A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 2 · Exposition of verse 8-10
Verſe 8. But vntounto them that are contentious and diſobey the truth, and obey vnrighteouſnes, ſhall be indignation and wrath.
Verſe 9. Tribulation and anguiſh ſhall be vponupon the ſoule of eueryevery man that doeth euill: of the Iew first, and alſo of the Grecian.
Verſe 10. But to eueryevery man that doth good, ſhall be glorie, and honour, and peace, to the Iew first, and alſo to the Grecian.
SEe we now the contrarie qualitie, and iſſue of an obſtinate ſinner; his deſcription is firſt to be conſidered, then his iſſue.
They are ſet out by foure properties: firſt, contentious: ſecondly, Obſer. diſobaying the truth: thirdly, obaying vnrighteouſneſſe, fourthly, working euill, and exerciſing it as it were a trade.
Now contentions they are called eſpecially in reſpect of their vaine iangling againſt Gods truth, as vnwilling to let the light therof ſhine to their heartsu2 Tim. 3.8.: and this humour of wrangling, this ſpirit of contradiction, ariſeth, firſt, partly from that naturall enmitie that is betwixt carnall wiſedome, and that of Gods ſpiritvvRom. 8.7.: ſecondly, partly from vaine gloriexPhil. 2.3.: whiles they hold it a point of wit, to be able to reaſon againſt the plaineſt truthes: and thirdly, from an euill conſcience, deſirous to maintaine peace in euill, which knowledge and yeelding to the truth cannot but diſturbe, Ioh. 3.20.
Now if there be any truth ſo clearely euidenced, that they cannot but acknowledge it, yet in this ſecond they ſhew their rotten harts: they yeeld no obedience theretoyIude 10.: and this is the diuels policie, if hee cannot blind the eyes of the vnderſtanding, that the light of the glorious Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt may not ſhine vntounto themz2 Cor. 4.4., if that ſucceede not, yet labours he to keep in wilfull diſobedienceaEpheſ. 22.: but which yet increaſeth their wickedneſſe, they not onelyonly withhold obedience from the truth, but willingly yeeld obedience to vnrighteouſneſſeb2 Pet. 2.19.: ſeruants of corruptioncRom. 6.12.: obay ſinne in the luſts thereof; ſinne ſitting in their hearts, as the Centurion in his houſe, bidding one goe, and hee runnes; another come and he comes.
To which adde the laſt, and you ſhall hauehave a wicked carnall man in his coulours: he is ordinarie in the committing of ſinne, that is his tradedEpheſ. 4.19. 2 Pet. 2.14. Pro. 4.16. Iſay 5 11. Ier. 6.7.: as the fountaine caſteth out her waters, ſo they their malice: how euident thoſe notes of vnreformed, and damnable ſinners are amongſt vsus, it were long to ſpeake, and is doleful to conſider. This onelyonly let all ſuch wrangling, rebellious workers of wickedneſſe conſider, their preſent eſtate and future miſerie; that if it be poſſible, they may rid themſelues out of the ſnare of the diuell, of whom they are taken, to doe his wil; ſurely, ſaith Iames the wiſedome that is from aboue is foreign eIam. 3.17., and as it is ſaidfIſay 52.14., that Kings ſhould not open their mouths againſt Chriſt, ſo is it true of all Gods children, they labour to captiuate euerie thought to the obedience of Chriſtg2 Cor. 10.5., and though they faile in many particulars through frailtie, yet this they can ſay; ſinne raignes not in themhRom. 6.12. & 7.23.; neither walke they after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit, Rom. 8.1.
Well, ſee we ſecondly the end, iſſue, and iuſt recompence of ſuch obſtinate ſinners.
To ſuch ſhall be indignation, and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh.
Note here how thicke the Apoſtle lets come on with vengeanee againſt ſuch ſinners; Obſer. not content with once naming, or denouncing Gods wrath, hee iterates it in a Rhetoricall exaggeration; reade the Text; compare alſo, Pſal. 11.6. Mar. 9.43.45. ſuch changes and armies of ſorrowes hath the Lord prouided for all the vngodly. Reaſons thereof ſeeme theſe, firſt, to teach that no ſinne is little: ſecondly, to rowſe vsus to conſideration of our naturall miſerie, and to melt our heartsiNehe. 1. Ioel 2.13. 2 Reg. 22.20.: thirdly, that wee might hunger and thirſt after reconciliation by ChriſtkGal. 3.24.: fourthly, to deter vsus from practiſe of ſinne.
Now hence let vsus learne, rightly to poyſe the waight of our ſinnes, in the balance of the ſanctuarie: and by the fearefull iſſue and afterclaps that they bring, iudge how haynous they are in the ſight of GOD: can wee thinke them little, that prouoke the fierie, and furious wrath of the Lord? or that caſt vsus into ſuch intolerable anguiſh and tribulation? it is the folly of carnall men, euer to little their ſinnes: becauſe commonly they meaſure them by the ſmalneſſe of the matter wherein they offend: a little recreation on the ſaboth, &c. Now brethren know wee, that ſinnes are to be eſteemed rather thus; by the meaſure of malice in the heart, from which they proceede, then by the ſmall matter wherein we offendlNumb. 15.35.: a ſmall matter it ſeemes, to gather a few ſtickes vponupon the ſabboth; but yet the preſumptuouſnes of the offender made it great in the eyes of God: ſecondly, by the greatneſſe of the perſon whom wee offend, that is, the maieſtie of God: thirdly, the price of the Ranſome; the bloud of God himſelfemActs 20.28.: fourthly, the waight of vengeance, whereinto they plunge vsus: yea, and marke, how the ſmalneſſe of the matter may aggrauate the ſinne; for how great contempt of Gods maieſtie ſhewes it? when for a trifle, a man will incurre his diſpleaſure; to tranſgreſſe for a peece of bread, as the iuſt man ſpeakes.
Ʋſe 2 And this ſhould be as a bridle vntounto vsus, to reſtraine vsus from ſinning againſt the maieſtie of God, who ſhall dwell with continuall burnings? or who can beare the fierie wrath of the Lord? Nahu. 1.2.3.4 &c.
Obſer. It may not be omitted, that the Apoſtle iterates the denunciation of Gods vengeance to our tranſgreſſions: and ſuch repetitions are neuer idle in the ſcripture, but as Ioſeph ſpeakes of Pharaohs dreames, they are doubled, becauſe the thing is decreed with God, and the Lord haſtens to performe it, Gen. 41.32.
Ʋſe 3 And would God this perſwaſion of the certaintie, and ſpeedie execution of threatned vengeance, could ſinke into our hearts: but how ſeeme we vntounto our people to mocke, when we preſſe theſe thingsnGen. 19.14.? and how doth eueryevery man almoſt, bleſſe himſelfe in his wickedneſſe? perſwading himſelfe, that he may hauehave peace, though he walke after the ſtubbornneſſe of his owne heartoDeut. 29.18.19.: and euer we think our maiſter delayes his commingpLuke 12.45.: Oh, ſaith the Apoſtle, be not deceiued; no whoremonger, drunkard, &c. hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Godq1 Cor. 6.9.: and let no man deceiue you with vaine words; for ſuch things ſake, commeth the vvrath of God vponupon the children of diſobediencerEpheſ. 5.6.. And thus much of this period.