as David when banished from the publick Ordinances lamented it more than banishment from his own house and land and native countrey Thus they cryed out with him As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so pant our souls after thee O God You see then it 's a duty to be of a Church Hence because a Church is a company we are diligently to attend to what is our duty as we are a Church and this you had need hear of often For you must know you are under a two-fold consideration One Absolute as a private and single person and so you have several duties to attend unto 2. Relative as you are a member of a Church or part of such a Society and so there are choice and special duties Your solemn Church-duties such as hearing praying and all other publick worship are to be preferred above all private He can never be a good Christian that is not a good member of that Church he is of As in Politicks it's acknowledged he cannot be bonus vir which is not bonus civis not a good man that is not a good Citizen Now certainly here is a wonderfull neglect and general fault in all our Congregations we attend not to our church-Church-duties to our church-Church-communion what God doth require of us as a Society as a spiritual Company there would not be that neglecting of the Assemblies those wicked and ungodly meetings to be drunk to be carnally merry and jolly which are directly contrary to Church-meetings Nothing doth so resemble Heaven as the Church Assemblies spiritually performed and to such meetings God hath promised his more peculiar presence and assistance But of this more in its time In the next place there is added in the Doctrinal Description That it is a Company of persons called of God by the preaching of the Word Wherein are considerable the Efficient Cause and the Instrumental The Efficient is God Called by God And first In that they are said to be called by God This implieth these things 1. That it 's the meer goodness and grace of God that makes a people to be a Church Therefore they are thus named Ecclesia The Grecians called their Assemblies so because of some humane Authority gathering them together but the people of God are called a Church because God calls them So that as there is a difference between a garden and a wilderness the one is naturally so but the other is planted by art and industry nature doth not of it self especially since mans fall bring forth gardens and choice flowers but there is great art and culture required thereunto Thus it is with the Church men are made the Church by Gods grace but they are the world of themselves The world and the Church are two opposites God makes the one and is present in a special manner there but sinne and Satan make and rule in the other When the Psalmist said It is he that hath made us not we our selves we are the sheep of his pasture Calvin understands it of their Church making it was the goodness and power of God that made them so Hence it is that it is often compared to and called the Kingdom of Heaven because it's original is from Heaven and their Laws and Ordinances are heavenly Thus you see to be made a Church is not by our humane will and power as men make themselves Cities and Corporations but by a special grace of God 2. When therefore we are said to be called by God that doth necessarily suppose a terminus from which we are called It 's a company of persons called out from the world wherein once they were Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. doth oppose the world and the Church together and the world is said to be without God then when he gathers a Church He calls them out of the world as Lot was called out of Sodom which was ready to be destroyed with fire and brimstone or as a man is called out from an house that is ready to fall into its fulnes and this it is that makes it to be such an admirable priviledge and blessedness to be of the Church For the world is sure to perish is sure to be damned there is no abiding therein as if an Israelite had continued in an Aegyptians house when the destroying Angel passed by he was sure to be killed Thus there is no way but of damnation in the world without this Ark of the Church every one must necessarily perish But this is that which should make all our hearts ake and tremble at to consider That though the Church be called out of the world yet it 's almost degenerated into the world again Look over the face and conversation of all Churches Are they not become the world Is not a garden made a wilderness Is not the lusts the prophaneness the ignorance the impieties that are in the world to be found in the Church like wise And what hath been the sad occasion of so many to say Our Congregations are no Churches that a man cannot with a good conscience stay amongst you or have communion with you Is it not because of the universalimpiety they see amongst us As if the Church of God which is like the Ark in other things were in this also that all kind of things unclean as well as clean swine as well as sheep vultures as well as doves were to be taken into it We see as it hath been Gods work to turn the world into Churches so it hath been the Devils work to turn the Churches into the world again But wo be to the wicked man that is so in the Church of God God will be sure to punish you A nettle or weed in the garden is sure to be plucked up whereas in the wilderness it may grow and never be medled with SERM XIII Concerning the Efficient Instrumental Formal and Final Cause of a Church 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church at Corinth VVE are describing the nature of a particular visible Church and in that have discussed the Efficient Cause with the manner of his efficiency expressed in those words Called of God what is implied in that hath been examined only there remaineth a necessary distinction to be attended unto of Gods call that it is two-fold either External only or External and Internal also or an Effectual and Ineffectual Calling For though this distinction be hated by some men yet the Scripture is very clear That there are many called who yet are not chosen and when he saith called it is not meant only actively on Gods part as some were called but yet refused and would not so much as outwardly profess obedience but called is to be understood passively on mans part so that he giveth some outward conformity to Gods call There is an external reception and submission to it but yet there is no true inward sanctification Insomuch that some who are called the children of the Kingdom shall be cast forth and they
his Epistle shews it to be of Divine Authority though of it self not a sufficient argument to prove it The Penmen were only Instruments God the principal Authour of the Scriptures and therefore we should rest satisfied with their style and method and not question their Authority How to arme our selves against the Devil and all Hereticks opposing the Divinity of the Scriptures SERM. IV. What an Apostle was Christ in the building of his Church used extraordinary Officers but did not follow the Model of the Jewish Government What were the Properties and Qualifications of an Apostle SERM. V. The Divine Call of Church-officers is clearly to be known and faithfully to be improved What advantages will follow upon a true Call both to the Officers themselves and the People SERM. VI. Of the proper and appellative Names of our Saviour Jesus and Christ In what sense he is Jesus a Saviour and how Christ the anointed of the Lord. SERM. VII Church-officers are appointed by Christ and all Church-power radically seated in him as King What Duties follow thence to be practised by Church-officers and People Some things are highly esteemed in the Church which are much despised by the world SERM. VIII In what sense Paul saith of himself He was an Apostle by the will of God Shewing likewise how all Church-offices and Priviledges come meerly from the will and good pleasure of God SERM. IX Paul's mentioning of Timothy shews That the godly though exalted above others in Office and Gifts yet are humble towards them SERM. X. There is a great deal of difference betwixt the Persons whom God calls and also in the manner of his calling them Education under godly Parents not to be rested upon but our hearts are to be sought into whether they be really changed or no. SERM. XI How much it concerns Church-officers to agree in matters of Religion What means may conduce to it Universities and Nurseries of Religion of how great use they are to the Church of Christ SERM. XII Of the Name and Nature of a Church SERM. XIII Concerning the efficient instrumental formal and final cause of a Church SERM. XIV Of the Notes and Signes of a true Church SERM. XV. Why Paul writeth to the Church not the Churches of Corinth What is implied in the Churches being called the Church of God SERM. XVI Of the City of Corinth God sometimes gathers a Church amongst the most prophane people A Church though many wayes defiled may be a Church still as it was with the Corinthians SERM. XVII A further Discovery of the truth of this Assertion that a Church may be a true Church though much defiled both in Doctrine and Manners SERM. XVIII The Preheminence of the Church of God above all Civil Societies As likewise concerning Paul's writing this second Epistle to the Corinthians how hard a thing it is for Churches to keep within their proper bounds and what great care Ministers ought to have to use all means lawfull to promote the Churches which they have relation to SERM. XIX Of the Name and Nature of a Church-Saint SERM. XX. External Holiness is not enough to bring us to Heaven without the inward renovation of the Heart SERM. XXI Wherefore 't is a Christians Duty to joyn himself to church-Church-society and in what cases he may be excused What are the false grounds why some neglect this Duty The soul of the poorest Saint is to be regarded as well as of the richest SERM. XXII 2 Cor. 1. 2. Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ How Grace and Peace and such like spiritual Mercies and Priviledges are to be desired before any temporal Mercies whatsoever SERM. XXIII Of the Name Nature and Preheminence of the Grace of God above all other things SERM. XXIV Who are fit subjects to partake of the Grace of God As likewise Rules and Scripture-characters of the Grace of God by which we may rightly understand and judge of it SERM. XXV Of the Nature of true Gospel-peace and wherein it chiefly consisteth SERM. XXVI A further Discovery of the Nature of true Gospel-peace with the Effects of it and some Directions how to attain it SERM. XXVII Of the Names of God 't is he alone who can give Grace and Peace to his People He is a Father to all Believers even the weakest as well as the strongest SERM. XXVIII Of the Dominion and Lordship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ SERM. XXIX 2 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Of the Duty of Thankfulness Blessing and Praising God for all his Mercies SERM. XXX Of Praising God and that for all but especially for spiritual Mercies SERM. XXXI How Christ is the Sonne of God and how the consideration thereof is the foundation of all a Christians comfort SERM. XXXII How God is a mercifull Father the Father of all mercies to his children SERM. XXXIII Of the mulitude variety properties and objects of Gods mercies SERM. XXXIV How God is the God of comfort yea of all comfort and consolations to all those that are his SERM. XXXV Some Propositions clearing the Doctrine of Gods mercy from both Doctrinal and Practical Objections SERM. XXXVI 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God That God not only can but doth actually comfort his People and how he doth it SERM. XXXVII That Believers only are the Subjects of the comforts and consolations of God SERM. XXXVIII How God will comfort his People in all both their spiritual and temporal Afflictions which all the Art of Philosophy can never do SERM. XXXIX What are these Apples which Christ refresheth his Spouse with Or what are those Scripture-grounds of comfort which support the hearts of Gods children under all their afflictions SERM. XL. How God may be said to comfort his children in all their tribulations though many of them may live very disconsolate SERM. XLI The works of Gods Spirit upon his People are not only for their good but likewise for the advantage of others SERM. XLII That those only can make fit applications of spiritual things to others who have an Experimental knowledge of them in their own souls SERM. XLIII It is a special Duty incumbent upon every one both Minister and Christian to apply comforts to the Afflicted in a right manner SERM. XLIV That the same grounds of comfort which revive the hearts of one godly man may do the same likewise to another SERM. XLV 2 Cor. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation aboundeth by Christ The true and unfeigned owning of Christ is alwayes accompanied with some sometimes with great Afflictions SERM. XLVI The same Doctrine prosecuted shewing the Object for which Christians are to suffer if they would suffer
when they called the Blackmoors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silver white Thou art a Saint in that sense he said Auri sacri fames indeed thou art most accursed and art but a mockery in respect of God and man As it is a shame so it is an horrible reproach even as Revel 2. there is the blasphemy of some who said they were Jews and were not Thus it is a blasphemy in thee to be externally a Saint and not really as the Apostle Rom. 2. 24. speaking of such saith The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you The mischief of the scandalous prophane lifes in the Church hath been the cause not only of Gods eminent judgements upon it even at last to unchurch them but also hath been like winds in the bowels of the earth making a dreadfull earthquake Heresies in Doctrine have not more molested the Church than prophaneness in life The troubles of the Donatists made in the Church for many years together was it not because of the prophaneness of Christians lives In our dayes What is the great argument against our Churches that they are no true Churches that they are the Synagogue of Satan Doth not this arise wholly from the ungodliness of most mens lives Call such Saints you may as well name darkness light Yea what is the cause that the bringing in of any good Order in a Church the purging out of the old leaven is such a grievous tormenting matter Why do generally people dislike and rage at it Is not all this because though men are contented with the name of a Saint yet they cannot endure the practical power of it So that we may say the real ungodliness of such who are in the Church is the cause of all the evil that comes in the Church Thou blamest this and that way of Government thou sayest Such or such a thing is the cause of all our evil No it 's the love to mens lust men would be of the Church and yet live the life of beasts and Devils And it is for this general impiety that even Heaven and Earth may be astonished Thou cavillest How can this or that Practice or Order be proved Jure Divino But where canst thou prove thy oaths thy lusts thy drunkennesse thy contempt of Godlinesse to be Jure Divino 2. Real Saintship is so acceptable unto God in his Church that let men have 〈…〉 eminent places and esteem therein yet if they walk contrary to this Rule of sanctity and that obstinately Christ hath commanded such to be cast out as utterly unfit to be of such a Society The incestuous person in this Church of Corinth is thought by Chrysostome to be a man of chiefest place and note amongst them yet for all that till he repent and humble himself they are commanded to cast him out from amongst them As the Apostle to this Church saith What communion is there between light and darknesse Christ and Belial The Pythagoreans were so strict about the manners of those who were in their sect that as Origen against Celsus relates when any of their society had fallen into a foul sin they did cast him out of their company and commanded a Coffin to be placed by him as being a dead man But the Lord Christ hath commanded That such who live in the Church obstinately against the manners of a Saint should be thrown out from his people and so delivered up to Satan as being more properly of him and his way But because more may in time be said of the nature of this Church-Saintship I passe it by for the present concluding with a severe Reproof even like thunder and lightning against all such who deride at sanctity and purity Are there not too many sonnes of Belial who make a scoff at such glorious names of a Saint of a Christian of a Brother of a Believer Wherein canst thou demonstrate thy self to be of the Devil more than in this one thing Thy heart rageth thy tongue foameth at sanctity and purity What is this but to blaspheme the Scripture yea God and Christ himself Why do not such cast off their Christianity and live with Pagans and Heathens SERM. XXI Wherefore 't is a Christians Duty to joyn himself to church-Church-society And in what cases he may be excused What are the false Grounds why some neglect this Duty The Soul of the poorest Saint is to be regarded as well as of the richest 2 COR. 1. 1. With all the Saints that are in all Achaia IT is now full time to conclude this Text. There remain two things more which deserve some consideration The first is occasioned by Calvin's Question upon the place How is it saith he that he distinguished Saints from the Church Did not these Saints imbody themselves that lived in the Province of Achais Was it lawfull for them to live dispersed and single lives not entring into Churchcommunnion To which he answers That the times might be then so turbulent and persecution so hot that they could not gather into a Church nor have any such publick meetings Now this Interpretation is not necessary For the Apostle writing to the Church at Ephesus and Colosse yet doth not use that name but speaks in the general To the Saints and faithfull Brethren when yet without question they were in a Church-state there Yea in his Epistle to the Romans he makes no mention of them as a Church but styleth them Saints which puts Salmeron upon his guesses Why he doth not give the name of a Church to them As also Why he doth not salute Peter their supposed Bishop Neither may we think that when James and Peter inscribe their Epistles to the Believers scattered in several Regions but that they might have occasionally their publick meetings to worship God in Yet though this Exposition be not necessary we may well receive Calvins conjecture as probable For there have been times when the Saints have been forced to hide themselves in Dens and Caves not having opportunity to meet together though even that was an heavy burden and trouble to them This being granted we may observe That although it be a Duty for Saints to joyne themselves in a Church-way yet there may sometimes fall out such just reasons that may excuse them Indeed voluntarily to keep off from the Assemblies and to think a private worshipping of God is enough and that he requireth no more is both against Scripture-command and the example of primitive Christians but when there is some unavoidable necessity than there is a lawfull excuse That it is a duty for Saints to joyn themselves in a Church-way may be made evident from these Grounds briefly First From the name Church ordinarily given to â—olievers Now a Church is a Society or Company met together and therefore it is not lawfull for thee to live alone or be a Minister of Sacraments and all things to thy self Even as Aristotle said of him that would live alone not joyning
temporal sense 2. He is not a spiritual Saviour only by example 3. He doth not actually save all 4. He is not a Saviour only habitually or upon condition 1. He is a spiritual Saviour 2. He is the sole Saviour 3. He is a full and sufficient Saviour Use Of Instruction Use 2. Exhortation Of the appellative Name of our Saviour Christ In what sense Christ is said to be anointed The Lord Jesus was anointed to be our Saviour What the title Christ implies Use 1. Of encouragement Use 2. Of Exhortation Christ as Head doth appoint all the Officers of the Church A two-sold Kingdom attributed to Christ in Scripture All Church-power radically seated in Christ Church-officers are properly servants to Christ This power of appointing Officers and Laws in the Church belongeth to Christ as King Use Exhortation 1. To Church-officers Church-officers are especially to take heed of 1. That they turn not their Office into matter of pride and earthly interest 2. Of Idleness Use 2. To the people Why Paul styleth himself An Apostle of Jesus Christ Those things are highly esteemed in the Church which are despised by the world As 1. The person of Christ 2. The Officers appointed by him 3. The Duties prescribed by him 4. The Priviledges of the Gospel 5. The due execution of Church-censures Use How many wayes the will of God is taken It is the meer will and good pleasure of God that calls us to any office or priviledge in the Church We have all Church-priviledges from the meer will of God There is a two-fold Call the one general the other particular both which come from God A four-fold distinction concerning the Call of Officers 1. Some are called only by the will of God not at all by the will of man 2. Some have their call of God but by men 3. Some are of men only not at all of God 4. Others have their call neither from God nor men In what sense Paul here saith By the will of God 1. It is more than his permissive will 2. It is not his angry and just will God sometimes doth justly send ungodly Ministers amongst a people 3. It was by the directing will of God not by chance 4. It implieth it was not Pauls merit but Gods will that advanced him to this office Concerning those who enter upon the Ministry only upon carnal and corrupt motives Use The truly godly though eminent in office and grace yet are humble in themselves and condescending to others Wherein the humility of the godly discovers it self to their inferiours Why those who are so exalted above others are yet so humble towards them Use There is a great deal of difference both in the persons that are converted and in the manner of their conversion Why God is pleased to call such different persons and in such a different way None are to rest upon their godly education but all are to search their own hearts to see whether they be wrought upon or no. Use The consent of Church-officers in matters of religion is of great use and moment What are those things that conduce to Unity amongst Church officers It is of great use to young to have the guidance of solid and experienced Ministers What the word Church is used for in Scripture What we are properly to understand by a Church in Scripture Gods call as the efficient cause of the Church is either external only or external and internal also The instrumental cause of the Church is the preaching of the Word The formal cause the solemn observation of Church communion Wherein consisteth the nature of Church communion Object Answ Why needfull to know the Marks of a true Church What things necessary to make a Note or Mark. What are the Notes of a true Church How the form of a thing may be a Note or Mark of it A Church is Gods people in a more special manner than others God amongst the most prophane people sometimes gathers a Church to himself A Church may be a true though defiled one What were the corruptions amongst the Corinthians How 't is lawfull for Christians to go to Law Some observations clearing the truth that a Church though defiled may be the Church of God Reasons shewing the truth of it The Church of God as a Church doth far surpasse all civil Societies and temporal dignities Reasons shewing the truth of it Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Why Paul writeth this second Epistle to the Corinthians It is very hard for the Church of God to keep within their proper bounds in Church-administrations It is a Ministers duty to use all lawfull means to promote the Church he hath relation to How the Apostle could call the Corinthians Saints when many of them were so foully polluted All that are of the Church are Saints by profession and ought to be so in their conversations What is comprehended under Church Saintship External holiness Saintship is not enough to bring us to Heaven without the inward renovation of the whole man Propositions clearing the assertion 1. There are degrees even in real Saintship 2. Therefore is real Saintship alway growing in this life 3. Church-Saintship though real consisteth with many imperfections 4. Holiness or Saintship is the conformity of the will of man to the will of God 'T is a great shame and reproach to have the name without the nature of a Saint 〈…〉 Saints may sometimes have just reason not to joyn themselves to a Church though it be their duty alwayes to endeavour it Reasons convincing it to be each Christians duty to be of a Church What are the causes that may justly excuse us from joyning our selves to publick meetings 2. Unlawfull grounds upon which some do 〈…〉 themselves to any church-Church-society 1. From corrupt opinions 2. From corrupt dispositions Use Of Instruction The soul of the poorest Saint is as much to be regarded as of the greatest Spiritual mercies are to be desired before temporal What are those things that peculiarly move the godly to preferre spirituals before temporals The Reasons of it The grace of God is to be desired before all other things Propositions discovering the nature of the grace of God What the grace of God implies How grace is called the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Who are fit subjects to partake of Gods grace without Rules how we may rightly understand and judge of the grace of God The Scripture characters of the grace of God Peace from God and Christ is earnestly to be prayed for as a very choice mercy Wherein this peace consisteth What are the principal causes of a godly mans fears troubles and disquietnesses What are the effects of this Gospel-peace Directions how to attain this peace Of the names attributed to God in Scripture God alone can give grace and peace to his people Reasons God is a Father in a more peculiar manner to those that believe what it is for God to be our Father God is a Father to the
sought not himself neither did he mind his own will or his own glory And certainly the higher the Office is the greater will thy account be and thy condemnation the heavier Oh the dreadfull account that is to be made at that day concerning this talent 2. Of laziness and idleness For the work is of great consequence The bloud of souls will speak more terribly than the blood of Abels body How severe was the master in that Parable of our 〈◊〉 to him who hid his talent in a napkin Luke 19. 20. he is called an unprofitable servant and must be cast into utter darkness Use 2. To you that are the people If we have our Commission from Christ then take heed how you reject the Word we speak from him The Apostle makes a comparison between him that refused Moses speaking and Christ speaking and saith How much forer punishment shall he be thought worthy of Heb. 10. 29. Every Sermon your condemnation will rise higher upon you Think not that our words will passe away No God saith by the Prophet They shall not return in vain for if it be not a saving and converting word it will be an hardning and condemning one No wonder if our Saviour spake one Parable to this very purpose and concludeth Take heed how you hear Mark 4. 24. The second thing observable from this relative consideration is That the Apostle intending to beget awe and esteem in the hearts of those he wrote unto he mentioneth his Office and from whom he had it An Apostle of Jesus Christ This was a greater glory saith Chrysostome then if he had styled himself any temporal Officer in the Civil State For he doth saith the same Father as if one next to the Emperour should write to a certain people giving himself that title of honour which was next to the Emperour Thus doth Paul The Apostle of Jesus Christ. This could not but astonish and startle all his opposers and enemies yet if you do consider with a worldly respect what Christ himself was and so any Officer under him you must judge it the most contemptible and despicable thing that can be that which a carnal man would have been ashamed to own for Christ himself was called The Carpenters sonne and bred up at Nazareth a most despicable place and his outward condition was so low that he saith He had not where to lay his head And as for his Apostles what repute they had in the world Paul himself telleth us when he saith They were accounted the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. Yet see how the Apostle glorieth in this title as that which might justly awe the consciences of those to whom he wrote From this observe That those things are of high account and respect in the Church of God which in the world are very despicable and despised As That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Luk. 18. So that which is abominable and loathsom before men is highly esteemed with God We might instance in many things First Christ who is the Head of the Church and the chief corner-stone yet he was rejected by those who by their Office was builders Yea Christ crucified was accounted foolishness to the Gentiles Insomuch that had not God promised Christ To give him the Nations of the Earth and had actually lifted him up above all principalities and powers We should have thought there would not have been one City much lesse one Nation especially not so many Nations adoring him as God We may truly say This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Christ is called by the Apostle The King of Kings and Lord of Lords which 2 Tim. 5. 16. Drusius saith was the Title and Style of the great Kings of Persia but who except the Christian would admire Christ more than the Persian King Therefore it was a wonderfull work upon those Wisemen of the East that they should come and bring such presents and worship Christ though an Infant whom they found in a mean place at Bethlehem and in the meanest place there but where God giveth spiritual eyes there is a spiritual excellency discovered where the world seeth nothing but contemptibleness Secondly For the Officers of Christ In worldly considerations how low and despised are they But to those who are spiritual and acknowledge the Order and Institutions of Christ they esteem them as the Stewards of God and the Ministers of Christ insomuch that it 's the cause of contemning Religion when their Office is despised Paul was so received by the Galatians as if he had been an Angel from Heaven Yea Christ himself They would have pulled out their eyes to have pleasured him And we see in the after ages of the Church how much the Ministers of Christ were had in esteem insomuch that it greew unto an excesse Now though the carnal worldly man beareth no such respect to them yet those who are led by Scripture doe highly esteeme them and that for their workes sake Thirdly The Duties prescribed by Christ they are such as the world condemneth either for folly or pusillanimity as Faith in Christ alone for salvation self-denial readiness to take up our Crosse To love our enemies to do good to those that hate us Are not these such things that the magnanimous and gallant spirits of the world do disdain Fourthly The priviledges and encouragements which Christ also inviteth with they are not such baits as will take in the world Psal 4. Who will shew us any good that is the vote of the world As for the light of Gods countenance justification and assurance of Gods grace these things they do no more esteem than the Swine doth Pearl Lastly The due execution of the Censure of the Church upon just grounds to cast out the impenitent sinner This the world contemneth but yet you see how powerfully it wrought upon the Incestuous person And Matth. 18. when our Saviour had said He that would not heare the Church must be like a Publican and Heathen lest they should despise this he saith Whatsoever ye bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Use of Exhortation To admire the power and wisdom of God who hath kept up Church-officers Church-ordinances in the world when there are no outward pompous motives to perswade thereunto SERM. VIII In what sense Paul saith of himself He was an Apostle by the will of God Shewing likewise how all Church-Offices and Priviledges come meerly from the will and good pleasure of God 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God c. VVE are now to consider the last particular in this Inscription as it is divided to us and that is the impulsive Cause or rather the Manner how Paul obtaineth this Apostleship which is said to be by the will of God Here is much comprehended in this expression for hereby is declared That it was
's very necessary to distinguish this Catholick invisible Church from a visible particular one The Papists confounding these and making their Roman particular Church a Catholick one and applying such Texts of Scripture as are spoken of the Universal invisible Church to their particular do thereby grosly mistake in pleading for the infallibility and perpetuity of their Church But Secondly The Scripture doth use the word Church for a visible company of persons professing faith in Christ and then it hath several acceptions For sometimes it is used for the general Company of believers Act. 8. 3. Thus Paul is said to persecute the Church Or else more particularly and for a Church at such a place as the Church at Jerusalem the Church at Corinth Again the word Church is sometimes used more strictly for the People onely as distinct from Pastors Thus the Epistles of John are directed To the Angels of the seven Churches Thus the Elders are exhorted Act. 20. 28. To feed the Church of God over which they were set And in this sense the Remonstrants speak confidently That the word Church is most commonly used and that never or very seldom it comprehends the Officers also But this is not so for Mat. 18. Tell the Church by the Church must needs be meant Officers at least with the Church for they are said to bind and lose which power is given to Officers only It 's true they and so Grotius by Church understand a multitude or more in opposition to those two or three witnesses that were required before But the Context may easily be improved to overthrow that 1 Cor. 12. 28. God is there said to set in his Church some Pastors and Teachers that is as part but the chief part of the Church Even as the Starres are set in the firmament but as parts of the Heavens though the more noble and fulgent parts Again when the Apostle here writeth to the Church of Corinth he must needs comprehend the Officers as well as the People because he writeth about such duties wherein the Officers were interested as the censuring of the incestuous person he speaks also of Prophets which were extraordinary Officers in that Church and they are blamed for male-administration about the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper So that although Grotius thinketh that abuse was because they had no constituted Officers yet it 's plain they had some because they had the administration of the Sacraments Lastly The word Church is applied sometimes to an essential Church as it is called for a company of believers simply as such believing in Christ of which often in Scripture sometimes for an organized Church that is formed and stated in that godly order by a Ministry Government and Discipline conjoyned together So that they make a particular flock being bound to submit to their Pastors as their peculiar Pastors and Pastors bound to watch over them as their peculiar flock Whether indeed this Church of Corinth was one Congregational Church or one Church aggregated of several Congregations is disputed But of this in its time This Church of Corinth was formed and stated in some order though there were great abuses in it As for our common use of the word Church taking it for a place or the material building that is an improper speech but allowable by a Synecdoche as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both the place and persons therein convened And although one or two learned men from 1 Cor. 11. would have the word used there for a place yet the arguments are not cogent for the people are properly the Church it 's they that Christ hath redeemed they are to be built up by Pastors and Teachers whereas the material Church is built by manual Artificers not needing an Apostle but a Carpenter This may suffice for Explication only let this be added that the Greek word relates to Gods calling it signifieth a Society called by God So that the Apostle directs his Epistle to that Society or company of persons that did come our from the Heathenish Idolatries and abominations that the other Corinthians lived in and did profess their faith in Christ with obedience to him From whence observe That a Church is a company called of God by the preaching of the Word to the profession of faith in Christ and an observation of all that solemn worship and Ordinances which Christ hath appointed with a life in external conformity thereunto This is a Church When you read of a Church at Jerusalem a Church at Corinth the seven Churches of Asia you are to understand such a company And this Doctrine about a Church is much to be insisted on People are generally carnal ignorant and prophane And although they would think it an high reproach to have the name of a Church denied them or to be cast out of the Church as so many Heathens yet they do not attend to the nature of a Church nor to the properties of those who are to be members thereof It is true there are vast and infinite Disputes about a Church and every sect or party is ready to monopolize and appropriate that name to them That they are only the Church But these great Disputes about it argue we should be more carefull to distinguish lest we take Babylon for Jerusalem lest we take that for Gods Temple which is indeed a den of thieves Doth not the Popish party glory in the name of a Church Do they not make it necessary to salvation to come into communion with it and yet it is the place that Gods people are called to come out of lest they partake both of her sins and punishments But let us examine the chief particulars in the Doctrine which is a popular deseription of a Church And First We say It is a Society or Company So that one man cannot be called a Church It 's absurd in the Papists that when they have lifted up the name of a Church like a Gorgons head to turn all men into stones that they must not mutter a word against it when you come to examine what this Church is at last it is but one man and that is the Pope What number goeth to make a Church is not defined To a formed organized Church there must be so many at least that Church duties which are essential may be performed and a distinction between Governours and governed maintained otherwise where two or three are there is a Church said Tertullian Again In that it is a Company we see That it is not lawfull for a man to think of serving God alone by himself when there is an opportunity of joyning to a Church You read Act. 3. and 4. as any persons were converted presently they joyned themselves to the Church It is true there may be such persecutions or other impediments that Christians have wandered up and down and could not enjoy publick or private meetings but this absence from Church-communion was an heavy burden on their spirits And
them and to give them daily food watching over their souls and therefore their title of Shepherds and the people being called a Flock do evidently demonstrate the necessity of a Ministry not only at first as miracles were but perpetually even to the coming of Christ Thirdly There is in the Description the Formal Cause to which also may be reduced the Final Cause The Formal Cause is in the publick and solemn observation of that Church-communion which God hath required I shall only mention that formal and external Communion wherein it consists And that is 1. In the solemn assembling and meeting of themselves together Heb. 10. 25. The Apostle doth there reprove the neglect of this duty which is the seminary and fountain of all holiness while the coals lie together they keep their heat and inflame one another Thus it 's our communion in the Assemblies that is the means to keep up grace and holiness How much did David bewail his banishment from the Ordinances as you heard And is it not the highest censure and most dreadfull punishment that can be for a Christian upon just grounds to be cast out of the Church Is not this to fall into the Kingdom of Satan Is it not to be delivered up to him Now then if it be next to hell it self thus to be cast out of Church-communion and the publick Ordinances Why doest thou wilfully bring this upon thy self Thy own slothfull and prophane careless heart makes thee neglect the publick Assemblies This is a sinne of an higher nature than thou art aware of for God is present in Church Assemblies you have the benefit of the prayers then poured forth the Ordinances are of enlightning and quickning efficacy Now for thee voluntarily to deprive thy self of this spiritual advantage is a sinne of an high degree Indeed when want of health or other just impediments keep us from the Assemblies God can then make up the publick benefits in private But I speak of a voluntary wilfull omission of such publick Communion Oh little do such men consider that they have but a day Their life is but a day and the season of grace is but a day and doest thou neglect that day when it may be thou shalt never have such a day again never have a Sabbath any more That carnal plea also of getting as much good at home and they can edifie themselves as well with reading books in private unless in case of necessity as I said is ungodly and unjustifiable excuse for this is to make Church-communion and holy Assemblies to be of no necessity and so wholly to overthrow them 2. In this solemn meeting there are these publick duties wherein the Church is to imploy her self 1. Publick prayer to God This in the primitive times was done so servently and zealously that they did even seem to besiege Heaven and to take it by force Oh what prevailing power must the Church have with God when they are so many wrestling Jacobs If the effectual servent prayer of one righteous man prevaileth much how much mâ—… joyned together If it were a Congregation of Joâ—…s how mightily should we prevail with God But we mâ—… Chrysostome How are all the grave and holy things of Goâ—… formality and a shew How many in our Congregatioâ—…end to this publick duty of prayer They fear not lest â—…any Aâ—… in the Congregation So that for thy deadnâ—… the sinnes â—…est in God be angry with our Assemblies and â—…t be graciously â—…ent with us Thou art a dead flie in this box of ointment The prophane man little thinketh what obstructions he makes in our publick petitions by his wickedness unrepented of 2. There is the publick preaching of the Word And this necessarily supposeth a formed and stated Church wherein are Governours and governed Those who by Office preach and those who by duty hear This publick Ministry in the Church of God is not for convenience or good order meerly but it is an institution of Christ and hath several effects attributed to it as conversion of such who are in their natural condition the edifying of those who are converted for instruction that men be not led aside with errours and strange Doctrine for rebuke and reproof of such who walk disorderly c. And therefore because of the necessity of it those who have commission to do it have manifold directions about it To preach in season and out of season and the reason seemeth strange Because there are many who will not endure sound Doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 2. Yea there is a wo to them if they be negligent herein 1 Cor. 9. 16. And in all this they are to be instant and industrious it being a cursed thing to do the work of the Lordnegligently The matter they preach must be holy savoury and nourishing compared therefore to food You are to come to a Sermon with an hungry stomack Yea as new born children ye are to swallow down the sincere milk of the Word And therefore to preach froth and meer fancifull things is as absurd as if a man should invite another to a dinner and provide him nothing but the pictures of some meat It 's compared to seed the Husbandman will not sow his ground with chaff Yea it 's compared to a two-edged sword that is quick and piereing into the very secret thoughts of mens hearts It is for want of such soul-piercing and soul-saving preaching that people are lulled or sleep in their sinnes that there is nothing but formality and customariness in most men The word of God is to flash in your faces like so much lightning and to make even the proudest and the most scornfull to tremble within them They must speak as the Oracles of God What is that but as men filled with the Spirit of God breaking out like fire from them And with such proportionable affections are you to hear This is to meet as the Church of God no man sleeping no man drousie or wandering and roving in his mind but to say with the Centurion We are all here to hear what God will say to us 3. The Administration of Sacraments according to Gods order and such holy wayes as he hath appointed The Sacraments are of infinite consequence to the Church of God and when people through their ignorance and prophaneness make themselves unfit subjects they are enemies to their souls For though God be present in the Word and prayer yet his sacramental presence is in a more indeared and peculiar manner Lastly There is that godly Discipline and holy Order in Church-communion which is as the hedge to the field of corn Take away this holy order the Church will become a gangrened body either with heresies or prophaneness Hence is that binding and losing of sinners Hence is that command of casting out wicked obstinate persons of pirging out the old leaven because a little leaven will quickly sour all 1 Cor. 5. Hence also are those duties of admonishing and noting such
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
against God when grace comes to convert them Therefore let the Use be of Exhortation to all such who have felt this lively power of God raising them out of the grave of sinne who have been taught of God inwardly as well as by the outward Ministry with all joy and thankfulness be astonished at the free and unsearchable riches of Gods grace to thee How many doth God passe by of better parts of greater abilities of higher conditions in the world that might have done him more service and pitch his love upon thee Oh do thou abhorre all those presumptuous and proud opinions of Free-will and power to make Gods grace effectual to thee Do not bid such as bring such Doctrines God speed What doth not thy own experience doth not the wonderfull power of God upon thee subduing and overcoming thy heart when thou wast full of carnal prejudices and sinfull reasonings abundantly convince thee of this Let thy own heart and experience confirm thee more than all their subtill distinctions can unfettle thee But I pass from this and come to a second Observation which Calvin on the place takes notice of He calls it a Church saith he though it were so greatly polluted though both for Doctrine and practice there were such great disorders yet for all that he doth not unchurch it he owneth them still for the people of God though they were greatly to be reformed as to the Church administrations neither are his exhortations to the godly to separate and leave the Church-communions though thus defiled he giveth no command to such a thing but rather exhorts them all in their places to amend and reform To purge out the old leaven that was amongst them Therefore to forsake polluted Assemblies and leave them hopeless seemeth to be a great neglect of our duty we are rather to stay that by our abode and presence we may rectifie things that are crooked The Doctrine is That a Church may be a true Church of God although it be defiled with many corruptions several wayes As a godly man may be truly godly and yet subject to many failings Thus a Church also may be truly Gods Church the Body of Christ yet many distempers and sad confusions amongst them This truth is worthy of all diligent prosecution because many men though otherwise good out of a tenderness and misguided zeal may separate from our Congregations deny them to be true Churches and all because they see many things amongst us that are matter of grief and a great stumbling block to them This I confess is and hath been a sad temptation but a particular Christian is is not to excommunicate and unchurch a Church till God hath given a Bill of Divorce to it and hath cast it quite off An impatiency to bear any evil or disorders in a Church is not presently to be commended and yielded to to the utmost A Christian must have wisdom and a sound mind as well as zeal and a tender conscience Even the Reformed Churches did not wilfully and voluntarily depart from the Church of Rome but did stay to cure and heal Babylon untill they drave them away with fire and sword So that our leaving the Roman Church was not a Schismatical separation but a forced discession or departure from them But of this it may be more afterwards Let us for the present take notice of what corruptions and disorders were here at Corinth which yet he calls the Church of God And First Whereas the Apostle comprehends all Religion in these things Tit. 2. 12. Righteously soberly and godly Righteously in respect of religious duties towards God We may see how the Corinthians were blame-worthy in all And 1. For their sinnes of unrighteousnesse The Apostle sharply reproveth them for their contentions and quarrellings even so farre that they went to Law with one another and that in the Heathen Judicatories which was a great and grievous reproach to the Christian Religion How would the Heathens deride and scoff to see those that were Christians and out of appearance from love to heavenly things forsaking the world and earthly advantages thus to implead one another about meum and tuum about money matters or other civil rights to sue one another before Heathens Judges What could this produce but to make the Heathens say They talk of leaving all and following a crucified Christ but they will not abate of their earthly rights to one another not in the least measure Which did so grieve the Apostle that he conjureth them What have ye never a wise man to be an arbitrator amongst you Why doe ye not rather suffer wrong Nay they were so farre from such meek self-denying spirits that they rather did wrong and defraud one another Now see how zealous the Apostle is in this 1 Cor. 6. 1 2 3. he saith Dare any of you having a matter against another goe to Law Dare any of you supposing the Gospel the meekness of Christ the self-denial and contempt of earthly things with the scandal redounding to Religion would sufficiently awe their consciences Again vers 4. he tells them that the things pertaining to this life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for about them they quarrelled so much were so inconsiderable that they should appoint the least esteemed in the Church for to end such inferiour work Again vers 5. I speak it to your shame And vers 7. There is utterly a fault amongst you Thus you see that in matters of Justice between man and man there were great offences Only by the way let none gather from these expressions of Paul that it is unlawfull to go to Law or appeal to the Civil Magistrate to know his due right when that is detained from him For that is many times so farre from being a sinne that it 's a duty it would be a sinne not to pursue it as you see Paul pleaded his right and would not go out of prison when they had done it against Law till the Magistrates came to intreat him provided that there be those qualifications which Paul insinuateth 1. That this impleading be not before Heathens and Pagans who hate the Christian Religion 2. That we have such Meeknesse of spirit as willingly to suffer wrong did not the Gospel of Christ or the Law of the Land or the good of others require it of us And Lastly That we be willing to referre all our controversies to any just and wise arbitratours If these things be premised and yet unreasonable and absurd men will make a spoil and a scoff of men then both Religion and Justice calls them to defend themselves and it would be a sin to neglect it In the second place for Sobriety which is the expression of such graces as belong to our selves viz. Temperance and Chastity How grosly did the Corinthians offend here There were some that had repented of their fornication and uncleanness and for drunkenness some did presume to come to the Lords Table not
freed from it Thus you see many of them were rather beasts than a Church Lastly For Godlinesse or Religion there were also sad disorders about that There were some that denied the Resurrection that said Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die these were Atheists And certainly had this been the Assertion of the whole Church and not some few only amongst them if it had been their Catholick and Universal Doctrine maintained by all they had ceased to be a Church they had degenerated into meer Atheism but it was some only that were thus infected Again Another offence in Religion was their great Church-divisions some exalting Paul some Apollo insomuch that in stead of edifying and building up one another they were divided into as many Sects almost as they had Teachers And then lastly There was horrible confusion and ungodliness in respect of Church-order All godly Discipline was laid aside the administration of the Sacraments was promiscuous come who would come though in their unworthiness they might receive it And although Gods judgment was upon them either the Plague or some general disease and that because no better order was about the Sacrament yet for all that they did not judge or condemn themselves Thus this Church was like a very Chaos and yet a Church still SERM. XVII A further Discovery of the truth of this Assertion that a Church may be a true Church though much defiled both in Doctrine and Manners 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth c. THis Church of Corinth is dignified as you heard with this glorious Title of the Church of God notwithstanding those manifest and notorious depravations that were amongst them and that of all sorts This truth we entred upon and before we give you some demonstrations to evidence it it is good to take notice of some observable particulars which tend to the clearing of it Only this must be premised that whereas a Church may be denied to be so either from its constitution or from its conversation We are speaking of the later way and so consider First That the soundness and purity of Churches doth admit of degrees That as one Starre doth excell another in glory yet both Starres So one Church may greatly transcend another in orthodoxy and purity and yet both be Churches In those seven Churches of Asia there were some reproved more than others We cannot expect that all Churches should be of the same measure in knowledge and grace no mor than particular Christians and therefore we are not to conclude such a Church is no Church because not so pure as another Church no more than such a man is not a godly man because he hath not such a measure of Illumination and Sanctification as another And to say in the general That it is a Christians duty to find out the purest Church in the world and there to associate himself with it must needs fill a Christian with infinite perplexities of conscience as also to expose him to insupportable outward inconveniencies Let us not therefore do with a Church as a godly tender heart is apt to do with himself because he finds many failings and great imperfections therefore he is ready to judge that he hath no grace at all Thus because there are several disorders and distempers in such a Church which are deservedly daily matter of groan and sorrow to thee therefore thou beginnest to sentence such a Church as no longer Gods Church Again seeing that there are gradual differences of soundness and purity in Churches this should also make every Church take heed of appropriating the glorious name of a Church or Saints or Christians to themselves only as if none were Saints or Christians but what are members of their Society This is and hath been a most uncharitable proud disposition of some Churches The Popish Church saith There is no sanctity or holiness but with them Inter Catholicos saith Bellarmine multi quidem sunt mali sed inter haereticos ne uniu quidem est bonus What a censorious condemnation is this Not one good Protestant whom they call Hereticks not in all our Churches Thus they only appropriate the name of Church and sanctity to themselves So the Donatists did of old they inclosed the Church only amongst themselves they called none Christians but themselves To become a Donatist was to become a Christian with them So that we see it 's very hard for Churches not to admire their own wayes and constitutions thinking that none are Churches but themselves there may be pharisaical Churches that may condemn other Churches as Publicans as well as it is so in persons whereas it is good to observe that the Scripture doth describe Christians by such names as do not at all relate or distinguish by any Government or external constitution to be a believer to be a Saint to be a Christian These titles denote either some inward qualification or external profession but do not at all insinuate what kinds of order or way they are in yet this is not so to be understood as if Christs order and way his Government and Discipline were an indifferent or arbitrary thing only it is to shew that we are not to monopolize godliness amongst our selves meerly because of a Church-constitution although we are not to receive any form or spiritual order in our Churches but of Christs appointment There is a great difference and latitude in the soundness and purity of Churches Secondly When we speak of a Church being Gods true Church though greatly corrupted we must take heed of two extreams the first of those who therefore would have no Reformation though there be never so many disorders but say It 's wisdome and prudence to let all things be as they have been for it may be Gods Church though there be divers abuses Take heed of such carnal indulgence as this because it 's the Church of God therefore make no more stirre let errours and prophaneness alone let disorders continue and this many times is palliated with fair specious pretences that such indeavours to reform will breed great discontents and divisions in stead of having a pure Church it may be made no Church at all especially this is the more difficulty obtained if it be a Reformation in worship and manners for we are more willing to sit down under an Orthodox Church then a pure Church We can more easily endure to have sound Doctrine established then pure and holy Order because this doth so directly contradict our lusts and pleasures Hence Malachy prophesieth of Christs repurgation of his Church as a very dreadfull time even like the day of judgement Mal. 3. 2 4. Christ is there said to sit as a refiner and as a purger to take away droâ— but who shall abide the day of his coming Christs coming being thus like the Refiners fire and the Fullers sope was as terrible as the day of judgment to them Who may abide
happily united together so that both in their several stations do promote the Kingdom of Christ There are extremities on both sides some exclude all civil Government from the matters of the Church or Religion as if the Magistrate and the civil power had nothing to do to appoint any thing in reference to these spiritual matters which if so then Kings and Queens could not be nursing Fathers and Mothers in the Church Then the Magistrate should not be the Custos utriusque tabulae then holy Magistrates should sinne in reforming abuses and corruptions which are crept into the Church of God which yet Hezekiah and Josiah did and so likewise Constantine did to his great praise saying to the Officers of the Church he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had an external Episcopacie and Superintendency Then in the second place there is another extream errour which is to confound the State and the Church as if Christ had appointed no distinct Officers or work but that any man authorized by a commission from the civil power was hereby inabled to do any Office in the Church and that Christ had not set Pastors or Teachers in his Church but civil Governours Now how blessed and happy hath it been when these Societies have been friendly complying and furthering one another The Commonwealth helping and furthering defending and protecting the Church The Church also performing all Church-Ordinances in such a manner that God may bless that state and make it to be as Obed-Edoms house while he entertained the Ark Quamdiu respublicae manent hospitia Ecclesiae tamdiu suns duraturae Hence in the third place The Devil and his instruments have alwayes laboured the ruine of godliness by making divisions and using several stratagems to overthrow the harmonious Unity that ought to be in the Church of God and civil State In Popery we see abominable mischief came to Religion by the usurping of the name of the Church for they excluded the Magistrates and supream Governours from any Government therein and at last pleading exemption from all Obedience and Subjection to the chief powers though so expresly contrary to Paul Rom. 13. Thus they make a few only yea but one the Pope at last to be the Church and then attribute to him a power to dispose of Kingdoms and States where and to whom he pleaseth directly and immediately say some and those who do most mince it say indirectè and in ordine ad spiritualia On the other side sometimes the civil State hath been jealous yea and violently perscuting the Church of God as if that of Julian were true A Church and a civil Society could not stand together as if Christ had commanded such things of his Church that were inconsistent with and would utterly overthrow all civil Government Thus Pilate he was jealous because he heard of Christs Kingdom and although it be known that his Kingdom is not of this world that Church power is wholly spiritual in order to mens souls yet how often are the Governours suspicious about it But these particulars are of large consideration and handled by learned Authours I come therefore to shew That a peoples consideration of themselves as a Church should be preferred above all their civil Glory and Dignity It ought to be more as one Emperour said to be a Member of the Church then an Emperour of the whole world The Church of Rome in Pauls time while pure in the faith was more admirable then the City of Rome which was Queen over the whole world The Grounds why we are to give this preheminence to a Church-consideration are First Because a Church-constitution is supernatural all is of God in a more special manner then in civil Societies For although all civil Powers be of God and the making of civil Societies of making Nations and Kingdoms be in an extraordinary manner attributed to him in the Scripture yet still this is in the course of Nature but a Church is planted by the grace of God and it 's above the work of Nature either ordinary or extraordinary to be made such a Society Secondly As we are a Church we have the nearest relation and reference to God not as a City or a Corporation are but as a Church are we his House his Body his Vinyard Neither can we expect such presence of God in our civil Assemblies and Judicatories as in Church-meetings The power and grace of God is in a more powerfull and special manner discovering it self there Thirdly Hereby we have greater Titles and more noble Dignity Although it 's true in the account of the world nothing is more contemptible The Church is called the Kingdom of God we are hereby the children of God the Covenant of Grace is made with us So that all who are not of the Church be they never such glorious victorious and wise Nations yet they are without God and they are under the Kingdom of Satan whereas Gods Church is the Object of his love there he is said to delight to dwell Use of Instruction to Believers who are the Church of God to consider that title and relation they are in as such Though great though rich though honourable yet let it not be accounted equal to the being one of Gods Church If the Devil should shew thee the glory of all the world promising to bestow it on thee upon condition thou renouncest thy Church interest and Church membership with great indignation refuse it What high esteem was put upon the being a Roman Citizen Paul stood upon his Roman freedom in a particular case but this is nothing to be of that free City which is Jerusalem from above even in this Earth By meditating on this thou wilt be more thankfull to God that he hath made thee one of his Church than if he had given all the Turkish Empire to thee for that is but as Luther said Mica cani a crum to the dog in respect of the childrens bread Again The consideration of a Church-priviledge and interest will make thee most to attend to that in disposing and setling thy self when at liberty Most people look to live where the best trading is the greatest priviledges or best earthly accommodation But if thou art one free to settle thy self where thou mayest thou that fearest God will look upon Church advantages as the greatest glory and profit of all Lastly This will take off all those general thoughts which do almost reign every where to consider of men by their Cities and Townes not by their Churches It 's the Town at such a place the Corporation at such a place but no attending to that place as it is a Church of God Hence it is that we are wholly drowned in the thoughts of our selves as a Town as a Parish in civil respects but never considering the relation of a Church and what duties we are obliged unto thereby The two other Observations are to be dispatched in a little room as
from the Apostles writing a second time to the Church of Corinth which he seldom did to any Church but to that of the Thessalonians and to Timothy a single person One reason whereof amongst others was because that his former Epistle had taken some good effect and whereas they had been too remiss before about their indulgence to that incestuous person it seemeth this Epistle had now so awakened them that they began to be too severe to him though repenting and humbling himself as appeareth Chap. 2. 6 7. whereupon he exhorteth them To comfort him lest he be swallowed up with too much sorrow It 's true there were other reasons why he wrote this second Epistle but this is one amongst the rest From whence we might observe That it 's very hard for the Churches of God to keep within their proper bounds about Church-administrations Nothing is more ordinary than to fall from one extream to another These Corinthians that were so negligent in good order that many pollutions were suffered amongst them insomuch that Gods judgements had surprized them for their default herein Now when awakened to do their duty they are ready to overdo and from too much remisness to fall into too much severity Thus in many other things we might instance how the Churches of God have fallen from one extremity to another but this subject especially as it relateth to Church-Discipline will be more sutably treated of in Chap. 2. I therefore briefly raise a third Observation and that is from the Apostles care and zeal to build up the Church of God For whereas he could not come to the Corinthians as yet lest any Church-corruption or disorders should arise thereby he endeavours by writing to do that in his absence which he would not do by his presence From whence we may gather That it 's the Ministers duty not only by personal preaching but by all other lawfull wayes to promote that Church he hath any relation unto When Paul cannot preach he will write This zeal in Paul drew out those many Epistles that now we have recorded in Scripture Our Apostle speaketh notably to this 1 Thess 2. 17 18. and Chap. 3. 1. where he sheweth his cordial affections towards that people with what violence he was kept from them and because Satan hindered him he saith He could no longer forbear but would be left at Athens alone without any comfort or solace rather than not to send to them that so they might not be moved from the Gospel Thus at other times we see this glorious Apostle when present yet not contented with his publick preaching did from house to house as occasion served with tears beseech and testifie every one to cleave unto the Lord. From this example of Paul who though an Apostle and so not bound to attend on particular Churches yet did by letters confirm and quicken those Churches he had planted We see how great and grievous a sinne a voluntary and unnecessary non-residence is in those Pastours who by their Office are bound to a particular Flock and to watch over them For though in some weighty cases for the good of the whole Church they may be detained from their Flock yet voluntarily and slothfully to do this will at last be found a grievous soul-murdering sin Use 2. To reprove that people who complain of too much preaching and too much ministerial imploiment thinking it needless SERM. XIX Of the Name and Nature of a Church-Saint 2 COR. 1. 1. With all the Saints which are in all Achaia WE are now arrived at the last clause in this verse which containeth a more general Description of those to whom he directs this Epistle Some Epistles are called Catholick because not inscribed to any particular Churches or persons but to the whole Church of God Others are more particular and local as this to the Corinthians yet we see it 's not so inscribed to them but that also all the adjacent Saints are comprehended in it Yea though Paul and others wrote their Epistles to certain Churches and persons yet they are in some sense Catholick for they all were written as a perpetual Rule to the whole Church of God in all ages So that this Epistle doth concern even the Churches of God in other Nations as well as that of Corinth when guilty of such disorder So that in the Inscription which is more general than the former clause we may take notice 1. Of the Persons to whom Paul writeth and they are described by their qualifications Saints 2. By a Note of Universality All the Saints There is none so mean or inconsiderable but the Apostle writeth as well to such a poor contemptible Saint as well as to the greatest and most eminent 3. There is the place where Which are in all Achaia I shall first consider the Qualification Saints He giveth this title to all that were of this Church even as in the former Epistle he saith They were sanctified in Jesus Christ Now the Question is How the Apostle could give the title of Saints to to all the Corinthians with those in Achaia for they both seem guilty of the same sins and therefore from this Epistle directed to them when yet they were so foully polluted Was the incestuous person before he repented Were those unclean persons that had not humbled themselves for their sins and Paul was afraid he should find them such when he came Were those Saints Were such who denied the Resurrection yea that had no knowledge of God as Paul said of some to whose shame he spake it were these Saints To this Austin of old answered and so some of late That the Apostle speaks this generally of the whole body because some amongst them were Saints The denomination being from the most worthy part So that they conclude of this as a Rule to interpret Scripture by To understand that of some parts which yet is attributed to to the whole And for this reason they say it is That the Apostle writing to some Churches as to this of Corinth doth sometimes speak of them as if they were all godly and at another time he reproveth them so as if they were all blame-worthy Thus because some were Saints indeed therefore he writeth to the whole Church as if Saints as we call a field of corn by that name though there may be many weeds and bryars amongst it This hath some truth but yet this is not all Secondly It may be thought that the Apostle calls them Saints in the judgment of charity because they did outwardly profess their faith and obedience in Christ even as Paul saith of Sylvanus 1 Pet. 5. 12. A faithfull brother as I suppose but a judgement of charity must be according to truth and he knew that all in Corinth were not truly Saints And as for that expression of Pauls concerning Sylvanus Calvin Estius and others do not relate the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a faithfull brother but to
there are sinfull and unjustifiable grounds of some persons who do not joyn themselves to any Church-society and that may be either from a Corrupt Opinions or a Corrupt Heart though they seldom be separated from one another First From a Corrupt Opinion As 1. Of those who call themselves Seekers confessing they cannot yet find a Church to which they may joyâ—… For they affirm That since the Apostles dayes there are no Churches and therefore till they can see Apostles Apostolical gifts and miracles with the like effusion of the holy Ghost upon persons they cannot own any Church But this is against those Texts of Scripture which speak of a perpetuity of the Ministry and the duty of receiving Sacraments till the coming of Christ which could not be if there were no Church 2. Another corrupt opinion is of those who call themselves high Attainers These make themselves above the Church-ordinances they need them not yea some Anabaptists in Germany made themselves above the Bible living wholly upon spiritual revelations and called those who would leave to the Scripture as a Rule Creaturistae as depending upon a creature But the Scripture and Ordinances are necessary to quicken grace in the most holy and there are none so spiritual but they need them daily to comfort or instruct them yet such have their publick Assemblies wherein they deliver their opinions to be received But if people ought to be above all Ministry and teaching then also above theirs And certainly if those places of being taught of God and having an unction which teacheth us all things be against our Ministry it is also against theirs 3. There may be a corrupt opinion which though it be not against Church-communion absolutely yet they judge it Arbitrary and not necessary Of this opinion Grotius seemed once to be for he is thought to be the Author of that Book which asserts Quod non semper communicandum per symbola and Rivet in his Dialysis against him chargeth this upon him that he was not a member of any Church acknowledging it a just hand of God upon him that at his death when a Minister was brought to him he was wholly sensless So that he who in his life time cared not for Church-communion could not have any benefit by a Minister of the Gospel at his death 4. The last corrupt opinion by which men may not joyn to a Church may be from a superstitious conceit whereby men thinking it impossible to have salvation in the world have imprisoned themselves as it were in Cells and holes of Rocks thereby to give themselves wholly to divine Contemplation Thus the Monks Eremites and Anchorites of old For though some of the most ancient are excused as being driven thereunto by persecution yet the latter seemed to be transported wholly with superstition and therefore in that they lived solely not coming to the publick Ordinances of God in a Church way it was not justifiable by Scripture Indeed if they took their times to come to publick Societies and receive Sacraments as Rivet affirmeth against Grotius Dialys pag. 106. pleading their example for being of no Church then they are to be excused à tanto though not à toto The second unlawfull ground of keeping from Communion with Church-assemblies is A prophane Atheistical disposition that look upon a Church and a Church-assembly as humane devices to keep men in awe or if they be not so eminently Atheistical yet their love to their lusts and pleasures to the world and contents thereof make them weary of the Sabbaths and publick Ordinances as those in Amos 8. 5. When will the Sabbath be over that we may set forth wheat to sell How many are there that comes as seldome as ever they can to these publick Assemblies and when they do come it 's but for custom and fashion not that they ever found any spiritual good or expect and desire any Therefore let the Use be of Instruction that as ye are not to rest in any Church forms or external Communion to think that the very bodily doing of them will save you So on the other side Take heed of voluntarily and wilfully neglecting the publick Assemblies How have the godly when banished and driven from them bewailed their misery whereas thou dost voluntarily absent thy self Think how it may lie upon thee at thy death when thou shalt remember the many Sabbaths the many Ordinances thou hast neglected and now if God would give thee but one day or one hour to make thy peace with him thou wouldst judge it a great mercy The second Observation is from the Universality All the Saints There are none so mean so inconsiderable but this Epistle is directed to them as well as the most eminent From whence observe That the soul of the poorest and meanest Saint is not to be neglected That as the rain falleth upon the least spire of grass as well as the choisest flowers so ought all ministerial planting and watering to be to the meanest plant in Christs garden as well as the chiefest Though Christian Religion doth not abolish civil Polity nor the distinctions and relations of Magistrate and Subject of Master and Servant but strictly enjoyneth their respective duties yet in respect of religious considerations all are but as one Thus the Apostle notably Gal. 3. 28. There is neither bond or free male or female but all are one mark that in Christ Christ looketh upon all as one man And certainly if Christ in shedding his bloud for his people had an equal respect to the meanest with the greatest he died for the godly servant as well as the godly master the godly poor man as well as the godly rich man Then it behoveth all Christians to imitate him in this Whosoever is a Saint though he be never so contemptible do thou own and imbrace such else we do not love the brotherhood we do not love a godly man because he is godly but because he is great or rich or may advantage thee in the world Paul will not except or leave out one of the Saints in all Acbaia SERM. XXII How Grace and Peace and such like spiritual Mercies and Priviledges are to be desired before any temporal Mercies whatsoever 2 COR. 1. 2. Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ HItherto we have considered the Inscription we now come to the Salutation which is in these words and it containeth matter of prayer It is not any earthly or temporal mercy he prayeth for but what is heavenly and spiritual The Apostle Paul doth constantly use this Salutation only in both those Epistles to Timothy and Titus which were Church-officers he interposeth Mercy between Grace and Peace Calvin thinketh he putteth it in his Salutation to Timothy because of his dear affection and love to him but why should he do it to Titus also Certainly it ought to be considered that only to Church-officers he useth
then he only that hath the experimentals either of the bitternesse of sinne or the sweetnesse of the Gospel is only able with a tender heart and hand to cure a wounded soul And certainly if the Apostle make this an Argument Gal. 6. 1. to rejoynt as it were one that is overtaken in a fault because the most spiritual may be tempted how much rather when thou hast been tempted So that this experimental way in holy things worketh much commiseration and sympathizing with those who groan under the hand of God upon them When Judas was in that perplexed agony crying out I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood with what stony and seared hearts did the Pharisees reject him saying What is that to us look thou to that It 's a mercy for broken-hearted sinners to fall into the hands of a tender experienced Believer who hath felt what they feel and so is able to conceive of their sad estate And indeed even as for instruction of the ignorant there needeth much patience so there doth also pitty which will put thee upon unwearied diligence to comfort the dejected For it is not a work soon done they must bear with many infirmities they are full of subtile objections and when they are for a while comforted they loose all presently again insomuch that he must have tender bowels who is not wearied out with their weaknesses Thirdly Such experienced ones are only able to deal with tempted souls to instruct and comfort them because the afflicted find such only reall Such are in earnest He that hath experimentally felt the bitternesse of sinne maketh it manifest to others that it 's not meer Oratory or Eloquence that sets him against sinne but something within that he feeleth burning like fire within The very Heathen could say Si vis me flere dolendum est primo tibi A man that hath not inwardly felt the power of truth upon his heart he is so cold so formall so lazy that you cannot tell whether he believeth the things he preacheth to be true or no. And so also for comfort must it not much satisfie the dejected soul to meet with one under the same temptations under the same fears and yet now prayeth with joy heareth with joy Thou canst find all thy heart as it were in him and yet he is delivered he is comforted who thought it as impossible as I do Whereas if a man be a stranger to these workings of God the tempted soul flyeth off saying He knoweth not how to judge of these things I can give no credit to him Fourthly Such are only able because they alone are faithfull They dare not flatter them they dare not sooth them They will give them no comfort if there be no cause for it Now the truly broken soul loveth this faithfull dealing better then flattery There is a woe to those that made the heart of those merry whom God would have made sad And there are many in the ministerial Office that are unworthy and flattering in this case comforting every one that lyeth a dying though never so prophane Now he that is truly humbled careth not for such a mans comfort he knoweth he will not deal faithfully he will send me to hell with comfort And whereas it is one rule that experienced Divines give to tempted souls That under their fears and doubts they must believe the judgment of the Ministers of God about their condition rather then themselves this must be understood of sound faithfull and experienced Ministers otherwise it is a most dreadfull thing to fall into the hands of fawning flattering Ministers who will encourage them and send them to Heaven when they themselves know not either what true sorrow for sinne or true Evangelical comfort meaneth Use 1. Of Exhortation to the Ministers of Gods Word not to think learning study reading of Books enough to qualifie thee for a Ministerial employment but implore much the work of Gods Spirit herein A good heart a gracious heart will help as well as good Books Do not rest only upon studied and acquired gifts but pray also for infused and inspired Use 2. Of Instruction to the people of God How usefull it is to communicate their gracious experiences one to another much edification much consolation may come hereby Whose sadnesse hast thou comforted Whose deadnesse hast thou quickned It may be thou hast learned a precious receit how to cure such a sinne such a temptation and why doest thou not help others SERM. XLIII It is a special Duty incumbent upon every one both Minister and Christian to apply comforts to the Afflicted in a right manner 2 COR. 1. 4. That we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble IN this final cause we considered the Subject who are fit for this comfort and they are said to be such who are in any trouble Those that abound in mercies need no comfort we are not to give honey to such full stomacks But the troubled the afflicted these are they whose condition we are to commiserate From whence observe That it is a special duty in a right manner to comfort those that are in trouble We are not only to seek the conversion of such who go astray but also to regard the consolation of those that lack it Hence Lam. 1. the Church complaineth That she had none to comfort her The Apostle speaketh of this duty often 1 Thess 4. 18. Comfort one another with these things 1 Thess 5. 11 14. Comfort the feeble minded You see by this pressing this duty so often that we are seriously and diligently to practise it lest as God will judge for neglect of corporal alms to fit objects of charity so also he will call to account for the not dispencing of these spiritual alms Thou hast not visited those who were spiritually imprisoned by the guilt of their sins neither fed those with the bread from Heaven who were hungry Hence it is that the Apostle speaking concerning the incestuous person who was now deeply humbled for his sinne 2 Cor. 2. 7. exhorts them to comfort him lest he be swallowed up with too much sorrow We have a notable instance for this in Jobs friends Job 2. 11. who when they heard of all the evil that was come upon him they made an appointment together to come and mourn with him and to comfort him Thus you see that it is a special duty we are carefully to discharge to refresh the souls of others who are cast down That as the custom was among the Jews and Solomon he giveth a precept about it Prov. 31. 6 7. Give wine unto those that are of an heavy heart that he may drink and remember his misery no more So we are in a spiritual consideration to give the wine of the Gospel to such as mourn for their sins To discover this truth Consider First The troubled as you heard formerly are of two sorts Those who are afflicted in soul as the
and profits than future glory then thou proclaimest thy exceeding great folly and madnesse If then thou love thy self thy soul thy salvation be patient in enduring all that God layeth upon thee Fifthly Be patient under such sufferings Because hereby thou promotest the good of others the salvation of others And certainly this should much prevail with us These sufferings of mine these patient endurings for the cause of Christ may provoke and encourage many others This did greatly induce Paul and animate him in all his reproaches and difficulties he met with for the Gospel because that hereby the Church was more propagated With what joy Phil. 1. 13. doth he speak of this That his bonds were made manifest every where and many of the brethren waxed more confident and bold than before As on the contrary we see the impatience worldly fears and Apostasie of some have done a world of hurt to others not only falling themselves but making others also to tumble down with them This is a sad thing to consider of If the Apostle Rom. 14. speaks so dreadfully about a strong Christian abusing his liberty that thereby he is a stumbling block and on his part destroyeth him for whom Christ died How much more will this hold true on him who shall perfidiously forsake Christ rather than suffer for him And although some of these have recover'd again and manifested as much faithfulnesse as they had formerly falshood yet those that did wholly fall off their fall was great making the adversary to rejoyce and animating others to do the like Therefore on the contrary if thou endure with constancy and patience under all opposions in nothing being dismayed this will imbolden others thou mayest prevent the backsliding of others Insomuch that to suffer for Christ is a great act of love not only to Christ but to the Church when with Paul we shall be willing to be sacrified for the good of other mens souls Now this duty of love we owe to the Body of Christ we are bound in conscience to suffer reproaches and all manner of trials for righteousnesse sake not only because Christ requireth it and with reference to him but also out of love to the souls and salvation of others When we suffer we do not only suffer as private Christians but as members of the body and therefore the concernment of the whole body is in the suffering of every member This then should greatly encourage us in all our afflictions for Christs sake It is not I alone it 's not my salvation only but the salvation of many others is carried on in this businesse Hence some have thought more implied in that expression then ordinarily is conceived 1 Cor. 4. 13. where the Apostle saith We are made as the filth and off-scouring of the world they say the words are not to be understood only of dishonour and reproach but because they were applied to such Sacrifices and devoted things in the offering whereof common judgements were removed piacula therefore they inferre That the Apostles sufferings did conduce to the whole Church of God Others come to obtain mercy by following them for an example I shall not plead for this interpretation onely this is a truth in the general That many have been converted and so saved by beholding the courage and patience of godly Confessors and Martyrs It 's then a duty we owe to the Church of God to suffer when Christ requireth And if we read of Heathens the Curtii and Decii who have devoted themselves to present death to remove some publick calamity what shame will this be to Christians if they shall not in a regular way shew such zeal for the Church of God We have a notable passage 1 John 3. 16. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren What Christ did for us we are to do for the Church So that from this Text it is plain there are cases and instances wherein a man is bound to lose not only wealth and estate but even life it self for others Hence there is a distinction of Martyrium charitatis and Martyrium fidei A Jesuite Raynardus de Martyrio doth industriously endeavour to maintain That if a man having a call from God doth venture his life by visiting some infected with the plague doing this out of love to God and peoples souls such a man is as truly and properly a Martyr and that in a strict sense as one who dieth for witnessing the faith I shall not here examine this point only in the general we may conclude That he who layeth down his life for the brethren for the spiritual good of others having a call thereunto he he is a Martyr and may encourage himself with all those promises that those who died for the faith have done Yea such a suffering and Martyrdome may be called Martyrium fidei as well as charitatis or misericordiae Faith having imperate acts as well as elicite Hence the Apostle Heb. 11. attributeth divers worthy actions and atchievements unto Faith By this you see in any suffering whereby the Church of God is edified wherein we demonstrate our love to the salvation of others we may greatly encourage our selves Hence also it is observed by one of the Ancients That he who shall suffer to prevent schisms and breaches in the Church of God is more to be honoured than he who suffereth because he would not offer to an Idol because here is more love to the Church of God Let this then in all sufferings whether verbal or real mightily support thee that not my own salvation onely but the good and salvation of all those who shall come to hear or know this will also be furthered To be a meanes of conversion by suffering is in some respect greater than by preaching SERM. LV. All the Dispensations of God carry on and further the Salvation of his People 2 COR. 1. 6. Or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation THe first part or member of that distribution which the Apostle here useth hath been dispatched For as to the last particular observed in the illustration which the Apostle useth viz. The object matter of their patient enduring which is said to be the same sufferings which we also suffer If any new matter shall present it self it will be more fitly considered in the next verse I proceed therefore to the second part of the distribution used here by the Apostle In that we may observe The Condition supposed If we be comforted Here is light as well as darkness Summer as well as winter The godly are not alwayes afflicted but they have also their seasons of comfort It is not an impossible thing here supposed but what God doth ordinarily bring about for those that fear him So that in the time of adversity thou art to remember the time of thy consolations also whereas the people of God in their distress are apt with David to cry out Hath the Lord cast
the person of a regenerate man because he cals himself carnall and yet this Authour though of the same judgemen with them will by a naturall man understand a babe in Christ or a weak Christian The Apostle I say making this distinction between these two saith The naturall man receiveth not the things of God because they are spiritually discerned Now there must be alwayes some proportion between the faculty and the object The eye cannot see musick nor the eare heare colours nor doth a Beast understand reason but then the spirituall man having received the Spirit of God he judgeth all things and such have the mind of Christ There is then that Heavenly and holy wisedome which if we receive from above if we plow with this Heifer we are able more exactly and certainly to judge of Gods proceedings then otherwise we could do for as God giveth it to his people to understand the mysteries of the Gospell when they are hid from other mens eyes so to the godly it is impart given to understand the wayes and workes of the Lord that thereby they may prevent those delusions or deceits which otherwise they are lyable unto Whereupon it is that because in this particular as well as in other we know but in part we have heavenly wisedome but in part Therefore it is that we do so often miscarry As in all civill Governement there are arcana imperii secrets of state which only the wise favorite is admitted unto the single and credulous Subject he believeth the pretences and appearances of things Thus God also though in a wise and just manner hath his secrets in governing of his Church he proceedeth in such methods that to the judgement of flesh and blood do appeare very improbable and unlikely ever to produce any blessed end and hence it is that the carnall wise men of the world are so often taken in their own craft and wherein they deale not only proudly but wisely God is above them whereas if they had understood the method of Gods proceedings they would not have been found so foolishly to fight against God but the godly have Scripture wisedome and prudence and therefore are not wholely in the dark but while they follow them are kept from those bogs and pits which others are very ready to fall into we may instance in some of those Divine Maximes of state As 1. The understanding of this truth will prevent much false judgment viz. When we consider that God delights to carry on the great things of his Church in a contrary way to humane thoughts and expectations let us instance in that main foundation of all our comfort and duty Christ Crucified with the benefits and effects flowing from him Was not this the master piece of Gods wisedome and power and mercy yet how contrary and unsuitable to the judgement of flesh and blood for God to be made Man and Man not in a glorious externall way as the great Potentates of the world but in a most abject and ignominious way and then by such an accursed and reproachfull death to procure our pardon of sinne and acceptation with God it hath so much absurdity in it to flesh and bloud that to the Jewes it was a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness Non pudet quia pudendum omnino credibile quia prorsus impossibile What the thoughts of men were about Christ while working out our redemption appeareth Isa 13. 2 3 4. There is no beauty that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men we did esteem him smitten of God So that generally all the Nations of the Jewes were deceived about a Messiah yea the Disciples themselves were full of prejudices in this Point This then is Gods way to do the great things of his Church in a super-humane way So that even then when the things themselves are not super-naturall yet the manner of accomplishing them is wholely above nature What therefore God speaketh in one case to his people about the pardon of sinne Isa 55. 8 9. is true in all the rest of Gods administrations My thoughts are not as your thoughts For as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so are my wayes higher then yours By this it is plain that a Dwarfe is as able to reach to the Heavens as we are to comprehend Gods wayes so that whatsoever God doth for thee whether body or soul it is a mystery All will be wonderfull and marvelous in thy eyes As he said that was not worthy the name of eloquence which did not beget admiration in the Hearers So the Lord accounteth of nothing as beseeming his Majesty which may not put the soul in admiration possess thy soul with this principle and thou wilt not be often in thy complaints I looked for this and hoped for that but God hath taken away that I never dreamed off 2. Another Rule is That when God hath promised to do any thing for his people yet he doth for the most part seem to go contrary to it especially at first as when Abraham was promised a great Posterity David a Kingdome they met at first with nothing but what did make against these so that his providence did seem to gainsay his promise Now if this be not known how quickly will the godly be deceived The world was a great Chaos and confusion before it was made so glorious as now it is 3. This will prevent mistake also when we consider That God doth usually hide himselfe and deny help till every thing be desperate and then he cometh to help When the poore creple that lay so many years and could not be put into the Poole said I have no help then Christ healed him Christ did not provide Wine at the Marriage Feast till all was spent Moses cometh when the â—aske of brick is doubled in the Mount the Lord will be seen Would not this truth alone deliver thee from many conclusions as if God had forsaken thee and would be mercifull no more What if Christ do with thee as that Woman of Canaan to put thee off to call thee Dog Is it not to provoke thy faith and importunity more 4. The Heavenly Artist remembers this Rule also That God will sometimes alter his ordinary wayes do things because of his soveraignty and prerogative What Disputes and different thoughts had Job and his friends about Gods dealing with him in his particular wherein both Job and his friends were at a loss only Job spake more rightly then they Yet God discovereth his greatness and Najesty to Job thereby informing of him that he did not sufficiently consider his own weakenesse and Gods infinite greatness 5. And lastly God delights to put his people upon a life of faith and that in temporall and spirituall mercies The just shall live by his faith This faith doth exalt God and debase man now saith and sense they are opposite one flyeth up to Heaven the other crawleth on the ground and therefore
above other private Christians yet remember thou wantest their prayers They that cannot help thee by counsell and advice they that cannot help thee by direction yet may by prayer Therefore do nothing that may abate their zeale and love in prayer for thee It may also teach thee humility in this respect When thou findest great inlargements good success in thy Ministry be not lifted up as if God did this for any righteousness it may be in thee but because of other mens prayers attribute such things to their prayers rather then thy graces But we proceed to the second Doctrine which is Secondly That people do owe unto their spirituall guide as a debt of service their earnest prayers for them Thus much you heard was implyed in the Greek word Those that sow unto you spirituals are not only to reap of your carnals but also of your spirituals you are not to communicate only with him that teacheth you in your temporall good things but your spirituall also Thus the Church looked upon it as a duty to make supplications for Peter when he was in Prison and certainly the spirituall labourer is not only worthy of his wages but of your heartiest and most fervent prayers and those people who do neglect this duty it is a signe that they never get good by the Ministry nor is it their desire to do so Hence so much labouring and Preaching becometh so ineffectuall to thee Thou art the same ignorant and prophane man as thou wert many years ago Is not this because thou never rightly prayest to God that the ministry may be blessed to thee But to inlarge on this Consider 1. That it is a wild and absurd opinion of the Socinians who hold that prayer is only commanded in the New Testament That Christ made it a new precept to pray so that although the godly in the Old Testament did pray yet they say they had no command for it This they make one of the new Evangelicall precepts Christ brought into the Church but this doth openly contradict Scripture Doth not the Scripture say Call upon me in the time of trouble doth not the Old Testament say Seek ye the Lord while he may be found was not the Temple of God called the house of prayer doth not Solomon in the Dedication of his Temple suppose that its a peoples duty under judgments to pray and humble themselves under Gods hand that so they may be removed from off them It was therefore alwayes a duty both in the Old and New Testament to pray to God 2. Though prayer be the meanes whereby God accomplisheth great things for his people yet we must not put any merit or confidence in our prayers To be proud of thy prayers is a great absurdity for thy prayer to God doth testifie that thou art nothing that thou canst do nothing for if thou canst do things of thy selfe why needest thou pray That is the reason the Socinians give why in the Old Testament there needed no precept of prayer because there was then nothing promised but they were able to fullfill the condition thereof by their own power But the foundation of that is rotten for they had the same spirituall things promised only more obscurely that we have and were no wayes of themselves to performe their conditions otherwise we will grant that what a man can do of his own power independently upon God he needeth not pray for it but there is nothing wherein man doth not need the gift of God whether for temporall or necessary things and seeing the way to have it is only by prayer this exalteth God and debaseth man so that it is a contradiction to the duty in hand when we rest upon our prayers as if the beggar should be proud from his asking of almes 3. The duty of prayer is reciprocall Ministers are to pray for their People and People for their Ministers This Paul who so often desireth the Churches prayers doth as often demonstrate his continuall and fervent prayers for them yea though a people be never so unworthy so wretched and malicious yet they will say with Samuell God forbid I should cease to pray for you so that thy prayers for those who labour in the work of the Lord are not in vain They are recompenced with prayers again and never are people a blessing and comfort to a Minister nor is a Minister a blessing to them till there be this mutuall praying for if the prayer of one man doth prevaile much how much then will the prayers of many righteous persons for each other So that we see why the Devill and his instruments are so busie in sowing of discords and contentions between Pastor and People why instead of praying for one another there are slanderings detractitions and malicious oppositions of one another for by this discord the Devils Kingdome is promoted and their prayers for one another are hindred 4. When we say That its a debt which people owe to pray for their spirituall guides this supposeth that the people whom he watch over should be both a gifted and a gracious people Gifted Such who are able to make their requests known to God and that with others as well as alone for how can it be expected that he who cannot pray for himself will ever pray for the Minister Would it not be very ridiculous to desire the prayers of many who live under our continuall teaching Pray Alas they never prayed in their lives They never pray for themselves or for others But gifts without grace are like a tinckling Cymball God will not hear the prayers of wicked men Therefore our people ought to be gracious as well as gifted They must have pure hearts and pure hands how uncomely are holy prayers in an unholy mouth There must be no dead flye in this precious box of Oyntment Oh then that our Congregations were awakned to be such a people that can discharge spirituall duties to a spirituall overseer Do you by your prayers help on the work of their ministry for our Preaching alone without your effectuall praying will not have its blessed effect 5. There are many particulars in which your soules are to be emptyed in prayer for them for their preservation and safety As here Paul prayeth for their workes sake they are exposed to the hatred and rage of man if the shepheard be scattered the sheep will quickly flye now because their calling is to remove the sinnes of people to set the Kingdome of Christ in the place where they live therefore none meet with more absurd and unreasonable adversaries then they do for this Paul desireth their prayers 2 Thes 3. 2. That he might be delivered from unreasonable men 2. You are to pray for them in this particular also that their Ministery may be successefull That the word they Preach may find roome in the hearts of the people As it is the Ministers duty to give himself to study and to
for they have not returned to glorifie me It is love to our selves it 's a self-seeking that makes us pray but it would argue love to God and an honouring of him when we returne praises to him It is therefore the duties of Ministers to press you upon the duty of praising of God as well as of praying unto him Many are horribly negligent in both some are more often in prayer then they are in thanksgiving Whereas God is said to inhabit the praises of his people Psalm 22. 3. as well as he is the God that heareth prayers Psalm 65. 2. God dwelleth in the praises of Israel that is in or amongst Israel continually praising of him or else it is to shew that as a man dwelleth in his house constantly residing there so God is daily administring matter of praises to his people implying thereby that there is no time no place no condition wherein we ought not to bless and praise God Those many Psalmes which David made declare how necessary a duty it is and how much the people of God are to exercise themselves therein Hence it is that David professeth he will never intermit this duty as we are to pray without ceasing so to praise God without ceasing Psalm 145. 1 2. I will bless thy name for ever and ever I will bless thee every day See what an ardent affection David hath to this For although the Apostle James saith Is any man afflicted let him pray is any man merry let him sing Psalmes James 5. 13. implying thereby that there are speciall times wherein one duty is to be exercised more than another yet there is no time wherein the Lord doth not give his people occasion to give thanks to him That your hearts may be both rightly instructed in the manner of this duty and awed against all slothfullness therein take notice of these ensuing particulars 1. What is required to this Duty And 2. The Motives thereunto And First To praise God there is required an acknowledgement by faith that God and God alone is the Author of all the mercies both temporall and spirituall that we do enjoy Hence an Atheist can never be thankfull because he owneth no God the giver of mercies And the practicall Atheist who liveth as if there were no God he like the Swine eateth indeed upon the fruite that he findeth upon the ground but never looketh up to the tree from whence it falleth Now this practicall Atheisme doth raign every where and that causeth the universall ingratitude that is in the world men take these mercies as so many debts belonging to them They look upon them as the things of a naturall course not as the dispensations of a free and voluntary Agent even the great God who giveth them and denyeth them at his pleasure David therefore in his Psalmes doth so often magnifie God by many glorious Titles thereby professing that From God cometh every good and perfect gift Hence also the Apostle James Cap. 4. 15. maketh it the duty of every one in their daily resolutions to buy and sell or to go to such a place to say if the Lord will declaring hereby that it is from God that we are inabled to performe any naturall or civill action I also add that it must be an acknowledgment of God alone because in spirituall mercies many corrupt Teachers have divided the kingdome between Gods gracious power and mans mans free-will Therefore the Papists the Socinians the Arminians these do either in whole or in part destroy the very foundation of thanksgiving to God in respect of spirituall mercies especially in that whereby one man differs from another That which the Apostle doth so evidently attribute to God only 1 Cor. 4. 7. that they appropriate to themselves the good use of free-will or the improving of grace offered is made mans work and then certainly we are to glory more in our selves then in God But if we are to give God thankes for every morsell of bread we eate shall we not much rather for every spirituall mercy to the soul It was Tullies observation that though their Ancestors praised God for their prosperity and success yet they never did for their vertuous actions thinking that absurd as if unless they were not done by their own power there was no commendation due to them and too much of this Heathenish and Philosophicall leaven doth still soure the minds of many Learned men in the Church Know then so much as thou settest up a free-will beyond Scripture bounds so farre thou takest off from the duty of praising and blessing of God Besides we say God must be acknowledged in every mercy temporall and spirituall Thou that prayest God would give thee thy daily bread wilt thou not praise God when he doth it yet how sottish and brutish are many persons and Families when they go to meales and rise from meales and no thankes or praises are given to God should not the example of Christ move thee when he had but some loaves of Barly and a little Fish yet he blessed God before he did eate thereof How then cometh it about that there should be such unthankfull wretches that take their food and yet never thank God that giveth it Thou wouldst account that poore man a proud or unworthy person to whom thou shouldst give some food in his necessity and he never so much as open his mouth to give one word of thankfullness to thee Thou dealest more frowardly and wickedly with God And if for temporall mercies then much more for spirituall if thy meate thy drink thy rayment be Gods mercy much more is thy regeneration thy justification which do so far transcend the power of nature 2. To this duty of praising God is not only required These generall acts of faith whereby we own him for the Jehova and the Creator of Heaven and Earth but also those particular Acts whereby we do apply and appropriate him as our God in particular For it is this particular applying Act of faith that maketh the heart full of praise and thanksgivihg Therefore you may observe David in his Psalmes not only calling God a buckler a refuge a strong tower but his buckler his strong tower his God Neither can we be thankfull in spirituall mercies about pardon of sinne support in temptations till with Paul Gal. 2 we say Who loved us and gave himself for us and this is one reason why we urge the People to take heed of diffidence not to give way to distrust and doubtfull perplexities of soul because while these are predominant they cannot walk thankfully and give the glory that is due to him 3. Love to God Because he heareth our prayers will raise up the heart exceedingly to thanksgiving Psal 116. 1. I will love the Lord because he hath heard my supplications That God should hear the prayers of one so unworthy and polluted as thou art that God should do thee good who art so evill this freeness
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
in this it was a temporal Kingdome that he aimed at and the earthly advancing of himself And the third kind of hearers they did not apostatize but the love of the world and the deceiveablenesse of riches these things like weeds did grow up with the good corne It was Simon Magus his hainous transgression to desire the Holy Ghost for money And hath not this been as wickedly practised sometimes to make use of the gifts of the Holy Ghost or at least the pretence of them for earthly gaine To be religious for gaine to make a profession for earthly advantages what is this but to make use of God and his wayes for money And if you say These are base and unworthy ends indeed this is to be a Judas to sell Christ for money an Esau to sell our birthright for pottage Therefore you must know that if we could as the Peripateticks enjoyne do virtuous actions for virtues sake yet this were too low an end for a sincere Christian when men do righteous actions for the publick good when men performe religious duties meerly to please and content their consciences These that are good as proxime and secondary ends being made the ultimate do deprive the duties of their true proper sincere Christianity This is to take John Baptist for Christ or as some did to take Christ onely for some great Prophet This is to judge sincerity and godlinesse a lesse thing than it is to take a counterfeit for a precious pearl And therefore the motive of duties in Popery is wonderfully short of true spiritual ones even as their faith of true divine motives as they resolve their faith into the Authority of their Church so their religious duties into their own power and merit Whereas to be holy so as to rest in our holinesse and to make that our utmost end is to unthrone Christ and to put our graces in the room of Gods grace So that we are not onely by sincerity to overlook all earthly objects but even all duties and inherent graces joyning with Christ onely as the beloved of our souls This sincerity is that which maketh the way to Heaven so narrow This is the reason why many are called but few chosen If the external performance of duties were enough many thousands would go to Heaven more than do but sincerity is that which makes every holy duty so difficult SERM. XCII A further Discovery of the Nature and Effects of Godly Sincerity 2 COR. 1. 12. In godly sincerity GOdly Sincerity you heard did raise up the heart of a man above all low and inferiour ends fixing it upon God only Now because I have spoken much of this upon other occasions I shall briefly dispatch this subject at this time laying down several Propositions which will partly be descriptive of the nature of this sincerity and partly manifestative of what are the effects of it And First This sincerity doth comprehend an Universality in it Hypocrisie dealeth in pieces and parcels it doth many things and it omitteth many things whereas sincerity comprehendeth all the essential parts of Religion it is not defective in necessaries though it hath not perfection of degrees yet it hath of parts Therefore sincerity is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compleatnesse of all parts and limbs when a man hath every part of the body that is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lot or condition or portion to have 1 Thess 5. 23. Hence Jam. 1. 4. it is called entire that ye may be entire wanting nothing It was the fault that Christ found with the Church of Sardis Revel 3. 2. That he had not found her works perfect before God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled up There were many empty hollow places and vacuities as it were wanting this grace and that duty which would have made her compleat Now there are several kinds of Universalities wherein this sincerity doth discover it self There is an universality of the Object matter about which it is exercised It maketh a man carefull to performe the greatest duties and the lesse duties It accounteth nothing little wherein the command of God is concerned that is a great God It abstaineth from great sinnes and little sinnes It accounteth no sinne little which cannot be purged away but by the blood of Christ Again it doth faithfully respect all the Commandments of God such as are terminated upon God himself or such as relate to man Paul expressed this sincerity when he called it A conscience void of offence both towards God and man Act. 24. 16. He knoweth true Religion cannot be without righteousnesse nor godly righteousnesse without the duties of Religion Furthermoee there are duties of suffering for Christ as well as of doing for him Sometimes it is farre more unpleasing to flesh and blood to suffer for Christ then to be doing for him But the sincere heart is prepared for both he doth not capitulate with Christ about what he shall be put upon Therefore it is that he is willing to take up the crosse and to follow Christ he accepteth of those duties where self-denial and self-mortification are requisite as those which may be more gratefull and acceptable unto a man Oh how much easier is it to preach these things and to hear these things then to practise them As there is an universality of the Object so also of the Subject where this is every part of the soul is sanctified There is not illumination without sanctification gifts without grace but the whole man is rightly constituted Hence we told you sincerity is not properly a grace but it 's the modification of grace every grace is to be sincere 1 Tim. 1. 5. There is a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned So that sincerity is a property and an affection of every grace it 's not repentance unlesse sincere it 's not faith except sincere Again There is an Universality of time and place A sincere man is godly in times of prosperity as well as of adversity in times of health as well as of sicknesse on the week day as well as the Sabbath And so for places Paul saith in the Text it was in the world as well as at Corinth At some times in some places and with some company to pretend onely for God this discovereth hypocrisie in the bottome Secondly Sincerity is herein remarkable That it goeth to the bottome and root of sinne It doth not onely take away the external acts and so make a smooth skinne but it giveth good vitals and inwards especially it setteth against that rotten core that is in every man viz. a deceitfull and false heart towards God and man It is knowne what the Psalmist concludeth of every man Psal 116. 11. which the Apostle maketh use of Rom. 3. 4. Every man is a lyar that is of himselfe and in his owne nature otherwise David and Paul were not lyars in delivering of this truth neither are regenerate men lyars so farre
Christ have had their private meetings and have fled from the wrath of Magistrates which the Apostle attributeth to the faith of the godly not their fear Heb. 11. 37. Only when it was a case of confession and their duty publickly to give testimony to the truths of God then no torments could make them decline it SERM. XCIV Principles of Fleshly Wisdome used in the Propagation of the Gospel 2 COR. 1. 12. Not with fleshly wisdome WE are describing the several particulars of fleshly wisdome which men have made in the matters of Religion all which are renounced by the Apostle in this Text. The first in order I shall now propound is To advance those men who have been of their way by lies attributing glorious things to them and as much disparaging and falsly accusing all such who have been in a contrary way of Religion to them This hath been the subtil policy and stratagem in the Church of Rome For no Church in the world hath abounded more in fleshly wisdome then she hath done How notoriously absurd and ridiculous are they in relating many foolish miracles done by their Saints Yea they attribute many wonderfull things to some as Saints when there were never any such persons in the world as many learned Writers hold there were never such persons as St George and St Christopher and yet what fabulous miracles are reported of them And truly to read the lives of their Popish Saints would make a man nauseate their Religion they are written by such who did so much serve their affections and drive on their designes Which made Canus even a Papist complaine of it though he saith he doth Dolenter dicere magis quam contumeliose speake it with grief rather than with reproach The lives of Heathens saith he Canus loc Theolog. Lib. 11. cap. 6. are written with more truth by Heathenish Writers then of Saints by Catholicke Writers Laertius hath more faithfully related the lives of the Philosophers and Suetonius the lives of the Caesars then ours have done the lives of Saints Which maketh him goe on and say That he who wrote that Booke which is called Aurea Legenda was a man Perrei oris and Plumbei cordis He that wrote the Golden Legend was a man of an iron Fore-head and a leaden-Heart Now all this is nothing but fleshly wisdome not to regard the truth But onely what will make for advantage whereas we may see wonderfull sincerity in the Apostles in this very matter They did use no fleshly wisdome at all but doe record their owne infirmities as well as miracles Doth not the Evangelist Matthew relate how he was a Publican Is not Peter's deniall of his Master in all the aggravations of it recorded Are not the strifes of the Disciples about primacy mentioned Doe we not read of Paul and Barnabas their sharp contention Did not Paul withstand Peter to the face because he was worthy to be reproved Certainly the want of fleshly wisdome and carnall policy in the Apostles doing all things with sincerity and integrity as well when it maketh against them as for them doth plainly evidence that they were of God Christ doth not need the concealement of our imperfections The more unworthy the instruments are the more is his glory in bringing about his ends by them Thus Austin was not ashamed to leave to the world a publick confession of his youthfull vanities and follies And Beza doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expose himselfe to shame upon that very word Matth. 1. 19. where shewing that in Plutarch one Archilochus a Poet for dishonest verses which he had made he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expose himselfe to shame Quod mihi aliquando accidit c. Which was once my case saith he while a young man and not yet admitted into the Church which blot I hope I have washed away both by sayings and deeds He was a Papist while he made those wanton verses Therefore they need not upbraid him so for them especially seeing he manifested his repentance for them Therefore Beza did say of his adversaries Isti homines invident mihi gratiam Dei These men envy me the grace of God As fleshly wisdome is seene thus in an hyperbolical admiration of men of our own way not at all taking notice of their imperfections so is it no lesse manifest in the dispraising disgraceing and falsely traducing those who are dissentients from us This is fleshly wisdome to disgrace and calumniate those who are against us by forged lies As the Heathens of old said The Christians worshipped an Asses head and that at their love-feasts all wantonnesse and uncleannesse were committed It is Bellarmine's boast That no Catholickes are found to praise the Doctrine or lives of Heretickes which is it selfe false For to omit many instances Stapleton saith of Calvin though he subjoyneth enough to marre all That he is an Interpreter for the letter of the Scripture Ita diligens ita elegans ita suavis c. In Antid Evang. in Praefat. So diligent so elegant so sweet that many Papists did reade him Yea saith he I have heard many wish that those things which are disputed in his Commentaries against the Church and its faith were taken out and then they would be very greatly usefull But if it were true that no Papists did praise the Protestants this is not for their honour but reproach it being a duty to acknowledge the gifts and abilities that are in men though we abominate their errours and vices So that it is wholly fleshly wisdome in them thus to suppresse the excellency of those who are against them Yea if they stayed here it were pardonable but they doe most prodigiously vent and publish horrible lies about Luther and Calvin as if they had beene monsters of men for their impieties But all this is wisdome from the Devil and God hath turned all their cursing into blessing In the second place It is fleshly wisdome to maintaine any such pernicious and deceitfull Doctrines as doe maintaine falshood and deceit and thereby as much as lieth in them overthrow all humane societies The Priscillianists of old did maintaine That it was lawfull to lie and sweare and say any thing so that they kept the heart pure And the Papists I meane the Jesuited ones they come neare them for they doe professedly dipute for the lawfullnesse of Equivocation and Mental Reservation yea they call it prudence And as the Pelagians of old who privately to their Disciples did plainly declare their opinions but in publick spake craftily and ambiguously thereby to deceive others as if they were Orthodox alledging Christs example who to the multitude spake in Parables but opened them plainly to his Disciples so would these fasten upon Christ and holy men recorded in Scripture instances of equivocation But the Scripture commands us To lay aside lying speaking every man the truth to his neighbour Ephes 4. 25. And this is subjoyned as a necessary consequent of
more awe peoples hearts nothing doth more erect a throne of fear and reverence in mens hearts so much as integrity Even Herod did fear John because he was a just man he saw he was not carried by carnal pinciples and that made Herod reverence him Mark 6. 20. And thus it was with Christ himself also this made the people so greatly flock after him because the hypocrise and self-seeking of the Pharisees began to be made clear to them And thus the integrity of our Reformers was precious whereas the luxury pride and ambition of the Roman Clergy began to be apparent Yea before Luther's time the Church generally groaned under them which made Berengarius call them Romanos Pompifices and Pulpifices as regarding their pompe and belly more than their ministerial duty Lastly For the differences I promised to speak to between fleshly wisdome and heavenly wisdome as also civil prudence may be considered in the next particular Fleshly wisdome is seen In glorying and boasting of humane eloquence and philosophical demonstrations This some make to be a great part of if not the only sense of fleshly wisdome And certainly this is that which Paul renounceth 1 Cor. 2. 1 3 4. the end whereof was that their faith might not stand in the wisdome of men but the power of God And therefore the Thessalonians are commended 1 Thess 2. 13. That they received the Gospel not as the word of men but as of God which effectually worketh in those that believe That there may be no use made of humane learning much lesse that it is not lawfull to improve the gifts and abilities of learned men in our Ministry I think is scarcely in an absolute sense denied by any orthodox But then they give this Caution That such things must not be done out of ostentation but edification and conviction neither must we so preach that our auditors should be more affected with the oratory or learning than the matter the gifts and parts of a Minister more than the holy truths which are delivered for information and conversion And therefore as we the Ministers of the Gospel are to take heed of all fleshly wisdome especially this latter which is so subtil a thief ready to steal away our treasure So ought you the hearers to take heed of all fleshly wisdome For it is this only maketh you go away unconverted unhumbled unreformed your conscience your mind condemns you for it but only fleshly wisdome will not let you obey As I say we are to take heed of this universally so especially that you do not regard the parts learning and oratory of a Minister more than holy matter You must hear from a sincere heart you must come to our Ministry with godly simplicity as well as we are to preach so and it is hard to say whether is more difficult to preach without fleshly wisdome or hear without it Do you desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ crucified Are ye not like children that look upon Books more to see the gayes and gaudy flourishes than the matter contained therein Do ye not mind more what may tickle your ear please your fancy then what may wound your heart Aristotle even to his Lecture of moral Philosophy doth require one who is purged from his lusts How much rather is the word of God to be received with a pure and mortified heart Oh this flesnly wisdome will prove cursed folly at last In the flames of hell thou wilt cry out of this Oh wretch that I was I thought to be wise for my self and how unspeakably am I undone thereby SERM. XCV Of the Grace of God which Paul exalteth above Fleshly Wisdome and ascribeth all unto 2 COR. 1. 12. But by the grace of God THe third particular which qualifieth the Apostles conversation in this world cometh in order to be treated on which is set down Oppositely But by the grace of God This is added partly to exclude all pride and presumption in himself For having declared his integrity lest it might be thought that though he did not confide in carnal wisdome yet he might in his own integrity he addeth The grace of God shewing thereby that he trusted in that alone And then partly it is spoken in opposition to fleshly wisdome For seeing it might be demanded If Paul did not use the wisdome of the world How could it come about that he should have such success in his preaching that the Gospel should have such a full and glorious course by his Ministry He resolveth it into the grace of God that did go along with him it was neither his gifts or his graces but the power and grace of God directing and protecting of him in his ministerial imployment Thus Paul and Barnabas Acts 14. 26. are by the brethren recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled So that whereas the word Grace in the New Testament hath several significations the principal whereof is the favour and meer mercy of God without us The lesse principal is the Effects thereof and the Effects of this Grace are either of sanctification or administration and service We may comprehend all these in the word Grace but especially the latter the effects of grace and of those effects chiefly those ministerial gifts with the successe thereof that Paul was enriched with What is this grace of God saith Chrysostome It is saith he the wisdome and power God bestowed upon him whereby through miracles and other wayes especially that coming without humane learning and oratory of the world he did overcome the greatest Philosophers and Rhetoricians whom the world did admire This was the grace of God upon Paul which he also mentioneth as the original of all the fruit of his labours not attributing any thing to himself 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me Now although by grace is meant principally the grace called Gratiis data common ministerial gifts and favours of God yet because it is opposed to fleshly wisdome and carnal policy There is also necessarily contained heavenly wisdome whereby Paul did avoid all sensual and deceitfull wayes walking closely according to the Word the fountain of all spiritual wisdome For as the Scriptures are a farre surer Rule even to Civil Governours and Magistrates then Tacitus Machiavel or others cryed up by humane worldly wise men even in their civil administrations So much more is it a sure Starre for all the spiritual Officers of the Church to manage their affaires by if they do look for successe From the Scripture both Magistrates and Ministers may learne wisdome for their respective administrations Paul therefore what ever it be that goeth on prosperously in his ministerial worke doth not attribute it either to his sincerity much lesse to any humane policy which he renounceth but wholly to the grace of God assisting of him and going constantly along with him Observe That it is
if thou finde that one Sermon passeth away after another yet there is no spiritual benefit accrewing to thy soul thereby But why do we speak of spiritual Edification in how many is not the ground-work of Conversion laid how can they have the second benefit who have not obtained rhe first How can they be nourished and grow who have not yet the Principles of Life infused into them Two great things are then to be done by our Ministry through the grace of God The First To Regenerate The Second is To grow and increase in the work of Grace If the foundation stone of this building be not laid thou art yet in thy ruines and rubbish thou art yet in thy sinnes Thou art to pray and to desire all others to pray that God would have mercy upon thy soul that he would take away thy stony heart that he would heal thy blinde eyes and open thy deaf eares But if God hath brought thee into this spiritual estate know there is a necessity to grow in grace as well as to be in grace and that for progress herein God hath appointed his Ministry and the Ordinances Cry out then and say Lord not the First time but the Second and Third yet all my life long make me to partake of this Heavenly Benefit SERM. CVIII All Christians especially Ministers ought to lay out themselves wholly for Gods Glory and others good 2 COR. 1. 16. And to passe by you into Macedonia and to come again out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea THis Text containeth the manner how Paul was to fulfill his purpose of coming to them which was first to go to Macedonia and upon a short abiding there then again to come back to them and to make a longer continuance with them For the state of the Church of Macedonia was not so corrupt as this of Corinth and therefore needed not so long a residence of Paul there as in this place For our holy Apostle had his whole heart carried out in the service of God and therefore did order his journeys and continuance in any place according as Gods glory and the advantage of the Church might require it So that when Paul speaketh here of his travails and setteth down as it were his several journeys in all these he did not consult with flesh and blood or look upon carnal advantages but his aim in all is to promote the Kingdom of Christ There is one great difficulty which Commentators are exercised with concerning this Text and that is How to reconcile this passage with that which is 1 Cor. 16. 5 6 7. where he saith He would come to them after he had passed through Macedonia and that he would not now see them by the way whereas here he saith he will though afterwards he would come and abide with them So that here seemeth to be a contrariety in his purposes Some as Aquinas and others think therefore that this purpose in the Text was either made in a former Epistle which is now lost or sent by a messenger to them And that afterwards Paul for urging reasons did alter his resolution And that this is spoken of in the former Epistle which they say is the second though with us it be the first Hence it 's affirmed by some that the Apostle wrote three Epistles to these Corinthians though we have but two But it is the judgement of the most able Divines That no part of the Canonical Scripture is lost They grant many books are now wanting which some holy men did write but of that which was by God appointed to be the Canon and Rule of our faith and manners none is perished And indeed to hold that opinion would open a door for many atheistical arguments at least it would gratifie the Popish party who thinketh if there were no Scripture yet the Church and her traditions would be a starre bright enough to guide us unto Heaven Others there are that grant in the former Epistle Paul had a contrary resolution to this in the Text and that it is no dishonour to him to change his mind for they distinguish between matters of Doctrine and matters of Fact In matters of Doctrine they were alwayes guided by the Spirit of God But in matters of Fact sometimes they did purpose according to humane considerations but prudential and rational yet in the event were over-ruled to other things then they purposed by some new dispensations of Gods providence Neither is this to be blamed no not in wise men For the Rule is Sapientis est mutâ—re consilium new emergencies which the wisdome of man could not fore-see may cause new resolutions Now it 's plain that either Paul did wholly change his purpose or else he did not fulfill it as soon as was expected by the Corinthians which made them so calumniate him for inconstancy and levity And this answer may very well be justified yet Musculus doth at large shew how both these purposes may be reconciled and that there is no contrariety in them which is too long here to insert Let us come to observe some practical and profitable instructions from this Text and from the general scope that Paul had in all this labour and travail which was to advance the glory of God to promote the good of the Church rejoycing like a Gyant to runne his race We may observe That it is the duty of all Christians and especially of Ministers to lay out themselves for the glory of God and good of others Was not Paul admirable in this See how he taketh one journey upon another travaileth from one Church to another and all this is that Christ might be exalted Both godly Christians and especially Ministers of the Gospel are to follow Christ in this who went up and down preaching the Kingdome of God and doing good whithersoever he came All his life was spent in doing the will of the Lord. First Let us consider it as the duty of all Christians in their several places and relations and herein these things are considerable First There is none though in never so mean a condition but hath several talents committed to him which are to be imployed for the honour of God and the good of others The known Parable of the Talents doth sufficiently confirm this For though there be a great difference some have five and some have ten and others but one or two yet none are to sit idle And therefore in that Parable Matth. 25. 24. the instance of an unprofitable servant is made in him who had but one Talent we would have thought it would have gone worse with those who had more Talents they were under many obligations it would be very difficult to improve all Doth not evperience teach us that where a man hath many relations and several trusts committed to him how hard it is to be faithfull in all Yet here in this Parable he only is
be thus diligent in thy wayes What is it that is set most upon thy heart all the day long For although we cannot continually have actual thoughts upon our chief end yet we are to have an habitual and virtual inclination from whence all is to come that we do Even as a perfect Grammarian speaketh alwayes true Latine from the habit within him though happily he doth not actually think upon every rule in his Grammar In the next place we told you This acting and working for God in our whole life and callings is more eminently to be fulfilled in the Ministers of the Gospel The name of a Bishop is a name of labour and not honour The Ministry is Negotiorum negotium the work of all works which made Paul say Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. All the title and names they have denote diligence labour sollicitude and constant perseverance in the work of the Lord against all the cruel oppositions that the Devil and wicked men do raise against them Hence Timothy is commanded To endure hardship as a good souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. and that he may discharge this faithfully He must not entangle himself in the affairs of the world All which sheweth that in a peculiar manner they are by their Ministry to dispossess Satan of his Kingdom They are clouds to refresh the dry ground and to make it fruitfull They are salt to season those who are corrupted by sinne But you may say What qualification is requisite that both private Christians and Ministers may lay themselves wholly out in their respective wayes for God For though Paul instance here only of his own travails yet the end of this is general and belongs not onely to all Ministers but all Christians We are to do in our way what Paul did in his way We may in the Apostles consider some things as commanded them in their proper personal capacity Some things again as Ministers which belong to all Officers in the Church Some things again as commanded them under the notion of believers and what they do in such a capacity we all are to imitate them in It was not the Apostles duties only to watch and pray to take heed their hearts be not overcharged with the cares of this world to strive to enter in at the streight gate but it is every believers duty we have all the same end though not the same way What Paul aimed at by preaching by travailing from one Countrey to another the very same thing art thou to aim at in thy buying and selling in thy trading from one place to another Now amongst the several qualifications to inable us thereunto there is required 1. A renewed Nature We must be made new creatures else the first stone is not yet laid in this foundation Paul never was busie in this spiritual merchandizing for God till he was converted while some men have their lusts their god others their god others the world their god others honour and greatness their god They cannot but toil and moil go farre and near only to satisfie these spiritual Idols that they worship in their hearts Oh but when God shall make this iron to swim shall convert this earth into fire then he beginneth to improve that first Commandment and to do all things in pursuance thereof even to have no other gods but God alone 2. There is required a publick Affection whereby we preferre Gods glory and the spiritual good of others above all our particular concernments If Paul could even desire to be an Anathema for Israel's spiritual good Rom. 9. 3. How much more then would he readily part with riches honour and his own ease to have procured it When we read in prophane Histories and see how much some of their Worthies have denied their profits pleasures and lusts to promote the publick good we may admire that publick spirit God gave them yet Austin observeth truly That corrupt aims and ends did prevail in all they did How much more then may we behold the glorious work of Gods Spirit upon many Christians in this very particular of giving them publick affections that had rather with Jonah be cast into the Sea then see the Church sink wherein they are If it be our duty To lay down our lives for the brethren 1 Joh. 3. 16. is it any wonder if we do the lesse things for the good of others 3. There must be Heavenly mindednesse Cold doth congregate heterogeneal things together the Earth is an heavy element and falleth downward If therefore a man would be active and diligent for God and his Church he must be of an heavenly frame he must be able to say with David Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. As fire assimilateth all things into its self Thus doth the godly man endeavour that all his relations may be godly all his friends all the world if it could be Hence it is that every godly man because of this heavenly affection is in some measure though not equal to Paul to say 2 Cor. 11. 28 29. The care of all the Churches is upon me who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burn not It is said to be a kind of proverbial speech in the primitive times If an elect that is a believer hath sinned his neighbour hath sinned implying the great care Christians took of one anothers soul that if any did sinne they were to consider whether other mens sins were not made theirs some way or other Lastly Fervency and zeal is a choise ingredient in this precious ointment If you observe who ever did much in their places for God or his Church you will find they were alwayes men of zeal Hence Rom. 12. 11. you have those duties excellently put together Not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Every Sacrifice must have this fire that it may be offered up to God It is the sluggard that hath this field grown over with briars and thornes want of zeale maketh a man stand like an unprofitable tree that cumbreth the ground It was Paul's zeal made him do and suffer so much for the good of the Church Thus zeal also will inflame thee and make thy heart which naturally is like a cold stone within thee to burn like fire and then as Solomon speaketh in another case It is an impossible to keep in thy godlinesse as to binde up the winde or to conceal the ointment thou bearest about with thee Zeal will make thee work for God speak for God These and the like qualifications will make us put this Doctrine into daily practice viz. To improve all we are and all we have for Gods glory and the good of others Let the Use be To examine our selves in this point Is all we do in reference to God Doe we live and move to glorifie God May we not
charge our base and unworthy hearts with much lazinesse much formality much worldlinesse whereby we are hindered from spending our selves and being spent in his service Do we not live as if we had no other business in this world then to eat and drinke to buy and sell And yet againe Who looketh upon himself as running in a race and so will not give over till he come to the prize And truely if wee but consider the infinite comfort that is in doing of Gods worke above the worlds and the Devils this would be a sharpe goade in our sides to make us forward therein SERM. CIX Of the Office of Apostle and particular Pastours and of the Peoples esteeme of their Minister 2 COR. 1. 16. And to passe by you into Macedonia and to come againe out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea WE proceed to a second Observation from this relation made by Paul of the manner how he intended to performe his promise of visiting of them For it 's plain that Paul by this instance doth declare that he had an universal commission to oversee all those Churches in several places and countreys which he had planted And therefore in this particular his Office was distinct from ordinary Pastours which were appointed for particular Cities and Churches who were to have their ordinary residence with them and so were in a peculiar manner to give an account for their souls as their proper charge God then did not or doth not require of ordinary Pastours that they should like Paul travail from countrey to countrey for the propagating of the Gospel but in a diligent and faithfull manner to watch over their own flock at home From whence observe That the Office of an Apostle and an ordinary Pastor were among other things distinguished in this that the one had an universal charge over all Churches the other was limitted to a particular flock I say Among other things for there were several particulars wherein Apostles and Pastors are diversified as their immediate call their ocular testimony and witnesse of Christ their power to work miracles their infallibility in Doctrines All which are not now to be looked for in an ordinary Pastor Only that which I am to take notice of is their illimited and universal power which the Apostles had they were supream Governors in the Church yet even their Authority was but ministerial not magisterial Therefore their name declareth they were but as Embassadors sent and so were not to do any thing in their own name but the name of Christ who sent them The opening of this Doctrine may serve for information and practical improvement And First We are to take notice that the Apostles had an universal commission to go and preach to all Nations to disciple them to plant Churches And therefore they were in constant travails up and down for they were the leaven to leaven the whole world They were like the Sunne whose light and heat have influence upon the whole earth It is true they divided their labours some going into one part and some into another so that thereby the word of God prevailed more powerfully than the Emperours sword Christ indeed saith He was sent only to the lâ—st sheep of Israel but the Apostles were sent to all the lost men of the word and that grace of God which before was inclosed within the borders of Judea was upon Christs ascension publickly offered to all Nations This was that mystery which the Apostles at first perceived not but when throughly instructed then they began to call nothing or man unclean It was then necessary for the carrying on of this universal and illimited grace of God to have such Officers that should also be universal and illimited that should go up and down preaching the Gospel of Christ the goodness of God herein mercifully appearing that no Nation though never so barbarous and in such remote parts of the world were shut out from this glorious light Secondly The Office of the Apostles though thus differing from all other Offices yet it did virtually and eminently contain all therefore they could do what the Pastor and Teacher did Hence Peter cals himself an Elder 1 Pet. 5. 1. And John the Apostle for we take it for granted it was he that was the Penman of them in his two last Epistles styleth himself only Elder So that the Apostles they did preach they did administer Sacraments and thus what any other Officer did they also could do Even as Philosophers say the vegetative and sensitive soul is contained in the rational after a more eminent manner Thirdly The Apostles therefore had in their Office that which was ordinary and that which was extraordinary In their extraordinary they had no successours in this particular of universal inspection and over-sight to Churches they had none This Question indeed is greatly disputed by Saravia and others that adhere to his opinion who affirm That though the Apostles had many extraordinary and personal priviledges yet their Office was perpetual even as that of the Pastors There being say they the same perpetual grounds for one as well as the other But that doth not appear probable The first constitution and planting of Churches requiring that peculiar Office which planted Churches do not Even as miracles were then required but not now and if any Nation were in these later dayes to be converted there would be required no more an Apostle to do this then miracles to confirm his Doctrine As it was with the people of Israel while they were at first to be an imbodied people and before they were fully planted in the Land of Canaan they had extraordinary Officers and the Lord wrought wonderfull miracles amongst them but he did not so afterwards Fourthly But the Office of an ordinary Pastor is to watch over his flock to keep constant residence amongst them Even the best Popish Writers do determine That a Pastors residence with his people is Jure Divino It is true there are some cases when they may for a while be absent from them viz. when they are called to consult in Synods and Councils about the publick advantage of the Churches of God to stop the gangrene of errour or any prophaneness endangering the whole body but a voluntary absence from a people is a great sinne and inconsistent with all those ministerial duties that God doth require of them How can they feed them How can they admonish them How can they rebuke them and reprove as occasion shall serve unless present with them That distinction per se vel per alium will not hold at the day of judgement It is not another mans diligence another mans care that will save thee Now when we say his residence is necessary we mean not his meer personal and bodily presence only For if men be lazy and negligent their presence is an absence The Scripture speaks of Idol-shepherds such have
eyes and see not ears and hear not such have mouths and speak not Now these whether absent or present it 's much alike Therefore this residence requireth a faithfull and diligent discharge of that weighty work constant preaching a faithfull dispensing of Ordinances And besides this publick Ministry as occasion doth require a more personal and private dealing with their flock that so no man might perish We read of our Saviour Joh. 4. that he did not despise a poor ignorant woman but though weary and wanting bread yet attended to her conversion saying It was his meat and drink to do his Fathers will People are not to interpret such private endeavours of their Ministers as too much busie-medling or affectation of dominion Yea it is your duty to go unto your Pastors of your own accord to enquire about the salvation of your souls no man needeth to teach you this in respect of your bodies or estates to go to Physicians and Lawyers Certainly were not these things more unto men than their souls they would have as much recourse to their Ministers Consider that place and set it upon your hearts Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts You see here our Office and your duty Oh then were men in more holy fear about their souls What if I have not knowledge enough to salvation What if I mistake godliness thinking it to be that which it is not What if I delude and flatter my own soul Oh let me go to those that are the wise Physicians of my soul Let me enquire so diligently so exactly that whatsoever I am deceived in it may not be in matter of my soul Fifthly Though a Paster is thus ordinarily to reside with his own flocke and above all things to attend thereunto yet he is in some sense a Minister of the whole Church of God and so is a debtour to the publick good thereof We must in every Minister distinguish of the habitual and aptitudinal disposition that is in him by his Office and the actual relation or exercise thereof It is true that a Minister is not primo per se made a Minister of the Catholick visible Church as some learned men think for then his principal and proper duty would be to attend upon the whole flock of Christ and not this or that particular one yet though he be not Pastor Ecclesiae universalis as the Pope doth arrogantly assume to himself yet he is Pastor in Ecclesiâ universali though he be not a Pastor of the universal Church yet he is a Pastor in the universal Church Hence when he preacheth or administreth Sacraments in other Churches than his own he doth it not as a private man but as a Pastor in the Church though not as a Pastor of that particular Church The reason why a Minister may put forth ministerial acts though not to his own people ariseth from that habitual disposition which he is put into by his Office So that to be a Pastor of a people is not like that predicamental relation ad esse which Logicians speak of as if when a people suppose should be all consumed by the plague suddenly that then a Pastors office doth wholly cease not only to them but to all other Churches but it 's rather under a transcendental relation having an aptitudinal respect to the whole Church of God But I am not here to dilate on this it is enough at present to know that a Pastor is not so limitted to his own flock as if he did not owe much also to other Churches yea he is many wayes to advantage others also by occasional preaching by publick assistance in solemn Assemblies by writing and many other wayes Thus they are to be like some full fountains which are able not only to water the proper channel it emptieth it self into but to overflow sometimes as Jordan did to the refreshing of others So that although a Minister is bound to prefer his own flock first and principally to attend to them as his own charge yet what by prayer direction and counsel and what with many other edifying wayes he is wholly to lay out himself for the good of others and to be as precious ointment which cannot be hidden but doth refresh standers by and strangers as well as those that bear it about or as musick doth not only delight those for whom it is purposely provided and who are at the charge of it but even others that are at a distance or meer strangers Is it thus then that Pastors are personally to attend to their flock Then let it be an Use of Exhortation to you that are the people readily to submit unto and entertain them in all their ministerial labours If we are to preach you are to hear if we are to reprove to admonish to instruct then it 's your duty to be willing in all these things Why then is it that many are so unwilling so froward and opposite to the Ministers of God in their faithfull discharge of their Office Are we from house to house from person to person as occasion may require thus to promote your souls good Why are people so averse to this They are not willing to be disquieted they would be let alone in their ignorance and prophaneness Thus we take more pains than we have thanks for They would like us better if we would meddle lesse if every man were left alone to his own self But though happily you may say to other private Pastors What have you to do to instruct us to meddle with us look to your own selves Yet you cannot say thus to those whom God hath set over you they must admonish reprove instruct whether you love them or not for so doing So that it argueth horrible negligence in people when the more lazy the more careless a Ministry is they like it the better They love no zeal no diligence no forwardness in such as watch over them And whereas the Devil goeth up and down like a rearing Lion to seek whom he may devour yet these are angry at the shepherds of their souls who would deliver them out of his paws If you were but sensible in what thraldom you are in to your lusts how difficult to get any bolts or fetters off from you as also how many oppositions are in the way to Heaven how hardly even a righteous man is saved then you would say all ministerial labours are too little to provoke thee in this way The second Use is of Admonition to the Ministers of the Gospel that they would look upon Paul as a special president to follow How ought it to quicken us up against all dulness laziness and wearisomness in our work when we have such an example as Paul before us How often may we blush and mourn to see our selves fall so short of Paul's diligence zeal and courage in
therein that do denominate him and seeing they are either the Spirit or the flesh every one either walketh in the flesh or the Spirit let a man faithfully search into his own bosome and observe what hath the predominant efficacy what he may call his principles he purposeth and liveth by and the rather because In the fourth place These principles though efficacious yet are manytimes latent and hidden It is a Rule Principia sunt maxima virtute minima quantitate Therefore being thus secret and inward it is not easily found out what principles we walk by Do those that walk after the flesh know they do so Do they believe so Do they complain of such a rotten and sandy foundation No they rather applaud themselves even the most carnal men that are do judge their principles good and right they have a good heart and good ends No doubt when Paul persecuted the Church opposed so zealously the way of Christ though in all this he was acted by fleshly principles yet he thought them Religion and service of God It is therefore our duty to examine and search into every corner of our hearts to find out the bottome of thy soul For thou art never able to judge of thy condition whether good or evil till thy principles are made manifest in thee How often mayest thou flatter thy self as doing things for God and his glory when it is thy own corrupt self thy own glory thy own advantage Fifthly These principles of the flesh are not onely in our external dealings with men or in grosse bodily sins but in religious duties and our sacred performances Oh consider this diligently A man may pray after the flesh hear after the flesh preach after the flesh and that is when a fleshly motive putteth us upon spiritual duties The Pharisees when they prayed they did walk according to the flesh and those who adored Angels and introduced voluntary worship these had a fleshly mind Col. 2. 18. Men are in the flesh and walk in the flesh not onely in respect of grosse sinnes and bodily iniquities but even when in spiritual duties they are led by sinfull motives Thus Jehu when he purposed the destruction of Ahab and his family the overthrow of Baal and his worship he did all this after the flesh When Judas resolved to follow Christ to be his Disciple all this was a resolving according to the flesh Now this we should hear with trembling and an holy fear my religion may be flesh my holy duties flesh my profession of godlinesse nothing but flesh For though the duties themselves are good and commanded by God yet the principles from which they flow may be the flesh in thee Do not take therefore all holy performances to come from a principle of sanctification in thee Did hypocrites and temporary believers diligently consider this it would be a special means to prevent their final destruction Lastly The principles of the carnal and the spiritual are directly contrary to one another even as light and darknesse and therefore one can never agree with the other Prov. 29. 27. An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked Every godly man cannot but abominate the way of the wicked and then the wicked abominateth the way of the godly so that there can never be any agreement Now both strive for their principles dispute for their principles The godly man urgeth his and would bring men off to them The wicked man is as resolute for his principles and is active to have them take place And from hence is that enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent Now it 's a godly mans duty to keep close to his principles not for a moment to depart from them This is to betray God and his conscience But the wicked man he is bound to leave his to come out of them with all haste for they will be his damnation at last In the next place let us consider What are the principles of a godly man by which he thinketh purposeth and liveth So that if at any time he deviateth from this his heart is smitten his soul melteth saying This is not according to my principles I have not thought said or done like my self Now there are two general principles of a godly man whereby he is kept from purposing or living according to the flesh The one I may call Principium cognoscendi The other Principium essendi or rather efficiendi For the first which is the principle of knowledge by which we are to regulate our selves in faith and manners that is the holy Scriptures which are a perfect sufficient and adequate Rule to live by how contemptuously soever the Papists on the one hand and Enthusiasts on the other do speak of it We see the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. directing Timothy though so eminent in the Church of God to the Scriptures not to the immediate inspirations but unto them which he had known from his youth giving admirable commendations of them from the efficient cause they were by the inspiration of God who would not regard what God himself saith That will prove true and every thing contrary to it a lie and then the adjunct property holy they are holy Scriptures By these alone thou wilt be enabled to have an holy nature and to live an holy life As those that keep in Apothecaries shops smell of the ointment thus those who exercise themselves in the holy Scriptures they become holy they are conformed thereunto Such a man is like a tree by the water-side bringing forth his fruit in due season Again they are commended from their end which is to make us wise to salvation This is the desirable and ultimate end of all men to be saved But we are ignorant of the way how to attain it we mistake the paths that lead thereunto and therefore the Scripture only giveth us wisdome herein Furthermore they are commended from a four-fold effect For Doctrine correction reproof and instruction in righteousnesse with the consequent thereof That the man of God even Timothy and such who are in holy Offices of the Church may be throughly furnished for every good work By this we see what is the Rule a godly man walketh by it is the Scriptures he believeth according to them he worshippeth according to them he liveth according to them Oh the holinesse and admirable lovelinesse that is in his life who thus walketh according to Scripture Oh remember that you have no other Rule to walk by in reference to heavenly things Thy Religion must be a Scripture-religion thy faith a Scripture-faith thy repentance a Scripture-repentance thy godlinesse a Scripture-godlinesse else at the day of judgement thou wilt have that sentence upon thee which was an hand-writing in the wall against that great King Thou art numbered and weighed in the balance and art found
saved come to a Nay There is sometimes a necessity of changing and that is when people and Ministers have been carried away with errours and false wayes Though such things may plead antiquity though you may urge prescription for many hundred years yet upon conviction and illumination we are to change from yea we are to bewail such errours as we once lived in Was it not thus with Paul Though Paul was not now Yea and Nay since he was an Apostle yet he was once so neither was that to his dispraise but his honour in the Church of God Did not Paul once violently persecute that way which afterwards he preached for Those traditions and pharisaical superstitions which once he maintained even to the killing of all the opposers thereof Doth not he in time with as much zeal renounce them as ever once he did plead for them This change of Paul was so wonderfull that Act. 9. 21. Many who heard him preach Christ were amazed saying Is not this he that destroyed them who called on this Name in Jerusalem You see then that there may be a just occasion to change our opinions our practices in Religion There is a just occasion for a Jew a Turke to leave his Religion and become a Christian There is a just occasion for Papists and Hereticks to forsake that way of worship they have followed with so much zeal and devotion Neither may they fear the shame and reproach of being accounted weather-cocks and turn-coats but rather they have cause to blesse God who hath opened their eyes and not suffered them to perish in the Aegypt and Sodome they were in It is true naturally it is accounted an hainous sinne to change that Religion which a man is born and bred up in Therefore we have an History of our King John Fuller Histor of the Church who being in great Stateextremities sent to the King of the Moors for aid and assistance promising him his Kingdom if he would and that the Nation should receive the Turkish Religion But the Morocco King refused the offer saying That he had lately read Paul ' s Epistles and did like the matter well so that he found no fault with Paul but because he changed the Religion he was born in I bring this instance to shew what a great influence that Religion hath let it be false or true upon a man in which he hath been educated Yet there is a necessity if men will be saved sometimes of forsaking that Religion our Fathers and Ancestours have lived in For seeing that is directly against Scripture that any man in any Religion may be saved and also that seeing there are so many contrary Religions in the world it followeth inevitably that there are some in such damnable wayes and that of Religion that without repentance and coming out of those former impieties they shall never escape the eternal flames of hell and such a change is not matter of reproach but it is the wonderfull conversion of Gods grace upon our hearts Hence the Apostle doth so often admire the riches of Gods grace to those Heathens who were delivered out of that ignorance and darknesse with the abominable impieties they once lived in As it is in Philosophy they distinguish of alteration or change it is either destructiva or perfectiva Thus when a man of a fool is made wise of a vicious person virtuous here is a perfective alteration so it is also in the matters of Religion we may change the best errour for truth darknesse for light It is not then enough to say Thou wilt not change thy principles thy way of Religion thou hast been born in them and thy Ancestours have lived in the same way for this every Jew every Turke may plead as well as thou The Heathens pleaded this against the Christian Religion Sequendi sunt patres qui foeliciter sunt suos sequuti contumeliosa est emendatio senectutis If this be true why art thou not a Papist still Why doest thou not call for the Masse and Church-duties to be done in Latine For this was the way thy Ancestours were brought up in Hence in the second place It is not simply the Yea and Nay that is to be blamed but when it is in the truth when we ought to be constant and immoveable therein As every party doth brand another with Heretick Schismatick Apostate so also with inconstancy but it is not the meer names but the reality that maketh such persons If then a man holds Gods truth he is no Heretick though the whole world should condemn him He that hath a Scripture-ground to depart from the Idolatries of the Church is no Schismatick though others charge him with it for Causa non separatio facit Schismaticum Thus if a man forsake his former errours his former superstitions if he leave his corrupt Doctrines this mans change is a duty he is not to be blamed for it but if a man leave the truth if he forsake the way of God then his Yea and Nay is to be reproved If then you see a man leaving one opinion after another one practice after another so that all this while it is a progresse in the truths of Christ this man is the more to be encouraged For such is the pertinacy of man and love to his owne credit and glory that it must be some great cause which shall make him retract and recant that which he did once zealously professe so that it is in Doctrinals as in morals if you see a man that hath for many years wallowed in his lusts that hath been glewed to them so that he appeared Non tam peccator quam ipsum peccatum if this man through the grace of God be converted do contrary to all that once he did shall this man be derided because he will not be the same prophane person that once he hath been No God rather is to be glorified who made the prodigal that was lost to be found that was dead to live again Thirdly Although thus to increase in knowledge and light whereby we leave off doing the things we once did be thus a duty yet even such a change supposeth an imperfection in a man For were our understandings fully illuminated we should be able to see the truths of God at the very first light would not come in successively upon us and by degrees dispelling darknesse as we see the Sunne doth in the morning but it would be in its vertical point immediately Even as Photius reporteth out of an Historian Agatharcides that there are a people to whom the Sunne doth not appear by degrees as to us but it cometh suddenly and perfectly upon them out of the depth of darknesse It is true therefore our weaknesse and imperfection not that we come to know things better than we did or that we are changed but because we needed such an alteration We know but in part saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 13. putting himself into the number Hence
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
did all was new their service new their Doctrine new but the iniquity and the corruption of the times made it appear to be so And indeed Popery is properly the great Novellisme for the Popish Doctrines the Popish Worship began to creep in when the Churches of Christ began to degenerate from their Primitive Institution The change then that is many times in the face of Religion which doth so offend many is not indeed so but in appearance Those truths of God were formerly professed in the Church only an Eclipse did arise which obscured the light of the Sun As then the Sun is not changed after an Eclipse we do not see a new Sun thus it is also with the truths of Christ the Reformers do not bring new truths only the darkness is dispelled and we see them which were long before It is with us as with men whose heads are distempered we think such and such things run round whereas indeed it is a distemper upon us and it is a signe that we have been corrupted when old truths seem new to us 4. We may therefore truly conclude that antiquity and consent are inseparable properties of a true Church That Church which retaineth Doctrines of the greatest Antiquity and which doth agree with the Primitive Apostolical Churches that must needs be a true Church for truth is alwayes alike That cannot be true Doctrine in one age which is not in another though men are apt to be changed by the times they live in yet Gods truth cannot be When therefore the Papists bring antiquity and consent as notes of a true Church we deny they can or are to be called notes because it is not Antiquity barely but antiqvity in the true Doctrine nor Consent meerly so but consent with the Primitive Churches Doctrine So that True Doctrine is properly the note of the Church only we add that Antiquity and Consent with the Primitive times do inseparably follow the true Doctrine Now the ground of this certainty and equality of the truths of Christ is because they are Gods truths Christs truths if they were the truths of mens making then they might alter and change as they please then it might be formed reformed and transformed into all the shapes that mens Interests could put them upon then truth might alter according to the climates customes and advantages of men then truth might be one thing at Rome and another thing at Constantinople then we might say such things were truth in one age and ye the contrary truth in another Popery was truth in Queen Maries dayes and Protestantisme in Queen Elizabeths And truly some men are so Atheistical or self-seeking that they account truth as the Apostle said some did godliness even outward gain and therefore when such an opinion is gainfull then it is truth but when not so then it is Heresie Use of Instruction How odious Instability and Inconstancy is in matter of Religion whether it be in private Christians or publick Officers It plainly discovereth that not the truth of Christ but some other uncertain motive prevaileth with thee either thy profit or thy applause or the times or customes or the Lawes of the Land or some other mutable respect doth work upon thee and if so then thou canst not but be a reed shaken with every winde of Doctrine Thou art then but as an Instrument of musick making no other sound nor no longer then thou art breathed into Profit will make thee a Papist profit will make thee a protestant profit will make thee an Heretick How contrary is such a fickle temper to the nature of Faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Use 2d of Instruction How false that position is of some Papists That the Church may make Articles of Faith and that the Authority of the Church maketh the Authority of the Scripture at least towards us So that the Scriptures would have no more authority then Titus Livius or Aesops fables in respect of our duty to believe were it not for the Churches Authority No less blasphemous is that other comparison of another Papist resembling the Scripture to a nose of wax If so then no wonder if they make what truths and what religions they please then we may call it the Popes truth the Churches truth and not the truth of God It is a ridiculous passage of a Papist Ford against Taylor saying that it is probable the Church will make that Opinion about the immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary to be an Article of Faith As if the Church could make that necessary to be believed if we would be saved that was not alwayes so Why may she not as well make a new Bible set up a new Christ as they establish a new Article of Faith SERM. CXXIV Of Gods Promises to man 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us THis Verse is a further confirmation of the constancy and immutability of the Lord Christ and so by consequence of Pauls doctrine For that Christ is unchangeable he proveth in that all the promises which God hath made they receive their fullnesse and complement in him and so are therefore true because fullfilled both in him and by him This is the Apostles sence in this assertion which Calvin doth well call memorabilis sententia c. a memorable sentence and one of the chiefest Articles of our Religion for herein is all our faith and confidence seated that in Christ God maketh his gracious promises to us by whose efficacy and impetration they be accomplished so that a promise is fullfilled not because of any worth or dignity in us but because of of the fulnesse and worth that is in Christ 1. The words may be taken as an entire Proposition wherein we have the subject and predicate with the amplification of it from the finall cause The subject is described from the nature of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promises 2. From the universality and extent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all promises as many as are made 3. From the efficient cause the promises of God 4. The predicate are yea and are amen in him Of which in their order Let us begin with the Subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promises many times in the plurall number at other times in the singular for indeed the covenant of grace is but one large promise or an ocean emptying it self into many streams yet sometimes called promises because of the many things both spirituall and temporall that are particularly promised by God the summe whereof is contained in that great promise or Magna Charta of the Church I will be their God and they shall be my people or else it may be promises in the plurall number because of the frequent repetition and reiteration of the grand promise of Christ to the Church Now the word promise is sometimes used for the
the Church but that is finaliter not originaliter because the end of their office is for the good of the people They have not these Offices for their own honour and dignity but meerly for the good of others So that although in respect of Christ they are meerly Ministers and servants yet in respect of the Church and the people they are Fathers and Pastors having a spiritual rule over them 3. Neither doth this expression encourage a licentious boundlesse questioning of the Doctrine that the Ministers of the Gospel do deliver because they are not infallible because they are not commanded absolutely to depend on them Therefore some runne into a disorderly extream cavilling and questioning every thing that is taught But you must know that although every Christian be allowed a judgement of discretion and he is by his own faith to be saved Hence the Bereans are accounted more noble because they compared the Doctrine delivered with the Scriptures yet withall they are commanded to hear the Ministers highly to esteem of them for the workes sake To obey them and to submit themselves to them So that the liberty a believer is allowed must not tend to the overthrow of the office of the Ministry It is true here is much wisdome and grace required in bounding the peoples liberty and yet asserting their dependance upon the Ministers whom God hath set over them and from whom they are to seek direction and guidance but this work is not to be done here It is certain they may mutually stand together yea they were appointed by God for the mutual good of each other and therefore it 's nothing but corruption that maketh a contrariety herein sometimes by the Ministers pride and affectation of power and sometimes by the peoples pride and conceitednesse whereby they refuse humbly to submit to such order and officers as God hath commanded them But this deserveth a large Tractate For all evil ariseth in the Church because these bounds are transgressed In some ages the officers tyranny in other ages the peoples licentiousness have much hindered the power of godliness and the beauty of Ordinances Lastly By this is not excluded that duty whereby Ministers ought with holy zeal and courage reprove sinne and that in the greatest of men Yea and whosoever are obstinate and impenitent sinners to refuse the administration of the seals of Church-communion unto them When the Apostle commanded this incestuous person whom some think to be a man of great place among the Corinthians to be cast out when he delivered Hymenaeus and Philetus up to Satan when he commands If any walk disorderly to withdraw from such 2 Thess 3. 6. Yea and if any obey not his word to note or signifie such a man All these are demonstrations of power but not lordly dominion yea where reproof admonition and excommunication are rightly administred to a spiritual heart awakened they become more dreadfull than civil or bodily punishments because what is done this way God bindeth in Heaven God casteth such out of his communion and commands them as David to Absolom not to come in his presence Thus the Apostle doth not exclude these necessary ministerial duties although distastfull to flesh and blood Yea though corrupt persons account them nothing but the expression of lordlinesse Even as when Lot reproved those wicked Sodomites they replied He would be a Judge over them Gen. 19. 9. and Moses when he rebuked the Hebrews striving one with another How scornfully did the injurious person answer him Who made thee a Prince and a Judge over us Exod. 2. 14. By this we see how imbred a thing it is in all sinners if they be reproved and controlled in their wickednesse to account all nothing but dominion and lordlinesse Even the holy Government of the Church appointed by Christ for spiritual and supernatural ends and so wholly for the good of those that go astray yet by evil men hath been complained of as worse than Turkish slavery How little do such men consider what their Christianity obligeth them unto What it is to be baptized into the name of Christ and to acknowledge him the Head Lord and Governour of his Church For if they did they would not say Let us break his bends and cast his cords away from us Is not the Discipline of Christ to be received as well as his Doctrine Did not the Apostle rejoyce to behold the faith and order of the Colossians Col. 2. 5. Thus you see what is not excluded Let us then consider in the next place What the Apostle doth positively shut out by this negative expression Not that we have dominion over you And 1. It doth exclude all abuse and excesse even of lawfull power For those who are true officers of Christ having a lawfull power committed to them may yet abuse it they may shew much rashnesse too much austerity in the exercise of it Therefore in the next Chapter we see this holy Apostle though zealous to have this incestuous person cast out yet when truly humbled and repenting he is no lesse carefull to have him received again requiring them to confirm their love to him lest he should be swallowed up with too much grief Some learned men have thought that the primitive Bishops did exceed in their austerity herein as appeareth by many Canons made against some sinners who for two or three years were not to be received into Church-communion though truly repenting yet some excuse them because the condition of the times did then they say require it that the Churches zeal against sinne might vindicate her against those abominable calumnies cast upon her by the Heathens as if she did secretly nourish all impiety And although she was thus severe yet the Novatians did refuse communion with the Church as being too remisse in that she would at any time receive such who through fear apostatized in time of persecution though never so sincerely manifesting their humiliation Thus all unlawfull austerity even in lawfull power is excluded 2. By this the Apostle doth disclaim all civil and political Government Hence the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth one in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Varinus and one that hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Budaeus The Apostles did not invade the Magistrates office neither would Christ the fountain of all Church-power be a divider of an inheritance A civil power is coactive and compelling by force which Church-power is not And although Bellarmine say Ecclesiastical power is ridiculous and in vain if it may not civilly compell Yea a prophane Papist saith Our Lord Christ had been indiscreet if he had not given this temporal power also Yet they speak this according to their humane apprehensions transforming Christs kingdome into an earthly and external one 3. Hereby he excludeth a magisterial power though in an ecclesiastical way over consciences That is he doth not assume to himself to be Lord in the Church but
an Embassadour or Steward only He doth not say his Doctrine is his the Sacraments are his but as he received of the Lord so he delivered to them And this is that for which the Protestants accuse the Roman Church That their Officers arrogate to themselves a Magisterial power in the Church pleading an infallibility in Doctrine by which they anathematize all as hereticks who will not subscribe thereunto The Protestants doe acknowledge a ministeriall power but they will have a magisterial one There must be a supreame visible Judge in the Church say they as there is in Commonwealths else Christ hath not wisely provided in his Church a sufficient remedy against all heresies and schism◠Lastly By this he doth exclude any sinfull or wicked end As if he did make the Church subservient to any corrupt interest of his own Officers are for the Church the Church is not for them He that hath a lordly government or despotical saith Aristotle administreth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's not the publick good but the personal good he looketh at it is not Res publica but Res propria All tyrannical administrations are for the tyrants profit they Non praesunt ut prosint whereas good Governours they relate to the publick good knowing they are for it not it for them And thus it is in Church-officers all their names are names of care of diligence and labour God hath not set them there for their carnal advantages as if the people were made for them but they are to promote the Kingdome of Christ and to advance the souls of their hearers Alas the Church is Christs Spouse not theirs it 's Christs flock not theirs they died not for it they were not crucified for it neither are believers baptized into their name but the name of Christ Use of Instruction How happy and blessed a thing it is to see the Church of God in unity between Pastors and people the Officers not abusing their power to ambition and tyranny nor the people their liberty to licentiousnesse and wantonnesse when Pastors and people strive not about their respective power but who shall most faithfully discharge their duties to one another All disorder in the Church hath for the most part come in at this breach If a Church be Plebs adunita clero as Cyprian said Church and people united together then what goeth to the dissolving of this tendeth to the destruction of the Church it self How much doth Ignatius if they be his genuine Epistles presse this subjection of people to Pastors And the Apostle Peter doth as earnestly presse a loving and meek government in Officers And no doubt when God is angry with a people then he sends an evil spirit as between Abimelech and the Shechemites which tendeth to the consumption of both Let Ministers therefore carefully avoid all affectation of unlawfull power and people of unlawfull liberty Let Pastours looke upon their people as the Spouse of Christ as purchased by his blood and this will keepe them from lordly dominion and let people look upon Pastours as the Officers of Christ coming in his name to them and this will make them honour them and have them in high esteeme both for their office and works sake But other parts of this Epistle will provoke to greater enlargement herein SERM. CXLVI The Comforting of the afflicted one great part of a Ministers work 2 COR. 1. 24. But are helpers of your joy THe Apostle having removed the negative in his Ministerial power he cometh to affirm the positive which is That we are helpers of your joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 helpers or co-workers for the word relateth to a concurrence with others and therefore by some is made to respect the Corinthians themselves as if he did work with them for the establishing of their joy Others relate it to his fellow-Ministers and workmen in the Lord in which sense he often speaketh of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16. 21. Phil. 1. 2. 24. Phil. 4. 3. and this is very probable But then 3. others make it to referre to God as if the Apostles did work with God but ministerially and subordinately to the salvation of men and this the Apostle plainly affirmeth 1 Cor. 3. 9. This also may be granted and then the Apostles scope is to shew that they have not indeed any dominion but yet lest any should judge them therefore uselesse and conclude they have no power at all therefore he addeth We are helpers and Ministers under God For though God immediatly created the world without any instruments yet he doth not so in propagation of the Gospel Therefore Stapleton need not be in such rage at Calvin for not taking notice of the word or at Beza for rendring it helpers seeing that Beza doth not thereby exclude a ministerial help but a magisteriall authority which the Papall party pleade for calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it is rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither doth the Ministery immediatly produce spirituall effects in the hearts of hearers though subordinately only but doth externally apply the means of grace in the exercise whereof God doth put forth his glorious power The next thing considerable is the object of this We are helpers of your joy We might have thought he would rather have said your grace or your faith but he saith joy by which some understand heaven and happinesse as the word is used Heb. 12. 1. Matth. 25. 23. This indeed is necessarily implyed and so must not be excluded but the proxime and immediate sense is their spirituall joy and comfort For this is made opposite to that imperious and austere exercise of Church-power which some being guilty of do exceedingly grieve and discourage the hearts of such who fear God as the Prophet Ezekiel complaineth of such fiery Pastors Hence he speaks of heavinesse and sorrow so much in the next Chapter from whence observe That the ministeriall work in a great measure of it consisteth in administring comfort and consolation to such as stand in need thereof Our work is not only to endeavour the conversion of such who are turned aside from God but also the comfort and consolation of such who are sadly dejected We see our Saviour himself after whose example all Ministers are to walk was very carefull heerin Joh. 17. 13. These things have I spoken that my joy might be fullfilled in you not only joy but perfected and compleated joy Therefore when his Disciples were cast down with sorrow about his departure from them how ready and willing is he to suggest all such arguments as might administer joy yea and promiseth his spirit as a Comforter which would effectually set home those arguments upon their hearts This Apostle also how frequent is he in pressing this duty ingeminating of it Rejoyce in the Lord alway again I say rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. Hence he saith to these Philippians cap. 1. 25. that
We have dominion over your faith no more than they can say We are the true and great Jehovah They cannot make a Religion make Sacraments but enjoyn the observance of that which is required in the Word and the reason which excludeth both spiritual and civil Governours is general to all We are not baptized into any mans name neither hath any Emperour or Church-officer died for us they have not been crucified for us neither have they power over our hearts to impose a command upon them which must necessarily be in the duty of faith neither can they damne or save men Hence the Apostle saith There is one Law-giver which is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4. 12. Fourthly Although divine faith be such a noble and excellent work coming from Heaven and ascending up to Heaven againe Yet it doth admit of degrees in the subject where it is Some have stronger faith some weaker some have more explicite and extensive faith than others yea and the most setled beleevers are subject to temptations they are often assaulted and that even in their faith about the principles and fundamentals about God about the Scriptures about the immortality of the Soul about the state of Glory and eternal Torments Fiery darts are sometimes injected for which the people of God doe abhorre and loath themselves Therefore we must distinguish between little faith and no faith between doubtings and Atheisme And truely for this end doth God suffer errours and heresies to arise in his Church that truth may be more confirmed and the approved may be made manifest It 's to exercise the spiritual wisdome and faith of the godly whether they can discerne of things that differ and can tell which is the strangers voice and which is the true shepherds It is a very grievous temptation to be assaulted about fiducial faith whether the promises belong to thee in particular but in some respects it is farre more terrible to be exercised in doubts about dogmatical faith for this tendeth to the razing of the foundations and the arguments or remedies to cure this distemper are more difficult Use of Instruction Is faith thus immediately respecting God above all instruments though making use of them Then First Theirs is not faith which doth wholly depend upon the Authority of a man though never so eminent We may not relie on Austine on Chrysostome neither doe we owne those expressions of Lutherans and Calvinists For although we acknowledge them eminent instruments in propagating of the Gospel yet we believe not upon their authority meerly because Luther and Calvin saith so It is true nothing is more ordinary than to admire mens persons and while we extoll their gifts and abilities we are secretly enticed to thinke of worthy menâ— above what we ought and finde an awe in our consciences to recede from any opinion they have delivered But we must take heed we doe not hereby become guilty of spirituall Idolatry setting up men as Idols in our hearts Secondly This instructeth that grosse ignorant men cannot have any divine faith for they feel nothing of any work of Gods Spirit or illumination upon their understandings hence they believe as other men believe as if a man were not to be saved by his own faith Thirdly It sheweth the Sceptical and Pyrrhonian man in Religion the meer Seeker that he hath no faith If he had the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen upon his soul he would not be tossed up and down as he is Fourthly It sheweth that the meer carnal Politician hath no divine faith for he looketh upon Religion but as an humane device or a State-engine and therefore can transforme into all shapes and times How contrary is this to true faith FINIS AN Alphabetical Table CONTAINING The chief Heads of this Treatise A Administrations THe godly sometimes deceived about Gods Administrations towards them pag. 293 294 295 296 297 Reasons of it 298 Rules for the preventing it 299 300 Afflictions God comforts his people in all their Afflictions both spiritual 167 And temporal 168 'T is a special duty to comfort the Afflicted See Comfort The most eminent Saints when Afflicted need comfort 188 189 190 See Sufferings 'T is of great use to know what are the Afflictions of the people of God 256 Reasons of it ibid. What use is to be made of preaching about those Afflictions which Paul and others suffered from the Heathens 257 258 259 The Afflictions of the godly heavy and yet light 270 Faith and flesh passe different judgements upon Afflictions 270 271 Propositions clearing it 271 272 How we may know when flesh and when faith speaketh in Afflictions 274 275 276 'T is very usefull to know that 277 Natural strength not able to carry a man through all Afflictions 280 Propositions clearing it 280 281 282 See Troubles and Sufferings Anointing All true believers have a spiritual Anointing from God 620 Propositions clearing it 620 621 Apostle What an Apostle was 15 Two kinds of them ibid. They were appointed by Christ in the first building of the Church 16 The properties of an Apostle 16 17 18 19 Of the difference betwixt the Office of an Apostle and of an ordinary Pastour 506 507 Assurance A believer may be Assured he performeth duties with an upright heart 394 What is required to an Assurance of our being in a state of grace 395 396 The impediments of Assurance 400 401 Gods command to look after it 401 402 The effects of it 402 Cautions about it 403 B Blessing A Threefold Blessing mentioned in Scripture 127 Christians ought to Blesse God for all his mercies ibid. What is required to our Blessing God aright 128 129 130 131 We should Blesse God more for spiritual mercies than for other 134 See Praising God C Call THe divine Call of Ministers necessary to be known 19 Two things premised concerning a Ministers Call 20 What are the practical concernments which will follow those who have a true Call from God to the Ministers 21 To the people 22 The Call to Church-offices proceeds meerly from the will and pleasure of God 33 34 What is there meant by the will of God 34 35 36 Changing Of Changing in matters of Religion 546 Christ Why our Saviour called Christ 36 What it doth imply 27 He is the Sonne of God 135 Propositions explaining how Christ is the Sonne of God 136 137. 561 562 563 564 This truth is the foundation of all Christian comfort 138 139 Christ the onely object of all preaching 557 When Christ is preached 557 558 559 560 Jesus is the Christ the anointed of God 569 See Jesus Church Of the name Church 50 51 The nature and description of a Church 51 It is a society 52 Called of God 52 53 54 By the preaching of the Word to the profession of Christ and Church-communion 55 56 Wherein Church communion consisteth 56 57 The notes and signs of a Church 58 59 Why necessary
to be known ibid. All are not of equal necessity ibid. A latitude to be granted in the application of them 60 Of the twofold form of the Church internal and external ib. The marks of the visible not to be confounded with the properties of the invisible Church 61 Why Paul writeth to the Church and not to the Churches of Corinth 63 A Church is Gods people in a more peculiar manner 64 Seven things implied in the Churches being said to be of God 64 65 66 67 A Church sometimes gathered amongst the most prophane people 69 A Church may be a true one though defiled with many corruptions 70 Three propositions clearing it 73 Three reasons demonstrating it 76 What corruptions were in the Church of Corinth 71 72 The soundnesse and purity of a Church admits of degrees 73 The Church of God as 't is a Church doth farre surpasse all civil societies and temporal dignities 77 Three propositions clearing it 78 79 The grounds of it 79 80 'T is hard for Churches to keep within their proper bounds about Church administrations 80 'T is a Ministers duty by all lawfull means to promote the Church he is related to 81 All that are in the Church are Saints by profession 83 What is comprehended under Church-Saintship 84 85 All Saints ought to joyn themselves to Church communion 91 Yet some causes may excuse them 91 92 What are those sinfull grounds why many do not joyn themselves to Church communion 93 94 The best Churches changeable in their affections to their guides 464 Propositions clearing it 464 465 The causes of it 466 467 The Church esteems many things which the world despises 31 32 Church-officers Church-officers appointed by Christ as the head 28 Propositions clearing it 29 30 Two things Church-officers are to take heed of pride and idlenesse 30 31 How it concerns Church-officers to agree in matters of Religion 46 Three propositions clearing it 46 47 Three things conducing to that happy agreement 47 48 Comfort God a God of all Comfort to his 148 What is implied in that expression 149 What in the word Comfort 150 151 Propositions about the Comforts of God 152 It is so to be managed as to be made an antidote against despair and yet a curb to presumption ib. Comfort not to be judged of without Scripture-light 153 God actually Comforts his people 157 How God comforts his people 158 159 160 God a God of Comfort only to believers 161 Six propositions clearing the truth 162 163 164 165 God Comforts his people in all afflictions 166 167 No Philosophers ever had the true art or grounds of Comfort 169 God Comforts onely by the Scriptures 170 What are the grounds of Comfort in Scripture 171 172 173 How God is said to Comfort his people in all their afflictions notwithstanding they are oft disconsolate 174 175 176 177 Comfort not absolutely necessary to salvation 175 These only are fit to Comfort others who have the experimental work of Gods grace upon their own hearts 182 Four propositions clearing it 182 183 184 Four reasons confirming it 184 185 186 It is a special duty to Comfort the afflicted 187 Propositions clearing it 187 188 189 190 Two things required to the Comforting others in a right manner 190 191 The same grounds of Comforts which revive one may revive another also 191 What are the general grounds of Comfort in afflictions 192 193 Reasons of it 193 194 195 Our Comforts are and abound by Christ 209 210 How Christ makes our Comforts to abound in our sufferings for his sake 210 211 212 God commonly proportions our comforts to our sufferings 214 And sometimes makes them to exceed 215 The reasons of it 216 217 Why God often denies Comfort in trouble 217 218 Our Comfort is promoted by others suffering for Christ 223 224 225 226 227 'T is universal holiness that is the ground of Comfort 443 Communion Two sorts of Communion 251 Communion with the sufferers for Christ a good way to interest us in their glory ibid. Confidence self-confidence Self confidence a great sin 302 Propositions clearing the nature of Self confidence 302 303 304 A godly man sometimes guilty of it 309 310 Of the sinfulnesse of it 313 314 315 Confirme vide Establish Conscience Of the Conscience 384 The witness of a good Conscience a great ground of comfort 385 What is required to a good Conscience 385 386 387 388 389 How the Spirit witnesses with our Consciences 389 What are those effects of the Spirit by which our Consciences are rightly guided in witnessing to us 390 391 Distinctions concerning Conscience and its testimonies 392 393 Consolation vide Comfort Conversation Of a twofold Conversation 443 What is required to a good Conversation 445 446 Conversion A great deal of difference in the persons the Converted 42 And in the manner of their Conversion 43 The reasons of both 44 Corinth Of the City Corinth 68 D Day CHrist hath a solemn Day wherein great changes will be made 479 Wherein these great changes will be 479 480 481 482 c. Dead Of Gods raising the Dead 326 What it implies 328 329 Death The natural fear of Death not removed by grace 284 Propositions clearing it 285 286 Of what use the natural fear of Death is 286 There is a natural fear of Death in all though in some more in some lesse 288 When the fear of Death is sinfull 289 290 291 Deliverance Deliverance both temporal and spiritual from God 341 342 Despair Whence Despair arises 352 Dispensation All Gods Dispensations further the salvation of his people 242 c. Two sorts of Dispensations which conduce to that end 244 Vide Administrations E Earnest GRace the Earnest of glory 651 How grace and an Earnest differ 652 653 What is implied in the Earnest of Gods Spirit 654 655 656 They who have the Earnest of the Spirit cannot fall away 657 658 Education Education not to be rested upon 44 45 Ends. What are these inferiour Ends interposing betwixt God and us which we are apt to look upon 416 417 Enjoyments Temporal Enjoyments as well as spiritual mercies are the gift of God 369 Propositions clearing it 370 371 372 Reasons for it 373 Establish Wherein the Establishing worke of Gods grace lieth 607 608 609 610 611 612 Arguments proving all Establishing to be from God 613 The most eminent need Establishment as well as the weâ—kest 614 Demonstrations of it 615 616 617 'T is in Christ alone that we are Established 617 618 Reasons why we cannot Establish our selves 636 637 Experience Experience in former should encourage to trust in God for future mercies 345 Propositions clearing it 346 347 F Faith OF the different judgements which Faith and flesh put upon afflictions 274 c. The division of Faith as to the object 638 Whether in Faith and by Faith be oaths 665 Ministers have no power over a Christians Faith 684 A Christians Faith relates onely to God 694 Propositions clearing it 696 697 Father