unto you then what you read or acknowledge and I trust that you shall acknowledge even to the end Of the convincing Nature of Godliness in Ministers and private Christians SERM. C. 'T is Perseverance that is the crown of Holiness SERM. CI. 2 Cor. 1. 14. As also you have acknowledged us in part that we are your rejoycing even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus Of the mutability and changeableness there is in the Affections of the best Churches to their spiritual Guides and Officers SERM. CII Of the mutual rejoycing which ought to be betwixt Minister and people SERM. CIII Of the Rejoycing a faithfull Minister hath in an obedient people SERM. CIV Of the great changes that will be in the Day of Christs coming SERM. CV A further Discovery of the great changes that will be wrought at the Day of Christs second coming SERM. CVI. 2 Cor. 1. 15. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that you might have a second benefit Of the Encouragements a Minister hath from the hopes of doing good to a people SERM. CVII Of the Necessity of a constant Ministry not only for the constituting but to an establishing the Church SERM. CVIII 2 Cor. 1. 16. And to pass by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea All Christians especially Ministers ought to lay out themselves wholly for Gods glory and others good SERM. CIX Of the Office of Apostles and particular Pastours and of the Peoples esteem of their Minister SERM. CX 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 Of the sinfulness of Levity and unconstancy in the children of God SERM. CXI Of the sinfulness of Inconstancy and lightness in matters of Religion SERM. CXII Of walking according to the flesh SERM. CXIII Of Principles in general and a godly mans in particular SERM. CXIV Of the kinds and sinfulness of Lying SERM. CXV 2 Cor. 1. 18. But as God is true our word towards you was not yea and nay GOD is True SERM. CXVI The personal failings of Ministers are oft cast upon the Ministry it self SERM. CXVII Of changing in matters of Religion SERM. CXVIII A further Discovery of the sinfulness and reproach of Inconstancy especially in a Minister SERM. CXIX 2 Cor. 1. 19. For the Sonne of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by me and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not Yea and Nay but in him was Yea. Christ the Alpha and Omega of all Preaching SERM. CXX Our Lord Christ is the Sonne of GOD. SERM. CXXI Christ is Jesus a Saviour to his People SERM. CXXII Of Assistants required in the Ministry false charges laid against it and the happy Agreement of it SERM. CXXIII The truths of Christ and the Ministers of it are alwayes the same SERM. CXXIV 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 Of Gods Promises to man SERM. CXXV A further Discovery of the Nature and Sorts of Gods Promises SERM. CXXVI How all the Promises are confirmed in Christ SERM. CXXVII Of the usefulnesse and unchangeablenesse of the Promises of God SERM. CXXVIII The Promises give glory to God both as they are made by him and believed by us SERM. CXXIX 2 Cor. 1. 21. Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God Our Settlement and Establishment in the faith of the Promises is the gracious work of God alone SERM. CXXX Of Gods confirmation of us upon his Promises by his own grace SERM. CXXXI The most eminent for Godlinesse need to be established by God as well as the meanest which Establishment is in Christ Jesus SERM. CXXXII Of the spiritual Anointing which Believers receive from God SERM. CXXXIII 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Gods People are his sealed ones SERM. CXXXIV Of Gods Spirit Sealing his People SERM. CXXXV A further Discovery of the Spirits sealing the People of God SERM. CXXXVI Of the Object Manner and End of the Spirits sealing SERM. CXXXVII Whether all the People of God are his Sealed ones SERM. CXXXVIII Of Grace as it is the Earnest of Eternal Glory SERM. CXXXIX What is implyed in Gods giving us the Earnest of his Spirit SERM. CXL 2 Cor. 1. 23. Moreover I call God to record upon my soul that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth Of Swearing SERM. CXLI Of Oaths and several Expressions used in Swearing SERM. CXLII It is lawfull in some cases to swear how and when it is thus lawfull SERM. CXLIII Ordinary Swearing reproved and put to silence SERM. CXLIV Of the holy Prudence that Ministerial Power is to be managed with SERM. CXLV 2 Cor. 1. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand Of Ministers power over the People SERM. CXLVI The Comforting of the Afflicted one great part of a Ministers work SERM. CXLVII God only the Lord of our Christian Faith To the Reader COURTEOUS READER THe Authours habitation being farre distant from the Presse he could not have the correction of it and therefore some mistakes have passed which are to be corrected thus ERRATA PAg. 58. lin 7. dele hatred of sinne p. 85. l. 25. for of r. if for beginnings r. endings p. 89. l. 8. dele never such p. 176. l. 27. for ministerial r. immaterial p. 203. l. 8. for Hostia r. Austin p. 385. l. 11. dele not p. 554. l. 27. adde to my observation p. 610. l. 29. for left r. kept p. â—75 l. 25. for alienate r. alleviate p. 638. l. 14. for afflict r. affect The Reader is also desired to take notice that the Contents marginal Notes and Table were gathered by another hand and not the Authours wherein if there be any errour at any time committed candidly to passe it by Abel Roper AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations UPON THE First Chapter of the 2d Epistle of Paul TO THE CORINTHIANS SERM. I. Why our Saviour is called Jesus Christ and Saul Paul who of a cruel Persecutor becomes a faithfull Preacher of the Gospel of Christ Why God of great sinners often maketh most eminent Saints 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy our brother unto the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia IN this Chapter is considerable the Preface and the main Substantial Matter treated of In the Preface we may take notice of the Inscription and the Salutation In the Inscription are these parts 1. The Efficient instrumental Cause of the Epistle described by his Name and by
freed from it Thus you see many of them were rather beasts than a Church Lastly For Godlinesse or Religion there were also sad disorders about that There were some that denied the Resurrection that said Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die these were Atheists And certainly had this been the Assertion of the whole Church and not some few only amongst them if it had been their Catholick and Universal Doctrine maintained by all they had ceased to be a Church they had degenerated into meer Atheism but it was some only that were thus infected Again Another offence in Religion was their great Church-divisions some exalting Paul some Apollo insomuch that in stead of edifying and building up one another they were divided into as many Sects almost as they had Teachers And then lastly There was horrible confusion and ungodliness in respect of Church-order All godly Discipline was laid aside the administration of the Sacraments was promiscuous come who would come though in their unworthiness they might receive it And although Gods judgment was upon them either the Plague or some general disease and that because no better order was about the Sacrament yet for all that they did not judge or condemn themselves Thus this Church was like a very Chaos and yet a Church still SERM. XVII A further Discovery of the truth of this Assertion that a Church may be a true Church though much defiled both in Doctrine and Manners 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth c. THis Church of Corinth is dignified as you heard with this glorious Title of the Church of God notwithstanding those manifest and notorious depravations that were amongst them and that of all sorts This truth we entred upon and before we give you some demonstrations to evidence it it is good to take notice of some observable particulars which tend to the clearing of it Only this must be premised that whereas a Church may be denied to be so either from its constitution or from its conversation We are speaking of the later way and so consider First That the soundness and purity of Churches doth admit of degrees That as one Starre doth excell another in glory yet both Starres So one Church may greatly transcend another in orthodoxy and purity and yet both be Churches In those seven Churches of Asia there were some reproved more than others We cannot expect that all Churches should be of the same measure in knowledge and grace no mor than particular Christians and therefore we are not to conclude such a Church is no Church because not so pure as another Church no more than such a man is not a godly man because he hath not such a measure of Illumination and Sanctification as another And to say in the general That it is a Christians duty to find out the purest Church in the world and there to associate himself with it must needs fill a Christian with infinite perplexities of conscience as also to expose him to insupportable outward inconveniencies Let us not therefore do with a Church as a godly tender heart is apt to do with himself because he finds many failings and great imperfections therefore he is ready to judge that he hath no grace at all Thus because there are several disorders and distempers in such a Church which are deservedly daily matter of groan and sorrow to thee therefore thou beginnest to sentence such a Church as no longer Gods Church Again seeing that there are gradual differences of soundness and purity in Churches this should also make every Church take heed of appropriating the glorious name of a Church or Saints or Christians to themselves only as if none were Saints or Christians but what are members of their Society This is and hath been a most uncharitable proud disposition of some Churches The Popish Church saith There is no sanctity or holiness but with them Inter Catholicos saith Bellarmine multi quidem sunt mali sed inter haereticos ne uniu quidem est bonus What a censorious condemnation is this Not one good Protestant whom they call Hereticks not in all our Churches Thus they only appropriate the name of Church and sanctity to themselves So the Donatists did of old they inclosed the Church only amongst themselves they called none Christians but themselves To become a Donatist was to become a Christian with them So that we see it 's very hard for Churches not to admire their own wayes and constitutions thinking that none are Churches but themselves there may be pharisaical Churches that may condemn other Churches as Publicans as well as it is so in persons whereas it is good to observe that the Scripture doth describe Christians by such names as do not at all relate or distinguish by any Government or external constitution to be a believer to be a Saint to be a Christian These titles denote either some inward qualification or external profession but do not at all insinuate what kinds of order or way they are in yet this is not so to be understood as if Christs order and way his Government and Discipline were an indifferent or arbitrary thing only it is to shew that we are not to monopolize godliness amongst our selves meerly because of a Church-constitution although we are not to receive any form or spiritual order in our Churches but of Christs appointment There is a great difference and latitude in the soundness and purity of Churches Secondly When we speak of a Church being Gods true Church though greatly corrupted we must take heed of two extreams the first of those who therefore would have no Reformation though there be never so many disorders but say It 's wisdome and prudence to let all things be as they have been for it may be Gods Church though there be divers abuses Take heed of such carnal indulgence as this because it 's the Church of God therefore make no more stirre let errours and prophaneness alone let disorders continue and this many times is palliated with fair specious pretences that such indeavours to reform will breed great discontents and divisions in stead of having a pure Church it may be made no Church at all especially this is the more difficulty obtained if it be a Reformation in worship and manners for we are more willing to sit down under an Orthodox Church then a pure Church We can more easily endure to have sound Doctrine established then pure and holy Order because this doth so directly contradict our lusts and pleasures Hence Malachy prophesieth of Christs repurgation of his Church as a very dreadfull time even like the day of judgement Mal. 3. 2 4. Christ is there said to sit as a refiner and as a purger to take away droâ— but who shall abide the day of his coming Christs coming being thus like the Refiners fire and the Fullers sope was as terrible as the day of judgment to them Who may abide
his Epistle shews it to be of Divine Authority though of it self not a sufficient argument to prove it The Penmen were only Instruments God the principal Authour of the Scriptures and therefore we should rest satisfied with their style and method and not question their Authority How to arme our selves against the Devil and all Hereticks opposing the Divinity of the Scriptures SERM. IV. What an Apostle was Christ in the building of his Church used extraordinary Officers but did not follow the Model of the Jewish Government What were the Properties and Qualifications of an Apostle SERM. V. The Divine Call of Church-officers is clearly to be known and faithfully to be improved What advantages will follow upon a true Call both to the Officers themselves and the People SERM. VI. Of the proper and appellative Names of our Saviour Jesus and Christ In what sense he is Jesus a Saviour and how Christ the anointed of the Lord. SERM. VII Church-officers are appointed by Christ and all Church-power radically seated in him as King What Duties follow thence to be practised by Church-officers and People Some things are highly esteemed in the Church which are much despised by the world SERM. VIII In what sense Paul saith of himself He was an Apostle by the will of God Shewing likewise how all Church-offices and Priviledges come meerly from the will and good pleasure of God SERM. IX Paul's mentioning of Timothy shews That the godly though exalted above others in Office and Gifts yet are humble towards them SERM. X. There is a great deal of difference betwixt the Persons whom God calls and also in the manner of his calling them Education under godly Parents not to be rested upon but our hearts are to be sought into whether they be really changed or no. SERM. XI How much it concerns Church-officers to agree in matters of Religion What means may conduce to it Universities and Nurseries of Religion of how great use they are to the Church of Christ SERM. XII Of the Name and Nature of a Church SERM. XIII Concerning the efficient instrumental formal and final cause of a Church SERM. XIV Of the Notes and Signes of a true Church SERM. XV. Why Paul writeth to the Church not the Churches of Corinth What is implied in the Churches being called the Church of God SERM. XVI Of the City of Corinth God sometimes gathers a Church amongst the most prophane people A Church though many wayes defiled may be a Church still as it was with the Corinthians SERM. XVII A further Discovery of the truth of this Assertion that a Church may be a true Church though much defiled both in Doctrine and Manners SERM. XVIII The Preheminence of the Church of God above all Civil Societies As likewise concerning Paul's writing this second Epistle to the Corinthians how hard a thing it is for Churches to keep within their proper bounds and what great care Ministers ought to have to use all means lawfull to promote the Churches which they have relation to SERM. XIX Of the Name and Nature of a Church-Saint SERM. XX. External Holiness is not enough to bring us to Heaven without the inward renovation of the Heart SERM. XXI Wherefore 't is a Christians Duty to joyn himself to Church-society and in what cases he may be excused What are the false grounds why some neglect this Duty The soul of the poorest Saint is to be regarded as well as of the richest SERM. XXII 2 Cor. 1. 2. Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ How Grace and Peace and such like spiritual Mercies and Priviledges are to be desired before any temporal Mercies whatsoever SERM. XXIII Of the Name Nature and Preheminence of the Grace of God above all other things SERM. XXIV Who are fit subjects to partake of the Grace of God As likewise Rules and Scripture-characters of the Grace of God by which we may rightly understand and judge of it SERM. XXV Of the Nature of true Gospel-peace and wherein it chiefly consisteth SERM. XXVI A further Discovery of the Nature of true Gospel-peace with the Effects of it and some Directions how to attain it SERM. XXVII Of the Names of God 't is he alone who can give Grace and Peace to his People He is a Father to all Believers even the weakest as well as the strongest SERM. XXVIII Of the Dominion and Lordship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ SERM. XXIX 2 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Of the Duty of Thankfulness Blessing and Praising God for all his Mercies SERM. XXX Of Praising God and that for all but especially for spiritual Mercies SERM. XXXI How Christ is the Sonne of God and how the consideration thereof is the foundation of all a Christians comfort SERM. XXXII How God is a mercifull Father the Father of all mercies to his children SERM. XXXIII Of the mulitude variety properties and objects of Gods mercies SERM. XXXIV How God is the God of comfort yea of all comfort and consolations to all those that are his SERM. XXXV Some Propositions clearing the Doctrine of Gods mercy from both Doctrinal and Practical Objections SERM. XXXVI 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God That God not only can but doth actually comfort his People and how he doth it SERM. XXXVII That Believers only are the Subjects of the comforts and consolations of God SERM. XXXVIII How God will comfort his People in all both their spiritual and temporal Afflictions which all the Art of Philosophy can never do SERM. XXXIX What are these Apples which Christ refresheth his Spouse with Or what are those Scripture-grounds of comfort which support the hearts of Gods children under all their afflictions SERM. XL. How God may be said to comfort his children in all their tribulations though many of them may live very disconsolate SERM. XLI The works of Gods Spirit upon his People are not only for their good but likewise for the advantage of others SERM. XLII That those only can make fit applications of spiritual things to others who have an Experimental knowledge of them in their own souls SERM. XLIII It is a special Duty incumbent upon every one both Minister and Christian to apply comforts to the Afflicted in a right manner SERM. XLIV That the same grounds of comfort which revive the hearts of one godly man may do the same likewise to another SERM. XLV 2 Cor. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation aboundeth by Christ The true and unfeigned owning of Christ is alwayes accompanied with some sometimes with great Afflictions SERM. XLVI The same Doctrine prosecuted shewing the Object for which Christians are to suffer if they would suffer
minds of men alike that he would bless the Church with this Unity Oh how greatly would godliness flourish errours be discouraged if it could be said of all believers which is spoken of the primitive Christians often That they met together with one accord and with one heart Oh how blessed is it to see the whole Church of God rather than one family or City to dwell together in Unity The next thing observable is in that Timothy who is here called a Brother is at other times very often called a Sonne And besides the Reasons insisted on the last day there is another mentioned Phil. 2. 22. that Paul was as a Father to him instructing of him about his Ministerial Office and therefore had two Episties wrote to him for the managing of Ecclesiastical affairs in a godly manner This great help and tuition as it were Timothy had from Paul being made a Church-officer while he was young Observe That it is of great consequence to such who in their young years are set apart for the Ministry to have the guidance of those who are more solid and experienced Thus Christ himself though he could have immediately furnished his Apostles with admirable and sufficient abilities for the great work of Apostleship yet kept them two years as the Harmonists gather under his peculiar charge and information In the Old Testament likewise though the gift of prophesie was by immediate inspiration yet we read that even then there was the Colledge of the Prophets and the sons of the Prophets 2 King 2. 7. So we read 2 Chron. 34. 22. of the Colledge of the Prophets Hence it is also in the New Testament that the Apostle directing of Timothy how to keep up the sound Doctrine of Christ after his departure giveth this notable instruction 2 Tim. 2. 2. That what Doctrine he had heard from Paul he should commit to faithfull men that should teach others That is a very full and pregnant Text. For the usefulness of Universities that there should be Nurseries wherein young ones should be trained up to deliver the sound Doctrine to their Posterity after them Though in those primitive times there was such a plentifull effusion of the Spirit of God in the gifts thereof yet he there commands that faithfull men should be chosen who should commit to posterity one age after another the true Doctrine of Christ and therefore in the primitive times before there were Universities the Bishops house was a Nursery to train up young Disciples And in Origen's time he began to be a Catechist and to set open a School in reference to the Christian Religion If there be in such publick Nurseries and Universities gross abuses men degenerating into laziness and not fulfilling the general intention of the Founders the abusers are to be purged away but not the order or manner of education it self If it be said The the Spirit of God is that which alone inableth a man to such Offices and Imployments We grant that the Spirit of God is the alone Sanctifier of all gifts and abilities but yet now the Spirit of God doth not work in an immediate and miraculous manner else why is there not working of Miracles Why do they not speak in all Tongues Why do they not understand Hebrew and Greek which are the original Languages the Scripture was written in If therefore we must not look for the Spirit of God in such an immediate way it must be in a mediate and acquired way And this ordinary way doth not exclude Gods Spirit but supposeth it For if in those days when miraculous gifts were ordinary yet see what charge Paul layeth upon Timothy to give himself to reading and studying of the Scriptures especially that is observed by Calvin 1 Tim. 4. 13. Till I come give thy self to reading he would not have him so much as neglect that little time No wonder if in these later days such duties are more vehemently to be pressed Use of Exhortation to you that are people to be of more publick spirits in your prayers not only regarding your present age but that the truths of God may be handed from age to age that the Universities may be pure fountains and hopefull Nurseries from whence may come such who shall be able to propagate the pure Doctrins of Christ Peter was carefull that after his decease the pure Doctrins of Christ might be preserved And so for your children and childrens sake that they may not live in times of ignorance and darkness importune God earnestly that he would keep up such faithfull men and good wayes that may propagate the Gospel to the worlds end SERM. XII Of the Name and Nature of a Church 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth c. FRom the Persons inscribing we come to the Persons inscribed or to those to whom this salutatory Preface and so the whole Epistle is directed and that is set down 1. More particularly and then more generally More particularly and they are described by the relative condition and estate they are in viz. a Church To the Church which is further described topically from the place where it is At Corinth Let us consider this particular first And for the opening the word Church we might spend much time therein but I shall briefly explicate it The word is used and that only in Act. 19. for a Civil Assembly Yea it 's said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Assembly was confused The Athenians called their publick meetings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is used in Thucidides as the learned observe The Hebrew hath two words Cohel which is for the most part translated Ecclesia by the Septuagint and Gnedeth which is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church doth rather answer Cohel than Gnedeth because under the New Testament it is not fixed As for such who would understand that place Mat. 18. Tell the Church of a Senate or Civil Power it 's so improbable that it 's not worth time to confute it The word therefore is most frequently used in the New Testament for an holy Society gathered together in an holy manner for holy ends And thus it is used either for the Catholick invisible Church which is the whole body of Christ that shall be saved as when he is said Ephes 5. To give himself for his Church and the Church is made the wife of Christ And Col. 1. 24. it 's called the body of Christ This Church is meant in the Creed when we believe there is an holy Catholick Church and so a Communion of Saints though some would have it a communion in holy things To this Church belonged all the godly that lived in the Old Testament For that is a dangerous errour of the Socinians that make the Church in the Old Testament specifically distinct from that in the New as if they were not saved by the same Christ and the same faith as we are under the Gospel Now it
's very necessary to distinguish this Catholick invisible Church from a visible particular one The Papists confounding these and making their Roman particular Church a Catholick one and applying such Texts of Scripture as are spoken of the Universal invisible Church to their particular do thereby grosly mistake in pleading for the infallibility and perpetuity of their Church But Secondly The Scripture doth use the word Church for a visible company of persons professing faith in Christ and then it hath several acceptions For sometimes it is used for the general Company of believers Act. 8. 3. Thus Paul is said to persecute the Church Or else more particularly and for a Church at such a place as the Church at Jerusalem the Church at Corinth Again the word Church is sometimes used more strictly for the People onely as distinct from Pastors Thus the Epistles of John are directed To the Angels of the seven Churches Thus the Elders are exhorted Act. 20. 28. To feed the Church of God over which they were set And in this sense the Remonstrants speak confidently That the word Church is most commonly used and that never or very seldom it comprehends the Officers also But this is not so for Mat. 18. Tell the Church by the Church must needs be meant Officers at least with the Church for they are said to bind and lose which power is given to Officers only It 's true they and so Grotius by Church understand a multitude or more in opposition to those two or three witnesses that were required before But the Context may easily be improved to overthrow that 1 Cor. 12. 28. God is there said to set in his Church some Pastors and Teachers that is as part but the chief part of the Church Even as the Starres are set in the firmament but as parts of the Heavens though the more noble and fulgent parts Again when the Apostle here writeth to the Church of Corinth he must needs comprehend the Officers as well as the People because he writeth about such duties wherein the Officers were interested as the censuring of the incestuous person he speaks also of Prophets which were extraordinary Officers in that Church and they are blamed for male-administration about the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper So that although Grotius thinketh that abuse was because they had no constituted Officers yet it 's plain they had some because they had the administration of the Sacraments Lastly The word Church is applied sometimes to an essential Church as it is called for a company of believers simply as such believing in Christ of which often in Scripture sometimes for an organized Church that is formed and stated in that godly order by a Ministry Government and Discipline conjoyned together So that they make a particular flock being bound to submit to their Pastors as their peculiar Pastors and Pastors bound to watch over them as their peculiar flock Whether indeed this Church of Corinth was one Congregational Church or one Church aggregated of several Congregations is disputed But of this in its time This Church of Corinth was formed and stated in some order though there were great abuses in it As for our common use of the word Church taking it for a place or the material building that is an improper speech but allowable by a Synecdoche as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both the place and persons therein convened And although one or two learned men from 1 Cor. 11. would have the word used there for a place yet the arguments are not cogent for the people are properly the Church it 's they that Christ hath redeemed they are to be built up by Pastors and Teachers whereas the material Church is built by manual Artificers not needing an Apostle but a Carpenter This may suffice for Explication only let this be added that the Greek word relates to Gods calling it signifieth a Society called by God So that the Apostle directs his Epistle to that Society or company of persons that did come our from the Heathenish Idolatries and abominations that the other Corinthians lived in and did profess their faith in Christ with obedience to him From whence observe That a Church is a company called of God by the preaching of the Word to the profession of faith in Christ and an observation of all that solemn worship and Ordinances which Christ hath appointed with a life in external conformity thereunto This is a Church When you read of a Church at Jerusalem a Church at Corinth the seven Churches of Asia you are to understand such a company And this Doctrine about a Church is much to be insisted on People are generally carnal ignorant and prophane And although they would think it an high reproach to have the name of a Church denied them or to be cast out of the Church as so many Heathens yet they do not attend to the nature of a Church nor to the properties of those who are to be members thereof It is true there are vast and infinite Disputes about a Church and every sect or party is ready to monopolize and appropriate that name to them That they are only the Church But these great Disputes about it argue we should be more carefull to distinguish lest we take Babylon for Jerusalem lest we take that for Gods Temple which is indeed a den of thieves Doth not the Popish party glory in the name of a Church Do they not make it necessary to salvation to come into communion with it and yet it is the place that Gods people are called to come out of lest they partake both of her sins and punishments But let us examine the chief particulars in the Doctrine which is a popular deseription of a Church And First We say It is a Society or Company So that one man cannot be called a Church It 's absurd in the Papists that when they have lifted up the name of a Church like a Gorgons head to turn all men into stones that they must not mutter a word against it when you come to examine what this Church is at last it is but one man and that is the Pope What number goeth to make a Church is not defined To a formed organized Church there must be so many at least that Church duties which are essential may be performed and a distinction between Governours and governed maintained otherwise where two or three are there is a Church said Tertullian Again In that it is a Company we see That it is not lawfull for a man to think of serving God alone by himself when there is an opportunity of joyning to a Church You read Act. 3. and 4. as any persons were converted presently they joyned themselves to the Church It is true there may be such persecutions or other impediments that Christians have wandered up and down and could not enjoy publick or private meetings but this absence from Church-communion was an heavy burden on their spirits And
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
are said not to be all Israel who are of Israel In the Old Testament we read of many who outwardly submitted to the profession of Gods commands who yet were not found at heart and therefore our Saviour in the course of his Ministry did not direct his preaching more to any subject almost then this viz. to have the internals of grace as well as externals so that we may say There is a called and elected Church and a called Church only not elected and this is to take off all Churches from idolizing and doting upon the Ordinances and external administrations which are in a Church as the Jews did and as most Christians do We are to go further and to see whether we be indeed and really Christs body as well as seemingly For if we do compare a Church called only with the Church called and elected and to the spiritual priviledges that are promised so our Divines use to say That it is but equivocally a Church they have no true acceptance with God If there should be a Society professing faith in Christ and have pure administrations but not one in the Society having true real sanctifying grace this Society in respect of God and Christ hath no true communion with them They have but the name not the nature and so are equivocally not univocally a true Church For why should it be otherwise with a Society then every member of it taken singly Now it 's certain in such a supposed Society where all are professors but not one member truly godly there every individual person notwithstanding all Church enjoyments yet hath no lively interest in Christ he is but as a glass eye or wooden leg in the body that hath no vivifical nourishment or is animated by the soul and therefore such are said to be De corpore Ecclesiae but not de animâ if then this be true of every member of that Church it must be also true of the Church taken collectively Only this is true if we consider such a company relatively to God But then if we consider them quoad nos in respect of men who cannot judge the hearts nor know when true grace is in any mans soul then such a Church or a Society may be called truly a Church For it is the external profession and outward submission to Christs order that doth make a Church visible to us and therefore in such a Church there are true Ordinances true Administrations And this is the rule we must go by in joyning our selves to a Church and keeping external communion with it if it be a called Church though not elected and be so farre orthodox and pure that we may have communion with them without sinne This is a Church to us howsoever God may look upon them as having a name to live but were dead as God said of Sardis Rev. 3. 1. which yet was a Church This distinction is of a two-fold use to prevent two mistakes First Of such who confound an external Church with an elected making Gods call and his election in an equal latitude thinking that because none but predestinated and truly sanctified men are of the invisible Church therefore none but such are also of the visible And then Secondly Of those who if they be of a Church especially cleansed from superstitions and prophaneness if the Church be a Reformed Church they rest in those external administrations and never attend to the work of grace indeed For if among Papists though so greatly polluted yet the Church is made an Idol to them no wonder if the Reformed Churches are prone to put confidence in Church-reformations without attending to internal sanctification But the Apostle tells us Gal. 6. 15. That in Christ Jesus neither circumcision or uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature that is no externals in the Church of God though of his own institution avail any thing without regeneration Therefore rest not in this that you are called of God that ye are his Church for many taken out of his Church shall be damned as well as out of the world yea more in the Church that is the visible Society professing of Christ will be damned then saved as appeareth by that expression twice repeated by our Saviour as being of so great concernment being worthy to be heard again and again Many are called but few are saved Mat. 22. 14. and 20. 16. And thus much of the Efficient Cause with the manner Called of God In the next place There is the Instrumental Cause and that is by the preaching of the Word For so we read upon Christs giving his Apostles commission to teach and preach to all Nations there were Churches gathered in every place And this is to be understood of the ordinary way For whether the Word even as read may not in some extraordinary cases be a means to bring some one person or more to the Church of God is not here to be disputed for we speak of the solemn ordinary instituted means of God and so there is no other way but the preaching of the Word Hence Rom. 10. 14 15. you see there a concatenation and chaining of calling upon God and believing together of beliving and hearing together and of hearing and the Ministry together But it 's objected by the Socinians That if the preaching of the Word be an instrument to gather a Church then it cannot be a note of the Church For that which is antecedent to a Church and is before the Church is cannot be a note of it To this we may answer That it is both an instrument to gather a Church and then a note of it when gathered neither is there any absurdity therein It 's true that very numerical preaching which at first made the Church cannot be a mark or note of it but the same specifical preaching or that which is like it that doth truly declare where the true Church is So that by this we may see the dignity and usefulness of the Ministry for by that God is pleased to raise up all the Churches that are in the world God who did immediatly create the world and used no instruments yet in planting of his Church doth and therefore they are workers with him 2 Cor. 6. 1. Neither is the Ministry only necessary to constitute a Church and then afterwards useless as Episcopius saith Where people have the Scriptures there the Ministry is of no necessity Yea the Socinians make it only a matter of order and conveniency For Ministers are not only appointed to gather Churches at first but when they are planted continually to water them Therefore Ephes 4. their usefulness is shewed even to constituted Churches For the further building them up even till they come to a full stature in Christ. And therefore the Apostles thought it not enough to make Churches to erect new spiritual Societies that should profess Christ but Elders were to be ordained in every Church that were to have constant residence amongst
confession is a sign although Hereticks pretend thereunto As true Miracles were a sure Argument to prove the truth although others have done and Antichrist will pretend to true Miracles And indeed though all Sects as the Socinians especially pretend much to the Scripture yet it is not the words only but the sense of it that is by the Context and Scope to be discovered that is the word of God Therefore Irenaeus of old said elegantly That Hereticks making the Scripture to speak what sense they pleased did as if a man should take the Statue or Image of a King and so transpose the parts of it as to make it the image of a Dog or some other vile thing These things concluded on let us draw some Uses by way of Corollaries As 1. In that the holy Ghost is pleased to appropriate this Word in the New Testament to his people which among the Heathens signifieth the meaner sort of people for that they called Ecclesia and it was opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Senate which consisted of more noble men Hence we may see who they are that are most commonly called to be of his Church even the meaner sort Not many rich not many noble hath God called 1 Corinth 1. We should not despise the Church of God if it be not so externally pompous and glorious as Kingdoms and States For Christ is more peculiarly present with his Church and shed his bloud for that 2. That if we speak properly the Church is not a material place not this building of stones and wood but the people of God meeting there Indeed it may tropically be well enough called a Church as Synagogue is applied to the place He built us a Synagogue whereas properly it signifieth the people meeting together as you heard Thus Concio amongst the Latines signifieth both the place and the company met together Bellarmine would have the word to signifie a place 1 Cor. 11. as also where it is said Let the woman keep silence in the Churches And those learned men Fuller and Mede expound it so in 1 Cor. 11. But there is no necessity of such Interpretation But though the Scripture doth not call it so we may by a Trope give it that name and use must authorize in these things Though Ifidore Pelusiota in one of his Epistles sharply reproving a Bishop that adorned the material place with Images and Ornaments but neglected the Church of God the true professours he persecuted doth call the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly Is it a Church a company called by God Then this sheweth of what consequence Unity and Concord is amongst all the Members thereof How can a body be kept together without ligaments and nerves How can the building stand if the wood and straw be not aptly fastned and cemented together How can the Church subsist if there be not Love Union and Concord It 's observable Phil. 4. 2. that the Apostle thought it not too low a thing even in canonical Scripture to intreat two women that were at difference to be of the same mind I beseech Euodias I beseech Syntyche that they be of one mind Two godly women differing the Apostle doth passionately intreat reconciliation and agreement how much more then would he have intreated the Pastors and Officers in the Church to take heed of discord SERM. XV. Why Paul writeth to the Church not the Churches of Corinth What is implyed in the Churches being called the Church of God 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth c. THe Nature of a Church hath been considered with the Marks thereof from the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given here to the society of believers at Corinth So that we might dispatch this only in that the word Church is used in the singular number The Church at Corinth not Churches It 's disputed What one Church it was whether one single Congregation exereising all Church-government within it self or a combined and collective Church united into one but consisting of particular Congregations and it may seenâ— probable that this Church of Corinth was a combined or associated Church partly because Act. 18. we may read of much people that God had in that place and therefore Paul staid above a year there which argued a multitude of converts The plenty also of their Teachers and Officers with the diversitie of tongues And lastly in that 1 Cor. 16. 19. Aquila and Priscilla are mentioned with the Church in their house It is true what is meant by the Church in an house is controverted we find the expression four times in Scripture Rom. 16 15. where Aquila and Priscilla are saluted with the Church in their house So 1 Cor. 16. 19. these persons are mentioned again with the Church in their house Col. 4. 15. There one Nymphas is saluted with the Church in his house Phil. 2. There likewise Philemon is mentioned with the Church in his house Mr. Mede doth from hence inferre That even in the Apostles dayes and so in the primitive times that the Christians had publick places fixed and setled being set apart for the publick Assemblies to worship God in answering those places of Arnobius and others who told the Heathens they had no Templa nor Aras he saith these mentioned in the Texts named did set apart some piece of their house for that end But it should seem by other passages that in the Apostles dayes there were no fixed places for to meet in Therefore sometimes they meet in one house and sometimes in another yea They went from house to house Others they think by the Church in their house is meant many believers For they say Whereas when other families are saluted only some are named sometimes the Master of the house is omitted as Salute the houshold of Narcissus because he was thought to be an infidel Yea Calvin thinketh it is that infamous and wicked Narâ—issus so notorious wicked and great with Nero of whom Historians speak Now when the Apostle salutes the men and the Church in their house it was because there were no unbelievers but all were of the Church Howsoever it be it 's plain there were many believers in that family more than ordinary and therefore called a Church which should argue That the Church of Corinth was a combined Church That passage also makes it likely 1 Cor. 14. 34. Let your women be silent in the Churches Your women therefore he speaks of the Corinthians there who are said to have Churches and yet here it is called a Church This will still appear the more likely if we consider that here were believing Jews as well as Gentiles in this Church of Corinth as Estius observeth in the Preface to the first Epistle Therefore when the Apostle speaketh of some who said they were of Cephas that relateth to the believing Jews yet because they were few comparatively to the Gentiles therefore the Apostle
from Christ and that having begun in the Spirit they would end in the flesh We might instance also in several other Churches But as the Father said elegantly We need not drink up the whole Sea to know whether the water be saltish a drop or two will suffice Secondly This may be demonstrated from the relation and comparison the Church is adorned with in reference to Christ It 's often compared to Christs wife now the wife continueth a true wife and is not to be deserted unless for Adultery which breaketh the conjugal knot otherwise though she have many sad infirmities which may make the relation bitter and uncomfortable yet it doth not unwise her The Church is also Christs body now a body is not forsaken by the soul though it be a sore body a leprous body a leper is a man though a leper It 's Christs â—arden now this may have many weeds in it and many things defile it yet it is not presently made a waste wilderness Thus it is with the Church of God she may have many failings in Doctrine and manners yet not be quite unchurched Thirdly From a godly man A true child of God may have sad falls as we see in Peter and David yet for all this not be quite excluded out of the Covenant of grace they did not lose their sonship even in those sad transgressions and will God be more severe to a whole Church than to one person Use of Instruction what a deal of prudence and wisdome is required in every godly man under Church-pollutions To know what to do to understand how to deport himself for this he must be guided by the Word and the advise of those that are faithfull on the one hand not to be stupid or careless much less complying and communicating with the Church defilements and on the other side not to be so transported with misguided zeal and impatiency against evil as there by to rend the Church causlesly and to sin our selves because others sin SERM XVIII The Preheminence of the Church of God above all Civil Societies As likewise concerning Paul's writing this second Epistle to the Corinthians how hard a thing it is for Churches to keep within their proper bounds and what great care Ministers ought to have to use all means lawfull to promote the Churches which they have relation to 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth THis clause hath been fruitfull for much spiritual and edifying matter I shall conclude it at this time There are three things more which are to be deduced from this subject And First Whereas you see that the Epistle is not directed to the Magiâ—â—â— or Civil Governours of the City neither is the least notice taken of their wealth oâ— external pomp We may observe That the Church of God as it is a Church doth farre surpass all Civil Societies and temporal Dignities The Apostle owneth nothing in this famous City but their faith their profession of Christ and subjection to him A Church is a supernatural Society for supernatural and spiritual ends where God is in a more special manner present and therefore though the civil Magistrate be also of God and civil Societies they are of him yet not in that peculiar relation as a Church is Thus the Psalmist saith Psal 87. 2. The Lord loveth the 〈◊〉 of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jerusalem that is the Assemblies of his people met together in holy Ordinances above all other their civil meetings though never so pompouâ— and magnificent Therefore it 's good to consider that in all the inscriptions which the Apostle 〈◊〉 to any Churches he doth not at all speak of any civil or temporal Dignities that the places where the Churches were had but only â—…on of their spiritual titles as a Church Saints Believers Beloved of God And certainly if we do truly consider things these Titles do as farre transâ—â—nd all civil glory as the Heavens do the Earth The Apostle writing to the 〈◊〉 in all that Epistle takes no notice of the glory of that City which was the Orbis Domina and which they usually called aeterna Urbs he mentioneth their faith which was known to the whole world Rom. 1. 8. not the Roman and warlike power whereby they were so terrible to all Nations It is good to consider this for how few Churches do esteem of or judge themselves by their Church consideration but by their civil respects As they are such a City such a Corporation glorying in their Liberties and Charters whereas the consideration of themselves as a Church should far more possess their hearts Briefly to understand this consider First That the Church and Commonwealth or any civil Society are two distinct things the Church is one thing and the State another thing In the times of Heathen Magistrates and while there was outward persecution by the civil Powers which then ruled it 's plain for the City of Rome and the Church of Rome in Paul's time were wholly different So at Corinth the civil Magistracy of the Town did not seem to be Christians the Corporation of the Town was not as I may say made a Church The Christian Religion was not at this time established in Corinth by the City-Laws and Government only many in Corinth were become believers So that it 's plain The same Corinthians as they were a Church lived by other Laws and by different principles then as members of the City of Corinth As he was a Citizen so he met in their civil Judicatories so he acted according to the Laws of the City provided nothing was against Gods command but as a member of the Church there so they meet with others in spiritual communion for holy and spiritual ends Thus it is in a State while they are generally Heathenish But some have doubted Whether if a Commonwealth become Christian then there is any difference there between the Church and such a Christian State Whether then they are not all one But certainly by the first Institution and plantation of Churches by Christ and the Apostles Churches were founded and imbodied their Officers imploiment and the end of their Society appointed without any relation to the civil State and Government where they lived And therefore a Christian State doth not civilly govern nor bear the Sword punishing with death neither are there supream Governours Lords or Noblemen in it as a Church for then these should be Church-officers and instituted by Christ a Justice of Peace is not of Christ as a Pastor in the Church Neither on the other side are the preaching of the Word the administration of Sacraments the exercising of Church-censures the effects of a Christian State but as a Church So that it 's necessary by Scripture to acknowledge these two a Church and the State as two distinct Societies though the same men may be members of the same Secondly It 's a most blessed thing when the civil State and Church are
when they called the Blackmoors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silver white Thou art a Saint in that sense he said Auri sacri fames indeed thou art most accursed and art but a mockery in respect of God and man As it is a shame so it is an horrible reproach even as Revel 2. there is the blasphemy of some who said they were Jews and were not Thus it is a blasphemy in thee to be externally a Saint and not really as the Apostle Rom. 2. 24. speaking of such saith The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you The mischief of the scandalous prophane lifes in the Church hath been the cause not only of Gods eminent judgements upon it even at last to unchurch them but also hath been like winds in the bowels of the earth making a dreadfull earthquake Heresies in Doctrine have not more molested the Church than prophaneness in life The troubles of the Donatists made in the Church for many years together was it not because of the prophaneness of Christians lives In our dayes What is the great argument against our Churches that they are no true Churches that they are the Synagogue of Satan Doth not this arise wholly from the ungodliness of most mens lives Call such Saints you may as well name darkness light Yea what is the cause that the bringing in of any good Order in a Church the purging out of the old leaven is such a grievous tormenting matter Why do generally people dislike and rage at it Is not all this because though men are contented with the name of a Saint yet they cannot endure the practical power of it So that we may say the real ungodliness of such who are in the Church is the cause of all the evil that comes in the Church Thou blamest this and that way of Government thou sayest Such or such a thing is the cause of all our evil No it 's the love to mens lust men would be of the Church and yet live the life of beasts and Devils And it is for this general impiety that even Heaven and Earth may be astonished Thou cavillest How can this or that Practice or Order be proved Jure Divino But where canst thou prove thy oaths thy lusts thy drunkennesse thy contempt of Godlinesse to be Jure Divino 2. Real Saintship is so acceptable unto God in his Church that let men have 〈…〉 eminent places and esteem therein yet if they walk contrary to this Rule of sanctity and that obstinately Christ hath commanded such to be cast out as utterly unfit to be of such a Society The incestuous person in this Church of Corinth is thought by Chrysostome to be a man of chiefest place and note amongst them yet for all that till he repent and humble himself they are commanded to cast him out from amongst them As the Apostle to this Church saith What communion is there between light and darknesse Christ and Belial The Pythagoreans were so strict about the manners of those who were in their sect that as Origen against Celsus relates when any of their society had fallen into a foul sin they did cast him out of their company and commanded a Coffin to be placed by him as being a dead man But the Lord Christ hath commanded That such who live in the Church obstinately against the manners of a Saint should be thrown out from his people and so delivered up to Satan as being more properly of him and his way But because more may in time be said of the nature of this Church-Saintship I passe it by for the present concluding with a severe Reproof even like thunder and lightning against all such who deride at sanctity and purity Are there not too many sonnes of Belial who make a scoff at such glorious names of a Saint of a Christian of a Brother of a Believer Wherein canst thou demonstrate thy self to be of the Devil more than in this one thing Thy heart rageth thy tongue foameth at sanctity and purity What is this but to blaspheme the Scripture yea God and Christ himself Why do not such cast off their Christianity and live with Pagans and Heathens SERM. XXI Wherefore 't is a Christians Duty to joyn himself to Church-society And in what cases he may be excused What are the false Grounds why some neglect this Duty The Soul of the poorest Saint is to be regarded as well as of the richest 2 COR. 1. 1. With all the Saints that are in all Achaia IT is now full time to conclude this Text. There remain two things more which deserve some consideration The first is occasioned by Calvin's Question upon the place How is it saith he that he distinguished Saints from the Church Did not these Saints imbody themselves that lived in the Province of Achais Was it lawfull for them to live dispersed and single lives not entring into Churchcommunnion To which he answers That the times might be then so turbulent and persecution so hot that they could not gather into a Church nor have any such publick meetings Now this Interpretation is not necessary For the Apostle writing to the Church at Ephesus and Colosse yet doth not use that name but speaks in the general To the Saints and faithfull Brethren when yet without question they were in a Church-state there Yea in his Epistle to the Romans he makes no mention of them as a Church but styleth them Saints which puts Salmeron upon his guesses Why he doth not give the name of a Church to them As also Why he doth not salute Peter their supposed Bishop Neither may we think that when James and Peter inscribe their Epistles to the Believers scattered in several Regions but that they might have occasionally their publick meetings to worship God in Yet though this Exposition be not necessary we may well receive Calvins conjecture as probable For there have been times when the Saints have been forced to hide themselves in Dens and Caves not having opportunity to meet together though even that was an heavy burden and trouble to them This being granted we may observe That although it be a Duty for Saints to joyne themselves in a Church-way yet there may sometimes fall out such just reasons that may excuse them Indeed voluntarily to keep off from the Assemblies and to think a private worshipping of God is enough and that he requireth no more is both against Scripture-command and the example of primitive Christians but when there is some unavoidable necessity than there is a lawfull excuse That it is a duty for Saints to joyn themselves in a Church-way may be made evident from these Grounds briefly First From the name Church ordinarily given to â—olievers Now a Church is a Society or Company met together and therefore it is not lawfull for thee to live alone or be a Minister of Sacraments and all things to thy self Even as Aristotle said of him that would live alone not joyning
himself to any humane Society he must be aut Deus aut Bestia It is applicable here he must be made even like God that needeth no growth of grace yea that is above all duty or homage to God or else a very beast one that hath no sense or feeling about a God and his Worship The syonymous names also to a Church doth evidence this They are called Christs body now it 's necessary for the members of the body to be joyned together else there cannot be that mutual help and furthering of one another They are also called an House and a spiritual Building wherein they are to be as living stones and such must be close and well compacted together Secondly From the communion of Saints which is a duty so often prescribed in Scripture such as to watch over one another to provoke one another to comfort and rebuke if need be Now how can this be if Saints be dispersed from each other Thirdly From the Officers and Ordinances which Christ hath commanded that do necessarily inferre Church-Assemblies For Pastors and Teachers are appointed to preach the Word to be constant therein And how can that be if there be not publick meetings Fourthly The Sacraments likewise do not they seal not only a communion with Christ but also with one another So that it would be a sacrilegious violation of Christs command for a man to receive the Sacrament alone The Protestants do justly condemn those Private Masses in Popery as ridiculous and contrary to the Institution of that Sacrament Fifthly The examples of Christians who upon their conversion are recorded to joyn themselves to the Church and they continued together praying and breaking of bread Yea in the Old Testament we see still there was a constant publick meeting to worship God and David professeth his joy in those solemn meetings as also his resolutions To praise God in the great Congregation And certainly as by these solemn meetings God is more honoured therefore the glorified Saints in Heaven are said to be a Church Heb. 12. 23. so God hath promised to such meetings an higher degree of his presence He delights to be in the Assembly of his Saints So that these publick meetings are for our spiritual good as well as Gods glory Though this be so yet there may be some Cause that may justly excuse us As First Publick and violent persecutions as have been many times in Gods Church then they have not been suffered to have either publick or private meetings Heb. 12. The Apostle mentioneth such times when he speaks of some Of whom the world was not worthy of yet were not allowed a place in the world but were as so many beasts chased up and down living in dens and holes of Rocks Thus it was also once with David when banished out of Judea though this was a sad affliction and he doth in several Psalms bewail his exile from the Ordinances more than any temporal mercy whatsoever neither his countrey or outward accommodations do sit so upon his heart as that I cannot enjoy God in his Ordinances as I have done So then though they were not actually in any Church-communion yet because of their desire and wish they were to be as accounted of it Secondly It may so fall out that there be such a malice and poison in the hearts of those that do govern and rule in the Church that they will excommunicate and cast out those that are true believers from the Church and will not let them have any Church-society Now in such cases if the godly cannot obtain any publick Church-priviledge which yet they desire this will lie on those that cast them out Luke 6. 22. John 16. 2. Our Saviour tels the Disciples it shall be their portion They shall be cast out of the Synagogues separated from company even as they did a blind man healed confessing Christ whom yet Christ met and encouraged This then is no new thing Yea Bernard complained in his time Heu Domine qui sunt in Ecclesiâ primi sunt in persecutione primi Thirdly If there be such a general and universal pollution that a Christian at least for the present knoweth not what Church to joyn to where he can have communion without partaking of gross Idolatry It 's a Rule avouched in the Canon-Law Causa non separatio facit Shisma Those that would not bow their knee to Baal in Elijah's time were not Schismaticks for there was a just cause to refuse such Idolatry if then it be truly with a man as it was in supposition with Elijah that he is left alone Idolatry hath filled the whole Church visibly in such a case though that be hardly to be seen he is to abstain from Church-societies till God make way for it For then it is as if a Christian should by some accident be cast upon a Countrey of Infidels and Pagans as some Christians have been there cannot be had any Church-society at all Lastly The Church of God in the primitive times when many Heathens and Infidels were converted had this custome which I find commended by most and that was before the Church would receive such converted Heathens into an actual Communion with the Church they took time to instruct them and to try whether they were fit for that Sacrament or no and when they were prepared then they received them These were called Catechumenoi and Competentes They were truly members of the Church as the Protestants maintain against Bellarmine only they had not as yet the actual admission into it This custom in Antiquity of admitting none to Baptisme but such as were instructed doth hold by proportion for the Lords Supper likewise Seeing now that all are baptized in their Infancy and whether Parents have done their duties or that they have sufficient knowledge to come to a Sacrament may justly be questioned when we see so much gross ignorance in the Christian Religion abounding every where Therefore in Antiquity there was Ecclesiastical Confirmation which was to make search and trial about the knowledge and sufficiency of such who had been baptized and if found duly qualified then they were confirmed Such care did they use in Antiquity about those that were admitted to Church-society insomuch that Casaubon a man of famous learning saith It had been well in the Church of God if men had laid aside many unnecessary disputes and endeavoured to bring in that holy and godly order the primitive Church had especially about the Lords Supper And Calvin speaking of this custom of Confirmation before it was so horribly depraved by after ages and made a Sacrament wisheth it were brought into the Church of God again as that which would make parents more diligent who now think the institution of their children doth not belong to them neither would there be such ignorance and rudeness in people as now thereis Insti◠lib. 4. c. 19. Sect. 13. In these cases a Saint without Church-communion may be excused But then
dat quod not habet is the old Rule They have no skill or ability to comfort others who have not the experience and feeling of this upon their own souls It is not enough for the Ministers of the Gospel to have devoured many Books of learning to be able to decide Polemical questions in Divinity to convince gainsayers to be Doctors Angelical subtle or profound to be Mallei Hereticorum The hammers of Hereticks unlesse also they have the experimental works of Gods Spirit upon their own souls They are not able to apply themselves to the hearts of others Paul had not been able to comfort others if the Lord had not practically acquainted him with heavenly consolations 2. There is the Subject to whom or the Persons whose wounds Paul like a good Samaritan is desirous to pour oyl into and that is Them which are in any trouble 3. There is the manner how which is by that very comfort Paul himself found And Lastly There is the fontal and original Cause of this Whereby we our selves are comforted of God The final Cause will afford two Observations First That the heavenly and spiritual works which God vouchsafeth to his people are not for themselves only but for the advantage and edification of others Who would not think that the inward comforts and soul-consolations should not be wholly inclosed within our own breasts that these should not be communicated to others Who would not say of these as Solomon in another case Prov. 5. Let these fountains be only thine own and not strangers with thee Yet God giveth us these soul-comforts that we may be able to revive and comfort many sad troubled hearts which lie languishing for want of them The second Observation is That those have the greatest ability and fitnesse to help the souls of others who have had the experience and work of God upon their own souls First Let us consider the former Doctrine viz. That those great and spiriritual works which God vouchsafeth to his children are not for their own god only but for the good of others If he said in a political sense Nemo sibi vivit sed patriae it is much more true of a Christian Non sibi vivit sed Ecclesiae He liveth not to himself but to the Church of God Hence is that frequent comparison in the Scripture of the Church of God and a body together making all Christians so many several Members that if one rejoyce all must rejoyce with it To be throughly possessed of this truth we are first to know That there are two kinds of Gifts of Gods Spirit unto those of the Church The Ancient Schoolmen which distinction is still retained with the Papists is that there are Gratiae gratis datae Favours freely given which are bestowed not so much for the good of them that have them as of the good of others Such were those extraordinary gifts of Gods Spirit in the primitive times to work Miracles to speak with tongues c. And such are also those common gifts of Prayer and Preaching which many may have and yet they be never the more holy But as water-pots that conveighs water to the Garden making it fruitfull while it self beareth no flowers at all so are they And truly this is sadly to be considered by all the Ministers of the Gospel whether the gifts God giveth them be not for the good of others more then their own As the Nurses of young Princes live upon excellent food not for their own sake but to give more excellent nourishment to their young ones The other sort of gifts they call Gratiae gratum facientes such gifts as he that hath them must needs be accepted of with God And these they make faith and love with the like graces Now this distinction is absurd for the Members are confounded The graces making acceptable are graces freely given It is solely and wholly of the grace of God to make thee differ from others in the special work of sanctification as it was in the primitive times to make one who had miraculous gifts to differ from another And then it is false for no grace we have doth of it self make us gratos accepted of to God but it is in and through Christ that their imperfections are pardoned and so received Therefore our Divines do distinguish better That there are Dona Ministrantia and Dona sanctificantia Gifts of service and Gifts of sanctification Gifts of service are such which God giveth for the use of the Church Gifts sanctifying are such as are for the good of those that have them Now though this be true yet in the second place you must not limit this so straightly as that sanctifying gifts may not be serviceable gifts also For it 's plain that in all the people of God their very graces as well as their gifts are to be exercised for the good of others Thy repentance thy faith thy joy may be put forth to quicken and edifie others Therefore we say in the Doctrine All the spiritual works of God upon the souls of his people are not only for themselves but for others All not only gifts but graces Not only their parts and their duties but their holinesse also Hence Prov. 15. 4. an wholesome tongue which is the gift only that a godly man hath is said to be a tree of life because it doth so much spiritual good to others Think then that God hath not given thee grace and comfort for thy self only but for others who may stand in need of thee As it was with Christ the Head so it should be with his Members proportionably Isa 50. 4. To have the tongue of the learned given them from God to be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary As therefore God hath given thee fullnesse temporally to feed the hungry and to cloathe the naked when such due objects of charity are presented to thee Thus also God giveth thee faith to help him that complaineth he cannot believe He giveth thee comfort to succour those that can find no joy This is to be considered that thou beest not a fountain sealed up but opened whereat many may occasionally refresh themselves Thirdly The godly mans improving his gifts and graces doth not at all hinder and diminish his own but thereby increaseth and multiplyeth them It is like the widows giving of oyl to the Prophet which was so farre from impoverishing that it did enrich her We may not then refuse those who shall desire help for their souls as the wise Virgins did the foolish saying It might be there would not be enough for themselves No the more thou art willing to season others with thy own salt to quicken and comfort others by thy own quicknings and comforts herein thou wilt find thy self more edified and the good will rebound upon thy own self For these improvings of thy gifts and graces serviceably to others souls will multiply thy
high rebellions and treasons So that this alwaies falleth out as men are perswaded of their way so they judge it true persecution or false Hastia did truly call the Donatists persecutions Persecutiones steriles â—barren and fruitlesse as losing the crown of glory though they boasted of them On the other side the rigid Lutherans did condemn our Martyrs in Queen Maries daies because they dyed against that error That Christ was bodily present in the Sacrament yea and called them Martyres Diaboli The Devils Martyrs This I confesse is more grievous many times then all the persecutions of the adversaries when those who are of the same general profession yet for some particular differences shall so uncharitably censure one another But this is no new thing in the Church of God The Socinians though they blaspheme the Deity of Christ and their doctrine is not simply heresie but blasphemy also yet they will admire their sufferings as if for Christ also The Polonian Gentleman that writ Socinus his life would preferre him above Luther and Ignatius As for Ignatius the Father of Jesuites we have nothing to do with him but that he should preferre him above Luther for the greatnesse of his faith Because saith he Luthers Doctrine at the first had many to applaud it but Sociâ—ius had few or none to encourage him Though we might say Luthers was universally hated the whole world being then subject to the Pope yet that can be nothing with that writer who confesseth that pride and vain-glory may make all a mans sufferings to be fewel to it Thus you see how that all suffering parties in Religion will pretend to Christ and plead they suffer for him but as Christ is Christ though there have risen many false Christs so suffering and persecution for Christ is truly so and some there are and they only who can claim this honour though others do gloriously pretend to it It is a true rule of Austins Causa non paena facit Martyrem Not the punishment but the cause makes a Martyr Even as Causa non separatio facit schismaticum It must be indeed the Doctrine of Christ not our opinions and presumptions we suffer with Thirdly The Scripture expresseth this Suffering for righteousnesse sake He that suffereth for doing that which is righteous suffereth for Christ Mat. 5. 10. If ye be persecuted for righteousnesse sake blessed are ye This is made the same with suffering for Christs sake This is good to observe lest we should think that then we only suffer for Christ when the matter we are troubled for is either Christ himself or his truth and ordinances something that is immediately terminated upon Christ No this is to be extended farther For when a Magistrate is zealous to rebuke sinne and put it to shame if he be maligned for this he suffereth for Christ So if a private Christian set himself in a lawfull way against all the impieties that abound where he liveth and thereupon all his neighbours hate and oppose him he suffers for Christ And all because it 's for righteousnesse Insomuch that thou maiest take much comfort herein as one Martyr did That it is not for any wickednesse of thine any wrong or injury thou hast done them only because thou hast had a zeal for God and his glory therefore it is that they rise up with such malice against thee And let this encourage all such who desire to have all ungodlinesse and dishonour to God by sinne be wholly rooted out though in this labour they have many oppositions and much hatred yet remember it is for Christ It is true indeed that besides meer righteousnesse there must be also a knowledge of Christ For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 3. And therefore though Aristides the just was banished for righteousnesse and Socrates put to death for maintaining there was but one God yet these cannot be said to suffer for Christ because they had no knowledge of him Seeing Christ is only in the Church therefore there cannot be any true suffering for him but in the Church Lastly In respect of the object matter Then we suffer for Christ when we are persecuted for keeping a good conscience and will not break the peace thereof for all the advantages in the world Thus the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3. 16. maketh the having of a good conscience to be equivalent to suffering for righteousnesse sake and also for the Name of Christ This good conscience consists in this That whereas the enemies and persecutors speak all evil of us as evil doers they may at last be ashamed for such false accusations Here you see none ever persecuted the Church of God but they laid foul things to their charge That as they did put the Christians sometimes in Bear-skins to make the dogs tear them with the greater rage so also they have turned their names into Heretiques Schismaticks and every odious title that so they might be the more justified in their cruel waies Now then to suffer with and for a good conscience is to be innocent from all these calumnies that we dare appeal to God as Christ said For which of the good works do ye stone me So for what good is it that I have done you reproach you revile and persecute me But when we say a good conscience we mean that which is truly so and informed out of Gods Word otherwise as Paul said he had a good conscience while he was a Pharisee and thought he was bound to do against Christ what he did So many deluded consciences may indure much misery yea death it self with a good conscience thus farre that they do not go against any light thereof They are not as some Heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned as it is commonly expounded No they may think they are bound to suffer as they do Yea if they should recant their errors though never so damnable while their conscience is perswaded to the contrary they would sinne against God not because they renounce an error materially but because they do that which formally appeareth a truth to them and it may be bring much horror and teror upon their own consciences It is not enough therefore to make a man a sufferer for Christ if in a false way because he is perswaded so his conscience doth not tell him to the contrary he hath much comfort doing as he doth whereas if he should do otherwise he should have no peace For conscience is but an inferiour Judge and is no further to command then guided by the Word of God and when it is so then whosoever will not please men but indure all hardship rather then wound this conscience this man suffers for Christ Thus you see what it is to suffer for Christ in the Scripture expression and let it be thy earnest prayer to God to have a preparednesse of heart thus to suffer Oh consider how much Christ suffered for thee both from God and
the Gospel is though to some a savour of life yet to others a savour of death Thus afflictions and troubles to some do discover their hypocrisie and guile as winnowing doth the chaâ—â— but to others they are blessed either to conversion or to edification So that in all the sufferings of the Church we are by prayer to importune God that by these means greater glory may come to Christ and that these waters of persecution may be like those to the Ark which could not drown it but exalted it nearer to Heaven Hence Fourthly We may admire the wisdome power and goodnesse of God that wherein the enemies of Gods Church deal craftily and cruelly in that very thing he is above them working the contrary to that which they are intending For how many persecutors hath the Church had who like Haman resolved to root out the very name of Christianity and their persecutions have increased the number of Christians Thus it must needs be madness and torment to the Churches enemies to see that the wayes they take to demolish is indeed to build up the Church of God Even as it was with Pharaoh when he called a counsel to deal craftily with the Israelites to oppress and diminish them then they were the more multiplied Thus Act. 12. 24. when Herod set himself to kill the eminent servants of the Lord and thereby weaken the Church of God for when the shepherds were dissipated what would become of the flock it is said But the word of God grew and multiplied See how the contrary fell out to Herods design These things premised Let us consider What is the general good promoted by the Churches sufferings And 1. Hereby the glory of God and Christ is the more exalted amongst all that fear him For when the Churches of God shall see the wisdome and goodness of God thus to his people turning all the cruelty and craft of their adversaries to their own good that what they could never do their enemies do for them What glory and praise doth this cause in all Congregations How is the Church indeared hereby to God to trust in him to continue faithfull to him in all exercises God hath been good and will be good God hath turned the greatest evil of men to the greatest advantage and he will do it As Christs death is called a glorifying of him Thus also are the sufferings for Christ the believers glory and not only so but the glory of Christ also What saith Paul Phil. 1. 20. Christ shall be magnified in my body whether by life or death But 2. The great good overflowing to the Church by its sufferings are the propagation and enlargement of the Gospel thereby Phil. 1. 13. Paul there sheweth how his troubles fell out to the furtherance of the Gospel for his bonds were made manifest in Caesars palace and in all other places That of Tertullian is known The blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church When men did behold their faith the râ—patience their constancy and courage it made them enquire into the cause of their sufferings what it was that could make them so constantly endure all kind of torments Insomuch that this was in stead of the working of miracles to bring men to faith So that as the shaking of a ripe flower maketh many seeds fall to the ground and in stead of that one flower many come up in the room of it or as when the Vine hath its branches cut off there come farre more in stead thereof Thus it hath also been by all the troubles on the Church of God by afflictions and by patience under them How numerous did the Church of God grow even like the stars in Heaven Let the Use be To consider those examples of all such worthies who have suffered for Christ whether recorded in Scripture or in Ecclesiastical History read them for thy comfort and thy salvation The word of God and the lives of Martyrs bearing witness to it may much prevail over a stony heart It hath been a good blessing of God that the Names and Histories of most Martyrs have been preserved and recorded for the good of the Church of God to come The lives and sufferings of our Martyrs here in England what influence may they not make upon thee What patience what heavenly mindedness what courage should this put into thee As Abel though dead speaketh Thus do all the godly Martyrs the Bradfords the Ridleys the Latimers they all speak still and God suffereth such persecutions to be as perpetual Sermons to teach us SERM. LI. The Afflictions which others suffer for Christ make much for our Comfort and Salvation 2 COR. 1. 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation THe second particular in this Text as it stands divided is the Consequent or Effect of this tribulation which is set down in a particular and special manner above any other fruit of it and that is two-fold Consolation and Salvation Of the word Consolation enough hath already been said For the other viz. Salvation we shall remit it to the end of the verse where it is again specified So that our work is immediately to proceed to the Observation which is That sufferings for Christ should be so farre from disheartning and offending others that a true and right consideration of them may much provoke our comfort and salvation This truth is of great use For the afflictions accompanying the wayes of Christ have been an offence and a stumbling block to many Now when a curb shall be made a spur when an hinderance a furtherance and we shall be encouraged from those particulars which should drive back this consideration must be very profitable Before we come to amplifie in what manner in what respects persecutions are made thus serviceable to others Let us take notice First That the sufferings of others do work good only occasionally or by way of example We must not conceive any merit or causality as was declared before in Martyrs They are Examples not Mediators Their light did shine that we might thereby glorifie God So that we must take heed that the sufferings of the godly do not obscure the sufferings of Christ that they should not be accounted the only treasure of Christ But as Luther was afraid lest his books should take men off from meditating on the Bible Or as Paul was afraid men should judge of him as if he by his own power had done that miracle and therefore told them It was onely by the Name of Christ. So also it was with all the true Martyrs of Christ they were humble looking upon themselves as unworthy of the name of a Martyr neither would they have their blood derogate from the blood of Christ Hence Secondly We may greatly deplore and bewail the Apostasie of the Church concerning those that were Martyrs and sufferers for Christ in what superstition and sinfull devotion were they plunged in about
and profits than future glory then thou proclaimest thy exceeding great folly and madnesse If then thou love thy self thy soul thy salvation be patient in enduring all that God layeth upon thee Fifthly Be patient under such sufferings Because hereby thou promotest the good of others the salvation of others And certainly this should much prevail with us These sufferings of mine these patient endurings for the cause of Christ may provoke and encourage many others This did greatly induce Paul and animate him in all his reproaches and difficulties he met with for the Gospel because that hereby the Church was more propagated With what joy Phil. 1. 13. doth he speak of this That his bonds were made manifest every where and many of the brethren waxed more confident and bold than before As on the contrary we see the impatience worldly fears and Apostasie of some have done a world of hurt to others not only falling themselves but making others also to tumble down with them This is a sad thing to consider of If the Apostle Rom. 14. speaks so dreadfully about a strong Christian abusing his liberty that thereby he is a stumbling block and on his part destroyeth him for whom Christ died How much more will this hold true on him who shall perfidiously forsake Christ rather than suffer for him And although some of these have recover'd again and manifested as much faithfulnesse as they had formerly falshood yet those that did wholly fall off their fall was great making the adversary to rejoyce and animating others to do the like Therefore on the contrary if thou endure with constancy and patience under all opposions in nothing being dismayed this will imbolden others thou mayest prevent the backsliding of others Insomuch that to suffer for Christ is a great act of love not only to Christ but to the Church when with Paul we shall be willing to be sacrified for the good of other mens souls Now this duty of love we owe to the Body of Christ we are bound in conscience to suffer reproaches and all manner of trials for righteousnesse sake not only because Christ requireth it and with reference to him but also out of love to the souls and salvation of others When we suffer we do not only suffer as private Christians but as members of the body and therefore the concernment of the whole body is in the suffering of every member This then should greatly encourage us in all our afflictions for Christs sake It is not I alone it 's not my salvation only but the salvation of many others is carried on in this businesse Hence some have thought more implied in that expression then ordinarily is conceived 1 Cor. 4. 13. where the Apostle saith We are made as the filth and off-scouring of the world they say the words are not to be understood only of dishonour and reproach but because they were applied to such Sacrifices and devoted things in the offering whereof common judgements were removed piacula therefore they inferre That the Apostles sufferings did conduce to the whole Church of God Others come to obtain mercy by following them for an example I shall not plead for this interpretation onely this is a truth in the general That many have been converted and so saved by beholding the courage and patience of godly Confessors and Martyrs It 's then a duty we owe to the Church of God to suffer when Christ requireth And if we read of Heathens the Curtii and Decii who have devoted themselves to present death to remove some publick calamity what shame will this be to Christians if they shall not in a regular way shew such zeal for the Church of God We have a notable passage 1 John 3. 16. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren What Christ did for us we are to do for the Church So that from this Text it is plain there are cases and instances wherein a man is bound to lose not only wealth and estate but even life it self for others Hence there is a distinction of Martyrium charitatis and Martyrium fidei A Jesuite Raynardus de Martyrio doth industriously endeavour to maintain That if a man having a call from God doth venture his life by visiting some infected with the plague doing this out of love to God and peoples souls such a man is as truly and properly a Martyr and that in a strict sense as one who dieth for witnessing the faith I shall not here examine this point only in the general we may conclude That he who layeth down his life for the brethren for the spiritual good of others having a call thereunto he he is a Martyr and may encourage himself with all those promises that those who died for the faith have done Yea such a suffering and Martyrdome may be called Martyrium fidei as well as charitatis or misericordiae Faith having imperate acts as well as elicite Hence the Apostle Heb. 11. attributeth divers worthy actions and atchievements unto Faith By this you see in any suffering whereby the Church of God is edified wherein we demonstrate our love to the salvation of others we may greatly encourage our selves Hence also it is observed by one of the Ancients That he who shall suffer to prevent schisms and breaches in the Church of God is more to be honoured than he who suffereth because he would not offer to an Idol because here is more love to the Church of God Let this then in all sufferings whether verbal or real mightily support thee that not my own salvation onely but the good and salvation of all those who shall come to hear or know this will also be furthered To be a meanes of conversion by suffering is in some respect greater than by preaching SERM. LV. All the Dispensations of God carry on and further the Salvation of his People 2 COR. 1. 6. Or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation THe first part or member of that distribution which the Apostle here useth hath been dispatched For as to the last particular observed in the illustration which the Apostle useth viz. The object matter of their patient enduring which is said to be the same sufferings which we also suffer If any new matter shall present it self it will be more fitly considered in the next verse I proceed therefore to the second part of the distribution used here by the Apostle In that we may observe The Condition supposed If we be comforted Here is light as well as darkness Summer as well as winter The godly are not alwayes afflicted but they have also their seasons of comfort It is not an impossible thing here supposed but what God doth ordinarily bring about for those that fear him So that in the time of adversity thou art to remember the time of thy consolations also whereas the people of God in their distress are apt with David to cry out Hath the Lord cast
imprison and destroy those that do yet truly fear God This ignorance upon them though it may excuse in some degree and make them lesse sinners then such who do wilfully oppose and do despite maliciously against the Spirit of grace yet it doth not totally free them nay they are persecutours for all that as you see Paul acknowledged concerning himself Now such enemies as these are acted by religious principles but in a false way they commonly are more zealous and implacable than any other Paul because it was not any carnal advantage or profit he sought after but a meer zeal for the Religion he had by tradition from his fathers therefore did he pursue the Christians in such a bloody furious manner Tantum Religio potuit c. said the Poet Oppositions against the wayes of God from such who are zealous and devout in their false wayes are constantly more dreadfull and terrible than any others So that we are again and again to try what spirit we are of to examine Whether it be the true Religion indeed that we give our selves up to the profession thereof For if it be not the greater zeal the greater forwardnesse therein is but the greater condemnation and like the Traveller out of the way the more thou runnest the further thou goest from the true way But The second sort of enemies to the truths of Christ which are farre the more numerous part is of such Who are addicted to such a way and perswasion in Religion not because of any Divine worke of Gods Spirit upon them but because it suiteth with their carnal interest it agreeth with their external profit and therefore they cry out Great is Diana when indeed in their heart they say Great is their wealth great is their gain this is the Diana We may justly charge this upon Popery What was it that made Luther and the other Reformers so odious to the Popish party What made the Pope with his adherents to breath nothing but fire and sword Was it not because they touched the Popes Crowne and the Monkes belly Hence Secondly The faithfull Ministers of the Gospel meet with opposition not from the Pagans only that are without but from the sonnes of the Church which are within from those who professe the same God the same faith the same Christ with them And the reason is because many that professe Christ do so for earthly and carnal respects and such titular and counterfeit Christians as these cannot but hate those that are genuine The Apostle in the large Catalogue of his manifold sufferings reckoneth this up amongst the rest Perils from false brethren 2 Cor. 11. 26. Thus in Abrahams family there will be an Ishmael to persecute Isaac because one is of the bond-woman and the other of the free Think not then that the Pagan or Jew will become enemies to the powerfull preaching of the Gospel for every false Christian will Every one that followeth Christ onely because of loaves or with Judas becometh a Disciple because of the bagge Doth not experience confirme this that the prophane Christian doth as bitterly rage at and oppose the holy wayes of Christ as any Heathen would doe Thus the godly Ministers have trouble as it were from their own flock their Sheep sometimes becomes Wolves and Beares to them and with Ezekiel They dwell among Scorpions Ezekiel 2. 6. Thirdly The carnal interest and earthy sinfull respects are of divers sorts even as the creeping things that are produced from the earth are innumerable As 1. He knoweth Religion onely for carnal ends though it be the true one that turns the grace of God into wantonnesse That cryes up Gospel truths onely to encourage themselves in a licentious way As many of the mixed multitude went out with the Israelites from Aegypt yet kept their old and corrupt natures still So in the first Reformation many came out of Rome with the blessed Reformers many gloried in the name of Evangelici that they had shaken off the yoke of Antichristianisme but at the same time they did not cast off the yoke of sinne The first Reformers sadly complained of such that looked upon the Gospel as the casting off not onely the Popes Laws but Gods Law also as if to renounce the Images and Masse had been enough though in the mean time they did securely sleep in all wickednesse Now from such as these the Ministers of the Gospel have found as much unkindnesse and malice as from their Popish adversaries So that both ot home and abroad the Prophets of the Lord have been greatly afflicted These spots in our feasts these lovers of pleasures more than God these are they that have in all places withstood the power and life of godlinesse the holy Order and Discipline Christ hath instituted as if the liberty Paul bids us stand fast in were a liberty to sinne without controll and an indulgence in all licentiousnesse Such as these when they come into the warme Sunne when they have Summer an opportunity in their hand will discover that they are Serpents and will sting Tertullian apologized of old That the Christian Religion had her greatest enemies in Ale-houses and Brothel-houses and thus still the powerfull way of godlinesse is opposed by those monsters in Christianity that have the head of a Christian but the heart and life of beasts Mulier formosa supernè desinit in piscem Like those Locusts Revel 9. 6. that had faces like men but teeth like Lions and tailes like Scorpions Thus how many have the face of Christians but in heart in lives are beasts all over From these the Ministers of God have received much opposition 2. They know Religion onely after carnal respects who intend to enrich and to advance themselves by it take up the profession of it for no other end but to gain thereby As this Demetrius made him shrines not so much out of devotion to Diana as to increase his wealth Our Saviour knowing such a self-seeking disposition was predominant in many who proffered to be his Disciples he therefore prevents their Hypocrisie and Apostasie by telling them The Foxes have holes but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head and requireth it as a fundamental qualification That he who would be his Disciple must loue Christ more than father and mother and life it self Yea must not venture to winne the whole world if thereby he should lose his soul Oh take heed of this Judas this treacherous disposition in thee to be of the mind with those Paul speaketh of who supposed That gain is Godlinesse 1 Tim. 6. 5. Yea such are worse than Judas for he sold Christ but once thou doest continually and he was grieved and troubled for what he had done but thou though thou preferrest earthy things all the day long before Christ yet art not grieved in heart Well such as these are will in case of profit and advantage make all opposition against the preaching of
this limited sense as it is a deprecation against some evill rather then a petition for some good and in this sense it may very well be used here But because we see the Scripture commonly using it in a more large sense neither will we restraine it in this place From the former part then of this Verse there remaine further Doctrines observable As First Those that are the most eminent in gifts and office yea and grace also do need the Prayers of those who are farre inferior in the Church of God No eye in this spirituall body is so perfect that it may say to the foot I have no need of thee When the Apostle doth thus desire the Prayers of the Corinthians he doth it not in a complement neither doth he speak it for modesty and humility sake but cordially and really as finding the want of them Christ indeed being God and Man though as Man he prayed to God yet he needed no mans prayer for him neither did he ever require his Disciples to pray for him no not when he was in the greatest agonies He blamed them indeed for their dullness and that they could not watch with him one hour but he did not require their prayers for him But there is no godly man though a Paul though never so eminent but as he is to pray for others so also he needeth that others should pray for him Hence you have this eminent Saint often desiring the prayers of others his interest in God alone will not do it Though he be a favourite in the Court of Heaven yet others also must intercede for him Job Daniel and others though they be instanced in as such who can greatly prevaile with God in prayers for others as if the eare of God were open to them more than to others yet they themselves did want the prayers of others for them And thus we have Paul again and again desiring the prayers of others for him 1 Thes 1. 17. when he had delivered many short and excellent Aphorismes more necessary to the soules health then those of Hippocrates for the body and having also prayed for them he requireth the same duty for himself Brethren pray for us That as the Clouds drop upon the earth to refresh that and that sends up vapours again which are congealed into Clouds thus it should be with Pastors and People a mutuall and a reciprocall praying for each other will greatly advantage and promote their spirituall good Thus the same Apostle to the same people 2 Thes 3. 1. saith in a concluding way Finally Brethren pray for us In the like manner also Heb. 13. 18. he desireth they would pray for him giving his reason because of the good conscience he had in his work So that where there is godliness and holiness we ought to be so farre from neglecting prayer for them thinking they do not need it that we are the rather to be incouraged in that service for them And if you say these instances are of whole Churches Paul may well desire the prayers of Churches Assembled together but doth he need the prayer of a particular person Yes this you will also find Phil. 2. 2. I trust through your prayers I shall be given to you Thus you see the most eminent desiring the prayers of those that are inferiour to them and there are good grounds for this First Because there is a more particular promise made of Gods presence and power to many gathered together than to one to the prayers of more then one as more coales together do the more easily inflame What Solomon saith of two that they are better than one is true also in respect of prayer You have this notably affirmed by Christ himself Matth. 18. 19 20 If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall be done for them This is so remarkeable that our Saviour useth that expression Again I say to you and then giveth the reason For where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them By this it is plain that vis unita est fortior the united force of believers is stronger then single and alone Hence our Saviour in his Forme of Prayer directeth to say Our Father not my Father because of the Communion the godly have in this duty Seeing then there is a more peculiar presence of God in the midst of his people Assembled together then when alone no wonder if Paul desire their prayers Thus it was in Peters case the whole Church met together to pray for his deliverance which prayer was so prevalent that it broke open the Prison doores and made every thing yield to it It is mentioned as a speciall priviledge by the Psalmist to be vouchsafed to Solomon Psal 72. 15. Prayer also shall be made for him It is of great consequence to be remembred in the Assembly of the Saints as on the other side when the Church following Scripture-Rules have cast some persecuting Emperours out of their Prayers this hath been the greatest evill that could befall them a forerunner that God also would cast them out of his favour One occasion which made Licinius to oppose Constantine was because the Christians in their meeting prayed for Constantine but not for him though happily he regarded more the dishonour he thought put upon him than any esteem he had of their Prayers Secondly Another Reason is From the similitude which the Scripture delighteth much in when it speaketh of the Church of God that it is a body and every particular Christian is a Member thereof now in any naturall body though the noble and eminent parts thereof be never so sound and able for their particular operations yet there is not the most ignoble part in the body but they want the help thereof and therefore nourishment is carefully distributed to every part as having its respective necessity Thus it is also in the spirituall body the Church of God only Christ the head needeth not the Members but they him As for the rest there is a mutuall help of every part so that unless Paul were not of the body unless he were not of this spirituall union he must need the prayers of others The Communion then that the body hath in this life is the ground of praying for one another and that is the reason why though we pray for others though alive yet not when they are dead It is absurd to pray for such who are deceased because they are now no longer in this Church-communion The eye doth not now need the feet all want is removed and that visible union of believers in Church-administrations is now quite dissolved What else may be added in this particular shall be suggested in the next Only the Use of this is to admonish the most excellent and choisest Christian of humility and modesty though thy gifts and graces though thy office and place be farre
so infinitely transcending all earthly comeforts and therefore such who find no matter of rejoycing herein it is because they are carnal sensual they abide under the Dominion of their lusts they never found the Ministry spiritual and powerfull to them They never had the experience of the blessed effects thereof upon their hearts and then How can they rejoyce in iâ— 3. Seing that this mutual assistance is appointed by God as a special means to destroy the Kingdome of Satan Hence it is that he doth most assault this indeavouring to make discords and differences between Minister and people That so both the benefit and comefort of such unity might be frustrated It is true the Devil delights to sow his Tares in every field therefore in civil estates in domestical relations he throweth his Firebrands and loveth to see all in Passions and discontents but especially his design is against those spiritual relations because the well mannaging of them doth more immediately oppose his throne of darkness For this end he stirred up so many fals Prophets and Teachers whose works was to divide between the people and their faithfull guides And can we think the Apostles would have written so Apologetically in many places condescended so much in the wayes of Humility and diligence to win their affections but that he knew by such Dissentions the Devil would inlarge his Dominions Hence it is that Calvin upon that place of 2 Cor. 2. 11. Lest satan should get an advantage of us though he take notice of their exposition who refer it to the Incestuous person as if Satans designe was upon that occasion to have him swallowed up with excessive sorrow yet he doth in a great part relate it to the Dissention that the Devil endeavoured to make between them and Paul for if Paul was for the confirming of their love to that person now repenting but the Corinthians under a pretence of zeal against sin should be against him This would have caused sad Divisions and so thereby Satan would have prevailed It is observed as one of Julians devilish designes against Christianity to make a difference between the Christians and their godly Pastors and therefore he did craftily and secretly pour all the oyl he could into such flames to make them greater and truly the Instances of such differences even in the Reformed Churches do give too full a testimony of the Devils labour herein Should we speak of the Churches troubles at Franckford though exiled and under Persecution The sharpest whereof was between the Flock and their Shepherd yea of the hot contention between Geneva and Calvin and in many other Churches we may easily be perswaded that there is scarce any one thing wherein the Devil goeth more about as a roaring Lyon to deceive them than to break the slaves of beauty and bands between Shepherd and Sheep which should make both Minister and people the more watchfull and diligent and also much in Prayer that God would disapoint all such purposes of Satan and his Instruments This may suffice in the General Let us now proceed to the respective particulars and first In what sence and how a people may rejoyce in their faithfull Guides And first They are to rejoye in them as those instruments which God hath used to bring spiritual light unto their minde and heavenly heat into their heart For this it is the Apostle doth so much insist upon to convince the Corinthians That if ever they did believe if ever they felt any thing of the saving efficacy of Gods spirit upon their hearts it was by his Ministry and therefore they would be unthankfull to God if they did not take notice of Gods special blessing to them by his means It is true 1 Cor. 3. we see there the Apostle zealously beating down their factions and Contentions which they raised by setting up one Officer and Teacher to the despising of another and thereupon exalteth Christ onely But yet though Christ be the principal only and he alone giveth the encrease yet he granteth the Necessity of the Ministry withall Paul must Plant Apollo must water and these are Ministers by whom they believed Ver. 5. Although then it be our duty to lift up our hearts to God alone as he in whom and by whom all spiritual success doth arise to us yet we are to rejoyce in such instruments as God useth For if we may be glad of such Instruments that cause our temporall comforts and supports If the Childe may rejoyce in the father if an indigent man in him who is potent and bountifull no wonder then if we do cry out How welcome are the feet of those who bring glad tydings of peace Rom. 10. 15. How beautiful are the very feet of such So that it plainly demonstrateth all such to be delivered up to the spirit of slumber and prophaneness or of Error and Heresie who do not find this cause to rejoyce in them as Gods Instruments to their Soules 2. We are to rejoyce in them because of their works sake and the Faithfull discharge of their duties And the more powerfull they are herein the greater ought our joy to be Thus the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man account of us as the Embassadours of God and Stewards of Christ Thus the Apostle also commandeth 1 Thessal 11. 13. To esteem very highly of those who are over them and admonish them and that for their works sake Though they do admonish and reprove you which is as unpleasing to a sin as salt to a sore yet you are to esteem highly of them This requireth not onely external respect but cordial and Internal and this must be for their works sake Many times a people may glory in the Abilities in the Learning and admirable gifts of their Teachers thinking that thereby they surpass other Congregations This is a vain-glorious thing too often seen in great Cities but the Apostle saith it must be for their works sake because they do faithfully and powerfully lead you into the paths of Eternal Life Thus as David esteemed the word of God above gold and silver because thereby he was forewarned from sin The spiritual and holy commands of God not induring any sin made him thus in love with it So it should also be with our people they should delight and rejoyce in the Ministry because it is efficacious against sin because it enlighteneth it converteth it destroyeth the works of the Devil so that this particular discovers the Prophanenesse and impiety of such men who rejoyce most in such Ministers as are either lazy and negligent or that are dissolute and carnally humouring men in their evil wayes These they boast in and rejoyce in they account none like them Thus God of old complained of the people of Israel that they loved such who did sow pillowes under their armes and encouraged the hearts of those that were wicked but made those sad whom the Lord would not have made sad Ezek. 13. 10
if thou finde that one Sermon passeth away after another yet there is no spiritual benefit accrewing to thy soul thereby But why do we speak of spiritual Edification in how many is not the ground-work of Conversion laid how can they have the second benefit who have not obtained rhe first How can they be nourished and grow who have not yet the Principles of Life infused into them Two great things are then to be done by our Ministry through the grace of God The First To Regenerate The Second is To grow and increase in the work of Grace If the foundation stone of this building be not laid thou art yet in thy ruines and rubbish thou art yet in thy sinnes Thou art to pray and to desire all others to pray that God would have mercy upon thy soul that he would take away thy stony heart that he would heal thy blinde eyes and open thy deaf eares But if God hath brought thee into this spiritual estate know there is a necessity to grow in grace as well as to be in grace and that for progress herein God hath appointed his Ministry and the Ordinances Cry out then and say Lord not the First time but the Second and Third yet all my life long make me to partake of this Heavenly Benefit SERM. CVIII All Christians especially Ministers ought to lay out themselves wholly for Gods Glory and others good 2 COR. 1. 16. And to passe by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea THis Text containeth the manner how Paul was to fulfill his purpose of coming to them which was first to go to Macedonia and upon a short abiding there then again to come back to them and to make a longer continuance with them For the state of the Church of Macedonia was not so corrupt as this of Corinth and therefore needed not so long a residence of Paul there as in this place For our holy Apostle had his whole heart carried out in the service of God and therefore did order his journeys and continuance in any place according as Gods glory and the advantage of the Church might require it So that when Paul speaketh here of his travails and setteth down as it were his several journeys in all these he did not consult with flesh and blood or look upon carnal advantages but his aim in all is to promote the Kingdom of Christ There is one great difficulty which Commentators are exercised with concerning this Text and that is How to reconcile this passage with that which is 1 Cor. 16. 5 6 7. where he saith He would come to them after he had passed through Macedonia and that he would not now see them by the way whereas here he saith he will though afterwards he would come and abide with them So that here seemeth to be a contrariety in his purposes Some as Aquinas and others think therefore that this purpose in the Text was either made in a former Epistle which is now lost or sent by a messenger to them And that afterwards Paul for urging reasons did alter his resolution And that this is spoken of in the former Epistle which they say is the second though with us it be the first Hence it 's affirmed by some that the Apostle wrote three Epistles to these Corinthians though we have but two But it is the judgement of the most able Divines That no part of the Canonical Scripture is lost They grant many books are now wanting which some holy men did write but of that which was by God appointed to be the Canon and Rule of our faith and manners none is perished And indeed to hold that opinion would open a door for many atheistical arguments at least it would gratifie the Popish party who thinketh if there were no Scripture yet the Church and her traditions would be a starre bright enough to guide us unto Heaven Others there are that grant in the former Epistle Paul had a contrary resolution to this in the Text and that it is no dishonour to him to change his mind for they distinguish between matters of Doctrine and matters of Fact In matters of Doctrine they were alwayes guided by the Spirit of God But in matters of Fact sometimes they did purpose according to humane considerations but prudential and rational yet in the event were over-ruled to other things then they purposed by some new dispensations of Gods providence Neither is this to be blamed no not in wise men For the Rule is Sapientis est mutâ—re consilium new emergencies which the wisdome of man could not fore-see may cause new resolutions Now it 's plain that either Paul did wholly change his purpose or else he did not fulfill it as soon as was expected by the Corinthians which made them so calumniate him for inconstancy and levity And this answer may very well be justified yet Musculus doth at large shew how both these purposes may be reconciled and that there is no contrariety in them which is too long here to insert Let us come to observe some practical and profitable instructions from this Text and from the general scope that Paul had in all this labour and travail which was to advance the glory of God to promote the good of the Church rejoycing like a Gyant to runne his race We may observe That it is the duty of all Christians and especially of Ministers to lay out themselves for the glory of God and good of others Was not Paul admirable in this See how he taketh one journey upon another travaileth from one Church to another and all this is that Christ might be exalted Both godly Christians and especially Ministers of the Gospel are to follow Christ in this who went up and down preaching the Kingdome of God and doing good whithersoever he came All his life was spent in doing the will of the Lord. First Let us consider it as the duty of all Christians in their several places and relations and herein these things are considerable First There is none though in never so mean a condition but hath several talents committed to him which are to be imployed for the honour of God and the good of others The known Parable of the Talents doth sufficiently confirm this For though there be a great difference some have five and some have ten and others but one or two yet none are to sit idle And therefore in that Parable Matth. 25. 24. the instance of an unprofitable servant is made in him who had but one Talent we would have thought it would have gone worse with those who had more Talents they were under many obligations it would be very difficult to improve all Doth not evperience teach us that where a man hath many relations and several trusts committed to him how hard it is to be faithfull in all Yet here in this Parable he only is
be thus diligent in thy wayes What is it that is set most upon thy heart all the day long For although we cannot continually have actual thoughts upon our chief end yet we are to have an habitual and virtual inclination from whence all is to come that we do Even as a perfect Grammarian speaketh alwayes true Latine from the habit within him though happily he doth not actually think upon every rule in his Grammar In the next place we told you This acting and working for God in our whole life and callings is more eminently to be fulfilled in the Ministers of the Gospel The name of a Bishop is a name of labour and not honour The Ministry is Negotiorum negotium the work of all works which made Paul say Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. All the title and names they have denote diligence labour sollicitude and constant perseverance in the work of the Lord against all the cruel oppositions that the Devil and wicked men do raise against them Hence Timothy is commanded To endure hardship as a good souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. and that he may discharge this faithfully He must not entangle himself in the affairs of the world All which sheweth that in a peculiar manner they are by their Ministry to dispossess Satan of his Kingdom They are clouds to refresh the dry ground and to make it fruitfull They are salt to season those who are corrupted by sinne But you may say What qualification is requisite that both private Christians and Ministers may lay themselves wholly out in their respective wayes for God For though Paul instance here only of his own travails yet the end of this is general and belongs not onely to all Ministers but all Christians We are to do in our way what Paul did in his way We may in the Apostles consider some things as commanded them in their proper personal capacity Some things again as Ministers which belong to all Officers in the Church Some things again as commanded them under the notion of believers and what they do in such a capacity we all are to imitate them in It was not the Apostles duties only to watch and pray to take heed their hearts be not overcharged with the cares of this world to strive to enter in at the streight gate but it is every believers duty we have all the same end though not the same way What Paul aimed at by preaching by travailing from one Countrey to another the very same thing art thou to aim at in thy buying and selling in thy trading from one place to another Now amongst the several qualifications to inable us thereunto there is required 1. A renewed Nature We must be made new creatures else the first stone is not yet laid in this foundation Paul never was busie in this spiritual merchandizing for God till he was converted while some men have their lusts their god others their god others the world their god others honour and greatness their god They cannot but toil and moil go farre and near only to satisfie these spiritual Idols that they worship in their hearts Oh but when God shall make this iron to swim shall convert this earth into fire then he beginneth to improve that first Commandment and to do all things in pursuance thereof even to have no other gods but God alone 2. There is required a publick Affection whereby we preferre Gods glory and the spiritual good of others above all our particular concernments If Paul could even desire to be an Anathema for Israel's spiritual good Rom. 9. 3. How much more then would he readily part with riches honour and his own ease to have procured it When we read in prophane Histories and see how much some of their Worthies have denied their profits pleasures and lusts to promote the publick good we may admire that publick spirit God gave them yet Austin observeth truly That corrupt aims and ends did prevail in all they did How much more then may we behold the glorious work of Gods Spirit upon many Christians in this very particular of giving them publick affections that had rather with Jonah be cast into the Sea then see the Church sink wherein they are If it be our duty To lay down our lives for the brethren 1 Joh. 3. 16. is it any wonder if we do the lesse things for the good of others 3. There must be Heavenly mindednesse Cold doth congregate heterogeneal things together the Earth is an heavy element and falleth downward If therefore a man would be active and diligent for God and his Church he must be of an heavenly frame he must be able to say with David Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. As fire assimilateth all things into its self Thus doth the godly man endeavour that all his relations may be godly all his friends all the world if it could be Hence it is that every godly man because of this heavenly affection is in some measure though not equal to Paul to say 2 Cor. 11. 28 29. The care of all the Churches is upon me who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burn not It is said to be a kind of proverbial speech in the primitive times If an elect that is a believer hath sinned his neighbour hath sinned implying the great care Christians took of one anothers soul that if any did sinne they were to consider whether other mens sins were not made theirs some way or other Lastly Fervency and zeal is a choise ingredient in this precious ointment If you observe who ever did much in their places for God or his Church you will find they were alwayes men of zeal Hence Rom. 12. 11. you have those duties excellently put together Not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Every Sacrifice must have this fire that it may be offered up to God It is the sluggard that hath this field grown over with briars and thornes want of zeale maketh a man stand like an unprofitable tree that cumbreth the ground It was Paul's zeal made him do and suffer so much for the good of the Church Thus zeal also will inflame thee and make thy heart which naturally is like a cold stone within thee to burn like fire and then as Solomon speaketh in another case It is an impossible to keep in thy godlinesse as to binde up the winde or to conceal the ointment thou bearest about with thee Zeal will make thee work for God speak for God These and the like qualifications will make us put this Doctrine into daily practice viz. To improve all we are and all we have for Gods glory and the good of others Let the Use be To examine our selves in this point Is all we do in reference to God Doe we live and move to glorifie God May we not
be applyed to you how can ye have comfort if ye live in the waies of sinne doe not any thing that may chase away this comfort if we preach never such comfortable truths if thou by thy negligence and unmortified walking dost deprive thy self of consolation then know the blame lieth in thy self and not in the Ministery Thou criest give me a word of comfort how can we comfort him whom God would not have comforted SERM. CXLVII God only the Lord of our Christian Faith 2 COR. 1. 24. For by faith ye stand THis last clause saith Calvin other Interpreters either take no notice of or else do not clearly instruct about it for whereas it is plain by the causall particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is brought in as an argument of something preceding it is very difficult to finde out the reason Those Interpreters that take notice of it are divided Some do make it a reason of the words immediatly foregoing Paul was a helper of their joy because they stood firmly in the faith for although there were some who denied the resurrection yet that was not the doctrine of the Chuch in general nor was it puhlikely professed by them It is true many abuses there were in practice both civill and religious yet because they did firmly retain the true faith therefore it was that he would not wholly cast them off as no Church Their true doctrine which they professed made him the more hopeful of them and certainly the pure sound faith professed by a Church though otherwise greatly corrupted maketh it to have the essence and life of a Church and withall suggesteth hope that God in time will make them an holy practical Church as well as a sound Orthodox one Hence Paul in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians c. 3. v. 5 6 7. doth much rejoyce in their faith that they stood stedfast therein When I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith As also Timotheus brought him glad tidings of their faith And again we were comforted in our affliction by your faith and this interpretation is very probable and not to be wholly rejected But then a second is more probable and that maketh it a reason of the former part of the verse We have not dominion over your faith for by faith ye stand stedfast Insomuch that if I Paul or an Angel from heaven should preach unto you another doctrine yet you beleeve in the truth as Gods truth and not mans truth So that God alone hath the dominion over your hearts in beleeving Thus it is a very fit and proper reason Hence Heinsius thinketh there is a transposition of the words which is usuall with Paul and that they should be inserted before the later clause thus Not that we have dominion over your faith for by faith you stand Whether we reade it objectively you stand in the faith or instrumentally by faith you stand it is not much materiall Neither are we to render it in the past signification you have stood because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek as if the Apostle did imply they formerly had indeed stood in the faith though lately they grew wavering for it is usuall to use the preterperfect for the present especially when a continuance or perseverance is intended as Matth. 20 Why stand ye here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idle all the day long Both these interpretations may be conjoyned but because the latter is the most considerable Therefore I shall insist on that and observe That the Christian faith is of that nature that it doth respect and relate unto God only We believe not in men but in God Whether we speak of dogmatical or fiducial faith they cannot have any other bottome to stand upon but the authority of God himself Thus saith the Lord Thus it is written is the ground of all true Christian faith which truth deserveâ—h explication in some particular Propositions As First There is an humane and there is a divine faith which onely deserveth the name of Christian faith and to which onely the promises of God doe belong An humane faith I call that when men doe beleeve principles of Religion meerly upon humane motives that is the ultimate reason and motive into which their faith is resolved These humane motives are manifold as the Authority of the Church the Authority of Ministers and Pastors our education by parents custome and universality as also the Laws and Edicts of a Magistrate commanding such a Religion to be received and no other Now whosoever maketh this the chief reason of the profession of his faith is upon no better ground than the Turkes is for their Mahumetan the Papists for their Popish faith Insomuch that many Protestants Turkes and Papists though they exceedingly differ in the materials of Religion yet agree in the formali motivo they believe so and so because brought up in it because commanded by their Civil Magistrates It is that which the Papists upbraid us with that our Religion is but a Parliament-Religion or a Queen Elizabeths-Religion because when they established it the Land generally received it Now to this we say That no doubt the generality of people except such as are enlightned by Gods Spirit doe receive even the Christian or true Religion but upon civil and humane respects and therefore when Emperours have been Arrians the people have been Arrians when the Kings of Israel were Idolaters the inhabitants became Idolaters And thus when the Kings of the Earth have been Papists the people have been Papists also So that they cannot object any thing more against the Protestant Religion than we may against the Papist Onely we adde a further position which introduceth a divirâ—e faith which they overthrow and so by consequence teach no more than an Lumane faith For we hold That every private believer is bound to have an explicite faith of the things necessary to salvation and this faith we say is knowledge the ground whereof is the Authority and Testimony of God in the Scripture So that we doe not believe in Magistrates nor in Ministers nor in the Church trusting our faith and salvation upon them but the word of God onely whereas the Papists do expresly affirm That a private Christians faith is enough to salvation if he content himself with this That he believeth as the Church believeth never troubling himself in reading of books or searching of the Scripture As Valentia's known instance of a Merchant brought in by him disputing What Religion he should be of doth evidently declare So then a Papist as a Papist cannot reach any higher than to an humane faith For though they will not yeeld the Authority of the Church to be an humane Authority yet both reason and experience doth fully convince that But let us come to our own people and sadly bewail the ignorance and stupidity of Protestants in general who are not moved by any divine motives or Scripture-respects to imbrace
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