with God So that the Israelites are a perpetual instance to confirme this Doctrine that it is not so much to be regarded how holy and repenting we may appear sometimes but what we are constantly that is to be regarded To clear this take notice First That the Scripture speaketh of a two-fold conversation and the one directly contrary to the other whose ends also are contrary The first of these is A wicked carnal and natural one which all live in till God by his gracious power deliver us from it What is every mans conversation till grace change him but a continual road of evil actions he goeth from one sinne to another he is alwayes like himself as the worm is ever creeping upon the ground you never see it flying like a bird up to the clouds This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our former conversation Ephes 4. 22. which is corrupt according the deceitfull lusts thereof The first conversation then of every one by nature is that of the old man original and actual sinnes conjoyned together into one body as it were so that he is a masse or lumpe of sinne This is daily corrupted by deceitfull lusts That as worms are continually eating into the Tree till they have destroyed it Thus are lusts constantly breeding in a man even till they have devoured him Now saith the Apostle This must be put off we must leave this former life and take up a new one Oh how few are there that can say They have put off their former conversation As they were prophane proud earthly so they are still They cannot say It was indeed their former drinking their former swearing but it is their present praying their present humiliation of themselves Their latter conversation differeth from the former as much as the day doth from the night that went before it This is also called a vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers 1 Pet. 1. 18. It is a vain one for all the life we live till regenerated is spent in vain we attain not to the true and proper end of living Thy eating thy drinking thy buying and selling is all in vain by none of these things wilt thou please God and so arrive at last at eternal glory Yea it were well if it were only vain missing its end but it 's meritorious of eternal flames in hell This conversation is said to be traditional by our fathers If the Apostle speak of Gentiles then it is true that children follow the evil and ungodly examples of their parents they will not seem to be better and wiser than they are if of the Jewes which is more probable then it relateth to those superstitious exercises of Religion which their fathers added to the command of God And although they rested and gloried in these as thereby highly honouring of God yet all was but a vain worship a vain Religion So then a mans evil conversation is not only to be extended to his vices and sinnes but also to his religious duties when either not instituted or if commanded yet not performed in that spiritual manner which the Law of God doth require So that a mans conversation in his praying in his coming to Church in his religious deportments must be altered as well as prophane wayes Thou must leave off thy former way of praying thy former way of hearing The second kind of conversation mentioned in the Scripture is A godly and an heavenly one So that although we live upon the earth yet our principles aims and ends carry us up to the enjoyment of God This is called a good conversation Jam. 3. 13. where all divine faith and spiritual wisdom is said to be demonstrated by a good conversation It is not Doctrine faith profession or gifts that men look at but the conversation that speaketh a Christian that speaketh a Minister more than ten thousand excellent discourses Plus oculis quam auribus creditur said Seneca So that a good conversation is more demonstrative of godlinesse then good gifts good parts a good faith Thy prayers are good thy conference and discourse is good Is thy conversation also Hence Paul exhorteth Timothy as a Minister to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An example 1 Tim. 4. 12. to believers in word in conversation In word that is in his Doctrine and preaching In conversation that is in the exercise of all holy duties So that you see a man is above all things to look to his convesation that it be good For as this is a special means to edifie and build up others so none can take comfort from the choisest abilities the most fervent duties the purest Church-wayes unlesse there be a good conversation to uphold him Hence you see Paul doth not runne to his Apostolical Office to his great miracles to the wonderfull revelations and gifts bestowed upon him but to his conversation in the world as if that were a greater conviction of all adversaries then the most glorious Church-prerogatives or priviledges that can be Hence a godly conversation is a special means to convert others The Apostle speaketh fully to this concerning godly women who have Heathen or wicked and ungodly husbands that they should look to their duty That they may without the Word be wone by the conversation of their wives while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. he saith Without the Word not but that the Word is the onely ordinary means of conversion but because their conversation may be an occasion and introductory meanes to bring them to the Word As Austin said He should not have believed the Scriptures but for the Church because that was the introductory motive though the Scriptures themselves were the cause of his faith By this we see how much regard we are to have to our conversation for by it many may be converted or be subverted What a wofull thing will it be if thou by thy life hast given a just occasion to drive men off from godlinesse They were coming on but thy conversation drove them back It is true when wicked men doe wickedly from their owne corrupt hearts take an occasion to be offended at Gods wayes as some did when they heard Christ preach saying It was an hard saying who can bear it And from thence took an occasion never to follow Christ more John 6. 60. then the guilt of such men lieth at their owne doore They are offended where there is no just cause it 's Scandalum acceptum not datum But if thou doest by any sinfull and unwarrantable practises alienate men from Religion make them think the worse of godlinesse for thy doings then remember that dreadfull sentence of our Saviour Woe be to that man by whom offences come Matth. 18. 7. This is likewise called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your good conversation in Christ A Scripture-conversation is a conversation in Christ that is partly by the rule and guidance of Christ We live not according
our knowledg true when it is conformable to the thing it self but then is the thing true when it is conformeable to the knowledg of God So that herein is the Infiniteness and excellency of Truth as it is in God manifested above that which is in man So that man may well respectively to God be called a lyar There is no truth in him Now because truth as it is in God is invisible and the same with his Essence and we are never able to cown to know Truth but by God Hence we have the Scriptures given to the Church as the rule of truth All truth is from God whether it be natural or supernatural When any of the Heathens have found out Truth it was from God even as all fashood is from the Devil so that when the Godly do lye 't is from the Devils temptation the Father of lyes Thus when wicked and ungodly men have uttered truth it hath been of God Now because Supernatural truth could not be discerned but by Divine Revelation and pacefaction Hence it pleased God to make known in his Word What is that truth which will lead us to Salvation So that seing we are not able to behold truth as it is in God we must look upon it as it is in his Word for God is the hidden Truth as it were the Word is the revealed truth Therefore whatsoever is Scripture we may conclude of it as sure and firm Truth coming from the supream truth If then ye ask as Pilate did another way What is truth I answer thee The Scripture is truth No men are true any further than guided by Scripture and led by the Spirit of God accordingly Oh that therefore you did more aw your hearts with the truth of Gods Word If that say sin will be bitter in the latter end though it may bring profit and pleasure for a while believe it against all the wicked men in the world and say I do more believe this Text this Place of Scripture than all which the wickedness of men may oppose against it 3. In that God is true Herein he differeth from man and is thereby opposite to the Prince of darkness He differeth from man Therefore it is said Numb 23. 19. God is not as man that he should lye or Repent To trust in man is to lean upon reads Yea hence it is that because God only is Truth no pastors or Officers in the Church are to be believed any further than they bring the Word of God It was Christ alone God and man that could say I am truth Neither Austin nor Luther nor Calvin can say I am truth Not that therefore the Ministers of God are therefore to be laid aside because they are not infallible For God hath commanded us to hear them and to submit to them only we are not ultimately to depend on them The Church is called the Pillar of truth because she doth declare and hold out the Truth but she is not the Author of it We are then to conclude of all men that of themselves they have no Truth they need the Spirit of God to guide them therein And then hereby is an Opposition in God to the Devil As God is true so the Devil is the Father of Liés John 8. 44. when he speaketh of his own he speaketh a lye Now then consider how inexcusable every wicked man will be For on the one side Christ who is Truth it self he speaketh to the sinner to repent to reforme promising Everlasting Happiness to him Christ saith Thy sinnes have no pleasure no profit in them thou wilt finde them prove a lye to thee On the other side The Devil he tempteth thee contrary to Christ he telleth thee sin is sweet it is good and profitable to sin he biddeth thee follow the lusts of thy soul thou shalt not be damned for all that and now thou believest this Devil this Father of lies rather than Christ Oh how unsufferable is this how great is the Patience of God towards thee What hearken to the Devil before God But even thus Eve did at first she believed the Serpent more than God and thereby brought ruine upon her self and Posterity Oh that we could convince you enough herein that you may see with what madness and folly your sinnes carry you away while you listen to the Father of Lies who is the Adversary of your soules rather than Christ who mourneth over you saying Oh that such a sinner did know the things that maketh for his peace 4. From this truth of God Hence it is that we are so much commanded in Scripture to believe on him to trust in him and to depend upon him which indeed is a quiet and blessed life For what is that maketh thy heart like a Sea What is it that causeth one wave to rise up after another in thy soul Is it not because thou dost not depend upon this truth of God Were thy soul more assured here in the frame of thy spirit would be more joyfull Two Temptations amongst others there are wherein the soul cryeth out as in a Whales belly not knowing what to do◠whereas the confidence of Gods truth would presently satisfie the soul The first is In matters to be believed about the Doctrine that is delivered there For because that is wholly supernatural above our humane reason though not contrary to it hence it is that we have many fluctuations of spirit and our understandings are with difficulty captivated unto the Word of God Though these temptations about the Truths of Christian Religion are not incident to all the Godly and it is a special mercy to be preserved from them yet upon some they have come like a violent storm and therefore there is no way to stand disputing and arguing but to say God is true the Word is true I believe when I cannot dispute as one Martyr said But then a Second temptation which is like a continual thorn in the sides of the Godly is their Diffidence and distrust about the Promises of God They do not live and walk as if they were true So that never did any Heretick more subtilly cavill against the Doctrine of the Scripture than they do argue against the Promises of the Scripture Whether they be such as belong to the Church or to themselves To the Church when they read the Scriptures they finde such glorious and excellent Promises that they exspect she should alwayes have Halcyon dayes that her enemies should alwayes be vanquished but alas they finde experimentally the contrary They cannot see how Gods Words and his Works how his Promises and Providences do concurre together But the reason of this is from themselves They do not take a right way to understand the truth of God in this particular for these three Causes which commonly make the sense to erre about the Object although to speak properly the sense doth not erre but the judgment of a man discerning according to sence for
for hereby this gracious worke of God is differenced from all Enthusiastical delusions or from those prophetical extasies which the Prophets of God sometimes did partake off from that rapture Paul was in when he said Whether he was in the body or out of the body he did not know No we are not to expect such immediate operations of the Spirit upon us where the Spirit shall be both the efficient cause and the object also Neither may we hearken after some voice of Gods Spirit or immediate testimony within saying to us as sometimes a voice spake to Christ This is my beloved Sonne We may not expect that Christ should say to thee after some visible manner as he did to Mary Magdalen Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee We are not to hearken to such Doctrines that may presse for such a witnessing but we must give care to what the Spirit of God speaketh in the Scripture and so expect to have this confirmation and sealing by those meanes which he hath appointed Even as it is in the Doctrine of the Scripture it is the Spirit of God that doth fully assure the hearts of believers that it is Gods word But how doth it thus perswade the soul Not by any immediate testimony but by these implanted arguments therein as the holinesse of the matter the majesty of the style c. by which this undoubted perswasion is wrought in us Thus it is in this worke of sealing the Spirit of God though it be the efficient cause of it yet it is in such an order and way as he hath appointed For we must not thinke that it is suitable to the workings of Gods Spirit that we should have a blinde perswasion in us whereby we are assured onely we know not why and we are not able to give any reason that we are assured but because we are assured The Spirit of God attemperateth its operations to our rational nature But what are those meanes and wayes whereby the holy Spirit doth thus assure us They are either External or Internal External are two-fold First By the Sacraments in the right use of them the Spirit of God doth assure us Hence you heard the Sacraments are called seales neither may we thinke that Christ hath appointed these Ordinances in a barren formal and empty manner No God will accompany his owne Ordinance to the right receiver and therefore as truly as he received the bread and wine so truly is he also made partaker of Christs body and blood Whereas then the promises are indefinitely propounded the Sacraments they are particular applied and by these the Spirit of God doth assure us of our interest in the promises Secondly Another External way is By those notes and markes which are given of such to whom the promises doe belong The Scripture doth not onely declare the promises but characterizeth the persons to whom they doe infallibly belong Insomuch that he who findeth he doth truely beleeve and repent He that findeth he is made a new creature such an one may as undoubtedly conclude being enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God that the promises doe in particular belong to him as if he were named as if it were said Thou Thomas and Thou John thou art received into the favour of God So that this particular doth evacuate all those boasts and confidences which many may have of Gods love towards them seeing the marks and signs are not applicable unto them which the promises do require But these I call External There are Internal Qualifications by which the Spirit of God doth thus perswade and assure us not that they are a cause or that we are to put confidence in them but by them as signes and effects of Gods gracious love we come to be assured of the love it selfe As by the Rain-bow we come to be assured that God will not drowne the world again I shall not enlarge upon these having had opportunity from some passages in this Chapter to speak thereunto The first particular signe or marke by which the Spirit of God doth interest or seale unto that I shall instance in is The sanctified and savoury improvement of afflictions Such as are chastened from the Lord and taught by him these may unquestionably conclude Gods special love towards them Hebr. 12. Revel 3. The Scripture doth in those places abundantly evidence that whosoever is a sonne of God is afflicted by him Insomuch that he who hath no chastisements is to thinke that he is a bastard and not a sonne Now this is not to be understood of afflictions themselves meerly as so but as sanctified as working to our spirituall good And when they have this blessed fruit it is as comfortable an argument to be assured of Gods grace towards us as any may be thought on The Apostle maketh this a sure effect of Predestination Romans 8. 26. He did also predestinate us to be conformed to the image of his Sonne which is partly in suffering as he did that so we might be glorified as he was Look then with a more comfortable face upon afflictions than thou hast done Doe not flie from them with fear as Moses from his Rod when turned into a Serpent For when these doe worke to thy spiritual good when they are like fire to make the gold lesse drossie when they are like winnowing to purge the wheat from its chaffe then know this is an assured testimony of Gods favour Thou needest not say Who will goe up into Heaven What messenger will come immediately from God to perswade my soule of Gods favour towards me For the testimony is on earth it is neare thee doe not cast thy eyes from it Secondly A second signe or meanes by which we come to this sealing is The observation and experience of Gods gracious presence in us and with us whereby we are preserved from some and kept either from or in such temptations that might have undone us When we finde that grace accompanying of us which David prayed for Psalm 19. to keep us back from sinning As the childe of God hath the Angels of Heaven to take care of him they have it in charge to hold him as it were in their armes as a Nurse doth her little childe so is he also inwardly fortified by inherent grace to keepe him in his wayes to Heaven he hath habitual grace and actual grace and he hath preventing grace and co-operating he hath exciting and persevering grace Now that man who observeth how richly and mercifully the grace of God putteth it selfe forth in these several effects how often when he is ready to goe astray the grace of God seeketh him out how often grace prevented and excited him else he had beene swallowed up in such deepe gulphs of sinne he I say that findeth such prevenitng concomitant and subsequent grace of God he that findeth this Rock Christ to follow him with gracious effects as some say the waters out of
as David when banished from the publick Ordinances lamented it more than banishment from his own house and land and native countrey Thus they cryed out with him As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so pant our souls after thee O God You see then it 's a duty to be of a Church Hence because a Church is a company we are diligently to attend to what is our duty as we are a Church and this you had need hear of often For you must know you are under a two-fold consideration One Absolute as a private and single person and so you have several duties to attend unto 2. Relative as you are a member of a Church or part of such a Society and so there are choice and special duties Your solemn Church-duties such as hearing praying and all other publick worship are to be preferred above all private He can never be a good Christian that is not a good member of that Church he is of As in Politicks it's acknowledged he cannot be bonus vir which is not bonus civis not a good man that is not a good Citizen Now certainly here is a wonderfull neglect and general fault in all our Congregations we attend not to our Church-duties to our Church-communion what God doth require of us as a Society as a spiritual Company there would not be that neglecting of the Assemblies those wicked and ungodly meetings to be drunk to be carnally merry and jolly which are directly contrary to Church-meetings Nothing doth so resemble Heaven as the Church Assemblies spiritually performed and to such meetings God hath promised his more peculiar presence and assistance But of this more in its time In the next place there is added in the Doctrinal Description That it is a Company of persons called of God by the preaching of the Word Wherein are considerable the Efficient Cause and the Instrumental The Efficient is God Called by God And first In that they are said to be called by God This implieth these things 1. That it 's the meer goodness and grace of God that makes a people to be a Church Therefore they are thus named Ecclesia The Grecians called their Assemblies so because of some humane Authority gathering them together but the people of God are called a Church because God calls them So that as there is a difference between a garden and a wilderness the one is naturally so but the other is planted by art and industry nature doth not of it self especially since mans fall bring forth gardens and choice flowers but there is great art and culture required thereunto Thus it is with the Church men are made the Church by Gods grace but they are the world of themselves The world and the Church are two opposites God makes the one and is present in a special manner there but sinne and Satan make and rule in the other When the Psalmist said It is he that hath made us not we our selves we are the sheep of his pasture Calvin understands it of their Church making it was the goodness and power of God that made them so Hence it is that it is often compared to and called the Kingdom of Heaven because it's original is from Heaven and their Laws and Ordinances are heavenly Thus you see to be made a Church is not by our humane will and power as men make themselves Cities and Corporations but by a special grace of God 2. When therefore we are said to be called by God that doth necessarily suppose a terminus from which we are called It 's a company of persons called out from the world wherein once they were Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. doth oppose the world and the Church together and the world is said to be without God then when he gathers a Church He calls them out of the world as Lot was called out of Sodom which was ready to be destroyed with fire and brimstone or as a man is called out from an house that is ready to fall into its fulnes and this it is that makes it to be such an admirable priviledge and blessedness to be of the Church For the world is sure to perish is sure to be damned there is no abiding therein as if an Israelite had continued in an Aegyptians house when the destroying Angel passed by he was sure to be killed Thus there is no way but of damnation in the world without this Ark of the Church every one must necessarily perish But this is that which should make all our hearts ake and tremble at to consider That though the Church be called out of the world yet it 's almost degenerated into the world again Look over the face and conversation of all Churches Are they not become the world Is not a garden made a wilderness Is not the lusts the prophaneness the ignorance the impieties that are in the world to be found in the Church like wise And what hath been the sad occasion of so many to say Our Congregations are no Churches that a man cannot with a good conscience stay amongst you or have communion with you Is it not because of the universalimpiety they see amongst us As if the Church of God which is like the Ark in other things were in this also that all kind of things unclean as well as clean swine as well as sheep vultures as well as doves were to be taken into it We see as it hath been Gods work to turn the world into Churches so it hath been the Devils work to turn the Churches into the world again But wo be to the wicked man that is so in the Church of God God will be sure to punish you A nettle or weed in the garden is sure to be plucked up whereas in the wilderness it may grow and never be medled with SERM XIII Concerning the Efficient Instrumental Formal and Final Cause of a Church 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church at Corinth VVE are describing the nature of a particular visible Church and in that have discussed the Efficient Cause with the manner of his efficiency expressed in those words Called of God what is implied in that hath been examined only there remaineth a necessary distinction to be attended unto of Gods call that it is two-fold either External only or External and Internal also or an Effectual and Ineffectual Calling For though this distinction be hated by some men yet the Scripture is very clear That there are many called who yet are not chosen and when he saith called it is not meant only actively on Gods part as some were called but yet refused and would not so much as outwardly profess obedience but called is to be understood passively on mans part so that he giveth some outward conformity to Gods call There is an external reception and submission to it but yet there is no true inward sanctification Insomuch that some who are called the children of the Kingdom shall be cast forth and they
this Salutation Some think because the work of the Ministry meets with much malice and froward opposition from wicked men which made Paul pray that God would deliver him from unreasonable absurd men who are led only by humours and passions not by Reason and Religion Therefore seeing those that do faithfully discharge their trust meet with little favour and love from men hence it is that he doth in a peculiar manner pray for mercy to them Others they think the word is inserted because of the great difficulty of the Ministry it being a burden too heavy even for Angels shoulders Insomuch that Chrysostome thought Few Church-officers could be saved Seeing then the work is so great so much grace is required to manage it and the best have failings therefore they need the mercy prayed for But this by the way Come we to the Text. In that we may consider the Matter prayed for And the Efficient Cause from whom it is to come The Matter and Benefit is set down in two words which though but two yet comprehend all that a godly heart can desire the first is Grace the second Peace In the original there is a defect and therefore most do supply it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Translators Grace be to you Though the Apostle Peter in the salutations of both his Epistles expresseth the word and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be multiplied and so Estius would supply it here but there is no inconvenience to keep to the former Interpretation 2. There is the Cause of this which is two-fold God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ All these parts shall be opened as we take them in order only let us first take notice of the Manner and End of this Salutation in the general That it is not for any earthly or worldly thing but what is spiritual The Grecians they used commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Salutations as the Latines Salve and are relating only to temporal welfare And indeed the Heathens knew no better but the Apostle would lift up our hearts to higher things The Apostle James Chap. 1. 1. writing to the dispersed Tribes useth the word only Greeting which made Cajetan among other reasons reject it as not Canonical as if such a Salutation savoured of an humane spirit But this is no Argument For the Apostles gathered together in a Councel at Jerusalem sending a Letter to the Churches abroad use no more Salutation than that only in that we are to comprehend whatsoever is more expresly in Pauls Salutation Seeing then it s only spiritual things which Paul here doth wish to them Observe That spiritual mercies and priviledges are to be desired above all earthly and worldly ones what soever The Grace of God and Gospel peace is infinitely to be preferred before any outward advantage Psal 4. 6 7. when David had represented the natural desire of every man unregenerated Who will shew us any good He presently demonstrates the clean contrary disposition of those that are godly and spiritual Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and Thou hast put more gladness into my heart then they have had when their wine or oyl increaseth By David you may judge of all the faithfull they esteem more of the love of God and the sense or perswasion of this more than the whole world Let the prophane bruitish men of the world say as some did in Chrysostomes time whom he reproveth Give me that which is sweet although it choke me So let me have my pleasures my lusts though they damn me The godly on the other side if raised up to this heavenly transfiguration as it were to have the spirit of Adoption enabling them to call God Father and to walk under the light of his grace and favour they will say It is good to be here So that the desires and earnest longings of mens hearts do divide the world into two parts Some and they are only few who with David say As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so do their souls after God Yea Their souls break for the longing they have to God at all times But then others they seek the things of this world in the first place Let them have their pleasures their wealth their honours then with the Reubenites they will sit down and go no further because they see the Land is a good and pleasant Land never desiring to go into Canaan To open this Doctrine consider First That all the while a man is meerly natural and dead in his sins he is not affected with nor can he desire any spiritual mercy Even as dead men are not affected with pleasant sights or melodious sounds No wonder then though we do out of the Gospel shew such all the glory of Heaven yet they will not fall down and worship Christ because they are no wayes sensible or apprehensive of a better good Can a Worm that crawleth upon the ground live the life of an Angel or a man Alas that knoweth nothing but to crawl on the ground and feed on the dust of the earth Thus it is with every carnal man speak to him of the savour of God of the light of his countenance he knoweth no more what you mean than the bruit beast doth what reason is Besides sinne hath so infected and polluted the heart and appetite of every natural man that he calleth good evil and evil good he takes sweet for bitter and bitter for sweet That as the Swine loveth to wallow in its mire and delighteth in that more than in the sweetest garden that is Or as they say of those blind Beetles that live in muck and dung but sweet things do presently kill them thus it is with every natural man he is not only not affected but he is contrarily disposed to heavenly things Rom. 8. The wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God The wisdome the best understanding parts and knowledge that he hath is as full of malice against holy things as a Toad of poison The Greek word doth not only signifie his intellectual but his practical wisdom and affection he doth not say He hath savoury knowledge of heavenly things Sapientia est sapida scientia And as Bernard Sapiens est cui res sapiunt prout sunt Heavenly things savour as heavenly earthly things as earthly But in every natural man his appetite and taste is wholly disordered he finds no excellency loveliness in heavenly things which yet to a gracious heart are matter of exceeding delight and ravishment Hence in the second place Till a man be regenerated till he be made a new creature and endowed with an heavenly heart he is no sutable subject for these heavenly things Every one then as he is affected and disposed so he judgeth if earthly then all his affections move that way if heavenly then they are turned the contrary way As you see in mixed and compounded bodies
zealous was Paul in desiring this for the Jews We read of a notable expression Epist 3. of John ver 2. There he wisheth Gaius as much health to his body as he had in soul How excellent was his soul that was in better condition than his body SERM. XXIII Of the Name Nature and Preheminence of the Grace of God above all other things 2 COR. 1. 2. Grace be to you and Peace c. THe next thing considerable in these words are the particular mercies prayed for in this Salutation The first whereof and that which is the efficient cause of all other things is Grace The Common-place in Divinity De Gratia Dei of the grace of God is of a very vast extent and most of the Popish Arminian and Socinian errours arise from the mistake of the use of this word in the Scripture but it would be impertinent to grasp that whole controversie I shall not treat any more of it then what may relate to this Text. We may therefore briefly take notice of the use of it to our purpose That the first and most principal signification of it is the favour and mercy of God towards us for it answereth the Hebrew word Chen which comes of a root that signifieth to have mercy So that when the Scripture faith We are justified by grace we are called by grace we are saved by grace The Popish party doth grosly erre taking grace there for something in us wrought by the Spirit of God whereas it is indeed without us even the Attribute of mercy and grace in God So that the meaning is We obtain such glorious priviledges not because of any thing in our selves though never so holy but because of the meer grace and favour of God without us Grace then in the most frequent and principal signification of it denoteth the favour and goodness of God But then In the second place It is used sometimes for the Effects of this Grace For as mercy is sometimes taken for the attribute in God and sometimes for the effects of it So likewise is grace Hence it is that Gods grace is sometimes put for the Gospel and the preaching of the Word This being meerly from his grace that he vouchsafeth such a mercy to his people Act. 20. 24. Tit. 2. 11. Sometimes it is taken for the good success and special assistance that God giveth unto the preachers of it Act. 14. 26. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Yet not I but the grace of God viz. assisting and giving success to my ministerial labours Again It 's applied to those common gifts of Gods Spirit which were so wonderfully vouchsafed in those dayes To speak with tongues to work miracles these are called the grace of God though some would distinguish between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Yea the very function and offices in the Church are called Gods Grace as Paul did his Apostleship Rom. 1. 5. because it's the meer grace of God that hath appointed such Offices in the Church Lastly That which the Roman Church makes the more ordinary sence that indeed is sometimes but seldom to be found in Scripture viz. to signifie those habits and principles of holiness which are with in us There are some indeed who say The Scripture never useth the word Grace in this sense but some places seem to be clear Col. 3. 16. Col. 4. 6. Heb. 13. 9. 2 Pet. 3. 18. And therefore we may truly call that work of God in us Grace so that we do not make it to justifie or save for that is the grace of God without us Observe That the grace of God is to be desired by every one in the chiefest and first place This we should earnestly pray for that whatsoever God would deny us yet that he would give us his grace and favour We are I say to desire it not only above all temporal and earthly comforts above riches honours and long life but even above the sanctification and holiness of our souls which God worketh We are to desire his grace more than grace in our own hearts for this is the effect of that and this alone being imperfect in us could not justifie or save us Let us discover this rich treasure of Gods grace though the Apostle Ephes 2. 5. calls it The exceeding riches of his grace so that we can never speak to the full of it though we had the tongue of men and Angels still there is more in the grace of God than we are able to fathom We must therefore speak and understand as children about it till in Heaven this imperfection be done away And First We must know that God hath several attributes tending to the same thing yet do not ionally differ There is his Goodness whereby he is willing to communicate of his fulness to the creature Thus he was good to Adam making him so glorious a creature There is his Mercy and that is whereby he pitieth his creature being cast into misery There is also his Patience and Long-suffering which is extended to sinners that do for a long time rebell against him when he could if he pleased destroy them every moment in hell And lastly here is this property of Grace whereby he is called a gracious God And this the Scripture doth speak of as the most glorious and comfortable attribute and that doth imply these things 1. That whatsoever good God doth bestow upon us it cometh solely and originally from his meer bounty and good pleasure So that there is nothing in us that may in the least manner either merit with God or move him to be thus gracious So that we can never hear of this word Grace but it should presently humble and debase us it should make us condemn our selves and give all to God For if it be of grace than there was no motive in us God out of his own bowels doth this for us Rom. 1. 5 6. The Apostle speaketh very fully to this If of grace than it is not of works otherwise grace is no more grace So that to acknowledge the grace of God as Pelagians were forced to do and so Papists and Arminians do yet at last to divide between grace and our selves to make us co-workers with it yea to make it effectual this is to take all away really that we had given verbally before So that if it be Gods grace we must not give so much as the least sigh and desire to our selves all cometh meerly from the good pleasure of his own will 2. Grace doth not only thus imply a pure and only original from God himself excluding us but it supposeth also a manifest unworthiness in us and a contrary desert to what God bestoweth upon us Therefore grace in the Scripture language supposeth sinfulness in us that we deserve to be abhorred and cast out of Gods presence Hence justification and pardon of sinne are attributed to the grace of God
experimental knowledge which may be accompanied with some kind of sensible affections Mat. 13. the temporary believer received the word with joy You see then that some may have joy and that from the Word yet this not be the true saving knowledge or faith Heb. 6. some are there also said not only to be inlightened but to have tasted the good word of God Here you may observe that some may tast may have joy all which do inferre some affectionate inward experimental workings on the soul and yet not attain to have the true and honest heart And the reason is because these affectionate workings they are but transitory they quickly vanish away There is no setled constancy or permanency in them So that we are not to give credit to all the affections nor to all inlargements that we may find in our selves even about holy things but we are to be sure that there be deep rooting enough Hence Fourthly All experimental workings of the soul are to be judged and tryed by the Scripture Our hearts being full of guile and imposture the devil also transforming himself into an Angel of light hence it may come about that we may have the experience of much joy of many inlargements and yet all the while be in the devils waies Hence it is that all Sectaries almost will tell us of the great support and comfort they have had and that ever since they embraced those new waies yea some make themselves to be the only spiritual men that all other are in the flesh as Tertullian wrote a Book against the Orthodox stiling it Contra Psachicos as those that were meerly natural in the mean time he pretended to private revelations The experiences therefore which we find in our souls we must examine and try lest we make that to be of God which is indeed of the devil No doubt many deluded souls in dangerous and damnable waies comfort others of the same way with them by that comfort wherewith they are comforted not of God but of the devil Therefore let our experiences especially of comfort be judged by the Word in these Particulars First In the manner and way how thou comest by them Are they by the Scriptures truly understood I say truly understood For if thou abusest Scripture putting thy own sense upon it and thereby receiving comfort it is no longer then Verbum Dei but verbum tuum thou wrestest it and makest it thy own or the devils and not Gods If therefore thy experience of comfort be grounded on the Word if thy consolation flow from hence then this will abide That we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15. 4. The Spirit of God doth first lead into all truth and then into all comfort Secondly In the original and the efficient cause is it from God from the Spirit of God Or from the devil who may harden thy heart and make thee have such joy as mad men have not feeling their own misery The comfort and the joy that is truly so is still attributed to God and the Holy Ghost as the fountains thereof Thirdly Doth thy experience of Consolation make thee more humble and empty Doth it drive thee out of all thy vain carnal confidences This argueth it cometh from God if with the Centurian when Christ cometh to thy soul thou sayest Lord I am unworthy this joy this consolation should enter into me And therefore the more comfort the more lowly and debased in thy own eyes And never more then when the most joy This is a good experience of comfort as coming from God So also if this comfort be conducing to holinesse if by this thou art more quickned to mortifie sinne to subdue the corruptions that remain if this be like oyl to the wheeles thou art more fervent more zealous in all holy duties then make much of this comfort for it cometh from Heaven If then we have the experience of Gods working upon our souls both in the way of grace and the way of comfort then and never till then are we fitted to deal with the souls of others And there are these Reasons First None can wisely be a Physician to heal a disease in another unlesse he have skill and understanding in the nature of it and the fit remedy for it Now while a man hath no experimental knowledge of Gods workings upon his own soul he hath no skill no heavenly heart about the diseases in others souls Bring a poor wounded soul that is burdned with sinne that would be directed into Evangelical comforts to a Pharisaical self-righteous Doctor and alas he will as Ely thought the poor weeping woman bitter in soul and praying to God to be drunk so will these think such an one mad and foolish Hence you heard Christ would be tempted as we are that he might succour those that are tempted that he might have the tongue of the learned to speak to such who are weary Those that have not been thus humbled thus exercised thus comforted they are no waies able to be any helpfull comforters but like the Priest and the Levite will passe by those who are thus wounded Secondly As such can have no skill or understanding so they cannot have any sutablenesse of pity and compassion to those that are so afflicted in spirit and needed comfort She said Non ignara mali miseris c. The experience she had of miseries made her pity those that were in the like God would have the Jews be kind to strangers because they had once been strangers themselves Thou that hast been in the deep waters of Gods wrath thou that knowest how insupportable it is to feel the frowns and wrath of God for sin with what melting bowels with what pittifull affections wilt thou be like the good Samaritan Hence it is that as the Lord Christ himself did conflict with the wrath of God being in unspeakable agonies so also many of the choicest servants of God especially Ministers have been under the harrow and hammer of these desertions that they may be more polished for Gods building Luther doth manifest in several places what the great works of God were that he felt on himself so that though of a stout and undaunted spirit yet the anger of God did beat him to powder and finding no help for his afflicted soul in any Popish Principles no more then the Dove could place of abode while the waters did overflow at last when it pleased God to comfort him by Evangelical comforts through a right understanding of Christ and righteousnesse what a tree of life did his tongue become to others How many did he comfort by those comforts God had comforted him Calvin also it 's noted of him that he was a man of deep and retired thoughts within yet did retain them much in his own brest and no doubt by this he was the more prepared to be an excellent Instrument in the Church of God We see
publick interest which belongs to all the godly then it followeth what comforts one may and should comfort another The Scripture which was spoken peculiarly to Joshua Paul applieth Heb. 13. to every true believer Christ is a Christ equally to one believer as well as another The godly cannot strive about Christ as those women before Solomon about a childe one said It was mine and the other It is mine one cannot say It is my Christ and not thine but Christ is every believers and yet not divided Let the Use be of Direction to the godly In their application of comforts not to observe personal considerations so much To say a Paul may take comfort a David may but shall such an one as I This is to impropriate where God hath made common SERM. XLV The true and unfeigned owning of Christ is alwaies accompanied with some sometimes with great Afflictions 2 COR. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation aboundeth by Christ THe Apostle doth still amplifie that necessary and special truth viz. of Gods comforting those who are in trouble For the troubles which do constantly follow the waies of Christ are a great stumbling block and offence to many If therefore this be received as a fundamental maxime Christs Consolations are more then our sufferings then we shall no longer be afraid but see that the Lyon is killed and we may find honey in him In the text therefore the Apostle is illustrating this precious Doctrine shewing that God doth not only comfort but he comforteth proportionably If great afflictions if overflowing afflictions then great comforts and overflowing comforts So that in the words we may observe two Propositions first absolutely considered and then secondly comparatively The first Proposition absolute is That the sufferings of Christ abound in us The second That our Consolation aboundeth by Christ Christ is the cause of our afflictions and Christ is the cause of our joy Thirdly The Comparison lyeth in the terms of similitude and proportion As our sufferings abound so our consolation also aboundeth Let us consider the first Proposition absolutely The sufferings of Christ abound in us The sufferings of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used for the affections of sinne as Rom. 7. 5. Gal. 5. 24. And indeed these were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Paul in another sense for he suffered and groaned under them But here in the text and in many other places it 's applied to afflictions and sufferings This is of various acception for sometimes it may be taken subjectively for those sufferings which Christ himself indured For though he was without sinne yet being our Surety he suffered for that yea he suffered every way God and man so that his sufferings were more dreadfull then the sufferings of all men put together In these sufferings is contained the treasure of all our peace and joy of which the Scripture speaketh abundantly and fully But with this our text doth not meddle Therefore in the next place The sufferings of Christ may be understood indeed of those he is affected with but yet it is in his Members not in his own Person This is a very comfortable truth that the sufferings of a godly man for Christs Cause Christ accounts them as his sufferings he taketh it as done to himself Thus Christ though glorified in Heaven saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9. 4 5. Christ is imprisoned Christ is buffetted Christ is reproached and mocked in them As it is comfortable to the godly so it is as terrible to all those who trouble and revile the godly for Christs sake as too many do though they think with Pilate to wash their hands and say they are innocent I mean the carnal and prophane ones of the world whose rage if God did not restrain would be as that Haman to the whole Nation of the Jews not leave one alive But this is not chiefly meant here though this be not to be excluded 2. The sufferings of Christ may be understood exemplarily by way of conformity to Christ That we suffer as he suffered In which particular Rom. 8. we are said to be conforme unto his Image 1 Pet. 4. 13. we are commanded to rejoyce when we are partakers of Christs sufferings That is when we have a communion and fellowship with him For if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him This is part of the meaning But then 3. That which is the principal and chiefest meaning of the phrase is to understand it causally those sufferings we indure because of Christ For owning his way for continuance in his Discipleship For the way of Christ being contrary to the course of the world hence it is that they are stirred up as so many hornets They are the Serpents seed and are of their Father the devil who was a murderer from the beginning and therefore if the godly will cleave to Christ they must expect no mercy from the world The second thing in the Proposition is the attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abounds It is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome understands it comparatively to Christ as if the meaning were We suffer more then Christ Christ indeed said of his Disciples they should do greater works and miracles then he did but it is impossible they should suffer more then he did For his death was not only a Martyrdome but a Propitiation being a Sacrifice offered up for the sinnes of many The word then only sheweth That the Sons of God may not only suffer but their sufferings may abound may overflow so that both in number and weight they may greatly exceed Lastly In the Proposition it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the reddition it followeth which may be thought emphatical although it is usuall so to change Prepositions and Cases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words thus explained Observe That a true and faithfull owning of Christ and his way is accompanied with sufferings yea sometimes overflowing and excessive sufferings The Apostle takes it here for granted supposeth it as a received truth that Christs way and sufferings are alwaies together As the Sun and shadow as the Rose and prickes So that what was said of Christ is true also of every Member It behoved him to suffer and so enter into glory Christianus is Crucianus said Luther of old I only adde in the Doctrine A true and unfeigned receiving of Christ For if so be we take only some truths and some parts of Christs way and leave those which most enrage and trouble the world if we take his Doctrine and not his Discipline his truth and not his godly order the world is lesse moved So if of his truths we take some that are more speculative and leave the
man He suffered in his Name in all reproach and ignominy dying a most accursed death and shalt thou be so tender and delicate as not to indure the mocks and rages of men for him Shall Christ be in cruce and thou in luce Christ in convitiis and thou in conviviis Christ in patibulo and thou in Paradiso as Gerhard expresseth it Oh fear left this prove dreadfull at the latter end SERM. XLVII What Qualifications they must be endowed with who suffer in a right manner for Christ 2 COR. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ WHat it is to suffer for Christ ex parte objects in respect of the matter for which hath already been dispatched We now proceed to shew What is required ex parte subjecti What are the qualifications necessary in him who doth truly suffer for Christ When we read of so many glorious priviledges promised to such as are troubled for Christs sake you must know that their bare suffering no not for that which is righteous is enough to entitle them to this blessedness but there must be the Adverb as well as the Nown it must not only be pro bono but benè for that which is good but also in a good manner for suffering and martyrdome it self as all other duties is not integrated of all its causes as it is not enough to pray to hear though these for the matter be commanded but they must be done in an holy and spiritual manner Thus it is not enough to suffer or to be persecuted and that for Christs sake unlesse also we have that holy frame of heart in suffering which Gods word doth require Let us then examine this truth viz. What are the requisites to qualifie a true sufferer for Christ When his cause is good his heart his ends also must be good Therefore that ordinary saying Causa non poena facit Martyrem The cause not the punishment doth make a Martyr must be further limited for the cause doth not unlesse there be also those concomitant graces in the subject as well as there is truth in the object and we shall find this suffering temper to have as curious ingredients into it as there was into that precious ointment made for the high Priest alone and no wonder for it is the highest pitch of love we can arrive at to suffer for him and it is the most contrary to flesh and blood So that â—one can do this for Christ but such who are wonderfully enabled by him First Therefore in a sufferer for Christ there is required Faith in the eminent and powerfull actings thereof It is as impossible to suffer without faith as a bird to flie without wings It 's faith alone that can remove these mountains in the Sea Heb. 11. Those great exploits the Saints did yea and those wonderfull sufferings they underwent is attributed by the Apostle wholly to their faith Now this faith requisite to true suffering for Christ emptieth it self into two chanels there must be a Dogmatical Faith and a Fiducial Faith A Dogmatical Faith is that whereby a man is assured of the truths be suffereth for as divine and because of Divine Authority Faith must be as Heb. 11. 1. an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The substance and evidence of things For if a man have not this faith it 's obstinacy and pertinacy not faith that maketh him suffer as we see in Hereticks Hence also it is that a meer Opinionist or Sceptick in Religion will never suffer for Christ because he hath no faith but opinion in Religion So likewise those who are of a Religion meerly for humane Authority sake because of the custome and Laws where they live commanding such a Religion as those amongst the Graecians that were called Melchitae because they followed the Religion the King was of though indeed the Orthodox were so branded by the Heretical party Vide Hornbeck de Graecis These cannot suffer truly for Christ Indeed they may suffer for their Religion as it 's local and traditional to them as Turks and Jews do but yet this is not from faith which doth necessarily relate to divine testimony This then cuts off the glory which Hereticks and erroneous persons may boast of if they suffer truly they suffer with a true Faith if they have a true Faith that can be proved and demonstrated out of Gods Word And when we say a Dogmatical Faith that must be understood in respect of its compleatnesse and integrity as to Fundamentals No man can suffer truly for Christ that peremptorily denieth any I undamental if he hold the foundation though he build hay and stubble superstructive errours yet if he do not demolish any of the foundation stones he may be saved but so as by fire And truly is this charity be not allowed we shall scarce find any person or Church truly suffering for Christ For where hath there been such a sound faith in Fundamentals circa-fundamentals and praeter-fundamentals as that there hath not been any spot or wrinkle in the face of the Church This prerogative belongs to the Church in Heaven They therefore suffer for Christ who are persecuted for his truths though happily they erre in many things not necessary to salvation But if they deny any Fundamentals I do not say doubt and that for a season as the Apostles did about the nature of Christs Kingdome and his Resurrection and that with persevering obstinacy then though he suffer for one Fundamental yet because he denieth another he doth in effect destroy the whole building of Christ Thus when a Macedonian suffered for holding the Deity of Christ being put to death by an Arian the primitive Church never judged him a Martyr because he denied the Deity of the Holy Ghost There is therefore required a sound Dogmatical Faith for which cause some have doubted Whether the Church did well in making all those infants which were killed by Herod because of Christ in reckoning them among Martyrs For they did not know any thing of Christ neither it may be many of their parents had any true faith about him Certainly ly they cannot be called Martyrs or Sufferers for Christ in an active fense but passively only The second act of faith is a fiducial dependance on the promise of God and his Power which is able to raise up the heart above all fears and discouragements yea to represent prisons palaces and coals of fire beds of roses such a transubstantiating nature is faith of It was faith Heb. 11. which made Moses esteem the reproaches of Christ more than all the glory and honour which was in Pharaoh's court especially faith as it is the substance of things hoped for As it maketh Heaven and glory present so it 's admirably quickning and enlivening the heart of him that suffereth It is therefore called The shield of faith which above all or to all as some expound we
comparatively to the cause and glory of Christ And this makes it so difficult to suffer This hath made the Apostates that have many times been in the Church This hath filled the hearts of many with woe and wounds implacably For their childrens sake for their lives sake they deny Christ and a good conscience and how can it be otherwise while Earth is dearer than Heaven when we esteem the favour of men more than the favour of God This hath proved bitter wormwood to many at last Lastly To suffer for Christ there is required pure and holy motives To lose all for Christs sake out of meer conscience that this is the only cause why we are in any trouble We may read both in sacred and prophane Histories how men have suffered even death it self only for vain-glory All Aristotles vertuous men they were ambitious and vain-glorious men The very Heathen could make it Laudum immensa cupido as well as Amorpatriae We would think it a madnesse to lose comforts and life for an airy bubble of windy glory yet many have been thus transported not only Philosophus but Haereticus est animal gloriae vanissimum If then it 's not Scripture-grounds but ambitious vain-glorious principles that make thee to suffer Christ doth not will not provide sugar for thy bitter pils Thus have we seen what is required to suffer for Christ Oh the difficulty of this duty No wonder so much seed hath withered away when the scorching Sunne of persecution did arise No wonder Christ hath many Swallow-friends that endure with him the Summer time onely No wonder few are lovers of Christ for Christs sake As Alexander had more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the Bees that follow for the honey-pot only Now to all these we must adde this Caution A Christian that suffereth for Christ though he have not those qualifications in a perfect degree but find corruption opposing every one of them He must not therefore cast away his confidence for we can no more suffer perfectly for Christ then do perfectly for him and if our gracious works cannot justifie us no more can our gracious sufferings Martyrdom is not meritorious Though we shed our bloud for Christ yet the blood of Christ must cleanse that duty also The Martyrs died only in resting upon Christ for salvation and no wonder the godly heart finds more imperfections in his sufferings more carnal fear and impatience then in other duties because this is the hardest service Christ doth ever put his upon What else is to be said in this point will come in in the next particulars SERM. XLVIII How many wayes and by what means Christ comforteth those who suffer for him 2 COR. 1. 5. So our consolation aboundeth by Christ THe second absolute Proposition in the Text is That our comfort aboundeth by Christ. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by some Exhortation but more generally and fitly Consolation Though this be spoken in the singular number and afflictions in the plural yet this is to be understood collectively as a treasure that hath all kind of comforts in it not one or two but all Therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here repeated again aboundeth which is to be understood partly repletively it filleth the hearts of those that do suffer for Christ and partly diffusively it extends also to the comfort of others And then you have the cause of all this By Christ Christ who is the cause of their sufferings is also the cause of their comfort As from the same root proceedeth both the Rose and its pricks Thus from Christ the same Fountain cometh both bitter and sweet Were not this added who would suffer for Christ who would lose all for him but Christ hath so ordained it that these sufferings are advantagious to us and though we lose in the retail yet we gain in the bulk and whole Observe That as our sufferings are for Christ so by the same Christ are our comforts Though he strike with one hand yet he supporteth with the other If David said to the Priest who fled to him many of them being slain at No◠by the bloudy cruelty of Saul Stay with me I am the occasion of your deaths thou shalt fare as I fare How much more will Christ own such who suffer for him saying Depend upon me for I am the cause of all the reproaches and cruel usages you meet with in the world But to explain this Let us consider In what respects comforts may be said to abound by Christ And First Efficiently He being the same with God is therefore a God of all consolation Yea Christ as a Mediator he is sensible of our temptations knoweth our need and wants and therefore the more ready to comfort Christ that wanted comfort himself and therefore had an Angel sent to comfort him is thereby the more compassionate and willing to comfort us Thus you may read Christ and God put together in this very act 2 Thess 2. 16 17. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath given us everlasting consolation comfort your hearts Paul here prayeth that both Jesus Christ and God the Father would comfort them Christ therefore not only absolutely as God but relatively as Mediator is qualified with all fitnesse and fulnesse to communicate consolation he is the fountain and head as of grace so of comfort Secondly We are comforted by Christ Meritoriously he hath merited at the hands of God our comfort for without Christs death and atonement we were no more subjects prepared for comfort then the damned Angels Had all mankind with Dives begged but for a drop of comfort such was the gulph between God and us that it could not be obtained So that by Christ a way is made for our consolation Christ did not only obtain the communication of the holy Ghost in the gifts and graces thereof So that as by Christ the Spirit of God is given to the Church as a guide to teach and lead into all truth as the sanctifying Spirit and use of all holinesse So he is also as the Comforter who giveth every drop of consolation that any believer doth enjoy Though therefore joy and comfort be in Scripture attributed to the holy Ghost as the appropriated and applying cause thereof yet this is wholly because of the merits of Christ And therefore we may pray for comfort upon the same grounds as we doe for holinesse They are both the fruits of Christs death Lastly We are comforted by Christ Objectively that is in him and from him we take our comfort As Christ is called Our righteousnesse because in and through his righteousnesse we are accepted of in him we are compleat So Christ is our comfort because in him we find matter of all joy though there be troubles and vexations from the creatures though the Sunne and Moon be turned into bloud all powers
Only First Lay this as a foundation that when we say Our salvation is promoted by afflictions you must not understand this as if they of themselves did it but it is solely by the power and grace of God For in many Apostates and such who had not deep rooting sufferings did not promote their salvation but their damnation Even as to herbs not well rooted the heat of the Sun doth wither them So that some men falling into afflictions are like noisome herbs thrown into the fire which make the more unsavoury smell like earthen vessels that break in the fire They never discover their rottennesse their love to the world their unbelief so much as in those times It is true the Apostle saith Rom. 5. 3. That tribulation worketh patience But that is not to be understood of it self for in many it worketh impatience and unbelief but by the power of God moving in these waters there doth come healing So that the presence of God and his assistance is that alone which can turn these stones into bread Hence also afflictions do not advance our salvation as the Word preached doth for that alone is properly the instrumental cause in Gods hand both for sanctification and glorification as afflictions are onely occasional and set home by the Word It is true the Word it self doth not convert or save by any inherent virtue as the fire burneth but by the co-operation of God with it yet afflictions have not that efficacy or respect in the same way as the Word hath By sufferings then we are as the stone by its hewing and sawing prepared for that everlasting building in Heaven but it is the grace and power of God that doth polish and smooth us otherwise through tribulations we should enter even into the kingdom of hell But let us examine Wherein these heavenly sufferings do thus carry on our salvation And First They are a special means to humble us to bring us low in our own eyes to repent of all the evil we have done and to turn unto God As mad men are cast into prison kept in the dark and under all hardship to bring them to their mind again Thus doth God with those that are his So that it is an effect of his love to bring us into tribulations It is his love that maketh him to chastise us Heb. 12. O beatum cui Deus dignatur irasci Tertul. lib. de patientiâ O blessed is he to whom the Lord vouchsafeth to be angry And this is true not onely in afflictions meerly for sins but also in our sufferings for Christ For though the motive be thy faithfulnesse in owning of Christ and his way though it be not for thy sinnes principally but thy graces that thou art thus exercised yet God hath some respect to thy sinnes also Therefore such tribulations they are of a mixed consideration thy gracious love to Christ provoketh the adversary yet thy sinnes also God looketh at in this fiery tryal to purge them away Hence 1 Pet. 4 16 17. the Apostle encouraging believers to suffer as Christians and that by many arguments he bringeth one amongst the rest that relateth to their sinnes For judgement must begin at the house of God These persecutions he calls them judgements and that in respect of the godly which denoteth That although God did honour them as suffering for his truth yet he did also judge them in those sufferings for their sinnes It is then the duty of all Champions and sufferers for Christ as to rejoyce because they are accounted worthy to suffer for him So also by those tribulations to humble themselves to condemn and judge every sinne that they can discover It is a false and sinfull opinion of some mentioned by Raynardus Lib. de Martyrio that affirmed Whosoever did suffer for the faith of Christ his very Martyrdome was enough to cleanse him so that he was not bound in or before his sufferings to repent for such sinnes as his conscience might re-mind him of No were it possible for a man to give his body to be burnt for the truth and yet not to mourn for and bewail the sinnes he was guilty of such Martyrdome would not profit him So that as God commands the Israelites when they went to warre that they should cleanse the Camp of unclean things Thus also all those who suffer for Christ and in some sense may be said to fight the battels of the Lord it is their duty to arraigne themselves for their sinnes and to pray That this washing of them may take away their spots and filthinesse Secondly These afflictions for Christ do much promote our salvation Because they are a School to every believer whereby to know more of God and Christ of his grace and power then ever they did before These sufferings lead us into much experimental knowledge of God and his wayes These see the wonders of God in the depths A man not afflicted knoweth not what the experiences are that usually the godly find in such exercises Hence as David acknowledged Psal 119. Before he was afflicted he went astray Those afflictions did him more good than his mercies Thus also the godly who as Joh come like gold out of the fire they can truly say They would not be without those teachings those experiences they have had not for all the world especially this they are experimentally to observe How the power of God as Paul speaketh was perfect in his infirmities that the more his troubles did grow the more were the supports and comforts of God Insomuch that the afflicted soul wondereth and is amazed to see and feel the presence and power of God with it It hath that comfort that courage which it thought had been impossible for him ever to enjoy For as formerly you heard as afflictions abound so also do consolations and supports So that you must not expect God should give such extraordinary discoveries of himself but in extraordinary cases As we read of a notable instance of a woman Martyr in the primitive Heathenish persecutions who being great with child was delivered the day before she was to suffer and in her travail sending forth great and grievous groans The Jailor reproved her saying That if she did thus cry out about the bringing forth of a child how would she be able to suffer a cruel and tormenting death To whom she well replied That her present exercise was natural and ordinary and therefore expected but common supply in that case whereas her Martyrdome was extraordinary and therefore looked for extraordinary help and comfort from God This is to shew That the discoveries we have in our exercises and troubles under the unusual presence and consolations of God make us to say with Job They had heard of God with the ear but now they see him with the eye They did but know in a riddle now they do as it were face to face Thirdly These afflictions do promote and quicken to more grace
Moral Patience Natural Patience I call that which cometh much from the constitution and complexion of their bodies they are more mild quiet and enduring of grief than others Moral patience I call that when men by wisdom and reading of moral precepts can harden themselves heroically to bear the tribulations up on them but Christian patience is that which comes from a regenerated and sanctified nature eying Gods glory his will and command only not regarding other sinister respects So that a Natural Patience a Moral Patience under thy sufferings will not advance thy salvation but that which is Christian You have a notable place for this 2 Pet. 1. 6. To patience godlinesse The Apostle doth there exhort to have the chain of graces linked together not to think it enough to have one grace unless he have all And therefore patience must be added to temperance for that requireth the denial of our pleasures the crucifying of our delights which cannot be without patience but then to this patience we must adde godlinesse implying that though we be never so meek so still so Lamb-like under our troubles yet if godliness be not added to this patient deportment if it be not from divine principles and to divine ends then our patience is greatly defective Look we therefore that when we quietly and patiently suffer it came from the grace of patience not from a counterfeit patience for this is not true gold and so will not enrich us This distinction being premised whereby a Christian may be inabled to know when it is Nature and when it is Grace that doth bear when flesh and blood doth suffer and when a divine Nature within him In the next place let us consider What goeth to the producing of this grace of patience for we cannot of our selves perform this duty of patience no more than a wildernesse can bringforth roses Therefore First The efficient cause of patience is God only The heart of man under any afflictions is like a wild bull in a net there is nothing but raging and repining under every exercise till God give a patient spirit Hence Rom. 15. 5. he is called The God of patience For what a wild unruly bedlam is an unsanctified man under any pressure upon him Like Cain he crieth out It is greater than he can bear Like Jobs wife he is tempted to curse God and so die Doest thou therefore under thy trials want patience Doth it grieve and sadly afflict thee to see thy self so passionate so impassionate Then let this make thee to run to the throne of grace improve this title God is the God of patience Say Oh God it is but speaking the word it is but saying Let there be patience and there will be patience How often have I resolved for patience How often prayed for patience and yet Lord my heart is tormented and tossed up and down like that Lunatick which could not be bound by any chains Not only my tongue but my heart are worse than unruly and savage beasts they may be tamed but this no man only God can tame it It 's God only therefore that maketh in us patience The grace of patience is farre above our power Tertullian wrote a Book of Patience but in the very beginning he apologizeth for himself why he should write of that subject which he had so little experimentally and practically attained unto and he excuseth it thus That he doth as those who are sick they delight to be talking and praising of health So I saith he who am Aeger caloribus impatientiae sick with feavorish impatient heats do delight to write of patience Thus do thou seeing it is more then of thy self thou art able to do The least tryal the least affliction is ready to heat thee with impatience pray to God importunately let him not alone till he blesse thee with this composed patient spirit Say with the same Tertullian Pereat seculum dummodo patientiam lucrifaciam Let the whole world perish so that God will give me patience Secondly As God is the efficient cause so the word of God that is instrumental The Word is like Davids harp to drive out this evil spirit So the Apostle Rom. 15. 14. That we through patience of the Scriptures might have hope When thy impatient flesh doth suggest this and that argument to discontent and repining Oh remember what the word of God saith It is for want of Scripture-consideration of Scripture-arguments that thy heart is so clamorous and unruly such a command such a promise would presently have made all calm and quiet The Heathen adviseth an angry furious man to look in the glasse while he is in those passionate fits that he may see how deformed he is made thereby but how much rather when thy heart hath boiled over with impatient repining thoughts art thou to recover thy self immediately and to look into the Word See what that faith what that requireth and then thou wilt be ashamed and abhorring thy self as a very beast Thirdly Afflictions themselves according to Scripture-expression they work patience also Thus Rom. 5. 3. Tribulation worketh patience Jam. 1. 3. The trying of your faith worketh patience Here you see afflictions are said to work patience but not of themselves it 's the power of God in and through them only as the beast accustomed to the yoke is more tame than at first so when we are constantly exercised with afflictions that they seem to be no new thing then through Gods grace we come to be more ready and willing in a patient enduring of them It is said of Christ himself He learned obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5. 8. not that he could grow properly in grace or be more obedient than he had been formerly but it is spoken in regard of experimental obedience he had the sense and feeling of it more than before but the adopted sons of God they do increase in obedience and patience by the things that they suffer Therefore thou who hast more afflictions than others it is a reproach to thee if they have not taught thee more patience and meeknesse than others Fourthly The exemplary or ideal cause of patience is God and Christ From them we have a most exact and compleat rule of patience Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is To be perfect is there to be patient for he had before instanced in the patience of God that even to the unjust he causeth the Sunne to arise and from this inferreth Be ye therefore perfect To be patient and that to enemies may be called perfection because this alone is taught in Christianity To love our friends is acknowledged a duty by all Nations but to love enemies is only professed by Christians Well then may we be patient under all the persecutions reproaches and vexations the enemies of God bring upon us For is not God patient towards them and yet they are more his enemies then
off for ever Will he be gracious no more Thy tribulations are not eternal After thy wildernesse condition thou wilt be brought into a Canaan 2. We have the effect or end of such consolations which are vouchsafed to others especially the Officers of the Church who are like the mountains whose springs empty themselves into the valleys and that is two-sold Consolation and Salvation Of the former enough hath been said already We come therefore to the latter which is their Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have three words in the New Testament tending to the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour thus Christ is often called and his Name Jesus is because he doth save his people Christ is the cause of our salvation Then there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actual salvation Act. 4. 12. Yea this is applied sometimes to Christ himself metonymically Even as in the Old Testament David doth often call God his salvation Act. 13. 47. Christ is there said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For salvation to the ends of the earth Luk. 1. 69. he is called the horn of saluation that is a powerfull and strong Saviour Lastly There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not so much signifie salvation it self as the means and instrument by which it is procured and thus Christ as Mediator is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2. 30. Luk. 3. 6. Hence Ephes 6. 17. The helmet of salvation because it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may relate even to Christ himself as David calleth God his helmet and his shield c. As for the thing it self viz. Salvation that may answer the Hebrew word Peace which containeth a confluence of all good things The Heathens did so admire it that they built a Temple Deae Saluti to the Goddesse Safety though they understood only a temporal safety and therefore when they were saved or delivered from dangers they did offer their Sacrifices called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus they thought all their safety came from Heaven though corrupted with blind minds In the Scripture we read of a two-fold salvation A Temporal one and the Old Testament speaketh much of this salvation because temporal mercies were in a more plentifull manner vouchsafed to them not but that the godly looked for a spiritual salvation as Jacob witnesseth in his benedictory prayer before his death saying Gen. 49. 18. I have waited for thy salvation O Lord only spiritual things were not so clearly and plainly manifested as in the Gospel times Hence the Temple 1 King 6. 4. had windows indeed but they were of narrow lights This Salvation temporal is often in the Old Testament expressed in the plural number The salvations of the Lord because of the multitude and Frequency of them 2. There is a spiritual Salvation and this is sometimes applied to the Gospel and means of grace because they are instituted means to bring to salvation Act. 13. 26. It 's called the Word of salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the day of salvation Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation So that the very title which is given to the preaching of the Gospel should partly much affect and winne upon us who would not be saved Why should not all Congregations endeavour after a godly Ministry This is to bring in Salvation amongst them And partly it should terrifie all prophane atheistical men who delight in their lusts and slight the Gospel preached what is this but to refuse salvation What is this but to say Let me be damned I had rather with my lusts go to hell then without them to Heaven Every Sermon thou despisest salvation it self is rejected by thee But then 2. This spiritual Salvation is either inchoate or consummate Inchoate or Salvation begun is attributed to the works of grace in this life Sanctification especially Justification So Ephes 2. 5. and 2. 8. By grace ye are saved he speaks of Justification in this life and as that which is already obâ—ained 2 Tim. 1. 9. Justification is salvation begun though good works are otherwayes required to one and the other The Consummate or compleat Salvation is that in Heaven which is the Salvation so often promised in the Scripture and that is the Summum bonum and the ultius finis the mark all are to aim at The Scripture doth clearly describe that which the Philosophers did grope in the dark about having many several opinions about it That as our Saviour asked his Disciples Whom do men say I am And they answered Some John Baptist some Elias Now though these were holy men yet it was a dishonour to Christ to be accounted no more than a man Woe be to us if Christ had been no more than a meer Prophet Seeing therefore these did so mistake our Saviour asketh further But whom say ye that I am Then Peter answered The Sonne of the living God It was the Father not flesh and blood that had revealed this Thus if you ask What do the men of the world say Happinesse and Salvation is One will reply Riches another Honours but what do ye say who are more than flesh and blood who have the Spirit of God revealing things to you Even the enjoyment of God and Christ to all eternity this is Salvation this is Blessednesse This Salvation is that which we are to endeavour after in our whole life Better never have been borne and not saved What will it profit thee to have had a little pleasure a little greatnesse and honour in this life and hereafter to lose this salvation There are some places of Scripture wherein it 's disputed what Salvation is spoken of whether temporal or spiritual or both 1 Pet. 3. 20. Eight persons were said to be saved in the Ark. So 1 Pet. 4. 18. The righteous shall scarcely be saved The Arminian would bring that place 1 Tim. 4. 10. Who is the Saviour of all men to a spiritual salvation But that is absurd for he speaks of being an actual Saviour and that cannot be to wicked men for they are not saved therefore it is of a temporal preservation for even to wicked men he vouchsafeth daily salvations and deliverances Now it is plain my Text speaketh of a spiritual Salvation and that which is to come called eternal Salvation Observe That God doth by all his dispensations carry on and further the salvation of his people If others be afflicted if others be comforted all helpeth forward to the salvation of those that believe In this sense it is said 1 Cor. 3. ult All things are yours The Officers and Ministers of the Church life and death things present and things to come How are all these things a godly mans Even because they further his salvation by all these he promoteth the happinesse of his people Thus Paul knew Phil. 1. 19. that all his enemies practices yea their preaching Christ out of envy thinking thereby to afflict
16. 9. where he said A great door and effectual was opened to him at Ephesus that was in Asia the lesse but there were many adversaries and these no doubt did endeavour to bring him into much danger So 1 Cor. 15. 32. he is said there To fight with beasts at Ephesus whether he understand beasts truly and properly or metaphorically men as wild and as savage as beasts all sheweth the extream danger he was in It may seem probable that the Apostle related to this only it is objected That the trouble here mentioned was but lately done and such as the Corinthians had not yet heard of Therefore the general current of most Interpreters do conclude that the Apostle meaneth that danger he was in mentioned Acts 19. by Demetrius and others when the whole City of Ephesus was in an uproar because of the Temple of Diana concerning which they so vehemently accused Paul for there we read was a popular sedition and the City was in a great confusion Demetrius and his company were in a mad rage against Paul So that although Luke doth not in particular mention the extream and grievous danger Paul was in yet it may well be concluded from the general Thus Calvin and many others So that this foundation being laid and this supposed to be the trouble We may observe That the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel are sure to meet with much opposition from all such who regard Religion no further than it maketh for their carnal advantage and interest A necessary truth this is for hereby every one whose heart riseth against the powerfull preaching of the Word may examine himself What is the motive thereof What is the cause thereof Though he may pretend this specious colour and that fair glosse yet it is some lust or other some carnal advantage or other that doth indeed kindle that flame in his brest That this Doctrine may be the better conceived let us take notice What was the cause that brought this trouble upon Paul at Ephesus and we shall there see how the same causes do still make men mad and bitter enemies against the wayes of God The History we have related Acts 19. from vers 23. to the end of the Chapter it is there declared That no small stirre did arise about that way that is the Evangelical way the Gospel way preached by Paul The occasion whereof was by one Demetrius a silver-smith which made-silver shrines for Diana that is little Images made for the worship of Diana which was a trade of very great profit and advantage to him and others of the like craft therefore he consults with them and useth two arguments to enrage them First That their craft would be in danger The trade they lived upon would fall to the ground And this certainly was that which did most prevail with him and by this we see how hard a matter it is to part with a profession or way of life though never so sinfull if it be a profitable way The matter of profit will be like dust in our eyes to hinder our sight it is ready to put out all spiritual discerning in the conscience between good and evil just and unjust So that we are greatly to suspect our hearts in those things that are matter of profit to us lest they deceive us therein The second Argument is religious Though his heart be carnal yet he runneth to the Sanctuary of Religion The former Argument was too grosse if it had been alone and therefore he maketh Religion the greatest The great Goddesse Diana shall be despised her magnificence destroyed Now this he maketh a very hainous sinne because all Asia and the world worshipped her Thus you see multitude universality and the custome of others that is the great reason he hath to perswade for the worshipping of Diana which is the same argument that carnal and superstitious people do still possesse their souls with So that from this historical passage you see the Doctrine genuinely deduced That men who regard Religion no further than they have carnal advantages are like so many Toads full of poison full of rage against such as do faithfully preach the Gospel Therefore in this very Chapter we have a notable instance of the work of Gods grace upon some who believed for they brought their Books of curious Arts which had been gainfull and profitable to them and burnt them before all men though the price of them was found to be fifty pieces of silver They mattered not their gain nor their profit they would part with all now they had received the Gospel in the power of it We have a parallel History with this of Demetrius Act. 16. 19. where there was a possessed Damsel that had a spirit of divination which brought her Masters much gain by soothsaying but Paul adjureth and dispossesseth that spirit whereupon it is said When her Masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone They took Paul and Silas and carried them to the Rulers laying great crimes to their charge Thus if we do search to the true ground of all that malice which the Chief-priests vented against Christ never ceasing till they had crucified him although they pretended Religion and because he spake blasphemy and did break the Sabbath yet the real cause was because he discovered their hypocrisie and covetousnesse manifesting that they sought only great things for themselves This also Paul chargeth upon his enemies the false Apostles who did create so much trouble and grief to him That they were enemies to the crosse of Christ and did mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19. Thus also Gal. 6. 12. They made a shew in the flesh that they might not suffer persecution But we come more more particularly to enlarge this And First You may take notice That there are two sorts of persons who do with much violence and despite oppose the holy truths and wayes of Christ First Such who may have such an absolute blindnesse and meer errour upon their mind that they take the true Religion to be blasphemy and horrible reproach to God and on the other side they take Idolatry and superstition to be the onely true service of God and therefore that they cannot do more acceptable service unto God then to oppose that way of Religion which yet indeed is only approved of by God Of such our Saviour spake to his Disciples John 16. 2. Whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service and of this number was Paul who professeth that he once thought himself bound to set against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Act. 26. 9. Here we see Paul so convinced in his judgement that if he did not with all his power and might oppose the way of Christ he thought it would have been his great sinne And thus no doubt it may be the case of many deluded Hereticks and Papists so that they shall be perswaded there cannot be more acceptable work unto God then that they should
particular act had some immediate inspiration and divine instinct upon his soul whereby he was raised up to trust in God assuredly for that particular deliverance And this is the more probable because of the manner he did encounter Goliah with going out against him In the Name of the Lord with a sling and stones out from the brook By which preparation it is plain that David was therein guided by immediate revelation And happily Paul in this act of trusting which here he professeth he might have more than the general and ordinary promises which all the people of God have to relie upon there might be some special assurance and revelation vouchsafed to him that he had more work to do for God that all his enemies could not for the present take away his life Therefore he addeth He will yet deliver not alwayes but as yet he will till he had finished his course and fought the good fight of faith he was called to Thus we read that Paul had a vision Acts 18. 9 10. while he was at this Corinth commanding him Not to be afraid for no man should set on him to hurt him Thus many of the people of God in former times they had immediate revelations and personal discoveries made to them whereby they were called to believe in God for such a particular temporal mercy and that every way absolutely But then 2. There are common general mercies which are to work upon all the godly and such are those universal propositions revealed in Gods word whereby we are antidoted against diffidence and distrust in any estate whatsoever So that although thou hast not that peculiar revelation made to thee for such mercies as those Ancients had yet thou hast as sure a word of promise to depend upon For it is the same God which speaketh in a general promise to thee that did in a particular to them Hence we find the Apostle comforting and encouraging the godly by such a promise as was peculiarly made to Joshua in that extraordinary Office he was called unto Heb. 13. 5. For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee from this see what he inferreth So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper which proveth that even particular promises made to any godly man do in the general reason of them belong to every believer Even as we say of the Judicial Law though the particular duty or punishment may not oblige us Christians yet the moral equity and reason upon which it was grounded doth So though the very particular thing promised belong not to thee yet that protection support and preservation which is necessary to thee in thy way that thou mayest relie upon God for Know then that it is but the deceitfulness of thy heart when thou thinkest Oh if God would speak from Heaven to me or if an Angel should come from God and bid me Be of good comfort this or that shall be done for thee then I could rest satisfied For if thou doest not believe God speaking in a general promise neither wouldst thou in a particular one Mary Magdolen and some others had a peculiar particular testimony from Christ That her sinnes were forgiven her yet every humbled and repenting sinner may apply the promises of pardon to his own soul as fully and as boldly as she did For Christ doth still in the world speak so to every unfeigned convert It is true we grant that in the Apostles dayes when the gift of miracles was necessary for the Church then some had a peculiar command and promise by faith and trusting wherein they were able to do miracles and wonders and this was called The faith of miracles And for any to conceive such a thing of himself now and to trust in God for to performe some miracle is to be ignorant of what spirit we are yet still we are called to a faith and trust in God which is almost as wonderfull as that of Miracles The trusting in God for the pardon of thy sinnes for thy preservation in temptations for thy safe conducting thee to Heaven through all the oppositions in the way is as difficult as miraculous faith So also the trusting upon God in temporals when thy condition hath been like a wilderness when no visible hopes or props have appeared is like a miraculous faith Hence there are learned Divines Synopsis puri Theol. that do grant there is still in the godly a faith though not miraculous yet answering that which they call Fides specialis whereby the Spirit of God doth in a peculiar manner raise up the soul to trust in God For this particular God sometimes when he provideth a mercy for his people doth prepare their hearts to expect it Onely we must take heed that we do not baptize our delusions and the strong conjectures of our humane perswasions with the name of this special faith The summe of this head is to informe the people of God that the general promises are as sure an anchor to fasten thy soul in the midst of waves as particular are Secondly It is good to consider What are the immediate opposites and contraries to this grace of trusting in God that so we may avoid those rocks from splitting our souls thereat The first enemy to it is Presumption and that is When men do not trust in God in his way We represent God to our selves in our own carnal imaginations and then we trust in him which is indeed nothing else but to trust in our vaine lying hearts Now this presumption which hath the appearance of trusting in God but is not so may be discovered these wayes 1. When we do not judge of God according to the Scripture-discovery made of him when we walke not by Scripture-light There can be no trusting in God without a true knowledge of him out of his Word Now if you observe ignorance herein is the cause of all that presumption which drowneth many souls in perdition Take the most prophane and profligate wretch who like Cain almost have the marks of Gods displeasure against them palpably manifesting themselves yet they will tell you they trust in God for mercy they rest on Christ to be saved Is not all this because they do not know God out of his Word If they did would not they find there that he is angry with the wicked every day That he is a consuming fire That if a man regard iniquity in his heart God will not hear such a mans prayer Are not these so many thunder-bolts to strike thee out of thy presumption 2. It is not trusting in God but presumption When we are confident and bold where we have no promise from God For this you heard That Gods promise and our trust doth necessarily respect each other So that if you take away the promise you remove the foundation and so faith must fall to the ground And this doth plainly also discover that that which some call their
they both agree in this our temporal mercies and spiritual mercies come from God the fountain of them though spiritual mercies have a more special and restrained consideration To affect us with humility and thankfulnesse in this point consider these particulars First That even those mercies which are the effects of natural causes yet they are the gift of God Should he withdraw his concourse no creature were able to performe its usefull operations The fire would not warme us our bread would not nourish us our raiment would not comfort us against the cold So that we are not only to bless God that we have such creatures as these are but that they are usefull We are not only to praise God that we have bread and raiment but that these things can do their office For in these there is a two-fold mercy 1. That God doth provide them for us 2. That when they are provided they put forth their usefulnesse Thus our Saviour alledgeth out of Deuteronomy Mat. 4. 4. Thou shalt not live by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth If God give not a word of blessing our bread cannot nourish us Hence we are also said In God to live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Although therefore there are natural causes and these do produce their effects from a natural necessity yet because they are second causes they do therefore depend upon God the chiefest and supream cause both in esse and operari in their being and operation Thus the fire would not burn if God should not give concourse thereunto as appeareth in the case of the three Worthies and the reason which is given by the Dominicans though the Jesuites do not well relish it is that every second cause though it be a natural agent and so determined to operation yet because it is in a potentiality to worke it hath a potentia a power this must be reduced to act by that which is the pure and chief act viz. God himself So that it is not enough for God to give a natural power to produce such an effect unlesse he also actuate that power and goe along with it This is a truth and when believed will draw off our eyes from the creature more so as to set them upon God and to acknowledge him more in all things This then thou art to know That even those natural comforts which flow from natural causes so that it would be a miracle if they should not produce them are yet from the goodnesse and bounty of God Now how often are we unthankfull for these mercies we doe not blesse God for the gift of seeing the gift of hearing the gift of walking Secondly Those comforts which flow from moral causes these also are to be attributed to the gift of God A man that is diligent in his place he may grow to be rich The strongest usually prevail in battel The swiftest they overcome in a race yet where these moral causes are the effect is Gods gift Therefore Solomon observeth that the clean contrary falleth out sometimes Eccles 9. 11. That the battel is not to the strong nor the race to the swift How many are diligent carefull and wise in their places and yet cannot obtain wealth in this world So that even those things which are brought about by the means that we use we must acknowledge they are Gods gift if his blessing be not upon the means they are frustrated Thus the Lord doth instruct Israel against any pride and confidence that might arise as if their power and strength did make them rich For it is the Lord saith he that giveth thee power to get wealth Deut. 8. 18. You see whatsoever wisdome diligence and good husbandry we use yet if any thing come thereby it is the gift of God You have a most significant place for this truth Hag. 1. 6. where the Prophet sheweth whatever we eat or drinke or take care and labour about the Lord can blast it and make it come to nothing Ye eat but have not enough ye cloathe you but there is none warme and he that earneth wages it is to put in a bag with holes Doth not this Text evidently proclaim that the labourer in his wages the tradesman in his buying and selling the husbandman in his plowing and sowing cannot adde one farthing to his efface unlesse the Lord blesse it Thirdly All those comforts we have and gifts either to relieve or refresh us that we have from others we are to account them Gods gifts rather than mens If any man help thee in thy necessities if any man preferre and honour thee thou art indeed to be thankfull unto men that are benefactors but more to God who inclined their hearts to thee Yet how little is this thought upon when we receive courtesies from men kindnesses from men we look upon these alone whereas if God did not move their hearts thou wouldst have found no relief from them It was thus with Joseph he was cast into prison upon the Kings displeasure in all outward appearance the Goaler would have used him with all cruelty yet saith the Text Genes 39. 21. God shewed mercy to Joseph and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison The Lord hath a command over mens hearts he maketh them mercifull and free to some and again he turneth the hearts of some men against others Now we poor creatures look only upon men as if they did all as if all were in their power But as God commanded Laban who was in a rage against Jacob not to speak an ill word against him So also doth the Lord daily he maketh men thy friends and he raiseth them up to be foes We have likewise a notable instance Exod. 12. 36. when the Israelites were upon their departure the Aegyptians though their cruel enemies who hated and oppressed them yet it 's said The Lord gave them favour in their eyes that they lent them even jewels of gold and silver On the contrary when God was provoked it is said Psalm 105. He turned their heart to his people As David then said when Shimei reviled him bitterly The Lord hath bid him So when thou receivest any favour any mercy from men look up higher than men The Lord hath bid him Mens gifts are much rather Gods gifts yea even what those do for us who are in the most indeared relations and so have principles of nature to instigate them to help thee yet thou art to look upon all their care and love as Gods gift to thee If thy parents have taken care of thee if they have provided for thee if they have looked to thee though it was their duty and they would have been unnatural if they had done otherwise yet do thou look upon it as Gods gift to thee How many parents are given up to unnatural affections How many love their lusts and their whores more than their children So that
salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and afterwards was confirmed by others God bearing them witnesse by signes and many wonders So that now the things of Religion cannot be more abundantly confirmed to you than they are you are not to expect more powerfull means to convert you than have been used and this will make Hell seven times hotter for all ungodly and prophane persons who are so under these Gospel-dispensations SERM. XCIX Of the convincing Nature of Godliness in Ministers and private Christians 2 COR. 1. 13. For we write no other things unto you then what you read or acknowledge and I trust that you shall acknowledge even to the end THe Apostle having formerly asserted the sincerity and holy simplicity of his conversation and that more abundantly to the Corinthians lest this should be a vain boasting of himself and that in giving testimony of himself that would not be valid or sufficient He doth in this verse appeal to the very consciences of the Corinthians likewise So that not only the testimony of his own conscience but of their consciences also must needs justifie him And indeed this is a good demonstration of that uprightness which is within us when we can appeal to the consciences of others For although men especially such as are prejudiced and alienated from us may suffocate and smother as much as lie in them that they have any such convictions of our integrity yet secretly their consciences cannot but bear witness to us The matter then wherein he doth appeal as it were to their own consciences is set down in the beginning of the verse For we write no other things unto you c. There is one expression in this passage that hath much perplexed Interpreters and made them go different wayes it is that we write no other things unto you then what you do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read so we translate it and likewise many others Now this is wondered at by some yea by Calvin accounted Nimis fligidum ne dicam ineptum saith he in loc It is too frigid and absurd to make this the sense I write to you no other things then what you read c. For who doubted of that And how could any man read otherwise than he wrote saith Musculus Estius also doth confess that the rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye read did cause great perplexity to Expositors and therefore sheweth that Theophylact when he could not satisfie himself about that sense of the word did runne to another Yet there are learned men that endeavour to make a good sense of it though it be translated Ye read For Beza though he taketh notice of what Calvin saith against it yet followeth this translation and would make this Paul's meaning That he did not write cunningly artificially what they did read in the plain letter of the words that he did write he had no equivocations nor intended any delusions by his words Cajetan in loc he maketh this expression to referre to the former Epistle and also to this part of the second which we are now upon We write no more now then what ye have read formerly Therefore some render it in the preterperfect tense Others they make the general sense to be this Our words and our actions do agree we write no more than what may be read and acknowledged by all Though these interpretations may passe very well yet because the expression is not so full and proper to say We write no other things then what you read I shall rather go with those who say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it many times signifieth to read yet it doth also to take notice of to know to remember c. Indeed I find it not in this sense used in the New Testament but constantly for to read yet Varinus he maketh it to signifie as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To know to call to mind to remember to be convinced of a thing So that the meaning is We write to you no other things then what you know what you remember yea what ye are experimentally convinced of And thus it differeth from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which followeth and signifieth more For a man may know and remember yea and be convinced of many things which yet through some corruption within he will not acknowledge for that is when we do with a ready and willing consent approve and own such a thing The Pharisees were often convinced about Christs Doctrine yet they would not acknowledge it But the Apostle attributeth both these to the Corinthians for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered Or Erasmus suspects it crept in for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which things Vorstius preferreth that reading which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so paraphraseth If so be you do acknowledge but there is no necessity of this From the words thus explained we observe That a godly convincing life in a Christian especially in a Minister is of special advantage for many excellent effects Every Christian and much more every Minister are by their lives and examples so to convince that others may acknowledge verily God is with them verily the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in them This is no more then what our Saviour expresseth Let your light so shine before men Mat. 5. 16. that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Some make this exhortation given to Christians in the general Others to the Ministers of the Gospel in particular However by this we see that God cannot bear meer titles names and opinions unlesse there be an holy life accompanying of them he saith That they may see your good works not titles not professions not your ceremonious and instituted worship but good works good works then are necessary but such as flow from men enlightned by the Gospel-truth Many mistake about good works not knowing what the nature of them is and then Christ sheweth the end of these good works That they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven not that they may glorifie you and honour you We are not to do good things for applause and esteem neither doth he say that ye may merit a reward in Heaven Vain-glory and merit with self-confidence are the end why pharisaical men cause their light to shine before others but the Evangelical Christian he doth it That God may be glorified But let us cause the light of this Doctrine also to shine before you And First We are to know That godlinesse and exact holinesse hath a convincing and converting effect with it The sincere practice of it doth awe and conquer the conscience even of the vilest men Godliness is the image of God Now when God created man in that he gave him dominion over all the beasts of the field they stood in awe of him And thus where the image of God is repaired there it hath a convincing work upon the conscience of the
People 1 COR. 1. 14. That we are your rejoycing as ye also are ours THis is the Second particular in the Text and doth contain the Specification wherein this acknowledgment of the Corinthians did consist viz. That he was their Rejoycing However some false teachers had endeavoured to take off their affections from him yet they had acknowledged him to be their Father and Master by whom they were faithfully instructed in the wayes of Godliness and for this they did blesse God and rejoyce that they had such a Teacher which was so great a mercy that few did enjoy the like Now the Apostle addeth That this rejoycing was mutual he did as well rejoyce in such apt and obedient Schollars Chrysostome observeth this Addition to be a great Expression of Pauls Modesty and Humility for that the Corinthians should glory and rejoyce in such an eminent Teacher as Paul was It is no wonder but that he should rejoyce in them who were so inconstant and so uncertain in their affections to him yea who were to be blamed so much in Doctrinalls and practicalls This may make us admire But sayes Chrysostome This Paul doth for humility sake that he might not procure envy us if he thought two arrogantly of himself therefore he assumeth them into a co-partnership with his glory and rejoycing The Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lieth already bear opened There is nothing difficult in the words onely when Paul and the Corinthians are thus said to be one anothers rejoycing we are to understand that the Act is here put for the Object of it as often in the Scripture Thus rejoycing is put for the Object Matter and Cause of our rejoycing and if you say We are to rejoyce in God onely in the Lord not in men that is true We are to rejoyce in God onely as the Author of all our good yet we may in men as they are instruments used by God to communicate his benefits to us Thus a people may rejoyce in a faithfull Minister not principally and originally but secondarily as the Instrument which God hath made very successfull to their souls The Observation then is That it is a most happy and blessed thing when Minister and people can upon just and holy grounds rejoyce mutually in each other When the people can bless God for the Ministerial gifts and graces bestowed upon their Pastor and he again can praise God that he hath a willing teachable and obedient people ready to receive the Ordinances of Christ in the power and purity of them This is a rare priviledg Oh there are but few Churches of which the Ministers may say as Paul to the Colossians Chap. 2. That he doth rejoyce in beholding their order and faith in Christ To meet with a people that are neither ignorant heretical nor prophane but willing to walk according to Christs rule and his order this is to see heaven upon earth The Apostle findeth such matter of joy not onely in those Corinthians but in many other Churches For as he had more Labours more Oppositions more Persecutions than others so also God gave him more joy and comefort in beholding the spiritual successe of his Labours for this was the onely comefort of his spiritual heart to see men imbrace Christ and to live worthy of the Gospel it was not his own Glory Honor and greatness that he aymed at which is an excellent example to us Ministers of the Gospel that our Matter of joy should not be any earthly riches or wealth any great fame or worldly esteem but that we are to win people to Christ alone not our selves Thus the Apostle calleth the Philipians his joy and crown Phil. 4. 1. and 1 Thes 2. 19 20. speaking of his ardent affections to see their face by way of interrogation the more emphatically to express himself he saith What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Are not even ye And then addeth positively the same thing for or rather surely certainly ye are our rejoycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not a note of reasoning for then the Apostle would prove Idem for Idem as they say but of Affirmation and asseveration Ye are our crown of rejoycing Grotius saith It is an allusion to Kings who on their solemn festival dayes have not an ordinary but extraordinary Crown to wear for the greater pomp and glory Such extraordinary honor would the Thessalonians be to Christ at the great day But let us consider this in the general and then amplifie it respectively to Minister and people And First The Relation of Pastor and people is by divine Institution Christ himself hath appointed the Office it self and the application of it to this or that man through the desire of the Church so that as Churches are of Gods gathering They are his creature in a more special manner than the world is so likewise are the Officers and spiritual Guides to teach them 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath set in his Church Apostles and Teachers Thus Act 20. 28. The Holy Ghost is said to set them Overseers over their flock â—eeing therefore that this relation is built on a Divine Foundation no wonder if managed according to Divine Rules that it is the cause of exceeding great joy These Relations are respectively for supernatural and spiritual ends and effects The Minister is for illumination Conversion Edification for the destroying of the power and Kingdome of Satan as also the establishing and promoting the Kingdome of grace in the hearts of the people The people also they are to be matter of encouragement to him they are to be helpfull and assistant in their way that Godliness may flourish that the ends of the Ministry may not be frustrated The Apostle sometimes taketh notice of the great usefulness and serviceableness even of some women in that kinde For though Ministers be compared to Light to the Sun and Starrs yet in this there is a difference The Starrs give Light and Influence into these sublunary things but receive no benefit at all from them again but the Ministers of the Church even though as eminent as Paul yet they acknowledg the manifold benefits and that in a spiritual way which they may receive from their people again now then how happy is it when there is a reciprocal and circular helping of each other when spiritual guides do convert edifie and quicken up their people and again the people do assist help and quicken up their Officers certainly as spiritual delights are greater than any bodily ones because the objects are more excellent and usefull so should this mutual rejoycing in our spiritual joy surpass all the delight that we take in our natural and civil relation neither the delight of a Wife in her Husband or of a Childe in his Father should be equal to the joy of a people in Faithfull Officers And so è contra the Reason is evident because the effects of this Relation are spiritual heavenly and
thy faith that doth not make thee watch and pray against this day Why doest thou not with Hierome thinke that every moment thou hearest that Trumpet sounding in thy eares Arise and come to judgement Oh be diligent in doing the Lord For blessed is that sarvant whom his Master shall finde him so doing Whereas if thou art doing the Devils worke he will at that day come and demand thee he is mine I challenge him for my owne though I never died for him though I was never crucified for him yet he obeyed me rather than Christ therefore I require my owne Call then to any of the creatures and thy friends and see if they can helpe thee when God shall say Depart ye cursed Will any say Lord he shall not goe I will deliver him I will rescue him I will make an atonement for him No but he must for ever perish and none can help him SERM. CVI. Of the Encouragements a Minister hath from the hopes of doing good to a people 2 COR. 1. 15. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that you might have a second benefit AT this Verse the Apostle taketh an happy occasion for a transition to his Apology or defence against that crime charged upon him by the false Teachers Non saltat saith Cajetan he doth not leap falling upon this matter abruptly but the transition is very genuine Paul it seemeth had promised to come to those Corinthians but for weighty reasons he deferred his coming hitherto The false Teachers they waiting for all advantages to calumniate him did upon this accuse him with levity and inconstancy that with him was yea and nay that he did purpose according to carnal respects accommodating himself to time and outward advantages Now the Apostle is very zealous and vehement in vindicating of himself herein It is true Piscator doth begin this Apologetical Discourse at the 12th Ver. but it seemeth more genuine to make the beginning of it at this verse Estius doth well observe that while Paul was speaking in the commendation and praise of his Conversation he did use the plural number joyning others with him to avoid envy but when he cometh to this Apologetical part being charged with a heynous crime he useth the singular Number and speaketh of himself onely In the words we may take notice First Of Pauls Resolution 2. The Motive of it 3. The Time 4. The End And 5. The Manner how it was to be executed In the Verse following his Resolution is set down in these words I was minded to come unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth such a Resolution and purpose that was made upon good advice and deliberation It was not a rash suddain or presumptuous Decree but made upon good grounds though afterwards he had cause to change his minde From this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some say the word Bulla is derived as being his wise decree and purpose but seldome is there either wisdome or righteousness therein 2. There is the motive in this confidence viz. which was mentioned before of their mutual rejoycing in one another whereby he was perswaded that he might do much good amongst them we have spoken of the word already This he speaketh to shew that the motive of his coming to them was wholly out of love and desire to do them good 3. The Time when and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before some make it a trajection as if it did belong to his mind and purpose he had before determined others to his coming to him as if this coming should have been long before but there is no great matter in either construction though Beza and Grotius go the former way If you say Did the Apostle then change his mind did he alter his purpose if so would not this call in question all his Apostolical Doctrine To this we are to answer in the prosecution of his Apology at the 23d verse he there plainly telleth them what was the cause that made him forbear his comming not any levity or inconstancy in him but their sinfulness It was that he might not execute that Apostolicall severity amongst them as they deserved of which in its time Lastly There is the End of his coming which is wholly spiritual That you might have a second benefit It was for their good not his own Let us consider the Motive in this confidence of your kindness and love as also of my doing good to you I purposed to come to you Observe That where a Faithfull Minister hath good hopes and confidence of doing good to a people there is great encouragement of abiding with such Thus it was with these very Corinthians God in a Vision to Paul Act. 18. 10. commanded him to stay at Corinth and not be afraid which he did a year and half longer then usually he did any where and the reason is Because there was much people in that City to be gathered to God Oh how rejoycing is it to a Faithfull Minister when he seeeth God hath converting work edifying work for him to do amongst such a people Thus you have also Paul resolved upon his tarrying at Ephesus 1 Cor. 16. 9. and why so A great and effectual door is opened to me He did see a likelihood of much spiritual good to be done and this made him willing to abide there To affect our hearts with this truth consider First That all people both by nature and custome have a door fast bolted against the entrance of the Word So that it is as great a miracle for Christ by the preaching of the Gospel to enter into the hearts of Hearers as it was when he came in to his Disciples the doors being shut yea here is a door upon a door a bolt upon a bolt There is first their native corruption and by this they are dead in sin So that our Preaching is like hooting into the ear of a dead man should not the spirit of God change and prepare the hearts of Hearers This is the inward door and then there is an outward door which is Custome and Continuance in sinning and this also hardeneth against the Ministry Therefore people are to tremble under this contrariety to their own spiritual good Remember that as you have a door shut now against the Gospel so God will one day have a door shut against you in the Kingdome of Heaven so that although you shall cry Lord Lord open to us yet it cannot be granted you Luke 13 25. As much intreating as we make to you now to receive the Lord Christ so much will you one day use that Christ would receive you Now we knock and cry and importune that you open the doors of your heart and then you shall howl and cry to Christ to open the doors and gates of Heaven Secondly Because men are thus shut up against the Word hence it is that neither any tractableness or supposed probity in any people nor
the admirable gifts and efficacious parts of a Ministry but the powerfull grace of God alone is that which doth open the doors of mens hearts Not any tractableness in people therefore the Socinian and Arminian Doctrine is with indignation to be excluded who speak of a probitas naturalis and ingenium docile a natural teachableness in some persons which doth prepare them for the Gospel and that is the reason why some are converted by the word and not others yea they are not afraid to offer violence to that Text which doth so evidently witness against them Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would wrest to signifie some inward Disposition and Qualification men that had fitted themselves But certainly If God so often tell the Israelites that he gave them not that rich Land of Canaan because of their Righteousness or for that they were better than others can we think Heaven and Salvation which was typified by that Canaan shall be obtained by our own worth Nay experience telleth us that sometimes the most prophane have received the Gospel when others more civilized and moralized have been great enemies to it If any have Humility and Meckness which is necessary for the success of the Gospel in his heart that is the gift of God it floweth not from nature Neither Secondly is it any thing in the excellent gifts of any men though they could preach with the tongue of Angels Though the Apostles were designed by Christ to be leaven to leaven the whole World to be salt to season all people yet too many here as the favour of death and some were the more enraged and made more obstinate in fin by how much the more affectionate he was to do them good Yet the Ministry though of it self it cannot roll away this stone or open this door of mens hearts is not therefore useless God hath appointed to convert by it We must not out of Pride refuse to wash in this Jordan as Naaman at first did thinking other waters as good I mean to think that stayiug at home and reading of good Books is as profitable because this is to neglect the instituted means by God and it is just that it thou do not seek God where he is to be found that thou shalt never finde him there where thou seekest him Though this be so yet it is God that openeth the door of mens hearts Paul said An effectual door was opened in a passive fear he doth not say I have opened it Hence Christ speaketh from heaven to the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 7 8. I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it When Christ will open the hearts of people as he did Lydia's all the rage and violence of the Devil cannot hinder it How many men are wrought upon that of all in the world you would not have exspected it who would have thought such bears should be turned into sheep Thus God sometimes continueth a Ministry to a people which doth a world of good when there are many persecutors many enemies men that have used all their fraud and power to remove it and could not any more stirr it then they could mountains While God hath converting or saving work to do by a Minister though it be but for one soul though all the rest should maliciously conspire against him yet they do imagine things in vain Observe that I place already mentioned 1 Cor. 16. 9. An effectual door was opened and their were many Adversaries There was a large door opened for all that It is true we have that Expression even in the same Chapter Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock and if any man open unto me c. But that place onely implyeth our duty what we are bound to do not our ability He that knocketh must also open the door although the will is not forced in this but God hath insuperable power over it whereby he can make it of unwilling willing 3. It may fall out sometimes that God calleth a man to preach to a people concerning whom their is none or little hope of doing any good Now such who are thus called must continue in their slation obeying the will of God though they see they labour in vain This was Isayes case Ch. 6. when he is commanded by his preaching to make the eyes of the people blinde their hearts heavy It was also Ezekiels case Cha. 3. 7. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto me for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted so Cha. 2. 7. Thou shalt speak my words to them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Thus a Minister lawfully called to a people must not presently think of departing from them because of the little hope that he hath to do good but must patiently and constantly wait upon the Lord in his way The case of a Ministers removeal from a people is of great difficulty and tenderness The causes of his departure may be either Internal which God onely knoweth as Whether it be a pure Zeal to Gods glory or some carnal and sinister respect or External and those externally may be either by some powerfull and cogent Providence of God as some think in the Plague or personal Persecution of the Minister or by the command of Superiours or for want of Maintenance or where he cannot have his health or hy a voluntary dismission of the people or Lastly when there is a manifest Opposition generally against the Ministry so that the madness and malice of the people force him away Thus our Saviour commandeth Matth. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not reteive you when ye depart out of that city shake off the dust of the feet Thereby to signifie say some so God would at last cast off such a people with as much abhorrency as we do the dust of our feet or else thereby to declare that all the labour and pains they had been at should one day give in Testimony against them Thus we read Act. 13. 21. Paul and Barnabas shook off the dust off their feet against the persecuting and unbelieving Jews And Verse 46. Paul speaketh boldly to them Seeing ye put the word of God from you and judg your selves unworthy of Eternall life lo we turn to the Gentiles Thus You see there may be weighty Causes of a Ministers Removeal For they are two rigid who think the Union between Pastor and people is indissoluble like that of marriage Yet among all the Causes nothing is so clear as when a when a people by their wickedness and Opposition do persecute and drive him away or when they are too refractory to the Orders of Christ that he cannot with a good conscience exercise all Ministerial duties amongst them But though this be so The frowardness and unprofitableness of a people must not
immediately make them take up such Resolutions they must shew much Constancy and self-denial using all means to recover them For seeing it is God that giveth the encrease though we plant and water and his time is unknown to us it may fall out that a people who give no hope for the present may afterwards appear more curable and the seed that is now sown thou for the present it may seem buried yet afterwards it may grow up Therefore we are to imitate God himself who useth much Patience and Forbearance even to the vilest men thereby to allure them to Repentance This counsel also Pasl giveth Timothy as a Minister of the Gospel 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Though then hopes of doing good to a people is a great Encouragement to co continue with them yet a people that appear incurable for the present are not to be immediately abandoned because the times of success are in Gods hand and sometimes Persecutors are at last made Lovers and imbracers of the truth Besides we see the Prophet quieting his heart with this though he had no success in his Ministry that he had his reward with God Isay 49. 5. Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of God Such as are despised and contemned in the eyes of men shall be glorious in the eyes of God 4. This confidence and hope of doing good must not depend upon a mans own apprehensions but must be guided by the word of God So deceitfull and corrupt is the heart of a man that many times it flattereth it self and when a man seeketh his own advantage yet he may perswade himself that it is confidence and hope of doing good Therefore to know when their is more hope of doing good in one place than in another must not be decided by selfish and private desires but by general Rules fetched out of Gods Word and indeed because all success of Ministerial Labours lyeth wholly upon the good Grace of God and the Word is blessed sometimes to one people not so likely and at another time not to a people more likely Therefore the will of God is very difficultly discovered in such cases which sheweth with how much sincerity and fervency God is to be sought unto at such times Now the Reasons are palpable Why Confidence in a Minister to do good to a people should be a matter not onely of continuance but of studying and diligent improving all his Ministerial Labours with the greater joy First Because the End of his Ministry is hereby accomplished When the Disciples had fished all the day and caught nothing they were disheartened but when Christ bid them throw the net in again and they brought up a multitude this made them rejoyce even to amazement If the Husbandman is at much cost and pains about his ground and that bring forth nothing but bryars and thornes Is not that a disheartening If a Physician see that no Potions no Medicines he giveth ever do any good will not that make him weary of his imployment How much more if a Minister labour in vain Preach in vain Admonish in vain and still people grow more ohdurate in their sinnes Doth not this teach them with Jonah even to run from their work Secondly There is great matter of rejoycing where this hope is because Success in the Ministry is above all Successes Herein the Souls of men are concerned In this is contained our everlasting Happiness Oh that men should be no more sollicitous in this than they are How few do examine what fruit the Word preached hath upon them whether it be a sustaining Word or an hardening Whether it be the savour of life or the savour of death That Ark which brought so much blessing to Obedmelech and his Family to the Philistines was cause of grievous Plagues And thus the same Sermons that are life to one may be darkness to others that are light to one may be darkness to another If then the Minister shall see his work like to prosper in the end it is sent for here is greater cause to rejoyce then in any outward blessing whatsoever for this is of everlasting consequence Let the Use be of Exhortation to you to be a people of good Confidence that our Ministeriall Labours shall not be in vain That we do not in vain preach to you or pray for you Can there be a greater grief to the Minister yea and provocation of God than to be like that ground the Scripture speaketh of Heb. 6. 8 Which drinking in rain often yet bringing forth nothing but bryars and thornes is rejected and whose end is to be burned And is not this the sad case of most of those trees that stand in the Lords Garden Do not many grow more ignorant more prophane more hardened Oh what hope can a Minister have about such a man May we not see sad symptomes of Gods wrath upon your soules many such desperate Patients have the spiritual Physicians of mens soules to deal with But take heed of shewing thy self an hopeless man to a faithfull Minister one to whom no admonition no reproof will ever do good For First Those sighs and troubles that thou put test such spiritual Guides unto are in a speciall manner taken notice of by God It is true we see Jeremiah so grieved and offended sometimes at the wicked carriage of the people he prophesied unto that he prayeth against his persecutors yea God commanded him saying Pray not for this people for their good Jerem. 14. 11. But we have not an extraordinary Spirit neither dare we pray against any hopeless people yet remember all their â—ighs all their grief will one day witness against thee Certainly if the ears of God be open to the Curses of an hired Man whose wages are kept from him how much more will God hear the sad complaints of those Ministers who are faithfull poured out because of a peoples rebellion and incurableness 2. Consider this That your discouraging them by your evil wayes maketh them the more unfit and heartless in their studies and Labours Why doth rain fall on the rock say they Why do we wash blackamoors and so some expound that place Heb. 13. 17. That they may give their account with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you in this sense by grieving and disheartening of them they cannot be so active in their Ministry they will grow more heartless therein and that will be your damage Oh it s a terrible thing when this heaviness and dulness of a Minister ariseth from the discouragements he hath from the wicked lives of a people and therefore Calvin upon that place speaketh excellently That people should take notice of God punishing them for their ingratitude When their Ministers abate in zealous and lively watching over their soules we are apt many times to
the wayes of God For though we are not called with him to passe from countrey to countrey from Church to Church to advance the kingdom of Christ yet within our sphere we are to imitate him and as we see here in the Text where there was the lesse need of his presence to continue the lesse while as in Macedonia and where there was the greater necessity of his pains and labour to continue the longer while Thus ought we to discern of mens conditions to consider who needeth more instruction and more reproof than others and so accordingly to apply our selves Oh how happy is it when prudence and zeal meet both together in the Officers of the Church This is to be Luther and Melancthon joyned in one person We come to the last particular observable in these words and that is the consequent event rather than the final cause of this his journey unto them which is to be brought on his way toward Judea You have this also mentioned in his former Epistle 1 Cor. 16. 6. as being an expression of love which he did much regard and vers 11. he speaketh of Timotheus that he should conduct him The original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be lead on forward with respect in his way and we have it often instanced in Rom. 15. 24. I trust to see you in my journey and to be brought on my way by you We read also of this loving respect shewed to Paul and Barnabas by the Church Act. 15. 3. and especially Act. 21. 5. The Disciples brought Paul and all his companions on their way with wives and children This shewed their affectionate love towards them Yea that is an observable expression of John Epist 3. 6. Whom if thou bring on their journey after a godly sort thou shalt do well In the original it is Worthy of God thereby implying that it was more than a meer civil expression or courteous act of humanity They did look at God in those eminent servants whom they did thus respect Now in this expression there are two things implied 1. Their cordial affections to them as friends This going along with them did demonstrate how much they loved their company that they were unwilling ever to be taken from them 2. It was a matter of honour and respect to their Officers it shewed they esteemed of them more than of the great and noblemen of the world yea they looked upon it as their own honour that they had such an Apostle From whence observe That where the Ministry hath wrought spiritually upon a people it worketh great love and honour to those that were the instruments thereof Not that the Ministers of God are to look so much at external reverence and civil respect but chiefly to the heart-affection of a people and their souls inward esteem of them Paul speaketh of this respect he had from the Galatians upon the first work of his Ministry upon them though they did abate afterwards of this love Gal. 4. 14. You received me as an Angel of God yea as Jesus Christ I bear them record that if it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eyes and have given them to Paul What hyperbolical expressions of love are here spoken of But all this is where the Ministry hath had its spiritual efficacy otherwise you cannot discern a man better never to have reaped any good by the preaching of the Gospel than that he never knew yet what a converting a quickning Sermon meant for if he had he would never be so malicious so opposite to the Ministers of the Gospel as he is he never getteth good by them and therefore it is no wonder that he hath no higher thoughts of them But if through their Ministry he hath been converted he hath been edified in godlines then how dear and precious are their thoughts of such Use of Admonition Try thy affections to the Ministry by the profit thou reapest by it Is it any wonder to hear an ignorant person a prophane persons revile or oppose the preachers of the Gospel How can it be otherwise They never found any soul-saving benefit by their pains Hence the Apostle to convince such Christians as were staggering and beginning to fall off from the truth and their affections to him calleth to mind what good they once were made partakers of by his labours If ever they were converted if ever they received the Spirit of God it was through his ministry Therefore thrive and profit by their labours and then despise them if thou canst SERM. CX Of the sinfulnesse of Levity and unconstancy in the Children of God 2 COR. 1. 17. When I therefore was thus minded did I use lightness or the things that I purpose do I purpose according to the flesh that with me there should be yea yea nay nay IN this Verse the Apostle maketh his apologetical Defence against such calumnies that were cast upon him either for the changing of his purpose to come to them or deferring it longer than they expected And for the more efficacious convincing of them he propounds his Discourse interrogatively Did I use lightnesse Do I purpose according to the flesh So that in the words we have 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Crime Cause or Charge supposed 2. Their Accusation upon it The Charge supposed is That he was thus minded to come to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was done out of deliberhtion and serious advice Though some Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as denoting onely an act of his will Now this purpose Paul did not fulfill he changed his mind and did not come according to expectation Whereupon his adversaries charged two crimes upon him which usually make men sinfully alter their minds 1. Levity and Inconstancy Rashnesse and Temerity as if he did not regard what he said The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heart because of its lightnesse and agility 2. Carnal and corrupt designs they make men also often alter their resolutions and that he doth remove in the ensuing words I shall take notice of the first at this time we may consider how diligent the Apostle is to free himself from all Levity and Inconstancy because his enemies would extend this to his Doctrine also as appeareth in the following Discourse He that is not to be trusted say they in his ordinary promises he that is uncertain and inconstant there will also be in his preaching and Doctrine but the Apostle doth with all vehemency yea with a solemne oath purge himself from this calumny From whence observe That lightnesse and inconstancy is a great sinne and reproach in any person but especially in the Ministers of the Gospel As it relateth to them I shall God assisting treat of it at the clause of the verse For the present I shall handle it in the general as a necessary truth to be made use of by all believers And
pains and torments of sin and yet wilt venture on the committing of it who will pitty thee If a man should be brought out of Hell torments to live here upon earth and yet would commit sin again would any have compassion on such a man if afterwards he should be damned Thus it is with that man who hath the beginnings of Hell already upon him its Gods mercy that he giveth thee such a taste of Hell in thy conscience that thou mayst fly from sin But if for all this thou wilt be worse than a fool that no experience will teach thee then how just is it with God to deliver thee up irrecoverably unto Eternal wrath 3. This Inconstancy is nothing but a mocking of God and dallying in soul-matters What a Thunderbolt should this be in thy heart to think I have but mocked God as much as lyeth in me though he will not be mocked I have been but an Hypocrite and dissembler with them my Repentance was a lye my Tears were a lye for I am the same man again that I was The Scripture indeed maketh every man a lyar but to be a lyar in thy Repentance a lyar in thy sorrow for sin This is the most abominable and detestable of all Take heed then of having an heart and a heart as the Scripture calleth it in these things An heart to cry out of sin and an heart to receive and imbrace it again Hence In the 4th place Because of this Hypocrisie and false-dealing with God it may be just with him for ever to forsake thee so as to deliver thee up to an impenitent heart never to have the least fear or sorrow about sin any more Pharaoh that sometimes had relentings upon him yet at last was so hardened that he never melted more and the nearer he grew to his destruction the more stupid he was Thus the people of Israel who had so often dealt unfaithfully with God in a seeming manner repenting but afterwards turning back to their lusts again were at last delivered up to blinde eyes to deaf ears to hard hearts never to understand and to be converted as we have it Isa 6. 9 10. As Aguish Fits holding very long at last end in a Consumption Thus thou who hast often had troubles and workings of heart about sin yet falling often into them again may become forsaken for ever as Saul was the Lord never meeting thee more in any Ordinance The Last Particular wherein lightness and Inconstancy is a great sin as it relateth to spirituall things is In the Promises and Resolutions or Vowes that may be made to God I shall not treat of a Religious Vow or a Promise by Oath at this time only I shall insist upon such Promises and Purposes as we may make unto God at any time as First In times of great Afflictions and streights when the fear of death or any other judgment is upon us how ready are we to make Promises both to men and God that if ever he will recover us if ever he will give health again then we will walk more carefully abstain from the sinnes we were addicted unto as Pharaoh cryed out Take away this judgment this once Thus we say if God will try me once more then what a Reformed man will I be But if God spare thee then how quickly are such holy Purposes forgotten Now you are to know this is a great aggravation of thy sin to promise thus to God to purpose thus before God and then to deal falsly Yet what slight and formal thoughts have people concerning such Promises But one day thou wilt finde the heynousness of thy false heart herein A second time when we are to make Promises to God is at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper where the consciences of men are so far awed that they engage themselves to God and renew their Covenant with him to walk with more care and fear than ever before But how much Yea and Nay is therein many Communicants Who would think thou shouldest be so careless and negligent man after such solemn Stipulations made with God Oh how little are these Promises thought of that we frequently make to God And if it be â—o sinfull to break a Promise made to man how much more to God Thou hast not lyed to man said Peter to Ananias Act. 5. 4. And Satan is said to fill his heart to make him do so To how many may we say alter such Promises made to God but broken why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye unto God It is Solomons Advice concerning Vowes and Promises made to God That we should not be hasty and rash in such things Eccles 5. 2. with this Reason For God is in heaven and thou in earth He is an Insuate glorious God and thou a poor worm upon the earth Surely this negligence in people generally to fullfill their Promises made to God should be more seriously bewailed than it is Your Baptismy The Lords Supper they are Covenants made with God there is a renewed Promise made to God in Sacramental Administrations that we will be the Lords that we will not live to the world or sin but to God alone Now take heed of perfidiousness in this particular Thou takest Gods Name in vain in this case and he will not hold such guiltless Yea there is never a Prayer that we pray unto God but there is implicitely a Promise made to God that if he will grant our Requests we will gloryfie his name by an holy and godly life Take heed then of being judged out of thy own mouth God at that Day of Judgment will bring thy own words thy own Promises against thee Oh be able to say with Paul in the Text even to God himself When I thus purposed to reform to become a new man did I then use lightness did I purpose according to the flesh SERM. CXII Of walking according to the flesh 2 COR. 1. 17. Or the things that I purpose do I purpose according to the flesh IN these words the Apostle doth remove the Second sinfull Cause from himself that useth to make men change their purposes and that is A respect to carnal Considerations Men that look only to their Profits to their Greatness and Honor such must needs be mutable and inconstant like the Camelion turning into the colour of every object they come nigh which Aristotle attributeth to fear in that creature if there be any such thing And thus when men purpose and design but fear of losing some carnal Advantages their hearts are set upon causeth them to be Yea and Nay to resolve and then to unresolve to promise and then to break promises For as in Speculatives Conclusions are according to the nature of Principles from when they flow so in all Practicalls our Actions are coloured according to the Ends we propound to our selves Now the corrupt Principle which Paul doth here disavow is To purpose things according to the flesh
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is spoken oppositely to the willing of things according to the Principles of Godliness revealed in the Word or as in other places to the Spirit for to walk in the flesh and to walk in the Spirit Rom. 8. are made immediately opposite to one another Now this Phrase According to the flesh hath a Threefold signification in Scripture First it signifyeth That which is done according to the meer humane nature without any corruption Thus Christ is said Rom. 1. 3. to be born of the seed of David according to the flesh That Opposition doth evidently demonstrate against Socinians that there is another nature in him which is his Godhead so 1 Pet. 3. 18. he is said to be put to death in the flesh 2. This Expression doth sometimes singnifie The External Priviledges whether civil or Ecclesiastical and the glorious Respects that may accompany them Thus the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 16. We know no man after the flesh no not Christ himself That is We do not attend to any External or sensible Considerations that may be had from Christ but our hearts are wholly carryed out in a way of believing on him even as our Saviour saith Luke 8. 21. My Mother and my brethren are they which hear the word of God and do it Thus some are said to glory and to have confidence in the flesh which Paul renounceth Phil. 3. 4. and that was in the Priviledges of the Church of Israel So that any external thing in Religion though it be vouchsafed as a Priviledg by God yet it is but flesh in respect of the gracious works of Gods Spirit Thus there is a Jew and Circumcision in the flesh and a Jew and Circumcision in the Spirit which is good to be observed for of too many mens Religion may you apply that which is spoken in another case it is flesh and not spirit This we are to press much upon you that in prayer in Ordinances in all approaches to God you be a spiritual people not carnal resting upon Externals only 3. This Expression according to the flesh is most frequently for a corrupt Principle within us according to which we direct and order our course Thus flesh in the Scripture signifieth the whole man as it is corrupt comprehending in it not onely the Sensitive and inferior part of a man but his Rational also hence Col. 2. 18. We have a fleshly minde and Gal 5. Idolatries Heresies which are in the minde are said to be the fruit of the flesh It is true Ephes 2. 3. there seemeth to be a Distinction because it is said fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde but even there the minde is flesh and the meaning of the Apostle is to distinguish of sinnes some whereof arise from the Sensitive Appetite as Drunkenness Uncleanness others from the Understanding as desire of Vain-glory Idolatry Heresie c. all which are the flesh in a large comprehension Now in this sense the Apostle taketh it here He did not purpose according to the flesh that is according to corrupt and sinfull Principles within him but in all such things was guided by the Spirit of God determining upon those things wherein he might most promote Gods honour and the Churches good We see this Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 3. speaking very affectionately in this point against those Corinthians who accused him as walking according to the flesh which he denyeth saying That though he walk in the flesh yet he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after it he did not use carnal weapons such as humane wisdome exâ—… worth and greatness with carnall Policy to destroy what opposed it self against the Gospel From the Words thus explained Observe That a purposing and walking according to sinfull Carnal Principles must needs make a man very instable and mutable The Apostle in this defence doth plainly suppose that this is an ordinary cause to make men inconstant in all their wayes hope of getting and fear of losing doth cause a continual ebbing and flowing in our affections where 〈◊〉 have not one immoveable Principle fixed and settled to walk by there must be frequent variations for new lusts do beget new actions and the creature being driven up and down with uncertainties so they must be that adhere thereunto A man cannot stand steadfastly upon a round running bowl or upon slippery ice and such are all the Creatures Insomuch that he that would be as is said of Christ The same yesterday and to day and for ever must take the word of God for his Rule which is unchangeable invariable and abideth for ever To discover this Truth more fully let us instance in some particulars of the Principles of flesh which all by nature according to their reipective temptations are prone to follow And first Earthly Profit and Worldy advantages are a sweet bait of the flesh which allure many Insomuch that they resolve and purpose upon no other thing than what is accommodated thereunto and therefore are pro and contra for and against even as this Principle of earthly Profit doth move them These make the world their God Mammon their God and as the Godly submitteth all his Purposes and Resolutions to Gods will this he intendeth if God will this he supposeth to do if God permit so doth a man inflamed to this carnal Principle of Profit order all things with subordination thereunto this he will do if his Profit require it This he will do if his Profit command it the Papacy of Rome may notoriously be charged with this Principle of flesh in all their designes which are only to advance the Popes Crown and to nourish the Moncks bellies The Apostle speaketh of some who accounted gain godliness 2 Tim. 6. 5. Such ought to be so odious to us that the Apostle commands us to turn away from them The same Apostle at another time doth even with weeping speak of others who minde earthly things Phil. 3. 19. Wonder not then if those who walke by this Principle of the flesh they will get profit and wealth though they lose God Heaven and their own soules that they those soules as well as their bodies seem to be of the dust if they are driven away as the dust before every winde having no consistency atall Did not this desire of profit make Judas turn such an Apostate of a Disciple of Christ to be a perfidious Traytor Did not the Love of this present world make Demas to forsake Paul So that you see all those must necessarily be unconstant in Religion who have no better Principle to move them than eartly Respects and Advantages These are like Esau called therefore a prophane Person Heb. 12. 16. because for a morsel of meat he sold his Birthright This argueth a man to be prophane when he hath an higher esteem of Mony of Riches and Wealth than of Religious things Oh say rather Let mony perish than my soul perish let wealth and profit
too light and wanting But oh the horrible neglect herein who mattereth what the Scripture saith Who ordereth his life according to that Canon What art thou a drunkard by Scripture a swearer by Scripture Know assuredly that he which learneth not holinesse from the Scripture shall never find comfort from the Scripture that hath precepts as well as promises and without obedience to one we cannot reap any comfort from the other Secondly The other principle of a godly mans but efficiently is the Spirit of God enlightning and sanctifying by the Scripture The Word is the Rule the Spirit of God is the efficient cause The Scripture is like Christs garment the Spirit is the virtue and power of God communicated to the soul thereby Hence are those descriptions of a godly man that he is in the Spirit that he liveth in the Spirit walketh in the Spirit is led by the Spirit which must not be wrested to any immediate Revelations and Enthusiastical motions and thereby opposed to the Word but the Word is subordinate to the Spirit This is the pool wherein the Spirit of God descends and vouchsafeth healing to the soul therewith Now Chrysostome maketh this a great part of Paul's meaning he did not purpose according to the flesh that is he could not dispose of himself and his journeyes to come and go whither he desired because he was wholly at the command of the Spirit to be directed thereby For we read when Paul had a mind to preach the Gospel in some places he was hindered by the Spirit and so could not go but those directions of the Spirit and Revelations were extraordinary and for that present age of the Church and are not now to be expected The Spirit doth now enlighten sanctifie direct and guide us by Scripture-rules And hereupon it is that the godly are said to be led by the Spirit and to walk by the Spirit and this should provoke the godly to all holiness Oh is pride from the Spirit of God Is worldliness is envy is passion from the Spirit of God Remember alwayes from what Spirit it is that thou doest things The Apostles thought it a good zeal when they would have fire from Heaven to come and destroy the Samaritans Luk. 9. 55. but Christ rebuked them saying Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of Take heed then thy own Spirit or a deluding spirit be not the principle that moveth thee instead of Gods good Spirit Thus you see the two general Rules that we should order our lives by the Word and the Spirit whatsoever is not according to these is not suitable to Christianity Besides these general principles we may instance in some particulars that a godly man doth walk by and against which he dare not sinne As 1. To keep a good conscience towards God and man Paul professed he exercised himself herein Act. 24. 16. towards God therefore he taketh heed of any thing that may make his heart smite him he had rather have his peace of conscience than all the advantages in the world Hence in all things his Question is Will not this trouble my conscience Will not this disturb the peace of my conscience This is a blessed principle he keepeth close unto And then again in respect of man he keepeth an inoffensive conscience he lieth not he defraudeth not he injureth not he looketh to righteousness as well as Religion his principle is to be holy towards God and just towards man and in following this principle he aboundeth with joy in his heart he liveth chearfully and fruitfully and withall doth awe the hearts of the most desperate enemies to the wayes of God 2. Another principle is To make sure of his ultimate end for which God made him and the necessary means conducing therunto His end is glory and salvation hereafter The necessary means therunto is grace and godlines here while we are in this world so that while other men walk according to their several principles some will be rich some will have their honours others their profits his principle is to be godly here and saved hereafter Hence he giveth all diligence to these two things So that if you ask him Why are you sollicitous Why are you so carefull Why so often in praying so often in hearing It is he saith to obtain grace here and glory hereafter This I must have I dare not live and die without it for want of this principle men have such sluggish and dull affections to heavenly things A third principle is To live and walk with daily expectations of death and the day of judgment as if he heard alwayes that voice sounding in his ears Arise and come to judgement He desireth to have such thoughts of sinne as a man dying as a man arraigned at Gods tribunal would then have Death is certain nothing can exempt him from it and therefore he desireth to die daily to be preparing for these great changes In morte solâ non est fortassis as Austin observed In all things in the world there is a fortasse a may be Thou mayest be a rich thou mayest be a great man but we cannot say It may be thou mayest die it may be the time will come when thou shalt fall into the grave No this is without all doubt hence the godly mans principle is so to live that death and the day of judgement may be no new thing or terrible dreadfull thing to him A fourth principle is To judge sinne the onely or the greatest evil and godlinesse the greatest good If this were a principle in mens hearts to live by what reformed persons should we see every where This principle in thy heart would be like fire there if sinne be thought worse than any evil then poverty shame misery yea and hell it self better be any thing than a sinner How couldst thou give thy self up a servant thereunto Though it were a pleasing sinne a profitable sinne yet because it is a damning sinne thou wouldst runne from it thou wouldst say Oh this sinne though I love it though I am used to it yet it can never be good for me it will be the poison of my soul And then on the other side a godly mans principle is That godlinesse is more worth than all the great and glorious things of the world His soul longeth for it more than silver and gold he thinketh every rich man every great man a miserable man if he be not godly As Rachel cried Give me children else I die so give me godlinesse Lord else I am damned As Abraham did not so much rejoyce in his wealth and outward mercies because he was still childlesse so saith this man It is not earthly comforts Lord but grace that refresheth my heart let me be poor contemned rather than not godly Use of Exhortation To examine what are the principles you walk by There are but these two and they are contrary one to the other the principle
of the flesh and the principle of the Spirit and such as your principles are such are ye If thy principle be to be godly to live by the Word to save thy soul then thou art daily in these things thy heart is there thy life is there But if it be flesh that ruleth in thee then this maketh thee like a worm and a moal alwayes in the earth You cannot repent you cannot believe you cannot be saved while these principles abide in you for they make you prejudiced against godlinesse they make you neglect repentance Oh but when thou shalt lie howling and roaring in hell how wilt thou curse and bewail such principles These have damned me these have brought me to this place of torment I would not entertain other principles SERM. CXIV Of the kinds and sinfulnesse of Lying 2 COR. 1. 17. That with me there should be yea yea and nay nay IN these words is the sinne specified that would flow from those two evil causes named before viz. Inconstancy and corrupt principles They that are led aside by these must needs be liars and perfidious persons frothy and vain to whom no credit is to be given The Apostle therefore doth here remove the sinne of lying or saying one thing and doing another thing for such an unfaithfull false man can never be serviceable unto God by that uneven carriage of his he maketh himself uncapable of bringing glory to God and of edifying others Concerning the Greek expression and the interpretation of it there is great diversity amongst the learned That which troubleth most is the gemination of those particulars yea yea nay nay For we read it as a command and a duty Matth. 5. 37. James 5. 12. That our communication ought to be yea yea nay nay whereas the Apostle doth here speak of it as a sinne Some therefore do think that the gemination of the particle crept into the Text by the errour of the Scribes who finding it used in other places thought it should be here also and they are the rather induced to this because in the verse following the Apostle doth not use the gemination onely affirming Yea and nay Others they think that the Greek particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a note of negation should be supplied making it to runne negatively as if with me were not yea yea and nay nay But there is no necessity of running unto these harsh remedies for we may keep the gemination of the particles well enough as intending thereby a vehement affirmation and a vehement negation For so the Hebrews use to affirm vehemently by doubling the word And our Saviour often useth Amen Amen which custome also Heinsius saith is among the prophane Greek Authours And thus the sense will be very coherent I doe not inconstantly and carnally purpose things as if I should with great vehemency affirme one thing at one time and then with as great a vehemency deny it again at another time But then we must acknowledge that this differeth from those places above-mentioned Matth. 5. and James 5. for there the latter Yea and latter Nay is the predicate in the Preposition here it is the subject and Nay nay the predicate In those places also there is a respect had to our speech as opposite unto oaths but here is denoted only truth and constancy in our affirmations Chrysostome doth not read the words interrogatively and thereupon hath a peculiar interpretation implying the clean contrary to what we have said For he maketh the meaning to be as if Paul did deny he was constant or ought to be unchangeable he was not to have Yea yea nay nay but to be yea and nay as occasion served because he was not at his own disposing to go whither he would but was wholly guided by the Spirit of God and therefore when he attempted to preach in some places the Spirit of God suffered him not So that with this Authour Paul's intention should be to remove from himself such a constancy as if he were to dispose of himself and to hold to his own resolutions whereas he was wholly to follow the guide and motions of Gods Spirit But this seemeth not so proper The Apostle rather defends himself against the charge of lying and unfaithfull dealing he was not Yea and nay Hence some make the Latine word Naucus that signifieth a vain empty trifling fellow to come from the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of this more in the following verse Seeing then that Paul doth in this expression free himself from the crime of lying and saying one thing but doing the contrary We may observe That lying or contrariety between our words and words or words and actions are not beseeming a Christian neither are they consistent with godlinesse A godly man can be no more godly and a liar than godly and a drunkard than godly and a prophane person This sinne the Apostle maketh as a stream to flow from those two poisoned fountains of levity of mind and a corrupt carnal heart Now how inconsistent this is with the new man and the work of grace you have heard from Colos 3. 9 Lie not one to another seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds To be yea and nay is to be a lyar and sometimes as the Apostle supposeth here we may be very vehement and earnest in our yea's and nayes and then we are bold vehement lyars I shall not enlarge my self concerning the whole Theological matter that may be delivered about a lie but speak so much as will be for our practical improvement of this truth And First We are to take notice of this That there may be a lie materialiter and formaliter That is a material lie when we speak that which is untruth but yet we think it to be a truth or else we would not speake it But then that is formally a lie when we affirm that to be true which we know to be false and this is directly and properly a lie Some say the former is Mendacium dicere the other is Mentiri Now this latter way of speaking untruths is that which properly is called a lie and men do then formally lie when they speak that which their consciences doe tell them to be false yet in some cases when we speake those things that are untrue though we thinke them to be so we are not presently excused from sinne For in many things it behoveth us to have knowledge and a right information before we speak about them Hence the false Prophets are often called lyars who it may be thought they spake what was true being delivered up by the just judgement of God to believe a lie and therefore we must take heed of rashnesse and suddennesse in our words that we may alwayes speak that which is consonant to the truth both materially as well as formally Secondly We may distinguish of lies as they doe of oaths There are Assertory lies whereby we
did all was new their service new their Doctrine new but the iniquity and the corruption of the times made it appear to be so And indeed Popery is properly the great Novellisme for the Popish Doctrines the Popish Worship began to creep in when the Churches of Christ began to degenerate from their Primitive Institution The change then that is many times in the face of Religion which doth so offend many is not indeed so but in appearance Those truths of God were formerly professed in the Church only an Eclipse did arise which obscured the light of the Sun As then the Sun is not changed after an Eclipse we do not see a new Sun thus it is also with the truths of Christ the Reformers do not bring new truths only the darkness is dispelled and we see them which were long before It is with us as with men whose heads are distempered we think such and such things run round whereas indeed it is a distemper upon us and it is a signe that we have been corrupted when old truths seem new to us 4. We may therefore truly conclude that antiquity and consent are inseparable properties of a true Church That Church which retaineth Doctrines of the greatest Antiquity and which doth agree with the Primitive Apostolical Churches that must needs be a true Church for truth is alwayes alike That cannot be true Doctrine in one age which is not in another though men are apt to be changed by the times they live in yet Gods truth cannot be When therefore the Papists bring antiquity and consent as notes of a true Church we deny they can or are to be called notes because it is not Antiquity barely but antiqvity in the true Doctrine nor Consent meerly so but consent with the Primitive Churches Doctrine So that True Doctrine is properly the note of the Church only we add that Antiquity and Consent with the Primitive times do inseparably follow the true Doctrine Now the ground of this certainty and equality of the truths of Christ is because they are Gods truths Christs truths if they were the truths of mens making then they might alter and change as they please then it might be formed reformed and transformed into all the shapes that mens Interests could put them upon then truth might alter according to the climates customes and advantages of men then truth might be one thing at Rome and another thing at Constantinople then we might say such things were truth in one age and ye the contrary truth in another Popery was truth in Queen Maries dayes and Protestantisme in Queen Elizabeths And truly some men are so Atheistical or self-seeking that they account truth as the Apostle said some did godliness even outward gain and therefore when such an opinion is gainfull then it is truth but when not so then it is Heresie Use of Instruction How odious Instability and Inconstancy is in matter of Religion whether it be in private Christians or publick Officers It plainly discovereth that not the truth of Christ but some other uncertain motive prevaileth with thee either thy profit or thy applause or the times or customes or the Lawes of the Land or some other mutable respect doth work upon thee and if so then thou canst not but be a reed shaken with every winde of Doctrine Thou art then but as an Instrument of musick making no other sound nor no longer then thou art breathed into Profit will make thee a Papist profit will make thee a protestant profit will make thee an Heretick How contrary is such a fickle temper to the nature of Faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Use 2d of Instruction How false that position is of some Papists That the Church may make Articles of Faith and that the Authority of the Church maketh the Authority of the Scripture at least towards us So that the Scriptures would have no more authority then Titus Livius or Aesops fables in respect of our duty to believe were it not for the Churches Authority No less blasphemous is that other comparison of another Papist resembling the Scripture to a nose of wax If so then no wonder if they make what truths and what religions they please then we may call it the Popes truth the Churches truth and not the truth of God It is a ridiculous passage of a Papist Ford against Taylor saying that it is probable the Church will make that Opinion about the immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary to be an Article of Faith As if the Church could make that necessary to be believed if we would be saved that was not alwayes so Why may she not as well make a new Bible set up a new Christ as they establish a new Article of Faith SERM. CXXIV Of Gods Promises to man 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us THis Verse is a further confirmation of the constancy and immutability of the Lord Christ and so by consequence of Pauls doctrine For that Christ is unchangeable he proveth in that all the promises which God hath made they receive their fullnesse and complement in him and so are therefore true because fullfilled both in him and by him This is the Apostles sence in this assertion which Calvin doth well call memorabilis sententia c. a memorable sentence and one of the chiefest Articles of our Religion for herein is all our faith and confidence seated that in Christ God maketh his gracious promises to us by whose efficacy and impetration they be accomplished so that a promise is fullfilled not because of any worth or dignity in us but because of of the fulnesse and worth that is in Christ 1. The words may be taken as an entire Proposition wherein we have the subject and predicate with the amplification of it from the finall cause The subject is described from the nature of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promises 2. From the universality and extent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all promises as many as are made 3. From the efficient cause the promises of God 4. The predicate are yea and are amen in him Of which in their order Let us begin with the Subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promises many times in the plurall number at other times in the singular for indeed the covenant of grace is but one large promise or an ocean emptying it self into many streams yet sometimes called promises because of the many things both spirituall and temporall that are particularly promised by God the summe whereof is contained in that great promise or Magna Charta of the Church I will be their God and they shall be my people or else it may be promises in the plurall number because of the frequent repetition and reiteration of the grand promise of Christ to the Church Now the word promise is sometimes used for the
glory than if there were no promise no grace no mercy and pardon Let not then the People of God have low thoughts of Faith No thou dost more in beleeving and bâ—ingest more glory to God thereby than thou couldest do by all thy other obedience Shouldest thou mortifie sinne to thy desire Shouldest thou dye a Martyr for the Cause of God thou wouldest not so glorifie God as thou dost by beleeving I know this seemeth very Paradoxall to the humbled sinner I know he is difficultly perswaded that by trusting in God he doth thus glorifie God but if thou understandest the Scripture-way then thou wilt quickly see as to beleeve is the most difficult duty so it is the most consequentiall for Gods glory And indeed what have other Duties admirable in them that Faith it self in the Promise hath not in beleeving the understanding is mortified in beleeving the will is crucified in beleeving the Heart and Affections are martyred So that faith maketh a man to be offered up as an whole burnt-offering unto God Use of Instruction That the onely way to make a man live a joyfull life in himself and a glorifying life of God is by faith in the Promises This is that Faith by which a just man is said to live so that thy doubts thy fears thy unbeleeving thoughts these bring a dishonour to God these reproach the Gospel-way these obscure the honour of Christ Let then the godly soul take heed how it giveth way unto such temptations if your own consolation if the glory of God be dear unto you then bolt out unbeleef No wonder if the devil that is so great an enemy to the glory of God doth assault your souls most in this if he have broken down this part of the wall what legions of other sinnes may not he bring with them For this reason many Divines say Sola infidelit as damnat which is not to be understood as if other sinnes were not meritorious of damnation yea and did actually damn only that opposeth the Physician that would heal us that refuseth the atonement that is made for us Secondly As the Promises are thus to be improved for Gods glory by beleeving so also attend to another effect which the Scripture doth inferre from them and that is to cleanse our selves to be every day perfecting holinesse For so the Apostle notably exhorts us 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having these Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit Promises are no waies incentives to sinne or encouragements to evil works No but a strong antidote against them Neither is faith in them a light superficiall assent swimming upon the heart as a fowl in the water said Luther but as water calefied doth no more manifest its own coldnesse but the heat of the water so doth faith fermentate and leaven the whole soul of a man that humane things do not so much appear as divine things in him As the Apostle expresseth the energy of it when he said I no longer live but Christ in me and that life is by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. Thou then that sayest all thy trust is in the Promises thou hopest in them for mercy and pardon Are they cleansing Promises purifying Promises Do they perfect holinesse every day in thee through the fear of God SERM. CXXIX Our Settlement and establishment in the faith of the Promises is the gracious work of God alone 2 COR. 1. 21. Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God THe Apostle having formerly spoken of his constancy and unchangeableness in the preaching of the Gospel lest this should be attributed to his own power he informeth them who is the fountain of this strength even God himself For the Apostle doth upon all occasions delight to exalt grace having experimentally found the mighty work of it upon his own soul Or we may make the coherence this The Apostle in the verse preceding spake of the certainty of Gods Promises in themselves they were in themselves Yea and Amen which is called certitudo objecti though some learned men think that it is not a proper expression Now in this Verse he cometh to the certitudo subjecti or to show whence it is that the children of God have this assured perswasion in their own hearts that they are true and constant whence it is that we are able to give our Amen as a note of confirmation to them and therefore in the words we may take notice of The blessed and happy Effect it self and that is 1. Confirmation he which stablisheth 2. The Subject of this us with you 3. The Object in whom in Christ 4. The efficient Cause of this is God 5. The Illustration of this Establishment by a threefold Similitude of anointing sealing and giving the earnest 6. By whom God doth this and that is by his Spirit as it followeth in the next verse So that in these two Verses is the proper seat of that excellent and precious Doctrine Which is The assuring and sealing of the Spirit of God that is given unto Believers But I begin with the First It is God that establisheth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though we render it now yet some make it causal for he that stablisheth us c. and that seemeth more probable The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Varinus maketh the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Adjective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. is made the same by Hesychius with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be shaken or altered this word is sometimes used of the Doctrine of Christ when that was confirmed and made sure by miracles or otherwise Mark 16. 20. Thus an oath is said to be the confirmation of the end of a strife Heb. 6. 16. or else of persons as here in the Text and Col. 2. 7. stablished in the Faith which being used passively denoteth that this strength and power we have cometh from God only That we of our selves are like reeds shaken with every winde It is the grace of God that maketh us pillars in his Church So that from the Text we may observe That our establishing and confirming in the faith of the promises is alone the gracious work of God Though the Promises be never so lovely and precious though never so profitable and necessary for us yet we are not able to rest our selves upon them but by the power of God strengthening us Our hearts do so quake and tremble with the consideration of our own sinnes and unworthiness that unless the Lord make it stedfast and immoveable we are tossed up and down like the leaves of a tree That it is God alone who doth thus preserve and confirm us is plain by that notable place 1 Pet. 5. 10. where the Apostle prayeth that God who had called them would make
not perfect grace yet thou hast not perfect holinesse yet but thou waitest upon the Lord till it be accomplished and so do here Oh but I am afraid I shall never have it I shall dye without it that is more than thou knowest how suddenly and graciously doth God use to rebuke these windes and waves when we little think of it yet know thy interest to heaven is not shaken Thou wilt indeed want much comfort but not thy title to heaven Thou art as sure to go to heaven as if thou wert assured of it And withall remember that the faith of dependance and recumbency upon Christ only is more noble than assurance in that thou givest God most glory In this thy own interest is satisfied And lastly know that heaven is coming to thee and thou going to it when not only sin but all fears shall be removed away Thou shalt then dispute thy condition no more thou shalt not then question thy graces or Gods grace to thee but shall put on the Crown of glory never to be molested and disquieted any more SERM. CXXXVIII Of Grace as it is the Earnest of Eternall Glory 2 COR. 1. 22. And given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts THis is the third and last similitude by which that gracious confirmation of beleevers in Gods promises is declared and if we consider them relatively to the discourse precedent we shall easily see what great reason there is that the promises should not be only yea and Amen in themselves but in bs also Seeing we have this special work of Gods spirit anointing sealing and giving us an earnest of the things that are promised Now as you heard though the same prividedge be meant under this threefold similitude yet every one hath its proper notion and therefore the earnest here spoken of may differ from sealing thus That the sealing of Gods Spirit doth assure of us that which is already wrought in us as seals confirm contracts that are already made though hereby also is implyed a certain continuance and perseverance in that state which is sealed but the earnest spoken of in the text doth principally relate to the future So that whereas the childe of God might object what if I be sealed and assured for the present of my good condition yet who knoweth what may fall out thereafter I may apostatize I may provoke God to leave me and so this seal be as it were defaced But though the word sealing doth also imply continuance for it is till the day of redemption yet the word earnest doth more properly speak to that Objection Thou hast the earnest given thee of that inheritance which shall be hereafter So that in the words we may take notice of the mercy it self the efficient cause of it and the subject receiving it The mercy it self is said to be an earnest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is used in two other places in the New Testament as is to be shewed It is properly an Hebrew word though from the Hebrews communicated to the Phenicians which being great Merchants brought it into Greece so that the Grecians adopted it for their ordinary wood yea some Latinists as Plautus and Terentius do use it as Grotius on the place affirmeth Varro speaketh of it lib. 4. de ling. latinà where he saith the same mony for divers respects may be called dos merces arrabo and corollarium and addeth the word arrabo is brought from the Grecians but Scaliger in his Notes upon the place correcteth him for that saying Ne graecum verbum quidem sed merum Syriacum The Hebrew root from whence it groweth is gnarub to mingle and so by a metaphor it signifieth to buy and sell to make contracts and to assure them by earnests because in this action the buyer and the seller are as it were mingled together Some have translated it pignus which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pledge pignus It is so called either à pugno say some because the pledge is delivered by the hand or else as Martinius Lexi pignus from pago or pango because in such covenants and contracts there is an agreement established But Hierom of old and others of late do no waies approve of rendring it a pledge but an earnest for there is this difference in the civil law between arra and pignus an earnest and a pledge an earnest is part of the price that is to be paid down and so goeth to make it up but a pledge is given for security by the debtor to the creditor and taken away again when the debt is paid Now this metaphor doth no waies hold in this case for God is not a debtor to us when he giveth us his grace he doth not borrow of us neither when the promise is fullfilled is this grace taken away for in heaven grace is not abolished but perfected Indeed Aquinas upon the place maketh this Observation That as a pledge must be saith he equivalently worth to the debt so it is here grace wrought in us especially the Spirit of God bestowed upon us is equivalent to glory But that is false that in our graces wrought by Gods Spirit there is an intrinsecall condignity and equality to everlasting glory It 's therefore more proper and suitable to call it an earnest which was commonly used two waies either in civill commerce or matrimoniall contracts called therefore in the latter subarrhatio The end and use of it was to secure the full payment of the debt or fullfilling of any promise made and in this sense it is true in the Text God knowing our pronenesse to doubt about his promises as also how uncertain and fearfull we are doth give us his grace here as a sure earnest of our eternal happinesse So that by this earnest we are not to understand extraordinary and miraculatous gifts of Gods Spirit for many had them who yet never could enter into glory but the special works of grace sanctifying These are fitly called an earnest though there be also some dissimilitudes as is to be shewed insomuch that he who findeth he hath grace here may certainly conclude he shall have glory hereafter for though there be some who hold that some may have true faith and yet totally fall off and that only the elected beleever shall persevere yet that is built upon a sandy foundation In the second place you have the efficient cause of this and that is the spirit of God Some indeed make this by way of apposition The earnest which is the spirit as if the spirit it self both in this and the other Text were the earnest which may be received provided that by the spirit we mean not only the person of the spirit but the gracious operations thereof for the people of God partake of both Eph. 1. 13. They are said to be sealed with that holy spirit of promise called so not because it is the spirit promised for that is too frigid though it be
so Is this lawfull To which Suarez answereth Disput. de Juramento saying That it is not onely an improper and absurd speech but also very ungodly and highly wicked It is improper and absurd for it confounds a vow with an oath A vow is not properly used to confirme a thing for that is the nature of an Oath But if there were impropriety onely in it that were not so hainous but it is abominable irreverence making such things the object of a vow which are light and triviall And thereupon some conclude There is more prophanenesse and irreverence in it then in using an oath yea they say it is a very great Oath But then secondly The great Question is Whether these expressions in faith and by faith are oaths or not To which I say First When there is a doubt and dispute whether such a forme of speech be an Oath then the safest way for thy conscience is to abstaine from expressions as the Apostle argueth Romans 14. Whatsoever is done doubting is a sinne If then there be a dispute and that amongst learned men Whether in faith for most grant by faith to be one be an Oath Is it not farre better for thee to leave off such forme of words If there were nothing but the scandall to others it is a just cause to make thee avoid such expressions So that the disputes about the thing is argument enough to make thee leave these words there being no necessity to use them But in the second place lest you might say Perhaps they are some Precisians and Doctors of that strictnesse that may thinke in faith to be Oaths Even amongst the Popish Authours there are those who judge so Onely they distinguish about faith What faith doe you meane say they when you say in faith If the Christian faith that is a sacred thing and so it 's an Oath if a moral faith that is nothing but humane veracity or a civil faith as we may call it the faith of a Nobleman or Gentleman then they say it is no Oath But who is there that saith in faith doth consider what faith he meaneth Nay some perhaps if they were asked that Question could not tell how to answer it Onely because not onely men of the greater ranke but of the inferiour sort doe use that expression and because they doe it for further confirmation it is to be presumed that they meane the Christian faith and if so according to some Popish Authours it is an Oath Neither is that any thing considerable to say we doe not use the Preposition by we doe not say by faith but in faith as Soto the Papist saith To say by faith is an Oath but not to say in faith For Suarez an acuter Jesuite saith Disp. de Juram That such an exception is vaine and that by faith and in faith is all one Neither doth the Preposition make an Oath We conclude then that in faith as well as by faith are Oaths It 's true Doctor Ames opinion is That in faith is no more than an asseveration Onely he addeth We must abstaine from the Preposition by But as I said in and by are all one in this case And if you say Why should in faith be more an Oath than in deed or in sincerity To this Doctor Sanderson giveth a considerable answer De Juram Praelect 1. Sect. 8. he maketh foure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or markes by which we may discover some formes of speech to be Oaths and one of them is The custome and use of the Countreyes language where we live So that although it may fall out that if we doe regard the words there is no reason why one should be not an Oath more than another yet the custome and use of the Countrey must carry it because words doe not signifie naturally but by meere institution So that as that may be money in one Countrey which may not be in another Thus that expression may signifie an Oath in one Countrey which doth not in another We grant therefore that if we doe respect the meere words there is no argument can be given why in deed should not be an Oath as well as in faith but the custome of speech in this Land at least amongst those who are more sober and desire to feare an Oath is to judge of it as an Oath And no doubt but those that use it doe for the most part intend so Yea why doe many use that expression in faith but because they would not be thought too precise For by this they would be distinguished from others who are more strict This is the Shibboleth as it were by which they would be notified Besides it is a Rule amongst Casuists That Juramentum est stricti juris because of the danger that may be therein And Quando verbum est ambiguum praesumendum est in salutem animae It being better if we doe erre to abstain from words that may be an Oath than to venture upon them because of our particular perswasion I shall therefore conclude this with that Authour above-mentioned He that while he doth attend onely to the forme or force of words indulgeth himselfe in a liberty of using such expressions in his common discourse without any choice or scruple which by long use have obtained with us the esteeme of an Oath doth violate the command of Christ concerning not swearing giveth a scandall to his brother and exposeth himselfe to the danger of perjury This is very good and grave counsell Therefore whatsoever the Dispute may be about these termes whether oaths or not let him who loveth his soule who would not give a just scandal to his brother and is knowne by his character that he feareth an Oath with all diligence and circumspection avoid such expressions for the future SERM. CXLII It is lawfull in some Cases to swear how and when it is thus lawfull 2 COR. 1. 23. Moreover I call God to record upon my soul c. THe definition of an oath being delivered we now come to satisfie that party which holdeth an oath is absolutely unlawfull under the Gospel as also to shew you how it is lawfull and when it is lawfull that so common swearers may be ashamed and confounded to see what guilt they daily bring upon themselves and yet never lay it to heart As for those who have abstained from an oath as unlawfull we finde the sect of Essen's among the Jews reckoned by learned men as remarkable This sect was at the same time with the Pharisees and Sadduces whose manners and way Josephus relateth at large yet say some our Saviour did not reprove their superstitions because they lived solitary in places remote from Towns and commerce of men Eusebius upon a mistake doth suppose them to be Christians Now their opinion was that it did not beseem a man to swear They thought a mans word should be as firm as an oath yet that they were not absoluely a-against swearing
temporal sense 2. He is not a spiritual Saviour only by example 3. He doth not actually save all 4. He is not a Saviour only habitually or upon condition 1. He is a spiritual Saviour 2. He is the sole Saviour 3. He is a full and sufficient Saviour Use Of Instruction Use 2. Exhortation Of the appellative Name of our Saviour Christ In what sense Christ is said to be anointed The Lord Jesus was anointed to be our Saviour What the title Christ implies Use 1. Of encouragement Use 2. Of Exhortation Christ as Head doth appoint all the Officers of the Church A two-sold Kingdom attributed to Christ in Scripture All Church-power radically seated in Christ Church-officers are properly servants to Christ This power of appointing Officers and Laws in the Church belongeth to Christ as King Use Exhortation 1. To Church-officers Church-officers are especially to take heed of 1. That they turn not their Office into matter of pride and earthly interest 2. Of Idleness Use 2. To the people Why Paul styleth himself An Apostle of Jesus Christ Those things are highly esteemed in the Church which are despised by the world As 1. The person of Christ 2. The Officers appointed by him 3. The Duties prescribed by him 4. The Priviledges of the Gospel 5. The due execution of Church-censures Use How many wayes the will of God is taken It is the meer will and good pleasure of God that calls us to any office or priviledge in the Church We have all Church-priviledges from the meer will of God There is a two-fold Call the one general the other particular both which come from God A four-fold distinction concerning the Call of Officers 1. Some are called only by the will of God not at all by the will of man 2. Some have their call of God but by men 3. Some are of men only not at all of God 4. Others have their call neither from God nor men In what sense Paul here saith By the will of God 1. It is more than his permissive will 2. It is not his angry and just will God sometimes doth justly send ungodly Ministers amongst a people 3. It was by the directing will of God not by chance 4. It implieth it was not Pauls merit but Gods will that advanced him to this office Concerning those who enter upon the Ministry only upon carnal and corrupt motives Use The truly godly though eminent in office and grace yet are humble in themselves and condescending to others Wherein the humility of the godly discovers it self to their inferiours Why those who are so exalted above others are yet so humble towards them Use There is a great deal of difference both in the persons that are converted and in the manner of their conversion Why God is pleased to call such different persons and in such a different way None are to rest upon their godly education but all are to search their own hearts to see whether they be wrought upon or no. Use The consent of Church-officers in matters of religion is of great use and moment What are those things that conduce to Unity amongst Church officers It is of great use to young to have the guidance of solid and experienced Ministers What the word Church is used for in Scripture What we are properly to understand by a Church in Scripture Gods call as the efficient cause of the Church is either external only or external and internal also The instrumental cause of the Church is the preaching of the Word The formal cause the solemn observation of Church communion Wherein consisteth the nature of Church communion Object Answ Why needfull to know the Marks of a true Church What things necessary to make a Note or Mark. What are the Notes of a true Church How the form of a thing may be a Note or Mark of it A Church is Gods people in a more special manner than others God amongst the most prophane people sometimes gathers a Church to himself A Church may be a true though defiled one What were the corruptions amongst the Corinthians How 't is lawfull for Christians to go to Law Some observations clearing the truth that a Church though defiled may be the Church of God Reasons shewing the truth of it The Church of God as a Church doth far surpasse all civil Societies and temporal dignities Reasons shewing the truth of it Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Why Paul writeth this second Epistle to the Corinthians It is very hard for the Church of God to keep within their proper bounds in Church-administrations It is a Ministers duty to use all lawfull means to promote the Church he hath relation to How the Apostle could call the Corinthians Saints when many of them were so foully polluted All that are of the Church are Saints by profession and ought to be so in their conversations What is comprehended under Church Saintship External holiness Saintship is not enough to bring us to Heaven without the inward renovation of the whole man Propositions clearing the assertion 1. There are degrees even in real Saintship 2. Therefore is real Saintship alway growing in this life 3. Church-Saintship though real consisteth with many imperfections 4. Holiness or Saintship is the conformity of the will of man to the will of God 'T is a great shame and reproach to have the name without the nature of a Saint 〈…〉 Saints may sometimes have just reason not to joyn themselves to a Church though it be their duty alwayes to endeavour it Reasons convincing it to be each Christians duty to be of a Church What are the causes that may justly excuse us from joyning our selves to publick meetings 2. Unlawfull grounds upon which some do 〈…〉 themselves to any Church-society 1. From corrupt opinions 2. From corrupt dispositions Use Of Instruction The soul of the poorest Saint is as much to be regarded as of the greatest Spiritual mercies are to be desired before temporal What are those things that peculiarly move the godly to preferre spirituals before temporals The Reasons of it The grace of God is to be desired before all other things Propositions discovering the nature of the grace of God What the grace of God implies How grace is called the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Who are fit subjects to partake of Gods grace without Rules how we may rightly understand and judge of the grace of God The Scripture characters of the grace of God Peace from God and Christ is earnestly to be prayed for as a very choice mercy Wherein this peace consisteth What are the principal causes of a godly mans fears troubles and disquietnesses What are the effects of this Gospel-peace Directions how to attain this peace Of the names attributed to God in Scripture God alone can give grace and peace to his people Reasons God is a Father in a more peculiar manner to those that believe what it is for God to be our Father God is a Father to the
Because perhaps by our sins we have deserved it 3. God often denies comforts for the that they may be the more welcome when they come 4. And often to try whether my obedience be pure 5. To teach us how we are beholding to Christ 6. Whensoever it is necessary we are sure to have it The afflictions we suffer for Christ are not only for our own but for the Churches good The sufferings of Christ of two sorts 1. In his Person 2. In his members Propositions clearing the truth 1. The sufferings of Saints for the good of the Church are still to be distinguished from Christs sufferings How Christian Martyrs sufferings differ 1. His death was not only a Martyrdom but a propitiation 2. In the efficacy 2. Our sufferings for the Churches good are not meritorious either for our selves or others 3. That our sufferings turn to others good is not from themselves but from the power and grace of God 4. Hence we may admire the wisdom power and goodness of God turning our enemies wicked intentions unto our good What is the general good promoted by the Churches sufferings 1. The glory of God Christ and believers 2. The propagation and enlargement of the Gospel Sufferings for Christ help much our comfort and salvation 1. The sufferings of others work good only occasionally not efficiently or meritoriously 2. Hence we may bewail the superstiâ—ion of the Church about the Martyrs 3. The sufferers for Christ may encourage us but we are to be sure they are indeed the sufferers for Christ How the afflictions of others for Christ work our comfort and salvation 1. Hereby we shall have greater assurance of these divine truths for which they suffer 2. Hence we may be encouraged to trust in God and depend upon him to enable us also if he should call us thereunto 3. Hereby we may take occasion to rejoyce in God as enabling them and as having promised to do so to us 4. Hence we may inform our selves they were in earnest and real for Christ 5. Hence we may learn to mortifie our hearts to the world The salvation of believers is promoted by their sufferings for Christ How sufferings advance our salvation 1. They help to make us mourn for sin and turn to God 2. They inform us more of God and Christ of his grace and power then we knew before 3. These afflictsons quicken us to more grace 4. Because of the glorious promises which are made to such Sufferings not barely in themselves but as improved by patience conduce to our salvation Humane Philosophers agreed in the commending of patience What goeth to the producing of patience 1. The efficient cause is God 2. The word of God is the instrumental cause 3. Afflictions they also work patience 4. God and Christ are the exemplary cause Motives to patience 1. We should consider and be affected with what we have deserved 2. Consider Gods great goodness in changing the nature of thy afflictions 3. Consider that God will be with thee 4. Consider what good will redound to thee by thy afflictions 1. What spiritual good 2. Eternal 5. Consider by patience thou maist promote the good of others A two-sold salvation temporal and spiritual Spiritual salvation is either inchoate or consummate God doth by all his dispensations carry on and further the salvation of his people What this salvation doth imply 1. It is Negative 2. Positive Two sorts of dispensations from God which further the salvation of a believer 1. The direct means appointed by God for this end 2. The occasional means as 1. Their sins 2. Their afflictions What is that hope and perswasion which Paul had of other men A two-fold hope Divine and Moral What is the Divine hope What Moral hope is 'T is a great encouragement to the Ministers of God to have good grounds for the hope of grace and stedfastnesse in their people What things they were which made Paul hope so well of the Corinthians 1. Their amendment and repentance by his former Epistle 2. Their setting up that good and holy order which was thrown down 3. Because they did communicate with Paul in a patient suffering for Christ A double communion 1. In what is evil 2. In what is good The communion with those who suffer for Christ is a fair way to their joy and glory 1. A two-fold communion with the afflicted 1. When a man living in peace and quietness himself yet is affected with their sufferings 2. When a man is cast into the same outward condition 2. It is as glorious and acceptable to be a companion to sufferers as to suffer Reasons why partaking with the Saints afflictions doth interest us in their glory 1. This demonstrates our faith in Christ to be upon spiritual grounds 2. Because this is suffering for Christ Of the compellation which Paul useth brethren Of the expression I would not have you ignorant 'T is of great use to know the afflictions of those who suffer for Christs sake Reasons 1. Hereby we shall be more provoked to pray for them 2. Hereby they will be more encouraged to bless God when they are delivered 3. Hereby we may learn patience zeal and heavenly mindedness and other graces Qu. What use is to be made of preaching about such afflictions which Paul and other Christians suffered from Heathens Answ 1. Answ 2. Answ 3. Answ 4. Answ 5. The faithfull Ministers of the Gospel are sure to meet with opposition from the world Two sorts which oppose the truth and wayes of Christ 1. Such as take the true Religion to be blasphemy and idolatry or superstition the true service of God 2. Such who professe religion meerly because it suits with their carnal interests Hence the Ministers of the Gospel are not only opposed to those who are without but by some within the Church Who are they which profess Religion meerly for carnal ends 1. Such as live in their lusts 2. Such as intend to advance themselves by it More characters of such who professe Religion only upon worldly respects 1. Such who in time of temptations prove adversaries to the Gospel and Ministry of it 2. Such as maintain doctrines which overthrow the foundation of Religion 3. Such as make parties and factions in the Church 4. Such who make use of the Doctrine of the Gospel only to shew their parts and learning 5. Such as do not own Religion upon divine principles and holy motives How the afflictions of the godly may be called heavy and yet light Godly men judge otherwise of their afflictions from sense and flesh then from grace and reason Propositions clearing the truth There are two selves in every regenerate man 2. These two selfs oppose one another 3. Hence 't is good to observe from which of those principles our actions proceed How we may know when faith and when flesh speaketh in our afflictions 1. Flesh argues from afflictions that God hath forsaken us 2. Flesh saith afflictions will undo us