that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him for we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Not as fools The Apostle speaketh more particularly of our Christian walk and that negatively that we walk not as fools 1. Not as the atheistical and profane fool who walketh without any serious thoughts of God in his heart Ps 14 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good Ezek. 8.12 They say the Lord seeth us not Psal 94 8 9. Vnderstand ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise He that planted the ear c. Therefore be not profane and godless fools but fear God and depart from evil Prov. 3.7 2. Be not vain and arrogant fools walking in the imaginations of your own evil hearts Prov. 12.15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes 3. Walk not in the way of the licentious fool aâ—ter the lusts of uncleanness or drunkenness Prov. 7.7 The young man that followed the strange woman is said to be simple and void of understanding he is a mad fool running in the way of riot and uncleanness to his own destruction Walk not in the way of drunkenness and excess for the Scripture saith that drunkards are benummed and besotted fools Hos 4.11 Whoredome and wine take away the heart 4. Walk not in the way of worldly-minded and covetous men who set up their rest upon the things of this world and make no conscience of their purchase for the Scripture calleth such men fools Jer. 17.11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his dayes and at his end shall be a fool Luk. 12.20 But God said unto him Thou fool c. 5. Walk not in the way of strise and contention for such men are in the Scripture-phrase fools Prov. 20.3 Every fool will be medling Prov. 26.17 He that passeth by and medleth with strife belonging not to him is like one that taketh a dog by the ears he doth at first rashly engage himself into the quarrel and is afraid how he shall come off fairly without prejudice to his credit or estate 6. Walk not in the way of malice for the Scripture calleth malicious and wrathful men fools Eccles 7.9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fools 7. Walk not wilfully and obstinatly in any evil custom or way for such men the Scripture calleth fools who will not be reclaimed by the rods of God upon their backs Prov. 27.22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a morter among wheat with a pestel yet will not his foolishness depart from him Jer. 5.3 4. But they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder than a rock they have refused to return therefore I said surely these are poor they are foolish 8. Walk not in the way of malicious dissimulation though such dissemblers may be esteemed witts and active men in this present world yet in Gods account they are fools Prov. 10.18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips and he that uttereth slander is a fool 9. Walk not in the way of slothful men who delay from time to time to go about the great business and work of their own salvation such persons in holy Scripture are compared to the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 10. Walk not in the way of bare formality resting upon the performance of some outward duties only because such men are compared to the foolish builder who built upon the sand such fools are these who rest on the hearing of the Word but prepare not themselves to do it Mat. 7.26 11. Walk not here and there departing from a known and received truth in the matter of Religion for such wavering and unconstant men are called fools Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you But as wise The Apostle 1 Cor. 3.18 speaketh of a twofold wisdom an heavenly wisdom when a man preferreth his duty to God unto all things worldly such was the wisdom of Paul Act. 20.23 24. The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city saying that bonds and afflictions abide me but none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God This wisdom is thought foolishness to the worldly man whose mind and heart is fixed on things earthly And there is a worldly wisdom when men in their practice and endeavours do prefer the good things of this life unto the best things of the life to come as Demas did this wisdom is foolishness in Gods account for what avails it a man to gain all the world and lose his own soul This Christian Heavenly wisdom standeth 1. In mens proposing to themselves a good and happy end of their actions when they propone to themselves as the great and supreme end of all their actions the glory of God of whom through whom and for whom are all things 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink do all to the glory of God when in the next place they propose to themselves that subordinat end to wit the salvation of their own souls Phil. 3.14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and when they propose to themselves the good of others by following their own example in well-doing Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 2. True Christian-wisdom stands in a serious deliberation and search out of Gods Word what are the fitest means for attaining these ends as by well-doing and suffering for well-doing to glorifie God 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified When we search and consider from the Word of God that true repentance lively faith and sincere obedience are the means whereby we attain salvation Acts 3.19 Acts 16.31 Rom. 2.6 7. 3. It stands in a careful and timous applying of the means necessary for these great ends So if ye be truly wise Christians ye will be diligent and active in using the means whereby God may be glorified and your souls saved Jam. 3.13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of
to destroy the Samaritans who refused to receive him into their City Luk. 9.55 56. 4. And it is of good use to correct the obstinat unbelief of the Jews who wait for a Messias in outward pomp and glory they mistake the nature of this Kingdom by misunderstanding such places of holy Scripture wherein the Spirit of God speaks of the inward beauty of his Kingdom in an allusion to the outward beauty of earthly Kingdoms Psal 45.3 But if they were not prejudged and obstinatâ— they might learn something of the nature of this Kingdom from Isa 53.2 and Zechar. 9.9 where the Prophets foretell that the Messias shall not come in outward pomp and glory Vse 2. The Spiritual Guides and Ministers of the Church in imitation of Christ the chief shepherd of our souls should go about the business of this spiritual Kingdom and therein especially exercise their quickness and activity this was most minded by the holy Apostles Act. 6.4 Col. 1.28 29. The sense of the burden of this great work made the Apostle Paul to cry out Who is sufficient for these things It was the Apostles counsel 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things and give thy self wholly unto them Famous Gerson lib. de vit Spirit speaking to Church-men Tell me saith he whether it is a more holy thing to serve the world by thy self and to serve God by a Viccar and Substitute or to serve God by thy self and the world by a Substitute Pope Damasus compared the Ministers of the Church who to attend their worldly affairs did commit their flocks unto Substitutes or Suffragans he compared them I say unto some wanton women who having full breasts yet that they might give themselves to their pleasures did give out their Infants to be nursed by others VERSE III. And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes c. IN the former part of the vers we have the manner of our blessed Lord his judging and governing his subjects with great wisdom and prudence In these words we have his equity and justice set down negatively vers 3. and positively vers 4. Whereas it is said here He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes it may be demanded if it be a fault for men to judge according to their seeing and hearing because men on earth cannot ordinarily understand any cause or action till first they have it in their sense and imagination Answ Certain it is that Judges should determine according to matters alleadged and proven and therefore must judge according to things heard or seen Deut. 1.16 17. The Priest under the Law was appointed to look with his eyes upon the leprous person before he judged and pronounced sentence whether he was clean or unclean But Judges would not be rash to judge according to fama clamosa the common report because in so doing men judged amiss of the Apostles themselves who were commonly but falsly reported to be seditious persons Acts 17.6 As also of their Doctrine calling it heresie Acts 24.14 Whereas a flagrant report is only a ground for inquiring but not for a judicial sentence Deut. 17.4 Neither must men in Judgement judge according to the seeing of their eyes as by looking to the person of the poor man to take no notice of his cause Deut. 1.17 nor should they judge partially out of respect to the man whom they see to be of outward grandour or prosperity in the world Lev. 19.15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour Our blessed Lord judged not of the Pharisees according to his hearing of their fair words nor according to their seeming holiness but he judged righteous judgement of them that they were a generation of vipers The words may be also taken for the way of judging that was peculiar to Christ wherein he excelled all the Judges of the earth in so far as he needed not the help of the outward senses of hearing and seeing because he did discern and judge the secrets of the heart Solomon in judging which of the two women was the true mother of the child made good use of hearing both the one and the other but our blessed Lord knoweth the hearts and thoughts of men though they speak nothing Joh. 2.24 yea he knew the wickedness of their hearts notwithstanding their flattering speeches of dissimulation Vse This equity of our Lord in Judgement serveth for our imitation both in publick and privat Judgement Men in publick Judgement should not upon hear-say and baâ—e information proceed to a sentence of absolution or condemnation but they should inquire diligently if the matter be so as is reported God himself doth teach Judges this duty by his manner of proceeding to judge Sodom Gen. 18.21 and by his precept Deut. 13.14 For if it were enough upon hear-say and common report to judge and condemn then innocent persons should suffer many times Jeremiah was reported to be a factious man who by his preaching did weaken the hands of the people and Paul to be a seditious man that stirred up the people neither should Judges be rash upon hearing only the one party to pronounce sentence against the other for if it be enough to accuse who shall be innocent Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Such rashness in judging was contrair to the Law of the Jews Deut. 1.17 Joh. 7.51 Job searched out the cause which he knew not Job 29.16 It was contrair to the Law of Nature and of Nations among the Heathens Alexander the Great in time of judging laid his hand closs upon the one of his ears that he might reserve it as he said for the party that was accused Neither should they judge according to the seeing of the eye as they perceive the party to be a friend or an enemy rich or poor a great or a mean man Levit. 19.15 Deut. 33.9 because the Judge who is a respecter of persons is easily byassed and perverted in judgement Prov. 28.21 The partial Judge saith Shew me the man and then I will shew you the Law but the impartial and unbyassed Judge saith I will shew you the Law be the man what he will It was Tertullian his complaint against the Judges of that time persecuting the Christians there is saith he inquisitio nominis sed non examinatio criminis an inquiry after the name if they be called Christians but no examination of the crime It was well spoken by the Heathen Judge Aristides fitting in Judgement when one of the Competitors pleading before him said This fellow hath also done great wrong to thy self in speaking evil of thee My friend said Aristides I pray thee tell me only the wrong he hath done unto thee for I am Judge here to do right unto thee and not to judge the personal wrongs done
I can be changed into that state of glory in that other life but seing this change is not ordinarily upon a sudden as was that of Paul what shall I do as previous in order to such a change Ans 1. Thou would be first from the threatnings of the Law convinced of thy extreme danger if thou be not changed from thy former evil wayes Psal 7.11 12 13. and thou must believe the faithful promises of such benefits as will attend thy change to wit peace of conscience in this life Psal 119.165 Gal. 6.16 and eternal happiness in the life to come Ezek. 18.21 Rom. 8.13 2. Thou wouldest observe according to the threatnings of God his sad judgements accordingly falling upon some sinners that were obstinat and would not change from their former evil wayes some drunkards have been taken away suddenly others cloathed with rags and made visible documents of the revenging justice of God against excess and riot Likewayes some unclean persons have been seen pyning away in vile diseases and others of them brought to a morsel of bread through the whoorish woman Thou who art a drunkard or harlot observe this and change thy way lest a worse thing befall thee who has the advantage of such a severe warning from others it was said to Belshazzar Dan. 5.22 And thou his son O Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this 3. Observe also some changes in thine own outward condition It may be thou hath met with some sad dispensations from providence when thou was running in the excess of riot which were like the Angels opposition unto Balaam in his way to Balaak make good use of such sad occurences before wrath be poured forth upon thee in the great day even to the uttermost and harden not thine heart against such warnings Job 9.4 God is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardened himself against him and prospered If God at any time has changed thine adversity into prosperity observe it and let the riches of his bounty lead thee to Repentance and to a change from thy former evil wayes and say as Ezra 9.13 14. Seing that thou our God hath punished us less then our iniquities deserve and hath given us such deliverance as this should we again break thy commandments 4. Be thou resolute against all the impediments of a future change especially against the bitter mockings of such as sometimes were thy prosane companions in iniquity who will speak all manner of evil against thee after thy change because thou wilt not run with them to the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 they will possibly call thee a vile hypocrite but labour thou to be of a sound and honest heart in all manner of conversation exercising thy self as Paul did Act. 24.16 to keep a good Conscience void of offence both toward God and man in all things willing to live honestly Heb 13.18 then shalt thou not need to be ashamed of thy fair profession Ps 119.80 let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed 5. Be thou also resolute against the counsels of the evil men who would pervert the right ways of the Lord and draw away thine heart from entring into them as Elimas the sorcerer would have drawen away Sergius Paulus the Deputy from the way of the Christian Faith Act. 13.10 but resist thou such evil suggestions at the very first as our blessed Lord did the counsel of Peter Mat. 16.23 6. Be thou resolute against discouragements suggested by worldly men to hinder thee from the way of Godliness and going forward into that heavenly Canaan as the unfaithful spies did discourage the Israelits from going to that earthly Canaan Num. 13.32 They alledge the way of Godliness is a melancholious and comfortless course of life whereas on the contrary true joy and mirth comes to the soul after our change and conversion Luk. 15.32 It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found The Eunuch after his conversion to the Christian Faith went on his way rejoycing Act. 8.39 7. In order to thy future change thou must believe that infallible proposition If we change from our former evil ways God will turn from his wrath and pardon the iniquity of our former evil wayes Isa 55.6 7. Jer. 18.7 for a man will not change his way unless he think to be the better and happier by the change 8. Lastly thou must be frequent in prayer to God that he would produce this happy change in thee for though a man by a general concourse of divine help may do some Acts previous to the special change and conversion from the state of Nature into Grace yet can he not without the concourse and strong influence of the special help of supernatural Grace change himself from the state of nature into the state of grace Jer. 13 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Although some previous dispositions be ordinarly antecedent in order of time yet are they not the causes of our change and conversion which is wrought and brought forth by the invincible grace of God changing and inclining our will to the obedience of his holy will Jer. 17.14 Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed save me and I shall be saved August citing this place saith well In vain do vain men say I will heal my self no saith he let us say heal me O Lord and I shall behealed Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned He preveens us by his grace and makes us willing and thereafter followeth us also with his grace lest we should will in vain Observ 3. A true and real change from the state of corrupt Nature unto a state of Grace is visible and evident in these four effects held forth in the text 1. A communion and fellowship with the godly already converted They shall dwell with the Lamb c. 2. A chearful submission to the Word of God though preached by weak men A little child shall lead them 3. Honesty and righteousness in their purchase and contentment with their own portion The Lyon shall eat straw like the Ox. 4. Peaceable-mindedness and a meek conversation They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain 1. Evidence Sincere and real Converts will delight themselves most in the society of the godly because they are forbidden to have any intimat fellowship with the ungodly 1 Cor. 5.11 If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eat 2 Thes 3.14 If any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed It was the care of the Saints on earth to shun