with the wicked though they may be cast among them Let us not censure the faithful in their most tossed estate There 's not a drop of wrath in a sea of a Saints sufferings Could you see how free his inside is and his end shall be from storms and tossings you would rather envy then censure him the waves which Satan raiseth shew that he hath a treasure which that enemie would fain have cast away but yet should he so far prevail t is a treasure which wil swim to shore with him To conclude let the faithful of all people most prepare for storms and waves as it is best for them to be among raging waves so it s too much for them both to have a haven in their passage and in the end of their passage too As long as the people of God are sayling to that port the divel wil tosse them and this he wil do though nay because he cannot destroy them Let them be sure that by faith they get Christ into the ship or rather into their souls that by obedience they undertake their voyage for him that their cause be good and that by repentance they cast out every Jonah and then let them fear no waves 4 The Church hath most trouble from those within her Obser 4. She hath sometime saith Bernard had peace from Heathens Pax à Pagauis nunquam à filiis never or but very rarely from her own children No adversaries were such raging waves as these who were domestical Of your selves saith Paul Acts 20.30 shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Grievous wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the flock These Seducers were not Heathens without but Professours who had crept into the Church No evils are so great as those which come to the Church from within The inward intestine divisions ruptures heresies schisms have cost the Church more lamentations then ever did her persecution from without The heathen Emperors never were so vexatious to her as Arians Donatists Anabaptists Papists Outward enemies scratch the face they within stab the heart of the Church From the former she suffered by the latter she both sinned and suffered by the former she was under Persecution from men by the latter under Provocation against God by the former she was but sollicited to tell where her great strength lay by the latter she cut off her locks threw away her own weapons and betrayed her strength by her suffering from without the enemies laboured to beat her off from continuing Christian by her scandal within she beats them off from becoming Christians Wonder not then that the Divel hath alwayes used this home-bred engine of evil against the Church namely the ungodly carriage of those within her and the stirring up troubles in her own bowels He knows that there is no sword to this and that they will never adventure their lives for God and one another in war who will neither love God nor one another in peace Oh how should Christians labour to disappoint and countermine this the Divels most destructive policie Christians if we must die let us die like men by an unanimous holy contention against the common Enemie not like fools by giving him our sword and destroying one another by heresies schisms prophaneness in our own bowels 5 Sin is a persons greatest shame Observ 5 That which should most make him ashamed and confounded in himself and that which shall make him a spectacle of shame disgrace and infamie to others O my God said Ezra chap. 9.6 I am ashamed and blush to lift up my sace to thee for our iniquities are increased c. There is the shame that sin should make in us Thou hast consulted shame to thine own house Hab. 2.10 by cutting off many people and hast sinned against thine own soul Psal 40.14 Let them be brought to shame So Nah. 3.5 I will shew c. the Kingdoms thy shame there is the shame that sin brings upon us In the former respect sin should be shame in the latter it shall be shame It s sin only which deprives a man of true glorie and excellencie and is the degradation of his nature Men account that their shame which to do or suffer is much below their port and rank Oh how much goes that man below himself who was created Gods favourite and son having his love fixt and image stampt upon him the Viceroy of the creation a consort with Angels whose nature is taken into the union of the person of the son of God whose purchase was no less then the blood of God whose soul is a little heaven for the great God to dwell in whose bodie is the Temple of the holy Ghost whose habitation shall be the Empyrean heaven a Citie a Kingdome purer more glorious then a thousand Suns nay in comparison whereof a thousand Suns are but sack-cloth How much I say goes this excellent creature below himself in being a thorow-fare threshold foot-stool vassal to unclean spirits yea in having his heaven-born soul a very sink or common receptacle for that which is infinitely baser then all the dung off-scouring filth excrements upon earth or then any thing which hath a being How much lower is this descending then for a King to imbrace dung-hils or for Nebuchadnezzar to be a companion for beasts Rom. 6.21 Well might the Apostle say that of this condition the Romans were now ashamed Indeed there is nothing but sin which truly disgraceth a man Nothing but sin which disgraceth a man in Gods eye whose estimate is the true Standard of Honour nothing but sin makes us unfit for that habitation of glory nothing shameful unless sinning but befell the Lord of glory Nothing but sin which will make us unglorious at the last day when Christ shall appear with ten thousands of glorious Saints and Angels Oh how much are they mistaken who account sinne their glory who are asham'd of their glory holiness Pudor est medi. cina pudoris and glory in their shame their sin Are there not many who cannot blush in the doing of that Eph. 5.12 Jer. 8.12 at the hearing whereof t is our duty to blush They were not ashamed neither could they blush they have sin'd away shame in stead of being ashamed of sin and will not now suffer nature to draw her vail of blushing before their abominations When the Colours and Ensigns of a battle are lost we then give the battle for lost some have aptly called blushing the colour of vertue displaid by nature in the countenance When Satan hath taken away our colours and custome of sin hath banished even sense of sin and shame for sin our case seems to be desperate Other evils which sin bringeth are curable the anguish of conscience the wrath of God the breach of charity but the shame of sin can nay must never be got out the more holy we are now the more should we be
the flesh are opposed Gal. 6.4 The opposition also is remarkable be not drunk with wine c. but be fill'd with the spirit Eph. 5.18 when sense is gratified the spirit is opposed Marke the like opposition also Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 13.14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill it in the lusts thereof and Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh these have contrary originalls the one is from earth the other from heaven The motions of sensuall lusts and the spirit are contrary one downward another upward a man cannot look those contrary wayes at once Lust like the womans disease in the Gospel bowes us down to the earth the spirit moves to the things above Like two ballances if one goe up the other goes down they put upon contrary practises Gal. 5.17 walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the deeds of the flesh Gal. 5.16 They both endeavour to take up and each to ingrosse and monopolize the whole man soul and body they will neither endure to have their dominion over man parted They can admit of no accommodation what ever means or helps advance the one suppresse and expell the other The fuel of lust worldly excesse extinguisheth the spirit the preservatives of the spirit prayer word fasting meditation are the poysons of lusts Oh the madnesse then of those who thin◠to serve these contrary masters Matth. 6.4 If one be loved the other must be forsaken The allowance of any inordinate lust is inconsistent with the spirit How great should our care be hence to take the spirits part against the flesh 1. by a through hearty inward work of mortification the plucking up of lust by the roots not only by snibbing the blade of it 2. By a holy and watchful moderation in worldly enjoyments behind which Satan like the Philistines ever lies in ambush when the lust like Delilah is tempting 3. By diverting thy joyes and pleasure upon heavenly objects and 4. By labouring for a sanctified improvement of all the stoppages in the way of lust and Gods breaking down thy bridges in thy march They who want the spirit are easily brought over to sensuality Obs ult Vide Part. 2. ver 10. They had not the spirit and no wonder if sensual Natural light is not enough to overcome natural lusts He who is but a meer man may soon become a prey to sensuality Vae soli woe to him that hath not this spirit to renew him nay constantly to reside in him and to act him Even Saints themselves when the spirit withdraws and leaves them to themselvs how sensual have they proved David Lot Samson are proofs Let thy great care be then to keep the spirit from departing Psal 51. 'T was Davids prayer take not thy holy spirit from me Take heed of giving way to sinnes of pleasure or to sins of deliberation or to repeated sinnes or to sins against conscience or to the sin of pride and presumption of thine own strength delight not in sinful company Beware of worldly mindedness follow the dictates of the spirit and listen to its first motions Fruitfully improve the ordinances wherein the spiritdelights to breath VER 20. But ye Beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost THe second direction to teach the Christians how to observ the former exhortation to contend for the truth and to oppose seducers is building up themselves on their most holy faith yet so as this and the next direction are set down as dispositions and meanes to keep themselves in the love of God mentioned in the next verse In this the Apostle shews and we ought to explain thre things EXPLICATION 1. The Builders or the parties directed Beloved 2. Their Foundation their most holy faith 3. Their building thereon in these words building up your selves on c. 1. Of the parties here called Beloved Part. 1. I have largely spoken before 2. The Foundation Their most holy faith In this I might inquire 1. What is meant by faith 2. How it s call'd your faith 3. How it s call'd most holy 1. Concerning the several acceptations of faith I have largely spoken Par. 1. p. 117.118 c. when I handled the Apostolical exhortation of contending for the faith And here by faithh as in the forementioned place I understand the doctrine of faith For enlargement upon which Vid. ver 3. and wha◠about delivering of the faith I have there said and reasons why the word is called faith I refer the Reader to what I have spoken on the forenamed place 2. This faith is called your faith and the doctrine of faith was theirs 1. Because of Ministration it was delivered to the Saints and by God given to them and to others for their sakes 2. Because they received it were moulded into it it was so delivered to them that they as the Apostle speaks were delivered into it as it was ministred to them so it was accepted by them It was not scorned rejected but received embraced yea contended for by them It was effectually theirs as well as ministerially 3. Theirs it was in regard of the fruit and benefit of it It was for theirs the salvation of their souls 1 Pet. 1.9 It was to them a savour of life not a sentence of condemnation 3. 3 Vid. Lorin in loc It s called most holy faith 1. To put a difference between those unholy and fabulous dreames of these seducers the most impure inventions of the Gnosticks Jewish fables c. 2. Considered in it selfe and that 1. In its supream auhtor and efficient cause the holy Ghost It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by divne inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 2. In the Instruments of conveying it who were holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 3. Quanam Paul◠Epistol◠non melle dulcior non lacte candidior Hierom. In the matter of it which is altogether holy every word of God is pure The threatnings holy denounced against sin the precepts holy and such as put us onely upon holinesse the comforts and promises holy parts of a holy covenant and such as onely comfort in the practice of holinesse and encourage to holinesse and are made to holy ones 4. In the effects of it It works and exciteth holinesse in nature heart life It s that which being believingly lookt into makes the beholders holy like it selfe as the rods of Jacob which layd before the sheep made them bring forth young ones of the same colour with those rods 3. Their building on this foundation is contained in these words building up your selves Two things are in this branch comprehended 1. How we are to understand this building up 2. This building up of
gives over any enterprize he changeth not his nature but constrainedly leaveth his exercise he goes but t is when he can stay no longer when his Cummission is expired Every commanded performance or forbearance is not a sign of grace That which is incident to the Divel argues no grace in man Balaam was forbidden to curse the people of God and he forbears but forcedly against his will Let not men content themselves with the Divels obedience To leave sin for fear of hell may go along with the love of it more then heaven When Moses's Parents exposed him to the waters they loved him as much as or more then ever To leave sin for want of a body to commit it is not to leave our affection to it the leaving of sin at our death-beds is seldome true ever suspicious God loves a living Christian any one will be a Christian dying Duties without must flow from a gracious forwardness within Joyn that in thy obedience which the Divel hath divorced inward subjection to outward services It s one thing to be hindred from another thing to hate sin The rebukes of our Superiors may cause the former a Principle of inward renovation can onely produce the later More of this in my former part p. 491 492 497. 2. Observ 2. Gods power limits Satans Though the will of Satan shall never be changed yet his power is by God often curbed when he is most violently running on in any way of opposition to God or man God can stop and chide him back of this also par 1.442 447. With what an holy fearlesness may the godly go on in duty The wicked are willingly serviceable to a Master who cannot protect them from Gods wrath Oh let us serve him chearfully who is able and willing to keep us from the Divels rage we see likewise to whom we owe our preservation onely to him who rebukes Divels 3. Observ 3. How easily doth God prevail over his greatest Enemies T is but as it were a chiding and rebuking them and even in their greatest fury they are mute and dare not cannot quetch what more easie then for a Master to give a word of rebuke a word of Gods mouth is enough to make the Divels tremble they are all underlings to God they are before him as nothing the greatest mountain of worldly strength and opposition shall be before God but a mountain of chaff If God do but ariâ—e Psalm 68.1 Psalm 2.4 his Enemies are scattered yea he who sits in heaven shall haâ—e them in derision he derides them sitting the fire doth not so easily consume the stubble the wind dissipate the smoak the Rod of iron break in pieces a Potters vessel as God overthrowes his Enemies With a word did God make the creature with a word he moves it with a word he stops it with a word he destroys it in all these Psal 142.15 his word as the Psalmist speaks runneth very swiftly How vain are they who think that worldly greatness their wealth their strength their youth can shield them from the stroke of Gods power whetted with his wrath The sithe can get as well through the green grass as the dry stubble He who hath but faith enough to believe himself a creature may be caution'd against Security in sin The most glistring Monarch is but a gilded potsherd in nothing so mad as to think it self safe in contending with its maker nor is it a less excusable folly to be swallowed up of fear by reason of the worldly greatness of any of Gods Enemies Who art thou that art afraid of man that shall dye and the Son of man that shall be made as grass Isa 51.12 and forgettest the Lord thy Maker At the rebuke of God his and our Enemies shall flee and fall How great is that folly whereby men sleight the great God and fear a silly worm All the peace and forbearance that God expresseth towards his Enemies proceeds not from his want of power but from the greatness of his patience a strong inducement to us who are weak worms to be patient under injuries which we cannot repel since God is so full of forbearance who is both infinitely provoked by and infinitely powerful to be avenged of his strongest Enemies 4. The holiest persons Observ 4. are most offended with practices that oppose Gods glory When Satan dishonours God the holy Angel cannot refrain from praying that God would rebuke him Michael doth not onely dispute for God but he desires God to plead for himself It would have been below Michael to have been affected with any thing a creature should have said or done unless the honour of God had been concerned nothing is little whereby Gods Name or mans soul suffers The more any one knows the excellencies in God or hath tasted of the love of God the less can he endure any thing either done or said against God Angels who continually behold the beauty of Gods face do most abhor that which doth blemish disparage it These sons of God endure not any thing whereby the honour of their Father suffers Heaven it self would be no heaven to those glorious Spirits should they be constrained to behold Gods name polluted No meer man ever had on earth so clear a glympse of Gods glory as had Moses nor was ever any so holily impatient when he apprehended a blemish to be cast upon it The broken Tables the Israelites which this meekest of men caused to be put to the sword yea his request that himself might be blotted out of the book of life rather then any blot should be cast upon Gods honour sufficiently prove that he who touch'd it touch'd the apple of his eye How unlike to Angels are they who put up no injuries with such a tame contentedness as those which are offered to Gods name who never say to any The Lord rebuke you but to those who dishonor themselves yea are ready to rebuke themselves whensoever they stumble upon any act of Zeal Surely the fire of such mens Zeal is not Angelical and heavenly but culinary and smoaky What likelihood that they shall ever inhabit the place that are such strangers to the disposition of Angels 5. Observ 5. It s unsutable to a gracious temper to recompence evil for evil Michael here commits his cause and remits revenge to God sutable to whose carriage is the command of Scripture against private revenge Prov. 20.22 Say not thou I will recompence evil and Prov. 24.29 Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will render to the man according to his work And Rom. 12.17 Recompence to no man evil for evil and ver 19. Avenge not your selves but rather give place to wrath Revenge opposeth the mind of God and it both disturbs and expels the Spirit which would abide in the soul and is the Spirit of Peace and Dove-like Meekness and le ts in and gives place to the Divel who
author and fountain of all blessings and so upon the receiving thereof ascribe the praise to God 2. That it may appear we understand our own desires and have sense of the thing we want 3. That others may mutually joyne with us in prayer 4. That our affections may be the more enlarged for as desires help us to words so words inflame our desires 5. To prevent distraction and interruption in our thoughts 3. Psal 38.9 Mat. 4.10 Prayer is made to God onely It is a principal point of divine service 1. God onely is religiously to be worshipt and served 2. God onely knowes whether we pray or no Jer. 23.23 i. e. from the heart 3. God onely is every where present to hear the suits of all 4. God onely is almighty and able to grant whatsoever we ask 4. In prayer as the desires must be made known to God so after a due manner but of that in the next part In the holy Ghost The manner of performing this duty is in the holy ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is in scriptures sometime mention made of praying in the spirit of man as 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the spirit or in the spirit i. e. say some may understanding and my heart or soule so as I may both understand and also be affected with what I pray And Eph. 6.18 The Apostle injoynes praying in the spirit which may be understood either of Gods spirit or mans but in this place particular and express mention is made of the holy spirit or the spirit of God in which we are to pray whereby is meant by the assistance motion inspiration strength help and guiding of the Spirit for as this sense agrees with the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated in which is in scripture oft of the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by as Matth. 5.34 35. swear c. neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by heaven nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the earth nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the head and 2 Cor. 6.6 7. it is eight times thus taken so is it most sutable to other places of scripture where the spirit of God is mentioned with prayer as Zec. 12.13 where is promised the spirit of supplication that is the spirit as giving bestowing and working the gift and grace of prayer as 2 Cor. 4.13 we read of the spirit of faith i.e. the spirit working faith and Rom 8.15 we read of the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which we cry Abba Father Jam. 5.16 we find mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth a prayer wrought in us and excited and so imports the efficacy and influence of the holy Ghost in enabling us to pray And the Apostle Rom. 8.26 most fully expresseth this truth 1. Affirmatively the spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us 2. Negatively saying we know not what to pray Whence it is cleare not that the spirit of God doth truly and properly pray for us as our high Priest and Mediator or as one of us for another the attributing of the office of Mediatour to the holy Ghost was one of Arius his heresies for then should there bee more than one Mediatour 1 Tim. 2.5 and God should request to God the holy Ghost being God but not man also as was Christ but that the spirit of God stirreth us up to pray quickneth and putteth life into our dead and dull spirits yea and infuseth into us such desires sighs and grones and suggesteth unto us such words as are acceptable to God which for their truth and sincerity for their vehemency and ardency for their power and efficcacy are unutterable they pierce through the heavens and enter un to the throne of grace and there make a loud cry in the ears of God More particularly from these expressions of both these Apostles Paul Jude we may consider wherein this assistance of the holy Ghost or this praying by the holy Ghost stands and consists And that is 1. In respect of the matter 2. Of the manner of our prayer 1. In respect of the matter of our prayer We pray in the holy Ghost as he instructs and teaches us to ask such things as are according to the will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.27 1 Job 5.14 lawfull and good things The Spirit of God stirs us not up to desire what his word forbids us to desire We know not what is good for our selves and God hath oft heard us by denying us Though when we ask bread our Father he gives us not a stone yet when we ask a stone God hath oft given us bread The thing asked if by the Spirit is warrantable the Spirit put us upon asking especially spiritual blessings as our lusts upon craving things which are their fuel The spirit of wisedome desires not its owne poyson 2. We pray in the holy Ghost in respect of the manner of our praying And that 1. As it enables us to pray sincerely and heartily Gods Spirit is a spirit of truth And whensoever wee pray in his spirit wee pray likewise in our owne and his stirs up ours to pray The prayer of a Saint goeth not out of fained lips The spirit lifts up the hand and the heart together Psal 25.1.86.4 Lam. 3.41 2. As it enables us to pray with fervency The motions of the Spirit as they are regular in regard of the object so vehement in regard of the manner Rom. 8.26 Its groanes are such as cannot be uttered The symboles of the spirit were fiery tongues Act. 2.2.3 and a mighty rushing wind As a bullet flyeth no further then the force of the powder carryeth it so prayer goeth no further then the fervour of the Spirit driveth it Prayer is called a knocking a seeking and figured by wrestling Gen. 32.26 Hos 12.4 Nay call'd a wrestling Rom. 15.30 The importunity required in prayer is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impudence Luke 11.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognationem habet cum verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod significat attendere intendere animumque advertere Oratio attentè fundi debet sluggish prayers are no spiritual prayers The device of shooting a letter at the end of a dart used as I have sometimes heard in sieges is a fit embleme of a soul sending its Epistle to heaven As the Spirit wrought vehemently in those holy men who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the holy Ghost to speak the word of God to men so it works fervently in those who are to speak in prayer to God David mentions the setting forth of his prayer as incense and incense burnt before it ascended there must be fired affections before out prayers will go up The Tribes Acts 26.27 are said to serve God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a stretching forth themselves with
Sam. 12 27 sent messengers to David to come and complete the Conquest by taking it fully lest the City should be called after his name He knew the jealousie of Kings in point of Honour he wisely might remember that the attributing of more thousands to Saul then to Dâ—vid though but by female singâ—ers had almost cost David his life God is jealous of his Honour he will not give it to another nor might any one take it to himself Of this largely in my former Part Ver. 6 Page 486 2. The highest Dignity is to be much in duty Observ 2. In this word Archangel here is equally both comprised Superiority and Service an Archangel is in english but an high and supreme Messenger or Waiter The service of God is the glory of the highest Angel How poor a Creature would Michael have thought himself had he not been a Messenger to Christ It s wel observed by some that Angels are more frequently called by their name of Office then of Nature oftner Angels then Spirits as if they more delighted in their being dutiful then in their very being And a Saint is as thankful that God will deign to be his Master as a sinner is proud that he can make men to be his own servants The dosius the good Emperor esteemed this the highest of all his Titles Vltimus Dei servus The lowest servant of Christ A person is truly so honourable as he is useful Pauls glory was not that he had ruled and domineer'd but laboured more then they all yea in the meanest services for Jesus Christ not in planting of and preaching to Churches or in governing them only but in stripes 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25 prisons â—ourneyes weariness perils hunger thirst cold nakedness The meanest service about a King is honorable Many think the glory of a Minister â—r Magistrate consists in Revenews fat Benefices large Incomes shining Retinue but ask an Archangel and he will say it is in being a servant a messenger How unglorious is a man in Scarlet Purple Gold Crowns nay with the most Eminent and Angelical parts if he serve not Christ by all He is at best but like a smal letter in the midst of a great Gay where there is though much flourish little benefit much hinderance to the Reader Oh how happy we if among us every one in Eminency laboured to joyn the Arch and the Angel together otherwise he who is most eminent in Dominion may but prove an arch Tyrant eminent for Riches an arch Usurer eminent for Learning an arch Heretick 3. Observ 3 The soveraignty and dominion of God extends it self even to the highest of created beings Even from the lowest worm to the highest the Arch-angel all are at the beck of the great God as every soul must be subject to the higher Power so every soul and power must be subject to him who is the highest he who excepts himself Qui se excipit se decipit Bern. ad Eugem deceives himself The greatest are at Gods disposal they must either be voluntarie servants or unvoluntary slaves God is the God of the mountains as well as the valleys He is indeed the God of the valleys to fill them but the God also of the mountains so as to be above them to level and pul them down No proud Pharaoh must say Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go Angels are great and high but God is greater Angels excell us but God even them in strength infinitely more then do they the lowest worm If one Angel can slay an hundred fourscore and five thousand what can the God of Angels doe This lessons both high and low the higest adversary to take heed of opposing the high God Are they stronger then he If he was a fool who thought himself wiser then Daniel much more is he such who thinks he is stronger then God The proudest Pharaohs Eâ— k. 28 3. Nebuchadnezzars must either break or bend God will either be known of them or on them The great design that God had in sending Nebuchadnezzar from his Babel among the beasts was That he might learn this lesson that the Lord ruleth in the kingdome of men Dan. 4.17 and giveth it to whomsoever he will This is his controversie with us still and never will it end till he have prevailed over us and be seen to have the better of us This subjection to God is that lesson which sooner or later every one must learn The true interest and wisdom of the greatest Potentates is to learn it here in the way lest they perish from it It lessons also the poorest Saints as in all their priviledges God wil yet be known to be their Lord as wel as their friend and therefore will be serv'd with holy fear so in all their sufferings from their proud enemies they may say with Solomon There be higher then they Eccles 5.8 The Lord on high is mightyer then the noyse of many waters yea then the mighty waves of the Sea The great God is their good freind he who hath the service of Angels hath goodnesse and protection for them When the strongest servant in the house beats and abuseth them the weakest child of God may say I 'le tel my father He can and will redresse every Saints injury 4. Great is the comlinesse of order Observ 4 even Angels have and love it There are Angels and there is one at least Archangel In heaven There must be a disparity among men Unisons make no good Musick even among the creatures where God immediately manifests his presence there are Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers what the differenceâ—is we know not that there is a difference we know Nay the Divel who is the great enemy of order and government on earth observes and upholds a kind of order and rule in hell Even there is a prince of Divels and the Divel and his Angels Though it's true the most powerfull divel is the most powerfully wicked nor heaven nor hell allow of a parity though there be no good yet there is some order in hell Holy Angels are no friends to levelling They are mistaken phanatick spirits who think it a point of perfection to be without Superiours would they be more perfect then the glorious Angels The truth is they cry out for this liberty that they may be in slavery to their lusts which government curbs and not so much for that they hate government the love whereof is implanted in all by the light of nature as because they hate those hands in which it is they would fain get it into their own and could they once do so tho none could govern so ill yet none would govern so much as themselves who most cry down ruling They who most â—ppose Government in others most desire the Government over others Evil angels who will not be subject to God are most tyrannical over meâ—â— Satan who would not continue in the worshipping of
God will justifie if Satan slander 2. Never leave integrity to remove infamy He that will part with a good conscience to get a great name shall lose name and conscience too 3. Defend and plead Gods cause against false accusation If we be shields to his he will defend ours 4. Let us be as careful of the names of others as of our own Let us not receive believe laugh at the slanders cast upon others Our name will be entertained at our neighbours houses as his is at ours We must open our mouths for the dumb the absent the innocent 5. Be willing the godly should reprove thee He who wil not hear a just admonition may justly hear an unjust accusation the smitings of freinds will prevent the stabbings of enemies Godly rebuke embraced will preserve thee from reproach and being a by-word 6. Accuse thy self before God humble thy soul for whatever thy self and others can alledge Be more vile in thine own then thou canst be in the thoughts or mouths of others and thereby flie to Jesus Christ who will answer all accusations within or without thee the clefts of that rock being the best refuge against the pursuit of slanderous tongues Oh how sweet is it to say in the midst of slanders Well yet my soul God hath nothing to lay to thy charge 10. False accusers imitate Satan Observ 10 they are the Divels first born and bear his name Their tongues are set on fire of hell but of the greatnesse of their sin I shall have clearer occasion to speak in the third and last part of this verse as also of the helpes against it This for the first part of this verse the parties contending Michael the Archangel and the Divel The second followes the strife or contention it self Michael contending with the Divel disputed about the body of Moses EXPLICATION In the explication of this second part the contention it self I shall speak 1. Of this combat as it 's set out more generally so here it is said that Michael contended 2. As it 's set out more particularly in the particular case and cause in which he contended and so it 's said Michael disputed about the body of Moses 1. More generally It is said that Michael contended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forensis est et ad judicia spectat Justinian in loc the word saith Justinian is borrowed from courts of judicature and belongs to judgments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to contend in judgment The word in Scripture is used severall waies and oft it signifies to hesitate and stagger or doubt Rom. 14.23 Matth. 21.21 Rom. 4.20 And the word imports a doubting with a contention Qui haesitat al tercantibus sententiis secum quasi litigat et disceptat Bud. in comment He that doubts or hesitates in a businesse being by different opinions drawn several waies finding a strugling and a contention as Budeus notes within himself as unresolved what course to take Rom. 14.1 The Apostle speaks of doubtfull or contentious disputations or as the word signifies contentions of disputations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altercationes disputationum Beza Acts 11.2 They of the circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contended with Peter It may here be demanded What are those contentions between good and bad Angels It s answered That they are either about things 1. of temporall or 2. of spiritual concernment 1. About Temporals and so they contend the good Angels for and the bad against the outward welfare of the people of God Psal 34.7 The good Angels like Souldiers pitch their tents about the godly to protect them where Satan pitcheth his forces to destroy them Evil Angels strive to drive men into places of danger the Divel would have had Christ to have leapt from the top of the pinacle Mat. 6.4 but the good Angels keep us in all our waies and bear us up in their arms Psal 91.12 When Elisha was beset the mountain was full of horses and chariots 1 King 6.17 The Divel who stir'd up Daniels enemies to have destroyed him by the Lions was disappointed by that good Angel Dan. 6.22 who shut the Lions mouths The Angels of God defended Jacob from the fury of his brother Esau Gen. 32.2 into whose heart Satan had put it to contrive Jacobs death Satan endeavours the destruction of people and countries but good Angels fight for their safety When Satan prevailed with David to number the people 2 Sam. 24.17 he left him fewer to number by seventy thousand Michael the chief of the chief princes protected the Jewes against the tyranny of the Persians Dan. 10.13 2 King 19.35 And an Angel smote an hundred fourscore and five thousand which came to destroy Judah Exod. 14.19 An Angel went between the Israelites and the army of Egyptians When Satan stir'd up Jezabel to seek and vow the death of Elijah 1 King 19.5 persecuted Elijah was fed and preserved by a good Angel Divels labour to destroy the families and estates of the godly as in the case of Job the Angels of God are their guard when 't is for their good to protect them and encamp about their persons and habitations 2. The contentions of good and bad Angels are about Spirituall things Jesus Christ who is the Spiritual head and husband of the Church was by evil Angels with deadly hatred opposed good Angels admire adore advance him When Christ was in the womb Satan would have had his mother suspected of uncleannesse so that her husband was minded to put her away but the good Angel affirms that what was conceived in her was of the Holy Ghost The Divel sought to murder him in his infancy The good Angels appeared in multitudes praising God at his nativity and one directs Joseph to carry Jesus into Egypt for his preservation from Herods cruelty The Divell tempts Christ Matth. 4. and tosseth him from place to place The good Angels when he was afterward faint and weary came and ministred to him The Divel through the whole course of his life stirs up persecution and raiseth slanders against him enters into Judas to betray him and into the Jewes fasly to accuse and crucifie him but as one good Angel appeared from heaven in his agony strengthening him so would more then twelve legions of such had God but given a commission have waited upon him and rescued him from his enemies The Divels malice against Christ dyed not with him but to baffle the glory of his resurrection he suggests the aspersion of his Disciples their stealing away his body by night The good Angels attest the glory of his resurrection to those who came to the Sepulchre and afterward his Asrension to those who look'd toward heaven assuring them also of his return to judgment Nor is the contention of good and bad Angels lesse about the Church of Christ The good Angels rejoyce at the enlargment of Christ kingdome
security not overthrow faith awaken not dishearken them And ever as the servants of God are afflicted so are they fitted for his service God is but trayning them to a due expertness in high emploiments The more any one contends for God the more let him expect to contend with Satan They who most stop the divels mouth least stop his malice Reckon upon Satans wrath if thou goest about Gods work they deceive themselves who expect to be quiet and serviceable at the same time such groundless apprehensions are but the inlets to apostacy and make us to forsake our duty because we cannot perform it with our outward ease To conclude Satans opposition should not discourage us from duty nay we should look upon it is an hopeful sign of the conscionable discharge of our duty Let us be sure that we are imployed by God in his work and that we labour to perform it after his mind and then let us account opposition our encouragement and crown as being that which almost only meets us in a good Cause 6 Decent burial belongs to the bodies of the departed Observ 6. God himself buried Moses nay as most think the grand Argument whereby Satan disputed with the Archangel Vid. Jun. in loc for the publickness of Moses his Sepulcher was the known fitness of bestowing a comely burial upon the bodies of Gods servants nor did Michael at all contend that Moses might not be buryed but that the Divel might not be at the Funeral or not have the interring of him Gen. 23. Nature it self teacheth a decency of Burial The very Heathens readily entertained Abrahams motion to sell him a Burying place yea they had it in their own practice Ver. 6. In the choice of our Sepulchers bury thy dead And want of burial is so hateful that some have been more restrained by the fear of not being buryed Gen. 25.9 Gen. 47.30 Gen. 50.25 then of dying Abraham was buryed in the same cave with Sarah after him Isaak Jacob Joseph there also was Rebecca bestowed And when the Kings and Judges of Israel are recorded their Burials with their places are also mentioned of which there are three ranks 1 Some deserving ill only buryed in the City of David the upper part of Jerusalem wherein was the Temple and Davids Palace but not in the Sepulcher of their fathers thus was Jehoram 2 Chron. 21.19 Joash who fell to Idolatry 2 Chron. 24.16 and Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.27 2. Others who were good Kings were buried in the City of David and in the Sepulchers of their fathers And 3. Some of the highest Merit were buryed in the City of David 2 King 9.37 in the Sepulchers of their fathers and in the upper part of the Sepulchers of the Sons of David as Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.33 Nor was it a smal judgment that God inflicted upon Baasha and Jezabel Jer. 22.19 that they should be buryed in the bellyes of dâ—gs that Jehoiakim should be buried with the burial of an Ass drag'd out by the heels and cast into a ditch Isal 14.20 Psal 63 11. and that the King of Babylon should not be joyned with the Kings in burial Neither was it a slight imprecation which fell from David Let them be a portion to Foxes nor a smal threatning Jer. 14 16. That the bones of the Kings Priests and Prophets should be taken out of the grave and laid open to the Sun and Moon 2 Sam. 2.5 Hence David highly commended the burying of Saul though a bad man for a good work As of a sore judgement doth the Church complain The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fouls of the Heaven c. there was none to bury them Sutable it is Psal 139. that so choice and curious a piece of Gods work-manship as mans body should not be carelesly laid aside yea it hath been repaired redeemed as well as made by God Gal. 4.4 5. Eph. 1.1.7 1 Cor. 6.20 partner in Redemption with the soul and bought with the precious bloud of Christ The body also God hath sanctified it 's his Temple The Oyntment of Sanctification rests not only upon the head the soul but diffuseth it self to the body the skirts also 1 Thess 5.23 The chair where the King of Glory hath sate should not be abused With the bodies of our deceased friends we had lately sweet commerce The body of the wife was lately entertained with dear embracement The body of our child a piece of our selves The body of a dear friend what was it but our self divided with a several skin The body of a faithful Minister an earthen Conduit-Pipe whereby God conveyed Spiritual comforts to the soul The body when living was a partner with the soul in all her actions it was the souls brother twin what could the soul do without it Whatever was in the understanding was conveyed by the sense The soul sees by the bodies eyes hears by its ears works by its hands c. yea even now still there is an indissoluble relation between the dust in the grave and the glorious soul as the union of Christs dead body to the deity was not dissolved in the time of its lying in the Sepulcher Burying places were not among the Jewes called the houses of the dead but of the living The body is sown not cast away it is not dead but sleepeth The grave is a bed and the Church-yards sleeping places In short the glory of the bodies future estate challengeth the honour of burial All the precious Oyntments bestowed upon the dead of old had been cast away had it not been for the hope of a Resurrection A great Heir that shal hereafter have a rich Inheritance is regarded though he be for the present in rags And this decent burial of the dead discovers the more then heathenish barbarousness of Papists who do not only deny but recal the granting of burial to the dead bodies of the Saints Paulus Fagius Pet. Martyrs Wife digging them up again as they did at Oxford and Cambridg in Queen Marye's time Herein worse then heathens as testifies the greater humanity of allowing Interment in Alexander to the body of Darius Hanibal to that of Marcellus Caesar to Pompey The comfort of Saints it is that the happiness of their sâ—uls is not confined to the burial of their bodies Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 Psal 139.16 who carefully keeps every one of their bones and as he left not one out of his book when he made them at first so to be sure neither shall one be missing when he will remake them their very bodies being the members of Christ and part of that lump whereof he was the first fruits Câ—r 15.20 To conclude this the care yet of a dead body should not be comparable to that of a â—â—ving soul What profit is it for the body to be embalmed
of Brutish Sensuality A mâ—â— may be laden with Gold and yet be as a Brute His being changed from Poor to Rich is but a poor change unless he be changed from Natural to Spiritual from an old to a new man Even the Wealthy Psal 49.10 is called a Fool and a brutish person and ver 12. Man being in honour abideth not he is like the Beast that perisheth Nero was a Lion Herod a Fox The Princes of Israel Wolves Kine of Bashan notwithstanding worldly glory Outward Ornaments make no inward alteration Hence see what is the true standard of Honour Lust is the souls degradation even in all earthly abundance only Grace makes us excellent it destroyes not but elevates nature Sensual objects do not elevate but corrupt us 5. Observ 3. Sensual appetite is deceitful When these Seducers knew things naturally with sensual knowledg they were led to corruption An ignis fatuus leads men into bogs and precipices Natural knowledg carryes men like filly beasts into a snare If the blind lead the blind both must fall into the ditch The Lusts of the sensitive appetite are foolish 1 Tim. 6.9 and therefore foolish because they make men fools who are led by them and Ephes 4.22 the old man is said to be corrupt according to decitful lusts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As man sheweth his infection with original pollution principally by his Lusts so those Lusts principally discover themselves in their Deceitfulness When they tempt a man to sin they promise pleasure and contentment they perform nothing less but leave the poor seduced sinner spoiled of his happiness and corrupted both inwardly outwardly and eternally Sensual delights strangle with a silken halter Latrones quasi laterones viatoribus amiâ—è se quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—djungunt ut incautos cò facilius grassentur kil a man in the embracing him and like Theeves wil ride friendly and pleasantly with the Passenger that so unawares they may the more easily destroy him Saint James saith a man is drawn away of his own Lusts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inticed They bait over every hook Oh that when a man saith How can I forbear the bait 〈◊〉 he would ask himself How can I endure the book Oh will the comfort countervail the corruption the spoiling not only of my body of my Goods but the loss of my Soul my Grace my Heaven my God my All. Consider the bitter farewel of al sinfully sweet morsels view them with a Scripture Prospective look upon them as going away as well as coming Behold their back their black side they are venenatae deliciae Poisoned Pleasures T is easier to pass by then get out of the snare If thou be a man of appetite Prov. 23.2 put a knife to thy throat Lust betrayes with a kiss Al carnal delights go out in a stink and commonly it is that of Brimstone As we cannor walk in this life by sight in respect of Glory so should we not in respect of Sensuality As we are absent from heaven in regard of Sense and present there in regard of Love so though we are present among earthly enjoyments in respect of Sense yet should we be absent in regard of affection To conclude this consider the difference betwixt Spiritual and Sensual pleasures The former are good in Harvest the latter only in Seeds-time They who sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Gal. 4.6 They who sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting The former are bitterly sweet the latter sweetly bitter The former turn water into wine as the latter do Wine into water In that which a man knows Spiritually and to which he is led by the guidance of the Spirit in that he preserves himself And its observable how the Apostle opposeth the deceitful Lusts in ver 22. of Ephes 4. to the Truth in Jesus ver 21. Christ is Truth Lust is vanity and deception Christ gives true happiness and more then was ever expected Lust deludes disappoints corrupts To end this needful Point In all worldly pleasures wisely draw off thy soul by comparing such sordid puddles with the crystal rivers of eternal joyes Let Moderation and heavenly Discourse be two dishes at every Banquet A Souldier supping with Plato who had provided nothing but green herbs said He who sups with Plato shall be better the next day Tertullian said of the Primitive Christians that they did not Tam coenam coenare quam disciplinam One would have thought they had been at a Sermon not at a Supper Oh that Spiriritual delights were more tasted He who lives at the Table of a King despiseth scraps and such are all worldly pleasures esteemed by him who hath tasted how sweet the Lord is The more pleasant any thing is to us the more suspected let it be by us Satan lies in ambush behind our lawful enjoyments as the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost so is Christian temperance the aedituus Tertullian or Keeper of that Temple VER 11. Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Core AT this verse and so on to the seventeenth our Apostle prosecutes the thrid part of that second Argument whereby he puts the Christians upon contending for the faith against Seducers That second Argument was taken from the certainty of the destruction of those Seducers and it s prosecuted from the fourth to the seventeenth verse of this Epistle Pag. 1. Part 2. In the managing whereof as hath been said before the Apostle having first set down several examples of Gods wrath upon others in former times for their sins from the fourth to the eighth verse And secondly Having declared that these Seducers lived in the same sins which God had formerly punish'd in others from the eight to this eleventh verse 3. He now thirdly concludes that these practising their impieties shall partake of their plagues And this conclusion he prosecutes throughout this eleventh verse and forward unto the seventeenth In the handling of which Conclusion the Apostle concludes the destruction of these 1. By propounding 2. By expounding it Or 1. By a Denunciation thereof 2. By a Delineation thereof 1. By propounding and denouncing thereof in those words of this eleventh verse Wo unto them 2. By an expounding or delineating thereof in the following expressions of this and the other verses unto the seventeenth and he expounds it by a mixed description of their sin and misery And he mixedly describes their sin and miseries the effects of their sins three wayes Nominat hos tres prae aliis quia hi tres fuere Dei fidei sanctitatis hostes ac fideles seducere Ecclesiam perdere voluerunt unde fuerunt Simonis Gnosticorum haereticorum typi prodromi Cor. Lapide in loc 1. From the sutable examples of Cain Balaam Core in this
Balaam cursed against his tongue so his tongue blessed against his heart God makes wicked men to serve him when they think most to resist him and that which is not nay is contrary to the end of the worker he makes the end of the work Lastly God will render wicked men inexcufable even by their own carriage they who preach and praise the ways of God to others can have no apology for their own not practising them let none then please himself with parts and gifts of edification without the power of godlinesse these are but like Vriahs letters which cut the throat of him that carried them A drop of grace is worth a sea of gifts he that can shed one tear of godly sorrow presents a more acceptable gift to God then all the silver and gold of Solomons Temple Light may make a good head onely heat can make a good heart The Divel knows more and can speak as good a Sermon as any man and yet he is still a Divel Rejoyce not therefore in gifts without grace not as Christ said that the Divels are subject unto you but in this that your names are written in heaven Labour for that which never was nor can be bestowed upon an enemy the Spirit may be assisting where it never is inhabiting God may speak to an enemy he only speaks peace to a friend Grace is the proper and genuine effect of the Spirit gifts are but as it were the outward artificial effects thereof and as much difference is there in the Spirits production of these two as between a mans begetting of his child and making of an house Gifts are as it were dead graces but graces are living gifts The greatest ministring gifts expel no lust mortifie no inordinate affection cleanse no heart when gifts are in their eminency sin may be in its prevalency In that man who is the fullest of them there may be as much room for the Devil to dwell as ever A man may be a great Scholer and yet a great sinner yea unless sanctified by grace the greater scholer the greater sinner and enemy to God and so the more gifts the more condemnation as it is with a sinking ship the more it s laden with gold the deeper it sinks so the more a man is laden with gifts without graces the deeper he sinks into hell Indeed gifts may beautifie grace but grace onely sanctifies gifts as the Gold beautified the Temple but the Temple sanctified the gold To conclude as there may be a gracious heart who never had these gifts so they who have them are not certain alwayes to enjoy them the least drop of saving grace shall grow to a river but the greatest flood of gifts may decay to lesse then a drop There 's nothing that God bestows upon us but he may repent of the giving thereof unless it be grace 3. Obs 3. It s great both impiety and ignominy to be a ringleader in sin with Balaam to mislead others The greatest Seducer who hath a double portion of wit to teach others error and heresie an Haeresiarch obtains no more by all this then to become primogenitus Diaboli Satans eldest Son Its honorable to lead others to Heaven to teach men the way to happiness to be an Abraham a Joshua a David to instruct our families to bring our house with our selves to serve the Lord to teach sinners in the way but to be a Jeroboam an Elymas a Balaam how disgraceful how destructive is it Have not men sins enough of their own unless they make the sins of others their own also How deeply shall they be plunged into hell Quid proderit non puniri suo qui alieno puniendus est peccato who are crush'd both with their own and their other mens sins also By every one whom thou hast made wicked shalt thou without repentance hereafter be made woful Some think that the reason why the rich Glutton desired that his brethren might not come into that place of torment with him was because the coming of those whom he had put upon sin would have been an addition to his torment Seldome will Princes pardon the ring-leaders of a Rebellion And rarely is it seen but that the Teachers of others to sin have been eminent either for repentance or ruin Corah Dathan c. who were ring-leaders in the rebellion smarted accordingly And think though God peradventure should at any time give thee repentance how many fresh bleedings and renewed troubles of soul will nay should be stirred up in thee by the recollection of thy former putting those upon sin who though sinning with thee it may be never repented with thee and so were either by thy counsel or example sent to hell It was not the least part of Pauls aggravation of his sin nor of his trouble even when he was converted that he had formerly compelled men to Blaspheme If thou hast led others to Hell God will not without deep repentance bring thee to Heaven And upon none lies there so strong an engagement as upon thee of doing good to others souls for time to come Paul converted was as earnest to draw men to Christ as formerly he was industrious to drive them from Christ * Of a Wolf he became a Shepherd 4. Observ 4. Love of Lust makes men Erroneous Balaams love to reward made him say any thing Of this largely in the former part page 615. 5 Observ 5. Desire of gain will carry a man upon any wickedness It neither fears nor forbears any sinful course for the attaining its end They that will be rich fall into tentation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful Lusts Avaritia est plus velle quam sat est Aug. de lib. arb l. 3. c. 17. Hom. 13. in Act. 1 Tim. 6.9 They meet with many enticements unto sin and they will not fear to embrace any enticement They are as Chrysostom expresseth it as a City without walls on every side beset with Besiegers and unable to resist any assault The love of money saith the Apostle is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Take this away saith Chrysostom and thou takest away all wickedness Fraud Rapine War Heresie Thest Lying Contention c. A covetous man saith he knows no friend nay no God Dicitur radix omnium malorum ad fimilitudinem radicis arboris quae alimentum praestat toti arbori Aquin. part 2. q. 84. Art 1. Ex parte intentionis superbia quae est appestitus excellentiae est initium omnis peccati sed ex parte executionis est primum id quod praebet opportunitatem adimplendi omnia desideria peccaii ex haec parte avaritia c. Art 2. ubi supra Dolus in Idolo Deos quisque sibi utiles cudit Pro ar is quia pro focis The love of money gives nourishment to every sin as the root doth to the whole tree And Aquinas conceives that though pride in respect of
Pelagius altered his opinions concerning Grace and Hilary reports of Arius that he had menstruam fidem for every month a sundry faith as if he had swallowed Moons that he was never consistent to and with himself before the Councel he held for the Divinity of Christ among his companions otherwise Thus the Apostle complains of the Galatians for their being so soon removed unto another Gospel 1 Gal. 6. and warnes his Ephesians chap. 4.14 that they should not be carried about c. and Peter 2 Pet. 2.14 mentions unstable souls Oft from Brownism men wander to Anabaptism from thence to Arminianism thence to Socinianisme and Arminianisme and then they become Seekers or rather indeed loosers of themselves just nothing as a thin empty cloud they are tossed so long up and down by winds that at length they come to nothing at all Their heads are like Inns and their opinions like Travellers which oft lodg not above one night in them like wax they take any new impression It s bard to say whether they are pluralists or neutralists in Religion and as hard to please them in any opinion as to make a Coat that should constantly fit the Moon They know they shall dy but in what faith they know not One error is ever a bridg to another 2 Pet. 3.16 They are called unlearned and unstable and therefore such as wrest the Scriptures whence its plain that by unstable he means such as were not grounded in the Faith and Learning of the Truth Hymeneus and Philetus who once held the Truth concerning the Resurrection afterward erred concerniag the Faith saying that the Resurrection was past already 2 Tim. 2.18 2. They might be carried about and unstable in respect of their affections the goodnesse whereof was onely by fits and pangs sometimes they were fire-hot perhaps in Religion soon after stone-cold their heat like that in the fit of an ague is not from nature but distemper and therefore though violent yet not permanent they resemble the Mariners Psal 107.26 of whom the Psalmist speaks that at one time they are mounted up to heaven and presently fall down again into the depths like David who in his youth was full of Spirits and vigor but in his old age grew cold and chilly these who somtime seem'd fervent in spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now are cold in their affections and come to a state of indifferency and neutrality and frame to themselves such a moderation as will just serve the scantling of the times They were they say forward and foolish in the heat of their youth to oppose sin but now they see their error and admire their present staiednesse and the golden mean which they have attained Thus it was with those unsettled Galatians who at first could have pull'd out their eyes for Paul Gal. 4.16 soon after counted him an eye-sore their enemy fortelling them the truth The Church of Ephesus had left her first love Rev. 2.4 Thus Alexander who as some think for his zeal against Diana the Heathens Idol Qui martyrio propinquus erat perfidum sceleratum apostatam factum videmus Cal. in Ac. 19. formidabile exemplum or as others for his noted love towards Paul was like to have been torn in pieces as a Martyr afterwards as Calvin thinks became Pauls deadly adversary 2 Tim. 4.14 and would have martyred him Johns hearers rejoyced in his light for a season Affections raised upon no true grounds will soon fall and by so much the greater will the fall be by how much the higher the building was They who have been sometimes more then Christians in their fervor for afterwards have proved worse then heathens in fury against the truth 3. They might be carried about and unstable in their practices very strict and precise in their carriage at the first very loose and profane afterwards Seducers grew from better to worse or as the Apostle speaks worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 golden professors haply in their youth silver in their middle age leaden in their old age They set out well but did not hold out at all so appearingly consciencious at the first that the very appearances of sin were shun'd so really wicked at last that the greatest abominations are not scrupled and they are grown so strong that their stomacks can digest those impieties with the very sight whereof heretofore they seem'd to be sick How frequently hath the glorious the morning beginnings of Christian Profession been overcast with the darknesse and gloomy cloudinesse of prophanenesse before the evening Many who have been elevated to a high pitch of Profession have faln like clouds into some dirty lane or slough of uncleannesse and loosnesse Gal. 3.3 They begin in the flesh and end in the flesh though they seem'd to have escapt the pollutions of the world and to be washt from their filthinesse yet they return with the dog to their vomit 2 Pet. 2.22 and with the sow to their wallowing in the mire 2. Plurium conflictus ventorum Lorin Impetuosus turbo Geth Luke 8 23. Mar. 4.37 Hebr. 13.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the second by what they were carried about and unsetled viz. By the windes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any blast which blows in the air but Peter 2 Pet. 2.17 saith they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried with a tempest the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifying a whirlwind not one wind but a conflict of many winds It s used by the Evangelists in the describing the tempest miraculously appeased and calmed by Christ There were several sorts of winds and tempests wherewith these Seducers were carried about 1. The wind of strange doctrines this is noted by the Apostle Hebr. 13.9 where he warns the Christians that they be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines And Eph. 4.14 with every wind of doctrine Every doctrine which was new was by them entertained as true They had itching ears delighted with novelty not obedient ears attentive to profitable truths whence it was that every new doctrine carried them a several way and that they meeting with several new Doctrines were hurried round as in a whirlwind and knew not where to rest The Divel pleased them like children with change of toyes The true Gospel was neglected for another as Paul speaks Gal. 1.6 they were of the same mind with him who taught them last they were meer moveables in the Church like the water ever of the same figure with the vessel into which its put like a company of cyphers which signifie what it pleaseth the Figure which is put before them 2. Seducers are carried about with the wind of fear to save their skins they car'd not what they held taught did they were impatient of persecution Thus speaks the Apostle of these seducers Gal. 6.12 They constrain you to be circumcised lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of
thy self when occasions of sin meet thee when winds crosse thee when reproofs and corrections would stop thee and blow in thy very teeth will thy heart neither like the dunghil stink when thou meetest with the sun-shine of an allurement nor with the sea foame when thou meetest with the wind of opposition canst thou then be calm with David and say Let the righteous smite me and with Job blesse the Lord and with the Church say I wil bear the indignation of the Lord for I have sinned against him and with that holy Martyr Lord I wil bow and thou shalt beat John Brown Canst thou kiss the rod lay thy hand upon thy murmuring mouth and desire that God would rather give thee submission to then deliverance from the stroke canst thou under smarest severities heartily beg of the Lord that he would have his wil of thee by pulling down thy proud stomack before he throws away his smartest rod And when the blasts of the word resist thy dearest corruption and oppose thee in thy sweetest wayes of sin when the faithful Minister levels his darts and sets the point of the drawn sword of the spirit most directly against thy bosome-lust canst thou then I say in stead of rebelling yeild thy self an humble prisoner to Jesus Christ fall down at his feet and say Lord I submit what wilt thou have me to do Blessed be thy strictest commands and threatnings against my sin and blessed be the mouth of thy servant which uttered them This is an happy sign that God hath begun to cleanse thy heart from that filth which one unrenewed would have put forth upon these occasions 11. Obs 11 The turbulent and unquiet temper of a wicked man makes him much to differ from a Saint The godly are indued with that wisdome from above which is peaceable they offer no wrongs they return no revenge their peace from God inclines their heart to peaceableness toward men a quiet conscience never produced an unquiet conversation The peace of God makes those who have offered wrong to others willing to make satisfaction and those who have suffered wrong from others readyto afford remission If the great God who is offended speaks peace to man should not poor man when an offender offer peace much more to man If God be pacified toward man upon his free grace should not man be pacified to man it being a commanded duty The more God quiets us the lesse shall we sinfully disquiet others Its the portion of Saints to find trouble in the world not their property to cause trouble in the world The reason why Gods people are accounted unpeaceable in the world is because they disquiet mens lusts Their wil is for peace but t is necessity which makes them contend Col. 3.15 The peace of God rules in their hearts and when the unquiet affections of anger hatred revenge arise in them like the judg or umpire of publick wrastlings this peace of God doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rule by appeasing stâ—ifes and ending controversies In short the people of God are doves sheep not birds and beasts of prey Christ gave the Lamb they wil not have the Lion or the Tiger for their cognisance The unpeaceablenesse of godly men is because they have no more godlinesse As the sons of God have a precept so have they a property to be harmlesse Phil. 2.15 The last resemblance whereby the Apostle describes the sin and misery of these seducers is contained in these words Wandring stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever EXPLICATION Two parts are here to be explained 1. Their title Wandring stars 2. Their estate To whom is reserved c. In the first their title two things are to be opened 1. What the Apostle here terms these seducers 2 Why he so terms them 1. What he here terms them viz. 1. Stars and those 2. Wandring Stars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundum aliquâ—s derivatur ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quòd a stra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putent esse id est ignea unde et ignes et flaâ—â— mâ— prâ— stellis c. sidus quia sidat insidat codemque loco stet Varro vocatum vult Alii deducunt à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scribendo cum y sydus q. sit signum in quo simul stella conspiciantur Lorin in loc 1. Stars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to enquire whither the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be derived from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying fire because stars appear fiery by poets called fires and flames or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of its coruscation and shining or from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because a star is never standing stil but alwaies in motion nor to discourse of the magnitude numbers motions influences of the stars The nature of a star properly so called is the same with that of the heaven wherein it s placed the Scripture mentions no difference between their nature and the parts of simple bodyes such are the heavens are of the same nature with the whole Besides if the stars were not of the same nature with the heavens they should be of an elementary nature and so their motion should be direct and straight whereas its ever circular And yet a star is not so transparent subtil and thin a body as is the other part of the heaven for if so it could not shine reflect and cast forth light more then doth the orb or heaven wherein it shines A thin and diaphonous body as the air may receive but not reflect light It hath therefore more thicknesse and condensation then the other parts of the heaven that so it may reflect and cast forth those beams which are cast upon it by the sun and in respect of that compactnesse and thickness wherein the star exceeds the other part of heaven the orb or heaven in which the star shines is not unfitly compared to meer and pure water but the star to water congealed or turned into ice Ipsi coeli quantum ad omnes partes in se quidem luminosi sunt Lumine corum substantiam penetrante non tamen nisi ratione astrorum possunt lumen de se refundere Ex hac sua densitate et Compactione habent ut possint radios solares ad se emissos reflectere Titelm phys p. 98. or as some make the comparison the heaven wherein the star is placed is like a broad and plain plank or cloven board but the star like the knot or knurle in the board 2. Wandring stars Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two sorts of wandring stars 1. Such as are commonly and properly called the seven planets which are termed planets or wandring stars not because they wander more then other stars or are rovingly and uncertainly carryed hither and thither for they have a most constant and regular motion which they duly fulfil in their set and definite
all their might 3. As it enables us to pray in faith 2 Cor. 3.14 Spiritus vicarius Christi the spirit is called the spirit of faith and the spirit of Christ as it s sent from him so it sends us to him The spirit so intercedes in us on earth for the operation and framing of our prayers that it sends us to him who intercedes for us in heaven for the acceptation of our prayers through Christ we have accesse by one Spirit unto the Father Eph. 2.18 And hence the Spirit enables us to pray in faith nothing wavering Jam. 1.6 in confidence that through the faith of him our prayers shall bee successefull in such a way as our gracious father in Christ sees best for us This is called the full assurance of faith Heb. 10 22. and a praying without doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 faith applying the promise Joh. 14.13 16.23 whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name he will give it you 4. As it enables us to pray in holinesse with pure hearts and hands He is a Spirit of holinesse his office is to make us holy wheresoever he witnesseth he washeth If he be a spirit of faith to strengthen our confidence in Christ hee is a spirit of holinesse to cause our conformity to Christ hence the spirit of grace is mentioned with the spirit of supplication As the spirit makes us come boldly before the throne of grace So he makes us come purely before it too as being a throne of glory If I regard iniquity in my heart saith David the Lord will not hear my prayer Psal 66.18 I will wash my hands in innocency so will I compasse thine altar This legall washing is Evangelically improved 1 Tim. 2.8 Lifting up holy hands and Heb. 10 22. 5. Lastly as it is enables to pray in love The spirit of love for so he is called 2 Tim. 1.17 never in prayer witnesseth Gods love to us unlesse hee drawes ours to him nay for his sake to others He never makes us lift up hands without doubting unlesse also without wrath 1 Tim. 2.8 and when hee makes us at peace with our selves Matth 5.24 hee makes us peaceable to others OBSERVATIONS 1. Obs 1. Without the spirit there 's no praying They who are totally destitute of the spirit in their natural condition can no more pray in faith then a dead man can crave help of another They may have the gift of prayer not in that state the grace of prayer All naturall men are in this respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brute and mute we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves The wicked call not upon God There 's no naturall man but is spiritually deaf and dumb If a man have not the spirit of grace hee must needs be destitute of the spirit of supplication He is a meer stranger to those prayer-graces faith fervency holinesse love c. Hee derides at prayer I mean prayer by the spirit the wicked they howl upon their beds not pray in the spirit they may say a prayer not pray a prayer as it said of Elijah who prayed in prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.16 they doe but make a lowd noyse like a wind-instrument They are but like Balaam into whose mouth God put a word without any heat of love or zeal in his soul But why speak I of natural men when as without the acting of the spirit in our very regenerate estate all our abilities to pray are presently gone as a wheel which is turned about with an hand if the hand be taken away the wheele will soon stand still It s necessary that unto the first grace following grace be added man after he is regenerate still needeth the present effectuall conetinuall work of the spirit Preventing grace is not effectuall unlesse helped with a supply of second grace 'T is true even of the regenerate without me ye can doe nothing God giveth first the will and then the deed and continuance of doing that which is truly good Grace must be every way grace else it will be no grace at all He that hath begun a good work in us must also perfect it Phil. 1.6 Oh how heavily do even saints draw and drive when they have sin'd away the spirit of prayer When saints have yielded to sin they are like a bird whose wings are besmear'd with birdlime they cannot flye up to heaven How lamely and miserably I have sometime thought did David pray upon his murder and adultery The fire which consumed the burnt-offering came out from the Lord. Lev. 9.24 2. 2. Obs How excellent and honourable a worke is that of prayer The whole Trinity hath a worke in this holy exercise the holy ghost frameth our requests The Son offereth them up to his Father Rev. 8.3 with his incense the prayers of the Saints are offered he prayes them as it were over againe and the Father accepteth these prayers thus framed and offered up 3. As without the Spirit there is no prayer 3. Obs so without prayer a man evidently shewes himselfe to have nothing of the spirit Wherever the Spirit is there will be praying in the spirit if the Spirit live in us 't will breath in us God never yet had nor ever will have a dumb Child They who are the Lords will name him 1 Tim. 2.19 They who are saints call upon Christ 1 Cor. 1.2 Breathing is a true property of life As soon as ever Paul was converted he prayed Act. 9.11 4. Obs 4. Needs must the prayers of the saints be acceptable They are by the holy Ghost his very grones and by him our spirits are made to grone Oratio longius vulnerat quam sagitta Exod. 17.11 Prayer prevaileth not onely over Creatures but even the very Creator himselfe One faithfull mans prayer is more forcible then a whole army There is a shadow of omnipotency in prayer It was said of Luther he could do what he would Needs must that petition be granted which the framer receives The Lord cannot more be out of love with prayer then with his own will Prayer is but a kinde of Counterpane or reflexion of Gods own pleasure 5. Obs 5. How good is God to his poore saints He not onely grants their prayers but makes their prayers God doth not onely provide a gift but an hand also to take it with not a feast onely but a stomack both grace for the desire and the very grace of desire Oh how sweet also are the Conditions of the Covenant of grace God bids us pray and helps us to pray Commands us duty and enables to performe it gives worke wages and strength 6. Obs 6. It s our greatest wisdome to get and keep the Spirit If either we never had it or lose it we cannot pray 1. 'T is gotten in the ministery of the gospel The Spirit is peculiar to the Gospel and not belonging to the law if
such a sympathy or compassion of heart as enclines us to relieve the miserable But as attributed to God and Christ in glory as here it notes either 1. A gracious disposition or inclination to help and succour us in our distresses De Na. Dei l. 4. c. 4. q 1 As for sympathy and compassion they are not as learned Zanchy observes essentiall to mercy in selfe but accidentall to it in regard of our present state 2. The effects and expressions of mercy or the actual helping of us out of our distresses and so God is said to have mercy on us and shew mercy to us Now these effects of mercy are either common or special Common such as are afforded to all men and creatures Psal 147.9 Luke 6.36 c. Special bestowed upon the elect who are the vessels of mercy and who onely have the inward effects of mercy in preventing and following grace the outward in justifying and glorifying mercy bestowed upon them And thus mercy is principally to be taken in this place and that peculiarly for those gracious expressions and discoveries of mercy which shall be shewn toward the faithful in acquitting and delivering them at Christs second coming or coming to judgment And this is called mercy in scripture 2 Tim. 1.18 where the Apostle speaking of Onesiphorus prayes that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day And deservedly its so called For 1. It comes from the purpose and intention of free favour and good will Joh. 6.39 This is the Fathers will that hath sent me that I should lose nothing c. Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your fathers good will to give you the kingdome The means and the end the bestowing of grace and glory are both referred to the Fathers pleasure Election to this state was from free grace And in that regard the Elect are called vessels of mercy 2. In it there are the greatest effects and discoveries of mercy A removal of all bad sin sorrow tears temptations outward inward eternal evils Woes from our selves other men devils God himselfe A confluence of all good of perfect grace in the soul glory on the body and soule By it we enter into the vision and fruition of the cheifest good a supply of all exigencies A fulnesse of joy Rivers nay a fountain of pleasures In one word in this respect 't is not so much a mercy one mercy as a bundle of mercies and the perfection and consummation of them all It s call'd by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mercy that mercy by way of excellency God here had much mercy in his heart but his hands will be full of mercy at the coming of Christ 3. It s mercy in respect it s bestow'd upon the miserable Indeed the saints are vessels of mercy and in comparison of the reprobate happy in this life but yet in comparison of the glorified they are miserable and that in respect of the remainders of sin in the soule the frequent eclipses of Gods lightsome and loving countenance tentations from devils opposition and persecution from a cruel and unkinde world they are here in a valley of teares surrounded with shame sicknesses paines losses deaths Their eyes run down with rivers of teares they are men of sorrow yea sorrow is not only their condition but their duty but sorrow and sighing shall flee away Luc. 17.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist pol. 1. ◠4 Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.7 Rom. 11.35 1 Cor. 4.7 Phil. 2.13 Bonum opus in quantum est naturae est impuratum in quantum gratiae non est nostrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in Psal 14. and all teares shall be wiped from their eyes when this mercy comes 4. It s mercy because bestowd upon those who could not merit and deserve it Rom. 6.23 Eternall life is the gift of God It could never be deserved by doing nor suffering The best men are unprofitable servants Al our good is either ipse aut ab ipso either God or from God all we doe is due debt all we receive is from free grace Our very sufferings are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 We are not purchasers but heirs of this happinesse our works as they are good are not ours but Gods meer gifts as they are ours they are impure imperfect Besides none can give any thing to God equivalent to what he hath already received therefore he cannot deserve that which he hath not received I am les◠saith Jacob then the least of thy mercies What shall I render for them saith David Gen. 32.10 Psal 116.12 There 's no proportion between a finite worke and an infinite reward a reward no lesse then the infinite rewarder himselfe It s the alone free grace of this God whereby we come to partake of his glory 2. But why is it the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. It s his ratione meriti he hath purchased it by his merit The obedience of Christ was not onely satisfactory but meritorious by reason of the infinitenesse of the person there being an infinitely greater excesse and proportion of vertue in his obedience then of malignity in our disobedience by vertue of which merit a purchase is made of this mercy as well as there is a removall made of our misery Christs merit at his first procures mercy at his second coming 2 It s his respectu praeparationis he hath prepar'd us for it Parat quodammodo mansiones mansionibus parando mansores Aug. Trac 68. in Job by sending his Spirit into us to make us meet to partake of this mercy He hath bestowed upon us the earnest of our inheritance and the first fruits of the Spirit given us a part in the first resurrection The heaven without us is from his merit the heaven within us from his Spirit 3. 'T is his respectu donationis of giving and exhibiting it at his coming 'T is he who shall be the Judg to acquit the saints that shall pronounce the blessed sentence Come ye blessed c. that shall give his faithfull souldiers a Crowne of righteousnesse at that day 2. Tim. 4.7 That shall present us faultlesse before the presence of glory Jude 24. Secondly in this first branch we are to consider what is this looking for this mercy Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting properly an earnest receiving of it or taking it to us as some welcome guest or stranger whom we take in A disposition commended in and commanded to the saints Tit. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking for that blessed hope and Christ commands his to be like men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12.36 Rom. 16.2 that looke for their Lord. And this comprehends severall particulars under it as 1. Meditation of this mercy I may thinke of that which I doe not look for but I cannot look for that of which I do not think The wife that lookes for the returne of her welcome
Which is the second branch to be opened 2. The inducement encouraging to the duty of looking for the mercy of Christ It was a mercy whereby they should bee brought to eternal life Of this though wee shall enjoy it so much yet can we speak but little Under two words eternal life the Scripture frequently sets forth the state of the Saints of heaven which for its blessednesse is câ—lled life and for its durablenesse eternall 1. Life There is a threefold Life 1. Naturall consisting in the conjunction of the body and soule 2. Spirituall which is eternall life begun in respect of grace here 3. Eternall life in respect of glory hereafter whereby is understood all the happinesse to be injoyed in heaven As under the word death the greatest of evills are comprehended all the miseries inflicted for sin in this and the next state so in that of life of all things the most precious and the most set by are contained all the blessings to be enjoyed here and hereafter but because our happinesse cannot be perfect and consummat til we come to heaven that condition is principally and frequently called life Which life stands in our immediate communion with God in an unitive vision or in seeing and enjoying him Mat. 5.8 1 Jo. 3.2 Psal 16. ult c. Heaven is a low thing without God saith Angustin Whatever is lesse then himselfe is lesse then our desires In him is contain'd infinitely more then either we want or all other things in the world have his presence shall be our life and as it were enliven all things else which without him as here they are so there would be dead things In the immediate full and perfect not in respect of the object but subject uninterrupted reflexive unmixed enjoyment of this God stands life 2. Which in respect of its duration is call'd eternall as never to be interrupted and intermitted so without any end or amission and indeed this it is which makes all the enjoyments of heaven to be truly such and as the faggot-band whereby all the particular parcells of happinesse are bound and tyed together and without which they would be all scattered and lost Frequently is the life of glory said to be eternall Joh 3.15.8.51.11.25 c. pleasures for ever more a treasure in the heaven that faileth not Luk. 12.33 Extra jactum fortunae Extra periculum jacturae an eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 a treasure beyond the reach of theefe and moth c. God the fountaine and treasury of life can never be exhaust The saints can never be willing to part with this God Enemies shall never be able to separate them A compleat happinesse to be truly and necessarily happy also OBSERVATIONS From the whole part 1. Obs 1. The hope of salvation is an helmet to keep off tentations to sin Eph. 6.8 The looking for the mercy of Christ quickens us in our course of Christianity The Apostle directs them to contend for the faith by looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus c. 1. It purgeth the heart from fin Whosoever hath this hope purifieth himselfe 1 Joh. 3.3 He who looketh for Christ looks to be like him and therefore he conformes himselfe to Christ in purity He who lookes for great revenues within a few yeares will not cut off his hopes We may say of sinners as of some men who are adventurous in the world they have no thing to lose but rather remove impediments The looking for mercy and the living in sin cannot stand together The love of sin is the confutation of our hopes 2. The looking for this mercy damps our affections to the things of the world He who beholds the glorious sunshine of Christs appearance hath his eyes so dazled that he can behold no beauty in any thing besides He is like Jacob who when he was to goe to a rich Egypt and a deare Joseph was not to regard his stuffe Earthly objects which to earthly mindes seeme glorious 2 Cor. 4.16 to be a beleever have no glory by reason of that glory which excelleth Though Jezabel paints her face he throwes her down and treads her under foot 3. It makes us conscientious in holy duties Paul chargeth Timothy to keep the command without spot by an argument drawn from Christs appearance and upon this ground of looking for a reward from the chief Shepherd Peter warneth the Elders to feed the flock As we cannot conceive what manner of mercy for its glory it is which we look for so neither can we express what manner of persons we should be 1 Cor. 15.58 or what manner of performances ours should be for holinesse What manner of persons saith the Apostle ought we to be 2 Pet. 3.11 4. It engageth to patience under every difficulty and distresse Behold I come quickly hold fast that thou hast Rev. 3.11 Thus. 1 Joh. 2.28 Little children abide in him that when he shall appeare we may have confidence c. Non sunt condigna passiones ad cul pam quae remittitur ad gratiaÌ„ qua immittitur ad gloriam qua promittitur He who beholds a Kingdome appointed for him will abide with Christ in his tentations The drawing nigh of the Lords coming is the Apostles ground of patience Jam. 5.8 and 2 Thes 1.6 7. John Hus and Jerom of Prague appealed from the unjust sentences of men to the righteous judgment of Christ This dayes misery is not worthy of that dayes mercy Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 No more comparable with it then is the uncovering of the head a trouble comparable to the honour of receiving a crown 1 Sam. 10. ult Saul held his peace though he were despised because hee was King How easily should our sea of honey swallow up our drop of vinegar Though godlinesse brings sufferings yet it affords encouragements like Egypt which though it were full of poysonous creatures yet full of Antidotes The reason why wee are cast away in tempests is for want of this anchor of hope of the mercy of Christ Let then O Christians the looking for this mercy engage you to duty Remember such mercy to be received deserves better services to bee performed Psal 36.5 As Gods mercy and faithfulnesse are put together so let not his mercy and our faithfulnesse bee severed Brethren if any shame could befall the Saints at the day of judgement it would be for this that they who have done so little on earth for God should receive so much in heaven from God Mercy It s mercy not merit Obs 2. that must stand us in stead at the last day Of this largely pag. 100. Part. 1. as also to this part may be reduced Pag. 101 102 103 104 105. Obs 3. the six Observations there handled concerning Gods mercy Of our Lord Jesus Christ How much are they mistaken who expect mercy and yet have no interest in Christ 'T is the mercy of Christ Christlesse persons are mercilesse