Practically As In the first place What is the reason that some have imbraced that old and unsavoury Doctrine of Origen That all both men and Devils after so many years in hell shall be released from those torments Why is this But because these misericordists conceive of Gods mercy without Scripture-grounds They think it doth not stand with the pity and compassion of God to let so many thousands of his creatures lie roaring in hell and he never deliver them But is not this against Scripture which calls it everlasting fire and that there shall never be any coming out of that prison That of their torments there shall be no end Again in the second place There are those that do with open mouth cry down the Calvinists as blasphemous against Gods mercy and making God to be more unmercifull and cruel then any Tyrant that ever lived Because say they such do hold God did by absolute and irrespective fatal Decrees appoint the greater part of mankind to sinne and then for their sinne to damne them As Tiberius desiroes to put a vestal Virgin to death caused her violently to be defloured and then because she was defloured he put her to death But First Here is a false and an odious representation of the Calvinists Doctrine and if their opinion as they truly state it out of the Scripture be thought to be against the nature of Gods mercy it 's because they do not consider Gods supream dominion his Justice and Holiness as well as his Mercy But that the Calvinists do not any wayes diminish the gracious and mercifull Nature of God by their opinions in the Doctrine of Election efficacious Conversion c. will easily appear to those that are candid and ingenuous I suppose Election to be an Act of mercy relating to our misery in Adam's fall though the learned Doctor Twiss disputeth much against it Lib. 1. contra Armin. digr 9. For 1. They hold That there is no man is damned but for his sinne Their destruction is of themselves Neither do they say That God by any Decree compelled Adam to sinne at first but Adam sinned as voluntarily and as freely as if God had made no permissive Decree about his fall It is true indeed we say That God hath predetermining Decrees efficacious about what is good permissive about what is evil but yet we say These Decrees do not alter the nature of second causes but according to the nature of them so is Gods providence attempered thereunto Therefore we acknowledge that of Austin's Malevola est illa misericordia quae facit esse miserum ut misereatur That is cruel mercy which makes miserable that it may shew mercy Adam did voluntarily sin so that God was not to be blamed Neither do we call those Decrees of God Absolute and Irrespective as if hereby all means were excluded from accomplishing the end we are elected to When God elects a man to salvation we say in this Election is comprehended holiness as the way to happiness And therefore to impose such an Irrespective Decree upon the Calvinists as if their meaning was God had decreed to save some men whether wicked or not wicked That it was all one whether prophane or godly This is an horrible calumny It is true we say it 's Absolute because God did not look to any thing in us as a cause or a merit antecedently to his Election yet we say God elects to faith and holiness as well as to salvation Therefore we do not injure the mercifull Nature of God but they do his holy just and wise Nature yea they diminish his grace and mercy in our Election and attributing too much to man For whereas the Apostle saith Rom. 9. It is not of him that willeth or runneth but of God that sheweth mercy They will make it to be as well of him that runneth as of God that sheweth mercy And though in words they seem to give the priority to Gods grace and mercy yet in reality they do not If then that of Austin be true Gratia non est gratia ullo modo nisi sit gratuita omni modo then all those are enemies to the grace and mercy of God who take in the least measure from it 3. We do not enervate the mercy of God in holding the Election of some onely to eternal life because God might justly if he had pleased damned all and none could have accused him for want of mercy For hath not God bound up in chains of darkness all the apostate Angels Are not every one of them condemned to eternal torments Yet they are more noble and excellent creatures than man is Oh then the mercy of God that any is saved seeing that all might justly be damned Lastly Not to enlarge on this God is mercifull in this Absolute Election duly explained because hereby a very great number are sure to be saved God by this Decree of his will so work in time that they shall be called justified and at last glorified for Election will obtain Now doth not this Doctrine more commend the mercy of God than the Arminians Conditional Decrees Notwithstanding which no man in the world may be saved For notwithstanding Gods Decrees and Will to save all men notwithstanding Christs dying for all men yet they acknowledge it possible not any one man be saved For God they say leaveth a man to the good use of his Free-will he doth not alter or change by his efficacious and wonderfull grace any mans heart and if God do no more who then can be saved They cannot instance in one Heathen that ever yet used his naturals well thereby to partake of supernaturals So that if all be left to man and God should not shew mercy no one man would be saved Therefore our Doctrine is a mercifull one and theirs is cruel In the third general place The Socinians they blame all the Orthodox as evacuating the mercy of God because we say that the Justice of God being satisfied through the bloud of Christ as a ransome we thereby obtain remission of sinnes Now they say how absurd and contradictory is this God is satisfied by a just paiment to pardon sinne and yet it 's the meer mercy of God to forgive it But to this we answer That though the pardon of sinne be of Justice to Christ yet it is wholly of mercy to us It is not any thing we could do that might procure pardon if we could merit or satisfie the Justice of God by the works we do then indeed it would not be of grace and mercy to us but this Justice is only between Christ and the Father So that it 's wholly of mercy to us both in respect that he hath found out a Saviour for us as also in applying the benefits of Christs death For though Christ become into the world yet how many eternally perish It is therefore unspeakable mercy to thee that thy sins are pardoned that thou art converted and so many
applied to them yet they were not the seed of the promise in the sense the Apostle intendeth as Isaac was that is so as to have the true and real benefits of the promise and in this respect we say no ungodly man hath any promise of any priviledge made to him abiding in that condition No promise of pardon no promise of Gods favour no promise of any earthly comfort not a morsel of bread or droppe of drinke he cannot plead any promise in his prayers And therefore when we may enjoy many outward mercies these come not by vertue of a promise to him but onely through the providence of God God out of a general love doth bestow such comforts upon him it is not from any promise made to him And indeed seeing the Text saith The promises of God are confirmed in Christ unlesse a man be in Christ there is no promise can be effectual to him Oh the sad condition of all ungodly men For if thou hast no promise what hope canst thou have Are not the Devils therefore eternally wretched because they have no promise Hope in this is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. 19. Now what shipwrack must that ship needs endure which under waves and tempests hath no Anchor for a defence Fourthly Gods promise for the accomplishing of it doth suppose faith on our part for the promise on Gods part and faith on our part are correlates We cannot put forth faith for any mercy where we have not Gods promise neither is Gods promise accomplished to any but the believer Thus the Apostle Rom. 4. 16. saith The promise is of faith that it might be not only by grace but also made sure to such who do believe So that it is with a godly man according to his faith Christ saith to thee Be thou justified according to thy faith receive pardon and comfort according to thy faith If thou complainest God hath made great and precious promises but I cannot taste of this honey I perish notwithstanding this fullnesse Then remember it is not because there is not enough in the promise but thy faith is weak thy vessel is narrow to receive As if the woman should have refused to borrow vessels when the Prophet multiplied her oyle For the oyl did not cease till her vessels ceased So neither will Gods promise cease working till thy faith cease to operate Indeed in Gods comminations and threatnings they are fulfilled whether man will or no Let him believe or not believe God will throw the ungodly into Hell but in the promises it is otherwise then they do good to us when by faith we imbrace them So that by this we see how dangerous and noxious it is not to put forth faith it both dishonours God and depriveth us of all good it dishonours God as if he were not true as if it were not impossible for him to lie as if he were no more than a man Therefore Abraham is said To give glory unto God by believing Rom. 4. 20. because he did not regard the dead womb or the improbability in second causes but rested upon the promise alone If it be so hainous a matter to accuse man of a lie who yet is by nature a lyar as the Scripture pronounceth of him how unsufferable is it to attribute it unto God And then it is a very destructive sinne for it evacuateth all promises as to us it maketh thy condition as hopelesse as if never any promises had been made This is to cut the Conduit-pipes of all comfort and consolation This is with the Philistims as it were to throw earth into all the Wells of water Therefore above all things look to thy faith for it maketh God no God Christ no Christ promises no promises as to thee Fifthly That our faith may be the more confirmed he is not onely pleased to make promises to his people but also to give signes for the confirmation thereof Therefore Sacraments are confirming signes of Gods promise they are visible promises so that our unbelief will still be the greater sinne if neither the promises nor the seales visibly annexed thereunto shall not establish us against all doubting and uncertainty It is true the Sacraments cannot make Gods word surer in it self but they do in respect of us God graciously condescending to our humane weaknesse By which mercifull provision of God that his people might live a life of faith in his promise ' we may gather as the necessity of faith so also the great pronenesse that is in us to unbeliefe that we rather live by sense than by saith Hence it is that when we have outward supports and comforts our hearts are kept up but when all these leave us are taken away then like Peter upon the water we are afraid and should even sinke did not the Lord support us Sixthly It is therefore a very great skill to make use of the promises of God by faith It is the Gospel-wisdome a mystery it is that even the Disciples of Christ are a long while ere they can learne it For though God doth promise to doe such and such wonderfull things yet he suffereth so many crosse providences to fall out that we would think God had wholly forgot his promise Hence the Church complaineth Doth his promises fail for ever Yea the Apostle Peter doth speak of some prophane scoffers that asked Where was the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3. 4. because they saw all things continue as they did therefore they thought Gods promise was in vain It behoveth the people of God therefore to acquaint themselves with Gods Riddles to plough with the Scriptures Heifer for their unskilfullnesse herein is that which maketh them so full of dejections which doth so often perplex them not knowing what to think or say yea they are apt to question the truth and righteousnesse of God but take heed of this it is a very great sinne when God giveth thee a sufficient testimony of his grace and favour to thee by his promises and seals thereof still to question and doubt whether God will doe it or no. This is grievously to tempt God as the people of Israel did Exod. 17. 7. who though they had so many miraculous discoveries of Gods presence with them yet still they ask Is the Lord amongst us or not Oh take heed of saying Is the Lord mine Will he do good to me When he hath given proof enough both by his promises and seals of his favour Oh satisfie thy soul with this Lord I have thy promise before thou promisedst thou wast free whether thou wouldst do it or no but since thy mouth hath promised it how can thy hand but fulfill it Let thy temptations thy straits be never so great yet know the promise of God cannot be straitned Though thy friends die though thy goods are lost yet Gods promise cannot die neither can that perish And if thou sayest Oh but I am unworthy I am a poor wretch What
against Christ 2. T is the grace of God◠alone that can open this door 3. Sometimes Ministers are called to a people of small hopes 4. A Ministers hope of doing good should be guided by the Word Reasons why a Ministers hope of doing good should be matter of of joy to him 1. The End of his Ministry is accomplished A constant Ministry is necessary to every Church And that for these Ends 1. To informe against Errors 2. To reform the corruptions that are in mens lives 3. To comfort the godly 4. To edifie and strengthen them How believers may and are to grow 1. In knowledg 2. In the experimental power of their knowledge 3. In Faith 4. In Grace 'T is the duty of all Christians especially Ministers to lay out themselves for the glory of God 1. For all Christians 1. There is none but have talents to be improved 2. All lawfull actions may be improved for Gods glory 3. Christians should often meditate upon the ultimate end of all their actions 2. Especially it belongs to Ministers What is required to enable us to do all things for Gods glory 1 A converted soul 2 A publick spirit 3. Heavenlyn indedness 4. Fervency and zeal The office of the Apostle and ordinary Pastors differs in that the one had an universal the other a particular charge 1. The Apostles had commission to preach to all Nations 2. Yet the office of the Apostles did virtually contain all other 3. The Apostles had in their office something ordinary and something extraordinary 5. Though a Pastor is ordinarily to reside amongst his flock yet he is a Minister of the whole Church of God Where the Ministry hath wrought spiritually the Minister is esteemed highly Lightness and inconstancy is a great sinne and reproach to all much more to Ministers Of the sinfulness of inconstancy in civil respects As 1. When we are not consistent with our selves in our assertions 2. In our promises 3. In our affections Of the aggravations of this sinne 1. 'T is contrary to the nature of God 2. 'T is a reproach to men 3. Hereby a man makes himself unfit for Gods service 4. 'T is an abuse of our tongue 5. God threatens lying but encourageth sincerity Of the sinfulness of Inconstancy in spiritual things as in 1. Faith 2. In our Conversion and Repentance Motives against this Inconstancy 1. There is the same Reason at all times against sin 2. Sinnes after Convictions are the greater 3. This Inconstancy is a mocking of God and a dallying in soul-matters 4. It may justly cause God for ever to forsake thee 3. This Inconstancy is a great sin in Promises and Resolutions Of the Phrase according to the flesh which is taken for 1. The humane Nature 2. External Priviledges 3. Corrupt Principles Walking by carnal Principals makes men unstable and inconstant Principles of flesh 1. Covetousness 2. Ambition 3. Pleasing of men 4. Time-serving 5. Self-pleasing Of Principles 1 Herein men differ from bruit beasts because they act from inward principles beasts by instinct 2. Principles are either speculative or practical 3. All the principles of natural men are sinfull and carnal 3. Principles are oft hidden 5. There are principles of flesh even in our holy duties 6. The principles of the carnal and of the spiritual are contrary Of the principles of a godly man There are two general principles 1. There is a principle of knowledge viz. the holy Scriptures 2. The principle of his acting viz. the Spirit of God Particular principles 1. Alwayes to keep a good conscience towards God and man 2. To make sure of his ultimate end and the necessary means to it 3. Daily to expect death and judgment 4. To judg sin the greatest evil and godliness the greatest good Lying is not consistent with godliness 1. There is a material and a formal lie 2. There are assertory and promissory lies 3. There is a pernicious sporting and officious lie 4. Lying is a sinne of the tongue 5. They that would not lie must study the government of the tongue He that would govern his tongue must first cleanse his heart The causes of lies 1. Natural inclination 2. Want of dependance upon God 3. Our captivity to Satan 4. Covetousnes 5. Fear God is true God is true 1. There is a Metaphysical and a moral Truth 2. There is an increated and created truth 3. In that God is true he differeth from men and devils 4. 'T is because of Gods truth that we are commanded to believe and trust in him 5. The truth of God is the Foundation of all Religion and godliness Wicked men usually cast the Imperfections of the Minister upon the Ministry 1. A people may have an holy Zeal againg a loose scandalous Minister 2. A people are oft prone to take offence at the Ministers when yet 't is their sin 1. When they dislike that which may be of great use 2. When they are offended at his reproveing sin 3. When they cast the saults of the persons upon their Office and Doctrine 4. When they refuse the Ministry upon false Rumors and Surmises 'T is a great reproach for a Minister to be mutable and contradictory in his doctrine 1. All changes are not bad 2. But 't is a sin and reproach to change from the truth 3. Even such a change supposeth imperfection 4. No man but may know more than he doth 5. We must distinguish betwixt what is and what is not fundamental 1. We must distinguish betwixt constancy and pertinancy 2. Then is it a reproach to change when we change from truth The causes of inconstancy 1. Ignorance 2. Affectation of singularity and vain-glory 4. Examples We must distinguish betwixt essentials and circumstantials in Religion Christ only is to be the subject of our preaching When is Christ preached 1. When he is declared to be the Messiah 2. When preached as God-man 3. When preached in his person and his offices 5. When he is set up as the head of his Church The Lord Christ is the son of God 1. He is truly God 2. He is not the son of God as others are called his sonnes as 1. By Creation 2. By Regeneration 3. Because of their dignity 3. He is therefore called the Son of God because begotten from eternity of the Father 4. He was begotten of the Father 5. In these Mysteries we must adhere wholly to the testimony of the word 6. He is Antichrist that denies the Son to be God 7. The spirit of giddiness hath justly fallen upon these that deny Christ to be God Christ is a Saviour to his people What is implyed in Christs being a Saviour 1. That all mankinde was lost 2. What kinde of Saviour is Christ Even a spiritual one 3. He is an effectual Saviour Who is Christ a Saviour to 1. Some of mankinde 2. The repenting believing sinner 3. They are saved from 〈◊〉 and the world 4. Christs people 5. The saved are but few in comparison of the
the ordinary Officers are in Christs stead and are to be received as from God for they have as true a Call though not as immediate As Adam's sonne was as truly a man though in an ordinary way as Adam who was immediately made by God Hence Eph. 4. 11. Christ is said to set in his Church Pastors as well as Apostles This is necessarily to be observed because that we are apt to despise that Office which hath not an immediate Call Secondly It was required to the Apostles to be the first builders and planters of Churches Therefore they were called the salt of the earth because by them God did wonderfully season the world They were the light because the world was in darkness before they were raised up So that although Christ himself be properly the foundation and all Churches are built on him as a Rock yet the Scripture saith We are built upon the Apostles Likewise Ephes 2. 20. Jesus Christ being the corner stone So Revel 21. 14. The twelve Apostles are the iwelve foundations Hence Divines usually distinguish between Fundamentum fundans and fundatum The Apostles they are a foundation but yet need another foundation which is the Lord Christ Besides it 's the Doctrine of the Apostles and not their persons which the Church is built upon onely they were next to Christ the first founders and builders of the Christian Church Hence we read that Paul had the Apostleship for the Gentiles and Peter for the Jews Gal. 2. 8. And in this sense Cameron hath a singular opinion of that place so much vexed by Interpreters viz. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church he understands it of Peter and that he was the secondary Rock Christ being the chiefest upon which the Jewish Church was built for by his Ministry they were converted But this is capable of several Objections Thirdly It was requisite to the Apostles that they should be eye-witnesses of what Christ did and suffered that so their testimony might be the more undoubted And therefore even the Apostle Paul though converted after Christs death and resurrection yet acknowledgeth that Christ was seen of him also but for the other Apostles they were present with Christ And therefore the Apostle John 1 Epist 1. 1. begins his Epistle thus That which we have seen and felt This eye-witness and familiar conversation also with Christ is mentioned Acts 10. 41. God shewed Christ not to all the people but unto witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did both eat and drink with him And this is that which confirmeth the History some of them relate for they were present in the acting of those things they record and their faithfulness and honesty is abundantly testified otherwise So that although we did not see and behold what Christ did and his miracles with our own eyes yet those Apostles did who are without all suspicion Fourthly The Apostles were universal Officers they were not limitted or fixed to particular Churches as the Pastors were but the whole Church of God was their flock Therefore they are called the light of the world and the salt of the earth not Judea only And thus the Apostle professed He had care over all the Churches Therefore you see to how many Churches he directs his Epistles and although Paul makes his Apostleship for the Gentiles and Peter for the Jews yet that was either by consent or else though they did principally attend to these yet they did also declare the Gospel to others as it is plain in Cornelius his case that Peter did preach to the Gentiles Fifthly They were indowed with the Spirit of God in an infallible manner so that while they were on earth they were a kind of visible infallible Judges Whatsoever person or Churches did resort to them for the determining of any case of Conscience they could decide infallibly Therefore the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. though he saith in the point of marriage that it was he and not the Lord yet that is he had not express command from the Lord otherwise he was infallibly directed in that resolution by the Spirit of God And howsoever it be disputed When this Spirit of infallibity was bestowed on them As also Whether they could grow in knowledge or no For it is plain at their first mission they were not freed from Doctrinal Errours as about Christs temporal Kingdom their doubt of the Resurrection and ignorance about preaching to the Jews Yet it 's most probable the Apostles had this bestowed on them in a more large manner at the Pentecost and Paul at his conversion As for that fault charged on Peter Gal. 1. that he did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was not an errour in judgement but in fact For although the Apostles were preserved from errours this priviledge being for the gathering of Churches at first yet in respect of practice they might and did erre thereby needing alwayes forgiveness of sins Only for Doctrine they could not because on them that is their Doctrine the Church is said tobe built Sixthly They were likewise endowed with miraculous gifts so that they abounded in all wisdome and knowledge as also in all tongues For God calling them to such an Universal Office he would not fail in bestowing of them those necessary means that did conduce thereunto Not that it was necessary they should be endowed with the knowledge of the Mathematicks or such other Arts but with what was conducible to that end Now miracles they were necessary because they preached that Doctrine which was wholly new to the world and could not be demonstrated by Reason therefore miracles were required to confirm it Seventhly They were the chiefest and highest Officers in the Church They were the Starres of the first magnitude these were next to Christ himself and yet though in so exalted and glorious an Office there was one Devil amongst them Judas the Apostate So that none have cause to boast in any Church-priviledges Those that are called here beatissimi and sanctissimi by their Office may be misrrrimi in hell Eighthly They were all equal in respect of Power and Authority Our Saviour said equally to them all Whose sins ye remit they shall be remitted Peter hath no supremacy over the rest They might differ in gifts graces and labour or work for God and love from Christ as John was beloved above all but in respect of Authority none was superiour to others Ninthly They were temporary Officers and therefore did cease with the persons Even as Miracles so Apostles were onely for the first planting of the Church so that they have no successours in their Office Hence it 's high arrogancy for the Pope to call his the Apostolical Sea Tenthly Though extraordinary Officers yet they did contain what was inferiour Hence Peter cals himself a fellow elder and John in his two last Epistles styles himself the elder not the Apostle so that the
what element doth most predominate accordingly is their motion either upward or downward now in this regenerate person his nature is now changed and he hath a spiritual resurrection that as the body when that shall rise will lose its gravity and burdensomness for we shall meet the Lord in the Air even with our bodies So the soul in this life made partaker of a spiritual resurrection hath cast off those burdens and clogs that did press it down to the creature and ascends up to communion with God and Christ And besides this general Cause there are some peculiar qualifications which provoke the godly man to esteem the Grace and Peace of God above all things As 1. The sense of the sting of sin and the bitter guilt thereof is that which makes a man go out of himself and all creatures to have some supply and comfort Alas the soul thus broken and contrite for sinne is like that diseased woman that had spent all she had upon Physicians and yet she was as bad as ever till Christ cured her So that the grace of God and Gospel peace is the only oil that can be poured into this wound Come to a David who complaineth God had hid his face yea his bones were broken and all his desirable things perish and tell him while thus affected That he had a glorious Kingdom many outward mercies and delights he might rejoyce in What good would this musick do to his sad heart Oh it 's something else that must cure him No creature no wealth can do it but peace from God and this made him while in those conflicts but getting some victory breathe out so affectionately Psal 32. 1. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne not blessed is he who hath the good things and pleasures of the world who liveth at his hearts ease but whose sinne is pardoned Thus the guilt of sinne maketh him esteem Grace and Peace 2. Those spiritual desertions and temptations which sometimes the dearest of Gods children feel do make them esteem of the favour of God the possession of that more than any thing They sit as Rachel refusing to be comforted till they have obtained this How precious was the presence of Christ to the Church When she had lost him then she will hold him and not let him go as the night or the eclipse maketh the Sunne more precious Where there is nothing but sense of unworthiness what is more welcome than grace Where there is a desert of hell and damnation where the soul hath cause to expect nothing but the frowns and vengeance of God there to meet with grace and favour Oh how welcome is this Thus the heart which hath continual fears tumult and warre within it self to have peace and that with God such a peace as no outward misery can take away What unspeakable refreshments are these It is these dark and cloudy thoughts that make the least beams of Gods face shining upon them more than all the enjoyments of this world 3. The experimental taste and sweetness which they have of heavenly things maketh them undervalue all things else If the Prodigal after he had eaten of the satted Calf and been refreshed in his fathers house had returned again to his husks how unsufferable had it been This aggravated the Israelites ingratitude that after they had eaten Manna they should desire the garlick of Egypt The Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. exhorting them to desire the sincere milk of the Word to be as much affected with it and delight in as children with their milk he addeth If so be ye have tasted how good God is implying that this tasting this experimental trial of the goodness and grace of God in Christ is that which will make them still long for more and more of God It 's no wonder that natural men are never affected with these Gospel-promises they never knew better they were never acquainted with better and therefore they cannot desire it but thou hast known how good God is thou hast had the first-fruits of Heaven and glory upon thy soul and therefore thou dost still importune for more and desire more of Gods presence never saying It is enough In the next place Let us consider the Reasons why the gracious heart doth thus desire heavenly things above all outward advantages whatsoever And First Because these spiritual objects have only universal sufficiency and fulness in them to satisfie and content the heart If God be reconciled if he be our God what then can be wanting to our happiness Thus David acknowledged when he said Whom have I in Heaven but thee and none in earth in comparison of thee And Psal â—3 how contented and happy is he in having God his God The creatures they are but as a drop they have only a limited goodness but God is the ocean there is nothing wanting Hence it is that because the glorified Saints have a beatifical vision of God therefore they cannot sin they cannot immoderately desire any thing else Secondly These spiritual mercies they are everlasting and eternal If the Apostle had wished honours wealth long life to them yet all these would have been but for a moment comparatively they could not have continued with them alwayes whereas the favour of God and the effects thereof they are to all eternity whom God taketh into his favour he never casteth out How many men have been in grace and favour with the Potentates of the world yet at last cast off and ended their dayes tragically Haman may be a constant instance of the inconstant grace and favour of men but whom God receiveth into this favour he will never abhorre again Such gifts as these are without repentence Oh then press hard for this use an holy violence for this This will never leave thee till it hath made thee eternally happy The Manna that was gathered for any day of the week would last but that night but that which was treasured up for the Sabbath-day would continue longer Thus the things laid up for this life they will quickly vanish but what is in reference to Heaven and our Sabbath or rest there that will continue alwayes Use of Instruction To teach us what we are most to desire for our selves or others What should Ministers most wish for the people even that they might have this grace this peace in the Text And you should above all things desire it for your selves Oh then take heed of such wayes such courses as drive away Gods grace and his peace What peace can there be as Jehu said as long as whoredoms were in the Land See that notable place Isa 57. 21. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked What canst thou expect Gods grace to pardon while thou hast no grace in thy own heart This also teacheth parents what they should in the first place pray for their children as also friends for their acquaintance even this grace of God How
shels in comparison of that Manna that spiritual favour I am made partaker of As therefore the spiritual man when in outward miseries and straights is not so much grieved under those outward calamities as because he hath sinned and God is offended So neither in outward mercies is the same gracious soul so much affected with the comforts it enjoyeth as that the light of Gods countenance doth shine upon him that he hath an evidence of propriety and interest in Christ this he would not lose for all the Kingdoms of the world Let us press this the more because even the most holy are apt to be affected more with sensible mercies than spiritual Nature teacheth them the one but Grace the other For as we are apt to desire temporal things above spiritual so also to be affected with and bless God for one more than another But take these few Motives to provoke thee to bless God for spiritual mercies which are of two sorts External as the means of grace and the Ordinances or Internal the inward sanctification and justification of our persons As 1. That if thou hadst more mercies than Solomon if thou hadst all thy soul can desire in these outward things yet if without spiritual mercies thou judgest thy condition is cursed and to be lamented Therefore Psal 4. when the natural persons of the world cried out Who will shew us any good David as knowing a better and more solid good prayeth God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him And therefore he that hath the least drop of grace is more bound to bless God then he that may have all the glory and plenty in the world Oh then why art thou not more sollicitous saying what is this wealth without Gods favor What is it to say this house is mine this estate is mine but am not able to say God is mine but if God doth evidence himself to thee then over-look all thy outward comforts put the Ecce the Selah upon what is spiritual This is like the Sunne which is farre above all the Starres It is this that makes all outward mercies mercies they are no wayes good to thee but snares and temptations to draw out thy sins So that thy condemnation in hell will be the hotter if thou doest not enjoy spiritual mercies with them 2. Be in the first place affected with spiritual mercies Because Christ shewed his love to thee most in these it was for these he died The Scripture doth exceedingly commend to us the love of Christ in his death Now what are the effects of Christs death Are they chiefly to make us rich great or honoured in this world No it is for remission of sinne it 's for holiness and power over the Devil Certainly if Christ died to purchase these for thee thou art very unthankfull if thy heart be not most inlarged to bless God for them 3. Spiritual mercies are the chiefest object of our praises Because these onely can truly satisfie the soul these only are a sound cause of rejoycing The heart of a man is never satisfied with temporal mercies but the more he drinketh of them the more thirsty still he is When Solomon hath made an experience of all his Motto is That they are vexation of spirit as well as vanity whereas the pardon of sinne and the Spirit of Christ working in us these afford uninterrupted causes of joy 4. The soul-mercies will abide for ever thou canst not lose thy title and interest in them but all these earthly comforts are as the flower which presently withereth thou hast them to day and they may be removed to morrow Be sure then that thy blessing of God keepeth that method which the nature of mercies doth require above all things Let thy soul melt with joy in blessing of God for what he hath done to thy soul Lastly Consideration remembring and fixed meditation upon the mercies of God is that which will greatly inflame the soul to give all glory and honour to him The heart is not easily and quickly put into a blessing frame there must be polishing and fashioning of it and there is no such way for this as true consideration When David calls upon himself so much to glorifie God this implieth that he found his soul dull heavy and unfit for that duty The heart will not boil over in meditation unless it be long upon this fire Psal 45. 1. David there calls his inditing the boyling or bubling of his heart we are apt to forget Gods mercies or when we do think of them they are but transistory and ambulatory It is Gods goodnesse or I bless God and there is all whereas when we bless God our souls should be raised up into divine inflammations we should be as Elijah who was carried up to Heaven in a Chariot of fire whereas the soul is at other times abridged or epitomized but in short characters in the praises of God it should be voluminous as you see David in Psalms 103 104 105 106 and 107. very large in the enumeration of all Gods benefits which intimateth That the soul ought to be extended in all its dimensions while it sets upon this work And certainly meditation is like the birds sitting on the egge not leaving it till it hath produced a live young one This will so often work upon the soul that at last there will be heavenly and supernatural life for several aggravations will the meditating heart find in every blessing it doth possess As 1. It will admire the power and strength of God in every mercy especially in soul-mercies That God should change such a stubborn heart as thine was That God should give thee eyes to see that hast been blind so long That God should give thee life who wast dead and putrifying in the grave of sinne This will make thee wonder at the glorious power of God Again The Wisdome of God if that be considered in every mercy this will also greatly inlarge to thankefulnesse Gods mercies are not only mercies in themselves but they come in such fit seasons they are at such times and opportunities that this maketh them double mercies and so some have observed this difference between blessing and praising of God Blessing of God is because of the goodnesse of the mercy Praising is for the wisdome and curious workmanship of God as it were in that mercy As if a friend who also was himself the maker of a curious Watch should bestow it upon you as a gift you would not only thank him for his love but praise his skill and art likewise Thus we are not only to consider the mercies God giveth us but the wisdome that God demonstrateth at that very time making every mercy to be with an aggravation Again Meditation will inflame by apprehending of Gods freenesse in every mercy and our unworthinesse We could do nothing that may provoke God especially this we are to aggravate in our spiritual mercies as Paul doth often excluding
That spiritual comfort comes alone from God is plain because the Spirit of God is called the Comforter We cannot have one drop of heavenly consolation till Gods Spirit infuse it into us If the children of God could have comfort when they will would they walk so disconsolately and cry out of their dark troubled souls as they do but then even earthly comfort to take delight in the lawfull contentments God doth allow us to take delight and joy in these corporal mercies this is also from God Eccles 2. 24 26. Eccles 3. 13. Eccles 5. 18. You see the Wiseman affirmeth it often That a man cannot take any joy or delight even in those lawfull things unless it be given him of God All comfort then of all sorts ariseth from him But let us consider the way or manner of Gods comforting For as it is a great and profitable Question to examine How God doth convert and sanctifie so also how he doth comfort And First You must lay this foundation That God doth comfort two wayes either immediately when he doth by himself work upon the soul Or mediately when he comforteth by such means as he hath appointed thereunto Let us then in the next place consider What are those immediate workings of God upon the soul whereby he maketh the heart joyfull For David Psal 4. saith God had put more joy into his heart then any man can have in the abundance of all temporal mercies And First Therefore God doth comfort by illuminating and opening the understanding and opening the understanding to know and see the grounds and reasons of comfort And certainly this is of great conducement to have the heart comforted when the understanding is rightly convinced of the grounds of comfort For as the dark night is apt to beget fears and terrours so darkness in the understanding is a great cause of all that terrour and disconsolateness which Gods own children may many times lie under So that as God in conversion and humiliation for sinne begins with conviction upon the heart so also in consolation and comfort The great impediment to a godly mans comfort is want of spiritual knowledge and conviction about the causes of comfort As it was with Hagar in the wilderness she sate weeping for her child and gave over all as desperate till God opened her eyes and made her see a fountain Thus the broken heart judgeth it self in a wilderness destitute of all comfort seeth nothing but matter of despair and damnation till God enlighten the understanding about comfortgrounds in the Gospel As for example when the Spirit of God enlightens us to receive comfort it giveth us the eye salve 1. To look upon Christ revealed in the Gospel as the full cause and ground of all our comfort as well as on sinne Generally the people of God in the first workings of the soul look upon nothing but their sins behold nothing but sinne but God will not let them alone in this agony he enlightens them further that they shall see Christ as well as sinne the Gospel as well as the Law he giveth them eyes to behold the brazen Serpent when stung Hence the Spirit of God John 16. 9 10. doth not only convince of sinne but of righteousness also The Devil he indeed moveth in those troubled waters of thy soul and would keep thee off from Christ as the Disciples did the blind man but the Spirit of God will not leave the soul in these wounds in these straits but doth carry him up from the mount of cursing to the mount of blessing And certainly the wise men could not more rejoyce to see the starre than the godly heart doth to behold Christ after the storms and tempests in his soul Hence the Apostle Gal. 1. calleth it The revealing of the Sonne in him This then we are inabled to do by God not only to know sinne in the terrour and sting of it but also Christ in his fulness and excellency How was Paul affected with this 2 Cor. 2. 1. I desire to know nothing but Christ crucified This therefore is a special work of God to make us look with both eyes to make thee see sinne as well as Christ and Christ as well as sin 2. As God doth convince the soul of Christ what a full and glorious Saviour he is so also in the second place Of our duty to receive him and to lay hold on him And this is a further step to comfort when God doth so farre open the eyes as to see not only a full and sufficient Christ but also that it 's a duty in particular to apply this Christ and to rest upon him for comfort and salvation This is a further discovery still Paul said Gal. 2. Who gave himself for me and loved me And Thomas said My God and my Lord. It is one of the blessed truths discovered in the Reformation out of Popery That it is not our duty to believe in the general onely that Christ is a Saviour but to rest on him also for the pardon of my sinnes That this is the Faith that justifieth That this is most acceptable and precious unto God That unbelief not only in the general but as it faileth in this particular in not applying in not appropriating Christ to the soul is that which will damn a man Oh then what blessed and comfortable light is that which God bringeth into the soul when he shall make thee see that though a sinner though burdened though unworthy yet it 's thy duty to go to Christ to be eased That he commands thee with that woman not only to touch the hem of his garments but to lay hold on Christ himself This particular faith is that which the soul is hardly convinced of Though others may draw nigh to Christ yet may I But he cometh at last to be perswaded of this truth 3. God comforts by enlightning the mind that a comfortable joyfull life arising from peace with God is a most acceptable thing to God that it brings honour and glory to God and that on the other side to walk heavily and in a dejected manner is to dishonour and reproach God That God doth not only look to our gracious walking but also to our comfortable walking and that we demonstrate the Kingdom of Heaven to be begun in us in joy as well as in mortification Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is righteousnesse and joy in the holy Ghost You see Joy as well as Righteousnesse The children of God they are not quickly perswaded of this they think such as they are may not walk comfortably It 's not for them to rejoyce but at last they come to see that they were sinfully kept up by slavish fears and servile dejections that the Kingdome of God requireth Consolation as well as Sanctification Thus you see the first general way how God comforteth viz. by enlightning the mind Secondly and principally God comforteth By preparing and fashioning the heart by making it
of Indulgences which was the occasion of that Reformation wherein Luther was so greatly instrumental For the Text it self you have Paul professing his rejoycing in his sufferings though so afflicted so reproached being made a spectacle to men and Angels Accounted the off-scouring of the world yet in all this he did rejoyce For God loveth a cheerfull sufferer as well as a cheerfull giver Si quid boni tristis feeris per te fit magis quam tu facis It is done in thee rather than by thee the good thou doest with grudging and reluctancy Yea admire the publick affection of Paul this was not so much because he should hereby have a greater crown of glory that he should hereby be more honoured but principally he rejoyced because he suffered for others that by his persecutions many others may be imboldened to profess the Gospel Now he sheweth in what manner he did suffer for them viz. By filling up that which is behind of the affliction of Christ in his flesh for the bodies sake which is the Church This seemeth strange how could Paul fill up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things behind of Christs sufferings Were Christs sufferings imperfect Could Paul make up that which was deficient in Christ This would be to make Paul copartner with Christ in the work of the mediation and then Paul might truly have said that which once by interrogation he so vehemently denied Paul was crucified for them Therefore you must know the sufferings of Christ are of two sorts 1. Those which he suffered in his own Person as Mediator and head of his Church And thus by once offering up of himself he for ever made perfect those that do believe in him and thus there are no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no remainders behind to be done 2. There are the sufferings of the members of Christ united to him their Head and these are called his sufferings because of that mystical conjunction between Christ and his members as also that sympathy that is in him with them in their sufferings Now as Christ was appointed to sufferings so is every member of his by way of conformity to their Head set apart also for their sufferings and these are the afflictions of Christ that are still behind All the members of Christ have not yet fully suffered In every age there are some still to be afflicted for his sake and as long as any one believer is to suffer so long something of Christs afflictions remaineth still behind Therefore the Apostle addeth He was to fulfill these afflictions in his flesh and the end is for the good of the Church They suffer for the Church but not as Christ suffereth as will appear by some Propositions to clear the Doctrine First therefore when we say That the afflictions of the godly especially of eminent officers in the Church are for the good of the Church you must still distinguish them from the sufferings of Christ for the Church also The Martyrs they died to witness the truth and hereby occasionally to procure salvation for others but Christs â—…ng for others was in a far more transcendent and efficacious way For 1. Christs death was not only a martyrdom but a propitiation and an atonement also Christ we grant did suffer as a Martyr he came into the world to bear witnesse to the truth And he is said 1 Tim. 6. 13. To have witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate But those wretched Socinians are therefore to be abhorred because they make this the only end of his death That he died by way of example not by way of propitiation for our sins Thus with them the sufferings of Christ and of Paul for the Church differ only gradually not in kind Christ died as a more eminent Martyr than Paul but both only by way of witness to the truth Take we heed then that we do not split our souls at this rock of blasphemy denying the atonement of Christs sufferings 2. They differ in the efficacy also For Paul's sufferings and so all the sufferings of the godly do only objectively or by way of example turn to the good of others They comfort convert or save others only ministerially but Christs sufferings did meritoriously and efficiently also procure all the benefits which the Church standeth in need of Hence remission of sinne justification renovation and glorification are attributed unto his blood which cannot be to the blood of the Martyrs So that Christs death did by way of merit and causality procure all the priviledges the Church enjoyeth Hence in the second place All the sufferings which any undergo for the Churches good they are not meritorious or satisfactory either for our selves or others As the Papists do most derogatively to the honour of Christ maintain for their Doctrine about the sufferings of Martyrs for Christs cause is very proud and pharisaical They dogmatize that by these he may merit and satisfie God yet through the merits of Christ Tincta sanguine Christi yea not only thus satisfie for his own sins but may supererogate So that they exceed the wise Virgins they will part with some of their oil because they have more than enough So that from the overplus of all their sufferings the Church hath a great stock and treasure to relieve those that have no merits of their own Now this is a meer political engine in Popery to make the Pope have indeed a great treasury for he communicateth and dispenseth out of this stock for money Insomuch that Albertus Magnus saith plainly That a rich man is in a farre better condition to be saved than a poor man because he hath money to buy his pardon and to redeem himself which the poor hath not Thus these like Judas make a sale and bargain of Christ but though the godly suffer yet their sufferings are not for that end as Christs was even as when they obey the Law of God they do it not for that end which Christ did For both in suffering and doing Christ was only meritorious because he was without sin and did more than he was bound to which cannot be said of any Martyr Thirdly When we say the sufferings of the godly turn to the good of others This is not to be understood as if of themselves they did so but by the mighty power and grace of God working by them For Paul cannot of himself cause comfort and courage in others for he acknowledgeth God only to be the fountain of all comfort and therefore he prayeth to God that God would do good by such afflictions And as Paul cannot of himself thus do good to others by his sufferings For it is with him as in his preaching He doth but plant and water it is God that giveth the increase So neither do these sufferings work good of themselves by any intrinsecal virtue and efficacy they have For how many by these persecutions are the rather terrified So that as
thine He that could immediately be avenged on them he that could command legions of Devils to drag them to hell presently yet with much patience suffereth them God is so patient that as Tertullian Ipsa sibi detrahit â—â—de pat His patience detracteth from him he seemeth to be a loser by it For people sinne the more obstinately and wilfully because they meet with impunity Because vengeance is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the wicked is encouraged to evil Eccles 8. 11. It is true indeed if we speak properly we cannot attribute the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God as if that were an attribute in him The Scripture useth other words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God being most absolutely blessed and happy in himself he cannot be under any misery So as to be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be patient under it neither can God be said to pati to suffer in a passive sense yet his goodness his forbearance these are called patience And from the patience of God we may be encouraged to a conformity thereunto Should God be as impatient of thee should he as little endure thy failings as thou canst his dispensations thou hadst been with Dives calling for a drop of water long before this time and not able to partake of it Christ also is a wonderfull examplar cause of patience for him to lay aside the manifestation of his glory to be born of a Virgin to be exposed to such an ignominious death in all which he did seem as Tertullian expresseth it Contumeliosus sibiipsi Injurious and reproachfull to himself which made the Marcionites say He had only a phantastical body thinking it a reproachfull and dishonourable thing to him to have a true real body of the Virgin Mary But this exinanition and emptying of himself doth the more commend and make his patience illustrious Hence 1 Pet. 2. 23. and in other places Christ is commended as a patern to us of patience in all our sufferings and certain never may we more shame and abhorre our selves for all our repining and impatient workings of soul then when we set Christ before our eyes he was as a sheep in the hands of the shearer that opened not his mouth Yet how much did he suffer both from God and man and that without any cause in respect of himself though justly in respect of Gods Covenant with him as our Surety Now though all this was for us enemies to him such who would contemn his love and be ready to crucifie him over and over again yet in these great agonies and unspeakable sufferings he is not impatient Thus we have heard of a patience greater than that of Job even of Christ himself and let his patience shame thee out of thy impatience SERM LIV. Motives exciting us to a patient Submission unto God under all the Afflictions he layes upon us 2 COR. 1. 6. Which is effectual in enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer WE are yet treating on the manner How the Salvation of believers is promoted by their sufferings which is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In enduring or in patience in a patient enduring It is not my purpose I told you to enlarge my self according as this Subject of patience might require Some things have been spoken to declare the nature of it I shall adde at this time some motives and encouragements to be patient under the most extream sufferings we are put upon And First This consideration may greatly calm and compose our spirits If we sensibly affect our selves with what we have deserved All-impatiency and turbulency of heart ariseth because we are not throughly humbled under our own guilt and unworthinesse for if this were taken notice of we would wonder why dogs should have childrens bread why we should have the least drop of mercy who deserve the deluge of Gods wrath Doest thou at any time find repinings and frettings of heart within thee Do thou presently possesse thy soul with thy wretchednesse and unworthinesse Say Who am I Lord that it is no worse This is not hell nor everlasting damnation that I am in and yet I have a thousand times over deserved that It was this that quieted David's heart under that sour affliction he conflicted with when Absolom had made such a strong conspiracy against him 2 Sam. 16. 11. when Shimei cursed him with such a grievous curse that Abishai had no patience to bear it Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the King saith he let me go and take off his head Who but a David would have been avenged But what tameth Davids heart Let him alone let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him David knew that it was for his sins that Absolom rebelled Shimei cursed and therefore he dare not grudge nor mutter So 2 Sam. 15. 26. while David is compassed about with the same difficulties see how soft his heart is ready to receive any impression But if he say I have no delight in him behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth good to him Thus David's heart is like the vessel cast into the fire it may be put into any form or fashion and what is the reason of it A true humbled spirit under all its unworthinesse Thus the Church Lament 3. 22. though she be in such desolations that she cals to all the passengers who come by to see if there were ever any affliction like hers yet saith she It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed As wretched as we are we might be worse It is the Lords mercy that we do but taste of his cup of wrath that we do not drink up the dregs Here is a good patern to write after Let thy troubles and exercises be like Nebuchadnezzars furnace heated seven times hotter then ordinary yet thou wilt have cause to say if thou regard thy own guilt It is of the Lords mercy that it is no worse And vers 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Art thou a living man not a damned man and doest thou complain Think what if thy condition were like those that are chained up in everlasting darkness gnashing their teeth and roaring out for the endlesse torments that are upon them Wouldst thou not then judge this condition thou art in though afflicted and troublesome to be a mercy Certainly if the damned in hell are bound to acknowledge the justice of God and to give him the glory thereof though it be in their confusion How much rather art thou bound to give God the glory of all his Attributes in these dispensations to thee though bitter to flesh and blood Take heed then of being like Jonah of saying Thou doest well to be angry It is an ease to pour forth thy complaints For what doth God do thee any wrong Doth not the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is constructed with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is usual with the Apostle to transgresse such rules of Grammar This Samson is not tied in such cords The vehement and affectionate zeal of Paul in his expressions cannot be so manacled Thus the word is used abruptly Rom. 13. 11. In the second place we have the object of this his knowledge concerning the Corinthians and that is that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Partakers of or in communion with him in his afflictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is more humble and lowly than Paul in this expression saith Chrysostome they who had not in the least measure shared with him in sufferings yet he maketh them copartners with him They are as Salmeron expresseth it Copartners in the gain and in the losse with Paul They venture as it were in the Ship together The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text is taken sometimes actively not for communion so much as commuuication Therefore it is called distribution 2 Cor. 9. 13. Thus 1 Cor. 13. 13. The communion of the Spirit that is The communication of the Spirit And so 1 Cor. 10. 16. The bread and wine Is it not the communion The sense may be The communication of his body and his blood but very often it is used intransitively as it were and signifieth Fellowship Society and Communion The Object of which spiritual communion is fully set down 1 John 1. 3. Ye have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with the Sonne As for the Adjective which is the word in the Text we have it used in that which is Evil and in that which is Good In that which is sinfull 2 Cor. 10. 10. I would not have you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the table of Devils Thus also the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used 1 Tim. 5. 22. Partake not of other mens sinnes And 2 John 12. He that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds We are not only to keep our selves from acting of sinne but look we do not partake with other in their impieties and that is done many wayes most have cause to pray with that good man Lord forgive me my other mens sinnes If thou doest communicate with such then the Text will on the contrary be verified upon thee as thou doest partake with them in their sins so thou shalt in their terrour and damnation But 2. There is a good participation or copartnership of which the Text here speaketh Though Paul was persecuted and suffered much for the preaching of the Gospel yet this did not deterre the Corinthians or make them to be scandalized at Christ and so to fall off from him but they looked upon Pauls sufferings as their own and so are affected with his persecutions as if they themselves were persecuted This was it which made Paul have such a stedfast hope of their sincerity for if their foundation had been sandy such tempestuous winds would have overthrown all Observe That a partaking of and communion with those who suffer for Christ is a sure way to interest in all that joy and glory which such sufferers shall at last receive from God The Corinthians shall partake with Paul in joy and glory because they are willing to partake with him in afflictions and persecutions The joy that is spoken of in the Text is a distinct thing from glory and eternal happinesse for that is not till the Resurrection but Consolation is for the present while we are here in the valley of tears And indeed if we take consolation for the relieving and reviving of the heart under miseries so it cannot be in Heaven but in this world only To discover this truth consider First That there may be a two-fold participation of or fellowship with others that are in afflictions 1. When though we our selves are freed and delivered from all troubles enjoying all outward peace and quietnesse yet we are compassionately affected with the condition of all those members of Christ upon the earth who may be in an afflicted and troubled estate For seeing all the people of God make up one body if any part thereof suffer the other parts condole and suffer with it Insomuch that it is plain thou art a dead part in the body destitute of all spiritual life if thou canst see the Church of God or any part thereof lie wounded like the man of Jericho and thou like the Priest and the Levite passe by not laying it to heart This fellowship in suffering is part of the Apostles meaning which he attributeth to the Corinthians and is indeed a good and sure hope of grace in whomsoever we find it Heb. 13. 3. The Apostle there exhorts to remember such as are in bonds but how Not in a superficial carelesse manner but as cordially and affectionately as if we were bound with them Now consider that if thou wert impoverished if thou wert banished if thou wert imprisoned how much would it possesse thy heart all the day long No lesse is to be done for others whom God thus exercises The Scripture doth much delight in the comparison of the Church with the natural body and that because of the intimate conjunction and sympathy which is between the members if one be honoured all rejoyce if one be pained all grieve The Prophet complaineth Amos 6. 6. of those who enjoyed their pleasures and made themselves merry but did not remember the afflictions of Joseph Know then that it is a special touchstone of thy grace when with Nehemiah thou hast all things that can be desired for thy private content yet doest mourn and pray because of the desolations of Jerusalem and this may be one answer to that Question Why should you speak so much of afflictions and troubles to those who have none at all For let that be granted yet are all the Churches of God in quietnesse and freedom Look abroad and see how it fareth with many that call on the Name of Christ and thou wilt have cause to see that though thou art not afflicted outwardly yet in thy heart and soul thou art to be afflicted in all the afflictions of others Why doest thou live as if thou wert not of the body Be of a more publick spirit let the Churches gain or losses be as thine own 2. There is a fellowship with the afflictions of others not onely spiritual but real when we are cast into the same outward condition as others are And this also may be part of the meaning in the Text. They were not onely Spectators of Pauls troubles but they themselves had part of this burden upon their own shoulders That cup of tribulation was given them to drink as well as others For although persecutions do sometimes fall onely upon the Pastors and Officers in the Church yet for the most part it is
unmasked and the carnal heart discovered The Gospel either conquers men and maketh them friends or else leaveth them more provoked enemies but the fault is not in the Gospel preached neither are faithfull Ministers the troublers of Israel but thy whoredoms thy idolatries thy lusts are the cause of all this combate Use of Instruction what all godly Ministers and private Christians who are zealous against sinne must look for not from Pagans and Heathens but false carnal Christians that regard no Religion any further then their lusts or advantages may be kept up Will those that live by the sinnes of people ever be willing to have sinne destroyed Do not many as Demetrius say If this way of Religion go on we shall not be able to live any longer And therefore they flie with open mouth against all holy order and good discipline against sinne But know thou that all thy prophanenesse and dissolutenesse doth not so much provoke God as thy opposition of the Gospel and the Ministers thereof Yea we see Paul using a divine imprecation against such in this case which neither Christ or Stephen ever used against those that did put them to death 2 Tim. 4. 14. Alexander the copper-smith did me much evil And afterwards he instanceth wherein He hath greatly withstood our words or preachings It was not any personal or temporal evil that moved Paul but the withstanding of his preaching whereupon he poureth out this prayer The Lord reward him accoeding to his worke Oh dreadfull and terrible imprecation especially coming from one acted by the Spirit of God in delivering of it Use 2. To exhort us seriously and impartially to examine our selves about our motives and grounds which make us to take up the title of Christianity Is it for fear or because of custome the Laws of the Land require it Doest thou not find the divine power of holy truths upon thy soul Then know thy Religion is like thy life a bubble a vapour that will quickly go out Especially we are the more diligently to observe our hearts when we have any profit or preferment when we have any external accomodations by our profession Oh how hard is it then to discern between true and counterfeit whether it be the truth of God the love of God or thy own interest that prevaileth with thee when thy enemies and adversaries shall charge thee with it What a comfort will it be when thy conscience upon good ground can clear thee SERM. LXI Of the different judgement that Faith and Flesh passe upon Afflictions 2 COR. 1. 8. That we were pressed above measure WE have already considered this trouble which came upon Paul in Asia in respect of the occasion of it Let us proceed to the Aggravation of it For out of the strong cometh sweet From this affliction conquered doth arise much encouragement and consolation to those that are followers of Paul And in the Description we have the Aggravation of it from the Quantity 1. We were pressed out of measure 2. The Quality Above measure 3. From the Event So that we despaired of life And in the next verse it is further illustrated from a two-fold end of which in its time Let us take notice of the first particular wherein we have this trouble heightned viz. from the Quantity or Extension of it It was above measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is applied sometimes to the enduring of a burden Matth. 20. 12. Gal. 6. 2. whether it be a temporal burden or a spiritual Sometimes it is applied to the heavinesse of the eyes by drowsiness Mark 14. 40. In this place it seemeth to be taken from Porters who have a burden imposed upon them more than they are able to stand under or as Chrysostome from ships who are overmuch burdened and so are in danger of being lost And as if there were not emphasis enough in the word pressed he addeth another to aggravate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pareus saith The Scripture never useth an hyperbole because that strictly taken is a lie But this opinion cannot be justified neither is an hyperbole if you do regard the intention of the speaker a lie For such an expression he meaneth not so much the thing signified by the words as when the Evangelist saith The world would not contain all the books that might be written about Christs deeds but thereby to represent to the Reader some further degree then ordinarily is in other things But the Apostle doth not here speak of a verbal hyperbole but a real one that which was above expression The Apostle useth this expression when he speaketh of the riches of Gods grace and power to believers 2 Cor. 9. 14. Ephes 2. 7. Eph. 1. 19. No ordinary expression will serve Paul when he cometh to speak of the admirable and wonderfull riches of Gods grace to those that do believe in him As he thus speaketh of the grace of the Gospel so also of his own sinfulnesse both original and actual there is an hyperbole in both Rom. 7. 13. Original sinne improved and excited by the Commandment is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Above measure sinfull and for his actual wickednesse and impiety Gal. 1. 13. there he saith He did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persecute the Church but when he cometh to speak of the glory in Heaven there one hyperbole will not serve according to that of Luther Coelum infernus non patiuntur hyperbolen but there he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the expression then in the Text we see That this trouble the Apostle was exercised with was no little inferiour trouble but that which was of the most pressing nature that could be that was out of measure heavy and burdensome But you will say How doth this agree with that which we have Paul speaking in the 4th Chapter of this Epistle where he calleth all the afflictions that do befall the godly light Our light affliction vers 17. Can it be light and yes out of measure heavy also It may be answered and reconciled thus It is called light in respect of everlasting glory So that although it be exceeding heavy and pressing in it self yet if compared with the weight of glory hereafter so it is light Or Secondly It may be answered By distinguishing of the times when Paul calleth his affliction heavy it relateth to the time that he was exercised with it For Christianity doth not require Stoicism yea patience is the more admirable by how much the more apprehensive we are of the trouble upon us Thus the Apostle Heb. 12. 11. No chastisement is joyous for the present but grievous Or Thirdly We may speak of afflictions when they are over when we are delivered from them and find the great good they have done to us then we may call them light and judge them nothing to the benefit we received by them But In the fourth place I conceive
make Christs fear of death only natural and say therefore he was more sadly affected with it than any of the Prophets or Martyrs because of the exquisite and tender constitution of his body do greatly derogate from that work of mediation for us and satisfaction which was done by his blood to the justice of God From these examples you see that though grace can subdue sinne conquer lusts overcome the Devil yet it cannot totally take away the anxiety and fear of death which is altogether natural though the sinfulness of it may be mortified But to this it may be objected How could Paul be so sollicitous about death when Phil. 1. 23. he saith He had a desire to depart and to be with Christ Yea he did not know what to choose whether life or death He was in a straight betwixt two a desire to be with Christ and a desire to live that he might be serviceable to the Church That this may be answered it is good to take more exact notice of that place for it is an admirable demonstration of the gracious frame of Paul's heart lest the Philippians should think that he desired their prayers for himself now in bonds for the Gospel as being too inordinately affected to the desire of life he sheweth what a blessed frame of heart he had obtained unto even that if it were put to his choice whether he should live or die he should be straightned what to do The desire to be with Christ on one side did so affect him and the desire of the Churches good by his labours on the other side did so much work upon him where we may observe that his desire to depart was not because he had troubles and calamities here it was not because of the miseries and afflictions he met with but want of love to Christ That I may be with Christ saith he he doth not say that I may have glory that I may reign in Heaven but be with Christ Christs presence maketh Heaven to be Heaven Though Paul in this life was in Christ yet he was not with Christ Further he doth not say meerly I desire but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having a desire it was a constant setled permanent desire in him and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cut the rope as it were and to set fail to Heaven to return to him from whom he had his spiritual being The Apostle then did not only desire to be with Christ but he judged it the farre better condition for him Therefore we must distinguish of a two-fold desire there is a Natural Desire and an Elicite Desire A Natural Desire is that which floweth from the meer principles of Nature desiring to preserve it self and this Paul could not but have as he was a man Even as our Saviour told Peter He should be bound and should be carried whether he would not Joh. 21. 18. that is according to his natural will otherwise according to his will as sanctified did with readiness and joy go to the place of his Martyrdom An Elicite Desire is that which a man putteth forth according to the principles of reason and grace so that we may desire one thing with a natural desire another thing with an elicite A man that hath a putrified arm doth with a natural desire will to continue his arm still in his body but with an elicite desire following reason so he willeth to cut it off And thus Paul did with an elicite desire so he willed Heaven and being with Christ rather than to continue in the flesh To amplifie this Consider First That death is not according to mans creation at first he was not made mortal or corruptible But as the sentence of God doth witness In the day Adam did eat of the forbidden fruit he fell into a dying condition It is true The Question is of a large dispute Whether Adam was made immortal or no The Papists say he was made mortal and the Socinians they do more frowardly oppose this truth affirming Adam would have died though there had not been any eating of the forbidden fruit So that with them actual death was necessary before Adams sinne only it became a punishment after But Rom. 5. the Apostle at large sheweth That by one mans sinne death came into the world And Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death Death then being wholly against the natural institution At first Adam had an implanted love of his life in him And although his estate was so blessed that there could not be place for any fear yet had he been capable of losing his life his love to it would have made him afraid of being deprived of it This then is the great mystery that the natural wise men of the world were ignorant of Death they would not deny they called it The tribute of Nature which all must pay only they did not know the cause of it they understood not how it came to seâ—se upon all mankind Secondly Seeing that death is thus connatural and the effect of sinne and the Devil Hence it is that which maketh Death farre more terrible than otherwise it would be is sinne Whatsoever bitterness and gall is in death it doth chiefly come from sinne 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sinne So many sinnes as thou committest thou puttest so many stings into death to make it more dreadfull Could a man die and have not any sinne laid to his charge though it would be pain yet it would not be terrour When Aristotle calleth death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The terrible of terribles He speaketh of death as now it is Now in death as ordinarily men die there is not a bare apprehension of the dissolution of soul and body but there is the guilt of sinne likewise interposing whereby a dying man is usually terrified with the thoughts of what he hath done and in Christians what will become of them when they are dead Animula blandula quae nunc abibis in loca Die I dare not live I cannot and thus his soul is miserably in agonies and grievous tormenting fears and all because sinne is the sting of death Oh it were easie to die were it not for sinne for hell for judgement were it not for conscience accusing and condemning But this is it which maketh the thoughts of it so grievous and terrible Therefore in the third place The Lord Christ came into the world to destroy and remove this sting of death To change the nature of death that it should not be matter of terror but of joy and comfort being like Joseph's Chariot to carry us to the place of our hope and desire Thus we have the Apostle insulting over death 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. Death is swallowed up in victory Death doth not swallow the godly man but he doth swallow that up O death where is thy sting Thanks be to God which giveth us victory by our Lord Jesus Christ Were it not then for
sinfull It is a fundamental qualification required in every Disciple of Christ he cannot be Christs unless he be above the love of all things Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother or life it self more than me cannot be my Disoiple Why then art thou so afraid to die Is it because thy heart is so dearly engaged in such relations to such creatures Be humbled for this and reform A second sinfull cause which floweth from the former is The want of love to God and to Christ Thy desire is not with Paul To be with Christ thou doest not judge this best of all Not to be willing to die upon this account must also be very sinfull Do we not pray for the Kingdome of God Are we not to look for and hasten the coming of Christ Are we not to be as pilgrims and strangers in this world Now if these things were real upon thee though thou couldst not avoid a natural fear yet thou wouldst greatly subdue a sinfull fear 3. There is a sinfull cause of the fear of death When we produce those actions and live such a life which will justly make death terrible Thou complainest I am afraid to die I dare not think of death and why Thou doest put stings into death thou increasest the guilt of thy conscienne by living without repentance and reformation and then it is no wonder if such a sinfull cause make a sinfull effect Sinne less keep thy conscience clear and then thou wilt fear death less The last sinfull cause of the sinfull fear of death is Want of faith in Christ and this even the godly are subject to though they live holily and unblameably though they have kept a good conscience towards God and men yet they have sometimes uncomfortable fears about death because they do not look upon Christ they consider not that Christ hath conquered death So that now every Christian may with Paul triumph Death is swallowed up in victory O death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. but want of faith depriveth of this holy comfort and boldness See then if thy want of faith maketh thee fear death and consider that if so this is very injurious to Christ as if still death were not subdued as if death had conquered Christ and not Christ death Faith will make thee see a loveliness and another nature in death than what it had at first SERM. LXVI The truly godly may sometimes passe false sentences upon their own Persons and Actions and Gods dispensations towards them 2 COR. 1. 9. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead THe second Doctrine remaining from the clause of the former verse viz. That the children of God judge otherwise while they attend to second causes and humane helps then they do while they look to the power and promise of God will come in very seasonably as a branch of that general usefull matter which this Text will afford us Come we therefore to the consideration of it 1. It is a further amplification of this trouble which came upon him in Asia and that is the most extream and highest aggravation that yet hath been used which is expressed in the beginning We had the sentence of death in our selves 2. It is illustrated from the wholsom and saving end of this trouble laid on him It was not brought upon him by God for his destruction but his spiritual good His soul might have been in danger if his body had not been He might have perished spiritually if he had not been in danger of perishing temporally Now this blessed effect of his trouble is set down 1. Negatively That we might not trust in our selves 2. Positively But in God Described by a sutable property Who raiseth the dead Let us begin with the aggravation his trouble was so great That he had received the sentence of death in himself This is more than the clause in the precedent verse for there it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was in such a doubt and perplexity about his life that he did not see any way to evade but here he is positive he comes now to make resolute conclusions He must die He had received the sentence of death The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used here in this place onely in the New Testament The Verb from whence it cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Budeus sheweth to have two more eminent significations the one is to separate and secerne one thing from another in which sense I do not observe it used in the New Testament It useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that sense even as humane Authours also do most frequently 1 Cor. 1. 15. The spiritual man judgeth all things by searching and judging he cometh to discern the truth from errour The other signification is to answer in which sense it is alwayes used in the New Testament Favorinus in his Lexicon maketh this difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former is a bare simple Answer made to any Question the later is an Answer by way of defence against some accusation The proper word for an Answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke 2. 47. Luke 20. 26. Joh. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is seldome used for an Answer yet Stephen sheweth out of Suidas an expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like that à secretis one whose office was to answer requests Hence some translate it answer as it is in the margin But the most genuine translation is sentence for so Hesychius expounds the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Favorinus followeth verbatim in this as in many other particulars It is true Heinsius on the place maketh the word in a contrary sense to signifie an answer or inspiration from God secretly assuring of him that he should not die like that Act. 24. 24. Fear not Paul such answers were by the Urim and Thummim So that in his sense it should imply Gods suretiship or undertaking for his preservation But the other is more generally received and the following words argue such a sense The word then doth signifie a sentence passing upon him That he must die This he had received but from whom Not from God for God delivered him nor from the Magistrate there was no such Decree that we read of against him Therfore it was onely from his own feares his own thoughts which maketh him say He had received it in himself You see then that Gods thoughts were others then Paul's Paul absolutely concluded he should die but God had purposed the contrary From whence observe That the godly themselves are sometimes greatly deceived about Gods administrations to them They are apt to erre in their judgements about Gods dispensation They gather such conclusions and make such inferences as are wholly opposite to Gods intentions Though it
trusting and their dependance upon God is nothing but their arrogance and their false presumption Such are the confidences that men have for suffering in their heretical and damnable opinions No doubt but such may finde in themselves a resolved and pertinacious frame of heart which they call a trusting in God but because they have no promise made to their errours therefore they have no true faith in God I speak of such opinions as are not consistent with the work of grace and fundamental principles of Religion otherwise if gold and precious stones be built on the foundation though hay and stubble be the superstructure such shall be saved yet so as by fire 3. Presumption is palpably discovered from trusting in God By severing the meanes from the end And this is commonly made the very essence of presumption that it divideth those things which God hath necessarily conjoyned together It is the Scriptures maxim which can never fall to the ground That without holiness no man shall see God Where there is no grace here there shall not be any glory hereafter yet do not men generally presume as if that Text would not prove true otherwise why is it that thou doest not lay all thoughts and endeavours about other things aside and see to the work of grace above all things I may be wealthy and damned I may be learned and damned but I cannot be gracious and damned yet who is there that maketh this his study and inquisition of soul whether this necessary work of grace hath ever yet been wrought in him But 4. This presumption is still the more palpable and gross When men do not onely divide between the true meanes and the end but use false and contrary means And this is the condition of all those who live in the common practice of any gross sinne never reforming of it For these men to trust in Christ to be saved living and dying after that manner is the most absurd and maddest presumption that can be As if thou shouldest think by brimstone to quench the fire upon thy house God indeed doth sometimes work his glorious ends by those means which are contrary but for thee to think to go to Heaven by the way that leadeth to hell argueth thou art bewitched with thy lusts Repent for thou art as yet in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity Lastly This presumption doth powerfully but subtilly work in all those who deny either in whole or in part the grace of God and thinke by their owne strength and merits to obtain the good things they hope for Therefore Pelagians and Papists do by the very genius of their Doctrine teach men to presume when they define their Spes to be Partim è gratiâ Dei partim è meritis proveniens So that pure faith and trusting in God is not taught by Popish principles but presumption and self-confidence is taught by a Law And under this head all those civil and moral men are comprehended who think that for their own righteousness God must bestow such and such mercies upon them a sinne that every man is very prone unto as appeareth by Moses his prohibition of it so often in one Chapter to the Israelites Deut. 9. 4 5 6. Speak not in thy heart saying for my righteousnesse the Lord hath brought me to possesse this Land The Pharisee then doth presume as well as the Publican though upon different grounds The second opposite on the contrary is Despair Indeed all diffidence and distrust doth gradually and in part oppose this excellent grace but despair doth fully and totally And this ariseth from these causes 1. Low thoughts of God and his Attributes 2. High thoughts of our own sins and unworthiness Both these commonly go to make the soul wholly distrustfull First Low thoughts of God and his Attributes As if God had not power and strength enough to do what he promised As that Lord who would not believe God could suddenly provide such incredible plenty And this is the reason why God doth represent his Greatness Majesty and Power so often because all the distrustfull thoughts we have do arise because we measure God after the capacity of a man Hence is that expression Zech. 8. 6. when God had promised the restauration of the people of Israel an impossible thing to humane conjectures If it be marvellous in the eyes of the people should it also be marvellous in my eyes saith God As also that full affirmation That with God nothing is impossible yea nothing is hard and difficult to God he doth as easily work extraordinary and miraculous things as he doth ordinary and common things But why do we diffide or despair at any time but because we judg of God according as we would do of men Again Low thoughts about the goodnesse mercy and compassions of God do compell to despair My thoughts as are not your thoughts but as the Heavens do exceed the earth so doth my wayes your wayes saith God in this particular about pardon of sinne Isa 55. 8 9. Narrow apprehensions also about the dignity merit and infinite worth of Christ of his Godhead as well as manhood maketh us to sink under the guilt of our sinnes How could any tormenting feares arise in thee if the love of Christ and the atonement by his bloud be considered in the breadth length and depth of it It was attentive meditation on this infinite subject that made Paul so triumph and be raised above the guilt of his sins his Aegyptian sins were easily drowned in this sea of blood The second cause of our despair and total distrust in God is a preposterous and irregular apprehension about our sinnes That no soul can obtain pardon without repentance without a deep and serious humiliation is without doubt the Scripture-Doctrine but then every contrite soul is to know that there is a spiritual skill and heavenly art required in this sorrow for it If we so look upon sinne as to think it our duty to flie from Christ to runne from the promise that no consolation doth belong to us This is not repentance for sinne but running from one sinne to another As if the Israelites stung with a Serpent would obstinately refuse to look upon the brazen Serpent For the Gospel that vouchsafeth other light that informeth us as soon as ever we have unfeigned sorrow for sinne and are brought low in our own eyes not to stay in that wilderness not to think that we can make any satisfaction by tears or sorrow but immediately to lay hold on Christ and to imbrace those offers of grace which are tendered to all that are poor and contrite in heart Hence it is that the Spirit of Adoption and an Evangelical frame of heart are wonderfully conducing to trust in God as legal terrors and tormenting fears of conscience do greatly shake the foundations of all hope in God Thirdly You are alwayes to remember that
through the Word preached be more hardened in their sinnes and made more obdurate in their evil wayes this is besides the intention of the Word As when the Sunne blindeth a mans eyes through the dazelling thereof this is accidental the proper and natural effect being to illuminate all spiritual authority is for edification And in the other Text you have the power of grace upon Paul's heart so affecting of him that he cannot do any thing against the truth Neither doctrinally or practically would he indulge to any evil way but thereby the end of his Ministry should be frustrated Now this is a special work of Gods grace so to sanctifie and keep tender our hearts that we take heed of every thing that may obstruct the happy course of the Gospel Whereas the Jesuitical party will wander out into many by and extravagant wayes to accomplish their designes Jansenius a learned Papist Jansen Sanctus Augustinus liber proaemialis pag. 9. speaketh of one man who not daring to do something out of favour to another which he knew was contrary to the principles of morality neither affirmed by any Authours as probable had this answer from a Jesuited Doctor Aude nos efficiemus probabile Be bold to do it and we will make it probable Here we see their power is many times against the truth But Paul was so kept by the grace of God that not only deliberately he did not any thing which might retard the progresse of the Gospel but also nor so much as by infirmity or any sudden surprizal as we see Peter did and therefore Paul did withstand him to the face This therefore is a blessed worke of Gods grace when a Minister is kept so faithfully to the end of his Office that neither in life or doctrine will he doe any thing that may be contrary to it Secondly The grace of God extended itself mercifully to Paul In that he was kept low and humble under all those signal favours and prerogatives that God hath bestowed upoh him Was not every thing in Paal almost extraordinary and miraculous and yet who is kept lower in his own eyes who is more emptied of himself looking upon what he had been more than what he was So that it was of Gods grace to Paul to make him acknowledge Gods grace not to trust in himself And thus it is alwayes in the Church of God one special work of Gods grace is to make us sensible of it to give all to it to goe out of our selves and thus Gods fulnesse is most seene in our emptinesse We see the Jewes went about wholly to establish their own righteousnesse The Stoick Philosophers who did so admire vertue were thereby advancers of themselves They looked upon virtue as their own work that they were not beholding to God for it Therefore Seneca maketh this the cause and foundation of all happinesse Fidere sibiipsi to trust in himself And the Pelagian though Christian yet his Doctrine driveth wholly to self-advancement So that though he would acknowledge the necessity of that prayer Forgive us our sinnes yet so as when we had sinned otherwise they pleaded perfection and that a man might be without sinne yet for the ensuing Petition Lead us not into temptation c. They would not understand it of spiritual temptations and occasions to sinne as if we needed to pray to God for grace to prevent future sinnes our own will and strength was sufficient for that but of external miseries such as not to fall off an horse or to be killed by a thiefe These were the temptations onely we prayed against in this Petition But where the grace of God is effectually working there it maketh a man apprehensive of the necessity of it and that to every action all the day long and truly this is from God when the Minister of the Gospel shall go out of all parts learning and studies whatsoever acknowledging it's the grace of God alone that inableth him in his work happily this would make the presence of God more powerfull with us if we did own his grace more Thirdly The grace of God with Paul in his ministerial imployment was The directing of him in meditations and guiding of him to such thoughts and words as might most prevaile upon those that heare him For this we must know that where Gods presence is with a Minister there he is directed to preach on such subject matter rather than other which God will blesse to a most happy and effectual issue This made Paul say excellently 2 Cor. 5. 6. Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of our selves but our sufficiency is of God who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament Here you see Paul acknowledging that we are not able to think one thought in our ministerial way advantagious for the edification of others without the grace of God As in prayer we know not what to pray or how to pray without the Spirit of God inabling So neither in preaching we know not what to preach or how to preach unlesse the Lord guide us That is observable Eccles 12. 9 10. Because the preacher was wise he taught the people knowledge he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many proverbs The preacher sought to find out acceptable words By this we see that there is special wisdome to search out fit matter and fit words which cannot be obtained without God the fountain of wisdome So that herein the Minister of God is to exercise himself daily in prayer to God that he would teach him how to preach and what to preach that he may not sow chaff in stead of wheat and cockles in stead of barley that he may be so directed as to pitch upon those arguments those expressions which will be most effectually working upon the souls of those that do hear Fourthly The grace of God was wonderfully manifest in Paul By the spirit of self-denial patience zeal and courage which was in him while accomplishing his worke Indeed Paul is like a pleasant and choice Garden wherein are so many precious flowers that we know not which to pluck first Thus Paul was so eminently bespangled with all the graces of Gods Spirit that we know not which to commend first His self-denial was admirable when he complained All sought their own and not the things of Jesus Christ This argued how much he did abhorre such courses Phil. 3. 21. when he was so solicitous to bring off deluded souls from the false Apostles who reigned over them It was not his honour or glory that he looked at if so be they would own Christ and his wayes in truth let him be rejected he mattered it not This he plainly professeth 2 Cor. 13. 7. I pray God ye do no evil not that we should be approved but that you should do that which is honest though we be accounted as reprobates It is plain therefore that it was their good their salvation
when thou shalt see what that Heaven what that glory and happiness is which at that day godliness will give thee full possession of how quickly will thy thoughts alter Then thou wilt cry out Oh it is a mans riches to be godly it is a mans wisdome to be godly a mans profit to be godly though he did there by lose all this present world Again We are prejudiced against Godlinesse because it is not in honour and repute None of the great men of the wise men do much regard it Men of great estates and birth think godliness below their greatness that it is a dishonour a stain to their reputation to walk precisely and singularly to the wicked course of the world But in this also that day will make a mighty change when you shall see that then godliness is only enquired after Then the Question will be How hast thou lived How hast thou kept thy self unspotted from sinne Then thou wouldst give thousands of worlds for godlinesse That holiness and purity thou now laughest at it will at that day be only in request At that day there is no difference between Kings and peasants between the noble and base between the rich and poor but either wicked or godly sheep or goats that maketh all the distinction If Alexander plead he conquered the world If Craesui plead the multitude of riches If one saith he is an Emperour another he is a Nobleman a Gentleman these are absurd pleas at that day Art thou a godly an holy man This only will carry it Oh then remember you will have other thoughts of godlinesse than now you have It will be more in request and honourable esteem than now it is Whosoever he be that doth evil though the great Potentates of the world the Judge will then say Depart I know you not Lastly We are prejudiced against Godlinesse because we think it is too strict it requireth too much of us It will not allow us those pleasures and delights we might have Oh but at that day such a thought will presently vanish all the labour of my life thou wilt say is not worthy to one minute of this glory could I have been a Martyr every day it would not have been equivalent to this present happiness SERM CV A further Discovery of the great Changes that will be wrought at the Day of Christ's second coming 2 COR. 1. 14. In the day of the Lord Jesus AT this great day you heard there would be a wonderfull change upon the thoughts and perswasions of men to what they are now It is not so much what thy affections and apprehensions are for the present but what they be at that day Especially in three things this Change will be seen 1. About Godlinesse which hath been dispatched 2. About Good men 3. About Christ We come therefore to the second and that is the wonderfull change that wicked men shall then have in reference to those who live godly and dare not conforme themselves to the course of this world As First Such who separate themselves from the evil wayes of the world They are matter of reproach and scorne They are judged the fooles and the simple ones by all that live near them But at that day you will have other thoughts you will then admire their happinesse call your selves the fools and deluded ones wishing that it might fare so with you as it doth with them It is said of those noble Worthies Heb. 11. 38. That they had tryal of cruel mockings Yea David though a King Psal 69. 12. complaineth He was the song of the drunkards Thus you see what thoughts men of the world have of such who fear God as Michal did David They despise them in their heart But oh the wonderfull alteration that day will cause when thou shalt see those who were despised by thee honoured by God Those whom thou didst reproach to be blessed by God What a confusion will this be to thee Then you will cry out We fools and mad men judged their wayes folly and matter of scorn but with what unspeakable glory doth God honour them Secondly Another false perswasion they have about godly men is That they are Hypocrites that all they do is not out of love to God but for ostentation sake That it is not the glory of God but their own glory and advantage that they seek after Paul was so often charged with corrupt ends in his Ministry that he is compelled to make his Apologetical Defence to clear himself Yea Christ himself was judged by the Pharisees to be an Impostor and that he came of himself doing his own will and seeking his own glory which made him so earnestly deny it Iohn 6. 38. Iohn 8. 50. This is a sore evil upon the sonnes of men that because they have an enmity and hatred against the godly yet they cannot put this forth upon godlinesse as godlinesse therefore they represent the godly in such colours and lay such things to their charge that they may seeme to have just cause to vent their malice against them But at that day their sincerity and integrity will appear then all the world shall see that their hearts were upright their aimes and intentions sincere that what reproofe what holy endeavours they used for the recovering of men out from their sinnes was not out of hatred or any other ill principle as wicked men are now apt to judge but out of pure love and desire for their soules good Let not then evil and ungodly men take upon them to judge the hearts of others that is the prerogative of God alone neither doe thou judge before the great day of judgement Take heed of calling such Hypocrites and dissemblers of calling such Pharisaical and conceited whom it may be God will own at that day for his jewels for his faithfull ones If there be any Judas who followeth Christ because of the Bagge If there be any who believe in Christ yet love the glory of men more than of God they shall beare their burden The portion of Hypocrites in Hell is a double portion But let not all the Apostles be censured for a Judas Let not all be judged Hypocrites because he was so Remember that this day is a revelation of all things all the hidden purposes and counsels of mens hearts shall then be made manifest The Apostle giveth this exhortation to such as judged him 1 Corinth 4. 5. he sheweth them how little he regarded mans judgement for it is the Lord that judgeth Therefore they are not to judge any thing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of mens hearts and then shall every man have praise of God Is not this a full place to make thee afraid of all censures and hard speeches against such who professe godlinesse Let them alone to the Lord there is a day when all the thoughts
complain of such a dull and liveless Ministry yet how little do people think that many times they give the cause so that its Gods punishment upon them in that very thing yea though Ministers be never so faithfull and godly yet as Calvin observeth they cannot go on in their Ministerial work with that vigor and alacrity they ought to do when their hearts are bound up with sorrow and discouragements about their people All cannot attain to Pauls excellency who could have enlarged bowells to that people who had streightened ones towards him SERM. CVII Of the Necessity of a constant Ministry not only for the constituting but to an establishing the Church 2 COR. 1. 15. That you might have a second benefit IN these words we have the End of Pauls purpose to come to them It was wholly spiritual It was not for any advantage any earthly respects but but wholly for their good to encrease and confirm their graces The End is expressed in these words That ye might have a second benefit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some as Chrysostome interpret for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea their are some who would have that to be the word in the Original It is no doubt but that much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or joy did follow upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All spiritual effects and heavenly exercises are apt to breed much joy Hence none have true joy but those that are godly and so by consequence none are blessed but they for Joy is a great ingredient to Happiness Hence Aristotle maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly to rejoyce yet is more consonant to other places of Scripture to read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus Rom. 1. 11. He desired to see them that he might impart to them some spiritual benefit The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is chiefly used in the New Testament for the free grace of God towards us in reference to our Eternal Happiness so that the very name ought to be sweet and precious to such who labour under the sense of their unworthiness and see no power or works of their own any wayes able to save them It is of grace therefore that doth not onely exclude merit but supposeth thee unworthy for such mercies of thy own self It is sometimes in Scripture applyed to such Almes as were freely given for the use of distressed Churches 2 Cor. 8. which is therefore called Grace partly because it is of Gods special goodness to give us such a free and liberal Disposition as the first Verse in that Chapter implyeth I do you to wit saith Paul of the grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia and that was to be liberal to the other afflicted Saints and partly because it cometh from the bountifull disposition of a man to such as are in want In this Text it is to be applyed to spiritual bounty that is to be willing and ready in all serviceableness to promote the spirituall good of others for there are spiritual almes as well as temporal which lieth in reproof in Admonition and frequent Exhortation to what is good Now this Grace or Benefit is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some translate iterated and repeated though it be more than the Second or third time Chrysostome referreth it to his Epistles and his presence for by both these he communicated spiritual benefit unto them But it is most probably and generally referred to his first and second coming whether Paul did come a third time to those Corinthians is disputed by Commentators because of some passages in the 12 and 13 Chapters of this Epistle of which in its time It is enough that by the first grace or benefit we mean the first work upon them by Pauls Ministry when they were converted from their Paganism and planted a Church of Christ And the second benefit was to confirm them in the same Faith and also to quicken them up unto further degrees of Holiness and this was the second Benefit Paul desired to impart unto them For it appeareth that though this Church of Corinth was a garden planted by Paul yet many weeds and some poysonous ones began to grow up amongst them There were both in Doctrine and Manners many things amiss which needed Pauls presence to reforme Observe That it is not enough to be a Church planted and gathered from out of the world at first but there needeth a constant and dayly Ministry to be tilling and dressing of it That Garden which God planted and put Adam into yet was to be dayly dressed and so it is still with the best Churches even those that are of the Apostolical Plantation yet needed the Apostles care and diligent visitations which was one main cause of writing those several Epistles to several Churches They were not written to convert them or make them Churches but to admonish instruct or confirm and comfort as occasion did require and upon this ground it is that though the office of Apostles and Prophets as also the gift of miracles are now ceased because the Church is now planted yet the office of Pastors and the Ordinances Christ hath instituted are perpetual and must be continued to the end of the world So that the opinion of the Socininians about the Ministry as it were only a thing of order and not of Divine Institution is grosly repugnant to Gods Word as also their Doctrine about Baptism That it was but a temporary Ceremony instituted for the beginning of the Church is full of falshood Churches though constituted yet must be dayly watered neither is it enough for a people once to be brought home to the Faith but they need a second and a third yea a continual benefit For though the Apostle haply did come but the second time to these Corinthians yet he appointed Officers in an ordinary residence amongst them as wel as in other Churches which were continually to watch over them The particulars wherein the Ministry is necessary for perfecting work as well as foundation work for progress as well as ingress for consummation as well as imitation are these First To inform against those Errors which false Teachers do easily insinuate into the hearts of people No sooner hath God sowed his field with precious wheat but the envious one commeth and soweth his tares As the April showers that make grass and flowers to come cause also weeds to grow Thus at the same time God is building the Church the Devil and his instruments are raising their Babel No sooner have the Ministers of God with Isaac digged up Wells but the Philistines have been ready to throw their earth and mud therein If then Errors and damnable Heresies may so quickly infect a Church formerly pure no wonder if there be such necessity of Pastors and Guides who are to lead the people into all truth by their Ministry as the spirit of
mutable and inconstant principles he can never be serviceable to God for this debaseth him before men this maketh him vile and contemptible and thereby like a broken vessel that is of no use Fourthly It is a great sinne to be thus inconstant in our words because it 's an abuse of our tongue which the Scripture calleth a mans glory though some apply it to the soul now for thy glory to be a shame to have thy tongue accounted a lying tongue a double tongue a false tongue This is an aggravation of thy wickednesse Lastly As God doth threaten to punish lying and deceitfull tongues so he doth graciously encourage all such as are of sincerity in all their words and works A lying tongue is one of the seven abominations which God hateth Prov. 6. 17. as on the other side How mercifully doth God encourage some Isa 63. 8. for he said Surely they are my people children that will not lie so he was their Saviour So that if all these particulars be laid together we may see how necessary it is to adde righteousness to our Religion to be as Christ Whose lips were without guile in respect of God and man Oh this will afford thee great comfort this will assure thee that thy Religion was not hypocrisie It 's easier performing multitude of duties then to walk thus uprightly towards men they may be done with more ease to flesh and blood yea they may be the fuell to thy hearts-pride and self-applause but this tendeth really to mortifie sinne within thee and to cause thee to have respect to all Gods commandments SERM. CXI Of the sinfulness of Inconstancy and lightness in matters of Religion 2 COR. 1. 17. When I therefore was thus minded did I use lightness WE have treated of lightness and Inconstarcy as it was expressed in civil things whether in our words Promises or dealings between man and man This you heard was both a sin towards God and a reproach to religion yea unrighteousness and falsehood in these outward affairs are so great sinnes that many times they make the greatest wound in our consciences and Experience confirmeth it That when a man is converted to God and made sensible of sin the sinnes of his unrighteousness doth most trouble his conscience It is longest e're he get the pardon of these in his own soul and the Reason may be because such unfaithfulness in words and dealings are condemned by the natural light of our conscience Even Heathens have been able to judg such things great sinnes Now what is done against natural light that maketh a greater gash in the conscience Hence the Omission of those Duties which are meerly known by supernatural light is not so grievous to us as when an humble broken-hearted sinner is called upon to believe in Christ to rest his soul upon him for justification How hardly is such a contrite spirit brought to judge that unbelief herein is a great and heynous sin that God is provoked hereby That as much as lyeth in us we make Christ of none effect So that when such a wounded conscience can complain of its former unrighteous unjust and sinfull wayes it once lived in yet it doth not at the same time bewail that great sin of unbelief its frowardness and slavishness that it doth not receive Christ as a Saviour yea it rather judgeth it a duty to keep off from a Promise and to question whether Christ will receive such a wretched sinner as he feeleth himself to be By which we see what cause the people of God have to take heed of sin in this kinde for how hardly are they healed how long may it be ere thy conscience may be pacified thorough the blood of Christ But I proceed to a Second kinde of Inconstancy which is of a greater guilt because exprest in matters of greater concernment and relation even to God himself To be yea and nay off and on in matters of Religion this proclaimeth our wretchedness And First There is an inconstancy in our Faith When we do lightly and uncertainly receive the truths of God so that we are ready for one Faith one week and another Faith another week This is a very dangerous frame of soul when a man is not of a sound judgment neither hath laid a good foundation in Christian Religion but as the Apostle saith Ephes 4. 4. is like a childe tossed up and down with every wind of doctrine Such are called by the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3. 16. unlearned and unstable In the number of these light and inconstant persons we may reckon the Galatians when he chargeth them with their suddain Apostacy Gal. 1. 6. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you unto another Gospel They were ready for another Gospel for other Teachers who formerly had received the Apostle as an Angel of God yea as Jesus Christ This lightness also was manifested in some of Christs Disciples John 6. 60 61. who upon their misunderstanding of some passages in our Saviours Sermon judging them hard and absurd from that time went back from him and walked no more with him And truly are not these times a sad instance of the lightness and uncertainty of many men in the Doctrine of their Faith In how many mens Religion may you finde Yea and Nay How many are destroying that which once they did build Now nothing is more contrary to the nature of Faith than this inconstancy For if we do consider what the Nature of Faith is we shall finde that it doth so autoritatively bring the understanding into obedience of the Divine truth that it dare not give way to doubtings and plausible Objections of deceitfull men any more The Apostle Heb. 11. 1. giveth us a full description of Faith as to this matter of quieting and satisfying the soule for he saith It s the substance of things hoped for and ehe evidence of things not seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which hath but a meer apearancy as Meteors or rather as colours in the Rainbow and truly many mens Faith hath no subsistency at all it is only in their fancy Hence it is that there is almost a â—cepticisme introduced into Religion as was once into Philosophy But Faith doth consolidate the soul and establish it upon Scripture-grounds which are sure and unmoveable The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is applyed to a Demonstration that doth even necessitate the understanding to give assent to it so that it hath no power to refuse it Thus also it is when the soul believeth The spirit of God through the word so convinceth the heart that no demonstration in Sciences nor objects to sense can be more potent to perswade Oh then take heed of Inconstancy in Principles of Faith This will argue thou art built upon a sandy foundation that thou dost believe such Doctrines onely upon humane Motives and deceitful grounds
of the flesh and the principle of the Spirit and such as your principles are such are ye If thy principle be to be godly to live by the Word to save thy soul then thou art daily in these things thy heart is there thy life is there But if it be flesh that ruleth in thee then this maketh thee like a worm and a moal alwayes in the earth You cannot repent you cannot believe you cannot be saved while these principles abide in you for they make you prejudiced against godlinesse they make you neglect repentance Oh but when thou shalt lie howling and roaring in hell how wilt thou curse and bewail such principles These have damned me these have brought me to this place of torment I would not entertain other principles SERM. CXIV Of the kinds and sinfulnesse of Lying 2 COR. 1. 17. That with me there should be yea yea and nay nay IN these words is the sinne specified that would flow from those two evil causes named before viz. Inconstancy and corrupt principles They that are led aside by these must needs be liars and perfidious persons frothy and vain to whom no credit is to be given The Apostle therefore doth here remove the sinne of lying or saying one thing and doing another thing for such an unfaithfull false man can never be serviceable unto God by that uneven carriage of his he maketh himself uncapable of bringing glory to God and of edifying others Concerning the Greek expression and the interpretation of it there is great diversity amongst the learned That which troubleth most is the gemination of those particulars yea yea nay nay For we read it as a command and a duty Matth. 5. 37. James 5. 12. That our communication ought to be yea yea nay nay whereas the Apostle doth here speak of it as a sinne Some therefore do think that the gemination of the particle crept into the Text by the errour of the Scribes who finding it used in other places thought it should be here also and they are the rather induced to this because in the verse following the Apostle doth not use the gemination onely affirming Yea and nay Others they think that the Greek particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a note of negation should be supplied making it to runne negatively as if with me were not yea yea and nay nay But there is no necessity of running unto these harsh remedies for we may keep the gemination of the particles well enough as intending thereby a vehement affirmation and a vehement negation For so the Hebrews use to affirm vehemently by doubling the word And our Saviour often useth Amen Amen which custome also Heinsius saith is among the prophane Greek Authours And thus the sense will be very coherent I doe not inconstantly and carnally purpose things as if I should with great vehemency affirme one thing at one time and then with as great a vehemency deny it again at another time But then we must acknowledge that this differeth from those places above-mentioned Matth. 5. and James 5. for there the latter Yea and latter Nay is the predicate in the Preposition here it is the subject and Nay nay the predicate In those places also there is a respect had to our speech as opposite unto oaths but here is denoted only truth and constancy in our affirmations Chrysostome doth not read the words interrogatively and thereupon hath a peculiar interpretation implying the clean contrary to what we have said For he maketh the meaning to be as if Paul did deny he was constant or ought to be unchangeable he was not to have Yea yea nay nay but to be yea and nay as occasion served because he was not at his own disposing to go whither he would but was wholly guided by the Spirit of God and therefore when he attempted to preach in some places the Spirit of God suffered him not So that with this Authour Paul's intention should be to remove from himself such a constancy as if he were to dispose of himself and to hold to his own resolutions whereas he was wholly to follow the guide and motions of Gods Spirit But this seemeth not so proper The Apostle rather defends himself against the charge of lying and unfaithfull dealing he was not Yea and nay Hence some make the Latine word Naucus that signifieth a vain empty trifling fellow to come from the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of this more in the following verse Seeing then that Paul doth in this expression free himself from the crime of lying and saying one thing but doing the contrary We may observe That lying or contrariety between our words and words or words and actions are not beseeming a Christian neither are they consistent with godlinesse A godly man can be no more godly and a liar than godly and a drunkard than godly and a prophane person This sinne the Apostle maketh as a stream to flow from those two poisoned fountains of levity of mind and a corrupt carnal heart Now how inconsistent this is with the new man and the work of grace you have heard from Colos 3. 9 Lie not one to another seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds To be yea and nay is to be a lyar and sometimes as the Apostle supposeth here we may be very vehement and earnest in our yea's and nayes and then we are bold vehement lyars I shall not enlarge my self concerning the whole Theological matter that may be delivered about a lie but speak so much as will be for our practical improvement of this truth And First We are to take notice of this That there may be a lie materialiter and formaliter That is a material lie when we speak that which is untruth but yet we think it to be a truth or else we would not speake it But then that is formally a lie when we affirm that to be true which we know to be false and this is directly and properly a lie Some say the former is Mendacium dicere the other is Mentiri Now this latter way of speaking untruths is that which properly is called a lie and men do then formally lie when they speak that which their consciences doe tell them to be false yet in some cases when we speake those things that are untrue though we thinke them to be so we are not presently excused from sinne For in many things it behoveth us to have knowledge and a right information before we speak about them Hence the false Prophets are often called lyars who it may be thought they spake what was true being delivered up by the just judgement of God to believe a lie and therefore we must take heed of rashnesse and suddennesse in our words that we may alwayes speak that which is consonant to the truth both materially as well as formally Secondly We may distinguish of lies as they doe of oaths There are Assertory lies whereby we
saved come to a Nay There is sometimes a necessity of changing and that is when people and Ministers have been carried away with errours and false wayes Though such things may plead antiquity though you may urge prescription for many hundred years yet upon conviction and illumination we are to change from yea we are to bewail such errours as we once lived in Was it not thus with Paul Though Paul was not now Yea and Nay since he was an Apostle yet he was once so neither was that to his dispraise but his honour in the Church of God Did not Paul once violently persecute that way which afterwards he preached for Those traditions and pharisaical superstitions which once he maintained even to the killing of all the opposers thereof Doth not he in time with as much zeal renounce them as ever once he did plead for them This change of Paul was so wonderfull that Act. 9. 21. Many who heard him preach Christ were amazed saying Is not this he that destroyed them who called on this Name in Jerusalem You see then that there may be a just occasion to change our opinions our practices in Religion There is a just occasion for a Jew a Turke to leave his Religion and become a Christian There is a just occasion for Papists and Hereticks to forsake that way of worship they have followed with so much zeal and devotion Neither may they fear the shame and reproach of being accounted weather-cocks and turn-coats but rather they have cause to blesse God who hath opened their eyes and not suffered them to perish in the Aegypt and Sodome they were in It is true naturally it is accounted an hainous sinne to change that Religion which a man is born and bred up in Therefore we have an History of our King John Fuller Histor of the Church who being in great Stateextremities sent to the King of the Moors for aid and assistance promising him his Kingdom if he would and that the Nation should receive the Turkish Religion But the Morocco King refused the offer saying That he had lately read Paul ' s Epistles and did like the matter well so that he found no fault with Paul but because he changed the Religion he was born in I bring this instance to shew what a great influence that Religion hath let it be false or true upon a man in which he hath been educated Yet there is a necessity if men will be saved sometimes of forsaking that Religion our Fathers and Ancestours have lived in For seeing that is directly against Scripture that any man in any Religion may be saved and also that seeing there are so many contrary Religions in the world it followeth inevitably that there are some in such damnable wayes and that of Religion that without repentance and coming out of those former impieties they shall never escape the eternal flames of hell and such a change is not matter of reproach but it is the wonderfull conversion of Gods grace upon our hearts Hence the Apostle doth so often admire the riches of Gods grace to those Heathens who were delivered out of that ignorance and darknesse with the abominable impieties they once lived in As it is in Philosophy they distinguish of alteration or change it is either destructiva or perfectiva Thus when a man of a fool is made wise of a vicious person virtuous here is a perfective alteration so it is also in the matters of Religion we may change the best errour for truth darknesse for light It is not then enough to say Thou wilt not change thy principles thy way of Religion thou hast been born in them and thy Ancestours have lived in the same way for this every Jew every Turke may plead as well as thou The Heathens pleaded this against the Christian Religion Sequendi sunt patres qui foeliciter sunt suos sequuti contumeliosa est emendatio senectutis If this be true why art thou not a Papist still Why doest thou not call for the Masse and Church-duties to be done in Latine For this was the way thy Ancestours were brought up in Hence in the second place It is not simply the Yea and Nay that is to be blamed but when it is in the truth when we ought to be constant and immoveable therein As every party doth brand another with Heretick Schismatick Apostate so also with inconstancy but it is not the meer names but the reality that maketh such persons If then a man holds Gods truth he is no Heretick though the whole world should condemn him He that hath a Scripture-ground to depart from the Idolatries of the Church is no Schismatick though others charge him with it for Causa non separatio facit Schismaticum Thus if a man forsake his former errours his former superstitions if he leave his corrupt Doctrines this mans change is a duty he is not to be blamed for it but if a man leave the truth if he forsake the way of God then his Yea and Nay is to be reproved If then you see a man leaving one opinion after another one practice after another so that all this while it is a progresse in the truths of Christ this man is the more to be encouraged For such is the pertinacy of man and love to his owne credit and glory that it must be some great cause which shall make him retract and recant that which he did once zealously professe so that it is in Doctrinals as in morals if you see a man that hath for many years wallowed in his lusts that hath been glewed to them so that he appeared Non tam peccator quam ipsum peccatum if this man through the grace of God be converted do contrary to all that once he did shall this man be derided because he will not be the same prophane person that once he hath been No God rather is to be glorified who made the prodigal that was lost to be found that was dead to live again Thirdly Although thus to increase in knowledge and light whereby we leave off doing the things we once did be thus a duty yet even such a change supposeth an imperfection in a man For were our understandings fully illuminated we should be able to see the truths of God at the very first light would not come in successively upon us and by degrees dispelling darknesse as we see the Sunne doth in the morning but it would be in its vertical point immediately Even as Photius reporteth out of an Historian Agatharcides that there are a people to whom the Sunne doth not appear by degrees as to us but it cometh suddenly and perfectly upon them out of the depth of darknesse It is true therefore our weaknesse and imperfection not that we come to know things better than we did or that we are changed but because we needed such an alteration We know but in part saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 13. putting himself into the number Hence
he had confidence of abiding with them for the furtherance and joy of their faith where you see the more growth and encrease in grace the more joy and it is called the joy of faith because by beleeving we come to partake of this joy Let not then any people nourish prejudices in their hearts against the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel as if they endeavoured only to discourage men to fill the hearts of people with despair to drive them into meâ—ancholy and turn them out of their wits as prophane persons calumniate for our great work is to provide comfort for such as are fit Subjects to receive it That must alwaies be remembred oyl is for the wounded in soul this wine is not for such who are transported with feaverish lusts of their sinnes but if thy sinnes be a burthen to thee and thou hast cast them off then manna is prepared for thee in this wildernesse then a year of Jubilee is to be proclaimed to thee who didst mourn under thy spirituall debts But let us explicate this Truth And first There is a twofold joy a carnall and worldly joy whereby men delight in the pleasures of â—in and the jolly pastimes and customes that are in the world and there is a spiritual joy arising from Gods love in Christ whereby we are quickened to all holinesse with great delight now God forbid that any Ministers should be helpers of the former joy There have indeed been such unsavoury salt prophane Ministers of the Gospel whose work hath been to strengthen the hands of wicked men to preach peace and mercy to them while wallowing in their sinnes but wo to such Pastors and such a people These are sharply reproved in the Scripture for there alwaies will be such men-pleasers such daubers with untempered mortar as Jer. 6. 14. They heal the hurt of my daughter slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no peace Would you have such a Physician that should flatter you about the wounds of your body saying it will heal it will heal when thou feelest it to putrifie more and more Such spirituall Mountebanks the Prophet Ezechiel complaineth of also cap. 13. 10. They have seduced my people saying peace peace especially at 22. verse these wicked Prophets are said to make sad the hearts of such whom God would not have made sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked by promising them life Thus you see what an unfaithful Minister will do all that he can and dare he will uphold and encourage a prophane person and all that he can and dare he will uphold and discourage vex and grieve such who fear God and whom God would have comforted but such men in time meet with an overflowing storm and great hailstones fallling upon them as v. 11. which shall destroy them and rend the wall down they have daubed up Do not then think this is the joy we should help you in in your prophane pleasures in your superstitious and vain customes to encourage you no this were to deprive both our selves and you of true solid joy Hence in the second place We are to help the joy of those whose grace we have helped before Joy cannot be the first stone in Gods building grace and holinesse is first and then consolation The spirit of God is first a sanctifier and then a comforter So that many people take a preposterous method if they be sick they look the Minister should presently give them comfort there must not a word be said of their sinnes of the necessity of repentance this will make them despair Fond and foolish people why would ye be tickled into hell why would ye be pleased into damnation oh it cannot be that thou shouldst have comfort before godlinesse this would be to falsifie the covenant of God to abuse the seal of pardon applying it to him whom God doth still hold guilty Understand then Gods method and submit thereunto saying I do not expect comfort I would not have the promises of grace applied to me while thus obstinate and impenitent in my sinful waies but if thou art found godly then we are to comfort and to comfort as Isa 40. 1. again and again not giving over till that evil spirit of unbeleef be cast out And this spirituall comfort is seen in two particulars 1. Comfort under the guilt of sinne and truly herein we do a most acceptable work Then it is indeed the tongue of the learned when we speak a word in season to such afflicted spirits how ready and willing are the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel to bring the balm of Gilead to such persons how pittifull and compassionate because they know the terrour of the Lord God hath commanded us to be Messengers of peace and like Noahs dove to come with an Olive-branch assuring them that the waters are abated and oh that God would provide such comforting work for us It is very seldome to meet with such we have work enough to reprove the prophane to instruct the erroneous but how few do need comfort because their sinnes are a heavy burthen upon them In the 2. place we are to help the comfort of the godly in respect of their outward afflictions For they are more chastened than other men there is no godly man but God hath appointed a crosse for him yea sometimes many crosses together Now how necessary is it to have a faithful and wise comforter in such cases for alas our own hearts are full of discouragements and every thing is ready to appear more terrible than it is and the devil he is very ready to make the waters overflow more than they would do So that to administer comfort to such disconsolate persons is the best act of love and the most suitable alms that can be desired Seeing then that grace must be laid as a foundation for comfort Hence in the third place Before the Ministers of the Gospel can administer comfort to unregenerate persons they must necessarily use sharp and bitter means as preparatory there unto Neither are we then to be blamed or judged too cruell and austere but sinne is to be condemned as the cause of it It is your sinne that maketh all bitter things necessary When the Physician administreth bitter Physick which maketh thee exceeding sick is he to be blamed and not rather those peccant humours within us The ground must be plowed up and have its bowels as it were moved ere the good seed can be sown into it The wool must be carded and torn as it were in peeces ere it be made for a garment The stone must come under the hammer and saw ere it be prepared for the building And thus ere the heart of man be fit to receive Gospel-comfort it must be humbled and broken by the Law of God So that we are making way for your comfort even while we denounce the curses of the Law To preach of hell and damnation though it be grievous to you yet