calling and not according to the law of charity which binds us to judg the best of others so far forth as may stand with a good conscience and the word of God Judgment may either be of persons or their practices In persons their future or their present estate is to be considered All judgment of mens future estate is to be forborn God may call the worst as well as thee Three things saith Augustiae are exempted from mans judgment the Scriptures the Counsell of God the Condemnation of any mans person For mens present estate if we see men live in whoredom drunkenness swearing we may judg them wicked while continuing in this estate and that they shall be damned if they repent not We may judg the tree by the fruit and this is not rash judgment because it is not ours but the judgment of the word of God Practices are either good bad indifferent or doubtfull Good actions are to be commended if actions be evil judg the facts not the persons yet study withall to excuse the intention if thou canst not the fact Indifferent or doubtfull actions are to be free from censure Christian liberty exempts our neighbour from censure for the former charity allows us not to be censurers of the later If it be doubtful whether a thing were spoken or done or no or being certain to be done whether well or ill in charity judg the best If a man lay with a betrothed damosel in the fields Deu. 22.26 27 the man was only to die because it was in charity supposed that the damosel cryed the best being supposed in a thing doubtfull In matter of opinion if it be uncertain whether an error or no suspend thy judgment till thou know more certainly thy brother may see as much and if he be more learned more than thy self into that which is doubtfull Our ignorance as men though never so knowing should be a strong bar from rash judgment Besides who are we that judg another mans servant this is to reproach God himself for receiving him We are fellow servants with our brethren not fellow Judges with God we must love not judge one another Our Masters house is to be ordered by our Masters will He who by rash judgement destroyes the good name of another is by some termed the worst of theeves in stealing away that which is better then riches and can never be restor'd and the worst of murderers in killing three at once his own Soul in thus sinning his Neighbour whose name he ruines and the Hearer who receiveth his slanders And yet take away this sinfull censuring from many Professors there will nothing remaine to shew them Religious whereas a Just man is a severe Judg only to himself 4. How happy are they who shall be able to stand in the Judgement I know it 's doubted by some Observ 4. Rev. 20.12 Mat. 10.26 Vid. Aquin. q 87. suppl Est in l. 4. sendist 47. Rom. 8.1.33 whether at the last judgement the sins of the Saints shall come into the judgement of Discussion and Discovery Scripture seems to many most to favour the affirmative but that they shall escape the judgement of condemnation 't is not doubted That sun which discovers the sins of the wicked shall scatter those of the godly There 's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus Who shall lay any thing to their charge The greater their sins are the greater will their deliverance appear The more punishment they deserv'd the more they escape The sins of the Saints will prove as the matter of their songs so the trophees of victorious mercy The wicked shall have judgement with out mercy and the godly shall have mercy in a day of judgement 1 Cor. 11.32 How contentedly may they here undergo that chastisement whereby they escape judgement It 's better to hear the reproofs of a Father then the sentence of a Judge and the correction of a Son is much lighter then the condemnation of a Malefactor It matters not what shall ever be said or done against them to whom Christ shall never say Depart from me Do with me what thou wilt said Luther since thou hast pardoned my sins 5. The greatest enemies of God will be but contemptible creatures at the last judgement What underlings then shall those appear and be who now are principalities and powers Satan who hath had so many followers adorers who now is the Prince of the Aire yea the God of this world shall then openly appear to be a trembling malefactor at the bar of Christ As once Josuahs souldiers set their feet upon the necks of the Canaanitish Kings so the poorest Saint shall at the last judgement trample upon these faln Angels Death speaks the impotency of men but Judgement even that of Angels Legions of Angels shall no more oppose Christ then can a worme all the Angels of heaven Me thinks even all the crowned sceptered adorned adored Monarchs of the world if enermes to Christ should tremble at the approaching of Judgement The greatest safety and honour even of a King will then be to be a subject to Christ and what the Emperor Justinian was wont to call himself the meâ—nest servant of Christ Vltimus Dei servus Robes will then fall off The dimmer light of humane glory will be obscured when the sun of righteousness shal appear Let us neither fear nor admire the greatnesse of any but of Christ much lesse that which is set against Christ How great is the folly of Satans subjects they serve a master who is so far from defending them that he cannot defend himself from Judgement 6. Observ 6. The reason why Satan rageth he knows that his time is but short and after this last judgement his furious and spiteful tentatious shall be ended and he labours to supply the shortnesse of his time with the sharpnesse of his assaults like the besiegers who having often storm'd a Town or a Castle make their last onset the most resolute and terrible A Traveller who desires to go far will go fast if the Sun be neer setting The shortnesse of Satans season occasions his swiftnesse in wickednesse Besides he is in an estate of desperation he knows there 's no possibility of his recovery and as faith is the furtherer of holinesse so is despair of all impiety It was the Logick of despair which argued thus Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die I wonder not that these last are the worst and the most perillous times Satan now strives to add to his number to seduce and pervert souls because after his judgement he shall never be suffered to do so any more At all times holy vigilancy over our hearts and wayes is needfull but in these times wherein Satans judgement draws so neer it should be our care more then ever to keep our hearts with all diligence to beware of seduction and Atheisme and of being led away with the error of
Sum ex reprobis Aug. Observ 5. Justus quis est nisi qui amanti se Deo vicem rependit amoris quod non fit nisi revelante spiritu per fidem homini aeternum Dei propositum super salute sua futura Bern. Ep. 107. Censure thou mayst their actions but not determine their end Many a Saint recollecting how far himselfe was suffered to go before he returned may truely say I le never despair of any for surely Lord there never will be a baser heart then mine for thee to deal with Sinners must have thy pity not thy despair That the end of their wayes will be death it 's thy duty to declare That the end of those who for the present walk in those wayes will be death it 's thy sin thy danger to determine Least of all despair of thine own salvation This conclusion I am one of the reprobates ought to be repelled as a tentation not more groundlesse than dangerous 5. Whosoever is exempted from this appointment to condemnation is engaged to be eminent and singular in his love to God No motive to love is so effectuall as to be prevented by love Gods love to the elect was early eternall They were chosen by God before they could chuse God How due a debt is love to him when we were who loved us without due debt before we were We ought to love him more than others who is incomparably more lovely and who loved us more than others when we were no more lovely than others Should not we single him out for our God who infinitely excels all and who singled us out for his people when we were no better than any What was it beside election that made Saints by grace of sinners by nature and as I may say white paper of the foulest dunghill rags what but this went between the holiest Saint and the most flagitious sinner both were cut off from the same piece and formed out of the same clay 6. Observ 6. Luk. 12.32 Rom. 8.33.35 c. An timendum est ne tunc de se homo desperet quando spes ejus ponenda demonstratur in Deo non autem desperaret si eam in scipso superbissimus infelicissimus poneret Aug. de bon pers l. 2. c. 22. The faithfull may be strongly armed against tentations to despair The decrees of God depend not upon the pleasure of mans but Gods will The Angels and Adam who fell from integrity plainly shew what would become of man who now hath the treachery of sin within him and the battery of tentation without him if divine predestination were removed Forbear then wretched Pelagian to make the supposed dependence of predestination upon mans will a ground of courage and the certain dependence of mans will upon predestination a ground of despair Proud potsheard expect not happinesse without more humility Lord how soon should I embezzel my happinesse and prove a beggerly prodigall shouldst thou give me my portion into mine own hands 7. Observ 7. incite the best to humility He who fares best hath no cause of insultation over him who speeds worst The least mercy deserves thankfulnesse the greatest allowes not pride The reading of what the worst are and shall be should instruct us what the best had been and should be without free-grace which alone makes the difference Col. 3.12 Humble tendernesse is the badge of election as the elect of God put on bowels Grace found the richest Saint but a beggerly sinner Mat. 5.3 1 Cor. 1.27 and grace makes the richest in possession to be poorest in spirit God hath chosen the weak to confound the mighty not the mighty to domineer over the weak Every receipt is an almes and the best furnished Christian doth but proclaim that he hath been oftenest at the door of mercy The taller thou art in grace the more need thou hast to stoop would'st thou enter into the meditation of thy present estate without danger 8. Observ 8. Forbearance of punishment is no argument to the finally impenitent of their totall immunity from punishment They are bill'd and book'd by God and at length God will call in his debts and the longer he stayes with the more interest The judgements of God are sure if they be late With God delay wears nothing out of memory nor is any thing gained by protraction All things to the Ancient of dayes are present How fruitlesse is a sinners league with hell The Lord laugheth at him for he seeth that his day is coming Mundi laetitia impunita nequitia Grudge not to see impenitency and prosperity go together What 's all a sinners mirth but a litle unpunish'd wickednesse The thunder-clap of wrath will soon make his wine of mirth soure He who now goes on so pertinaciously in sin must either undo or be undone His chear may seem excessive but there 's a reckoning coming which though it be the last yet is it as sure as any part of the entertainment 9. Observ 9. Ministers ought not to propound to the people a reprobation absolute from the means Reprobation is not so to be preached as though men were to be damned whatsoever they doe Nempe hoc verissimum est ita sanè sed improbissimum importunissimum incongruentissimum non falso eloquio sed non salubri ter valetudini humanae infirmitatis apposito Aug. de bo per. l. 2. c. 22. but so as that it may be manifested that destruction is the fruit of impiety It 's possible a Minister may preach what is true concerning Gods absolute decree to save and reprobate men and yet not in that due manner in which he ought to speak For example should a minister preach thus to his people Whatsoever you doe ye shall be such as God decreed ye should be c. This is indeed a true doctrine but it seeming to separate the end from the means it is so true that withall as Augustin saith it is most inconvenient and pernicious because it is not wholsomely applied to humane infirmity Now it is the part of an unskilfull Dolosi vel imperiti Medici est etiam utile medicameutum sic alligare ut aut non profit aut obsit Aug. de bo pers l. 2. cap. 21. or deceitfull Physician so to apply a good playster that either it shall do no good or do hurt Therefore Paul speaking of the reprobates whose end is destruction addeth whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame c. and here Jude having said that these seducers were ordayned to condemnation subjoyneth ungodly men who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness To the handling whereof I now proceed This for the first part of the first argument to move the Christians Earnestly to contend c. The Argument is the dangerousness of the company of these seducers The first part whereof was a description of their entrance The Second followes the description of their impiety they having got entrance Two wayes
may prove remembrancers of duty Leah and Alphaeus in imposing names on their Children made use of such as might put Parents and Children another day upon holinesse God call'd Abram Abraham to strengthen his faith Hannah gave the name of Samuel to her son 1 Sam. 1.20 because a son of prayers 'T is good to impose such names as expresse our baptismal promise A good name is as a thread tyed about the finger to make us mindfull of the errand we came into the world to do for our Master 4. Obs 4. Ministers especially ought so to carry themselves as that they may not be ashamed to their names that their name prefix'd may be a crown a credit to their Writings that whensoever their names are spoken of the hearer may bless them that their names may be as a sweet perfume to their actions Many Christians names are so odious that what they say or do is blemish'd because it comes from them it had been good if it had been another's He is a dead man among the living that hath a hatefull name It 's a great mercy when our names out-live us it 's a great punishment when we out-live our names They that honour God shall have the spirit of glory rest upon them He that is a Iude a Confessor of Christ shall never want that honour 5. Obs 5. Wee should not do that which we are asham'd or afraid to own or put our names to I deny not but in some cases it may be lawfull to change our names or forbear to mention them either by tongue or pen but then we should not be put upon such straits by the badnesse of our actions as the most are which we are asham'd to own but by the consideration of Gods glory or the Churches good or our own necessary preservation in time of persecution which may be the more advanced by the concealing of our names Thus Bucer in times of trouble for the Gospel call'd himself Aretius Felinus Calvin's Institutions were printed under the name of Alcuinus But these did not conceal themselves for sin but safety nor yet so much for safety as Gods glory I pass from the Name and I proceed to the second thing in the description of the Author of this Epistle and that was his Office A servant of Iesus Christ Of this 1. By way of Explication 2. By way of Observation 1 For Explication Here two Points are to be opened 1. In what respect Jude was the servant of Christ 2. Why he here so stiles himself 1. In what respect Jude was the servant of Christ He was so in four respects Deus est Caussa rebus tam â—ssendi quam siendi Implicat contradictionem ut Deus communicet alicui creaturae nè à se dependeat hoc enim facto communicaret ut non esset creatuâ—a Dau. in Col. 1.17 Servus in Latina linguadictus est à servando quòd hi qui jure belli possent occidi à Victoribus cum servabantur servi fiebant Aug. li. 19. de C.D. c. 15. 1. Of Creation and sustentation as are all creatures Psal 119.91 All are thy servants from the highest Angel to the lowest worm Col. 1.16 17. All things were created by him and for him and by him all things consist The whole world is but his Family altogether at his finding should he shut his hand the house would be famish'd If he withdraw his manu-tenency the world would fall 2. In respect of Redemption from the power of sin and Satan from their condemning and destroying power Heb. 2.15 Rom. 8.1 Luk. 1.74 From their corrupting and defiling power Rom. 6.18 Eph. 6.6 And that this was a redemption deserving to make us servants to the Redeemer appears in that it was not only by Conquest and vindication from our enemies when as the Conqueror might have destroyed us as well as taken us or destroy'd them in which respect according to all usage and equity we ought to be for ever his servants but a redemption also by purchase the Lord JE SUS having paid no less price then his own precious blood 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 1 Cor. 6.20 in which consideration the Apostle strongly argues That wee are not our own but serve for the glorifying of another 3. Isa 49.3 Heb. 3.5 Psal 89.21 Hag. 2.23 This Apostle was the servant of Christ more peculiarly by way of speciall office and function In which respect as Christ himself Moses David Cyrus Zerubbabel c. were called Gods servants so are the Prophets in the Old Jer. 35.15 Amos 3.7 Rom. 1. Phil. 1. Tit. 1. 2 Tim. 2.24 the Apostles and Ministers in the New Testament called servants Although it 's granted the Apostles were servants in a different way from other Ministers both in regard of the manner of their calling which was by immediate mission and appointment from God as also of the extent of their power which was not tyed up or confined to one place Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 Matt. 5.13 but granted to them for the planting and governing of Churches in any part of the world In which respect some think they are called the salt of the earth In regard of this function and Office of Apostleship Iude principally calls himself a servant of Christ though not barely and solely in respect of Gods calling him to it but in respect also of his own diligence and faithfulness in endeavouring to discharge his Office to which he was call'd as Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 4.10 and as Paul speaks of himself 1 Cor. 9.16 For Christ keeps no servants only to wear a Livery As he is not a titular Lord so neither are his servants titular servants All their expressions of service reach not the emphasis either of their desires or duty 2 The second thing to be opened is the cause why the Apostle here stileth himself the servant of Christ 1. Some think to shew his humility and modesty in that he who might have us'd the title either of Apostle or Brother of the Lord rather contents himself with this note of duty and service common to every Christian Others better for the confirming and comforting of himself in his work in that his Lord whom he served and who had set him on work would stand by him both in protecting his person and prospering his work Others and those upon cleerest grounds conceive that the Apostle here imbraceth this title of servant in respect of others that his doctrine might with more respect and readinesse be received by those to whom he wrote seeing that he was called to his work and that by such a Master whose service added not more dignity to him then â—t required duty from them This for Explication the Observations follow 1. Obs 1. They who undertake any publick imployment for Christ must receive a calling from him to be his servants if with comfort to themselves or benefit to others they will go about his work Rom. 10.15 Heb. 5.4 5.
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
upon these clothes are onely thine the garment it self was anothers before it was thine Thou art beholding to mercy for any endowment of minde or body wisdom estate riches honours c. It s hard to be high in place and low in our own esteem Sacrifice not to thine own yarn or net let Mercy have the praise of all thou art and hast Pride is the moth of mercy nay Magnus dives est major divitiis suis qui non ideo magnum sc putat quia dives est Aug. the winde that dryes up the streams both of Gods bounty and thy gratitude That which by mercy was thine by thy pride may become anothers He is truly great in his riches that thinks not himself great by riches The greater our receipts the lesse room for pride the greater cause of thankefulnesse 2. In expecting of blessings only have an eye to mercy Idco Deus meus quia bonorum meorum non in diget Omne bonum nostrum aut ipse est 〈◊〉 ab ipso Aug. de Doc. Ch. l. 5. c. 31. In desires of pardon for sin acceptation of services obtaining of heaven renounce thine own worthinesse either in what thou art or dost How purely unprofitable to God is thy greatest goodnesse it is nothing unto him he is neither the better for thy goodness nor the worse for thy wickedness Is it any benefit to the fountain that thou drinkest of it or to the light that thou seest How full of mixtures of sin are thy holyest services in the sense whereof holy Augustine pray'd Regard O Lord in me not my work but thine own If thou regardest mine thou damnest me if thine own thou crownest me what-ever good I have is from thee and 't is rather thine then mine How full of pride is thy humility thy faith of distrustfulnesse Phil. 3.13 thy zeal of lukewarmnesse of self-seeking thy performances what darknesse is in thy light how unrighteous thy righteousnesse If God should contend with us Job 9.2 3 Qui de perfectione se â—rigit habere se bene vivendi neâ— initium indicat Gr. Mo. l. 9. c. 1. In sola Christi morte te totum contege huic morti te involve si Deus te voluerit judicare dic Do mine mortem Domini mei objicio inter me et te Ans de art Mor. Meritum meum miseratio Domini Bern. Serm. 61. in Cant. Prece post justitiam indiget ut quae succumbere discussa poterat ex sola Judicis pietate convalescat Gr. Mor. l. 9. cap. 14. Etsi ad opus virtutis excrevero ad vitam non ex meritis sed ex venia convalesco Id. Ib. Sordet in districtione Judicis quod in aestimatione fulget operantis Gr. Mor. l. 5. c. 7. James 2.13 2 Tim. 1.16 2 Tim. 4.8 we cannot answer for one of a thousand He that boasteth of the perfection wants the very beginning of holiness That which appears beautifull in thine eyes is foul in Gods The wisest counsell is to cover over thy self and winde up thy soul in Christs death to set that between God and thy soul to acknowledge his mercy thy onely merit Death is a stipend Life is a donative a free gift not a due debt God crowneth with mercy but a swoln head is not fit to have that crown put upon it Who can say he hath cleansed his heart We want a thousand times more grace than we have though sin be cast down in regard of its regency yet it is not cast out in regard of its inherency Thy rectitude compared to thy rule is crookedness 'T is not thy purity but thy pardon that must save thee If there shall be judgment without mercy to those that shewed no mercy then must it be with mercy even to those also which shew mercy It s mercy that must stand Onesiphorus in stead at that day The Crown of righteousnesse Paul speaks of is a crown of mercy too the bestowing it is of justice but the promising it was of mercy 2. Obs 2. The duty of contentation in our greatest wants or smallest receipts If one not engaged to us deny us a courtesie we have no cause of discontentment when God gives it is free mercy when he with-holds he useth his liberty Thy supplyes are without desert and thy wants must be without discontent Wonder not at the blessings thou dost not wonder more at those thou dost enjoy Thy condition is begging and thy part is not choyce Cum aspexeris quot te antecedant cogita quot sequantur Sen. Ep. 15. Repine not if thou canst not reach thy richest neighbour who hast nothing to say against God should the poorest overtake thee Murmur not for what is lost but be thankfull for what is left We must not controll God in the disposing of his alms as if he did not distribute with equality We should bring our hearts to his hand where he stayes his bounty there must we stint our desires 3. I note The impiety and folly of those that abuse mercy that spurn against Gods bowels Obs 3. Sins against mercy are double-dy'd This is the provocation Heb. 3.8 to see Gods works of love and care forty yeers and yet to sin this is to sin against the remedy other sinners may these who thus sin must die These sin at a higher rate than others These in sin cast not off God onely but even the very man Isa 1.3 nay are sham'd by the beasts If to requite good for evill is our duty in reference to man surely to requite evill for good and that to God must needs be impiety This sin renders inexcusable God appeals to the very consciences of mercy-despisers Isa 5.3 4 and offers themselves to judge of the righteousnesse of his proceedings in punishment nay the recollecting of abused mercy will be the most scalding ingredient in that fiery lake when the flaming sufferer remembers he that is now mocking at my calamity once wept over my unkind soul he who is now harder than flint and marble against me was once a tender-hearted God toward me he who now thunders in wrath formerly soundin bowels the way of mercy was once open and plain but now the bridge of mercy is drawn my possibilities are ended I am now in a gulf of woe that heretofore was unprofitably a gulf of mercy How many Kingdoms nay Worlds would I now give for but one drop of that love the sweet and swelling streams whereof I heretofore did but paddle in O Christian sin not against Mercy if that be thine enemy what shall Justice be when Love it self shall be inexorable who shall plead for thee Let mercy make thee blush that justice may not make thee bleed Trifle not away the day of grace The wine of mercy is to refresh the sorrowfull with hope not to intoxicate the sinner into presumption If mercy cannot thaw thee 't will burn thee O let the long-suffering of God be
life death miracles were all expressions of mercy in teaching feeding healing saving men If there were any severity in his miracles it was not toward man but the swine and the barren-fig-tree Insensiblenesse of others miseries is neither sutable to our condition as men nor as Christians according to the former we are the same with others according to the later grace hath made the difference Mercy must begin at the heart Sic mens per compassionem doleat ut larga manus affectum doloris ostendat Greg. Luke 14.14 Gal. 6 9. but must proceed further even to the hand they whose hands are shut have their bowels shut also We are not Treasurers but Stewards of Gods gifts Thou hast so much only as thou givest The way to get that which we cannot part with is by mercy to part with that which we cannot keep Our good reacheth not to Christs person it must to his members Jonathan is gone but he hath left many poor lame Mephibosheths behinde him We must love Christ in his worky-day clothes We cannot carry these loads of riches to heaven It s best to take bils of exchange from the poor saints whereby we may receive there what we could not carry thither Especially should our mercy extend it self to the souls of others as soul-miseries so soul-soul-mercies are the greatest They who are spiritually miserable cannot pity themselves though their words speak not to us yet their woes do Wee weep over a body from which the soul is departed and can we look with tearless eys upon a soul from which God is departed If another be not afflicted for sin grieve for him if he be grieve with him If thou hast obtained mercy thou dost not well as said the Lepers to hold thy peace Mercy must never cease till its objects do in heaven both shall Thus much for the first blessing which the Apostle prayes may be bestowed upon these Christians to whom he wrote viz. Mercy The second follows viz. Peace of which by way Of 1. Exposition Of 2. Observation Peace is a word very comprehensive and is ordinarily used to denote all kinde of happinesse welfare and prosperity And 1. I shall distribute it into severall kindes 2. Shew the excellency of that here intended 1. There 's Pax temporis or external among men 2. Pax pectoris or internal in the heart 3. Pax aeternitatis or eternal in heaven Or more distinctly thus 1. There 's a Peace between man and man 2. Between man and other creatures 3. Between man and or rather in man with himself 4. Between God and man 1. Peace between man and man and that is publick or private 1. Publick and that either Political of the Common-wealth when the politick State is in tranquility and free from forrein and civill Warrs 2 King 20.19 Jer. 29.7 There shall be peace in my dayes In the peace thereof ye shall have peace This is either lawful and so a singular mercy or unlawfull as when one People is at peace with another against the expresse wil of God as the Israelites with the Canaanites and Amalekites or joyn in any sinfull attempt as did the Moabites and Ammonites against the Israelites Or Ecclesiasticall and of the Church when its publick tranquility and quiet state is not troubled within by Schisms and Heresies or without by persecuting and bloody Tyrants Psal 122.6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem Acts 9.31 The Churches had rest and Acts 4.32 1 Cor. 14.33 2. Private and that either between the good and the good or between the bad and the bad or between the good and the bad 1. Between the good and the good 1 Pet. 3.8 Love as brethren and Let brotherly love continue and Col. 1.4 The love ye have to all Saints 2. Hebr. 13.1 Between the bad and the bad 2 King 9.22 Is it peace Jehu And that either lawfully for their own preservation or wickedly against the people of God or to strengthen one another in some sinful attempt and to that end joyning hand in hand 3. Between the good and the bad which is either lawfull as Abraham's with Abimelech and commanded Rom. 12.18 Render to no man evil for evil but if it be possible have peace with all men So Psal 120.7 I am for peace And sometime caused by a work from God upon the hearts of wicked men as in the case of Daniel Chap. 1.9 and in Esan's love to Jacob according to that of Solomon Pro. 16.7 The Lord will make his enemies at peace with him c. Or unlawful when against the mind of God the godly make leagues with them or agree in any way of sin 2. There is a peace between man the faithful I mean and other creatures the good Angels are at peace with 2. Heb. 1.10 Ephes 1.14 and ministring spirits to them as Job 5.23 Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the earth shall be in peace with thee and Hos 2.18 Hujus foederis vigore mala hujus vitae sic laedunt pios ut non noccant non perdant sed prosint Ubi notandum est vocabulum foederis accipi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per similitudinem effectus Riv. in Hos 2.18 I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fouls of the heaven and with the creeping things of the earth The meaning is There shall be such a work of God upon the beasts and fouls c. for the good of the Church as if God had bound them to do them good by way of covenant There is mention Jer 33.20 of Gods covenant of the day and of the night that is the establishment of Gods decree upon the day and the night wherby they come to be in such and such a way from the creation to the end of the world so that although the beasts the fouls the stones c. may annoy them nay kil◠them the true safety of the Church shall not be hindred by them yea All things shall work together for their good neither nakedness nor sword nor death nor any of these things shall separate them from the love of God in Christ and if God sees it for their good all the creatures in the world shall be so far from hurting the godly that they shall all agree to advance their temporall good and welfare 3. There is a peace in man with himself and that is either false or sound False peace is when sinners thinking themselves free from the fear of dangers falsly promise safety to themselves 1 Thess 5.3 When they shall say Peace and safety c. Sound peace in man with himself is twofold 1. Of Assurance when sanctified conscience ceaseth to accuse and condemn us speaking comfortably in us and for us before God 1 John 3.21 This sweet quietnesse and tranquility of conscience being the immediate fruit of our attonement with God that peace of God which passeth all
that spoil'd us not of what we have and not to a God that furnish'd us with what we have Can we love a man that spar'd and not a God that bestowed our life Can we love him that supply'd us when we had nothing and not him who made us when we were nothing Is any want so great as to be nothing or is any gift comparable to our very being Children love their parents from whom they have their body though they gave it not but God by them And what they did give was not for love of their children but pleasure and possibly they caused their childrens beings unwillingly 'T was not from any love in parents that these children were begotten rather than others because it was not in their choice but when 't was in Gods choice seeing innumerable men whom he could have made he made these rather than others What is it that shores and sustaines our beings but the prop of divine manutenency Did God make the house and then leave it to stand alone Hath not the same power that set it up held it up ever since hath he taken off that hand of sustentation one moment since he built thee Parents and friends have loved thee but was not all their affection a drop of Gods fountain would not else their bowels have been flint and marble and had not God bid them love thee might they not have been upon choice what some tender mothers are upon constraint butchers instead of parents The light of the Moon and Stars in the night is from the Sun though the Sun be not seen so every benefit afforded by man is from God though God be not observed And what save love it selfe was it that re-made thee when thou wert worse then nothing Surely the giving of Christ was the hyperbole of love the highest note that ever love reached A work that looks as if it were intended to draw out love from us Fire in its sphere burns not but in some solid matter so God though love it selfe inflam'd us not with love but by coming to and becoming of man What immeasurable love was that wherby he was debased to our vilenesse that we might be advanced to his Majesty and whereby he suffered even beyond measure and was never prodigall of any bloud but his own A mercy for contrivement so peculiar to Gods love that Angels could no more have invented it than Infants and for manifestation so appropriated to his love that had not he discover'd and tendred it it had been blasphemy and sacriledge saith one once to have desir'd it How great a condescention of love is it for him to become a Suter to thee for thy love to seek and beseech thee to be reconciled to him what 's thy portion but poverty Rom. 5.6 8 what gets he if he gain thy love what loseth he if he misse it what saw he in thy person but deformity what in thy affection but impotency and antipathy How long did Love contend before it conquer'd thee How witty wert thou to shift off happiness How unlike to mans carriage towards man was Gods carriage towards thee Who ever heard before that abused patience should be turned instead of fury into affection If the patience of him that unjustly offends drawes love from him that 's justly offended how much more should the patience of him that is justly offended draw love from them that unjustly offend 5. Obser 5. A Christians greatest service and work for God is most just and equall Why It is to love And what more righteous We are his Creatures if he had commanded a harder task as to Sacrifice our children or burn our bodies to ashes we ought to have done it But 1. He askes no more than this at our hands to Love him And now Israel what doth the Lord require of thee Deut. 10.12 but to Love him Love is a ready prompt willing affection which doth all with ease and is its own weight 2. Love is that which every one hath it 's implanted in every soul If God had required a child the Barren might have had a plea. If God had required our Lands and money the poor If Labour and Travail the sick might have had his plea of exemption but every one hath a Love that hath a Soul 3. This love which he requires he bestowed and he calls for no more than his own he doth but gather the grapes of his own Vine-yard the Waters of his own Fountain the fruit of his own Ort-yard he requires no more than he first gives 4. If it be bestowed on him he returns it much better than he received it He purifies and appeaseth it removes its pain and impurity he slayes nothing in it but the Ram he makes it like to the Rain which though the earth sends up in thick and foggy vapours falls down in pure and silver showers or like to the waters which though they come from the sea brackish and brinish yet return thither again in sweet and Christall streams God takes away the inordinateness unholiness and sensualness of our love he quiets and appeaseth it not emptying it of its honey but only pulling out its sting Love being never unquiet when in its center or stinging when in the hive or vexing the soul when set upon God 5. In loving him we do no more than we have tyed our selves to do We have chosen him for ours Deut. 26.17 for our Husband Father Master he may challenge our love we must not go back we are baptized in his name when we love not God we rob him of our selves we are Adultresses being married not to love 6. In loving we can but repay him though with no proportion not prevent him he loved us first 1 Joh. 4.19 Loved our souls in pitying and pardoning and renewing them loved the body in constant provision protection direction Loved us in giving himself loved us in giving his gifts 7. We must if we love not him love some thing else And where can we find any other upon whom to bestow it Exod. 15.11 who among the Gods is like to him and what among the Creatures is fit for us that can satisfie our exigences that will relieve us in distresse that will stay with us continually that will love us again 8. In loving him we love one another and love is the glue of the world the Cement of society it thinks nothing too difficult for a friend it makes us harmless and helpfull If twenty men love one another every one as himself every one is twenty every one hath twenty hearts forty hands eyes feet Love unlocks every ones Cabinet making the one take out cousnel another riches another strength all something for the good of one another 6. Observ 6. Wheresoever love to God is there will love to man appear The grace of love as hath been opened comprehends love to both from the Fountain of piety must flow the Stream of charity He
is a God that loveth a pure heart of all sins hee most hates hypocrisie All Murderers sin hainously but none so hainously as those who imploy a mans own hands to kill himself An hypocrite labours to destroy Religion by Religion 2. As it is hypocrisie to cover lasciviousnesse so is it even heightned profanenesse to cover it with the grace of God Will no cheaper stuffe then grace serve to cloath lasciviousnesse The excellency of any thing adds to the fault of abusing it To make a King's Son Lacquey to a beggar to make hay with the Scepter Royall to dig in a dunghill with a golden spade to stop an oven with the Robes of an Emperour are all actions of greatest unworthinesse and wild unsutablenesse but to make Religion a stirrup to profanenesse and the grace of God a credit to lasciviousnesse is a presumption of an higher and far more unsufferable degree This is to make God accounted a patron of impiety and the Judg of all the Earth to seem the greatest malefactor Ezek. 36.20 and to profane his holy Name 4. This turning the grace of God into lasciviousnesse argueth the grossest folly it is a forsaking of our own mercy a receiving the grace of God in vain What is if this be not to neglect great salvation to be prodigall of blessednese to ravell out and to wanton away the offers of Christ himself Who would not heartily chide himself that by toying trifling or unnecessary lingring in the way to the Exchange misseth of a bargain by which he might have gained a thousand pounds Foolish Sinner Lasciviousnesse under grace is the losse of glory and the losse of heaven can never be redeemed with the tears of hell 4. Grace turned into lasciviousnesse is the top of all Ingratitude What greater unkindnesse then to be evill because God is good If it be a sin for thee to have an evill eye against another because God is good to him what is it to have an evill eye against God because he is good to thee If it be a sin to reward a man evil for evil what is it to return to God evil for good To be lascivious because God is gracious is to fight against God with his own weapons to wound God with that arm which he hath cured Hos 7.15 to kill and crucifie him who hath freed us from death In a word to make that a pillow for presumption which God appointed for an antidote against despair 5. by grace to grow lascivious is destruction even to desperate irrecoverablenesse No poyson is so deadly as the poyson extracted out of grace Abused mercy pleads against a sinner most perswasively If that which was appointed for a sinners rising and standing makes him fall how irrecoverable must his falling be If Mercy be his foe how should Justice ever be his friend Lamentable was the death of Zimri who was burnt by the flames of that house which was for his safety Grace is the sweetest friend but the sorest enemy Lead of it self is very cold and cooling but nothing so scalding if it be throughly heated The lowest place in hell is provided for those who have been lifted up neerest to heaven Grace discovered and abused is THE condemnation Out of him who lavishly spends riches of grace God will recover riches of glory God will not lose by any OBSERVATIONS 1. Obs 1. Great is our natural propensenesse to grow wanton against God by his goodnesse Seldome is God provoked so much by any as by those who most deeply partake of his indulgence It 's very hard for God to smile and for us not to be wanton How frequently doth God complain of the unkinde requitals returned for his loves Do ye so reward the Lord O foolish people Deut. 32.6 Jesurum waxed fat and kicked who because laden with fatnesse therefore forsook God that made him And Isa Isa 1.2 1.2 I have nourished children but they have rebelled against me 'T is pity as we say of fair weather that the goodnesse of God should do any hurt but we are commonly not more unsubmissive under corrections then wanton under comforts Gods severity restrains from that impiety which his indulgence draws forth by meeting with a sensuall heart that turns the favours of God into the fuel of lust It 's much easier to walk steddily in a path of deep dirt than of slippery ice How just nay how good is God to abridg us of that comfort either inward or outward which we abuse to turn us like sheep into short pasture if there we thrive best and rather to deny us mercies in mercy then to bestow them in wrath 2. Observ 2. The best and choycest of outward administrations cannot better a bad heart Even grace may be received in vain The best preaching and Preachers in the world have not seldome been sent to a gain-saying people Rom. 10.21 Luk. 16.31 Neither Moses and the Prophets nor one raised from the dead nay nor the preaching of Christ himself can of themselves work upon the heart Morall swasion comes far short of effectuall grace and the word of grace much differs from the grace of the word Warm cloathes and strong waters cannot fetch life into a dead man The plentifullest showers leave the heath unfruitfull Nature after all imaginable improvements is still but Nature till supernaturally renewed How happy were we if men would attribute the unreformednesse of the times under the Gospel of grace more to the strength of their own lusts then the weaknesse of the Ministers labours and if in stead of glorying I had almost said of placing religion in the parts of Ministers they would humbly and ardently seek God for that blessing without which the fattest Ordinances devoured leave but leane souls 3. Observ 3. The most holy and happy enjoyments are not without their snares There 's danger in enjoying the best things even the grace of God Men ordinarily conceive that there is danger in wanting the Ordinances in sinning in being in sinfull company and using worldly comforts but they consider not that even their graces their good works their comforts every Ordinance and dutie have their snares accompanying them Diabolus surgit armis quibus dejicitur Cave non tantùm ab operibus malis sed etiam à bonis Luth. Our very graces may occasion us to be proud and our very comforts to be secure Luther was wont to advise men to take heed of their good works There are no services so holy but Satan creeps into them and when he cannot hinder the externall hee endeavours to spoil the spirituall performance of them He labours to winde himself even into Paradise and loves to stand among the Sons of God How oft doth he shew men the beautiful buildings of their late performances to a worse end than the Disciples did Christ the buildings of the Temple And how rare is it to finde that Christian who by self-debasing leaves not as it were a
Si quis labori ob infirmitatem se subtraheret capitalis noxa judicabatur Philo lib. 1. de vit Mos the Egyptian rigour is continued and the people of God who after all their toyling received no other rewards but stripes and scorns are worse handled then Egyptian beasts So great was this crueltie that as Philo reports if any Israelite through sickness of body abstained from labour it was accounted a crime deserving death Eusebius saith That by reason of their excessive labour and heat many were taken away by the pestilence By this we may gather why the Lord tells them Levit. 26.13 Deut. 4.20 I brought you forth out of the land of Egypt that ye should not be their bondmen and I have broken the bonds of your yoak and made you go upright Servitude is a kinde of death nay by free people accounted worse then death who have often chosen rather to die valiantly than to live slavishly Nor is it any wonder therefore to read of the groaning sighing and crying of the poor Israelites Exod. 2.23 24 Exod. 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag yea of their anguish shortnesse and straitnesse of spirit by reason of cruell bondage 2. The second discovery of the crueltie of the Egyptians towards the Israelites Exod. 1.15 was in the bloody commands for the taking away of the lives of the male children This was a blow at the root 'T was out of policie not any tendernesse of conscience that this murderous command took not in the females also The females did not constitute families the taking away of the males would suffice to hinder the multiplying of the people The females could not make war joyn with the enemies of the Egyptians or by force endeavour to depart from Egypt and the sparing of some might make the murders lesse suspected From bondage these Egyptians proceed to blood and from slavery to slaughter Women are suborned to be murderers and those whose office is to help must destroy the birth the Midwives were put upon this bloody work because as they had more opportunitie of doing so would others have less suspicion of them for doing the mischief The male children must be born and die at once and poor babes they must be kill'd for no other fault but for their Stock and their Sex because they are Israelites and males pure and downright bloodiness Needs must the Hebrew women contrary to all others not joy but mourn when they saw men-children born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7.19 This device of imploying the Mid-wives not succeding the tyrant gives commission to all his own people to cast every son that is born into the river Josephus writes This seems to be opposed by Exod. 1.22 that the command was given also to the Hebrews to kill their own children but most barbarous it was although it were only given to the Egyptians Pharaoh's crueltie smoked before now it flames out 1 Obstetricum dolo nisus est c. 2 apertâ persecutione Rupert He practised secretly in his commands to the Mid-wives he now proclaims it openly to all the world No Egyptian now could be obedient unless bloody every man is made an executioner the reins are laid upon the neck of Cruelty Every Egyptian may rifle the houses of the Israelites and search for children as for prohibited commodites How difficultly are these poor babes hid and yet how dangerously found They who had no armour but innocence and tears are exposed to authorised rage How poor a shelter is the arm of an indulgent mother against the command of a King and the fury of his heathen Subjects whose vigilance and violence were so great that as the mother of Moses was unable long to hide him so was she more willing to trust him with the mercy of beasts and waters than of Egyptians And how hard was it for the strongest faith of the best Israelite to bear up against this tentation So long as the Israeltes saw themselves increasing though oppressed their faith in Gods promise of blessing the seed of Abraham might be comfortably relieved but now this cruell Edict of murdering their children by whom the seed of Abraham was to be propagated seems to cut off all hope and to make void all the promises 2. The Egyptians from whom the Israelites were delivered may be considered as heathen Idolaters and so enemies to the Souls of the Israelites Had the outward ease and prosperity of Israel in Egypt been never so great yet eminent had been the mercy of being drawn out of such perill for the soul as was in idolatrous company Joshua thankfully records the mercy of God to Abraham in bringing him out of Vr of the Caldeans where his Ancestors served strange gods And how great this mercy was appears by observing the forwardnesse of the Israelites to be infected by the contagion of Egyptian idolatry The Egyptians were a most idolatrous people Isa 19.1 Jer. 43.12 Jer. 46.25 Exek 20.7 8 whence it is that so often we read of the idols and gods of Egypt No people idolized so many and such vile creatures as did the Egyptians the Mole the Bat the Cat the dung-flie Monkies Birds Crocodiles Pâ—r allia ccpe porros jurant Plin. l. 19. c. 6. Crocodilon adorat Pars haec illa pavet saturam serpentibus ibim Effigies sacri nitet aurea Cercopitheci Porrum et Cope nefas violare et frangere morsu O sanct as animas quibus haec nascuntur in hortis Numina Juv. Sat. 15. Sanctius in Ezek. 20.7 Nauseas Symmach Inquinamenta Aquila yea Leeks Onions Garlick c. were adored by them as Gods So grosse was their superstition herein that the Heathens deride them for it Pliny saith that they were wont to deifie and swear by their Leeks Onions and Garlick And Juvenal lasheth them for adoring these garden Gods And from the vileness of those creatures Sanctius supposeth that the gods of the Egytians are called abominations It is evident also that the Israelites were too forward to worship the ldols although they were weary of the oppressions of the Egyptians Hence it is that Ezek. 20.7 8. the Prophet complains of their rebelling against the expresse prohibition of God that they should not defile themselves with the idols of Egypt and that they did not forsake those idols And the same Prophet Chap. 23.3 reproving Israel for their early adulteries by which he means their idolatries saith that she committed whoredoms in Egypt in her youth i. e. when the Israelites were but a young and new Nation And vers 8. that she left not her whoredomes brought from the Egyptians for in her youth they lay with her and bruised the brests of her Virginity Clear likewise to this purpose is that command of Joshua to the Israelites Chap. 24.14 Put away the gods which your fathers served in Egypt Nor are there wanting learned men who conceive that the reason why the Israelites in the wildernesse
mercede adiguntur à Deo ut alant ministrum futurum liberationis eorum idque mercedeÌ„ ultro praebentes Dum infantes in ruinam Ebraeae gentis interimunt propriis sumptibus unum in suam ruinam educantes Riv. in 2. Exod. wherein she was as unable as she was willing to hold him For fear of such an one shee puts him into an Ark of bulrushes and hides him among the flaggs of the river God shewed that he knew the place where Moses lay by guiding thither even the daughter of Pharaoh to deliver Moses She soon espies and causeth the ark to be opened the tears and beauty of the child move her compassions which Moses his sister observing offers to procure a nurse for the babe and fetches his mother She who even now would have given all her substance for the life of her child hath now a reward given to her to nurse him How admirably did the wisdome of God deceive the Egyptians The daughter of him whose only plot was to destroy Israel is made the instrument of saving Israel by preserving him who was to be their deliverer and the instrument of Egypts destruction The Egyptians also who compel the Israelites to serve them without paying them wages are compelled by God at the same time to pay for the nursing of him who shortly after overthrowes the Egyptians At length Pharaohs daughter takes Moses home from nurse and gives him as good breeding as the Egyptians Schools and Court can afford him Moses was not in more danger among the flaggs than among the courtiers but God who of late kept him from hurt by Egyptian cruelty keeps him now as wisely from hurt by Egyptian courtesie The honours of Egypt cannot make him either own an heathen for his mother though a kings daughter or forget his Hebrew brethren though the kings bondmen He observes their sufferings and suffers with them He having from God an instinct of Magistracy mortally though secretly as he thought smites an Egyptian unjustly smiting an Hebrew The fact is known and Moses warned thereof by a churlish word which was intended to wound him flies from Pharaoh seeking to slay him In Midian God provides him a shelter Moses hath now changed his place yet neither hath he changed his keeper and acquaintance nor Israel lost their deliverer Quid sibi vult ardere non exuri rubum nempe Israelem Aegyptiis superiorem futurum Theod. in loc In a strange land God appears to Moses and calls him to this honourable imployment of saving Israel God confirms his faith by vision and voice by the vision he taught him that if the tinder of a weak and most combustible bush could overcome a flame of fire that a poor Moses and an oppressed Israel might as easily prevaile over cruell and armed tyranny by the voice which was the comment upon the vision God being moved by Israels afflictions and not hindred by Moses his objections expresseth his resolution that Moses shall bring Israel out of Egypt Whereupon Moses yeilds to undertake the imployment 2. Most wisely did God deliver the people in respect of the time of their deliverance How wisely did God time this deliverance considering the extreme and distressed lownesse of Israel at that time wherein God began to work it The darknesse was very thick immediately before the day-break the tide was at the lowest before it began to turn Moses himself was too faint to beleeve without the double support of a promise and a vision now was Egypts cruelty high Israels strength low all their armes were toyl and tasks tears and sighs and groans weapons which overcame him who overcame the Egyptians For thus it faring with Israel Moses the deliverer comes and serves Pharaoh with a warrant from God himself to let Israel go But Israel is not yet fit that is weak enough to break out of Egypt They must be required to make brick without straw and in effect to make straw and then God creates deliverance The deliverance from their tasks of brick seems as unpossible as was the fulfilling of these tasks and they for very anguish are as unable to hearken beleevingly and patiently to Gods messenger promising deliverance as they were desirous to receivie it Oh how did the desperatenesse of Israels disease commend the skilfulnesse of Israels Physitian 2. How eminent was the wisedome of God in timeing of Israels deliverance so as that they should be compeâ—'d by Pharaoh to depart that very day in which God had promised that they should depart four hundred and thirty years before Pharaohs choice of time for the departure of Israel meets with Gods exactly that very night when the four hundred and thirty years were expired Israel must go God will have it so yea Pharaoh will have it so who neither can nor can will to keep them any longer But secondly God delivered Israel out of Egypt as graciously as he did wisely 1. How tender was he of his Israel when his wrath was hottest against the Egyptians He commands his plagues to distinguish between Egypt and Goshen Israel was now like a man upon an high hill that sees the dreadfully stately spectacle of a bloody battell but is himself out of gun-shoâ— All Israels work is but to behold and beleeve 2. Afterward in their departure how good was God to give them furniture for their journey at the voluntary charges of their late oppressive enemies 3. Further how indulgent vvas God in having such respect to the infirmities of his people as not to choose them the shorter but the safer vvay and to preserve them from vvar vvhose I ate and long condition of slavery had made them unfit for souldiery he intending them no fighting till after more preparation and not suffering evills to be ready for Israel till Israel vvere ready for those evills dealing herein as gently vvith his people as doth the Eagle with her young ones the resemblance used by Moses Deut. 32.11 for the Eagle turns not her young ones presently out of her nest either for flight or prey but first nourisheth them and then by little and little accustomes them to flye by bearing them on her wings 4. Mercy still proceeds it both chuseth a way for Israel and guides Israel in that way In the day God appoints a Pillar of a cloud to guide them and not of fire because the greater light extinguisheth the lesse In the night he errects a pillar of fire because in the night nothing is seen without light The cloud shelters from heat by day the fire digests the rawnesse of the night Day and night God sutes himselfe to Israels exigency 5-Yet more mercy Pharaoh and his formidable army are now within sight of Israel and Israel more fears Egypt than beleeves God They voice Moses in their murmurings not to intend to deliver them from but to betray them to the Egyptians And Josephus reports that the unbeleeving Iraelites were about to stone Moses and to yeeld up themselves again to
our owne phrensie 9. No difficulties can hinder Israels deliverance Observ 9. God can command yea create deliverances for his people Psal 25.22 Psal 34.7 Psal 71.20 Isai 43.13 Gen. 18.14 When there is none left and shut up when there is no force and might to relieve he can deliver them alone When there are mountaines of opposition he can levell them and make them become a plain Jesus Christ comes skipping and leaping over them all The wisdom power malice of his enemies do but make his strength tiumphant yea the unworthiness and unkindness of Israel cannot stop the course of delivering mercy So unexpectedly can he scatter difficulties that his people have been like them that dreamed when mercy came they thinking it too good to be true Yea their enemies have been amazed and been compell'd to profess that God hath done great things for his Church How strong must the forces of Gods decree power love wisdome faithfulnesse the prayers and tears of his people needs be when they are all united And hence it is that as the enemies of Israel have cause to fear though they are high So the true Israelites have cause to hope 1 King 2.15 Fides in periculis secura est in securis periclitatur though they are low There 's no defeat so great but faith hath a retreating place Means can do nothing without much lesse against God but God can do all things without yea against means A Saint abhorres indirectly to wind himselfe out of any trouble Why he hath a God who can help in every strait when as a sinner who wants God shiftingly betakes himselfe to any unworthy practice Oh Christian shame thy selfe that every slight trouble should so dismay thee having such a deliverer That the mountain should be full of horses and chariots and thou shouldest not have thy eyes open to see and beleeve them Psal 126.4 What 's a Pharaoh an house of bondage a puissant army a red sea delivering mercy makes way through them all and is a mighty stream that bears all before it It s infinitely stronger than the strongest blast of gun-powder to blow up all opposition Oh Christian fear not thy danger but beleeve in thy deliverer 10. God loves not to give deliverance Observ 10. Deus ad suorum liberationem manum admovet cum omnia videntur desperata Riv. in Exod. p. 70. Psal 12.5 till it be welcome When the bricks are doubled then and not till then Moses comes When Israel is parch'd with the heat of persecution then come the showrs of deliverance God is an help in the needfull time of trouble Then is it Gods time to deliver when there are no visible helps or hopes of deliverance For the oppression of the poor and sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord. In such a case it was that God said to Moses Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh Times of extreme oppression Exod. 6.1 are times of earnest supplication and God loves to bestow mercies when they are by prayer desired The cry of Israel must come up to God before mercy from God comes down upon Israel Further Judg. 6.10 where deliverance comes in a time of extremity it will be entertained upon its own termes Israel will part with any thing that offends their deliverer they will submit to strict reformation which before they would not hear of and say with Saul Act. 6.9 Lord what wilt thou have us to do and with the Egyptians who were pinched with the famine Gen. 47.19 Buy us and our land for bread and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh Lastly when deliverance is afforded in the Churches extremity the glory of Gods power wisdome and free goodnesse is most clearly discovered God loves so to work for his people as to gaine most by them he will have the tribute of praise out of every salvation And this discovers the true reason why mercy is delaid why God only as it were shews a mercy and then pulls it in again we are not yet so pinchâ—d by the want thereof as to stoop to Gods conditions to accept of an exact universall reformation to be willing that God should do with us what he pleaseth and to those whom God hath so fitted mercy shall not long be delayed nay God hath given to them the best of mercies in bestowing a heart meet to enjoy them 11. Observ 11. God often proportions the sin to the punishment The Egyptians encompasse poor Israel with affliction neither suffering them to go from or remain in Egypt and now they themselves can neither go backward or forward in the sea The bloody rivers and their destruction in the red sea tell them their cruelty in drowning the Israelitish children Sodom was inflamed with the fire of lust and God consumes them with the fire of wrath Joseph's brethren sell Joseph for a slave and they themselves are detained as bond-men Adonibezek cuts off the thumbs and great toes of seventy Kings Judg. 1.7 and as he did to them so did God requite him Haman was hanged upon his own gibbet David's murder and adultery were followed with the death of his children and the ravishment of Thamar It 's thy duty to trace sinne by the foot-prints of punishment and observe what sin thou hast lived in which beares most proportion to thy punishment Art thou sick consider whether thou hast not abus'd thy strength to sin Doth God take away thy sight thy hearing thy tongue thy estate ask thy conscience whether these have not been imploy'd against God And if this direction seem to put thee upon an uncertain course of finding out thy beloved sin imitate the example of Herod who that he might make sure work to kill our Saviour slew all the children in Bethlehem In like manner let us impartially destroy all our sins If we know not which was the thorn that prick'd us cut down the whole hedg If we know not which was the Bee that stung us let us throw down the whole hive 12. Observ 12. When the enemies of God labour most to oppose and frustrate they accomplish and fulfill the will of God Pharaoh studies to destroy Israel but even then Pharaoh by his own daughter preserves and nourisheth him who was to be Israels deliverer Pharaoh resolves to detain Israel in bondage but even he shall shortly not only send them away but compell them to go yea in that very night which God had four hundred and thirty yeers before set down and prefixed Josephs brethren sell him that his dreame might prove false and that they might not be brought to bow before him but so did God order it Ideo veneratus quia venditus that therefore they came to do obeysance to him because they sold him The Jews kild Christ to extinguish his fame and glory but by his death was his glory and fame advanced Oh the folly of Gods
vintage of a judgment he leaves the gleanings of grapes upon the Vine of his Church Hee never shakes his Olive tree so throughly but he leaves at least two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough four or five in the outmost branches Isa 17.6 Though I make a full end of all Nations whither I have driven thee Jer. 30.11 Jer. 46.28 yet will I not make a full end of thee but correct thee in measure yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished Let not Israel presume upon mercy if they will sin but yet let them not despair of mercy though they suffer God will not cast off his people Ps 94.14 Though the destruction of his Israel be never so great yet it shall never be totall and should many fall yet all shall not the cause the interest of Christ shall not and though possibly in a wildernesse of common calamities the carcasses of some of his owne may fall among others so as they may never live to enter the Canaan of a longed for peace and reformation in this life yet by faith ascending up to the Nebo of a promise they may behold it afar off and see it possessed by their posterity they themselves mean while repenting of their unbelief and unworthinesse and so entring that heavenly Canaan where they shall enjoy the fulness of that which here they could have enjoyed but in part The third branch of the example of the Israelites is the cause of their destruction viz their infidelity contained in these words That beleeved not EXPLICATION For the Explication whereof two things are considerable 1. In what respect these Israelites are here said not to beleeve 2. Why they were punished for this their not believing rather then for any other sin I. For the first Unbeleevers 1. are frequently in Scripture taken for Pagans and Heathens 1 Tim. 5.8 2 Cor. 6.14 15 1 Cor. 14.23 who are alwayes without the profession of the Faith and oft without the very offer of the Word the means of knowing that Faith which is to be professed and then it s termed an unbelief of pure negation 2. Unbeleevers are said to be such who though they professe the faith and hear and know the word yet deny that credence to it which God requires and their unbeleef called an unbeleef of evill disposition is either a deniall of assent to the truths asserted in the word or of trust and affiance to the promises of good contained in the same and both these are either temporary or totall and perpetuall Into the former sometimes the elect may fall as particularly did those two disciples who by their unbeleef drew from Christ this sharp reproofe Luk. 24.25 Mark 16.11.13.14 O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the prophets have written And for this it was that Christ upbraided the eleven when they beleeved not them who had seen him after he was risen Luk. 1.20 And of righteous Zecharie is it said that he beleeved not those words which were to be fulfill'd in their season Into that unbeleef which is totall and habituall Joh. 6.64.65 Joh. 10.25.26 Jo. 12.37.38.39 the reprobabate only fall of whom Christ speaks Ye beleeve not because yee are not of my sheep and afterward the Evangelist They beleeved not nay they could not beleeve because that Isaias said he hath blinded their eyes c. as also Act. 10.9 divers were hardned and beleeved not These abide in unbelief John 3. ult and the wrath of God abideth on them This unbeleef of the Israelites did principally consist in their not yeelding trust and affiance to the gracious and faithful promises made by God to their forefathers and often renewd to themselves of bestowing upon them the land of Canaan for their inheritance Vide Numb Chapters 13. and 14. These promises upon the report of the spies concerning the strength of the Canaanites and their Cities were by the people so far distrusted and deemed so impossible to be fulfilled as that they not only wish'd that they had dyed in Egypt but resolved to make them a Captain to return thither again And probable it is that the unbeleef of the most was perpetnal Certumest complures fuisse pios qui vel communi impietate non fuerunt impliciti vel mox resipuerunt Cal. in Heb. 3.18 but that others even of those who at the first and for a time did distrust the faithfulnesse of Gods promise by the threatnings and punishments denounced against and inflicted upon them repented afterward of their infidelity and so beleeved that God was faithfull in his promise though they by reason of their former unbelief did not actually partake of the benefit thereof However this their sin of distrustfulnesse was their great and capitall sin that sin like the Anakims which they so feared much taller than the rest and which principally was that provocation in the wildernesse spoken of so frequently in the Scripture Heb. 3.8.12 16.18 Psal 95 8. Incredulitas malorum omnium caput Cal. in Heb. 3.18 And hence it is that God explaines this provoking him by not beleeving him How long saith he Numb 14.11 will this people provoke me how long will it be ere they beleeve me and that it was their great stop in the way to Canaan is evident in that the punishment of exclusion from Canaan was immediately upon their unbeleef inflicted upon them as also by the expresse testimony of the Apostle who saith that they could not enter in because of unbelief II. For the second Why they were destroyed rather for their unbelief then for other sins 1. Their unbelief was the root and fountain of all the rest of their sins Heb. 3.12 Jer. 17.5 This evill heart of unbelief made them depart from the living God by their other provocations All sins would be bitter in the acting if we beleeved that they would be bitter in their ending Faith is the shield of every grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Acts 15.9 and Unbelief the shield of every sin Faith purifies Unbelief pollutes the heart Vnbeleevers and disobedient are in the Greek expressed by one word Heb. 11.31 What but unbelief was the cause of all those impatient murmurings of the Israelites Had they beleeved a faithfull God Num. 14.27 they would quietly have waited for the accomplishment of his promises Had they believed in him who is Alsufficient they would in the want of all means of supply have look'd upon them as laid up in God The reason why they made such sinfull haste to get flesh was because their unbelieving heart thought that God could not furnish a table in the wildernesse What but their not believing a great and dreadfull Majestie made them so fearlesly rebellious against God and their Governours What but their not believing an All-powerfull God made them to fear the Gyants and walled Cities of Canaan Faith went out and fear and every sin got
power of all he had said and done Mark 6.6 We are carried unto unbelief both by the tide of our own natures and the winde of tentation Our hearts ever since we left God crave and look for relief from sensible objects and having forsaken the true embrace even any opinionative God or good which hath enough to flatter into expectations though nothing to fill or to yeeld satisfaction And so great is our natural pride that we had rather steal than beg rather rob God of glory by resting upon our own crutches then go out of our selves to depend upon another for happinesse The batteries of Satan are principally placed against faith He would not care for taking away our estates names liberties unlesse he hoped hereby to steal away our faith He fans not out the chaffe but bolts out the flour Luke 22.32 Satan saith Christ to Peter hath desired to winnow thee as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Satans first siege in Paradise was laid against the faith of threatnings He knows that all our strength like Samsons in his Locks is from laying hold upon another If therefore he can make us let go our hold which is our faith he desires no more Faith is the grace that properly refisteth him and therefore he principally opposeth it unbelief befriendeth Satan and therefore he most promotes it in our hearts Oh that we might most fear and oppose that sin which is most difficultly avoided and most dangerously entertained Of all keepings keep thy heart and of all means principally use this of keeping out unbeleef 4. Nothing more displeaseth God Observ 4. than the forsaking of our own mercies In the true loving of our selves we cannot provoke God He is angry with Israel because they refuse that which might make themselves happy God loves to be giving and is pleased with them who are alwayes taking in his goodnesse Unbeleef obstructs mercy and God opposeth unbeleef He delights in them who hope in his mercy He hath such full brests that he is most pained when we will not draw them by beleeving The great complaint of Christ was that people would not come to him for life He was grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts and incensed against those guests that would not come when they were invited to the feast of his Gospel-dainties He is so abundant a good that he wants nothing or if he doth he wanteth only wants If he be angry with us how should we be displeased with our selves for rejecting mercy It s the proud and unbeleving soul which God only sends empty away They who will buy his benefits must leave their mony behind them How inexcusable are they who perish they starve and dye in the midst of fulnesse But alasse wee are the poorest of beggars not onely without bread but without hunger Oh begge that hee who bestowes grace upon the desires would first give us the grace of Desire 5. Observat 5. Nullum genus insipientiae infidelitate insipientius Bern. de Consid None are such enemies to unbeleevers as themselves nor is any folly so great as Infidelity The business and very design of unbelief and all that it hath to do is to stop mercy and hinder happinesse Every step which an unbeleever takes is a departing from goodnesse it self Heb. 3.12 And no wonder if such an one carry a curse along with him Jer. 17.5 and ver 6. if he be like the heath in the desert and shall not see when good cometh Unbelief is like the unwary hand of him who being without the door puls it too hard after him locks it and locks himself out Faith is the grace of receiving and unbelief the sin of rejecting all spirituall good How vainly doth the unbeliever expect refreshment by going from the fountain or gain by leaving the true treasure Distrustfull sinner who is the looser by thy incredulity and who would gain by thy beleeving but thy self What harm is it to the cool and refreshing fountain that the weary passenger will not drink and what benefit is it to the fountain though he should What loseth the Sun if men will shut their eyes against its light what gains it though they open them What good comes by distrusting God unlesse the gratifying of Satan in the damning of thy self How foolish is that disobedience that will not wash and be cleansed from a worse leprosie then Naaman's that like a man in a swoun shuts the teeth against a life-recalling cordiall that will not open a beggars hand for the receiving of a Jewell more worth then all the world that beleeves the Father of lyes who cannot speak truth unless it be to deceive and will not trust the God of truth nay Truth it self to whose nature lying is infinitely more opposite than to our good O Unbeliever either thou shalt believe before thou dyest or not if not how scalding will be this ingredient among the rest of those hellish tortures which hereafter shal compleat thy pain to consider that offered sincerely offered mercy was despised that the promise of grace and truth daily desired thy acceptance but had nothing from thee but contempt That thou who art now crying eternally and vainly for one drop hadst lately the offers and intreaties of the fountain to satisfie thy self fully and for ever If thou shouldst beleeve before thou diest how great a trouble to thy heart holily ingenuous will it be that thou hadst so long together such unkind thoughts of Mercy it self that thou didst deem Truth it self to be a Lyer How angry wilt thou be with thy self that thou didst so slowly beleeve and so hardly wert brought to be happie 6. Observat 6. Our greatest dangers and troubles are no plea for unbelief Notwithstanding Israel's tentation their unbelief was a provocation A houling wilderness and dismall tidings excused them not from sin in distrusting of God Even he who hides his face from the house of Jacob is to be waited for When we sit in darkness and see no light we should trust in the Lord and stay our selves upon our God Faith goeth not by feeling and seeing but should go against both It must both beleeve what it sees not and contrary to what it sees Psal 119.49 114. Verbum fidei pabulum Not outward props but the stability of the word of promise should be the stay of our Faith a stud that ever stands though heaven and earth should fail In thy word saith David I do and thou hast caused me to hope The greatness of danger must not lessen Faith Dangers are the element of Faith among them faith lives best because among them it findes most promises When the world is most against us then the word is most for us Faith hath best food in famine and the fullest table in a time of scarcity The very earth which we tread on should teach us this so massy a body hangeth in the midst of the aire and
God by the promise made to Solomon and so prevailed against the children of Ammon 3. Beware of giving way to the love of any one sin The love of sin hinders beleeving Sin will not act beleevingly nor faith sinfully It s the nature of sin to cause guilt and fear it expects not performances but repulses from God How can any one depend upon me for a courtesie who knows that I am acquainted with his underhand and unkind contrivances against me Besides the love of any one sin hinders from yeilding to the terms of the promise it would be loose and yet have God bound whereas he never made his promises to gratifie lust but to engage us to holinesse Nor will faith act sinfully Faith embraceth the whole word of God even precepts as well as promises and respects the rules prescribed as well as the rewards promised it works uniformly and it trusteth to God in the way of his commands not in the precipices of sin Trust in him and do good Psal 31.3 Besides it acts warily and in the eye of God and therefore holily and tells us that if we must not tell a lie to promote Gods cause much lesse to procure our own comforts 4. Limit not Good for the way of accomplishing of his promise This is the noted sin of Israel Psal 78.41 They limited the holy one of Israel they circumscribed him for the way of bestowing of mercy Dcum metiri suo modulo Cal. in loc within the narrow bounds of their own apprehensions Whereas if hee will work who shall hinder him Faith triumphs over difficulties and measures not God by the narrow scantling of reason knowing that things that are impossible with us Rom. 4.19 are easie with God This was the excellency of Abrahams so much commended faith that hee considered neither the improbability of performing the promise of having a son when his body and Sarahs womb were both dead Heb. 11.17 nor the incongruity of performing the command of sacrificing his son which seemed to destroy both Gods faithfulnesse and his owne expectations And this is indeed the duty of beleevers only to consider who promiseth and who commands and neither to question what is promised though never so impossible nor to forbear what is commanded though never so unpleasing 5. When God affords thee creature-props trust not to them Men would never be distrustfull when the creature departs if they did not confide in it when it stayes If we would not account our selves the stronger for having worldly helps wee should not esteem our selves the weaker for the wanting them Could we live upon God alone in the use wee might live upon him alone in the losse of the creature It s a noble faith that depends upon God in the strength of means like that of Asa and Jehoshaphat the former of whom having an army of five hundred and fourscore thousand to rest upon 2 Chron. 14.8.11 2 Chron. 17.14 15 2 Chron. 20.12 when Zerah the Ethiopian came against him adventur'd not upon so feeble a crutch but expresseth himself thus in his prayer Lord we have no power and we rest on thee and the later when his enemies made warre upon him though he had an army of eleven hundred and threescore thousand fighting men professing thus Lord we have no might neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee He who will account God to be all when the creature is at the best and fullest will surely account him so when the creature proclaims its nothingnesse 6. Trust God in the serving of his providence and in the use of such means as he hath appointed and sanctified He that will not do for himselfe what he can may not trust that God should do for him what hee would Though man liveth not by bread alone but by the word of blessing which proceedeth out of the mouth of God yet that word is by God annexed unto bread not to stones and that man shall not trust God but tempt him In viis custodiet nun quid in praecipitiis Bern. ser 14. in Psal Qui hab who should expect to have stones turned into bread If God hath provided staires it is not faith but fury to go down by a precipice thus Davids trusting in the name of the Lord made him not to throw away his sling when he went against Goliah Jacobs supplicating of God made him not neglect the sending a present to his brother The fast of Esther made her not forget to feast the king second causes are to be used in obedience to Gods order not in confidence of their own help the creature must be the object of our diligence though not of our trust Faith while it causeth us to be so diligent in the use of meanes as if God did nothing for us causeth us so to withdraw our trust from the means as if God were to do all for us He who in observing the other rules hath also added this may quietly rest upon God for promised mercy lay the matter before God and humbly put him to the accomplishing part VER 6. And the Angls which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgment of the great day IN this second example of Gods severity which was exprest against the falne Angels these two parts are contained 1. The revolt and defection of the Angels 2. The ruine and downfall of the Angels I. In the first these three particulars are principally considerable 1. By whom this defection was made 2. From what this defection was made 3. Wherein this defection was made 1. It was made by the Angels 2. It was from their first estate and their owne habitation 3. It was 1. in not keeping the former and 2. In leaving the later II. In the second are considerable these two parts 1. The punishment which now they undergo in the prison they being in that reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse 2. The punishment which shall hereafter be laid upon them at and after their appearing at the barr They being reserved c. unto the judgement of the great day In the former their punishment of the prison is twofold 1. Reservation in everlasting chains 2. Vnder darknesse In the later their punishment is considerable 1. In that to which they shall be brought viz to judgement 2. In the time when they shall be brought to judgement viz. at the great day I begin with the first part Part 1. their defection and revolt and therein I consider 1. The persons by whom this defection was made viz. the Angels EXPLICATION The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels Angelorum nomen sacrae scrip turae peculiare prafani Scriptores Graeci per vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latini Geniorum ferè exprimunt Synop. pur theol disp 12. p. 117. is a terme peculiar to the Scripture profane Writers among the Grecians expresse them
life and with that his estate and liberty and all that is dear and desirable granted unto him this his sentence and judgment I say is great and makes the day wherein it passeth deservedly to bee accounted such What are all the losses susteined by or fines imposed on any in comparison of the loss of Gods presence He who loseth God hath nothing besides to lose He who is doom'd to the pains of those fires prepared for the divell and his angels hath nothing left him more to feel The torments of the body are no more comparable to those of the soul then is the scratch of a pin to a stab at the heart nor can there possibly be an addition made to the blessednesse of those who shall be sentenced to enter into the joy of their Lord whose presence not only is in but is even heaven it selfe in a word there 's nothing small in the recompences of that great day great woe or great happinesse and therefore 't is a great day in either respect But of this at large before 3. This day of judgement is great in respect of the properties of it As 1. It s a certaine day were it doubtfull it would not be dreadfull were it fabulous it would be contemptible 1. Naturall conscience is affrighted at the hearing of a judgement day Act. 24.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian Sua quemque fraus sua audacia suum facinus suum scelus de sanitate ac mente deturbat hae sunt impiorum furiae haeflammae hae faces Cicer. in Pison Eccl. 1.2 Hab. 1.13 Fâ—lix trenâ—bled when Paul preached of it and though the Athenians mocked when they heard of a Resurrection of the dead yet not at the hearing of the day of judgement The reason why men so much fear at death is because they are terrifyed with the thoughts of judgement after death were it not for that supreme and publick the inward Tribunall of conscience should be in vaine erected 2. The justice of God requires that every one shall receive according to his works In this life the best men are of all men most miserable and sinners oft most happy All things fall alike to all The wicked saith Habbakuk devoureth the man that is more righteous then himselfe There must come a time therefore when the righteous Judge will like Jacob lay his right hand upon the younger the more despised Saint and his left hand upon the elder the now prosperous sinner There is now much righteousnesse and oppression among Magistrates Gen. 18.25 Job 34.10 11 12. Isai 3.16 11. but it would be blasphemy to say that injustice shall take place to eternity Every unrighteous Decree in humane Judicatories must be judged over againe and from the highest Tribunall upon earth the Saints of God may joyfully and successfully appeal to a higher Bar. Jud. 14. Rom. 2.15 Eccl. 11.9 2 Thes 1 6 7. Mat. 7.22.25.41.10.15 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 14.10 Luk. 21.34 Luk. 9.26 2 Pet. 3.9 Tit. 2.13 1 Pet. 4.5 Omnia alia quae futura praedixerat Spiritus Sanctus in Scripturis evâ—nerunt ut de primo Christi adventu c. Cum ergo idem Spiritus Sanctus praedixerit secundum Christi adventum utique certo eveniet Aug. Ep. 42. Luk. 21.35 Mat. 25. The day of judgement shall set all things strait and in right order It is a righteous thing with God saith Paul to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed c. To conclude this The Scripture is in no one point more full and plentifull then in assuring us that this day shall certainly come and if the other predictions in Scripture particularly those concerning the first coming of Christ have truly come to passe why should we doubt of the truth of Christs second appearance and if the mercy of God were so great that he should repent of the evill intended against the wicked yet even that mercy of his would make the judgment so much the more necessary for the good of the Elect 2. The judgement of this great day shall be Sudden Christ will come as a thief in the night who enters the house without knocking at the door The judgement will come upon the secure world as the snare doth upon the bird The greater security is at that day the greater will the day and the terror thereof be to sinners the noise of fire is neither so usuall nor so dreadfull as in the night The approach of the Bridegroom at midnight increased the cry of the foolish and sleeping Virgins Sudden destruction or that which befals them who cry peace is destruction doubled 3. The judgement of this great day shall be Searching exact and accurate There shall be no causes that shall escape without discussion notwithstanding either their multiplicity or secrecy their numerousnesse or closenesse The infinite swarmes of vain thoughts idle words Psal 50.21 Mat. 12.36 Eccl. 12.14 2 Cor. 5.10 and unprofitable actions shall clearly and distinctly be set in order before those who are to be tryed for them God shall bring every work to judgement and every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill 1 Cor. 4.5 He will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart But of this before 4. It shall be righteous As every cause shall be judged so rightly judged Christ is a righteous Judge 1 Tim 4.8 Psal 72.2 Act. 17.31 Rom. 2.11 2 Chron. 19.7 Psal 82.2 Job 34.19 In righteousnesse doth he judge Revel 19.11 The scepter of his kingdome is a right scepter he loves righteousnesse Psal 45.6 7 The day of judgement is a day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God Righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loyns it shall stick close to him This Judge cannot be byass'd by favour There is no respect of persons with God The enemies of Christ justified him in this particular that he regarded not the persons of men Mat. 22.16 Kindred Friend-ship Greatnesse make him not at all to warp and deviate from righteousnesse He is not mistaken with error he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes Isai 11.3 Joh. 7.24 2 Cor. 10.7 Jer. 17.9 10. Gal. 6.7 neither reprove after the hearing of his ears This Judg shall never be deluded with fair shews and out sides or misled by colourable but false reports as earthly Judges may be because they cannot pierce into mens hearts to discerne their secret intentions as Christ can do whom no specious appearance can deceive he shall never acquit any who is in truth faulty or inwardly unsound nor upon any flying report or forged suggestion proceed to the censure of any He shall never be in danger of being mis-informed through untrue depositions but he shall alwayes proceed upon certain knowledg in passing of his own sentence upon any 5. This judgement shall be open
toleration why do we punish the stealing of a piece of silver with death If we connive at these whose theft flies higher even at estate health honour life nay the soul it selfe In short How nearly doth it concern those who have burnt in these impure flames of uncleannesse and thereby have also kindled the flames of Gods wrath to labour to cool and quench them with the blood of Jesus Christ which alone can allay the heats of sin in them and wrath in God as also to cast their tears of Godly sorrow into the flame because they have not been pure hearted Josephs to become broken hearted Davids while for future they carefully avoid all those objects whereby their lust hath too frequently been and is too forward again to be inflamed 2. God punisheth sinners in a way of judiciary processe Observ 2. even with the greatest equity and righteousnesse His vengeanceeven upon Sodom was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A vengeance of Justice Gen. 4. Gen. 11. In his proceedings with our first parents after their sin as also with Cain and the Babel-builders first he accurately examines and inquires into the fact and afterwards he pronounceth sentence As the word Vengeance here used by Jude hath righteousnesse included in its signification so in the work of vengeance as storyed in Genesis righteousnesse is as openly displayed as wrath The cry of Sodoms sin was no uncertain rumour requiring that God should go down and see for his better information Gen. 18. whether they had done altogether according to the cry thereof He who knew the secret sins of the heart could not be ignorant of the proclaimed sins of Sodom nor was any proper descension consistent with his omnipresence nor information with his omniscience but hereby he would become exemplary to Judges who ought to take heed of their precipitancy in judgement and never proceed to condemnation without accurate examination In Sodoms punishment there was a Map of hell a sea of wrath not a drop of injustice Sin can make God angry not unrighteous Though sometimes he may destroy his creatures yet never deny himself How contented should this make us to be under the smartest providences A gracious heart will justifie God when God sentenceth him Thou art just saith Nehemiah in all that thou hast brought upon us Neb. 9.33 for thou hast done right and we have done wickedly That we are spared its mercy that we are punished it cannot be injustice Could we have harder thoughts of sin our thoughts of Gods dealing would be more honorable 3. Observ 3 Great is the patience and long-suffering of God even toward great sinners God overthrew not Sodom till they gave themselves over to fornication till they were impudent in sin and it became crying God did not shew that he heard it till they proclaimed it to every one He puts not in his siclke into Sodom till it was ripe He goes down to see whither they had done altogether according to the cry of it altogether Caedi aures suas Deus dicit clamoribus peccatorum ut non differatur poena peccantium Ostendit Dominus quà m invitus puniat dicens quod clamor Sodomorum ad se ascenderit Hoc est dicere Misericordia mea mihi suadit ut parcam sed tamen peccatorum clamor cogit ut puniam Sal. de prov l. 1. or as the Hebrew hath it whether they had made a consummation i.e. whether their iniquities were full God hereby shewing his purpose to spare them till it was so He loves to clear his justice before man as well as to execute it upon man He shews how mercy pleaseth him even when he puts forth justice There is no judging of Gods love by our impunity or having the space without the grace of repentance God bears with the wicked but yet not that they may be so The longer the sinner is spared the more the sin is aggravated Sinners are beholding to God for their being spared so long to themselves for their being spared no longer Unsesse Sodoms sin had cryed importunately God had not answered it Even by this expression of the crying of sin saith Salvian God sheweth how unwilling he is to punish sinners and that mercy perswades him to spare them did not the cry of sin constrein him to punish them 4. The justice of God is not abolished by his mercy Observ 4. So good was God in his gracious condescension even to the lowest step of Abrahams request for Sodom unto such a measure did God suffer the sin of unpunished Sodom to swell that justice seem'd to be laid aside but though it had woollen and leaden silent and slow feet yet had it also iron hands which at length the Sodomites felt to their cost Justice may be dormant and yet not cease to be it may be said of it as once Christ did of Lazarus it is not dead but sleepeth God is long suffering not ever suffering The rising of the Sun in the morning was no sign that fire and brimstone should not fall upon Sodom before the evening Gods forbearance to strike shews not that he will alwayes spare but that we should now repent If we will sin by his long-suffering we shall smart by his severity These things hast thou done and I kept silence and thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy selfe Psal 50.21 but I will reprove thee c. When God comes to exact the punishment he will require interest for his forbearance and indeed God is never more angry then when he suffers men to go on securely and un-interrupted in sin by sparing them Let not the indulgence of God make us presume but let us understand the language of love that we may not undergo the load of his wrath These Sodomites notwithstanding their sin Luk. 17.28 were so securely asleep in their delights of eating drinking buying selling planting building that nothing could awaken them but the fire which destroyed them This point should also be improved for imitation To spare all offenders is cruelty equall to a sparing of none Deut. 33.24.25 Ashers foot was dip'd in oyl yet his shoos were iron and brasse 5. Observ 5. Nothing is so dreadful as the wrath of God Sodoms fire and brimstone showred down in a sweeping and overwhelming plenty are but shadows of the wrath of God incensed Heb. 12.22 Our God is a consuming fire his wrath is the fire yea the very hell of hell When God Almighty sets himself to be tormenting and to shew what he is able to do against a worm God I say who can marshall and draw into a body all the forces of the Creation together and then can draw forth all their vertue and vigor and which is more set on every degree of that force and vigour according to the strength of his own all-powerfull arme yea and create infinitely more and greater torments then we can either oppose or apprehend how sorely
the second viz. Why the Lord would shew forth such an example of Caution Hereby he would shew 1. Our naturall forwardnesse to sin in like manner He who saith Take heed of such a practice shews a likelihood without care of doing the very same The naturall inclination of our hearts answers to that of the greatest sinners as face answers face in the glasse Their practices are but expositions upon our natures It is a Proverb What fools speak wise men think I am sure 't is a truth To that which the worst man acteth the heart of the best man without grace inclines And though the godly are not companions with the wicked in sin yet should they be humble for the very sinning of the wicked 2. His constant abhorrence of sin Examples of Caution speak both Gods hatred of the sin of those who went before whose punishments are the monuments of his vengeance as also his equall dislike of it in those who succeed against whom if they will sin he is prepared to do what he hath done against the former Though Gods forbearance towards some shews that sometime he can spare sinners yet his punishing of others shews that he never loves sin 3. The aptitude of examples for to prevent sin Greater is our forwardnesse to be affected with what we see executed then with what we hear denounced My eye saith the Prophet affecteth mine heart Examples either of imitation or caution work more on us then Doctrines The rod hath a louder voice then the word a mans word will not be so soon taken as his hand and seal God hath not only set seals to his promises but to his threatnings also and such seals as are examples Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord and beleeved c Exod. 14.31 When thy judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Isai 26.9 When a scorner is punished saith Solomon the simple is made wise Prov. 21.11 At the death of Ananias and Saphira Act. 5.11 Luk. 16.30 great fear came upon all the Church If one went from the dead said that tormented Glutton they will repent 4. His mercifull willingnesse to prevent our ruine The Lord gives us to see that so we may not be examples and lets us read the stories of others that so we may not be stories to others Such is the goodnesse of God that he had rather we should be drove away from then destroyed in sin Oft doth God recall to the minds of Israel the sins and punishments of their forefathers and his plagues upon the Egyptians It had been as easie for God to have destroyed them with as warned them by others had not mercy pâ—â—ased him Quot vulnera tot ora Every wound of another is a mouth that calls upon us to repent 5. The inexcusablenesse of sinning after the setting examples before us Dan. 5.22 This was the great aggravation of Belshazzers pride that he humbled not his heart though he knew the judgment which God had layed upon his father for the very sin of pride Thus likewise the Prophet hightens the impiety of Judah in that notwithstanding Judah saw the idolatry which Israel had committed against God and what judgements God had laid upon Israel yet Judah feared not but went and played the harlot also How just is God in hitting those to whom he had said before Stand off They who sin against examples sin presumptuously and even to a contempt of all Gods attributes his Immutability Power Righteousnesse Long suffering c. They cannot sin at so cheap a rate as those who never were warned He who will ride into the depth of the river notwithstanding the stake deserves irrecoverably to be drowned That thief offends obstinately who will rob in that place where his fellow hangs in chains OBSERVATIONS 1. The works of God especially his judgements Observ 1. have a language as well as his word Examples of judgement are visible Sermons and speak the pleasure of God When God forbears to punish he is said to keep silence Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath saith the Psalmist and vex them in his sore displeasure A word is significative and God is not only known by his word but even by his works also and particularly by his judgment which he executeth Psa l 9.16 Idem Deo facere loqui A word is not more easily uttered then the greatest work is performed by God There is nothing done by God but as a word is filia mentis produced by the mind was first determined before in his secret counsell There is no word so diffusive and scattered among so many as the works of God are there being no speech nor language where their voice is not heard In short Quot verbera tot verba No word or speech requires so much attention as the works of God do observation It is a shame for us that God hath spoken so often and so loud so long so plainly by them and that wee will not hear If that voice be not loud enough and if he hath stood too far to be heard he will speak more loudly and come nearer to us to our cost Intreat the Lord to open the ear as well as to speak the word and to teach as well as to speak Psal 94.12 2 Great Observ 2. is the excellency of the word in point of purity It sets not forth sins by way of meer relation much lesse by way of imitation but by way of caution As in it the filthiest of sins are spoken of modestly and purely so they are mentioned as punished severely Gen. 39.5 Gen. 38.26 Lev. 18.6 7. Sodoms filthinesse is set forth in Scripture but so likewise are Sodoms flames and both to warn us not to allure us The Scripture mentions the scourge as well as the sin of the holyest man the Medicine as well as the Malady how groundlesse is their impiety who take liberty to sin from reading of sins especially of good men in the Word what is this but to read it with Satans spectacles who as he cites so alwayes shews Scripture by halfs To sin without examples of caution is bad to sin against them is worse to sin by them is worst of all the first is to walk the second to run the third to flye to hell 3 Publick and notorious offenders Observ 3. ought to be open examples Sodom is not afraid to declare their sin and God declares it to make others afraid Though punishment should reach but a few yet fear should reach all Secret punishment is a plaister not broad enough for an open a scandalous fault God threatens even his otherwise dear David that he who had made the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.12 should be punished before all Israel and before the Sun Private corrections for open crimes are not plaisters to cure but only
It s a great shame if all that are prophets are not the Lords people but it s a grosse errour to think that all the Lords people are ministerially prophets Their being the Lords people makes them fit to hear but not fit to preach fit sheep not fit shepheards Suppose that which constant experience contradicts they have the fitnesse of gifts have they therefore a sufficient Call to preach by way of Office and Ministry Is this enough to be a Kings servant or a Noble mans Steward for a person to have abilities to discharge those places is there not required Commission or Call also and are not Ministers call'd servants and Stewards At this time I doubt it would hardly be accounted true doctrine that every one who hath military gifts courage and policy may be a Commander of a Regiment or Captain of a Troop and that he might gather his Followers without Commission Is it enough for a man to be a Princes Ambassador because he hath sufficient gifts for wit and good expression c. must not the King also give him the authority to be an Ambassadour Is every one that hath good legs or can run a Messenger must he not be sent likewise Besides whosoever hath a commission to preach hath a commission to baptize as is plain from Matth. 28.19 preaching and baptizing reaching alike the Ministery of all ages But hath every gifted-man such a Commission Further doth not our Saviour Mat. 10.41 cleerly distinguish between a righteous man and a Prophet if they had been all one why would he have done so And if gifts make a Minister is it not as true that gifts make a Manistrate and then every one that had understanding and other good governing parts were a Lord Maior nay then why might not women preach as lately they have done many of whom have better gifts then some men And how could that agree with the Apostolicall prohibition for women to speak in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 Besides all who are called to preach are bound to increase their gifts by giving attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.13 15. to doctrine and by giving themselves wholly to these things which cannot be done unlesse earthly occupations be laid aside But gifted men are not bound to this therefore they have not this Call which they pretend To conclude Every one that hath this Ministeriall Call hath that Pastorall care lying upon him mentioned Hebr. 13.17 To watch over souls as those that must give an account with joy and not with grief But this can in no wise be said of every one that is a gifted man and therfore gifted persons as such must forsake their pretended claim to a ministeriall call Nor can it be evinced that because the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14.31 All may prophesie therfore every gifted person may preach For besides that the gift of prophesie was extraordinarily bestowed in that age of the Church not procured by studie and industry but immediately conferr'd by the Spirit upon some as were also Miracles the gift of healing and diversities of tongues all which are now ceas'd its most plain that the word all in that place is not to be taken in its full latitude as if all the men or every beleever in the Church of Corinth might stand up and prophesie for that 's expresly contrary to 1 Cor. 12.29 1 Cor. 12.28 where by an Interrogation the Apostle doth vehemently deny that all are prophets but it s to be taken restrictively to those that were in office and set by God in the Church for that purpose as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in his Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets c. Other cavils are weaker then to deserve a mentioning as to argue from that place 1 Cor. 14.34 that because women are forbid to speak in the Church therfore any man may speak What greater strength is in this argument then to reason thus Because no woman may be a Iustice of Peace therefore every man may Because no woman may speak publickly therfore some men must namely such as are in office had been a much better consequence Nor is there more strength in that allegation of Moses his wish Num. 11.27 that all the Lords people were prophets to prove that all might prophesie for in his desiring that all might be prophets he includes a required condition that they might be call'd by God to that employment 2. Obs 2. Allyance in faith spirituall relation to Christ is much dearer and nearer then allyance in flesh Iude might have call'd himself a neer kinsman to Christ or Christs Brother as indeed he was and was so accounted Mat. 13.55 Mark 6.3 as much as Iames who Gal. 1.19 is call'd the Lords brother but that which includes a spirituall relation is to him much sweeter to be a servant of Christ is more desirable then to be a Brother of Christ. To bear Christ in the heart much better then to bear him in the womb What had it profited to have been his kinsman unlesse his servant many that were his kinsmen according to the flesh wanted the honour of this spirituall affinity but such of them who had this honour bestowed upon them had all their other glory swallowed up in this as Christ expressed himself he is my brother Mat. 12.47 50 John 12.26 and mother and sister Blessed be God that this greatest priviledge is not denyed to us even now though we cannot see him yet love him we may 1 Pet. 1.8 though we have not his bodily presence yet we are not denyed the spirituall though he be not ours in house in arms in affinity yet in heart in faith in love in service he is 3 Obs 3. I observe A peculiar excellency and worth in the title of Servant which our Apostle with others before him was so frequently delighted withall It might furnish them and us with a five-fold Consideration full of sweetest delight Sumus Domini non tantum in genitivo singulari sed in nominativo plurali Luth. 1. That he much honours us To serve Christ is to reign It s more honour to serve Christ then to serve Emperours nay then to have Emperours serve us for indeed all things do so 2. That he will assist us in our works If he gives employment he will give endowments too if an errand a tongue if work an hand Phil. 4.13 if a burden a back I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me saith Paul And herein he goeth beyond all other Masters who can toyl and task their servants sufficiently but cannot strengthen them 3. That he will preserve us He will keep us in all our wayes and surely then he will so in all his own work Safety evermore accompanies duty His mercy is over all his works but peculiarly over all his workers Men are never in danger but when they leave working Jonah was well enough till he attempted to
run away from his Master When our enemies do us greatest hurt they remove us above hurt A servant of Christ may be sick persecuted scorned imprisoned but never unsafe He may lose his head but not one hair of his head perish 4. That he will provide for us He can live without servants but these cannot live without a Master Verily his Family-servants shall be fed The servants of Christ shall want no good thing If they be without some things there 's nothing they can want they shall have better and enough of better Can he that hath a mine of gold want pibbles can it be that a servant of Christ should want provision when as God can make his very work meat and drink to him nay when God can make his wants meat and drink how can he want or be truly without any thing whose friend hath and is all And no good thing shall they want nothing that may fit them for and further them in duty 'T is true they may be without clogs snares hinderances but these things are not good that hinder from the chief Good should God give them he would feed his servants with husks nay with poyson 5. That he will reward them The Lord gives grace and glory Mat. 5.12 Great is their reward in heaven nay great is their reward on earth There 's a reward in the very work but God will bestow a further recompence hereafter We should not serve him for but he will not be served without wages even such as will weigh down all our work all our woes Oh the folly of them that either prefer the cruel and dishonourable service of sin before the sweet and glorious service of Christ or that being servants to Christ improve it not for their comfort in all their distresses 4. Obs 4. I inferr We owe to God the duty and demeanour of servants 1. To serve him solely Matt. 6.24 not serving sin Gal. 1.10 Tit. 3.3 Rom. 6.12 13. Satan at all not man in opposition to Christ not serving our selves the times Who keep servants to serve others enemies Christ and Sin are contrary Masters contrary in work and therfore it s an impossibility to serve both contrary in wages and therfore it s an infinite folly to serve Sin 2. Christ must be served obediently submissively 1 in bearing when he correcteth A beaten servant must not strike again nor word it with his Master we must accept of the punishment of our iniquities 't is chaff that slyes in the face of him that fanneth 2 We must be submissive servants in being content with our allowance in forbearing to enjoy what we would as well as bearing what we would not the proper work of a servant is to wait stay thy Masters pleasure for any comfort All his Servants shall have what they want and therfore should be content with what they have The standing wages are certain and set the vails are uncertain 3 Submissive in not doing what we please not going beyond our rule our order Ministers are his servants and therfore must not make Laws in his house either for themselves or others but keep laws not of themselves lay down what they publish but publish what he hath laid down Ministers are not owners of the house but Stewards in the house Laws are committed to us and must not be excogitated by us No servant must do what is right in his own eyes Deut. 12.8 4 Submissive in doing whatever the Master pleaseth not picking out this work Ps 119.6 128. and rejecting that nothing must come amisse to a servant We must not examine what the service is that is commanded but who the Master is that commands 1 Tim. 5.21 We must not preferre one thing before another a service that most crosseth our inclinations opposeth our ease and interest A servant must come at every call and say Lord I hear every command Acts 10.33 5 We must serve Christ obediently in doing what is commanded because it is commanded this is to serve for conscience sake If the eye be not to the command the servant acts not with obedience though the thing be done which is commanded nay it s possible a work for the matter agreeable to the command may yet be an act of disobedience in respect of the intent of the performer Oh how sweet is it to eye a precept in every performance to pray hear preach give because Christ bids me Many do these works for the wages this is not to be obedient they sell their services not submit in service 3. Christ must be served heartily Ephes 6.6 Col. 3.23 Rom. 1.9 We must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-servants we must do the will of God from the heart Paul speaks of serving God in the spirit There are many complement all servants of Christ in the world who place their service in saying Thy servant thy servant Lord lip-servants but not life heart-servants such as the Apostle Gal. 6.12 speaks of that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a shew only but the heart of a service is wanting the heart makes the service sacrificium medullatum 't is the marrow of a performance Bodily service is but like the fire in the bush that appeared to burn but did not or like the Glow-worm in the night that shineth but heateth not these do but act service but are no servants servants onely in profession To these who would not profess Christ seriously Christ will hereafter profess seriously Mat. 7.23 I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 4. Christ must be served cheerfully He Psal 40.8 Joh. 4.34 2 Cor. 9.7 as he was his Fathers servant delighted to do his will It was his meat and his drink God loveth a cheerfull servant in every piece of sorvice This makes the service pleasing to Master and servant too acceptable to the former easie to the later Nothing is hard to a willing minde willingness is the oyl to the wheel A servant cheerfull at his work is as free as his Master Si non possint à Dominis liberi sieri suam servitutem ipsi quodammodo li beram faciunt Aug. de C.D. l. 19. c. 15. Rom. 12.11 If his Master make him not free he makes himself free The preaching of the Gospel must be performed willingly 1 Cor. 9.17 Love to souls should make us cheerfull in that service not mourning at our own pains but at peoples unprofitableness not that we do so much but that they get no more 5 Christ must be served diligently These two fervent in spirit and serving the Lord are most properly joyned together Hence it 's most necessary that what-ever we do Eccl. 9.10 Gen. 24.33 should be done with all the might Abrahams servant was diligent when he went to procure a wife for Isaac he would not eat bread till he had done his errand when 't was done he stay'd not upon complements They whose service is in
salvation 4. 2 Pet. 3. Obs 4. Great is the hainousnesse of sin that can provoke a God of much mercy to expresse much severity That drop of gall must needs be bitter that can imbitter a sea of honey How offensive is sin that can provoke a God to whose ocean of pity the sea is but a drop Ephraim saith the Prophet provoked God to anger most bitterly Hos 12.14 or with bitternesses God afflicts not willingly he gives honey naturally but stings not til provoked Every sufferer coyns his own calamities There is no arrow of judgment which falls down upon us but was first in sinning shot upwards by us no showr of miseries that rains down but was caused by the ascent of the vapours of sin no print of calamity upon the earth but sin was the stamp that made it What a folly is it in our sufferings to be impatient against God and to be patient towards sin to be angry with the medicine and in love with the disease Let us justifie God in all our sufferings and condemn our selves God commands that if a man were found dead the City that by measure was found to be neerest to the place where he was found Deut. 21.2 should offer up a sacrifice In all our deaths and woes would we measure impartially we should finde sin neerest let us sacrifice it 5. Obs 5. It should be our care to obtain the best and choycest of mercies God hath mercies of all sorts wicked men are easily put off with the meanest their enquiry is Who will shew them any good But O Christian let nothing please thee but the light of Gods countenance so receive from God as that thou thy self mayst be received to God Desire not gifts but mercies from God not pibbles but pearls Labour for that which God alwayes gives in love There may be angry smiles in Gods face and wrathful gifts in his hand the best worldly gift may be given in anger Luther having a rich present sent him profess'd with a holy boldnesse to God That such things should not serve his turn A favourite of the King of heaven rather desires his favour than his preferment We use to say when we are buying for the body that the best is best cheap and is the worst good enough for the soul The body is a bold beggar and thou givest it much the soul is a modest beggar asketh but little and thou givest it less O desire from God that thy portion may not he in this life Psal 17.14 that what thou hast in the world may be a pledg of better hereafter that these things may not bewitch thee from but admonish thee what is in Christ The ground of Pauls thanks-giving was Ephes 1.3 that God had blessed the Ephesians with spirituall blessings in Christ. 6. Obs 6. How little should any that have this God of mercy for theirs be dismayd with any misery Blessed are those tears which so merciful a hand wipes off happy twigs that are guided by so indulgent a father Psal 25.10 All his severest wayes are mercy and truth to those in covenant if he smiles 't is in mercy if he smites 't is in mercy he wounds not to kill thee but sin in thee the wounds of mercy are betthan the embraces of anger if sicknesse poverty dishonour be in mercy why dost thou shrink at them Wrath in prosperity is dreadfull but Mercy makes adversity comfortable It s the anger of God which is the misery of every misery Peter at the first was not willing that Christ should wash his feet but when he saw Christs mercifull intent therein feet and hands and head are all offered to be wash'd A child of God when he sees the steps of a father should be willing to bear the stripes of a child God will not consume us but onely try us He afflicts not for his pleasure but for our profit Heb. 12.10 Psal 89. God visits with rods yet not with wrath He takes not away his loving-kindnesse Mercy makes the sufferings of Gods people but notions It would do one good to be in troubles and enjoy God in them to be sick and lye in his bosome God gives a thousand mercies to his people in every trouble and for every trouble He burdens us but it is according to our strength the strokes of his flail are proportioned to the hardnesse of the grain Is◠28.27 and merciful shall be the end of all our miseries There 's no wildernesse but shall end in Canaan no water but shall be turn'd into wine no lions carcass but shall be a hive of honey and produce a swarm of mercies The time we spend in labouring that miseries may not come would be spent more profitably in labouring to have them mixt with mercy nay turned into mercies when they come What a life-recalling cordial is the apprehension of this mercy of God to a fainting soul under the pressure of sin Mercy having provided a satisfaction and accepted it nay which is more it beseeching the sinner to beleeve and apply it That fountain of mercy which is in God having now found a conveyance for it self to the soul even Jesus Christ through whom such overflowing streams are derived unto us as are able to drown the mountains of our sins even as easily as the ocean can swallow up a pibble O fainting soul trust in this mercy Psal 33.18 and 147.11 If the Lord takes pleasure in those that hope in his mercy should not we take pleasure to hope in it Mercy is the onely thing in the world more large than sin It s easie to presume Exod. 34.7 Psal 77.7 but hard to lay hold upon mercy Oh beg that since there is an infinite fulnesse in the gift and a freenesse in the giver there be a forwardnesse in the receiver 7. Obs 7. It s our duty and dignity to imitate God in shewing mercy Obs 7. 1 Pet. 3.8 Matth. 5.45 Luke 6.36 Col. 3.12 Rom. 12.15 Plus est aliquando compati quà m dare nam qui exteriora largitur rem extra se positam tribuit qui compassionem aliquid sui-ipsius dat Gr. Mor. 20. A grace frequently commanded and encouraged in the Scripture Mercy we want and mercy we must impart As long as our fellow-members are pained we must never be at ease When we suffer not from the enemies of Christ by persecution we must suffer from the friends of Christ by compassion When two strings of an instrument are tuned one to the other if the one be struck upon and stirred the other will move and tremble also The people of God should be so harmonious that if one suffer and be struck the other should be moved and sympathize Jer. 9.1 Luke 19.41 2 Cor. 11.29 Holy men have every been tender-hearted Grace not drying up but diverting the streams of our affections Christ was mercy covered over with flesh and blood his words his works