other man for all men are Lyars and subject to errours 1 Cor. 13.9 And as God so he was the Author of Truth and Truth it self Joh. 14.6 Every word he spake was the Word of God the Word was God Joh. 1.1 Christ was the Word not onely the Essential Word which was always with God but the very written Word too He was Scripture saith one Dr. Dunn As we say of great and Universal Schollers that they are viventes Bibliochecae living walking speaking Libraties so Christ was Loquens Scriptura living speaking Scripture Our Sermons are Text and Discourse Christ's Sermons were all Text And so Credit of right is due to whatsoever he spake without any further proof Obj. But Christ alleadges Scripture for what he said Luke 19.46 24.46 Ioh. 8.17 10.34 5.33 Resp he confirms his Doctrine by it as Luke 19.46 24.46 Joh. 8.17 10.34 And referred his Hearers to the testimony of others as Joh. 5.33 He did so and in so doing he refers them to himself for he was the Scripture nor was that testimony which was given of him the testimony of man Ioh. 5.34 Again Ioh. 5.34 Ioh. 3.35 this he did First to confirm the Authority of Scripture Ioh. 3.35 Secondly Ioh. 13.5 to give us that are Dispensers of the Word an example Ioh. 13.5 I have given you an example that you should do as I have done As in that so in this Thirdly in respect of the weakness of his Hearers whom he did instruct because as yet they did not so fully know him to be the Son of God they looked on him as mere man not knowing the relation he had to the Father nor believing that the Deity was veiled under the flesh And so for the present the testimony of Scripture was of more Authority with them then his bare word But this was more then he was bound unto or needed to have done Obj. But he confessed 2. Ioh. 5.31 32. Resp his Witness were not true Joh. 5.31 32. That was said out of a Legal and Proverbial Opinion of theirs that a Witness testifying of himself was not to be believed in that he said and so there is a Rhetorical Conception in the words saith Beza and he reasons with them after their own Conceptions q. d. Say I should yield unto you that my Testimonies concerning my self were not to be admitted as indeed in Judicature the Rule is both just and equal yet you have no reason to press this upon me for there is another that beareth Witness of me even John whom you sent unto who pointed to me with the singer and willed you to behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World John 1.29 But after this after he had done enough to make them see that he was more then man by multiplying of Miracles amongst them and when he speaks positively unto them he tells them plainly That albeit he bore Witnesse of himself yet his Witness was true John 8.13 And why so Because saith Christ I know whence I came and whither I go verse 14. Iohn 8.13 Ver. 14. Even out of the Bosome of mine Eternal Father whither I am returning even to the re-possession of that Glory So then albeit our Saviour grants that in the ordinary course of Humane Proceedings no mans testimony is to be taken concerning himself yet in his Case it was far otherwise he being a Divine Person exempted from all possibility of Errour Nor was it possible that Christ could be singularis testis he was more then one Witness because he was more then one Nature God and Man and therefore instructing Nicodemus he speaks plurally We speak that we know we testifie you receive not our Witness John 3.11 Iohn 3.11 He saith not mine but ours because he was although a singular yet a plural person too The Uses follow Use 1 If Christ's word be sufficient of it self without other Testimony for confirmation and proof then divers are to be reproved First such as will not take it alone without other warrant they rely not on it without other Testimony The Papists are such who without the Testimony of the Church will not receive the Testimony of Christ albeit they will receive the Testimony of the Church without the Testimony of Christ They will not believe the Scripture unless the Church give Testimony unto it but the Church they will believe even in such things as have no Testimony at all from Scripture And what is this then but to undervalue the Testimony of Christ and prefer the Testimony of the Church before it This is no other then in effect to believe God for man's cause and give him the honour For Dr. Prid. Lect. de testib as he that receives the Testimonie of Christ for its self sets to his Seal that God is true so he that receives it for the Testimony of the Church sets to his Seal that man is true It is granted that we receive the Scriptures by the Churches Testimony but yet not for it The Testimony of the Church may first incline us to believe that the Scripture is Scripture and make us willing to reade it Whitak and hear it Yet the Church hath a Ministerial Introductory perswasive concurrence in this Work pointing unto the Star which yet shineth by its own Light and it reacheth forth and exhibiteth unto me the light which Dr. Potter's Answ to Char. mistaken p. 141. though in it self visible could not be so ordinarily unto me unless thus presented explaining the Evidence of those Truths unto which I assent not for the Testimony of the Church but for their own intrinsecal certainty We know such a weight to be true by the Standard but the Standard true by it self All other Doctrines we know to be sound by the Scriptures but the Scriptures by themselves one Text by another And amongst our selves there may be found such as refuse to receive the bare word and testimony of Christ That Ministery is disdained by them as unlearned and of no worth that brings no other Authority and Testimony with it then the Scripture as if a Thief should refuse a Pardon from his Prince because there is not witness to it onely his own hand The Prophets Apostles yea and Christ himself contented themselves with the bare Testimony of Scripture And if the Word preached by the Prophets Apostles yea and Christ himself whether to Jews or Gentiles were absolutely to be believed and obeyed by every one that heard it without other or further Testimony why not as well and as much now by every one of us who hear it read and preached Obj. But why then do Ministers bring other Testimonies besides the Word for the confirming of their Doctrines if it be not needful Resp These Authorities are not brought for the Confirmation of Doctrine so much as for illustration of the Point or Conviction of Gain-sayers And so St. Paul alleadged the
forsake us 2 Chro. 15.2 he never breakes with us first Object But put case we have been carelesse hitherto so as that the breach is already made through our default is there any renewing of friendship what must be done in that case Differences amongst friends may arise Resp Gen. 13.8 Act. 11.2 15 39. Gal. 2.11 Math. 16.22 as did betwixt Abraham and Lot Paul and Barnabas Peter and Paul Christ and Peter God and the Godly As betwixt him and Moses David Solomon as before was said And it is very true that such differences as arise betwixt friends are many times composed with more difficulty then the contentions that arise amongst others as have bin shewed which should make us the more carefull that we break not but however it falls out with Men yet it is otherwise with God he is hardly provoked being provoked he is soon reconciled if we defire it and seek to him for it Now the means to recover friendship again in that case are these First give God a meeting when friends fall out and keep aloofe and come not near one another they are not like to agree in haste This is required Amos 4.12 Amos 4.12 We must do herein as Iacob did when he went out to meet his Brother Esau divide our band into two troops and send them before us with their presents Gen. 32.10 33 3. Body and Soul must go out to meet the Lord and neither empty hand each power of the soul and part and member of the Body must bring a present with it And when we come near we must bow our selves to the ground seaven times that is very often And then saith the Text Esau ran to his Brother and imbraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him so will God much more if we thus go forth and meet him in his wayes and ordinances Secondly Let us confesse our faults and acknowledge our errours to God promising to amend This our Saviour enjoynes betwixt man and man Luke 17.3 4. And such must be our Carriage towards God Thus did that Prodigall as we read Luke 15.18 20. and what followed thereupon Luke 17.3 4. Luke 15.18 2. The father saw him and had compassion on him and fell on his neck and kissed him Oh how quickly will God be good Friends with an humbled soul when he sees thee to droop and mourn under a sense of thy faylings he is ready to prevent thee with his mercies Thirdly come to God in the mediation of his son Jesus Christ take him up in thy armes as Themistocles did Alexander whereby he pacified King Philip the father who was offended with him The story tells us if we may believe it that Pilate being called to Rome to give an account unto the Emperour for some misgovernment and mas-administration he put on the seamlesse Coat of Christ and all the time that he had that Coat upon his back Caesars fury was abated But the Sacred story tells us this and we believe it that if we Cloath our selves with the Roabes of Christ's righteousnesse and put them on by a lively faith we shall have no cause to fear the want of Gods love and favour we having such an advocate with the Father as Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.1 2. 1 John 2.1 2. Take this course and doubt not but all breaches which have bin made betwixt God and you will be soon made up to your endlesse comfort One use yet remains Use 4 It is an Admonition to every of you that you take heed lest your wrong or offer injury to any of the godly How shy are we of wronging any who hath some great man to take his part Oh say some I will not meddle with such or such a man for he is strongly backed he hath such a Lord or such a Commander for his Friend who will not suffer him to suffer should I stir against him I am sure I should suffer for it so a great man said once to another of the Councel in King Henry the Eighth his days concerning Cramner Let him alone for the King will not suffer his finger to ake And is it safe think you to provoke God against us by wronging any of his Friends Whether were you not afraid saith God to speak against my servant Moses Numb 12.8 Num. 12.8 Why who was Moses that he might not be spoke against surely one of Gods familiar Friend with whom God spake mouth to mouth face to face as a man speaketh to his Friend And do you think that God will see his Friend wronged and not right him See what Miriam got by it Numb 12.11 Num. 12.11 Miriam became leprous but how escaped he was spared saith Chrysostome or rather he met God speedily by Repentance and so disarmed his indignation Doth thy conscience tell thee that such a one is a man that truly loveth and feareth God oh beware how thou wrongest him or speakest evil of him for God takes the wrong as done unto himself and first or last thou mayest assure thy self that thou wilt hear of it be thou never so great for He hath reproved even Kings for their sake saying Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prephets no harm Psal 105.15 Thus you have seen in a spirituall sense who this friend is Psal 105.15 proceed we now to take particular notice of the Indigent and the Exigent he was put unto The Indigent or Person that is in want a friend The Exigent or the straight that he was in appears by his going to his friend at Might-night c. We begin with the Indigent or person spoken of Literal Observation And so we may observe Doct. A man that hath a Friend may yet be in want This is true in the History 1 Sam. 20. 21. c. Reas 1 There is a great Narrownesse of affection even in the very best Pride and self-love there is enough yea too much of it which puffeth up and vaunteth it self above that which is meet it raiseth up jealousies and suspitions and causeth us to apprehend a discourtesie by a wrong suspect that was never intended by a willing act This hindereth friendship in its proper work of succouring and relieving a Friend in his want as you have heard before Again it may arise through Narrownesse of Power Friends may have large hearts but short hands As some can help but will not so some would help but cannot their hearts are enlarged but either distance of place or some other impediment may prevent it at least poverty my curb their bounty And further there may be Narrownesse of Discretion in the Indigent in not making known his want unto his Friend through a too great bashfulnesse and hence it is many times that Friends are in want when they needed not if they would make it known But this is not the Principall point that I intend A word of Use shall
knew himself said that he was unworthy they held him so but he saw himself better them they Againe it is one thing to deserve of men and another thing to deserve of God Obj. But in Reference to God the Scripture counts some worthy as Luke 21.36 Acts 5.4 2 Thes 1.5 Revel 3.4 Colos 1.10 1 Thes 2.10 Luke 21.36 Acts 5.4 2 Thes 1.5 Colos 1.10 Revel 3 4. Resp Math. 3.8 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy doth not intend any merit but a meer meetnesse no condignity but a congruity and correspondency to that to which it is referred so Math 3.8 Bring forth fruit worthy of Repentance or meet for Repentance as our translation hath it that is answerable to amendment of Life as the margent render is If in that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy should be taken for any matter of desert it might be thus translated fruits with deserve Repentance that is such as are to be repented of and what fruit those are the Apostle sheweth Rom. 6.21 Gal. 5.19 20 21 Rom. 6.21 A Catalogue of them we have reckoned up Gal. 5.19.20 21. Such fruits as we have cause enough to be ashamed of but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyes to poyse and the Metaphor is taken from things equally poysed Thus when mans inward disposition and outward conversation is answerable to Gods gratious dispensation it is termed in Scripture a worthy walking So then for a fuller Answer There is a twofold worthynesse Acceptable and Meritorious that which merits must be dignitas Aequalitatis as Luke 10.7 the Labourer is worthy of his Hire this is exact Luke 10.7 and may challenge a reward due unto it and the detayner doth wrong and injury to the party that the due is detayned from This the Godly have still renounced Gen. 32.10 Math. 3.11 Gen. 32.10 Math. 3.11 Acceptable worthynesse is that which is called dignitas dignationis The worthynesse of Acceptance when God for Christs sake is pleased to take our actions in good part and worth and so with this kind of worthynesse the Sainrs are said to be worthy not with the other Use The Doctrine of merit then falleth down before this Doctrine as Dagon did before the Arke They of the Roman Church would faine set in up Vulcane in his fiery forge did never sweat more in making Achilles Armour then these do to establish Merit in no one thing do they bestir themselves more busily then in advancing it when there is scarce so much as stumps or scull upon the threshold of Gods house for them to work upon The Nature and Essence of a Merit requires sundry Propertyes The worke we do must be our own wrought by our own strength and not by power ministered by him that rewardeth now all the good we do is from the power of God 1 Cor. 15.10 Isay 26.12 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.13 John 15.5 and his grace enabling 1 Cor. 15.10 He doth all our workes for us Isay 26. both the will and the deed 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.13 without him we can do nothing John 15. Now can we oblige God to us by paying him his own Secondly a Meritorious act must be in our own power to do or not to do such as cannot be challenged at our hands it must not be a due debt but must come from our own free will Can that debtor merit of his Creditor who dischargeth a bond which he was bound under a great penalty to satisfie precisely by such a day But whatsoever we do Rom. 8.12 we do as poore debtors Rom. 8.12 we owe all we are or have to God for our Creation what is there left to pay for our Redemption that was not so cheape as our Creation Indeed we are Banquerouts worse then Debtors Math. 18.25 Luke 17.9 10. Math. 18. See what our Saviour speaks to this point Luke 17.9 10. when we have paid all our debts give God the surplusage and then plead merit Thirdly A meritorious work must be beneficiall to him of whom we would deserve but our best workes are not so our goodnesse extendeth not to God Psal 16.2 Job 22.1 Rom. 11.35 36. he is farr above it Psal 16.2 nor doth he stand in need of any thing that is ours Job 22.1 Rom. 11.35 36. If we serve and worship God as we ought saith Austin the whole benefit thereof accrueth unto our selves and not unto God for no man will say that the Fountaine gaineth any thing by our drinking at it Fourthly A meritorious worke must be perfect and compleate and without exception If a Labourer do not his work sufficiently he cannot in justice demand his hire nor the workman require his price Now our best workes are stayned with imperfections Gal. 5.17 Isay 64.6 Eccles 7.22 Jam. 3.3 Rom. 3.10.12.20 Gal. 5.17 Isay 64.6 Eccles 7.22 Jam. 3.3 Rom. 3.10.12.20 Fifthly It is requisite that a meritorious work be in some sort proportionable to the reward no work nor labour can merit more then in true estimation it is worth The labourer deserveth his Hire but it is such as is correspondent to his pains but no other if he labour but a day doth he deserve the hire of two dayes or a week Now what Comparison can there be betwixt the Glory in Heaven and our works on Earth Rom. 8.18 weigh our sufferings in the ballance Rom. 8.18 with the glory and yet our sufferings for Christ are of greatest weight of all our works but these will be found far too light in comparison of the glory the one is finite the other infinite betwixt which there is no proportion Unto these Defects of our works and Reasons against Merit let us add these Scriptures Dan. 9.9 Rom. 4.5 Dan. 9.9 Rom. 4.5 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.8 9. Vega. Bellar. 1 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.8 9. And then tell me what foundation hath this Doctrine upon Scripture And yet a Clerk of theirs dares insolently say Coelum gratis non accipiam He will not take Heaven and happinesse of free gift if he have it not a penny worth for his penny he will none and another tells us Opera bona mercatura regni coelestis that good works are the price of Heaven and another wretched Monke dyed with these words in his mouth redde mihi aeternam vitam quam debes But God will cast out such merit mongers out of his Temple Vse 2 Let this Informe us concerning all the good things we do enjoy they are but Donatives all we hold we hold in Frank Almoigne and no other tenure 1 Cor. 4.7 what hast thou that thou hast not received As if he should say 1 Cor. 4.7 Name any one thing if thou canst so that we have little cause to boast of any thing seeing all Bishop Andrewes Serm. at Spittle from Panem Quotidianum to Regnum caelorum from our Daily bread to the Kingdome of Heaven is
As a woman that hath felt the Babe in the Womb quick and stirring albeit it lye still for a while yet she knows that she is with child by that which she hath formerly felt Fourthly it sweetens Gods Promises and mercies to us As he that hath tasted honey knows the sweetness of it better then any man can do by the reading of it So he that tastes how good God is in an experimental way finds more sweetness therein then in all that he hears or reades thereof The best Minister on Earth cannot teach so much of God's love and favour as Experience doth There is far more sweetness to be found in the performance of Promises then can be conceived in holding the Promises themselves As one that hath possession of an inheritance finds more sweetness therein then he could find whilst it was his only in reversion and expectation And he that sees the beauty of the Sun takes farr more delight in it then a blind man from his birth that heares the Theory of the Sun read unto him The meditation of Divines upon the joyes of Heaven are able to ravish the soul of the reader with much delight yet they are nothing to that which St. Paul found in his rapture into the third Heaven 1 Cor. 12.2 2 Cor. 12.2 Fifthly and lastly It is experience and observation that doth make a man to be a wise Christian what makes old men to be wiser then the yonger sort Job 12.12 as Elihu speaks but experience which youth wants breathed Deer are not so quickly caught nor experienced Christians so soon entangled with the worl'd 's deceits and Sathans snares It is only this experimentall knowledge that makes a man expert in the trade and warfare of a Christian Take a man that hath only read much of Husbandry Physick Merchandize and Martiall affaires and gotten into his head the notion of all these yet one that hath not read half so much but hath been of long practise and good experience in these will go as farr beyond the other as he doth that hath read much wants experience beyond one that is a meere novice in them Obj. But how may we make the right use of experience and profit aright by it Resp First observe Gods dealing with you or others both in Temporall and Spirituall matters take notice and observe diligently all the speciall favours of God and experiments you receive of his Justice Mercy Providence Truth Goodnesse to your selves or others from time to time There lives not a man on earth but tastes of all these in his own person from day to day yet how few are there that observe them as they ought Call to mind and keep in mind the many favours God hath bestowed on thee from thy Childhood in providing meat for thy mouth cloath for thy back c. Have you forgotten saith Christ how I fed you with a little bread and a few fishes Luke 22.35 and when I sent you forth without mony in your purse meate in your scrip wanted you any thing they answered no Lord Oh forget not this his goodnesse be mindfull of it daily Call to mind the many dangers from which he hath delivered thee and let those preservations never be forgottten by thee Psal 116.8 Psal 116.8 Above all consider how God hath dealt with thee in soul-businesses observe how he deales with thee in the use of his Ordinances what power the word hath had in working upon thy soul to the convincing humbling and converting of thee observe what answer God hath made unto thy Prayers Psal 3 4. 5.3 Psal 3.4 Call to mind and keep a record of the passages of Gods prodence towards others whether of Justice or of mercy Consider the dayes of old what God hath done Psal 44.1 2.8 and of later times what mervailous things he hath done for his Church Psal 44.1 2.8 run through the acts and storyes of holy writ Conferr with experienced Christians Psal 66.16 they will tell thee what God hath done for their soul thus keep a record of Gods works in thy mind and memory Secondly then plead them unto God bring them out of thy treasury and make use of them as occasion requires Thus did David frequently Psal 4.1.4 27.9 10. 22.9 139.13 Psal 4.1.4 27.9 10. Psal 22.9.10 Psal 56.13 71.6.9.17 18. Psal 86.13.16 139.13 Gen. 32.10 11. Numb 14.19 Isay 51.9 10 11. So did Jacob Gen. 32.10 11. So Moses pleads for a pardon of course when God was enraged against Israel upon this ground becaus he had pardoned them many times before Numb 14.19 And see what answer God makes unto it verse 20. Loe I have pardoned them according to thy word And so the Church useth this as an argument that God would preserve them from their enemyes Isay 51.9 10 11. This is no good argument with man Sir you have helped me often therefore help me still but with God it is a prevayling argument we want not arguments of this kind there is none of us but can say to God now this houre Lord thou hast preserved me this day hitherto and brought me hither now Lord enable me to heare Lord thou dost that too therefore enable me to understand and thou dost that for me too now enable me to beleeve and seeing thou hast given me grace to beleeve give me strength that I may practise and if all that be granted desire grace to persevere unto the end Thus labour for the first Grace and never rest till thou feelest the addition of the second grace and to that a third The surest and safest way to lay hold on God is the consideration of what God hath done and the pleading of it from thy experience and thus you shall get much profit by it See then that you Register God's favours and pass not heedlesly by God's dealings with you or others for in so doing you fling that staff out of your hands which should stay you and support you Did we treasure up Experiments the former part of our life would come in to help the latter had we done this long ago we might have been wiser then our Teachers Quest. But is it always safe to ground our confidence on former experience As because God hath done this formerly he will do so still Resp No For it is not barely a Providence but a Promise joyned with a Providence and the distillation that comes from both these make up that Christian experience which we must trust unto unless the cause be good and warranted by the Word and have a Promise to attend it our Confidence may come bleeding home notwithstanding former good success had In the former the Children of Benjamin failed they had a bad cause in hand yet from the good success they had in two former Battails against Israel they grew confident that they should prevail a third time Judg. 20.32 In the latter Sampson failed when he encouraged