is implied The real and lively working of it The father though he pity his child yet cannot give him the mercy of health much less the mercy of grace Ministers though they be spiritual Fathers they can only pray for mercy preach of mercy but to give you pardon of sinne to give you comfort of conscience and assurance that they cannot do but God is the Father of these mercies he can give joy to the soul and neither Devil or sinne can discomfort As the whole creation came out of the womb of nothing at first when God said Let there be light immediately there was light and as God is called The Father of rain Job 38. 28. because he can open the bottles of Heaven and refresh the parched earth when he pleaseth so also he is the Father of mercies because he can turn thy darkness into light thy hell into Heaven yea he doth it that so what many Sermons many Ordinances could not do that God suddenly and insuperably doth he comforts irresistibly as well as converts irresistibly But of this more in the next property viz. A God of all consolation Fifthly In that he is the Father of mercies there is implied That it 's onely from himself that he pitieth us that he hath something within him to provoke to compassion when we have enough to provoke him And this is represented in that precious Parable of the Prodigal sonne returning to his Father Though there was cause enough from the sonne to alienate the Father to upbraid him with his prodigality and rebellion saying Whence come you Where are all the goods I gave you Yet for all that The Father runneth to meet him kisseth and imbraceth him who might have chastized him receiving him with as much readiness as if he had never been such a prodigal sonne but what moved him all this while The affection of a Father It 's not then for the godly soul to be poring and puzling it self alwayes what is there in me that may make God shew mercy to me What have I What find I in me that may prevail with God Oh foolish and unwise Christian Think rather what is in God to love thee to pity thee I will go to my Father saith the Prodigal Though I have lost the obedience of a son yet he hath not the bowels of a Father the bowels of a Father are ready to beget him again Think what a fountain his goodness is to issue forth rivers of mercies So that it is with thee as some parched dry wilderness it hath no springs no streams to refresh it self with till clouds from above fall upon it Thus thy heart is scorched and even burning like hell till God give thee not a drop of water but Christs bloud to cool thy afflicted soul Thus you see what is in this a Father of mercies a Father In the second place what briefly is in the object a Father of mercies in the plural number and that implieth 1. That there is no mercy but it comes from God Every good and perfect gift is from him Jam. 1. For if so be any creature were the original of mercy though it be but the least as to that particular it would be the Father of mercy if the Sunne of it self were the highest cause of giving light to thee if it were not God that did cause this Sunne to shine on thee that Sunne would be the father of the mercy of light Although therefore God hath appointed natural causes moral causes yea and supernatural means of mercy and comfort to thee yet take heed of calling these Father Thy food would not be a mercy to thee thy house a mercy no thy senses thy understanding would not be a mercy to thee were it not for this Father of mercies So that wheresoever and whensoever thou meetest with any mercy look higher than the creature see an hand from Heaven giving it thee As Gerson a devout Papist speaketh of his Parents how that they to teach him while a child That every mercy was from God had a devise that from the roof of the chamber should be conveyed to him every apple or nut or such childish refreshments he desired but Christ himself Matth. 5. when he pressed against carefull distrustfull thoughts he saith Your heavenly Father knoweth what you want So that it is not thy own natural father that is a mercy to thee but thy Father in Heaven As that good man in Ecclesiastical History when they brought him news his father was dead Define blasphemias loqui pater eminens immortalis est Thus are we to call nothing a Father of mercy to us but God himself So that what our Saviour saith Mat. 23. 9. Call no man father on earth in respect of faith and obedience neither are we in respect of our mercies Oh but how difficult is it not to have other fathers of mercies besides him SERM. XXXIII Of the Multitude Variety Properties and Objects of Gods Mercies 2 COR. 1. 3. The Father of mercies VVE are further to explicate what is comprehended in this sweet and comfortable Attribute The Father of mercies We have already declared what is in the word Father and gave one instance what is in the word mercies The second thing comprized in it is the multitude of them he doth not say The Father of mercy but of mercies it is not one or two but mercies many mercies innumerable mercies that he is Father of Even as David doth sometimes call God The God of his salvations in the plural number because of the frequent and many deliverances God vouchsafed to him The Lord therefore is not straitned in mercy no more than in power but as nothing is impossible to him so every kind of mercy is easily producible by him The multitude of Gods mercies is that which David doth often mention Psal 106. 7 45. Psal 51. 1. And indeed were not these mercies many our sins would be more than they and exceed them in number David complaineth That his iniquities were more than the hairs of his head and yet at another time acknowledgeth that such were the benefits of God towards him that he is never able to reckon them up We cannot then come and say to God about mercies as Esau did to his father about blessings Hast thou but one blessing O my father Hast thou but one mercy Woe would be to us if God had not multitude of mercies for we have multitude of sins and miseries Oh then let the broken humble heart who groaneth under this that he hath many sins they are not one or two but many yea the multitudes of them are like so many locusts and caterpillars in Egypt he cannot look this way or that way but sinne doth compasse him about Let such remember that there are more mercies for them then sins against them If thou hast multitude of sins God hath multitude of mercies to cover them so as thou doest not cover them but confess and bewail
they both agree in this our temporal mercies and spiritual mercies come from God the fountain of them though spiritual mercies have a more special and restrained consideration To affect us with humility and thankfulnesse in this point consider these particulars First That even those mercies which are the effects of natural causes yet they are the gift of God Should he withdraw his concourse no creature were able to performe its usefull operations The fire would not warme us our bread would not nourish us our raiment would not comfort us against the cold So that we are not only to bless God that we have such creatures as these are but that they are usefull We are not only to praise God that we have bread and raiment but that these things can do their office For in these there is a two-fold mercy 1. That God doth provide them for us 2. That when they are provided they put forth their usefulnesse Thus our Saviour alledgeth out of Deuteronomy Mat. 4. 4. Thou shalt not live by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth If God give not a word of blessing our bread cannot nourish us Hence we are also said In God to live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Although therefore there are natural causes and these do produce their effects from a natural necessity yet because they are second causes they do therefore depend upon God the chiefest and supream cause both in esse and operari in their being and operation Thus the fire would not burn if God should not give concourse thereunto as appeareth in the case of the three Worthies and the reason which is given by the Dominicans though the Jesuites do not well relish it is that every second cause though it be a natural agent and so determined to operation yet because it is in a potentiality to worke it hath a potentia a power this must be reduced to act by that which is the pure and chief act viz. God himself So that it is not enough for God to give a natural power to produce such an effect unlesse he also actuate that power and goe along with it This is a truth and when believed will draw off our eyes from the creature more so as to set them upon God and to acknowledge him more in all things This then thou art to know That even those natural comforts which flow from natural causes so that it would be a miracle if they should not produce them are yet from the goodnesse and bounty of God Now how often are we unthankfull for these mercies we doe not blesse God for the gift of seeing the gift of hearing the gift of walking Secondly Those comforts which flow from moral causes these also are to be attributed to the gift of God A man that is diligent in his place he may grow to be rich The strongest usually prevail in battel The swiftest they overcome in a race yet where these moral causes are the effect is Gods gift Therefore Solomon observeth that the clean contrary falleth out sometimes Eccles 9. 11. That the battel is not to the strong nor the race to the swift How many are diligent carefull and wise in their places and yet cannot obtain wealth in this world So that even those things which are brought about by the means that we use we must acknowledge they are Gods gift if his blessing be not upon the means they are frustrated Thus the Lord doth instruct Israel against any pride and confidence that might arise as if their power and strength did make them rich For it is the Lord saith he that giveth thee power to get wealth Deut. 8. 18. You see whatsoever wisdome diligence and good husbandry we use yet if any thing come thereby it is the gift of God You have a most significant place for this truth Hag. 1. 6. where the Prophet sheweth whatever we eat or drinke or take care and labour about the Lord can blast it and make it come to nothing Ye eat but have not enough ye cloathe you but there is none warme and he that earneth wages it is to put in a bag with holes Doth not this Text evidently proclaim that the labourer in his wages the tradesman in his buying and selling the husbandman in his plowing and sowing cannot adde one farthing to his efface unlesse the Lord blesse it Thirdly All those comforts we have and gifts either to relieve or refresh us that we have from others we are to account them Gods gifts rather than mens If any man help thee in thy necessities if any man preferre and honour thee thou art indeed to be thankfull unto men that are benefactors but more to God who inclined their hearts to thee Yet how little is this thought upon when we receive courtesies from men kindnesses from men we look upon these alone whereas if God did not move their hearts thou wouldst have found no relief from them It was thus with Joseph he was cast into prison upon the Kings displeasure in all outward appearance the Goaler would have used him with all cruelty yet saith the Text Genes 39. 21. God shewed mercy to Joseph and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison The Lord hath a command over mens hearts he maketh them mercifull and free to some and again he turneth the hearts of some men against others Now we poor creatures look only upon men as if they did all as if all were in their power But as God commanded Laban who was in a rage against Jacob not to speak an ill word against him So also doth the Lord daily he maketh men thy friends and he raiseth them up to be foes We have likewise a notable instance Exod. 12. 36. when the Israelites were upon their departure the Aegyptians though their cruel enemies who hated and oppressed them yet it 's said The Lord gave them favour in their eyes that they lent them even jewels of gold and silver On the contrary when God was provoked it is said Psalm 105. He turned their heart to his people As David then said when Shimei reviled him bitterly The Lord hath bid him So when thou receivest any favour any mercy from men look up higher than men The Lord hath bid him Mens gifts are much rather Gods gifts yea even what those do for us who are in the most indeared relations and so have principles of nature to instigate them to help thee yet thou art to look upon all their care and love as Gods gift to thee If thy parents have taken care of thee if they have provided for thee if they have looked to thee though it was their duty and they would have been unnatural if they had done otherwise yet do thou look upon it as Gods gift to thee How many parents are given up to unnatural affections How many love their lusts and their whores more than their children So that
for the future Considerations clearing the truth 1. Though we have oft had experience of Gods goodness yet every new trouble is ready to startle us 2. Though the promises be sufficient grounds for our trust yet experiences do much promote faith 3. 'T is a good way to keep the heart calme even to exercise trust in God for the future 4. The future good things that we are to trust in the Lord for are both spirituall and temporall Object Answer 1. There are motives to trust in God from both the personal and general priviledges of believers 2. What are the opposites to trusting in God 1. Presumption Signs of presumption 1. When we walk not by Scripture-light 2. When we are confident without a promise 3. When we separate the means from the end 4. When we use false means 5. When we think by our own strength to obtain grace and glory 2. Despair Whence despair arises 1. From low thoughts of God As 1. The power of God 2. The goodness of God 3. Of the merits of Christ 2. From wrong apprehensions about our sins 3. This grace of trusting in God cannot be expected to be perfect here 'T is our duty not to separate Gods power and goodnesse from the means required How God and the creature work together 1. All Gods spiritual mercies have many things concurrent before they be accomplished 2. The opposing of these requisites one against another hath bred much confusion and errour How we should relie wholly upon Christ and yet make use of the means and how we may know whether we do or no. 1. When we acknowledge whatsoever we have to come from Christ 2. When we attribute no merit or causality to the means 3. When we rest upon Christ onely for our justification 4. When we put no trust or confidence in the means 5. We dishonour God in the use of the means when we think we profit him thereby The most eminent in gifts and graces need the prayers of their inferiours Reasons 1. Because there is a more peculiar promise made to the prayers of many then one 2. Because the Church in Scripture is called a body whose parts stand in need one of another Use People ought to pray for their spirituall guides Considerations explaining the truth 1. 'T is an errour of the Socinians to say God commands prayer only in the New Testament 2. No merit or confidence to be put in our prayers 3. Ministers are to pray for their people and people for their Ministers 4. This supposeth the people to be both gifted and gracious 5. Many things there are which people are to desire of God for their Ministor 1. That they may be preserved 2. That their word may be suceesfull 3. That their gifts and graces may be quickned 4. That they may be saved Whensoever we have received mercies from God we are by praise and thankfullness to acknowledge then to him What is required to the praising of God 1. An acknowledgement that God alone is the Authour of all our mercies 2. Both the generall and particular acts of faith 3. Love to God 4. Heavenly mindedness 5. Chearfulnes Motives to praise God 1. 'T is an excellent duty in that we are so backward to it 2. It is called a Sacrifice 3. 'T is a debt due to God 4. The chief motive is thankfulnesse 5. A thankfull heart is the most proper disposition to Gospel dispensations 6. The neglect of this duty is an argument of a rotten heart Our ordinary temporal enjoyments are the gifts of God 1. The effects of natural causes are still the gift of God 2. The comforts that flow from moral causes are still the gifts of God 3. What we receive from men 't is still the gift of God 4. Whatsoever we have by the art and skill of others 5. Such things as come upon us without our care Reasons Why these are all Gods gifts 1. God is not necessitated to give them 2. We have oft forseited them by our sins 3. We are to pray to him for them Not only personal but publick prayers and praises are acceptable to God Reasons 1. Hereby the honour of God is more promoted 2. Hereby our love to one another is much quickened 3. God in a more especial manner present there 4. Herein the lively may prevail for the dull and indisposed Mercies vouch safed to the Ministers are to be accounted as Church mercies An holy rejoycing and glorying in the graces of God is lawfull What is required to our glorying in the gifts and graces we have received from God 1. An high esteem of our graces 2. A certain perswasion that we have them 3. Good grounds and Scripture-demonstrations thereof 4. The Spirit of God In what respect 't is lawfull thus to rejoyce and glory 1. As they are the fruits of Gods favour 2. As they bear up our hearts against all accusations either external or internal Wherein this rejoycing is unlawfull 1. When we rejoyce in our graces as if they were perfect 2. When we so rejoyce in them as so rest upon them 3. When we rejoyce in them as coming from our selves not God The witnesse of a good conscience is great ground of comfort What is required to a good conscience 1. That it witness according to the word of God 2. The help of the Spirit to instruct us in the true meaning of the Word 3. Pure aims and intentions 4. Inward sanctification What else is requisite to a well-regulated conscience 1. The witnessing and sealing power of the Spirit with our consciences How the Spirit of God doth not witness with our consciences How it doth 1. Effectively 2. Objectively What are the effects of the Spirit by which our consciences are rightly guided in witnessing to us 1. A purpose to leave all known sin 2. A zeal for the glory of God 3. An holy confidence in our approachings unto God 4. Love to the Brethren 5. Self-denial 6. Delight in heavenly things Distinctions concerning the testimony of our conscience 1. 'T is either particular or general 2. It witnesseth either perfection or sincerity 3. Conscience is either habitually enabled or actually prepared to testifie 4. The testimony of conscience is either alone or relating to Christ A believer may be assured he performeth duties with an upright heart What is required to a certain knowledg of our being in a state of grace 1. A firm assent to the truth of Gods promises and Word 2. A particular application of the promises to themselves What is required to an experimental discerning of our graces 1. An humble heart 2. A regular disposition in the soul 3. An holy fear 4. The help of Gods Spirit What are the hinderances which keep men from looking after an assurance of their sincerity 1. Self-fulness and presumptuous security 2. A prophane careless spirit 3. Carking carefulness 4. Despairing and discouraging thoughts Of Gods commands to get assurance The effects of our souls 1. A quiet heart 2. Spiritual
man He suffered in his Name in all reproach and ignominy dying a most accursed death and shalt thou be so tender and delicate as not to indure the mocks and rages of men for him Shall Christ be in cruce and thou in luce Christ in convitiis and thou in conviviis Christ in patibulo and thou in Paradiso as Gerhard expresseth it Oh fear left this prove dreadfull at the latter end SERM. XLVII What Qualifications they must be endowed with who suffer in a right manner for Christ 2 COR. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ WHat it is to suffer for Christ ex parte objects in respect of the matter for which hath already been dispatched We now proceed to shew What is required ex parte subjecti What are the qualifications necessary in him who doth truly suffer for Christ When we read of so many glorious priviledges promised to such as are troubled for Christs sake you must know that their bare suffering no not for that which is righteous is enough to entitle them to this blessedness but there must be the Adverb as well as the Nown it must not only be pro bono but benè for that which is good but also in a good manner for suffering and martyrdome it self as all other duties is not integrated of all its causes as it is not enough to pray to hear though these for the matter be commanded but they must be done in an holy and spiritual manner Thus it is not enough to suffer or to be persecuted and that for Christs sake unlesse also we have that holy frame of heart in suffering which Gods word doth require Let us then examine this truth viz. What are the requisites to qualifie a true sufferer for Christ When his cause is good his heart his ends also must be good Therefore that ordinary saying Causa non poena facit Martyrem The cause not the punishment doth make a Martyr must be further limited for the cause doth not unlesse there be also those concomitant graces in the subject as well as there is truth in the object and we shall find this suffering temper to have as curious ingredients into it as there was into that precious ointment made for the high Priest alone and no wonder for it is the highest pitch of love we can arrive at to suffer for him and it is the most contrary to flesh and blood So that â—one can do this for Christ but such who are wonderfully enabled by him First Therefore in a sufferer for Christ there is required Faith in the eminent and powerfull actings thereof It is as impossible to suffer without faith as a bird to flie without wings It 's faith alone that can remove these mountains in the Sea Heb. 11. Those great exploits the Saints did yea and those wonderfull sufferings they underwent is attributed by the Apostle wholly to their faith Now this faith requisite to true suffering for Christ emptieth it self into two chanels there must be a Dogmatical Faith and a Fiducial Faith A Dogmatical Faith is that whereby a man is assured of the truths be suffereth for as divine and because of Divine Authority Faith must be as Heb. 11. 1. an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The substance and evidence of things For if a man have not this faith it 's obstinacy and pertinacy not faith that maketh him suffer as we see in Hereticks Hence also it is that a meer Opinionist or Sceptick in Religion will never suffer for Christ because he hath no faith but opinion in Religion So likewise those who are of a Religion meerly for humane Authority sake because of the custome and Laws where they live commanding such a Religion as those amongst the Graecians that were called Melchitae because they followed the Religion the King was of though indeed the Orthodox were so branded by the Heretical party Vide Hornbeck de Graecis These cannot suffer truly for Christ Indeed they may suffer for their Religion as it 's local and traditional to them as Turks and Jews do but yet this is not from faith which doth necessarily relate to divine testimony This then cuts off the glory which Hereticks and erroneous persons may boast of if they suffer truly they suffer with a true Faith if they have a true Faith that can be proved and demonstrated out of Gods Word And when we say a Dogmatical Faith that must be understood in respect of its compleatnesse and integrity as to Fundamentals No man can suffer truly for Christ that peremptorily denieth any I undamental if he hold the foundation though he build hay and stubble superstructive errours yet if he do not demolish any of the foundation stones he may be saved but so as by fire And truly is this charity be not allowed we shall scarce find any person or Church truly suffering for Christ For where hath there been such a sound faith in Fundamentals circa-fundamentals and praeter-fundamentals as that there hath not been any spot or wrinkle in the face of the Church This prerogative belongs to the Church in Heaven They therefore suffer for Christ who are persecuted for his truths though happily they erre in many things not necessary to salvation But if they deny any Fundamentals I do not say doubt and that for a season as the Apostles did about the nature of Christs Kingdome and his Resurrection and that with persevering obstinacy then though he suffer for one Fundamental yet because he denieth another he doth in effect destroy the whole building of Christ Thus when a Macedonian suffered for holding the Deity of Christ being put to death by an Arian the primitive Church never judged him a Martyr because he denied the Deity of the Holy Ghost There is therefore required a sound Dogmatical Faith for which cause some have doubted Whether the Church did well in making all those infants which were killed by Herod because of Christ in reckoning them among Martyrs For they did not know any thing of Christ neither it may be many of their parents had any true faith about him Certainly ly they cannot be called Martyrs or Sufferers for Christ in an active fense but passively only The second act of faith is a fiducial dependance on the promise of God and his Power which is able to raise up the heart above all fears and discouragements yea to represent prisons palaces and coals of fire beds of roses such a transubstantiating nature is faith of It was faith Heb. 11. which made Moses esteem the reproaches of Christ more than all the glory and honour which was in Pharaoh's court especially faith as it is the substance of things hoped for As it maketh Heaven and glory present so it 's admirably quickning and enlivening the heart of him that suffereth It is therefore called The shield of faith which above all or to all as some expound we
sinfull It is a fundamental qualification required in every Disciple of Christ he cannot be Christs unless he be above the love of all things Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother or life it self more than me cannot be my Disoiple Why then art thou so afraid to die Is it because thy heart is so dearly engaged in such relations to such creatures Be humbled for this and reform A second sinfull cause which floweth from the former is The want of love to God and to Christ Thy desire is not with Paul To be with Christ thou doest not judge this best of all Not to be willing to die upon this account must also be very sinfull Do we not pray for the Kingdome of God Are we not to look for and hasten the coming of Christ Are we not to be as pilgrims and strangers in this world Now if these things were real upon thee though thou couldst not avoid a natural fear yet thou wouldst greatly subdue a sinfull fear 3. There is a sinfull cause of the fear of death When we produce those actions and live such a life which will justly make death terrible Thou complainest I am afraid to die I dare not think of death and why Thou doest put stings into death thou increasest the guilt of thy conscienne by living without repentance and reformation and then it is no wonder if such a sinfull cause make a sinfull effect Sinne less keep thy conscience clear and then thou wilt fear death less The last sinfull cause of the sinfull fear of death is Want of faith in Christ and this even the godly are subject to though they live holily and unblameably though they have kept a good conscience towards God and men yet they have sometimes uncomfortable fears about death because they do not look upon Christ they consider not that Christ hath conquered death So that now every Christian may with Paul triumph Death is swallowed up in victory O death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. but want of faith depriveth of this holy comfort and boldness See then if thy want of faith maketh thee fear death and consider that if so this is very injurious to Christ as if still death were not subdued as if death had conquered Christ and not Christ death Faith will make thee see a loveliness and another nature in death than what it had at first SERM. LXVI The truly godly may sometimes passe false sentences upon their own Persons and Actions and Gods dispensations towards them 2 COR. 1. 9. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead THe second Doctrine remaining from the clause of the former verse viz. That the children of God judge otherwise while they attend to second causes and humane helps then they do while they look to the power and promise of God will come in very seasonably as a branch of that general usefull matter which this Text will afford us Come we therefore to the consideration of it 1. It is a further amplification of this trouble which came upon him in Asia and that is the most extream and highest aggravation that yet hath been used which is expressed in the beginning We had the sentence of death in our selves 2. It is illustrated from the wholsom and saving end of this trouble laid on him It was not brought upon him by God for his destruction but his spiritual good His soul might have been in danger if his body had not been He might have perished spiritually if he had not been in danger of perishing temporally Now this blessed effect of his trouble is set down 1. Negatively That we might not trust in our selves 2. Positively But in God Described by a sutable property Who raiseth the dead Let us begin with the aggravation his trouble was so great That he had received the sentence of death in himself This is more than the clause in the precedent verse for there it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was in such a doubt and perplexity about his life that he did not see any way to evade but here he is positive he comes now to make resolute conclusions He must die He had received the sentence of death The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used here in this place onely in the New Testament The Verb from whence it cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Budeus sheweth to have two more eminent significations the one is to separate and secerne one thing from another in which sense I do not observe it used in the New Testament It useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that sense even as humane Authours also do most frequently 1 Cor. 1. 15. The spiritual man judgeth all things by searching and judging he cometh to discern the truth from errour The other signification is to answer in which sense it is alwayes used in the New Testament Favorinus in his Lexicon maketh this difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former is a bare simple Answer made to any Question the later is an Answer by way of defence against some accusation The proper word for an Answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke 2. 47. Luke 20. 26. Joh. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is seldome used for an Answer yet Stephen sheweth out of Suidas an expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like that à secretis one whose office was to answer requests Hence some translate it answer as it is in the margin But the most genuine translation is sentence for so Hesychius expounds the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Favorinus followeth verbatim in this as in many other particulars It is true Heinsius on the place maketh the word in a contrary sense to signifie an answer or inspiration from God secretly assuring of him that he should not die like that Act. 24. 24. Fear not Paul such answers were by the Urim and Thummim So that in his sense it should imply Gods suretiship or undertaking for his preservation But the other is more generally received and the following words argue such a sense The word then doth signifie a sentence passing upon him That he must die This he had received but from whom Not from God for God delivered him nor from the Magistrate there was no such Decree that we read of against him Therfore it was onely from his own feares his own thoughts which maketh him say He had received it in himself You see then that Gods thoughts were others then Paul's Paul absolutely concluded he should die but God had purposed the contrary From whence observe That the godly themselves are sometimes greatly deceived about Gods administrations to them They are apt to erre in their judgements about Gods dispensation They gather such conclusions and make such inferences as are wholly opposite to Gods intentions Though it
we not to have done it 4. One chief motive which is to put us upon all holy obedience unto God is Thankfulness There are two great and principal parts of Divinity the one is De gratià Dei of the grace of God and the other De gratitudine hominis of mans thankfulnes There are indeed several reasons why we are commanded to abound in holy works but one of them is thereby to testifie our thankfulnes to God that though we cannot do anything to merit at his hands though Christ as Mediator hath purchased all spiritual priviledges so that we cannot do any holy duty as a cause to procure them yet to manifest our thankfulnes to God we are ready with delight to do his will 5. A thanksgiving heart is the most proper and sutable disposition to the Gospel dispensation wherein grace doth in so many wonderfull effects demonstrate it self Now praise doth properly answer to free grace and love Eph. 1. 16. Gods predestination and his adoption it is That we should be to the praise of the glory of his grace These new songs should alwayes be in our mouths And again v. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory So that if you say Why did God predestinate thee It is to his praise Why doth he convert It is to his praise Thus he adopts he justifieth that we might be only to his praise Thus 1 Pet. 2. 9. we are a chosen generation a peculiar people that we should shew forth his praises The children then of free grace must be the children of praises and thanksgivings unto God Every power of the soul every part of the body should be a tongue as it were to glorifie God Were we more affected with the depth breadth and length of this grace of God we should be more abounding in this duty of blessing God David cals his tongue his glory though some apply it to the soul because of this work Lastly If we praise not God when mercies are obtained by prayer it discovereth a rotten and insincere heart It argued thou never didst pray for mercies upon right grounds to glorifie God to be thereby more instrumental in our service of him but only for our own ends and our own necessities For he that prayeth spiritually will praise God cheerfully he will more rejoyce in the favour of God because God heareth his prayers then the benefit obtained If then thou neglectest this duty of thanksgiving thou discoverest a prophane earthly heart that thou preferrest the mercy desired above the glory and honour of God and therefore it will be just with God never to hear thy prayers more For thankfulness is the only way to preserve mercies and to have more added SERM. LXXXII God is the fountain of all our Mercies they are his Gifts and why 2 COR. I. II. That for the gift bestowed upon us THe second part in order to be treated of is The Object matter for which or that for which Paul would have solemne thanksgiving after such solemn prayer The gift bestowed upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This temporal deliverance he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it came from the favour of God not from any merits or deserts in Paul Some make a difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was applied onely to the common gifts of Gods Spirit especially those which Divines call Dona ministrantia Gifts of service and the Schools Gratiae gratis datae and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the grace and favour of God in a special manner or to the effect thereof which is inherent grace in the soul These graces are called Dona sanctificantia Gifts that doe truely sanctifie those that have them The Schooles falsly call them Gratiae gratum facientes But though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be often applied to such common spirituall gifts as 1 Cor. 12. alibi Yet sometimes we must thereby understand sanctifying grace and justifying grace Rom. 5. 16. Rom. 11. 28. And indeed if we will make any difference it seemeth to be this rather that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Effect and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cause as Rom. 12. 6. Having gifts according to the grace that is given to us Hence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is generally translated gift in the New Testament So Favorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that what the Scripture other where calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jac. 1. 17. Act. 8. 21. Psal 1. 17. it may be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely it doth properly signifie such a gift as maketh to the publick and spiritual advantage of the Church onely in this Text it may have the general signification and the special The general Paul's Deliverance was a temporal gift It was a mercy in these outward things a preservation from death either violent as the common exposition you heard is or from natural For Baldwin the Lutheran Expositor thinketh it may well enough be understood of some desperate sicknesse Paul was afflicted with Howsoever this outward mercy of preservation is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it may have also the special signification of a Paul's life and preservation was a gift in this sense for hereby his ministerial labours might be more successefull But this latter consideration will come in in the close of this verse Let us take notice of the general one Paul's life and preservation it is a gift From whence observe That not onely spiritual mercies which are above natural causes but even our ordinary temporal enjoyments are the gift of God It 's not Gods gift onely to sanctifie us to justifie us but to give us our health our food our preservation so that we live wholly upon the meer bounty of God we are all so many Almes-men the world is an Almes-house Man doth not or cannot obtaine the least mercy with his owne wisdom and power without the blessing of God This is a necessary truth For we look more upon these ordinary mercies as the fruit of our own labour than as Gods meer free gift The Apostle Jam. 1. 17. saith Every good gift is from God Every gift whether natural or supernatural what have we that we have not received is true both in nature and grace For although in the sense that Pelagians did it was very erroneous to confound Creation and Nature with grace yet in this respect we may say That Creation and Preservation is of the grace and favour of God because he communicated of his goodnesse to the creature onely from his meer favour But to speake after the Scripture-language onely those spiritual favours and Church-priviledges which conduce to eternal blessednesse are called The grace of God So that health life and other mercies though they be The gifts of God yet are not called The grace of God However
spending all upon their pleasures they regard not their children but leave them in poverty and misery Now it's Gods gift to thee informing of thy parents heart to their duties concerning thee Thus if wives love husbands love children all this is Gods gift Gerson relates of his parents who desired to instruct him in this that he had all things from God as a gift that they made an Engine whereby descended from above whatsoever he desired or cried for as if it came from God immediately Fourthly Even those things that are brought about for us by the art and skill of others as well as their bounty we are to acknowledge God the giver of them Thus if Physicians by their art and skill have been a means to recover thee out of any disease thou art to confess it Gods gift It was Asa his great sinne That he relied on the Physician in his disease more than on God And men think themselves bound to reward the Physician to see he hath his fee but how little do they think to glorifie God and to give him the praises due to his name It is the midwives care and skill that brings the child into the world yet we have David taking notice of God as if he alone had done it Psal 22. 9. Thou art he that took me from my mothers womb Thou art my God from my mothers belly Oh how thankfully how humbly should we live did we consider how we are compassed about with Gods gifts Every thing we enjoy is the gift of God Lastly If all these things that yet seem to be the proper effects of second causes are yet the gifts of God Then how much more are all those enjoyments wherein mans wisdome and power cannot claim any worke at all Such are now all those favours of God in a temporal may that are cast upon us without any care or providence of ours That as God provided a wife for Adam while he was in a sleep Thus doth the Lord bring about many providences of love for his children that they never thought of that they could not in the least manner imagine To this head we may referre Paul's mercy in the Text. It might well be called a gift because he was pressed above strength and had no hope of life yet even then God did deliver him Such mercies also must needs be Gods gifts which are bestowed upon us while we are asleep while all the senses are locked up our preservation then from outward dangers yea and from many other wayes which might be our death or ruine when we have no use of reason to prevent them they must needs be Gods gift And lastly All the providences of God to us while little children having no wit or power to help our selves but exposed to danger every way all these were the gifts of God But who doth with thankfulnesse remember and meditate upon Gods mercies to him while a little child when he did eat and drink and play and thought of no God yet even then did God vouchsafe mercy to him David did acknowledge this Psal 22. 9. Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers brests David was a sucking child then he could not put forth the actings of hope or any grace at that time but I meaneth God was he that did then support and preserve him though he did not know of it Thus you see that if you let your thoughts runne over all the good things you enjoy let them come in what channel they can yet they are all gifts from God So that we are to overlook all natural causes all means all men all our own wisdome and labour and take them from Gods hand alone That which David saith in reference to the creatures belongeth also to man Psal 104. 27. These all wait upon thee that thou mayest give them their meat in due season That thou givest them they gather thou openest thy hand and they are filled Now the grounds why they are Gods gifts are First Because there is no necessity upon God either natural or moral to vouchsafe them to thee He is not bound to give thâ—… life senses wealth there is no natural necessity for he made thee out of his meer good pleasure and he made thee a man whereas thou mightst have been a Toad or a Serpent Nor was there any moral necessity thou doest not deserve any thing at Gods hand thou doest not deserve a morset of bread nor a drop of water therefore all is the meer gift of God It is his free gift God doth it purely out of his love according to that saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Favours are to be free and naked not dissembled and counterfeited Thus God having nothing from thee to move him doth it from himself alone Secondly It 's Gods gift Because thy sins are such that he is provoked to blast all thy comforts to continue them no longer to thee As God threatens Hos 2. 8 9. I will take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof You see God calleth it his corn and his wine because he giveth it Thus all thy mercies are Gods gifts upon a two-fold account both because he gave them at first and also because he continneth them still unto thee notwithstanding thy unworthiness Thirdly They are Gods gifts Because we are commanded to pray unto him for them In that short summe of Petitions our Lord remembers this when he directs us To pray for our daily bread and this the rich man must do as well as the poor a Dives that hath his barns full as well as a Lazarns that wants crums If then we pray to God for it it is plain that it is his gift Use of Exhortation Are all the comforts we enjoy Gods gifts Then walk more thankfully Think of God more do not mind second causes and instruments so much David Psal 27. 10. saith David's parents did not forsake him but he compareth himself to a little Infant exposed as Moses was and God did take him up to provide for him Thus we are to regard God more than father or mother Labour to speak the language of Scripture more Say God hath given this God continueth this and be diligent to use these gifts to the honour and glory of the giver for that is the chief end why he giveth them Shall God give to thee and then wilt thou take off from his glory and honour Provoke not God to repent as it were that ever he did thus and thus to thee as he did about the making of man and preferring of Saul Those that said Their tongues were their own Psal 12. 4. were thereby encouraged to wickednesse whereas to consider thy wealth is not thy own thy health is not thy own thy eyes thy tongue thy body these are not thy own they are Gods gift How carefull wouldst thou be to improve them all for his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let this
of glory and rejoycing to us So likewise Gal. 6. 4. the Apostle pressing every man to try his own works to examine his intentions therein giveth this as the consequent fruit thereof That then he shall have rejoycing in himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of glorying and boasting in himself To clear this truth let us first shew what is required to this glorying and then in what respects it is lawfull and allowed us And for the former First It is necessary to this rejoycing and glorying in the first place That we have an high esteem of the excellency and worth of that grace we discover to be in us If so be we are to rejoyce in these outward mercies which yet are only for the body what matter of joy should it be to find those spiritual workings of Gods Spirit in us which are of eternal concernment What Solomon saith concerning the esteem of wisdom which is indeed nothing but grace we should all make good Prov. 2. 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures That soul then which can rejoyce in the discovery of grace must esteem of it more than all the treasures of the world To say O Lord I had rather find my self sanctified I had rather see the powerfull workings of grace upon me then to be made the greatest or richest man in the world we have many exhortations to examine our selves and try our hearts to see if we can find this precious jewel in our souls Now none will be cordial to examine and search herein but those who look upon it as the greatest treasure Did the woman in the Gospel make such diligent search for a lost groat only and call her neighbours to rejoyce with her when she had found it How large and boundless then should our thoughts be about the excellency of grace And indeed to the godly soul this is the great question it labours to study and to resolve Whether it be in the state of grace or no knowing that this onely is the most blessed and happy estate in the world Secondly As we must highly esteem this work of grace so we must have a Certainty and perswasion that we have obtained it Had not Paul known that his heart had been sincere that he was not acted by carnal wisdome he could never have rejoyced For Philosophers make joy to be in that good thing we do possesse and also the knowledge thereof This Text then doth abundantly declare that the people of God may have a certain knowledge of the work of grace So that although the heart be indeed deceitfull and full of hypocrisie yet when sanctified it hath some measure of truth and sincerity in it and so far doth not deceive us He then that would rejoyce in the grace of God wrought in him must presse after assurance must endeavour after a certain perswasion of the truth of grace in him And although this perswasion be not justifying faith yea it is separable from it A man may be justified may be sanctified and not know it yet it is such a priviledge yea and duty also that we should diligently take heed of all those things that may weaken our assurance that may make us to doubt and question whether Jesus Christ be in us or no. Thirdly A sure perswasion of the goodnesse and integrity of our hearts is not enough but it must be upon right grounds and in a Scripture-demonstration For if it be a false perswasion it may produce indeed a rejoycing but a false rejoycing also It is more than probable that Paul while a persecutor being zealously affected to the tradition of his fathers and thinking himself bound as he professeth to do what he did against Christ and his members could then say His rejoycing was the testimony of his conscience being perswaded that in those wayes he glorified God And therefore some do extend that profession of his before the Council That he had lived in all good conscience before God untill that day And if this be so then we see plainly That every perswasion though never so confident is not enough to make us rejoyce but we must look to Scripture-grounds Doth not experience confirm this Take any heretical person any erroneous person though it be to the destruction of the very fundamentals of Religion yet he will proclaim a rejoycing in his heart from the good testimony of his conscience So that an erroneous conscience satisfied doth bring peace and rejoycing but it is an erroneous joy It is either from meer humane principles or from diabolical delusions But this will come in more properly when we come to the ground or reason it self of Paul's rejoycing Fourthly To this rejoycing there is required The Spirit of God enabling us thereunto So that the same spirit which doth seal to us the assurance of our estate doth also cause comfort in us The Spirit of God doth enlighten and sanctifie after this it doth seal and comfort And this latter work of Gods Spirit is necessary as well as the other For we see it lieth not in the power of Gods people to have comfort when they will Hence Gal. 5. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit and it 's called Joy in the holy Ghost not only objectively because it is a joy in spiritual objects but also efficiently because it is wrought by him Hence it is that the Spirit of God mouldeth the heart for comfort removeth fears and doubts restraineth and keepeth off Satan whereby no sinne no Devil is able to deject and cast down because God comforteth â—Thus you see what goeth to rejoycing in the graces of God and thereby an holy glorying in them Now let us see in what respect it is lawfull thus to rejoyce And First It is lawfull to rejoyce in them as they are the effects and fruits of Gods favour and love as they signifie the cause from whence they come Rahab could not but rejoyce to see the thread that was a signe of such a great mercy designed for her If then the godly man have that spiritual skill as to difference between trusting in his graces as any way causes of his salvation and thankfully receiving them assignes from which he may be perswaded of it then doth he hit the mark It is usually said from Luther That we are to take heed not onely of evil deeds but of good and holy works also because the heart is apt to be carried away with pride and self-confidence insensibly yet this much not so deterre the people of God that they may not take comfort from their graces For how can they see them and not rejoyce because they are the pledge of Gods favour it self and of an interest in Christ So that though their graces be weak and full of imperfections yet they manifest that to be ours which is fully perfect and hath no fault at all in it Imperfect graces do manifest Gods perfect grace to
beginners in Christianity deliberately and seriously to consider how much it will câ—st tâ— be godly They are not only to look to their motives but to the nature of such duties as they must be continually exercised in For when a man findeth that the way of godliness is a more self-denying mortified way a more opposed and persecuted way than he expected this maketh him to be offended and he is ready with Judas to betray Christ for a piece of silver or with Esau to sell his birth-right for a mess of pottage Our Saviour speaketh fully to this Luke 14. 28 29 31 32. where pressing those who are to be his Disciples to these great and difficult duties of hating father and mother and life it self for him Yea to take up his cross and to follow him No more for ever to own any object as the chiefest delight of his soul but Christ he illustrateth this by two similitudes one of a builder who if he be wise will consider what expences he is able to bear before he setteth upon it lest his folly be known to all And another of a King going to warre who will first consider what his strength is and whether he be able to meet his adversary or no. Thus it ought to be with every one that will profess the name of Christ How come you to to do it Have you seriously considered what it is to be a Christian indeed Can you hate all leave all if Christ require Can you part with your lusts your pleasures and profits If you could have these and Christ too then the way to Heaven would not be so difficult then many would be saved But this is that which maketh so many apostasies so many revoltings and scandals in the way of Religion that men come on a sudden into the profession of Christ either for education only or the national example or some external encouragements and then when they meet with harder brunts than they looked for when they see Christ will have them to be godly in good earnest to be self-denying indeed else they shall not be owned by him then they discover that Insipientis est dicere non putabam the language of the unwise I did not look for this I will go back into Aegypt again rather than endure in this wilderness Thus you see that a mans beginnings in Religion is all in all It is not so much to ask Doth he pray doth he hear doth he walk otherwise then he did But what was the cause of this How cometh it about that he doth so Hence the second particular to clear this truth is That true solid and sincere beginnings are the cause of our perseverance and continuance in what is holy Wheresoever a principle of supernatural life is infused Whosoever is borne of God The man who hath the fear of God put into his inward parts this man will be preserved that nothing shall either totally or finally separate that soul and Christ So that good and true beginnings will be sure to have holy and comfortable endings That place shall suffice for the present John 10. 27 28 29 30. My sheep hear my voice and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand c. To say they may by their own negligence throw themselves out of Gods hand is to thwart the comfort intended there for true believers For if the Devil or wicked men could not make them to perish yet if they should do it themselves if the grace of God did not keep back their own corrupt inclinations as well as keep off the Devil they should remain in continual perplexing fears and uncertainties Where then the foundation-stones of this spiritual building are truly and soundly laid there no tempests can wholly overwhelm though they may cause terrible shakings and therefore perseverance is not the condition upon which the truth of grace depends but it is the effect of it that is we are not to say as Arminians do If you persevere in believing if you continue in loving of God then this will make your grace effectual then this will make you to be sincere and not hypocrites For if so then till we die we cannot have any true ground of comfort because we know not how irrecoverably we may fall off from Christ before that time come And this is to thwart the general torrent of the Scripture who calleth upon the people of God To rejoyce and to have peace with God as a Father and to encourage our selves from the present state of grace we are in so that we shall never be deprived thereof Perseverance then doth not make our grace to be true but true grace maketh us to persevere as the wheel runneth round which is Austin's comparison not that it may be round but because it is round It is true our Saviour saith Iohn 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed not that this made them so but because this would declare and manifest them to be so Thirdly Therefore it is not enough for the grace of God once to put us into a state of holinesse and then to leave us to our selves but it is necessary that we should have his constant quickning grace to enable us to hold out to the end Christ is not only the Author but the finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. And therefore we have the godly so often praying that God would keep them that he would teach them that he would increase their saith that he would not lead them into temptation which necessarily suppose that the same grace of God which began the foundation must also build up all and finish whatsoever is begun It is not then from our selves or from the nature of grace as if it were not amissible Adam and the apostate Angels are a clear instance to the contrary but from the assistance and help of Christ without us Lastly Though perseverance to the end be thus the promised effect of Gods grace yet that doth not exclude but include an holy fear lost we that stand should fall a diligent working out of our salvation with fear and trembling a constant watching over our hearts and a daily keeping down of our body lest after we have appeared so long in the wayes of Christ we afterwards turne aside into the Devils paths For there are sad instances in Scripture of such who in outward appearance were eminent in the Church of God as Judas was but having not a sure bottome and neglecting such means which Christ required of them they became sad scandals in the Church of God for their fall was great Use of Exhortation Not to rest upon what we have been What though so many years thou hast appeared a Disciple of Christ For if the foundation was not well laid at first one time or other there will be a breaking upon thee What moved thee what prevailed
People 1 COR. 1. 14. That we are your rejoycing as ye also are ours THis is the Second particular in the Text and doth contain the Specification wherein this acknowledgment of the Corinthians did consist viz. That he was their Rejoycing However some false teachers had endeavoured to take off their affections from him yet they had acknowledged him to be their Father and Master by whom they were faithfully instructed in the wayes of Godliness and for this they did blesse God and rejoyce that they had such a Teacher which was so great a mercy that few did enjoy the like Now the Apostle addeth That this rejoycing was mutual he did as well rejoyce in such apt and obedient Schollars Chrysostome observeth this Addition to be a great Expression of Pauls Modesty and Humility for that the Corinthians should glory and rejoyce in such an eminent Teacher as Paul was It is no wonder but that he should rejoyce in them who were so inconstant and so uncertain in their affections to him yea who were to be blamed so much in Doctrinalls and practicalls This may make us admire But sayes Chrysostome This Paul doth for humility sake that he might not procure envy us if he thought two arrogantly of himself therefore he assumeth them into a co-partnership with his glory and rejoycing The Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lieth already bear opened There is nothing difficult in the words onely when Paul and the Corinthians are thus said to be one anothers rejoycing we are to understand that the Act is here put for the Object of it as often in the Scripture Thus rejoycing is put for the Object Matter and Cause of our rejoycing and if you say We are to rejoyce in God onely in the Lord not in men that is true We are to rejoyce in God onely as the Author of all our good yet we may in men as they are instruments used by God to communicate his benefits to us Thus a people may rejoyce in a faithfull Minister not principally and originally but secondarily as the Instrument which God hath made very successfull to their souls The Observation then is That it is a most happy and blessed thing when Minister and people can upon just and holy grounds rejoyce mutually in each other When the people can bless God for the Ministerial gifts and graces bestowed upon their Pastor and he again can praise God that he hath a willing teachable and obedient people ready to receive the Ordinances of Christ in the power and purity of them This is a rare priviledg Oh there are but few Churches of which the Ministers may say as Paul to the Colossians Chap. 2. That he doth rejoyce in beholding their order and faith in Christ To meet with a people that are neither ignorant heretical nor prophane but willing to walk according to Christs rule and his order this is to see heaven upon earth The Apostle findeth such matter of joy not onely in those Corinthians but in many other Churches For as he had more Labours more Oppositions more Persecutions than others so also God gave him more joy and comefort in beholding the spiritual successe of his Labours for this was the onely comefort of his spiritual heart to see men imbrace Christ and to live worthy of the Gospel it was not his own Glory Honor and greatness that he aymed at which is an excellent example to us Ministers of the Gospel that our Matter of joy should not be any earthly riches or wealth any great fame or worldly esteem but that we are to win people to Christ alone not our selves Thus the Apostle calleth the Philipians his joy and crown Phil. 4. 1. and 1 Thes 2. 19 20. speaking of his ardent affections to see their face by way of interrogation the more emphatically to express himself he saith What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Are not even ye And then addeth positively the same thing for or rather surely certainly ye are our rejoycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not a note of reasoning for then the Apostle would prove Idem for Idem as they say but of Affirmation and asseveration Ye are our crown of rejoycing Grotius saith It is an allusion to Kings who on their solemn festival dayes have not an ordinary but extraordinary Crown to wear for the greater pomp and glory Such extraordinary honor would the Thessalonians be to Christ at the great day But let us consider this in the general and then amplifie it respectively to Minister and people And First The Relation of Pastor and people is by divine Institution Christ himself hath appointed the Office it self and the application of it to this or that man through the desire of the Church so that as Churches are of Gods gathering They are his creature in a more special manner than the world is so likewise are the Officers and spiritual Guides to teach them 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath set in his Church Apostles and Teachers Thus Act 20. 28. The Holy Ghost is said to set them Overseers over their flock â—eeing therefore that this relation is built on a Divine Foundation no wonder if managed according to Divine Rules that it is the cause of exceeding great joy These Relations are respectively for supernatural and spiritual ends and effects The Minister is for illumination Conversion Edification for the destroying of the power and Kingdome of Satan as also the establishing and promoting the Kingdome of grace in the hearts of the people The people also they are to be matter of encouragement to him they are to be helpfull and assistant in their way that Godliness may flourish that the ends of the Ministry may not be frustrated The Apostle sometimes taketh notice of the great usefulness and serviceableness even of some women in that kinde For though Ministers be compared to Light to the Sun and Starrs yet in this there is a difference The Starrs give Light and Influence into these sublunary things but receive no benefit at all from them again but the Ministers of the Church even though as eminent as Paul yet they acknowledg the manifold benefits and that in a spiritual way which they may receive from their people again now then how happy is it when there is a reciprocal and circular helping of each other when spiritual guides do convert edifie and quicken up their people and again the people do assist help and quicken up their Officers certainly as spiritual delights are greater than any bodily ones because the objects are more excellent and usefull so should this mutual rejoycing in our spiritual joy surpass all the delight that we take in our natural and civil relation neither the delight of a Wife in her Husband or of a Childe in his Father should be equal to the joy of a people in Faithfull Officers And so è contra the Reason is evident because the effects of this Relation are spiritual heavenly and
to charge it upon all other Ministers as if they were all alike It was for this that Paul doth not only apologize for himself but his Associates also But how unreasonable is this grant that some were truly blame-worthy must all be so If in the Old Testament there were many false prophets that daubed with untempered mortar that cried peace peace to sinners when destruction was at hand shall we therefore condemn the good Prophets who reproved even the greatest and most mighty for their sins Because Judas was a thief and for filthy lucre sake betrayed Christ shall we condemn all the Apostles making them to be no better Must Sylvanus and Timotheus be accused Because they thought Paul was inconstant and light yet thus it falleth out continually and that from these Grounds First The policy and enmity of false teachers who like Haman think it a small matter to destroy one Mordecai unlesse they root out the whole race of the Jews Thus the false Apostles concluded Though Paul was disgraced and vilified yet if Sylvanus and Timotheus be in esteem and authority our Kingdom will fall to the ground It is therefore the adversaries design to cast dung in the faces of all the faithfull Ministers of Christ that so there might not one be left that should be usefull in their place A second Ground is From the injudiciousnesse and indiscretion of people who are credulous and apt to believe all rumours and reports How could it be that the Pharisees by their calumniating Christ as an Impostor and a Blasphemer should prevail with the greater part of the people to be on their side because they were blinde and led by the blinde they would not make use of their own judgement they would not examine and try whether things were so or no. And then the third Ground is From the natural enmity that is in all wicked men to the Office of the Ministry when faithfully discharged That is a burden to them they must needs say with Ahab to such faithfull Michaiahs We hate him because he alwayes prophesieth evil Alas godly Ministers cannot give any comfort cannot promise peace to such ungodly persons therefore they have hatred against them and are glad to receive any false report concerning them Ministers are compared to Light and to salt now the Light must needs be offensive to distempered eyes and Salt to soars Thus if the Ministery be powerfull to enlighten to convince to reprove no ungodly man can endure this Therefore it is that the office of the Ministery when faithfully managed is so great a trouble to wicked men They are thievs therefore cannot endure this light they cry out with Ahab hast thou found mee O my enemy Every Sermon that is powerfull is as bitter as gall and wormwood to them and therefore there being such an enmity and ill-will against them it is no wonder if they be quickly prejudiced and will not believe there is a godly or faithfull Minister in the whole Church of God But I hasten to the Last Observation and that is It is a most blessed and happy thing when all the Ministers of God agree with one consent to advance Christ As Luke calleth it chap. 1. The mouth of all the holy Prophets which have been since the beginning of the world It was but one mouth as it were They all agreed in the same Doctrine Paul and Sylvanus and Timotheus they all preach the same Christ they were not yea or nay This accord and agreement among the Ministers of the Gospel is of so great concernment that our Saviour in his valedictory prayer doth with much efficacy and vigor press this Petition That his Disciples may be one and one in the most near manner imaginable even as the father and son are one I shall not enlarge on this because heretofore much spoken off only I shall instance in some usefull Effects and consequences of this happy Agreement Only before I do that we have cause to take notice of the goodness of God and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifold wisdome of God whereby he hath provided many Offices many Officers for his Church and those variously gifted and all for the spiritual benefit of our soules some are Barnabasses some are Boanergeses Thus as the Kings Daughter is said to be cloathed with needle work of divers colours so hath God richly adorned his Church with variety of abilities that if men be not converted the greater will be their condemnation For whereas Auditors are of divers appetites some are for doctrinal Preaching some for affectionate some are for legal terrible Sermons others for sweet Evangelical discourses if Christ send Embassadours thus qualified every way what can they look for who are not by these several baits allured and taken For this cause we have Christ himself upbraiding the Jews that no kinde of heavenly way would please no kinde of dressing the Word of life was acceptable to their palates Matth. 11. 18. John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he hath a devil The son of man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a friend of publicans and sinners Hereupon he compareth them to children playing in the markets saying we have piped to you and ye have not danced we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented Thus nothing would do any good to them Admire then Gods goodness that hath thus abundantly provided for thee Do not simply and enviously compare one Ministers gifts above another but adore the mercy of God that useth all the different abilities of men for the Churches good This premised we may from the harmony and Agreement of Ministers in advancing Christs Kingdom see First The greater Confirmation of the truth If out of the mouth of two or three witnesses then how much more out of the mouth of many thousand witnesses is every truth abundantly confirmed How canst thou give way to any atheistical thoughts whether there be a God or a day of Judgment or an heaven or an hell when thou shalt hear so many thousands of Gods servants in all ages witness to this thing All the Prophets and Apostles men renouned for holiness for miracles they all preached the same Doctrines that we do to you And therefore consider with thy self what a cloud of witnesses thou gainsayest by thy unbelief 2. The greater consent and harmony the greater defence there is for the truth The old rule is vis unita fortior Our Saviour confirmeth it when he saith A Kingdome divided against it self cannot stand What advantages do the enemies of Gods Church make by the Divisions and different Judgments of men in the Reformed Church The Papist doth confidently conclude that all will turn to them at last for say they you have so many Sects amongst you and one saith he hath the spirit of God and another he hath but all contrary to one another Now although it were easie to recriminate yet this difference
God may forsake gradually that thereby he may not forsake totally and finally Such desertions that are for a season are sometimes mercies and very usefull being a substraction of grace in order to fill us with more grace And the end of such providential administrations is to convince us fully of this truth that we do not settle our selves but it is God that doth it for us Lastly This truth may be demonstrated from the nature of that grace which is habitual and permanent in us For though that there be in us as a principle qualifying of us to work holy things with delight joy and content yet it cannot put us upon working without a further actual efficacious work of grace upon our souls which you heard the Apostle calleth Working in us both to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. So that although there be never so much grace planted in us yet that lieth asleep as it were and worketh not till this efficacious grace actuate it and put it into motion neither ought this to be any wonder to us For we see in natural causes it is not enough to have a principle of life unless God also enable us to move For in him we live and move and have our being much more then must this be in supernatural things where the Actus primus and secundus is of God Not but that in the progresse of grace we act and move but Acti agimus moti movemus It is the grace of God that doth efficaciously incline the sanctified will to spiritual operation then the North-wind and the South doe as it were blow upon the spiccs that they may send forth their fragrant smell It is true at the first work of grace there we are meerly passive but God doth not then force our will he only changeth it as water which naturally descends when made air doth naturally ascend upwards Thus the will of a man which was depressed to earthly things by sinne when sanctified and made heavenly ascendeth up towards God and heavenly objects By these discoveries it is manifest that the best Saint in this world is setled by the grace of God alone Those corruptions within him are treacherous and would betray him into the hands of Satan did not Christ corroborate him And is this any wonder of man fallen seeing Adam fell for want of this confirming grace and the elect Angels do therefore not leave their habitation as the Apostate have because the grace of God doth confirm them So that the good use we are to make of this Doctrine is to be exceeding watchfull and tender about all sinne lest thereby we provoke God to leave us How terrible do such desertions many times prove To whom are woes to whom are wounds and gripes of conscience but many times to those who being left of God have thereby ingaged in sinfull wayes and so having lost an holy frame of heart have thereby deprived themselves likewise of an Evangelical comfortable one Take heed through thy lazinesse negligence pride or some other sinne God forsake thee and thou become worse than Nebuchadnezzar of a godly man made like a beast This will be bitternesse in the latter end As for the second Doctrine I shall not say much to that because it hath been in part already spoken unto it is That in Christ alone we are established That as in the building other stones are strengthened because of the corner stone or the foundation stone or as the branch in the Vine doth therefore live and flourish because in the Vine so it is with us because in Christ we are setled with Christ in Christ we are confirmed with Christ which made Austin say In Christo sumtis Christus extra Christum nihil In Christ we are even like Christ out of Christ we are nothing at all To consider this we are to know First That all the godly through the efficacy of Gods Spirit are united to Christ and so become his mystical and spiritual body By reason of this it is that Christ dwelleth in them and they in Christ Christ actively communicating of his goodnesse and virtue to them and they passively receiving influences of grace from his fulnesse This union is represented in Scripture by many similitudes of a building of a vine and branches of an husband and wife but none so expresly as that in the Sacrament of bread and wine denoting us those elements are naturally turned into our nourishment and made one with us so we are in a spiritual and mystical manner made one with Christ This being laid as a foundation then Secondly From this our establishment and settlement followeth whereby we are sure to persevere and nothing shall be able to dissolve this union whence once made a true member of Christ there cannot be any separation made so as ever such a person should at last be damned in hell for that would redound to the highest dishonour of Christ the Head as could be imagined The reason why Adam fell though without any inherent corruption in him was partly because he was not united to Christ in that manner as the weakest believer is now under the Covenant of Grace And although these things are derided by the Arminian yet this Doctrine of spiritual union with Christ may compell every one to believe the truth thereof so that if we now fall Christ must fall with us we are not to be considered as single persons standing upon our own bottome but as united to Christ Therefore Thirdly Being thus in Christ our stablishment ariseth two wayes from Christ 1. By meritorious impetration Christ as our Mediatour hath deserved this through his propitiatory death that we should alwayes be kept his and therefore when we have a thousand times over deserved that God should leave us yet because Christ hath deserved that God should alwayes love us therefore it is that we stand faster than Mount Zion which yet is said not to be moved The second way is by efficient application for he doth communicate of his power and strength to us whereby when we are ready of our selves to fall yet he doth prevent it So that our being in Christ is the foundation of all strength and all comfort and therefore this discovereth the wretched estate of such who can claim no interest in Christ these are tossed up and down from one lust to another they roll from one iniquity to another the Devil doth what he pleaseth with them he throweth them sometimes in the fire and sometimes in the water and all this is because not in Christ If at any time through the common graces of Gods Spirit they are got up to the pinacle of the Temple they are eminent for gifts and place in the Church of God all the godly have admired them for a while yet at last you find them blasted and cursed in this way you find them like swine wallowing in the mire that were judged to be the sheep of
the Rock followed the people of Israel in the wildernesse to refresh them this man may say verily God is here verily God is with me Lastly The Spirit of God doth give us Consolation by the antecedent workes of sanctification Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his But the godly they have received the Spirit of God And if the soul which is the spirit of a man manifest it self present in the body by its operations shall we not much rather thinke that the Spirit of Christ where it dwelleth in a man will make knowne it selfe Shall we have these coales of fire in our bosome and not perceive them Now there is an order in the works of Gods Spirit which we also must attend unto and not think to have one before the other The order is this the Spirit of God doth 1. Enlighten the minde 2. It doth sanctifie the will and affections 3. It doth witnesse and seale to us these blessed effects To looke therefore for consolation before sanctification is preposterous Oh how happy is it when the childe of God earnestly seeketh after all these effects upon his soule and that in the order God hath appointed These few qualifications may suffice by these and the like the Spirit of God doth confirme Onely you must know these doe but objectively offer themselves if the Spirit of God doth not rightly constitute our inward man and enable us all these blessed effects may be upon our soules and yet we be disconsolate as if we had them not Even as there may be pleasant flowers in a garden yet if we have not light we cannot see them So that the cause of assurance is more from the Spirit of God efficiently establishing the heart than from these qualifications which doe objectively onely declare themselves Even as in faith dogmatically assenting to divine truths the work of Gods Spirit is more upon the understanding giving firmnesse and stedfast adhesion than upon the motives of credibility in the truths themselves But what is necessary to a fuller clearing of this will upon another occasion be considered I proceed to the last thing in this Description and that is the final cause which is That under the sense of this we might live boldly c. I say under this sense For this sealing of Gods Spirit doth make such a divine impression upon the soule that we feele it and perceive it not indeed bodily as we doe the fire that burneth but rationally and spiritually in our inward man So that not onely grace is from Gods Spirit but the experimental feeling of it is likewise from the same Hence it is not to be called an humane but divine sense For a gracious constitution is required to feele what is grace and to discerne the effects thereof But I hasten This sense and apprehension of Gods sealing being thus experimentally in us we find a three-fold advantage thereby First We walke boldly confidently Insomuch that we can cry Father Ephes 3. 12. We have boldnesse and accesse with confidence There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are able to speake any thing in the presence of God whereas in fears and doubts our prayers are interrupted we question whether we may say this or that Secondly Hereby we walke comfortably Yea it is called Joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1. 8. and Rom. 14. 17. Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost The Kingdome of God is there said to consist in this Alas how contrary doe the people of God walke to this Text for want of sealing as if godlinesse lay in doubts in fears and dejections of spirit Surely the people of God are to bewail their ignorance and low principles in these things Thou makest thy self to be like an heir under age as the Apostle alludeth Gal. 4. 1. and so not differing from a servant whereas the Gospel-light and Evangelical principles set home by the Spirit of adoption should fill thee with liberty and exceeding great joy Lastly Hereby we also live thankefully never satisfying our selves with admiring and commending the unspeakable and unsearchable riches of Gods grace Two great gulphs the Spirit of God hath delivered thee out of the sinfull lusts and corruptions thou didst once wallow in and the slavish sad tormenting feares thou wast once almost overwhelmed with Oh what cause is here of thankefullnesse How sorry art thou that thou art no more enlarged That thou hast but one heart and one tongue to be exercised in this matter And the aggravation of all this is that we may be thus bold joyfull and thankfull notwithstanding all discouragements to the contrary for they are many and dreadfull How many failings within How many temptations without What fiery darts from Satan And yet a sealed Christian is able to looke upon these with as much joy as the Israelites did upon the Aegyptian carcasses that lay dead upon the Sea-shore But if God should let open these flood-gates upon the most sanctified person he would be immediately swallowed up with them as Dathan and Abiram were suddenly in the earth And then Lastly You have the terme till which this sealing shall last and that is Till we are made happy compleatly in Heaven So Ephes 4. 30. We are sealed till the day of redemption This way of faith and assurance will then cease it will be turned into the immediate vision and fruition of God Then there will be no feares no doubts any more than lusts and corruptions How mercifull then is God that giveth us such manna in the wildernesse which will cease when we come into Canaan SERM. CXXXVII Whether all the People of God are his Sealed ones 2 COR. 1. 21. Who hath also sealed us THe nature of this sealing being largely described I shall conclude with an answer to that Question Whether all sanctified ones are Gods sealed ones for it might seem to be true of all seeing the Apostle speaketh universally in the person of beleevers who hath sealed us and Eph. 1. 13. those that beleeved were sealed there is no difference made neither are any exempted And not only by Scripture but by the testimony of many learned Protestants it should also seem so especially of such who defined faith to be an assurance for then if no assurance no faith To this purpose Calvin seemeth to speak on this very Text which Stapleten looketh upon as depraving the meaning of the Apostle Whosoever saith Calvin hath not the spirit of God a witnesse within him so that he can say Amen to God calling him to the certain hope of salvation he doth falso Christianum nomen obtendere pretend only to a Christian name not being so indeed To the same sense also in his Institutions lib. 3. cap. 2. par 16. Vere fidelis non est c. he is not truly a beleever who is not perswaded with a solid perswasion that God is a propitious and reconciled Father to him whereby he doth promise to
true but because it is the spirit that doth apply the promises to the soul and make us assured of them as he is called the holy spirit because he is the authour of holinesse But then Eph. 4. 30. there we are said to be sealed by the spirit denoting the spirit of God to be the efficient cause of it So that it is a blasphemous wresting of the Scripture by a Socinian when by the holy Ghost thus sealing unto us is saith he Smal. disp de promisso spiritus sancti meant no more than a sure hope of eternal life He denieth the holy Ghost to be God and a Person it is only saith he a sure hope within us but this is to confound this effect with the cause faith and love and hope are the effects of Gods Spirit they are not the spirit it self So that from hence viz. because the spirit of God doth seal us we may gather a sure argument that he is truly God for the spirit is said to confirm us and God is said to confirm us whereby it is implyed that to confirm our hearts is a divine operation as well as to sanctifie it It is true how the spirit of God is God and how it proceedeth from the Father and Sonne cannot be comprehended by reason It is enough that by faith we are to beleeve so for no wonder the doctrine of the Trinity is inexplicable seeing the nature of God is ineffable To this purpose Austin having discoursed about the Trinity concludeth that he perceived only he had spoken something of God Si autem dixi non est hoc quod dicere volui hoc unde scio nisi quia Deus ineffabilis est Quod autem a me dictum est si ineffabile esset non esset dictum ac per hoc ne ineffabilis quidem dicendus est Deus quia hoc cum dicitur aliquid dicitur fit nescio quae pugna verborum quoniam si illud est ineffabile quod dici non potest non est ineffabile quod velut ineffabile dici potest De Doctrinâ Christianâ lib. 1. But that by the way Lastly Here is the subject wherein and that is said to be in our hearts So that as God doth write his Law in our hearts Thus he doth also infuse his comfort and assurance which doth demonstrate the soveraign power of God over our hearts he can make them holy when he pleaseth he can comfort them when he pleaseth No Potentate in the world can do thus That heart of thine which is not in thy own power which no man can tame the grace of God can tame it that heart which thou desirest may be filled with holinesse and consolation God alone can do it The Observation is That grace wrought in the heart is a sure earnest of glory hereafter He that is holy here must needs be happy hereafter If thou canst finde grace in thy soul thou hast found the Pearl thou maist rejoyce not doubting but heaven will be thine hereafter The people of God are not only to look upon grace as grace but as it is an earnest of a greater happinesse yet how often do the children of God consider it without thiis respect what courage joy and holy boldnesse would it work in thee to think thou hast within thee that which assureth of eternal glory as if thou wert already in heaven This is a reviving truth that grace is an earnest of glory thou mindest grace as it subdueth thy corruptions as it maketh thy heart to be carried out more holily and delightsomely to God but then thou dost not attend to it as an earnest There is a great deal of difference between a shilling as a single peece of money and as an earnest it may be of twenty pound more to come Thus it is very much rejoycing to finde grace at all in thy soul as it is grace but it doth much more rejoyce as it is an earnest of more fulnesse Adam had grace the angels had grace but grace was not given them as part of an inheritance for they fell from it Let us consider two Texts of Scriptures where we have this earnest spoken of The first is by our Apostle in this Epistle cap. 5. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of his spirit What is that self same thing he speaketh of it is a groaning and an earnest desire after immortality we would gladly be out of this burden here and in heaven yea as we groan and desire so we are assured and know that when we shall dye we shall go to heaven But now because these are things far above the power of nature we naturally are afraid of death we are unwilling to be taken from our relations we have not such assurance of heaven Therefore saith the Apostle He that doth work us frame and polish us for this great thing it is God We could never do it without his supernatural assistance But then how doth God work this admirable frame of heart it is by the earnest of his spirit we have the beginnings of heaven already So that as the Israelites by the bunches of raisons had some foretast of Canaan so have beleevers some taste of heaven by what they feel already and as Moses from Mount Pisgah could behold Canaan though he did not enter into it thus thou hast a sight of heaven and an entrance into it by the grace begun in thee The other Text is Eph. 1. 14. where the Apostle having said That we were sealed by the spirit of promise he addeth which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession We are not yet brought into heaven into Canaan We are yet in the wildernesse we meet with many dangers and temptations threatning us that we shall never come there but only this earnest doth assure us and satisfie us So that as among the Israelites an inheritance was not to be alienated from the Tribe in the year of Jubilee it would return again to the true owner Thus this inheritance of heaven will never be taken from thee Thou maist be in some dangers and fears of losing of it by thy unwise carriage but shalt not be deprived of it Before we enlarge on this subject it is good to take notice of the dissimilitude as well as the similitude for though grace wrought in us be compared to an earnest in this respect as it doth assure us of future glory yet in other respects it greatly differeth from earnest among men As in the first place An earnest in bargains is to assure the buyer that giveth it as well as the seller they mutually hereby are confirmed so that the buyer cannot honestly fly off any more than the seller But now when the spirit of God worketh this earnest in us it is only for our good it is that we may be assured and
joy and comfort 3. Thankfulnes Caut. 1. Caut. 2. Godly simplicity and singleness of heart affords much comfort Of the uature of godly simplicity 1. It flows from a sanctified heart 2. It looks upon Gods will as the only motive to obedience 3. It is fixed upon God only 4. It is not compounded 5. 'T is uniform in its obedience 6. It s outwards and inwards are all the same 7. It doth not cover any sin 8. It makes a man free in the service of God More propositions of the nature of simplicity 1. It humbly submits to the truths of God 2. It submits to the commandments of God 3. It boldly reproveth sin Of simplicity towards men 1. It makes a man blameless as to others 2. It is accompanied with ingenuity and truth Use 1. Use 2. Godly sincerity carrieth a man above all other things to God himself What it is in God that a sincere heart looks upon 1. His Omniscience 2. His being the first cause and the last end 3. His sovereignty and dominion 4. The wisdom of God What are those inferiour ends which interpose betwixt God our souls which we are apt to look upon 1. Vain-glory. 2. Honour and riches Propositions concerning godly sincerity 1. 'T is universal 2. Sincerity goeth to the bottom of sin 3. Hence it is that it is so hard to be a Christian 4. Sincerity is the proper difference betwixt a temporary professour and a true believer 5. Sincerity carries us through duties with delight 6. Sincerity makes a man find grace to be a reall thing Why carnal wisdom called fleshly Ministers ought not to use fleshly wisdom Why this truth is to be treated of 1. Because professors are charged with it 2. Because all professours would be thought clear from it 3. To take off prejudices from true believers Principles of fleshly wisdom 1. To defend errours from Scripture wrested 2. To hide our errours or else secretly to infect others with them More principles of fleshly wisdom in propagating Religion 1. To advance those of their own way and disgrace others 2. To maintain false doctrines that overthrow humane society 3. To indulge men in sin and to increase Disciples 4. To propound fleshly ends The godly ascribe all to the grace of God 1. A man may take comfort in his own holinesse and yet trust only in Gods grace 2. All is to be given unto grace What is that grace the Apostle exalteth against fleshly wisdom 1. That grace whereby he was converted 2. That grace whereby he was made an Apostle 3. That grace whereby he was enabled and prospered in his Ministry As 1. It was the grace of God that made Paul sincere What were those graces which the Apostle acknowledged in his Ministry 1. Faithfulness 2. Humility 3. Guidance and direction in his preaching and meditations 4 His patience self-denial zeal and courage 5. His heavenly wisdome 6. His successe in his Ministry It is universal holinesse which is the ground of comfort There is a two-fold conversation the one natural The other is an heavenly and godly conversation What is required to a good conversation 1. Principles of grace 2. A predominancy in the heart to Christ 3. Actual Improvements of grace 4. Pure and heavenly motives Whose conversation is not holy notwithstanding some good things in it The more evidently Gods presence hath been with the Ministry the more inexcusable is the unprofitableness of the people under it 1. The longer time a people have enjoyed the means of grace they 'll be more inexcusable if they answer not Gods expectations 2. The more faithfull the Minister is the more in excusable will the people be 3. Where the Ministry is more succesfull the impenitent are more inexcusable Wherein the success of a faithfull Ministry is seen A godly convincing life is of great advantage specially in a Minister 1. Godlinesse hath a convincing and converting effect with it 2. The efficacy of the Ministry depends not upon the piety of the Minister 3. Yet such Ministers as are not godly cannot expect comfort from God nor acceptance with him 4. A godly life is convincing either potentially or actually What are the causes that make godly lives oft not convincing 1. Prejudice 2. Corrupt affections 3. Mistake about the way and nature of godliness An hopefull beginning in holiness is not enough without perseverance 1. A man that would set upon an holy life must first look to his foundation 2. Sincere beginnings are the cause of perseverance 3. Therefore the grace of God is not only necessary to begin but also to continue holiness in us 4. Perseverance promised doth not exclude but include fear watchfulnesse and diligence The best Churches are full of changes in their affections to their spiritual guides though never so faithfull 1. It is an imbred corruption for all inferiours to be mutable to their inferiours 2. This inclination to this changeablenes hath more temptations in great than small places What are the causes of this changeablenes 1. Inconstancy and fickleness 2. An overhasty receiving of the Ministers 3. Curiosity 4. Mistakes about the Doctrine delivered 5. A faithfull discharge of the Ministers office 6. The importunity of deceivers It is a happy thing when Minister and people can rejoyce in one another 1. The relation betwixt Pastor and people is by divine Institution 2. Therefore doth the Devil endeavour to make differences betwixt Minister and beople How and why may a people rejoyce in their Pastor 1. As the instruments whereby God hath instructed and converted them 2. For their works sake 3. In the spiritual success of the Minister Wherein a faithfull Pastor hath cause to rejoyce over his people 1. When they are tractable and teachable Motives to knowledg in spiritual things 1. Consider the Necessity of it 2. The usefulness of it 2. When people believe and receive the Word as Gods Word 3. When they are converted by the Word 4. When they are ready to all duties 5. When they are ready to submit to the whole order of Christ Christ hath a solemn day wherein great changes will be made 1. There will be a great change as to the comforts of a godly Minister and people 2. A great change in the prophane sinners 3. A great change to the godly 4. A great change in mens judgements and apprehensions of sinne and holiness There will be a great change in wicked mens thoughts 2. Of good men as 1. That they are fools 2. Hypocrites 3. In respect to their outward estate 3. Their thoughts will be changed as to Christ 1. They will then behold him the chiefest good 2. As a Judge as well as a Saviour There will be at the great day a great change as to Gods providence Lastly There will be a special change made upon some sinners as the jolly secret and self-righteous Where a Faithfull Minister hath hopes of doing good he hath good encouragement to remain 1. All people naturally have a door bolted