A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…

:1978p. 159

Use 1. It may teach us, that even the falls of the sons and daughters of men▪ are managed and ordered by the wise and good hand of Gods providence; so you see here is a hand going quite beyond all the ends of men, they went out that they might be manifest, and God hath always challenged this, to have an hand in the sins of men, not to work, but to punish one sin by another, if God sees envy in Josephs Brethren, he stirs them up to sell him into Egypt, and God challenges it, Gen. 47. Gen. 50.20. 2 Sam. 11.12. Exodus 7.3. so Act. 4 28. 2 Chron. 32.21. Isa. 10.5. the worst evils that have been in the Church, God hath had an hand in it, 2 Sam. 24.1. not as an Author, but by accidental occasion, he gives them up to take such courses; if David be Idle, God gives him up to Adultery; if Pharaoh vex Gods people, God leaves him to hardness of heart; if David commit Murder and Adultery, he gives up his Son to fratricide and incest; If Judas be covetous, he gives him to betray his Master; if they be his own Servants, he doth it to cleanse them; if wicked, he doth it to punish them, therefore let us fear that God that is not only able to cast both body and soul into Hell, but also into sin, which is worse than Hell, by propounding •uch temptations as may leave a man to run into desperate courses; therefore give not way to any sin, thinking to recover your selves, but fear God will leave you to run into worse.

Ʋse 1. It may teach us, that even the falls of the sons and daughters of men▪ are mannaged and ordered by the wise and good hand of Gods providence; so you see here is a hand going quite beyond all the ends of men, they went out that they might be manifest, and God hath alwayes challenged this, to have an hand in the sins of men, not to work, but to punish one sin by another, if God sees envy in Josephs Brethren, he stirs them up to sell him into Egypt, and God challenges it, Gen. 47. Gen. 50.20. 2 Sam. 11.12. Ezodus 7.3. so Act. 4 28. 2 Chron. 32.21. Isa. 10.5. the worst evills that have been in the Church, God hath had an hand in it, 2 Sam. 24.1. not as an Author, but by accidental occasion, he gives them up to take such courses; if David be Idle, God gives him up to Adultery; if Pharoah vex Gods people, God leaves him to hardnesse of heart; if David commit Murther and Adultery, he gives up his Son to fratricide and incest; If Judas be covetous, he gives him to betray his Master; if they be his own Servants, he doth it to cleanse them; if wicked, he doth it to punish them, therefore let us fear that God that is not only able to cast both body and soul into Hell, but also into sin, which is worse than Hell, by propounding •uch temptations as may leave a man to run into desparate courses; therefore give not way to any sin, thinking to recover your selves, but feare God will leave you to runne into worse.

:1979p. 159–160¶2

2 It may teach Gods people not to admire▪ and be offended at it; first, if they see men of good esteem and profession fall off, wonder not, such were never of the Church, 2 Tim. 2.17, 18, 19. Prov. 10.25. the righteous are as an everlasting foundation, which God hath founded, and every one of them hath this seal, The Lord knows who are his, and therefore be not discouraged, when you see others whom you thought better of than of your selves fall, for the foundation of God standeth sure; 2ly, let not other men be offended, if they see some that were professors fall off into vile courses, say not they are all of one Sect, they are all of the same Spirit, none better than other, this is the course of them all; say not so, for God gives them up to these base courses to manifest it, that they were not true Members of the Church, God would have it thereby manifested, ⟨p. 160⟩that these spots of the face of the church are not spots of the Body of the church, but spots in the Visors of the church; but God keeps his church unspotted and undefiled, so that even Balaam could say, How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob; therefore if you see any in the church grow corrupt, and defiled, it implies they were never members of the church, God hath nothing to do with such, therefore he turns them out that it may appear what they are; if God at any time leave his people to any scandalous course, that God casts shame on them (which is very rare) if he do, he gives them such unfeigned humiliation, and broken-heartednesse, and such chastisements that they recover themselves, that all the World may see, neither doth the church allow it, nor God, but as they were patterns of sin, so they shall be patterns of Repentance, 2 Sam. 12, 11, if David do fall into scandalous sins, God will follow him with such chastisements, that God will manifest he is no approver of such courses; and David himself shall proclaim, that he repents unfeignedly, so that he was not so careful before to cover it, as he is now to divulge it, and declare that it was the cause of bitter anguish to him, so that neither God, nor the church, nor themselves approve of their sin, but are against it.

:1980p. 160

Use 3. It may teach Gods servants to make an holy use of other mens falls; Dost thou see Professors fall into loose wicked courses, and give no testimony of their repentance, why God hereby would manifest that thou art sincere and upright, God hereby prevents thy mis-leading by their evil counsel, or practise; bless God that hereby he purifies his Ordinances, and wipes away the soil of his church, he wipes their face by casting out such; and especially make this use, Be not high minded, but fear? fear that God that is able to cast men from one sin into another, Isa. 6.2, 3. Why did the Angel there sing [Greek or Hebrew], Holy, Holy, Holy? &c. why, because he was to send the Prophet on a Message, to harden the wicked, and make their hearts fat.

Ʋse 3. It may teach Gods servants to make an holy use of other mens falls; Dost thou see Professors fall into loose wicked courses, and give no testimony of their repentance, why God hereby would manifest that thou art sincere and upright, God hereby prevents thy mis-leading by their evill counsell, or practise; blesse God that hereby he purifies his Ordinances, and wipes away the soyle of his church, he wipes their face by casting out such; and especially make this use, Be not high minded, but fear? fear that God that is able to cast men from one sin into another, Isa. 6.2, 3. Why did the Angel there sing 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Holy, Holy, Holy? &c. why, because he was to send the Prophet on a Message, to harden the wicked, and make their hearts fat.

:1981p. 160

Use 4. To exhort all in a special manner to take heed of Hypocrisy, if we take up a course of Religion, and good duties at home, and abroad, we think that God will be merciful to us; but let us see that what we do, we do in spirit and in truth, Heb. 12.13. Lev. 10.3. God will certainly discover us, scarce ever any lived that dyed in Hypocrisy, but he was uncased before his death, there is nothing so secret but it shall be revealed. Hypocrisy must be manifest to all men, though there were good hopes of them, yet God washes off the spots of his church, and not only at the last day, but in this World, therefore let it not suffice you to live in the church, for you may be as ill Humours, and so annoy the church of God, and it will be well that you be cast out; or at the best, though you be ornaments and supporters to the church, yet you are but as glass eyes, and wooden legs, why God may stay long for the good of his church, but certainly he will lay you open to some corrupt Doctrine, or way, that you shall be manifest, 2 Tim. 3.9. why, vers. fifth he tells you what they were, They had a form of godliness, &c, implying, it is a mad course to be an Hypocrite, for by his outward profession, he gets the ill will of wicked men, and for want of sincerity, he gets the ill will of God.

Ʋse 4. To exhort all in a speciall manner to take heed of Hypocrisie, if we take up a course of Religion, and good duties at home, and abroad, we think that God will be mercifull to us; but let us see that what we doe, we doe in spirit and in truth, Heb. 12.13. Lev. 10.3. God will certainly discover us, scarce ever any lived that dyed in Hypocrisie, but he was uncased before his death, there is nothing so secret but it shall be revealed. Hypocrisie must be manifest to all men, though there were good hopes of them, yet God washes off the spots of his church, and not only at the last day, but in this World, therefore let it not suffice you to live in the church, for you may be as ill Humours, and so annoy the church of God, and it will be well that you be cast out; or at the best, though you be ornaments and supporters to the church, yet you are but as glasse eyes, and wooden leggs, why God may stay long for the good of his church, but certainly he will lay you open to some corrupt Doctrine, or way, that you shall be manifest,

:1982p. 160

There are sundry signs of this Hypocrisy.

There are sundry signs of this Hypocrisie.

:1983p. 160¶1

1 If thou findest in thy self an hatred of admonition, Mat. 14.4. Herod was impatient of admonition, therefore he put John in prison, and thereby manifested his hypocrisy.

1 If thou findest in thy self an hatred of admonition, Mat. 14.4. Herod was impatient of admonition, therefore he put John in prison, and thereby manifested his hypocrisie.

:1984p. 160¶2

2 If thou beest given to praise wicked men, and accompany with them, Prov. 13.20. Prov. 28.4. that is a fore-runner of forsaking of the Law.

:1985p. 160¶3

3 When a man makes no conscience of his tongue. but lets his tongue run at random, to passion, or railing, or slandering, Jam. 1.26.

3 When a man makes no conscience of his tongue. but lets his tongue run at random, to passion, oc rayling, or slandering, Jam. 1.26.

:1986p. 160¶4

4. If you see any man living in any known sin, and delighting in it, it is such a link as the Devil will chain him fast by.

:1987p. 161¶5

5 When a man shall make use of Religion to any other end than for Gods glory, if you make Religion a stalking-horse to your own ends, certainly you will fall off▪ Joh. 6.26.60.66. those that followed Christ for the Loaves, not one of them continued with him, 2 King. 10.29. Acts 8.17. to 23. When Simon Magus would make use of Spiritual gifts to get money, he was in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity, his heart was not right; therefore as you desire to have fellowship with God, be sincere and upright.

5 When a man shall make use of Religon to any other end than for Gods glory, if you make Religion a stalking-horse to your own ends, certainly you will fall off▪ Joh. 6.26.60.66. those that followed Christ for the Loaves, not one of them continued with him, 2 King. 10.29. Acts 8.17. to 23. When Simon Magus would make use of Spiritual gifts to get money, he was in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquity, his heart was not right; therefore as you desire to have fellowship with God, be sincere and upright.

:1988p. 161

1 JOHN 2.20. But ye have an Unction from the holy one▪ and know all things.

1 JOHN 2.20. But ye have an Ʋnction from the holy one▪ and know all things.

:1989p. 161

The Apostle having instructed little Children that Antichrist would come, and described him, vers. 18, 19. in this verse and the next, he propounds some means to help them.

THe Apostle having instructed little Children that Antichrist would come, and described him, vers. 18, 19. in this verse and the next, he propounds some means to help them.

:1990p. 161¶1

1 An Unction within themselves, whereby they know all their seducements and snares, vers. 20, 21.

:1991p. 161¶2

2 The second means is, from the corrupt and false doctrine of these Teachers▪ who is Antichrist but he that denies the Son? whose doctrine perverted that unction which they had received, vers. 22, 23.

2 The second means is, from the corrupt and false doctrin of these Teachers▪ who is Antichrist but he that denies the Son? whose doctrin perverted that unction which they had received, vers. 22, 23.

:1992p. 161

In the first means observe,

:1993p. 161¶1

1 A benefit received, an Unction.

2 It may teach Gods people not to admire▪ and be offended at it; first, if they see men of good esteem and profession fall off, wonder not, such were never of the Church, 2 Tim. 2.17, 18, 19. Prov. 10.25. the righteous are as an everlasting foundation, which God hath founded, and every one of them hath this seal, The Lord knows who are his, and therefore be not discouraged, when you see others whom you thought better of than of your selves fall, for the foundation of God standeth sure; 2ly, let not other men be offended, if they see some that were professors fall off into vile courses, say not they are all of one Sect, they are all of the same Spirit, none better than other, this is the course of them all; say not so, for God gives them up to these b•se courses to manifest it, that they were not true Members of the Church, God would have it thereby manifested, ⟨p. 160⟩that these spots of the face of the church are not spots of the Body of the church, but spots in the Vizards of the church; but God keeps his church unspotted and undefiled, so that even Balaam could say, How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob; therefore if you see any in the church grow corrupt, and defiled, it implies they were never members of the church, God hath nothing to doe with such, therefore he turns them out that it may appear what they are; if God at any time leave his people to any scandalous course, that God casts shame on them (which is very rare) if he doe, he gives them such unfeigned humiliation, and broken-heartednesse, and such castisements that they recover themselves, that all the World may see, neither doth the church allow it, nor God, but as they were patterns of sin, so they shall be patterns of Repentance, 2 Sam. 12, 11, if David doe fall into scandalous sins, God will follow him with such chastisements, that God will manifest he is no approver of such courses; and David himself shall proclaim, that he repents unfeignedly, so that he was not so carefull before to cover it, as he is now to divulge it, and declare that it was the cause of bitter anguish to him, so that neither God, nor the church, nor themselves approve of their sin, but are against it.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36