This is the mercy of that day crowning mercy 3. For the properties of Gods mercy 1. It s full 2. It s free 1. It s a full and unmeasurable mercy the unmeasurablenesse whereof is set forth 1. More generally when God is said to be plenteous in mercy Psal 86.5 1 Pet. 1.3 Ephes 2.4 Psal 108.4 Psal 51.1 Neh. 9.19 Psal 103.11 2 Cor. 1.3 Psal 145.9 Psal 33.5 Matt. 5.15 abundant rich in mercy his mercy great above the heavens his mercies unsearchable high as the heaven is from the earth multitudes of tender mercies 2. More particularly the unmeasurableness of his mercy is set forth 1. In that there is no creature in heaven or earth but tasteth of it His mercies are over all his works the very dumb creatures speak him mercifull The whole earth is full of his goodnesse he preserveth man and beast nay his enemies 2. In that resemblances to set forth his mercy are taken from the most tender-hearted creatures Hos 11.4 he drawes with the cords of a man He pitieth as a father nay more then the most tender-hearted mother doth her sucking-childe he gathereth people as a hen doth her chickens He hath bowels of mercy Isa 49.15 Jer. 31.20 Luke 1.78 and such as sound and therefore his mercy pleaseth him he delights to shew mercy he forgets not his mercy 3. He is the fountain of the mercy and mercifulnesse in all the creatures in the world toward one another the mercies of all parents to their children of every mother to her little ones of every Christian of every tender-hearted person of every beast and foul to their young ones are but drops that come from the sea of Gods mercy he is the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 4. He can deliver from every misery Bread takes away hunger drink thirst clothes nakedness knowledge ignorance but no creature can take away every misery Phil. 4.19 2 Cor. 1.3 Psal 23.1 Psal 34.10 wheras God is the God of all comfort he supplyes all our wants comforts in every trouble he hath a plaister for every sore is a Physician for every disease inward and outward and so merciful is he that in the very not removing of miseries he is mercifull Were it not for trouble how should corruption be kill'd holinesse encreased 1 Cor. 11.32 Heb. 12.10 heaven be sweet eternal crowns and triumphs be injoyed 4. He is merciful to his enemies ful of patience and forbearance expecting their return many yeers together giving them rain and fruitful seasons Acts 14.17 Mat. 5.15 filling their hearts with gladness notwithstanding they sin and fight against him with all his goodnesse yea so merciful is he that in their greatest enmity to him Rom. 5.10 he hath often done them the greatest good changing their hearts and making them his friends 6. He bestows mercy with greatest frequency and reiteration he hath many manifold mercies Psal 51.1 Psal 40.5 mercies for thousands more than can be exprest innumerable are the sins of one man how innumerable the sins of the whole world how numberless then are those mercies of forbearance expressed every time sin is committed there being so many millions of sinners every one committing so many millions of sins innumerable are the morsels of food drops of drink the motions deliverances provisions received by one man what then are those received by a whole world and every such expression is a mercy 7. The mercy of God is eternall 1 King 8 2◠and therefore immeasurable he keepeth mercy for ever he will not take away his mercy from his servants Psal 89.2 Psal 23. ult Psal 103.17 Psal 136 it shall follow them all the dayes of their life his mercy shall be built up for ever It endureth for ever 't is from everlasting to everlasting He may hide his face for a moment though that is but according to our thinking but with everlasting mercies will he receive us Isa 54.7 10 The hils may be removed and the mountains may depart but Gods covenant of peace shall not be removed God never repented himself of bestowing his best mercies 8. Gods Mercy is so immeasurable that to help us out of our miseries he that was God sustained them himself It had been mercy to have help'd us by speaking comfortably to us more to have help'd us by the bounty of his hand but to help us out of misery by bearing our miseries by coming to man by becoming of man by suffering so much paine hunger ignominy griefs wounds nay death for man Oh immeasurable mercy Oh my soul acknowledge thine insufficiency either to conceive or requite it 2. The Mercy of God is not only full but free without desert on our parts We deserve no healing from his mercy unlesse by being sore and sick no riches from mercy unlesse by our poverty no deliverance from mercy unlesse by being captives no pardon from mercy unlesse by being guilty no preservation from mercy unlesse by being in danger no mercy unlesse by being miserable God is not tyed to one man more than another he hath mercy on whom he will he hath mercy on the beggar as well as the King on the Barbarian as well as the Grecian the bond Eph. 1.5 6 Rom. 11.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Phil. 1.29 Rom. 3.24 Phil. 2.13 Rom. 6.23 〈◊〉 43.25 as well as the free the Jew as well as the Gentile Election is the election of grace Vocatiou is according to grace Faith is said to be given Justification is freely by Gods grace every good motion is of Gods working Life eternal is Gods gift the putting away of every sin is for his own sake God is mercifull because he will be so his arguments of mercy are drawn from his own pleasure What can our works deserve that are not ours but his working that are all due to him if a thousand times more and better that are all maimed and imperfect Luke 17.10 1 Cor. 4.7 Rom. 11.35 Rom. 8.18 that are all vitious and polluted that are all unequall to the recompence This for the explication of the first benefit which the Apostle requesteth for these Christians Mercy 2. The Observations follow 1. Obs 1. How unbeseeming a sin is pride in any that live upon Mercy Mercy our highest happinesse calls loudest for a lowly heart He that lives upon the alms of Mercy must put on humility the cloth of an Alms-man Renounce thy self and thine own worthinesse both in thy receiving and expecting blessings 1. In receiving them If thou hast spiritual blessings Mercy found thee a bundle of miseries a sinner by birth Ephes 2.1 a sinner in life deserving to be a sufferer for both without grace nay against it by thy birth a poor out-cast Ezek. 16.22 in thy blood as naked of grace as of clothes The Apostle therefore speaks of putting on the graces of the Spirit Col. 3.12 Job 1.21 1 Chro. 22.16 Gen. 24.35 Gen. 33.5 11 the spots
soul-marriage Qui ludit in Cathedra lugebit in Gehenna should spend no time needlesly It s pity that Satans Emissaries should be more diligent then Christs servants Impostors then Pastors How diligent a servant was Paul that pass'd over so many Countries with so much speed I laboured more then they all was spoken as comendably as truly not plus profui I was more successful but plus laboravi I took more pains Diligence may be a companion and comfort where successe is a stranger 6. Christ must be served perpetually There must be no end of working till of living The dead are they who rest from their labours Life and labour are of equall continuance We can never begin too soon nor continue too long in the service of Christ none ever repented of either many of the contrary to both Faithfulness to the death hath the onely promise of the Crown of life Better never to have begun then to apostatize It s an unanswerable Dilemma If the service of Christ were bad why did you enter into it if good why did you depart from it Lastly Obs ult Observe That they who expect to perswade others to serve Christ must be servants themselves Jude a servant of Christ hopefully exhorteth others continue in his service and to contend for his faith The best way to move others is to be moved our selves words that come from the heart are most likely to reach to the heart It 's not sufficient for Ministers to discourse of his service but to imbrace it A blurred finger is unfit to wipe away a blot It s wofull when the function and the conversation oppose each other If the service of Christ be bad why exhort we others to submit to it if good why accept we not of it our selves A titular service shall never receive a reall reward Depart from me ye that work iniquity shall be the doom of some that cast out divels and prophesie in the name of Christ. Thus much for the second particular in the description of the Authour of this Epistle viz. His Office A servant of Iesus Christ Now follows The third and last Particular considerable in his description taken from his Kindred and Alliance in these words The Brother of Iames. Of which by way 1. Of Explication 2. Of Observation 1. For Explication Two things are to be opened 1. Who this JAMES was 2. Why this Apostle here calls himself his Brother 1. Who this JAMES was The Scripture speaks of two of that name The one James the son of Zebedee the brother of John the Evangelist mentioned under these relations Matth. 10.3 Mar. 3.17 Matth. 4.21 Call'd by Christ leaving father and ship slain by Herod Act. 12.2 nam'd by Christ with his brother Boanerges Mar. 3.17 the sons of thunder The other this James here mentioned Concerning whom much is said 1. in Scripture 2. in Ecclesiastical History but in both he is spoken of very honourably 1. In Scripture First His kindred and allyance are often mentioned His father is said to be Alpheus Matth. 10.3 Mar. 3.18 Luk. 6.15 Act. 1.13 His mother was Mary spoken of Mat. 27.56 Mar. 16.1 Luk. 24.10 Mar. 15.40 His brethren are said to be Simon Joses and Judas Mat. 13.55 Mar. 6.3 two whereof were Apostles viz. Simon and Judas Mat. 10.3 4. Luk. 6.15 16. Act. 1.13 and the other viz. Joses or Joseph was competitor with Matthias as is generally supposed for the Apostleship in the room of Judas Iscariot Act. 1.23 Particularly this James is said to be the brother of the Lord Gal. 1.19 though together with him his brethren Joses Judas and Simon are also call'd Christs brethren Hierom. cont Helv. Virgo ille mansit cum Maria qui pater Domini meruit appellari Tantopere Christus dilexit floridi pudoris integritatem ut non modò de virgineo utero nasceretur sed etiam à nutritio virgineo tractaretur Pet. Dam. Ep. 11. Aug. Tr. 10. in Joh. Bed Aqu. Apud Hebraeos nomina quae conveniunt in radicalibus per additionem literarum servilium notionem non mutant ut Judas Thodas idem significant c. Boulduc in Jud. ver 1. Mat. 13.55 Mark 6.3 Not as if Mary the mother of Christ had afterward born children unto Joseph as the erroneous Helvidius whom Hierom confuteth at large laboured to maintain Nor as if James and the rest were call'd the brethren of Christ as being the sons of Joseph Christs reputed father by another wife for the Scripture tels us frequently they were the sons of Alpheus and it s the received opinion that Joseph was never the husband of any but the blessed Virgin though haply some have the more earnestly asserted it from their high esteem of Virginity But some suppose this James and his brethren are call'd the brother and brethren of Christ in respect they were the cozens germane of Christ by the mothers side or Christs mothers sisters children and this their mother Hierom thinks is that Mary called the sister to the Virgin and the wife of Cleophas John 19.25 her first husband Alpheus either being dead or else one and the same husband being as others adorned with two names Alpheus and Cleophas which might well be in regard among the Hebrews those names that agree in the same radicall letters lose not their notion and signification by the addition of other letters to them a rule applicable to these two names Alpheus and Cleophas And †Harm Hist Pas Ch. 16. p. 186. Gerhard also thinks that this Mary the sister of the Virgin and the wife of Cleophas was the mother of James c. because as in John 19.25 Mary the wife of Cleophas and sister of the Virgin is joyned with Mary Magdalen standing by the Cross so in the other Evangelists Mary the mother of James upon the very same occasion is joyned with Mary Magdalen Matth. 27.56 and Mark 15.40 Some conceive this Mary the wife of Cleopas was mother of James but was not own sister to the Virgin Mary because say they it is not the custom for the same parents to put the same names on severall children but that she is called sister to the Virgin Mary because her husband Cleopas or Alpheus was the brother of Joseph the husband of the Virgin Mary brothers wives being frequently called sisters The most probable opinion is that Joseph and Alpheus were of neer relation haply naturall brethren and therfore Joseph being the reputed father of Christ his brother Alpheus his children among whom this James was one are called the brethren of Christ it being usuall in Scripture to call those brethren that are neer of kin as we see Abraham and Lot Gen. 13.8 are called brethren although Lot was his nephew Gen. 14.12 So Jacob calls his uncle Laban brother Gen. 29.12 15. vid. Gen. 31.32 37 46. Thus the Scripture speaks of James in respect of his kindred or allyance 2. The Scripture speaks worthily of him in regard of his
looking toward heaven is alway gone out to weep no there 's nothing destroy'd by sanctification but that which would destroy us we may eat still but not be gluttons drink but not be drunken use recreation but not be voluptuous trade but not deceive In a word be men but holy men 3. The people of God even in this life are Saints Obs 3. perfectly indeed hereafter but inchoatively here A childe hath the nature though not the stature of a man A Christian hath here as truly grace though not so fully as in heaven Grace is glory in the bud this life is the infant-age of glory Aetas infantalis gloriae Ye are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. They who look upon sanctity as an accmplishment only for heaven are never like to get thither It s common to hear a reproved sinner give this answer I am no Saint Were this an accusation and not an excuse for his unholinesse it might be admitted but he is no Saint nor desires to be one holinesse and holy ones are his scorn These in this condition shall never see God heaven must be in us before we be in heaven Rev. 21.8 Rev. 22.15 Depart from me will be the doom of them that work iniquity Dogs shall be without Ye who here cannot be merry without scoffing at purity hereafter shall mourn for your want of purity ye who account purity and sanctification inconsistent with nobleness breeding generosity will see that these were nothing without purity That which is the beauty of heaven the glory of angels is it an ignominy upon earth the shame of worms You are not too good for holinesse but holiness for you I confess it s a great sin and shame and should be a sorrow that there are so many counterfeit unsanctified saints who have made sanctity so hatefull but yet for thee by these to be scandalized at sanctity is thine as well as their wo. Let the Popes Kalendar only saint the dead the Scripture requireth sanctity in the living 4. Obs 4. Holinesse cannot lie hid Holy life is holily active if a living man hold his breath long its death to him Saul was no sooner converted but he prayes he breathes A regenerated person speaks to God as soon as he is born If God be dishonoured he speaks for God he cannot learn the wisdom of our times to dissemble his Religion to be still when God is struck at he must shew whose image and superscription he bears wicked men proclaim their sin as Sodom and he proclaims his grace and yet not that he may be seen but that he may be serviceable The Spirit of God is fire winde a river it will bear away any opposition rather then be kept in the world thinks a saint is mad of suffering when he appears for God they are mistaken he is not desirous of it but fearless of it when God requires he is neither profuse when he should spare nor penurious when he should spend himself for God 5. I note The great change that is wrought upon a person when God comes with sanctifying grace Obs 5. There 's no difference in the world greater then between a man and his former self the world and men of it need not take it ill that a Saint differs so much from them he differs as much from himself a sanctified person is utterly opposite to all hee was and did before the stream is turn'd hee sees now he was blind before he loves that which formerly he loathed he loathes that which formerly he loved he unlives his former life he picks it out as it were stitch by stitch The wicked 1 Pet. 4.4 are said to think the course of sanctified persons strange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is they are like men in a strange Country that see strange sights which before they were altogether unacquainted with Oh the power of grace a Lion is now a Lamb a Goat is now a Sheep a Raven is now a Dove and which is more a Sinner is now a Saint he that before rush'd into sin now trembles at it he that before persecuted holiness now preacheth it They in the Gospel hardly knew the man that had sight restored to him but said he was like the blinde man John 9. Did the alone recovery of sight make such a difference in him from what he was formerly what a difference is wrought then by grace which makes not onely a new eye but a new tongue ear hand heart life 6. Obs 6. The holinesse of a sanctified person is not purely negative It stands not altogether in labouring not to sin It s not enough for the tree that escapeth the ax not to bring forth bad unless it also bring forth good fruit nor is it sufficient for the sanctified soul to put off filthy unless it put on beautifull garments The old man must be put off and the new put on we are not content with half happinesse why should we be with half holinesse The holiness of the most is not to be as bad as the worst few labour to be as good as the best Men love to be compleat in every thing but that which deserves exactnesse We must not cut off the garment of holiness at the midst Our eternall happiness shall not onely stand in being out of hell but in being in the fruition of heaven we must not mete to God one measure and expect from him another 7. Obs 7. Sanctification admits no coalition agreement between the new and the old man This later is abolish'd as the former is introduced Col. 3.10 The new man is not put upon the old Eph. 4.24 as somtime new garments are put upon old but in the room of them In sanctification there 's no sewing of a new peece to an old garment which alway doth but make the rent the wider It s one thing for sin to be another thing to be allowed one thing for sin to be in us another thing for us to be in sin Sin is a Saints burden a thorn in his eye not a crown on his head it s his daily task to weaken and impair it if he cannot fully conquer yet he faithfully contends Sin and holiness are like a pair of balances when the one goeth up the other must needs go down Christ knows no co-partners in Government he will not drink of a fountain where Satan puts his feet Nescit de turbato fonte amicus bibere Bern. his Church is a Garden enclosed open only to heaven shut on every side The faithfull have a broken not a divided heart 8. Obs 8. As a sanctified person allows no mixtures with grace so he puts no limits to grace he desires that the grace he hath should be perfect as well as pure and as he loves that no part of him should be defiled so that none should be destitute he is sanctified throughout he perfects holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 A
Take heed of shutting your eyes against the light or putting out the light because it shines in your eyes Be not weary of God Forget not your ornaments and attire Run not away when God calls Think it not a disgrace to attend the hearing of that which it is your greatest honour to obey Let not your stomack decay because your food is so plentiful Rejoyce in the light not for a season only John 5.35 Let not the Proverb take place here Every thing is pretty while 't is young The longer you enjoy the more rejoyce in the word Let new food finde new stomacks or rather the same food continually new brought Take heed lest wantonnesse under procure a want of the word While your are on this side Canaan love to feed on Manna What a shame is it that God should call louder to us then ever he did to any and yet that we should hear worse then ever any did 5. The dignity and duty of the Ministers of the Gospel Obs 5. 1. The dignity in that God calls by them they are his mouth as the Gospel is his voyce God beseecheth by them to be reconciled they are his Ambassadors his Stewards his fellow-workers they are fathers saviours their work is for the good of souls not for the estate with Lawyers nor for the body with Physicians 't is the heavenly inheritance which they teach you to procure the blood of Christ which they direct to receive You are led by them to Christ Augustine speaks to God thus concerning Ambrose Ad eum per te ducebar nescius ut ad te per eum sciens ducerer who was an instrument of his conversion I was led by thee to him unawares that by him I might through knowledge be led to thee 2. Their duty Ministers should labour to uphold the dignity of their calling the way to do so is more to desire to be profitable then pompous Ministers are to call and cry if they be silent who should speak If peoples lusts hate a faithfull Minister yet their consciences even then honour him as is cleer in Herod Ministers must call aloud they must tel people of their sin thunder out the judgments of God against sleepy sinners they who must not be dumb dogs must neither bite the children in the house nor spare the theeves If any sin in a Minister be unpardonable 't is silence They must call often giving line upon line not being weary of calling waiting with patience when a sinner may repent Importunity at length may prevail They are animarum proci Wooers of souls to Christ one denyall must not discourage them All the day long they must stretch out their hands they must never be speechless till they die They must call in the language of God 1 Pet. 4.11 2 Cor. 2.17 they must speak as the words of God with demonstration of the Spirit There must not be a sinfull curiosity in handling the word better the Grammarian should reprehend then the people not understand Ministers must not so call as to cause astonishment but understanding in people pithy plainness is the beauty of preaching What good doth a golden key that opens not The kingdom of God is not in word but power And as preaching must not be curious so neither over-slight consisting of raw sudden indigested meditations The word must not be torn but divided not tossed but handled the Text not named only but followed there must be a diligent kinde of negligence in handling the word They must not forbid and unbid in their lives whom they call in their doctrine They who are Callers must live like called ones themselves not neglecting that to which they perswade others The health of a Ministers honour can never be maintain'd in the air of a corrupt life If we would have none to despise us we must be examples 6. Obs ult The called of God should live sutably to their calling They must walk worthy of it If men be called to an office they must wait upon it accordingly Rom. 12.7 A base deportment becoms not those in high place Joseph call'd to stand before Pharaoh throws away his prison-garments 2 Thess 1.11 1 Pet. 2.9 Saul call'd to a kingdom had another heart The vertues of him that calleth must be shewn 1. Humility and self-debasing considering so great a God regarded so poor a worm Remember as it was a dung-hil from whence God took thee so thy unwillingness was great to leave it and how long God was making thee willing to do good to thy self how thou hadst nothing to set up with that thy portion was nothing but pride and poverty 2. Pity to those that are uncalled the elect of God must put on bowels they that have obtained mercy must pray that others may do so Look upon others sins with more trouble than thine own sorrows Pity those that cannot pity themselves weep over their dying souls thy soul hath been in the state of theirs Call after others if God hath called thee Luke 22.32 and pray that God would make them hear Embrace the company of the worst to make them good not as a companion but a Physician 3. Contempt of the world Acknowledg thy dignity be above those trifles which thou a childe didst magnifie A Christian is called to a kingdom 2 Thess 2.14 Col. 1.13 Phil. 3.14 1 Thess 2.12 he hath an high calling all that the world can give him he should lay at his feet His heart must be where his treasure is and his treasure onely where Christ is Onely he can look upon the world as small who hath look'd upon Christ as great How unsutable is it to see a King raking in the dunghil or making hay with his Scepter 4. A preferring that voyce before all other which called thee Cant. 2.8 John 10. Ephes 4.14 Gal. 6. It is the voyce of my beloved My sheep hear my voyce Let not the voyce of a stranger with-draw thee Be not tossed up and down with every winde of doctrine be not a follower of men Walk by rule not example Whensoever the world or thy own heart call thee rather fear them than follow them Follow others as they Christ Love that voyce of Christ that calls thee from thy sweetest sin Value one promise of his above the sweetest musick Let every Scripture threat be more dreadfull than a thunder-clap 5. Delight in calling upon him that called thee Prayer is the called souls eccho back again to God As soon as Paul was called Acts 9.11 he prayed God saw nothing in thee and yet he called after thee how much is there in God for which thou shouldst call after him Desire him to draw thee neerer to himself to call thee to him closer to keep thee as he hath call'd thee to him 6. Be thankful for thy vocation 1 Thes 2.12 2 Thes 2.14 that God should call thee when there was nothing but woe and unwillingness and
The light of knowledge without the heat of love speaks him not excellent A golden key that opens not is not so praised as a wooden one that opens the door The shining pransing and trappings of a Steed commend him not but his serviceablenesse Ministers are not made for sight but for service Sine cura cum pervenerit ad curam Bern. Nothing more unsutable than for him to live without care who hath gotten a Cure Pray the Lord saith Christ to send forth labourers into his harvest Ministers must labour for the pulpit Qui ludit incathedra lugebit in gehenna and in the pulpit there must be the labour of study before we speak the labour of zeal and love in speaking the labour of suffering must be born after preaching alwayes the labour of praying before and after Their plainest performances must be painfull Diligens negligentia There must be a diligence even in their seeming negligence Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully Jer. 48.10 John 4.34 No danger is so great as spirituall nor must any care be so great as Ministeriall A godly Minister must be carefull for those that do not and carefull with those that do care for themselves He should not only eat his bread in the sweat of his brows but his sweat John 4.34 his labour should be his meat and drink Love to Christ souls should constrain him His life is short his reward is eternall Short seasons require quick services The nearnesse of Peters departure made him diligent 2 Pet. 1.13 14. Seldom doth the Kingdom of Heaven suffer violence under a remisse Ministry A sleepy Preacher cannot expect a waking Auditory It 's uncomely to see a Minister weary himselfe in the world in the family in the field in Courts of Justice Omnibus avocamentis valedicat He must take his leave of other imployments He must not leave the word of God to serve tables He is a Warriour and must not intangle himselfe in the affairs of this life They who sweat in worldly imployments are commonly but cold in the pulpit 4. Observ 4. People who partake of the Ministers diligence must take heed of negligence a double negligence 1. They must not neglect themselves Nor 2. their Minister 1. Not themselves their own souls they must carefully gather up that spirituall Manna that raineth upon them in this wildernesse they must not play with that meat which the painfull Minister hath been long a dressing If he take pains to do them good what should they to do themselves good 2 Pet. 1.5 Jam. 1.19 Isai 60.8 They must give all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure In this their day knowing the things of their peace walking while they have the light They must be swift to hear flie as doves to the windows delight in the word Alphonsus King of Naples read the Bible over forty times in his life time The Bereans received the word with all readinesse of mind Acts 17.11 First They must seek the Kingdom of God not labour for that bread which perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life 'T is not meat on the table but in the stomack that nourisheth A Ministers care without their own will be but their curse 2. They must not neglect their Minister Double diligence deserves double honour If the Minister consume his strength they must labour to restore it It 's a shame that people should lay out more upon brooms to sweep their kennels than upon a Ministry to cleanse their souls If Ministers bring them venison their souls must blesse them It was a saying of an holy man now with God but his speech died not with him London loves a cheap Gospell Dr. Stoughton If Ministers spend their oile people must supply it They must administer of their temporals Alas they give but pibbles for pearls Since the Ministry was so slighted godlinesse never thrived This for the first Particular considerable in the second Reason Why the Apostle sent the following Exhortation viz. With what mind and disposition the Apostle endeavoured the good of these Christians He gave all diligence The second followes In what work he was imployed for or by what means he endeavoured their good viz. by writing he gave all diligence and it was to write And why would the Apostle chuse to further their salvation by the means of writing Explicat what was the advantage of a performance of that nature His writing was sundry wayes eminently advantagious 1. It was helpfull and advantagious to the absent he could not speak and therefore he writes to them Being absent saith the Apostle I write to them which heretofore have sinned 1 Cor. 13.2 Writing is an invention to deceive absence The use of Epistles is that even the separated by distance of place may be near to one another 〈◊〉 affection that there may be among the absent a resemblance of presence The pen is an artificiall tongue the reliefe of the dumb and the distant by it the former speaks plain and the later alond The rongue is as the pen of a ready writer and the pen is as the tongue of a ready speaker 2. The Apostles writing had the advantage to be diffusive of good to many He was covetous of benefiting as many as he could and his writing scatter'd holinesse Writing as it reacheth further so more than the tongue It 's like a little leaven that leaveneth a great lump even whole Countries nay after-Ages Pauls Epistles are ours though not in their inscriptions yet in their benefit Augustine was converted by reading part of that to the Romans The pen hath the greatest Auditories Rom. 13.13 14. 3. The Apostles writing had the advantage of authority and esteem Often the contemptiblenesse of bodily presence by reason haply of defects in utterance aspect life rank c. dampeth the spirit and diminisheth the esteem of the worthiest speaker Learned Doctor Fulk Master G.H. Many are famous for their writing who have been lesse esteem'd for their speaking Pauls adversaries objected the weaknesse of his bodily presence 2 Cor. 10.10 when they confessed his letters were weighty and powerfull Writing abstracts the work from sundry prejudices against the workman Many there are who build the tombs of the Prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous who publish alledge adorn the books those monuments of the memories of holy Fathers and others whose persons had they lived in their times they would have as much persecuted and opposed as they now do those who are guided by the same spirit and walk in those holy wayes in which those Saints of old did Many but meanly esteem'd of in forraign Countries by reason of their common and contemptible society are most eminently and deservedly esteemed among us for their writings 4. The Apostles writing had the advantage of permanency and continuance it was a standing lasting
The agreement thereof with the delivery of faith or how faith may be said to be once delivered 3. Why the Apostle adds this expression Once to the delivery of faith amplifying it this way For the first The word Once is taken two wayes in Scripture and ordinary usage 1. As 't is opposed to inconstancy deficiency Nullâ reparabilis arte laesa pudicitia est deperit illa semel Ovid. cessation or uncertainty of continuance and so once is as much as firmly constantly irrevocably alwayes Thus God saith Psal 89.36 Once have I sworn by my holinesse that I will not lie unto David that is my oath is irrevocable nor is there any danger of inconstancy What I have sworn shall surely be accomplish'd 2. Once is taken as 't is opposed to reiteration repetition or frequency either of the being or doing of any thing and so once is as much as once and no more Once for all Once and not again Once and only once When a thing is done so fully and perfectly that it need not or should not or cannot be done again Thus Heb. 9.28 Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many And Heb. 10.10 we read of the offering of Christ once for all And Abishai 1 Sam. 26.8 desired to smite Saul once promising that he would not smite him the second time 2. For the second Both these significations agree most aptly and sutably to the delivery of the doctrine of faith For 1. The faith is once delivered as once is opposed to deficiency or cessation that is firmly and irrevocably delivered It shall ever be it shall never be quite taken away from the Church 1 Pet. 1.25 it endureth for ever As the habit of faith shall never cease in the soul so the doctrine of faith shall never cease in the world It 's a candle that all the winds of hell can never blow out a flame that all the waters of trouble can never extinguish Thus it 's called Rev. 14.6 the eternall Gospel never to be destroyed it shall ever be in the Scripture Ministry hearts and profession of a number of men My word saith God shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth and for ever Isai 59.21 Christ promiseth to be with his Ministers to the end of the world Mat. 28.19 The servants of Christ shall trade in the spirituall Merchandise of faith till he come Luke 19.13 The people of God in the use of the Lords Supper shall set forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 And the work of the Ministry with the edifying of the body thereby shall continue till we all meet c. Ephes 4.13 That the doctrine of faith shall ever continue in one place is not asserted but that it shall ever in some place is certain It 's not for the dignity of Christ the King of his Church ever to suffer his Scepter to be wrested out of his hands It 's not consistent with the safety integrity health life c. of the Church in this her condition of constant exigency to be deprived of the doctrine which is given her for armour a rule medicine food It 's as easie for enemies to pluck the Sun out of the Firmament as this faith out of the Church The whole power and policy of hell hath been imployed for that purpose sixteen hundred years Could it have been done it had been done long before now 2. The faith is once delivered as once is opposed to frequency or reiteration it is once and no more Once for all Once and not again to be delivered in respect it shall never be delivered again with any change or alteration which it is to receive It 's a work done so well Semel traditam doctrinam dicit quae nunquam sit posthac immutanda Beza in loc that it need not be done again because it cannot be done better And thus the doctrine of salvation may be said to be once or unalterably delivered both in respect of the matter of it and the present manner of administring it 1. In respect of the matter it never was nor ever shall be changed The same Saviour of man and Mediatour between God and man hath unalterably been afforded Christ Jesus the same yesterday and to day Heb. 13.8 Rev. 13.8 Acts 4.12 and for ever He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world There never was any other but his Name by which salvation at any time was bestowed All even those before and after Christ have drank of the same spirituall rock 1 Cor. 10.4 1 John 29. Ephes 5.23 Gal. 1.7 1 Cor. 3.11 Christ is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world not he the sin of some ages and another of other ages of the world He is the Saviour of the whole body No other Gospel can be preached but the glad tidings of life by Christ Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ As Christ so the doctrine of life by Christ is the same yesterday to Adam the Patriarchs and Prophets To day to the Apostles and for ever to all following Saints It 's a testament wherein all the legacies of grace and glory are bequeathed and therefore as the Apostle argues it is unalterable Gal. 3.15 The rule of life the holy Law of God is a standing and unalterable rule Whatsoever is a sin against the morrall Law now was a sin alwayes duties required now by it were duties alwayes Peace is the portion now and it was ever the portion of them that walked according to it The ransom from death and standing rule of life were ever one and the same 2. The doctrine of salvation is once i. e. unalterably delivered now in respect of the present manner of administration namely by Ministers preaching and Sacraments c. No other form or manner of exhibiting the benefits by Christ can be introduced In respect of this manner of administration and exhibition of the benefits of the Gospel without legall types shadows and sacrifices it 's called the New Testament And it 's called new because it 's to be alway new Novum quia semper novum and never grow old as the former did Should there ever be another manner of administration admitted it must be called The new Testament and so either this must be called Old and then there must be two Old Testaments the former and this 〈◊〉 this must still be called new and so there should be granted two New Testaments Besides this last way of administration of the benefits of the Gospel being instituted by Christ himself it should much derogate from the dignity of Christ if another way should afterward be thought more excellent and perfect Heb. 1.2 God in these last times hath spoken saith the Apostle by his Son and therfore delivered his will more excellently and
God the Father Secondly the Observations follow 1. Even our holinesse administers matter of humility Obs 1. Our very graces should humble us as well as our sins as these later because they are ours so the former because they are none of ours Sanctity is adventitious to Nature Heretofore holinesse was naturall and sin was accidentall now sin is naturall and holinesse accidentall when God made any of us his garden he took us out of Satans waste ws are not born Saints the best before sanctification are bad and by nature not differing from the worst the members that God accepts to be weapons of righteousnesse were before blunted in Satans service when God sanctifieth us he melteth idols and makes of them vessels for his own use Before any becomes as an Israelites wife he is as a captive unpared unwash'd unshaven Sanctification is a great blessing but was this web woven out of thine own bowels the best thou didst bring to thine own sanctification was a passive receptivenesse of it which the very worst of heathens partake of in common with thee having a humane nature a rationall soul and was there not with that a corrupt principle of opposition to God and all the workings of God was not God long striving with a cross-grain'd heart how many denyals had God before he did win thee to himself How far was the iron gate of thy heart from opening of its own accord and if he had not wrought like a God omnipotently and with the same power wherewith Christ was raised Eph. 1.19 20. had thy resistence been ever subdued and when the being of grace was bestowed from whence had thy grace at any time its acting Didst thou ever write one letter without Gods guiding thy hand didst thou ever shed one penitentiall tear till God unstop'd thy spouts smote thy rock and melted thy heart didst thou hunger after Christ till God who gave the food gave the stomack also Was ever tentation resisted grace quickned corruption mortified holy resolution strengthened power either to do or will received from any but from God Doth not every grace the whole frame of sanctification depend upon God as the stream on the fountain the beam on the Sun when he withdraws his influence how dead is thy heart in every holy performance onely when he speaks the word effectually bidding thee go thou goest and do this or that thou dost it 2. Obs 2. The reason why all graces of a sanctified person are for God they are from him Gods bounty is their fountain and Gods glory must be their center He planted the Vineyard and therefore he must drink the wine We are his wormanship and therefore we must be his workmen All our pleasant fruits must be laid up and out for our well-beloved All things but particularly our graces are from him and for him we can never give him more or other then his own when we give all we can The streames will rise as high as the fountain head and so should our graces ascend as high in duty as he who gave them Where should God have service if a sanctified person denyes it 3. Obs 3. From this Author of Sanctification I note t s excellency and worth It s a rare work certainly that hath such a workman a beauteous structure that hath such a builder What is a man to be desired for but his sanctification if we see a beauty on that body which hath a soul how much more on that soul that hath the reflexion of God himself upon it Every Saint is a woodden casket fill'd with pearls The Kings daughter is all glorius within Love Jesus Christ in his worky-day clothes admire him in his Saints though they be black yet they are comely Did the people of God but contemplate one anothers graces could there be that reproaching scorn and contempt cast upon one another that there is Certainly their ignorance of their true excellency makes them enemies they strike one another in the dark 4. Obs 4. Great must be the love that God bears to Sanctification It s a work of his own framing a gift of his own bestowing God saw that the work of the first creation was very good much more that of the second Wonder no more that the faithfull are call'd his garden his Jewels his Treasure his Temple his Portion God hath two heavens and the sanctified soul is the lesser How doth he accept of Saints even in their imperfections delight in their performances pity them in their troubles take care of them in dangers He that hath given his Son for them promised heaven to them and sent his Spirit into them what can he deny them Jesus Christ never admired any thing but grace when he was upon the earth the buildings of the Temple he contemned in comparison of the faith of a poor trembling woman Certainly the people of God should not sleight those graces in themselves that God doth so value as they do when they acknowledge not the holinesse that God hath bestowed upon them Shall they make orts of those delicates that Jesus Christ accounts an excellent banquet 5. The love of God is expressive Obs 5. really and effectually in us and upon us even in sanctifying us Creatures when they love will not put off one another with bare words of bidding be clothed sed c. much lesse doth God If there be love in his heart there will be bounty in his hand Thou sayst that God is mercifull and loves thee why what did he ever do for thee work in thee hath he changed thy nature mortified thy lusts beautified thy heart with holinesse Where God loves be affords love-tokens and such are onely his soul-enriching graces No man knows love or hatred by what he sees before him but by what he findes in him If our heart moves toward God certainly his goeth out toward us the shadow upon the Dyall moves according to the motion of the Sun in the Heaven 6. Obs 6. We are to repair in our wants of Sanctification to God for supply He is the God of grace The Lord will give grace and glory He hath the key of the womb the grave the heavens but chiefly of the heart He that sitteth in heaven can onely teach and touch the heart How feeble a thing and unable is man whether thy self or the Minister to do this He hath the windes in his own keeping and till he send them out of his treasury how necessarily must thy soul lye wind-bound Whither shouldst thou goe but to him and how canst thou go but by him The means of grace are to be used in obedience to him Parum prodest Lectio quam non illuminat Oratio not in dependancy upon them A golden key cannot open without him and a woodden can open with him Man may with the Prophets servant lay the staff upon the fore-head but God must give life How many fat and rich Ordinances have been
devoured the soul after all remaining as lean as before for want of seeking God aright for a blessing 7. Obs 7. I observe How carefull we should be to maintain that which God hath set up in us and how fearfull lest it should be pul'd down by Satan Christ destroys the works of the Divel and Satan labours to oppose the work of Christ Every plant indeed that God hath not planted is to be pluck'd up but the plants that Gods own hand hath planted are to be nourished What God hath joyned together none should separate Grace and the Soul are of Gods joyning together Who laments not the destruction of mans workmanship the overthrow and demolishing of beutifull buildings the rooting up of corn-field and pleasant gardens by Swine But what are these to the destructions made by sin in the hearts and lives of people Who can give way to sin but it must be with a sinfull patience Keep thy heart with all diligence Pro. 4.23 the best endowment is to be most carefully preserved Who loves not to keep his body healthfull and yet who regards the keeping of his soul holy The whole Trinity of Persons adorn the heart with holinesse every of them is to have a corner in it nay the whole Let not Satan have wells which he never digg'd inhabit houses which he never built If the Philistims tread not on the threshold on which Dagon fell let not Satan lodg in the heart that God fanctifieth This for the first Branch considerable in the description of the parties to whom the Apostle wrote Sanctified by God the Father The second follows Preserved in Christ Jesus The second branch of the description of the faithful to whom Jude wrote Wherein I consider two particulars 1. A priviledge or enjoyment received viz. Preservation Preserved c. 2. The means or way of enjoying it and that was In Christ Jesus Of both these briefly 1. The Priviledge bestowed is Preservation To them that are preserved c. In the handling whereof I shall briefly give 1. The Explication of it 2. The Observations from it 1. For the Explication The word used by the Apostle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies solicitously to be kept as a thing lest it be lost or taken away by others 1 Joh. 5.18 it s spoken of a regenerate persons keeping himself from being touch'd by the wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keepeth himself as with watch and ward gardeth himself so accurately as he that watcheth a prisoner for fear of his escape So Act. 4.3 it s said the Apostles were put by the Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hold So Act. 5.18 they put them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in prison And of these preserved ones it s said They are kept by the power of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept as a Town is kept with a garison from the enemies praesidio circumvallati Conservati nè decepti à seductoribus pereant Estius in loc incircled with a military strength so are these Saints preserved by Christ lest being deceived by Seducers they should perish This preservation of the Godly is three-fold 1. Temporall and of the Body 2. Spirituall chiefly of the Soul 3. Eternall of both in heaven 1. The first though it be not here intended as indeed being frequently denyed to the faithfull yet it s often in Scripture bestōwed upon them and that severall wayes sometimes when their enemies want means to effect their desires upon them 2 Sam. 8.2 1 Sam. 24.27 Judg. 7.22 2 Sam. 17.16 though they have poyson yet no power no arms or instruments of force or when the enemies of the Church have outward strengths and forces but are diverted another way by reason of enemies coming against them from an other place or when the enemies spend their hatred and forces upon one another or when their forces are by the providence of God timely discovered so that the people of God taking refuge in some place of security strength or distance the enemy cannot at all come at them or when there is such a curb of restraint put upon the spirits of enemies as though they finde them and have them in their hand yet they shall not be able to put forth their inward poyson against them Dan. 3.26 thus even the naturall force of fire seas beasts shall be bridled up when God will from hurting his people 2 King 7.6 or when the enemes of the Church are discomfited either by their own preposterous fear or oversight Judg. 5.20 or the instrumentalnesse of the senselesse creatures against them or the puissance of the Churches forces not onely spirituall 2 Sam. 17.23 but even visible and worldly or when the faithfull being taken are delivered out of their hand by making escape Gen. 33. or when God makes an enemy of his Church to be his own destroyer to twist and use his own halter or when God enclines the hearts and dispositions of the haters of his people to pity tender and favour them though they be far from love to their grace or when God works a really sanctifying change upon their hearts Act. 16.31 making them to wash the stripes and lick the wounds whole which they have made or when God takes his people out of this life from the evill to come housing his flock against a storm taking down his ornaments when he purposeth to destroy the house and this he ordinarily doth by a natural death though he can translate his people and take body and soul immediatly into heaven as in the case of Elijah 2. But principally the care of God is in this life expressed toward his people in spirituall preservation This spirituall preservation of beleevers in this life is 1. From punishment The curse of the Law the wrath of God Gal. 3.13 Not from the Law of God as giving precepts but as being a Covenant Rom. 6.14 1 Tim. 1.9 exacting perfect obedience and condemning for a not perfect performance From the terrour of the law forcing for fear of punishment as bondslaves by the whip Rom. 8.15 the people of God being made a voluntary people Psal 110.3 and worshipping God without servile fear The faithfull also are preserved from the guilt and condemning power of sin Eph. 1.7 2 Cor. 5.19 God not imputing their trespasses Preserved from the curse of all externall punishments as they are the effects of vengeance Sin may be and may not be in the godly it is in them by habitation not by dominion so punishments are on them and are not on them on them as sensible pains on them as castigations to better them on them as consequents of sin and Gods expression of his dislike of sin not on them as curses not on them to satisfie wrath The wrath of God lies not upon them when the hand of God lies upon them Every affliction is medicina not laniena sent to kill sin not the man the