a worm and no man the taking of beasts in a snare should put us in mind of the snare of sin Ask likewise saith Job of the fowles of the air and they shall tell thee These may support faith and scatter our distracting cares they being fed though they neither sow nor reap Their observing also of their several seasons The Stork in the heavens knowing her appointed times and the Turtle Crane and Swallow observing the times of their coming teach us to know the judgment of the Lord and the day of our visitation what a lively pattern of meknesse and simplicity is the dove the early chirping and singing of the birds in the morning may teach man his duty to praise God as soon as he awakes in the morning as a godly man once said to a Bishop who was sleeping in bed too long in the morning surrexerunt passeres et stertunt pontifices How much greater is the care of Christ in protecting his servants than that of a hen toward her chickens in gathering them under her wings Speak to the fishes of the sea saith Job these have a speech though they are mute The sea it self by its rage fury and foaming shews us the inconstancy and troublesomeness of the world the unquietness of wicked men the power of him who stils it and keeps it within its bounds By its fulness notwithstanding the running of so many floods rivers out of it it directs us to him who is an inexhaust fountain of good having never a whit the lesse for all he gives the running of the rivers into the sea whence they come shews that as all is from him in bounty so all must be returned to him by duty The fish themselves wil teach us the misery of want of government Hab. 1.14 Prov. 10.23 Tit. 3.3 Joh. ult Luke 5.10 Matth. 4.19 when men are as the fishes of the sea that have no ruler over them but the greater devoureth the less Their sporting and skipping speaks the disposition of sinners who sport in sin as their element before they are â—â—â—cht and the power of the gospel whereby they are taken The fewness of those which are catcht in comparison of those which are left shewes the small number of those who are taken with that net compared with those who are left In the catching also of the fish with a net or hook unawares we are taught the folly of men taken with the baits of sin who think not of their time but are taken as fish in an evil net In short the whole creation is a scripture of God Creatiâ— mundi scriptura DeiUniversus mundus Deus explicatus a book and the heaven the earth the waters are three great leaves the creatures contained in these are so many lines by all which we may read a Divinity-lecture Though the creature is not able to lead us into a saving knowledg of the mysteries of Christ yet it gives us such advan tages to know God as willeave us inexcusable in our ignorance How should this doctrine humble us who by our apostacy are become the scholars of the creatures Christians who have both teason and grace may learn from those who have not so much as sense and life Adams knowledg of God led him to the knowledg of the creatures but now man by the creature learns the knowledg of God like Balaams ass the creatures now teach their Master man is now sent to their school put back like an idle truant to the lowest forme How happy were man could he learn of the very ass Oneramus asinum et non curat quia asinus est at si in ignem impellere si in foveam praecipitare velis cavet quam um potest quia vitam amat et mortem timet Bern. which as Bernard observes wil bear any load because he is an ass but if we offer to thrust him down some steep hil or drive him into the fire he holds back and shuns it whereas a blockish sinner hath no fear of that which brings eternal damnation But of all others how justly reproveable are they who in stead of furthering their salvation hasten their destruction by the creatures in abusing them to excess riot gluttony To conclude this point for the putting us upon making an holy use of created objects let us consider that there is a double use of every creature natural and spiritual If we content our selves with the natural use without the spiritual we do not take the one half of that comfort in the creature which God gave it for and indeed what do we more then the brute beast which hath a carnal and natural use of the creature as wel as we These seducers for knowing things only naturally as we have heard are compared to brute beasts let us not therefore as children look only upon pictures and gaies in our books and gaze upon the gilded leaves and cover but let us look to our lesson which we should learn therein And let us know we never use the creatures as their Lords unlesse we see our Lord in them a carnal man profits his body a spiritual man his soul also by them Every creature may be a Preacher to him in whom the spirit first inwardly preacheth A man may be cast into such a condition as whereby he may be hindred from good actions but what unlesse a bad heart can hinder him from good meditation And as it is with Bees though they gather hony from a flower they leave it as fragrant and fresh as they found it so we gathering spiritual thoughts from our worldly enjoyments and employments in stead of hurting and hindring them we benefit and inrich our selves and advance them Ver. 14 15. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints ver 15. to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him THese two verses contain the third branch of the description of the lost estate of these seducers in respect of their sin and misery which in these words are further set forth by the ancient and infallible prophesie of Enoch and that prophesie is 1. declared and propounded here in these two verses 2. Applied to these Seducers in the 16 the following verse In the declaration and propounding thereof I consider 1. The Preface prefixed by Jude before it 2. The Prophesie it self 1. The Preface in these words Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of these Wherein two particulars are considerable 1. The Excellent person here mentioned Enooh describ'd from his descent and Pedegree the sevenâ—h from Adam 2. His honourable performance He prophesied of these 1. In the Prophesie it self of the last judgement I find 1. A note of incitement to cause a regard to the following description of the judgement
receiving messages and answers from Jehovah Numb 22.8 I will bring you word saith he to Balacs Messengers as the Lord shall speak to me and ver 13. The Lord refuseth to let me go with you and ver 18. I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God Num 23 5 16. and Moses saith that the Lord put a word in Balaams mouth he uttered a Prophesie concerning Christ by Divine inspiration There shall come a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel Numb 24.17 to which Prophesie he prefixeth this solemn Preface He hath said which heard the words of God and knew the knowledg of the most High Vid. Aug. Trac 49. in Joh. which saw the Vision of the Almighty Even the worst men as here Balaam have sometimes foretold future things by a Spirit of Prophesie God inspiâ—ed Pharaoh with a Prophetical Dream God hath shewed unto Pharaoh said Joseph what he is about to do Gen. 41.1 25. The like may be said of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2.47 Some of the wicked who shall be sentenced to depart from Christ at the day of Judgment shall be able to say Have we not Prophesied in thy name Matth. 7 22. Caiaphas the High Priest a bloody unrighteous man Prophesied Joh. 11.51 that Christ should dye for that Nation Possibly Balaam uttered not his Prophesies as understanding their force or genuine sense to be sure his heart was not holily affected with what his tongue uttered which some conceive to be intimated in that expression of putting a word into Balaams mouth a phrase never used concerning the inspiring any of the holy Prophets And whereas Josh 13.22 Balaam is called a Sooth-sayer or Diviner the word which we translate Sooth-sayer is a word of a middle signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dent. 18.10 for in Scripture it is not only taken in the worst sense for one that useth Divination or is a Sooth-sayer but in a good construction for one that prophesies or foretels things to come Mich. 3 11. Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vatem reddiderunt as Mich. 3.11 And some there are who think that Balaam is here called a Sooth-sayer only in regard of his ambition and covetousness and of his ends and aimes in all he did which were not Gods glory or the love of the Truth revealed to him See English Annotâ—on Josh 13 or of his people whom he blessed but his own advancement and the wages and reward of Divination according to the manner of wicked Sooth-sayers But I rather conceive that Balaam out of desire of gain made use of Divellish Arts and unlawful Divinations for the cursing of Israel It s said Numb 24.1 that he went not Annot. in Numb 24. as at other times to seek for Enchantments Whereby it may be evidently collected saith Ainsworth that all his former Altars Sacrifices and consultations with the Lord were by the wicked Art of Enchantment or observing of Fortunes such as the Prophets and Diviners of the Nations used Deut. 18.10 14. which he now left as seeing them not available for his purpose His serving of God Vid. Ames in 2 Pet. p. 272. was mixt with his old Superstition in the number of Altars and Sacrifices in their site or posture towards the points of Heaven in his Gestures and set form of words c. 2. This for the Explication of the first particular viz. whom these Seducers followed or their Guide The second followes viz in what way they followed him or the example which he set before them viz. his Balaams Error for reward In the Greek the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two things are here to be opened 1. What that Error was which they followed 2 How it was for reward For the first The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc Planeta A Planet or wandring Star 2 Pet. 2.15 here translated Error properly signifies an Aberration or wandring from a right path or course wherein a Traveller should walk and therefore more fully Peter explains this Error of Balaam and these Seducers who followed him to be a going astray and forsaking the right way But more particularly the Error whereof the Apostle here speaks is differently expounded 1. Some Learned men conceive it to be that whereby both Balaam and these Seducers were deceived in their expectation of reward and wages honour pleasure profit c. by their sinful endeavours and no doubt but in this respect their way might fitly be called Error or deceit for Balaam in propounding to himself the wages and reward which Balac promised to him in case he would curse the Israelites was himself clearly deceived he being not only disappointed of what he look'd for viz. honour and gain but also bringing upon himself that which he looked not for a violent death by the Sword and most likely the eternal destruction of his soul in stead of receiving his reward from Balac he received it from God Numb 31.8 Josh 13.22 As also did these Seducers draw to themselves in stead of worldly advantages which they aimed at swift destruction and condemnation as the Apostles speak both of soul and body Others as I conceceive more sutably to the scope of the Apostle and to the construction of the other words immediately going before and following understand this Error to be the swerving wandring or deviation of Balaam imitated by the Seducers from the way of Gods will and commandment both in regard of their practice and especially their Doctrine or what they taught others whereby they made them to err and wander from the right way For Balaams practice it was an erring and wandering from the plain and express precept of God in that he went to Balac and that with a defire to curse the people His way was perverse before the Lord Numb 22.32 he was out of Gods way when he was in the way of his journey For his teaching of others he taught Balac to err in counselling him to build Altars and offer Sacrifices for Enchantments and to entice the Israelites to Adultery and Idolatry by the company of the daughters of Moab and it is as plain that he made the Israelites to err from the way of righteousness by teaching Balac to cast a stumbling block before them Rev. 2.14 to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication that thus they sinning might be afterward destroyed As touching these Seducers it is most evident that they in their own practice wandered from the way of righteousness and left the way of Truth in their Doctrines that they were ringleaders to Error blind guides who made many to follow them into the ditch Deceivers 2 Pet. 2. false Prophets bringing in damnable Heresies many following their pernicious wayes And that hereby as Peter speaks They went astray and forsook the right way viz. the way of Truth A great sin 1. because Error is a deviating from and an opposing of the
witherings and decays are opposite to the honour and worship of God None can honour God who divides his service between him and other things He accounts himself not served at all unless always served Who will think that employment vast and large which a man takes up and lays down at his pleasure What proportion bears slight and short obedience to the Majesty of him who is the best and the greatest how can that work be deemed by any beholder sweet and delightful of which men are as soon weary as of some grievous burden who wil account that service profitable and advantagious or its wages to eternity any other than a notion when they who have entred into it think an hour long enough to continue in it or will any think that God gives strength to his servants to perform it who give it over before they have well begun or that he delights in that holinesse which his seeming friends take such frequent libertie to forsake at their pleasure 2. The sinfulnesse of witherings and decayes appear in respect of our selves Prov. 17.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 2 c. 11. 1. Whatever professions have been made is's certain there never was sincerity Vnstedfastness is a sure note of unsoundness he never was who ever ceaseth to be a friend for a friend loveth at all times He who leaves Christ never loved him They set not their heart aright and their spirit was not stedfast with God Psal 78.8 2. Spiritual withering renders all former profession unprofitable and in vain He who continues not in had as good never have entred into the waies of God nothing is held done as long as ought thereof remaineth to be done we shall be judged according to what we are not have been Judas not according to his Apostleship whrein he lived John 2.8 Gal. 3 4. but according to his treachery and despair wherein he died our beginning in the spirit followed with ending in the spirit advantageth not that is only wel which ends well 't is not the contention but the conquest which crowns they win the prize not who set out first but continue last 3. Spiritual withering makes our former profession and progress therein to do us hurt It had not only been as wel but better never to have known the way of righteousnesse He who licks up his vomit never casts it up again the house re-entred by Satan is more delightfully and strongly possessed by the impure spirit the water cool'd after heating is now colder then ever the seeming breach betweene sin and the soul being made up again is like a dis-joynted bone well set the union is stronger then ever and it is more easie once to go on then often to begin And as there was nothing Satan did so much endeavour as thy leaving of God so nothing wil he so much hinder as thy returning again to God yea and it may be by this time God is justly provoked to leave that person to Satan who would needs leave God for Satan To conclude none will be so inexcusable before God as they who leave the wayes of holinesse for if those waies were bad why did they enter into them if good why did they not continue in them 3. The sinfulnesse of spiritual withering appears in respect of others 1. They who remain strong and stable do not yet remain joyful but are much sadded by the decayes of any though they fall not with them yet they are cast down for them yea they should sin if they should not be sad and how great a sin is it to make it necessary for them to mourn whom to rejoyce is thy duty Now we live saith Paul 1 Thes 3.8 if ye stand fast in the Lord. Their apostacy then would have been his death 2. The weak are much endangered to be carried away with others for company seldome doth any leave God singly the worst yea the weakest shall have too many followers Although these seducers were carried away by reason of their emptinesse yet all that Jude could do all the diligence he could use was little enough to keep the Christians from being carried away with them It is easier for a weak seducer to carry souls away then for a strong Christian to keep them back 3. The wicked are both confirmed in that their sin into which the decayed Christian is faln and also much deride and reproach that way of truth and holinesse which the unstedfast have forsaken they are confirmed in their sin because their own way hath now the addition of a proselite and the commendation of an Enemy now numbers are a great encouragement and a strong argument to a sinner in any wickednesse and the commendation of an enemy is equivâ—lent to an universal good report sinners will deride likewise and blaspheme the way of truth as if either Christians had formerly embraced it for by-ends or else as if it had not worth and excellency in it to deserve a stedfast persevering in it and the dispraising of holiness by the seeming friends thereof will appear to its enemies to be equivalent to an universall ill report 3. Obs 3. It is the duty of Christians to endeavour after spiritual fruitfulness The Apostle mentions unfruitfulness likewise Luk. 3.8 Canâ— 6.11 as the sin and wo of these corrupt trees seducers This duty of bearing and bringing forth much fruit is frequently noted in Scripture Mat 3.8 bring forth fruit meet for repentance 2 Cor. 9.10 Now he that ministreth seed to the sower c increase the fruits of your righteousness Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness Col. 1.6 Matth. 21.34.41.44 John 3.8 which are by Jesus Christ c. Jam. 3.17 The wisdome from above is full of good fruits Every branch in me that beareth fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit John 15.2 He that abideth in me and I in him bringeth forth much fruit I have chosen you that ye should bring forth fruit ver 16. Being fruitfull in every good work Col. 1.10 As touching the nature and cordition of these fruits Phil. 1.27 Eph. 5.3 4. 1 Cor. 12 ult 1. They must be fruits of a right kind good and piritual fruits of the same nature with the good seâ—d that hath been sown in us when wheat is sown tares must not come up nor cockle when baily is cast into the ground Our fruit must be such as becomes the Gospel not fruits of the flesh Nor 2. fruits meerly of gifts parts abilities of utterance knowledge nor only of civil righteousness just dealing toward men freedomâ— from scandal not fruits only of external profession of religion in prayer hearing c. but such as are sutable and proper to a supernatural root and principle fruits worthy of amendment of life Mat. 3. Love out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 Spiritual fruits fruits brought forth to a spirituall end they must give a sweet and delightful relish though possibly
author and fountain of all blessings and so upon the receiving thereof ascribe the praise to God 2. That it may appear we understand our own desires and have sense of the thing we want 3. That others may mutually joyne with us in prayer 4. That our affections may be the more enlarged for as desires help us to words so words inflame our desires 5. To prevent distraction and interruption in our thoughts 3. Psal 38.9 Mat. 4.10 Prayer is made to God onely It is a principal point of divine service 1. God onely is religiously to be worshipt and served 2. God onely knowes whether we pray or no Jer. 23.23 i. e. from the heart 3. God onely is every where present to hear the suits of all 4. God onely is almighty and able to grant whatsoever we ask 4. In prayer as the desires must be made known to God so after a due manner but of that in the next part In the holy Ghost The manner of performing this duty is in the holy ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is in scriptures sometime mention made of praying in the spirit of man as 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the spirit or in the spirit i. e. say some may understanding and my heart or soule so as I may both understand and also be affected with what I pray And Eph. 6.18 The Apostle injoynes praying in the spirit which may be understood either of Gods spirit or mans but in this place particular and express mention is made of the holy spirit or the spirit of God in which we are to pray whereby is meant by the assistance motion inspiration strength help and guiding of the Spirit for as this sense agrees with the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated in which is in scripture oft of the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by as Matth. 5.34 35. swear c. neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by heaven nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the earth nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the head and 2 Cor. 6.6 7. it is eight times thus taken so is it most sutable to other places of scripture where the spirit of God is mentioned with prayer as Zec. 12.13 where is promised the spirit of supplication that is the spirit as giving bestowing and working the gift and grace of prayer as 2 Cor. 4.13 we read of the spirit of faith i.e. the spirit working faith and Rom 8.15 we read of the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which we cry Abba Father Jam. 5.16 we find mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth a prayer wrought in us and excited and so imports the efficacy and influence of the holy Ghost in enabling us to pray And the Apostle Rom. 8.26 most fully expresseth this truth 1. Affirmatively the spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us 2. Negatively saying we know not what to pray Whence it is cleare not that the spirit of God doth truly and properly pray for us as our high Priest and Mediator or as one of us for another the attributing of the office of Mediatour to the holy Ghost was one of Arius his heresies for then should there bee more than one Mediatour 1 Tim. 2.5 and God should request to God the holy Ghost being God but not man also as was Christ but that the spirit of God stirreth us up to pray quickneth and putteth life into our dead and dull spirits yea and infuseth into us such desires sighs and grones and suggesteth unto us such words as are acceptable to God which for their truth and sincerity for their vehemency and ardency for their power and efficcacy are unutterable they pierce through the heavens and enter un to the throne of grace and there make a loud cry in the ears of God More particularly from these expressions of both these Apostles Paul Jude we may consider wherein this assistance of the holy Ghost or this praying by the holy Ghost stands and consists And that is 1. In respect of the matter 2. Of the manner of our prayer 1. In respect of the matter of our prayer We pray in the holy Ghost as he instructs and teaches us to ask such things as are according to the will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.27 1 Job 5.14 lawfull and good things The Spirit of God stirs us not up to desire what his word forbids us to desire We know not what is good for our selves and God hath oft heard us by denying us Though when we ask bread our Father he gives us not a stone yet when we ask a stone God hath oft given us bread The thing asked if by the Spirit is warrantable the Spirit put us upon asking especially spiritual blessings as our lusts upon craving things which are their fuel The spirit of wisedome desires not its owne poyson 2. We pray in the holy Ghost in respect of the manner of our praying And that 1. As it enables us to pray sincerely and heartily Gods Spirit is a spirit of truth And whensoever wee pray in his spirit wee pray likewise in our owne and his stirs up ours to pray The prayer of a Saint goeth not out of fained lips The spirit lifts up the hand and the heart together Psal 25.1.86.4 Lam. 3.41 2. As it enables us to pray with fervency The motions of the Spirit as they are regular in regard of the object so vehement in regard of the manner Rom. 8.26 Its groanes are such as cannot be uttered The symboles of the spirit were fiery tongues Act. 2.2.3 and a mighty rushing wind As a bullet flyeth no further then the force of the powder carryeth it so prayer goeth no further then the fervour of the Spirit driveth it Prayer is called a knocking a seeking and figured by wrestling Gen. 32.26 Hos 12.4 Nay call'd a wrestling Rom. 15.30 The importunity required in prayer is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impudence Luke 11.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognationem habet cum verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod significat attendere intendere animumque advertere Oratio attentè fundi debet sluggish prayers are no spiritual prayers The device of shooting a letter at the end of a dart used as I have sometimes heard in sieges is a fit embleme of a soul sending its Epistle to heaven As the Spirit wrought vehemently in those holy men who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the holy Ghost to speak the word of God to men so it works fervently in those who are to speak in prayer to God David mentions the setting forth of his prayer as incense and incense burnt before it ascended there must be fired affections before out prayers will go up The Tribes Acts 26.27 are said to serve God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a stretching forth themselves with
filthy dreamers in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui videt in somnia signifying properly such who are dreaming in sleep Beza renders the word sopiti such who are fast or sound asleep in a deep dead sleep Erasmus and Vatablus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Delusi in somniis such who are deluded in dreams The Vulgar wholly omits the translation of the word but the word properly signifies such who in their sleep are dreaming and thus Joseph is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dreamer and Acts 2.17 It 's said your old men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall dream dreams importing likewise thus to dream in sleep And these of whom our Apostle here speaks may be termed dreamers in sleep either 1. In a proper or 2. In a metaphorical sense If 1. In a proper sense then these seducers were dreamers in their natural and bodily rest and sleep thus they mentioned Acts. 2.17 dreamed dreams in their naturall sleep and thus Gagneius Vatablus Salmeron understand this place as if the Apostle had intended Redundat effusior libido vsque ad nocturnas inter dormiendum pollutiones Vatab. that these impure seducers did put forth and expresse their filthy lustfulnesse in their very dreams when they were asleep Thus likewise our own learned interpreters understood this dreaming in sleep as is plain by their rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by filthy dreamers as conceiving that these seducers in their unclean dreams had defiled and polluted their bodies when they were in their naturall sleep not that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admits of the interpretation of filâ—hy dreams by the force of its own signification it's Acts 2.17 us'd in a good sense namely of holy and pure dreaming but the foresaid interpreters were pleas'd so to refer this word to the following expression viz. defile the flesh that they interpreted it of that dreaming in sleep wherein these seducers defiled their bodies by nocturnal pollutions which uncleannesse as some think is the same with that of him mentioned Lev. 15.16 Whose seed went from him A strong inducement hence may be gathered that I may note it by the way for every one as to hate that odious and I fear too common a sin of self-pollution which by some Casuists is accounted a greater sin then adultery and by others to have even murder in it so to keep their hearts with all diligence from those impure thoughts in the day-time which may otherwise make them filthy dreamers in the night and when they go to sleep to beseech God to keep the key of their phansie that so it may not run out into dreaming impurely But secondly others and those the most better interpret this dreaming whereof Jude speaks metaphorically or in a borrowed sense conceiving that the Apostle here in calling these seducers dreamers in sleep doth compare them to such and that 1. In respect of sleeping 2. Of dreaming in sleep 1. In respect of sleeping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag these seducers may be compared to dreamers in sleep they were spiritually drown'd overwhelmed in a deep sound sleep of sin such a deep sleep as the Prophet mentions Isa 29.10 Isa 29.10 The Lord hath poured upon you the spirit of a deep sleep a dead and midnight sleep 1 Thes 5.6 Let us not sleep as do others Matth. 25.5 while the bridegrome tarried they all slumbred and slept c. This spiritual sleep in sin is threefold as divines observe 1. That natural sleep whereby every one is overtaken and is both unable and unwilling to move himself to the least supernaturall good till God awake him by his spirit and effectually say unto him Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead 2. That slumber or the remaines of that natural sleep in the godly continuing in them even after they are awakened out of their dead sleep of nature they being hereby oft overtaken with spiritual slumber by reason of the relicks of sin still abiding in them This the Spouse acknowledgeth Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh 3. The third is a judicial and penal increase of that naturall sleep and that deadnesse of heart by the custom and continuance in sin This is properly that forementioned deep sleep Isa 29.10 pour'd upon the impenitent Jewes and this last is that which is here attributed to these seducers And in two respects may such sinners be compared to men in a deep sleep 1. In regard of the causes 2. The effects of sleep 1 The causes of sleep 1. The sleep of the body cometh from obstruction and binding up of the senses by vapours which arise out of the stomack so the spirituall fumes of worldly cares and desires obstruct the senses of the soul Luke 21.34 therfore our Saviour speaks of being oppressed or overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse Prosperitie is a vapour which if it overcome not yet weakneth the brain as strong waters do This was the cause of Davids and Solomons and Asa's sleep 2. Sleep ariseth from wearinesse and want of spirits and there is a wearinesse causing spiritual sleep namely that which ariseth from too much expence of the strength of the soul upon other matters impertinencies that concern not its true happinesse and welfare 3. Oft sleep comes from want of exercise and when there is a cessation from spirituall exercises Prayer Hearing Sacraments Meditation there followeth a spiritual sleep these are the fewel of grace and he that will not exercise himself to godlinesse Tim. 4 7. shall never keep himself long awake 4. Sleep may come from sleepy yawning and slâ—thfull company the company of spiritual sluggards causeth spirituall sleep cold formal persons cast a damp upon the heat of others Spirituale gelicidium Ames frozen company derive a spirituall icinesse into the souls of those who converse much with them 5. Some are made to sleep by singing and musick and many by the flatteries and sinful soothing of false doctrines of Libertinism or Arminianism c. and by the unfaithfulnesse of those who dare not reprove for but sooth in sin are cast into a spirituall sleep 2. Sinners may be compared to men in a deep sleep in regard of the effects of sleep and that in respect 1 of their want of shame and bashfulnesse in sin they who are asleep Jer. 8.12 though their nakednesse with Noah's be uncovered yet they blush not these seducers proclaimed their sin like Sodome See before Part 1. concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they could not blush saith the Prophet a blushing colour is not the colour of such mpudent ones 2. Of their unarmednesse and liablenesse to danger in sleep the preciousest thing men carry about them may be taken away without resistance they suffer that to be loose which they held fast before be it never so rich a jewel Sisera was slain in his sleep and Ishbosheth upon his bed and
they wheras they deserve damnation both for the corruption of nature and the fruits thereof also some dream thus because of the faults of the godly mentioned in Scripture they making that an argument of boldnes in sinning which should be an argument of fear to sin some because they are ignorant and not Book-learn'd whereas ignorance though simple only somewhat extenuates but it excuseth not sin keeps not from hell but only from such a degree of torment as that of unfruitful knowledg and wilful now the common ignorance increaseth both sin and punishment as shewing that men will willingly suffer the damage of ignorance to enjoy the freedom of sinning Som dream that the imployments of their callings may excuse them for the neglect of holy duties as if callings were made to call us away from God or as if eternity were to give way to trifles Others fondly dream that outward tentations the counsels or commands of others inticing them to sin shall sufficiently excuse them whereas the outward tentation could do nothing without the compliance of the inward corruption and the disobeying of God for mans command is a disobedience with a greater disparagement to God then if man had said nothing Endlesse it would be to mention all those spirituall dotages and deluding dreams of sinners about their actions as that they may sin because they dream some places of Scripture will give them allowance or that much good will ensue of their sin that they may take liberty though excessive in things because lawfull that they may do evil because they make account to make amends for it afterward or upon pretence that they do it only for tryall to learn the vanity of sin or that the necessity of their living urgeth them or upon presumption of Gods mercy or by the painting of sin with the colour of vertue To these may be added a sinners dreaming that good duties may be omitted because they are difficult or because of their many other important occasions or because ther 's a purpose of doing them hereafter or in regard of their troubles threatned or because they have done enough good already or more then others or by reasoning from predestination as if being ordained to salvation though they live never so wickedly it shall never disadvantage them c. All which with many more are the vain dreams and delusions of sinners whereby with these seducers they take liberty to offend God and thereby to overthrow themselves OBSERVATIONS 1. Spirituall judgments are the sorest Observ 1 Insensiblenesse in sin and self-delusion were judgments which made these seducers miserable They are judgments which seize upon the soul No blessings so sweet as soul-blessings and no judgments so sore as soul-judgments The soul is the excellency of a man the body is a body of vilenesse the soul is precious excellent every way but only as depraved with sin It s noble in regard of its original functions endowments If all be well with the soul all is well with the man though the body be never so miserable If it go ill with the soul the man is wretched let the body be never so happy The funerall of a noble man is much spoken of when a Prince dies all lay it to heart when his Page dies it is never regarded The body the souls page is not to be lamented from which the soul parts but the soul from which God himself parts And further the distempers which befall the soul are of all others hardest to remove There is no herb in the garden no receipt from the Physician no medicine in the shop that can cure the soul men are only parents and physicians of the body he that made the soul can only mend it the Father of spirits is the only Physician of spirits 'T is omnipotent strength that recovers a sin sick and raiseth and rouzeth a sleeping soul man can cast thee into thy sinful sleep only God can awaken thee outward helps cannot cure the inward man he that sits in heaven can only touch and teach the heart And further the distempers of the soul uncur'd are of all others the most deadly and destructive A scratch on the finger we call a slight wound but a wound that reacheth to the heart is deadly Whatever befals the body is comparatively slight and to be slighted The worst things which befall the body may be sent in mercy they part between us and contemptible enjoyments yea oft they make way for the enjoying of the best blessings but they which befall the soul sever from him in whom all blessednesse is laid up spiritual comforts or miseries are true real the temporal of either are but opinionative Fear not him saith Christ that can kill the body but fear him that can throw both body and soul into hell To conclude Spiritual judgments are alway inflicted in displeasure in the last place as the forest of all as a reckoning for all other faults when all other chastisements are despis'd when God is shewing mercy the last mercies are the best and the further he goeth in mercy the sweeter he is and when he is punishing the last punishments are the forest and the further he goeth the bitterer he is the judgment of pining away in iniquity is the last of all that dismal catalogue Lev. 26.39 The spirit of a deep sleep is contiguous to hell it self Rev. 22.11 he that is filthy let him be filthy still is the last judgment we read of befalling in this life in all the new Testament yea the more God inflicts it the more he is provok'd to inflict it outward punishments move God to pity but this being a sin as wel as a punishment the more it lies upon man the more it offends God 2. Observ 2 All the sinfull sleepinesse of Saints differs much from that of the wicked Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart awaketh saith the Spouse The godly have ever in them a regenerate principle that is waking when they seem to be most sleeping that is contending against natural self The godly as one speaks are more pained and laborious in their sleep Laboriosius dormiunt quam vigilare potucrunt then in their waking it more troubles them to be idle then to do their Lords work their souls yeild not to that slothfulnesse wherewith their senses are overtaken Sensuall sinners sleep all at once all in them and of them sleeps but the Saint keeps his heart watchful The very business of the wicked is but vanity and dreams but the sleeps of the godly are busie and vigilant the wicked sleeps and trifles when he is most serious to work his wickednesse but when the righteous sleepeth his heart riseth and worketh upwards toward God in whom only he finds rest when thus imployed The wicked man sleeps and loves to sleep laies himself to sleep shuts the door draws the curtaines puts out the candle chargeth that none wake him but a Saint is like
every word but the wise man as he ponders his own words before he utters them so the words of another before he credits them Let not thy heart perswade thee of thy good condition by laying before thee common marks which may agree even with hypocrites as external profession an orthodox judgment opposing of Error or pleading for the Truth attending upon Ordinances freedom from scandalous sins some sweet and sudden motions of heart in holy Duties but ever build upon such marks as will necessarily infer sincerity and a principle of saving grace in the heart such as have some singular excellency in them which an hypocrite cannot reach a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Christ speaks something more then others ordinarily attain things which alwayes accompany salvation Heb. 6.9 3 Possess thy heart with an apprehension of Gods presence Set thy self as in his eye Consider though thou mayest baffle thy conscience yet not the eye of Gods Omnisciency Never think thou art out of the reach of his hand or the view of his eye Psal 44.17.21 Tell thy conscience as the Church speaks there is no dealing falsly for shall not God search it out who knoweth the secrets of the heart Would not a Malefactor speak truly at the Bar did he know the Judg had windowes into his brest Vitia nostra quia amamus defendimus malâ—mus excusare illa quam excutere Sen. Ep. 116. 4. Look not upon thy self through the spectacles of self-love A man that is in love with any thing thinks the blemishes and deformities of the thing beloved to be beauties and Ornaments Self-love makes shadowes to be substances and mole-hills to be mountains Let not affection bribe or throw dust into the eye of thy judgment The more thou lovest thy self the more thou wilt desire to appear amiable and adorned with a specious and seeming goodness Joseph loved his bro her Benjamin and he gave him five changes of rayment Till thou denyest thy self and putest off the person of a friend thou wilt never put on the person of a just Judg. Study to know thy self as thou art in thy self not as thou art partially represented to thy self Be not like Limners who so as thy can make a mans picture gay and gaudy Luke 6.48 care not to draw it so as to resemble him The want of true humiliation and denyal of our selves is the ground of all self-flattery and heart delusion Gold must be melted and dissolved before it can be defecated and rid of the dross Bodies full of vicious humours must be emptied by purgation before they can come to an healthful state Crooked things cannot be made strait without the wringing and bowing of them by the hand The greater our humiliation the greater our integrity 4. Observ 4. It s our wisdom to take heed of spiritual sleeping in sin For which purpose 1 Make much of a stirring Ministry Love that preaching most which is most exciting The Word preach'd is both light and noise both which disquiet sleepers A still easie Minister makes a sleepy drowzie people Ministers must stir those who sleep in sin though they stir them up to rage They must be sins of Thunder against sinners not sweet singers and pleasant Musicians No employment requires so much holy vehemency and fervor as the welfare of souls Cry aloud saith God to his Prophet and lift up thy voice as a Trumpet and people should be so far from blaming the loudness of the sound of the Word that they should only blame the depth of their own slumber They should ever take part with the Word against their lusts and intreat God that his word may be an awakening though it be a displeasing voice as also that he would cry in the ears of the soul by the voice of his own Spirit and to stir it in the Ministry with his own arm for indeed otherwise Ministers shall rend their owne sides before they rowze their peoples souls 2. Labour for a fruitful improvement of sufferings Beseech the Lord that no affliction may blow over without benefit to thy soul None sleep so soundly as they who continue sleeping under the greatest joggings Physick if it works not is hurtful to the Patient If thou art so close nailed to thy sin that afflictions cannot part it and thee it s a provocation to God to leave thee Isai 1 5. and an incouragement to Satan that he shall keep thee God is never more displeased then when he takes away judgments in judgment then when he punisheth by delivering thee from thy trouble and delivers thee up to thy own heart Oh beg earnestly of God that the blessed opportunities of suffering times may never leave thee as bad as they found thee for if so they will leave thee worse and that no wind may go downe till it have driven thee nearer thy Haven 3 Endeavour for a tender trembling heart at the very beginning of the solicitations of sin That which makes way for eternal takes away spiritual feeling Men sleep by little and little from slumber they fall to sleeping Every sin neglected is a step downward to a deep sleep A deluge of sin is made up of several drops Prov. 5.22 Many knots tied one upon another will hardly be loosed Every sin repeated and not repented of binds downe the soul in insensibleness and sloth Dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo et dum consuctudini non resistatur facta est necessiâ—as Aug. â—onf l 8. c. 5. Every sin suffered to defile the conscience makes it the more regardless of it self Sin is of an incroaching nature like a smal River it growes in going like a Gangreen it creeps by degrees The deceitful modesty of sin by asking little at first quickly enticeth us to more Smal beginnings usher large proceedings One bit draws down another As every good work increaseth our ability for obedience so every sin leaves upon the soul a readiness for further disobedience The not resisting the first inclination to sin makes way to stupefaction by sin He who dares not wade to the ancles is in no danger of being swallowed up 4 Labour for faith in threatnings Restrain not belief only to what God hath promised Let faith comprehend all Truths in its vast bosom and overcome all the improbabilities that seem to keep away Judgment as well as those that seem to keep away Mercies Noah was not drown'd in a deep sleep of sin and in a deluge of waters with the old world and the reason was faith taught Noah to fear Hebr. 11. and fear that watchful Grace prevented feeling Faith makes a man solicitous for a while and safe to eternitie Naturalâ—y we are more moved with fear then stirr'd with hopes 5 Vigorously and constantly exercise thy self in Godliness Never think thou hast done enough Think not thy work is ended til thy life is ended Take heed of remisness in holy Duties Fervency of spirit is by the Apostle join'd
might thereby be drawn to give Moses Divine adoration Deut. 34.6 Michael in zeal to the honour and obedience to the will of God opposed the Divel and contended that the body of Moses should be buried in a seeret place Vid. Chrysost Hom. 5 in Mat. August To. 3. p. 731. Ambr. 2 Offic. c. 7. where no man might know of his Sepulchre This last is the opinion of most if not of all Modern Writers both Protestant and Popish and of sundry of the Antients The most think that Satan in his contention aim'd at stirring up the people idolatrously to worship the very dead body of Moses and some affirm though I suppose without ground that after his death his face retained its former shining lustre and to prevent the idolizing of Moses his very Rod they conceive that Moses took it away with him when he went to dye it being that Rod whereby he had wrought so many Miracles and which was called the Rod of God Others rather think that Satan intended to have put the Israelites upon the idolatrous worshipping of Moses soul or Ghost by the discovery of his Sepulchre this opinion seems to me very probable I know not that the worshipping the reliques of dead mens bodies was an idolatry used in those times I suppose it will not be denyed but that it was the practice of the Heathens to worship the ghosts or souls of the dead who in their life time had been eminent for their greatness and beneficence hence Jupiter Mercury Esculap c. were counted Deities after their deaths for that good which their survivers had received from them while living and Heathens used this their idolatry by occasion of their having among them the Tombs and Sepulchres of the deceased Thus the Cretians worshipped Jupiter for their God whose Sepulchre they boasted that they had among them And hence Lactantius holily and wittily derides them Quomodo potest Deus alibi esse vivus alibi mortuus alibi babere Templum alibi Sepulchrum Lactant. l. 1. c. 11. for honouring a God who as they thought was in one place living in another place dead who in one place had a Sepulchre in another a Temple The Roman Emperors after their deaths were Deifi'd at the burning of their bodies which being burnt their souls were worshipp'd by the name of manes and upon their Sepulchres they engraved these words To the gods Dijs manibus the ghosts or souls of the departed they blindly believing that the souls of the departed did reside about or were present at the places where their bodies were buried and these soules of the departed Heathens were wont to worship and consult with at their graves and Sepulchres a practice which from heathens was received by the Israelites also Hence we read Isaiah 65.4 of the idolatrous Jewes who remained among the graves and lodged in the monuments namely to consult with the spirits of the dead as is clear from Isaiah 8.19 where the Prophet reproves the people for consulting for the living with the dead i e. with the souls or ghosts of those who were dead and departed And at these graves and Sepulchres of the dead were idolaters wont idolatrously to Feast and Banquet with those sacrifices which they had offered to the honour of the dead Hence we read Psalm 106.28 of the great idolatry of the Israelites in eating the sacrifices of the dead And this idolatrous custome of seeking to the dead at their Tombs or Sepulchres the Divel invented that these deluded idolaters who expected to consult with dead men might indeed and really receive answers from and so worship him for though he perswaded his Vassals that they who were dead gave them their answers yet indeed those answers came from him And to this practice the Divel might easily have brought these Israelites could he have obtained the discovery of Moses his Sepulchre which containing the remains of so famous a Law-giver and one so eminent above all the men in the world for acquaintance with God would in probability upon all exigencies have drawn idolaters to it for the adoration of and consultation with Moses especially considering the great and constant need of direction in which the Israelites stood whâ—le they were in the Wilderness for their passage to Canaan though indeed the name of Moses was to have been but a stale or stirrup to have advanced the adoration even of the Divel himself who as he was the sole contriver of this idolatry so would have been pleased most with it and honoured onely by it it being as much beyond the power of idolaters or Divels to deal with a true since dead Moses as it ever was against the will of Moses to have any such dealing with them If it be here objected that the Israelites did not worship at the Sepulchres of Abraham Jacob Joseph and the other Patriarchs and therefore that neither they would have idolatrously worshipped Moses if they had known the place of his burial It s answered that there was far greater likelihood and danger of their idolizing Moses then any of the fore-mentioned Patriarchs and that both in regard of the honour that Moses had received from God and also of that good which the Israelites had received by Moses 1. In respect of the former none of the godly Ancestors of the Israelites were so illustrious as was Moses for working Miracles and so many renowned performances both in Aegypt and after the Israelites came out of it none by the testimony of truth it self being like Moses whom God knew face to face none who had the reputation of being so frequently and long with God and of being a Law-giver to the people and a Mediator between God and them to fetch them Lawes from God and to carry their desires again to God to be taken up that he might converse with God to the top of a flaming Mount the foot whereof no other person might touch upon pain of death to have a face so gloriously shining upon descent from God as if God had imparted to him a kind of ray of Divinity In a word To have God say of him as he did to and of Moses I have made thee a God a speech haply not yet forgotten by Israel to so great and puissant a Monarch as Pharaoh 2. In respect of the great benefits that God bestowed upon the Israelites by Moses never did they receive the like by any other Instrument in any age who ever was there besides Moses by whom God sent so many miraculous plagues upon their Enemies by whom at the holding up of a Rod he divided the Sea and sent six hundred thousand men through it dry-shod and afterward caused it to return upon and swallow up their Enemies by whom he split the Rocks into Cups and gave them water in a scorching Wilderness and fed them with miraculous showres of bread from heaven c. It s therefore probable that one so eminently honored of God and beneficial
gives over any enterprize he changeth not his nature but constrainedly leaveth his exercise he goes but t is when he can stay no longer when his Cummission is expired Every commanded performance or forbearance is not a sign of grace That which is incident to the Divel argues no grace in man Balaam was forbidden to curse the people of God and he forbears but forcedly against his will Let not men content themselves with the Divels obedience To leave sin for fear of hell may go along with the love of it more then heaven When Moses's Parents exposed him to the waters they loved him as much as or more then ever To leave sin for want of a body to commit it is not to leave our affection to it the leaving of sin at our death-beds is seldome true ever suspicious God loves a living Christian any one will be a Christian dying Duties without must flow from a gracious forwardness within Joyn that in thy obedience which the Divel hath divorced inward subjection to outward services It s one thing to be hindred from another thing to hate sin The rebukes of our Superiors may cause the former a Principle of inward renovation can onely produce the later More of this in my former part p. 491 492 497. 2. Observ 2. Gods power limits Satans Though the will of Satan shall never be changed yet his power is by God often curbed when he is most violently running on in any way of opposition to God or man God can stop and chide him back of this also par 1.442 447. With what an holy fearlesness may the godly go on in duty The wicked are willingly serviceable to a Master who cannot protect them from Gods wrath Oh let us serve him chearfully who is able and willing to keep us from the Divels rage we see likewise to whom we owe our preservation onely to him who rebukes Divels 3. Observ 3. How easily doth God prevail over his greatest Enemies T is but as it were a chiding and rebuking them and even in their greatest fury they are mute and dare not cannot quetch what more easie then for a Master to give a word of rebuke a word of Gods mouth is enough to make the Divels tremble they are all underlings to God they are before him as nothing the greatest mountain of worldly strength and opposition shall be before God but a mountain of chaff If God do but ariâ—e Psalm 68.1 Psalm 2.4 his Enemies are scattered yea he who sits in heaven shall haâ—e them in derision he derides them sitting the fire doth not so easily consume the stubble the wind dissipate the smoak the Rod of iron break in pieces a Potters vessel as God overthrowes his Enemies With a word did God make the creature with a word he moves it with a word he stops it with a word he destroys it in all these Psal 142.15 his word as the Psalmist speaks runneth very swiftly How vain are they who think that worldly greatness their wealth their strength their youth can shield them from the stroke of Gods power whetted with his wrath The sithe can get as well through the green grass as the dry stubble He who hath but faith enough to believe himself a creature may be caution'd against Security in sin The most glistring Monarch is but a gilded potsherd in nothing so mad as to think it self safe in contending with its maker nor is it a less excusable folly to be swallowed up of fear by reason of the worldly greatness of any of Gods Enemies Who art thou that art afraid of man that shall dye and the Son of man that shall be made as grass Isa 51.12 and forgettest the Lord thy Maker At the rebuke of God his and our Enemies shall flee and fall How great is that folly whereby men sleight the great God and fear a silly worm All the peace and forbearance that God expresseth towards his Enemies proceeds not from his want of power but from the greatness of his patience a strong inducement to us who are weak worms to be patient under injuries which we cannot repel since God is so full of forbearance who is both infinitely provoked by and infinitely powerful to be avenged of his strongest Enemies 4. The holiest persons Observ 4. are most offended with practices that oppose Gods glory When Satan dishonours God the holy Angel cannot refrain from praying that God would rebuke him Michael doth not onely dispute for God but he desires God to plead for himself It would have been below Michael to have been affected with any thing a creature should have said or done unless the honour of God had been concerned nothing is little whereby Gods Name or mans soul suffers The more any one knows the excellencies in God or hath tasted of the love of God the less can he endure any thing either done or said against God Angels who continually behold the beauty of Gods face do most abhor that which doth blemish disparage it These sons of God endure not any thing whereby the honour of their Father suffers Heaven it self would be no heaven to those glorious Spirits should they be constrained to behold Gods name polluted No meer man ever had on earth so clear a glympse of Gods glory as had Moses nor was ever any so holily impatient when he apprehended a blemish to be cast upon it The broken Tables the Israelites which this meekest of men caused to be put to the sword yea his request that himself might be blotted out of the book of life rather then any blot should be cast upon Gods honour sufficiently prove that he who touch'd it touch'd the apple of his eye How unlike to Angels are they who put up no injuries with such a tame contentedness as those which are offered to Gods name who never say to any The Lord rebuke you but to those who dishonor themselves yea are ready to rebuke themselves whensoever they stumble upon any act of Zeal Surely the fire of such mens Zeal is not Angelical and heavenly but culinary and smoaky What likelihood that they shall ever inhabit the place that are such strangers to the disposition of Angels 5. Observ 5. It s unsutable to a gracious temper to recompence evil for evil Michael here commits his cause and remits revenge to God sutable to whose carriage is the command of Scripture against private revenge Prov. 20.22 Say not thou I will recompence evil and Prov. 24.29 Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will render to the man according to his work And Rom. 12.17 Recompence to no man evil for evil and ver 19. Avenge not your selves but rather give place to wrath Revenge opposeth the mind of God and it both disturbs and expels the Spirit which would abide in the soul and is the Spirit of Peace and Dove-like Meekness and le ts in and gives place to the Divel who
apprehensions 2. Of their Conversations Or 1. The kind or nature of their knowledg What they know naturally as brute Beasts 2. The effect of that their knowledg In those things they corrupt themselves The first is 1. Propounded and specified in these words What they know naturally 2. Expounded by and compared to the knowledg of the brute Beasts as brute Beasts EXPLICATION Three things here require Explication in this second part of the verse 1 What the Apostle here intends by knowing naturally 2 Why he compares them for this knowing naturally to brute Beasts 3. In what respect by this knowing naturally as brute beasts Naturaliter nôrunt i.e. ipsâ duce naturâ nullo adhibito Magistro Vt sunt ea quae sensu percipiuntur tactu viz. gustu Justinian in loc Naturaliter solis sensibus absque judicio rationis ac si essent bruta animalia cognoscunt viz. quae pertinent ad appetitum sensitivum qualia sunt â—â—tus â—â—bus somnus veneris usus Gerh. in â—et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum Scire naturaliter est scire non consilio ullo non ratione huâ—nanâ non Spiritus Divini luce sed caeco naturae impetu heliuâ—no more Junius in loc they are said to corrupt themselves 1. For the first By this knowing naturally in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood a knowing only by the guidance of Nature meerly by their senses by touching tasting seeing c. a knowing whether a thing please sense or no without any other Teaching or any judgment and reason at all and it respects those things which belong to the sensitive appetite as meat drink sleep c. and hence it might possibly come to pass that Gagneius conjectured though without ground that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they know is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they desire or have an appetite This word Naturally is opposed to reason and judgment these sensual persons onely knew things as carryed to their outward senses The force of nature only ruled them reason never guided them Oâ—cumenius expresseth it very aptly Whatever saith he with natural force or desire without putting difference as irrational creatures they know they violently follow as lustful horses or swine Junius explains it thus To know naturally is to know without counsel humane reason or the light of Gods Spirit and with the blind force of nature and bestial motion only following natural appetite and outward senses 2. The Apostle doth exegetically explain by an apt comparison what he intends by this knowing naturally he saith they know things as brute Beasts in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brute signifies either mute or irrational and brute either without speech Act. 25.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeter rationem sine ratione Animantia rationis expertia Bez. Animalia muta Vulg. O mutis quoque piscibus donatura cygni si libeat sonum Horat or without reason There being no irrational Creature but is also mute that is though not without a voice so as fish are said more properly to be mute yet without speech which none but man useth naturally Now this knowledg which belongs to brute Beasts is that which arifeth from the instinct of nature consisting in the senses and by the benefit of it brute Beasts discern between the food which is sutable and that which is unfit between that which is beneficial and that which is hurtful unto which is joyned a natural appetite toward such things as tend to their preservation Of this knowledg speaks the Scripture Isai 1.3 The Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Masters crib And Psal 104.21 The young Lions roar after their Prey and seek their meat from God c. And ver 27. They wait upon thee that thou maiest give them their meat in due season That thou givest them they gather thou openest thy hand and they are filled with good And Job 29.8 The range of the mountains is the pasture of the wild Asse and he searcheth after every green thing And ver 29. The Eagle abideth on the rock c. and from thence she seeth the prey And Chap. 40.15 Behemoth eateth grasse as an Ox ver 20. The mountains bring him food yea Prov 30.25 The ants prepare their meat in the summer And by this knowledg of irrational creatures is that of these sensuallists here by Jude set forth for sundry Reasons 1. In their knowledg of things naturally they desired sensual objects violently and impetuously They laboured not for them with an holy submissivenesse to and dependence upon God but followed them with a brutish fiercenesse They were like the Lion roaring after his prey when they see what they love ther 's no holding them in with the reins either of Reason or Religion they ran greedily after reward subverted whole houses and taught any error for filthy lucres sake Tit. 1.11 They were greedy dogs 2 They received no enjoyments thankfully not considering the giver they drank of the river taking no notice of the fountain filling their vessel with it and then turning their backs upon it They received gifts but regarded not the hand which bestowed them Their bellies were filled with treasures to them hidden Like swine feeding on acorns which though they fall upon their heads never make them look up to the tree from which they come When God opened his hand they shut their hearts denying the tribute of praises which God expects for all his blessings 3 They pleased themselves with the gifts solely never regarding the love of the giver Beasts care not with what affection any thing is given to them so as they have the thing which they want These sensuallists desired not that the gifts which they enjoyed might be turned into mercies not considering that the love of God is the fulnesse of every enjoyment in this worse then some beasts who suspect a snare when provision is plentifullest These never caring whether the heart of God were toward them or no so as his hand were opened and using the gifts of a Creator not regarding the affection of a Father not questioning whether their provisions were bestowed upon them as children with love or whether as condemned prisoners to keep life in them against the day of execution and in short like beasts as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 2.12 they were made to be destroyed they so knew these sensitive objects as not knowing whether they were fatted by them for slaughter 4 They knew these things so brutishly as not to know how to improve them they cared not to be fitted by them for service Brute beasts onely live to eat and so these made their sensual pleasures the end of their living never referring them to glory-ends not making them vehicula chariets to carry them faster and to raise them up higher to God in a way of love and duty but vincula bonds to keep and binde them down to the satisfaction of sense
of Brutish Sensuality A mâ—â— may be laden with Gold and yet be as a Brute His being changed from Poor to Rich is but a poor change unless he be changed from Natural to Spiritual from an old to a new man Even the Wealthy Psal 49.10 is called a Fool and a brutish person and ver 12. Man being in honour abideth not he is like the Beast that perisheth Nero was a Lion Herod a Fox The Princes of Israel Wolves Kine of Bashan notwithstanding worldly glory Outward Ornaments make no inward alteration Hence see what is the true standard of Honour Lust is the souls degradation even in all earthly abundance only Grace makes us excellent it destroyes not but elevates nature Sensual objects do not elevate but corrupt us 5. Observ 3. Sensual appetite is deceitful When these Seducers knew things naturally with sensual knowledg they were led to corruption An ignis fatuus leads men into bogs and precipices Natural knowledg carryes men like filly beasts into a snare If the blind lead the blind both must fall into the ditch The Lusts of the sensitive appetite are foolish 1 Tim. 6.9 and therefore foolish because they make men fools who are led by them and Ephes 4.22 the old man is said to be corrupt according to decitful lusts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As man sheweth his infection with original pollution principally by his Lusts so those Lusts principally discover themselves in their Deceitfulness When they tempt a man to sin they promise pleasure and contentment they perform nothing less but leave the poor seduced sinner spoiled of his happiness and corrupted both inwardly outwardly and eternally Sensual delights strangle with a silken halter Latrones quasi laterones viatoribus amiâ—è se quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—djungunt ut incautos cò facilius grassentur kil a man in the embracing him and like Theeves wil ride friendly and pleasantly with the Passenger that so unawares they may the more easily destroy him Saint James saith a man is drawn away of his own Lusts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inticed They bait over every hook Oh that when a man saith How can I forbear the bait 〈◊〉 he would ask himself How can I endure the book Oh will the comfort countervail the corruption the spoiling not only of my body of my Goods but the loss of my Soul my Grace my Heaven my God my All. Consider the bitter farewel of al sinfully sweet morsels view them with a Scripture Prospective look upon them as going away as well as coming Behold their back their black side they are venenatae deliciae Poisoned Pleasures T is easier to pass by then get out of the snare If thou be a man of appetite Prov. 23.2 put a knife to thy throat Lust betrayes with a kiss Al carnal delights go out in a stink and commonly it is that of Brimstone As we cannor walk in this life by sight in respect of Glory so should we not in respect of Sensuality As we are absent from heaven in regard of Sense and present there in regard of Love so though we are present among earthly enjoyments in respect of Sense yet should we be absent in regard of affection To conclude this consider the difference betwixt Spiritual and Sensual pleasures The former are good in Harvest the latter only in Seeds-time They who sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Gal. 4.6 They who sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting The former are bitterly sweet the latter sweetly bitter The former turn water into wine as the latter do Wine into water In that which a man knows Spiritually and to which he is led by the guidance of the Spirit in that he preserves himself And its observable how the Apostle opposeth the deceitful Lusts in ver 22. of Ephes 4. to the Truth in Jesus ver 21. Christ is Truth Lust is vanity and deception Christ gives true happiness and more then was ever expected Lust deludes disappoints corrupts To end this needful Point In all worldly pleasures wisely draw off thy soul by comparing such sordid puddles with the crystal rivers of eternal joyes Let Moderation and heavenly Discourse be two dishes at every Banquet A Souldier supping with Plato who had provided nothing but green herbs said He who sups with Plato shall be better the next day Tertullian said of the Primitive Christians that they did not Tam coenam coenare quam disciplinam One would have thought they had been at a Sermon not at a Supper Oh that Spiriritual delights were more tasted He who lives at the Table of a King despiseth scraps and such are all worldly pleasures esteemed by him who hath tasted how sweet the Lord is The more pleasant any thing is to us the more suspected let it be by us Satan lies in ambush behind our lawful enjoyments as the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost so is Christian temperance the aedituus Tertullian or Keeper of that Temple VER 11. Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Core AT this verse and so on to the seventeenth our Apostle prosecutes the thrid part of that second Argument whereby he puts the Christians upon contending for the faith against Seducers That second Argument was taken from the certainty of the destruction of those Seducers and it s prosecuted from the fourth to the seventeenth verse of this Epistle Pag. 1. Part 2. In the managing whereof as hath been said before the Apostle having first set down several examples of Gods wrath upon others in former times for their sins from the fourth to the eighth verse And secondly Having declared that these Seducers lived in the same sins which God had formerly punish'd in others from the eight to this eleventh verse 3. He now thirdly concludes that these practising their impieties shall partake of their plagues And this conclusion he prosecutes throughout this eleventh verse and forward unto the seventeenth In the handling of which Conclusion the Apostle concludes the destruction of these 1. By propounding 2. By expounding it Or 1. By a Denunciation thereof 2. By a Delineation thereof 1. By propounding and denouncing thereof in those words of this eleventh verse Wo unto them 2. By an expounding or delineating thereof in the following expressions of this and the other verses unto the seventeenth and he expounds it by a mixed description of their sin and misery And he mixedly describes their sin and miseries the effects of their sins three wayes Nominat hos tres prae aliis quia hi tres fuere Dei fidei sanctitatis hostes ac fideles seducere Ecclesiam perdere voluerunt unde fuerunt Simonis Gnosticorum haereticorum typi prodromi Cor. Lapide in loc 1. From the sutable examples of Cain Balaam Core in this
There is not a drop of true woe in a deluge of outward troubles which befal a Saint 2 Wickedness ends in wo. Observ 2 Sinners may see nothing but wealth in the commission but they shall find nothing but wo in the conclusion of sin Every Lust though it kisseth yet betrayes Rom. 6.21 The end as the Apostle speaks is death It s the truest wisdom to consider whether when we find it difficult to overcome the present tentation it be not more difficult to undergo the following woe Oh could we but look upon the blackness of the back of sin how little should we be allured with the fairness of its face How far from wisdom will it be for the deluded sinner hereafter to say I did not think it would have been thus with me that hell was so hot that Gods wrath was so heavy The mirth of every secure sinner that goes dancing to hell Amara sint omnia gaudia quibus respondent aeterna supplicia is no better then madness How bitter should that drop of pleasure be to us which is answered and overtaken with a sea of pains There 's no judging of our future either wo or happiness by what appears at present The portion of Gods peoples cup is to have the best and of the wickeds to have the bitterest at the bottom and yet the top of the cup seemeth to promise the contrary to both 3. Scripture imprecations and cursings Observ 3. must not be drawn to be our examples We may indeed pray against the wicked practices of others that God would stop and hinder them with David that God would turn the wisdom of Achitophel into foolishness 2. It s lawful for us to pray for temporal afflictions to befal the wicked to the end that they being sensible of Gods anger against sin may be brought to repentance and so to salvation But 3. Prayers for the eternal confusion of others are not absolutely to be put up to God They who wil imitate the Scripture in imprecations against others must be sure they imitate those holy men who uttered them in being led by the same Spirit both of infallibility in discerning of mens persons and Estates and also of purity or freedom from those corrupt affections wherewith our zeal for Gods glory is ever too much mixed and therefore to be suspected This counsel Christ gave his Disciples Luke 9.55 Matth. 5.44 who asking whether after the example of Elijah they should pray that fire might come down from heaven to consume the Samaritanes * q.d. Yours is motion not of zeal but revenge Ideo Deum à se expellit qui illum à proximo avertit facit Deo injuriam quia seipsum judicem constituit et Deum tortorem Aug. Ser. 4. de Sanc. were answered by Christ that they knew not what spirit they were of Our Masters precept was Bless them that curse you yea bless and curse not and his pattern left us is 1 Pet. 2.23 set down in these words When he was reviled he reviled not again The time of Prayer saith Chrysostom is the time of meekness And he saith Augustine drives away God from himself who would turn him away from others he being injurious to God in making him the Executioner and himself the Judg. 4. Observ 4. God warnes of wo before he sends wo. He takes not sinners at the advantage as he might in the act of sin but he foretels the woe before he inflicts it He usually cutteth men down by the mouth of his Ministers Gen. 15.16 Matth. 23.37 before he cuts them off by the hand of Executioners by the sword of his mouth before he doth it by the mouth of the sword Gods method is to give premonition before he inflicts punishment The two destructions of Jerusalem by the Caldeans and Romans came not till foretold by the Prophets and Christ Of the two general destructions of the world Geâ— 6.3 2 Pet. 3. the past by water and the suture by fire sufficient warning hath been given God hereby speaks himself gracious and the wicked inexcusable He threatneth that he may not smite and he smiteth that he may not slay and he slayeth some sometimes temporally Râ—v 2.21 that they may not be destroyed eternally God foretels ruin that it may be prevented Jonah's prophecying of Niniveh's overthrow Venturum se praedicat ut cum venerit quos damnet non inveniat Greg was as Chrysostom saith a kind of overthrow of the Prophecy And hereby the wicked are proclaimed inexcusable They cannot say in their greatest suffering but that they had premonition Even the enemies of God shall justifie him when he condemns them They cannot but excuse God from desire of revenge the desirers whereof are not wont to give warning Professa perdu tâ—dia vindictae locum Sen. Medea Christians take heed of turning the denunciations of woe into wantonness It s neither for want of sin in man nor strength in God that in stead of wounding he only warns His hand is not weakened that it cannot strike nor his arm shortned that it cannot reach us He hath not lost his power but he execiseth his patience and he exerciseth his patience in expecting our repentance Non ille potentiam perdidit sed patientiam exercet Patientiam exercet suam dum poenitentiam expectat tuam Aug. Let us prepare to meet our God even when he is coming toward us before he come at us Let us dispatch the Messengers of Prayer and Reformation to meet him and make peace with him while he is vet in the way and afar off Though Gods patience lasts long it will not last ever If we will sin notwithstanding a wo threatned we shall be punish'd notwithstanding a mercy promis'd He who is long a striking strikes heavy The longer the child is in the womb the bigger it is when it comes forth The longer it is ere wo comes the bigger will it be when it comes No mettal so cold as Lead before it is melted but none more scalding afterward 5. Ministers must denounce woes against the wicked Observ 5. Jude describes the fierceness of Seducers and exhorts the Christians to compassion and yet his meekness abolisheth not his zeal The regard of Gods glory and the souls of the Saints drawes forth this severe denunciation against the Enemies of both He is as bold to foretel their woe as they to proclaim their wickedness The like spirit we may behold in the holy men before him Causam populi apud Deum precibus causam Dei apud populum gladiis allegavit Greg. Exod. 32.27 Moses so meek that when he was with God though he pleaded the cause of the people with prayers yet when he was with the people he pleaded the cause of God with the sword The Prophets after him Samuel Elijah Isaiah Jeremiah were cold and calm in their own but full of heavenly heat in Gods cause Their denunciations
these words That he be not as Corah and his company 3. The Censers which were to be Plates for the Altar are called the Censors of those which were BURNT now Corahs Censer was among those which were Plates for the Altar because the reason why they were to be Plates for the Altar was their offering them before the Lord and their being hallowed ver 38. which agree to Corahs Censer as well as to the Censer of any other 4. Gods command to make Plates of the Censers of those who were burnt being followed with this reason that others be not as Corah and his company seems to import that others by looking upon the Censers of those who were burnt should take heed of being as Corah and his company namely burnt as they were And whereas it s said Numb 26.12 that the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up together with Corah c. Some understand that place not of Corahs person but his Substance Goods and Retinue and therefore Treâ—melius reads it Absorpsit eos quae erant Korachi The earth swallowed them up and those things which appertained to Corah as we find Numb 16.32 Others conceive That Corah is joyned here with the other who were swallowed up Because he was a Confederate in the same wickedness and was punish'd by a miraculous death at the same time But to leave the further discussion hereof sure we are that Corah was also destroyed Jude here tells us that he perished and it hath been observed that most if not all those whom the Scripture mentions as Opposers of Lawful Authority have been punished by violent death God not vouchsafing them so much as a reprival to a Death-bed several instances have I set down in my former Part pag. 631. God makes them marks of vengeance who remove the ancient Land-marks set for Order and Propriety in a Nation In Psal 3. and as Chrysostom notes they who durst open their mouthes against Moses and Aaron making their threats an open Sepulcher to bury their Diguities were justly punished when the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up such Rebels OBSERVATIONS 1 The great misery and disgrace to be a ringleader in sin Corah is here only mentioned by Jude Observ 1. he was the great wheel of the Rebellion 'T is thought that he exasperated Dathan and Abiram by the pretence of their primogeniture before Moses It is too much to follow in wickedness but to lead it is inexcusable insufferable The Rebels that opposed Moses and Aaron are called Corahs company Numb 27.3 Num. 16.5 6. and the Rebellion it self is called the matter of Corah Numb 16.49 He who was higher then the rest in sin is principally braned in Scripture story with perpetual infamy Of this more in Balaams example 2 Bad parents may have good children Observ 2. Jeroboam Amon Ahaz and here Korah are pregnant proofs hereof God is free in his gifts of Grace He disperseth them where and to whom he pleaseth They who have nothing in themselves or parents to commend them to God are received by him to shew that the foundation of all Gods love is in his own bosome and that the priviledges of nature commend us not to him God also wil hereby shew the excellency of Graces Original that it is not by Generation but Regeneration not Native but Donative not by the first but second Birth The bad parents of a godly child proclaim that their child hath a Heavenly Father and that good which they never bestowed upon it as the wicked child of godly parents proclaimes that they who contributed a Natural could not afford a Spiritual being Yea further hereby God will manifest the power of his Grace which in a sort gathers grapes of thornes and figs of thistles and can bring pure water thorow a filthy and polluted channel and that the power and poyson of natural and sinful example cannot hinder the irresistible strength of his own spirit How wisely lastly doth God hereby beat Satan and batter his kingdom with his own weapons and strike him thorow with arrowes taken out of his own quiver How should the consideration hereof engage the godly children of godless parents 1. To love admire and serve that God who hath transplanted them out of Satans Nursery into his own Orchard who made white paper of dunghil rags If Thomas said Lord why wilt thou manifest thy self to us and not to the world well may a Godly child say Lord why wilt thou manifest thy self to me and not to my father and mother 2. To be humble in considering of the Rock out of which they were hewn and the Fountain from which they flowed and the poorness and impurity of their beginning even when they are in the midst of their highest proceedings in holiness To pity likewise and to labour to do good by a Spiritual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or natural affection Spiritualized to the souls of their poor unregenerate parents that they may study to requite them for being the causes of their natural being Deo parenti non redditur aquivalens by procuring their parents Spiritual birth and truely no way but this can that Maxime be confuted The child can never recompense the parent 3 Great is our proneness to follow corrupt example Observ 3. Hundreds here run after one rebel Of this before Part 1. pag. 572. 4 Corrupt Greatness is very influential upon Observ 4. and into Inferiors Let but an eminent Corah go before and the rest will follow Great men seldom sin alone witness Absolom Jeroboam Simon Magus Of this before Part 1. prg. 573. 5. Ambition knowes no bounds Observ 5. An high condition seems but low to an high spirit Corah was a Levite and his priviledge and Dignity thereby was not smal Seemeth it a small thing to you saith Moses that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel to bring you near to himself yet his ambition made it seem contemptible because he had not the Priesthood also Absalom though a Kings son and his fathers beloved son and newly taken into favour yet because he had not the Kingdome could not be contented Haman though the greatest Favourite of the greatest Monarch in the world yet because he had not the obeysance of poor Mordecai accounted all his Preferments worth nothing The greatest Honors do but widen and enlarge the Ambitious mans desires they do but entice not content a man The Subjects whom Kings have advanced to highest Dignities have ever been forwardest to oppose and depose those who have exalted them and all because they have thought that they could never be high enough witness the Conspiracy of the Nobles exalted to highest English Honours in the Raign of William the First and that famous example of the great Stanly Vid. D 〈◊〉 History of William the I. p. 40 And Sr. Fran. Bacons of H. 7 No rewards can clear accounts with them that over value â—heiâ— merits
eyes of unbeleeving sinners Isai 53.2 Holiness is an inward a hidden beauty Psa 45. a carnall eye cannot either see it or esteem it If grace be as with sinners it is a scar 't is a scar of honour not uncomliness riches and worldly dignities like glow-worms onely shine in the dark night of the world but there 's nothing will have a lustre at the day of judgement but holiness The poorest saint is a Prince and the most glorious sinner a beggar both in a disguise Holiness though veiled with the most contemptible outside carries with it a silent Majesty and sin even in highest dignity bewrays a secret vileness That which is to be desired of a man is his goodness The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour Prov. 12.26 2 Cor. 8.23 The poor Saints are called the glory of Christ who presents them without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Sinners are spots Saints are stars and Jewels as Jewels the stars of the earth and as Stars the Jewels of heaven Though Saints have not an Herald to emblazon their arms yet the Scripture sufficiently sets forth their dignity the rottenest stuffs are oftnest watred and among men sinners most glorious but yet in Scripture they are but spots 2. Sinners are filthy and defiling They are spots for defilement as well as deformity sin and uncleanness are put together The filthiest of beasts are scarce filthy enough to set forth the filthy nature of sinners Swine the Dog the Serpent the Goat the neighing Horse the filthiest things are used in Scripture to set forth sin as dung vomit mire menstruosities leprosie scum pitch Deut. 32.5 plague-sores issues ulcers dead carcasses the blood and pollution of a new-born child the noysom exhalations breathing from a Sepulcher Rom. 3.13 spots Rev. 21.27 a sinner is called that which defileth Sinful gain is filthy lucre Unholy speech is filthy and rotten communication whordome is called uncleanness gluttony turns the Temple of the Holy Ghost into a Kitchin an Hogstie it makes men dunghils and drunkenness common shores and sinks of filthinesse the drunkard is a walking quagmire The covetous wretch that loads himself with thick clay is but a moving muck-heap a speaking dunghil his riches are but dung good as one well when they are spread abroad by charity but stinking and useless when heaped Pride is but a swelling botch Sinners are the children of the filthy and unclean spirit they are of their father the Divel like Joabs posterity therefore all filthy and leprous their natural Parents were naturally all unclean and who did ever bring a clean thing out of filthiness Job 14.4 John 3.6 that which is born of the flesh is flesh Their greatest hatred and enmity is set upon purity and and holinesse clean and sweet objects are death to them as they say that Roses kill the Horsefly the Gospel is to them a savour of death And this filthiness and pollution of sin hath two properties which may render it very hateful Isai 1.13 14 Tit. 1.15 1. It s a spreading pollution 1. Over all of a man flesh and spirit soul body understanding thoughts conscience memory will affections eyes hands tongue 2. All done by a man even the best things the prayers of polluted sinners are abominations their incense stinks their sacrifices are unclean their mercies cruel their profession of godlinesse a form their plausiblest performances no better then embalmed carkases 3. It spreads even unto others and infects them by incouraging teaching seducing constraining them to sin It oft is diffused from the wicked even to the godly themselves nothing more difficult then to be familiar with and not to be infected by sinners the error of the wicked sometimes cleavs to them and the example of sinners entiseth them Spirituale gelicidium Ames Cas Consc The sons of God saw the daughters of men and were polluted What an insensible deadness of spirit and decay of grace doth conversing with sinners bring upon Saints 4. Yea this contagion of sin spreads even to the good creatures of God about us even into them it puts as the Apostle speaks vanity Num. 8.20 21 2 Pet. 3.10 11. Isai 1.18 Jer. 17.1 groaning bondage consumption mourning and at length it will bring combustion and dissolution upon the whole frame of nature 2. It s a deep and indelible pollution of a skarlet and crimson dye compared also to an Ethiopians blackness a Leopards spots not to be washed away with nitre and much sope Hell fire shall not be able to eternity to fetch away the stains of the smallest sins from mans nature yea the greatest measure of grace received in this life by the best of men doth not totally abolish this defilement the best have their sores and stand in need of a curing and a daily cleansing Who can say I have made my heart clean All the Legal washings purifyings and cleansings of the filthiness of the flesh were but faint representations of our need of and purity by being washt in the blood of Christ And oh that sinners would be as unquiet as they are unclean till they wash in that fountain which is set open for sin and for uncleanness Jer. 4.14 Rev. 7.14 2 Cor. 6.11 Psal 150. It s only the blood of God which can wash away the filthiness of sin no other Laver can take away that spot Not onely look but go into it wash thy self all over Cry out O sinner unclean unclean See thy spots in the glass of the Law Be weary of thy defilement as well as thy deformity Being washed keep thy self pure take heed of spotting places and persons Though upon a conscience uncleansed like an old spotted garment a sinner cares not what filth he suffers to drop yet O Saint keep thy new cloaths white clean and pure sin like a mired dog when it fawns upon thee fouls thee A spot will easily be seen upon thee trifles in thee are accounted blasphemies Be not troubled at the spots upon thy name so as thou keepest a pure conscience not that wicked men make them so long as they do not finde them Wash thy self in thine own tears be troubled that thy Justification is so complete and thy Sanctification so imperfect that thou art at once both without spot or wrinckle and yet so full of both In short Labour to be spotless in a spotting and spotted Generation in foul streets to walk with clean garments Let not the Error of the wicked cleave to thee If thou canst not cleanse them which is most desirable let not them defile thee In your Feasts of Charity 3. The Lords Supper is a Love-Feast Observ 3. The Reason why these Feasts of Charity whereof Jude here speaks were annexed to the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.21 22. and also why those ancient Christians did in these Feasts express so much love one to another was because they were about to celebrate that Sacrament which expressed so great a token
the roots 2 Therfore I understand with Reverend Mr. Perkins and others that these words without fruit are as it were a correction of the former as if the Apostle had said they are trees whose fruit withereth or rather without fruit altogether the fruit which they bear not deserving so much as the name of fruit as trees that bear no other then withering fruit are esteemed no better then unfruitfull trees and thus notwithstanding their withering fruit they may be said to be without fruit in sundry respects 1. They were without fruit in regard that all their forementioned fruits were not produced by the inward life and vigour of the spirit of sanctification in their souls Their fruit grew upon a corrupt tree and proceeded from an unclean bitter root They were not the issues of a pure heart and faith unfaigned but the streams of an unclean fountain The fruitfulnesse onely of slow-bushes Crab-trees and brambles cannot make the year be accounted a fruitfull year A corrupt tree saith Christ cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 7.18 How can ye that are evill speak good things Mar. 12.24 Their best fruits were but fruits of nature coming from an unregenerated heart That fruit which before his conversion Paul accounted as precious as gold he after esteemed as base as dung 2. They were without fruit in regard their fruits were not brought forth to a Divine end they were directed to no higher an end then selves Riv. in loc Israel saith God is an empty Vine though bringing forth fruit for it followes he bringeth forth fruit to himself I am not ignorant that some Interpreters expound not that Text concerning the fruit of works though yet they grant the place may be by consequence drawn to take in them likewise As these fruits were not fruits of righteousnesse Phil. 1.11 so neither were they to the praise of his glory If thou wilt return O Israel saith God return to me Jer. 4.1 They returned saith the Psalmist but not to the most high The pipe cannot convey the water higher than is the fountain head from whence it comes and these fruits being not from God were not directed to him Fruits brought forth to our selves are rotten at the core they are not for his taste who both looks into and tries the heart 3. They might be without fruit as not producing works in obedience to the Rule The doing of the thing commanded may possibly be an act of disobedience God looks upon all our works as nothing unlesse we do the thing commanded because it is commanded This onely is to serve him for conscience sake A man may do a good work out of his obedience to his lust As its possible for a man to believe 1 Thess 4.3 1 Thess 5.18 not because of Divine Revelation so is it possible for a man to work and not upon the ground of Divine injunction Be not unwise but understand saith the Apostle what is the will of God Eph. 5.17 Mans wisdom is to understand and follow Gods will 4. Without fruit as to their own benefit comfort and salvation The works of Hypocrites are not ordained by God to have heaven follow them at the last day all they had or did will appear to be nothing and when the Sun shall arise then the works which here have shined like glow-worms shall appear unglorious and unbeautiful of all that hath been sown to the flesh shall nothing be reaped but corruption God crowns no works but his own nor will Christ own any works but those which have been brought forth by the power of his own Spirit 5. Lastly Without the fruit of any goodness in Gods account because without love to God 1 Cor. 13. Love is the sweetness of our services If I have not love saith Paul I am nothing and as true is it without it I can do nothing the gift of an enemy is a gift and no gift As love from God is the top of our happiness so love to God is the sum of our duty There is nothing beside love but an Hypocrite may give to God with Gods people it is the kernel of every performance God regards nothing we give him unless we give our selves also Its love which makes a service please both the master and servant Now wicked men in all they bring forth though they may have bounty in the hand yet have no love in the heart they have not a drop of love in a Sea of service This for the Explication of the second aggravation or gradation of the sin and misery of these Seducers they were without fruit The third follows in these words twice dead These words I take to express a further degree of their spiritual wretchedness under the continued Metaphor of Trees 'T was bad to have withering fruit worse to have no fruit at all worse yet to be not only without all fruit but even altogether without life twice dead Two things are here to be explained 1. In what respect these trees may be said to be dead 2. How to be twice dead For the first Death is 1. Temporal and Corporal that which is a privation of life by the departure of the soul from the body 2. Spiritual befalling either the godly or the wicked 1. The godly are said to be dead spiritually three wayes 1. Dead to sin Rom. 6.2 1 Pet. 2.24 the corruption of their natures being by the Spirit of Christ subdued and destroyed 2. Dead in respect of the Law Ceremonial Col. 2.20 dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world Moral Gal. 2.19 So Paul saith he was dead to the Law and Rom. 7.4 Ye are dead to the Law it being not able to make them guilty who are in Christ nor to terrifie their consciences nor to irritate them to sin 3. Dead to the world Gal. 6.4 so Paul was crucified to the world either because the World contemned and despised him as a dead man or else because the world had no more power to entice and allure him from Christ then the objects of the senses have to work upon a dead man 2. Spiritual death befalls the wicked and unregenerate they being without the Spirit of Christ to animate and quicken them which Spirit enlivens the soul supernaturally as the soul doth the body naturally hence they are said to be dead in sins Eph. 2.1.5 Col. 2.13 and dead Mat. 8.22 Luke 9.60 Rom. 6.13 Joh. 5.25 and to remain in death 1 Joh. 3.14 Their works hence are said to be dead Hebr. 9.14 As the immortality of the damned is no life but an eternall death so the conjunction of the souls and bodies of wicked men is not properly life but umbratilis vita a shadow of life or rather a very death they being without spiritual feeding growth working all vital operations and lying under the deformity loathsomness insensibleness in a spiritual sense of such as are dead or according to the resemblance here used by our Apostle which is
that of trees dead they are spiritually dead because without and severed from that root of every good tree the Lord Christ The old Adam is the root upon which they still stand and therefore they are without all spiritual and supernatural life as from the root flows life into all the branches of the tree so from Christ all who are united to him by the Spirit through Faith have by those means the life of holiness derived unto them as in Adam the first root who hath now lost the moisture and vigour of holiness and is become a dryed root all die so in Christ shall all and onely they who are really united to him live Hence it is that as they are without the root and therefore without life so without all spiritual growth and fruitfulness the inward principle of life being wanting needs must the effects that flow from that principle all vitall operations be wanting likewise for though abiding John 15.5 and living by Christ we bring forth much fruit yet sever'd from him we can do nothing It is true that as the wicked have something from Christ like the Spirit of life Heb. 6.4 1 Cor. 12.6 7. so thereby they bring forth something like to good and spiritual fruits I mean those forementioned fruits of gifts assent to the truth sweet affections acts of external obedience but though in the producing of these the Spirit helps them yet it never changeth the nature of the trees but they still retain the natural sowrness of their roots and though God gives them the Spirit to edifie others yet not to sanctifie themselves though Saul had another spirit and sundry Matth. 7. did prophecy and cast out Divels yet all these were but works of ministration not renovation though the Spirit works as an outward efficient cause breathing on them and is in them as in Organis Instruments and Ministers yet not as in domiciliis as in habitations Members for as the soul works not as a form to any part that is not united to the body so neither doth the Spirit of Christ work savingly but in the body of Christ In the wicked it may be spiritus movens a moving spirit in the godly t is onely spiritus inhabitans an inhabiting indwelling Spirit The Spirit of God in an Hypocrire is like an Angel appearing in some outward shape of which he is only an assisting not an informing form for which cause his assumed body hath neither life nor nourishment but the Spirit of God in the godly is like the soul in the body not only assisting but informing and working in them spiritually vitall and supernatural operations And notwithstanding the best workings of the Spirit of God in the wicked they are oft left more fleshly self-confident less poor in Spirit and sensible of their want of Christ then before And thus these Seducers were spiritually dead Or 3. Death is eternal the effect of the former which eternal death is that most miserable condition of the Reprobate after death wherein they are deprived of all the blessedness and glory of heaven standing in the enjoyment and unitive vision of God Visi◠unitiv◠T is indeed the spiritual death continued and perfected As in heaven or eternal life in the enjoyment of God by Christ is begun in this life and completedin the next so is hell or eternal death in the losse of God begun in this and consummate in the next world The presence of God is the heaven of heaven the joy of heaven the life of heaven and of all who shall come thither 2. For the second In what respect these Seducers may be said to be twice dead The word twice Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken two wayes sometimes indefinitly or as a definite put for an indefinite a certain for an uncertain number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Job 33.14 Thus Job 33.14 God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not That is God doth by his gracious ways and means sufficiently abundantly and frequently acquaint man with his will although man be so stupid and senseless as not to understand what the meaning of God is therein So Psal 62.11 God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth to God that is God hath abundantly oft several times or sundry wayes by his Word and works asserted and discovered that he is eminently and transcendently powerfull Thus the Apostle commands That the Elders that rule well 1 Tim. 1.17 should be accounted worthy duplici that is multiplici honore double much manifold honour So the Prophet prayes Jer. 17.18 that his enemies may be destroyed with a double destruction i. e. with a severe through totall destruction so 2 Kings 2.9 Elisha desired that a double portion that is a large abundant portion of the Spirit might be upon him Thus some take the word twice in this place as if by the signification of the very word the Apostle intended that these dead trees were finally dead and past all hopes of recovery such as could never be bettered by all the pains and cost digging dunging c. that could be laid out upon them That our Apostle here intends that these Seducers were like Trees irrecoverably and totally dead I easily grant but withall because trees may be said to be twice dead in respect of their very dying twice or a second time this word twice seems to import in this place a definite certain number and to intend a double or twofold death of these Seducers who are here compared to trees in their dying twice as well as in all the other three respects viz. Their having withered fruit their being without fruit and being pluckt up by the roots Trees then are said to be twice dead thus the first time a tree is said be dead when in the former spring it decayes fades withers in its leaves blossoms or newly formed fruit from this decaying or dying for a dying it is as to leaves and fruit a tree is oft by pruning dressing recovered but if in autumn or the later spring which is the critical or climacterial time of Trees to discover whether their disease be mortal or not the tree fadeth again if then the leaves or what ever it bears wither the rine grow dry and it be as they say sick the fault is then ab intra the root is rotten and the very substance of the tree is inwardly corrupt and putrified no more labour or cost is now bestowed upon it it s now dead twice or the second time and therefore totally and irrecoverably and as I have understood from those who are exactly skill'd in the nature of trees it hath been oft known that trees which have seemed to die in the former spring have afterward been recovered but never did they know that any languishing in the former spring and then after some overtures of reviving in the later spring fading and decaying again ever were recovered and restored
afterward In like manner these seducers of whom Jude speaks had a double death or were twice dead first they were dead in respect of their natural condition by being as are others born in sin and so as the Apostle speaks Ephes 2.1 dead in sin from this they were so far recovered as that they seem'd to live and as Peter speaks 2 Pet. 2.20 to have escaped the pollutions of the world and by visible profession to flourish and to give fair hopes of bearing good fruit notwithstanding this first death they were not given over as irrecoverable but their later death which was by Apostacy from the faith of Christ by reintangling themselves in the pollutions of the world and returning to their vomit and wallowing in the mire brought them into such a hopelesse deplorable condition that our Apostle no more expected their recovery then the restoring of a tree dead twice or the second time Indeed there is an Apostacy of impotency of affection and prevalency of lust a recidivation or relapse into a former sinfull condition out of forgetfulnesse and falsenesse of heart for want of the fear of God to ballance the conscience and to fix and unite the heart to him This was the frequent sin of Israel in breaking their Covenants Psal 106.7 8 9 12 13. and this falling from our first love and returning again to folly though it be exceeding dangerous yet God is pleased sometimes to forgive and heal it as he promiseth to some Hos 14.3 But there is another kind of Apostacy which is proud wilful stubborn malicious and whereby after the taste of thâ— good word of God and the powers of the world to come Men set themselves to hate and oppose godlinesse to do despight to the spirit of grace to rage against the word to trample upon the blood of the Covenant and when they know the spiritualness and holiness of Gods waies the innocency and piety of his servants they do yet set themselves against them for that very reason though under other pretences This speaking against the Spirit this opposing persecuting the doctrine worship waies servants of Christ so as that the formal motive of malice against them is the lustre and holinesse of that spirit which appeareth in them and the formal principle of it neither ignorance nor self ends but very wilfulnesse and immediate malignity is that daring height of enmity against godlinesse which shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come i. e. say some Matth. 12.32 neither in this life by justification nor in the world to come by publick judiciary absolution or rather as others shal be plagued and punished in this life and in that which is to come In the former spiritually in the other eternally and God leads those who thus offend forth with the workers of iniquity as cattle are led to slaughter or malefacters to execution And hence it was that Peter Epist 2 2 20. said their later end is worse then their beginning and that it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandments delivered to them Nor is the irrecoverablenesse of such backsliders any wonder 1. This their Apostacy in the formal nature of it is quâ—tâ— contrary to faith and repentance John 6.37 by faith we come to Christ cleave to him prize Christ as infinitely precious but by this apostacy we draw back depart from him let him go vilifie set him at naught and after covenant entred into with God fling up the bargain and deal with our sins as the Israelites did with their servants dismiss them and then take them again and in a word so repent of our former that our heart is incurably hardned against future repentance Luke 12.47 2. And further such of all sinners most provoke God to beat them with many stripes a much sorer punishment do they deserve then did those who died without mercy they sin wittingly and willingly not out of ignorance but against knowledg not only against light but love also and they trampling upon the blood spurning against the bowels of Christ even mercy it self becoms their enemy and pardoning grace frequently tendred Ex perversâ voluntate facta libido Dum servitur libidini facta consuetudo Dum consuetudini non resistitur facta necessitas Aug. l. 8. Conf c. 5. and seemingly received but truly rejected now condemns them so that they cannot sin at so cheap a rate as they who never had the knowledg of Christ 3. Besides their foreheads are now steeld and they are made impudent in sin The oftner a thief is imprisoned the less he blusheth Custome in sin makes the heart brawny insensible and seared as with an hot Iron lust causeth custome and custome contracts necessity and every return to sin makes the sinner more unable to resist it When a disease first meets with a strong constitution it finds an enemy to grapple with as it weakens the body so the body weakens it both their forces spend together one upon another and they fight upon some terms of equality But suppose the body gets the victory Debilitas ad resurgendum in recidivante augmentatur and the disease departs yet if a new adversary a new sicknesse soon sets upon it again here is great odds the one is fresh the other quite out of heart it is not now strong enough to bear the means of recovery but altogether lies at the diseases mercy In the first estate of sin the soul perhaps did grapple with sin and if it were foyl'd yet not without reluctancy it could endure reproof and suffer the word of exhortation but sin returning upon it again the soul is so weakned that it makes no resistance sin entring as an enemy upon a weakned and depopulated Country When Satan returns to his house saith Christ he finds it empty that is empty of the Spirit of God and the power thereof Matth. 12 44. which might oppose him as well as swept and garnished i. e. adorned with all those unbeautiful and deformed beauties which please him All the former profession of an apostate serves but to make him take the deeper die in sin and no colour is so lasting as when profanenesse is laid upon appearing holinesse Lastly Satans reentry is with more fiercenesse and resolution then was at the first his Entry when he returns to his house from whence he came out as he finds the house empty and swept c. so he brings seven spirits with him worse then himself After he was compell'd to go out of the man he found no rest saith the text yea all the while he was banish'd out of him he was as a man living in a dry and desert wildernesse Quamdiu domicilium in hominibus non inveniat omnia loca vel cultissima squalidas solitudines existimat Cartw. harm for such is every habitation to Satan in
with the wicked though they may be cast among them Let us not censure the faithful in their most tossed estate There 's not a drop of wrath in a sea of a Saints sufferings Could you see how free his inside is and his end shall be from storms and tossings you would rather envy then censure him the waves which Satan raiseth shew that he hath a treasure which that enemie would fain have cast away but yet should he so far prevail t is a treasure which wil swim to shore with him To conclude let the faithful of all people most prepare for storms and waves as it is best for them to be among raging waves so it s too much for them both to have a haven in their passage and in the end of their passage too As long as the people of God are sayling to that port the divel wil tosse them and this he wil do though nay because he cannot destroy them Let them be sure that by faith they get Christ into the ship or rather into their souls that by obedience they undertake their voyage for him that their cause be good and that by repentance they cast out every Jonah and then let them fear no waves 4 The Church hath most trouble from those within her Obser 4. She hath sometime saith Bernard had peace from Heathens Pax à Pagauis nunquam à filiis never or but very rarely from her own children No adversaries were such raging waves as these who were domestical Of your selves saith Paul Acts 20.30 shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Grievous wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the flock These Seducers were not Heathens without but Professours who had crept into the Church No evils are so great as those which come to the Church from within The inward intestine divisions ruptures heresies schisms have cost the Church more lamentations then ever did her persecution from without The heathen Emperors never were so vexatious to her as Arians Donatists Anabaptists Papists Outward enemies scratch the face they within stab the heart of the Church From the former she suffered by the latter she both sinned and suffered by the former she was under Persecution from men by the latter under Provocation against God by the former she was but sollicited to tell where her great strength lay by the latter she cut off her locks threw away her own weapons and betrayed her strength by her suffering from without the enemies laboured to beat her off from continuing Christian by her scandal within she beats them off from becoming Christians Wonder not then that the Divel hath alwayes used this home-bred engine of evil against the Church namely the ungodly carriage of those within her and the stirring up troubles in her own bowels He knows that there is no sword to this and that they will never adventure their lives for God and one another in war who will neither love God nor one another in peace Oh how should Christians labour to disappoint and countermine this the Divels most destructive policie Christians if we must die let us die like men by an unanimous holy contention against the common Enemie not like fools by giving him our sword and destroying one another by heresies schisms prophaneness in our own bowels 5 Sin is a persons greatest shame Observ 5 That which should most make him ashamed and confounded in himself and that which shall make him a spectacle of shame disgrace and infamie to others O my God said Ezra chap. 9.6 I am ashamed and blush to lift up my sace to thee for our iniquities are increased c. There is the shame that sin should make in us Thou hast consulted shame to thine own house Hab. 2.10 by cutting off many people and hast sinned against thine own soul Psal 40.14 Let them be brought to shame So Nah. 3.5 I will shew c. the Kingdoms thy shame there is the shame that sin brings upon us In the former respect sin should be shame in the latter it shall be shame It s sin only which deprives a man of true glorie and excellencie and is the degradation of his nature Men account that their shame which to do or suffer is much below their port and rank Oh how much goes that man below himself who was created Gods favourite and son having his love fixt and image stampt upon him the Viceroy of the creation a consort with Angels whose nature is taken into the union of the person of the son of God whose purchase was no less then the blood of God whose soul is a little heaven for the great God to dwell in whose bodie is the Temple of the holy Ghost whose habitation shall be the Empyrean heaven a Citie a Kingdome purer more glorious then a thousand Suns nay in comparison whereof a thousand Suns are but sack-cloth How much I say goes this excellent creature below himself in being a thorow-fare threshold foot-stool vassal to unclean spirits yea in having his heaven-born soul a very sink or common receptacle for that which is infinitely baser then all the dung off-scouring filth excrements upon earth or then any thing which hath a being How much lower is this descending then for a King to imbrace dung-hils or for Nebuchadnezzar to be a companion for beasts Rom. 6.21 Well might the Apostle say that of this condition the Romans were now ashamed Indeed there is nothing but sin which truly disgraceth a man Nothing but sin which disgraceth a man in Gods eye whose estimate is the true Standard of Honour nothing but sin makes us unfit for that habitation of glory nothing shameful unless sinning but befell the Lord of glory Nothing but sin which will make us unglorious at the last day when Christ shall appear with ten thousands of glorious Saints and Angels Oh how much are they mistaken who account sinne their glory who are asham'd of their glory holiness Pudor est medi. cina pudoris and glory in their shame their sin Are there not many who cannot blush in the doing of that Eph. 5.12 Jer. 8.12 at the hearing whereof t is our duty to blush They were not ashamed neither could they blush they have sin'd away shame in stead of being ashamed of sin and will not now suffer nature to draw her vail of blushing before their abominations When the Colours and Ensigns of a battle are lost we then give the battle for lost some have aptly called blushing the colour of vertue displaid by nature in the countenance When Satan hath taken away our colours and custome of sin hath banished even sense of sin and shame for sin our case seems to be desperate Other evils which sin bringeth are curable the anguish of conscience the wrath of God the breach of charity but the shame of sin can nay must never be got out the more holy we are now the more should we be
every one according to his own works As grace is glory in the bud and glory nothing but grace blown out so sin is seminally and radically eternal shame and ignominy and that shame is nothing but sin extended and displaied So good is God that he would not suffer sin unlesse thereby he were able to make it appear shameful so much is God in love with his own glory that he would never endure any to oppose his unlesse thereby he intended to overthrow theirs God never gave any of his enemies line but to strangle themselves we read of no enemies of God but they shamed themselves Infirmitas animositatis Facites animos mens generosa capit Tu licet extre mos latè dominare per Indos c. si prava cupis si duceris irâ servitii patiere jugum tolerabis iniquas interius Claudian in paneg Theodos Non fortior judicandus est quileonem quam qui violentam in scipso inclusam feram superat iracundiam aut qui rapacissi mas volucres dejicit quam qui cupiditates avidissimas coercet aut qui Amazonem bellatricem quam qui libidiâ—cm vincit pudoris ac famae debellatricem Cicer pro Marcel Pharaoh Achitophel Haman Siserah Senacherib Julian c. How should this comfort his people in the midst of all the height and glory of his enemies Though they cannot pull them down yet they shall lay their own glory in the dust and how can God want weapons to beat his enemies who can beat them with their own 8. Men by rage and fury lay open and discover their shame when these seducers came to be raging waves fierce and impetuous in their way they soon disgraced themselves and foamed out their own shame a weak spirit is by nothing so much manifested as by wrath and passion commonly men think that anger is an effect of magnanimity whereas indeed it proceeds from weaknesse an underling to passion hath a base low built disposition to which children and women therefore called the weaker sex are more subject then men The Latines express all passion anger especially by the word impotentia impotency and weaknesse and hence Solomon Prov. 25.28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a City that is broken down ad without walls what so weak and beggarly and so much at the cruel courtesie of every invader as a City without all defence Such a one is he whose raging passions sway him without controle he who scorns to be a servant to man is a slave to lust a base sensual bruitish lust The strong man according to scripture censure is he who is slow to anger nay saith Solomon Prov. 16.32 He is better then the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a City had a man conquered the world without him and not his lust within him he were but in a splendid glistering servitude wel might he with Alexander sit down and weep but not because their is no other world to conquer but because their is stil another or rather because there are so many and every one so much stronger than a world I mean unmortified passions David in sparing of Saul and overcoming of himself was stronger then David when he overcame Goliah for killing of Goliah he was but promised to be Sauls son in law but by subduing his own passion Saul deservedly conjectures that David should be his successor and now I know wel saith Saul that thou shalt surely be King c. Saul seeing in David a power to govern his own affections foresaw that David was fit to rule a whole kingdome but how unfit was Saul to be King of Israel who was not a King over but a slave to his own passion A swine in an Emperors robe is most uncomly and so is he who is a ruler over men without him and a vassal to beasts within him Men account it the greatest disgrace to be looked upon and called fools but the spirit of God makes wrath and passion the fools coat or badge frequently do we read of a fools wrath Prov. 12.16 a fools wrath is presently known so Pro. 27.3 a fools wrath is mentioned for its heaviness He that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly And anger resteth in the bosome of fools saith Solomon Eccles 7.9 it s loved cherished delighted in as a thing laid in a mans bosome and it resteth there it departeth not a wise man useth anger as physick in its proper time but a fool useth it as his constant dyet It s an inmate to a fool t is but a passenger through the heart of a wise man it doth not lodg in it all night Ephes 4.26 It s a mans prudence to defer his anger and his glory to passe over a transgression Prov. 19.11 and James calls it the meeknesse of wisdome cap. 3.13 A governour of his passion is by some called angelus in carne yea deus terrestris no lamb was ever so meek as was he who was wisdome itself He that is slow to anger is of great understanding Prov. 14.29 Nor doth the shame of these slaves to passion only appear in their name and estimate for folly but in the shameful effects of this rage where it mastereth any A stone is heavy saith Solomon and the sand is weighty but a fools wrath is heavier than them both Prov. 27.3 A fool having no wisdom to moderate his passion or to keep it as a wise man doth from falling with its full weight Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man saith he rather then a fool in his folly This cruellest of beasts shews not so much rage as a man in his fury how oft hath rage whetted tongue teeth swords prepared snares poisons fires c. for destruction How little doth it distinguish twixt friends and foes sweeping away parents children brethren with its torrent it regards neither venerable old age nor the tendernesse of age or sex nor favours received nor vertue and piety It s a short madnesse and an inter-regnum and eclipse of reason forgetting even the ruin and destruction of the very party in whom it swayeth it making him neither to feel nor fear mutilations wounds deaths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incomparabiliter salubriusest etiam irae justae pulsanti non aperire penetrale cordis quam admittere non facile recessuram et perventuram De surculo ad â—â—â—bem c. Aug. â—p 149. it makes a man to put off himself changing him into a monster and as if he were to put on a vizar upon a stage as Basil expresseth it it represents him another from himself with eyes flaming mouth foaming teeth grinding colour distempered c. Christians as you love true honour beware of being inslav'd to passion especially this of wrath and troublesomenesse to others stop its entrance take heed as Augustine excellently when just anger knocks at the door that the unjust croud not in with it from a twig 't wil grow to a
as lyes or at the best as Conjecturall uncertainties but our faith must take into its vast comprehension Gods whole revealed will part whereof is this of the last judgement The last and dreadfull judgement will never affright us from sin if we look upon it in the devils dress of uncertainty for then we shall but sport with it and make it our play-fellow in stead of our monitor Let us therefore labour to make it by prayer and meditation to sink into our hearts Si nunc omne peccatum manifestâ plecterâ—tur poenâ nihil ultimo judicio reservari crederetur rursus si nullum peccatum nunc puni ret apertè divinitas nulla esse divina providentia putaretur Aug. de Civ Dei cap 8. and to beleeve it though never so distant from or opposite to sense taking heed lest the deferring thereof and the present impunity of sinners destroy or damp our belief of Christs coming to judgment considering that if every offender should now be openly punished men would think that nothing would be reserved to the last judgment as on the contrary if no offender should be plagued men would beleeve that there were no providence And let us beware lest we make that concealment of the last judgment to be an occasion of sin which God intends should be an incentive to repentance This briefly for the note of incitement c. Behold The description of the judgment followes Rev. 1. Jo. 5.27 and in that first of the first part The coming of the judg to judgment in these words The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints EXPLICATION And here 1. the Title 2. Approach 3. Attendance of the Judg are all worthy of consideration by way of explication 1. Tune manifestè veniet judicaturus justè qui occultè venerat judicandus injustè Aug. Of the title Lord I have spoken very largely before pag. 344 c. p. 1. Of the greatness of this Lord the Judg as he is God and man I have also spoken pag. 527 528 529. The reasons also why he shal even as man judge the world I have mentioned p. 525 526 528. and how he excludes not Father and holy Ghost Nor wil it be needful here again to repeat the fitness of Christ for judicature Rev. 6.16 1 Jo. 2.28 Rev. 5.9 Rev. 19.11 Psal 45.6 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 1.14 1 Cor. 4.5 in respect of his advancement after his humiliation the necessity that the judicial proceeding should be visible the great horror and amazement of his enemies the comfort of the Saints the excellent qualifications of this judg in regard of his righteousnesse omniscience strength and fortitude c. 2. For the second therefore Act. 1.11.10.42.17.13 Aoristum secundum ponit pro futuro the Approach of the Judg in the word cometh Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which word Jude puts the signification of the time past for the time to come after the manner of the Prophets who are wont to speak of those things which are to come as if they were already past and this he doth for two reasons First to note the certainty of Christs coming to judgment it being as sure as if it were already Concerning this certainty of the coming of Christ to judgment I have spoken already pag. 536 Part 1. and in several pages before 2. Secondly to shew the nearness thereof Christs coming is at hand 1 Cor. 7 the time is short saith Paul its sails almost wound up The Judge stands at the doors He that shal come wil come and wil not tary If he were coming in Enochs time if in the first what is he then in the last times as these are frequently called come Lord Jesus come quickly Behold I come quickly Rev. 3.11 The Brides prayer and the Bridegrooms promise are both for speedy coming Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with clouds c. not shall come he is as good as come already Christ cometh to us either in spirit or in person 1. In Spirit he cometh 1. In the Ministry to win and perswade us to come unto him thus he went and preached in Noahs time to the spirits now in prison 1 Pet. 3.19 2. In some special manifestation of his presence in mercy or judgment The former when he meets us with comfort strength and increase of grace John 14.18.23 The later in testification of displeasure Rev. 2.16 John 16.8 2. In person he comes two waies 1. in carnem 2. in carne 1. Into flesh in humility in his incarnation to be judged 2. In flesh in glory at the last day to judg all flesh Where consider 1. Whence he cometh Where consider 2. Whither he cometh Where consider 3. When he cometh 1. Whence he cometh from heaven 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from heaven he shall come in the clouds of heaven to heaven he ascended and from heaven wil he descend Acts 1.11 This Jesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come as ye have seen him go into heaven And its necessary that Christ should come from heaven to judg because it is not meet that the wicked should come thither to him though to be judged for into that holy place can no unclean thing enter 2. Whither cometh he some think that the judgment seat shal be upon the earth that the sentence may be given where the faults have been committed and that in some place neer Jerusalem where the judg was formerly unjustly condemned and particularly some think it shal be in the valley of Jehoshaphat though that place Joel 3.12 contains but an allegorical or typical prophesie The Apostle seems to intimate that the place of judgment shal be in the air 1 Thes 4.17 where he mentions our being caught up to meet the Lord in the air it being probable that the judgment shall be in that place where we shall meet the judg in the clouds of the air and the Scripture saith he shall come in the clouds of heaven and then the divels shal be conquered and sentenced in the very place wherein they have ruled all this while as princes but over what place it seems to me a rashness to determine 3. When shal he come In the end of the world but the particular age day or year is not known to man or Angel Mark 13.32 this secret the Spirit revealed not to nor taught the Apostles who yet were led by him into all necessary truths and Christ must come as a thief in the night and as in the daies of Noah when men knew nothing And we are commanded to watch and to be ever prepared because we know not the houre The childish curiosity of sundry in their computation of a set year wherein the day of judgement shall be rather deserves our caution then confutation 3. The third thing to be opened in this coming of the Judg is his attendance in these words ten thousands of his Saints The words in the original are 〈◊〉
two respects might their words be called swelling 1. in respect of the things that they spake 2. Of their manner of speaking them 1. In respect of the things they spake and that 1. of God and so they might speak great swelling words against him either when they blasphemed him in their murmuring and complaining of his providences or otherwise in uttering blasphemous expressions against his glorious and divine excellencies We read of those who set their mouth against the heavens Psal 73.9 and of the beast it s said Rev. 13.5 That there was given him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies * 2 Thes 2.4 Oraclis vocis mundi moderaris babenas Et merito in terris crederis esse Deus Omnia quae Dei quae Christi sunt sibi usurpat Tollit pec cata mâ—ndi dominans à mari ad mare Leo de tribu Judae Radix David mundi Salvator Antichrist exalteth himself above all that is called God Pope Nicholas blasphemously decreed that the Pope was not subject to the secular power because God could not be judged by man The Pope calls himself a god on earth to him he saith is given all power in heaven and in earth he takes away the sins of the world he is the lion of the tribe of Judah the Saviour of the world c. 2. They might speak great swelling words in respect of others 1. Magistrates of whom they spake evil and whom they despised and from subjection to whom they openly professed that they were exempted 2. Illi acclamatur Tu es omnia et super omuia tibi data est omnis potestas in coelo et in terrâ Vid. Paraeum in Apoc. 13. v. 3 Their words in respect likewise of common persons might be swelling as 1. by threatning curses against them who would not embrace their errors Threatning words are swelling words Thus Goliah Rabshakeh Jezabel Benhadad uttered their swelling threats 2. By great and swelling defamations making their throats open sepulchres to bury the names of those who opposed them they being valiant in calumniation but weak in consutation they spake evil of what they knew not 3. By promising great and admirable priviledges of peace pleasure liberty to those who would embrace their errors Thus we read 2 Pet. 2.18 while they spake great swelling words of vanity they allure others through the lusts of the flesh i.e. by promising pleasure and v. 19 they promised them liberty like Mountebanks they proclaimed the vertue of their salves the better to put them off Thus the false prophet Zedekiah making him horns of iron promised that with those the King should push the Syrians til he had destroyed them Thus the divel that great Seducer promised to Christ all the kingdomes of the world and their glory if he would fall down and worship him Matth. 4.9 3. Their words were swelling in regard of Omnes tument omnes scientiam pollicentur ante sunt perfecticatechumeni quam edocti Ipsae mulieres haereticae quam procaces quae audeant do cere contendere exorcismis agere curationes repromittere forsan et tingere Tert. de praescrip c. 41. themselves and those of their own party whom they voiced and cried up with ful mouths for their knowledge and piety hence they arrogated to themselves the title of Gnâ—sticks or knowing men and perfect ones they commended themselves as if they alone had the monopoly of wisdome and had only insight into deep and profound mysteries as if all others in comparison of them were poor short-sighted people and as far short of them for quick-sightednesse as the owl is short of the Eagle Thus Tertullian describes them when he saith They all swel they all promise wisdom they are perfect catechumens before they are taught how mallapert are the very women who are so bold as to teach contend c. Iraeneus likewise describing the pride of the Gnosticks saith Perfectos seipsos vocant quasi nemo possit exaequari magnitudini agnitionis ipsorum nec si Paulum aut Petrum vocas vel alterum quendam apostolum sed plus omnibus se cognovisse et magnitudinem agnitionis solos ebibisse esse autem se in altitudine supra omnem virtutem c. Iren. l. 1. c. 9. Matrem habent iniquitatis suae superbiam dum semper se scire altiora jactitant Hier. in Hos 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Paedag c. 6. Indicatur haereticos resonare vociferari mugire sonum sine fructu emittere in clamore vocisque contentione victoriae summam constitnere Lorin in 2 Pet. 2.18 they call themselves perfect as if none were able to equalize them for the greatnesse of their knowledg as if Peter or Paul or any of the Apostles were inferior to them for knowledge the greatnesse whereof they make as if they had drunk up and devoured boasting of such an height as if they were above all vertue Pride saith Jerom is the mother of their iniquity while they boast of their knowledg in the highest mysteries They thinke higher of themselves saith Clemens Alexandrinus then ever did the Apostle Arius that pestilent heretique as Athanasius reports proudly boasted that he had received his doctrine from the elect of God men that knew God and had received the anointing of the Spirit But concerning the high boastings of heretiques I have spoken before part 1. pag. 270. as also p. 322 c. of this part 2. They might be said to speak swelling words in respect of the manner of speaking those things which they utterd and that both in respect 1. Of their voice and 2. Stile 1. In respect of their voice it might be with that hight and loudnesse which savoured of a proud boysterousness Peter 2 Ep. 2.18 mentioning their speaking great swelling words useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies their lifting up their voices and making a great noise a bellowing or roaring like beasts as if these seducers placed their victory in the loud Contention of their voices Thus the Idolatrous Ephesians lifted up their voices to the hight when they cride out with so much rage Great is Diana of the Ephesians Act. 19.28.34 2. In respect of their stile or phrase wherein they utterd what they spake It hath been the course of seducers to speak bubbles of words sublime straines strong lines big and new expressions that they being not understood may be admired what they want in the weight of matter they make up in the perswasivenesse of wooing words Their novell doctrines were clothed with new and formerly unheard of expressions They layd aside the forme of wholsome words 1 Tim. 1.13 1 Tim. 6.3.4 Or as Chrysosteme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 new coynd expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disputationes instituunt de rebus obscurioribus eas etiam sermonis inumbrando novâ quadam obscuritate et vocabulorum recens excogitatorum barbaric Lor in 2 Pet. 2.13 consented not to it but being proud they doted
King was so vexed because Mordecai would not bow to him And truly it is a sinful baseness in Saints that when God hath raised them to such glory as to be members of and coheirs with his Son and hath provided for them the glory of Heaven yet for all this when they have but a mock from men to be so discouraged and cast down as if all the honour that God had put upon them were nothing Think likewise how much religion hath been scoft at for your sake and is it so great a matter for you to be mocked for religion Chrysostome saith that when for us our Lord is blasphemed 't is worse then if we perished Consider also the goodnesse of God in keeping in those many secret wickednesses of thy heart from appearing which had they been suffered by God to break forth would have been matter enough of scorn and reproach whereas now the enemies are fain to watch and pry and pump for some occasion yet can hardly find any Remember also that there is more danger in being honored then contemned by men Luther said his greatest fear was the praise of men that reproach was his joy and that he would not have the glory fame of Erasmus Lastly The bearing of scoffs patiently is a great help to our progress in godlinesse As they who have overcome the evil of shame in a way of sin grow hardned in sin so they who regard no reproach cast upon them for holinesse will much proceed therein And that we may beare the cruellest mockings patiently 1. Labour to get good by them If thou seest another so vigilant to find thee out to reproach thee how vigilant shouldst thou be over thy selfe to find out what is in thee to humble thee Psal 119. Herein as David speaks be wiser then thine enemies and the lesse credit thou hast in the world labour for the more in heaven 2. Perswade thy soul of the reality of the honour that is in the waies of God Prov. 18.7 consider thy honour here is real true and hereafter it shall be visible to all 3. Pity your reproachers be troubled for their sin in stead of thine own disgrace 4. Spread thy condition before the Lord when thou art mocked Psal 109.12 prayer was Davids best medicine against mocks 5 Labour for holy magnanimity and greatnesse of spirit Psal 57.2.3 Great men think themselves above reproaches exercise thy soul with the great things of eternity It s a weak spirited man who cannot endure contempt St Johns spirit was so holily high that he calls all the malicious words of Diatrophes but triflings 6. Return not scoffe for scoffe for hereby as you will harden scoffers in their sin 3 John 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for hereby as you will harden scoffers in their sin who will think they do not worse then you and shew that you think there is a greater evil in suffering then sinning so you are put to base shifts as if you thought that you had no other remedy for an ill name but an ill tongue and you deprive your selves of relief from God and ever remember that he who is willingly overcome in the fight of scoffing is ever the better man 7. Keep conscience quiet let not thy heart reproach thee Job 27.6 Winds move not the earth unlesse they get within it be carefull of what you do and then you need not care what men say 4. Obser 4. It s our duty to shun the sin of scoffing especially at the people word and waies of God To this end 1. See the beauty and excellency of them Men deride that which they account base and contemptible let not worldly bravery dazle your eyes Study the glory of holinesse the comlinesse and rationality of every way of God Learning and religion meet with no other mockers but the ignorant 2. Consider Satans end in stirring up mockers against the waies and people of God the divel knowes there is no such likely way to darken religion and to damp the hearts of people from embracing it as by these and therefore it is observable that Julian one of the subtilest enemies that ever the cause of God had would not oppose religion by open persecution but sought all means to cast contempt upon it by jeers and scoffs and hereby he drew off multitudes from it 3. Labour for faith in threatnings faith fears a threatned evil as much as sense mourns under an inflicted evil faith takes into its vast comprehension the threatnings of judgments as wel as the promises of mercies and causeth holy fear in respect of the former as it quells unholy fear in respect of the latter 4. Study the end of Gods forbearance 2 Chron. 36.16 It is not that thou shouldst mock at God but repent of sin Scoffers turne the motive to repentance 25.16 into an incouragement of rebellion God is not long-suffering that the wicked should be securely sinning How unavoidable is his destruction who is ruin'd by the meanes of recovery 5. Study the vanity of all earthly refuges Judgment will throw them down all the overflowing scourge will easily break down these weak banks nor will any fancyed defences appear any other then paper towers when wrath approacheth Ezech. 22.24 Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong saith God in the day when I shall deal with thee T is not so easie to resist judgments when they come as t is to scoff at them before they come Scoffers when vengeance meets them will be found to be but like cowardly souldiers who though they vaunt and boast and swagger before the enemy comes will run away as soon as they see him come 5. It s our duty to take heed that mockers at our holiness Obs Vlt. hinder us not in the wayes of holinesse Though the clouds darken the light of the Sun yet the Sun ceaseth not its course Was there ever such a fool as to be scoft out of his inheritance and yet it s a greater folly to be scoft out of holiness this will make us a reproach before God Angels and Saints yea and before our very enemies who will when they have got their will of us the more vilifie and contemn us whereas if we persist in holinesse they inwardly admire us They who sought by scoffing to hinder Nehemiahs work would have mockt him much more had they made him to have given it over He that will not suffer scoffes for Gods name shall deservedly suffer it for his own sin The second property of these seducers was their walking after their own ungodly lusts of which I have spoken largely before ver 16. The fifth and last particular in this first direction viz. the remembring the words of the Apostles is the application of their testimony to these seducers ver 19. in these words These are they who separate themselves sensuall having not the spirit In which words the Apostle shewes that these who separate
prejudice against nor novelty an inducement to the entertainment of truth 6. Give not way to lesser differences A little division will soon rise up to greater small wedges make way for bigger Our hearts are like to tindar a little spark will enflame them Be jealous of your hearts when contentions begin stifle them in the cradle Act. 3â— 38 Paul and Barnabas separated about a smal matter the taking of an associate 7. Beware of pride the mother of contention and separation Love not the preheminence rather be fit for then desirous of rule despise not the meanest say not I have no need of thee All schismes and heresies are mostly grafted upon the stock of pride The first rent that was ever made in Gods family was by the pride of Angels ver 14. and that pride was nothing else but the desire of independency 8. Avoid self-seeking he who seeks his own things and profit will not mind the good and peace of the church Oh take heed lest thy secular interest draw thee to a new communion and thou colour over thy departure with religion and conscience 1. Thus we have spoken of the First viz. what these seducers did separate themselves 2. The cause of their separation or what they were in these words sensual not having the spirit Wherein 1. Their estate is propounded They were sensual 2. Explained having not the spirit EXPLICATION But 1. In what respect were they Sensual In what respect were they 2. Not having the spirit 2. Why doth the Apostle here represent them to be such 1. For the first 1. The word here translated sensual in the Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anima the soule so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth primarily one who hath a soule Animalis ab anima non ab ab animo And in Scripture the word is used three wayes 1. Sometimes it s joyned with the word body in opposition to a glorified body and then the body is called a naturall body that is such a body as is informed governed moved by the soule or is subject to animall affections and operations as generation nutrition augmentation c. or such a body as is sustained and upheld by the actions of the soule as it receives from it life and vegetation that is by the action of the vegetative power Vid. Aquin. Cajet Estium Pareum in 1 Cor. 15.44 Homo in puris naturalibus confideratus qui nihil eximium habet praeter animam rationalem Piscat Homo non alia quam naturalis animi luce praeditus Bez. the chiefe whereof is nutrition which cannot be without nourishment so that this naturall body wants the constant help of nourishment for its preservation in which respects it is distinguisht from a glorified body 2. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Scripture opposed to regenerate and so imports one who hath in him nothing excellent but a rationall soule who is governed onely by the naturall light of reason who hath in him onely naturall abilities and perfections And when thus it s taken our learned translators translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word naturall 1 Cor. 2.14 intending one who is guided by naturall reason he being there opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirituall man who is indued with and guided by a divine and supernaturall illumination 3. It s taken for one who being guided by no better light than that of his own naturall reason or rather who Anima significat animalitatem cum ab animo i. e. parte superiori distinguitur Lapide in Jude Sapimâ—â— animo fruimur anima fine animo anima est debilis being altogether addicted to the service of that part which 1 Thes 5.23 is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soule whereby is meant the sensitive and inferiour part of the soule the sensuall appetite common to man with the beasts as distinct from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit or intellectuall and rationall part followes the dictates of that his sensuall appetite and the inclinations of his sensitive soule and his onely benâ—â—â—nd intent is upon satisfaction by worldly delights his study and care is for the sensitive and vegetative part and for those things which belong to the animall and present life and hence it is that some learned * Vid. Lorin in loc men conceive that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensuall comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in scripture used to denote life and the functions of life common to us with beasts Vox Arabica exponitur per sibi viventes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum Haeretici vocantur animales ab animâ sensitivâ vegetativâ cui toti serviunt quia ut animalia non rationem sed sensum sequuntur viâ—unâ—que in concupisceâ—tiis carnis non spiritus sed sensus puta gulae avaritiae libidinis c. Lapide Thus Christ Mat. 6.25 saith Take no thought for your life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what you shall eat or what you shall drinke c. is not the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then meat c. And in this notion of sensuality Tertullian after he began to favour Montanisme took the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he fastned that odious name of Physici upon the orthodox because they refused to condemn second marriages And in this place likewise with submisson to more mature judgements I conceive that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is intended to denote their brutish and unruly sensuality Thus the Arabick interpreter and Oecumenius with sundry others likewise understand it Thus likewise our learned translators thought who interpreted the word sensual as conceiving that Jude intended that they altogether served their sensitive and vegetative soul and as beasts followed their senses and lived in the lusts of the flesh not according to the spirit prosecuting those carnall objects with all industry which tend to preserve their present life Ii dicantur animales qui animae indulgent et ea quae ad vitam tuendam valent curiosius sectantur Gnostici animales sunt mortalia bona avidè concupiscunt usque adeo ut ecclesiam potius sibi desereÌ„dam putent quaÌ„ corporeis voluptatibus careant Justinian in loc Praesenti loco congruit ea significatio quâ animales dicuntur qui sectantur eas cupiditates quae sunt secundum animam sensitivam i.e. qui senfibus acsensuum voluptatibus obsequuntur Estius in loc and chusing rather to leave the church then to abridge themselves of any bodily pleasures And the Apostle by this word seems to me to make their bruitish sensuality and propensions to be the cause of their separation as if he said they will not live under the strict discipline where they must be curb'd and restrain'd from following their lusts no these sensualists will be alone by themselves in companies where they may have their fill of all sensual pleasures and where
they may gratifie their genius to the utmost And this exposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most aptly agrees also to that first interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. such who will bee boundlesse and kept within no limits or compassâ—â— but like a company of beasts shut up in a field who seeing better pasture in that on the other side of the hedge and desirous also of more scope break the fence and leap over the barrs that they may both run and raven The more I think of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more I incline to think the Apostle intends thereby to represent them boundless extravagant libertines Of this their sensuality I have before spoken atla rge on verse 10. and 12. 2. The Apostle represents them not having the spirit The word spirit not to speak of the many acceptations of the word when attributed to creatures to angels the soul c. when attributed to God is taken either 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentially and so God is call'd a spirit a spiritual essence Joh. 4.24 and the divine nature of Christ is set forth by the word spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 9.14 Or 2. hypostaticῶs personally in which respect it notes the third person in the blessed Trinity and thus it s taken either 1. properly for the third person Matth. 28.19 Joh. 1.32 and 14.26 Eph. 1.13 1 Thes 1.6 c. or 2. improperly and metonymically for the effects and gifts of the holy spirit ordinary or extraordinary in which respect some are said to be anointed with the spirit to have the spirit on and in them to be fill'd with the spirit 1 Cor. 1.4 2 Cor. 6.6 Gal. 3.2 Gal. 5.17 Luc. 2.25 4 18. Act. 2.17 18. Tit. 3.6 Act. 8.16 10.44 Luc. 1.41 Act. 4.8.31.6.3.5.7.55.13.9.52 Rom. 8.1.9 and in this respect these seducers are said not to have the spirit viz. the saving working gifts graces of the spirit to teach act and rule them to sanctifie and purifie them c. which they wanting it was no wonder that they were sensuall and given over to the sinfull prosecution of all carnall delights and pleasures not having the spirit they could not walke in the spirit Gal. 5.21 not having the spirit to lust in them against the flesh they must needs be carried away wiâ—â— the lusts of the flesh as acting them without contradiction For the second the Apostle seemes to adde this their sensuality and want of the spirit to their separating themselves not onely to shew that sensuality was the cause of their separation and the want of the spirit the cause of both but as if he intended directly to thwart and crosse them in their pretences of having an high and an extraordinary measure of spiritualnesse above others by their dividing themselves from others who as these seducers might pretend were in so low a forme of Christianity and had so little spiritualnesse that they were not worthy to keep them company whereas Jude tells these Christians that these seducers were so far from being more spirituall then others that they were meere sensualists and had nothing in them of the spirit at all For by their boundlesse separation and sensuality they shewed that 1. They had not the spirit of wisdome discerning and illumination to discover to them the beauty of that holinesse and truth which was in the wayes of the Saints which they hated and forsook and to guide and lead them to that happinesse which they should look after for themselves The spirit is a spirit of truth of knowledge Joh. 14.17.15.26 of judgement Isa 11.2 Isa 26.8 The spirit guides into all truth and is a voice which saith This is the way whereas these seducers were led by a fooles-fire into the bogs and precipices of delusion and damnation by a lying spirit a spirit of errour 1 Joh. 4.16 2. They had not the spirit of renovation to change their natures of sanctification and holinesse to mortifie their lusts Rom. 1.4 the spirit of God is an holy spirit a spirit of grace Zech. 12.10 through the spirit we mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 whereas these impure monsters wallowed in all manner of sensuality and uncleannesse and shewed that they were acted by an uncleane impure spirit that they walkt not after the spirit but the flesh 3. Rom. 15.30 Gal. 6.1 They had not the spirit of meeknesse Love â—â—â—ce these are the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.7 the spirit makes us enjoy peace in our selves and study peace with others whereas these boutifeus and incendiaries made rents and schismes in the Church of Christ by their divisions they shewed themselves carnall 4. 2 Cor. 3.17 They had not the spirit of Liberty and activity in the wayes of God they were without any quickning of the spirit they were not able to doe any good worke nor enlivened in any way of holinesse but slaves and prisoners even in arctâ custodiâ to Satan and their own lusts the servants of corruption though they boasted of liberty OBSERVATIONS Obs 1. 1. Commonly sensuality lies at the bottome of sinfull separation and making of Sects Separate themselves sensual c. 'T is oft seen that they who divide themselves from the faithfull either in opinion or practise aime at loosnesse and libertinisme Such were the Nicolaitans and the Disciples of Jezabel Apoc. 2.6.20 who seduced the people of God to commit fornication Hereticks are seldome without their harlots Simon Magus had his Helena Montanus his Maximilla Donatus his Lucilia Priscillian his Galla Pope Sergius his Marozia Gregory the seventh his Matildis Alexander the sixth his Lucretia Leo the tenth his Magdalena Paul the third his Constantia Rome which condemns all the Churches in the world tolerates stewes and sets an easie rate upon all the impure practises of luxury naturall and unnaturall Non est adulterium apud nos cum enim unum eundemqspiritum habeamus unum Corpus sumus Gastius de exord Anab. The Anabaptists allow plurality of wives and some of them have said that none of their sect can commit adultery with anothers wife according to the * Ad alterum part 1. p. 615.616 c. etymology of adulterium for all of their sect say they are so knit the one to the other that they are all one body John of Leiden had 13. wives and gave a liberty to every one to marry as many as they pleas'd It s reported that after the taking of Munster there was not found a maid of 14. yeares that had not been viciated by his followers Of this before 2. It s possible for those who are sensuall and without Obs 2. Part 1. pag. 309. part 2. p. 130. the spirit to boast of spiritualnesse Of this before 3. Sanctity and sensuality cannot agree together If a man be sensuall he hath not the spirit if he have the spirit he will not be sensuall Sowing to the spirit Obs 3. and to
the flesh are opposed Gal. 6.4 The opposition also is remarkable be not drunk with wine c. but be fill'd with the spirit Eph. 5.18 when sense is gratified the spirit is opposed Marke the like opposition also Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 13.14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill it in the lusts thereof and Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh these have contrary originalls the one is from earth the other from heaven The motions of sensuall lusts and the spirit are contrary one downward another upward a man cannot look those contrary wayes at once Lust like the womans disease in the Gospel bowes us down to the earth the spirit moves to the things above Like two ballances if one goe up the other goes down they put upon contrary practises Gal. 5.17 walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the deeds of the flesh Gal. 5.16 They both endeavour to take up and each to ingrosse and monopolize the whole man soul and body they will neither endure to have their dominion over man parted They can admit of no accommodation what ever means or helps advance the one suppresse and expell the other The fuel of lust worldly excesse extinguisheth the spirit the preservatives of the spirit prayer word fasting meditation are the poysons of lusts Oh the madnesse then of those who thin◠to serve these contrary masters Matth. 6.4 If one be loved the other must be forsaken The allowance of any inordinate lust is inconsistent with the spirit How great should our care be hence to take the spirits part against the flesh 1. by a through hearty inward work of mortification the plucking up of lust by the roots not only by snibbing the blade of it 2. By a holy and watchful moderation in worldly enjoyments behind which Satan like the Philistines ever lies in ambush when the lust like Delilah is tempting 3. By diverting thy joyes and pleasure upon heavenly objects and 4. By labouring for a sanctified improvement of all the stoppages in the way of lust and Gods breaking down thy bridges in thy march They who want the spirit are easily brought over to sensuality Obs ult Vide Part. 2. ver 10. They had not the spirit and no wonder if sensual Natural light is not enough to overcome natural lusts He who is but a meer man may soon become a prey to sensuality Vae soli woe to him that hath not this spirit to renew him nay constantly to reside in him and to act him Even Saints themselves when the spirit withdraws and leaves them to themselvs how sensual have they proved David Lot Samson are proofs Let thy great care be then to keep the spirit from departing Psal 51. 'T was Davids prayer take not thy holy spirit from me Take heed of giving way to sinnes of pleasure or to sins of deliberation or to repeated sinnes or to sins against conscience or to the sin of pride and presumption of thine own strength delight not in sinful company Beware of worldly mindedness follow the dictates of the spirit and listen to its first motions Fruitfully improve the ordinances wherein the spiritdelights to breath VER 20. But ye Beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost THe second direction to teach the Christians how to observ the former exhortation to contend for the truth and to oppose seducers is building up themselves on their most holy faith yet so as this and the next direction are set down as dispositions and meanes to keep themselves in the love of God mentioned in the next verse In this the Apostle shews and we ought to explain thre things EXPLICATION 1. The Builders or the parties directed Beloved 2. Their Foundation their most holy faith 3. Their building thereon in these words building up your selves on c. 1. Of the parties here called Beloved Part. 1. I have largely spoken before 2. The Foundation Their most holy faith In this I might inquire 1. What is meant by faith 2. How it s call'd your faith 3. How it s call'd most holy 1. Concerning the several acceptations of faith I have largely spoken Par. 1. p. 117.118 c. when I handled the Apostolical exhortation of contending for the faith And here by faithh as in the forementioned place I understand the doctrine of faith For enlargement upon which Vid. ver 3. and wha◠about delivering of the faith I have there said and reasons why the word is called faith I refer the Reader to what I have spoken on the forenamed place 2. This faith is called your faith and the doctrine of faith was theirs 1. Because of Ministration it was delivered to the Saints and by God given to them and to others for their sakes 2. Because they received it were moulded into it it was so delivered to them that they as the Apostle speaks were delivered into it as it was ministred to them so it was accepted by them It was not scorned rejected but received embraced yea contended for by them It was effectually theirs as well as ministerially 3. Theirs it was in regard of the fruit and benefit of it It was for theirs the salvation of their souls 1 Pet. 1.9 It was to them a savour of life not a sentence of condemnation 3. 3 Vid. Lorin in loc It s called most holy faith 1. To put a difference between those unholy and fabulous dreames of these seducers the most impure inventions of the Gnosticks Jewish fables c. 2. Considered in it selfe and that 1. In its supream auhtor and efficient cause the holy Ghost It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by divne inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 2. In the Instruments of conveying it who were holy men of God who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 3. Quanam Paul◠Epistol◠non melle dulcior non lacte candidior Hierom. In the matter of it which is altogether holy every word of God is pure The threatnings holy denounced against sin the precepts holy and such as put us onely upon holinesse the comforts and promises holy parts of a holy covenant and such as onely comfort in the practice of holinesse and encourage to holinesse and are made to holy ones 4. In the effects of it It works and exciteth holinesse in nature heart life It s that which being believingly lookt into makes the beholders holy like it selfe as the rods of Jacob which layd before the sheep made them bring forth young ones of the same colour with those rods 3. Their building on this foundation is contained in these words building up your selves Two things are in this branch comprehended 1. How we are to understand this building up 2. This building up of
Exhorting one another Salvation is large enough for our selves and others If Gods eye be good ours should not be evill The doing good to others soules is encouraged Jam. 5.20 And rewarded Dan. 12.3 It s the nature of grace to propagate it selfe The Spirit appeared in the likenesse of fiery tongues and both fire and tongues are very communicative the one of it selfe and heat the other of sound and voice Our relations of Brethren fellow members c. call for this expression of love Yea the contrary practice of sinners who damne and defile one anothers soules may put us upon this duty How great then is their sin who destroy the soules of others by error and seduction and ungodly example c. who watch over others for evill and to make proselites for hell who are factors for Satan and agents for that Prince of darknesse If their own sin and damnation will be so heavie a burden what will other mens sinnes and damnations also be to them in hell O what a holy covetousnesse should be in every Saint to propagate holinesse and leven others with grace in the world Oh pray Lord let hell never be the fuller for me or mine but heaven for both In respect of the priviledge of saving of soules it s by some said that saints on earth excell the very glorified in heaven 2. Obs 2. Others Necessity should be the mother of severity Others i. e. they who will be by no other means reclaimed upon whom compassion will not worke must be saved by feare First gentle meanes must be used severe afterwards Severity though good is but accidentally good not in it selfe but onely because of mans stubbornenesse Medicines were only brought in and kept up by sicknesse The Bee gives its honey naturally its sting onely when provok't We should run to Compassion but be driven to rigor If the birds will be driven away its needlesse to shoot them our will must bring forth peace necessity war Paul was much more willing to come to the Corinthians with the Spirit of meeknesse then with the rod of severity Even when we are most deeply engaged in rigor let all see that in afflicting others we more afflict our selves 3. Obs 3. Others Severity is to be regulated not by outward respects but by the merit of the offence Others that is they who are more obdurate not who are further from us in relation or poorer c. should be affrighted Though the nature of the offence should should make us put a difference in our rigours yet other considerations forraigne to the cause should not Some are fiery hot in terrifying the poorer sort whereas the rich are like the mount that might not be toucht Having mens persons in admiration An ungodly base respecting of persons Of it see at large before pag. 536 537. Part. 2. 4. Save Even a man may be a saviour of soules Obs 4. See the proofs in the Explication Paul speaks of labouring by all meanes to gaine some And we read of those who catch men and win soules and Christ mentions the gaining of thy brother How great an honour doth God cast upon weak wormes 1. If the supreme Cause be pleas'd to attribute salvation to men because of ministry should not men attribute salvation to God in regard of efficacy How carefull should we be to honour that God who so dignifies dust and ashes Lay that Crown at his feet which he sets on thy head How industrious should this likewise make us in doing good to others The Lord reckons it as our own Though he guided thy hand every letter yet he saith thou hast written the faire copie whereas indeed onely the blots and blurs were thine Though thou didst but lay on the plaister yet he attributes the cure to thee who couldst never put vertue into the salve To conclude this how fearfull should any be of despising the ministry of man Though salvation sometime be attributed to our selves that we may not be negligent and properly to God that we may not idolize man yet it s often ascribed to others that we may not contemn their help 5. Save with fear Obs 5. Severity should be exercised to this end to save The scope of using the sharpest rebukes by spirituall Physicians should be cure Mercifull intentions must be lodged under severest performances The end of Excommunication must be the saving of the Spirit Tit. 1.13 The most cutting reproofs must be given to others that they may be sound in the faith Even the dreadfullest Censures of the Church are not mortall but medicinable In the body of the Church members are wounded and cut that themselves and the whole body may be saved And herein Ecclesiasticall censures excell civill punishments the latter being to preserve the publick peace and for warning to others the former being principally to save the offenders soule How sharply did Peter reprove Simon Magus when he said Thy mony perish with thee and thou art in the gall of bitternesse and yet he addeth repent and pray c. We must not reprove men to disgrace their persons but to shame their sins and neither insulting over mens falls nor despairing of their risings And therefore let not people sume and rage against the constrained rigour of the faithfull especially Ministers for 't is not butchery but Surgerie As reprehension faithfully ministred shewes the strength of zeale so meekly received the sincerity of grace A godly heart would not one threatning lesse to be in the Bible 'T is a bloodlesse martyrdome humbly to embrace the strokes of a reprover To conclude how ridiculously prophane are the Papists whose loudest thunderings out of excommunication are against the holiest persons But Christs Spirit is not in their counsells nor will he refuse graciously to meet thee unjustly ejected as he did the blinde man sinfully cast out by the Jewes 6. Save with feare Obs 6. Severity to sin is mercy to the soule This affrighting made way for saving Holy severity is a wholsome thing even rending Mastiffes are very usefull to kill woolves The nipping frosts of winter though not so pleasant as summer Sunshine yet are as needfull for the earth they killing the wormes and vermin Jacob is said to * Every one according to his blessing Gen. 49.28 Nonnul lis bene dixit maledicendo blesse his sons and yet he sharply censured three The smitings of the righteous are desirable to a saint They are precious ointment They slay sin and save the soule How wilde a madnesse is it then to be angry with them who by telling thee truth love thy peace There 's none but fools that oppose faithfull reprovers and who are such that if the truth be told them will not be pleased and if they be pleased the truth is not told them Such a disposition as this is an evident token that God hath a purpose to destroy them 2 Chron. 25.16 How much is this cruelty to their
Libertas est potestas agendi ut velis quâ datur extra alios esse aliis obstrictum non esse sed liberum sui juris supereminere praecellere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—asi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth authority and power It properly importeth a Liberty to doe as one list By it in this place Jude I conceive intends that supreme soveraignty and authority which Christ hath over all things in governing and commanding them He is an absolute Lord. Of this I have largely discoursed part 1. pag. 344 345. c. on those words The onely Lord. 2. All these are amplified from their duration Now and ever Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now that is in this life and in all the ages of the world The originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie that which is for ever and because an age is the usuall and longest distinction of time this same word is put for age And when there is no end of that which is spoken of the plurall number ages or all ages is used to set out the everlastingnesse of it And this Eternity properly taken is proper to God For though other things are said sometimes to be for ever and may have sempiternity or everlastingnesse which looks forward to that which is to come yet they have not Eternity which looketh backward and forward and cannot as here the properties of God be said to be without beginning and ending Besides the very continuance of every creature is alterable and dependent All the glory majesty power Acts 17.28 Rom. 11.36 Dominion of the Creature is as the flower of the field fading indeed every thing in this world like flowers the sweeter they are the shorter lived they are and the sooner withering the more beautifull as they say of glasse the more brittle 3. Lastly In this divine doxology Amen signaculum orationis Dominicae Hier in Mat. 6. is considerable after what manner or with what affection this praise is given this is set down in the word Amen Which imports a Confirmation of all that was said before as is clear from 1 Kings 1.36 The Greek Translators turn it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be it done And the root from whence the word cometh signifieth as much but it was held fit by the primitive Church Non est interpretatum non ut esset negatum sed ne vilesceres nudatum Aug. Trac in Joh. 41. Judai non solum ad omnes preces sed ad omnes Conciones Expositiones Allegoricas dicere debent Amen ut per hoc significent quod credant id omne quod Rabbini lâ—quuntur Buxtorf de Synagog Judaic c. 1. p. 64. for the greater dignity of the word saith Augustin not to translate it Some have noted that it cannot be translated without losing much of its weight for when 't is added to a speech it is 1. A note of assent and therefore it was not used onely by the Jewes at prayer but at the Sermons and Expositions delivered by the Rabbins to testifie that the people assented and agreed to all that they taught Hence Amen may not unfitly be call'd as it were a kinde of audible subscription Thus the Apostle * 1 Cor. 14.16 directs the Christians to speake in a known tongue that the unlearn'd understanding what he heareth may give his assent to it by saying Amen 2. It importeth earnest desire Hence * Jer. 28.6 Jeremiah said Amen to the though false prophesie of Hananiah concerning the returne of the Captives to their Land to shew how earnestly he desired that it might be so 3. Stedfast faith or a trusting that the thing to which we say Amen shall so be as was spoken either when petition'd by us or promis'd by God And hence it is that Christ having made a promise of his second Coming the Church saith Amen Rev. 22.20 Having thus briefly explained this concluding Doxology I might draw from its severall parts very many large and fruitfull Observations But because I have noted many of them in the forenamed places where I have met with the same subjects contained in these verses as also because I onely intended a touch upon this Doxology I shall conclude with these generall notes 1. Obs 1. Praysing of God is a worke very sutable to Saints 2. After all exhortations for the obtaining any good Obs 2. God must bee acknowledged the Authour of that good 3. It s our duty to praise God for future blessings Obs 3. for what we have in hope as well as for what wee have in hand 4. Spirituall blessings principally deserve our praises Obs 4. 5. In our adresses to God Obs 5. wee should have such apprehensions and use such expressions concerning him as may most strengthen our faith 6. Our speeches concerning Christ must be with highest honour and reverence Obs 6. 7. Prayse should conclude that work which Prayer began Obs 7. 8. The concluding thanksgivings which are affixed to writings are onely to be given to God Rom. 16.27 Obs 8. Clausâ—la doxologicae Deo propriae Estius in 2 Pet. 2 Tim. 4.18 Heb. 13.21 c. I have ever with the deepest abhorrency of my soul lookt upon the endings of many Popish books especially of those made by Jesuits who share their concluding praises between God and Saints Thus Tannerus concludes his first Tome of School-divinity Pineda his Comment on Ecclesiastes with returns of prayse to God and the Virgin Quos mihi ad hoc opus patronos tutelares advocavi pag. 1659. Virgini Dei genetrici Mariae divini numinis conciliatrici Baron ad fin Tom. 1. Annal. Tua ope et intertersessione da ut quod hic exterius scripsi interius spiritus sanctus suggeraâ— Cornel. à Lapide in Heb. 13. ad fin Sanctius ends his on the Kings and Chronicles with ascribing the glory to God the Virgin Mary Ignatius and Francis Xaverius all which saith he blasphemonsly I have called upon as my Patrons and Defenders in the performing this work Thus Baronius ends the First Tome of his Annals with ascribing the praise thereof to God the Father Son and holy Ghost and to use his own words to the most holy Virgin Mary the mother of God and our reconciler But Cornelius à Lapide exceeds all in blasphemy and idolatry who divides all the praises between Saint Paul and the Virgin Mary at the end of his Comment on Pauls Epistles Hee tells Paul that by his strength and intercession he had performed that work and hee desires him to grant that the holy Ghost may make his writings beneficiall to others yet hee tells the Virgin Mary that he owes himselfe Cui me meaque omuia debeo utpote quae me in hoc opere direxit invit instruxit â—ssâ—itque ut tarda impolita mens manus mea fiereut calamus scribae velociter scribentis Id Ibid. and all his works to her and that shee hath made his dul mind and hand as the pen of a ready writer pag. 1035 1036. For my selfe All of good that I have can doe or have in this or any other service ever done I humbly desire may be returned only to the honour and praise of my most dear and blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ whose grace was the principle of all that is rightly done in this performance whose spirit was my guide in doing it whose word was my rule whose glory was my end whose merit can alone procure acceptance for me and all my services and the everlasting enjoyment of whose presence is my souls desire and longing Amen FINIS ERRATA PAge 5 line 8 del despising pag 5 l 35 read evill of pag 7 l 22 r it p 8 r highest p 24 l 9 r sinner pag 44 marg r Isag p 53 l 12 r make p 73 l 13 r in that p 80 l 20 r ful of p 102 marg r detractatores p 112 l 22 r moderator p 200 l 22 r prosecutions p 205 marg r finis p 253 l 21 r ever p 257 l 3 r curam p 288 marg r adipibus p 300 l 17 r Cocumenius p 335 l 152 defects p 381 marg del 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 512 l 13 r peaceable p 544 l 25 26 dele so much p 560 marg r lucifugae p 583 marg r Hieron p 612 marg r aliquo p 637 l 32 r as they look p 672 l 27 r seen p 678 marg r silentiam appetitus p 644 l 28 r By propounding
mistaken who account Spiritual showres their greatest plague and complain of these dewes of Grace as if they were a deluge of woe to whom the word of the Lord is the greatest burthen who cry out the Land cannot bear it A Church without a Preacher is as a Ship sayling in a dark night on a rough Sea without a Pilot. Never was Christ more moved in compassion toward the people then when he saw them scattered as sheep without a Shepherd They who would be rid of the Word would also be without pardon peace holinesse happinesse it being the Word of Faith the Word which sanctifies the Gospel of Peace the Word of life the Power of God to salvation Ministers are Saviours Watch-mâ—n Labourers in the Harvest Nurses Guides Builders Sowers Seers Light Salt Clouds c. VVhat then aâ—e places destitute of saving instruction but unsafe spoiled starved waste blind wandering unsavoury barren and yet how commonly do many curse the preaching of the word as the people who live under the torrid Zone do the rising of the Sun To conclude what apparent enemies are they to the souls of people who hinder the preaching of the Gospel who will not suffer it to run and be glorifiâ—d who revile and abuse the faithful Dispensers thereof an act no doubt of greater unthankfulness then to wrong and abuse a man who in a time of Famine should open his Garners for the relief of a whole Country 2 The greatest commendation of a Minister Observ 2 is industry for and usefulness to the souls of others Clouds are not appointed for themselves but to water the earth and in doing so they consume themselves like Silk-worms Ministers wear and weave out their own boweis 'T is a sin for any much more for a Minister to be an unprofitable servant He must not go to Sea in his Mâ—nisterial Calling for Pleasure but Employment He must say with Pompey who being to sayl over the Seas with Corn to relieve distressed Rome and being told by the Pilot that it would prove a dangerous Voyage answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not necessary we should live but that we should sayl The Excellency of the Sun is not so much in respect of its glory and splendor as its influences and beneficialness and he who expects hereafter to shine like the Sun must here run like the Sun They who preach the Sun of Righteousness must be like the Sun who cometh forth of his chamber like a Bridegroom and rejoiceth to run his race The clods of the earth may be of a more dull and sad temper rest and lye still but the clouds of Heaven must be in a perpetual motion Ministers must like the Cherubims which give attendance in the presence of God have wings for expedition in the execution of his will They are called Labourers and workmen they labour in the Word and Doctrine Pauls glory was not that he was more advanced but that he laboured more abundantly then they all As much as in me is saith he I am ready to preach the Gospel He made Preaching his business therein he was glad to spend and to be spent 2 Cor. 12.15 Knowledg without industry speaks no man Excellent None is accounted good for the good he hath but the good he doth A wooden key that opens the door is a better one then a Golden one that cannot do it Greatest industry is alway to be used about the salvation of souls Impudent importunity is in no case so commendable as in this Paul was an excellent Orator and all his Oratory was to perswade men to be saved Never did Malefactor so plead to obtain his own life as did Paul beg of men to accept of life He was an importunate woer of souls and he would take no denyal Ministers must rather be worn with using then rusting The sweat of a Minister as it is reported of Alexanders casts a sweet smell his Talents are not for the Napkin but Occupation not to be laid up but to be laid out They who are full Clouds should be free in pouring out returning as they have received How unworthily do they deal with God who are all for taking in and nothing for laying out How liitle is the age and place wherein they live beholding to them How just is it with God that they who will not give him the interest of their abilities by improving and acting them should lose the principal by ceasing to have and retain them 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal Standing water soon putrifies Musical Instruments which are most used sound most melodiously Eccles 5.17 If Solomon observed it to be a great vanity that some men had Riches who had not power to use them how much greater is the vanity of having great intellectual abilities and yet to have no power to make use of them for the good of others In short therefore Ministers must remember that they are not appointed for sight but service and usefulness We account not a Pillar to be good because it is sightly but strong We should fear to sit under that Structure the Pillars whereof are though curiously gilded and painted outwardly yet crazy and rotten within It s better to be under a disgraced persecuted Paul then under a silken Diotrephes who is altogether for worldly glory and preheminence nothing for duty and performance 3 Ministers of the Gospel must be full and watery clouds Observ 3 Able and apt to teach gifted and enabled to their Ministry As Ambassadors they must be sure to have their instructions with them 2 Cor. 3.6 Ephes 4.2 and to be able Ministers of the New Testament for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry Able to impart Spiritual gifts Match 13.52 2 Tim. 2.15 bringing forth out of his treasure things new and old being Workmen that need not be shamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth 1. Able they must be to open the Scriptures They must have the water of Knowledg and be able to unlock the Cabinet of the Word fit to feed the people with understanding to role away the stone from the mouth of the well for the watering of the flocks of Christ He who calls for a reasonable Sacrifice will not be content with an unreasonable Sacrificer Ministers must teach every one in all wisdom Col. 1.28 2. They must have ability to convince gainsayers by sound Doctrine Tit. 1.9 A Ministers brest should be a Spiritual Armory furnished with Spiritual Weapons for overcoming of opposers Apollos mightily convinced the Jewes so Paul disputed against the adversaries of the Truth Act. 9.29 and 17.17 3 The Gift of working upon the affections and quickning to duty Ability not only to enlighten the understanding but to warm the heart I think it meet c. 2 Pet. 1.13 saith Peter to stir you up Paul knowing the terror of the Lord perswaded men The Ministers
lips like Isaiahs Isai 6.6 must be touched with a live coal and he must partake of that Spirit which came down in the likeness of fiery tongues to fire the affections of his Hearers and to make their hearts burn within them with love to holy duties It was said of Basil that he breathed as much fire as eloquence 4. The gift of comforting the distressed conscience of speaking a word in season to him that is weary Isai 50.4 of declaring to man his uprightness of binding up the broken heart and of pouring oyl into its wounds of dropping the refreshing dewes of the Promises upon the parched Conscience In a word of giving every one his Portion like a Faithful and wise Steward 5. Lastly They must have the water of Grace and Sanctification Of this their hearts and life should both be full If a Beast was not to come to the Mount where the Law was delivered much less may he who is a beast deliver the Law The Doctrine of a Minister must credit his life and his life adorn his Doctrine Dead Doctrine not quickned with a holy life like dead Amasa lying in the way stops people that they will not go on cheerfully in their Spiritual warfare Doth God require that the Beast which is offered to him should be without blemishes and can he take it well that the Priest who offers it should be full of blemishes He then who will win souls we see must be able and wise A Minister must be throughly furnished as Paul speaks There is some wisdom required to catch Birds 2 Tim. 3.17 Fish and Vermine how much more to catch souls The best Minister may blush to consider how unfit he is for his Calling and when he hath gotten the greatest abilities he should beg pardon for his unableness and pray and study for a further increase of his gifts They are none of Christs Ministers who are not in some measure gifted for their work He that sendeth saith Solomon a Message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet Prov. 26.6 and drinketh damage he is sure to suffer for it it being all one as if he should cut off a mans legs and then bid him go on his Errand To conclude how unworthy and profane are they who bestow such of their children upon the Ministry as are the dullest and most unfit of all their number who say that when a child is good for nothing be is good enough to make a Preacher whose children as Doctor Stoughton speaks in allusion to his speech who called Basil the Gift of an Ague he being preserved from the violence of an Arian Emperor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he recovered his son of a dangerous Ague may be called the gift of some lameness infirmity deformity Offer it now to thy Governor will he be pleased with theâ— 4. Ministers are sustained and upheld in their work by the mighty power of God It is much to be wondred Mal. 1.8 that the Natural Observ 4. but more that the Spiritual clouds are kept from falling It s God who bindeth up the waters in the cloud so that it is not rent under them Job 26.8 He that established and made a decree which shall not pass for the waters above the Heavens Psal 148.4 6. It was God who preserved Elijah when Jezabel had vowed his death God delivered Paul out of the mouth of the Lion he kept Isaiah in his Ministry during the Reign of four and Hosea during the Reign of five Kings he continued Noah an hundred and twenty years against the opposition of the old world Jeremy notwithstanding all his enemies was upheld in his work till the Captivity God promiseth the Church that their Teachers should not be removed into corners but that their eyes should behold them Isai 30.20 Luke 13.32 A Minister of Christ may say as Christ of his working of miracles I preach the Word to day and to morrow and do the world what they can they shall not hinder me till that day be come that Christ hath appointed The Ministers are stars in Christs hand So long as there 's any one soul which these Lights are to guide to Heaven all the blasts of Hell can never extinguish them God sets them and God keeps them up he erects he upholds he gave and he continues their commission Durante beneplacito they are Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5.20 whom he calls home when he pleaseth Let not then the servants of Christ fear man in the doing of the work of their Lord. He who hangs the earth upon nothing and keeps the clouds from being rent under the burthen of the waters can uphold them under all their pressures Their times are in Gods hand they are neither in their own nor in their enemies They shall fight against thee said God to Jeremy but they shall not prevail against thee Jer. 1.19 for I am with thee Let faithful Ministers fear none but their Master and nothing but sin and unfaithfulness Not outward evils because he sleeps not who preserves them but inward evils because he sleeps not who observes them Let Ministers undauntedly make their faces hard against the faces of the wicked In their own cause let them be as flexible as a reed in Gods as hard as an Adamant who can powerfully say to the strongest enemies of his Ministers Do my Prophet no harm and who will turn the greatest harm which they receive for his sake into good and make even a fiery chariot to carry his zealous Elijahs into heaven Hence likewise people are taught how to have their faithfull Ministers continued namely by making God their friend who at His pleasure removes and continues them How carefull were they of Tyre and Sidon to be at peace with Herod because their Country was nourished by the Kings Country Acts 10. â—0 T is doubtlesse greater wisdom to make God our friend by whose Care and Providence our Country is nourished spiritually and supplied with those who should break the Bread of Life unto us If People would keep their Ministers let them keep and love no sin Upon the repentance of the Jews God promised them that his sanctuary should be in the midst of them for evermore Ezek. 37.26 Let them bring forth likewise the fruits of the Gospel The Husbandman layes his ground fallow when he perceives it will not quit Charges The Kingdom of heaven saith Christ shall be taken from you and given to a Nation which will bring forth the fruits thereof Mat. 21.43 Lastly let them be importunate with God in Prayer to uphold his Ministers Importunity held Christ with the Disciples when he was going away Luk. 24.29 Say Lord Thou shalt not go till thou hast blessea me with more spirituall blessings and grace by the means of grace Oh! lay hold upon God as Galeacius's children hung about his legs when their Father was going from them to live at Geneva The Prophet complains Isa