are likewise diversities of Truths and Doctrines which are occasionally to be delivered some of comfort and consolation and others of terror and astonishment And this here now present in the Text it is one amongst the rest The terror of the Lord. What 's the use which we now from hence are to make of it but accordingly to be wrought upon by it and to be perswaded of it seeing the Apostle uses this Argument whereby to perswade you therefore to comply with it that as we perswade you in regard of our endeavour as I shewed before so we may also in regard of your success and that especially upon this basis as knowing the terror of the Lord. If this business were a mere fancy a conjecture a thing of our own devising it could not have so much weight in it neither might we our selves expect such an effect and fruit of it I but because it is a matter of knowledg in regard of the apprehensions and likewise a matter of terror in regard of the object apprehended surely we cannot here come off which a slighting or neglecting of it without great prejudice to our selves I will therefore conclude this point which I am now upon with two most eminent places and Texts of Scripture in the book of the Preacher The one is in Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment And the other is in Eccles 12.13 14. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man for God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it is good or whether it be evil And so now I have done with the first General part of the Text which is an account of the Ministerial Dispensations in reference to their performance in these words Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade c. The second is in reference to their acceptance in these words But we are made manifest to God and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences This is added to prevent and objection which might perhaps have been made by some persons in the Church of Corinth against that which St. Paul had here spoken concerning himself and his companions and fellow-labourers in the work of the Ministry It is true indeed Paul you have told us a fair table of your self and of the rest of your brethren with what great matters you attempt to do But who thinks e're-a-whit the better of you for all this Who gives you any thanks for your labour or who gives any great credit to that which you deliver To this the Apostle answers very soberly and gravely and discreetly But we are made manifest to God and I trust also are made c. Where he gives a double account of himself as to matter of acceptance First In reference to God And secondly in reference to men as he does also in another place Act. 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men This was that which St. Paul was us'd to do but more particularly here in this Text. I begin with the first viz. His acceptance with God We are made manifest unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We had this word in the verse before though in another case and acceptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must all appear or be made manifest but that was a manifestation before God This here is a manifestation to him That was a manifestation of presence this here a manifestation of praise That a necessary manifestation and such as we could not avoid This voluntary and upon our own choice and desire To speak distinctly of it as it lyes here in the Text it may be taken two manner of ways Either first of all by way of Discovery Or secondly by way of Approbation There 's manifestatio notitiae and manifestatio landis as Cajetan well distinguishes Now it is not the first only but the second which is here intended and that principally about this other Here 's a Metonymie of the cause for the effect Manifestation which is the Antecedent put for approbation which is the consequent and yet if we please we may take both one and t'other and so joyn them both together that we are manifested to God that is known to him what we are and then that being so we are hereupon accepted of and approved by him And this may be made good unto us for the particulars which it reaches unto in these five following respects 1. For our Calling and Gifts We are manifest to God so we are manifest to him as we are instituted and appointed by him for so we are The Ministry it is not an humane invention a device set upon by men but it is the Ordinance of God himself It is he who is the Author of it who has ordered it and commended it to his Church it is he which has given Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists and Pastors and Teachers c. Ephes 4.11 All these they are from him and from him alone not only by his meet allowance but likewise moreover by his command Indeed whether or no the Ministry in such a particular form or constitution of Government in the Church be that which is determined and appointed by God we will not meddle with that now But that the Ministry it self is that is that there be particular persons set apart to attend this work of feeding the flock of Christ and Church of God which be has purchased with his blood as the Apostle speaks Act. 20.28 This is clear to be from God himself and the Holy Ghost is said there in particular to make them overseers of it as being he who has appointed and designed them hereunto And to make it more remarkable to us and that we may take greater observation of it there are two circumstances in it which do manifest it and sets it out more The one is that it is a part of God's gracious Covenant with his People and the other is that it is a gracious fruit and consequent of the Ascension of Christ 1. I say it is a part of God's gracious Covenant with his People as we may see in Jer. 3.15 Thus saith the Lord I will give you pastors according to mine heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding And so also Jer. 23.4 I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed neither shall they be lacking saith the Lord. When the Lord would express and manifest his favour and good will towards his People he does it by setting Pastors over them and by sending his Ministers among them It is a part of his Covenant
or wearying out of him that he should give over Hee 'l make us weary of sinning before we shall make him weary of punishing Secondly Another occasion of escape in a multitude of delinquents amongst men is their exceeding great power and strength that they prove to hard for them which should judge them and call them to an account But this will not serve the turn against God when he shall come to punish them When the Lord shall stretch out his hand both he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they shall all fail together as it is Isa 31.3 Thus much as it is terrible to wicked men Secondly This makes also very much for the comfort of the people of God in regard of their conflict which they sustain with great and potent Enemies and the multitudes of them They are such as prove oftentimes too hard and strong for them as the sons of Zerviah did for David but the Lord can tame them well enough whether a Nation or a man onely there 's no rescue out of his hands that he should not destroy them This was that whereby the Prophet Elisha comforted his servant in 2 King 6.16 Fear not says he for they that be with us are more than they that be with them And so Hezekiah to his Captains of war in 2 Chron. 32.7 Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be more with us then with him with him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels The Lord will one day tread all our enemies under our feet Again Further whether it be done against a Nation or against a man onely we learn another observation from this conjunction and that 's this That the sins of one Particular Person as well as of an whole Nation may provoke the Lord to the execution of judgement and punishment upon such and such places Elihu is here indifferent in his expressions whether one or to'ther That 's a true word of the Preacher That one sinner destroyes much good Eccles 9. ult Thus we see how the sin of one Achan put an whole army of Israelites to flight Josh 7.12 Thus we see how the sin of one Saul was an occasion of three years famine in the land 2 Sam. 21.1 Thus we see how the sin of one David caused a Pestilence from Dan to Beersheba 2 Sam. 24.15 Thus as he said Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi The ground of this point is taken from the filthy nature of sin it self and the odiousness therein which is so hateful and detestable to God that it makes him afflict those occasionally for it which were not immediately active in it Thus he has threatned to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth Generation Look as we see amongst men the whole stock and family is tainted for the treason of one member of it even so also in the dealings of God some whole Land and Nation may be defiled and involved for the sin of one man in it Secondly Because it is hard and rare for one notorious sinner to be in a Kingdom but the whole Kingdom more or less does partake of his guilt and wickedness in some one kind or other And a participation in sinning calls for a participation in punishing Hence may God easily be provoked and in good justice proceed to scourging of a Nation with a particular reference to a man onely This serve 's first of all to excite us to search and examine our selves now that Gods judgements are abroad in the land to see whether we or no for our particulars may not be the causes of them or if not of the first inflicting them yet at least of the further continuance of them and in that height that they are now upon us we are all ready in such cases to reflect upon the general Abominations and the Miscarriages of the Land in gross or it may be of such publique States and Conditions belonging to the Lands as the Magistrates and the Ministers and the like but we are here now call'd to search and inquire into our private and personal Faylings whether there may not be somewhat arising from them Secondly We see here what cause there is when God's Judgments are at any time upon a Kingdom that those which have the Government of it should proceed to the Execution of Justice upon notorious Offenders Forasmuch as but one of these for ought any one can say to the Contrary might be an occasion of wrath upon the Land and so accordingly the punishing of such an one might divert Wrath from it we see a plain and notable instance of this in the example of Phineas of whom it is said That when he stood up and Executed Judgment the Plague stayed Psal 106.30 Thirdly By the Rule of Contraryes as the Sin of one man may bring Judgment so the Righteousness of one man also may remove it and therefore we should all be here incouraged for the rectifying and reforming of our own wayes let the Nation do what it will There is a notable and excellent place to this purpose in this Book of Job Chap. 22. vers 29.30 Speaks there to a Godly man and one that delights himself in the Almighty When men are cast down then thou shalt say there is lifting up and he shall save the humble Person He shall deliver the Hand of the Innocent and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands So go through Jerusalem and find me a man that executeth Judgment c. Jerem. 5.1 And so much of these words also in their Connexion there remains to speak of them in their Second reference distinctly Trouble and Peace as it relates to a Private person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SERMON XIII Job 34.29 And when he hideth his face who then can behold him whether it be against a Nation or against a man onely This Scripture which I have here again read unto you it carryes a verygood complyance and Correspondency with the present times and seasons which are now fallen upon us for which cause I have the rather chosen it at this time to be handled by us It makes mention of those two things which take up the greatest part of our thoughts Trouble and Quietness The one is in our thoughts to Bewayl it and the other is in our thoughts to desire it The one we have in our Experience and the other in our Expectation and both we have also here Exhibited in that reference in which our selves look up it to wit in Generall to an whole Kingdom and in Particular to every Person to a Nation and to a man onely And this double reference of it does serve to make up unto us the two particulars of the Text. In the Morning we spake to the former where we
for our own use and improvement And first let us here take notice of the corrupt nature which is in man to be abased and humbled for it The world in the wisdom of God by wisdom knew not God what a perverse world was this now in the mean time that made no better use of those helps which were afforded unto it for its furtherance in knowledg Here were two special helps which though in some respects we have disparaged and diminished from them yet in other respects do remain intire and they are the wisdom of God on the one part and the wisdom of man on the other The wisdom of God in the Creatures for the Book and opportunity of teaching and the wisdom of man in the mind for the skill and opportunity of learning Both of these taken together they leave the world without excuse There are two special cases wherein we pity rather than blame such persons as are destitute of learning The one is when they want Books and the other is when they want parts those which have no very excellent pregnancy of parts or quickness of wit in themselves yet may know with the help of a good Library they make a shift to get some competent knowledg Again those which have no great store of Books yet if they have quick and nimble parts they are able to beat things out of themselves if they will set themselves to it and they carry as it were a Library about them in that respect But now where both these meet together surely here 's a very great advantage and opportunity indeed and it 's a sign of very great laziness and negligence to be a dunce here Why this is now the case with the world for the knowledg of God Here 's Books enough the Library of the Creature which is here called the wisdom of God And here 's parts enough even the wisdom of the world and yet the world for all this it knows not God What a stark and staring shame is this and how much to be abhorred But here we see the corruption of our nature which we have hence cause to abhor and bewail And that may be the first Application Secondly Seeing the world by wisdom knew not God let us then labour to find somewhat more in us than worldly wisdom let us not rest our selves in tha kind of knowledg which we may have and still be ignorant of God but labour and endeavour with our selves to reach to an higher pitch and perfection than consists barely in these inferior speculations what is it for us to have skill in every thing else if we have not skill in Religion an saving of our own souls What is it for us to make good others evidences for earth if we cannot make good our own evidences for Heaven I beseech ye let us seriously think of such matters a these are Humane wisdom and Divine they are not inconsistent as I have shewn in the nature of the things themselves but yet they are many times inconsistent in the subject in which they severally are and do not always meet together in one and the same person and that is because they are excellencies of a different nature As ye know in Professions which are independant upon each other there may be skill in the one where there is not skill in the other so also here Thirdly Let those who know God and have this worldly wisdom see what cause they have to bless God and to acknowledg his goodness to them those which are at once both men of parts and men of grace and piety also let them here knovv hovv they came by each and especially by the latte of them to vvit the knovvledg of God in Christ Flesh and blood has not taught it them It vvas not their vvit which made them that vvhich they are but the free grace and goodness of God unto them vvhich carried them into an higher strain of spirit And again for those who desire this wisdom let them learn hence to vail and cover the other and lay it down in order to the other where it makes any opposition and resistance yea where they have formerly too much stood upon it shew their remorse and repentance for this folly by another course as those in the Acts which were converted they renounced their curious arts witchcraft and sorcery and the like and brought their books and burnt them before all men Act. 19.19 Yet to conclude let me add one thing more and that 's this That though humane wit does not give Grace of it self yet it does sometimes forward the means of Grace and accordingly is to be improved by us As the Star occasionally led the wise men to Christ Mat. 2. Again though Parts make us not good at first yet when we are good they are good helps to make us better and more useful in the exercise of piety and so likewise are we conscionably to use them And thus now I have done with the first General Part in this Verse viz. The worlds neglect and miss-improvement of the opportunities of knowledg in these words The world by wisdom knew not God Now the second is the supply of this defect by a new kind of dispensation to them After that c. it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching c. But of this God willing we shall speak in the next Sermon SERMON XXVII 1 Cor. 1.21 It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe There 's no greater hinderance and impediment to the receiving and entertaining of Christ and of the Gospel which is the Doctrine of Christ than a too high and over-weening conceit and opinion of mens own wisdom Those which have more Wit than Grace and especially if they be proud of that Wit they are commonly too wise to be instructed and so consequently too wise to be saved Therefore the Apostle Paul that he might deal more effectually with the Corinthians which had high thoughts in this particular and might bring them into a temper sit for the receiving of Evangelical Truths he does labour in the first place to qualifie these conceits in them to lay them low in themselves and the apprehensions of their own carnal excellencies and to discover unto them the power and efficacy of the means of Salvation which they were otherwise apt to contemn pulling down strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ as it is in 2 Cor. 10.4 5. This is his special work in a great part of this Epistle and the next And in particular in this parcel of it which I have now again at this time read unto you in ver 21. of this Chapter and so forward He nullifies the wisdom of the world on the one side and he advances the wisdom of God on the other which he opposes thereunto OUR business this day is in