down his work is done A person spiritually enlightned hath not onely Spiritum adstantem but assistentem should hee have all the incouragements of honour or profit from without he could never do any thing cheerfully but would ever be complaining unlesse he enjoyed inward quicknings and enlivenings of heart in duty by the Spirit of Christ the supplyes of the Spirit 2. A sanctified person lives a holy life as in acting from so according to a principle of holy life Now his actings are according to his principle of holinesse 1. In regard of their kinde they are of the same sort or nature with the principle of holinesse Water in the stream is of the same nature with that in the fountan He that is sanctified lives like himself his regenerated self A spirituall life produceth spirituall living the seed of God puts forth it self in the fruits of godliness if he be a fig-tree he bears no thistles the working of a Saint follows his being The Vnderstanding acts in a sound efficatious Eph. 1.17 18. Col. 3.10 Eph. 4.23 operative influentiall knowing both of God and our selves The Conscience acts in a holy tendernesse and remorsefulnesse for sin Psal 16.7 2 Chr. 34.27 and in a pious peaceablenesse and quietnesse giving witnesse of a persons reconciliation to Rom. 5.1 and walking with God sincerely 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of a good conscience The Memory retaining heavenly things as a treasury Psal 119.11 repository or spirituall store-house of the Word an Ark for the two Tables The Will acts by a plyable yeelding to God in all things both to do what God enjoyns and to undergo what God inflicts in both its flexible Rom. 7.18 Psal 39.9 It desires to please God in all things though it find not alway to perform The Affections act in a holy regularity and order being streams not dried up but diverted 1 Tim. 1.5 Psal 18.2 Love is out of a pure heart a spark flying upwards set upon God principally and that for himself set upon man for God either because we see God in him or desire we may Psal 139.25 Hatred is now of those things that God hates and that hate God Joy is now spiritual in the Lord in communion with him in serving of him though in tribulation Sorrow is now for ours and others sin and the sufferings of the Church not for such poor things as worldly trifles the pearls of tears not being cast upon the dunghill Our Desires are now set upon the presence and pleasing of God pardon of sin a soft heart fruitfulnesse under the means the prosperity of Sion the appearance of Christ Our Zeal is not now hot for our selves and cold for God like fire well ordered burneth for the service not the consuming of the house Hope is now lively and well grounded not false and carnall This spirituall acting outwardly reacheth the body making it a weapon of righteousnesse fire within will break out The whole body is the souls instrument in all its members being obedient to effect good actions according to the dictate of renewed Reason and the command of sanctified Will the Eye is as it were a watch-man the Tongue a spokes-man the Ear a disciple the Arm a champion the Leg a lackquey all at the dispofall of God If the wares of holinesse be in the Shop those of the same kind will be on the Stall the life of a Saint is a visible Sermon of sanctification he who hath his heart ordered aright hath his conversation ordered aright Psal 50. the hand of the clock goeth according to the wheels Out of the good treasury of the heart he brings forth good things The body will be the interpreter of a gracious heart the law is written in the heart and commented upon in the life a clean stomack sends forth a sweet breath The matter of our actions shall be warranted by the word Psal 119.35 Mic. 6.8 Luk. 17.10 Act. 4.19 Psal 32.2 Psal 112.1 the manner humble cheerfull resolute sincere In a word glory ends are propounded and our workings if God require shall crosse our own interest ease profit Tohave a good heart and a wicked life is a walking contradiction A sanctified person is not as Ephraim a cake not turn'd only baked on one side 2. The actings of a sanctified person are conformable to his principle of Sanctification as that principle is extensive to and puts upon all the wayes of holinesse and as it is a seed of all the fruits of Sanctification A sanctified person embraceth every holy duty he fructifieth in every good work Col. 1.10 hath respect to every precept Ps 119.6 128 esteems every precept concerning all things to be right There 's a concatenation of all graces they are linked together in a divine league he hath not any grace that wholly wants any The instructions of the Law are copulative Jam. 2.10 he that would seem to make conscience of keeping all the Commandments of God save one Non est justa causatio cur praeferuntur aliqua ubi facienda sunt omnia Salv. de Pro. l. 3. observes none at all out of any obedience to God who hath alike commanded all A sanctified person preferrs not one Command before another 1 Tim. 5.21 his foot can endure to walk being sound in a stony as well as a sandy path he will do not many things but all even to the parting with Herodias and the putting down the Calves as well as Baal he is not double-diligent in some matters and negligent in others he is neither maimed to want any limb nor a monster one part excessively outstripping another 3. The actings of a sanctified person are conformable to the principle of spirituall life as it is the same a permanent abiding principle not somtimes in us and at other times quite gone from us but at all times remaining in us A sanctified person is holy in a continued course he walks with God Psal 119.112 he applyes himself to keep the Commandments continually He is not holy upon extraordinary occasions his duties are not like a misers feast all at one time nothing at another he is not holy by fits and pangs upon a rainy day reading only good in thundring and lightning or in a storm at sea moved passionatly with an affectionate sermon trembling for the present Acts 24.25 and presently after following bribery At the first coming on to profession seething hot after a while luke-warm at length key-cold slashing with Peter at the first and shortly after flying and denying His infirmities and falls are but for a fit but his holinesse is constant his goodnesse is not like the morning cloud and early dew Hos 6 4. not like the redness of blushing but the ruddiness of complexion his religion is not operative in company silent in secret he is not like water that conforms it self to the shape of every thing into which its poured or like
of sight and troubles not his lusts or from some accidentall circumstantiall Ornaments which attend the Ministery and Truth as wit learning expression elocution or credit of visible conformity to them not from an inward apprehension of the proportionablenesse sutablenesse and fitnesse of Christ to all his desires and capacities Luke 7.47 1 Joh. 4.16.19 as being the fairest of ten thousand or from any reall interest and propriety in Christ which are the grounds of love when true and sincere 2. This love to God is superlattive it surpasseth all other loves the soule in which it abides seeing infinitely more lovelinesse in one God then in all the combined assembled excellencies of all worldly Objects loves him infinitely more than them all It often not only steps over them but kicks them away not only laying them down as sacrifices but hating them as snares when they would draw from Christ When Christ and the World meet as it were upon so narrow a bridge that both cannot passe by Christ shall go on and the World shall go back Christ in a Christian shall have no Corrivals as Christ bestowes himselfe wholly upon a Christian wholly upon every one as every line hath the whole indivisible point so a Christian gives himselfe wholly to Christ he shares not his heart betwixt him and the world all within him he sets on work to love Christ keeping nothing back from him for whom all is too little The greatest worth that it sees in any thing but Christ is this that it may be left for Christ ever rejoycing that it hath any thing to which it may prefer him To a soul in which is this love Christ is as oyle put into a viall with water in which though both be never so much shaken together the oyl will ever be uppermost or as one rising Sun which drowneth the light of a numberlesse number of Stars It loves the world as alwayes about to leave and loath it not as that for which it doth live but as that without which it cannot live The world hath not the top and strength of it's affection It loves nothing much but him whom it cannot love too much It lodgeth not the world in it's best room and admits not such a stranger into the closet of the heart but only into the hall of the senses 3. It 's a jealous or zealous love suspicious lest any thing should and burning in a holy heat of indignation against any thing that doth disturb the Souls beloved Love is a solicitous grace and makes the soul account it selfe never sufficiently trim'd for Christs imbracements never to think that any thing done is well enough done All the soul is and can is esteemed too little for him who is its optimus maximus its best and greatest the more brightly shining the beams of love to Christ are the more motes and imperfections doth the soule ever see in its services It s fear only is lest by sinne and unsutable carriage it stirs up Gal. 4.11.16 Act. 15.2 17.16 18.25 19.8 Jude 3. and awakes the beloved It cannot put up a disgrace expressed by the greatest against Christ It zealously contends for his Word Wayes Worship Worshippers Kingdome All it's anger is against those intercurrent impediments that would stop it in the advancing of Christ it labours to bear down those hinderances of Gods glory with a floud of tears if it cannot with a stream of power The meekest soule in love with God knowes how to be holily impatient and like Moses though when with God to pray for men yet when with men to contend for God Every sin by how much the nearer to it by so much is it more detested by it Of all sins therefore its own have the deepest share of hatred for what it cannot remove Rom. 7. Heb. 12. it mourns heartily crying out of the body of death the sin that doth so easily beset it as of the constant companie of a noysome carcasse endeavouring that every sin may be more bitter to remember then 't was ever sweet to commit looking upon the want of sorrow after sinne as a greater argument of want of love then was the sin it self 4. It 's a chast a loyall love not set upon what God hath so much as upon what God is not upon his but him not upon his rings but his person not his cloathes but his comelinesse upon a Christ though not adventitiously adorned his gifts are loved for him not he for them he is sweet without any thing though nothing is so without him Love desires no wages 't is wages enough to it selfe it payes it selfe in seeing and serving the Beloved A Nurse doth much for the child and so doth the Mother but the former for the love of wages the later for the wages of love Love carries meat in the mouth the very doing of Gods will is meat and drink to one who loves him A heart in love with Christ is willing with Mephibosheth that others should take all so it may behold the King Worldly Comforts shall not fallere but monere Nil dulcescit sine Jesu only they shall be used to admonish how much worth is in Christ not to bewitch the soul from Christ Si ista terrena diligitis ut subjecta diligite ut munera amici ut beneficia domini ut arrham Sponsi Aug. Med. as spectacles by which the soul may read him the better or as steps by which it may be raised up to him the nearer and no further shall they be delighted in then as they are pledges of or furtherances unto the injoyment of him Should God give all to one who loves him and not give himselfe he would say with Absalom What doth all availe me so long as I see not the Kings face Communion with God is the Heaven of him who loves God It 's heaven upon earth for God to be with him and the Heaven of Heaven for him to be with God 5. It 's an active John 14.24 Psal 119.68.140 Esay 45 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say some 2 Cor. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stirring expressive love the fire of love cannot be held in 't will break out at lips hands feet by speaking working walking Love saith as Elijah to Obadiah as the Lord liveth I will shew my selfe the strength of love will have a vent The Love of Christ constraineth and as the word used by the Apostle signifieth hemmeth in shutteth up pinfolds the heart that it cannot winde out from service and cannot chuse but do for Christ Love is a mighty stream bearing all before it It cares not for shame or losse It carries away these as did Samson the other gates upon it's shoulders 'T is strong as death A man in love with God is as a man who is carried away in a crowd who cannot keep himselfe back but is hurried without his own labour with the throng Love
with ease dispatcheth great imployments The Commands of God are not grievous to it Love is the wing that weight and holy proclivity of the soul which if it finds not makes a way Nay 't is so speedy and present an affection that it endures no delayes It accounts not the least time little in which God is withdrawn It follows hard after God and puts not off it's pursuits of dutie or comfort till to morrow or a more convenient time 6. It 's an expensive Psal 16. bountifull costly love It will not offer that which cost it nothing even the meanest gift as alas how much below Christ is all we are or doe comes from a Kingly heart Love contends after excellency and perfection in attending upon that object which it loves under the apprehension of the greatest good How willingly did those Converts lay down all their goods at the Apostles feet and those afterwards burn their books of curious Arts 1 Chr. 22.29 2 Sam. 24.24 though of great value How great was Davids expence for the Temple and his desire that his purchase which he bought of Araunah should be being for his God costly Luke 7. How bountifull was that formerly sinfull woman in her expression of love to Christ How freely were her tears hairs kisses ointment imployed The greatnesse of the debt forgiven her made her love much and the greatnesse of her love made her spend much What save love made Zachâ—â— part with halfe of his goods to the poor Luke 19.8 John 1. Actâ—â—â— â—â— Gâ—n 43.34 and a four-fold restitution to the wronged by false accusation Love will make Peter willing to feed the sheep of Christ and Paul not to account his life dear to him to finish his Ministery Joseph loved Benjamin most and gave him a messe five times so much as any of the rest He that loves God most will lay out most for God 1 Thes 1.3 Heb. 6.10 More then once we read in the Scripture of the labour of love Love resteth in its labour and then resteth most when it laboureth most Nothing labours more or thinks it labours lesse then love I have heard of one that was ask'd for what sort of men he laboured most he answered for his friends He was again ask'd for whom then he laboured least he answered for his friends both answers were true for love made him think he did least for those for whom indeed he did most 7. It 's a submissive stooping patient love bearing from and forbearing for the Beloved any thing It puts us upon things below us for the pleasing of him whom we love it makes us to undertake that which another may esteem weaknesse and indecencie Davids love to Gods presence transported him to leaping and dancing thereby though Mical esteemed it basenesse to honour God Parents out of love to their children play and lisp and stammer Christ himselfe emptied and humbled himselfe for our sakes Love flies not like chaffe in the face of him that fans Rom. 8.38 39 The soule that loves is reconciled to God Cant. 8.7 though it sees not that God is reconciled to it It hath a child-like ingenuity to love and stay with a father that scourgeth it not a servile unsubmissivenesse to threaten presently after stripes departure It doth iratum colere numen follow a frowning father It lives contented with Gods allowance It will patiently be without what he thinks either fit to remove or not fit to bestow and all this not upon force but upon choice It loseth its own will in Gods and had rather will as doth God than understand as doth an Angel It taketh with joy the spoiling of its goods It ever thinks it hath enough left so long as God takes not away himselfe Omnia quae horribilia audis servire mori expiata sancta sunt amori Nier de art vol. It beareth the indignation of the Lord and accepteth the punishment of its iniquity and is willing to receive evill as well as good because from the hand of a God whom it loves For his sake it 's willing to be kill'd all the day long nor can the waters of death extinguish the taper of love 8. It 's a conforming love The Will of God is the Compasse by which it steers It fashions not it selfe according to the world It walkes not by example but by rule The heart will be set like a Watch which goeth exactly not by others but by the Sun It walks not by president but precept It regards not what is either its own or other mens but what is Gods will Its will and Gods are like two strings of an Instrument the one whereof being tuned to the other if the one be struck and sound the other also stirs and trembles when Gods will is declared the will of him that loves God moves accordingly It is much more solicitous to understand duty then to avoid danger It desires to have a heart according to Gods heart to be effigiated and moulded according to Scripture Impressions to love what God loves and hate what he hates to think and will the same with God 9. It 's a sociable love It moves to the full enjoyment of God as its Center Converse with God is its Element The soule where this love is debarr'd from prayer hearing is as the fish on dry land It restrains not prayer from the Almighty It walks with God It sings in the absence of Christ no more than did they in a strange land It loves to have its bundle of Myrh all the night between its breast It delights in every thing in which Christ may be seen Word Sacraments Conditions Soscietie Ministers and the more these have of Christs presence the more it loves them the closest purest powerfullest and most sin-discovering sin-disturbing preaching it loves best The holiest and most exactly walking Saints it loves best The Sacrament or Prayer wherein Christ smiles most sweetly it loves best The condition though outwardly bitterest wherein it sees the face of Christ most clearly it loves best 2 Tim 4.8 2 Pet. 3.12 Chiefly is the sociableness of love discovered in longing after the second coming of Christ in counting it best of all to be with him in loving his appearance in hasting to the coming of the day of God The unwillingness to have that day come proceeds from a Christians unrenewed part so much soreness as is in the eye so much lothness is there in a man to see the light proportionable to our love to sin is the disaffection to Christs appearance and the fear which is in a gracious heart of Christs second coming rather proceeds from a sense of its own unfitness to appear before Christ than an unwillingness to have Christ appear to it and more from a desire to be made meet for him than to remain without him 10. Lastly It s an uncessant Love A flame never to be quenched The Waters of affliction cannot drown it but
he gave his body to be burn'd 1 Cor. 13.3 Nucleus donorum animus and had not love he should be nothing nothing in Esse gratiae in point of truth worth and grace Love is the beauty of our performances their Loveliness is Love to God in doing them Love is the Marrow of every duty Love is the salt which seasons every Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exquisitest service without it is but as a dead carcass embalmed God delights in nothing which we give him unless we give our selves first He more regards with what heart we give than what we give God accepts no duty when we do it because we dare not do otherwise but when we do it because we love to do it it is acceptable to God He who wants Love though he do the thing commanded yet he breaks the Law Commanding He who Loves keeps the Command Evangelically while he breaks it Legally 3. Observ 3. Love set upon other things beside God is wrong placed The world must often be left and loathed at the most but used never loved So to love it as thereby to lessen thy love to God so to love it as to be excessive either in grief for wanting it or joy for having it and to be over earnest in using it and injudicious in preferring it before thy God is to love it unduely and sinfully if at any time the creature be beloved innocently 't is beloved in and for God as a pledge of heaven as a spur to duty Among all the Creatures there cannot be found a helper fit for man Between the soul and them there can be no match with Gods consent He that is wedded in love to the Creature is married to one that 's poor base vexing false 1. Poor the whole world is but a Curt and unsatisfying good the sieve in the water hath something in it pull'd thence 't is empty the Creature apart from God is empty of all loveliness it 's a brest fill'd with nothing but wind Should the whole world be cast into our Treasury it would hardly be a Mite Hagar out of Abrahams house found nothing but scarcity and all plenty which is not God is but penury Earthly blessings like to numbers cannot be so great but still we may reckon and our desires reach some one beyond them Men in their contentions for the world prove it a scanty thing and that it cannot satisfie all A lover of the world can endure no rivals as knowing how scanty an object he contends for So large a good is God that he who loves him delights in company 2. Base ignoble Whatsoever is below a God is below our soul it s as unfit to rule our hearts as the bramble to rule the trees What we love subdues us it to it self and we are alway below it to love these earthly drossie comforts is to make thy soul a vassal to thy vassal a servant of servants Love leaves the impression of the thing beloved upon the soule if thou lovest the earth thou hast the impression of vilenesse upon a noble soule the impression gives denomination a piece of gold is call'd a Jacobus an Angel a Serpent a Lion according to the stamp it beareth If therefore earthly objects have by love set their impression upon thy soule what is that golden excellent heaven-born creature but a lump a clod of earth The earth should be under our feet not upon our heart 3. Vexing and unquiet Love set upon the world hath more of anguish than love it ever wrangles with us for not giving it enough Peace is the only product of the enjoyment of God If Christ be not in the ship the storms will never cease nor can any thing but his presence bring a calmnesse upon the sonle Rest is peculiar only to Gods Beloved Love never stings but when you disturb anger it and hinder it from resting in a God in him it's hive it is alway and only quiet and innocent 4. False and inconstant They are but lying and flying vanities A soul that loves the world is match'd to that which will soon break and run away none are so foolishly prodigall as the covetous who assures all to that which can assure nothing no not his own again to him The World is like to Absaloms mule that runs away when its lovers most want reliefe it s not able to love again those that love it most The love of that which is inconstant and weak is the strength of our misery The best of earthly blessings have their moth and their thiefe Mat. 6.20 Prov. 25.31 Observ 4. Plus bonitas quam benificientia Expiat infinita venustas omnem injuriam they make themselves wings they flee away as an Eagle towards Heaven 4. God is an Object very meet for our love to be set upon Much he deserves it even for whathe is His own lovely excellencies are so great that even for these our hearts should be set upon him although his hatred were set upon us Goodnesse is more than beneficience God is a bundle an heap of all worth and perfections all the scattered excellencies of the whole Creation Center and meet in him a flower he is in which meet the beauties of all flowers Suppose a creature composed of all the choycest endowments of all the men that were since the Creation of the World famous in any kind One in whom were a meek Moses a strong Samson all the valiant Worthies of David a faithfull Jonathan a beautifull Absalom a rich and wise Solomon all the holy men of God eminent for any grace Nay all the Angels of Heaven with their understandings strength agility splendor spiritualnesse holinesse and suppose this creature had never known us help'd us benefited us yet how would our hearts be drawn out towards it in desires and complacencies but this alas though ten thousand times more exquisitely accomplish'd would not amount to a shadow of divine perfection God had in himselfe assembled from Eternity all the excellencies which were in time and had not he made them they had never been If every leafe and spire of grasse nay all the stars sands atomes in the World were so many Souls and Seraphims whose love should double in them every moment to all eternity yet could not their love be enough for the lovelinesse of our God There is nothing in God but what is amiable Cant. 5.16 he is altogether lovely nothing to cause loathing fulsomness or aversation though we enjoy him to all Eternity And it should much draw out love from us to think what God doth for us Man doth but little and it 's counted much God doth much and it 's counted little and whence is this distemper'd estimate Must mercy therefore be under-valued because it comes from God Doth water lose it's nature because it is in the fountain or heat because 't is in the fire and not in some other subject Can we be thankfull to a thiefe
AN EXPOSITION Of the EPISTLE of St JUDE Together With many large and useful DEDUCTIONS LATELY Delivered in XL LECTURES In Christ-Church LONDON BY WILLIAM JENKYN Minister of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST The FIRST PART but not printed as it was p … thed 1 TIM 4.1 Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall depart from the faith TIT. 1.9 Holding fast the faithfull word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. adv Haer. l. 1. Tom. 2. haer 25. p. mihi 92 London Printed by Th. Maxey for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the golden BALL in Pauls Church-yard 1653. To the Right Worshipfull and other my Beloved and Christian Friends Inhabitants in the Parish of CHRIST-CHURCH LONDON THE Souls of men may as certainly be destroyed by poysoning as starving If Satan cannot hinder from some kind of tasting and receiving the grace of the Gospel he often perverts it poysonfully by making men to turn it into lasciviousnesse and even by freedome from sin to allow themselves in sinning freely The Seducers crept into the Church in Jude's time under pretence of Christian Liberty introduced unchristian Libertinism No cheaper stuffe then Grace would serve their turns wherewith to cloath lasciviousnesse and no other Patron then the Lord Christ himselfe to protect their impieties Whether they were the Disciples of Simon Magus or Nicolaitans or Gnosticks as Epiphanius thinks I much enquire not sure I am they were of the Synagogue of Satan he was both their Father and Master whom they resembled and whose works they did In this Epistle the Apostle Jude not only with Holy zeal opposeth them himself but sounds a Trumpet for the rousing up the Christians upon whose Quarters these Seducers had fallen to surprise their Treasure the Doctrine of Faith earnestly to contend for the preservation of so precious a Depositum once and once for all delivered to their keeping The Arguments used by the Apostle are Cogent his Directions Prudent and probable it is that his Pains were in some degree Successfull I know no Spiritually skilfull Observer but apprehends too great a Resemblance between the faces of those and our times Sins in our dayes are not only committed under the enjoyment but in pretence by the encouragement of grace men who now dare not sin are by some derided as ignorant of their Christian liberty and evident it is that many live as if being delivered from the fear of their enemies they were delivered from the fear and service of their Deliverer and as if the Blood of the Passeover were not intended by God to be sprinkled upon the door posts to save them but upon the threshould of the door for them to trample upon Beloved friends if God hath appointed that you should resemble these Christians to whom Jude wrote in the danger of your times it s your duty to imbrace the directions delivered to these Christians for your defence from those dangers A gracious heart considers not how bitter but how true not how smart but how seasonable any truth is My aime in the publishing these Lectures is to advance holinesse and so far as I could do it with following the mind of the Apostle to oppose those sins which if people hate not most are like to hurt them most and to advance those duties with which if people be not most in love yet in which they are most defective and thereby most indangered And now again I beseech you that I may testifie my unfayned affection as well by my Epipistle as my Book labour to keep close to God in a loose age spend not your time in complaining of the licentiousnesse of the times in the mean while setting up a toleration in your own Hearts and Lives That private Christian who doth not labour to oppose prophancnesse with a river of tears would never if he could bear it down with a stream of power Lay the foundation of Mortification deep Reserve no lust from the stroke of Jesus Christ Take heed of pleasing your selves in a bare formall profession Labour to be rooted in Christ He who is but a visible Christian may in a short time cease to be so much as visible He who speaks of Christ but notionally may in time be won to speak against him Love not the world Beware of scandals take them not where they are make them not where they are not the common sin of our times to black Religion and then to fear and hate it Despise not the providences of God in the world they are signs of Gods mind though not of his love Delight in the publick Ordinances and highly esteem of faithfull Ministers they and Religion are commonly blasted together Shun Seducers sit down under a Minister as well as under a Preacher He who will hear everyone may at length be brought to hear none and he who will hear him preach who ought not may soon be left to learn that which he ought not Preserve a tender conscience Every step you take fear a snare Read your own hearts in the wickednesse of others Be not slight in Closet-services and oft think of God in your shops for there you think you have least leasure but sure you have most need to do so Let your speech be alway with grace and a word or two of Christ in every company if it may be and yet not out of form but feeling These Lectures here presented might sooner have seen the light had I not lately met with such hinderances sufficiently known as I once expected should have stopp'd them altogether The main of this imployment hath lien upon me since that time which considering my many other Imployments you know hath not been long though otherwise long enough to have performed this work much more exactly I here present you though not with half of the Epistle yet with more then the one half of that which upon the whole I preach'd I have not knowingly left out any passages delivered in the Pulpit The other part I promise in the same Volume with this so soon as God gives strength more leisure if this find acceptance with the Church of God And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Resting Your Servant in the Work of Christ WIL. JENKYN ERRATA PAge 8. line 11. for four read three p. 29. l. 27. for going to him for r. we feel its p. 44. l. 15. for them r. it p. 119. l. 32. for feast r. food p. 121. marg r. differenter p. 123. l. 19 for lover r. love p. 128. l. 5. r. saith the soul p. 152. marg r. beneficentia and under it Nieremb p. 164. l. 9. for may r. might p. 202. marg r. omnes p. 212. l. 8. for explication r. exhortation p. 228. l. 12. r. intrusted p. 234. l. 30. r. invincible p. 266. l. 12. r. opinions marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
he live how close is he in duty how fruitfull in conversing But I alass how feeble how dead how unable I am held under by a tyrant oh that I could be his death 6. By recollecting its former folly in loving of sin thinking thus Formerly I loved that which now I see would have murdered me What a deal of pains care cost time laid I out to satisfie my lusts oh that I could recall these follies as I recollect them but since I cannot make them never to have been I 'll labour to hinder them for time to come Oh that my hatred might be greater then ever my love was to them A soul that hath been mad upon sin afterward is as vehement against it This is the Apostles argument As ye have yeelded your members servants to uncleannesse Rom. 6.19 1 Pet. 4.3 so now to righteousnesse and The time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles 7. By with-drawing those things that have been as fuell and fodder to corruption Fire is put out as well by taking away wood as casting on of water A sin-mortifying heart forbears the using of that which it hath heretofore abused it knows that often Satan lieth in ambush behinde lawfull enjoyments He that hath taken Physick in wine afterward is ready to loath that very sort of wine in which his loathed medicine was given him he that hath been sin-sick dreads those tentations in which Satan was wont to wrap sin up he considers that he that alway goeth as far as he may sometime goeth farther then hee should he feeds not without fear Jude ver 12. but trembles in every enjoyment lest it may be an in-let to sin and his own corruption get advantage by it he fears a snare under his very trencher and poyson for his soul in every cup of wine especially if he hath been formerly bitten therby Whereas a carnall heart engulfs it self in occasions of sin if in themselves lawfull sees no enemy and therfore sets no watch he makes provision for the flesh Rom. 13. he cuts not off the food which relieveth his enemy whereas a Sin-mortifier as an enemy that besiegeth a City hinders all the supplyes and support of lusts that so he may make himself more yeeldable to holinesse 8. By re-inforcing the fight after a foyl by gaining ground after a stumble by doubling his guard after unwarinesse strengthening the battell after a blow praying more earnestly contending more strenuously laying on more strongly after sin hath been too hard thus Paul was the more earnest with God against sin he besought the Lord thrice after the messenger of Satan had buffetted him 2 Cor. 12.8 9. By a holy vexation with the constant company and troublesom presence of sin Thus was holy Paul put upon opposing of sin he complains sin was always present with him Rom. 7.21 even when he would do good And sin is call'd Heb. 12.1 encompassing easily besetting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It dwells in us It s a leprosie not ceasing till the wall be pull'd down the house of our mortality dissolved it s as neer as the skin upon the back bowels in the body it goeth along with a saint in every duty Sabboth Ordinances like Pharaoh's frogs into the Kings chambers pestering a Saint at every turn the apprehension hereof puts the soul upon endeavouring sins ruine The neerer an enemy is the more hatefull he is the closer the conflict is the quicker are the strokes the fiercer the fight To conclude A holy insulting and rejoycing in God follows if at any time he hath given the soul victory and any fore-skins and heads of these uncircumcised it blessing God as Panl Rom. 7.21 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord going about duty more cheerfully and yet humbly A man may read the good news of a victory in a Saints countenance Doth he not say to Christ when some lust hath been smitten as Cushi to David I would that all the enemies of my Lord were as that one young man Lord When will there be a perfect riddance of these vermin Oh how sweet will heaven be when I shall trample upon every Goliah and see every Egyptian dead upon the shore when I shall have neither tear in my eye nor lust in my soul This for the first thing in the nature of Sanctification viz. Mortification 2. The second follows which is Vivification wherby we live a new and spirituall life The Scriptures proving it are abundant I live saith Paul Gal. 2.20 yet not I but Christ liveth in me If ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above Col. 3.1 The life of Jesus is made manifest in our mortall flesh 2 Cor. 4.11 As the death of Christ is the death of corruption so the same power of God by which he raised Christ from the dead Eph. 1.20 doth frame us to the life of Christs holinesse Christ by the power of his Deity wherby he raised himself having derived spirituall life to all his members as life is derived from the head to the other members enableth them to manifest it accordingly As Christ was raised up from death by the glory of the Father even so we walk in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 and ver 11. Reckon ye your selves alive unto God through Jesus Christ Eph. 2.10 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Joh. 15.5 He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit These brief considerations may shew in what respects a sanctified person lives a new life a life of holinesse 1. A sanctified person liveth a holy life in moving and acting from a principle of holy life All vitall actions are from an inward principle A body without a soul lives not moves not naturally nor without an internall principle of spirituall life received from Christ doth any one live spiritually The body of every living creature hath a heart which is the forge of spirits and the fountain of heat Joh. 3.9 Jer. 32.40 Jer. 31.33 True holinesse proceeds from an implanted seed the fear of God in the heart the Law put into the inward man Sanctity unlesse Christ be in us is but a fable Gal. 2.20 Rom. 6.11 Joh. 15.5 Gal. 4.19 Col. 1.27 Christ liveth in me saith the Apostle and so he speaks of living to God by Christ Christ must abide in us he is formed and dwelleth in us The actions of a sanctified person are from a vitall principle the spirit within the holinesse of another is but from without beginneth at his fingers ends he is drawn by outward inducements his motions are not the motions of a living creature but like those of a clock Duceris ut nervis alienis mobile lignum Hor. Ser. l. 2. or some image that move not from within but from weights and plummets without when his weights are
conveigh from Christ those supplyes of grace it wants esteeming of Prayer Word Sacraments without Christ but as a vial without a cordiall a plaister without salve a pipe without water This for the explication of the second particular in the second Branch In whom they were preserved In Jesus Christ The Observations follow 1. Every one out of Christ lyes open to all danger Obs 1. his temporall preservation is at best but by common providence but its cursed as well as common 2 Tim. 4.18 he is reserved to the day of wrath not preserved to that everlasting kingdom of which Paul speaks Kept he is but as a prisoner whose provisions do but strengthen him to go to execution he hath no guard from wrath because no shelter from sin Sinner thy security is not from want of danger but discerning and didst thou know it thou wouldst no more rest one hour without labouring for Christ then a man would securely go to bed when his house is on fire about his ears Is' t not a curse for thy soul to be Satans for egress and regress For God to let thee lye as a Common without an hedge to wander as a lamb in a large place without a shepherd without a fold a prey to every beast of prey Thou wilt not let God be a hedg to keep thee from straying and he will not be a hedg to preserve thee from devouring How dreadfull is it to be at the cruell courtesie of every Divel every tentation Thou labourest to keep thy treasure safe nay thou hast a hole to hide thy swine in but thy poor soul hath not where to hide its head What is' t to have the protection of a State for thy goods and body to have the benefit of the Law and to be without the protection of God in Christ and to want the benefit of every promise in the Bible Was it dangerous to be shut out of the Ark when the waters swell'd to be shut out of a City of refuge when the avenger of blood pursued to want blood upon the door-posts when the Angel was destroying and it is not dangerous to be without a Jesus to deliver thee from the wrath to come You that will not be preserved from Satan as a seducer in your life shall not be preserved from him as a destroyer at your death Christ will then be a shelter worth the having get into him while you live The drowned world call'd to Noah too late for admission when the waters were come to the top of the mountains The heavens are black the times gloomy the storms swift and sweeping oh let not thy approaches to thy shelter be delayed Run to thy tower not the paper-tower of thine own merits Lock up thy self in the wounds of Christ there 's nothing else can profit in the day of wrath The storm will go thorow every other refuge 2. Obs 2. Hypocrites will not be stedfast One out of Christ cannot be preserved be persevering They who are not built on the Rock Munimur quatenus unimur cannot stand in the fury of floods Vnion to Christ is the cause of permanency The hope of the hypocrite is as the spiders web nor is his holinesse more permanent 'T is not a union by profession but by reall implantation that makes thee persevere A stake thrust into the ground may easily be pluck'd up 't is the rooted tree that will stand A painted profession will never hold out fire and water never be endur'd by it if the heart be not set aright the spirit will not be stedfast with God Psal 78.8 There are many end in apostacy the reason is they never begun in sincerity How few reall Saints are there in suffering times An unsound body discovers it self in a cold season a rotten apple in a windy day Never think to stand long if thou standest loose from Christ Loose things that lye close upon the land will be parted in the water so will Christ and an Hypocrite in sufferings He that hath no strength from Christ will prove too weak to bear burdens He that beleeves not will never be establish'd A poor humble dependent soul will stand when he fears he shall fall a proud Hypocrite will fall when he thinks he stands 3. Obs 3. In all dangers it s our wisdom to have recourse to Christ and improve our interest in him It s not enough to have unlesse we use Christ and fly to this tower in which we have a propriety that we may obtain preservation It s the grand designe of Satan to encourage a presuming sinner to make use of Christ and to discourage an humble beleever from approaching toward him to suffer the multitudes boldly to throng about Christ but to dismay a poor trembling woman to touch the hem of his garment he emboldening theeves to possesse what is anothers but disheartning owners from using what is theirs he labouring because he cannot destroy a beleevers grace to disturb a beleevers peace But if fear of wrath assault the conscience there 's preservation from that in Christ There 's room enough in his wounds to hold and readinesse enough in his heart to receive all that fly unto him Christ is a shadow against the heats of justice a City of refuge against the pursuits of wrath an Ark against the flood of vengeance a passover in neernesse of destructions He is able to the full to save those that come unto him And if any come unto him he will in no wise cast him out In the solicitations of sin improve the death of Christ beg of him lend thee the quenching power or his blood when lust is kindling In the feeblenesse of thy graces the deadnesse of thy heart the faintness of thy faith the gasping of thy gifts Psal 51. the decayes of fervour beseech him not to take away his Spirit but to strengthen thee in the inward man with supplyes of spiritual life influences of his grace In sufferings from the world go to him for strength that hath overcome the world Joh. 16. uit to make thee finde thy enemies conquered and thy self more then a conquerour that his comforts may be reall and the sufferings from the world but appearing 4. How fearfull should we be of that which weakens our union to Christ Obs 4. There 's nothing but sin that endangers the souls preservation because nothing but that endangers Christs departure and so puts it out of Christs protection Sin obstructs supplyes of strength from Christ and so stops the spouts of mercy Sin cuts off the locks and makes beleevers a prey to Philistims Christ and preservation sin and unsafenesse are undivided couples The faithfull enjoying Christ are quiet and confident in the midst of all their troubles but letting in sin they are fearful and unsafe in the midst of all their pleasures A child at play complains not of the dust in which it rouls and tumbles but if the least dust get
into the eye it presently begins to cry The people of God while troubles are upon them are safe but when they are within them when sin sends away Christ then begins their woe Sin can never quite bereave a Saint of his jewel his grace but it may steal away the key of the cabinet his assurance he may not know where to finde his grace when he stands most it need of it Grieve not that holy Spirit which unites Chrisâ— to the soul and supplyes the soul with Christ Grieve not that Spirit in thy joyes which only can rejoyce thee in thy griefs The Spirit of Christ is a tender thing When Jâ—seph manifested himself to his brethren the Egyptians weâ— made to go forth and when the Spirit discovers the love oâ— Christ to us there must not be a lust allowed in us 5. Obs 5. I note The great happinesse by the second abovâ— what was enjoyed from the first Adam We were holy in the first but are preserved only in the second Adam in the former holinesse was perfect onely in the later it is permanent in Adam we had a power to stand if we would in Christ we have grace that makes us will Adam had life but lost it and derives death Christ hath life keeps it and communicates it Oh the goodnesse of God that he should take occasion by mans hurting himself to do him good and after his falling not onely to raise him up but to keep him up to keep him as the Apostle afterward from falling A mercy which as it requires thankfulnesse Felicior Job in sterquilinio quam Adamus in Paradiso Subjiciuntur miscriis non rejiciuntur cum miseris so it opposeth high-mindednesse Job on the dung-hill was more safe then Adam in that place which was the beauty of the earth Though the faithfull may be cast into miseries yet they perish not with the miserable But though wee stand longer then Adam stood yet by our selves we stand not at all we live in a continued dependence upon Christ if he with-draw his manu-tenency Rom. 11.18 20. the higher we are in grace the lower shall we be in sin We bear not the root but the root bears us let us not be high-minded but fear Who-ever is preserved in Christ must not arrogate his preservation to himself Christ must have the glory both of our setting out and holding out This for the second Priviledge from which the faithfull to whom Jude writes are described viz. Their Preservation in Christ The third and last follows viz. Their Vocation Last in the order of the Apostles writing though indeed first in the order of Gods working the Apostle hereby expressing the ground of their Sanctification and their perseverance therein viz. Their true and effectuall vocation from sin to God at the first Called Of this Vocation 1. By way of Explication 2. By way of Observation The word here used signifieth sundry sorts of Callings 1. Not to speak of calling personall 1 Cor. 7.24 Rom. 1.2 Gal. 1.1 or to a Function and Office whether oeconomicall Military Magistraticall or Ecclesiasticall Acts 1.26 immediate or mediate as not being here intended 2. Nor of that generall calling of all persons in the world by the works of creation Rom. 2.15 and 1.19 Psal 19.1 Acts 17.27 and the light of nature by which God speaks to heathens 3. But of that spirituall calling afforded only unto some Acts 14.17 which is to seek happinesse and blessednesse in Christ This is twofold 1. Only externall and ineffectuall 2. Internal also and effectuall 1. Only externall Ps 147.19 20. Acts 17.30 and by the ministry of the Gospel bestowed sometimes upon Cities Kingdoms Common-wealths A calling according to means common to the elect and reprobates Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen It s often inefficacious as to the saving good of the hearer Mat. 23.37 Heb. 4.3 Audiunt multi obaudiunt pauci Christ would have gathered Jerusalem's children and they would not The word preach'd profited not because not mixt with faith God by this external calling shewing what is mans duty and what was once his ability to perform the impairing of which later is no exemption from the former Joh. 15.22 24. and hereby rendring men inexcusable they knowing what they should do and not doing what they know And also by this meerly outward calling men are conteyned in externall order abstain from sundry great and heynous sins are profitable instruments in a Common-wealth observe civill Justice c. which God oft rewards with temporall blessings 2. The other sort of this spirituall Vocation is internal and effectual this bringing us into the invisible Church as the other into the visible this uniting us to Christ the head the other tying us to the members this bringing to illumination of faith the other to illumination of knowledge only this making us members the other professors of Christ this curing and changing the other only curbing us this being a calling according to purpose and flowing from election the other a calling according to means only The general way leading to the knowledge of God by the creatures and naturall light or the meer externall revelation of the will of God in the Scriptures sufficing not Totus Psalmus in tres partes distribui potest Prima agit de prima Schola quae est universalis seu omnium hominum communis Secunda de Schola particulari propria Ecclesiae penes quam Deus Oracula sua deposuit Tertia de Schola specialis gratiae internâ efficaci quae ad Unctionem Spiritus refertur quae docet vero salutari modo Riv. arg Ps 19. without the effectuall operation of the Spirit upon the heart in respect whereof as the learned Rivet well observes the Psalmist throughout the 19 Psalm sets down a three-fold School by which God teacheth us and calls us 1. That which is common to all men by the contemplation of the creatures 2. That which is proper to the Church standing in Gods committing his oracles unto it 3. That which is internall and of speciall grace efficacious and to be referr'd to the unction of the Spirit which teacheth and calleth after a saving manner And this is the calling here intended being that powerfull work of God calling persons to be what they are not of sinners to become Saints of enemies to become sons whereby grace is not only offered but conferr'd a work of Gods Spirit whereby the elect are not only morally invited but efficaciously incited to come to Christ For the explanation of which I shall briefly touch upon six Considerations which sweetly agree in three pairs or couples with the ordinary calls or invitations which are between man and man 1. The term from which we are called with 2. The term to which we are called 3. The Caller or who it is that calleth with 4. The persons called 5. The Voyce wherewith he calleth with 6.
should pass by others better accomplish'd Let his free grace have all the glory Who shall speak of God if thou beest silent Let heart and tongue and life advance him Hitherto of the two first parts of the Title viz. 1. The Person who wrote this Epistle And 2. The Persons to whom he wrote it The Third follows The Prayer wherein the person writing salutes the persons to whom he wrote contained in the second Verse in these words VER 2. Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplyed IN which Prayer we consider 1. The blessings which the Apostle requesteth may be bestowed which are three 1. Mercy 2. Peace 3. Love 2. The measure in which the Apostle desireth they may be bestowed Be multiplyed 3. The persons upon whom he prayeth that these blessings may be in this measure bestowed Vnto you 1. In this Prayer To consider of the Blessings which the Apostle requesteth for And first of the first of them Mercy Concerning which I shall speak by way Of 1. Exposition Of 2. Observation 1. For the expository part Mercy is referr'd either to Man or to God Misericordia est dolor et aegricudo animi ex miseria alterius injuriâ laborantis conceptus Cic. in Tus 4. Misericordia est alienae miseriae in nostro corde compassio quâ utique si possemus subvenire compellimur Aug. de C.D. l. 9. c. 5. Ex eo appellata est misericordia quòd miserum cor faciat condolescent is alieno malo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Nemo parricidae supplicio misericordiâ commovetur Cic. Tusc 4. Mat. 5.7 Luke 6.36 Luc. 10.37 1 Pet. 3.8 Col. 3.12 1. To Man and so mercy is according to some a grief of heart arising from the apprehension of anothers misery according to Scripture Such a holy compassion of heart for the misery of another as inclines us to relieve him in his misery It is a compassion or sympathy because it makes the mercifull heart a partaker of the misery of him who is distressed and therefore say some called misericordia because it translates the misery of another into the heart of the merciful And for this cause it is called the bowels of compassion Col. 3.12 1 John 3.17 Phil. 1.8 and 2.1 So likewise by the LXX Pro. 12.10 And to have compassion is usually set out in Scripture by a Verb that signifieth to have the bowels moved Mark 6.34 Matt. 14.14 and 15.32 Mar. 1.41 Luk. 7.13 c. because mercy expresseth it self in the bowels especially he that is affected vehemently with anothers sufferings having his very intrals and bowels moved and rouled in him Hos 11.8 and is affected as if the bowels of him that is in misery were in his body Nor is this Scripture compassion a foolish pity whereby a man doth unlawfully tender him that is in deserved misery as Ahab pitied Benhadad and Saul Agag against Gods command but such a compassion as God approveth a fruit of the Spirit commanded and commended in the Word In this grace of mercy is also comprehended a forwardness to succour the miserable the bowels of the mercifull not being shut up 1 Joh. 3.17 This grace the Scripture honours with many precepts and promises A merciful man is Gods Almner his conduit-pipe to convey his blessings his resemblance like unto his heavenly Father who is the Father of mercy And that 's the second consideration of mercy as it is referr'd to God and so indeed it is in this place by Jude In which consideration of mercy as referr'd to God there are three things to be explained 1. How mercy can be attributed to God 2. What sorts of mercy are attributed to God 3. What be the properties of the sorts of mercy attributed to God 1. How mercy can be attributed to God Not as it is an affection of grief for the misery of another But 1. As it signifieth a promptitude and forwardness of the will to succour the miserable Not as 't is miseria cordis or as to be mercifull is taken passively for one to be a fellow-sufferer Zanc. de Nat. Dei l. 4. c. 4. q. 1. Misericordem hominem appellare solemus◠non passivè qui miserum habet cor talis enim potius est miser quà m misericors sed activè hoc est illum qui miscro homini ex corde cupit succurrere Si licuit Augustino dicere quod sit cordis miseria ex alterius miseria concepta our non liceat nobis dicere misericordiam dici quia nobis sit cordi alterius miseria Misericordia duo importat unum tanquam essentiale aliud tanquam accidentale Primum est promptitudo voluntatis ad subveniendum miseris alterum est passio tristitiae quae oritur in appetitu ex cognitione miseriae alterius quantum ad primum summè est in Deo non quantum ad secundum Rich. d. 46. a. 2. qu. 1. lib. 4. Zech. 2.8 Acts 9.4 Exod. 34. Psal 100.5 Psal 145.9 but as 't is miseria cordi as learned Zanchy distinguisheth and as to be mercifull is taken actively for one so to be mindfull of the miseries of others that hee desires and is willing from the heart to help them Suffering with the distressed in their miseries is not essential to mercy but only accidental in regard of our nature which is so subject to passions that without a fellow-feeling we cannot look upon the miseries of those whom we love and this is not in God but a propension and inclination of will to relieve the miserable which is the essential part of mercy is most properly and abundantly in God although sympathy or fellow-feeling be often attributed to God improperly and by way of resemblance to humane affections for the relieving of our capacities and strengthening our faith And in respect of this propensenesse and willingnesse in God to help the distressed are we to understand those Scriptures where God calls himself merciful and of great mercy that is of a most forward nature to help us in our distresses 2. Mercy is attributed to God as it signifieth Gods actual helping and relieving us in our distresses as he bestows those blessings upon us spirituall or bodily which proceed from his alone mercy and of this are those places of Scriptures to be understood where God is said to have or shew mercy as Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will 1 Tim. 1.13 I found mercy because I did it ignorantly In which places mercy is put for calling to Christ So Psal 136. Rom. 11.31 2 Tim. 1.18 and all graces which follow it These works or effects of mercy being various and innumerable it comes to pass that though mercy be single and one in God the Scripture speaks of it in the plurall number as Gen. 32.10 2 Cor. 1.3 Rom. 12.1 2. For the sorts or kindes of Gods mercy It is either 1. A general mercy extended to all creatures in common as there is no creature in any misery which in some
showre of tears Isa 38.3 God puts not the oyle of peace into a crack't Vial Heart-peace is a Companion only of Heart-purity 4. Love not the world for t is enmity with God The Sun-shine of earthly enjoyments puts out the fire of spirituall peace the thornes of worldly cares make the peace of many a Saint to goe but with a scratch't face They who have suffered with joy the spoyling have suffered sorrow for the loving of their goods when men sweat in outward imployments their peace is coldest inwardly 4. Holinesse makes no man unpeaceable and turbulent The more God quiets us the lesse shall we sinfully discontent men The world condemns the Godly as authors of dissension but the true reason why they are accounted unpeaceable by the world is because they will not lose their Peace with God to finde trouble in the world is their portion but to cause trouble in the world is not their property They are wont indeed to disquiet mens lusts but are wicked men and sin so neer that the one cannot be distinguish'd from the other The will of a Saint is for peace but 't is necessity that makes him contend Peace rules in his heart Col. 3.15 it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it sits as the Judge or Umpire was wont to do in the publick games of wrastling or running Apostolus innuit hoc esse hujus virtutis officiū ut agat brabeutem sive agonothetam inter caeteros affectus nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id significat Cum igitur insurgunt in cordibus nostris turbidi affectus irae odii vindictae haec pax Dei debet suum officium facere id est instar agonothetae lites dirimere tumultuantes affectus compescere omnia ad pacem deducere Davenant in Col. who did rule and order the runners or wrastlers deciding their controversies and giving rewards to the best-deserving so this peace of God when the troublesom affections of anger hatred and revenge arise in our hearts appeaseth strifes ends controversies and renders us peaceable As for wicked men who seem sometimes to be very peaceable among themselves in sin they must know that agreement against God is not Peace but Conspiracy and such a rotten peace makes way for a real war both with others and within themselves 5. It s most sutable to a Ministers Function to further and pray for the peace of others As they are Christians Obs 5. they are cald to peace Col. 3.15 and as Ministers they are cald to be Ambassadors of peace The bodily peace of others should be pray'd for by them Jam. 5.14 Brotherly peace should they promote among their people An unpeaceable people among themselves will be an unprofitable people under him Jam. 3.16 Ministers should endeavour the civil peace put people in mind to be subject to Principallities and Powers Tit. 3.1 and to take heed of Treason and Rebellion To revile them for this is to be angry with the fift Commandement But especially should Ministers labour to bring people into peace with God and to pray them to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.27 and by Ministerial directions to help them to attain peace of Conscience within themselves Confident I am That while mens lusts speak Ministers contentious their Consciences speak them peaceable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur vel ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. seipsum toto animo in rem dilectā vel ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est valdè in re amata acquiescere Ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat vehementem affectū ardentemque amorem quo quis alicui sese intimè adjungit et in eo totus quiescit unde et pater Caelestis de filio suo hic est inquit filius meus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et mox quasi etymologiam subdens in quo mihi complaceo Zanc. de na dei l. 4. c. 3. Amicitia est quasi habitus Amor autem et dilectio significant actum vel passionem Charitas autem utroque modo accipi potest defferenter tamen significatur actus per ista tria nam amor est aliquid communius inter ea omnis enim amor dilectio est vel charitas sed non è converso Addit dilectio super amorem electionem praecedentem unde dilectio est in sola voluntate rationalis creaturae charitas autem ultra amorem addit perfecttionem amoris in quantum illud quod amatur carum i. e. magni pretii aestimatur Tho. 1.2 qu. 16. Art 3. The third and last Blessing desired by this Apostle for these Christians is Love Of which likewise By way of 1 Exposition 2 Observation For the Expository part I shall 1. Specifie the several kinds of Love principally that at which the Apostle seems most to aim 2. Set down the excellent Properties of this kind of Love which make it so desirable Not to stay upon the consideration of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love Amor aliarum rerum est charitas inter solos homines dilectio ad Deum spectat diligimus Deum charos habemus parentes liberos c. amamus omnes Aret. in Probl. or of its agreement with those other Expressions ordinarily used to set forth after a sort the same thing as charity friendship c. This Love in the general being that inclination or tendency of any thing to the good beloved or that principle whereby one joyns himself to and resteth in an object is of sundry sorts Not to speak of those which are either far from or contrary to the Scope of the Apostle as of natural love which is that quality in any thing following its form by which it tends to and resteth in what is agreeable to it Nor of animal love whereby the sensitive appetite in men or beasts tends to its good and resteth in it Nor of love meerly rational or intelective whereby the will freely embraceth any object presented to it by the understanding Nor of Angelical love Nor of that love which God hath towards himself as the chief good There are Three sorts of Love any of which may be desired from God as a blessing Namely a love of 1 God to man 2 Man to God 3 Man to man himself or others I yet conceiving since the Apostle had desired that these Christians might receive mercy from God and that every particular Beleever might have peace in himself that he seemeth now in the last place to pray That they might again both return love to God and render it also to one another 1 There is a love of God to man though without passion sympathy or any imperfection or weakness these being attributed to him only to relieve the weakness either of our Faith or apprehensions And this love is 1 Considered as a love of desire as love desireth to be carried to the union of the thing beloved This desire of union with man God sheweth many ways as 1 By being neer
these Christians or what it was that put him upon this profitable performance of exhorting them in these words Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needfull for me to write unto you 2. The Exhortation it self in these words And exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints 3. Sundry weighty and unanswerable Arguments to move the Christians to follow and imbrace this excellent Exhortation from the third to the 17th verse 4. Severall apt and holy Directions to guide and teach these Christians how to follow and observe the Exhortation which he had back'd with the former arguments to the 24th verse I begin with the former The Reasons which put the Apostle upon sending this following Exhortation And the Reasons contained in these words Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was needfull for me to write unto you are these three 1. The first is drawn from the dear love which the Apostle did bear to them they to whom he wrote were beloved 2. The second is drawn from the care and diligence of the Apostle for the doing of them good and the furthering of their salvation When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation wherein consider 1. With what mind and disposition he endeavoured their good or how he was affected in endeavouring it he gave all diligence 2. In what work he was imployed for their spirituall good or by what means he endeavoured it by writing 3. The Weightinesse and great Concernment of that Subject about which he wrote the common salvation 3. The third reason is taken from their need of having such an Exhortation sent to them It was needfull for me to write unto you 1. The first reason is taken from the love which the Apostle did bear to them They were beloved For the Explication whereof Explicat two things are briefly to be opened 1. What the word Beloved importeth and what is contained in it 2. Why the Apostle here bestoweth this title upon them calling them beloved For the first the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved noteth two things 1. An amiablenesse and fitnesse for and worthinesse of love in the thing beloved which can and doth commend it selfe to our love It importeth more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligendi they who are to be loved for that word comprehends every one even the wicked and our enemies but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved properly respects those who have something of excellency to draw out our love towards them Vid. passim and therefore it 's in Scripture only attributed to the faithfull 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved noteth a very intense dear tender vehement love Rom. 16.5 8.9.12 Col. 1.7 4.7 4.14 Philem. 1.3 3 John 1. Jam. 1.16 Phil. 16.19.2.5 Ephes 6.21 Col. 4.9 1 Cor. 15.58 1 Cor. 4.14 Ephes 5.1 1 Cor. 4.17 2 Tim. 1.2 to the thing beloved and therfore it 's in Scripture not only the title of some most dear friends but of brethren of children and sons nay Christ who was the Son of God by nature who was his only Son that his Son in whom he was well pleased is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his beloved Son The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by Greek Authours attributed to an only child the Septuagint do with this word interpret that phrase Only Son Gen. 22.2 Take thy Son thine only Son They translate take thy Son thy beloved One. And Zech. 12.10 They shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only Son they translate as one that mourneth for his beloved One and others attribute this word to an only eye as when a man hath but one eye they call it a beloved eye 2. For the second why the Apostle bestoweth upon them this title of beloved He did it for two reasons 1. To shew what was his duty not onely as a man in which respect love is a debt due to all Rom. 13.8 or as a Christian it being the duty of Christians peculiarly to love Christians the houshold of faith brethren John 13.34 the members of one body c. but especially as an Apostle and Minister What more sutable than for a Father a Nurse 1 Cor. 4.14 15. 1 Thes 2.7 8. John 21. to love their children a Shepherd his flock The Apostles were spirituall Fathers Nurses Shepherds 2. To gain their loves by this affectionate Compellation Beloved that they by observing his love to them might both love him and thereby more readily imbrace the following Exhortation He is very uningenuous who if he will not provoke love from an enemy will not repay love to a friend Mat. 5.46 Even Publicans love those who love them The stone wall reflects heat when the scorching Sun shines upon it Love must be reciprocall if we are to love those who are friends to our bodies estates names c. Si diligis fac quicquid vis are not they to be beloved much more who are our soul-friends Nor was it more the duty of these Christians than their benefit to love this holy Apostle How much would their love to him forward their love to his Ministery Though the message should not be imbraced for the messenger yet it 's not so easily imbraced unlesse the messenger be beloved 1 Cor. 4.14 Gal. 4.19 1 Pet. 4.12 Phil. 1.8 4.1 2.12 Rom. 12.19 1 Cor. 10.14 2 Cor. 12.19 Heb. 6.9 Jam. 1.16.19 1 Joh. 3.2.21 That Minister who is beloved hath a great advantage above another he stands upon the higher ground for doing good and this is the main reason that the Apostles so frequently call those to whom they write beloved They did not desire to insinuate themselves into the hearts of the Christians for their goods But for their good not to set up themselves but Christ they did not wooe for themselves but for the Bridegroom they being his friends they did not seek to advance themselves but their Message their Master 1. Observ 1. Piety is no enemy to courtesie Christianity forbids not sweet compellations Religion doth not remove but rectifie courteous behaviour 1. By a flat prohibition of the act of dissimulation and of sinfull serving mens humours 2. By a moderation of excessivenesse in our expressions which seem courteous 3. By preserving affection pure from being made the instrument of prophanenesse and wantonnesse that the pure seeds of religion may spring up in the terms of affability 2. Observ 2. The work and labour of a Minister should proceed from love to his people The Apostle loved them and therfore he wrote to them Love should be the fountain of ministeriall performances First Christ enquired of Peters love John 21. and then he urged Peter to labour A Minister that speaks with the tongue of men and Angels and hath
those twenty can cure that one infected person Rusty armour soon makes bright armour rusty by lying neer it when as the bright armour imparts to the other none of its brightnesse 1. The written word is needfull as the rule of faith and manners Observ 1. Jude upon the entrance of the Seducers with their errours tels the Christians it was needful to write this Epistle to regulate and direct them They who deny that the written Word is necessarily required to be the rule of faith must necessarily give way to the overthrowing of faith There 's no Truth in the Scripture can be proved or beleeved with a divine faith unless the ratio credendi or ground of such beleeving be the revelation of God in writing John 20 31. John 1.5.13 These things are written saith John that you may beleeve that Jesus is the Christ. And These things have I written saith he unto you that ye might beleeve in the name of the Son of God 2 Pet. 1.9 Wee have a more sure word of prophesie saith Peter to which yee do well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place Without this light the way of truth cannot be found The Bercans searched the Scriptures Acts 17.11 Luk. 24.25 27. Act. 13.33 Rom. 14.11 whether those things they heard were so The doctrines of faith have been ever by Christ and his Apostles proved and errors which oppose them have been ever by them confuted by the written word They who build not their faith upon the written word must needs go to Enthusiasms the Pope or Reason for a Foundation 2. The helping forward the good of souls 2 Observ 1 Cor. 9.16 is the most needfull imployment Paul as Jude here tels us that necessity was laid upon him to do this work A saving Ministry is that which we cannot be without We can better spare the Sun in the Firmament as it was once said of Chrysostome than the preaching of a faithfull Minister The Word in its ministry is compared in Scripture to the most needfull things bread salt water physick armour c. Bread and salt are alway set upon the table whatsoever the other dishes are Let our condition be what it will the Word is alway needfull The life of the the soul is the dearest and the famine of the Word is the sorest Places though never so rich and glorious are but magna latrocinia without the Word dens of theeves not dwellings for men The removall of the Gospel is a soul-judgment and the soul of judgments It 's foolish to account the falling of the salt upon the table ominous but it 's our duty to lament the falling of them whom Christ calls the salt of the earth Mat. 5.13 They who are weary of the word are weary of heaven weary of God Ministers for performing so necessary a work as is that of saving souls should hazard themselves What father would not burn his fingers to pull his child out of the fire It is not necessary a Minister should be safe but that he should be serviceable and that a soul should be saved 3. Observ 3. The opposing of Seducers is a needfull part of our Ministry 'T was this that made Jude account it needfull to write to these Christians It 's the Ministers work to defend as well as to feed people to drive away the wolfe from as well as to provide pasture for the flock The mouths of deceivers are to be stopt and gain-sayers must be convinced Tit. 1.9 11. They subvert saith the Apostle whole houses Cursed be that patience which can see it and lay nothing I know not how it comes to passe but among many the opposing of seducers is either accounted bitter or needlesse and it 's still the policy of Satan not to suffer a sword in Israel But if there be damnable heresies I see not but there may be a damnable silence in those who should oppose them 2 Pet. 2.1 Every one must give account for his idle words and a Minister for his idle silence 4. Observ 4. Ministers should preach such doctrine as is most needfull for the places and people with whom they have 〈◊〉 do The Physician administers not one kind of physick to all distempers Some Patients require one some another Some places abound most with prophanenesse others more with errours Some places are infamous for drunkennesse others for pride others for covetousnesse others for wearinesse of the Gospel The Minister must sute his preaching to their exigences It 's not enough in war for a souldier to discharge his Musket though it be well charged with powder and bullet unlesse also he aim well to hit the enemy He who delivers good doctrine and reproofs but not sutable to the people whom he teacheth dischargeth up into the ayre God commands the Prophet to shew the people their sins Isai 58.1 not to shew one people the sins of another but their own Some observe that Christ in his doctrine ever set himselfe most against the raging impiety of the times wherein he lived We find his vehemency exprest more against the secret subtill hypocrisies of the Pharisees than against other sins which in some times and places would have deserved most severe reprehension And the truth is the preaching of seasonable and needfull truths is that which creates so much hatred to the faithfull Ministers People can be content to hear us preach of the sins of our fore-fathers but not of the sins of the present times People will not take honey out of the Lion unlesse he be dead nor taste sweetnesse in that preaching which is lively and roars upon them in their way of sin A good heart considers not how bitter but how true not how smart but how seasonable a doctrine is It desires that the word may be directed to it in particular It sets its corruptions in the fore-front of the battell when Gods arrows are flying and patiently suffers the word of Exhortation This for the third and last reason which did put the holy Apostle upon sending the following Exhortation to these Christians namely the needfulnesse of sending such an Exhortation to them It was needfull for me to write And so I passe from the first part considerable about the Apostles Exhortation viz. the reasons why he did send an Exhortation The second follows viz. the Exhortation it selfe in these words And exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints In the words the Apostle sets down 1. The way or manner of his writing which was hortatory or by way of Exhortation 2. The matter or subject of the Exhortation or to what it was that he did exhort them viz. earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints The first shews us what the Apostle did The second what these Christians ought to do First Of the way or manner of the Apostles writing which was by way of
wild buls in a net they had rather be able to tear then willing to kiss the rod. Like chaffe they fly in the face of and not like the solid grain fall downe before him that fans them They accept not of the punishment of their iniquity 2 King 6.33 not wait for deliverance from their punishment they either faint under or rage against or take no notice of the hand of God when 't is lifted up against them 7. Not to honour God by regarding of his worship The ungodly call not upon the Lord. Psal 14.4 Only the godly man is made like a man to looke upward The other in their wants go to Baalzebub the god of Ekron or the witch of Endor to earthly and sinfull shifts rather howling through the sense of their wants then praying in the beleefe of receiving the blessings they desire In their obtaining of comforts Hab. 1.16 they sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their drags and are as sensuall in their enjoyments as unsubmissive in their wants They can neither pray when they are afflicted nor sing Psalms when they are merry instead of praying they dispair instead of singing Psalms they revell when they are in want they are as distrustfull as if God could never help them when they abound they are as secure as if God could never hurt them In a word they account not the holy duties of prayer Isai 56.7 Isai 58.13 hearing sacraments c. to be their priviledges but their drudgery They are not joyfull in the house of prayer the Sabboth is not a delight the word of the Lord is a burden and when they are in holy performances they are like a fish upon the dry land 2. Ungodlinesse consists in giving of the honour which is due to God to somthing else beside God And this ungodly men do two wayes 1. Inwardly in the soul will and affections Jer. 17.5 and the whole inner man as 1. when they place their trust and confidence upon somthing besides God and so place it in the room of God making flesh their arm and support Thus one ungodly man depends upon his wealth Job 31.24 making it his hope and confidence another upon his strength resting upon man Psal 20.7 Prov. 3.5 putting his trust in horses and chariots another upon his wit and policy which in a moment God is able to turn into foolishnesse They will not take the word of a man who hath once or twice deceived them but they will relie upon the broken creature which alway faileth fond expectation Jon. 2.8 Josh 62.9 Psal 62.8 and is no other then a lying vanity hereby not only disappointing themselves but dishonouring him who alone requireth and deserveth our trust and affiance 2. When they set that love and delight upon other things which is due to God who is to be loved with all the heart and soul and thus sundry there are who love their pleasures more than God whose belly is their God 2 Tim. 3.4 Phil. 3.19 Ephes 5.5 others there are whose gain is godlinesse and who are fitly therefore by the Apostle called idolaters That which a man most loves is his God Psal 62.10 Ungodly men set their hearts upon that which was made to set their feet upon with unbounded eagernesse they follow the world Moderation holds not the reins of their earthly industry in which they are not carried with the gentle gales of indifferency but the furious winds of violence They will be rich 1 Tim. 6.9 though they lose their souls their God and are drowned in perdition 3. When they bestow that fear upon the creature which is only due to God Isai 8.13 when man not God is their fear and their dread If outward troubles or troublers approach Isai 7.2 they shake like the trees of the wood if man threaten a prison they tremble more than when God threateneth hell Isai 51.12 13. fearing him more that can kill the body than him who can throw both body and soul into hell whence it is that they are insnared by the unlawfull commands of Superiours willingly walking after the commandement Hos 5.11 Prov. 25.26 and falling down before the wicked become like a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring serving instead of the Lord the times 2. Outwardly ungodly men give the honour to the creature which is due to God and that they do by outward religious worship Rom. 1.25 Psal 95.6 when they worship and serve the creature more than the Creatour who is God blessed for evermore before whom religiously we must only kneel and bow down Mat. 4.10 How unlike are ungodly men to him who was God and man Christ refused to bow to the divel not only because he was a divel but a creature denying to him not only inward devotion but outward reverence And how unlike to the three godly men who tell the King Dan. 3.18 Isai 40.18.25 Isai 44.19 commanding them to bow to his image that they will not serve his gods What do they but make a lie when they make an image of an uncircumscriptible infinite God and shew themselves as blockish as the block they worship which is no better than that which even now they burnt Poor is their pretence who to exempt themselves from this ungodlinesse plead though they present their bodies at religious worship yet they preserve their souls for God for why could not Christ for a whole world with all his wisdome find out such a piece of policy and make not body and soul one man that must have but one God one worship Are not our bodies the Lords as well as our souls or can she be accounted a chaste spouse which gives the use of her body to a stranger upon pretence of keeping her heart to her husband 3. Ungodlinesse consists in the giving of honour to God after a false and an undue manner As 1. When it 's given unwarrantably and not according to his revealed will When tradition and humane invention put the Scripture out of place This is to worship God in vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 15.9 Nothing is more counterfeited and disfigured than religion Men through naturall unsubmissivenesse to the purity and simplicity of Scripture-commands through love of their own conceits novelty carnality are prone to make many golden calves People like the Lacedemonians who were wont to dresse their gods after the fashion of the City love to dresse their devotions after their own humours being zealous but not according to knowledge and like bats converting the humour of their eyes to make their wings large These give not God that reasonable service for the performance whereof Rom. 12.1 they must produce a word a Scripture-reason Mans work is to keep Lawes not either to be or make a Law for himselfe or others 2. Honour is given to God after an undue manner when 't is not given him obediently when
treasnre for a trifle a mountain of gold for an heap of dung the pure lasting fountain for the muddie broken cistern Eternity for a moment realitie for a shadow all things for nothing And therefore 4. The denyall of Christ is the height of folly and the forsaking of our own mercy Acts 4.12 Christ is the only remedie against death to deny the remedic is to perish unavoidably He who denies him who is the Saviour nay Salvation cannot be saved no not by Salvation it self No disease kils that soul who casts not away this Physick but he who refuseth the means of recovery concludes himself under a necessitie of destruction How shall wee escape if wee neglect this great salvation Hebr. 2.3 Other sins put men upon a possibilitie the deniall of Christ upon a necessitie of damnation They who deny Christ shall be denyed by Christ He often denies them in this life 2 Thes 2.11 Ps 81.11 12. by leaving them to serve and love those lords whom they have chosen in stead of him and by a denyall of any power to them ever to return to him whom they have renounced yea Apoc. ult 12. As in the case of Spira and Judas by a denying them to their own consciences which oft flash into their faces the flames of hell for the quenching whereof they sometimes relinquish though in vain those trifles for which they denyed Christ But most assuredly will Christ deny these Christ-denyers at the last day he will be ashamed of them not know them and banish them from his presence notwithstanding their calling Lord Lord Mat. 7.23 and hypocriticall claiming of former acquaintance with him He that denies Christ denies a Lord who will destroy all Rebels Luk. 19.27 he denies a Lord not weak titular and mortall but just everliving and omnipotent 5. The practical denyal of Christ discovers a most rotten and unsound heart What greater falsness imaginable than to professe and deny Christ at the same time to put on his cloak for securitie in sinning to speak service and live opposition to him to call him Master only to mock him and to do the work of his enemies not to serve him whom we do serve to be in the skin a Christian and in the coar an Heathen Certainly this meer outside complementall Christianity that bowes to Christ and yet buffets him shall one day be found to have had profession onely for an increase of judgment Oh how just will it be for those who never truly loved Christ notwithstanding their professions to hear Christ professing that he never-knew them The rotten professor is the fittest fuell for eternall flames 6. The denyall of Christ implies the greatest unthankfulnesse If it be an unkind wickednesse to deny a creature a servant that fears thee what is it then to deny that Lord whom thou shouldst fear If to deny a Father that begat the body what is it then to deny God that created the soul If to deny a wife with whom thou art one flesh what is it to deny the Lord with whom thou art one spirit What evill have any found in him to forsake to renounce such a Master How great was his goodnesse to take such unprofitable servants as we are into the family of his Church What saw he in in us more then in heathens to reveal to us the light of his truths and the mysteries of salvation What an honour did he put upon us when he took us for his by baptismal initiation Were not the imployments ever noble safe and sweet which he put upon us is not the reward rich and bountifull which he hath promised Must not our own consciences be our own accusers when he requires of us the reason of denying him OBSERVATIONS 1. Christ accounts a verball outside profession Observ 1. contradicted by an unholy conversation to be no better then a renouncing of him The profession of the lip without the agreement of the life most dishonours God How ready will the ignorant be to think that God allows the sins Ezek. 36.20 or that he cannot punish the impiety of those who professe profanely Deus non quaerit obsequiorum speciem sed affectus puritatem Ambr. in 9. Luc. How hatefull to the God who loves truth in the inward parts must he be who hath nothing but falseness in the inward parts God seeks none to serve him but such as serve him in truth The service of the soul is the soul of service The singlenesse of the intention is the sweet of a performance and makes it even a Sacrifice with marrow Sacrificium medullatum All our professions and speculations without holiness are but profanations And of him that hates instruction Psal 50.46 God justly requires the reason of his taking his Covenant into his mouth Profane professors are but wens upon the face of Religion which God will one day cut off The higher the building is raised which wants a foundation the greater will be its fall and the more eminent mens appearances of religion are the more shamefull will be their apostacie if they want the foundation of sinceritie A sincere Professor though he do not actually forsake all for Christ is habitually prepared so to do when Christ shall require A meer formall professor though he do not as yet openly renounce Christ yet is prepared to do so when his interest shall call him to it 2. The excellency of any way or person Observ 2. is not to be judged by the regard it ordinarily findes among men Christ himself cannot want a denyall by foolish men If it be put to the vote Barrabbas will have more voyces then Christ The wayes of Christ are never the worse because wicked men renounce them rather their rejecting of them speaks them holy Let us not be offended at Christ because he is by most denyed Blesse God if thou hast an heart to own him and remember 't is a signe of a gracious heart Psal 119.127 when the wicked make void the Law of God therefore to love his Commandments 3. Observ 3. It is the great Interest of Christians to take heed of denying Christ To this end 1. Deny your selves That man which sets much by himself will never reckon much of a Saviour He who hath not learn'd to deny himself when Christ and Self come in competition and meet on a narrow bridg will endeavour to make Christ go back Quando à me ipso alienabor me perdam Revelle te à teipso ut Deo inseraris Divide te à teipso ut cum Creatore uniaris Bern. He who doth not account himself nothing will soon esteem Christ so Let the heart be taken off from any thing which may take thee off from Christ Crucifie every inordinate affection Beseech God to alienate thee from thy self and to annihilate in thee what-ever opposeth Christ Reserve nothing in thee from his stroke although the lot fall upon Jonathan And resolve to
the plea which might be made for these Seducers in regard of their priviledg as visible professors of their eminency for place and of their reputation for sanctity For though they had Church-priviledges yet so had the Israelites though they were eminent for place and station yet so were the Angels and though they were desirous to be accounted in the highest form of religion and sanctitie yet were they as filthy and guilty as Sodomites a people as famous for Gods judgments as they were infamous for their own impurities The first of these Examples that of the Israelites who were destroyed in the wildernesse c. is set down here in this fifth verse wherein are two parts 1. A Preface prefixed 2. An Example propounded 1. He sets down a Preface before the Example in these words I will put you in remembrance though ye once knew this Wherein two things are expressed 1. The duty of the Apostle or what he would do I will therefore put you in remembrance 2. The commendation of the Christians or what they had already done Though ye once knew this namely the following example of the Israelites 1. For the duty of the Apostle I will put you in remembrance EXPLICATION Two things briefly for the explication of this 1. What the Apostle means by this putting of them in remembrance 2. Why he would put them in remembrance 1. What hee intends by putting them in remembrance The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In memoriam revocare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated to put in remembrance properly signifies to recall a thing past to mind or memory a thing I say though formerly understood yet possibly almost forgotten or at least for the present not duly considered or remembred and thus it s used Luk. 22.61 Peter remembred the word c. and 2 Tim. 2.14 Of these things put them in remembrance c. and Tit. 3.1 Put them in remembrance to be subject c. and 2 Pet. 1.12 I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance c. and 2 Pet. 3.1 I stir up your pure mind by way of remembrance So that the word rather notes reminiscence than memory a calling back of that which heretofore they had thought of but for the present was not duly and throughly thought of 2. Why did the Apostle thus put them in remembrance Great reason hereof there was both in respect of 1 The Apostle who wrote 2 The Christians to whom he wrote 1. In respect of the Apostle It was his duty not only once to deliver but again to recall Truths to their minds formerly delivered Upon this duty the Apostle puts Timothy 1 Tim. 4.6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Jesus Christ. And sending him to Corinth he giveth him the same command 1 Cor. 4.17 and this was also practised by Paul himself Rom 15.15 I have written to you saith he the more boldly as putting you in remembrance A course practised by Peter likewise who tels the Christians that he thinks it meet to stir them up 2 Pet. 1.13 2 Pet. 3.1 by putting them in remembrance and that his second Epistle was written to that end Hence it is that Ministers are call'd the Lords remembrancers Isa 62.6 not only for putting the Lord in mind of the peoples wants but also in whetting holy instructions upon the people and putting them in mind of their duty unto God 2. In respect of those to whom he wrote he puts them in remembrance Phil. 3.1 It was safe for the Philippians to have the same things written to them Phil. 3.1 Those eminent Christians Rom. 15.14 15 2 Pet. 3.1 the Romans to whom Paul wrote and the Saints who had pure minds to whom Peter wrote wanted this putting in remembrance for 1. The best are imperfect in their knowledg The greatest part of those things which we do know is but the least part of what we do not know The plainest and best known Truths are not so well known but they may be better known The most experienced Christian may say of every Truth as a man useth to say to his new Friends I would be glad of your better acquaintance Our knowledg is but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 even in respect of the plainest Truths We cannot name any Number so high and great but a man may reckon one still beyond it and there may be alway an addition to our knowledg A Christian should grow in his head Col. 2.2 1.9 10. Fateor me Catechismi discipulum as well as in his heart in his light as well as in his heat 'T was an humble speech of Luther I acknowledg my self a Scholer even in the Catechism Every point of Divinity hath a vast Circumference every command is exceeding broad and what one article of Faith or precept of the Law is there of which a man may say There is nothing contained in it which I fully know not Christians should often be remembred of the plainest truths that they may conceive of them the better 2. The memories of the best Christians stand in need of frequent remembrances Heb. 2.1 They are frail to retain the things of God naturally The most precious truths laid up in our memories are Jewels put into a crazy Cabinet Memorie is like a sieve that holds the bran le ts the flowre go remembers what is to be forgotten and forgets what is to be remembred and like a sieve that is full in the water but empty being taken out the memory is full perhaps while men are hearing but empty so soon as their hearing is ended If we would have our garment hold its colour it must be double dyed so that a truth may take a deep impression it must be pressed again and again And this naturall unfaithfulnesse of the memory is furthered by the tentations of Satan who labours to steal away the most usefull truths like a theef who robs a house of the best housholdstuff In times of tentation to sin how hard is it to remember the truths that should defend us How far from Peters memory was the speech of Christ Luk. 22.61 till the crowing of the cock remembred him Ye have forgotten saith the Apostle the exhortation Heb. 12.5 In every sin there is some kind of forgetfulnesse When passion is violent and tentation strong the use of memorie is commonly suspended Thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion and hast forgotten mee saith the Lord Ezek. 22.12 And in all true obedience there is remembrance Isa 64.5 working righteousnesse and remembring God are put together 3. The best Christians are subject to abate and decay in spiritual fervency of affection to the best things Now frequent remembrances do not only recall truths to the mind but quicken the heart to affect them We are dull to leâ—rn what we should do and more dull to do what we have learn'd
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
yet these froward children refused to suck and draw them by beleeving and in stead thereof struck and beat them away by unbeleef and rebellion Unbeleef as to the Israelites cut asunder the sinews of the promises so as they could not stir hand or foot to help them and turned the promises into fallacies Heb. 3. ult Num. 20.22 Only unbeleef concluded this people under the necessity of destruction Needs must they perish who cast away the means of recovery What shall be a remedy for him who rejecteth the remedy other sins are sores but unbeleef throwes away the plaister Every sin made Israel obnoxious to destruction but unbeleef made them opposite also to deliverance This sin stopt as it were the spouts and passages of grace Christ * Mark 6.5 Significatur hoc loquendi modo quod incapaces scipsos reddiderint indignósque divinis beneficiis et propensioni animi Christi beneficae impedimentum objecerint non permittunt ut virtutis divinae rivus se in ipsos diffundat Brugens in loc could do no mighty works because of their unbeleef They who beleeve not render themselves incapable of blessings and lay rubs in the way of mercy binding the hands of God lest he should help them Other sins lay persons as it were in the grave this of unbeleef lays the grave stone upon them and makes them rot therein Upon them wrath abides Joh. 3.18 OBSERVATIONS 1. Observat 1. Difficulties soon discover an unbeleeving heart Many seemingly beleeving Israelites upon the news of the Anakims and the walled Cities beleeved not Jorams profane pursuivant discovered his temper when he said This evill is of the Lord why then should I wait upon the Lord any longer 2 King 6.33 Saul appear'd to depend upon God and sought to him in his troubles but when God seemed to neglect him and gave him no answer then left he God and sought to a sorceresse Rotten fruit wil not hang upon the tree in a windy day A shallow a highway-plash of water will soon be dryed up in a scorching sunshine One who is only a beleever by a shallow outside profession will soon leave beleeving and professing 2 Chro. 32.31 Deut. 8.2 13.3 For a while he will beleeve but in time of persecution he falls away Wisely therefore doth God seem somtime to disregard and reject his own children to try the sincerity of their confidence in him and whether they will cease to depend upon him because he seemeth not to provide for them Nec iratumcolere destitit numen Virtus fidei credere quod non vides merces fidei videre quod credis Aug. in Ps 109. They who depend upon God continually depend upon him truly God makes it appear to all the world that his people serve not him to serve their own turn upon him and that they are neither hirelings nor changelings It is the efficacy of faith to beleeve what we see not and the reward of faith to see what we beleeve How improvident are those meer professours and appearing Israelites who please themselves with shews of beleeving and cleaving to God their paint will not endure the washing nor their refuge of lies keep out the storme when sufferings death or judgment approach their confidences will be rejected Christians labour for a faith unfained yea both true and strong there may come times that will require it 2. In vain do they who live in unbeleef Observat 2. pretend against their other sins So long as that lives no sin will dye notwithstanding instructions or corrections Sin may be brought to the place of Execution but it will not die so long as unbelief brings it a protection and while it is back'd by this it will but laugh at all the means used to mortifie it As faith quencheth the fiery darts of the divel so will unbeleef quench the holy darts of the Spirit The sin which is armed with it will not be wounded by the sword of the word but wil save its skin much more its heart till faith set it naked to the stroaks of that sword Our neglect of and coldnesse in holy duties comes from our not beleeving a benefit that will bear the charges of fervency and frequency in performing them Unbelief clips the wings of prayer that it cannot ascend and turns much praying into much speaking Whence is all our trouble and impacience in adversity but from want of that grace which comforts the heart in God and makes us quietly to rest and trust on and in him Whence are those base indirect courses to get a living by lying deceiving c. to be made rich by a worse than the king of Sodome but from the not beleeving God to be an alsufficient portion that he will never leave or forsake us c From what but unbelief proceed all the temporizings haltings and sinfull neutralities In tentations to all these faith is our victory and unbelief our defeat which makes men unworthily to render themselves prisoners to every promise and threat causing them either to have two hearts with the hypocrite or no heart with the coward They who have little faith have much fear and they who have no faith Jer. 17.5 will be all fear even slain and not by the sword Whence proceeds all our carnall confidence and trusting in an arme of flesh but from this sin which makes the heart depart from the Lord. Peccatum furti homicidii sunt peccata carnis et facilè intelliguntur in parte superiore animâ scilicet intellectu sed ipsa anima suum incomparabiliter majus vitium et trabem in oculo suo non sentit sed festucam corporis facilè videt Luth. Trabenses judicant festucenses Id. Whence come the unbrotherly breaches and divisions among brethren but from the distance which by unbeleef is between God and us Christians being like lines which come the nearer to one another as they come nearer to the Center Unbelief lies at the bottom of all these sins And all mortification of sin which comes not from a principle of affiance in God through Christ is imaginary How short sighted are they into their misery who are troubled for their scandalous sins of drunkennesse adultery murther c. but neither observe nor sorrow for their unbelief the mother sin the main sin the nursery of all sins The soul saith Luther is an hypocrite that sees a mote in the eye of the flesh but not a beame in its own eye namely infidelity which is incomparably greater than all sins committed by the body 3. Great is our forwardnesse to fall into the sin of unbeleef Observat 3. God seemed to study the prevention of this sin among the Israelites but it broke the barrs that he put in the way to stop it Covenants Oaths Miracles Plagues were all as easily snapt in sunder by this sin as were the Cords by Samson Even Christ himself marvelled at the strength thereof in opposing the
enemies A greater punishment undoubtedly to those proudest of creatures then was that to Bajazet whose back famous Tamberlane used for an horsblock to raise him up to his Steed when he caused him to be carried up and down as a spectacle of infamy in all his triumphant journeys 2. By the last judgment there shall be an accession of punishment to these angels in respect of their restraint because then they shall be unable to seduce the wicked or to hurt the elect any more Their chain now more loose shall then be so strait that they shall never come neer nor among the Saints of God A vehement vexation to those malicious spirits whose element is mischief and their torment restraint from doing hurt They now deem it some lessening of their torment to be suffered to tempt men to sin They think themselves hereby somewhat revenged on God as he that defaceth the picture of his enemy when he cannot come at his person easeth his spleen a little or as the dog somewhat breaks his rage by gnawing the stone when he cannot reach the thrower They now walk abroad as it were with their keeper but then they shall be closely confin'd yea dungeon'd Now they contain their hell then their hell shall contain them In short As the punishment of wicked men shall be at the full when their souls and bodies are reunited and both cast into hell so the torment of these angels shall be compleated when at the last day they shall be so fettered in their infernall prison as that there will be no possibility of stirring forth They are now entred into divers degrees of punishment but the full wrath of God is not powred out upon them till the day of judgment OBSERVATIONS 1 No secrecy can shelter sin from Gods observation Observ 1. He who will make sins known to conscience and all spectators must needs know them himself Sins are undoubtedly written in if they be read out of the book God need not wrack no nor ask the offender to know whether he hath sinn'd or no he searcheth the heart Jer. 17.10 Psal 11.4 he tryeth the reins his eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men He compasseth he winnoweth our paths and is acquainted with all our wayes Psal 139. Whither shall we flie from his presence He understands our thoughts afar off knows them long before they come into us and long after they are gone away from us All the secrets of our hearts are dissected anatomized and bare-fac'd in his eyes He who knew what we would do before we did it must needs know what we have done afterwards There 's nothing existing in the world but was before in Gods knowledg as the house is first in the head before erected by the hand of the Artificer He made us and therefore knows every nook and corner and turning in us and we are sustained and moved by him in our most retired motions How plainly discerned by him is the closest hypocrite and every Divel though in a Samuel's mantle We can onely hear but God sees hollownesse We do but observe the surface but Gods eye pierceth into the entrails of every action He sees not as man sees Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart How exact should we be even in secret walkings we being constantly in the view of so accurate an observer We should set the Lord always before us The eye of God should ever be in our eys the presence of God is the counterpoyson of sin Whensoever thou art sinning remember that all thou dost is book'd in Gods omniscience Latimer being examined by his Popish Adversaries heard a pen walking behind the hangings to take all his words this made him wary how he express'd himself but more cause have we to fear sin since God writes down every offence and will one day so read over his book to Conscience that it shall be compell'd to copie it out with infinite horror God did but read one page one line of this book one sin to the conscience of Judas and the terror thereof made him his own executioner 2 How foolish are sinners Observ 2. who are so despairing at and yet so fearlesse before the pronouncing of the last sentence Most irrationall is that resolution Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily therefore to be fully set to do evill Eccles 8.11 How wise were it to argue contrarily Because the sentence is deferr'd therefore let us labour to have it prevented and to say with the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought we to be The deferring of judgment is no signe of its prevention the speedy repentance of sinners would be a much more comfortable prediction Wrath when it is to come may be fled from when once it is come it is unavoidable Christians be as wise for your souls as the Egyptians were for their cattel who fearing the threatning of bail took them into houses Faith in threatnings of judgment may prevent the feeling of judgments threatned For your souls sake be warned to get your pardon in the blood if ever you would avoid the sentence of the mouth of Christ If the Judg give you not a pardon here he will give you a sentence hereafter It 's onely the blood of Christ which can blot the book of Judgment Judg your selves and passe an irrevocable sentence upon your sins if you would not be sentenc'd for your sins Repent at the hearing of Ministers in this your day for if you put off that work till God speaks in his day Repentance it self will be unprofitable If you harden your hearts here in sin the heart of Christ will be hardened hereafter in his sentencing and your suffering The great work of poor Ministers is the prevention of the dreadfull sound of the last Sentence Knowing the terror of the Lord they warn you All the hatred we meet with in the world is for our loving plainness herein but we will not cease to warn you with tears as well as with sweat we can better bear your hatred here then either you or we bear Gods hereafter and we had rather your lusts should curse us here then your souls to all eternity If our voyce cannot make you bend Gods will make you break If you will not hearken is it not because the Lord will slay you 3 Great is the sinfulness of rash judgment Observat 3 It 's a sin that robs Christ of his honour whereby a man advanceth himself into Christs Tribunal and which takes the work of judgment out of Christs hand and therefore the Apostle Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 4 5. strongly argues a-against it from the last judgment Christians commit this sin both by a curious inquisition into the wayes of others for this end that they may finde out matter of defamation and principally by passing of sentence or giving of censure against the persons and practices of others without a
the second viz. Why the Lord would shew forth such an example of Caution Hereby he would shew 1. Our naturall forwardnesse to sin in like manner He who saith Take heed of such a practice shews a likelihood without care of doing the very same The naturall inclination of our hearts answers to that of the greatest sinners as face answers face in the glasse Their practices are but expositions upon our natures It is a Proverb What fools speak wise men think I am sure 't is a truth To that which the worst man acteth the heart of the best man without grace inclines And though the godly are not companions with the wicked in sin yet should they be humble for the very sinning of the wicked 2. His constant abhorrence of sin Examples of Caution speak both Gods hatred of the sin of those who went before whose punishments are the monuments of his vengeance as also his equall dislike of it in those who succeed against whom if they will sin he is prepared to do what he hath done against the former Though Gods forbearance towards some shews that sometime he can spare sinners yet his punishing of others shews that he never loves sin 3. The aptitude of examples for to prevent sin Greater is our forwardnesse to be affected with what we see executed then with what we hear denounced My eye saith the Prophet affecteth mine heart Examples either of imitation or caution work more on us then Doctrines The rod hath a louder voice then the word a mans word will not be so soon taken as his hand and seal God hath not only set seals to his promises but to his threatnings also and such seals as are examples Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord and beleeved c Exod. 14.31 When thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Isai 26.9 When a scorner is punished saith Solomon the simple is made wise Prov. 21.11 At the death of Ananias and Saphira Act. 5.11 Luk. 16.30 great fear came upon all the Church If one went from the dead said that tormented Glutton they will repent 4. His mercifull willingnesse to prevent our ruine The Lord gives us to see that so we may not be examples and lets us read the stories of others that so we may not be stories to others Such is the goodnesse of God that he had rather we should be drove away from then destroyed in sin Oft doth God recall to the minds of Israel the sins and punishments of their forefathers and his plagues upon the Egyptians It had been as easie for God to have destroyed them with as warned them by others had not mercy pâ—â—ased him Quot vulnera tot ora Every wound of another is a mouth that calls upon us to repent 5. The inexcusablenesse of sinning after the setting examples before us Dan. 5.22 This was the great aggravation of Belshazzers pride that he humbled not his heart though he knew the judgment which God had layed upon his father for the very sin of pride Thus likewise the Prophet hightens the impiety of Judah in that notwithstanding Judah saw the idolatry which Israel had committed against God and what judgements God had laid upon Israel yet Judah feared not but went and played the harlot also How just is God in hitting those to whom he had said before Stand off They who sin against examples sin presumptuously and even to a contempt of all Gods attributes his Immutability Power Righteousnesse Long suffering c. They cannot sin at so cheap a rate as those who never were warned He who will ride into the depth of the river notwithstanding the stake deserves irrecoverably to be drowned That thief offends obstinately who will rob in that place where his fellow hangs in chains OBSERVATIONS 1. The works of God especially his judgements Observ 1. have a language as well as his word Examples of judgement are visible Sermons and speak the pleasure of God When God forbears to punish he is said to keep silence Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath saith the Psalmist and vex them in his sore displeasure A word is significative and God is not only known by his word but even by his works also and particularly by his judgment which he executeth Psa l 9.16 Idem Deo facere loqui A word is not more easily uttered then the greatest work is performed by God There is nothing done by God but as a word is filia mentis produced by the mind was first determined before in his secret counsell There is no word so diffusive and scattered among so many as the works of God are there being no speech nor language where their voice is not heard In short Quot verbera tot verba No word or speech requires so much attention as the works of God do observation It is a shame for us that God hath spoken so often and so loud so long so plainly by them and that wee will not hear If that voice be not loud enough and if he hath stood too far to be heard he will speak more loudly and come nearer to us to our cost Intreat the Lord to open the ear as well as to speak the word and to teach as well as to speak Psal 94.12 2 Great Observ 2. is the excellency of the word in point of purity It sets not forth sins by way of meer relation much lesse by way of imitation but by way of caution As in it the filthiest of sins are spoken of modestly and purely so they are mentioned as punished severely Gen. 39.5 Gen. 38.26 Lev. 18.6 7. Sodoms filthinesse is set forth in Scripture but so likewise are Sodoms flames and both to warn us not to allure us The Scripture mentions the scourge as well as the sin of the holyest man the Medicine as well as the Malady how groundlesse is their impiety who take liberty to sin from reading of sins especially of good men in the Word what is this but to read it with Satans spectacles who as he cites so alwayes shews Scripture by halfs To sin without examples of caution is bad to sin against them is worse to sin by them is worst of all the first is to walk the second to run the third to flye to hell 3 Publick and notorious offenders Observ 3. ought to be open examples Sodom is not afraid to declare their sin and God declares it to make others afraid Though punishment should reach but a few yet fear should reach all Secret punishment is a plaister not broad enough for an open a scandalous fault God threatens even his otherwise dear David that he who had made the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.12 should be punished before all Israel and before the Sun Private corrections for open crimes are not plaisters to cure but only
Judgement An unjust Judge is a Solecism a contradiction A Judge should be the Law enlivened To this end Judges must be godly Righteousnesse will not stand without Religion Jethro's advice to Moses was Chuse men fearing God Exod. 18.21 Let the fear of the Lord be upon you said Jehoshaphat to the Judges 2 Chr. 19.6 7. The Aethiopians apprehended that the Angels attended on all Judicatories and therefore as I have read of them they left twelve chairs empty in the judgment-place which they said were the Seats of the Angels but Judges must believe that a greater than the Angels is there 2. Impartiall He must not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty Lev. 19.15 and Deut. 1.17 He must hear the small as well as the great There must no mans condition be regarded in judgement nor must the Judge behold the face of any ones person but the face of his cause Job 34.19 God accepts not the persons of Princes A Judge will be a sun of righteousness it shining as well upon the beggar as the noble 3. A Master of his affections Anger hatred pity fear c. the clouds of Affection will hinder the Sunshine of justice The Athenian Judges us'd to sit in Mars-street to shew that they had Martiall hearts Constantine is termed a man-childe Rev. 12.5 So Brightman for his courage He who wil go up to the mount of Justice must leave his affections as Abraham did his Asse and Servants at the foot thereof Love and wisdom seldome dwell under one roof and the fear of man is a snare A Coward we say cannot be an honest man nor will a fearfull and flexible Judge be able to say injustice Nay 4. Deliberate In the case of information about false Worship Deut. 17.3 Moses directs to this deliberation before sentence be given If it be told thee and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently and behold it be true and the thing certain c. then shalt thou bring forth the man c. What plenty of words are here to prevent precipitancy in Judicature It much commended the integrity of Job who professeth Job 29.16 The cause which I knew not I searched out †See the example of the Heathen Festus Act. 25.16 Both sides must be heard the small as well as the great Though a Judges * Qui statuit aliquid parte inaudita alerâ aequum licit statuerit haud aequus fuit Sen. in Med. sentence be right yet hee is not right in giving it if he give it before either party be heard 5. A lover of truth A man of truth Exod. 18.21 Hating lying executing the judgement of truth Zech. 8.16 His heart must love his tongue speak the truth Exod. 18.21.23.8 Deut. 16.19.27.26 2 Chron. 19.7 nor will the hand without go right if the wheels within go wrong 6. Incorrupt Hating bribes because hating covetousnesse A gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous Of whose hand saith Samuel have I received any gift to blind mine eyes therewith 1 Sam. 12.3 A Judge must neither take money to be unjust nor to be just Righteousnesse is its own reward The Thebeans erected the Statues of their Judges without hands the gaine of bribes is sum'd up Job 15.34 Fire shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery 7. Sober and Temperate He that followes the pleasures that attend on Majesty will soon neglect the paines which belong to Magistracy It was a prudent instruction of Lemuel's mother Prov. 31.4 5. It is not for Kings It is not for Kings O Lemuel to drink wine nor for Princes to drink strong drink lest they drink and forget the law and pervert the judgement of any of the afflicted Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart Hos 4.11 Some understand those words Jer. 21.12 Execute judgement in the morning properly as if they should performe acts of judgement early before they were indangered by abundant eating or feasting to render themselves less able to discerne of causes 2. The second branch of Jurisdiction which belongs to the Magistrate consisteth in the Dstribution of rewards and punishments 1. Of Rewards to those who keep 2. Of Punishments to those who break the Lawes 1. Of Rewards Of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 13. Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise Of this the Supreme Lord gives an example who joynes shewing mercy to thousands with visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children Exod. 20. Nor must a Magistrate be a Sun only for lustre of Majesty but also for warmth and benignity 2. Of Punishments These are of sundry kinds Some concern the name as degradations some the estate as pecuniary mulcts some the body and these are either Capitall or not Capitall as mutilation of some part c. Evident it is from Scripture-commands that it is the Magistrates duty to punish Deut. 19.21 the Judges shall make diligent inquisition c. And thine eye shall not pity but life shall go for life 2. From his Function Rom. 13.4 He beareth not the sword in vaine Governours are for the punishment of evill doers 3. From the Benefit of these punishments To the punished who may grieve for what they have done to the Spectators who may be warned from doing the like Prov. 19.25 Deut. 19 19r Indulgentia flagitiorum illecebra Exod. 21.12 Lâ—v. 24.17 c. Sinfull indulgence silently yet strongly invites to a second wickednesse Even Capitall punishments are injoyned by Scripture Gen. 9.6 Who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed A Law which being before the erection of the Mosaicall Polity shews that the Lawes which afterward commanded Capitall punishments did not simply and absolutely but only in respect of some circumstances concern the Israelites The capitall punishment of Malefactors by the Magistrate was dictated by the Law of Nature And as the force of the foresaid command was before so did it continue after Moses Christ himself even from it drawing an Argument to disswade Peter from shedding of blood Mat. 26.52 Nor do I understand but that if all punishments of Malefactors by the sword be now unlawful as Anabaptists dream it must necessarily follow that all defending of the subjects by the sword against an invading enemy is unlawfull also the publick peace being opposed by the one as much as the other nay may we not argue That if the power of the sword belong not to the Magistrate to defend the Common-wealth that it belongs not to any private man to defend himself against the violent assaults of a murderer In sum Capitall punishments may be inflicted but sparingly slowly It is observed by some That God was longer in destroying Jericho then in making the whole world Satius est ut euret pharmacum quam sanet ferrum As many Funerals disgrace a Physician so many executions dishonour a Magistrate The execution of Justice should like Thunder fear many and
brats at her Neighbours doors In short the weak ground of this imputation of Rebellion to the Godly hath been their refusing to obey such commands of Magistrates as they apprehended sinfull And truly in this case Bene quod apposuit â—t quae sunt Det Deo hoc est imaginem Caesaris Caesari quae in nummo est imaginem Dei Deo quae in bomine est ut Caesari quidem pecuniam reddas Deo temetipsum Tert. lib. de idol c. 15. Extra territorium jus dicenti impune non paretur Observ ult when Christ calls another way I neither owe buriall to my dead nor obedience to my living though Politicall Father And as Tertullian holily descants upon those words of Christ Render to Caesar the things which are Caesars and to God c. It s well added And to God the things that are Gods that is give the image of Caesar to Caesar which is on his Coin and give the image of God to God which is in man so as Caesar may have thy money but God thy self And as according to the Civillians we must not give obedience to him that gives Law out of his own Territory so neither obey man when he goes beyond his bounds in commanding against the word and in this the Apostles Act. 5.29 and the three servants of God in Babylon have been our examples 7. Lust opposeth restraint is an enemy to Dominion loves not to be bridled Libertines despise Dominion and reject Magistracy because thereby their licencious humour is restrained The mad upon lust like the mad dog are the more inraged by the chain which curbs They who run to excess of riot in this their pouring forth if they meet with opposition like the stop'd stream swell the higher and overflow the banks Act. 19.28 1 Sam. 2.22.25 Judg. 20.14 This opposing of restraint goeth along with every lust but especially with that of carnall uncleannesse they who defile the flesh reject Dominion The sons of Eli were lustfull and withall disobedient to the command of the Magistrate The Gibeonites were as refractory to the message of Israel as they were addicted to filthinesse The Sodomites were at the same time both set upon their uncleanesse and enraged against Lots counsel The Anabaptists of Munster were grown to that heighth of uncleannesse that they openly taught men might marry as many wives as they pleased and John of Leyden their King upon a pretended revelation from Heaven presently marryed three and they who were most bold in this kind and took most wives were accounted the best men and most commendable But the fruit of this Doctrine was their teaching that before the day of Judgement Christ had a worldly Kingdome and in that the Saints only had Dominion that this Kingdom was that of the Anabaptists newly begun wherein Magistracy was to be rooted out and although Christ and his Apostles had no civil government yet that they had committed the same with the power of the sword to those who after them should teach in the Church Nor is it possible but that lust should vehemently oppose restraint considering its propensions and motions are naturall and therefore strong as also furthered by all the helps which a powerfull and impure spirit can invent and apply False then is the pretence of Libertines who would be thought only ro oppose the irregularities of Magistracy or Ministry when as it is clear that their lusts are most offended at the being of their ordinations and the consciencious discharge of them And much should this comfort those who are thus consciencious in the midst of all the rage and reproach with which they are followed for their faithfulnesse It is a sign they have disquieted mens lusts and as Luther once said that when Satan roars they have given him a full blow Nor yet should the unquietnesse and troubles of the world be laid at the door of restraint and Dominion If religious opposition drawes out mens rage it doth it by labouring to keep it in or rather to take it away From mens lusts are warres in that they will not stoop to God who will not lay aside his dominion to gratifie licenciousnesse In a word We may hence gather the insufficiency of humane laws nay any externall means to change the heart from a love of sin they may possibly restrein and curb and frequently they irritate and enrage sinners it s only the power of grace at once to take away the disobedience of the life and the despising of the heart To conclude We may hence learn the direct way to avoid the sin of these Seducers oppose lusts these put people upon opposing of Magistracy Such are 1. Covetousness when men desire to set the Nations on fire that they may steal away the goods and to have States wrackt that the goods may be cast upon their costs 2. Discontentednesse with our condition The trees in Jothams Parable pleased themselves in their own station of privacy and usefulnesse and she was a wise woman who contented her selfe with her abode among her own people 3. Ambition and affectation of superiority it s better to be fit to rule then to rule and not to be fit He is only worthy of honour of whom honour it self is unworthy and to whom it even sues for acceptance Absolom aspired to be high in his life and he was in his death as high as the boughs of the tree a fit reward for his ambitious climbing 4. Envy at the height of others whereby men look into the failings of Magistrates to blemish them and will not see the gifts and graces of their Superiors but only with repining grieving not because things go ill but because they go no worse A cursed temper 5. Selfe conceitednesse whereby with Absolom men think themselves fitter to sit at the stern then any placed there already 6. Implacablenesse whereby private injuries are retain'd with a watching of all occasions of revenge though to the involving of multitudes in the co-partnership of their own sedition and destruction In a word So long as we love lust we cannot conscienciously obey Magiserates and yet so long as we have luft we cannot be without Magistrates The Lord fit us for that condition wherein we shall not be troubled with the former nor stand in need of the later FINIS