expression to declare that the comfort Gods people have is of a farre more solid and real nature then what men of the world have They are never heartily and truely joyfull for there is either the sting of some sinne the guilt of conscience or the fear of some danger that doth greatly check their joy Insomuch that many times the ungodly of the world they put the best face upon things they can they would bear it out as if they had peace and they had comfort when God knoweth and their own heart feeleth many tormenting feares within them Solomon speaks fully to this of a wicked man Prov 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull his meaning is that a wicked man in the midst of all jollity and a carnal mirth yet he hath but a sad heart and why There is guilt with him there is a conscience secretly repining in him and though he striveth to bear it down and would make a greater noise then that yet these whisperings and secret accusations do greatly weaken their joy for it 's enough that conscience accuseth thee though none in the world else can witness against thee Quid proder it tibi non habere conscium habenti conscientiam What will it avail thee to have thy conscience accusing thee though there be no witness conscious with it Was not Belshazzar in the midst of all his jollity and excessive riot Yet the appearing of an hand-writing made him quake and his knees to tremble Why might not he have thought it had been some good Angel or there was some writing for him to encrease his kingdome No but before ever he can tell what it is he is afraid and trembles his heart was guilty Semper praesumit saeva mala conscientia Thus take the most wanton loose and jolly sinner that is his heart being guilty he alwayes thinketh and feareth the worse now the Lord remembers such and such sinnes So that it 's not the laughing and ranting and singing of merry Songs that demonstrate a joyfull heart no there may be sadness and terrour within for all that whereas this spiritual joy filleth up the heart of a godly man whatsoever presents it self he can rejoyce At this time when David professeth his joy it was outwardly a most sad time with him For Expositors judge he was now pursued by Absolom his own sonne who riseth against him his people forsake him Shimei raileth at him telleth him God had now avenged the blood of Saul upon him and all this was occasioned by his own wickedness yet in the midst of all these sad circumstances he had so much joy in his heart So that the godly even while he weepeth and mourneth hath joy and the wicked even while he laugheth and rants it yet hath gnawing worms within him Thirdly Heavenly joy is rational setled upon sound and solid grounds If you see any godly man rejoyce and walk with a chearfull spirit it 's well done there is cause for it who may do it if not he Whereas take any natural unregenerate man he hath not the least cause of the least smile If he did as he should do he would roar and cry out he would go and weep bitterly he would smite upon the breast and the thigh saying What shall I do Oh my sinnes my sinnes Now this is greatly to be considered who hath the true cause of rejoycing and who not Tell not me such a man liveth a jolly merry life such a man is at his hearts ease he liveth in his pleasures all the week long Oh but what reason what cause hath he to do so If he did rightly consider himself if he did lay his sinnes to his heart he would mourn and weep and bewail himself all the day long for what joy canst thou have as long as thy sinnes are not pardoned as long as God is angry with thee as long as thou mayest tumble into hell every moment Is it for such an one as thou to be glad and laugh and take thy ease No our Saviour Luk 6.25 pronounceth a woe to you for you shall mourn though now you will not There is no peace saith my God to the wicked man it 's the speech of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 48 22. Stand off then joy doth not belong to thee it 's the godly mans portion none may or hath cause to walk chearfully but he for the favour of God is upon him God is not angry with him his sinnes they are forgiven death and the day of Judgement can do him no hurt whether poor or rich whether well or ill whether living or dying he hath cause to rejoyce Phil 4 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say rejoyce Rejoyce alway There is no time wherein thou mayest not rejoyce Do not say I have this affliction I have this sad tryall upon me It 's no matter saith the Apostle Let it be how it will be with thee Rejoyce alway and indeed let the wicked and ungodly tremble let them cry out with horrour those that have the guilt of their sinnes upon them those that every moment may be adjudged to hell let them mourn and tremble But for a godly man he hath no cause at all but to rejoyce in the Lord alwayes Fourthly Joy from the Lord will have a good end there will be no sad reckoning for it afterwards There will be no cause to repent of it but all wordly joy though it doth please thee for a time yet there is a sting in the tail of it there will be a bitter account to be made at the day of Judgement and this certainly you should rightly consider of These pleasures this carnal delight of mine will it not cost dear hereafter Will not all this hony turn into choler Will not my torments be according to my pleasures What saith Solomon to his young man that is most given to follow his delights Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young man and walk in the wayes of thy heart pursue thy lusts care for nothing trample Gods word under thy feet but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement and is not this like an hand-writing in the wall The thoughts of what will be hereafter may justly strike out all thy present delights I am merry now laughing now But shall I do thus when death comes shall I laugh when at the day of judgement I shall stand arraigned at his Tribunal Oh do not admire such pleasures that will cost so dear at the latter end But for the godly mans joy that will never shame him that will never grieve him but as the Apostle speakes about repentance it 's a repentance never to be repented of Thus here is a joy that is alwayes to be joyed in a joy that will never trouble thee hereafter whereas for all this wordly joy thou must mourn again it hath been the time of thy sinning and of thy rebelling against God and therefore all this will turn into
was sweeter then the honey or the honey-comb to him Doth he not say That his heart panted after God like a parched wildernesse and more then the hart doth after waters And whence is all this but because David is a man after Gods own heart And indeed it 's wholly impossible that a man should rejoyce in any spiritual Object till he himself be made holy As our Saviour told his Disciples He had other meat to eat of then they knew of So hath every godly man other joyes other delights then any natural man can conceive Therefore do not keep off from godlinesse for fear of loosing thy joyes do not think that is to bid farewell to all cheerfulnesse and gladnesse of heart but rather thou never yet didst know what true joy means as yet thou art a stranger to it for none but a regenerate man can enter into this Joy Sixthly This joy which God puts into the hearts of his people it 's unspeakable and unexpressible Like that new Name and hidden Manna which none knoweth but he that hath it Prov. 14.12 A stranger doth not intermeddle with this joy There are some things that are so experimentally perceived by us that a man cannot expresse them He feeleth them and is fully perswaded of them yet he cannot tell how to expresse this to another As life a man doth feel and know he liveth yet who can tell another what his life is Job was in bitternesse and sorrow and it was above his expression his Friends censured him but saith he If your souls were in my stead you would judge otherwise If you felt what I feel you would be of another mind And thus it is in regard of spiritual joy You are apt to condemn the generation of the godly Why will they be so strict and precise Why will they not runne into the same excesse of sinne and enjoy the ungodly pleasures of the world as others do Oh know you speak foolishly in this thing If your souls were in a godly mans stead if you had ever felt what they feel if you had ever perceived upon your souls that which they have done you would quickly change your minds and your conversation also You would then say An hour of this Joy is more then a thousand years of the worldly joy That a drop of this is more then an Ocean of carnal pleasures This made David call upon wicked men to taste and see how good God is If you would taste if you would set your selves to try what this Joy is you would then quickly perceive a difference But none knoweth this save those who have the experience of it Seventhly The nature of this joy is to put a man upon all holy actions Upon active and serviceable waies for God And thus in regard of its Effects and Operations it differs from worldly joy as much as Heaven from Earth or Gold from drosse For when the heart of a wicked man is merry what doth it put him upon but ungodly practices Then they must go to their cups to their sports then they must go to their frolick and wanton playes Thus their joy makes them very wicked whereas this godly joy putteth a man upon praising and blessing of God Is any man merry let him sing Psalmes Jam. 5.13 It puts him upon more servent and cheerfull praying hearing and no Christian is so active and lively as he that is joyfull Neh 8.10 The joy of the Lord is said to be their strength There needeth not then any great labour to discern the godly mans mirth and the wicked mans For the wicked he encreaseth his sinne thereby he is more hardned to do wickedly This joy is like the Devil to the herd of swine which were hurried violently to hell they would never do that in a sober sad spirit they do then We have declared the nature of this heavenly gladness absolutely Let us now consider the aggravation of it comparatively to all other pleasures whatsoever that so all unregenerate men may see they live to their loss and that one day in godliness affords more true solid comfort then the whole life of a wicked man though he should live Methusalem's age And First Spiritual joy exceeds all wordly in regard of the purity of its nature It is an unmixed joy there is nothing adhering to it to make an abatement or put a check to it whereas all wordly joy hath gall as well as hony there is no Rose groweth without its pricks Look over all the wordly comforts that every where are enjoyed see if they have not a But in them as was said of Naaman the Syrian He was a great man an honoured man a rich man but he was a Leper that took off from the rest So of every unregenerate man He hath such an estate such friends such advantages to delight in but there is such a sinne and such a sinne which if rightly considered would marre all his comfort Do not thou therefore set thy soul to rejoyce and to take its ease for there is either the commission of such sinnes or the omission of such duties that would quickly wound thy heart and take thee off from all thy jollity whereas now come to this heavenly joy there is joy and no cause of sorrow joyned with it This is like the upper region where there are no Meteors Look round about thee Think of God of Christ of eternity of death yea of sinnes and thou hast cause to rejoyce for all these things work for thy good It 's true there is a time when the godly are called to mourning when they are to fast and humble themselves but consider this holy mourning doth not oppose but encrease heavenly joy The more thou canst mourn for thy own sinnes or the sinnes of the Nation the greater is thy joy in the Lord So that such mourning doth make thee abate of thy natural and earthly comforts but not at all of thy heavenly comforts So that heavenly joy is of such a pure nature that it 's better then gold it cannot have any dross mixed with it it 's like the pure flames of the fire which cannot receive any mixture with it Therefore do then consider over all thy worldly delights Was there ever any that did afford meer matter of comfort Is there not some occasion of grief of vexation of discontent as well whereas all heavenly things afford only delight and no trouble at all Secondly Spiritual joy is more cordial and substantial it doth more inwardly possess a man then any earthly joy can do Disce gaudere said Seneca Thou hast put it into my heart saith David Psal 33.21 Our heart shall rejoyce in him and Psal 3.5 My heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation Hence you heard it was called unspeakable joy and the peace of God which is the cause of this joy is said to pass all understanding Therefore our Saviour prayeth Joh. 17. that this joy might be filled is them a notable
live according to the wayes ignorance folly and customes of the world They are to shine as lights amongst a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2.14 Pure Religion is said to keep it self unspotted from the world Jam. 1.27 All the wicked and ungodly wayes in it are not to defile and soil him As they speak of a River called Alpheus that emptieth it self in the Sea yet even in the very Sea it keepeth its sweetnesse and is not made salt and brackish as the waters of the Sea are They are in the world but not of it Hence Rom. 12. Be ye not conformed unto the fashion of the world but be transformed in your minds Here you may see who are men of the best fashion in a place not men of the greatest wealth honours or earthly dignity but who do not conforme to the fashion of the world that hath not the cursing swearing lying uncleannesse and all the works of darknesse that the world is said to lie in Let us improve this Doctrine and I know no truth a sharper sword to enter into your bowels than this For generally men think it a disgrace not to live as most men do what to grow so precise and strict as not to do as others do They are afraid to own such to be thought such Oh what Antipodes are such men to the Scripture Either lay down the name of a Christian or else live above what men of the world do As Alexander said to a souldier named Alexander Either lay aside his name or else do valiant acts Matth. 5. If ye love them that love you what singular thing do ye do not even the publicans the same Mark that there is a godly singularity and the people of God must be singular not do so or live so as most men in the world do The Apostle in this phrase To live as men or According to man may imply these things First Meer men have no divine faith in the matters of Religion wrought in them by the Spirit of God but walk according to the natural dictates of conscience and education and so are for that Religion which they have been brought up in and accustomed to whether it be right or wrong whether good or bad This our Saviour cleareth when Peter made that excellent Confession of Faith That Christ was the Sonne of God our Saviour graciously accepts of it and tels him Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this to him Mat. 16.17 So that then men walk as men in all matters of Religion when they have no more than custome or the countenance of the Laws of the Land where they live no more than flesh and blood hath made known to them Thus we see the Jews the Turks the Papists they all wilfully adhere to the Religion they have been used to and so many Christians believe in Christ upon no better grounds than they do in their falsehoods Be not then any longer such men and servants of men as the Apostle cals it that is to believe the truâ—hs of Religion upon humane authority humane motives That our Saviour meaneth when he bids us Call no man master on earth because Christ is the only Master Mat. 23.8 Not that the instruction and teaching of Church officers is to be rejected as some absurdly would inferre from those places for we are commanded to hear them and to enquire for the truth at their mouth only it 's not a divine faith till it be upon divine grounds Not as the word of men but as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 It 's a sad thing to consider how many walk as men in this respect being in matter of Religion without any eyes of their own as if another mans faith were to justifie them and not their own Secondly To walk as a meer man is to propound some outward inferiour comforts as the ultimate end and chief felicity of our souls Take a man as a meer man and the utmost end for which he labours and strives in this world is some earthly advantages Oh but what saith the Apostle of true Christians We walk not by sense but by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 And we behold not the things that are seen but the things that are not seen What made Moses deny all that earthly greatnesse he might have had in Pharaohs Court Who would have made such a choise as he did To suffer reproaches for Christ rather than the pleasures of Aegypt Why is this Because he saw him that was invisible and had an eye to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. See then Moses more than a man he propounds to himself as the greatest happinesse the enjoyment of God and communion with him And as the Sunne puts out the lesser light of the starres so this good in God obscured that in all earthly things Then therefore men walk as men when they look no further than the good things of this life riches honours earthly pomp and greatnesse and as for the enjoyment of God which is indeed the true end that they come short of Oh do not then walk as men any longer placing all your affections thoughts and desires in inferiour comforts Is this to have your conversation in Heaven Is this to sit with Christ in heavenly places Is this to make God your portion Is not this rather to have the Serpents curse upon you to lick up the dust of the earth and to mind earthly-things Thirdly To walk as meer men is to put confidence and hope onely in second causes and visible instruments not trusting the promise of God or believing his power that he reigneth and ruleth in Heaven and earth doing what he pleaseth This is not only to walk as men but as the wise men and most admired men in the world The Scripture brings in the thoughts of the wise men as if God sate in Heaven and did not judge all things as he pleased The fool hath said in his heart and that fool is every meer man there is no God Psal 14.1 No Judge no Governour Therefore they look only to instruments to second causes and they puff up themselves and grow insolent when they have these bladders to swim with As on the other side they sink even as Pharaohs hoast into despair when such outward props are taken away Know then that all thy dedejections cares and doubtfull thoughts either about thy self or the publick they argue thee to walk as a meer man Our Saviour doth excellently shame his Disciples for this when using several Arguments to the Disciples against their distrust and carefulnesse he tels them Such things the Gentiles and Heathens seek after Mat. 6.7 So that to walk as men is to be affected in our own particular or in the publick good as if there were no promise no God as if men were Omnipotent as if men brought about all things When Melancthon was often dejected about the affairs of the Church being prone to distrust and fears Luther told him That God had bound
Church Vse 2. Of Exhortation to you the people Hath the Ministry been usefull to bring you effectually to Christ himself This is that Paul desired You may hear much you may pray much you may be much affected with the matter preached and yet all this while not close with Christ to receive him as a Saviour and to obey him as a Lord. A woman may have many Letters and Tokens of love from him whom she loveth and be much affected to him yet not married to him nor enjoy him as her Husband And so thou maist have some affections and good desires but thou art not yet united to Christ The work of the Ministry is not done till we can leave you in the arms of Christ Till we have prepared the way for Christ to lodg in your fouls Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed The former part of this Text hath been considered Paul's modesty and sincerity in gaining people to Christ and not to himself Now let 's consider in what order or rank of Causes the Apostle puts the Officers of the Church and that is in the Instrumental Causes Wherein you may Observe the Effect viz. Faith 2. The Manner of working it it is by Ministery They are not principal Agents They are Ministers by whom you believed The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deacons And this is sometimes used for a special Office in the Church for those who had the care of the poor Thus the Elder and the Deacon are sometimes used for the setled Officers in the Church but in this place and many others the word is used largely for any Ministry or service And so the Apostles and Elders and Pastours may be called Deacons in this large sense viz. Such who by their labours and pains serve the Church and its good Observe that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as almost all the rest of the Greek words that denote the duty and quality of Church-Officers signifie no dignity or honour but care diligence and all solicitude Thus the most glorious creatures have Names signifying their Ministry and service The Hebrew word for the Sun comes from a root that signifieth to serve as also for an Angel to be sent by way of ministration So the simple word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius makes to signify to make haste to runne to the markes end also as a man by this much striving stirreth up dust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is dust like that of Virgil Pulverulenta fugâ Rutuli dant signa per agros So that the word in its native signification denoteth that earnest labour and striving which men that runne to some mark usually make by stirring up so much dust that doth even obnubilate the aire and from this it doth metaphorically signify that labour pains yea agony and striving which the Ministers of God ought to have in their work As Paul expressed it I have fought a good fight I have finished my course 2 Tim. 4.7 Thus the word is opened and it doth as we told you denote the quality and condition of the Officers of the Church in respect of their Auditours They are Ministers Instruments by which God works Faith in the Hearers Doct. That the Ministery in Gods Church is the Meanes and Instrumental Cause he hath appointed to work Faith and all other Graces in the Hearers This Point hath its good use for this will teach you what you should expect pray and hope for by the Ministry How doth it beget and increase Faith in thee How doth it wash thee and make thee clean But let us be more particular And 1. We shall shew you how it 's not an Instrumental Cause And 2 How it is Only take Rom. 10.14 for an eminent place to confirm this Truth where observe the excellent Gradation Paul makes None can call upon God or pray without Faith and none can believe unless they hear and none can hear unless they have a Preacher and none can be a preacher unless he be sent See what a dependence here is and how strong a place it is to prove the necessity of the Ministry This premised we go to the method proposed First When we say it 's the instituted meanes or Instrumental Cause it 's not to be understood as if the Ministry or Peaching of the Word by any inward natural power of it self can work grace in the hearts of the Hearers no Experience witnesseth that after ten thousand Sermons men remain as ignorant and as bruitish as before The words reach only to the ear but they make no forcible impression upon the soul So then the Ministry doth not beget grace as the fire burneth or the hatchet cutteth which are Instruments that work by their own inward dispotion and power to pruduce their effects This is good to observe that so still our hearts and prayers may be up to God who works in and by the Ministry Secondly Because it 's not a natural Cause therefore it doth not also work necessarily these Divine Effects in every subject but where and when God is pleased to apply it The Sunne shineth every where upon one thing as well as another The fire burneth alwaies every where in one place as well as another But the Ministry doth not so that is successfull in one place and not in another That works upon one Congregation and not upon another And herein Gods wisdom makes a wonderfull difference The most unlikely the most indisposed many times find the Ministry inlivening and quickning of them when others are blinded and hardned So that though we should have the Ministry of Angels and of the most eminent men that ever lived still we must take heed that by our unthanfulness negligence prophaneness we do not provoke God to withdraw his power and presence in the Ministry For if it be so as it is to be feared it is so to too many people then the Ministry is but a shadow or if a body a body without a soul It 's but a dead letter Yea not only the Law but the Gospel and all preaching is but the ministration of death and condemnation when without Gods Spirit and power As Elias servant though he had his Masters staff yet that could do no good to raise the dead Child till Eliah came himself Oh then say Lord be thou in their Sermons in their Ministry In the next place let us shew how it 's a Cause or Instituted Meanes And that is thus First God hath appointed the constant and diligent use of this in the Church and the peoples constant and diligent attending on it 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the word in season and out of season That signifieth the diligent dispensing of the Word And then the people they are commanded to be swift to hear James 1.19 And As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2 2. So that God hath indispensably commanded all people of what degrees
6.1 God forbid See with what indignation and disgrace he speaks it God forbid Oh then farre be thou from drinking down such deadly poison as to think because grace is free thou art also freed from duty There is such a pestilential corruption in mans nature that makes use of grace to patronize sinne To harden and embolden a man in evil because God is gracious Oh know God is not gracious but a consuming fire to such In the next place consider Why the godly are so sensible of Gods grace And First This is the final Cause of all the good that God doth enable us unto This is all he looks for We cannot adde to God any more happiness then he hath We cannot make him more blessed All that we can do is to acknowledge his grace to publish this to all the world Thus Eph. 1. That we should be to the praise of the glory of his grace And again That we should shew forth the power of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2 9. So then it was a very heavy and grievous sinne if the people of God should not abound and be diligent herein for this is all God looks for for this he made us he converted thee he opened thy eyes turned thy heart to him Secondly The Children of God are endowed with an ingenuous free and excellent spirit Therefore they cannot but confess by whom it is they have obtained grace If he said of humane learning Ingenuum est It 's an ingenuous thing to confess by whom thou hast profited How much more have the Children of God this ingenuity Thirdly The reall sting smart and danger they have been in makes their heart full and mouth full of the grace of God Paul that was so neer Hels mouth for him to be saved all the world could not make him hold his tongue but he must publish the grace of Christ Men that have been in the deep in the Whales belly in the Lyons mouth for these to be delivered they must sing of grace speak of grace and plead for grace Oh then fear the less thy heart is affected with Gods grace that the less it hath been affected with the greatness of sinne Fourthly They are an humble debased people in themselves They have low thoughts of all that they do And therefore it is that they are so precious with God He dwels in the Heavens and in the humble heart Isa 57.15 Be ye cloathed with humility 1 Pet. 3.5 That must be a garment all over us And wherein is humility more seen then in giving all to God Fifthly They must needs acknowledge grace because they have the experience how hard it is to do any thing spiritualy and upon heavenly grounds And therefore if they are ever inabled thereunto they cannot but exalt grace Nothing is done graciously and acceptably unto God unless it be from a sanctified nature and divine principle and unless it be from a heavenly and divine motive from God and to God Now natural men never consider the gracious doing of any thing and therefore do not extol grace Sixthly To praise and exalt the grace of God it 's a very profitable and advantagious duty also It 's two waies profitable 1. It procures more grace and mercies from God James 4.6 He giveth grace to the humble The only way to have new mercies is to acknowledge the grace of God for the mercies It 's an heathenish thing to sacrifice to our own nets and our own power Tully said It was a foolish thing to thank God for our vertues because they were in our own power But he was ignorant of the Scripture 2. This acknowledging of grace will enlarge a man and make a man more willing and ready in all the waies of God It 's like oyl to the wheele It 's like wings to the bird Duties done with the spirit of praise and thanksgiving have great life and vigour in them Now I shall adde one Caution corrupt Doctrines and Opinions in Religion may much coole this duty of giving thanks I shall instance in some As First The denying of Original sinne is a great Ingine against the grace of God When Paul would raise up the Ephesians to confess Gods grace that had quickned them he tels them they were dead in sinne and by nature the Children of wrath Ephes 2 So David when he would extoll Gods mercy in pardoning he goeth to the very iniquity he was conceived in Psal 51. Secondly The maintenance of free-will dâ—th much detract from free grace It 's strange that any should hold this when the Scripture doth in so many places make man by nature a corrupt tree from whom no good thing can come Thirdly That the Law is not to be preached no not for Direction or Obligation Whereas Christ and Paul do often press this Lastly Vniversal Redemption As if God and Christ did no more for one then another Vse of Direction Would you be a people capable of this duty Then study the Law of God Apply it to your souls Oh see what curses are due to you How often you fail intreat God to affect you with the danger and damnable estate you are in Then how of often will thy mouth be opened to set up the grace of God Be ashamed if thou art sensible of temporal mercies and not spiritual Feel thy self dropping into Hell apprehend thy self a very Cain or Judas unless Gods grace doth interpose Vse of severe Reproof of that presumption and carnal confidence men put in their works and in their duties Oh be afraid to be found in any good thing thou hast done Shall David be afraid of his secret sinnes and errors which he understands not Shall Paul be afraid though he knew nothing by himself and darest thou hope or think to be saved by any works thou hast done Thou knowest not Christ Thou art not acquainted with the Gospel According to the grace of God given unto me as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation c. This Text you heard was partly Declaratory and partly Exhortatory Declaratory and therein was considerable the Person described by his office metaphorically As a master builder 2. The quality A wise master builder 3. His effect or action Have laid a foundation 4. The efficient cause of all this ability According to the grace of God given unto me This latter hath been dispatched already I come now to consider of that work or Ministry performed by Paul expressed likewise in that continued Metaphor which he had begun I have laid the foundation The plain meaning is obvious he acquainted them with the fundamentals of the Gospel that which they never heard of before or knew nothing of he did first instruct them in As Rom. 15.20 Paul was carefull not to build upon another mans foundation which was To preach the Gospel where Christ had not been named There is no difficulty in the words only a
thee to false wayes know God will make it manifest yet this corruption is wonderfull pleasing The Pharisees loved the high places and to be called Rabbies Nestorius and many others broached heresies because they missed of such great preferment as they desired Donatus was so admired of his Disciples that they would swear by him as by a god Thus men with Herod love to have acclamations The voice of God and not of a man though his terrible judgement might be a warning 5. Discontents and impatiencies at some things which have fallen out in the Church hath been a great cause to make divisions and to sow tares amongst the wheat Marcion because he was censured by Church-Officers for his misdemeanours he cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will throw fire into the Church and divide it Thus men by way of revenge to grieve and vex others have taught false wayes Paul complained of such That thought to aâ—de afflictions to his bonds Phil. 1. But this will not alwayes be under the ground 6. Envy and siâ—full emulation to the gifts and abilities of others that have been above them This hath made men bring in strange Doctrines This worme is apt to breed in the finest spirits You see John Disciples were soured with it Master say they Him to whom thou bearest witnesse baptizeth and all goe after him That this was envy appeareth by the remedy John giveth He must increase and I must decrease John 3.31 Thus among the Disciples there was often emulation Who should be greatest amongst them Oh this hath eaten like a Gangrene in the body of the Church and hath made the Church to have such a deformed face as envy it self is said to have Pallor in ore sedet macies in corpore toto So then as some sharp thorny bushes have pleasant blossomes on them so many specious and fair opinions that are set out with much glory may yet grow upon such thorny and corrupt causes 7. A contemplative delight in a mans own notions and conceptions he hath This hath caused more errours than any thing especially in learned men Therefore heresie is called from chusing when a man doth voluntarily chuse such a way to go in and the Scripture doth excellently call it Going a whoring after a mans heart No adulterer finds more pleasure in those delights of the flesh then the minde of a man corrupted doth with its owne notions No womaâ— is more fond of her childe than the understanding is of its owne conceptions The second thing to be manifested is The nature of every mans Doctrine and if false than the vizor will be pulled of It will appear counterfeit coin and you know to be guilty of that is a capital crime pro thesauro caâ—bones Gods authority and stamp will not be â—ound on it Rehoboâ—m when the golden vessels were taken out of the Temple he put brasse ones in the stead It 's not so well in the Text for here is stubble for gold so an Ancient did well expresse it as if a man should â—â—e an Image all over guilded and touch it you shall find nothing but mouldring dâ—st though it may be ae aurata yet it is not aurea it 's but earth guilded over If theâ— God would never bring our assertions to his touchstone we mighâ— be the more bold but that cannot be I shall say no more to this head because enough was spoken when we shewed why errours are compared to hay and stubble In the last place God will manifest every mans work In the cunning subtilty he hath managed it with For the Scripture speaks of the great crafty and subtil wayes men use that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Corinth 2. adulterate and mix the word of God he cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.14 such jugling and cheating as men use with their dice. For 1. Before hearers are publickly prepared for them they go privately and secretly vent their ware So they are said Privately to bring in damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 They are said To creep into houses 2 Tim. 3. They are the moles that creep under ground whereas Christ said He taught nothing but what he did publickly all did hear 2. Their craft is seen In mingling some truths with their errour that while we take one we may swallow down the other and this is worse than palpable heresie in some sense Pejus est veneno oceidere quam gladio they mingle their wine with water Thus some false Apostles they preached Christ as well as the works of the Law but this craft God will manifest when â—e shall separate the precious from the vile and that is the reason say some why Christ would not own the confession that the Devil made That he was the Sonne of God lest speaking some truth he should also vent his lies by owning him 3. This craft is seen Either in sweet and winning words full of love and kindnesse or else in pretence to deep and sublime mysteries Some men are most taken with moral and popular discourses therefore Paul saith they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16.18 good sweet honey words Others aâ—e more taken with subtil and philosophical Arguments therefore the Apostle bids them Beware of philosophy Col. 2.8 and saith it 's knowledge falsly so called Philosophi fuerunt Patriarchae haereticorum Yea these Nani that hay and stubble we find in some of the Greek Fathers about Free-will and Grace is attributed to their Platonical Philosophy which was soaked too much in them and so continued though Christians as Aristotles Philosophy infected the fountain in the Schoolmens time 4. Their circumspection to observe the fit seasons to disseminate their errours Thus while all were asleep tares were sown upon the fittest subjects women as being more affectionate They leade captive silly women 2 Tim. 3.6 Tender and soft hearted men upon whom specious pretences will easily work These and thousand of other subtil and artificial wayes God will make manifest Vse of Instruction to us Ministers Take we heed how we build and that is by avoiding the causes of error pride ambition envy discontent Oh it 's an happy thing when we can say O Lord we have served no parties drawn on no designes ingaged in no factions but plainly and faithfully desired to know thy will and to preach the truths of Christ This will be a crown of rejoycing unto us at our death Not as pleasing men but God saith the Apostle 1 Thes 2.4 As of God and in the presence of God 2 Cor. 2. Vse of Admonition to People Take you heed of those causes likewise for the same sins that spread errours the same sins make hearers to receive them Be not proud self conceited though you have got some understanding and can conferre with better gifts than others Alas thou hast cause enough to be humbled the more thou knowest thou wilt see thy ignorance the
farre surpasseth all their morality First then let us shew Wherein the faith of a Christian commanded by the Scripture doth farre surpasse all humane knowledge and science which men by nature do glory in And First Faith doth surpasse all humane sciences in the dignity of the subject The matter about which a Christians faith is exercised doth farre transcend all that about which humane knowledge doth exercise it self For the highest that they could reach unto is only to the knowledge of natural effects produced by natural causes And if any could prove these by the former this they called a demonstration Though some men say No man ever yet gave a demonstration à priori quoad se but quoad nos So then all the excellent wisdom of the world hath been only to consider the nature of sublunary things or to discourse about the nature of the heavenly bodies and their motions and if they did arise to consider of a God the Maker of these it was in a very uncertain doubtfull way Hence the Apostle speaks of them Acts 17.27 that they were as men in the dark feeling after a thing to find it as the Sodomites smote with blindnesse felt for the door This is all our humane wisdome can help us to but now by faith we have the supernatural mysteries of salvation revealed unto us The Scripture tels us Of a God in Christ reconciling man to himself of mans original misery of Christ the Mediator Alas how poor and contemptible are the highest notions even of Plato though called Divine when you come and read Paul There are such admirable and heavenly truths revealed in Gods word that all humane wisdome was no more able to find or apprehend such things then a dwarf could reach to the Heavens If we then consider the dignity and worth of that subject which the Scripture revealeth and faith is exercised about dirt is not more inferiour to precious pearls than humane knowledge to faith Secondly Faith differs from all their humane science in respect of the excellency of the end For the end of all Scripture wisdom is to bring us to eternal life The Scriptures are able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 The things of Christ are said to be written That believing we might have eternal life John 20 31. There was never any humane knowledge could teach a man to be eternally happy Platoes Divinity and Aristotles Morality though they have the words of happinesse and have large discourses about it yet wanted the thing it self Oh then let us blesse God for Scripture-wisdome for the treasures of knowledge revealed there Learn of David How wonderfully was he affected with Gods word What light and wisdome did he attain unto thereby The Scriptures will teach thee such a blessednesse and such a way to blessednesse that could not enter into thy heart to conceive before the light thereof came into thee Thirdly Faith doth surpasse all humane knowledge in its certainty and infallibility A man that believeth the truths of God revealed in the Scripture hath more certain knowledge then all the more wise and learned men of the world For the object of faith being Gods testimony and his Divine Authority it 's as impossible for faith to be deceived as it is for God to lie Hence it 's called The full assurance of hope Heb. 10.22 And we believe therefore we speake 2 Cor. 4.13 How could the holy Martyrs witnesse those divine truths even to death had they not been possessed with full and sure knowledge of those things they died for whereas if we look into all humane knowledge there is very little certainty insomuch that some have expresly affirmed Nihil scitur yea that that also was not known and what little certainty they have appeareth by the contrary and different opinions in all their main points Fourthly Faith doth more establish settle and quiet the heart of men then all humane wisdome Solomon observeth a vanity and vexation of spirit even in all humane knowledge but now faith doth establish settle and satisfie the soul Heb. 11.1 It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Those that want faith are said to be double-minded men Jam. 1. inconstant as the waves of the Sea Oh the anxiety and perplexities that meer humane knowledge hath cast men into And so those who have no other bottome than the Authority of Church or the power of men to believe These are reeds shaken up and down with every wind Their faith is upon ambulatory and moveable considerations wheras faith makes a man like Christ The same yesterday and to day and for ever Lastly The Christian faith is above all philosophical knowledge Because of the strong and mighty effects it hath to convert the heart and reform the life Acts 15 9. Purifying their hearts by faith How can ye believe when ye seek glory one of another said our Saviour John 5.44 Yet these humane Gnosticks did only aim at glory though Philosophers call them the Liberal Arts yet they could not set them free from their lusts whereas Christ John 8.32 said If my Word abide in you you shall be free indeed Never did humane knowledge make such wonderfull converts and work so great a reformation as the Christian saith hath done And although we have now too many who say they do believe and yet do such things as many of the Gentiles would be ashamed of yet these men have not faith indeed but the name and title of it for as much as faith though but like a grain of mustard-seed would bid such mountains of lusts be removed into the Sea In the next place The moral or practical wisdome of the world cometh farre short of Scripture-wisdome For First The most knowing men were ignorant of original sinne which yet is the fountain of our calamity The Heathens indeed bewailed the mortality and misery of man but they know not our natural pollution the ground of all Yea we see Paul himself though a Pharisee was not acquainted with that Law of sinne within him till inlightned by the Word Rom. 7. Now if men know not their disease or the cause of it they can never be cured So that whatsoever precepts about living well they delivered yet they built on a sandy foundation they did not dig deep enough Secondly All humane wisdome and prudence knoweth not how to mortifie and forsake sinne upon true grounds because they were ignorant of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortifie sinne They did not crucifie the body of sinne nor bewail it because it was sinne but for humane respects as it did hinder the publique or as it was prejudicial to their glory and fame but they overcame one lust by another Thirdly All earthly prudence cometh short of this wisdome because it 's circumscribed within the bounds of this world and this life It looketh out no further whereas the Scripture giveth directions for
this point Or like the blinde Sodomites went groping up and down for the door and could not find it they knew not where or what blessednesse was but the Scripture doth plentifully teach us wherein all true happinesse doth consist and that is in the injoying God himself his favour and love It 's not riches honours pleasures no nor virtue it self but only God and a propriety in him that maketh happy He is the ocean other things are but a drop He is the Sunne all creatures are but starres deriving all light from him Seeing then a great part of wisdome lieth in the propounding of the true and right end then only by godlinesse do we come to have true wisdom Fourthly In Christianity we have not only the true end propounded but the right means also whereby we may attain it For prudence lieth in the chusing of fit and conducible means to such an end So that as in any art no man can by his art produce artificial operations without fit tools So neither can we in our actions as rational men arrive to the true end viz. happinesse without those fit means appointed thereunto and this is only by Christ as the meritorious cause and by faith as the instrumental by Christ we have peace with God and by faith we are partakers of Christ Now this whole order and dispensation the world is altogether ignorant of all the wisdom of man would not pitch upon such a way as this by Christ and through faith in Christ But when Paul is made wise in an heavenly manner He desireth to know nothing but Christ crucified and He accounts all things dung and drosse for the righteousnesse which is by faith Phil. 3.9 Fifthly By Christianity we are onely taught to avoid that which causeth repentance and grief of mind after it 's done David said by the Word of God he was forewarned from sinne Psal 19. And Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 Well doth the Scripture say Psal 111.10 They have a good understanding who do Gods Commandments because all wickednesse though sweet in the mouth yet will prove wormwood in the belly We have done foolishly say they who repent of their sins Insipientis est dicere non putâram fools use to say I did not think such a thing Oh I did not believe the guilt of sinne was so terrible I did not think the fury of God had been so overwhelming I did not believe the sting of sinne had been so grievous Thus all wicked men they buy repentance and eternal torments it may be in Hell at a dear rate for the pleasures of sinne which last for a moment Oh then what happy wisdome is it so to live and so to do that a man afterwards shall have no cause to roar out for the guilt upon him that in the time of sicknesse and hour of death thou mayest not cry out Oh foolish and wretched man that I am Oh that I had been wiser but now I fear it is too late Sixthly Christianity teacheth this wisdome not so much to regard the present as to provide for the future to remember our later end to provide for eternity Prudens they say is quasi porro videns seeing afarre off whereas wicked men are said to be like bruit beasts that are carried away with sensible objects such as they Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die Such as Dives as would have his goods in the life and therefore he is called a fool because he did not consider what would be after Thou fool this night shall thy soul be taken from thee ' Luke 12.20 But our Religion teacheth us better wisdome Oh that they were wise said God that they would consider their later end Deut. 32.29 And certainly this wisdome is of admirable consequence For what worlds of gold would the damned give that they had had such wisdome while they lived in this world David prayeth for this Teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart to wisdome Psal 90.12 Seventhly Herein doth Christianity teach us true wisdome because thereby we are inabled to improve the seasons and opportunities of grace It 's accounted a great peece of worldly wisdome to know the fit seasons of buying and selling Now Paul directs us in heavenly things Walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time Ephes 5.15 16. What is a circumspect wise thing Even to redeem the time we have spent much of our strength of our time in the service of sinne we have lost many an happy hour and opportunity Oh then this is wisdome to redeem it for the future to be more active and that because the dayes are evil There are many hinderances and oppositions to what is good The Ant though a little creature is commended for natural wisdome That it layeth up in Summer it knoweth the seasons to hoord up its corn And this will be our heavenly wisdome to take the day of grace before the night come wherein none can work John 9.4 Our Saviour himself used this Argument to shew why he would not let slip that occasion of doing good on the Sabbath day Eighthly Christian wisdome is seen in caution and circumspection to refuse all the snares and temptations of sinne and to find out all the Devils methods and subtilties For there are the depths of Satan and the devices of Satan and sinne hath its pleasant baits and charms So that unlesse a man have wisdome given him from above he cannot but give up all his strength into some Dalilahs hands then there is also the enmity of the world we must be wise as Serpents against that Ninthly Herein Christianity giveth wisdome because it helps to conquer and overcome all unruly passions which while they rage bereave us of all wisdom Anger is a short madnesse Difficile est amare sapere Any affection prevailing throweth dust into the eye of the soul Therefore Solomon saith He that ruleth his own heart is greater than he that conquereth a City Prov. 16.32 It teacheth also a moderate use of all earthly comforts to marry to buy as if we did it not Lastly It is excellent to instruct us to bear afflictions and how to abound Only by that we can tell how to be rich and how to be poor as Paul I know how to abound and how to want I am instructed saith he as in a great mystery he useth that word which the Heathens did of their religious secrets Phil. 4.12 Vse 1. Of Exhortation Think you hear wisdome in the Scripture and by the Ministers crying aloud to you as in the Proverbs Oh ye simple love understanding O ye foolish why will ye passe by and go on in sinne Though thou hadst the knowledge and parts of an Angel though thou hadst as much political wisdom as Solomon yet if thou hast not this heavenly wisdome thou art still a fool What though thou art wiser for
unprofitable without any benefit or successe Hence is that phrase To labour in vain And thus the Philosophers also define vanity A frustration of our intended end Now in every thing that a man doth till made wise in an heavenly manner there is nothing but vanity there is no true profit or good successe but in all things he labours with wind and brings forth wind The Prophet Hosea expresseth it well They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind Hos 8.7 If an husbandman in stead of committing seed to the ground should only cause a wind thinking to have a crop thereby would it not be folly but it 's not folly or losse only it 's destruction he reaps the whirlwind that is tempestuous and violent things arise on a sudden Oh this is a sad thing to consider when thou art dying I have lived in vain laboured in vain thought in vain spoke in vain I have no true good abiding by me of all that ever I did Fifthly Vanity is often used for that which is unstable uncertain and fading And thus the thoughts of wise men are vain subject to changes contradictions and at last vanish into nothing So that as our bodies are vain bodies and all the whole Creation is subject to vanity Thus are all the thoughts counsels and purposes of the wisest men subject to uncertainty only the creatures they groan under this vanity but so doth not man Do but observe your own thoughts Are they not as vain as the very dreams of feavourish men Mayest thou not say as the Prophet to the Church How long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee Jerem. 4.14 The Psalmist saith of some That they and their thoughts perish together Goe to the Graves and Tombes of the great men in the world who have been upon the earth like Leviathan in the waters and are not all their purposes and projects laid in the dust as well as their bodies Sixthly They are vain because they worke nothing but vain and absurd things What do vain thoughts produce but vain words vain gestures vain attire and fashions vain discourse in communication vain opinions and a vain worship Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts Mat. 15.19 They are the first sparks that flie out of this forge and from these vain thoughts cometh all the vanity that is in mens words gestures apparel yea and their Religion For in vain do they worship me saith our Saviour Matth. 15.9 And Idolatry is in a particular manner called vanity So that you see these vain thoughts are indeed â—he cause of all the outward vanity in the world Though they be subtil and insensible yet they produce and end in grosse actions As the vapours of the earth they are very subtil and hardly discerned yet turn into grosse and gloomy clouds Lastly They are vain because they are wholly wicked The imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are onely evil continually Gen. 6.5 And thus indeed God knoweth all the thoughts and imaginations of every man is only evil That as from the Spider and the Serpent come forth nothing but venome and poison so from every man floweth nothing but filthinesse and the more wise he is the greater enemy to God So that those thoughts of theirs are the irreconcilable enemy and adversary unto God they lift up themselves on high against him Vse of Instruction 1. That God doth not onely take notice of vain actions but vain thoughts yea these are as the fountain and the cause of all actions Thus Christ reproved the Pharisees for their thoughts and reasonings in their hearts Oh think not then that all wickednesse lieth in actions in external grosse sins No the thoughts of the heart are the womb to breed all thy wicked actions Do dot say they are free and none knoweth them for God knoweth them and will judge thee for them 2. Are all our thoughts vain Learn then Scripture-wisdome get Scripture-thoughts Alas thy own thoughts about God about Religion about salvation are altogether vain Lay them all aside We are not able to think one good thought of our selves What miserable wofull and wretched creatures are we of all those millions of thoughts not one is good Verse 21. Therefore let none glory in men for all things are yours THe Apostle in this Verse makes an heavenly and usefull improvement of his former doctrinal Discourse He was before upon the Didactical and Argumentative part now he is upon the Practical and Exhortatory The consequence is very genuine and natural Seeing all humane wisdome is thus earthly and vain abhorred so by God Therefore let no man glory in men In the words you have 1. A Duty injoyned And 2. The Reason of the Duty Of the Duty at this time which is expressed Negatively and by way of Prohibition Let no man glory in men Where you have 1. The Matter prohibited And 2. The Object of it The Matter prohibited is Not to glory What is implied in this will appear afterwards The word implieth such a glory that we make a boast and brag thereby The Object of the Matter is Not in men The Apostle before treated of a particular only humane wise men and his purpose is only concerning Doctors and Teachers in the Church yet he useth this general that his Argument may be the stronger Let no man glory in any Teacher or Doctor in the Church yea not in any man though never so great and so powerfull If you object that Paul saith 2 Cor. 1.14 That he was the Corinthians rejoycing or boasting for so the original word is and they were his yea that Paul often mentioneth his boasting of a people The Answer is That their boasting was principally and originally in God onely they rejoyced in men as instruments by which God did accomplish many comforts for them It was not men but God in men that was the motive of this boasting The Reason followeth of which afterwards Observe That it 's a great sinne to glory in men This sinne is not often preached upon yet no question Political and Civil Idolatry making men as gods to us hath done a great deal of hurt as well as Religious Idolatrie We may have in Heaven others beside God as the Papists Saints and Angels and we may have others in earth besides God as when we put our hopes and confidence in the great men of the world I shall treat on this subject as a General 1. Not in men Then 2. As a Particular Not in the Teachers of the Church Now these wayes we glory in men First When we joyn them with Christ as Mediatours and make them co-partners as it were in spiritual effects as well as temporal This is to glory in men even blasphemously And this kind of Idolatrical boasting reigneth in Popery Not only the Virgin Mary but several other Saints of theâ—r own canonizing are so exalted that those great effects which belong to Christ only are attributed to such What glorying in St. Francis
had never seen him they had never known him If they had they would have been enammoured with him as well as the Church And thus when natural men wonder saying Why do these men thus pray thus mourn thus long after God Why is it that they are never satisfied but in him It 's a demonstration that this experimentall work hath never been upon thy heart If it had the spirit of Prophesie as I may so say would fall on thee also Thou wouldst admire the favour of God as well as they Seventhly Such only can desire the light of Gods countenance who have the Spirit of God working in them It 's that which maketh the soul go upwards We being like that man bowed down that Christ healed till the Spirit of God thus raise us up The holy Ghost came down in fire which denoteh the activty of it When fire assimilateth any thing into it self it makes it ascend upwards And thus when the Spirit of God converts and sanctifieth a mans soul it giveth it a contrary motion to what it had before Then it made provision for the flesh then it minded earthly things but now the Spirit of God hath raised it from the death of sinne That as you see it 's the mighty power of God which will make these bodies that are now corruptible heavy and pressing downwards to be immortal spiritual and so agile that they shall meet the Lord in the aire Even these bodies will be so transformed that they shall move in the air like Birds No wonder then if Gods Spirit is able so to work upon our hearts that they shall be constantly inclining to God And indeed none are to rest till they find God thus mightily prevailing upon them This excellent frame may be given by the Spirit and the Spirit is promised to such as ask for it Mat 6. Especially the Spirit of God as adopting enabâ—ling us to call God Father rebuking legall slavish feares and filling us with a filial and evangelical frame of heart Eighthly Therefore another Property of such who do thus highly esteem Gods favour is That they are diligent in Prayer and fervent in approaches to God Prayer is the ascending of the heart to God who is in Heaven The eyes lifted up argue what the heart should be Now Prayer is of this excellent advantage if spiritually and fervently performed that it carrieth up the soul to God and thereby God also manifests his loving kindnesse to his people Even as Moses upon his Communion with God had his face shine so gloriously that the people could not behold it and Christ himself upon Prayer had his countenance changed that his face did shine like the Sunne and his garments were white as snow So that such who esteem of Gods favour they are instant in Prayer They perform that duty with watching and attending thereunto which if so discharged then many consolations many irradiations of his favour are communicated to them So that a man diligent in Prayer is like the tree by the water side whose leafe will never fade Hence we have that encouragement No man seeketh Gods face in vain And no sooner did God command this but immediately David's heart yeelded to it Psal 7.8 Thy face Lord will I seek We cannot have it without seeking for it as that which is most precious and a very infinite Treasure And withall you see the encouragement God bespeaks it he saith Seek ye my face Lastly Such as prize the light of Gods countenance they walk closely with God and keep up strict Communion with him Slothfull and carelesse walking will never be blessed with this glorious advantage You read the Church was but once carelesse and negligent when Christ proffered himself and immediately Christ withdraweth so that though she runne up and down much perplexed to see the face of her Beloved again yet it cost her dear ere she could obtain it David began to have but some proud and presumptuous thoughts Psal 301.7 And God bid his face and then he was troubled You see a little thing a word a thought may do it Therefore those who desire to enjoy it they walk circumspectly lest they should do any thing that may make him angry with them Vse 1. Of Exhortation to Gods Children To keep up a tender mollified heart to take no rest till the light of Gods countenance shine upon thee Let not lusts passions or any thing be an eclipse between this glorious Sunne and you How can you live without this May not the Devil come with seven more tormenting Devils then ever if thou provoke God to withdraw his gracious presence To whom are woes To whom are sad terrours and perplexities of spirit but to such who cry out God frowneth on them Oh they feel his anger consuming of them Vse 2. Of Admonition to natural and unregenerate men To know there is a better good then ever yet they tasted Oh that thou couldst desire God as thou doest wealth and pleasures Is not the pleasant smiling face of some great Potentate a reviving to thee What endeavours for the favour of a great man who yet is mortal Will not this condemn thee at the Day of Judgment Oh how will the face of God be then esteemed of A Consideration of some false Grounds of a Perswasion of Gods Love We have declared already the Characters of such who can truly esteem the light of Gods favour let us now consider the condition of such who are mistaken herein and take that for Gods favour which is not And First There is the rich earthly or great man of the world He who aboundeth in all Prosperity and needeth nothing this man thinketh that Gods face is towards him in mercy They gather from all the mercies they enjoy that therefore God loveth them but this is a very dangerous mistake For 1. In the Scripture we read That chastisements and afflictions are sometimes an argument of Gods love and that God is never more angry then when he lets a mans waies be smooth and prosperous As it was with Moab because he was not moved often therefore he was setled upon the Lees. And thus in Hosea when God is angry in the highest manner then he threatens He will not punish their sonnes or daughters any more Hos 4.14 They therefore have little cause to boast in this That they are not afflicted as other men they are not in such bonds as others are For David Psal 73.6 did of old observe this That whereas the wicked of the world had all encouragements they had all temporal increase yet the godly were bowed down all the day long and that in those times when Promises of temporal abundance were in a larger way proposed to them If then the godly man had this measure in the Old Testamant no wonder if he meet with it much more in the New Testament where tribulations are made the Red Sea to go through into the Land of Canaan Hence the Apostle doth
34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth about those that fear him Oh how many preservations how many Providences do we constantly receive and never take any notice of Thirdly Gods Providential Preservation is two-fold either General which extends to all creatures or special and Particular that reacheth in a peculiar manner to the godly The general Preservation is in respect even of Beasts themselves Therefore Psal 36 6. David takes notice of Gods hand that preserveth man and beast Hence Mat 6. A sparrow so inconsiderable a Bird yet doth not fall to the ground without Providence It hath indeed been the Opinion of some yea some Fathers That the Providence of God doth not extend to minute and particular things But the Scripture is clear in this So that the least fly cannot move it self or the worm creep without Gods Providence It 's God then that preserveth the irrational creatures and that without any derogation to his Majesty for he cannot but do it because of his supream Perfection But then for the Preservation of man especially of Believers there his care is more singular and peculiar In this sense some expound that place The Saviour of all men especially those that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 Gods care to his people is notably discovered by our Saviours expression Luk. 21.18 where he saith Not one hair of our head shall fall to the ground Compared with Mat. 10.30 The very hairs are numbered So then the least danger cannot befall us without the Providence of our heavenly Father Fourthly Hence it is that all the dangers yea and death it self comes by Gods appointment No sooner or later nor no other waies then he hath decreed Thus David comforted himself that though his enemies plotted against him yet his times were in Gods hand and to God do belong the issues of death Psal 68.20 So that it lyeth not in the power of all thy enemies to kill thee when they will David did often acknowledge this That it was God who did preserve him in all his trouble For you must know that this is a truth in Divinity howsoever Arminians and others have arraigned it for false-hood That God hath set the term of a mans life immoveable beyond which he cannot live and to which he shall attain As also All the means bringing it about Even those things that seem to be the most casual and accidental Job speaks this truth evidently Chap. 14.5 God had appointed his moneths and his daies so that he cannot passe the bounâ—s Yet this is not to be understood as if hereby a fatal necessity were introduced that if he be sick he need not use Physick to prolong life Not upon that ground which the Stoick said Si fatale est ut convalescat fatale etiam est ut medicum adhibeat If it be the destiny to be well it will be the destiny to call for the Physician but because Gods Decree doth include in it the meanes So that we must say God hath appointed in the use of meanes to prolong such a mans life viz. Hezekiah's nineteen years longer It 's true the Scripture saith The wicked shall not live out half their daies but that is in respect of their hopes and expectations as also in respect of the ordinary course of nature Many men by their wickednesse do shorten their daies in respect of second causes Therefore do not sinfully fear this or that will kill thee for thy times are in Gods hand and he hath appointed the period of any godly mans life in much mercy because they have done their work and to preserve them from great evils to come These things premised let us consider the several waies by which God preserveth his people in safety And one remarkeable way is By restraining and keeping them from such counsels or actions that may bring death and danger Do we not see rashnesse especially drunkennesse and other vices which make men bold are the cause of many a mans death God therefore keeps his people in a sober and wel-advised way Why is it said That wicked men shall not live out half their daies but that the ungodlinesse of men doth bring them to untimely deaths Yea we read of that good King Josiah whose death was so much lamented that he brought it upon him by rashnesse and foolish temerity for he would unnecessarily go and fight with Pharaoh King of Necho and though he was so seriously advised to the contrary yet he would adventure to his ruine 2 Chron. 35. David himself by his own unbelief and sinne did bring himself into danger And in the matter of Achish when he was forced to feign himself mad but alwaies while he was in Gods way every thing prospered with him Therefore Gods mercy is especially seen to the godly in that he makes them keep within their calling and bounds and that is a safe way If you observe you shall find the greatest dangers befall men out of their Calling They go beyond their bounds and then they smart for it The Bird is safest while she is on her Nest Therefore when the Devil tempted our Saviour to throw himself down the Pinacle of the Temple he answered Thou shalt not tempt God Mat. 4 7. The Devil left out that passage Thou wilt keep him in all his waies A man must be in his Calling and doing his duty It 's true indâ—ed God for wise and just ends may bring suddain exercises upon his own people while doing their duty And God doth not alwaies keep them in safety violent death and other dangers have befallen them as well as the wicked but even then God doth order those passages for their good Secondly God preserveth them from those casual and accidental evils which arise so unexpectedly that no mans wisdome can prevent them God hath the supreme ordering and governing of all things even those things that we judge the greatest casualty and chance they are wisely determined by God In that passage where a man is supposed to be cutting of a tree with an Axe and the â—elve fall of and kill a man that accident is said to come from God and he is said to give such a man into his hand Exod. 21.13 compared with Deut. 19 5. Now consider how many thousand casualties happen in the world of killing of men of Houses and Towns burnt and herein we must acknowledg the goodnesse of God to us for that which hath befallen another might as well befall thee but that God prevents it Thirdly God preserveth wonderfully in changing and altering or working upon the hâ—aâ—ts of man so that though otherwise they would yet God so binds up their hearts that theâ— shall not do thee any mischief Did not Saul for many years together study to take away David's life yet he could not do it Was not Esau also purposed to kill Jacob yet God wholly changed his heart and that when he had a fair opportunity And how remarkeable is that passage of Jehoshaphat who
Happinesse p. 108 Houshold-Duties See Family House Gods People are his House p. 113 Of the Material House of God p. 117 See Churches Husbandry Gods People are his Husbandry p. 113 What that Implieth ibid. I Ignorance HOw the ignorance of people hinders the Ministry p. 2 Ignorance lamented and reproved p. 4 5 13 16 17 71 83 90 151 The Effects of Ignorance 16 Illumination Of the Illumination of the Spirit p. 90 Inconstancy Inconstancy in Religion reproved p. 18 Inducements Inducements to Holinesse p. 193 Infirmities Of the Infirmities of the Saints p 22 23 And why they are not quite freed from them p. 23 24 K Key OF the Key of Knowledge p. 9 10. Knowledge Knowledge of Principles necessary p. 15 Knowledge of the meaning of Scripture a gift of the Spirit p. 210 The duty of Growth in Knowledge p. 83 L Love LOVE praised p. 30 The only Motive of Love and Agreement is Godlinesse p. 33 Its Cause and End ibid. Live Godly men do only live p. 279 Wicked men do not live p. 281 M Ministers MInisters hindered by the incapacity of the People from Preaching many excellent sublime Truths p. 2 3 Wickednesse how hurtfull to the Church p. 54 What Prudence is requisite in their Preaching p. 9 10 In reference to the capacity of the Hearers p. 2 3 4. Work is two-fold viz. Teach Govern p. 9 10 Must divide the Word aright p. 9 Are not sinfully to be admired and how that is done p. 48 What hurt Satan doth by bad ones p. 54 In what cases they may praise themselves p. 137 Must preach no new Doctrine p. 139 Must preach Christ the Foundation p. 145 How Servants to the Church and how not p. 271 Faithfull seek not to win people to themselves but to Christ p. 63 May preach from a corrupt end or a good end ibid. And what those ends are ibid. Must not only plant but water p. 83 Cannot work grace p. 86 94 That is faithfull hath grounds of comfort under successelesse labours p. 89 Co-workers with God p. 109 How carefull they should be to lay a good foundation in the hearts of their hearers p. 125 How they should build upon the foundation p. 126 to 161 Ministry Ministry The ends and use of it p. 3 17 18 140 The great respect due unto it p. 46 Its successe from God p. 86 c. 94 Sufficient in its kind to effect its end ibid. The appointed Instrumental cause of Faith p. 67 How it is such a Cause p. 68 How not p. 67 The Properties of it as such a cause p. 69 How all are obliged to attend it ibid. How to profit by it p. 77 How blessed with increase by God p. 86 Is to continue to the end of the world p. 69 Why God will make use of it ibid. Ministerial Gifts Ministerial Gifts Why all not gifted alike p. 76 Though diversity of gifts yet all should agree in one p. 97 Whether from the Holy Ghost or no p. 209 The end of them p. 211 Merrit See Reward Members Members of the visible Church who p. 6. Distinguished ibid. Man Man according to man several significations of that phrase p. 42 To live as men what that implies p. 43 Meanes Meanes of Grace alwaies needfull to all p. 84 Manifest Manifest All sinne though never so secret shall be made manifest p. 165 N Name NAme Of peoples being called by the Names of eminent men in the Church p. 50 The Names that Christians have been called by in several Ages 50 c. What hurt the Devil doeth the Church by the Names and esteem of men p. 54 New New No New Doctrine to be expected O Order See Government Ordinances ORdinances The sinne of neglecting them p. 61 Officers See Ministers P Papists PApists as such have but a humane blind Faith p. 53 Perfection Perfectionists Confuted p. 8 22 Prayer Prayer for Gods Directing Ministers p. 12 Praise Praise In what cases Ministers or others may praise themselves p. 137 Preaching Preaching One manner of preaching censured and another commended p. 10 Presence Presence Of Gods presence with his Church p. 200 Pride Pride Of pride p. 34 Principles Principles of Religion first to be laid p. 13 Reduced to several heads p. 14 Are easie p. 15 17 Necessary p. 15 Priviledges Priviledges of the Church and every Believer p. 265 Are Obligations to duty 193 Profit Profit Rules or helpes to profit by the Ministry p. 77 88 93 96 112 Protestant Protestants agree in Fundamentals p. 41 Whence so called p. 51 Providence Providences All Providences for the good of the godly p. 286 Prudence Prudence requisite in a Minister in preaching such matter and in such a manner as is for the peoples good p. 9 Planting Planting the Gospel p. 80 Punishment Punishment of Losse and of Sense p. 223 224 Purgatory Purgatory An Argument against it from the great Text brought for it p. 177 Q QUarreling See Contention R Reformation REformation of the Church p. 81 175 Reigning-sinne Reigning-sinne That word explicated p. 23 Right Right or Title two-fold p. 264 Relation Relation-Duties p. 3 Reproof Reproof How to be performed p. 11 Riches Riches The Churches Riches ennumerated p. 265 Reward Reward two-fold of Debt and Promise p. 101 Of works p. 102 Essential and Accidental p. 105 Lawfull to encourage our selves in good Works from the promise of the Reward p. 150 Reward of Godlidesse in this life p. 106 In the life to come p. 107 The greatnesse of the Heavenly Reward and the vast disproportion that is between the Reward and the work p. 108 Respect Respect Of Respect to the Ministry p. 46 47 48 And how it may degenerate into sinfull Admiration p. 48 S Saints SAints How all things are theirs p 265 Secret Secret The most secret sinnes shall be brought to light p. 165 The Aggravation of secret sinnes p. 168 Self Self-seekers A lawfull self-seeking p. 105 Self-seeking in a Minister what p. 64 65 Sinne. Sinne Of the sinnes of the godly p. 12 Schisme Of Schisme and Division Civil Ecclesiastical p. 38 Its Nature and Ingredients p. 39 Its Causes p. 40 Slothfullness Of Slothfullness in Religion p. 13 Spirit Spirit How it works by and with the Word and the Ministry thereof p 86 The signification of the word when attributed to God p. 201 Its dwelling in the Saints p. 205 212 Its Effects in the Church p. 209 212 See Holy Ghost Spiritual Of a spiritual man p. 7 Strife Strife See Contention Strictness Strictness in Conversation how despised by the wise men of the world p. 241 Vindicated p. 241 Scripture Scripture A plea for its simplicity p. 233 Its sufficiency p. 139 The only Foundation of our Faith p. 126 Stedfastness Stedfastness in the Faith p. 83 T Temple TEmple The use of the word and its signification p. 197 Of Gods spiritual Temple p. 197 226 Compared to the material one p. 198 Believers joyned in a Scripture way are Gods Temple p 228