be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto Him Lev. 10.3 and will have every one that names Him their own God and Father to depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 for so doth the Apostle reason here If ye call on the Father or if ye name Him Father passe the time of your sojourning in fear 2. As those who may call God their Father will not want their own pressing necessities which will put them to cry to Him as men do in greatest extremities as the word here signifies So under the greatest of these they should still maintain the faith of that standing relation betwixt Him and them and deal with Him in earnestness and confidence of His help as with a Father as is imported in this If ye call on the Father 3. While we take up the Lord under this sweet relation of a Father to us in Christ which may beget in our hearts familiarity with Him and confidence of obtaining necessary help from Him we ought also to cherish other considerations of Him and look upon Him as standing in other relations to us especially that of a Judge that so our hearts may be kept in awe and fear of offending Him and our homliness may not mar our reverence for the Apostle holdeth forth both these relations betwixt the Lord and his Children to be joyntly considered by them If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth 4. The Lord is both an impartial Judge who cannot be byassed either with the expectation of any benefit or terrified by the apprehension of any hazard from creatures Job 35.7 8. and likewise so exact in judging that neither person nor action can escape his judgment for without respect of persons he judgeth according to every mans work saith the Apostle 5. There will be no exercise of mercy as it is taken for the pardoning of sin not formerly pardoned at the last reckoning those that are in Christ shall be judged according to His obedience and works which will be reckoned theirs Philip. 3.9 and their good works done in His strength only remembred Rev. 14.13 As for those who never fled to Him they shall be judged according to the strictest rigor of the Law of works Rom. 2.6 8 9. for the Apostle looks mainly to the last judgment while he saith He judgeth every man according to his works 6. The Children of the Lord are pilgrims and strangers in this world and should esteem themselves to be such Heb. 11.13 and therefore should live in fear of snares and hazards as the Apostle here presseth never imitating the fashions of this world Rom. 12.2 satisfying themselves with such sober entertainment as Gods providence brings to their hand upon their journey Heb. 13.5 and still hastning toward their Country Luk. 12.35 for so much doth the Apostle import while he thus expresseth our condition here The time of our sojourning 7. Although they that are fled to Christ ought never to fear any hazard from flesh which may discourage them in the way of their duty Mat. 10.28 nor yet eternal wrath further than to stir them up to renew their flight to Him and to engage them to His service who hath delivered them from it Luk. 1.74 Rom. 8.1 Yet such a fear of offending their Father flowing from the consideration of His excellency Jer. 10.6 7. and of His goodness Hos 3.5 as makes them watchfull against temptations considering their own weakness 2 Cor. 10.12 and quickens them to their duty Heb. 12.28 should be carried along in their hearts thorow their whole time and cherished by the consideration of those relations they have to God as a Father and a Judge If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth c. passe the time of your sojourning here in fear Vers 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers 19. But with the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Here is the seventh motive to the study of holiness taken from that great priviledge of our Redemption which is here described 1. From the price thereof and this the Apostle expresseth negatively that it was not so base as the best of corruptible things such as have sometimes ransomed the greatest of men from outward bondage 2 Kings 18.14 15. and positively that it was the meritorious bloud of the innocent Son of God who was typified by the Paschal Lamb which behoved to be without blemish Exod. 12.5 2. This work of Redemption is described from the effect of it toward the Christian Church and Believers in it to wit That they were therby delivered from that legal dispensation which was altogether unprofitable as the observance thereof had been prest upon them by many of their fathers and from every other sinful course wherein they had been hardened by their fathers example and precepts So the sum of this argument is that since they themselves did take it for granted that they were bought with so excellent a price from so woful a condition they ought therefore to live to the honour of their Redeemer in the study of holiness Hence Learn 1. All that are redeemed by Jesus Christ were once slaves and in bondage to Satan 2 Tim. 2.26 to their own lusts Tit. 3.3 and so under subjection to the wrath of God Eph. 2.3 for Redemption suppones captivity and bondage 2. There could be no freedom of sinners from this bondage but by the paying of a price to offended Justice Gods mercy could not be bestowed upon any sinners the Covenant of works being once made but with the safety and satisfaction of His Justice Rom. 3.25 26. which could not have been except the price had been paid which Justice did require for Redemption suppones also the paying of a price 3. Believers in Jesus Christ are by Him brought to a state of liberty and freedom not from their obedience to His holy Law Luk. 1.74 but from any right Satan had over them before their believing in Him Col. 2.15 from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 and from the dominion and slavery of sin Tit. 2.14 And the whole Church under the New Testament is by Him delivered from the yoke of Mosaical Ceremonies Gal. 5.1 for this priviledge of Redemption imports a state of freedom and liberty 4. Not the most excellent of corruptible things which are most valued among men could be sufficient to be the price of Redemption for sinners one soul being of more worth than all things of that sort Psal 49.7 8. Therefore the Apostle expresseth the price of Redemption negatively Not with corruptible things as silver and gold 5. It is not impossible for sinners to know themselves to be of the number of them that are redeemed by Jesus Christ there being clear marks of such given in Scripture Tit. 2.84 and the Spirit promised that they may know the things
forth the praises of him 8. Even the Elect before conversion are living in grosse ignorance of their own miserable condition and the remedy thereof Eph. 5.8 in the slavery of their lusts Rom. 13.12 They are under a staâ—e of wrath as well as others Eph. 2.3 and so without any true comfort Eph. 2.12 All which in Scripture is frequently set out by this word darkness whereby the Apostle expresseth the state of the Elect before conversion 9. Conversion brings sinners into a state of light which comprehends some clear knowledge of their own misery Rev. 3.18 and the remedy thereof 2 Cor. 4.6 a new and spiritual life communicated to them whereby they are enabled to close with Christ and cleave unto him Joh 18.12 to walk in holiness of life Mat. 5.16 their living in his favour Psal 89.15 their having a right to glory Col. 1.12 and his allowance to rejoyce and comfort themselves in their blessed estate Rom. 5.2 All which are set forth in Scripture by this word whereby the Apostle expresseth the excellent state of Converted Ones Who are called out of darkness into his light 10. The blessed estate of true Converts is much to be admired by them considering the Lords wonderful condescendency in plucking them out of so woful a condition as they were in before his marvellous loving kindness in possessing them in such excellent priviledges as they have in their new state and giving them an undoubted right to so matchless an inheritance as cannot but surpass the power of their understanding to comprehend and so make them wonder at their own happiness which is here called marvellous light 11. The way how the Lord brings his own out of the state of nature which is here called darkness into the state of grace which is called light is by his calling of them by the Gospel 2 Thess 2.14 opening their hearts to receive it by the power of his Spirit comming along with it Act. 16.14 and so powerfully changing them into his own Image 2 Cor. 3.18 Who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light 12. These upon whom the Lord hath wrought this blessed change ought frequently to reflect upon their former woful state that they may be kept humble 1 Cor. 15.9 and compassionate to others who are yet in the like Tit. 3.2 3. and likewise upon their present blessed condition that they may be provoked to praise and to the study of holiness 1 Tim. 1.16 17. for which and the like causes the change of Believers from the one state to the other is here represented to their thoughts that they might shew forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light Vers 10. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which bad not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy Here is a further description of that happy change wrought upon these Christian Hebrews to whom he writeth to wit that they who before their imbracing of the Gospel had not been owned nor dealt with by the Lord as his peculiar People in Covenant with him neither yet had enjoyed any of his special mercies were how made his in a more special way than others and had saving and special mercies offered to all of them and bestowed upon some of them So that Hosea's Prophecy chap. 2.23 concerning the restoring of the Jewish Nation after their rejection for a time had now a begun accomplishment in them especially in those of them who had felt the fore-mentioned remarkable change whereby they should be moved to live to the praise of him that made it Hence Learn 1. When the Lord speaks to his Church in one age or to some particular persons in it he doth often speak also to his Church in after-ages and to all the rest of his People who are to live afterward See Mark 13.37 and Heb. 13.4 compared with Josh 1.6 and therefore it is the duty of all his People to mark how far promises made long since to the Church oâ— particular Believers in it have their accomplishment toward themselves that so they finding what was long since spoken to others made good to them they may be the more affected with that ancient and constant love of God whose thoughts hath been upon them for good while he was speaking to others who lived many ages before them for the Apostle cites and applies this Scripture spoken by Hosea to the People in his time as now verified upon these Christian Hebrews to whom he writeth Which in time past were not a people c. 2. They that would delight in shewing forth the praises of God and have their hearts engaged to the study of holiness must learn to dwell upon the thoughts of their wofull case wherein they were before conversion and upon the blessed state whereunto through Gods mercy they are advanced and often to compare the one with the other that so they may be the more affected with the change and engaged to study his honour that made it for after the Apostle had in the former Verse represented this to their thoughts as a motive to holiness he doth here insist upon and represent the same again by a new enlargement of it which is mainly verified in true Converts Who in time past were not a people but are now the people of God c. Although the elect be the Lord's People from eternity in regard of his purpose of grace toward them Psal 90.1 2 Tim. 1.9 Yet in regard of any actual manifestation of special love to them or of his complacency in them as carrying his Image they are not his People but remain slaves to Satan Eph. 2.2 and to their own lusts Tit. 3.3 until such time as by his power put forth with the preaching of the Law their wofull case be discovered to them Luke 1.17 and by the same power coming along with the preaching of the Gospel they be made willing to accept the offer of Reconciliation through Jesus Christ Psal 110.3 and thereby also be fitted for the duties of new obedience for the honour of Christ Isa 43.21 All which as the places cited prove are marks of them whom he doth in a special way own for his People for of the chosen Generation the Apostle thus speaketh in reference to their state before and after conversion VVhich in time past were not a people but are now the people of God 4. Though there be not a sinner in the world who hath not many mercies of God freely bestowed upon him Psal 145.9 and many deserved strokes kept off him Rom. 2.3 Yet even the Elect before their conversion have not obtained that special mercy whereby their sins are actually pardoned Act. 3.19 and whereby the Lord hath complacency in them Ezek. 16.8 and so they cannot be justified actually from eternity for only of true Converts is the Apostle's speech here principally to be understood while he saith That in time past to
in it Hence we may Learn 1. The way to make Christians stedfast in the Truth chearful under their sufferings for it and thriving in holinesse is to have their hearts brought to a praising disposition from the consideration of their spirituall priviledges and the excellency of the state of grace wherein they are their hearts being thereby sweetly diverted from sad reflections upon their outward afflictions and strongly incouraged to hold on in the way of truth and holinesse notwithstanding of all discouragements for the Apostle's scope being to confirm and comfort sufferers and to provoke them to the study of holinesse he labours first of all to engage their hearts to this exercise of praise by raising this Psalm before them Blessed be the God and Father c. 2. They are fittest to chear up the hearts of others to spirituall joy and praise who have their own hearts kept so sensible of the excellent state of Believers because of their spirituall priviledges that they are ready to burst forth in the praises of God themselves and go before others in that exercise as they have a calling and opportunity for the Apostle being to comfort those heavy hearted exiles under their sufferings and provoke them to praise hath his own heart so full that he must break forth in singing before them Blessed be the God and Father c. 3. Our praise or blessing of God is not any addition of blessednesse to him who is in that respect especially above all blessing and praise Neh. 9.5 but it is only our acknowledgment of his praise-worthy perfections and of his goodnesse to sinners that they may fall in love with him and joyn with us in the same acknowledgment for that word which is translated Blessing of God in the New Testament signifies to speak well of him 4. Of all the spirituall priviledges bestowed upon sinners in time which call them to joy and praise the first and principall is their Regeneration whereby they who are dead in sins and trespasses and born heirs of Gods curse have a new life communicated to them Eph. 2.1 3. and such heavenly qualities stamped upon their soul as makes them in some measure resemble their heavenly Father Eph. 4.24 for the Apostle puts our Regeneration for the first reason of this song Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us again 5. This change of a sinners nature which is made in Regeneration is the alone work of the omnipotent God as the principall and efficient cause wherein he makes use of men as instruments in his hand 1 Cor. 4.15 and of the Word from them as his means Jam. 1.18 There being no more power in man naturally to work this change in himself than can be imagined in any man to have begotten himself Therefore is it set forth here by such a word as may lead all the Regenerate to consider themselves as wholly passive when first this change is made upon them Blessed be the God c. who hath begotten us again 6. It doth exceedingly commend the free love of God in making this change upon sinners and may much highten in their hearts the esteem of his work that He who hath such a Son as Jesus Christ who was and is his peer and equal Philip. 2.6 the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 and his full delight Prov. 8.30 should have vouchsafed upon such unworthy things as we are so sweet and honourable a relation to himself and that blessed Son of his as is imported in this his begetting of us again the esteem whereof the Apostle heightens in his own heart and in the hearts of the Regenerate by this That it is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us again 7. The Lord is not moved to bestow his grace upon sinners by any goodnesse which he did foresee or find in them seing none can give first to him Rom. 11.35 nor be profitable to him Job 22.2 who needeth nothing from any Act. 17.25 but only by his own mercy which is that lovely property whereby he is strongly inclined to let out of his goodnesse to unworthy and miserable sinners who deserve the contrary from him for here Mercy is made the alone and sufficient motive of our regeneration while the Apostle saith According to his mercy he hath begotten us 8. That mercy which moves the Lord to work a saving change upon any sinner is both very plentiful for the quantity of it and most excellent for the quality of it and it must be so there being so many provocations found and foreseen in sinners which only plentiful mercy can overcome Isa 48.8 and so many excellent favours to be bestowed upon the Regenerate as never entered in their hearts to conceive 1 Cor. 2.9 that it must be excellent mercy that doth bestow them Therefore that which moves the Lord to regenerate sinners is not simply called Mercy but abundant mercy which in the Original signifies not only the plenty of it for quantity but also the excellency and worth of it for quality 9. The Regenerate come not presently to the possession of what Christ hath purchased for them they must be first tryed whether they will glorifie him by living in the confident expectation of what he hath purchased and promised which is hope flowing from faith and only differing from it in this that faith apprehends the thing promised as if it were present so giving it a spiritual kind of subsistance in the soul Heb. 11.1 and hope makes the heart with some measure of chearfull patience expect that good which it looks upon as absent for the time Rom. 8.25 for the want of possession for a time after regeneration is imported in this that we are begotten again unto a lively hope 10. Before the Lord make this powerful change upon sinners in regeneration they are altogether without any true and well-grounded hope of a better life than this what-ever strong and groundlesse presumptions thereof they may entertain for so much is supposed in this that we are begotten again unto a lively hope 11. All that have gotten a new life and nature from the Lord in â—â—generation have gotten therewith this grace of hope 〈◊〉 have his allowance to keep up their hearts in the expâ—â—◠〈◊〉 of all that he hath promised and though theâ—cy â—â—rance and unbelief doth often maâ— the exercise 〈…〉 Lam. 3.18 yet they must again attain unâ—◠〈…〉 â—easure of the exercise thereof Lam. 3.24 it beâ—â—â—cial act of the new life which is given in regeneraâ—◠〈◊〉 and is here made the immediate effect of it as is â—â—orted in this He hath begotten us again unto a lively 〈◊〉 12. The hope of the Regenerate is a lively hope â—ickening them in the use of all means for attaining to â—hat they hope for Heb. 12.28 and for keeping of themselves free of every thing unsuitable for them who are born to so great hopes 1 Joh. 3.3 for it
inexcusable who except they will exclude themselves are not excluded by such large expressions of the grace of God as are here He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 6. All those whom the Lord mindeth to save in an ordinary way are first brought by Him to a sensible sight of sin and deserved wrath and to such apprehensions of mercy in God for them through Jesus Christ as maketh them turn in to Him grieving for and forsaking their sins and giving up themselves to His service for those whom He willeth not to perish He willeth and maketh to come to repentance Vers 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the Earth also and the works that are therein shall he burnt up The third thing whereby the Apostle laboureth to satisfie the Godly anent the delay of the day of judgment is That that day will be very unexpected and terrible to secure sinners as the coming of a thief in the night useth to be to a sleeping family and that there will be then a great change and dissolution of the whole frame of Nature and of all things wherein most men place their happinesse the inference from which not being exprest but to be collected from the Apostle's scope is That it is the wisdom of the Lord's People rather to prepare for that day than to complain of the delay or to be anxious concerning it Doct. 1. Similitudes made use of in Scripture do not justifie the actions of men whence these similitudes are taken only they do much commend to us the Lord's condescendency and desire to have us taking up His mind while He dimitteth Himself for our capacity to compare His most just and holy actions to these actions among men which are most abominable and hatefull to Him Therefore is the suddenty and terror of Christ's second coming set forth here by the coming of a thief in the night which practice though it be in it self sinfull and condemned by the Lord Yet it is made use of by Him because the terror and suddennesse of it is so well known to men that they may by it the better conceive the manner of Christ's second coming But the day of the Lord will come as a chief in the night 2. Christ's coming at the last day will be a great surprisal to the most part of the children of men who will not be wakened out of their security by the Word to make preparation for it As for these fore-going signs of that day which the Scripture speaketh of such as the destruction of Antichrist the conversion of the Jews and that great alteration of the whole course of Nature some of them may be done in so little time and so immediatly before that day and others of them so little taken notice of or believed as signs of that day that notwithstanding of them all the most part shall be surprized with it as with the coming of a thief in the night 3. That day of judgment will be a most terrible day to all who do not expect and prepare for it There will be a strange sight and a dreadfull noise when this great Workmanship being on fire shall all rush down and all the delights of wicked men shall be burnt up before their eyes The Lord thereby testifying His displeasure against mens placing their happinesse in these things and their defiling of them by making them subservient to their lusts mean time signifying His purpose to give a more cleanly and glorious Mansion to His own to dwell in In that day the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up As for questions which may be stated here it is much more safe for us to give time and pains that we may be found of Him in peace at that day than to be taken up in enquiring and determining whether the visible Heavens and the Earth and the rest of the creatures of that kind shall then be totally and for ever annihilated or whether there shall be a new edition of them all or of some of them only to be lasting monuments of the power and glory of the Maker and so ravishing objects of the Saints delight who may through that new world follow the Lamb where-ever He goeth Vers 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse In this second part of the Chapter are contained the several uses which the Apostle draweth from his former Doctrine concerning the last judgment and they are especially six The first which is in this Verse is That the consideration of that day should make all the Lord's People very inquisitive how they may be more and more forth-coming for His honour in the discharge of all the duties of holinesse especially those whereby He may be glorified in their conversation Hence Learn 1. The Ministers of Christ ought not to satisfie themselves to draw the Lord's People to a naked contemplation of the Truth which Hypocrites yea Devils may attain unto Jam. 2.19 But they ought to draw every Truth they propound to them to some practical use for the promoting of holinesse in the hearts and lives of their hearers without which peoples condemnation will be greater than if they had not heard or known these Truths 2 Pet. 2.21 Therefore the Apostle doth not think it enough to have defended by reason the second coming of Christ and to tell them of strange events to fall forth at that day But doth here and to the end of the Chapter apply all to them for their use Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be c 2. The whole creation is now in a manner imprisoned and in bondage while they are abused contrary to their inclination to the service of mens lusts and dishonour of their Maker from which slavery they shall be loosed at Christs coming Rom. 8.21 for the word in the original here is used to signify the loosing of a captive or prisoner out of his bonds Act. 22.30 These things shall be dissolved 3. The consideration of this dissolution of the creatures should make these of the Lord's People that are furthest promoted in holinesse very inquisitive after and still aspiring toward a further degree of holinesse than what they have formerly attained knowing that the greater degree of holinesse they attain unto the more comfort shall they have now and the more glory when Christ cometh for the Apostle putteth this question to his own heart and the hearts of all the Lord's People What manner of persons ought ye to be c 4. That holinesse which should be aimed at by
wit before their conversion they had not obtained mercy 5. The closing of sinners by Faith with Jesus Christ as the Gospel offers him to them doth bring them to a most sweet and excellent state namely to be owned and dealt with by the Lord as his People in a most special manner whom he will never forsake Psal 94.14 and to obtain mercy of him for pardoning their daily sinfulness Mica 7.18 for pitying and supplying as is fitting all their necessities as the word here translated to obtain mercy signifies and for bearing them through all the straits of their life Psal 23 6. and at last crowning them with glory 2 Tim. 1.18 All which is comprehended under this That they are now the people of God and have now obtained mercy 6. Of all miseries that can be exprest to live in an unconverted state under unpardoned sin is the greatest And of all priviledges in this world to be brought out of that state and to obtain mercy is the greatest and the most engaging to the study of holiness for the one is here held forth as the depth of misery and the other as the height of happiness and the change from the one to the other as one of the strongest engagements to duty lying upon those who in time past were not a people but are now the people of God who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy Vers 11. Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul The Apostle repeateth and enlargeth that which he pressed in the first Verse of this Chapter in order to their spiritual growth to wit That they should keep up the battel against their inward unmortified lusts and this is prest by three arguments The first is taken from Christ's affection and the Apostle's toward them as being dearly beloved of both The second from their hard lot in the world that they were strangers and pilgrims which was verified in a special way of these scattered Hebrews to whom he writes And the third is from the hazard of the prevailing of these lusts which is no lesse than the eternal ruine of the soul Hence Learn 1. There doth remain even in those who are far advanced in mortification such swarms of sinfull motions and strong inclinations to evils yet in a great part unmortified in them and so prone are they to give way to them and to fall slack in the battel against them that they have great need of exhortation upon exhortation and of one motive upon the back of another to stir them up to that exercise for even these whom the Apostle supponed to have made some progress in mortification Chap. 1. ver 22. and whom he had exhorted to further progress therein in the first Verse of this Chapter he doth here again exhort very earnestly to the same by several arguments Dearly beloved I beseech you abstain from fleshly lusts c. 2. True mortification of sin consisteth not only in abstenance from the outward acts thereof but in the weakning of the root and power of sin within and the inclinations and desires of the soul after the acting thereof which are here called fleshly lusts in regard they tend to the gratifying and pleasing of the flesh and are acted by the outward man abstain from fleshly lusts 3. The best way for Believers to fit themselves for the shewing forth of the praises of God in their practise is To set about the mortifying of those motions and inclinations to sin that remain in their heart these being the cause of all the out-breakings which dishonour God in their conversation Jam. 4.1 for this exhortation may safely be taken as the mean of attaining to that which is the great end of Christians calling exprest in the former Verse That they may shew forth his praise they must abstain from fleshly lusts 4. The love of the Lord manifested toward sinners should be a very strong argument to move them to fight against these lusts which dishonour him and mar the sense of his love and the further manifestation thereof for this stile Dearly beloved may be taken as an argument to the duty prest and understood mainly of the love of God to his People because the Apostle Paul Rom. 9.25 citing the place which this Apostle cited immediatly before doth find in it this stile in reference to God and therefore this Apostle may be conceived to make use of it here in the same sense as a motive to the study of mortification Dearly beloved abstain c. 5. Those who presse people to the mortifying of their beloved lusts had need not only to entertain much love to them in their hearts that so they may deal earnestly with them but likewise by some prudent expressions of their love to them insinuate themselves upon their affections that so the stirring of their passions which are ready to rise when unmortified corruptions are touched both in good 2 Chron. 16.10 and bad Mat. 14.4 5. may be prevented Therfore the Apostle breaths forth his affection to this People which may be safely taken to be also comprehended in this compellation as following after Christ and moving the Apostle to much earnestness Dearly beloved I beseech you abstain c. 6. As it may be the lot of those who in regard of their right to the Covenant of Grace and the benefits thereof are no more strangers and foreiners but fellow-citizens of the Saints and of the Houshold of God to be separated from their native Country as these Christian Hebrews were to whom this is spoken So what ever their condition in the world be they ought to esteem and confess themselves as the best of God's Saints have done Heb. 11.13 strangers and pilgrims who are absent from their own Country 2 Cor. 5.6 and may expect hard usage in their way Gen. 31.15 who ought to lay aside every thing that may hinder them in their journey Heb. 12.1 and have their hearts still homward Heb. 11.16 who should take little pleasure in the delights that offer themselves in the course of their pilgrimage Gen. 23.4 and esteem it a great honour to get leave to do any piece of service to God while they are upon their journey 1 Chron. 29.15 and should count much of any mercifull providence they meet with Ruth 2.10 and make their case an argument to God for his pity and kindness Psal 119.19 and a motive to themselves to abstain from every thing that may hinder them in their journey homward for this is brought in by the Apostle as an argument to all the duties of holiness and especially to the study of mortification that they were strangers and pilgrims 7. The inward motions of unmortified corruptions which are in the Godly do not only fight against the welfare of their bodies Prov. 14. 30. against that light and knowledge of God which is in their understandings Rom. 7.23 and against the graces and motions of God's
no provision for a better they do declare that they undervalue the forgivenesse of sins 〈◊〉 for when the esteem of forgivenesse doth not stir up to thankfulnesse and holinesse God esteemeth it forgotten And he that walketh as if he forgot himself to be pardoned cannot comfortably conclude himself to be such a one however he may be esteemed and spoken of by the best as one that hath been purged from his old sins 3. As sins once committed ought still to be esteemed old as rags that are cast off or vomits never to be licked up again So all that either are or do professe or esteem themselves to be pardoned ought to keep the sensible remembrance of the Lord 's pardoning mercy so fresh in their hearts as they may be daily renewing their repentance for their old sins their thankfulness for the forgiveness of them and watchfulness against the like the lack of which lively exercises even in real Believers proveth them to be much forgetful that they have been purged from their old sins Vers 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall Followeth the third and fourth motives to diligence and growth in grace The one is The more of these a Christian attain unto the more shall be his clearnesse and certainty that he was from eternity chosen to life and is in time effectually called The other is That by this means he shall be kept from Apostasie and yeelding to temptations by the way From the third motive Learn 1. Although the election and effectual calling of every soul fled to Christ can be no surer than they are in themselves Rom. 11.29 2 Tim. 2.19 Yet may those priviledges be very unsure and unclear to the apprehension of these that are both chosen and called Therefore they are here exhorted to make them sure 2. As some comfortable measure of the certainty of both may be attained to even by ordinary Believers So this jewel of Assurance doth not fall in the lap of any lazie soul nor can any expect to attain to it or yet to entertain it in whose hearts grace is without exercise and whose conversation is without fruitfulnesse for so the Apostle exhorteth to give all diligence to make them sure importing that without that diligence they cannot be made sure to our hearts From the fourth motive Learn 1. Although none that are chosen and called can finally or totally fall away from grace Yet are they of themselves subject so to do and may actually fall in foul and scandalous sins for a time so much is supposed in this argument to diligence If you do these things ye shall never fall 2. The Lord's way of preserving His own from falling is by helping them to exercise their faith and other graces before named and to entertain so much of the fear of falling finally or scandalously as stirreth them up to give all diligence that their falling either wayes may be prevented for the hazard of falling is here made a motive to stir up Believers to diligence and exercise of grace Vers 11. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Here is the fifth motive The life of a Christian growing in grace and diligent in duties shall be to him a begun Heaven upon Earth his clearnesse concerning his right to it and his feeling of the first fruits of it being a begun entry into Heaven and the blessing of God upon his pains Hence Learn 1. There is a beginning of Heaven to be had in this life even such a clear sight by faith in the VVord of God reconciled with us in Christ and such fore-tasts of that sweet life we shall have with Him for ever as filleth the heart sometimes with comfort makes duties and difficulties easie as if a Christian were walking in the entry or pâ—rch of Heaven and stepping-in at the open gate thereof Psal 63.5 6. Philip. 3.20 which is to have an entrance abundantly ministred unto us in that everlasting Kingdom 2. As the reward of wel-doing here and hereafter may be proposed to Believers and looked upon by them as a motive to diligence and growth in grace So the only way to win to the beginning of that sweet life here and the full possession of it hereafter is activity in duties and keeping grace in lively exercise for the Apostle doth propose sweet first-fruits to be had here and an eternal reign in Christ's company for ever hereafter as a motive to diligence and the study of growth without which neither can be expected for So saith he an entrance shall be ministred c. Vers 12. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things though ye know them and be established in the present Truth As a sixth motive the Apostle applieth his own Doctrine pressing growth and diligence to himself in his Calling as a Minister That since the hazard of negligence and the vantage of diligence was so great as he had cleared therefore he himself would not be negligent in his duty of stirring them up to diligence although he supposed many of them to be both discerning and solid Christians by reason whereof they might conceive so much pressing needlesse Hence Learn 1. While a Minister presseth duties upon People by arguments or motives he ought to apply these motives to himself for his own up-stirring in the duties of his Calling So doth the Apostle here while he saith Wherefore to wit because of the motives whereby I pressed diligence upon you I will not be negligent 2. One kindly motive of a Minister's diligence and earnestnesse with People is the sense he hath of the hazard or benefit may come to souls by slighting or obeying the Truths and Duties pressed So is it with the Apostle here as his own hazard and vantage stirreth him up So his consideration of their hazard and advantage maketh him stir them up 3. As it is the duty and commendation of Christians not to be still fluctuating and unfixed in matters of opinion or practice in Religion So neither the promise of the Spirit to bring all things to their remembrance nor Peoples great knowledge and setlednesse in the Truth doth put them beyond the need of the daily pains of Ministers whose work is not only to point out Believers Priviledges and to inform them of what they know not But to inculcate clear and presse known Truths and Duties even upon discerning and stablished Christians whose imperfection in knowledge forgetfulnesse lazinesse formality and oftentimes conceit that much pressing of known Truths and Duties is needlesse doth require that they should be put in mind though they know and be established in these things Vers 13. Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance The seventh motive serveth both to
numerous party to back them in their soul-destroying courses 2. That they and their followers should prevail to bring saving Truth in disgrace among many Doct. 1. It is not strange to see the most dangerous Hereticks have many followers every error being a friend to some lust 2 Tim. 4.3 and having often more of prosperity and applause attending it than Truth 1 Cor. 4.8 10. and because of the activity and fair pretences of them that vent it Mat. 23.15 Rom. 16.18 for these and the like causes many shall follow their pernicious wayes 2. They that are loft of God to the leading of the spirit of error do not only enslave their judgments to their seducers But do also give up themselves to back them in all the courses they take to propagate their errors and increase their faction even although these courses no lesse than their errors be destructive to the honour of Christ and welfare of souls for the Apostle saith Many shall follow not only their errors which he called damnable before but their wayes which are called pernicious 3. As error is received Truth goeth out of request the lovers thereof bending all their wit to disgrace those Truths that discover the vilenesse of their errors Rom. 3.8 and to raise and keep up hot contests among the Professors of the Gospel Gal. 1.7 thereby giving occasion to a third party who resolve to side with none but to slander or as the word is blaspheme the whole profession of Christianity Rom. 2.24 for the Apostle here makes the slander of Truth the consequence of embracing error and doth point at a third party who would take occasion from Hereticks prevailing to slander the Truth By reason of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of Vers 3. And through covetousnesse shall they with fained words make merchandise of you whose judgment now of a long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not Followeth the way how these false teachers came to have so great successe held forth in two branches 1. Their immoderate desire of gain and glory made them very industrious And 2. their figurative or plaistered language as the word signifieth made them easily gain a number of poor souls to be compleatly at their disposal as wares are under the power of the Merchant that hath bought them for which dealing he doth forewarn that God's watchfull providence was framing His decreed judgments for them Hence Learn 1. However they that seduce fouls by error may seem to be the most mortified men in the world Col. 2.23 and most desirous of the good of souls Gal. 4.17 Yet is the rise of all their pains with people from some unmortified lust such as the immoderate desire of gain or applause for the Spirit of the Lord is in this to be believed what ever they pretend that through covetousnesse make merchandise of His People 2. False teachers are in their way of dealing with souls very like unto cheating Merchants 1. in their using of much fair and plaistred language to commend their errors 2. In their activity and stirring from place to place as the word in the Original of making merchandise doth signifie to vent them And 3. in their unsatisfiableness till their followers become their compleat slaves both in judgment and practice All which is held forth as clear resemblances betwixt them and cheating Merchants in these words With fained words shall they make merchandise of you 3. However the judgment of such men be hardly believed because of their successe and fair pretences and may be long suspended for the exercise of the Godly and punishment of those who receive not the love of the Truth with strong delusion Yet it is most certain according to the foreknowledge and decree of God it is swiftly approaching and shall light upon them by way of surprizal for their judgment now of a long time lingreth not and their damnation slumbreth not Vers 4. For if God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into chains of darknesse to be reserved unto judgment The Apostle proveth the certainty of the judgment threatned against these false teachers by a threefold instance in this and the following Verses The substance of the first which is in this Verse is That if the holy Lord did not spare the Angels His most glorious Creatures when they sinned against Him but did presently imprison them in the pit of Hell reserving them for further judgment These false teachers and their followers have no reason to dream of exemption Which conclusion flowing from this and the following instances the Apostle findeth not necessary to expresse but leaveth to their own conscience to infer Doct. 1. Although it be ordinary for sinners to harden themselves against threatnings because of their excellencies and priviledges conferred upon them by the Lord Rev. 18.7 Yet nothing of that kind can shelter them from the wrath of a provoked God but the more of these gifts there be and be abused the greater measure of wrath may be expected Therefore is the judgment of God upon these excellent and priviledged Creatures the Angels brought to prove the certainty of the like wrath to come upon false teachers who by reason of their excellent enducments and esteem in the Church were ready to make light of the Apostle's threatnings If God spared not the Angels c. 2. It ought to be esteemed marvelous mercy in God that He doth not presently thrust sinners down to Hell when they provoke Him and much more that He hath provided a remedy and offers pardon to them Every moments sparing after the comission of sin should be thought wonderfull indulgence in God who spared not the Angels but as the words in the Original will bear imprisoned them while they were sinning secluding them from all possibility or hopes of recovery for ever He spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into chains c. 3. The fallen Angels who are the Devils are under such a powerfull restraint of Divine Providence that they cannot move or act any thing but in so far as the Lord 's holy Justice and Wisdom permitteth and ordereth them for the punishment of the wicked or exercise of the Godly for they are reserved in chains of darknesse which are nothing else but God's irresistible Power and terrible Justice over-ruling tormenting and restraining them 4. Although the Devils when they are permitted can appear visibly as if they were at their own liberty and can seem jovial as if they were free of torment 1 Sam. 28.13 that so they may the more effectually prevail with such poorslaves as have provoked God to give them up to their delusion Yet go where they will their Hell is alwayes with them they live in the constant feeling of the wrath of the Almighty as their being delivered in chains of darkness doth import and in the dreadful expectation of a more high measure of
wrath which they shall get at the day of judgment when they together with all that serve them and follow their counsel shall have nothing else to do but endure torment and shall torment one another for ever for they are delivered in chains of darknesse to be reserved unto judgment Vers 5. and spared not the old World but saved Noah the eighth person a Preacher of righteousnesse bringing in the floud upon the world of the ungodly Followeth the second instance to prove the certainty of God's judgment to come upon these soul-deceivers whereof the sum is That if the old World notwithstanding of their multitude and their long and great prosperity were all excepting a few swept away with the sloud because of their wickednesse those false teachers notwithstanding their multitude of followers and long successe in propagating their errors have no reason to imagine to themselves an escape from the wrath of God with which instance the Apostle doth intermix the example of Noah's preservation as a pledge of the Lord's respect to all who keep the way of Truth and Holinesse in an evil time as is clear by comparing this and the 9. Verse Although there were seven preserved from the sloud beside Noah who is therefore called the eight Yet he only is named because he was mainly respected in that deliverance and the rest for his cause He is called a Preacher of Righteousnesse because even in that time he did hold forth to the people the way of free justification by the Righteousnesse of Christ and the duties of holinesse wherein justified persons ought to walk with both which Noah hath been well acquainted as is clear by comparing Heb. 11.7 with Gen. 6.9 Hence Learn 〈◊〉 Theâ—e are not a few shifts in the hearts of wicked men prospering in their sinful courses whereby 〈◊〉 harden themselves against the threatnings of the Word of the Lord and put the thoughts of His wrath far away from them for after the Apostle hath by the former instance of God's judgment upon the fallen Angels cutted off the hopes of false teachers evading the wrath of God because of any pretended or real excellency they had he doth by this instance prove that neither their multitude of followers not former successe could avail them since God spared not the old World 2. As the Lord useth in times of greatest defection to profanity or error to preserve a few who will bear testimony for His Truth and against the dishonour done to Him by others So He is never so terrible to the wicked but that He will remember to manifest His respect to His own few amongst them who labour to keep themselves free of and mourn for these abominations which provoke Him to let forth His terror For Noah in this instance and Lot in the following are brought in as pledges of a few whom the Lord minded to preserve from that universal infection of error and vilenesse which was to prevail in the Church of the New Testament and whom He minded also to deliver from the plagues to follow thereupon as appears from ver 9. But saved Noah the eighth c. 3. Even in the very infancy of the Church under the Old Testament the way of justification by Christ's Righteousnesse hath been publickly preached and the duties of holinesse prest upon justified persons the study of both which ought alwayes to be much prest upon people by the Ministers of Christ especially in a time of abounding of iniquity and approaching of judgment as the only way to be hid from wrath and enjoy communion with God for Noah in such a time was a Preacher of Righteousnesse both imputed and inherent as was cleared in the Exposition of this Verse 4. The Lord in the dispensation of His Justice is not bound to keep the ordinary course of nature but for the illustration thereof 〈◊〉 may and sometimes doth make the creatures moâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to their nature there being in them all a stronger â—â—â—pension so to do for their Maker's service than to move according to their ordinary course in serving their fellow-creatures to His dishonour for here in this instance the Sea cometh out of its channel at His Command to drown a profane World and in the following instance the Fire cometh down out of its region to burn up filthy Cities Bringing in the floud upon the world of the ungodly Vers 6. And turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorra into ashes condemned them with an overthrow making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly Here is the third instance confirming the certainty of God's dreadful reckoning with false teachers and their followers The sum whereof is That if Sodom and Gomorra with other flourishing Cities beside them were for their vilenesse totally and terribly destroyed and so made lasting Copies of Divine wrath to come upon all ungodly persons these soul-deceivers who were guilty of as high provocations and had drawn in their guilt a great number of the Lord's People could not think in reason to escape Hence Learn 1. The judgments of God upon sinful Cities and Incorporations use to be most terrible and exemplary there being in them a confluence of many mercies and so of many provocations powerful examples to sin and bold despising of warnings which provoketh God to make them ensamples of much wrath Turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorra into ashes condemned with a total and singular overthrow as the word signifieth making them ensamples c. 2. The sins of reasonable creatures provoke the Lord to write His displeasure not only upon the persons of the sinners but also upon the sinlesse and unreasonable creatures which they abuse to His dishonour for here the Cities comprehending both the persons of the sinners and all the plantation store and pleasant things of Sodom are burnt to ashes and condemned with an overthâ—â—â— 3. However error or heresie be often looked upon with more charity and lesse abhorrency than profane practices Yet shall not the judgment of Hereticks and their followers be inferiour to the judgment of the vilest of men that ever lived for God's judgment upon Sodom is here brought in as an ensample and pledge of His wrath to come upon all the ungodly amongst whom false teachers and their followers are mainly eyed as is clear by considering the connexion betwixt the third Verse and this 4. However sins and judgments in respect of their special nature and circumstance may vary in several times Yet the desert of every sin and the exactnesse of Divine Justice remaining still thâ— same former judgments of what sort soever executed upon any kind of sinners are certain pledges of the same wrath or the like for substance to come upon all that walk contrary to the Truth and Will of God though they were never so free of these special sins that formerly did procure that wrath Therfore is this instance of Gods judgment upon the Sodomites as also the two former brought in here as