The agreement thereof with the delivery of faith or how faith may be said to be once delivered 3. Why the Apostle adds this expression Once to the delivery of faith amplifying it this way For the first The word Once is taken two wayes in Scripture and ordinary usage 1. As 't is opposed to inconstancy deficiency Nullâ reparabilis arte laesa pudicitia est deperit illa semel Ovid. cessation or uncertainty of continuance and so once is as much as firmly constantly irrevocably alwayes Thus God saith Psal 89.36 Once have I sworn by my holinesse that I will not lie unto David that is my oath is irrevocable nor is there any danger of inconstancy What I have sworn shall surely be accomplish'd 2. Once is taken as 't is opposed to reiteration repetition or frequency either of the being or doing of any thing and so once is as much as once and no more Once for all Once and not again Once and only once When a thing is done so fully and perfectly that it need not or should not or cannot be done again Thus Heb. 9.28 Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many And Heb. 10.10 we read of the offering of Christ once for all And Abishai 1 Sam. 26.8 desired to smite Saul once promising that he would not smite him the second time 2. For the second Both these significations agree most aptly and sutably to the delivery of the doctrine of faith For 1. The faith is once delivered as once is opposed to deficiency or cessation that is firmly and irrevocably delivered It shall ever be it shall never be quite taken away from the Church 1 Pet. 1.25 it endureth for ever As the habit of faith shall never cease in the soul so the doctrine of faith shall never cease in the world It 's a candle that all the winds of hell can never blow out a flame that all the waters of trouble can never extinguish Thus it 's called Rev. 14.6 the eternall Gospel never to be destroyed it shall ever be in the Scripture Ministry hearts and profession of a number of men My word saith God shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth and for ever Isai 59.21 Christ promiseth to be with his Ministers to the end of the world Mat. 28.19 The servants of Christ shall trade in the spirituall Merchandise of faith till he come Luke 19.13 The people of God in the use of the Lords Supper shall set forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 And the work of the Ministry with the edifying of the body thereby shall continue till we all meet c. Ephes 4.13 That the doctrine of faith shall ever continue in one place is not asserted but that it shall ever in some place is certain It 's not for the dignity of Christ the King of his Church ever to suffer his Scepter to be wrested out of his hands It 's not consistent with the safety integrity health life c. of the Church in this her condition of constant exigency to be deprived of the doctrine which is given her for armour a rule medicine food It 's as easie for enemies to pluck the Sun out of the Firmament as this faith out of the Church The whole power and policy of hell hath been imployed for that purpose sixteen hundred years Could it have been done it had been done long before now 2. The faith is once delivered as once is opposed to frequency or reiteration it is once and no more Once for all Once and not again to be delivered in respect it shall never be delivered again with any change or alteration which it is to receive It 's a work done so well Semel traditam doctrinam dicit quae nunquam sit posthac immutanda Beza in loc that it need not be done again because it cannot be done better And thus the doctrine of salvation may be said to be once or unalterably delivered both in respect of the matter of it and the present manner of administring it 1. In respect of the matter it never was nor ever shall be changed The same Saviour of man and Mediatour between God and man hath unalterably been afforded Christ Jesus the same yesterday and to day Heb. 13.8 Rev. 13.8 Acts 4.12 and for ever He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world There never was any other but his Name by which salvation at any time was bestowed All even those before and after Christ have drank of the same spirituall rock 1 Cor. 10.4 1 John 29. Ephes 5.23 Gal. 1.7 1 Cor. 3.11 Christ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world not he the sin of some ages and another of other ages of the world He is the Saviour of the whole body No other Gospel can be preached but the glad tidings of life by Christ Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ As Christ so the doctrine of life by Christ is the same yesterday to Adam the Patriarchs and Prophets To day to the Apostles and for ever to all following Saints It 's a testament wherein all the legacies of grace and glory are bequeathed and therefore as the Apostle argues it is unalterable Gal. 3.15 The rule of life the holy Law of God is a standing and unalterable rule Whatsoever is a sin against the morrall Law now was a sin alwayes duties required now by it were duties alwayes Peace is the portion now and it was ever the portion of them that walked according to it The ransom from death and standing rule of life were ever one and the same 2. The doctrine of salvation is once i. e. unalterably delivered now in respect of the present manner of administration namely by Ministers preaching and Sacraments c. No other form or manner of exhibiting the benefits by Christ can be introduced In respect of this manner of administration and exhibition of the benefits of the Gospel without legall types shadows and sacrifices it 's called the New Testament And it 's called new because it 's to be alway new Novum quia semper novum and never grow old as the former did Should there ever be another manner of administration admitted it must be called The new Testament and so either this must be called Old and then there must be two Old Testaments the former and this 〈◊〉 this must still be called new and so there should be granted two New Testaments Besides this last way of administration of the benefits of the Gospel being instituted by Christ himself it should much derogate from the dignity of Christ if another way should afterward be thought more excellent and perfect Heb. 1.2 God in these last times hath spoken saith the Apostle by his Son and therfore delivered his will more excellently and
lawes In a word as if because Christ bestows an heavenly he takes away earthly Crowns Thus the Papists pervert the grace of God who turn his grace Docent Christianum Magistratus partibus omnino non posse defungi nullúmque se in Ecclesia Magistratum agnoscere quà m Christū Colloqu Emdan Act. 112. §. 1. Non licet Christianis tolerare regem haereticum c. Bel. lib. 5. de Rom. Pon. c. 7. in giving to his Church the power of the Keyes to open and shut heaven into an instrument of rebellion against lawfull Magistrates deposing them and freeing subjects from their Allegeance whom they stir up to seditions and conspiracies though obedience for conscience sake be a divine command and resistance of lawfull Authority have a divine commination and that no lesse then damnation Thus the Anabaptists from the grace of the New Testament and our freedom purchased by Christ teach the unlawfulnesse of Magistracy and of obedience to it pretending that it infringeth the liberty of our consciences which are only subject to God Whereas the bond of conscience consists not in the particular lawes of men but in the generall command of God the conscience being bound to obey Gods command of obeying Magistrates 3. 1 Cor. 8.9 When the grace of God in the liberty which it affords is abused to the offence of the weak consciences of our brethren When we remit nothing of the extremity of that right and power we have in things of indifferent nature Rom. 15.15 1 Cor. 7.23 Gal. 5.13 1 Cor. 9.19 Omnia libera per fidem omnia serva per charitatem Luth. to please our neighbonr for his good unto edification Although we must not be the servants of men yet we must by love serve one another yea all that by all means we may with the Apostle win some Wee should be perswaded with the perswasion of faith that all things are lawfull and yet we should resolve for charity sake to forbear the use of many things if we find them inexpedient and as well consider what is usefull for others as lawfull for our selves 4. When the grace of God is abused in the excessive immoderate enjoyment of things in themselves lawfull When men think they are limited to no measure in the enjoyment of a lawfull comfort suppose recreation diet apparell c. As if because the thing is lawfull to be used therefore all use of that thing is lawfull as if lawfull things could not be used unlawfully He who alwayes goeth as far as he may sometimes goeth further than he should Satan never falls upon us so much to our disadvantage as when he lyes in ambush behind our lawfull enjoyments 5. When the grace of God is abused to the casting off our obedience to the law of God as a Rule When men will discharge themselves from duty to because God dischargeth them from condemnation by the Law and because grace frees from sin therefore they will sin freely as if because God prohibits the opinion of works therefore he dispenceth with the performance of works That we are by nature apt Scholers to learn this hellish Sophistrie it 's plain by Paul's supposition that some would conclude from the doctrine of free Justification by Christ that they might continue in sin to the end that grace might abound and that evill might be done Heb. 6.1 that good might come of it that there are some who are forward to teach it is cleer from Peter's description of Seducers who allure people through much wantonnesse 1 Pet. 2.19 promising them liberty Conformable to whom are 1. the Antinomians who from the grace of God in mitigating the Law would infer an utter abrogation of the Law denying that it hath a directive regulating power over a beleever True it is the Law is abrogated 1. In respect of Justification beleevers expecting acceptation from God not for what they are or do but by relying upon Christ 2. In respect of condemnation Christ having been made a curse for them 3. In respect of compulsion by terrour so far as they are regenerate there being in them a delight in the Law 4. In respect of rigid and perfect obedience imperfect Phil. 2.24 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 8. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if sincere obedience being accepted through Christ though by the Law we are obliged to that which is perfect 5. In respect of the irritation and increase of sin by the Law it not stirring up but subduing corruption in beleevers who partake of sanctifying grace But yet as a Rule of life it ever continues even to beleevers That the Ceremonial law vanisheth decayeth waxeth old is broken down changed disannulled abrogated the Scripture testifieth but not one of these words are used concerning the Morall Law And of what doth the Spirit of God more frequently admonish beleevers than not to refuse obedience to the Law under pretext of Christian liberty Gal. 5.13 Vse not your liberty as an occasion to the flesh not taking a rise as the word signifieth from your deliverance from the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Noli libertate abuti ad liberè peccandum Aug. Tr. 41. in Johan to the satisfying of your lusts And 2 Pet. 2.16 Vse not your liberty as a cloak of maliciousnesse i. e. Abuse not your liberty by grace to cover licenciousnesse in sin In a word If disobedience to the Law be still a sin in the beleever the power of the Law is not abolished For there can be no sin unlesse it be a transgression of a Law 2. The Papists abuse the grace of God to a rejecting of the law who from the doctrine of absolving repenting sinners plead for a power in the Pope to give Licenses and Indulgences to the greatest of sins who for his Corban forgives sins both past and future both alike and sends his Briefs to be left in as many Countries as he pleaseth for granting liberty to sin for many yeers to come the price whereof is set by the Court of Faculties in Rome which fils up the measure of Europe's sins by exhausting of Europe's Revenues How great a wantonness must this produce Why should any rich man now care how he live or die seeing all shall be well with him for a little money 3. For the Third Wherein appears the sinfulnesse of turning this grace into lasciviousnesse 1. It comprehends the sin of hypocrisie Sin is the fouler for receiving a cover To do that which is in it self evill must needs offend God but to do evill by appearing to do the contrary comprehends both the sin it self which we endeavour to hide and a sinning by endeavouring to hide it to the sin it self is added a practicall lye by speaking in our practice that we are and do contrary to what we are or doe As God is a God of pure eyes he hates all sin but as he
hurt few Let all means be tryed before the last be used A Magistrate must not be bloody when he sheds blood the Master Bee alone is they say without a sting If a Butcher may not be of the Jury much lesse may he be a Judge In a doubtfull case it is better to spare many nocent then to punish one innocent nor must vehement suspicion but clear evidence satisfie a Judge Punishment delayed Potest poena delata exigi non potest exacta revocari may afterward be executed but being once executed cannot be recalled and even when the Malefactor is condemned the man should be comiserated though as an offender his blood be debased yet as a man it is precious This for the Explication of the first thing considerable in this part Dominion In the second wee are to enquire What is to be understood by Despising of Dominion The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Beza properly signifies to remove something out of the place as unworthy any longer to abide and remain therein Propriè signicat aeliquid suo loco ut indignum amovere Bez. in 6 Mar. 26 and it is in Scripture either spoken of Persons or Things when of Persons it is declared saith he most fitly by disdain or contemn as Mar. 6.26 Luk. 10.16 1 Thes 4 8. and it is spoken of Things properly which being removed from their place are accounted of no value effect or force and thus it is declared by rejecting Luk. 7.30 Disannulling Gal. 3 15. Casting off 1 Tim. 5.12 and here because we reject that which we despise it s rendred despise Now these Seducers did not reject disanull cast off governing so as to make it cease to be that was not in their power but in their judgement desires insinuations and as much as in them was they laboured to make it accounted void abrogated and of no value or force And their pretence for this practice was the liberty which was by Jesus Christ purchased for them with which they taught that obedience to Magistrates was inconsistent This seems to be plain by that more generall sin which the Apostle layes to their charge ver 4. Of turning the grace of our God into wantonnesse Of this more hath been said upon that place i.e. the goodnesse of God in bestowing liberty by Christ into Libertinism And hence it was that these Seducers 2 Pet. 2.19 allured their poor seduced followers under the pretence of liberty obtained by Christ 2 Pet. 2.19 to all manner or wickednesse and licenciousnesse of life bearing them in hand that as they were not now bound to any holinesse of life so particularly that Christ having redeemed them they were free from all subjection and obedience to others A Doctrine which as its very taking with flesh and blood so is it frequently by the Apostles Paul and Peter opposed who grant indeed a liberty wherewith Christ hath made a Christian free Gal. 5.13 1 Pet. 2.16 but yet withall they add that this liberty is spirituall a liberty from the law sin death and hell not an immunity from civill obedience and therefore not to be used for an occasion to the flesh or for a cloak of maliciousnesse Nor indeed is any thing further from truth then that because of Spirituall liberty Christians should be free from civill subjection For as this liberty exempts us not from obedience to the commands of God for as the Apostle saith Rom. 6.18 Being made free from sin we became the servants of Righteousnesse and ver 22. servants to God so neither doth it exempt from obedience to the Magistrate ordained by God Yea so far are the godly commands of a Magistrate from opposing spirituall liberty that they rather advance it for true liberty stands in the chusing of good and the rejecting of evill and this is furthered by the righteous commands of superiors Licenciousnesse is not liberty but slavery and makes inners to affect their owne insensible bondage 3. Quamvis in acquisitione usu potestatis potest esse deordinatio tamen in ipso ordine superioritatis in quo consistit Dominium non potest esse deordinatio sicut ordo non potest esse deordinatus Vid. Durandum de Origine jurisdictionum Aug. de C. D. l. 5. c. 21. Et. qu. ex vet Test c. 35. Aug. Tr. 116. in Joh. Gerh. in 2 Pe. 2 Pareum in Rom. 1 King 15.27 1 Kin. 16.2.7 1 Kin. 14.14 Dan. 4.17 25. Pro. 8.15 Lastly by way of Explication we shall enquire upon what ground the Apostle condemns them for this Despising of Dominion Of this briefly 1 This was a sin against an Ordinance of God By me Kings reign Prov. 8.15 There is no power saith the Apostle but of God The Powers that be are ordained of God And though Magistracy be an Ordinance of man in regard of the subject it being born by man the object it being imployed about men the end also the good of men the kinde or sort thereof left unto the choice of severall Nations yet not in regard of the Invention or Institution thereof which is onely from God In it are considerable also The Power it self The Acquisition thereof and the Execution of it The acquisition may be from the Divell by bribery fraud cruelty intrusion invasion The execution or manner of using this power may be from him likewise as when Superstition is set up in stead of Religion and cruelty for equity by those who govern But Authority it selfe Dominion Principality are from God though not Tyranny Riches gotten by Usury Extortion c. cease not to be good in themselves yea and the gifts of God And as the owner of these unjustly procured riches may be said to be a rich man and he who hath Learning though procured by unlawfull means may be said to be a learned man so the possessor of a most unjustly obtained Authority may be said to be a Magistrate and in Authority 2. This sin of the Seducers was a sin against the welfare and happinesse of the Publick They being weary of Magistracy were weary of all the comforts and blessings of Peace and in being desirous to throw down the pillars they endeavoured to pull down the building upon their own and others heads What would Nations be without Government but the dens of wild beasts Judah and Israel dwelt safely every one under his vine and fig-tree all the dayes of Solomon 1 Kin. 4.25 Even Nebuchadnezzar was a tree under which beasts of the field had shadow in whose boughs the fowls of the heaven dwelt and of which all flesh was fed Dan. 4.12 The funerals of a Political Parent millions of Children wil celebrate with tears Over Saul who was wicked and tyrannical doth David bid the daughters of Israel to weep who clothed them in scarlet 2 Sam. 1.24 Nor was it according to some any of the best of Kings who is called the breath of our nostrils Lam. 4 22. And it 's observable when God
AN EXPOSITION Of the EPISTLE of St JUDE Together With many large and useful DEDUCTIONS LATELY Delivered in XL LECTURES In Christ-Church LONDON BY WILLIAM JENKYN Minister of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST The FIRST PART but not printed as it was p … thed 1 TIM 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall depart from the faith TIT. 1.9 Holding fast the faithfull word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. adv Haer. l. 1. Tom. 2. haer 25. p. mihi 92 London Printed by Th. Maxey for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the golden BALL in Pauls Church-yard 1653. To the Right Worshipfull and other my Beloved and Christian Friends Inhabitants in the Parish of CHRIST-CHURCH LONDON THE Souls of men may as certainly be destroyed by poysoning as starving If Satan cannot hinder from some kind of tasting and receiving the grace of the Gospel he often perverts it poysonfully by making men to turn it into lasciviousnesse and even by freedome from sin to allow themselves in sinning freely The Seducers crept into the Church in Jude's time under pretence of Christian Liberty introduced unchristian Libertinism No cheaper stuffe then Grace would serve their turns wherewith to cloath lasciviousnesse and no other Patron then the Lord Christ himselfe to protect their impieties Whether they were the Disciples of Simon Magus or Nicolaitans or Gnosticks as Epiphanius thinks I much enquire not sure I am they were of the Synagogue of Satan he was both their Father and Master whom they resembled and whose works they did In this Epistle the Apostle Jude not only with Holy zeal opposeth them himself but sounds a Trumpet for the rousing up the Christians upon whose Quarters these Seducers had fallen to surprise their Treasure the Doctrine of Faith earnestly to contend for the preservation of so precious a Depositum once and once for all delivered to their keeping The Arguments used by the Apostle are Cogent his Directions Prudent and probable it is that his Pains were in some degree Successfull I know no Spiritually skilfull Observer but apprehends too great a Resemblance between the faces of those and our times Sins in our dayes are not only committed under the enjoyment but in pretence by the encouragement of grace men who now dare not sin are by some derided as ignorant of their Christian liberty and evident it is that many live as if being delivered from the fear of their enemies they were delivered from the fear and service of their Deliverer and as if the Blood of the Passeover were not intended by God to be sprinkled upon the door posts to save them but upon the threshould of the door for them to trample upon Beloved friends if God hath appointed that you should resemble these Christians to whom Jude wrote in the danger of your times it s your duty to imbrace the directions delivered to these Christians for your defence from those dangers A gracious heart considers not how bitter but how true not how smart but how seasonable any truth is My aime in the publishing these Lectures is to advance holinesse and so far as I could do it with following the mind of the Apostle to oppose those sins which if people hate not most are like to hurt them most and to advance those duties with which if people be not most in love yet in which they are most defective and thereby most indangered And now again I beseech you that I may testifie my unfayned affection as well by my Epipistle as my Book labour to keep close to God in a loose age spend not your time in complaining of the licentiousnesse of the times in the mean while setting up a toleration in your own Hearts and Lives That private Christian who doth not labour to oppose prophancnesse with a river of tears would never if he could bear it down with a stream of power Lay the foundation of Mortification deep Reserve no lust from the stroke of Jesus Christ Take heed of pleasing your selves in a bare formall profession Labour to be rooted in Christ He who is but a visible Christian may in a short time cease to be so much as visible He who speaks of Christ but notionally may in time be won to speak against him Love not the world Beware of scandals take them not where they are make them not where they are not the common sin of our times to black Religion and then to fear and hate it Despise not the providences of God in the world they are signs of Gods mind though not of his love Delight in the publick Ordinances and highly esteem of faithfull Ministers they and Religion are commonly blasted together Shun Seducers sit down under a Minister as well as under a Preacher He who will hear everyone may at length be brought to hear none and he who will hear him preach who ought not may soon be left to learn that which he ought not Preserve a tender conscience Every step you take fear a snare Read your own hearts in the wickednesse of others Be not slight in Closet-services and oft think of God in your shops for there you think you have least leasure but sure you have most need to do so Let your speech be alway with grace and a word or two of Christ in every company if it may be and yet not out of form but feeling These Lectures here presented might sooner have seen the light had I not lately met with such hinderances sufficiently known as I once expected should have stopp'd them altogether The main of this imployment hath lien upon me since that time which considering my many other Imployments you know hath not been long though otherwise long enough to have performed this work much more exactly I here present you though not with half of the Epistle yet with more then the one half of that which upon the whole I preach'd I have not knowingly left out any passages delivered in the Pulpit The other part I promise in the same Volume with this so soon as God gives strength more leisure if this find acceptance with the Church of God And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Resting Your Servant in the Work of Christ WIL. JENKYN ERRATA PAge 8. line 11. for four read three p. 29. l. 27. for going to him for r. we feel its p. 44. l. 15. for them r. it p. 119. l. 32. for feast r. food p. 121. marg r. differenter p. 123. l. 19 for lover r. love p. 128. l. 5. r. saith the soul p. 152. marg r. beneficentia and under it Nieremb p. 164. l. 9. for may r. might p. 202. marg r. omnes p. 212. l. 8. for explication r. exhortation p. 228. l. 12. r. intrusted p. 234. l. 30. r. invincible p. 266. l. 12. r. opinions marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
c. as well as to our selves should make us love grace Thus much for the third and last particular in the description of the Authour of this Epistle the brother of James and so for the first part of the Title of the Epistle The description of the Penman of it The 2d part of the title or preface of the Epistle viz. The parties to whom the Apostle writes The second part of the Title followeth which is the Description of those persons to whom he wrote which persons are described from a threefold priviledge 1. They are sanctified by God the Father 2. Preserved in Jesus Christ 3. Called Of these in their order The first branch of this description 1. is They are sanctified by God the Father Wherein I consider two Particulars 1. The sort or kinde of the priviledge bestowed upon them viz. Sanctification To them that are sanctified 2. The Author therof or by whom it was bestowed By God the Father 1. Of the kind of Priviledg Sanctification Of which I shall speak 1. By way of Explication of it 1. By way of collecting Observations from it 1. Of the Priviledge Sanctification by way of exposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To them that are sanctified Beza speaks of two Copies that read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence the Vulgar Translation renders it Dilectis This other reading mentioned also by Ro. Steph. and Gagnaeus To them that are beloved of God the Father which manner of speech as Beza well notes is unusuall in Scripture which speaketh of us being for and in Christ beloved of the Father And Estius though a Papist acknowledgeth that the former reading Estius in loc sanctified is not onely more pure but more sutable to the scope and drift of the Apostle who by calling them sanctified would deterr them from and make them take heed of those unholy and impure Seducers against whom he was now about to write The word here used by the Apostle admits of and signifieth in Scripture severall kinds of Sanctification as 1. Sanctification by way of destination or separation To this purpose the Greeks use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 29.44 1 King 9.3 2 Chro. 7.16 Esa 13.3 i.e. when things are separated to an holy use so the Lord sanctified the Sabboth day by separating it from other dayes and appointing it for the duties of his own Service Thus also the Tabernacle the Temple the First-born were sanctified Exod. 13.2 God commandeth Moses to sanctifie all the First-born which he explains ver 12. Thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix 2. There is a sanctification by way of celebration acknowledging manifestation declaration of the goodness of a thing thus the creature sanctifieth the name of the Creator Isa 29.23 They shall sanctifie my name and sanctifie the holy One of Jacob. 3. Sanctification by way of fruition comfortable use and blessed enjoyment of the gifts of God so 1 Cor. 7.14 the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife and 1 Tim. 4.5 Every creature of God is sanctified 4. Sanctification by way of application to apply a thing to such a holy use as God appointed so we sanctifie the Sabboth Exod. 20.8 i.e. imploy it to the holy use for which God ordained it 5. By exhibition introduction or bestowing actuall holinesse by putting holinesse really and properly into one This the Creator only can do to his creature this God doth by his Spirit which is called the holy Ghost and the Spirit of sanctification 2 Thess 2.13 And thus man particularly is sanctified or made holy three wayes 1. Of not holy negatively Ex non sancto negativè and so Christ as he was man was sanctified for there was a time when as Christ had not this holinesse in his humane nature when his humane nature was not 2. Of not holy privatively Ex non sancto privativè and so man that had lost totally his holinesse is made holy by regeneration or effectuall vocation 3. Of lesse holy and so Gods children are sanctified Ex minus sancto by being enabled to the exercise of an actuall mortifying of sin and living in holinesse with proceeding in both The sanctification here spoken of presupposeth the second afterward in the word Called more particularly to be handled and intendeth the third namely the actuall exercise of the abolition of our naturall corruption and the renovation of Gods image in us begun in grace here and perfected in glory hereafter So that this Sanctification stands 1. In an actuall putting off of corrupt qualities Ephes 4.22 23 24. Col. 2 9 10. Rom. 6.2 Gal. 2.20 Gal. 5.24 Rom. 6.8.5 Gal. 6.14 Col. 3.5 Eph. 2.1 2 a putting on the new and sanctified 1 A Buriall 2 a Resurrection 1 A mortification of the old 2 a vivification of the new man 1 One thing is destroy'd and pull'd down 2 Another set up 1 A taking away of what is redundant 2 an addition of what is wanting 1 The killing power of the Cross 2 the quickning power of the Resurrection of Christ 1. Mortification of the old man is the first part of sanctification wherby the strength power and tyranny of sin is weakened and more and more abolish'd like John Baptist it decreaseth like old folks in a house who are going out of the world and crowded out as it were by the younger the heirs The living of the old man is onely as a clog and eye-sore to the new This work of Mortification stands principally in these three acts or degrees of acting 1. An act of discerning 2. Detesting 3. Destroying sin the souls enemy Knowing causeth hatred and hatred puts us upon seeking the destruction of an enemy 1. An act of discerning Sin may hurt us when wee know it not but we not hate it unlesse we know it Sin had deformity always but we had not always eys to see it It was Leah that lay by Jacob all night but he discern'd her not till the morning Sin is now discovered as it is not as it is coloured over by Satan Sin is uncomly onely to a renewed understanding Nature never sets up a light to discover its own deformities Of others its often said They know not what they do In understanding they are children nay brutes they see with Satans spectacles But a renewed minde discerns between things that differ looks upon the old bosom favourite as a traytor there are new apprehensions of the old man The Apostle not without an emphasis speaks of those things wherof we are now ashamed now not formerly nay heretofore sin was gloryed in but now the soul sees its not onely unsafe and its own death but unsutable and the death of Christ It was striking at me saith a gracious heart but Christ step'd between me and the blow Herein standing sins great deformity as that of drunkennesse in a mans wounds 2. Detestation The eye increaseth loathing It cannot
Saints complaints of his wants and deficiences rather prove him covetous then poor his strong appetite rather speaks him healthfull then empty his desires of cloathing rather growing then naked he desires that the Dominions of Christ may be as large as ever were those of Sin even extending to the whole man He is not like an upstart Gallant who unable to furnish himself with new attire for every part is new and adorned in some parts and uncomely in all the rest he labours for furniture for every room to see whole Christ formed to have graces for every faculty There 's no grace he sees in another but he wisheth he had it too he never thinks he hath lived enough or done enough for God he never thinks his work done while he is on this side heaven Who ever was the man that so throughly mortified sin as to leave no life in it who ever had such a degree of spirituall life as not to want a further increase Thy sword must never be thrown away while so many enemies remain The means of preserving a holy life must never cease till grace be consummate in glory He that hath holiness enough never had any Sanctified persons are alwayes adding to grace and taking away from sin Sanctification is a progressive work The least Saint hath grace enough to be thankfull the greatest not enough to be idle To negelect the helps of sanctification never was a Scripture sign of sanctity to live above Ordinances is to live below a Saint Abstinence from spirituall food is so far from proving a strong Christian that it proves but a sick Christian at the best He who gives over never truly began he who goeth not forward goeth backward Till the flame be out we must never cease crying for water till sin be quite extinguish'd we must ply the blood of Christ How short do the best come of their duty of what God doth and they should desire 9. Out-side Obs 9. superstitious Mortification is but a shadow of the true Penance Fasts Starvings of the body Abstinence from Marriage are not blessed to kill sin they have no blood in them Sin and Satan fear no such holy-water It s the death of Christ that must be the death of sin the mortifying or macerating of the carcass is but the carcass of the duty there 's more labour required to let the blood out of our corruptions then out of our bodies A child of God takes more pains with his heart in a day then a Papist with his skin in a yeer the one indeed whips himself but the other denyes himself the one scratcheth his skin the other puls out his right eye the one afflicts the flesh the other the soul the one somthing without himself the other his very self 10. Obs 10. I note The Lord esteems of his people by the better part their bent and strain not their defects They are here called sanctified but alass how imperfect is their Sanctification Yet their Father looks upon them as they would be not as they are or do Not I saith the Apostle Rom. 7. but sin that dwelleth in me Corn full of weeds we call corn Christ loves what he seeth of himself in the midst of much more he sees of us he casteth not away the honey because of the honey-comb he spyeth a grain of grace in a heap of corruption he considers what we aim to be now and what we are to be hereafter more then what we are now The owner of an Ort-yard that knows the goodness of every tree in it although a tree which is of a good kinde hath fruit upon it which for the present is green and as hard as a stick yet he will say This is an excellent apple c. considering what it will be when ripe and what its kinde is to be 11. Obs 11. How causelesly doth the world complain of those that are truly sanctified The contentions of a Saint are most with himself the destructions he makes are bloodlesse if after any blood he thirsteth 't is that of a lust the tyrants he brings to punishment are those in the soul Were all his enemies in the world overthrown and those in the heart spared those Mordecaies still in the gate what would all avail him Men have little reason to blame sanctity for distracting of the times there 's more reason to blame the want of it If a good man carryeth himself turbulently 't is because hee is no better not because he is good He is or should be at peace with every thing but sin If he shuns any company 't is not for hatred of the person but the plague-sone if he reproves Duplici sub specie divinus Spiritus se mundo ostendit Columbinâ igneâ quia omnes quos im plet Columbae simplicitate mansuctos igne Zeli ardentes exhibet Greg. z. p. past cap. 11. Moses causam populi apud Deum precibus causam Dei apud populum gladiis allegavit Greg. Charitas piè solet saevire patienter novit irasci humiliter indignari Bern. Ep. 2. ad Fulc Molcstus est Medicus furenti phrenetico pater indisciplinato filio ille ligando iste caedendo sed ambo diligendo Aug. Ep. 1. ad Bon. he wounds not destructively but medicinally His greatest heats are pious God is in his flame his very anger is patient his indignation humble he participates of the Dove as well as of the fiery tongues as the Spirit that fils him had both shapes Doth he reprove sharply and openly he prayes for thee secretly A Saint when he acts like himself is alway doing good diffusive of holinesse a benefactor to the age wherein he lives a conduit-pipe of blessings to a whole Kingdom If his endeavouring to make thee holy make thee hate him he will be hated still This for the Explication of and Observations from the kinde of their first Priviledge Sanctification The handling of the Author thereof God the Father followeth And of this also 1. By way of Explication 2. By way of collecting Observations 1. I shall briefly explain two particulars 1. How they are said to be sanctified by God 2. How by God the Father 1. How by God 1. Not transferendo Essentiam 1. Eph. 2.10 Acts 5.31 1 Thess 5.23 Heb. 12.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by transferring his Essence unto them but operando gratiam by way of operation and working holinesse in them not by bestowing his Deity upon them but by setting up the divine nature in them 2 Pet. 1.4 as fire warms by its vertue and operation 2. God was the Author of their Sanctification not excludendo media as if he made not use of the Ministry of the Gospel for the accomplishing therof The Word cannot sanctifie without him and ordinarily he will not sanctifie without it he sanctifies by the Word Joh. 17.17 enlivening and actuating it making it his power to salvation bestowing upon it an enlightning power to
into the eye it presently begins to cry The people of God while troubles are upon them are safe but when they are within them when sin sends away Christ then begins their woe Sin can never quite bereave a Saint of his jewel his grace but it may steal away the key of the cabinet his assurance he may not know where to finde his grace when he stands most it need of it Grieve not that holy Spirit which unites Chrisâ— to the soul and supplyes the soul with Christ Grieve not that Spirit in thy joyes which only can rejoyce thee in thy griefs The Spirit of Christ is a tender thing When Jâ—seph manifested himself to his brethren the Egyptians weâ— made to go forth and when the Spirit discovers the love oâ— Christ to us there must not be a lust allowed in us 5. Obs 5. I note The great happinesse by the second abovâ— what was enjoyed from the first Adam We were holy in the first but are preserved only in the second Adam in the former holinesse was perfect onely in the later it is permanent in Adam we had a power to stand if we would in Christ we have grace that makes us will Adam had life but lost it and derives death Christ hath life keeps it and communicates it Oh the goodnesse of God that he should take occasion by mans hurting himself to do him good and after his falling not onely to raise him up but to keep him up to keep him as the Apostle afterward from falling A mercy which as it requires thankfulnesse Felicior Job in sterquilinio quam Adamus in Paradiso Subjiciuntur miscriis non rejiciuntur cum miseris so it opposeth high-mindednesse Job on the dung-hill was more safe then Adam in that place which was the beauty of the earth Though the faithfull may be cast into miseries yet they perish not with the miserable But though wee stand longer then Adam stood yet by our selves we stand not at all we live in a continued dependence upon Christ if he with-draw his manu-tenency Rom. 11.18 20. the higher we are in grace the lower shall we be in sin We bear not the root but the root bears us let us not be high-minded but fear Who-ever is preserved in Christ must not arrogate his preservation to himself Christ must have the glory both of our setting out and holding out This for the second Priviledge from which the faithfull to whom Jude writes are described viz. Their Preservation in Christ The third and last follows viz. Their Vocation Last in the order of the Apostles writing though indeed first in the order of Gods working the Apostle hereby expressing the ground of their Sanctification and their perseverance therein viz. Their true and effectuall vocation from sin to God at the first Called Of this Vocation 1. By way of Explication 2. By way of Observation The word here used signifieth sundry sorts of Callings 1. Not to speak of calling personall 1 Cor. 7.24 Rom. 1.2 Gal. 1.1 or to a Function and Office whether oeconomicall Military Magistraticall or Ecclesiasticall Acts 1.26 immediate or mediate as not being here intended 2. Nor of that generall calling of all persons in the world by the works of creation Rom. 2.15 and 1.19 Psal 19.1 Acts 17.27 and the light of nature by which God speaks to heathens 3. But of that spirituall calling afforded only unto some Acts 14.17 which is to seek happinesse and blessednesse in Christ This is twofold 1. Only externall and ineffectuall 2. Internal also and effectuall 1. Only externall Ps 147.19 20. Acts 17.30 and by the ministry of the Gospel bestowed sometimes upon Cities Kingdoms Common-wealths A calling according to means common to the elect and reprobates Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen It s often inefficacious as to the saving good of the hearer Mat. 23.37 Heb. 4.3 Audiunt multi obaudiunt pauci Christ would have gathered Jerusalem's children and they would not The word preach'd profited not because not mixt with faith God by this external calling shewing what is mans duty and what was once his ability to perform the impairing of which later is no exemption from the former Joh. 15.22 24. and hereby rendring men inexcusable they knowing what they should do and not doing what they know And also by this meerly outward calling men are conteyned in externall order abstain from sundry great and heynous sins are profitable instruments in a Common-wealth observe civill Justice c. which God oft rewards with temporall blessings 2. The other sort of this spirituall Vocation is internal and effectual this bringing us into the invisible Church as the other into the visible this uniting us to Christ the head the other tying us to the members this bringing to illumination of faith the other to illumination of knowledge only this making us members the other professors of Christ this curing and changing the other only curbing us this being a calling according to purpose and flowing from election the other a calling according to means only The general way leading to the knowledge of God by the creatures and naturall light or the meer externall revelation of the will of God in the Scriptures sufficing not Totus Psalmus in tres partes distribui potest Prima agit de prima Schola quae est universalis seu omnium hominum communis Secunda de Schola particulari propria Ecclesiae penes quam Deus Oracula sua deposuit Tertia de Schola specialis gratiae internâ efficaci quae ad Unctionem Spiritus refertur quae docet vero salutari modo Riv. arg Ps 19. without the effectuall operation of the Spirit upon the heart in respect whereof as the learned Rivet well observes the Psalmist throughout the 19 Psalm sets down a three-fold School by which God teacheth us and calls us 1. That which is common to all men by the contemplation of the creatures 2. That which is proper to the Church standing in Gods committing his oracles unto it 3. That which is internall and of speciall grace efficacious and to be referr'd to the unction of the Spirit which teacheth and calleth after a saving manner And this is the calling here intended being that powerfull work of God calling persons to be what they are not of sinners to become Saints of enemies to become sons whereby grace is not only offered but conferr'd a work of Gods Spirit whereby the elect are not only morally invited but efficaciously incited to come to Christ For the explanation of which I shall briefly touch upon six Considerations which sweetly agree in three pairs or couples with the ordinary calls or invitations which are between man and man 1. The term from which we are called with 2. The term to which we are called 3. The Caller or who it is that calleth with 4. The persons called 5. The Voyce wherewith he calleth with 6.
This is the mercy of that day crowning mercy 3. For the properties of Gods mercy 1. It s full 2. It s free 1. It s a full and unmeasurable mercy the unmeasurablenesse whereof is set forth 1. More generally when God is said to be plenteous in mercy Psal 86.5 1 Pet. 1.3 Ephes 2.4 Psal 108.4 Psal 51.1 Neh. 9.19 Psal 103.11 2 Cor. 1.3 Psal 145.9 Psal 33.5 Matt. 5.15 abundant rich in mercy his mercy great above the heavens his mercies unsearchable high as the heaven is from the earth multitudes of tender mercies 2. More particularly the unmeasurableness of his mercy is set forth 1. In that there is no creature in heaven or earth but tasteth of it His mercies are over all his works the very dumb creatures speak him mercifull The whole earth is full of his goodnesse he preserveth man and beast nay his enemies 2. In that resemblances to set forth his mercy are taken from the most tender-hearted creatures Hos 11.4 he drawes with the cords of a man He pitieth as a father nay more then the most tender-hearted mother doth her sucking-childe he gathereth people as a hen doth her chickens He hath bowels of mercy Isa 49.15 Jer. 31.20 Luke 1.78 and such as sound and therefore his mercy pleaseth him he delights to shew mercy he forgets not his mercy 3. He is the fountain of the mercy and mercifulnesse in all the creatures in the world toward one another the mercies of all parents to their children of every mother to her little ones of every Christian of every tender-hearted person of every beast and foul to their young ones are but drops that come from the sea of Gods mercy he is the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 4. He can deliver from every misery Bread takes away hunger drink thirst clothes nakedness knowledge ignorance but no creature can take away every misery Phil. 4.19 2 Cor. 1.3 Psal 23.1 Psal 34.10 wheras God is the God of all comfort he supplyes all our wants comforts in every trouble he hath a plaister for every sore is a Physician for every disease inward and outward and so merciful is he that in the very not removing of miseries he is mercifull Were it not for trouble how should corruption be kill'd holinesse encreased 1 Cor. 11.32 Heb. 12.10 heaven be sweet eternal crowns and triumphs be injoyed 4. He is merciful to his enemies ful of patience and forbearance expecting their return many yeers together giving them rain and fruitful seasons Acts 14.17 Mat. 5.15 filling their hearts with gladness notwithstanding they sin and fight against him with all his goodnesse yea so merciful is he that in their greatest enmity to him Rom. 5.10 he hath often done them the greatest good changing their hearts and making them his friends 6. He bestows mercy with greatest frequency and reiteration he hath many manifold mercies Psal 51.1 Psal 40.5 mercies for thousands more than can be exprest innumerable are the sins of one man how innumerable the sins of the whole world how numberless then are those mercies of forbearance expressed every time sin is committed there being so many millions of sinners every one committing so many millions of sins innumerable are the morsels of food drops of drink the motions deliverances provisions received by one man what then are those received by a whole world and every such expression is a mercy 7. The mercy of God is eternall 1 King 8 2◠and therefore immeasurable he keepeth mercy for ever he will not take away his mercy from his servants Psal 89.2 Psal 23. ult Psal 103.17 Psal 136 it shall follow them all the dayes of their life his mercy shall be built up for ever It endureth for ever 't is from everlasting to everlasting He may hide his face for a moment though that is but according to our thinking but with everlasting mercies will he receive us Isa 54.7 10 The hils may be removed and the mountains may depart but Gods covenant of peace shall not be removed God never repented himself of bestowing his best mercies 8. Gods Mercy is so immeasurable that to help us out of our miseries he that was God sustained them himself It had been mercy to have help'd us by speaking comfortably to us more to have help'd us by the bounty of his hand but to help us out of misery by bearing our miseries by coming to man by becoming of man by suffering so much paine hunger ignominy griefs wounds nay death for man Oh immeasurable mercy Oh my soul acknowledge thine insufficiency either to conceive or requite it 2. The Mercy of God is not only full but free without desert on our parts We deserve no healing from his mercy unlesse by being sore and sick no riches from mercy unlesse by our poverty no deliverance from mercy unlesse by being captives no pardon from mercy unlesse by being guilty no preservation from mercy unlesse by being in danger no mercy unlesse by being miserable God is not tyed to one man more than another he hath mercy on whom he will he hath mercy on the beggar as well as the King on the Barbarian as well as the Grecian the bond Eph. 1.5 6 Rom. 11.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Phil. 1.29 Rom. 3.24 Phil. 2.13 Rom. 6.23 〈◊〉 43.25 as well as the free the Jew as well as the Gentile Election is the election of grace Vocatiou is according to grace Faith is said to be given Justification is freely by Gods grace every good motion is of Gods working Life eternal is Gods gift the putting away of every sin is for his own sake God is mercifull because he will be so his arguments of mercy are drawn from his own pleasure What can our works deserve that are not ours but his working that are all due to him if a thousand times more and better that are all maimed and imperfect Luke 17.10 1 Cor. 4.7 Rom. 11.35 Rom. 8.18 that are all vitious and polluted that are all unequall to the recompence This for the explication of the first benefit which the Apostle requesteth for these Christians Mercy 2. The Observations follow 1. Obs 1. How unbeseeming a sin is pride in any that live upon Mercy Mercy our highest happinesse calls loudest for a lowly heart He that lives upon the alms of Mercy must put on humility the cloth of an Alms-man Renounce thy self and thine own worthinesse both in thy receiving and expecting blessings 1. In receiving them If thou hast spiritual blessings Mercy found thee a bundle of miseries a sinner by birth Ephes 2.1 a sinner in life deserving to be a sufferer for both without grace nay against it by thy birth a poor out-cast Ezek. 16.22 in thy blood as naked of grace as of clothes The Apostle therefore speaks of putting on the graces of the Spirit Col. 3.12 Job 1.21 1 Chro. 22.16 Gen. 24.35 Gen. 33.5 11 the spots
written in heaven alone pacifie the heart This peace is upheld by the promises of God not of men by Scripture not Politick props The Father of Spirits is onely the Physician of Spirits Thus the Jewel of Peace is rare obtained but by a few the faithfull and regarded laid up in the Casket of the heart There 's the subject of it 3. The excellency of this peace appeares in it'â— effects 1 It most disturbes sin when it quiets the soul most A pacified conscience is pure The soule at the same time time tasteth and feareth the goodness of God the Sun of mercy thawes the heart into teares for sin Hos 3.5 Peace with God increaseth feare of transgression as it diminisheth fear of damnation making us who formerly feared because we sinned now to fear lest we should sin If mercy be apprehended sin will be hated spirituall joy causeth godly grief As God is wont to speak peace to the soul that truly mourns for sin so the soul desires most to mourn for sin when God speaks peace unto it The pardoned traytor if he have any ingenuity most grieves for offending a gracious Prince Godly peace doth at the same time bannish slavish horror and cause filial fear Besides the more quietnesse we apprehend in enjoying God the more are we displeased with that trouble-heart sin 2. Another effect of this peace is activenesse and stirring in holy performances When the faithfull are most quiet they should be least idle When David had rest from his enemies he then was carefull how to build God an house when the soul seeth it is redeemed from the hands of his enemies Luke 1.74 75 its most engaged to serve the Redeemer in holinesse and righteousnesse This peace is as oyl to the wheels to make a Christian run the ways of Gods commandments The warmth of the Spring draws out the sap of trees into a sprouting greenness and the peace of God refresheth the soul into a flourishing obedience Jonathan having tasted hony his eys were inlightned and the soul which hath tasted the sweetnesse of inward peace is holily enlarged Some who professe they enjoy an ocean of peace expresse not a drop of obedience Suppose their profession true they defraud God but it being false they delude themselves The joy of Gods people is a joy in harvest as it is large so it is laborious they are joyfull in the house of prayer Isa 56.7 3. This inward peace from God inclines the heart to peaceablenesse toward man A quiet conscience never produced an unquiet conversation 1 Pet. 3.8 9 the nearer lines come to the center the nearer they are one to another the peaceable approaches of God to us will not consist with a proud distance between us and others Pax ista reddit offendentes ad sat is faciendum humiles offensos ad remittendum faciles Dau. in Col. 3.15 This peace of God maketh those who have offered wrong to others willing to make satisfaction and those who have suffered wrong from others ready to afford remission The equity of the former stands thus If the great God speaks peace to man when offended by him should not poor man speak peace to man when offending of him The equity of the later thus If God be pacified toward man upon his free-grace should not man be pacified toward man Mat. 18.24 it being a commanded duty and if God by his peace have sealed to man an acquittance from a debt of ten thousand talents should not man by his peace acquit man from the debt of an hundred pence In a word this peace from God makes us peaceable toward all it keeps us from envying the rich from oppressing the poor it renders us obedient to superiours gentle to equals humble to inferiours it preserves from Sedition in the Common-wealth from Schism in the Church it cools it calms it rules in heart and life 4. Peace from God makes us commiserate those who are under his wrath a pacified soul loves to impart its comforts and is most ready to give a Receit of what eased it it labours to comfort those that are in trouble by the comfort wherewith it is comforted 2 Cor. 1.4 The favourites of the King of heaven envie not his bestowing favour also upon others They pity both those who please themselves with an unsound peace and also those who are pained with the true wounds of conscience 5. This peace from God makes us contented and quiet in every affliction since the Lord hath spoken peace in the first we shall take it well whatsoever he speaketh in the next place what-ever God doth peaceably the soul beareth it patiently The great question of a godly heart when any trouble cometh is that of the Elders of Bethlehem to Samuel Comest thou peaceably and it answering peaceably is entertained with welcome Lord thou hast pardoned my sin saith a pacified soul and now do what thou pleasest with me Men destitute of this peace are like the leaves of a tree or a sea calm for the present moved and tossed with every winde of trouble their peace is nothing else but unpunish'd wickednesse And this for the Explication of the second blessing which the Apostle requesteth for these Christians viz. Peace The Observations to be drawn from it follow 1. Obs 1. They who are strangers to God in Christ are strangers to true peace True peace comes from enjoying the true God A quiet conscience and an angry God are inconsistent A truth deducible as from the preceding exposition of Peace so even from the Apostles very order in requesting peace First he prayeth for Mercy then for Peace 2 King 6.27 If the Lord do not help us how shall we be helped to this blessing out of the barn-floor or the wine-presse The garments that we wear must receive heat from the body before they can return any warmth again unto it and there must be matter of peace within ere any peace can accrue from any thing without If God be against us who can be for us if he disquiets us what can quiet us if He remain unpacified the conscience will do so notwithstanding all other by-endeavours A wicked mans peace is not peace but at the best onely a truce with God The forbearance of God to strike is like a mans who thereby fetcheth his blow with the greater force and advantage or like the intervals of a quartane the distemper whereof remaining the fits are indeed for two days intermitted but return with the greater violence A wicked mans conscience is not pacified but benummed and the wrath of God not a dead but a sleeping Lion Pro. 14.13 A sinners peace is unsound and seeming in the face not in the heart a superficiall sprinkling not a ground-showr he having in laughter his heart sad may truly in it say with Sarah I laughed not he being in his rejoycing Vides convivium laetitiam Interroga conscientiam Amb. Off. l. 1.
cap. 12. Evasisse putas quos diri conscia facti Mens habet attonitos et surdo verbere coedit Occultum quatiente intus tortore fâ—agellum Job 20.5 7. Eccl. 7.6 as well as in his mourning an hypocrite Ask not the countenance but the conscience of a sinner whether he rejoyceth The guilt of his sin is an unseen sore an hidden scourge His peace relieves him not it s no preservative to his heart in persecution or distresse it leaves him like Absoloms mule when he hangs in any woe and stands most in need thereof His peace stands onely in the avoyding of troubles not in the sweet enjoying of God in his troubles it s as uncertain as a dream or as the crackling of thorns under a pot his dayes of mourning will shortly come Deluded he is with a groundlesse conceit of vain hopes he is like a child in a Siege not appehensive of his danger but busie at sport while the parents are at the breach and the City ready to be sack'd He is secure but not safe 2. It s a mistake Obs 2. Gal. 5.22 Rom. 14.17 Isaacum i. e. gaudium jugulandum tibi formidas securus esto non Isaac sed Aries mactabitur non peribit tibi laetitia sed contumacia cujus utique cornua vepribus haerent sine punctionibus anxietatis esse non potest Bern. to think there is no peace to be found in the good wayes of God True peace is a fruit of Gods Spirit and a branch of Christs Kingdom Godlinesse doth not quell but qualifie mirth not consume but correct it it deprives neither of the use of nor comfort in any lawful delights being procured by Christ and bestowed by God as fruits of love As for sinful and inordinate delights which have no more pleasure in them than is found in the scratching of some unsound part when it itcheth a Saint being now healed of his disease it is no pain for him to part with them If holy men want peace 't is because they or others or both are not more holy nor are they sad because they are now holy but because they were no sooner so Their greedy desire of more holinesse often hinders them from taking notice of what already they have they judge not aright of their present state they have a pardon signed and sealed but haply they cannot read it in regard some sin hath blurr'd it Vid. Mr. Gatakers Just mans joy or Satan casteth some mist before their eyes If the holyest will sport with they must expect to smart for sin Satan who was their tempter will soon prove their torturer And in mercy doth God correct a wandring child home when in wrath he suffereth a vagabond to take his course and The tears of the godly for sinning are full of peace they are a showre mixt with a sun-shine and more delight is there in godly grief than in sinful pleasures in mourning with Christ than in sporting with Satan Or it may be sorrowing Saints are but newly entered into the wayes of God Milstones though they be hewed fit either to other yet they grinde not well till they have wrought some time together Apparel though made fit is not so easie at the first putting on as when it hath been worn a while Matt. 11.29 Grave dum tollis suave dum tuleris Greg. in Ezek. l. 2. c. 7. Quam malè inassueti veniunt ad aratra juvenci Christs yoke seemeth heavie at the first putting it upon us but it becometh easie and delightfull when we have born it a while Nor is the peace of a Saint to be estimated by its not appearing his peace is inward and often maketh but little shew in the face The wealthy Merchant cryes not his rich wares worth many thousands about the street when the poorer sort who carry toyes proclaim them in every corner of the Citie The godly have their souls fraught with inward joys though their looks outwardly shew them not while the hypocrite boldly voyceth up his supposed happinesse As the glory so the joy of a Saint is most within In a word This life is the time of obscurity to a Saints happinesse it s in some sort a winter with him while it is a summer with the wicked now the lofty oak in winter seemeth dead while the dunghil grasse is fresh and green Job 16. ult but when summer cometh the oak is flourishing and the grass is withered or made hay of The happinesse of the people of God is hidden in their root in this winter of affliction and desertion They are now the sons of God 1 John 3.2 Col. 3.3 4 Gramen hieme virescit astate aresâ—it Arbor arescente gramine virescit Aug. in Psal 36. but it doth not yet appear what they shall be Their life is hid with Christ but when Christ who is their life shall appear then shall they appear also with him in glory But then at the approach of this Sun shall that foenea faelicitas as Augustine calls it that grasse-like happinesse of wicked men consume and wither 3. How carefull should the people of God be to preserve their peace Shall a blessing so excellent in it's originall Obs 3. nature use and so earnestly desired by this and all the other Apostles for the faithfull be by them neglected Oh forfeit not disturbe not this happy peace 1. Preserve in thee a feare of God As sin gets in peace goeth out Nor is it the being but the allowing of it in us that makes the soule unquiet No sin shall destroy peace in us but that which findes peace from us The tares of desention between God and us are only sowne by the enemy sin This was the instrument which broke the bones and wounded the conscience of David and Peter This is the mint of a Saints misery the source of his sorrowes every sin hath a bitter farewell sin is nothing else but sorrow in the seed when ever thou art tempted before thou consentest take up and weigh thy sin in thy meditations as a Porter doth his burthen before he agrees to carry it and aske thy soule whether thou art able to go through with thy burthen 2. Delight in the Ordinances These are the feast of peace They shall be joyfull in my house of prayer Isa 56.7 Prayer is fitly called the leech of cares It s a breathing out the heates of inward grief and a breathing in the cooling delights of Gods spirit The Gospel hath glad tydings in the very name of it A promise spread with the blood of Christ is the onely plaister for a wounded conscience The directions of the word are the wayes of peace Great peace have they that love the Law Gal. 6.16 and walk according to that rule 3. Be sincere and upright in thy services the end of the upright man is peace Psal 37.37 sincerity and walking before God with an upright heart darted a beam of peace into Hezekiahs
onely as they increase elevate it The very snuffers of death shall make it burn the more brightly It unconquered out-lives as opposition so its fellow-graces 1 Cor. 13. the faithful are rooted and grounded in love They love God for himself who fails not Ep. 3.17 1 Cor. 13.8 and therefore Love it self fails not Hypocrites are uneven in their love feigned things are unequal appearing friends cannot dissemble so exactly but that at one time or other their hatred will appear In some companies or conditions they will shew what they are In the time of persecution they fall away Mat. 13.21 like rotten Apples they fall off in a windy day True love to Christ Amor uescit ferias knows no holy-daies it ever hath a rest of Contentment never hath a rest of Cessation 2. I proceed to the Properties of love to man First Rom. 12.9 1 Pet. 1.22 1 John 3.18 It 's a love unfeigned without dissimulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love without hypocrisie Love indeed and in truth not in word and tongue a love from the heart 'T is not like the love of Joab and Judas that outwardly kiss'd and inwardly at that time designed killing It contents not it self in giving like Nephthali Gen. 49.21 Goodly words The Apostle speaks of Soundness in Charity Tit. 2.2 Unsound Charitie is Courtship not Christianity Of all things dissimulation doth worst in love as being most corrupting of and contrarie to the nature of it and appearing love is nothing but Christianity acted and Religion painted some sins scratch the face of love but hypocrisie stabs it at the heart Secondly It 's an expressive open-handed Love though it ariseth at the heart yet it reacheth to the hand Love is a fruitful grace it bears not onely the leaves and blossoms of words and promises 1 John 3.18 but the fruit also of beneficial performances If Love be in truth t' will also be in deed words be they never so adorned cloath not the naked be they never so delicate they feed not the hungry be they never so zealous they warm not the cold be they never so free they set not the bound at liberty our Faith must work by love Love must be seen felt and understood verbal Love is But painted fire Love is so beautiful a Grace that it 's willing to be seen The Apostle saith Rom. 13.10 Love worketh no ill it 's a diminutive expression there 's more intended even the doing of all the good the Law requires and therefore he adds Love is the fulfiling of the Law Thirdly It 's a forward chearful Love It is not drawn or driven but runs it staies not till the poor seeks it but it seeks for him Onesiphorus sought out Paul diligently Prov. 23.6 2 Tim. 1.17 Rom. 12.13 It relieves not with an evil eye It makes men given to hospitality the water of bountie flows from it as from a Fountain and goes not out as from a narrow mouth'd bottle with grumbling It is not like the spunge that sucks up the water greedily but gives it not out unless it be squeezed Hoc ipso amplius gaudent pauperes cum paupertati corum consultum fuerit pudori Leo. Serm. 4. Duplex Eleemosyna quia damus quia hilariter damus Ingenuous poverty rejoyceth in this forwardness of love as much as in the gift it self for thereby not only it's want but bashfulness is relieved It s a double beneficence when we give and give chearfully The mind of the receiver is more refreshed with the chearfulness of the Giver than is his bodie with the greatness of the Gift Fourthly It 's an extensive universal Love 1. Vniversal in respect of duties it shuns no performance that may benefit Bodie Name Mind Soul of another Love is a Pandora abounding in every good work and gift Rom. 13.10 it 's therefore called the fulfilling of the Law Love is the Decalogue contracted and the Decalogue is Love unfolded Love is a Mother the ten Commandments her ten children and she forgets none neglects none Gal. 6.10 2. It 's Vniversal in respect of persons It remembers the Apostles rule to do good to All even wicked men it loves though not as wicked yet as men the men not their manners Col. 1.4 Non peccatorem sed justum in paupere nutrit qui in illo non culpam sed naturam diligit Gr. 3. past 1 Pet. 2.17 Jam. 2.1 The Love of the Collosians was extended to all the Saints wherever there 's grace love will follow for grace is beautiful wherever it is The Oyntment of Love falls even upon the skirts of the garment as well as the head Love is set upon the Brotherhood the whole Fraternitie of Believers not here and there upon one Holy Love regards grace in its working-day clothes upon a Dung-hill in a Prison Grace in the Ideot as well as in the Scholar in the Servant as well as the Master As all our delight must be in the Saints Ps 16.3 so our delight must be in all the Saints 5. It 's a religious and a holy love It 's from in and for holinesse From it he that loves his brother first 1 Tim. 1.5 loves God 1 Tim. 1.5 first he gives his heart to God as a son before he reacheth out his hand to man as his brother His love is said to be out of a pure heart First he gives himself then his Secondly In holinesse and holy wayes It joynes not hands with any in a way of sin For this is not unity but faction it hath no fellowship with fruitfull works Ephes 5.11 but reproves them it makes a man most angry with the sin of him whom he loves most He fears not only to be fratricida but fideicida he doth not so love a man as to be an Enemy to religion Thirdly for holinesse this love is set upon holy ones because they are so not because they are great but good Gods Image in them is the Load-stone of our love 1 John 5.2 6. It 's a just and righteous love It bestowes gifts not spoyles it hurts not some to help others it buyes not a burying place for strangers with the bloud of Christ it is not bountifull upon any others cost The people of God must be blamelesse and harmlesse Phil. 2.15 not having in the one hand bread for one and in the other a stone for another We must not build Gods house with Satans tools the poorest Saint wants not our unrighteousnesse to help him 7. It 's a prudent discerning love It loves all yet with a difference it is most set upon those that are the fittest objects either for want or worth it beats not the poor from the door while it makes strangers drunk in the Cellar It is not like the Oak which drops its acorns to swine Gal. 6.10 It loves Gods friends best the wicked with a love of pity the
who hath not love enough for a man Eph. 1.15 where will he find it for a God Love is the pulse of faith and the breath of Christianity Faith worketh by love Gal. 5.6 though love be not a hand to receive Christ yet is it a tool in the hand to work for Christ and that in working for Christians The flames of zeal never consumed the moysture of Charity he who loves God for his own sake will love his brother for Gods Add to your Godliness saith the Apostle Brotherly kindness 2 Pet. 1.7 1 John 3.17 He who shutteth up his bowels to a wanting brother how dwelleth the love of God in him The nearer the lines come to the Center the nearer are they to one another Our love to the godly increaseth with our love to God The Sun-shine upon the dyal moves though not so swiftly yet according to that proportion which the Sun in the firmament moveth and our love to the people of God though it be not so great as unto God yet is it according to the measure of our love to God 7. Observ 7. It 's a great discovery of Gods goodnesse in that with our loving of him he joyns our loving of one another He might have so challenged our love to himselfe as thereby we might neither have had time will strength or allowance to love one another But behold his love he will be served of us in our serving of man He accounts this pure religion Jam. 1. ult Gal. 5.13 to visit the fatherlesse and widow The serving of one another by love he requires as a token of our serving him by faith So gracious is he that he esteems what we do to our own flesh and bloud as done to himselfe Pro. 19.17 Pro. 21.13 Psal 112.9 Mat. 25.40 and accounts himselfe a debtor to us for what we do for our selves he remembers it long rewards it largely and doth both exactly he hath appointed charity as the most safe and gainfull invention in the world Ars quaestuosissima Heb. 13.16 Luke 12.33 It 's a payment to the poor Christian in this place who sends his bill of exchange his prayer to God and he accepts the bill and payes it for our use in heaven we keep nothing as a mercy but what we are willing and one way thus to lose Death robs us by the way if we think to carry our wealth to heaven with us but if we send it by bils we shall receive it safely He who hath laden himselfe with apples in the ortyard and is sure to be searched when he comes out of the gate throwes his apples over the wall to a friend who keeps them for him In this world we lade our selves with gifts death wil undoubtedly search us when we go hence but if while we are here we throw by charity our enjoyments into heaven we have there a friend that keeps them safe He that denyes to give this Interest of his gifts by charity forfets the Principall and he that takes in his worldly commodities without paying God this custome shall lose the whole 8. Prayer is a singular help to bring us to love God Obser ult it was here the Apostolicall Engine in the Text. When we cry for his holy spirit the spirit of love he cannot deny us he heal'd the lame when they cryed When thou cryest and sayest from the heart I would fain love thee but I cannot will he not give thee legs to run after him Prayer brings us into familiarity with God and by converse you know love grows between men God delights to shew himself in his own way and as he did to Moses to send us down from the Mount of Prayer with soules shining with love Prayer exerciseth our love it blowes up the sparkes of love into a flame Love is an especiall gift of the spirit We are taught of God to love one another Gal. 5.22 1 Thes 4.9 'T is he that must warm our hearts with this divine grace and he being sought unto and his power implor'd and acknowledg'd will not deny it Thus much of the first particular in this third and last part of the title the Prayer viz. the Blessings pray'd for mercy peace love The second followeth the measure in which the Apostle desireth these blessings may be bestowed in this expression be multiplyed For the Explication whereof two things would be opened 1. Explicat 1. Wherein stands the multiplication of these Blessings or what it is that the Apostle desireth when he prayeth for the multiplication of these gifts graces 2. Why the Apostle makes this request and prayeth not onely for the bestowing Multiplicari dilatari incrementum capere adimpleri Tum de multiplicatione in quantitate discreta tum de augmento in quantitate continua accipitar Mat. 24.12 Acts 6.17 7.17 9.31 2 Cor. 9.10 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Pet. 1.2 Jude 2. Gerh. in 1 Pet. 1.2 but the multiplying of these Blessings 1. What this multiplying is The word in the original signifieth as to be multiplied so to be increased fill'd enlarged and it is in Scripture indifferently usedto signifie the multiplication of things in their number and their augmentation in measure and greatnesse Whence it is that some render this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multiplicetur be multiplyed others adimpleatur be fill'd or fulfill'd or fill'd up or increas'd It properly signifieth to increase in number and not in measure and when it is applyed to people and the Church as 't is oft in the Acts of the Apostles it 's only used for an increase in number but when 't is spoken of sin or graces as Mat. 24.12 Pet. 1.2 2 Pet. 1.2 in this place of Jude it may signifie an increase in measure onely And so the Apostle prayeth that the gifts graces which these Christians had already obtain'd Eph. 4.16 1 Pet. 2.2 2 â—et 3.18 John 2.5 Psal 84.7 1 Thes 4.1 11 2 Cor. 13.9 might receive a further degree of augmentation that believers might grow abound and increase in them more and more And thus though the mercy of God which was the first of the three blessings here desired by the Apostle as it is in it self and as in God cannot be increased it being infinite yet in respect of the effects and graces flowing from it upon believers it may be increased More particularly when the Apostle prayeth that these Christians may have this increase and augmentation of grace he comprehends in that his request these several blessings 1. That they may be sensible and observing of their wants and deficencies of Grace That they may often cast up their accounts and see as what they have gained so wherein they are defective that they may resent as their gains with thankfulness so their wants with humility They who see not can neither desire nor receive what they want A Christian must be like a covetous man totus in rationibus much imployed in searching
the barren wildernesse and they are by God compared to drossie silver Jer. 6.28 which all the art and pains of the Silver-smith cannot refine and therefore called reprobate silver These seducers in Gods Ort-yard were trees without fruit twice dead pluck'd up by the roots Jude 12. 4. A fourth woe in this condemnation is Gods giving them up to strong delusion a delighting in errour and false doctrine with a believing it and thus seducers are said not only to deceive but to be deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 2 Thes 2.10 11. and those who received not the love of the truth had strong delusion sent them from God and upon them the deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse takes hold and thus God suffered a lying spirit to deceive Ahab and his prophets 5. A fifth woe in this condemnation is a stumbling at and a quarrelling with the word of life 1 Pet. 2.8 and Christ the rock of salvation Thus Paul speaks of some who were contentious and obeyed not the truth Rom. 2.8 and of seducers who resist the truth 2 Tim. 3.8 Like these in Jude who contended so muth against the faith that all which Christians could do was little enough to contend for it against those who made the Gospel a plea for licenciousnesse 6. A sixth woe in this condemnation is progressiveness in sin 2 Tim. 3.13 and as the Apostle speaks of seducers a waxing worse and worse a walking so far into the sea of sin as at length to be over head and eares a descending to the bottom of the hill a daily treasuring up wrath a proficiency in Satans school a growing artificially wicked and even doctors of impiety 7. Which lastly will prove the great and heavy woe not to be contented to be wicked and to go to hell alone but to be leaders to sin 2 Tim. 3.13 and to leaven others with impiety and thus Paul saith that seducers were deceiving as well as deceived 2 Pet. 2.2 And Peter that many shall follow their pernicious wayes And certainly impiety propagated shall be condemnation heightned 2. Why is this punishment of seducers called Condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cause for the effect I grant Condemnation is properly the sentence or censure condemning one to some punishment and though in this place it be taken for the very punishment it selfe yet fitly doth the Spirit of God set out this punishment of wicked men by a word that notes a sentencing them thereunto And that 1. Because a sentence of condemnation is even already denounced against them 2. Because it is such a punishment as by judiciary sentence is wont to be inflicted upon guilty offenders 1. It is really and truly denounced c. For besides Gods fore-appointing the wicked to this condemnation as it is the punishment of sin the execution of his justice wicked men are in this life sentenced to punishment 1. By the word of God which tels them that God will render to every man according to his deeds to them who do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath Rom. 2.8 c. And that he who believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 2. By their own conscience which accuseth and condemneth as Gods Deputy and here tels them what they deserve both here and hereafter If our hearts condemne us c. 1 John 3.20 c. 3. By the judgements of God manifested against those who have lived in the same sins the wrath of God being revealed against all unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 4. By the contrary courses of the godly The practices of Saints really proclaiming that because the wayes of the wicked are sinfull and destructive therefore they avoid them Mat. 12.41 42. and thus Noah sentenced the old world by being a practicall Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.5 And all these sentencings of wicked men do but make way for that last and great sentence to be pronounced at the day of judgment Mat. 7.23 Mat. 25.41 to the punishment both of eternall losse and pain 2. It is such a punishment as by judiciary sentence is wont to be executed upon guilty offenders and so it is in two respects 1. Because it is Righteous 2. Severe 1. Righteous These Seducers were not spiritually punished without precedent provocations Rom. 1.28 as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind 2 Thes 2.10 and God sends them justly strong delusions that they should beleeve and teach a lie because they received not the love of the truth and because they would not be Scholers of truth they justly become Masters of error 2. The punishment of wicked men is such as is wont to be inflicted upon offenders by a sentence because of its weight and severity It is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a paternall chastisement or a rebuke barely to convince of a fault but it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Judges sentence condemning to a punishment the guilty Malefactor It is not medicinall but penall not the cutting of a Chirurgian but of a Destroyer the happinesse of correction stands in teaching us but this punishment is the giving of sinners up to unteachablenesse and what is it indeed but a hell on this side hell for God to withdraw his grace and to suffer men to be as wicked as they will to be daily damning themselves without controle to bee carried down to the gulf of perdition both by the wind of Satans tentation and which is worse the tide of sinfull inclination For God to say Be and do as bad as you will be filthy still Rev. 22.11 sleep on now and take your rest I le never jog nor disturb you in your sins How sore a judgment is it to be past feeling so as that nothing cooler than hel fire and lighter then the loyns of an infinite God can make us sensible though too late OBSERVATIONS 1. Observ 1. The condemnation of the wicked is begun in this life As heaven so hell is in the seed before it is in the fruit The wicked on this side hell are tunning and treasuring up that wrath Rom. 2.5 which hereafter shall be broached and revealed The wicked have even here hell in its causes The old bruises which their souls by sin have received in this life will be painfull when the change of weather comes when God alters their condition by death When thy lust asks How canst thou want the pleasure let thy faith answer by asking another question How can I bear the pain of such a sin Observ 2. Tristitia nostra quasi habet quia in somnis tranfit Qui somnium indicat addit quasi quasi sedebam quasi loquebar quasi equitabā quia cum evigelaverit non invenit quod videbat Quasi thesaurum inveneram dicit mendicus si quasi non esset mendicus non
though what is done be commanded yet it is not done because it 's commanded Oculus ad coelum manus ad clavum or in obediencee to a precept The hand must not only be at work but the eye must also be upon the word It 's very possible for a work commanded to be an act of disobedience in respect of the intent of the performer 3. When 't is not given him inwardly heartily when men are eye-servants and do not the will of God from the heart Col. 3.23 Rom. 1.9 nor serve him in the spirit Ungodly men rather act a service than yield a service they rather complement with God Mat. 15.7.8 2 Tim. 3.5 Ezek. 33.31 than serve him They bring a bone without marrow They glister but they burn not like some men who lifting with others at a burden make as loud a cry as the rest but yet they put to it no strength at all In Gods account they who do but appear godly are nothing at all but ungodly 4. When honour is not given to God impartially Ungodly men pick out one work and reject another chuse an easie and forbear a difficult work serve and honour God so far as they may not disserve and dishonour themselves engaging no further than they may safely come off Whereas nothing should come amiss to one who rightly serves this Mâ—ster Psal 119.6.128 1 Tim. 5.21 One piece of his service must not be preferred before another We must answer to every call We must not examine what the service is which is commanded but who the Master is that commands 5. When honour is not given him cheerfully Ungodly men do the will of God against their will Psal 40.8 2 Cor. 9.7 it is not their meat and drink it goeth not down as their food but as a potion not upon choice but constraint whence 't is that their services are neither easie to themselves nor acceptable to God whose service is as well our priviledg as our duty 6. When he is not honour'd constantly Ungodly men wil have their rest from labour before they dye The honour which they give to God is full of gapps Their heart is not stedfast with God Psal 78.37 Ungodly men want a fountain a principle from whence their services should issue and therefore like a standing water Hos 6.4 they will in time dry up They are not friends and therefore they love not at all times The honour they give to God is like the redness of blushing soon down not like the ruddiness of complexion abiding 7. When honour is not given to God fervently and diligently with all the might and strength Ungodly men honour not God as a God as the best the greatest but without cost slightly and coldly The heart hath no love and the hand hath little labour When the spleen swels all other parts decay and those who nourish any lust will honour God but with lean and thin services A divided heart will be a lazy heart 8. When honour is not given to God with single aims and sincere intentions Ungodly men propound not to themselves glory-ends God is not honoured by them for himself They love not the lesson wherein there is not some gay of pleasure or profit they seek themselves and not God 2 Kin. 10.28 29. and therefore they lose God and themselves too remaining ungodly here and unrewarded hereafter 1. Observ 1. It s possible for men to attain to highest estimation for godliness and yet to be inwardly at the same time ungodly Men may be accounted the godly party and yet not have a dram of true godliness in them Had not these seducers been seemingly godly they had never been admitted by the Church and had they not been really ungodly they had never been by the Spirit of God call'd so Ungodliness is a close a secret evill It may creep into our profession participation in ordinances and Church communion undiscerned An ungodly heart may be in a glistring professor 2 Tim. 3.5 even in those who have a form of godliness Judas Simon Magus the Corinthian teachers were not without their estimation from men for piety nor without detestation from God for hypocrisie Christians should not like some tradesmen live altogether upon credit Quid juvat bonum nomen reclamante conscentiâ What doth a good name help a rotten heart how poor an advantage to a dying man is it for one to come and say Sir I am glad to see you well Truth of grace is alone beyond the reach of hypocrites Shape may be pictur'd life cannot The Magicians imitated Moses till God discover'd his own finger in the miracles True godliness is Gods handywork of this the most specious pretender falls short Oh Christian put not off the soul alone with shadowes Labour to be what thou seemest and then seem to be what thou art 2. Vngodliness is the root of all lewd Observ 2. irregular and licencious practices The Apostle placeth the ungodlinesse of seducers in the fore-front of all that wickednesse wherewith he chargeth them A man who hath no care of Gods honour will make no conscience of any sin Where God is not served man will not be obeyed Abraham rightly collected Gen. 20.11 that they who fear'd not God would not fear to take away his life By the fear of God men depart from evill Prov. 16.6 Prov. 8.13 Religion in the heart is the best means to order the hand Education exigency of condition resolutions humane lawes shame fear c. may for a while curb but they cannot change a sinner They may cloake not cure sin They may work a palliative not an eradicative cure All they can do till the heart be changed is but to sow a piece of new â—loth to an old garment new expressions professions to an old disposition which will but make the rent the greater How imprudent are those parents who expect obedience to themselves from their children who are ever suffered to be disobedient to God! How little policy do those Magistrates express who only care to make men subjects to them willingly suffering them to be rebels to God! I confess Satan loves to lay the brats of wars treason and rebellion c. at the door of Religion But as truly may Politicians utter those words as ever they were uttered O Religion if thou hadst been here our nation had not dyed And if that death may be attributed to the absence of religion how little are people beholding to them who hinder it from coming to the Nation to cure it 3. Observ 3. Eminent if meer profession will end in eminent profâ—nenesse A fiery hypocrite will grow from being lukewaâ—m in religion to be stone-cold in irreligion The seeming piety and glorious appearances of these seducers in advancing Christ grace and Christian liberty was soon followed with the utter rejection of godlinesse What profane and even godlesse persons and how purely neglective of all
stone upon a stone which he casts not down by having low thoughts of high services Eccl. 5 1. Thou must not onely keep thy foot from entring into places of vanity but also keepe thy foot when thou entrest into the house of God not onely take heed that thou neglectest not hearing but also take heed how thou hearest How oft have the servants of God been humble and hungry in the want of those tokens of grace under the enjoying whereof they have been proud unprofitable and the sin of these Seducesrs being naturall almost lascivious 4. Observ 4. An unholy heart sucks poyson out of the sweetest and holyest enjoyments Even the grace of God he abuseth to his own perdition Vnto them who are defiled and unbeleeving saith the Apostle is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 They taint every thing they touch Prov. 15.8.28.9 Their best services are abomination to the Lord. Their prayers are turned into sin The word is to them the savour of death and the grace of God pernicious The Sacraments are poyson and damnation Christ is a stumbling stone Their table snares them their prosperity slayes them Whatever we have till Christ be ours cannot be enjoyed profitably the guilt of the person must be removed before the comfort of the gift can be enjoyed Out of Christ all comforts are but like a funerall banquet or the prison provisions of him who is fed against his execution And a sinner is as farre from returning any enjoyment by love to God as he is from receiving it in love from God His heart is the heart of an enemy even under the dispensations of grace And what are all blessings til the heart be changed but furniture to oppose God and fuel to increase sin O Christian in stead of boasting how good thy enjoyments are in themselves labour to finde them good to thee It matters not what the things are which thou receivest but what thou art who dost receive them The same promise which purifyes a Saint through thy sin pollutes thee The same breath which warmes him cools thee he being neer thou farre from him that breaths Till grace savingly work upon thee thou art but a wanton under grace 5. Observ 5. 1 King 21.13 1 Sam. 15. Mat. 23.25 Corrupt nature can cast even upon foul and lascivious courses the cloak and colour of a religious pretext The murderous contrivements of Absolom and Jezabel The disobedience of Saul the devouring of widowes houses the maliciousnesse spoken of by Peter 1 Pet. 2.16 had their several cloaks and covers The unlovelinesse of lusts in themselves and the love of sinners to them put sinners upon this covering of them by reason of the former this covering is required by reason of the later 't is contrived But of this more before 6. Observ 6. God is gracious even unto them who abuse his grace He affords the means and offers of it to them who turn it into lasciviousnesse He holds the candle to them who will not work by but wanton away the light He cals men though they will not hear and woos them who will not be intreated Certainly God doth not onely shew himselfe a God in powerfull working but even in patient waiting upon the wicked none but a God could do either Oh sinner how inexcusable wilt thou bee in that great day when God shall say Isa 5.4 What could I have done more or how couldst thou desire me to wait longer for thy good Certainly thine own conscience shall be Gods deputy to condemn thee If thou shalt give an account for every idle word which thou thy self hast spoken how much more for every unprofitable word which thou hast made God speak to thee For the Lords sake Christians take heed of receiving the grace of God in vain And how should this goodnesse of God put us especially Ministers upon imitating of him though sinners be wantons under grace yet let not us be weary of dispensing it 2 Tim. 2.25 Let us wait if peradventure at any time God may give sinners repentance Ministers are spirituall fishers and fishing we know is a tedious work to him who hath no patience The catching of one soul will make amends for all our waiting Our patience cannot be so much abused as is Gods 7. Observ 7. The doctrine of grace is warily to be handled by Ministers 'T is hard to set up Christ and grace and not to be thought to destroy the Law Christian Liberty is to be propounded as giving no allowance to libertinism Satan hath in no one point more drawn teachers to extreams Because he could not keep them in Popery by the doctrine of satisfying the Law as a Covenant he labours to drive them to Antinomianisme by the doctrine of casting off the Law as a Rule because they have rejected the merit of works he labours to make them cast off the obedience of works But the man of God should observe the Methods of the Divel The Apostle Paul having at large proved the doctrine of Free justification by Christ Rom. 3.4 5. Rom. 6.1 15. subjoyns and that twice in one chapter a most vehement denyall by way of interrogation of any liberty to sin by grace Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound and shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under grace The like he had expressed before chap. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through faith To all which he answereth with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid words of defiance and detestation What though Ministers for their preaching holinesse of life be represented as those who preach not Christ And what though their names be crucified between the slanders of the Papists and Antinomians the former calling them Libertines for defending the doctrine of justification by Christ and the later Legallists for urging the Law as a rule yet let them hold fast the faithful word against both Tit. 1.9 and remember that as Jesus is to be preached in opposition to the former so is Christ as an anointed King in opposition to the later and that as there was a resurrection of the body of their crucfied Master so shall there be a resurrection of the crucified names of his servants and that it is their duty to preach the Lords Christ as Simeon cals him and not the drunkards the Libertines the Antinomians Christ 8. No expressions of Gods grace or goodnesse of any kind Observ 8. ought to be abused and perverted unto sin 1 Not the temporall gifts and worldly blessings which God bestowes 1. We must not abuse the gifts of outward estate whether riches or honours 1. Riches must not be abused 1. to Covetousnesse the possessours of them should not be possess'd by them Siut soltiotia non negotia They should rather be refreshments than employments rather used as steps to raise us towards than stops to hinder us from heaven rather as those things without which we cannot
part with thy dearest comforts for Christ rather then deny him Know nothing to be thine but himself 2. Make a right estimate of the comforts which are to be enjoyed in Christ 1. Account them realities not notions not imaginary though invisible Look upon them as substantiall and indeed John 8.36 2. Account them not as scanty but abundant so large that thou needest not go to other things for additions Look upon Christ only as having enough for thee and able to fill thy vast receptions to the brim 3. View them as sublime precious not as low and vile so excellent that a holy generosity may be kindled in thee and all these dunghill delights accounted unworthy thy stoop 4. Account them usefull and efficacious not idle and unhelping such as want not thee to uphold them but as are able in all distresses to relieve thee and will procure strong and strengthening consolations Heb. 6.18 5. View them as thine not anothers Christ is never good in the souls account till it hath a propriety in him Nor can a soul be contented when it sees a parting from other things unless it considers its propriety in Christ who is far better 6. View them as neer and at hand and alway prepared to relieve the souls exigencies Let faith as a prospective glasse make remote comforts appear hard by 7. Lastly view them as eternal not as finite such as are above the reach of theef and moth and which alone triumph over time and enemies and which shal live and last when all worldly enjoyments are dead and gone Oh who would deny such delights as these for a blast a bubble a nothing what poor nothings of comfort are the sweetest delights which would allure us what poor nothings of misery are the sorest sufferings that would affright us from Christ 3 Labour for an inward reall Implantation and rootednesse in Christ The advice of the Apostle is to be rooted in Christ Col. 2.7 A stake in the ground may easily be pluckt up but a tree rooted in the ground stands immovable They who are in Christ only by way of externall profession may be pull'd from Christ and outward troubles will overcome a meerly visible and outside professor but they who are in Christ by way of reall and internall implantation will keep their standing He who is but a visible Christian may in a short time cease to be so much as visible He who speaks for Christ only notionally will soon be won to speak against him From him who professeth not Christ truly may soon be taken away his very appearances Please not your selves with the form of religion Realities are only durable The colour of blushing is soon down that of complexion remains longer Si ista terrena diligitis ut munera amici ut arrham sponsi diligite 4. Let no wordly comfort be beloved but only so far as it is a pledg of Christs love to thee or an incentive of thine to him Let not Christ content thee with any thing without himself Love not thy enjoyments as gifts but as mercies and love-tokens Look upon every thing out of Christ as a sieve pluck'd out of the water as a coal without fire as a cypher without a figure Were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat I would not look toward thee said Elisha to Jehoram and were it not for a taste of the love of Christ in our worldly comforts we should not much regard them Love nothing but as it is a step to raise thee up higher and more toward him onely as a Phylactery and a remembrancer of thy Friend as that which incites to him not as that which bewitcheth from him If Christians would studie thus by and in every comfort to taste Christ they would not for gaining these comforts be willing to part with Christ 5. Take heed of professing Christ for by-ends Serve him not to serve your own turns Make not Religion a design Let every interest be subservient to Christ Be willing to set up a building of glory for him upon your own ruines Learn to perish that the glory of Christ may live Let Christ be sweet for himself Love him for his beauty not his cloathes In serving him let nothing else be your scope and then nothing will divert you aim not at profit so gain will not allure you not at pleasure so ease will not corrupt you not at friends so favour wil not seduce you Let none but Christ be your end 6 Daily increase sweet acquaintance and humble familiarity with Christ Stand not at a stay in taking in his comforts Stint not Communion with him Oh labour to take in hissweetest consolations fresh and fresh every morning If communion with Christ be but a while intermitted the love of the world will soon be admitted When the people were without their wonted converse with Moses they began to think of a golden Idol The soul cannot live without some comfort or other If it finds no sweetnesse in Christ it will look out for it else where and if it tast nothing in his wayes to whet and keep it up it will be ready to go down as the Israelites went down to the Philistims to sharpen their instruments to earthly delights for relief But if Christ be sweet the world will be bitter And if thine eyes have but lookt stedfastly upon his Glory they will not suddenly behold beuty in any thing else VER 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance though yee once knew this how that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt afterward destroyed them that beleeved not AT This verse the Apostle begins the second Argument whereby he proves it the duty of these Christians Earnestly to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints and now opposed by the seducers of those times The Argument is taken from the certainty of the destruction of those Seducers the Apostle by the zealous prosecution thereof declaring that these Christians must avoid their Doctrines if they would not be involved in their downfall The Apostle in the managing of this Argument doth these three things 1. He gives us severall Examples of Gods severe wrath upon others in former times for sundry heinous sins to the 8th Verse 2. He declares that these Seducers lived in the same sins which God had formerly punish'd in others to the 11th verse 3. He concludes that they practising the same impieties shall partake of the same plagues with those who were before them to the 17th verse For the first of these the Apostle propounds three Examples of Gods most severe displeasure against the sinners of former times The first is of the Israelites who were destroyed in the wildernesse The second of the wicked Angels who are reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse The third of the Sodomites who suffer the vengeance of everlasting fire The Apostle with admirable wisdom making choice of these Examples to prevent
the plea which might be made for these Seducers in regard of their priviledg as visible professors of their eminency for place and of their reputation for sanctity For though they had Church-priviledges yet so had the Israelites though they were eminent for place and station yet so were the Angels and though they were desirous to be accounted in the highest form of religion and sanctitie yet were they as filthy and guilty as Sodomites a people as famous for Gods judgments as they were infamous for their own impurities The first of these Examples that of the Israelites who were destroyed in the wildernesse c. is set down here in this fifth verse wherein are two parts 1. A Preface prefixed 2. An Example propounded 1. He sets down a Preface before the Example in these words I will put you in remembrance though ye once knew this Wherein two things are expressed 1. The duty of the Apostle or what he would do I will therefore put you in remembrance 2. The commendation of the Christians or what they had already done Though ye once knew this namely the following example of the Israelites 1. For the duty of the Apostle I will put you in remembrance EXPLICATION Two things briefly for the explication of this 1. What the Apostle means by this putting of them in remembrance 2. Why he would put them in remembrance 1. What hee intends by putting them in remembrance The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In memoriam revocare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated to put in remembrance properly signifies to recall a thing past to mind or memory a thing I say though formerly understood yet possibly almost forgotten or at least for the present not duly considered or remembred and thus it s used Luk. 22.61 Peter remembred the word c. and 2 Tim. 2.14 Of these things put them in remembrance c. and Tit. 3.1 Put them in remembrance to be subject c. and 2 Pet. 1.12 I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance c. and 2 Pet. 3.1 I stir up your pure mind by way of remembrance So that the word rather notes reminiscence than memory a calling back of that which heretofore they had thought of but for the present was not duly and throughly thought of 2. Why did the Apostle thus put them in remembrance Great reason hereof there was both in respect of 1 The Apostle who wrote 2 The Christians to whom he wrote 1. In respect of the Apostle It was his duty not only once to deliver but again to recall Truths to their minds formerly delivered Upon this duty the Apostle puts Timothy 1 Tim. 4.6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ. And sending him to Corinth he giveth him the same command 1 Cor. 4.17 and this was also practised by Paul himself Rom 15.15 I have written to you saith he the more boldly as putting you in remembrance A course practised by Peter likewise who tels the Christians that he thinks it meet to stir them up 2 Pet. 1.13 2 Pet. 3.1 by putting them in remembrance and that his second Epistle was written to that end Hence it is that Ministers are call'd the Lords remembrancers Isa 62.6 not only for putting the Lord in mind of the peoples wants but also in whetting holy instructions upon the people and putting them in mind of their duty unto God 2. In respect of those to whom he wrote he puts them in remembrance Phil. 3.1 It was safe for the Philippians to have the same things written to them Phil. 3.1 Those eminent Christians Rom. 15.14 15 2 Pet. 3.1 the Romans to whom Paul wrote and the Saints who had pure minds to whom Peter wrote wanted this putting in remembrance for 1. The best are imperfect in their knowledg The greatest part of those things which we do know is but the least part of what we do not know The plainest and best known Truths are not so well known but they may be better known The most experienced Christian may say of every Truth as a man useth to say to his new Friends I would be glad of your better acquaintance Our knowledg is but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 even in respect of the plainest Truths We cannot name any Number so high and great but a man may reckon one still beyond it and there may be alway an addition to our knowledg A Christian should grow in his head Col. 2.2 1.9 10. Fateor me Catechismi discipulum as well as in his heart in his light as well as in his heat 'T was an humble speech of Luther I acknowledg my self a Scholer even in the Catechism Every point of Divinity hath a vast Circumference every command is exceeding broad and what one article of Faith or precept of the Law is there of which a man may say There is nothing contained in it which I fully know not Christians should often be remembred of the plainest truths that they may conceive of them the better 2. The memories of the best Christians stand in need of frequent remembrances Heb. 2.1 They are frail to retain the things of God naturally The most precious truths laid up in our memories are Jewels put into a crazy Cabinet Memorie is like a sieve that holds the bran le ts the flowre go remembers what is to be forgotten and forgets what is to be remembred and like a sieve that is full in the water but empty being taken out the memory is full perhaps while men are hearing but empty so soon as their hearing is ended If we would have our garment hold its colour it must be double dyed so that a truth may take a deep impression it must be pressed again and again And this naturall unfaithfulnesse of the memory is furthered by the tentations of Satan who labours to steal away the most usefull truths like a theef who robs a house of the best housholdstuff In times of tentation to sin how hard is it to remember the truths that should defend us How far from Peters memory was the speech of Christ Luk. 22.61 till the crowing of the cock remembred him Ye have forgotten saith the Apostle the exhortation Heb. 12.5 In every sin there is some kind of forgetfulnesse When passion is violent and tentation strong the use of memorie is commonly suspended Thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion and hast forgotten mee saith the Lord Ezek. 22.12 And in all true obedience there is remembrance Isa 64.5 working righteousnesse and remembring God are put together 3. The best Christians are subject to abate and decay in spiritual fervency of affection to the best things Now frequent remembrances do not only recall truths to the mind but quicken the heart to affect them We are dull to leâ—rn what we should do and more dull to do what we have learn'd
vintage of a judgment he leaves the gleanings of grapes upon the Vine of his Church Hee never shakes his Olive tree so throughly but he leaves at least two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough four or five in the outmost branches Isa 17.6 Though I make a full end of all Nations whither I have driven thee Jer. 30.11 Jer. 46.28 yet will I not make a full end of thee but correct thee in measure yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished Let not Israel presume upon mercy if they will sin but yet let them not despair of mercy though they suffer God will not cast off his people Ps 94.14 Though the destruction of his Israel be never so great yet it shall never be totall and should many fall yet all shall not the cause the interest of Christ shall not and though possibly in a wildernesse of common calamities the carcasses of some of his owne may fall among others so as they may never live to enter the Canaan of a longed for peace and reformation in this life yet by faith ascending up to the Nebo of a promise they may behold it afar off and see it possessed by their posterity they themselves mean while repenting of their unbelief and unworthinesse and so entring that heavenly Canaan where they shall enjoy the fulness of that which here they could have enjoyed but in part The third branch of the example of the Israelites is the cause of their destruction viz their infidelity contained in these words That beleeved not EXPLICATION For the Explication whereof two things are considerable 1. In what respect these Israelites are here said not to beleeve 2. Why they were punished for this their not believing rather then for any other sin I. For the first Unbeleevers 1. are frequently in Scripture taken for Pagans and Heathens 1 Tim. 5.8 2 Cor. 6.14 15 1 Cor. 14.23 who are alwayes without the profession of the Faith and oft without the very offer of the Word the means of knowing that Faith which is to be professed and then it s termed an unbelief of pure negation 2. Unbeleevers are said to be such who though they professe the faith and hear and know the word yet deny that credence to it which God requires and their unbeleef called an unbeleef of evill disposition is either a deniall of assent to the truths asserted in the word or of trust and affiance to the promises of good contained in the same and both these are either temporary or totall and perpetuall Into the former sometimes the elect may fall as particularly did those two disciples who by their unbeleef drew from Christ this sharp reproofe Luk. 24.25 Mark 16.11.13.14 O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the prophets have written And for this it was that Christ upbraided the eleven when they beleeved not them who had seen him after he was risen Luk. 1.20 And of righteous Zecharie is it said that he beleeved not those words which were to be fulfill'd in their season Into that unbeleef which is totall and habituall Joh. 6.64.65 Joh. 10.25.26 Jo. 12.37.38.39 the reprobabate only fall of whom Christ speaks Ye beleeve not because yee are not of my sheep and afterward the Evangelist They beleeved not nay they could not beleeve because that Isaias said he hath blinded their eyes c. as also Act. 10.9 divers were hardned and beleeved not These abide in unbelief John 3. ult and the wrath of God abideth on them This unbeleef of the Israelites did principally consist in their not yeelding trust and affiance to the gracious and faithful promises made by God to their forefathers and often renewd to themselves of bestowing upon them the land of Canaan for their inheritance Vide Numb Chapters 13. and 14. These promises upon the report of the spies concerning the strength of the Canaanites and their Cities were by the people so far distrusted and deemed so impossible to be fulfilled as that they not only wish'd that they had dyed in Egypt but resolved to make them a Captain to return thither again And probable it is that the unbeleef of the most was perpetnal Certumest complures fuisse pios qui vel communi impietate non fuerunt impliciti vel mox resipuerunt Cal. in Heb. 3.18 but that others even of those who at the first and for a time did distrust the faithfulnesse of Gods promise by the threatnings and punishments denounced against and inflicted upon them repented afterward of their infidelity and so beleeved that God was faithfull in his promise though they by reason of their former unbelief did not actually partake of the benefit thereof However this their sin of distrustfulnesse was their great and capitall sin that sin like the Anakims which they so feared much taller than the rest and which principally was that provocation in the wildernesse spoken of so frequently in the Scripture Heb. 3.8.12 16.18 Psal 95 8. Incredulitas malorum omnium caput Cal. in Heb. 3.18 And hence it is that God explaines this provoking him by not beleeving him How long saith he Numb 14.11 will this people provoke me how long will it be ere they beleeve me and that it was their great stop in the way to Canaan is evident in that the punishment of exclusion from Canaan was immediately upon their unbeleef inflicted upon them as also by the expresse testimony of the Apostle who saith that they could not enter in because of unbelief II. For the second Why they were destroyed rather for their unbelief then for other sins 1. Their unbelief was the root and fountain of all the rest of their sins Heb. 3.12 Jer. 17.5 This evill heart of unbelief made them depart from the living God by their other provocations All sins would be bitter in the acting if we beleeved that they would be bitter in their ending Faith is the shield of every grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Acts 15.9 and Unbelief the shield of every sin Faith purifies Unbelief pollutes the heart Vnbeleevers and disobedient are in the Greek expressed by one word Heb. 11.31 What but unbelief was the cause of all those impatient murmurings of the Israelites Had they beleeved a faithfull God Num. 14.27 they would quietly have waited for the accomplishment of his promises Had they believed in him who is Alsufficient they would in the want of all means of supply have look'd upon them as laid up in God The reason why they made such sinfull haste to get flesh was because their unbelieving heart thought that God could not furnish a table in the wildernesse What but their not believing a great and dreadfull Majestie made them so fearlesly rebellious against God and their Governours What but their not believing an All-powerfull God made them to fear the Gyants and walled Cities of Canaan Faith went out and fear and every sin got
consumed by fire Let us love the world as alway about to leave it and delight in the best of earthly enjoyments only as refreshments in our journey not as in the comforts of our country only as things without which we cannot live not as things for which we do live not making them fetters but only using them as furtherances to our place of setlement Wicked Cain was the first that ever built a city and yet even then the Holy Ghost brands him with the name of a Vagabond The godly of old dwelt in tabernacles Heb. 11.9 and the reason was because they looked for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God To conclude Let the sin of these angels in leaving this habitation make us fear lest we should fall short of it let us be throughly sensible of our misery by nature in being born without a right to it and interest in it Let us speedily get into and constantly keep in the way that leads unto it Christ is that way let us by faith procure him as one who hath purchased it for us by the merit of his obedience and in him let us continue that he may prepare us for it by his spirit of holinesse Let us profitably improve those ordinances which are the gates of heaven let us content our selves with no degree of proficiency by them but proceed from strength to strength till at last we appear before God in this habitation The third branch of this first part of the text containing the sin of these angels is this Wherein this defection of the angels was seen and did consist This is expressed two ways 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gerh. in 2 Pet. 1. Negatively They kept not c. 2. Affirmatively They left their c. EXPLICATION The nature of the subject and indeed the very expressions of the Apostle of not keeping and leaving puts us upon explaining three particulars 1. What was the original cause that these angels made a defection or that they kept not their first estate 2 What was that first sin whereby this defection was made or their first estate not kept 3. In what degree and measure it was made it being here said they kept not their c. but left their own c. 1. For the first 1. God who is infinitely and perfectly good and holy the fountain of all goodnesse and goodnesse it self was not the cause of the sinfull defection of these angels nor had it been justice in God to have condemned them for that which himselfe had caused or to make them fall and then to punish them for falling And whereas it is objected that God might have hindred them from falling therefore he was the cause thereof I answer 1. Not every one who can hinder an evill is accessary to it unlesse he be bound to hinder it but God was not here so bound Angeli homines ex officio debeut Deo Deus nihil debet nisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quum se ipse obstring it ultro ex promissionibus gratiae Illi ex natur â debent Deo natura debetur ipsa Junius in loc Asserunt malam esse naturā quae immutari nullo modo potest Aug. con 2. ep Pet. Nor oweth he any thing to any of his creatures further then he bindeth himselfe Angels and men are bound to God Ex officio by duty nothing from God is due to them but of his own good will and pleasure when freely and of his own accord he binds himself to them by his promise of grace Angels and men owe to God all they are all they have all they have lost they are debtors to God by nature and even nature it selfe is owing to God 2. Nor secondly Were the angels made to sin as the Manichees fondly and falsly imagined by some first evill cause which as they held was the original and fountain of all sin and whereby a necessity of sinning lay upon creatures from the very being of nature which therefore could not be changed from being evill but was so unavoidably unalterably 3. Nor thirdly Do I conceive that this sin of the angels proceeded from any error or ignorance in their understanding before their sin as if their understanding first judged that to be good which was not and therefore they afterwards sinn'd in willing and embracing that good for this were to make them erroneous before they were unholy miserable before they were sinfull whereas the ignorance of that which ought to be known is a part of sin and all misery is a fruit of sin * Illa ignorantia five error secundùm quem omnis peccans ignorat et errat propriè non est causa peccati sed potius aliquid peccati Peccat enim homo eo ipso quòd ratio pravè judicat Peccat inchoativè sicut consummativè peccat in eo quod voluntas malè eligit Nam omne peccatum quasi duabusillis partibus constat c. Error judicii non est separandus à peccato sed in plena ejus ratione includitur Estius in l. 2. sent dist 22. That ignorance or error saith Estius whereby he who sins is ignorant and erroneous properly is not a cause of sin but something of sin for a man who judgeth amisse sins inchoatively as he whose will chuseth wickedly sins consummatively and compleatly for all sin he saith doth as it were consist and is made up of two parts false judgement and evill election and the error of judgement is not to be separated from sin but to be included in and * Involvitur ignorantia malae electionis sub ipso malae electionis peccato tanquam aliquid ei intrinsecum propriè dicimus omnem qui peccat eo ipso quo peccat errare impropriè autem omnem peccantem ex errore peccare Id. ib. involved under the sin it selfe of evil election as something intrinsecall to it and that every one who sins properly is said to err in that he sins and improperly said to sin by or from error And thus the soundest among the Schoolmen answer the Objection against the possibility of the fal of the angels taken from this ground that every sin proceeds from ignorance which cannot say they be true of the sin of the angels 4. Fourthly I conceive that sin being a defect a privation of good and a want of due rectitude hath not properly any cause whereby it may be said to be effected or made Sin is not a nature or a being for then it should be a creature and appetible every creature desiring it's being and by consequence good Nor yet is it a meer negation of good for then the bare absence of any good belonging to another creature would be a mans sin But sin is a privation of that good which hath been and should be in one Now in regard sin is a privation and defect Let none they are the words of Augustine enquire after the
who saith That pride must needs go before envy and that envy was not the cause of pride but pride the cause of envy for none can by envy hate anothers excellency unlesse by pride he first inordinately love his own Superbi endo invidus non invidendo quisquam superbus est Aug. Invidus ex hoc de bono alterius dolet in quantum bonum alterius aestimat sui boni impedimentum Aquin. 1. p. q. 63. a. 2. Bern. in Cant. ser 22. Greg. l. 34. moral c. 14. Ambros in Psal 37. Hierom. in Es 14. August l 12. de Civ Dei c. 6. Ab illo qui summus est aversi ad se conversi sunt hoe vitium nihil aliud est quam superbia Proprium objectum superbiae est excellens mensuram à Deo praefixam Bona vero spiritualia cum secundum se excessiva esse non possunt consequens est ut ex hoc primum habeant rationem vitiosi appetibilis ex quo primum habent rationem excedentis in commensurati alicui hoc autem constat esse divinam dispensationem regulam Cajetan in 1. p. sum q. 63. a. 2. Quid est supcrbia nisi perversae celsitudinis appetitus Aug. de civit D. l. 14. cap. 13. which he apprehends to be impaired by anothers A fourth to adde no more and the most probable opinion is of those who hold that the first sin of these angels was pride And this is the opinion most received and commonly embraced by the Fathers and after them received generally by the Schoolmen and others Aquinas seems strongly to prove that it could be no other sin but pride A spirituall nature and such is the angelicall can only saith he affect some spiritual object as being that which is only agreeable to it now there can be no sin in affecting spirituall objects which in themselves are good unless it be because in affecting of them the rule of the superiour is therein not obeyed and this is the sin of pride For the proper object of pride saith Cajetan is something exceeding that measure prefixed and limited by God Now in regard spirituall things cannot be excessive nor can we have too much of them in respect of themselves because the more of them the better it followes that then they come to be sinfully desired when they begin to exceed and to become incommensurate to the divine rule and dispensation the affecting them in which inordinate measure namely beyond the limits prescribed by God was the sin of pride in the angels That this pride then or an affecting as Augustine calls it of some spirituall highness beyond the bounds of Gods will was the first sin seems very probable by reason but more then probable by that of Paul 1 Tim. 3.6 where the Apostle gives this reason why a Bishop must be no novice Ne ob superbi am incidat in eandem damnationis poenam cum diabolo Est in Loc. lest saith he heing lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the divell in which place I understand not why the Apostle expresseth the condemnation or punishment of the divel to deterre from pride unlesse the divel had faln into condemnation for that sin and unlesse the Apostle had intended to shew the danger of being proud by setting down the punishment of the divel for that sin But more particularly if it be enquired wherein this pride of the angels did consist and what that highnesse was which they did affect beyond their measure I think the answer hereunto can be but conjecturall and uncertain Some conceive that it was revealed to the Angels soon after their creation that the humane nature should in time be hypostatically united to the divine that the Son of God in humane nature should be the head of men yea of angels that hereby mans nature was to be exalted above the very angels Heb. 1.6 and that they were commanded to worship and submit to him Hereupon say some they desired that the dignity of this union with the divine might be afforded to their own angelical nature But say others they refused to consent and submit to Gods pleasure in the former discovery Vid Zanch. de op Dei in this say they stood the pride of angels And of this opinion is Zanchy whose chiefest argument is taken from that deadly hatred which Satan hath ever put forth against the doctrines of the Person and Offices of Christ and his incessant opposing of beleeving and affiance in him Others conjecture for indeed none in this point can do much more that the angels desired to be equal with God and that they aspired to the divinity it self And here they distinguish of a twofold will in the angels 1. A will of efficacy which others term a will of intention 2. A will of delight and complacency According to the former they say that the angels did not desire to be equall with God as if they had intended or used means to attain to divinity For this the angels knew was absolutely impossible but according to the later will of complacency they say the angels might desire to be equall to God namely wish it as a pleasing and delightfull thing to them as a sick a dying man who despaires of recovery desires health though not as using means to procure it because he judgeth it impossible to be obtained yet as a good and most pleasing benefit and thus they say these angels had this will of delight or a velle conditionatum such a will whereby if it had been possible to have attained to the divinity Scotus in l. 2. sent dist 6. Estius in dist 6. §. 6. they would have used means to have done it and this was the opinion of Scotus and after him of sundry others who consider the tentation that Satan laid before our first parents Ye shall be gods And afterward being blinded with pride his endeavouring to have Christ worship him and his propagating the adoration of himselfe among heathens under the names of sundry gods The most probable opinion is that of Augustine Suâ potestate delectati velut bonum suum sibi ipsi essent à superiore communi omnium beatifico bono ad propria defluxerunt Aug. de Civ Dei l. 12. c. 1. It seemeth that there was no other way for angels to sin but by reflex of their understanding upon themselves who being held with admiration of their own sublimity and honour their memory of their subordination to God and their dependency on him was drowned in this conceit whereupon their adoration love and imitation of God could not chuse but be also interrupted Hooker L. 1. §. 14. and after him Aquinas Cajetan and others who think that the pride of the angels was in desiring and resting in their own naturall perfection as their ultimate end That as God is blessed by his own nature having no superiour from whom to draw his blessednesse so did these angels
enemies A greater punishment undoubtedly to those proudest of creatures then was that to Bajazet whose back famous Tamberlane used for an horsblock to raise him up to his Steed when he caused him to be carried up and down as a spectacle of infamy in all his triumphant journeys 2. By the last judgment there shall be an accession of punishment to these angels in respect of their restraint because then they shall be unable to seduce the wicked or to hurt the elect any more Their chain now more loose shall then be so strait that they shall never come neer nor among the Saints of God A vehement vexation to those malicious spirits whose element is mischief and their torment restraint from doing hurt They now deem it some lessening of their torment to be suffered to tempt men to sin They think themselves hereby somewhat revenged on God as he that defaceth the picture of his enemy when he cannot come at his person easeth his spleen a little or as the dog somewhat breaks his rage by gnawing the stone when he cannot reach the thrower They now walk abroad as it were with their keeper but then they shall be closely confin'd yea dungeon'd Now they contain their hell then their hell shall contain them In short As the punishment of wicked men shall be at the full when their souls and bodies are reunited and both cast into hell so the torment of these angels shall be compleated when at the last day they shall be so fettered in their infernall prison as that there will be no possibility of stirring forth They are now entred into divers degrees of punishment but the full wrath of God is not powred out upon them till the day of judgment OBSERVATIONS 1 No secrecy can shelter sin from Gods observation Observ 1. He who will make sins known to conscience and all spectators must needs know them himself Sins are undoubtedly written in if they be read out of the book God need not wrack no nor ask the offender to know whether he hath sinn'd or no he searcheth the heart Jer. 17.10 Psal 11.4 he tryeth the reins his eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men He compasseth he winnoweth our paths and is acquainted with all our wayes Psal 139. Whither shall we flie from his presence He understands our thoughts afar off knows them long before they come into us and long after they are gone away from us All the secrets of our hearts are dissected anatomized and bare-fac'd in his eyes He who knew what we would do before we did it must needs know what we have done afterwards There 's nothing existing in the world but was before in Gods knowledg as the house is first in the head before erected by the hand of the Artificer He made us and therefore knows every nook and corner and turning in us and we are sustained and moved by him in our most retired motions How plainly discerned by him is the closest hypocrite and every Divel though in a Samuel's mantle We can onely hear but God sees hollownesse We do but observe the surface but Gods eye pierceth into the entrails of every action He sees not as man sees Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart How exact should we be even in secret walkings we being constantly in the view of so accurate an observer We should set the Lord always before us The eye of God should ever be in our eys the presence of God is the counterpoyson of sin Whensoever thou art sinning remember that all thou dost is book'd in Gods omniscience Latimer being examined by his Popish Adversaries heard a pen walking behind the hangings to take all his words this made him wary how he express'd himself but more cause have we to fear sin since God writes down every offence and will one day so read over his book to Conscience that it shall be compell'd to copie it out with infinite horror God did but read one page one line of this book one sin to the conscience of Judas and the terror thereof made him his own executioner 2 How foolish are sinners Observ 2. who are so despairing at and yet so fearlesse before the pronouncing of the last sentence Most irrationall is that resolution Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily therefore to be fully set to do evill Eccles 8.11 How wise were it to argue contrarily Because the sentence is deferr'd therefore let us labour to have it prevented and to say with the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought we to be The deferring of judgment is no signe of its prevention the speedy repentance of sinners would be a much more comfortable prediction Wrath when it is to come may be fled from when once it is come it is unavoidable Christians be as wise for your souls as the Egyptians were for their cattel who fearing the threatning of bail took them into houses Faith in threatnings of judgment may prevent the feeling of judgments threatned For your souls sake be warned to get your pardon in the blood if ever you would avoid the sentence of the mouth of Christ If the Judg give you not a pardon here he will give you a sentence hereafter It 's onely the blood of Christ which can blot the book of Judgment Judg your selves and passe an irrevocable sentence upon your sins if you would not be sentenc'd for your sins Repent at the hearing of Ministers in this your day for if you put off that work till God speaks in his day Repentance it self will be unprofitable If you harden your hearts here in sin the heart of Christ will be hardened hereafter in his sentencing and your suffering The great work of poor Ministers is the prevention of the dreadfull sound of the last Sentence Knowing the terror of the Lord they warn you All the hatred we meet with in the world is for our loving plainness herein but we will not cease to warn you with tears as well as with sweat we can better bear your hatred here then either you or we bear Gods hereafter and we had rather your lusts should curse us here then your souls to all eternity If our voyce cannot make you bend Gods will make you break If you will not hearken is it not because the Lord will slay you 3 Great is the sinfulness of rash judgment Observat 3 It 's a sin that robs Christ of his honour whereby a man advanceth himself into Christs Tribunal and which takes the work of judgment out of Christs hand and therefore the Apostle Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 4 5. strongly argues a-against it from the last judgment Christians commit this sin both by a curious inquisition into the wayes of others for this end that they may finde out matter of defamation and principally by passing of sentence or giving of censure against the persons and practices of others without a
in the body c. He cometh with cloudes and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 He is call'd The judge of the whole earth Gen. 18.25 All men are divided into two sorts or ranks 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Pet. 4.5 Apoc. 20.12 living and dead and both these shall Christ judge Act. 19.42 Who hath power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 Who shall reward every one according to his works Mat. 16.27 And to whom God hath sworn every knee shall bow Isai 45.23 Rom. 14.11 So that if there should but one be exempted from appearing before Christ at the last day the oath of God should be broken which is impossible If God number all the hairs of our head how much more all the persons whose those hairs are Mat. 10.30 Psal 56.10 Joh. 5.24 If he number all our steps how much more all those who take those steps And whereas it 's said that the Beleevers shall not come into judgement Psal 1.5 and that the wicked shall not stand in the judgment the former is to be understood of the judgement of condemnation and Joh. 5.24 condemnation it is translated or rather expounded saith one in our ordinary Bibles The later of prevailing in judgement Causâ cadent by receiving a judgement of absolution men may hide themselves and flie from mens Courts and Tribunals but the judgement seat of Christ cannot bee avoided It will be in vaine to call for the Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them and hide them for the mountains shall melt like wax at the presence of the Lord. There 's no flying from this Judge but by flying to him and death it self which prevents judgment among men shall give up its dead to this great judgement 2. The day shall be great in respect of the judged as they are considered in the greatnesse of their ranks and degrees Among men not the judging of every meane contemptible person but of Noble men Princes of the blood or great Monarchs makes the day of their judgment great How solemn in this world is the judiciary tryall of a King But how glorious and magnificent shal be the arraignment of great and small persons Rev. 20.12 of all ranks and degrees at that great day Angels and Principalities as at large hath been shewed before as well as men Luk. 21.36 good as well as bad Watch and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man He that judgeth me is the Lord 1 Cor. 4.4 and Every one of us must give account of himselfe to God Rom. 14.12 They who have been high and mighty Emperors as well as the poorest outcasts The tallest Cedar the stoutest Oak must bend yea break at that great day Psal 110.5 Christ he shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath The grave and the Judgement-seat put no difference between Monarchs and vassals The grave-dust of a Queen smels no sweeter then that of a beggar none can difference between the ashes of an Oak and those of an humble shrub There will be no other crowns worn at that day but the Crownes of righteousnesse no other robes but those wash'd in the blood of Christ and these will better fit the head and back of a Lazarus than a rich Glutton True greatnesse goodnesse I meane will be the onely greatnesse at that truly great day The glorious sunshine of this day will extinguish the Candle of worldly glory Oh great day wherein majesty shall lye and lick the dust of the feet of Christ the stiffest knee bend before his majesty and the strongest back of sinners break under his wrath when the great sword-men and Emperors the Alexanders the Caesars who once made the earth to tremble shall now tamely tremble before him 3. The day of judgement shall be great in respect of the judged if we consider them as great offenders When men are tryed before humane Judicatories for common crimes as for pilfering or stealing some small or inconsiderable summe the day of their tryall is soon forgotten and not greatly regarded but when they are arraigned for such horrid and heinous offences as the ears of the hearer tingles to hear and his heart trembles to think of some Sodomiticall villany wilfull murder of some good King the blowing up of a Parliament c. the day of their judgement is great and greatly observ'd there is great admiration at their boldnesse in sin great indignation against them for it great joy when they are sentenced and greater when they are executed How great then shall this judgement day be for how great at that day shall every sin appear to be Sin can never bee seen to be what it is or in its due dimensions but by the light of the fire of Gods wrath In the dim and false light of this world it 's nothing it 's nothing a trick of youth a toy a trifle but at the appearing of the light of divine disquisition when conscience shall be search'd with candles and all paint pretexts and other refuges swept away the least sin will appear infinite The cloud a while since no bigger then a mans hand will overspread the face of the heavens The least breach of a law infinitely holy and the smallest offence unpardoned against a God infinitely both just and powerfull will then appear unconceivably more heinous then any breaches of the peace or offences against the greatest of men there 's nothing little which as sin doth kils and damnes the soul yea Omne peccatum est deicidium the least sin will then be look'd upon as striking even at God himselfe But how great shall that day be made by the judging of those prodigious abominations the commissions whereof the earth groaned to bear Scarlet Crimson transgressions at which even naturall conscience is affrighted as blasphemies murders open oppressions unnaturall uncleannesse c. How greatly shall the justice of God be magnified in the punishing of them How great the joy of the Saints when the enemies of that God whom they so dearly love and highly admire shall be sentenced against whom the soules under the Altar have so long prayed when every Divel Rev. 6.9 who hath here so often tempted them and every adversary who for their profession of Christ have so cruelly persecuted them shall be condemned 4. Lastly This day shall be great in respect of the judged if we consider the greatnesse of their rewards and recompences The setencing to a slight punishment as that of a small fine a few stripes burning in the hand c. is not regarded greatly even by the sufferers or spectators but the sentencing to a losse of all even of life it self a terrible death as burning pressing rending limb from limb starving hanging in chaines makes the judgment great The sentence whereby a man for a while is reprieved recovers a little losse or hath small damages given is little regarded and soon forgotten but that whereby a man hath his
and manifest There is nothing hid but shall be revealed Sinners shall be openly sham'd their secret sins their speculative impurities their closest midnight-impieties shall be publickly discovered and their feined hypocriticall appearances shall then be unmasked Then Saints shal be openly honour'd the good which they have done in secret shall be divulged from their sins against which they have mourn'd pray'd beleev'd secretly they shall be acquitted openly and honourably from all the censures suspicions aspersions and wrong judgements upon earth before all the world of men and Angels they shall be publickly cleared In a word As the Judge is righteous he will bee known to be so and therefore not onely his sentencing but the equity therof shal be manifestly known Every tongue shall confess to God the just proceedings of that day and Christ shall be clear when he judgeth and justified when sinners are condemned 6. This judgement shall be immediate Christ will not any more judge by man They whom he hath intrusted with Judicature have often miscarryed in the work acquitting where they should condemne and condemning where they should acquit now therefore he will trust others with the work no more but will take it into his own hands Judgement here among men is the Lords mediately but the great judgement shall be his immediately Sinners might hope to escape while sinners were their Judges Saints might fear cruelty while sinners were their Judges In a word when frail sinfull man is Judge he like the unjust steward in the Gospel who cut off fifty in the hundred punisheth malefactors by the halfs and with him wicked men can tell how to deal Ezek. 22.14 but can their hearts endure or can their hands be strong in the day wherein the Lord shall deal with them When Gideon commanding young Jether to slay Zebah and Zalmunna and he feared to draw his sword against them Judg. 8.20 being but a youth Gideon himselfe ariseth and fals upon them and as was the man so was his strength for hee instantly slew them And God commands those who should resemble him in righteousnesse to cut down sin and cut off sinners but alas they are oft either unwilling or afraid to draw the sword of Justice and therefore the Lord himselfe will come and take the sword into his own hands and as is he so will his strength be found and felt to be infinite The mountaines and hills will be but light burdens to fall upon sinners in comparison of this mighty God 7. This Judgement shall be the last Judgement The sentence that there shall be pronounced is the finall conclusive and determinating sentence The day of Judgement is frequently call'd The last day The last day Joh. 11.24.12.48 and the Great day are sometimes put together Joh. 7.37 Wicked men have had in this world many dayes of Judgement by the word by temporall troubles by the examples and warnings of the Saints but now their last day their last judgement is come after which there shall be no more tryall Former judgements might be reverst upon repentance but this last is irrevocable Repentance will not move the Judge to repent of his sentence Jer. 11.7 8 9. repentance will be hid from his eyes From his sentence there can be no appeal nor is there any Judicatory above or after it 8. This judgement is call'd Eternall How great are those dayes wherein an earthly Judge sentenceth to a temporal punishment of a few minutes Heb. 6.2 Judicium humanum est vix alphabetum illius ultimi Luth. But Christ sentenceth to an eternall state the effect of his judgement shall last for ever An earthly Judge allowes men to put the sentenced to death out of their paine at their execution but this shall be the bitter ingredient into the sentence of the great day namely that the sentenced shall be executed but never die Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire Departure for losse and Fire for sense are the greatest punishments but this Everlasting is that which makes both insupportable Dreadfull sentence Without this everlasting departure hell would not be hell This Everlasting burnes hotter then the fire or rather is the heat of the fire in hell and oh the bottomelesse Ocean of sweetnesse in this word Ever when joyned with Being with the Lord this is that which like the faggot-band binds all the scattered parcells of heavens blessednesse together and keeps them from dropping out In a word This stability of happinesse is that which makes it happinesse Great day wherein there is a sentence to no estate shorter then Eternity OBSERVATIONS 1. Great is the vanity of all earthly greatnesse While we are in this world troubles and comforts seem far greater then they are Observ 1. the former we think too great to bear the other too great to forsake How do men groan under small burdens and how do they admire the poor enjoyments of the world but when this great day is come neither of these will seem great How smal will former disgraces be esteem'd by those who shall bee honour'd before all the world How contemptible shall then poverty be in the thoughts of those who shall ever be inriched with the satisfying enjoyment of God himself How slight yea forgotten will the few bitter drops of pains be to those who shall be filled with Rivers of pleasures What poor trifles will all the profits and revenues of the earth be esteem'd when all the stately edifices and the richest treasures upon earth shall be consum'd in the flames What a bubble a shadow will all worldly honour and dignities appear when the faint candle light of the earthly glory of the greatest Monarchs shall be swallowed up in the glorious sun-shine of the appearance of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords How will a sentencing to the everlasting flames of fire and brimstone blast those former dreams of pleasure in cool and pleasant Arbors costly Perfumes sumptuous Banquets c To those who so admire earthly injoyments I say as Christ to his Disciple Mar. 13.2 when he shewed him the buildings of the Temple Seest thou these great buildings There shall not be one stone left upon another the flame of that day wil devour them as easily as the fire from heaven did consume the stones and sacrifice of and lick up the water about Elijahs Altar 2. Boldnesse in sin is no better then madnesse The great Judgement day is by the Apostle call'd The terror of the Lord. Observ 2. Eccl. 12.14 Magna peccati poena metum fu turi judicii perdidisse Aug. ser 120. de Tem. And though it may be our sin to be afrighted at mens judgement days and to be afraid of their terror yet is it our folly not to fear this great day of the Lord and a great punishment of sin not to fear the punishment of sin What Judge would not be incens'd when the prisoners being warned of his solemn approach
he means he will not utterly destroy he will not be like a Conqueror who having overcome a City and in the heat of blood destroyed all with whom he met at length indeed gives over but â—â—terward returns to make a totall destruction thereof though God make a full end of all nations yet he will not make a full end of his people Jer. 30.11 Jer. 46.28 Am. 4.11 Zech. 3.2 Isai 6.13 Isai 10.22 but correct them in measure yet not leave them altogether unpunished he will ever have some to serve him and to be monuments of his mercy God will deal with his people as he enjoyned them to do in gathering their grapes at Vintage Lev. 19.10 the gleaning of grapes he wil leave in it Isai 17.6 and as the shaking of an Olive tree two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough God will have evermore some of his people above the reach of their enemies This indulgence of God should both teach us Humility considering what we deserve and Thankfulnesse considering what we escape it being the Lords mercies that we are not utterly consumed This for the first part of this seventh verse viz. the Places punished The second followes namely the Deserving cause of their punishment exprest by the Apostle in these words In like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh Wherein he sets down 1. The sin of some namely of the Cities about Sodom and Gomorrha which was to sin in like manner 2. The sin of all the cities destroyed Wherein I consider 1. Into what they fell viz. uncleannesse yea one of the most odious sorts of uncleannesse Sodomy or pollution with strange flesh 2. The Degree or measure of their embracing this sin They gave themselves over to the one they went after the other EXPLICATION In the Explication of this second part viz. their sin three things principally are considerable 1. What wee are to understand by this sinning in like manner 2. What by fornication and strange flesh 3. What by this giving themselves to the former and going after the later For the first These words In like manner in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sodoma Gomorrhae vestigia secutae Neque nos offendere debet generis mutatio urbium enim nomine incolas comprehendit Beza Simili modo nempe cum Sodomâ Gomorrha Estius in loc Hoc non ad Israelitas Angelos sed mutuo ad Sodomam et Gomorrham refero Nec obstat quod pronomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 masculinum est nam ad incolas potius quam ad loca Judas respexit Calv. in loc Comprehendit Apostolus nomine fornicationis quam alibi omnem viri foeminae commixtionem extra matrimonium Est in 1 Tim. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some refer them not to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha but to the Israelites Angels of whom the Apostle spake in the fore-going verses as if he had intended that these Cities about Sodom and Gomorrha sinn'd after that manner in which the Israelites and Angels sinn'd and their only reason is because the Gender is changed in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which say they cannot be referred to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha but to those Israelites and Angels of whom he spake before and who sinn'd though not in that bodily uncleannesse which Jude afterwards mentions yet by spirituall Whoredome in making defection from God But I conceive with Beza Calvin and Estius upon the place that Jude intends that these Cities about Sodom and Gomorrha sinn'd after the same manner with these greater cities whose steps and examples they followed and therefore were involv'd in their punishment Wee never find in Scripture that the Israelites finned in following of strange flesh nor can we either according to Scripture or reason attribute this sin to Angels and as for the change of the Gender in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Metonymie of the Subject the Scripture often puts the City for the Inhabitants of the City as Mat. 8.34 The whole City went out to meet Jesus c. 2. We are to enquire what the Apostle here intends 1. By Fornication and 2. By strange flesh First Fornication I take not properly and strictly for that act of uncleannesse committed between persons unmarried but as in Scripture it 's put Mat. 5.32 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adultery where Christ saith Whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication c. so is it here to be taken for all sorts of carnall uncleanesse and as comprising all breaches of chastity The impure pens of those more impure penmen the Jesuites and among them of Thomas Sanchez in his Treatise of Matrimony have in their casuisticall discourses run out so odiously upon this Subject a work fit for those whose father his unholinesse the Pope Talia quae vix Diabolus ipse studium omne adhibendo suggerere posset Nonsolum genera species sed modos omnes subjecta objecta minutatim examinant Rivet in Decal pag 245. Gen. 38.9 1 Cor. 6.9 Col. 3.5 Levit. 18.23.20.13 Exod. 22.19 Pudicitia non perdiâ—a sed prodita Gen. 34.2 2 Sam. 13.14 Rom. 1.27 1 Tim. 1.9 1 Cor. 6.9 Levit. 18.20 Prov. 2.16.17.5 7 8 20. invites to the publick profession of Whordome that as Rivet notes they utter such things as scarce the Divell himself with all his study would have suggested they examining not only the kinds and severall sorts but even every manner object subject circumstance of this sin so exactly and by peecemeall that chast Readers cannot read them without blushing and abomination To mention therefore only the principall sorts of carnall uncleanness and such as we find though with sacred modesty set down in Scripture This sin if practised with a mans own body according to the opinion of some it s called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effeminatenesse and Vncleannesse for which God slew Onan if with a beast it 's bestiality a sin forbidden and severely to he punish'd by Gods law if with mankind unwillingly the party patient not agreeing it 's call'd ravishing if the parties agreeing be males they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their sin to the perpetuall infamy of Sodom is call'd Sodomy The parties being of a different sex and if the sin be committed with more there being a pretext of marriage it 's called Polygamie there being no such pretext Scortatio Whoredome or uncleanesse transported to the abuse of many If uncleanesse be committed by parties between whom there 's consanguinity or affinity in the degrees forbidden by God it 's incest if by parties not so allyed when both or either of them be marryed it 's adultery If the female be a virgin and not marryed it 's stuprum or a deflowring of her if she be retayned peculiarly to one she is a Concubine Judg. 19.1 if the act be oft repeated it
's call'd luxury and he who sets himselfe after it a Whoremonger Nor is it impossible but that uncleanesse may be between marryed couples when the use of the marriage bed is in a season prohibited or in a measure not moderated or in a manner not ordained or to an end not warranted To all which may be added the sin called Lenocinium when a Female is prostituted to the lusts of another either for gaine or favour forbidden Levit. 19.29 with which some joyn the toleration of uncleannesse either in private families or in publick states as in Rome that Spirituall Sodom As also all those things which incite dispose or provoke to actuall uncleannesse as immodest kisses embraces glances filthy speeches impure books amorous songs mixt dancings lascivious attire c. And lastly the concupiscence boyling or burning lustfulnesse of the heart out of which proceed evill thoughts murders adulteries fornications Mat. 15.19 called 1 Cor. 7.9 burning and Col. 3.5 Evill concupiscence It 's most probable that these impure Sodomites at first began at some of the lower and lesse heinous of the forementioned sorts of uncleannesse and that they went through most if not all of them before they came to be such hellish proficients and practicioners in their villanies Nausea fastidium muliebris commercii in Sodomitis Musc in Gen. p. 464. Vid. Mr. D. Rogers in his excellent Treatise called Matrimoniall Honour Liber amorque denique cum mentes bominum furiarit uterque pu dor et probitas metus omnis abest as to abuse themselves with mankind the heinousnesse of which abomination either swallowes up the mention of the rest or if from them they did abstain it was neither for feat or shame but because they accounted them as Musculus speaks to be ranks too inconsiderable and ordinary for them who left the naturall use of the woman and burnt in lust towards one another and as Jude saith followed after strange flesh Breifly now though sutably to this branch of Explication I shall add to the discovery of the sorts of uncleanness a touch of the peculiar odiousnesse of this sin to defer the consideration of the wrath of God against it till we come to the next part 1. It 's a close and cleaving sin much cherish'd by corrupt nature It bears as a Reverend Divine notes the name of it's mother which is called in generall lust or concupiscence it hath the name of it is kind and therefore it is lust eminently it lies near the heart and sleeps in the bosome 2. It 's an Infatuating sin Hos 4.11 taking away the heart even David was led with a stupor of spirit for a whole year together after his uncleannesse How did this sin besot Samson It blunts the edge not of grace only but even of reason also even Solomon himselfe could not keep his wisdome and women at once 3. It s an Injurious sin to others It loves not to go to hell without company An Adulterer cannot say as some other sinners may that he is his own greatest enemy How many doth it besides those whom it kils in soul wound in body name at one shoot and for this wound there can be no salve of restitution or recompence 4. It s an attended sin not only inducing others to sin but it brings on other sins with it it 's like the needle which draws the thread after it idolatry perjuries murders riot defrauding even of nearest relations The Apostle joyns fornication and wickednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together Rom. 1.29 An unclean person runs downe the hill and cannot stop his course in sin 5. It 's a Dishonourable sin to be the body and 1 Cor. 6.18 peculiarly said to be against the body The unclean person makes himself a stigmatick he brands his body and leaves upon it a loathsome staine Other sins comparatively are without the body by it not in it this both it being a more bodily sin and requiring more of the body for the perfecting of it 6. It 's a Sacrilegious sin It takes away from God that which is his own he made our bodies Psal 139.15 and curioufly wrought them like a piece of tapestry and he will not have them to be spotted 1 Cor. 6.15 16 18 19. Our bodies are the members of Christ our mysticall head united strongly though Spiritually If it were heinous for David to cut off the skirt of Sauls garment what is it for any to divide between Christ and his members and that by making them the members of an Harlot Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost therefore not to be the Styes for Swine dedicated therefore not to to be prophaned 7. It s an Heathenish sin Gentiles walk 1 Thes 4.5 in the lust of concupiscence and a sin before conversion 1 Cor. 6.9 Such were some of you A sin of night and darknesse wherein men care not how much their apparel be spotted or torn A sin not to be named amongst Christians In a word a sin not of Saints but of Sodomites Who 2. Are specially taxed with the breach of chastity in pollutions by strange flesh Quidam censent per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per verecundam se synecdochen carnis nomine intelligi membrum genetale vel potius nefarium illius membri in illicito coitu abusum Gerard. in 2 Pet. 2.10 Rom. 1.27 The words in the Originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifying another flesh Whereby the Apostle intends such a flesh as was another or different from that which was afforded to their naturall use by the law of nature or a flesh that was made by God to another use and end than that unto which they abused it Or as Oecumenius thinks that flesh which they followed may be called another or strange because God never appointed that Male and Male but only that Male and Female should be one flesh in which respect as to a male the flesh of a Male must alwayes be another flesh And Chrysostome well observes on Rom. 1.27 that whereas by Gods ordinance in lawfull copulation by marriage two became one flesh both sexes were joyned together in one by Sondomiticall uncleannesse the same flesh is divided into two Men with men working uncleannesse as with women of one sex making as it were two Of this sin of pollution with strange or another flesh in Scripture two sorts are mentioned The one carnall joyning with a beast which is of another kind prohibited Levit 18.23 and punished with death Levit. 20.15 wherein it's observable that the very Beast is also appointed to be slain as in another case the Ox that goared one to death was to be killed Exod. 21.28 by which was manifested the detestablenesse of that sin in that it polluted the very beasts Ad ipsum innoxium annimal poena transit Calv. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nefas de quo ne fari licet of which it is not lawfull to
though their sins were as red as scarlet yet he saith that he would make them as white as snow ver 18. The Apostle tels the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.9.11 that some of them had wallowed in this sin of Sodomy but saith he you are washed and sanctified The Gospel refuseth to pardon no sin for which the soul can be humbled Free grace can bring those to heaven whose sin equalized theirs who were thrown into hell The least sinner hath cause of humility nay in himself of despair the greatest hath by closing with Christ ground of hope If it be the glory of God to pardon great sins Multo plura quam debeamus Christus pro nobis solvit tantoque plura quanto guttulam exiguam pelagus excellit immensum Chrys in 5 Rom. Hom. 11. Observ 7. it is his greatest glory to pardon the greatest sinners There is no spot so deep which the blood of God cannot wash away The Argument which David used for the pardoning of his sin could only be prevalent with a God Pardon my sin saith he Psal 25.11 for it is great There is infinitely a greater disproportion between the blood of Christ and the greatest number of greatest sins then between the smallest pibble and the vastest ocean 7. The toleration of some places of uncleannesse is no means to prevent the spreading of this sin Sodom had liberty enough of sinning but their lust increased with their liberty The cause of Sodoms sin against nature was not the penury but the ordinarinesse of the other way of sinning with the Female Lust is insatiable and excessive nor will any liberty seem enough to it indulgence makes it insolent It will not be perswaded by fair means Insania Sodomitica non à penuria muliebris commercii sed à nauseâ Musc in 19. Gen. In rebus humanis non peccat magistratus si meretricibus certum locum urbis incolendâ—m attribuat quamvis certo sciat eo loco ipsas non bene usuras Potest enim permittere minus malum ut majora impediantur Bel. l. 2. de amis gr stat pec c. 18. nor must this nettle be gently touch'd but roughly handled and nipt if we would not have it sting If the Flood-gate of restraint be pull'd up lust keeps no measure in its powring forth The more we grant to it the more it will desire from us To prevent sin by permitting it is to quench fire with oyl to make the plaister of poyson and to throw out Satan by Satan Improvident and impure is that remedy used in the Papacy for the preserving of people chast I mean the toleration of Places of uncleanness Romana scorta in singulas bebdomadas Juli um pendent pontificii qui census annuus nonnunquam viginti millia ducatos excedit adeoque Ecclesiae procerum id munus est ut una cum Ecclesiarum proventibus etiam lenociniorum numerent mercedem Agrip. de van scient c. 64. But so the Romane Pander may fill his own coffers with the tribute he can be indulgent to the sin of whoredome 8. Observ 8. Corrupt nature delights in that which is strange to Gods ordination In the room of accompanying of Male and Female which was appointed by God Sodomites go after strange flesh Marriage was ordained by God Gen. 2.22 but nature being depraved forsakes that way and imbraceth the forbidden bosome of a stranger Prov. 5.20 a strange woman not standing in the former relation The marriage of one man and one woman was the ordination of God but instead thereof mans corruption hath brought in PolygaÌ„my Nor is the depravation of mans nature lesse opposite to religious ordinations God appointed that he alone should be worship'd but corrupt nature puts man upon serving strange Gods Jer. 5.19 called also Jer. 8.19 strange vanities The true God hath appointed the manner of his worship and strictly doth he forbid the offring of strange incense Exod. 30.9 but the same corruption which put the Sodomites upon following strange flesh puts Nadab and Abihu upon offering strange fire Man hath found out many Numb 3.4 and goeth a whoring after his own inventions and delights only in deviating from Gods way The wicked go astray from the womb How justly may our crooked natures be charged with what was unjustly imputed to the Apostles namely the turning of the world upside down All the breaches of ranks all the confusions and disorders upon earth proceed from our distempered hearts How comely an order would there be upon the face of the whole world if sin did not meddle 9. Little do they who allow themselves in sin Observ 7. know where they shall make a stop Once over the shoos in this puddle rarely will Satan leave till he have by degrees got them over head and ears The modest beginnings of sin make way for the immodest and irrecoverable proceedings The sin of the Sodomites which began at the unclean motions of the heart at length ariseth to a prodigious tallnesse of impudency and obstinacy The smallest spark may be blown up to a flame the flame upon the hearth may if not quenched fire the chimney None provide so wisely for themselves as they who kill sin in the cradle how easily do we proceed from one degree of sin to another and how ordinarily doth God punish one degree of sin with another He who allowes himselfe in speculative filthinesse may at length arrive at Sodomy He who now gives way to sin may shortly be given over to sin 10. Observ 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinners prosecute their lusts most laboriously The Sodomites weary and spend themselves in uncleannesse and painfully pull down a showr of fire and brimstone upon their heads Incomparably sorer is the labour of sinners in damning then of Saints in saving themselves The sinner is the only true drudge sin the only true slavery and therefore much greater then any other because they who are in it delight to be so and are angry with the offer of a release Lusts are many and opposite and yet one sinner must be servant to them all and they all agree in rending and tearing the soul They are cruel insteed of wages giving only wounds and scourges and that to the tendrest part the conscience Nor doth the body escape the tyranny of lust Envy intemperance wrath luxury have had more martyrs than ever had holinesse Such is the goodnesse of God and the sweetnesse of his service that it 's beneficiall even to the body but through how many troubles and woes do wicked men passe to greater Wofull and the life of a Sodomite been though the fire and brimstone had never fallen Great should be the grief of Gods servants that Satans slaves should do more for him that will shed their blood than they can do for him who shed his blood for them that the former should give themselvs over to uncleanness and the later not more willingly yeeld themselves to the Lord. 11.
28.5 If we will turn from our iniquities we shall understand the truth Dan. 9.13 Who is wise and he shall understand these things This for the first specifyed fault wherewith these Seducers were charged viz. Their defiling the flesh The second followes their contempt of Magistracy and in that first of the first branch thereof viz. They despise Dominion inwardly EXPLICATION Three things I here propound by way of Explication 1. What we are here to understand by Dominion 2. What by despising that Dominion 3. Vpon what ground doth Jude here condemn them for that despising thereof In the first we may consider two things 1. To whom this Dominion is attributed 2. What it is and wherein it consists 1. The word in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominion is the same with that mentioned in Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.10 2 Pet. 2.10 and tranflated Government And though it properly signifie Lordship Domination or Government in the abstract the Power and office of Magistracy or any ruling over others yet must it necessarily comprehend the persons themselves governing or in the place of Authority Government without Governours is but a notion and were it not for Governors there would be no hating of Government Paul Rom. 13.1 by Higher powers understands both the Power or Authority it self as also the Persons vested with that Power and Authority And when Peter 1 Pet. 2.17 commands the Christians to love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Brother-hood he intends the whole company of the brethren as we understand by the Nobility of the Land the Nobles themselves and yet here Jude names in the abstract rather Dominion and Authority it selfe then those who were placed therein to shew what it was which these Seducers opposed and struck at namely not at officers so much as at their office not at Magistrates but at Magistracy they loved not this same ruling over others and such a difference among men They aimed at Anarchy as Calvin notes upon the place being proud they could not endure superiors and being licencious they were impatient of restraint So me by this Dominion of which Jude speaks understand the Dominion and Authority of the Lord Christ received from his Father and so refer this despising of Dominion to that sin of ungodlinesse mentioned ver 4. Dominaâ—iâ—nem contemunat i. e. Christâ—m qui non solum dicitur Dominus in Concreto sed etiam Deminatiâ— in Abstractâ— propter excellentians Domiâ—ii Lyran. where these Seducers are said to be ungodly and to deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ Lyranus thus they despise Dominion that is saith he Christ himselfe who is not only called Lord in the concrete but even Dominion in the abstract because of the excellency of his Dominion But though it be true that Satan hath ever endeavoured to overthrow the Domination of Christ by Hereticks who have denyed his natures sometimes his offices at other times and have indeed shewed themselves Anti-christs 1 Joh. 2.4 Yet under correction I conceive that the Dominion and dignities whereof Jude here speaks are to be referred to the civill Magistrate The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Dominion is never attributed to Christ in the New Testament but alwayes either to Angels Eph. 1.21 Col. 1.16 or Magistrates and it is only agreeable to the scope of this place to interpret it of the Magistrate Even they who by these words understand the Dominion of Christ yeeld that the next words despise Dignities are to be understood of Magistrates And the Apostle in this verse as is conceived compares these Seducers as for uncleannesse to Sodomites so for contempt of Government to the Israelâ—â—s who rebelled against Moses he most sutably also subjoining this sin to the former of uncleannesse in regard the love of their lusts and dissolutenesse of life made them hate that Government which was appointed to restrain them 2. For the second What this Dominion and Power is that is attributed to the Magistrate and wherein it consists 1. More generally it stands in Superiority Preheminency Supereminency above others as is evident 1. By those names by which it is set forth in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 20.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 20 25. Rom. 13.3 Luk. 12.11 Tit. 3.1 1 Cor. 15.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 27.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xen. as Power Authority Rule as Rom. 13.1 1 Timoth. 2.2 Tit. 3.1 2. By those Titles which are given to Magistrates as Kings and such as exercise Authority Luk. 22.25 They that are great Mat. 20.25 Rulers Rom. 13.3 Powers in the Abstract Rom. 13.1 Magistrates Luke 12.11 Governours Luk. 20.20 And elsewhere Nobles 2 Chro. 23.20 Jerem. 14.3 Dukes or Mighty ones Exod. 15.15 Ezek. 31.5 Great men 2 Sam. 3.38 Captaines 1 Sam. 9.16 Princes Psal 83.11 Ezek. 32.29 With sundry Metaphoricall Names also as Gods Exod. 22.28 Psal 82.1 Psal 138.1 Chrildren of the Most High Psal 82.6 The sons of the Mighty or of the Gods Psal 89.7 Fathers tender fathers as the word may be and according to Hierom is to be rendred Gen. 41.43 1 Sam. 24.11 David calls Saul Father Deborah is called a Mother in Israel Judg. 5.7 Heads Number 14.4 Judg. 11.7 Judg. 1 15. Mountains Mich. 6.7 Annointed 1 Sam. 24 7. Shepherds Numb 27.17 Isaiah 44.28 c. 2. More particularly this Dominion or Power consists in three things 1. In Ordinando in ordaining lawes for the good of the subjects This is called Potestas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Legistative Power Lawes are like the Line and Plummet of the Architect without which there is no right working and they are to a Common-wealth what the Sun is to the earth without them people would not see whither to go what to do and all places as is usuall in darknesse would be filled with filthinesse and violence they are the cords of the tent which being cut it fallls to the ground Lawes are the best walls of a City without them even walled cities want defence they are as Physick to the body both for preventing and removing Diseases nay they are as the soul to the body without them the Common-wealth would neither have beauty nor being Laws have been ever esteemed so necessary that no Common-wealth under any form could ever be without them Nor do these Positive lawes derogate at all from the perfection of the Law Morall or of Nature but only discover the depravation of mans nature in whose heart though that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that work of the Law be written which inclines all to some kind of naturall goodnesse yet by the fall is the knowledge of the Law of nature so obscured and the force of inordinate affection so prevalent over reason that there is need of Positive Lawes for directing restraining encouraging And indeed Positive Lawes are but rivulets derived and drawn from the Law of Nature and particular conclusions formed out of the universall principles thereof The