of his love this riches of his grace should exceedingly melt thee it should be like fire that assimilateth every thing into its self now when this love like so many coales of fire is in thy breast it cannot be but that it will open thy heart and thy mouth wide to praise the Lord. This is our corruption we love the mercy it self but not God that giveth it we delight in the comforts that are bestowed upon us but do not rejoyce in God from whence they come If therefore thou findest thy heart frozen and dull thou canst not raise it up to bless God meditate much upon the love of God to thee so vile and unworthy 4. An heavenly heart is necessary to bless and praise God The praising of God is Angels works and the imployment of the glorified Saints to all eternity Praise is comely but it is from clean hearts and clean mouths We need the Spirit of God to inable us to thanksgiving as well as to prayer Psal 119. 7. I 'le praise thee with uprightness An hypocrite who giveth God glory by his mouth but reproacheth him by his life not only his prayer but his praises are abominable Hence Psal 50. ult it is said Who so offereth praise glorifieth God But lest you should extend this to every man See what is added And who so ordereth his conversation aright c. If a man praise God in never so melodious a tune but then there is no harmony nor order in his life this is a reproach to God We may benedicere linguâ when we do maledicere vitâ There is a real praising of God by exercised holiness as well as verbal by the tongue In the Sacrifices of thanksgiving Levit. 7. 10. Whosoever did eat thereof that had uncleanness upon him he was to be cut off By this is typified how unpleasing the praises of such are who live in their sins it is as uncomely as a pearl in the Swines mouth It is true God doth greatly condescend to accept of our praises for he hath millions and millions of Angels continually praising of him who have not the least blemish or spot upon them but yet he is pleased to take this Sacrifice at our hands In the Sacrifice of thanksgiving Levit. 7. 13. there was leaven allowed Junius observeth That whereas God allowed leaven in no other Sacrifice though Bonfrerius thinketh otherwise and that leaven only was forbidden so farre as to be offered but the common opinion is otherwise why then was leaven allowed only in this Sacrifice Hereby to teach us saith Junius that there is corruption and sinfulness in our best actions and that we need the righteousness of Christ that they be accepted of Even then in our praises there is matter of humiliation there is some bitterness yet through Christ we are accepted of But though all pollution cannot be purged out yet he that liveth in a wilfull way of sinning cannot give glory to God acceptably 5. He that praiseth God must do it voluntarily readily chearfully otherwise it is not worthy the name of praise As God loveth a cheerfull giver so especially a thanksgiver To praise God with an heavy lumpish unwilling heart is a contradiction to the duty in thy hand it is as if we should say a black Sun or a cold fire Lev. 22. 29 30. The Law about a Sacrifice of thanksgiving is that when they offer it it must be at their own will which argueth the readiness and willingness that ought to be in us at that time and then on the same day it was to be offered they were to eat it all up to leave none till the morrow whereas in other Sacrifices they might And this was to shew that he who would give thanks to God he must do it speedily he must not delay or put off So that by this you see a praising frame of heart requireth a most curious exact temperature It 's that Apothecaries ointment which belonged to the Highpriest onely made up of choice ingredients A sinfull heart cannot praise God and a worldly heart cannot praise God that wants wheels to its chariots wings to flie up with The Lark lifteth her self off from the earth ere she begins to sing And then a sorrowfull dejected heart that cannot praise God no more than a string in the instrument too much wetted can cause a melodious sound In the next place Let us consider the encouragements thereunto And 1. The excellency of this duty is apparent in that the heart is naturally so froward and opposite to it It may cause some wonder why the soul of a man should be slow to this work and commonly all are more in petitions then in thanksgivings Hence David Psal 103. though a man more exercised in this service than any one called therefore the sweet singer of Israel and who is not contented himself to praise God but cals upon all the creatures in Heaven and earth yea the most inconsiderable ones to praise God yet he finds some listlesness and slothfulness in himself see therefore how he prepareth and stirreth up himself as the Cock doth before his crow Bless the Lord O my soul and let all within thee praise his holy name His heart doth need calling upon his soul must be moved and quicknnd ere it doth his duty Conclude then certainly this duty is most excellent it is very pleasing to God because I am so backward I am never scarce in a praising temper one clog or other is upon me 2. Consider That the Scripture vouchsafeth it the name of a Sacrifice Heb. 13. 15. Where you have the duty commanded the time when and the manner how Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God and that continually As David said Seven times a day will I praise thee Ps 119. 164. It is a sacrifice and every sacrifice must have fire there must be zeal and fervency but by whom must we offer it it is by Christ so that he is the Altar upon which the incense of prayers and praises are to be offered to God By him we have both power and acceptance to praise God and in this sense all the people of God are called Priests and they have the sacrifices of praise continually to offer up unto God Hence to praise God is expressed Hos 14. 2. by rendring the calves of our lips 3. It is a debt that is due to God He that hath commanded thee to pray to him hath also enjoyned thee to praise him Yea this is all that God looketh for Thou canst not satisfie God for thy sins committed thou art not able to repair his honour and glory shouldst thou be damned a thousand times over yet it could not recompence to God according to what thou hast dishonoured him Therefore seeing this is the only debt God obligeth unto why should we not be more diligent in it If he had required some greater service of us and more terrible to flesh and blood ought
a two-fold Kingdome attributed unto Christ The one as he is God having the same Essence with the Father and so ruling over the whole world The other as he is Mediatour and Head of the Church and so the chief Governour and Shepherd thereof in a peculiar manner The first is called his Essential and natural Kingdom The second his Dispensatory and Donative The Sacinians have occasioned this distinction For when we bring those places where Christ is said to be King and Lord to be exalted above all principalities to prove his eternal God-head They answer This is a constituted God-head Christ was not thus King till after his resurrection and therefore say they it was given him in time whereas if it were an essential attribute of God it must he had from all eternity To this it is answered That Christ as God had right to all that glory and honour which was given him in time but then as Mediatour so it was a reward at least a consequent of his obedience and humiliation So that they grant Christ did in time receive a Mediatory Kingdom and glory whereby he was made Head of his Church and to rule in with supream power and authority though from the Father neither doth this derogate from his Deity to say it was given him for it was not given him to make him more perfect only to perfect his Church and it 's a gift of such a thing which only can be attributed to God for none but he that is God can be Mediatour and Head of his Church because he that is so must be the cause of all the grace and spiritual benefits which are in the Church Secondly Christ being thus exalted as Head of the Church all Church-power is radically and fâ—â—tally seated in him So that the power to make Church-officers doth not arise originally from the people as they say civil power doth and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on humane ordinance but it cometh from the Lord Christ. Hence Matth. 28. 18 19. when Christ had said All power is given me in heaven and earth then from this power he appoints them to go teach and baptize Thus in another place he saith John 20. 21 22 23. As my Father hath sent me so I send you whosoever sinnes ye remit c. From his Mediatorship ye see he giveth the Keys of Government to his Officers This also in a lively manner is affirmed Ephes 4. 10 11. where Christs ascension is spoken of and his glorious exaltation That he might fill all things that is appoint all things in his Church whereupon he enumerateth all Offices and sheweth that they have all their Commission from Christ and that both the ordinary as well as the extraordinary Therefore in the third place The Officers in the Church are properly servants to Christ and receive their power and commission from him It 's not the Church but Christ that hath set Officers in his Church The Church indeed may apply the person to the office but Christ institutes and applieth the office to the person The Church cannot make a Minister in this sense viz. to institute the office for then it might appoint other offices then Christ hath only it may design the person For Christ is the fountain of all Church-power and officers receive their authority from him It 's true that the Apostle saith to the Church of Corinth All things are yours 2 Cor. 4. 5. And in another place We are your servants for Jesus sake but the meaning therof is ministerially their office and the execution that was wholly for the Churches edification not that they had their power from the Church For who can think that Paul had his authority from men when he disclaimeth it so often yet he reckoneth himself in the number of those that are servants for their spiritual benefit Thirdly Although it be disputed Whether the power of appointing Officers and Laws in the Church belongeth to Christ as a Prophet or a King Some say as a Prophet he doth thus govern his Church yet it is more probable that be doth this as a King So that Christ as a spiritual King over his people doth appoint what officers what Ordinances and Orders he pleaseth so that you must know that this is part of Christs Jus regale and they come equally from the same fountain both to appoint an Officer and an Ordinance The Church can no more appoint a new Office than it can a new Ordinance a new Sacrament This is greatly to be observed because the Governours in the Church or the civil Magistrate for politick considerations have instituted new Offices and many times made the Government of the Church sutable to that of the Commonwealth equalizing spiritual Officers with Civil but this may be no more done then to appoint a new Ordinance and the reason is because both Offices and Ordinances are for supernatural effects to convert to build up in grace Now none may appoint any thing for such high ends but those only who are able to accomplish them Christ only can convert therefore he only can appoint an Officer or Ordinance for conversion Besides to appoint new Officers would redound to Christs dishonour as if he were not either wise or able enough to appoint all things in the Church necessary to attain salvation whereas the Apostle preferreth Christ above Moses That he was but as a servant but Christ as a son in the house Heb. 3. Use of Exhortation first To the Church-officer Doth he come with Christs Commission Doth he appear in his Name Then let him be sure to improve his Office according to Christs command If Paul be an Apostle of Jesus Christ then his work will be to exalt Christ our power saith he is not for destruction but edification 2 Cor. 13. It 's a capital crime for an Embassadour to vary from his Cossimission to go contrary to that This should daily lie upon our hearts To what end have I this Office from Christ Is it not to labour in his vineyard Is it not to convert souls Do not all the names which Church-officers have imploy labour work and diligence Especially these things they must take heed of 1. That they turn not the Office of Christ into matter of pride dominion and earthly interest Even the Apostle himself said Not as having dominion over your faith but helpers of your joy 2 Cor. 1. ult And the Apostle Peter forbids the lording over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3. This tyranny in the Church by the Officers thereof hath been a fatal destruction thereunto When the Sunne hath been in the Eclipse sad alterations must needs follow say Astrologers As not into pragmatical domination so neither may they turn it into earthy and worldly advantages setting up their own name their own greatness or their own worth thereby which the Apostle often disclaimeth But we are to walk even as Christ himself in his office who
them Secondly In this expression of Father of mercies is not only comprehended the multitude of them but the diversity also he is the Father of all kind of mercies God hath an unexhausted treasure of mercy Therefore the Scripture calls God rich in mercy Ephes 2. 4. Though God be rich in wisdom in power yet the Scripture calls him only rich in mercy as if herein he did most excell Now from this treasury arise all kinds of mercies Do not say God may by his mercy help me in this particular and in that respect he can give me bodily mercies but can he give soul mercies He can give private mercies but can he give publick mercies Yes we have too low and narrow thoughts of God if we limit him to any kind of mercy he can do the greatest as well as the least Let us instance in some kind of mercies As 1. There are common mercies and there are special mercies Common mercies are those the whole world is full of He maketh the Sunne to shine upon the good and the bad Therefore our Saviour presseth us To love our enemies because God is thus mercifull even to his enemies Is not the whole earth every Village every Town full of the common mercies of God How come so many to live to subsist upon his cost and charges Whence is it that all the people in the world are provided for Is it not from the mercy of God Lam. 3. 22. It 's the Lords mercies that we are not consumed That famine warre plague and other judgements do not sweep away all the inhabitants of the earth That the whole world doth not fall into ruines This is from Gods meer mercy That all are not roaring in hell it 's the mercy of God Now this common mercy is the more admirable if ye consider what kind of persons they are to whom he is thus mercifull even to his very enemies that hate God and if it lay in their power would destroy him that he should not have a being Oh the mercy of God that is continued to many a prophane beast and many a malicious Devil to what is good Why is it that every liar is not stricken dead with Ananias Why is it that every drunkard quaffing in his pots doth not see a terrible hand-writing in the wall against him Why is it that the earth doth not open to swallow thee up while thy mouth is full of cursing and swearing Is not all this from the mercy of God Oh how little doth this mercy of God lead you to repentance whereas it is vouchsafed to you for that end Let it not be despised because it is common For though God be thus often mercifull yet sometimes his judgements are terrible to prophane men They are suddenly destroyed while they are in their drunken fits and it is Gods mercy that what hath befallen others doth not also come upon thee but after thy impenitent heart Thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath Now is the day of mercy but then will be a day of wrath There are special mercies such as the godly are only partakers of To be called to be justified to be sanctified c. Oh what heart or tongue can express the happiness of those who have these mercies How sacrilegious are those Doctrines that do not make God wholly and solely the father of these mercies but they make themselves and their own free-will to be yoynt-fathers with God in these mercies But as Austin of old urged If I cannot make my self a man which is the lesser can I make my self an holy man which is the greater If there is not the least temporal mercy that thou canst procure by thy own power not a morsell of bread not a drop of water canst thou by thy own strength obtain the greatest of all Though it be said The sword of the Lord and of Gideon yet it cannot be said the vocation the justification by Paul and by Christ but Christ alone doth these things in us and for us though by his grace we are also sanctified and inabled to do that which is holy Again There are soul-mercies and there are bodily-mercies There are spiritual and there are temporal mercies now God is the Author of both We may sinne by unthankfulness for either of them if thou takest thy bodily-mercies as due thy health thy sleep thy preservation from daily dangers in this thou wrongest the goodness of God for if he take away his hand but for a moment thou canst not subsist And as for soul-mercies whether the natural ones of it as thy wit thy understanding thy fancy thy senses God is the Father of them Or the spiritual ones there he is much more if thou hast repentance faith assurance a gracious contented heart in every condition these are mercies of mercies but God alone is the Father of them Furthermore There are preventing or privative mercies and there are positive mercies Now the Rule is Plures sunt gratiae privativae quam positivae more privative favours than positive Did not God prevent what innumerable evils might arise every day to destroy thee When we pray for daily bread in that we comprehend all kind of outward bodily mercies so that if the Lords hand were not alwayes giving we could not abide a day Now seeing that by sinne we are made obnoxious to all the curses in the Law To be cursed at home and cursed abroad How manifold are Gods preventing mercies to us What evil might every day bring forth to thee What a sad night might every night be to thee if Gods preventing mercies did not compass thee about Lastly We might instance in private mercies and publick mercies But what hath already been spoken may abundantly confirm us That God is the Father of mercies In the next place Let us consider the Property of Gods mercy And 1. He is infinite in mercy as well as in other attributes So that this fountain can never be drawn dry he hath mercy enough for thee and me and for all the humbled sinners in the world If all the Nations of the world are but as a drop to him so neither are all the sins of the world but as a drop to his mercy No sins are too many or too great for Gods mercy And truly this consideration alone is that which doth revive and establish the drooping soul for if it were but the mercy of a creature if it were finite mercy that thou hadst to do with woe and again woe would be unto thee The Prophet Isaiah speaks fully to this Chap. 55. 7 8 9. where there is an encouragement given to the wicked To forsake his evil wayes because God will have mercy yea he will abundantly pardon or multiply to pardon and whereas the sinner might think Surely God will never do so to such an hainous and wretched sinner as I am the Prophet tells us Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts but as the Heavens are higher
our estate For we see by the Popish objections yea and of many others against this way as if it did nourish security as if it were the great wisdome of God to keep every man in this life uncertain about his spiritual estate that so he may be kept in humility and fear I say by such plausible objections as these are a man hath made a good progress that can despise them all that is convinced it is his duty to press after this certain knowledge and also that God hath promised to give his Spirit to work this in us And that therefore if we complain of our fears and uncertain doubts we are to blame our selves who like the people of Israel do peevishly keep our selves in this wilderness if we consider those places which speak so universally that God hath given his Spirit to all those that are his sons whereby they are inabled to call him Father Is it not disputed Whether all that are truly godly have not this certain knowledge especially considering how the first Reformers went very high this way Hence is that expression of Calvin which may startle the Reader Lib. 3. Institut cap. 2. Sect 16. Verè fidelis non est nisi qui solidâ persuasione c. He is not truly a believer who being not perswaded by a solid perswasion that God is a propitious and mercifull Father to him from whose benignity he promiseth himself all things who doth not upon the confidence of the promises of Gods good will to him assuredly conclude of his salvation which he repeateth again But this will be better considered at vers 22. For the commands to this duty I shall only commend two places unto you 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your selves know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of an unsound mind that have no spiritual skill and experience to know what is of God in you and what of the Devil what is of the Spirit and what of the flesh and nature in you Here you see this duty is commanded and that earnestly with ingemination and the Greek words do signifie that the truth of grace and the life of Christ in us is not easily found out We must take pains and exactly distinguish the bottom may be copper when the superficies be gold There are many resemblances of grace which are not grace That expression of Calvins is true though so much abused by Papists Reprobi simili ferè modo afficiuntur c. Calvin Institut lib. 3. cap. 2 do Sect. 11. That even some reprobates are affected almost with the same experimental sense and feeling as the elect are and therefore they must have their senses exercised to discern between good and evil As the Gemmary by his skill can find the difference between true metal and counterfeit The second Text is 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Give all diligence This supposeth That the Christian who liveth carelesly and negligently who is not servent in spirit and vigorous in the actings of holiness is subject to many doubts and uncertain disputations about his estate Now it would be a vain exhortation to bid us Use all diligence for the attaining of that which is impossible This may suffice to shew it is our duty and truly we may be the more encouraged in the pursuance of this if we do consider the blessed and happy effects of such a certain knowledge of our selves For 1. Hereby we shall live With a quiet peaceable frame of heart David doth often professe the great tranquillity of his soul Ps 4. That he will lay him down and sleep because the Lord taketh care of him And Paul Rom. 8. doth confidently triumph That nothing shall separate him from the love of God in Christ This is an Heaven upon the Earth Oh the blessed estate of that man whose soul is alwayes on this Mount as it were of transfiguration This man is alwayes safe in the haven while others are tossed up and down with various temptations 2. This peace doth also breed joy and unspeakable comfort which the Gospel often doth speak of For want of this the people of God live not suitably to Evangelical principles They walk as if they were to be justified by the Law as if they were to look for righteousness by the Covenant of works whereas we are to consider that the Spirit of the Gospel is the Spirit of Adoption and that subdueth tormenting fears and overcometh disturbing doubts making him to rejoyce alwayes in the Lord. 3. This joy causeth Thankefulnesse filleth the heart and mouth with Hallelujahs unto the Lord. How can a child of God be thankfull for that which he questioneth whether it be in him or no The wonderfull effects of Gods grace converting of thee and discriminating thee from those millions of persons that on thy right hand and left hand fall into hell should overwhelm thee by amazing thoughts thereat But all this goodness and free grace of God is neglected not take notice of whilest thou sittest in the darkness and feelest no light Lastly This will be a great quickner of thee in the wayes of holinesse This will be wings and legs and all to thee The joy of the Lord is your strength Neh. 8. 10. If then thou complainest of thy barrenness thy deadness and lukewarmness in holy things examine whether this be not the root that lieth undiscernably under ground as it were that causeth all thy unprofitableness The Devil he labours to cut these Conduit-pipes that would convey all consolation to thee It 's against sense and experience to say This certain knowledge will breed laziness and carnal confidence as if the Sunnes beams would cause coldness No it cannot be Who laboureth more abundantly than Paul Who was more active in the wayes of godliness being like a spiritual Joshua subduing all the enemies of the Gospel before him And did not the love of Christ which he felt in his bosome thus constrain him Only take a Caution or two to prevent mistakes 1. This certain knowledge is never so glorious that it removeth all doubts and temptations neither is it alwayes permanent and abiding in us The people of God have their nights as well as dayes and the Devil is not only watchfull to deprive believers of their graces but also of their consolations Therefore be not discouraged if thou find the flesh combate against the Spirit in the way of comfort as well as of duty The second Caution is That although our constant and strict walking be not the cause of our assurance yet it is maintained and preserved in the lively exercise of grace To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the hidden manua and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which none knoweth but â—e that hath it
if you ask Have all the sanctified persons of God this sealing Have none the sanctification of the Spirit but they must also have the witnessing of the Spirit I answer this Question because of great practical importance shall God assisting be handled by it self after the description hath been explained That which I shall here take notice of is That sanctification is necessarily presupposed to this sealing A great Prince will not set his seal to dung to make an impression there neither will God to an heart unsanctified For as in matter of Doctrine God will not vouchsafe miracles to confirm that which is a lie neither in practicals will the Spirit of God witnesse to that heart which is not made holy For indeed it should witnesse a lie in such a case informing such they are the sonnes of God when indeed they are the children of the Devil This order of Gods Spirits first sanctifying and then sealing is clear Ephes 1. 13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed Those eminent Divines who defined faith to be assurance making it the same with the sealing of Gods spirit are gravelled at this Text and therefore make this Objection If faith be assurance be the sealing how doth the Text say After we believed we were sealed To this therefore Piscator answereth not yeelding that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred Having beleeved as of a thing past but beleeving as in the present but there is too much forcing in this interpretation Others they consider of faith as it hath two parts Illumination of minde and fiducial assurance Now say they the Apostle meaneth by faith the former work of faith and so the meaning is After you were enlightned to know the truth you were confirmed and assured but that opinion making faith justifying to be an assurance that Christ is mine is justly refused It is plain then that when the Spirit of God hath in order of nature for in time they may be both together sanctified a man throughout whereby he is made a new creature then the Spirit of God maketh this glorious stamp upon him then he giveth him this seal as an honourable priviledge whereby he may know himself to be the Lords Even as in antiquity none might have seals but persons of honour and dignity So that the natural and unregenerate person is to stand aloof off thou hast nothing to do in this priviledge thou art not the man whom the great King of Heaven and earth doth purpose thus to honour We proceed in the Description and there we meet with the formal Nature of it wherein it doth essentially consist with the object thereof The Nature of it is In confirming and establishing the heart of a man For this is the chief and usual end of seals to ratifie a thing and to make it no longer uncertain and doubtfull And to this property doth the Scripture chiefly attend For whereas the soul though sanctified is apt to be in daily fears and doubts about Gods favour and grace towards it it fluctuateth up and down having no subsistency the Spirit of God cometh and consolidateth the soul inabling it to rest satisfied in this that God is his God that his sinnes are pardoned that he is become a reconciled Father in Christ And if you say Why do we not need the Spirit of God to do this Cannot we by our graces by our repentance and holy life sufficiently establish our own souls in peace No by no means we need the Spirit of God to comfort as you heard as well as to sanctifie and that for these Reasons First It is very hard for a man whose guilty conscience doth presse him and condemn him daily telling him that he hath deserved at Gods hands to be eternally tormented in hell not to thinke because God may doe thus that therefore he will do so In such terrours and affrights we look more to what we have deserved we look more to what God may do then what he will we are naturally suspicious and think the worst of God even as we doe to man If we have offended a man greatly and it lieth in his power to undo us we are never quiet we cannot but think when ever the opportunity is he will be avenged and therefore we dare not trust him Yea though we have given no just cause if others have taken up an unkind spirit towards us we expect nothing else from them but our ruine when it is in their power Therefore for all Saul's tears and good works to David yet he would never trust him Now although there be no cause for us to have such suspicious thoughts about God for he hath graciously promised that he will receive us insomuch as not to believe him herein is to give more credit to a man whose words many times satisfie us than to God who is truth it self yet the heart being guilty and full of fears doth work in this doubtfull manner about God How hard is it to bring the afflicted sinner to good perswasions about God and that though by promises and other wayes God hath so abundantly provided against such distrust Here then is the reason why we need the sealing of Gods Spirit we cannot perswade our selves but God will doe what he may do and what we have deserved And A second Reason followeth upon the former We can hardly be perswaded that the great and good things which we stand in need of God will ever bestow upon us who are so unworthy of them Can a beggars daughter be perswaded that a great King will marry her But here is a farre greater disproportion What will the great God of Heaven so holy so full of majesty look graciously upon me and not only forgive me my sinnes but advance me to eternal glory These things are very improbable Shall Joseph be freed not only from the prison but promoted to the greatest honour in the Land next to the King Who would have believed it And thus it is here the soul having low and humble thoughts of it self cannot be perswaded that the great God of Heaven will look upon such despicable wretches as they are 3. The way of evangelical confidence with the comfortable effects thereof are wholly supernatural And therefore no wonder if we need the Spirit of God to help us therein Not only holinesse and grace is supernatural but assurance and joy are likewise supernatural As we cannot pray without the Spirit helping our infirmities so neither are we able to call God Father If faith in Christ by which we are justified be supernatural then also is the comfort and peace flowing from the knowledge thereof As the Doctrine of the Gospel is by divine revelation flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto us that Christ is the Sonne of God so neither can flesh and blood enable us to the perswasion of this Mediator as loving me and giving himself for me Certainly if it be the gift of
their earthly ends It is true when the faithfull Ministers of Christ do effectually move for the purity of Ordinances and the promoting of godlinesse among their people there are those who will maliciously traduce them for carnal and selfe-seeking ends as if they proceeded wholly upon subtilty and policy but the searcher of hearts witnesseth to their sincerity and so they comfortably proceed in Christs worke maugre all opposition It 's holy prudence then not carnal policy which must manage ministerial power Secondly When we require holy prudence and meeknesse we do not hereby exclude zeal as if a man should not with much fervency and ardour of spirit set himself for the truth of God as also against the kingdome of sinne and Satan No it cannot be heavenly prudence unlesse it be accompanied with this zeale As zeale must be with knowledge and discretion so must knowledge be with zeale They must be as Castor and Pollux alwayes appearing together which was represented in the Sacrifice which was to have salt as well as fire Thus Rom. 12. We are to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord. And it is the Lord Christ who said The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up Joh. 12. 17. Here is a notable example for all godly Ministers The zeale for Gods glory is even to consume them as it were as the fat of the Sacrifice was burnt in the fire to the Lord to which some think our Saviour doth allude in that expression We are to come in the spirit of Elijah even to be carried in a fiery Chariot And truly without this zeale for God a man is but a lump of earth It is true we must distinguish holy zeale from our owne passions and cholerick distempers but that which is the pure fire of Gods Spirit kindled in our hearts as it doth greatly conduce to Gods glory so it doth exceedingly tend to our own comfort Let therefore those be magnified for wise and moderate men let them be admired as so many Angels that live in a lukewarm and neutral way they will reprove no sinne they will provoke no man to frowne upon them but alas the issue will discover their folly Oh the throbs and pangs of conscience some have had when going out of the world for this very particular because they did not with more zeale and forwardnesse appear for God And on the other side that Minister who hath with faithfull zeale according to the words direction behaved himself in his ministerial labours though great ones have frowned at him though malicious people have vexed him yet he dieth full of comfort For they that are filled with the Spirit of God by zeal in their life time are many times filled with heavenly consolations in their death Lastly This holy prudence is not to be confounded with that sinfull man-pleasing which is in many indulging men in their lusts and hardening them thereby in their impieties Though the Apostle said 1 Corinth 10. 33. That he pleased all men in all things not seeking his owne profit yet that is not to be understood in sinfull things for in that respect he saith Galat. 1. 10. If he pleased men he should not be the servant of Christ but in lawfull things he did condescend to those that were weak and would not alwayes use his own liberty which he might being strong in judgement but this doth nothing advantage such who have a flattering complying way with men in their wickednesse like those false prophets of old that daubed with untempered mortar and cryed Peace peace to him whom God hath promised no peace This is highly offending God Yet how many are admired because they have the love of wicked and ungodly men that they can keepe in with them Whereas this is not because they have large parts but a large conscience and that which some make to be a very wise man is indeed to be a man without any conscience But I must not enlarge in this In the second place therefore we are to shew Wherein this holy prudence doth consist And First In discovering our love to their persons to be the ground of all our proceedings If we reprove them it is love if we admonish them it is love if we do not admit them to the dreadfull mysteries of Christ it is love Dilige loquere quod vis saith Austin Love and then say what ye will This made the Apostle use a sacred oath at this time to shew it was his love to them and no sinfull end that made him forbear his coming so great a matter is it to be perswaded that what the Ministers of the Gospel doe though it distaste and displease us yet it is out of their conscience to God and love to us Secondly Holy prudence lieth in this when we observe the fit seasons and opportunities for exercising our power which God hath given us otherwise if unseasonably administred it may doe more hurt than good It is special prudence to time it well in this sense it is good to be a time-server as some read that passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. applying it to this sense Abigail would not speak to her husband in his drunken senslesse fit Isai 50. 4. The tongue of the learned is to speake a word in season though that be chiefly to be applied to a word of comfort yet a word of reproof in season doth more good than ten thousand unseasonably spoken Such a word so spoken is said to be like Apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25. 11. wherein is implyed both preciousnesse and excellency as also delight and refreshment A fit word is called in the Hebrew A word upon the wheeles as some thinke because of the smoothnesse and readinesse of it to enter into the hearts of others Some render it A word with its two faces as looking on both sides which is the property of prudence and the next verse following sheweth how happy it is when a wise reproof and an obedient ear meet together such an obedient ear is more comely and glorious than any ear-jewel As then the Bee doth not every day but in fit seasons gather its honey so doth a prudent Minister of the Gospel Thus Solomon Eccles 12. 9 10. Because the preacher was wise he sought out acceptable words Some trees that blossome last are yet said to have their fruit first which sheweth that it is not the first or sudden speaking but the most opportune that doth the greatest good especially in reproof this is most necessary because it is said Genus quoddam Martyrii est c. It is a kinde of Martyrdome to take a reproof patiently Thirdly Our prudence is seene when we discerne of sinnes not judging little and great alike To excommunicate for lesser faults is saith Gerson To strike off a flie from a mans fore-head with a beetle The remedy is more dangerous than the disease They were grosse sinnes that the Apostle