of the flesh to be honoured of God or will of this or that man hath any thing to do in or makes any difference in All that are in Christ being born thereto and therein of God and reckoned after Christ in whom they are as Gal. 3.28 29. with John 1 13. signifies and then from and as a consequent to this 4. God so loves them as to give them the Spirit of the Son both his Spirit to open the knowledge of Christ his Son to them and the disposition liberty boldness towards and affection to and affiance in him in some measure The same Spirit that dwelt in and yet dwells in Christ and led him as man in the dayes of his flesh to have confidence in and boldness towards his Father and so to go to him upon all occasions as to his Father he gives also to the believer in him to let him know Gods Fatherly love to and care of him upon the account of Christ and to lead him in hope and confidence to depend on and call upon him as also to guide instruct comfort strengthen and help him on all occasions To this purpose is that in Gal. 4.5 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father and so many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and the Spirit it self helps our infirmities c. Rom. 8.15 16 26 27. and this he gives both as a pledge of his love and acceptance and as an earnest of the Inheritance Ephes 1.13 14. 2 Cor. 1.22 5. Yea and as he gives them the priviledge of Sons and the Spirit of his Son so also the respect of Sons so as that as he heard and helped Christ his only begotten Son in the dayes of his flesh in all that he called upon him for and took care of him to provide for and protect him so doth he also to those that believe in his Son The eyes of the Lord are open upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cryes and his face is set against the wicked that hate and oppress them 1 Peter 3.12 13. He is nigh unto his people in all that they call upon him for as our Saviour also promises John 15.7 Abide in me and let my words abide in you and ask what ye will it shall be given you and that as a testimony of his great love to them in which he imbraceth them in Christ his beloved one in whom they are accepted Ephes 1.16 See also John 14.13 14. Psal 145.17 18 19. as our Saviour testifies John 16.27 saying In that day ye shall ask the Father in my Name namely when they had received the promise of the holy Spirit to be a Spirit of grace and supplication in them and I do not say that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God Yea 6. In his love he teacheth them by his holy Spirit and leads them into all truth as is good and needful for them John 14.17 26. Prov. 1.23 teacheth them how to walk and how to pray guides and leads them in the way that they should go makes known his words shews them his mind the Mysteries of his Kingdom c. So Psal 25 8 9 12 14. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners the way the meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach his way i. e. those that being convinced of their own poverty and emptiness do meekly receive his words The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant And Matth. 13.11 To you sayes Christ to his Disciples it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God and I have called you not Servants but Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father have I made known to you He takes care of them that they may not wander out of the way of life and righteousness yea he shews them those delights and pleasures of his wayes and gives them a glimpse too of the glory of the end of it even of the glory of his Kingdom so as that they are thereby made to love his way and walk in it comfortably and with great delight Prov. 3.17 Psal 119 32 165. 7. In love also he nurtures them as his Children giving them chastisement as he sees needful and good for them not leaving them to their own counsels wayes and wills as he doth those that coutemn his counsels and submit not to him He is faithfully reproving and warning them and timely châ—stening them with his afflictions that he might teach them his Law and they might keep his Statutes Psal 94 12. and 119 67 71. as a Father that loves his Child and therefore spares not his Rod Prov. 13.24 for he knows that a Child left to himself comes to misery and shame nor yet doth he in afflicting smite them as he smites these that smite them and are his and their enemies but as a Father chastens the Son in whom he delighteth Prov. 3.11 12 Isai 27.7 8. that is he doth it in measure and judgment not in fury so as he sees they may bear and as may be for their profit Isai 27.8 9. Heb. 12.10 He is faithful and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able but with the temptation or tryal will give an issue that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10 12. For he pities them as a Father pities his Child knowing their mold and temper and that they are but dust and therefore doth not deal with them after their sins nor reward them according to their iniquities but punisheth them less than they deserve is slow to wrath toward them and abundant in goodness and truth and doth not chide them alwayes nor retain his anger for ever Psal 103.9 10 11 12 13. yea and with his chastisements affords his supports and consolations to refresh their hearts Psal 94.18 19 yea and turns again and hath compassion according to the multitude of his tender mercies Lam. 3.32 Yea 8. He takes pleasure in them in them that fear him and in them that hope in his mercy Psal â—47 11 The Lord takes pleasure in his people Psal 49.4 It 's his design and delight to make them happy and to beautifie them with his Salvation to make them as a Crown of Glory and as a royal Diadem in his hand therefore he calls them Hepâ—zibah that is my delight or pleasure is in her owning them together in Christ as his royal Spouse and Consort as Isai 54 5. with 62 2 3 4. it rejoyceth his heart to see them thrive and prosper for he hath pleasure in the prosperity of his Servants Psal 35.27 Yea and though they have their failings weaknesses and spots that might render them unlovely yet having given Christ to
turners of it into wantonness who were crept in amongst the Churches unawares and become Teachers that impugned the Truth denied the only Lord God and the Lord Jesus v. 4. either in their Conversation in denying their subjection service to him giving themselves up to lasciviousness wantonness or in their Doctrines concerning him as by comparing it with 2 Pet. 2.1 it appears or indeed by both To arm them against these corrupt persons that they might neither by their corrupt Doctrines or practises be seduced or perverted from the faith but might earnestly contend for it both for the profession and honour of it against them He I. Mindes them of the danger of sinning and backsliding from the truth after they had received and acknowledged it by the dreadfulness and impartiallity of Gods judgments upon those that in former ages so by consequence in these ages too in which God having more clearly discovered his Grace to men and in a more glorious way doth more expect a worthy receit of an answeâ—rable return for it have rebelled against him and lived vitiously and wickedly before him To this purpose he instances first in the people of Israel who though they were God's people he had done wonderfully for them in saving them out of the land of Egypt yet they afterward not answering his so great goodness with answerable fruit in some measure but after so great ingagements to believe yet not believing were therefore afterward destroyed by him ver 5. Secondly In the Angels who being glorious Spirits or set in a first Principallity or seat left their own or proper habitation and so kept not their first estate abode not in the truth but departed therefrom as Peter hath it Cast down to Hell and reserved by God in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the Great Day ver 6. To admonish and warn all other Angels as the Messengers and Ministers of God's Word are sometimes stiled to take heed to themselves and to their Doctrine to continue in the Truth and not apostatize from it as these had done And thirdly In Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities about them who though great and populous Cities yet giving up themselves to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth as an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire ver 7. Secondly After these instances of God's Vengeance upon men for abuses of his goodness and apostatizing from or failing of his grace he compares those deceivers ungodly persons whom he would have these Saints contend against with those forementioned Sodomites fallen Angels and unbelieving Israelites ver 8. To the Sodomites in in that they had defiled the flesh To the fallen Angels in that departing from the truth of God they were become filthy Dreamers inventors of Lies and Falshoods and spreaders of them to draw away men from the name and faith of Christ like the false Prophets Jer. 23.27 32. so from subjection to his Lordship and Government whose Lordship and Dominion they despised as the Angels probably did through their pride as the occasion and spring of their fall and to the Israelites as in not believing so in speaking evil of the Dignities God had set in his Church as also in the world as they did against Moses and Aaron ver 8. Thirdly He convinceth their evil herein by the contrary carriage and demeanour of Michael the Archangel who though a glorious and powerful Angel yet contending with the Devil about the Body of Moses durst not bring against him being also a power though a wicked one a rayling accusation but said the Lord rebuke thee in which instance whether the Apostle allude to that of Joshua the High Priest in Zach. 3.2 where such a like passage is read that the Devil standing at his right hand to resist him the Lord said the Lord rebuke thee Sathan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee c. or rather to some other passage which the Apostle might read as the following Prophecie of Enoch in some other Records which till that time were preserved amongst them but are now lost as to our knowledg may be a Question It may seem the later rather because it is said that the dispute was about the Body of Moses of which there is no mention in that of Zachary Now to that demeanor and carriage of Michael he opposeth the carriage of the false Teachers that he herewarns of Michael would not rail upon or bring railing accusations against the Devil ver 9. But these blaspheme or speak evil of those things or so many things as they know not even of such Dignities or Glories 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they should reverence the Powers over them or else the Glorious things of Christ which they have not acquaintance with what they know naturally as bruit or unreasonable Beasts what they know by their bruitish senses or carnal mind in those they corrupt themselves or are corrupted ver 10. Fourthly He denounces a woe against them and shews the reason thereof from the wickedness and wretchedness of their wayes Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain envying and persecuting their better Brethren more sound in the Faith and acceptable to God in their services than themselves and ran greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward or as others render it as a reward namely of their forementioned wickedness in hating their Brethren and the way of truth they have gone astray in or been powred out in the errour of Balaam which was the teaching Balak to lay stumbling blocks before the children of Israel and so to tempt them to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication Rev. 2.14 so these for reward as Balaam did laid stumbling blocks before the right believers and worshippers of God leading them by their corrupt Doctrines or also as a recompence thereof being given up thereto as Rom. 1.26 27. by their licentious and wanton practises to communicate with the Idolaters of the world in their Idolatrous worships and to indulge the flesh in lusts of uncleanness and perished in the gain-sayings of Korah in such rebellious oppositions of the power and Lordship of Christ and the Dignities authorized by him as Korah practised against God in Moses and Aaron ver 11. Yea he yet further describes Fifthly Their evil Case and Way These are spots says he in your feasts of Charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear Clouds they are without water that is such as boast themselves and make shew of being some greatly gifted persons but they give no profit or refreshing to them they drop their words upon carried with winds that is with sundry and diverse Spirits and Doctrines not guided by the one Spirit and truth of God Trees whose fruit withereth or such as are in the end of the harvest towards winter corrupting and rotting their fruit such as yield no savoury fruit yea
Trees without fruit without any good fruit in Doctrine and Conversation they bring in none to God nor do any real good in their Generation twice dead and pluckt up by the roots as unfit for fruit or profit to the Church of God as such trees be being also not only dead in Adam and in themselves as from him or in him as all men naturally are or were but then after some life given them in and received of also by Christ they have died again lost that life sap they received from him and being given up to Sathan for their neglects or contempts of Christ they are pluckt out of him have no root or standing in him or in the Grace in him as ver 12. Raging waves of the Seas foaming out their own shame troubled and troublous boysterous persons acted and made unquiet by their lusts and evil spirits that have influence upon them and therefore they in their boysterousness and unquietness of Spirit foam out speak and vent forth their own shame their evill principles guilt of conscience or vain-gloryings in things that discover their destituteness of the fear and Grace of God within wandring Stars that seem to have light and profess that they know God and can discover him and his truth to others but are not fixed in Christ and therefore wander into evil and erroneous principles and perhaps go about too from place to place to corrupt others with their delusions For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever for whom the greatest rejection from God saddest distress and misery in the depths of Hell for ever are reserved as their due deserved portion as being sinners of the highest degree of wickedness because they deny the Lord that bought them and corrupt others from the faith of him ver 13. Sixthly He confirms the Truth of what he had said about the sadness and wretchedness of their estate by the Prophecie of Enoch the seventh from Adam which though we have it not recorded elsewhere in our Bibles yet was by some other Writings in those dayes handed to them And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all the ungodly of them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all the hard speeches which ungodly godly Sinners have spoken against him ver 14 15. and then Seventhly Gives a further Character or Description of them to whom he applies that Prophesie and it may seem first with reference to the last clause of it These are murmurers namely against God and his Servants like the Israelites of old in their unbelief against the Lord and against Moses and Aaron complainers the word signifies faulters of their destiny lot or condition not submitted to or content with the Providences of God to about them and then with reference to the middle clause of the said Prophesie Walking after their own ungodly lusts not keeping them to the word and will of God set before them in the Gospel but as complaining of the purity severity or simplicity of that they break those bonds and transgress those bounds that they might walk after their own imaginations both as to faith and manners v 1.6 And their mouths speak great swelling words as of their parts worth attainments or as in 2 Pet. 2.18 19. the parallel place to this Epistle They promise others liberty they talk of being free from and above those rules of faith and worship that Christ hath prescribed and promise others freedom and liberty from such tryalls persecutions or temptations as they see the faithful cleavers to Christ exercised under will they but listen to them yea they speak as if they had their heaven and happiness Kingdom and glory here while yet themselves as he saith are servants of corruptions Having mens persons in admiration for advantage or profit-sake flattering and commending mens persons their greatness parts or places for some gain to themselves Eighthly Having thus at large described them and the evil and wretchedness of their way and condition he fortifies them against them by putting them in mind that this was no strange matter nothing but what the Apostles of Christ had forewarned them of But ye Beloved call to minde the words which were before spoken of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you that there should be mockers Deceivers in the last time walking after their own ungodly lusts ver 17 18. and then Ninthly Gives yet a further Character and description of them and shews the fulfilling of those words in these persons that they might not mistake them as to the persons he warns them of and that we in after-ages might know them saying These be they that separate themselves divide themselves from the company and fellowship of the true worshippers and Confessors of the Doctrine of Christ as not one in faith with them or as seeking to avoid those sufferings and persecutions that they were then exposed to probably pretending more holiness but really casting off Christs government yoke and discipline in his Church sensual or led by their carnal understanding and imagination having no higher principle to guid them and so savouring of such animal or sensual things only not having the Spirit The Spirit of faith to make them live by faith in the hope and expectation of the coming and Kingdom of Christ which these deceivers denied and made a mock of and so of the eternal life that God hath promised to those that worship him and trust in him by Jesus Christ ver 19. Now after all these things having so variously and abundantly both described these Deceivers admonished the right Believers of them he comes in these 20 and 21 verses to exhort and counsel them to what might be of greatest concernment to themselves and one another in opposition to the way and practise of those ungodly persons and that they might be kept from their infection and the dangerous fruits thereof But ye Beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life ver 21 22 wherein we have A serious and heavenly counsel given to faithful and unfeigned believers for their preservation in the Grace of God and attainment of eternal life and happiness and wherein is 1. The compellation term or title wherewith he addresses himself to these to whom he wrote Ye Beloved 2. The Distinction of them from and opposition of them to those ungodly Deceivers before described Those ungodly ones were such as separated themselves forsook the Assemblings of themselves together being sensual and not having the Spirit But ye Beloved Ye are not of them 3. The main thing counselled to to be aimed at by them and that is in verse 21. Keep your selves in the love of God
it is never to have known the way of truth than after the knowledge of it to turn away again from the holy Commandement 2 Pet. 2.21 Their root is rottenness and their blossom goeth up as dust because they have cast away the Law and Doctrine of the Lord of Hosts and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel Isai 5.24 Though they may profess that they know God yet in deed they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobates bunglers at the best and void of judgment Tit. 1.16 Now as there is such difference between them so it is the part and practice of Christs Apostles and Servants to separate and put difference between them in their ministration as Jude here doth To say to the Righteous It shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings and to pronounce wo to the wicked for he shall in going on to be so surely dye the reward of his hands shall be given him Isai 3.10 11. and so to separate the precious from the vile incouraging confirming and strengthening the one in the Lord and so in the way of righteousness and reproving discouraging and fighting against the other in the way of his wickedness that he might be filled with shame and either be turned from his wicked way or be weakened and confounded however in it that he may not be able to do hurt to others and hinder them in the way of righteousness and salvation Jerem. 15.19 But as I said before I shall not inlarge further upon these things but proceed to consider the Councel and Exhortation here given for the direction and preservation of Believers But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith c. In speaking to and considering of which I shall God willing observe the order above propounded first speak to the main thing directly exhorted to and then to the means and manner thereto and thereof prescribed as God shall afford his assistance and help to me And so I shall consider 1. The matter mainly or directly exhorted to and see what it implyes and signifies unto us that is Keep your selves in the love of God In which is signified Obser 3 4. 1. That unfeigned Believers in Christ are in the love of God 2. That it greatly behooves them and it is required of them that they keep themselves therein Indeed those words In the love of God may be so construed as to signifie either the way in which we are directed to keep our selves namely from the error of the wicked and the dangers and woes attending it and then the sense might be Keep your selves from those persons and evils forementioned by taking heed to the love of God or else which I judge the righter as to the intent of the Apostle here the way state or condition in which the Believers at that present were this I say I judge the righter for the other sense representing those words in the love of God as if they signified in minding the love of God or the like is included in the words Building up your selves on your most holy faith as we may see in considering that phrase and therefore I conceive the Apostle would not speak the same thing twice in the same breath as it were besides that his sentence should be somewhat defective in omitting the word minding or the like whereas in the other sense all things are plain And the former Observation from these words evidently appears to be implyed namely That unfeigned Believers are in the love of God Obser 3. where we shall mind 1. What is meant by the love of God here and then 2. Shew that and how the Believer is in it 1. By the love of God is sometime meant and signified his loving merciful pitiful and compassionate affection in which he willeth and desireth the good of the party loved and doth that that he sees needful and conducible thereto yet so as not in the mean while liking or approving or taking into fellowship with himself the party loved because of the unfitness and incapacity in the present condition for it A Love of pity commiseration and well-willing but not of owning and delight and so it is said John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life which is only meant of such a pitying and well-willing love not of owning and approving love For it is not said That God so loved the world as that he approved its state and way or owned it to be his peculiar people his portion and the heirs of his Kingdom or admitted it into fellowship with himself No the world being there plainly persons not as yet believing in him or in his Son but in such a condition as needed his Sons being given to do that for it and receive that power and fiâ—ness thereupon to help it as might render him an object to be believed in by it were in such a sinful wretched ungodly State as in which it was liable to perish in its wickedness or sinfulness and therefore God could not as in that state in which he is yet said so to love it as to give his Son approve of it or admit it into his presence to the injoyment of fellowship with him and life therein And that is evident for could God as then and in that state have delighted in owned and approved of it and so admitted it into fellowship with himself and had God accordingly so have loved it as so to do then was it in no danger of perishing much less in no such danger as that it needed the coming forth and death and sacrifice of Christ to save it therefrom unless we could imagine that God sent Christ only to preserve the world in his owning approving love and not to procure that it might be so loved or have a way to be brought into it which is contrary to the Scripture which both tell us that the world was in a state of enmity to God and therefore not in an approved state and that Christ was sent forth for its reconciling to him 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself c. and every where implies a need for his doing so that it or any man in it might come into such a state by him as that it might be owned and accepted which needed not if it was accepted before For if it was owned of God and approved notwithstanding the sin of Adam that sinfulness which thereby entred upon it defiled it then why might it not stil have been always accepted and approved whatever it might sin in by the power or virtue of that its corrupted state that its sinning notwithstanding for if the root hindred it not of God's favour to it why should any fruit springing from that root and so Christ's coming had or should have been in vain or
from God's favour or favourable acceptation of them c. It behoves us therefore to continue in the faith of Christ that we may abide in the love of God Which leads to the next point Keep your selves in the Love of God Whence we may note further Obser 4. That it is the business of the greatest concernment to believers in Christ to keep themselves and one another in the love of God I say themselves and one another for so I look upon the force of the word your selves here The Apostle speaks to them as a Community Body or select Society whose priviledges and concernments are common and by a common consent and joynt endeavour to be prosecuted and pursued Therefore as when any Message is sent to a Town or Corporation from a Prince or General to look to themselves that their enemies break not in upon them the Message concerns them in common and it suffices not that every man look to his own house or person but that with one consent and joynt counsel and endeavour they each one seek the safety of the whole Corporation or Town so it is the case here Believers in Christ are as the Body of Christ and as it is in the natural body if one member suffer all are grieved and if one be in danger all endeavour the defence and safety of it and every member in its place endeavours not only its own private and particular safety and welfare but the safety and welfare of the whole body so is it or ought it to be amongst Believers Every one is to take care of himself and of the whole body or society according to his capacity Looking diligently least any fail of the grace of God or any be guilty of an evil heart of unbelief or be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.12 13. and 12.15 especially those that are Guides to the rest or are indued with greater understanding in the grace of God or gifts for usefulness to others as the eyes or hands in the natural body are concerned to take heed to their brethren of less abilities And in such a sense I say to keep themselves in the love of God is the business of greatest concernment to all unfeigned Believers To that purpose we may observe that as it was the great business care and endeavour of the Apostles towards or with the World to preach Christ and the love of God in him to them to draw and perswade them to accept therof and so to believe in Christ that they might be in the lâ—â—e and favour of God that they might obtain favour 〈◊〉 the Lord as Pro. 8.33 34. be justified and accepted of God and adopted into the number of his Sons and so that it might be well with them for ever that they might be reconciled now and saved in in the great Judgment c. as 2 Cor. 5.10 11 19 20. with 6.1 2 16 17 18. Isa 55.1 2 3 Act. 13.37 38 39 40. So with the Churches that had already through the Grace of God believed and had obtained the mercy and favour of God in Christ as these to whom this Apostle here wrote their great business was that they might be kept therein by abiding in the faith of Christ and obedience to him to which purpose is that of the Apostle Col. 2.1 2 3. c. I would ye knew what great conflict I have for you that your hearts might be comforted being knit together in love to the riches of the ful assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery both of God the Father and of Christ in whom or in which mystery are bid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge This I say least any man should beguile you with inticing words and ver 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward through a voluntary humility in worshipping of Angels c. and so to the Corinthians I am jealous over you with a godly jealousie lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve your minds should by any means be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus and Watch ye stand ye fast in the faith quit ye like men and be strong 2 Cor. 11.3 1 Cor. 16.13 to the same purpose is that in Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again in the yoke of bondage for I Paul say unto you â—â—â—t if you be circumcised Christ shall profiâ—â—â—u nothing So again to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.1 12. I would not have you ignorant that all our Fathers were under the Cloud and all of them passed through the Sea and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat c. but with many of them God was c. let him therefore that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall and to the Romans chap. 11.20 22. Thou standest by faith he not high minded but fear And to the Ephesians Finally my Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put you on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to resist in the evil day and having done all to stand c. Eph. 6.10 11 12 c. And so the Apostle John in â— John 2.24 25. Let that therefore that yee have heard from the beginning abide in you if that which ye have heard from the beginning abide in you ye shall continue in the Father and in the Son and this is the promise which be God hath promised us even Eternal life and ver 28. And now little Children abide in him that when he appears we may have boldness and not be ashamed at his appearing and so 2 John 8. Look to your selves that we loose not the things which we have wrought c. and Rev. 3.11 Hold fast that which thou hast let no man take away thy Crown And indeed what can be of greater concernment to the believer than this to keep himself in that state of safety and happiness to which by the great sorrows and sufferings of Christ and by his great goodness in bringing his salvation to him and striving with him with much long suffering and forbearance he hath brought him What can be of greater concernment to a man pursued by deadly enemies that hunt for his life when he hath gotten into a strong hold that cannot be taken by any storm or assault and that is every way well provided for for his preservation and defence than to keep himself therein and not by any means to venture out of it no not upon the fair pretences and flattering perswasions of pretended friends lest he fall into the hands of his enemies Such is the believers case here seeing in the love and favour of God he is most safe and happy but out of that nothing but misery is to be met with it stands him in hand to keep himself well while he is so Keep your selves in the Love of
render them acceptable to him making intercession for those that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 and 10.19 20 21 22 and 1â— 15. whence our prayers are to be in Christs Name as in John 14 13 14. and 16.23 26. though this may be more properly referred to the manner of praying here required the praying in the Holy Ghost Lastly I added the needs of or its desires for others to signifie that this praying required is not to be limited or confined to our selves and our own needs and wants and desires for our selves but extended to the praying for others also here being no limitation of the subject to our selves in the Text but it is only said praying in the Holy Ghost and it is praying as well when we pray for others as when we pray for our selves whether it be for all men as 1 Tim. 2.1 or for some sorts of men onely as for Kings and all in Authority ver 2. or for some particular Cities and people as Abraham prayed for the Sodomites or as Samuel prayed for Israel as Moses also and David and Solomon and others did Gen. 18.23 Exod. 32.11 12 13 14. 1 Sam. 12.23 2 Sam. 24.10 17. or for some particular persons as Moses prayed for Pharaoh Exod. 8.8 9 12 29 30. Elias for the widow of Sarephath and her child 1 King 17.20 21. the Church for Peter Act. 12.5 and the Churches for Paul Rom. 15.30 Eph. 6.19 Col. 4.3 or for enemies as Moses for Pharaoh and as Christ commands us in Mat. 5.44 or for brethren the Saints and Churches as Ephes 6.17 supplication for all Saints Such is prayer as more strictly taken for Petition and request unto God and so as it is distinguished from thanksgiving as oft they are distinctly mentiond as pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks 1 Thes 5.17 18. So by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God Philip. 4.6 And so distinctly taken it includes supplications prayers or petitions and intercessions in 1 Tim. 2.1 Supplications humble confessions of our sins and earnest deprecations of wrath and judgments prayers or petitions requests for favours blessings and good things intercessions interposings of our prayers for others standing between them and judgement and pleading humbly with God for them as Moses for Israel Abraham for the Sodomites c. but when thanksgiving is not distinctly mentioned the word prayer may include thanksgiving too and so sure the word praying here may include thanksgiving also and in such a large sense of the word to pray may take in somewhat more than in the description above given namely an exercise of the heart or of the man speaking unto God by way of request and supplication and by way of confession or thanksgiving in behalf of himself or others but this consideration of thanksgiving in prayer may also be taken in under the manner of praying here expressed viz. praying in the Holy Ghost of which next And so 2. To pray in the Holy Ghost or in the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God and Christ which is a Spirit of Holiness dwelling and resting fully on Christ and from him and God in him breathed forth in and with the most holy faith unto the heart of the believer or breathing forth witnessing and speaking of and glorifying Christ to the Soul taking the things of him and shewing them thereto and therewith guiding it into Christ and the truth of Christ sanctifying it to God and framing it to his minde in all things doth signifie 1. To pray or utter our desires and needs or the needs of others in the light direction or guidance of the Holy Spirit Not as our own natural hearts imaginations or affections would lead or as men by their wisdom and will might suggest unto us but as he the Holy Ghost instructs us and that both 1. As to the things to be prayed for not such as the flesh and the wisdom and affections of it affâ—ct and move after or the Spirit of this world such as be riches honours pleasures of the flesh fewel for our corruptions evil to our enemies c. as the Gentiles seek after and the carnal uncircumcised hearts of men delight in such as Solomon requested not 1 King 3. But 1. Such things as Gods Name and Glory are concerned in or that conduce to are necessary for the manifesting and magnifying thereof that the Gospel may have a free passage the word of God run and be glorified 2 Thes 3.1 that his way may be known upon the earth and his saving health amongst the Nations Psal 67.1 2 3. and to that purpose that God would send forth labourers into his harvest Matth. 9.38 and bless and prosper those he sends giving them utterance so to speak the word and mystery of Christ as they ought and deliverance from the hands of unreasonable and wicked men a Col. 4.3 4. Eph. 6.18 2 Thess 3.1 2. that he would bless and help his people and make them blessings in the world Joh. 17. Psa 67. and 28.10 and 132.8 9. giving them boldness and courage c. Act. 4.29 2. Such as the coming and Kingdom of Christ is and includes as Come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. 22.20 Thy Kingdom come Matth. 6.10 Oh that the salvation of Israel was come out of Sion Psal 14.8 Remember the Children of Edom O Lord c. Psal 137.7 and so for Babylons fall and ruine c. the hastening of the day of God performance of his promises that the earth may be filled with the knowledge of the Lord and his will be done in earth as it is in Heaven Matth 6.10 11. 3. Such as the Kingdom of God and his righteousness â— now consists in to be granted to us or others as wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of God and Christ Prov. 2 1 2 3 4. If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding Jam. 1.3 If any man want wisdom let him ask it of God c. So the forgiveness of sins Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Matth. 6.12 Cleanse me from my secret sins Psal 19.12 Deliver me from all my transgressions and make me not a reproaâ—h to the foolish Psal 39.8 9. The Spirit of God as a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ the guide into all truth the Comforter strengthner and sanctifier of the Soul as Luc. 11.13 Ephes 1.17 18. John 14 15 16 17. Ephes 3.16 c. Mercy Grace and peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.2 1 Tim. 1.2 and 2 Tim. 1.2 Psal 85 7 victory over and deliverance from corruption and from Sathan and his temptations Psal 19.13 Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins c. order my footsteps in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over me Psal 119.133 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Matth. 6.13 4. Such supplies for the necessities of
and not those things that tend to the glory of Christ and furtherance of his Name praise and Kingdom in the world and in such an evil selfish peevish uncharitable proud passionate distemper of spirit as the wisdom or will of the flesh begets or produces in men and not in such a frame and efficacie as is of Gods spirit which kinde of praying is displeasing to God who being a Spirit will be worshipped by men in spirit and truth and cannot accept or like of that that is not of his holy spirit and therefore also is unprofitable to men and tends not to build them up in the most holy faith whence need for exhorting believers and for believers to accept the exhortation both to pray and to see that they doe it aright not in any spiritless formal way or in any carnal and unholy Spirit but in the holy Ghost 8. That this praying in the holy Ghost is a good means to edifie the believers in their most most holy Faith and so for keeping them in the love of God for therefore this clause is joyned with them and joyned with them in such a manner of speaking as clearly denotes and implies it to be a means to them For in saying Building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost he shews that the building up themselves on their most holy faith would not goe well on if trusting to their own power and skill therein they should neglect Gods help or neglect to pray and call upon God for it in such a way as he might accept them and send them help Therefore they were to doe that with the former action as a means to it and then in coupling the counsel to both those and that absolutely by a Verb or word of command or counsel Keep your selves in the love of God and mentioning both of those by a Participle as having reference to some further end namely that expressed in that following counsel he implies that they be both of them means to that great end or that such a building themselves on their most holy Faith as is exercised with praying in the Holy Ghost will much conduce to or is the means to preserve and keep themselves in the love of God Which leads us to the next enquiry namely 4. How the praying in the Holy Ghost conduces to the keeping our selves in the love of God To which it is to be minded as was noted above that the love or peculiar favour of God and his blessing is fixed upon the foundation or most holy faith in the first place It firstly fastens upon and imbraces Christ his beloved delightful one who is the great subject of the Gospel Doctrine and for his sake it is upon or with that Doctrine also as it sets forth and contains his name and is the means to glorifie him to men and to draw in men to him so as his eye and heart is thereupon as a most holy thing to him the slighters of which he will slight and punish with more intolerable judgements than those upon Sodom and Gomorrah as in Matth. 10.15 and those that receive and embrace that are imbraced and beloved of him so as to be rewarded with life everlasting John 5.24 He that heareth my words which he gave to his Apostles and they preached in his name and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life c. and Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized namely into Christ shall be saved c. Thence it follows that that which furthers mens being edified and built up on that most holy faith doth also further their being and abiding in that love and favour of God which he bears toward those that are thereupon for the sake thereof And so praying in the Holy Ghost conduces to the keeping men in the love of God as it is a means to keep them on their most holy Faith And a means thereto it is both 1. As there is no praying in the Holy Ghost but by and from the most holy Faith Jesus Christ and the Doctrineâ— of him taken heed unto and minded by men Praying in the H. Gh. then argues a being on the most holy Faith and exercises men to it even to the holding to and minding of it because the Holy Spirit is not otherwise to be met with to breath in us and frame our hearts to spiritual and right desires and prayers but on that most holy Faith for the Holy Spirit is onely that way ministred namely By the hearing of Faith and not by the works of the Law much less by any inventions and works in obedience to other Laws or in any lawless courses Gal 33.3 The Holy Spirit dwells and rests upon Christ and is sent forth in his name unto men Isa 42.1 6â— 1 11.12 John 14.26 and that to witness to Christ lead them to and unite them with him John 15.26 16.13 14. 1 Cor. 6. â—7 for he is so dwelling in Christ as not to be separated from him and therefore all that he dwells in must be one with Christ also for it is by vertue of Christ and in union with him that he that dwells and rests on Christ the head dwells in them as his members also And it is in the Name and Doctrine of Christ as Christ is therein named and set forth that the Holy Spirit breathes unto and in men therein and makes it a Ministration of Spirit or a means of conveying the light power presence and influence of the Spirit which is therefore no further abiding in men and leading and framing them than that Word and Doctrine of Christ in which he is ministred and Christ as held forth therein is received by and abides in men and they in them Whence that in 2 John 9. Whoso transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God to wit by his Holy Spirit in and with them for so God dwells in Believers namely by his Spirit as in Ephes 2.21 Whoso abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son namely in and by the influence and presence of the Spirit of both in and with them as well as in other considerations for them So then he that prayeth in the Holy Ghost being on the most holy Faith and so in Christ in whom and for whose sake God so loveth and favoureth men as we have shewed must needs be in the love of God and the praying in the Holy Ghost a means to keep men in the love of God because it is a way to keep men in Christ and a fruit of their keeping in him 2. Again it must needs be a means to preserve Believers in the love of God as it is a means to obtain further grace from God for more building up themselves on their most holy Faith where the love of God runs and is certainly enjoyed for what men ask of God believing in Christ and in the name of Christ as the Holy
by whom they come the Lord preserve and keep us that we be not of them in any thing but that in all our carriages and conversations we may be blameless and harmless the children of God in the midst of those amongst whom he sets us building to our selves on our most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost Vse 2. It may exhort and provoke us to take this course to keep our selves in the love and Grace of God where we are in it to build up our selves as hath been before shewed on our most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost to which what hath been noted affords both motive and incouragement 1 Motive From the consideration of the end of so building up our selves and the fruit and consequents of it 1. The end is that we may be habitations for God by his Spirit for that 's the end as hath been noted of Gods building and therefore the end both of his having laid such a foundation as the most holy Faith to be built upon and of his calling drawing and as it were laying the Souls of men to and upon it and of his bidding us to builâ— up one another and giving gifts and advantages to those purposes It is that we being built up he might dwell in us by his holy Spirit Ephes 2.21 22. and so fill us with his presence blessing and Glory as he did the Temple of old a Type hereof and the more we grow up into and are built up upon Christ the more he will inhabit and dwell in and with us by his Spirit and afford us his presence 2. A second and further end is our being kept in the love of God under his special care and protection for as God said of old of the Temple built up and dedicated to him the like will he say of and perform toward this his spiritual building yea and so much the more and the rather by how much he being a Spirit is more delighted in spiritual things than in bodily and carnal as that old Temple was whereas his people built upon Christ are a spiritual house 1 Pet. 2.5 with John 4.24 and by how much the truth and substance is beyond the type and figure or shadow Now he said of that material Temple in 2 Chron. 7.16 Now have I chosen and sanctified this house that my Name may be there for ever and mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually and then 3. The fruits and consequents hereof must needs be excellent and glorious such as may move us to minde this work and business of self edification with cheerfulness and diligence as 1. Gods dwelling and delighting in a people will be their safety and defence so as no harm or mischief shall befal them from all that are enemies to them and seek to harm them for he is mighty to save and will surely be as good or better an inhabitant of his house than other men are or can be of theirs He will put forth his power and greatness for the defence of it thence that in Isai 12.6 Cry out and shout thou inhabitant of Sion for great is the Holy One in the midst of thee and that in Zeph. 3.14 15 16 17. Sing O Daughter of Sion shout O Israel be glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O Daughter of Jerusalem the Lord hath taken away thy Judgement he hath cast out thine enemy The King of Israel even the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evil any more In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem fear thou not and to Zion let not thine hand be sâ—ack The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy c. It is true that those things are spoken of the Church and people of God when they shall be fully built up and gloriously inhabited of God in the last times or in the Kingdom of his Glory but yet there is a measure of it a first fruits now to be met within Gods dwelling by his Spirit in his people built up in a measure for him whence the like rejoycings or gloryings in his presence with his people now in the days of trial or rejoycings neare of him at least thereto in Psal 46.1.6 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Seas though the waves thereof roar c. and then in vers 4 5. shewing the ground of this fearlesness he adds There is a River the streams whereof make glad the City of God the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most High God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God shall help her and that right early and as a proof of his helpfulness he adds The Heathen raged the Kingdoms were moved he uttered his voice the earth melted The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Selah And Psal 48.3 God is known in her Palaces for a refuge speaking of Gods Church as his City as Gods people are called in the Scripture both his House and City as Ephes 2.19 20 21 22. His presence in his House and City is their safety nothing can harm them unless their defilements of his House or of their Hearts and Societies causing him to abhor and loath them as in the Type Psal 78.58 59 60 61 c. 2. Gods dwelling with and in his people as his house and delighting in them will afford them all fulness of supply and satisfaction his House and houshold for they are both Ephes 2.19 20. shall want nothing good and needful for them for their maintenance upholding and abundant rejoycing Whence David preferred the being in any the lowest place in Gods house though but at the threshold before the most settled dwelling he might have in the most sumptuous Palaces of the wicked called by him to signifie the flittingness of them the Tents of the ungodly because the Lord God is a Sun and shield and will give Grace and Glory and withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly with him Thence also partly it is that his City or dwelling place is called upon so much to rejoyce for his presence with it in the places above cited He makes a feast in his house and satisfactions to their desires 9.1 2 3. Psal 36.8 9 10. He will fill his house with all all materials and provisions good for it and 3. He will adorn and beautifiâ— his habitation that he loves as well as fill and satisfie those particular Souls that are therein He will beautifie the place of his Sanctuary and make the place of his feet glorious Isa 60.13 He will beautifie the meek with his Salvation because he takes pleasure in them Psal 149.4 He will have his House and habitation glorious answerable in some sort to his own glory and greatness that
mercy of Christ in both 2. In respect of our defects wants and shortness of attainments to the full possession of the blessing and glory of God as mercy signifies kindness or a gift of good for our supplies as we have need for the Believer though compleat in Christ his head and root yet is not compleat and perfect in his receipt of him and the grace in him hath not yet attained neither is yet perfect Phil. 3.13 14. sees but in part and knows but in part yet 1 Cor. 13.11.12 hath but the first fruits of mercy and blessing not the full harvest Rom. 8.23 He must wait for that 〈◊〉 Christs appearing and therefore needs that act of his mercy towards him 3. In respect of afflictions temptations and griefs in the mean time to be endured in and under which we have no strength power or wisdom to uphold us much less to deliver us out of them his Grace onely in those cases also is sufficient for us as well as to the forgiveness of our sins and the perfecting what concerns us Psal 138.8 thence that in Psal 60.11 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man and all that he can give us Herein too we need his mercy and grace to help us Heb. 4.16 and indeed thiâ— is very obvious to sense for we see the best of men are men still subject to like passions infirmities sicknesses and ailments as others Job though a perfect man yet sorely tried both in body and spirit with sad afflictions the Prophets and Apostles examples of patience and suffering adversities of divers sorts and natures under which they have not had ability of themselves to stand but as God by his mercy in Christ gave them strength and relief remembring his mercy in the midst of his judgements Nay in the day of the Lord the righteous servants of God shall need his mercy for the blotting out perfectly all their transgressions and deliverance of them from all wrath and judgement into the enjoyment of his everlasting Kingdom as it was therefore Pauls prayer for Onesiphorus and his house in 2 Tim. 1.18 The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy in that day Though he had done very many good deeds for the Apostle especially in case of sweâ—vings or turnings aside in some things from him as may seem to have been his case or the case of his houshold in that that prayer for his houshold and him follow immediately upon the mention of the turning away of all those in Asia from Paul v. 15. Again it 's here implied in the word Mercy 2. That the Believers however diligent in sâ—rving God and edifying themselves on the faith of Christ deserve not the love of God or the enjoyment of his presence and blessing with them unto everlasting life nay nor any supply to their wantâ— or needs in any thing It 's of mercy not of merit that God doth own them and that Christ takes care of them and helps and blesses them They cannot challenge it as matter of due debt but need to beg even their daily bread too as matter of mercy or as the effect and fruit of the mercy of Jesus Christ towards them in his Sufferings and Sacrifice offered up for them And this indeed springs from the former their weakness to do any thing for God becoming him or his engagements upon us and their sinfulness defiling all their best doings They have neither power nor purity enough in themselves to do such service for him as may bind him by way of desert to them If he should mark the iniquities of their holy things they could none of them stand Psalm 130.3 4. Therefore good Nehemiah when he had made mention of many good deeds wel done by him adds Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God for the offices thereof Neh. 13.14 and after further mention of his zeal for the Sabbath he adds again ver 22. Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy as implying that his good deeds though very exemplary were so far from meriting reward from God or the love and blessing of God that it was his mercy to spare him from his judgement and not to blot out all he had done out of his remembrance Though God doth give reward to him that willeth that that is good that runneth the way of his Commandments yet that rewarding of them is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth as the due desert of his willing and running and what he may challenge as debt but of him that shews mercy in pardoning the defects of both willing and running and accepting them and him in whom they are through Jesus Christ So that no flesh hath any thing to glory of in the presence of God for any thing found in as of it or done by it But there is cause of abasement and humility for the best no cause or ground for pride and high-mindedness in any Christ brings up the top stone with shouting and crying Grace grace unto it Zech. 4.6 7. This is implied too in the word Mercy as to be waited for by the believer in all his building up himself on his most holy Faith 2. But then the consideration of him whose mercy it is that we are to wait for signified in this that it is called the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ doth afford great encouragement to expect and hope for it as well as engagement to wait for it For 1. In that he is the Lord that engages us to wait for it it being meet to wait on one so great And if we consider how and upon what account he is the Lord in the nature of man that will encourage to expect his mercy and so to wait in hope of it For it was by his mercy already testified to us towards us sinners while so in that he then abased himself and became man for us and as man suffered to the death the death of the cross for us that he was in the same nature of man exalted and glorified to be Lord of all both things and persons as was above noted Acts 2 36. Phil. 2 9 10 11. Rom. 14.9 Because he humbled himself to the death the death of the cross therefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow c. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God c. Now if he had such mercy for us as to purchase to himself in the nature of man a Lordship over us by ransoming us from death by his death for us how shall we not think that being for that his love to us and service for us made Lord he will exercise his Lordship in a way of grace and mercy toward us