greatest worth that it sees in any thing beside Christ is this that it may be be left for Christ 4. It is an industrious thirst 't is not a lazy veleity but a desire which takes pains for the thing desired it suffers not a man to sit still but makes him seek knock ask cry call sell all wrastle strive all Scripture-expressions it offers violence to and makes an holy riot upon heaven It s like fire that will not be smothered It saith as Elijah to Obadiah As the Lord liveth I will shew my self It stands not for any cost it turns every stone Like the arrow drawn to the head it flies apace It 's not like the desire of the slothfull which slayes him because his hands refuse to labour Prov. 21.25 5. It s a resolved waiting permanent thirst Gen. 49.19 Luk. 2 25. Iratum colit numen Hence we frequently read of waiting for the Lord and his Salvation and Consolation It stayes the Lords leisure and will not away though the Lord seems to deny No waters of discouragement shall quench it It doth not cast off hope because it cannot presently find comfort T is good saith the soul that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord Lam. 3.26 Like one who goes to an house to speak with one much his Superiour the spiritually thirsty soul will tarry the Lords leisure for his coming to it 6. It s a thirst determined and limited to that One Thing upon which it s set Nothing else will serve its turn nor will it be brib'd or put off with any thing in stead thereof Whom saith the Psalmist have I in heaven but thee Psal 73.25 Psal 27.4 and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee One thing saith David I have desired of the Lord that will I seek after What have I said Abraham so long as I go childlesse and what have I saith the soul so long as I go Christless Land riches honours children c. are good but yet they are not Christ A bag of gold wilnot serve him who is perishing with thirst in stead of a cup of water 7. It s a returning progressive thirst 't is never fully satisfied on this side Heaven it puts upon craving and seeking again and again The earth desires not rain once onely in a year but a return of showres the latter as well as the former rain nor doth refreshment with drink to day make a man regardless therof to morrow Davids desire was to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever The least degree of spirituall relief Psal 23.6 Psal 27.4 satisfies and stayes a Christians stomack to the world but the greatest takes not away it s further desires of Christ 8. It s a thank full thirst it blesseth the Lord for every drop of grace with the Psalmist Psal 63.5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shal praise thee with joyfull lips Oh! saith the soul Lord who shall praise thee if I do not A soul satisfied with mercy Psal 103.3 Rom. 7.25 1 Tim. 1.17 Nibil leve quo anima reparatur is a spirituall Psalm sung out in the praises of God Blessed be God who hath blessed us saith Paul with spirituall Blessings as soon as ever Paul had said Christ came into the world to save sinners whereof he was chief he adds his Doxology Now to the King immontall c. What a delightfull fragrancy comes from and what a face of freshnesse greennesse cheerlinesse is upon the face of the parched grasse and Plants after a shower of Rain Oh! what a spirituall freshnesse of joy is upon what sweetly breathings of praises issue from that soul which God hath relieved with his spirituall Showres of Love and favour The souls greatest trouble is now that it brings not forth more fruits of new obedience after those Showres and it s now as boundless in duty as heretofore it was in desires 7. Obs 7. Seducers are wont to make great shews and appearances of worth in themselves and their Doctrines These Seducers seem'd to be full watery clouds whose wombs were big with the rain of instruction and holinesse but for all this the Apostle tels us they were clouds without water Heresie is compared to leaven Mar. 8.15 and among other reasons for its puffing and raising the dough This spirituall Leaven puffs up men with an undue and excessive opinion of their own parts and Graces The Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous 2 Pet. 2.20 and despised others Luk 18.9 No doubt think they we are the people and Wisdome shall dye us with Job 12.2 They are vainly puft up by their fleshly minde Col. 2.18 The Ministers of Satan desired to be accounted the Ministers of righteousnesse False Apostles 2 Cor. 10.12 commended themselves measured themselves by themselves and compared themselves among themselves They measured and esteemed themselves according to their own mind and judgment and not according to their reall worth or excellency Regnat luscus inter câ—cos They also never considered the excellency of others who were much beyond them in worth but onely such who were of the same pitch with themselves or as some understand the place they commend and receive praises from one another and among themselves And whereas the Apostle saith vers 13. that he would not boast of things without his measure he intimates that these Seducers boasted beyond all the bounds or measure of their gifts and calling or according to some that they boasted of their labouring in the Gospel beyond the measure and term of Pauls Labour Theophilact and Oecumenius conceiving that these Seducers falsely boasted that they had propagated the Gospel to the ends of the earth and that according to the Psalmist Psal 19. Their line was gone through all the earth and their words to the end of the world Arius vainly gloried that God had revealed something to him that was hid from the Apostles themselves Vide Danaeum in descriptione arboris Haeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. Haer. 24. Montanus boasted that he was the Paraclet or Comforter himself Simon Magus the father of these hereticall seducers boasted that he was the mighty power of GOD. Hereticks boldly inintrude into things which they have not seen they professe knowledg falsely so called The disciples of Basilides voyced themselves onely to be men and all others to be swine and dogs saith Epiphanius and Nazianzen tels Eunomius that he was he means in his own Conceit a beholder of things which to all others are invisible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. in Orat. 33. an hearer of things which it is not lawfull to â—tter that he was taken up to heaven as was Elias that he had seen the face of God as had Moses that he was rapt up into the third heavens as was Paul Thus the Papists stile some of their Schoolmen Angelicall
such a sympathy or compassion of heart as enclines us to relieve the miserable But as attributed to God and Christ in glory as here it notes either 1. A gracious disposition or inclination to help and succour us in our distresses De Na. Dei l. 4. c. 4. q 1 As for sympathy and compassion they are not as learned Zanchy observes essentiall to mercy in selfe but accidentall to it in regard of our present state 2. The effects and expressions of mercy or the actual helping of us out of our distresses and so God is said to have mercy on us and shew mercy to us Now these effects of mercy are either common or special Common such as are afforded to all men and creatures Psal 147.9 Luke 6.36 c. Special bestowed upon the elect who are the vessels of mercy and who onely have the inward effects of mercy in preventing and following grace the outward in justifying and glorifying mercy bestowed upon them And thus mercy is principally to be taken in this place and that peculiarly for those gracious expressions and discoveries of mercy which shall be shewn toward the faithful in acquitting and delivering them at Christs second coming or coming to judgment And this is called mercy in scripture 2 Tim. 1.18 where the Apostle speaking of Onesiphorus prayes that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day And deservedly its so called For 1. It comes from the purpose and intention of free favour and good will Joh. 6.39 This is the Fathers will that hath sent me that I should lose nothing c. Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your fathers good will to give you the kingdome The means and the end the bestowing of grace and glory are both referred to the Fathers pleasure Election to this state was from free grace And in that regard the Elect are called vessels of mercy 2. In it there are the greatest effects and discoveries of mercy A removal of all bad sin sorrow tears temptations outward inward eternal evils Woes from our selves other men devils God himselfe A confluence of all good of perfect grace in the soul glory on the body and soule By it we enter into the vision and fruition of the cheifest good a supply of all exigencies A fulnesse of joy Rivers nay a fountain of pleasures In one word in this respect 't is not so much a mercy one mercy as a bundle of mercies and the perfection and consummation of them all It s call'd by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mercy that mercy by way of excellency God here had much mercy in his heart but his hands will be full of mercy at the coming of Christ 3. It s mercy in respect it s bestow'd upon the miserable Indeed the saints are vessels of mercy and in comparison of the reprobate happy in this life but yet in comparison of the glorified they are miserable and that in respect of the remainders of sin in the soule the frequent eclipses of Gods lightsome and loving countenance tentations from devils opposition and persecution from a cruel and unkinde world they are here in a valley of teares surrounded with shame sicknesses paines losses deaths Their eyes run down with rivers of teares they are men of sorrow yea sorrow is not only their condition but their duty but sorrow and sighing shall flee away Luc. 17.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist pol. 1. ◠4 Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.7 Rom. 11.35 1 Cor. 4.7 Phil. 2.13 Bonum opus in quantum est naturae est impuratum in quantum gratiae non est nostrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in Psal 14. and all teares shall be wiped from their eyes when this mercy comes 4. It s mercy because bestowd upon those who could not merit and deserve it Rom. 6.23 Eternall life is the gift of God It could never be deserved by doing nor suffering The best men are unprofitable servants Al our good is either ipse aut ab ipso either God or from God all we doe is due debt all we receive is from free grace Our very sufferings are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 We are not purchasers but heirs of this happinesse our works as they are good are not ours but Gods meer gifts as they are ours they are impure imperfect Besides none can give any thing to God equivalent to what he hath already received therefore he cannot deserve that which he hath not received I am les◠saith Jacob then the least of thy mercies What shall I render for them saith David Gen. 32.10 Psal 116.12 There 's no proportion between a finite worke and an infinite reward a reward no lesse then the infinite rewarder himselfe It s the alone free grace of this God whereby we come to partake of his glory 2. But why is it the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. It s his ratione meriti he hath purchased it by his merit The obedience of Christ was not onely satisfactory but meritorious by reason of the infinitenesse of the person there being an infinitely greater excesse and proportion of vertue in his obedience then of malignity in our disobedience by vertue of which merit a purchase is made of this mercy as well as there is a removall made of our misery Christs merit at his first procures mercy at his second coming 2 It s his respectu praeparationis he hath prepar'd us for it Parat quodammodo mansiones mansionibus parando mansores Aug. Trac 68. in Job by sending his Spirit into us to make us meet to partake of this mercy He hath bestowed upon us the earnest of our inheritance and the first fruits of the Spirit given us a part in the first resurrection The heaven without us is from his merit the heaven within us from his Spirit 3. 'T is his respectu donationis of giving and exhibiting it at his coming 'T is he who shall be the Judg to acquit the saints that shall pronounce the blessed sentence Come ye blessed c. that shall give his faithfull souldiers a Crowne of righteousnesse at that day 2. Tim. 4.7 That shall present us faultlesse before the presence of glory Jude 24. Secondly in this first branch we are to consider what is this looking for this mercy Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting properly an earnest receiving of it or taking it to us as some welcome guest or stranger whom we take in A disposition commended in and commanded to the saints Tit. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking for that blessed hope and Christ commands his to be like men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12.36 Rom. 16.2 that looke for their Lord. And this comprehends severall particulars under it as 1. Meditation of this mercy I may thinke of that which I doe not look for but I cannot look for that of which I do not think The wife that lookes for the returne of her welcome
Which is the second branch to be opened 2. The inducement encouraging to the duty of looking for the mercy of Christ It was a mercy whereby they should bee brought to eternal life Of this though wee shall enjoy it so much yet can we speak but little Under two words eternal life the Scripture frequently sets forth the state of the Saints of heaven which for its blessednesse is câ—lled life and for its durablenesse eternall 1. Life There is a threefold Life 1. Naturall consisting in the conjunction of the body and soule 2. Spirituall which is eternall life begun in respect of grace here 3. Eternall life in respect of glory hereafter whereby is understood all the happinesse to be injoyed in heaven As under the word death the greatest of evills are comprehended all the miseries inflicted for sin in this and the next state so in that of life of all things the most precious and the most set by are contained all the blessings to be enjoyed here and hereafter but because our happinesse cannot be perfect and consummat til we come to heaven that condition is principally and frequently called life Which life stands in our immediate communion with God in an unitive vision or in seeing and enjoying him Mat. 5.8 1 Jo. 3.2 Psal 16. ult c. Heaven is a low thing without God saith Angustin Whatever is lesse then himselfe is lesse then our desires In him is contain'd infinitely more then either we want or all other things in the world have his presence shall be our life and as it were enliven all things else which without him as here they are so there would be dead things In the immediate full and perfect not in respect of the object but subject uninterrupted reflexive unmixed enjoyment of this God stands life 2. Which in respect of its duration is call'd eternall as never to be interrupted and intermitted so without any end or amission and indeed this it is which makes all the enjoyments of heaven to be truly such and as the faggot-band whereby all the particular parcells of happinesse are bound and tyed together and without which they would be all scattered and lost Frequently is the life of glory said to be eternall Joh 3.15.8.51.11.25 c. pleasures for ever more a treasure in the heaven that faileth not Luk. 12.33 Extra jactum fortunae Extra periculum jacturae an eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 a treasure beyond the reach of theefe and moth c. God the fountaine and treasury of life can never be exhaust The saints can never be willing to part with this God Enemies shall never be able to separate them A compleat happinesse to be truly and necessarily happy also OBSERVATIONS From the whole part 1. Obs 1. The hope of salvation is an helmet to keep off tentations to sin Eph. 6.8 The looking for the mercy of Christ quickens us in our course of Christianity The Apostle directs them to contend for the faith by looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus c. 1. It purgeth the heart from fin Whosoever hath this hope purifieth himselfe 1 Joh. 3.3 He who looketh for Christ looks to be like him and therefore he conformes himselfe to Christ in purity He who lookes for great revenues within a few yeares will not cut off his hopes We may say of sinners as of some men who are adventurous in the world they have no thing to lose but rather remove impediments The looking for mercy and the living in sin cannot stand together The love of sin is the confutation of our hopes 2. The looking for this mercy damps our affections to the things of the world He who beholds the glorious sunshine of Christs appearance hath his eyes so dazled that he can behold no beauty in any thing besides He is like Jacob who when he was to goe to a rich Egypt and a deare Joseph was not to regard his stuffe Earthly objects which to earthly mindes seeme glorious 2 Cor. 4.16 to be a beleever have no glory by reason of that glory which excelleth Though Jezabel paints her face he throwes her down and treads her under foot 3. It makes us conscientious in holy duties Paul chargeth Timothy to keep the command without spot by an argument drawn from Christs appearance and upon this ground of looking for a reward from the chief Shepherd Peter warneth the Elders to feed the flock As we cannot conceive what manner of mercy for its glory it is which we look for so neither can we express what manner of persons we should be 1 Cor. 15.58 or what manner of performances ours should be for holinesse What manner of persons saith the Apostle ought we to be 2 Pet. 3.11 4. It engageth to patience under every difficulty and distresse Behold I come quickly hold fast that thou hast Rev. 3.11 Thus. 1 Joh. 2.28 Little children abide in him that when he shall appeare we may have confidence c. Non sunt condigna passiones ad cul pam quae remittitur ad gratiaÌ„ qua immittitur ad gloriam qua promittitur He who beholds a Kingdome appointed for him will abide with Christ in his tentations The drawing nigh of the Lords coming is the Apostles ground of patience Jam. 5.8 and 2 Thes 1.6 7. John Hus and Jerom of Prague appealed from the unjust sentences of men to the righteous judgment of Christ This dayes misery is not worthy of that dayes mercy Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 No more comparable with it then is the uncovering of the head a trouble comparable to the honour of receiving a crown 1 Sam. 10. ult Saul held his peace though he were despised because hee was King How easily should our sea of honey swallow up our drop of vinegar Though godlinesse brings sufferings yet it affords encouragements like Egypt which though it were full of poysonous creatures yet full of Antidotes The reason why wee are cast away in tempests is for want of this anchor of hope of the mercy of Christ Let then O Christians the looking for this mercy engage you to duty Remember such mercy to be received deserves better services to bee performed Psal 36.5 As Gods mercy and faithfulnesse are put together so let not his mercy and our faithfulnesse bee severed Brethren if any shame could befall the Saints at the day of judgement it would be for this that they who have done so little on earth for God should receive so much in heaven from God Mercy It s mercy not merit Obs 2. that must stand us in stead at the last day Of this largely pag. 100. Part. 1. as also to this part may be reduced Pag. 101 102 103 104 105. Obs 3. the six Observations there handled concerning Gods mercy Of our Lord Jesus Christ How much are they mistaken who expect mercy and yet have no interest in Christ 'T is the mercy of Christ Christlesse persons are mercilesse
husband spends her thoughts upon him by this time thinks she he is come to such a place to night he lodgeth in such an house The thoughts of saints run upon this mercy of Christ Heb. 11. Psal 39. 1 Pet. 1. The reason why they are call'd strangers here is because they dwell so much in their thoughts of another condition Every saint is made to looke upwards Beneficiall and great things are much thought on The covetous man thinks of his treasure the labourer of his hire the prisoner of his enlargement the heir of his possession And great things are greatly observed and serious matters seriously regarded Trivial toyes and enjoyments cannot hinder a saint from the thoughts of this great mercy yea all other things are but so many steps to raise his meditation to it Wicked men are bow'd downward in their contemplation as in their condition Saints are low in the latter high in the former They are as unlike as a piece of dirt and a ball Cast dirt upon the earth it lies still cast a ball on it and it rebounds upward 2. Belief of this mercy The looking for this mercy imports a groundednesse of expectation A saint looks for nothing without the foundation of a promise Faith certainly layes hold on that certaine word Heb. 6.11.19 and hence hope hath such a certainty as never makes us ashamed There 's a full assurance of hope call'd therefore the sure and stedfast anchor of the soule This expectation is not overcome by humane sense and reason Heb. 11.1 but climbs above them Faith gives a reality to things not seen This looking is for that which is clean contrary to sense It s an hope above hope they who have it see the mercy of Christs coming even through a cloud of sin and misery and look at things within the vaile Heb. 6.19 3. Ardent desires after this mercy This looking for it implies the welcomness and acceptableness of it and it s a looking for mercy Saints are both said to be lookers for and lovers of it 2 Tim. 4.8 they are sick of love to it The Bride saith Come Rev. 22.21 Come Lord Jesus Come quickly shuts up the scripture and summes up the churches wishes Rev. ult There 's a griefe for his absence and a groaning desire after his presence Rom. 8.23 We sigh in our selves waiting c. as no worldly difficulty can disappoint so no worldly enjoyment can bribe the souls desires A Saint with Abraham stands at his tent doore or with Sisera's mother 2 Pe◠3 12 looks out of the window and saith why is his chariot so long a coming It hasteth Wee cannot thus look for Christ unlesse we love him 2 Thes 3.5 the devils and the wicked have a fearfull the faithful a longing looking for Christ 4. It imports patience of expectation The faithfull will stay Gods leisure for his dole of mercy as beggars at a doore that continue there till there be leisure to serve them They make not hast Isa 28.16 Though they dwell in an unkind world and among them that hate peace Though they are wounded with crosses yet they say with Augustine Lord here burn wound cut the mercie of Christ makes amends for all Though they are environed with a body of death and had infinitely rather if God pleased change a necessity of sinning for a necessity of obeying yet they contentedly think Gods time is the best for removing though the worst of evils Their patience concocts their miseries and their empty stomaks keep them from being sick though in a wide and stormy sea Rom. 8.21 Through faith and patience they inherit the promises Heb. 6.12 This looking for the Spirit of Christ is 2 Thes 3.5 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 patience it selfe Mercy must not be bestowed nay 't will bee no mercy if patience be not tryed Certainty countervails all delayes 5. This looking conteins in it a joyful expectation of that great good for which we look Though the deferring makes the heart sad and sick yet the expecting thereof makes the heart glad and cheerful Wee rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 In whom believing we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet 1.8 If Abraham looking for the day of Christs humility two thousand yeares before rejoyced must not believers needs rejoyce in looking for the day of his and their own glory approaching so neer it being now as it were the last minute of the last houre before the day of our marriage redemption coronation 6. It notes prudent vigilancy what wee look for wee watch for when we look either for friend or foe we keep our selves waking Hence Luke Luk. 12.36 37. makes this looking and watching all one They who look for an Enemy will watch to prevent his coming as Christ speaks of the theif They who look for a friend will watch to welcome and entertain him All who look for mercy labour to be found in peace they look up as watchmen upon their Tower they keep their loyns girt and they are in the posture of servants expecting their Lord they are afraid of surfets and sleeping by worldly pleasures They who reach after this mercy must let worldly trifles fall out of their hand 2 Pet. 3.11 The better the mercy to be enjoyed is the fitter we should be to receive A prepared mercy sutes not with an unprepared heart Every day to a saint should be as his last And of every one he should say art thou the last or look I for another Am I now in a meet posture to receive the mercy of Christ To shut up this it is not strange that Jude enjoins these Saints to look for this mercy of Christ considering the sutablenes of this exhortation to the persons exhorted who 1. are Saints such as have the spirit which saith Come whose motions are upward who are begotten again to this lively hope who as they are men look upward with their faces so as they are Saints and new men look upward with their spirits and wait for Christ from heaven 1 Thes 1.10 and love his appearance 2. Tim. 4.8 Such as are like the young ones of the fouls of heaven who though they may be hatch't under a hens wing yet being growne they presently flye abroad The Saints are born and for a time live in the world yet they soon shew that they are not of this world who 2. also were so opposed and tempted by seducers that looking for the Crowne of life was little enough to make them constant to the death 2. Considering for whom they were to look their Master their Husband Head their Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Considering for what they looked mercy to bee bestowed at a time when they should want it most even at Christs coming when nothing else will help Lastly considering the great beneficialnesse of this mercy it was such a mercy whereby they should be possessed of eternal life
persons mercilesse in respect they shew no mercy and mercilesse because they receive no mercy true saving mercy is derived from God through Christ Hee hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ God in himself is a full fountaine verse 3. but in his Sonne he onely is an overflowing fountaine of mercy He who is in Christ a God of mercy is in himselfe a God of wrath It was a saying of Luther Let me have nothing to doe with a God in himself Nolo Deum absolutum Luther We are onely accepted in the Sonne of his love It s his blood which onely quencheth the fire of his Fathers wrath As soon mayest thou extract water out of a consuming fire as a drop of mercy out of an unreconciled majesty Say not then poore ignorant sinner he that made me will save me God is a mercifull God What mercy for him who despiseth mercy by refusing Christ Think not with a fawning presumption to say God is my God I tell thee he is onely so thy God as that he is also thy Judge They who have Christ for theirs 4. Obs Turbabor non perturbabor quia vulneram Christi recordabor cannot be under wrath Their portion is mercy In all conditions they meet with mercy 'T is mercy when 't is misery â—et their straits poverty disgraces death judgment come 't is all mercy The day of judgement shall be to them a day of mercy Aug. nay therefore a day of mercy because a day of judgement for God shall bee most just in shewing them that mercy which by Christ is so dearly purchased So that even as they may appeal from the justice of God to his mercy so may they in a sort expect mercy from his justice How willingly then may Saints submit to every divine though smart dispensation God may be severe never unmercifull toward them There 's not a drop of wrath in a sea of their sufferings If God scourge them 't is in mercy Oh how great is the difference between an Executioners axe and a Fathers rod 5. Obs 5. It s our wisdome to be made fit to look for the mercy of Christ Of this see Part 1. pag 543 544. c. 6. Obs Vlt. It s our duty to be quickned in looking for this mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ It s certainty greatness speedinesse are all motives of which at large before Part. 1. pag. 536 537. c. 545 546. Ver. 22 23. And of some have compassion making a difference 23. And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh WE have handled the first sort of directions guiding these Christians how to contend for the faith viz. such as chiefly concern themselves The directions of the second sort viz such as concern their carriage towards others are contained in these two verses wherin the Christians are directed to the using of a different deportment carriage toward the different delinquents which were among the seduced for their recovery The first kind of deportment and carriage is that of Christian lenity and gentlenes towards some in the 22. ver The second is that of holy austerity and severity toward others ver 23. Their carriage of Christian gentlenesse toward some is enjoyned 1. More generally by setting down the thing to be done viz. their shewing of compassion 2. More particularly how they should extend their compassion in way of making a difference between offenders EXPLICATION Two things then are here briefly to be explained 1. What Jude intends by having compassion of some 2. What by making a difference 1. For the first Have compassion Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arguite By compassion here we must not onely understand inward sympathy no nor yet onely inclination to help the miserable but principally the expressing both these by outward real tokens and effects of mercy and here more particularly these expressions were to be put forth toward those who were such of the seduced followers of these ungodly seducers of whose recovery the Saints had most hope Not that the Apostle exhorts the Christians by a preposterous patience either 1. To wink at and dissemble their sinnes and errours and silently to forbear the discovering of them to the offenders Silence in a reprover was by Luther called an irremissible sin and the greatest hatred to the offender and if sinne be bold reprehension must not be bashfull Or 2. much lesse to sooth and flatter sinners in their errours and impieties A wickednes which is in scripture frequently charged upon and reproved in false Prophets Isa 58.1 Ezek. 3.17 c. and the contrary duty of faithfull and upright reprehension is both commanded and encouraged Lift up thy voyce shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sin and Prov. 20.23 Hee that rebuketh a man afterward shall find more favour then he who flattereth with his tongue But by this shewing of compassion toward some offenders hee intends an endeavour in convincing of and reproving for sinne to reduce them from their falls and follies in a mild gentle meek manner and a mixing or seasoning all the meanes used for their reduction and repentance with Christian gentlenesse and sweetnesse so as the offender may not be swallowed up of grief dispair The same counsel is given by Paul Gal. 6. namely of restoring a faln brother in the spirit of meeknesse and 2 Tim. 2.25 of instructing those who oppose themselves in meeknesse In the former place Paul bids them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 restore such an one c. the word fignifying to set a joynt or bone that is broken to shew the care and skill of him who undertakes the imployment of a reprover Sinfull severity is too ready to creep into and corrupt the duty of reprehension Commonly men are either too remisse if thy endeavour gentlenesse or too austere if labour for faithfulnesse But it must be with a reprover as with a Chirurgian who binds not up the wound either duriter or segniter Nec duriter nec segniter either too slack or too hard This Christian gentlenesse shews it selfe toward the offender in restoring him several wayes 1. Buy porpounding a reproofe in our own person and declaring how great a sinne it would have been for our selves to have done thus or thus So Paul 2 Cor. 4.6 These things saith he I have in a figure transferr'd to my selfe and to Apollo for your sakes that by this wise way hee might reprove them and their teachers in making of sects and factions 2. By conveying the sharpest reproofs in sweet and gentle words and accompanying them with courteous carriage The pill of a reprehension is to be gilded and sugred over with gentlenesse soft words do best with strong arguments The iron of Napthalies foot was dipt in oyl 3. By conveying the reproof in a parable as Nathan did in his