Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 9 (1 of 3)
VERSE 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the god…y out of temptations, and to reſerve the unjuſt unto the day of judgement to be puniſhed.
Induction.PRofane people conceit GOD to bee all of merciemercy, and cannot … to heare of his Iuſtice: or if they bee convinced to acknowledge … alſo Iuſt, yet they meaſure it Secundum parvitatem ſuam, by the po… tie of their owne Iudgement; and thinke it pitie to deſtroy a man for his ſins. Indeed it pleaſeth God to be magnified by his mercies above all his workes: and … never finde him called the Father of Iudgements, but often the Father of ma…. MercieMercy ſeemes to be more properly his than vengeance: for he takes the man… a merciemercy out of himſelfe and his goodneſſe:Bern. Sed quòd judicat & damnat, nos cum … damodo cogimus: but that he puniſheth and condemneth; our ſins compell … it. But both are infinite in him that is infinite; and as merciemercy hath her day in giv… time of Repentance, ſo Iuſtice muſt have her day in the retribution of vengeance. All ſins are debts, all Gods debts muſt be paied: it is a bold word, but a tr…e… is in vaine to hope for pardon without payment. Every ſin muſt be pu… either in the perſon of the Saviour, or in the perſon of the ſinner. Too many … kon their owne ſins, as the falſe Steward did his Maſters debts: of a hundred, they ſet downe but fifty: as if God would call them to account, becauſe he knew the… faithfull. Thus they may hide God from themſelves, but they cannot hide the… ſelves from God. Doe they think that God wil be ſo kinde to them, as to be … to himſelfe? No, the Lord will be juſt, let them goe on and periſh. There c… … no reconciliation without remiſſion, no remiſſion without ſatisfaction, no ſa…sfaction but in the bloud of Chriſt. Turne over the book of thy conſcience, ſee … thou canſt finde that reckoning there diſcharged. We keepe bookes for expences, doe we keepe none for offences? He never breakes his ſleepe for debt, that p…s as he takes up. But careleſſe arrereages ſhall find a day of reckoning.
Connection.That God is not juſt without merciemercy, nor mercifull without Iuſtice, this Text proves; which ſpeakes of a Deliverance to the godly, to the unjuſt of Vengeance. God indeed ismNah. 1.3. ſlow to anger, yet he will not acquit the wicked. So that a man ſh… ſay, nPſal. 58.11.Verily there is a reward for the righteous, ſurely there is a God that judgeth the earth. A man, any man, every man ſhall confeſſe it, none have power to deny it. This is our Apoſtles concluſion upon the premiſſes: God could preſerve the holy Angels by his merciemercy, and confound the Apoſtate Angels in his Iuſtice: in his merciemercy ſaveth righteous Noah, when by his Iuſtice he drench'd the unrighteous world: Iuſtly deſtroyeth foure ungodly Cities, and mercifully delivers one juſt Lot. He that could doe ſuch mighty workes, in heaven, on earth, in the waters; can as eaſily ſtill deliver his children, and reſerve the unjuſt to the day of Iudgement to be puniſhed.
The verſe containes a paire of thwart ſentences, directly oppoſite,Diſtribution. in qualitie of perſons, conditions, and events. Here is the Godly and unjuſt: a delivering, and Reſerving: out of temptations, into Iudgement. God ſtands in the fore-front, and hath …wo armes ſtretched forth: one arme to the Eaſt, another to the Weſt: one to de…iver the godly out of trouble, the other to inflict ſevere puniſhment upon the wicked. Here is an Enlargement, and an Attachment: a delivering out of priſon, and a caſting into priſon: a releaſing from preſent perturbation, and a binding over to a further Seſſion. The godly are acquitted, abſolved, freed; not reprieved, but quite delivered. The unjuſt are apprehended, bound over, goe as 'twere under baile: at the generall Aſſiſes they muſt make their appearance, and being guilty receive their ſentence. This the Iudge can doe, and will doe: he wants not power, for he is The Lord: he wants not wiſedome, for Novit, He knoweth. His Almighty wiſedome, and all wiſe power, are extended to both theſe actions, The Lord knoweth. The righteous proceeded thus far, they come upon their tryall; for …emptation is a tryall: but not to arraignement, much leſſe to conviction, leaſt of all to condemnation. But being charged by that common Barritor, the accuſer of the brethren; and thus brought before the Iudge, not publikely at a Seſſion, but to a private examination, they are found innocent, and delivered. Temptations, like fet…ers, may hamper and afflict them for a while, but when their cauſe comes to be heard, and their righteouſneſſe appeareth, they are diſcharged. For the other, their guilt is manifeſt, therefore the chaines of bondage are upon them, which together with the cuſtodie of omnipotencie ſhall keepe them faſt to the day of Iudgement, …nd that ſhall ſend them to execution, to be puniſhed.
In the enlargement conſider theſe particulars. 1. What, a deliverance. 2. Who are delivered, the godly. 3. From what, out of temptations. 4. By whom, The Lord doth it. 5. How; we need not examine, it is ſufficient, Dominus novit, The Lord knoweth how.
Firſt, the matter is a Deliverance. It is a great comfort in every diſtreſſe,Deliverance. to hope for a deliverance: to beleeve it, greater: to be ſure of it, greateſt of all. Thus certaine is every Chriſtian, by the aſſurance of faith, grounded on the infallible promiſe of God. It was promiſed to Abraham, in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called: yet muſt Iſaac, before he had ſeed, be killed; and that by his fathers owne hand. Here Abraham might reaſon; I may beleeve the promiſe, and not obey the commandement: I may obey the commandement, and not beleeve the promiſe: but …ow can both ſtand together? But he holds the promiſe, and obeys God, though all the reaſon in the earth cannot tell how that promiſe and that commandement ſhould ſtand together. Though I know not, and reaſon know not, yet God know…th. In humane reaſoning it is a note of ignorance to ſticke alwayes to the concluſion: but in ſpirituall tryalls this is ſound Divinitie, to hold faſt GODS promiſes. Therefore hee both beleeves the one, and obeys the other: this Deliverance was above his reaſon, it was not above his faith. Hee did not argue, but obey: being ſure that what GOD commands, is good, and what he promiſes, is infallible: therefore careleſſe of the meanes, he truſts to the end. Daniel is not delivered at the beginning of his trouble, he muſt firſt be in the Lions den; then he finds it. Thoſe three ſervants are not reſcued at the ovens mouth; in the fornace they are. That is a gratious well tryed faith, that can hold out confidence to the laſt.
Abraham after that terrible command, muſt goe three dayes journey, a tedious extenſion of his ſorrow: and in all that travell no Angell meets him with newes of a deliverance. He ſees the choſen mountaine, diſmiſſeth his ſervants; a ſtrange devotion that will abide no witneſſes, none comes yet. All the while the Altar is a building, his owne heart bleeding; Iſaac pleading for his life, none yet. He bindes his hands, layes the wood on the Altar, the Sacrifice on the wood; yet no newes. Now having kiſſed him his laſt, after many mutuall teares, he lifts up his hand to give the fatall blow of death: yet he does not thinke, perhaps God will relent after the firſt wound. Loe, now the comfort of Abraham, the hope of the Church, lies a killing by the hand of his Father; yet there is no revocation. I would have made the bowels of a Savage yearne at this ſpectacle; to ſee the knife of ſuch a Father hanging over the throate of ſuch a ſonne: yet he whom it neareſt concerned, is leaſt touched: faith had wrought in him, what cruelty would in others, not to be moved. He proceeds, contemning all feares, and overlooking all impoſſibilities: deliverance he might expect, but he knew not which way it could come: onelyonly that the ſame hand which raiſed Iſaac from the dead wombe of his Mother, can revive him from thoſe aſhes. Now having given Iſaac, and Iſaac given himſelfe, for dead; the knife is falling upon his throate: Now, now comes the Deliverance; by an Angel calling, forbidding, commending him. Often is deliverance promiſed,Ier. 25.11. and yet the time not mentioned. They ſhall ſerve the … of Babylon ſeventy yeares: not a day, not an houre to be bated, Exod. 12.41. At the end of foure hundred and thirty yeares: till then Moſes undertooke it in vaine, D… 5.30. That very night. Neither did Daniel, that knew the determined time of ſeventy, till upon the expiration, pray for deliverance.
God deferres His deliverance. 1. To returne us home: when no man … harbour that unthrift ſonne, he will backe againe to his father. 2. To make a ſeeke our deliverance in the right unde: while money can buy phyſicke, or friends procure enlargement, the great Phyſician and Helper is not throughly truſted … to. 3. To ſet a better price on his benefites; for ſuddenly gotten are ſuddenly forgotten. Abrahams child at ſeventy yeeres was more welcome, than had hee been given at thirtie: and the ſame Iſaac had not been ſo precious to him, if he had not been as miraculouſly reſtored, as given: his recovery from death made … more acceptable, than if he had never been in danger. Gods charges are … harſh in the beginning, hard in the proceeding, but the concluſion is alwaies comfortable. Spirituall conſolations are commonly late and ſudden; long before they come, and ſpeedy when they do come, preventing even expectation.
The Lord deferres on purpoſe, that our triall may be perfect, our deliverance welcome, our recompence glorious. Say our tentation be externally aff…ict… and we are not delivered from it: our poverty is long, and we ſhall never be … our ſickneſſe tedious, and we ſhall never recover; what now? Shall we deſp… and dye?Dan. 3.18. No, but whether he doth deliver us or not, We will ſerve Him; tho… He kill us, wee will truſt in Him. Though he hold off long, and ſuſpend our … yet deliverance ſhall come; if not the ſame way we would have it, yet a way that is better for us. Shall we be ſullen, becauſe our deſires be not preſently granted▪ As Ionas would dye, becauſe he was diſpleaſed: Achitophel, becauſe he was de… ſed; Saul, becauſe hee was diſcomfited. No, death it ſelfe ſhall deliver us; that red Sea ſhall put us over to the Land of promiſe; and we ſhall ſay to the praiſe of God, we are delivered.
The godly.The perſons delivered are the Godly. Godlineſſe (according to the proprietie of the word) conſiſts in two things; the devout adoration, and ſincere imitation of God. They that worſhip him as he will be worſhipped, and follow him in the things wherein he will be followed, are right godly men. He that worſhips God aright, adheres to the rule, and beleeves the reward. Superſtition firſt loves, and then beleeves: true Religion firſt beleeves, and then loves. Reverence and zeale become adoration: for a man to mouth a Pater-noster, while his heart is … …is coffer; as if he could reconcile thoſe two contrary maſters, and at once ſerve God and mammon; in vaine thinkes himſelfe godly. When in the Temple God …arce hath our knees or our voices, ſeldome our minds; never tell me of godlineſſe. …ou are not Atheiſts, to thinke that he regards your prayers, as he doth the hum…ing of flies and bees; that they bee ſo formall and heartleſſe. The godly man …owes that God ſees him, ſees him in every place, takes ſpeciall notice of him in …e Church. Caeſars eye made his ſouldiers prodigall of their bloud: Gods eye …d ſpeech to the ſoule, Well done good and faithfull ſervant, makes him worke out …s heart. Looſe thoughts are too bad for common places, intolerable in divine …orſhip. We may obſerve how God bates of his owne ſervice for us; allowes … to goe from his Temple to quench a burning houſe, or to helpe a beaſt out of …e pit; and makes homicide the greateſt ſinne upon earth. Now ſhall he bate of …s owne glory for our benefit and ſhall not we bate of our benefit for his glory? …hey that either for wantonneſſe or covetouſneſſe, much worſe for drunkenneſſe, …olate the Sabbath, which is the time of Gods worſhip; or neglect the Church, …hich is the place of his worſhip; have little godlineſſe. We are charged to wor…p oIoh. 4.23.him in ſpirit and truth. The Iewes worſhipped him bodily, wee muſt alſo in …rit; they figuratively, we in truth.
Nor is adoration enough without Imitation; it is the ſumme of all religion, imitate him we adore. He was called a Platoniſt, that followed Plato's princi…es: and he that followes the example of God, is godly. Outward holineſſe …uſt be joyned with inward; a man may be a Saint at Church, and a Devill at …me: true godlineſſe is ſeene in our owne houſe as well as in Gods houſe; he is …re ſhort of godlineſſe, that is not an honeſt man. It is ſhame for Chriſtians to …rne honeſtie of Pagans; and yet they ſay, ſome of us are a forme below them. …e may know whoſe children ſuch are by their complexions and conditions: … that doth righteouſneſſe, is righteous. It was not enough by the Leviticall law …hoſe ground was morall to chew the cudde, but to divide the hoofe: our feet …uſt be cleane as well as our mouthes While the worſhip of God ſits in our …s, and the diſhonour of God is ſeene in our lives; we might as ſafe be wholly cleane.pRev. 13.16. Some have the marke of the beaſt in their hand, ſome in their fore head: …e…her in the fore-head, or in the hand, ſo it be his marke, it is all one to the De…l. This commendedqIob 1.8. Iob, that he feared God; that's one part of pietie: that eſchewed evill, that's the other. The doctrine of faith is much controverted; …d while Satan can raiſe troubles about faith, he hopes the world will let him a…ne about manners; and ſo that Chriſti nomen periret de terris: but it is a counter… faith without obedient and practiall godineſſe.
Gods word is firſt ſowen in the heart, that ſeed is rooted in faith, that root …ngs forth a tree of charitie, and that tree beares the fruit of good workes. Our …ſons are juſtified by our faith, our faith is juſtified by our charitie, our charitie … the actions of a godly life. Therefore juſtifie thy faith, that thy faith may ju…fie thee. Faith is an Illumination, and many content themſelves with an illuſion: we want charitie to our brother, there is no faith to our maker. Some loſe them …es Vituperando Chriſtum, as Pagans: ſome Etiam laudando Chriſtum, as pro…e Chriſtians: theſe ſo praiſe his merits, that they never weigh their owne miſ…meanors. But doe good, and have good: little ſaies the Scripture of the Apo…s learning, it ſpeakes much of their acts. It is not the taſte of meat that nouri…th, but after concoction the benefit is in the ſtrength. The conſcience is not ſa…fied with reading good things, the comfort it feeles is in the practice. Children …e after their father; thus torLuk. 6.36. ſhew merciemercy, is to be godly. Ioh. 13 27.Forgive your offenders …hy? God doth forgive you: be as ready to pardon men, as you are ready to de… your owne pardon of him. He that walkes under a wall in a ſunny day, ſhall …heated by the wall, which firſt was heated by the Sun: if God have forgiven … the warmth of charitie is in us to forgive others. Be yee holy: Why? becauſe God is holy: if we finde a piece of waxe with an impreſſion or marke upon it, we know there hath beene a ſeale, the print whereof is left behinde: holineſſe is the print of Gods ſacred ſeale: if not holy, not ſealed. God is patient toward ſ… ners; furious avengers of themſelves are not godly. He is the God of peace, the ſons of malice and contention are far unlike him.
The godly moſt tempted.We ſee who are godly, now theſe are delivered: they of all men, out of temptations; becauſe they of all men are moſt ſubject to temptations. The higher a tree ſhootes up, the more tempeſt beaten: if a Chriſtian growes to any ſtatute and talneſſe in grace, and ſprouts up toward heaven, Satan will raiſe the ſorer ſtormes againſt him. Some are not troubled with temptations, know not what they meane; aske them, they never felt the devill ſo buſie about them. The more miſerable creatures they: no Prince makes war againſt his obedient ſubjects: ſho…ld they rebell againſt Satans lawes, they ſhould heare of him in another kinde. … as God ſaid in his Iuſtice;ſHoſ. 4.17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone: ſo Satan in … malice, they are joyned, united, incorporated to ſinne, let them alone. They me… dle not with repentance, and he meddles not with them;tLuk. 11.21. all is peace. Let th… take it for the fearefull ſigne of a dead heart, when they feele not the Thorne … t… fleſh, temptation. Fall they to deprecation, cry for pardon of their ſins, and ſe… the kingdome of heaven; then Satan begins to buſtle, then temptation upon temp… tion: Iob had not more foes to vexe him, than they ſhall finde baites to entice th…. Therefore CHRIST on purpoſe, to the Pardon of ſins, annexeth, lead us no… … temptation. Not only becauſe with the pardon of ſins paſt, we ſhould deſire … prevention of ſins to come: that neither our conſciences be ſtung with the old nor our concupiſcences corrupted further with the new. But becauſe a mans … be no ſooner forgiven, and he reſcued from Satan; but that Lion foames … roares, and beſtirs himſelfe to recover his loſſe. So that grievous temptation… … alwaies accompany the remiſſion of ſins. Some ſuſpect themſelves to be ou… … Gods favour, becauſe they are ſo wearied and worried with temptations: but godlineſſe and temptation be ſuch inſeparable attendants on the ſame perſon, it is … therwiſe. For the devills hatred is to them moſt, whom God loves beſt: … where he ſhewes merciemercy, Satan will exerciſe malice. So that in the characters o… temptations we may ſpell Gods love, which cannot be enjoyed without S… diſturbance. Yea, howſoever weake conſciences have beene diſmayed at it; … proofe of ſaving grace in us, is the exerciſe of the devills malice againſt us
They that receive from God more graces, are ſure of more temptations. … God teſtifie good of Iob, the Divell will have a fling at him.uMat. 16.22. If Peter have … the keyes, Satan will tempt him to be a Satan to his maſter. If there be ho…e… the veſſell, the waſpes will be buſie about it. But as no wiſe man leaves his … for ſome flies, but rather ſeekes to drive them out, than they ſhould drive him … ſo no good man forſakes his holineſſe for temptations, but rather reſiſts the d…d, as knowing then he will flie from him. A full barne is better than an empty o… though theeves let this alone, and be pilfering about the other. We doe not … ſtroy our roſes for the cankers, but rather deſtroy the cankers from the roſes …s no policie for the traveller to leave off his weapons, becauſe he knowes the… …e theeves in the way. We ſay, one true man is hard enough for two theeves, o…e faithfull man is able to repell many wicked ſpirits. Our godlineſſe doth not … us from temptations, but conquers them. CHRIST was no ſooner come … of the water of Baptiſme, but he enters into the fire of temptation: if he be … of the holy Spirit, he ſhall be ſet upon by the malignant ſpirit. If God ſay, Th… is my ſonne: Satan will ſay, If thou be the Sonne of God. That Divine teſtimony did not allay his malice, but exaſperate it: the Serpent moſt violently affaires … whom God hath honoured.
Neither the gifts of grace, nor the ſeales of grace, can free us from affaires we may have force to repell bad ſuggeſtions, we have not to prevent them. The more we are engaged to God, by the bonds of our owne profeſſion, and the pledges of his favour; ſo much the more buſie is the tempter about us. That Goliah defies none but the Hoſt of the living God: if we be once ſeene in the field, then he is mad, and ſeekes to wring away our weapons, and with them to wound our owne boſomes. Lord, how ſhould we ſcape that Dragons aſſaults, when the Sonne of thy love could not be free! When even to be gracious drawes on his enmity, and the profeſſion of a good conſcience, is the Butt for his burning arrowes? He that ſpared not the Head, will not forbeare the remoter limbes. If the ſtate of Innocency could have been any defence againſt evill motions, the firſt Adam had not been tempted, much leſſe the ſecond.
Nothing ſhould more comfort us than reſiſtance: if we did not ſtand for the Lord;xZach. 3.1. Satan would not ſtand againſt us: if wee were not in a way to doe good, we ſhould finde no rubbes. The divell hath no cauſe to trouble his owne, eſpecially while they goe about his buſineſſe. To ſinne, he would have our paths ſmooth, and calme, and pleaſant, winning us forward: but if wee turne our feete toward Sion, then hee encounters us, and blockes up our way with temptations. But it is not the preſentment of bad motions that can hurt us, but our entertainment of them. Ill counſell is the fault of the giver, not of the refuſer: if we be tempted, as Ioſeph was by a great Lady, and withſtand it, we are not the worſe, but the better. We cannot forbid lewd eyes to look in at our windowes, we may ſhut our doores againſt their entrance. If Satan knock, it is in our choice to open: a booty lyes in our way, we may chooſe whether we will ſtoop and take it up. To ſuggeſt evill, is Satans blame: to reſiſt evill, this is our praiſe. The more we are tried in the fornace, the purer gold we ſhall goe to the Treaſury of Heaven. Lord, make us as ſtrong, as the devill is malicious: ſay in a ſweet ſpirituall feeling to my conſcience, as Thou ſpakeſt once vocally and audibly to my Saviour; Thou art my Sonne; and let the devill doe his worſt.
Temptations we underſtand to be of two ſorts; Probations,Temptations or Provocations; trials of ſuffering, or trials of doing. God tempts, to draw ſomething out of us, and to make it appeare; Satan tempts to put ſomething into us which was not before. It is one thing Explorare an ſit peccatum, another Provocare ut ſit peccatum. The former we may properly call Examinations, Searchings, Afflictions; theſe are of God. The other, Incitements, enticements, impulſive motions to ſinne, theſe are of Satan. Now this promiſed deliverance ſtands in analogy and reference to both theſe.
For Satans ſuggeſtions; What godly man hath not beene wrought upon by temptations; not only to like the bait, but even to ſwallow it with conſent of will! Yet hath it not choaked their grace, God hath delivered them. Looke upon David; 2 Sam. 11. While his people are buſie in the warre againſt Ammon abroad, Satan as buſily makes warre againſt David at home: they lay ſiege to Rabbah, he layes ſiege to their King. The temptation firſt takes fire at his eyes, his eyes recoile upon his heart, and his heart burnes in the deſires of his luſt. The tempter ſo prevailes, that he makes him become a tempter, beſtowing his owne bad office upon him. He ſees Bethſheba, inquires after her, ſends for her, ſolicites her to uncleanneſſe. There was ſtore of faire Virgins in Iſrael, yet he muſt dote upon the marriage-bed: he had many wives of his owne, and was not reſtrained from taking more; yet is not contented ſaving with the onelyonly one of a ſubjects. He was not overcome by the ſollicitation of a ſtrumpet, but himſelfe was the proſecutor of this filthineſſe. There is nothing wanting to amplifie his ſin, and cauſe our feare. O whither ſhall we goe, if God ſtay us not? What man among the millions of Gods ſervants was better furniſhed with preſervatives againſt ſuch temptations? Where could the Devill have leſſe hope of prevailing? Yet is this ſtrong man overcome; and as it is hard and rare to commit a ſingle ſinne; he does not only abuſe the wife, but betraies the husband, and teacheth his luſt to looke with bloudy eyes on the life of his faithfull ſervant. If wine cannot wo… … to father a falſe ſeed, the ſword of an uncircumciſed Anatomie ſhall fall upo… him. Thus deepe in is David, and fals aſleepe many moneths, exchanging the conſcience of his ſin for the ſenſe of his pleaſures Yet even out of this tempta…ion he is delivered; Nathan ſhall rowſe him, the Spirit ſhall melt him, his ow…e heart ſhall ſmite him; with a wounded ſoule he ſhall cry for pardon, d… … wickedneſſe and finde mercy.
In this glaſſe we ſee our ſelves, how apt to be tempted, to go along with it, yea often to perſiſt in it; yet withall, Gods infinite goodneſſe to deliver us from it. For this we pray, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evill: the la…te… being an expoſition of the former: that we be not led into temptation, deliver us from evill; the cauſe being taken away, the effect ceaſeth. The beſt of Gods children may not only be drenched in the waves of ſin, but even lye in them for a time; as a man may ſinke twice to the bottome, yet riſe with life in him. But they that belong to the covenant, ſhall be delivered: Saul is tempted, ſinneth and ſleepeth in it his laſt: David is tempted, ſinneth, and ſleepeth, but not his la…. Peter is tempted to conceale, to deny, to forſweare his Maſter; yet one looke of Chriſt delivered him: Iudas is tempted to betray him, goes on, and periſheth. The Lord would never have ſuffered ſo deare favorites of his, as Lot, David, Peter, to fall ſo dangerouſly: if he had not meant to make them univerſall examples to the world, of not preſuming, of not deſpairing. For how can we preſume of no… ſinning, or deſpaire for ſinning, when we find ſo great Saints thus fallen, thus riſen? How many yeares had thoſe ten brethren forgotten their unnaturall trechery! Alas, what long and dead ſleepes may the holieſt ſoules take in fearefull … ▪ Were it not for Gods mercy that thus delivers us out of temptations, we ſhould end our ſpirituall lethargie in a ſleepe of death. David in thoſe ten mone…s might have ſome tranſient glances of remorſe; but no compunction is heard of till Nathans meſſage, and perhaps had bin further adjourned, if that Monitor had bin longer deferred. God could have ſent him ſooner, and checked David … h…s firſt project of ſin: ſo had Berſheba bin chaſt, Vriah alive, and himſelfe gui…l…ſe of murther. But that Almighty wiſdome knew how to win more glory by the permiſſion, than by the prevention; by the permiſſion of one ſin to prevent … ons. How many thouſands had preſumed on their own ſtrength, if ſuch a Champion had not fallen! How many thouſands had deſpaired in the conſciences … their own miſ-deeds and weakneſſe, if ſuch ſins had not found remiſſion! It is h… py for all after-times that we have ſuch precedents, ſo holy ſinners, ſo ſinfull … tents: their fals have taught us by whom to ſtand. In a word, many Saints … committed as great ſins as reprobates: that the one is pardoned, not the other, …he difference is not in the quantity or quality of the ſin, but in the mercy of God.
1 Wee that pray for deliverance from evill, muſt endeavour againſt e…. The beſt Fencer lies cloſe, Vſes of it. and is more carefull to defend than to offend: w… we lye open, Satan hath a faire marke. Ranke mirth, a full belly, gaming, and wine, lay a man open. That wine is an inducement to luſt, David knew; and therefore gave Vriah ſuch ſuperfluous cups: and it is hard to refuſe pledging, where a King begins a Health to a Subject. This might eaſily lay him open to evill; the drunkard may be any thing but good. But temptation is then ſtronger, when … proceeds from a mighty inſtrument: the requeſts of Princes are commands …he… very ſuites imperative. How many Bethſhebas and Iane Shores have thus beene wrought, to pollute both a royall and matrimoniall bed! The countenance of authority is authoritative with many: aske a Romiſt, whether if the Pope command him to kill his Soveraigne, he is to doe or refuſe it: perhaps he trif…es that the Pope will never command it: but put him to it, If; then his anſwer m…ſt bee affirmative. If Saul charge a Doeg, he will wreake his ſplene on the Prieſts. L… the maſter tempt his ſervant, the father his child, their leaſt word is a law. But … will be no excuſe to ſay at laſt, ſuch a great perſon tempted me, as Adam ſaid of Eve▪ it is quid that we muſt regard, not quis; the action, not the perſon: be the mover never ſo glorious, if his motion be to ſin, let it be entertained with d…fiance. Let us have wary eyes, for it is not the ſelfe-appearing divell, but the ſame a tranſformed Angell, that doth corrupt us.
2. Conſider what preventions the provident God uſeth againſt our ſinnings. How many ſtaies doth Saul find in his purſuit of David: twice he caſts his I…elin, and miſt him: expoſed him to the Philiſtims, but hee ſlew them: M…chol was given him for a ſnare, yet ſhee delivers him; Ionathan is conſtant to him: Saul hath begirt him, loe then he is delivered by the Philiſtims invaſion. This found Balaam in his peſtilent itch to curſe Iſrael: one night God puts him off;1 S m. 23 27. the ſecond time hee anſweres his importunacie and bids him goe in anger: an Angell ſtands to croſſe him, his beaſt turnes out of the way: ſhe bruiſeth his fo t… againſt the wall, at laſt fals downe under him: many croſſes to recall him H…w is the other Saul (with his letters miſſive to vex the Church) arreſted from heaven. I know there be ſudden ſins, no ſooner thought of than diſpatched; which is like fire to powder. But in our reſolved intentions of doing a ſin, if we would marke it, we meete with ſtrange impediments, as Ionah did in his flight; which ſhould make us grow jealous of ſuch enterpriſes. Some have bin frighted from their uncleanneſſe, by the tolling of a paſſing-bell: others diverted from a b d journey, by the ſudden lameneſſe of their horſe. How often hath God prevented murthers by ſtrange accidents? Sometimes he ſhortens our owne armes, ſometimes ſtrengthens others againſt us. Sometime reaſon is heard, when religion ſi…s out: and the diſhoneſty, inutility, or difficulty of a ſin is p…p…nded. But it is beſt, when the feare of God hath corrected us, or the word of God av…rted us, or the Spirit of God recalled us. By innumerable meanes doth the Lord ſtop our precipices, hedge up our wayes to ſin: that when temptation invites us, we may have hands manicled, and feere fettered with detentions; and we coozen the devill againſt our wils. Hee would have us come, and we would com…, but (thankes be to God) we cannot come. Let us obſerve it; as when we are doing w…ll, wee have many provocations to alienate our mindes from it; ſo when we are intending miſchiefe, God ſends many inconveniences, as it were vocall accidents, to hinder us; as if God ſhould ſay, take heed what you doe.
3 Let us meditate how we are bleſſed of God, and have reaſon to bleſſe God, for theſe happy deliverances. As Saint Auguſtine, Tentator defuit, &c. I had time and place to commit ſin, but then the Tempter was away: thy doing, O Lord, it was that he was away. The tempter was preſent, but then time and place were wanting; thy doing it was that I wanted time and place. Time and place were convenient, and the tempter was there alſo, provoking me forward, all opportunities furth…ring: but then I had no ſtomach to it, luſt was coole, my will had no will to conſent: thy doing it was that I was unwilling, that the edge of my appetite was dull. Sometimes I had will, but then I wanted meanes: ſometimes I had meanes, but then I wanted will: ſometimes I had likewiſe will and meanes, but then I alſo wanted abilitie: another time; meanes, will, and abilitie were concurring; but then came in ſome other interruption; a meſſenger with ſudden buſineſſe, the diſtreſſe of a friend, the invitation of a neighbour. Still, O Lord, that I was not led into temptation, nor captivated by ſuggeſtion, it was thy doing. Bleſſed be God, as for his furtherance in good, ſo for his hinderance in evill. If we be godly, and find theſe things true, let us enter into our chambers, fall upon out knees, lift up our hearts, and ſay in humble thankfulneſſe; Lord, thou haſt delivered me, I find thy merciemercy, to thy name be the glory.
4 Laſtly, if we love not evill, let us long for our finall and plenary deliverance from it; that immortall court, where ſin can no more enter, than ſorrow or death: out of this the Tempter is excluded for ever. Here the Lord d…livers us from the damnation and domination of ſin, there from the temptation and aſſault: here it ſhall not overcome us, there it ſhall not come neare us.aRom 7 24. Wretched man! who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? Who? He that now free… us from the burning, will then from the ſmell of the fire. Here even a Saint is but a mixt creature; and the ſinne which he hath by his generation, fights againſt the grace which he hath by his owne regeneration. This felt St Paul: and Ierome i… his very abſtinence; Mens ardebat deſideriis in frigido corpore: my face was pale, but my heart was fluſhing; and I had a burning minde in a chill body. Mortall perfection is a vaine dreame: Aquinas thinkes we may fulfill a precept two waies: either perfectly, Epiſt. 22.quando pervenitur ad finem, when we performe the full ſcope of …: or imperfectly, cum non receditur ab ordine ad finem, when we keepe the way conducing to the end. But as when the Captaine bids the ſouldiers fight and conquer, he that fights and conquers, perfectly doth his will: he that fights and doth not get the victory, comes ſhort of doing his will: and in Gods battailes, he that conquers not, which is the end; recedit ab ordine ad finem, doth certainely faile in the meanes. Therefore he that ſincerely loves GOD, and deteſts ſinne, deſi…eth diſſolution for no other end, but to be freed from temptation. The good ſoldier will fight when he is in the field, but he is contented to have the battaile over. This is one benefit that death againſt his owne will ſhall doe us; a perfect delivery from all temptations. In Paradiſe man had a Poſſe non peccare: in heaven he ſhall have a Non poſſe peccare. Satan ſhall then bee bound in eternall chaines, never to ſtirre out of that locall torment; and the Elect be ſet at triumpha…t libertie.
For Probations, which are the other ſort of tentations, or tryalls by troubles; they are derived from three fountaines, and may thus be diſtinguiſhed, not in proprietie of termes, but after the common acceptance. As they come from Satan they are uſually called temptations: as they come from man, perſecutions: as from God, afflictions. All theſe are in ſome manner from the Lord: neither man nor devill can afflict us without God, God can afflict us without them. When we pray not to be led into temptation, we pray not againſt correction, but againſt evil: for though Chriſt mak… us invincible, he makes us not invulnerable. All our dayes are evill, ſome worſe… as the ague hath chiefe fits, criticall dayes. Some be more grievous ſufferings tha… others; as Martyrdome in the extent, (for it may be occultâ cogitatione, though not apertâ paſsione) and we have cauſe to bleſſe God that we reſiſt not unto bloud. If there were no good in theſe temptations, they ſhould not come neare us: for nothing abſolutely evill ſhall come to a good man. And when they have done the buſineſſe they came for, they ſhall leave us: the plaiſter will not ſticke on whe… the ſore is healed.
Doe they come from the ungodly? Whether Tertullus perſecute the Church with his tongue, or Elimas with his hand, God hath the command of both. I… deed the wicked are the mediate cauſes of our troubles: the righteous are as the center, thebPſ…l. 11….11. other the circumference: which way ſoever they turne, they find themſelves environed: yet ſtill the center is fixed and immoveable, being founded upon CHRIST. It is good for ſome men to have adverſaries: for often they more feare to ſin, leaſt they ſhould deſpiſe them, than diſlike it for conſcience, leaſt God ſhould condemne them. They ſpeake evill of us: if true let us amend it: if fal…e contemne it: whether true, or falſe, obſerve it. Thus we ſhall learne good out of their evill; make them our Tutors, and give them no pupillage. In all things let us watch them, in nothing feare themcPhil. 1.28. Which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to us of ſalvation. The Church is thatdCant. 4.4. Tower of David: if there be a thouſand weapons to wound us, there are a thouſand ſhields to guard us. When the Angell ſaluted Gideon, God be with thee; he replied,eIudg. 6.13. If God be with us, he… i… all this evill befallen us? Why doe the Midianites vexe us? Yes, God may be with us, and the Midianites againſt us: yea therefore are they againſt us, becauſe God is with us.fCypr. It is neither our ſhame to ſuffer what CHRIST ſuffered, nor …ir honour to doe as Iudas did. Howſoever they be wicked Inſtruments, yet the … hand is the Lords: God gave, ſaith Iob: what and the Devill tooke away? No, … Sabeans tooke away? No, but the Lord tooke away. As when the malignitie of …iſeaſe is ſpent, health will returne: ſo when all our adverſaries have done their …rſt, if not before, then God will deliver us. Let Ieſabell fret her heart out, and …eare by her gods, Eliah muſt be ſafe.gRevel. 12. Let the red Dragon ſpout forth flouds of …ome, the Church hath wings to flie away, ſhe ſhall be delivered.
Doe they come from God? diligit quem corrigit: ſtormes and afflictions are … from fury without love, but rather from love without fury.hIoh. 11.3. Lord, he whom … loveſt, is ſicke: Lazarus may be ſicke and yet CHRIST love him. The intelli…t ſonne knowes that his fathers correction is no argument of his fathers ha…d; therefore is ſilent.iPſal. 39.9. I was dumbe, becauſe thou didſt it. I was not dumbe for …t I did, but confeſſed my ſin: but dumbe for that thou didſt, acknowledging it …ſt puniſhment.kEſa. 54.8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment. It is but Mo…um, a little, ad momentum, for a moment: and I hid my face, never turned my …rt from thee. Indeed as man is under the Law, they are legall puniſhments: …t as under grace, paternall corrections. They are a teſtimony of his good …our toward us, when by them hee ſeparates the ſinne which hee hates, from …e perſon which hee loves. And this hee alwaies ſo tempers, that it is nei…er according to our ſinnes, nor exceeding our ſtrengths. Non ultra vires: …ts? No, but not above GODS ſtrength in us. No parent corrects anothers …ild, and he is no good parent that corrects not his owne. By this we come to …ow our friend: three things are not knowen but in three places: valour, but in …nger: wiſedome, but in anger: a friend, but in miſerie. Afflictions have done … this good, that we are ſure we have a friend, a father in heaven, for we have try… him. Faith underſtands troubles to be Probationis Indicia, not Reprobationis ar…menta. Our life is a web woven by the hand of God, the threed reaching from …r birth unto our death. The woofe is trouble, but ſtill runs with it a Weft of …erwoven comforts. But if ſo then may we not pray for their removall? Yes, …emove thy plague away from me: Thy plague, and mine: thine by affliction,lPſal. 39.19. mine … paſſion: thine becauſe thou didſt ſend it, mine becauſe I endure it: thine becauſe … comes from thy Iuſtice, mine becauſe it anſwers my injuſtice: remit what I have …one, and remove what thou haſt done. But whoſoever laid it on, the Lord will …ke it off. Be ourmPſal. 34.19. troubles many in number, ſtrange in nature, heavy in meaſure …et Gods mercies are more numerous, his wiſedome more wondrous, his power …ore miraculous, hee will deliver us out of all. This doctrine well digeſted, will …reed good bloud in our ſoules, and is uſefull three waies.
1 To fortifie our patience; hee needs not feare the trouble, that knowes … infallible deliverance.nLuk. …1.19. Poſſeſſe your ſoules in patience. Hee doth not ſay, poſ…ſſe your mouthes, for ſome being provoked will give no bad language; nor …oſſeſſe your hands; many being urged can forbeare violence: yet ſtill the deſire …f revenge may boile and ranckle in both their hearts. But poſſeſſe your ſoules, that …, your ſelves, in patience: this binds both mouth and hand to the peace and good …orbearance: all are quiet, if the ſoule be quiet. Two things become a Chriſtian; …apientia in verbis, patientia in verberibus. Time is the Phyſitians Cure, reaſon the …hiloſophers Cure, patience is Gods Cure. Time helps ſorrowes, Dies adimit …gritudinem: but ſtill this is tedious, and time runs to dully with them that be in …iſery. Reaſon qualifies it, for it is the courage and magnanimity of a man to …ffer. But this onelyonly ſeekes meanes to extricate us, reaſon will not ſtay for time: …u… faithfull patience lookes neither to reaſon nor time, but knowes a better reme…y: ſhe commits her cauſe to God, and reſolves upon this reſignation, that either …er ſorrow ſhall be leſſe or her fortitude more. Nobile vincendi genus eſt patien…ia. Faith, Charity, and Patience, are the three rich poſſeſſions of a Chriſtian: by Faith we poſſeſſe Chriſt, by Charity, we poſſeſſe our neighbour, by Patience … poſſeſſe our ſelves. He that wants Faith is without the head: he that wants Cha… ty, is without the body; he that wants patience is without himſelfe. Our patience, like our triall, hath but a ſhort exerciſe: our deliverance is glorious and everlaſting.
2 To confirme our hope, he that hath taſted the merciemercy of God in ſome no… ble deliverance, hopes in the next tryall for the ſame aſſiſtance.oRom. 5.4. Experience brings hope; becauſe it hath made the matter eaſie: he that hath often done a thing eaſ…y, miſtruſts not to doe it againe. David had often found his deliverance out of … exigents, therefore ſaies; In the Name of God I will leape over the Wall: his experience had made it ſo eaſie to him, that it was but a skip or jumpe in his conce….
3 Let us not faine afflictions before we have them: we can expect no del… rance out of fantaſticall griefes.pGal. 6.7. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. T… beggars by permiſſion, that faine themſelves halt and blinde: and begg… by commiſſion, that have patents for fires and wrackes: but their fires are … fained and falſe fires, and all their wrackes the wracke of their owne conſcie… ces. Let them take heed, leſt their fictions prove at laſt true afflictions, thei… … ſembled lameneſſe prove lameneſſe indeed. As Martial writes of Caelius, who … avoid the Ave potentiorem, giving his attendance early and late to the great ones … the time; fained himſelfe ſicke of the gowte; ſo cunningly, that his hyp…cr… came home to him, and he fell ſicke of the gowte indeed. Tantum cura poteſ… … ars doloris, deſiit fingere Caelius podagram. How often have thoſe miſchances tales to men without reliefe, for which they beg'd reliefe before they had cauſe! Go… promiſeth deliverance from the tentations he ſends, not thoſe we fetch: ſuch as come from our want, not from our wantonneſſe. Many make to themſelves c… ſes; and while Gods hand is not viſible, they with their owne hands beat themſelves. Haman that great favourite hath honour enough, though Mordecai do… cringe to him: yet this makes him diſcontent; here was a croſſe of his owne beg… ting. Ahab was King, had lands and demeaſnes enough of his owne, yet beca…e Nabaoth denyes him his vineyard, he falls ſicke of the ſullens. For this trouble let him thanke himſelfe: what needs a rich man be a theefe?q2 Sam. 13.2, 4. Amnon had v… tie of choiſe objects for his inordinate affection; yet he muſt be love-ſicke of T… mar: none but his halfe-ſiſter can pleaſe the eyes of that wanton Prince. Or… ry pleaſures will not content extraordinary perſons; ſuch pamper'd and … vern'd youthes, whoſe greatneſſe and eaſe have made unruly appetites. This … unnaturall heat of which he languiſhes; was not this an affliction of his owne … king. It is not rare to ſee a great man vexe himſelf at the neglect of a peaſant; … as a true Lion would paſſe by with an honourable ſcorne. To ſee the husband … a vertuous and comely ſpouſe, doting on a foule and forbidden bed. To ſee … man pine away with projecting how he ſhould live when he is old. Innume… be our fantaſticall evills, and we trouble our ſelves about nothing. Evills co… faſt enough of themſelves, there is ſtore made to our hands, we need not encr… their number: thoſe ill weeds will grow without our planting.
The Lord.Our deliverer is The Lord. It is the voice of all creatures in their ſeverall la… guages, Salvation is of the Lord. The confeſſion of men more ſenſibly,rIob 7.20. This … the preſerver of men. The acknowledgment of Saints more eſpecially, … helpe ſtandeth in the Name of the LORD. This word leads us to a conſ… deration of his Power; He can deliver us, and none but He. Lord: his Almightineſſe was the firſt Name He would be knowne by to the world, Exod 6.3. Not that Iehovah was not in ſome manner formerly knowne: for Gen. 15. and 26.24. But as if he made this difference: Then I gave promiſes what I would doe, now I come to performe the promiſes: with God Almighty, which ſignifies my Majeſty; I will ſhew my ſelfe Iehovah, the God of Abraham, which ſhall demonſtrate my merciemercy. Subjiciuntur omnes poteſtates Poteſtati Infinitae. The Lord. his Soveraignty is a point that comes not often to be handled, therefore here I take leave to enlarge my ſelfe. It may bee conſidered in ſeven reſpects.
1 It is undependant: many things are ſaid to governe, but they have ſome …ependance on their ſuperiours.ſHoſ. 2.21. Our life is beholding to the fruites, the fruites …o the trees, the trees to the earth, the earth to the raine, the raine to the Sunne, …he Sunne and all to the Lord: Natura Naturanti, machina Creatori. Fruites are …om trees, and trees from ſeeds; both moiſtned by the aire, and matured by the …unne: element is qualified by element, orbe depends on orbe, the Sunne it ſelfe …n Primum mobile: Astra regunt homines, ſed Deus astra: we can goe no higher. The child lookes up to his father, his father lives by the peace of the countrey, the …ountrey could have no peace but by the Magiſtrate, the Magiſtrate is countenan…ed and warranted by the King, the King is ruled by God. Still one lookes upon …nother, but the eyes of all things looke up unto thee, O Lord.
2 It is abſolute; hee may diſpoſe of his Subjects at his pleaſure. As the …otter having the lumpe in his hand, makes what kinde of veſſell he liſteth; …reat or ſmall, round or ſquare, for the Parlor, or for the Stable: and when …ee hath done, hee may ſet it on his cupboord, or on the dunghill: bee it to …onour or diſhonour, hee will be honoured by it. Man reſpects deſerts or de…erits, in making the poore rich, or the rich poore; in ennobling the baſe, or de…aſing the noble: God doth all according to his owne will without further relati…n.tMat. 20.15. Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne? He can make Tabor … little heaven, and turne Paradiſe into a deſart. It is abſolute, without controll: …here is none to call him to account or examination; with Cur ita facis? O Lord, … was not therefore thy doing becauſe it was good, but therefore is it good be…auſe it was thy doing. Whether thy mercy ſaveth us, we have cauſe to be thank…ll: or thy juſtice confoundeth us, we have no cauſe to complaine: ſtill Thou conti…ueſt holy, O thou worſhip of Iſrael.
3 His Lordſhip is univerſall. Firſt, overall times; other Lords die; Domi…i terrae, but terra Domini: he is eternall. Eternity is properly the duration of an …ncreat…d Ens. It is improperly taken, either for things that have both beginning …nd end, as Colles aeterni, terra aeterna, everlaſting mountaines; diverſe ſuch phra…es in Scripture. Or for things that have a beginning but ſhall have no end: ſo are …ngels, and mens ſoules eternall; ſo, eternall life, eternall fire. But God cals …imſelfe,uExod. 3.14. I AM: I am what I have beene, I have beene what I am, I am and …ave beene what I ſhall be. This Attribute is incommunicable: all other things …ad a Non eſſe preceeding their Eſſe; and they have a mutation tending to nothing. They ſhall be as nothing that warre againſt thee: xEſa. 41.12.all come to nothing unleſſe they …e upheld by the manutenency of God: butaPſa. 102.27 Thou art the ſame, and thy yeares ſhall …ave no end. Thou turneſt man to deſtruction, and againe ſayeſt, Returne: even from everlaſting to everlaſting thou art God: bPſa. 90.2.the ſole Vmpire and Meaſurer of beginning and ending. Secondly, over all places, heaven, earth, hell. Pſal. 135.6. Kings are limited, and cannot doe many things they deſire: they cannot command the Sun to ſtand ſtill, nor the winde to blow which way they would: in the …ofty aire, in the depth of the ſea, no King raignes. They fondly flatter the Pope with his long armes, that they reach to purgatory; (but indeed both power and …lace are alike imaginary,) it is CHRIST alone that hath the keyes of all places. …hirdly, over all creatures; binding the influences of Plejades, Iob. 38.31. 2 Kin. 1.12. Amos 5.8. Dan. 3.25. Pſa. 148.8. Iob 38.8. Iob. 43.2.and looſing the …onds of Orion: commanding the fire againſt the nature of it, to deſcend: creating …nd ruling the ſtarres, over-ruling the Lions, ſending the meteors, hedging in the …eas, lapping it up like a child in ſwadling clouts, dividing, diverting, filling it. In …oth fire and water, theſe two raging elements that have no mercy, he ſhewes mer…y: delivers us from both in both. He cals the fowles, and they come: the beaſts …nd they heare: the trees, and they ſpring to obey him. He hath a Raven for Elias, … gourd for Ionas, a dogge for Lazarus. Makes the Leviathan, the hugeſt living creature, preſerve his Prophet. That a terrible Lion ſhould be killed, as was by Sampſon; or not kill as they forbore Daniel; or kill and not eate, as that Prophet, 1 Kings 13. Here was the Lord. Over metals, he makes Iron to ſwimme, ſto…s to cleave a ſunder. Over the divels, they muſt obey him though animo reſiſte…di. But they continually rebell againſt him, and breake his will? They doe indeed againſt his complacency, not againſt his permiſſion: Et quando permittit, non … lens ſed volens permittit. Auguſt.There is then no time, not the houre of death: no place, not the ſoreſt torment; no creature, not the divell: but the Lord can deliver us from them. Therefore at all times, in all places, and againſt all creatures, let …s truſt in him for deliverance.
4 It is neceſſary; we could not live but by his dominion. Take away government, we are worſe than beaſts; a bad King is better than no King. If man rule … he over-rules all:cEccl. 5.8. Higher than the higheſt. Above all, to ſupport: the Pillar and the foundation of the pillars and foundations of the world. Above all to correct, binding Kings in chaines: if authority grow warped, to ſtraiten it with his juſtice. Above all, to direct, he directs naturall government to naturall good; that the Elements be not at war, but working in a well diſpoſed harmony for our benefit: that one doth not ſwallow up another, nor the ſtronger oppreſſe the weaker; it is the Lords doing. As he made nature with his Fiat, ſo he ſets it a working wi…h his Faciat: let it ſo be, let it ſo worke. He directs politick government to politick good, that we might live like men in a civill peace. Supernaturall government to ſalvation, that we may live like Chriſtians in a gracious obedience and comfort. This power was neceſſary for creation; he muſt be an Almighty Lord that could make us of nothing. It is neceſſary for preſervation, to conſerve things in their being and working. Neceſſary for redemption; it muſt be an infinite ſto…e, that muſt pay an infinite debt. If the Lord had not become a ſervant on earth, thoſe ſervants could never have beene Lords in heaven. All the parts of a Common-wealth, ought to uphold one another in policy: all the members of the Church to uphold one another in charity: as in a building one ſtone doth bea…e up another, but the foundation beares up all. The members uphold the body, the body the members: the Subjects uphold the King, the King upholds the Subjects: but Thou O Lord, upholdeſt us all.
5 It is immutable; whatſoever the Lord is, he is Simul & Semel. With …s one thing doth exclude another, this moment thruſts out that; learning excludes ignorance, riches poverty; the buſineſſe of this houre gives place to the next. Be… Gods Eſſence and perfections are together: Aeternitas Dei; Eſſentia Dei eſt. As he is eternall, abſque Origine, ſo invariable abſque Mutatione: We are not preſe… to things paſt or to come: God is to all times and things, paſt, preſent, or …; ever preſent. The reaſon is, he is Immenſe, and fils all places without mo…i…, without aſcent, or deſcent. Indeed he is ſometime ſaid to d deſcend; but it is becauſe he then doth ſome new worke; men tooke no notice of his preſence before This Lordſhip hath no ſucceſſion, yet he produceth workes ſucceſſively: Eg…f… cio, and Ego faciam. But this is not in regard of himſelfe, but in reſpect of us, that he is ſaid to doe one thing after another. He doth not now create the world, not now deſtroy it, nor now call Abraham out of Vr: nor is Iſaac redeemed from ſacrifice, and Chriſt ſacrificed, in the ſame place or at the ſame time. The type … properly goe before the antitype. It is falſe then to ſay that men were juſtified before they were borne: they are elected before all time, but called and juſtified in time: theſe things are done ſucceſſively. With the Lord there is order, though there be no time. If I come to a Pillar with my left ſide toward it, it is then on my left ſide: if I come with my right ſide toward it, then is it on my right ſide: yet is the pillar it ſelfe unmoveable. Omnis mutabilitas quaedam mors, ſaith the Schoole if God could change, he could dye. Now change is either ſubſtantiall, or qualitative: but Gods ſubſtance cannot be changed, and he hath no qualities. Againe, it is either amiſſive, or perfective: no man changes but he is either the better or the worſe by it: God is the fountaine of life, nothing can be added to him, for he is …nite: nothing derogated from him, for he is the Lord Almighty. In his will, his purpoſe, in his joy, in his Iuſtice, in his merciemercy, in all unchangeable. How is then ſaid to repent? Not that he doth repent, but appeares to us in the alterati… of his work, as one repenting. There may be change in the worke, there is none …he worke-man. Ad novum opus conſilium non novum, ſed aeternum: mutat rem, Greg.non …ilium. The unchangeable decree of God diſpoſeth the change of all things, … man that builds a houſe, hath an Idea in his head whereby he purpoſes to frame …he decrees how to order this part, to erect that corner, here to build a partition, …re a chimney, to ſet up a ſcaffold, and pull it downe againe: here is a varietie … change of the worke, the worker is ſtill the ſame. What God once is, he is … ever: once juſt, ever juſt: once mercifull, ever mercifull.
6 It is incomprehenſible, who ever ſaw God in his ſtrength, and lived? This …rd is in himſelfe Inviſible, as indiviſible: ſeene in his mighty workes, never to … ſeene in his Perſon.e1 Cor. 13.12. But we ſhall ſee him face to face? Not the deitie it ſelfe, as … Anthropomorphites dreamed: not a light only reſulting from him, as was the …or of the Armenians. But by face to face, is meant the cleare knowledge of … underſtanding: and we ſhall know him, not with comprehenſive knowledge, … with Scientia adaequata, as he is cognoſcible, for he is incomprehenſible. So are …ſe places to be underſtood, Hebr. 12.15. 1 Ioh. 3.2. Revel. 22.4. The intel…uall viſion is not of his Eſſence, but of ſome worke repreſented. And that of …uel, Chap. 7.9. was but a dreame or viſion upon his bed; ſome divine and ſu…naturall revelation. But did not Iohn Baptiſt fMatth. 3 16ſee the Holy Ghoſt? No, not the …vine nature, but the Dove. But doth not Iob aſſure himſelfe ofgIob 19.26. Seeing God? …t GOD himſelfe, but his Redeemer, God in the vaile of the fleſh: IESUS …ll be throughly and joyfully looked upon: but the deitie ſhall not be ſeene here…er with the bodily eyes.
Nothing can apprehend that which is out of the limits; but we are finite, and …d is immenſe. Every thing that is ſeene, muſt be ſeene in ſome place; but God … no place. Our body indeed ſhall bee ſpirituall, not needing meat, nor ſleepe, … breathing by aire: yet it is not capable of comprehending that infinite Spirit. …re we underſtand him after the meaſure and capacitie of man, in a humane re…blance; as if hee had feet, eyes, affections: becauſe they that ſhould know him, …e ſuch. But when we read of Gods Foot, let us thinke of his comming, as a …n removes by his feet. When wee read of his eyes, conſider his knowledge of … things, as a man ſees all by that Organ of ſenſe. So when we are ſaid to ſee his …e, conceive our knowledge of him to be meant. He that made the eare, ſhall he … heare? he doth not ſay, Hath he not an eare? but, ſhall he not heare? ThehM…tth 5.8. Pure … heart are promiſed to ſee God: but as that pureneſſe is in heart, ſo is that viſion … heart. Wee ſay, I ſee a mans wiſedome, ſee his valour, ſee his meaning; yet … not theſe viſible▪ ſo nor this Lord but by his effects, what his power worketh. …us farre in heaven we ſhall exceed in knowledge: here we know him only by …gatives, what he is not; that not mortall, not mutable: and by his workes; …he Lord is knowen by his Iudgements; and vacate & videte, kPſal. 46.10.Be ſtill, iPſ…l. 9.16.and know that … God: you that are abſent, come and ſee: you that are preſent, ſtand ſtill and …ntemplate: ſee and know, know and confeſſe, confeſſe and apply, make uſe of …at you ſee and know. What's that? I am God, you are but men: Put them in …de, O Lord, that they are but men; wormes, vanitie, nothing. But Ego Deus, not …opular, titular, idle, abject God, like the gods of the Gentiles, not able to wipe … duſt off their owne faces: but a God that makes gods, a God that marres gods; …t hath a dominion above all dominion, above all comprehenſion. LORD, …e cannot comprehend thee in thy Majeſtie, doe thou comprehend us in thy …rcie.