God by the promise made to Solomon and so prevailed against the children of Ammon 3. Beware of giving way to the love of any one sin The love of sin hinders beleeving Sin will not act beleevingly nor faith sinfully It s the nature of sin to cause guilt and fear it expects not performances but repulses from God How can any one depend upon me for a courtesie who knows that I am acquainted with his underhand and unkind contrivances against me Besides the love of any one sin hinders from yeilding to the terms of the promise it would be loose and yet have God bound whereas he never made his promises to gratifie lust but to engage us to holinesse Nor will faith act sinfully Faith embraceth the whole word of God even precepts as well as promises and respects the rules prescribed as well as the rewards promised it works uniformly and it trusteth to God in the way of his commands not in the precipices of sin Trust in him and do good Psal 31.3 Besides it acts warily and in the eye of God and therefore holily and tells us that if we must not tell a lie to promote Gods cause much lesse to procure our own comforts 4. Limit not Good for the way of accomplishing of his promise This is the noted sin of Israel Psal 78.41 They limited the holy one of Israel they circumscribed him for the way of bestowing of mercy Dcum metiri suo modulo Cal. in loc within the narrow bounds of their own apprehensions Whereas if hee will work who shall hinder him Faith triumphs over difficulties and measures not God by the narrow scantling of reason knowing that things that are impossible with us Rom. 4.19 are easie with God This was the excellency of Abrahams so much commended faith that hee considered neither the improbability of performing the promise of having a son when his body and Sarahs womb were both dead Heb. 11.17 nor the incongruity of performing the command of sacrificing his son which seemed to destroy both Gods faithfulnesse and his owne expectations And this is indeed the duty of beleevers only to consider who promiseth and who commands and neither to question what is promised though never so impossible nor to forbear what is commanded though never so unpleasing 5. When God affords thee creature-props trust not to them Men would never be distrustfull when the creature departs if they did not confide in it when it stayes If we would not account our selves the stronger for having worldly helps wee should not esteem our selves the weaker for the wanting them Could we live upon God alone in the use wee might live upon him alone in the losse of the creature It s a noble faith that depends upon God in the strength of means like that of Asa and Jehoshaphat the former of whom having an army of five hundred and fourscore thousand to rest upon 2 Chron. 14.8.11 2 Chron. 17.14 15 2 Chron. 20.12 when Zerah the Ethiopian came against him adventur'd not upon so feeble a crutch but expresseth himself thus in his prayer Lord we have no power and we rest on thee and the later when his enemies made warre upon him though he had an army of eleven hundred and threescore thousand fighting men professing thus Lord we have no might neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee He who will account God to be all when the creature is at the best and fullest will surely account him so when the creature proclaims its nothingnesse 6. Trust God in the serving of his providence and in the use of such means as he hath appointed and sanctified He that will not do for himselfe what he can may not trust that God should do for him what hee would Though man liveth not by bread alone but by the word of blessing which proceedeth out of the mouth of God yet that word is by God annexed unto bread not to stones and that man shall not trust God but tempt him In viis custodiet nun quid in praecipitiis Bern. ser 14. in Psal Qui hab who should expect to have stones turned into bread If God hath provided staires it is not faith but fury to go down by a precipice thus Davids trusting in the name of the Lord made him not to throw away his sling when he went against Goliah Jacobs supplicating of God made him not neglect the sending a present to his brother The fast of Esther made her not forget to feast the king second causes are to be used in obedience to Gods order not in confidence of their own help the creature must be the object of our diligence though not of our trust Faith while it causeth us to be so diligent in the use of meanes as if God did nothing for us causeth us so to withdraw our trust from the means as if God were to do all for us He who in observing the other rules hath also added this may quietly rest upon God for promised mercy lay the matter before God and humbly put him to the accomplishing part VER 6. And the Angls which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgment of the great day IN this second example of Gods severity which was exprest against the falne Angels these two parts are contained 1. The revolt and defection of the Angels 2. The ruine and downfall of the Angels I. In the first these three particulars are principally considerable 1. By whom this defection was made 2. From what this defection was made 3. Wherein this defection was made 1. It was made by the Angels 2. It was from their first estate and their owne habitation 3. It was 1. in not keeping the former and 2. In leaving the later II. In the second are considerable these two parts 1. The punishment which now they undergo in the prison they being in that reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse 2. The punishment which shall hereafter be laid upon them at and after their appearing at the barr They being reserved c. unto the judgement of the great day In the former their punishment of the prison is twofold 1. Reservation in everlasting chains 2. Vnder darknesse In the later their punishment is considerable 1. In that to which they shall be brought viz to judgement 2. In the time when they shall be brought to judgement viz. at the great day I begin with the first part Part 1. their defection and revolt and therein I consider 1. The persons by whom this defection was made viz. the Angels EXPLICATION The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels Angelorum nomen sacrae scrip turae peculiare prafani Scriptores Graeci per vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latini Geniorum ferè exprimunt Synop. pur theol disp 12. p. 117. is a terme peculiar to the Scripture profane Writers among the Grecians expresse them
calling and not according to the law of charity which binds us to judg the best of others so far forth as may stand with a good conscience and the word of God Judgment may either be of persons or their practices In persons their future or their present estate is to be considered All judgment of mens future estate is to be forborn God may call the worst as well as thee Three things saith Augustiae are exempted from mans judgment the Scriptures the Counsell of God the Condemnation of any mans person For mens present estate if we see men live in whoredom drunkenness swearing we may judg them wicked while continuing in this estate and that they shall be damned if they repent not We may judg the tree by the fruit and this is not rash judgment because it is not ours but the judgment of the word of God Practices are either good bad indifferent or doubtfull Good actions are to be commended if actions be evil judg the facts not the persons yet study withall to excuse the intention if thou canst not the fact Indifferent or doubtfull actions are to be free from censure Christian liberty exempts our neighbour from censure for the former charity allows us not to be censurers of the later If it be doubtful whether a thing were spoken or done or no or being certain to be done whether well or ill in charity judg the best If a man lay with a betrothed damosel in the fields Deu. 22.26 27 the man was only to die because it was in charity supposed that the damosel cryed the best being supposed in a thing doubtfull In matter of opinion if it be uncertain whether an error or no suspend thy judgment till thou know more certainly thy brother may see as much and if he be more learned more than thy self into that which is doubtfull Our ignorance as men though never so knowing should be a strong bar from rash judgment Besides who are we that judg another mans servant this is to reproach God himself for receiving him We are fellow servants with our brethren not fellow Judges with God we must love not judge one another Our Masters house is to be ordered by our Masters will He who by rash judgement destroyes the good name of another is by some termed the worst of theeves in stealing away that which is better then riches and can never be restor'd and the worst of murderers in killing three at once his own Soul in thus sinning his Neighbour whose name he ruines and the Hearer who receiveth his slanders And yet take away this sinfull censuring from many Professors there will nothing remaine to shew them Religious whereas a Just man is a severe Judg only to himself 4. How happy are they who shall be able to stand in the Judgement I know it 's doubted by some Observ 4. Rev. 20.12 Mat. 10.26 Vid. Aquin. q 87. suppl Est in l. 4. sendist 47. Rom. 8.1.33 whether at the last judgement the sins of the Saints shall come into the judgement of Discussion and Discovery Scripture seems to many most to favour the affirmative but that they shall escape the judgement of condemnation 't is not doubted That sun which discovers the sins of the wicked shall scatter those of the godly There 's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus Who shall lay any thing to their charge The greater their sins are the greater will their deliverance appear The more punishment they deserv'd the more they escape The sins of the Saints will prove as the matter of their songs so the trophees of victorious mercy The wicked shall have judgement with out mercy and the godly shall have mercy in a day of judgement 1 Cor. 11.32 How contentedly may they here undergo that chastisement whereby they escape judgement It 's better to hear the reproofs of a Father then the sentence of a Judge and the correction of a Son is much lighter then the condemnation of a Malefactor It matters not what shall ever be said or done against them to whom Christ shall never say Depart from me Do with me what thou wilt said Luther since thou hast pardoned my sins 5. The greatest enemies of God will be but contemptible creatures at the last judgement What underlings then shall those appear and be who now are principalities and powers Satan who hath had so many followers adorers who now is the Prince of the Aire yea the God of this world shall then openly appear to be a trembling malefactor at the bar of Christ As once Josuahs souldiers set their feet upon the necks of the Canaanitish Kings so the poorest Saint shall at the last judgement trample upon these faln Angels Death speaks the impotency of men but Judgement even that of Angels Legions of Angels shall no more oppose Christ then can a worme all the Angels of heaven Me thinks even all the crowned sceptered adorned adored Monarchs of the world if enermes to Christ should tremble at the approaching of Judgement The greatest safety and honour even of a King will then be to be a subject to Christ and what the Emperor Justinian was wont to call himself the meâ—nest servant of Christ Vltimus Dei servus Robes will then fall off The dimmer light of humane glory will be obscured when the sun of righteousness shal appear Let us neither fear nor admire the greatnesse of any but of Christ much lesse that which is set against Christ How great is the folly of Satans subjects they serve a master who is so far from defending them that he cannot defend himself from Judgement 6. Observ 6. The reason why Satan rageth he knows that his time is but short and after this last judgement his furious and spiteful tentatious shall be ended and he labours to supply the shortnesse of his time with the sharpnesse of his assaults like the besiegers who having often storm'd a Town or a Castle make their last onset the most resolute and terrible A Traveller who desires to go far will go fast if the Sun be neer setting The shortnesse of Satans season occasions his swiftnesse in wickednesse Besides he is in an estate of desperation he knows there 's no possibility of his recovery and as faith is the furtherer of holinesse so is despair of all impiety It was the Logick of despair which argued thus Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die I wonder not that these last are the worst and the most perillous times Satan now strives to add to his number to seduce and pervert souls because after his judgement he shall never be suffered to do so any more At all times holy vigilancy over our hearts and wayes is needfull but in these times wherein Satans judgement draws so neer it should be our care more then ever to keep our hearts with all diligence to beware of seduction and Atheisme and of being led away with the error of
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 only in himselfe but as he is attended by others and so he will make the day great if
we consider 1. by whom 2. by how many he shall thus be attended 1. By whom They shall be creatures of great glory and excellency The glorious Angels shall be Christs attendants at the great day in which respect Christ is said to come Luk. 9.26 in the glory of the holy Angels and Mat. 25.31 it 's said that the Son of man shall come and the holy Angels with him and Luk. 12.9 that Christ will deny some before the Angels of God and 2 Thes 1.7 the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels These angels that excell in strength are his heavenly hosts his Ministers to do the pleasure of Christ their great Lord and Commander If at the time of his Nativity Tentation Passion Resurrection Luk. 2.13 Ascension they readily gave Christ their attendance how much more shall they do it at the great day when all the glory of Christ shall be revealed Luk. 7.53 Gal. 3.19 Deut. 33.2 Illi in obsequio hic in gloriâ Illi in comitatu hic in suggestu illi stant hic sedet hic judicut illi ministrant Ambros lib. 3. de fid Mat. 24.31 Psal 103.20 2 Thes 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.4 1 Thes 4.17 If at the promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai Angels waited upon him how readily shall they serve him when he shall come to Judgment for the execution of that Law What glory shall be in that day when the very servants of the Judge who shall wait upon him run at every turne and upon every errand who shall blow the Trumpet summon to appear bring the prisoners before the Bar and take them away again when even these waiters I say shall be Angels of power the heavenly host every one being stronger then an earthly army holy Angels creatures of unspeakeable agility and swiftnesse glorious Angels who as much exceed in glory the greatest Emperour in the world as the Sun in the Firmament doth a clod of earth Nor can it be but the day must be very illustrious if we consider that the Saints shall appear also with Christ in glory that they shall meet the Lord in the air and be witnesses for nay assessors with Christ in judgement and partakers of that victory which in the last day he shall have over all his enemies That all the enemies of Christ and his Church shall stand before the Saints to be justly judged whom they in this world have judged unjustly and in a word that every one of these Saints shall in their spiritual bodies shine as the Sun Mat. 13.43 when it appears in its perfect lustre But 2 Christ as attended will make the day great if we consider by How many he shall bee attended At that great day there shall be a generall assembly a great number even all his servants waiting upon him both Saints and Angels hence 1 Thes 1.13 is mentioned the Coming of the Lord Jesus with all his Saints and Eph. 4.13 the meeting of all In this glorious concourse there shall not be one wanting If Christ will raise up every Saint from the grave then doubtlesse shall every Saint appear in glory at the last day Joh. 6.39 He will not lose his cost laid out upon them But if he bestowes new liveries upon his servants they shall all when adorned with them wait upon him Nor shall there be one Angel but shall glorifie him in that day Psal 148.2 Heb. 1.6 If all the angels of God are commanded to praise and worship him then undoubtedly will they performe this duty at that day wherein the glory of Christ shall be so eminently manifested all the holy angels Mat. 25.3 shall come with the son of man And if all the Angels and Saints must wait on Christ the number must needs be vast Heb. 12. and the multitude exceeding great of angels there must be an innumerable company Myriads ten thousands of Saints or holy ones Dan. 7.10 Jude 14. a definite number being put for an indefinite And about the throne Rev. 5.11 are said to be ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands ten thousands of Saints An innumerable company of Angels attended the solemn delivery of the Law at Mount Sinai Deut. 33.2 Vid. Rivet in loc in allusion to which the triumphant Ascension of Christ into heaven is described Psal 68. to be with twenty thousand Chariots even thousands of angels and of those who stood before the throne clothed with white robes and having palmes in their hands there was Rev 7.9 a great multitude which no man could number c. Now if the glory of one angel was so great Judg. 6.22.13.22 that those who of old time beheld it expected death thereby and if for fear of an Angel whose countenance was like lightning the keepers Mat. 28.4 did shake and became as dead men how great shall be the glory of all the millions of Angels and Saints at the great day when God shall let out his glory unto them and fill them as full of it as they can hold that he may be admired in them Who can imagine the greatnesse of that day wherein the Judge shall be attended with so many millions of servants every one of whom shall have a livery more bright and glorious then the Sun The splendor of this appearance at the great day will ten thousand times more surpass that of the attendance of the greatest Judges and Kings in the world than doth theirs excell the sporting and ridiculous acting of their more serious solemnities by children in their playes 2. This day of Judgement shall be great in respect as of the Judge so likewise of the Judged and the judged shall make the day great as they fall under a fourfold consideration or in four respects 1. In respect of the greatnesse of their company and number 2. The greatnesse of their ranks and degrees 3. The greatnesse of their faults and offences 4. The greatnesse of their rewards and recompences 1. In respect of the greatnesse of their numbers When many persons are tryed and judged many prisoners cast and condemned we ordinarily say that the Assizes or Sessions are great though the number of the persons judg'd be not so great by an hundred parts as the number of those who stand by to hear the Tryall How great then shall the day of Judgement be wherein all shall be tryed and judged It was of old prophesied by Enoch that the Lord would execute judgement upon all Before the Throne of the Son of man all nations shall be gathered Mat. 25.32 Rom. 14.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.10 Act. 17.31 And 2 Thes 2.1 the day of judgement is call'd the time of our gathering together unto Christ We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done
in the body c. He cometh with cloudes and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 He is call'd The judge of the whole earth Gen. 18.25 All men are divided into two sorts or ranks 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Pet. 4.5 Apoc. 20.12 living and dead and both these shall Christ judge Act. 19.42 Who hath power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 Who shall reward every one according to his works Mat. 16.27 And to whom God hath sworn every knee shall bow Isai 45.23 Rom. 14.11 So that if there should but one be exempted from appearing before Christ at the last day the oath of God should be broken which is impossible If God number all the hairs of our head how much more all the persons whose those hairs are Mat. 10.30 Psal 56.10 Joh. 5.24 If he number all our steps how much more all those who take those steps And whereas it 's said that the Beleevers shall not come into judgement Psal 1.5 and that the wicked shall not stand in the judgment the former is to be understood of the judgement of condemnation and Joh. 5.24 condemnation it is translated or rather expounded saith one in our ordinary Bibles The later of prevailing in judgement Causâ cadent by receiving a judgement of absolution men may hide themselves and flie from mens Courts and Tribunals but the judgement seat of Christ cannot bee avoided It will be in vaine to call for the Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them and hide them for the mountains shall melt like wax at the presence of the Lord. There 's no flying from this Judge but by flying to him and death it self which prevents judgment among men shall give up its dead to this great judgement 2. The day shall be great in respect of the judged as they are considered in the greatnesse of their ranks and degrees Among men not the judging of every meane contemptible person but of Noble men Princes of the blood or great Monarchs makes the day of their judgment great How solemn in this world is the judiciary tryall of a King But how glorious and magnificent shal be the arraignment of great and small persons Rev. 20.12 of all ranks and degrees at that great day Angels and Principalities as at large hath been shewed before as well as men Luk. 21.36 good as well as bad Watch and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man He that judgeth me is the Lord 1 Cor. 4.4 and Every one of us must give account of himselfe to God Rom. 14.12 They who have been high and mighty Emperors as well as the poorest outcasts The tallest Cedar the stoutest Oak must bend yea break at that great day Psal 110.5 Christ he shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath The grave and the Judgement-seat put no difference between Monarchs and vassals The grave-dust of a Queen smels no sweeter then that of a beggar none can difference between the ashes of an Oak and those of an humble shrub There will be no other crowns worn at that day but the Crownes of righteousnesse no other robes but those wash'd in the blood of Christ and these will better fit the head and back of a Lazarus than a rich Glutton True greatnesse goodnesse I meane will be the onely greatnesse at that truly great day The glorious sunshine of this day will extinguish the Candle of worldly glory Oh great day wherein majesty shall lye and lick the dust of the feet of Christ the stiffest knee bend before his majesty and the strongest back of sinners break under his wrath when the great sword-men and Emperors the Alexanders the Caesars who once made the earth to tremble shall now tamely tremble before him 3. The day of judgement shall be great in respect of the judged if we consider them as great offenders When men are tryed before humane Judicatories for common crimes as for pilfering or stealing some small or inconsiderable summe the day of their tryall is soon forgotten and not greatly regarded but when they are arraigned for such horrid and heinous offences as the ears of the hearer tingles to hear and his heart trembles to think of some Sodomiticall villany wilfull murder of some good King the blowing up of a Parliament c. the day of their judgement is great and greatly observ'd there is great admiration at their boldnesse in sin great indignation against them for it great joy when they are sentenced and greater when they are executed How great then shall this judgement day be for how great at that day shall every sin appear to be Sin can never bee seen to be what it is or in its due dimensions but by the light of the fire of Gods wrath In the dim and false light of this world it 's nothing it 's nothing a trick of youth a toy a trifle but at the appearing of the light of divine disquisition when conscience shall be search'd with candles and all paint pretexts and other refuges swept away the least sin will appear infinite The cloud a while since no bigger then a mans hand will overspread the face of the heavens The least breach of a law infinitely holy and the smallest offence unpardoned against a God infinitely both just and powerfull will then appear unconceivably more heinous then any breaches of the peace or offences against the greatest of men there 's nothing little which as sin doth kils and damnes the soul yea Omne peccatum est deicidium the least sin will then be look'd upon as striking even at God himselfe But how great shall that day be made by the judging of those prodigious abominations the commissions whereof the earth groaned to bear Scarlet Crimson transgressions at which even naturall conscience is affrighted as blasphemies murders open oppressions unnaturall uncleannesse c. How greatly shall the justice of God be magnified in the punishing of them How great the joy of the Saints when the enemies of that God whom they so dearly love and highly admire shall be sentenced against whom the soules under the Altar have so long prayed when every Divel Rev. 6.9 who hath here so often tempted them and every adversary who for their profession of Christ have so cruelly persecuted them shall be condemned 4. Lastly This day shall be great in respect of the judged if we consider the greatnesse of their rewards and recompences The setencing to a slight punishment as that of a small fine a few stripes burning in the hand c. is not regarded greatly even by the sufferers or spectators but the sentencing to a losse of all even of life it self a terrible death as burning pressing rending limb from limb starving hanging in chaines makes the judgment great The sentence whereby a man for a while is reprieved recovers a little losse or hath small damages given is little regarded and soon forgotten but that whereby a man hath his
should grow the more licentious and madly merry Against that servant saith Christ who shall say in his heart My Lord deferreth his coming Luk. 12.45 46 and shall eat and drink with the drunken shall his Lord come in a day when he looketh not for him and cut him in sunder c. Although Gaal and the Shechemites fortifying the City against Abimelech eating and drinking making merry and cursing him at the beginning of the approach of Abimelechs army were told by Zebul that they saw the shadow of the mountains as if they were men yet his army drawing neer he who had before deluded now terrifies them Where saith Zebul to Gaal is thy mouth wherewith thou saidst Judg. 9.26.28 Who is Abimelech that we should serve him Wicked men who now sport in sin and look upon judgment at a distance make a mock of it Adventum aeterni judicis tanto securiores quandoque videbitis quanto nunc districtionem illius timendo praevenitis Greg. mor. l. 14. c. 30. Bonum judicium quod illi districto judicio me subducit Bern in Cant. ser 55. and the Divel tels them that all the terrifying sermons they hear concerning the day of judgment are but the shadows of the mountains and the dark productions of the melancholy fancies of some precise minister but at the nearer approach of this great day when judgement is at the door and the armies of vengeance rushing in upon them how will their mouths be stop'd their confidences be rejected and how great will their folly appear in being so weak and yet presumptuous at the same time Oh sinner more fear of this great day would better become one that hath no more force to resist it The way to be fearlesse hereafter is to be fearfull here Happy is that fear which prevents future trembling 3 Our meditations of this great day should be deep and serious Great things are greatly observed Observ 3. and make deep impression Though feathers and cork being cast upon the water are wont to swim yet lead and iron sink into it though slighter thoughts become matters of lesse concernment yet serious things should be seriously regarded and throughly admitted into our meditations It 's said of the wicked Psal 10.5 that the judgements of God are far above out of his sight Let not trifles expel out of the mind the thoughts of the eternal judgment as the eye is sometimes hindred from viewing an object of the vastest extent by putting of that before it which is not bigger then a single penny 4. Observ 4. 2 Pet. 3.12 ◠Non potest esse verus Christianus nec recitare orationē dominicam qui non toto corde hunc diem desiderat Luth. Perversum est nescio utrum verum quem diligis timere ne veniat orare adveniat Regnum tuum timere ne exaudiaris Aug. in Euar Psal 147 Great should be our desires and longing after this great day Christians only sin in seeking those things that are falsly and appearingly great but the blessings to be enjoyed at this great day are truly great We should love the appearance of Christ and look for and hast to the coming of the day of God if we would approve our selves for the Spouse of Christ let our note be Come Oh why is his Charriet so long in coming Res dulcis mora molesta the sweeter the enjoyment the stronger the desire Be ashamed oh Christian that the day should bee so great and thy desires so smal that a spouse should so desire the day of her marriage a prisoner his liberty a Malefactor his pardon a labourer his rest an heir his inheritance and that thou shouldst be so sluggish and remiss in regarding that day which removes every sorrow supplies with every comfort 5. Observ 5. Judicandum se satis esse diffidit qui male vivit Chrys ser 59. Rom. 8. Phil 3.8 Our chief care should be that this great day may prove a good day to us even as good as its great The judgement day cannot be a good day to those to whom the Judge is not good There 's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus The comfort of a Christian at the judgement day will be to be one with the Judge and to be found in him by faith not having his own righteousness The Judge will not endure that they who are his own members should be cut off He who hereafter shall be the Judge is now the Advocate of beleevers It can never be a good day to those who are in love with that which makes it and every day evill They who love sin must needs fear judgement If sinners cannot endure the light of the Word in the Ministry how shall they endure the light of divine disquisition at the day of Judgement Men who have taken in uncustomed goods or prohibited commodities cannot desire the company of the searchers who are appointed to open their packs The fardels and packs of every sinner shall be opened at the great day the hidden things of dishonesty shall be discovèred and every conscience rip'd up Empty your hearts of the love of every secret sin if you would not fear a searching Sins unthought of will then seize upon the wicked unawares Multa peccata tum proruent ex improviso quasi ex insidiis Plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba conscientia bona quam marsu pia plena Bern. At this great day the purity of the heart will more profit then subtilty of words and a good conscience then a full purse How happy were it that men would be repenting here prevent repenting hereafter It cannot be a good day if the enjoyments of this world be accounted the chief good He who hath no other Paradise but his gardens no other mansions but his beautifull buildings no other God but his gold and possessions cannot delight to see those flames which shal consume them He will certainly cry out as a man doth who hath laid up all his treasures in an house set on fire I am undone I am undone Covetousnesse proclaimes as the worlds old age and its nearnesse to so the unwelcomnesse of its dissolution Wares laid up in a low moyst room will be corrupt and rotten but those laid up in a high loft will be kept fafe And if we lay up our treasures only in this world Mat. 6.20 they will corrupt and come to nothing but those which we treasure up in heaven will be ever safe and sound It cannot be a good day to them who are overtaken with it upon whom it comes as a snare upon the birds who are taken as the old world was with the Flood whose wine was turned into water Luk. 17.26 and whose drunken security was swallowed up in a devouring deluge Lastly it can be a Good day to none but to those who do good Psal 50.23 2 Pet. 3.11 Tit. 2.12 13. 1 Cor. 15.5 8 who in
begat thee spiritually is fittest to nourish thee They who oft change their Masters are seldome good scholars Please not thy selfe in the parts or abilities of thy Minister but labour to find the experimentall working of his Ministry upon thine heart that thou mayst be able to answer Seducers when they suggest that thy Minister is Anti-christan thus He hath not been Anti-christian to me for sure I am he was the instrument of forming Christ in my heart This of the third particular in the description of the entrance of these Seducers viz. their subtilty and slynesse in getting into the society of the faithfull 4. The fourth and last thing by which he describes their entrance is by clearing and vindicating it from the objections which the Christians might possibly raise against God as if he were regardlesse of the welfare of his Church and indulgent toward the wickednesse of the Seducers in suffering them to enter and against godlinesse when they observed that they who pretended to be the most eminent in the Church for religion did turn Apostates And this he doth in these words Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation q. d. Although they have entred so cunningly as that the Church was not aware of them yet was not their entrance unawares to God but he did fore-see it and therefore will see that they do his Church no harm and though now God seems to spare them yet are they in a state of condemnation and though they formerly seemed such eminent professors of religion yet God fore-saw they would prove as they are nay for their sins ordained them to this condition into which they are now fallen In which vindication of Gods care of his Church and justice against the Seducers their punishment is two wayes considerable 1. In its severity it was this condemnation 2. In its certainty they were before of old ordained to it 1. The punishment of the Seducers considered in the severity of it this condemnation Explicat But 1. What was this Condemnation of which the Apostle here speaks 2. Why called Condemnation The word here importing Condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicium damnatio condemnatio is taken sundry wayes in Scripture 1. And most properly for the Sentence pronounced by the judge or rather a judiciary sentencing or condemning and so it 's taken Rom. 2.2 where the Apostle saith We are sure the judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God is according to truth and Mat. 7.2 With what judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye judge ye shall be judged 2. For Administration of Government toward those that are under it whether by judgement or mercy and it 's spoken of Gods providence ruling and ordering the affaires of the world as Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgements also of Christs Government of that Kingdom which his Father gave him in the salvation of humble and condemnation of proud sinners John 9.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For judgement am I come into this world c. that is for the discharging the office of a King or a Judge in adjudging to every one his due recompence In which respect judgement is taken for the whole judiciary proceeding of Christ in the great day of judgement toward the good and bad in regard of his discovering and sentencing of and executing sentence upon all at that day Acts 24.25 He reason'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of judgement to come Heb. 6.2 3. For a Cause or Controversie discussed judg'd and determined by judges So 1 Cor. 6.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye go to law one with another ye have causes and controversies among your selves 4. Mark 12.40 Luke 20.47.23.40 Rom. 2.3 Cor. 11.34 Judicium vocat vel damnationem vel reprobrum sensum quo feruntur ut pietatis doctrinam pervertant neque enim id quisquam facere potest nisi suo exitio Calv. in loc Potest hoc judicium intelligi justa derelictio quâ propter peccata praecedentia permissi fuerunt pati naufragium fidei variis errorum fluctibus abripi ita ut etiam fierent errorum magistri tandem judicium illud gravissimum aeternae damnationis subituri Estius in loc For the wrath vengeance damnation and punishment executed upon men for wickednesse as Rom. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose damnation is just And 1 Cor. 11.29 He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation to himselfe So Mat. 23.14 Ye shall receive the greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation And Rom. 13.2 They that resist shall receive to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation And 1 Tim. 3.6 Lest he fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the condemnation of the devil So 2 Pet. 2.3 Whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment now of a long time lingreth not And thus I take it in this place The Apostle Jude here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This condemnation intends that punishment by God inflicted upon Seducers in this life for their abusing the grace of God whereby they did not only themselves turn back-sliders and apostates but become opposers of the truth and perverters of others hereby making way for their own eternall condemnation A punishment made up of many poysonfull ingredients and that hath in it a complication of many spirituall woes which as the Scripture testifieth belonged to these Seducers and to others who were in the same condemnation with them as 1. A voidnesse of spirituall judgement and understanding an inability to judge between good and bad things that differ an insufficiency to approve of any thing which is excellent whereby they put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter spake evil of the ways of grace which they understood not and of the Gospel in which they saw no beauty it being hid to these lost ones who contemned and slighted it were delivered up to a reprobate sense Phil. 1.10 2 Pet. 2.12 2 Cor. 4.3 Rom. 1.28 Rom. 11.7 Rom. 9.18 and because they loved not what they knew were not able to know what to love 2. Another woe in this condemnation is a spirit of benummednesse insensiblenesse cauterizednesse under all the most awakening administrations of Gods word or rod a judgement which the Scripture puts for all the misery and condemnation of the reprobate and that which differenceth them from the elect Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth And Rom. 11.7 having spoken of the elect he saith the rest were hardened Of Seducers doth Paul speak 1 Tim. 4.2 where he tels us of some who had consciences seared with an hot iron whom nothing awakeneth but eternall burnings though too late to a serious sensiblenesse of their estate These seducers fed themselves without fear Jude 12. 3. A third woe in this condemnation is inccorrigiblenesse and unreformednesse under the means of salvation All the dews of salvation fall upon them as showers upon
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
life and with that his estate and liberty and all that is dear and desirable granted unto him this his sentence and judgment I say is great and makes the day wherein it passeth deservedly to bee accounted such What are all the losses susteined by or fines imposed on any in comparison of the loss of Gods presence He who loseth God hath nothing besides to lose He who is doom'd to the pains of those fires prepared for the divell and his angels hath nothing left him more to feel The torments of the body are no more comparable to those of the soul then is the scratch of a pin to a stab at the heart nor can there possibly be an addition made to the blessednesse of those who shall be sentenced to enter into the joy of their Lord whose presence not only is in but is even heaven it selfe in a word there 's nothing small in the recompences of that great day great woe or great happinesse and therefore 't is a great day in either respect But of this at large before 3. This day of judgement is great in respect of the properties of it As 1. It s a certaine day were it doubtfull it would not be dreadfull were it fabulous it would be contemptible 1. Naturall conscience is affrighted at the hearing of a judgement day Act. 24.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian Sua quemque fraus sua audacia suum facinus suum scelus de sanitate ac mente deturbat hae sunt impiorum furiae haeflammae hae faces Cicer. in Pison Eccl. 1.2 Hab. 1.13 Fâ—lix trenâ—bled when Paul preached of it and though the Athenians mocked when they heard of a Resurrection of the dead yet not at the hearing of the day of judgement The reason why men so much fear at death is because they are terrifyed with the thoughts of judgement after death were it not for that supreme and publick the inward Tribunall of conscience should be in vaine erected 2. The justice of God requires that every one shall receive according to his works In this life the best men are of all men most miserable and sinners oft most happy All things fall alike to all The wicked saith Habbakuk devoureth the man that is more righteous then himselfe There must come a time therefore when the righteous Judge will like Jacob lay his right hand upon the younger the more despised Saint and his left hand upon the elder the now prosperous sinner There is now much righteousnesse and oppression among Magistrates Gen. 18.25 Job 34.10 11 12. Isai 3.16 11. but it would be blasphemy to say that injustice shall take place to eternity Every unrighteous Decree in humane Judicatories must be judged over againe and from the highest Tribunall upon earth the Saints of God may joyfully and successfully appeal to a higher Bar. Jud. 14. Rom. 2.15 Eccl. 11.9 2 Thes 1 6 7. Mat. 7.22.25.41.10.15 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 14.10 Luk. 21.34 Luk. 9.26 2 Pet. 3.9 Tit. 2.13 1 Pet. 4.5 Omnia alia quae futura praedixerat Spiritus Sanctus in Scripturis evâ—nerunt ut de primo Christi adventu c. Cum ergo idem Spiritus Sanctus praedixerit secundum Christi adventum utique certo eveniet Aug. Ep. 42. Luk. 21.35 Mat. 25. The day of judgement shall set all things strait and in right order It is a righteous thing with God saith Paul to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed c. To conclude this The Scripture is in no one point more full and plentifull then in assuring us that this day shall certainly come and if the other predictions in Scripture particularly those concerning the first coming of Christ have truly come to passe why should we doubt of the truth of Christs second appearance and if the mercy of God were so great that he should repent of the evill intended against the wicked yet even that mercy of his would make the judgment so much the more necessary for the good of the Elect 2. The judgement of this great day shall be Sudden Christ will come as a thief in the night who enters the house without knocking at the door The judgement will come upon the secure world as the snare doth upon the bird The greater security is at that day the greater will the day and the terror thereof be to sinners the noise of fire is neither so usuall nor so dreadfull as in the night The approach of the Bridegroom at midnight increased the cry of the foolish and sleeping Virgins Sudden destruction or that which befals them who cry peace is destruction doubled 3. The judgement of this great day shall be Searching exact and accurate There shall be no causes that shall escape without discussion notwithstanding either their multiplicity or secrecy their numerousnesse or closenesse The infinite swarmes of vain thoughts idle words Psal 50.21 Mat. 12.36 Eccl. 12.14 2 Cor. 5.10 and unprofitable actions shall clearly and distinctly be set in order before those who are to be tryed for them God shall bring every work to judgement and every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill 1 Cor. 4.5 He will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart But of this before 4. It shall be righteous As every cause shall be judged so rightly judged Christ is a righteous Judge 1 Tim 4.8 Psal 72.2 Act. 17.31 Rom. 2.11 2 Chron. 19.7 Psal 82.2 Job 34.19 In righteousnesse doth he judge Revel 19.11 The scepter of his kingdome is a right scepter he loves righteousnesse Psal 45.6 7 The day of judgement is a day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God Righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loyns it shall stick close to him This Judge cannot be byass'd by favour There is no respect of persons with God The enemies of Christ justified him in this particular that he regarded not the persons of men Mat. 22.16 Kindred Friend-ship Greatnesse make him not at all to warp and deviate from righteousnesse He is not mistaken with error he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes Isai 11.3 Joh. 7.24 2 Cor. 10.7 Jer. 17.9 10. Gal. 6.7 neither reprove after the hearing of his ears This Judg shall never be deluded with fair shews and out sides or misled by colourable but false reports as earthly Judges may be because they cannot pierce into mens hearts to discerne their secret intentions as Christ can do whom no specious appearance can deceive he shall never acquit any who is in truth faulty or inwardly unsound nor upon any flying report or forged suggestion proceed to the censure of any He shall never be in danger of being mis-informed through untrue depositions but he shall alwayes proceed upon certain knowledg in passing of his own sentence upon any 5. This judgement shall be open
and manifest There is nothing hid but shall be revealed Sinners shall be openly sham'd their secret sins their speculative impurities their closest midnight-impieties shall be publickly discovered and their feined hypocriticall appearances shall then be unmasked Then Saints shal be openly honour'd the good which they have done in secret shall be divulged from their sins against which they have mourn'd pray'd beleev'd secretly they shall be acquitted openly and honourably from all the censures suspicions aspersions and wrong judgements upon earth before all the world of men and Angels they shall be publickly cleared In a word As the Judge is righteous he will bee known to be so and therefore not onely his sentencing but the equity therof shal be manifestly known Every tongue shall confess to God the just proceedings of that day and Christ shall be clear when he judgeth and justified when sinners are condemned 6. This judgement shall be immediate Christ will not any more judge by man They whom he hath intrusted with Judicature have often miscarryed in the work acquitting where they should condemne and condemning where they should acquit now therefore he will trust others with the work no more but will take it into his own hands Judgement here among men is the Lords mediately but the great judgement shall be his immediately Sinners might hope to escape while sinners were their Judges Saints might fear cruelty while sinners were their Judges In a word when frail sinfull man is Judge he like the unjust steward in the Gospel who cut off fifty in the hundred punisheth malefactors by the halfs and with him wicked men can tell how to deal Ezek. 22.14 but can their hearts endure or can their hands be strong in the day wherein the Lord shall deal with them When Gideon commanding young Jether to slay Zebah and Zalmunna and he feared to draw his sword against them Judg. 8.20 being but a youth Gideon himselfe ariseth and fals upon them and as was the man so was his strength for hee instantly slew them And God commands those who should resemble him in righteousnesse to cut down sin and cut off sinners but alas they are oft either unwilling or afraid to draw the sword of Justice and therefore the Lord himselfe will come and take the sword into his own hands and as is he so will his strength be found and felt to be infinite The mountaines and hills will be but light burdens to fall upon sinners in comparison of this mighty God 7. This Judgement shall be the last Judgement The sentence that there shall be pronounced is the finall conclusive and determinating sentence The day of Judgement is frequently call'd The last day The last day Joh. 11.24.12.48 and the Great day are sometimes put together Joh. 7.37 Wicked men have had in this world many dayes of Judgement by the word by temporall troubles by the examples and warnings of the Saints but now their last day their last judgement is come after which there shall be no more tryall Former judgements might be reverst upon repentance but this last is irrevocable Repentance will not move the Judge to repent of his sentence Jer. 11.7 8 9. repentance will be hid from his eyes From his sentence there can be no appeal nor is there any Judicatory above or after it 8. This judgement is call'd Eternall How great are those dayes wherein an earthly Judge sentenceth to a temporal punishment of a few minutes Heb. 6.2 Judicium humanum est vix alphabetum illius ultimi Luth. But Christ sentenceth to an eternall state the effect of his judgement shall last for ever An earthly Judge allowes men to put the sentenced to death out of their paine at their execution but this shall be the bitter ingredient into the sentence of the great day namely that the sentenced shall be executed but never die Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire Departure for losse and Fire for sense are the greatest punishments but this Everlasting is that which makes both insupportable Dreadfull sentence Without this everlasting departure hell would not be hell This Everlasting burnes hotter then the fire or rather is the heat of the fire in hell and oh the bottomelesse Ocean of sweetnesse in this word Ever when joyned with Being with the Lord this is that which like the faggot-band binds all the scattered parcells of heavens blessednesse together and keeps them from dropping out In a word This stability of happinesse is that which makes it happinesse Great day wherein there is a sentence to no estate shorter then Eternity OBSERVATIONS 1. Great is the vanity of all earthly greatnesse While we are in this world troubles and comforts seem far greater then they are Observ 1. the former we think too great to bear the other too great to forsake How do men groan under small burdens and how do they admire the poor enjoyments of the world but when this great day is come neither of these will seem great How smal will former disgraces be esteem'd by those who shall bee honour'd before all the world How contemptible shall then poverty be in the thoughts of those who shall ever be inriched with the satisfying enjoyment of God himself How slight yea forgotten will the few bitter drops of pains be to those who shall be filled with Rivers of pleasures What poor trifles will all the profits and revenues of the earth be esteem'd when all the stately edifices and the richest treasures upon earth shall be consum'd in the flames What a bubble a shadow will all worldly honour and dignities appear when the faint candle light of the earthly glory of the greatest Monarchs shall be swallowed up in the glorious sun-shine of the appearance of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords How will a sentencing to the everlasting flames of fire and brimstone blast those former dreams of pleasure in cool and pleasant Arbors costly Perfumes sumptuous Banquets c To those who so admire earthly injoyments I say as Christ to his Disciple Mar. 13.2 when he shewed him the buildings of the Temple Seest thou these great buildings There shall not be one stone left upon another the flame of that day wil devour them as easily as the fire from heaven did consume the stones and sacrifice of and lick up the water about Elijahs Altar 2. Boldnesse in sin is no better then madnesse The great Judgement day is by the Apostle call'd The terror of the Lord. Observ 2. Eccl. 12.14 Magna peccati poena metum fu turi judicii perdidisse Aug. ser 120. de Tem. And though it may be our sin to be afrighted at mens judgement days and to be afraid of their terror yet is it our folly not to fear this great day of the Lord and a great punishment of sin not to fear the punishment of sin What Judge would not be incens'd when the prisoners being warned of his solemn approach
the generall are persons of an holy conversation To him who ordreth his conversation aright will God shew his salvation Christ will blesse people not by the voice when they shall say they are Christians but by the hands he will handle and feel them And more particularly it is a Good day to those only who have done good to the afflicted friends of Christ No good duty is acceptable to Christ if we reject works of mercy Psal 16.3 2 Thes 1.5 6 7. How chearfully may he look upon the Judge that hath saved the lives of the Judge his wife and children The Saints are tyed to Christ in both relations Phil. 4.5 Si tanta percussione digna est pietas non impensa perpende quid mercatur injustitia illata What can cruelty and oppression expect from Christ at that day but the measure which Zebah and Zalmunnah found from Gideon who wereslain by him for slaying his brethren If the not relieving of the Saints deserve a curse what shall the robbing of them do 6. Observ 6. Great should be the consolation of every friend of Jesus Christ in thinking of this great day It shall be to them a Good day A day of clearing from all undue imputations Moses being charged with ambition in taking too much upon him comforted himself with the thoughts of the morrow Numb 16. 1 Cor. 4.4 To morrow saith he shall the Lord shew who are his When the counsells of the heart shall be manifest every one shall have praise of God When a Christian is call'd a dissembler and an hypocrite he may say at the great day the Lord shall shew whether it be so or no. All slanders defamations shall fall off from the Saints as do drops of water from an oyled post The weight of their glory shall weigh down all their light slight disgraces In all the wants and losses of the faithfull for Christ in this life how great may be their consolation Great shall be their reward in heaven Mat. 5.12 none shall be losers by Christ that are losers for him The day of Judgement shall be the day of restitution of all their comforts God takes away nothing but what he gave and what he will again restore yea for which he will restore a thousand fold This great day should relieve us against the length of our troubles and the slownesse of deliverance Though God asks day for the rewarding of his children yet the greatnesse of the recompences of that Great day shall infinitely more then countervail for the slownesse of the bestowing them In all obscurity and contempt how may the Saints rejoyce to consider that at the great day they shall appear with Christ in glory and shine as the Sun in the Firmament When a Master is absent from a School the Scholers are mingled together those who are of the highest Form are perhaps standing amongst those of the lowest but when the Master comes into the School every Scholer takes his right place so at the last day every one shal have their due place allotted to them though now there be nothing but confussion This great day may comfort Saints in their greatest distances In this world they are oft far from one another Eph. 4.13 both in respect of places opinions affections at this great day they shal all meet yea and in the unity of the faith of the Son of God In all the cruelties and unkindnesses of wicked men It s the duty of the Saints in this life to be patient among it shall be their priviledge hereafter to be freed from the company of the wicked * Quomodo Christus eum damnabit quem propriamors redemit Ambros lib. de Jacob. cap. 6. Quis venturus est judicare te nisi qui venit judicaripro te Aug. in Psal 147. they shall neither be troubled with sin nor sinners nor sorrows the day of Judgement shall be a day of redemption Luk. 21.28 Eph. 4.30 of refreshment Act. 3.19 the thoughts of this day may support them in their absence from Christ At that great day they shall meet with their Redeemer their Spouse their Head how shall not Christ save those from death for whom he hath suffred death Who shall come to judge the Saints but he who came to be judged for them VER 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall fire THis Verse containes the third example of Gods severe displeasure against the sinners of former times and it is that of Sodom and Gomorrha c. which the Apostle sets down by way of comparison noted in these words Even as the former part or proposition whereof is in this verse and the reddition or second part in the two next following In this example I observe four parts 1. The Places punished Sodom and Gomorrha and the cities about them 2. The deserving cause of their punishment In like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh 3. The severity of their punishment Suffering the vengeance of eternall fire 4. The end and use of their punishment they are set forth for an example For the first The Places punished Sodom and Gomorrha and the cities about them EXPLICATION Four things may be by way of Explication inquired into 1. What places these cities of Sodom and Gomorrha were 2. What were these Cities about them 3. Why Sodom and Gomorrha are rather named then those Cities about them 4. Why these places are rather named then the persons and inhabitants thereof 1. For the first concerning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha to reserve the speaking of their sin and punnishment unto the two following parts of the text Wee read Gen. 13.10 upon occasion of Lots choice of the plain of Jordan for the place of his habitation that all that plain was well watred every where before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha even as the garden of the Lord like the land of Egypt * Hoc cave cum Lyrano referas ad proxime dictum de Egypto quasi Aegyptum veâ—it esse feracem maxime qua ex ea venitur ad Segor Id non vult sed cum remotiori jungendum Erat inquam illa Jordanis planicies irrigua qua itur in Segorem Mercerus in locum Hanc Lectionem amplectuntur Musculus Mercerus Pererius Willetus as thou comest unto Zoar. The River Jordan taking beginning from the mountain Libanus and arising say some out of two fountaines call'd Dan and Jor which joyned together make the name Jordan after it hath run saith Pererius about fifteen miles falleth into the lake Samechonitis the same that is call'd the waters of Merome Josh 11.7 then it passing along by Chorazin and Capernaum falleth into the lake Genesareth and so it having continued a current of an hundred miles in length till it falleth
that of Achan Tu otiosè spectas otiosè non spectaris Tu spectas curiosè spectaris curiosius Bern. I saw I coveted and took looking upon a woman and lusting after her are put together Mat. 5.26 and we read 2 Pet. 2.14 of eyes full of adultery or the adulteress But willingly neither be nor behold a provocation of sin God will preserve thee in thy wayes not in thy wandrings Dinah was not safe out of the womans orb the house only to see is not sufficient warrant to draw us to the suspected places What wise man will go to an house infected with the Plague only to see the fits of the visited It is good to keep tentation at the staves end and not to let it into the grapple for though possibly we may fight and conquer yet it was our fault that we were put to fight The project of Balaam was too prosperous had the Moabites sent their strongest souldiers to perswade the Israelites to idolatry they had been returned with contempt but as God fetches glory to himself out of the worst actions of men so men often undo themselves by the fairest works of God Thus far of the second particular considerable in this example of Sodom viz. the cause of their punishment the third followes namely the severity of their punishment their suffering the vengeance of everlasting fire The punishment being set out 1. More generally so it s called Vengeance 2. More particulary so it was a vengeance manifested by eternall fire Wherein is considerable 1. By what they were punished by fire 2. In what measure or how long they were punished the fire is Eternall I shall here enquire what we are to understand by this Vengeance Fire here called Eternall EXPLICATION 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated Vengeance is of a signification belonging to the proceedings of Courts of Justice and it is taken severall wayes 1. Properly it signifies right or justice in which respect among the Heathens the Goddess of just vengeance Nemesis was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justice or Vengeance Act. 21.4 No doubt say the Barbarians of Paul this man is a murderer whom though he hath escaped the sea Non dubito quin sicut plurimis locis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipitur pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sic etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponatur hoc loco pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bez. in Act. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comprehendit seriem totam judicii usque ad execuâ—ionem Lorin in Act. 25. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vengeance suffereth not to live 2. It is taken for the Sentence of damnation given by the Judge as Act. 25.15 where it is said that the chief Priests and Elders desired to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement against Paul 3. For the punishment it self inflicted after the passing of sentence thus 2 Thes 1.9 the Apostle saith The wicked shall be punished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thus it is taken in this place by Jude who fitly expresseth the punishment inflicted by God upon the Sodomites by this word because it was most justly and according to the merit of the offence and offenders executed by the Judge of all the world who is righteous in all he brings upon sinners yea is righteousnesse it selfe whose very judgements even because they are his are just and righteous and as to the case of Sodom and Gomorrha so eminent was the righteousnesse of Gods judiciall proceeding Gen. 18.21 that he would go down to see whether they had done altogether according to the cry of their sin where he speaks after the manner of men who ought not to condemn any before an accurate examination of the cause But of this by occasion of the words judgement and the Great Day much hath been spoken in the foregoing verse For the second the fire wherewith these Sodomites were punish'd They burnt with a threefold fire 1. The fire of lust both sin and punishment They burned in their lust one toward another 1 Cor. 7.9 Rom. 1.27 and God gave them up to uncleannesse and to vile affections 2. The fire which was rained down from heaven upon them His verbis significatur quod preter naturalem rerum cursum miraculum operatus est puniendo iniquos ad differentiam enim naturalium causarum naturali ordine occurentium ad generandum sulphur ig nem idjunctum est illud à Jeho veb Cajetan sic quoque Tostatus Pererius è nostris Calvin Zanch. Muscul Pareus Rivet Gen. 19.24 the remarkablenesse of which punish ment by fire appears in sundry respects It was 1. A miraculous fire besides the course of nature Brimstone to which some add salt and all that vast quantity of fiery matter were never produced by naturall causes God it was who provided the matter for so great a flame the fall wherof also he ordered for time and place Hence it s said that the Lord rained brimstone and fire from the Lord that is by an elegant Hebraism from himselfe the Noune being put in the place of the Pronoune as 1 Sam. 15.22 1 King 8.1 2 Tim. 1.18 c. to shew that the raining there mentioned was not from the strength of naturall causes nor after a naturall manner but immediately from the Lord himself and by the putting forth of his owne omnipotent arme 2. It was an abundant fire of a vast quantity and hence it is said to be rained down it was not a sprinkling but a showre Here were not sparks but flakes sheets of fire rivers of brimstone 3. It was a Sudden fire It came not by degrees when the morning arose or at break of day there were no tydings of destruction till then Lot was in Sodom and yet when the Sun arose Gen. 19.24 Cen. 19.28 fire was rained down and early in the morning Abram beheld the smoak of the country haply the work was done in a quarter of an hour Lam. 4.6 Sodom was overthrown as in a moment 4. It was a tormenting fire The execution by fire hath ever been accounted one of the most afflictive to sense and therefore imposed upon the greatest offenders How great is the torment when the skin is puckerd the sinews crack'd the blood scalded Famine the greatest of punishments is but a kind of fire whereby the naturall moysture is dryed up nay fire lends a resemblance to the torments of hell 5. It was a destructive fire utterly consuming all upon which it fell Gen. 19.25 Deut. 29.23 Cities Inhabitants the plain and all that grew upon it and as Brochardus reports so far as the vapour arising out of lake of Sodom is carried by the wind it makes all places dry and barren destroying all fruits grasse plants and what ever the earth yeilds And so poysonfully is that brimstony lake tainted which is now in the place where Sodom stood that it is called the
contend the crown that rewards us Holy fervour is never so seemly as in contending for a holy faith It 's storyed of Scanderberg that in fighting against the Turks he was so earnest that the bloud would often start out of his lips Indifferency better becomes our worldly contentions between man and man than spirituall contentions between men and divels 3. We must contend for the faith unanimously and with one consent How easily will errour prevaile when Faith's Champions are divided among themselves How shall they adventure their lives one for another in war Phil. 1.27 who will not do so much as love one another in peace Excellent is the counsell of the Apostle Stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel 4. We must contend for the faith against errour universally impartially for every doctrine of faith and against every opposite errour We must contend for discountenanced disowned persecuted faith and take it into our doors when the most would have it laid in the streets and give it entertainment when 't is death to harbour it Nor ought we to to spare preferred Quò major est Princeps eò minus ferantur ejus vitia Nomina potestatum metuenda sed vitia contemnenda Luth. favoured errour The snake of errour must be struck at though in the field of a King 5. We must contend for the faith constantly We must never give over our conflict as long as one enemy is left We must continue in the things we have learned and hold fast the name of Christ. It 's not contention but constancy therein which crowns We must be faithfull to the death if we expect a crown of life 2 Tim. 3.14 Rev. 2.13 It 's easier once to persevere than often to begin No Christian is too old to go out to fight in this spirituall warfare As soon as we cease to fight we begin to flye Christianity knows no cessation of Combating We must take heed of losing the things which we have wrought and fought for 2 John 8. It 's as great a vertue to hold what we have as to get what is worth the holding If the faith be bad why did we begin if good why did we give over our contention for it 6. We must contend prudently and with judgment Christian prudence is not inconsistent with Christian fervency Sundry wayes must a Christian shew his prudence in this contention 1. He must oppose those enemies most that most oppose the faith The greatest errours with greatest zeal and place most forces where there 's most dan ger not being as some fervent against disciplinary and superficiall against doctrinall errours The former do but scratch the face the latter stab the heart of truth 2. He must contend for the faith soberly not passionately God wants not the beesom of passion to sweep down the cobwebs of errour Soft words and strong arguments are good companions We may at the same time spare the person and yet be merciless to his errour 3. We must contend for the faith orderly not extravagantly The Minister must not contend like the Magistrate by politick government nor the people like the Minister by publick preaching Every souldier in this war must keep his rank Never did more contend against the faith than in the times wherein all are suffered to contend how they will for the faith 4. We must contend for the faith preparedly not weakly Faith deserves not obloquy but victory A weak judgment often hurts the faith as much as strong passion An able mind is more needfull in spirituall than an able body is for worldly warrs What pity is it that a good cause should have a feeble champion 1. Observ 1. The goodnesse of any cause and course exempts it not from opposition What more precious then Faith and what more opposed Odium genius Evangelii Luth. John 17.14 Superbus sio quod video nomen pessimum mihi crescere gaudeo rebellis dici Luth. Gratias ago Deo quòd dignus sum quem mundus oderit Hier. Hatred is ever the companion of Truth As that which Satan opposeth must needs be good so that which is good must needs be by him opposed A good man once said He much suspected his own faithfulness in delivering that Sermon for which he got not some hatred from wicked men Hatred as one saith is the Genius of the Gospel I have given them saith Christ thy word and the world hath hated them Wicked mens rage should rather make us thankfull than discouraged I am proud saith Luther because I hear I have an ill name among bad men I blesse God said Jerom that I am worthy of the worlds hatred 2. Observ 2. The best things require most contention for them Not trifles Nostra impatientia non est pro reculis honoribus c. sed pro contemptu verbi pertinacia impietatis ubi anathema est esse patientem Luth. fancies or fables but doctrines of faith deserve our earnest contention How poorly are most mens contentions imployed How happy were we could we but as earnestly contend for Christ his cause faith and our own salvation as wicked men do for riches honours interest nay for hell by striving to out-sin one another How unsutable is it that a greater fire should be made for the roasting of an egg than for an ox that men should be more contentious for bubbles than blessednesse 3. Observ 3. Satan will fight though he cannot prevail Though he conquer not he will yet contend Though he be unable to overcome yet he will oppose the faith Such is the hight of his malice that rage he will be it insuccesfully If he cannot disappoint the saints of their end he yet pleaseth himself in disturbing them in their way Satans rage should not dismay us His furious onsets do not prove his endeavours succesfull rather his great wrath speaks his time short And if he fight who knowes he shall be foyl'd how earnestly should they contend who know they shall both conquer and be crowned 4. Satan labours most to spoyl us of the best things Observ 4. those whereby God is most glorified and we most benefited If he may have our faith heavenly things from us he cares not to leave earthly blessings behind him Eph. 6.12 Chrysost Musculus Perkins vid. Heb. 8.5 Hence it is that the Apostle saith We wrestle against spirituall wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heavenlies i. e. as I humbly conceive for heavenly things whereby is noted the cause of Satans contention which is to bereave us of blessings of an heavenly nature In the tempting of Eve he aimed at the bereaving of our first parents of their happiness and Gods image It was Peter's faith he sought to winnow He blinds mens eyes that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 In the troubles of Job Satan aimed at a greater matter
esset c. In adversis um braest vel similitudo non ipsares Ansel 2 Cor. 6.9 Put sin into its best dresse and it s but gilded condemnation 2 Spirituall judgements are ever the sorest In Gods withdrawing his grace and delivering up to a reprobate sense there is something of Condemnation The soul of a judgement is its seizing upon the soul The greatest misery which can befall the body is but for the soul to leave it and what proportion bears this to the misery of Gods leaving the soul The death in death is the miscarriage of the soul If a man be not heart-sick though otherwise distempered he is not feared and if not soul-sick and the union between God and him weakned there is no danger Bodily miseries are but appearing and opinionative and there is a vanity in outward troubles as well as enjoyments The Apostle makes the greatest suffering of the body to be but as such rather a dream then a reality of suffering The poorest Saint never had a drop of condemnation in a sea of calamity His affliction is not laniena but medicina not Butchery but Chirurgery nay the end of Gods chastning is that he may not be judged 1 Cor. 11.32 How different is the condemning of a Malefactour from the reprehension of a Son the Fathers rod from the Executioners axe Heb. 12.7 Ne timeas flagellari sed exhaeredari If we endure chastning the Lord deals with us as with sons Strive not so much to get the rod taken off thy back as to get it into a Fathers hand How madly merry is every obstinate sinner in all his worldly enjoyments How unsutable is thy musick when thou art sacrificing that which should be dearer to thee then thy dearest child celebrating the Funerals of thy precious soul Si doles condoleo si non doles doleo magis Who would not commiserate his mirth who goeth dancing to his own execution whose only strife is to double his misery by shunning the thoughts of that which he cannot shun Be not taken with what thou hast in gift but what thou hast in love In receiving of every mercy imitate Isaaks jealousie and say Art thou that very mercy that mercy indeed which comes in the blood of Christ Art thou sent from a Father or a Judge Satius est ut vim qualemcunque mihi inferas Domine quam parcens mihi me in meo torpore securum derelinquere Observ 3. What do I receiving if I shall never be received It 's infinitely better that God should correct thee so as to awaken thee then by prospering to let thee sleep in sin till it be too late to arise It was better for the Prodigall to be famish'd home then furnish'd out 3. These condemned ones should warn us that we incur not the like condemnation with them Saints should be examples of imitation and sinners of caution A good heart will get good even by bad men and take honey out of the carcasse of a Lion These Seducers were mentioned and stigmatized by Jude with this black mark not only to shew that God was righteous in punishing but that we might not be unrighteous and wretched in imitating them And that we may not 1. Neglect not undervalue not the truths of the Gospel Rom. 1.26 Shut not thy eyes lest God suffer Satan to blind them How severely did God punish the Heathens for opposing the light of nature and will not Christ when clearly discovered and unkindly neglected 2 Thes 2.9.10 much more heighten thy condemnation If Christ be not a rock of foundation hee will be a stone of stumbling Fruits which grow against a wall are soon ripened by the Suns heat and so are sins which are committed under the Sun-shine of the Gospel The contempt of the Gospel is the condemnation of the world John 3.12 2 Pet. 2.1 it brings swift destruction 2. Preserve a tender conscience Tremble at the first solicitations of sin which make way for eternall by taking away spirituall feeling This deluge of impiety in which these Seducers were drowned began with a drop Many knots tyed one upon another will hardly be loosed every spot falling upon the cloathes makes a man the more regardlesse of them and every sin defiling the conscience makes a man the more carelesse of it He who dares not wade to the ancles is in no danger of being swallowed up in the depths Modest beginnings make way for immodest proceedings in sin The thickest ice that will bear a cart begins with a thin trembling cover that will not bear a pibble As these Seducers crept in by degrees into the Church so did Satan by degrees creep into them 2 Tim. 2.16 They increased to more ungodlinesse They went down to this condemnation by steps and after they had begun they knew not where or whether they should stop 3. Take heed of turning the grace of God into wantonnesse of abusing his goodnesse either to soul or body to impiety Take not occasion to be sinfull because God is mercifull to be long-sinning because God is long-suffering to sin because grace abounds to make work for the blood of Christ to turn Christian liberty into unchristian libertinisme This must needs incense even mercy it self to leave and plead against thee and what then will justice do They who never enjoyed this grace of God go to hell they who have it and use it not run on foot to hell but they who abuse and turn it into wantonnesse gallop or go to hell on hors-back This for the first way in which the punishment of these Seducers was considerable viz. Its severity This condemnation The second followes namely its certainty they were before of old ordained to it EXPLICATION In this two things require Explication 1. What this ordination is of which the Apostle here speaks 2. In what respect it is said to be before of old For the first Metaphora sumpta ab tis qui in codicillis scribunt memoriae causâ qua statuunt agere Haec Metaphora inde sumpta est quòd aeternum Dei consilium quo ordinati sunt fideles ad salutem Liber vocatu◠Calv. De quibus olim praenuntiatum est in Scripturis quòd deventuri sunt in judicium Est in loc The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated Ordained properly signifying forewritten enrolled bill'd book'd or registred It seems say some to be a Metaphor taken from Records in Courts wherein things are set down for an after remembrance of them Or according to others from books of remembrance wherein for the greater surenesse of doing any thing men write down what they purpose to do and desire not to forget Calvin draws the allusion from Scrip ture in which the eternall counsell of God wherein the faithfull are elected to salvation is called a Book Sure we are 't is a Metaphoricall speech and by none of our Protestant Divines as I remember is that interpretation imbraced
which is given by some Papists who haply to wave the Doctrin of reprobation expound this fore-writing here mentioned to be the predictions by writing which went before in the Scriptures concerning these Seducers Nor can this writing here mention'd so be attributed to God as if either he could properly be said to have a memory or to remember any thing or had any defect or weaknesse of memory or had any materiall books wherein he wrote any thing at all but this writing or booking is spoken concerning him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of resembling him to man who what he purposeth exactly to remember or certainly to do he books and writes down before hand And the Scripture speaks of four Meta phoricall books or writings which God hath 1. The Book of his providence or Gods knowledge and decree of all the particular persons things and events that ever vvere or shall be in the world and in this book were written all the members of David Rom. 5.1 Summa judicii aequitas ex humano foro significatur Pareus in Apoc â—0 Psal 132.16 And all the tears of David Psal 56.8 2. The Book of the last and universall judgement which is the perfect knowledge that God hath of the actions of all men good and bad according to which at the last day he will give judgement thus Dan. 7.13 it s said The thrones shere set up c. and the books were opened And Revel 20.12 I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened It 's a term taken from publick judgements here among men wherein are produced all the writings of informations depositions of witnesses c. to shew that Gods Omniscience shall discover and rehearse all actions and his justice proceed accordingly 3. The Book of life Rev. 20.12 and 22 19. called also the Lambs book of life Revel 13.8 and 21.27 which is Gods eternall decree to bestow grace and glory upon some Phil. 4.3 and in this are set downe the names of the elect of these it is said often Their names are written in the book of life Luk. 10.20 and at the last day this book is said to be opened because it shall then be manifested to all who are elected 4. This writing here mentioned by Jude namely that black bill or the Catalogue of those whom God hath appointed unto wrath 1 Thes 5.9 ordinarily considered as the Positive or Affirmative part of Reprobation wherein God decreed justly to damn some for sin For Reprobation is considerable in a double act First Negative which is that of preterition or passing by of some and Gods will not to elect them Secondly Positive which is Gods ordaining them to punishment for sin And in both these acts there is a double degree In the first the Negative act Gods denying his grace in this life And 2. his denying them glory and salvation in the next life In the Positive or affirmative act 1. Gods ordaining the wicked to blindnesse and obduration here And 2. eternall condemnation hereafter And upon holy Scripture are both these acts and both the degrees of each of them evidently grounded 1. Concerning the Negative act speaks the Spirit of God John 10.36 Yee are not of my sheep And Matth. 7.23 I never knew you Mat. 13.11 To them it is not given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome And Mat. 11.25 Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent c. for so it seemed good in thy sight And Rev. 13.8 20.15 There are some mentioned whose names are not written in the Book of Life 2. Concerning the Positive or Affirmative act speaks the Spirit of God in 1 Pet. 2.8 where the Apostle mentioning those that stumbled at the word and were disobedient saith they were appointed thereunto And Rom. 9.18 Whom he will be hardneth And ver 21. he speaks of Vessels made to dishonour And ver 22. 1 Thes 5.9 Of Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And John 17.12 Judas is said to be a son of perdition And here Jude saith that these Seducers were written down and appointed to this condemnation which was their abode among the faithfull with an obstinate opposing of the truth and faith of Christ making way to their own eternall condemnation A doctrine I confesse not more distastfull to the bad then hard to be understood by the best It is no where as Pareus notes treating upon it Rom. 9. perfectly apprehended but in that eternall School I profess my greater desire to study then discuss it I did not seek it nor dare I altogether shun it ever remembring that though we must not rifle the cabinet of the secret decree yet neither bushel the candle of Scripture-discovery the former being unwarrantable curiosity the later sinfull ingratitude Briefly therefore 2 For the second in what respect this ordination is said to be before of old The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old is sometime applyed to a thing done a little time before Pilate asks of Joseph who came unto him to ask the body of Jesus whether he had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any while dead The word as Doctor Twiss observes doth not signifie any definite time It is applicable even to eternity And though as he notes the signification of the word be not extended to eternity by any force in it selfe yet from the matter whereof the Apostle treats viz. the ordination or decree of God which is eternall it ought to be so extended The denyall of the eternity of Gods decree was one of the prodigious doctrines of Vorstius As the ancient of dayes was before there was a day so this of old was before there was an age Which as it refers to the forementioned ordination comprehends in the judgment of many Learned and Godly Divines as well 1. The independency and absolutenesse of this ordination As 2. The immutability and unchangeableness of this ordination 1. For the first This ordination according to some was absolute from all causes in the creature of old before these Seducers were before their sins were in respect not only of their actuall existence but even of their prevision also and foresight of their futurition or coming to passe hereafter And in delivering their judgement herein 1. q. 23. Art 5. they consider Reprobation with Aquinas and other Shoolmen either in respect of the act of God reprobating Gods willing and decreeing or in respect of the effect thereof the things willed or decreed as God wills that one thing should be for another 1. As to Reprobation in respect of the act or decree of Gods reprobating or Gods willing or decreeing they say the sins of the creature cannot be assigned as the cause of reprobation Non est assignare causam divinae voluntatis ex parte actus volendi Aquin ubi supr and herein they agree with Aquinas and the sounder Schoolmen They conceive that the decree of reprobation was not without the
treasnre for a trifle a mountain of gold for an heap of dung the pure lasting fountain for the muddie broken cistern Eternity for a moment realitie for a shadow all things for nothing And therefore 4. The denyall of Christ is the height of folly and the forsaking of our own mercy Acts 4.12 Christ is the only remedie against death to deny the remedic is to perish unavoidably He who denies him who is the Saviour nay Salvation cannot be saved no not by Salvation it self No disease kils that soul who casts not away this Physick but he who refuseth the means of recovery concludes himself under a necessitie of destruction How shall wee escape if wee neglect this great salvation Hebr. 2.3 Other sins put men upon a possibilitie the deniall of Christ upon a necessitie of damnation They who deny Christ shall be denyed by Christ He often denies them in this life 2 Thes 2.11 Ps 81.11 12. by leaving them to serve and love those lords whom they have chosen in stead of him and by a denyall of any power to them ever to return to him whom they have renounced yea Apoc. ult 12. As in the case of Spira and Judas by a denying them to their own consciences which oft flash into their faces the flames of hell for the quenching whereof they sometimes relinquish though in vain those trifles for which they denyed Christ But most assuredly will Christ deny these Christ-denyers at the last day he will be ashamed of them not know them and banish them from his presence notwithstanding their calling Lord Lord Mat. 7.23 and hypocriticall claiming of former acquaintance with him He that denies Christ denies a Lord who will destroy all Rebels Luk. 19.27 he denies a Lord not weak titular and mortall but just everliving and omnipotent 5. The practical denyal of Christ discovers a most rotten and unsound heart What greater falsness imaginable than to professe and deny Christ at the same time to put on his cloak for securitie in sinning to speak service and live opposition to him to call him Master only to mock him and to do the work of his enemies not to serve him whom we do serve to be in the skin a Christian and in the coar an Heathen Certainly this meer outside complementall Christianity that bowes to Christ and yet buffets him shall one day be found to have had profession onely for an increase of judgment Oh how just will it be for those who never truly loved Christ notwithstanding their professions to hear Christ professing that he never-knew them The rotten professor is the fittest fuell for eternall flames 6. The denyall of Christ implies the greatest unthankfulnesse If it be an unkind wickednesse to deny a creature a servant that fears thee what is it then to deny that Lord whom thou shouldst fear If to deny a Father that begat the body what is it then to deny God that created the soul If to deny a wife with whom thou art one flesh what is it to deny the Lord with whom thou art one spirit What evill have any found in him to forsake to renounce such a Master How great was his goodnesse to take such unprofitable servants as we are into the family of his Church What saw he in in us more then in heathens to reveal to us the light of his truths and the mysteries of salvation What an honour did he put upon us when he took us for his by baptismal initiation Were not the imployments ever noble safe and sweet which he put upon us is not the reward rich and bountifull which he hath promised Must not our own consciences be our own accusers when he requires of us the reason of denying him OBSERVATIONS 1. Christ accounts a verball outside profession Observ 1. contradicted by an unholy conversation to be no better then a renouncing of him The profession of the lip without the agreement of the life most dishonours God How ready will the ignorant be to think that God allows the sins Ezek. 36.20 or that he cannot punish the impiety of those who professe profanely Deus non quaerit obsequiorum speciem sed affectus puritatem Ambr. in 9. Luc. How hatefull to the God who loves truth in the inward parts must he be who hath nothing but falseness in the inward parts God seeks none to serve him but such as serve him in truth The service of the soul is the soul of service The singlenesse of the intention is the sweet of a performance and makes it even a Sacrifice with marrow Sacrificium medullatum All our professions and speculations without holiness are but profanations And of him that hates instruction Psal 50.46 God justly requires the reason of his taking his Covenant into his mouth Profane professors are but wens upon the face of Religion which God will one day cut off The higher the building is raised which wants a foundation the greater will be its fall and the more eminent mens appearances of religion are the more shamefull will be their apostacie if they want the foundation of sinceritie A sincere Professor though he do not actually forsake all for Christ is habitually prepared so to do when Christ shall require A meer formall professor though he do not as yet openly renounce Christ yet is prepared to do so when his interest shall call him to it 2. The excellency of any way or person Observ 2. is not to be judged by the regard it ordinarily findes among men Christ himself cannot want a denyall by foolish men If it be put to the vote Barrabbas will have more voyces then Christ The wayes of Christ are never the worse because wicked men renounce them rather their rejecting of them speaks them holy Let us not be offended at Christ because he is by most denyed Blesse God if thou hast an heart to own him and remember 't is a signe of a gracious heart Psal 119.127 when the wicked make void the Law of God therefore to love his Commandments 3. Observ 3. It is the great Interest of Christians to take heed of denying Christ To this end 1. Deny your selves That man which sets much by himself will never reckon much of a Saviour He who hath not learn'd to deny himself when Christ and Self come in competition and meet on a narrow bridg will endeavour to make Christ go back Quando à me ipso alienabor me perdam Revelle te à teipso ut Deo inseraris Divide te à teipso ut cum Creatore uniaris Bern. He who doth not account himself nothing will soon esteem Christ so Let the heart be taken off from any thing which may take thee off from Christ Crucifie every inordinate affection Beseech God to alienate thee from thy self and to annihilate in thee what-ever opposeth Christ Reserve nothing in thee from his stroke although the lot fall upon Jonathan And resolve to
Christian of strong grace that can bear the strong wine of his commendations without the spiritual intoxication of pride It s as hard humbly to hear thy self praised as it is patiently to hear thy selfe reproached That Minister of whom I have heard was a rare example of humility who being highly applauded for a sermon preach'd in the Vniversity was by a narrow observer found weeping in his study presently after for fear that he had sought or his auditors unduly bestowed upon him applause Lutb pref in Gen. Ridiculum est si anxius es quomodo honoraretur homo nondum creatus tu es nihil Nieremb de ador in spir How heavenly was the temper of John the Baptist when he said Christ shall increase but I shall decrease It was a good fear of Luther namely lest the reading of his books should hinder people from reading the Scriptures Would wee account our selves nothing and indeed in our selves we are so we should think it as ridiculous a thing to be solicitous for our own as for that mans honour who is not yet created 5. The better the persons are who become wicked Observ 5 the more obstinate they are in wickednesse When angels fal into sin they continue in it with pertinacy the hottest water cooled becoms the coldest They whose light of knowledg is most angelicall sin with highest resolution and strongest opposition against the truth The greater the weight of that thing is which falls the more violent is its fall and the greater is the difficulty to raise it up again They who leave God notwithstanding their clear light are justly left by God to incurable darknesse None should so much tremble at sin as those who are inlightned obstinacy is most like to follow their impiety It may be impossible to recover them Seducers saith the Apostle wax worse and worse and do not only shew themselves men in erring but divels in persevering But of this before Ver. 4. 6. The happinesse of beleevers by Christ Observ 6. Est in nobis per hanc Dei gratiam in bono recipiendo perseveranter tenendo non solum posse quod volumus verum etiam velle quod possumus Aug. de cor gra c. 11. 1 Pet. 1.5 1 Pet. ult 10. is greater than that of Angels meerly as in the state of nature These had a power to stand or fall we by Christ have a power whereby we shall stand and never fall By creation the creature had a power either to abide with God or to depart from him But by Regeneration that fear of God is put into the hearts of his people whereby they shall not depart from God Jer. 32.40 And this power of not falling is in them indeed but not from them The faithfull are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation They are stablish'd setled strengthned Created will hath a power to will to presevere in that which is good Prima gratia data primo Adamo est quâ fit ut habeat homo justitiam si velit sed gratia potentiae est in secundo Adamo quâ fit ut velit tantóque ardore diligat ut carnis voluntatem contraria concupiscentem voluntate spiritus vincat August de Cor. gra c. 12. but it hath not the will it selfe to presevere neither the act of preseverance as the regenerate will hath Of this before p. 64 65. 83 84 85 c. 72 73. Thus far of the sift part of this verse viz. the defection of these angels The second followes namely their punishment and herein first that of the prison is considerable which is twofold 1. Everlasting chains 2. Darknesse EXPLICATION For the first Everlasting chains It may here be inquired 1. What we are to understand by these chains 2. How and why these chains are everlasting 1. What is meant by chains The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in bonds which bonds are not to be taken literally for those materiall instruments or bonds whereby things are bound that they may stand firm and steddy or persons are hindred from acting what they would or drawn whither they would not but metaphorically as are also those chains into which Peter saith these fain angels were delivered for that condition 2 Pet. 2.4 of punishment and woe wherein they shall remain like prisoners in bonds Certus inclusos tenet locus nocentes utque fert fama impios supplicia vinclis saeva perpetuis domant Senec. in Herc. Fur. The Metaphor being taken from the estate of malefactors who in prison are bound with chains to hinder them from running away that so they may be kept to the time of judgement and execution or who by the Mittimus of a Justicer are sent to the Gaol there to lie in chains till the Sessions And thus these angels are kept in chains or bonds of three sorts 1. They are in the chain of sin bound by the bond of iniquity as the phrase is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8.23 and Prov. 5.22 the wicked are said to be holden with the cords of their sins and deservedly may sins be called bonds or chains they both holding sinners so strongly as that without an omnipotent strength they can never be loosed as also being such prison-bonds as goe before their appearing at the bar of the last and dreadfull Judgement The bonds of sin wherein wicked men are held are often by the goodnesse and power of God loosed but the bonds of sin wherein wicked angels are held shall be everlasting there is and ever shall be a total inability in those cursed creatures to stir hand or foot in any wel-doing they are in arctâ custodiâ Non dicit Apostolus peccavit ab initio sed peccat nam ex quo diabolus peccare coepit nunquam peccare definit Bed A peccatis nunquam feriatur quia sicut non dormitabit neque dormiet qui custodit Israel it a nunquam dormitat neque dormit qui impugnat Israel Est in 1 John 3.8 Vid. Jun. in Jud. Non voluntatis confessio sed necessitatis extorsio Hier. close prisoners in these chains of iniquity stak'd down wedg'd wedded to sin chained as it were to a block hence it is said 1 John 3.8 that the divell sinneth from the beginning whereby may be noted not only how early he began but also how constantly he poceedeth in sin for as Bede well observes it is not said he sinned but he sinneth from the beginning to note saith he that since he began he never ceased to sin he keeps no holy dayes makes no cessation from pride and other impieties and as he sleeps not who keeps so neither doth he who opposeth Israel he walketh about seeking c. 1 Pet. 5.8 to this purpose our Saviour saith John 8.44 that the divell hath no truth in him to note his utter impotency saith Junius to any thing of goodnesse and integrity and when he speaks a lie he
discovered his humbling quickning strengthning presence to thee in thee Let no Sacrifice please thee without fire Love the Ordinances because God meets thee in them If God be not at home think it not enough that his servants his Ministers have spoken to thee Let the society of Saints be thy solace and deerly esteem those in whom thou beholdest any resemblance of God With the wicked converse rather as a Physician to cure them than as a companion to delight in them Let not thy heart be taken with any comfort any further then thou beholdest the heart of the giver in it or findest thine own raised to serve and delight in him 4. No distress should dishearten those here Observ 4. to whom God will not deny his presence hereafter Though God brings them into miseries yet he will not exclude them with the miserable If men cast them out of their company yet Christ will never say to them Depart from me If they want an house to hide their heads in and a bed to rest their bodies on yet their Fathers house and bosome will supply both Let men do their worst they may send Saints to him not from him How little do those rods smart in striking with which the Lord takes not away his loving-kindnesse What hath that poverty more then a name which is not accompanied and followed with the loss of God himself In a word Though sometimes the Saints sit in darkness and see no light yet is light sown for them they shall not lie under darknesse but after the darkest night of desertion shall arise to them that glorious Sun of Gods presence which shall never go down again but make an eternall day Thus farre for the first part of the punishment of the Angels viz. that which they undergoe in in the prison The second follows viz. that which shall be laid upon them at and after their appearing at the barr and in that first to what they are reserved viz. to judgment EXPLICATION There are two things may here bee enquired after 1 What we are to understand by the judgement to which these angels are reserved 2 How the angels which are punished already are yet said to be reserved to judgment 1 For the first Though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment be frequently in Scripture taken more largely and improperly for the cause of punishment John 3.19 for the government of the world John 5.22 amendment or reformation John 12.31 c. for the place of judgment Matth. 5.22 yet in this place it comes more close to its own proper signification according to which it imports a judiciary trial of and proceeding about causes In which respect it s taken in this place and oft in the new Testament for the solemn action of the last and generall judgment Mat. 10.15 Mat. 11.22 24 and 12.36 Mark 6.11 2 Pet. 3.7 Where we read of the day of judgment and Ecc. 11.9 12.14 Luke 10.14 Heb. 9.27 10.27 where there is mention made of this judgment Which judgment consists of three parts Veritas in inquisitione nuditas in publicatione serenitas in executione 1 A discussion and manifestation of the faults for which the prisoners were committed 2 A pronouncing sentence upon them for every crime discussed and manifested 3 A severe executing upon them the sentence so pronounced 1. Act. 23.3 1 Tim. 5.24 Act. 16.15 2 Cor. 5.14 In this judgment faults and causes shal be discussed and manifested and judgment is sometime in Scripture put for this discussion and discerning of causes some mens sins are open before hand going before to judgement c. 1 Tim. 5.24 c. And this knowledg of the cause is intended Cunctaque cunctorum cunctis arcana patebunt Ezra 4.15.19 and 6.2 Est 6.1 Deu. 32.34 Psal 56.8 Jer. 3.22 Hos 7.2 1 Cor. 4.5 Rev. 20.12 Where we have mention of those who stand before God of the opening of the books and the judging out of those things which were written in the books For though at the last judgment God will make use of no books properly so called yet all the works of the judged shall be as manifestly known as if God kept registers rolls and records of them in heaven and at his coming he will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsells of the hearts that the righteousnesse of his proceedings may appear to all These books of discovery are two 1 that of Gods omniscience 2 that of the creatures conscience 1 According to the former every creature is manifest in his sight and all things are opened unto his eyes Heb. 4.13 Mat. 3.16 Joh. 2.25 Jer. 23.24 Mar. 4.22 Rom. 2.5.16 he hath a book of remembrance he needeth not that any should testifie of man for he knoweth what is in man As God hates sin wheresoever he knows it so he knows it wheresoever it is Men may hide their sins from men from God they cannot Men may like foolish children when they shut their eyes and see none think that none sees them but the light and the darknesse are both alike to God Nor can any Isa 29.15 by seeking deep to hide their counsels from the most High help himself Never hath one sin since the creation of the world Deus nec fallitur nec flectitur slip'd from the memory of Gods knowledg though he hath been pleased to put away the sins of some out of the memory of his vengeance Nor doth he forget any sin out of necessity but meerly out of mercy 2 According to the later * Ad hunc librum emendandum omnes alii libri sunt inventi Quid libri aperti nifi conscientia non atramento scripti sed delictorū inquinamento Amb. in Ps 1. Psal 51. Idem judex reus testis tortor flagellum the book of Conscience the Lord will in the generall Judgment bring to every mans remembrance what he hath done he will set the sins of the wicked in order before them Psalm 50. their consciences shall then be dilated and irradiated by the power of God Here in this life Conscience is brib'd and gives in an imperfect but then it shall bring a full and impartiall evidence against sinners who shall be speechlesse and have their mouthes stop'd Hence Jude 15. it is said that God shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convince all the ungodly Their faults shall be so demonstrated to them that they shall have nothing to object but shall be compelled to acknowledge all both in point of fact and desert That which before was almost imperceptible shall being held to the fire of vengeance and the light of conscience be made legible 2 In this judgment to which these angels shall bee brought there shall be a decisive definitive sentence Isa 5.3 Matt. 7.1 John 18.31 Acts 24.6 Acts 17.31 Matth. 19.28 1 Cor. 6.3 Acts 4.19 And frequently and most properly in Scripture is judgment taken for a
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
the second viz. Why the Lord would shew forth such an example of Caution Hereby he would shew 1. Our naturall forwardnesse to sin in like manner He who saith Take heed of such a practice shews a likelihood without care of doing the very same The naturall inclination of our hearts answers to that of the greatest sinners as face answers face in the glasse Their practices are but expositions upon our natures It is a Proverb What fools speak wise men think I am sure 't is a truth To that which the worst man acteth the heart of the best man without grace inclines And though the godly are not companions with the wicked in sin yet should they be humble for the very sinning of the wicked 2. His constant abhorrence of sin Examples of Caution speak both Gods hatred of the sin of those who went before whose punishments are the monuments of his vengeance as also his equall dislike of it in those who succeed against whom if they will sin he is prepared to do what he hath done against the former Though Gods forbearance towards some shews that sometime he can spare sinners yet his punishing of others shews that he never loves sin 3. The aptitude of examples for to prevent sin Greater is our forwardnesse to be affected with what we see executed then with what we hear denounced My eye saith the Prophet affecteth mine heart Examples either of imitation or caution work more on us then Doctrines The rod hath a louder voice then the word a mans word will not be so soon taken as his hand and seal God hath not only set seals to his promises but to his threatnings also and such seals as are examples Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord and beleeved c Exod. 14.31 When thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Isai 26.9 When a scorner is punished saith Solomon the simple is made wise Prov. 21.11 At the death of Ananias and Saphira Act. 5.11 Luk. 16.30 great fear came upon all the Church If one went from the dead said that tormented Glutton they will repent 4. His mercifull willingnesse to prevent our ruine The Lord gives us to see that so we may not be examples and lets us read the stories of others that so we may not be stories to others Such is the goodnesse of God that he had rather we should be drove away from then destroyed in sin Oft doth God recall to the minds of Israel the sins and punishments of their forefathers and his plagues upon the Egyptians It had been as easie for God to have destroyed them with as warned them by others had not mercy pâ—â—ased him Quot vulnera tot ora Every wound of another is a mouth that calls upon us to repent 5. The inexcusablenesse of sinning after the setting examples before us Dan. 5.22 This was the great aggravation of Belshazzers pride that he humbled not his heart though he knew the judgment which God had layed upon his father for the very sin of pride Thus likewise the Prophet hightens the impiety of Judah in that notwithstanding Judah saw the idolatry which Israel had committed against God and what judgements God had laid upon Israel yet Judah feared not but went and played the harlot also How just is God in hitting those to whom he had said before Stand off They who sin against examples sin presumptuously and even to a contempt of all Gods attributes his Immutability Power Righteousnesse Long suffering c. They cannot sin at so cheap a rate as those who never were warned He who will ride into the depth of the river notwithstanding the stake deserves irrecoverably to be drowned That thief offends obstinately who will rob in that place where his fellow hangs in chains OBSERVATIONS 1. The works of God especially his judgements Observ 1. have a language as well as his word Examples of judgement are visible Sermons and speak the pleasure of God When God forbears to punish he is said to keep silence Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath saith the Psalmist and vex them in his sore displeasure A word is significative and God is not only known by his word but even by his works also and particularly by his judgment which he executeth Psa l 9.16 Idem Deo facere loqui A word is not more easily uttered then the greatest work is performed by God There is nothing done by God but as a word is filia mentis produced by the mind was first determined before in his secret counsell There is no word so diffusive and scattered among so many as the works of God are there being no speech nor language where their voice is not heard In short Quot verbera tot verba No word or speech requires so much attention as the works of God do observation It is a shame for us that God hath spoken so often and so loud so long so plainly by them and that wee will not hear If that voice be not loud enough and if he hath stood too far to be heard he will speak more loudly and come nearer to us to our cost Intreat the Lord to open the ear as well as to speak the word and to teach as well as to speak Psal 94.12 2 Great Observ 2. is the excellency of the word in point of purity It sets not forth sins by way of meer relation much lesse by way of imitation but by way of caution As in it the filthiest of sins are spoken of modestly and purely so they are mentioned as punished severely Gen. 39.5 Gen. 38.26 Lev. 18.6 7. Sodoms filthinesse is set forth in Scripture but so likewise are Sodoms flames and both to warn us not to allure us The Scripture mentions the scourge as well as the sin of the holyest man the Medicine as well as the Malady how groundlesse is their impiety who take liberty to sin from reading of sins especially of good men in the Word what is this but to read it with Satans spectacles who as he cites so alwayes shews Scripture by halfs To sin without examples of caution is bad to sin against them is worse to sin by them is worst of all the first is to walk the second to run the third to flye to hell 3 Publick and notorious offenders Observ 3. ought to be open examples Sodom is not afraid to declare their sin and God declares it to make others afraid Though punishment should reach but a few yet fear should reach all Secret punishment is a plaister not broad enough for an open a scandalous fault God threatens even his otherwise dear David that he who had made the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.12 should be punished before all Israel and before the Sun Private corrections for open crimes are not plaisters to cure but only
Law of Nature only in generall prescribes what is to be done or avoided not descending to particulars now all being not able from those generall principles to deduce that which is to be practised in particular cases which admit of innumerable variations according to circumstances Positive Lawes for the good of subjects are necessarily to be suted to the condition of every Common-wealth Nor can it justly be alledged by any that Dominion may be committed as well to men alone as to Lawes for the Law is the voice of God being a deduction from the Law of nature whereas a man is a servant of affections and apt to be byass'd by hatred anger fear friendship foolish pity by reason whereof It is as a learned man once said easier for one wise man to make then for many to pronounce law It was a wise speech of Solon who said That only that Common wealth could bee safe where the people obey'd the Magistrate and the Magistrates the Lawes L. 4. de leg And of Plato who said That City cannot be far from ruin where the Lawes are not above the Magistrate but the Magistrate above the Lawes And if against this it should be argued that the Law must needs be defective speaks generally and cannot come up to sundry contingent and speciall cases and circumstances which it cannot fore-see and determine I answer Let consciencious prudence supply the forefaid unavoidable defects and that wee may not set the Magistrate and Law at variance let the Law have power to hinder the Magistrate from transgressing by the force of affection and let the Magistrate have power with rationall and religious regard of circumstances to explain and apply the Law this power of the Magistrate serving to make an happy temperature of jus and aequum strict justice and Christian equity and being as necessary as it is for a Physician to have one eye to the rules of his Art and another to the condition of his Patient not suffering himself so to be bound up by the precepts of the former as by laying aside his own prudence to indanger the life of the later And that God hath given to the Magistrate this Legislative power is most evident in regard dominion without such a power would be in vain and never obtain its end either in the advancing of godliness or the publike peace Good Laws made and executed Num. 11.16 1 Sam. 10.6 being the direct means to promote both As also in regard God hath given the Magistrate the prudence and power requisite to the making of Lawes and all the Commands given by God to people of being obedient would be void and to no purpose unlesse the Magistrate might impose Laws And yet he must remember that the matter of his Laws must be possible els they cannor obtain their end profitable also to the Common-wealth just or righteous for els they destroy their end nor can that be said to be a Law but rather anomie or a breach of the Law which commands any thing against Gods Law 2. The power and dominion here spoken of consists in administrando Jurisdictionem by way of execution or administring of justice to the people according to the forementioned good Laws A Law without execution is neither of force nor fruit Miserable is that Common-wealth Omnia judicia aut distrabendarum controversiarum aut puniendorum maleficiorum caus◠reperta sunt Cic. pro Cecin whose manners have brought their Laws under their power and miserably confin'd and nail'd them to the pillar This Jurisdiction or execution of the Laws is twofold The first is seen in judgements or the determinations of Civill Controversies between parties according to the rules of the Law that this is part of the Magistrates power is evident 1. From Gods Ordination and Command Prov. 8.15 By me Kings reign and Princes decree justice How long will ye judge unjustly c doe justice to the afflicted and needy c. Psal 82.3 and Jer. 22.2 O King of Judah that sittest upon the throne thou and thy servants execute yet judgement and righteousnesse deliver the spoiled c. and Chap. 21.12 Oh yee house of David execute judgement in the morning 2. From the direction which God gives to people to seek judgement at the hand of the Magistrate Exod. 22.9 for all manner of trespasse whether it for Ox for Asse for Sheep for Rayment or for any manner of lost thing which another challengeth c. the cause of both parties shall come before the Judges and whom the Judges shall condemn c. And Deut. 19.17 Both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the Lord before the Priests and the Judges 3. From the use and necessity of Judgments 1 Truth often lyeth in the bottome and falshood lurks in corners A prudent Magistrate brings both to the light the one because it seeks it the other because it shuns it 2. Good men by reason of their fewnesse weaknesse and meeknesse are often great sufferers and the wicked are numerous potent and oppressive The publike judgement of the Magistrate is in this case to the former a hiding place from the winde Isa 32.2 and as a winde to scatter the later Prov. 20.8 And without these publike judgements what would places be but as mountains of prey dens of wilde beasts and habitations fitter for Cyclops than Christians God hath not by grace given to any a right in anothers estate nor taken away from any an orderly and regular love of his own welfare and nature in the best dictates and desires and the God of Nature by these publike judgements hath granted helps for self-preservation from injury and oppression Onely it must be here heeded that these suits and iudgments be not transacted unduely either by the judged or the judges 1. By the Judged they must not desire judgments out of envy revenge covetousness or a desire of contending 2. The matter about which judgement is desired must not be slight and frivolous 3. The remedy of the Law must not be desired till after patient waiting and Christian endeavours to compound differences and to procure an amicable reconcilement Sic certent causae ut non certent pectora Zec. 7.9.8 16. Judex q. jus dicens Var. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The parties who differ must not manage their contestation with bitter and unchristian animosities railings briberies false accusations c. 5. The end of desiring judgments must not be the undoing or defaming of our adversary but the preserving of our selves and the administration of justice the welfare of others 2. The Judges must not wrongfully transact these judgments they must give every one his due Deut 16.20 Justice Justice or that which is altogether just shalt thou do and chap. 1.16 Moses saith he charged the Judges to hear the causes between their brethren to judge righteously between every man and his brother Jerem. 21.12 Execute judgement in the morning Justice is the soul of
decisive passing of sentence To the former sentence viz. that of their own consciences shall be added that of the Judg wherby they shall be adjudged to the punishment of loss pain for ever A sentence which shall be openly promulgated Quo maledicti acrius doleant videntes quid amiseri◠justi videbunt et laetabuntur considerantes quid evascrint Bern. Ser. 8. in Psal Heretofore it was written down in the book now it shall be pronounced before all the world A sentence which shall be published soon after that of benediction hath been uttered to the godly that so the damned may grieve the more to consider what they have lost and the saved rejoyce to observe what they have escaped A sentence every syllable whereof is more dreadfull then ten thousand thunder-claps roaring in their ears to all eternity Wonder one may that so much woe can be couched in so few words In being sentenced to depart from God what pleasure are they not adjudged to lose In being sentenced to the flames what pain are they not adjudged to feel 3 In the judgment to which these angels shall be brought Mat. 5.22 Mar. 3.29 Joh. 5.24.29 Act. 8.33 2 Thes 1.5 Jam. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ille judex nec gratiâ praevenitur nec misericordiâ flectitur nec pecuniâ corrumpitur nec poenitentiâ mitigatur Aug. l. 3. de fid symb 2 Thes 1.9 Expulsi à facie hac terribili ipsius vocē Sicut servi fugitivi post multum temporis dominum suum videntes nihil aliud nisi de verberibus deprecantur sic daemones videntes Dominum in terris ad judicandum se venisse credebant Hierom. in Mat. 8. there shall be an execution of the sentence denounced and frequently in Scripture is judgment taken for punishment to which men are adjudged The sentence shall not bee an empty sound as a report without a bullet a noise without a sting but it shall be executed without any exception delay reply appeal The sentence of malediction shall be a fiery stream proceeding from the throne of the Judg and sweeping the condemned into hell The wicked shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power which place Beza expounds of their expulsion from the presence of the Lord by that terrible voice Go ye cursed Others thus interpret it The glorious power and majesty of Christs presence shall suffice to destroy the wicked If the divels were unable to endure the presence of Christ upon earth when emptied of glory upon considering that hereafter Christ should be their Judg crying out and asking whether hee was come to torment them before their time how shall they abide his presence when fill'd with dreadfull majesty For the second 2 Branch of Explicat Justin in Apol 1. daemones igni sempiterno nondum traditi sunt sed in die judicii tradendi Hanc opini onem amplectitur Irenaeus l. 5. cont Haer. Diabolus non statim in primordiis transgressionis ad poenam detrusus est à Deo idque ut hominem malitiâ suâ exerceret ad virtutem Lactant. lib. 3. Divin Instit cap. 28. How the angels who are already punished and therefore judged can be reserved to judgement We must not conceive with some that because they are said to be reserved to judgment therefore for the present they are not punish'd For if the good angels are before the general judgment in a state of happinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alway beholding the face of God then why should not the bad be in a state of misery Besides if the souls of wicked men are now tormented in hell which neverthelesse may be said to be reserved to judgment why may it not be asserted that the angels who seduced men have been ever since their fall tormented considering that the fall was that to the angels which death is to ungodly men And further if the faln angels be in hell a place of punishment with the damned souls then it is as certain they partake of the same punishment with them as it is absurd to imagine that the holy angels should be in heaven with the souls of the blessed and not be with them partakers of the fruition of Gods presence There is therefore a threefold judgement which the fallen angels incur That wherwith they were punished immediately upon their fall when by God they were thrown into misery Of this speaks Peter 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels which sinned but cast them down into hell c. 2 That whereby they are cast out of their dominion Joh. 12.31 and their power over us destroyed by the death of Christ 3 Their full and finall judgement to which they are here by Jude said to be reserved in respect whereof though they are in part punished already yet by it there shall be a dreadfull addition and accession to their present torments in regard 1. of Ignominy 2 Restraint 1. Ignominy for they being most proud creatures cannot but deem it an unspeakable shame 1. To have all their malice and mischeifs that ever they committed since their fall manifested to all the world whereby all who have heretofore honour'd them as gods shall know their vilenesse and look upon them as abominable deceivers and never be brought as formerly to worship them 2 To have it publickly seen that poor man whose nature is so much inferiour to theirs hath done that which they were not able to do in imbracing of holiness and honouring his Creator and obtaining those mansions of glory which they have lost 3 To have it known to all the world how often they would have done evil when they could not and how frequently even women and children have overcome their fierce and fiery tentations 4. To have judgment pass'd upon them not onely by Christ himself but even by those somtimes poor Saints whom formerly they so vilified and persecuted even these shall judg the Angels 1 Cor. 6.3 And that not onely 1 By having their practices compared to those of the damned as the Ninivites and the Queen of the South are said to rise up in judgment Mat. 12.41.42 Luk. 11.31.32 Nor 2 Only by their consenting to and approving of the Sentence which Christ shall pass upon the wicked But also 3. In regard of that dignitas assessoria that dignity whereby they shall be advanced to an honourable assessorship with the Lord Christ in sitting as it were with him upon the Bench Dolet diabolus quòd ipsum angelos ejus Christi servus ille peccator judicaturus est Tert. lib. de poen c. 7 or about the Throne of Judicature As likewise 4. they in that judgment being to appear with Christ manifest victors over all their enemies By trampling upon all the pride malice and weakness of Divels before the whole world and holily insulting over them as vile vanquished and contemptible
enemies A greater punishment undoubtedly to those proudest of creatures then was that to Bajazet whose back famous Tamberlane used for an horsblock to raise him up to his Steed when he caused him to be carried up and down as a spectacle of infamy in all his triumphant journeys 2. By the last judgment there shall be an accession of punishment to these angels in respect of their restraint because then they shall be unable to seduce the wicked or to hurt the elect any more Their chain now more loose shall then be so strait that they shall never come neer nor among the Saints of God A vehement vexation to those malicious spirits whose element is mischief and their torment restraint from doing hurt They now deem it some lessening of their torment to be suffered to tempt men to sin They think themselves hereby somewhat revenged on God as he that defaceth the picture of his enemy when he cannot come at his person easeth his spleen a little or as the dog somewhat breaks his rage by gnawing the stone when he cannot reach the thrower They now walk abroad as it were with their keeper but then they shall be closely confin'd yea dungeon'd Now they contain their hell then their hell shall contain them In short As the punishment of wicked men shall be at the full when their souls and bodies are reunited and both cast into hell so the torment of these angels shall be compleated when at the last day they shall be so fettered in their infernall prison as that there will be no possibility of stirring forth They are now entred into divers degrees of punishment but the full wrath of God is not powred out upon them till the day of judgment OBSERVATIONS 1 No secrecy can shelter sin from Gods observation Observ 1. He who will make sins known to conscience and all spectators must needs know them himself Sins are undoubtedly written in if they be read out of the book God need not wrack no nor ask the offender to know whether he hath sinn'd or no he searcheth the heart Jer. 17.10 Psal 11.4 he tryeth the reins his eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men He compasseth he winnoweth our paths and is acquainted with all our wayes Psal 139. Whither shall we flie from his presence He understands our thoughts afar off knows them long before they come into us and long after they are gone away from us All the secrets of our hearts are dissected anatomized and bare-fac'd in his eyes He who knew what we would do before we did it must needs know what we have done afterwards There 's nothing existing in the world but was before in Gods knowledg as the house is first in the head before erected by the hand of the Artificer He made us and therefore knows every nook and corner and turning in us and we are sustained and moved by him in our most retired motions How plainly discerned by him is the closest hypocrite and every Divel though in a Samuel's mantle We can onely hear but God sees hollownesse We do but observe the surface but Gods eye pierceth into the entrails of every action He sees not as man sees Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart How exact should we be even in secret walkings we being constantly in the view of so accurate an observer We should set the Lord always before us The eye of God should ever be in our eys the presence of God is the counterpoyson of sin Whensoever thou art sinning remember that all thou dost is book'd in Gods omniscience Latimer being examined by his Popish Adversaries heard a pen walking behind the hangings to take all his words this made him wary how he express'd himself but more cause have we to fear sin since God writes down every offence and will one day so read over his book to Conscience that it shall be compell'd to copie it out with infinite horror God did but read one page one line of this book one sin to the conscience of Judas and the terror thereof made him his own executioner 2 How foolish are sinners Observ 2. who are so despairing at and yet so fearlesse before the pronouncing of the last sentence Most irrationall is that resolution Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily therefore to be fully set to do evill Eccles 8.11 How wise were it to argue contrarily Because the sentence is deferr'd therefore let us labour to have it prevented and to say with the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.11 What manner of persons ought we to be The deferring of judgment is no signe of its prevention the speedy repentance of sinners would be a much more comfortable prediction Wrath when it is to come may be fled from when once it is come it is unavoidable Christians be as wise for your souls as the Egyptians were for their cattel who fearing the threatning of bail took them into houses Faith in threatnings of judgment may prevent the feeling of judgments threatned For your souls sake be warned to get your pardon in the blood if ever you would avoid the sentence of the mouth of Christ If the Judg give you not a pardon here he will give you a sentence hereafter It 's onely the blood of Christ which can blot the book of Judgment Judg your selves and passe an irrevocable sentence upon your sins if you would not be sentenc'd for your sins Repent at the hearing of Ministers in this your day for if you put off that work till God speaks in his day Repentance it self will be unprofitable If you harden your hearts here in sin the heart of Christ will be hardened hereafter in his sentencing and your suffering The great work of poor Ministers is the prevention of the dreadfull sound of the last Sentence Knowing the terror of the Lord they warn you All the hatred we meet with in the world is for our loving plainness herein but we will not cease to warn you with tears as well as with sweat we can better bear your hatred here then either you or we bear Gods hereafter and we had rather your lusts should curse us here then your souls to all eternity If our voyce cannot make you bend Gods will make you break If you will not hearken is it not because the Lord will slay you 3 Great is the sinfulness of rash judgment Observat 3 It 's a sin that robs Christ of his honour whereby a man advanceth himself into Christs Tribunal and which takes the work of judgment out of Christs hand and therefore the Apostle Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 4 5. strongly argues a-against it from the last judgment Christians commit this sin both by a curious inquisition into the wayes of others for this end that they may finde out matter of defamation and principally by passing of sentence or giving of censure against the persons and practices of others without a