manifested in Christ and yet perceives no such preciousnesse in Christ and his testimony as to move him according to his measure to count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ but easily listens to and admires the pretended excellencies of other spirits that lift not up the Son of Man according to the Apostles Doctrine but privily some other thing or work in his stead or embraces and cleaves to the things of this present world nor is moved with like love and compassion towards men from the grace in Christ beleeved nor united in heart with them that fear his Name and call upon him in truth to know and own them as brethren and strive together with them for the faith of the Gospel but hath left his first Love or else hath not yet so received the love of the truth as to save him let us not acknowledge his sayings to bee true that he doth so unfeignedly beleeve the truth as it is in Jesus for so we shall render God a Lyar and his Word without effect but let God be true and every man a Lyar for that grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men teacheth us That denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live righteously soberly and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mighty God and our Saviour Let none of us therefore be moved to mean thoughts of the efficacy of the word of faith because we or others prove it not while we think and say we beleeve that thence we should slight that as vain and run to some other way to wait for the Spirit or for perfecting what was begun by the Spirit in the hearing of faith but let us judge our selves of wavering unconstancy or double mindednesse and of neglect of that so great Salvation and having itching ears after something sutable to our divers lusts and let us suffer our hearts by the grace of God while yet admonishing and striving with us to be more fixed trusting in the Lord without guile or waveringnesse seeking righteousnesse in Jesus through the knowledge and faith of him through which he gives all things pertaining to life and godlinesse Let us give more earnest heed to the things we have heard in the word of the truth of the Gospel least at any time we let them slip Consider that love of God to manward appearing in and through Christ saved the Apostles and so and therein they had the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost shed on them abundantly through Jesus Christ and that Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth for therein is the righteousnesse of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith And to this answers the other descriptions of the righteous ones in this text They are merciful men or men of kindnesse or godlinesse Men filled and seasoned with the apprehension and perswasion of the mercies compassions and kindnesse of God to sinners to the unkind and evil and of that as discovered in the face of Christ where he is to be truly known and worshipped And so of his good will in Christ begotten through the word of truth to their faith and hope in him and joy in hope of the glory to bee revealed and patience in tribulations and thence moved and filled with bowels and mercies compassions and kindnesse answerable to that they beleeve and perceive to be in God towards others even towards all in blindnesse and distresse yea to the unkind and evil the love of Christ constraining them to perswade them to be reconciled to God in Christ and to seek â—heir good by all means within their capacity and with all earnestnesse knowing also the â—errour of the Lord because they thus judge That if one dyed for all then were all dead and that be dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him this dyed for them and rose again yea hence also they are filled with delightful love of and desire of fellowship with those that call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart and with bowels of mercies humblenesse of mind meeknesse and goodnesseone towards another and towards all men answerable to the kindnesse and mercies of God in Christ And so if we read it men of godlinesse it will come to the same for they are the right and true worshippers of God who worship the Father in spirit and truth and such the Father seeks to worship him they worship adore honour magnifie beleeve and trust in him in the Spirit that is in the light and power of and according to the testimony of Jesus and of Gods glory as shined in his face which testimony the Holy Ghost hath given and in it his evidence and demonstration of Christ and of the Father is And therefore when we are called upon to godlinesse or to worship God that testimony of Jesus is said to be the spirit of Prophecy in and according to which we are to worship Rev. 19. 10. and so they in that light and strength of the Spirit have their rejoycing in Christ Jesus The truth And have no confidence in the flesh Joh. 4. 23 24. 5. 23 24. Phil. 3. 3. and in this true worship and fear of the Lord they are made partakers of the Divine Nature in interest in it union or fellowship with it conforming to it so as by Christ through faith so as thereby they goe on purging themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of the Lord 2 Corinth 6. 16-18 7. 1. purifying their hearts through beleef of the truth and retaining the hope of it in them to unfeigned love of the brethren and to more freedome from the intanglements and cares of this world as those that are pressing after the mark of the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus which pure religion and undefiled brings forth its fruit in their visiting the Sick the Widdows and fatherlesse in their affliction and keeping themselves unspotted in the world so as they walking in the Spirit though they have flesh warring in them are by the light and power of the Spirit in the testimony of Jesus kept from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and so preserved blamelesse unto the day of Christ Rom. â— 8. 1-13 Gal. 5. And to this agrees that two-fold description of the Persons that shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and stand in his holy place Psal 24. 3 4 6. The first is He that hath clean hands and a pure hears that hath not lift up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully for though there is none righteous no not one but all have sinned and are wholly polluted and unclean yet this truth remains for ever Without holiness no man shall see the Lord so that if there be
27. yea the commemoration of that as broken for us and the infinite grace and vertue of the sufferings sustained therein is the subject matter of his Discourse there The Lords Body in a secondary sence is his Mystical Body his Church those that through the tastes of his graciousness are built upon him in whom the poor and rich bond and free Brother of high degree and of low do meet together they being all in coming to him through the tastes of his grace and so in being baptized into him baptized into one Body and made to drink into one spirit Now that not discerning perceiving considering knowing or owning the Lords Body that the Holy Ghost charges upon men as their sin and God judges them for is not such weakness or ignorance as is of necessity through natural frailty or for want of means and discoveries vouchsafed but a wilful and rebellious not knowing discerning or taking notice of it in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit in the testimony of Jesus setting it before them and therein opening the eyes and lifting up the yoke of Natural thraldome Hos 11. This is the condemnation that when light comes men love darkness rather because their deeds are evil and reproved by the light Joh. 3. 19. And so when the righteous the true worshippers of God in Christ that are set as Lights in the world holding forth the word of Life in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power are lifting up the Son of Man in what hee hath done and is become for sinners and the infinite vertue and grace of his Personal sufferings and Sacrifice and therein shewing forth his vertues and praises and so in both preaching not themselves but Jesus Christ the Lord and rendring themselves servants to all for his sake beseeching alluring and drawing them in the light and power of his Spirit with them as Hos 11. Zach. 7. 9 12 13. 2 Cor. 5. 14 20. Phil. 2. 12 16. 1 Pet. 2. 9 13 c. even to the most High to consider the Lords Body and in the grace and power of its vertue and demonstrations to bee reconciled to God yet none at all will exalt him but are bent to back-slidings when so called allured drawn and wrought upon they will not know nor regard the Work of the Lord or the operation of his hands but despise both him and them for his sake neglecting so great Salvation This iniquity is found in many Branches as we shall see in this and the other Scriptures where these Judgements are bewayled and the reason of them given As 1 When by the righteous and merciful men the large extent of the infinite grace and vertue of the Lords Death is so commended and lifted up that the Lords House his Temple where he may bee worshipped and place of entertainment in his Son and with them that call upon him in truth is presented as a house of Prayer for all people where a rich Feast and Treasury of all things pertaining to life and godliness is prepared and set on the Table for them all that all through his grace might come in thither and eate of his Bread and drink of the Wine that hee hath mingled and that whosoever comes by him in the light and power of his drawings while his grace is bringing Salvation to them as it doth to all in due time might be accepted and therefore graciously inviting them all as in the Chapters before the text Isa 55. 1 7. 56. 7 8. with Prov. 9. Mat. 22. 1 Tim. 2. 1 8. Ioh. 3. 14 15 16. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 19 20 21. 6. 1 2. Yet men not only set light by it neglect so great Salvation make excuses and will not come but also wilfully close their eyes and harden their hearts against this grace of God that brings Salvation to all men and also like the Beasts of the Field come to devour forbidding the plaine and faithful preaching of the Gospel of Christ to the world that through him they might bee saved In which they please not God and are contrary to the good of all men and persisting in this wilful opposition of the grace of God in the Lords Death to all men they fill up the measure of their sin till wrath come upon them to the utmost 1 Thess 2. 15 16. And in this way of iniquity are found chiefly and as Ring-leaders the Generality of the Watch-men the Masters Teachers and builders that are approved by and of high account with men they come chiefly under this charge in the Chapter before the text Isa 56. 9 10 c. His Watch-men the Watchmen of their owne setting up and approving are blinde and ignorant not having learned truth as in Jesus but professing to be wise in Science falsly so called and thinking thereby to comprehend the things of God in Christ have erred from the faith and turned aside to vaine jangling the generality of them have in all Ages refused and set at nought that Stone which God hath made the foundation and head of the corner Psal 118. 22. Matth. 21. 42. with Chap. 22. 1 15. Joh. 3. 10. 14 15 c. Acts 4. 11 12. Job 7. 48 49. And where any of them doe see any truth in that Doctrine that exalts or lifts up the Son of Man and Gods glory in him yet they are dumb and will not confess it as Joh. 12. 42 43. Among the chief Rulers also many beleeved on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him least they should bee put out of the Sinagogue for they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God yea they generally love to flumber are loath to be stirred up and awakened to consider and set their hearts to that which might bee for their owne and others good but lying down to sleep doe reject and stop their ears against that knowledge of him that comes to awaken them to righteousness and discovers the falseness and vanity of their Dreams See further what follows of them in that Isa 56. with 1 Tim. 3 5. 2 Another sort there are that doe not so much or directly set themselves to oppose the Doctrine of the Grace of God in Christ or the preaching thereof yet will not diligently mind or consider it or the weight importance tendency and instructions of it but doe inwardly shun the light and power of it and harden their hearts against the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit in it because it discovers and reproves their deeds as evil not suffering grace to make them willing in the day of his Power so to receive the love of the Truth as that they might be saved by it doe wilfully reject and harden their hearts against the reproofs of the instruction of the Lords Voyce crying unto them discovering and reproving their Covetousness Oppression In-justice Violence least they should be converted and healed by it And in this are found chiefly the generality of the
being found in him and so it is upon all them that beleeve for there is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus That vers 24. answers to and shews the reason of both the former branches viz. That the righteousness of God is unto all and upon all them that beleeve though all have sinned c. and so is to be understood in a two-fold sence 1 The whole Nature is justified in the second man Christ Jesus that stood for all to bear their sins in which all have already sinned and with which the whole Nature is thence polluted in that he is justified for them from the sins imputed to him in his Resurrection and this is freely by his grace through the Redemption in Jesus 2. All that beleeve every one of them beleeving what he hath done and is become for sinners and so through his Name beleeving on him are in their particular persons justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in him God accepts them in his Son and remembers not nor doth impute to them their former wickedness or present unprofitableness but imputeth to them righteousness without works as in Acts 10. 35. 43. that saying That in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him vers 35. is thus explicated as fulfilled among those where the Gospel comes That through his name whosoever beleeveth on him shall receive the forgiveness of sins vers 43. So Acts 13. 39. By him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses they are delivered from under the condemnation of the wrath which in respect of the execution of it is yet to come under which they all abide that on hearing beleeve not on the Son of God 1 Thes 1. 10. Joh. 3. 18. 36. He justifieth even the ungodly beleeving and so coming to and being found in the righteous one that being justified freely by his grace they might be more and more made heirs according to the hope of eternal life given us in Christ that through the righteousness of God and our Saviour they might be made to be meet partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Rom. 3. 20-22-24 25 26. 4. 3 4 5. Tit. 3. 4-7 And so 3 Therefore also are such beleevers on his name called The righteous because the end and fruit of this righteousness of God and our Saviour in which beleeving they are accepted is also that through the knowledge and faith thereof the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them even the righteous affections and services the Law required but gave no strength to bring forth as well as the life and peace it was ordained to but could not give that the beleever might bee filled with the fruits of righteousness by Jesus Christ Rom. 8. 2 3 4. Phil. 1. 10 11. even the fruites of the Spirit whose evidence and demonstration is of Christ in his testimony bringing forth in the beleeving receiver love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance And they that are Christs have in the light and strength of the Lord crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts That henceforth they should not serve sin Rom. 6. Gal. 5. They beleeving with the heart that God hath raised Christ from the dead doe through the grace and power of that beleeved and beleeved in receive in a first fruits of the Spirit the end of their faith even the salvation of their souls for with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousness in this sence also Giving all diligence through the knowledge of him they adde to or in their faith vertue his goodnesse compassions holinesse c. as manifested in Christ frames to some likenesse or conformity to him in like love bowels mercies holinesse c. And so in their vertue they adde or proceed to further knowledge tastes and proof of his graciousnesse and therein temperance and so godlinesse brotherly kindness charity Hence it is the Apostles would have these things namely the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour through which they were made partakers of such precious and operative faith to bee always bad in remembrance seeing hereby they were saved if they kept in memory 1 Cor. 15. 1-4 2 Pet. 1. 1-12 c. this word of faith and so this faith that is of the operation of God is not without its works It works through love as from the consideration of Gods love in Christ as the foundation and fountaine of it whence it hath all its fresh Springs so in a channel of love towards God and man It favours therefore of ignorance of the righteousness of God and our Saviour and of the preciousnesse of this faith of Gods operation through it when any say to us That it is not enough for us with the heart to beleeve and close with Gods testimony concerning Christ but we must also look for the work of the Spirit inwardly to quicken save and sanctifie us such sayings at least signifie that the work of the Spirit for quickning saving and sanctifying the soul is another thing besides and divided from this testimony and not certainly met with in this way of beleeving and having the heart and minde exercised and stayed on that name and grace of his beleeved so that a man may with his heart beleeve and confesse that God hath raised Christ from the dead and yet not therein experiment the quickning and saving work of the Spirit contrary to Rom. 10. 9 10. 1 Cor. 15. and so doe indeed lead beleevers having begun in the Spirit to seek to bee made perfect by the flesh True it is a man may say he hath faith when yet his faith hath no works nor spirit left in it only an empty and idle opinionating such a thing or professing to beleeve it as true without any hearty mindfulnesse of the importance or grace of the truth he pretends to cleeve And of such a faith James saith Can it save faith if it have no works is dead a spiritlesse and unprofitable thing being alone yea even that faith is signified by him to be nothing else but a dead Carcasse pretence outside profession or shew of that which indeed is not or not with the heart not kept in beleeving remembrance and mindfulnesse for even there he signifies that if it were unfeigned or with the heart according to the discoveries given lesse or more it would work savingly like as the same Propositions beleeved to be true by the Devils works horror because they speak as much against them as they doe for man even so man any of mankind beleeving with the heart it would be unto righteousnesse Let God bee true and every man a lyar if any say hee stedfastly and with his heart beleeves the truth and greatnesse of Gods love to man ward as
dead in that evidence and demonstration of him in his testimony dwells to the quickning their spirits now or making them alive to God while yet the body is dead because of sin shall then have their mortal bodies quickned even raised from the dead by the same spirit that now dwells in them and shall then in their souls and bodies reunited in that blessed and glorious Resurrection of the Just enter together with him into the everlasting possession of the joy and glory of their Lord. And this is that which is called The first Resurrection Rev. 20. 4 6. Thess 4. 16. the test of the Dead John in that Vision of things to come saw lived not again till the thousand years of Christs Personal Reign on earth with the children of the first Resurrection were finished In which time there shall be new Heaven and new Earth and the new Jerusalem come down from God out of Heaven and all things made new and a perfectly righteous and glorious Kingdome and Government Revel 21. 1 7. Isa 65. 16 19. 66. 22. 11. 32. 1 5. Psal 72. And the Lord shall be one and his name one throughout all the earth Zach. 14. 9. And the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the Sea Hab. 2. 14. And there shall be great and wonderful Conversions and daily flocking in with joy as Doves to their windows to the Name of the Lord in Jerusalem of the Nations of them that are saved from the former desolating Judgements and Consumptions among which also the natural Israelites then surviving shall be chief to fill the face of the world with fruit againe and to be Subjects of this glorious Kingdome for all the children of the first Resurrection of Jews and Gentiles shall be Reigners And to walk in the light of the new Jerusalem They shall flow together to the name of the Lord in Sion Isa 2. Mich. 4. Isa 9. 4 5 6 24. 13 14. 66. 19. c. Zach. 2. 11. 8. 22. 16. Rev. 21. 24. Psal 102. and though there shall bee no more Death nor fruits of Sin in the New Jerusalem or upon the Children of the Resurrection Revel 21. 3 4. no nor Night nor need of the Sun or Mâ—on to that City when yet the glory and brightness of them in that restitution of all things shall be seven fold to what it is and so useful in and so all the world besides the subjects of this glorious Kingdome Isa 30. 26. 60. 19 c. Rev. 21. 22 23 25. Neither shall there be any more wars or tumults among the Nations one against another in the time of that glorious Kingdom Isa 2 4. nor shall there be that heavie Bondage of corruption remaining on the Creature or enmity betweene them that is now Isa 11. Rom. 8. 19. 25. Acts 3. 20 21. and so none of those poysonous Infections or unnatural Diseases or untimely Deaths that now are common to man shall be then common to any or accidentally or casually befall them yet as there shall be extraordinary and immediate Judgements from God then falling on those Nations Families and Persons that will not voluntarily serve under this Government and come up to worship the Name of the Lord in Jerusalem even to the cutting them off Isa 60. 12. Zach. 14. 16 19. even so there may yea there must needs bee some remainders of mortality and the Natural death generally on the people the Subjects of this glorious Kingdome the people that shall then be left of the Nations and that shall then be created or born to praise the Lord who yet have not passed through that change According to Gods appointment All must once dye amongst which some will bee found even then dying in their sins not coming up to worship the Lord and his Name in Sion at Jerusalem in Christ and the children of the Resurrection as proclaimed and shining forth from that great City that shal be the glory of all Lands and others dying in the Lord as Isa 65. 16 17 20. of which happily some may immediately be changed and fashioned into the likenesse of his glorious Body but some even of them shall stay or rest in death until that great and general Resurrection that shall be after the finishing of that thousand years for in that Resurrection it is evidently signified that there shall be some found written in the Book of Life Revel 20 12 15. and they must needs be of them that lived and dyed in the time of that thousand years or were immediately changed in the finishing of the same for all that slept in Christ before that day of Christs appearing in his glory and the survivers of that body then were brought together with him to the inheriting reigning in that glorious Kingdome Then after that cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power for be must reign in this Mediatorial and Davidical Kingdom till he have put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death which though perfectly destroyed in the children of the first Resurrection in the beginning of that glorious day even immediately on his descending or coming down from Heaven yet not wholly destroyed from being an enemy while it holds the wicked from their everlasting punishment and vengeance in which God shall be glorified and the righteous shall glory for ever and while also it detains some of those worshippers of him whose names as such are written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world even such of them as dyed in that time of his reign on the earth from the possession of their utmost happinesse Therefore in the conclusion of that day of his Reign or of that manner of Administration of the Kingdome for the Kingdome and the glory of it is everlasting and never shall have end all the rest of the dead small and great shall be raised by him out of their Graves and from the disappearing state of Death and shall appear before his Judgement Seat This is the second and last Resurrection Revel 20. So that there shall be a general Resurrection of the just and unjust which in both parts our Saviour distinguisheth from that first fruites of quickning of the spirit from that death in sins and trespasses which is now effected by the light and power of the Gospel in them that in hearing hear of which work of Spiritual quickning now having spoken in Job 5. 25. hee adds vers 28. Marvel not at this as who should say that which I shall now tell you of is not only another but a greater work and so a greater and more glorious evidence of the vertue and power of the voyce of the Son of Man for the hour is coming he saith not and now is as of the former work vers 25. in
yea their worm dyeth not and their fire is not quenched nor is there any darkness or shadow of death in which the workers of iniquity may hide themselves O then it will appear that Blessed are all they that trust in him yea therefore from henceforth Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord they having part in the first Resurrection this second Death shall have no power on them On the other hand they that in death which terminates the gathering time and space of repentance are found out of the Lord dying in their sins they are then and thence for ever blotted out of the Book of Life cut off from all hopes of ever attaining or having part in the first Resurrection though they shall be all of them raised and made alive from the first death and then and therein brought to the clear sight and acknowledgement of the truth of the grace of God in the Lordship of Christ through his death sometimes and while it was due time bringing Salvation to them that which here they wilfully rejected when light came to them and which if it had been now received in its own light and power bringing Salvation would have been to their everlasting comfort in the quickning them to a new and living hope through the resurrection of Christ they shall then confess to the glory of God and clearing his Justice in judging them for ever according to the rule of his Gospel to a second and never dying death infinitely worse than the first and in sealing them up in Prison from the time of their filling up the measure of their sin of that nature which is at the utmost at the time of the end of their Natural life when he hath done striving with them and waiting to be gracious I say in his sealing them up in prison from such time to that dreadful Judgement Isa 45. 23. Phil. 2. 10 11. Rom. 3. 4. From which time they are shut up under the sentence and condemnation of that second Death and so in respect of their state and condition are from thence Trees twice dead pluckt up by the roots though the wrath in respect of the full and most dreadful execution of it on soul and body for ever is yet to come so that in death they perish for ever from the presence of the Lord and from his favour in which is life the wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death So then they that are fallen asleep in Christ are not perished or cut off for their parts no not from their union with Christ by vertue of which even their bodies that sleep in the dust shall bee first raised even to the resurrection of life yea they are from henceforth and more then ever blessed the day of their death infinitely better to them than the day that they were born We come next to consider in what sence such persons may be said to perish and when they so doe and this we shall finde explicated to us in the other expressions of this chastisement in this verse as compared with other Scriptures they are said to perish from the earth to cease and fail from among men that yet survive when by Death they are taken away from them they having no more a portion in any thing done under the Sun nor capacity of being helpful to the survivers in any knowledge wisdome or work for in death there is no remembrance or commemoration of him among the survivers in the Grave who shall give him thanks or praise him to others yet living or shew forth their hoping in his truth The living the living he shall praise thee saith Hezekiah as I doe this day the Fathers to the Children shall make known thy truth which explicates in what sence the dead praise him not nor hope for his truth that is they celebrate not his praises among the survivors nor are capable of exercising or shewing forth their hoping in his truth to them-ward or among them they cannot make known his truth to them and so not praise him as he did then the Fathers to the Children Eccl. 9. 10. Psa 6. 5. Isa 38. 18 19. for otherwise in respect of themselves and to Godward the dead in Christ even in these respects doe live they retain their hope in death and joy in it yea they enter into a more full and peaceable enjoyment of it in spirit their spirits are made perfect each one walking in his uprightness and are still confidently expecting longing and waiting for that day of full Redemption even the redemption of their body and the judging and revenging their sufferings and wrongs on them that dwell on the earth crying Lord how long Prov. 14. 32. Isa 57. 2. Heb. 12. 23. Revel 6. 9 10 11. They are with Christ which to them is farre better as is shewed before but they are dead to us and can no longer in their persons be profitable to us which made the Apostles and Prophets in their longing desire of the good of all and for the furtherance of the Gospel among men and that the truth of it might remain with those that had received it so much desire to abide with them even to abide in the flesh in this body though so much to their own disadvantage preferring others good before their own in death they perish cease and depart from us and are out of capacity of being helpful to us And yet further These Scriptures The Righteous perisheth the good man is perished out of the Earth and so the cause of grief here lamented is not verified simply in the taking away one or diverse of the Righteous by death but when also they are taken away as such a time and in such manner as that there is none of like faithfulnesse to God and kindnesse to men left in the place or places where they lived to survive them or at least none in their room or stead But that if one or more of them be taken away there is so many the lesse of that Generation or Righteous Nation that keepeth the Truth left in the midst of the crooked and perverse Nation to shine as lights in the world Most sadly and fully is it verified when there is none left in the place or places whence they are taken and thus is this matter of lamentation explicated in the expressions of it in other Scriptures as Psal 12. 1. Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth the faithful fail from among the children of men so Micah 7. 1 2. Woe is mee for I am as when they have gathered the Summer fruits as the Grape gleanings of the Vintage no cluster c. The good man is perished out of the Earth and there is none upright among men Oh that the matter of this sad complaint were not too sadly verified amongst us and in this place at this time These things being thus opened wee shall briefly demonstrate and explicate the position That the
rich men and Rulers of the people see at large Micha 6. declaring the procuring cause of that Judgement of the good man perishing out of the earth such they were as that the good man being perished or taken away from among them the best of them was a Bryar and the most upright as a Thorn-hedge see Chap. 7. 3. 4 5. yea in Ezekiels time many of them did shew much love and respect to the Prophet while hee was among them and he was to them as a pleasant Song yet they would not regard his words to doe them or to suffer their saving operation in them for their heart went after their covetousnes and that is there given as the reason of the Judgement threatned in which they should know that a Prophet had been among them Ezek. 33. 30 33. 3 Others there are that through the knowledge of God in Christ have made some escape from them that live in errour and from the pollutions that are in the world through Lust and some of them have stood against many strong temptations and have tried those that say they are Apostles and are not and found them Lyars and yet after all this turn again with the Dogge to his vomit and with the Sow to her wallowing in the mire leaving their first love to that person and to the excellent knowledge of him Some with a more high hand then others turn from the holy Commandement after knowledge of the truth received and turning away their ears from the truth are turned aside to Fables even to such damnable Heresies as in which privily under pretence of magnifying him the Lord that bought them is denied by them others cleaving to and embracing this present world not continuing in but forsaking the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship not discerning or considering and remembring the excellency grace and vertue of the Lords Body that was broken for us and for such like iniquity God threatens the removing of their Candlestick Revel 2. 1 5. Now if yet we would judge our selves we should not be further judged of the Lord if when his hand is lifted up even to destroy and make an utter desolation yet if any take notice of it and say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited mee not then he is gracious and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit for I have found a ransome If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and the bloud of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin but he that hideth his sin shall not prosper hee that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly fall and that without remedy and this leads us to the next Branch of instruction namely 2 That when God so strikes and yet none lay to heart or consider it it s an evidence of great hardnesse and wilful blindnesse in such a people and a sign and fore-runner of greater judgements The truth of this is evidenced in the fore-mentioned Scriptures yet for farther and more particular demonstration of it See also Isa 26. 9. Oh Lord when thine hand is lifted up they will not see it but they shall see and be ashamed c. Jer. 5. When God hath threatned and begun to make desolations as chap. â— Then he saith Run to and fro through the streets and broad places And see now if yee can finde a man if there be any that executeth judgement that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it And though they say The Lord liveth and swear by his Name surely they swear falsly O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder than a rock they have refused to return and in this also the poor and rich did agree to break the yoke and burst the bands as Psal 2. Therefore a Lion out of the Forrest shall slay them A Wolf of the Evenings that comes privily to devour like that spirit of Antichrist and ministers of Satan Prophesied of to abound in the last days that come with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish privily bringing in damnable Heresies denying the Lord that bought them such an enemy shall spoyl and destroy them God shall send them strong delusions by giving permissive commission to Satan aâ— in the case of Ahah 1 King 22. 19 22. that they should beleeve a lye that they all might bee damned who beleeved not the truth but bad pleasure in unrighteousnesse Surely his soul shall be avenged on such a Nation as this See also Psal 78 64 65 c. What then shall wee say when in stead of laying it to heart and considering it and being grieved many rejoyce and sport themselves at such judgements as Micah 7. 8. Isa 57. 3 4. imagining they shall now have their desire and that the Righteous being taken away their name even the good name of God that was upon them shall perish as Psal 41. 5 6 7. and therefore encourage themselves in their evil wayes doctrines and practises faithful reprovers that were a terrour to them being ceased from them now they say as Psal 12. our tongues are our own who is Lord over us And now aâ— men delivered to do such abominations they speak vanity every one with his neighbour with a flattering lip and double heart thinking to prevail with their lip or doctrine now to root out the lip of knowledge encouraging themselves as if the foundations of the righteous were destroyed and therefore reproachfully saying to the poor that hath no helper but God and yet puts his trust in him where is now thy God thy hope thy confidence what can the righteous do Mic. 7. 10. Psal 11. But our God who is our rock and foundation is in his holy Temple in his Son our very present help and strong Tower of defence to save us The Lords throne is in Heaven from whence his eyes behold his eye lids trye the children of men hee is a God by whom actions are weighed in an even ballance and though hee do not speedily execute judgement against evil works because hee delights in mercy and would not that any should perish but that all should come to repentance such his gracious affection towards sinners even rebellious ones in this day of his grace and patience yet all these things are laid up in store with him sealed up among his treasures and shall be brought forth when every secret thing shall bee brought to light and God shall manifest the counsels of the heart then no more patience or forbearance to bee exercised towards rebels the Lord shall laugh then at their calamity and mock when their fear commeth yea the Lord himself shall come and ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed