the roots 2 Therfore I understand with Reverend Mr. Perkins and others that these words without fruit are as it were a correction of the former as if the Apostle had said they are trees whose fruit withereth or rather without fruit altogether the fruit which they bear not deserving so much as the name of fruit as trees that bear no other then withering fruit are esteemed no better then unfruitfull trees and thus notwithstanding their withering fruit they may be said to be without fruit in sundry respects 1. They were without fruit in regard that all their forementioned fruits were not produced by the inward life and vigour of the spirit of sanctification in their souls Their fruit grew upon a corrupt tree and proceeded from an unclean bitter root They were not the issues of a pure heart and faith unfaigned but the streams of an unclean fountain The fruitfulnesse onely of slow-bushes Crab-trees and brambles cannot make the year be accounted a fruitfull year A corrupt tree saith Christ cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 7.18 How can ye that are evill speak good things Mar. 12.24 Their best fruits were but fruits of nature coming from an unregenerated heart That fruit which before his conversion Paul accounted as precious as gold he after esteemed as base as dung 2. They were without fruit in regard their fruits were not brought forth to a Divine end they were directed to no higher an end then selves Riv. in loc Israel saith God is an empty Vine though bringing forth fruit for it followes he bringeth forth fruit to himself I am not ignorant that some Interpreters expound not that Text concerning the fruit of works though yet they grant the place may be by consequence drawn to take in them likewise As these fruits were not fruits of righteousnesse Phil. 1.11 so neither were they to the praise of his glory If thou wilt return O Israel saith God return to me Jer. 4.1 They returned saith the Psalmist but not to the most high The pipe cannot convey the water higher than is the fountain head from whence it comes and these fruits being not from God were not directed to him Fruits brought forth to our selves are rotten at the core they are not for his taste who both looks into and tries the heart 3. They might be without fruit as not producing works in obedience to the Rule The doing of the thing commanded may possibly be an act of disobedience God looks upon all our works as nothing unlesse we do the thing commanded because it is commanded This onely is to serve him for conscience sake A man may do a good work out of his obedience to his lust As its possible for a man to believe 1 Thess 4.3 1 Thess 5.18 not because of Divine Revelation so is it possible for a man to work and not upon the ground of Divine injunction Be not unwise but understand saith the Apostle what is the will of God Eph. 5.17 Mans wisdom is to understand and follow Gods will 4. Without fruit as to their own benefit comfort and salvation The works of Hypocrites are not ordained by God to have heaven follow them at the last day all they had or did will appear to be nothing and when the Sun shall arise then the works which here have shined like glow-worms shall appear unglorious and unbeautiful of all that hath been sown to the flesh shall nothing be reaped but corruption God crowns no works but his own nor will Christ own any works but those which have been brought forth by the power of his own Spirit 5. Lastly Without the fruit of any goodness in Gods account because without love to God 1 Cor. 13. Love is the sweetness of our services If I have not love saith Paul I am nothing and as true is it without it I can do nothing the gift of an enemy is a gift and no gift As love from God is the top of our happiness so love to God is the sum of our duty There is nothing beside love but an Hypocrite may give to God with Gods people it is the kernel of every performance God regards nothing we give him unless we give our selves also Its love which makes a service please both the master and servant Now wicked men in all they bring forth though they may have bounty in the hand yet have no love in the heart they have not a drop of love in a Sea of service This for the Explication of the second aggravation or gradation of the sin and misery of these Seducers they were without fruit The third follows in these words twice dead These words I take to express a further degree of their spiritual wretchedness under the continued Metaphor of Trees 'T was bad to have withering fruit worse to have no fruit at all worse yet to be not only without all fruit but even altogether without life twice dead Two things are here to be explained 1. In what respect these trees may be said to be dead 2. How to be twice dead For the first Death is 1. Temporal and Corporal that which is a privation of life by the departure of the soul from the body 2. Spiritual befalling either the godly or the wicked 1. The godly are said to be dead spiritually three wayes 1. Dead to sin Rom. 6.2 1 Pet. 2.24 the corruption of their natures being by the Spirit of Christ subdued and destroyed 2. Dead in respect of the Law Ceremonial Col. 2.20 dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world Moral Gal. 2.19 So Paul saith he was dead to the Law and Rom. 7.4 Ye are dead to the Law it being not able to make them guilty who are in Christ nor to terrifie their consciences nor to irritate them to sin 3. Dead to the world Gal. 6.4 so Paul was crucified to the world either because the World contemned and despised him as a dead man or else because the world had no more power to entice and allure him from Christ then the objects of the senses have to work upon a dead man 2. Spiritual death befalls the wicked and unregenerate they being without the Spirit of Christ to animate and quicken them which Spirit enlivens the soul supernaturally as the soul doth the body naturally hence they are said to be dead in sins Eph. 2.1.5 Col. 2.13 and dead Mat. 8.22 Luke 9.60 Rom. 6.13 Joh. 5.25 and to remain in death 1 Joh. 3.14 Their works hence are said to be dead Hebr. 9.14 As the immortality of the damned is no life but an eternall death so the conjunction of the souls and bodies of wicked men is not properly life but umbratilis vita a shadow of life or rather a very death they being without spiritual feeding growth working all vital operations and lying under the deformity loathsomness insensibleness in a spiritual sense of such as are dead or according to the resemblance here used by our Apostle which is
that of trees dead they are spiritually dead because without and severed from that root of every good tree the Lord Christ The old Adam is the root upon which they still stand and therefore they are without all spiritual and supernatural life as from the root flows life into all the branches of the tree so from Christ all who are united to him by the Spirit through Faith have by those means the life of holiness derived unto them as in Adam the first root who hath now lost the moisture and vigour of holiness and is become a dryed root all die so in Christ shall all and onely they who are really united to him live Hence it is that as they are without the root and therefore without life so without all spiritual growth and fruitfulness the inward principle of life being wanting needs must the effects that flow from that principle all vitall operations be wanting likewise for though abiding John 15.5 and living by Christ we bring forth much fruit yet sever'd from him we can do nothing It is true that as the wicked have something from Christ like the Spirit of life Heb. 6.4 1 Cor. 12.6 7. so thereby they bring forth something like to good and spiritual fruits I mean those forementioned fruits of gifts assent to the truth sweet affections acts of external obedience but though in the producing of these the Spirit helps them yet it never changeth the nature of the trees but they still retain the natural sowrness of their roots and though God gives them the Spirit to edifie others yet not to sanctifie themselves though Saul had another spirit and sundry Matth. 7. did prophecy and cast out Divels yet all these were but works of ministration not renovation though the Spirit works as an outward efficient cause breathing on them and is in them as in Organis Instruments and Ministers yet not as in domiciliis as in habitations Members for as the soul works not as a form to any part that is not united to the body so neither doth the Spirit of Christ work savingly but in the body of Christ In the wicked it may be spiritus movens a moving spirit in the godly t is onely spiritus inhabitans an inhabiting indwelling Spirit The Spirit of God in an Hypocrire is like an Angel appearing in some outward shape of which he is only an assisting not an informing form for which cause his assumed body hath neither life nor nourishment but the Spirit of God in the godly is like the soul in the body not only assisting but informing and working in them spiritually vitall and supernatural operations And notwithstanding the best workings of the Spirit of God in the wicked they are oft left more fleshly self-confident less poor in Spirit and sensible of their want of Christ then before And thus these Seducers were spiritually dead Or 3. Death is eternal the effect of the former which eternal death is that most miserable condition of the Reprobate after death wherein they are deprived of all the blessedness and glory of heaven standing in the enjoyment and unitive vision of God Visi◠unitiv◠T is indeed the spiritual death continued and perfected As in heaven or eternal life in the enjoyment of God by Christ is begun in this life and completedin the next so is hell or eternal death in the losse of God begun in this and consummate in the next world The presence of God is the heaven of heaven the joy of heaven the life of heaven and of all who shall come thither 2. For the second In what respect these Seducers may be said to be twice dead The word twice Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken two wayes sometimes indefinitly or as a definite put for an indefinite a certain for an uncertain number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Job 33.14 Thus Job 33.14 God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not That is God doth by his gracious ways and means sufficiently abundantly and frequently acquaint man with his will although man be so stupid and senseless as not to understand what the meaning of God is therein So Psal 62.11 God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth to God that is God hath abundantly oft several times or sundry wayes by his Word and works asserted and discovered that he is eminently and transcendently powerfull Thus the Apostle commands That the Elders that rule well 1 Tim. 1.17 should be accounted worthy duplici that is multiplici honore double much manifold honour So the Prophet prayes Jer. 17.18 that his enemies may be destroyed with a double destruction i. e. with a severe through totall destruction so 2 Kings 2.9 Elisha desired that a double portion that is a large abundant portion of the Spirit might be upon him Thus some take the word twice in this place as if by the signification of the very word the Apostle intended that these dead trees were finally dead and past all hopes of recovery such as could never be bettered by all the pains and cost digging dunging c. that could be laid out upon them That our Apostle here intends that these Seducers were like Trees irrecoverably and totally dead I easily grant but withall because trees may be said to be twice dead in respect of their very dying twice or a second time this word twice seems to import in this place a definite certain number and to intend a double or twofold death of these Seducers who are here compared to trees in their dying twice as well as in all the other three respects viz. Their having withered fruit their being without fruit and being pluckt up by the roots Trees then are said to be twice dead thus the first time a tree is said be dead when in the former spring it decayes fades withers in its leaves blossoms or newly formed fruit from this decaying or dying for a dying it is as to leaves and fruit a tree is oft by pruning dressing recovered but if in autumn or the later spring which is the critical or climacterial time of Trees to discover whether their disease be mortal or not the tree fadeth again if then the leaves or what ever it bears wither the rine grow dry and it be as they say sick the fault is then ab intra the root is rotten and the very substance of the tree is inwardly corrupt and putrified no more labour or cost is now bestowed upon it it s now dead twice or the second time and therefore totally and irrecoverably and as I have understood from those who are exactly skill'd in the nature of trees it hath been oft known that trees which have seemed to die in the former spring have afterward been recovered but never did they know that any languishing in the former spring and then after some overtures of reviving in the later spring fading and decaying again ever were recovered and restored
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
Which is the second branch to be opened 2. The inducement encouraging to the duty of looking for the mercy of Christ It was a mercy whereby they should bee brought to eternal life Of this though wee shall enjoy it so much yet can we speak but little Under two words eternal life the Scripture frequently sets forth the state of the Saints of heaven which for its blessednesse is câ—lled life and for its durablenesse eternall 1. Life There is a threefold Life 1. Naturall consisting in the conjunction of the body and soule 2. Spirituall which is eternall life begun in respect of grace here 3. Eternall life in respect of glory hereafter whereby is understood all the happinesse to be injoyed in heaven As under the word death the greatest of evills are comprehended all the miseries inflicted for sin in this and the next state so in that of life of all things the most precious and the most set by are contained all the blessings to be enjoyed here and hereafter but because our happinesse cannot be perfect and consummat til we come to heaven that condition is principally and frequently called life Which life stands in our immediate communion with God in an unitive vision or in seeing and enjoying him Mat. 5.8 1 Jo. 3.2 Psal 16. ult c. Heaven is a low thing without God saith Angustin Whatever is lesse then himselfe is lesse then our desires In him is contain'd infinitely more then either we want or all other things in the world have his presence shall be our life and as it were enliven all things else which without him as here they are so there would be dead things In the immediate full and perfect not in respect of the object but subject uninterrupted reflexive unmixed enjoyment of this God stands life 2. Which in respect of its duration is call'd eternall as never to be interrupted and intermitted so without any end or amission and indeed this it is which makes all the enjoyments of heaven to be truly such and as the faggot-band whereby all the particular parcells of happinesse are bound and tyed together and without which they would be all scattered and lost Frequently is the life of glory said to be eternall Joh 3.15.8.51.11.25 c. pleasures for ever more a treasure in the heaven that faileth not Luk. 12.33 Extra jactum fortunae Extra periculum jacturae an eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 a treasure beyond the reach of theefe and moth c. God the fountaine and treasury of life can never be exhaust The saints can never be willing to part with this God Enemies shall never be able to separate them A compleat happinesse to be truly and necessarily happy also OBSERVATIONS From the whole part 1. Obs 1. The hope of salvation is an helmet to keep off tentations to sin Eph. 6.8 The looking for the mercy of Christ quickens us in our course of Christianity The Apostle directs them to contend for the faith by looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus c. 1. It purgeth the heart from fin Whosoever hath this hope purifieth himselfe 1 Joh. 3.3 He who looketh for Christ looks to be like him and therefore he conformes himselfe to Christ in purity He who lookes for great revenues within a few yeares will not cut off his hopes We may say of sinners as of some men who are adventurous in the world they have no thing to lose but rather remove impediments The looking for mercy and the living in sin cannot stand together The love of sin is the confutation of our hopes 2. The looking for this mercy damps our affections to the things of the world He who beholds the glorious sunshine of Christs appearance hath his eyes so dazled that he can behold no beauty in any thing besides He is like Jacob who when he was to goe to a rich Egypt and a deare Joseph was not to regard his stuffe Earthly objects which to earthly mindes seeme glorious 2 Cor. 4.16 to be a beleever have no glory by reason of that glory which excelleth Though Jezabel paints her face he throwes her down and treads her under foot 3. It makes us conscientious in holy duties Paul chargeth Timothy to keep the command without spot by an argument drawn from Christs appearance and upon this ground of looking for a reward from the chief Shepherd Peter warneth the Elders to feed the flock As we cannot conceive what manner of mercy for its glory it is which we look for so neither can we express what manner of persons we should be 1 Cor. 15.58 or what manner of performances ours should be for holinesse What manner of persons saith the Apostle ought we to be 2 Pet. 3.11 4. It engageth to patience under every difficulty and distresse Behold I come quickly hold fast that thou hast Rev. 3.11 Thus. 1 Joh. 2.28 Little children abide in him that when he shall appeare we may have confidence c. Non sunt condigna passiones ad cul pam quae remittitur ad gratiaÌ„ qua immittitur ad gloriam qua promittitur He who beholds a Kingdome appointed for him will abide with Christ in his tentations The drawing nigh of the Lords coming is the Apostles ground of patience Jam. 5.8 and 2 Thes 1.6 7. John Hus and Jerom of Prague appealed from the unjust sentences of men to the righteous judgment of Christ This dayes misery is not worthy of that dayes mercy Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 No more comparable with it then is the uncovering of the head a trouble comparable to the honour of receiving a crown 1 Sam. 10. ult Saul held his peace though he were despised because hee was King How easily should our sea of honey swallow up our drop of vinegar Though godlinesse brings sufferings yet it affords encouragements like Egypt which though it were full of poysonous creatures yet full of Antidotes The reason why wee are cast away in tempests is for want of this anchor of hope of the mercy of Christ Let then O Christians the looking for this mercy engage you to duty Remember such mercy to be received deserves better services to bee performed Psal 36.5 As Gods mercy and faithfulnesse are put together so let not his mercy and our faithfulnesse bee severed Brethren if any shame could befall the Saints at the day of judgement it would be for this that they who have done so little on earth for God should receive so much in heaven from God Mercy It s mercy not merit Obs 2. that must stand us in stead at the last day Of this largely pag. 100. Part. 1. as also to this part may be reduced Pag. 101 102 103 104 105. Obs 3. the six Observations there handled concerning Gods mercy Of our Lord Jesus Christ How much are they mistaken who expect mercy and yet have no interest in Christ 'T is the mercy of Christ Christlesse persons are mercilesse
loves as man doth because he finds a lovely object but he of his own free bounty makes a person lovely and then loves him with God the first are often the last and the last first When the Lots were given forth for the chusing of an Apostle though Joseph called Barsabas who was sirnamed Justus was the Brother or near Kinsman of Christ Ut intelligamus cum qui humano judicio praefertur esse inferiorem apud Deum Lorin c. 1. yet the Lot fell upon Matthias Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty c. 1 Cor. 1.27 Thou hast hid these things saith Christ to his Father from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes for so it seemed good in thy sight How groundlesly do any conclude that God loves them from worldly preheminences T is not any gift without us but something of peculiar grace wrought within us that can evidence the favour of God toward us not the first born but the new born not the eldest but the holiest that may say I know Lord that thou lovest me To conclude It s the duty of those who have received more favour from God then others as to acknowledge that God hath done more for them then for others so that it was only his meer love that he did not more for others then them and to cry up free grace with heart tongue pen life 2. Though grace may be repaired in our selves Observ 2 yet is sin propagaâ—ed to ours The clearest grain being sown sends forth that chaff from which it was fanned Cain was too like his father in that wherein both were unlike God Adam might see his own sinful nature in Cain not that grace whereby he had laid hold upon the promised seed nor the fruit of his care in training up his Children in Religion Before Adam fell holiness was natural and sin would have been adventitious but now since the fall sin was natural and holiness adventitious The corruption of nature is that Legacy which Adam leaves to every one of his sons grace is not native but donative not by generation but Regeneration After sin corrupt mortal Adam begets a corrupt mortal Cain for although Adam through the grace of God were renewed by â—aith and repentance yet his son naturally begotten of him was such as his father became by sin That which is born saith Christ John 3.6 of the flesh is flesh where the Begetter and Bearer Psalm 14.3 Rom. 3.12 Eph. 2.2 3. are a lump of corruption the birth is no whit better When God look'd down upon Adams sons they were all corrupt not one who in himself was of a more pure refined condition or free from a depravedness and disorder of the whole man Who can bring a clean thing out of filthiness Adam begets a son in his own likeness Gen. 5.3 That which is required to conveying Original sin is that a man by true generation do descend from Adam God at the first set Adam as a publick person representing the person of all mankind with this condition that if he retain'd his integrity the blessing of multiplication once given should be sanctified to him for the bringing forth of a Posterity righteous and holy like himself but if he fell away from his obedience that the blessing should be turned into a â—â—rse and should be a means of multiplying a corrupt and sinful generation He who conveyed his nature to his Posterity conveyed also the pollution thereof In the first man the pâ—rson corrupted the nature in every other man nature corrupts the person whosoever is a man by the propagation of Adams nature is also a sinner by the derivation of Adams corruption Before we can partake of renovation by grace we must know our pollution by nature pride caus'd and humility should sollow our degenerate estate the ancient House the many Descents the Coat the Crest of a born Leaper should not make him proud happy we if the corruption derived from the first drive us to the second Adam this latter also hath a posterity who bear his Image The Church comes out of Christs side in the sleep of his death Let us labour to be ingrafted into him to draw from him a Spiritual life 1 Cor. 15.49 Rom. 5.12 14 to bear the image of the heavenly as we have born that of the earthly Whatsoever the first Adam brought into the world by sin the second carries out by righteousness In a word How due and sutable a recompence is it for every Parent to labour to bring their Children into a state of grace by education whom they have made sinners by propagation 3. Our expectations in earthly blessings Observ 3. often disappoint us Eve names her eldest son Cain a possession Fallitur auguriâ— spes bona saept suâ— and her second son Abel which signifieth vain or unprofitable she shew'd as some think hereby the preposterousness of her affection and that she esteemed most of the worst Her Cain she was not herein unlike carnal Parents among us was her jewel her Abel was vain and unprofitable in her thoughts She who mistook saith one the fruit of the Garden mistook also the fruit of her own Body her hope deceived her in both God often crosseth us in those comforts from which we look for most contentment He whom Eve called a possession destroyes the best part of her possession Absoloâ— call'd the fathers peace proved his greatest disturber If thou makest any earthly enjoyment thy possession God may make it thy murderer and that thy trouble which thou expectest should be thy rest If the Lord loves us he will not suffer us to love any thing more then himself and it s our wisdom to set our hearts upon nothing but that which is above the reach of danger and disappointment and to love nothing much but what we cannot love excessively 4. It s the duty of Parents to be thankful with Eve for their children Children are an heritage of the Lord Observ 4. Clavis coeli sepulchâ—i cordis matricis in maâ—u Dei and the fruit of the womb is his reward Psalm 127.3 God will be known to have the Prerogative of opening the heavens the grave the heart and the womb These are the children saith Jacob which God hath given me It s vile ingratitude to murmur at the numerousness of our off-spring to rejoice when our Cattel multiply and repine when our children increase and to despise a Present of Gods preparing and sending so curious a piece of workmanship Psal 139.15 wrought with that incomparable and stupendious Artifice in the lower parts of the earth It s Heathenish distrustfulness to fear that he who hath provided children for us will not provide necessaries for them He who hath given mouths
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
Christ That which they entertained meerly for fear they present to others as a doctrine of Faith These are reeds that bow and hang according to the standing of the winds such a reed shaken with the winds was not John Baptist but rather an Oak which will sooner be broken then bend by the winds by an holy Antiperistasis his zeal was doubled by opposition These false Teachers were like a man that goes to Sea for pleasure not for Traffick if a storm arise he will come back or put to the next shore Like that ship Acts 27.15 they bear not up into the wind Jer. 9 3. they are not valiant for the truth Tit. 1.9 nor hold they fast the faithful Word but let it go if enemies contend to pull it away 3. They were carried about with the wind of pride and ambition They gaped after the breath of applause old truths are of no reputation among the giddy sort hence it was that these were carried to teach that whereby they might be voiced and cryed up for some rare men dropt out of the clouds and seeing further then all the rest of their times They could not tell how to get above others unless they taught something different from others truth was counted but a dull stale business and therefore they chose rather to be accounted such as excelled by being erroneous then such as were onely equall to others Vento superbiae omnes haereses animantur by delivering the truth The wind of Pride is the life and soul of Error it is the element wherein it moves and breaths Seducers were puft up as Paul speaks Col. 2.18 vainly by their fleshly minds a humble soul will not easily either teach or follow an Error It hath ever been the property of Seducers to follow the peoples humour with Errors that so the people might follow them with applause 4. They were carried about with the wind of earthly mindedness They taught any false doctrine for filthy lucres sake 2 Pet. 2. they would rarely be carried with any wind but such as blew them some profit they steered their course by the compass of gain their Religion began at their purse strings They served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies Rom. 16.18 This was that wind which carried Balaam about from country to country from Altar to Altar he and his followers loved to be of the Kings Religion Thus Erasmus said that one poor Luther made a great many rich Abbots and Bishops he meant that by preaching against him they were wont to get their great livings and preferments Demas forsook truth to embrace the present world OBSERVATIONS 1. The want of the showrs of a faithful Ministry spiritual rain is a singular curse and calamity Consciencious Ministers are clouds and their Doctrine rain As no rain is so useful and profitable as the rain of the Word so neither is it so great a misery to be deprived of any as of this God often in Scripture promiseth Showres and Teachers as great Blessings Deut. 28.12 The Lord shall open to thee his good treasure the Heaven to give thee rain c. Joel 2.23 Rejoice in the Lord your God for c. he will cause to come down for you the Rain c. And for instructours see Jer. 3.15 Jer. 23.4 I will give you Pastours according to mine own heart which shall feed you with knowledg and understanding Isai 30.20 Though the Lord give you the bread of Adversity and the water of Affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner any more God also threatens the keeping away of rain and the taking away of Instructers as dismal curses Deut. 28.23 Jer. 3.3.14.4 Amos 4.7 Isai 3.2 1 Sam. 3.1 Hos 4.5 Ezek. 3.26 Psal 57.9 The Heaven that is over thy head shall be brass thy rain shall be powder and dust Lev. 26.19 I will make your Heaven as iron and your earth as brass Zach. 14.17 Vpon them shall be no rain Never was a greater plague on Israel then when in three yeers and a half it rained not on the earth in Ahabs time And concerning the Prophets the Lord saith Mich. 2.6 They shall not Hebr. drop Prophesie and Isai 5 6. God threatens his Vineyard that he will commands his clouds his Prophets that they shall rain no rain upon it God threatned a great judgment in great displeasure against the people Ezek. 3.26 when he told Ezekiel that he would make his tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth and that he should be dumh and no reprover to them and when he threatned that he would remove away the candlestick of Ephesus out of its place Rev. 2.5 The want of Spiritual is a much greater woe then the want of natural rain The withholding of showâ—s from Heaven can but produce a Famine of bread the want of a faithful Ministry brings a Famine of the Word of the Lord Amos 8.11 And this famine of the Word of the Lord is a Soul-famine And 1 Opposeth not Natural but Spiritual life The separation of the soul from the body is but the shadow of death True death stands in the separation between God and the soul Where vision faileth people perish Prov. 29.18 My people perish for want of knowledge Hos 4 6. Salvation and Life eternal stand in Knowledg Joh. 17.3 1 Tim. 2.4 2. Bodily famine takes away our natural strength and vigor whereby we perform our ordinary and worldly actions but a soul-Famine destroyes that Spiritual strength whereby we are enabled to heavenly Employments Praying Repenting Believing Holy-walking 3 Bodily Famine makes the outward man look pale deformed lean unpleasing soul-famine brings a leanness into the soul deformity and profananess into the face of our conversation Who observes not in Congregations whence the Word is taken the miserable change of men and manners In Elies time sin abounded and the reason is set down 1 Sam. 3.1 In those dayes the word of the Lord was precious 4 Bodily Famine as other external judgments may be a help to bring men to God by causing Repentance and bettering Obedience as in the Prodigal but the famine of the Word puts men farther from God and by it men grow more obdurate in sin 5. Bodily Famine may be recompensed and made up with Spiritual food Isai 30.20 Though the Lord give the bread of Adversity yet he countervailes that loss by giving them to see their Teachers whereas Spiritual famine cannot be recompensed by having bodily food because when God takes away the food of the soul he takes away himself the tokens of his presence and Grace and what can be given in exchange for God himself 6 Of bodily Famine people are sensible they cry out thereof and labour for a supply but the more soul famine rageth the more people disregard their misery and slight their wretchedness by fasting forgetting how to feed and with their food losing often their stomacks too How much then are they
are as none How should this humble the proudest hypocrite Could he bring to God all the gold and silver in Solomons Temple it were brought by him nothing incomparably below one broken hearted grone for sin and fiduciall breathing after Jesus Christ All his truly good works 〈◊〉 be summed up with a Cypher and though they glister here glow-worm-like in the dark night of this world yet in the bright disquisition of the day of judgment they shall all vanish and disappear Oh! how great will the shame and disappointment of hypocrites be who at that day shall see that all their dayes they have been doing nothing To close this what a comfort may this be to the poorest child of God that God in the midst of all his wants of these common blessings hath yet bestowed one upon him which is distinguishing God bestowes those blessings upon others which a Saint as such needs not have and that blessing upon him which the wicked as such cannot have And how may a child of God improve this for comfort in the weaknesse smallnesse deficiencies if they be his trouble of his grace considering it is fruit true fruit and it s more though it be but one little basket full nay but one small cluster of grapes than all the hypocrites in the world can shew and the least cluster as truly shews that is a vine which bears it as doth the plentifullest increase that ever any Vine brought forth 5. Obs 5. Incorrigibleness in sin is a dismal condition These Seducers were trees twice dead the Apostle despaired of their future living becoming fruitful and this was an estate that argued them extreamly miserable It s a wo to have a bad heart but it s the depth of wo to have an heart that shall never be better Sicknesse is an affliction but sicknesse past recovery a desperate sicknesse is a desperate evil How did it fetch tears from the eyes of Christ that the things belonging to Jerusalems peace were not onely formerly unknown but that now they were utterly hid from their eyes O Ephraim saith God what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I dâ— unto â—hee If ye will not hear saith Jeremy to the incorâ—igible Jews mine eyes shall weep in secret places for your â—ride and miâ—e eyes shall weep sore c. Jer. 13 17. Raâ—hel wept for her children and would not be comforted not because they were ill or sick but were not This incorrigiblenesse in sin which frustrates and disappoints all the means of grace provokes God to a totall and angry removall of them and makes him say I 'le take no more pains with this desperate sinner Rev. 22.11 Prophet ando non optando He that is filthy let him be filthy still It s that which as the Prophet speaks wearies God Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more Isa 1.5 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome Hos 4.14 Ephraim is joyn'd to idols let him alone v. 17 When a tree is utterly dead Pertinax sterilitas when 't is pertinaciously barren the hedg and wal shall be taken away and broken down if it will be fruitlesse it shall be fencelesse it shall neither be prun'd nor dig'd the clouds shall be forbidden to rain Isa 5.6 When the Physician of souls sees men rend in pieces his Prescripts and pull off his Plaisters and throw away those wholesome Potions which he ministreth to purge them he gives them over and suffers them to perish in their sins Punish them he will chasten them he will not Cut them off he will cure them he will not Jer. 6.29 VVhen in stead of being refined in the fire the mettall wil after all the hotest fires and the constant blowing of the bellowes continue inseparable from its drosse when the bellows are burnt in the fire and the founder melteth in vain reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Jer. 6.29.30 VVhat is it but hell upon earth for sinners to go to hell without controle to be given up to their hearts lusts to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and in a word to be as bad as they will Oh wofull recompence of spirituall pertinacy The earth which under all the drinking in of rain beareth thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.8 This double death and irrecoverablenesse in sin is a kind of fore-taste of the second death As perseverance in holinesse crowns so pertinacy in sin condemns he who is obstinate in sin unto the end shall undoubtedly receive the curse of eternall death How sore a judgement is it so to be past feeling that nothing cooler then Hell-fire and lighter then the loyns of an infinite God can make us sensible though too late Oh! let us beware of the modest beginnings of sin which certainly make way for immodest proceedings therein every commission of sin is a strong engagement to a following act of wickednesse be who begins to go down to the chambers of death knows not where he shall stop In short let no help to Holinesse leave thee as bad for if so it will leave thee worse then it found thee and present unreformednesse will make away for incorrigiblenesse under the means 6. Obs 6. It s our greatest wisedome and ought to be our chiefest care to be preserved-from Apostacy Take heed of being twice dead i. e. Of adding a death by Apostacy to the death by Originall corruption To this end Let us 1. Be sure to have the truth of spirituall life in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely the externall appearances of life the shews and leaves of Religion the form of godlinesse and a name to live he that would not die twice must be sure he truly lives once hypocrisie will end in apostacy where the truth is not truly loved it will be truly left A tree that is unsound at the root will soon cease from its faint puttings forth the hollow heart will not hold out the outward form without the inward power of godlinesse continues not in times of temptation Labour for a faith of reall reception and please not thy self with that of meer illumination the bellows of persecution which blow the sparks of sincerity into a flame blow the blaze of hypocrisie into nothing 2. Forecast the worst that can befall thee and the best that can be laid before thee to take thee off from the love and wayes of holinesse reckon upon opposition in every way of God he who meets not with the hatred of a man may justly suspect his love to the truth and he who expects not that hatred will hardly cantinue his love to truth when thou enterest upon Religion think not that thou goest to sea upon pleasure but imployment not for recreation but traffick lest in stead of holding out to thy intended Port thou presently makest to the next shore upon the rising
Mat. 20.26 it should be their Care to be little in their own esteeme though never so higly advanced above others considering that as Gods free love gave them their place and glory so their own pride may quickly take away both from them 3. Stars in respect of the different degrees of their glory One star differs saith the Apostle from another star in glory 1 Cor. 15.41 There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon In Christ Jesus is the fulnesse of light and knowledge and to his Ministers he variously and differently dispenseth his gifts there are difference of administrations diversities of gifts diversities of operations 1 Cor. 12.4 5.6 though the same Spirit Lord God To one is given by the spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge c. the selfe same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Ministers have gifts differing according to the grace that is given them There are severall notes in Musick yet all make up one harmony and there are sundry and different qualifications in Ministers yet all tending to the Churches use and benefit And therefore 4. Stars in respect of their usefulnesse and beneficialnesse to the Church Stars are not made to be useful to themselves but others Ministers must not seek their own but others good Stars give direction light influences c. It s a great help to mariners when they can see a star in a dark night When Paul and they sailed with him could see neither Sun nor star for their direction they were without all hope of coming safe to Land Act. 27.20 Many poor souls are cast away for want of ministers to direct to Christ they should be like that star which shew'd the Wisemen where to finde Christ And as they did so people should rejoyce with exceding joy when they see such a star Ministers as stars should give light to and be the light of the world both in respect of Doctrine and Conversation A minister must not hide his gifts put his candle under a bushel nor should others extinguish these Lights either by withdrawing the oyle of maintenance or blowing them out with the wind of persecution These stars must shine though dogs bark though men shut their eyes and in a night of persecution yea then most brightly Their light should shine that God may be glorified 1 Tim. 4.12 They must be examples in word Conversation Charity c. 2 Tit. 7. 1 Pet. 5.3 1 Cor. 4.16 1 Cor. 11.1 In all this shewing themselves patternes of good works ensamples to the flock that others may follow them In short ministers as stars must be Common goods usefull by their influences of warmth moysture to refresh and to make fruitfull the weary the barren hearts of their hearers to beget and increase grace in them and although they see not a desired successe of their labours yet they must not refraine their influences nor be discouraged with the earths unfruitfulness God speaks of the Pleiades and Orion Job 38.31 which are a company of stars in the heavenly Orb Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion When the Pleiades arise its Spring they open the earth they make herbs and flowers grow the trees to sprout and the plants to wax green Orion produceth cold the Winter comes when that shewes it self Good Ministers as the Pleiades quicken the heart warm and make it fruitful in holiness Bad Ministers like the stars of Orion cool and dead peoples hearts to all goodness 5. Stars in respect of their swift and Constant motion they must be stars for motion as well as for promotion T is true their motion should only be in their Orb and Sphere they should not so visit others Dioces as to neglect their own nor be Busie-bodies in other mens matters nor intangle themselves in the affairs of this life nor follow other vocations lest they teach those of other vocations to fall into theirs they must not leap out of their own element nor forsake the employments of Prayer Study Preaching c. In worldly affairs they should be as fish out of the water but yet in their own Orb let them move Loytering is unsutable to a Harvest-man they must be Workmen that need not be ashamed it s better to be worn with using then rusting Pauls glory was not that he Lorded it but that he laboured more then they all they must never think their labour is ended till their life be ended they must look upon their motion and work as circular it must ever return and the end of one service is to be the beginning of another their lives must be a succession of labours praying studying preaching conversing yea if God wil conflicting must be added like the waves of the Sea overtaking one another The wages will countervail for all 6. Stars in respect of their Duration and Continuance They are set in a Firmament All the powers of Hell shall never utterly remove Ministers Till we all meet in the unity of the faith c. We shall have Pastours and Teachers Jer. 31.36 The Ordinances of the stars are such as shall not depart from before God They are established for ever Jer. 33.25 God hath made a Covenant with the day and night not to be broken Till the end of the world there shall be stars in the Heaven Ministers in the Church Christ will be with them and therefore they must needs be to the end of the world Could they have been pul'd down that work had long agoe been done When Satan the Dragon did his utmost he left two parts of three behind and that third part which he swept down were not fixt in their Orb not faithful to their trust but wandring stars but they who are in the right hand of Christ shall never be pluck'd away Christ will have his number alwaies And they who will go about to pull the stars out of his right hand shall feel the strength of his right hand The destroying of the Ministry out of the Church is but a vain attempt and yet though these stars shall shine to the end of the World they shall shine no longer When the night of sin and ignorance is at an end when the Sun of Righteousness shall arise and the Lord Jesus himself shall come there will be no more use of these stars When we come to drink out of the Fountain we shall no more need the Bottle Prophesies shall fail Tongues shall cease Knowledge shall vanish away When that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13.8 10. then that which is in part shall be done away Christ shall both succeed and exceed them All the stars in the Firmament cannot make a Day nor can all the Teachers in the world convey that light which Christ will afford in Heaven Oh how gloriously will our Sun shine when all the somtimes glorious stars shall be swallowed up
whereby the wicked shall ever strive to part with that which they shall never lose and crave that which they shall never procure If it be so great a misery for a starving Prisoner to be kept without bread but for a day or two in a Prison and to see through his grate Passengers laden with that plenty of provisions which he must not so much as touch Oh what a woe will it be for the Damned ever to see the Faithful feasting themselves in the fruition of Gods presence and they to know that they shall eternally starve and yet not dye in the want of the least drop the smallest crumb of that full Banquet of Happiness which the Saints ever enjoy in Gods presence OBSERVATIONS 1. Observ 1. The world without the Word lies in a condition of darkness The Ministers of the Word are the stars the light of the world take them away and every place is full of darkness The people to whom Christ preacht sate before in darkness in the region and shadow of death Matth. 4.16 The Ephesians sometime were darkness saith the Apostle Before the Gospel is savingly delivered we are under the power of darkness and darkness is that term from which we are called when we are brought out of our natural estate And in three respects is the world without the Gospel in darkness 1. In respect of ignorance 1. It knowes not God The Gentiles are said to be such as knew not God The Word only discovers him savingly because it onely makes known God in Christ The wisest of the Heathens till this light came could not know him The world by wisdom knew not God they worshipâ— the unknown God 2. It knowes not the will and wayes of God and this followes from the former for he who knowes not what another is cannot know what he loves The will of God is only laid down in the Word of God There is no service pleaseth him but that which himself prescribes The knowledg of the Heathen only serves to render them inexcusable for not doing what they knew not able sufficiently to understand all they had to do 2. The world is in darkness in respect of wickedness and unrighteousness A man in the dark sits still and forbears to walk as he doth who is in the light Wicked men are unprofitable slothful servants unactive in the wayes of God â—zek 15.45 not those by whom God gaines They are like the branches of the Vine in building good for nothing He who is in the dark wanders stumbles or falls every step that he takes Every wicked action is a falling into a slough and down a precipice a deviating from the way of Gods Commandments and therefore sin is in Scripture called a work of Darkness Yea they who are in the dark are not ashamed of the filthiest garments which they wear or of the uncomeliest actions they perform and they who are without the light of the Word in a night of sin and ignorance blush not in the doing of those things which he who is Spiritually inlightned is ashamed to hear behold or think of What profit saith the Apostle have you in those things whereof you are now ashamed 3. The world is in darkness in respect of fear horror and misery Men in the dark tremble at the stirring of every twig There were they saith David Psal 14.5 in great fear and it is called their fear Fear not saith the Prophet Isai 8.12 their fear It is only the light of Gods countenance which scattereth the clouds of fear Till fury be taken out of God fear can never be removed out of men but through the fear of death they are all their life time subject to bondage Hebr. 2.15 when any misery befals them they tremble as did the Elders of Bethlehem at Samuels coming they not knowing whether it comes peaceably or no nor is it any wonder that the darkness of fear should here seize upon those who expect utter darkness hereafter in the everlasting separation from the light of Gods countenance wherein there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore We see then the true cause that the world hath ever so much hated the word which discovers its deeds of darkness I have given them thy word saith Christ and the world hath hated them Joh. 17.14 and he who was the word Incarnate was also hated by the world because he testified that the deeds thereof were evil Hatred is the genius of the Gospel saith Luther the shadow which ever attended upon the Gospels sun-shine Though Saints are blameless and harmlesse the sons of God without rebuke Phil. 2.15 yet if they wil shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation they must look for opposition but how irrational and groundlesse is this hatred of the world for though the word manifests its deeds of darknesse yet withall it discovers its destruction in eternal darknesse and were the light thereof beheld and loved it would prevent it and lead by the light of grace to that of glory 2 Obs 2 Great is the difference between the light which shines here and that which we shall behold hereafter In the night of this world we have stars to give us light we have a light which shines in a dark place but when the sun shall arise 2 Pet. 2. all these stars shal be put out Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers are given but til we all meet in the unity of the faith and of the knowledg of the Son of God Eph. 4.13 and then prophesies and tongues shall cease knowledg shall vanish away when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away when we shal behold the light of the sun we shall no more want star-light or candle-light the immediate vision of God shall abolish these the people of God shal be above Ordinances and Ministry when they shall be above sin and error In heaven all our difficulties and knots shal be untied though here we are doubtful of many truths yet in heaven we shall truly have cause to say now Lord thou speakest plainly and not in parables He who died in his child hood in heaven knowes more then the wisest Solomon ever did upon earth and that little light or speak of joy which here the Saints had shall in heaven be blown into a flame their bud of joy shall there be a ful blown flowre Psal 97.11 here light is sown but there shal be a harvest a fulnesse of joy Oh blessed estate 3. Obs 3 People should labour to walk and work by the light of the Ministry Yet a little while saith Christ is the light with you walk while ye have the light John 12.35 let us walk decently saith the Apostle Rom. 13.13 as in the day The light of the Gospel must put Christians upon a two fold manner of walking and working 1. Speedily 2. Accurately 1. Speedily Our light is not lasting our
seat and pavillion is in heaven above The circular round figure of the heavens teacheth us the infiniteness and perfection of the maker The firmness and stability of the heavens declares Gods truth and unchangeableness whose word is their pillar the safety likewise of that place to lay up our treasures in their swift motion and revolution in 24. houres instructs us of the readiness and swiftness which we should express in duty The light of heaven of so unknown a nature shewes us the incomprehensible nature of God The diffusiveness and Comfortableness of light speaks what Comfort is in the light of his face which as light though imparted to thousands yet is not impaired or made lesse for the good of others The purity of light contracting no filthiness though looking into it teacheth us his holiness who though he sees sin every where yet loves it no where and is ever in an irreconcileable opposition against all the works of darkness The oneness brightness purity greatnesse influences eclypses of the Sun teach us the sun of righteousness the Lord Christ is the only Saviour most swift to help the brightness of his fathers glory holy powerfull infinitely usefull and beneficiall the directer enlivener cherisher of his Church and all this though darkned once eclipsed and clouded with a naturall body and sufferings The moon her borrowing of light from the Sun her changes spots inferiority governing of the night disappearing at the arising of the Sun speaks the dependency of the Church upon Christ her many changes and various conditions in this life her defects and deformities subordination to Christ as also the uncertainty and variableness of every worldly condition the smalness and lownes of all earthly enjoyments their spotedness with many cares fears wants their usefulnesse onely while we are in the night of this world their disappearing and vanishing when the sun of righteousness shall come in glory The stars in respect of the constancy continuance of their Courses in their orbes Communicativenesse of light differing one from another their glistering and influences declare the stability of Gods promises to his Church which can never be broken Jer. 31.35 our duty to continue in our own sphere to afford our help and light to them who stand in need The different degrees likewise of grace and glory hereafter the clearest shining of grace in the night of affliction Of the Clouds we have spoken before The ayre also by its invisibleness ubiquity preservation of our life should minde us that God is though he be not seen that he is every where within me without me included in excluded from no place the preserver also of our lives in whom we live move and have our beings The windes by their thinness piercing powerfull motions freedom inconstancy teach us as Gods invisibility his irresistable power in his works of nature and grace the free motion of the spirit and the secret working thereof in the heart Job 3.7 Motum scimus nescimus modum Job 7.3 so the vanity and levity of man and all humane things the inability of any Creature to withstand God the misery of those who are not built upon Christ as their rock and foundation the unsetledness of the erroneous tossed with every wind of doctrine Of the earth likewise with the creatures there as well as the heavens should we make a spirituall improvement Speak to the earth saith Job 12.18 and it shall teach thee How excellint saith David is thy name in all the earth The earth then by its hanging on nothing its stability plenty lowness the labouring about it and its receiving of seed instructs us of the infinite power and strength of God the ability of his word to sustain the burdens of the soul the riches of his throne whose foot-stool is so deckt Gods goodnesse to sinful man in spreading and furnishing for him such a table his care for his people he so cloathing the grass of the field and providing for the very beasts the unsutablenesse of pride to man the earth being his mother whence he came and whither he goeth it teacheth us also wisdome to get our hearts above these drossy earthly objects and to have our conversation in heaven the pains also which we ought to take to dig deep for wisdome which is more precious than gold and to receive the seed of the word into a prepared soyl a good and honest heart The trees upon the earth in respect of their variety of sorts growth shelter fruitfulnesse decay teach us that difference which is among men some are wild trees of the wood and of the field without the Church others are planted in the garden and ortyard of the Church some have neither the fruits of holinesse nor the leaves of profession others have leaves who are without fruit others trees of righteousness have both some are as the taller Cedars some as the lower shrubs some are rich and noble some poor and contemptible in the world but when both are turned to ashes then both alike the ashes of a beggar are as good as those of a King Some men fall by old age and want of natural moysture others are before their time cut down in their green years with the ax of death There is no spiritual growth or continuance unlesse we draw life from Christ our root the more pruning watring and heavenly influences God bestowes upon us the more fruitful should we be the more laden with fruit the more we should bow our selves down in humility and communicativenesse the very grasse tels us we are withering creatures and that the flourishing condition of the wicked is much more withering The corn dying and fructifying teacheth us the resurrection Ask now the beasts saith Job and they shall teach thee They all teach us the greatnesse of his possessions and riches whose are the beasts upon a thousand hils also the thankful knowing and owning of God the ox knoweth his owner and the ass his Masters crib The Lion teacheth us the strength of Christ and the cruelty of Satan In the horse and mule we see our untaught and refrectary nature In the sheep our disposition to wander and our duty to hear and follow our shepherd and our helplessness without him also his meeknesse and patience Ut pastor docebat ut ovis silâ—bat Aug. who as a sheep before the shearers was dumb and opened not his mouth In the lamb likewise observe him who was brought as a lamb to the slaughter who was a lamb for innocency and gentlenesse a sacrificed Lamb for spotlessenesse and satisfaction The dog and swine wil mind us of the uncleannesse of sinners and especially of the odiousness of Apostacy which is a turning to the vomit and to the wallowing in the mire The serpent teacheth us wisdome to preserve our selves Psal 22. Job 12.7 The very ant providence and diligence to lay up for the future The despicable worm represents the lownesse of him for our sin who was
with one measure and to expect that he should mete to us with another How can we expect that he should love us in that day wherein he wil leave the most if we wil not walk with him in this day when most forsake him Study then O Saints to give the name of God reparations for all the disgrace which wicked men cast upon it Discover the true noblenesse of your Christian spirit and of minds spiritually generous by gathering vigour and growing invincible from the very oppositions of the wicked and the impieties of your times 2. It is a singular and blessed priviledg to walk with God Observ 2. It was the great happinesse and ennoblement of Enoch this seventh from Adam The happinesse of walking with God appears in these particulars 1. It is a persons greatest honour t is honourable to follow much more to walk with a King how great is the dignity then of walking with the King of Kings It s Gods lowest condescension to walk with us and our highest advancement to walk with him The company of sin debaseth and the walking with God dignifieth a man God wâ—th man is the greatest with the least Henoch was one of the greatest on earth he was royally descended the seventh from Adam in the blessed line he had six such tutors and teachers viz the six first patriarchs to make him learned as never man had but that which is testified of him as his honour was this his walking with God Oh unconceiveable dignity conferred upon poor impure dust and ashes to walk with him who is attended with ten thousand times ten thousand of glorious Saints and Angels for his followers 2. In this walking with God is greatest delight and solace solitarinesse is uncomfortable company sweet but none so delightful as Gods he who hath not God to bear him company is alone though he hath all the comforts of the world to accompany him Of all the creatures there was not found a fit companion for Adam nor can any creature fitly sute the soul with its society good company is the life of our lives the sweetnesse of our abodes on earth but Gods company is the truly good company there is no melody in any consort to which this delight is not added A man is said to be alone though he have many beasts with him if he be without the company of man and a Christian is alone notwithstanding all the world be with him if God be absent Whom saith the Psalmist have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73.25 A sinner is the truly solitary sad person oh how sweetly contentful is his life who when all his outward comforts leave him can say as did Christ when his disciples left him alone yet I am not alone because the Father is with me John 16.37 Quid timet homo in sinu Dei positus 3. In walking with God there is true safety what need that man fear who lies in the bosome or walks by the side of such a father though he walks in the vale of the shadow of death who dares offer that man any injury that walks with a King Of this largely before part 1. pag. 58.59 60 c. 63. no evil is so insolent as to arrest us when the King of Kings graciously accompanies us Fear not Abraham saith God I am thy shield Gen. 15.1 If God be with us who shall be against us If he wil help what shall hurt us his society is our true safety so long as God was with Samson the Philistins could not conquer him but when the Lord was departed from him Judg. 16.20 he soon becomes a prey to his enemies Gods presence is a Saints life-guard til God leave him dangers are but trifles He ever keeps those who walk with him either from the presence of every misery or from the hurt and misery of the misery Lastly In this walking with God is the greatest gain and profit to be found what good thing can he deny us Psal 8.4 who denies us not himself God is not only a shield but an exceeding great reward How can he want who is with and hath him that is all things God mine and all mine he wil fulfil the desire of all that fear him no good thing shall be wanting to them nor wil God deny them any blessing which doth not oppose their blessedness Psal 23.1 nor any good which hinders not from enjoying the chiefest good and if he thinks it meet to keep away these externals he will supply their absence with himself The Almighty wil be thy gold Job 22 25. 3. Even of the longest lived Patriarchs there was a succession not a constant continuation Adam the first Seth the second Eccles 1.4 Enosh the third c. Enoch the seventh One generation goeth another cometh The coming of new generations shewes the going and passing away of the old the later crowds the former out of the world one goeth away to make roome for another The longest lived of these ancient Patriarchs had in the world but his time and turn which at length ended It hath been observed by some that none of them lived no not Methuselah a thousand years and some say the reason thereof was because God would by their dying before the end of a thousand years make good his threatning Ratio valde diluta Riv. in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die it being said that a thousand years with God are but as one day but in this there seems to be more wit then weight A more solid reason of their dying within the foresaid terme seems to be because thereby God would shew that the longest life of any of the sons of men in respect of God himself is but very short and not able to reach to that space which in respect of Gods eternity is not a day Confer longissimam nostram aetatem cum aeternitate in ea prope modum aetate quâ illae bestiolae reperiemur Cic. l. 1. Tusc for which cause Cicero 1. Tusc quaest compares the longest life of man to that of that beast brought forth by the river Hippanis which lives not above one day and dying when the sun sets dyes then decrepit Compare saith he our longest age with eternity and we shal be found after a sort in the same age with that beast T is added to the relation of the long lives of every one of the ancient Patriarchs And he dyed The repetition whereof seems not to be vvithout great reason vvhich was not only to shew the brittlenesse and srailty of mans continuance even as nothing in comparison of eternity but principally to shew the immoveable certainty of that threatning of death against the disobedience of our first parents notwithstanding the vaine and deceitful promise of the divel as also to manifest that the holiest men whose death was the wages of sin were in this life without
that perfect holinesse required to the seeing of God Per mortem defecantur ut fomite pecati cum corpere mortue ad immortaiitatemp puri resurgâ—nt Rivet in Geâ— exerc 48. prop. fin and therefore that they were to be cleansed by death that with their body of flesh they laying off the corruption of their nature might arise pure and spotlesse to immortality The consideration whereof should put the strongest and those who are most likely to live upon a constant and serious meditation of death and warn them not to expect immortality in this life but daily to wait for their certain and appointed change That blessed saint now with God Mr. Richard Rogers who was another Enoch in his age Sometime of Wâ—â—hersfield in Essex my Dear and deceased Grandfather a man whose walking with God appeared by that incomparable directory of a Christian life his book called the Seven Treatises woven out of Scripture and his own experimental practise sometime said in his life time That he should be sorry if every day were not to him as his last day Every morning we arise let us say Art thou my last day or do I look for another Let us live as if we were alwaies dying and yet as such as are ever to live In short the successions and conclusions of generations should put us upon holiness of life as for the preserving a sweet and precious remembrance of our selves in that generation which followes so especially that we may by our holy example transmit holinesse to posterity that we with Enoch walking with God the Church of God and a seed of Saints may be continued as much as in us lies in our line And truly as otherwise we shall die while we live in the world so hereby we shall live when we are taken out of the world and be like Civet which when t is taken out of the box leaves a sweet savour behind it 4. Observ 4. All issue from Adam As Enoch was so all others were and are from Adam from him all descend by natural propagation He was the root all others but branches he the fountain all others but streams All were hewen out of this rock an observation which puts us upon sundry useful considerations It teacheth us humility As we were from Adam so he was from the dust of the earth and that dust from nothing Our father was Adam our grandfather dust our great grandfather nothing They who are proud that they can derive their pedigree so far as Adam may be humble if they would goe a little farther Remember whence thou art and consider whither thou shalt goe nothing so unsuteable as pride for a clod of the earth A man can never have too low thoughts of himself but in the bowing down his nature to accompany with sin He who would not endure pride in the Angels of heaven wil not endure it in dust and ashes and such even great Abraham calls himself a fitter stile then most illustrious high and mighty invincible c. When thou art mounting up in proud and self-admiring thoughts remember thou art from Adam earthen Adam Agathocles a potters son when he came to be King humbled himself with setting earthen vessels on his cupboard If dust be sprinkled upon the wings of Bees their noises hummings risings wil they say quickly cease when thou beginnest to grow proud sprinkle thy thoughts with this remembrance I am but dust Further we may hence gather the wonderful power of Gods blessing that of one so many millions should come from one root such multitudes of branches God can blesse one into millions and blast millions again into one into nothing Gods powerful benediction multiplied Adams numerous off-spring He whom God blesseth shall be blessed he whom God curseth shall be cursed We see the way to thrive in any kind the blessing of God maketh rich and without it thy own industrious endeavours will not help thee he cursed the fig-tree and it withered up at the roots More particularly we see from whom to beg the increase of posterity It is from God that Jacob expected and desired in his blessing that Ephraim and Manasseth should grow into a multitude Gen. 48.16 See also Ruth 4.11 12. Hence also we may observe the goodnesse of God in continuing the blessing of increase to Adam even after his fall that sinful Adam should be the father of such a posterity God might have said here is enough of one man and too much I le suffer no more to be of the kind We destroy poysonful and hurtful creatures that they may not breed But mark further that merciful power of God to cause a holy off-spring a sanctified seed though not such as coming of yet to come of a sinful faln parent that God should make white paper of dunghil rags that any of Adams unsanctified nature should partake of the divine nature in a word that Enochs should be from Adam Truely there was more mercy discovered in the changing one Enoch than there would have been justice put forth in condemning a whole world In a word how should this our derivation from the first put us upon labouring to get into the second Adam he who is but a man a son of Adam is a miserable man a child of wrath How careful should we be to get off from the old dead poysonful root and stock and to be branches ingrafted into and growing upon the living life-giving stock the Lord Christ In Adam saith the Apostle all dye and in Christ all are made alive as we have born the image of the earthly so should we be restlesse til we bear that of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.49 5. It is our duty prudently to take our best advantages for truths advancement Thus Jude alledgeth here the prophesie of such a person as might in likelihood most draw respect and credit Of this before pag. 22. part 1. on these words the Brother of James Secondly in the preface here used by Jude before the prophesie the performance of Enoch is to be noted and that was his prophesying Jude saith that he prophesied of these EXPLICATION Three things may be enquired into by way of explication 1. What our Apostle intends in this place by prophesying 2. How Jude came by or whence he received the prophesie of Enoch 3. why he alledgeth and instanceth in this particular prophesie 1. For the first the word prophesie is in Scripture taken five several waies 1. See Diodats annotations on 1 Cor. 11.5 Sometimes it signifies no more then to be present at the publick Ministry and to partake of the doctrine thereof Thus I understand it in that place 1 Cor. 11.5 Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head for otherwise women were not allowed to speak in the Church 2. Prophesie is taken for the written word 2 Pet. 1.20 3. Elsewhere to prophesie signifieth to expound interpret and apply the Scriptures to the edification of
is an Evah to himself We must not altogether blame suggestions and temptations without The Divel tempted David to number the people and to see Bathsheba naked but after both he confesseth that he had sinned Commonly volenti It may in this case be said Nolenti non fit injuria None can hurt him that will not hurt himself Every man is tempted when he he is drawn away of his own lust Poyson would never hurt unlesse taken in The strongest enemy cannot hurt us nor the falsest delude us if we will be true to our selves Were there not a complying principle outward objects of sin would draw out nothing but detestations as in Christ in whom because the Divel found nothing he could do nothing against him And it is the duty of the godly to make use of ungodly examples not for imitation but greater abhorrence Saints like fire in cold weather should be hotter and holyer for living in times of greatest coldnesse and prophaneness The best men have oft lived in worst places as Lot Elijah Obadiah c. and shined as lights in the midst of a crooked Nation and redeem'd the time although nay because the dayes were evil 'T is not outward power and opportunity to sin but inward poyson that makes us sin and therefore in all our humiliations we should more angrily smite upon our own thighs than upon any outward occasional furtherances to sin 9 The servitude and slavery of a man that follows his lust is very miserable Tit. 3.3 Serving divers lusts Obser 9. Oh how true a drudg is hee that is a lacquey to his lusts and who hath lusts for his Leaders and Commanders 1. A servant is hindred from doing any thing but what his Master pleaseth A servant to his lusts is in the bond of iniquity hindred not onely from doing but even from willing to doe any thing but what pleaseth his lusts He is alienated from the life of God cannot hear pray meditate holily Sometimes he is in arcta custodia in close custodie not so much as able to go about the very outward works of holiness at least he is in libera custodia he cannot do them any further then his lusts allow never spiritually hee is Satans captive Gaol-bird The Romans cu◠off the thumbs of their slaves that so they might be able to handle the Oar but not the Sword so the Divel hinders his slaves from holy services but leaves them in a posture of activity for sin Satan gives some of his slaves longer line then hee gives to others but he ever keeps them in his power 2. A servant is servilely imployed The Gibeonites were hewers of wood and drawers of water A Sinner is put upon basest and hardest works like the Israelites in Egypt who had their shoulders under burdens and were put upon base and dirty drudgeries Issachar couched under his burden like an Asse A wicked man takes pains to go to hell his imployments are most painful and vile the workie-dayes of a Saint are better then the holidayes of a Sinner Christs yoak is easie and his burden light 3. A servant is beaten belly-beaten back-beaten Oh the wounds of conscience that sinners get in the service of their lusts there 's no peace to them they carry furnaces in their brests silent scourges Not to speak of the wounds upon their bodies healths names estates 4. A servant is rewarded but what are the sinners wages Sum'd up they are in that one word how comprehensive Death The very work of a Saint is abundant wages the very wages of a sinner his greatest wo. After sinners have drudg'd for lusts all the day of their lives Satan lodgeth them in flaming sheets at night Hee who hath now been their Tempter wil then be their Tormenter And yet how unlike is a servant to lusts to a servant unto men 1. The work of a mans servant is at length at an end A sinners work is never done peccator nunquam feriatur sinners have no holidayes they drudg without intermission on the Sabbath they sin in prayer hearing Sacraments in eating drinking recreations on earth in hel 2. A mans servant is weary of his servitude groans like the Israelites under his bondage and desires delivery A slave to lust loves to be so stil he is a boared slave that wil not be free but accounts every one his enemie that would deliver him hee thinks his servitude his liberty his prison his palace 3. Among men one master hath many servants but spiritually one servant hath many masters serving saith the Apostle Tit. 3.3 divers lusts and pleasures Quot habet Dominos qui unum non habet yea these masters are contrary some haling this way others another Covetousnesse hales one way prodigality and pride another ambition drags one way uncleanness another A sinner by these lusts is drawn as by wild horses 4. Among men the master is better and more honourable then the servant but a servant to lusts serves masters that are infinitely below and baser then himself a man never goes below himself but when he serves them Every lust is the divels brat and Satans excrement how unworthy is that servitude when a heaven-born soul hath such a master Only sin disennobles intellectual nature making men sinners Angels divels Concerning the means of opposing and overcoming of lusts see at large before The third proof which our Apostle brings to shew that these seducers were ungodly men Vulg. Superba Bez Tumida Tigur vehementer fastuosa Alii praetumida supra modum turgida immen sa Projicis ampullas et sesquipedalia verba Horat. and to be judged at the last day is set down in these words wherein he taxeth them of their proud arrogant boasting their mouth speaketh great swelling words These words Great swelling words are in the Greek expressed in this one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not only big bulkie bunching out or swelling but all these to a very great measure or as some beyond measure the composition increasing the signification and importing that these seducers spake words of a vastly rising swelling H 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De educ lib. mountanous bignesse Thus Plutarch useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turgid or swelling speech is very unfit to be used about civil affaires And a very apt and true accusation is this brought against these false teachers by Jude it having been the constant course of hereticks to speak very high and bigly swelling words Descripsit sermo apostolicus Jovinianum loquentem buccis tumentibus et inslata verba trutinantem Hier. l. 1. Contr. Jovin of arrogant boasting Hierom applyeth this expression of swelling words to Jovinian whom saith he the Apostle describes speaking with swoln cheeks and puft up expressions Two things may here be opened 1. What the Apostle meant by great swelling words 2. Wherein stands the sinfulness of using them For the first In