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
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
writing of God as a mans book may be lost or burnt but it continues irreversibly and inviolably to be performed he who wrote it wants not skill nor will nor power to bring to pass whatever he hath written in it What God hath written he hath written and though sometimes he changeth his denunciations yet never his decrees I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 The strength of Israel is not as man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 His counsell shall stand Prov. 19.22 The Lord hath purposed it who shall disannul it Isai 14.27 The number of those appointed to wrath 1 Thes 5.9 is determined as well materialiter who as formaliter how many they are Gods appointments are peremptory not depending upon the variable will of man as if God had determined certainly concerning none but only as he sees they will beleeve or not beleeve for how sutes it with the wisdome of God so to work as to determine nothing of the end of his work To make man and not to appoint what shall become of him How with the love he bears to his own glory to have creatures more beholding to themselves than their Maker To hear them using this language That we may escape hell if we will we thank God but that wee do wee thank our selves who by the use of our free-will made that possibility beneficiall to our selves OBSERVATIONS 1. Obser 1. Groundless are the exceptions which corrupt mindes raise against the delivering this Doctrine of Reprobation and weak are the calumnies with which they load it Exceptions prevented 1. For the first God cannot be charged with cruelty in any mans Reprobation It is no cruelty in God to deny him grace to whom it is not at all due but an act of just liberty and free power Rom. 9.21 nor can it be cruelty but vindicative justice for God to appoint men to punishment for sinne Rom. 9.22 This will be more clear if we consider Ea gratia quae per communis providentiae administrationem sive sub lege naturae sive sub gratiâ Evangelicâ hominibus vario dimenso dispensatur per hunc praeteritionis actum non adimitur sed potius praesupponitur Synops pur theol p. 290. Deus nunquam indurat nisi habito respectu ad praecedentia peccata Riv. disp that by Reprobation all grace is not denied but onely that grace which is peculiar to the Elect. That which is afforded by the administration of common providence either under the Law of Nature or the dispensation of the Gospell being not taken away God leaves the reprobate to their own free-will under his common providence and in it affords to them those benefits which in the state of innocency were sufficient to salvation and which in this state of corruption especially under the Gospell make men altogether without excuse before God And God never decreed to leave and harden any in sinne but such who by their own free-will leave God harden themselves against his wayes and abuse his abundant mercy extended towards them God never appointed that any should stumble at the word but for their contempt of it From falling into which impiety that the Elect are prevented is to be attributed to the free will or mercy of God extended indeed to them but due to none 2. Nor secondly by decreeing the reprobation of sinners can any conclude that God is the cause of the sins for which the reprobate are damned Deo reprobante non irrogatur a liquid quo homo fit deterior sed tantum non erogatur quo fiat melior Aug. Inter antecedens consequens non intercedit Causalitas Although by reprobation God puts forth no act whereby man is made holy yet neither is any thing done by it whereby a man is made wicked 'T is true sin is a consequent of Gods decree or that which followes upon it as its antecedent but no effect flowing from the decree as its cause It followes not because God gives not that therefore he takes away repentance from sinners and that he throws down because he raises not up The Sun cannot be said to be the cause of darknesse although darknesse necessarily followes the withdrawing of it nor is reprobation the cause of sin Liberalitas Dei quâ conservamur ne cadamus Labilitas nostra quâ cadimus nisi conservâ—mur although sin infallibly follow reprobation It s Gods bounty whereby we are preserved from falling our own unstablenesse whereby we fall unlesse we be preserved Predestination is an effectuall cause in the producing of all salutiferous actions but reprobation is no effectuall cause in the producing of wicked actions and neither the one nor the other implyeth any compulsion or forcing unto actions whether good or evill True it is that God decreed not only privatively and permissively but also with an energeticall working will to be conversant about sinfull actions As 1. That he would give to the sinner at the very time when sinfull actions are committed the power and use of understanding and free will without which hee could not sin And 2. That he would concur ad materialem actionem peccati to the matter of the action it self which otherwise could not come into act or being 3. That he would deny all such means as would have prevented the sinners sinning 4. That he would lay before sinners those occasions and possibly stir up in them those cogitations which he knew they would abuse to the committing of sin 5. That he would so limit and order their sins that they should break forth in no other measure at no other time upon no other persons than hmiself hath fore-appointed 6. That all their sins should turn to his own glory and the good of his Elect but any energeticall operative will of God which so hath a working in sinfull actions as that it is the cause quod talis actio fit cum tali defectu or that it should work the contrariety and repugnancy of the sinners will to the Law of God or that there should be any influence sent into the wils of men from the decree to cause this we utterly deny and disclaim The liberty of the will is not at all extinguished by the decree of God but freely and upon deliberate choice wicked men doe as they doe having not only potentiam in se liberam but liberum usum potentiae and the dominion of free-agents over their actions which ever are the productions of their own frail and defiled free-will The decree of Reprobation never shews it self by any such influx or impression as instills any malicious quality into mans will or forces it unto any malicious action 3. Neither can this Doctrine of Reprobation justly bee charged to be a meanes of driving men to Despair rather granting the truth of this Arminian conceit that all were reprobated who were not foreseen beleeving and persevering with much more dreadful advantage may Satan fasten temptations on poor wretches
most of all when 't is sheltered with appearances professions and priviledges A name to live externall ordinances circumcision in the flesh the Temple of the Lord commend us not to God I will punish saith God the circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Judah and Edom Jer. 9. ult the children of Ammon and Moab for all these nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart The Bible in thy house the word of grace in thy eare will not avail unlesse the grace of the word be in thy heart and the former without the later will but prove like Vriahs letters which he carried for his own destruction Paul accounted all his priviledges as dung in regard of the knowledg of Christ The means of salvation in word and sacraments must be used in faith and repentance Otherwise they being out of their holy use enjoyed will turne to our destruction 4. Observ 4. God labours to win people by mercies before hee wounds them by judgments Israel is first solicited by love God destroyes them not till afterward and if his goodnesse had made them blush his greatnesse should not have made them bleed Oh how propense was that God to save his Israel and how unwilling to destroy them He gave them the honey of deliverance and provisions freely and of his own accord he put not forth the sting of punishment till he was provoked Israel shall first have the cloud to guide them the sea divided Egyptians drowned Mannah showred downe the roks gushing them drink and they by all left inexcusable before they be destroyed Oh that the long-suffering of God might be salvation and lead us to repentance and that by submission to mercy wee may prevent a conquest by judgment and not put the Lord upon a work more unpleasing to him than to our selves whose backs do not suffer so much as his bowells Hos 11.8 when we are beaten 5. Observ 5. Miraculous mercies do not benefit an unholy heart After all the salvations that God had bestowed upon Israel they were fit for nothing but destruction Every step they took in the red-sea they trode upon a miracle of mercifull preservation Every time they tasted a crumb of bread or a drop of water they took in a miracle of mercifull provision Every time they look'd up to the heavens they beheld a miracle of mercifull direction but none of these could work upon stubborn hearts Only he who commanded that more soft rock to give them water could make their hearts obedient They who will not be taught by the word will not be bettered by the rod of Moses and without the spirit wee shall be benefitted by neither 6. Great deliverances abused make way for severest judgments Many times did God deliver Israel Psal 105.44 but they provoking him with their connsel were brought low for their iniquity The whole book of Judges is the Comment upon this truth a book made up of the vicissitudes of deliverance provocation and punishment Sins committed against the love of a God are committed most against the happinesse of a people Every deliverance is a bil of Enditement against the unthankfull This makes God to call to the heavens and earth as witnesses against those children which he had brought up Isa 1.2.3 Josh ult 20. Judg. 10.13 Jer. 15.6 Ezra 9.13 14. and rebelled against him Yea to professe that the owner of an ox and the Master of an asse were more respected by their beasts than he was by his Israel This makes God to professe that he will consume his people after he hath done them good and that hee will deliver them no more and elsewhere that he is weary of repenting After all this is come upon us saith Ezra should we again break thy Commnadments wouldst not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us Oh that England would in stead of murmuring at its present distresses mourn for its abuse of former deliverances and more fear without a speedy reformation that the mercies which still we enjoy shall be removed than hope that those we want shall be bestowed 7. Sin disappoints the hopefullest expectations of mercy Observat 7. Jer. 8.15 Jer. 14.19 It stifles it even when it seems to be come to the birth We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of health and behold trouble Who could have expected but that Israel after so many miraculous mercies being now upon the confines of Canaan should instantly have entred but behold their sin sends them back into the wildernesse there to linger and pine for forty years together Sinners disappoint Gods expectation and justly therefore may God disappoint theirs Isa 5.2 After all the costs bestowed by God upon his vineyard he looked that it should bring forth grapes and it brought forth wilde grapes Israel gives God appearances of holinesse and God gives Israel an appearance of deliverance They flatter God with shews of that obedience which he deserved and how justly doth God disappoint them of those mercies which they desired They fall short of promised duty and therefore of expected delivery Oh that we could condemne our selves and justifie God in the sad disappointments of Englands recovery We made shew at the first of a through reformation but we soon faltered and made an halt and why should God be bound when we would needs be loose Our goodnesse was as the early dew and the morning cloud that goeth away Hos 6.4 and justly therefore was our deliverance as a morning sunshine soon clouded and overcast with unexpected troubles 8. Observat 8. Even in judgment God remembers mercy God was good to Israel when he destroyed Israel God in his smiles will be feared and in his frowns will be loved as it s said of Asher that his shoos were iron and brasse and yet that he dipt his foot in oyl Deu. 33.24 25 so doth God ever mix the hardest and heaviest severities toward his Israel with the oyl of mercy and gentlenesse He spared the children when he overthrew the parents He did as vvell remember his own Covenant as their provocation He cut off some luxuriant branches but did not cut down the tree he punished some for their sins hee punished not all Psal 106.8 Ezek. 23.9 for his own glory He wrought for his Names sake I said I would scatter them into corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men were it not that I feared the wrath of the Enemy Deut. 32.27 So good is God that hee raiseth arguments of pitty toward rebellious Israel out of himselfe yea out of his enemies vvhen Israel affords him none Though justice made him cast his Church into the fire to be scorched yet mercy made him pluck it like a brand out of the fire lest it should be consumed Zec. 3.2 And a seed he reserves a remnant that his Church may not be as Sodom Isa 1.8 In the
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
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
p. 288. l. 24. r. School-men p. 305. marg dele Josh 62.9 p. 339. marg r. solatia p. 388. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frangere p. 409. l. 34. r. distempered p. 449. l. 27. r. substances p. 460. for any one is r. men are p. 363. l. 31. for and r. or p. 464. l. 21. r. by p. 465. marg r. Enchir. p. 472. l. 36. r. put p. 494. l. 19. r. alwayes continuing p. 504. marg r. comparativus l. 31. r. heaven l. 35. for in heaven r. there p. 512. marg r. severitas p. 574 Obser 5. r. hellishly p. 579. l. 23. r. Domoeritus l. 26. r. in minde blinde p. 585. marg r. Josh ibid. r. perpetuo p. 623. l. 1. for jurisdictionem r. in jurisdiction READER be pleased to take notice that there is now published the second third and fourth Part of that most learned and judicious Treatise of the SABBATH by M. DANIEL CAWDREY and M. HERBERT PALMER Also a Treatise of GRACE and ASSURANCE intituled SPIRITUALL REFININGS being one hundred and twenty Sermons by M. ANTHONY BURGESSE An EXPOSITION upon the Epistle of JUDE I Begin with the first part of the Epistle the Title of or Entrance into it contained in the two first Verses which are these VER 1. Jude the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus and called VER 2. Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplyed This Title containeth three principall parts 1. The Person who wrote the Epistle 2. The Persons to whom he wrote it 3. The Prayer wherein the person writing salutes the persons to whom he wrote 1 The person who wrote this Epistle is described these three wayes 1 From his name Jude 2 From his office A servant of Jesus Christ 3 From his Alliance the brother of James 1 The description of the Pen-man of this Epistle from his name Jude In the consideration whereof I shall proceed by way 1 of Exposition 2 of Observation 1 The name of the Authour of the Epistle considered by way of Exposition wherein two things are to be opened 1 The signification of the name Judas or Jude 2 The subject of that name or who the person was to whom it is here applyed 1 For the signification of it It s found fully express'd Gen. Gen. 29.35 29.35 The occasion of the first imposing it was Leah's apprehension of Gods goodnesse to her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in giving her a fourth son whom therfore she call'd Judah signifying Praise Confession or Celebration She made his name a monument of her thankfulnesse to God for him as also of her sons duty to live to the praise of so good a God a fruitful Wife to Jacob in children and a fruitful Daughter to God in thankfulnesse In qua nominis impositione non dubito quin eam direxerit Spiritus sanctus cùm Judah fuerit is qui inter Jacobi filios pater futuri Messiae constitutus erat Riv. in loc Joh. 3.16 The learned Rivet well observes that in imposing this name she was directed by the spirit of God this Judah being that son of Jacob of whom Christ according to the flesh was to come for whom God is principally to be praised he being the choysest gift that ever God bestowed he turning every gift into a mercy Onely those who have him and bear him can praise God to others God gives nothing comparatively and they return nothing God shews only how rich he is in giving his Son So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son 2 The subject of this name is to be considered to which it 's here applyed It 's applyed in Scripture to a threefold subject 1 To a Tribe Frequent mention is made of the tribe of Judah 1 King 12.20 Psal 76.8 c. 2 To a Country or Region 2 Chron. 20.3 Jer. 2.4 and 17.25 3 and properly To Persons and so in Scripture we read of six several persons that had this name 1 Judah the Patriarch Gen. 29.35 2 Judah in whose house Saul lodg'd at his first conversion Act. 9.11 3 Judas surnamed Barsabas Act. 15.22 4 Judas of Galile A seditious person Act. 5.37 5 Judas Iscariot the traytor Mat. 10.4 Joh. 14.22 6 Judas the Apostle the Author of this Epistle Concerning whom the Scripture intimates besides his Apostolicall office and relation to Iames of which anon 1 His Parentage his Father being Alphaeus spoken of Matth. 10.4 and Mark 3.18 and his Mother held to be that Mary spoken of Matth. 27.56 in regard that this Alphaeus and Mary are said to be the parents of Iames to which James in Luk. 6.16 Act. 1.13 and here in this Epistle this Judas is said to be brother In sacra dodccada fuerunt duo qui nomen Judae gessêre unus fuit sectator alter insectator Aug. Tr. 76. in Joh. Unus nomini suo convenienter se gessit Judas enim Confesso rem significat alter per anti prasin nomen istud à se gori ipsis operibus demonstravit Gerh. Har. in loc Joh. 14.22 2 The Scripture expresseth a manifest distinction between him and Judas Iscariot Joh. 14.22 calling him Judas not Iscariot taking especiall care that he might not be taken for him their hearts and persons being as different as their names agreeable for one was sectator the other insectator Domini the one following Christ as a Disciple the other as a Blood-hound one confess'd him the other betray'd him the one carryed himself according to his name the other was a meer living contradiction to his name When the Evangelist saith Judas not Iscariot he intended a difference 'twixt him and this holy Jude 3 The Scripture expresseth an humble Question propounded by him to Christ Lord How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world Concerning which Question although I meet with different opinions yet I see not why with Musculus we may not conceive that Jude propounded it out of an humble and modest consideration of himself and the Apostles in partaking of the gracious manifestation of Christ to them there being a passing by of others more famous and better accomplish'd then were the Disciples A Question which thus understood as it sheweth 1 the freenesse of him that gives so 2 the humility of them that receive grace who in stead of insulting over others that have less then themselves admire the goodnesse of him that gives more to them than to others nay 3 the tender-heartedness and pity of the godly towards the souls of those wicked ones who are commonly cruel and unkinde to their bodies 4. The Scripture expresseth concerning this Apostle that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Act. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judas trinominis had sundry names for he that in Luk. 6.16 is called Iudas the brother of Iames is in Matt. 10.3 called Lebbaeus and Thaddaeus concerning the reason
begat thee spiritually is fittest to nourish thee They who oft change their Masters are seldome good scholars Please not thy selfe in the parts or abilities of thy Minister but labour to find the experimentall working of his Ministry upon thine heart that thou mayst be able to answer Seducers when they suggest that thy Minister is Anti-christan thus He hath not been Anti-christian to me for sure I am he was the instrument of forming Christ in my heart This of the third particular in the description of the entrance of these Seducers viz. their subtilty and slynesse in getting into the society of the faithfull 4. The fourth and last thing by which he describes their entrance is by clearing and vindicating it from the objections which the Christians might possibly raise against God as if he were regardlesse of the welfare of his Church and indulgent toward the wickednesse of the Seducers in suffering them to enter and against godlinesse when they observed that they who pretended to be the most eminent in the Church for religion did turn Apostates And this he doth in these words Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation q. d. Although they have entred so cunningly as that the Church was not aware of them yet was not their entrance unawares to God but he did fore-see it and therefore will see that they do his Church no harm and though now God seems to spare them yet are they in a state of condemnation and though they formerly seemed such eminent professors of religion yet God fore-saw they would prove as they are nay for their sins ordained them to this condition into which they are now fallen In which vindication of Gods care of his Church and justice against the Seducers their punishment is two wayes considerable 1. In its severity it was this condemnation 2. In its certainty they were before of old ordained to it 1. The punishment of the Seducers considered in the severity of it this condemnation Explicat But 1. What was this Condemnation of which the Apostle here speaks 2. Why called Condemnation The word here importing Condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judicium damnatio condemnatio is taken sundry wayes in Scripture 1. And most properly for the Sentence pronounced by the judge or rather a judiciary sentencing or condemning and so it 's taken Rom. 2.2 where the Apostle saith We are sure the judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God is according to truth and Mat. 7.2 With what judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye judge ye shall be judged 2. For Administration of Government toward those that are under it whether by judgement or mercy and it 's spoken of Gods providence ruling and ordering the affaires of the world as Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgements also of Christs Government of that Kingdom which his Father gave him in the salvation of humble and condemnation of proud sinners John 9.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For judgement am I come into this world c. that is for the discharging the office of a King or a Judge in adjudging to every one his due recompence In which respect judgement is taken for the whole judiciary proceeding of Christ in the great day of judgement toward the good and bad in regard of his discovering and sentencing of and executing sentence upon all at that day Acts 24.25 He reason'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of judgement to come Heb. 6.2 3. For a Cause or Controversie discussed judg'd and determined by judges So 1 Cor. 6.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye go to law one with another ye have causes and controversies among your selves 4. Mark 12.40 Luke 20.47.23.40 Rom. 2.3 Cor. 11.34 Judicium vocat vel damnationem vel reprobrum sensum quo feruntur ut pietatis doctrinam pervertant neque enim id quisquam facere potest nisi suo exitio Calv. in loc Potest hoc judicium intelligi justa derelictio quâ propter peccata praecedentia permissi fuerunt pati naufragium fidei variis errorum fluctibus abripi ita ut etiam fierent errorum magistri tandem judicium illud gravissimum aeternae damnationis subituri Estius in loc For the wrath vengeance damnation and punishment executed upon men for wickednesse as Rom. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose damnation is just And 1 Cor. 11.29 He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation to himselfe So Mat. 23.14 Ye shall receive the greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation And Rom. 13.2 They that resist shall receive to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 damnation And 1 Tim. 3.6 Lest he fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the condemnation of the devil So 2 Pet. 2.3 Whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgment now of a long time lingreth not And thus I take it in this place The Apostle Jude here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This condemnation intends that punishment by God inflicted upon Seducers in this life for their abusing the grace of God whereby they did not only themselves turn back-sliders and apostates but become opposers of the truth and perverters of others hereby making way for their own eternall condemnation A punishment made up of many poysonfull ingredients and that hath in it a complication of many spirituall woes which as the Scripture testifieth belonged to these Seducers and to others who were in the same condemnation with them as 1. A voidnesse of spirituall judgement and understanding an inability to judge between good and bad things that differ an insufficiency to approve of any thing which is excellent whereby they put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter spake evil of the ways of grace which they understood not and of the Gospel in which they saw no beauty it being hid to these lost ones who contemned and slighted it were delivered up to a reprobate sense Phil. 1.10 2 Pet. 2.12 2 Cor. 4.3 Rom. 1.28 Rom. 11.7 Rom. 9.18 and because they loved not what they knew were not able to know what to love 2. Another woe in this condemnation is a spirit of benummednesse insensiblenesse cauterizednesse under all the most awakening administrations of Gods word or rod a judgement which the Scripture puts for all the misery and condemnation of the reprobate and that which differenceth them from the elect Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth And Rom. 11.7 having spoken of the elect he saith the rest were hardened Of Seducers doth Paul speak 1 Tim. 4.2 where he tels us of some who had consciences seared with an hot iron whom nothing awakeneth but eternall burnings though too late to a serious sensiblenesse of their estate These seducers fed themselves without fear Jude 12. 3. A third woe in this condemnation is inccorrigiblenesse and unreformednesse under the means of salvation All the dews of salvation fall upon them as showers upon
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
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
commanded back to the sandy and scorching wildernesse there to spend the residue of their few and evill dayes Oh sorrowfull stupendions disappointment II. And yet secondly even in this destruction of Israel the mercy of God was more remarkeable then his severity If Israels scourge be compared with Israels sin they had no cause to complain They might rather wonder at what did not than at what did befall them rather at the mercy which was left than at what was removed Ezra 9.13 Well might Israel say with Ezra The Lord hath punished us lesse then our iniquities and with the Church afterward It is the goodnesse of the Lord that we are not consumed Look upon Israels provocations in Egypt at the sea in the wildernesse their murmurings idolatry their unthankfulnesse for and sorgetfulnesse of Gods multiplyed mercies their rebellion against their godly Governours their hypocrisie Covenant-breaking lingrings after their old Egypt unreformednesse under all the dealings of God with them especially their distrust of Gods power and goodnesse after frequent and abundant experience of both Look I say upon all these and then wonder that this destruction should be 1. So slow and not more speedy 2. But in part and not totall and universall 1. It was a destruction mercifully mitigated in respect of the slownesse and deferring thereof How much longer was God about destroying a handfull of sinners than he was in creating the whole world Israel a people that could not be kept from sinning had a God that could hardly be brought to punish them Had the fire of Gods wrath been proportioned to the fuell of their sins he would have destroyed them inâ—al moment Forty yeers long was I greived saith God with this generation Psal 95.10 Act. 13.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so long endured he their manners in the wildernesse daily suffering that which he beheld abhorr'd and was able to have punish'd every moment in those forty years in stead whereof all that while he waited for their repentance and was at the expence of supplying them with mitaculous provision direction protection feeding them and attending them as carefully as doth the nurse her froward infant 2. The destruction of the Israelites was but in part not totall For besides the sparing of Caleb and Josuah who beleeved the promise of God all who beleeved not were not destroy'd for all under 20 years were exempted from the forenamed destruction and reserved Num. 14.19 that God might still have his Church among them and that there might be of them a people left to possesse the good land according to the promise Num. 14.13 And in this respect it was Non personis sed gencri data venia Calv. in loc that upon the prayer of Moses for the pardoning and sparing of the people God answers that be had pardoned them according to the word of Moses For although he spared not the persons of the elder and rebellious multitude yet he spared the stock of Israel remitting the punishment of present and universall death and not blotting out their memory lest the seed of Abraham being extinguish'd his Covenant should have fail'd and faln to the ground The distrustfull refusall of the parents to accept of the promised land made not God to be unfaithfull in regard that the blessing which they rejected was performed to their children God reserving a seed to propagate his Church and tempering his severity inflicted upon some with mercy afforded to others though deserved by none OBSERVATIONS 1. Observ 1. The most numerous company of sinners are unable to withstand an angry God He can easily destroy six hundred thousand persons in a few years and an hundred four score and five thousand Assyrians in one night Though hand joyn in hand yet shall not the wicked go unpunished 2 King 19.35 Prov. 11.21 He to whom it is all one to save by a few and by many can as easily destroy many as one Numbers are nothing with God The whole old world of sinners are no more in the hands of God than an handfull of worms The greatest combination of sinners are but stubble to the flame and but as snow-balls to the sun He can as easily cast down multitudes of sinning Angels as they nay he can crush an Ant upon a mole-â—ill There 's no proportion between created strength and increated omnipotency The powers of all the world are but borrowed of him and as purely dependent upon him as the stream upon the fountain the beam upon the sun How can that power be too hard for him who gave it and can withdraw it at pleasure Never let multitudes dare to oppose him nor one poor weak Saint fear to trust him 2. Observ 2. The worst cause commonly hath the most abettors Had this been put to the question whether will God keep his promise in giving to Israel the land of Canaan Caleb and Josuah would have been over-voted by almost six hundred thousand Israelites who nevertheless would have as much fail'd in their cause as they exceeded in their numbers The multitude is but a weak argument to prove a strong cause The most have ever been the worst Righteous Noah stood in a manner by hmselfe against the whole world of ungodly The Prophet Elijah was not the worse for being opposed by four hundred Baalites nor they the better for having only one Elijah to withstand them Let us walk by rule not example Numbers commonly do no more please God than they can oppose him It s better to go to heaven with an handfull than to hell in a croud and to enter in at the strait gate with a few than at the broad with many to go into Canaan with Caleb and Josuah than to fall in the wildernesse with six hundred thousand 3. No priviledges abused Observ 3. Jer. 6.8 Isa 29.1 Jer. 7.12 Ps 78.60 61. Jer. 22.24 can exempt from punishment The soul of God may depart from Jerusalem and Ariel the city where David dwelt hath woe denounced against it God may forsake his tabernacle in Shiloh deliver his strength into captivity his glory into the enemies hand and pluck the signet from his right hand 1 Cor. 10.5 With many of the Israelites God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wildernesse To him that breaks the law Rom. 2.25 Matth. 11.23 circumcision is made uncircumcision Corazin Bethsaida Capernaum get nothing by the mighty works of Christ and their Elevation to heaven but greater woes and falls Job 4.23 God delights not in outward priviledges but in inward purity The new creature worship in spirit and truth a Jew inwardly Gal. 6.15 an Israelite indeed circumcision and brokennesse of the heart only please the eye of God and without these externall service is but painted Atheism As the pure in heart shall only see God Matt. 5.8 so God only sees the pure in heart with contentment God loaths sin where-ever he sees it but
head the nailes shall tear the skin the teeth shall gnaw the flesh Those who are made to take one anothers parts shall become mutinous like the Midianites who sheath'd their swords in their fellowes bowels A man forsaken of God hath least mercy for himselfe Never let us please our selves or envy the enemies of God in any sinfull quietnesse since God can make men selfe-destroyers To conclude this if ever you would be reconcil'd to your selves 1. Labour to be reconcil'd to God in Christ Never will conscience Gods deputy speak peace if God himselfe speak war Nor will God be at peace but through him who is our peace 2. Let us maintain a constant war with sin Such is the cruelty of sin that it alwayes torments those who loves it and such is its impotency that it cannot hurt those who hate it 3. Let us constantly walk in those ways which Prov. 3.17 are called peace remembring that holinesse troubles nothing but what we should not only trouble but destroy our lusts 7. Observ 7. There 's no liberty to be found in forsaking of Gods service As soon as these angels had thrown off the yoke of obedience they put on the chains of bondage they were in bondage to sin and for sin Every sinner is a captive he cannot stir hand or foot in heavenly imployments A Saint only walks at liberty the service of God alone is freedom Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and a changing of the chains of flavery for an heavenly activity None but Saints can run the wayes of Gods Commandments and willingly wait upon their Master and hence it is that only they can perform duties either delightful to him or themselves The wayes of obedience which are torments to a sinner are the pleasures of a Saint that which the one counts his yoke the other esteems his priviledge and knows not how to live without the daily performing of them And how comfortable is their condition in having their chains of guilt beaten off by Christ As their services are so their usage is that of sons not of slaves and captives Their duties savour of the Spirit of adoption and a filial ingenuity Their services are without fear whereas others are all their life long subject unto bondage How are sinners mistaken in thinking that liberty is inconsistent with sanctity A Saint loseth nothing but his bonds and fetters by becoming holy nor is holinesse a chain to any but those who know no other freedom then an house of bondage 8. The pleasures of sin bear no proportion to the horrours thereof It 's pleasures are light and momentany its chains are heavy horrid and everlasting The act of sin is instantly ended and the delights of sin soon fall off but its chains are strong and not to be broken there 's no aqua fortis to eat them asunder How happy were it that sinners would be but as wise in preventing as they will he wofull in undergoing the everlasting sorrows which follow their short sinning Oh that when you say you know not how to forbear the breaches of the law you would ask your selfe whether you are able to bear or knock off the chains of the prison Foolish sinner say no more as I have sometimes heard thee in thy sits of passion I must speak and then I have done when chou hast done God hath not done he then begins and should he as thou deservest once chain such a wild offender in that black dungeon of hell he would not have done with thee to eternity Look upon sin with Scripture spectacles Oh view the chain the everlasting chain of guilt and horrour through every tentation Let the meditation of eternity damp and stop thee in thy sinfull heats and fury If thou canst not find a man who to gain the world would be compell'd to lie bound upon a bed of roses a hundred years how shalt thou endure the flames and chains of hell to eternity 9. Observ 9. How eminently is the goodnesse of God manifosted to men more then to angels The fallen angels continue under the chains of eternall guilt helplesse without Aug. and hopelesse of recovery Man who deserved no better is loosed from those chains by a strong Redeemer and by the blood of Jesus Christ they are broken asunder How should so great mercy quicken our hearts to thankfulnesse Wonder O man that God should break in pieces and throw on to the dunghill of hell to eternity those golden vessels the angels beset with the most precious gems of most shining and glorious endowments when they had contracted rust and that he should cleanse the earthen pot poor man in stead of breaking it when the uncleannesse of sin had defil'd and eaten into it I only adde that in one thing the sins of men admit of a greater aggravation then those of divels these never sinn'd against the offers of a Saviour Unbelieving sinner the very divels will condemn thee If all the examples in the world of ingratitude to God and unkindnesse to ones selfe were lost they might be found again in thee Thus far of the first part of the punishment of these fallen angels in the prison viz. their being in everlasting chains They are said secondly to be under darknesse Two things may here needfully be opened 1. What the darknesse is under which they are 2. What is their misery in being under it EXPLICATION 1. Darknesse is in Scripture taken taken two wayes 1. Gen. 1.2 4. Isai 45.7 Isai 45.19 Isai 45.3 1 Cor. 4.5 1 Thess 5.5 2 John 2.8 Rom. 1.21.2.19.1 Thess 5.8 1 John 2.11 1. Properly for the negation defect and privation of light 2. Metaphorically 1. for a secret hidden or private place What I tell you in darknesse that speak you in light Matth. 10.27 so Luke 12.3 2. For errour and ignoorance Acts 26.18 to turn them from darknesse to light Ephes 4.18 having their minds darkned Ephes 5.8 Once were ye darknesse c. In which tespect principally sins are called the works of darknesse Rom. 13.12 Ephes 5.11 3. For great calamities and punishments 1. Externall Job 50.26 When I looked for good Jer. 23.12 evill came unto me and when I waited for light there came darknesse Isai 5.30 If one look unto the land behold darknesse and sorrow Isai 8.22 They shall look unto the earth and behold trouble and darknesse Isai 59.9 We wait for brightnesse but we walk in darknesse Isai 47.5 Get thee into darknesse Jer. 13.16 Ezek. 32.8 Mich. 7.8 Psal 143.3 Afflictus vitam tenebris luctuque trahebam Virg. Aeneid 2. O danghter of the Caldeans 2. Internall Thus Heman complains Psal 88.6 That God had laid him in darknesse Isai 50.10 Who is there among you c. that walketh in darknesse and seeth no light 3. Eternall for the uncomfortable condition of the damned in hell by reason of the absence of Gods presence Jude 12. Matth. 8.12 Matth. 22.13 we read of some