every one according to his own works As grace is glory in the bud and glory nothing but grace blown out so sin is seminally and radically eternal shame and ignominy and that shame is nothing but sin extended and displaied So good is God that he would not suffer sin unlesse thereby he were able to make it appear shameful so much is God in love with his own glory that he would never endure any to oppose his unlesse thereby he intended to overthrow theirs God never gave any of his enemies line but to strangle themselves we read of no enemies of God but they shamed themselves Infirmitas animositatis Facites animos mens generosa capit Tu licet extre mos latè dominare per Indos c. si prava cupis si duceris irâ servitii patiere jugum tolerabis iniquas interius Claudian in paneg Theodos Non fortior judicandus est quileonem quam qui violentam in scipso inclusam feram superat iracundiam aut qui rapacissi mas volucres dejicit quam qui cupiditates avidissimas coercet aut qui Amazonem bellatricem quam qui libidiâ—cm vincit pudoris ac famae debellatricem Cicer pro Marcel Pharaoh Achitophel Haman Siserah Senacherib Julian c. How should this comfort his people in the midst of all the height and glory of his enemies Though they cannot pull them down yet they shall lay their own glory in the dust and how can God want weapons to beat his enemies who can beat them with their own 8. Men by rage and fury lay open and discover their shame when these seducers came to be raging waves fierce and impetuous in their way they soon disgraced themselves and foamed out their own shame a weak spirit is by nothing so much manifested as by wrath and passion commonly men think that anger is an effect of magnanimity whereas indeed it proceeds from weaknesse an underling to passion hath a base low built disposition to which children and women therefore called the weaker sex are more subject then men The Latines express all passion anger especially by the word impotentia impotency and weaknesse and hence Solomon Prov. 25.28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a City that is broken down ad without walls what so weak and beggarly and so much at the cruel courtesie of every invader as a City without all defence Such a one is he whose raging passions sway him without controle he who scorns to be a servant to man is a slave to lust a base sensual bruitish lust The strong man according to scripture censure is he who is slow to anger nay saith Solomon Prov. 16.32 He is better then the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a City had a man conquered the world without him and not his lust within him he were but in a splendid glistering servitude wel might he with Alexander sit down and weep but not because their is no other world to conquer but because their is stil another or rather because there are so many and every one so much stronger than a world I mean unmortified passions David in sparing of Saul and overcoming of himself was stronger then David when he overcame Goliah for killing of Goliah he was but promised to be Sauls son in law but by subduing his own passion Saul deservedly conjectures that David should be his successor and now I know wel saith Saul that thou shalt surely be King c. Saul seeing in David a power to govern his own affections foresaw that David was fit to rule a whole kingdome but how unfit was Saul to be King of Israel who was not a King over but a slave to his own passion A swine in an Emperors robe is most uncomly and so is he who is a ruler over men without him and a vassal to beasts within him Men account it the greatest disgrace to be looked upon and called fools but the spirit of God makes wrath and passion the fools coat or badge frequently do we read of a fools wrath Prov. 12.16 a fools wrath is presently known so Pro. 27.3 a fools wrath is mentioned for its heaviness He that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly And anger resteth in the bosome of fools saith Solomon Eccles 7.9 it s loved cherished delighted in as a thing laid in a mans bosome and it resteth there it departeth not a wise man useth anger as physick in its proper time but a fool useth it as his constant dyet It s an inmate to a fool t is but a passenger through the heart of a wise man it doth not lodg in it all night Ephes 4.26 It s a mans prudence to defer his anger and his glory to passe over a transgression Prov. 19.11 and James calls it the meeknesse of wisdome cap. 3.13 A governour of his passion is by some called angelus in carne yea deus terrestris no lamb was ever so meek as was he who was wisdome itself He that is slow to anger is of great understanding Prov. 14.29 Nor doth the shame of these slaves to passion only appear in their name and estimate for folly but in the shameful effects of this rage where it mastereth any A stone is heavy saith Solomon and the sand is weighty but a fools wrath is heavier than them both Prov. 27.3 A fool having no wisdom to moderate his passion or to keep it as a wise man doth from falling with its full weight Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man saith he rather then a fool in his folly This cruellest of beasts shews not so much rage as a man in his fury how oft hath rage whetted tongue teeth swords prepared snares poisons fires c. for destruction How little doth it distinguish twixt friends and foes sweeping away parents children brethren with its torrent it regards neither venerable old age nor the tendernesse of age or sex nor favours received nor vertue and piety It s a short madnesse and an inter-regnum and eclipse of reason forgetting even the ruin and destruction of the very party in whom it swayeth it making him neither to feel nor fear mutilations wounds deaths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incomparabiliter salubriusest etiam irae justae pulsanti non aperire penetrale cordis quam admittere non facile recessuram et perventuram De surculo ad â—â—â—bem c. Aug. â—p 149. it makes a man to put off himself changing him into a monster and as if he were to put on a vizar upon a stage as Basil expresseth it it represents him another from himself with eyes flaming mouth foaming teeth grinding colour distempered c. Christians as you love true honour beware of being inslav'd to passion especially this of wrath and troublesomenesse to others stop its entrance take heed as Augustine excellently when just anger knocks at the door that the unjust croud not in with it from a twig 't wil grow to a
If he who mocketh the poor then much more he who revileth the Ruler Imaginem Dei Rex gestat idcirco colendâ—â— et amandus est si non propter se salâ—â—m vocationis functionis suae causâ reproacheth his Maker In the contempt of Magistrates God accounts himself contemned They have not saith God to Samuel 1 Sam. 8.7 rejected thee but they have rejected me And this was the true cause why God was so angry with Miriam and Aaron who spake against Moses Wherefore saith he were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses Numb 12.1 8 Heb. 5. To speak against him whom God appointed and set on work is to speak against a great one indeed 3. By the punishments inflicted upon such revilers which are evident in the example of Miriam Absolom Corah c. And all Princes are not like Titus the delight of mankind who said None can reproach mee Dâ—liciae humani generis Nemo me insequi contumeliâ potest propterea quòd nihil ago quod reprehendi mereatur ea verò quae falsè de me dicuntur prorsus negligo Dio. because I do nothing that can be reprehended and those things which are spoken of me falsly I altogether neglect for Tiberius when Paconius had scattered reproachfull Verses against him wrote to the Senate to appoint severe punishment against him and although many Princes have remitted the injury as offered to their own persons yet as prejudiciall to the good of the Common-wealth they have and that deservedly punish'd them and however Princes themselves have spared such railers yet God would not suffer them to go unpunished as in the case of Shimei whom though David spared yet God spared not 4 This speaking evil of Magistrates is a spreading evill hurtful to others the reviler kils many with one shoot himself speaking wickedly the Ruler whom he accuseth unjustly his hearer who listens to him credulously A reproaching tongue being though worst to himself yet hurtfull to those who hear him Lev. 19.16 a Tale-bearer Rokel signifieth a Trafficker up and down and who knoweth how great a fire the tongue of one reviler may kindle Seldome doth such a pedler open his pack of wares but some or other will buy No musick is so sweet to the most as to hear well of themselves and ill of their Rulers Peoples hearts and ears are commonly tindar and touchwood presently taking fire when any spark of defamation flies from the fire of a revilers tongue and how great a flame such a spark may kindle we may see in the cases of Absolom and Sheba OBSERVATIONS 1 Great is the audacious extravagancy of an unmortified tongue Observ 1 James chap. 3.6 calls it a fire and here we see it aspires like fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam 3.5 and moves upward and fastens upon such things as were much above it Peter saith These Seducers are not affaid to speak evill of Dignities 2 Pet. 2.10 the tongue set on fire by hell below fires even upon those which are called gods and are in the hihgest and most eminent degree the tongue speaketh proud things Psal 12.3 In the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride Pro. 14.3 In which place the fools tongue may either be termed a rod of pride which for proud speaking shall whip the fool himself or else a rod which by the fools proud speaking whips and lasheth any other The Septuagint read it The fools tongue is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rod of reproach and some conceive in using the word rod Gr. * according to some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon alludes to the custom of Magicians who by their Rods were wont to do their magical exploits and false miracles of transforming Exod. 7.12 metamorphosing and changing the shapes of things as if these proud railers by the rods of their tongues Leviter volat sermo sed graviter vulnerat leviter transit sed graviter urit leviter profertur sed non leviter revocatur facilè volat atque adeo facilè violat charitatem Bern. Serm. de trip cust their revilings and slanderous reproaches did labour to metamorphise and transform men making the honourable to appear base the learned most illiterate the upright most dishonest c. The pride of the heart is most frequently discovered by the tongue Rabshakeh threatned he would make them eat their own dung and drink their own pisse the tongue threatens God himself Isa 14.13 I will ascend into the heavens I will exalt my throne above the stars of God Talk no more exceeding proudly saith Hannah 1 Sam. 2.3 They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth Psal 73.9 Our tongues are our own who is Lord over us Psal 12.7 The tongue though small opposeth the greatest It was a gracious care of David to take heed to his tongue Psal 39.1 Mans glory his tongue must not be imployed against Gods glory or the Magistrates here call'd Glories The tongue of which we had not the use till we had the use of reason was never appointed to the used without reason for pride and passion He who made the tongue soft and pliable all flesh without a bone in it teacheth us that it should not be harsh rugged and proud in its expressions the double rail or hedg of the teeth and lips shews that this wild beast is very unruly Jam. 3.8 and that it ought to be kept in The best way to keep the fire from breaking out at the Chimney 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to quench the coals upon the hearth a cool and humble heart wil abate the heat of the fiery tongue 2. Dignities lie open to the lash of the tongue Observat 2 The more eminent the person the more censured is his action the highest towers are most frequently blasted with lightning nor power nor innocency can protect from imputations The fire of the tongue dares touch even laurel * Which lightning they say never blasteth the sword of the mouth will adventure even upon the mouth of the sword When Saul was chosen and carryed and lifted up with highest acclamations the sons of Belial despised him 1 Sam. 10.27 It is a vain ambition to expect the good word of all It s an equall weaknesse to be proud of the applause and impatient under the reproaches of the multitude the care of all especially of governors should be rather to be worthy of honor then to receive honor rather to be honourable then honoured and not so much to seek quiet abroad as in themselves and the conscience of their upright and sincere endeavors It s better to deserve well and to hear ill then to deserve ill and to hear well 3. Observat 3 Magistrates should take heed of blemishing their dignity and losing their glory The Apostle here cals them dignities or glories And to maintain their glory 't is not enough to be magnificent and
eleventh verse whom he rather mentions then any others in regard of their great hurtfulness to the Church by cruelty seduction and sedition they being the types and forerunners of these Seducers 2. From sundry elegant comparisons ver 12 13 3. From the certain and infallible Prophecy of Enoch propounded and amplified ver 14 15 16. This eleventh verse then consists of these two parts 1. A Denunciation of Wo and Judgment 2. An Amplification thereof from the three forementioned examples of Cain Balaam Core 1. The Denunciation of Judgment in these words Wo unto them EXPLICATION It may be demanded In what sense the words Wo unto them are here used and how to be understood The uttering of this word Wo denoting in Scripture grievous calamities and miseries either present or approaching is used three waies 1. Vae condolentis imprecantis praedicentis There is vae dolentis and condolentis when woe is used as an Exclamation of grief pity and commiseration and then it imports as much as if the Apostle had said Alas how am I grieved in consideration of their approaching ruine for these wretched sinners that are running to their own destruction and thus the word wo is often taken in Scripture as Mich. 7.1 where the Church resenting the general corruption of the times and her smal number cryes out Wo is me for I am as when they have gathered the Summer fruits as the gleanings of the Vintage The good man is perished out of the earth and there is none upright among men Thus also the Prophet Isaiah chap. 24.16 laying to heart the wickedness of the people and the Judgments which were to follow expresseth his holy sympathy in these words Wo unto me the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously c. Thus the same Prophet again chap. 6.5 Then said I Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips c. for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts c. So Jer. 4.41 and 6.4 Jer. 13.27 and 45.3 Lam. 5.16 Now though it cannot be denyed but that the faithful do and ought with holy commiseration to lay to heart the miseries of others yet I understand not this expression of wo in this place in this sense for besides that Jude knew that these Seducers were ungodly men and appointed to this condemnation his scope was not to express his sorrow for them but to warne the Church of them by discovering the Judgements of God against them 2. There is vae imprecantis a wo of cursing and imprecation used sometimes by Godly men against the implacable and irrecoverable enemies of God Thus the Prophet Habakkuk utters it against the Caldean who wasted the Church Hab. 2.6 9 12 15 19. Psal 40 14 15 59.14 Thus David Psal 109.6 7 8 9 c. prayeth for the destruction of his enemies That the Apostles had this power of cursing the incurable enemie of the Church whose destruction the Lord had extraordinarily revealed to thâ—â—â—nd that they used it is very evident Paul prayeth 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.14 that the Lord would reward Alexander the Copper-smith according to his work And its hard to deny Non dicit Apostolus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddet sol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddat Sunt vota imprceantis non verba praedicentis Rivet in Psal 40. that Jude in this place doth put forth that power against these Seducers Sure I am Paul Gal. 5.12 prayeth that the false Teachers might be cut off who troubled the Church and he who enabled the Apostles to foreknow the ruine of Seducers certainly without error might help them to desire it holily without revenge And never did either Christ or his Apostles express so much heavenly vehemency against any as against those who hindred the eternal salvation of souls witness the woes eight times repeated by Christ against the Scribes and Pharisees Matt. 23. As also Pauls carriage towards Elimas the Sorcerer Acts 13. Some indeed of this impious rabble who were not so obstinate malicious and subtle as others Jude might spare he desiring the Christians afterward that on some they should have compassion putting a difference And if it be here demanded How the Apostle could lawfully say Wo unto them I answer 1. He expresseth not this wo unto them in respect of his own cause but the cause of God not as they were his but Gods enemies 2. He directs not his imprecations against persons curable but incurable and he might know them to be so by some extraordinary inspiration 3. His affections herein were not carnal but Divine and Spiritual stirred up purly by Zeal to Gods glory and the safety of the Church In a word If this wo here pronounced by Jude were a wo of imprecation he was carryed to the uttering thereof by the same Spirit by which he penned the Epistle 3. There is a vae praedicentis a Wo of prediction and denunciation whereby imminent and impendent evils are foretold and denounced against others and in this sense it s â—â—â—monly used and uttered in Scripture Eccles 4.10 Eccles 10.16 Isai 3.9.11 28.1 30.1 31.1 Hos 9.12.24 Matth. 24.19 and most commonly by the Prophets Isai 3.11 Wo unto the wicked for it shall be ill with them Isai 5.8 Wo unto them that joyn house to house c. And ver 11. Wo to them that rise early in the morning that they may follow strong drink Matth. 24.19 Wo to them that be with child and give suck in those dayes c. And this sense though some Learned men exclude not that which was last mentioned we may safely admit in this place our Apostle concluding that undoubtedly they who were as bad as the worst of former sinners in respect of sin should be as miserable as they were in regard of punishment OBSERVATIONS 1 Spiritual and eternal woes Obser 1. are the true woes To be woful indeed is to be under the wrath of God This is the wo here by Jude denounced against and by God inflicted upon these Seducers Whatever wo comes without Gods wrath may have more of weal in it then of woe Other woes touch the skin these the soul Other woes part between us and our Estates names worldly comforts but these between us and God in whom is laid up all happiness How foolish is every sinner to fear the name the shadow and not to tremble at the thing the reality of woe like the beast who is more affrighted with the flash of the fire and the noise of the report which is made in shooting off the Gun then with the fear of the bullet Eternal woes come with less noise and therefore with more neglect then others They kill though they do not affright The fear which Christ commands is of him who kils the soul Of this more Part 1 p. 282. What proportion of misery is there between the souls leaving the body and Gods leaving the soul Bodily miseries are but opinionative and appearing
written in the heart can command and change the heart and destroy in it the love and propension to sin Here is clearly applicable that of the Psalmist Psal 114 5 What ailed thee Oh thousea that thou fleddest thou Jordan that thou wert driven back ye mountains that ye skipped like Rams and ye little hills like Lambs The answer is Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord. Who but God can stop the Sun in its career and make it go backward Who but he can stop a Saul in his Journey and make him go back as well in heart as in body and become more earnest in praying then ever now he was in persecuting The Church complaing that she was as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoak Jer. 31.18 aptly adds Turn thou me and I shall be turned The giving of a clean heart is a work of Creation Create it in me saith David Nor is the Goodnesse of God herein less observable then his Power How great is that love which doth us good against our wills and turned us when we were running greedily to our own destruction when we regarded the perswasions of men no more then doth the wild Ass as Job speaks the cry of the Driver When all the means which friends parents Job 39.7 Ministers could use to reclaim us were lost upon us nay we much worse as was the woman in the Gospel by going to the Physician then what love was it nay was it not for Christ to teach to touch the heart and to turn us when we had run even to Hel gates Nor was the smartest dispensation the most unpleasing stop the most pricking thorny hedg any other then an unspeakable mercy that hindred thee from finding thy way to Hell and running greedily to thine own damnation How much better was it to be diverted then damned 7. They who strive to hinder sinners in their course Observ 7. are like to meet with unkind returnes of opposition Till God turnes their hearts how angry are men with stops and vexed that bridges are broken down when they are running greedily and marching furiously All the hatred which Ministers meet with is because they would stop sinners in their way to hell and will not suffer them to be at peace when they are going on to eternal paines Never did any meet with so many cruel and bloody contradictions from sinners as he who in his life Doctrin and death did most oppose sin Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth saith Paul He who was sent to turn people from Satan to God had all the rage of people and Satan turned against him Hatred saith Luther is the Genius of the Gospel Sauls Javelin followed Davids Musick It s very likely that he who is quiet among sinners suffers them to be quiet in sin We should pity sinners though nay because they oppose us if we turn them they will love and thank us and whensoever they come to be their own friends they will be ours However the Lord will reward even unsuccessful faithfulness and to be sure we can much better bear hatred from the wicked for doing then from God for neglecting our duty 8. Observ 8. The best way by which to try our sin cerity is willingness to be stopt in any way in which our lusts would make us run most greedily If sinners run greedily and violently after their Lusts then none but Saints can rejoice when they are stopt in the prosecution of them and bless God as David did for Abigails counsel when they are hindred in any sinful career God promiseth to his Elect a thorny hedg Hos 2.6 if they will be gadding and they look upon it as a singular mercy they being thereby turned back to their first husband Only the people of God love that preaching which most opposeth their Lusts and that Angel most or Messenger of God which stands with the drawn Sword of the Word to hinder them in their unlawful journey Exangue nobile quoddam Martyrii genus The patient and thankful enduring of stops and stroaks when we are sinning is a very Noble though a bloodless Martyrdom a true note of true grace 9 Observ 9. Men have most cause to suspect their courses are is bad when swift When they run greedily that they run wickedly when they run fast that they run wrong When we are in any way of God commonly we do but go or rather creep but in the way of sin after the Error of Balaam we are ready to run and that greedily too we are here carryed with wind and tide our own inclinations and Satans impulsions the Jewes cryed out against Christ they not so much as whispering against Barabbas It was misguided Zeal when the Disciples desired that fire might come down from heaven When ever we are furious in any March we should fear that we are in Balaams Journey I mean we ought to suspect the goodness of that undertaking wherein we are most violent and to doubt that we are sailing to a wrong Port when with a full gale and a strong tide A smooth if a false way should not delight us nor should a rugged if a right way dishearten us It s no sign thou pleasest God or speakest the Truth because men do not oppose thee in what thou dost or sayest We must be wiser then either Christ or his Apostles if we have got the skil to please the most in doing that which is best The peaceableness of sinners is but impiety not opposed Rather should I hope that what I do is right when wicked men most rage and roar against me for doing it When the Divel roars saith Luther it s a sign I have struck him right that is good which Satan hates To conclude this Embrace no opinion because it is maintained with multitudes and violence Fire and faggot of old were but weak arguments to prove the truth of Transubstantiation As strong passions destroy a good so do they not seldom discover a bad cause 1 Cor. 4.19 Non vociferatio sed ratio Paul resolved to know not the speech but the power of them who were puffed up The worship of Diana is cryed up with more rage then that of the true God is advanced with Zeal 10 Observ 10. Little do they who run down the hill know where they shall stop These Seducers poured forth themselves to the utmost Who knows in what a sad agreement the very Parley and Treaty with any Lust may end The more modest motions which it makes at first may end in an excessive immoderate pouring forth and a profuse spending of what we have and are our time estates yea strength of body and soul and all which is in our power to bestow upon it Men foolishly may think that when they have gone thus or thus far they will go no further and stop at their pleasure and that their Lusts will grow dry as he in
in the coldest winter the brightest Stars in the darkest night Phil. 2.15 In the mids of a crooked and perverse nation the godly shine as lights Lots righteous soul was vexed with the unclean conversation of the wicked and Davids eyes ran down with rivers of tears when he saw Gods Law broken What a work of power is it that a sea of ungodliness should in stead of damping redouble the heat of a Saints love to holinesse Aut inveniet sine crimine aut tollet sine patrocinâ—e Aug. Further God will hereby either better the wicked or render them inexcusable either their living among his people shall change or condemn them either the holy conversation of Saints shall turn the hearts or stop the mouths of sinners they shall not be able to plead ignorance of their duty when they have been instructed by the language of lip and life Though Noah by preparing the Ark saved his own house yet he condemned the world Heb. 11.7 To conclude by the company of wicked men God makes his people more prize communion with himself long for heaven where there shall be neither sin nor sinner to molest them where they shall no longer sojourn in Meshech Psal 120 5 6. nor dwell in the tents of Kedar nor their souls with them which hate peace Heaven would not be sweet if the world were not bitter nor the company of Saints in glory be so desirable were it not for the unkindness of and vexation by sinners on earth Oh how sweet will that condition be where all the society shall be of one mind How melodious that chore which shall ever sing without any jarring any discord Till which condition let us what ever our times where ever we abide neither impatiently complain of God nor sinfully comply with the ungodly but account it our duty to do the wicked what good we can if we cannot do them what good we would to be careful that they maynot and comforted that they cannot do us that harm they would but contrarily both by their company yea and unkindnesses that good they would not 7. Feasting is not ever unlawful The Christians here are not blamed for their chear Observ 7. but warned of their guests The holiest men in Scripture we read have made Feasts as Abraham Lot Isaac David Solomon Gen. 19.3 21.8 36.30 Nehemiah also and Ezra Nehem. 8.10 commanded the people to eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing was prepared 2 Sam. 3.20 Luke 5.29 John 2.1.8 And more then once I read of our Saviours honouring of a feast with his presence God hath provided not only for our necessity but also lawful delight and his bounty reacheth not only to our being but honest solace nor doth it only give us naked lives but lives clothed with many comforts that we may more then live even live cheerfull When Christs mother told him they had no Wine he turns Water into Wine even to a very great proportion he thought it not enough that they should have water to quench their thirst he gives them also Wine to chear their spirits and it being at a feast that quantity which at another time had been superfluous was now but necessary A man may be angry so he sin not and take lawful delights so he surfet not why hath God given man such choice of earthly delights but for his use Some observe that God hath made more creatures serving for the delights of man then for his necessity and certainly he hath made nothing in vain The whole Earth full of his goodness is a well-furnisht table if we altogether fast we shew our selves but sullen guests some indeed have run from the world and to avoid the danger of pleasure have changed places of plenty for solitary and barren mountains and deserts but may not the world be in a desart a boyling desire in a neglected body Did not Hierom find Rome in his heart when onely rocks and bushes were in his eye but God hath appointed a better way then this the wiseman will be an Hermite at home and it s a much more Christian practice to turn the world out of our selves then our selves out of the world we may distinguish between the love of pleasure and the use of it we may warm our selves in the Sun without worshipping it we may be merry without being mad and get crucified affections to our lawful and delightful comforts and without this inward mortification upon the heart notwithstanding our leaving of outward enjoyments we shal be snared as the Bird which though getting loose from the stone to which she was tyed yet flying with the string about her leg is in danger to be eutangled in every bough But yet 8. Observ 8. Gluttony is a great sin It was here the sin of these Seducers they fed themselves though among men yet not like men but beasts and all their food was but fewel for their lusts Peter joyns their feasting and their eyes full of adultery together 2 Pet. 2.13 14. Several * Schoolmen reduce them all to five heads Praeproperè lautè nimis ardenter studiosè ways is the sin of Gluttony committed 1. As first when men offend in the quantity of what they eat when they eat and drink in too great abundance its lawful sometimes to exceed in provision but never to exceed the bounds of moderation We are forbidden Prov. 23.20 to be among riotous eaters of flesh the feasting of the Ancients was called but eating of bread and Christ Luke 21.14 bids us take heed lest our hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness That proportion of meat I confesse surchargeth the stomacks of some which perhaps is not enough to satisfie the hunger of another as that quantity of rain will make a clay ground drunk which will scarce quench the thirst of a sandy country but this I fear not to assert that we offend in the excessive quantity of our food when at any time we eat so much as to be disabled to perform the service which we owe to God ether in our general or particular Callings Fulnesse of bread was one of Sodoms sins Moderate showers refresh the earth immoderate drown it Nor yet are men onely gluttons by overcharging their stomacks but also by overcharging their estates spending that in superfluity which they should use for necessity 2 When we offend in the quality of our food * Procul sint à conviviis tuis phasides aves crassi turtures attagen Ionicus omnes aves quibus amplissima patrimonia avolant Hier. Ep. 9. ad Salvinam Sufficit ut condimenta fiant comestibilia non concupiscibilia Bern. Palatum tuum fames excitet non sapores Sen Satius est demere de prophano addere ad Sacrum quam demere de Sacro addere ad prophanum Proverb Judaic And that 1. When our meat is too costly What we eat is put into
seat and pavillion is in heaven above The circular round figure of the heavens teacheth us the infiniteness and perfection of the maker The firmness and stability of the heavens declares Gods truth and unchangeableness whose word is their pillar the safety likewise of that place to lay up our treasures in their swift motion and revolution in 24. houres instructs us of the readiness and swiftness which we should express in duty The light of heaven of so unknown a nature shewes us the incomprehensible nature of God The diffusiveness and Comfortableness of light speaks what Comfort is in the light of his face which as light though imparted to thousands yet is not impaired or made lesse for the good of others The purity of light contracting no filthiness though looking into it teacheth us his holiness who though he sees sin every where yet loves it no where and is ever in an irreconcileable opposition against all the works of darkness The oneness brightness purity greatnesse influences eclypses of the Sun teach us the sun of righteousness the Lord Christ is the only Saviour most swift to help the brightness of his fathers glory holy powerfull infinitely usefull and beneficiall the directer enlivener cherisher of his Church and all this though darkned once eclipsed and clouded with a naturall body and sufferings The moon her borrowing of light from the Sun her changes spots inferiority governing of the night disappearing at the arising of the Sun speaks the dependency of the Church upon Christ her many changes and various conditions in this life her defects and deformities subordination to Christ as also the uncertainty and variableness of every worldly condition the smalness and lownes of all earthly enjoyments their spotedness with many cares fears wants their usefulnesse onely while we are in the night of this world their disappearing and vanishing when the sun of righteousness shall come in glory The stars in respect of the constancy continuance of their Courses in their orbes Communicativenesse of light differing one from another their glistering and influences declare the stability of Gods promises to his Church which can never be broken Jer. 31.35 our duty to continue in our own sphere to afford our help and light to them who stand in need The different degrees likewise of grace and glory hereafter the clearest shining of grace in the night of affliction Of the Clouds we have spoken before The ayre also by its invisibleness ubiquity preservation of our life should minde us that God is though he be not seen that he is every where within me without me included in excluded from no place the preserver also of our lives in whom we live move and have our beings The windes by their thinness piercing powerfull motions freedom inconstancy teach us as Gods invisibility his irresistable power in his works of nature and grace the free motion of the spirit and the secret working thereof in the heart Job 3.7 Motum scimus nescimus modum Job 7.3 so the vanity and levity of man and all humane things the inability of any Creature to withstand God the misery of those who are not built upon Christ as their rock and foundation the unsetledness of the erroneous tossed with every wind of doctrine Of the earth likewise with the creatures there as well as the heavens should we make a spirituall improvement Speak to the earth saith Job 12.18 and it shall teach thee How excellint saith David is thy name in all the earth The earth then by its hanging on nothing its stability plenty lowness the labouring about it and its receiving of seed instructs us of the infinite power and strength of God the ability of his word to sustain the burdens of the soul the riches of his throne whose foot-stool is so deckt Gods goodnesse to sinful man in spreading and furnishing for him such a table his care for his people he so cloathing the grass of the field and providing for the very beasts the unsutablenesse of pride to man the earth being his mother whence he came and whither he goeth it teacheth us also wisdome to get our hearts above these drossy earthly objects and to have our conversation in heaven the pains also which we ought to take to dig deep for wisdome which is more precious than gold and to receive the seed of the word into a prepared soyl a good and honest heart The trees upon the earth in respect of their variety of sorts growth shelter fruitfulnesse decay teach us that difference which is among men some are wild trees of the wood and of the field without the Church others are planted in the garden and ortyard of the Church some have neither the fruits of holinesse nor the leaves of profession others have leaves who are without fruit others trees of righteousness have both some are as the taller Cedars some as the lower shrubs some are rich and noble some poor and contemptible in the world but when both are turned to ashes then both alike the ashes of a beggar are as good as those of a King Some men fall by old age and want of natural moysture others are before their time cut down in their green years with the ax of death There is no spiritual growth or continuance unlesse we draw life from Christ our root the more pruning watring and heavenly influences God bestowes upon us the more fruitful should we be the more laden with fruit the more we should bow our selves down in humility and communicativenesse the very grasse tels us we are withering creatures and that the flourishing condition of the wicked is much more withering The corn dying and fructifying teacheth us the resurrection Ask now the beasts saith Job and they shall teach thee They all teach us the greatnesse of his possessions and riches whose are the beasts upon a thousand hils also the thankful knowing and owning of God the ox knoweth his owner and the ass his Masters crib The Lion teacheth us the strength of Christ and the cruelty of Satan In the horse and mule we see our untaught and refrectary nature In the sheep our disposition to wander and our duty to hear and follow our shepherd and our helplessness without him also his meeknesse and patience Ut pastor docebat ut ovis silâ—bat Aug. who as a sheep before the shearers was dumb and opened not his mouth In the lamb likewise observe him who was brought as a lamb to the slaughter who was a lamb for innocency and gentlenesse a sacrificed Lamb for spotlessenesse and satisfaction The dog and swine wil mind us of the uncleannesse of sinners and especially of the odiousness of Apostacy which is a turning to the vomit and to the wallowing in the mire The serpent teacheth us wisdome to preserve our selves Psal 22. Job 12.7 The very ant providence and diligence to lay up for the future The despicable worm represents the lownesse of him for our sin who was
two respects might their words be called swelling 1. in respect of the things that they spake 2. Of their manner of speaking them 1. In respect of the things they spake and that 1. of God and so they might speak great swelling words against him either when they blasphemed him in their murmuring and complaining of his providences or otherwise in uttering blasphemous expressions against his glorious and divine excellencies We read of those who set their mouth against the heavens Psal 73.9 and of the beast it s said Rev. 13.5 That there was given him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies * 2 Thes 2.4 Oraclis vocis mundi moderaris babenas Et merito in terris crederis esse Deus Omnia quae Dei quae Christi sunt sibi usurpat Tollit pec cata mâ—ndi dominans à mari ad mare Leo de tribu Judae Radix David mundi Salvator Antichrist exalteth himself above all that is called God Pope Nicholas blasphemously decreed that the Pope was not subject to the secular power because God could not be judged by man The Pope calls himself a god on earth to him he saith is given all power in heaven and in earth he takes away the sins of the world he is the lion of the tribe of Judah the Saviour of the world c. 2. They might speak great swelling words in respect of others 1. Magistrates of whom they spake evil and whom they despised and from subjection to whom they openly professed that they were exempted 2. Illi acclamatur Tu es omnia et super omuia tibi data est omnis potestas in coelo et in terrâ Vid. Paraeum in Apoc. 13. v. 3 Their words in respect likewise of common persons might be swelling as 1. by threatning curses against them who would not embrace their errors Threatning words are swelling words Thus Goliah Rabshakeh Jezabel Benhadad uttered their swelling threats 2. By great and swelling defamations making their throats open sepulchres to bury the names of those who opposed them they being valiant in calumniation but weak in consutation they spake evil of what they knew not 3. By promising great and admirable priviledges of peace pleasure liberty to those who would embrace their errors Thus we read 2 Pet. 2.18 while they spake great swelling words of vanity they allure others through the lusts of the flesh i.e. by promising pleasure and v. 19 they promised them liberty like Mountebanks they proclaimed the vertue of their salves the better to put them off Thus the false prophet Zedekiah making him horns of iron promised that with those the King should push the Syrians til he had destroyed them Thus the divel that great Seducer promised to Christ all the kingdomes of the world and their glory if he would fall down and worship him Matth. 4.9 3. Their words were swelling in regard of Omnes tument omnes scientiam pollicentur ante sunt perfecticatechumeni quam edocti Ipsae mulieres haereticae quam procaces quae audeant do cere contendere exorcismis agere curationes repromittere forsan et tingere Tert. de praescrip c. 41. themselves and those of their own party whom they voiced and cried up with ful mouths for their knowledge and piety hence they arrogated to themselves the title of Gnâ—sticks or knowing men and perfect ones they commended themselves as if they alone had the monopoly of wisdome and had only insight into deep and profound mysteries as if all others in comparison of them were poor short-sighted people and as far short of them for quick-sightednesse as the owl is short of the Eagle Thus Tertullian describes them when he saith They all swel they all promise wisdom they are perfect catechumens before they are taught how mallapert are the very women who are so bold as to teach contend c. Iraeneus likewise describing the pride of the Gnosticks saith Perfectos seipsos vocant quasi nemo possit exaequari magnitudini agnitionis ipsorum nec si Paulum aut Petrum vocas vel alterum quendam apostolum sed plus omnibus se cognovisse et magnitudinem agnitionis solos ebibisse esse autem se in altitudine supra omnem virtutem c. Iren. l. 1. c. 9. Matrem habent iniquitatis suae superbiam dum semper se scire altiora jactitant Hier. in Hos 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Paedag c. 6. Indicatur haereticos resonare vociferari mugire sonum sine fructu emittere in clamore vocisque contentione victoriae summam constitnere Lorin in 2 Pet. 2.18 they call themselves perfect as if none were able to equalize them for the greatnesse of their knowledg as if Peter or Paul or any of the Apostles were inferior to them for knowledge the greatnesse whereof they make as if they had drunk up and devoured boasting of such an height as if they were above all vertue Pride saith Jerom is the mother of their iniquity while they boast of their knowledg in the highest mysteries They thinke higher of themselves saith Clemens Alexandrinus then ever did the Apostle Arius that pestilent heretique as Athanasius reports proudly boasted that he had received his doctrine from the elect of God men that knew God and had received the anointing of the Spirit But concerning the high boastings of heretiques I have spoken before part 1. pag. 270. as also p. 322 c. of this part 2. They might be said to speak swelling words in respect of the manner of speaking those things which they utterd and that both in respect 1. Of their voice and 2. Stile 1. In respect of their voice it might be with that hight and loudnesse which savoured of a proud boysterousness Peter 2 Ep. 2.18 mentioning their speaking great swelling words useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies their lifting up their voices and making a great noise a bellowing or roaring like beasts as if these seducers placed their victory in the loud Contention of their voices Thus the Idolatrous Ephesians lifted up their voices to the hight when they cride out with so much rage Great is Diana of the Ephesians Act. 19.28.34 2. In respect of their stile or phrase wherein they utterd what they spake It hath been the course of seducers to speak bubbles of words sublime straines strong lines big and new expressions that they being not understood may be admired what they want in the weight of matter they make up in the perswasivenesse of wooing words Their novell doctrines were clothed with new and formerly unheard of expressions They layd aside the forme of wholsome words 1 Tim. 1.13 1 Tim. 6.3.4 Or as Chrysosteme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new coynd expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disputationes instituunt de rebus obscurioribus eas etiam sermonis inumbrando novâ quadam obscuritate et vocabulorum recens excogitatorum barbaric Lor in 2 Pet. 2.13 consented not to it but being proud they doted