make Christs fear of death only natural and say therefore he was more sadly affected with it than any of the Prophets or Martyrs because of the exquisite and tender constitution of his body do greatly derogate from that work of mediation for us and satisfaction which was done by his blood to the justice of God From these examples you see that though grace can subdue sinne conquer lusts overcome the Devil yet it cannot totally take away the anxiety and fear of death which is altogether natural though the sinfulness of it may be mortified But to this it may be objected How could Paul be so sollicitous about death when Phil. 1. 23. he saith He had a desire to depart and to be with Christ Yea he did not know what to choose whether life or death He was in a straight betwixt two a desire to be with Christ and a desire to live that he might be serviceable to the Church That this may be answered it is good to take more exact notice of that place for it is an admirable demonstration of the gracious frame of Paul's heart lest the Philippians should think that he desired their prayers for himself now in bonds for the Gospel as being too inordinately affected to the desire of life he sheweth what a blessed frame of heart he had obtained unto even that if it were put to his choice whether he should live or die he should be straightned what to do The desire to be with Christ on one side did so affect him and the desire of the Churches good by his labours on the other side did so much work upon him where we may observe that his desire to depart was not because he had troubles and calamities here it was not because of the miseries and afflictions he met with but want of love to Christ That I may be with Christ saith he he doth not say that I may have glory that I may reign in Heaven but be with Christ Christs presence maketh Heaven to be Heaven Though Paul in this life was in Christ yet he was not with Christ Further he doth not say meerly I desire but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having a desire it was a constant setled permanent desire in him and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cut the rope as it were and to set fail to Heaven to return to him from whom he had his spiritual being The Apostle then did not only desire to be with Christ but he judged it the farre better condition for him Therefore we must distinguish of a two-fold desire there is a Natural Desire and an Elicite Desire A Natural Desire is that which floweth from the meer principles of Nature desiring to preserve it self and this Paul could not but have as he was a man Even as our Saviour told Peter He should be bound and should be carried whether he would not Joh. 21. 18. that is according to his natural will otherwise according to his will as sanctified did with readiness and joy go to the place of his Martyrdom An Elicite Desire is that which a man putteth forth according to the principles of reason and grace so that we may desire one thing with a natural desire another thing with an elicite A man that hath a putrified arm doth with a natural desire will to continue his arm still in his body but with an elicite desire following reason so he willeth to cut it off And thus Paul did with an elicite desire so he willed Heaven and being with Christ rather than to continue in the flesh To amplifie this Consider First That death is not according to mans creation at first he was not made mortal or corruptible But as the sentence of God doth witness In the day Adam did eat of the forbidden fruit he fell into a dying condition It is true The Question is of a large dispute Whether Adam was made immortal or no The Papists say he was made mortal and the Socinians they do more frowardly oppose this truth affirming Adam would have died though there had not been any eating of the forbidden fruit So that with them actual death was necessary before Adams sinne only it became a punishment after But Rom. 5. the Apostle at large sheweth That by one mans sinne death came into the world And Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death Death then being wholly against the natural institution At first Adam had an implanted love of his life in him And although his estate was so blessed that there could not be place for any fear yet had he been capable of losing his life his love to it would have made him afraid of being deprived of it This then is the great mystery that the natural wise men of the world were ignorant of Death they would not deny they called it The tribute of Nature which all must pay only they did not know the cause of it they understood not how it came to seâ—se upon all mankind Secondly Seeing that death is thus connatural and the effect of sinne and the Devil Hence it is that which maketh Death farre more terrible than otherwise it would be is sinne Whatsoever bitterness and gall is in death it doth chiefly come from sinne 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sinne So many sinnes as thou committest thou puttest so many stings into death to make it more dreadfull Could a man die and have not any sinne laid to his charge though it would be pain yet it would not be terrour When Aristotle calleth death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The terrible of terribles He speaketh of death as now it is Now in death as ordinarily men die there is not a bare apprehension of the dissolution of soul and body but there is the guilt of sinne likewise interposing whereby a dying man is usually terrified with the thoughts of what he hath done and in Christians what will become of them when they are dead Animula blandula quae nunc abibis in loca Die I dare not live I cannot and thus his soul is miserably in agonies and grievous tormenting fears and all because sinne is the sting of death Oh it were easie to die were it not for sinne for hell for judgement were it not for conscience accusing and condemning But this is it which maketh the thoughts of it so grievous and terrible Therefore in the third place The Lord Christ came into the world to destroy and remove this sting of death To change the nature of death that it should not be matter of terror but of joy and comfort being like Joseph's Chariot to carry us to the place of our hope and desire Thus we have the Apostle insulting over death 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. Death is swallowed up in victory Death doth not swallow the godly man but he doth swallow that up O death where is thy sting Thanks be to God which giveth us victory by our Lord Jesus Christ Were it not then for
the ordinary Officers are in Christs stead and are to be received as from God for they have as true a Call though not as immediate As Adam's sonne was as truly a man though in an ordinary way as Adam who was immediately made by God Hence Eph. 4. 11. Christ is said to set in his Church Pastors as well as Apostles This is necessarily to be observed because that we are apt to despise that Office which hath not an immediate Call Secondly It was required to the Apostles to be the first builders and planters of Churches Therefore they were called the salt of the earth because by them God did wonderfully season the world They were the light because the world was in darkness before they were raised up So that although Christ himself be properly the foundation and all Churches are built on him as a Rock yet the Scripture saith We are built upon the Apostles Likewise Ephes 2. 20. Jesus Christ being the corner stone So Revel 21. 14. The twelve Apostles are the iwelve foundations Hence Divines usually distinguish between Fundamentum fundans and fundatum The Apostles they are a foundation but yet need another foundation which is the Lord Christ Besides it 's the Doctrine of the Apostles and not their persons which the Church is built upon onely they were next to Christ the first founders and builders of the Christian Church Hence we read that Paul had the Apostleship for the Gentiles and Peter for the Jews Gal. 2. 8. And in this sense Cameron hath a singular opinion of that place so much vexed by Interpreters viz. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church he understands it of Peter and that he was the secondary Rock Christ being the chiefest upon which the Jewish Church was built for by his Ministry they were converted But this is capable of several Objections Thirdly It was requisite to the Apostles that they should be eye-witnesses of what Christ did and suffered that so their testimony might be the more undoubted And therefore even the Apostle Paul though converted after Christs death and resurrection yet acknowledgeth that Christ was seen of him also but for the other Apostles they were present with Christ And therefore the Apostle John 1 Epist 1. 1. begins his Epistle thus That which we have seen and felt This eye-witness and familiar conversation also with Christ is mentioned Acts 10. 41. God shewed Christ not to all the people but unto witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did both eat and drink with him And this is that which confirmeth the History some of them relate for they were present in the acting of those things they record and their faithfulness and honesty is abundantly testified otherwise So that although we did not see and behold what Christ did and his miracles with our own eyes yet those Apostles did who are without all suspicion Fourthly The Apostles were universal Officers they were not limitted or fixed to particular Churches as the Pastors were but the whole Church of God was their flock Therefore they are called the light of the world and the salt of the earth not Judea only And thus the Apostle professed He had care over all the Churches Therefore you see to how many Churches he directs his Epistles and although Paul makes his Apostleship for the Gentiles and Peter for the Jews yet that was either by consent or else though they did principally attend to these yet they did also declare the Gospel to others as it is plain in Cornelius his case that Peter did preach to the Gentiles Fifthly They were indowed with the Spirit of God in an infallible manner so that while they were on earth they were a kind of visible infallible Judges Whatsoever person or Churches did resort to them for the determining of any case of Conscience they could decide infallibly Therefore the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. though he saith in the point of marriage that it was he and not the Lord yet that is he had not express command from the Lord otherwise he was infallibly directed in that resolution by the Spirit of God And howsoever it be disputed When this Spirit of infallibity was bestowed on them As also Whether they could grow in knowledge or no For it is plain at their first mission they were not freed from Doctrinal Errours as about Christs temporal Kingdom their doubt of the Resurrection and ignorance about preaching to the Jews Yet it 's most probable the Apostles had this bestowed on them in a more large manner at the Pentecost and Paul at his conversion As for that fault charged on Peter Gal. 1. that he did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was not an errour in judgement but in fact For although the Apostles were preserved from errours this priviledge being for the gathering of Churches at first yet in respect of practice they might and did erre thereby needing alwayes forgiveness of sins Only for Doctrine they could not because on them that is their Doctrine the Church is said tobe built Sixthly They were likewise endowed with miraculous gifts so that they abounded in all wisdome and knowledge as also in all tongues For God calling them to such an Universal Office he would not fail in bestowing of them those necessary means that did conduce thereunto Not that it was necessary they should be endowed with the knowledge of the Mathematicks or such other Arts but with what was conducible to that end Now miracles they were necessary because they preached that Doctrine which was wholly new to the world and could not be demonstrated by Reason therefore miracles were required to confirm it Seventhly They were the chiefest and highest Officers in the Church They were the Starres of the first magnitude these were next to Christ himself and yet though in so exalted and glorious an Office there was one Devil amongst them Judas the Apostate So that none have cause to boast in any Church-priviledges Those that are called here beatissimi and sanctissimi by their Office may be misrrrimi in hell Eighthly They were all equal in respect of Power and Authority Our Saviour said equally to them all Whose sins ye remit they shall be remitted Peter hath no supremacy over the rest They might differ in gifts graces and labour or work for God and love from Christ as John was beloved above all but in respect of Authority none was superiour to others Ninthly They were temporary Officers and therefore did cease with the persons Even as Miracles so Apostles were onely for the first planting of the Church so that they have no successours in their Office Hence it 's high arrogancy for the Pope to call his the Apostolical Sea Tenthly Though extraordinary Officers yet they did contain what was inferiour Hence Peter cals himself a fellow elder and John in his two last Epistles styles himself the elder not the Apostle so that the
ordinary Pastours succeed the Apostles in what they had as ordinary viz. to preach the Word and dispense the Sacraments Lastly Though thus admirably qualified yet they did not convert all before them But many resisted their Doctrine many grew enemies and opposite to them Insomuch that all but John were put to violent deaths It 's then no wonder if ordinary Pastors do not reform a whole Congregation if they be hated and opposed for can they expect to be better than the Apostles Do not then think with your selves if we had such as the Apostles to preach to us immediately called of God and that could confirme their Doctrine by miracles then we would presently submit This is but deceit and hypocrisie And certainly though the Apostles be taken from us yet we have their Doctrine Paul speaketh by his Epistles to us still We need not with Austin wish to hear Paul preaching SERM. V. The Divine Call of Church-Officers is clearly to be knowne and faithfully to be improved What advantages will follow upon a true Call both to the Officers themselves and the People 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ c. VVE have considered Paul under the second adjunct attributed to him viz. his Apostleship Paul an Apostle whereupon we treated on the Office of the Apostles We proceed to a second Observation For whereas Paul doth therefore mention his Call to that glorious Office thereby to be received with greater reverence and authority as also to encourage himself against those false Apostles who used their utmost endeavour to bring him into reproach with the Corinthians We may thence observe this That it is of great consequence both to the Ministers of God and the people to be fully informed of that Divine Call which the Officers of the Church have towards them That they who preach may be able to say We come in the Name of the Lord to you It is not we that have obtruded our selves but God that hath invested us with this Office over you And they also who hear may say We esteem of you as the stewards of God we receive you as Embassadors from the Lord to us To pursue this first Consider that there are many large disputes both in old and later writers about the Call of Church-officers As the truth it self is subject to many difficulties So the perverse disputes of men have made it more intricate and intangled onely this we may observe That the several parties which are in Religion that hold any Ministry or such an Office at all and that by Divine Institution for some deny such an Institution they still monopolize and appropriate the Call to themselves with them onely is the true Church with them only are the true Officers of the Church And no doubt that way of Religion which can say with them only is the true Call and the true Church-officers and the right administration of Ordinances doth infinitely excell all other waies For Gods promise and success doth accompany only his own Officers and his own Ordinances As the people of God will not hear a stranger but flee from him so neither will God go along with such strangers It 's only to his Apostles and their Successours that he promiseth to be with to the end of the world Therefore that Church who can upon just grounds say that with us are the true Officers with us are Christs institutions punctually observed no doubt but with them is Christ present and with them is the Kingdom of Heaven This was the great advantage Abijah pleaded in his Remonstrance against Jeroboam who had devised a new Ministry and a new worship 2 Chron. 13. 9 10 11. Where he pleads That in Jerusalem was the true succession of Priests and there was the charge of God kept and that therefore God himself was with them To have therefore a true Call is of so great concernment that all pretend to it The Papist chargeth the Protestant That their Ministers have no true Call The Protestant returneth the same charge to them The Brownist he saith neither Papist nor Protestant have true Calls Yea and the Protestants themselves because of their different opinions in Church-Government have also different opinions about the Call of Church-officers So that it being of such consequence no wonder if the Devil keep up this controveesie as much as may be in the Church especially if he pursue this designe to make the world believe That the faithfull Ministers of God have no true Call for this is to strike at the very root of all Hence it is also That in the several ages of the Church there have been false Prophets and false Apostles Yea our Saviour Mat. 26. saith There will be also false Christs and the Apostle saith The Devil transformeth himself into an angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. But my intent is not at this time to dispute the Nature of a Ministers Call and how you may discern it from false Calls when you may conclude the Minister you live under hath a true Call For all this will be more properly handled towards the the end of this Epistle when the Apostle is compelled to plead his Call against those that questioned it In the second place It 's not enough to plead a Call and that a true one unless there be also a faithfull improving of it unless the Office be executed according to the institution of it Paul doth not glory in the meer Title and Office of an Apostleship but supposeth also his faithfull dispensation of it Yea he was so carefull herein that he professeth He knew nothing by himself viz. of negligent and ill administration in this Office 1 Cor. 4. 2. Yea he saith That he kept his body lest while he preached to others he himself should become a reprobate 1 Cor. 9. 27. Judas was an Apostle yet he had little cause to boast in that Office seeing he was a Devil at the same time Grant therefore that some may make it clear that they have a Call from God yet if they are not faithfull and diligent therein the greater will be their condemnation be Suppose the Pope could prove which yet he can never do that he doth succeed Peter and that in Universal Jurisdiction yet if he did not succeed likewise Peter in his Doctrine in his diligence and life he were inexcusable and well did the Painter draw Peter with too red a colour as blushing at the enormities of his Successours So that two things go to make a compleat Officer in the Church his Divine Call and his faithfull administration thereof and this later is necessary because without diligence therein he cannot expect that promise and assistance of God which otherwise would be communicated unto him These things premised let us consider what are the great practical concernments which will follow those who have a true Call of God And First For the Officers themselves there are these encouragements 1.
He may justly expect Gods assisting of him with such qualifications of zeal and courage as are necessary to that work Thus the Apostle speaking of all the Ministers of the Gospel saith We have not received the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. It 's God that giveth us such a spirit where God calleth to an Office there he giveth suitable assistance For as it is with the general Call of Christians because God calleth them to holiness therefore he furnisheth every one with grace without which happiness cannot be enjoyed So it is in peculiar special Offices if in civil he gives Saul another spirit and much more in holy functions Hence he Isaiah's lips with a coal of fire from the altar Though Jeremiah pleaded he was a child yet God promised to enable him And when Moses did again and again excuse his inability to the Office God put upon him The wrath of God was kindled against him Exod. 4. 11. saying Who hath made mans mouth who maketh the dumb or deaf c Have not I the Lord If then God calleth he can give wisdom mouth and spirit such as none shall be able to withstand Oh then what a comfortable support is here When thou art dejected under the thoughts of thy insufficiency and weakness thinking thou shalt fail under the burden and prove a reproach to the Office Yet because God hath called thee thou mayest imbolden thy self thou mayest say Lord I cam not hither of my own will I am not in this place and Office by my own seeking but all is of thy will and ordering and therefore do thou own thy own servant Though I am weak thou art not who is the Father of Spirits but thou alone Therefore under all imperfections do thou runne unto God who hath set thee in that Office 2. As he may expect assistance so also Protection and Defence in all the dangers they are assaulted with For it cannot be but he that is called of God if he do the work of God zealously and impartially but he will raise up many enemies and find great opposition in his work Now as our Saviour told his Disciples of their danger That they should be haled before Rulers thrown into prisons and cast out of Synagogues yet he bids them Take no thought what they should say viz. not in a sinfull distrustfull manner because at that very time it should be given them what to speak Mark 13. 11. He doth not forbid a lawfull premeditating but that which is accompanied with slavish worldly fears and humane distrust as if the Spirit of God would not be ready to assist Doth not Paul reckon up the several dangers that he was every day in insomuch that his safety was every day miraculous Yet God delivered him out of all He prayed to be delivered from absurd and unreasonable men and God heard him Thus Jeremiah likewise he did undertake a very difficult Province he was to deal with Scorpions and tygers yet Jer. 1. 17 18 19. God bids him Not be dismayed at their faces for he had made him a defenced City an iron pillar and a brazen wall c. They might fight against him but never prevail This then is a blessed reviving when in the midst of all thy assaults all the troubles thou dost conflict with this man reproacheth thee that man revileth thee thou canst appeal to God O Lord Is not all this because I do the work commanded Is not all this because thou hast sent me and because I am an Embassadour in thy Name Certainly if David did so severely avenge himself upon the Ammonites for the injury done to his Embassadours No lesse wiâ—l God reward those who despise those he sends And therefore it 's one of the great wonders in the world That Christ hath maintained a Ministry in his Church for so many hundred years when all the malice and policy that could be devised hath been imployed to overthrow it Yea God hath in most ages still stirred up some with admirable zeal and courage to withstand the deluge of corruptions that were in those daies and though many have been violently put to death yet some have been wonderfully protected as John the Evangelist Athanasius and Luther 3. They may expect wonderfull success and fruitfulness in their labour For seeing God hath sent them and they come in his Name their labour shall not be in vain The Apostles though few were made salt enough to season the whole world At one Sermon Peter converted three thousand Rom. 15. 19. Paul tels us The Gospel did spread it self by his preaching yea some of Caesars own houshold became converts Thus doth the Lord wonderfully cooperate with his own instruments insomuch that Divines have a Rule Qualis vocatio talis successus yet this must be wisely understood for as in the Scripture many precious godly women went barren and had the reproach of not bearing children as Sarah and Hannah So many eminent servants of God though called by him and owned as it were by name yet have not had such success in converting of souls as others had Yea Christ himself did not convert so many as the Apostles Isa 49. 2. Christ speaks notably to this of this protection by God yet the little success he had So that it 's the Scriptures complaint of stretching out the hands in vain all the day long to a gain-saying people Therefore we are to distinguish of people for they are either such as never had the Word of God preached to them or such who though enjoying of it for many years yet have so universally apostatized that a Reformation is like a new plantation of the Gospel Now to such a people as these commonly the Word hath been successefull and multitudes have been caught in the Net of the Gospel Commonly at such seasons there hath been a preparedness made for the Gospel to run and to be glorified Thus you see the Romans Corinthians and many Heathenish places were converted from their Idols to serve the living God Thus also among the Jews when Christ came as a reformer to that apostate people he saith That the harvest was great but the labourers were few Luk. 10. 2. There were more to be converted but no instruments to do it and therefore he bids them Pray unto God to send labourers into his harvest As with ground new broken up there the labourer hath the greater hopes But in the second place There are a people that have long lived under the means of grace and have often resisted the Spirit of God in the Ministry Now for the most part there is very little conversion wrought on such Not but that Gods arm is as strong as ever and the Word is as powerfull an instrument and God doth approve of his Officers only the unworthiness and unprofitableness of the people have deserved that God should give them up to spiritual judgements and that no
writeth to them as if all were Gentiles as Chap. 12. 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away to dumb Idols c. Hence the same Author saith That it was one Church collected of all the believers in that place Licet esse potuerint in eadem civitate distinctae ut it a dicam parochiae As for the notion of a learned man That the Jewish believers and Gentile believers did make two distinct Churches and had two distinct Bishops which he thinketh would salve some seeming contradictions in Ecclesiastical History that being of an heterogeneous nature to my purpose I passe it by Thus also the Church of Jerusalem is called a Church which yet by many probable Arguments seemeth to be more than one Neither may we think that Christ hath invested one single Congregation ordinarily with all Church power For that president and example of a Councel or Synod mentioned Act. 15. doth inform That there are to be Synods not only by way of advice but by power and that over particular Churches We proceed to the next thing considerable in this description of the Church and that is the efficient Cause the Church of God This distinguisheth the Church from all civil and meer political Assemblies For though the Earth be the Lords and the fulness thereof yet the Church is the Lords in a more peculiar and appropriated manner Sometimes the Church is named absolutely without any addition as when Paul is said to persecute the Church Sometimes it 's restrained to the place Thus the Church of Ephesus the Church of Laodicea but most commonly it is the Church of God or the Church of Christ Sometimes both are put together as 1 Thes 1. 1. To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in Jesus Christ So also 2 Thess 1. 1. And certainly if so be the Apostle considering us meerly as creatures maketh use of and sanctifieth that of the Poet For we are his off-spring how much more is it true of us as members of a Church Observe That a Church is Gods people in a more peculiar and special manner Though he be the God of the world yet in a more special manner he is a God of his Church The consideration of this truth may tend much to our spiritual edification For if we are of God how much should it humble us to see any thing amongst us that is of sin or the Devil Is ignorance or prophaneness of God so are humane superstitions of God But to open this let us consider what is implied in this when a Church is said to be the Church of God First therefore this sheweth That a Church is a supernatural Society it 's spiritual company of men So that a Church is not like a civil Corporation or like Kingdoms and Commonwealths which are by meer humane Institution and agreement though Magistracy it self it be of God but are supernatural and therefore it 's called the Kingdom of Heaven and Jerusalem which is from above so the Church is called Gal. 4. 26. even while it is here on Earth before it is triumphant in Heaven Now the Church is a supernatural Society many wayes in which respect it may be called the Church of God in a more eminent manner For in respect of its Efficient so God alone is the author of it called therefore Ecclesia because God by his Word calls them from their Heathenish Idolatries and practises making of them a Church Thus the people of Corinth when they were securely indulging themselves in all manner of impieties having no thoughts or desires to be a Church God by Paul calls them to be one Even as God by his breath caused the dry bones to gather together and to live or as at the day of Judgment God by the voice of an Arch-angel will raise the dead in the grave who have no life or sense in them Thus it 's the Lord that made Churches every where in the preaching of the Gospel It was the gracious work of God that found us out in Britain and made a Church to himself so that we are loca inaccessa to the grace of God and his Spirit though to humane power It is true indeed God is the God of the world he created Heaven and Earth with all therein yet though God did thus immediately create the world at first we do not say the creatures therein are Gods grace or that they have a supernatural being For it 's not enough to make a thing grace or supernatural that God doth immediately create it but that his power be in a peculiar and extraordinary manner and that for supernatural effects and ends Oh therefore how greatly should we be affected with the grace and power of God in creating to himself a Church out of the world He might have no more made a Church here or there in the Earth then he did in Hell and he that at first planted a curious Garden and put man therein is much more wonderfull in making of a Church to himself yet how bruitish and earthly are we We can bless God for the world and the comforts thereof that the Earth brings forth food for us that we have the Air to breath in the glorious Sunne to be a daily light to us yet we are not thus affected with Church-mercies and Church-ordinances David indeed upon the former consideration cried out Lord what is man that thou art thus mindfull of him c But we may much rather from these supernatural respects Secondly It 's supernatural in respect of the purchase given for them the price paid to make them the Lords For you must know upon Adams fall all mankind was excommunicated unchurched as it were and therefore cast out from Paradise and Gods gracious presence and hence it is that we are said naturally to be without God yea the Devil is said to be the god of the world Thus untill God makes us a Church we are under the power of Satan wholly and therefore to be cast out of the Church is to be delivered to Satan Thus then being fallen off from the Lord and now become the Devils in whom he reigneth we could not be purchased from this thraldom but by the death of Christ and therefore we are called the Church of Christ as well as of God because though conquered by Gods Spirit yet we are bought by his bloud and this the Apostle urgeth That therefore we are none of our own but are to live to him We are to be his peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 15. Thus it cost more to be Gods Church then to be the world at first for he spake and it was made but here Christ died and so it was purchased What a powerfull ingagement is this for all of a Church to walk holily What did Christ die that you should wallow in the filth of your sins What will you deny the Lord that bought you If thou wilt be ignorant and prophane
the rage of the fire so that the very garments did not so much as smell of any burning Thus the presence of Christ hach so wonderfully ravished and refreshed the heart of an afficted afflicted Saint that he hath almost forgot his affliction and discovereth not the least soil from it 3. Another Scripture discovery for comfort is to presse and command the life of faith upon Gods promise So that whatsoever the principles of the world and sense do suggest yet faith rectifieth all That finds honey to come out of a dead Lion that can suck honey from a bitter herb when fleshly wisdom and humane reason can go no further yet even then faith can gather sure and firm arguments of comfort David in that great distresse at Ziklag yet is said to encourage himself in his God Paul maketh this the ground of a Christians magnanimity support and joy uuder all tribulations Heb. 11. 1. Because faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Gods thoughts and our thoughts are wholly different only faith inableth us to know the mind of God and where flesh is ready to say God is casting off and utterly forsaking there faith seeth him drawing near The Disciples in a tempest thought they had seen a Spirit and were affrighted but it was Christ The promise of God and faith applying it do bear up the soul and make it rejoyce in troubles Heb. 6. 18. we have there Gods promise and Gods oath also to confirm it and therefore saith the Apostle We have those two immutable things that we might have strong consolation See there because of Gods promise and that confirmed by an Oath We have a consolation and a strong consolation Strong because the ground of it is strong Gods Word so that it is stronger than mountains it is stronger than Heaven and earth Every creature shall fall to the ground rather than the promise not be made good to thee Again it is a strong consolation because neither the Devils nor his instruments shall be able to overcome it Though therefore thy enemies be strong enemies though thy troubles are strong troubles yet remember here is a strong consolation death it self cannot deprive thee of it if then we walk by faith and not by sense if we live upon these brests of consolation as the Infant doth surely we may then swallow down even deadly and poisonous things yet they shall not do any hurt Because the promise is the same thy heart would alwayes be the fame as the Law is written in thy heart in respect of obedience so let the promise in respect of faith Faith from the Word doth shew carnal reason all the mistakes and false principles it proceedeth upon discovering light in darknesse love in afflictions and life even in death it self Lastly For these bunches of grapes may serve to acquaint you what the Land is eternal glory to be possessed after the troubles vexations and exercises here is able to make the heart to be exceeding glad under all our troubles Thus the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. We faint not for this light affliction worketh for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory and this is by looking not on the things that are seen but the things that are not seen At another time the godly are commanded to lift up their heads when the day of judgment draweth nigh because their redemption is at hand And 1 Thess 4. 18. after a discourse of our Lords coming and that the godly shall be ever with him they are enjoyned To comfort one another with these things that incomprehensible glory which is provided for us to receive after our sufferings here makes the heart rejoyce while it is in the valley of tears this Haven after our storms this rest after our troubles this Crown after our warfare is that which reviveth the soul and makes it a Naomi while it is a Marah SERM. XL. How God may be said to comfort his children in all their Tribulations though many of them may live very disconsolate 2 COR. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation WE were discussing this third particular in the Text but that one main doubt may present it self the discussing whereof is very usefull in a practical way It is this Seeing Paul speaketh thus generally God comforteth us in all our tribulations doth not this necessarily infer that all the children of God in all straits are full of comfort And if this be so either we must condemn many who in all appearance are the dear children of God for hypocrites and unsound because they have no comfort Yea all divine means have been used and yet they cannot be comforted or else we must question the truth of this Scripture This Text saith God comforteth his in all their tribulations Experience telleth us That many of Gods children are sadly disconsolate or else if their want of comfort be an argument they do not belong to God we shall then passe an uncharitable censure upon those who are every way to be accounted of as precious Saints and that of the first magnitude Let us therefore remove this stumbling block out of the way And First It cannot be denied but that it may be the case not only of a godly person but even an whole Church to be without all comfort that nothing but sorrow and trouble do even devour them all the day long See this true in Jeremiahs Lamentations Chap. 1. 2. Chap. 2. 20 21. The Church there sits in mourning with tears on her cheeks and she hath none to comfort her neither God or man And for a particular person what is clearer than Job whose soul was as full of spiritual botches and sores by sad thoughts as his body was of corporal ones Job 17. 13. When I said my bed shall comfort thou skarest me with dreams c. Job not in his bed a place of rest nor in the night a time of rest can be freed from terrors and fears yea Chap. 9. 27. when he said I will leave off my heavinesse I will comfort my self when he set himself with all holy endeavours to cast off this viper of sorrow yet they did rather increase upon him Yea when he himself cannot remove those mountains of his heart it may be his godly friends may and indeed such spiritual Physicians God doth sometimes blesse for that end But Chap. 21. 34. he telleth them They comfort him in vain none then can deny but there was a time at least when God did not comfort Job in his tribulations We read also of Heman Psal 88. 15. who complaineth That he was distracted with the terrors of the Lord from his youth up he complaineth Gods wrath lay hard upon him that God did afflict him with all his ways yea he prayed he cried and God did hide his face from him So that in all the Psalms there is not a word of comfort no nor of hope or of confidence
own two waies First God hath promised that to him which hath that is which useth and exerciseth his talent more shall be given The more these breasts give suck the more will milk abound Thou maiest therefore look upon Gods promise and expect that while thou art warming others spiritual heat will be encreased in thy own self And Secondly The exercising of graces doth inwardly corroberate and strengthen the principle of grace The moro thou puttest forth thy graces to stirre up others the more delight and joy wilt thou find in using of them Therefore be as the Olive-tree and the Fig-tree of thy fatnesse and sweetnesse enlivening and cherishing of others who stand in need of thee These things promised let us consider some of the choice Particulars wherein we may not only bring good to our own souls but to others also First That spiritual humiliation and brokennesse of heart which thou hast found may be very powerfull to perswade others of the bitternesse of sinne Say with meltings of thy soul to them Oh if thou hadst known if thou hadst ever felt what God hath made me feel what wonderfull changes would be in thee immediately Those sinnes which are honey would presently be as gall Thus it was with David Psal 51. when he could recover from his broken bones when he could enjoy the face of God which was hid from him Then I will teach transgressors thy waies Then his heart could not hold any longer He that had sound how bitter a thing it was to provoke God by sinne would perswade others also of it Thus Christ he bids Peter when he was converted to confirm his Brother To use his own experience to help him So that you see even the very sorrow and grief God hath put thee into let it be a reall Sermon to others Our Saviour made it an aggravation of the Jews wickednesse that if one should rise from the dead they would not believe And certainly if others will not believe thee who art as it were come out of hell who hast been in the depths of Gods displeasure their hearts must needs be much hardned Oh then make use of what God hath made thee feel to be a furtherance to others As Paul Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 11. He knew the terrour of the Lord experimentally when he was stricken to the ground in a Vision and found the power of God so wonderfully upon him in making of him another man Secondly The knowledge and true faith which God hath given thee do thou make use of it to direct and preserve others This knowledge and sound mind in Religion is not indeed essentially accompanied with holinesse A man may be very Orthodox be sound in the Faith as Hymeneus and Philetus were a while yet afterwards made shipwrack of all But yet it is a special gift of Gods Spirit to be led into the truth and although to have a sound mind only be not enough to godlinesse yet godlinesse cannot be without a sound mind in some measure or other Every godly man is built upon the true foundation though there may be some hay and stubble which though it shall not damn him because not fundamental heresies yet shall make his salvation the more difficult He shall be saved so as by fire If then God hath preserved thee in the truth and that in times when many fall on thy righthand and on thy left hand having this soul plague and infection upon them let it be thy greater care to reduce such Let them have thy light thy helps and knowledge Put thy light upon the candlestick and not under a bushel Consider that place James 5. 19 20. If any do erre from the truth and one convert him let him know he shall save a soul from death So that you see the salvation or damnation of another is interested in thy improving of sounds knowledge to inform such Howsoever the Apostle Rom. 14. in a particular case about things indifferent adviseth saying Hast thou faith have it to thy self Yet take heed of doing so in fundamental and essential truths of God Do not there have faith to thy self but endeavour that all may be seasoned with the same sound knowledge Even a private Christian though he is not to usurpe the Office of a Teacher yet he hath his proper sphere wherein he may move to propagate the true knowledge of Christ This knowledge then is a talent and expect that God will have an account of the improving of it Say as of comfort in the text so of sound knowledge and truth The Spirit of God hath directed us into the truth that we may also be able to guide others Thirdly Those temptations and assaults which the children of God have are not only for themselves but for others also That they may be able to direct and guide others groaning under the like temptations It is true God worketh a great good for his own people by these fiery darts of Satan 2 Cor. 12. Paul had those buffettings of Satan that he might not be puffed up with those wonderfull revelations he enjoyed There is no such way to keep the gracious soul humble and lowly in its own self as these affrights from the devil Even as vizors and such horrid representations 〈◊〉 are children and make them runne home to their Parents so also do these buffettings of Satan and tumults raised by him drive us out of our selves make us highly to prize Christ and his righteousnesse Yea though these temptations be very irksome and into â—â—rable in themselves yet commonly none are such choice spiritual and eminent Christians as those who have been in these combates As dung though noisome in it self yet it maketh the field fruitfull and full of beauty thus do these temptations of Satan to a godly heart But yet this is not all By these the Lord intends them to be admirably usefull to others Alas how many poor afflicted souls especially new beginners new Converts have their trembling hearts suggest to them Who was ever tempted as thou art Can any be the Son of God and have such horrid and vile injections in his soul as thou hast What is this but the beginning of hell in thee Is not damnation already begun upon thee Now for a troubled soul in these whirlepooles to meet with such who are able to say They have been thus and thus these are no new temptations but what hath usually befallen the godly Is not such an one called out by God to pour oyl into such wounds Doth not God plainly speak Therefore hast thou been buffetted tempted and exercised that such bruised and wounded souls may receive comfort from thee Hence it is that Christ himself would be tempted that he might be able to succour those that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. Thus by our temptations we are not only to learn many things but also to teach others But of this more in the second Doctrine
Christ though I have no comfort at all it is not my ease so much as thy glory I look at This will greatly indear thee to God Fifthly God may deny thee comfort to inform thee how much thou art beholding to Christ He suffered for thee and that without comfort He was willing to be deprived of it that so he might accomplish thy Redemption Now as Christ would be tempted like us so God will have us tempted like Christ that we might be the more thankfull to him Certainly all the paines on his body all the disgrace and reproach he went under was not equall to his being without comfort yet this he indured for thee Lastly Conclude on this That if comfort were absolutely necessary for thee at this time thou shouldst have it Rom. 8. How can he not but give us all other things who hath given us Christ Is comfort equall to Christ SERM. L. The Saints Sufferings are for the Churches good 2 COR. 1. 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation which is effectual in the induring the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation THis Verse is acknowledged by many Learned Expositors to be very difficult not so much from the matter for that is easie as from the grammatical disposition of the words there being several conjectures and divers adventures about the transposing of them In most of the Latin Copies there are three members in the disjunction whereas the Greek hath but two after this manner Whether we be afflicted whether we be comforted and whether we exhort But according to the Greek word which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this would make a tautology therefore no doubt this was inserted in the Latin Copies by some not diligently attending to what they did Then as for the Greek Chrysostome doth transpose the words otherwise then we do putting off the second member of the disjunction viz. Whether we be comforted c. to the next Verse Knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings c. and then reduceth all the rest to the former part Some also blame Erasmus for adding in the Original it is Whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation which way our Translators also render And indeed the sense would runne well enough without it relating to those words Our hope of you is stedfast But this is not material for the sense is still the same Not therefore to trouble you with these grammatical difficulties seeing the scope and meaning of the Apostle is evident which is That whatsoever did befall him in his ministerial Office it was for their good and therefore they were to be so farre from being discouraged at his sufferings or to despise him for them as the false Apostles laboured to make them do that they ought rather to honour him and they themselves to be more animated in their sufferings for Christ And in this the Apostle doth so overflow with words that Erasmus absurdly giveth this prophane censure Intempestivae copiae affectatio as if he could teach the Spirit of God how to speak But no wonder at this presumption of his seeing in his Epistle to Barbirius purging himself from being a Lutheran much more from holding every thing that Luther wrote he addeth he would not be so addicted to Austin or Hierome vix etiam ipsi Paulo scarce even to Paul himself Whether this vix would preserve him from blasphemy let others judge But come we to the first member in this distribution wherein we have the condition supposed the consequent and effect of it with the amplification thereof I shall begin with the condition supposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether we be afflicted squeezed or pressed for the word signifieth such afflictions as are like the â—â—ail to the corn that doth bruise it The end of this in the general is for the good of the Church more particularly for their consolation and salvation From whence Observe That the afflictions and sufferings we indure for Christ do not only turn to our own good but to the good of Gods Church That they are for our own good hath been partly spoken to Yea every dispensation of God to those that fear him is a benefit and an advantage For if it be a mercy it is bonum Dei consolantis if an affliction it is bonum Dei admonentis as Austin But I am now to speak of the diffusive good by afflictions in respect of others That sufferings for Christ are of publique edification to the Church appeareth by two or three notable texts concerning what Paul speaketh of himself Phil. 1. 12. I would ye should understand that the things which hapned to me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel I would ye should understand It is a truth that Believers should possesse themselves with For indeed it is a ridle that out of this strong one should come honey that out of darknesse should arise light from death come life The not understanding of this hath made so many Apostates thinking that the Kingdom of Christ and his waies would never hold because all the power of the world conspire to oppresse it but the Apostle would have them know that persecutions do not hinder but further the Gospel The treading and trampling on this Camomile makes it thrive the better Another remarkable text is 2 Tim. 2. 10. where the Apostle having shewed that though they did cast him into bonds yet the Word of God could not be bound no more then a man as Chrysostome observeth that cutteth off a branch from the tree can cut off the Sun-beams also from the Sun that may shine upon that branch he addeth that he doth indure all things for the elects sake that they may obtain salvation Oh wonderfull expression you might think Paul goeth too high these words become Christ rather Who can say this but Christ He suffereth for the elects sake that they may have salvation But Paul speaks this only as a Minister not a Mediatour as is more particularly to be urged His scope is to shew that it is not for any sinnes of his own any wickednesse that he hath committed but it is for the good of the Church that he thus suffereth So that Paul doth not only propagate the Gospel by preaching but by suffering when he cannot preach he doth most preach when his person is bound in chains then the Gospel is more enlarged As Herod by cutting off John Baptists head did in effect make John's tongue more speak and witness against him The last instance is Col. 1. 24. which place is the more famous because abused by the Papists to uphold a treasure or overplus in the sufferings of the Saints that they suffer more than they deserve and therefore the overplus is to be dispensed by Papal authority for the relief of such who want merits And here cometh in their doctrine
sake The Romans boast of many such virtuous persons amongst them and for patient enduring of bitter torments what expressions do the Stoicks delight in They make all Philosophy to be in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sustine and abstine Now although by their rules they would teach a man to bear afflictions yet this is but a splendid sinne It 's from Christ onely we can be strengthned to such things And Paul Phil. 4. 12. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am instructed as in a secret mystery to know how to abound and how to suffer need Wonder not then if you read of what fortitude and patience even to admiration Heathens have excelled in who yet were not strengthned by Christ for vain-glory and corrupt aims may make men contemn their lives yea and the Devil many times filleth such with boldness and presumption as we see in blasphemous Hereticks who have shewed great confidence in their death For as the Devil when he possessed the bodies of some persons filled them with more strength than naturally they had so that they have been able to break iron chains in pieces thus when he filleth the hearts of men by Gods just judgement with impudency and mad undaunted boldness they will willingly adventure any danger whatsoever The Devil hurrieth such into danger yea death it self as he did the swine into the sea Use of Instruction to all that fear God to humble themselves under every trouble God brings upon them to go out of themselves to acknowledge Gods strength onely Say O Lord if I had no more power than my own there is no cross I could bear I am such a bruised reed that I could not stand under any tribulation Therefore I cast my burden upon thee thou canst make me bear it though of my self I cannot urge God When thou feelest thy infirmities with that gracious promise Isai 40. 30 31. All shall lose their strength rather than the people of God What hath God given thee strength to love him to believe in him and hast thou no strength to suffer afflictions Be strong in the power of the Lord Ephes 6. 10. SERM. LXIV The natural fear of Death is not taken away by Grace What are the Uses of it 2 COR. 1. 8. Insomuch that we despaired even of life THis last clause in the Text is a further Aggravation of the greatness of this trouble which came upon him in Asia and it is from the Event or Consequent It was so great that he could not escape death The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath an emphasis in the Preposition and so is more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that doth properly signifie When a man is indeed doubting and full of debates within himself not well concluding what to do Joh. 13. 22. Gal. 4. 20. but when this Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added it denoteth such a perplexing that a man cannot any way evade out of it Therefore the Apostle you would think speaketh the contrary to this passage as we shewed he did seemingly to the former For 2 Cor. 4. 8. there the Apostle doth expresly say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used only there and in my Text. It may seem then a contradiction for the Apostle here to say He was without all help or means and there to say The godly never are But the answer is easie For when in the Text Paul saith He was without all help or means he meaneth natural and visible There was no outward way to help him Not but that God might deliver him in a way he did not see or apprehend and so indeed God did deliver him as appeareth afterwards Therefore when in that fourth Chapter he saith The godly are never so destitute as to be without help he meaneth so as to have neither divine or humane help Even as in the same place Paul saith of the godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are not distressed yet 2 Cor. 6. 4. he saith He was in necessities in distresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 2 Cor. 12. 10. The word thus explained the summe of his meaning is That this trouble was so great that it brought him into such a straight that in respect of any humane help there was a necessity of his death and this fear of death did much afflict and assault the spirit of Paul Some render the word taederet so that Paul was even weary of his life as if he desired to die his trouble was so great Some with our Translators We despaired of life But Beza doth willingly abstain from that word therefore that which doth most express the significancy of the word is such a perplexity and doubting in his mind about his life that he could not see any wayes to escape he was like Jonah in the Whales belly out of which there was no visible way to be delivered So that the word implieth these two things 1. That Paul was very anxious about his life and was afraid of death 2. That flesh and blood did conclude there was no help for him because outwardly there did not appear any From whence we may observe this Doctrine That Grace though it be never so lively and active yet doth not remove the natural fear of death Grace doth not destroy nature This holy Apostle who is so confident of the love of God and can triumph in all distresses is yet afraid of death is yet very solicitous about the preserving of his life There is a natural fear of death because there is implanted in a man a desire of self-preservation so that to be without it would be a sinne And then there is a sinfull fear of death which ariseth from sinne or tendeth to sinne Now the grace of God doth at least in some measure conquer the latter but it cannot overcome the former Hence Jacob for fear of death we see him in a great straight upon his meeting with his brother Esau greatly praying to God to turn the heart of his brother and also studying to mollifie his spirit with presents he sent to him David likewise was very sollicitous in the preservation of his life when Saul did so bitterly pursue him Yea Hezekiah though he had the testimony of a good conscience and could appeal even to God That he had served him with an upright heart and in truth yet when the Prophet Isaiah declared to him that he must die it is said He wept sore Isa 28. 2 3. and at the ninth verse we have a description of the bitterness of his soul under those fears Yea the Lord Christ himself In whom was found no sinne yet we find him greatly affected with the fear of death And although he had a peculiar reason because he tasted of death for our sake and so did therein bare our sinnes conflicting with the wrath of God due to us yet there was included in this a natural fear of death They that
Christ what would become of a poor humbled sinner What terrour would compasse him about This powerfull effect of Christs death for death overcometh death is notably spoken of Heb. 2. 14. That through death he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage A learned man Cocceius understands this of the Jewes especially who because of those many Ceremonial Lawes they were in bondage to were in continual fear of death because the transgressing of many of those Lawes God made capital they were to die for it hence they could not be but in constant fear of death But it seemeth more genuine to interpret more largely as an effect of Christs death to believing Gentiles as well as to the Jewes It is from Christ only that the terrible thoughts of death can be mitigated otherwise to a man not in Christ it is the beginning of hell But in the fourth place Though to the godly thus death is changed in its Nature The Serpent hath its sting taken out Moses need not runne from it it is only turned into a rod of a fatherly chastisement yet Nature cannot but tremble at the approaches of it The heart of that man who is most heavenly though he would gladly be in Canaan yet he is not willing to passe through this wildernesse to it he would be cloathed with immortality but is unwilling to put off this garment of the body We would be happy but we would not die As children cry for a new garment to have it on and yet cry while it is putting on so greatly is the love of life and the fear of death engraffed in the very heart of a man And so farre as this fear of death is only natural not immoderate it is of great use For First Hereby men do more patiently abide under their afflictions As long as it is not death they do the more willingly bear it Lament 3. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain If a man be greatly punished for his sinnes yet if God keep him alive he hath cause to be more patient Thus Satan thought Job 2. 4. Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will give for life Therefore he would have Job tryed in that Fear then of death is a mercy because hereby men may the more readily sit down under other afflictions that are not so bad as death When therefore men come to such high discontents as Ahitophel because his counsel was neglected or such despairing terrours of conscience as Judas did that they choose to die yea to make away them selves This as it is an heavy temptation and desertion from God so it argueth that by the fear of death men do patiently abide under their distresses but when they care not for this they voluntarily throw themselves into the flame of hell Secondly The natural fear of death is of great use in this respect That it doth keep men from the committing of many sinnes which otherwise they would securely offend in Hence God appointed in the Law the punishment of death for many sinnes And Rom. 13. the Apostle biddeth him that doth evil be afraid of the powers Because they bear not the sword in vain It is therefore the fear of death that maketh men keep within bounds of righteousnesse and honesty It is not the fear of God nor the fear of hell nor the fear of sinne it self but a bodily corporal death that restraineth men from sinne So that if men come to that height of obstinacy as not to fear death they are prepared for any impiety Vitam qui contempsit suam tuae Dominus est When the Devil would perswade Eve to sinne he telleth her She shall not die he giveth her hopes of life Thirdly The natural fear of death is thus farre advantagious That it maketh a man more thankefull for the mercies of his life for his food and raiment which go to the preservation of his life Therefore a godly man doth make advantage of this fear of death to stirre up himself to all thankfulnesse to look up unto God as knowing That in him onely we live move and have our being It is also from this fear of death that the godly are more quickned to improve the day of grace to be working while it is called to day Those that had made a Couenant with death they grew desperate Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die whereas rather to have concluded Let us pray mourn rnd repent lest to morrow we die If therefore the godly are at any time greatly dejected with the fear of death the thoughts of it are a great temptation they sadly complain that they cannot conquer those slavish thoughts the memory of death is bitter to them they cannot take any joy when they think of it Let them among other things remember to turne this water into wine by faith Let them make an advantage of this natural infirmity Doest thou fear to die Then be more thankfull to God for the dayes and years he hath given thee in this world Doest thou fear to die Oh then be fruitfull live holily make a good use of thy health that so when death shall come it may be only death thou shalt grapple with not death and sin also death and the anger of God with it Death enough is terrible do not thou make it fuller of horrour Fifthly This natural fear of death is very difficultly kept from being a sinfull fear It is very hard to regulate and order it aright so that in some respect or other it doth not go beyond its bounds It 's hard so to fear and not to over-fear Even the most godly have found this fear of death to be a great snare to them They have not done the good they should have done because of this fear They have gone against conscience wounded their spirits because of fear Abraham though he was the Father of the faithfull yet did use sinfull equivocation with Abimelech about Sarah from which many sad evils might have been committed and all was this sinfull fear of death Though a godly man be allowed to have a natural fear of death yet he must take heed of a sinfull fear This hath brought many into such grievous sinnes that the fear of their consciences about Gods anger about hell and damnation have quite swallowed up the fears of death at last the greater fear hath devoured the lesse To whom are woes and wounds of conscience by apostasie and forsaking of Christ but to those who have too excessively been afraid of death As we see in Peter and many others Our next work therefore is to shew when the natural fear of death goeth beyond its bounds and becometh sinfull SERM. LXV Of the natural and sinfull fear of Death How to discern between them and from whence the sinfulness of that fear proceedeth 2 COâ— 1. 8. So that we despaired even of life THis last aggravating
us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us THe Apostle having formerly discovered his humane feares and diffidence under that great trouble which came upon him in Asia doth now recollect himself and revive out of his swoonings The Sunne that was in an Eclipse doth now begin to shine forth in glorious lustre He had informed us that the end of that heavy tribulattion was That he should not trust in himself but in God And now in this verse we see this blessed effect took place in him For by the experience of Gods mercy to him at this time he is encouraged to trust in God for the future he hath doth and will deliver One favour from God is a pledge of more to come In this verse then we see Paul got above and conquering that weaknesse and imbecillity which he found in himself and acknowledging the goodnesse of God and his power to him Paul found God able to raise the dead by what he had done to him in his particular In the Text then we may take notice of 1. Paul's solemn acknowledgement of the goodness and power of God to him in delivering of him And 2. His Encouragement from thence to trust in God for the future In the former part we have his celebration of Gods goodnesse to him and this he aggravateth from the hopelesnesse and desperatenesse of his estate which he calleth a Death not a sicknesse but a death Yea Chrysostome observeth That he doth not say Who hath delivered us from such dangers but such death to shew the extremity Chrysostome reads it in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deaths but the general Copy is otherwise Now Paul doth not onely call it death but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such death The word is used in the New Testament about three times besides in this place and it is alwayes applied to the great aggravation of a thing so as we are to admire it as if the like had never been heard of Thus Revel 16. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such an Earthquake as never had been before James Chap. 3. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are ships very great And Hebr. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so great salvation then which there cannot be a greater The Apostle therefore in using this word doth intend to aggravate the goodnesse of God towards him to leave out no circumstance that may not heighten the mercy It is not enough with him to take notice of the mercy but the aggravation of his mercy and this maketh his heart seven times hotter as it were in praising of God than otherwise it would be From whence observe That the children of God do not onely acknowledge the mercy of God to them but they also consider of every circumstance that may make the mercy appear greater They will take up every crumme and the fragments as it were that Gods miraculous power may be more demonstrated They doe not content themselves with a beholding of the mercy in the bulke but they weigh every particular ingredient and so of one mercy make many mercies That as the godly in their humiliation for sinne thinke it not enough to humble themselves in the general but they endeavour to bring to minde every circumstance that may aggravate it and so make themselves more abominable and loathsome in their own eyes Thus they do also in matter of thanksgiving They doe not take the mercy in the grosse but they looke through it and about it to espie out every particular that may be like a coale of fire in their bosomes Thus we have the thankfull Psalmist Psal 136. severing every particular mercy of God to Israel by it self and then addeth For his mercy endureth for ever Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for ever Og King of Basan for his mercy endureth for ever He reckoneth them up one and by one though he might have satisfied himself with that expression vers 24. Who hath redeemed us from all our enemies But a gracious heart dare not rob God of his glory in any one benefit that he hath from him For if he must say with Jacob He is lesse than the least of his mercies It is not for him to passe it by for every little mercy is farre above his deserts to him belongeth all the curses of the Law whatsoever is not hell and damnation cometh from the meer bounty of God But let us illustrate this truth in the particulars shewing wherein the people of God use to make their aggravation And First The children of God use to enlarge their thoughts in praises of God from the low weak and impotent condition they of themselves were in Now the more the disease is found out to be desperate and incurable the greater is the art and skill of the Physician Thus Psal 136. 23. Who remembred us in our low estate The blackest Eclipse makes the Sunnes light when recovering more glorious The lower and weaker in thy self the more is God thereby acknowledged So Psal 34. 6. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him This aggravateth the mercy of God that though a very Lazar yet God would not despise him So Psal 142. 3. When my Spirit was overwhelmed within me then thou knewest my path Nothing is more ordinary then such passages in the Psalmes to aggravate the goodnesse of God towards the godly from the lownesse and the impotency they were in Oh if God had not come in at that time I had utterly perished How many low conditions have many of Gods people been in sometimes in respect of their outward sometimes in respect of their inward yet God hath delivered them from those whales bellies Your affections to praise God will be very cold and dull till you possesse your soules with this thought Oh how low was it with me Little did others know how it fared with me One step further would have cast me into utter horrour and then when I could bear no longer God supported me Many Psalmes may the chilren of God make as it were I was in such a sad temptation but God rescued me For his mercy endureth for ever I was in such an outward streight and the Lord made a way to escape For his mercy endureth for ever Thus the thoughts of thy low condition will greatly advance the help of God vouchsafed to thee Secondly The people of God doe aggravate the mercy of God not onely from the greatnesse of the danger they were in but also their sinfulnesse their unworthinesse that ever God should cast an eye of pity on them and this they doe whether in temporal or spiritual mercies And truly this is an excellent way to enlarge the heart in blessing of God when we shall consider how unworthy we are we that deserved cursing to meet with blessing See this humble frame in David 1 Chron. 17. 16. when
assemble themselves together You see even in the Apostles dayes the Devil tempted some in this kind yet they are reproved though private Christians in those dayes had greater gifts and abilities then now ordinarily men have yea they are reproved though some think the cause was not voluntary but that it was fear of danger and persecution It was criminal to meet together and therefore fear of death and other miseries might make some forbear to assemble themselves yet for all this they are censured by the Apostle Let this then be laid to heart by thee look that no reason keep thee from this publick worship of God but what God himself will allow of For in some cases God hath condescended that his own worship shall rather be omitted then mens necessities not supplied Secondly As God is more honoured so hereby The love and charity of the people of God is greatly quickened to one another This publick and holy meeting together is a special means to enflame the affections of one believer to another Hence you have it so often noted That the Disciples met together with one accord and they had one heart And therefore diversities of opinions and alienation of affections do cause commonly a publick rent and division in Church-societies David doth with affection expresse the advantage of the publick Ordinances We went to the house of the Lord and we took sweet counsel together Psal 55. 14. This is the visible communion of the Saints wherein as members of the same body they are so firmly and nearly compacted together There is nothing that the Devil doth so much design as rents schismes and differences in the Church of God knowing that these if not healed will certainly destroy all at last Now a right and orderly meeting in these publick Assemblies are a special means to preserve love How shall those mouths speak against one another that joyned together to pray to God and to praise God You that called upon one Father as Brethren How shall ye disagree as if one had not the same God and the same Father with another Therefore our Saviour directs to say Our Father not my Father hereby commanding our publick meetings together and also our union and brotherly love Thirdly Therefore are these publick duties to be the more prized Because of Gods special presence and power there Mat. 18. You have a peculiar promise for two or three meeting together in Christs name even as by way of type God had promised his peculiar presence in the Temple And for this reason you have David with such ardent and passionate affections expressing his esteem of the Ordinances of God Psal 63. 1 2. My soul thirsteth and my flesh longeth as in a dry land where no water is to see thy power And at another time How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts And As the Hart panteth after the brooks so doth his soul after God in the Ordinances Though David when he was banished and by force could not come to the publick Congregation no doubt did enjoy God in a most comfortable and full manner yet still he is not satisfied but breaths for his presence in those Ordinances And therefore for thee to think that thou mayest meet God as well at home is as if a cripple should have looked to be healed by going into some other water then that of the pool of Bethesda Lastly These publick Ordinances are therefore to be highly esteemed Because those who are quickened and enlivened may prevail for those who are indisposed and unfit for prayer So that the coldnesse and dulnesse of one man may be supplied by the zeal and fervency of another Insomuch that happily the prayer which if performed by thy own self would not be successefull being now joyned with others doth obtain its desired effect yea it may be in that publick service when thou through temptations canst or darest not pray for thy self others accompanying of thee do put up thy own thoughts and speak the desires of thy own heart So that thou art even astonished to see how God ordereth the gracious gifts of others to be helpfull unto thee As it was with Job his whole body though full of ulcers and pains yet because his mouth was free that could plead with God in behalf of the whole body Thus it may be when many are gathered together that Christian who could not speak for it self which could not pray for it self findeth the hearts and mouths of others opened in his behalf So that as when many coals are laid together some live ones may revive those that are ready to decay Thus the zeale of others may helpe thy coldnesse The life of others may quicken thee up against deadnesse and thou find that spiritual heat come upon thee from others which thou wouldst not have had alone Use of Exhortation To prize these publick Assemblies more than thou hast done Pray for such strong and earnest affections as thou findest David manifesting after them Oh let these publick meetings raise up thy heart as if thou were in Heaven The beholding of the faces of the affections and of the graces of others let it assimilate thee also into them As when Saul came among the Prophets the spirit of prophecy fell upon him likewise Oh let the Congregation of those who feare God worke upon thee also Be in these Assemblies as Peter on the Mount of transfiguration saying in an holy excesse of spirit It is good to be here What high expressions are those of David in reference to the solemne Ordinances Psal 65. 4. Blessed is the man thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts we shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple Here is sweetnesse and fullnesse that the people of God find in these publick approaches All the merry meetings all the fairs and markets are nothing to this spiritual society And Psalm 84. 10. A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand otherwhere Hence he had rather be a door-keeper in the house of God then dwell in the tents of wickednesse Oh heavenly and gracious frame A Sabbath day is better than all the dayes of the week he hath more rejoycing there then a thousand dayes can afford that are spent in worldly affaires But when these publick duties are thus advanced as you hear you must alwayes look that they be done holily spiritually fervently that they be not turned into a meer custome and external fashion as it too often falleth out in Church-assemblies their bodies are present but their souls are absent and therefore they have no more than the carkasse and out-side Such prayers and praises God will not accept The third and last particular is to be spoken to in a word and that is In whose behalf these publick prayers and praises are and that is said In our behalfe Some Copies have read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is spoken oppositely to the willing of things according to the Principles of Godliness revealed in the Word or as in other places to the Spirit for to walk in the flesh and to walk in the Spirit Rom. 8. are made immediately opposite to one another Now this Phrase According to the flesh hath a Threefold signification in Scripture First it signifyeth That which is done according to the meer humane nature without any corruption Thus Christ is said Rom. 1. 3. to be born of the seed of David according to the flesh That Opposition doth evidently demonstrate against Socinians that there is another nature in him which is his Godhead so 1 Pet. 3. 18. he is said to be put to death in the flesh 2. This Expression doth sometimes singnifie The External Priviledges whether civil or Ecclesiastical and the glorious Respects that may accompany them Thus the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 16. We know no man after the flesh no not Christ himself That is We do not attend to any External or sensible Considerations that may be had from Christ but our hearts are wholly carryed out in a way of believing on him even as our Saviour saith Luke 8. 21. My Mother and my brethren are they which hear the word of God and do it Thus some are said to glory and to have confidence in the flesh which Paul renounceth Phil. 3. 4. and that was in the Priviledges of the Church of Israel So that any external thing in Religion though it be vouchsafed as a Priviledg by God yet it is but flesh in respect of the gracious works of Gods Spirit Thus there is a Jew and Circumcision in the flesh and a Jew and Circumcision in the Spirit which is good to be observed for of too many mens Religion may you apply that which is spoken in another case it is flesh and not spirit This we are to press much upon you that in prayer in Ordinances in all approaches to God you be a spiritual people not carnal resting upon Externals only 3. This Expression according to the flesh is most frequently for a corrupt Principle within us according to which we direct and order our course Thus flesh in the Scripture signifieth the whole man as it is corrupt comprehending in it not onely the Sensitive and inferior part of a man but his Rational also hence Col. 2. 18. We have a fleshly minde and Gal 5. Idolatries Heresies which are in the minde are said to be the fruit of the flesh It is true Ephes 2. 3. there seemeth to be a Distinction because it is said fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde but even there the minde is flesh and the meaning of the Apostle is to distinguish of sinnes some whereof arise from the Sensitive Appetite as Drunkenness Uncleanness others from the Understanding as desire of Vain-glory Idolatry Heresie c. all which are the flesh in a large comprehension Now in this sense the Apostle taketh it here He did not purpose according to the flesh that is according to corrupt and sinfull Principles within him but in all such things was guided by the Spirit of God determining upon those things wherein he might most promote Gods honour and the Churches good We see this Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 3. speaking very affectionately in this point against those Corinthians who accused him as walking according to the flesh which he denyeth saying That though he walk in the flesh yet he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after it he did not use carnal weapons such as humane wisdome exâ—… worth and greatness with carnall Policy to destroy what opposed it self against the Gospel From the Words thus explained Observe That a purposing and walking according to sinfull Carnal Principles must needs make a man very instable and mutable The Apostle in this defence doth plainly suppose that this is an ordinary cause to make men inconstant in all their wayes hope of getting and fear of losing doth cause a continual ebbing and flowing in our affections where 〈◊〉 have not one immoveable Principle fixed and settled to walk by there must be frequent variations for new lusts do beget new actions and the creature being driven up and down with uncertainties so they must be that adhere thereunto A man cannot stand steadfastly upon a round running bowl or upon slippery ice and such are all the Creatures Insomuch that he that would be as is said of Christ The same yesterday and to day and for ever must take the word of God for his Rule which is unchangeable invariable and abideth for ever To discover this Truth more fully let us instance in some particulars of the Principles of flesh which all by nature according to their reipective temptations are prone to follow And first Earthly Profit and Worldy advantages are a sweet bait of the flesh which allure many Insomuch that they resolve and purpose upon no other thing than what is accommodated thereunto and therefore are pro and contra for and against even as this Principle of earthly Profit doth move them These make the world their God Mammon their God and as the Godly submitteth all his Purposes and Resolutions to Gods will this he intendeth if God will this he supposeth to do if God permit so doth a man inflamed to this carnal Principle of Profit order all things with subordination thereunto this he will do if his Profit require it This he will do if his Profit command it the Papacy of Rome may notoriously be charged with this Principle of flesh in all their designes which are only to advance the Popes Crown and to nourish the Moncks bellies The Apostle speaketh of some who accounted gain godliness 2 Tim. 6. 5. Such ought to be so odious to us that the Apostle commands us to turn away from them The same Apostle at another time doth even with weeping speak of others who minde earthly things Phil. 3. 19. Wonder not then if those who walke by this Principle of the flesh they will get profit and wealth though they lose God Heaven and their own soules that they those soules as well as their bodies seem to be of the dust if they are driven away as the dust before every winde having no consistency atall Did not this desire of profit make Judas turn such an Apostate of a Disciple of Christ to be a perfidious Traytor Did not the Love of this present world make Demas to forsake Paul So that you see all those must necessarily be unconstant in Religion who have no better Principle to move them than eartly Respects and Advantages These are like Esau called therefore a prophane Person Heb. 12. 16. because for a morsel of meat he sold his Birthright This argueth a man to be prophane when he hath an higher esteem of Mony of Riches and Wealth than of Religious things Oh say rather Let mony perish than my soul perish let wealth and profit
affirme things to be so and so There are also Promissory lyes whereby we doe promise to doe such and such things but afterwards breake these engagements And the Apostles speech may relate to both these kinds of lies and both these are sinnes against the second Table either when we affirme any thing falsly or perfidiously breake our promises For seeing words are instituted to signifie our sense and minde to others if we abuse them to other ends we doe hereby destroy the end of speech and so as much as lieth in us overthrow all humane commerce and society But in a Promissory lye there is a further aggravation of the sinne because hereby the rules of justice are broken for by promise another man cometh to have a right to the thing promised The Corinthians in this Text had a right to Paul's presence when he had promised them Now where grace is in a man that doth so sanctifie him that he taketh heed of every way of lying whether in words or promises It is true Aristotle speaketh of this verity as a moral vertue And there are some who have as it were a natural justice their words are as good as oaths their promises are as good as bonds and bils Some Heathens have been famous for such a truth in their conversation but yet godlinesse maketh a man keep from lying and falshood upon other grounds then such natural just men which is good to be observed because many are so apt to build the comfort of their souls upon it For 1. Such natural true men they are so onely from the Principles of a natural conscience not from the principles of sanctification within them If you ask them Why they doe it or observe the ground you shall see it is onely because the light of Nature instructeth them herein And although this be commendable yet it is not enough to make it godlinesse in them for what is done in a godly manner ariseth from a principle of godlinesse which is the new nature within a man So that it is one thing to abhorre lying from a meer natural conscience and another thing to do so from a supernatural light within them 2. You may observe a difference in the motive The godly man dareth not lie because God forbiddeth because it 's a sinne that he abominateth whereas the natural true man never minds the Scripture it is not from the word of God that he doth it but because it is a laudable thing amongst men They will greatly praise such a man that is so constant It 's the glory of men they look at not the command of God 3. That such men are true and just but not from a godly principle is plaine Because they doe not receive all other holy duties The same God that hath commanded thee not to lie not to deal falsely hath also commanded thee not to be drunk he hath commanded thee to sanctifie the Sabbath to keep up Family-duties to love those that are godly and to delight in such whereas many times none are more bitter enemies to the power of godlinesse and the beauties of holinesse then such natural just and true men Oh therefore that such would not stay in that Thou doest well that thy words are sure that thy speeches and actions are just but doe not stay here doe not thinke thou hast enough for Heaven For though you doe all these yet if you delight not in godlinesse if you love not those that are holy men if you cannot abide this strictnesse and precisenesse in religious duties know that thou art but half a Christian yet there are duties of the first Table as well as the second and how greatly mayest thou charge thy soul with such sins didst thou not put thy trust and hope in thy true and just dealings Thirdly Divines do usually speak of a three-fold kind of lying There is a pernicious lie a sporting lie and an officious lie 1. A pernicious lie is when we speak that which is false to the hurt and damage of another 2. A sporting lie is when we do in merriment affirm things that are false only to please and delight 3. An officious lie or mendacium misericors as some call it a mercifull lie is when we tell a lie but it is for the good of another to save him out of danger or death such was Rahab's lie and the lie of the Midwives For though God rewarded them for the maine yet it doth not follow he allowed their lie but pardoned it It is disputed by some Whether this be a sinne or no And Luther is so farre from making it a sinne that he speaketh of it as a duty in Genes And Musculus also alloweth of it Yea Comment in Johan cap. 8. he hath this strange division Mendaciorum quaedam fuit licita bona quaedam excusabilia quaedam levia quaedam vitiosa quaedam diabolica But certainly though sporting and officious lies are not so great sinnes as pernicious yet they are all intrinsecally evil and so cannot be made good for any advantage of the world To lie that thou mayest deliver a man from death is not lawfull because of the Apostles Rule We must not doe evil that good may come thereof Rom. 3. 8. Even as adultery and fornication may not be committed under any pretence whatsoever no not by a woman to save the life of her husband of which case some speak of So it is also with a lie being a sinne intrinsecally and of its own nature and therefore can never be made good Hence it is that it is forbidden without any limitation to this lie rather than another Levit. 19. 11. even as stealing and dealing falsly are Therefore Cassianus is of opinion That it is lawfull to use a lie as we doe Hellebore to depell some grievous danger and that the Patriarchs for this end did sometimes use lies is wholly to be exploded Plato was first the authour of this opinion That Magistrates might use Mendacio ut medicamento from whom Origen and his followers were infected in this point But as we heard every lie is of its own nature a sinne because as the Schoolmen say It 's Actus cadens supra indebitam materiam For words are naturally the signe of our meaning and to use them otherwise is unnatural And this should make us be the more wary in our ordinary sporting discourses For how few do attend to this sinfulnesse of the tongue herein But if of every idle word a man shall give an account then much more of every lying word though it may seem no such great matter to us It is certaine the Martyrs thought no such lies lawfull no though thereby they might have escaped cruel torments Yea they are blotted with ignominy in Antiquity who either by favour or money would accept of a Certificate or Testimonial that they had sacrificed at the Altar when indeed they had not and thereby preserving themselves But what gain is this to save a
object matter into spiritual and temporal Spiritual are such as concern the welfare of the soul Temporal are such as relate to the body and the outward man for there is no external mercy but God hath promised it to the godly Therefore godlinesse is said to have the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. In deed in the Old Testament temporal promises were more frequent and spiritual more rare and many times shadowed out by the temporal ones In the New Testament spiritual promises are farre more frequent and temporal ones more rare yet the New Testament doth abundantly testifie this That all things are the godly mans whether life or death 1 Cor. 3. 23. and that onely they have the promise of this life as well as that which is to come And certainly If God hath given us Christ as the Apostle argueth Rom. 18. how shall he not with him give us all things else So that we see the treasure of a Christian it lieth in Gods promises both for this life and the life to come So that as it falleth out sometimes a man may have little money for his present use and yet be very rich in bonds and bils Thus it is sometimes with a godly man though he hath a promise of all things yet for the present he may want all things As Abraham had a promise for the possession of the Land of Canaan and yet for the present had not where to set his foot as upon his own ground Onely we must distinguish between the spirituall and temporal promises these later are not absolutely promised but with the exception of the Crosse and with this limitation when they are good for us For seeing these earthly mercies are not ablutely and as indipensably necessary as Christand grace are so therefore no wonder if they be not absolutely promised If a godly man could not be saved unlesse he had riches and wealth unlesse he had health and strength then he was as sure to have them as he hath Christ but that not being so therefore it is that they have Christ and yet many times want other things They have the Ocean when they cannot have a drop Again Temporal good things are not absolutely good but conditionally and upon supposition though they may be good in themselves yet not to thee As wine may be in it self comforting but not unto a man in a feaver Thus it may be if thou shouldst have riches they would doe thee hurt if thou shouldst have health and strength thy corruptions also would be the stronger Those things are not called good because they make us good no we may make them good or evil But now Christ is such an infinite good that thy having of him can never be hurtfull to thee Yea when he finds thee evil he can make thee good It is good to informe our selves thus about the nature of temporal promises for we are ready to murmure and repine when we find not these promises made good to us whereas we should rather be thankfull and rejoyce in that God will not give us that which would doe us so much hurt And certainly if thou wert spiritual as thou shouldst be this would be enough to thee that spiritual things are absolutely promised that thou art sure to have Christ to have Heaven how sad and afflicted soever thy portion may be in this world Doth it not argue thy heart to be too carnal when thou mournest for want of outward mercies and yet Christ is thine God hath sanctified thee God hath converted thee Alas hath not God in this done more for thee than the greatest Emperours in the world that have not godlinesse What if thou hast not riches the greatnesse others have It may be they have not the Christ the grace that God hath bestowed on thee Onely when we say spiritual things are absolutely promised you must distinguish of spiritual things some are essential and necessarily conjoyned with eternal glory so that if he have them not he cannot be saved such is Regeneration and Justification Againe others doe much conduce to our eternal happinesse but are not inseparably joyned with it such are the degrees of grace spiritual consolation and joy as also the assurance of Gods favour These are precions-advantages more to be desired than the gold of Ophir but they are not absolutely promised to every godly man In the second general place We are to know that the promises of God they are the executions in time of what he had decreed to doe from all eternity Insomuch that from Gods promise we may argue to his predestination when God promiseth Justification and pardon of sinne to thee it is because he hath purposed this according to the counsel of his own will So when he promiseth to give grace to thee and the encrease thereof it is because he hath in mercy ordained thee for this If you ask then why is it such and such promises are fullfilled You must not have recourse to mans free-will or any workes that he doth but to the will of God and his gracious counsel Hence some expound that place Titus 1. 2. where it is said That God who cannot lie had promised eternal life before the world began of his decree to promise for it is not proper to say God promised before the world was Seeing then there was no men to whom the promise could be made therefore say they the meaning is He decreed to promise But there is another interpretation more probable which is to render the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the ancient ages alluding to the first promise that God made to Adam upon his fall concerning the womans seed which was Christ For till that promise was manifested there was no difference in respect of hope and comfort between lost mankind and the Apostate Angels The promises then of God are but Gods predestination put into execution Hence in the third place No wicked men have any promises of God belong to them Therefore the state of the Heathens Ephes 2. is said to be without Christ and without the promises which argueth as desperate a condition as when those of the old world were without the Ark there was a necessity of perishing It is true all wicked men who live within the Church they cannot in that sense be said to be without the promises as Heathens are for they are under the offer of promises they are under the external dispensation of them and because they manifest an outward acceptance of Gods offer with the conditions tendered therefore we may call them the children of the promise in an externall sense In which sense Rom. 9. 4. the Apostle speaking of the Israelites in the general saith Of whom is the service of God and the promises In this sense many were the seed of Abraham not onely after the flesh but of the promise also else circumcision the seal of the promise had not been
into nothing Thus it is with the promises recorded in the Scripture they all move and act as it were in him They all live and worke in him were it nor for his merit and his Spirit they would be but as empty words or as a tinkling cymball Therefore In the fourth place The Covenant of Grace which is virtually all the promises of God it is not onely called a Covenant and a Promise but a Testament likewise And that for this end because it doth necessarily relate to the death of the Testatour So that Gods promise is not to be conceived as when one man maketh a promise to another absolutely and without any thing intervening For here we have God indeed promising from his meer absolute goodnesse and mercy but then the execution of this cannot be without the blood of Christ so that all the force of the promise ariseth from the death of Christ The Apostle therefore argueth the validity of this Covenant from that which is amongst men Galat. 3. 15. A mans testament when it is confirmed cannot be disanulled or added unto how much rather then must the testament of Christ be confirmed for ever The Apostle doth excellently consider this Heb. 9. 15. For this cause Christ is a Mediatour of the New Testament that by meanes of death they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a testament is there also must of necessity be the death of the testatour By which it appeareth that the promises of God are established upon a sure and unchangeable foundation even the blood of Christ and therefore as sure as Christ died so sure will those promises of God be made effectual to thee Indeed if Gods promises were Yea and Amen according to thy workes to thy worth and dignity woe would be unto thee Yea though God doth require faith and repentance yet the promises are not setled upon these as a foundation but on Christ and therefore it is that our hopes our comforts can never be shaken The promises then of God have two Pillars to bear them up though one be enough The first is The immutability and verity of Gods Nature he cannot change he cannot lie The other is From the Merit and Efficacy of Christs death whereby the things promised are deserved and that at a dear rate even Christs blood Now then can any godly soule give way to unbeliefe to sinfull dejections seeing that God cannot lie and the blood of Christ cannot but obtaine God cannot deny himselfe neither can he deny his onely Sonne Therefore let the godly soule remember this Gods promise is not onely a bare promise but Christs Testament also Insomuch that all spirituall benefits are the fruit of his death and shall we thinke that blood will be shed in vain Shall we give no more to Christs Testament then we will to a mans But this Doctrine deserveth further enlarging SERM. CXXVII Of the usefulnesse and unchangeablenesse of the Promises of God 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen ALl the promises of grace you have heard are established upon two immovable pillars Gods unchangablenesse and the bloud of Christ To proceed from this followeth First That Deus absolutus as Luther was wont to say or Deus in praedicamento substantiae is a consuming fire and we are nothing but stubble before him it must be God as in praedicamento relationis as he is a God promising mercy unto us in Christ that is the ground of all our commerce and fellowship with him We are not to appear before God in confidence of our obedience to his commands but by faith in his promises insomuch that the only foundation we have to build upon in all our approaches unto him is Gods promise alone in Christ The godly soul is to look with as much or more chearfulnesse on that than Rahab could do on the scarlet thread held out as a commemorative signe to preserve her life were it not for this promise in Christ who could who might who dare draw nigh to God the Father So that it is through Christ that the way is opened for us to come unto God We may see this notably prefigured as it were in Gods dispensation with the people of Israel Exo. 33. 2 3. for when they had by their sinnes greatly provoked God the Lord denied his presence to go along with them I will not go up with thee lest I consume thee in the way this sheweth that such was Gods anger against their iniquity that he could not bear it It 's a speech taken from the humour of men otherwise the anger of the Lord is subject to his own power only this is spoken to shew what distastefull objects they were to him But though his anger be thus against them yet see what he promiseth ver 2. I will send my Angel before thee Here God would not go but his Angel now this Angel is Christ as appeareth Exod. 22. 20 21 22. where he is described as one in whose power it is to pardon iniquities with this addition for my Name is in him Observe then here a sweet Oeconomy or dispensation of Gods dealing with the people of Israel as a President to inform us about all mankinde God would not look upon mankinde neither would he behold as it were if he did he should immediatly destroy them all but he sends an Angel he sendeth Christ into the world and so in and through him he becomes propitious to us Now how little is this understood by Christians who do go to the promises upon their own obedience they think they beleeve they repent and in the mean while Christ is not all in all as if in our graces in our performances The promises of God were yea and Amen and not in God himself It is a long while ere the ministery of the Law hath any efficacy upon mens hearts ere they are sensible of the weight and the heavinesse of sinne ere they go bowed down because of this burden and when that hath broken them it is many times longer ere they are directed to an Evangelicall life ere they can tell how to make use of the proper remedy which is the promise of God in Christ for all their disputes and doubts arise from this as if the fullfilling of the promises were established upon themselves and not upon Christs bloud Truly if the humbled sinner were well instructed in this principle it would be like the rising of the Sunne to dispell all darknesse for either the promises are made good because of thy faith and of thy repentance or because of Christs bloud and atonement through that if because of the former then no wonder thou art no more quieted in thy minde no wonder thy heart is so full of fears for how weak is thy faith how strong and heavy is thy heart if thou must be justified by their worth thou art undone But then if Christ be
true but because it is the spirit that doth apply the promises to the soul and make us assured of them as he is called the holy spirit because he is the authour of holinesse But then Eph. 4. 30. there we are said to be sealed by the spirit denoting the spirit of God to be the efficient cause of it So that it is a blasphemous wresting of the Scripture by a Socinian when by the holy Ghost thus sealing unto us is saith he Smal. disp de promisso spiritus sancti meant no more than a sure hope of eternal life He denieth the holy Ghost to be God and a Person it is only saith he a sure hope within us but this is to confound this effect with the cause faith and love and hope are the effects of Gods Spirit they are not the spirit it self So that from hence viz. because the spirit of God doth seal us we may gather a sure argument that he is truly God for the spirit is said to confirm us and God is said to confirm us whereby it is implyed that to confirm our hearts is a divine operation as well as to sanctifie it It is true how the spirit of God is God and how it proceedeth from the Father and Sonne cannot be comprehended by reason It is enough that by faith we are to beleeve so for no wonder the doctrine of the Trinity is inexplicable seeing the nature of God is ineffable To this purpose Austin having discoursed about the Trinity concludeth that he perceived only he had spoken something of God Si autem dixi non est hoc quod dicere volui hoc unde scio nisi quia Deus ineffabilis est Quod autem a me dictum est si ineffabile esset non esset dictum ac per hoc ne ineffabilis quidem dicendus est Deus quia hoc cum dicitur aliquid dicitur fit nescio quae pugna verborum quoniam si illud est ineffabile quod dici non potest non est ineffabile quod velut ineffabile dici potest De Doctrinâ Christianâ lib. 1. But that by the way Lastly Here is the subject wherein and that is said to be in our hearts So that as God doth write his Law in our hearts Thus he doth also infuse his comfort and assurance which doth demonstrate the soveraign power of God over our hearts he can make them holy when he pleaseth he can comfort them when he pleaseth No Potentate in the world can do thus That heart of thine which is not in thy own power which no man can tame the grace of God can tame it that heart which thou desirest may be filled with holinesse and consolation God alone can do it The Observation is That grace wrought in the heart is a sure earnest of glory hereafter He that is holy here must needs be happy hereafter If thou canst finde grace in thy soul thou hast found the Pearl thou maist rejoyce not doubting but heaven will be thine hereafter The people of God are not only to look upon grace as grace but as it is an earnest of a greater happinesse yet how often do the children of God consider it without thiis respect what courage joy and holy boldnesse would it work in thee to think thou hast within thee that which assureth of eternal glory as if thou wert already in heaven This is a reviving truth that grace is an earnest of glory thou mindest grace as it subdueth thy corruptions as it maketh thy heart to be carried out more holily and delightsomely to God but then thou dost not attend to it as an earnest There is a great deal of difference between a shilling as a single peece of money and as an earnest it may be of twenty pound more to come Thus it is very much rejoycing to finde grace at all in thy soul as it is grace but it doth much more rejoyce as it is an earnest of more fulnesse Adam had grace the angels had grace but grace was not given them as part of an inheritance for they fell from it Let us consider two Texts of Scriptures where we have this earnest spoken of The first is by our Apostle in this Epistle cap. 5. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of his spirit What is that self same thing he speaketh of it is a groaning and an earnest desire after immortality we would gladly be out of this burden here and in heaven yea as we groan and desire so we are assured and know that when we shall dye we shall go to heaven But now because these are things far above the power of nature we naturally are afraid of death we are unwilling to be taken from our relations we have not such assurance of heaven Therefore saith the Apostle He that doth work us frame and polish us for this great thing it is God We could never do it without his supernatural assistance But then how doth God work this admirable frame of heart it is by the earnest of his spirit we have the beginnings of heaven already So that as the Israelites by the bunches of raisons had some foretast of Canaan so have beleevers some taste of heaven by what they feel already and as Moses from Mount Pisgah could behold Canaan though he did not enter into it thus thou hast a sight of heaven and an entrance into it by the grace begun in thee The other Text is Eph. 1. 14. where the Apostle having said That we were sealed by the spirit of promise he addeth which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession We are not yet brought into heaven into Canaan We are yet in the wildernesse we meet with many dangers and temptations threatning us that we shall never come there but only this earnest doth assure us and satisfie us So that as among the Israelites an inheritance was not to be alienated from the Tribe in the year of Jubilee it would return again to the true owner Thus this inheritance of heaven will never be taken from thee Thou maist be in some dangers and fears of losing of it by thy unwise carriage but shalt not be deprived of it Before we enlarge on this subject it is good to take notice of the dissimilitude as well as the similitude for though grace wrought in us be compared to an earnest in this respect as it doth assure us of future glory yet in other respects it greatly differeth from earnest among men As in the first place An earnest in bargains is to assure the buyer that giveth it as well as the seller they mutually hereby are confirmed so that the buyer cannot honestly fly off any more than the seller But now when the spirit of God worketh this earnest in us it is only for our good it is that we may be assured and
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