the roots 2 Therfore I understand with Reverend Mr. Perkins and others that these words without fruit are as it were a correction of the former as if the Apostle had said they are trees whose fruit withereth or rather without fruit altogether the fruit which they bear not deserving so much as the name of fruit as trees that bear no other then withering fruit are esteemed no better then unfruitfull trees and thus notwithstanding their withering fruit they may be said to be without fruit in sundry respects 1. They were without fruit in regard that all their forementioned fruits were not produced by the inward life and vigour of the spirit of sanctification in their souls Their fruit grew upon a corrupt tree and proceeded from an unclean bitter root They were not the issues of a pure heart and faith unfaigned but the streams of an unclean fountain The fruitfulnesse onely of slow-bushes Crab-trees and brambles cannot make the year be accounted a fruitfull year A corrupt tree saith Christ cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 7.18 How can ye that are evill speak good things Mar. 12.24 Their best fruits were but fruits of nature coming from an unregenerated heart That fruit which before his conversion Paul accounted as precious as gold he after esteemed as base as dung 2. They were without fruit in regard their fruits were not brought forth to a Divine end they were directed to no higher an end then selves Riv. in loc Israel saith God is an empty Vine though bringing forth fruit for it followes he bringeth forth fruit to himself I am not ignorant that some Interpreters expound not that Text concerning the fruit of works though yet they grant the place may be by consequence drawn to take in them likewise As these fruits were not fruits of righteousnesse Phil. 1.11 so neither were they to the praise of his glory If thou wilt return O Israel saith God return to me Jer. 4.1 They returned saith the Psalmist but not to the most high The pipe cannot convey the water higher than is the fountain head from whence it comes and these fruits being not from God were not directed to him Fruits brought forth to our selves are rotten at the core they are not for his taste who both looks into and tries the heart 3. They might be without fruit as not producing works in obedience to the Rule The doing of the thing commanded may possibly be an act of disobedience God looks upon all our works as nothing unlesse we do the thing commanded because it is commanded This onely is to serve him for conscience sake A man may do a good work out of his obedience to his lust As its possible for a man to believe 1 Thess 4.3 1 Thess 5.18 not because of Divine Revelation so is it possible for a man to work and not upon the ground of Divine injunction Be not unwise but understand saith the Apostle what is the will of God Eph. 5.17 Mans wisdom is to understand and follow Gods will 4. Without fruit as to their own benefit comfort and salvation The works of Hypocrites are not ordained by God to have heaven follow them at the last day all they had or did will appear to be nothing and when the Sun shall arise then the works which here have shined like glow-worms shall appear unglorious and unbeautiful of all that hath been sown to the flesh shall nothing be reaped but corruption God crowns no works but his own nor will Christ own any works but those which have been brought forth by the power of his own Spirit 5. Lastly Without the fruit of any goodness in Gods account because without love to God 1 Cor. 13. Love is the sweetness of our services If I have not love saith Paul I am nothing and as true is it without it I can do nothing the gift of an enemy is a gift and no gift As love from God is the top of our happiness so love to God is the sum of our duty There is nothing beside love but an Hypocrite may give to God with Gods people it is the kernel of every performance God regards nothing we give him unless we give our selves also Its love which makes a service please both the master and servant Now wicked men in all they bring forth though they may have bounty in the hand yet have no love in the heart they have not a drop of love in a Sea of service This for the Explication of the second aggravation or gradation of the sin and misery of these Seducers they were without fruit The third follows in these words twice dead These words I take to express a further degree of their spiritual wretchedness under the continued Metaphor of Trees 'T was bad to have withering fruit worse to have no fruit at all worse yet to be not only without all fruit but even altogether without life twice dead Two things are here to be explained 1. In what respect these trees may be said to be dead 2. How to be twice dead For the first Death is 1. Temporal and Corporal that which is a privation of life by the departure of the soul from the body 2. Spiritual befalling either the godly or the wicked 1. The godly are said to be dead spiritually three wayes 1. Dead to sin Rom. 6.2 1 Pet. 2.24 the corruption of their natures being by the Spirit of Christ subdued and destroyed 2. Dead in respect of the Law Ceremonial Col. 2.20 dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world Moral Gal. 2.19 So Paul saith he was dead to the Law and Rom. 7.4 Ye are dead to the Law it being not able to make them guilty who are in Christ nor to terrifie their consciences nor to irritate them to sin 3. Dead to the world Gal. 6.4 so Paul was crucified to the world either because the World contemned and despised him as a dead man or else because the world had no more power to entice and allure him from Christ then the objects of the senses have to work upon a dead man 2. Spiritual death befalls the wicked and unregenerate they being without the Spirit of Christ to animate and quicken them which Spirit enlivens the soul supernaturally as the soul doth the body naturally hence they are said to be dead in sins Eph. 2.1.5 Col. 2.13 and dead Mat. 8.22 Luke 9.60 Rom. 6.13 Joh. 5.25 and to remain in death 1 Joh. 3.14 Their works hence are said to be dead Hebr. 9.14 As the immortality of the damned is no life but an eternall death so the conjunction of the souls and bodies of wicked men is not properly life but umbratilis vita a shadow of life or rather a very death they being without spiritual feeding growth working all vital operations and lying under the deformity loathsomness insensibleness in a spiritual sense of such as are dead or according to the resemblance here used by our Apostle which is that of trees dead they are spiritually dead because without and severed from that root of every good tree the Lord Christ
written in the heart can command and change the heart and destroy in it the love and propension to sin Here is clearly applicable that of the Psalmist Psal 114 5 What ailed thee Oh thousea that thou fleddest thou Jordan that thou wert driven back ye mountains that ye skipped like Rams and ye little hills like Lambs The answer is Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord. Who but God can stop the Sun in its career and make it go backward Who but he can stop a Saul in his Journey and make him go back as well in heart as in body and become more earnest in praying then ever now he was in persecuting The Church complaing that she was as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoak Jer. 31.18 aptly adds Turn thou me and I shall be turned The giving of a clean heart is a work of Creation Create it in me saith David Nor is the Goodnesse of God herein less observable then his Power How great is that love which doth us good against our wills and turned us when we were running greedily to our own destruction when we regarded the perswasions of men no more then doth the wild Ass as Job speaks the cry of the Driver When all the means which friends parents Job 39.7 Ministers could use to reclaim us were lost upon us nay we much worse as was the woman in the Gospel by going to the Physician then what love was it nay was it not for Christ to teach to touch the heart and to turn us when we had run even to Hel gates Nor was the smartest dispensation the most unpleasing stop the most pricking thorny hedg any other then an unspeakable mercy that hindred thee from finding thy way to Hell and running greedily to thine own damnation How much better was it to be diverted then damned 7. They who strive to hinder sinners in their course Observ 7. are like to meet with unkind returnes of opposition Till God turnes their hearts how angry are men with stops and vexed that bridges are broken down when they are running greedily and marching furiously All the hatred which Ministers meet with is because they would stop sinners in their way to hell and will not suffer them to be at peace when they are going on to eternal paines Never did any meet with so many cruel and bloody contradictions from sinners as he who in his life Doctrin and death did most oppose sin Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth saith Paul He who was sent to turn people from Satan to God had all the rage of people and Satan turned against him Hatred saith Luther is the Genius of the Gospel Sauls Javelin followed Davids Musick It s very likely that he who is quiet among sinners suffers them to be quiet in sin We should pity sinners though nay because they oppose us if we turn them they will love and thank us and whensoever they come to be their own friends they will be ours However the Lord will reward even unsuccessful faithfulness and to be sure we can much better bear hatred from the wicked for doing then from God for neglecting our duty 8. Observ 8. The best way by which to try our sin cerity is willingness to be stopt in any way in which our lusts would make us run most greedily If sinners run greedily and violently after their Lusts then none but Saints can rejoice when they are stopt in the prosecution of them and bless God as David did for Abigails counsel when they are hindred in any sinful career God promiseth to his Elect a thorny hedg Hos 2.6 if they will be gadding and they look upon it as a singular mercy they being thereby turned back to their first husband Only the people of God love that preaching which most opposeth their Lusts and that Angel most or Messenger of God which stands with the drawn Sword of the Word to hinder them in their unlawful journey Exangue nobile quoddam Martyrii genus The patient and thankful enduring of stops and stroaks when we are sinning is a very Noble though a bloodless Martyrdom a true note of true grace 9 Observ 9. Men have most cause to suspect their courses are is bad when swift When they run greedily that they run wickedly when they run fast that they run wrong When we are in any way of God commonly we do but go or rather creep but in the way of sin after the Error of Balaam we are ready to run and that greedily too we are here carryed with wind and tide our own inclinations and Satans impulsions the Jewes cryed out against Christ they not so much as whispering against Barabbas It was misguided Zeal when the Disciples desired that fire might come down from heaven When ever we are furious in any March we should fear that we are in Balaams Journey I mean we ought to suspect the goodness of that undertaking wherein we are most violent and to doubt that we are sailing to a wrong Port when with a full gale and a strong tide A smooth if a false way should not delight us nor should a rugged if a right way dishearten us It s no sign thou pleasest God or speakest the Truth because men do not oppose thee in what thou dost or sayest We must be wiser then either Christ or his Apostles if we have got the skil to please the most in doing that which is best The peaceableness of sinners is but impiety not opposed Rather should I hope that what I do is right when wicked men most rage and roar against me for doing it When the Divel roars saith Luther it s a sign I have struck him right that is good which Satan hates To conclude this Embrace no opinion because it is maintained with multitudes and violence Fire and faggot of old were but weak arguments to prove the truth of Transubstantiation As strong passions destroy a good so do they not seldom discover a bad cause 1 Cor. 4.19 Non vociferatio sed ratio Paul resolved to know not the speech but the power of them who were puffed up The worship of Diana is cryed up with more rage then that of the true God is advanced with Zeal 10 Observ 10. Little do they who run down the hill know where they shall stop These Seducers poured forth themselves to the utmost Who knows in what a sad agreement the very Parley and Treaty with any Lust may end The more modest motions which it makes at first may end in an excessive immoderate pouring forth and a profuse spending of what we have and are our time estates yea strength of body and soul and all which is in our power to bestow upon it Men foolishly may think that when they have gone thus or thus far they will go no further and stop at their pleasure and that their Lusts will grow dry as he in
The old Adam is the root upon which they still stand and therefore they are without all spiritual and supernatural life as from the root flows life into all the branches of the tree so from Christ all who are united to him by the Spirit through Faith have by those means the life of holiness derived unto them as in Adam the first root who hath now lost the moisture and vigour of holiness and is become a dryed root all die so in Christ shall all and onely they who are really united to him live Hence it is that as they are without the root and therefore without life so without all spiritual growth and fruitfulness the inward principle of life being wanting needs must the effects that flow from that principle all vitall operations be wanting likewise for though abiding John 15.5 and living by Christ we bring forth much fruit yet sever'd from him we can do nothing It is true that as the wicked have something from Christ like the Spirit of life Heb. 6.4 1 Cor. 12.6 7. so thereby they bring forth something like to good and spiritual fruits I mean those forementioned fruits of gifts assent to the truth sweet affections acts of external obedience but though in the producing of these the Spirit helps them yet it never changeth the nature of the trees but they still retain the natural sowrness of their roots and though God gives them the Spirit to edifie others yet not to sanctifie themselves though Saul had another spirit and sundry Matth. 7. did prophecy and cast out Divels yet all these were but works of ministration not renovation though the Spirit works as an outward efficient cause breathing on them and is in them as in Organis Instruments and Ministers yet not as in domiciliis as in habitations Members for as the soul works not as a form to any part that is not united to the body so neither doth the Spirit of Christ work savingly but in the body of Christ In the wicked it may be spiritus movens a moving spirit in the godly t is onely spiritus inhabitans an inhabiting indwelling Spirit The Spirit of God in an Hypocrire is like an Angel appearing in some outward shape of which he is only an assisting not an informing form for which cause his assumed body hath neither life nor nourishment but the Spirit of God in the godly is like the soul in the body not only assisting but informing and working in them spiritually vitall and supernatural operations And notwithstanding the best workings of the Spirit of God in the wicked they are oft left more fleshly self-confident less poor in Spirit and sensible of their want of Christ then before And thus these Seducers were spiritually dead Or 3. Death is eternal the effect of the former which eternal death is that most miserable condition of the Reprobate after death wherein they are deprived of all the blessedness and glory of heaven standing in the enjoyment and unitive vision of God Visi◠unitiv◠T is indeed the spiritual death continued and perfected As in heaven or eternal life in the enjoyment of God by Christ is begun in this life and completedin the next so is hell or eternal death in the losse of God begun in this and consummate in the next world The presence of God is the heaven of heaven the joy of heaven the life of heaven and of all who shall come thither 2. For the second In what respect these Seducers may be said to be twice dead The word twice Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken two wayes sometimes indefinitly or as a definite put for an indefinite a certain for an uncertain number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Job 33.14 Thus Job 33.14 God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not That is God doth by his gracious ways and means sufficiently abundantly and frequently acquaint man with his will although man be so stupid and senseless as not to understand what the meaning of God is therein So Psal 62.11 God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth to God that is God hath abundantly oft several times or sundry wayes by his Word and works asserted and discovered that he is eminently and transcendently powerfull Thus the Apostle commands That the Elders that rule well 1 Tim. 1.17 should be accounted worthy duplici that is multiplici honore double much manifold honour So the Prophet prayes Jer. 17.18 that his enemies may be destroyed with a double destruction i. e. with a severe through totall destruction so 2 Kings 2.9 Elisha desired that a double portion that is a large abundant portion of the Spirit might be upon him Thus some take the word twice in this place as if by the signification of the very word the Apostle intended that these dead trees were finally dead and past all hopes of recovery such as could never be bettered by all the pains and cost digging dunging c. that could be laid out upon them That our Apostle here intends that these Seducers were like Trees irrecoverably and totally dead I easily grant but withall because trees may be said to be twice dead in respect of their very dying twice or a second time this word twice seems to import in this place a definite certain number and to intend a double or twofold death of these Seducers who are here compared to trees in their dying twice as well as in all the other three respects viz. Their having withered fruit their being without fruit and being pluckt up by the roots Trees then are said to be twice dead thus the first time a tree is said be dead when in the former spring it decayes fades withers in its leaves blossoms or newly formed fruit from this decaying or dying for a dying it is as to leaves and fruit a tree is oft by pruning dressing recovered but if in autumn or the later spring which is the critical or climacterial time of Trees to discover whether their disease be mortal or not the tree fadeth again if then the leaves or what ever it bears wither the rine grow dry and it be as they say sick the fault is then ab intra the root is rotten and the very substance of the tree is inwardly corrupt and putrified no more labour or cost is now bestowed upon it it s now dead twice or the second time and therefore totally and irrecoverably and as I have understood from those who are exactly skill'd in the nature of trees it hath been oft known that trees which have seemed to die in the former spring have afterward been recovered but never did they know that any languishing in the former spring and then after some overtures of reviving in the later spring fading and decaying again ever were recovered and restored
Which is the second branch to be opened 2. The inducement encouraging to the duty of looking for the mercy of Christ It was a mercy whereby they should bee brought to eternal life Of this though wee shall enjoy it so much yet can we speak but little Under two words eternal life the Scripture frequently sets forth the state of the Saints of heaven which for its blessednesse is câ—lled life and for its durablenesse eternall 1. Life There is a threefold Life 1. Naturall consisting in the conjunction of the body and soule 2. Spirituall which is eternall life begun in respect of grace here 3. Eternall life in respect of glory hereafter whereby is understood all the happinesse to be injoyed in heaven As under the word death the greatest of evills are comprehended all the miseries inflicted for sin in this and the next state so in that of life of all things the most precious and the most set by are contained all the blessings to be enjoyed here and hereafter but because our happinesse cannot be perfect and consummat til we come to heaven that condition is principally and frequently called life Which life stands in our immediate communion with God in an unitive vision or in seeing and enjoying him Mat. 5.8 1 Jo. 3.2 Psal 16. ult c. Heaven is a low thing without God saith Angustin Whatever is lesse then himselfe is lesse then our desires In him is contain'd infinitely more then either we want or all other things in the world have his presence shall be our life and as it were enliven all things else which without him as here they are so there would be dead things In the immediate full and perfect not in respect of the object but subject uninterrupted reflexive unmixed enjoyment of this God stands life 2. Which in respect of its duration is call'd eternall as never to be interrupted and intermitted so without any end or amission and indeed this it is which makes all the enjoyments of heaven to be truly such and as the faggot-band whereby all the particular parcells of happinesse are bound and tyed together and without which they would be all scattered and lost Frequently is the life of glory said to be eternall Joh 3.15.8.51.11.25 c. pleasures for ever more a treasure in the heaven that faileth not Luk. 12.33 Extra jactum fortunae Extra periculum jacturae an eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 a treasure beyond the reach of theefe and moth c. God the fountaine and treasury of life can never be exhaust The saints can never be willing to part with this God Enemies shall never be able to separate them A compleat happinesse to be truly and necessarily happy also OBSERVATIONS From the whole part 1. Obs 1. The hope of salvation is an helmet to keep off tentations to sin Eph. 6.8 The looking for the mercy of Christ quickens us in our course of Christianity The Apostle directs them to contend for the faith by looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus c. 1. It purgeth the heart from fin Whosoever hath this hope purifieth himselfe 1 Joh. 3.3 He who looketh for Christ looks to be like him and therefore he conformes himselfe to Christ in purity He who lookes for great revenues within a few yeares will not cut off his hopes We may say of sinners as of some men who are adventurous in the world they have no thing to lose but rather remove impediments The looking for mercy and the living in sin cannot stand together The love of sin is the confutation of our hopes 2. The looking for this mercy damps our affections to the things of the world He who beholds the glorious sunshine of Christs appearance hath his eyes so dazled that he can behold no beauty in any thing besides He is like Jacob who when he was to goe to a rich Egypt and a deare Joseph was not to regard his stuffe Earthly objects which to earthly mindes seeme glorious 2 Cor. 4.16 to be a beleever have no glory by reason of that glory which excelleth Though Jezabel paints her face he throwes her down and treads her under foot 3. It makes us conscientious in holy duties Paul chargeth Timothy to keep the command without spot by an argument drawn from Christs appearance and upon this ground of looking for a reward from the chief Shepherd Peter warneth the Elders to feed the flock As we cannot conceive what manner of mercy for its glory it is which we look for so neither can we express what manner of persons we should be 1 Cor. 15.58 or what manner of performances ours should be for holinesse What manner of persons saith the Apostle ought we to be 2 Pet. 3.11 4. It engageth to patience under every difficulty and distresse Behold I come quickly hold fast that thou hast Rev. 3.11 Thus. 1 Joh. 2.28 Little children abide in him that when he shall appeare we may have confidence c. Non sunt condigna passiones ad cul pam quae remittitur ad gratiaÌ„ qua immittitur ad gloriam qua promittitur He who beholds a Kingdome appointed for him will abide with Christ in his tentations The drawing nigh of the Lords coming is the Apostles ground of patience Jam. 5.8 and 2 Thes 1.6 7. John Hus and Jerom of Prague appealed from the unjust sentences of men to the righteous judgment of Christ This dayes misery is not worthy of that dayes mercy Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 No more comparable with it then is the uncovering of the head a trouble comparable to the honour of receiving a crown 1 Sam. 10. ult Saul held his peace though he were despised because hee was King How easily should our sea of honey swallow up our drop of vinegar Though godlinesse brings sufferings yet it affords encouragements like Egypt which though it were full of poysonous creatures yet full of Antidotes The reason why wee are cast away in tempests is for want of this anchor of hope of the mercy of Christ Let then O Christians the looking for this mercy engage you to duty Remember such mercy to be received deserves better services to bee performed Psal 36.5 As Gods mercy and faithfulnesse are put together so let not his mercy and our faithfulnesse bee severed Brethren if any shame could befall the Saints at the day of judgement it would be for this that they who have done so little on earth for God should receive so much in heaven from God Mercy It s mercy not merit Obs 2. that must stand us in stead at the last day Of this largely pag. 100. Part. 1. as also to this part may be reduced Pag. 101 102 103 104 105. Obs 3. the six Observations there handled concerning Gods mercy Of our Lord Jesus Christ How much are they mistaken who expect mercy and yet have no interest in Christ 'T is the mercy of Christ Christlesse persons are mercilesse
one who had himself been an Idolater The Divel loves to wound Religion in the house of her friend and with her own hands and weapons to make Cromwell a Protestant to sentence a Godly Lambert to death Oh how it delights him to overcome Scripture by alledging not of the Alcoran but the Scripture And as he here dealt with the body so he still deals with the Books and Writings of Gods Moses's the men of God For as he fain would have made him who was the greatest enemy in the world to Idolatry while living to have been the greatest occasion of it when dead so still he contends by Hereticks that they who have been the renowned opposers of Heresie in their life time should be accounted the greatest Patrons of it when dead Thus the Papists contend that the Fathers Augustine Ambrose c. are theirs and for their opinions Thus the Pelagians of our time that Augustin Bucer Vid. John Goodwin Sion Colledg vi sited Ball are for free-will But he much more contends and had rather that a living then a dead Moses shoud be a stumbling block to others If one who is holy may thinks he be useful to me by his dust and relicks how much more by his falls his scandals his corrupt examples Of all others let those who fear God take most heed of giving advantage to Satan When without their knowledg or consent they are by Satan only made advantageous to him it should be their sorrow but when they make themselves so it is their great sin 12. Observ 12. The worst persons are oft compelled both to have and express an high opinion of Gods faithful servants Even Moses one who was a great opposer of and greatly opposed by the Divel is yet secretly by this cursed enemy greatly honoured Yea the people who in Moses his life time would have ston'd him would and Satan knew it too after his death have Idoliz'd him Our blessed Lord when he was murdered by his enemies was by some of them voiced a Just man Luke 18.18 Act. 24.25 Mat. 11.19 the young man calls him Good Master even bloody Herod reverenced the Baptist and Felix trembles at the preaching of Paul Wisdome shall sometimes be justified not only by her children but even by her sworn enemies The father of Lies when he alledgeth Scripture to overthrow it strongly argues that it is the strongest weapon and hath greatest power over the conscience God delights to put a secret honour upon his Saints and wayes and to make even those who love them not to praise them Many lewd livers strictly enjoyn their children to be more Religious Every Saint may be encouraged in Holiness God will often make its greatest opposers to extoâ— it and when in their words they revile it in their conferences they shall commend it The praise of an enemy is equivalent to an universal good report In short Let sinners seriously consider how they can answer this dilemma at the last day If the wayes and people of God were bad why did you so much as commend them if good why did you not more imitate them also If Christ were not a good Master why did the young man call him so if he were why did he not follow him 13. Observ 13. The greatest respect that wickedones manifest toward a Godly Moses is when he is dead While Moses was living he was in danger of being destroyed now dead of being adored by the Israelites Joram when Elisha was living opposed him but when dead laments over him in that pathetical speech My father 2 Kinâ— 13.14 my father the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof Saul disobeyes and rejects Samuel when living but when dead he with great pains though no profit endeavors to recal to enquire of him They build and garnish the Sepulchers of the Prophets when dead Luke 11.47 whom living their fathers led by the same Spirit destroyed God often makes the worth of his servants to be known by the want of them and shewes when they are gone that they who in their life time were accounted the plagues and troublers were indeed the Preservers and Peace makers of Israel They shall then know saith Ezekiel Ezek 33.33 that they have had a Prophet among them And it s a work of little cost and of much credit to extol the dead The wicked are not troubled and molested in their wayes of sin by departed Saints Samson could take honey out of that dead Lion with which he fought when living and which he slew because it ror'd upon him The living who rore and lift up their voices against mens sins and labour to rend them from their corruptions shall be persecuted but when dead voiced up to advance the reputation of those who praise them for sweet and blessed men of God The Papists and many common Protestants who speak highly of Christ and call him their sweet Saviour had they lived in his dayes and heard him preach against their Lusts would have hated him as much as nay more then now they hate those who have but a drop of his fountain of holiness And indeed if a Moses a servant of God in his life time please wicked men it is commonly because he is too like a dead man not so quick and lively against their Lusts as he should It s not the Idolizing but the imitating of the Saints that shews our love either to God or them This for the second part of this verse the strife or contention it self The third followes viz. the carriage and deportment of the Archangel in this combate And first to speak thereof as it 's set down Negatively in respect of his inward disposition so it 's said that he durst not bring a rayling accusation EXPLICATION Two things are here to be considered in the Explication 1. What it was which Michael did forbear viz. to bring a rayling accusation 2 Why it was that he did forbear it He durst not bring it 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Hebraismum idem valet apud Judam quod apud Petrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—scat in Jud. Judâ—cium maledicum Pâ—scat Maledictionis judicium Beâ— Execrabile judiâ—ium Vulg. in Pet. Judicium blasphemiae Vulg. in Jud. For the first The thing forborn is here said to be a rayling accusation The Greek hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an accusation of blasphemie of rayling and Peter 2 Pet. 3.11 calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a railing or blasph mous judgment or accusation both places are rendered by these words railing accusation a judgement or accusation of railing by an Hebraism importing the same in Jude which a blasphemous judgment â—r accusation doth in Peter In the opening whereof 1 I shall shew you what is meant by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred accusation or judgment 2 What the Apostle intends by a railing accusation or the railing of the accusation 3 Wherein consists the sinfulness of that railing
of woes like lightning which smites the highest Towers spared not the greatest if Enemies to God Prophetical zeal struck at sin where ever it found it witness all those numerous threatnings scattered in every leaf of their Prophecies The Apostles had their rod as well as the spirit of meekness and did partake of that spirit which was represented as well by fiery tongues as the shape of a Dove Paul strikes Elimas blind and cursed Alexander Christ himself whose mouth Matth. 5. was so full of Beatitudes no less then eight several times denounceth woes against the Enemies of God It s the disposition of Saints to be holily impatient when Gods glory suffers and though never else then to esteem anger seemly disgraces against their father they cannot put up these injuries they cannot concoct Their Commission likewise requires this temper Isaiah 58.1 Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voyce like a trumpet shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins Jer. 1.7.8 Whatsoever I command thee that thou shalt speak be not afraid of their faces A dumb Dog is good for nothing but the Halter Though the Children in the house must not be bitten yet the Thief either without or within Chrysost must not be spared sinful silence and flattery most oppose a Ministers function If sinners will be bold let not Ministers be bashful The most zealous Ministers have lived in the worst times and they who are most hated for their holy vehemency can better endure the hatred of people for the discharge of duty then the wrath of God for the neglect thereof He that reproves shall have favour at the last both of God and man And even here a zealous Reprover is honoured when he is hated and the cause saith one why God makes the world so bitter to the Ministers by sufferings is because they are no more bitterâ— to the world by Reprehensions To conclude this let none no not the greatest be angry with Ministers for their faithfulness in reproving If there were Physicians or Chyrurgians onely provided for the poor and not for the rich the rich would be accounted of all the most miserable and truly they were much more miserable for their souls Crudelis est eorum mollities quibus molesta est nostra vehementia Calv. in Mat. 13. if they onely were debar'd from reproofs the Physick of the soul There is no greater sign of a gracious heart then to be both holily patient in the taking and wisely zealous in the giving of a reproof 2. Thus of the first part of this verse the denunciation of judgement Wo unto them The second followes the amplification thereof from three examples of Cain Balaam and Core and first that of Cain in these words They have gone in the way of Cain EXPLICATION Four things here are to be touched by way of Explanation 1. Who this Cain was 2. What his way was 3. Why it s call'd a way 4. How Seducers are said to go in his way 1. For the first the holy story relates besides the other particulars which I shall note in the second his way 1. His Birth 2. The imposition of his name 1. His Birth is described Gen. 4.1 where it s said that Adam knew Eve his wife and that she conceived and bare Cain This Cain was the first-born of the first Parents in the world and so Elder brother to all the sons of men and Moses to shew the common and constant way of the multiplication of man-kind fully declares his generation Creavit ex terrâ procreavit ex legitimo conjugio Pareus Musc hereby manifesting that Cain was neither form'd out of the earth as was Adam nor of the rib of the man as was Eve that he came not of Adam alone without Eve nor of Eve alone without Adam but that there was a conjunction of both that Adam knowing his wife a modest expression she conceived and bare Cain And withal in this relation of the Birth of Cain Moses discovers that generation to continue to the worlds end derives the corruption of our first Parents to all their Posterity though generation it self be not culpable but natural and by God appointed So that whosoever is now naturally begotten and conceived hath not a holy and pure nature as had our first Parents before they sinned but a nature depraved and corrupted as they had after they had sinned and particularly in relation to Cain he shewes that Adam a sinner and of a corrupt nature knowing Eve who was infected also with sin and she conceiving and bringing forth Cain it s no wonder that this their first-born was of so wicked and corrupted a disposition since he was conceived and born of the seed of sinful flesh nor is it to be thought that Abel an holy man had his holiness derived to him from his Parents as if he had not with Cain been conceived in sin but that by the meer and singular grace of God he had that integrity bestowed upon him of which Gain was destitute 2. For the imposition of Cains name The word Cain is derived of Cana which signifieth a possession for his Mother Eve giving him that name said she had gotten obtained or possessed a man from the Lord. It s here disputed by learned men what Eve intends by saying I have gotten a man ETH JEHOVAH as we render it from the Lord Sundry conceive in regard the Preposition ETH is commonly a note of the Accusative case that Eves words are thus to be read Acquisivi virum Jehovam I have gotten a man that is the Lord as if she had thought that this her first-born was that promised seed the Messiah which God had promised should break the head of the Serpent and redeem man-kind from sin and misery but the Preposition ETH 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certum est particulam Eâ—h ut plurimum esse â—otam Accusativi casus quem verba transitiva regunt sed tamen accâ—pi non raro pro à ex de cum Praepositionibus exempla adfe runt ex scripturâ Grammatici ubi particula illa juncta verbo intransitivo aut Hithpael accipitur pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum Gen. 5.22 Exod. 1.1 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel abs Gen. 44 4. Riv. in Gen. Jun. Trem. Rivet Mercer is oft in the Scripture a note of the Ablative and imports as much as from with by c. as Gen. 5.22 Enoch walked ETH ELOHIM with God Exod. 1.1 The Children of Israel who came ETH with Jacob into Aegypt Gen. 44.4 When they were gone ETH HAIR out of or from the City c. Some there are who take ETH here for the note of the Dative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then the meaning of the words is I have gotten a man to the Lord that is who after our death shall though herein she was mistaken in our stead serve and worship the Lord. But the best expound ETH as I said by
they feed at the same Table serve the same Master own the same Father so that they shall live together in the same habitation for ever they pattaking of that meritorious blood which is the parchase of the same Inheritance they having all thereby the same Key to open Paradise withal They who receive Christ as Communicants profess to do shal be received One Saint may truly say to another You and I must be better acquainted And what an Engagement to love is this for us to consider we shal for ever live and love together in Heaven Oh! how should Christians begin to do that here which they shall never be weary of doing to all eternity If one house then one Heaven calls for one heart Thus the appellations given to the Sacrament the Table of the Lord the Lords Supper the Communion c. shew it to be a Love-Feast 3. The outward Elements Bread and Wine us'd at the Supper evince the same Separated and several grains and grapes make one and the same Bread and Wine They who are severed and disjoyned from one another Vid. Cvpr. Ep. 76. ad Magnum not onely by sea habitation trades but in heart also and affection are by the receiving of Christ in this Sacrament re-united into one Spirituall Body as the Elements though originally severall are into one artificiall Masse We being many saith the Apostle are one Bread How necessary then is the Lords Supper in these times when Love doth so much decay If the Christians in their Summer season when Love was burning hot did so lay on this fewel what need have we then to do so in this Winter Season when the Love of most grows so cold Confident I am that the withdrawing of this Sacrament that feeds and foments Love hath much tended to the decay therof among us And further this discovers the great policy of Satan not onely in hindering from the Sacrament which was appointed to strengthen Love but in breaking Love by this very Sacrament Who would ever have expected to have heard of a Sacramentary war How many valiant Champions lost their livs in this Land in their Smithfield fights about the controversie of Transubstantiation and how subtilly hath the Murderer of souls mixt his poyson with the Sacramental bread and stoln away the Cup in the Papacy What fierce contestations have there been between Calvinists and Lutherans about consubstantiation Who remembers not the Prelaticall fury in imposing superstitious for Sacramental gestures and oh that the flames of these unchristian quarrels about the Sacrament did not blaze and spread even at this very day Oh the unbrotherly breaches between Brethren about the admission and qualification of Communicants Consider dear Christians whether Satan be not like to prevail when he turns that Artillery whereby we should batter his Forts upon our selves and makes his strongest weapons oâ— War even of Olive Branches Ensigns and Emblemes of Peace and is not Love in danger of death when â—ts Food is dayly poyson'd Who warms his hands at these flames of Contention but only our Adversary Satan as they say of the Lawyer will be the only gainer when you fall out like unkind Brethren about your Fathers will and Testament The Lord humble us for all those unworthy receivings which have made us so unkind and quarrelsome about the receiving this Feast of Love the Lords Supper and he make us for the future in all our opinions about and participations of it to be men in understanding and children in malice Part 1. For the tryals of Love see page 144.145.146 c. 4. Obs 4. Spotted and spotting sinners are unfit guests at holy feasts The Apostle by saying these seducers were spots in the Feasts of Charity notes the unsutableness of such blemishes to Assemblies that should be clean and Christian these spots casting an uncomliness upon those holy Meetings which made those spots appear and set off with the more uglines and uncomlines The mixture of scandalous persons in Church-fellowship is here by the Apostle blam'd and if their meeting at these feasts of Charity be reprehended here by the Apostle if at these Feasts these spots appeared so black and deformed how much more reproveable was their meeting at the Lords Supper which is an Ordinance of Christ wherein approaches to him are more near and ought to be more holy then in those Feasts of Charity Spots and blemishes as Mr. Perkins well spake of his times ought to be washt off by Ecclesiasticall Discipline from the faces of holy Assemblies at the Lords Supper because they pollute it True it is that first there are two sorts of pollution of the Lords Supper the one that which makes the Sacrament no Sacrament but a common or unhallowed thing to those that do receive it as if it were given by those who are no Ministers or to those who are no Church or without the blessing and breaking of the Bread the other sort of pollution of the Sacrament is that which makes the administration thereof to be sinful and those who administer it to be guilty they doing that which is contrary to the revealed wil of God This latter kind of pollution is by admitting spotted and scandalous sinners 2. It s granted that the mixture of the scandalous pollutes not the Sacrament to those who have used all the lawful means against it who have being Officers discharged their duty by exercising Church Discipline and being private Christians admonished the offenders and petitioned those who have the authority for the restraining of them from the Sacrament in that case though the scandalous partake of the Sacrament Indisciplinata patientia Aug. yet officers and worthy Communicants partake not of their sin But otherwise that the admission of scandalous persons to the Sacrament is a pollution of that Ordinance its evident Give not saith Christ that which is holy to dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine Mat. 7.6 By that which is holy I understand though primarily yet not solely the Word but consequently the Sacraments Prayer Christian admonition Christ doth not speak of one holy thing onely nor doth he say the pearl but he saith that which is holy c. and pearls And by dogs and swine are not onely to be understood Infidels Heathens and open Apostates and persecuters which like dogs bite bark and contradict but also such who like swine prophane trample these Pearls under their feet and by an impure swinish life shew how much they despise holy things And needs must the Sacrament be prophaned when in the use thereof not grace but sin is encreased because hereby the main end of the Sacrament which is to be food to nourish grace and poyson to kill sin is perverted but no grace is nourished in any prophane impenitent sinner he being spiritually dead and so without the life of grace And further his hand is strengthened in sin for by his receiving the Sacrament he is much more difficultly
are as none How should this humble the proudest hypocrite Could he bring to God all the gold and silver in Solomons Temple it were brought by him nothing incomparably below one broken hearted grone for sin and fiduciall breathing after Jesus Christ All his truly good works 〈◊〉 be summed up with a Cypher and though they glister here glow-worm-like in the dark night of this world yet in the bright disquisition of the day of judgment they shall all vanish and disappear Oh! how great will the shame and disappointment of hypocrites be who at that day shall see that all their dayes they have been doing nothing To close this what a comfort may this be to the poorest child of God that God in the midst of all his wants of these common blessings hath yet bestowed one upon him which is distinguishing God bestowes those blessings upon others which a Saint as such needs not have and that blessing upon him which the wicked as such cannot have And how may a child of God improve this for comfort in the weaknesse smallnesse deficiencies if they be his trouble of his grace considering it is fruit true fruit and it s more though it be but one little basket full nay but one small cluster of grapes than all the hypocrites in the world can shew and the least cluster as truly shews that is a vine which bears it as doth the plentifullest increase that ever any Vine brought forth 5. Obs 5. Incorrigibleness in sin is a dismal condition These Seducers were trees twice dead the Apostle despaired of their future living becoming fruitful and this was an estate that argued them extreamly miserable It s a wo to have a bad heart but it s the depth of wo to have an heart that shall never be better Sicknesse is an affliction but sicknesse past recovery a desperate sicknesse is a desperate evil How did it fetch tears from the eyes of Christ that the things belonging to Jerusalems peace were not onely formerly unknown but that now they were utterly hid from their eyes O Ephraim saith God what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I dâ— unto â—hee If ye will not hear saith Jeremy to the incorâ—igible Jews mine eyes shall weep in secret places for your â—ride and miâ—e eyes shall weep sore c. Jer. 13 17. Raâ—hel wept for her children and would not be comforted not because they were ill or sick but were not This incorrigiblenesse in sin which frustrates and disappoints all the means of grace provokes God to a totall and angry removall of them and makes him say I 'le take no more pains with this desperate sinner Rev. 22.11 Prophet ando non optando He that is filthy let him be filthy still It s that which as the Prophet speaks wearies God Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more Isa 1.5 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome Hos 4.14 Ephraim is joyn'd to idols let him alone v. 17 When a tree is utterly dead Pertinax sterilitas when 't is pertinaciously barren the hedg and wal shall be taken away and broken down if it will be fruitlesse it shall be fencelesse it shall neither be prun'd nor dig'd the clouds shall be forbidden to rain Isa 5.6 When the Physician of souls sees men rend in pieces his Prescripts and pull off his Plaisters and throw away those wholesome Potions which he ministreth to purge them he gives them over and suffers them to perish in their sins Punish them he will chasten them he will not Cut them off he will cure them he will not Jer. 6.29 VVhen in stead of being refined in the fire the mettall wil after all the hotest fires and the constant blowing of the bellowes continue inseparable from its drosse when the bellows are burnt in the fire and the founder melteth in vain reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Jer. 6.29.30 VVhat is it but hell upon earth for sinners to go to hell without controle to be given up to their hearts lusts to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and in a word to be as bad as they will Oh wofull recompence of spirituall pertinacy The earth which under all the drinking in of rain beareth thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.8 This double death and irrecoverablenesse in sin is a kind of fore-taste of the second death As perseverance in holinesse crowns so pertinacy in sin condemns he who is obstinate in sin unto the end shall undoubtedly receive the curse of eternall death How sore a judgement is it so to be past feeling that nothing cooler then Hell-fire and lighter then the loyns of an infinite God can make us sensible though too late Oh! let us beware of the modest beginnings of sin which certainly make way for immodest proceedings therein every commission of sin is a strong engagement to a following act of wickednesse be who begins to go down to the chambers of death knows not where he shall stop In short let no help to Holinesse leave thee as bad for if so it will leave thee worse then it found thee and present unreformednesse will make away for incorrigiblenesse under the means 6. Obs 6. It s our greatest wisedome and ought to be our chiefest care to be preserved-from Apostacy Take heed of being twice dead i. e. Of adding a death by Apostacy to the death by Originall corruption To this end Let us 1. Be sure to have the truth of spirituall life in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely the externall appearances of life the shews and leaves of Religion the form of godlinesse and a name to live he that would not die twice must be sure he truly lives once hypocrisie will end in apostacy where the truth is not truly loved it will be truly left A tree that is unsound at the root will soon cease from its faint puttings forth the hollow heart will not hold out the outward form without the inward power of godlinesse continues not in times of temptation Labour for a faith of reall reception and please not thy self with that of meer illumination the bellows of persecution which blow the sparks of sincerity into a flame blow the blaze of hypocrisie into nothing 2. Forecast the worst that can befall thee and the best that can be laid before thee to take thee off from the love and wayes of holinesse reckon upon opposition in every way of God he who meets not with the hatred of a man may justly suspect his love to the truth and he who expects not that hatred will hardly cantinue his love to truth when thou enterest upon Religion think not that thou goest to sea upon pleasure but imployment not for recreation but traffick lest in stead of holding out to thy intended Port thou presently makest to the next shore upon the rising
such a want of light as hinders a man from walking like that Aegyptian darkness by which people were constrained to sit still Caligo tenebrarum Bez. Perfectio tenebrarum Arab. and not to rise out of their place for three dayes So the addition of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blackness notes a further increase of this darkness such as is spoken concerning that in Aegypt as may be felt Darkness seems to be black and thereby the same thing is imported with that of utter darkness Mat. 8.12 and 21.13 and 25.30 i. e. such as is outmost and furthest removed from the region of light for this Phrase blackness of darkness Caligo Caliginosissima Isa 60.2 Gross darknes intends as much as most black thick darkness it being a kind of Hebraical Phrase like unto that Mat. 26.64 the right hand of Power that is a most powerful right hand So Rom. 7.24 a body of death is put for a mortal body And Eph. 4.24 holiness of truth for true holiness This thick black gross darknes is not to be understood Properly for that negation Of this see Part 1. p. 503. at large or privation of light by reason of the absence of the Sun c but Metaphorically for great calamities and miseries And in Scripture there is a three-fold misery set forth by darknesse 1. External misery John 30.26 When I looked for good evil came unto me and when I waited for light there came darkness So Isa 5.30 If one look to the Land behold darkness and sorrow So Isa 8.22 Zech. 1 15. Joel 1.2 Amos 5.20 They shall look unto the earth and behold trouble and darkness Isa 47.5 Get thee into darkness O Daughter of the Caldeans c. 2. Internal comprehending 1. 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Thes 5.4 John 3.19 Darkness and blindness of mind the want of the saving knowledge of God and his waies Luke 1.79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death c. Ioh. 1.5 The light shineth in darkness c. Eph. 5.8 Ye were sometime darkness but now are ye light in the Lord c. 2. Spiritual dissertion or the withdrawing of the light of Gods countenance and thus Heman complains Psal 88.6 That God had laid him in darkness And Isa 50.10 Who is there among you that walketh in darkness and seeth no light c. 3. Eternal darkness The miserable condition of the damned in Hell by reason of their separation from God called utter darkness Mat. 22.13 and 8.12 because farthest distanced from the light of Gods pleased countenance and this estate of misery is fitly compared to darkness both in respect of the Cause and the Effect of darkness 1. The though only deficient Cause of darkness is the withdrawing of the light so the separation from the favourable presence of God Matth. 7.23 Matth. 25. is the greatest misery of the damned the Hell of Hell is to be without Gods loving and gracious presence in Hell 2. The Effect of darkness is horror and affrightment and trouble There 's no joy but in Gods presence in that there is fulness of joy The misery of this condition see described Part 1. p. 505. Aeternis tenebris damnari decet qui sese transfigurantes in Angelos lucis veram lucem non praedicarunt sed suasmet magis tenebras caligines dilexerunt in meras errorum tenebras alies pracipitaverunt Lorin in loc Rectè in tenebras tormentorum mittentur aeternas qui in Ecclesiam Dei sub nomine lucis tenebras inducebant errorum Bâ—da Psalm 16. but without it only weeping and wailing blackness of darkness thick darkness purae tenebrae not the least glimpse and crevis of light and mixture of Joy And most fitly is this punishment of blackness of darkness threatned against these Seducers who transformed themselves into Angels of Light and yet held not forth the light of the Truth but loved darkness more then light and lead others into the darkness of sin and Error and how just was it that they should suffer by thick true perfect darkness who deluded the world with seeming and appearing light 2. For the certainty and unavoidableness of this punishment Jud. saith this blackness of darkness is reserved for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word properly imports the solicitous keeping and reserving of a thing lest it be lost or taken away by others a keeping with Watch and Ward most accurately and vigilantly as a Prisoner is kept Hence it is that Act. 4.3 and 5.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to signifie a Prison In this place therefore as there is implyed Gods present forbearance to punish these Seducers with the blackness of darkness it being reserved and kept for them not actually as yet inflicted upon them so there is principally intended the certainty and unavoidableness of this punishment and the impossibility of the pertinacious sinners escaping thereof Nor is it any wonder that this estate should be thus certainly reserved for them Denâ—tat firmum ratum divinae justitiae decretum de suppliâ—ie aeterno Lorin in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.4 the firm and irreversible decree saith Lorinus in this place Orthodox of God to punish them for ever or that ordaining them of old to condemnation mentioned ver 4. is here denoted so that as in Gods decree Heaven is an Heritance reserved for the Faithful this misery is reserved for the wicked Needs likewise must this punishment be reserved for incorrigible sinners if we consider the Truth Justice Power Omniscience of God His Truth it being impossible for him to lye and who is as true in his threatnings against the obstinate as in his promises to the returning sinner His Justice whereby he will not suffer sin alwayes to go unpunished Rom. 2.5 6. and will render to every one according to his work His Power so great that none can deliver the wicked out of his hand yea so great as that they can neither be able to keep out nor break out of Prison his Omniscience whereby none can escape or hide himself from his eye In short needs must this blackness of darkness be certainly reserved if we consider the foolish diligence even of sinners themselves they daily hoarding up their own Damnation and treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath like some precious treasure which they keep so carefully as if they were afraid that any should bereave them of it 3. For the durableness and continuance of this their misery the Apostle saith it was for ever The misery Everlasting chains under darkness ver 6. Everlasting fire ver 7. and yet the equity whereof see Part 1. pag. 508.588 Eternity it is that shall make their fire hot their chains heavy their darkness black and thick How long doth a dark night seem in this world but how dark will a not long but eternal night seem in the next world How hideous is that woe
Usurpatur ad indicandam rei praesentis exhibitionem happy is the man whom the Lord correcteth Psal 33.18 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him 2. As a note of admiration 2. Ad excitandam ex rei mirandae praedicatione attentioonem or to stir up attention for the great and stupendious wonderfulness of some thing that fals out Thus it is taken 2 King 6.17 Behold the mountain was full of horses and Chariots of fire Matth. 27.51 Behold the vail of the temple was rent in twain And 28.2 Behold there was a great earthquake Luke 1â— 16. Act. 1.10.7.56.12.7 Gen. 29.6 Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive 1 Cor. 15.51 Behold I shew you a mysterie c. The word behold in this place may sutably to the subject in hand the coming of Christ to judgment be considered as denoting both these 1. The certainty and truth thereof it being a thing as sure as if it were before our eyes and already accomplished like that minatory prediction of the prophet concerning the house of Jeroboam 1 Kings 14.14 But what even now A thing that ought to sink into the hearts of hearers and that which they cannot too firmly and fixedly believe The infallible predictions of Scripture which must be fulfilled the judgments of God already executed upon some sinners the fears of a natural conscience Gods justice which wil render to every one according to his works And lastly Act 1.11 Matth. 24 3â— 2 Thes 1.7 â— Act 17.32 24 25 Gen 18 25 1 Thes 1.5 2 Coâ— 5 10. Râ—v 20.12 the fitness that the body shal have its due retribution as wel as the soul all prove the certainty of the last judgment The certainty of his coming I have spoken to before part 1. p. 536. 2. The word Behold may be considered as a note of admiration denoting a most wonderful and strange thing like that Behold Hab. 1.5 Behold and wonder marvellously for I wil work a work in your daies which ye wil not believe though it be told you And this coming of Christ is wonderful and strange 1. In respect of the wicked to whom it is unexpected they thereby being unprepared for it it comes as a snare upon them in a day wherein they look not for it in an houre wherein they are not aware Luke 12.46 as a theef in the night When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travel upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5.2 2. It s wonderful in respect of the astonishing glory of the coming of Christ to judgment together with the judgment it self of which I have largely spoken pag. 525 Part 1. to 540. I must not repeat OBSERVATIONS 1. Obser 1. Our thoughts only of those things which are truly great and glorious should be high and admiring Behold saith Enoch as noting the astonishing wonderfulness of the last judgment This truly great thing should be looked upon as such It is the folly of most men to look upon smal things as great and upon great things as smal Humane judgments affright and amaze them the last judgment they slight and neglect these want that rectified judgment of the Apostle who cals the day of judgment the appearing of the great God and so preached of the judgment to come that he made Felix tremble whereas he tels us how little he past for mans judgment 1 Cor. 4 3. Thus likewise our Saviour directs his disciples to contemn that which is smal and contemptible fear not him that kils the body and to dread that which is truly great and formidable fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hel Matth. 10.28 When the disciples beheld with wonder and shewed to Christ the beautiful buildings of the temple he with an holy contempt of those outside beauties tells them there shall not be one stone of all those stately structures left upon another that shall not be thrown down and when Satan shewd and offered him all the Kingdomes of the world with their glory he shewd his Contempt of the prospect and promotion with a Get thee behind me Satan but when he observed the faith of the Centurion he wonders and expresseth his admiration to the people Luc. 7.9 2. Observ 2. Great is our naturall backwardness to mindâ— and believe the coming of Christ to judgment Eâ—â—ch prefixeth a note of incitement to his prophesie The wicked take occasion to be secure and to cast off the thought of Christs coming from the procrastination and delaying thereof Men scoff at the promise of the Coming of Christ 2 Pet. 3 4 because say they since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation That servant Luke 12.45 who said that his Lord delayd his Coming in stead of minding and preparing for it did beat his fellow servants and also did eat drinke and was drunken Hence it is that men say peace and safety even when sudden destruction is coming upon them 1 Thes 5.3 Men are naturally led by sense what they see not feel not they beleeve not As Noahs flood was a type of the last judgment so the disposition of men when that deluge approcht resembled that which shall be in sinners at the coming of Christ As in the dayes before the flood there was eating drinking marrying c. so shall also the Coming of the son of man be Mat. 24.38 39. And so great likewise is naturally every sinners selfe love that they love to shun the thoughts of every thing which they love not they are ready to say to themselves as did Peter to Christ Be it far from thee this shall not be to thee they put far from them the last day because they look upon it as the evill day nay the woâ—st day they love the world and their hearts grow to it and therefore t is death to them to think of an unsettlement Their Sodom they so much delight in that like Lots wife they cannot endure to think of a shoure of fire herein resembling some who are therefore unwilling to make their wills because they cannot away with the thoughts of death To rectifie this distemper as we should labour to finde this great day a good day and the great Lord our good Lord to be such that even out of this devouring lion we may take honey so consider that 3. Obs 3. Concerning the certaitnty of the judgment see be fore The last judgment is to be lookt upon as a matter of greatest certainty not as a fiction but as a most reall and undoubted thing We should look upon it to be as certaine as if it were already with us It s the policy of Satan to make us diffident of that which we should be confident of and confident of that of which we should be diffident He presents his own lyes as certainties and Gods truths
the persons of the Gyants in Canaan in respect of ther strength and stature How sinfully did David admire Saul when against Gods promise he said he should perish by his hand thus the Israelites sinfully admire the Egyptians when upon the sight of them notwithstanding the word and works of God they tell Moses in their march that he tooke them away to dye in the wildernesse Exod. 14.11 Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall dye c and forgettest the Lord thy maker Isa 51.12 The fearing of man is the forgetting of God 6. When we admire mens goodness or what of God we see in men their persons loving the message for the messenger the liquor for the vessel holy instruction for the sake of him who gives it and so hearing the word of God as the word of man this is to prefer a man of God before God in a man or rather man before God And contrary to what Tertullian speaks not to judg of persons by faith but of faith by persons 2. Admiration of persons is sinful as it concerns Man and 1. As it concerns the admired and so admiration of persons is sinfull 1. When we admire such persons as are not able to bear their own admirations A proud man having done any thing commendably is not yet fit to be commended Some weak braines will be turn'd with a small quantity of wine others more strong will indure more Herod was intoxicated with applause when the people cryde him up for a God but Paul and Barnabas rend their clothes and are ready to sacrifice themselves when the people meditate a sacrificing to them A weak stomack cannot concoct fat morsells he is a man of strong grace who can hear his own commendations without hurt Nothing more discovers a man then the praising him It s as the fining pot for silver and the furnace for gold Prov. 27.21 2. When we so admire persons as thereby to make a prey of them or to overthrow either their bodies or soules Thus the Herodians Matth. 22.16 admired and honoured Christ telling him that he was true and taught the way of God in truth and regarded not the person of man but all this was but to intangle and destroy him by bringing him on to answer to a captious question Thus afterward Christ was betrayd with a kisse and not seldome have we known that men have laine in ambush behinde the thickets of commendation and admiration and so unsuspectedly faln upon the unwary and credulous hearer Jael gives her nail soon after her milk and poyson is oftnest drunke in gold Thus after the death of Jehoiadah the Princes of Judah came and made obeysance to King Joash whereby they prevaild with him to leave the house of the Lord 2 Chr. 24.17 and to serve groves and Idols and thus as Ecclesiastical history tells us Simon Magus cry'd up Nere above the clouds and accounted and cald him a God to make him the greater Enemy to the Christians Thus Tertullus admired the person of Felix that thereby he might stir him up against Paul Act. 24.2 3. When we so admire persons as to cover hide and excuse their sin because of their greatnesse A sin the greater in regard that greatnesse ought to be so far from being a cloke for that it is an aggravation of sin and makes it the more hainous A wicked person in scripture phrase is but a vile person by so much the more vile by how much the more he corrupts and abuses any eminent gifts and endowments which God hath bestowed upon him The word speaks as basely of rich wicked ones as they think contemptibly of Gods people That wicked King was very low in the eyes of the holy Prophet who said were it not that I regard the person of Jehoshap at King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee 2 King 3.14 See more of this before pag. 2. part 14. Unsanctified greatnesse is most likely to be pernitious and therefore should be most reprehened 2. Admiration of persons is sinfull as it concernes the admirer and so 1. When we so admire persons as thereby onely to advance and advantage our selves and that 1. either in profit and gaine or 2. in honour or reputation 1. In profit and thus these seducers here admired great ones and honoured their greatnesse for their own advantage servilly cringing and crouching to them for filthy lucre they gave them great titles and flattered them in sin and assented to them in every thing that they might fill their purses and as Peter speaks through covetousnesse did they with feined words make merchandise of people hereby shewing that they neither served Christ nor indeed those whom they flatterd but their own bellies at once laying off both the Christians and the Man 2. In honour and and reputation and for this end sometimes the persons of great men are admired as Mr Fox tells us that the bloody Tyger Steph. Gardiner was wont to admire the person of Henry the 8. speaking of him to others with greatest honour and calling him his gracious Lord and Master onely to be lookt upon as his favourite though he knew that the King never loved him But for honour hypocrites commonly admire the persons of good men admire their persons I say though they imitate not their practises Thus Saul desired the presence of Samuel to be honoured before the people Thus the Scribes and Pharises admired the dead Prophets onely to be accounted as they were holy 2. When we so admire persons as withall to imitate their sins and imperfections Thus these seducers were so admired as that many followed their damnable errors putting no difference between their faces and the warts their speaking and stammering The falls and folly of the admired are commonly the snares of the admirers and the error of the master oft the tentation of the scholar It s very hard to admire the person of another and not to imitate his imperfections 3. Admiration of persons is sinfull as it concernes and hurts others and so 1. When for some commendable actions or endowments we so admire a person who is in most things very discommendable and a known wicked person that thereby we give occasion to the hearer who is though wicked yet not so wicked as he to judg his own condition very good and to blesse and flatter himselfe in his sin as thinking that he deserves Commendation as well as or better then the other This I have ever thought to be one stratagem whereby the hands of the wicked have been strengthned in sin and a stumbling block which some either weakly or wickedly have laid before others Thus I have oft heard even with grief when in funerall Sermons a prophane drunkard a swearer an adulterer or one perhaps at the most but civilly honest hath for some few good deeds been cryed up and even sainted by the Preacher that the wickedest persons have been ready to
husband spends her thoughts upon him by this time thinks she he is come to such a place to night he lodgeth in such an house The thoughts of saints run upon this mercy of Christ Heb. 11. Psal 39. 1 Pet. 1. The reason why they are call'd strangers here is because they dwell so much in their thoughts of another condition Every saint is made to looke upwards Beneficiall and great things are much thought on The covetous man thinks of his treasure the labourer of his hire the prisoner of his enlargement the heir of his possession And great things are greatly observed and serious matters seriously regarded Trivial toyes and enjoyments cannot hinder a saint from the thoughts of this great mercy yea all other things are but so many steps to raise his meditation to it Wicked men are bow'd downward in their contemplation as in their condition Saints are low in the latter high in the former They are as unlike as a piece of dirt and a ball Cast dirt upon the earth it lies still cast a ball on it and it rebounds upward 2. Belief of this mercy The looking for this mercy imports a groundednesse of expectation A saint looks for nothing without the foundation of a promise Faith certainly layes hold on that certaine word Heb. 6.11.19 and hence hope hath such a certainty as never makes us ashamed There 's a full assurance of hope call'd therefore the sure and stedfast anchor of the soule This expectation is not overcome by humane sense and reason Heb. 11.1 but climbs above them Faith gives a reality to things not seen This looking is for that which is clean contrary to sense It s an hope above hope they who have it see the mercy of Christs coming even through a cloud of sin and misery and look at things within the vaile Heb. 6.19 3. Ardent desires after this mercy This looking for it implies the welcomness and acceptableness of it and it s a looking for mercy Saints are both said to be lookers for and lovers of it 2 Tim. 4.8 they are sick of love to it The Bride saith Come Rev. 22.21 Come Lord Jesus Come quickly shuts up the scripture and summes up the churches wishes Rev. ult There 's a griefe for his absence and a groaning desire after his presence Rom. 8.23 We sigh in our selves waiting c. as no worldly difficulty can disappoint so no worldly enjoyment can bribe the souls desires A Saint with Abraham stands at his tent doore or with Sisera's mother 2 Pe◠3 12 looks out of the window and saith why is his chariot so long a coming It hasteth Wee cannot thus look for Christ unlesse we love him 2 Thes 3.5 the devils and the wicked have a fearfull the faithful a longing looking for Christ 4. It imports patience of expectation The faithfull will stay Gods leisure for his dole of mercy as beggars at a doore that continue there till there be leisure to serve them They make not hast Isa 28.16 Though they dwell in an unkind world and among them that hate peace Though they are wounded with crosses yet they say with Augustine Lord here burn wound cut the mercie of Christ makes amends for all Though they are environed with a body of death and had infinitely rather if God pleased change a necessity of sinning for a necessity of obeying yet they contentedly think Gods time is the best for removing though the worst of evils Their patience concocts their miseries and their empty stomaks keep them from being sick though in a wide and stormy sea Rom. 8.21 Through faith and patience they inherit the promises Heb. 6.12 This looking for the Spirit of Christ is 2 Thes 3.5 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patience it selfe Mercy must not be bestowed nay 't will bee no mercy if patience be not tryed Certainty countervails all delayes 5. This looking conteins in it a joyful expectation of that great good for which we look Though the deferring makes the heart sad and sick yet the expecting thereof makes the heart glad and cheerful Wee rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 In whom believing we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet 1.8 If Abraham looking for the day of Christs humility two thousand yeares before rejoyced must not believers needs rejoyce in looking for the day of his and their own glory approaching so neer it being now as it were the last minute of the last houre before the day of our marriage redemption coronation 6. It notes prudent vigilancy what wee look for wee watch for when we look either for friend or foe we keep our selves waking Hence Luke Luk. 12.36 37. makes this looking and watching all one They who look for an Enemy will watch to prevent his coming as Christ speaks of the theif They who look for a friend will watch to welcome and entertain him All who look for mercy labour to be found in peace they look up as watchmen upon their Tower they keep their loyns girt and they are in the posture of servants expecting their Lord they are afraid of surfets and sleeping by worldly pleasures They who reach after this mercy must let worldly trifles fall out of their hand 2 Pet. 3.11 The better the mercy to be enjoyed is the fitter we should be to receive A prepared mercy sutes not with an unprepared heart Every day to a saint should be as his last And of every one he should say art thou the last or look I for another Am I now in a meet posture to receive the mercy of Christ To shut up this it is not strange that Jude enjoins these Saints to look for this mercy of Christ considering the sutablenes of this exhortation to the persons exhorted who 1. are Saints such as have the spirit which saith Come whose motions are upward who are begotten again to this lively hope who as they are men look upward with their faces so as they are Saints and new men look upward with their spirits and wait for Christ from heaven 1 Thes 1.10 and love his appearance 2. Tim. 4.8 Such as are like the young ones of the fouls of heaven who though they may be hatch't under a hens wing yet being growne they presently flye abroad The Saints are born and for a time live in the world yet they soon shew that they are not of this world who 2. also were so opposed and tempted by seducers that looking for the Crowne of life was little enough to make them constant to the death 2. Considering for whom they were to look their Master their Husband Head their Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Considering for what they looked mercy to bee bestowed at a time when they should want it most even at Christs coming when nothing else will help Lastly considering the great beneficialnesse of this mercy it was such a mercy whereby they should be possessed of eternal life