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
of death is thus sinfull when it putteth thee upon sinne so when it maketh thee omit any duty that God requireth thou darest not confess God and his truth in the midst of a perverse generation thou darest not be valiant for the truth nor plead for righteousness this fear is excessive Love to God love to his glory should cast out the fear of death Observe then thy self in dangers or temptations how thou findest thy fear to put thee upon sinfull compliances or omissions and presently as Jehoshaphat in the midst of a battel being in great danger cried out unto God for help so do thou to be delivered from this sinfull fear that is a deadly enemy encompassing thee about Secondly Thy fear about death is sinfull when it is immoderate and disquieting of thee so that thou doest not walk with a cheerfull quiet and calm spirit So that although it may not put thee upon any sinfull or unlawfull enterprize yet if it fill thee with anxieties with trepidations so that it depriveth thee of that Evangelical joy and peace in this excess it is a sinne All that are truly godly Being justified by faith they are to have peace in their hearts yea they are to rejoyce alwayes in the Lord but the inordinate fear of death causeth this Sunne to be in an eclipse and as men subject to swooning fits or convulsions cannot go with that courage and confidence up and down as those who are freed from such distempers Thus also the slavish and immoderate fear of death putteth millstones about our neck is a continual Ephialtes upon the soul filleth the spirit with heaviness whereby that Evangelical life and Gospel-conversation that we are called unto is seldome or never exercised Observe then thy self doth such fears of death make thy soul full of tumults and distractions Doth it oppose any Evangelical grace or retard the Spirit of Adoption upon thy soul Then humble thy self know thou sinnest against God and pray for the mortification of it and this thou art to do though it doth not make thee put out thy hand to any evil way though it doth not make thee omit any known duty For as worldly and distrustfull cares though lodging only in the heart are greatly displeasing to God though we do not thereby fall into covetous and unjust wayes yet the very cares and distractions of the heart are forbidden as appeareth by that reproof given to Martha by our Saviour himself Luke 10. 41. Martha Martha thou art troubled about many things but one thing is needfull Thus it is also in fears though thou art not instigated thereby to unlawfull wayes to preserve thy self yet the distractions and divisions of thy heart are offensive to God Therefore as the Apostle saith Phil. 4. 6. Be carefull in nothing but let your requests be made known to God Let prayer rebuke all storms and tempests of sinfull cares so in nothing be fearfull no not about death it self but commit thy self by prayer to God to whom the issues of life and death do belong Thirdly This fear of death is sinfull when it excludeth better and more profitable and seasonable fear The Scripture doth frequently command a fear of God and the serving of him with godly trembling Psal 2. 11. Yea the whole work of grace is expressed in this That God will put his fear in our hearts Jer. 32. 40. If then this fear of God did more prevail and rule in our hearts we should not fear diseases and death so much as we do The fear of God would put a due moderation upon all the powers of the soul This would regulate the fear of all other things so that we dare not fear otherwayes than God hath commanded then this natural fear is compatible with gracious fear For as our love to the creatures must be animated and regulated by our love to God so that we are never to love any thing that thereby our love to God may be abated or diminished Thus it must be in fear we are never to dread any thing further than it is consistent with the fear of God therefore it may fall out sometimes that the fear of God may justly put us upon the fear of death as when we walk negligently coldly and formally when we do not make up our daily accounts with God when we do not make our daily peace with God with renewed repentance and faith If we live in this manner then we have good cause to fear death because we are unprovided for it it seizeth on us before we are prepared and the fear of God may justly put us into this fear of death For we know how great holy and just God is how dreadfull his appearance will be at the day of judgement and all that we can do it must be done before death then the night is come and none can work To repent to bewail our unprofitableness our neglect of the seasons of grace in hell will then be as unprofitable as Esau's teares when he had lost his birth-right There is therefore a just and holy fear about death lest it should take us not doing the work of God lest it should come so unexpectedly that we be forced to cry out with him Inducias usque ad mane O spare me till to morrow Let one live another day to make peace with God and the fear of God will put us upon this fear as the Apostle said 2 Cor. 5. 11. Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men Thus it is here Knowing the terrour of the Lord that he is greater than our hearts that if they condemn us then God will much more This will put a fear of death upon us because that is nothing but the presenting of our souls in his presence We read Judg. 6. 23. and in many other places when God made any glorious apparition the persons who beheld it were so amazed and stricken with the sense of their imbecillty that they thought they should die presently and shall not the thoughts about death that it 's the dislodging of the soul and bringing it immediately before God strike much terrour into us This holy and reverential fear about death is laudable and is the fruit of the fear of God but when this fear of death maketh thee fear God the less or hindereth thee in the service of him then cast this Hagar out of doors Fourthly The fear of death is sinfull when it doth proceed from a sinfull cause If the fountain be bitter then the stream is bitter Now there are these sinfull causes of the fear of death 1. When it proceedeth from an inordinate love of life An excessive love of life doth alwayes beget an immoderate fear of death So that we may judge of the sinfulness of fear by the sinfulness of love If thy heart be not mortified and crucified to the world if thy heart be not loosned and weaned from earthly comforts and this maketh thee afraid to die this is
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
for Christ SERM. XLVII What Qualifications they must be endowed with who suffer in a right manner for Christ SERM. XLVIII How many wayes and by what means Christ comfortteh those who suffer for him SERM. XLIX How and why God alwayes proportions a Saints comforts to his sufferings and often makes them to overflow And why he often denies comforts to his People in their troubles SERM. L. 2 Cor. 1. 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation which is effectual in the enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation The Saints sufferings are for the Churches good SERM. LI. The Afflictions which others suffer for Christ make much for our comfort and salvation SERM. LII How salvation is promoted and advanced by our sufferings for Christ SERM. LIII Afflictions not in themselves but as improved by patience conduce to our salvation What goes to the producing of patience SERM. LIV. Motives exciting us to a patient submission unto God under all the Afflictions he layes upon us SERM. LV. All the Dispensations of God carry on and further the salvation of his people SERM. LVI 2 Cor. 1. 7. And our hope of you is stedfast knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation Of Paul's hope and perswasion of the Corinthians with the Reasons and Grounds of it SERM. LVII Of our partaking with others in their suffering for Christ and how this is a way to interest our selves in the joy and glory which such sufferers enjoy SERM. LVIII 2 Cor. 1. 8. For we would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we are pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of life How usefull it is to the children of God to know the Afflictions which the Saints suffer for Christs sake And why the preaching concerning the Saints afflictions even from Heathens is necessary to Christians though for the present they be in peace and quietness SERM. LIX The Ministers of the Gospel finde much opposition from the carnal and worldly Professors Who are these carnal and worldly Professors SERM. LX. A further Discovery of such who take up Religion meerly from carnal motives and worldly respects SERM. LXI Of the different judgment that Faith and Flesh passe upon Afflictions SERM. LXII How the voice of the Spirit and the voice of the Flesh differ in Afflictions And why it is necessary a man should know them asunder SERM. LXIII What is to be understood by Paul's being pressed above measure as likewise how neither natural nor moral strength can carry us through troubles in a gracions manner SERM. LXIV The natural fear of Death is not taken away by Graces What are the Uses of it SERM. LXV Of the natural and sinfull fear of Death How to discern between them and from whence the sinfulnesse of that fear proceedeth SERM. LXVI 2 Cor. 1. 9. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead The truly godly may sometimes passe false sentences upon their own Persons and Actions and Gods Dispensations towards them SERM. LXVII The People of God often passe false judgement upon the Dispensations of God towards them The Reasons from whence the false judgement proceeds with Rules to prevent it SERM. LXVIII Of humane and divine Trust and of the true and proper Objects of our confidence SERM. LXIX What are those secret and inward objects that men are apt to place their confidence in and wherein even the Saints themselves may be guilty of that sinne SERM. LXX Whether Paul speaketh these words in his own person and wherein the sinfulness of Self-confidence appears SERM. LXXI Of the Nature Object and Matter of our Divine Trust or Dependance upon God SERM. LXXII What is required in our trusting in God ex parte subjecti And of the excellency of this grace SERM. LXXIII Of the Expression God who raiseth the dead how it is to be understood and what it implyes SERM. LXXIV 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us We are not to consider Gods Mercies in general only but their several aggravations also SERM. LXXV Privative and preventing Mercies are to be accounted of as Positive SERM. LXXVI Of the Necessity of Gods continuing his Mercies to us as well as his conferring Mercies upon us SERM. LXXVII Former Experience should be a sufficient Argument for future confidence SERM. LXXVIII Of Motives to trust in God and the Opposites to it Presumption and Despair SERM. LXXIX 2 Cor. 1. 11. You also helping together by prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf How we are to relie upon God and yet make use of requisite means too SERM. LXXX The highest in gifts and graces should desire the prayers of the meanest And People ought to pray for their Ministers as well as Ministers for their People SERM. LXXXI How and why we should praise God for all his mercies vouchsafed to us SERM. LXXXII God is the fountain of all our mercies they are his gifts and why SERM. LXXXIII Of the Necessity and Usefulness of publick Ordinances and of the Churches Interest in its Ministers mercies SERM. LXXXIV 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards SERM. LXXXV What is required to a good and well-ordered conscience SERM. LXXXVI Further Discoveries of what is required to a well-regulated conscience with Distinctions concerning it SERM. LXXXVII A Believer may be assured of the uprightness of his heart in the performance of Duties What is required to such an Assurance SERM. LXXXVIII Of the Impediments which keep us from Assurance commands for it and Cautions about it SERM. LXXXIX Of the true Nature of godly Simplicity and singleness of Heart SERM. XC A further Discovery of the true Nature of godly Simplicity both towards God and man SERM. XCI Of the true Nature of godly Sincerity SERM. XCII A further Discovery of the Nature and Effects of godly Sincerity SERM. XCIII Of fleshly Wisdome with some Principles of it SERM. XCIV Principles of fleshly Wisdome used in the Propagation of the Gospel SERM. XCV Of the grace of God which Paul exalteth above fleshly Wisdome and ascribeth all unto SERM. XCVI Wherein the grace of God appeared towards Paul in his Ministerial Labours SERM. XCVII Of a good and godly conversation in the world SERM. XCVIII Of Gods Presence with the Ministry how it renders the People inexcusable SERM. XCIX 2 Cor. 1. 13. For we write no other things
we take Peace in the same sphere with Grace and as that did relate chiefly to spiritual things so also must this Peace in the Text. By it therefore is meant the fruit of Gods grace and favour viz. a quiet serene and calm joyfull frame of soul arising from the sense of Gods peace through Christ whereby we walk comfortably boldly and not daunted under sinne afflictions or death it self A most blessed and choice mercy it is putting a believer into an Heaven while he is on this earth his heart keeping as it were a perpetual Sabbath and rest within So that whensoever the godly find diffidence fears disquietness perplexities troubles and dejections of soul all this ariseth because this peace doth not prevail and keep all under in our hearts This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Peace and tranquillity of spirit some philosophers especially the Stoicks did greatly aim at and accounted it the chiefest good but being ignorant of Christ and faith in him they took the shadow of it for the substance Observe That peace from God and Christ is earnestly to be prayed for as a special and choice mercy To have an heart so evangelically affected through the apprehension of Gods love as a Father in Christ that as the young child can sleep sweetly and safely in its mothers arms So can we as boldly and comfortably by faith throw our selves into the bosom of our heavenly Father Oh why are there such tormenting fears such tumultuous conflicts such warres and confusions in thy soul when such a priviledge as this may be obtained at Gods hand But to direct you to this Peace which is a spiritual Philosophers 〈◊〉 turning all into gold if we have this peace then they are afflictions of peace exercises of peace yea death is peace then This quiets and composeth all Let us first take notice of the nature of it briefly And First This peace lieth in the favour and grace of God so that his anger and wrath because of sinne is wholly removed For where Gods wrath is upon a man where his face is set against him that man hath no peace Isa 57. 21. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Therefore though wicked men are for a while in carnal jollity and in much security crying Peace peace to themselves as 1 Thess 5. 3. even then destruction shall suddenly surprize them The very Heathen could say of a wicked man That though he might be securus yet he was never tutus Though he might cast away all care and fear bidding his soul as Dives to take its ease yet he is never safe for in the midst of this security he heareth that dreadfull voice Thou fool this night thy soul shall be taken away Let then the wicked men tremble and quake like Belshazzar for they may see not one but many hand-writings not in a wall but in the word of God fore-telling them without repentance of their certain damnation This peace therefore begins first in Heaven and so descends into a mans heart God removeth his anger because of our sins he is become a gracious and reconciled Father and hence we have peace Therefore Rom. 5. 1. it is called Peace with God insomuch that if we had peace with all the Potentates of the world if we had peace with the world which yet Christs Disciples shall never have yet this is nothing to peace with God For how many have ventured to obtain outward peace as Spira and others by breaking this peace and thereupon have plunged themselves into a very Hell What peace can any in the world give thee if God cause his anger to break out against thee Secondly This peace as it doth consistin reconciliation with God so also it hath the sense and perswasion of this it brings a man to some comfortable knowledge and evidence of this For although Gods anger be removed our sins be forgiven and on Gods part all controversies are removed against us yet if we do not know this if we are not assured our hearts are us much troubled and disquieted as if God indeed were our adversary Hence it is that the Spirit of God is sent into our hearts enabling us to call God Abba Father For if we could not do so it would be as the Sunne though it casts forth glorious beams of light yet a blind man because he cannot see it it is all one as if it were midnight so unless the Spirit of God doth make thee to discern those gifts of the Spirit in thee as by the light of the Sunne we come to see the â—…e so also though God be our Father though we be his dear children yet if we are not assured of this still this peace is not in our hearts it must be therefore in Gods favour and our assurance of this faith Thirdly This peace therefore is not procured or wrought by our own strength If we would give ten thousand worlds when our hearts are seorched and burn like hell through the sense of Gods displeasure we are not able to refresh our souls with one drop of it That as all the men of the world are not able to make the Sunne arise if God forbid it Neither can the parched wilderness water it self till God prepare clouds to empty themselves upon it Thus it is with it â—…umble contrite heart praying groaning crying out for this blessed peace in soul Alas it cannot come till God command it Therefore he is so often called the God of peace Rom. 16 20. Heb. 13. 20. And peace is made the fruit of Gods Spirit Gal. 5. 22. Hence it is that the Apostle in this Text prayeth for it unto God as knowing the Corinthians can never have it unless it be given them from above This therefore should oâ—â— us of our selves think not to have it by any works thou doest think not outward advantages can help then to it No it must be by a lowly humble dependance upon God Descendendo in Coelum ascenditur Fourthly As it is wrought by God so it is purchased by Christ our Mediatour For although he be also the efficient cause of peace called therefore Isai 9. The Prince of peace and The King of peace Heb. 7. 2. yet he is chiefly called our peace because by him our peace is purchased Ephes 2. 14. Colos 1. 20. Hence it was that upon Christs birth those Angels sang Glory be to God on High and peace on Earth good will towards men So that had it not been for Christ living and dying to remove the curse of the Law from us there had been no more hope of peace for us than the Devils and damned in Hell Though with Dives we had called but for a drop of water yet the gulph being not removed between God and us we could not have enjoyed it It 's then a peace through Christs bloud we have it at a very dear price Hence Isai 53. The chastisement of our peace is said to be upon him
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
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
particular in the description of Paul's trouble in Asia hath been explained and in some measure enlarged The summe whereof was That grace even in a Paul doth not wholly remove the natural fear of death Grace doth regulate and direct Nature but not extinguish it Stoicism and Christianity differ as much as Heaven and Earth Not to fear not to grieve about due objects in a due manner is a sinne not a vertue But though grace doth not extirpate this natural fear of death yet it subdueth and conquereth the sinfull fear of death Our natural fear doth quickly become immoderate and so offensive unto God Therefore the proper work of grace is to mortifie this that it may not be over-fearing that this fear may not prove a temptation to sinne Our work therefore in the next place is to direct a Christian in the discerning between a Natural fear and a Sinfull fear that he may know what is of meer nature and what is of corrupt nature Only it is good to take notice of this 1. That a natural fear of death may be in some more and in some lesse from the very constitution and temperament of their body Some are very fearfull by their very natural complexion and to such death is more dreadfull than to others who are of a more bold and stout constitution Even as some are more prone to anger than others so some are more prone to fear than others and this being a natural passion they cannot conquer it no more than grace can change the temperament of the body Onely to the godly such a natural fear is sanctified They go out of themselves they depend much upon God And therefore some who have been assaulted exceedingly with fears in the times of persecution suspecting their own selves that they should prove perfidious to Christ and Apostates have found unexpected courage and boldness because they have gone out of themselves and trusted in God only These Lambs have proved Lions Hence the Scripture antidotes and comfortable promises against this fear Isa 53. 4. Say to them that are of a fearfull heart Be strong feare not Yea we have a precious promise to the godly that under Christs government and protection over them Ier. 23. 4. They shall fear no more nor be dismayed If then the godly find himself of a fearfull disposition that it is a natural passion tyrannizing over him let him pray for the sanctification of it that God would turn it to his good and many times such are preserved from those wounds of conscience and those sad falls which those that are more presumptuous and self-confident do fall into As there is thus a natural passion of fear about death in some more than in others so also sometimes by Gods permission the children of God have been assaulted by it as a peculiar temptation and that improved by Satan So that whereas there are several kindes of temptations whereby the Devil doth molest and disquiet the godly sometimes by blasphemous thoughts sometimes by fear of committing that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost c. So sometimes it is by a daily and constant fear of death such a perswasion of death doth fall upon them and that accompanied with much distracting fear and tembling that it takes away the comfortable enjoyment of all those mercies God bestoweth upon them This hath been the case of many of the children of God and the Devils designe is by these unprofitable and needlesse feares to keep them from that service which otherwise they might do for God For as Timber too moist and not well dried will deceive the builder and not support the house as it is expected so neither can a Christian amazed with such dividing fears do God that service in his place as he ought to do These are like wormes in the wood that at last eat up the heart of it Such therefore that are buffeted with these temptations they have no other wayes to take but to flie unto God He is the Jehovah who can give power and strength to them as was done to Daniel in his great amazement and unto the Scripture as a directive Rule from whence he may wisely observe many remedies against such preposterous feares Let him also possesse his soul with this as an undoubted principle That the Lord bindeth him in this chain as it were to prevent other sinnes that he may boldly venture upon and that these feares conâ—inually annoying are a meanes to keepe off some great sinnes or others They are like barking curres that keepe off thieves when they heare such a noise within These things premised Let us now consider When and wherein the fear of death doth manifest it self to be sinfull And First When it becometh a snare to a man so that by it he either commits some sinne or omits some duty When the fear of death hath this influence upon thee then know it exceedeth its limits Thou fearest men more than God thou fearest death more than hell and damnation Prov. 29. 25. The fear of a man bringeth a snare When it bringeth a snare upon thee conscience saith Doe not this the Word of God saith Doe not this but fear of death saith Doe this then this becometh very sad in the issue as you see it was in Peter fear made him deny his Master So in Abraham and Isaac though so great examples of holinesse yet fear of death put them upon lying and dissimulation Now to sinne for fear of death is a most absurd and irrational fear to fear the lesse and not to fear the greater Thou doest not fear to be damned yet thou fearest to die How fully doth our Saviour convince us of the folly of this fear Luk. 12. 4 5. I say to you my friends Though the Disciples had this comfortable title and encouraging relation upon them what could be greater than to be Christs friend Will Christ forsake his friend in adversity Shall any have cause to say to Christ as Absolom to Hushai Is this thy kindness to thy friend Yet how ready are they to fear men and death immoderately Therefore he exhorteth them Not to be afraid of men who can kill the body and after that have no more than they can do but I will forewarne you whom you shall fear They need premonitions about it the object whereof is God who hath power to cast into hell which he redoubleth yea I say to you fear him So that by this place we see that it is a most and unreasonable fear to venture the damnation of our souls for fear of death Yet how often hath this been done but sometimes it hath proved so dismall as in Spira and others that the guilt of sinne and the terrors of Gods wrath falling upon their conscience have so greatly overwhelmed them that the fear of death hath been quite put out by a greater fear They have desired death yea they have hastened to it by offering violence to themselves As the fear
sinfull It is a fundamental qualification required in every Disciple of Christ he cannot be Christs unless he be above the love of all things Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother or life it self more than me cannot be my Disoiple Why then art thou so afraid to die Is it because thy heart is so dearly engaged in such relations to such creatures Be humbled for this and reform A second sinfull cause which floweth from the former is The want of love to God and to Christ Thy desire is not with Paul To be with Christ thou doest not judge this best of all Not to be willing to die upon this account must also be very sinfull Do we not pray for the Kingdome of God Are we not to look for and hasten the coming of Christ Are we not to be as pilgrims and strangers in this world Now if these things were real upon thee though thou couldst not avoid a natural fear yet thou wouldst greatly subdue a sinfull fear 3. There is a sinfull cause of the fear of death When we produce those actions and live such a life which will justly make death terrible Thou complainest I am afraid to die I dare not think of death and why Thou doest put stings into death thou increasest the guilt of thy conscienne by living without repentance and reformation and then it is no wonder if such a sinfull cause make a sinfull effect Sinne less keep thy conscience clear and then thou wilt fear death less The last sinfull cause of the sinfull fear of death is Want of faith in Christ and this even the godly are subject to though they live holily and unblameably though they have kept a good conscience towards God and men yet they have sometimes uncomfortable fears about death because they do not look upon Christ they consider not that Christ hath conquered death So that now every Christian may with Paul triumph Death is swallowed up in victory O death where is thy sting 1 Cor. 15. 54 55. but want of faith depriveth of this holy comfort and boldness See then if thy want of faith maketh thee fear death and consider that if so this is very injurious to Christ as if still death were not subdued as if death had conquered Christ and not Christ death Faith will make thee see a loveliness and another nature in death than what it had at first SERM. LXVI The truly godly may sometimes passe false sentences upon their own Persons and Actions and Gods dispensations towards them 2 COR. 1. 9. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead THe second Doctrine remaining from the clause of the former verse viz. That the children of God judge otherwise while they attend to second causes and humane helps then they do while they look to the power and promise of God will come in very seasonably as a branch of that general usefull matter which this Text will afford us Come we therefore to the consideration of it 1. It is a further amplification of this trouble which came upon him in Asia and that is the most extream and highest aggravation that yet hath been used which is expressed in the beginning We had the sentence of death in our selves 2. It is illustrated from the wholsom and saving end of this trouble laid on him It was not brought upon him by God for his destruction but his spiritual good His soul might have been in danger if his body had not been He might have perished spiritually if he had not been in danger of perishing temporally Now this blessed effect of his trouble is set down 1. Negatively That we might not trust in our selves 2. Positively But in God Described by a sutable property Who raiseth the dead Let us begin with the aggravation his trouble was so great That he had received the sentence of death in himself This is more than the clause in the precedent verse for there it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was in such a doubt and perplexity about his life that he did not see any way to evade but here he is positive he comes now to make resolute conclusions He must die He had received the sentence of death The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used here in this place onely in the New Testament The Verb from whence it cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Budeus sheweth to have two more eminent significations the one is to separate and secerne one thing from another in which sense I do not observe it used in the New Testament It useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that sense even as humane Authours also do most frequently 1 Cor. 1. 15. The spiritual man judgeth all things by searching and judging he cometh to discern the truth from errour The other signification is to answer in which sense it is alwayes used in the New Testament Favorinus in his Lexicon maketh this difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former is a bare simple Answer made to any Question the later is an Answer by way of defence against some accusation The proper word for an Answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Luke 2. 47. Luke 20. 26. Joh. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is seldome used for an Answer yet Stephen sheweth out of Suidas an expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like that à secretis one whose office was to answer requests Hence some translate it answer as it is in the margin But the most genuine translation is sentence for so Hesychius expounds the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Favorinus followeth verbatim in this as in many other particulars It is true Heinsius on the place maketh the word in a contrary sense to signifie an answer or inspiration from God secretly assuring of him that he should not die like that Act. 24. 24. Fear not Paul such answers were by the Urim and Thummim So that in his sense it should imply Gods suretiship or undertaking for his preservation But the other is more generally received and the following words argue such a sense The word then doth signifie a sentence passing upon him That he must die This he had received but from whom Not from God for God delivered him nor from the Magistrate there was no such Decree that we read of against him Therfore it was onely from his own feares his own thoughts which maketh him say He had received it in himself You see then that Gods thoughts were others then Paul's Paul absolutely concluded he should die but God had purposed the contrary From whence observe That the godly themselves are sometimes greatly deceived about Gods administrations to them They are apt to erre in their judgements about Gods dispensation They gather such conclusions and make such inferences as are wholly opposite to Gods intentions Though it
in his heart in somuch that an Angel was sent to comfort him This might make us wonder that God should not spare his own Sonne but it was necessary for our redemption for as he could not have wrought our reconciliation for us unlesse he had a passible body that could suffer death so neither unlesse he had a suffering soul by fears and grief though all without sinne It was Jobs case likewise to be without sealing for he could have no comfort in his heart while he complained the Arrows of the Almighty did stick fast in him while he was terrified with dreams and visions in the night Thus the Lord still doth exercise his soveraignty therein he withdraweth the light of his favour from many choice sanctified ones They wander in a wildernesse their lives are a burthen to them they cannot meet God in any ordinance as if they were become like so many rejected Sauls when yet the favour of the Lord is exceeding great to them only they perceive it not But then secondly On our part many times yea too often when the cause is that we have not this sealing We may thank our selves for bloaching the Paper so that no comfortable thing can be written upon it I shall instance in one or two waies how we come to keep off this sealing And the first is by falling into some grievous and grosse sinnes if such do drive away the naturall peace of a meer natural conscience as is plain in heathens how much more the supernaturall peace of a tender enlightned conscience Davids penitentiall Psalm 51. doth fully speak to this he there complaineth of his broken bones he prayeth to have joy restored to him all which argueth that by sinne he had lost all comfortable enjoyment of God That he was in a chaos and dark confusion and truly if there were no hell no damnation to threaten the people of God with to keep them from grosse sinnes This of Gods iron turnace to be cast into is enough to make our hearts tremble Oh the wofull condition that godly manis in who in stead of the spirit of Adoption he once enjoyed is now delivered up to Satan to be under his fears his black temptations No outward comfort in the world can then give him a drop of case Oh then come not near any grosse sinnes fly from the appearance of it for this sealing cannot consist with that Secondly Any carelesse and remisse walking though we do not fall into grosse sins is enough to put this Sunne into an Eclipse Any angry and bitter words to another will do it Any loose and wanton discourse may bring thee into this deep dungeon For so you may see Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the spirit by which yeare sealed But how is that done for so you may see the verse before by corrupt communications by unsavoury gracelesse words and then see the subsequent Verse Let all bitternesse all wrath and anger be put away Dost thou then complain thou hast not this sealing how can it be otherwise How many frothy foolish speeches hast thou How many angry bitter words come from thee If you hereby grieve Gods spirit no wonder that he leave thee to thy grief Thirdly By any inward security and secret self-confidence we may deprive our selves of this sealing For seeing this is a Gospel-privi edge a ray from the Sunne of righteousnesse it is only conveighed in an Evangelicall method Now all Gospel-dispensations are to the broken in heart to the poor in spirit to the humbled sinner renouncing all righteousnesse and worth of our own so that as it is in the work of sanctification no sooner hath a man any secret confidence in his own power but sanctifying grace in some measure leaveth him As we see in Peter when he said Though all men should for sake Christ yet he would not Thus it is also in the way of consolation no sooner doth a man begin to be lifted up within because he hath these comfortable refreshments but presently they are substrated from us Thus David did but say his mountain was established that he should not be moved and immediately God hid his face and he was troubled Psa 30. 6 7. Therefore that man who would enjoy this desirable priviledge must walk with a tender humble and yet an Evangelicall fiducial frame of heart Fourthly When we speak of Gods sealing you must rightly understand the meaning of it It is not as if thereby such a certainty were wrought in the soul that it doth exclude all fears and doubts No that is a proper priviledge to heaven as the flesh lusteth against the spirit in matter of sanctification so it doth also in consolation As therefore when the spirit of God sanctifieth on the spirits part grace is pure and perfect but on the subjects part which doth receive it so it hath much drosse and imperfection cleaving to it Thus it is also in this sealing though the testimony and witnesse on the spirits part be infaliible and undoubted yet as we receive it so there is much unbeleef and doubting adhering to us This sealing therefore and many fears and doubts may consist together because it is not absolutely predominant and prevalent only here is a conflict we are to strive against these doubts we are to pray against these fears till the Lord cause light to arise out of this darkness Therefore the godly may have this sealing and yet not attend to it nor perceive it because the corruptions of our heart are most perceived by us and we are so exercised by them that we do not consider what the spirit of God doth witnesse at that time This then maketh the godly think they have not this sealing at all because they have it not with that dominion as they desire to exclude all conflicts and troubles within and so as in respect of sanctification there is some grace under much corruption so there is also this certainty under many fears And if you say that it is a contradiction that a man should be assured and doubt also I answer No no more than that a man should be sanctified and yet have some corruption in him for they do not respect the same thing Certainty ariseth from the Promises of God set home by his spirit upon us ahd fears arise from the sence and feeling of our own weaknesses So that what the holy Apostle speaketh concerning the work of grace in him with the oppositian thereunto the good he would do he doth not and he findes evil present with him Thus it is here the sealing the assurance the comfort he would have he cannot obtain but the doubts and slavish fears which he hateth they carry him away captive Lastly Suppose a godly man hath not this sealing yet let him not limit God to the times and seasons he would but leave all to the merciful dispensation of a wise and righteous God Thou hast not assurance yet no more thou hast
to be known ibid. All are not of equal necessity ibid. A latitude to be granted in the application of them 60 Of the twofold form of the Church internal and external ib. The marks of the visible not to be confounded with the properties of the invisible Church 61 Why Paul writeth to the Church and not to the Churches of Corinth 63 A Church is Gods people in a more peculiar manner 64 Seven things implied in the Churches being said to be of God 64 65 66 67 A Church sometimes gathered amongst the most prophane people 69 A Church may be a true one though defiled with many corruptions 70 Three propositions clearing it 73 Three reasons demonstrating it 76 What corruptions were in the Church of Corinth 71 72 The soundnesse and purity of a Church admits of degrees 73 The Church of God as 't is a Church doth farre surpasse all civil societies and temporal dignities 77 Three propositions clearing it 78 79 The grounds of it 79 80 'T is hard for Churches to keep within their proper bounds about Church administrations 80 'T is a Ministers duty by all lawfull means to promote the Church he is related to 81 All that are in the Church are Saints by profession 83 What is comprehended under Church-Saintship 84 85 All Saints ought to joyn themselves to Church communion 91 Yet some causes may excuse them 91 92 What are those sinfull grounds why many do not joyn themselves to Church communion 93 94 The best Churches changeable in their affections to their guides 464 Propositions clearing it 464 465 The causes of it 466 467 The Church esteems many things which the world despises 31 32 Church-officers Church-officers appointed by Christ as the head 28 Propositions clearing it 29 30 Two things Church-officers are to take heed of pride and idlenesse 30 31 How it concerns Church-officers to agree in matters of Religion 46 Three propositions clearing it 46 47 Three things conducing to that happy agreement 47 48 Comfort God a God of all Comfort to his 148 What is implied in that expression 149 What in the word Comfort 150 151 Propositions about the Comforts of God 152 It is so to be managed as to be made an antidote against despair and yet a curb to presumption ib. Comfort not to be judged of without Scripture-light 153 God actually Comforts his people 157 How God comforts his people 158 159 160 God a God of Comfort only to believers 161 Six propositions clearing the truth 162 163 164 165 God Comforts his people in all afflictions 166 167 No Philosophers ever had the true art or grounds of Comfort 169 God Comforts onely by the Scriptures 170 What are the grounds of Comfort in Scripture 171 172 173 How God is said to Comfort his people in all their afflictions notwithstanding they are oft disconsolate 174 175 176 177 Comfort not absolutely necessary to salvation 175 These only are fit to Comfort others who have the experimental work of Gods grace upon their own hearts 182 Four propositions clearing it 182 183 184 Four reasons confirming it 184 185 186 It is a special duty to Comfort the afflicted 187 Propositions clearing it 187 188 189 190 Two things required to the Comforting others in a right manner 190 191 The same grounds of Comforts which revive one may revive another also 191 What are the general grounds of Comfort in afflictions 192 193 Reasons of it 193 194 195 Our Comforts are and abound by Christ 209 210 How Christ makes our Comforts to abound in our sufferings for his sake 210 211 212 God commonly proportions our comforts to our sufferings 214 And sometimes makes them to exceed 215 The reasons of it 216 217 Why God often denies Comfort in trouble 217 218 Our Comfort is promoted by others suffering for Christ 223 224 225 226 227 'T is universal holiness that is the ground of Comfort 443 Communion Two sorts of Communion 251 Communion with the sufferers for Christ a good way to interest us in their glory ibid. Confidence self-confidence Self confidence a great sin 302 Propositions clearing the nature of Self confidence 302 303 304 A godly man sometimes guilty of it 309 310 Of the sinfulnesse of it 313 314 315 Confirme vide Establish Conscience Of the Conscience 384 The witness of a good Conscience a great ground of comfort 385 What is required to a good Conscience 385 386 387 388 389 How the Spirit witnesses with our Consciences 389 What are those effects of the Spirit by which our Consciences are rightly guided in witnessing to us 390 391 Distinctions concerning Conscience and its testimonies 392 393 Consolation vide Comfort Conversation Of a twofold Conversation 443 What is required to a good Conversation 445 446 Conversion A great deal of difference in the persons the Converted 42 And in the manner of their Conversion 43 The reasons of both 44 Corinth Of the City Corinth 68 D Day CHrist hath a solemn Day wherein great changes will be made 479 Wherein these great changes will be 479 480 481 482 c. Dead Of Gods raising the Dead 326 What it implies 328 329 Death The natural fear of Death not removed by grace 284 Propositions clearing it 285 286 Of what use the natural fear of Death is 286 There is a natural fear of Death in all though in some more in some lesse 288 When the fear of Death is sinfull 289 290 291 Deliverance Deliverance both temporal and spiritual from God 341 342 Despair Whence Despair arises 352 Dispensation All Gods Dispensations further the salvation of his people 242 c. Two sorts of Dispensations which conduce to that end 244 Vide Administrations E Earnest GRace the Earnest of glory 651 How grace and an Earnest differ 652 653 What is implied in the Earnest of Gods Spirit 654 655 656 They who have the Earnest of the Spirit cannot fall away 657 658 Education Education not to be rested upon 44 45 Ends. What are these inferiour Ends interposing betwixt God and us which we are apt to look upon 416 417 Enjoyments Temporal Enjoyments as well as spiritual mercies are the gift of God 369 Propositions clearing it 370 371 372 Reasons for it 373 Establish Wherein the Establishing worke of Gods grace lieth 607 608 609 610 611 612 Arguments proving all Establishing to be from God 613 The most eminent need Establishment as well as the weâ—kest 614 Demonstrations of it 615 616 617 'T is in Christ alone that we are Established 617 618 Reasons why we cannot Establish our selves 636 637 Experience Experience in former should encourage to trust in God for future mercies 345 Propositions clearing it 346 347 F Faith OF the different judgements which Faith and flesh put upon afflictions 274 c. The division of Faith as to the object 638 Whether in Faith and by Faith be oaths 665 Ministers have no power over a Christians Faith 684 A Christians Faith relates onely to God 694 Propositions clearing it 696 697 Father
3. Flesh saith our afflictions will never end 4. Flesh would put us upon any means to get out of trouble 5. Flesh only attends to what is troublesome and grievous in afflictions Why a man should so much study to discern betwixt the flesh and spirit within him 1. Because otherwise he will be apt to passe a false sentence upon himself 2. Hereby he may prevent the Devils end in troubling us It is not the natural strength of any man that can carry him through all afflictions 1. No man can bear all afflictions aright in his own strength 2. All opinion's that hold the contrary are injurious to the glory of God 3. There is a great difference betwixt a natural and spiritual bearing of troubles 4. There is a difference likewise betwixt moral and spiritual bearing of afflictions No grace removeth the natural fear of death The difference betwixt a natural and an elicite desire Propositions clearing the truth 1. Man was not made mortal 2. T is sin that maketh death so terrible 3. Christ came into the world to remove this sting of death sinne 4. Yet howsoever nature cannot but tremble at the thoughts of it Of what use the natural fear of death is 1. Hence men do more patiently endure afflictions 2. It keeps men out of many sins 3. It makes a man more thankfull for the mercies of life 4. The natural fear of death is very hardly kept from being sinfull There is a natural fear of death in all but in some more in some lesse When the fear of death is sinfull 1 When it becomes a snare 2. When it is immoderate and disquieting 3. When it excludeth much profitable and seasonable fear 4. When it proceeds from a sinfull cause as from 1. An inordinate love of life 2. The want of love to God 3. A sinfull life 4. Want of faith in Christ The godly are sometimes deceived about Gods dispensations towards them 1. A godly man may sometimes be deceived in his advise to others which he may think is of God when it is not 2. They are deceived when they thinâ— Gods dispensations are to abet some errours which they may be fallen into 3. When they judge of God after outward appearance 4. When they give too much credit to their zeal and affections 5. They may be deceived in the frame of their own hearts Gods people are deceived when they judge according to sense not saith Reasons 1. Because the godly are too hasty in their judgings 2. Because of their feare and anger wherewith they are too passionately transported 3. From the want of spirituall wisdome Rules for the preventing of false judgements concerning Gods dealings with us Two sorts of trust humane and divine Selfe-confidence a great sinne Propositions clearing the nature of self-confidence 1. All Creatures necessitated to trust in something 2. Our trust is corrupted by originall sin 3. Hence our trust is placed upon many false objects 1. Some trust in their wickednesse 2. Humane power and strength 3. Wealth What are those inward things which a man is apt to trust in 1. In his own heart 2. Self-righteousnesse 3. Church-priviledges How even a godly man may be guilty of self-confidence by trusting 1. In his spiritual gifts 2. In his graces Whether Paul speaketh these words in his own person Of the sinfulness of self-confidence which appears 1. From Gods chastising his children so much to prevent it 2. It is a secret sinne 3. 'T is a sinne soon committed 4. 'T is a making the creature a God 5. 'T is a foolish and unprofitable sin God alone is the proper object of our trust Propositions concerning our trusting in God 1. It is wrought by the Spirit of God 2. None but the regenerate can act this grace 3. It is an act of faith 4. It is not God as absolutely but relatively considered that is the object of our trust 1. As he is an infinite true and everlasting God 2. As immutable in his promises 3. As he is omnipotent 2. The matter for which we trust in God is the good thing we want either spiritual or temporal What is required to our trusting in the Lord. 1. A powerfull apprehension of our own and the creatures inability to help us 2. A practicall consideration of Gods greatness and goodness 3. A particular appropriation of God as our God 4. An experimentall knowledge of Gods promises and providences 5. An use of meanes 6. A sound judgement Of the excellency of this grace of trusting in God 1. It is many times put for the whole worship of God 2. The Lord delighteth to put us upon the daily practice of it 3. It indeareth God to us and engageth him for us 4. T is difficult to flesh and blood 5. One of Gods ends in afflicting us is to work this grace 6. It giveth all glory to God 7. It calmes and quiets the spirit God both can and will help his people in their extremitics 1. God raiseth up the naturally dead 2. God raiseth the metaphorically dead and such who are in any trouble either externall or internall Of Gods raising from internall extremities What is implyed in the expression God raiseth from the dead 1. That Gods own Children may be brought into helpless and hopeless conditions 2. That God hath power over all estates whatsoever 3. That our extremities are Gods opportunities The children of God do not only take notice of Gods mercies but their aggravations likewise 1. From their own low condition 2. From their own sinfulness 3. From the times and seasons of Gods mercies 4. Fromothers miseries We should account of privative and preventing mercies as of positive 1. Some mercies suppose evil inflicted others do not 2. Two sorts of evils spiritual and temporal which the mercy of God prevents 3. The godly are oâ—â— forgetfull about these preventing mercies 4. It is therefore their duty to go further in praise and thankfulness for these mercies then usually they do 1 Whatsoever evil is not inflicted that we have deserved is to be acknowledged a preventing mercy 2. Whatsoever evil fals upon others and not upon us 't is a preventing mercy 3. Whatsoever evil God justly may and yet doth not inflict 't is a preventing mercy 4. What evils God brings upon others in a providential way and not upon thee it is of his preventing mercy 5. Whatsoever mans own weakness would cast him into and yet God keeps it off is a preventing mercy Gods continuing his mercies is as necessary to us as his first bestowing them What deliverances God workes for us 1. Temporall 2. Spirituall 1. From wrath to come 2. From the power of sin and Satan 3. From temptations to sin and apostacy Why 't is necessary God should continue his mercies as well as give them to us 1. Because we cannot continue them our selves 2. Because of our unworthiness 3. Because our dangers and temptations continue The experience of former mercies should encourage us to trust in God