ibi desinis esse bonus Bern. Ep. 91. Nolle preficere deficere est Ep. 254. he that hath least grace hath enough to be thankfull but he that hath the most hath not enough to be idle We are never gotten far enough till we are gotten home he that is rich enough is nothing worth He was never good that desireth not to be better he is stark nought that desireth not to be as good as the best 10. Lastly the Apostle desireth the multiplication of grace even to the sense feeling and apprehension of those that were partakers thereof that those who had grace might know they had it The people of God do not ever know their own holinesse and happinesse these are true though not strong in grace The perceiving of our grace is an additionall happiness to our receiving it In the light of God we must see light It 's a double and a very desirable blessing to have the company and comfort of grace at the same time This of the first branch of Explication What the Apostle desired for these Christians when he pray'd for this multiplication The second followeth which was to consider Why he desired it 2d Branch of Explicat This he did 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of Others 3. In respect of Themselves 4. In respect of Himself 1. In respect of God The more grace is multiplyed the more God is 1. Honoured Mat. 5.16 Joh. 15.8 2 Cor. 4.15 Phil. 1.11 Herein is my Father honoured if ye bring forth much fruit If the servants of God do much work God will be accounted a good a bountifull Master 1. In respect of the great reward men will think there is in his service and some extraordinary benifit by it that his servants are so painfull in it And 2. In respect of the great ability that he bestows upon his to be and do good God will be admired in them that beleeve If poor servants are so rich and glorious Aestimari a Cultoribus potest ille qui Colitur Salv. what then will men say is the Master if his servants be so holy what then is he who keeps them if there be so much in a drop what is there then in the ocean if he imparts so much to others what then hath he in himself The plenty of the crop is the praise of the husbandman Luk. 15.7 Chrysostomus cxistimat glorificationem hìc poni pro exultatione Gerh. in Joh. 15.8 2. As God is honoured by the abounding of his servants in holiness so is he likewise pleased Fruitfulness upon earth is joy in heaven The Husbandman is not only praised but pleased by the fruitfulness of his grounds the barrenness whereof is both his shame and his sorrow The thriving of the child is the joy of the father If we rejoyce so much in holinesse that see it and love it so little Isai 5.6 what then must God do who is holinesse it selfe How angry was God with his barren vineyard If God be best pleased with holinesse he must needs be best pleased with them who are most holy 2. The Apostle desired this multiplication of grace in respect of Others that they may not only speak good of God but get good to themselves The whole Countrey fareth the better for a rich Christian he keepeth open house the more he hath the more he gives he labours to make all such as himselfe Acts 26.29 his bonds onely excepted Ther 's nothing more covetous or prodigall than grace A Saint ever loves to be receiving from God and imparting to others From Jerusalem round about to Illyricum Paul preached the Gospell Rom. 15.19 2 Cor. 6.10 He who was so abundantly rich himselfe made it his work to make others so What an encouragement is it to young beginners in grace to see that they who once were as poor and had as little to begin with as themselves have attained to such a plentifull spirituall estate What a joy is it to the strong Christian whose love of complacency is â—set upon the excellent Ones and whose Crown of Rejoycing it is to see the Honour of God propagated 3. The Apostle desired this Multiplication of grace in respect of Themselves and that 1. In respect of their duty they could never be too abundant in goodnesse for him from whom they were and had and did what ever was good How could God dwell too much in the house of his own building How could the Vineyard and Garden of his own planting be too fruitfull the Well of his own digging be too full In their creation they received souls bodies faculties senses with parts and members from him in him also they lived and moved and had their being and could they do him too much service In their redemption the delivery not onely from condemnation but from vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 and from the service and corruption of sin was aimed at by God and not only a preservation of them to Heaven but in holinesse In their profession they were Christians and followers of Christ And how could they walk too exactly that had such a guide They had in the word precepts promises threatnings examples and how could they be too precise that had such a rule 2. For their dignity Holinesse is a Christians greatest honour and therefore the greatest degree of holinesse the highest degree of honour Grace is called glory 2 Cor. 3.18 and the more grace the more glory It 's that which hath the most of Scripture-commendation What an honourable mention doth Paul make of the Romans for having their faith spoken of throughout the world Rom. 1.8 Our Saviour Mat. 8.10 15.28 that contemned the glorious buildings of the Temple when his Disciples shewed him them admired a strong faith more than once 3. For their further peace and comfort in this life There 's no abundance but that of grace which can content the possessour the more holinesse the more enjoyment of him in whose presence is fulnesse of joy Whence is a Saints trouble but from the deficiency of his graces what is it that pincheth him but the scantinesse of these spirituall garments the larger they are the greater is his ease He that hath true grace may go to Heaven certainly but he who hath strong grace onely goeth comfortably A weak faith a small degree of love patience humility will not carry a man joyfully through great troubles 4. For their future crown further felicity in the next life If any shall follow the lamb in whiter larger robes of glory than other they are those whom he hath adorned most with the robes of grace here If any shine brighter than others in heaven they shall be those who have been brightest in grace upon the earth Though glory be not bestowed for any merit in grace yet I see no inconvenience to hold that 't is bestowed according to the proportion of grace If the more grace a Saint hath
shall never have so much or so little as to make them unfit for service Christ loves to keep them in working case Even of outward necessaries they shall have what they want if not what they would Christ gives them all things that pertain to life and godlinesse he encourageth them 2 Pet. 1.1 4. he assisteth them in their work he gives them exceeding great and precious promises hee feeds them with his own flesh and blood 2 Pet. 1.4 he cloathes them with his own righteousnesse he directs them with his own spirit 4. By protecting his family from all dangers There 's no safety but in Christs family never are his servants in danger but when they go out of it 1. Sam 2.9 He is the keeper of his Israel peculiarly Though he sometimes suffers evils to touch Psal 105.14 15. he never suffers evils to hurt them he visits them in and delivers from all their troubles he suffers not Kings to hurt any of his servants He takes the wrongs offered to his servants as offered to himselfe 5. 1 Pet. 4.17 By correcting it for its miscarriages Judgment commonly begins at the house of the Lord. His servants are safe but must not be secure he suffers the world to do that which he will not endure in his own family His servants will never be faithfull to him nor find him faithfull to them if he did not sometimes chastise them He judgeth them 1 Cor. 11.32 that they may not be condemned with the world And whensoever the chides he doth it not because he loves it but because they want it 6. By rewarding every servant according to his service He is indeed the only Lord but he hath sundry sorts of servants He is a good master but most that call themselves his servants are unprofitable and only titular and complementall wearing his badg but refusing his work using the name of the Lord and crying Lord Lord but shunning the rule of their Lord. The reward of these is to be cast into utter darknesse Mat. 25.30 who heretofore were unprofitable under light His good and faithfull servants shall be rewarded with the joy of their Lord even the presence of him whom they served faithfully in his absence Mat. 25.21 Their labour of love shall not be forgotten by Christ but all their former toyl shall bee forgotten Their work though never so great is but small to their wages nor is the weight of their labours comparable to that of their crown Jesus Christ will pay them for every work which they have forgotten Their services are all book'd He who formerly gave them abilities to work will now give them a recompence for working 2. In what respect is Christ called Only Lord 1. Not to exclude the Father and the Holy Ghost 2d Branch of Explicat to whom with the Son all outward works are common and frequently to the whole Trinity of Persons is this name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lord given in Scripture Act. 4.24 Rev. 6.10 God the Father Joh. 17.3 is called the only true God not to exclude the Son and God the Son is called the only Lord not to exclude the Father who is represented in the naturall glory of the Deity as the Son in the voluntary office of a Mediatour But secondly in respect of all creatures is Christ called only Lord 1 Cor. 8.6 One Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 4.5 One Lord and that 1. To exclude the partnership of any other in the government with him The rule is not shared between him and other Lords In government he hath no copartner He is Gods only Vice-gerent There is no â—ther name under heaven given among men Act. 4.12 Mat. 28.18 Heb. 1.2 Isai 63.3 Isai 54.16 To him hath the Father committed all power in heaven and earth as Pharaoh did set Joseph over all the land of Egypt God hath appointed him heir of all things And as Christ had no co-adjutor in the work of redemption so hath he no partner in the glory thereof 2. 1 Tim. 6.15 To note his superiority and preheminency above all other Lords In which respect he is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords for 1. He is the only absolute Lord. All other Lords are subordinate to him dependent on him advanced by him receive authority lawes gifts from him are responsible for the use and abuse of these to him and are therefore punishable by him The supreme of earthly Lords are in respect of him inferiour Lords 2. Phil. 2.10 He is the onely universall Lord. To him every knee must bow The three kingdoms of heaven earth and hell never had any Lord but Christ In the first of these he doth eminently shew his glory and beauty in the second his power of ruling and directing in the third his strength and severity Angels and glorified Saints in heaven Saints sinners and every creature on earth the damned and divels in hel are all his subjects He is Lord of all Act. 10.36 3. Psal 110.3 He is the only Lord for power and might He is able to subdue all things to himselfe Philip. 3.21 and 1 Tim. 6.15 He is called the only Potentate He made and he can annihilate the world with one word He can kill the soul and throw both body and soul into hell Happy we that earthly Lords though never so tyrannicall cannot do this He can subdue the hearts of men even of his deadliest enemies unto his love and obedience Happy would earthly Monarchs think themselves if they could do thus But he who only made can only mend the heart 4. Hee is the only Lord for majesty and glory All the glory of all the Caesars Emperours Kings who ever were combined in one heap is but a black coal in comparison of the splendor of his glory Mat. 6.29 If Solomon in all his glory was not arraied like the lillies of the field how much lesse was he like the Lord of the world The glory of Agrippa and Bernice was but a great fansie Act. 25.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How easie and often doth Christ stain the pride of the glory of the greatest and even cause shamefull spewing to be upon it The glory of Kings is but a borrowed ray or spark from his Majesty When he shall appear in his glory all the nightly glow-worms of worldly splendor shall be put out and all worldly majesty shall be exstinguish'd Nay the poorest Saint shal appear with him in that glory of which all the splendor of Emperours is not so much as a shadow 5. He is the only Lord in respect of his deportment toward his servants 1. He is the most discerning Lord and Master no earthly Masters are so able to observe the wayes and workes of their servants as he is for the closest and subtilest among them cannot deceive him he spies them in every corner nay every corner of their hearts in them He now in some sort is absent
the wicked lest we fall from our own stedfastness If Satan double his rage let us double our guard Doctor Taylor reports of a noble Lord who was wont to say That he would never go without a sword so long as there was a Papist about the Court Never let us lay off our spirituall weapons till Satan be taken from us by judgement or we out of his reach by death Let us even taught thus much by our adversary make the shortnesse of our time a motive to lay out our selves the more for God short seasons require speedy services The nearer we come to judgement the fitter let us labour to be for it Let the sweetest part of our lives be at the bottom and as Samsons let our last prove our greatest goodnesse To conclude this Let those poor soules who are daily buffetted by Satan consider that his judgement is approaching that all conflicts with him shall then be at an end and that the fury of his assaults prove not their success but the shortnesse of continuance Thus far of the first particular considerable in the punishment of these Angels at the Bar viz that to which they are reserved to Judgement The second follows the time when they shal be brought to judgement viz. at the Great day Two things for the Explication hereof 1. Explication How the word Day is here to be taken 2. In what respect it s called a Great day For the first There are three opinions 1. Some take the day here spoken of precisely and properly as if the day of the last judgement should not exceed that space and proportion of time 2. Some conceive that by the Day is meant a 1000 years because some are said to sit on thrones and have judgement given unto them that is power of judging and to live and raigne with Christ a thousand years Rev. 20.4 But I conceive that this judgment and raign of a thousand years cannot be understood of the last Judgement because death the last enemy shall in the Resurrection be destroyed now after the end of the thousand years mentioned by Saint John Satan shall be loosed out of prison and the nations deceived by him shall compasse the camp of the Saints about Isai 27.1.2 14.3 12.1 4.1.2 2.11.17 Per quot dies hoc judicium extendatur incertum est scripturarum more diem poni solere pro tempore nemo nescit Aug. l. 20. de Civ Dei cap. 1. Mat. 7.22 Luk. 21.34 2 Tim. 1 12.18 4.8 Joh. 6.39 40. 44.46 54. 2 Pet. 3.7.12 Rom. 2.5.16 Act. 17.31 Apoc 6.17 and the beloved City and fire shall come down from God out of heaven and devour them 3. Others seem more safely to apprehend that the day here mentioned is to be taken improperly for time indefinitely it being in Scripture very ordinary to put a day for time In an acceptable time have I heard thee in a day of salvation have I helped thee Isai 49.8 If thou hadst known in this thy day Luk. 19.42 Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day Joh. 8.56 c. There must be a day wherein that great work of judgement shall begin but the duration thereof is to be measured by the nature of the thing and the counsell of God With Augustine I determine nothing peremptorily concerning the continuance of the last judgment day For the second the greatnesse of this day The titles given it in the Scripture speak it great it being called that day the last day the day of judgment and perdition of all ungodly men The day of God the Lord The day when God shal judge the secrets of men a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God the day of the Lambs wrath the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6.10 c. More particularly this day of Judgement is called great in respect of the Judge Judged Properties of the Judgment 1. The Judge who is Jesus Christ And herein two particulars are considerable 1. That Christ shall be Judge 2 Wherein his being Judge shall make the day great The first is evident 1. From the frequent and expresse mentioning him as Judge in Scripture which assures us that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ Heb. 10.27 Tit. 2.13 Act. 10.42 Phil. 3.20.4.5 1 Tim. 6.14.15 Rom. 2.16 that Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead 2 Tim. 4.1 that the Lord Jesus shall be revealled from heaven 2 Thes 1.7 that the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father Mat. 16.27 that they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory Mat. 24.30 that the son of man shall come in his glory Mat. 25.31 that hereafter we shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven Mat. 26.64 that the same Jesus who is taken into heaven shall so come in like manner as he was seen to go into heaven Act. 1.11 that he cometh with cloudes and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 In which respect the day of Judgement is call'd The day of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.8 so 1 Cor. 5.5 2 Cor. 1.14 Phil. 1.6.10 and Phil. 2.16 And the seat of judgment is call'd The judgment seat of Christ Rom. 24 10. 2 Cor. 5.10 And some understand that place Heb. 4.12 The word of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a discerner of the thoughts concerning the Hypostatical word c. Nor is the old Testament destitute of testimonies of this kind though somewhat more obscurely exprest Abraham speaks to the son of God when he said Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Gen. 18.25 And the Father spake to the Son when he said Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in peices like a Potters vessel Psal 2.9 And that of Isaiah chap. 45.23 By my selfe have I sworn unto me every knee shall bow the Apostle Rom. 14.11 applies to Christ and thence proves that we shall all stand before his judgement seat 2. By Gods appointment of him and giving him authority to judge He is ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead Act. 10.42 He will judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained c Act. 17.31 Humilitas carnis no strae throno judicator is honorata est Cypr. in ser deaf Sedebit judex qui stetit sub judice damna bit veros reos qui factus est falsus reus Aug. Homil. 150. Pater dedit ei potestatem facere quia filius hominis est cum magis quasi hoc expectaretur ut diceret quo niam filius Dei est sed quia filium Dei secundum id quod in forma Dei aequalis est patri videre iniqui non possunt oportet judicem vivorum mortuorum coram quo judicabuntur justi videant iniqui Aug. lib. 1. de trin c. 13. Patrem
nemo videbit in judicio quia filius hominis est ut possit ab impiis videri August lib. 1. de trin cap. 13. Talis apparebit judex qualis possit videri ab iis quos coronaturus ab iis quos damnaturus est Prosp The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son he hath given him authority to execute judgment Joh. 5.22.27 And all power is given him in heaven and in earth 3. By his former estate of humiliation As he emptyed and humbled himself according to his humane nature so in that hee is to be exalted He humbled himselfe and became obedient to death c wherefore God hath highly exalted him Phil. 2.9 And as Christ in his humane nature was unjustly judged so in that nature shall he justly judge Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and he shall appear the second time without sin Heb. 9.28 4. By reason of the necessity of the visibility of the Judge and judiciall proceedings at the last day He executes judgement because he is the Son of man Joh 5.27 and every eye shall see him The Judge is to be beheld and heard by the Judged God will judge the world by that man c. In respect of the judiciall process a man must be our Judge for God is invisible and the Judge shall so appear as to be seen both of those whom he shall crown and of those whom he shall condemn Nor can it be but that God will be the more justified and men without all excuse having one who is bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh to be judge between God and them Notwithstanding all which immediate audible visible administration of the last judgement by the second Person this judgement belongs to the other Persons in Trinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of Authority Dominion and judiciary power though to the Son only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of dispensation and office and externall exercise 2. For the second viz. Wherein the Judge makes the day of Judgement great 1. He makes it a great day 1. As he is considered in himselfe 2. As he is attended and accompanied by others 1. As we consider him in himselfe and that either 1. as God or 2. man 1. As God He who shall be the Judge is the mighty God It is Jehovah to whom every knee shall 〈◊〉 Isai 45. Hence the Apostle cals the appearance of this Judg who is God glorious in those words Tit. 2.13 The glorious appearing of the great God If the great God be Judge the day of Judgement must needs be a great day How great is the day of an earthly Judges appearance a man a worme dust and ashes one who though hee can give yet cannot avoid the sentence of death and one who hath scarce a faint reflection of that majesty with which this King of glory is adorned think then and yet thoughts can never reach it what it is for God before whom the whole world though full of Judges is as nothing and less then nothing and vanity to come to judge the word God is a judge Omnipotent and therefore one whose voice as the living who are distanced so many thousands of miles shall hear and obey so even the dead shall hear being quickned and shall at his beck come and stand before his judgment seat He shall come with great power 2 Thes 7.9 and the wicked shall be punish'd with everlasting destruction from the glory of his power Nor shall he use the ministry of Angels for necessity but Majesty God is an omniscient Judg infinitely onely wise his eyes are clearer then ten thousand suns one who will in the day wherein the brightnesse of his omniscience shall shine in its full lustre bring every hidden work to light and tell to all as the woman of Samaria said all that ever they did one who doth not as earthly Judges onely know what to ask but what every one will answer who wants no witnesses nor needs he that any should testifie of man for he knows what is in man God is a true and a just Judge The Apostle 2 Tim 4.8 cals him The Lord the righteous Judge hee will render to every one according to his works The Apostle proves the righteousnesse of God from his judging the world Rom. 3.6 and Abrahams question asserts it strongly Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Other Judges may do righteously but God cannot do otherwise The wils of other Judges must be regulated by righteousnesse but so righteous is God that righteousnesse it selfe is regulated by his will which is the root and rule of all righteousnesse 2. This Judge shall make the day great as he is Man greatly amazing and dismaying must his appearance as Judge in mans nature needs be to sinners who have denyed him persecuted crucifyed and put him to an open shame all whose designes have been to crush and keep him under With what horror shall the Jews then see their delusion who would not heretofore beleive him to be the Messiah Needs must they and others who would not have this man to reign over them to whom he was a stumbling stone when low and small contemptible in his former discoveries upon earth now find and feel him a rock to fall upon them from heaven and crush them to powder Greatly comforting and refreshing must the appearance of this man be to beleevers who shall not onely behold him to be the great Judge of the whole world who hath taken upon him their nature but who hath also given to them his spirit whereby through faith they are mystically united unto him as their head their husband and upon whom they have fixed all their hopes and expectations of happinesse for and with whom they have so long suffered from the world whom they look upon as their treasure their portion and for whose coming they have so long'd and sigh'd and groan'd In a word How greatly glorious shall his appearance in our nature be both to good and bad when in it he shall be deck'd and adorn'd with Majesty and clothed with unspeakeable glory above all the Angels he being to come in the glory of his father Mat. 16.27 with power and great glory Mat. 24.30 The glory of a thousand Suns made into one will be but as sack cloth to that wherein Christ shall appear in mans nature that great day The glory of the Sun scatters the clouds but from the glory of Christs face the very earth and heaven shall flie away Rev. 20.11 The beames of his glory shall dazzel the eyes of sinners and delight the eyes of Saints The wicked shall be punish'd with everlasting destruction from his presence and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.9 and when his glory shall he revealed the Saints shall be glad with exceeding joy 1 Pet. 4.13 2. The Judge shall make this day of judgement great considering him not
both advanceth the honour of his owne wisdome and provideth for the good of humane society Observ 2. Bona gens mala mens Babylon irrigua fertilis Aegyptus irrigua amaena tamen utra que quasi carcere usus est Dominus ad castigandum Israelem Sic exposcit humani ingenii corruptio ut locis amaenioribus utatur Deus non ad delicias sed ad tristem servitutem castigationem populi sui Musc in Gen. 13. 2. God often affords the richest habitations and the greatest earthly plenty to the greatest sinners Sodom for wealth and fertility is compared to the Garden of God and yet God bestowes it upon the worst of men Egypt and Babylon abounding with waters and plenty are given not onely unto those who are without the Church but who are enemies of the Church In these countries God made his people slaves and captives and truly it's safest for Israel to meet with most woe in places of most wealth God gives his enemies their heaven their portion their all in this life Psal 17.14 they here receive their good things and have all in hand nothing in hope all in possession nothing in future reversion By this distribution of earthly plenty God would have us to see how slightly and meanly he esteems it He throws the best things that this world affords upon the worst and as Daniel speaks the basest of men Who but the Nimrods the Nebuchadnezzars the Alexanders the Caesars have ordinarily been the Lords of the world These have fleeted off the cream of earthly enjoyments when the portion of Saints hath been thin and lean and poor Some observe that Daniel expresseth the Monarchies of the world by sundry sorts of cruel Beasts to shew that as they were gotten by beastly cruelty so enjoyed with brutish sensuality The great Turkish Empire is but as a crust which God throws unto an hungry Dog Luther God sometimes indeed lest riches should be accounted in themselves evill gives them to the good but ordinarily lest they should be accounted the chiefest good he bestowes them upon the bad oftner making them the portion of foes then of sons What is it to receive and not to be received to have nothing from God but what he may give in hatred to have with Sodomites a Garden of God upon earth with the losse of the true Paradise In a word To have no other dewes of blessing but such as may be followed with showrs of fire 3. The plenty of places oft occasions much wickednesse and impiety Commonly where there is no want Observ 3. there is much wantonnesse The ranknesse of the soyl occasions much ranknesse in sin Sodom which was watred with Jordan and fatted with prosperity was a nursery of all impiety She had fulnesse of bread and therefore abundance of idlenesse Neither did she strengthen the hands of the poor And they were haughty and committed abomination before me Ezek. 16.49 50. Jesurun waxed fat and kick'd Deuter. 32.15 The drunkards of Ephraim were on the head of the fat valleys Isai 28.1 Wealth unsanctified is but as oyl to nourish the flame of lust How deceitfull an Argument of Gods love is worldly abundance Not the having but the holy improvement of wealth is the distinguishing mercy God cuts his people short of bodily supplies in much love to their souls His Daniels thrive best with the diet of Pulse I never yet heard or read that prosperity occasioned the conversion of one soul Cyrus they say would not suffer his Persians to change a barren soyl for a fruitfull because dainty habitations make dainty inhabitants Rich cities have ever been the stoves of luxury Men have naturall inclinations according to the Genius of their country and it 's rare to see Religion flourish in a rich soyle In the scantinesse of earthly injoyments want restrains and stints our appetites but where there 's abundance and the measure is left to our own discretion we seldome know what moderation means Ilands are the richest soyls and Ilanders are held the most riotous people we in this City lie in the bosome and at the dugs of an indulgent mother we live in as dangerous a place for prosperity as Sodom and as the fattest earth is most slippery for footing we had need of speciall grace at every turn and of that watchfulnesse whereby in the midst of abundance we may not want temperance How hard is it with holy Paul to know how to be full and to abound How holy is that man who can be chast temperate Nullos esse Deos inane Coelum affirmat Selius probatque quod se factum dum negat haec videt beatum Mart. l. 4. Epig. 21. heavenly in Sodom Let us not only be content to want but even pray against those riches which may occasion us being full to deny God Prov. 30.8 9. It 's a most unwise choice with Lot to leave Abraham to inhabite Sodom and an ill exchange to go with Jacob from Bethel the house of God to Bethlehem though an house of bread and plenty They who for worldly advantages betake themselvs to places only of outward accommodations soon find with Lot the recompence of their inexcusable error How much more commendable was the choice of holy Galeacius who forsook all the wealth and honours of Italy to enjoy God in the purity of his ordinances in a poor Geneva It 's much better to travell to Zion through the valley of Baca then to pitch our tents in the Plains of Sodom 4. Observ 4. Sinners are not better'd by premonition They commonly remaine unreformed notwithstanding the bitter fore-tastes of judgments How soon hath Sodom forgot that shee was spoyled and wasted by Chedorlaomer and the other Kings But sinners grow worse by afflictions as water grows more cold after an heating If that wicked City had been warned by the sword it had escaped the fire But now this visitation hath not made ten good men in those five cities And as they leave not sinning so God leaves not plaguing them but still follows them with a succession of judgements There 's no greater sign of finall overthrow then a mis-improving of judgements Oh that the time which we spend in an impatient fretfulnesse under them because they are so great we would more profitably imploy in a humble mourning for our unprofitableness under them lest they be the forerunners of greater 5. The greatest Observ 5. the strongest Cities cannot keep off judgement Nor are they shot-proof against the arrowes of vengeance Great sins will overturn the foundations of Sodom and Gomorrha and the cities about them Nothing can defend where Gods justice will strike as there is nothing can offend where his goodnesse will preserve The height of a Cities proud Towers may hold the earth in awe but they cannot threaten heaven and the closer they presse to the seat of God the nearer they lie to his lightning The bars of our gates cannot keep
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
lose it shall lose it when he would save it Fear not troubles because he sleeps not that preserves thee but fear sin because he sleeps not that observes thee Account it a greater mercy in all the sinfull agitations of these times that God hath kept thee from being an actor then a misery that God hath made thee a sufferer 3. Obs 3. Psal 37. Psal 91. The people of God are never unsafe If the Lord be the Watchman what though it be an estate a life nay a soul that is the City we should not fear the losse of it The meanest of the people of God stir not out without their life-guard Agnoscit se justè dedisse stultae securitatis poenam est etiam filiis Dei pia securitas Calv. inloc Psal 30.6 1 Pet. 4.19 1 Pet. 2.23 if they wanted there 's not a creature in heaven or earth but would take their part they are the hidden the secret the preserved ones Security is not so great a sin as distrust our Friend being much more able to help then our Foes to hurt What one said sinfully every child of God may say holily I shall never be moved We must commit our selves to God in wel-doing Christ though he committed himself not to man knowing what was in man yet himself living and dying he committed to his Father we do quite contrary Finde out the danger in which God cannot or the time when God did not or the Saint for to him I speak that God hath not kept and then distrust him Say not If worse times yet come what shall I do to be kept Will not he that provided a City of refuge for those that kil'd men finde out a City of refuge for thee when men labour to kil thee for God Hath God so many chambers so many mansions in his house John 14.2 so many hiding places upon the earth his with the fulnesse of it in the earth in heaven and shall his children be shut out Thy work is not to be solicitous how to be kept but how to be fit to be kept labour to be alway in wel-doing then who will harm thee Keep faith and a good conscience keep never a sin allowedly in thy soul do thy part and let God alone with his but this is our busie sinfulnesse we will needs be doing of Gods work and neglect our own 4. Obs 4. A strong engagement lies upon Gods people to endeavour the preservation of Gods honour 'T is true in this case Protection draws allegeance If he be a wall of fire to us our souls and bodies let not us be a rotten hedge when we should defend his Name Servants Ordinances if he be a tower let not us be a tottering wall Let us labour to say Lord he that toucheth thine honour toucheth the apple of mine eye If we look that God should keep us in our we must maintain his cause in its danger 5. Obs 5. The gain-sayers of perseverance are deceived Their doctrine most cleerly as hath been proved opposeth Scripture and most incurably wounds a Christians comfort What joy can we have that our names are written in the book of life if again they may be blotted out The life of our mortall life is the hope of an immortall but how unsteddy a foundation of hope is the stedfastness of our wils nay thus faiths foundation is overturn'd 't is this He that beleeves shall be saved but this opinion saith Some that beleeve shall not be saved for it maintains that some who truly beleeve do not persevere and those which do not persevere shall not be saved it makes the decree of God to depend upon mans most uncertain will Arminians say that beleevers shall persevere if they be not wanting to themselves if they alwayes will persevere But what is this but to say Beleevers shall persevere if they persevere for alwayes to will to persevere and to persevere are all one It s a prodigious errour to hold that God works nothing in us for perseverance the effectuall use whereof depends not upon mans free-will God gives saith an Arminian to persevere if we will but God gives say We †Nobis qui verè Christo insiti sumus talis data est gratia ut non solùm possimus si velimus sed etiam ut velimus in Christo perseverare Aug. de Cor. gra c. 11. 12. Non solùm ut sine isto dono perseverantes esse non possint verum etiam ut per hoc donum non nisi perseverantes sint to will to persevere And how can we pray to God for perseverance the condition wherof depends upon mans will and not upon Gods working Christ promiseth Joh. 14.16 to pray the Father to give his disciples his Spirit which shall abide with them for ever now the cause of the abiding of the Spirit for ever with them is not their will to have the Spirit abide in them but the abiding of the Spirit was the cause of their willingnesse I conclude According to this Arminian errour of falling from grace its possibe that there may not be one elect person for if one finally fall away why may not another and by the same reason why not all and then where 's the Church and to what end is the death of Christ Lastly He that will approve himself a true Obs 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Roh l. 2. c. 21. must shew himself a stedfast Christian All the sanctified are preserved Instability is an argument of insincerity He was never a true friend that ever ceaseth to be a friend What hath levity to do with eternity an inconstant Christian with an eternall reward Not he that cometh first in this race of Christianity is crowned but he that holdeth out to the last All that which is done of any thing is held as nothing as long as any thing remaineth to be done If any one draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 A thatch'd roof sutes not a precious foundation nor a wicked conclusion beautifull beginnings of Christianity Within a while all possibilities of falling will be removed one stile or two more and thou art haply at thy fathers house Difficilius saepiùs inchoare quà m semel perseverare the longer thou continuest the sweeter will be the wayes of God It s harder often to begin then once to persevere Take heed of falling from thy stedfastnesse God preserves us but we our selves must not be negligent Get a sound expecience of the truth thou professest tasting the sweetnesse as well as hearing of its sweetnesse Follow not Religion as some hounds do the game onely for company Love the truth for single not sinister respects Let Christ be sweet for himself Tremble at the very beginnings of sin look upon no sin as light keep a tender conscience as our apparel so our consciences when spotted become neglected Apostacy hath modest beginnings the thickest ice that
This is the mercy of that day crowning mercy 3. For the properties of Gods mercy 1. It s full 2. It s free 1. It s a full and unmeasurable mercy the unmeasurablenesse whereof is set forth 1. More generally when God is said to be plenteous in mercy Psal 86.5 1 Pet. 1.3 Ephes 2.4 Psal 108.4 Psal 51.1 Neh. 9.19 Psal 103.11 2 Cor. 1.3 Psal 145.9 Psal 33.5 Matt. 5.15 abundant rich in mercy his mercy great above the heavens his mercies unsearchable high as the heaven is from the earth multitudes of tender mercies 2. More particularly the unmeasurableness of his mercy is set forth 1. In that there is no creature in heaven or earth but tasteth of it His mercies are over all his works the very dumb creatures speak him mercifull The whole earth is full of his goodnesse he preserveth man and beast nay his enemies 2. In that resemblances to set forth his mercy are taken from the most tender-hearted creatures Hos 11.4 he drawes with the cords of a man He pitieth as a father nay more then the most tender-hearted mother doth her sucking-childe he gathereth people as a hen doth her chickens He hath bowels of mercy Isa 49.15 Jer. 31.20 Luke 1.78 and such as sound and therefore his mercy pleaseth him he delights to shew mercy he forgets not his mercy 3. He is the fountain of the mercy and mercifulnesse in all the creatures in the world toward one another the mercies of all parents to their children of every mother to her little ones of every Christian of every tender-hearted person of every beast and foul to their young ones are but drops that come from the sea of Gods mercy he is the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 4. He can deliver from every misery Bread takes away hunger drink thirst clothes nakedness knowledge ignorance but no creature can take away every misery Phil. 4.19 2 Cor. 1.3 Psal 23.1 Psal 34.10 wheras God is the God of all comfort he supplyes all our wants comforts in every trouble he hath a plaister for every sore is a Physician for every disease inward and outward and so merciful is he that in the very not removing of miseries he is mercifull Were it not for trouble how should corruption be kill'd holinesse encreased 1 Cor. 11.32 Heb. 12.10 heaven be sweet eternal crowns and triumphs be injoyed 4. He is merciful to his enemies ful of patience and forbearance expecting their return many yeers together giving them rain and fruitful seasons Acts 14.17 Mat. 5.15 filling their hearts with gladness notwithstanding they sin and fight against him with all his goodnesse yea so merciful is he that in their greatest enmity to him Rom. 5.10 he hath often done them the greatest good changing their hearts and making them his friends 6. He bestows mercy with greatest frequency and reiteration he hath many manifold mercies Psal 51.1 Psal 40.5 mercies for thousands more than can be exprest innumerable are the sins of one man how innumerable the sins of the whole world how numberless then are those mercies of forbearance expressed every time sin is committed there being so many millions of sinners every one committing so many millions of sins innumerable are the morsels of food drops of drink the motions deliverances provisions received by one man what then are those received by a whole world and every such expression is a mercy 7. The mercy of God is eternall 1 King 8 2◠and therefore immeasurable he keepeth mercy for ever he will not take away his mercy from his servants Psal 89.2 Psal 23. ult Psal 103.17 Psal 136 it shall follow them all the dayes of their life his mercy shall be built up for ever It endureth for ever 't is from everlasting to everlasting He may hide his face for a moment though that is but according to our thinking but with everlasting mercies will he receive us Isa 54.7 10 The hils may be removed and the mountains may depart but Gods covenant of peace shall not be removed God never repented himself of bestowing his best mercies 8. Gods Mercy is so immeasurable that to help us out of our miseries he that was God sustained them himself It had been mercy to have help'd us by speaking comfortably to us more to have help'd us by the bounty of his hand but to help us out of misery by bearing our miseries by coming to man by becoming of man by suffering so much paine hunger ignominy griefs wounds nay death for man Oh immeasurable mercy Oh my soul acknowledge thine insufficiency either to conceive or requite it 2. The Mercy of God is not only full but free without desert on our parts We deserve no healing from his mercy unlesse by being sore and sick no riches from mercy unlesse by our poverty no deliverance from mercy unlesse by being captives no pardon from mercy unlesse by being guilty no preservation from mercy unlesse by being in danger no mercy unlesse by being miserable God is not tyed to one man more than another he hath mercy on whom he will he hath mercy on the beggar as well as the King on the Barbarian as well as the Grecian the bond Eph. 1.5 6 Rom. 11.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Phil. 1.29 Rom. 3.24 Phil. 2.13 Rom. 6.23 〈◊〉 43.25 as well as the free the Jew as well as the Gentile Election is the election of grace Vocatiou is according to grace Faith is said to be given Justification is freely by Gods grace every good motion is of Gods working Life eternal is Gods gift the putting away of every sin is for his own sake God is mercifull because he will be so his arguments of mercy are drawn from his own pleasure What can our works deserve that are not ours but his working that are all due to him if a thousand times more and better that are all maimed and imperfect Luke 17.10 1 Cor. 4.7 Rom. 11.35 Rom. 8.18 that are all vitious and polluted that are all unequall to the recompence This for the explication of the first benefit which the Apostle requesteth for these Christians Mercy 2. The Observations follow 1. Obs 1. How unbeseeming a sin is pride in any that live upon Mercy Mercy our highest happinesse calls loudest for a lowly heart He that lives upon the alms of Mercy must put on humility the cloth of an Alms-man Renounce thy self and thine own worthinesse both in thy receiving and expecting blessings 1. In receiving them If thou hast spiritual blessings Mercy found thee a bundle of miseries a sinner by birth Ephes 2.1 a sinner in life deserving to be a sufferer for both without grace nay against it by thy birth a poor out-cast Ezek. 16.22 in thy blood as naked of grace as of clothes The Apostle therefore speaks of putting on the graces of the Spirit Col. 3.12 Job 1.21 1 Chro. 22.16 Gen. 24.35 Gen. 33.5 11 the spots
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
the more he be fitted for glory Col. 1.12 then the more grace he hath the more it is likely he shall be filled with glory The more the soul is widened with grace the more capacious will it be of glory the heaviest crowns are fittest for the strongest heads 4. Lastly The Apostle desired this multiplication of grace upon these Christians in respect of Himself The holinesse of the people is the crown of the Minister and the greater their holinesse the weightier and more glorious is his crown The Apostle John had no greater joy than to see his spirituall children walk in the truth The thriving of the child is the comfort and credit of the Nurse the fruitfulnesse of the field the praise and pleasure of the Husband-man the beauty of the building is the commendation of the Artificer the health fruitfulnesse and good plight of the flock is the joy of the Shepherd Ministers are Husband-men Nurses Artificers Shepherds in Scripture phrase Nothing more troubles a godly Minister than to see his multiplied pains answered with a scanty proficiency his double labour with scarce a single return of holinesse A gain-saying people is the grief of a Minister that all the day long stretcheth out his hands although it may be a sweet mitigation of that griefe to consider that God will not reward his Ministers according to their successe but their sincerity and industry This for the Explication of this second Particular in the Apostles prayer the measure in which he desireth these gifts and graces may be bestowed be multiplied The Observations follow 1. Observ 1. Great is thefolly of those whose whole contention is for worldly increase and multiplication of earthly blessings In worldly things their desires have an everlasting Et catera they will lay house to house field to field like the widow who when she had fill'd all her vessels with oil yet cals for another vessel Ahab to his Kingdom must adde Naboths vineyard the rich man Luke 12. had his barns full yet he must enlarge them Many live as if God had sent them a voyage into the world to gather cockles and pibbles whereas he imployed them to trade for pearls Where is the man that envies not him who hath more wealth and yet who is it that with an holy emulation looks upon him that hath more grace than himselfe Where doth the best sort of earth deserve to lie but at the Apostles feet What hath the man who goeth Christlesse What hath he laboured for all his dayes but that not only without which he might have gone to heaven but that with which he cannot get thither What folly to lose a Crown for a crumb a Kingdome a Soul a God for a trifle How vain is it to multiply that which in its greatest increase is but nothing The truth is earthly comforts are not capeable of multiplication Did men look upon the world with Scripture spectacles and not with Satans multiplying glasse it would appear in its greatnesse but a small thing The world hath two brests they who suck at the best of them draw nothing but winde and vanity they who suck at the other draw woe and vexation 2. Observ 2. Gre at is the impiety of those that hinder people from increasing in grace Who are the pul-backs damps and quench-coles of the companies where they converse The holiest men pray that grace may be multiplyed what then are they who labour to have it extinguished Elymas the sorcerer had one of the bitterest and severest expressions of detestation from the Apostle that we read was ever bestowed upon any by a good man the Apostle calls him One full of subtilty and all mischiefe Acts 13.10 a child of the divell an enemy of all righteousnesse and why but because he sought to turn away the Deputy from the faith They who take away the key of knowledge stop the mouthes of Ministers cause a dearth of spirituall food and cannot endure the preaching of sound doctrine and the spreading of holinesse would haply account such expressions as these of Paul to be bitter but I hardly see how they deserve milder 3. Obser 3. It 's the height of impiety to hate people because God hath multiplyed grace in them How hatefull is it to hate where and because God loves yet some there are who like Gardiners snip those most who are tallest sprouts in holinesse It 's observed by some that there 's most admiration and highest respect bestowed by the professors of all false religions in the world upon those that are most precise and exact in the observing of those religions What an amazement is it that professours of the true religion alone should most bitterly hate those that make the furthest progresse in it It 's a commendable thing among men for one to be excellent and exquisite in his trade and occupation which he professeth and must it alone be a disgracefull thing that men should excell in the best of mysteries and callings yet what more common than to see the most thriving Christian to become the obloquie nay prey of the times And those who are most illuminated to have that Aeolus of hell Heb. 10.32 sending out his winds of opposition most against them And who hath not observed the zealous and sincere Christian persecuted when the time-serving and luke-warm formalist is not only spared but preferr'd and what trees are so cudgel'd and battered as those who are most fruitfull If hatred be hellish because it is set against godlinesse then certainly that hatred is most hellish which is set against most godlinesse 4. Obser 4. They who are ashamed of being exact and forward in religion are ashamed of their greatest glory Men commonly love to excell in every thing more than in that which is true excellency they think that a little godlinesse is enough and that abundance of wealth is but a little In getting riches they love to lead in going toward heaven they will hardly follow So much religion as will preserve their estates and reputation so much as will not crosse their interest or hinder their preferment they will embrace but they love not to follow religion too close for fear of being dasht They herein resemble some Students of the Law that study that Science not to be exact in it but only so farre as they may be able another day to keep their estates Men commonly love that much which when they do so it 's hard not to love too much but they are but remisse in that in which 't is impossible to be excessive they making it their study to take heed of that of which there 's no danger viz. Too much precisenesse in the wayes of holinesse Christianity in our times is like our buildings much more slight than of old Till I hear of one man from the Creation of the World to this day that ever repented him when he came to die of being too holy while he lived
The light of knowledge without the heat of love speaks him not excellent A golden key that opens not is not so praised as a wooden one that opens the door The shining pransing and trappings of a Steed commend him not but his serviceablenesse Ministers are not made for sight but for service Sine cura cum pervenerit ad curam Bern. Nothing more unsutable than for him to live without care who hath gotten a Cure Pray the Lord saith Christ to send forth labourers into his harvest Ministers must labour for the pulpit Qui ludit incathedra lugebit in gehenna and in the pulpit there must be the labour of study before we speak the labour of zeal and love in speaking the labour of suffering must be born after preaching alwayes the labour of praying before and after Their plainest performances must be painfull Diligens negligentia There must be a diligence even in their seeming negligence Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully Jer. 48.10 John 4.34 No danger is so great as spirituall nor must any care be so great as Ministeriall A godly Minister must be carefull for those that do not and carefull with those that do care for themselves He should not only eat his bread in the sweat of his brows but his sweat John 4.34 his labour should be his meat and drink Love to Christ souls should constrain him His life is short his reward is eternall Short seasons require quick services The nearnesse of Peters departure made him diligent 2 Pet. 1.13 14. Seldom doth the Kingdom of Heaven suffer violence under a remisse Ministry A sleepy Preacher cannot expect a waking Auditory It 's uncomely to see a Minister weary himselfe in the world in the family in the field in Courts of Justice Omnibus avocamentis valedicat He must take his leave of other imployments He must not leave the word of God to serve tables He is a Warriour and must not intangle himselfe in the affairs of this life They who sweat in worldly imployments are commonly but cold in the pulpit 4. Observ 4. People who partake of the Ministers diligence must take heed of negligence a double negligence 1. They must not neglect themselves Nor 2. their Minister 1. Not themselves their own souls they must carefully gather up that spirituall Manna that raineth upon them in this wildernesse they must not play with that meat which the painfull Minister hath been long a dressing If he take pains to do them good what should they to do themselves good 2 Pet. 1.5 Jam. 1.19 Isai 60.8 They must give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure In this their day knowing the things of their peace walking while they have the light They must be swift to hear flie as doves to the windows delight in the word Alphonsus King of Naples read the Bible over forty times in his life time The Bereans received the word with all readinesse of mind Acts 17.11 First They must seek the Kingdom of God not labour for that bread which perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life 'T is not meat on the table but in the stomack that nourisheth A Ministers care without their own will be but their curse 2. They must not neglect their Minister Double diligence deserves double honour If the Minister consume his strength they must labour to restore it It 's a shame that people should lay out more upon brooms to sweep their kennels than upon a Ministry to cleanse their souls If Ministers bring them venison their souls must blesse them It was a saying of an holy man now with God but his speech died not with him London loves a cheap Gospell Dr. Stoughton If Ministers spend their oile people must supply it They must administer of their temporals Alas they give but pibbles for pearls Since the Ministry was so slighted godlinesse never thrived This for the first Particular considerable in the second Reason Why the Apostle sent the following Exhortation viz. With what mind and disposition the Apostle endeavoured the good of these Christians He gave all diligence The second followes In what work he was imployed for or by what means he endeavoured their good viz. by writing he gave all diligence and it was to write And why would the Apostle chuse to further their salvation by the means of writing Explicat what was the advantage of a performance of that nature His writing was sundry wayes eminently advantagious 1. It was helpfull and advantagious to the absent he could not speak and therefore he writes to them Being absent saith the Apostle I write to them which heretofore have sinned 1 Cor. 13.2 Writing is an invention to deceive absence The use of Epistles is that even the separated by distance of place may be near to one another 〈◊〉 affection that there may be among the absent a resemblance of presence The pen is an artificiall tongue the reliefe of the dumb and the distant by it the former speaks plain and the later alond The rongue is as the pen of a ready writer and the pen is as the tongue of a ready speaker 2. The Apostles writing had the advantage to be diffusive of good to many He was covetous of benefiting as many as he could and his writing scatter'd holinesse Writing as it reacheth further so more than the tongue It 's like a little leaven that leaveneth a great lump even whole Countries nay after-Ages Pauls Epistles are ours though not in their inscriptions yet in their benefit Augustine was converted by reading part of that to the Romans The pen hath the greatest Auditories Rom. 13.13 14. 3. The Apostles writing had the advantage of authority and esteem Often the contemptiblenesse of bodily presence by reason haply of defects in utterance aspect life rank c. dampeth the spirit and diminisheth the esteem of the worthiest speaker Learned Doctor Fulk Master G.H. Many are famous for their writing who have been lesse esteem'd for their speaking Pauls adversaries objected the weaknesse of his bodily presence 2 Cor. 10.10 when they confessed his letters were weighty and powerfull Writing abstracts the work from sundry prejudices against the workman Many there are who build the tombs of the Prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous who publish alledge adorn the books those monuments of the memories of holy Fathers and others whose persons had they lived in their times they would have as much persecuted and opposed as they now do those who are guided by the same spirit and walk in those holy wayes in which those Saints of old did Many but meanly esteem'd of in forraign Countries by reason of their common and contemptible society are most eminently and deservedly esteemed among us for their writings 4. The Apostles writing had the advantage of permanency and continuance it was a standing lasting
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
Christ Gal. 1.23 He now preacheth the faith which before he persecuted So 1 Tim. 4.16 Gal. 3.2 So here in this place of Jude Faith once delivered is to be understood of the faith of heavenly doctrine the word of faith which the Apostle saith God had delivered to them and they were to maintain against the opposite errours of seducers This holy doctrine being called faith 1. Because it is the instrument used by God to work faith The Spirit by the word perswading us to assent to the whole doctrine of the Gospel and to rest upon Christ in the promise for life In which respect faith is said to come by hearing Rom. 10.15 And the Gospel the power of God Rom. 1.16 c. to every one that believes The faith to be believed begets a faith believing 2. Because it is a most sure infallible faithfull word and deserves to be the object of our faith and belief The Author of it was the holy and true Rev. 3.7.14 Tit. 1.2 2 Pet. 1.2 the faithful and true Witnesse God who cannot lie The Instruments were infallibly guided by the immediate derection and assistance of the holy Ghost The Matter of it an everlasting truth the Law being a constant rule of righteousnesse the Gospel conteining promises which shall have their stability when heaven and earth shall passe away and of such certainty that if an angel from heaven should teach another doctrine he must be accursed It abounds also with prophesies predictions most exactly accomplished though after hundreds yea thousands of years The form of it which is its conformity with God himself sheweth that if God be faithfull Heb. 4.12 Psal 19.7 9. needs must his word be so its powerfull it searcheth the heart its pure and perfect true and faithfull and all this in conformity with the power omniscience purity perfection truth of God himself The end of it is to supply us with assured comfort Rom. 15.4 Observ 1. 1. The word of life is most worthy of assent and approbation No word so much challengeth belief as Gods it 's so true and worthy of belief that it 's called faith it self When in Scripture the object is called by the name of the habit or affection it notes that the object is very proper for that habit or affection to be exercised about Heaven is in Scripture called joy to shew it 's much to be rejoyced in and the Doctrine of salvation is called faith to shew that its most worthy of our faith Infidelity is a most inexcusable and incongruous sin in us Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.18 Isa 53.1 when the faithfull and true God speaks unto us It 's impossible for God to lie and yet Who hath beleeved our report may be a complaint as ordinary as it is old How just is God to give those over to beleeve a lie who will not beleeve the truh How miserable is their folly who beleeve a lie and distrust faith it self 2. Observ 2. Deplorable is their estate who want the doctrine of salvation They have no footing for faith they have they hear nothing that they can beleeve Uncertainty of happiness is ever the portion of a people who are destitute of the Word He who wants this light knows not whither he goeth The Fancy of the Enthusiast the Reason of the Socinian the Traditions of the Papist the Oracles of the Heathens are all Foundations of sand death shakes and overturns them all 3. Observ 3. The true reason of the firmnesse and stedfastnesse of the Saints in their profession they lean upon a sure word Spiritus sanctus non est Scepticus ne◠opiniones in cordibus sed assertiones producit ipsâ vit â omni experientiâ certiores a more sure word than any revelation a word called even faith it self Greater is the certainty of Faith then that of Sense and Reason It 's not Opinion and Scepticism but Faith The holy Ghost is no Sceptick it works in us not opinions but assertions more sure than life it self and all experience The more weight and dependency we set upon the word so firm a foundation is it the stronger is the building None will distrust God but they who never tryed him 4. Our great end in attending upon the word should be the furthering of our faith The jewel of the Word should not hang in our ears but be lock'd up in a beleeving heart 'T is not meat on the table but in the stomack that nourisheth and not the Word preached but beleeved that saves us The Apostle having specified the thing which they were to maintain Faith he amplifieth it and that three wayes 1. Explicat 2. He saith it was delivered The word in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated delivered signifieth to be given or delivered from one to another severall wayes in Scripture according to the circumstances of the place where and the matter about which 't is used Sometime it importeth a delivering craftily deceitfully or traiterously in which respect the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often rendred to betray as Matth. 2.4.10 and Chap. 26 15 16 21 23 24 25. and Chap. 16.45 46 48. In some places it signifieth a delivering in a way of punishment and suffering As Mat. 4.12 Jesus heard that John was delivered up So Mat. 5.25 and 10.17.19.21 and 17.22 and Acts 7.42 c. In other places it signifieth a delivering in a way of committing something to ones trust to be carefully regarded and preserved as Mat. 11.27 and 25.14 20. and John 19.20 and 1 Pet. 2.23 And thus it frequently signifieth a delivering by way of information or relation of doctrines and duties from one to another to be kept and observed And that both from God first by the speech and afterward by the writing of holy men for the use of his Church as 1 Cor. 11.2 2 Thes 2.15 and 3.6 2 Pet. 2.21 and also from men who often deliver doctrines to others not written in the word Mat. 15.2 Mark 7.9.13 but invented by men In this sense the delivering here mentioned is to be taken namely for such an information or relation of Gods will as they to whom it is delivered are bound to preserve and keep as their treasure In which respect the delivering of this faith or doctrine of salvation comprehends first Gods bestowing it secondly Mans holding and keeping it 1. Gods bestowing it and in that is considerable 1. In what wayes and after what manner God delivered it 2. What need there was of this delivery of the faith by God 1. In what wayes God delivered the faith the Scripture tels us he hath delivered it either extraordinarily Num. 12.6.8 Heb. 1.1 as immediately by himselfe by Angels by a voice by a sensible apparition to men sometime when they were awake at other times when they were sleeping by dreams sometime only by inward inspiration Or ordinarily and so he delivers the doctrine of faith 1. To his
the Apostle describes it 1. More generally he calls them ungodly men 2. More particularly he shews wherein their ungodliness appeared they turn the grace of God into lasciviousness and deny c. 1. Explicat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used indifferently of true and false worship Act. 18.13 Act. 13.50 Act. 16.14 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to worship God aright and duly 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth one who is of no religion who worships not at all The Apostle expresseth the ungodliness of seducers more generally calling them ungodly Vngodly men For Explication I shall first express more briefly and generally what the Apostle here intends by the term ungodly 2. More fully and particularly explain wherein that ungodliness of which he speaks did consist or what it is to be ungodly The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly is compounded of a word which signifieth to worship or be devout and of a particle which notes a negation or denyall of that thing with which 't is joyned So that the word made up of both properly signifieth one who is indevout or worships not who yields no adoration honour or reverence to God but casteth off his service or as we say is a prophane man and one of no Religion For godliness is properly the same with Religion and Religion is a spirituall bond not onely a divine impression whereby we are possessed with most high and peerless thoughts of God and rapt with admiration of that excellency which shines in him but it 's also a binder Dictam esse religionem quòd quasi in fascem Domini vincti religati sumus Hier. ad Am. c. 9. a golden belt or girdle that ties and confederats and clasps our souls to God The faithfull by Religion are Gods bundle made upon earth to be carried to heaven men tyed together by being tyed to God Godliness is this gentle manacle and bond of love tying us by gratitude to Gods mercy by faith to his word by fidelity to his Covenant by hope to his promises c. and godlinesse layes a most sweet and easie yoke upon all the parts of man voluntarily resigning themselves to draw all together in the service of God and so it ties the head from wicked imaginations the heart from evill cogitations the eyes from vanity the tongue from profanenesse the hand from violence the feet from running into sin And though both religion and godlinesse in their largest extent comprehend the whole duty of man to God and man 1 Tim. 6.6 even holinesse and righteousnesse yet properly and primarily they note piety and the observation of duties belonging immediately to God himselfe And so though ungodliness be often taken in the largest sense as importing all kind of wickedness committed against God and man as Rom. 4.5 1 Tim. 1.9 c. yet alwayes properly and as I conceive in this place principally it is to be understood of wickedness immediatly done against God himself in denying him that reverence honour due Rom. 1.26 Gen. 20. and abusing that worship and service given to him the Apostle * Vngodly by this word at once discovers both the hypocrisie of these Seducers whose great endeavour was to be accounted in the highest form of Religion and also the root of all that following wickedness wherewith he chargeth them 2. More particularly to consider what it is to be ungodly or wherein ungodliness consists I shall open it in three particulars 1. The deniall to God the honour which is due to him 2. The attributing of the honour which is due to him to somthing else beside him 3. The giving to God his honour after a wrong manner 1. To be ungodly is to deny that honour to God which is due to him and that sundry wayes as 1. To deny God his honour by not knowing him Fingunt Deum talem qui non videt non punit c. Psal 14.1 and acknowledging his providence presence justice mercy power The fool hath said in his heart There is no God he knows no such God as the true God is no omniscient just merciful powerfull c. God He who denies any attribute of God denyes God himself 1 Sam. 2.12 thus the sons of Eli knew not the Lord and thus he spoken of Psal 50.21 who thought that God was altogether such an one as himself thus likewise the ungodly who say Job 22.14 How doth God know can he judg through the dark cloud Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not c. This piece of Atheism is the foundation of all the rest He who knows not his Landlord cannot pay his rent 2. Not to honour God by beleeving him Ungodly men totally distrust Gods promises though he seals them with an oath It 's impossible that God should utter a lie to them Heb. 6.18 and that ungodly men while such should do any other than give the lie to God They make God a lyar 1 John 5.10 Heb. 3.12 the greatest dishonour imaginable an evill heart departs from depends not upon the living God 3. Not to honour God by loving him Ungodly men are haters of God Rom. 1.30 and 't is not for want of poyson but power that they expresse not the greatest hatred against him even the taking away his very being Psal 81.11 Hence 't is that some have called an ungodly man a deicide though they meant him not such in regard of execution but of affection 'T is true God himself is out of the reach of an ungodly man but what of him they can come by as his pictures Isa 30.11 his image in his children Job 21.14 ordinances they indeavour to destroy and abolish like theeves who wish the Judge were dead or hurt the ungodly desire that God might cease to be God that he had lost the hand of his justice the arme of his power Timor Domini janitor anim◠the eye of his knowledge c. 4. Not to honour God by fearing to sin against him Ungodly men sometimes presume sometimes they despair but never do they reverentially fear him so as to keep themselves from sin they fear not an Oath they fear hell they feare not God they say not How can we doe this great evill Gen. 39 9. Job 21.14 Hos 4.16 Psal 50.17 Jer. 44.16 Tit. 1.10 Luke 19.14 and sin against God they fear sin for hell not as hell 5. Not to honour God by obeying his word Ungodly men cast off the yoke they are sons of Belial They slide back as a back-sliding heyfer They will none of his ways They desire not the knowledge of them They hate instruction and cast the word of God behind them In their works they deny God They will never have Christ for their ruler nor his word for their rule 6. Not to honour God by bearing his stroake Ungodly men are not as children under the rod but as
personally and as signifying some one person of the Trinity thus the Father is called God Mat. 16.16 Joh. 3.16 Rom. 7.25 c. thus the Holy Ghost is called God Act. 5.4 compared with verse the 3. Thou hast not lyed to men but to God Satan hath filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 6.16 compared with 1 Cor. 6.19 And thus the Son is called God Act. 20.28 The Church of God which he hath purchased with his blood 1 Tim. 3.16 Tit. 2.13 The great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ c. and this is the person which is here called God To whom 1. Are given the same Titles which are given to God Isai 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 14.22 Psal 95.8 9.6 He is called The mighty God and chap. 6.1 He is called Jehovah for there Isaiah is said to see Jehovah sitting upon a throne c. And Joh. 12.41 This is expresly by the holy Evangelist applyed to Christ of whom he saith that Isaiah saw his glory and spake of him Exod. 17.7 The people are said to tempt Jehovah and the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.9 Let us not tempt Christ as some of them tempted It is said of Jehovah Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth Psal 102.25 and the heavens are the work of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure c. And the Apostle clearly testifies Heb. 1.10 that these words are spoken of Christ Zech. 13.7 Christ is called the Fathers fellow Joh. 1.1 The word which in the beginning was with God is expresly said to be God And Rom. 9.6 He is called God blessed for evermore And 1 Tim. 3. ult God manifested in the flesh And 1 Joh. 5.20 The true God 2. The same essentiall Attributes and properties of the God-head are ascribed to him as 1. Eternity Prov. 8.22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old Joh. 8.58 Before Abraham was I am John 17.5 Glorifie me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was And ver 24. Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Col. 1.17 He is before all things 2. Omnipresence Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them And chap. 28. ult I am with you alway even to the end of the world 3. Omniscience Joh. 2. ult He knew what was in man Mat. 9.4 and 12.25 Luk. 5.22 and 6.8 Luk. 11.17 and 24.38 He is also frequently said to know the thoughts yea Joh. 21.17 to know all things 4. Omnipotency All power is given unto me Phil 3. ult He is able to subdue all things Joh. 5.19 What things soever the Father doth these also do the Son 3. The same works which are peculiar to God are ascribed unto Christ As 1. Election the Elect are Mat. 24.31 called his Elect. 2. Creation 1 Joh. 3. All things were made by him and ver 10. The world was made by him Col. 1.16 By him were all things created 3. The Preservation and sustentation of all things Col. 1.17 By him all things consist Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the word of his power 4. Remission of sins Mat. 9.6 The Son of man hath power to forgive sins 5. Working of miracles works either above or against the order of nature Joh. 9.32 He opens the eyes of the blind Joh. 11. He raiseth dead Lazarus Yea he both raiseth from the grave of sin Joh. 5.21 25 And raiseth all the dead Joh. 5.28 29. 6. The bestowing of eternall life Joh. 10.28 My sheep hear my voice and I give unto them eternall life 4. The worship which is due to God alone hath been both given to and accepted by Christ First Inward worship as 1. Beleeving on him Faith is a worship which belongs only to God enjoyned in the first Commandment and against the trusting in man is there a curse denounced Jer. 5.17 But Christ bids us beleeve in him Joh. 14.1 Beleeve in me Joh. 8. ult He that beleeveth in the Son hath everlasting life 2. Loving him with all the heart commanded above the love nay even to an hatred of father mother wife children yea our own lives Luk. 14.26 and for the gaining of him Blessed Paul accounted all things but loss and dung Phil. 3.8 Secondly Outward worship is due to Christ 1. Dedication in baptism is in his name Mat. ult 19. 2. Divine Invocation is given to him Act. 7.59 Steven calls upon the Lord Jesus to receive his spirit 1 Cor. 1.2 All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ 1 Thes 3.11 God himselfe and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way unto you Revel 5.9.12 Praises are offered to him 3 Divine adoration is also given to him Mat. 8.2 A leper worshipped him Mat. 2.11 Though the Wise men of the east who saw Herod in all his royalty worshipped not him yet they fell down before Christ Yea not men only but Angels are commanded to worship him Hebr. 1.6 OBSERVATIONS 1. Observ 1. As groundlesse as blasphemous are all the cavils against the deity of Christ For though he be from and begotten of the the Father by an ineffable communication of the divine essence to his person yet if we consider his deity and essence absolutely he is God of himselfe and hath being from none and he is only God of God as we consider the divine essence in the Son and as it is under a certain and distinct manner of subsistence Though the Father be greater than the Son in respect of his manhood Joh. 14.28 Joh 10.30 Phil. 2.6 yet the Son is equall with the Father in respect of his Godhead Though the Son be truly called the image of God Col. 1.15 yet he is as truly said to be very God For when the Apostle saith that he is the image of God this word God ought not to be taken essentially but personally and by it we are to understand not the divine nature but the person of the Father Christ is the image of the Father not of the deity and the person of the Son bears the image of the person of the Father but the divine essence in the Son is one and the same with that which is in the Father I and my Father are one 2 Vnconceivable was the wisdome Observ 2. justice love and humble condescention manifested in Gods becoming of Man 1. Wisdome None but a God could have contrived it and so far was Man from inventing this plot of Mercy that it had been blasphemie should it have entred into his thoughts before God had discovered it to him The hypostaticall union was purely a divine invention Poor short-sighted man cannot conceive it now since it was much lesse could he have contrived it before it was Infinite was that wisdome which found out a way for God to begin to be what he was not and to remain what he was
made them an idol which had the figure of a Calf or an Ox Exod. 36 4. Psal 106.20 was because they had often seen the Egyptians under that kinde of image to worship either their greatly adored Apis who had formerly been their King and benefactor and whom now they esteemed their tutelary god or else as other learned men think the River Nilus which by its inundation did make the land of Egypt fruitfull And very probable it is that God intended this bitter oppression of the Israelites by the Egyptians partly as a punishment for joyning with them in their idolatry formerly partly as a remedy to prevent in the Israelites that familiarity and friendship with the Egyptians for time to come whereby they might easily fall again in love with their superstitions For if after all the indignities and cruelties which the Israelites suffered in Egypt they were desirous again as they were to return thither Num. 14.4 how forward would they have been had the Egyptians alwayes favoured and loved them If they loved to be handling of thorns how would they have delighted in Roses And this may serve for the explication of the greatnesse of this deliverance from the Egyptians in this first consideration namely of what the Egyptians had done to the Israelites in abusing them during their abode in Egypt II. But secondly This deliverance will yet appear much more eminent if we consider what God did both to Egyptians and Israelites in delivering the Israelites from the abuses of the Egyptians And first What God did to the Egyptians He powred his plagues upon them he made Egypt the anvill of his angry stroaks He punish'd them 1. Powerfully 2. Justly 1. Most powerfully did God punish the Egyptians For this cause did God raise up Pharaoh to shew in him his power All the judgments which befell the Egyptians Exod. 9.17 came as soon as God called them At his command the waters run blood the frogs the lice the flies the grashoppers the darknesse the hail the thunder and all those wrathfull troops of plagues obey the will of him who commanded in chief and revenge the wrongs of their Maker The most despicable of creatures lice and flies the weakest twigs of Gods rod shall fetch blood when managed by the hand of Omnipotency Nor was his power lesse conspicuous in setting a stint to the very flies and making that winged army to acknowledg their limits and to keep at a distance from Goshen Yea let but God speak the word and frogs and flies and grashoppers depart as readily as ever they came And to shew that he could plague without them the greatest of Egypts plagues is inflicted when they are gone The strength of Egypt their first-born die and are but worms and weaknesse to the strength of Israel All this was much 't was admirable strength which broke the backs of the Egyptians but nothing but pure Omnipotency could break such rocks and oaks as were their hearts but even these also are bowed and broken None so forward now to thrust the Israelites out of Egypt yea to hire them to go as they who even now tyrannically detain'd them Their rich jewels of silver and gold are not too deer for them whom lately they spoiled of their substance Glad they are now to pay them for their old work Those who lately were detained as slaves are now sent away as Conquerors with the spoils of their enemies Still the power of God appears No sooner were the backs of Israel turned to depart but the warlike Egyptians furnish'd with horses and chariots pursue the feeble and unarmed Israelites who hereupon give up themselves for dead and are now talking of nothing but their graves They know not whether is more mercifull the sea before them or the Egyptians behind them but the sea retires and flies and the Israelites put their feet into the way that it hath made them Pharaoh thinks he may adventure as well as they he marcheth smoothly till he be come to the midst of that watery trap and would fain return when it was too late The rod of Moses is now more powerfull than the scepter of Pharaoh Gurges in gurgite The sea is now again unbridled returns in its force and devours the late devourers of Israel And therefore 2. How justly did God punish the Egyptians Was it not just that the bold blasphemer who even now askt Who is the Lord should be made to know him by feeling him and that this Lord should be known upon him to all the world The river Nilus which by its inundations made Egypt fruitfull was by the Egyptians regarded more than heaven and worship'd for a deitie and how righteously are they punished by the blood and frogs of that which they make a corrival with God They had lately defiled the rivers with the blood of infants See now their rivers red with blood and they themselves are afterward over-whelmed in the red sea He who had rather satisfie his own curiosity by the feats of Magicians than labour for humility under stroakes not more smart than miraculous is at once both deluded and hardened They who to spare themselves burdned and inslaved poor groaning Israelites are now plagued when Israel is preserved How justly doth God distinguish when they had done so before They who are hardened are at length broken by judgements They who sinned by the removall are justly punished by the renewing of plagues They who so cruely opprest Gods first-born son his Israel are now plagued in the destrustruction of their own first-born They who lately made poor Israel drudge and toyl in dirt and mire without allowing them any wages but scoffes and stripes now pay them wages for their old work with interest and with their gold and silver bear the charges of that journey which all this while they were hindering the Israelites from taking They who are not taught justly stumble by the people of God To conclude this How just was it that he who with his people hoped that the Israelites were so intangled and shut up in the wildernesse and the sea as they should not be able to make escape that he and his I say should by this bait be drawn so far to pursue the Israelites as neither to be able to go backward or forward 2. The mercy of saving the people out of the land of Egypt will yet more fully appear if we consider what God did to the Israelites He delivered them and this he did 1. Most Wisely 2. Most Graciously 1. Most Wisely did God deliver his people in raising up of Moses to be their deliverer The mother of Moses brought him forth in a time wherin she could not but think of his birth and death at once and hourly expect some cruell executioner to tear her tender and lovely babe out of those arms Admiranda est Dei providentia tam pulchrè Aegyptiis illudens ut quo tempore cogunt Hebraeos servire sine
enemies how can God want weapons to beat them when he can beat them with their own how impossible is it but God should prevail over them when he doth so by being oppos'd by them how should this encourage the afflicted Church of God! when his enemies most resist him they are against their wills compell'd most to serve him and his Church 13. Observ 13. God is most faithfull in keeping promise with his people God mis-reckon'd not his people one day nay not one hour in four hundred and thirty years All the pathes of God are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 Psal 89.33 Isai 55.3 2 Cor. 1.20 Josh 21.45 and 23.14 1 King 8.56 Jer. 33.20 Isai 54.19 The faithfulnesse of God never failes nor will he alter the thing which is gone out of his lips The promises of God are called the sure mercies of David sure unto all the seed of David that are in covenant with God as David was They are yea and amen There shall not fail one word of all the good which God hath promised to do for his people The promises of God are built upon the unchangeable purpose of God which is a sure and unshaken foundation 2 Tim. 2.19 Hence it is that God is said to have promised eternall life before the world began because the promises which are made in time are according to that purpose of God in himselfe And Hebr. 6.17 the Apostle grounds the truth of the promise upon the stablenesse of Gods counsell so that unlesse Gods counsell and purpose change the promise cannot faile Psal 89.3.35 Heb. 6.17 Heb. 9.16 17 To assure us of the certainty of his Covenant God hath given us the pledges of his oath his seal of the blood of Christ the Mediatour the earnest of his spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 Let the true Israelites hence gather strong consolation Christians you are not worthy to be beloved but God is worthy to be beleeved The promises are as sure as they are great Though all the world falter and deceive you yet the promises of God are firm and stable God will try your faith but never disappoint it Judge of his faithfulnesse not by his providences but by his promises Of this more in the last part of the verse 14. Observ 14. The great God hath all the creatures at his command He commands in chiefe and the creatures are his hosts even from the least of the lice that crept upon the poorest Egyptian to the most glorious Angell in heaven Psal 148.8 Psal 77.16 If he say to a plague Go it goeth if Come it cometh they all fulfill his word the unruly sea tamely stands still if God command it yea though of it selfe it be unkind and raging it lovingly opens its bosome to entertain the Israelites Hee can make the swift sun to stop its course yea to go backward Josh 10.12 Isai 38.8 The greedy and cruell Lions are muzled up and grow gentle at Gods command If God speak unto the fish it shall take retain and restore Jonas How should this relieve the faithfull in all their exigencies Their friend their father hath all the world at his command to supply their wants to deliver them from troubles to destroy their enemies Man roweth but God bloweth The Egyptians pursue but the wind the sea the chariot wheels shall all obey the God of Israel Never need a true Israelite fear who hath such a friend Never can an Egyptian be fafe that hath such an enemy 15. Observ 15. Wicked men grow not wise till it be too late Why could not the Egyptians as well refraine from the pursuit of Israel as endeavour a retreat It had been better for them not to have entred into the sea than to struggle to get out when once they were in it They might with more wisedome have said Let us not follow after than have said Let us flye from the Israelites Wicked men do not beleeve their danger til they feel it Satan suffers not their eyes to be opened till they be with the blinded Syrians in the midst of their enemies Oh sinner Labour to be wise betimes in this thy day know the things that belong to thy peace It s easier to be warned of the wrath to come than to wade out of it 16. Observ 16. God makes those conditions and imployments easie to his people when they are once in them which before seem'd impossible Israel rather thought that the wildernesse should have given them graves then that the sea should have given them passage They who feared that none could role away for them the stone of the sepulcher when they came found it roll'd away to their hands The workes of God are sweet in the performance which are unpleasing in their undertakeing the yoke of Christ is greivous to take up but easie to bear and undergo it s otherwise in the imployments of sin they are easie and delightfull in the beginning but bitternesse in the end The Israelites find the sea shut against them when they approach it but it was open in their passage through it The Egyptians found it open at their approach but shut when they would return The waies of God are narrowly broad The wayes of sin broadly narrow Israel hath nothing to do but to follow God and to beleeve For their way if mercy do not find it easie it will make it so The second part of this example of the Israelites is their destruction after their forementioned deliverance in these words Afterward destroyed EXPLICATION Two things may here be explained 1 What this destruction was which befell Israel afterward 2. Wherein the eminency and remarkablenesse of this destruction which was afterward did appear 1. For the first The Scriptures record sundry destructions brought upon the Israelites while they were in the wildernesse after their deliverance from Egypt As 1. Some were destroyed after their idolatrous worshipping of the Golden Calfe Exod. 32.28 〈◊〉 by the command of Moses to the number of three thousand men 2. There was a destruction by fire which the Lord kindled mentioned Num. 11.1 2 3. whether this fire brake out of the earth or came from the Pillar of fire which went before the Israelites or was poured upon them from heaven it is not expressed certain it is that it was a grevious burning and therefore the place where it burnt was called Taberah 3. Another destruction by the plague wee read of in the same chapter ver 33. at Kibroth Hataavah after the people had impatiently and discontentedly lusted for flesh 4. There 's a destruction by fiery serpents recorded Num. 21.6 Where after their murmuring for want of water it 's said much people of Israel dyed 5. Many of the Israelites were destroyed about the conspiracy of Corab and his complices related Num. 16.31 Where besides the swallowing up of sundry in the earth and the consuming by fire of two hundred and fifty who offered incense fourteen thousand seven hundred more
accept of the services of worms That he the beholding of whose face is the heaven of those blessed spirits and who hath their beuties constantly before him to look upon and the sweetnesse of the exactly skilfull and melodious musick of a consort a chore of angels to delight him that this God should accept of the chatterings of cranes the blacknesse of Ethiopians the stammerings the lispings of infants the jarrings of our poor broken instruments the bungling services of which even poor we our selves are ashamed What a word of condescension is that of Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely and Joh. 4.23 The father seeketh such to worship him Lord thou dost not seek thus because thou wantest servants but because we want work not because thou art defective in attendants but abundant in grace and rewards and delighted with that of thy selfe which thou seest whereever thou findest it 2. How highly advanced is he who is God and man Observat 2. The excellency of angels speaks the greater excellency of him who is above all principalities and power Eph. 1.21 Phil. 2.9 and might and dominion who hath a name above every name Heb. 1.4 6.1 Pet. 3.23 who is made better than the angels whom all the angels are to worship and unto whom angels and authorities Mat. 4.11 and powers are made subject When Christ was upon earth the angels were his ministers angels proclaimed his entrance into the world Yea not only at his incarnation but tentations resurrection ascension angels attend him serve him woship him Our King hath not a guard of men as the great princes of the earth but a guard of princes and not of princes only but even of principalities and powers Christ is the Lord of the holy angels Exod. 25.20 The eyes of the Cherubims are fix'd upon the Mercy-seat the angels look upon Christ as their Master expecting his commands The vail of the tabernacle which covered the most holy Exod. 26.31 expresly signifying the flesh of Christ which hiding his divinity made way for us to heaven was made of broydered work with Cherubims there being hereby noted unto us the service which the angels give to Christ as man They are called Mat. 16.27 the angels of the Son of man Christ tooke not upon him the nature of angels and yet they undertake the service of Christ Blush O man that angels should obey him and that thou shouldst rebell against him Oh since he is come to his own let them receive him Let not Christ suffer for his condescension If submission to Christ be the grace of angels contempt of Christ is the sin of divels Oh kiss the Son subject your selves to him and so stoop to your own blessednesse And take heed of disgraceing that nature by sin and of making it lower than divels which Christ hath advanced above Angels 3. Observat 3. Psal 8.3 How much below angels is poor mortall man When David saw the Moon and Stars he had selfe-debasing thoughts how much more should wee when we contemplate angelicall excellency Angelus si cum anima rationali comparetur dici potest anima perfecta quemadmodum a nima dici potest angelus imperfectus Angelus est integr a perfectáque substantia spiritualis anima human a dimidiata imperfecta quia est forma corporis ac pars hominis Angelus est totus spiritus homo partim spiritus partim caro vel partim Angelus partim bestia Bell. de ascensione grad nov Even the best part of man his soul is lower then angels An angell is a perfect soul and a soul but an imperfect angel for the angel is an intire perfect spirituall substance but the soul is a spirit but imperfectly and by halfs because it is the form of the earthly body and hereby a part of a man An angel is all spirit man part spirit and part flesh partly like an angel and partly like a beast an angel is all gold a man partly gold partly clay How childish yea brutish and dull is our understanding in comparison of that of angels What great pains doth man take for a little knowledge how is he beholding for it to his senses and discouse from the effects to their causes and after all industry how doubtfull superficial and staggering is he in his apprehensions but angels behold things with one view at once discern things both effects and causes and pierce into the substance as well as the accidents of things As much difference between the knowledg of men and of angels as there is between the sight of an Owl and an Eagle an illumin'd Doctor and a sucking child How weak and impotent are the operations of the soul of man in comparison of those of an angel the soul by the command of its will can only move its own body and that too how slowly how creepingly and with what a dull progressivenesse upon the dunghill of this earth nor can it bear up this upon the water in the aire and carry it whithersoever it will whereas these spirits with their alone force can carry vast and heavy bodies upward and whither they please One angel wants no weapons nay no hands to destroy a whole army How far below the angels are we in habitation The poorest pigeon-hole is not so much inferior to the ivory palaces of Solomon or the blackest under-ground dungeon to the most magnificent mansions of a king as is mans habitation to that of the angels How glorious is that court which is adorned with the presence of the King of glory and how blessed those attendants which ever behold his face therein Poor man hath no better lodging for his noble heaven-born soul than a cottage of clay and that too so frail and crazy as were it not once or twice every day daub'd over it would fall about his ears and whethersoever he goes he is forced to carry to drag this clog this clay this chaine with him whereas angels free from the shackels of flesh can move from heaven to earth from earth to heaven even as swiftly as can our very thoughs Poor man wilt thou yet be proud Oh that we were as low in heart as in condition How uncomely a garment is pride for those who imbrace the dunghill when the glorious angels are clothed with humility But alas as the height of heaven cannot make an angel proud so neither can the lownesse of earth no not of hell make sinners humble Oh that we might only have high thoughts of that condition Luk. 20.36 wherein we shall be equall to the angels Lord though I beg that I may be more thankfull for the metcies which I enjoy than dejected for the troubles which I endure in this life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet grant till I come to be like the angels in the full enjoyment of thy selfe that about the sweetest of
falling of these angels from their originall holinesse and intended by the Apostle to be the effect thereof as if because they kept not their naturall integrity they therefore forsook their appointed duty and office wherein God had set them For as * Natura angelorum quum non posset esse otiosa non amplius inclinat et agit in iis quibus privata est sed in contrariis Positâ privatione hac effectiones ejus in isto genere poni necesse est Itaque optimè Christus privationi huic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impotentem incl nationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actionem inclinationis istius attexuit dicens Verit as non est in eo à principio homicida fuit Jun. in Jud. Junius well notes These angels having deprived their nature of what good was in it before since it could not be idle it did not now incline to and act in former but contrary ways and imployments for that privation being put the effects thereof must needs follow accordingly in the same kind as a man being blind sutable effects and operations will succeed Hence it is that Christ to this privation of holinesse and not abiding in the truth most fitly annexeth the impotent inclination of the divell to sin in these words There is no truth in him and the action whereby he express'd that inclination which was in being a murderer By reason of this defection then from his originall holinesse he became a lyar an adversary to God and all his a tempter a murderer a spirit of uncleannesse a slanderer a divell So that from the former privative action of forsaking his primitive integrity as from a fountain flowed a voluntary and uncessant acting sutable thereunto and opposite to the duty which at the first God appointed him And now for the high nature of this offence of the angels in leaving their own habitation needs must it be answerable to the forementioned cause thereof viz. The revolting from their originall integrity Bitter was that stream which came from such a fountain how high a contempt of God was this 1. To slight the place of his presence in which is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 16. ult If it be an heinous sin not to attaine that presence when we are without it how unsufferable a provocation is it to despise it when we have it The presence of God is heaven upon earth and the heaven of heaven The forsaking of this was the despising of all good at once even of that which was able to satisfie all the desires and capacities of all the creatures to the brim Nay the glorious perfections of God satisfie God himselfe and if they can fil the sea how much more a little vessel 2. Heinous was the impiety of these angels in leaving their own habitation as it was a forsaking of that office and station wherein God had placed them Job 1.6 1. They were the creatures nay the sons of God He made them and therefore it was their duty to serve him the homage of obedience was due to God for their very beings He gave them those hands which he imployed he planted in them those endowments of which he desired the increase 2. They were of the highest rank of all the creatures If he expected work from the weakest worm how much more might he do so from the strongest angel If God required the tax of obedience from the poorest how much more due was it from those richest those ablest of creatures to pay it And 3. As God had bestowed upon them the best of all created beings and abilities so had he laid out for them the happiest the honorablest of all employments All creatures were his subjects but these his meniall servants or other creatures did the work without doors these waited upon his person by an immediate attendance This employment was both work and wages What was their work but to behold the face of the King of glory and to praise the glory of that King and what other happinesse is desirable imaginable OBSERVATIONS 1. Holinesse Obser 1. the image of God makes the difference between an angel and a divel When an angel leaves his integrity he becomes a divell If he keep not his primitive purity he parts with his primitive preheminence The originall holinesse of the angels is set out by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies dignity Cut off Samsons locks and he will be even as another man Though never so many other accomplishments be left behind as spirituality strength wisdome immortality c. Yet if holinesse be gone the truly angelicall part is gone That which is to be desired in a man yea an angel is goodnesse All the stars cannot make a day Should a whole sheet of paper be fill'd only with cyphers they could not all amount to the smallest number nor can the rarest endowments without grace make a person excellent The righteous not the rich the honourable the learned is more excellent than his neighbour There 's nothing will have a lustre at the day of Judgement but purity Riches honours c. like Glow-worms in the dark blind night of this world glister and shine in mens esteems but when the sun of righteousnesse shall arise in his glory all these beauties will die and decay How much are they mistaken who shun and abhor Christians as divels because they are poor deformed disgraced though they keep their integrity and how great their sin who hate them because they keep their integrity but the world will love its own Black-mores account the blackest beautifullest Would we look upon men with a renewed eye and Scripture spectacles we would judge otherwise The poorest Saint is an angel in a disguise in raggs and the richest sinner is for the present little better then a gilded divell Holinesse though veyled with the most contemptible outside is accompany'd with a silent majesty and sin even in the highest dignity bewrayes a secret vilenesse 2. Observ 2. Truth and holinesse can only plead antiquity The first estate of the fallen angels was holy Sin came or rather crept in afterwards Holinesse is as ancient as the Ancient of days and the essentiall holinesse of God the pattern of that which was at the first created in angels and man is eternall and increated Sin is but an innovation and a meer invention of the creatures A sinner is but an upstart They who delight in sin do but keep alive the adventitious blemishes of their originall and the memory of their traiterous defection from God O that we might rather remember from whence we are fallen and in Christ recover a better than our first estate To any who pretend the greatest antiquity and longest custome for error or any other sin it may be said From the beginning it was not so Mat. 19.8 Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas est erroris Tert. Hos 5.10 Prov. 22.22
cast into utter darknesse i. e. without the Kingdome of God which is light and a Kingdom of light In this phrase of utter darknesse according to some is an allusion to the darknesse which God sent upon Egypt Metaphoricè per tenebras scriptura horrendum maerorem designat Cal. in Mat. 8.12 Tenebrae exteriores domesticae luci opponuntur quum antiquitus nocturnae ut plurimum coenae essent quas plurimae faces lampades illustrabant qui ejiciuntur è regno Dei Christus eos dicit extra in tenebras ejici in tenebras Cal. in Mat. 25. Comprativus superlativi est loco ut sit in tenebras extimas Luc. Brug in Mat. 8. Exod. 10.23 that Egyptian darknesse being without the habitations of the Israelites in all which was light Or as Reverend Calvin conceives to the darknesse wherein they are who are excluded in the night time from places in which are suppers or feasts where they set up many lights and lamps or as others to the darknesse of prisons which were oft wont to be without the City Acts 12.10 Whatever the allusion is by this utter darknesse is intended a state of the greatest remotenesse and distance from the light of Gods presence the joy yea the heaven of heaven for as Brugensis well notes by the comparative note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outer may well be intented the superlative utmost or most without furthest or most distant from the Kingdom of light as 1 Cor. 13.13 the greater i. e. the greatest of these is charity This eternall darknesse which stands in the withdrawing of the light of Gods pleased and pleasing countenance wherein is fulnesse of joyes and pleasures for evermore is that here by the Apostle intended to be the portion of these angels in their prison of hell And most fitly is this their wofull estate of separation from Gods presence called darknesse because as the though but deficient cause of darknesse is the departure of the light so the separation from the favourable presence of God is the greatest misery of the damned as the face and comfortable presence of God is the heaven of heavens so absence from God is the hell of hell It is not heaven to be in the place of heaven but to be with God in heaven and it is not hell to be in hell but to be without Gods loving and gracious presence in heaven The misery of which condition of darknesse or separation from Gods presence is in the second place to be explained and it may be amplified two wayes 1 Considering from what this separation shall be 2 How the misery thereof shall be further heightned 1 There shal be a separation from the favorable presence of God which is 1 A full good comprehending all good that wherein all good things are assembled and combined He who hath him who is all things must needs have all things To him there can be made no addition of goodness in parting with him the damned part with whatsoever is good 2 A filling satisfying good enough and sufficient for himself and that which can fill the Ocean can undoubtedly fill the vessell God satisfies all the wants and exigences of the soul My God shall supply all your wants The favour of God is better then life The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want Every good besides God is but of a limited nature answering but to this or that exigency but one God answers to every want Bread relieves hunger water thirst cloaths nakednesse mony poverty God relieves in every want Summa mors animae est alienatio à vita Dei in aeternitate supplicii Aug. lib. 6. de civ Dei c. 12. and hath infinitely more oyl then we have vessels Deservedly therefore is this punishment of loss frequently expressed in the Scripture as the great woe of the damned Matth. 7.23 Luke 13.27 Mat. 25.10 41. The throne of iniquity shall have no fellowship with God Psalm 94.20 Needs must hell be a dismal dungeon where the sunshine of Gods presence never comes But 2. The misery of the loss of this blessed presence of God is further heightned aggravated and made intolerably tormenting Considering 1. The damned in hell know the incomparable worth of what they have lost Their Understandings are cleer though they are not changed Their knowledg increaseth their sorrow How happy comparatively would they be if their Understandings were taken from them if they could but put out their eyes Though they see not God so fully and cleerly as do the blessed in heaven yet they see enough of him to rend and grinde them with inexpressible vexation for losing him A company of wretched beggars who in a dark night stand at the door of that house where there is a Wedding feast though they see not the stately preparations the furnished tables the costly ornaments of the married Couple and Guests so fully and clearly and though they hear not the sweet Musick within so distinctly as do the guests themselves who sit at table yet by lights in the windows the voices of mirth and Musicians with the confused sound of instruments the passage to and fro of attendants with their chear they cannot but observe enough to think themselves being excluded very miserable in comparison of those who are attended at the table and in the midst of all their mirth and plenty Christ makes the Application Luke 13.25.28 Where he speaks of those who stand without and knock c. and shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and they themselves thrust out The rich man sees Abraham and Lazarus but a farr off see them he must though he would not get to them he must not though he would never so fain And certainly the large vessel of an Angels understanding holds more matter of this torment then can more shallow capacities 2. These damned spirits remember that this loss of the presence of God was a rod of their own making a woe of their own most wilfull procuring The door which shuts them out of heaven was pull'd to with their own hands How much will it sharpen the edg of their horror to consider that none forced them to sin that the forsaking of God was the choice of their own will that they had no enemies but themselves The treasures of glory were not stollen from them but voluntarily dissipated and prodigally mis-spent with their own hands How easily could they have prevented that losse which now is irreparable and have kept their foot out of that snare out of which they can never wind themselves The arrow which falls down upon their heads was shot up with their own hands and as it s said of birdlime that it s made of the dung of birds the destruction which hath caught them was spun out of their own bowels 3. They consider how poor a trifle and contemptible a toy it was for which they have lost the blessed presence of God How doth
it cut them to remember that they have lost all things for nothing a massy crown a weight of glory for a bubble a butter-flie the inheritance of heaven for a song What proportion is between a notion a fancy and the satisfying fruition of a reall good how do men blame themselves for lodging in a dear Inne where they are compell'd to pay as much more as their entertainment is worth How heartily have I heard men beshrew themselves for parting with great summs of mony for which they say they never drunk A minute of pleasure a poor silly slight shallow nothing may the damned say was all I had for have he cannot say to shew for my self my blessednesse my God Oh mad exchange Oh amazing disproportion deservedly miserable wretch that I am I had but a dream of delight for heaven it self Did ever any fool buy so dear and sell so cheap 4. They consider who it is that excludes them from this blessedness even God himself who is not only a God of power and therefore able to hinder them from entring for if he shuts none can open but a God of tender compassions to some This God who made them will not have mercy on them Mercy it self is now made wrath He now thunders in his fury whose bowels once made a noise which though somtimes tender are now harder then flints What shal open the door when he who is goodness and love it self shuts it 5 They are therefore hopelesse Semper cogitur ut mortem sine morte defectum sine defectu finem fine fine patiatur quatenus ci mors immortalis fit defectusindeficiens finis infinitus Greg. Mat. 25.10 Luk. 13. and utterly despairing ever to be admitted to the presence of God the anchor of hope is now broken the bridg of mercy is now drawn the gulph of separation shall never be past The heaviest rock can as easily take wings and flie and kisse the body of the Sun as can a damned spirit get up into the gracious presence of God When the door is shut it s too late to think of entring Knocking weeping entreating are altogether fruitlesse How deeply did the departure of Paul pierce the heart of the Christians with sorrow when he had told them that they should see his face no more Oh dreadfull word never the bitterest word in comparison of it is sweet OBSERVATIONS 1 Separation from God is the evil indeed Observ 1. It separates from the greatest good Worldly evils hurt the skin not the soul It s possible they may be corrective but the losse of God is destructive God in depriving men of his gifts whips them but in the final removal of himself he executes them Scourging is oft the lot of sons but separation from God is the portion of divels God may take away every thing in love unlesse it be his love Separation from God is a distinguishing judgement How much are men mistaken in their estimations of misery The most know no other hell but poverty or some such worldly woe Whereas outward evils are but appearing and opinionative and all their deformity is in the eye of the beholder if they drive us as oft they do nearer to God they are good for us and nothing is truly bad which separates not from the chiefest good There is more bitternesse in a drop of sin than a sea of suffering 2. Observ 2. How grosse is the delusion of sinners Who for the tasting of the slight and superficiall pleasures of a tentation will lose the soul-satisfying presence of the ever-blessed God! If all the delights of the earth cannot countervail one moments losse of the light of Gods Countenance in this life what proportion is there between a moments tast of worldly pleasures and the everlasting losse of the fruition of God in glory Could Satan make his promise good in saying All these things wil I give thee truly it would be but a slight performance in the esteem of that soul who knowes that the gain of the world would be followed with an eternall losse of God The eternall weight of the losse of God infinitely more weighs down all momentany delights than doth a mountain of lead a feather Could sinners part with God upon some valuable consideration their folly were not so much to be pitied but nothing can be given them in exchange for God because God whom they lose is all things 3 The wisest care imaginable Observ 3. is that of enjoying the presence of God in glory Shew your care hereof 1 By observing Eph. 2.1 2 12 Ephes 4.18 and laying to heart your distance from God by nature We all came into the world with our faces toward Satan and our backs turned upon God let no worldly enjoyments bribe your consciences into a false and fained quietnesse while you so remain If the poor Jews would not be made to sing in a strange land let not siners please themselves in this condition of estrangement from God How have the Saints mourned under the apprehension of Gods departure Their lamentations shew what sinners must do either here or hereafter 2 By making him your friend who onely admits us into the presence of God Jesus Christ is that way whereby that gulf between God and the soul is onely pass'd over There 's no seeing his face without bringing Christ along with us nor can we more endure the presence of God without an interest in Christ then can the stubble endure the flames Every Christless soul is a Godless soul The blood of Christ is the onely cement which can joyn God and us together 3 By labouring to be made fit for his presence Holiness becomes all those who shall enjoy it Heaven is no place for dogs and without holiness no man shall see God Heaven must first be in us before we can ever get into heaven God forbids his people to have fellowship with the works of darkness and much less will he himself delight in such company Sin hinders from enjoying God here Isa 59.2 much more bereafter Nor will heaven ever be sweet to that soul which here accounts not sin bitter The light of glory would dazle those eyes which only have been used to the darkness of sin filthy garments may undiscern'd be worn in the dark but not in the light It 's the happiness of heaven that all its inhabitants are of one mind The company of sinners would spoil the harmonious consort of glorified spirits 4 By delighting in the presence of and acquaintance with God while we are here upon earth How shie are men of admitting strangers into their houses and how readily do they open their doors to those with whom they are acquainted No wonder if Christ bids those depart whom he never knew Account those duties conditions companies to be but empty in and by which thou enjoyest not something of God Content not thy self with that Prayer Sabbath Ministry wherein God hath not
are eminently mention'd above the rest of the five Kings Gen. 14.10 and though every one of the five cities had a King peculiarly belonging to it Gen. 14.2 8. yet Sodom was the Metropolis or chief city hence we read so frequently Ezek. 16.46 48 49 53 55 c. that the other cities which God overthrew are call'd the Daughters of Sodom And it 's probable that Gomorrha was next to Sodom in dignity 2. These two cities were the most infamously and eminently wicked Hence it is that great sinners are call'd the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha Isai 1.10 Jer. 23.14 Mat. 10.15 c. And Jerusalem is call'd the Sister of Sodom Ezek. 16.46 And a wicked life is compared to the Vine of Sodom and Gomorrha Deut 32.32 The cry of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrha is peculiarly mentioned Gen. 18.20 and when God expressed how much he abhord the Prophets of Jerusalem for sin he saith They were to him as Sodom and Gomorrha and when he sets forth the impiety of the rulers and people of Jerusalem he cals them The Rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrha Isai 1.10 The seat of Anti-christ is call'd Spirituall Sodom Rev. 10.8 And it 's observable that the sin for which these Cities were so infamous receives it's denomination from Sodom rather then from any of the rest of the Cities it being to this day call'd Sodomy These cities then being more wealthy were also more wicked then the rest and from them as from the head there came a defluxion of sin upon the rest Jon. 1.2 It 's said that Nineveh was a great city and the wickednesse thereof came up before the Lord. 4. For the fourth in the description of this punishment these Places and cities are rather named then the Persons and Inhabitants thereof to note that their overthrow was universall and totall they were all and utterly ruin'd God hath made them cease from being a people he not only cutting off some branches but plucking them up by the root not only executing the rebels but demolishing their fortifications and at once both firing the Bees and the Hive The overthrow of Sodom was totall both in respect of the Inhabitants and the Place it self for the former only one Lot was excepted from this destruction Luk. 17.39 2 Pet. 2.7 Hence it is the Prophet saith Isai 1.9 Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a very small remnant we should have been as Sodom and like unto Gomorrha Had there been ten righteous all should have been spared but there being but one righteous there was but one delivered The punishment was as universall as the provocation From the sole of the soot even to the head there was no soundnesse in them And in Scripture a general calamity is proverbially exprest by the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha Jer. 49.18.50.40 concerning Edom and Babylon it 's said As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha no man shall abide there neither shall a son of man dwell in it Totall also was the destruction of these Cities in respect of their place To this purpose speaks Peter 2 Pet. 2.7 where he saith that God turning their cities into ashes condemned them with an overthrow Hence we find that the plaine wherein they were seated was overthrown with the Cities Gen. 19.25 and that the whole land is Brimstone Salt and burning and it is not sown nor beareth nor any grasse groweth therein Deut. 29.23 the salt or dead sea hath not only overwhelmed the place it selfe where the Cities stood but as seems to be gathered from this Deut. 29.33 and 32.32 the grounds which bordered upon them Poma oculis tenus contacta cinerescunt Tert. Apol. c. 40. Forinsecus matura intrinsecus sumea Aug. de C. D. l. 21. c. 7. are spoyl'd the fruits whereof if any be are most loathsome and unsavoury as Josephus Solinus Strabo and also Tertullian and Augustine report who say of the apples which grow there that to see to they are apples but being touched they fall into ashes and that when they seem to be ripe they are within only smoaky that an outward rine doth keep in the filthy embers And hence it is that in Scripture a totall and irrecoverable subversion is compared to that of Sodom and Gomorha Jer. 20.16 Ezek. 16.53 55 Zeph. 2.9 The Cities saith Jeremy which the Lord overthrew and repented not Moab saith Zephany shall be as Sodom and the children of Ammon as Gomorrha Even the breeding of Nettles and Saltpits and a perpetuall desolation Zeph. 2.9 OBSERVATIONS Observ 1. Terram hanc in colatui nostro traditam tantâ varietate locorū non sine magna sapientia sic distinxit ut regionum alia sit montosa alia plana alia siticulosa arrida alia fontibus fluviis irrigua singularis quaedam diversitas singularis Dei providentiae laudem depraedicat c. Terrae Canaan fertilem regionem vicinam adjecit Musc in 13. Gen. 1. With admirable wisdome hath God ordered that there should be such variety of places for mans habitation Sodom and Gomorrha were seated in the fruitfull valley the country near it was more barren and mountainous Some countries are high and thirsty and barren Others low and water'd and fruitfull God could have made the whole earth to have been alike in all places and not so variously orderd But this singular diversity doth excellently praise the wisdome of his providence They who live in the barren mountains which are only waterd by the showres of Heaven are compell'd to acknowledg that they owe all their increase to a blessing from above They who inhabite the fruitfull vallies enriched with Fountains and Rivers are admonish'd of the bounty of Gods providence to them above others in the plenty of their supplies They who live in mountainous and barren places shew the goodness of God in susteining them even in such places of scarcity and that it is not necessary for mans preservation to live delicately those who fare more hardly often living more healthfully then those who swim in great abundance In a word by this variety places are made helpfull and beneficiall one to another some places abound with the blessings of one kind some with those of another the mountains with health the valleys with wealth the mountain wants the valley for supply of food the valley is beholding to the mountain for strength and defence Every place enjoys not every comfort but is necessitated to crave supply from a neighboring country The City cannot live without the food of the Countrey nor the Country without the Coyn and Commodities of the City The poor wants the rich and the rich the poor the one is helpfull by his labours Pauper rogat dives erogat the other by his rewards the one by work the other by wages True is that of Solomon Pro. 22.2 The rich and the poor meet together and the Lord is the maker of them all Who by this variety
Observ ult By viewing the odiousnesse of this sin in the Sodomites it 's our duty to avoid it our selves To this end 1. Labour for a sorrowfull sensibleness of that inward corruption of nature from which alone ariseth the flame of uncleannesse Lay the foundation of mortification deep Throw the water at the bottom of the flame stop the fountain the hating of some outward acts of this sin may go without any abhorrence of that which is the principle and fountain thereof Psal 5.5 David began at the right end when he abhorr'd and confess'd that poyson wherewith his mother had warmed him in the womb Actuall abomination comes from the naturall pollution Imbred concupiscence is the body that outward is but a toe or a finger of that body The inward dunghill if unremoved will steam forth into a thousand adulteries till this be healed thy cure will be but Palliative as Physicians speak not Eradicative Tertullian holily derides the folly of the Heathen Democratus who to prevent lust would needs put out his eyes Christianus salvis oculis foeminam videt adversus libidinem coecus est Tert. Apol. c. 46. The Christian saith he can safely look upon a woman being mind-blind unto lust Lay thy Mine under the foundation silence that bosome Orator which pleads for uncleannesse The bird which gets loose from the stone or stick to which it 's tyed yet if flying with the string about its leg is intangled in the next bough Though some courses of actuall uncleannesse be for the present escap'd yet if the intangling inclination be still entertained it will ensnare upon any after occasions and tentations 2. Banish unclean contemplations and Ideall uncleannesses Cleanse the stie of thoughts stifle them when they begin to plod and plot and contrive uncleanly let not thy spirit be their through-fare Cleanse your thoughts ye sinners Jam. 4.8 Satan when he inflames with lust throws his fireballs into the thoughts Fill these table-books with holy contemplations that there may be no room in them for the impression of unclean injections 3. Beware of plausible excuses for the extenuating of uncleannesse Abhor the aprons of fig-leaves of nature constitution allurements example Look upon this sin as it is not as it is coloured behold it with Scripture spectacles consider it 's true complexion under the falsenesse of paint and contemplate it as tumbling in the mire of its owne filthinesse and in the blood of thy precious soul 4. Fear God He who fears God can never find a place dark enough to offend Joseph knew that all the favours of his Egyptian Mistris or of Egypt it self could not buy off the guilt of this one sin Dream not of impunity Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge secrecy power can never carry it away from omnisciency omnipotency what a filly shelter is closenesse Thou canst never shake off thy punishment unlesse thy being thy self It s easie for God to make thee terrible to thy selfe and thine own tormentor yea more desirous to utter thy sin openly for thine ease then ever thou wast to act it secretly for thine honor 5. Fear thy self Renounce all selfe confidence and ventrousnesse upon thine own strength The Lord is as truly the keeper the heart as of the City Rather fear then scorn snares The best way never to fall is ever to fear 1 Cor. 10.12 6. Take heed of feeding the humor of lust 1. Keep thy selfe from being fit ground or meet mould for the Divell to cast in his seed Whether 1. by Gluttony or 2. by Idlenesse Both these were Sodoms sins Ezek. 16.49 1. Gluttony saith one is the gallery that lechery goes through The nutritive faculty is the shop of the generative The belly well fed saith Jerome quickly disposeth a man to lust Swine love not to tumble in dry dust nor doth the spirit of uncleannesse delight in a body exercised to fasting though the body be not to be starved yet neither to be pampered 1 Cor. 9 25. the body must be kept down that lust grow not mallapert The right way to put out the fire of lust is to withdraw the fuel of excess A pamperd horse is hard to rule A servant delicately fed will be cheek-mate with his master Venter est molestus cliens The flesh too much cherish'd will kick against the soul Keep under the beast by taking away the provender Magna corporis cura magna animi in curia The belly is an unpatient sutor but having food and raiment let us therewith be content They who have taken the measure of mans throat say it is lesse then in other creatures of answerable proportion to teach us temperance The Divell chuseth to enter into the greedy swine Esau was a greedy eater and a fornicator The looking upon the wine when it is red and giving its colour in the cup and the looking upon strange women are put together Prov. 23.33 Paul allowes even weak Timothy but a little wine 1 Tim. 5.23 2. Idlenesse another of Sodoms sins is also a feeder of uncleannesse Chambering or lying in bed is joyned with wantonnesse Rom. 13.13 Our sleep saith Jerom must not be the buriall of one suffocated Non sepultura suffocati sed â—equies lassati Hier. but the rest of a wearyed man The standing-pool will gather filth and be full of Toads and Vermin Labour is a good remedy against lust The same servant is called slothfull and wicked Slow bellies are called evill beasts Mat. 25.26 Israel was safer in the Brick-kills of Egypt then in the Plains of Moab Lust conquered good David when he was idle and at ease In troubles when he prevented the morning watch he was innocent and holy but when Satan finds him wallowing upon his bed he thinks him fit for a tentation Lust can be no stanger to an idle bosome While we work not our selves Satan works on us The sitting bird is the Fowlers mark The earth stands still and therefore it becomes natures common sewer The heavens that are ever in motion are always pure Quò major sum magis labo ro quò magis laboro major sum By how much the greater I am saith one by so much the more I labour by how much the more I labour by so much the greater I am 2. As we must keep our selves from being meet mould or fit ground for the divell to cast in this seed of lust so must we also beware of those objects and allurements which do water concupiscence Set a watch before thy senses The sons of God looked on and lusted after the daughters of men Gen. 6.2 35.7 2 Sam. 11.2 The eye of David and Josephs Mistris led their hearts Thamar desiring to be unclean with Judah sat as we translate it in an open place but 't is in the Hebrew in the door of the eyes Gen. 38.14 Sin gets in at the senses like the wind at the crevis The order of sin is the same with
how unsupportably shall his wrath wrack and torment the creature How great and how inexcusable is the stupidity of every sinner the fire on earth is but painted and imaginary in comparison of that of Gods wrath If he who cryes Fire Fire at midnight at once both wakens and affrights us how amazingly should they affect us who know and denounce the terror of the Lord Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of his anger even according to his fear so is his wrath What interest have we in the world comparable to that of making him our friend in Christ he is the severest enemy but the sweetest friend Psal 2.12 When his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Greater is the disproportion between the pleasure and paines of sin then between a drop of honey and an Ocean of gall Consider O sinner when thou art bathing thy soul by the fire of lust how thy soul shall burn in the flames of hell and remember that fire and brimstone lye under the skin of every Sodomiticall apple and are in the belly of every lust Meditate Oh Saint of the love of Christ in delivering thee from this eternall fire this wrath to come in becoming a skreen between that flame and thy soul in cooling of thee thoughby scorching of himselfe To conclude this If he hath delivered us from this eternall how patiently should we endure any trying fire and how cool should we account the hottest service in which God imployes us in this life All is mercy besides hell And how should we pity and pull back those who are posting and that painfully toward these pains of eternall fire 6. Gods anger changeth the use of the creatures Observ 6. It turns helps into plagues The fire which God appointed to warm and purifie shall if God be our enemy consume and burn us to ashes the air shall poyson us our houses shall be prisons to keep us for execution by flames The Sun shall hold or rather be the candle to give light to our slaughter as in Joshuabs time the earth which should bear shall devour us The seas which serve for conveyance shall swallow us up the Stars which at sometimes are sweetly influentiall shall if God be angry fight in their courses against Sisera the Heavens which are wont to afford ther fruitfull drops shall showr down fire and brimstone and by both barrennesse The usefullest creatures of God if hee bid them shall go upon errands of destruction in obedience to their Commander in chief who can commissionate and impower for services of bloodyest severity and revenge not only his chief officers the glorious Angels but even his Common souldiers the poorest of creatures If he be our foe even those shall hurt us from whom we have formerly received and now expect most friendship Our greatest comforts shall become our greatest crosses The wife of the bosom the children that came out of our loyns may become our butchers and traytors yea God can make our selves our own deadliest enemies Let none be secure in their freedom from enemies till God be their friend nor in the multitude of friends so long as God is their enemy God can punish unexpectedly even such a way as we never dream of Jerusalem saith the Prophet came down wonderfully Lam. 1.9 and what Sodomite ever heard before of a showr of fire but unheard of sins procure unheard of punishments 7. Observ 7. Most heinous is the sin of contempt of the Gospel These Sodomites were sinners and sufferers even to amazement Sodom was a hell for sin and typically a hell for punishment and yet Christ saith It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of judgement Mat. 10 15. then for the City which is guilty of this sin Vnbelief is worse then Sodomy Of all sins Gospel-sins damn most unavoidably The pollutions of Sodom defile not so deeply as doth the refusing of that blood which should eleanse us How dangerous is the condition of that man who pleasing himselfe in a civill conversation and freedome from those sins which bring him within the compass of mans law allowes himself in that one which concludes him under the curse of the law of God Of this before 8. Observ 8. God often proportions the punishment to the sin Sodoms sin was against the light and use their punishment against the course of nature they fetch up hell to the earth and God sends hell out of heaven Their sinne was notorious and proclaimed in the face of the Sun their punishment was nay yet is visible to all the world Their sin was universall and the raining of fire and brimstone saith Christ destroyed them all Luk. 17.29 Exod. 21.24 Psal 55.23 Mat. 26.52 Job 31.9 10. Judg. 1.7 Their sin was a flame of lust and their punishment a flame of fire Their sin was filthy not without abominating it to be named their punishment as by fire so by brimstone was so unsavoury to the smell as not to be endured How happy were it for us if as our sins lead God to inflict such a kind of punishment so that punishment may lead us back againe to find out the sinne But of this before ver 5. 9. Great is Gods care of mans safety Observ 9. and humane society How angry was God with the Sodomites for a sin committed against their own bodies and the honour of one another God hath appointed and executed punishments for upon any that shall abuse poor sinfull man and with whom is God so angry as with those who hurt themselves most How strong an hedge hath he set about mans welfare in his ten Commandments in them he distinctly provides for mans authority life chastity estate name and generally in them all for his soul All the rebellions murders rapes oppression defamations c. in the world whereby men suffer from men are from hence that God is not obeyed by men and all the violencies among men proceed from the violation of the law of God which were it observed what a face of calmnesse and comelinesse would be upon the whole earth God is infinitely better to us then we are to our selves to one another How observable is the difference between those places where the fear of God swaies and others even in respect of civill comely and honest behaviour To conclude Though God might have enjoyned us the worshipping and serving of himselfe without any regard of our own benefit yet such is his love to man that as no command doth hinder so most are intended for the furthring of mans outward welfare How strong an engagement lies upon us to be studious of giving him that honour which we owe who is so carefull to make that provision for us which he owes us not Thus far of the third particular the severity of the punishment inflicted upon the Sodomites viz. the vengeance of eternall fire The fourth