enlighten our minds to give us tenderness and lowliness of mind that we be not led aside with the errour of the wicked for errour and heresie will break out into enmity and make men think they do God good service while they destroy you Thirdly Then we regard Religion after a carnal manner When we make parties in it when we promote factions and divisions and such as do so are filled with much spite and malice against those that are contrary to them This is a sinne the members of the Church are prone to and nothing inclineth more to oppositions and contentions then such a frame upon mens spirits The Apostle speaketh very clearly to this 1 Cor. 3. 3. Whereas there is among you envying and strife one is for Paul another for Apollo are ye not carnal And vers 4. Again are ye not carnal So that this doth plainly discover men not to be led by divine and holy principles who are apt to foment differences who are ready to set up one Minister against another to admire the gifts and abilities of one to the contempt of others This was the great sinne of these Corinthians that as they discovered much pride and ambition in the names which they gave persons Capellus Histor A. M. 3168. sometimes delighting in words which signified power and principality as Hegemon c. Or such as denoted victory as Nicolaus c. Or such as declared glory as Polycletus c. Thus such a carnal ambition did still remain in them though made Christians setting up and admiring mens persons looking after gifts which brought applause more than grace and sanctification Now those that are thus carnally affected they do continually throw balls of fire into the Church and make it a Babylon in stead of a Jerusalem Jude speaketh vers 16. Of having mens persons in admiration because of advantage It is some carnal advantage or other that maketh them advance this and that man against others What the issue of such divisionsis appeareth Jam. 3. 14 15 16. viz. To bring in all confusion and every evil work As also he sheweth the nature and cause of this It is earthly sensual and devilish though men may judge it zeal and think they are active for Gods glory yet it 's sensual and cometh from the Devil and it is good to observe how largely the Apostle expatiateth about the sinfulnesse of the tongue That a world of evil is in it and from that exhortation Be not many Masters that is do not take upon you to be Teachers and so to reprove and censure others in a carnal and sinfull way It is this that maketh not only the tongue but the pen also to be full of gall and wormwood it maketh the pen to be an unruly evil that none can tame Take we heed then of minding Religion onely to make parties and different wayes therein for this will at last break into an open enmity against the truely godly Fourthly Then we look after Religion in a carnal way When we make use of the Doctrine thereof onely to shew our parts or learning when we earnestly contend about it as it is our opinion not as it is Gods truth For this reason the Apostle doth so frequently exhort Timothy To take heed of disputes and vain janglings 1 Tim. 1. 6. where the end of the preaching of the Gospel is said to be Charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience with faith unfeigned but from these some did swerve by turning aside unto vaine jangling Here you see that those who have not pure and unfeigned hearts in the things of God they fall into vain disputes and quarrels So 2 Tim. 6. 4. it is called Doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy railings and evil surmises And he addeth their character Supposing that gain is godlinesse Here you see that in all these disputes and controversies there is no pure heart no good conscience all is to advantage themselves by it yea if this be not discovered in any sordid or worldly manner yet if thy pride the loftiness of thy spirit be hereby advanced and thou doest not mind Religion to exercise thy self to godlinesse but to have men admire thy gifts and to wonder at thy abilities Thy heart is a corrupt heart and thou wilt manifest thy enmity against the wayes of Christ when opposed therein Thy wit thy parts thy applause thou mayest make thy great Diana and oppose all that would destroy this Goddesse Lastly That we may conclude all and leave nothing out Whosoever doth not own the Christian faith from divine principles and holy pure motives this man is but a titular and a false Christian and so cannot but when occasion serveth manifest his opposition to Christs wayes And therefore it is that as amongst the people of Israel there was an irreconcilable division between Israel and Judah and a great opposition between Davids house and Sauls though all pretending to the onely true God So it is in the Church of God though there may be an agreement in the same Doctrine in the same Profession of faith come to the same Ordinances together yet because one hath not a supernatural life of grace within hath no experimental feeling of the power of sanctification upon his soul hence it is that he hath a spirit of antipathy and contrariety to those who are indeed born of God and walk in wayes of mortification So that we may conclude Whosoever is not regenerated regardeth Religion no further than carnal and earthly respects let his pretences be never so high and plausible And therefore there is no unconverted man though he hath never so high an Office never so great repute in the Church of God but he serveth Christ for loaves some insincere and insufficient motive or other worketh upon him he hath his shrines that he liveth by And therefore as it was with that rich man who boasted He had kept all Gods Commandments from the youth when he was tryed in one instance where his heart was greatly affected viz. To part with all and follow Christ it is said He went away exceeding sorrowfull Thus when any such empty nominal Christians are put upon such duties and wayes which are contrary to their lusts they will go away not it may be exceedingly grieved but greatly enraged and disquieted This will be like the jealousie-water to discover the adulteresse To pull out their right eyes and to cut off their right hands will be like the pronouncing of Shibboleth to discover what they are And the ground of this whole truth is from the exceeding great purity and exactnesse that is in the word of God truly preached it cometh to new mould and change the whole man All old things must passe away This will not abide either a corrupt mind or a carnal heart and therefore one being contrary to the other as light to darknesse and fire to water No wonder if then the hypocrite be
in this it was a temporal Kingdome that he aimed at and the earthly advancing of himself And the third kind of hearers they did not apostatize but the love of the world and the deceiveablenesse of riches these things like weeds did grow up with the good corne It was Simon Magus his hainous transgression to desire the Holy Ghost for money And hath not this been as wickedly practised sometimes to make use of the gifts of the Holy Ghost or at least the pretence of them for earthly gaine To be religious for gaine to make a profession for earthly advantages what is this but to make use of God and his wayes for money And if you say These are base and unworthy ends indeed this is to be a Judas to sell Christ for money an Esau to sell our birthright for pottage Therefore you must know that if we could as the Peripateticks enjoyne do virtuous actions for virtues sake yet this were too low an end for a sincere Christian when men do righteous actions for the publick good when men performe religious duties meerly to please and content their consciences These that are good as proxime and secondary ends being made the ultimate do deprive the duties of their true proper sincere Christianity This is to take John Baptist for Christ or as some did to take Christ onely for some great Prophet This is to judge sincerity and godlinesse a lesse thing than it is to take a counterfeit for a precious pearl And therefore the motive of duties in Popery is wonderfully short of true spiritual ones even as their faith of true divine motives as they resolve their faith into the Authority of their Church so their religious duties into their own power and merit Whereas to be holy so as to rest in our holinesse and to make that our utmost end is to unthrone Christ and to put our graces in the room of Gods grace So that we are not onely by sincerity to overlook all earthly objects but even all duties and inherent graces joyning with Christ onely as the beloved of our souls This sincerity is that which maketh the way to Heaven so narrow This is the reason why many are called but few chosen If the external performance of duties were enough many thousands would go to Heaven more than do but sincerity is that which makes every holy duty so difficult SERM. XCII A further Discovery of the Nature and Effects of Godly Sincerity 2 COR. 1. 12. In godly sincerity GOdly Sincerity you heard did raise up the heart of a man above all low and inferiour ends fixing it upon God only Now because I have spoken much of this upon other occasions I shall briefly dispatch this subject at this time laying down several Propositions which will partly be descriptive of the nature of this sincerity and partly manifestative of what are the effects of it And First This sincerity doth comprehend an Universality in it Hypocrisie dealeth in pieces and parcels it doth many things and it omitteth many things whereas sincerity comprehendeth all the essential parts of Religion it is not defective in necessaries though it hath not perfection of degrees yet it hath of parts Therefore sincerity is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compleatnesse of all parts and limbs when a man hath every part of the body that is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lot or condition or portion to have 1 Thess 5. 23. Hence Jam. 1. 4. it is called entire that ye may be entire wanting nothing It was the fault that Christ found with the Church of Sardis Revel 3. 2. That he had not found her works perfect before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled up There were many empty hollow places and vacuities as it were wanting this grace and that duty which would have made her compleat Now there are several kinds of Universalities wherein this sincerity doth discover it self There is an universality of the Object matter about which it is exercised It maketh a man carefull to performe the greatest duties and the lesse duties It accounteth nothing little wherein the command of God is concerned that is a great God It abstaineth from great sinnes and little sinnes It accounteth no sinne little which cannot be purged away but by the blood of Christ Again it doth faithfully respect all the Commandments of God such as are terminated upon God himself or such as relate to man Paul expressed this sincerity when he called it A conscience void of offence both towards God and man Act. 24. 16. He knoweth true Religion cannot be without righteousnesse nor godly righteousnesse without the duties of Religion Furthermoee there are duties of suffering for Christ as well as of doing for him Sometimes it is farre more unpleasing to flesh and blood to suffer for Christ then to be doing for him But the sincere heart is prepared for both he doth not capitulate with Christ about what he shall be put upon Therefore it is that he is willing to take up the crosse and to follow Christ he accepteth of those duties where self-denial and self-mortification are requisite as those which may be more gratefull and acceptable unto a man Oh how much easier is it to preach these things and to hear these things then to practise them As there is an universality of the Object so also of the Subject where this is every part of the soul is sanctified There is not illumination without sanctification gifts without grace but the whole man is rightly constituted Hence we told you sincerity is not properly a grace but it 's the modification of grace every grace is to be sincere 1 Tim. 1. 5. There is a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned So that sincerity is a property and an affection of every grace it 's not repentance unlesse sincere it 's not faith except sincere Again There is an Universality of time and place A sincere man is godly in times of prosperity as well as of adversity in times of health as well as of sicknesse on the week day as well as the Sabbath And so for places Paul saith in the Text it was in the world as well as at Corinth At some times in some places and with some company to pretend onely for God this discovereth hypocrisie in the bottome Secondly Sincerity is herein remarkable That it goeth to the bottome and root of sinne It doth not onely take away the external acts and so make a smooth skinne but it giveth good vitals and inwards especially it setteth against that rotten core that is in every man viz. a deceitfull and false heart towards God and man It is knowne what the Psalmist concludeth of every man Psal 116. 11. which the Apostle maketh use of Rom. 3. 4. Every man is a lyar that is of himselfe and in his owne nature otherwise David and Paul were not lyars in delivering of this truth neither are regenerate men lyars so farre
other helps no more than he will make you understand Greek and Hebrew Know then it is a very sad and almost incurable condition when the holy Scriptures do become a snare to us when we suck poison out of these sweet herbs Although indeed we cannot from the Scripture get any hurt but our own corruptions procure it to us because we bring the Scripture to our ends and affections not them to the Scripture Thirdly To the having of a well-ordered conscience There is greatly required pure aims and intentions For although a good intention cannot sanctifile an unlawfull action yet corrupt intentions will blast and defile the best actions Insomuch that if we had the gifts and parts of the ablest men yea of Angels themselves yet sinfull aims would be like Locusts and Caterpillars to devour this hopefull fruit But oh the unsearchable hypocrisie and deceitfulness of mans heart even in this very respect How ready is every Pharisee every Heretick and Papist to appropriate this to themselves How often do we find them professing to the whole world that it is not any outward advantage any temporal emolument that they look at or regard but the glory of God and that therefore they have much rejoycing because of this But if the counterfeit will bring such peace what will the real and sincere intentions of a man do And certainly though a man be cloathed with never so much glory in the Church of God so that we are ready to say not only a greater than Austin or Chrysostome but even than Paul or Peter For some have cried up the heads of their parties as having greater gifts than the Apostles themselves Yet without sincere intentions they are but as a tinkling cymbal This therefore is the life soul and the all in a good conscience But that will come in more seasonably afterwards Fourthly To a right ordered conscience whose witness may be received and comfort taken thereby That there is required the inward sanctification and effectual renovation thereof So that till this be every mans conscience is like a man himself a meer liar There is no believing of it no trusting of it When it is said Jer. 17. That the heart of a man is deceitfully wicked or crafty and supplanting a man This comprehends conscience as well as any part else For you have heard that original sinne is in this as well as in other powers of the soul So that in these two respects the natural conscience doth alwayes fail For either it doth not witness that which is right or not to a right end Insomuch that though a natural man is not to gainsay or contradict his conscience yet nothing lieth upon him more than to have his conscience rightly informed or regulated by Gods word What is the reason you see every civil man every formal man so applauding himself in his good condition It is because his conscience is not a spiritual conscience a Scripture-conscience for that would make him abhor himself and flie out of the Sodome he was in For in most things the conscience doth not witness the truth at all but it doth flâ—tter and deceive thee How seldom doth it tell thee thou art the drunkard the hypocrite the neglecter of private duties c Or if it doth then it is to a false end either to drive to despair and to flie from Christ whose blood only can cleanse the conscience or else to quiet it again by some superstitious usages and non-instituted remedies And this is the reason why so few are brought out of the troubles of their conscience into an Evangelical and Gospel way Know then here is the root of all thy misery thy conscience being unsanctified lulleth thee asleep whereby thou rejoycest in thy condition when thou hast cause to fear and tremble SERM. LXXXVI Further Discoveries of what is required to a well-regulated Conscience with Distinctions concerning it 2 COR. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience THere remain more particulars to be insisted upon which are requisite to make a well-regulated conscience whose testimony you heard is the cause of such unspeakable comfort And First There is in a peculiar manner necessary the witnessing and sealing power of the holy Ghost to and with our consciences The illumination and sanctification of Gods Spirit is not enough to make our consciences speak fully and clearly so as to have rejoycing thereby unlesse the Spirit of God doth also bear witnesse with it Hence we have them both put together Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God And therefore you heard that Bernard understood this testimony of conscience in the Text of a Testimonium percipientis not Perhibentis but they are both included For our conscience cannot give any evidenâ—e and sure testimony of the grace inus unlesse inabled thereunto by the Spirit of God and this is called The work of Gods Spirit sealing and witnessing with our spirits The Text is very famous and greatly agitated in the controversie about the assurance of our sanctification and salvation Grotius and some others neglect the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would have it no more than simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the word is not any where so used the instances of Grotius are against him Rom. 2. 15. For Conscience there is said to bear witnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of God and so doth relate to his testimony We therefore conclude That the Spirit of God is here said to bear witnesse with our spirit only the difficulty is How this is done And 1. It is not done by any external voice and sound made in the air as Christ had when it was said This is my beloved Sonne Neither may we apprehend any immediate testimony by an extraordinary revelation as some have pleaded for but in a mediate way partly by exciting and inabling of our spirits to call God Father against that slavishness and servility which is apt to bear us down and partly by working in us those heavenly and holy qualifications by which we do certainly gather that we are the children of God Indeed the Papists make the testimony of Gods Spirit to be no more as applied to particular subjects though in it self they say it is infallible then a moral certainty by probable conjectures and signs But this is derogatory to the Spirit of God and taketh away all that Evangelical joy and holy boldness which we are allowed to have at the throue of grace This witnessing then of Gods Spirit is two wayes 1. Effectivè When it doth enable the conscience of man to cast off all legal terrors and tormenting fears and so in serenity of spirit to believe God is our Father And for this end it is called The Spirit of Adoption For alas take the conscience of the most holy man without this Spirit of Adoption How legal and timorated
is it How slavish and unbelieving Hence is it that the people of God need so many instructions and informations Hence is it that they are often in prayers and groans unutterable ere they can truly and cordially call God Father They fear him as a Judge and flie from him rather as an enemy Even as if there be never such glorious and delightfull objects to refresh the eyes with yet if a man be in the dark he cannot take any pleasure therein Thus many of Gods dear children who walk with a tender conscience who are diligent in all the wayes of holiness yet have not this testimony of conscience to comfort them it is hid from their eyes only because the Spirit of God doth not enable them thereunto Now the Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 2. 17. It is the Spirit of God whereby we know the things that we have freely received of God 2. The Spirit of God doth witness unto us Objectively as I may so call it and that is by some effects and fruits of his grace upon our hearts by which we gather as by so many sure signes that we are in the state of grace and not hypocrites But because this will come in more fully in the ensuing particulars I shall only touch upon those effects by which the testimony of our conscience is rightly guided in witnessing to us And First By having a full and serious purpose to avoid all sinne as it shall become manifested to us As David professed That he did hate every evil way Psal 119. 104. He that doth allow and indulge himself in any known sinne cannot have the testimony of this good conscience It is true as is to be shewed there is no man living though never so holy but his conscience convinceth him of much sinne and many infirmities and this maketh him so highly esteem Christ and a Gospel-righteousness but yet it doth not witness to him that he liveth in the customary acting of grosse sinnes if it doth the Spirit of God never witnesseth with such a mans conscience that he is the child of God No if thou livest quietly without the smitings and condemnations of conscience it is because it is stupid and the Devil hath deluded and hardened thee for Gods Spirit witnesseth with our conscience and by this effect that we have a tender respect to avoid all known sinne Secondly Another effect is A zeal for the glory of God to honour him to magnifie Christ and to set up his Kingdome as much as we are able The more zeal and fervency men have had for Gods honour the more powerfull testimony of a good conscience they alwayes enjoyed As we see in this Paul in his whole ministerial course with what burning zeal did he flame forth continually and on the contrary so much remisness so much negligence and lukewarmness so much is the abating of consciences testimony Thirdly An holy confidence and boldnesse in our approachings to God And of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. The Spirit of Adoption removing our fears our unbelief and dejection raising us up also with an holy confidence and humble boldness doth hereby testifie with our consciences that we are the children of God Hence the more distrustfull fears the more tormenting doubts that we groan under the weaker and more feeble is the witness of our conscience yea if those prevail and are predominant then our conscience is set against us and witnesseth against us and then the child of God is in sad desertions when his heart witnesseth against him that he is an hypocrite that he did serve the Lord without integrity For though this be false yet till Gods Spirit remove this darknesse and fill thee with an Evangelical confidence thou art not able to hold up thy head Fourthly Another effect by which Gods Spirit witnesseth with our conscience is An unfeigned love to the brethren a delight in all those that love God Where this is that thou lovest godly men for their godliness sake this demonstrateth thou art born of God and hast the same Image in thee as they have And if thy love also extend to thy enemies if thou findest that thou canst pray for them that curse thee do good to them that revile especially thou pitiest their souls and wouldst be helpfull to them in the way to Heaven though they are enraged adversaries to thee and that without cause By this frame of heart the conscience doth give a full and precious evidence Fifthly In daily and faithfull exercises of self-denial in the wayes of God doth the Spirit of God greatly assure the conscience In sufferings for Christ in enduring the losse of name liberty and liâ—e it self for Gods cause is the clearest testimony of our conscience Hence the Martyrs had so much serenity of spirit such unspeakable consolations because they found they loved Christ better than all things As they gave a testimony to the word of God called therefore Martyrs so God also gave them a testimony within whereby they did glory in tribulations and triumph over all aduersaries We see that if men suffer in false wayes if they be Martyrs for the Devil if they die for that which is highly offending God they many times glory in the comfort they have from the testimony of their conscience Now if a deluded conscience if deluded joyes can do so much what shall not the Spirit of God do sealing and confirming his love to us by our patient sufferings for him Thus when happily the world doth witness against thee wicked men they condemn thee and lay many heavy accusations against thee as the false Apostles did here concerning Paul yet this testimony with in will answer all and God doth come in with fuller evidences of his love in such passages of self denial Lastly The Spirit of God doth witness to our spirit in this blessed effect viz. When we do with delight and joy meditate think and speak about heavenly things when the Ordinances of God are matter of pleasure to us David doth often proâ—efs what delight he had in the Ordinances of God how the word of God was more precious than gold more sweet than the honey-comb Now when the heart is thus affected to holy things that they find more joy as David professeth Psal 4. in the things of God then worldly men do in their corn and wine when these increase By this excellent heavenly temper the Spirit of God witnesseth with our conscience that we are the children of God But I shall enlarge no more on this because the Doctrine of Assurance will follow upon the next words We shall now lay down some distinctions to clear this truth to you because it is plain That many times the people of God being cast down with black thoughts that cannot say with Paul The testimony of our conscience is our rejoycing And on the other side many heretical pharisaical and self-deluded persons will at least outwardly boast
convince as that it draweth out an acknowledgement when they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This distinction is to be observed for the former many times is without the later Even as the Sun is in it self most visible and yet to a blind man it doth not enlighten him so it many times falleth out that godly Ministers and godly Christians do live convincing lives so that they will be a testimony at the day of judgement against all impenitent sinners and yet the world will not acknowledge this It is plain in Christ whose life could be every way way more convincing than his What sinne could they charge upon him He was not even as the best Ministers of God are so subject to infirmities to rashnes to passions to worldliness or any other evil and yet for all that his Ministry and life did not so actually convince many of his hearers as that they did acknowledge him to be the Sonne of God the true Messias and Saviour of the world Some indeed did acknowledge him but the Pharisees and Sadduces these said He was an impostor a blasphemer and therefore they put him to death as judging him a false Prophet Thus you see that there may be a convincing life and yet for all that men will be obstinate and malicious hardening themselves against the duties required of them Now it is good to take notice of some of those causes that keep men from being convinced that such Ministers or such people walk in the wayes of the Lord and therefore we are to walk in their steps As 1. Prejudice and prepossessed principles already received whereby we stop the ear like the Adder and will not hear the voice of the best charmer and wisest Thus it was with many of the Jews they had a tradition that no good no Prophet could arise out of Galilee They expected a Messias that in a temporal pompous manner should deliver them from all external bondage and therefore they would not be convinced by any thing that Christ did or said 2. Corrupt and earthly affections when our hearts are set upon any worldly or self-interest This will keep us from being convinced though Angels should come and preach to us Thus the Pharisees they were moved by self-respects if they should yeeld to Christ their applause their gain would quickly perish And no doubt such clay as this lieth upon the eyes of many men that seeing they do not see knowing they will not be convinced 3. Mistake about the nature and way of godlinesse may keep many off from being convinced I shall instance only in two principles 1. When men do judge nothing Godlinesse but what is exactly perfect And therefore if they see Ministers or Christians subject to any infirmities this hardens them in their impieties they see such men have failings If this were a good principle no godly man in the world except Christ in whom all fulnesse did dwell had a convincing life Was there any Prophet or an Apostle that had not some failings that did not pray for the pardon of sinne If we say we have no sinne saith John in the name of the most holy we deceive our selves and have no truth in us 1 Joh. 1. 8. 2. Another false principle that keepeth from convincing is When we thinke godliness lieth in the actual abdication and renouncing of all earthly worldly things It is true in our afflictions we are to have these things as if we had them not There is to be an habitual preparation of heart to leave all when Christ shall command It is true We cannot serve God and Mammon the love of the Father and the love of the world cannot consist together but the love of God and the use and possession of these things may Now by this errour many Papists are not convinced of the holiness that is in reformed Churches Why so Oh say they you have no Monasteries you have no publick places for religious persons you have no votaries that part with their earthly substance and vow a life of poverty your Ministers marry and have children Thus the Papist is not convinced because he mistaketh about godliness and not only they but many deluded persons amongst us are offended because Ministers take maintenance provide for their families as if this were against godliness whereas the neglect of this would be to offend to God Use of Exhortation to all Ministers and private Christians to study for convincing lives The more power and conviction is therein the greater is Religion honoured the more is God glorified the easier is the conversion of others and the more is the mouth of prophane men stopped Consider not only what is lawfull but what is convincing especially take heed of such actions or a life that is the contrary scandalizing offending and causing Religion to be the worse thought of by thy means SERM. C. 'T is Perseverance that is the Crowne of Holinesse 2 COR. 1. 13. And I trust that you shall acknowledge even to the end THe Apostle having declared that he had his testimonials not onely from his own conscience but theirs also he further addeth that he trusteth this will hold and continue For it is nothing to have hopefull beginnings and afterwards to revolt from all again Blossoms without fruit will not answer Gods expectation Now this his hope is expressed in this last clause of the verse I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end To the end that is say some fully and perfectly opposite to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in part mentioned in the next verse or else as it is used several times for the end and utmost of a thing as Christ is said John 13. 1. To love his to the end And 1 Thessal 2. 16. Wrath is said to come upon the Iews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to the end as some expound it who are against the Iewes National conversion But it may be understood of the heavinesse and quality of the judgements which are inflicted upon them being so great that they cannot be more Or else it may be interpreted of that end which God hath appointed for the judgements which are to come upon them till which end be accomplished there is no possibility of escaping that wrath which is upon them When the Apostle saith He trusts they shall acknowledge to the end some understand it wholly of Paul as if his meaning was My conversation hath hitherto beene acknowledged by you to be sincere and upright and I trust in God that by his grace he will so preserve me that you shall never see otherwise by me I hope by the assistance of God always to keep up this integrity of life Others understand it of the Corinthians I hope as you doe acknowledge us so notwithstanding all the calumnies and subtil endeavours of the false Apostles to draw you away from me yet you will persevere and continue in your right judgement
them So that they were not afterwards to be converted to any common use neither might any take of the ointment that the Priest was anointed with and apply it to other matters Now this denoteth both the Dignity and Duty of all true believers The Dignity they are Gods anointed ones therefore touch them not for God will avenge their quarrel by this we are both Kings and Priests Kings spiritually conquering the world as also our owne lusts and sinnes Shalt thou who art a King over thy passions be a slave to them And then we are also Priests because we are to offer up soule and body as a Sacrifice unto God we are not to live to our selves but to him Againe here is our Duty for we being thus Gods anointed ones his consecrated ones we must not apply our selves to lusts and sinnes or defile our selves with the pitch that is in the world Shall a man with this spiritual anointing roll himselfe in the mire and vomit of sinne What pride and curiosity hath been used about ointments for smell and beauty Insomuch that the very Poet could say Male olet qui benè olet May not this shame every godly Christian to think how much vain and proud persons do regard such precious ointments that are for the body only above what thou doest for soul-ointment and the spiritual excellency thereof Secondly Oyle was used to comfort the heart of a man and beautifie the countenance Therefore Psalm 45. it is called The oile of gladnesse Hence it was that in their Feasts and Nuptial banquets they anointed themselves The oyle of gladnesse is opposed to mourning and in this sense the Spirit of God may well be compared to oyle for he is the Comforter as well as the Sanctifier And this is part of the meaning in the Text at least by way of consequent For where the Spirit of God doth witnesse and seale to the true believer that is many times accompanied with great joy and consolation Ointment and perfume rejoyce the heart saith Solomon Prov. 27. 9. How much more will those inward and effectual operations of Gods Spirit It is true joy and reall godlinesse are many times separated from one another The chariots of a godly soule many times goe heavily for want of this oyle in the wheeles Onely we are to know that there is an aptitude and fitnesse in the connexion betweene grace and consolation godlinesse and delight Pray therefore for this anointing of Gods Spirit even to fill thy heart with joy unspeakable For this will make thee like Elijah goe to Heaven in a fiery Chariot Thy duties thy performances these will have more vigour and activity in them Thirdly Oyle was used to refresh those that were weary The Jewes did use it to those who travailed by way of restauration as it were to them Thus Luke 7. 46. that woman anointed Christs feet with ointment This was done for refocillation after lassitude And thus also the Spirit of God with his gracious effects doth wonderfully exhilarate and cheer the heart after many wearisome labours and temptations The body is not so much subject to wearinesse and restlesnesse as the soule is The way to Heaven is a streight and narrow way Hence the Spirit of God is like ointment to refresh us in these laborious exercises arguments taken from the nature of the Gospel from the excellency and usefulnesse of Gods promises these doe administer much spiritual ease and content to the soul Fourthly Oyle was used to those who were wounded as being of special operation to heale their wounds Therefore Luke 10. 34. the good Samaritane tooke oyle and poured it into the wounds of that man of Jericho And now that man was but once wounded whereas the godly man receiveth many wounds several wayes sometimes through his owne carelesnesse and negligence he wounds his owne heart sadly sometimes God for special ends seemeth to wound him with the wounds of an angry one Oh then how blessed is it to have oyle poured into these bleeding wounds Yet of such suppling and mollifying efficacy is the Spirit of God to afflicted consciences for sinne And if you aske What is this oyle that is to be poured into such wounds I answer It is the balme of Gilead the oyle of the Gospel the precious promises that are in Christ The Spirit of God doth anoint the soul with this oyle and thereby the heart recovereth of those sad and deadly wounds which the Law and the guilt of sinne had made upon it Fifthly Oyntment hath its peculiar smell and fragrancy it recreateth the nostrils of others Not onely they that have the ointment but others that are in company partake of the smell thereof Therefore we reade of the Church Cantic 1. 3. Chap. 4. 10. so greatly affected with the smell of Christs ointments What is that but onely the lovelinesse and excellency in the Lord Christ which a gracious soul is so deeply affected with For this it is that the Virgins are said to love him By Virgins are meant sincere and upright persons these follow Christ because of the savour of his ointments It is not any carnal advantage or worldly respect but the meere preciousnesse that is in him as a Mediatour and as the husband of the soule that maketh the godly thus presse after him Now as it is thus with Christ so it ought to be with Christians As a man cannot hide the smell of his ointments but others will be refreshed with it so it ought to be with a Christian all his whole life should be a sweet savour and a precious odour there should be that in his conversation which should make every one that beholdeth him to be in love with him They should love to be in his company in his presence As they say of the Dove when it hath any precious ointment poured on it it maketh all the rest flocke after it Especially this should make all the godly take heed of those things that will make Religion to stinke or their persons to be vile and abominable before others Solomon saith A dead flie falling into a box of ointment will make it to stinke Eccles 10. 1. If a dead flie what then will a dead toad or a piece of a dead dogge Such carrion must needs make a man to be abhorred The very consideration that thou art anointed ought to work upon thee so farre as to do nothing that may make thee to be abhorred Sixthly Oyle was used to mollifie and soften things that were harsh and stiffe So Isaiah 10. 27. the yoke is said to be destroyed because of the anointing Thus the graces of Gods Spirit are to the soule they soften and mollifie the hardnesse of thy heart How often doth it melt thy stubborne soule and make thee kindly relent under all that subbornnesse and disobedience which thou hast shewed to God Seventhly Oyle was used to comfort and strengthen men in their limbs And therefore those who
their earthly ends It is true when the faithfull Ministers of Christ do effectually move for the purity of Ordinances and the promoting of godlinesse among their people there are those who will maliciously traduce them for carnal and selfe-seeking ends as if they proceeded wholly upon subtilty and policy but the searcher of hearts witnesseth to their sincerity and so they comfortably proceed in Christs worke maugre all opposition It 's holy prudence then not carnal policy which must manage ministerial power Secondly When we require holy prudence and meeknesse we do not hereby exclude zeal as if a man should not with much fervency and ardour of spirit set himself for the truth of God as also against the kingdome of sinne and Satan No it cannot be heavenly prudence unlesse it be accompanied with this zeale As zeale must be with knowledge and discretion so must knowledge be with zeale They must be as Castor and Pollux alwayes appearing together which was represented in the Sacrifice which was to have salt as well as fire Thus Rom. 12. We are to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord. And it is the Lord Christ who said The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up Joh. 12. 17. Here is a notable example for all godly Ministers The zeale for Gods glory is even to consume them as it were as the fat of the Sacrifice was burnt in the fire to the Lord to which some think our Saviour doth allude in that expression We are to come in the spirit of Elijah even to be carried in a fiery Chariot And truly without this zeale for God a man is but a lump of earth It is true we must distinguish holy zeale from our owne passions and cholerick distempers but that which is the pure fire of Gods Spirit kindled in our hearts as it doth greatly conduce to Gods glory so it doth exceedingly tend to our own comfort Let therefore those be magnified for wise and moderate men let them be admired as so many Angels that live in a lukewarm and neutral way they will reprove no sinne they will provoke no man to frowne upon them but alas the issue will discover their folly Oh the throbs and pangs of conscience some have had when going out of the world for this very particular because they did not with more zeale and forwardnesse appear for God And on the other side that Minister who hath with faithfull zeale according to the words direction behaved himself in his ministerial labours though great ones have frowned at him though malicious people have vexed him yet he dieth full of comfort For they that are filled with the Spirit of God by zeal in their life time are many times filled with heavenly consolations in their death Lastly This holy prudence is not to be confounded with that sinfull man-pleasing which is in many indulging men in their lusts and hardening them thereby in their impieties Though the Apostle said 1 Corinth 10. 33. That he pleased all men in all things not seeking his owne profit yet that is not to be understood in sinfull things for in that respect he saith Galat. 1. 10. If he pleased men he should not be the servant of Christ but in lawfull things he did condescend to those that were weak and would not alwayes use his own liberty which he might being strong in judgement but this doth nothing advantage such who have a flattering complying way with men in their wickednesse like those false prophets of old that daubed with untempered mortar and cryed Peace peace to him whom God hath promised no peace This is highly offending God Yet how many are admired because they have the love of wicked and ungodly men that they can keepe in with them Whereas this is not because they have large parts but a large conscience and that which some make to be a very wise man is indeed to be a man without any conscience But I must not enlarge in this In the second place therefore we are to shew Wherein this holy prudence doth consist And First In discovering our love to their persons to be the ground of all our proceedings If we reprove them it is love if we admonish them it is love if we do not admit them to the dreadfull mysteries of Christ it is love Dilige loquere quod vis saith Austin Love and then say what ye will This made the Apostle use a sacred oath at this time to shew it was his love to them and no sinfull end that made him forbear his coming so great a matter is it to be perswaded that what the Ministers of the Gospel doe though it distaste and displease us yet it is out of their conscience to God and love to us Secondly Holy prudence lieth in this when we observe the fit seasons and opportunities for exercising our power which God hath given us otherwise if unseasonably administred it may doe more hurt than good It is special prudence to time it well in this sense it is good to be a time-server as some read that passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. applying it to this sense Abigail would not speak to her husband in his drunken senslesse fit Isai 50. 4. The tongue of the learned is to speake a word in season though that be chiefly to be applied to a word of comfort yet a word of reproof in season doth more good than ten thousand unseasonably spoken Such a word so spoken is said to be like Apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25. 11. wherein is implyed both preciousnesse and excellency as also delight and refreshment A fit word is called in the Hebrew A word upon the wheeles as some thinke because of the smoothnesse and readinesse of it to enter into the hearts of others Some render it A word with its two faces as looking on both sides which is the property of prudence and the next verse following sheweth how happy it is when a wise reproof and an obedient ear meet together such an obedient ear is more comely and glorious than any ear-jewel As then the Bee doth not every day but in fit seasons gather its honey so doth a prudent Minister of the Gospel Thus Solomon Eccles 12. 9 10. Because the preacher was wise he sought out acceptable words Some trees that blossome last are yet said to have their fruit first which sheweth that it is not the first or sudden speaking but the most opportune that doth the greatest good especially in reproof this is most necessary because it is said Genus quoddam Martyrii est c. It is a kinde of Martyrdome to take a reproof patiently Thirdly Our prudence is seene when we discerne of sinnes not judging little and great alike To excommunicate for lesser faults is saith Gerson To strike off a flie from a mans fore-head with a beetle The remedy is more dangerous than the disease They were grosse sinnes that the Apostle