Them that walk after the flesh,… and despise government.
Walking after the flesh
Now from the thesis he accommodates the general doctrine to his own purpose. If God will take vengeance on all the wicked, let not these pernicious seducers think to escape.
1. They follow “the flesh,” not reason, much less the Spirit.
2. They “walk after” the flesh: the flesh is not like some stranger, whom they meet rarely; or some friend, whom they see but now and then; or a domestic companion, with whom they eat, drink, play, sleep. But it is their commander, whose colours they march under. It is the weight that sets all their wheels a-going; the horses that draw their chariot, the very life of their corruption, and corruption of their life, without which they do nothing.
3. “In the lust of uncleanness”--a sordid, irrational, stinking turpitude. After this the reprobate walks; his whole self, all the parts of him: his eyes walk after to look upon it; his ears walk after to hearken to it; his mouth walks after to talk of it; his feet walk after to pursue it; his hands stay not behind to act it; his heart is foremost of all to desire it.
4. Finally, whatsoever may cross their lusts, they set themselves to contemn. “Despise government.”Not that Almighty Word which rules heaven and earth, but all the beams of God’s omnipotent royalty, in His deputed magistracy. As if they resolved to disgrace that wherein God had imprinted the most immediate characters of His own supreme majesty. (Thos. Adams.)
Presumptuous.
Presumption
Presumption is a deliberate and wilful sinning against conscience, example, or warning.
1. There be some that presume of safety in sin, not doubting to fare well, while they fear not to do ill: as if this world were to last for ever, and the corn and tares were never to be parted.
2. There be some that attempt things without warrant, or expect things without promise; this is the common presumption of the world. And they that know they cannot live without feeding, or change placer without moving, yet will hope to be saved without practical obedience.
3. There be some that take their salvation without all question, and are so sure of heaven that they never doubt the contrary; and this is presumption. Every good grace hath its counterfeit: if in the faithful there be a modest assurance of their blessedness in Christ, the carnal will be blown up with an impudent arrogance, as if their footing was as sure in heaven as any man’s. That we may not be thus cozened, observe some differences between presumption and assurance.
(1) Presumption is natural, assurance supernatural: we were born with that, we are new-born to this: that was the legacy of Adam, this of Christ.
(2) Presumption submits not itself to ordinary means, assurance refuses no means of being made better.
(3) Presumption is without all doubting, assurance feels many perplexities: he that doubts not of his estate, his estate is much to be doubted of.
(4) Presumption is joined with looseness of life, persuasion with a tender conscience: that dares sin because it is sure, this dares not for fear of losing assurance. (Thos. Adams.)
Presumption
is a firework, made up of pride and foolhardiness. It is indeed like a heavy house built upon slender crutches; like dust, which men throw against the wind, it flies back in their face, and makes them blind. Wise men presume nothing, but hope the best; presumption is hope out of her wits. (Thos. Adams.)
Presumption
Iheard the Hon. Thomas Marshall, of Kentucky, make a ten minutes’ speech in Broadway Tabernacle, in which he said, “Were this great globe one chrysolite, and I offered the possession if I would drink one glass of brandy, I would refuse it with scorn; and ] want no religion, I want the temperance pledge.” With that wonderful voice of his he thundered out, “We want no religion in this movement; let it be purely secular, and keep religion where it belongs.” Poor Tom Marshall, with all his self-confidence, fell, and died at Poughkeepsie in clothes given him by Christian charity. (J. B. Gough.)
Self-willed.--Self-willed sinners
The natural and unsanctified will of man is hard to tame. No prince can tame the will: he may load the body with irons, vex the sense with pains, yea, surcharge the affections with sorrows; yet still a man’s will is his own: in his will he is a king, even while his body is below a slave. The will can make a man’s life happy or wretched, when fortune cannot do it. The self-willed man needs no greater enemy than he is to himself.
1. The malicious and spiteful (Num_16:3).
2. They that despair of proffered grace, and with both hands put back the proffered goodness of God.
3. Contemners of the Word (Hos_8:12).
4. Blasphemers. (T. Adams.)
Self-will
Theself-willed is a slave to the worst part of himself; that which is beast in him governs that which is man: appetite is his lord, reason his servant, religion his drudge, tits five senses are all the articles of his faith; and he had rather be a famous man upon earth than saint in heaven, lie likes nothing for any goodness, but because he will like it; and he will like it because others do not. If an unseasonable shower cross his recreation, he is ready to fall out with heaven, and to quarrel with God Himself, as if he were wronged because God did not take his time when to rain and when to shine. He is a querulous cur that barks at every horse; and in the silent night the very moonshine opens his clamorous throat. All his proceedings are so many precipices, and his attempts peremptory. He hath not the patience to consult with reason, but determines all merely by affection and fancy. There is no part about him but often smarts for his will. His sides be sore with stripes, and thank his will for it. His bowels are empty, and complain that his will robs them of sustenance. Yea, not seldom, his will breaks the covenant, and his neck pays the forfeit. He is the lawyer’s best client, his own sycophant, and the devil’s wax, to take what impression he will give him. (T. Adams.)
Not afraid to speak evil of dignities.--
Speaking evil of dignities
In the discharging of this artillery of hell against the glories and powers which God has ordained, we may consider four particulars: the bullet, the musket, the powder, and the mark. The musket is the malice of the heart; the powder the spitefulness of the tongue; the bullet is blasphemy, disgracing of magistrates; the mark, or butt, is dignities,
1. This piece is charged with three deadly bullets, libelling, murmuring, mutinying.
(1) Libellers think it a point of wit to traduce magistracy. Scandals of great men have seldom any fathers; they kill, and make no report.
(2) Murmurers, though they disperse not written scandals of the magistracy, yet mutter out repining exceptions against their actions.
(3) Mutineers so speak evil of dignities that they raise up evil against dignities. He that poisons the people with a mal-opinion of their prince, is the most dangerous traitor.
2. The engine that carries this mischievous burden is thetongue. It flies lightly, but injures heavily. It is but a little member, but the nimblest about a man, able to do both body and soul a mischief.
3. The powder that chargeth the tongue, and carries this shot of blasphemy, must needs he malice, the saltpetre of a rancorous hatred.
4. The butts at which this pestilent artillery lets fly the apostle calls dignities, glories. God hath not only set them as vicegerents in His own room, but also enabled them with gifts for so great a design-ment. Good kings are no ordinary blessings: a worthy general is worth half an army; such as Moses and Joshua were, whose faith fought more for the camp than the camp fought for them. Inferences:
(1) Glories they are, why then should they not be glorious? Let their pomp, apparel, diet, dwelling, all be magnificent; let nothing be wanting to their state upon whom depends the state of all.
(2) Dignities they are, therefore should be worthy--
(a) Of admittance.
(b) In performance. No dastards, not proud and disdainful, nor covetous. (T. Adams.)
