may prove remembrancers of duty Leah and Alphaeus in imposing names on their Children made use of such as might put Parents and Children another day upon holinesse God call'd Abram Abraham to strengthen his faith Hannah gave the name of Samuel to her son 1 Sam. 1.20 because a son of prayers 'T is good to impose such names as expresse our baptismal promise A good name is as a thread tyed about the finger to make us mindfull of the errand we came into the world to do for our Master 4. Obs 4. Ministers especially ought so to carry themselves as that they may not be ashamed to their names that their name prefix'd may be a crown a credit to their Writings that whensoever their names are spoken of the hearer may bless them that their names may be as a sweet perfume to their actions Many Christians names are so odious that what they say or do is blemish'd because it comes from them it had been good if it had been another's He is a dead man among the living that hath a hatefull name It 's a great mercy when our names out-live us it 's a great punishment when we out-live our names They that honour God shall have the spirit of glory rest upon them He that is a Iude a Confessor of Christ shall never want that honour 5. Obs 5. Wee should not do that which we are asham'd or afraid to own or put our names to I deny not but in some cases it may be lawfull to change our names or forbear to mention them either by tongue or pen but then we should not be put upon such straits by the badnesse of our actions as the most are which we are asham'd to own but by the consideration of Gods glory or the Churches good or our own necessary preservation in time of persecution which may be the more advanced by the concealing of our names Thus Bucer in times of trouble for the Gospel call'd himself Aretius Felinus Calvin's Institutions were printed under the name of Alcuinus But these did not conceal themselves for sin but safety nor yet so much for safety as Gods glory I pass from the Name and I proceed to the second thing in the description of the Author of this Epistle and that was his Office A servant of Iesus Christ Of this 1. By way of Explication 2. By way of Observation 1 For Explication Here two Points are to be opened 1. In what respect Jude was the servant of Christ 2. Why he here so stiles himself 1. In what respect Jude was the servant of Christ He was so in four respects Deus est Caussa rebus tam â—ssendi quam siendi Implicat contradictionem ut Deus communicet alicui creaturae nè à se dependeat hoc enim facto communicaret ut non esset creatuâ—a Dau. in Col. 1.17 Servus in Latina linguadictus est à servando quòd hi qui jure belli possent occidi à Victoribus cum servabantur servi fiebant Aug. li. 19. de C.D. c. 15. 1. Of Creation and sustentation as are all creatures Psal 119.91 All are thy servants from the highest Angel to the lowest worm Col. 1.16 17. All things were created by him and for him and by him all things consist The whole world is but his Family altogether at his finding should he shut his hand the house would be famish'd If he withdraw his manu-tenency the world would fall 2. In respect of Redemption from the power of sin and Satan from their condemning and destroying power Heb. 2.15 Rom. 8.1 Luk. 1.74 From their corrupting and defiling power Rom. 6.18 Eph. 6.6 And that this was a redemption deserving to make us servants to the Redeemer appears in that it was not only by Conquest and vindication from our enemies when as the Conqueror might have destroyed us as well as taken us or destroy'd them in which respect according to all usage and equity we ought to be for ever his servants but a redemption also by purchase the Lord JE SUS having paid no less price then his own precious blood 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 1 Cor. 6.20 in which consideration the Apostle strongly argues That wee are not our own but serve for the glorifying of another 3. Isa 49.3 Heb. 3.5 Psal 89.21 Hag. 2.23 This Apostle was the servant of Christ more peculiarly by way of speciall office and function In which respect as Christ himself Moses David Cyrus Zerubbabel c. were called Gods servants so are the Prophets in the Old Jer. 35.15 Amos 3.7 Rom. 1. Phil. 1. Tit. 1. 2 Tim. 2.24 the Apostles and Ministers in the New Testament called servants Although it 's granted the Apostles were servants in a different way from other Ministers both in regard of the manner of their calling which was by immediate mission and appointment from God as also of the extent of their power which was not tyed up or confined to one place Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 Matt. 5.13 but granted to them for the planting and governing of Churches in any part of the world In which respect some think they are called the salt of the earth In regard of this function and Office of Apostleship Iude principally calls himself a servant of Christ though not barely and solely in respect of Gods calling him to it but in respect also of his own diligence and faithfulness in endeavouring to discharge his Office to which he was call'd as Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 4.10 and as Paul speaks of himself 1 Cor. 9.16 For Christ keeps no servants only to wear a Livery As he is not a titular Lord so neither are his servants titular servants All their expressions of service reach not the emphasis either of their desires or duty 2 The second thing to be opened is the cause why the Apostle here stileth himself the servant of Christ 1. Some think to shew his humility and modesty in that he who might have us'd the title either of Apostle or Brother of the Lord rather contents himself with this note of duty and service common to every Christian Others better for the confirming and comforting of himself in his work in that his Lord whom he served and who had set him on work would stand by him both in protecting his person and prospering his work Others and those upon cleerest grounds conceive that the Apostle here imbraceth this title of servant in respect of others that his doctrine might with more respect and readinesse be received by those to whom he wrote seeing that he was called to his work and that by such a Master whose service added not more dignity to him then â—t required duty from them This for Explication the Observations follow 1. Obs 1. They who undertake any publick imployment for Christ must receive a calling from him to be his servants if with comfort to themselves or benefit to others they will go about his work Rom. 10.15 Heb. 5.4 5.
The sharpest knife grows blunt without whetting the most honest debtor sometimes wants calling on The Apostle Peter puts the Christians in remembrance to stir up even their pure minds 2 Pet. 3.1 The freest Christian sometime wanteth the spur Our very sanctified affections are like heated water which of it self grows cold but neither retains nor increaseth its heats unlesse the fire be put under and blown up Good things in the heart lie as embers under ashes and need daily stirring up OBSERVATIONS 1. Great is the sin of those who contemn repeated truths Observ 1. A Christian must not have an itching but an humble and obedient ear Sinfull is that curiositie that despiseth a wholesome truth because it 's common Truths delivered of old may possibly now be freshly usefull and those delivered now may be helpfull in old age or on our death-beds Who would neglect a friend that may stand him in stead hereafter Every truth like a Lease brings in revenue the next year as well as this He that knows truth never so fully knows no hurt by it nay the more he knows the more of worth he sees in it How foolish are those Christians who count no doctrine good but what is new who as 't is storied of Heliogabalus cannot endure to eat twice of one dish How just will it be for want to overtake the wantoness of these hearers 2. Observ 2. Christians must not only receive but retain also the truths of God Our Memories must be heavenly store-houses and treasuries of precious truths not like hour-glasses which are no sooner full but they are running out The commandments must be bound upon our hearts and holy instructions like Books in a Library must be chained to our memories Keep these words in the midst of thy heart saith Solomon Prov. 4.21 And I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee saith David Psal 119.11 The slipperinesse of our memories causeth many slips in our lives Peter forgot his Master and then forgot himself First he forgot the word of a Master and then he forgot the duty of a servant Conscience cannot be urged by that truth which memory doth not retain The same truths which being taken in begat our graces being kept in will increase our graces To help us in remembring heavenly truths Let us 1. be reverent and heedfull in our attentions as receiving a message from God He who regards not a truth in hearing how shall he retain it afterward 2. Let us love every heavenly truth as our treasure Delight helps memory Psal 119.16 and what we love we keep 3. Our memories should not be taken up with vanities A Christian should be most carefull to keep that which Satan is most industrious to steal away and he is like a theef breaking into an house who takes not away earthen vessels but plate and jewels Satan empties not the head of worldly trifles but of the most precious things The Memory which is fill'd onely with earthly concernments is like a golden Cabinet fill'd with dung 4. Let Instruction be followed with meditation prayer conference Deut. 6.6.7 Psa 119.97 and holy conversation by all these it is hid in the heart the more deeply and driven home the more throughly 3. Observ 3. There is a constant necessitie of a consciencious Ministry People know and remember but in part and as children and till that which is imperfect be done away we cannot spare ministeriall remembrances We shall want Pastors teachers Eph. 4.12.13 c. till we all meet c. in a perfect man And there are none weary of the Ministry but they who love not to be remembred of their duty Of this before 4. The forgetfulnesse of the people Observ 4. must not discourage the Minister A Boat is not to be cast up and broken in pieces for every leak the dullest and weakest hearer must not be cast off for his crazy memory but pitied The very Lambs of Christ must be fed the feeblest child in his house attended Paul was gentle among the Christians even as a nurse cherisheth her children If the preaching of a truth once will not serve the turn if it be not understood or remembred the first time Ministers must declare it more plainly the next time and put people in remembrance again and again 5. Observ 5. The work of Ministers is not to contrive Doctrines but to recall them They should deliver what they have received not what they have invented Their power is not to make but manifest laws for the conscience That good thing saith Paul to Timothie which was committed to thee keep c. Ministers are not Masters but Stewards of the mysteries of God Thus much the first part of the preface The duty of the Apostle The second follows the commendation of the Christians Yee once knew this EXPLICATION It may be demanded Why the Apostle saith that the Christians once knew this following example of the Israelites of which hee puts them in remembrance The Apostle mentions this knowledg of the Christians that he may gain their good will and favourable respect to the truth of which he was now speaking and that his arguing from these examples might the more easily find entertainment with them For by saying that they knew this 1. He labours to win them to a love of himself by commending them and acknowledging that good to be which he saw in them He commends them for their knowledg and expertnesse in scripture and declares that he spake not to rude ignorant but to expert Christians 2. He gains the reputation of certainty to the truths of which he was speaking he appealing for this to their own knowledg which was so clear herein Concerning the word once I have spoken largely before pag. 231 232. that he amplifieth it by saying that they knew it once that is certainly unchangeably and once for all never to revoke and alter this knowledg and both these insinuations useth Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.15 I speak as to wise men judg ye what I say And to Agrippa for the gaining his favour to that cause which he there defended Acts 26.3 I think my selfe happy that I shall answer for my selfe before thee c. because I know thee to be expert in all customes and questions which are among the Jews And ver 26. The king knoweth of these things before whom I speak freely 3. By saying that they knew this he prevents the objection which might be made against what he was about to speak in regard that it was old and ordinary he insinuating that of set purpose be did produce a known and ancient truth rather then a new and unheard of uncertainty OBSERVATIONS 1 Knowledg is very commendable in a Christian For this the Romans are chap. 15.14 commended I am perswaded brethren that ye are full of goodnesse 1 Cor. 1.5 filled with all knowledg For this grace given to the
It s a great shame if all that are prophets are not the Lords people but it s a grosse errour to think that all the Lords people are ministerially prophets Their being the Lords people makes them fit to hear but not fit to preach fit sheep not fit shepheards Suppose that which constant experience contradicts they have the fitnesse of gifts have they therefore a sufficient Call to preach by way of Office and Ministry Is this enough to be a Kings servant or a Noble mans Steward for a person to have abilities to discharge those places is there not required Commission or Call also and are not Ministers call'd servants and Stewards At this time I doubt it would hardly be accounted true doctrine that every one who hath military gifts courage and policy may be a Commander of a Regiment or Captain of a Troop and that he might gather his Followers without Commission Is it enough for a man to be a Princes Ambassador because he hath sufficient gifts for wit and good expression c. must not the King also give him the authority to be an Ambassadour Is every one that hath good legs or can run a Messenger must he not be sent likewise Besides whosoever hath a commission to preach hath a commission to baptize as is plain from Matth. 28.19 preaching and baptizing reaching alike the Ministery of all ages But hath every gifted-man such a Commission Further doth not our Saviour Mat. 10.41 cleerly distinguish between a righteous man and a Prophet if they had been all one why would he have done so And if gifts make a Minister is it not as true that gifts make a Manistrate and then every one that had understanding and other good governing parts were a Lord Maior nay then why might not women preach as lately they have done many of whom have better gifts then some men And how could that agree with the Apostolicall prohibition for women to speak in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 Besides all who are called to preach are bound to increase their gifts by giving attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.13 15. to doctrine and by giving themselves wholly to these things which cannot be done unlesse earthly occupations be laid aside But gifted men are not bound to this therefore they have not this Call which they pretend To conclude Every one that hath this Ministeriall Call hath that Pastorall care lying upon him mentioned Hebr. 13.17 To watch over souls as those that must give an account with joy and not with grief But this can in no wise be said of every one that is a gifted man and therfore gifted persons as such must forsake their pretended claim to a ministeriall call Nor can it be evinced that because the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14.31 All may prophesie therfore every gifted person may preach For besides that the gift of prophesie was extraordinarily bestowed in that age of the Church not procured by studie and industry but immediately conferr'd by the Spirit upon some as were also Miracles the gift of healing and diversities of tongues all which are now ceas'd its most plain that the word all in that place is not to be taken in its full latitude as if all the men or every beleever in the Church of Corinth might stand up and prophesie for that 's expresly contrary to 1 Cor. 12.29 1 Cor. 12.28 where by an Interrogation the Apostle doth vehemently deny that all are prophets but it s to be taken restrictively to those that were in office and set by God in the Church for that purpose as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in his Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets c. Other cavils are weaker then to deserve a mentioning as to argue from that place 1 Cor. 14.34 that because women are forbid to speak in the Church therfore any man may speak What greater strength is in this argument then to reason thus Because no woman may be a Iustice of Peace therefore every man may Because no woman may speak publickly therfore some men must namely such as are in office had been a much better consequence Nor is there more strength in that allegation of Moses his wish Num. 11.27 that all the Lords people were prophets to prove that all might prophesie for in his desiring that all might be prophets he includes a required condition that they might be call'd by God to that employment 2. Obs 2. Allyance in faith spirituall relation to Christ is much dearer and nearer then allyance in flesh Iude might have call'd himself a neer kinsman to Christ or Christs Brother as indeed he was and was so accounted Mat. 13.55 Mark 6.3 as much as Iames who Gal. 1.19 is call'd the Lords brother but that which includes a spirituall relation is to him much sweeter to be a servant of Christ is more desirable then to be a Brother of Christ. To bear Christ in the heart much better then to bear him in the womb What had it profited to have been his kinsman unlesse his servant many that were his kinsmen according to the flesh wanted the honour of this spirituall affinity but such of them who had this honour bestowed upon them had all their other glory swallowed up in this as Christ expressed himself he is my brother Mat. 12.47 50 John 12.26 and mother and sister Blessed be God that this greatest priviledge is not denyed to us even now though we cannot see him yet love him we may 1 Pet. 1.8 though we have not his bodily presence yet we are not denyed the spirituall though he be not ours in house in arms in affinity yet in heart in faith in love in service he is 3 Obs 3. I observe A peculiar excellency and worth in the title of Servant which our Apostle with others before him was so frequently delighted withall It might furnish them and us with a five-fold Consideration full of sweetest delight Sumus Domini non tantum in genitivo singulari sed in nominativo plurali Luth. 1. That he much honours us To serve Christ is to reign It s more honour to serve Christ then to serve Emperours nay then to have Emperours serve us for indeed all things do so 2. That he will assist us in our works If he gives employment he will give endowments too if an errand a tongue if work an hand Phil. 4.13 if a burden a back I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me saith Paul And herein he goeth beyond all other Masters who can toyl and task their servants sufficiently but cannot strengthen them 3. That he will preserve us He will keep us in all our wayes and surely then he will so in all his own work Safety evermore accompanies duty His mercy is over all his works but peculiarly over all his workers Men are never in danger but when they leave working Jonah was well enough till he attempted to
run away from his Master When our enemies do us greatest hurt they remove us above hurt A servant of Christ may be sick persecuted scorned imprisoned but never unsafe He may lose his head but not one hair of his head perish 4. That he will provide for us He can live without servants but these cannot live without a Master Verily his Family-servants shall be fed The servants of Christ shall want no good thing If they be without some things there 's nothing they can want they shall have better and enough of better Can he that hath a mine of gold want pibbles can it be that a servant of Christ should want provision when as God can make his very work meat and drink to him nay when God can make his wants meat and drink how can he want or be truly without any thing whose friend hath and is all And no good thing shall they want nothing that may fit them for and further them in duty 'T is true they may be without clogs snares hinderances but these things are not good that hinder from the chief Good should God give them he would feed his servants with husks nay with poyson 5. That he will reward them The Lord gives grace and glory Mat. 5.12 Great is their reward in heaven nay great is their reward on earth There 's a reward in the very work but God will bestow a further recompence hereafter We should not serve him for but he will not be served without wages even such as will weigh down all our work all our woes Oh the folly of them that either prefer the cruel and dishonourable service of sin before the sweet and glorious service of Christ or that being servants to Christ improve it not for their comfort in all their distresses 4. Obs 4. I inferr We owe to God the duty and demeanour of servants 1. To serve him solely Matt. 6.24 not serving sin Gal. 1.10 Tit. 3.3 Rom. 6.12 13. Satan at all not man in opposition to Christ not serving our selves the times Who keep servants to serve others enemies Christ and Sin are contrary Masters contrary in work and therfore it s an impossibility to serve both contrary in wages and therfore it s an infinite folly to serve Sin 2. Christ must be served obediently submissively 1 in bearing when he correcteth A beaten servant must not strike again nor word it with his Master we must accept of the punishment of our iniquities 't is chaff that slyes in the face of him that fanneth 2 We must be submissive servants in being content with our allowance in forbearing to enjoy what we would as well as bearing what we would not the proper work of a servant is to wait stay thy Masters pleasure for any comfort All his Servants shall have what they want and therfore should be content with what they have The standing wages are certain and set the vails are uncertain 3 Submissive in not doing what we please not going beyond our rule our order Ministers are his servants and therfore must not make Laws in his house either for themselves or others but keep laws not of themselves lay down what they publish but publish what he hath laid down Ministers are not owners of the house but Stewards in the house Laws are committed to us and must not be excogitated by us No servant must do what is right in his own eyes Deut. 12.8 4 Submissive in doing whatever the Master pleaseth not picking out this work Ps 119.6 128. and rejecting that nothing must come amisse to a servant We must not examine what the service is that is commanded but who the Master is that commands 1 Tim. 5.21 We must not preferre one thing before another a service that most crosseth our inclinations opposeth our ease and interest A servant must come at every call and say Lord I hear every command Acts 10.33 5 We must serve Christ obediently in doing what is commanded because it is commanded this is to serve for conscience sake If the eye be not to the command the servant acts not with obedience though the thing be done which is commanded nay it s possible a work for the matter agreeable to the command may yet be an act of disobedience in respect of the intent of the performer Oh how sweet is it to eye a precept in every performance to pray hear preach give because Christ bids me Many do these works for the wages this is not to be obedient they sell their services not submit in service 3. Christ must be served heartily Ephes 6.6 Col. 3.23 Rom. 1.9 We must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-servants we must do the will of God from the heart Paul speaks of serving God in the spirit There are many complement all servants of Christ in the world who place their service in saying Thy servant thy servant Lord lip-servants but not life heart-servants such as the Apostle Gal. 6.12 speaks of that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a shew only but the heart of a service is wanting the heart makes the service sacrificium medullatum 't is the marrow of a performance Bodily service is but like the fire in the bush that appeared to burn but did not or like the Glow-worm in the night that shineth but heateth not these do but act service but are no servants servants onely in profession To these who would not profess Christ seriously Christ will hereafter profess seriously Mat. 7.23 I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 4. Christ must be served cheerfully He Psal 40.8 Joh. 4.34 2 Cor. 9.7 as he was his Fathers servant delighted to do his will It was his meat and his drink God loveth a cheerfull servant in every piece of sorvice This makes the service pleasing to Master and servant too acceptable to the former easie to the later Nothing is hard to a willing minde willingness is the oyl to the wheel A servant cheerfull at his work is as free as his Master Si non possint à Dominis liberi sieri suam servitutem ipsi quodammodo li beram faciunt Aug. de C.D. l. 19. c. 15. Rom. 12.11 If his Master make him not free he makes himself free The preaching of the Gospel must be performed willingly 1 Cor. 9.17 Love to souls should make us cheerfull in that service not mourning at our own pains but at peoples unprofitableness not that we do so much but that they get no more 5 Christ must be served diligently These two fervent in spirit and serving the Lord are most properly joyned together Hence it 's most necessary that what-ever we do Eccl. 9.10 Gen. 24.33 should be done with all the might Abrahams servant was diligent when he went to procure a wife for Isaac he would not eat bread till he had done his errand when 't was done he stay'd not upon complements They whose service is in
stone upon a stone which he casts not down by having low thoughts of high services Eccl. 5 1. Thou must not onely keep thy foot from entring into places of vanity but also keepe thy foot when thou entrest into the house of God not onely take heed that thou neglectest not hearing but also take heed how thou hearest How oft have the servants of God been humble and hungry in the want of those tokens of grace under the enjoying whereof they have been proud unprofitable and the sin of these Seducesrs being naturall almost lascivious 4. Observ 4. An unholy heart sucks poyson out of the sweetest and holyest enjoyments Even the grace of God he abuseth to his own perdition Vnto them who are defiled and unbeleeving saith the Apostle is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 They taint every thing they touch Prov. 15.8.28.9 Their best services are abomination to the Lord. Their prayers are turned into sin The word is to them the savour of death and the grace of God pernicious The Sacraments are poyson and damnation Christ is a stumbling stone Their table snares them their prosperity slayes them Whatever we have till Christ be ours cannot be enjoyed profitably the guilt of the person must be removed before the comfort of the gift can be enjoyed Out of Christ all comforts are but like a funerall banquet or the prison provisions of him who is fed against his execution And a sinner is as farre from returning any enjoyment by love to God as he is from receiving it in love from God His heart is the heart of an enemy even under the dispensations of grace And what are all blessings til the heart be changed but furniture to oppose God and fuel to increase sin O Christian in stead of boasting how good thy enjoyments are in themselves labour to finde them good to thee It matters not what the things are which thou receivest but what thou art who dost receive them The same promise which purifyes a Saint through thy sin pollutes thee The same breath which warmes him cools thee he being neer thou farre from him that breaths Till grace savingly work upon thee thou art but a wanton under grace 5. Observ 5. 1 King 21.13 1 Sam. 15. Mat. 23.25 Corrupt nature can cast even upon foul and lascivious courses the cloak and colour of a religious pretext The murderous contrivements of Absolom and Jezabel The disobedience of Saul the devouring of widowes houses the maliciousnesse spoken of by Peter 1 Pet. 2.16 had their several cloaks and covers The unlovelinesse of lusts in themselves and the love of sinners to them put sinners upon this covering of them by reason of the former this covering is required by reason of the later 't is contrived But of this more before 6. Observ 6. God is gracious even unto them who abuse his grace He affords the means and offers of it to them who turn it into lasciviousnesse He holds the candle to them who will not work by but wanton away the light He cals men though they will not hear and woos them who will not be intreated Certainly God doth not onely shew himselfe a God in powerfull working but even in patient waiting upon the wicked none but a God could do either Oh sinner how inexcusable wilt thou bee in that great day when God shall say Isa 5.4 What could I have done more or how couldst thou desire me to wait longer for thy good Certainly thine own conscience shall be Gods deputy to condemn thee If thou shalt give an account for every idle word which thou thy self hast spoken how much more for every unprofitable word which thou hast made God speak to thee For the Lords sake Christians take heed of receiving the grace of God in vain And how should this goodnesse of God put us especially Ministers upon imitating of him though sinners be wantons under grace yet let not us be weary of dispensing it 2 Tim. 2.25 Let us wait if peradventure at any time God may give sinners repentance Ministers are spirituall fishers and fishing we know is a tedious work to him who hath no patience The catching of one soul will make amends for all our waiting Our patience cannot be so much abused as is Gods 7. Observ 7. The doctrine of grace is warily to be handled by Ministers 'T is hard to set up Christ and grace and not to be thought to destroy the Law Christian Liberty is to be propounded as giving no allowance to libertinism Satan hath in no one point more drawn teachers to extreams Because he could not keep them in Popery by the doctrine of satisfying the Law as a Covenant he labours to drive them to Antinomianisme by the doctrine of casting off the Law as a Rule because they have rejected the merit of works he labours to make them cast off the obedience of works But the man of God should observe the Methods of the Divel The Apostle Paul having at large proved the doctrine of Free justification by Christ Rom. 3.4 5. Rom. 6.1 15. subjoyns and that twice in one chapter a most vehement denyall by way of interrogation of any liberty to sin by grace Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound and shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under grace The like he had expressed before chap. 3.31 Do we then make void the Law through faith To all which he answereth with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid words of defiance and detestation What though Ministers for their preaching holinesse of life be represented as those who preach not Christ And what though their names be crucified between the slanders of the Papists and Antinomians the former calling them Libertines for defending the doctrine of justification by Christ and the later Legallists for urging the Law as a rule yet let them hold fast the faithful word against both Tit. 1.9 and remember that as Jesus is to be preached in opposition to the former so is Christ as an anointed King in opposition to the later and that as there was a resurrection of the body of their crucfied Master so shall there be a resurrection of the crucified names of his servants and that it is their duty to preach the Lords Christ as Simeon cals him and not the drunkards the Libertines the Antinomians Christ 8. No expressions of Gods grace or goodnesse of any kind Observ 8. ought to be abused and perverted unto sin 1 Not the temporall gifts and worldly blessings which God bestowes 1. We must not abuse the gifts of outward estate whether riches or honours 1. Riches must not be abused 1. to Covetousnesse the possessours of them should not be possess'd by them Siut soltiotia non negotia They should rather be refreshments than employments rather used as steps to raise us towards than stops to hinder us from heaven rather as those things without which we cannot
persons Eph. 6.9 Col. 4.1 The wrath of God in his crectures fire sword sicknesse makes no distinction between the greatest Lords and the poorest slaves How much lesse will Christ himselfe make when all shal stand naked before his tribunall 4. Observ 4. Christ hath power to do what hee will with us or ours This only Lord hath no master to whom to give an account And how far should any of his servants be from expecting that hee should give an account of any of his actions to them It should suffice them that what-ever befalls them it is from the Lord Job 1.21 The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away Whensoever he removes any comforts if we find our selves too ready to say to instruments as did the Owners of the colt What do ye loosing and removing it we should be silenc'd though not with that answer which was return'd by the Disciples to them The Lord hath need of it yet with this Luk. 19.33 34 He sees it needful for us that thus it should be Whensoever he commands the hardest duty inflicts the smartest stripes c. every servant of Christ should stop their murmuring mouths with this The Lord wil have it thus 5. Observ 5. Eph. 4.4 5. Luk. 12.45 The servants of this one and only Lord should be at unity among themselves Fellow servants must not fall out and beat one another The servants of this one Lord should be of one mind Though some may have higher some lower imployments in Christs family yet all are but servants to this only Lord and all their services meet in this one end of glorifying him In this respect the Apostle saith He that planteth 1 Cor. 3.8 and he that watereth are one The servants of Christ should shun division because Christ is not divided They cannot forgive one another so much or so often 1 Cor. 1.13 as their Master hath forgiven them 6. Observ 6. How carefull and wary should we be in using the creatures All the comforts which we enjoy are the goods of this Lord we are but stewards of them What we use must be used for not against our Lord learning riches honour nay our selves are of and from him and therefore should be for him All our injoyments are but borrowed we must therefore use them well not spot and stain tear and cut them by sin least we be ashamed when we are to return them back to the owner 7. Observ 7. We should neither give nor receive ambitious and flattering titles of honour Christ gives us the reason one is our Lord and Master Mat. 23.8 9 10. even Christ Wee should so acknowledg a superiority among men as to be fearfull of causing pride in men The carriage of a servant to his earthly Lord must be such as that his Lord may know himselfe not to be the only Lord. When they cryed up Herods voice for the voice of God and not of man Act. 12.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God would not bear it He made him immediately to become wormes meat who but just now was mens idol 8. Observ 8. There 's no possible escape for Christs enemies If they had another Lord or potentate to match Christ in strength they might flye to him to defend them from Christ but Christ is the only Lord and woe to them who have him for their only enemy Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day when this Lord shall deal with thee Ezek. 22.14 Isai 10.3 Jer. 4.13 Foolish sinner who if thou wilt needs be contending dost not chuse one of thy fellow-worms to contend with But thou dost as vainly contend with thy maker as doth the smoak with the wind the wax with the fire the stubble with the flame or the snow-ball with the sun when thrown against it Acts 9.5 Psal 2.12 It s hard to kick against the pricks Thy greater wisdome is to kiss the Son with a kiss of sincere and hearty love worship homage lest he be angry and thou perish from the way There 's no flying from him but by flying to him All must one way or other be subject to him Rom. 14.10 11. either as servants or as slaves either under his grace or under his wrath 9. Observ 9. All doctrines and practices are to be abhorred which derogate from the dignity of this only Lord. Doctrines especially the popish which deprave our redemtion by this Lord with the doctrine of merits The worship due to this Lord by the doctrines of image-adoration and the Popes headship the authority of this Lord by the doctrine of Saints intercession and the Popes pardoning of sins Practices of those who serve the times in stead of serving the Lord love their pleasures more than God serve their bellies Rom. 16.18 their lusts themselves as if they were their own Lords the humours of vile men their father the divell Joh. 8.44 Quam multos habet dominos qui unum non habet Oh how many how ignoble how poor how cruell are the Lords of that man who hath not this one this only Lord 10. Great is the happinesse of Observ 10. and strong are the engagements upon every servant of this only Lord. But of this largely before Page 12.13.14.15.16 VER 1. Thus much for our Saviours dignity in respect of his place and authority as he is called the only Lord. His dignity in respect of his divine nature and essence followes He is called also God For Explication whereof briefly Thus This title is not here to be taken 1 Improperly as it is Explicat 1. given to false gods or idols Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polyphemus Cyclops dicit se tantum offerre victimas ventri suo qui maximus esset deorum Eurip. Exod. 21.6 and 22.8 Deut. 19.7 Psal 82.16 and 138.1 Joh. 10.34 35. Num. 10.35 36. Isai 4.7 6.20 2 Sam. 7.6 which are accounted gods in the depraved apprehensions of blind and seduced heathens Act. 14.11 12. 1 Cor. 8.4 5. Act. 17.29 2. To the divell who is called the God of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 In regard the wicked world obeys him and fulfils his commands as if he were a God John 8.44 3. To those things which men preferre before God as the belly is called the God of some men Who serve their bellies and not Christ Rom. 16.18 4. To Kings Princes Magistrates who are in the room and place of God exercise the judgments of God 2 Chron. 19.6 and are ordained by God Rom. 13.1 5. To the Ark of the Covenant to which metonymically the name of God is given the signe being often put for the thing signified But 2. Properly for God the maker and preserver of all things though not 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentially and indefinitely signifying the whole Trinity the divine essence common to the Father Son and holy Ghost Mat. 4.7.10 Joh. 4.24 c. But 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
head the nailes shall tear the skin the teeth shall gnaw the flesh Those who are made to take one anothers parts shall become mutinous like the Midianites who sheath'd their swords in their fellowes bowels A man forsaken of God hath least mercy for himselfe Never let us please our selves or envy the enemies of God in any sinfull quietnesse since God can make men selfe-destroyers To conclude this if ever you would be reconcil'd to your selves 1. Labour to be reconcil'd to God in Christ Never will conscience Gods deputy speak peace if God himselfe speak war Nor will God be at peace but through him who is our peace 2. Let us maintain a constant war with sin Such is the cruelty of sin that it alwayes torments those who loves it and such is its impotency that it cannot hurt those who hate it 3. Let us constantly walk in those ways which Prov. 3.17 are called peace remembring that holinesse troubles nothing but what we should not only trouble but destroy our lusts 7. Observ 7. There 's no liberty to be found in forsaking of Gods service As soon as these angels had thrown off the yoke of obedience they put on the chains of bondage they were in bondage to sin and for sin Every sinner is a captive he cannot stir hand or foot in heavenly imployments A Saint only walks at liberty the service of God alone is freedom Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and a changing of the chains of flavery for an heavenly activity None but Saints can run the wayes of Gods Commandments and willingly wait upon their Master and hence it is that only they can perform duties either delightful to him or themselves The wayes of obedience which are torments to a sinner are the pleasures of a Saint that which the one counts his yoke the other esteems his priviledge and knows not how to live without the daily performing of them And how comfortable is their condition in having their chains of guilt beaten off by Christ As their services are so their usage is that of sons not of slaves and captives Their duties savour of the Spirit of adoption and a filial ingenuity Their services are without fear whereas others are all their life long subject unto bondage How are sinners mistaken in thinking that liberty is inconsistent with sanctity A Saint loseth nothing but his bonds and fetters by becoming holy nor is holinesse a chain to any but those who know no other freedom then an house of bondage 8. The pleasures of sin bear no proportion to the horrours thereof It 's pleasures are light and momentany its chains are heavy horrid and everlasting The act of sin is instantly ended and the delights of sin soon fall off but its chains are strong and not to be broken there 's no aqua fortis to eat them asunder How happy were it that sinners would be but as wise in preventing as they will he wofull in undergoing the everlasting sorrows which follow their short sinning Oh that when you say you know not how to forbear the breaches of the law you would ask your selfe whether you are able to bear or knock off the chains of the prison Foolish sinner say no more as I have sometimes heard thee in thy sits of passion I must speak and then I have done when chou hast done God hath not done he then begins and should he as thou deservest once chain such a wild offender in that black dungeon of hell he would not have done with thee to eternity Look upon sin with Scripture spectacles Oh view the chain the everlasting chain of guilt and horrour through every tentation Let the meditation of eternity damp and stop thee in thy sinfull heats and fury If thou canst not find a man who to gain the world would be compell'd to lie bound upon a bed of roses a hundred years how shalt thou endure the flames and chains of hell to eternity 9. Observ 9. How eminently is the goodnesse of God manifosted to men more then to angels The fallen angels continue under the chains of eternall guilt helplesse without Aug. and hopelesse of recovery Man who deserved no better is loosed from those chains by a strong Redeemer and by the blood of Jesus Christ they are broken asunder How should so great mercy quicken our hearts to thankfulnesse Wonder O man that God should break in pieces and throw on to the dunghill of hell to eternity those golden vessels the angels beset with the most precious gems of most shining and glorious endowments when they had contracted rust and that he should cleanse the earthen pot poor man in stead of breaking it when the uncleannesse of sin had defil'd and eaten into it I only adde that in one thing the sins of men admit of a greater aggravation then those of divels these never sinn'd against the offers of a Saviour Unbelieving sinner the very divels will condemn thee If all the examples in the world of ingratitude to God and unkindnesse to ones selfe were lost they might be found again in thee Thus far of the first part of the punishment of these fallen angels in the prison viz. their being in everlasting chains They are said secondly to be under darknesse Two things may here needfully be opened 1. What the darknesse is under which they are 2. What is their misery in being under it EXPLICATION 1. Darknesse is in Scripture taken taken two wayes 1. Gen. 1.2 4. Isai 45.7 Isai 45.19 Isai 45.3 1 Cor. 4.5 1 Thess 5.5 2 John 2.8 Rom. 1.21.2.19.1 Thess 5.8 1 John 2.11 1. Properly for the negation defect and privation of light 2. Metaphorically 1. for a secret hidden or private place What I tell you in darknesse that speak you in light Matth. 10.27 so Luke 12.3 2. For errour and ignoorance Acts 26.18 to turn them from darknesse to light Ephes 4.18 having their minds darkned Ephes 5.8 Once were ye darknesse c. In which tespect principally sins are called the works of darknesse Rom. 13.12 Ephes 5.11 3. For great calamities and punishments 1. Externall Job 50.26 When I looked for good Jer. 23.12 evill came unto me and when I waited for light there came darknesse Isai 5.30 If one look unto the land behold darknesse and sorrow Isai 8.22 They shall look unto the earth and behold trouble and darknesse Isai 59.9 We wait for brightnesse but we walk in darknesse Isai 47.5 Get thee into darknesse Jer. 13.16 Ezek. 32.8 Mich. 7.8 Psal 143.3 Afflictus vitam tenebris luctuque trahebam Virg. Aeneid 2. O danghter of the Caldeans 2. Internall Thus Heman complains Psal 88.6 That God had laid him in darknesse Isai 50.10 Who is there among you c. that walketh in darknesse and seeth no light 3. Eternall for the uncomfortable condition of the damned in hell by reason of the absence of Gods presence Jude 12. Matth. 8.12 Matth. 22.13 we read of some