spending all upon their pleasures they regard not their children but leave them in poverty and misery Now it's Gods gift to thee informing of thy parents heart to their duties concerning thee Thus if wives love husbands love children all this is Gods gift Gerson relates of his parents who desired to instruct him in this that he had all things from God as a gift that they made an Engine whereby descended from above whatsoever he desired or cried for as if it came from God immediately Fourthly Even those things that are brought about for us by the art and skill of others as well as their bounty we are to acknowledge God the giver of them Thus if Physicians by their art and skill have been a means to recover thee out of any disease thou art to confess it Gods gift It was Asa his great sinne That he relied on the Physician in his disease more than on God And men think themselves bound to reward the Physician to see he hath his fee but how little do they think to glorifie God and to give him the praises due to his name It is the midwives care and skill that brings the child into the world yet we have David taking notice of God as if he alone had done it Psal 22. 9. Thou art he that took me from my mothers womb Thou art my God from my mothers belly Oh how thankfully how humbly should we live did we consider how we are compassed about with Gods gifts Every thing we enjoy is the gift of God Lastly If all these things that yet seem to be the proper effects of second causes are yet the gifts of God Then how much more are all those enjoyments wherein mans wisdome and power cannot claim any worke at all Such are now all those favours of God in a temporal may that are cast upon us without any care or providence of ours That as God provided a wife for Adam while he was in a sleep Thus doth the Lord bring about many providences of love for his children that they never thought of that they could not in the least manner imagine To this head we may referre Paul's mercy in the Text. It might well be called a gift because he was pressed above strength and had no hope of life yet even then God did deliver him Such mercies also must needs be Gods gifts which are bestowed upon us while we are asleep while all the senses are locked up our preservation then from outward dangers yea and from many other wayes which might be our death or ruine when we have no use of reason to prevent them they must needs be Gods gift And lastly All the providences of God to us while little children having no wit or power to help our selves but exposed to danger every way all these were the gifts of God But who doth with thankfulnesse remember and meditate upon Gods mercies to him while a little child when he did eat and drink and play and thought of no God yet even then did God vouchsafe mercy to him David did acknowledge this Psal 22. 9. Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers brests David was a sucking child then he could not put forth the actings of hope or any grace at that time but I meaneth God was he that did then support and preserve him though he did not know of it Thus you see that if you let your thoughts runne over all the good things you enjoy let them come in what channel they can yet they are all gifts from God So that we are to overlook all natural causes all means all men all our own wisdome and labour and take them from Gods hand alone That which David saith in reference to the creatures belongeth also to man Psal 104. 27. These all wait upon thee that thou mayest give them their meat in due season That thou givest them they gather thou openest thy hand and they are filled Now the grounds why they are Gods gifts are First Because there is no necessity upon God either natural or moral to vouchsafe them to thee He is not bound to give thâ—… life senses wealth there is no natural necessity for he made thee out of his meer good pleasure and he made thee a man whereas thou mightst have been a Toad or a Serpent Nor was there any moral necessity thou doest not deserve any thing at Gods hand thou doest not deserve a morset of bread nor a drop of water therefore all is the meer gift of God It is his free gift God doth it purely out of his love according to that saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Favours are to be free and naked not dissembled and counterfeited Thus God having nothing from thee to move him doth it from himself alone Secondly It 's Gods gift Because thy sins are such that he is provoked to blast all thy comforts to continue them no longer to thee As God threatens Hos 2. 8 9. I will take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof You see God calleth it his corn and his wine because he giveth it Thus all thy mercies are Gods gifts upon a two-fold account both because he gave them at first and also because he continneth them still unto thee notwithstanding thy unworthiness Thirdly They are Gods gifts Because we are commanded to pray unto him for them In that short summe of Petitions our Lord remembers this when he directs us To pray for our daily bread and this the rich man must do as well as the poor a Dives that hath his barns full as well as a Lazarns that wants crums If then we pray to God for it it is plain that it is his gift Use of Exhortation Are all the comforts we enjoy Gods gifts Then walk more thankfully Think of God more do not mind second causes and instruments so much David Psal 27. 10. saith David's parents did not forsake him but he compareth himself to a little Infant exposed as Moses was and God did take him up to provide for him Thus we are to regard God more than father or mother Labour to speak the language of Scripture more Say God hath given this God continueth this and be diligent to use these gifts to the honour and glory of the giver for that is the chief end why he giveth them Shall God give to thee and then wilt thou take off from his glory and honour Provoke not God to repent as it were that ever he did thus and thus to thee as he did about the making of man and preferring of Saul Those that said Their tongues were their own Psal 12. 4. were thereby encouraged to wickednesse whereas to consider thy wealth is not thy own thy health is not thy own thy eyes thy tongue thy body these are not thy own they are Gods gift How carefull wouldst thou be to improve them all for his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let this
Why doest thou not go out from the Church of God Why doest thou not turn Heathen and Pagan again For certainly the Churches of Christ have no such prophane customs Thirdly It 's supernatural and of God in respect of the Order Laws Rule and Government it is to walk by The Doctrine believed is revealed by God The Worship practised is to be appointed by God The Government and Order is to be commanded by God And thus Beloved we might at large shew you That all things that are essential in the Church are to be of God No Doctrine no Worship no Administration of Sacraments but what is of God We might shew you what God hath appointed in the Credendis and Agendis Ecclesiae Oh that this were well understood by us What makes men so wilfull for their lusts for their superstitious customs but because they consider not the Church is a spiritual house and the Laws and Orders thereof are appointed by Christ himself If the Church be of God all things therein must be of God likewise Hence our Saviour saith Every plant that is not of my Fathers planting shall be rooted out Mat. 15. 13. What makes men rage and fret if things in the Church be not according to their own humours and lusts Is it not because they do not attend to this That it is Gods Church It 's not the Popes Church nor the Magistrates Church but Gods Church Surely this truth would make us in all things ask as Christ did in another case Whose image and superscription hath it Give unto God the things that are Gods Fourthly It 's supernatural and of God even in respect of the manner of doing all things in the Church Every solemn duty is to be done as from God and through him even in an holy and divine manner The Minister must preach as inabled of God The hearer must hear as strengthened thereunto of God The Apostle praiseth the Thessalonians That they received the Word not as the word of man but of God As the Apostle speaks of his administration of the Gospel 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God so ought all our Church-assemblies to be performed What Jeremiah then hath his head full enough of water to make lamentation for the formality customariness and meer external service that is done to God in our Assemblies Men are become like Idols having eyes they see not ears they hear not hearts they understand not whereas our praying our hearing our approachings in these Assemblies should be as of God not Nature or Custom or the Laws of men but the Spirit of God mightily working in us should put us upon these things Whereas now we see people in Church-assemblies finding no more of the gracious power and presence of God then if they were in their markets or other civil meetings As the Apostle said Do ye seek an experiment of Christ in me So ought it to be here we are to demonstrate in our Church-assemblies experimental works of Christ upon us As the duty is of God the Ordinance is of God so should the frame and disposition of our hearts be of God Fifthly The Church is of God in respect of his protection and gracious presence God promiseth his presence and delights to be in the Assembly of his Saints Matth. 18. 20. When two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them It 's the gracious presence of God that blesseth Ordinances Hence Christ is described Revel 1. 13. VValking in the midst of the golden Candlesticks that is the Churches and the Ordinances therein We are apt to complain if Gods blessing goeth not along with us in outward undertakings We can say as Moses to God If thy presence go not along with us we will not go up When it may relate to our outward advantage but we do not take notice of Gods presence in the Assemblies why God is not amongst us to hear our prayers why God is not present with the Word to make it an enlightning a converting Word It should affect your hearts more than it doth if in every Sermon the Spirit of God hath not fallen upon thy heart like fire if it hath not melted quickned enlivened thy soul Oh say why did God withdraw himself if he visited the hearts of others yet not mine I was dead luke-warm and found no efficacy come from Christ What sins am I guilty of What have I done that makes God thus absent himself from the publick Ordinances at least to me Sixthly The Church is of God in respect of all the supernatural Effects and benefits which alone are communicated there In the Church of God alone is Justification Sanctification Assurance of his favour In the pool of Bethesda onely did the Angel come in In the waters of Jordan only could Naaman be healed In the Ark only could there be external safety from the waters And thus in the Church only there are those soul-mercies to be obtained Lastly The Church is of God finaliter Because the enjoyment of God is the proper end of all Churches It 's true all civil societies are to make the glory of God their ultimate end but yet the immediate end is to acquire a temporal and political blessedness but the end of Gods Church is more transcendent and spiritual for therefore are preaching hearing therefore are Sabbaths and our solemn Assemblies that we might have more enjoyment of God that our doubts may be answered our corruptions mortified our graces made more fervent and zealous This made David so esteem the Tabernacle of the Lord and desiring rather to be a door-keeper there then to have any earthly greatness What was it the material Tabernacles that David so longed for No it was the enjoyment of God in those Ordinances But as little children admire the fine out-side of some excellent Book when they understand not the excellent matter contained therein so saith Chrysostome many regard the out-sides and externals of religious duties not knowing at all what the spiritual effects thereof mean Oh then let ignorant and wicked men tremble If the Church be of God how comest thou to be of the Devil and to do his works SERM. XVI Of the City of Corinth God sometimes gathers a Church amongst the most prophane people A Church though many wayes defiled may be a Church still as it was with the Corinthians 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth THe next thing to be treated of is the Description of this Church by the place where it is viz. at Corinth And that we may understand the great grace and power of God in gathering a Church to himself out of this City it 's good to observe what the Learned speak of it It was called so they say from Corinthus the sonne of Orestes or of Pelops but when they had in a dishonourable manner abused some Roman Embassadours they were destroyed by a Roman named Lucius Mummius
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort THe Inscription hath been fully considered we proceed to the other parts of the Chapter which are 1. An Exordium 2. An Apologetical Narration against those calumnies that were charged upon him by the false Apostles This Text is part of the Exordium or his Introductory beginning to what matter he was delivering to them and it is by way of Doxclogie and Thanksgiving For the most part the Apostle begins his Epistles with cordial affectionate blessing and praising of God and that commonly for the gifts and graces which God had bestowed on them he writeth unto but here he blesseth God chiefly for those consolations and supports which he himself had from God and this he doth partly to give all glory and honour to God partly to animate and encourage all to suffer for Christ they would not be losers by it and partly to stop the mouths of his accusers when they should see that all the afflictions he underwent did turn to his and the Churches good Now in this Thanksgiving passage we may observe 1. The praise it self expressed in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed 2. The Object of it God which is 1. Illustrated from his relative title to Christ The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. From his Efficiency which is two-fold The Father of mercies 2. The God of all comfort So that this Text doth represent God in a most sweet comfortable and ravishing relation to us The Apostle stands as it were here upon Mount Gerizzim to bless the people of God we may here stand and see as it were the glory of God passe by It is not the God of all vengeance and fury It 's not the God terrible in his judgements that will not in any wise acquit the guilty but the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation Let then the troubled and grieved soul who looketh alwayes upon God as angry as ready to destroy bring with the widow its cruises and fill them with the pleasant oil that will runne out of this Text. Certainly if David say of Gods word in general That it 's sweeter than the honey or the honey-comb much more is it applicable to this verse I shall begin with the Praise it self in those words Blessed be God Paul you heard begins most of his Epistles in this manner and some have thought that all our prayers should begin with thanksgiving because the heart is hereby raised up sooner to Heaven The consideration of Gods love being like the fire that will put the soul into sweet distillations But certainly the method of prayer whether with confession first or thanksgiving is not commanded but left arbitrary Only this the soul must remember to be as diligent and carefull in praising of God as praying to God To open the word the Scripture speaks of a three-fold Blessing 1. Of Gods blessing of us 2. Of our blessing of God And these differ exceedingly For God blesseth us efficiently by exhibiting his mercies to us We bless God not by adding any good to him but declaratively only Gods benedicere is benefacere his words are works but our blessing as Aquinas on the place is only recognoscitium and expressivum an acknowledgment only and celebration of that goodness which God hath 3. There is mans blessing of man and that is two-fold either Charitativè Matth. 5. 44. which is to be done to our very enemies Psal 129. 8. Thus Job 31. 20. speaketh of it by way of comfort that the poor whom he had refreshed blessed him Or Potestativè and that is when Parents and Ministers such as are in Office and Power do bless their Inferiours and this God doth more solemnly ratifie and confirm Thus the Priests Numb 6. 23 24. were in a solemn manner to bless the people and in this sense the Apostle argueth The less is blessed of the better Heb. 7. 7. And because by blessing the greatness of a thing is set forth hence it is used sometimes for consecrating 1 Sam. 9. 13. Samuel is said to bless the Sacrifice So 1 Cor. 10. 15. The Cup of blessing which we bless Though we must not understand it of a Popish consecration although there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may seem to be one thing And because those who did bless others did commonly come with presents and gifts hence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for gifts and the fruit of liberality 2 Cor. 9. 5 6. The Hebrew word to bless is observed by an Antiphrase to curse so it 's used three or four times in the beginning of Job and 1 King 21. Eustathius saith Aretius observeth also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Heathens indeed had a superstition that they thought an ill omen in words hence was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressing terrible things by gracefull names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they cursed so they called it Morbus sacer◠But the Scripture doth not attend to that superstition It is for gravities sake that it useth such an expression Though a learned man maketh that phrase in Job to be a Metonymy of the consequent because those do sometimes depart from others to whom they used to wish well saying valere Afterwards that word came to be used for a renouncing of all former friendship so he thinketh the word to bless might signifie that is to renounce God and not own his worship more But come we to the Observation which is That to bless and praise God for all his mercies is a duty that the people of God ought to be carefull and diligent in This cordial hearty blessing of God is greatly neglected some are borne down with the sense of their sins and unworthiness Some are greatly bowed down under the several afflictions God exerciseth them with Others are devoured with the worldly cares and discontents of their soul So that it is a very rare thing to meet with a Christian that walks with such a chearfull humble and thankfull spirit that he studieth all the mercies of God to him and is not willing any fragment should perish As Flies stick always upon the rugged parts of the glass and fall from that which is smooth Thus even Gods own children if they have any affliction if they want but one mercy they would have this doth more trouble and torture them than the thousand mercies they have from God do refresh and revive them That therefore we may make conscience of this duty and be much in that we may as the Apostle enjoyneth Col. 3. 17. In all things whether in word or deed be giving thanks to God Let us consider how much goeth to make a thankfull spirit what will enable us that we shall not alwayes lie among the tombs as it were affright our selves with our own sad thoughts but entertain
which yet David in every Psalm almost though never so cast down doth in some degrees and sparks as it were discover but here is nothing but disconsolateness yet this Heman was a godly man a Penman of some Psalms yea he was accounted one of the most eminent wise men that lived in that age for 1 King 4. 30 31. Solomons wisdom is said to exceed all others yea four wise men are instanced whom Solomon did surpass and this Heman was one Whereas then we are apt to judge such as want the sense of Gods comfort and go in a disconsolate manner fools and melancholly such as will go out of their wits You see here a godly man and one of the wisest men in Solomons times yet afflicted with the terrors of the Lord and can obtain no comfort This then being laid down as a foundation let us consider what is to be said to the doubt To answer the Objection you must know in what sense this is a doctrinal truth That God comforteth his in all their troubles and to that purpose observe these particulars 1. That comfort especially when we are sensibly affected and enlarged therewith is not of the essence of grace nor is it absolutely necessary to salvation It is indeed for the benè esse and is like oil to the wheels it doth wonderfully quicken and expedite the soul in wayes of holiness but yet a man may be in the state of grace and may have an unquestionable claim to Heaven yet for all that be destitute of such sensible comfort for these consolations do commonly flow from assurance of Gods grace and the sense of his love shed abroad in their hearts Now it is not this assurance that doth justifie us but it supposeth us justified already we may rest on Christ we may believe on him and yet want this faith of evidence as some call it while we have the faith of adherence and dependance Seeing therefore that this comfort is not an inseparable quality from a godly man we must then understand the promises of God for comfort as we do of other things which are separable from true grace God promiseth health outward peace long life yea of all outward mercies godliness hath a promise but yet the godly do not alwayes partake of these there are many of them sick weak poor and distressed though under such promises And the reason is because these are not necessary to salvation They are not required as Christ and grace is for then no godly man should be without them yea they may be an impediment an hinderance and therefore it 's a mercy sometimes when God denieth them Thus it is in regard of our comforts it is for our good to be sometimes without them God in much mercy suffereth his people to be in darknesse and to have no light So that you may no more wonder to see them sometimes without joy then to see them sometimes without the outward mercies of the world Yet you must understand when I thus compare these soul-consolations to bodily ones that I make them not of the same nature with temporal outward mercies as if they were no more spiritual than wealth or health are No I do not compare them in their nature but in their property of separability they neither are of the essence of grace nor of absolute necessity to salvation and herein they are alike otherwise these consolations they are spiritual mercies seated in the soul and have intimate connexion with the graces of Gods Spirit Gerson calls them Gratiae gratis datae and indeed they are the gifts of Gods Spirit and are highly to be prized yet as degrees in grace are of Gods Spirit but not necessary to salvation the truth of grace is but not every degree of grace for then no godly man could be saved that is weak in faith and in other graces Thus it is with this comfort in some respect They are gifts of God they are wrought by his Spirit yet so as that they do not necessarily accompany our salvation and in this sense you must understand the Doctrine 2. There is a two-fold joy which I may call a direct and reflex one The one is when we are carried with delight to that which is holy and good The other is when we know and feel that we are thus carried out joy is a fruit of faith 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable Now as faith acteth two wayes so also doth joy Faith acteth directly by going directly to Christ and then faith acts reflexly by looking upon this that I do rest on Christ Thus there is a joy that doth directly go to God and Christ by way of delight and enlargement being thus apprehended by faith Of such a joy in holy things Solomon speaketh Prov. 21. 15. The Prophet Isaiah also Chap. 64. 5. And then there is a joy flowing from the apprehension of this that we do delight in holy things For a man may rejoyce to find he can rejoyce in what is good a man may be comforted in finding that Christ and heavenly objects are matter of delight to him Now as it is with those two acts of faith the former which is the direct one that is absolutely necessary by that we are justified by that Christ is made ours by that we are in him and he in us but the latter is not of the same necessity It is no where said If ye know that ye do believe and if ye be assured that ye do believe but if ye do believe then ye shall be saved It would be sad with many of Gods children if none were justified but he that knoweth he believeth Thus it is also for joy joy in its direct acts it 's a necessary grace It is our duty to rejoyce in God and heavenly things as well as love them And indeed there cannot be any grace of love but there is also the grace of joy Hence Gal. 5. joy is made the fruit of the Spirit with other graces And Rom. 14. The Kingdom of Heaven is said to consist in righteousness and in joy in the holy Ghost So that there is a joy which being a grace is part of the new creature and there cannot be godliness without it as is our love so is our joy But then there is joy as a priviledge which as you heard ariseth from the knowledge of our being in the state of grace and this is communicable at Gods pleasure Those that have the most of Gods grace may for a time have the least of it in sense as we see in Christ himself So that we are to distinguish between joy as a grace and joy as a priviledge It 's of the latter the Doctrine is to be understood 3. Yet further The joy that Gods people partake of may be considered either as seated in the soul or as in the sensitive part The one is rational and spiritual The other is sensitive and corporeal For the
mercy his comforts are great comforts Though thou art not worthy to have such yet it beseemeth Gods glory and greatnesse to give such Wonder not then at the supports and comforts which Gods people may have even in the Whales belly where there seemeth to be no hope For consider who it is that giveth them from what fountain they flow even the Lord Christ the fountain of all fulnesse for his people and then you will say Our cruce is too little to receive all the oyl he could create for us So that the afflicted soul hath this encouragement in prayer Lord I ask no more then a great God is able to give though I am unworthy to receive it yet thou art worthy to be exalted as the great God who can as easily give great comforts as little comforts God can as easily give an Ocean as a drop Secondly It belongs to the faithfulnesse of God in his Promises to make comforts abound where sufferings For by what reason God out of his faithfulnesse will give any support at all by the same reason he will double and treble his consolations as need requireth It is a rule among the Schooles Sicutse habet simpliciter ad simpliciter ita magis ad magis maximum ad maximum Now then as God hath promised and ingaged to support under sufferings so also as these do abound his comforts must abound otherwise his people would be overcome by their temptations which is against his Promise For as such a degree of heat will not warm cold water unlesse it be made more intense so neither will comfort simply unlesse made more and increased serve against grievous afflictions An ordinary boat would not be like the Ark when that deluge of waters did overflow This support this joy thou hast now would not serve if God should exercise thee with greater tryals The widows food of Sarepta might have served her in an ordinary way but when the famine came and no supply could be had then her stock would quickly be spent Therefore urge God and say Lord if thou bringest me in a wildernesse thou wilt provide Manna for me by what reason thou givest me any comfort give me more now that my sufferings are more Thirdly If God should not increase the strength and comforts of his people according to the increase of their afflictions then he who is the fountain of all pity and wisdom should be exceeded by man who is but a cistern receiving from this fountain For such is the care and compassion of a man to his beast that he will say no more burdens on it then it can bear and when he puts it to more labour he giveth it more meat to strengthen it Now shall man do thus to his beast and not God to his Children So the Artificer the Refiner of gold when he throweth his gold into the fire he lets it be no longer then the drosse is purged away it shall not stay a moment longer then will serve for the preparing it to excellent use And shall not the great God of Heaven use such wisedom to his people when in afflictions which are called their fire to try them Lastly If God should not give proportionable comfort in sufferings his glorious end would not be obtained in bringing these upon us For these are to demonstrate and draw out our graces That we may be more then conquerours Rom. 8. And That we may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 1 Cor. 10. more then bear It is not enough meerly to conquer afflictions but we are more then conquerours For there is no conquerour but hath some losse but the Children of God lose nothing for they are advantaged every way both here and hereafter So that as their sufferings are an effect of their Predestination thus also their support and consolation floweth from the same fountain Shall God as the Authour of grace be more deficient in his works then as he is the Authour of nature If then in the course of nature we live and move and have our being yea every thing hath a natural delight and facility to its works of nature shall not the godly in the exercises of grace which are most put forth in the times of trouble God will provide that all thy sufferings shall not be in vain But you may say Have the people of God in their sufferings alwaies such overflowings of comfort Are they not many times afflicted without and destitute within We have answered this heretofore informing that Job yea Christ himself had sufferings without and sufferings within Their afflictions did abound but their joy did not We distinguished and explicated that case only we shall now give some Reasons why God at least for a time may leave a suffering people without consolation because then they were omitted As First God in thy troubles may deny thee comfort to teach thee that they are his gift This cooling wind bloweth when he pleaseth We might think that comfort was our desert that God could not be just to leave us without it when it is for his cause we are troubled but God will let thee know that when thou hast suffered to the utmost thou hast but done thy duty God is not beholding to thee And therefore if he giveth thee these cordials know it 's of his mercy thou hast not merited them And when thou hast them receive them thankfully Secondly Doth God deny thee thy desired comforts consider whether thy sinnes have not deserved it For although thou sufferest for him yet it may be much unbelief much impatience much frowardnesse hath risen in thy heart now these misty foggs will obscure the glorious beames of his favour God is ready with his comfort but thou art indisposed Thy heart is like an untuned Instrument and so there cannot be any melodious sound Thirdly If thou hast no comfort it may be God delayeth and puts off that so they may be the more welcome when they do come Thus God doth not answer prayers presently that when the mercy doth come it may be the more esteemed Christ delayed to raise Lazarus that when he was restored to life the mercy might be acknowdged the greater When Paul and his passangers for a great while had not seen the Sun this made them rejoyce the more when they did behold it Fourthly Doth God deny thee comfort it may be it is to try whether thy obedience be pure Whether thou wilt serve him though he giveth thee no wages Comfort is for our refreshment it is to encourage us We like Children cannot live without these breasts now if denyed these though we have a stone for bread yet thou wilt not give over suffering for Christ then thou shewest thy self upright indeed For we are apt to look to consolations more then duty to regard comfort more then obedience Now when thou canst say O Lord I will not repine I will not be weary of righteousnesse or deny the Name of
trust in their Christianity in their prayers in their Baptisme in receiving of the Lords Supper They put confidence in these things as if they were God and Christ Neither have the Ministers of the Gospel lesse work to do with Christians in this respect than the Prophets had of old with the Jewes Insomuch that then onely we come to be a spiritual people when we can discern between Ordinances and Christ in the Ordinances when we look upon Duties as the field and Christ as the pearl hid in that field When we look upon the Ordinances as the hemme of Christs garment we touch but we look for vertue to come forth from Christ himself But when shall the Ministers of the Gospel perswade in this matter How long will it be ere you put a difference between doing a duty and trusting in a duty between presence at an Ordinance and enjoying Christ himself in that Ordinance And thus farre men destitute of true solid grace may yet have some external apparent righteousness and other spiritual objects to rest upon Let us in the next place consider Wherein a godly man yea an eminent Paul may become guilty of trusting in himself For seeing God hath taken that way for our justification which is wholly to take us off our selves and the Gospel-grace is therefore exalted that we may be debased how can it come about that the dregs of this sinne should still be polluting the most holy man But First Even a Paul an eminent godly man may sinfully trust in those spiritual gifts and assistance which God hath vouchsafed to him rather than others This spark of fire will quickly kindle in tinder Hath God given a man great gifts great abilities in prayer great enlargements above others It must be the great work of grace to keep this man humble and low so as not to trust on them 2 Cor. 12. 7. Paul there declareth what wonderfull honour God had vouchsafed to him he was lifted up to the third Heaven he had abundance of revelations So that God did in many extraordinary wayes communicate himself to Paul But could Paul be thus lifted up upon the pinacle and his head not turn round Can he drink of this wine and not be giddy No he is in much danger and therefore observe what way God taketh with him at the seventh verse Lest I should be pufft up above measure there was given me a thorne in the flesh a messenger from Satan to buffet me What this was is greatly disputed by the learned to be sure it was so heavy and burdensome a temptation that he prayed to God often That it might be removed but God would not take it off and the reason is twice declared Lest I should be puffed up above measure what is this but to have confidence in his gifts and revelations with those extraordinay dispensations of Gods love to him If then the greene Tree be so apt to receive these sparkes of vain-glory and selfe-confidence what shall the dry Tree do Examine then thy self the more Gods assistance is with thee Art thou the more lowly in thy owne eyes Doest thou find an holy fear and trembling under these approaches of God to thy soul Art thou affected at these wonderfull workings of God upon thee as Peter when he saw that great miracle about the fishes presently to remember his own sinfulnesse Or as those in the Old Testament who when they had any glorious apparitions of God vouchsafed to them were so considerative of their own frailty and imbecillity that they generally thought they should die immediately Thus the more Gods gifts abound in thee doest thou the more go out of thy self And think now I am in a temptation the Devil is ready to puffe up with self-content and so to make these great gifts to become a snare to thee to turn these ear-rings as it were of gold into an Idol to worship it This is the reason say some why Ezekiel is so often called Sonne of man because of those great visions he had in reference to Jerusalem And Daniel likewise is once called the Sonne of man for he had great revelations concerning the Church of God Now this Title of Son of man might greatly debase him under those great priviledges God seldome useth his people as great instruments in his service but he doth something or other that shall be like a Memento esse hominem Even as that hand of Moses in the stretching out whereof so many miracles were wrought was affected with a Leprosie that so the power might be given to God and not to Moses Thus God doth wisely mingle gifts and infirmities dispenseth glorious priviledges and manifold chastisements that so the balance may descend downwards as much as it ascends upwards That a gracious man should have that true in him which is said of the Element In tantum ascendit in quantum descendit Secondly A godly man may sinfully trust in his Graces in his Holinesse in his faith and love of Christ So that what the pharisaical man doth about his apparent and external holinesse the godly man in some measure may doe about his real graces Insomuch that many times they have not the reward of a duty and the comfort of it in their own hearts by secret pride and confidence arising in their heart after they have done Therefore as pure motives are to beginne so be sure in the same to conclude thy holy duties Let not the Dragon devour the child as soon as it is borne Take heed of that Euge Bernarde benedicis Thou preachest well thou prayest well thy heart hath been as thou wouldst have it For this is the danger of self-confidence it breedeth out of holy duties other sins are committed because of sinfull temptations but here poison is sucked from the sweet herb and thy evil ariseth from thy good No wonder then if the godly have many exhortations To worke out their salvation with fear and trembling Not to be high-minded but fear Though they stand to take heed lest they fall for they are apt to trust in their own strength and their own power and this maketh way for their fall as in Peter Mark 14. 31. He would not believe he should deny Christ though the Lord told him he would Yea the more vehemently he affirmed he would not though he should die Yea saith the same Evangelist Likewise also said they all They were all confident as well as Peter though not so much yet as Peter did grosly deny Christ so all the rest fled from him By this you see how dangerous it is to put any trust in our owne graces Remember that place Ezek. 33. 13. If a righteous man trust to his own righteousnesse and commit iniquity c. By trusting to himself he begins to fall Let then the Use be even to those who are most godly to take heed and watch against this subtil sinne that may be in thy heart that may creep into thy graces
there be any afflicted with bitterness as I am And is not this thy case Is not thy house a house of mourning for dead fathers or dead husbands as well as others Is not all this from the preventing mercy of God The second chanel in which these mercies may be discovered is In spiritual things And certainly here we may cry out also That they are more than can be numbred For what sinne what temptations what terrours and troubles of heart what wounds and gashes of soul do any of the godly fall into and thou mayest not also be plunged into the same Who maketh thee to differ Why must not the branch ingraffed in insult over that which is broken off but take heed and tremble Is it not because God may break off those also Oh then with bleeding and melting hearts acknowledge and say O Lord what would have become of me if left to such a passion if forsaken in such a temptation Why is it that I have not the guilt the condemnation that others lie under Is it not because thy goodness did keep me Even as David was preserved in respect of that businesâ— of the men of Keilah he asketh of God Whether they would deliver him into Saul's hands and God telleth him they would certainly do it thereupon David will not commit himself to them It is thus often in respect of thy soul if thou go to such a place if thou art put into such a temptation if placed in such a condition or relation God knoweth that this would prove a snare to thee it would be a ruine to thee Therefore the Lord doth so order by his mercy that thou shalt not come into that condition Divines have one kind of grace that they call Gratia praeveniens which doth prevent us it cometh upon us before we have any thought any will or desire about it As God said He was found of those that sought him not And truly such preventing grace we do not only need at our first conversion but all our life long as much as our daily bread Grace must prevent our mind our will our affections otherwise some sinne some lust or other would immediately fasten upon us Let then the godly soul remember what a deep and vast ocean this is of preventing grace the bottome whereof thou canst never dive into As Paul said By the grace of God I am what I am so saith Austin he might have added By the grace of God I am not what I am not It 's the grace of God that thou art not a withered tree a barren wilderness It is the grace of God keepeth thee from Hypocrisie and from Apostasie what a sinner and evil wretch thou art not it is wholly by the grace of God Thirdly Although the godly do thus judge of preventing mercies as well as of positive mercies yet because we are apt to account of mercies by sense and feeling we have hence it is That the godly are exceedingly-forgetfull many times about preventing mercies It is often said We never prize a mercy till we want it How precious is health to a diseased man ease to a tormented man And so also we never account any evil grievous but while we feel it while it is upon our backs and thereupon we are most sensible of such mercies which do take off this burden from us Thus it is indeed because we judge of all things according to our sense but if we did let judgement work then the godly soul would be likewise greatly enlarged for the keeping of evil as well as removing of it The evil we never felt yet because ready to come upon us had not the mercy of God kept it off is affectionately taken notice of by that soul which delights to search out the works of God towards it The godly ought not be so bruitish as to be taught only by thorns or to be like the horse which must have alwayes the bit and bridle Preventing mercy is as real a mercy as a positive one God is as truly good in keeping of evil from thee as removing of it Shall God therefore lose such of his glory and honour because thou wilt judge only by sense Fourthly That therefore the children of God may know It is their duty to go further in the way of praise to God then usually they do Let them consider these ensuing rules concerning preventing mercies And 1. Perswade thy self of this That whatsoever evil thou hast deserved by thy sinnes and is not brought upon thee look upon this as a preventing mercy and be affected wit it as much as with any positive mercy And truly this very particular may be like a live coal from the Altar to warm and purifie thy heart For hast thou not deserved all the curses threatned in the Law As soon as ever as thou hast sinned may not the Law of God immediately challenge thee take thee by the throat and hale thee to hell Well if so consider this preventing mercy of God that keepeth thee from them Mayest thou not truly say remembring the deserts of thy sinne not onely the God who deliuereth from so great a death but also so great an hell and so great a damnation Were not thy heart like a clod of earth like a stone how greatly wouldst thou be affected in this particular saying It 's the Lords mercy I am not in the grave It 's the Lords mercy I am not roaring in hell for the Law curseth me I have transgressed that there is nothing keepeth off the execution of that dreadfull sentence but the meer mercy of God And therefore if thou wert dead and raised again if damned in hell and yet delivered out Would not thy mouth and heart be filled all over with blessing and praising of God Why not then when God keepeth thee out of this destruction every moment It 's observed as the demonstration of Gods great power and mercy that the waters of the sea being higher than the earth yet they are so checked and bounded by the power of God that they do not overflow the earth This is the meer preventing mercy of God Insomuch that Luther said The Inhabitants of the earth are as wonderfully preserved from destruction by the sea as the people of Israel were in their passage to Canaan when the waters stood like walls on both sides And thus it is in any mercy we enjoy if we consider what the Law threatens how that curseth what we have deserved It 's a wonder of wonders that every houre we doe not fall into hell Therefore if thou findest thy heart not affected with these preventing mercies lay this particular close to thy soul 2. Consider That whatsoever evil doth actually fall upon any other in the world and not on thee this is a preventing mercy Is another sick and not thou Is another poor not thou This is a privative mercy For what reason can there be given of thy difference from others but onely
we not to have done it 4. One chief motive which is to put us upon all holy obedience unto God is Thankfulness There are two great and principal parts of Divinity the one is De gratià Dei of the grace of God and the other De gratitudine hominis of mans thankfulnes There are indeed several reasons why we are commanded to abound in holy works but one of them is thereby to testifie our thankfulnes to God that though we cannot do anything to merit at his hands though Christ as Mediator hath purchased all spiritual priviledges so that we cannot do any holy duty as a cause to procure them yet to manifest our thankfulnes to God we are ready with delight to do his will 5. A thanksgiving heart is the most proper and sutable disposition to the Gospel dispensation wherein grace doth in so many wonderfull effects demonstrate it self Now praise doth properly answer to free grace and love Eph. 1. 16. Gods predestination and his adoption it is That we should be to the praise of the glory of his grace These new songs should alwayes be in our mouths And again v. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory So that if you say Why did God predestinate thee It is to his praise Why doth he convert It is to his praise Thus he adopts he justifieth that we might be only to his praise Thus 1 Pet. 2. 9. we are a chosen generation a peculiar people that we should shew forth his praises The children then of free grace must be the children of praises and thanksgivings unto God Every power of the soul every part of the body should be a tongue as it were to glorifie God Were we more affected with the depth breadth and length of this grace of God we should be more abounding in this duty of blessing God David cals his tongue his glory though some apply it to the soul because of this work Lastly If we praise not God when mercies are obtained by prayer it discovereth a rotten and insincere heart It argued thou never didst pray for mercies upon right grounds to glorifie God to be thereby more instrumental in our service of him but only for our own ends and our own necessities For he that prayeth spiritually will praise God cheerfully he will more rejoyce in the favour of God because God heareth his prayers then the benefit obtained If then thou neglectest this duty of thanksgiving thou discoverest a prophane earthly heart that thou preferrest the mercy desired above the glory and honour of God and therefore it will be just with God never to hear thy prayers more For thankfulness is the only way to preserve mercies and to have more added SERM. LXXXII God is the fountain of all our Mercies they are his Gifts and why 2 COR. I. II. That for the gift bestowed upon us THe second part in order to be treated of is The Object matter for which or that for which Paul would have solemne thanksgiving after such solemn prayer The gift bestowed upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This temporal deliverance he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it came from the favour of God not from any merits or deserts in Paul Some make a difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was applied onely to the common gifts of Gods Spirit especially those which Divines call Dona ministrantia Gifts of service and the Schools Gratiae gratis datae and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the grace and favour of God in a special manner or to the effect thereof which is inherent grace in the soul These graces are called Dona sanctificantia Gifts that doe truely sanctifie those that have them The Schooles falsly call them Gratiae gratum facientes But though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be often applied to such common spirituall gifts as 1 Cor. 12. alibi Yet sometimes we must thereby understand sanctifying grace and justifying grace Rom. 5. 16. Rom. 11. 28. And indeed if we will make any difference it seemeth to be this rather that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Effect and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cause as Rom. 12. 6. Having gifts according to the grace that is given to us Hence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is generally translated gift in the New Testament So Favorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that what the Scripture other where calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jac. 1. 17. Act. 8. 21. Psal 1. 17. it may be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely it doth properly signifie such a gift as maketh to the publick and spiritual advantage of the Church onely in this Text it may have the general signification and the special The general Paul's Deliverance was a temporal gift It was a mercy in these outward things a preservation from death either violent as the common exposition you heard is or from natural For Baldwin the Lutheran Expositor thinketh it may well enough be understood of some desperate sicknesse Paul was afflicted with Howsoever this outward mercy of preservation is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it may have also the special signification of a Paul's life and preservation was a gift in this sense for hereby his ministerial labours might be more successefull But this latter consideration will come in in the close of this verse Let us take notice of the general one Paul's life and preservation it is a gift From whence observe That not onely spiritual mercies which are above natural causes but even our ordinary temporal enjoyments are the gift of God It 's not Gods gift onely to sanctifie us to justifie us but to give us our health our food our preservation so that we live wholly upon the meer bounty of God we are all so many Almes-men the world is an Almes-house Man doth not or cannot obtaine the least mercy with his owne wisdom and power without the blessing of God This is a necessary truth For we look more upon these ordinary mercies as the fruit of our own labour than as Gods meer free gift The Apostle Jam. 1. 17. saith Every good gift is from God Every gift whether natural or supernatural what have we that we have not received is true both in nature and grace For although in the sense that Pelagians did it was very erroneous to confound Creation and Nature with grace yet in this respect we may say That Creation and Preservation is of the grace and favour of God because he communicated of his goodnesse to the creature onely from his meer favour But to speake after the Scripture-language onely those spiritual favours and Church-priviledges which conduce to eternal blessednesse are called The grace of God So that health life and other mercies though they be The gifts of God yet are not called The grace of God However
they both agree in this our temporal mercies and spiritual mercies come from God the fountain of them though spiritual mercies have a more special and restrained consideration To affect us with humility and thankfulnesse in this point consider these particulars First That even those mercies which are the effects of natural causes yet they are the gift of God Should he withdraw his concourse no creature were able to performe its usefull operations The fire would not warme us our bread would not nourish us our raiment would not comfort us against the cold So that we are not only to bless God that we have such creatures as these are but that they are usefull We are not only to praise God that we have bread and raiment but that these things can do their office For in these there is a two-fold mercy 1. That God doth provide them for us 2. That when they are provided they put forth their usefulnesse Thus our Saviour alledgeth out of Deuteronomy Mat. 4. 4. Thou shalt not live by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth If God give not a word of blessing our bread cannot nourish us Hence we are also said In God to live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Although therefore there are natural causes and these do produce their effects from a natural necessity yet because they are second causes they do therefore depend upon God the chiefest and supream cause both in esse and operari in their being and operation Thus the fire would not burn if God should not give concourse thereunto as appeareth in the case of the three Worthies and the reason which is given by the Dominicans though the Jesuites do not well relish it is that every second cause though it be a natural agent and so determined to operation yet because it is in a potentiality to worke it hath a potentia a power this must be reduced to act by that which is the pure and chief act viz. God himself So that it is not enough for God to give a natural power to produce such an effect unlesse he also actuate that power and goe along with it This is a truth and when believed will draw off our eyes from the creature more so as to set them upon God and to acknowledge him more in all things This then thou art to know That even those natural comforts which flow from natural causes so that it would be a miracle if they should not produce them are yet from the goodnesse and bounty of God Now how often are we unthankfull for these mercies we doe not blesse God for the gift of seeing the gift of hearing the gift of walking Secondly Those comforts which flow from moral causes these also are to be attributed to the gift of God A man that is diligent in his place he may grow to be rich The strongest usually prevail in battel The swiftest they overcome in a race yet where these moral causes are the effect is Gods gift Therefore Solomon observeth that the clean contrary falleth out sometimes Eccles 9. 11. That the battel is not to the strong nor the race to the swift How many are diligent carefull and wise in their places and yet cannot obtain wealth in this world So that even those things which are brought about by the means that we use we must acknowledge they are Gods gift if his blessing be not upon the means they are frustrated Thus the Lord doth instruct Israel against any pride and confidence that might arise as if their power and strength did make them rich For it is the Lord saith he that giveth thee power to get wealth Deut. 8. 18. You see whatsoever wisdome diligence and good husbandry we use yet if any thing come thereby it is the gift of God You have a most significant place for this truth Hag. 1. 6. where the Prophet sheweth whatever we eat or drinke or take care and labour about the Lord can blast it and make it come to nothing Ye eat but have not enough ye cloathe you but there is none warme and he that earneth wages it is to put in a bag with holes Doth not this Text evidently proclaim that the labourer in his wages the tradesman in his buying and selling the husbandman in his plowing and sowing cannot adde one farthing to his efface unlesse the Lord blesse it Thirdly All those comforts we have and gifts either to relieve or refresh us that we have from others we are to account them Gods gifts rather than mens If any man help thee in thy necessities if any man preferre and honour thee thou art indeed to be thankfull unto men that are benefactors but more to God who inclined their hearts to thee Yet how little is this thought upon when we receive courtesies from men kindnesses from men we look upon these alone whereas if God did not move their hearts thou wouldst have found no relief from them It was thus with Joseph he was cast into prison upon the Kings displeasure in all outward appearance the Goaler would have used him with all cruelty yet saith the Text Genes 39. 21. God shewed mercy to Joseph and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison The Lord hath a command over mens hearts he maketh them mercifull and free to some and again he turneth the hearts of some men against others Now we poor creatures look only upon men as if they did all as if all were in their power But as God commanded Laban who was in a rage against Jacob not to speak an ill word against him So also doth the Lord daily he maketh men thy friends and he raiseth them up to be foes We have likewise a notable instance Exod. 12. 36. when the Israelites were upon their departure the Aegyptians though their cruel enemies who hated and oppressed them yet it 's said The Lord gave them favour in their eyes that they lent them even jewels of gold and silver On the contrary when God was provoked it is said Psalm 105. He turned their heart to his people As David then said when Shimei reviled him bitterly The Lord hath bid him So when thou receivest any favour any mercy from men look up higher than men The Lord hath bid him Mens gifts are much rather Gods gifts yea even what those do for us who are in the most indeared relations and so have principles of nature to instigate them to help thee yet thou art to look upon all their care and love as Gods gift to thee If thy parents have taken care of thee if they have provided for thee if they have looked to thee though it was their duty and they would have been unnatural if they had done otherwise yet do thou look upon it as Gods gift to thee How many parents are given up to unnatural affections How many love their lusts and their whores more than their children So that
of heart whereby we are enabled to know our condition is alwayes accompanied with a godly filial and holy fear That fear which is so often commanded in Scripture and with which we are to worke out our salvation Phil. 2. 12. It is true there is a slavish and servile feare tormenting us with daily doubts and this is properly expelled by this knowledge of our sincerity and there is no greater enemy to an Evangelical and Gospel life which is in faith peace and joy in the holy Ghost then these tormenting doubts about our selves And therefore the Papists who teach and encourage these doubtings under the colour of humility do thereby drive us from Christ Yea Luther said If there were no other cause then this we had ground enough to depart from the Church of Rome But though this Ishmael must be cast out yet not Isaac too There is a lawfull fear whereby as children we reverence God are afraid of any frowne from him and doe thereby diligently attend to all those duties he hath commanded and this is necessary to beget a true knowledge of our upright hearts and by this that rash presumption of Epicures of impenitent and secure sinnes is wholly excluded for they doe in a presumptuous manner indulge themselves in all sinnes having no holy fear in the godly use of all those means God hath commanded Fourthly To enable the soul of a believer thus to know and be assured of its sincerity there is above all required The helpe of Gods Spirit For the Texts above-mentioned doe attribute it to the Spirit of God dwelling in us whereby we come to know what God hath wrought in us It 's the Spirit of God which helpeth our infirmities in prayer and doth seale and witnesse unto us that we are the children of God Therefore though a godly mans soul be as fully bespangled with graces as the firmament with starres yet if the Spirit of God enable not to discerne of these we are in daily fluctuations of spirit As Hagar had a fountain of water by her but she was ready to perish with thirst till God opened her eyes to see it And as the Prophets man could not behold that great company which was on his side till his eyes were inabled thereunto so neither do we know what are the gracious workings of Gods Spirit in us without this sealing witnesse of Gods Spirit But of this more largely when we come to the 22th verse in this Chapter Now when all these are concurrent together Doth the godly soul with a certaine knowledge conclude that it is in a state of grace and so justified with God Whether this be a knowledge of faith or of sense or mixed of both is disputed But it seemeth to be the later For as faith in the assenting act is carried out to principles clearly revealed in the Word And then secondarily to conclusions by good and sure consequence deduced from them So is faith in the fiducial actings of it to the promises as laid downe in the general and then to the same as particularly applied So that faith and experience concurre to make up this certaine knowledge a glorious and rare priviledge For because men doe live so dissolutely and carelesly because they doe so little exercise themselves in holinesse and close walking with God therefore they thinke such a thing is impossible Yea because the people of God are so sensible of their infirmities and constant weaknesses they think it is no duty but sinfull presumption to believe any such thing concerning themselves But in the next place we are to shew you that it it is a duty which we ought to presse after SERM. LXXXVIII Of the Impediments which keep us from Assurance Commands for it and Cautions about it 2 COR. 1. 12. The testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. THe next thing to be pursued concerning the Doctrin already observed viz. That a believer may certainly know that he doth not onely do the duties God requireth but also that he doth them with a sincere and single heart The manner as well as the matter is manifested to him is to shew our duty herein that we are bound by Gods command not to rest till we come to some assured knowledge herein Therefore of all the Questions in Divinity thou art to study to exercise thy self most in this Whether doest thou know that thou art in a state of grace that thou art no hypocrite no self-deluded wretch in the wayes of Religion but that thou hast sincerity and truth in the inward parts How much more advantagious would it be to Christians if they studied the resolution of this case more It is strange that many can spend their time in disputes about either unnecessary things or too sublime for their capacities or such Questions that they are not concerned in And as for this which is the main fundamental one as to their particulars be wholly negligent about it Certainly a good resolution herein is of so great importance that we may wonder that we do not lay all other studies aside yea bid all other businesses stand alooff off till the Spirit of God upon sure grounds hath perswaded us herein If your temporal estate were questioned if all your livelihood were called into question and it began to be doubtfull whether the estate you enjoy were your own by the right of the Laws or no especially if others did sollicite and indeavour to take it from you Would not this make you runne and ride night and day till you had obtained such firm evidences that all your adversaries could not invalidate How then cometh it about that we will thus desperately put the state of our souls to a venture if I be regenerated I am regenerated if but a temporary believer I am no more I will put it to the event let it fall out how it will Oh the sad blindnesse and heavy judgements of men in this particular and yet thou that livest thus doubtfully and wilt die thus doubtfully How uncertain is thy life What a bubble and vapour art thou Oh remember that the time is coming that a godly ability to answer thy self in this doubt and temptation will be more worth then all the world when thou art to be snatched from this world to enjoy the comforts thereof no more when thou apprehendest thy self summoned by death to stand at Gods Tribunal where grace and only grace through the blood of Christ will be a sure plea. What agonies what perplexities what confusions will be upon thy soul If thou criest out then Oh I know not what I am what will become of me whether I am going Live I must not die I dare not Oh that I could hear a voice from Heaven immediately witnessing unto me that my spiritual estate is safe and good Be sure that of all the Questions in the world you will one day be put most to answer this Not so much what knowledge
no greater joy than to see my children walk in the truth so 2 Epist Ver. 4. Lastly When they live in accord and Love when they think the same things and speak the same things Phil 2. 2. Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded and let nothing be done through strife and vain glory But these may suffice Use of Instruction How much it lieth a people upon so to live and so to walk that they may rejoyce the Ministers of God To take heed of that ignorance of that Impiety and wickedness which may grieve them and so they shall give an account with heaviness and not with joy at the great Day Though for the present these things are a fable or a scorne to thee yet remember all the Sermons and Admonitions thou hast had all the pains and studies taken for the Salvation of thy soul will one day witness against thee This will make us with sadness and trembling to think what account can we give of such persons at that great Day we that have prayed for you preached to you mourned for you must then be your Accusers we cannot help it The Lord will require your souls at our hands and then must we say O Lord such a sinner and such a sinner we have reproved him we have declared thy will to him but he would have his lusts though he were damned for them he regardeth his sinnes more than heaven and eternal life Let us conclude all with that sad and serious place and oh that it might never out of your heart but be with you sitting and walking rising and going to bed Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that rule over you and submit your selves c. In which Text is much excellent matter but I shall touch at it onely First There is the Sanction and establishment of a Ministry and Pastors over a people For they are commanded to obey such Where are they then that cry down a ministry think it needless at least no Institution of Christ Secondly Here is established the dignity of Ministers partly by their Titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are Guides Leaders such as are set over you and partly in the duty enjoyned the people which is to obey and submit The first signifieth obedience the other reverence and submission so that they are to yield to the wholesome Counsels of their Pastors and that with honor to them 3. Here is the office of a Pastor to watch for the peoples soules so that if the Honor tempt here is the Duty and danger which may deterr 4. There is the duty of the people as you heard to obey and submit 5. Here is a Reason of it They are to give an account of your soules we are Stewards and to see that one sheep be not lost So that the Ministers office is more dangerous because he must account for himself and many others also which made Chrysostome wonder if any Guide or Officer of a Church could be saved but that he speaketh saith Estius because of the many evil and negligent ones otherwise such as Chrysostome himself would be saved Neither is this Text to discourage good and Faithfull Pastors but rather to comefort them because God will in a special manner be with them and bless their Labours Now the Apostle sheweth that this is a special means to discourage them if by their wickedness people so walk as that they shall render their account with grief For certainly if the more they have converted the greater their accidental joy will be then the more are damned though not by their fault the greater will their grief be And that we might not think it a light matter thus to discourage and grieve a Minister either in his Pastoral labours for their soules as some relate the words or when at the day of Judgment he is to give an account as others he addeth this is not profitable to you that is you will finde the loss of this you will smart for it God will reward them for their Labours though ye be damned Thus God will be avenged for your ingratitude herein But what people think of these things SERM. CIV Of the great changes that will be in the Day of Christs coming 2 COR. 1. 14. In the day of the Lord Jesus VVE now come to consider the time when this mutual rejoycing of Paul and the Corinthians in one another will be most remarkable and that is said to be In the day of the Lord Jesus For although he speaketh in the present tense We are and you are our rejoycing yet that is chiefly to be referred to the last day It is true for the present he had much joy in them and they in him but this was as the gleaning in respect of the Harvest afterwards Beza because the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall be doth render it not in die but ad diem as if the sense were You are kept to be our rejoycing against that day In what sense Paul is called the Corinthians joy or boast you have heard viz. instrumentally not principally Therefore Estius stretcheth too farre more than ordinarily he useth to do when from that expression used by Paul to the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2. 20. Ye are our glory and joy he would justifie their practice in Popery who in their prayers call the Virgin Mary their life and hope For notwithstonding all their subtil distinctions that is to derogate from the Mediatorship of Christ But to our purpose This rejoycing in one another is chiefly to be put forth at the day of Christ And if you ask How can we then rejoyce in any thing but God only Is not the blessednesse of Heaven described by this that we see God that we enjoy him So that to rejoyce in any thing else besides God seemeth to be like desiring a candle when we have the light of the Sunne How can a Minister for example rejoyce in the conversion of such and such persons when he hath an infinite object of joy even God himself to delight in Can any thing be added to that which is infinite To this it is answered that there is an essential and an accidental joy in Heaven The essential one lieth in beholding the face of God to all eternity and this cannot be increased or diminished But then there is an accidental joy which ariseth from particular occasions or motives and though Heaven and eternal happiness doth not consist in this yet it doth accidentally make us to rejoyce in more things Thus the Angels though they do see the face of God and thereby are compleatly happy yet they are said To rejoyce upon the conversion of a sinner And thus the faithfull Pastors of Gods Church the more have been converted by their spiritual labours the greater will their joy accidentally be Not that this degree of joy or glory is merited by any as some have thought for this also is of the
found unprofitable and is adjudged unto a terrible doom that had but one talent and was negligent therin Would not Christ teach us by this that none should slight their mean and low estate thinking that such are poor and inconsiderable creatures as they are alas they can do nothing for God It is for Magistrates and Ministers for rich men or men in place and of interest to lay out themselves but God doth not look they should do any thing Oh take heed of this temptation If thou doest but set thy self to consider in this matter thou mayest find thy self in capacity to promote the glory of God and to further the Gospel of Christ in many particulars that thou art now negligent in This is our great sinne that none are contented with the several relations and conditions they are in One thinketh if he were in such a mans estate he could serve God better than he doth The private Christian thinketh a Minister can do it better A Minister thinketh a private Christian hath not the temptations and sad eares that he hath As Luther speaketh Comment in Gen. cap. 17. of himself how he thought other mens callings happier than his who endured so much envy and hatred for the Gospel They live without vexations their labour is sweet but I am exercised saith he with great dangers But we must take heed of impatiency and know we may all serve God and so be at last saved in our respective lawfull callings We would think the hands or feet were in a worse condition than the tongue for they are worn out with labour whereas the tongue doth taste of sweet and pleasant things and is not wâ—aried with pain and yet these partake of the same happiness with the body as the eyes or tongue do Secondly This you also are to understand that all the lawfull actions in your several callings may be improved for Gods honour as well as those that are in their nature religious and immediately applied to himself Our plowing and sowing our marrying and bringing up of children if done according to Scripture-rules please God in their way as well as religious duties It may be holy plowing holy sowing holy buying and selling as well as holy praying and holy preaching It is the Apostles command 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God In Popery there was an horrible mistake about this which was the cause of bringing in much superstition which made Luther as appeareth in his Comments on Genesis so often speak of the good pleasure that God taketh in the civil actions of our calling when done out of obedience to Gods command And indeed men are hardly perswaded that the doing of such things in our relations are serving of God whereas all such things done from good principles and to right ends are holiness as well as other duties Holinesse to the Lord is to be written upon all thy natural civil and moral actions as well as religious It is true here lieth the difficulty to do these ordinary actions of our calling upon holy grounds to eat to drink to labour that God may be exalted and not to make riches gain and outward blessedness the utmost end of all doings in this kind So that till a man be regenerated he is but a worm crawling upon the ground he cannot do any thing but upon humane motives And it is no wonder for such men in all their religious duties are but carnal and earthly whether they pray or heare it is not for the glory of God Custome formality and self-respects are the Locusts and Caterpillars that do devour our hopefull buds Therefore In the third place It behoveth every Christian often to meditate about the ultimate end of all his actions As the Heathen would have a man say to himself Cui bono for what good is this I do So much more should believers propound this to themselves I labour I take pains I rise early I go to bed late but to what end is all this What is it that my soul doth principally aim at in all these things If we had asked Paul saying Paul Why will you go to Macedonia He would have said to promote Christs Kingdom to have been beneficial to mens souls And then again Why to Corinth It was to carry on the work of the Gospel there Many did begin to fall off so that it was necessary there should be information and admonition And further Why do you go to Jerusalem It is to refresh the bowels of the poor Saints there By which you see that as the Heliotropium that flower of the Sunne doth follow the Sunne and openeth and shutteth according to the presence of the Sun and its absence Thus doth the heart of Paul wholly move after God divine considerations are the Loadstone that drew out his heart And indeed in all moral actions the end is first to be concluded Hence Aristotle in his Ethicks beginneth with the end of humane actions What is the white that all men are to shoot at What is the mark they are to levell at Whereupon some Divines likewise concluding that Divinity is practical and not speculative meerly that therefore the most approved and genuine method in all Systems of Divinity is first to begin with that end which all men ought to aim at in their whole life and that is known to be the glory of God and the salvation of our souls Now when a man hath fixed his end and resolveth upon that he doth all things proportionably and sutably thereunto Hence when a man acteth according to a Divine Rule If you ask him Why do you take such pains Why do you ride up and down and travail so much Why do you study and devour books His answer will be It is for Gods glory and the salvation of my soul Till therefore a man hath centered his soul upon the right end till his heart be constantly upon that he either propounds cursed and wicked ends to himself or at the best he maketh intermedious ends ultimate that which is the secondary to be the principal For it 's lawfull to take pains to be diligent in our calling that our family may be provided for our children be brought up it were an unnatural and great sinne to be negligent herein but then you must remember to make this a comma not a colon This must be your Inne not your home you must look beyond all these even to God and your souls This truth is so necessary that though we should preach six hundred Sermons about it to quicken you up in the meditation thereof it would not be useless But I am not now to insist upon it The sum is this He that would both in soul and body in health wealth parts and all he hath be imployed for God must often make this Question to his soul Oh my soul what is thy end in all these things What moveth thee to
and division is greatly to be lamented A late Papist saith Ford against Taylor That seing Protestants write against Protestants and fight against Protestants and that for the Protestant Religion he hopeth that at last all will see cause to turn to the Catholique Religion But not to tell them of their Divisions though our differences are a great stumbling-block yet to any settled judicious Christian they should not prove so for the Scripture doth so evidently foretell that there must be heresies and that false Prophets will arise that shall come in such deceivable wayes that they would deceive the very Elect if possible and also that God doth for wise ends suffer all such rents to be that none should stagger thereat yea the approved will be made more manifest and this file will get off the rust from the iron this winnowing will drive the chaff from the wheat Lastly This harmony will be for the greater conviction of every one that shall abide in his unbelief and impiety For what a stock or stone art thou if so many droppings will not at last enter into thee Go from one Minister to another doest thou not hear every one cry down prophaneness incourage to godliness If you hear hundreds of faithfull Ministers what is the work of all but to subdue sin to dispossess Satan to bring men into obedience unto Christ Do we not all come with the same Embassage Intreating of you to be reconciled to God and to agree with this adversary while you are in the way What can more convince yea confound than this It was this which brought utter destruction upon Jerusalem there was then no more remedy 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. It was not one or two but many Messengers he sent and yet all these were refused with the same disobedient heart All the Prophets and faithfull Pastors that have ever been in several ages will rise up against thee for thy condemnation in that day directly or indirectly one way or other they will witness against thee SERM. CXXIII The truths of Christ and the Ministers of it are alwayes the same 2 COR. 1. 19. Was not Yea and Nay but in him was Yea. VVE are now arrived at the last Particular to be considered in this Verse which is The Predicate affirmed of the Doctrine preached by Paul and his Associates and that is It 's not Yea and Nay but Yea. The expression hath been explained already The sense is That the Doctrine of Christ is certain constant and immutable As also that such only are to be accounted of as true Doctors who do adhere to the same truth For Calvin saith gravely upon the Text That this taxeth all versatil and Proteus-like men who can transform themselves into any shape preach one time one Doctrine for their advantage and then again change and preach the contrary or else for sinfull fear do at one time assert such Doctrines as true and afterwards retract and recant them again whereas the truth of Christ is like Christ himself The same yesterday today and for ever Heb. 13. 8. and like God himself who changeth not yea in whom is no shadow of change So that from the words we may observe That it is a proper note of Gods truth and true preachers thereof that they are alwayes the same There is no change no contrariety in their Doctrines As the Apostle you heard expressed it If I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor Gal. 2. 18. It is in an heynous manner to transgress when a Minister is thus contradictory This Doctrine is the more to be observed because Stapleton in his Antidotes upon this Text maketh a long harangue to demonstrate that Luther Melanchthon Zwinglius Calvin all the eminent Reformers cannot be the true Apostles of Christ because in their writings there was yea and nay one while they preached such and such things at another time the clean contrary Hence he brings a passage out of Zwinglius confessing that he did tempori not rei scribere he did write to serve the time not the matter that he could not deliver pearl because for the present auditors like swine would trample it under their feet and rend him also especially Melanchthon is instanced in as a very inconstant man in whose judgment they could put no confidence Hence he alledgeth a Synod of the Flaccians who were rigid Lutherans that call his Common-places Jocos communes and not Locos communes and much more to this purpose We finde him triumphing in the incertainty of the Protestants Doctrine so that although we know what they hold this year we cannot tell what they will the next and in the constancy of their Popish Religion which they have adhered unto for many years To all this we will readily grant that the truths of Christ are alwayes the same there cannot be any more new truths than a new Christ than a new Bible and therefore we will grant the Thesis but deny the Hypothesis or application of it to Protestants that wheresoever there is yea and nay there cannot be the truths of Christ But that we may throughly understand this point let us consider these particulars First That we must distinguish between the external administrations and formes of Gods worship and the doctrinalls between the Diducticalls and the Rituals For the former though appointed by God himself yet we plainly see a great a teration therein What a vast difference is there between the service and Sacraments of God in the old and in the new Testament There was Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb we have Baptism and the Lords Supper there were Sacrifices and many external Rites and Ceremonies which when Christ the substance came they presently vanished as the blossome falleth when the bud cometh This great change with some other Arguments made the Marcionites of old conclude that it was not the same God of the Old and New Testament but different but that is absurd The Church administrations though by Gods command are now altered so that it would be a heynous thing to circumcise children to offer Sacrifices to God though once it was the peoples duty Here you see then there is a lawfull yea and nay a time when we might circumcise and a time when we must not circumcise And if you say Doth not this argue inconstancy in God doth not this contradict that glorious Attribute of his immutability I answer No for God doth here as the Physician with a diseased person that sometimes administreth one kinde of Physick and sometimes another according as the nature of the disease requireth or as the husbandman soweth his ground sometimes with one seed and sometimes with another God then was pleased to appoint such a temporary worship and afterwards to appoint another which was more suteable to the Church being now no longer an infant as the Apostle insinuateth Gal. 3. 1. As therefore the mother ordereth her childe otherwise while a childe than
speak to this sealing of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of beleevers though in other terms This I have mentioned is pregnant for having said that he who keepeth Gods Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him Whereas it might be said how shall we know that he dwelleth in us May we not be deluded and deceived No saith he hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us and lest any man though living loosely and carnally should pretend to this spirit he saith They that have it keep his Commandements Thus doubtings and sinnefull diffidence is excluded on one hand and all carnal presumption on the other hand The last Text to bring in assistance to this truth shall be 1 John 5. 8 9 10. where the Apostle speaketh of three Witnesses on earth as he had before in heaven viz. water and the bloud and the spirit Now although there be many perplexed controversies about this passage yet I shall pitch upon that which is most probable without further disquieting of you It seemeth to be without doubt that the Apostle alludeth to the legall administrations wherein there was bloud for expiation and water for cleansing by which is represented justification and sanctification and these being wrought in us do evidently witnesse that Jesus is the Christ and Sonne of God We finding these glorious effects upon our souls cannot but acknowledge that Doctrine but because these are not enough of themselves seeing that sanctified and justified persons may be under great discouragements therefore he addeth the Spirit also It is true the same spirit is said to be a witnesse in heaven but that was because of the extraordinary and visible Testimony that it gave to Christ but here it speaketh of the witnesse it giveth on earth and that must be the sealing spoken off in other places for he saith verse 6. It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth having there also mentioned water and bloud Verse 10. he seith He that beleeveth on the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himself Thus you see that as God hath abundantly provided for the holinesse of his people by his spirit to quicken them up therein so also for the assurance and consolation of his children to establish them therein Oh how greatly are we indebted unto the Lord Jesus Christ who giveth us his Spirit not only to leade us into the truth and mortifie the deeds of the flesh but also to fill us with comfort and to assure us that we are the children of God So that it is the duty of the Ministers of the Gospel not only to improve the former truth but this also and to presse you upon the sealing work of Gods Spirit as well as the sanctifying Hath not the Spirit of God this Name given it to be called the Comforter John 14. and shall we divide the operations of Gods Spirit minding him as he is an holy spirit but not a comforting Spirit Having thus informed you what the Scripture declareth in this matter I shall give you a large and popular description of the nature of this sealing and the opening of the several parts touched therein will much conduce to the knowledge thereof The sealing of Gods Spirit may be described after this manner It is a supernaturall and gracious work of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of sanctified persons in a secret and unspeakable manner whereby they are confirmed and established in the Covenant of grace as belonging to them in particular by such means which God hath appointed thereunto that through the sence thereof they may daily walk more and more boldly joyfully and thankefully notwithstanding all discouragements to the contrary till they be made compleatly happy in heaven I have made this description the larger because I would take in every particular considerable about it as much as may be And First I give two Qualifications or Adjuncts to this work of Gods Spirit It is supernatural and gracious Supernatural and that if we respect either rectified nature or corrupted nature Rectified nature for Adam in the state of integrity though he was made perfectly holy yet he had not this Gospel-sealing no more then he was in Christ as a Mediatour for had he been thus sealed he would certainly have persevered and although Adam was partaker of the holy Ghost yet it was as he is the third person not as the spirit of Christ viz. purchased by his death for those that are his so that in this respect we may say this sealing is a priviledge above the nature of Adam while considered before his apostacy but then I call it supernaturall chiefly in respect of corrupted nature for as man naturally of himself hath no power to that which is gracious so neither to that which is comfortable and joyfull All the world all Ministers and Angels cannot powr one drop of this assurance and joy into thy soul unlesse the Spirit of God inable thee thereunto As it is supernaturall so it is gracious for this floweth from the former There is nothing in thee to deserve this establishing as Gods grace sanctifying found thee dead in thy sinnes so his sealing and comforting findeth thee in a guilty despairing way and therefore as God might leave every prophane man to wallow in his lusts and so let him perish thus also might he forsake every guilty conscience under the burthen of thy sinnes and suffer thee to be a Cain to be a Judas even to fall from an hell here into an hell hereafter So that not only by grace we are sanctified but by grace we are healed Blesse God for any establishment of soul against fears and doubts as well as for victory against any lusts It is meerly of Free-grace that we are thus sealed In the next place Secondly we have the generall nature of it with the efficient cause The work of Gods Spirit It is true in the Text it is said That God doth seal us and so whatsoever works there are ad extra from God to the creature they are all common to the three Persons yet there is a peculiar order and appropriation which the Scripture taketh notice of So that it is made the work of the Father to send his Sonne into the world It is made the work of the Sonne to offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sinnes And it is made the proper work of Gods Spirit to apply the benefits of Christs death to our souls therefore sanctification is attributed to the Spirit so also consolation and sealing thereunto Thus the Texts we mentioned formerly give all this work to the Spirit of God as in an appropriated manner doing this for us It is not then of our selves or of our own power that we can obtain this priviledge but it is wrought alone by Gods Spirit As we have no free-will to the grace of God so neither to the comforts God as he is called a God of all
is thus zealous against in the Corinthians Again great sinnes are to be distinguished whether personal in some few or publick and over-spreading all For when sinne hath infected a multitude though it be a Ministers duty to bring them out of such an epidemical disease and to withstand the torrent of such impiety wherein God many times giveth unexpected and wonderfull successe as appeareth in Luther to whom one said Abi in cellam dic miserere mei Domine thinking it in vain to stirre though God vouchsafed unexpected effects to his labours yet we are with more prudence to endeavour the reformation of a multitude and not to be overhasty lest we hinder that good which otherwise might be done This was Austin's knowne counsell to a Bishop who desired his advice about the sinne of drunkennesse which was general in all he adviseth him to proceed by degrees and Monendo magis quam minando c. But the next Chapter may give occasion to greater enlargement in this point Fourthly Prudence is seene about the order of the meanes which God hath appointed to reclaime others In private or personal sinnes that is a golden ruâ—e full of wisdome which our Saviour prescribeth Matth. 18. 15 16 c. To deale with such an offending brother first alone and as we finde him obstinate so to proceed to a more publick way To give Ellebore or Opium at first is too violent a remedy such that do so are no wise Physicians to mens souls Fifthly It 's a special part of prudence in our reproof of others or other distastfull exercises to flesh and blood to mingle a due praise for what is lovely and good in them To acknowledge any gift that God hath bestowed upon them as Paul doth often joyning himself with other believers sometimes as if they were not inferiour to him he doth not only use loving compellations of brethren and children but also doth with much sympathy take their infirmities and sins as it were upon himself Lastly Holy prudence doth not onely make a Minister looke to the good that may come but the evil also that may probably issue For although our duty is to be done though the world shall fall upon our heads yet we must consider whether when so many evils are in great probability attending the action whether it be a duty then or no. It 's a known passage of one Audas a Bishop who out of great zeale set a Persian Temple on fire wherein they worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fire as a god which did so enrage the Persian King that he commanded the Bishop to build the Temple againe or else he would put him to death But the Bishop refusing not onely he himself suffered but thereby brought a most cruell persecution upon many Christians Now this fact is justly condemned as a most indiscreet and rash action he did not consider what evil would fall upon it Although Sozomene saith of him That he condemned his indiscretion that he demolished the Temple but admired his zeale and constancy that he would die rather than build it up againe Many good actions seeming full of zeale for want of a due consideration have brought more evil than done good yea have increased that evil the more which they have endeavoured to extinguish Hence our Saviour giveth us wise counsel Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto the doggs nor cast ye your pearles before swine lest they trample them under feet and turne againe and rent ye Many times both the pearle and the Minister also at least the exercise of his Ministry is destroyed because he did not consider that some persons are swine and doggs maliciously endeavouring all evil against you if they be provoked The first Use is Of Direction to such who intend the Office of the Ministry not onely to labour after learning and godlinesse but prudence also Even Luther himselfe though raised up by God for so great a worke doth sometimes bewaile his imprudence and folly I many times saith he doe rashly and while I thinke to doe good I doe hurt and then I am troubled beseeching God to forgive me this imprudence If a man have not so much learning yet if he have godlinesse and prudence he may doe more good than more eminent Schollars As it 's noted of Atticus Bishop of Constantinople one of the successours of Chrysostome that he was farre inferiour to Chrysostome for learning and abilities yet did more good in his Office by his prudence being a very wise man than he did For Chrysostome though so excellent a man was very subject to passion and being of a plaine single heart did not discerne of men as he should doe by which meanes his adversaries prevailed over him so to have him ejected from his place at last But Atticus continued many years in that place by his prudence and wisdome yet a godly man also But how shall we have this wisdome We must earnestly pray to God for it as the Apostle directeth James 1. and Solomon practised And withall we must reade and study the Scripture much following that as a starre And lastly It is good to be acquainted with Ecclesiasticall History For both from the godlinesse wisdome and also from the miscarriages of those that are mentioned we may get experience and they may be as so many pillars of salt to season us Lege Historiam ne fias Historia And if those who would get civil prudence be required to reade humane Histories and to observe all occurrences therein how much rather are the Ministers of the Gospel to exercise themselves in Ecclesiastical History not onely to know what was done formerly or to be able to speak about the Ancients when they lived and what their Doctrine was but also to get prudence by observing either their wise deportments or imprudent miscarriages Use 2. Of Instruction Of what consequence it is for a people to be perswaded of the love and faithfull intentions of their Pastors to their souls good not to thinke they seeke themselves they ambiciously affect great things over them For this made Paul take this solemne Oath in the Text which he would not have done had not the occasion been urgent What is it that maketh the ministerial labours either in preaching or establishing good order among their flock be so disgusted and disrelished but because they will not be convinced of the Ministers faithfull aimes and their great love in all this SERM. CXLV Of Ministers power over the People 2 COR. 1. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand THis Text is brought in by way of correction as the Rhetoricians figure is called For having said That to spare them he did not yet come to Corinth and he that spareth may also punish lest he should seem hereby to assume to himself some absolute dominion and lordly power over them he addeth Not that we have