thousands abide under the power of Satan and sinne Therefore when Gods mercy is spoken of in pardoning of sinne it is perpetually in respect of us not of Christ Thus you see judging of Gods mercy without Scripture-light into how many Doctrinal errors it may plunge us 4. For want of Scripture-direction the Papist and Antinomian oppose the mercy of God but in extream contrary wayes Though God be mercifull yet he hath so ordained that none shall partake of his mercies in time but those who by his grace are inabled to believe and repent as the way to salvation Now the Papist injureth the mercy of God for he will have his Faith Repentance with other holy works the merit and cause of his salvation disdaining to have eternal life as meer alms from God But the Antinomian to avoid this Scilla falls into Charybdis he affirmeth a mercy and that of Justification even while we are sinners before we do either believe or repent But the Scripture-mercy lieth between both In the next place Let us consider What Practical Danger we are in by conceiving of God as a mercifull God without Scripture-information And First We are apt to flatter our selves with Gods mercy though we allow our selves in our sins and iniquities whereas the Scripture speaks not a drop of mercy to such Have you not many dreadfull examples of Gods anger and terrour as well as mercy What was the casting of all the Angels into eternal blackness for one sinfull thought and that the first which they were guilty of giving them no space to repent no day of grace affording no means for their recovery Is not this an instance of Gods severity But you will say This was to Angels he is more mercifull to man But consider that example of Gods Justice in drowning the whole world save eight persons Doth not that proclaim God is just and angry against sinne as well as mercifull not to spare the whole world because it had corrupted its wayes but to drown such an innumerable company of men women and children yea to destroy the whole earth as it were Oh who can stand before the anger of God! Have we not also a formidable demonstration of Gods anger against Sodome and Gomorrah when fire and brimstone was rained from Heaven to destroy those Cities and all that did belong to them What had the little children done They could not be guilty of those unclean vices but God cutteth off all Many other instances of Gods wrath we have in Scripture especially the day of Judgement will be a dreadfull manifestation of it to the wicked and therefore the Scripture will informe us in that as well as of Gods mercy A second Practical Errour I shall conclude with that necessarily accompanieth the thoughts of Gods mercy without Scripture-direction is to encourage a mans self in his sinnes because God is mercifull Every wicked person turneth this honey into gall Paul speaketh of some who made those wretched inferences Let us sinne that grace may abound Take heed then of having any such wicked thought arising in thy heart God is mercifull therefore I will go to my lusts again Oh no the Scripture represents Gods mercies for another end to repent and be converted from thy evil wayes Rom. 2 Knowest thou not the goodnesse of God would lead thee to repentance Oh then do not abuse the mercy of God! for there is a time coming when there will be no more mercy It 's called the day of wrath thou shalt meet with nothing but terrour Ezek. 8. 18. The Scripture speaks of vessels of mercy and vessels of wrath and there is no greater sign of a vessel of wrath one fitted and prepared for destruction then to grow wanton by the mercies of God to be evil because he is good so much mercy abused will one day be turned into so much vengeance SERM. XXXVI That God not only can but doth actually comfort his People and how he doth it 2 COR. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God IN the former verse we had the Reasons of our blessing of God set down by the description of that glorious attribute of his The Father of mercies c. In this verse the Apostle doth further amplifie the cause of this duty of Thanksgiving viz. from the effect and fruit of this property of his He is not only a God of consolation habitually and potentially as it were He is not a fountain sealed up but this Sunne doth alwayes irradiate its beams As he is a God of consolation so he doth comfort So that in the words we have the Effect or Causality attributed to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is comforting that doth never cease to do it that never withdraweth his consolations It 's his nature to be alwayes comforting As the Devil is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he is alwayes tempting The word in humane Authors is used frequently of him who calleth another to him but in the New Testament either of him that intreateth and prayeth or of him that exhorteth or as in the Text of him that comforteth 2. The Subject of this consolation us That is either generally all believers or us Apostles and Officers in the Church For the Apostle might speak this to obviate that scandal which many were ready to take at the afflictions and persecutions of the Apostles as if they were hated of God and were nothing but impostors Therefore some part of this Chapter is a narrative of his pressures and apologetical in declaring the great goodness of God thereby to the Church 3. The particular wherein in tribulation Light can come into this dark dungeon 4. The Extent of this All our tribulation God can turn the hardest stones into bread All either of mind or body 5. The consequent Effect of this That we may be able to comfort them c. God many times doth in an exemplary manner exercise the Ministers of the Gospel that they may experimentally be able to instruct such who are tempted We begin with that efficiency given to God who comforteth is comforting and observe That as God is the God of all comfort so he doth actually put forth this comfort to those that are his Gods attributes may be truly affirmed of him though they never be put forth into act God would have been Omnipotent Mercifull Wise though he had not created the world only the creation of the world did demonstrate those Attributes Thus God may be called The God of comfort or a mercifull Father in respect of his Nature and Inclination though actually he doth not comfort any but God is a fountain communicating himself into streams of comfort he will make his people taste and feel what he is by Nature Now when it 's said That God comforteth you must understand this both in temporal and spiritual comforts
Wilderness They grant he provided water for them even out of the Rock the streames overflowed But can he give bread can he give flesh also Oh blind and foolish unbelief Is it not as easie for God to provide bread as water in a dry Wilderness but they limited God to their own thoughts and wayes Now this sinne of limiting God to such humane helps and wayes as we propound to our selves doth insinuate very much into the hearts of those those that are godly What was that expression of David I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul but bitter fruite from that bitter root Oh how often do the people of God in their extremities say Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Those millions of thoughts which eat thee up in a dividing distrusting way how shall this difficulty be overcome how shall that want be supplyed what if God suffer such a thing to be then where am I Is not all this to say Cen God prepare bread in the Wilderness And this way Paul's desponding thought in this trouble The extremity is great death is at hand there is no way to escape it but that which deceiveth him is because he looketh only to sensible helps he considers the instruments not the hand in which they are This is a very secret insinuating sinne and therefore the godly are more diligently to watch and pray against it that it do not at any time overcome them Take heed of living by sense The Apostle disclaimeth such a life in the behalf of the godly 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith and not by sense Did faith make us overlooke instruments second causes and all Creatures how certain and constant would the hopes of the godly man be The Sun would alwayes go down upon a peaceable fixed serene frame of heat but when faith prevaileth and for that composeth the soul and maketh it like the Rock which though one wave after another fiercely assault yet that abideth in the same place still so though conditions alter though unheard causes and helps be mutable yet because God is the same and the promise is the same he therefore continueth the same Let then the Children of God examine and search their hearts more in this particular see if the cause of all thy disquietness of all thy troubles and feares do not arise from this that thou art deceived that thou passest false judgement upon thy self certainly the Devill is enemy enough to thy comfort he indeavours to seduce thee and deceive thee Do not thou joyn with him against thy own true and solid comfort But let us proceed to examine the grounds of this truth And The first is Because the godly are apt to be hasty and too quick in judgeing these things They do not consider and well weigh all things together They do not compare Gods promises and his providences together They do not set Gods word and his workes together Insipientis est aspicere ad pauca they cast their eyes only upon that which is discouraging They look upon the dead wombe and not on the power of God and this inconsiderateness makes them pass false judgement Psal 31. 22. I said in my haste I am cut off from before thy eyes and again Psal 116. 11. I said in my haste all men are liars You see what hasty and sudden thoughts and words may come from those that feare God Oh do not judge in thy rashness do not conclude this or that in thy haste but consider debate and compare all things together Moses though so meek a man and the faithfull Servant of God yet in a suddain haste spake unadvisedly with his lips Examine then whether most of those thoughts whereby thou hast wronged God and wronged thy self have not risen from unadvised hastiness Thou saist in thy haste God forsaketh thee thou saist in thy haste thou shalt be undone 2. Another reason why the godly are so apt to be deceived in Gods administrations is because they are apt to be passionately transported with anger and feare and these are like a misty foggy vapour to the Sun that doth obnubilate it and obscure the light When David doth conclude he is cast off and cut off he doth not only this in his haste but in his passions also It is anger maketh him say so it is grief maketh him say so his spirit is often troubled leavened and overwhelmed within so that as when the water is bemuddied we are not able to see those little stones in the bottome which when clear we might do Thus it is here when the heart is moved with fear and grief when it is in sad commotions then it is no wonder if it judge erroneously anima sedendo quiescendo sit sapiens Let reason and wisdome or faith rather meet thy passionate heart as Abigal did David and this may prevent many sad things which prove a trouble to thee afterwards let it therefore be thy wisdome when thou art ready to give this censure and pass that sentence about thy affaires or Gods dealings with thee to stay till the heat and commotions of thy soul be over fear and anger and grief these are ill counsellours erect such a Tribunall in thy self as they say that of the Areopagite was no man was to move the affections by any Rhetoricall indeavours least thereby the judgement might be perverted 3. Therefore the godly may misjudge and conclude contrary to what God intendeth because of the want of that spirituall skill and wisdome which is requisite when we are to inquire or determine about Gods proceedings Clouds and darkness saith the Psalmist Psal 29. 7. are round about his pavilion and as his essence is a light that none can draw nigh unto so also his administrations do far exceed our naturall capacity and therefore we are not able to comprehend his counsell and wayes Now although this be so yet as the Scripture is a Directory to us how we are to conceive of his nature so it doth also teach us how we are to understand his actions The Scripture is a Key that doth in some particulars even open the deep things of God and as Sampson out of love did disclose to Dalilah such secret things that none else did or could know so setting aside many imperfections in the comparison doth God out of his love to his Church reveale to them wherein his strength lyeth how she may prevaile with him which way if she take she is sure to have good acceptance with him but to receive this there is a Heavenly wisdome and skill required When the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14 15 16. made a distinction between a naturall man and a spirituall as to their judgement and discerning for by the naturall man cannot be meant a weake Christian as a late Writer would have it which is the greater wonder because those of his way I mean the Arminians think they strongly conclude Paul doth not speak Rom. 7. in
You may read how happily the Apostle conjoyneth them together Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do It is true the enemies of Gods grace who detract from it in whole or in part do gladly imbrace this truth and compel it to go two miles further than it would They force it so much that blood cometh out in stead of milk As Austin while he writeth against Manichees Pelagians did take some expressions of his commending them exceedingly as that all sinne must be voluntary else it could not be a sinne c. as if he had been on their party Then on the other side when he did valiantly write against the Pelagians they branded him for a Manichee So hard a matter is it to defend truth which lieth between two extreams but while we set against one we are thought to draw nigh to another And thus it is in the Doctrine now observed while we maintain the necessity of our duty as well as Gods grace we are thought to go into the Papists quarters Again while against them we set up the grace and power of God excluding though not the duties and means God hath appointed yet the merit and causality of them we are thought to joyn with the Antinomians whereas indeed we have no affinity with either Let us therefore labour after that spiritual skill and discerning whereby we may be able to know what God doth and what we are to do yet so as not to take off in the least manner from the glory of God First Therefore consider That all the great spiritual mercies which God doth vouchsafe in time to his people have many things concurrent before they be accomplished It is not the presence of one thing alone can effect that mercy unless all be present I say it is thus with these spiritual priviledges God vouchsafeth in time For as for predestination which is an immanent act and the purpose of God from eternity to prepare for glory There is nothing at all concurrent to that but the meer good pleasure of his will The Scripture alwayes resolveth it into that alone but it is otherwayes with justification and glorification For to justification many things are required there is the grace of God as the efficient cause the blood of Christ as the meritorious cause and faith as the instrument the hysop to sprinkle this blood upon the soul Now till all these meet together a man is not justified God indeed hath decreed to justifie thee from all eternity but the actual justification of thy person is in this order and method So for glorification the kingdom of glory is said to be prepared for the godly viz. from eternity they were before the foundations of the world were laid elected to this everlasting happiness but an holy life and a godly conversation is the way thereunto No unclean thing can enter there This being so Hence in the second place It hath alwayes bred much confusion and errour in Doctrine to oppose these requisites one against another To argue from the inclusion of some to the exclusion of others if duty then no Christ if Christ then no duty The Antinomian he argueth If Christ by his blood made atonement for our sinnes if our iniquities were laid upon him then we are justified from that time in the sight of God before we do believe or repent Now whence ariseth this errour Because they consider not that as Christ is required in a meritorious way so also faith in an instrumental way And though Christ do more principally concurre to our justification yet faith is required by necessity of precept and means also Christ without faith doth not justifie no more than faith without Christ Hence they are put together Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath sit out to be a propitiation through faith in his blood The Papist on the other side though the Scripture mentioneth not the word merit and satisfaction yet by their forced consequences they would establish such a Doctrine Now in the sense they and others plead for works notwithstanding all their subtil distinctions The Apostle argueth infallibly Rom. 11. If of grace then not of works and if of works then grace is no longer grace Though therefore some do more grosly then others set up works against Christ yet they become guilty of dishonouring him who give him not the sole glory of our redemption But you will say If Gods grace and our duty must go together if we must look to Christ for salvation and yet to holiness to prayer and repentance as the means conducing thereunto How may we be directed so to live as that we shall give all to the glory of Gods grace and his power and yet to act in the duties God hath commanded without any negligence therein For seeing that Satan is very busie in his temptations on both sides either to be careless of prayer and other ordinances because we are to give all to Christ or because they are necessarily required to put our trust and confidence in the performance of them it is good to be informed wherein the way is clear for a believers avoiding all dangers To answer this which will indeed explicate the whole nature of the Doctrine consider these particulars First Then thou mayest relie on Christ and yet be diligent in the use of all Ordinances when thou doest acknowledge all the power thou hast both in whole or in part to the very beginning of godliness to come alone from him When whatsoever thou art able to do thou doest confess it is his gift thou hast received it from him so that it is not thou that doest it not thy power thy strength but the gift of God alone Thus Phil. 4. 12 13. when he had mentioned that excellent frame of heart That he knew how to abound and how to want yea that he could do all things he mollifieth this presently by adding Christ He could do all things through Christ that strengthned him Here Paul doth put forth the life of grace but the fountain of it is Christ So again 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me or in me exciting of me and giving me strength to do it The trumpet of grace is often in these acknowledgements 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves He doth not say to do but not so much as to think And he doth not say great things or high things but any thing Not the least good thing in his ministerial way but our sufficiency is of God Therefore to curb the insolency of such proud thoughts as if we cou'd do any thing of our selves see with what authority he speaketh 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou that thou diast not receive
his Office His name Paul His Office an Apostle This is further amplified 1. From the Authour of his Office Jesus Christ Jesus because of the Beneficium conveyed to us by him Christ because of the Officium undertaken by him 2. From the Manner how or impulsive Cause By the will of God In the Inscription there is also mention of a Companion or Person conjoyned with Paul not to dictate this Epistle but as an approver of it who is described from his name Timothy and from his relation a Brother In the next place we have the Subject to whom this Epistle is directed and that is either more special the Church of God described by its local situation at Corinth Or else more generally with the place where they live All the Saints which are in all Achaia The Verse divided into these parts will afford several Observations And 1. Let us consider the Author instrumental for the Spirit of God is the principal described by his name Paul and in that briefly consider his Name and his Person what he was His name is Paul so constantly in his Epistles but in the History of his life in the Acts of the Apostles he was constantly called Saul till Chap. 13. In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now concerning his name the conjectures of learned men are divers Beza thinketh Saul and Paul to be the same name with a different dialect Others say he had two names and they are different Chrysostom thinketh Christ did in an immediate manner give him this name thereby making Paul his servant in a peculiar manner Imposition of names being a demonstration of dominion Thus he altered Abrahams and Jacobs names Others they say it was in an humane way he was named Paul either because of the conversion of Sergius Paulus mentioned Acts 13. the Proconsul who out of indeared affection to Paul would have him called by his name or as Austin thinketh Paul assumed it himself as signifying one that is little to shew his modesty he calling himself the least of all the Apostles But Scâ—ligers conjecture seemeth most probable That when the Jews were brought in subjection to the Romans they had commonly two names one of their own Nation and another Roman to ingratiate themselves and also for more familiar converse and therefore Saul is not called Paul till upon the setting him apart to preach unto the Gentiles But this is not so great a matter as the consideration of his person and his life what he was and by the history of his life which he himself also makes often mention of he was a cruel and bloudy persecutor of the Church of Christ being mad against the Saints and haling them before the high Priest never satisfying his wolvish disposition against the sheep of Christ At last he is converted in a miraculous and wonderfull way and of a persecutor made an eminent Apostle of Jesus Christ So that we may with greater wonder say Is Paul amongst the Apostles then they did once Is Saul amongst the Prophets Here is a wolf made a lamb a vulture become a dove a Bramble made a Mirtle-tree This work of Gods grace in making such a change upon Paul may justly be esteemed as wonderfull a work as those miracles that were wrought upon mens bodies though it were the resurrection from the dead Observe That God may and doth sometimes take of the greatest sinners and make them eminent instruments of his glory The worst of men sometimes his grace maketh to be the best of men we need go no further than these very Corinthians to whom Paul writeth Acts 18. God tells Paul He had much people in that City and yet of all the places in the world you would think the preaching of the Gospel would never have done good there but God even in this wilderness did make to himself a pleasant garden Paul might have wrote this Paul once the greatest of sinners to the Corinthians the greatest of sinners To open this let us take notice of Paul his sinnes his work of grace and his serviceableness after his conversion For his sins how great they were he himself doth aggravate them sufficiently insomuch that he saith he was the chiefest of all sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. In what sense Paul could say this truly is disputed for it 's plain he was not a greater sinner than such who sinned the sin against the holy Ghost Some therefore restrain it to converted sinners as if Paul meant he was the greatest sinner that ever was converted Others understand it thus that he was in the number of the greatest one of the chiefest and that seemeth most genuine He was a blasphemer a persecuter the blood sighes and groans of many Christians would witness against him And although he saith he did this in ignorance yet that did not excuse him for he confesseth himself a blasphemer and a persecuter for all that for this ignorance was vincible it was affected and wilfull he had means to the contrary Behold then here a worse sinner than Mary Magdalen out of whom seven Devils were cast for her sinnes were carnal and bodily but Paul's sinnes were spiritual and seated principally in his soul so that as the Devils are spiritual wickednesses thus was Paul and because he was thus corrupted in his spirit his disease was the more incurable For If the eye be dark how great is that darkness The prophane gross sinner he is easily convinced he is presently apprehensive of his evil but where sinfullness hath possessed the vital parts of the soul the mind and the heart what hope can remain for such an one This made our Saviour say The Publicans and Harlots entered the Kingdom of Heaven above the Pharisees Now Paul he was a Pharisee and most zealous above others for the tradition of his fathers and therefore thought his wilde zeal to be true love to God A man then so great a sinner and yet so self-confident that he had all the disadvantages in the world yet is converted and that when he had for some while lived in such a way being habituated and rooted in it For as some think he was converted about the thirtieth year of his age 2. The work of grace was admirable and wonderfull Twice the Apostle himself relateth it while he was in the way breathing out threatnings to the Church of God even in this his wicked posture He was striken to the ground and a glorious light shone round about him That as they say of some lightning it melteth the sword while it doth not hurt the scabbard at all Thus Paul's body not being any way hurt in this miraculous Vision his soul was wonderfully melted and changed insomuch that he crieth out Lord what wilt thou have me to do This instance of Paul's conversion is an hammer to beat down the Arminian Doctrine here they labour and sweat to give a clear answer Some
ordinary Pastours succeed the Apostles in what they had as ordinary viz. to preach the Word and dispense the Sacraments Lastly Though thus admirably qualified yet they did not convert all before them But many resisted their Doctrine many grew enemies and opposite to them Insomuch that all but John were put to violent deaths It 's then no wonder if ordinary Pastors do not reform a whole Congregation if they be hated and opposed for can they expect to be better than the Apostles Do not then think with your selves if we had such as the Apostles to preach to us immediately called of God and that could confirme their Doctrine by miracles then we would presently submit This is but deceit and hypocrisie And certainly though the Apostles be taken from us yet we have their Doctrine Paul speaketh by his Epistles to us still We need not with Austin wish to hear Paul preaching SERM. V. The Divine Call of Church-Officers is clearly to be knowne and faithfully to be improved What advantages will follow upon a true Call both to the Officers themselves and the People 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ c. VVE have considered Paul under the second adjunct attributed to him viz. his Apostleship Paul an Apostle whereupon we treated on the Office of the Apostles We proceed to a second Observation For whereas Paul doth therefore mention his Call to that glorious Office thereby to be received with greater reverence and authority as also to encourage himself against those false Apostles who used their utmost endeavour to bring him into reproach with the Corinthians We may thence observe this That it is of great consequence both to the Ministers of God and the people to be fully informed of that Divine Call which the Officers of the Church have towards them That they who preach may be able to say We come in the Name of the Lord to you It is not we that have obtruded our selves but God that hath invested us with this Office over you And they also who hear may say We esteem of you as the stewards of God we receive you as Embassadors from the Lord to us To pursue this first Consider that there are many large disputes both in old and later writers about the Call of Church-officers As the truth it self is subject to many difficulties So the perverse disputes of men have made it more intricate and intangled onely this we may observe That the several parties which are in Religion that hold any Ministry or such an Office at all and that by Divine Institution for some deny such an Institution they still monopolize and appropriate the Call to themselves with them onely is the true Church with them only are the true Officers of the Church And no doubt that way of Religion which can say with them only is the true Call and the true Church-officers and the right administration of Ordinances doth infinitely excell all other waies For Gods promise and success doth accompany only his own Officers and his own Ordinances As the people of God will not hear a stranger but flee from him so neither will God go along with such strangers It 's only to his Apostles and their Successours that he promiseth to be with to the end of the world Therefore that Church who can upon just grounds say that with us are the true Officers with us are Christs institutions punctually observed no doubt but with them is Christ present and with them is the Kingdom of Heaven This was the great advantage Abijah pleaded in his Remonstrance against Jeroboam who had devised a new Ministry and a new worship 2 Chron. 13. 9 10 11. Where he pleads That in Jerusalem was the true succession of Priests and there was the charge of God kept and that therefore God himself was with them To have therefore a true Call is of so great concernment that all pretend to it The Papist chargeth the Protestant That their Ministers have no true Call The Protestant returneth the same charge to them The Brownist he saith neither Papist nor Protestant have true Calls Yea and the Protestants themselves because of their different opinions in Church-Government have also different opinions about the Call of Church-officers So that it being of such consequence no wonder if the Devil keep up this controveesie as much as may be in the Church especially if he pursue this designe to make the world believe That the faithfull Ministers of God have no true Call for this is to strike at the very root of all Hence it is also That in the several ages of the Church there have been false Prophets and false Apostles Yea our Saviour Mat. 26. saith There will be also false Christs and the Apostle saith The Devil transformeth himself into an angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. But my intent is not at this time to dispute the Nature of a Ministers Call and how you may discern it from false Calls when you may conclude the Minister you live under hath a true Call For all this will be more properly handled towards the the end of this Epistle when the Apostle is compelled to plead his Call against those that questioned it In the second place It 's not enough to plead a Call and that a true one unless there be also a faithfull improving of it unless the Office be executed according to the institution of it Paul doth not glory in the meer Title and Office of an Apostleship but supposeth also his faithfull dispensation of it Yea he was so carefull herein that he professeth He knew nothing by himself viz. of negligent and ill administration in this Office 1 Cor. 4. 2. Yea he saith That he kept his body lest while he preached to others he himself should become a reprobate 1 Cor. 9. 27. Judas was an Apostle yet he had little cause to boast in that Office seeing he was a Devil at the same time Grant therefore that some may make it clear that they have a Call from God yet if they are not faithfull and diligent therein the greater will be their condemnation be Suppose the Pope could prove which yet he can never do that he doth succeed Peter and that in Universal Jurisdiction yet if he did not succeed likewise Peter in his Doctrine in his diligence and life he were inexcusable and well did the Painter draw Peter with too red a colour as blushing at the enormities of his Successours So that two things go to make a compleat Officer in the Church his Divine Call and his faithfull administration thereof and this later is necessary because without diligence therein he cannot expect that promise and assistance of God which otherwise would be communicated unto him These things premised let us consider what are the great practical concernments which will follow those who have a true Call of God And First For the Officers themselves there are these encouragements 1.
Ministry or preaching should ever do them any good And therefore you see when Isaiah was sent to preach to the people of Israel Chap. 6◠it was not to open their eyes or soften their hearts but the clean contrary to shut their eyes and harden their hearts Do not therefore question the Call of a Ministry if the work of conversion be not so general as might be expected For consider the people are they not like the ground the Apostle speaks of that having often drunk in rain yet bringing forth nothing 〈…〉 sing Heb. 6. 7 8. A terrible place it is if they had been a people bringing forth herbs fit for use then God had a blessing for such ground but because they are only briars and thorns the end is to burnt So that though the Ministry doth not work in a saving way yet it 's in a damning way and this discovers the Call to be of God as well as the former because he punisheth people thus for their unthankfulness and unprofitableness But 2. The Ministry of God is not onely for conversion but edification and building up If therefore God makes the Word usefull for further illumination and sanctification this discovers it to be of God Hence Ephes 4. 13 14. There is a two-fold use of the Ministry spoken of One to perfect and to carry forward to an higher stature in Christ and the other to prevent errours and to safeguard against all heretical wayes Now the edifying and building up of the godly is of great importance The Apostles wrote their Epistles chiefly for this end to increase that godliness which was already begun Lastly The Minister whose call is of God and dischargeth it faithfully shall have a great reward from God They that turn others from their sins shall shine as the stars in the firmament The Apostles shall sit upon twelve thrones whereas those who runne without a Call and work without a Commission their labour is in vain and God will ask Who hath required these things at their hands Yea both they and their Office shall be destroyed so that in stead of a reward they will meet with severe punishment Then on the peoples part it is of great consequence for them to be assured of this Let a man esteem of us 1 Cor. 4. as the stewards of God Oh if you receive the Ministers as from God as having commission from him with what reverence and obedience will this be But especially you will take heed of opposing and setting against them lest ye should be found fighters against God Therefore let the Use of this be of Conviction especially to such who acknowledge us the true Ministers of the Gospel You who receive us as your Ministers and cry out against all those that question their Call Now out of your own mouths you will be condemned if you do not receive their Word as it is indeed the word of God and not of man Oh therefore do you discover the experimental work of the Ministry upon your hearts Let it be said of you as of these Corinthians They were his Epistle to be read and seen of all men You are our walking Sermons all may see what we preach by your lives you are our Sermons to be read and seen of all men SERM. VI. Of the proper and appellative Names of our Saviour Jesus and Christ In what sense he is Jesus a Saviour and how Christ the annointed of the Lord. 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ c. THe second main particular considerable in this inscription is the Efficient Cause or Author of this Apostolical Office he mentioneth and this is said to be Jesus Christ These words may be considered either absolutely as they declare unto us the Lord Christ Or relatively and respectively to Paul's Apostleship And from both these considerations profitable matter will afford it self In the absolute consideration we may take notice of our Lord and Saviours Description 1. Of his proper Name which yet doth denote his Office Jesus 2. His appellative Name Christ We shall conclude both these at this time And For the first word Jesus Osiander otherwise a learned man hath a singular opinion viz. That Jesus comes from Jehovah only the Hebrew letter Shin is interposed because he is called Shiloh Gen. 49. his conceit being that as Christ himself was compounded of two Natures so ought his Name to be of two names the one viz. Jehovah signifying his Divine Nature and the other Shiloh his humane Nature One Argument he urgeth is from Phil. 2. where God is said to give Christ a Name above all Names Now saith he the Name Jesus was common to many others therefore he had such a peculiar name as none ever had But that is a gross mistake as if Name were there taken for a Word and not for the Person or Office signified thereby No less absurd is his notion also That whereas the word Jehovah was ineffable not pronounceable before a figment of the Rabbins by this addition of 〈◊〉 it is made utterable To this purpose almost Castalio likewise who makes the word compounded of Jehovah and Ish vir as if it were God-man but not only the general consent of all but the reason that the Angel gives of this Name makes it evident that Jesus is the same with Joshua for so the Septuagint render that word sutably to a Greek termination and so comes from Jashang to save and therefore the Angel saith He shall be so called because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall save his people from their sinnes So that this name is very expressive In nomine Jesu totum latet Evangelium The whole Gospel lieth in this name of Jesus or a Saviour The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so comprehensive that Tully saith The Latinists cannot comprehend it in one word sospitator comes neerest to it In the Old Testament we read of two very eminent that had this name and both of them are made Types of Christ Joshua who lead the people of Israel into Canaan when Moses could not do it So Christ brings us to Heaven which was impossible to the Law and Joshua the high Priest mentioned by Zechary who being first accused because of his despicable garments was afterwards covered more gloriously So Christ our high Priest in the time of his Humiliation was condemned and of no reputation but in his Exaltation was magnified and exalted gloriously The word thus explained we observe That the Lord Christ is a Jesus a Saviour to his people This truth should be sweeter than the honey or the honey-comb to the lost sinner Christ hath some names of terrour and dread as when he is called a Lion and a Judge some again of love and comfort as this of Jesus which as Bernard saith is In ore mel in aure melos not that the name or the sound of words is such and therefore that superstitious custome of bowing at
sought not himself neither did he mind his own will or his own glory And certainly the higher the Office is the greater will thy account be and thy condemnation the heavier Oh the dreadfull account that is to be made at that day concerning this talent 2. Of laziness and idleness For the work is of great consequence The bloud of souls will speak more terribly than the blood of Abels body How severe was the master in that Parable of our 〈◊〉 to him who hid his talent in a napkin Luke 19. 20. he is called an unprofitable servant and must be cast into utter darkness Use 2. To you that are the people If we have our Commission from Christ then take heed how you reject the Word we speak from him The Apostle makes a comparison between him that refused Moses speaking and Christ speaking and saith How much forer punishment shall he be thought worthy of Heb. 10. 29. Every Sermon your condemnation will rise higher upon you Think not that our words will passe away No God saith by the Prophet They shall not return in vain for if it be not a saving and converting word it will be an hardning and condemning one No wonder if our Saviour spake one Parable to this very purpose and concludeth Take heed how you hear Mark 4. 24. The second thing observable from this relative consideration is That the Apostle intending to beget awe and esteem in the hearts of those he wrote unto he mentioneth his Office and from whom he had it An Apostle of Jesus Christ This was a greater glory saith Chrysostome then if he had styled himself any temporal Officer in the Civil State For he doth saith the same Father as if one next to the Emperour should write to a certain people giving himself that title of honour which was next to the Emperour Thus doth Paul The Apostle of Jesus Christ. This could not but astonish and startle all his opposers and enemies yet if you do consider with a worldly respect what Christ himself was and so any Officer under him you must judge it the most contemptible and despicable thing that can be that which a carnal man would have been ashamed to own for Christ himself was called The Carpenters sonne and bred up at Nazareth a most despicable place and his outward condition was so low that he saith He had not where to lay his head And as for his Apostles what repute they had in the world Paul himself telleth us when he saith They were accounted the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. Yet see how the Apostle glorieth in this title as that which might justly awe the consciences of those to whom he wrote From this observe That those things are of high account and respect in the Church of God which in the world are very despicable and despised As That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Luk. 18. So that which is abominable and loathsom before men is highly esteemed with God We might instance in many things First Christ who is the Head of the Church and the chief corner-stone yet he was rejected by those who by their Office was builders Yea Christ crucified was accounted foolishness to the Gentiles Insomuch that had not God promised Christ To give him the Nations of the Earth and had actually lifted him up above all principalities and powers We should have thought there would not have been one City much lesse one Nation especially not so many Nations adoring him as God We may truly say This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Christ is called by the Apostle The King of Kings and Lord of Lords which 2 Tim. 5. 16. Drusius saith was the Title and Style of the great Kings of Persia but who except the Christian would admire Christ more than the Persian King Therefore it was a wonderfull work upon those Wisemen of the East that they should come and bring such presents and worship Christ though an Infant whom they found in a mean place at Bethlehem and in the meanest place there but where God giveth spiritual eyes there is a spiritual excellency discovered where the world seeth nothing but contemptibleness Secondly For the Officers of Christ In worldly considerations how low and despised are they But to those who are spiritual and acknowledge the Order and Institutions of Christ they esteem them as the Stewards of God and the Ministers of Christ insomuch that it 's the cause of contemning Religion when their Office is despised Paul was so received by the Galatians as if he had been an Angel from Heaven Yea Christ himself They would have pulled out their eyes to have pleasured him And we see in the after ages of the Church how much the Ministers of Christ were had in esteem insomuch that it greew unto an excesse Now though the carnal worldly man beareth no such respect to them yet those who are led by Scripture doe highly esteeme them and that for their workes sake Thirdly The Duties prescribed by Christ they are such as the world condemneth either for folly or pusillanimity as Faith in Christ alone for salvation self-denial readiness to take up our Crosse To love our enemies to do good to those that hate us Are not these such things that the magnanimous and gallant spirits of the world do disdain Fourthly The priviledges and encouragements which Christ also inviteth with they are not such baits as will take in the world Psal 4. Who will shew us any good that is the vote of the world As for the light of Gods countenance justification and assurance of Gods grace these things they do no more esteem than the Swine doth Pearl Lastly The due execution of the Censure of the Church upon just grounds to cast out the impenitent sinner This the world contemneth but yet you see how powerfully it wrought upon the Incestuous person And Matth. 18. when our Saviour had said He that would not heare the Church must be like a Publican and Heathen lest they should despise this he saith Whatsoever ye bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Use of Exhortation To admire the power and wisdom of God who hath kept up Church-officers Church-ordinances in the world when there are no outward pompous motives to perswade thereunto SERM. VIII In what sense Paul saith of himself He was an Apostle by the will of God Shewing likewise how all Church-Offices and Priviledges come meerly from the will and good pleasure of God 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God c. VVE are now to consider the last particular in this Inscription as it is divided to us and that is the impulsive Cause or rather the Manner how Paul obtaineth this Apostleship which is said to be by the will of God Here is much comprehended in this expression for hereby is declared That it was
when they called the Blackmoors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silver white Thou art a Saint in that sense he said Auri sacri fames indeed thou art most accursed and art but a mockery in respect of God and man As it is a shame so it is an horrible reproach even as Revel 2. there is the blasphemy of some who said they were Jews and were not Thus it is a blasphemy in thee to be externally a Saint and not really as the Apostle Rom. 2. 24. speaking of such saith The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you The mischief of the scandalous prophane lifes in the Church hath been the cause not only of Gods eminent judgements upon it even at last to unchurch them but also hath been like winds in the bowels of the earth making a dreadfull earthquake Heresies in Doctrine have not more molested the Church than prophaneness in life The troubles of the Donatists made in the Church for many years together was it not because of the prophaneness of Christians lives In our dayes What is the great argument against our Churches that they are no true Churches that they are the Synagogue of Satan Doth not this arise wholly from the ungodliness of most mens lives Call such Saints you may as well name darkness light Yea what is the cause that the bringing in of any good Order in a Church the purging out of the old leaven is such a grievous tormenting matter Why do generally people dislike and rage at it Is not all this because though men are contented with the name of a Saint yet they cannot endure the practical power of it So that we may say the real ungodliness of such who are in the Church is the cause of all the evil that comes in the Church Thou blamest this and that way of Government thou sayest Such or such a thing is the cause of all our evil No it 's the love to mens lust men would be of the Church and yet live the life of beasts and Devils And it is for this general impiety that even Heaven and Earth may be astonished Thou cavillest How can this or that Practice or Order be proved Jure Divino But where canst thou prove thy oaths thy lusts thy drunkennesse thy contempt of Godlinesse to be Jure Divino 2. Real Saintship is so acceptable unto God in his Church that let men have 〈…〉 eminent places and esteem therein yet if they walk contrary to this Rule of sanctity and that obstinately Christ hath commanded such to be cast out as utterly unfit to be of such a Society The incestuous person in this Church of Corinth is thought by Chrysostome to be a man of chiefest place and note amongst them yet for all that till he repent and humble himself they are commanded to cast him out from amongst them As the Apostle to this Church saith What communion is there between light and darknesse Christ and Belial The Pythagoreans were so strict about the manners of those who were in their sect that as Origen against Celsus relates when any of their society had fallen into a foul sin they did cast him out of their company and commanded a Coffin to be placed by him as being a dead man But the Lord Christ hath commanded That such who live in the Church obstinately against the manners of a Saint should be thrown out from his people and so delivered up to Satan as being more properly of him and his way But because more may in time be said of the nature of this Church-Saintship I passe it by for the present concluding with a severe Reproof even like thunder and lightning against all such who deride at sanctity and purity Are there not too many sonnes of Belial who make a scoff at such glorious names of a Saint of a Christian of a Brother of a Believer Wherein canst thou demonstrate thy self to be of the Devil more than in this one thing Thy heart rageth thy tongue foameth at sanctity and purity What is this but to blaspheme the Scripture yea God and Christ himself Why do not such cast off their Christianity and live with Pagans and Heathens SERM. XXI Wherefore 't is a Christians Duty to joyn himself to Church-society And in what cases he may be excused What are the false Grounds why some neglect this Duty The Soul of the poorest Saint is to be regarded as well as of the richest 2 COR. 1. 1. With all the Saints that are in all Achaia IT is now full time to conclude this Text. There remain two things more which deserve some consideration The first is occasioned by Calvin's Question upon the place How is it saith he that he distinguished Saints from the Church Did not these Saints imbody themselves that lived in the Province of Achais Was it lawfull for them to live dispersed and single lives not entring into Churchcommunnion To which he answers That the times might be then so turbulent and persecution so hot that they could not gather into a Church nor have any such publick meetings Now this Interpretation is not necessary For the Apostle writing to the Church at Ephesus and Colosse yet doth not use that name but speaks in the general To the Saints and faithfull Brethren when yet without question they were in a Church-state there Yea in his Epistle to the Romans he makes no mention of them as a Church but styleth them Saints which puts Salmeron upon his guesses Why he doth not give the name of a Church to them As also Why he doth not salute Peter their supposed Bishop Neither may we think that when James and Peter inscribe their Epistles to the Believers scattered in several Regions but that they might have occasionally their publick meetings to worship God in Yet though this Exposition be not necessary we may well receive Calvins conjecture as probable For there have been times when the Saints have been forced to hide themselves in Dens and Caves not having opportunity to meet together though even that was an heavy burden and trouble to them This being granted we may observe That although it be a Duty for Saints to joyne themselves in a Church-way yet there may sometimes fall out such just reasons that may excuse them Indeed voluntarily to keep off from the Assemblies and to think a private worshipping of God is enough and that he requireth no more is both against Scripture-command and the example of primitive Christians but when there is some unavoidable necessity than there is a lawfull excuse That it is a duty for Saints to joyn themselves in a Church-way may be made evident from these Grounds briefly First From the name Church ordinarily given to â—olievers Now a Church is a Society or Company met together and therefore it is not lawfull for thee to live alone or be a Minister of Sacraments and all things to thy self Even as Aristotle said of him that would live alone not joyning
this Salutation Some think because the work of the Ministry meets with much malice and froward opposition from wicked men which made Paul pray that God would deliver him from unreasonable absurd men who are led only by humours and passions not by Reason and Religion Therefore seeing those that do faithfully discharge their trust meet with little favour and love from men hence it is that he doth in a peculiar manner pray for mercy to them Others they think the word is inserted because of the great difficulty of the Ministry it being a burden too heavy even for Angels shoulders Insomuch that Chrysostome thought Few Church-officers could be saved Seeing then the work is so great so much grace is required to manage it and the best have failings therefore they need the mercy prayed for But this by the way Come we to the Text. In that we may consider the Matter prayed for And the Efficient Cause from whom it is to come The Matter and Benefit is set down in two words which though but two yet comprehend all that a godly heart can desire the first is Grace the second Peace In the original there is a defect and therefore most do supply it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Translators Grace be to you Though the Apostle Peter in the salutations of both his Epistles expresseth the word and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be multiplied and so Estius would supply it here but there is no inconvenience to keep to the former Interpretation 2. There is the Cause of this which is two-fold God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ All these parts shall be opened as we take them in order only let us first take notice of the Manner and End of this Salutation in the general That it is not for any earthly or worldly thing but what is spiritual The Grecians they used commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Salutations as the Latines Salve and are relating only to temporal welfare And indeed the Heathens knew no better but the Apostle would lift up our hearts to higher things The Apostle James Chap. 1. 1. writing to the dispersed Tribes useth the word only Greeting which made Cajetan among other reasons reject it as not Canonical as if such a Salutation savoured of an humane spirit But this is no Argument For the Apostles gathered together in a Councel at Jerusalem sending a Letter to the Churches abroad use no more Salutation than that only in that we are to comprehend whatsoever is more expresly in Pauls Salutation Seeing then it s only spiritual things which Paul here doth wish to them Observe That spiritual mercies and priviledges are to be desired above all earthly and worldly ones what soever The Grace of God and Gospel peace is infinitely to be preferred before any outward advantage Psal 4. 6 7. when David had represented the natural desire of every man unregenerated Who will shew us any good He presently demonstrates the clean contrary disposition of those that are godly and spiritual Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and Thou hast put more gladness into my heart then they have had when their wine or oyl increaseth By David you may judge of all the faithfull they esteem more of the love of God and the sense or perswasion of this more than the whole world Let the prophane bruitish men of the world say as some did in Chrysostomes time whom he reproveth Give me that which is sweet although it choke me So let me have my pleasures my lusts though they damn me The godly on the other side if raised up to this heavenly transfiguration as it were to have the spirit of Adoption enabling them to call God Father and to walk under the light of his grace and favour they will say It is good to be here So that the desires and earnest longings of mens hearts do divide the world into two parts Some and they are only few who with David say As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so do their souls after God Yea Their souls break for the longing they have to God at all times But then others they seek the things of this world in the first place Let them have their pleasures their wealth their honours then with the Reubenites they will sit down and go no further because they see the Land is a good and pleasant Land never desiring to go into Canaan To open this Doctrine consider First That all the while a man is meerly natural and dead in his sins he is not affected with nor can he desire any spiritual mercy Even as dead men are not affected with pleasant sights or melodious sounds No wonder then though we do out of the Gospel shew such all the glory of Heaven yet they will not fall down and worship Christ because they are no wayes sensible or apprehensive of a better good Can a Worm that crawleth upon the ground live the life of an Angel or a man Alas that knoweth nothing but to crawl on the ground and feed on the dust of the earth Thus it is with every carnal man speak to him of the savour of God of the light of his countenance he knoweth no more what you mean than the bruit beast doth what reason is Besides sinne hath so infected and polluted the heart and appetite of every natural man that he calleth good evil and evil good he takes sweet for bitter and bitter for sweet That as the Swine loveth to wallow in its mire and delighteth in that more than in the sweetest garden that is Or as they say of those blind Beetles that live in muck and dung but sweet things do presently kill them thus it is with every natural man he is not only not affected but he is contrarily disposed to heavenly things Rom. 8. The wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God The wisdome the best understanding parts and knowledge that he hath is as full of malice against holy things as a Toad of poison The Greek word doth not only signifie his intellectual but his practical wisdom and affection he doth not say He hath savoury knowledge of heavenly things Sapientia est sapida scientia And as Bernard Sapiens est cui res sapiunt prout sunt Heavenly things savour as heavenly earthly things as earthly But in every natural man his appetite and taste is wholly disordered he finds no excellency loveliness in heavenly things which yet to a gracious heart are matter of exceeding delight and ravishment Hence in the second place Till a man be regenerated till he be made a new creature and endowed with an heavenly heart he is no sutable subject for these heavenly things Every one then as he is affected and disposed so he judgeth if earthly then all his affections move that way if heavenly then they are turned the contrary way As you see in mixed and compounded bodies
fancies and opinions making such a grace as we would have and then go to the Scripture to confirm it but the word of God must be the alone Rule in this case So that by the Scripture alone we shall not give too little nor on the other side attribute too much to it making Gods grace to be such a thing not indeed as it is but such as we would have It is good therefore to attend to the Scripture and to lay all our own thoughts and all humane Authorities aside that so the Scripture grace of God may be found out Now these Characters we may have of that grace the Scripture commends in God 1. That the Scripture-grace doth begin all the good in us We do not prevent God but he prevents us Thus our Saviour You have not chosen me but I have chosen you We love him because he loved us first So that the word of God doth still resolve the original of all we have into this grace of God as Rom. 9. and Rom. 11. Ephes 1. Whosoever therefore makes something in us to begin and then Gods grace to be subsequent he setteth not up grace in a Scripture-way Therefore there are no antecedent merits or dispositions in us for which God doth afterwards bestow his grace upon us The very first desire inspiration and least unseigned groans after Christ is from this grace of God Therefore the beginnings of what is good is attributed to God as well as the progressives yea the initials most of all because then we were dead in sin and in a state of enmity against God 2. The grace of God which the Scripture commends as to our Sanctification and conversion is not meerly suasory and by moral arguments or in an universal indeterminate and ineffectual manner till we by our freewill content to it but it 's a grace that takes away the heart of stone and giveth an heart of flesh it 's a grace that gives a new birth and maketh us new creatures Which expressions do suppose that we had not so much power as to consent unto grace till grace doth enable us It is a grace that giveth us both to will and to do It 's a grace that makes us to be what we are and so to differ from another whereas if we did co-operate with grace or make Gods grace effectual then it would be we our selves and not Gods grace that should make this difference 3. The grace of God which the Scripture commends as to our Justification is imputed grace not inherent evangelical grace which justifieth us is external though by faith received into us and made ours And this is greatly to be observed for what godly man when he goeth for Justification and consolation doth not more attend to inherent grace than imputed This truth is the very heart and marrow of the Gospel It is about this that there is so much doctrinal and practical contending Whether grace inherent in us or imputed to us be that which we must rest upon and lean upon when God enters into judgement with us We say only imputed grace others say inherent and that because the Apostle excludeth works not only meritorious work but godly works works of grace done by us And here now the Adversaries seem to insult saying The Apostle excludeth works only of the Law such as are done by our natural strength or perfect works or works that merit but this is to distinguish where the Scripture doth not and whereas it is said that the works of grace cannot be opposed to grace because they flow from it they are effects of it It 's answered that works of grace cannot indeed be opposed to that principle of grace within us from whence they are said to flow but they are opposed to that grace which is said to be the effect of them viz. Justification and remission of sins So that though works of grace do not oppose internal renovation yet they do justification which they say is produced by them Again whereas they say That none extoll grace more than they do because they make grace inherent to make us accepted of with God Whereas the Protestants debate it denying it this noble work For say they will not grace be most advanced in Heaven when we shall be justified by that perfection of holiness which is within us But to this also it 's answered That it's imputed grace which is Evangelical grace and that we are to exalt in this life In Heaven indeed this Evangelical and imputed grace will cease though all glory will be given to that because by it we are brought to perfect inherent grace Lastly The Scripture-grace though it be not for good duties yet doth alwayes require the study of them and diligent attending thereunto So that as we must not with the Papist make our duties thrust out grace so neither must we with the Antinomians make grace to thrust out duties for both these do consist together Therefore as the Scripture speaks of Gods grace so it doth also of those holy duties which if we do not diligently perform we cannot have any portion in everlasting happiness Use of Admonition To pray for that spiritual wisdome that we may joyn Gods grace and our holiness to be conscionable in performing of the later but to relie only upon the former Especially take heed of such wayes and courses that shall put thee out of this warm Sunne that shall make thee to walk in darkness not feeling the comfortable beams thereof Oh remember it is this alone that makes life and death comfortable It is true thou mayest be under this grace of God yet by some cloudy temptations upon thy soul thou not be able to perceive Oh but let thy earnest prayer be That Gods grace may not only be to thee but this may be evidenced to thee Thou canst never have true solid peace and quiet contentation of soul till this be all the food as it were thou livest upon till this be all the cloaths thou coverest thy nakedness with SERM. XXV Of the Nature of true Gospel peace and wherein it chiefly consisteth 2 COR. 1. 2. Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ VVE are now come to the second thing which the Apostle doth so cordially wish these Corinthians and that is Peace Grace is the Cause Peace is the Effect Grace is the fountain Peace is the stream This word Peace among the Hebrews comes from a root signifying to be whole and sound because by Peace they did mean all good and prosperity as by Warre the Hebrew word coming from a root signifying to eat and devour they meant all misery and destruction And among the Hebrews this was their ordinary salutation and greeting Peace be to you intending thereby all prosperity and happiness And so some expound it here by Peace understanding a prosperous and successefull proceeding of all their affairs But though this is not to be excluded yet
assemble themselves together You see even in the Apostles dayes the Devil tempted some in this kind yet they are reproved though private Christians in those dayes had greater gifts and abilities then now ordinarily men have yea they are reproved though some think the cause was not voluntary but that it was fear of danger and persecution It was criminal to meet together and therefore fear of death and other miseries might make some forbear to assemble themselves yet for all this they are censured by the Apostle Let this then be laid to heart by thee look that no reason keep thee from this publick worship of God but what God himself will allow of For in some cases God hath condescended that his own worship shall rather be omitted then mens necessities not supplied Secondly As God is more honoured so hereby The love and charity of the people of God is greatly quickened to one another This publick and holy meeting together is a special means to enflame the affections of one believer to another Hence you have it so often noted That the Disciples met together with one accord and they had one heart And therefore diversities of opinions and alienation of affections do cause commonly a publick rent and division in Church-societies David doth with affection expresse the advantage of the publick Ordinances We went to the house of the Lord and we took sweet counsel together Psal 55. 14. This is the visible communion of the Saints wherein as members of the same body they are so firmly and nearly compacted together There is nothing that the Devil doth so much design as rents schismes and differences in the Church of God knowing that these if not healed will certainly destroy all at last Now a right and orderly meeting in these publick Assemblies are a special means to preserve love How shall those mouths speak against one another that joyned together to pray to God and to praise God You that called upon one Father as Brethren How shall ye disagree as if one had not the same God and the same Father with another Therefore our Saviour directs to say Our Father not my Father hereby commanding our publick meetings together and also our union and brotherly love Thirdly Therefore are these publick duties to be the more prized Because of Gods special presence and power there Mat. 18. You have a peculiar promise for two or three meeting together in Christs name even as by way of type God had promised his peculiar presence in the Temple And for this reason you have David with such ardent and passionate affections expressing his esteem of the Ordinances of God Psal 63. 1 2. My soul thirsteth and my flesh longeth as in a dry land where no water is to see thy power And at another time How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts And As the Hart panteth after the brooks so doth his soul after God in the Ordinances Though David when he was banished and by force could not come to the publick Congregation no doubt did enjoy God in a most comfortable and full manner yet still he is not satisfied but breaths for his presence in those Ordinances And therefore for thee to think that thou mayest meet God as well at home is as if a cripple should have looked to be healed by going into some other water then that of the pool of Bethesda Lastly These publick Ordinances are therefore to be highly esteemed Because those who are quickened and enlivened may prevail for those who are indisposed and unfit for prayer So that the coldnesse and dulnesse of one man may be supplied by the zeal and fervency of another Insomuch that happily the prayer which if performed by thy own self would not be successefull being now joyned with others doth obtain its desired effect yea it may be in that publick service when thou through temptations canst or darest not pray for thy self others accompanying of thee do put up thy own thoughts and speak the desires of thy own heart So that thou art even astonished to see how God ordereth the gracious gifts of others to be helpfull unto thee As it was with Job his whole body though full of ulcers and pains yet because his mouth was free that could plead with God in behalf of the whole body Thus it may be when many are gathered together that Christian who could not speak for it self which could not pray for it self findeth the hearts and mouths of others opened in his behalf So that as when many coals are laid together some live ones may revive those that are ready to decay Thus the zeale of others may helpe thy coldnesse The life of others may quicken thee up against deadnesse and thou find that spiritual heat come upon thee from others which thou wouldst not have had alone Use of Exhortation To prize these publick Assemblies more than thou hast done Pray for such strong and earnest affections as thou findest David manifesting after them Oh let these publick meetings raise up thy heart as if thou were in Heaven The beholding of the faces of the affections and of the graces of others let it assimilate thee also into them As when Saul came among the Prophets the spirit of prophecy fell upon him likewise Oh let the Congregation of those who feare God worke upon thee also Be in these Assemblies as Peter on the Mount of transfiguration saying in an holy excesse of spirit It is good to be here What high expressions are those of David in reference to the solemne Ordinances Psal 65. 4. Blessed is the man thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts we shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple Here is sweetnesse and fullnesse that the people of God find in these publick approaches All the merry meetings all the fairs and markets are nothing to this spiritual society And Psalm 84. 10. A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand otherwhere Hence he had rather be a door-keeper in the house of God then dwell in the tents of wickednesse Oh heavenly and gracious frame A Sabbath day is better than all the dayes of the week he hath more rejoycing there then a thousand dayes can afford that are spent in worldly affaires But when these publick duties are thus advanced as you hear you must alwayes look that they be done holily spiritually fervently that they be not turned into a meer custome and external fashion as it too often falleth out in Church-assemblies their bodies are present but their souls are absent and therefore they have no more than the carkasse and out-side Such prayers and praises God will not accept The third and last particular is to be spoken to in a word and that is In whose behalf these publick prayers and praises are and that is said In our behalfe Some Copies have read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but
us Secondly We may rejoyce in them so farre as thereby to bear up our hearts against all accusations whether internally from Satan or externally from the malice of men Is there any greater temptation in the world then that when Satan accuseth the children of God that they are hypocrites that there is no truth of grace in them that what they do is not from a right principle but selâ—seeking Even as he accused Job to God that he served God for carnal ends because God had hedged him about but if he were touched in these things and stript of them then he would betray his hypocrisie Now it is lawfull for the children of God to defie these accusations of Satan to rejoyce in the sense of their uprigtness though the Devil rage at it While he roareth do thou be glad and praise God Oh how often are believers shaken in this very particular They are afraid to own what God hath done for them they think it their humility and lowliness thus to be in doubts and to be perplexed with fears not remembring how necessary it is to acknowledge thankfully what God hath done for us and to walk with joy triumphing over all the fiery darts of Satan It is the great blame of Christs Disciples that they do not more glory and rejoyce in this respect And then 2. This rejoycing is lawfull when we have to do with malicious enemies that are ready to charge us with hypocrisie and self-seeking that for all our religious pretences we have rotten and earthly hearts then is a time for thee to make use of rejoycing in the sincerity of thy soul And this indeed is one great part of the Apostles meaning The false Apostles they calumniated him they made the cause of all his afflictions and troubles to be his evil life and Gods displeasure upon him Now the Apostle hath this brazen wall within as the Heathen called it He hath the witnesse of a good conscience As Austin to Secundinus Senti de Augustino quid velis c. Think of Austin what you will so that my own conscience doth not condemn me This rejoycing therefore is necessarily seen in this particular In the third place Let us see wherein this rejoycing in our graces may be unlawfull And 1. It is when we dare rejoyce and that in the sight of God as if there were no blemish or damnable matter in them To rejoyce as Perfectionists do in their holiness daring to hold it up to God himself in his strict justice this is highly provoking God Hence this Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 3 4. Though he regarded not mens judgement concerning him because he knew nothing by himself yet he saith He was not thereby justified because it was God that judgeth God that knew more evil and saw more sinne in him then he could do in himself Therefore though we may rejoyce in them yet take heed of opposing them to the strict and righteous judgement of God And it is in this sense that Paul Rom. 3. saith All boasting is excluded and that Abraham in the matter of justification had not wherewith to boast 2. It is not lawfull to rejoyce in them as if they had any inherent dignity or worth to rest upon When we approach to God we must rest alone upon Gods grace as the efficient cause and Christ as the meritorious cause These are the only foundation we can build upon When therefore we have given Gods grace and Christs merits their full due then may we rejoyce in our holiness It is true we read of Hezekiah David Nehemiah and Paul here as also in other places pleading even in prayer their righteousness and desiring God to remember them and not wipe out their good deeds But these instances are partly in some particular wherein they were innocent as in David Or else they onely plead these as the qualifications in them to which Gods promises are made they are such to whom God hath vouchsafed his promises and therefore they may plead them in their prayers in this sense otherwise to urge them as having dignity they could not For at that very time Nehemiah prayeth God would spare him and have mercy on him 3. We must not rejoyce in these graces as if we had them of our selves as if they were not the gift of God Therefore Chrysostom's note upon the place is dangerous saying The reason why this good conscience is called glorying is because we obtain it by our own strength otherwise it would not be our glorying But the Apostle directly opposeth this 1 Cor. 4. 7. Why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received But you may then say The Papists are not to be found fault with in their rejoycing in their good works for they make them the gifts of Gods grace and presuppose Christs merits But this will not acquit them For the Apostle maketh that a contradiction If of grace then not of workes It cannot be of grace and works together Besides they make grace only an universal cause and our own will to be the particular determining cause and thereby give much more to that then the grace of God If then we take heed of these three rocks we are allowed to rejoyce in our graces Use 1. Of severe and sharp reproof to such who do indeed rejoyce but it is in their lusts in the pleasures of sinne which is to rejoyce in their shame and that which will be terrour and torment to them What can these wretches say But our rejoycing is an evil and a seared conscience that we have lived in all prophaneness and impiety Oh remember into what howling and gnashing of teeth these short pleasures will at last be changed Use 2. Of Admonition to the godly to take this rejoycing which God doth allow them Why do they stand aloof off and trembling Why do they nourish doubts and fears Why will ye not own what God hath done for you Take an holy boldness call that grace which is grace Let not the Devil and thy fears dispute thee out of what thou art Be not so easily baffled and driven out of thy integrity Because hypocrites do deceive themselves do the sincere also Because Copper may appear splendidly is there therefore no gold Because a dreamer deceiveth himself shall he that is awakened SERM. LXXXV What is required to a good and well ordered Conscience 2 COR. 1. 12. The testimony of our conscience THe second particular which is also the ground of that rejoycing which Paul had doth in the next place come to be treated of and that is said to be The testimony of his conscience The object matter whereof is afterwards declared Let us consider this as it is in the general set down Concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also the nature of the conscience what it is I have elsewhere at large shewed It is enough to re-mind you of thus much That in the Old Testament it is generally called the heart
of this Therefore First We may take notice That there is a two-fold testimony of our conscience which doth afford matter of rejoycing either particular as to some matter of fact or one particular business especially when calummated by adversaries Or secondly General which is to the whole frame of our heart and our whole conversation These two are greatly to be distinguished For we see David in many places praying to God That he would reward him according to his innocency and deal with him according to the righteousnesse of his hands and he doth many times appeal to God concerning his integrity Now this was from a testimony of his conscience to a particular fact Saul and others did maliciously accuse him laying to his charge things that he never did Of this Paul speaketh also 1 Cor. 4. 2. I know nothing by my self He did not matter those crimes that the false Apostles burdened him with because his conscience did clear him as to any grosse neglect in his ministerial course Now you must know that many a natural or moral man may have in some cases this particular testimony of his conscience and receive comfort from it and yet be farre enough from the state of grace How many persons in the world are slandered by some malicious adversaries as guilty of such crimes which are altogether false Now happily thou art pure and free from them thy conscience justifieth thee and thou hast comfort from this but this is not all which God requireth Therefore there is a second testimony of the conscience which is General and that speaketh to the whole man witnessing that thy whole conversation is unblameable and that thy heart in the universal inclination thereof is wholly for God and against sinne It is this general testimony that is the foundation of true comfort A man may be free and innocent as to some particular sinnes and yet the state of his soule be in gall and bitternesse Secondly This testimony of the conscience even in general witnessing unto thee thy state of grace may be considered two wayes For either it may be supposed or expected that it should testifie unto thee an heart and life free from all sinne failing in nothing at all Or else To witnesse sincerity and uprightnesse for the main though failing in many things If then a Christian should resolve to take no joy unlesse his conscience can witness perfection and an immunity from any failings such an one must resolve to have no comfort all his life time but if it witness the main bent and frame of thy heart to be for God though carried aside often through the violence and deceitfulnesse of temptations from this thou mayest rejoyce This is much to be observed for why are the discouragements and disconsolateness of Gods own children so great but because their conscience telleth them of several failings and they desire some testimony of a perfection Satisfie your selves therefore and regulate your thoughts in this particular And thus we must expound that place 1 John 3. 20 21. which at first appearance seemeth to speak very terribly If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things This Text if not rightly understood is enough like Belshazzars writing in the wall to strike us with trembling For is there any man living whose heart doth not condemn him for sinne Doth not this very Apostle say 1 John 1. 8. If we say we have no sinne we deceive our selves and no truth is in us If then we have sinne how can our hearts but condemn us And then God knowing our hearts and seeing more evil and errour in us then we can understand must condemn us much more What is this then but to fill every godly man with despair But that the Apostle himself may not speak a contradiction we must have recourse to the mentioned distinction viz. That our hearts condemn us justly for the main that our foundation is rotten that we love sinne more than God then we have cause to be wholly cast down but if our hearts do not condemn us for the main only for those imperfections and frailties which we cannot perfectly be purged from in this life then we may have confidence towards God Thirdly Our conscience may be considered as Habitually able to testifie or as Actually and immediately prepared This is necessary to be observed For every regenerate man having his conscience sanctified is thereby habitually able to give a good testimony but many things may intervene that hinder it in its actings Even as the Sunne is able to give a clear light to the whole world but clouds and mists may hinder the actual communication of it And thus it is often with the children of God their conscience is sanctified but many doubts arise many scruples and fears do interpose so that they have not that actual witness in their conscience which they might have So that as in sanctification there are the principles of grace though the exercise of them may be stopt So it is in matter of consolation there is the foundation and fountain of it though the stream may be troubled And this should make us wary so to walk as not to put stops and checks in the way of conscience especially to labour for a sound judgement and a full perswasion in things to be done For the more doubtfull and scrupulous we are the less firm and clear is the testimony of our conscience as appeareth Rom. 14. 22 23. Fourthly We are to distinguish of the testimony of conscience as alone and separate or relating wholly to the blood of Christ in whom alone all our acceptance and cause of comfort is contained Whereas if a man should attend to the testimony of conscience alone though to his best actions he would have more cause to fear and tremble from that then rejoyce Therefore the Scripture attributeth the purging of our conscience to the blood of Christ there is no mans conscience can be good and truly peaceable that doth not look to Christ that saith not with John Behold the lamb of God that taketh away thy sinne as well as behold the holy duties thou hast lived in Heb. 9. 14. How much rather shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead workes Let conscience then alwayes eye Christ look to him as well as to our graces For the goodness of an evangelical conscience lieth not in this to testifie thou hast not been such a sinner or thou hast not such failings but though thou hast been such yet repenting and believing through the blood of Christ thy conscience is not to condemn thee for them because pardoned Now the conscience of a civil and pharisaical man which comforts from works done doth not at all relate to Christ and by this thou mayest find the deceitfulness of it seeing that by Christs blood alone it cometh to be truly purified Use 1. Of Instruction How few they are that have this
Prophets presence as if all had been well Oh then how vain is it to hide thy designs and intentions to men to make protestations and professions of thy integrity to men if the all-seeing eye of God behold other things in thee What greater obligation can there be to have all the motions and turnings of thy heart cordial and faithfull towards God seeing no man can more perfectly behold the outward gestures of thy body then he doth the inward motions of thy soul Oh say God knoweth what I think what my heart is upon what is the spring of every duty I do Secondly Sincerity respecteth God As he is the first cause and the last end The Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end of whom are all things and to whom are all things Rom. 11. 36. Now this two-fold property in God the sincere man doth greatly improve First As he is the Efficient cause so that he expects all-sufficiency and power from the grace of God alone The Scripture dot frequently affirm That it is by the grace of God alone that we are able to do any good thing therefore the sincere man dareth not sacrifice to his own nets dare not give any thing to his own power and free-will neither dare he rob Christ of his glory by setting up Angels and Saints as Mediators under any nice distinctions whatsoever he trembleth to dispute against the grace of God lest he want the blessed effects of it in the greatest necessities You may observe David and Paul who expresse such remarkable sincerity towards God that they go out of themselves depend on God alone and not onely do they acknowledge God the supream giver of all the good they enjoy but also they make him the ultimate end to whom they referre all things remembring the Apostles rule 1 Cor. 10 31. Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God This is a very hard lesson to do a very difficult duty to be performed but yet the sincere man he overlooketh all second causes and instruments with his Eagles-eye he gets up as it were into the mountain and leaveth all his carnal interests below as Abraham did his beasts and servants when he went to sacrifice Isaac This single and pure intention of Gods glory is not so easily accomplished as it is quickly and commonly pretended Oh how rare a thing is it to eat and drink to study and preach that hereby God may be glorified How closely doth some carnal respect or vain-glorious motive follow thee in the duty as Asahel did Joab which thou canst not make depart from thee till thou thrust it as it were thorow the fift rib till thou give it its mortal blow by mortification Thirdly The sincere heart relateth all to God In regard of his Sovereignty and dominion over him Because God is the supream Lord and Lawgiver who only can impose Laws upon the conscience therefore in his obedience he doth principally look to the will and authority of the Lawgiver This is a notable character of sinceâ—ity to obey because thus saith the Lord it is his will and as the supream orb doth carry along with it the inferiour orbs though against their particular inclination Thus doth the will of God because supream bring the creatures will into obedience when corrupt inclinations do propound a contrary way It is the matter of our prayer which we are constantly to pour forth unto God That his will may be done his will not our will Therefore if sincerity have a throne in thy heart thy sense will be as soft wax to receive any stamp or impression from God what God commands though against pleasures profits and all the inclinations of thy corrupt heart thou doest readily submit unto Thus thou offerest up thy self as an whole burnt-offering unto God Lastly This sincerity doth respect the wisdome of God in all those sharp and bitter providential temptations that a man may be exercised with for his faithfull service to God The Scripture doth frequently inform of this what cups of wormwood they must drink that will be Christs Disciples what crowns of thorns they must endure upon their heads who expect crowns of glory from him Now the heart that is sincere doth not cavil and murmur at Gods dispensations herein though so unpleasing to flesh and blood but doth wholly acquiesce in the wisdom of God filencing the impetuous motions of his Spirit God is wiser than I he knoweth this is better for me then I think it is For certainly all discontents do arise from this we think God might have shewed more love to us and more wisdome if he did not suffer such and such things to come upon us Therefore afflictions and persecutions are the special Touchstone to discover our sincerity This fire will manifest whether we be gold or drosse these winnowings whether chaffor wheat The hypocrite wanting root doth commonly begin to wither when the Sunnes scorching heat doth arise and if they are at any times afflicted for Christ it is against their wils so that with Simon they are compelled to carry the crosse of Christ but sincerity doth not only admire the wisdome of God in such dispensations but justifieth him and condemneth its self Thus you see what are those high and sublime things a sincere man looketh at in all his religious wayes That whereas in a bodily way the beast looketh to the ground when man hath an upright look towards Heaven So even every natural man hath a soul bowed down only to earthly respects while the sincere heart ascends up to God himself Therefore it is that he doth prudently escape all those ambushments that low inferiour ends are apt to lay in his way thereby to intercept him from arriving at God himself We cannot reckon all the inferiour and unworthy ends that are apt to interpose no more than the creeping things in the Sea onely some few we may instance in As 1. Vain-glory and Self-applause that many times clippeth the wings of our souls that while we are moving to Heaven this maketh us fall to the ground This made the Pharisees lose the heavenly reward of all their religious duties And how often have the holiest of men complained of this Dalilah this sweet poison this flattering enemy Is it not the worme that devoureth the sweetest flowers and the ripest fruit This maketh death in the pot even damnation in excellent duties therefore the sincere man doth constantly watch and ward keeping a strict search into his heart that no such thief enter in and steal away his treasure A second inferiour and base end which would corrupt us in the service of God is The external greatnesse of honour or the seeming profit of wealth This dust hath often blown into the eyes that they have not been able to look up What glorious things did Jehu do for God If you look upon the external actions only But his heart was not sincere
the property of those who are godly to take nothing to themselves but to give all to the grace of God You see here though Paul was so eminent for godlinesse and so admirable for gifts yet he maketh the grace of God to be alone the sole Authour of all spiritual successe This subject the Apostle doth very willingly enlarge himself upon wheresoever he hath occasion Hence in the fore-mentioned place 1 Corinth 15. 10. he saith By the grace of God I am what I am The grace of God made him an holy man The grace of God made him an eminent Apostle he had nothing as a private Christian or as an Officer but by the grace of God and because many may have grace in a common way bestowed upon them that yet abuse it as Judas he addeth This grace was not in vain Yet lest it should be thought that it was his improvement of the grace bestowed that made it so effectual he presently correcteth his expression Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me As it is not the pen but the Writer that is a cause of fair Characters Let us discover this Doctrine And First We see the Apostle rejoycing in the sincerity of his heart and yet acknowledging all to the grace of God so that these two may well stand together to take comfort from our holinesse yet to put our trust in nothing but the grace of God It is true this is a very hard lesson to performe there is required much skill and prudence herein for we are apt to runne into extreames Either through unbelief and peevishnesse we nourish doubts and perplexing thoughts in our selves not taking notice of the grace of God in us Or else if we doe behold it and rejoyce in it we are presently in a secret manner lifted up and confident thereby But we see by the Apostles practice both are consistent together So that the people of God are diligently to labour after this heavenly frame of heart To be in doubts and fears about thy condition is to live in the jaws of hell and to be presuming or carnally confident of thy graces is the next door to a sad and miserable downfall Secondly It is not enough to acknowledge the grace of God in the general but so to set up grace as to give all to it The Apostle maketh an immediate opposition between grace and workes Rom. 11. 6. there cannot be a reconciling of grace and workes together This hath been often attempted but as unhappily as the building up the walls of Jericho again The Pelagian Arminian the Socinian and Papist all these doe acknowledge grace but when we come to the root of the matter it 's nothing at last but the free-will and workes of a man It is his good use of grace that doth determine and make all things effectual not grace it self And this is the rather to be noted because Stapleton would antidote against Calvin's poison as he speaketh from this Text. For whereas Calvin taking notice of the Apostles glorying in the testimony of his conscience concernin his sincerity doth shew that Paul hereby doth not oppose that command Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord because Paul giveth all to the grace of God and resteth alone upon that From this Stapleton would excuse the Papists also because they acknowledge all good workes to come from grace Their merits are founded onely upon Christs merits Even as it doth not derogate from the power of God that he useth second causes in natural things because they are subordinate to him both in their being and operation but it doth illustrate as his bounty so his power the more to make other things powerfull Thus saith he it is not injurious to the grace and merits of Christ if we attribute merit to our workes seeing this cometh onely from Christ but it argueth his fullnesse and rich grace the more that communicateth of it to us So that saith he to put trust in the workes of grace as the proxim and immediate cause but in the grace of God as the chiefe and universal cause is no derogation to the honour and glory of Christ But that of the Apostle must be alwayes remembred If of grace then not of workes otherwise grace is no more grace It is not grace unlesse it be grace every way And therefore to make our workes the second causes to trust in though it be not so high a wickednesse as to exclude Christ throughly yet it doth in part and therefore as in the matter of worship we admit of no primary and secondary worship no more than a primary and secondary God So it is in matter of trusting we must depend only upon Christ not but that holinesse and godly works are necessarily required but not as causes under any subtil distinctions whatsoever These two things premised let us now consider What is that grace which the Apostle doth here exalt against all fleshly wisdome And First As the ground-work of all there is to be understood That grace of God whereby he was called out of that pharisaical estate and condition of enmity against Christ to be a faithfull and ready servant to him This wonderfull grace of God to him doth often melt the heart of Paul he speaketh of it with aggravating particulars as much as may be Thus Galat. 1 15. When it pleased God who called me by his grace to reveale his Sonne in me c. And therefore 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. he acknowledged himself an instance Because the chiefest of sinners of the long-suffering of Christ In Paul's conversion there were no preparations no merits of congruity there was no docible and fitted dispositions Insomuch that the adversaries to Gods grace do acknowledge Paul's conversion to be an extraordinary thing In the midst of his persecuting sury when God might have struck him dead with thunder and lightnings from Heaven and so send him quick as it were to Hell God did visit him with his grace and give him another heart to his own amazement and of all those who heard of it So if you look upon Paul in a single capacity as a private person in the whole course of his life he giveth all to the grace of God Secondly The grace of God which Paul doth also greatly exalt is In the setting of him apart to be an Apostle and an eminent Officer in the Church of God This crooked and rough timber that was onely fit for the fire God doth not onely polish and smooth by grace but advanceth it to be an eminent part in the building notwithstanding all Paul's former unworthinesse God doth not onely by his grace call him but maketh him an honourable vessel in his house This our Apostle doth likewise with great enlargement in many places take great notice of See how emphatically is he affected with this grace of God towards him Ephesians 3. 7 8. Whereof I was made a Minister according to the gift of
People 1 COR. 1. 14. That we are your rejoycing as ye also are ours THis is the Second particular in the Text and doth contain the Specification wherein this acknowledgment of the Corinthians did consist viz. That he was their Rejoycing However some false teachers had endeavoured to take off their affections from him yet they had acknowledged him to be their Father and Master by whom they were faithfully instructed in the wayes of Godliness and for this they did blesse God and rejoyce that they had such a Teacher which was so great a mercy that few did enjoy the like Now the Apostle addeth That this rejoycing was mutual he did as well rejoyce in such apt and obedient Schollars Chrysostome observeth this Addition to be a great Expression of Pauls Modesty and Humility for that the Corinthians should glory and rejoyce in such an eminent Teacher as Paul was It is no wonder but that he should rejoyce in them who were so inconstant and so uncertain in their affections to him yea who were to be blamed so much in Doctrinalls and practicalls This may make us admire But sayes Chrysostome This Paul doth for humility sake that he might not procure envy us if he thought two arrogantly of himself therefore he assumeth them into a co-partnership with his glory and rejoycing The Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lieth already bear opened There is nothing difficult in the words onely when Paul and the Corinthians are thus said to be one anothers rejoycing we are to understand that the Act is here put for the Object of it as often in the Scripture Thus rejoycing is put for the Object Matter and Cause of our rejoycing and if you say We are to rejoyce in God onely in the Lord not in men that is true We are to rejoyce in God onely as the Author of all our good yet we may in men as they are instruments used by God to communicate his benefits to us Thus a people may rejoyce in a faithfull Minister not principally and originally but secondarily as the Instrument which God hath made very successfull to their souls The Observation then is That it is a most happy and blessed thing when Minister and people can upon just and holy grounds rejoyce mutually in each other When the people can bless God for the Ministerial gifts and graces bestowed upon their Pastor and he again can praise God that he hath a willing teachable and obedient people ready to receive the Ordinances of Christ in the power and purity of them This is a rare priviledg Oh there are but few Churches of which the Ministers may say as Paul to the Colossians Chap. 2. That he doth rejoyce in beholding their order and faith in Christ To meet with a people that are neither ignorant heretical nor prophane but willing to walk according to Christs rule and his order this is to see heaven upon earth The Apostle findeth such matter of joy not onely in those Corinthians but in many other Churches For as he had more Labours more Oppositions more Persecutions than others so also God gave him more joy and comefort in beholding the spiritual successe of his Labours for this was the onely comefort of his spiritual heart to see men imbrace Christ and to live worthy of the Gospel it was not his own Glory Honor and greatness that he aymed at which is an excellent example to us Ministers of the Gospel that our Matter of joy should not be any earthly riches or wealth any great fame or worldly esteem but that we are to win people to Christ alone not our selves Thus the Apostle calleth the Philipians his joy and crown Phil. 4. 1. and 1 Thes 2. 19 20. speaking of his ardent affections to see their face by way of interrogation the more emphatically to express himself he saith What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Are not even ye And then addeth positively the same thing for or rather surely certainly ye are our rejoycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not a note of reasoning for then the Apostle would prove Idem for Idem as they say but of Affirmation and asseveration Ye are our crown of rejoycing Grotius saith It is an allusion to Kings who on their solemn festival dayes have not an ordinary but extraordinary Crown to wear for the greater pomp and glory Such extraordinary honor would the Thessalonians be to Christ at the great day But let us consider this in the general and then amplifie it respectively to Minister and people And First The Relation of Pastor and people is by divine Institution Christ himself hath appointed the Office it self and the application of it to this or that man through the desire of the Church so that as Churches are of Gods gathering They are his creature in a more special manner than the world is so likewise are the Officers and spiritual Guides to teach them 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath set in his Church Apostles and Teachers Thus Act 20. 28. The Holy Ghost is said to set them Overseers over their flock â—eeing therefore that this relation is built on a Divine Foundation no wonder if managed according to Divine Rules that it is the cause of exceeding great joy These Relations are respectively for supernatural and spiritual ends and effects The Minister is for illumination Conversion Edification for the destroying of the power and Kingdome of Satan as also the establishing and promoting the Kingdome of grace in the hearts of the people The people also they are to be matter of encouragement to him they are to be helpfull and assistant in their way that Godliness may flourish that the ends of the Ministry may not be frustrated The Apostle sometimes taketh notice of the great usefulness and serviceableness even of some women in that kinde For though Ministers be compared to Light to the Sun and Starrs yet in this there is a difference The Starrs give Light and Influence into these sublunary things but receive no benefit at all from them again but the Ministers of the Church even though as eminent as Paul yet they acknowledg the manifold benefits and that in a spiritual way which they may receive from their people again now then how happy is it when there is a reciprocal and circular helping of each other when spiritual guides do convert edifie and quicken up their people and again the people do assist help and quicken up their Officers certainly as spiritual delights are greater than any bodily ones because the objects are more excellent and usefull so should this mutual rejoycing in our spiritual joy surpass all the delight that we take in our natural and civil relation neither the delight of a Wife in her Husband or of a Childe in his Father should be equal to the joy of a people in Faithfull Officers And so è contra the Reason is evident because the effects of this Relation are spiritual heavenly and
thy faith that doth not make thee watch and pray against this day Why doest thou not with Hierome thinke that every moment thou hearest that Trumpet sounding in thy eares Arise and come to judgement Oh be diligent in doing the Lord For blessed is that sarvant whom his Master shall finde him so doing Whereas if thou art doing the Devils worke he will at that day come and demand thee he is mine I challenge him for my owne though I never died for him though I was never crucified for him yet he obeyed me rather than Christ therefore I require my owne Call then to any of the creatures and thy friends and see if they can helpe thee when God shall say Depart ye cursed Will any say Lord he shall not goe I will deliver him I will rescue him I will make an atonement for him No but he must for ever perish and none can help him SERM. CVI. Of the Encouragements a Minister hath from the hopes of doing good to a people 2 COR. 1. 15. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that you might have a second benefit AT this Verse the Apostle taketh an happy occasion for a transition to his Apology or defence against that crime charged upon him by the false Teachers Non saltat saith Cajetan he doth not leap falling upon this matter abruptly but the transition is very genuine Paul it seemeth had promised to come to those Corinthians but for weighty reasons he deferred his coming hitherto The false Teachers they waiting for all advantages to calumniate him did upon this accuse him with levity and inconstancy that with him was yea and nay that he did purpose according to carnal respects accommodating himself to time and outward advantages Now the Apostle is very zealous and vehement in vindicating of himself herein It is true Piscator doth begin this Apologetical Discourse at the 12th Ver. but it seemeth more genuine to make the beginning of it at this verse Estius doth well observe that while Paul was speaking in the commendation and praise of his Conversation he did use the plural number joyning others with him to avoid envy but when he cometh to this Apologetical part being charged with a heynous crime he useth the singular Number and speaketh of himself onely In the words we may take notice First Of Pauls Resolution 2. The Motive of it 3. The Time 4. The End And 5. The Manner how it was to be executed In the Verse following his Resolution is set down in these words I was minded to come unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth such a Resolution and purpose that was made upon good advice and deliberation It was not a rash suddain or presumptuous Decree but made upon good grounds though afterwards he had cause to change his minde From this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some say the word Bulla is derived as being his wise decree and purpose but seldome is there either wisdome or righteousness therein 2. There is the motive in this confidence viz. which was mentioned before of their mutual rejoycing in one another whereby he was perswaded that he might do much good amongst them we have spoken of the word already This he speaketh to shew that the motive of his coming to them was wholly out of love and desire to do them good 3. The Time when and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before some make it a trajection as if it did belong to his mind and purpose he had before determined others to his coming to him as if this coming should have been long before but there is no great matter in either construction though Beza and Grotius go the former way If you say Did the Apostle then change his mind did he alter his purpose if so would not this call in question all his Apostolical Doctrine To this we are to answer in the prosecution of his Apology at the 23d verse he there plainly telleth them what was the cause that made him forbear his comming not any levity or inconstancy in him but their sinfulness It was that he might not execute that Apostolicall severity amongst them as they deserved of which in its time Lastly There is the End of his coming which is wholly spiritual That you might have a second benefit It was for their good not his own Let us consider the Motive in this confidence of your kindness and love as also of my doing good to you I purposed to come to you Observe That where a Faithfull Minister hath good hopes and confidence of doing good to a people there is great encouragement of abiding with such Thus it was with these very Corinthians God in a Vision to Paul Act. 18. 10. commanded him to stay at Corinth and not be afraid which he did a year and half longer then usually he did any where and the reason is Because there was much people in that City to be gathered to God Oh how rejoycing is it to a Faithfull Minister when he seeeth God hath converting work edifying work for him to do amongst such a people Thus you have also Paul resolved upon his tarrying at Ephesus 1 Cor. 16. 9. and why so A great and effectual door is opened to me He did see a likelihood of much spiritual good to be done and this made him willing to abide there To affect our hearts with this truth consider First That all people both by nature and custome have a door fast bolted against the entrance of the Word So that it is as great a miracle for Christ by the preaching of the Gospel to enter into the hearts of Hearers as it was when he came in to his Disciples the doors being shut yea here is a door upon a door a bolt upon a bolt There is first their native corruption and by this they are dead in sin So that our Preaching is like hooting into the ear of a dead man should not the spirit of God change and prepare the hearts of Hearers This is the inward door and then there is an outward door which is Custome and Continuance in sinning and this also hardeneth against the Ministry Therefore people are to tremble under this contrariety to their own spiritual good Remember that as you have a door shut now against the Gospel so God will one day have a door shut against you in the Kingdome of Heaven so that although you shall cry Lord Lord open to us yet it cannot be granted you Luke 13 25. As much intreating as we make to you now to receive the Lord Christ so much will you one day use that Christ would receive you Now we knock and cry and importune that you open the doors of your heart and then you shall howl and cry to Christ to open the doors and gates of Heaven Secondly Because men are thus shut up against the Word hence it is that neither any tractableness or supposed probity in any people nor
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
found unprofitable and is adjudged unto a terrible doom that had but one talent and was negligent therin Would not Christ teach us by this that none should slight their mean and low estate thinking that such are poor and inconsiderable creatures as they are alas they can do nothing for God It is for Magistrates and Ministers for rich men or men in place and of interest to lay out themselves but God doth not look they should do any thing Oh take heed of this temptation If thou doest but set thy self to consider in this matter thou mayest find thy self in capacity to promote the glory of God and to further the Gospel of Christ in many particulars that thou art now negligent in This is our great sinne that none are contented with the several relations and conditions they are in One thinketh if he were in such a mans estate he could serve God better than he doth The private Christian thinketh a Minister can do it better A Minister thinketh a private Christian hath not the temptations and sad eares that he hath As Luther speaketh Comment in Gen. cap. 17. of himself how he thought other mens callings happier than his who endured so much envy and hatred for the Gospel They live without vexations their labour is sweet but I am exercised saith he with great dangers But we must take heed of impatiency and know we may all serve God and so be at last saved in our respective lawfull callings We would think the hands or feet were in a worse condition than the tongue for they are worn out with labour whereas the tongue doth taste of sweet and pleasant things and is not wâ—aried with pain and yet these partake of the same happiness with the body as the eyes or tongue do Secondly This you also are to understand that all the lawfull actions in your several callings may be improved for Gods honour as well as those that are in their nature religious and immediately applied to himself Our plowing and sowing our marrying and bringing up of children if done according to Scripture-rules please God in their way as well as religious duties It may be holy plowing holy sowing holy buying and selling as well as holy praying and holy preaching It is the Apostles command 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God In Popery there was an horrible mistake about this which was the cause of bringing in much superstition which made Luther as appeareth in his Comments on Genesis so often speak of the good pleasure that God taketh in the civil actions of our calling when done out of obedience to Gods command And indeed men are hardly perswaded that the doing of such things in our relations are serving of God whereas all such things done from good principles and to right ends are holiness as well as other duties Holinesse to the Lord is to be written upon all thy natural civil and moral actions as well as religious It is true here lieth the difficulty to do these ordinary actions of our calling upon holy grounds to eat to drink to labour that God may be exalted and not to make riches gain and outward blessedness the utmost end of all doings in this kind So that till a man be regenerated he is but a worm crawling upon the ground he cannot do any thing but upon humane motives And it is no wonder for such men in all their religious duties are but carnal and earthly whether they pray or heare it is not for the glory of God Custome formality and self-respects are the Locusts and Caterpillars that do devour our hopefull buds Therefore In the third place It behoveth every Christian often to meditate about the ultimate end of all his actions As the Heathen would have a man say to himself Cui bono for what good is this I do So much more should believers propound this to themselves I labour I take pains I rise early I go to bed late but to what end is all this What is it that my soul doth principally aim at in all these things If we had asked Paul saying Paul Why will you go to Macedonia He would have said to promote Christs Kingdom to have been beneficial to mens souls And then again Why to Corinth It was to carry on the work of the Gospel there Many did begin to fall off so that it was necessary there should be information and admonition And further Why do you go to Jerusalem It is to refresh the bowels of the poor Saints there By which you see that as the Heliotropium that flower of the Sunne doth follow the Sunne and openeth and shutteth according to the presence of the Sun and its absence Thus doth the heart of Paul wholly move after God divine considerations are the Loadstone that drew out his heart And indeed in all moral actions the end is first to be concluded Hence Aristotle in his Ethicks beginneth with the end of humane actions What is the white that all men are to shoot at What is the mark they are to levell at Whereupon some Divines likewise concluding that Divinity is practical and not speculative meerly that therefore the most approved and genuine method in all Systems of Divinity is first to begin with that end which all men ought to aim at in their whole life and that is known to be the glory of God and the salvation of our souls Now when a man hath fixed his end and resolveth upon that he doth all things proportionably and sutably thereunto Hence when a man acteth according to a Divine Rule If you ask him Why do you take such pains Why do you ride up and down and travail so much Why do you study and devour books His answer will be It is for Gods glory and the salvation of my soul Till therefore a man hath centered his soul upon the right end till his heart be constantly upon that he either propounds cursed and wicked ends to himself or at the best he maketh intermedious ends ultimate that which is the secondary to be the principal For it 's lawfull to take pains to be diligent in our calling that our family may be provided for our children be brought up it were an unnatural and great sinne to be negligent herein but then you must remember to make this a comma not a colon This must be your Inne not your home you must look beyond all these even to God and your souls This truth is so necessary that though we should preach six hundred Sermons about it to quicken you up in the meditation thereof it would not be useless But I am not now to insist upon it The sum is this He that would both in soul and body in health wealth parts and all he hath be imployed for God must often make this Question to his soul Oh my soul what is thy end in all these things What moveth thee to
pains and torments of sin and yet wilt venture on the committing of it who will pitty thee If a man should be brought out of Hell torments to live here upon earth and yet would commit sin again would any have compassion on such a man if afterwards he should be damned Thus it is with that man who hath the beginnings of Hell already upon him its Gods mercy that he giveth thee such a taste of Hell in thy conscience that thou mayst fly from sin But if for all this thou wilt be worse than a fool that no experience will teach thee then how just is it with God to deliver thee up irrecoverably unto Eternal wrath 3. This Inconstancy is nothing but a mocking of God and dallying in soul-matters What a Thunderbolt should this be in thy heart to think I have but mocked God as much as lyeth in me though he will not be mocked I have been but an Hypocrite and dissembler with them my Repentance was a lye my Tears were a lye for I am the same man again that I was The Scripture indeed maketh every man a lyar but to be a lyar in thy Repentance a lyar in thy sorrow for sin This is the most abominable and detestable of all Take heed then of having an heart and a heart as the Scripture calleth it in these things An heart to cry out of sin and an heart to receive and imbrace it again Hence In the 4th place Because of this Hypocrisie and false-dealing with God it may be just with him for ever to forsake thee so as to deliver thee up to an impenitent heart never to have the least fear or sorrow about sin any more Pharaoh that sometimes had relentings upon him yet at last was so hardened that he never melted more and the nearer he grew to his destruction the more stupid he was Thus the people of Israel who had so often dealt unfaithfully with God in a seeming manner repenting but afterwards turning back to their lusts again were at last delivered up to blinde eyes to deaf ears to hard hearts never to understand and to be converted as we have it Isa 6. 9 10. As Aguish Fits holding very long at last end in a Consumption Thus thou who hast often had troubles and workings of heart about sin yet falling often into them again may become forsaken for ever as Saul was the Lord never meeting thee more in any Ordinance The Last Particular wherein lightness and Inconstancy is a great sin as it relateth to spirituall things is In the Promises and Resolutions or Vowes that may be made to God I shall not treat of a Religious Vow or a Promise by Oath at this time only I shall insist upon such Promises and Purposes as we may make unto God at any time as First In times of great Afflictions and streights when the fear of death or any other judgment is upon us how ready are we to make Promises both to men and God that if ever he will recover us if ever he will give health again then we will walk more carefully abstain from the sinnes we were addicted unto as Pharaoh cryed out Take away this judgment this once Thus we say if God will try me once more then what a Reformed man will I be But if God spare thee then how quickly are such holy Purposes forgotten Now you are to know this is a great aggravation of thy sin to promise thus to God to purpose thus before God and then to deal falsly Yet what slight and formal thoughts have people concerning such Promises But one day thou wilt finde the heynousness of thy false heart herein A second time when we are to make Promises to God is at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper where the consciences of men are so far awed that they engage themselves to God and renew their Covenant with him to walk with more care and fear than ever before But how much Yea and Nay is therein many Communicants Who would think thou shouldest be so careless and negligent man after such solemn Stipulations made with God Oh how little are these Promises thought of that we frequently make to God And if it be â—o sinfull to break a Promise made to man how much more to God Thou hast not lyed to man said Peter to Ananias Act. 5. 4. And Satan is said to fill his heart to make him do so To how many may we say alter such Promises made to God but broken why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye unto God It is Solomons Advice concerning Vowes and Promises made to God That we should not be hasty and rash in such things Eccles 5. 2. with this Reason For God is in heaven and thou in earth He is an Insuate glorious God and thou a poor worm upon the earth Surely this negligence in people generally to fullfill their Promises made to God should be more seriously bewailed than it is Your Baptismy The Lords Supper they are Covenants made with God there is a renewed Promise made to God in Sacramental Administrations that we will be the Lords that we will not live to the world or sin but to God alone Now take heed of perfidiousness in this particular Thou takest Gods Name in vain in this case and he will not hold such guiltless Yea there is never a Prayer that we pray unto God but there is implicitely a Promise made to God that if he will grant our Requests we will gloryfie his name by an holy and godly life Take heed then of being judged out of thy own mouth God at that Day of Judgment will bring thy own words thy own Promises against thee Oh be able to say with Paul in the Text even to God himself When I thus purposed to reform to become a new man did I then use lightness did I purpose according to the flesh SERM. CXII Of walking according to the flesh 2 COR. 1. 17. Or the things that I purpose do I purpose according to the flesh IN these words the Apostle doth remove the Second sinfull Cause from himself that useth to make men change their purposes and that is A respect to carnal Considerations Men that look only to their Profits to their Greatness and Honor such must needs be mutable and inconstant like the Camelion turning into the colour of every object they come nigh which Aristotle attributeth to fear in that creature if there be any such thing And thus when men purpose and design but fear of losing some carnal Advantages their hearts are set upon causeth them to be Yea and Nay to resolve and then to unresolve to promise and then to break promises For as in Speculatives Conclusions are according to the nature of Principles from when they flow so in all Practicalls our Actions are coloured according to the Ends we propound to our selves Now the corrupt Principle which Paul doth here disavow is To purpose things according to the flesh
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is spoken oppositely to the willing of things according to the Principles of Godliness revealed in the Word or as in other places to the Spirit for to walk in the flesh and to walk in the Spirit Rom. 8. are made immediately opposite to one another Now this Phrase According to the flesh hath a Threefold signification in Scripture First it signifyeth That which is done according to the meer humane nature without any corruption Thus Christ is said Rom. 1. 3. to be born of the seed of David according to the flesh That Opposition doth evidently demonstrate against Socinians that there is another nature in him which is his Godhead so 1 Pet. 3. 18. he is said to be put to death in the flesh 2. This Expression doth sometimes singnifie The External Priviledges whether civil or Ecclesiastical and the glorious Respects that may accompany them Thus the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 16. We know no man after the flesh no not Christ himself That is We do not attend to any External or sensible Considerations that may be had from Christ but our hearts are wholly carryed out in a way of believing on him even as our Saviour saith Luke 8. 21. My Mother and my brethren are they which hear the word of God and do it Thus some are said to glory and to have confidence in the flesh which Paul renounceth Phil. 3. 4. and that was in the Priviledges of the Church of Israel So that any external thing in Religion though it be vouchsafed as a Priviledg by God yet it is but flesh in respect of the gracious works of Gods Spirit Thus there is a Jew and Circumcision in the flesh and a Jew and Circumcision in the Spirit which is good to be observed for of too many mens Religion may you apply that which is spoken in another case it is flesh and not spirit This we are to press much upon you that in prayer in Ordinances in all approaches to God you be a spiritual people not carnal resting upon Externals only 3. This Expression according to the flesh is most frequently for a corrupt Principle within us according to which we direct and order our course Thus flesh in the Scripture signifieth the whole man as it is corrupt comprehending in it not onely the Sensitive and inferior part of a man but his Rational also hence Col. 2. 18. We have a fleshly minde and Gal 5. Idolatries Heresies which are in the minde are said to be the fruit of the flesh It is true Ephes 2. 3. there seemeth to be a Distinction because it is said fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde but even there the minde is flesh and the meaning of the Apostle is to distinguish of sinnes some whereof arise from the Sensitive Appetite as Drunkenness Uncleanness others from the Understanding as desire of Vain-glory Idolatry Heresie c. all which are the flesh in a large comprehension Now in this sense the Apostle taketh it here He did not purpose according to the flesh that is according to corrupt and sinfull Principles within him but in all such things was guided by the Spirit of God determining upon those things wherein he might most promote Gods honour and the Churches good We see this Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 3. speaking very affectionately in this point against those Corinthians who accused him as walking according to the flesh which he denyeth saying That though he walk in the flesh yet he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after it he did not use carnal weapons such as humane wisdome exâ—… worth and greatness with carnall Policy to destroy what opposed it self against the Gospel From the Words thus explained Observe That a purposing and walking according to sinfull Carnal Principles must needs make a man very instable and mutable The Apostle in this defence doth plainly suppose that this is an ordinary cause to make men inconstant in all their wayes hope of getting and fear of losing doth cause a continual ebbing and flowing in our affections where 〈◊〉 have not one immoveable Principle fixed and settled to walk by there must be frequent variations for new lusts do beget new actions and the creature being driven up and down with uncertainties so they must be that adhere thereunto A man cannot stand steadfastly upon a round running bowl or upon slippery ice and such are all the Creatures Insomuch that he that would be as is said of Christ The same yesterday and to day and for ever must take the word of God for his Rule which is unchangeable invariable and abideth for ever To discover this Truth more fully let us instance in some particulars of the Principles of flesh which all by nature according to their reipective temptations are prone to follow And first Earthly Profit and Worldy advantages are a sweet bait of the flesh which allure many Insomuch that they resolve and purpose upon no other thing than what is accommodated thereunto and therefore are pro and contra for and against even as this Principle of earthly Profit doth move them These make the world their God Mammon their God and as the Godly submitteth all his Purposes and Resolutions to Gods will this he intendeth if God will this he supposeth to do if God permit so doth a man inflamed to this carnal Principle of Profit order all things with subordination thereunto this he will do if his Profit require it This he will do if his Profit command it the Papacy of Rome may notoriously be charged with this Principle of flesh in all their designes which are only to advance the Popes Crown and to nourish the Moncks bellies The Apostle speaketh of some who accounted gain godliness 2 Tim. 6. 5. Such ought to be so odious to us that the Apostle commands us to turn away from them The same Apostle at another time doth even with weeping speak of others who minde earthly things Phil. 3. 19. Wonder not then if those who walke by this Principle of the flesh they will get profit and wealth though they lose God Heaven and their own soules that they those soules as well as their bodies seem to be of the dust if they are driven away as the dust before every winde having no consistency atall Did not this desire of profit make Judas turn such an Apostate of a Disciple of Christ to be a perfidious Traytor Did not the Love of this present world make Demas to forsake Paul So that you see all those must necessarily be unconstant in Religion who have no better Principle to move them than eartly Respects and Advantages These are like Esau called therefore a prophane Person Heb. 12. 16. because for a morsel of meat he sold his Birthright This argueth a man to be prophane when he hath an higher esteem of Mony of Riches and Wealth than of Religious things Oh say rather Let mony perish than my soul perish let wealth and profit
therein that do denominate him and seeing they are either the Spirit or the flesh every one either walketh in the flesh or the Spirit let a man faithfully search into his own bosome and observe what hath the predominant efficacy what he may call his principles he purposeth and liveth by and the rather because In the fourth place These principles though efficacious yet are manytimes latent and hidden It is a Rule Principia sunt maxima virtute minima quantitate Therefore being thus secret and inward it is not easily found out what principles we walk by Do those that walk after the flesh know they do so Do they believe so Do they complain of such a rotten and sandy foundation No they rather applaud themselves even the most carnal men that are do judge their principles good and right they have a good heart and good ends No doubt when Paul persecuted the Church opposed so zealously the way of Christ though in all this he was acted by fleshly principles yet he thought them Religion and service of God It is therefore our duty to examine and search into every corner of our hearts to find out the bottome of thy soul For thou art never able to judge of thy condition whether good or evil till thy principles are made manifest in thee How often mayest thou flatter thy self as doing things for God and his glory when it is thy own corrupt self thy own glory thy own advantage Fifthly These principles of the flesh are not onely in our external dealings with men or in grosse bodily sins but in religious duties and our sacred performances Oh consider this diligently A man may pray after the flesh hear after the flesh preach after the flesh and that is when a fleshly motive putteth us upon spiritual duties The Pharisees when they prayed they did walk according to the flesh and those who adored Angels and introduced voluntary worship these had a fleshly mind Col. 2. 18. Men are in the flesh and walk in the flesh not onely in respect of grosse sinnes and bodily iniquities but even when in spiritual duties they are led by sinfull motives Thus Jehu when he purposed the destruction of Ahab and his family the overthrow of Baal and his worship he did all this after the flesh When Judas resolved to follow Christ to be his Disciple all this was a resolving according to the flesh Now this we should hear with trembling and an holy fear my religion may be flesh my holy duties flesh my profession of godlinesse nothing but flesh For though the duties themselves are good and commanded by God yet the principles from which they flow may be the flesh in thee Do not take therefore all holy performances to come from a principle of sanctification in thee Did hypocrites and temporary believers diligently consider this it would be a special means to prevent their final destruction Lastly The principles of the carnal and the spiritual are directly contrary to one another even as light and darknesse and therefore one can never agree with the other Prov. 29. 27. An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked Every godly man cannot but abominate the way of the wicked and then the wicked abominateth the way of the godly so that there can never be any agreement Now both strive for their principles dispute for their principles The godly man urgeth his and would bring men off to them The wicked man is as resolute for his principles and is active to have them take place And from hence is that enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent Now it 's a godly mans duty to keep close to his principles not for a moment to depart from them This is to betray God and his conscience But the wicked man he is bound to leave his to come out of them with all haste for they will be his damnation at last In the next place let us consider What are the principles of a godly man by which he thinketh purposeth and liveth So that if at any time he deviateth from this his heart is smitten his soul melteth saying This is not according to my principles I have not thought said or done like my self Now there are two general principles of a godly man whereby he is kept from purposing or living according to the flesh The one I may call Principium cognoscendi The other Principium essendi or rather efficiendi For the first which is the principle of knowledge by which we are to regulate our selves in faith and manners that is the holy Scriptures which are a perfect sufficient and adequate Rule to live by how contemptuously soever the Papists on the one hand and Enthusiasts on the other do speak of it We see the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. directing Timothy though so eminent in the Church of God to the Scriptures not to the immediate inspirations but unto them which he had known from his youth giving admirable commendations of them from the efficient cause they were by the inspiration of God who would not regard what God himself saith That will prove true and every thing contrary to it a lie and then the adjunct property holy they are holy Scriptures By these alone thou wilt be enabled to have an holy nature and to live an holy life As those that keep in Apothecaries shops smell of the ointment thus those who exercise themselves in the holy Scriptures they become holy they are conformed thereunto Such a man is like a tree by the water-side bringing forth his fruit in due season Again they are commended from their end which is to make us wise to salvation This is the desirable and ultimate end of all men to be saved But we are ignorant of the way how to attain it we mistake the paths that lead thereunto and therefore the Scripture only giveth us wisdome herein Furthermore they are commended from a four-fold effect For Doctrine correction reproof and instruction in righteousnesse with the consequent thereof That the man of God even Timothy and such who are in holy Offices of the Church may be throughly furnished for every good work By this we see what is the Rule a godly man walketh by it is the Scriptures he believeth according to them he worshippeth according to them he liveth according to them Oh the holinesse and admirable lovelinesse that is in his life who thus walketh according to Scripture Oh remember that you have no other Rule to walk by in reference to heavenly things Thy Religion must be a Scripture-religion thy faith a Scripture-faith thy repentance a Scripture-repentance thy godlinesse a Scripture-godlinesse else at the day of judgement thou wilt have that sentence upon thee which was an hand-writing in the wall against that great King Thou art numbered and weighed in the balance and art found
temporal life and loose a spiritual life Fourthly Whereas sinnes according to Divines are distributed into sinnes of the heart of the tongue and of the hand Cordis oris operis Lying is a sinne of the tongue So that as by the tongue we come to know the disease sometimes of the body that is within so by the tongue we may discerne a sinfull wicked heart A lying tongue doth argue a deceitfull heart So that as the pureness and foulness in the fountain doth quickly empty it self into the streams Thus as the heart is either holily or sinfully affected so it emptieth it self into the tongue and hands Hence in the fifth place All those who would abstaine from the way of lying must study the spiritual government of the tongue Nature indeed hath inclosed it with lips and teeth but Grace must have a more powerfull and predominant curb over it The Apostle James doth notably speak of the sinfulnesse of the tongue James 3. 6. calling the tongue though a little member yet a world of iniquity an unruly evil full of deadly poison Certainly the Apostles zeal discovered in that Chapter against a sinfull tongue should make us with much diligence watch against it especially in that it is so unru y that no man can tame it Now among many sinfull evils of the tongue this of lying and falshood is not the least So that he who hath an holy meek just and faithfull tongue is called by the Apostle a perfect man vers 2. not but that he hath still much imperfection in him onely we are so apt to sinne by that to offend by that What is in the heart is so quickly in that that the Christian hath arrived at a great proficiency in godlinesse who hath this power over his tongue Hence David as sensible of this work above his own strength maketh his earnest addresse in prayer unto God Psal 141. 3. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my lips Grace must be the spiritual porter to watch the mouth else such sins will come out thereat that will both greatly offend God and man Hence in the sixth place That this government of the tongue against lying or any other sin may be attained unto it is necessary 1. To cleanse the heart that is the original and source of all evil and therefore it is in vain to heal the outwards unlesse the inwards also be first purged Therefore David in the fore-mentioned prayer addeth another Petition to the former Psal 141. 4. Incline not my heart to any evil thing Therefore when Solomon had first given that counsel Chap. 4. 23. To keep the heart with all diligence then he speaketh of the duties about the eyes hands and feet No man can in an holy manner keep his tongue from lying cursing and swearing with other sinnes thereof unlesse he first endeavour that the inward frame of the heart be made pure and holy The old man must be put off and the new man put on as the Apostle speaketh and then we lay aside the way of lying In the next place Let us consider what are the causes of lying of yea and nay I doe not mean the general ones for the Text nameth them to be inconstancy and a corrupt heart but the particular ones And 1. Some have a strong inclination and peculiar propensity to it they love and delight in telling of lies Yea this lying disposition is noted to be the property of some Countreys as the Poet said of the Cretians They were alwayes liars Titus 1. 12. which witnesse the Apostle saith is true And no wonder at this for the same Apostle maketh it the quality of every man by nature and that wherein he doth oppose God whose Attribute is truth God is true and every man a lyar Rom. 3. 4. Seeing then the nature of man is thus prone to it and some have a more peculiar inclination to it no wonder if lyes as well as oaths do make a Land mourn Do we not see it in children how they are more forward to lie than to speak They come both together only lying seemeth more natural A second cause of lying is want of dependance upon God as if he would not fulfill his promises without our lies and unlawfull means that we use In this Rebecca failed Genes 27. 6 7. though she knew of Gods promise to Jacob yet because Isaac's affections were set upon Esau the elder brother she saw no visible way how the promise should be accomplished therefore she used lying and dissimulation but though she got the blessing for her sonne yet many sad afflictions did befall both her and Jacob thereby 3. Another cause is The captivity and bondage that we are in by nature to Satan for he being 〈◊〉 lyar from the beginning we imitate him and follow our father in this particular This our Saviour telleth the Jewes John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it Mark that the father of it implying that by the Devil we are sollicited and tempted to lies and if there were no other consideration but this it were enough to make us with David Psal 119. 163. To abhorre the way of lying because it cometh from the Devil we thereby demonstrate the Devil to be working in us to move our tongues And truly the name of a lie is a very reproachfull thing How hardly can men endure the name of it who yet are constant in the practice of it So that the reproach especially the cause from whence it cometh may perswade us to leave it off which is hell it self we shall then quickly hear every man speaking truth with his neighbour 4. An inordinate desire of profit and gain doth many times put men upon lying They wil◠commend and praise that which in their conscience they know to be bad and all to get a little profit Thus Ananias and Saphira they lied to Paul and all to reserve a little profit to themselves Lastly A sinfull and immoderate fear that many times provoketh to lying It was thus with Abraham and Isaac about their wives they lied to save themselves out of dangers And although David did abhorre the way of lying yet we see him in several exigencies degenerate from his principles It is true in case of a mans life to choose rather to die than to tell a lie must needs be an argument of heroical grace in a man but we see in Peter how difficult it is to abstain from lies when thereby we can preserve our selves out of danger So that if at any time we find the godly overtaken with this sinne we must not from thence conclude the lawfulnesse of it but rather bewail our pronenesse thereunto For if those that are godly in an eminent manner are thus apt to fall what shall the little Trees do
into nothing Thus it is with the promises recorded in the Scripture they all move and act as it were in him They all live and worke in him were it nor for his merit and his Spirit they would be but as empty words or as a tinkling cymball Therefore In the fourth place The Covenant of Grace which is virtually all the promises of God it is not onely called a Covenant and a Promise but a Testament likewise And that for this end because it doth necessarily relate to the death of the Testatour So that Gods promise is not to be conceived as when one man maketh a promise to another absolutely and without any thing intervening For here we have God indeed promising from his meer absolute goodnesse and mercy but then the execution of this cannot be without the blood of Christ so that all the force of the promise ariseth from the death of Christ The Apostle therefore argueth the validity of this Covenant from that which is amongst men Galat. 3. 15. A mans testament when it is confirmed cannot be disanulled or added unto how much rather then must the testament of Christ be confirmed for ever The Apostle doth excellently consider this Heb. 9. 15. For this cause Christ is a Mediatour of the New Testament that by meanes of death they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a testament is there also must of necessity be the death of the testatour By which it appeareth that the promises of God are established upon a sure and unchangeable foundation even the blood of Christ and therefore as sure as Christ died so sure will those promises of God be made effectual to thee Indeed if Gods promises were Yea and Amen according to thy workes to thy worth and dignity woe would be unto thee Yea though God doth require faith and repentance yet the promises are not setled upon these as a foundation but on Christ and therefore it is that our hopes our comforts can never be shaken The promises then of God have two Pillars to bear them up though one be enough The first is The immutability and verity of Gods Nature he cannot change he cannot lie The other is From the Merit and Efficacy of Christs death whereby the things promised are deserved and that at a dear rate even Christs blood Now then can any godly soule give way to unbeliefe to sinfull dejections seeing that God cannot lie and the blood of Christ cannot but obtaine God cannot deny himselfe neither can he deny his onely Sonne Therefore let the godly soule remember this Gods promise is not onely a bare promise but Christs Testament also Insomuch that all spirituall benefits are the fruit of his death and shall we thinke that blood will be shed in vain Shall we give no more to Christs Testament then we will to a mans But this Doctrine deserveth further enlarging SERM. CXXVII Of the usefulnesse and unchangeablenesse of the Promises of God 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen ALl the promises of grace you have heard are established upon two immovable pillars Gods unchangablenesse and the bloud of Christ To proceed from this followeth First That Deus absolutus as Luther was wont to say or Deus in praedicamento substantiae is a consuming fire and we are nothing but stubble before him it must be God as in praedicamento relationis as he is a God promising mercy unto us in Christ that is the ground of all our commerce and fellowship with him We are not to appear before God in confidence of our obedience to his commands but by faith in his promises insomuch that the only foundation we have to build upon in all our approaches unto him is Gods promise alone in Christ The godly soul is to look with as much or more chearfulnesse on that than Rahab could do on the scarlet thread held out as a commemorative signe to preserve her life were it not for this promise in Christ who could who might who dare draw nigh to God the Father So that it is through Christ that the way is opened for us to come unto God We may see this notably prefigured as it were in Gods dispensation with the people of Israel Exo. 33. 2 3. for when they had by their sinnes greatly provoked God the Lord denied his presence to go along with them I will not go up with thee lest I consume thee in the way this sheweth that such was Gods anger against their iniquity that he could not bear it It 's a speech taken from the humour of men otherwise the anger of the Lord is subject to his own power only this is spoken to shew what distastefull objects they were to him But though his anger be thus against them yet see what he promiseth ver 2. I will send my Angel before thee Here God would not go but his Angel now this Angel is Christ as appeareth Exod. 22. 20 21 22. where he is described as one in whose power it is to pardon iniquities with this addition for my Name is in him Observe then here a sweet Oeconomy or dispensation of Gods dealing with the people of Israel as a President to inform us about all mankinde God would not look upon mankinde neither would he behold as it were if he did he should immediatly destroy them all but he sends an Angel he sendeth Christ into the world and so in and through him he becomes propitious to us Now how little is this understood by Christians who do go to the promises upon their own obedience they think they beleeve they repent and in the mean while Christ is not all in all as if in our graces in our performances The promises of God were yea and Amen and not in God himself It is a long while ere the ministery of the Law hath any efficacy upon mens hearts ere they are sensible of the weight and the heavinesse of sinne ere they go bowed down because of this burden and when that hath broken them it is many times longer ere they are directed to an Evangelicall life ere they can tell how to make use of the proper remedy which is the promise of God in Christ for all their disputes and doubts arise from this as if the fullfilling of the promises were established upon themselves and not upon Christs bloud Truly if the humbled sinner were well instructed in this principle it would be like the rising of the Sunne to dispell all darknesse for either the promises are made good because of thy faith and of thy repentance or because of Christs bloud and atonement through that if because of the former then no wonder thou art no more quieted in thy minde no wonder thy heart is so full of fears for how weak is thy faith how strong and heavy is thy heart if thou must be justified by their worth thou art undone But then if Christ be
is the Prince of darkness and a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour and those that are afflicted they are almost in his jaws The room is almost ready swept and garnished for him How many in their troubles hath he prevailed upon to despair to self-murder to destroy themselves Thus he is watching at his advantage to provoke thee in thy troubles to impatience to discontent and from these to rage and fretting against God and from these to final despair Shall then the Devil be thus busie to assault a poor soul and wilt thou not be as diligent to recover him Lastly Though God be the God of all comfort and so he can if he please comfort without any Paul ' s any Ministers or Christians yet he hath appointed their service as a means by which he will comfort us It might be thought a vain thing to send for Minister or Christians to comfort seeing it is God onely that can do this but you must know God will do it by his instituted means Whereas therefore it is the Devils great temptation to keep off such afflicted ones from coming to the publick Ordinances from Prayer from revealing and manifesting their temptations to those that are holy and wise Let such troubled souls know that this is the way to throw themselves irrecoverably into the Devils mouth and therefore though God will comfort yet it must be in the use of the means appointed by the Ministry by Prayer by Conference Therefore though thou complainest thou darest not pray thou darest not come to the Ordinances for then thy temptations are most violent and fiery yet give not them over for in and through these God will at last communicate comfort to thee God is the God of comfort through the instituted and appointed means of comfort Indeed if by an absolute necessity thou art deprived of all means of comfort from others as many of the Martyrs have been then thou mayest expect immediate consolations from God and that he will be in stead of all Ministers and godly friends to thee And so much for the second general head In the third place The dispensation of comfort to those that are in trouble is of two sorts Charitativè and Potestativè Charitativè is that which every Christian in the way of love is bound to do to another When the Apostle commanded the Thâ—ssalâ—nians to comfort one another he speaketh to them as private Christians Potestativè is that whereby the Ministers of the Gospel who are in Power and Office do administer consolation to others And as the Minister in Office hath a peculiar promise from God in the discharge of his Office so may the private Christian expect a greater success in his labours when faithfully discharged For the Office is not enough unless it be dispensed in Gods way Hence to them is given the Keyes or Power to bind and loose with this addition that what they do shall be ratified that is as they say Clave non errante provided that they bind or loose in a Scripture-way The Minister then of the Gospel is by his Office to comfort as well as to terrifie to loose as well as to bind not that he doth these things authoritatively but ministerially and declaratively only yet so that in the declaration of this a specia success may be expected from God Hence James 5. 14 15. Those who are sick are commanded to call for the Elders to pray for them and in that is included all other duties requisite to the saving of that sick mans soul Yea some have been so greatly disconsolate and tempted by Satan that learned and pious Divines have though is convenient to give a particular absolution and private application of the Gospel to such an humbled sinner and that in a ministerial way as in the name of Christ Fourthly We say in the Doctrine That it 's a duty in a right manner to administer comfort to such as are in trouble Now that right manner comprehends very much for an unseasonable and unwise or unfaithfull comfort doth destroy rather than do good even as Physick unseason by given To a right manner there is required 1. A skill and knowledge of the temptation as also the disposition of him who is thus exercised To be a Physician of souls requireth admirable prudence and wisdome above what is in the master of the body Every temptation is not cured by every comfort neither is every exercised man the same he appeareth to be he may be an hypocrite he may live in known sinnes to himself yet secret to others and if comfort be given to every one that complaineth this will be to give pearl to swine Job's friends though wise and godly did mistake in the nature of Job's affliction thinking it was for some extraordinary sinne or his hypocrisie in the wayes of God whereas it was for the trial of his graces They also mistook about his person condemning him for an hypocrite when yet he was full of integrity Thus you see we may mistake on the right hand and on the left 2. The right way of comforting lieth in taking the Scripture-way and that is by discovering sinne and searching to the very bottome and then to give comfort as you do in wounds go to the bottome before you heal The Scriptures do sadly complain of those Priests that daubed with untempered morter that cryed Peace when there was none and no doubt many Ministers shall answer for their applying of false comforts as well as teaching false Doctrines Every sick man looketh that the Minister should only comfort him if he speak of sinnes and damnations he is counted cruel and one that will drive men to despair But content your selves we must not we dare not comfort but in the Scripture-way and that is to such only as do mourn for their sinnes and that upon true grounds For every Pharaoh and Ahab can humble themselves while the hand of God is upon them and they think they shall die but these are not the mourners that God would have comforted thou must bewail thy sinnes from spiritual principles and heavenly motives such as will hold in thy health as well as in thy sickness This then is the soul of this Doctrine It 's a duty to comfort those who are in a trouble but in a wise faithfull Scripture-way Otherwise those damned souls thrown into hell will to all eternity curse those Ministers that cryed Peace peace to them Oh that ye had cryed hell hell damnation damnation to us that might have done us more good SERM. XLIV That the same Grounds of Comfort which revive the Hearts of one Godly man may do the same likewise to another 2 COR. 1. 4. By the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God WE shall at this time finish the Text. For whereas two things remain in the Division The Manner how the Apostles do comfort others and that is By the comfort wherewith they themselves are comforted
And the Fontal Cause of all who is said to be God Of this later we have said enough already We shall therefore at this time dispatch the former That comfort by which the Apostles themselves were refreshed by that did they revive others even those that were farre inferiour to them both in gifts and graces So that as by the same Sunne both the rich and the poor do see one finds the sweetness of the light as well as the other Thus also by the same grounds of comfort that any godly man may be supported all may be Observe That those grounds of comfort which revive the heart of one godly man may also do another That which is wine to make glad the heart of Paul will also exhilarate the hearts of others who believe in Christ That which is honey to one cannot be gall to another This truth hath its great practical use And First Let us consider That there are general grounds of comfort for all the godly in all their tribulations and there are special particular ones The general grounds of comfort are such that all the godly may make use of at all times be they Jew or Gentile bond or free eye or foot in the body of Christ there is no difference no exemption this fountain is set open Neither is it like the pool of Bethesda wherein the first only that stept in could be healed for here all are invited to drink first and last and that abundantly There are Catholicon comforts that let our diseases be what they will be these are proper to cure us There are some promises so full of general comfort for every condition that they are made for the meridian of every godly man Let us give you some summary draught of them As 1. That all afflictions do come from the love of a Father to such as believe So that although they be grievous to flesh and bloud and have a bitter taste yet they come from a sweet root These thorns do grow upon a vine These bitter streams come from a sweet fountain Now this ground of comfort belongs to all that have an unfeigned love to God Canst thou make out thy evidence of being in Christ Is thy name to be found in the book of life Then this comfort thou mayest apply to thy self be thy condition or quality what it can be thou mayest boldly take this cordial and it is as proper for thee as a David or Paul any of those who are pillars in godliness Heb. 12. 6. For whom he loveth he chasteneth So that you see here is such an argument of comfort that every member of the body of Christ may use 2. Another general ground of comfort is The end and fruit of afflictions As they come from Gods love so they are to subdue sinne to bring us nearer to God Hence afflictions are compared to the fire that purgeth away the dross to winnowing that driveth away the chaff to pruning that cuts off the luxuriant branches and makes the other branches more fruitfull They are given by Christ the wise Physician of our souls as heavenly physick and admirable remedies to crucifie to sinne and to quicken to righteousnesse If God denieth thee such outward comforts thou desirest know that this very denial is for thy good and darest thou say Lord let me have them though they damn me Let me not be afflicted though it will do me good Quid â—…sit vâ—l prosit novit medicus non egrotus Thus the Apostle Rom. 8. All things shall work together for the good of those who love God The Apostle also speaketh notably of these afflictions in respect of the issue of them as well as of the original whence they flow Heb. 12. 9 10 11. where a three-fold advantage is said to come by them 1. By yeelding to the Father of Spirits chastising us we live Tribulations therefore are the way to make us live spiritually here and eternally hereafter If it were not for afflictions thou mightst die and be damned They have prevented much sinne They have been like a file to the iron to get off the rust They have been like the plowing and harrowing of the ground to fit thee to bring forth fruit And 2. God is said to chastise us for our profit which is expressed to be That we might be partakers of holinesse Tribulations then are very profitable and advantagious things though flesh and blood can hardly say so It may be thy afflictions have done thee more good than all the mercies thou ever hadst And therefore under every exercise examine What profit have I got Wherein am I made more holy And then 3. At the 11th verse after the grievous and burdensome way of them for the present afterwards they will yeeld a peaceable fruit of righteousnesse The chastening doth but seem grievous and that for the present but afterwards it makes more holy which is said to be the peaceable fruit of it The soul that raged and fretted finding the benefit begins then in a peaceable quiet manner to blesse and praise God for it This is a General comfort Every godly man may say this belongs to me in my afflictions as well as to any other 3. Not to be too large here The benefits and heavenly advantages which come from Christ being ours these also are comforts in common There is no fiery sword to keep out of this Paradise Rom. 8. Doth not the Apostle conclude those great priviledges of Justification of Perseverance in that state of conquest over all spiritual enemies and that from such general grounds as all the people of God may claim to it Because Christ died and because Christ is risen because he hath given us Christ and how then not with him all things else Is there any believer so weak so contemptible that Christ did not die for and rise for Is there any to whom the Father hath not given Christ If so you see that what comforted Paul may comfort you It is a vain Position of Papists that Paul speaketh so assuredly in that condition because of an extraordinary revelation that he had that Christ was his for he grounds his perswasion upon those general arguments which belong to every godly man Christ then and his presence with all his benefits is a cordial to every believer This Sunne of Righteousnesse ariseth with healing in his wings to the least believer as well as the greatest The The Dwarfe as well as the Gyant may hold this pearle in his hand But In the second place besides such general comforts which are as some say of Manna answering all dainties and was to every mans palate that which he most delighted in There are special and particular comforts for special and particular temptations So that as every disease needeth a peculiar remedy so every temptation a proper comfort And therefore that special comfort will not serve one in his temptation which doth another in a different one And hence