Lord is not slack concerâ—ing his promise as some men count slackness but is long suffering to us-ward not walling that any should perâ—h but tha◠〈◊〉 should come to Repentance it is for soulâ— sake that they might not perish The first Vse This in 〈◊〉 us what great need the Spâ—ule of Christ hath of patience ye have nee◠〈◊〉 parieâ—â—eâ— as in Heb. 10.36 Yea absoluâ— need of paâ—â—ence those who are waiâ—ing for Christ have need of long patience Take Habakkuks coâ—â—sel though he tarry wait for him This was St. Pauls Prayer that God would direct their heares to the love of God and patienâ— waiting for 〈◊〉 Secondly If Christ come not so soon as he is 〈◊〉 for then it may instruct those that are going fortâ— to meet him to make provision for â—delay or long tarrying the fault of the Foolish Virginâ— lay here they did not make provision for a delay they had just Oyl enough for the present There are some Professors who if Christ 〈…〉 come upon them â—n the beginning of their 〈◊〉 an Profession he would sind them in a pretry good state their Lamps are burning their Oyl not spent Oh! How full of Love Zeal â—aith Joy are they insomuch that they could follow Christ in a Land not sown their love to Christ is so strong â—s srael's was of Old of whom God complaineth erem 2.2 they had such love which God remembred in the day of their first espousals but they lost their first love as Ephesus did in Rev. 2.4 so these have in some years spent all and are gone to sleep with Lamps gone out their stock is spent no Oyl left therefore it is the wisdom of a Christian going forth to meet the Bridegroom to prepare for and expect a delay therefore our Lord Christ exhorts him that begins to build in his ways to sit down and count the cost lest he expose himself to be mocked at as a Fool who began to build and had not wherewith to finish see Luk. 14.30 these foolish Virgins did as it were begin to build and had not wherewith to finish so did the stony ground in the Parable Mark 4.5 But what stock must we lay in or what provision must we make that we may hold out to the end First Be sure thou hast a true and sincere love to Christ in the root else thou canst not wait long for him in differing dispensations Secondly Be sure thou hast true love to the Brethren this is part of that Oâ—l â—hat will hold out Charity never saileth this is a durable grace 1 Cor. 13.8 Thirdly Have faith in the certainty of Christs second coming though he do tarry yet believe he will come this grace is of necessity for the just shall live by faith as in Heb. 10.38 Fourthly Keep a good conscience that will be a special Companion whilest thou art waiting this had Paul as in Act. 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have a conscience void of offence towards God and Man so likewise in 2 Cor. 1.12 Fithly Maintain a Universal good spotless and holy conversation Thirdly Doth Christ stay longer than is expected then this will render those unprovided the more inexcusable if thy work be not done having so long a time it is an agravation to blame this is an argument against Jezebel Revel 2.21 I gave her space to repent and she repented not one reason why Christ delays his coming is that we might be ready and Christ expects an increase oâ— grace not diminishing in our graces by his tarrying The fourth Use This may be a Use of Caution to the word though Christ seems to stay long yet he will most certainly come at last though the Flood upon the old World stayed long yet it came at last though travail upon a Woman witâ— Child is talked on long yet it cometlâ— at last this St. Peter asserts in answer to those Mockers spoken of 2 Pet. 3. â—0 But the day of the â—ord will come as a Thief in the Night though the season be long the saying is true and will be fulfilled Fifthly Though Christ tarry long have a special care of security in lying down for that may be the time of his coming have a special care of neglectâ—ng thy Watch least Christ cometh and taketh thee napping or sleeping if he do that will be sad this seemeth to be much supposed in those words Mark 13.36 lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping so much for the first Doctrin We now proceed to the third Doctrin which was this That the great prevailing evil amongst Professors in the latter days a little before the second coming of Christ is a slumbring and sleeping State or frame of Spirit They all slumbred and slept A slumbring and sleeping temper doth prevail upon Professors in the latter days Now in the prosecution of this Doctrin First I shall explain what this sleep is and how it is understood in Scripture Secondly Prove the Doctrin that this is the overspreading evil of the last days Thirdly I shall give you the reasons why it is so Fourthly Give some symptoms of a Person declining towards this sleeping State Fifthly Make the use of the whole First I shall open the nature of this evil called slumbring and sleeping Indeed this Language our Lord speaketh to our capacities and in our Language he doth not in this mean or intend natural sleep that is no evil Christ himself is found in that as you may see in Math. 8.24 And behold there arose a great tempest in the Sea insomuch that the Ship was covered with the waves but he was a sleep it is no more evil to be found so sleeping then to be found eating and drinking but by slumbring and sleeping in Christs fence here must be understood of the in â—ard man now what this is must be considered There are two words used in the Text slumbring and sleeping which may be fitly applied to the two sorts of Persons in our Text the wise and foolish the wise slumbred the foolish slept they all slept more or less The Learned tell uâ— that there are three words made use of to set ouâ— sleep in the Hebrew tongue First A word that setteth forth sleep in general Secondly A word that signifies deep sleep oâ— dead sleep as we call it Thirdly A word which signifieth weak and shallow sleep or a slumber to forget our selves as we call it David seemeth to maâ—e a double distinction as you may see in Psal 132.4 I will not give sleep to mine Eyes nor slumber to mine Eye-lids sleeping is more than slumbring and a dead sleep more than an ordinary sleep a Person may slumber at his work or business but not sleep there is a fourfold difference between slumbring and sleeping First Slumbring is more external than internal slumbring is contrary to deep sleep in slumbring the thoughts may be awake and at work but in deep sleep the thoughts are asleep also of this slumbring state must the Church be
coming of Christ for it is taken for granted that Christ is the subject of our â—ext and in this second coming of Christ we have five circumstances considerable and are worthy to be spoken unto First The remarkableness of it it is ushered with a Behold as it is elsewhere Four times we have it added to or ushering in his coming as those things that are of great concernment which call for more than our ordinary observation are brought in with a Behold as I may shew you thorowout the whole Scriptures and it is no wonder though this appearance of Christ be ushered with a Behold for it is a remarkable passage upon a fivefold consideration First As to the transcendent incomparable glory of his Person in that day this is that which Persons are called to behold One glorious in apparel is an object of observation this occasioneth the Church to cry as in Isaiah 63.1 Who is this that cometh from Edom with died Garments from Bozrah this that is glorious in his apparel travelling in the greatness of his strength I that speak in righteousness mighty to save Christ in his first coming came in the form of a Servant mean in his apparel but now in his second coming shall come clothed with visible Glory he shall then be girt with Glory as you may read in Psal 45.3 Gird thy Sword upon thy Thigh O most Mighty with thy Glory and thy Majesty Secondly This second coming of Christ deserves a Behold from that glorious and numerous attendance which he shall have in that his appearing this is that which Jude had in his eye in his fourteenth Verse of his Epistle and Enoch the seventh from Adam Prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints also in Psal 68.17 The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them as in Sinat in the holy place this is that also that the Prophet Zachariah speaketh in his fourteenth Chapter and first Verse compared with the fifth Verse Behold the day of the Lord cometh and ye shall stee to the Valley of the Mountains for the Valleâ— of the Mountains shall reach unto Azâ—â— yea ye shall flee like aâ— ye fled from before the Earthquake in the days of Vzziah King of Judah and the Lord mâ— God shall come and all the Saints with thee this is an object thaâ— calleth for observation his glorious attendance Thirdly This second appearance deserveth a Behold to be annexed unto it in consideration of thaâ— great power he shall be clothed with in that dayâ— therefore the Evangelist St. Matthew in Math. 24.30 speaking of the coming of Christ saith Anâ— then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory so saith St. Mark also as you may read in Mark 13.26 And theâ— shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds 〈◊〉 with great power and glory and so likewise St. Luke writeth in the very same words Luk. 21.17 in these places power and glory are coupled together Christ in this day shall come as a King then it is no wonder that Persons are invited to behold a King Muth 22.11 And when the King came in to see the Guests he saw there a Man which had not on a wedding Garment and he saith unto him Friend how camest thou in hither not having a Wedding Garment and he was speechless if this King do but ask a Question it striketh them speechless such power is in it Fourthly It calleth for a Behold from the consideration of that wrath and anger he appeareth in in that day this day is called the day of wrath yea of his wrath this maketh the Prophet Isaiah put a Behold to it Isaiah 13.9 Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruel with wrath and fierce anger to lay the Land desolate and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it also you may read further in Rev. 6.17 For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Fifthly It is remarkable as to the effects of this day both as to the righteous and the wicked see for this as to the wicked it will be a day of wrath botheruel and with fierce anger as in Isaiah 13.9 and further as to the wicked consider Isaiah 34.4 And all the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a Scrole and all their Host shall fall down as the Leaf falleth off from the Vine and as a falling Fig from the Fig-tree and then shall the indignation of the Lord be upon all Nations and his fury upâ—n all their Armies he will utterly destroy them and deliver them to the slaughter as in the second ver but as to the righteous what will be the effect of this day unto them consider and read Isaiah 35.4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart Be strong fear not behold your God will come with â—ingeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you And the righteous also shall enter into life etirnal even when the wicked shall go into everdasting punishment as in Math. 25.46 The second thing to be considered and spoken to is the juncture of time that he shall come in called here Midnight Night or Midnight is not always to be taken in a literal and proper sense but sometimes mystically and allegorically as in that place Micah 3.6 Therefore Night shall be unto you that he shall not have a Vision and it shall be dark unto you that you shall not divine and the Sun shall go down over the Prophets and the day shall be daâ— unto them so Amos 8.9 And it shall come to paâ— saith the Lord God that I will cause the Sun to gâ— down at Noon and I will darken the earth in the cleâ— day trouble also is called darkness see Job 5.14 They meet with darkness in the day time and gropâ— at Noon day as in the Night And according to that understanding the deepest sorrows and afflictions and states of darkness mâ— be called Midnight to have a noise trouble an hurry at Midnight is very sad and amazing therefore as a very sad state and condition it is said Jâ— 34.20 In a moment shall they die and the peopâ— shall be trâ—ubâ—ed at Midnight and pass away aâ—â— the Mighty shall be taken away without hand anâ— when God will make his Judgments remarkable iâ— deed he chuseth to execute them in the Nigh 〈◊〉 at the Midnight as Exod. 12.29 And it came 〈◊〉 pass that at Midnight the Lord smote all the first-borâ— in the land of Egypt from the first-born of Pharaâ—â— that sat on the Throne unto the first-born of thâ— captive that was in the dungeon and all the first-borâ— of Cattel Christ is said to come as a Thief in
all manner of conversation without holiness none can see much less know God Heb. 12.14 such as vvork iniquity cannot be said to knovv him Vse See of what absolute necessity knowing Christ is here in order to a hopeful expectation of Christs knowing thee at the day of his coming in Glory labour therefore to know and be acquainted vvith Christ here study the name and nature of Christ know him in all his offices and excellencies I shall close this Doctrine with the words of Jesus Christ John 17.3 And this is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Thus I have finished the twelfth verse and proceed to the thirtenth verse Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh We are now come to the conclusion of this first parable which contains Christs application of the whole upon his Disciples In this verse we have contained two general parts First A duty injoyned watch ye Secondly We have the Argument to inforce the duty for ye know not the day nor the hour when Christ shall come Watch therefore because you have heard and understood how suddain and unexpected a disappointment these Virgins have or rather shall have met with for it is to be understood to be but a parable our Lord propounds this duty as the only way and means to prevent miscarrying Watch therefore In my prosecution of this verse I shall endeavour these five things First I shall explain this so great and useful duty of watchfulness I shall shew you what our Lord means by this duty Secondly I shall shew you how want of watchfulness was the foundation of the destruction of the foolish Virgins Thirdly Shew you some reasons why Christ and his Apostles do so much call for this duty in Gospel days and the more as the time draws near Fourthly Lay down some Characters of a watchful person Fifthly I shall endeavour to press our Lords usâ— of exhortation upon Christians in this day To the first what watchfulness is in it self the word here translated watch is excito to stir up or a waken the lowest acceptation of watchfulness is wakefulness in opposition to sleeping to keep the eyes open is a sort of watchfulness This is plain from Christs words to his Disciples Mat. 26. when he found them thus sleeping watch saith he that is keep your natural eyes open This watching I dare not exclude in our Text for if there may be excess in eating and drinking so also there may be in sleeping in giving way to drowsiness and sottishness This Solomon inveighs much against in his Proverbs love not sleep lest thou come to poverty Prov. 20.13 and this watching I dare not exclude Acts 20.31 to the elders of the Church of Ephesus therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn you every one night and day with tears St. Paul had broke his sleep to perform his duty to the Churches and this he offers as an example for them to imitate And this we know is the course of the world in earthly concerns they rise betimes and go to bed late sometimes their Candle goeth not out by night as we read Prov. 31.18 of the industrious and prudent woman now we are to seek for wisdom as for silver Prov. 2.3 4. break our sleep for it silver seekers do so We have the example of our Lord upon this account who rose up a great while before day upon a spiriâ—â—â—l account to preach and pray Mark 1.35 and we read also of David Psal 119. he rose at midnight to pray and praise the Lord. St. Paul and Silas did so Act. 16.25 From hence the false Church of Rome have their Vigils their Night Watchers and of this watchfulness some have experienced much spiritual profit when the heart hath been in it and I am sure if Persons are resolvedly set for grace and glory they would find need of this watching But I shall bend my self to speak to the watchfulness of the inward man as being the principal end that without which the other cannot profit There is a spiritual and inward sleep taken notice of in the Scriptures some of which Scriptures I shall cite Rom. 13.11 It is high time to awake out of sleep Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest stand up from the dead 1 Thes 5.6 Let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober all which Scriptures must needs relate to the inward watchfulness I speak of this sleep is when our spiritual senses are asleep for as the natural body hath its senses so the inward man hath his senses according to â— b. 5. have their senses exercised There are five senses relating to the inward Man Seeing Hearing Smelling Feeling Tasting but I shall but name this because I touched upon it before This watchfulness consists in three Circumstances First Observation Secondly Exercise Thirdly Expectation First Observation where the mind and understanding eye and affection are looking out this is watâ—hing Hab. 2.1 I will set me upon my watch-tower to see there his observation is called watching see Jerem. 20.10 They watch for my â—alting that is observe thus it is said the Jews watched to kill St. Paul that is sought opportunity Act. 9.24 Secondly A watch implies industry exercise use of means thus it must be understood of the Master of the house Math. 24.43 He would have watched and not suffered his house to be broken he would have been awake both exercising his weapon to defend and offend barely keeping his eyes open would not have hindred his breaking in watching is an industrious work see how St. Paul speaks to the Church of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch yea stand fast quit your selves like men be strong so also to Timothy 2 Tim. 4.5 Watch thou and indure affliction these go together Thirdly Watching supposeth expectation earnest looking out with longing thus to be understood Luk. 12. which I have touched before so Psal 130.5 6. I wait for the Lord watching and waiting are the same many times in Scripture Thus I have briefly opened the nature of this duty of watchfulness it is a wakeful observing industrious expecting frame of Spirit The second thing that I am to speak unto is this How this want of watchfulness was the foundation of the miscarrying of the foolish Virgins I answ That the foundation of their miscarriage did not consist in not opening their eyes but in the want of a painful use of means herein they were short they were slothful in a time of harvest when they might have furnished themselves they fought when it was to late and that this was the ground of their miscarriage will appear plainly from the next Parable the whole scope whereof is to incourage industry before Christ come the Oyl the Wedding Garment is the fruit of industry these foolish Virgins had not been in good earnest for heaven
AN ALARM To Slumbring CHRISTIANS Or the PARABLE Of the Wise and Foolish VIRGINS And of the TALENTS SHEEP and GOATS BEING A plain and practical exposition of the whole XXV Chapter of St. Matthews Gospel calling upon all Professors to a strict and constant Watchfulness lest their Lord at his certain and second Coming find them not ready but with their Lamps gone out Blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not Luk. 12.37.40 By Samuel Loveday LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephâ—nt and Castle near the Royal-Exchange in Corâ—â—â—â— 1675. THE EPISTLE To the READER FRiend whoever thou art into whose hands this insuing piece may come I must say the rudeness of speech and unpolished stile of the ensuing Book doth necessarily not complementally call for a Prologue or Preface of Apology for it self and this I say in its behalf that it was never intended for so publick a view in the first study of it but only to be communicated to that small Congregation over which I am concerned by the providence and grace of God as a Pastor or Feeder to whom or in whose hearing these things were more largely handled for the space of one whole Year by the Author who intended so to have left it had not strong and following importunities from several who had been hearers of the matter more largely changed my mind and prevailed with me to publish it and if any by the publication receive any profit they are debters to the forenamed under God for it For my own part I am I can say truly deeply sensible of much imperfection in the management and that I shall need thy candid and favourable indulgence overlooking manner and heeding matter as it agrees with the current of Scripture The brokenness and imperfections hereof were partly occasioned by the length of time since they were delivered and partly that those notes remaining in my hands were very concise and brief being but the very heads of the matter insisted on this I only leave as a modest plea for my self knowing that truth is of age to speak for it self And so I proceed to an Introduction to the matter it self contained in the following discourse The matter before us is excellent matter though wrapt up in Parables not with a design to lock it from us but that in condescending to set forth heavenly things by earthly we might the easier come at the meaning Now this we must know that all terms and circumstances in a Parable are not for probation but illustration a Parable will not always as we say run upon all four but we must eye and observe the scope and design of a Parable and it is the work of a Gospel Minister not only to Preach but to expound and open the Scriptures and divide or cut asunder the Scriptures giving each their Portion It was the work of our Lord Christ when he was on earth not only to preach as we find him doing Math. 5. Luk. 4. but expounding the Scriptures See that remarkable place Luk. 24.27 beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself though the Scriptures do in good measure expound themselves if well observed yet the Lord in all ages appointed instruments for that work God foresaw there would be need of Interpreters When the Eunuch read the Prophet he wanted some body to guide him and God guides Philip to do this office God usually conveys light by instruments whom he first inlightens The Subject which we have before us is a heart-searching Subject if seriously heeded and as heart-work is the principal and only work which Professors are to be conversant about in this latter day so it is to be feared there is no work more superficially carried on by most some not knowing what it means others forgetful of their hearts not observing Solomons Counsel Prov. 4.23 to keep the heart with all diligence The Apostle St. Paul in his days did foresee in the last days many Professors would be loose as to this main duty which makes him to predict it unto his Son Timothy 2 Tim. 3. Now as I said before the great design of our Lord here is that his Disciples waiting for him should have grace in their hearts a good inside as well as a Profession as you may perceive Christ doth loudly call for a good heart and he knew then the outside would be good also for saith Christ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good But mistake me not I do not in the least by what I say design to slight or undervalue Profession but my design and aim is to arm you against degenerating into meer form and a Carcass of Religion without the Spirit and power of it That state is very nauseous and offensive to Gods all-seeing Eye who would have the Churches to know that he is the searcher of the heart and the tryer of the reins Rev. 2.23 The Church in Sardis was then in her Wane when she had a name to live and was dead Rev. 3.2 3. her fault was not that she had a name to live but that she had the name without the nature and what was it that gave her this name to live was it not the form Church Membership Ordinances and what was it that denominated her to be dead but want of faith love zeal yea Oyl in the heart had not these Virgins a name to live are they not called Virgins a living name but wanted life in the Root Had not these Servants of Christ a name to live whilst called Christs own Servants but they wanted love faith and zeal to Christ their Lord in his business had not these Goats a name to live were they not clean Creatures and allowed for sacrifice and was not a Kid of the Goat equally acceptable as a Lamb of the flock but all these are rejected by Christ for want of life in the root This consideration makes me in the Subject following spend so much time and pains in demonstrating sincerity from hypocrisie as you will find as you go along Oh! sincerity is the life of all a perfect heart is that which renders a weak Person although defective in many things yet acceptable with God Take notice of those two remarkable passages between Asa and Amaziah 2 Chro. 15.17 though the high places were not taken away yet the heart of Asa was perfect all his days see the contrary â— Chro. 25.2 concerning Amaziah he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart God measures men by their hearts whether in good or evil actions no man can keep acquaintance and fellowship with God without a perfect heart though he may possibly keep fellowship with the Church yet Christ knows not such but so as to
the Parable of the Talents To provoke all to a faithful improving of all the gifts and graces committed to their trust by their great Lord and Master that when he comes again to call all his Servants to account we may receive the reward and enter into the joy of our Lord. For the third and last part concerning the eternal judgment a Subject of all other most necessary When there shall be a final determination of all mens estates for ever according to the Scriptures But not to prevent what is more copiously discoursed of by the Author himself in all these particulars in this Treatise For the manner of handling these Subjects I dare promise thee if thou beest one that hath any relish of the most important truths contained in the Holy Scriptures that thou wilt find a Savour running through the whole discourse as one that felt what he first spoke and afterwards committed unto writing for thy souls good and profit and indeed they are the fittest persons to treat of such Subjects as these are To conclude The Author hath no other designe and end of writing this but thy spiritual edification and advantage That thou maist prove a wise Virgin and so improve thy Talents that thou maist stand in the judgment Which is also the sincere and hearty desire of John Gosnold A Table of the Principal matters contained in this Book PRedictions of Christs certain and second coming calling upon Christians to be strict and constant in self-examination after their inward and Spiritual estate before it be too late from the consideration of their Lords near approach pag. 1. The explication of the ten Virgins and of the Kingdom of Heaven pag. 2 3 4. Signs of Christs near approach with distinguishing Marks of the right Virgins Shewing also how the Church on earth resembles the state of glory in four particulars pag. 5 6 7. That none goeth to meet Christ without the Lamp of profession nor Oyl without Lamps and yet there may be Lamps without Oyl pag. 8 9 10 11. Vast numbers of professors may wait for Christs coming in six particulars and yet deceive themselves pag. 12 13. How to know you are not of this number by six Marks pag. 13 14. A description betwixt wise and unwise Virgins in many particulars pag. 15 16 17. Use of Tryal in four particulars as evidences of the truth of Christianity pag. 24. In the marriage of a true Virgin to Christ are six blessed priviledges pag. 27 28 29 30. Who may comfortably hope for this day resolved in six particulars pag. 31 32 33. That a little before Christs second coming the sin of slumbering and sleeping will be very prevalent among professors with several signes of this dreadful state pag. 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47. Ten awakening considerations to prevent or rowse from this slumbring estate pag. 48. Christs second coming remarkable under five circumstances pag. 49 50 51. Seven remarkable passages relating to the two sorts of Virgins with the blessed advantage of the wise and dreadful disappointment of the foolish pag. 59 60 61 62 c. What it is to buy oyl and that a Market price is to be given for it pag. 80 81. Christ Jesus requires all that look for glory hereafter from him shall now make ready for him shewing also what it is to be ready pag. 85 86 c. The earnest petition of the foolish Virgins under five heads that Jesus would open the door for them yet fruitless because too late pag. 90 91. c. Reasons of Christs rejection of persons from glory at the last day pag. 97. Six marks to know when we savingly know Jesus Christ pag. 98. The great duty of watchfulness enjoyned from the certainty and suddenness of Christs approaching under five headâ— pag. 99 100. c. The Parable of the Talents explained pag. 109. c. Rules for a right improvement of our Talents to Gods glory and our own and others good pag. 128. 129. Great advantage attends the well improving Talents pag. 162 163 c. The plea of the slothful in hiding his Talent and the Lordâ— ill resentment of it and proceeding thereupon pag. 170 171 172. c. A description of usury what it is when biting pag. 184 185 186 187. Five marks to know a slothful person with eight arguments against the sin of slothfulness with account of Christs severe punishment inflcted upon such being attended with a double punishment pag. 191 192. c. What taking awâ—y the Talent meaneth and that the consequence is utter and a revokable darkness where shall be nothing but wailing and gnashing of teeth and that this taking away of the slothful Servants Talent takes place at Christs personal coming pag. 191 194 195. That Industry in spirituals shall produce abundance of increase pag. 204 205. That there will not be the least dram of favour in Christs face to slothful persons at the day of account pag. 206. Christ Jesus compared to a Shepherd his people to Sheep but the wicked to Wolves Lions Dogs pag. 208. The dreadful Sentence denounced against those on Christs left hand into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels pag. 229 230. c. Hell fire differs from all other fire in six circumstances pag. 241 242. Not only the profane but very many among professors will be cast into this torment for four reasons pag. 246. Torment certain and terrible easie to fall into it difficult to escape it and impossible without cutting off and plucking out a right hand or eye or foot pag. 246 247. That the pains and punishments of unbelievers is endless a worm that never dies a fire that never goes out pag. 249 250. c. Christs Kingdom will be upon earth four rules to help Christians to walk worthy of it pag. 241 242 243. Christs high estimation of such acts of Charity as are in singleness of heart shewed to his suffering members he takes them as done to himself pag. 246 247. God will reward men more or less proportionable to their work in the great day and yet the reward of grace not of debt pag. 253 254. Mercy Charity and Alms extended to Christs true Brethren here on earth is above all services acceptable to God and brings in great profit to persons at Christs appearance works of Charity above all other works being called good works proved by six Arguments pag. 255 256 257. Rules for the right distribution of our Charity in ten particulars pag. 258 259. As a spur to good works have an eye to Gods reward pag. 251 252. We must not measure Gods love to us by his outward dealings with us want may be good for them that fear God pag. 253 254. The truly gracious have a low esteem of their best performances to Christ in point of acceptance to salvation pag. 255 256 257. Two Emminent reasons why righteous persons have so low an esteem of their best duties of obedience pag. 258 259. Jesus Christ is
Curse God and die not fearing or reverencing God which is true wisdom But thirdly Her want of foresight to see to the end of Gods dispensations she looked only at present things and things seen which David himself calleth foolishness in himself as in Psal 73.22 So foolish was I even as a Beast before him so that it appeareth that the principal evil in these two which rendred them by name foolish was want of foresight having eyes in their heads and this is by our Lord Christ given out as the distinguishing Character between the wise and the foolish Builders as in Math. 7.24 The wise built on a Rock looking forward to duration the foolish on the sand and wherein do the Virgins in our Text come short was not this that wherein their folly did appear they did not lay in a stock for duration Now we return to the words again Verse the eighth And the foolish said these unstockt Persons upon a spiritual account are the foolish in our Text from whence I note this Doctrine That it is a Doctrine of the highest folly in Christs account to be without a stock and provision by us in order for time to come for eternity a wise foresighted Professor is a stockt Professor for time to come upon an earthly account a poor man may be a wise man although he hath not a Penny nor a bit of bread before hand but it cannot be so in spirituals poor and foolish go together as Solomon saith Prov. 2.20 there is Oyl in the dwelling of the wise and treasure desireable but a fool in Christs sense is a poor soul or that hath no stock or that is not rich towards God as Luk. 12.19 is a very clear place to this purpose so is every one that is he is a fool the wise woman Prov. 31. it one that is richly furnished with a stock but how doth it further appear that such a person is a fool or foolish First He is a fool as he is ignorant of the nature of God Psal 94.8 9. understand ye foolish these unstockt persons would suppose God to be like man who cannot see the Heart what is within Secondly He is foolish as he hath slipt his oportunity to get a stock this is a peice of folly indeed so Solomon renders them Prov. 17.16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom seeing he hath no heart or rather it is to be understood by way of discovery that he is a fool who hath a price in his hand to get wisdom and does not improve it Thirdly He is a fool as he is a hypocrite who is outwardly something but nothing within the whole course of a hypocrite is nothing but a course of folly of all fools the hypocrite is the greatest fool and the reason is because he taketh a great deal of pains and reaps no profit by it he doth in all his profession but play the fool like Children that make shows he ventures himself many times his credit estate and life to no profit there are none sin at so dear a rate as the hypocrite doth nor any sinner so distastful to God as he nor none so highly wicked as he Now of hypocrites there are two sorts First a gross sort who uphold a form of Godliness on purpose to deceive as those we read of in Mat. 23.14 who make long prayers to devour Widows Houses But there is a Second sort who in comparison of those are simple and sincere but yet such as are deceived themselves and desire to deceive others such are these in our Text but let us know that all degrees of hypocrites is bad and punishable Now we come to the words themselves which contains a dialogue between the wise and foolish Virgins First we have the petitionary request of the foolish to the wise Secondly This request is backed with a reason of the petition give us of your Oyl their best shift is now begging for they neither ask to buy nor borrow but to give but Solomon foreseeing their disappointment saith Prov. 20.4 The Sluggard will not Plow by reason of the cold therefore shall he beg in Harvest and have nothing this is the case of the foolish Virgins in our Text they gat nothing give us of your Oyl they knew the wise had Oyl formal outside professors can Judge of sincerity in others though they themselves have none give us of your Oyl Oh! the great necessity that sluggish lazie professors brings upon themselves for want of improving time and means Secondly We have the asserted reason rendred by the foolish to the wise for our Lamps are gone out and that in a time of most need their light intended here by the Lamps is gone out extinguished the light of profession not fed goeth out an hypocrites Lamp or light is not lasting it fails him when he hath most need at death or at Christs coming to Judgment nay in time of Trial and temptation such was the stony ground Mat. 13.5 Job 27.8 that the hope of the hypocrite fails him at the giving up of the Ghost or when God taketh away his Soul an hypocrite at last is not only discovered to others but to himself he seeth and saith now thâ—â— his light is gone out though it is possible some may die with hope and rise with hope as these seem to do yet now in this time of need their hopes fail them Job speaketh of the nature of this hope of the hypocrite as in Job 8.13 14 15. So are the paths of all them that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish whose hope shall be cut off and whose trust shall be a Spiders Web or house in five Circumstances First It is a compact of curiosity but no strength Secondly Her house is formed out of her own Bowels not fetcht out of the Forrest or stone querry not like the Bee that fetches it abroad but his hope is grounded upon his own righteousness see the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 and the duties he performes Thirdly She useth her house for a double use to dwell in her self and to insnare others so doth the hypocrite Fourthly She dwelleth in it with Confidence so doth the hypocrite Fifthly A Spiders house is down with little adoe the whisk or broom layeth it flat at once as in Isaiah 33.14 15. an hypocrite shall lean upon his house but it shall not stand Job 8.15 We now proceed to the application of this Doctrine First By way of Information it doth inform us that the eternal perdition and exclusion from glory is the fruit of their folly these were foolish Virgins it seemeth to be Emphatically urged in this Context they were not wise so Solomon speaks in ch 3. ver last The wise shall inherit glory but shame shall be the promotion of fools so Psal 107.17 fools because of their transgressions are afflicted this will greatly aggravate the condemnation of sinners But the question will be is this folly necessitated
things considered it is not strange that the Scripture speaks of buying Second Vse Hast thou gotten Oyl in thy Vessel grace in thy heart hast thou found and dost thou enjoy Jesus Christ pardon of sin assurance of glory to come then let me ask this Question of thee what did it cost thee didst thou give a Market price as we use to say where things are not bought at a Market price it renders the matter doubtful whether they be rightly come by hast thou forsaken thine own way thy unrighteousness and thine own righteousness hath it cost thee pains violence art thou a new creature I am afraid it may be said of many that pretend they have found Christ and assurance of Glory as it was said to Jacob Gen. 27.20 how camest thou by it so soon or so hastily Third Vse To those that have not yet bought be perswaded to go thorow for Jesus Christ it is an excellent bargain whatever it cost thee the wise Merchant man that knows the worth of it will have it what ever it cost him though he sell all for it do not be like a Swine that tramples upoâ— Pearls that chooseth a handful of Oats before 〈◊〉 handful of Pearls strike a bargain before it be toâ— late do not only bid but buy whatever it cost Solomon doth not pitch a price what we must give for the truth Fourth Vse This may serve to reprove those who tread backward who instead of buying Christâ— truth and sincerity will sell them rather choosing present injoyments than future glory consider the unexpressible disadvantage and loss if you should gain the whole world and lose your own soul Math. 16.26 Thus I have done with the ninth Verse We now proceed to the tenth Verse And while they went to buy the Bridegroom came then they that were ready went in with him to the marriage We have contained in this Verse two remarkable circumstances First The beginning of the disappointment of the foolish Virgins in which we have two parts First They are out of the way when Christ came Secondly The door was shut against them which is a dreadful aggravation for though they had been out of the way when Christ came yet if the door had been left open for them there had been some hope but the door is shut which bespeaks their state to be very bad Second Circumstance in the Text and that respects the wise setting forth the great advantage of the wise above the foolish and that is exprest in two Circumstances First it is here said they were ready Secondly It is said they went in with Christ to the marriage a singular and unspeakable priviledge The words are plain and want but little explication only the word Ready by which we must understand two things First To be ready is understood sometimes to be accoutred cloathed and apparelled thus it is used Rev. 19.7 The Bride the Lambs wife hath made her self ready and this readiness is in her being arrayed in that fine linnen spoken of v. 8. Secondly Sometimes readiness in Scripture doth import a waiting posture thus it must be understood Luk. 12.37 that word watch is termed by the word ready v. the 40. Be ye therefore ready is the same with watch in the former verse I shall now lay down two Doctrines as the product of this verse consider'd as in conjunction with the former verse The First Doctrine That there is a day and time when all endeavours of obtaining grace and wisdom will be in vain and altogether succesless these beg of their fellows they go to buy and all in vain yet they are shut out Tâ—e Second Doctrine That Jesus Christ doth expect and require that all those who look for glory from him should be ready for him at his coming I shall begin with the first of these We see here persons punished whilst in the use of means whilst buying in order to readiness And if the reason should be asked how this comes to pass the answer must be here they seek when it is too late there is a time when grace cannot be had by all means that can then be used this is Prophesied Psal 32.6 For this shall all that are Godly call upon him in a day of hearing it supposeth a proper seâ—son of finding The tâ—tuh of this Doctrine is emphaticall assâ—â—te Prov. 1.28 Then shall they call and I will not heâ— them they shall seek me early and shall not find mâ— Therefore the Prophet Isa 55.6 invites to see the Lord while he may be found and to call upon 〈◊〉 while he is near and to this our Lord speaks fully Luk. 13.24 For I sâ—y unto you many shall see to enter and strive and not be able It is a sad instanâ— which the Apostle Heb. 12.15 16. layeth befoâ—â— them of Esau who could not obtain the Blessing though he sought it carâ—fully with tears But some mâ—â— say when is this day proper for seeking I answer in our life whilst it is called to day and whilâ— means last therefore the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 6. â— Now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation Secondly On the negative this time when the use of all means will be ineffectual is at Christs appearance according to the forenamed place Luk. 13.25 When once the Master of the house is risâ— up and hath shut to the door according to our Text. Vse Be exhorted to lay hold upon the present time fall in with the motions of the Spirit be not like the Sluggard Prov. 20.4 Who will not ploâ— because of the Cold his complaint will be yours when it is too late â—rov 5.11 12 13. Secondly Content not your selves with Lamps only these had Lamps they did not go to buy Lamps but Oyl Thus much for the First Doctrine Concerning the foolish Viâ—gins the beginning of their disappointment We now preceed to the Second Doctrine which was this Jesus Christ expects and requires that all those who are looking for glory and happiness from him should be making ready for him no unready persons shall enter in with him Now in the haâ—oling of this Doctrine I shall first more particularly explain this word Ready or shew you what it is to be ready Secondly Prove the Doctrine that this God and Christ do indispensably call for Thirdly Lay down some reason why this is required Fourthly Make use of the whole First What is it to be ready in Christs fence I answer it is made up of these two ingredients comprehensive both which we have laid down Luk. 12.35 To have the loins girt about to have the lig is burning which allusion of Christs doth eleganâ—ly answer to our Parable of the Virgins had the foolish Virgins been accompliâ—â—â—ed with these two we may be assured they had gone in as well as the wâ—se Now the opening of these two terms will instruct us whâ—◠〈◊〉 is to be ready First For girding up the loins is expounded by the Apostle St. Peter 1 Pet.
is not enough that there is a match agreed on between Jesus Christ and thee that thou art sure but prepare for the Marriage A few motives to set home this Use First Consider the dreadful state of those Persons not ready not only in our Text but in Math. 22.23 Bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness for want of having the Wedding Garment on Secondly Consider that though many are called yet but few are chosen Math. 22.14 None chosen but such as are ready Thirdly Consider how well our Lord taketh it to be ready as appears by his Carriage to such Luk. 12.17 Fourthly Consider how reasonable a request it is to be ready when he is at all the cost Eph. 5.25 Rev. 19.7 Thus I have done with the tenth Verse The eleventh and twelfth Verses Afterwards came also the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to us 12. ver But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not In these two Verses we have wrapt up the perfect and total disappointment of the foolish Virgins We had the beginning of their misery in the former Verse which lay in this that the door was shut upon them that was a tacite or implicite rejection but here we have their positive and declared rejection and therein their irrecoverable disappointment they are wholly denied and rejected in their vehement solicitations for entrance In these two Verses we have contained two general parts First The foolish Virgins earnest petition and desire Secondly The Lords reply unto them But in our handling these two Verses I shall glance at these two parallel places Mat. 7. Luk. 13. because they seem to relate to the same time and are spoken to the same Persons or such like see Math. 7.22 They will say to me in that day Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy name cast out Devils and done many wonderful works we have Christ's reply ver 23. And then will I profess I never knew them depart from me ye that work iniiniquity so Luk. 13.25 26 27. I tell you I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquity so in our Text Verily or Amen I know you not so that in taking in those Scriptures we have not only a petition to the Lord to open but many arguments urged to move the Lord for entrance but all in vain In the petition we have considerable First The matter of the request Secondly We have in this petition the manner of it considerable we have the ingemination or doubling of the word Lord Lord which ingemination hath these four Circumstances in it First Confidence Secondly Earnestness Thirdly Intimacy Fourthly Acknowledgment First Considence in opposition to bashfulness shame or silence it is a commanding authoritative speech Secondly It savours of earnestness and vehemency of speaking quickness of spirit in speaking willing to be quickly heard and taken notice of as when Christ so speaks to Martha Luk. 10.41 Martha Martha and so it is to be understood in that voice from heaven to Saul Act. 9. Saul Saul the Lord is earnest and would be heard Thirdly This kind of speaking implieth intimacy and acquaintance it is that kind of speaking which intimate friends use to each other Christ and Martha was familiar and to this purpose the rebuke given by Christ â—uk 6.46 And why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things I speak as if he should say you express intimacy and acquaintance but do not express obedience Fouthly It implies acknowledgment as if he should say thou art my Lord Math. 7. so understood shall say Lord Lord we own thee as our Lord thus it must be understood Rom. 8.16 we say Abba or Father by way of acknowledgment see John 20. My Lord my God so that we see the petition hath much in it Secondly if we take in the forenamed two Scriptures we find a material Plea with strong arguments We have five arguments used here with desire of opening and entrance First say they we have eaten and drunk in thy presence this eating and drinking in Christs presence is taken two ways First For eating personally with Christ when he was on earth as Judas and many more bad persons did Secondly By some it is taken for eating and drinking at his Table in the Church and this latter is most likely because Christ was ascended before this flocking in of the Virgins besides there are but few can plead the first Secondly Thou hast taught in our Streets that is we have been Sermon-hearers by hearing Christ may be under stood hearing his Ministers so St. Paul speass Eph. 4.20 If you have heard Christ and have been taught bâ— him which there can not be understood Christ in Person but his Ministers Thirdly They had not only heard but taught themselves if prophesying be preaching as many understand it to be from 1 Cor. 14. Fourthly They had cast out Devils possibly by fasting and prayer casting out Devils is not enough therefore Christ caurions his Disciples not to rejoyce in that Luk. 10.20 Nevertheless rejoyce not in this that the Devils are subject to you but rejoyce your names are written in heaven The Fifth argument these Virgins urge is that they had done many other mighty works Now all these allegations and Pleas we may suppose are true for our Lord never contradicts them as not being true and these are considerable arguments what not let in such so qualified and so related to Jesus Christ this seems strange to them they made no question but these arguments would have opened the door but instead thereof see our Lords sharp angry reply in two circumstances First His absolute positive rejection of them depart depart no admission notwithstanding all this And this rejection is built upon a double foundation First He knoweth them not which seems strange Secondly They were workers of iniquity and that is strange also considering what they pleaded here Now those Doctrines that I shall observe from the words thus explained shall respect not only this Text but those parallel places forenamed First Doctrine That Persons are naturally and strongly apt to lean bear and lay weight upon the external duties of obedience These several pleas are all outward not a word of any thing inward all ouâ—ward this was the Plea of the Jewish Church with God all along they leaned upon the Lord from that ground this was natural with the Pharisee Luk. 18. I fast twice a week The Second Doctrine The best of duties rested in are nauseous and abominable to God ye are workers of iniquity yet we read of no gross evils recorded of them This truth is very much confirmed in Scripture see Esa 1.13 14. My soul hateth your solemn meetings incense is abominable to me Esa 66.3 Their Sacrifices are like offering Swines blood cutting off a Dogs neck and such kind of Language The Third Doctrine That persons may be in the highest duties of obedience and yet workers of iniquity The
fain fasten upon his Disciples minds in order to the duty of vvatchfulness and therefore we have it repeated over again and again you may see Math. 24. three times in that Chapter ver 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man ver 42. Ye know not what hour your Lord doth come ver 44. In such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh Mark 13.32 33. This is a secret lockt up in the breast of the Father alone this is not known to Angels no not to Christ himself but the Father only ver 36. therefore when Christs Disciples would have known the time Christ only gives them predictions and forerunners not a precise time and when the Disciples asked Christ again Act. 1.7 it is not saith he for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath kept in his own hands Quest But why may not Christs Disciples know the day and hour and why is it so inculcated upon them as aforesaid First Because he would not have persons pry into it God would not have man to pry into this secreâ— of Christs Second coming Deut. 29.19 Secreâ— things belong to God this is one of them There hath been a double evil amongst men in the Apostles times concerning his coming some put the day too far from them as those 2 Pet 3. others brought it too near as those 2 Thes 2. now to prevent both our Lord would not have us busie our selves too nicely about it telling of us the knowledg is not attainable Secondly It is thus reiterated and inculcated the uncertainty of Christ coming that we might always be ready for it this is the scope of our Text therefore persons in general have their deaths concealed that they may with Job all their appointed time wait till their change come The Thief doth not use to tell when he will come which calleth upon the house-holder to be always ready and provided for him which is Christs Argument to his Disciples Object But doth not Christ seem to intimate Luk. 21.30 31 32. that his disciples may as easily know his coming and day as the Husbandman may know when Summer is near I Answer he may know the season in general not the day or hour so a man that grows grey may judge death is near but he knows not the day nor hour nor you neither in which he shall dye so we in like manner may judge our Lords coming is not far off this day by those forerunners which are as the grey hairs preceeding a mans death Vse We have two things implyed in this verse First That Christ comes when he cometh suddainly Secondly When he comes he comes as the Son of man the consideration of both which may be profitable to us that we may so look for him First As coming suddenly Secondly As coming as the Son of man So I have done with the thirteenth verse and with the first Parable The Parable of the Talents c. We now proceed to vers 14 15. For the Kingdom of Heaven is as a man travelling into a far Country who called unto him his own Servants and delivered unto them his goods 15. verse And unto one he gave five Talents to another two and to another one to every one according to his several ability and straightway took his Journey Our Lord Jesus was much affected with this parabolical speaking when he was on earth we find him laying down eight Parables in one Sermon of his Mat. 13. if we take in one omitted by Mat. taken in by Mark 4.26 and indeed he was so frequent in this kind of speaking that it is said vvithout a parable spake he not Mat. 13.34 and he knevv this vvas a profitable speaking no vvay like this to insinuate and command the Judgment and affections There are tvvo original vvords to signifie a parable the first vvord as the learned tells us signifies to rule or to govern as a Prince others derive the original vvord vvhich vve render parable from a Root vvhich signifies to be liâ—e or make like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich agreeth vvith the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parable therefore this was the very vvay that Nathan took vvith David vvhen he had sinned by the Parable of the Evve Lamb 2 Sam. 12. this ruled him and overcame him Every Parable is made up of three Circumstances First The Rind or bark the vvord in vvhich it is spoken Secondly The root and occasion of it Thirdly The moral and application of it vvhich is the chief thing that vve are to inquire after in 〈◊〉 Parable vvhat it teacheth us We are novv come to our Lords second Parable contained in this Chapter vvhich is the Parable of the Talents repeated also by Luk. chap. 19. And this Parable seems to rise from a double root if vve take in Luke vvhich is a Parallel place to this in Luk. 19. Christ seems to ansvver to a secret thought arising in their hearts from somevvhat forespoken by our Lord from vvhence they gathered that his Kingdom should immediately appear see Luk. 19.11 vvhich to take off he tells them he must first take a great Jouney to receive it Secondly Taking this Parable according to our Context Mat. 25. the great scope and design of it is to provoke to industry in his absence If any should question or be at a loss in themselves for what cause the foolish Virgins were excluded Christ doth in this following Parable powerfully assert that the ground of their loss and disappointment lay here that they did not improve the stock committed to them to trade with for idleness not for spending but hiding what thy were intrusted with The Kingdom of Heaven These words are not in the original in most Copies extant yet it may be judged a rational and necessary supplement because it agrees with the first verse of this Chapter and is the preface of most other Parables see Mat. 13. Kingdom of Heaven it is that unto which those things may answer But I shall omit speaking unto this preface partâ—y because I have spoken to it before upon ver 1. and partly because it is not in the original Text. We now proceed to the words which are a Parable and in this Parable we have eight circumstances considerable First The Journey taken Secondly The end for which according to Luk. 19. Thirdly We have the house set in order for his absence Fourthly We have the behaviour of his Servants in his absence Fifthly We have the return of the Master Sixthly The reckoning called for by the Master Seventhly The reward of the industrious and faithful Eightly The severe punishment of the slothful Servant These are the considerable parts of this Parable which I shall speak unto as I proceed But before I come closely to this Parable give me leave to inquire into these four things relating to this Parable First Who is this man Secondly What is this Journey Thirdly Who be these Servants Fourthly What are the
Talents or goods Ans It is agreed on all hands that this man is Jesus Christ who is called the Son of man in the verse before and frequently in Scripture is so called Christ in his judging the World is a man Act. 17.31 the man Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 2.5 Secondly That this Journey is his Ascension from earth to Heaven is also agreed on all hand which Journey he hath not accomplished till 〈◊〉 comes again Thirdly His Servants are his Disciples not 〈◊〉 extraordinary Disciples but his ordinary Disciple his Servants in ordinary his Manual Servants callâ— here his own Servants in opposition to the Servants of Satan and the World alluding to the Parable not the Servants of another Master his own proper Servants who had given up themselves 〈◊〉 him and indefinitely considered not only Preacheâ— Fourthly What these talents are men are exceeding extravagant some think the Ten Commandments some the Five Books of Moseâ— some the Five Senses I shall not spend time oâ— trouble you at all with the Judgments of men aboâ—â— them a Talent as to weight considered is very greâ—â— bears 187 pound I shall offer my own opinion about theâ— vvhich is this The Talents or Pounds are those several abilities indowments and intrustments each member of the Church and Body of Christ hath committed unto them for the good of the wholeâ— some have riches some have vvisdom some rule some more some less and for the confirmation of my opinion I would have the Reader consider these Scriptures following see Mark 13.34 〈◊〉 parallel place to this The Son of Man is as a Maâ— taking a far journey who left his house and gave authority to his Servants and to every one his work and commanded the Porters to watch in vvhich words we have the Talents or goods under other terms every man his vvork stand thou here stand thou there and to the Porter stand thou at the door the Second Scripture is Rom. 12.6 7 8. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us whether prophecie let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith or Ministry let us wait on our Ministring or him that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him do it in simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerfulness See also Eph. 4.8 When Christ ascended up on high which is this Journey in our Text he gave gifts unto them some one gift some another the improvement of which is required The Church is resembled unto mans body having many members and each member his office in the body so God hath tempered the Church 1 Cor. 12. See also 1 Pet. 4.10 as every man hath received the gift even so let him Minister whether in Doctrine or Charity Christ hath set some in his house as rulers others to be ruled see Mat. 24.45 Who then is a faithful and wise Servant whom his Master hath made ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing herein is the improvement of his Talent and renders him one of the blessed we have the same words repeated by Luk. 12.42 43. Object But some may say doth not St. Luke ch 19. seem to represent the Talents to be of the same species or kind while he speaks of pounds they had ten pounds as they were ten Servants each Talent there is a like species and number I Answ First We must not be too strict as to the shell and external words of a Parable A Parable is considerable only as to the scope and drift and moral of it not every Circumstance Secondly This one single Scripture must not be set in opposition to seven or eight Scriptures whiâ— speak otherwise as those which I have laid before you where we find Christs gifts to differ and nâ— all to be of one species or number also Mat. â— Rom. 12. Eph. 4. 1 Cor. 12. 1 Pet. 4. and mâ—ny more of like import that Christians have differiâ— gifts which our experience teacheth to be true Thirdly As to this word Luk. 19. Greâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latin Mina pound signifies a poise or weigâ—â— indefinitely as it refers to weight sometimes large sum of money sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it refers 〈◊〉 measure as well as weight a parcel of Land coâ—taining 122 foot square now whether this weigh be the same to each person because set out by thâ— same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a question But the main thing 〈◊〉 a Parable as I told you before is the scope now 〈◊〉 the scope of the Parable Mat. and Luk. agree First They all agree that Christ is ascended 〈◊〉 gone this Journey before he reign or receive the Kingdom Secondly The three Evangelists do agree that Christ at his going this his Journey doth not breat up House-keeping as we call it but leaves his business going in his absence in the hands of his Servants Thirdly They all agree that each of Christs Servants have intrustments from their Master at his going away Fourthly They agree that the Servants in their improvements differ greatly Fifthly They agree as to the large rewards of the faithful and profitable Servants and also of the slothful Sixthly Some are of opinion that the reason why Matthew and Luke differ in the manner of their relation is because that Luke speaks of the ordinary â—nd lower sort of Servants and Matthew of the Aâ—ostles of the highest order but I think there is little in this opinion because we have him with one Talent in our Text. I now proceed to the Observations in our Text. We have ten remarkable Doctrines in these two verses 1 Doct. That Christs Ascension from earth to Heaven even in his own apprehension doth fitly resemble a great mans going a long Journey It is not compared to a poor mans a mean mans going a man of small concernments in the World but a great man having a great family many Servants and great concerns to take order about this man is a great man called a Lord called a noble man Luk. 19. and going a great Journey to be a long time absent which calls for some considerable preparation therefore it is said he abode forty days after his resurrection Act. 1. settling his affairs he had several meetings with his Disciples about those things 2 Doct. That Jesus Christ in taking this great and long Journey doth not dissolve his Servants and break up house-keeping but settles his business in the hands of his Servants successively in his absence he appoints each Servant his place and work in his House this house is to be understood his Church Christs house is as firmly settled and hath his Authority with it as bindingly as if he were himself present 3 Doct. That those Servants that Christ doth intrust are not his extraordinary but his ordinary and Manual or hand Servants called here his own or
proper Servants to them he commits his goods 4 Doct. That Christs intrustments with such hiâ— Servants are very great and weighty set out bâ— Talents five times 187 to one Servant twice 18 to a Second once 187 to the lowest called according to the Greek his substance or goods 5 Doct. That there are left by Christ in his houâ— sufficient gifts and abilities for the effectual carrying on and management of his affairs in his housâ— in his absence Though Christ be in Heaven yeâ— he is greatly concerned as to his house on Earth that his trade and business be well managed theâ— is no want of means in order to the compleating his work 6 Doct. That every Persons gifts and abilitiâ— from Christ are not the same though Christ own Servants some are intrusted more some less some twice as much as others this may not be a ground of discouragement to Persons so intrusted 7 Doct. In giving gifts Christ hath an eye to Persons abilities it is said to every man according to their abilities some cannot use or manage what others can the Porter had not the same abilities as the Steward or Ruler of the Family 8 Doct. The whole concerns of Christ in the World are committed into the handâ— of Christs own Servants resident in his house or Church would you trade for Christ or Glory apply your selves to his house there are his Correspondents If any have Ears to hear let them hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches 9 Doct. The very highest Christians stock in heavenly affairs is not their own it is but lent by Christ therefore they have no cause to boast as if they had not received it therefore Christ is but said â—o receive his Own with Vsury ver 27. it is his own and the product of his own 10 Doct. That Jesus Christ upon this Journey reposeth great trust in his Servants no sooner had Christ committed his substance to his Servants but straightway took his Journey he is so satisfied in what he hath done Now I might speak distinctly to each of these Doctrines and indeed they are all very well worth our consideration but I study brevity therefore I shall speak two words First One to Christ's House Secondly One word to those who are not yet of Christs house But before I come to speak particularly to these let me Answer one Question Who or what people are Christ's house here on earth Answ Baptized Believers are Christs house they were those with whom he left his orders with when he went away and must needs be so so still and it is strange any should question this truth were not all Christs Servants brought into his house this way Is not this Christs Law to all his Servants Read but seriously the proceedings of Christs own Servants immediately after the Master was gone Act. 2.47 by Baptism The Lord added to his Church daily such as should be saved and who hath had power from Christ since to alter this his way But I design brevity As an exposition I shall only speak a few words by way of Use to the whole of the former Doctrines Vse First To Christs house consider that though your Master be in Heaven yet his Eye is over you continually he searcheth the heart and tryeth the reins of his Churches therefore dâ— all things in his house in his fear Secondly Do all in his name by his poweâ— and authority in his house Do not all the Miâ—â—sters or Servants in the furthest part of this King Dominions act in his name in what they doâ— and it is as powerful and binding as if he did 〈◊〉 himself in Person even so whatever Christs Seâ—vants do according to their Commission he owâ—eth it and it is as if he had done it himself seâ— Math. 18. about Excommunication it is bounâ— in Heaven Thirdly Receive all your rules orders and directions in the management of the affairs in hiâ— house from his orders left with you for though he is at a great distance the house is his he is you Master and Lord and head of his Church Fourthly Let every one in Christ's house observe their work stand where Christ hath set them be subject to those whom Christ hath given authority for he hath given authority to his Servant Mark 13. Some are made rulers to give the reâ— their Meat in due season and in disobeying theâ— in lawful Commands you disobey Christ Math. 10.40 He that receiveth you receiveth mâ— and he that rejecteth Christs Servants in place rejecteth him 2 Vse To those not yet of Christs house First Have a special care of slighting Christâ— house or Servants because the Master is not with them all slights and injuries to them is taken as iâ— to their Master and highly provoking to him Secondly If you would know any thing concerning the mind of Christ repair to his house he hath left his mind there and thither he sends aâ— that want instructions and help heaven-ward see in the business of Saul though Christ spoke from heaven to him Act. 9. he doth not direct him from thence in particular but sendeth him to the City to receive directions from Ananias and sends Ananias to Saul so it was in the case of Cornelius Act. 10. Christ sends him to St. Peter that he might receive directions from him not now from the Master but the Servants belonging to the house 3 Vse Know this that what rules and orders Christ gave to and left with his Church is for the whole time of his absence and he looks to find his house in the same order he left it in when he went away therefore in the two great Ordinances of the Gospel Baptism and the Lords Supper we find their Period at Christs return at the end of the World Math. 28.20 I am with you in Baptizing to the end of the World 1 Cor. 11.26 Ye remember the Lords death till he come the Church and house of Christ hath its being in all Ages Eph. 3.21 therefore if you have an Ear to hear you are to hear what the Spirit saith to the Church in this day as well as formerly in that day immediately after his Ascension to Heaven know this that all the visible power that Christ hath in the World at this day is only that power he hath in his Church and know also whatever you may think that the Church is the only receptacle of Persons in order to happiness and glory hereafter Christ gathers from thence those that shall be eternally rewarded and enter into their Masters Joy well Christ is yet upon his Journey but his return draws near So I have briefly done with the 14 and 15 Verses We now come to verse 16. Then he that haâ—â— received the five Talents went and traded with thâ— same and made them other five Talents 17. verse And likewise he that received two gained also other tuâ— 18. verse But he that received one went and diggeâ— in the earth and hid his Lords money
In these three verses we have contained the behaviour of Christs own Servants who were intrusted with his goods in his absence which was the fourth head propounded as to this Parable into eight particular heads First The Journey taken Secondly The end to receive a Kingdom Thirdly The settling his house in order for hiâ— Journey Fourthly The carriage and behaviour of his Servants in his absence Fifthly The Lords return Sixthly The account required Seventhly The reward given to the industrious Eighthly The certain reward given to the slothful Cast him into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth ver 30. I have already shewn from the former heads that our Lord Christ did at once at his going away settle his house in such order as he would have it abide in in his absence and requires to find it when he comes again Now in this fourth head we have a relation Parabolicall from Christs Infallible foresight and knowledgâ— of the proceedings and carriages of his Servants his own peculiar Servants when he is gone as to the improvement of their Masters estate in their hands that they kept house is taken for granted they did not throw the doors off the hooks and dissolve house keeping this is not by Christ supposed they will do in his absence but they kept his house and their evil was that they were not universally faithful and industrious some were eye Servants and were lazy in their masters absence As in the former Parable we find in one Society wise and foolish Virgins so here in his house shall be found faithful and wise slothful and foolish Servants as afterwards we find Goats amongst the Sheep and must be severed when Christ himself the great Shepherd shall come Our Lord himself who knew what was in man intrusted some who afterwards proved very bad idle and slothful fearful and unbelieving We know that amongst Christs Servants in his absence amongst his twelve there was one intrusted who was unfaithful Judas by name Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you saith Christ is a Devil a wicked covetous person a Son of perdition This preface may teach two sorts of persons two lessons First Those who are observers of Church members do not condemn the Church or house of Christ because there are bad persons in it a very good Master may have very bad Servants especially in his absence it is no certain rule to judg the way by the persons that own it no though Preachers there may be such it is not sufficient to judge by you read Mat. 13. in the Parable of the Drag-net there are brought in bad and good and the time to sever is when the Lord comes who shall reveal the hidden things of darkness Secondly To Church members Christs Servants this consideration may serve to awaken and rouze them to inquire into their estate and not to trust to their Church membership as if that would secure them Some especially Preachers are apt to think they are owned and approved by God to be faithful because intrusted with the work of Preaching we see that some that prophesied in Christs name cast out Devils are condemned by him to the lowest place and severest punishments Before I come to speak to these three verses I shall explain two words in our Text First what is here to be understood by trading Secondly What by money I Ans First in general the whole is a Parable the design of which is to set out Heavenly things by earthly therefore it is no wonder though Christ speaks like men in earthly affairs of money and trading Sometimes it is taken for bodily labour the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated traded is drawn from a Root that signifies business buying selling negotiating in merchandizing and commonly taken for merchandizing for it is not so properly labour of body though sometimes so taken as labour of body and mind but as I said before it is most properly taken for buying and selling so taken in Josephs instructions to his Brethren see Gen. 46.32 33. their trade hath been in Cattel or as the Heb. men of Cattel such as bought sold and bred up Cattel such as we call Grasiers so Eze. 27. it is plain that buying and selling in Fairs is called trading So it must be understood Rev. 18. All that trade by Sea So that when Christ saith here they went and traded he alludeth to Traffick to profit not only labour as a Horse or fool but continuance in it with design of mind to gain Our Lords great design in these three verses is to provoke and stir up his Servants to industry the word money is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pecunia hath affinity with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coin that passes among men of Gold Silver brass or Leather if it pass in buying sometimes it is applyed to goods Household-stuff and the like it is another word Gen. 17.12.31.15.42.25 Exod. 21.21 Where the Servants is said to be his money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 argentum called goods or substance before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which may stand by it self a single Lot or part But what is this money that he hid I Ans That which his Master intrusted him with to trade with his Talent whatever his gift was for it is spoken in a borrowed speech money because that men trade with But for our more orderly proceeding I shall summ up the whole in these three verses into these five Doctrines 1 Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ hath a trade going and managed in his absence he went and traded 2 Doct. All Christs good and faithful and acceptable Servants are traders or Merchant men men of business 3 Doct. That Christs trade the Heavenly trade well managed turns to great profit to Master and Servant 4 Doct. All Christs gifts or Talents are given for use as well the least as the greatest 5 Doct. There are some of Christs own intrusted Servants who do not improve what they receive The first of these Doctrines I shall pass by because I have spoken to it before only remember I then spoke of it as Christs appointment but now as their answer they went and traded these are faithful and are found following their Masters directions as we have it Luk. 19.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 negotiamini occupate till come as before to Traffick in Merchandizing 2 Doct. That all Christs faithful acceptable Servants are traders This appears because they are all liable to account Christ when be comes calleth all to account what they had gained by trading Luk. 19.15 and he that had received one â—alent as well as he that had received five St. Paul reckons himself and those with him Phil. 3.20 traders this way driving a Heavenly trade Our Conversation is in Heaven the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 business freedom of trade imports Commerce with a correspondent at a distance we have liberty of trade as Freemen That which I shall
Servant thou hast no cause to be troubled or afraid at Christs coming he comes to them as you have heard before as a Bridegroom which bespeaks iâ— to be a day of great joy and Glory The Third thing to be inquired into and which takes in the third Doctrine is what Christ at this his coming shall enter upon first the answer lyeth in the text to Judge his own house called here reasoning or reckoning with them Christs own Servants must be judged first the first piece of justice dispenced by Christ is to his own Servants they must be judged see 1 Cor. 4.5 compared with 2 Cor 5.10 for we must all appear before the Iudgment seat of Christ saith St. Paul he comprehendeth himself and that he may first judge them he first raiseth then out of their graves as we have it 1 Cor. 15.23 they that are Christs that is to say his own shall be raised at his coming which is plain 1 Thes 4. Those that sleep in Iesus will God bring with him which agreeth with Rev. 20. And there is much and good reason why Christ shall judge his house first and set that in order and acquit the guiltless and faithful First Because the Saints must joyn with him in judging World according to the 1 Corinth 6.2 Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World Therefore they cannot be tryed at the same Bar but must be cleared before and then they enter into their Masters joy Glory and Dominion Vse By way of Use First from hence we may learn this plain and wholesome truth that even Christs Disciples must be tryed and judged Some have been ready to think that Saints should not be judged any otherwise than what they meet with in themselves 1 Cor. 11. because St. Paul saith if they would judge themselves they should not be judged of the For answer to which I say that Paul there speaks of Temporal not Eternal Judgement present Chastisement as we may perceive by the Context I shall only leave two words with Christ's servants and close this viz. First a word of Information Secondly a word of Exhortation First then from what hath been said be informed that this long time of Christ's tarrying is almost at an end his time draws very near Therefore in the Second place seeing his coming is to take account of his own Servants indeavour to calculate all thy actions and doings for this day Take Paul's Counsel to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 5.9 labour so to discharge your duties as you may be accepted of him So we have done with verse 19. We now proceed to the matter and manner of Christ's reasoning or reckoning We had before from ver 19. That Christ comes to reckon with his servants we have here the matter of fact the reckoning it self And this reckoning I shall divide into two parts First a reckoning with the industrious Secondly with the slothful Servants I shall begin with the Industrious and Faithful in Christ's house first because that lyeth first here in order and because the reckoning is so interwoven and mixed with the reward I shall at once glance at these four verses 20 21 22 23. 20. And so he that had received five Talents came and brought other five Talents saying Lord thou deliveredst unto me five Talents behold I have gained besides them five Talents more 21. His Lord said unto him Well done thou good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. 22. He also that had received two Talents came and said Lord thou deliveredst unto me two Talents behold I gave gained other two Talents besides them 23. His Lord said unto him Well done good and Faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. In handling this latter part of the Parable I shall be very brief because I have anticipated much of the matter before in what I have spoken as to this parable We have contained in this reckoning these two Subjects Reckoning and Recompence 1. It must be supposed that this Reckoning or Account is called for by Christ not that they came voluntarily and offered themselves to tryal because it is here said he came For according to Luke 19.15 the parallel place saith he commanded them to be called or brought who had been intrusted with his Coin or Substance However the Servants are willing to come to account and the best first Our Lord in this his Reckoning begins with two Questons as must be implyed First what hast thou received Secondly what hast thou gained To both which Christ's servants are ready to return an answer In our glance upon this Reckoning we have something remarkable first as to Christ's servants Secondly something remarkable as from the Lord. We have two things considerable as to the servants First We have the willingness and freeness to make an acknowledgment of what they are charged with We find Christ chargeth one with five one with two and another with one and herein there is no difference their Accounts though of so long standing agree no difference in their Account here is right reckoning on both hands Secondly as considerable in Christ's Servants they are ready to produce their Effects more or less as to acknowledg the Stock and to expose it to their Master and to his use it is ready for him behold I have gained besides them five Talents more I have doubled I pray take notice behold he hath a desire to have his Account past he is forward therein Secondly we have something worthy observation in their Lord. First we have their Lord 's good resentment and choice acceptance of their Account and Returns their good service wins much upon their Lord's heart But secondly it appears in his assigned Reward hereupon which consists in two parts First Rule Secondly Joy The nature of which Joy we have explained and called their Master's Joy The next thing I shall do in prosecution of this Subject is to explain some words and phrases in these words as first When may a servant be said to double his Taent Secondly When may a servant of Christ be by Christ called good Thirdly What are those few things spoken of in which he had been faithful Fourthly What is this Rule that shall be an eminent part of the servants reward Fifthly What kind of Joy may this be understood to be called the Master's Joy A word to each of these First When doth he double or make such a satisfactory increase Answ Thy Gain doth lye in three heads First Gain in Grace Secondly Gain souls to Christ Thirdly Gain in glory to God and Christ First Thou art an acceptable Servant or Gainer when thou hast gained increase in the Gifts and Graces that God hath bestowed on thee It is a Christian's duty to multiply and add to what he hath
it may bring forth more Fruit. This I have toucht upon before Part. 5. Jesus Christ is pleased even to delight in an industrious improving Soul Jesus Christ is herein like a frugal man in the world he loves to see his tenants and Servants thrive under him The Spirit of Paul was the same that dwelt in Christ when he was glad and rejoiced in the Thessalonians increase in Spirituals 2 Thess 1.3 That their faith groweth and their charity aboundeth This is that which the Spirit of God takes notice of in the Church of Thiatira Rev. 2 Thy last works are more than thy first And from whence doth this arise in God and Christ not because our profiting is to his own profit no we can add nothing to his glory but the love of God to his creature is such that he would have us bring forth fruit that might abound to our own account admire the goodness and dear love of Christ to his Servants Part. 6. Faithfulness and industry are in Christ's account the same thing and sloathfulness and wickedness are the same He that improves his Talents doth bear the appellation of Good and Faithful Servant We are now upon the industrious Servant he had traded to advantage and he is Faithful Faithfulness is a proper qualification in a Servant that he be found faithful is required in a Steward 1 Cor. 4.2 that is that he makes a distribution to each according to their several needs Luke 12.42 He is a Faithful Steward that gives them meat in due season Use A sloathful Servant of Christ can never be reckoned faithful Sloathfulness is no such small sin as some take it to be there is a curse pronounced by God against a sloathful person Jer. 48. that doth the work or business of the Lord negligently A faithful Servant hath these three properties First He is diligent in his business in which he is intrusted Secondly he aims and designes his Masters profit in all he does Thirdly he stands up for his Masters Name and Credit in what he does A good and faithful Servant answers to all these Part. 7. Christ's usual way is to try his Servants with a little first All that he intrusts his Servants in this world though never so large intrustments are but small and few things in comparison of what they shall be trusted with hereafter there are true riches to commit to his faithful Servants Luke 16.10 11 12. The intrustments here are called the least things and he that is unfaithful in these least shall not be intrusted with much O then Consider that thy future intrustment depends upon thy present improvement of what thou hast committed to thee whether it be Wisdom Riches or any other Gift thou hast those Gifts only for a tryal and thou art now only in the Tryal thou must be tryed before thou be trusted more Part. 8. Is the Use of this Be assured that the well-improvement of a little shall certainly bring in abundance To him that hath shall be given he shall have abundance as we have it Mat. 25.29 we have a double shall to confirm the truth of this Part. 9. Jesus Christ rewards his faithful Servants with Rule and Government Be thou over ten Cities And that this is properly and really to be taken is plentifully proved from other Scriptures Dan. 7.27 The Kingdom under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high And in several other Scriptures But I shall meet with this more fully afterwards This reward is a very great reward in Christ's esteem sufficient to requite his Servants for all their saithfulness and industry Part. 10. The state will be a state of very great Joy called here the Master's Joy a state of unspeakable joy Sometimes this state of Joy comprehends all good as sorrow comprehends all evil See an eminent place to this purpose Isa 35.10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting Joy upon their heads they shall obtain in and gladness and sorrow and sighings shall flee away This I have according to my promise only touched these ten Parts and so I have done with the 20 21 22 23. verses We now proceed to the 24th verse and it is altogether necessary that we do at once cast our eye upon these seven verses 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 at once because they all together make up the whole proceeding of Christ with the sloathful Servant 24. Then he which had received the one Talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art aâ— hard man reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not strawed 25. And I was afraid and went and â—id thy Talent in the Earth lo there thou hast that is thine 26. His Lord answered and said unto him Thou wicked and sloathful Servant thou knowest that I reap where I sowed not and gathered where I strawed not 27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put thy money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury 28. Take therefore the Talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten Talents 29. For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath 30. And cast ye the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth That which remains to be handled as to the winding up of this second Parable is that remarkable passage relating to the sloathful and unprofitable Servant which was him who had received the one Talent a relation of whom we have contained in these â— verses the whole whereof divides it self into three Parts First the Servant's Answer Plea and Defence Secondly the Lord's ill-resentment and dissatisfaction thereat Thirdly his proceeding thereupon Now for order's Sake I shall speak to these heads distinctly and First the Servant's Answer Plea and Defence An Answer I call it because it must be implyed that his Lord in his reckoning with him propounds a double Question First What hast thou received Secondly What improvement hast thou made This first Part contains verse 24.25 in which verses we have his Confession and Concision with his Lord that he had received one Talent Secondly We have him as formerly acknowledging that he had made no improvement and he seems to six the foot and foundation of his non-improvement upon his Lord namely his Lord's austerity and severity the fence and knowledg whereof begat fear in him which fear disinabled him bound up his hands took away his heart hindred his industry and in short all the whole fault of his miscarrying in this affair is wholly laid upon his Lord even as our father Adam at first did Gen. 3. And all this evil is founded upon a mistake of the nature and Justice of his Lord as first he chargeth his Lord with hardness or austerity according to
All these Parts are worth our handling and Consideration only for brevity's sake I shall pass them and proceed to the close of this Parable We have but one remarkable passage more to handle apply with respect to the slothful servant and that is our Lord's reply to the slothful Servants Plea and Defence which you have laid down in the 24 25. verses Now in these 26 and 27 verses we have our Lords reply which divides it self into two general Parts First his ill resentment appearing in his severe Rebuke and Reproof Secondly his Judgment and Sentence ordained and pronounced against him First We have his severe rebuke and reproof v. 26 27. and then his Judgment and sentence v. 28 29 30. I shall first indeavour to handle this First part which contains our Lords reply to what the slothful servant pleads for himself in the two former veries and it is plain and clear that what he here aledged and pleaded is so far from satisfieing and pleasing his Lord that he resents it exceeding ill as appears from these several Circumstances following As First from the placing his rebuke which he makes the prom or preface of what he had to say his Lord breaks out in the first place with this his discovery of high dissatisfaction in these words thou wicked and slothful servant being in the frontispeice Secondly from the nature of this rebuke which consists in two emphatical epithetes thou wicked and slothful Thirdly In the particular application in that particle Thou Fourthly It appears in our Lords ironical upbraiding speech to him vers 26. where our Lord in these words seems to be angry with the Servant Fiftly it appears in his angry expostulation with him v. 27. showing what he ought to have done Sixtly in that he chargeth him with incompatibleness and inconsistency with his own knowledg and principle In these several circumstances we hear our Lord breathing forth his displeasure against this â—ale Servant 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 to raise these proper observations con 〈◊〉 in the words let us consider and inquire into sâ—â—â— words and Circumstances in them as first let â—â—inquire into these two Epithetes Wicked Slothful Secondly Whether our Lord be in good earnest in these his words Thou knewest or whether Christ doth only upbraid Thirdly What doth Christ intend when he saith he should have put his money to the exchangers Fifthly in what sense doth Christ palliate or incourage Usury between man and man First As to the two Epitheres the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 male translated wicked is a very Comprehensive word it hath many acceptations in Scripture as evil naught lewd dishonest false despiteful rude unskilful but in this place it is to be understood in the worst sense it is used to set out the worst kind of wickedness malice and guile it is to be understood in the Superlative degree See Acts 18.14 wicked lewdness the highest kind of evil that can be exceeding naught In short the word is used to set out the wickedness of the Devil himself See Mat. 13.38 Children of the wicked one So 1 Joh. 5. that wicked one touch him not Malignus as if Christ should say thou most wicked or thou malignant ill-affected person Our Lord doth not use this word but upon special occasions he useth it Mat. 18.32 concerning the servant that had 10000 Talents forgiven him who was so cruel to his fellow-Servant Oh thou wicked Servant So here thou wicked But what was the principal evil in this Servant that Christ referreth unto which makes him speak so sharply to him as in this word it will easily be granted he might be called slothful but why wicked I Answer There are four Capital evils in him as first his ungratefulness and unanswerableness to his Masters Love Secondly his slighting carriage and terms Thirdly his safe and untrue charging his Lord. Fourthly his impudent hardning his Face against his Lord. In all this first his ungratefulness and unanswerableness to his Masters love and his high intrustment of him it was no small favour that his Master should intrust him with a part of his estate to improve Christ expected this servant should have answered his love and rendred suitable returns The wickedness of that servant we read of Mat. 18. lay in this particular not answering Love received O ungratfulness is a high sin and greatly offends God and Christ How ill did God take it at Hezekiah's hands not rendring according to the benefit he had received 2 Cron 32 25. Therefore wrath broke out against him It is wickedness to trample upon the mercies of God Secondly wickedness consists in slighting undervaluing terms of God and Christ See the character of a wicked man Psal 10. he contemns God See Job 22.27 They say what can the Almighty do for us Nah. 1.11 There is one come out of thee that imagines evil against the Lord a wicked counsellor this was the sin of the wicked Jews unto whom Christ speaks Mat. 12. This was the sin of Simon Acts 8.22 he imagined meanly of the gift of God Thirdly his wickedness lay in his verbal false accusation of his Lord this is one chief part of the Devils wickedness from whence he is branded with false accusing the brethren it is one of his names the part of a wicked man Psa 10. That God can neither see nor hear This was the wickedness of the Jews Mat. 12. that accused Christ that he cast out Devils by the Devil this was the wickedness that Job's friends thought him guilty of in charging God falsly and for this Christ comes to judge the World Jude 15. for hard speeches This was some part of the slothful Servants evil he gave hard speeches of his Lord. Fourthly his wickedness is further aggravated by his pertinacy stubbornness frowardness and wilfulness as we may perceive in the two former verses he hardens his face against his Lord which is a character of a wicked person See Prov. 6.12 A wicked person walketh with a froward mouth Ch. 21.29 A wicked man hardeneth his face that is against God So that we may easily perceive this Servant did deserve this epithete thou wicked Servant The next word we are to inquire into is the word slothful which is an emphatical word it hath near 20 acceptations in Scripture thou slothful sluggish idle dull stopped hard to be removed loth to labour it signifies to delay stand still and many more By such a comprehensive word our Lord sets out his dissatisfaction to the highest against this person he The fourth â—asâ—â—ge to be 〈…〉 mâ—â—â—ing in â—â—ese words 〈…〉 Christ consent and agree with him or upbraid him I Answer That this speech of Christ must be understood to be nonâ—â—al and â—â—â—â—ding like that spoken to Adam Gen. 3.22 The man is become at one of us and after this manner the Lord often speaks in Scripture See Job 40.12 Deck thy self with strength and majesty behold him that is high and abase him It is not
likely that Christ did consent with the flothful Servant that he was austere that he gathered where he had not strawed reaped where he had not sown because this is not true of the Lord. The fifth thing to be spoken unto is the word that our Lord makes use of to set out his return or advantage he calls Usury from whence some gather incouragement to be Usureres The Lord in this word follows the former borrowed metaphors of money and bank and trading so here Usury Great mens Stewards dispose of their Lord's moneys to bankers in order to bring in increase But this borrowing the word doth not at all palliate or incourage the abominable sin of Usury no more than Christ making use of the unjust Steward for an example to provoke his Disciples to make sure their future estate doth allow of his fraudulent dealings with his Master all that Christ instanceth in as to the ways of man doth not amount to a toleration of their ways only from their manner not matter doth Christ make teaching to us that Usury is lawful or unlawful cannot be urged from this Text only this is true from hence that Usury yea the largest increase is not only â—awful but required in Spiritual things But because it is a case of Conscience whether or how far Usury is lawful or unlawful I shall offer my opinion according to what I have received in this matter as to the practice it self and for orders sake I shall first speak to the etymology of the word which is here translated Usury the Hebrew word Neshek that Usary is drawn from fignifies Teeth and so rendered to bite because saith Wilson the gain which is taken for Monies or Wares in respect of lending doth bite and gnaw especially if he be poor Ainsworth calls it biting Usury to bite like a Serpent Numb 21.9 spoken with respect to this biting with Serpents See Prâ—â— 23.32 In the end it bites like a Serpent So Amos 5.19 a Serpent bit him The Greek word seems to be more plain Tokoo to be born or brought forth as Children are born and brought forth and so called the increase of a Man So the word is used Mat. 2.2 Luk. 1.31 57. it holds forth an effectâ—al substantial increase to double it self as he or she that have a Child doth Thus did the five and two Talents they doubled themselves which is by Christ implicitely called Vsury in that he would have had this with his one Talent done the same Now this bringing forth in the New-Testament is that which is called biting in the Old-Testament But to come close to the matter I shall speak to it under three Circumstances and therein shew when it is sinful or when it is biting Usury 1. When it is exacted of the Poor 2. When of a Brother 3. When of any body 1. When of the Poor then it is apparently sinful See what care the Lord had in this respect Exod. 22.25 Thou shalt not lend upon Vsury to any of my Porple that is poor So Lev. 25.35 36. If thy Brother be poor and fall to decay thou shalt relieve him thâ—â— shalt not be an Usurer unto him thou must not take increase We have Usury three times exprest Ezek. 18.8 13 17. and all in respect to the Poor as in the former places named This is that Usury Nehemiâ—â— that holy man inveighs against chap. 5. 2. It is sinful to a Brother of the Church of Israel poor or rich Deut. 23.19 Not to thy Brother to a stranger thou maist Then God allowed that cruelty which he doth not allow now See Deut. 7.2 20.17 They were not only allowed to opprâ—â— strangers but destroy them therefore it is not indefinitely to be understood Strangers in our dayes and enemies also are to be fed if they hunger Usury is not lawful to a Brother especially when he borrows for his need not to augment his Estate bâ—â— to supply him with necessaries and is not in a thriving way If a Brother will expect part of the gain he must bear if need be also part of the loss therefore there ought to be no Covenant or Contract made for use but leave it to liberty to turn according to his gain 3. Biting Usury is sinful to any body because it is oppressive which is a Sin of a high provoking nature to God let it be to whom it will Usury is yoked and linked with Oppression see Ezek. 18. And see how David without exception makes this a discriminating character of one that shall dwell in God's holy Hill Psal 15. He puts not his Money out tâ—â— Usury The Prophet Jeremy under all his abuses and wrongs purgeth himself in this respect Jer. 15.10 he had neither borrowed nor lent on Usury and yet they curse him as if he should have said Had 〈◊〉 done so I might have looked for curses But some may say Why doth he purge himself from giving a man may be necessitated if he cannot have it without Ans This is sinful upon a twofold account 1st Thou art accessory to his sin 2dly accessory to thine own ruine Usury is ranked with unjust gain Prov. 28.8 and all unjust gain is of the same nature But some may say What is Biting Vsury This Question is hard to determine because the Borrower must be well considered But I will boldly affirm that the practice of several in our days and in this City is sinful who let out Money or Cloaths by the week at unreasonable rates and advantage as sour-pence or six-pence in the pound by the month or thirty in the hundred as many do This is cruel Ertortion and sore Oppression and those who use it may upon good grounds question their share in God's holy Hill Psal 15. Such Oppression doth not only â—ite and pinch but eat up persons insensibly Oh! the sin of your weekly Letters-out of Cloaths to pay so much a week and Pawn-Broakers who take forty in the hundred ruins the Poor insensibly as a man bleeds to death with use The Magistracy of this Nation are to be highly commended in this respect who brought Use from ten and eight to six in the hundred in which they have to a good degree blunted the teeth of this Serpent that it doth not bite so sharp nor deep But some will object If it were not for these Weekâ—un and Pawn-broakers the Poor might starve Answ 1. Thirty in the hundred cannot long preserve their lives if they follow that way 2. If the Poor who want to borrow would be as â—reful to return the Principal to Friends they borrow of as they are and must be to those both Principâ— and exorbitant Interest they need not be so put 〈◊〉 it as they are But this is the mischief that want of caâ— and punctuality in returning when they borâ—â—â— freely without Use hath forced persons to this wâ—â— of biting borrowing But I have made too long digression Remember I have not yet in what I have said asserted
that all Increase is Usury but that aâ— Usury is Increase to biting and hurting I now return to the words and from thence lay down ten Parts observable 1. That all Christ's Servants are by him ranked iâ— to two sorts Good and Faithful Wicked and Slothfâ—â— Wise and Foolish Sheep and Goats no medium 〈◊〉 middle-state 2. There is no wickedness like the wickedness Christ's own Servants Christ seems to be at a 〈◊〉 to set them forth so bad as they deserve he gives Sâ—tan's name to them 3. Slighting words to God and Christ is a charâ—cter of a wicked person 4. Slothfulness and negligence in the Lord's Service and Business is very nauseous and distastful 〈◊〉 him Jer. 48.10 there is a Curse pronounced 〈◊〉 on it 5. It is not nearness of relation to God and Christ will exempt us from being called to account herâ—â— Christ's own Servant entrusted by him lyableâ— account 6. Ironical Rebukes are a manifestation of sore displeasure from God or Christ 7. Christ takes it exceeding ill to be misunder stood and misrepresented I have shewed you how thâ— Servant misrepresented his Lord. 8. Wicked men are not true to their own Prâ—ciples this Servant doth not walk up to his own Reason If Men would walk up to their own Iâ—eâ—son it would carry them far 9. Christ's Servants ought to calculate all their Actions with an eye to their Lord 's coming Thou shouldest have put it out that at my coming I might have received mine own with Usury 10. All Christ's Servants acting as they ought to do bear a resemblance of Usurers Christ doth certainly expect Use as well as Principal of his Servants Now all these Parts are worth our handling only I must study brevity according to an Exposition therefore I shall pass most of them and only speak to the 4th Part briefly I shall speak a few words to this one Part That Slothfulness is inexpressibly distastful to God and Christ This was the sin of Laodicea Revel 3. latter end Christ is ready to spew her out of his mouth Christ could not abide an Idle Servant see Mat. 20. Why stand ye all the day idle The place forenamed Jer. 48.10 is a dreadful word God pronounceth a severe Curse against those that do the work of the Lord negligently that stood still in oppofition to zeal and motion that stand still as the word will beaâ— This evil the Spirit of God forbids Rom. 12. 〈◊〉 not slothful in business this must not be And there is good reason that slothfulness should be so distastful to God and Christ because it is not the manner of God and Christ acting to us God acts with zeal in our behalf and when the Spirit doth his office in the heart it brings forth zeal in us 2. Slothsulness is a great hinderance to the Propagation of the Gospel in the World Zeal provokes many See 2 Cor. 9.2 3. It is not like Christ it is prophesied of him Psal 69. The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me 〈◊〉 Q. But how may we know in our selves whether we are of this slothful temper A. 1. When thou hast not thy heart in God's Service but only the external part This is to have 〈◊〉 Male in the Flock according to Mal. 1. and offeâ— unto the Lord a corrupt thing v. 14. which is 〈◊〉 accursed service 2. A slothful Servant is one who is hindred from the Service of God upon small discouragement imaginary discouragements apprehensions of danger c. See Prov. 22.13 The slothful man saith There is 〈◊〉 Lion in the way I shall be slain in the streets and we have the same Prov. 26.13 a very unlikely thing yet the slothful man takes hold of this as a ground of discouragement 3. A slothful person hath no pleasure nor delighâ— nor joy in Christ's Service It is said of the Sun that he rejoyceth to run his race Psal 19. An industrious Servant takes great delight in Christ's Service it is his meat and drink to do his will This was the Spirit of Christ himself when he was on Earth 4. A slothful Servant is very confident of his own good estate See Prov. 26.16 The sluggard is wisâ—â— in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason So was Laodicea Whereas an industrious person in Spirituals is alwayes humble 5. A slothful person acts not up to his strength and light received he will not put forth his strength I shall speak a few words to provoke persons against this sin of Slothfulness labour against this so distast ful an evil Take St. Paul's counsel Rom. 12.11 against sloth by way of prevention in nine Particulars 1. Study the weightiness of Christ's Work it is turious Work it is of eternal concernment they relate to thy Master as well as to thy self Joh. 15. God is glorified in thy fruit 2. This Work can never be done profitably not acceptably without industry The violent take the Kingdom by force Mat. 11.12 3. Consider that pains and labour in good earnest never failed in this Work Prov. 2.8 there is a sure Promise in this matter 1 Cor. 15. last 4. Consider the shortness and uncertainty of the time we have to do the Lord's Work in do it whilst it is day 5. Consider the stock and strength by which we do all is from above therefore we need not be discouraged Phil. 2.12 13. 6. No excuse in Christ's Service will serve all these excuses in this Servant will do nothing 7. Study the near approach of Christ this is the Argument Luke 12. 8. Study the great pleasure of a zealous and industrious life Labour is pleasure in Christ's ways are all Pleasures and Peace Lastly Slothfulness is not only impoverishing but undoing The Stone-wall is broken down the House falls down by it A slothful man is brother to him that is a great waster We need go no further than our Text to prove this We now proceed to the close of this Parable That remarkable passage yet to be handled is the severe sentence and judgment past by Christ upon the slothful Servant of whom we have already heard in several Circumstances 1. You have been minded of Christ's favour and respect shewed to him in trusting of him with a part of his estate 2. We have heard of his proceeding thereupon in his Master's absence his hiding and concealing his Talent from use and in provement 3. We have spoken to and you hâ—â— heard of his Master or Lord's proceedings with hiâ— as to the first Part of it His Account called for 4. 〈◊〉 Plea and Defence for himself to his Lord â—t his coâ—ing 5. We have heard of the ill resentment and dâ— like his Lord takes at his Plea which I have shewe you under several Considerations amongst which his sharp and severe Rebuke whereby this Servaâ— is silenc't his mouth is stopped and now his Lâ—â— proceeds to sentence which Sentence we have in the words vor 28 29 30. Take therefore the Tâ—lent from him and
Congression or gathering that will be unto Him and before His Throne a this His second Coming exprest by a figure All Nations 3. We have the curious and exact Segregation and strict Division that CHRIST will make of this vast number into two Parts Sheep and Goats 4. We have the Examination Tryal and final Sentence upon both Numbers according to their Works That which lieth first in order before us is the first of these Heads which is a third Relation of Christ's second Coming We had two before in this Chapter first His Coming under the capacity of a Bridegroom Secondly as a Lord or Nobleman and here as a glorious King on his Throne Now we have in this Relation of Christ's second Coming four Circumstances considerable 1. The Capacity that He then comes in which is as Son of man 2. The Glory He shall come in here called emphatically His Glory 3. The great Attendants He shall have in this day all the Holy Angels 4. That in this Appearance of His He shall place Himself upon a Glorious Throne Of these briefly in order 1. He comes as Son of man which is not an empty Epithet Jesus Christ is near an hundred times in Scripture stiled Son of man not half so many Son of God and as often is this title applied to him upon his second Coming as upon any other account See Mat. 16.27 28. Luke 18. chap. 19. chap. 22. 21.27 36 and many times more So it is plain that when Christ comes again He comes as Son of Man That Jesus Christ shall assume this Nâ—me with respect to this day of His Coming is so plain that it is needless to multiply Scriptures to prove it But that which will be more needful to insist upon is to enquire Why it may be thought he doth so often render himself under this capacity First He is stiled Son of man to shew the property and reality of his Person Son of Man and Man is the same That He shall come as a Man in this day see Act. 17.31 He shall judge the World by that Man whom he hath appointed Here he is called a Man who in our Text is called Son of Man Christ would have us know that in all His Oâ—â—ices to us ward He is and acts in them as the Son of Man as a Man in his Preaching and Conversing on Earth In His Death a Man In His Resurrection a real Man Act. 24. Feel me saith Christ a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Joh. 20. Act. 7.56 Stephen saw Him so I see the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God in His Mediatorship 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator the man Christ Jesus In His coming again He is a real Man therefore it is recorded as to His Coming Rev. 1.7 Every Eye shal see Him So that He may well by himself be stiled Man or Son of Man So Daniel foreâ—aw Him in a Vision of His second Coming Dan. 7.13 He shal appear as the Son of Man that is real substantial Man 2dly He is called Son of Man to set out the foundation of his Exaltation which was founded in his great Humility For Son of Man is a title of dimâ—â—t on a lessening title an â—pâ—het to set ouâ— Meanness Lowness That it is often used see Num. 23.19 God is not a Man that he should lie where it is used by way of dimmution So it is used Job 26.6 Son of man which is a worm So Psal 8. Whâ— is Man or the Son of Man Ezekiel is near an hundred times called the Son of Man and as the judgment of the Learned is it was to humble him Ezekiel was a Man wrapt up in the Visions of God and he might be apt to think of himself above a Man he lived so much in Heaven as that he might be ready to think he was above the Earth and not of the Earth therefore God in this stile minds him often of his original Son of Man It is recorded of some proud men who would derive their pedegree from the Gods or from the Stars as Alexander the Great would be called the Son of Jupiter the Son of the Sun he did think it below him to be call'd Son of Man In our Lord 's stiling himself Son of Man He bears in his mind his former low estate which gave Him a right to this his Glory as the Apostle in Phil. 2.5 lays the foundation of Christ's Glory in his Humiliation and we have an eminent place to this purpose Joh 5.27 And â—ath given him Authority to execute Judgment because he is the Son of Man This gives Him right to this his Glory 3dly Son of Man to set out the suitableness of Christ to have converse and followship with Men which makes society with Him very desirous and the contrary very burdensom Therefore Israel begg'd of God not to speak Himself in his Glory but to speak unto them by a Man like themselves and it was reckoned a mercy to them when God did so condescend to them in it Deut. 11. We are Sons of Men therefore cannot be capable of communion with the Son of God 4thly Son of Man to shew that he shall be glorisied in the same body that he suffered in as his visage was more marred than any Isa 52. so his visage shall be more glorious Christ shall have a glorious Body Phil. 3. this was figured out in the Transfiguration Mat. 16. 5thly Son of Man as he is the second Adam so called 1 Cor. 15. By Man came Death by Man came the Resurrection of the Dead Christ triumphs and is victorious conquers and recovers all that the first man lost These Circumstances considered it is not an empty title when Christ calleth himself in his second Coming Son of Man The use of this Consideration Use Doth Christ appear as Son of Man or real Manâ— Then this may serve for instruction against those vaâ—â— and airy imaginary Conceits as to Christ's Coming Many that conceit his coming only in the Spirit anâ— invisible do not take notice that he is Son of Man iâ— this his glorious Coming This Doctrine however understood in our dayes is a feeding nourishing Doctrine Christ teacheth his Disciples to eat haâ— Flesh and drink his Blood Joh. 6.51 to 58. which in effect is to have our Faith conversant upon the reality of Christ that he had Flesh and Blood as we Qu. But how doth this nourish I ans It informs us and satisfieth us that Christ took and carries our nature on him Heb. 2.16 17. See how the Apostle applies this Consideration as nourishment to the Hebrew-Church 2. Christ by this assuming our Nature puts himself into a capacity to be a Sacrifice for us as St. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 2.24 He bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree Heb. 10. A Body hast thou prepared me Christ overcame as Son of Man both the World and the Devil This may be a ground
called the Throne of God's Holiness and Glory Isa 63.15 And we reade of several Heavens 1. The Cloudy-Heavens the Air up to the Moon 2. The Planetary-Heavens where the Stars are And we reade of a third callâ—â— the Heaven of Heavens 1 King 8.27 or the third Heaven which is that Heaven St. Paul speaks of 2 〈◊〉 â— 2 there called the third Heaven Secondly We reade of another Throne pitcht in Heaven of a lower or middle Heaven or Region this we understand is spoken of Dan. 7.8 where it is said one sate like the Son of Man This Throne was shewed to John Rev. 4. about which Throne the twenty four Elders and four living ones are and the Lamb in the midst of it This Throne shall appear when the lower Heavens shall depart as a Scrowl Rev. 6. On this Throne Christ sits called the Lamb and this answers to what the Prophet Isaiah foresaw chap. 26. unto which the Lord descends out of his Place that is from his former and proper Place for the Father attends Christ to this his Throne therefore it is said of the Faithful Him will I confess before my Father and his Angels In this day when Christ is on his Throne the Prophecy of Zachary shal be fulfilled Zech. 9.14 In that day the Lord shall be seen above or over them The first of these Thrones is invisible 1 Tim. 6.16 dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen or can see The second is the Throne unto which the Man-child is caught Rev. 12. We reade of a third Throne pitcht in Jerusalem answering to the Throne of David in Zion as is plain 2 Sam. 5.7 with 1 Chron. 11.5 Psal 2. a Prophecy of Christ Yet have I set my King upon my Holy-Hill of Zion literally understood and must make good God's Promise unto him repeated Luke 1.32 The Lord God shall give unto Him the Throne of his Father David which was prophesied Isa 24.23 He shall reign in Jerusalem in Mount-Zion This removing-place by Christ to the second of these Thrones will be a heart-amazing sight see Mat. 24.30 it shall make all the Kindreds of the Earth mourn Rev. 1.7 The first of these Thrones is JEHOVAH's alone the second is the Father's and Christ's together the third shall be Christ's alone when all Judgment is committed to the Son and on this third Throne the Saints shall also sit judging the World 1 Cor. 6. Now the great Question will be which of these three Thrones is intended in our Text Herein I do only humbly offer my thoughts with submission not to imposâ— upon any I am indâ—ned to believe that the second Throne in the lower Heavens must be intended here and I offer my Reasons that do induce me so to think 1. Because this is the Throne about which the innumerable multitudes of Angels do attend according to our Text as is plain Rev. 5.11 as also chap. 7.11 all the Angels stand about this Throne 2. Because this Throne 〈◊〉 our Text is the Throne before which the Saints and Faithful must be judged and therefore not that Throne on which they shâ—ll sit with Christ to judg the World for that Christ must reside some considerable time on this Throne is plain from the work done whilst he is there namely first the Battel sought there between Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his which we read of Rev. 12.7 2dly Whilst there raising the dead Saints 3dly Converting the Jews which will not be done till Christ is seen there at Christ's sitting there on this Throne Satan is cast down being dispossest then of his Principalities who before was Prince of the Air. 4thly Christ's Appearance and Christ's Throne are contemporary they are at the same time the Scripture makes no difference in them as St. Paul takes for granted 2 Tim. 4.1 Now this we know that his Appearance is in the Clouds first no sooner doth Christ appear but he is on his Throne so it is in our Text Then shall he sit on the Throne of his Glory But I shall wind up all with one word of Use and Comfort to the Righteous Oh admire the unspeakable blessed state of those who shall stand blameless before this Throne of his Glory there will be some preserved without fault before this Throne Jude 24 Rev. 14.5 of which sort are all the wise Virgins v. 4. they are Virgins v. 5. and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God We now proceed to ver 32 33. And before Him shall be gathered all Nations and He shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats and He shall set the Sheep on his right hand but the Goats on the left In these two verses we have two of those four heads propounded to be spoken unto in order to the close of this Parable First The great Convention or gathering together that shall be at this his Appearance and the one set out by a Figure All Nations Secondly The strict and exact Segregation or Division that Christ will make between them He will divide the Sheep from the Goats Now in handling these two Uses my principal work will lie in Explication and Application In my Explication I shall enquire into these six Particulars 1. Who is the Judge on this Throne because it is said here before Him 2. Who are here to be understood by all Nations 3. Whereunto shall this Gathering be 4. What is to be understood by this Separation or Division 5. Why Sheep and Goats 6. What may here be understood by right and left hand 1. The Judge here will readily be granted to bâ— the Son of Man and Son of God Jesus Christ alone we reade of none but Him in this Judgment oâ—e Context doth clearly grant it and the Apostle seems so to understand it Rom. 14.10 We must all stand before the Judgement-Seat of Christ. 2 Tim. 4. He shall judge the quick and the dead at his Appearing Christ is the alone Judge on this Throne unto whom Judgment is committed of whom John speaks Rev. 4.8 who was is and is to come which doth relate to Jesus Christ But the chief circumstance to be enquired into is Who are these All Nations From these words most have gathered that the latter end of this Chapter speaks of the General Judgment and they so take it because till of late few understood the order of the Resurrection but thought that all good and bad Saints so professing and Sinners shall rise at one and the same time not minding what St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 15.23 or what Sr. John says Rev. 20. But to the words the Worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnes Gentes here translated All Nations bear a threefold acceptation 1. Sometimes Gentiles or Greeks in opposition to Jews 2. Sometimes the same word or the word which hath affinity with it in the Hebrew is
People as Psal 47. last Isa 43.21 This People have I formed for my self or Nation as here 3. Sometimes this word is translated Family Luke 7.5 he loved our Family so that it may be read All Nations All People All Families all compact People such united under Christ All Nations cannot be understood in many places of all the World in a strict sense as for instance Deut. 29.24 it is there said All Nations shall say what meaneth the heat of this anger whereas it cannot mean universally 1 Chron. 14. last God brought the fear of David upon all Nations Psal 118. All Nations assembled against David Hag. 2. Christ is called the Desire of all Nations yet when he cometh the Nations are angry Rev. 11. and his coming doth not answer their desires Therefore the Assembly doth read this Hag. 2. The Desire of all Nations the Faithful in all Nations though there as here it is read all Nations So it is said Dan. 7. All Nations shall serve him yet God provides punishment for those that will not serve Christ see Isa 60. So Christ tells his Disciples they shall be hated of all Nations for his Name sake Mat. 24. These cannot be taken in a strict sense but Rev. 21.24 of the Nations of them that are saved this bears the name of Nations distinct From all these instances I argue That because we have read all Nations it doth not necessitate us to believe that all the World must be meant by it in a strict sense for in all the forenamed places it cannot mean all the World every one will easily grant and acknowledge and that all the World and every individual person cannot be intended in our Text. I urge in the third place this That at no one time shall there be such a gathering to Christ to Judgment for we read in Scripture of two general Judgments First Those that are Christ's at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 And all that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him 1 Thess 4. And the rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years were finished Rev. 20. Neither doth this in our Text agree with the last general Judgment for these Reasons 1. There shall be no Sheep judged in that Judgment The Saints sit with him in Judgment 1 Cor. 6. Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World 2. Noâ— the last and general Judgement because here thâ— Angels are Christ's attendants at this Throne and Judgment whereas in the last they shall not be concerned for the World to come is not put into subjection to Angels Therefore whereas it is said in our Text that Christ comes with all his Angels to the last Judgment He shall come with all his Saints Zec. 14. Jude 14 15. when he comes to execute Judgment on the Wicked Jude saith he comes with â—ee thousands of his Saints neither can they be Saints in a strict sense taken till themselves have past the tryal before his Bar they meet him in the Air in his first Judgment they come along with him in the second 3. Not the last Judgment in our Text because in the last Judgment Men shall be cast for not believing in the Son of God Jesus Christ but in this Judgment they shall be cast and condemned for being unfruitful in works of obedience under Christ Besides all these Reasons this in the latter end of this 25th of Matthew is not meant of the general Judgment of the whole World I will superadd the Judgment of Men both Ancient and Modern Gregory Nazienzen saith to this place These spoken of here are wicked Believers not Rebels not Foreigners but offending Citizens By Goats the Colledge of Rhemes on this place separated say they because till then they lived together in the Church Hereticks say they went out before and so not to be separated here The Assembly of Divines so called on these Verses 32 33. Separated as Chaff from Wheat at those Mat. 3. as those in the Net Mat. 13. the Flock of Christ his Church in this life are like the Flock at Paâ—an-aram speckled and spotted Gen. 30.35 in one Flock so saith the Assembly on this place which seems to illustrate the matter before us Erasmus saith here By all Nations must be understood all ranks and sorts of Men in all Nations consequently not all Nations in a strict sense Ainsworth upon Caut. 1.8 feed thy Kâ—â—â—â— or young Goatâ— saith The Plock in Scripture 〈…〉 is comprehensive of Sheep and Gouts Christ himself was typed out by Goats and Kids Lev. 16. Hâ—â— 9. the blood of Goats typed out the blood of Christ Now these Opinions of Men may help to clear me from Novelt or Singularity in my Notion on this Text. That those that shall be gathered before this Throne are such as have profest Christ eparated from the World as is plain in the former two Parables the foolish Virgins and Servants who are Christ's own Servants So here by Sheep and Goats are intended the Flock of Christ gathered out of all Nations among which are bad as well as good caught in the Nâ—t Mâ—â— 13. I now proceed to the third Question propounded to be spoke unto by way of Explication which was this Whither shall this gathering be Answ first in general to Christ Where the Carcass is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Luke 17.37 2dly in particular Their gathering shall be into the lower Heavens when his Throne shâ—ll there be set called Clouds and Air 1 Thess 4. caught up to meet the Lord in the Air whither we reade the Man-child is caught Rev. 12. The general Rendezvouz is in Heaven there this Throne is set Rev. 4. Dan. 7. therefore we read of numberless numbers before that Throne Rev. 7. We reade of those that dwell in Heaven chap. 13. We reade of some cleared before this Throne ch 19. and upon white Horses coming with Christ when he comes which they could nâ— be had they not been acquitted at this first Thronâ— of Judgment The fourth Question by way of Explication iâ— What is to be understood by this segregating or dividing Ans The word segrego signifies to disjoyn to take out of a Flock to disfranchise out of a Freedom or Corporation to excommunicate so Pasor readâ— it To segregate must be to disjoyn those that before were aggregated or closely incorporated therefore Sheep and Goats here cannot be understood Church and World The Church and World were segregated before according to the Apostle's directions 2 Cor. 6. Be ye separated or disjoyned These here spoken of are in a Net together in a Kingdom together therefore he sayes He will gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend Mat. 13.41 49. The Angels who then come with Christ shall sever the Wicked from among the Just. These are both together in the Wedding-chamber Mat. 22. till Christ comes to sever them The Sheep and Goats of old in a literal sense were together in one Flock under Jacob Gen. 30.
through Sanctification of thâ— Spirit unto Obedience not without This applicatioâ— of Election is never applyed to any but as they appear called and the application of Election is by thâ— Scripture suspended where these due qualification are wanting as for example The person without thâ— Wedding-Garment is supposed by Christ one 〈◊〉 those not chosen or elected Math. 22. he was only come in upon the invitation not elected But against this it it objected from Rom. 9.11.12 in these verses in a parenthesis before the Children had done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election may stand not of works but of him the Calleth To this I answer that this Text doth not at all relate unto this part before us and so it will easily appear if we consult the original place Gen. 25. First because this Text doth not refer to particular persons but nations Secondly neither doth this Text reâ—er to eternal but temporal good and evil Thirdly neither are either of the persons actually loved or hated till good or evil appears from them it was only said before the elder shall serve the younger Fourthly neither can the works here spoken of intend Gospel-Obedience but works of the Law as is plain vers 30 31 32. The Use that we may make from this Part to our selves is 1. From hence be instructed to measure your Election by your effectual Calling and Conversion Many are at a great loss in themselves about their Election and many have been upon the point of Desperation whilst they have been upon the question whether they were Elected or no. Are ye of those that the Kingdom is prepared for before the foundation of the World you may know it by this you are prepared also see Rom. 9.23 24. You are Vessels prepared unto Glory by Sanctification and Friendship to Christ 2. Would you be making your Calling and Election sure and certain then the way to effect it is to grow in grace according to what St. Peter calls for 2 Pet. 1.10 Add to your Faith Vertue c. Those that experience increases of Grace and answer to every Duty called for by Christ in them and from them as here in our Context may read their state to be sure and certain and such are those for whom the Kingdom is prepared before the foundation of the World So much for the first Part. Part 2. That the Lord Jesus in his dealings and distributionâ— to all sorts of Men doth not proceed according to his Royal Prerogative though in his highest Royalty and Glory but according to undeniable reason Jesus Christ renders a reason of his proceedings on both sides And this way of proceeding is God's way from the beginning of the World When God will save Noah and drown all the World he gives his reason on both sides Gen. 7.1 For thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation and for the rest he gives this reason for the imaginations of their heart were only evil and that continually So in that eminent differing dispensation to the Rigteous and wicked Isa 3.10 God gives the reason For they shall eat the fruit of their doings for there ward of their hand shall be given unto them Aâ— so in all Cases God is very ready to render a realoâ— of his Dispensations to Men therefore he inviâ—â— them to reason with him God is not Arbitrary iâ—â— his proceedings with Men but upon equal and â—â—tional grounds And were not this the manner 〈◊〉 Gods proceedings how should every mouth be stopped as they shall be in the great day 1. I know many will plead the Soveraign Power of God in this place from Rom. 9.21 Haâ—â— not the Potter power over the Clay For answer to which I say The great design oâ— the Apostle is to set forth the sole power that God hath being the free Donor of Salvation here 〈◊〉 make choice of what terms or conditions he pleaseth in order to the way of saving men whether by the deeds of the Law or Faith in Christ and he hath absolutely rejected that way of the Law and made choice of Faith in Christ as the terms of Salvation as is plain Rom. 3.4 By the same lump the posterity of Adam Yet however the making these Vessels different is not only the bare Will of God but upon terms See the original place Jer. 18.10 11. 2 Tim. 2.21 The consideration of this part may administer great satisfaction to poor souls they have a very righteous God to deâ—l with who will judge righteous judgment not according to his Prerogative but according to the works of each Person which leads us to the Part which was this That God in his distributions to men in Judgment hath a special eye to mans work respectively Come ye blessed of my Father for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat c. I shall be veâ—y brief as to this Part because it doth border upon â—he former And besides this Truth is so apparent that the very current of Scriptures contribute to the proof of iâ— We have a cloud of witnesses as to this Part the recompence from God to Men is proportioned to their works whether good or evil This Rule was stated by God at the first in the dayes of Cain and Abel when we read of but two men in the World Gen. 4.7 If thou dost well thou shalt be accepted if evil sin or punishment lyeth at the door This Rule God proceeds by to Abraham Gen. 22. For because thou hast done this thing therefore will I bless thee If any one question the truth of this Part let them read these Scriptures Psal 62.12 Isa 3.10 Rev. 17.10 Prov. 24.12 Ezek. 18.33 Matth. 16.27 Rom. 2.6 2 Cor. 5.10 1 Pet. 1.17 Rev 2.23 Chap. 20.13 Chap. 22.12 and by the taking in these Scriptures I hope you will easily be satisfied of the truth of this Part. Yet some will be ready to Object That if God rewards men according to their works and men have only what they work for where then is Grace St. Paul saith We are saved by Grace not by Works I Answer We must distinguish between Legal and Evangelical works therefore St. Paul tells us it is through Faith the work of Faith is not excluded in part of salvation 2ly The way propounded in which we are saved is of Grace we thought not of it 3ly We are saved by Grace if we consider the vast disproportion between the wages and work all our Obedience is nothing compared with the Reward Though God rewardeth every man according to his works that is in kind good for good yet not quantity all we do is not to be compared withâ— recompence of reward the Saints are by Christ 〈◊〉 counted worthy of the Kingdom for which they 〈◊〉 suffer 2 Thes 1.5 4thly Salvation is free and of Grace because 〈◊〉 the strength by which we act is from himself 〈◊〉 may say of all we do in order to salvation as Daâ—â— saith of the
we can find but want of Charity acts of goodness and love to Christ they had been wanting in relieving Christ in his poor members not a word of swearing Whoring Murdering and debauchery Thirdly This should put all persons upon a serious and cordial examination of their state how it will be at this day with them You may find now how it will be then Fourthly Labour to bless own and love Christ in his poor members be beneficent to them you see the contrary is that which provokes Christ to this detestation of these Christ loves a cheerful giver and abhors a closefisted professor So much for the third Doctrine we now proceed to the fourth Doctrine which was this 4 Doct. That the second and positive part of the punishment of reprobates consists in real materiâ— and most exquisite misery and torment extensive to Soul and body by fire This Doctrine is the very product of our Text. In handling this Doctrine I shall prove the truth of it from other Scriptures that fire is the punishment of barren professors See Mat. 3.12 He shall throughly purge his flowr and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fireâ— From which Scripture I note these things First That Jesus Christ in his proceedings with his own people acts as a Husbandman who is gathering in his wheat with which he must needs bring in chaff also Secondly There is a necessity of threshing fanning or winnowing this his wheat in order to segregating the chaff which is here called the purging his flowr Thirdly We have a choice discovery of singular esteem for the wheat by gathering it into his garner a place for clean grain Fourthly We have contained his total and absolute rejection of the chaff They are executed under the name of chaff and that by sire That by the chaff are intended ungodly and reprobates is plain from Psal 1. Fire is the threatned punishment of the rash angry Brother spoken of Mat. 5.22 He shall be in danger of Hell fire gehenna torment This is the punishment of the Tares Mat. 13.42 They are bound in bundles and cast into a Furnace of fire This is the punishment of the bad fish gathered in the net see ver 58. They are cast into a Fornace of fire this is the punishment of him that doth not cut off his offending hand and foot Mat 18. Hell fire this is the punishment of them that worship the beast Rev. 14. Cast into a lake of fire this is the punishment of all those whose names are not in the book of life Rev. 20.15 It is true it is a question amongst some of our modern Writers whether by fire in these places is to be understood material sire but the generality are of opinion that it is to be understood material and should we depart from the literal fence and grant it to be immaterial fire it will be dangerous for it is a rule in Divinity That we are not to depart from the letter unless we be forced to it to preserve other Scriptures from violence Now I know no Scripture can be wronged by taking these Scriptures in the literal fence Secondly If we should give way to question the materiality and reality of the torments of Reprobates it will make way to question the reality of the reward of the righteous which we would believe to be real Thirdly That it is material fire we have the earnest of it in the punishment of Sodom which fire proceeded from God and was a punishment representing this we are speaking of Fourthly If this fire was immaterial or allegorical the Scripture in some place or other would have told us so as in some other cases Gal. 3. Yet we grant that this fire doth considerably differ from our ordinary fires in six circumstances First As to the unexpressible and vehement extream heat of it as one well observes If all the fire in the World were contracted in one and all the combustible matter in the World brought to it to feed it yet all this fire is but as a fire painted upon the Wall in comparison of Hell fire Therefore it is called a Fire of Brimstone a River of Brimstone Esa 30.33 Rev. 14.20 Now we know that that sort of fire made of Brimstone is of all fires most scorching and tormenting if two or three drops fall upon our flesh how will it torture it Secondly It differs from our fires as this Hell fire is made by God himself prepared compounded and ordained by God Esa 30.33 God hath been much exercised in his wisdom and counsel in contriving this fire that it might torment and his wrath blows it up and continues it Thirdly In our fires there is light as well as heat but this though it be fire yet here is no light at all but utter darkness whilst consuming fire We have it often called utter darkness Jude calls it chains of darkness and blackness of darkness Aegyptian darkness that may be felt their portion is darkness whereas the Saints portion is light Fourthly Our fires only consume or torment the bodies not touch the Soul whereas this fire taketh hold of both body and Soul as our Lord teacheth Mat. 10.28 Fear not them that kill only the body but I warn you whom you shall fear fear him that can kill Soul and Body in Hell that is after the resurrection can torment the body and mind also The reprobate in Hell hath his mind as full of torment as his body and there is reason it should be so and that they should suffer together because they sinned together for a wicked and ungenerate person sins with delight of mind as well as body We read a pretty parable of an Hebrew Doctor to this purpose There was a certain man planted an Orchard and being to take a Journey appointed certain watchmen to look unto it and preserve it from robbing by others or wronging from themselves and accordingly he appointed one man strong limbed but blind and another man that could see but was a Cripple And in his absence the blind man and the Cripple agree together the blind to carry the lame and so they robbed the Orchard When the Master understood the agreed deceit he severely punished them both together The whole is but a Parable the moral is this The body cannot act without the mind nor the mind without the body therefore they are joynt in sin and joynt in punishment Fifthly Our fires consume or annihilate all that come into them they reduce all into its own nature turn flesh into ashes but this doth not so here is not an annihilation But I shall have occasion to speak to that afterwards Sixthly This is called unquenchable fire Mat. 3. It is noted by the Learned that a river of Brimstone cannot be quenched That there is such certain punishment for the reprobate we have the general consent of the most approved Authors both ancient and modern Zanchy Austin Lambert Aquinas Gregory and many others Secondly The name of Hell
not there shall fall into this Lake Rev. 20. last But how shall I know that may some say First Are your names recorded in the Church of God as those Phil. 4. of whom St. Paul speaks Secondly Are you assistant in the Gospel as they were Thirdly Do you make it your business to mortifie every lust even your own iniquity according to Mark. 9. from 43. to 48. those that escape are of these There are five Circumstances considerable in these verses First That there is a certain torment else Christ would not have made it an argument of it Secondly The torment must be great the deliverance from which is profitably purchased with such loss and torments as cutting off and plucking out Thirdly There is a connaturality between persons and their own iniquity eyes hand foot Fourthly It is very difficult and hard Service to escape Hell to cut off and pluck out especially to do it himself to himself Fifthly Notwithstanding so hard yet it must be done else we cannot escape Hell torment So much we have in this Mark 9.43 to 49. It is a matter of great concernment to know how the case stands with us in this matter Now if upon examination we find upon true and solid grounds that we have some good hope through grace to avoid this place and state of torment oh what ground of unspeakable joy is here to a poor Soul there is more cause of joy in this than can be from casting out of Devils and doing mighty works That is not a sufficient ground of joy this is See Luk. 10.20 But if upon examination you want this hope remember what is in the Parable said to Dives Luk. 16. They have Moses and the Prophets make use of the word of God that is the only means to come to avoid this place of torment I now proceed to the fifth Doctrine observed viz. That the pains and punishment of Hypocrites and unbelievers are endless and eternal As they are not tolerable so not terminable The truth of this Doctrine is plain from the constant language of old and new Testament The fire is everlasting eternal unquenchable This is the Scripture language I need have said nothing to this Doctrine were it not that we are fallen into such a day wherein persons do study to avoid the force of those Scriptures which are of most concernment to consider of Therefore that which I shall chiefly indeavour as to this Doctrine is First To strengthen this Doctrine from Scripture arguments Secondly Answer some objections made against it Thirdly Give a Second sort of Testimony to this truth Fourthly Make some Use of the whole 1. Consider the Testimony of Scripture Mat. 3.12 He shall burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire This fire is called everlasting fire Mat. 18. Hell fire and eternal fire are taken one for another in Scripture it is not Hell fire except it be eternal no fire is eternal but Hell fire It is called eternal damnation Mar. 3.29 But I will give you one place in the Room of many that sets it forth to be endless Mar. 9.43 to 48. where we have this fire five times called unquenchable and three times the worm that never dieth Certainly there is more than ordinary in this that our Lord who is never guilty of Tautologies or making vain repetitions should so often reiterate this word not quenched not quenched five times over There is a just cause of repetition and by this reiteration First We may learn the certainty of this truth As in other cases in Scripture when things are doubled in Scripture it is to shew the certainty Secondly This truth so reiterated was not only a truth but a truth that lay much upon Christs heart this eternity of torment lay much upon Christs heart he was much affected with it And Thirdly Christ would fain affect his Disciples also with it Fourthly Whereas our Lord adds this three times the worm that never dyeth we are instructed in these two things First That the severity of the punishment it self is endless Secondly That the creature in this fire is eternal and endless that he shall not be annihilated in it or consumed to nothing and so an end of his torment as to himself By the fire is understood the punishment it self by the worm must be understood the person himself The truth of this Doctrine is yet further confirmed from what the Apostle speaketh to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 8.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of God and the glory of his power The same is farther confirmed Rev. 14.19 20. The smoak of their torments ascended up for ever and ever Now our Lord is greatly desirous that persons might take warning and be awakened before they come into this gulf with Dives It is said he lift up his eyes being in torment he was not awake till he came there irrecoverably Therefore our Lord beats so long upon this string the danger is very great and persons greatly secure Object But it is objected against this truth by our Critical Age that ever and everlasting have an end yea ever and ever and they urge Jer. 7.7 when God tells Israel that they shall dwell in the Land for ever see ch 25.5 yet say they this is endless I Answ As Canaan was a type of that rest which remains to the people of God Heb. 4. so it is for ever and ever putting their present and future estate together makes it ever and ever Secondly I Answ That although ever and ever have an end in some cases yet it cannot be always so understood As for instance when it relates to the eternity of God when God is called the eternal and everlasting God and where it is said he raigns for ever and ever I hope the objector will not say that God and his government is to terminate So that ever and ever in that case cannot have an end neither will it I hope be thought that the joy and happiness of the righteous shall have an end which yet if ever and everlasting have an end lyeth in danger to have an end also So that in our understandings of these speakings of the Spirit of God we must diligently observe the scope of the place and thing spoken of that must guide us in our understandings And then it will not appear that what is spoken as to the punishment of the Reprobate is temporal but eternal Some will urge what the Apostle Jude speaks of the punishment of Sodom to weaken our position who it is said suffered the vengeance of eternal fire To which I answer That punishment might be called eternal from these considerations First From the perfection of it Secondly From the continuance of the burning as it is reported throughout all Ages unto this day Thirdly From the nature of it or rather the matter of it it was fire and Brimstone and that from Heaven and so of the same nature as Hell fire shall be Fourthly
Because that overthrow and punishment is never recovered they have as it were an entrance into eternal punishment as the Devils are said to be reserved in chains of darkness unto the Judgment of the great day To further strengthen this position that the punishment of reprobates is endless I urge these Arguments following as reasons of the Doctrine First From the Judgment it self pronounced at that day it is eternal so called Heb. 6.2 Eternal Judgment without exception and it is a principle to be believed that the Judgment indefinitely considered is eternal not eternal to the righteous and temporal to the wicked Secondly The bodies of each are at that day raised in an immortal estate redeemed by Christ from mortality where Adam left them To this Daniel speaks ch 12.2 Many of them that slept in the dust awaked some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shom and contempt Thirdly It is endless with respect to the circumstance of time when it is pronounced when the day of grace is past and the day of wrath takes place the sentence at that day is irrevocable no appeal from this Bar as Abraham tells Dives in the Parable there is a great gulf fixed so as that they that are in Hell cannot come where Abraham is Fourthly The sentence then pronounced is to endless pain because there can be no means to expiate sin no Christ to dye again If a person dye in his sins he rises in them and is condemned for them and there can be no after means to expiate them but the wrath of God remaineth on them Joâ— 3.36 Fifthly From this second death there is no redemption none but the Son of God could redeem man from the first death but who shall redeem him from the second We read of no redemption from the second death not man by all he can do or suffer Psal 49. No man can redeem his Brother nor give a ransom to God There remains no more sacrifice for sin But some will frame an Objection from Christs words Mat. 5. that we may suppose a payment of our debt by punishment hereafter because Christ saith he shall not come out till thou hast paid the utmost farthing From whence some in my hearing have pleaded a possibilily of escaping by paying To which I answer by explaining the Period untill which bears a twofold acceptation in Scripture sometimes it is understood for a limited time and sometimes for an endless As when it is spoken of Michal the daughter of Saul wife of David who despised David dancing before the Ark it is said She had no Child until or till the day of her death It might as well have been said she never had a Child more at all And it is sometimes understood in a limited time as Psal 123. Our eyes wait upon the Lord till he have mercy on us We read of another place Luk. 12. where Christ speaks of few and many stripes some shall be beaten with many stripes others with few stripes from whence it is argued that some shall have less and some shall have more from whence some urge difference of periods To which I answer That Christ in that place hath not respect to length of time but weight of misery though in his speaking he alludeth to the custom of the Jews paying by stripes who gave many or few according to the fact And this is more clear if it be considered with the future state of the Saints for though it be concluded on all hands that the happiness and glory of the Saints is endless yet the glory of the Saints differs in the degrees of it as one Star differs from another not in truth of continuance But it is further objected that it cannot agree with the Justice and equity of God Almighty to punish a moments sin with an endless torment To which I answer in three words thus First As to the design of the sinner he deserves it he would have sinned longer if he had lived longer he sinned out his own eternity and as the Hebrew phrases it he must be punished God's eternity As for instance a Company of Gamesters are set down to play at Cards or Dice all night but one comes and blows out the Candle and so they can proceed no further The question is whose fault it was they did not play all night Not the Gamesters So if the sinner were not prevented by a short life he would still sin When men lived nine hundred or near a thousand years they were as bad at last as at first Secondly Consider that the God he sins against is an infinite eternal God which doth greatly aggravate the sin As for instance for a person to speak against an ordinary person is easily past by but to speak against a King is death The Majesty of God whom the sin is committed against doth greatly magnifie the sin Thirdly Such a person who is so punished is but punished according to his own choice He had eternal life and eternal death set before him to take his choice Deut. 11.26 27. ch 30. Life or death was Gods offer to him and he chose this part Joh. 3.14 He chose darkness rather than light And Christ complains they will not come to me that they may have life therefore they must needs have deatâ— These things considered do instruct us that to Preach Hell and damnation is to Preach Gospel Doctrine it is the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus the only Gospel Minister This was the Doctrine of St. John Mat. 3. Mat. 5.25 Christ perswades his enemies to make peace with him for fear of this Prison This is Christs Doctrine to the bad in the Church Mat. 13. and to others Mat. 23.14 15 33. Christ Preacht damnation Joh. 3.36 Such Doctrine doth St. Paul Preach Rom. 2. Tribulation and wrath upon every Soul of man that doth evil And see that thundring execration threatned by him 1 Cor. 16.22 Anathema Maranatha So 2 Thes 1.8 9. Heb. 10. ch 12. Rev. 14. The Gospel is not only glad tidings but threatning upon refusal Secondly If the punishment of reprobates is endless then how doth this serve to set out the folly and madness of those that for a moments pleasure expose themselves to this eternal endless pain Of which sort are most men notwithstanding Well might Solomon call them Fools who make a mock of sin Thirdly Study and confer much with eternity seeing such a state will be consult it dayly and in particular study this torment so as to avoid it let this terror of the Lord perswade men Fourthly Information to those on this side the grave and this eternal torment know this for thy encouragement that God hath not necessitated thee to this state of torment but on the contrary he is taking pains with thee that thou mightest escape it We have one Circumstance more considerable in order to the Close of our Lords Sentence to them on the left hand which is in these words prepared for the Devil
to this charge wherein they do implicitely charge our Lord with unrighteous Judgment contaned in ver 44. Then shall they answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred or a thirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in Prison and did not minister unto thee Thirdly We have our Lords silencing reply to this their plea ver 45. Then shall he answer them saying Verily I say unto you In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Fourthly We have a ratification of both sentences by the certain execution of both ver 46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal First We have our Lord freely rendring a reason of this severe and ireful sentence ver 42 43. We have nothing difficult in the words therefore I shall summ them up in five Doctrines as followeth 1 Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ though upon the Throne of his Celestial glory in his Judicial proceedings doth not proceed according to his Royal Prerogative but according to demonstrative undeniable grounds of reason from the Creature Secondly That the relief of the Saints in their pure and absolute necessities is an absolute indispensable duty if it be neglected it is damnable Thirdly Sins of omission are of a dangerous and damning nature as well as sins of Commission These are not charged for grinding the face of the poor or oppressing the poor but for withholding good from them Fourthly Iesus Christ takes the unkindness shewn to his Sts as done to him ye gave me no meat Fifthly Uncharitableness to Christ in his members is a very high provoking sin Christ here takes up nothing else to judge these by yet here is enough to cast condemn and execute Iudgment upon them First that Christ proceeds by demonstrative and undeniable argument and reason see Prov 1. Because I called and ye refused because ye hated knowledge and would not choose the fear of the Lord I will laugh at your destruction and calamity read but Ezek. 18.33 See there how God proceeds by reason Ioh. 3.17 18. Because they believed not in the only begotten Son of God this is the condemnation Here is the rational ground of it because they love darkness more than light So 2 Thes 2. Because they received not the truth in the love of it that they might be saved Therefore Eph. 5.6 For these things sake cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience Tribulation and wrath upon every Soul of man that doth evil Rom. 2. Oh how doth this speak forth the righteousness and goodness of God to admiration when he is upon the Throne in that eminence power and transcendent glory with all his holy Angels yet then by undeniable reason to stop mouths Christ doth not say as Monarchs on earth many times I will do so because I will No Come let us reason together The consideration of this Doctrine may serve to take off all hard thoughts of Christ with respect to this day But I will be very brief I therefore proceed to the second which was this 2 Doct. That the relief of the Saints in their pure necessities in hunger thirst nakedness is an indispensable duty I put in pure necessities because out Text hath it in matters of pure necessity and thâ—s condemnation is upon this ground The want of this duty in Gods people of old made their fasts abominable to God Esa 58. We have one Scripture may serve in the room of many Iames 2.13 He shall have Iudgment without mercy that shews no mercy This duty must be performed for these reasons First Because therein we make a discovery of our love to God and without this we cannot demonstrate our love to God 1 Ioh. 3.17 He that hath this worlds goods and sees his Brother have need and shuts up his bowels of compassion how dwelleth the love of God in him He might as well have said the love of God cannot dwell in him Secondly It is such a duty as carries in it a true Character of the sheep of Christ See the former Context This is the Character here lyeth the difference between the Sheep and the Goats Thirdly The want of this duty is a discovery of the want of faith See Iam. 2.15 In this Doctrine we have a double rule for our Charity so indispensabley required First They are Saints Christs brethren Secondly Such of them as are in necessity both these are comprehended Rom. 12.13 distributing to the necessities of the Saints Saintship and necessity are the rule of our Charity in the first place Though we are to do good to all as opportunity and ability serve yet the Text and Doctrine is grounded upon Saintship These are not here condemned because they did not level or make all common but for not giving to necessity The community we read of Acts 2. was voluntary and not compelled by a rule we are required no more than according to our abilities to dispence See 1 Tim. 6 17 18 19. 1 Pet. 4. As every one hath received so let him minister So much for the second Doctrine Now I proceed to the third Doctrine which was this That sins of Omission as well as sins of Commission are highly provoking they are dangerous and damning These are not charged with violence and rape or spoil upon the poor nor charged for taking away their food The Amalekites and Moabites are excluded the congregation for ever for not meeting Israel with bread and water when they came out of Aegypt see Deut. 23.2 not for robbing them or meeting them in a hostile way Take it in point of worship it is dangerous God hath a controversie with the Nations Ier. 9. for not being circumcised in flesh as Israel for not being circumcised in heart Eminent is that place to this purpose Luk. 7.29 they are charged with rejecting the counsel of God against themselves for not being baptized with the baptism of Iohn This informs us of the bad estate of many formal Professors in this day that content themselves only with negative holiness though wanting in positive duties So much for the third Doctrine I shall speak a sew words to the fourth Doctrine which was this 4 Doct. That Christ takes the unkindness offered to his poor members as done to himself I need say but little to this because I had occasion to â—peak unto it in the precedent matter This sets out the great affâ—ction that Christ bears to his least and poorest Saints It is from the dear and choice love that Parents bear to their Children that makes them respect those if but a Servant who shâ—ws kindness to their Children and take the il carriages of them to their Children as done to themselves But I pass this and I shall speak a very few word to the fifth Doctâ—ine whâ—ch was this 5 Doct. That uncharitableness to Christ is a very high provoking sin Here is no one thing mentioned in this