon another and they fight upon some terms of equality But suppose the body gets the victory Debilitas ad resurgendum in recidivante augmentatur and the disease departs yet if a new adversary a new sicknesse soon sets upon it again here is great odds the one is fresh the other quite out of heart it is not now strong enough to bear the means of recovery but altogether lies at the diseases mercy In the first estate of sin the soul perhaps did grapple with sin and if it were foyl'd yet not without reluctancy it could endure reproof and suffer the word of exhortation but sin returning upon it again the soul is so weakned that it makes no resistance sin entring as an enemy upon a weakned and depopulated Country When Satan returns to his house saith Christ he finds it empty that is empty of the Spirit of God and the power thereof Matth. 12 44. which might oppose him as well as swept and garnished i. e. adorned with all those unbeautiful and deformed beauties which please him All the former profession of an apostate serves but to make him take the deeper die in sin and no colour is so lasting as when profanenesse is laid upon appearing holinesse Lastly Satans reentry is with more fiercenesse and resolution then was at the first his Entry when he returns to his house from whence he came out as he finds the house empty and swept c. so he brings seven spirits with him worse then himself After he was compell'd to go out of the man he found no rest saith the text yea all the while he was banish'd out of him he was as a man living in a dry and desert wildernesse Quamdiu domicilium in hominibus non inveniat omnia loca vel cultissima squalidas solitudines existimat Cartw. harm for such is every habitation to Satan in
they may procure much credit though they ask but little cost Besides natural conscience will not be put off with a total laying aside of duty and if Satan can cheat poor souls with putting a Pibble in stead of a Pearl into their hands he thinks it as much cunning as if he put nothing into their hands at all nothing doth so dangerously hinder men from happiness as the putting off themselves with shadows and appearances of that which is really and truly good He who is altogether naked may be sooner brought to look after the getting a garment then he who pleaseth himself with his own rags wherewith he is already clad A man who is smoothly civil and morally honest is in greatest danger of being suffered to go to Hell without disturbance he snorts not in his sinful sleep to the disturbing of others and he is seldom jogged and disquieted nay perhaps he is highly commended Christians please not your selves in the bare profession and appearances of Christianity that which is highly esteemed among men may be abominable before the Lord let not the quid but the quale not the work done but the manner of doing it be principally regarded examine your selves also concerning the principle whence your actions flow the righteousness whereby they are to be accepted the rule by which they are regulated the end to which they tend and as the Apostle speaks Let every one examine his own work and consider whether his duty be such as will endure the Scripture Touchstone 2. Withering and decaying in holinesse Observ 2. is a distemper very unsuitable and should be very hateful to every Christian It was the great sin and wo of these seducers and should be look'd upon as such by us and that upon these following considerations 1. In respect of God Decayes in our Christian course oppose his nature in whom is no shadow of change Mal. 3.6 Psal 102.24 I am the Lord saith he I change not He is eternally I am and ever the same his years are throughout all generations And what hath inconstancy to do with immutability how unlike to the Rock of ages are chaffe and stubble no wonder that his soul takes no pleasure in those who draw back and that they onely are his house who hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of the hope Hebr. 10 38. Hebr. 6.6 firm to the end If a frail weak man will not take a house out of which he shall be turned within a few years how unpleasing must it be to God to be so dealt with 2. Spiritual decays and witherings are unsutable to the works of God His work is perfect Deut. 32.4 he compleated the work of Creation he did it not by halves Gen. 2.1 The heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them God finished the building of his house before he left His works of providence whether general or special are all perfect he never ceaseth to provide for and sustain the creatures the doing hereof one year is no hinderance to him from doing the like another and another nay the day week month Psal 23. Psal 71.17 18 Christus perseveravit pro te ergo tu pro illo perseveres Bern. de temp 56. Ibi tu figas cursus tui metam ubi Christus posuit suam Idem Ep. 254. Obtulerunt ci Judaei si de cruce descenderet quòd crederent in illum Christus vero pro tanto munere sibi oblato noluit opus redemptiâ—nis humanae inchoatum relinquere inconsummatum Perald p. 216. year generation end but Gods providentiall care still goes on he upholds every creature nor is the shore of providence in danger of breaking he feeds heals delivers cloaths us unweariedly goodness and mercy follow us all the dayes of our lives he regards us from our youth and forsakes us not when we are gray-headed Most perfect are his works of special providence Redemption is a perfect work Christ held out in his sufferings till all was finisht Though the Jews offered to beleeve in him if he would come down from the Cross yet would he not leave the work of mans Redemption inconsummate He finisht the work which was given him to do he saves to the utmost delivers out of the hands of all enemies nor doth he leave these half destroyed they are thrown into the bottom of the Sea he hath not onely toucht taken up but quite taken away the sin of the world Nor will he leave the work in the soul imperfect he is the author and finisher of our Faith His whole work shall be done upon Mount Sion he will carry on his work of grace till it be perfected in glory where the spirits of just men shall be made perfect and the Saints come unto a perfect man 3. Spiritual witherings and decayings are opposite to the Word of God 1. The Word commands Spiritual progressiveness Be thou faithful unto the death Rev 2 10. Let us not be weary of well doing Gal. 6.9 Look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought John Eâ—p 2. v. 8. Let us go on to perfection Hebr. 6.1 Perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Take heed lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Hebr. 3.12 2. The Word threatens spiritual decays If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearfull looking for of vengeance and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hebr. 10.26 27 31. I have something against thee because thou hast left thy first love Rev. 2.4 If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Hebr. 10.38 3. In aternum se divino mancipat familatui Ob hoc inflexibilis obstinatae mentis punitur aeternaliter malum licet temporaliter perpetratum quia quod breve fuit tempore vel opere longum esse constat in pertinaci voluntate ita ut si nunquam moreâ—etur nunquam vâ—lle pecâ—are dâ—sineret ita â—ndefessum presi icuâ—â— stud â—m pâ—oâ—profectione reputatur Perald ubi supra The Word encourageth proceeding in holiness I will give thee a crown of life Rev. 2.10 Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Hebr. 10.37 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me Rev. 22 12. He that endureth to the end shall be saved Nor need it seem strange that the proceeding of a godly man in holiness for a few years is rewarded with eternity for as the sin of the wicked is punisht eternally because they being obstinate and inflexible would sin eternally should they always live so the sincere desire and endeavour of the godly to proceed in holiness is crowned eternally because should they always live they would always and progressively be holy 4. Spiritual
of the least storm Though Christ requires thee not actually as yet to forsake all for him Luk. 14.28 29.30 33. Et aequissimum sperae ad iniquissimum te paerae Vide page 372 373 374. yet he will have thee habitually prepared to do so Sever all worldly comforts from Christ in thy thoughts and try how thou canst love him by and for himself for his own beauty without his cloaths and external ornaments 3. Take heed of the smallest decay or a beginning to remit of thy holiness And to this end 1 Tremble at those sins which are seemingly but small what ever hath the nature of sin must be the object of hatred the least enemy to be sure of the soul must not be despised Though some sins may seem small comparatively yet there is none but must be accounted great considered in it self the least sin herein resembling the Earth which though it be but a point to the Heavens yet is a vast and immeasurable body of it self There is nothing little which offends a great God or hurts an immortall soul Poyson and death are lodg'd in the least sin and as unfaithfulnesse to God is discovered in a smaller as well as a greater sin as towards men in a trifling as well as a weighty thing so commonly doth it proceed from shewing it self in sins accounted slight to manifest it self in courses notoriously and hainously sinfull the decay of a tree first appears in its washy boughs and twigs but by little and little it goeth on further into the bigger arms and from them to the main body and decay of grace is first seen in smaller matters petty oaths slight omissions 2. And therefore secondly oppose sin in its bud beginnings in its first motions overtures solicitations the greatest deludge begins with a drop every sin defiling the conscience makes a man the more carelesse of it He who dares not wade to the ankles is in no danger of having the water reach as high as his neck Sinners increase to more ungodliness when they once descend they know not where to stop the beginnings of sin are modest the progress adventurous the conclusion may be impudent in open apostasie A drop of water may quench that spark which if neglected till it grow to a flame may violently destroy a whole townâ— the greatest Crocodile did at first lie in a little Egg. Yea thirdly Be afraid of the occasions of sin the sparks in a flint let alone are quiet but beat it with a steel they come out Non avis utiliter viscatis effugit alis Ovid Gen. 6.2 Psal 119.37 Job 31.1 and kindle a great fire let not occasions of sin beat upon thy heart it s easier to pass by the snare then to wind ones self out of it if thou wouldst not like long for eat and impart the forbidden fruit gaze not on it a Christians charity it is not to be and his prudence not to behold a provocation to sin God will preserve us in our ways not in our wandrings 4. Never look upon thy self as perfect or thy progress in holiness as sufficient 4. More viatorum nequaquam debemus aspicere quantum jam iter egimus sed quantum superest ut peragamus ut paulisper siaâ— praeteritum quod timide adhuc attenditur futurum Gr. Mor. l. 22. c. 7 Phil. 4 14. he who thinks he hath enough will soon come to have nothing that we have will be gone unless we strive to get more look not backward in thy Christian race to see how many thou hast outstript but look forward on those who have gotten ground of thee consider not so much how far thou hast gone and how many come short of thee as how far thou art to go and how far thou comest short of commanded perfection our greatest perfection in this life is to contend after perfection we must never cease growing till we be grown into heaven Christianity knows no enough he who hath the least grace hath enough to be thankful he who hath the most hath not enough to be either proud or idle He will be stark naught who laboureth not to be as good as the best In rowing up a River that runs with a strong stream if we rest our oats we fall down the stream while we neglect to gain we spend on the stock he who hid his Talent lost it 5. Presume not upon thine own strength and power to stand thou bearest not the root but it bears thee Qui operaturut accedamus idem operatur ne discedamus Aug. de bon pers cap. 7. Praesumptio firmitatis impedit firmitatem Gods power only is our support by it we are kept through faith to salvation they who call not upon God go aside from God Psal 14.3 4. He who first sets us up must also shore and keep us up he who hath brought us to himself must also hold us that we depart not from himself we are poor weak reeds but tyed to the strong pillar of Gods power we shall stand he who relyeth upon himself hath a reed for his upholder we cannot put too much confidence in God or too little in our selves Peters over-ventrousness tript up his heels Mat. 26.33 Let us not be like sick men who when they have had a good day or two think themselves presently well again and so putting off their warmer clothes put on thinner garments and adventure into the fresh air whereupon follow irrecoverable relapses It s the fear of God in the heart which keeps us from departing from him Prov. 3.5 let us fear always if we would fall never Be not high-minded but fear Lean not saith Solomon to thine own understanding he who is his own Teacher hath a fool to his Master 7. God at length discovers unsound empty Obs 7. and decaying Christians to be what they are These fruitless dead trees are at length pluckt up by the roots their inside is turned outward They who going among the drove of Professors are but like sheep shall be detected either here or hereafter to be but goats thus Cain at the first a Sacrificer yet being an Hypocrite was given up to be a Murtherer and was cast out of the sight of the Lord out of his Fathers family from the Ordinances Doeg detained before the Lord 1 Sam. 21.7 about religious offices afterward discovers his unsoundness of heart by his cruelty and more afterward did God lay him open when at his destruction it was seen and said that This is the man that made not God his strength c. Psal 52.1 The like may be said of Judas of whom Doeg was a Type his discovery by his treachery and of Sauls also by that horrid act of murthering the Priests and going to the Witch God also taking away his Spirit from him they who are not of us will at length be suffred to go out from us God leads those who secretly turne aside to crooked wayes with the workers
as lyes or at the best as Conjecturall uncertainties but our faith must take into its vast comprehension Gods whole revealed will part whereof is this of the last judgement The last and dreadfull judgement will never affright us from sin if we look upon it in the devils dress of uncertainty for then we shall but sport with it and make it our play-fellow in stead of our monitor Let us therefore labour to make it by prayer and meditation to sink into our hearts Si nunc omne peccatum manifestâ plecterâ—tur poenâ nihil ultimo judicio reservari crederetur rursus si nullum peccatum nunc puni ret apertè divinitas nulla esse divina providentia putaretur Aug. de Civ Dei cap 8. and to beleeve it though never so distant from or opposite to sense taking heed lest the deferring thereof and the present impunity of sinners destroy or damp our belief of Christs coming to judgment considering that if every offender should now be openly punished men would think that nothing would be reserved to the last judgment as on the contrary if no offender should be plagued men would beleeve that there were no providence And let us beware lest we make that concealment of the last judgment to be an occasion of sin which God intends should be an incentive to repentance This briefly for the note of incitement c. Behold The description of the judgment followes Rev. 1. Jo. 5.27 and in that first of the first part The coming of the judg to judgment in these words The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints EXPLICATION And here 1. the Title 2. Approach 3. Attendance of the Judg are all worthy of consideration by way of explication 1. Tune manifestè veniet judicaturus justè qui occultè venerat judicandus injustè Aug. Of the title Lord I have spoken very largely before pag. 344 c. p. 1. Of the greatness of this Lord the Judg as he is God and man I have also spoken pag. 527 528 529. The reasons also why he shal even as man judge the world I have mentioned p. 525 526 528. and how he excludes not Father and holy Ghost Nor wil it be needful here again to repeat the fitness of Christ for judicature Rev. 6.16 1 Jo. 2.28 Rev. 5.9 Rev. 19.11 Psal 45.6 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 1.14 1 Cor. 4.5 in respect of his advancement after his humiliation the necessity that the judicial proceeding should be visible the great horror and amazement of his enemies the comfort of the Saints the excellent qualifications of this judg in regard of his righteousnesse omniscience strength and fortitude c. 2. For the second therefore Act. 1.11.10.42.17.13 Aoristum secundum ponit pro futuro the Approach of the Judg in the word cometh Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which word Jude puts the signification of the time past for the time to come after the manner of the Prophets who are wont to speak of those things which are to come as if they were already past and this he doth for two reasons First to note the certainty of Christs coming to judgment it being as sure as if it were already Concerning this certainty of the coming of Christ to judgment I have spoken already pag. 536 Part 1. and in several pages before 2. Secondly to shew the nearness thereof Christs coming is at hand 1 Cor. 7 the time is short saith Paul its sails almost wound up The Judge stands at the doors He that shal come wil come and wil not tary If he were coming in Enochs time if in the first what is he then in the last times as these are frequently called come Lord Jesus come quickly Behold I come quickly Rev. 3.11 The Brides prayer and the Bridegrooms promise are both for speedy coming Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with clouds c. not shall come he is as good as come already Christ cometh to us either in spirit or in person 1. In Spirit he cometh 1. In the Ministry to win and perswade us to come unto him thus he went and preached in Noahs time to the spirits now in prison 1 Pet. 3.19 2. In some special manifestation of his presence in mercy or judgment The former when he meets us with comfort strength and increase of grace John 14.18.23 The later in testification of displeasure Rev. 2.16 John 16.8 2. In person he comes two waies 1. in carnem 2. in carne 1. Into flesh in humility in his incarnation to be judged 2. In flesh in glory at the last day to judg all flesh Where consider 1. Whence he cometh Where consider 2. Whither he cometh Where consider 3. When he cometh 1. Whence he cometh from heaven 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from heaven he shall come in the clouds of heaven to heaven he ascended and from heaven wil he descend Acts 1.11 This Jesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come as ye have seen him go into heaven And its necessary that Christ should come from heaven to judg because it is not meet that the wicked should come thither to him though to be judged for into that holy place can no unclean thing enter 2. Whither cometh he some think that the judgment seat shal be upon the earth that the sentence may be given where the faults have been committed and that in some place neer Jerusalem where the judg was formerly unjustly condemned and particularly some think it shal be in the valley of Jehoshaphat though that place Joel 3.12 contains but an allegorical or typical prophesie The Apostle seems to intimate that the place of judgment shal be in the air 1 Thes 4.17 where he mentions our being caught up to meet the Lord in the air it being probable that the judgment shall be in that place where we shall meet the judg in the clouds of the air and the Scripture saith he shall come in the clouds of heaven and then the divels shal be conquered and sentenced in the very place wherein they have ruled all this while as princes but over what place it seems to me a rashness to determine 3. When shal he come In the end of the world but the particular age day or year is not known to man or Angel Mark 13.32 this secret the Spirit revealed not to nor taught the Apostles who yet were led by him into all necessary truths and Christ must come as a thief in the night and as in the daies of Noah when men knew nothing And we are commanded to watch and to be ever prepared because we know not the houre The childish curiosity of sundry in their computation of a set year wherein the day of judgement shall be rather deserves our caution then confutation 3. The third thing to be opened in this coming of the Judg is his attendance in these words ten thousands of his Saints The words in the original are 〈◊〉
thee Yea of those sins which are unknown to thee shalt thou be convinced by him who knoweth all things We should be then so far from sheltring those sins which we know that we ought to be humbled for such as we know not Thus of the first particular in the carriage of the judge toward the wicked viz. the manner of his judging them namely by way of conviction 2. The parties to be judged follow in the next place who are here said for their quality to be ungodly and for their quantity all the ungodly Of this before at large Thirdly the causes of and matters about which they shal be judg'd are next cōsiderable they are two-fold The first their ungodly deeds In these words their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed Not to enlarge upon this first particular here considerable Vide part 1. Pag. 302.303 c. viz. the generall nature of their deeds here said to be ungodly as being sufficiently known by the former Consideration of the parties who were call'd ungodly By which its manifest that ungodly deeds are primarily and properly such as are committed immediately against God himselfe and so against the first table in the prophane opposing of Gods worship and honour in which respect ungodlinesse is distinguisht from unrightousnesse which properly breaks the Commandements of the second table And yet secondarily and in a more large Consideration ungodlinesse here comprehends any sin committed either against God or man and so against any Commandement of the Law for even that sin which is directly against man hath in it a defect and a withdrawing of some duty due to God If it be enquired why the Apostle onely here saith ungodly and not unrighteous deeds also It s answered for three resons 1. Because ungodliness and unrighteousness are inseparable wheresoever ungodliness is there will be no Conscience made of unrighteousness as the two tables were given so are they broken and embraced both together and he who breaks one makes no Conscience of breaking the other the authority of the giver being the same 2. Because ungodlinesse is the cause of unrightenesse he who hath a prophane godless heart will not stick at any act of unjustice T is the fear of God which is to depart from evill As holinesse puts a man upon righteousnesse so prophanenesse upon unrighteousnesse Pharaoh knew not God and therefore he opprest Israel 3. Because these seducers flatterd themselves with pretences of eminent godlinesse and holiness though they took a liberty to live in many vices and unclean extravagancies The Apostle several times in this Epistle brands them with the name of ungodly ones and threatens judgment for their ungodliness 2. For the second the manner after which they were committed and that was ungodlily which they have ungodlily committed EXPLICATION The words ungodlily committed are contained in one word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it may be rendred by any one Latine word it must be impiarunt nor can it be in any one English word properly expressed but must be rendred either to doe or perform or live ungodlily The same word is expressed but in one place besides this in all the new Testament and that place is 2 Pet. 2.6 where it is rendred living ungodlily In the opening hereof I shall only shew what it is to commit an evil work ungodlily First more generally it notes the proceeding of these nngodly deeds from an ungodly unsanctified prinple an unholy unrepentant heart a mind devoted and addicted to ungodliness this is not the fruit which growes upon a good tree nor the spot of Gods people who though sometime they do that which is ungodly withdraw that duty which is due to God and commit that evil which is against the wil of God In optimis non nihil pessimi Tert. de an c. 23. yet as the Psalmist speaks they do not wickedly as these did depart from God Psal 18.21 the wicked are they who do wickedly against the covenant Dan. 10.32 and of the wicked it is said Dan. 12.10 that they shall doe wickedly But 2. That which this doing ungodlily doth more particularly intend is the performing of wickedness after a wicked and ungodly manner and that principally these four several waies 1. By purposing and intending of sin The wicked is not overtaken with a sudden fit of tentation but resolves on sin long before he makes provision for his lust he is like a man who layes himself to sleep drawes the curtains puts out the candle and he intends and in a sort overtakes his sleep in sin he sets himself in a way that is not good Psal 36. 2. Ungodly deeds are performed after an ungodly manner by devising and contriving of ungodliness the wicked devise mischief Prov. 6.14 He that deviseth to do evil Psal 35.20 Prov. 16 30. Jer. 18.18 Psal 36.4 Vid. Cartwr in Pro. 6.14 shall be called a mischievous person the heart which deviseth wicked imaginations is one of the seven things which the Lord hates Prov. 6.16.18 Against those who devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds is a wo denounced Mich. 2.1 The wicked are workers of iniquity Matth. 7.22 They are curious cunning artificers in and contrivers of sin ungodliness is their art trade and mystery they are wise to do evil and men in malice though children in understanding they are skilful practioners in sin 3. By a delighting and taking pleasure in the committing of sin Wicked men are willingly obedient to it they yeild themselves to execute its commands and they universally resign the whole consent of the wil to the obedience of it Sin is as pleasant to sinners as bread and wine they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the cup of violence they rejoyce to doe evill and delight in the frowardness of the wicked Prov. 2.14 Wickedness is sweet in their mouths and they hide it under their tongues Job 20.12 as it is not the doing of good but the delighting in the doing it that makes it done wel so neither is it simply the doing of evil but the doing thereof delightfully that makes it done ungodlily It is a sport to a foole to do mischiefe Prov. 10.30 4. By continuing and persisting in sin Wicked men grow worse and worse their waies increase to more ungodlinesse they run on in them without repentance none say what have I done It s weakly done to fall but it is wickedly done to lie stil it is bad to stand in the way of sinners much worse to sit in the seat of the scornful OBSERVATIONS 1. The godly sin not as do the wicked Obs 1. The sinful actions of the godly proceed not from an heart altogether void of a sanctified principle there is in them the seed of God the divine nature a renewed part from which their wicked works never issue in the committing of the most ungodly of their actions they themselves are not altogether ungodly and they are overtaken unawares
the discontented person for but doing with his own as he pleaseth 4. In this is manifested the sin of a proud conceit of our own worth and deservings a sinful self-justification when Gods dispensations are severe and afflictive He who complains of Gods dealing secretly applauds his own deservings he who murmurs against Gods hand shewes that he is not angry with his own heart he alwaies saith see what have I lost how many comforts do I want but he never saith what have I done how many corruptions hath my heart which make me unfit to enjoy a fuller portion in the world All the fault is laid upon God nothing upon himself as if his sin never threw one mite into the treasury of his sufferings he counts God a hard master and himself a good servant and if it be a great sin in the courts of men to acquit the wicked and to condemn the innocent how inexcusable a wickednesse is it to condemn God and acquit our selves A discontented camplainer saith not with David I and my fathers house have sinned these sheep what have they don Nor with the humble soul The Lord is righteous and I wil bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him but flyes in the face of God in stead of falling down at his feet In one word this discontent is a shield for sin and is a sword against God 5. This sin unduly and sacrilegiously usurps Gods own seat and throne what doth he who complaines of Gods administrations but in effect profess that he would be in the room of God to order the world after his own mind and that he hath more wisdome care justice and therefore fitness to dispose of men and to alot them their portions than God himselfe Interpretatively he sayes like Absolom there is none that takes care to order mens affaires O that I were King of the world then should things be better ordered then now they are And he saith to God as that master of the feast to his self-advancing guest come down sit lower and give way to thy betters to sit above thee Whereas alas should such silly Phaetons as we but govern the world as they fable he did the chariot of the sun for one day we should set all things on fire nay should we be left to cut out our own portions and be our own carvers how soon should we cut our own fingars And how can he whose wil is the rule of rectitude do any thing unrighteously man doth a thing because its just but therefore is a thing just because God doth it far be it from God saith Elihu that God should do wickedness Jâ—b 34.10 and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity who can be more careful then he who is more tender over his than a mother is over her sucking child who so wise as the only wise God whose eyes run to fro throughout the whole earth nay who indeed is all eye to behold all the concernments of the sons of men 6. Lastly This sin of discontentednesse with our own private alotments takes men off from minding the more publick and weighty concernments of Gods Church making them to disregard and forget it in all her sufferings and hazards what doth more then this sin cause men to mind their own and not the things of Jesus Christ and to lose the thoughts thereof in a crowd of discontented cares for themselves It is impossible for him that is overmuch in mourning for himself to be mindful of or mournful for Zion Now what an unworthy distemper is this for men to live as if God had made them only to mind their own private conditions in the world to regard only the painting of their own Cabbins though the ship be sinking and so as it may be wel with themselves to be carelesse how it fares with the whole Church of Christ We should rejoyce that God would set up a building of glory to himselfe though upon our ruins and that Christ ariseth though we fal that his kingdome comes though ours goes that he may be seene and honoured though we stand in a crowd and be hidden OBSERVATIONS 1. God hath divided Obs 1. set out for every one his portion here in the world These seducers in complaining of their part and alotment shew that God appoints to every one his dimensum or proportion that he thinks fittest for them God is the great housholder of the world and Master of that great family and as it was the custome of ancient times to divide and give to every one his portion of meat and drink and his set allowance of either whence we read Psal 11.6 of the portion of the wickeds cup so God deals out to every one what estate he thinks meetest To some he gives a Benjamins portion in the world five times so much as to others he is the soveraign disposer of us and of all our concernments and he best knowes what is best for us and to his people he ever gives them that alotment which best sutes with their obtaining of the true good himself and ever affords them if not what they would yet what they want Oh how should this consideration work us to a humble contentednesse with all our alotments and make us bring our hearts to our condition if we cannot bring our condition to our hearts In a word when we see that the condition of others is higher then ours let us consider that it is better to wear a fit garment then one much too big though golden 2. Obs 2. No estate of outward fulness can quiet the heart and stil its complaints These seducers feasted sumptuously fed themselves to the full and fared high and yet for all that they murmured and complained The rich man in the Gospel in the midst of all his abundance cryes out What shall I doe Luke 12.17 Neither the life nor the comfort of the life consists in the abundance of the things which we enjoy None complain so much as they who have the greatest plenty Though Nabal had in his house the feast of a King yet soon after his heart dyed in him and he became like a stone 1 Sam. 25.27 Nabals heart was like the kidney of a beast which though inclosed in fat is it self lean Solomon in his glory reads a lecture of the creatures vanity Ahab and Haman were as discontented in heart as great in estate vast is the disproportion between the soul and all wordly objects for they being but momentany and vanishing dead and inefficacious earthy and drossie are unsutable to the souls excellency and exigencies T is not the work of wordly abundance to take away covetousnesse but of grace in the heart the lesson of contentment must be learned in a higher Schoole than outward plenty 3. Obs 3. They who deserve worst complaine and murmur most And are most ready to thinke that they are most hardly dealt with None are so unthankful as the
them a while then the souls of their people to all eternity Ministers must defend as well as feed their flock and keep away poyson as well as give them meat drive away the Wolfe as well as provide pasture Cursed be that patience which can see the Wolfe and yet say nothing If the heresies of seducers be damnable the silence of Ministers must needs be so too 2. Obs 2 It s our duty to acknowledge and commend the gifts and graces of God bestowed upon others with respect Jude honourably mentions these Apostles both for the dignity of their Function and also for the faithfulnesse of their discharge thereof by forewarning the Christians The prudent commending of the gifts and graces of another is the praysing of the giver and the incouragement of the receiver The good we see in any one is not to be dampt but cherisht nor should the eminency of our own make us despise anothers endowments Peter though he had oft heard Christ himselfe preach and long been conversant with Christ upon earth though at Pentecost the spirit was poured upon him yet he thought it no derogation from his worth to make an honourable mention of Paul to read his Epistles and to alledge the authority of his writings 2. Pet. 3.15 Peter doth not say why is not my word as credible as Pauls but without any selfe-respect he appeals to Paul honours Paul and fetcheth in Paul for the warrant of his writings Oh how unworthy is it either to deny or deminish the worth of others How unsutable is it to the spirit of Christianity when meer shame compels a man to speak something in commendation of another to come with a But in the conclusion of our commendation But in such or such a thing he is faulty and defective This kind of commendation is like an unskilful farriers shooing of an horse who never shoes but he pricks him 3. Obs 3. The consent between the pen-men of scripture is sweet and harmonious they were all breath'd upon by the same spirit and breath'd forth the same truth and holinesse Jude and the rest of the Apostles agree unanimously against these seducers Moses and all the Prophets accord with the Apostles in their testimony of Christ Luke 24. Peter and Paul agree harmoniously 2. Pet. 3.15 All holy writers teach one and the same faith They were severall men but not of sevrall minds The consideration whereof affords us a notable argument to prove the divine authority of Scripture all the pen-men whereof though of several conditions living in several ages places and countreys yet teach the same truth and confirm one anothers doctrine 2. It teacheth in the exposition of Scripture to endeavor the making of them all to agree Weemes When other writers oppose the Scripture we should kill the Egyptian and save the Israelite but when the holy writers seem for they never more than seem to jar one with another wee should study to make them agree because they are brethren But 3. and especially the consideration hereof should put all Christians upon agreeing in believing and imbracing the truth if the writers agreed Mauns dextra non taniopere indiget ministerio sinistrae quam necessaria est Ecclesiae doctoribus Concordia Gerhard 2 Pet. 3.15 the readers should do so too but cheifly the preachers of the word should take heed of difference among themselves in interpreting the Scripture Concord among teachers is as necessary as is the help of the left hand needful to the right When the children fall out in interpreting their fathers Testament the Lawyer only gains and when Ministers are at variance among themselves hereticks onely rejoyce and get advantage to extoll and promote errour In a word as the Apostle holily exhorts Phil. 3.16 we should walk by the same rule and mind the same thing and 1. Cor. 1.10 Speak the same thing labouring that there may be no division among us but that we be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment All Contention among Ministers should be who shall be foremost in giving of honour and gaining of souls 4. Obs 4. Scripture is the best preservative against seduction The Apostle directs the Christians to make use of the words of the Apostles to that end The Scripture is the best armory to afford weapons against seducers It s onely the Sword of the Spirit the word of God that slayes error Mat. 4. Jesus Christ made use of it when he conflicted with that arch-seducer the devill The reason why people are children tossed about with every wind of seduction is because they are Children in Scripture-knowledge They are children which commonly are stoln in the streets not grown men Ye erre saith Christ to the Sadducees not knowing the Scripture The Scripture is the light which shines in a darke place an antidote against all hereticall poyson A touchstone to try counterfeit opinions that Sun the lustre whereof if any doctrines cannot endure they are to be thrown down as spurious And this discovers the true reason of Satans rage against the word in all ages never did any theefe love the light nor any seducer delight in the word Luci fugae Hereticks fly the Scripture as the owle doth the Sun when that ariseth they flye to their holes when that sets they fly abroad and lift up their voice It s Satans constant design that there may not be a sword found in Israel Our care should be to arraigne every errour at the bar of Scripture and to try whether it can speake the scripture shibboleth whether it hath given them letters of commendation or no or a passe to travell up and down the Church or no If to Scripture they appeal to Scripture let them goe and let us with those noble Bereans with pure humble praying unprejudiced hearts search the Scriptures whether those things are so 5. Obs 5. They who are forewarn'd should be forearm'd It s a shame for them who have oft heard and known the doctrines of the Apostles to be surprized by seducers Jude expects that these Christians who knew what the Apostles had delivered should strenously oppose all seduction To stumble in the light is inexcusable To see a young beginner seduced is not so strange but for an old disciple a grey-headed gospeller to be mislead into error how shamefull is it and yet how many such childish old ones as these are doth England London afford who justly because they are ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth but remaine unprofitable hearers of truth are left by God to be easily followers of error The fourth particular which I considered in Judes producing of this testimony of the Apostles was wherein this testimony consisted or the testimony it selfe laid down in the 18. ver in these words That there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodlylusts In which words these seducers are described
husband spends her thoughts upon him by this time thinks she he is come to such a place to night he lodgeth in such an house The thoughts of saints run upon this mercy of Christ Heb. 11. Psal 39. 1 Pet. 1. The reason why they are call'd strangers here is because they dwell so much in their thoughts of another condition Every saint is made to looke upwards Beneficiall and great things are much thought on The covetous man thinks of his treasure the labourer of his hire the prisoner of his enlargement the heir of his possession And great things are greatly observed and serious matters seriously regarded Trivial toyes and enjoyments cannot hinder a saint from the thoughts of this great mercy yea all other things are but so many steps to raise his meditation to it Wicked men are bow'd downward in their contemplation as in their condition Saints are low in the latter high in the former They are as unlike as a piece of dirt and a ball Cast dirt upon the earth it lies still cast a ball on it and it rebounds upward 2. Belief of this mercy The looking for this mercy imports a groundednesse of expectation A saint looks for nothing without the foundation of a promise Faith certainly layes hold on that certaine word Heb. 6.11.19 and hence hope hath such a certainty as never makes us ashamed There 's a full assurance of hope call'd therefore the sure and stedfast anchor of the soule This expectation is not overcome by humane sense and reason Heb. 11.1 but climbs above them Faith gives a reality to things not seen This looking is for that which is clean contrary to sense It s an hope above hope they who have it see the mercy of Christs coming even through a cloud of sin and misery and look at things within the vaile Heb. 6.19 3. Ardent desires after this mercy This looking for it implies the welcomness and acceptableness of it and it s a looking for mercy Saints are both said to be lookers for and lovers of it 2 Tim. 4.8 they are sick of love to it The Bride saith Come Rev. 22.21 Come Lord Jesus Come quickly shuts up the scripture and summes up the churches wishes Rev. ult There 's a griefe for his absence and a groaning desire after his presence Rom. 8.23 We sigh in our selves waiting c. as no worldly difficulty can disappoint so no worldly enjoyment can bribe the souls desires A Saint with Abraham stands at his tent doore or with Sisera's mother 2 Pe◠3 12 looks out of the window and saith why is his chariot so long a coming It hasteth Wee cannot thus look for Christ unlesse we love him 2 Thes 3.5 the devils and the wicked have a fearfull the faithful a longing looking for Christ 4. It imports patience of expectation The faithfull will stay Gods leisure for his dole of mercy as beggars at a doore that continue there till there be leisure to serve them They make not hast Isa 28.16 Though they dwell in an unkind world and among them that hate peace Though they are wounded with crosses yet they say with Augustine Lord here burn wound cut the mercie of Christ makes amends for all Though they are environed with a body of death and had infinitely rather if God pleased change a necessity of sinning for a necessity of obeying yet they contentedly think Gods time is the best for removing though the worst of evils Their patience concocts their miseries and their empty stomaks keep them from being sick though in a wide and stormy sea Rom. 8.21 Through faith and patience they inherit the promises Heb. 6.12 This looking for the Spirit of Christ is 2 Thes 3.5 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patience it selfe Mercy must not be bestowed nay 't will bee no mercy if patience be not tryed Certainty countervails all delayes 5. This looking conteins in it a joyful expectation of that great good for which we look Though the deferring makes the heart sad and sick yet the expecting thereof makes the heart glad and cheerful Wee rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 In whom believing we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet 1.8 If Abraham looking for the day of Christs humility two thousand yeares before rejoyced must not believers needs rejoyce in looking for the day of his and their own glory approaching so neer it being now as it were the last minute of the last houre before the day of our marriage redemption coronation 6. It notes prudent vigilancy what wee look for wee watch for when we look either for friend or foe we keep our selves waking Hence Luke Luk. 12.36 37. makes this looking and watching all one They who look for an Enemy will watch to prevent his coming as Christ speaks of the theif They who look for a friend will watch to welcome and entertain him All who look for mercy labour to be found in peace they look up as watchmen upon their Tower they keep their loyns girt and they are in the posture of servants expecting their Lord they are afraid of surfets and sleeping by worldly pleasures They who reach after this mercy must let worldly trifles fall out of their hand 2 Pet. 3.11 The better the mercy to be enjoyed is the fitter we should be to receive A prepared mercy sutes not with an unprepared heart Every day to a saint should be as his last And of every one he should say art thou the last or look I for another Am I now in a meet posture to receive the mercy of Christ To shut up this it is not strange that Jude enjoins these Saints to look for this mercy of Christ considering the sutablenes of this exhortation to the persons exhorted who 1. are Saints such as have the spirit which saith Come whose motions are upward who are begotten again to this lively hope who as they are men look upward with their faces so as they are Saints and new men look upward with their spirits and wait for Christ from heaven 1 Thes 1.10 and love his appearance 2. Tim. 4.8 Such as are like the young ones of the fouls of heaven who though they may be hatch't under a hens wing yet being growne they presently flye abroad The Saints are born and for a time live in the world yet they soon shew that they are not of this world who 2. also were so opposed and tempted by seducers that looking for the Crowne of life was little enough to make them constant to the death 2. Considering for whom they were to look their Master their Husband Head their Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Considering for what they looked mercy to bee bestowed at a time when they should want it most even at Christs coming when nothing else will help Lastly considering the great beneficialnesse of this mercy it was such a mercy whereby they should be possessed of eternal life
and discipline and herein if they shall either be hindred or negligent private Christians shall not be intangled in the guilt of their sin if they be humbled and use all lawful means for remedy though they do communicate 6. Let them search whether there be any Scripture warrant to break off communion with the Church in the ordinances when there is no defect in the ordinances themselves only upon this ground because some are admitted to them who because of their personal miscarriages ought to be debarred The Jewes of old though they separated when the worship it self was corrupted 2 Chron. 11.14 16. yet not because wicked men were suffered to be in outward communion with them Jerem. 7.9 10. nor do the precepts or patterns of the Christian Churches for casting out of offenders give any liberty to separation in case of failing to cast them out and though the suffering of scandalous persons be blamed yet not the communicating with them 1 Cor. 5.11 Rev. 2.14.15.20.24 The command not to eat with a brother who is a fornicator or covetous c. concerns not religious but civil communion by a voluntary familiar intimate Conversation either in being invited or in inviting as is clear by these two Arguments 1. That eating which is here forbidden with a brother is allowed to be with an heathen but it s the civil eating which is onely allowed to be with a heathen therefore it s the civil eating which is forbidden to be with a brother 2. The eating here forbidden is for the punishment of the nocent not for a punishment to the innocent but if religious eating at the Sacrament were forbidden the greatest punishment would fall upon the innocent the godly Now though such civil eating was to be forborne yet it follows not at all much lesse much more that religious eating is forbidden 1. Because civil eating is arbitrary and unnecessary not so religious which is enjoyned and a commanded duty 2. There is danger of being infected by the wicked in civil familiar and arbitrary eatings not so injoyning with them in an holy and commanded service and ordinance 3. Civill eating is done out of love either to the party inviting or invited but religious is done out of love to Jesus Christ were it not for whom we would neither eat at Sacrament with wicked men nor at all To conclude this separation from Churches from which Christ doth not separate is schismatical now it s clear in the Scripture that Christ owneth churches where faith is sound for the substance and their worship Gospel-worship though there be many defects and sinfull mixtures among them And what I have said concerning the schismaticalnesse of separation because of the sinfull mixtures of those who are wicked in practise is as true concerning separation from them who are erroneous in judgement if the errours of those from whom the separation is made be not fundamental and hinder Communion with Christ the head And much more clear if clearer can be is the schismaticalnesse of those who separate from and renounce all Communion with those churches which are not of their own manner of Constitution and modeld according to the platform of their own particular church-order To refrain fellowship and communion with such Churches who professe Christ their Lord whose faith is sound whose worship is Gospel-worship whose lives are holy because they come not into that particular way of church-order which we have pitcht upon is a schismaticall rending of the church of Christ to pieces Of this the church of Rome are most guilty who do most plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and circumscribe and bound the church of Christ within the limits and boundaries of the Romane jurisdiction even so as that they cast off all churches in the world yea and cut them off from all hope of salvation who subject not themselves to their way Herein likewise those separatists among our selves are heniously faulty who censure and condemn all other churches though their faith worship and conversation be never so scriptural meerly because they are not gathered into church order according to their own patterns In scripture churches are commended and dignified according as their fundamental faith was sound and their lives holy not according to the regularity of their first manner of gathering And notwithstanding the exactest regularity of their first gathering when churches have once apostatiz'd from faith and manners Christ hath withdrawn communion from them and most severely censured them And this making of the first gathering of people into church-fellowship to be the rule to direct us with whom we may hold communion wil make us refuse some churches upon whom are seen the Scripture characters of true churches and joyn with others onely upon an humane testimony because men onely tell us they were orderly gathered It should be our care to shun separation Obs ult To this end 1. Labour to bee progressive in the work of mortification the lesse carnal we are the lesse contention and dividing will be among us Are ye not carnal saith the Apostle and he proves it from their divisions separation is usually but very absurdly accounted a sign of an high grown christian we wrangle because we are children Jam. 4.1 and are men in malice because children in holinesse wars among our selves proceed from the lusts that war in our members 2. Admire no mans person the excessive regarding of some makes us despise others in respect of them when one man seems a gyant another will seem a dwarfe in comparison of him This caused the Corinthian schism Take heed of man-worship as well as image-worship let not idolatry be changed but abolish't Of this largely before upon Having mens persons in admiration 3. Labour for experimental benefit by the ordinances Men separate to those churches which they account better because they never found those where they were before to them good Call not Ministers good as the young man in the Gospel did Christ complementally only for if so you wil soon cal them bad Find the setting up of Christ in your hearts by the Ministry and then you will not dare to account it Antichristian If with Jacob we could say of our Bethels God is here wee would set up pillars nay bee such for our constancy in abiding in them 4. Neither give nor receive scandals give them not to occasion others to separate nor receive them to occasion thine own separation watch exactly construe doubtfull matters charitably Look not upon blemishes with multiplying glasses or old mens spectacles Hide them though not imitate them sport not your selves with others nakednesse Turn separation from into lamentation for the scandalous 5. Be not much taken with novelties New lights have set this church on fire for the most part they are taken out of the dark-lanthorns of old Hereticks They are false and fools fires to lead men into the precipice of separation Love truth in an old dresse let not antiquity be a
prejudice against nor novelty an inducement to the entertainment of truth 6. Give not way to lesser differences A little division will soon rise up to greater small wedges make way for bigger Our hearts are like to tindar a little spark will enflame them Be jealous of your hearts when contentions begin stifle them in the cradle Act. 3â— 38 Paul and Barnabas separated about a smal matter the taking of an associate 7. Beware of pride the mother of contention and separation Love not the preheminence rather be fit for then desirous of rule despise not the meanest say not I have no need of thee All schismes and heresies are mostly grafted upon the stock of pride The first rent that was ever made in Gods family was by the pride of Angels ver 14. and that pride was nothing else but the desire of independency 8. Avoid self-seeking he who seeks his own things and profit will not mind the good and peace of the church Oh take heed lest thy secular interest draw thee to a new communion and thou colour over thy departure with religion and conscience 1. Thus we have spoken of the First viz. what these seducers did separate themselves 2. The cause of their separation or what they were in these words sensual not having the spirit Wherein 1. Their estate is propounded They were sensual 2. Explained having not the spirit EXPLICATION But 1. In what respect were they Sensual In what respect were they 2. Not having the spirit 2. Why doth the Apostle here represent them to be such 1. For the first 1. The word here translated sensual in the Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anima the soule so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth primarily one who hath a soule Animalis ab anima non ab ab animo And in Scripture the word is used three wayes 1. Sometimes it s joyned with the word body in opposition to a glorified body and then the body is called a naturall body that is such a body as is informed governed moved by the soule or is subject to animall affections and operations as generation nutrition augmentation c. or such a body as is sustained and upheld by the actions of the soule as it receives from it life and vegetation that is by the action of the vegetative power Vid. Aquin. Cajet Estium Pareum in 1 Cor. 15.44 Homo in puris naturalibus confideratus qui nihil eximium habet praeter animam rationalem Piscat Homo non alia quam naturalis animi luce praeditus Bez. the chiefe whereof is nutrition which cannot be without nourishment so that this naturall body wants the constant help of nourishment for its preservation in which respects it is distinguisht from a glorified body 2. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Scripture opposed to regenerate and so imports one who hath in him nothing excellent but a rationall soule who is governed onely by the naturall light of reason who hath in him onely naturall abilities and perfections And when thus it s taken our learned translators translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word naturall 1 Cor. 2.14 intending one who is guided by naturall reason he being there opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirituall man who is indued with and guided by a divine and supernaturall illumination 3. It s taken for one who being guided by no better light than that of his own naturall reason or rather who Anima significat animalitatem cum ab animo i. e. parte superiori distinguitur Lapide in Jude Sapimâ—â— animo fruimur anima fine animo anima est debilis being altogether addicted to the service of that part which 1 Thes 5.23 is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soule whereby is meant the sensitive and inferiour part of the soule the sensuall appetite common to man with the beasts as distinct from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit or intellectuall and rationall part followes the dictates of that his sensuall appetite and the inclinations of his sensitive soule and his onely benâ—â—â—nd intent is upon satisfaction by worldly delights his study and care is for the sensitive and vegetative part and for those things which belong to the animall and present life and hence it is that some learned * Vid. Lorin in loc men conceive that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensuall comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in scripture used to denote life and the functions of life common to us with beasts Vox Arabica exponitur per sibi viventes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum Haeretici vocantur animales ab animâ sensitivâ vegetativâ cui toti serviunt quia ut animalia non rationem sed sensum sequuntur viâ—unâ—que in concupisceâ—tiis carnis non spiritus sed sensus puta gulae avaritiae libidinis c. Lapide Thus Christ Mat. 6.25 saith Take no thought for your life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what you shall eat or what you shall drinke c. is not the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then meat c. And in this notion of sensuality Tertullian after he began to favour Montanisme took the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he fastned that odious name of Physici upon the orthodox because they refused to condemn second marriages And in this place likewise with submisson to more mature judgements I conceive that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is intended to denote their brutish and unruly sensuality Thus the Arabick interpreter and Oecumenius with sundry others likewise understand it Thus likewise our learned translators thought who interpreted the word sensual as conceiving that Jude intended that they altogether served their sensitive and vegetative soul and as beasts followed their senses and lived in the lusts of the flesh not according to the spirit prosecuting those carnall objects with all industry which tend to preserve their present life Ii dicantur animales qui animae indulgent et ea quae ad vitam tuendam valent curiosius sectantur Gnostici animales sunt mortalia bona avidè concupiscunt usque adeo ut ecclesiam potius sibi desereÌ„dam putent quaÌ„ corporeis voluptatibus careant Justinian in loc Praesenti loco congruit ea significatio quâ animales dicuntur qui sectantur eas cupiditates quae sunt secundum animam sensitivam i.e. qui senfibus acsensuum voluptatibus obsequuntur Estius in loc and chusing rather to leave the church then to abridge themselves of any bodily pleasures And the Apostle by this word seems to me to make their bruitish sensuality and propensions to be the cause of their separation as if he said they will not live under the strict discipline where they must be curb'd and restrain'd from following their lusts no these sensualists will be alone by themselves in companies where they may have their fill of all sensual pleasures and where