Exposition of Jude 2, Biblical exegesis · Verse 11 · Observations 3
OBSERVATIONS.
1.Obſerv. 1. Satan makes uſe of the meeteſt and ableſt Inſtruments to advance his deſigns. Balaam a Prophet he deems of all other the fitteſt to curſe Iſrael. He oft employs refined wits to defend Error, as Arius, Sabellius, Pelagius, Socinus, Arminius: He carves his Mercury on the moſt promiſing peeces: He uſeth thoſe to pervert the world, who transform themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11.13, 15.and the Miniſters of righteouſneſſe; he ſpeaks by thoſe who know how to uſe fair ſpeeches, wiſdome of words, ſleight, cunning craftineſs, and can lye in wait to deceive: Epheſ. 4.14.Satan knows that his cauſe is bad, and therefore he imploys thoſe in the mannaging thereof, who are able to make the beſt of a bad matter; rotten ſtuffs want moſt watring, and wrinkled faces moſt painting; and error and impiety skilfulleſt pretences, ſubtilleſt evaſions, faireſt gloſſes, and moſt cunning inſinuations. Tertullus is fitteſt to plead againſt Paul: Soothſayers to oppoſe Moſes: A Simon Magus to deceive the whole City. Beſides, Satan is moſt hurtfull to the Church when he oppoſeth it by ſubtilty and ſeduction. Balaam did more hurt to the Iſraelites by his counſel, then the Moabites could by their courage; the daughters of Moah by tempting to Adultery and Idolatry, deſtroyed 24000; the ſons of Moab could not overcome one: they whom God hath furniſht with the beſt weapons of arts and parts, have oft given his Church the deepeſt wounds. Men of great ability, ſhould labour to be men of good abilities, and great integrity. There's no eminency either of outward power, or inward parts, but the Devil labours to make uſefull and ſubſervient to his own ends, and intereſt, and a ſtirrup to lift him up into the ſaddle. How great a pitty is it that a good, a clear head, ſhould be accompanied with a bad, an unclean heart! Tremble to think that any of thy accompliſhments ſhould be ornaments to beautifie the Devil. Diabolus cupit abs te ornari.That thy voice ſhould make him Muſick, that thy wit, eloquence, ſtrength, authority, ſhould be weapons to fight for him againſt thy Lord, and their Donor. Oh let not Satan drink the wine of that vineyard which he never planted, or draw out of that Well which he never digged, inhabit that houſe which he never built. Oh let all thy endowments be Engines imployed for the Giver. Thy abilities never have their due improvements, but when they advance Chriſt. Never had the Aſs ſo rich, ſo precious a burden, as when Chriſt ſate upon it.
2.Obſerv. 2. God often gives excellent endowments to wicked perſons. Balaam, famous for his propheſies, was in famous for his prophaneneſſe; they who are workers of iniquity, may propheſie in Chriſts Name, work miracles, Matth 7.and caſt out Devils; both Judas and Caiphas prove this point. God is a very bountifull Maſter, ſome bones and crumbs he lets fall even to dogs; Gods bounty is ſo full a Cup, that though it be fill'd for his children, ſome drops run over upon the wicked. And by the endowments of the worſt of men, God often doth good to his Church; gifts are miniſtrantia, not ſanctificantia, beneficial to others, not to the owners; for edifying, not ſanctifying; they are (as it were) Gods ſhipping, to convey his treaſury of grace upon the ſhore of his people, ſouls. God oft gives men excellent parts and abilities to benefit others, as ſome rich or noble man, who cauſeth the Nurſe to fare daintily, for the good of his child, to which ſhe gives ſuck; not out of love to her ſelf. The Iſraelites were enriched even by gold that was Egyptian; they who preach Chriſt out of envie, may yet preach Chriſt to the benefit of hearers. A Raven brought Elijah food, and wicked men may ſometimes profitably diſpence the food of life; the dull whetſtone may ſharpen the knife; the deaf bell may give a found to the ears of others; a ſweetly ſounding Lute, not it ſelf delighted with the Muſick, may yet recreate, yea almoſt raviſh others. An unskilful Serving-man may open the gate for his Maſter, and let it ſhut to again before he himſelf can get through. Balaams mouth uttered an excellent propheſie of Chriſt and his Church, for the good of others, his own heart (mean while) being untoucht, untaught; God put the word of propheſie but into his mouth. And further God will have a tribute of glory even from his enemies. Balaam in the midſt of his rage and covetouſneſs, praiſed God: he can extract water out of the rock, and raiſe children out of ſtones; it is not ſo much glory for God to take away wicked men, as to uſe their evill to his own holy purpoſes; as the heart of Balaam curſed againſt his tongue, ſo his tongue bleſſed againſt his heart: God makes wicked men to ſerve him, when they think moſt to reſiſt him; and that which is not, nay is contrary to the end of the worker, he makes the end of the work. Laſtly, God will render wicked men inexcufable, even by their own carriage; they who preach and praiſe the ways of God to others, can have no apology for their own not practiſing them; let none then pleaſe himſelf with parts and gifts of edification without the power of godlineſſe; theſe are but like Ʋriahs letters, which cut the throat of him that carried them. A drop of grace, is worth a ſea of gifts; he that can ſhed one tear of godly ſorrow, preſents a more acceptable gift to God, then all the ſilver and gold of Solomons Temple. Light may make a good head, onelyonly heat can make a good heart. The Divel knows more, and can ſpeak as good a Sermon as any man, and yet he is ſtill a Divel. Rejoyce not therefore in gifts without grace; not (as Chriſt ſaid) that the Divels are ſubject unto you; but in this, that your names are written in heaven. Labour for that which never was, nor can be beſtowed upon an enemy; the Spirit may be aſſiſting, where it never is inhabiting; God may ſpeak to an enemy, he only ſpeaks peace to a friend. Grace is the proper and genuine effect of the Spirit, gifts are but (as it were) the outward artificial effects thereof; and as much difference is there in the Spirits production of theſe two, as between a mans begetting of his child, and making of an houſe: Gifts are (as it were) dead graces, but graces are living gifts. The greateſt miniſtring gifts, expel no luſt, mortifie no inordinate affection, cleanſe no heart; when gifts are in their eminency, ſin may be in its prevalency. In that man who is the fulleſt of them, there may be as much room for the Devil to dwell, as ever. A man may be a great Scholer, and yet a great ſinner; yea (unleſs ſanctified by grace) the greater ſcholer, the greater ſinner, and enemy to God; and ſo the more gifts, the more condemnation: as it is with a ſinking ſhip, the more its laden with gold, the deeper it ſinks, ſo the more a man is laden with gifts, (without graces) the deeper he ſinks into hell: Indeed gifts may beautifie grace, but grace onelyonly ſanctifies gifts; as the Gold beautified the Temple, but the Temple ſanctified the gold. To conclude, as there may be a gracious heart, who never had theſe gifts, ſo they who have them are not certain alwayes to enjoy them; the leaſt drop of ſaving grace, ſhall grow to a river; but the greateſt flood of gifts may decay to leſſe then a drop. There's nothing that God beſtows upon us, but he may repent of the giving thereof, unleſs it be grace.
3.Obſ. 3. Its great both impiety and ignominy to be a ringleader in ſin, with Balaam to miſlead others. The greateſt Seducer who hath a double portion of wit to teach others error and hereſie, an Haereſiarch obtains no more by all this, then to become primogenitus Diaboli, Satans eldeſt Son. Its honorable to lead others to Heaven, to teach men the way to happineſs, to be an Abraham, a Joſhua, a David, to inſtruct our families to bring our houſe with our ſelves to ſerve the Lord, to teach ſinners in the way, but to be a Jeroboam, an Elymas, a Balaam, how diſgraceful, how deſtructive is it! Have not men ſins enough of their own, unleſs they make the ſins of others their own alſo? How deeply ſhall they be plunged into hell, Quid proderit non puniri ſuo, qui alieno puniendus eſt peccato?who are cruſh'd both with their own, and their other mens ſins alſo! By every one whom thou haſt made wicked, ſhalt thou (without repentance) hereafter be made woful. Some think that the reaſon why the rich Glutton deſired that his brethren might not come into that place of torment with him, was, becauſe the coming of thoſe whom he had put upon ſin, would have been an addition to his torment. Seldome will Princes pardon the ring-leaders of a Rebellion: And rarely is it ſeen, but that the Teachers of others to ſin, have been eminent either for repentance or ruin. Corah, Dathan, &c. who were ring-leaders in the rebellion, ſmarted accordingly. And think, though God peradventure ſhould at any time give thee repentance, how many freſh bleedings, and renewed troubles of ſoul will, nay, ſhould be ſtirred up in thee by the recollection of thy former putting thoſe upon ſin, who, though ſinning with thee, (it may be) never repented with thee, and ſo were either by thy counſel or example, ſent to hell! It was not, the leaſt part of Pauls aggravation of his ſin, nor of his trouble, even when he was converted, that he had formerly compelled men to Blaſpheme. If thou haſt led others to Hell, God will not, without deep repentance, bring thee to Heaven. And upon none lies there ſo ſtrong an engagement as upon thee, of doing good to others ſouls for time to come. Paul converted, was as earneſt to draw men to Chriſt, as formerly he was induſtrious to drive them from Chriſt.*Of a Wolf he became a Shepherd.
4.Obſerv. 4. Love of Luſt makes men Erroneous. Balaams love to reward, made him ſay any thing. Of this largely in the former part, page 615.
5Obſerv. 5. Deſire of gain will carry a man upon any wickedneſs. It neither fears, nor forbears any ſinful courſe for the attaining its end: They that will be rich, fall into tentation and a ſnare, and many fooliſh and hurtful Luſts, Avaritia eſt plus velle quam ſat eſt. Aug. de lib. arb. l. 3. c. 17. Hom. 13. in Act.1 Tim. 6.9. They meet with many enticements unto ſin, and they will not fear to embrace any enticement: They are (as Chryſoſtom expreſſeth it) as a City without walls, on every ſide beſet with Beſiegers, and unable to reſiſt any aſſault. The love of money (ſaith the Apoſtle) is the root of all evil, 1 Tim. 6.10. Take this away (ſaith Chryſoſtom) and thou takeſt away all wickedneſs, Fraud, Rapine, War, Hereſie, Theſt, Lying, Contention, &c. A covetous man (ſaith he) knows no friend, nay, no God. Dicitur radix omnium malorum, ad fimilitudinem radicis arboris, quae alimentum praeſtat toti arbori. Aquin. part 2. q. 84. Art 1. Ex parte intentionis, ſuperbia, quae eſt appeſtitus excellentiae, eſt initium omnis peccati; ſed ex parte executionis, eſt primum id quod praebet opportunitatem adimplendi omnia deſideria peccaii, & ex haec parte avaritia, &c. Art. 2. ubi ſupra. Dolus in Idolo. Deos quiſ que ſibi utiles cudit. Pro ar is quia pro focis.The love of money gives nouriſhment to every ſin, as the root doth to the whole tree. And Aquinas conceives, that though pride, in reſpect of intention, be the root of ſin, as its the ſcope and end which the ſinner looks at, in his ſinning; the end of obtaining all Temporal good things being (as he ſaith) that a man thereby may get a kind of ſingular perfection and excellency to himſelf; yet that covetouſneſs is the root and beginning of ſin, in reſpect of execution, as its that which furniſheth a man with matter to act and commit ſin, and gives opportunity to fulfil all the deſires of ſin. Agreeable to this is that of Solomon, Prov. 28.20. He that maketh haſte to be rich, ſhall not be innocent: and chap. 23.4. Labour not to be rich. He that deſires more then enough, will not know where to ſtop, will break all bounds. To deſire beyond the bounds of ſufficiency, is to ſeek for more then man may pray for. No ſooner doth a man, ſtep over this hedge, but he is preſently in the wide, wild, and boundleſs Champain of Covetouſneſs, and being once there, he hath no limits to keep him in. Achans taking of the accurſed thing; Ahabs violent and injurious ſnatching away of Nabohs Vineyard; Judah his ſelling of his Maſter; Gehezie's, and Ananias's and Saphyrah's lying, Demetrius's contention for Idol-Diana; Saul's diſobeying of God in ſparing the cattle; and Jehu's halt in Reformation, ſufficiently prove this Truth. The covetouſneſs of the Scribes, Luke 20.47.made them devour widowes houſes; for it the Prieſts made the Temple a Den of Thieves, by admitting of Money-Changers, &c. They cared not with what corruption they filled the Temple, ſo as they might fill their own Treaſuries. Popery hath hewen the principal Pillars of her Superſtition out of this Rock of Covetouſneſs. Its a Religion wholly compacted and contrived for gain, not only gotten from the living, by Pardons, Maſſes, Confeſſions, Offerings, Pilgrimages, Worſhipping of Saints, Indulgences; Multò aequanimius decem millium animarum ferunt jacturam quàm decem ſolidorum. Nicol. Clemangis de Pontif. Magis aurum ſuſpiciunt quam Coelum. Neh. 13.16. Amos 8.by making of a Money-matter of the moſt crying Abominations; of Witch-craft; of Murder of Father, Mother, Child, Wife; of Inceſt, Sodomy, Beaſtiality, &c. But alſo from the Dead, who pay large Tributes by meanes of their Purgatory; a toy which they cry not up at all for Truth, but meerly for Traffick. Silver is in the ſacks mouth of every Popiſh Error. Covetouſneſs ſwallowes down any equivocation, oath, lye, perjury. 'Tis this ſin that makes the Sabbath, Sabbatum Tyri & Bacchi, a Marketting and Junketting, a ſelling and ſwilling day; that ſtupifies the bowels of nature, and maketh men without natural affection toward deareſt relations, deſiring their deaths, in ſtead of preſerving their lives. The thirſt after gain, makes men thirſty after blood, as Balaam, Ahab, and Judas were both covetous and bloody. If the hands be not defiled with blood, its the Law, not conſcience that keeps them clean. Its Covetouſneſs that licenſeth the publick Stewes at Rome, and thoſe ſties of Curtezans. Many have violated their matrimonial faith and chaſtity, and the Covenant of their God, allured more with the Adulterers purſe, Jer. 6.13.then his perſon. And what are all the Thefts, Falſe-dealings, Oppreſſions, Uſury, but the iſſues of this ſin! Judas was covetous, and therefore a Thief. Theft and Covetouſneſs are joined together, 1 Cor. 6.10. Whence come falſe-accuſing, pleading for an unrighteous cauſe, the making the conſcience a very hackney, the flattering of men in ſin, and the having of their perſons in admiration, but from love of advantage? Covetouſneſs damps holineſs, as the damp of the earth puts out a candle. A covetous heart, like places where moſt Gold is, is moſt barren. Chriſtians, think not to be free of any one, if you will embrace this one ſin.
To overcome it, 1. Overcome the unbelief of thy heart; the root of this root of all evil, is diſtruſt of Gods promiſe and providence. Sinful care comes from ſmall faith; Heb. 13.5Let your converſation (ſaith the Apoſtle) be without Covetouſneſs; for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. He who hath God for his, in him finds his Gold, and all things elſe. The Lord is my Shepherd, (ſaith David) I ſhall not want. Pſal. 23.1. Job 22.23. If thou return to the Almighty, &c. then ſhalt thou lay up Gold as duſt, &c. yea, the Almighty ſhall be thy defence, or Gold, Aurum lectiſſimum. Jun. ver. 25or choice Gold (as Junius reads it.) He that by Faith makes God his Gold, ſhall never through covetouſneſs make Gold his God.
2. Rectifie thy opinion of Riches. The earth is the loweſt of Creatures, and made to be trampled under our feet; and the Primitive Chriſtians laid the price of their poſſeſſions at the feet of the Apoſtles. Act 4. ult.Gold and Silver are fitter to ſet our feet, then our hearts upon. It would be againſt nature, for earth and heaven to joyn together: when an incongruity is it then, for our ſouls, purer then the heavens, to be glued to the clods? To have much, is not to be rich. God is called Rich in Scripture, not for Money, but for Mercy. Rom. 10.12.True Riches, ſtand more in doing, then in receiving good. Nec vera, nec veſtra.Worldly enjoyments have but the name, the ſhew of Riches. There's nothing but opinion that makes them excellent. The common names given to Riches, are beſtowed but abuſively. They are not gain; by them, for them, men oft loſe their ſouls. Not goods; they neither make us good, nor are they ſigns of goodneſs. They are not ſubſtance, they are but ſhadowes, nor can they ſo much as ſhadow the Excellency of thoſe which are true. They are not means conducing to the chief end, happineſs; indeed they are means to damn and undo many a ſoul: they are nothing; Solomon ſaith, they are not; i. e. in point of Duration, Satisfaction, efficacy, and uſefulneſs when we are in diſtreſs.
To conclude this. 3. To overcom Covetouſneſs, ſtudy the Excellency of Riches indeed, true Riches, of being rich to God, 1 Tim. 6.11 Math. 6 19. Quodam cordis itinere divitias tuas ſequere. Sequatur totum noſtrum, quo praeceſſerit aliquid noſtrum. Aug.rich in faith, rich in Heavenly Treaſures. Look upon him that is Inviſible; view the Sun, and then thy eyes will be ſo dazled, that in other things thou wilt behold no beauty. Conſider thy Crown, and contemn the Dung-hill. Our Head is in Heaven, let head and heart be together. Let thy ſoul take a journey every day by Faith to thy Country, thy Treaſure, thy Chriſt. Largely of this, ſee Part 1. pag. 372
6.Obſerv. 6. Much is the power and goodneſs of God ſeen, in the turning of the violent propenſions of the heart, from any way of ſin, toward himſelf. His power; for what but the power of Grace can turn the tide and ſtream of Nature? Humane Lawes can curb us from the act and exerciſe of ſin, but only the Law written in the heart, can command and change the heart, and deſtroy in it, the love and propenſion to ſin. Here is clearly applicable that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 114 5What ailed thee, Oh thouſea, that thou fleddeſt? thou Jordan, that thou wert driven back? ye mountains, that ye skipped like Rams, and ye little hills like Lambs? The anſwer is, Tremble thou earth at the preſence of the Lord. Who but God can ſtop the Sun in its career, and make it go backward? Who but he can ſtop a Saul in his Journey, and make him go back as well in heart as in body, and become more earneſt in praying then ever now he was in perſecuting? The Church complaing that ſhe was as a Bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoak, Jer. 31.18.aptly adds, Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned. The giving of a clean heart is a work of Creation, Create it in me, ſaith David. Nor is the Goodneſſe of God herein leſs obſervable then his Power. How great is that love which doth us good againſt our wills, and turned us when we were running greedily to our own deſtruction! when we regarded the perſwaſions of men no more then doth the wild Aſs (as Job ſpeaks) the cry of the Driver! When all the means which friends, parents, Job 39.7.Miniſters could uſe to reclaim us, were loſt upon us; nay, we much worſe (as was the woman in the Goſpel by going to the Phyſician!) then what love was it, (nay, was it not) for Chriſt to teach, to touch the heart, and to turn us, when we had run even to Hel gates! Nor was the ſmarteſt diſpenſation, the moſt unpleaſing ſtop, the moſt pricking thorny hedg any other then an unſpeakable mercy, that hindred thee from finding thy way to Hell, and running greedily to thine own damnation. How much better was it to be diverted, then damned?
7. They who ſtrive to hinder ſinners in their courſe, Obſerv. 7.are like to meet with unkind returnes of oppoſition. Till God turnes their hearts, how angry are men with ſtops, and vexed that bridges are broken down, when they are running greedily, and marching furiouſly! All the hatred which Miniſters meet with, is becauſe they would ſtop ſinners in their way to hell, and will not ſuffer them to be at peace, when they are going on to eternal paines. Never did any meet with ſo many cruel and bloody contradictions from ſinners, as he who in his life, & Doctrin, and death did moſt oppoſe ſin; Am I therefore become your enemy, becauſe I tell you the truth? ſaith Paul. He who was ſent to turn people from Satan to God, had all the rage of people and Satan turned againſt him. Hatred (ſaith Luther) is the Genius of the Goſpel. Sauls Javelin, followed Davids Muſick. Its very likely, that he who is quiet among ſinners, ſuffers them to be quiet in ſin. We ſhould pity ſinners, though, nay becauſe they oppoſe us; if we turn them, they will love and thank us, and whenſoever they come to be their own friends, they will be ours. However, the Lord will reward even unſucceſsful faithfulneſs; and to be ſure, we can much better bear hatred from the wicked for doing, then from God for neglecting our duty.
8.Obſerv. 8. The beſt way by which to try our ſin cerity, is willingneſs to be ſtopt in any way, in which our luſts would make us run moſt greedily. If ſinners run greedily and violently after their Luſts, then none but Saints can rejoice when they are ſtopt in the proſecution of them, and bleſs God (as David did for Abigails counſel) when they are hindred in any ſinful career. God promiſeth to his Elect a thorny hedg, Hoſ. 2.6.if they will be gadding; and they look upon it as a ſingular mercy: they being thereby turned back to their firſt huſband. Only the people of God love that preaching which moſt oppoſeth their Luſts; and that Angel moſt (or Meſſenger of God) which ſtands with the drawn Sword of the Word to hinder them in their unlawful journey. Exangue & nobile quoddam Martyrii genusThe patient and thankful enduring of ſtops and ſtroaks when we are ſinning, is a very Noble, though a bloodleſs Martyrdom; a true note of true grace.
9Obſerv. 9. Men have moſt cauſe to ſuſpect their courſes are is bad, when ſwift. When they run greedily, that they run wickedly; when they run faſt, that they run wrong. When we are in any way of God, commonly we do but go, or rather creep; but in the way of ſin, after the Error of Balaam, we are ready to run, and that greedily too; we are here carryed with wind and tide, our own inclinations, and Satans impulſions: the Jewes cryed out againſt Chriſt, they not ſo much as whiſpering againſt Barabbas. It was miſguided Zeal, when the Diſciples deſired that fire might come down from heaven. When ever we are furious in any March, we ſhould fear that we are in Balaams Journey; I mean, we ought to ſuſpect the goodneſs of that undertaking, wherein we are moſt violent; and to doubt that we are ſailing to a wrong Port, when with a full gale and a ſtrong tide. A ſmooth, if a falſe way, ſhould not delight us; nor ſhould a rugged, if a right way, diſhearten us. Its no ſign thou pleaſeſt God, or ſpeakeſt the Truth, becauſe men do not oppoſe thee in what thou doſt or ſayeſt. We muſt be wiſer then either Chriſt or his Apoſtles, if we have got the skil to pleaſe the moſt, in doing that which is beſt. The peaceableneſs of ſinners, is but impiety not oppoſed. Rather ſhould I hope that what I do is right, when wicked men moſt rage and roar againſt me for doing it. When the Divel roars (ſaith Luther) its a ſign I have ſtruck him right: that is good which Satan hates.
To conclude this. Embrace no opinion, becauſe it is maintained with multitudes and violence. Fire and faggot of old, were but weak arguments to prove the truth of Tranſubſtantiation. As ſtrong paſſions deſtroy a good, ſo do they not ſeldom diſcover a bad cauſe. 1 Cor. 4.19. Non vociferatio, ſed ratio.Paul reſolved to know not the ſpeech, but the power of them who were puffed up. The worſhip of Diana is cryed up with more rage, then that of the true God is advanced with Zeal.
10Obſerv. 10. Little do they who run down the hill know where they ſhall ſtop. Theſe Seducers poured forth themſelves to the utmoſt. Who knows in what a ſad agreement the very Parley and Treaty with any Luſt may end. The more modeſt motions which it makes at firſt, may end in an exceſſive immoderate pouring forth, and a profuſe ſpending of what we have and are, our time, eſtates, yea ſtrength of body and ſoul, and all which is in our power to beſtow upon it. Men fooliſhly may think, that when they have gone thus or thus far, they will go no further, and ſtop at their pleaſure; and that their Luſts will grow dry, as he in the Fable, who having a mind to go over a river dry-ſhod, and ſeeing it run with a fierce ſtream, hoped that within a little ſpace it would run it ſelf quite dry; Expect at dum defluat amnis at ille,—Labitur & labetur.but after all his waiting and expecting, the River ran with as full a ſtream as ever: And ſo though men think that their Luſts will at laſt grow dry, and that they ſhall eaſily ſtep over them unto God, yet the ſinful deſires of the heart, wil grow ſtronger and ſtronger. They are like to be ſafeſt, who kill Luſt in the cradle. He who gives way to it now, may juſtly be given over to it hereafter. He who will, againſt Gods command, ſtep up to the ankles, juſtly may, beyond his own expectation, wade till he be over head and ears, and ſo ſwallowed up. And hence (to conclude) we may gather the deſireable ſafety of thoſe wayes, wherein there can be no immoderateneſs, and which cannot be loved exceſſively, though never ſo earneſtly.
11.Obſerv. 11. Tis from a Divine hand that wicked men are hindered from greateſt outrages. Balaams running was ſo greedy, and his march ſo furious, that he had curſt the people, had not God ſtopt him. Its an arm of Omnipotency that pulls the wicked baek from thoſe courſes which their heart ſtands to. Its no thank to them that their worſt undertakings are not ſucceſsful. Whence is it that the world is not over-run with evil, but from this, That men cannot do ſo ill as they would? When we conſider the impure propenſions of nature, we ought to be thankful that every man is not a Divel to his neighbor. Pſal. 76.10. foreignIt is God that puts a ſtop to the ſinner, as well as to the ſea. Whatever rage of his enemies it is that breaks not forth, is bridled, in by God. It is not for want of poyſon in the hearts, but power in the hands of the wicked, that the people of God are not both curſt and cruſht at once. How ſhould we both admire the power, and praiſe the goodneſs of that God, who hinders the ſell and fierce nature of wicked men from venting it ſelf upon the poor unarmed Church? who bridles up, and ſets bounds to that proud ſea of ſinners rage, which is ſo much higher then the poor humble earth, the Church in her low eſtate? and to ſing after all our deliverances, in the tune of the thankful Pſalmiſt, If it had not been the Lord who was on our ſide, when men roſe up againſt us, Pſal. 124.2, 3.then they had ſwallowed us up quick? &c. Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the ſtream had gone over our ſoul; then the proud waves had gone over our ſoul. The floods lifted up their voice, the floods lifted up their waves; Pſal. 93.3, 4the Lord on high is Mightier then the noiſe of many waters, yea then the mighty waves of the ſea.
12. God is never more offended with men, Obſerv. 12.then when he gives them moſt ſcope and liberty in ſin, that they may run greedily. Balaam and theſe Seducers were appointed to deſtruction, and God lets them run greedily in the way that leads to it. The after permiſſion which God gave Balaam to go to Balac, was worſe then the former denyal. God ſuffers ſome things with an indignation, not for that he gives allowance to the Act, but that he gives a man over to his ſin in the act. Its one thing to like, another thing to ſuffer. God never liked Balaams journey, yet he diſpleaſedly gives way to it: as if he had ſaid, Well, ſince thou art ſo hot on thy journey, be gone; and thus Balaam took it: elſe, when God after profeſſed his diſpleaſure for the journey, it had been a ready anſwer, Thou commandeſt me: But herein his ſilence argues his guilt. Balaams ſuit and Iſraels Quails had one faſhion of Grant, in anger. How much better is it to have gracious denyals, then angry yeildings! to have our way in ſin ſtop'd up with thorns, then ſtrewed with Roſes! God is never more angry, then when he is not angry. Never are men in ſuch likelihood of ſnaring, and ſtrangling themſelves as when God gives the greateſt length of line. Seldom doth God ſuffer men to be their own Carvers, but they cut their own fingers. God in granting ſinful deſires, hates; and in denying them, loves the Petitioners. I had rather (ſaid Auguſtin) have that mercy whereby I am whipped into the right way, then ſuffered to wander out of it.
13.Obſerv. 13. How ſhameful is it to be ſluggiſh in our race toward the eternal reward! Balaam runs greedily toward a falſe, we remiſsly toward a ſure reward; he roſe up early, Illi …crius ad pernicicm, quàm nos ad ſalutem.and ſadled his Aſs: The night ſeemed long to his forwardneſs: he needed neither Clock nor Bell to awake him, his deſires made him reſtleſs. Where is the Chriſtian that deſerves not to be condemned even by the very Damned! Who preſſeth toward the mark for the prize of the high calling, Phil. 3.14.&c? Who offereth that holy violence to the Kingdom of Heaven? knocks, ſeeks, asks, with half that induſtry for Spiritual Bleſſings, for Heaven, for Life, which wicked men put forth in labouring for their own deſtruction? I have heard of a Philoſopher, who living near a Black-Smith, and hearing him up every morning at his Hammer and his Anvil, before he could get out of his bed to his Book, profeſt himſelf aſhamed, that ſuch an ignoble Employment as that Smith followed, ſhould be more diligently attended then his more ſerious and excellent ſtudies. Bluſh (O Chriſtian) when thou ſeeſt wicked men to ſweat in their worldly, and thy ſelf to grow cold in Heavenly Employments. Surely, were the Sweetneſs, the honourableneſs, the vaſtneſs, the profitableneſs of Gods ſervice ſeriouſly conſidered, holy Duties would find hotter affections in us. What a ſhame is it, that worldlings ſhould be more laboriouſly buſied about rattles and triffles, then we about the Kingdom of Heaven and Eternity!
This for the amplification of the ſin and wo of theſe Seducers from the ſecond Example; viz. of Balaam.
3. The third followes; viz. that of Core, in theſe words, And periſhed in the gainſaying of Core.