or rankes soever To hear and depend upon the Ministry To wait at the gates of wisdome To obey and submit themselves to such guides Heb. 13. Let no man think himself too great or too wise and learned or too holy and godly These are soul-destructive waies For as it is a wo to us if we preach not the Gospel so it must be a wo to you if you hear it not For the same command that commands the diligent dispensing of this Word of life doth also command to the constant receiving of it Thus you see God hath commanded it It is not indifferent whether you will hear or no He hath not given any exemption to any Secondly As God hath thus commanded so he hath also graciously promised to go along with it So that the Word works by reason of the Promise God speaks a word of command to the Ministry Let it pull down sinne Let it build up grace And then it prevaileth against all opposition Thus when Christ gave his Apostles Commission to make Disciples and to preach to all men he encourageth them with this That he would be with them to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 Thus in this Chapter Paul plants and Apollo watereth but God giveth the increase So then God hath commanded this way those meanes and hath promised to be powerfull in them And therefore it 's God that sanctifieth God that begetteth us God that saveth by the Word As you see the Husbandman he prepareth the ground he throweth in seed but he cannot make it grow In the Apostles time and the first age of the Church how wonderfull and admirable was the Word in propagating Faith In converting men from their sinne and lusts And all because God was mightily with them Thirdly The Ministry is a meanes to beget Faith and Conversion as it is accompanied with Arguments to convince the understanding and Consciences of men as also with Arguments of terrour or joy to move the affections For this you must know that although the Ministry works not by any inward power as natural Causes yet it is very sutable to work upon men by propounding Arguments and Motives And these being powerfully set home by God make a wonderfull alteration by conjunction of the judgment So we may read of Paul that he did by severall Arguments prove and demonstrate that Jesus was the Cstrist So that they could not gainsay him Whereupon they did either believe or prove obstinate opposers If you aske then How comes the Ministry to be thus Instrumental The Answer is By a potent and strong conviction of the Conscience declaring Grounds out of the Scripture So that the Ministry is called the Candlestick which holds out the light The Word indeed is a two-edged Sword dividing into the inwards But there must be an hand to weild and govern it The word is an hammer but there must be an arm to strike it home And certainly it 's a wonder of wonders that people should be led in such captivity and slavery to their lusts that though they sit and hear and are convinced yet they believe not How often have we demonstrated out of the Word that thy lusts and dissoluteness are sinnes And how often at the same time doth thy conscience joyne with the Word that thou art convinced It 's thy case and thou art the man yet thou art obstinate and dost not reforme Doth not the Word bind thee up take away all thy cavils stop thy mouth thou hast nothing to say yet thou wilt be wicked because thou wilt be and so the Word is instrumental to beget grace because it worketh upon the affections by the Ministery There are Arguments of fear and terrour on one side there are Arguments of love glory and immortality on the other Now if humane Oâ—tours have been able to perswade their Auditours and Rhetorique hath made such changes in mens minds insomuch that some Heathens made Hercules so famous for strength the god of eloquence as if that were his his great might what shall we say of the Arguments and power of Gods Word which is above the hearts and consciences of men so that the Word workes faith and conversion by convincing the judgement and enflameing the affections As it is meanes or instrumental in this manner so there are these four Properties of this instrumental cause First The Ministery is the only ordinary way that God hath appointed either for the beginnings or encrease of grace For the beginnings Thus Faith is said to come by hearing Rom. 10.17 And God hath begotten us by his Word Jam. 1.18 And for the encrease Eph. 4. You may there see it is for the compleating of us in a full stature in Christ Thus as the ordinary way for a mans life is by outward food and sustenance so the ordinary meanes of all spiritual life is by the Ministery of the Word Indeed some propound particular cases as of Infants whâ— cannot hear or of deaf men or of some persons by unexpected calamities cast where no Ministery is to be had but we do not now speak of extraordinary wayes we know God did feed the Israelites with Manna from heaven when they could have no ordinary food but in Gods ordinary way unless thou expect a miracle the Ministery is the instrumental publique meanes Indeed the godly example of others and afflictions these may much prepare the heart but the Ministery that is the proper instrumental cause Secondly Because it 's the ordinary meanes therefore it 's the necessary meanes to which all are tied We cannot be without it if a man enjoy it not his soul becomes like a barren wilderness yea like a noisome dunghill Hence the Ministers are compared to those servants that distribute convenient bread to others As a house or family cannot be without bread so neither can the Church without the preaching of the Word The Ministery is frequently compared to rain the same word in its root for to rain and to teach and the preaching of it to the plentifull seasonable showers that came upon the parched ground so that as â— Land or Kingdome cannot subsist without the rain from heaven so neither people without these meanes Isa 5. When God commanded the clouds to rain no more upon his vineyard his meaning was he would take away the Pastor and the Teacher from them and then woe be to that land Thirdly This instituted means is very unlikely for such glorious effects to a carnalâ—â—ie Hereupon it 's very despicable and contemptible to humane reason The Apostle calls it the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 not that it is so indeed for â—t ' the wisdome of God to salvation but the Apostle calls it so according to the principles of humane wisdome For whether you do regard the matter or manner of preaching it 's both very unlikely ever to produce such effects The matter is high paradoxal incredible to flesh and blood The manner of delivering is plain without the
no more gainsay it Thirdly Lay aside all superfluity of naughtinesse Jam. 1 21. If Aristotle thought not a young man a fit Auditour for his Ethicks much lesse is a propane beast wallowing in his filth fit for the Word The ground must have all the bryars and thorns pulled up ere the seed sown can bring forth any fruit No lust no sinne lived in hath ears to hear When the Law was to be promulged what washings and preparations were there for several dayes together Thou that comest to the Ministry with all thy goar and filth upon thee thou art a loathsome and an abominable object Do men use to sow in bogs and quagmires So neither doth the Word thrive in men of loose and dissolute lives The Prophet in an indignation at the sinfulnesse of his people crieth out Hear ô Heavens and hearken ô Earth Isa 1.2 as if those insensible creatures would more attend than some men Vse of Exhortation Labour to find the Ministry something some great thing some terrible thing some comfortable thing to thee Oh how many are there to whom it 's nothing They make nothing of any Sermon they hear yea and people generally delight in such a Ministry that brings nothing to them They love not when it is like fire like a two-edged sword they love not when it troubles and disquiets them for sinne the more it 's nothing and passeth away as nothing the more contented they are Oh people prepared for destructon Oh people hated by God! For wherein doth God shâ—w his love more to a people then by causing the Word to be like fire in the bowels Those whom God loveth they find the Ministery efficacious and vigorous they find it to come with power and autority they cry out great is the power of the Lord. Oh how it searcheth how it tryeth how it convinceth how it conquers nothing an stand before it Verse 8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one THe Apostles scope is as you have heard to prevent factions and divisions both in Preachers and hearers to unite them together in love and agreement for which he hath used several Arguments And this eighth Verse beginneth a new Medium to prove the necessity of concord both among the Ministers themselves and the people What is said of men joyned in earthly power Erunt insuperabiles si inseperabiles the same is true both of the Officers and members in the Church of God Now the Argument the Apostle presseth is to this effect Those that are one ought not to be divided either by themselves or by their hearers But all the Officers in Godâ— Church whether those that plant or water they are one Therefore they ought not to be divided So that you see though there is diversity of gifts and employmenss yet they all agree in one it 's unity therefore among Ministers and the people that is made the ground of concord This would be a very necessary subject in these times of multiplyed divisions it being very hard now a daies to say He that watereth and he that planteth are one But I shall pass it over briefly in one Sermon Now this phrase They are one is not to be understood essentially as if they were one nature in which sence 1 Joh. 5. it 's said There are three that bear witness is heaven and these three are one Nor secondly are they one in respect of labour and worth No Paul laboured more abundantly then they all and as the starres differ from one another so do the Ministers of God in worth and ability Therefore the Apostle prevents such thoughts by the words appendant Every man shall receive according to his own labour Vnum sunt non individuo non gradu non donis non vocatione non autoritate non tempore non labore nec non maerore saith Baldwin on the place But they are said to be one in regard of the scope and end for which the Ministery is appointed viz. to gather a Church unto God and to build them up in saith and godliness Observe That although there is diversity and variety in the gifts of the Ministers yet they all ought to agree in one They are to have the same mind the same ends the same mouth Hence is that expression According as he hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were from the beginning Luk. 1.70 All the Prophets ever since the world began had but one mouth He doth not say the mouths but the mouth To shew there was no contrariety no opposition but all agreed in this Thus it should be the mouth of the Ministers of Christ they should go the same way one should not preach contrary to the other one should not destroy what the other affirmes Hence our Saviour did so earnestly pray That his Disciples might be one Joh. 17. For what a scandal and offence would it have been if they who were to be Teachers of the Word and to lay the foundation of the Gospel should not have agreed among themselves So that whereas the Apostle pressing unity Eph 4.4 5. doth reckon up several kinds of unities One body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one Baptisme so we may adde one Ministery so that divisions are a great argument of weakness and of errour foâ— truth cannot be divided is not contrary to it self as errour is not that unity is a note of the true Church as Papists plead who yet have little cause to boast of it especially not unity in matters that are not fundamental and necessary The Apostle supposeth that when he saith If any be otherwise minded the Lord will reveal even this also to him Phil. 3.15 To open this The Ministery ought to be one First In respect of doctrine and true doctrine that is the soul and life of all 1 Tim. 1.3 Paul layeth a charge that they do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach another doctrine Oh it 's a sad prognostique of ruine when some Ministers preach one doctrine as necessary to salvation others another now the true doctrine is revealed in the Word and whatsoever is another from that is not grounded there that is to be rejected Yea the Apostle would have us anathematize an Angel from heaven that should bring any other doctrine Gal. 1.8 And John would not have us so much as receive them in the house or bid them God speed 2 Joh ver 10 11. and who doth so he saith is partaker of all his evil deeds So then the Ministery ought to be one in respect of doctrine to preach one God one Christ one Faith one way to heaven for they are not to be inverters but keepers only of heavenly doctrine Keep that good thing committed to thy trust said the Apostle 2 Tim. 1.14 Secondly There ought to be unity in regard of their end and scope They all ought to shoot at the same mark which is two-fold 1. The glory of God to set up God and
them I rather think the latter because it 's used as a Name of honour If any man suffer as a Christian saith Peter 1 Pet. 1.3 Now this title Christian is of great importance Many are apt to say As they are a Christian when there is no reall Christianity in them For to be a Christian is as much as to be one anointed For as Christ was so called because annointed with all Graces in an unlimited manner so every Member of Christ is called a Christian because anointed with Graces Oh then thou that gloriest in that thou art no Heathen no Infidel no Jew but a Christian consider whether this be not a vain boast For is thy prophaneness thy wickedness thy impieties the anointing of Gods Spirit So that to have the reall power of Christianity is a difficult and straight work In after times the title Christian still continued And although they were sometimes called Cornelians from Cornelius Cyrillians from Cyrillus and Joannitae from John Chrysostome Eustathiani from Eustathius yet they did not own these Names And as Heresies began to rise up in many places some teaching one thing some another the Christian that kept to the true Faith that was constantly and universally believed in all the ages of the Church beginning from Christ and the Apostles times was called Catholique or universall in which sense he said Christianus mihi nomen Catholicus cognomen So that to be a Catholique was to believe that Faith which had been universally taught first by Christ and the Apostles afterwards by faithfull men in all ages And for the Papist to call himself a Catholique when the Roman Church hath so manifestly degenerated from the Apostolical and Scripture Doctrine and for them to make the Roman and the Catholique Church all one is as absurd as if a man should call London or England all the world The Papist therefore is no Catholique in a true sense because he cannot prove his Faith by the Apostolical Doctrine in the Scripture yea accuseth the Scripture as insufficient And some of their learned men have confessed that if they should try thir cause by the Scripture meerly it was gone I shall instance in one famous Name given to such who truly own Christ and his Truths and that is Protestants They were called thus not many years since in Luther's time whereas the Orthodox had got some indulgence for the profession of their true Religion and pure worship The Popish party did importune the Emperour of Germany to make an Edict at Worms and afterwards at Spires That no Religion should be publickly professed and owned but the Roman The Lutheran Party both Noblemen and others made a Solemn Protestation against that unjust Decree and ever since all that reformed from Popery have been called Protestants So that all those who have a compliance with Popery that admire their way in their heart or act by their principles cannot truly be called Protestants Thus you have heard the chief names by which Christians are called And still after no mans name And whereas Papists call us Lutherans Calvinists c. we indeed own Luther and Calvin and such men for worthy and famous instruments of Gods glory in their time but it is their calumny to call us after their Names It is true a man by way of difference or distinction he may say a Lutheran and Calvinist to denote some peculiar opinion but to own any man as an Author of our Faith or the foundation of Religion is not consistent with true Christianity There are pregnant Reasons for this First Because as our faith in regard of the efficient cause is the gift of God so the object and motive of it must be Gods authoriâ—y because he speaks and revealeth such things Humane faith is because a man saâ—â—h such a thing divine faith because God saith so Now see how carefull the Apostle was that the Churches faith should not be in humane wisdome but in the mighty power of God And so the Thessalonians received it not as the word of man but as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 The Apostle saith They had not dominion of their faith 2 Cor. 1.24 They were not able to make any Articles of Faith necessary to be believed You see then none may be called after men we are not their Disciples their believers for that which resteth on men is but an humane faith and we ought to have a divine faith Men indeed may be instruments to propound the things to be believed but the motive is a divine testimony because God saith so Solomon by his wisdome declared to which woman the childe belonged to but he did not cause the affections of the mother to the child So faithfull Officers of the Church may declare the truth of God but they cannot work faith in thee Secondly Therefore we may not be called after men to build on them because we are not baptized into any mans name and we are onely to professe those in whose name we are baptized into 1 Cor. 1.13 Paul doth powerfully urge this Argument why they might not say they were of Paul because they were not baptized into the name of Paul So then his Disciple thou art and his badge thou onely art to wear in whose name thou wert baptized and that is not into the name of a man but the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Thirdly The Apostle presseth another Argument Was Paul crucified for you Did Paul die for you 1 Cor. 1.13 His meaning is In him onely we are to believe who is able to make our reconciliation with God who hath wrought our Redemption for us And therefore it 's a very high sinne to build your faith on a man It 's to make him a Saviour it 's to put him in Christs room Fourthly Our Apostle urgeth a further Argument in the same Chapter He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord And Christ is made unto us Wisdome So all boasting in men is to be excluded as well as boasting in works Oh but what is the cause of so many errors of so many divisions It 's from boasting in men such a man and such a man and by this meanes the glory due to God is taken away Fifthly The Scripture makes it a great sinne in matters of Religion and the worship of God to be servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 Now what is it to be a servant of men when as bruit beasts we are wholly led at the command of others believe what they bid us believe worship with such worship as they command yet this hath been an universal sinne in all ages of the Church Men nuzzled in ignorance and pleasing themselves in their folly have without any judgement or information from Gods Word taken such a Religion and followed such a Worship as hath been imposed upon them Hence they have been sometimes of one Religion and sometimes of another because they have been servants to men and not Disciples of Christ
doth divide the whole Ministerial employment in two parts planting and watering so it attributeth the cheifest and noblest of all to God without whom the other abilities are in vain The fat in the offerings was to be given to God and God gives the fat to us in spiritual services the soul and life of all is expressed in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is one word in the Greek but our English Translatours and so the Latin read it giving the encrease The Metaphor is easie As the Gardiner sets his herbs waters them but he cannot make them grow he cannot make the least flower that is though he hath never so much skill Thus it is here though they be Ministers of Seraphical affections and Cherubinical knowledge yet they cannot make the Word to prosper and to encrease in the hearer it 's God doth that Isa 55.10 Isa 61.11 There you have such similitudes so that this latter part is an admirable direction to look above the abilities above the parts and gifts of men We think Oh if we have such a Ministery all would be well whereas Apollo and Paul cannot give encrease Observe That it's God only who can and will give encrease and spiritual success to the Ministerial labours in the Church God that at first said to the earth which had no more natural power of it self then a stick or peice of wood Increase and bring forth fruit doth also speak to such exhortations instructions to convince and convert when there is no inward strength in them and therefore howsoever the preaching of the Word be compared often to rain that falls on the ground and makes the grass to grow yet there is this difference The rain workes by a natural power as a natural cause but the Word of God only as an instituted and appointed cause by him Did it work naturally all that hear would be converted every Sermon would work like those of the Apostles that brought home so many To open this Consider First That though God only gives the encrease yet it is only in and through the Ministery We must not make such cavils What use is there of Preaching What need of the Ministery Men will be as prophane and as ungodly as ever till God change the heart for you may as well urge What needs the Husbandman plow or sow or prepare the ground it 's God only that blesseth it No God hath instituted means to which he hath bound us and those that will not hear Paul planting or Apollo watering may justly expect God will give no encrease Therefore the Apostle foresaw that great evil of forsaking the Assemblyes the Ordinances and bids them take heed as the forerunner of Apostacy Heb. 10.25 26. If you take a tree from the River side where it grew and brought forth fruit and plant it in a wilderness it will quickly wither Secondly As God giveth the encrease only so the time when and the persons on whom is wholly at his good pleasure The Lord makes the Word prosperous at one time and not another sometimes it cometh like fire into the bosome it burneth thee all over at another time thou findest no operation To some people it 's like the leaves of the tree in the Revelation it 's the healing of the Nation it 's the healing of people it makes the ignorant to know the prophane to become holy it mollifieth the hard heart it turneth a wilderness into a garden But to another people it 's like salt that hath lost its savour or that maketh a place more barren it maketh no relish no tast no alteration You would wonder a people should sit so long under the beames of the Sunne and be no more coloured by it preaching and no preaching is all one to him this is the Lords doing it should be not only marvellous in our eyes but dreadfull to our ears To some it is given to know and understand but to others not Mat. 13.11 Now let us consider why God only giveth the encrease and then the ends that God hath in this First God only can give the encrease because he only hath a soveraignty and power over the heart Others may speak to the ear propound Arguments to perswade but to change the heart to perswade the heart indeed that God only can who made the heart Thus Noah prayeth or prophesieth God perswade Shem to dwell in the tents of Japhet God perswade him or God will perswade him we translate it enlarge as if he should say all the men of the world all Arguments cannot till God overpower his heart Gen. 9.27 So Ezek. 36.36 I will take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh No Potentate no Emperour can say I will give a man another heart He may force the body but not change the heart Hence it is that the Scripture atttributes all the work of grace to Believe to Repent only to God Oh then lift up your hearts on high in every Sermon Look up to those Hils to Heaven from whence comes Conversion When the Apostles wrought Miracles they looked up to God and the people they glorified God They were convinced none could do such things but God And so we Ministers are to look up to God and you people that God may be glorified Secondly God only can give the Increase because the Increase is of spiritual and supernatural consideration It 's altogether Heavenly Now there is no proportion between humane abilities and heavenly graces There is no disposition Inter ordinem naturae ordinem gratiae The order of nature and the oder of grace All that the most able Ministers can do is within the compass of nature but the fruits being Heavenly must come otherwise As in man though a Child hath his body from the Father yet the soul comes immediately from God because it 's of an immaterial and immortal substance Thus also Faith and Repentance being immaterial Graces though the Minister may prepare and dispose the Subject yet the working of them is only from God It 's true indeed that the Parts and Abilities of one Minister may be objectively better for Conversion and more likely for profiting then another They may propound stronger Arguments to convince the Conscience They may set those Arguments home with greater life and vigour as Apollo was said to be potent in the Scripture Thus one Minister may exceed another in Glory as one Starre doth another Yet God only is the efficient Cause of every good and perfect Gift Thirdly Therefore God only giveth the increase because of the deep pollution that is in every man who is not only blind and deaf but dead Now to what purpose is an eloquent Pathetical Oration to a dead man David that did with so much affection weep over dead Absalom yet could not bring him to life So that the Preachers of the Word differ from all the humane Oratours Greek and Latin They might by their eloquence
bitterness at the latter end If these pleasures would not turn into torment then it were something but as these have abounded so will thy torments and troubles also abound Thou canst not say with Agag the bitterness of death and hell are past What is the sad end of all Dives his joy Yea sometimes they are destroyed in the very midst of all their pleasures as the Philistimes and as Nabal were Fifthly The joy and gladness of a godly man is stable and perpetual because the ground and cause of it is unchangeable God never ceaseth to be his Father he shall never be cast out of the state of Justification he shall never lose his interest in Heaven now this rock alwayes abiding their joy must also be immoveable It 's true though the godly have cause alwayes to rejoyce yet they do not so actually for the present they may mourn and be in bitterness but that many times is caused by their own sinne and weakness or else God to give them more comfort afterwards doth suspend present comfort as the Sunne is most welcome after a tempestuous black storme but though this be yet the foundation of their joy remaineth sure there is the same cause why they should rejoyce alwayes Oh but thus it is not with the unregenerate man all his joy is but a blaze and all the cause or ground of it is very uncertain Every creature and condition they rejoyce in is it not mutable To day laughing to morrow crying To day cheerfull because thou hast it to morrow mourning because thou hast lost it Thus in Job Chap. 20.5 Zophar saith The triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of an hypocrite for a moment The oil to this lamp will quickly fail thy honours thy life thy wealth these things will not last alwayes Oh then should it not be thy wisdome to lay up for such joy that will abide continually that will never leave thee Is it not evident folly to take thy delight in that which may be lost the next hour As Jonah took great content in his Gourd and within a day a worme breedeth therein and consumeth all Therefore say of thy worldly joy as thou mayest of thy life it self It is but a buble a vapour here to day and gone to morrow if thou couldest preserve all this delight continually and death it self could not rob thee of it then go on and make much of it But to thy terrour thou wilt find the instability of it as with the Sodomites The morning was fair and pleasant but fire and brimstone was upon them before night For ought thou knowest thou mayest go from laughing here to eternal roarings in hell the next moment Sixthly Spiritual joyes transcend earthly because the soul can better perceive them they are of a more spiritual and penetrating nature and efficacy The soul can receive them as the spunge doth water or the iron doth fire the soul may be filled with it but all bodily delights and joy they are more gross and thick This reason give the Schoolmen why all soul delights are above the body and much more if they be spiritual and heavenly As those sinnes which are immediately seated in the soul they are more deep and inward then bodily sinnes so that joy and delight which enters immediately into a mans soul is farre more soaking and pressing then that which is upon the body primarily For bodily joyes are like the Sunne-beames which come in at a cranny or little hole but foul delight is as when the Sunne comes in at a window or at a great door there is capacity enough to receive it Seventhly All earthly joy is to be moderated we may sinne in it we may go too farre we may over-joy Therefore the Psalmist exhorts Psal 2. to rejoyce with trembling While we take any joy in these earthly things we are to do it with trembling for then is a temptation to sinne then are we in greatest danger in the midst of heat we are subject to take cold Hence the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. Those that rejoyce must be as if they did not rejoyce So great a care are we to have that our joy be moderated we do not say it 's unlawfull to take delight and joy in the creatures the Scripture commands to eat and drink with joy of heart only we must not joy excessively we may quickly let this joy overflow the bankes and certainly the carnal and immoderate joy that men take even in lawfull things is no little part of their iniquity For why is it that thy heart can rejoyce in outward mercies thou canst take delight in these creatures but hast none at all in heavenly things A Fair a Market is thy delight when thou canst not call the Sabbath a delight Is not all this because thy heart over-joyeth in these things Vse of Exhortation not to be disheartned at godliness as if it were a sad melancholy mopish life Oh know thou never comest to have true joy til thou live the godly exact and precise life The closer thou walkest with God the more fearfull to commit any sinne the more unspeakable and solid is thy joy Oh call not that laughter and mirth of the wicked man joy Solomon saith it 's not joy it 's madness Do not ye see mad men they will laugh and hoot and leap with jollity when they are bereft of reason and lye in chains bound up in a dark Dungeon Such is all the worlds laughter They die laughing They go to hell laughing and is not this madness Yet who can perswade men to leave their carnal jollity and to tast how good and pleasant the wayes of God are Well go on and take thy delights thou wilt have laughing enough one day for Prov. 1. God will laugh at thy destruction and mock when thy fear cometh Of the Godly Mans Holy Security and Admirable quietnesse of Spirit as another Effect of the Light of Gods Countenance PSAL. 4.8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety WE have heard of one glorious Effect of the light of Gods countenance upon David viz. A gladnesse surpassing all the joy that can be in the world now in this verse we have a second and no lesse noble Effect of the same cause For as the Sunne hath many severall and notable effects upon the earth it doth not only enlighten or comfort but makes fruitfull and aboundeth also in many other effects Thus the favour of God where that is perceived it is not one or two but many glorious consequents flow from thence And this in the text is an holy security and admirable quietnesse of spirit free from all sinfull distempers let his danger be never so great So that this heavenly tranquillity is a fruit of that Faith which he had in God at this time though so greatly tempted Therefore in the words you have David's godly security a fruit of his Faith
pure Worship because 1. God is greatly provoked by the contrary God may be provoked by sinfull worship three waies 2. Corrupt worship â—ends to the breach of Union between God and his Church 3. God looks upon corrupt worship as done to Devils 4. Men are prone to invent new worship Reasons to prove that all acceptable worship must have a Divine Command Quest Answ Of the foundation of practice The parts are 1. It 's directory Gods Word 2. The justifion of our persons 3. A receiving power from Christ 4. A renewed and sanctified nature Why we should be carefull of laying these foundations for every good action The â—oâ—ten foundations that men build upon in regard of practice Observ Of Ministers praising themselves In what cases Ministers may magnifie their Work and Office Observ Ministers are not to preach any new Doctrine The use of Preaching notwithstanding the fulness of the Scripture Observ Of Ministers building upon the foundation of Scripture by their preaching Gal. 3.15 A two-fold building upon the foundation Both the words of Scripture and the sense of Scripture must be attended unto Why Ministers must take heed how they build upon the true foundation 1. On Gods part 2. On the peoples part 3. On the Ministers part Directions to Ministers and people how to build aright upon the foundation Observ Of preaching Jesus Christ as the foundation How many waies Christ is to be preached as a foundation Reasons why Ministers are to lay no other foundation but Christ Object Answ Object Answ The great advantages which those people have who are built on Christ Observ What is implied by comparing the truths of Christ to gold and precious stones 1. In respect of the matter 2. In respect of the way and manner of preaching them Observ Errors not fundamental are hay and stubble Propositions to amplifie this point Why errors are called hay and stubble Wickedness in practice the fruit of errour in judgement Observ What secret sins shall be brought to light The aggravation of secret hidden sins Observ Hidden and secret wayes of false doctrine shall be made manifest What concerning errours shall be made manifest 1. The causes of errour shall be manifest 1. Pride 2. Ignorance 3. Hypocrisie 4. Ambition and affectation of high places 5. Discontent and imparience 6. Envy 7. Contemplative delight in a mans own notions II. The nature of errour shall be manifested III. The cunning subtilty in divulging them shall be manifested Observ That God hath his time for the discovering of errour Errors are spiritual judgements What is meant by fire The way God takes to bring people out of errour By the word and afflictions Which are both helpfull but differently in these respects How wandering sheep are reduced by the Word Object Answ How afflictions may help to reduce men from errour Observ Of the durable nature of Gods Truths Truth two-fold Increated and Created Created truths of two sorts Scripture truths reduced to four heads Truth willing to be tryed They grow more illustrious by the fiery Tryal The effects of truth also upon the heart will abide this tryal Object Qu. Whether any Ministers or Churches are quite free from building hay or stubble Observ Every man shal be a loser by what error soever he maintaineth Wherein they shall be losers Observ Errours in judgment may damn a man as well as a wicked life The several corruptions of the understanding that endanger a mans salvation The difference between errour and heresie The grounds of the Doctrin Observ The difficulty of salvation even to a godly man The Church is Gods Temple Observ Church Priviledges and Relations are great Obligations to Holinesse How the word Temple is used in Scripture What it doth signifie Of Gods spiritual Temple What there is in the Church alusively to the Temple Of Gods presence with his Church The significa of the word Spirit when attributed to God That the Holy Ghost is God and a Person That he is a Person That he is God Arguments Why the holy Ghost is called Spirit Of the Spirits dwelling in us What to have the Spirit dwell in us implieth The special works and effects of the holy Spirit in his Church Doubt Resolution Observ Of defiling Gods Church with errours Why errors are said to defile Gods Church How God will punish Heretiques A godly maâ—n may fall into a damnable heresie How a godly man erring differeth from a wicked man Errour and erroneous persons distinguished Why God is so provoked with corruptions in Doctrine and Worship Observ Of Eternal Damnation The punishment of losse The pain of sense The aggravations of this destruction Eternal Universal Inevitable Observ Of the Temple of God Of the Jewish Tabernacle and Temple Believers joyned in a Church way according to Scripture are Gods temple Observ Of humane wisdome what an hinderance it is to the things of Christ Carnal wisdom an enemy to the Scripture Carnal wisdom an enemy to Christian duties Observ Humane wisdome nothing to Scripture-wisdome Scripture-wisdome excels speculative wisdome Scripture wisdome excels the moral or practical wisdome of the world Observ True wisdome is but folly in the worlds account The things to be believed have these seeming follies The hope of a Christian foolish in the judgment of the world The duties of Christians foolish in the judgement of the world Observ That true wisdom is only in the Church of God demonstrated Observ All worldly wisdom is folly before God And that whether considered actively or passively I. Active foolishnesse How worldly wisdome is foolishnesse in a passive sense God turning all their wisdome into folly A two-fold humane wisdome viz. good evil Observ How God takes the wise men of the world in their own craft Object Answ Observ Of vain thoughts In what sense the Scripture useth the word vain Observ Of glorying in men How many wayes we may be said to glory in men in the general How many wayes we may be said to glory in Doctors and Teachers Observ All things are the Saints In what respects all things may be said to be the godly mans Why God made all things for the godly Object Answ Object Answ Doubt Answ Object Answ Observ All Offices are for the Church In what sense the Ministers are not servants to the Church against Brownists In what sense they are the Churches The end for which they are the Churches Observ In what sense the world is said to be a godly mans Object Answ Observ Godly men only live In what respects it is true that the wicked do not live Observ The generation of death In how many particulars death is a godly mans Observ Observ Observ In what respects a godly man is Christs Characters of such as are Christs In what sense Christ can be said to be Gods Observ Of the Natures and Person of Christ and of the hypostatical Union How Christ as a man and as a Mediatour is Gods The general Character of the godly and the wicked All good the creature affords should lead us to God the universal good All naturally desire felicity The perswasiâ— of what is the best good and which is chiefly to be desired is wonderfully diversifyed according to the several inclinations humours and conditions of men How hardly this sin is discerned untill a man be enlightned by Gods Spirit All have lost the Image of God which alone did elevate the soul And Original corruption is come in the room of it If the godly man is yet conflicting with this sinne then it must needs reign in an unregenerate man The common gifts and graces of Gods Spirit never cures this evil The point is proved from the nature of Conversion And from the restlesse and unquiet heart of every natural man Their very approaches to God demonstrate that they prefer something before him The creature is unable to help us in our greatest exigencies Immoderate love of the creature is inconsistent with the love of God Is's a wofull snare and temptation The Word is unprofitable to a man while he preferres the creature It is a tormenting sinne All the things thus affected are vanities It 's direct Idolatry It 's a debasing of a man Such as prefer the world before God cannot Pray The heart is too noble for the creature Consider that all that have over-loved the creature have experienced the vanity of it Consider the reâ—sâ—â— why God mingles gall with the Honey of every creature Consider how insufficient they are of themselves to help and comfort us Heaven and glory cannot be obtained without a preement and transcendent affection to all other things Consider how â— some Heathens and superstitious persons have trampled upon earthly things to attain a notable end What this phrase to lift up the light of Gods countenance upon a man implyeth I. Riches II. An untroubled Conscience is no Argument of Gods countenance 1. An untroubled Conscience may be a stupid seared Conscience 2. And may be accompanied with grosse sinnes 3. And without taking Gods way for the obtaining and preserving of it Causes of the eclipse of Gods face to the godly The nature of this joy How it exceeds all worldly Joy The wonderfull Effects of Faith in quieting the soul in Afflictions The Doctrine xplain ed. The Arguments by which Faith quieteth the Soul The Stoical Security The Mirth and jollity of most wicked men under Gods Judgements How it differs from a gratious Confidence God alone preserveth in safety I. II. God preserveth principally And by creatures instrumentally 1. Irrational 2. Rational men Angels III IIII. The several waies by which God preserveth his people in safety