Divisions are ye not carnal 25 Envy its several acceptations ibid. Observ That envying wheresoever it is is a fruit of the Flesh and such a sinne that a godly man should especially watch against ibid. Envy It s Original Degrees Object Subject Aggravations Remedies 26 The difference between Envy and Zeal 32 For whereas there is among you strife 33 Observ That strifes and quarrelling contentions amongst Christians argue them to be so farre carnal ibid. Sinfull strife Its Cause Effects Aggravations 34 Whereas there is divisions among you p. 37 Observ That divisions and factions do quickly creep into the best and purest Churches 38 Divisions divided their Nature Causes 39 Are ye not carnal and walk as men 42 As man its several significations ibid. Observ That all those who are named Christians and would be accounted so should walk and live as those that are more than meer men ibid. What the phrase to live as men implieth 43 Verse 4. For whereas one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 45 Observ That although it 's the duty of People to have a great and high esteem of the Ministers of the Gospel yet they are not sinfully and inordinately to admire or rest meerly upon any mens persons 46 Wherein the respect due to the Ministers of the Gospel doth consist ibid And when it may degenerate into sinfull admiration 48 For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal 49 Observ That it is not lawfull for Christians to call themselves by the Name of any men though never so Eminent so as to build on them 50 Of the Names that Christians have been called by in several Ages ibid. Observ That when the Devil cannot hurt the Church by a prophane and sinfull Ministry then he labours to destroy it by abusing the names and esteem of those who are truly holy and eminent 54 What are the common wayes of Satans doing hurt to the Church by the Ministers and Officers thereof ibid. And even by eminent godly men 56 1 COR. 1.12 And I of Christ 58 Observ That although Christ only is to be relied upon as the Head of his Church yet it is not his will that under this pretence we should despise or contemn his Ministry and the means of grace he hath appointed 59. Of sinfull setting up of Christ ibid. Of the causes of grace Efficient and Instrumental ibid. Verse 5. Who then is Paul and who is Apollo 62 Observ That faithfull Ministers seek not to win or gain a people to themselves but to Christ 63 A two-fold end of preaching the Word ibid. The Characters of that Ministry that seeks not the peoples applause but to bring them to Christ 64 Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed 66 Observ That the Ministry in Gods Church is the Means and instrumental Cause he hath appointed to work Faith and all other Graces in the Hearers 67 How the Ministry is not an instrumental cause of grace and how it is ibid The properties of the Ministry as such a cause 69 Who is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed even as the Lord gave to every man 70 Observ That Faith is the great and eminent grace which God by the Ministry works in some Hearers ibid The Nature of Faith It s three Acts Knowledge Assent and a resting on Christ 71 The Effects of faith ad intra 72 Ad extra 73 Even as the Lord gave to every man 74 Observ That God hath given several Gifts and Abilities to the Ministers of the Church and thereby makes use of them all for his glorious ends ibid. Why all Ministers have not the same gifts 76 Rules or Helps to profit by the Ministry 77 Verse 6. I have planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase 78 Observ That it's Gods unspeakable goodness sometimes to send his Word and plant his Gospel among a people that never heard or knew any thing of it before 79 Apollo watered 82 Observ That it is not enough for a people once to receive the true Faith and principles of Religion but they need a further watering and quickning them up to grow ibid. Wherein this spiritual watering consists 83 And why there is such need of quickning means 84 But God gave the encrease 85 Observ That it's God only who can and will give encrease and spiritual successe to the Ministerial labours in the Church 86 How God works 90 Wherein God giveth the increase ibid. And why he only can 92 Verse 7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase 93 Observ That the best and most able Ministry is nothing without Gods power giving the increase 94 What the Apostle doth not mean and what he doth mean in saying The Ministry is nothing ibid. Directions how to hear the Word 96 Verse 8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one 97 Observ That although there is diversity and variety in the gifts of the Ministers yet they all ought to agree in one ibid. They should agree in Doctrine in their End and Scope and in Affection 98 The sad effects of dis-union in the Ministers 99 What people should do when Ministers and Professours are divided ibid. And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour 101 Of Reward and Merit 101 105 106 Observ That according to a mans labour and working for God he is sure to have a proportionable reward 102 All have work to do ibid. A two-fold doing of good works ibid. The requisites to such a work as God will accept 103 A lawfull self-seeking 105 Verse 9. For we are labourers together with God 109 Observ That the Ministers of the Gospel are workers with God for the conversion of mens souls So 2 Cor. 6.1 110 Why God will have co-workers ibid. Ye are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building 113 Observ That the people of God are his husbandry and building ibid. What our being Gods husbandry and building joyntly implies ibid. And then what they severally imply 114 Ye are Gods building 117 Doct. That particular Churches are or should be Gods house Gods building ibid Of Gods house or Church ibid. What Gods building and our being his house implieth 118 Verse 10. According to the grace of God which is given unto me c. 121 Observ That it 's the property of godly men in all the good they have or do to attribute all to Gods grace ibid. The Properties of praising Gods grace ibid. Why the godly are so sensible of Gods grace 123 How profitable that duty is ibid. What opinlons are coolers of this duty of giving thanks to free grace 124 As a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation ibid Observ It 's a special part of the wisdom and heavenly art of the Ministers of the Gospel to lay a good and sure
Peter commends believers That they did give heed to the Word of God as a light shining in darke places 2 Pet. 1.19 So then the Scripture or written Word of God is one instrumental Cause of all our Faith and Godlinesse It 's the Rule God hath tied us to we are not to receive Angels from Heaven Galat. 1.8 much lesse men on earth against Scripture A second Instrumental Cause of Grace is The Ministry appointed in the Church of God It would be in vain to reckon up the places that speake of its usefulnesse and necessity What is Paul or Apollo but instruments or Ministers by which ye believe 1 Cor. 3.5 Though they are not principals yet they are instruments Ephes 4.11 God hath given gifts to men Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints That they be not carried away with every wind of Doctrine Yea they are called Fathers because they beget men to Christ and they are said to save men and convert men because they are instruments Yea they are called Workers with God 2 Cor. 6.1 What a great expression is this So that you see the Ministry is an instrumental cause Lastly There are the Sacraments when duely administred and received There are many great expressions given to them Bread and wine 1 Cor. 10. is the Communion of the Lords body and blood Baptisme is the putting on of Christ Now the truth is the greatest error that ever was by putting too much in Instruments hath been about the Sacraments In Popery the Scripture was farre enough from being set up too much they disparaged that making it insufficient and imperfect but then for the Sacraments they maintain The very Act of receiving is to work grace and in this Popery many people do still remain not considering that unworthy receivers receive their damnation as well as the worthy Christ and his benefits but when the Devil cannot destroy the power of godlinesse by tempting men to put too much confidence in instrumentals then he brings about Atheism and irreligion by a total rejecting of them opposing them to Christ Therefore Secondly There have been Enthusiasts or Illuminatists who have thought themselves spiritual onely That have either in whole or in part rejected these instrumentals A dangerous delusion it is and hath many times surprized those who have been hopefull in the wayes of godlinesse and had many parts and religious abilities but wanting a sure and sound foundation they living against the knowledge of truth God hath given them up to such delusions neither have they stayed in denying the Ministry and Ordinances but some of them have gone so farre as to neglect the Scripture also calling it the dead letter and saying a godly man is above the Scripture and the Bible Thus subtil is the Devil that when he cannot destroy by open prophanenesse he makes them decline too much on the right hand lifting them up to some pinnacle and then afterwards throwing them down by some dangerous temptation But this is a great sinne so to advance Christ and the Spirit as to oppose his instituted means and Ordinances First Because it 's a presumptuous tempting of God For as in providential things if a man should argue thus Man liveth not by bread but the Word of Gods mouth Cloathes and food are nothing if God do not give the blessing If a man upon this Argument should neglect all secondary helps Would it not be a presumptuous tempting of God You know how angry God was with Ahaz The Prophet promised unexpected deliverance to Israel and profered a signe to confirme this No saith Ahaz I will not tempt God I will aske no signe Isai 7.12 You might think this had been great faith but it was great presumption he tempted God while he said he would not Thou mayest think this is high and raised Godlinesse to have Christ onely and the Spirit onely thy teachers but if thou doest this to exclude his instituted meanes thou doest tempt God Secondly It 's great pride of heart and disobedient unthankefulnesse to God and that against his goodnesse and wisdome It 's Gods great goodnesse that he hath appointed men of the same mould with us to deliver his Embassage The people of Israel when the Law was given could not bear the expressions of Gods Majesty and if God had appeared at any time they thought they should die presently Now God knowing our frailty and weaknesse did appoint men of the same nature and passions with us and for thee to neglect this is to be horribly unthankfull And then the wisdome of God is much magnified by the foolishnesse of preaching as the Apostle cals it in the account of humane wisdome to save them and thereupon he amplifieth Gods wisdome that chuseth vile and contemptible things to confound the mighty and wise things of the world 1 Cor. 1. Take heed then of the neglect of the Ministry and means of grace it doth arise from that carnal pride that cannot condiscend to the seeming low means in Christs way Thirdly And I will name no more other matter belonging to this will come in afterwards It 's the immediate furthering of the kingdom of Satan Oh what a sad thing is it that which the prophane enemies and Antichristian adversaries did formerly endeavour to overthrow to wit the godly Ministry and means of grace that thou shouldst in another way do it For the preaching of the Word and the Ministry thereof how low soever it be with thee yet the Scripture cals it The Kingdom of Heaven often and that is in a great measure the Kingdome we pray might come And therefore tremble and again tremble left the Devil begin to undo thy soul by withdrawing thee from the Ministry of Christ Alas thou thinkest to set against that and overthrow that But poor man thou settest against thy soul and overthrowest thy owne soul Doe not then entertain any opinion or practice which opens a way to set Satan up in his Throne Vse of Admonition To you who have knowledge and parts and a repute of Religion take heed of Satans temptation in this kinde It 's a pleasing delusion he hath seduced many this way Lay therefore up a good foundation Shake off such suggestions as Paul did the Viper upon his hand walk humbly take heed of pride self-conceit affecting to be some extraordinary person Oh be not ignorant of Satans devices and subtilties in this kind Remember if thou art godly how usefull profitable and comfortable a godly Ministry hath been unto thee Vse 2. To rebuke with all severity those atheistical prophane men that neither regard Christ the principal nor the Ministers as Instruments They are neither for Paul nor Apollo nor for Christ but they are for their lusts their pleasures their mammon as for matters of Religion either Christs teaching or the Ministers teaching they make no matter of Verse 5. Who then is Paul and who is Apollo THese words are an argument to prove why they should not set
Church Vse 2. Of Exhortation to you the people Hath the Ministry been usefull to bring you effectually to Christ himself This is that Paul desired You may hear much you may pray much you may be much affected with the matter preached and yet all this while not close with Christ to receive him as a Saviour and to obey him as a Lord. A woman may have many Letters and Tokens of love from him whom she loveth and be much affected to him yet not married to him nor enjoy him as her Husband And so thou maist have some affections and good desires but thou art not yet united to Christ The work of the Ministry is not done till we can leave you in the arms of Christ Till we have prepared the way for Christ to lodg in your fouls Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed The former part of this Text hath been considered Paul's modesty and sincerity in gaining people to Christ and not to himself Now let 's consider in what order or rank of Causes the Apostle puts the Officers of the Church and that is in the Instrumental Causes Wherein you may Observe the Effect viz. Faith 2. The Manner of working it it is by Ministery They are not principal Agents They are Ministers by whom you believed The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deacons And this is sometimes used for a special Office in the Church for those who had the care of the poor Thus the Elder and the Deacon are sometimes used for the setled Officers in the Church but in this place and many others the word is used largely for any Ministry or service And so the Apostles and Elders and Pastours may be called Deacons in this large sense viz. Such who by their labours and pains serve the Church and its good Observe that this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as almost all the rest of the Greek words that denote the duty and quality of Church-Officers signifie no dignity or honour but care diligence and all solicitude Thus the most glorious creatures have Names signifying their Ministry and service The Hebrew word for the Sun comes from a root that signifieth to serve as also for an Angel to be sent by way of ministration So the simple word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius makes to signify to make haste to runne to the markes end also as a man by this much striving stirreth up dust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is dust like that of Virgil Pulverulenta fugâ Rutuli dant signa per agros So that the word in its native signification denoteth that earnest labour and striving which men that runne to some mark usually make by stirring up so much dust that doth even obnubilate the aire and from this it doth metaphorically signify that labour pains yea agony and striving which the Ministers of God ought to have in their work As Paul expressed it I have fought a good fight I have finished my course 2 Tim. 4.7 Thus the word is opened and it doth as we told you denote the quality and condition of the Officers of the Church in respect of their Auditours They are Ministers Instruments by which God works Faith in the Hearers Doct. That the Ministery in Gods Church is the Meanes and Instrumental Cause he hath appointed to work Faith and all other Graces in the Hearers This Point hath its good use for this will teach you what you should expect pray and hope for by the Ministry How doth it beget and increase Faith in thee How doth it wash thee and make thee clean But let us be more particular And 1. We shall shew you how it 's not an Instrumental Cause And 2 How it is Only take Rom. 10.14 for an eminent place to confirm this Truth where observe the excellent Gradation Paul makes None can call upon God or pray without Faith and none can believe unless they hear and none can hear unless they have a Preacher and none can be a preacher unless he be sent See what a dependence here is and how strong a place it is to prove the necessity of the Ministry This premised we go to the method proposed First When we say it 's the instituted meanes or Instrumental Cause it 's not to be understood as if the Ministry or Peaching of the Word by any inward natural power of it self can work grace in the hearts of the Hearers no Experience witnesseth that after ten thousand Sermons men remain as ignorant and as bruitish as before The words reach only to the ear but they make no forcible impression upon the soul So then the Ministry doth not beget grace as the fire burneth or the hatchet cutteth which are Instruments that work by their own inward dispotion and power to pruduce their effects This is good to observe that so still our hearts and prayers may be up to God who works in and by the Ministry Secondly Because it 's not a natural Cause therefore it doth not also work necessarily these Divine Effects in every subject but where and when God is pleased to apply it The Sunne shineth every where upon one thing as well as another The fire burneth alwaies every where in one place as well as another But the Ministry doth not so that is successfull in one place and not in another That works upon one Congregation and not upon another And herein Gods wisdom makes a wonderfull difference The most unlikely the most indisposed many times find the Ministry inlivening and quickning of them when others are blinded and hardned So that though we should have the Ministry of Angels and of the most eminent men that ever lived still we must take heed that by our unthanfulness negligence prophaneness we do not provoke God to withdraw his power and presence in the Ministry For if it be so as it is to be feared it is so to too many people then the Ministry is but a shadow or if a body a body without a soul It 's but a dead letter Yea not only the Law but the Gospel and all preaching is but the ministration of death and condemnation when without Gods Spirit and power As Elias servant though he had his Masters staff yet that could do no good to raise the dead Child till Eliah came himself Oh then say Lord be thou in their Sermons in their Ministry In the next place let us shew how it 's a Cause or Instituted Meanes And that is thus First God hath appointed the constant and diligent use of this in the Church and the peoples constant and diligent attending on it 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the word in season and out of season That signifieth the diligent dispensing of the Word And then the people they are commanded to be swift to hear James 1.19 And As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2 2. So that God hath indispensably commanded all people of what degrees
or rankes soever To hear and depend upon the Ministry To wait at the gates of wisdome To obey and submit themselves to such guides Heb. 13. Let no man think himself too great or too wise and learned or too holy and godly These are soul-destructive waies For as it is a wo to us if we preach not the Gospel so it must be a wo to you if you hear it not For the same command that commands the diligent dispensing of this Word of life doth also command to the constant receiving of it Thus you see God hath commanded it It is not indifferent whether you will hear or no He hath not given any exemption to any Secondly As God hath thus commanded so he hath also graciously promised to go along with it So that the Word works by reason of the Promise God speaks a word of command to the Ministry Let it pull down sinne Let it build up grace And then it prevaileth against all opposition Thus when Christ gave his Apostles Commission to make Disciples and to preach to all men he encourageth them with this That he would be with them to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 Thus in this Chapter Paul plants and Apollo watereth but God giveth the increase So then God hath commanded this way those meanes and hath promised to be powerfull in them And therefore it 's God that sanctifieth God that begetteth us God that saveth by the Word As you see the Husbandman he prepareth the ground he throweth in seed but he cannot make it grow In the Apostles time and the first age of the Church how wonderfull and admirable was the Word in propagating Faith In converting men from their sinne and lusts And all because God was mightily with them Thirdly The Ministry is a meanes to beget Faith and Conversion as it is accompanied with Arguments to convince the understanding and Consciences of men as also with Arguments of terrour or joy to move the affections For this you must know that although the Ministry works not by any inward power as natural Causes yet it is very sutable to work upon men by propounding Arguments and Motives And these being powerfully set home by God make a wonderfull alteration by conjunction of the judgment So we may read of Paul that he did by severall Arguments prove and demonstrate that Jesus was the Cstrist So that they could not gainsay him Whereupon they did either believe or prove obstinate opposers If you aske then How comes the Ministry to be thus Instrumental The Answer is By a potent and strong conviction of the Conscience declaring Grounds out of the Scripture So that the Ministry is called the Candlestick which holds out the light The Word indeed is a two-edged Sword dividing into the inwards But there must be an hand to weild and govern it The word is an hammer but there must be an arm to strike it home And certainly it 's a wonder of wonders that people should be led in such captivity and slavery to their lusts that though they sit and hear and are convinced yet they believe not How often have we demonstrated out of the Word that thy lusts and dissoluteness are sinnes And how often at the same time doth thy conscience joyne with the Word that thou art convinced It 's thy case and thou art the man yet thou art obstinate and dost not reforme Doth not the Word bind thee up take away all thy cavils stop thy mouth thou hast nothing to say yet thou wilt be wicked because thou wilt be and so the Word is instrumental to beget grace because it worketh upon the affections by the Ministery There are Arguments of fear and terrour on one side there are Arguments of love glory and immortality on the other Now if humane Oâ—tours have been able to perswade their Auditours and Rhetorique hath made such changes in mens minds insomuch that some Heathens made Hercules so famous for strength the god of eloquence as if that were his his great might what shall we say of the Arguments and power of Gods Word which is above the hearts and consciences of men so that the Word workes faith and conversion by convincing the judgement and enflameing the affections As it is meanes or instrumental in this manner so there are these four Properties of this instrumental cause First The Ministery is the only ordinary way that God hath appointed either for the beginnings or encrease of grace For the beginnings Thus Faith is said to come by hearing Rom. 10.17 And God hath begotten us by his Word Jam. 1.18 And for the encrease Eph. 4. You may there see it is for the compleating of us in a full stature in Christ Thus as the ordinary way for a mans life is by outward food and sustenance so the ordinary meanes of all spiritual life is by the Ministery of the Word Indeed some propound particular cases as of Infants whâ— cannot hear or of deaf men or of some persons by unexpected calamities cast where no Ministery is to be had but we do not now speak of extraordinary wayes we know God did feed the Israelites with Manna from heaven when they could have no ordinary food but in Gods ordinary way unless thou expect a miracle the Ministery is the instrumental publique meanes Indeed the godly example of others and afflictions these may much prepare the heart but the Ministery that is the proper instrumental cause Secondly Because it 's the ordinary meanes therefore it 's the necessary meanes to which all are tied We cannot be without it if a man enjoy it not his soul becomes like a barren wilderness yea like a noisome dunghill Hence the Ministers are compared to those servants that distribute convenient bread to others As a house or family cannot be without bread so neither can the Church without the preaching of the Word The Ministery is frequently compared to rain the same word in its root for to rain and to teach and the preaching of it to the plentifull seasonable showers that came upon the parched ground so that as â— Land or Kingdome cannot subsist without the rain from heaven so neither people without these meanes Isa 5. When God commanded the clouds to rain no more upon his vineyard his meaning was he would take away the Pastor and the Teacher from them and then woe be to that land Thirdly This instituted means is very unlikely for such glorious effects to a carnalâ—â—ie Hereupon it 's very despicable and contemptible to humane reason The Apostle calls it the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 not that it is so indeed for â—t ' the wisdome of God to salvation but the Apostle calls it so according to the principles of humane wisdome For whether you do regard the matter or manner of preaching it 's both very unlikely ever to produce such effects The matter is high paradoxal incredible to flesh and blood The manner of delivering is plain without the
or The Agreement of the Associated Ministers of Worcestershire with Mr Baxters Explication of it A Defence of the Worcestershire Petition for the Ministry and Maintenance The Quakers Catechism An Apology against Mr Blake Dr Kendal Mr Lodovicus Molineus Mr Aires and Mr Crandon His Confession of Faith The Saints Everlasting rest The safe Religion a piece against Popery His present Thoughts about Perseverance Mr Lukin The Practice of Godliness Mr Langly His Catechism A Treatise of Suspension Dr Teate His Sermon at the Funeral of Sr Charles Coote Mr Dury The desires of forrain Divines of a Body of Divinity from English Divines with an Essay of a Modell Lib. 2. de Gener. cap. 10 Observ In what respects Ignorance is an impediment to the Ministers preaching What precious truths in Divinity the sinfulnesse of a people make them uncapable of Carnal The several significations it hath in Scripture Primitive Christians distinguished What it is to be a spiritual man Carnal or babes described and counselled The Ministers two-fold Work What wisdome is required in a Minister to choose out sound matter 1. For Information 2. For Consolation 3. For Reproof Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Observ Considerations abouâ— the principles of Religion and the knowledge and ignorance of them How necessary the Knowledge of the Principles of Religion is Observ What are those effects of the Ministry for the defect whereof a people may be severely blamed 1. Intellectual effects 2. Practical Effects Observ The imperfections and sins of the godly Whence it is that the godly do not fully conquer sin Envy its several acceptians Of sinfull Envy It s Original The Degrees of it What that is in others which is the Object of Envy The subject of Envy Who are prone to it The Aggravations of Envy Remedies aginst Envy A Case resolved The difference between Envy and zeal Observ Of strife and contention Godlinesse the only motive of love and agreement The agreement among the ungodly A two-fold striving I. Good II. Ungodly and that about a two-fold object 1. Civil The cause of sinfull strife and contention The effects of sinful strife and contention about worldly things The effects of sinfull strife about religious matters The aggravations of this sin Of Schisms and Divisions Observ Divisions divided 1. Civil 2. Ecclesiastical What it is that goes to the making of division or faction The causes of Divisions 1 Tim. 6.5 A Christian life must exceed a humane life What is implied in this phrase To live as men Observ Wherein the spiritual respect due to the Ministers of the Gospel doth consist Wherein our respect to the Ministers of the Gospel may run out into sinfull admiration Motives to give spiritual respect to the Ministery Quest Answ Observ Of being called by the Names of eminent men in the Church The Names that Christians have been called by Disciples Believers Whence the name Protestant came What great use the Devil makes of the names and esteem of men What is the common and most notorious way of Satans doing hurt to the Church of God 1. By corrupting the lives and conversations of the Ministry Tit. 1.7 2. By raising up Ministers full of superstition and doting upon traditions 3. By raising up all the power civil and ecclesiastical against the Church 4. By causing men to give them too much honour How the devil hurts the Church by godly men 1. When he tempts them away into any errour 2. Evil practicâ—â— 3. Setting them up too high 1 John 4.1 Observ Of a sinfull setting up of Christ There are principal and efficient Causes of grace and subordinate and instrumental The cheif instituted instrumental causes of Grace The end of faithfull Ministers is not to win people to themselves but to Christ A twofold end of Preaching the Word A corrupt end A good end Characters of that Ministry that seeks not you to applaud them but to bring you to Christ Reasons why a faithfull Ministry doth thus The Ministry is the appointed means to work Faith and all other Graces in the Hearers How it is not an Instrumental Cause How it is a Cause The Properties of this instrumental Cause Observ Of Faith The nature of faith It consists in three Acts. 1. Knowledge 2. Assent 3. A resting on Christ The Effects of faith ad intra Ad extra Of diversity of Gifts in Ministry 1. The Office it self is a Gift to the Church 2. Their severall Abilities and various Parts that Officers in the Church have while they discharge their Office 2. And these are of two sorts 1. Extraordinary Why all have not the same Gifts Rules or Helps to profit by the Ministry Observ Of Gods planting his Gospel among a people Observ Wherein this spiritual watering or further quickning of Christians doth consist 1 Cor. 15. ult Why there is such daily need of these quickening graces God only gives success to the Gospel God works in and by the Ministery God works on whom and when he will Why God only gives the encrease What we must do that God may give the increase Wherein God giveth the Increase Why God only can give the increase John 11. Qu. What means must we use that God may give this increase Observa What the Apostle doth not mean in saying The Ministry is nothing Rom. 10.16.21 Directions how to hear the Word Observ Ministers should agre in one They should agree in Doctrine 2. In their end and scope 3. In Affection The sad effects of dis union in the Church What people shâ—uld do when Ministers and Professors are divided Of Reward and Merit Observ Of Degrees of Glory All persons have work to do for God There is a two-fold doing of good works What it is to do a good work which God will accept and reward A lawfull self-seeking Mat. 6. The reward of godliness two-fold Wherein lieâ—h the reward of working for God 1. In this life 2. In the life to come The greatness of the heavenly reward The vast disproportion that is between the work and the reward Observ Of the Ministers being workers with God Why God wiâ—l work by the Ministry of men Observ The people of God are his husbandry and building What our being Gods husbandry and building joyntly considered implies What to be Gods Husbandry implies 1. On Gods part 2. On oâ—â— part Of Gods house What Gods building and our being his house implieth Observ Of exalting free grace The Properties of praising Gods grace Why the godly are so sensible of Gods grace What Opinions are Coâ—â—ers of this duty of giving thanks to free-grace Observ Of laying a good and sure foundation in Religion A two-fold foundation The Scripture and Christ Four unquestionable Scripture foundations The Scripture is the only foundation of our faith Reas 1. Reas 2. Four rotten weak and false foundations 1. The Authority of the Church 2. The Authority of the Civil Magistrate 3. Enthusiasm 4. Meer humane Reason The foundation of Gods Worship The necessity of
I am of Christ Thus they expounded it thinking it not matter of reproof for any to say they were of Christ and they say Pauls arguments would hold for this as much as they did against glorying in men For though Paul was not crucified for them yet Christ was Though they were not baptized into Pauls name yet they were into Christs But to answer this It 's true absolutely and simply it 's not a sinne but a duty for every believer to say he is of Christ To call no man Master but Christ therefore he is called a Christian because a worshipper of Christ And the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.22 useth this Argument The believers were not Pauls or Apolloes but on the contrary Whether Paul or Apollo c. all are yours but then mark he doth not say Christ is yours but you are Christs So for believers to say They are Christs is in the general a duty but that which the Apostle here reproveth is such a setting up of Christ as doth oppose the Instruments that Christ also hath appointed and that the Apostle blameth those who said They were Christs it's plain by the Context It 's told me by the house of Chloe That there are divisions and contentions This was a fault complained of And then he instanceth in the matter of the contentions I am of Paul I am of Apollo I am of Christ This is in the same manner reckoned as the former whereas if the Interpretation of the Ancients were true the expression must have been adversative But I am of Christ And then the Argument following is plain Is Christ divided viz. Is the Doctrine or Person of Christ divided Hath Peter one Christ Apollo another or these immediate pretenders another Christ Now these that set up Christ thus in a sinfull way may be either those that pretended immediate teachings by Christ for such were in the Apostles dayes therefore he bids them Try the Spirits or such who happily might have heard Christ himself teaching in his own person and so did wrest those Doctrines that Christ taught and yet in their sense made Christ the teacher of them both may be included Although I must adde That a further thing also is to be comprehended in this factious exalting of Christ vâ—z not only thereby to exclude Instruments but also to conclude that they only had Christ amongst them For this is the property of many Sects to appropriate Christ to themselves as if none had Christ but they Thus the Donatists did monopolize the word Christians to themselves Observe That although Christ onely is to be relied upon as the Head of his Church yet it is not his will that under this pretence wee should despise or contemne his Ministry and the means of grace he hath appointed So that this Text with the former doth excellently bound the spirit of believers that though they delight and rejoyce in the gifts and office of the Ministry reaping much spiritual benefit by it yet they are still to look up to Christ in the Ministry as the author of all increase And on the other side Though the Ministry can do no good without Christs teaching and it 's the Spirit that giveth grace not the Ministers yet we must not so immediately depend on Christ and his Spirit as to neglect the instruments and means he hath appointed Our Saviour cleareth this when in one place He sends his Disciples to preach commanding all to hear them And yet again Bids us call no man master upon earth Here is no contradiction but if a Christian be wise he may excellently compose them No man is to be called Master principally and authoritatively yet Christ hath appointed Teachers and Doctors by whom we are to believe So that it 's the errour and foolishnesse of men when they runne into extreams even as in the Doctrine of Grace and Free-will The Marcionites and Manicâ—ees they denied the Natural Liberty of a man and the Pelagians on the contrary the efficacious grace of God To understand this Consider That there are principal and efficient causes of grace and salvation and there are subordinate and instrumental and these must not be confounded A sound mind must not make instrumentals principals as ignorant people doe thinking the very Sacrament will save them Nor yet must we exalt the principal to exclude the instrumental as Enthusihsts do The Efficient Cause of all grace is attributed onely to God or the three Persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost in their appropriated way So that it 's true Every good and perfect gift comes from God the Father of lights Jam. 1. No man can come to Christ unlesse the Father draw him John 6.44 And Christ saith He will draw all men to him John 12.32 He is the chief shepherd of our souls He is the truth way and life John 14.6 The Spirit of God also that leadeth into all truth that sanctifieth that inlightneth the mind So that when we have to do with a people that do rest upon outward meanes As some thinke the Ministers gifts the Ministers parts or the very coming of a Minister to them and praying for them while sick is enough to send them to Heaven To such hearers we are much to preach of the efficient principal cause of grace We are to cry Sursum corda we are to say as the Angel to the women looking for Christ in the Sepulchre He is risen Look up to Heaven so to such who rest upon external meanes and Instruments Why look ye downwards look upwards We see among the people of Israel yea and Christians in the New Testament too so great a pronenesse to relie on Instruments but as in civil things we must not relie on an arme of flesh so neither in Church matters on a tongue or mouth of flesh as the Ministers are In the next place There are Subordinate and Instrumental means of Grace which God though he could doe all spiritual things immediately for us and in us yet he hath obliged us to the use of them So that it is an high contempt of God and such may never expect the workings of his Spirit or virtue from Christ that doth not use those instituted meanes he hath appointed Now there is a three-fold Instrumental cause of Grace When we call them a Cause we mean not a natural Cause producing Grace by any inherent power as fire doth burn no but onely instituted Causes God in the faithfull use of these will worke Grace in us And they are three especially First There is the Scripture the Word of God This as it is written and consigned into a Canon is a Rule by which all must believe worship and live Insomuch that if a man pretend any Revelations or teachings which are not warrantable by this written Word he is to be held as accursed To the Law and to the Testimony Isai 8.20 Christ himself still directeth to the Scripture Paul directs Timothy to the Scriptures and
them I rather think the latter because it 's used as a Name of honour If any man suffer as a Christian saith Peter 1 Pet. 1.3 Now this title Christian is of great importance Many are apt to say As they are a Christian when there is no reall Christianity in them For to be a Christian is as much as to be one anointed For as Christ was so called because annointed with all Graces in an unlimited manner so every Member of Christ is called a Christian because anointed with Graces Oh then thou that gloriest in that thou art no Heathen no Infidel no Jew but a Christian consider whether this be not a vain boast For is thy prophaneness thy wickedness thy impieties the anointing of Gods Spirit So that to have the reall power of Christianity is a difficult and straight work In after times the title Christian still continued And although they were sometimes called Cornelians from Cornelius Cyrillians from Cyrillus and Joannitae from John Chrysostome Eustathiani from Eustathius yet they did not own these Names And as Heresies began to rise up in many places some teaching one thing some another the Christian that kept to the true Faith that was constantly and universally believed in all the ages of the Church beginning from Christ and the Apostles times was called Catholique or universall in which sense he said Christianus mihi nomen Catholicus cognomen So that to be a Catholique was to believe that Faith which had been universally taught first by Christ and the Apostles afterwards by faithfull men in all ages And for the Papist to call himself a Catholique when the Roman Church hath so manifestly degenerated from the Apostolical and Scripture Doctrine and for them to make the Roman and the Catholique Church all one is as absurd as if a man should call London or England all the world The Papist therefore is no Catholique in a true sense because he cannot prove his Faith by the Apostolical Doctrine in the Scripture yea accuseth the Scripture as insufficient And some of their learned men have confessed that if they should try thir cause by the Scripture meerly it was gone I shall instance in one famous Name given to such who truly own Christ and his Truths and that is Protestants They were called thus not many years since in Luther's time whereas the Orthodox had got some indulgence for the profession of their true Religion and pure worship The Popish party did importune the Emperour of Germany to make an Edict at Worms and afterwards at Spires That no Religion should be publickly professed and owned but the Roman The Lutheran Party both Noblemen and others made a Solemn Protestation against that unjust Decree and ever since all that reformed from Popery have been called Protestants So that all those who have a compliance with Popery that admire their way in their heart or act by their principles cannot truly be called Protestants Thus you have heard the chief names by which Christians are called And still after no mans name And whereas Papists call us Lutherans Calvinists c. we indeed own Luther and Calvin and such men for worthy and famous instruments of Gods glory in their time but it is their calumny to call us after their Names It is true a man by way of difference or distinction he may say a Lutheran and Calvinist to denote some peculiar opinion but to own any man as an Author of our Faith or the foundation of Religion is not consistent with true Christianity There are pregnant Reasons for this First Because as our faith in regard of the efficient cause is the gift of God so the object and motive of it must be Gods authoriâ—y because he speaks and revealeth such things Humane faith is because a man saâ—â—h such a thing divine faith because God saith so Now see how carefull the Apostle was that the Churches faith should not be in humane wisdome but in the mighty power of God And so the Thessalonians received it not as the word of man but as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 The Apostle saith They had not dominion of their faith 2 Cor. 1.24 They were not able to make any Articles of Faith necessary to be believed You see then none may be called after men we are not their Disciples their believers for that which resteth on men is but an humane faith and we ought to have a divine faith Men indeed may be instruments to propound the things to be believed but the motive is a divine testimony because God saith so Solomon by his wisdome declared to which woman the childe belonged to but he did not cause the affections of the mother to the child So faithfull Officers of the Church may declare the truth of God but they cannot work faith in thee Secondly Therefore we may not be called after men to build on them because we are not baptized into any mans name and we are onely to professe those in whose name we are baptized into 1 Cor. 1.13 Paul doth powerfully urge this Argument why they might not say they were of Paul because they were not baptized into the name of Paul So then his Disciple thou art and his badge thou onely art to wear in whose name thou wert baptized and that is not into the name of a man but the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Thirdly The Apostle presseth another Argument Was Paul crucified for you Did Paul die for you 1 Cor. 1.13 His meaning is In him onely we are to believe who is able to make our reconciliation with God who hath wrought our Redemption for us And therefore it 's a very high sinne to build your faith on a man It 's to make him a Saviour it 's to put him in Christs room Fourthly Our Apostle urgeth a further Argument in the same Chapter He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord And Christ is made unto us Wisdome So all boasting in men is to be excluded as well as boasting in works Oh but what is the cause of so many errors of so many divisions It 's from boasting in men such a man and such a man and by this meanes the glory due to God is taken away Fifthly The Scripture makes it a great sinne in matters of Religion and the worship of God to be servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 Now what is it to be a servant of men when as bruit beasts we are wholly led at the command of others believe what they bid us believe worship with such worship as they command yet this hath been an universal sinne in all ages of the Church Men nuzzled in ignorance and pleasing themselves in their folly have without any judgement or information from Gods Word taken such a Religion and followed such a Worship as hath been imposed upon them Hence they have been sometimes of one Religion and sometimes of another because they have been servants to men and not Disciples of Christ
up any Teachers as the principal Head but in all the parts and abilities of the Ministery still to look up to Christ And the Argument is to this effect Those that are instruments only they must not be made principal agents But even the most eminent Ministers such as Paul and Apollo are instruments onely Therefore So that for opening the words Consider the condition and the state of the Ministery It 's an instrument They are Ministers therefore of necessity to be used God that might work conversion without it hath yet appointed this instrument the Ministery And yet 2. It 's but a Ministery not a principal Secondly There is the effect attributed to this instrumental cause viz. Faith The Ministers by which we believe Thirdly Here is the diversity of the gifts in the instruments with the efficient cause Even as the Lord gave to every man Lastly Consider the manner of Paul's expression Who is Paul and who is Apollo This Rhetorical interrogation is spoken to take them off from instruments and to look up to Christ Now in this observe the modesty and godly uprightness of Paul though he himself be one of the men that is thus admired yet he takes them off from himself as well as others he doth not take advantage of them by this their praise and admiration of him Observe That faithfull Ministers seek not to win or gain a people to themselves but to Christ They preach not that their gifts and abilities may be exalted but that the people might be brought out of their sinnes to Christ Admire their preaching praise their Doctrine never so much yet if thou art in thy lusts still if thy life be not reformed from thy impieties they have no true joy concerning thee See how excellently Paul expresseth this 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you a chast Virgin to Christ He doth not espouse the people to himself but to Christ he wooeth and entreateth them for Christ it is not your good to us but your obedience unto Christ that we aime at Thus John Baptist calls himself the friend of the Bridegroom Joh. 3.29 which is the duty of every Minister the friend of the Bridegroom which standeth and heareth rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridegrooms voice It 's an allusion to the custome in those dayes the Bridegroom he had his friend and spokesman to bring him into the Brides presence and he heard their conference if there were a willing agreement between them concluded then the friend rejoyced greatly Thus it was with John and also with every Minister We are Christs spokesmen we wooe you we entreat you we bring you and Christ together every Sabbath day Now if any soul will receive him and be married to him forsaking his former lusts and all by-past sinnes then is the friend of the Bridegrooms joy greatly fullfilled it would therefore be horrible unfaithfullness in us if we should do as Sampson's friend did to him who got Sampson's wife for himself To open this Doctrine Consider in the general There may be a twofold end of preaching the Word of God Either a corrupt sinfull end or a gracious godly plain and upright end The Apostle speaks of many false Teachers that did corrupt the Word to please men 2 Cor. 2.17 and they sought their own glory their own advantages they did not desire to make them Christs Disciples but their own they intended their own greatness their own profit by them Gal. 6.13 Some false teachers they perswaded men to be circumcised that they might glory in their Disciples flesh id est That they might boast we have such and such followers that will presently embrace our doctrine receive our commands and such a Ministery hath alwayes crept in the Church for either they have aimed at external greatness or else to propagate some false doctrines and either of these wayes the people were not taught to come to Christ they were not brought to receive him as their Lord but to rest on them as Teachers Now see how Paul doth wonderfully disclaim all such corrupt preaching 1 Thes 2.3 Our exhortation was not of deceit nor of uncleanness or guil We did not please men we sought not flattering words we did not use the cloak of covetousness he did not under fair pretences rob them of their estates as the Pharisees under pretence devoured widows houses made of long prayers O what a pure and excellent frame of heart was this to disclaim all such base and corrupt ends and see how Paul to these Corinthians 2 Cor. 1.12 comforts himself with this testimony That in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome he had behaved himself Oh this is a precious cordial when under all the censures reproaches and uncharitableness of the world to the Ministery Ministers can upon good grounds comfort themselves that they have walked in all godly sincerity endeavouring the salvation of mens soules and with tender bowels mourning for those that go astray rejoycing to see any person or families owning Christ setting up his wayes and Ordinances Now this point will be profitable for you the hearers as well as the Preachers in the discovery of it And we will first give you sure Characters of that Ministery which would bring you not to applaud them but to give up your selves to Christ First They that are so do rejoyce in the grace and progress thereof in their people though they should not esteem nor highly prize them Oh this is a good sign Though thou dost not applaud or admire them yet if they see thee walk in the wayes of godliness and mortifie sinne they are glad of it and praise God for it this proveth plainly it 's not themselves they aime at Thus Paul 2 Cor. 13.7 I pray God that ye do no evil not that we should appear approved but that ye should do that which is honest Paul earnestly prayeth that they might not do any evil especially such grosse evils as should deserve his censure not that he might be approved he cared not for that let them think what they will and say what they will if they keep from evil he shall heartily be glad of it To these very Corinthians also see what he saith 1 Cor. 4.8 9 10. We are fooles for Christs sake but ye are wise Ye are honourable but we are despised Ye have reigned as Kings without us and I would to God ye did reign The Apostles meaning is That they thought themselves strong and rich in all grace they despised Paul for his afflictions and contempt the world poured upon him Oh saith Paul this troubleth not me I would ye did reign I wish it were indeed so well with you as you think and then for my part I could be content with all the scorn and reproach I have in the world Oh then when a Ministery is still praying for desiring and pressing men to the reformation of their lives and
no more gainsay it Thirdly Lay aside all superfluity of naughtinesse Jam. 1 21. If Aristotle thought not a young man a fit Auditour for his Ethicks much lesse is a propane beast wallowing in his filth fit for the Word The ground must have all the bryars and thorns pulled up ere the seed sown can bring forth any fruit No lust no sinne lived in hath ears to hear When the Law was to be promulged what washings and preparations were there for several dayes together Thou that comest to the Ministry with all thy goar and filth upon thee thou art a loathsome and an abominable object Do men use to sow in bogs and quagmires So neither doth the Word thrive in men of loose and dissolute lives The Prophet in an indignation at the sinfulnesse of his people crieth out Hear ô Heavens and hearken ô Earth Isa 1.2 as if those insensible creatures would more attend than some men Vse of Exhortation Labour to find the Ministry something some great thing some terrible thing some comfortable thing to thee Oh how many are there to whom it 's nothing They make nothing of any Sermon they hear yea and people generally delight in such a Ministry that brings nothing to them They love not when it is like fire like a two-edged sword they love not when it troubles and disquiets them for sinne the more it 's nothing and passeth away as nothing the more contented they are Oh people prepared for destructon Oh people hated by God! For wherein doth God shâ—w his love more to a people then by causing the Word to be like fire in the bowels Those whom God loveth they find the Ministery efficacious and vigorous they find it to come with power and autority they cry out great is the power of the Lord. Oh how it searcheth how it tryeth how it convinceth how it conquers nothing an stand before it Verse 8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one THe Apostles scope is as you have heard to prevent factions and divisions both in Preachers and hearers to unite them together in love and agreement for which he hath used several Arguments And this eighth Verse beginneth a new Medium to prove the necessity of concord both among the Ministers themselves and the people What is said of men joyned in earthly power Erunt insuperabiles si inseperabiles the same is true both of the Officers and members in the Church of God Now the Argument the Apostle presseth is to this effect Those that are one ought not to be divided either by themselves or by their hearers But all the Officers in Godâ— Church whether those that plant or water they are one Therefore they ought not to be divided So that you see though there is diversity of gifts and employmenss yet they all agree in one it 's unity therefore among Ministers and the people that is made the ground of concord This would be a very necessary subject in these times of multiplyed divisions it being very hard now a daies to say He that watereth and he that planteth are one But I shall pass it over briefly in one Sermon Now this phrase They are one is not to be understood essentially as if they were one nature in which sence 1 Joh. 5. it 's said There are three that bear witness is heaven and these three are one Nor secondly are they one in respect of labour and worth No Paul laboured more abundantly then they all and as the starres differ from one another so do the Ministers of God in worth and ability Therefore the Apostle prevents such thoughts by the words appendant Every man shall receive according to his own labour Vnum sunt non individuo non gradu non donis non vocatione non autoritate non tempore non labore nec non maerore saith Baldwin on the place But they are said to be one in regard of the scope and end for which the Ministery is appointed viz. to gather a Church unto God and to build them up in saith and godliness Observe That although there is diversity and variety in the gifts of the Ministers yet they all ought to agree in one They are to have the same mind the same ends the same mouth Hence is that expression According as he hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were from the beginning Luk. 1.70 All the Prophets ever since the world began had but one mouth He doth not say the mouths but the mouth To shew there was no contrariety no opposition but all agreed in this Thus it should be the mouth of the Ministers of Christ they should go the same way one should not preach contrary to the other one should not destroy what the other affirmes Hence our Saviour did so earnestly pray That his Disciples might be one Joh. 17. For what a scandal and offence would it have been if they who were to be Teachers of the Word and to lay the foundation of the Gospel should not have agreed among themselves So that whereas the Apostle pressing unity Eph 4.4 5. doth reckon up several kinds of unities One body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one Baptisme so we may adde one Ministery so that divisions are a great argument of weakness and of errour foâ— truth cannot be divided is not contrary to it self as errour is not that unity is a note of the true Church as Papists plead who yet have little cause to boast of it especially not unity in matters that are not fundamental and necessary The Apostle supposeth that when he saith If any be otherwise minded the Lord will reveal even this also to him Phil. 3.15 To open this The Ministery ought to be one First In respect of doctrine and true doctrine that is the soul and life of all 1 Tim. 1.3 Paul layeth a charge that they do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach another doctrine Oh it 's a sad prognostique of ruine when some Ministers preach one doctrine as necessary to salvation others another now the true doctrine is revealed in the Word and whatsoever is another from that is not grounded there that is to be rejected Yea the Apostle would have us anathematize an Angel from heaven that should bring any other doctrine Gal. 1.8 And John would not have us so much as receive them in the house or bid them God speed 2 Joh ver 10 11. and who doth so he saith is partaker of all his evil deeds So then the Ministery ought to be one in respect of doctrine to preach one God one Christ one Faith one way to heaven for they are not to be inverters but keepers only of heavenly doctrine Keep that good thing committed to thy trust said the Apostle 2 Tim. 1.14 Secondly There ought to be unity in regard of their end and scope They all ought to shoot at the same mark which is two-fold 1. The glory of God to set up God and
more A poor man thinketh a little summe of money great treasures For the day shall declare it c. This Text you heard containeth the proportionable Effects or successe which builders wise or foolish have in Gods house And the Apostle first layeth down a general Proposition Every mans work shall be made manifest which hath already been dispatched We therefore now proceed and for this manifestation the Apostle informeth us of the time first and then the manner how The time first in these words For the day shall declare it and of this at this present All the doubt is What the Apostle doth mean by the Day There are some understand it of the Day of death when every man receiveth his particular judgement he shall then know whether his building will abide or no. Others understand it of the Day of Judgement which is called the day of the Lord and that day by an emphasis Bellarmine indeed is positive in this because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used with an Article which signifieth the Day of Judgment but that is false For the time of the Gospel is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.12 The night is past the day is at hand c. So that we cannot close with this interpretation because the Apostle carrieth it all the way for this life while we are in this world as will be shewed when we come to explain what is meant by the fire We take therefore Day for no more than Time such a day hath God in his wisdome appointed for the blowing away all this chaff As we see a covering of thatch doth not ordinarily hold long but fire or winde ariseth and cosumeth all Thus the Septuagint sometimes render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time So that the meaning is Howsoever these errours and false Doctrines may continue yet time at last will discover the vanity and weaknesse of them The Grecian said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time was the Touchstone the trial of all things And the Latines say Veritas est temporis filia Truth is the daughter of Time The day will declare it that is time will make them manifest onely the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Day doth denote the appointed and set time which God hath for the taking of all such disguises whereas it is the clean contrary with truth The longer that lasts the more it is believed the sufficiency and evidence of it is the more entertained Now although we thus understand it of time in this world yet it cannot be denied but at the Day of Judgement there will be a full discovery of all the works and Doctrines of men Observe That God hath his time when he will discover the errours and falshoods of mens Doctrines A day shall declare it You have a parallel expression Their folly shall be made manifest and they shall proceed no further 2 Tim 3.9 he compareth false teachers to Jannes and Jambres as they did miracles like Moses for a while but at last their folly and sorcery were discovered So it 's here God will put a stop to the torrent of errours he will shew a great difference between his truth and mens inventions the one shall be received and the other rejected This Gangrene that spiritual Physician can stop from further contagion God that could stop the infection of the plague on a sudden that the arrow should kill no more at mid-day hath done this also wonderfully in his Church The day did declare Arianism Pelagianism Nestorianism and the like To enlarge this Doctrine consider these things First In that the Scripture cals the time of manifestation a Day wherein is light and the Sunne beams it doth excellently imply That all the while there are corruptions in Doctrine and Worship that time is a time of darknesse Let men never so much rejoyce in them and count them happy times yet the Scripture cals them dark times So that to take away the truths of God the pure worship of God is indeed Solem è mundo tollere to take the Sunne out of the firmament All the while the Church of the Jews was without the Law and the Prophet without true teaching of the Word of God they were in a worse condition than the Egyptians in their Egyptian darknesse for that hindred them onely in their bodily motions and outward accommodations but this tends to the destruction and damnation of soul and body The true Ministers of Gods word are compared to light and to salt Matth. 5 13. Nihil Sole sale utilius both are necessary and usefull They are called the Starres and it must needs be a dark night when no starres shine Since the Apostles times the Church of God hath many times come under such dark times that it hath been like the old Chaos when darknesse covered the deep Take we heed then of calling darknesse light there is a woe to those that do so Isa 5.20 as some do the times of Reformation the times of Deformation If these corrupt Doctrines which come from the prince of darknesse thou callest light as coming from the Father of lights Thou intitlest God to the Devils work and that is no mean â—in This should teach the godly what to think under the overflowing of errours to account them dark and sad times Secondly There are no foolish builders that thus deform Gods Temple but they are by Gods permission in his wrath and anger because men have abused his truth and waxed wanton under it therefore hath he sent the spirit of delusion and errours amongst men 2 Thess 2.10 For this you must know though God be not the Authour of any evil and it were blasphemy to ascribe sinne to him as the cause of it yet as a just Judge he doth not onely suffer but also order that heresies and corruptions shall be in the Church They are of the Lord by permission and ordination though not efficiency and approbation Thus in Deut. 13.3 If there arise a false Prophet I the Lord do it to try you And in Ahabs time you may reade of many lying spirits in the false Prophets yet they could not goe to delude such or such till God gave them leave 2 Chron. 18.21 Thus 1 Cor. 11. There must be heresies Why must there be so God to punish mens corruptions their pride their ignorance their wilfull abuse of his knowledge will suffer such things to be Though he hath a gracious end That the approved may be made manifest That as all the persecutions which have been in the Church were from God as a just Judge to exercise the patience of it So all the heresies and errours which have been were to exercise the wisdome and true faith of the Church So that howsoever times of overflowing of errours be dark and uncomfortable times yet to consider the cause is farre more uncomfortable for these came from mens corruptions and Satans instigations as also from a provoked God in Heaven who punisheth our former
erre or be of this or that opinion is no great matter is as much as to say faith is no great matter the truths of the Scripture are no great matter It was well said of Austin Veritas Christianorum est incomparabiliter pulchrior Helenâ Graecorum The Christians truth is more lovely than the Grecians Helena for whom there was much strife Hence the Apostle commands us To strive earnestly for the faith once dâ—livered to the Saints Jude v 3. Thirdly They endanger salvation Because all errours come from a damnable cause Gal. 5.20 Heresies are said to come from the flesh as opposite to the Spirit and therefore are reckoned in the same Catalogue with grosse sinnes So that if you go to the first fountain you shâ—ll find errours in Doctrine and loosnesse in practice boâ—h came from the same ground they are both fruits of the flesh though they be different streams yet they are united in one â—pâ—ing Though they may struggle one with another yet both are twins in the same womb Oh what an antidote would this be against these soul-infections that are abroad to think that errours and ungodly practices come both from the same fountain They are all fruits of the flesh and therefore have a damnable cause Fourthly Errours in judgement endanger salvation Because they lead into sinfull and dangerous practices In Philosophy we are â—old of the great connexion that is between the understanding will and affâ—ctions Now the understanding that is the Sunne in this firmament and if that be in an Eclipse you know that evils are portended thereby The understanding is the counsellour and if that be corrupt the will and affections must be very sinfull and unruly Vse of Admonition To take heed we be not led aside with any errour or corrupt Doctrines You see death is in these things as well as in lusts yea if the mind be corrupt all else will be corrupt If the eye be dark the whole body will be dark Errours will breed loosnesse and prophanenesse of life They are a disease in the choisest part of a man and know it is not thy wisdome thy care can preserve thee It 's the Spirit of God through his Word that leadeth us into truth Christ is the truth the way and the life John 14.6 The greatest learning and knowledge will not keep a man learned men have been Heretiques but two things will especially keep us 1. Humility and lowlinesse of mind To such God giveth grace To babes and sucklings he revealeth himself And 2. An holy conformity to Gods will so farre as we know When we do not detain truth as a prisoner in our lives Doct. 2. Whereas you see an eminent Officer in the Church building but hay and stubble is yet hardly saved We may hint this Doctrine though not insist on it That every godly man though never so eminent yet is very difficultly saved If hay and stubble will put us to such danger what then will evident poison If these errours of the mind which are so hardly prevented what will the constant lusts and daily infiâ—mities even of all men Which makes the Apostle Peter say The righteous man is scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 Which although some understand of a temporal salvation he is very hardly delivered from those temporal afflictions that fall out in this life yet by consequence it reacheth to eternal salvation Hence is that command To work out our salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 Yea Paul who had one foot in Heaven yet he said He kept under his body lest while he preached to others he himself should be a reprobate 1 Cor. 9. ult Now the Grounds of these truths are First From the exactnesse and strictnesse that is in the way to Heaven Godlinesse is on the high hill as he placed virtue Strive to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13.24 Be in an agony yea how strait is it as in Matth 7 14 by exclamation few do enter therein To lay out the nature of a godly man or godlinesse from Scripture-rules would be almost like Tullies description of a perfect Orator or Plato of a Commonwealth Our Saviour speaking of the difficulty of a rich man to be saved that is one who trusteth in them as one Evangelist saith Mar. 10.24 The Disciples cry out Who then can be saved They do not say What rich man but who can be saved because every man hath something or other be trusteth in as well as the rich man in his riches Secondly The difficulty doth appear from that remainder and relique or corruption that is in every man which is in danger to break out Our Saviour bid hiâ— Dâ—sciples Beware of drunkennesse and surfeting though they seemed to be â—arre from it Luke 21.34 Paul how doth he mourn under the powerfull vigor of sinne still abiding in him Rom. 7. Yea the Apostle speaking of a combate in all The Flesh lusteth after the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh Gal. 5. So that by this means he is in constant danger of being undone There is heart against heart affections against affections c. Thirdly There are many afflictions and tribulations which God brings on his people and they do much endanger Did not God break out upon Aaron Eli David and Moses very dangerously as if he would have cast them quite off and therefore the Apostle brings in the difficulty of the righteous mans salvation upon that Judgement must begin at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 So that if we consider the tempests and rocks in the sea of this world it 's a wonder any can come to the haven Vse of Exhortation Be quickned up to more exact strict and diligent walking If Paul that knew how to abound and want and to do all things who was like a gyant running his race and yet hardly gets to Heaven Where wilt thou appear Hear what he saith I presse forward I forget what is behinde if I may attain to the prize of the high calling Oh then how inexcusable is thy negligence thy dissolutenesse Is thy life a striving an agony Art thou like one in a combate and conflict By this we may see the number of men that shall be saved is very few there are so few that strive that pray that work with fear and trembling that are violent for the Kingdom of Heaven and get it by force Verse 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you THe Apostle though he alter his Metaphor yet continueth in the same matter In the verses before he compared the Church of Corinth to a building here he sheweth what kind of building it is even a sacred holy building The Temple of God So that as in the Temple of old which was consecrated to God whosoever did bring in any unclean and unconsecrated things to the Temple he did pollute it and was to be punished thus all corruptions in Doctrine Worship or
farre surpasseth all their morality First then let us shew Wherein the faith of a Christian commanded by the Scripture doth farre surpasse all humane knowledge and science which men by nature do glory in And First Faith doth surpasse all humane sciences in the dignity of the subject The matter about which a Christians faith is exercised doth farre transcend all that about which humane knowledge doth exercise it self For the highest that they could reach unto is only to the knowledge of natural effects produced by natural causes And if any could prove these by the former this they called a demonstration Though some men say No man ever yet gave a demonstration à priori quoad se but quoad nos So then all the excellent wisdom of the world hath been only to consider the nature of sublunary things or to discourse about the nature of the heavenly bodies and their motions and if they did arise to consider of a God the Maker of these it was in a very uncertain doubtfull way Hence the Apostle speaks of them Acts 17.27 that they were as men in the dark feeling after a thing to find it as the Sodomites smote with blindnesse felt for the door This is all our humane wisdome can help us to but now by faith we have the supernatural mysteries of salvation revealed unto us The Scripture tels us Of a God in Christ reconciling man to himself of mans original misery of Christ the Mediator Alas how poor and contemptible are the highest notions even of Plato though called Divine when you come and read Paul There are such admirable and heavenly truths revealed in Gods word that all humane wisdome was no more able to find or apprehend such things then a dwarf could reach to the Heavens If we then consider the dignity and worth of that subject which the Scripture revealeth and faith is exercised about dirt is not more inferiour to precious pearls than humane knowledge to faith Secondly Faith differs from all their humane science in respect of the excellency of the end For the end of all Scripture wisdom is to bring us to eternal life The Scriptures are able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 The things of Christ are said to be written That believing we might have eternal life John 20 31. There was never any humane knowledge could teach a man to be eternally happy Platoes Divinity and Aristotles Morality though they have the words of happinesse and have large discourses about it yet wanted the thing it self Oh then let us blesse God for Scripture-wisdome for the treasures of knowledge revealed there Learn of David How wonderfully was he affected with Gods word What light and wisdome did he attain unto thereby The Scriptures will teach thee such a blessednesse and such a way to blessednesse that could not enter into thy heart to conceive before the light thereof came into thee Thirdly Faith doth surpasse all humane knowledge in its certainty and infallibility A man that believeth the truths of God revealed in the Scripture hath more certain knowledge then all the more wise and learned men of the world For the object of faith being Gods testimony and his Divine Authority it 's as impossible for faith to be deceived as it is for God to lie Hence it 's called The full assurance of hope Heb. 10.22 And we believe therefore we speake 2 Cor. 4.13 How could the holy Martyrs witnesse those divine truths even to death had they not been possessed with full and sure knowledge of those things they died for whereas if we look into all humane knowledge there is very little certainty insomuch that some have expresly affirmed Nihil scitur yea that that also was not known and what little certainty they have appeareth by the contrary and different opinions in all their main points Fourthly Faith doth more establish settle and quiet the heart of men then all humane wisdome Solomon observeth a vanity and vexation of spirit even in all humane knowledge but now faith doth establish settle and satisfie the soul Heb. 11.1 It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Those that want faith are said to be double-minded men Jam. 1. inconstant as the waves of the Sea Oh the anxiety and perplexities that meer humane knowledge hath cast men into And so those who have no other bottome than the Authority of Church or the power of men to believe These are reeds shaken up and down with every wind Their faith is upon ambulatory and moveable considerations wheras faith makes a man like Christ The same yesterday and to day and for ever Lastly The Christian faith is above all philosophical knowledge Because of the strong and mighty effects it hath to convert the heart and reform the life Acts 15 9. Purifying their hearts by faith How can ye believe when ye seek glory one of another said our Saviour John 5.44 Yet these humane Gnosticks did only aim at glory though Philosophers call them the Liberal Arts yet they could not set them free from their lusts whereas Christ John 8.32 said If my Word abide in you you shall be free indeed Never did humane knowledge make such wonderfull converts and work so great a reformation as the Christian saith hath done And although we have now too many who say they do believe and yet do such things as many of the Gentiles would be ashamed of yet these men have not faith indeed but the name and title of it for as much as faith though but like a grain of mustard-seed would bid such mountains of lusts be removed into the Sea In the next place The moral or practical wisdome of the world cometh farre short of Scripture-wisdome For First The most knowing men were ignorant of original sinne which yet is the fountain of our calamity The Heathens indeed bewailed the mortality and misery of man but they know not our natural pollution the ground of all Yea we see Paul himself though a Pharisee was not acquainted with that Law of sinne within him till inlightned by the Word Rom. 7. Now if men know not their disease or the cause of it they can never be cured So that whatsoever precepts about living well they delivered yet they built on a sandy foundation they did not dig deep enough Secondly All humane wisdome and prudence knoweth not how to mortifie and forsake sinne upon true grounds because they were ignorant of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortifie sinne They did not crucifie the body of sinne nor bewail it because it was sinne but for humane respects as it did hinder the publique or as it was prejudicial to their glory and fame but they overcame one lust by another Thirdly All earthly prudence cometh short of this wisdome because it 's circumscribed within the bounds of this world and this life It looketh out no further whereas the Scripture giveth directions for
this point Or like the blinde Sodomites went groping up and down for the door and could not find it they knew not where or what blessednesse was but the Scripture doth plentifully teach us wherein all true happinesse doth consist and that is in the injoying God himself his favour and love It 's not riches honours pleasures no nor virtue it self but only God and a propriety in him that maketh happy He is the ocean other things are but a drop He is the Sunne all creatures are but starres deriving all light from him Seeing then a great part of wisdome lieth in the propounding of the true and right end then only by godlinesse do we come to have true wisdom Fourthly In Christianity we have not only the true end propounded but the right means also whereby we may attain it For prudence lieth in the chusing of fit and conducible means to such an end So that as in any art no man can by his art produce artificial operations without fit tools So neither can we in our actions as rational men arrive to the true end viz. happinesse without those fit means appointed thereunto and this is only by Christ as the meritorious cause and by faith as the instrumental by Christ we have peace with God and by faith we are partakers of Christ Now this whole order and dispensation the world is altogether ignorant of all the wisdom of man would not pitch upon such a way as this by Christ and through faith in Christ But when Paul is made wise in an heavenly manner He desireth to know nothing but Christ crucified and He accounts all things dung and drosse for the righteousnesse which is by faith Phil. 3.9 Fifthly By Christianity we are onely taught to avoid that which causeth repentance and grief of mind after it 's done David said by the Word of God he was forewarned from sinne Psal 19. And Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 Well doth the Scripture say Psal 111.10 They have a good understanding who do Gods Commandments because all wickednesse though sweet in the mouth yet will prove wormwood in the belly We have done foolishly say they who repent of their sins Insipientis est dicere non putâram fools use to say I did not think such a thing Oh I did not believe the guilt of sinne was so terrible I did not think the fury of God had been so overwhelming I did not believe the sting of sinne had been so grievous Thus all wicked men they buy repentance and eternal torments it may be in Hell at a dear rate for the pleasures of sinne which last for a moment Oh then what happy wisdome is it so to live and so to do that a man afterwards shall have no cause to roar out for the guilt upon him that in the time of sicknesse and hour of death thou mayest not cry out Oh foolish and wretched man that I am Oh that I had been wiser but now I fear it is too late Sixthly Christianity teacheth this wisdome not so much to regard the present as to provide for the future to remember our later end to provide for eternity Prudens they say is quasi porro videns seeing afarre off whereas wicked men are said to be like bruit beasts that are carried away with sensible objects such as they Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die Such as Dives as would have his goods in the life and therefore he is called a fool because he did not consider what would be after Thou fool this night shall thy soul be taken from thee ' Luke 12.20 But our Religion teacheth us better wisdome Oh that they were wise said God that they would consider their later end Deut. 32.29 And certainly this wisdome is of admirable consequence For what worlds of gold would the damned give that they had had such wisdome while they lived in this world David prayeth for this Teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart to wisdome Psal 90.12 Seventhly Herein doth Christianity teach us true wisdome because thereby we are inabled to improve the seasons and opportunities of grace It 's accounted a great peece of worldly wisdome to know the fit seasons of buying and selling Now Paul directs us in heavenly things Walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time Ephes 5.15 16. What is a circumspect wise thing Even to redeem the time we have spent much of our strength of our time in the service of sinne we have lost many an happy hour and opportunity Oh then this is wisdome to redeem it for the future to be more active and that because the dayes are evil There are many hinderances and oppositions to what is good The Ant though a little creature is commended for natural wisdome That it layeth up in Summer it knoweth the seasons to hoord up its corn And this will be our heavenly wisdome to take the day of grace before the night come wherein none can work John 9.4 Our Saviour himself used this Argument to shew why he would not let slip that occasion of doing good on the Sabbath day Eighthly Christian wisdome is seen in caution and circumspection to refuse all the snares and temptations of sinne and to find out all the Devils methods and subtilties For there are the depths of Satan and the devices of Satan and sinne hath its pleasant baits and charms So that unlesse a man have wisdome given him from above he cannot but give up all his strength into some Dalilahs hands then there is also the enmity of the world we must be wise as Serpents against that Ninthly Herein Christianity giveth wisdome because it helps to conquer and overcome all unruly passions which while they rage bereave us of all wisdom Anger is a short madnesse Difficile est amare sapere Any affection prevailing throweth dust into the eye of the soul Therefore Solomon saith He that ruleth his own heart is greater than he that conquereth a City Prov. 16.32 It teacheth also a moderate use of all earthly comforts to marry to buy as if we did it not Lastly It is excellent to instruct us to bear afflictions and how to abound Only by that we can tell how to be rich and how to be poor as Paul I know how to abound and how to want I am instructed saith he as in a great mystery he useth that word which the Heathens did of their religious secrets Phil. 4.12 Vse 1. Of Exhortation Think you hear wisdome in the Scripture and by the Ministers crying aloud to you as in the Proverbs Oh ye simple love understanding O ye foolish why will ye passe by and go on in sinne Though thou hadst the knowledge and parts of an Angel though thou hadst as much political wisdom as Solomon yet if thou hast not this heavenly wisdome thou art still a fool What though thou art wiser for
which have brought them thither Do they not curse and blaspheme the day they were born and that ever they hearkened to Satans temptations Verse 23. And ye are Christs VVE shall now come down from this Text this Mount of Transfiguration concerning which every believer might say It is good to be here and pursue the other matter that is behind Where we may observe the Apostle in a Climax rising higher All things are yours you are Christs and Christ is Gods So that the highest round in this ladder reacheth to Heaven as Jacobs did and the lowest one is in the earth So that you may observe the Apostle now changing his speech before all things are yours all in the Church and in the world is yours Now he doth not also say Christ is yours but you are Christs whereby we see that as the former things spoken of were not for themselves but the godly so neither are the godly for themselves but Christ Thus we have the Apostle mixing water with wine lest it should be too much drunk off and so make giddy All things are yours there is your Priviledge but you are Christs there is your Duty even to see that what ever you are or can doe it be in reference to him Even as at the first God created all the world with the creatures therein for man but man for himself so all things are for the godly and the godly is for Christ We may then observe the difference in this expression and sense between the former and the later First When he said All these things were the godly mans he meant it of spiritual use only not of dominion and power but when he saith We are Christs the meaning is We are wholly his creatures he hath absolute dominion and sovereignty over us And then Secondly All the things are a godly mans he is the end of them but he is finis indigentiae he needs them and wants them he could not tell what to do without them but Christ is Finis assimilationis they are for him not that he needs them but that he might make them more perfect in communicating his grace and holinesse unto them Observe then That a godly man in all that he is or can doe is wholly Christs Ye are Christs The Apostle driveth it to this that therefore they should glory onely in him They are not Pauls or Apolloes but Christs and therefore in him onely must they glory and judge themselves compleat To understand this Let us consider in what respects the godly man is Christs And First He is bought and purchased by his bloud so that he oweth all his being comforts and priviledges onely to Christ 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price So then well may the godly man be said to be Christs for he cometh to be his at a dear rate Never did King yet subject or master a servant at so dear a prize as Christ obtained thee He did undergoe all that agony and shamefull death to free thee from the bondage thou wert in and to make thee his For you must know the clean contrary was true of the godly before made Christs they were the Devils they were wholly his Of him and through him and to him they lived from him all their thoughts affections and actions were from him who ruled in their hearts and they were to him because they wholly did his work and advanced his kingdome But now Oh wonderfull and happy change they are brought out of the dark prison they were in all the chains and fetters upon them are taken off and now they have the robes of Christ put upon them and are made free indeed Consider then how the godly become Christs it is by shedding his bloud we were Satans captives before and now made Christs Oh then why should the godly live to sinne or Satan or the world any more Were they crucified for thee Have they obtained thee at so dear a price as Christ hath Secondly The godly they are Christs Because by his Spirit they are made new Creatures They have a new being For it cannot be that any should be Christs who live in the flesh and are carnally minded Therefore the Spirit of Christ communicateth unto them a new being gives them an heavenly nature enables them to mortifie sinne in all the lusts thereof For this is a true Rule Christs merit and Christs Spirit goe together Where his death is effectual his Spirit is efficacious None can say they are Christs by his death for them that may not say they are Christs by his Spirit forming and fashioning of them Hence they are said To have his Spirit to be in the Spirit to walke in the Spirit to be led by the Spirit Oh then let carnal and earthly men stand aloof off This matter as it doth not belong to them so they understand it not If thou art Christs his Spirit dwels in thee leades thee guides thee enables thee quickens thee So that there are very few who can challenge an interest in Christ after this manner Are not most men destitute of Christs Spirit For the Apostle Romans 18. saith That if the Spirit of Christ be in us then as that raised up Christ from the grave so it would raise us from sinne Thirdly They are Christs Because he is the Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end He is the Alpha he is the AVTHOVR and FOVNTAIN of all the spiritual good we have compared theerefore to the Head that gives of its fulnesse to every Member and to the Vine from which every Branch deriveth its nourishment And the Apostle cals him The Authour and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 It 's he that giveth life and motion and all spiritual strength to us Now every effect is more the causes then it is its owne Seeing therefore thou hast no good but what thou hast received from Christ thou art wholly to depend on him as the streame is on the fountain as the light is on the Sunne for take them away and these immediately perish Thus he is the Alpha and he is also the Omega and end We are not to live to our selves but to him Paul saith Gal. 3.20 He doth not live but Christ in him All our graces are to carry us out of our selves to Christ our faith in Christ our love and affections to be pitched on Christ If we preach it is to set up Christ if we eat or drinke it is thereby to strengthen us that we may the better serve him if what ever we doe or what ever we suffer it is to promote the glory and honour of Christ Fourthly We are Christs in that all our Christian compleatnesse is in him Colos 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell And again Ye are compleat in him Colos 2.10 So Christ is said To be made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and
but that is not absolutely considered For the Devils cannot trust â—n him neither may wicked men yet God is able to help them to save them but relatively as a Father as reconciled Therefore Christ Mat. 6. makes this the ground of all the trust his Disciples must have because their heavenly Father is in Heaven So that till we have these perswasions of God as a Father we are but as so many vagabond Children that know not where to have relief The Child because he hath a Father never takes care what he shall eat or drink or put on because his Father will provide all these for him Fifthly We adde That this Faith must depend on God in a lively and strong manner as David's was at this time or Abraham's when he considered not the dead Womb or did so much as stagger within himself For if thy Faith be weak if it be fainting and languishing though thou maist have support yet not such prevalent peace within thee Thou art in a Combate not in a Triumph David at another time is like Sampson without his strength he saith All men are lyers He thinketh God had forsaken him So that unlesse Faith be very vigorus though thou maiest be preserved in thy afflictions they shall not quite overwhelm thee yet thou wilt not have this peaceable frame Now the Children of God should think it not enough to rub through their troubles with agonies and Combates but with joy and quietnesse Grieve because thy heart is so much as disquieted say Oh weak wretch that I am that I cannot be as much at ease as if I had no affliction at all There remain two more Propositions to explicate this Doctrine And First When we say Faith doth thus quiet and compose the soul you must take two Cautions to season this First That Faith doth not this principally of it self for that is but a grace or habit created and infused into the soul And therefore as all other graces needs the continual quickning and asistance of Gods Spirit so likewise doth Faith Hence our Saviour prayed for Peter that his Faith might not fail Implying that grace of it self would wither and decay as well as any other if God did not preserve it Therefore the Apostle Peter doth fully expresse the manner of Faiths Influence into this Perservation 1 Peter 1.5 It 's the power of God that doth principally and efficiently keep us only it 's through Faith We are not then to conceive as if Faith of it self had such an inherent efficacy that by it's sole jurisdiction it would command the soul and say as God did at the first Let there be light and there shall be light No Faith it self needs the daily quickening of Gods grace as well as other graces Yea this grace would sooner decay then others because of the hearts contrariety to it making a man to live above the Principles of sense and common reason Insomuch that it 's no wonder to see a man love God be patient in afflictions these though not wrought by the power of nature yet have a conviction from the light of nature but so hath not Faith The second Caution is That we do not think as if we could believe it our selves as if by our own humane strength we could obtain such a peaceable frame of heart No If it could be so then David at other times and that it may be in farre lesse extreamities would not have been dejected as he acknowledgeth himself to be Neither would that man have prayed to Christ to Help his unbelief if he could have helped it himself And the experience of the godly doth abundantly confirm this in what agonies they are plunged how grievously tormented Oh how desirous to quiet their hearts They Pray they Meditate they Read and all cannot compose their souls Now if their hearts were subject to their power as the Winds and Waves are to Christ they would never endure such Conflict within This argueth therefore that it 's not in mans power to put forth such strong vigorous Acts of Faith no more then we can command the Heavens to give rain It 's God that must both plant and water and give the encrease Lastly The truth of this Doctrine doth extend even to those great Afflictions and Calamities we are in and that because of our sinnes We can evidently see what sinnes they are that have provoked God to give such a bitter stroke our own hearts testifie unto us and this argueth the greater work of Faith For happily it might be granted That in such Afflictions and Temptations which befall us for Gods cause and for righteousnesse sake we may be full of such joy and sincerity as the Apostle saith James 1. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations And thus the Martyrs they could and did with David lay themselves down to sleep in their dark Dungeons and that the very night before they were to burn at the Stake But you will say How can this joy and confidence hold in such Calamities as fall upon us wholly because of our sinnes we behold Gods anger and our folly hath brought this on us Now in such troubles If we humble our selves unto the Lord for our sinnes and bewail them we may have such Calmes of spirit For this was David's case The Prophet had told him afore-hand that this should fall out Because of his Adultery and Murder his conscience cryed aloud in the midst of his military noise yet for all that he could thus set himself to his quiet rest How the vigorous Actings of Faith do quiet the Heart These things premised Let us consider How these vigorous actings of faith do thus quiet and appease the heart And First In that faith doth in the first place carry us out to rely on Christ as a Mediatour whereby all our iniquities and sinnes are done away If then sinne and guilt be removed out of the way there cannot be any trouble For as if there had not been sinne the earth would not have brought forth briars and thornes So neither were it not for iniquity eating into the conscience there would not be the least fear and trouble upon the heart This is the wind that makes so dreadfull an earthquake at last Wonder not then if Davids faith did compose his soul in respect of that outward danger for it had before removed a greater evil the guilt of sinne was now blotted out David is not in that case as when he cryed out that his bones were broken and that God sets his sinnes before him Oh that is a wofull condition when the guilt of sinne and afflictions both meet together when outwardly we have no hope and inwardly no hope But this faith doth in the first place It obtaineth reconciliation with God it seeth Pharaoh and his great host drowned in the sea and then it doth easily over-look other afflictions for the favour of God is able to sweeten all calamities Thus it was with Paul he
tryumphs over all imaginable adversaries but why is he thus confident Because there is no condemnation to such as are in Christ Jesus If then the Sunne arise the dark night will be quickly dispelled and so if the light of Gods favour doth arise the feares and troubles which arise from outward exercises are quickly dissipated If then thou complainest thy strength is so small every temptation is ready to blow thee down as certainly the least puff will hurl a man down if faith be not lively the Damsels charging of Peter to be of Christs company made him curse and swear and fearfully apostatize here was no such great cause he was not arraigned imprisoned sentenced to die but this temptation blew down a strong Oak which teacheth us that a little calamity may throw us to the ground if faith be not lively and a great one cannot if faith be vigorous If I say thou complainest of thy weakness thy feares Let faith in Christ as a Mediatour be more powerfully put forth Secondly Faith doth quiet and compose the spirit by impetration or obtaining of God such a spirit For as you heard seeing it lyeth not in the power of man to give himself such a sweet blessed frame No he would give a world for it if it lay in his power it can only be obtained by application unto God Now that which most prevaileth with God is faith Whatsoever you ask believing you shall have it It 's faith only that makes the omnipotent God work for thee and in thee so that when we say faith makes the heart thus still and quiet you must not think it comes from faith as a natural cause as the fire burneth but morally by prevailing with God This is the grace that God doth so honour if we trust on him if we rest on him then God promiseth to give rest and peace to our soules Insomuch that it 's a Christians duty above all things to keep up the grace of faith to attend to that lest the whole kingdome be lost when that is lost for God is to us as we believe so God works for us as we trust in him so that our distrust makes God to be as no God or as an Idol-god having eies not to see us or hands not to help us Gods power will not communicate it self but upon believing as Christ told Mary Said I not unto thee if thou wouldst believe thou shouldst see the glory of the Lord That glory was to make Lazarus dead your dayes and stinking in the grave to live again Now no less glorious alterations and changes will God work upon thee if thou trust in him for hereby Gods fidelity goodness and power is engaged and he will never deceive those that wholly rely upon him You see then why faith put forth in a lively manner can thus quiet the soul Because it 's the condition to which God doth make glorious promises Thirdly Faith doth instrumentally compose the soul because by it other graces are also set a work and so the more purified and cleansed the soul is from all corruption the clearer the heart is As the clearer the spring is then though it be moved and stirred yet for all that the streames will be pure Thus it is with a godly man when his heart is sanctified cleansed and adorned with grace then though he is plunged into tribulations instead of discontent impatience grudgings and murmurings instead of dejections and disquietness there is joy thankfulness and heavenly mindedness as if Juniper or sweet herbs be thrown into the fire the fiâ—e draweth out their sweet smel or as the wind blowing upon the sweet flower makes it smell more fragrantly Thus also when afflictions fall upon the godly faith having purified their hearts there do runne forth admirable and sweet breathings of the soul That faith exciteth other graces appeareth Heb. 11. Where all those glorious acts of grace which those Worthies abounded in are attributed unto their faith Lastly Faith lively exercised must thus serene the heart of a man because it doth suggest many noble and excellent arguments which do abundantly quiet and establish the soul Faith is argumentative it is very ingenious to find out all those Considerations which the Scripture affoards Now the Scripture is like the Apothecaries shop that can furnish with all cordials As First Faith argueth from Gods giving of Christ every thing else that is as necessary for us as Christ is Thus the Apostle Rom. 8. If he hath given us Christ how shall he not with him give all things else He doth not say some things but all things and then the expression how shall he not implyeth that it is a most absurd and irrational thing to think otherwise Now then faith doth thus quiet the soul Be not afraid or troubled the God that afflicts thee is he that hath given Christ to thee Now if ever God would have refused thee it would have been in this Know then that these afflictions these troubles they are good for thee they are necessary to humble thee to make sinne bitter they are as necessary in their kind as Christ was in his kind It cannot be want of love that these exercises are upon thee for is not Christ the great pledge of Gods love to thee Therefore faith turneth the heart of a man from that which is grievous and vexing to that which is pleasing and comfortable Though God giveth not this or that outward mercy yet he giveth Christ the fountain and original of all Secondly Faith represents God out of his word in some Attributes chiefly above others insomuch that the heart of a man being thereby lifted up to heaven to God himself it cannot be disturbed by things below As the Bird while soaring aloft in the heavens is not skared with this fear and that noise so while faith beareth up the heart to God and makes abode with him it 's not disquieted It 's the looking upon the waters that make giddy if we look up to the heavens they cannot disturb the brain Now these things in God doth faith powerfully improve First The wisdome of God that whatsoever the Lord doth it cannot be done wiser Therefore he is called the only wise God Now what wonderfull comfort may be suggested from hence That there is no affliction no temptation though never so heavy but it cometh and is ordered by infinite wisdome If thou hadst the disposing and ordering of all things it could not be done more wisely then it is nay thy own love to thy self if wise would order this affliction to come upon thee For do not you see a man whose parts of body are gangreend yet because he is wise though he loveth his ease yet willingly resigning himself to have those parts cut off for the good of the whole So that is one of the most comfortable considerations which faith supplies the heart with that whatsoever temptation is fallen upon thee the wise God hath ordered it so
Happinesse p. 108 Houshold-Duties See Family House Gods People are his House p. 113 Of the Material House of God p. 117 See Churches Husbandry Gods People are his Husbandry p. 113 What that Implieth ibid. I Ignorance HOw the ignorance of people hinders the Ministry p. 2 Ignorance lamented and reproved p. 4 5 13 16 17 71 83 90 151 The Effects of Ignorance 16 Illumination Of the Illumination of the Spirit p. 90 Inconstancy Inconstancy in Religion reproved p. 18 Inducements Inducements to Holinesse p. 193 Infirmities Of the Infirmities of the Saints p 22 23 And why they are not quite freed from them p. 23 24 K Key OF the Key of Knowledge p. 9 10. Knowledge Knowledge of Principles necessary p. 15 Knowledge of the meaning of Scripture a gift of the Spirit p. 210 The duty of Growth in Knowledge p. 83 L Love LOVE praised p. 30 The only Motive of Love and Agreement is Godlinesse p. 33 Its Cause and End ibid. Live Godly men do only live p. 279 Wicked men do not live p. 281 M Ministers MInisters hindered by the incapacity of the People from Preaching many excellent sublime Truths p. 2 3 Wickednesse how hurtfull to the Church p. 54 What Prudence is requisite in their Preaching p. 9 10 In reference to the capacity of the Hearers p. 2 3 4. Work is two-fold viz. Teach Govern p. 9 10 Must divide the Word aright p. 9 Are not sinfully to be admired and how that is done p. 48 What hurt Satan doth by bad ones p. 54 In what cases they may praise themselves p. 137 Must preach no new Doctrine p. 139 Must preach Christ the Foundation p. 145 How Servants to the Church and how not p. 271 Faithfull seek not to win people to themselves but to Christ p. 63 May preach from a corrupt end or a good end ibid. And what those ends are ibid. Must not only plant but water p. 83 Cannot work grace p. 86 94 That is faithfull hath grounds of comfort under successelesse labours p. 89 Co-workers with God p. 109 How carefull they should be to lay a good foundation in the hearts of their hearers p. 125 How they should build upon the foundation p. 126 to 161 Ministry Ministry The ends and use of it p. 3 17 18 140 The great respect due unto it p. 46 Its successe from God p. 86 c. 94 Sufficient in its kind to effect its end ibid. The appointed Instrumental cause of Faith p. 67 How it is such a Cause p. 68 How not p. 67 The Properties of it as such a cause p. 69 How all are obliged to attend it ibid. How to profit by it p. 77 How blessed with increase by God p. 86 Is to continue to the end of the world p. 69 Why God will make use of it ibid. Ministerial Gifts Ministerial Gifts Why all not gifted alike p. 76 Though diversity of gifts yet all should agree in one p. 97 Whether from the Holy Ghost or no p. 209 The end of them p. 211 Merrit See Reward Members Members of the visible Church who p. 6. Distinguished ibid. Man Man according to man several significations of that phrase p. 42 To live as men what that implies p. 43 Meanes Meanes of Grace alwaies needfull to all p. 84 Manifest Manifest All sinne though never so secret shall be made manifest p. 165 N Name NAme Of peoples being called by the Names of eminent men in the Church p. 50 The Names that Christians have been called by in several Ages 50 c. What hurt the Devil doeth the Church by the Names and esteem of men p. 54 New New No New Doctrine to be expected O Order See Government Ordinances ORdinances The sinne of neglecting them p. 61 Officers See Ministers P Papists PApists as such have but a humane blind Faith p. 53 Perfection Perfectionists Confuted p. 8 22 Prayer Prayer for Gods Directing Ministers p. 12 Praise Praise In what cases Ministers or others may praise themselves p. 137 Preaching Preaching One manner of preaching censured and another commended p. 10 Presence Presence Of Gods presence with his Church p. 200 Pride Pride Of pride p. 34 Principles Principles of Religion first to be laid p. 13 Reduced to several heads p. 14 Are easie p. 15 17 Necessary p. 15 Priviledges Priviledges of the Church and every Believer p. 265 Are Obligations to duty 193 Profit Profit Rules or helpes to profit by the Ministry p. 77 88 93 96 112 Protestant Protestants agree in Fundamentals p. 41 Whence so called p. 51 Providence Providences All Providences for the good of the godly p. 286 Prudence Prudence requisite in a Minister in preaching such matter and in such a manner as is for the peoples good p. 9 Planting Planting the Gospel p. 80 Punishment Punishment of Losse and of Sense p. 223 224 Purgatory Purgatory An Argument against it from the great Text brought for it p. 177 Q QUarreling See Contention R Reformation REformation of the Church p. 81 175 Reigning-sinne Reigning-sinne That word explicated p. 23 Right Right or Title two-fold p. 264 Relation Relation-Duties p. 3 Reproof Reproof How to be performed p. 11 Riches Riches The Churches Riches ennumerated p. 265 Reward Reward two-fold of Debt and Promise p. 101 Of works p. 102 Essential and Accidental p. 105 Lawfull to encourage our selves in good Works from the promise of the Reward p. 150 Reward of Godlidesse in this life p. 106 In the life to come p. 107 The greatnesse of the Heavenly Reward and the vast disproportion that is between the Reward and the work p. 108 Respect Respect Of Respect to the Ministry p. 46 47 48 And how it may degenerate into sinfull Admiration p. 48 S Saints SAints How all things are theirs p 265 Secret Secret The most secret sinnes shall be brought to light p. 165 The Aggravation of secret sinnes p. 168 Self Self-seekers A lawfull self-seeking p. 105 Self-seeking in a Minister what p. 64 65 Sinne. Sinne Of the sinnes of the godly p. 12 Schisme Of Schisme and Division Civil Ecclesiastical p. 38 Its Nature and Ingredients p. 39 Its Causes p. 40 Slothfullness Of Slothfullness in Religion p. 13 Spirit Spirit How it works by and with the Word and the Ministry thereof p 86 The signification of the word when attributed to God p. 201 Its dwelling in the Saints p. 205 212 Its Effects in the Church p. 209 212 See Holy Ghost Spiritual Of a spiritual man p. 7 Strife Strife See Contention Strictness Strictness in Conversation how despised by the wise men of the world p. 241 Vindicated p. 241 Scripture Scripture A plea for its simplicity p. 233 Its sufficiency p. 139 The only Foundation of our Faith p. 126 Stedfastness Stedfastness in the Faith p. 83 T Temple TEmple The use of the word and its signification p. 197 Of Gods spiritual Temple p. 197 226 Compared to the material one p. 198 Believers joyned in a Scripture way are Gods Temple p 228
bitterness at the latter end If these pleasures would not turn into torment then it were something but as these have abounded so will thy torments and troubles also abound Thou canst not say with Agag the bitterness of death and hell are past What is the sad end of all Dives his joy Yea sometimes they are destroyed in the very midst of all their pleasures as the Philistimes and as Nabal were Fifthly The joy and gladness of a godly man is stable and perpetual because the ground and cause of it is unchangeable God never ceaseth to be his Father he shall never be cast out of the state of Justification he shall never lose his interest in Heaven now this rock alwayes abiding their joy must also be immoveable It 's true though the godly have cause alwayes to rejoyce yet they do not so actually for the present they may mourn and be in bitterness but that many times is caused by their own sinne and weakness or else God to give them more comfort afterwards doth suspend present comfort as the Sunne is most welcome after a tempestuous black storme but though this be yet the foundation of their joy remaineth sure there is the same cause why they should rejoyce alwayes Oh but thus it is not with the unregenerate man all his joy is but a blaze and all the cause or ground of it is very uncertain Every creature and condition they rejoyce in is it not mutable To day laughing to morrow crying To day cheerfull because thou hast it to morrow mourning because thou hast lost it Thus in Job Chap. 20.5 Zophar saith The triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of an hypocrite for a moment The oil to this lamp will quickly fail thy honours thy life thy wealth these things will not last alwayes Oh then should it not be thy wisdome to lay up for such joy that will abide continually that will never leave thee Is it not evident folly to take thy delight in that which may be lost the next hour As Jonah took great content in his Gourd and within a day a worme breedeth therein and consumeth all Therefore say of thy worldly joy as thou mayest of thy life it self It is but a buble a vapour here to day and gone to morrow if thou couldest preserve all this delight continually and death it self could not rob thee of it then go on and make much of it But to thy terrour thou wilt find the instability of it as with the Sodomites The morning was fair and pleasant but fire and brimstone was upon them before night For ought thou knowest thou mayest go from laughing here to eternal roarings in hell the next moment Sixthly Spiritual joyes transcend earthly because the soul can better perceive them they are of a more spiritual and penetrating nature and efficacy The soul can receive them as the spunge doth water or the iron doth fire the soul may be filled with it but all bodily delights and joy they are more gross and thick This reason give the Schoolmen why all soul delights are above the body and much more if they be spiritual and heavenly As those sinnes which are immediately seated in the soul they are more deep and inward then bodily sinnes so that joy and delight which enters immediately into a mans soul is farre more soaking and pressing then that which is upon the body primarily For bodily joyes are like the Sunne-beames which come in at a cranny or little hole but foul delight is as when the Sunne comes in at a window or at a great door there is capacity enough to receive it Seventhly All earthly joy is to be moderated we may sinne in it we may go too farre we may over-joy Therefore the Psalmist exhorts Psal 2. to rejoyce with trembling While we take any joy in these earthly things we are to do it with trembling for then is a temptation to sinne then are we in greatest danger in the midst of heat we are subject to take cold Hence the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. Those that rejoyce must be as if they did not rejoyce So great a care are we to have that our joy be moderated we do not say it 's unlawfull to take delight and joy in the creatures the Scripture commands to eat and drink with joy of heart only we must not joy excessively we may quickly let this joy overflow the bankes and certainly the carnal and immoderate joy that men take even in lawfull things is no little part of their iniquity For why is it that thy heart can rejoyce in outward mercies thou canst take delight in these creatures but hast none at all in heavenly things A Fair a Market is thy delight when thou canst not call the Sabbath a delight Is not all this because thy heart over-joyeth in these things Vse of Exhortation not to be disheartned at godliness as if it were a sad melancholy mopish life Oh know thou never comest to have true joy til thou live the godly exact and precise life The closer thou walkest with God the more fearfull to commit any sinne the more unspeakable and solid is thy joy Oh call not that laughter and mirth of the wicked man joy Solomon saith it 's not joy it 's madness Do not ye see mad men they will laugh and hoot and leap with jollity when they are bereft of reason and lye in chains bound up in a dark Dungeon Such is all the worlds laughter They die laughing They go to hell laughing and is not this madness Yet who can perswade men to leave their carnal jollity and to tast how good and pleasant the wayes of God are Well go on and take thy delights thou wilt have laughing enough one day for Prov. 1. God will laugh at thy destruction and mock when thy fear cometh Of the Godly Mans Holy Security and Admirable quietnesse of Spirit as another Effect of the Light of Gods Countenance PSAL. 4.8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety WE have heard of one glorious Effect of the light of Gods countenance upon David viz. A gladnesse surpassing all the joy that can be in the world now in this verse we have a second and no lesse noble Effect of the same cause For as the Sunne hath many severall and notable effects upon the earth it doth not only enlighten or comfort but makes fruitfull and aboundeth also in many other effects Thus the favour of God where that is perceived it is not one or two but many glorious consequents flow from thence And this in the text is an holy security and admirable quietnesse of spirit free from all sinfull distempers let his danger be never so great So that this heavenly tranquillity is a fruit of that Faith which he had in God at this time though so greatly tempted Therefore in the words you have David's godly security a fruit of his Faith
expressed in two actions as a manifestation of it with the Reason and the Cause of it The Actions demonstrating his quiet spirit are 1. His lying down in peace 2. His sleeping His lying down that denoteth He would not be interrupted in his natural actions and ordinary course of life he would eat and drink and go to bed for all that But because many go to bed and though they put of their cloathes yet cannot lay aside their tormenting and vexing cares whereby though they ly down yet are restlesse and sleeplesse tosâ—â—ng from one side to another Therefore secondly he addeth I will take my sleep All that danger and trouble he was in should not break his sleep he would take his rest as sweetly as over he did in the midst of his Prosperity Now certainly if you do consider in what a temptation and danger David was in you will say it's impossible or rather that Faith which makes us depend on God in such streights with the effects of it are no lesse admirable then miraculous Faith It 's generally concluded on by the best Interpreters that this Psalm was made upon the same occasion which the immediate one going before was and that appeareth by the Inscription to be composed when David fled from Absolom So then David saith He will lye down and sleep Take his sweet rest when he was in that flight of his pursued by Absolom And if you would know how grievous that was consult 2 Sam. 15. the whole Chapter especially verse 30. there you will find that Absolom by fair pretences of Justice and Religion had stolen the hearts of all the people to himself against David his Father whereupon he makes Warre raiseth a great Army The conspiracy was carried on with great pride and policy insomuch that David is forced to fly from Jerusalem and to runne whitheâ— he can for his safety all the people did generally forsake him So that he with some few went up to Mount Olivet and as he went he wept and covered his face and went barefoot and all the people went with him and wept also What a sad sight was this to see David so Religious a King so potent who had conquered so many Enemies to be brought into this extreamity Yea his estate was so despicable that one man Shimei Chap. 16. came out and cursed him railed on him Come out thou bloody man Thou man of Beliall and threw stones and dust at him By all this you see his misery was great enough But adde to this That at this very time David knew God brought this evil upon him for his Adultery and Vriahs businesse the Prophet had threatned him thus So that both God and man seem against him he is forsaken of all and his conscience tels him for what this is He can easily tell the sinnes that make it thus with him Yet for all this see his admirable Faith in the powerfull effects of it I will lay me down and sleep Would you think that David could make such a Psalm as this and speak after this manner even when he went barefoot and weeping in that direfull manner This is so incredible that some have thought it could not be literally true of David and have made mystical applications of it to Christ but upon very weak grounds Yet lest you should think this came from some stupidity or fool-hardinesse or from Stoical Apathie for David doth in a high manner that which the Stoicks so highly commend but could never themselves practice he addeth the reason of it by which you may see it was not carnal security but holy confidence The Reason is taken from Gods Protection and care He doth not thus securely take his rest because though generally forsaken yet some mighty men of valour did cleave to him and he had old Souldiers whereas the Conspiratours were many of them inexpert Nor doth he think that he had out-witted them by sending his faithfull Friend Hushai into Absolom's Court to undermine him while he pretended to serve him but all is from God Thou alone makest me dwell in safety It was God and he only that could protect and defend him In the expression of David's security I will both lay me down and sleep the Hebrew word Juchdan hath troubled Interpreters The Septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some Simul some Pariter Austin makes in id ipsum to be God He would rest in God who only is I am that I am But that is ignorance of the Hebrew Some relate it to David's enemies He would lye down with them though they were millions about him as Psalm 3. Others relate it to his own company that did faithfully adhere to him in this his temptation But they seem to take it most genuinely that relate it to the actions I will both lie down and sleep One as well as the other to demonstrate the fiducial frame of his spirit From this Explication Observe That Faith depending on God in a lively and vigorous manner doth so comfort and quiet the heart in the midst of great streights as if there were none at all Certainly David could not have spoken more securely and quietly at that time when all the people had made him King hâ—â— Enemies vanquished and he setled in his Kingdom Therefore to say this when he was in imminent danger of all and when he was so pursued that he could not tell where he should lie down or where he should sleep this is wonderfull Oh how may the very naming of this Doctrine shame the best and choicest of Gods Children For little afflictions that are not to be named to David's they disquiet thee they make thee tosse up and down and thou art restlesse in thy spirit Oh do thou shame thy self and thy troubled heart for ever by this President which David hath set thee And lest you should think this was but a suddain flash and lightning in David you may find that this fire did alwaies warm his breast For look to the third Psalm made by him while he was in his flight he saith there the same thing only in the Prterperfect-tense What he here saith he will do you may there see he had done Oh you would think David had little occasion to make Psalmes to be proclaiming his confidence in God! rather to have had his whole soul taken up with his military affaires but thus Faith doth put on spiritual Armory upon his soul And that you may not think only David could do this see the like secure and holy confidence in the Prophet Habbakuk Hab. 3.17 18. But let us explicate the Doctrine by severall Propositions As First What is meant by Faith depending and adhering to God To know this you must understand that the Scripture attributes three Acts to Faith and so Faith is described Synecdochically by one of them for its whole Nature Thus Faith is sometimes knowledge sometimes it 's assent to the Truths revealed and sometimes it 's a