William Jenkyn
VER. 8
Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
THe second Argument brought by our Apostle to incite these Christians earnestly to contend for the faith opposed by the Seducers, is taken from the certainty of the destruction of those ungodly men. This argument he handles from the fourth to the seventeenth verse. In the managing whereof, having first mentioned sundry examples of Gods judgments which befell the great sinners of former times, ver. 5, 6, 7. (of which largely I have spoken before) he now secondly adds, that these seducers lived in the very same sins which God had punish’d in those sinners of old; and this he prosecutes in the eighth, ninth and tenth verses. And then thirdly, from v. 10. to 17. he infers and amplifies this Conclusion, Wo to them, v. 11. q. d. Therfore these seducers shall likewise perish.
This eighth verse then, being part of that second Branch, wherein the Apostle shews that these seducers lived in the same sins which God had punish’d in others, contains (as hath been said pag. 612.) these two parts.
1. The faults wherewith these seducers were charged.
2. The fountain from which these faults issued.
In the first, The faults wherewith, &c. I considered, 1 Their specification. 2 Their amplification.
1 Their specification; and their faults were of two sorts.
1 Carnal uncleannesse: they defiled the flesh.
2 Opposing of Authority, express’d in two Branches; 1 The despising of dominion: 2 The speaking evil of dignities.
2 Their amplification in these words [Likewise also:] They sinn’d both as the former sinners had done, and although they knew that they had been punished by God for sinning.
The second part, viz. the fountain from which these their faults issued, was, their spiritual sleeping and dreaming, contained in the word [dreamers.]
Concerning the first fault wherewith the seducers are charged; viz. defiling the flesh, I have spoken pag. 613, 614. &c. of the former Part.
Of the second, viz. Opposing of Authority, I have also spoken at large in its first branch, viz. the despising of dominion. I now proceed to speak of it in the second branch, contained in these words, They speak evill of dignities.
By way of Explication I shall enquire into these two particulars:
1 Why the Apostle calls Magistrates, Explicat. 1 or persons in authority, Dignities.
2 What was the sin of speaking evill of those dignities? Est vis quaedum per quam Princeps sibi conciliat in hominum animis singularem quandam admirationem ac venerationē, et cum utraque conjunctum metum. Gerb. de Mag. Pol.
1 For the first: The Apostle calls them Dignities, in Gr. δόξας, glories, because of that glory and excellency wherewith God is pleased eminently and peculiarly to adorn them, whereby they raise in the minds of people a singular admiration and veneration to themselves, joyned with fear. To this purpose speaks the Prophet concerning Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 5.18. The most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar majesty and glory: and for the majestie that he gave him, all People, Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him.
And more particularly, this dignity or glorie appears: 1 In those glorious titles wherewith Magistrates are dignified and odorned above others: Luk. 22.25 Matth. 20 25 Rom. 13.3. Luk. 12.11. 2 Chr. 23.20. Jer. 14.3. Ezek. 31.5 1 Sam. 9.16 Psal. 83.11. Psal. 82.1, 6 Psal. 89.7. Gen. 41.43. and thus they are called Kings, Princes, great men, Rulers, Powers, Governors, Nobles, mighty ones, Captains, children of the most high, the sons of the mighty, Fathers, anoynted, Saviours, and as the upshot of all, Gods, because they are from God, and ought to be for God: they are appointed by him, and to be imployed for him; they stand in the place of God, and are his vice-gerents on earth, and have a particular charge and power of executing the judgments of God among men. 2 Chron. 19.4. Ye judg not (saith Jehoshaphat to his Judges) for men, but for the Lord.
2 In those Endowments and qualifications wherewith God hath adorned them for the executing of their places; Mutavit ei cor, quod ante erat parvum & servile, in cor regale. Abul. Altius & audacius cor habuit. Hug. Car. Cor immutatum, habebat, quia qui asinas quaesierat, jam de regni dispositione cogitabat. Greg. God never bestowing employments without endowments. Saul being chosen King, is said to have another heart given him, 1 Sam. 10.9. He had those heroick gifts and Kingly abilities of wisdom, valour, &c. infused into him, which enabled him to discharge his place of Government. He who formerly sought asses, now spent his thoughts about preserving his Kingdom. When David was anointed King by Samuel, its said, that the spirit of God came upon him, 1 Sam. 16.13. which furnish’d him with gifts, as of sanctification (wherewith though formerly he were endowed, N•m. 11.17 2 King. 2.15 Exod. 18.21 Deut. 1.13. yet possibly not in so great a measure as now;) so of Regiment and Government; and it may be, of Prophesie and Poesie.
3 In that due respect or honour which is yeilded to them: This is first, Internall; consisting 1. in an honorable opinion and high estimation of them: Despising and thinking evil with the heart, will make way for despising and speaking evil with the tongue: The people thought David worth ten thousand of them. Num. 16.3 It was Corahh’s sin to think (for else he had not said as he did) that Moses and Aaron were no more excellent then the rest of the people. 2. This internal honour stands in a reverent and awfull fear of them; a duty which we owe to our Parents, either by nature or analogy, Lev. 19.3.
Secondly, Externall; as 1. To rise up when the person of the Magistrate is in presence, Job. 29.8. 2 (as in most Countries) to uncover the head. 3 To bow the body, 2 Sam. 24.20. the knee, Gen. 41.43. 4 To stand, Exod. 18.13. 2 King. 5.25. 5 To be silent when he speaks, and to attend, Job. 29.9, 10. 6. To use words of submissivenesse, as Gen. 42.10. They call Joseph My Lord, and themselves (ver. 13.) his servants. 7 To obey, Josh. 1.6. though in the Lord, Ephes. 6.1. 8 To pray for the Magistrate, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2.
4 Lawyers and Polititians mention sundry jura Majestatis, Vid. Bodin. de Repub. l. 1. c. 10 or Rights belonging to Majestie: As 1. The giving of Lawes. Arnisseum l. 2. de jur. Majest. c. 1. n. 8. 2 The exercise of supreme Jurisdiction, beyond which there is no appeal. 3. The power of the Militia. 4 Receiving Tribute of Lands, Custome from the Sea, Subsidie of Goods. 5 The liberty of Hunting. 6 A propriety in such things as have no rightfull owners to claim them. 7. The deriving of Honours. Gen. 41.41, 42 8 The coyning of Money. To which may added that State or port sutable to their places, in respect of Attendance, Diet, Apparel, Buildings, &c.
In the second Branch of Explication we are to enquire, what was the sin of speaking evil of Dignities?
These words, speak evil] are in the Original one word, Idem valet quod 〈Greek〉 alterius ••mam laedere maledictis. βλασφημοῦσι, they blaspheme: It signifies properly to hurt ones name by defamation, or slander. And though it be now appropriated to a dishonour offered to Gods name; yet it’s frequently in Scripture spoken of defaming or evill speaking against man, as 1 Cor 4.13. Being defamed, evil spoken of, (βλασφημούμενοι) blasphemed, we intreat: and 1 Pet. 4.4. Wherein they think it strange, that ye run not with them to the same excesse of riot, Tit. 3.2. βλασφημοῦντες, blaspheming, or speaking evill of you. So Rom. 3.8. καθὼς βλασφημούμεθα, as we be slanderously reported. And here in this place the word is spoken concerning the defaming, or speaking evill of persons in authority: A sin with which the Seducers are in this place charged; they being such, who, because they could not by the power of their hand remove and displace Magistrates, would do their utmost to blast and abuse them by the poyson of their tongue.
This sin of speaking evill of Dignities, may be severall wayes committed: Sometimes more secretly, by whispering onely, or libelling, for fear of censure: scandals of Governors have seldome any fathers; they kill, and make no report; they steal away reputation. Sometimes more openly, and before any, promiscuously: and both these wayes of evil speaking may be in a way either of murmuring, or of mutining. Of murmuring: When the people are in any distresse, Hominibus injuriâ affectis, aut pro merito minimè evectis promptum est in viros principes debacchari, & animi sui acerbitatem exspu•ri. Riv. in Exod. par. 2. pag. 71. col. 2. oft the first stone of complaint is thrown against the Magistrate; The Israelites want water, and they pray not to God, but murmur against Moses, as if he had made the waters bitter, and the wildernesse dry. Its a Kingly condition to deserve well and hear ill. If men prosper never so much, they only applaud themselves; if they suffer never so little; they murmur against their Rulers. Of mutining: Sometimes men so speak evill Magistracy, as to raise up evil against them. Murmurers offend out of impatiency, mutiners out of envie: By the former Governors are taxed for not taking enough; Numb. 16.3. by the later, for taking too much upon them: though Moses’s command was a burden to him, yet was it an ey-sore to others, Corah and his company. This sin offends both by uttering against Rulers things false and evill: thus Absolom unworthily traduceth his Fathers Government, 2 Sam. 15.3 by telling the Israelites that there was no man deputed of the King to hear them; and Shimei cursed and reviled David, 2 Sam. 16.7 by calling him bloudy man, and man of Belial: And things true and good, falsly and evilly, as sometimes, though reporting, yet lessening, extenuating and detracting from their good actions, or depraving them as done of bad intents, for bad ends, or in hypocrisie; by uncovering their secret infirmities, by amplifying and aggravating their faults; affirming that miscarriage to be deliberately done, which was done rashly; or presumptuously, which was done weakly, &c.
The sinfulnesse of this evil speaking appears severall wayes: See Part 1 pag. 130, 131. concerning the sin of despising dominion. 1. By its notorious thwarting and opposing the evident commands of Scripture, Exod. 22.28. Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the Ruler of thy people. Eccles. 10.20. A Text cited by Paul himself, Acts 23.5. who there (as I humbly conceive) apologizeth for himself for his sudden and unadvised expression, in calling the high Priest a whited wall; the words οὐκ ᾔδειν not signifying, I knew not, absolutely; but I wist not, I considered not, I heeded not, I took not sufficient notice how he was the high Priest; q.d. In my haste I termed him whited wall, which term (I confesse) might wel have been spared; not because it was false, but not fit nor consonant to that which is written, Honour the King, 1 Pet. 2.17. Render to all their dues, &c. Honour to whom honour, Rom. 13.7. The will of God against all pretexts imaginable, should be the end of all strife. 2 Because the speaking evil of Dignities is the speaking evil of God himself who ordained them. Pro. 17.5. If he who mocketh the poor, then much more he who revileth the Ruler, Imaginem Dei Rex gestat, idcirco colend•• et amandus est; si non propter se, sal••m vocationis & functionis suae causâ. reproacheth his Maker. In the contempt of Magistrates God accounts himself contemned: They have not (saith God to Samuel, 1 Sam. 8.7) rejected thee, but they have rejected me. And this was the true cause why God was so angry with Miriam and Aaron, who spake against Moses, Wherefore (saith he) were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Numb. 12.1, 8 Heb. 5. To speak against him whom God appointed and set on work, is to speak against a great one indeed. 3. By the punishments inflicted upon such revilers, which are evident in the example of Miriam, Absolom, Corah, &c. And all Princes are not like Titus (the delight of mankind) who said, None can reproach mee, Deliciae humani generis. Nemo me insequi contumeliâ potest, propterea quòd nihil ago quod reprehendi mereatur: ea verò quae falsè de me dicuntur, prorsus negligo. Dio. because I do nothing that can be reprehended; and those things which are spoken of me falsly, I altogether neglect: for Tiberius, when Paconius had scattered reproachfull Verses against him, wrote to the Senate to appoint severe punishment against him: and although many Princes have remitted the injury as offered to their own persons; yet as prejudiciall to the good of the Common-wealth, they have, and that deservedly, punish’d them: and however Princes themselves have spared such railers, yet God would not suffer them to go unpunished, as in the case of Shimei, whom (though David spared, yet) God spared not. 4 This speaking evil of Magistrates is a spreading evill, hurtful to others: the reviler kils many with one shoot; himself, speaking wickedly; the Ruler, whom he accuseth unjustly; his hearer, who listens to him credulously. A reproaching tongue, being though worst to himself, yet hurtfull to those who hear him: Lev. 19.16. a Tale-bearer. Rokel signifieth a Trafficker up and down. and who knoweth how great a fire the tongue of one reviler may kindle? Seldome doth such a pedler open his pack of wares, but some or other will buy: No musick is so sweet to the most, as to hear well of themselves and ill of their Rulers. Peoples hearts and ears are commonly tindar and touchwood, presently taking fire when any spark of defamation, flies from the fire of a revilers tongue; and how great a flame such a spark may kindle, we may see in the cases of Absolom and Sheba.
1 Great is the audacious extravagancy of an unmortified tongue: Observ. 1 James (chap. 3.6.) calls it a fire; and here we see it aspires like fire, 〈Greek〉. Jam 3.5. and moves upward, and fastens upon such things as were much above it: Peter saith, These Seducers are not affaid to speak evill of Dignities, 2 Pet. 2.10. the tongue set on fire by hell below, fires even upon those which are called gods, and are in the hihgest and most eminent degree: the tongue speaketh proud things, Psal. 12.3. In the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride, Pro. 14.3. In which place the fools tongue may either be termed a rod of pride, which for proud speaking shall whip the fool himself; or else a rod which by the fools proud speaking whips and lasheth any other. The Septuagint read it, The fools tongue is βακτηρία ὕβρεως, a rod of reproach: and some conceive in using the word rod, Gr. (according to some) ῥαβδίον, Solomon alludes to the custom of Magicians, who by their Rods were wont to do their magical exploits and false miracles of transforming, Exod. 7.12. metamorphosing and changing the shapes of things; as if these proud railers by the rods of their tongues, Leviter volat sermo, sed graviter vulnerat; leviter transit, sed graviter urit; leviter profertur, sed non leviter revocatur; facilè volat, atque adeo facilè violat charitatem. Bern. Serm. de trip. cust. their revilings and slanderous reproaches, did labour to metamorphise and transform men, making the honourable to appear base, the learned most illiterate, the upright most dishonest, &c. The pride of the heart is most frequently discovered by the tongue: Rabshakeh threatned he would make them eat their own dung, and drink their own pisse: the tongue threatens God himself, Isa. 14.13. I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. Talk no more exceeding proudly (saith Hannah) 1 Sam. 2.3. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Psal. 73.9. Our tongues are our own, who is Lord over us? Psal. 12.7. The tongue, though small, opposeth the greatest. It was a gracious care of David, to take heed to his tongue, Psal. 39.1. Mans glory, (his tongue) must not be imployed against Gods glory, or the Magistrates (here call’d Glories.) The tongue, of which we had not the use, till we had the use of reason; was never appointed to the used without reason, for pride and passion. He who made the tongue soft and pliable, all flesh without a bone in it, teacheth us that it should not be harsh, rugged, and proud in its expressions: the double rail or hedg of the teeth and lips, shews that this wild beast is very unruly, Jam. 3.8. and that it ought to be kept in. The best way to keep the fire from breaking out at the Chimney, 〈Greek〉. is to quench the coals upon the hearth; a cool and humble heart wil abate the heat of the fiery tongue.
2. Dignities lie open to the lash of the tongue. Observat. 2
The more eminent the person, the more censured is his action: the highest towers are most frequently blasted with lightning; nor power, nor innocency can protect from imputations. The fire of the tongue dares touch even laurel Which lightning (they say) never blasteth. ; the sword of the mouth will adventure even upon the mouth of the sword. When Saul was chosen, and carryed and lifted up with highest acclamations, the sons of Belial despised him. 1 Sam. 10.27 It is a vain ambition to expect the good word of all. Its an equall weaknesse to be proud of the applause, and impatient under the reproaches of the multitude: the care of all especially of governors, should be rather to be worthy of honor, then to receive honor; rather to be honourable, then honoured; and not so much to seek quiet abroad, as in themselves, and the conscience of their upright and sincere endeavors. Its better to deserve well, and to hear ill; then to deserve ill, and to hear well.
3. Observat. 3 Magistrates should take heed of blemishing their dignity and losing their glory. The Apostle here cals them dignities or glories: And to maintain their glory, ‘tis not enough to be magnificent and outwardly pompous in their attendance, apparel, diet buildings, &c. but let them shew themselves dignities, 1 In their entrance into their places: and 2. in their deportment when they are entred. 1. For their entrance, let it not be sordid and unworthy, in the way of suing by freinds, mony &c. Such should be prefer’d, not as would have places, but such as places would have. Olives, Vines, Fig-trees refuse their honours; brambles catch hold on preferment. Sauls modesty in hiding himself when chosen King, detracted not from his dignity when he accepted it. Cùm omnia faceret ut imperare deberet, nihil faciebat ut imperaret. It was an high commendation of Theodosius the Emperor, that when he had done all that could make him worthy to rule, he would do nothing that he might rule: The worthiest to govern, are they often who think themselves unworthiest. Eò dignior erat quo magis se clamabat indignum. Hier. in Epitaph. Nepot. Let Christ herein be the pattern, who humbled himself, but he left his exaltation to his Father. How is dignity debased, when they are advanced, not who deserve best, but bid fairest? when mony makes the Magistrate, and shall provide preferment for him, who is not at all fit for that. What wonder is it to see that they who buy their places deer, should afterward sell justice deer also? 2 In their deportment when they are entred; let Magistrates keep up their glory by wisdome and understanding; if no Christian, much lesse must a Magistrate be a child in understanding: A fool cannot be harmlesse. A King in our English expression imports as much as cunning, From the old Saxon word koning. or knowing. Wisdome makes a mans, especially a Magistrates face to shine: Wisdome and Magistracy cast a reciprocal lustre upon one another: Solomons wisdom made him more glorious and sought to, then his wealth. It was a notable speech of our Henry the first, A King without Learning is but a crowned asse: That creature is but contemptible under the richest ornaments. If a rulers calling hinders him from the study of many commendable parts of Learning, yet let it put him upon such studies as are necessarily requisite to the understanding of government; Prov. 14.8. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way. 2 To preserve dignity, a Magistrate in his place must carry himself couragiously. Solomons throne was beset with Lions, not with Apes; they who oppose vice, had need of heroical spirits; cowards are fitter to be slaves then rulers. A Magistrate in his own cause, should be as flexible as a reed; in the cause of God, as stiffe as an oak; a timorous ruler is a Hare in a Lions skin: All dare meddle with him, who dares meddle with none. And its just with God, that he should suffer by the subjects, who dares not make their sins suffer by him. 3. Let dignity be upheld by the hatred of covetousnesse, base and filthy lucre; how unseemly is it for a golden spade to dig in a dunghill? for the robe of an Emperor to stop an oven? Let not these who are called Gods, grovel in the earth; what is not cheap to him, to whom mony is dear? How unfit is it for a Magistrate to soar high in respect of his place, and at the same time (like the kite) to have his eye fixed upon the dunghill, or carrion! It’s the judgment of God against covetousnesse, that they who follow gain as their God, shall yet account another a base miser for doing so. It was a noble speech of Themistocles, who seeing a precious stone upon the ground, bid another take it up; For thou (said he) art not Themistocles. 4. To preserve dignitie, let Magistrates carry themselves usefully, industriously, for the publick good. There’s a neer conjunction between dignity and duty: The shadow of honor attends upon the body of service. It was a true speech of the wise old counsellers to Rehoboam, 1 Kings 12.7. If thou wilt be a servant to this people &c. they will be thy servants. The tree which is most deeply rooted, flourisheth and spreads most, and the person who is most deeply and lowly engaged in service, shall best flourish and spread in renown. Empty are those Titles which are only obtained by Birth, Retinue and Favour, &c. The Titles of Most Illustrious, Excellency, Right Honourable, &c. bestowed upon an uprofitable Governor, are but nick names and upbraidings for his not being what he should, and is said to be; and as unduly given him, as the names of wholesome drugs are put upon empty boxes in the Apothecaries shop. 5. Let Dignity be upheld with piety. Holiness is the lustre of all other accomplishments, and the most lasting foundation of honour: They that honour me, will I honour. If Religion at the Bar make the profane Magistrate to tremble, much more may Religion on the Bench dismay a profane Offender: When the Lusts of wicked Subjects make them willingly to reproach Religious Rulers, their consciences shall make them unwillingly to honor them. Never did those Magistrates long preserve their owne names, who suffered Gods to be profaned. The greatest Potentate on earth cannot be loose and ungodly by Authority; their place will not bear them out in it. Religion is no disparagement to Magistracy. How needless, how unsutable is it for great ones to fear nothing more then to have a name to fear God?
4. Observ. 4. How highly is God provoked, when he makes these Dignities and Glories unglorious! It’s no small offence that puts the Lord upon pouring contempt upon Princes; that makes him stain the pride of their glory, and cover it with shameful spewing: When Manasseh shall be fetterd, Jehoiakim be a broken Idol, buried with the buriall of an Asse, Jer. 22.19, 24 and the Signet upon his right hand plucked thence, and thrown on the dunghil, Nebuchadnezzar turned into a Beast, &c. when the Lord deals thus with Rulers; they should look beyond a rebellious head-strong people: they have Negotium cum Deo: Their work is to look inward and upward, to study what their sin hath been, which hath incensed God to debase that which he commands all other to honour. If the Lord suffer people to cast off the yoak of their obedience to Princes; surely Princes did first cast off the yoak of obedience to God. 1 Sam. 2.30. They who despise God shall be lightly esteemed. If it be the Lord who subdues the people under Princes, Psal. 18.47 it is he that subdues Princes under their people: Its God who stilleth the noise of the seas, and the tumult of the people: Psal. 65.7. If he remove the banks and bounds of his protection, the proud waves both of seas and popular tumults will overflow the highest mountains. If at any time Princes are overborn by such an overflowing scourge, let them examine themselves whether they have not transgressed the bounds of Gods Commandments; whether if God deal with them as with Saul, Manasseh, Nebuchadnezar, Zedekiah, Jehu, Jeroboam, they have not with them, been disobedient, idolatrous, proud, oppressive, &c. The alterations of Governors and Governments, peculiarly belong to Gods Prerogative Royal He ruleth in the kingdom of men, giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. And the putting of proud Princes and people, upon an holy and humble consideration hereof, (which can never be, unless not only his bare permission, but even his positive working, and such as flowes from his effectual Ordination, be acknowledged) is clearly intimated in Scripture, Dan. 4.17 to be one main end of the severe dispensations of providence, in the pulling down of Governments and debasing of Dignities.
5. Observ 5. Its lawful for Magistrates to preserve their Authority by a certain external, though decent and moderate Pomp and Majesty. They may lawfully use and receive titles of honour, and have Attendance, Apparel, Buildings, Dyet sutable to their Dignities; the Spirit of God here calls them Dignities, or Glories: Paul, Act. 26.25 gave to Festus the title of Most Noble: God himselfe hath cast upon Rulers a beam of his Glory: Psal. 21.5. Honour and Majesty hath God laid upon them: The most high God (saith Daniel) gave Nebuchadnezzar a Kingdom, Dan. 5 18, 19. and Majesty, and Glory, and Honour. Faithful and godly Joseph, Gen. 41. when advanced, was adorned with Pharaohs Ring, and a gold Chain, arraied in Vestures of fine linnen, riding in the second Chariot which Pharaoh had, they crying before him, Bow the knee. Jude here puts Dominion and Dignities together. Magistracy deek’d with Dignity, is oft hated and envyed; and strip’d of Dignity, is alwayes scorn’d and contemned: This the Fomenters of Anarchical confussions well know, who endeavour to overthrow Dignities, that they may thereby destroy Dominions: Nor yet ought Magistrates to please themselves with Titles and Dignities, empty of that goodness and worth which should accompany and adorn Greatness: They should not so affect the Title, as to neglect the thing and work whereof their Titles admonish them. Glorious Titles and Dignities, contradicted by a wicked and undue deportment, proclaim equally both the sin and shame of those upon whom they are cast. Prohibiti sunt maledici, non jussi sunt sacrificiis honorari. Aug. q. 86. in Exod To conclude, though Rulers should be honoured, yet not adored: They should so endure to be acknowledged the peoples Superiours, as to fear to be accounted Gods Equals: Soon was Herod the food of wormes, when he patiently endured to have his voice cryed up for the voice of God. Historians mention the Sacrilegious impiety of Domitian, who would be called by the people, Suet. in vita Dom. cap. 13. The Lord our God: To these may be added the proud usurpations of the Pope, who exalts himself above all that is called God; who pretends to pardon sin, and to be the head of the Church; and of those Princes that have taken the Title of most Mighty, most Invincible, &c.
6. Observ. ult. Its our duty to be cautioned against flattering of Governors. They are Dignities and Glories, but should not dazzle our eyes into a sinful winking at their sins. Though they are not to be reviled, yet neither soothed when they offend God. What ill have Governors deserved at our hands, that we should in stead of friends, Honor quo praediti sunt non est vitiorum integumentum. be their flatterers? & that they only of all the men in the world should be without friends, that is, reprovers? We must honour them in stead of, not against God; Say unto the King and Queen, humble your selves; Jer. 13.18. 1 Sam. 15.29. 1 King. 18.18. Isai. 39 6. More then once we read that Samuel reproved Saul; nor did Nathan spare David; Eliah, Ahab; Isaiah, Hezekiah; the Buptist, Herod. The danger of flattering Rulers, reacheth beyond themselves. The soothing of such in sin is the casting of a bag of poyson into a common fountain, serving for the use of the whole City. Nor yet ought the reprehending of publick persons to be practised without much prudence; lest by it the disease be rather irritated then cured. Singular was the wisdom of Nathan to draw the sentence of David against himself out of his own mouth. 1 Sam. 2 1. 1 King, 20 39. Nor do all sorts of faults require the same severity in reproving: some sins are warts, others are ulcers; some are secret, and then the plaister should not be broader then the sore; the reprehension more open then the offence: Care is to be had lest Reprehension degenerate into Sedition: Preachers for Conversion should have another aime: In short, in every reproof, difference is to be put between the person and Office of the Magistrate: The Dignity of the Office should not suffer for the vices of the person; nor should the vices of the person be spared for the Dignity of the Office.
This for the specification of the faults of these Seducers, which was the first Branch in the first part of the Text: The second branch of this first part of the Text followes, viz, the aggravation of these faults, in that the Apostle saith, that these Seducers sinned likewise also. In which two words the Apostle expresseth a twofold aggravation of their sins.
The first stands in the harmony or consent between the sins of these Seducers, and the wickedness of those who went before them: they sinned likewise.
2. The second stands in the obstinacy of these sinners in their impieties, Similiter tamen. they sinning also, or (as Beza reads it) notwithstanding they knew the forementioned severe judgements which had befallen the former sinners for their impieties.
I shall but briefly touch upon both these by way of Explication, the difficulty not being great, although the matter contained in them profitable.
1. Explicat. 1. The Harmony or consent of these Seducers with former sinners in their wickedness, is exprest in this word ὁμοίως, Likewise; a word importing as much as did those words in the seventh verse, where the Apostle saith, that the Cities about Sodom and Gomorrha, did ὅμοιον τούτοις τρόπον, In like manner give themselves, &c. If it be demanded, Wherein that agreement or consent which was between these Seducers and former sinners did consist? It is answered by some, That the Apostle did not intend that these Seducers did walk precisely in the same particular sins in which the forementioned sinners, the Israelites, Angels, Sodomites had lived; or that they did trace them 〈Greek〉, step by step in every several sort of wickedness, but only that they were in the general, very grievous and hainous sinners, as those of old were, giving themselves with them over to all manner of impiety.
But comparing the practices of these Seducers with the sins wherewith the Israelites, Angels, Sodomites were charged, as also considering the word [Likewise] most properly imports such a connexion of this verse with the former, as whereby is intended that these Seducers imitated those former sinners in those very sins which were before by the Apostle mentioned; Ver. 5, 6, 7. I conceive it may be best answered; that the agreement here mentioned by Jude, between the former and latter sinners, was an agreement in the same sins for sort and kind; and that he intends, as the Isralites and Angels proudly refused to yeeld due obedience and subjection to God; the former rebelling against God who governed them immediately, Videtur Judas indicare Gnosticos Sodomitis fuisse similes, quasi eo rum improbitatem imitarentur. Vid. Justinian. in loc. the latter despising that government which he exercised over them by his servant Moses: and as the Sodomites sin’d by sensual filthinesse and carnal uncleanness; in like manner did these Seducers defile the flesh, and despise dominions, &c. And yet I doubt not, but withall the Apostle in this word [likewise] insinuates a further agreement between these former and and later sinners; and that was in the same punishment which was likewise to fall upon those who lived in the same sins, for which they of old were punished.
The second aggravation of the wickednesse of these seducers, is taken from their obstinacie in sinning, contained in this expression, μέντοι, also, or notwithstanding; noting, that these seducers sin’d, although they well knew what judgments of God had befallen the forementioned sinners, for the very same sinnes whereof they were guilty. These Angels, Isralites, Sodomites had been whipt (as it were) before their eyes; God had laid them before them for a δεῖγμα (as Jude spake before) an example to them who after should live ungodly. Ver. 7. These judgments were as a buoy before the ankre, to prevent the dashing of future generations against the same destruction. Yet these seducers sinn’d notwithstanding these judgments of God upon those of old; Rom. 1 32. like a theef, so mad upon cutting a purse, that he commits that offence, even under the gallows whereon one was newly hanged for the same fault.
1. Great is our proneness to follow corrupt example. Observat. 1 Of this before pag. 572 of the former part.
2. Observ. 2 There is a proneness to sin in every age of the world. Israelites, and Sodomites before, and these seducers afterward provoke God. A doctrine that puts the godly upon a holy both contention against, and contentation under the iniquity of their times; they should be both patient, and zealous; patient, to shew their submission to Gods providence: Eccles. 7.10. Zealous, to preserve their own purity; they must shine as lights in the midst of a crooked generation. Even the godly are as ready to favour of the follies of their generation, as waters to receive a tang from the earth, through which they run. 1 Pet. 4.4. Of this see more pag. 605 of the former part.
3. Observ. 3 The wicked agree in sinning; they run together into the same excess of riot. Hand may joyn in hand against holinesse: This unity is but conspiracy, it’s against unity, trin’unity. Gods people should be asham’d of their divisions even by the example of sinners. Of this more pag. 571. Part 1.
4. Observ. 4 Greatest severities are in themselves insufficient to work upon sinners. These Seducers sinned notwithanding the punishing of the same sins formerly. What a calamitous catalogue of Judgments do we find mentioned by Amos chap. Amos 4.6, 7.8, &c. 4? and though all of them had been inflicted upon the people, yet did not the punished return to the Lord. They turn not (saith the Prophet, Isai. 9.13.) Isa 9.13. Lev. 26.39. to him that smiteth, neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts. And Lev. 26.39. it is not threatned only as a judgment, that the people should be carried into their enemies land, but (which is far worse) that there they should pine away in their iniquities, though their Liberties, estates, lives were consumed, yet their sins outliv’d them, and remained: Their iniquities did not pine away in them, but they in their iniquites. The Prophet Hosea, Hos. 13.13. Compares them to a foolish child, that stayes in the place of breaking forth of children; men may be in troubles, and yet rather dye there, then seek by repentance to be delivered; like as the Prophet in that place useth the comparison of a foolish child, which though in a dark stifling womb, there continues, though to the destruction of it self and mother. Ther’s an insufficiency in all outward dispensations, to change the disposition of the heart; the back may be broken, and yet the heart remain unbroken: Though divels be thrust down into, and tormented in hell, yet they ever continue proud and unreformed. Ahaz trespass’d the more, 2 Chron. 28.22. the more he was distressed; judgments may irritate, not remove sin: They may make us to fret and rage by stopping us in a way of sin; (as a dam makes the torrent the more to rise and swell) but they cannot turn or dry up a stream of corruption. Resistance occasions it to break forth afterward with the greater violence: Great wounds cannot work in us good wils: unlesse grace doth inwardly renew us, as well as troubles outwardly restrain us, there will be no true turning to God. The more God stop’d Baalam in his way, the more mad he was to be going on; a man who is stopt in the street with a cart, is not made thereby out of love with his journie, but the more resolved to go on, the faster afterward: It’s a singular mercy when an affliction is wrought into us; if God hath a mind to do us good, he will make us good by all our troubles. This is the depth of misery, for God to say, let him that is filthy notwithstanding his washing, continue so still: Consider in every trouble, thy work is with God, and that not only to observe him sending of it, but to beg his blessing upon it. Beseech him that no wind may go down, till it hath blown thee nearer thy haven; to take off no plaister till thy sores be healed; pray not so much with Pharaoh, to have the frogs, as with David, to have thy sins taken away: Calamities are then removed in mercy, when sanctified before they are removed; Love me not Lord, (said Augustine) with that love wherewith thou puttest one out of the way, Non quo extrudis de viâ, sed quo corrigis devium. but reducest him that is wandring.
And this for the first part of this verse, viz. the faults wherewith these seducers were charged, as they have been considered both in their specification and aggravation; The second follows, The fountain from which these faults issued, intended in this expression, Filthy dreamers.
In the explication hereof, I shall shew in what sense the Apostle here gives these seducers this title, and withall the sin and misery in being such as this title imports.
The word here interpreted filthy dreamers, in the Greek is ἐνυπνιαζόμενοι, Ἐνυπνιαστὴς qui videt in somnia. signifying properly such who are dreaming in sleep. Beza renders the word sopiti, such who are fast or sound asleep, in a deep dead sleep. Erasmus and Vatablus, 〈Greek〉, Arist. Delusi in somniis; such who are deluded in dreams. The Vulgar wholly omits the translation of the word; but the word properly signifies such who in their sleep are dreaming; and thus Joseph is called ἐνυπνιαστὴς a dreamer, and Acts 2.17. It’s said, your old men ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται, shall dream dreams (importing likewise thus to dream in sleep.) And these of whom our Apostle here speaks, may be termed dreamers in sleep, either 1. In a proper, or 2. In a metaphorical sense. If 1. In a proper sense, then these seducers were dreamers in their natural and bodily rest and sleep; thus they, mentioned Acts. 2.17. dreamed dreams in their naturall sleep, and thus Gagneius, Vatablus, Salmeron understand this place; as if the Apostle had intended, Redundat effusior libido vsque ad nocturnas inter dormiendum pollutiones Vatab. that these impure seducers did put forth and expresse their filthy lustfulnesse in their very dreams, when they were asleep. Thus likewise our own learned interpreters understood this dreaming in sleep, as is plain by their rendring the word ἐνυπνιαζόμενοι, by filthy dreamers, as conceiving that these seducers in their unclean dreams had defiled and polluted their bodies when they were in their naturall sleep; not that the word ἐνυπνιαζόμενοι admits of the interpretation of (filthy dreams) by the force of its own signification, (it’s Acts 2.17. us’d in a good sense, namely of holy and pure dreaming) but the foresaid interpreters were pleas’d so to refer this word to the following expression, viz. (defile the flesh) that they interpreted it of that dreaming in sleep wherein these seducers defiled their bodies by nocturnal pollutions; which uncleannesse (as some think) is the same with that of him mentioned, Lev. 15.16. Whose seed went from him. A strong inducement hence may be gathered (that I may note it by the way) for every one, as to hate that odious, and I fear, too common a sin of self-pollution (which by some Casuists is accounted a greater sin then adultery; and by others to have even murder in it) so to keep their hearts with all diligence, from those impure thoughts in the day-time, which may otherwise make them filthy dreamers in the night; and when they go to sleep, to beseech God to keep the key of their phansie, that so it may not run out into dreaming impurely.
But secondly, others (and those the most) better interpret this dreaming whereof Jude speaks, metaphorically, or in a borrowed sense; conceiving that the Apostle here in calling these seducers dreamers in sleep, doth compare them to such: and that, 1. In respect of sleeping. 2. Of dreaming in sleep.
1. In respect of sleeping, 〈Greek〉. Septuag. these seducers may be compared to dreamers in sleep; they were spiritually drown’d, overwhelmed in a deep, sound sleep of sin; such a deep sleep as the Prophet mentions, Isa. 29.10. Isa. 29.10 The Lord hath poured upon you the spirit of a deep sleep, a dead and midnight sleep. 1 Thes. 5.6. Let us not sleep as do others, Matth. 25.5. while the bridegrome tarried, they all slumbred and slept, &c. This spiritual sleep in sin is threefold, (as divines observe) 1. That natural sleep whereby every one is overtaken, and is both unable and unwilling to move himself to the least supernaturall good, till God awake him by his spirit, and effectually say unto him, Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead. 2. That slumber, or the remaines of that natural sleep in the godly, continuing in them, even after they are awakened out of their dead sleep of nature; they being hereby oft overtaken with spiritual slumber, by reason of the relicks of sin still abiding in them. This the Spouse acknowledgeth, Cant. 5.2. I sleep, but my heart waketh. 3. The third is a judicial and penal increase of that naturall sleep, and that deadnesse of heart, by the custom and continuance in sin. This is properly that forementioned deep sleep, Isa. 29.10. pour’d upon the impenitent Jewes; and this last is that which is here attributed to these seducers. And in two respects may such sinners be compared to men in a deep sleep.
1. In regard of the causes. 2. The effects of sleep.
1 The causes of sleep. 1. The sleep of the body cometh from obstruction and binding up of the senses by vapours which arise out of the stomack, so the spirituall fumes of worldly cares and desires obstruct the senses of the soul: Luke 21.34. therfore our Saviour speaks of being oppressed, or overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse; Prosperitie is a vapour, which if it overcome not, yet weakneth the brain, as strong waters do. This was the cause of Davids, and Solomons, and Asa’s sleep.
2. Sleep ariseth from wearinesse and want of spirits; and there is a wearinesse causing spiritual sleep, namely that which ariseth from too much expence of the strength of the soul upon other matters, impertinencies that concern not its true happinesse and welfare.
3. Oft sleep comes from want of exercise, and when there is a cessation from spirituall exercises, Prayer, Hearing, Sacraments, Meditation; there followeth a spiritual sleep; these are the fewel of grace; and he that will not exercise himself to godlinesse, Tim. 4 7. shall never keep himself long awake.
4. Sleep may come from sleepy yawning, and slothfull company, the company of spiritual sluggards causeth spirituall sleep; cold formal persons cast a damp upon the heat of others; Spirituale gelicidium. Ames. frozen company derive a spirituall icinesse into the souls of those who converse much with them.
5. Some are made to sleep by singing and musick: and many by the flatteries and sinful soothing of false doctrines, of Libertinism, or Arminianism &c. and by the unfaithfulnesse of those who dare not reprove for, but sooth in sin, are cast into a spirituall sleep.
2. Sinners may be compared to men in a deep sleep, in regard of the effects of sleep, and that in respect 1 of their want of shame and bashfulnesse in sin; they who are asleep, Jer. 8.12. though their nakednesse (with Noah’s) be uncovered, yet they blush not; these seducers proclaimed their sin like Sodome. See before Part 1. concerning the word κατάνυξις; they could not blush, saith the Prophet; a blushing colour is not the colour of such mpudent ones. 2. Of their unarmednesse, and liablenesse to danger: in sleep, the preciousest thing men carry about them, may be taken away without resistance; they suffer that to be loose which they held fast before, be it never so rich a jewel. Sisera was slain in his sleep, and Ishbosheth upon his bed, and in spiritual sleep, men suffer the precious jewel of truth, and the profession thereof to be wrung from them, and may be rob’d of all that good which ever they had. There’s no tentation, sin, judgment, but a sleeping Christian is exposed to, he is a field without a fence, a City without a watch, he hinders no invader, he is ruin’d without resistance. In the approach of judgments, he is naked; he makes not the name of the Lord his strong tower, he cannot act faith to close up himself in the wounds of Jesus Christ: The people of God in the midst of troubles are above them, whereas wicked men, though without trials, are ever exposed to them; they fence their estates, families, &c. not their souls. 3. In respect of unactivenesse, and being without motion; men in a deep sleep are without sense and motion; wicked men act not, move not holily; what they do, they do without delight; they are Summer-sluggards, harvest-sleepers, though the work be great, there’s no working A sleeping siner works not out his salvation, he offers no violence to the kingdom of heaven, he strives not to enter the strait gate, he wrestles not in prayer, he lives as if he had nothing to do in the world; heaven is not his businesse: he is, but he lives not; he is a spirituall drone, a mute, a cyphar, a nullity, a superfluity in the world; Jer. 13. like Jeremiahs rotten girdle, or bad figs; Ezek. 15. or like Ezekiels Vine-branches, weak and unfruitful, good for nothing but the fire, not fit to make beams or rafters of; such a kind of rest as this to a Saint, would be his greatest unquietnesse, unserviceablenesse is a kind of hell upon earth to a godly man. 4. In respect of unwillingness to be disturb’d, stird or disquieted men disposed to sleep, desire to be alone; they who are spiritually sleepy, avoid such company as would rouze them from their sloth; they compose themselves to rest, draw the curtains, put out the candle, are afraid to be disquieted by the light, they are loth to do what they know, and to know what either they do or should do. 1 Thess. 5.• They that sleep (saith the Apostle) sleep in the night; they are angry with the Word and Ministers, because they wil not let them sleep quietly in sin: Such as will let them alone in sin and never disturb them, are the quiet honest men; 〈Greek〉, i.e. perinde stolidi ac rationis expertes; ac si omnes sensus haberent penitus sopitos. B•za in loc. they wil not endure wholesome words, sound doctrine. 5. And especially, in respect of insensiblenesse, stupidity, blockishnesse; men in a deep sleep feel nothing that is done to them: This (I conceive) Jude principally aimes at, for likewise also (or notwithstanding) (saith he) they knew the judgments of God upon others, yet stil they sin’d, they slept: so senslesse and stupid were they! Sed et stupida impudentia denotari potest, ut non abstineant ab omni foeditate, à qua etiam nequissimi abhorrent, nisi somnus pudorem et sensum tollat. Lorin. in loc. 〈Greek〉. 2 Tim. 4.2. Ephes. 4.19. 〈Greek〉 Rom. 11 8 〈Greek〉. their consciences were seared with an hot iron, past feeling, bound up by a deep benummedness caused by custome in sin: this was that deep sleep poured upon them by God, like that which befell Adam, whereby though a rib was taken out of him, yet he perceived it not: like that also of Saul, Sisera and Jonah. The Apostle expresseth it by that significant word κατάνυξις, Rom. 11.8. we translate it slumber: it signifies (say some) midnight sleep, which is the time when men are most throughly asleep. But by this word (say others better) is imported such a sleep as out of which all the pinching, wounding, pricking cannot raise a man; or such a sleep as whereby a man is so fastned and nail’d down to his sloth, that he and his sloth cannot be parted; the word κατάνυξις properly signifying pricking, or compunction, Act. 2.37. They were pricked. &c. And so great is the spiritual stupidity and insensibleness of sinners in their sleep of sin, 〈Greek〉. B•z• He•••. Tolle. à κατανύσσω, Compungo, pungendo penetro, vet quia nullae agitationes, vel transpuncti ones possunt Judaeos è somno peccati excitare: sic Pareus, Osiand. Vel quia sunt quasi recerto loco penitus clavo affixa, quae aegrè potest avelli. Sic Chrysoft. Theophilact. that 1 They are insensible of the greatest danger; these they prevent not, yea foresee not: They go on and are punished; they fear nothing, feeling only troubles them; and that too when it is too late; they are like drunken men on the top of a mast. 2. They are insensibl of the loudest noyses, severest denuntiations, these do but deafen their ears; nor do voices lift up like a trumpet, make them prepare for a battel. 3. They are insensible of the stirrings and jogings given them in their spirituall sleep, the faithfullest admonitions of friends: A rebuked scorner, hates both rebukes and rebuker; though oft reproved, he hardens his neck. 4. They are insensible in this their sleep of being uncovered and stript of their clothes; yea of being wounded and maimed by Gods severer strokes and bloody stripes; though the water-pot and spear be taken from the bolster, yet they stir not; like the hen which loseth now one, by and by another, then a third chicken, till the kite have almost snatcht away all her brood; and yet she follows her scraping and picking as eagerly as ever. They regard not the works of God; when the hand of the Lord is lifted up they wil not see. Though gray haires be upon them, they know it not. 1. They are insensible who wounds, they think not of the hand of God in the miseries that befall them, they consider not they have negetium cum Deo, to do with God, when men hurt them; all their study is how to avenge themselves upon, or reconcile themselves to the instrument. 2. They are insensible why they are wounded, of sin the deserving cause; they neither looking upward nor inward, they are not driven by what they feel, to consider what they have done; no man saith, What have I done? They search not after the Jonah when any storm ariseth: every thing shall be blam’d sooner then sin, though there be many a foot print of punishment upon them, they trace not the foot, the sin that made it. 3. They are insensible of the way to cure their wounds, they turn not to the Lord their God for all this; they are like a foolish child, Hos. 13.13. that staies long in the place of breaking forth of children. They had rather stifle themselves in the womb of sin and punishment, then come forth by repentance; they turn not to him that smites: They use every way to remove punishment but the right, so that they pine away in their iniquity, Lev. 26.39. and though their books were torn, yet their lessons not learned.
2. These seducers are compared to dreamers in sleep, in regard of their dreaming; that is, their vain false, empty imaginations, dotages, doctrines, which (in the end) like dreams deceived themselves and their followers. A dream when a man sleepeth, seems to have truth and reality in it; but when he awaketh, it quite vanisheth away: he who utters his own foolish conceits and vain delusions, is in common speech said to dream, and to speak his own dreams; and thus these seducers, in stead of the truths of God, vented their own fables and groundlesse fictions, fancies, and dreams. In this sense Epiphanius understands the Apostle Jude, 〈Greek〉. Epiphan. adv. haer. cap. 26. p. 96. when he call’s these seducers dreamers; Jude speaks not (saith he) of them who dream’d in bodily sleep, but of such who utter their words like them who dream, and not like those who speak with the sobriety of such who are awake. To the same purpose speaks Irenaeus likewise, lib. 1 cap. 20. They put off (sath he) their own dreams for divine oracles. And such have been the dreams of Enthusiasts, and of the Anabaptists in Germany; one of whom (as Sleidan reports) cut off his own brothers head in the presence of his parents, pretending that he did it by an immediate revelation and command from God. The false Prophets are in Scripture oft call’d dreamers, because they delivered not the truths of God, but the vaine figments of their own deluding and deluded fancies. As Deut. 13.3. Jer. 23.25. where the Prophet who saith, I have dreamed, I have dreamed; is by Jeremiah said to be a Prophet of the deceit of his owne heart. These seducers of whom Jude speaks, being asleep in sin, Irenaeus vocat Gnosticos Oniro pompos, sua somnia quasi oracula Dei ventilantes. lib. 1 cap. 20. deceived themselves and hearers with doctrines, vain opinions, and especially false hopes of pleasure and liberty in sin, though when their consciences awaked, they found themselves miserably deluded by Satan, and their own sensual hearts. Thus Zophar speaks, Job 20.8. that the hypocrite shall flie away as a dream, that is, as the good dreamed of, or the joy of a dream which is short, vanishing, and deceiving; so Psal. 73 20. As a dream when one awaketh, so O Lord, when thou awakest, shalt thou despise their image; Isa. 29.8. and thus the Prophet compares the temper of the people under all the judgments of God, unto that of a deluded dreamer, who pleaseth himself with dreaming of food and fulnesse, and when he awakes, in stead of a furnisht table, and a fill’d stomack, finds and feels himself more indigent and nearer famishing then ever he was before. Thus the fond sinner is dreaming of a kingdome, when he is going to execution; and when Jael’s nail is nearer his temples then a crown: He blessing himself in his heart, and saying that he shall have peace, though he live in a way of warring against God. And sundry ways may sinners delude themselves, like dreamers, by their vain and groundlesse conceits; as 1. in dreaming of their persons, 2. of their actions. Of their Persons: 1. dreaming that they are not so bad as others, because they abstain from gross, apparent and notorious abominations; thus the Pharisee deluded himself, Luk. 18.11. Some dream that they have not such and such corruptions, because God restrains them from the outward acts of sin; as if the rest and silence of corruption alwaies came from the renovation of the spirit; whereas it comes not from the want of a mind disposed to sin, but of an object proposed to draw forth corruption: Others dream that if they had lived in the daies of Christ, the Prophets, and Martyrs; they would not have persecuted them: Though they bitterly oppose those in whom the Image of Christ shines, (and they who cannot endure that spark of holinesse in a Saint, how could they have loved that flame which was in Christ?) and hate those most in whom the piety and zeal of the holy Martyrs and Saints of old is revived. 2. Sinners delude themselves in dreaming that they are in a good and happy estate before God, Rev. 3.17. Gal. 6 3. being indeed miserable and bad: Thus some dream that God loves them, Psal. 69.22. Heb. 12.6. because he gives them wordly prosperitie, whereas the prosperitie of the wicked is their ruin; and God oftenest gives it in wrath, and denies it in love: Some dream that their condition is happy, because they are civily honest in the world; whereas their irreligious honesty is as bad as unhonest religion; and except your righteousnesse exceed &c. Matth. 5.20 Others dream they are happy, because they have been born in the Church, and enjoy its priviledges, 1 Cor. 10.5 Matth. 7.22, 23 whereas a barren fig-tree is nearer cursing then a bramble; and they who received Sacraments every meal were destroy’d in the wildernesse: Some dream of happinesse, because they have some kind of Knowledg, Faith, Repentance, Obedience; whereas their knowledg transforms them not, it’s light without heat: Their faith applies (in a sort) Christ to them; not themselves to Christ, but to their lusts: their repentance respects the punishment of sin, not the sin to be punished; they hate sin for hell, not as hell; and in their tears, sin is rather bathed then drowned; their obedience is not a serving of God, but of themselves upon God, they serve God for by-respects; Hos. 1.4. and in their obedience, they aim not at obedience.
2. Sinners delude themselves in dreaming concerning their actions, that they are good, 2 Sam. 6 7. because done with a good intention; not considering that a work may be good in a mans own eyes, P•ov. 16 25. and the issues thereof the waies of death; or that they are warrantable because of the example of the multitude, whereas the most are the worst and the whole world lies in wickednesse. Some dream that small sins are as none, as vain thoughts, idle words; whereas the least sin, is the breach of a great and royoll Law, and an offence against a great God; and thoughts and words shall be both brought into judgment. Some dream, that the outward works of the Law are sufficient, whereas the Law in every command is spirituall, and binds the heart as well as the hand; and they who made their Philacteries broad, made the expositions of the Law too narrow. Some dream that their actions are good because followed with successe, whereas the goodnesse of the action is not to be judged by the goodnesse of the successe, but the goodnesse of the successe by the goodnesse of the action; plenty could not justifie sacrificing to the Queen of heaven. Jer. 44.11. Some because of the corruption of their natures, dream of excusing their actions; they are but men (say they;) wheras they deserve damnation both for the corruption of nature, and the fruits thereof: also some dream thus because of the faults of the godly mentioned in Scripture; they making that an argument of boldnes in sinning, which should be an argument of fear to sin: some because they are ignorant and not Book-learn’d, whereas ignorance (though simple) only somewhat extenuates, but it excuseth not sin, & keeps not from hell, but only from such a degree of torment, as that of unfruitful knowledg; and wilful (now the common) ignorance, increaseth both sin and punishment, as shewing that men will willingly suffer the damage of ignorance, to enjoy the freedom of sinning. Som dream that the imployments of their callings may excuse them for the neglect of holy duties, as if callings were made to call us away from God, or as if eternity were to give way to trifles. Others fondly dream, that outward tentations, the counsels or commands of others inticing them to sin, shall sufficiently excuse them; whereas the outward tentation could do nothing, without the compliance of the inward corruption; and the disobeying of God for mans command, is a disobedience with a greater disparagement to God, then if man had said nothing: Endlesse it would be to mention all those spirituall dotages, and deluding dreams of sinners about their actions; as that they may sin, because they dream some places of Scripture will give them allowance, or that much good will ensue of their sin: that they may take liberty (though excessive) in things, because lawfull: that they may do evil, because they make account to make amends for it afterward, or upon pretence that they do it only for tryall to learn the vanity of sin; or that the necessity of their living urgeth them, or upon presumption of Gods mercy, or by the painting of sin with the colour of vertue. To these may be added a sinners dreaming that good duties may be omitted, because they are difficult, or because of their many other important occasions, or because ther’s a purpose of doing them hereafter; or in regard of their troubles threatned, or because they have done enough good already, or more then others, or by reasoning from predestination; as if being ordained to salvation, though they live never so wickedly, it shall never disadvantage them, &c. All which with many more, are the vain dreams and delusions of sinners, whereby with these seducers they take liberty to offend God, and thereby to overthrow themselves.
1. Spirituall judgments are the sorest. Observ. 1 Insensiblenesse in sin, and self-delusion, were judgments which made these seducers miserable: They are judgments which seize upon the soul: No blessings so sweet as soul-blessings, and no judgments so sore as soul-judgments: The soul is the excellency of a man; the body is a body of vilenesse; the soul is precious, excellent every way, but only as depraved with sin: Its noble in regard of its original, functions, endowments. If all be well with the soul, all is well with the man, though the body be never so miserable: If it go ill with the soul, the man is wretched, let the body be never so happy. The funerall of a noble man is much spoken of; when a Prince dies, all lay it to heart; when his Page dies, it is never regarded: The body, the souls page, is not to be lamented, from which the soul parts; but the soul, from which God himself parts. And further, the distempers which befall the soul, are of all others hardest to remove: There is no herb in the garden, no receipt from the Physician, no medicine in the shop that can cure the soul; men are only parents and physicians of the body; he that made the soul, can only mend it: the Father of spirits is the only Physician of spirits. ‘Tis omnipotent strength that recovers a sin sick, and raiseth and rouzeth a sleeping soul; man can cast thee into thy sinful sleep, only God can awaken thee: outward helps cannot cure the inward man; he that sits in heaven, can only touch and teach the heart. And further, the distempers of the soul uncur’d, are of all others the most deadly and destructive. A scratch on the finger we call a slight wound, but a wound that reacheth to the heart is deadly; Whatever befals the body is comparatively slight and to be slighted. The worst things which befall the body, may be sent in mercy; they part between us and contemptible enjoyments, yea, oft they make way for the enjoying of the best blessings; but they which befall the soul, sever from him in whom all blessednesse is laid up: spiritual comforts or miseries are true, real; the temporal of either are but opinionative. Fear not him, saith Christ, that can kill the body, but fear him that can throw both body and soul into hell. To conclude, Spiritual judgments are alway inflicted in displeasure, in the last place, as the forest of all, as a reckoning for all other faults, when all other chastisements are despis’d: when God is shewing mercy, the last mercies are the best; and the further he goeth in mercy, the sweeter he is and when he is punishing, the last punishments are the forest; and the further he goeth, the bitterer he is: the judgment of pining away in iniquity is the last of all that dismal catalogue, Lev. 26.39. The spirit of a deep sleep is contiguous to hell it self: Rev. 22.11 he that is filthy, let him be filthy still, is the last judgment we read of (befalling in this life) in all the new Testament; yea the more God inflicts it, the more he is provok’d to inflict it; outward punishments move God to pity; but this being a sin as wel as a punishment, the more it lies upon man, the more it offends God.
2. Observ. 2 All the sinfull sleepinesse of Saints differs much from that of the wicked; Cant. 5.2. I sleep, but my heart awaketh (saith the Spouse.) The godly have ever in them a regenerate principle, that is waking when they seem to be most sleeping, & that is contending against natural self. The godly (as one speaks) are more pained and laborious in their sleep, Laboriosius dormiunt quam vigilare potucrunt. then in their waking; it more troubles them to be idle, then to do their Lords work; their souls yeild not to that slothfulnesse wherewith their senses are overtaken. Sensuall sinners sleep all at once, all in them, and of them sleeps, but the Saint keeps his heart watchful. The very business of the wicked is but vanity and dreams, but the sleeps of the godly are busie and vigilant; the wicked sleeps and trifles, when he is most serious to work his wickednesse; but when the righteous sleepeth, his heart riseth and worketh upwards toward God, in whom only he finds rest when thus imployed. The wicked man sleeps and loves to sleep, laies himself to sleep, shuts the door, draws the curtaines, puts out the candle, chargeth that none wake him; but a Saint is like a man overtaken with sleep against his will, who is surprized with it, as with an armed man; and being never so sound asleep, but he is between sleeping and waking, he alwaies even then fears he sleeps, and wisheth he were awaked, and would be glad, if any would take the pains to rouze him, though by making the loudest noise, and giving him the most violent jog; yea will gladly accept of the smartest blows, and the bloodyest stripes; that the Lord laies upon him, if by all he may be awakened from his slothfulnesse. He complaines of himself, and he is sensible of his sleeping; I sleep (saith the Spouse;) and so far as she saith she sleeps, she did not sleep. To conclude this, she wakes in her heart, though the outward man sleep; but the heart of sinners sleeps (as we say of one sometime, his heart is asleep) even when he is awake: Sometime a Christian under a tentation may be so low brought, as that his spiritual life runneth all to the heart, and the outward man is left destitute; as in war, when the enemy hath won the field, the people run into the City; and if beaten out of the City, they run into the Castle; the grace of God sometimes fails in the outward action, the field, when yet it retireth to the heart, in which fort it is impregnable: From all which I gather, that as the wicked should not flatter himself, so neither should the godly be disheartned by spirituall sleeping; and the reason is, because their sleeps are so unlike to one another.
3. Self-soothing, delusion, flattering, are very dangerous and destructive, as being the foundation of the wickednesse and wo of these seducers, these dreamers; nothing against which we are more cautioned in Scripture: If a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. Gal. 1.3. Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers, deceiving your own selves. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, Gal. 6.7. James speaks of those who by seeming to be religious, deceived their own hearts. Jam. 1.26. Ephraim said, 1 Cor. 6.9. 1 Cor. 15.33. Obad. 3. Isa. 44.20. Job 15.31. Yet am I become rich, I have found me out substance, in all my labours they shall finde no iniquity in me, that were sin, Hos. 12.8. Because he was wealthy, he soothed himself in his sin. Laodicea flattered her self, that she was rich, increased with goods, and had need of nothing, Rev. 3.17. He flattereth himself in his own eyes, Psal 36.2. 1 Joh. 1.8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our selves, &c. 1 Cor. 3 18. Let no man deceive himself: Nothing can be so dangerous as when one so near as ones self becomes false and flattering. When the Centinels and Guards of a City are treacherous, how great and unavoidable is the destruction thereof! when he who should be his own preserver, becomes his own destroyer, how sore and sure a destruction he doth incur, and how great is the indignity hereof! Theres nothing under which men are so impatient, and which they can less abide, then to be deceived and circumvented by others; and yet how unworthily patient are men in being deceived by themselves, or rather by the deceitfulness of sin; nothing is accounted so great a disgrace, as to be deceived in those things, which ought to be best known, and most familiar to a man: and what should be so well known to thy self, as thy self? In nothing are men so fearfull of being deceived, as in matters of greatest moment; and what business in the world of so weighty concernment, as the salvation of thy own soul? Nor doth the dreafullest judgment fall upon any so dreadfully, as upon the self-flatterer and deluder; the same judgment which befals him with others, makes him more miserable then others, because he expected to be more happy then others. How wofull is that Hell into which a sinner falls by presuming of Heaven! Its a Hell upon earth, for sinners to dream that they are going to Heaven. An imaginary happiness in sin occasions a doubled wo and misery for sin: when our natural dreams are false, its better they should be of bad then good, of fearful things then of joyful. Its better for a King to dream himself to be a beggar, then for a beggar to dream that he is a King; for when the King waketh, his grief is gone, and his joy is doubled, he then seeing the vanity of his dream; but when the Beggar wakes, his former grief is increased, and returns the fiercer, by reason of the false joy of his dream. And thus it is in the deceitful dreams and dotages of the heart: far better is that deceit whereby a son of God thinks himself a slave of Satan, then that whereby a slave of Satan dreams himself a member of Christ. Better it is for Nebuchadnezzar being a man to think himself a beast, then for a beast to think himself a man. A mans false conceit of misery when indeed he is happy, doth not make him miserable, but rather occasions his happiness; but a mans false apprehension of happiness, he being miserable, is so far from making him happy, that it makes him doubly miserable. To conclude this, as nothing is so calamitous, as to dream of happiness when we are in misery, so nothing is more common; Its natural for men to think too well of themselves, to nullifie others, and to deifie and omnifie themselves. There’s nothing so easie as to be deceived, to dream of false delight, and to neglect true danger; men are naturally witty in nothing but in deluding, and thereby in damning their own souls; like a man who, being to pass over a narrow Bridg, under which is a deep River, puts on a pair of Spectacles before his eyes, whereby he adventuring upon a supposed and imaginary breadth, falls into the water, and so is drowned.
To prevent then this self-flattery and delusion, 1. Be much in conversing with that faithful discoverer, and friend, the Word of God. Let it be the man of thy counsel, and dwell richly in thee. A man hath many flatterers, and but this one friend. This is an impartial glass that will represent to a King his, as well as to a beggar his spots. Heb. 4.12. It is quick and powerful, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, discerning the thoughts of the heart, and making manifest the intents of the heart. When Ahab enquired of his false Prophets concerning his going up to Ramoth Gilead, Jehoshaphat aks, whether there was not a Prophet of the Lord, that they might enquire of him also. When thou hearest the flatterings of thine own false heart, rather fear then follow them; at least suspend thy belief till thou hast enquired of the Word of God. 2. Search throughly and diligently into the grounds and reasons upon which thy heart would needs perswade thee of thy happiness. He that hath to do with Cheaters, will not easily believe all they say; The simple believeth every word; but the wise man, as he ponders his own words before he utters them, so the words of another before he credits them. Let not thy heart perswade thee of thy good condition, by laying before thee common marks, which may agree even with hypocrites; as external profession, an orthodox judgment, opposing of Error, or pleading for the Truth, attending upon Ordinances, freedom from scandalous sins, some sweet and sudden motions of heart in holy Duties; but ever build upon such marks as will necessarily infer sincerity and a principle of saving grace in the heart; such as have some singular excellency in them which an hypocrite cannot reach, a τὶ περισσὸν (as Christ speaks) something more then others ordinarily attain, things which alwayes accompany salvation, Heb. 6.9. 3 Possess thy heart with an apprehension of Gods presence. Set thy self as in his eye: Consider though thou mayest baffle thy conscience, yet not the eye of Gods Omnisciency. Never think thou art out of the reach of his hand, or the view of his eye: Psal 44.17.21. Tell thy conscience (as the Church speaks) there is no dealing falsly, for shall not God search it out, who knoweth the secrets of the heart? Would not a Malefactor speak truly at the Bar, did he know the Judg had windowes into his brest? Vitia nostra, quia amamus, defendimus; & malumus excusare illa quam excutere. Sen. Ep. 116. 4. Look not upon thy self through the spectacles of self-love. A man that is in love with any thing, thinks the blemishes and deformities of the thing beloved to be beauties and Ornaments. Self-love makes shadowes to be substances, and mole-hills to be mountains. Let not affection bribe or throw dust into the eye of thy judgment. The more thou lovest thy self, the more thou wilt desire to appear amiable, and adorned with a specious and seeming goodness. Joseph loved his bro her Benjamin, and he gave him five changes of rayment. Till thou denyest thy self, and putest off the person of a friend, thou wilt never put on the person of a just Judg. Study to know thy self as thou art in thy self, not as thou art partially represented to thy self. Be not like Limners, who so as thy can make a mans picture gay and gaudy, Luke 6.48. care not to draw it so as to resemble him. The want of true humiliation and denyal of our selves, is the ground of all self-flattery and heart delusion: Gold must be melted and dissolved, before it can be defecated and rid of the dross. Bodies full of vicious humours must be emptied by purgation, before they can come to an healthful state. Crooked things cannot be made strait without the wringing and bowing of them by the hand. The greater our humiliation, the greater our integrity.
4. Observ. 4. Its our wisdom to take heed of spiritual sleeping in sin. For which purpose,
1 Make much of a stirring Ministry. Love that preaching most which is most exciting. The Word preach’d is both light and noise, both which disquiet sleepers. A still easie Minister, makes a sleepy drowzie people. Ministers must stir those who sleep in sin, though they stir them up to rage. They must be sins of Thunder against sinners, not sweet singers and pleasant Musicians: No employment requires so much holy vehemency and fervor as the welfare of souls. Cry aloud (saith God to his Prophet) and lift up thy voice as a Trumpet: and people should be so far from blaming the loudness of the sound of the Word, that they should only blame the depth of their own slumber. They should ever take part with the Word against their lusts, and intreat God that his word may be an awakening, though it be a displeasing voice; as also, that he would cry in the ears of the soul by the voice of his own Spirit, and to stir it in the Ministry with his own arm for indeed otherwise Ministers shall rend their owne sides, before they rowze their peoples souls.
2. Labour for a fruitful improvement of sufferings. Beseech the Lord that no affliction may blow over without benefit to thy soul. None sleep so soundly as they who continue sleeping under the greatest joggings. Physick, if it works not, is hurtful to the Patient. If thou art so close nailed to thy sin, that afflictions cannot part it and thee, its a provocation to God to leave thee, Isai. 1 5. and an incouragement to Satan that he shall keep thee. God is never more displeased then when he takes away judgments in judgment; then when he punisheth by delivering thee from thy trouble, and delivers thee up to thy own heart. Oh beg earnestly of God, that the blessed opportunities of suffering times, may never leave thee as bad as they found thee; for if so, they will leave thee worse; and that no wind may go downe till it have driven thee nearer thy Haven.
3 Endeavour for a tender trembling heart at the very beginning of the solicitations of sin. That which makes way for eternal, takes away spiritual feeling. Men sleep by little and little, from slumber they fall to sleeping. Every sin neglected, is a step downward to a deep sleep. A deluge of sin is made up of several drops: Prov. 5.22. Many knots tied one upon another will hardly be loosed. Every sin repeated, and not repented of, binds downe the soul in insensibleness and sloth. Dum servitur libidini, facta est consuetudo; et dum consuctudini non resistatur, facta est necessi•as. Aug. •onf. l 8. c. 5. Every sin suffered to defile the conscience, makes it the more regardless of it self. Sin is of an incroaching nature; like a smal River, it growes in going; like a Gangreen, it creeps by degrees. The deceitful modesty of sin by asking little at first, quickly enticeth us to more Smal beginnings, usher large proceedings: One bit draws down another. As every good work increaseth our ability for obedience, so every sin leaves upon the soul a readiness for further disobedience. The not resisting the first inclination to sin, makes way to stupefaction by sin. He who dares not wade to the ancles, is in no danger of being swallowed up.
4 Labour for faith in threatnings. Restrain not belief only to what God hath promised. Let faith comprehend all Truths in its vast bosom, and overcome all the improbabilities that seem to keep away Judgment, as well as those that seem to keep away Mercies. Noah was not drown’d in a deep sleep of sin, and in a deluge of waters with the old world; and the reason was, faith taught Noah to fear, Hebr. 11. and fear (that watchful Grace) prevented feeling. Faith makes a man solicitous for a while, and safe to eternitie. Naturally we are more moved with fear, then stirr’d with hopes.
5 Vigorously and constantly exercise thy self in Godliness. Never think thou hast done enough. Think not thy work is ended til thy life is ended. Take heed of remisness in holy Duties: Fervency of spirit is by the Apostle join’d with serving of the Lord. Rom. 12.11. Let the Tempter ever find thee imploied: The night comes when no man can work, John 9.4. but as long as the day lasts no man must loyter. As sleep causeth idleness, so idleness causeth sleep. Strive to attain to the highest pitch of grace, and yet ever be working, as if thou wert at the very lowest, Phil 3.13. Forget those things (as the Apostle speaks) which are behind. Take heed of turning thy spur into a bridle, namely, of making that former practice of holiness, which should be an inducement to thy further active progress, an hinderance from proceeding therein. All the steps we have taken are lost, if we give over before the race be run.
6 Keep company with waking Christians; such as neither dare sleep in sin themselves, nor suffer any to sleep who are neer them. In the sweating sickness (they say) that they who were kept awake by those who were with them, escaped; but their sickness was deadly if they were suffered to sleep. The keeping one another awake is the best fruit of the communion of Saints. Heb. 10.24, 25 The Apostle speaks of provoking one another to love and good works, of exhorting, or calling upon one another.
7 Watch over thy self in the use of such things as are in themselves lawful. In lawful things there is least fear, and therefore most danger. More perish by meat then by poyson; because every man takes heed of the hurtfulness of the latter, and fears not any harm by the former. Satan lyes in ambush behind our lawful enjoyments. Christ was once lost at a feast, and oft since in worldly abundance: Prosperity never waked any out of sin. ‘Tis as hard to be full and watchful, as to be empty and contented. Luke 21.34. Sobriety and Vigilancy are put together. Take heed lest the vapours of sensual enjoyments overwhelm thee: Let the things of this life be thy Solatia, not thy Negotia; thy refreshments, not thy employments; use them as the things, not for which thou dost live, but without which thou canst not live. They who are inclined to be gross in their bodies, should use much exercise; and they who have abundance in the world, should take much pains with their hearts, lest while they get the world, they lose their God.
