the Apostle describes it 1. More generally he calls them ungodly men 2. More particularly he shews wherein their ungodliness appeared they turn the grace of God into lasciviousness and deny c. 1. Explicat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used indifferently of true and false worship Act. 18.13 Act. 13.50 Act. 16.14 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to worship God aright and duly 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noteth one who is of no religion who worships not at all The Apostle expresseth the ungodliness of seducers more generally calling them ungodly Vngodly men For Explication I shall first express more briefly and generally what the Apostle here intends by the term ungodly 2. More fully and particularly explain wherein that ungodliness of which he speaks did consist or what it is to be ungodly The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ungodly is compounded of a word which signifieth to worship or be devout and of a particle which notes a negation or denyall of that thing with which 't is joyned So that the word made up of both properly signifieth one who is indevout or worships not who yields no adoration honour or reverence to God but casteth off his service or as we say is a prophane man and one of no Religion For godliness is properly the same with Religion and Religion is a spirituall bond not onely a divine impression whereby we are possessed with most high and peerless thoughts of God and rapt with admiration of that excellency which shines in him but it 's also a binder Dictam esse religionem quòd quasi in fascem Domini vincti religati sumus Hier. ad Am. c. 9. a golden belt or girdle that ties and confederats and clasps our souls to God The faithfull by Religion are Gods bundle made upon earth to be carried to heaven men tyed together by being tyed to God Godliness is this gentle manacle and bond of love tying us by gratitude to Gods mercy by faith to his word by fidelity to his Covenant by hope to his promises c. and godlinesse layes a most sweet and easie yoke upon all the parts of man voluntarily resigning themselves to draw all together in the service of God and so it ties the head from wicked imaginations the heart from evill cogitations the eyes from vanity the tongue from profanenesse the hand from violence the feet from running into sin And though both religion and godlinesse in their largest extent comprehend the whole duty of man to God and man 1 Tim. 6.6 even holinesse and righteousnesse yet properly and primarily they note piety and the observation of duties belonging immediately to God himselfe And so though ungodliness be often taken in the largest sense as importing all kind of wickedness committed against God and man as Rom. 4.5 1 Tim. 1.9 c. yet alwayes properly and as I conceive in this place principally it is to be understood of wickedness immediatly done against God himself in denying him that reverence honour due Rom. 1.26 Gen. 20. and abusing that worship and service given to him the Apostle * Vngodly by this word at once discovers both the hypocrisie of these Seducers whose great endeavour was to be accounted in the highest form of Religion and also the root of all that following wickedness wherewith he chargeth them 2. More particularly to consider what it is to be ungodly or wherein ungodliness consists I shall open it in three particulars 1. The deniall to God the honour which is due to him 2. The attributing of the honour which is due to him to somthing else beside him 3. The giving to God his honour after a wrong manner 1. To be ungodly is to deny that honour to God which is due to him and that sundry wayes as 1. To deny God his honour by not knowing him Fingunt Deum talem qui non videt non punit c. Psal 14.1 and acknowledging his providence presence justice mercy power The fool hath said in his heart There is no God he knows no such God as the true God is no omniscient just merciful powerfull c. God He who denies any attribute of God denyes God himself 1 Sam. 2.12 thus the sons of Eli knew not the Lord and thus he spoken of Psal 50.21 who thought that God was altogether such an one as himself thus likewise the ungodly who say Job 22.14 How doth God know can he judg through the dark cloud Thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not c. This piece of Atheism is the foundation of all the rest He who knows not his Landlord cannot pay his rent 2. Not to honour God by beleeving him Ungodly men totally distrust Gods promises though he seals them with an oath It 's impossible that God should utter a lie to them Heb. 6.18 and that ungodly men while such should do any other than give the lie to God They make God a lyar 1 John 5.10 Heb. 3.12 the greatest dishonour imaginable an evill heart departs from depends not upon the living God 3. Not to honour God by loving him Ungodly men are haters of God Rom. 1.30 and 't is not for want of poyson but power that they expresse not the greatest hatred against him even the taking away his very being Psal 81.11 Hence 't is that some have called an ungodly man a deicide though they meant him not such in regard of execution but of affection 'T is true God himself is out of the reach of an ungodly man but what of him they can come by as his pictures Isa 30.11 his image in his children Job 21.14 ordinances they indeavour to destroy and abolish like theeves who wish the Judge were dead or hurt the ungodly desire that God might cease to be God that he had lost the hand of his justice the arme of his power Timor Domini janitor anim◠the eye of his knowledge c. 4. Not to honour God by fearing to sin against him Ungodly men sometimes presume sometimes they despair but never do they reverentially fear him so as to keep themselves from sin they fear not an Oath they fear hell they feare not God they say not How can we doe this great evill Gen. 39 9. Job 21.14 Hos 4.16 Psal 50.17 Jer. 44.16 Tit. 1.10 Luke 19.14 and sin against God they fear sin for hell not as hell 5. Not to honour God by obeying his word Ungodly men cast off the yoke they are sons of Belial They slide back as a back-sliding heyfer They will none of his ways They desire not the knowledge of them They hate instruction and cast the word of God behind them In their works they deny God They will never have Christ for their ruler nor his word for their rule 6. Not to honour God by bearing his stroake Ungodly men are not as children under the rod but as
the more he be fitted for glory Col. 1.12 then the more grace he hath the more it is likely he shall be filled with glory The more the soul is widened with grace the more capacious will it be of glory the heaviest crowns are fittest for the strongest heads 4. Lastly The Apostle desired this multiplication of grace upon these Christians in respect of Himself The holinesse of the people is the crown of the Minister and the greater their holinesse the weightier and more glorious is his crown The Apostle John had no greater joy than to see his spirituall children walk in the truth The thriving of the child is the comfort and credit of the Nurse the fruitfulnesse of the field the praise and pleasure of the Husband-man the beauty of the building is the commendation of the Artificer the health fruitfulnesse and good plight of the flock is the joy of the Shepherd Ministers are Husband-men Nurses Artificers Shepherds in Scripture phrase Nothing more troubles a godly Minister than to see his multiplied pains answered with a scanty proficiency his double labour with scarce a single return of holinesse A gain-saying people is the grief of a Minister that all the day long stretcheth out his hands although it may be a sweet mitigation of that griefe to consider that God will not reward his Ministers according to their successe but their sincerity and industry This for the Explication of this second Particular in the Apostles prayer the measure in which he desireth these gifts and graces may be bestowed be multiplied The Observations follow 1. Observ 1. Great is thefolly of those whose whole contention is for worldly increase and multiplication of earthly blessings In worldly things their desires have an everlasting Et catera they will lay house to house field to field like the widow who when she had fill'd all her vessels with oil yet cals for another vessel Ahab to his Kingdom must adde Naboths vineyard the rich man Luke 12. had his barns full yet he must enlarge them Many live as if God had sent them a voyage into the world to gather cockles and pibbles whereas he imployed them to trade for pearls Where is the man that envies not him who hath more wealth and yet who is it that with an holy emulation looks upon him that hath more grace than himselfe Where doth the best sort of earth deserve to lie but at the Apostles feet What hath the man who goeth Christlesse What hath he laboured for all his dayes but that not only without which he might have gone to heaven but that with which he cannot get thither What folly to lose a Crown for a crumb a Kingdome a Soul a God for a trifle How vain is it to multiply that which in its greatest increase is but nothing The truth is earthly comforts are not capeable of multiplication Did men look upon the world with Scripture spectacles and not with Satans multiplying glasse it would appear in its greatnesse but a small thing The world hath two brests they who suck at the best of them draw nothing but winde and vanity they who suck at the other draw woe and vexation 2. Observ 2. Gre at is the impiety of those that hinder people from increasing in grace Who are the pul-backs damps and quench-coles of the companies where they converse The holiest men pray that grace may be multiplyed what then are they who labour to have it extinguished Elymas the sorcerer had one of the bitterest and severest expressions of detestation from the Apostle that we read was ever bestowed upon any by a good man the Apostle calls him One full of subtilty and all mischiefe Acts 13.10 a child of the divell an enemy of all righteousnesse and why but because he sought to turn away the Deputy from the faith They who take away the key of knowledge stop the mouthes of Ministers cause a dearth of spirituall food and cannot endure the preaching of sound doctrine and the spreading of holinesse would haply account such expressions as these of Paul to be bitter but I hardly see how they deserve milder 3. Obser 3. It 's the height of impiety to hate people because God hath multiplyed grace in them How hatefull is it to hate where and because God loves yet some there are who like Gardiners snip those most who are tallest sprouts in holinesse It 's observed by some that there 's most admiration and highest respect bestowed by the professors of all false religions in the world upon those that are most precise and exact in the observing of those religions What an amazement is it that professours of the true religion alone should most bitterly hate those that make the furthest progresse in it It 's a commendable thing among men for one to be excellent and exquisite in his trade and occupation which he professeth and must it alone be a disgracefull thing that men should excell in the best of mysteries and callings yet what more common than to see the most thriving Christian to become the obloquie nay prey of the times And those who are most illuminated to have that Aeolus of hell Heb. 10.32 sending out his winds of opposition most against them And who hath not observed the zealous and sincere Christian persecuted when the time-serving and luke-warm formalist is not only spared but preferr'd and what trees are so cudgel'd and battered as those who are most fruitfull If hatred be hellish because it is set against godlinesse then certainly that hatred is most hellish which is set against most godlinesse 4. Obser 4. They who are ashamed of being exact and forward in religion are ashamed of their greatest glory Men commonly love to excell in every thing more than in that which is true excellency they think that a little godlinesse is enough and that abundance of wealth is but a little In getting riches they love to lead in going toward heaven they will hardly follow So much religion as will preserve their estates and reputation so much as will not crosse their interest or hinder their preferment they will embrace but they love not to follow religion too close for fear of being dasht They herein resemble some Students of the Law that study that Science not to be exact in it but only so farre as they may be able another day to keep their estates Men commonly love that much which when they do so it 's hard not to love too much but they are but remisse in that in which 't is impossible to be excessive they making it their study to take heed of that of which there 's no danger viz. Too much precisenesse in the wayes of holinesse Christianity in our times is like our buildings much more slight than of old Till I hear of one man from the Creation of the World to this day that ever repented him when he came to die of being too holy while he lived
Quaenam foeditas carmen occinere quo Satanas oblectetur And never should we more suspect Satans poyson then when he offers us to drink in a golden cup. Never more fear his seducements then when he useth men and men whose plausibilities are most taking 2. The Apostle describes the entrance of these Seducers by the indefinite and uncertain expressing of their number that had entred among them He neither names who they were nor determines thereby how many they were but only saith they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certain men 'T is here demanded Why the Apostle mentions not their names or who they were 1. Explicat It was possible though not likely their names might be altogether unknown to him 2. It is by sundry conceived that the Apostle did know them by name Thus Oecumenius Aretius and others the former whereof tels us himselfe some of their names Homines nullius nominis as Nicholas Valentinus Simon and Marcion But it 's conceived that the Apostle did forbear to name them though he knew them 1. To shew how much he disdained them as if he apprehended them to be such vile persons as were not fit and worthy to be named among Christians or by him distinctly but confusedly to be bound up in this bundle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certain men And this some who conjecture that the discourse of Christ concerning the rich glutton is an history conceive to be the reason why our Saviour gives us the poor mans name Lazarus not so much as vouchsafing to name the rich epicure calling him only a certain rich man * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 16.19 as if it were unfit his name should be left to posterity And this conjecture concerning these Seducers in the text seems to be strengthned not only by the consideration of their detestable practices and opinions which deserved that their founders should be buryed in forgetfulness but also by the Apostles expressing their base and contemptible manner of entrance in the very next word by creeping in unawares as if he had set himself to slight them 2. It 's thought the Apostle forbears to express the names and thereby to determine the numbers of these Seducers to make these Christians more wary and vigilant in their carriage and conversing they living among Seducers and yet not knowing who they were That there were sundry many of them he intimates who or how many he conceals that so they might be the more circumspect in taking heed of all who might any way seduce them And thus the Apostle exhorts the Christians 1 John 4.1 to try the spirits because there are many false prophets gone out into the world If a man be to converse among persons infected by the plague when he is uncertain which of them or how many have that disease he will be the more wary of every one Our not knowing of all those who are erroneous should make us try what we hear even from those who are soundest 1. How much are hereticks and Seducers deceived Observ 1. who expect to grow famous and honoured by being patrons of ungodly and erroneous opinions Heresie never was a foundation of honour to the contriver though the hopes of gaining of honor be a furtherance to become heresiarchs While the pure lights of the Church have burnt sweetly and shined bright even to after ages there is nothing remaining of old Hereticks notwithstanding all their new and pretended light but stink and smoke and snuff Howsoever they may be for a time respected in the world yet as even at first the Scripture proclaimes their infamy and discovers their impostures to some so shall posterity by the advantages of time and Scripture-study reckon their sometimes adored names among the notes of greatest disgrace So that even those who through the love of errour imbrace their opinions shall through the love of honour be ashamed of their names Seducers love to call their books and companies by their own name but their names are not up in Gods Book 2. False teachers are wont to be many and numerous in the Church of God Observ 2. In Saint John's time many though as here 1 John 4.1 2 John 2 7. Tit. 1.10 he names not how many false Prophets were gone out into the world And he saith also Many deceivers are entred into the world And Paul tels Titus that there were many deceivers The Prophets of Jezebel were four hundred Satans Emissaries are sent out by troops what they want of weight they make up in number The goodnesse of any cause cannot be judged by the number of its patrons There may be an hundred false prophets to one and if there were an hundred true ones to one false that false one may possibly have an hundred friends for one that truly loves the hundred who are true Should religion be carried only by vote heresie would oft prevail Argumentum pessimum turba The most are usually the worst Numbers are but a slight argument to a heart that resolves to follow Scripture It 's better to go to heaven with and after a few than to hell with and after the throng Multitudes neither warrant in the way nor comfort in the end 3. Observ 3. Mat. 7.15 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Ephes 4. Christian vigilancy is most needfull in dayes of herefie Beware of false prophets saith Christ Beware saith Peter left ye be led away with the errour of the wicked The cunning craftinesse of false prophets in deceiving our readinesse to be deceived and our hurt in being so call aloud for the duty of circumspection Seducers are crafty errour is catching and it being imbraced hurt to the soul is certain How sad is it to see so many wary men in trading for the world and so many childish and simple in negotiating for heaven Most men invert the Apostles advice for in malice they are men in knowledge children Should all be reckon'd children as indeed they may who know not their right hand from their left in religion where should we find an man The wisdome of the prudent is to understand his way Prov. 14.8 old Scripture preservatives should much be used in times of hereticall infection in ways wherein there are many turnings it 's safe often to enquire The Word is the way the Spirit is the guide humility prayer vigilancy excellent helps to walk in the one and to follow the other Thirdly The Apostle describes the entrance of these Seducers into the company of these Christians from the subtilty and slynesse of their entrance and that thus They crept in unawares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Explicat Two things offer themselves in the Explication The first The sense and force of the word Secondly The agreement of it to these Seducers in their entrance among these Christians Exod. 15.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 23.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isai 60.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
though what is done be commanded yet it is not done because it 's commanded Oculus ad coelum manus ad clavum or in obediencee to a precept The hand must not only be at work but the eye must also be upon the word It 's very possible for a work commanded to be an act of disobedience in respect of the intent of the performer 3. When 't is not given him inwardly heartily when men are eye-servants and do not the will of God from the heart Col. 3.23 Rom. 1.9 nor serve him in the spirit Ungodly men rather act a service than yield a service they rather complement with God Mat. 15.7.8 2 Tim. 3.5 Ezek. 33.31 than serve him They bring a bone without marrow They glister but they burn not like some men who lifting with others at a burden make as loud a cry as the rest but yet they put to it no strength at all In Gods account they who do but appear godly are nothing at all but ungodly 4. When honour is not given to God impartially Ungodly men pick out one work and reject another chuse an easie and forbear a difficult work serve and honour God so far as they may not disserve and dishonour themselves engaging no further than they may safely come off Whereas nothing should come amiss to one who rightly serves this Mâ—ster Psal 119.6.128 1 Tim. 5.21 One piece of his service must not be preferred before another We must answer to every call We must not examine what the service is which is commanded but who the Master is that commands 5. When honour is not given him cheerfully Ungodly men do the will of God against their will Psal 40.8 2 Cor. 9.7 it is not their meat and drink it goeth not down as their food but as a potion not upon choice but constraint whence 't is that their services are neither easie to themselves nor acceptable to God whose service is as well our priviledg as our duty 6. When he is not honour'd constantly Ungodly men wil have their rest from labour before they dye The honour which they give to God is full of gapps Their heart is not stedfast with God Psal 78.37 Ungodly men want a fountain a principle from whence their services should issue and therefore like a standing water Hos 6.4 they will in time dry up They are not friends and therefore they love not at all times The honour they give to God is like the redness of blushing soon down not like the ruddiness of complexion abiding 7. When honour is not given to God fervently and diligently with all the might and strength Ungodly men honour not God as a God as the best the greatest but without cost slightly and coldly The heart hath no love and the hand hath little labour When the spleen swels all other parts decay and those who nourish any lust will honour God but with lean and thin services A divided heart will be a lazy heart 8. When honour is not given to God with single aims and sincere intentions Ungodly men propound not to themselves glory-ends God is not honoured by them for himself They love not the lesson wherein there is not some gay of pleasure or profit they seek themselves and not God 2 Kin. 10.28 29. and therefore they lose God and themselves too remaining ungodly here and unrewarded hereafter 1. Observ 1. It s possible for men to attain to highest estimation for godliness and yet to be inwardly at the same time ungodly Men may be accounted the godly party and yet not have a dram of true godliness in them Had not these seducers been seemingly godly they had never been admitted by the Church and had they not been really ungodly they had never been by the Spirit of God call'd so Ungodliness is a close a secret evill It may creep into our profession participation in ordinances and Church communion undiscerned An ungodly heart may be in a glistring professor 2 Tim. 3.5 even in those who have a form of godliness Judas Simon Magus the Corinthian teachers were not without their estimation from men for piety nor without detestation from God for hypocrisie Christians should not like some tradesmen live altogether upon credit Quid juvat bonum nomen reclamante conscentiâ What doth a good name help a rotten heart how poor an advantage to a dying man is it for one to come and say Sir I am glad to see you well Truth of grace is alone beyond the reach of hypocrites Shape may be pictur'd life cannot The Magicians imitated Moses till God discover'd his own finger in the miracles True godliness is Gods handywork of this the most specious pretender falls short Oh Christian put not off the soul alone with shadowes Labour to be what thou seemest and then seem to be what thou art 2. Vngodliness is the root of all lewd Observ 2. irregular and licencious practices The Apostle placeth the ungodlinesse of seducers in the fore-front of all that wickednesse wherewith he chargeth them A man who hath no care of Gods honour will make no conscience of any sin Where God is not served man will not be obeyed Abraham rightly collected Gen. 20.11 that they who fear'd not God would not fear to take away his life By the fear of God men depart from evill Prov. 16.6 Prov. 8.13 Religion in the heart is the best means to order the hand Education exigency of condition resolutions humane lawes shame fear c. may for a while curb but they cannot change a sinner They may cloake not cure sin They may work a palliative not an eradicative cure All they can do till the heart be changed is but to sow a piece of new â—loth to an old garment new expressions professions to an old disposition which will but make the rent the greater How imprudent are those parents who expect obedience to themselves from their children who are ever suffered to be disobedient to God! How little policy do those Magistrates express who only care to make men subjects to them willingly suffering them to be rebels to God! I confess Satan loves to lay the brats of wars treason and rebellion c. at the door of Religion But as truly may Politicians utter those words as ever they were uttered O Religion if thou hadst been here our nation had not dyed And if that death may be attributed to the absence of religion how little are people beholding to them who hinder it from coming to the Nation to cure it 3. Observ 3. Eminent if meer profession will end in eminent profâ—nenesse A fiery hypocrite will grow from being lukewaâ—m in religion to be stone-cold in irreligion The seeming piety and glorious appearances of these seducers in advancing Christ grace and Christian liberty was soon followed with the utter rejection of godlinesse What profane and even godlesse persons and how purely neglective of all
divine worship did they prove The higher the building is which wants a foundation the greater will be its fall No water is so cold as that which after greatest heat growes cold A trades-man who breaks having traded much and been trusted much makes a great noise when he breaks The hypocrite who flies the highest pitch of religion is most bruised with fals into profanenesse Are there any who so much scorn the Ministry of the word and all holy duties nay who so much deny and professe they can live above ordinances as they who have heretofore been the most forward to run after them though alas unfruitfull under them when they did so Who can with tearlesse eyes or a sorrowlesse heart observe that sundry who have given golden hopes in their youth for godlinesse and whose holy education was followed for a while with most pious appearances should afterwards turn such loose libertines so atheisticall and irreligious as if now they studied only to make up their former restraint and forbearance with a greater profusenesse in all ungodlinesse c. How much better therefore is a drop of sincerity than a sea of appearing sanctity A Land-floud which rowls and swels to day will be down and gone when the fountain will have enough and to spare Study therefore O Christian to lay the foundation deep before thou raisest the building high And study first to get into Jesus Christ by an humble diffidence of thy self fiduciary recumbence upon him and to evidence it by the through work and practice of mortification and an hearty love to holinesse 4. Observ 4. Every one should tremble to be branded deservedly with this black mark of ungodliness by the Apostle here set upon the worst of men To this end consider 1. Ungodliness crosseth the end of our election Ephes 1.4 We are chosen before the foundation of the world that we should be holy Godliness is the eternall design which God had upon every one set a part for happiness 2. Ephes 5.26 Luke 1.75 Col. 1.22 It opposeth the end of Christ in redeeming us which was that we should be holy and without blemish and be presented holy and unblameable in his sight wherever Christ justifies he renewes the ungodly 3. It 's opposite to our profession The name atheist we all disclaime We have renounced ungodliness in our baptism wherein we took an oath of allegiance and fealty to God and which is not a sacrament of obsignation of the benefits unless of obligation to the godliness of a Christian We have taken God for our God who is a holy God and whom we profess to follow 4. It s opposite to the end of Gods discovering his Gospel 1 Pet. 1.15 Tit. 2.11 12. which hath appeared to teach us that we should deny ungodliness Let me goe said the Angell to Jacob for the day appeareth much more should Christians bid farewell to all ungodliness the day of the Gospel so gloriously appearing 5. It opposeth the acceptation of all our persons and services Psal 4.3 God sets a part only him that is godly for himself godly men alone are his treasure his portion his Jewels an ungodly man though never so rich and honourable is but a vile person Morality without piety is but glistering iniquity Mal. 1.10 Prov. 15.8 21.7 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. God looketh to the person before to the gift Holy and acceptable Rom. 12.1 are put together Without godliness our performances are provocations 6. It opposeth our comfortable enjoyment of every benefit All the comforts of ungodly men are curses Godliness makes loss to be gain 1. Tim. 6.6 ungodliness makes gain to be loss It matters not what things we enjoy but what hearts we have in the enjoying of them Vnto the defiled nothing is pure Tit. 1.15 An ungodly man tainteth every thing which he toucheth 7. Ungodliness opposeth our eternall blessedness nothing but godliness stands in stead in the great day then shall we fully discern between him that serveth God Mal. 3. ult 2 Pet. 3.11 and him that serveth him not Seeing these things shall be disolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness An ungodly man is as unsutable to the work as he is unworthy of the wages of heaven 1 Tim. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If you expect glory exercise train up your selves to godliness labour to be expert therein by beleeving that the promises of God in Christ shal be made good by observing his presence in all your actions by acknowledging his providence over all events by casting from you what-ever offends him by taking upon you the yoke of obedience active and passive doing and undergoing his pleasure cheerfully and lastly by fervent prayer for the blessings which you want and sincere thankfulness for those which you enjoy This for the first and more generall expression of the impiety of these Seducers the Apostle saith they were ungodly 2. The Apostle expresseth it more particularly by shewing wherein their ungodliness did appear and that 1. In their abusing the grace of God in these words Turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness In the words we may consider 1. What these Seducers did abuse or their enjoyment The grace of our God 2. how they did abuse it or their mis-improvement of that enjoyment they turned it into lasciviousness In their enjoyment we may take notice 1. Of the nature of their enjoyment Grace 2. Of the owner thereof God with the propriety that the faithfull have in him he being called our God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratia gratificari Judg. 21.22 Am. 5.15 Gen. 6.8 Gen. 39.21 Num. 6.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 7.42 2 Cor. 2.10 2 Cor. 12.12 Eph. 4. ult Act. 15.40 Heb. 13.9 Rom. 5.15.17 Rom. 4.4.16 Rom. 11.6 1. Of the kind or nature of that enjoyment which these Seducers abused it was grace Two things I shall briefly here shew by way of explication 1. What thing it is which the Apostle here intends by the name of grace 2. Why that thing is so called 1. Not much to enlarge upon this first thing Grace in its proper notion signifies that free goodness favour or good will whereby one is moved to benefit another as both the Hebrew and Greek words manifest But it is not only taken in scripture in that primary and proper sense but among sundry other acceptations for the benefits and good things themselves which of free favour and good will are bestowed and in this sense as it often in scripture notes the benefits almes and beneficence which we receive from man 1 Cor. 16.3 2 Cor. 8.4.6 19 so in a multitude of places the gifts and benefits freely bestowed by God and among them as redemption life eternall the gifts of sanctification Rom. 6.14.15 1 Pet. 3.7 1 Joh. 16. c. so the very Gospel of salvation and the revelation of the