commanded in the Old Testament We see by this Text that if Christ be the fountain of grace and peace as God the Father is then are we to pray to one as well as the other or to the Father in the Name of Christ The heretical exception against this place is That because the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not in the original therefore he would have the word Father relate to Christ as well as to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our as if the sense were From God our Father and the Father of Jesus Christ Indeed our Saviour doth say I go to my Father and your Father John 20. 17. But then he saith my Father in the first place whereas here in the Text it 's said Our Father and afterwards in the heretical opinion should follow The Father of Christ but that Christ in these salutations is meant as a conjoyned cause is very evident John 2. 2. where the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expressed from the Father and from the Lord Christ the Sonne of the Father A second cavil that needeth a vindication may be in that Christ is said to be Lord as distinguished from God Therefore it may be thought that Christ is not God To this it 's answered That it 's true in the New Testament though Christ be sometimes called God yet the more common title given to him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially when God the Father and Christ are mentioned together but as when Christ is called Lord it doth not exclude God the Father from being the Lord also So neither when God the Father is called God doth it exclude Christ from being God But you may say Why doth the Scripture if Christ be God and the fountain of grace as well as God the Father alwayes put Christ after God The answer is That though absolutely as God there be an equality yet when personally considered so that divine order is attended unto whereby the Father is of himself alone but the Sonne of the Father especially if we consider Christ as Mediatour so although God yet because in that work he is God-man and in that office inferiour to the Father hence it is that the Scripture speaks of him as the fountain and Christ as the stream or rather second fountain That of God are all things and by Christ are all things It is good to understand these mysteries so farre as the Scripture is a guide to us that we be not involved in those damnable Socinian Doctrines which overthrow these fundamentals That which I shall observe is from the relation attributed to Christ Lord viz. That Jesus Christ is a Lord. Thus he is often called in the Scripture yea Revel 19. 16. he is said to have on his thigh this name King of kings and Lord of lords So 1 Tim. 6. 15. The blessed and only Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords It 's observed that these titles were given to the Persian Monarchs because of their transcendent dominion but here it is applied to Christ transcendently even to them also for he is said to be the only Potentate as if none were Lord but him Hence it is noted of Augustus as a providential thing That the year Christ was born in he refused to be called Dominus and so some Christian great men would not be called Domini but Domini diminitively out of reverence to Christ but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so Lord may be attributed to men as well as King and head so that still it be acknowledged he is Lord of lords and that none is Lord like him But let us briefly open this Doctrine that thereby our hearts may be more raised up with this greatness of Christ for he is a Lord not only for his own great dominion and glory but for the believers good and benefit it is matter both of great comfort and encouragement to know that Christ is Lord. And. First We are to consider That Christ hath a two-fold Lordship Kingdom or Dominion The one Divines call Natural and Essential The other Dispensatory and Mediatory The former he hath as God and so is Lord in the same sense that the Father is Lord. The second he hath as he is Mediator God-man and therefore it is in some respects distinct from the former God the Father is not Lord in that peculiar and proper respect as Christ is For although that be true which Divines say That Christs natural or essential Kingdom doth virtually and eminently contain all that his Mediatory doth yet there is some formal respect to be made Now as Christs former Lordship and Dominion was natural and necessary so this may in some sense be said to be given him or as the Scripture saith Act. 2. 36. He was made by the Father both Lord and Christ appointed to be the Lord and the Head of his Church Not that this doth any wayes evacuate his Divine Nature as if because he were made Lord that therefore he was not so essentially for nothing was given Christ to perfect him what he received of his Father in time did only manifest that he was God for none can be Lord and Head of his Church but he who is truly God If therefore as he is Mediator it be said to be given him to be Lord and to have a Name above all Names yet this doth not deny but prove his Divine Nature because none but God can have such power and do such things Secondly This Official or Mediatory Kingdom hath its degrees it is militant and triumphant Militant and so the Lord Christ hath not as yet subdued all his enemies under his feet it doth not follow that Christ is not Lord because every thing is not wholly conquered because there is sinne and the Devil working still For as David was King although still there was a great part to be conquered by him he was King at Hebron when he was not made King over Israel yet he had a right to all before he was in actual possession So it is with our Lord Christ he is made Lord over all only there is time required to bring all things in subjection to him And as for his Triumphant and consummate Kingdom or Lordship that will be at the Day of Judgement when having saved all his people and overcome all their enemies then he shall take the triumph of all his victories And here we may take notice how to understand that difficult place 1 Cor. 15. 24 25. where Christ is said After all enemies are subdued to deliver up his Kingdom to the Father The Socinians urge that to shew that his Dominion and Kingdom will be but for a season whereas the Scripture in many other places maketh his Kingdom to be without end Luk. 1. 32 33. To reconcile this therefore you must know That the Apostle doth there speak of Christs Kingdom as it is militant and in respect of that Dominion and Government which now Christ
useth in his Church not in respect of the Lordship and Dominion it self Christ shall never cease to be the King and Lord of his people only that manner of Government which now Christ exerciseth shall cease all Ordinances and administrations the Ministry and Sacraments yea all Magistracy and Civil Power that God might be all in all fot then we shall not mediately by Christ approach unto God as we do here but immediately yet so as all glory and honour will redound to Christ Thirdly Christ was thus a Lord in the state of his humiliation even in his very Infancy as well as after his exaltation and resurrection And here again the Socinians blaspheme denying That Christ was thus a Lord till his resurrection But although indeed the Scripture doth often attribute this glory and great name to him after his sufferings and upon his resurrection yet that is not because he was not so before but partly because then there was a glorious manifestation of his Dominion The Sunne did not appear so admirable in his eclipse Christ in the state of his humiliation did not so fully and palpably discover this his greatness yet for all that he was endowed with it and Christ doth acknowledg himself to have a Kingdom to Pilate even before his sufferings Yea at his birth the Wisemen came to worship him as Lord and King and when he rode in triumph into Jerusalem that Prophecy was fulfilled Behold thy King cometh to thee And certainly if then he was a Saviour and the Messias he must needs be also Lord and King Yea in the greatest expressions of his humane weaknesses as in his birth and death there was also powerfull demonstrations of his Divine Majesty Neither is Vorstius his Objection of any value That because Christ in his Infancy had not that wisdom required to govern which afterwards he did grow up into therefore he could not be Lord For in Christ while an Infant were hidden the treasures of all wisdom though these were not actually to be put forth but when there was an occasion to do so There was no defect in Christ to be Head of his Church while a child because even then he could put forth whatsoever was required at that time to govern the Church with And indeed to argue that he was not Lordor King because he did not actually put forth himself in that way is absurd for kingly or lordly actions did not make him to be a King or Lord but because he was Lord and King therefore he did as he pleased put forth such actions Certainly the Apostle cals him the Lord of glory even while they crucified him 1 Cor. 2. 8. And the Socinians themselves acknowledge him upon his ascension to be Lord of glory when yet the greatest instance of his lordly power is still to be accomplished which is the judging of all mankind at that dreadfull Day of Judgment Christ then was always Lord both in his state of humiliation and also of his exaltation Fourthly This lordly power which Christ hath extends to all things in the world he is Lord over the whole world He is the universal Monarch for God hath given him all the kingdoms of the world Rev. 11. 15. The kingdoms of this world are there said to become the Lords and of his Christ Yea in some sense this great Dominion is given to every Saint Revel 2. 26. To have power over all Nations even as he hath received of the Father Hence it is said John 5. 22. That the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne not that the Father hath wholly abdicated himself from the government of the world as the Socinians say but because Christ as Mediator is subordinate unto him in this administration Christ therefore hath an universal power over the whole world And whereas learned men say One man cannot be universal Governour over the whole world much lesse over the Church because no man can have those qualifications fit for to discharge that Government yet in Christ this doth not hold because he is God as well as man but this Dominion of Christ in respect of his Church is of another nature than that of the world for he rules the world with a rod of iron breaking every thing to pieces that shall prejudice his Church So that this power over them is wholly coactive as they do not willingly own or submit to him as a Lord so he doth by his omnipotent power keep them under and makes them servants and vassals for his work and to bring about such glorious ends which they never intended or shall have any benefit by as those that built Noah's Ark were not preserved in it But to his Church there he holdeth out a Scepter of grace For as they do willingly own him as their King submitting to his order and laws so he taketh special care over them and they may more safely lay themselves down under his protection than under the greatest Potentate in the world More might be said Doctrinally about this Dominion of Christ but let us consider what comfortable and usefull improvement is to be made of it And 1. Is Christ thus a Lord and that above all Lords Then what ground is here for our faith under all discouragements and affections How little doest thou posfess thy heart with this Lord of glory Doest thou doubt about the pardon of sinne conquering of corruptions preservation under temptations Is not all this because thou doest not remember Christ is Lord of Lords Will not he bear thee up Doth he want either knowledge or power Especially this should encourage us in any work for him Thou fearest the frowns of man the oppositions of man thou doubtest thy cause will sink and is not all this because thou lookest upon earthly power as greater than Christs power Was ever any temporal lord able to do such things as the Lord Christ Never than saint or be discouraged under his work Use 2. If he be our Lord then here is ground for duty as well as for comfort Joh. 13. 13. Ye call me Master and Lord ye do well saith Christ but from that consideration he puts them upon duty And certainly iâ— Christ be our Lord where then is our honour our obedience to him May not he impose what duties injoyn the Church what Laws and order to walk by he pleaseth Shall we be our own lords Our tongues our hearts are not our own but our Lords Take heed of being in the number of those who shall deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. for such as do so bring upon themselves swift destruction if he be not thy Lord in grace and favour he will be thy Lord in wrath and in thy confusion They that said Psal 12. 4. Who is Lord over us found that God would be above them SERM. XXIX Of the Duty of Thankefulness Blessing and Praising God for all his Mercies 2 COR. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the
Though a bruised reed breaketh him more though but a smoaking flax yet ready to quench it this I say is adjudged by those who labour under it worse then death more bitter then death We have a remarkable instance for this in Heman Psalme 88. where Verse 14 15 16. he maketh bitter complaint under soul-terrours Why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted and Verse 3. he saith He was free from amongst the dead as the slain that lye in the grave whom God remembreth no more Yea his temptation doth so overcloud him that he seemeth to question the truth of our Doctrine v. 10. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall the dead arise and praise thee This good man must needs be greatly dejected when he doubteth of this for nothing is more ordinary with God then to shew wonders to the dead and therefore had he but possessed his heart with this truth he had been able to walk on those waters whereas now he is ready to sink had he concluded saying Oh my soul why art thou cast down within thee what though thou art dead yet it is God that raiseth the dead the dead have cause to praise him this would have revived him Yea God for the most part will not come in to help till we look upon our selves as dead even as Christ did delay till Lazarus was dead and putrifying in the grave that so his glorious power might be the more discovered in restoring of him to life Indeed the Psalmist might have argued that if God should â—uite forsake him suffering him to be swallowed up in despaire Do those that despaire do they praise thee Do the damned in Hell blesse and glorifie thy name If then in these sad and bitter temptations upon thy soul thou wouldst have some worke to get into then remember this truth God raiseth the dead Thus we have heard in what particulars this Doctrine is true let us now consider what is implyed in this expression God raiseth the dead And 1. It supposeth That Gods own Children may be brought into an helplesse and hopelesse estate They may be in a Wildernesse so that if God doth not extraordinarily provide Manna for them they will perish for you must know that this is attributed to God chiefly for the godly mans sake For though the wicked may sometimes be delivered from imminent dangers yet that is by the generall providence of God who doth in Heaven and Earth what he pleaseth but the godly are delivered from the speciall love of God and his peculiar promise to them of being their God So that it is in this case as it is in the Resurrection all men shall be raised from the dead even the wicked as well as the just only the wicked shall be raised by the power of God as a just judge but the godly as Members of Christ and from that speciall Covenant of grace God made with them and upon this foundation Luke 20. 37. doth Christ prove the Resurrection because he is the God of Abraham the God of Isaack and the God of Jacob. These are mentioned rather then Noah or Enoch when yet God was also their God because to those the promise of grace was either at first made or afterwards repeated As therefore because God is a God in Covenant he will raise up their dead bodies so from this relation he will raise thee up from thy extreame necessities yet this supposeth that God though he loveth us so as to deliver from evill yet he will not alwayes prevent the evill 2. Here is implyed That God hath an immediate soveraignty and dominiâ—â— over all conditions and estates be they never so bitter and hopelesse We cannot say of the true God that he is the God of the Vallies but not of the Hils also When that Lord would not believe God could on a suddaine provide such incredible plenty he was severely punished for it The Israelites also are taken notice of for limiting God Psal 78 9. Though God had given them water yet say they Can he furnish a Table in the Wilderness Oh how often are we guilty of such distrust though God hath done thus and thus yet can he do this also But he raiseth the dead he hath a command over all things Hence God is said 1 Cor. 1. 28. To choose things that are not thereby to confound things that are So that there is no tentation no affliction but God can command it and work what he pleaseth out of it for thy good he can raise up Children to Abraham out of stones he can make Grapes to grow of Thornes and Figs of Thistles 3. There is implyed That our extremities are Gods opportunities They are the proper time to work in and not before Why doth he not say God that healeth the sick that comforteth the sorrowfull but instanceth in the utmost of all that raiseth the dead but to shew that it is commonly Gods way to delay his help till it be at the very outmost Christ would not turne water into Wine till all was spent When the poor creeple that lay so long by the Poole side said I have no man to help me then Christ healed him It became a Proverbe in the Church of old In the Mount the Lord will be seen God lets Abraham alone till he was lifting up his hand to give a mortall blow and then God appeareth providing also a Ram in Isaacs stead Thus it was also with Abraham God provideth him a Son out of a dead Wombe that so his glory may be more exalted commonly a godly mans Isaacs his joyes and comforts are brought out of the dead Wombe of the Creatures What more is to be said herein will come in seasonably in the next Verse Let us from the premisses make this Use Doth God raise even the dead and may such put trust in God Then shame and reprove thy saying oh me slow to believe oh me dull and heavy about Heavenly duties for though my afflictions are but weak and ordinary there is nothing above measure or strength in them yet I am ready to faint how can this be forgiven to me As the Apostle said in another case you have not yet resisted to blood So it may be thy exercises have never been so grievous and extreame so as thou art to be accounted as a dry bone as a dead man and yet I have much ado to trust in God in these inferior tryals Cry out unto the Lord to help thee in these weak graces be ashamed when any little trouble is apt to disquiet thee to discompose thee Oh say if it were the worst condition that could come upon me if it were the heaviest tryall that could fall on me yet I was to trust in him who raiseth the dead SERM. LXXIV We are not to consider Gods Mercies in general onely but their several Aggravations also 2 COR. 1. 10. Who delivered
that is not probable It is then for that deliverance vouchsafed to Paul that they are to be thankfull and the reason is clear because mercies vouchsafed to Paul were their mercies also From whence observe That the mercies vouchsafed to the pastors and guides of the Church are to be accounted the Churches mercies What advantage comes to the shepherd it redounds to the sheep The rain that fals upon the mountains descendeth to the benefit of the valleys Your life your comfort is bound up in theirs Paul indeed said We live if you stand fast It was his comfort his life to see them preserved from Apostasie by persecution 1 Thess 3. 8. And on the contrary the Church may say of her guides We stand fast if you live As mercies to the publick Magistrates are to be accounted the peoples mercies so the mercies of Church-officers are to be reckoned the Churches If the Pilotes be in danger it can never be well with the ship When Elijah was taken away the cry was The chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof So great a mercy was one Prophet accounted to be We have a notable instance of the holy care of the Philippians about their Pastor Epaphroditus Phil. 2. 26 27. when he was sick unto death how heavily did they lay it to heart Insomuch that Epaphroditus was exceedingly grieved that they had heard of his being sick he knew it would so greatly afflict them Yea Paul accounted it a mercy to him also that God did heal him For though Paul did recover many out of their diseases yet this gift was not when they pleased and it was least of all extended to those that were of their intimate acquaintance but rather to such as were brought to them that so the truth of their miracles might be more manifested Use of Instruction How happy and blessed a thing it is when people are able to do their duty herein To look upon all the favours and good providences of God to the Ministers of the Gospel as their own mercies their health encouragements preservations as their owne but how bitterly doth Satan fill the hearts of some men who out of love to their lusts and their errours look upon their godly guides as the greatest burthens and would heartily rejoyce in any evil that should befall them This is clean contrary to those gracious loving and indeared affections which ought to be in people to their spiritual shepherds SERM. LXXXIV Of our Glorying and Rejoycing in our Gifts and Graces Why and how it is lawfull and how not 2 COR. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-wards THis verse as appeareth by the raciocinative particular or note of inference For is brought in as a reason of something which went before But Interpreters do differ about the coherence thereof Some make this to be a reason of that hope and trust he formerly spake of which he had in God Though he did trust in Gods mercies yet not in them alone but in his own endeavours also Hence Aquinas from this saith That hope doth arise from the mercy of God and mans merits But this doth not consist with Scripture Others do make it part of his Apologetical Narration defending himself as against that crime of inconstancy and levity which was cast upon him because of his promise to come to them which yet he did not and therefore they think these words look backward and not forward Calvin and others which is most probable referre it to the words immediately preceding viz. their prayers and praises to God in his behalf This is given as a reason why they should be thus tender about him because he had obtained grace to be faithfull he had not sought himself or his own glory he had not walked in hypocrisie and fraud but had been kept by the grace of God in all sincerity in his conversation in the world not only at Corinth but every where else Now it is a great motive and encouragement to pray for such The Apostle useth this argument Heb. 13. 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things The connexion then being thus discovered we come to the Text absolutely considered and therein we may consider 1. The ground and reason it self 2. That which is affirmed and predicated of it And this is set down in the fore-part of the verse and therefore we shall begin with it The words are This is our rejoycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is rendred by most our glory or our boasting The Apostle doth very often use the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it seemeth to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the neck and so is a metaphore signifying for the most part pride and loftinesse taken from horses whose pride will be discovered by their neck and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that for the most part it is taken in an ill sense Hence Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with Budaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a proud boaster and bragger but with Paul it is used sometimes in a good sense as here For the word is used in a three-fold sense gradual to one another 1. To rest and relie upon a thing 2. From thence to rejoyce and to be glad in it 3. From thence to declare and publish this with boasting Now though Paul did not put confidence and trust in his good and sincere conscience yet from the perceiving of that he did rejoyce Whereas then we see Paul rejoycing and glorying from the testimony and evidence of that grace he had in him We may observe That an holy glorying and rejoycing in the graces of God we perceive in us is allowed and lawfull I say an holy glorying for the heart may quickly degenerate into a proud sinfull boasting Therefore this truth must be warily bounded So that the dejected and tempted soul may be quickned to its duty of comfort and not to deny the work of grace that it may feel and the proud pharisaical spirit may be debased The valley must be exalted and the mountain made low It is true indeed we have the Scripture saying Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome 1 Cor. 1. 31 And if Abraham had not wherewith to glory who can have Yea the Apostle saith expresly Rom. 3. 27. That glorying is excluded by the law of faith But in what sense this is to be understood will appear when we come to manifest how many wayes it is not lawfull to glory or to rejoyce no not in our gifts and graces Only this Text maketh it plain that in some sense our graces may be matter
addeth Above all things my brethren Swear not above all things look to your tongue set a watch before your lips that you be not found guilty of this sinne And whereas the Apostle in the Verses following is to describe the suitable and particular duties to a man afflicted and to a man merry he doth seem to remove this sin of swearing in the first place prohibiting that for experience telleth us that when men either are sadly afflicted and in discontents or joyful and merry then they are most prone to forget themselves and fall into this sinne of swearing therefore the Apostle by way of caution saith above all things swear not A second motive against this common sin of swearing is from the character and description that is given of a godly man in this very particular he is one that feareth an oath he dare not swear in his ordinary discourse and in unnecessary occasions Therefore it is a presumptuous thing in thee to flatter thy self that though thou fallest into this sinne now and then yet thou hast a good heart and hopest that thou shalt do as well as the most precise whom thou slanderest with that ordinary calumny that though they will not swear yet they will lye whereas a godly man hateth both the one and the other But to our purpose Let a man pretend never so much devotion let him be never so confident of his good heart yet if an ordinary swearer thou canst not have a principle of grace in thee For Solomon making an opposition between a godly man and a wicked describing them by contrary characters Eccl. 9. 2. concludeth with this he that sweareth and he that feareth an oath So that a common swearer is the same with a wicked man and an unclean man but then the godly man is deciphered by this that he feareth an oath observe that he doth not say he that swsareth not but he that feareth an oath So that a gracious man doth not only abstain from all customary swearing but he hath an awe and a reverentiall fear in his soul about it so that the prophane swearer is directly opposite to this character The Psalmist likewise Psa 24. 4. when he had propounded this Question who shall ascend to the holy hill of God and stand in his holy place that is who is a true member of the Church of God he answereth by giving severall properties of such two whereof are He who hath not lift up his soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully By lifting up the soul to vanity some learned men understand vain swearing and then followeth another and greater sinne which is perjury and false swearing which commonly followeth upon the frequent use of the former sinne The 3d motive is From the nature of the sin it is a very hainous and grievous sin For this is a rule all sins against the first Table are more hainous than those against the 2d caeteris paribus because they are immediatly against God these against our neighbour so by consequence against God Though therfore oaths fall frequently from thy mouth without any fear and trembling yet they are sins of a bloody nature as appeareth from the 3d Commandment thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain It 's Gods Name who is infinite in Majesty who is to be named alwaies with a holy fear and reverence and shalt thou pollute it in thy wicked mouth This Commandment doth not only forbid ordinary swearing but all light and irreverent using of Gods Name as you have many will say O God O Lord and O Jesus these are great sins though thou dost not tremble under them Let the common swearer then know that his sin is a very hainous one he contemneth the glory and worship of God Observe that expression Deut. 28. 58. that thou maist fear this glorious and fearfull Name the Lord thy God Do not then flatter thy self make not this common swearing a light sinne for sins are weighty according as God judgeth of them and this he accounteth an immediate contempt of his Majesty You would not make use of the name of a great man to witnesse every bable and trifle Chrysostome saith Common swearers shew more respect to their new garments than they do to Gods Name for they will not wear them but upon solemn occasions Whereas these in every trifle and upon every passion do highly dishouour God Fourthly As the sin of common swearing is grievous in its nature so it 's threatned in a speciall manner with more than ordinary judgements Even in this life God many times doth punish remarkably the common swearer Hence in the 3d command the threatning is added the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain It is a figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lesse is said and more is intended that is he will certainly deal with such a man as a guilty person he shall find that sin doth provoke God in an high manner The Apostle likewise Jam. 5. when he had prohibited swearing addeth lest ye fall into condemnation the judgement of God lyeth at thy door and will finde thee out The place also formerly mentioned Zech. 5. 2 3. is very dreadfull There is a flying roll full of curses and it is said to go into the house of the swearer and to continue in the midst of his house till it hath consumed all The Septuagint and Greek Expositors for a flying roll reade a flying hatchet taking maggall for megillah howsoever it is as terrible as if an Angel should come with an hatchet and cut down such a mans house It 's flying therefore it cometh from heaven and so all thy power cannot withstand it and then it 's very broad and long it will meet with every swearer and then it is an utter consumption God will make him such an example that all who go by shall say here lived such a prophane swearer and see what misery and ruine he and his are brought to Suarez speaketh of a prophane blasphemous Proverb that the Spaniards have to excuse their common oaths Qui bene jurat by bene is meant multum benè credit he that sweareth much beleeveth well It is a signe he beleeveth there is a God And indeed an Atheist cannot swear properly unlesse it be by derision but that proverb hath blasphemy in it because the swearer discovereth faith in God rashly and irreverently Neither doth he intend in his common discourse to professe faith in God when he doth swear Fifthly This sin of swearing is of so great a guilt that it polluteth a land it bringeth publique judgements as well as private Now all those sins that make the publique obnoxious to Gods judgements are sins of a grosse nature Jer. 23. 10. because of swearing the land mourneth and Hos 4. 2. for swearing and lying c. therefore the Lord had a controversie with the land Thus you see swearrers are like Jonahs in a Ship they
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
shels in comparison of that Manna that spiritual favour I am made partaker of As therefore the spiritual man when in outward miseries and straights is not so much grieved under those outward calamities as because he hath sinned and God is offended So neither in outward mercies is the same gracious soul so much affected with the comforts it enjoyeth as that the light of Gods countenance doth shine upon him that he hath an evidence of propriety and interest in Christ this he would not lose for all the Kingdoms of the world Let us press this the more because even the most holy are apt to be affected more with sensible mercies than spiritual Nature teacheth them the one but Grace the other For as we are apt to desire temporal things above spiritual so also to be affected with and bless God for one more than another But take these few Motives to provoke thee to bless God for spiritual mercies which are of two sorts External as the means of grace and the Ordinances or Internal the inward sanctification and justification of our persons As 1. That if thou hadst more mercies than Solomon if thou hadst all thy soul can desire in these outward things yet if without spiritual mercies thou judgest thy condition is cursed and to be lamented Therefore Psal 4. when the natural persons of the world cried out Who will shew us any good David as knowing a better and more solid good prayeth God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him And therefore he that hath the least drop of grace is more bound to bless God then he that may have all the glory and plenty in the world Oh then why art thou not more sollicitous saying what is this wealth without Gods favor What is it to say this house is mine this estate is mine but am not able to say God is mine but if God doth evidence himself to thee then over-look all thy outward comforts put the Ecce the Selah upon what is spiritual This is like the Sunne which is farre above all the Starres It is this that makes all outward mercies mercies they are no wayes good to thee but snares and temptations to draw out thy sins So that thy condemnation in hell will be the hotter if thou doest not enjoy spiritual mercies with them 2. Be in the first place affected with spiritual mercies Because Christ shewed his love to thee most in these it was for these he died The Scripture doth exceedingly commend to us the love of Christ in his death Now what are the effects of Christs death Are they chiefly to make us rich great or honoured in this world No it is for remission of sinne it 's for holiness and power over the Devil Certainly if Christ died to purchase these for thee thou art very unthankfull if thy heart be not most inlarged to bless God for them 3. Spiritual mercies are the chiefest object of our praises Because these onely can truly satisfie the soul these only are a sound cause of rejoycing The heart of a man is never satisfied with temporal mercies but the more he drinketh of them the more thirsty still he is When Solomon hath made an experience of all his Motto is That they are vexation of spirit as well as vanity whereas the pardon of sinne and the Spirit of Christ working in us these afford uninterrupted causes of joy 4. The soul-mercies will abide for ever thou canst not lose thy title and interest in them but all these earthly comforts are as the flower which presently withereth thou hast them to day and they may be removed to morrow Be sure then that thy blessing of God keepeth that method which the nature of mercies doth require above all things Let thy soul melt with joy in blessing of God for what he hath done to thy soul Lastly Consideration remembring and fixed meditation upon the mercies of God is that which will greatly inflame the soul to give all glory and honour to him The heart is not easily and quickly put into a blessing frame there must be polishing and fashioning of it and there is no such way for this as true consideration When David calls upon himself so much to glorifie God this implieth that he found his soul dull heavy and unfit for that duty The heart will not boil over in meditation unless it be long upon this fire Psal 45. 1. David there calls his inditing the boyling or bubling of his heart we are apt to forget Gods mercies or when we do think of them they are but transistory and ambulatory It is Gods goodnesse or I bless God and there is all whereas when we bless God our souls should be raised up into divine inflammations we should be as Elijah who was carried up to Heaven in a Chariot of fire whereas the soul is at other times abridged or epitomized but in short characters in the praises of God it should be voluminous as you see David in Psalms 103 104 105 106 and 107. very large in the enumeration of all Gods benefits which intimateth That the soul ought to be extended in all its dimensions while it sets upon this work And certainly meditation is like the birds sitting on the egge not leaving it till it hath produced a live young one This will so often work upon the soul that at last there will be heavenly and supernatural life for several aggravations will the meditating heart find in every blessing it doth possess As 1. It will admire the power and strength of God in every mercy especially in soul-mercies That God should change such a stubborn heart as thine was That God should give thee eyes to see that hast been blind so long That God should give thee life who wast dead and putrifying in the grave of sinne This will make thee wonder at the glorious power of God Again The Wisdome of God if that be considered in every mercy this will also greatly inlarge to thankefulnesse Gods mercies are not only mercies in themselves but they come in such fit seasons they are at such times and opportunities that this maketh them double mercies and so some have observed this difference between blessing and praising of God Blessing of God is because of the goodnesse of the mercy Praising is for the wisdome and curious workmanship of God as it were in that mercy As if a friend who also was himself the maker of a curious Watch should bestow it upon you as a gift you would not only thank him for his love but praise his skill and art likewise Thus we are not only to consider the mercies God giveth us but the wisdome that God demonstrateth at that very time making every mercy to be with an aggravation Again Meditation will inflame by apprehending of Gods freenesse in every mercy and our unworthinesse We could do nothing that may provoke God especially this we are to aggravate in our spiritual mercies as Paul doth often excluding
to take away his mercies that is the effects of his mercy not the attribute of mercy This you must diligently attend to because the effects of Gods mercy are more and less but the attribute in God cannot be so God is not more or less mercifull neither doth Mercy as an attribute oppose Justice as an attribute but the effects of Gods Mercy may be and are contrary to the effects of his Justice 3. We must distinguish between Gods general mercy and his special His general mercy is extended to all the creatures The whole world is full of his mercies Psal 33. 5. So his mercy is said to be over all his works Would the world subsist for a moment when the Inhabitants thereof are so full of rebellion against God were it not for his mercy All that we see we hear we taste we feel is nothing but mercy His special mercy is to rational creatures men and Angels and that again is two-fold More special and most special More special is the vouchsafing of the Gospel and means of grace both to the wicked and the good This Kingdom of Heaven is set open for both But then there is the most special mercy and that is vouchsafed only to the elect by which means they are converted justified and shall be glorified and of this it is the Apostle speaks Rom. 9. 15. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy Thus much may suffice for the Doctrinal information about this truth Let us in the next place take notice what is comprehended in this expression Father of mercies For this is a box of ointment to be opened and bestowed upon poor souls and while this glory of God doth pass by we can see but the back parts of it First When he is said to be the Father of mercies this implieth That he only giveth mercies and receiveth none So that as the father giveth being to the child but receiveth nothing of the child Thus God he is the Father of mercies because he is absolutely sufficient in himself he needeth nothing from any because then there would be a superiour to God And this consideration may greatly aggravate the glorious Nature of God in being mercifull in that he himself is like the Sun giving light but receiving none at all We cannot say of Angels they are the Fathers of mercies because though they be ministring spirits to serve us An Angel was sent to comfort Christ yet they need mercy as well as we The river needs the spring but the spring is the last and needeth not the river and so Angels and men they need mercy every way but God he needeth none only he is the giver of all It being more blessed to give than to receive even in this sense Secondly When he is called the Father of mercies it implieth The voluntariness and readiness in God to it Psal 103. Like as a father pitieth his children c. We do not intreat or hire a father to pity a miserable child his own bowels perswade him to it Now this is much more in God For as the Psalmist argueth He that made the eye shall not he see So he that giveth bowels and pity to parents shall not he much rather be mercifull So that as it is for holiness if all the holiness of men and Angels were put together it would be but a drop to what is in God So if all the mercy and all the compassions of all the fathers and mothers in the world were joyned together it would be nothing to God Oh what dishonour doth thy unbelieving fearfull heart do to this mercifull Father Thou thinkest he hath but the mercy of a man thou judgest of his bowels according to thy own no Gods mercie is as much above thy sinnes and miseries as his Essence is above thy being O nomen misericordia sub quo nemini desperandum But of that more presently Only when he is called a Father of mercies that denoteth the readiness in God and willingness in him and this is remarkable in Gods mercies over what is in mans our mercy is many times because the object miserable is of our own flesh and nature with us It moveth the heart to see one of the same nature with us to be thus miserable but God he is infinitly above man he hath no communion in nature with us and yet he is merciful Again Mercy amongst men is often because we have been under such miseries ourselves They that have the pain of the stone commiserate those that are in the like manner troubled because they know what it is Thus many eminent Ministers of the Gospel are exercised with soul-temptations and desertions that they may know how to mourn with bleeding bowels over those that are so tempted Thus the mercy of Christ as Mediator differs from the mercy of God as absolutely considered For he was tempted like us in all things sinne only excepted Heb. 4. 15. and the reason of this the Apostle giveth That he might be touched with a feeling of our infirmities Christ knoweth what the meaning is of every groan and every sigh that comes from a child in darkness crying out Why hath my God forsaken me Thus Christ as Mediator is mercifull in another way then God is yet this advanceth still the mercy of God that whereas his blessed and perfect Nature cannot know experimentally what it is to be miserable what it is to need mercy yet for all that his breasts are full and no womon is in greater pain to be eased of her burden then God to bestow his mercies Thirdly In that he is a Father of mercies a Father there is implied That he doth lay our misery to heart For although he cannot be passionately affected as man nor is sensible of our infirmities as Christ was yet this doth not hinder but that our misery is taken notice of as really so as to be succoured by him as if it were in the most compassionate Father that is That expression of God concerning the Israelites miseries under bondage is remarkable Exod. 2. 24 25. He heard their groaning he remembred his Covenant he looked upon his children he had respect or knew them See here ears eyes memory and mind all are affected with their trouble So Isa 63. 9. it is said In all their afflictions he was afflicted As then anger against wicked men though in God it be not the ebulsition of bloud about the heart or accompanied with a pale countenance yet it is more really and dreadfull in God than in man Therefore better have all the men of the world angry with thee than God So it is in his mercy in him mercy though it have not humane concomitants yet it 's more real operative and efficacious than all the mercifull fathers in the world is and thou hadst better have God shew mercy to thee than all the men of the world For In the fourth place when he is said to be the Father of mercies there
the Gospel is though to some a savour of life yet to others a savour of death Thus afflictions and troubles to some do discover their hypocrisie and guile as winnowing doth the chaâ—â— but to others they are blessed either to conversion or to edification So that in all the sufferings of the Church we are by prayer to importune God that by these means greater glory may come to Christ and that these waters of persecution may be like those to the Ark which could not drown it but exalted it nearer to Heaven Hence Fourthly We may admire the wisdome power and goodnesse of God that wherein the enemies of Gods Church deal craftily and cruelly in that very thing he is above them working the contrary to that which they are intending For how many persecutors hath the Church had who like Haman resolved to root out the very name of Christianity and their persecutions have increased the number of Christians Thus it must needs be madness and torment to the Churches enemies to see that the wayes they take to demolish is indeed to build up the Church of God Even as it was with Pharaoh when he called a counsel to deal craftily with the Israelites to oppress and diminish them then they were the more multiplied Thus Act. 12. 24. when Herod set himself to kill the eminent servants of the Lord and thereby weaken the Church of God for when the shepherds were dissipated what would become of the flock it is said But the word of God grew and multiplied See how the contrary fell out to Herods design These things premised Let us consider What is the general good promoted by the Churches sufferings And 1. Hereby the glory of God and Christ is the more exalted amongst all that fear him For when the Churches of God shall see the wisdome and goodness of God thus to his people turning all the cruelty and craft of their adversaries to their own good that what they could never do their enemies do for them What glory and praise doth this cause in all Congregations How is the Church indeared hereby to God to trust in him to continue faithfull to him in all exercises God hath been good and will be good God hath turned the greatest evil of men to the greatest advantage and he will do it As Christs death is called a glorifying of him Thus also are the sufferings for Christ the believers glory and not only so but the glory of Christ also What saith Paul Phil. 1. 20. Christ shall be magnified in my body whether by life or death But 2. The great good overflowing to the Church by its sufferings are the propagation and enlargement of the Gospel thereby Phil. 1. 13. Paul there sheweth how his troubles fell out to the furtherance of the Gospel for his bonds were made manifest in Caesars palace and in all other places That of Tertullian is known The blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church When men did behold their faith the râ—patience their constancy and courage it made them enquire into the cause of their sufferings what it was that could make them so constantly endure all kind of torments Insomuch that this was in stead of the working of miracles to bring men to faith So that as the shaking of a ripe flower maketh many seeds fall to the ground and in stead of that one flower many come up in the room of it or as when the Vine hath its branches cut off there come farre more in stead thereof Thus it hath also been by all the troubles on the Church of God by afflictions and by patience under them How numerous did the Church of God grow even like the stars in Heaven Let the Use be To consider those examples of all such worthies who have suffered for Christ whether recorded in Scripture or in Ecclesiastical History read them for thy comfort and thy salvation The word of God and the lives of Martyrs bearing witness to it may much prevail over a stony heart It hath been a good blessing of God that the Names and Histories of most Martyrs have been preserved and recorded for the good of the Church of God to come The lives and sufferings of our Martyrs here in England what influence may they not make upon thee What patience what heavenly mindedness what courage should this put into thee As Abel though dead speaketh Thus do all the godly Martyrs the Bradfords the Ridleys the Latimers they all speak still and God suffereth such persecutions to be as perpetual Sermons to teach us SERM. LI. The Afflictions which others suffer for Christ make much for our Comfort and Salvation 2 COR. 1. 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation THe second particular in this Text as it stands divided is the Consequent or Effect of this tribulation which is set down in a particular and special manner above any other fruit of it and that is two-fold Consolation and Salvation Of the word Consolation enough hath already been said For the other viz. Salvation we shall remit it to the end of the verse where it is again specified So that our work is immediately to proceed to the Observation which is That sufferings for Christ should be so farre from disheartning and offending others that a true and right consideration of them may much provoke our comfort and salvation This truth is of great use For the afflictions accompanying the wayes of Christ have been an offence and a stumbling block to many Now when a curb shall be made a spur when an hinderance a furtherance and we shall be encouraged from those particulars which should drive back this consideration must be very profitable Before we come to amplifie in what manner in what respects persecutions are made thus serviceable to others Let us take notice First That the sufferings of others do work good only occasionally or by way of example We must not conceive any merit or causality as was declared before in Martyrs They are Examples not Mediators Their light did shine that we might thereby glorifie God So that we must take heed that the sufferings of the godly do not obscure the sufferings of Christ that they should not be accounted the only treasure of Christ But as Luther was afraid lest his books should take men off from meditating on the Bible Or as Paul was afraid men should judge of him as if he by his own power had done that miracle and therefore told them It was onely by the Name of Christ. So also it was with all the true Martyrs of Christ they were humble looking upon themselves as unworthy of the name of a Martyr neither would they have their blood derogate from the blood of Christ Hence Secondly We may greatly deplore and bewail the Apostasie of the Church concerning those that were Martyrs and sufferers for Christ in what superstition and sinfull devotion were they plunged in about
universal and pursueth all that call on Christ That as with Christ there is no bond or free no Jew or Gentile all are one so it is also with the enemies of Gods Church in their persecutions all are one to them Look not then for an Ark when all the people of God shall be in the waters Though an Obadiah may live quietly in Ahabs Court when the Elijahs are sought for to be put to death yet this is not alwayes so and that man who will own Christ upon no other condition but that he may not suffer for him or be persecuted for him that man is unsound and rotten at the very heart Secondly Consider that it is no lesse glorious before men and acceptable unto God to be a companion and an associate with those who do suffer then if we did suffer our selves in our own person This hath been alwayes a very hard task for flesh and blood to own the godly while they are in a suffering condition The Disciples themselves proved cowards and unfaithfull in this temptation for when the Shepherd was smitten all the sheep were scattered When Christ was to be crucified all his Apostles fled from him they dared not own him and when Peter was charged to be one of Christs company He curseth and sweareth he did not know the man he was afraid to own so much as the very knowledge of Christ Indeed the godly women Mary the mother of Christ and others they shewed more grace and courage than the very Apostles that all honour and glory may be given to God alone but as for his Disciples they hid themselves and were afraid to be companions with him Hence the Apostle Heb. 10. 33. exhorting believers To call to mind their enduring of a great fight of afflictions he instanceth wherein partly Whilest ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilest ye became companions of them that were so used Here you see to become a companion to those that suffer not to flie from them or forsake them is made a great expression of their love to God Paul also 2 Tim. 1. 16. remembers what Onesiphorus did to him while in bonds he mentioneth it as if he would never have it forgotten any more than that womans box of ointment poured on Christ The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus Why Because he answered his name indeed He oft refreshed me he sought me out very diligently and was not ashamed of my chain What a glorious character is here given to Onesiphorus He was not persecuted himself but he made himself a companion with those that were Paul complaineth of Demas 2 Tim. 4. 10. That he had forsaken him for he was now in hands and to answer before Nero who was known to be nothing but clay and blood mingled together whose cruelty would extend to all abettors and well-wishers If any did but sigh in his time it was a capital crime This fear made Demas as it did all his other friends vers 16. forsake Paul they had not faith and courage enough to venture for him and therefore it 's said He did love the present world he loved his life and liberty too much though some think this was but a temptation in Demas and that he did return to Paul again By this we see how hard a thing it is to own those that are godly in their extremities John 19. 38 39. It is noted both of Joseph of Arimathea and of Nicodemus both Disciples of Christ but secretly for fear of the Jewes yet when Christ was crucified they shewed their boldnesse and courage about Christs body when he was dead And Matth 25. at that terrible day of Judgement judicial processe against sinnes of omission will be for neglect in this I was in prison and ye visited me not When Christ and his cause are discountenanced in the world then unlesse a man have a sincere and upright heart he will curse with Peter and swear That he knoweth not the men These things laid as a foundation let us consider why such sympathizing with and partaking of others afflictions doth interest in eternal glory And First This Reason is evident Because hereby we plainly demonstrate that our Faith in Christ and acknowledging of him is upon divine and spiritual grounds that we do not know Christ and the Christian faith after the flesh Matth. 13. This discovered the thorny ground not to be true and right soil because in time of temptation when the scorching Sun did arise then all the hopefull fruit began to wither This apostatizing from Christ in time of such temptations is so great a matter that we are constantly to pray for the grace and assistance of God therein that we be not left to our selves For Peter being forsaken in some measure only how dreadfull was his fall And for this end it is that God suffereth persecutions and troubles to accompany the profession of his truth that so it may be known who are sound and who hypocrites If thou art but chaff this winnowing will drive thee away They are but a very few that acknowledge Christ upon spiritual and enduring grounds So that though the world rage though enemies be furious and bloudy yet they stand like Mount Sion that cannot be moved Many become Christians as some did Jewes in Mardochees time for fear and because the State favoured the Jewes Outward restraint maketh many take the title of Christians but they live the life of Heathens because the pleasures of sinne are present and affect the sense Orant quia timent peccant quia volunt They pray and performe outward religious duties because they are afraid but they sinne because their will and pleasure inclineth thereunto Now these drossie Christians when they are brought to the fire they presently melt away It cannot be denied but that men may suffer much for a while at least and yet at last deny Christ as we have sad instances in Ecclesiastical History but many times such with that famous Cranmer did prove the more couragious and took an holy revenge upon themselves This accompanying Christ in his dangers hath a notable promise Luke 22. 28. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations therefore I appoint unto you a Kingdome that ye may eat and drinke with me and sit on thrones judging Israel Even as Christ manifested his pure love to us that in the midst of all the agonies and miseries he grapled with from God and men yet he did not give over our cause but compleated our redemption for us If so be Solomon did so much favour Abiathar though he deserved death that he told him he would not put him to death though guilty because he had been afflicted in all wherein his father was afflicted 1 Kin. 2. 26. How much more will Christ say thus to such who have not been driven from him by great afflictions Secondly Such communion in afflictions must needs interest in
Gods promise to doe such things for us yet if he had not the supreame power to order and worke all things when he pleaseth but were subordinate to some higher power then we could not trust in him Hence we justly charge the Papists with Idolatry for trusting in the Virgin Mary whom they call their hope in prayer as also in the other Saints For although they would elude by a distinction of trusting in one as the primary efficient cause and in one as a secondary and instrumental cause in which latter sense they onely trust in the Saints as they would perswade us yet that is against the very nature of divine trust which must have for its object onely that which is supreame and omnipotent So that unlesse they will distinguish of a primary God and a secondary God they cannot so distinguish about trusting in the same manner Even as it is with the other act of faith as it giveth a divine assent to any truth The Schoolmen generally say That the Ratio formalis fidei is Revelatio Divina and Suprema veritas So that we cannot with a Divine Faith believe upon any thing but a Divine Testimony Thus it is in this other act of faith which we call trusting It must be a Divine Promise a Divine Power else we cannot put this holy and divine trust in it As therefore the Psalmist said Some put their trust in their horses some in chariots but we will trust in the Name of the Lord Psal 20. 7. Thus let us Some trust in Angels some in Saints some in great men in wise men but we will trust in the Lord. From hence also it is that we do clearly confute the Socinian who denieth the Eternal Deity of Christ For if Christ were not God if he were onely the best of creatures yet as a creature it would be unlawfull to trust in him we should be guilty of great Idolatry to put confidence in him Now it is plainly a duty to trust in Christ as well as in God the Father Romans 15. 12. Though the root of Jesse yet in him shall the Gentiles trust and that is because he is not a meer man but God as well as man Ephesians 1. 12. So they are called The first fruits of Achaia who first trusted in Christ This then is a plain demonstration of the Godhead of Christ because it is our duty to trust in him You see by all these glorious properties in God which are the full reason of our trusting in him that it is not lawfull under any nice and subtil distinctions whatsoever to put our trust any where but in the Lord. Secondly As God is the object in whom we trust So the matter for which we are to trust in him is all the good things we want There is not any one mercy whether for soul or body but we are to trust in God alone for it Now the good things we want empty themselves in two streames The spiritual mercies and the temporal mercies and we are to trust in God for all these There is not a crumme of bread or a drop of drinke but we are to trust and depend on God for it We are not to trust in our labour in our barne and store but are to lie in prayer at the throne of grace every day as Lazarus did at Dives his gate even for a crum of spiritual mercies and they are of many sorts 1. That which is the ultimate and last end of all grace and holinesse here which is Eternal Life and Everlasting Glory The trusting in God for this is that which should keep up our hearts in all the streights we are to meet with 1 Corinth 15. If we had hope onely in this life saith the Apostle we were of all men most miserable So Titus 1. 2. and 3. 7. there is the hope of eternal life The trusting by faith and by hope are of so near union that one may well be brought to confirme the other Now let a Christian be frequently putting forth these vigorous trustings in Christ for everlasting glory what heavenly joyfull and undaunted resolutions will it work in him 2. There are mercies that are the meanes to lead to this end such as Justification and Sanctification of our natures daily remission of sinnes and a daily preservation in the state of grace that we may never fall away For these things we are certainly to trust for at Gods hand We have Gods promise for these things and who dare question whether God be thus able to keep us to salvation or no Thus remission of sinne is by faith in his blood Rom. 3. Yea the life of a godly man as to his spirituals and supernaturals is wholly in this trusting Thus the just you heard liveth by his faith And Paul professeth aloud That the life he did live Galat. 2. 20. though in the flesh was by faith in the Sonne of God Oh that this spiritual truth were received and digested more by the godly Doe you not look more into your selves then up to God Doe you not more live in the thoughts of your owne graces than of Gods promises Truly the right improving of this Doctrine about trusting in God it would be like Solomon's North-winde to blow away the rain to dispell all sinfull sorrow SERM. LXXII What is required in our trusting in God ex parte subjecti And of the excellency of this grace 2 COR. 1. 9. But in the Lord. WE are treating of this choice and necessary duty of trusting in God and severall things have been spoken to acquaint us with the nature thereof we proceed therefore and as we have told you what is required ex parte objecti to cause this trusting in the Lord from the next place let us declare what is ex parte objecti necessary to this duty And for the explicating of that there are these things concurrent to our trusting in the Lord. 1. There must be a serious and powerfull apprehension of our own inability yea and of the weakness of all Creatures to help us or to do good to us for till this foundation be laid that all power wisedome righteousness and whatsoever the Creature can affoard is but a shadow a reed that can do no good at all it is impossible that we should trust in the Lord. So that by this we may see the difficulty and rarity of this grace for how hard a matter is it thus to be affected about all the meanes that are in the world about all the Creatures we do injoy to look upon them but as those Instruments of Musick which cannot sound any longer then they are blown into How difficult to possess our soules with this principle to look upon thy self and all Creatures no otherwise then the poore creple that lay by the Poole side that could not at all help or move it self That do behold all things as Sarahs dead wombe or Ezekiels dry bones unless the Lord quicken and give
continuing his Mercies to us as well as his conferring Mercies upon us 2 COR. 1. 10. And doth deliver THe Apostle having thankfully acknowledged the goodness of God to him in what was past he cometh to celebrate what was for the present for we see in this Verse the goodness of God extending it self to all differences of times If God should but once help us but once deliver us we should immediately fall into utter destruction Therefore the Apostle observeth that the mercies of God are chained together God doth not only begin to do good but he continueth it Hence he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doth deliver Indeed Beza speaketh of the Syriack Interpreter as not reading this passage and also some Coppies and therefore addeth Fortassis hoc redundat it may be this is superfluous Chrysostome also taketh no notice of it but it being so generally received in most Copies and the Apostle nameing the past and future time it is likely he would also celebrate the goodness of God which he did injoy for the present for if the Lord did not continually deliver all our former deliverances would do us no good The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is observed by Varinus to be customarily used in Homer for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep keeping being a kind of deliverance Hesychius renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the most eminent and principall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save and hence in the Scripture Christ who is the Sauiour is called Rom. 11. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Sion shall come the deliverer Now when Paul speaketh thus in the present tense he doth deliver it supposeth that that as he was as yet in troubles as he saith We suffer even to this present hour 1 Cor. 4. 11. Paul needeth deliverance continually because he is in troubles continually though happily for the present they were not so great as those he formerly conflicted with Again In nameing the present tense he implyeth That if God did not daily keep him the same or the like decumane waves would overwhelme him But lastly With which sense I close this signifieth that it is not enough for God to vouchsafe mercies once to his people unless he continue to do so all the day long From whence observe That Gods continuing of his mercies is as necessary as his first bestowing of them If the Lord should deliver us from any evill and afterwards leave us to our own strength and wisedome to preserve our selves how inevitable would our ruine be Therefore we must turne this Text into Prayer O Lord thou who hast delivered still deliver go on and continue thy helping hand To illustrate this let us consider 1. In what particulars this word in the Text is used in the holy Scriptures for we are apt to look only to bodily deliverances to externall mercies Whereas we shall find a soul deliverance and spirituall deliverance principally spoken of in Gods word and for which Christ is called the deliverer so that the consideration of this should raise us up into spirituall and heavenly Meditations And 1. For a bodily deliverance This Paul speaketh off 2 Tim. 4. 17. I was delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the mouth of the Lion a Lion and the mouth of the Lion he was in the very mouth little hope of salvation When the danger is so extreame whether he meant it particularly of Nero or whether by that he would allegorically express some eminent danger to be sure he meaneth Gods helping hand and that in bodily misery Thus also Paul 2 Tim. 3. 11 enumerating severall persecutions he concludeth but out of them all God delivered me Although therefore spirituall evils are judged by the godly the greatest evills and spirituall deliverances the greatest deliverances yet the godly being men consisting of flesh and blood they also are sensible of externall evils and thereupon do greatly need Gods mercies towards them in their outward deliverances Davids Psalmes do for the most part glorifie and praise God in respect of temporall deliverances and therefore such Psalmes have the most powerfull influence and do most affect the heart when we come to be in the same dangers and feares with him so that in all our outward deliverances we are to acknowledg God only not our own wisedome or our own power Not unto us Lord but unto thy name be all glory given 2. There is also a spirituall deliverance the Scripture mentioneth and this ought diligently to be headed by us 1. There is Christs sperituall deliverance of us 1 Thess 1. 10. in respect of the wrath and vengeance to come we are there said to wait for Jesus which deliuered us from the wrath to come What is that wrath to come even the day of judgement wherein God will be avenged upon all impenitent wicked men adjudging them to those externall torments prepared for the Devill and his Angels Oh how little do men think of the wrath to come so they may enjoy their present pleasures their present lusts and advantages they never remember what wrath is to come for all this Oh let the prophane man say to his soul in the midst of all jollities well for all this there is wrath to come put not this out of your mind day and night but to the godly the Apostle saith he hath delivered us from this wrath to come We may truly say with Agag The bitterness of death is over yea the bitterness of Hell and damnation is over Oh what an unspeakeable deliverance is this who art thou that God should deliver thee from that wrath which consumeth so many thousands how can the believing soul ever let this mercy slip out of his mind When others shall hear that dreadfull sentence depart ye cursed into everlasting fire then shall they be called to inherit everlasting glory Though now for the present for want of saith those future things are not realized to us Yet at that great day when we shall see all these terrible things transacted before our eyes Oh the thoughts of heart that then will work in us what outrages to Mountains and Hils if possible to save them from this wrath The godly are said to be already delivered from it because Christ hath purchased their deliverance and they have right thereunto by the promise of God so that they are as firmely to conclude of it as if it were already done Even as we are said to sit already in heavenly places with Christ 2. There is a spirituall deliverance from the Bower of sinne and Satan We are by nature captives and slaves unto him we are in bondage to every lust and we greedily fullfill the desires of our own corrupt hearts But by Christ we obtain a deliverance we are set free faom the power our former sinnes had over us Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdome of
You may read how happily the Apostle conjoyneth them together Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do It is true the enemies of Gods grace who detract from it in whole or in part do gladly imbrace this truth and compel it to go two miles further than it would They force it so much that blood cometh out in stead of milk As Austin while he writeth against Manichees Pelagians did take some expressions of his commending them exceedingly as that all sinne must be voluntary else it could not be a sinne c. as if he had been on their party Then on the other side when he did valiantly write against the Pelagians they branded him for a Manichee So hard a matter is it to defend truth which lieth between two extreams but while we set against one we are thought to draw nigh to another And thus it is in the Doctrine now observed while we maintain the necessity of our duty as well as Gods grace we are thought to go into the Papists quarters Again while against them we set up the grace and power of God excluding though not the duties and means God hath appointed yet the merit and causality of them we are thought to joyn with the Antinomians whereas indeed we have no affinity with either Let us therefore labour after that spiritual skill and discerning whereby we may be able to know what God doth and what we are to do yet so as not to take off in the least manner from the glory of God First Therefore consider That all the great spiritual mercies which God doth vouchsafe in time to his people have many things concurrent before they be accomplished It is not the presence of one thing alone can effect that mercy unless all be present I say it is thus with these spiritual priviledges God vouchsafeth in time For as for predestination which is an immanent act and the purpose of God from eternity to prepare for glory There is nothing at all concurrent to that but the meer good pleasure of his will The Scripture alwayes resolveth it into that alone but it is otherwayes with justification and glorification For to justification many things are required there is the grace of God as the efficient cause the blood of Christ as the meritorious cause and faith as the instrument the hysop to sprinkle this blood upon the soul Now till all these meet together a man is not justified God indeed hath decreed to justifie thee from all eternity but the actual justification of thy person is in this order and method So for glorification the kingdom of glory is said to be prepared for the godly viz. from eternity they were before the foundations of the world were laid elected to this everlasting happiness but an holy life and a godly conversation is the way thereunto No unclean thing can enter there This being so Hence in the second place It hath alwayes bred much confusion and errour in Doctrine to oppose these requisites one against another To argue from the inclusion of some to the exclusion of others if duty then no Christ if Christ then no duty The Antinomian he argueth If Christ by his blood made atonement for our sinnes if our iniquities were laid upon him then we are justified from that time in the sight of God before we do believe or repent Now whence ariseth this errour Because they consider not that as Christ is required in a meritorious way so also faith in an instrumental way And though Christ do more principally concurre to our justification yet faith is required by necessity of precept and means also Christ without faith doth not justifie no more than faith without Christ Hence they are put together Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath sit out to be a propitiation through faith in his blood The Papist on the other side though the Scripture mentioneth not the word merit and satisfaction yet by their forced consequences they would establish such a Doctrine Now in the sense they and others plead for works notwithstanding all their subtil distinctions The Apostle argueth infallibly Rom. 11. If of grace then not of works and if of works then grace is no longer grace Though therefore some do more grosly then others set up works against Christ yet they become guilty of dishonouring him who give him not the sole glory of our redemption But you will say If Gods grace and our duty must go together if we must look to Christ for salvation and yet to holiness to prayer and repentance as the means conducing thereunto How may we be directed so to live as that we shall give all to the glory of Gods grace and his power and yet to act in the duties God hath commanded without any negligence therein For seeing that Satan is very busie in his temptations on both sides either to be careless of prayer and other ordinances because we are to give all to Christ or because they are necessarily required to put our trust and confidence in the performance of them it is good to be informed wherein the way is clear for a believers avoiding all dangers To answer this which will indeed explicate the whole nature of the Doctrine consider these particulars First Then thou mayest relie on Christ and yet be diligent in the use of all Ordinances when thou doest acknowledge all the power thou hast both in whole or in part to the very beginning of godliness to come alone from him When whatsoever thou art able to do thou doest confess it is his gift thou hast received it from him so that it is not thou that doest it not thy power thy strength but the gift of God alone Thus Phil. 4. 12 13. when he had mentioned that excellent frame of heart That he knew how to abound and how to want yea that he could do all things he mollifieth this presently by adding Christ He could do all things through Christ that strengthned him Here Paul doth put forth the life of grace but the fountain of it is Christ So again 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me or in me exciting of me and giving me strength to do it The trumpet of grace is often in these acknowledgements 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves He doth not say to do but not so much as to think And he doth not say great things or high things but any thing Not the least good thing in his ministerial way but our sufficiency is of God Therefore to curb the insolency of such proud thoughts as if we cou'd do any thing of our selves see with what authority he speaketh 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou that thou diast not receive
grace of God and his favour to thee work thankfulness in thy life It is Gods gift do not then use it for sinne and the devil SERM. LXXXIII Of the Necessity and Usefulnesse of publick Ordinances And of the Churches Interest in its Ministers Mercies 2 COR. 1. 11. That for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf THere remain three particulars in this Text which are at this time to be dispatched The two former because of their affinity shall be joyned together For they contain the persons by whose prayers Paul's gift was bestowed upon him and whose praises are to be returned to God in his behalf Those by whose means this gift was bestowed are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which expression hath caused very many conjectures amongst the learned I shall not be large about the word for we shall meet with the word often in this second Epistle Musculus observing the diversity of interpretations doth offer his conjecture to the learned that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was at first written which by mistake was afterwards turned to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if this were so viz. By many prayers then the coherence would be very evident But it is very dangerous to give way to the expunging of words in the original and to substitute others in the room Though humane Authors may endure such critical hands yet the Scripture being divinely inspired both in respect of the matter and also the very words it behoveth us to be the more fearfull herein Chrysostome readeth the word in the singular number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though afterwards he applieth it to many Retaining then the word the question is about the sense Some by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand the face especially the mouth as if the meaning were by many mouths Others observe that the Greek word with the Septuagint is put for panim which primarily signifieth the face and countenance and from thence the respect and manner of a thing So that the sense should be That thanks should be given to God for many respects There were many considerations in this one mercy for which they were to bless God Others read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the face or presence of many that is in the publick Congregation as 2 Corinth 8. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before the Churches And certainly though we will not contend for the reading of the words so yet the meaning of Paul is That in their Church-societies and publick meetings they should both pray unto God and praise God But we shall pitch upon the ordinary use of the word and understand it for as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By many persons or by many men The second thing is By whom thanks are to be given and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By many Some do adde the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That several wayes or for many things praises may be given to God because they think it very redundant to have persons again expressed Some render it great thankes and eminent praises but it is most consonant to interpret it of persons That the same many who did pray for this mercy were also to praise God for it Therefore from both these joyned together we may take notice That Paul doth not simply look at prayers and praises from others singly and distributively but as conjoyned and collectively The prayers of many met together the praises of many assembled together are more acceptable then of one alone From whence observe That not onely personal prayers and praises but publick and solemn ones performed by many are very acceptable together Chrysostome doth from this enlarge himself concerning the great power that a multitude hath if met in an holy manner to prevail with God They do as it were put God to shame that is his expression he knoweth not how to gain-say many when they knock and importune whereupon he takes occasion to speak of the publick Church-prayers that were then made for the Catechumenoi and doth in particular explicate every petition But we shall keep to the Apostle who doth desire their publick prayers and praises thereby commending the profit and efficacy of them To amplifie this consider this Caution First That though God delights in the assembling of many yet they must be such as are qualified according to Gods will It is not simply a multitude that God regardeth We read of the Israelites that in their distresses they would make their approaches to God in great troops yet the Lord abhorred their Sacrifices because they did not wash themselves nor make them clean so as to put away their iniquities and transgressions farre from them If so be the Wiseman saith That one sinner destroyeth much good then how much good do many destroy If one dead flie spoil a box of ointment what will many dead flies do So that the more assembled together in this manner the more is God provoked For Matth. 18. our meeting must be in Christs name not onely by his appointment but also in that manner he hath required Therefore you must take the Doctrine thus Many godly persons met together doe more prevaile than some few or one onely Otherwise one Job one Daniel may obtaine more at Gods hand then many thousands of wicked men for they have crying sinnes which doe out-cry their prayers This being premised let us consider Why publick duties are to be preferred before private And First Because hereby the glory and honour of God is more promoted If the multitude of Subjects be the glory of a King then also is the multitude of true and spiritual worshippers the glory of God Hence David doth professe That he will blesse God in the great Congregation Psal 22. 25. and Psal 26. 12. Psal 40. 9 10. The greater the Congregation is if duly qualified the more honour cometh to God Hence it is that in the Old Testament God commanded set dayes for all the people to meet together and worship God And in the New Testament we have frequent instances of the Churches meeting together to worship God Insomuch that it is a very sinfull reasoning which some have What should they goe to Church for They can stay at home and read of a good book and so get as much good Oh but know ô vain man Though that should be granted which yet is not that thou couldst profit as much yet thou owest honour and glory and worship to God and that in the Congregation Do not the Angels in multitudes praise God together Why is it called a Church but because many are to have communion together So that unlesse God doth dispense with thee that he will have no honour or glory from thee it is thy sinne if not otherwise necessarily detained voluntarily to absent from these publick Ordinances The Apostle Heb. 10. 25. doth reprove the manner of some in those dayes who did not
inflicted on the offenders Secondly This simplicity of spirit in reference to man is accompanied with ingenuity candour and truth His heart and his words his promises and his hands go along together And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of a transparent breast that doth abhor all lying cosening and a double tongue How carefull is the Apostle towards the end of this Chapter and something this Text is relating to that to clear himself from inconstancy and falshood as if he were yea and nay So that simplicity is accompanied with verity in affections and veracity in promises There is a conformity between the mind and words The Iesuite by his principles of equivocation calling it prudens defentio is farre from this simplicity the Apostle here doth rejoyce in Aristotle lib. 4. Ethic. cap. 17. maketh this verity to be a moral virtue though he saith the Greeks have no name for it he placeth it in the middle between two extreams the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a man doth boast and brag of such things in him which are not indeed Thus the Pharisee and the civil man yea Aristotle himself for all his moral Philosophy were guilty of this arrogancy attributing that to themselves which was not in them Simplicity giveth all to God nothing to his own power The other extream is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when men do dissemble the good things that are in them will not own them Aristotle maketh Socrates guilty of this Now it 's true there may be much hypocrisie in dispraising our selves and we may affect humility when thereby we exalt our pride So that the child of God which hath this simplicity is bound to acknowledge the good things God hath done for him and in him it is not pride but thankfulnesse to do so Paul did not arrogantly boast when he professeth his simplicity it was not pride to own his sincerity And this is necessary for the godly to be informed in for they are so jealous and suspicious of themselves that they dare not say they feel what they do feel If Christ should ask them as Peter Lovest thou me They would stand amazed not knowing what to say when yet at the same time all their trouble is because they love Christ no more and because they do not arrive at such a pitch of holines as they desire Know then as Aristotle by the light of nature so much more a Christian by the light of grace may conclude that it is a sin contrary to that simplicity that should be in us not to acknowledg what God hath done for us Thus Hezekiah pleaded the truth of his soul and Paul here and also in many other places professeth his uprightnesse of heart and abundant labouring for the propagation of the Gospel neither could they be charged with pride and arrogancy herein By which we see that as a man in the simplicity of his heart is carried out to the whole service of God so he doth herein take notice of and acknowledge the grace of God towards him Therefore it is our duty to observe and thankfully acknowledge the graces of God in us provided alwayes we avoid those particulars which Carthusian mentioneth Lib. 2d. dist in a verse that do alwayes pollute or puff up Ex se pro meritis falsò plus omnibus inflat 1. That we do not think we have these good things by our own power and ability 2. That it is not for any merit or desert of ours that God giveth us grace and passeth others by 3. That we do not falsly boast of such things as are not indeed in us 4. That we do not Pharisaically preferre our selves above others These four things do overthrow the very foundation of many popish principles From these things thus declared there is first an Use of Instruction by way of Corollary viz. That godly simplicity is not natural simplicity or meer childishnesse God for many ends causeth some to be born natural fools and ideots such are not excluded from salvation God may have his wayes unknown to us of reaching home to their hearts and infusing grace into them But this simplicity is that which doth consist in subduing the guile and hypocrisie that is in mans heart whereby we are prone to do the things of God for sinister respects and thereby lose our spiritual reward Again Much more doth this Christian simplicity differ from sinfull and affected simplicity when men by their lazinesse and negligence attain not to any sound knowledge in Religion How many simple old persons are there that have lived many years in this world and yet know no more than a child about the principles of Religion Yea every wicked man is often by Solomon called the simple one and therefore wisdome doth earnestly invite them to forsake this folly Thou that art apt to censure the generation of such as fear God as so many weak simple persons they are very contemptible in thy eyes Oh remember that all impiety is grosse simplicity You are the Devils fools for his bables you lose a crown of glory In Hell when it is too late you will then rage and rave to see what fools you have been when you shall see these despised ones received into glory and you cast into eternal torments Use 2. Of Admonition to all such who seem to walk in the wayes to Heaven who are often in hearing in praying often in the religious duties God requireth above all things look to the singlenesse of thy heart in these things thou wilt else have no glory from God nor true comfort in thy own conscience As Solomon said Whatsoever thou doest do with all thy might so whatsoever thou doest do it in plainnesse of heart looking up to God onely and remember though men see not thy carnal motives nor the crooked windings of thy heart yet the all-seeing eye of God beholds the very atomes as it were within thee How great will thy confusion be if at the day of judgement God shall reject all thy glistering holinesse saying you did it not to me in all these duties you served not me Even as God complaineth of those hypocritical Jews Zech. 7. 5. When ye fasted and mourned in those moneths did ye it to me even to me This want of singlenesse of heart respecting God only was that which made all their Religion abominable unto God SERM. XCI Of the true Nature of Godly Sincerity 2 COR. 1. 12. And godly sincerity THis is the second word wherein is positively expressed the manner of Paul's conversation in the world Although both the words tend to the same purpose yet simplicity doth more respect the frame and inward constitution of the heart and sincerity doth more denote the purity and integrity of our aims and ends in holy things In the expression we may take notice 1. Of the grace it self viz. Sincerity 2. The limitation or qualification of it
the property of those who are godly to take nothing to themselves but to give all to the grace of God You see here though Paul was so eminent for godlinesse and so admirable for gifts yet he maketh the grace of God to be alone the sole Authour of all spiritual successe This subject the Apostle doth very willingly enlarge himself upon wheresoever he hath occasion Hence in the fore-mentioned place 1 Corinth 15. 10. he saith By the grace of God I am what I am The grace of God made him an holy man The grace of God made him an eminent Apostle he had nothing as a private Christian or as an Officer but by the grace of God and because many may have grace in a common way bestowed upon them that yet abuse it as Judas he addeth This grace was not in vain Yet lest it should be thought that it was his improvement of the grace bestowed that made it so effectual he presently correcteth his expression Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me As it is not the pen but the Writer that is a cause of fair Characters Let us discover this Doctrine And First We see the Apostle rejoycing in the sincerity of his heart and yet acknowledging all to the grace of God so that these two may well stand together to take comfort from our holinesse yet to put our trust in nothing but the grace of God It is true this is a very hard lesson to performe there is required much skill and prudence herein for we are apt to runne into extreames Either through unbelief and peevishnesse we nourish doubts and perplexing thoughts in our selves not taking notice of the grace of God in us Or else if we doe behold it and rejoyce in it we are presently in a secret manner lifted up and confident thereby But we see by the Apostles practice both are consistent together So that the people of God are diligently to labour after this heavenly frame of heart To be in doubts and fears about thy condition is to live in the jaws of hell and to be presuming or carnally confident of thy graces is the next door to a sad and miserable downfall Secondly It is not enough to acknowledge the grace of God in the general but so to set up grace as to give all to it The Apostle maketh an immediate opposition between grace and workes Rom. 11. 6. there cannot be a reconciling of grace and workes together This hath been often attempted but as unhappily as the building up the walls of Jericho again The Pelagian Arminian the Socinian and Papist all these doe acknowledge grace but when we come to the root of the matter it 's nothing at last but the free-will and workes of a man It is his good use of grace that doth determine and make all things effectual not grace it self And this is the rather to be noted because Stapleton would antidote against Calvin's poison as he speaketh from this Text. For whereas Calvin taking notice of the Apostles glorying in the testimony of his conscience concernin his sincerity doth shew that Paul hereby doth not oppose that command Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord because Paul giveth all to the grace of God and resteth alone upon that From this Stapleton would excuse the Papists also because they acknowledge all good workes to come from grace Their merits are founded onely upon Christs merits Even as it doth not derogate from the power of God that he useth second causes in natural things because they are subordinate to him both in their being and operation but it doth illustrate as his bounty so his power the more to make other things powerfull Thus saith he it is not injurious to the grace and merits of Christ if we attribute merit to our workes seeing this cometh onely from Christ but it argueth his fullnesse and rich grace the more that communicateth of it to us So that saith he to put trust in the workes of grace as the proxim and immediate cause but in the grace of God as the chiefe and universal cause is no derogation to the honour and glory of Christ But that of the Apostle must be alwayes remembred If of grace then not of workes otherwise grace is no more grace It is not grace unlesse it be grace every way And therefore to make our workes the second causes to trust in though it be not so high a wickednesse as to exclude Christ throughly yet it doth in part and therefore as in the matter of worship we admit of no primary and secondary worship no more than a primary and secondary God So it is in matter of trusting we must depend only upon Christ not but that holinesse and godly works are necessarily required but not as causes under any subtil distinctions whatsoever These two things premised let us now consider What is that grace which the Apostle doth here exalt against all fleshly wisdome And First As the ground-work of all there is to be understood That grace of God whereby he was called out of that pharisaical estate and condition of enmity against Christ to be a faithfull and ready servant to him This wonderfull grace of God to him doth often melt the heart of Paul he speaketh of it with aggravating particulars as much as may be Thus Galat. 1 15. When it pleased God who called me by his grace to reveale his Sonne in me c. And therefore 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. he acknowledged himself an instance Because the chiefest of sinners of the long-suffering of Christ In Paul's conversion there were no preparations no merits of congruity there was no docible and fitted dispositions Insomuch that the adversaries to Gods grace do acknowledge Paul's conversion to be an extraordinary thing In the midst of his persecuting sury when God might have struck him dead with thunder and lightnings from Heaven and so send him quick as it were to Hell God did visit him with his grace and give him another heart to his own amazement and of all those who heard of it So if you look upon Paul in a single capacity as a private person in the whole course of his life he giveth all to the grace of God Secondly The grace of God which Paul doth also greatly exalt is In the setting of him apart to be an Apostle and an eminent Officer in the Church of God This crooked and rough timber that was onely fit for the fire God doth not onely polish and smooth by grace but advanceth it to be an eminent part in the building notwithstanding all Paul's former unworthinesse God doth not onely by his grace call him but maketh him an honourable vessel in his house This our Apostle doth likewise with great enlargement in many places take great notice of See how emphatically is he affected with this grace of God towards him Ephesians 3. 7 8. Whereof I was made a Minister according to the gift of
the grace of God given unto me unto me who am lesse than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Doe not these words proclaime how greatly his heart is affected with the grace of God in setting him apart to be an Officer in his Church and to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles Thus the grace of Conversion and the grace of Apostleship are a two-fold obligation upon Paul for ever to keep him humble and lowly in his own eyes Thirdly The grace of God exalted by Paul is seen In the inabling of him in his ministerial worke and going along with him in an effectual manner That whereas he had so many adversaries the false Apostles who gloried in humane wisdome and all external enticements of the flesh of man yet for all that that his seeming folly should conquer their towering wisdome that his contemptiblenesse should surmount their eminency This argued that it was not Paul but the grace of God with him that was thus effectuall Even as it was not little David in his own power but in the name of the Lord that did destroy that vaunting Goliah Now as there were many choice ingredients that did make up that precious ointment which was to be poured on the head of the Highpriest So there are also many choice and gracious qualifications with the Concomitants thereof required in those who are Pastours over people especially in the Apostles who were Pastours over Pastours as well as people As First It was the gracious worke of God To make Paul to be sincere and to walke in all plainnesse and integrity of heart whereas we see many in the broaching of their false wayes are filled with great deceit and subtilty The Apostle chargeth upon such who deliver false Doctrines Ephes 4. 14. By cunning craftinesse and sleight of men they lie in wait to deceive Those that are false Prophets in the Church of God they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A strange slighty jugling and even bewitching of men but it is from the grace of God that those who are his true Ministers are sincere and upright They have an agreement betweene their heart and tongue It was the speech of one reading Lectures in the Popish Schooles Sic dico quando sum in Scholis sed penes nos sit aliter sentio I speake thus when I am in the Schooles but to tell you a secret I thinke otherwise It was also a boast of another Fredericus Staphylus That he had so many yeares beene a professour of Divinity in the Schooles and yet no hearer was able to tell what judgement he was of Gerhardi Cathol Confessio lib. 1. par 2. cap. 19. Now this craft and dissimulation in the old Dragon and his seed is no wonder but the Ministers of Christ as they believe with their heart so they make confession with their mouths and dare not but reveale the whole counsel of God It was horrible impudence in Melanthus the Grecian who having got a Kingdome by fraud and deceit did in honour thereof as if it were pleasing to their gods appoint Festivals calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as coustning and deceiving inculcating that of the Poet Dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirat Capel Histor An. Mund. 2872. Certainly the Church of Rome and many other Hereticks have gone by no better Rule counting gaine godlinesse counting lying and dissembling godlinesse when they conceived that it made for their end As if they were of that Kings mind Darius Hystaspes that to lie and speake truth were all one For he that spake truth did so to obtain his desires and so he that lied did no more and therefore both truth and a lie were all one Vide Laurent Vul. Jisuit cap. 1. pag. 30. But oh how abominable is this and contrary to the Spirit of Christ The grace of God in such who are his faithfull Ministers maketh them not to turn into such false and crooked wayes though the preaching of the truths of Christ bringeth much hatred and opposition though they know they are unwelcome and despised and that for their very message sake yet they consult not with fleshly wisdome but doe the work of God zealously and with much faithfulnesse And truly the Ministers of God are much to pray for this grace of God upon them that they may be above all humane feats all sinfull compliances and be afraid of nothing but that they should sinne and not preach the Gospel with that boldnesse as they ought to do That great commendation which the spies gave Christ upon a wicked designe is to be endeavoured after by every faithfull Minister of Christ Luke 20. 20. Master we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly neither acceptest thou the person of any but teachest the way of God truly So that you see this sincerity in the Ministers of God is the special effect of Gods grace towards them And therefore let us make an Use of Admonition to all such as desire to serve God in the way of the Ministry that above all things they would pray to God for this grace To have thy ministerial conversation with much wisdome and learning with great applause and glory in the world is nothing so advantagious as this integrity of spirit This is above parts above gifts above books and all learning It is said of Barnabas Act. 11. 24. He was a good man full of the holy Ghost and of faith and much people was added to the Lord This followed as a blessed effect upon the former If we Ministers had more mighty workings of Gods Spirit in us we should find more mighty workings of his Spirit with us SERM. XCVI Wherein the Grace of God appeared towards Paul in his Ministerial Labours 2 COR. 1. 12. But by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world WE are enumerating the particulars of that grace which the Apostle doth especially acknowledge in his ministerial course We proceed therefore and First The faithfulnesse of Paul to his Apostolical trust fixing his heart upon that and using no other meanes then what are proportionable and commensurate to such a noble end was wholly of the grace of God towards him It is required of Stewards that they be found faithfull saith this Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 2. and with this grace God had honoured him Insomuch that we do not find in Paul any halting any carnal compliance which might contradict the holy end of his Apostolical Office Those are two noble expressions 2 Corinth 10. 8. Our authority the Lord hath given us for edification and not for destruction The other is 2 Cor. 13. 8. For we can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth In these Texts we have expressed the end of all ministerial power it is for edification And therefore if any
no greater joy than to see my children walk in the truth so 2 Epist Ver. 4. Lastly When they live in accord and Love when they think the same things and speak the same things Phil 2. 2. Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded and let nothing be done through strife and vain glory But these may suffice Use of Instruction How much it lieth a people upon so to live and so to walk that they may rejoyce the Ministers of God To take heed of that ignorance of that Impiety and wickedness which may grieve them and so they shall give an account with heaviness and not with joy at the great Day Though for the present these things are a fable or a scorne to thee yet remember all the Sermons and Admonitions thou hast had all the pains and studies taken for the Salvation of thy soul will one day witness against thee This will make us with sadness and trembling to think what account can we give of such persons at that great Day we that have prayed for you preached to you mourned for you must then be your Accusers we cannot help it The Lord will require your souls at our hands and then must we say O Lord such a sinner and such a sinner we have reproved him we have declared thy will to him but he would have his lusts though he were damned for them he regardeth his sinnes more than heaven and eternal life Let us conclude all with that sad and serious place and oh that it might never out of your heart but be with you sitting and walking rising and going to bed Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that rule over you and submit your selves c. In which Text is much excellent matter but I shall touch at it onely First There is the Sanction and establishment of a Ministry and Pastors over a people For they are commanded to obey such Where are they then that cry down a ministry think it needless at least no Institution of Christ Secondly Here is established the dignity of Ministers partly by their Titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are Guides Leaders such as are set over you and partly in the duty enjoyned the people which is to obey and submit The first signifieth obedience the other reverence and submission so that they are to yield to the wholesome Counsels of their Pastors and that with honor to them 3. Here is the office of a Pastor to watch for the peoples soules so that if the Honor tempt here is the Duty and danger which may deterr 4. There is the duty of the people as you heard to obey and submit 5. Here is a Reason of it They are to give an account of your soules we are Stewards and to see that one sheep be not lost So that the Ministers office is more dangerous because he must account for himself and many others also which made Chrysostome wonder if any Guide or Officer of a Church could be saved but that he speaketh saith Estius because of the many evil and negligent ones otherwise such as Chrysostome himself would be saved Neither is this Text to discourage good and Faithfull Pastors but rather to comefort them because God will in a special manner be with them and bless their Labours Now the Apostle sheweth that this is a special means to discourage them if by their wickedness people so walk as that they shall render their account with grief For certainly if the more they have converted the greater their accidental joy will be then the more are damned though not by their fault the greater will their grief be And that we might not think it a light matter thus to discourage and grieve a Minister either in his Pastoral labours for their soules as some relate the words or when at the day of Judgment he is to give an account as others he addeth this is not profitable to you that is you will finde the loss of this you will smart for it God will reward them for their Labours though ye be damned Thus God will be avenged for your ingratitude herein But what people think of these things SERM. CIV Of the great changes that will be in the Day of Christs coming 2 COR. 1. 14. In the day of the Lord Jesus VVE now come to consider the time when this mutual rejoycing of Paul and the Corinthians in one another will be most remarkable and that is said to be In the day of the Lord Jesus For although he speaketh in the present tense We are and you are our rejoycing yet that is chiefly to be referred to the last day It is true for the present he had much joy in them and they in him but this was as the gleaning in respect of the Harvest afterwards Beza because the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall be doth render it not in die but ad diem as if the sense were You are kept to be our rejoycing against that day In what sense Paul is called the Corinthians joy or boast you have heard viz. instrumentally not principally Therefore Estius stretcheth too farre more than ordinarily he useth to do when from that expression used by Paul to the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2. 20. Ye are our glory and joy he would justifie their practice in Popery who in their prayers call the Virgin Mary their life and hope For notwithstonding all their subtil distinctions that is to derogate from the Mediatorship of Christ But to our purpose This rejoycing in one another is chiefly to be put forth at the day of Christ And if you ask How can we then rejoyce in any thing but God only Is not the blessednesse of Heaven described by this that we see God that we enjoy him So that to rejoyce in any thing else besides God seemeth to be like desiring a candle when we have the light of the Sunne How can a Minister for example rejoyce in the conversion of such and such persons when he hath an infinite object of joy even God himself to delight in Can any thing be added to that which is infinite To this it is answered that there is an essential and an accidental joy in Heaven The essential one lieth in beholding the face of God to all eternity and this cannot be increased or diminished But then there is an accidental joy which ariseth from particular occasions or motives and though Heaven and eternal happiness doth not consist in this yet it doth accidentally make us to rejoyce in more things Thus the Angels though they do see the face of God and thereby are compleatly happy yet they are said To rejoyce upon the conversion of a sinner And thus the faithfull Pastors of Gods Church the more have been converted by their spiritual labours the greater will their joy accidentally be Not that this degree of joy or glory is merited by any as some have thought for this also is of the
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
For if that individual person be not the Messias then doe we in vaine preach him to be the Mediatour and the Saviour Now this preaching of Christ is the more necessary because of the Jewes that are desperate enemies to our Christianity expecting another Messias judging our Christ to be an Impostor and that he deservedly died upon the Law made against false Prophets and blasphemers So that this was a great part of Paul's preaching to prove that Jesus was the Christ promised for the Jewes being pre-possessed with false principles about a Messias expecting he should come like a temporall Prince to worke externall deliverance for them the more difficult was it to perswade them of this truth And for this ground it is that we have the Scripture attributing so much to the believing of this truth He that believeth Jesus is the Christ is born of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. 4. 15. Whosoever confesseth that Jesus is the Sonne of God dwelleth in him and he in God Hence also it is that our Saviour enquired about this faith so much when any came to him If they did believe he was the Sonne of God If they did believe he was able to doe what they desired The Papists indeed would from hence inferre That there is no such thing required in Scripture as by a special Faith to appropriate Christ to our selves to be mine and thy Saviour because this general faith will suffice say they and Christ required no more than to acknowledge he was the Saviour sent of God into the world to heale sinners but this doth not exclude justifying special faith Onely the great reason why they were required to make a confession of that dogmatical truth viz. that he was the Messias was because that was the thing so greatly controverted at that time if that were believed all the rest would be quickly assented unto So that this is the introductory worke with this we are to beginne That the Jesus crucified at Jerusalem is the Messias promised and that it is in vain to look for any other seeing that all the characters of a Messias given by the Prophets doe so exactly andually meet in him And as for that great Objection that the Jewes have The temporal glorious things attributed to the Messias were not accomplished in Christ The weight of which seemeth so heavy that some expect a second coming of Christ when he will personally reigne in a glorious manner upon the earth and then those promises will be fulfilled But the most proper and solid Answer is That as the Old Testament doth describe Gospel-worship under the Names and Titles of the Levitical service so it doth also declare spiritual and Gospel-priviledges under the names of earthly greatnesse Neither is this any wonder seeing even the New Testament describeth the joy and glory of Heaven by that which is glorious and pleasing to our senses Secondly Christ is to be preached as God and man for so both his Natures are here mentioned Wonderfull hath been the violence of the Devil in raising up cursed Hereticks who have with all their might endeavoured to dis-robe him of either of his Natures Some and they quickly filled the whole world denied the Divine Nature of Christ others though not so numerous they denied his Humane Nature Which opinions though so abominable and very destructive of the Fundamentals yet found many gates and doores set open for their entertainment But if he be not preached as God-man as Emanuel as the Word made flesh then also our faith and consolation is wholly destroyed In the union of these two Natures is founded that aptnesse and fitnesse which is in him to be our Mediatour No meer creature could be a Mediatour no not the highest and sublimest Angel He must be man because man had sinned because the curse of death must be removed by death And he must be God also else he could not satisfie Justice nor remove the curse of the Law It is true God and man united together in one Person is a wonder of wonders there is not the like nor an example thereof in all the world Divines doe bring many instances to illustrate it but none are perfect And indeed if there were the like then it would not be singular Now though Christ be thus often preached amongst us How great is the ignorance of many people in this particular Aske them What was Christ They will say a Saviour or some such thing but to give any understanding account about his God-head and Man-hood therein they faile exceedingly How canst thou be saved that knowest not what Christ was Though it hath been a thousand times preached in thy eares That Christ is God from all eternity and that in time he became man to die for our sinnes yet thou remainest as ignorant as if thou hadst lived amongst Pagans where the Name of Christ is not heard But let the true believer be daily exercising himself upon this mystery of Godlinesse which the Apostle in a most compendious manner doth describe 1 Timothy 3. 16. God was manifest in the flesh c. Neither is this speculatively to be believed but it is to advance godlinesse and therefore called the mystery of godlinesse For what holinesse what love what thankfulnesse what reformation should this make in that God is made man Cur Deus fit homo si non corrigitur home Therefore the Socinian that denieth the God-head of Christ taketh away that great incentive to godlinesse which the Scripture urgeth from Gods manifestation in the flesh Thirdly Christ is to be preached in his Person and Offices as well as his Nature That he is one Person not two Persons though he hath two Natures And herein also faith doth transcend reason here is a particular above the reach of the most intellectual capacity How there can be an individual humane Nature and yet not have a personal subsistency compleat of it self which yet it hath not in Christ for then Christ would be two Persons one as God and another as man which is absurd to think It is well called Christian Faith because in this the understanding of a man must only acquiesce upon the testimony of the Scripture Therefore when the Scripture saith Christ was made like us in all things sinne onely excepted we may also adde the manner of his humane subsistency which is not as in other men but his Office that is to be celebrated with great joy How were the Angels affected with this though they did not immediately reape the benefit by his death Now this Office of Christ is made by Divines three-fold a Priest a Prophet and a King the summe of it consisteth in being a Saviour and a Redeemer from all our sins both in respect of the guilt of them as also the power of them It is woe with the Church when Christ is not thus preached the alone Saviour the alone Mediatour Now how abominably derogatory the Popish preaching in many ages hath been to
without the promises He is the heir and therefore contrary to those in the Parable Let us not kill him but obey him and receive him for our Lord and then the inheritance will be ours Canst thou upon good grounds say Christ is mine then thou maist also say all the promises are mine but know Christ cannot be thine upon any other terms than by forsaking all thy sins though never so pleasant and profitable Christ cannot be thine unlesse you leave every thing else for him This is the pearl that we must sell all to make ours and truly no tongue is able to expresse or heart to conceive the desperate condition of those to whom no promise of grace doth belong they are herein like the damned in hell It is true in your extremities in your terrours you will call for mercy cry out for pardon but where is the Christ in whose name this is to be obtained Certainly if Christ be yours the spirit of Christ also subduing your lusts and sins for you SERM. CXXVIII The Promises give glory to God both as they are made by him and beleeved by us 2 COR. 1. 20. And in him amen unto the glory of God by us WE are now arrived at the finall cause or end of Gods promises and their confirmation in Christ which is said to be Gods glory and that by us The Ministers of the Gospel are the instruments who do offer these promises and so God is glorified by their ministerial labours Some copies indeed reade our glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounding it in this sence that it is the glory of the Ministers of the Gospel to proclaim the year of Jubilee the acceptable time of Gods promises but that is not so probable Some also as we have formerly hinted reade it thus and therefore in him is Amen to the glory of God Thus the Vulgar Latine and one Manuscript Greek copy which Calvin doth commend calling that connexion we have frigida a frigid and cold one whereas this doth notably discover the duty of all beleevers that they are to set to their Amen as a Seal to Gods Promises and certainly it is a blessed thing for the people of God to be nourished up in the Evangelicall Amen We do with more ease use the word Amen optatively Let it be so then confirmatively So it is For if we did give our Amen in this latter sence to the promises our hearts would have full quietnesse and serenity after our prayers when we had cast our burthen upon the Lord then we should no more disquiet our selves with doubting thoughts whether the Lord will fullfill his promises or no. So that this Amen would exclude all ergo's all arguings and doubtful disputations we are apt to molest our selves with Now although we shall not follow those copies that reade it so yet that sence must necessarily be included for then are promises to Gods glory when they are beleeved and received by us Let us then seriously consider the end of Gods promises why hath he taken such a full and sure way for beleevers The Text telleth us it is for the glory of God we would think the promises had this rather for their end to bring salvation to us and so indeed that is a subordinate end but the Apostle he instanceth in the principall and chiefest end of all which is Gods glory And therefore Chrysostome doth well observe upon this Text that this is a sure argument to prevail with God in our Petitions for the accomplishment of Gods promises for though he might neglect our salvation yet he will not his own glory saith he though thy happinesse be no argument yet his own honour will be a motive to prevail so that the words then afford this Observation That the promises of God are made on his part and are to be beleeved on our part to the glory of God When we beleeve Promises we do not only advantage our selves but we also glorifie God This is not sufficiently thought of for we are apt to look upon faith in a Promise as that which is for our comfort our profit only and do not attend that hereby also we do exceedingly glorifie God Hence Abraham is said Rom. 4. 20. to be strong in faith giving glory unto God That the usefulnesse of this doctrine may appear we will consider the Promises first on Gods part who promiseth them and shew how this maketh to the great glory of God and then on the beleevers part while he giveth his Amen to them And for the first Gods glory is exceedingly manifested in promises by these particularly First Hereby his bounty and goodnesse is made known The Lord as you heard formerly was infinitely sufficient in his own self Nothing can adde to the blessednesse of God no more than a feather can to the weight of a mountain Had God created no world or creatures therein he had been altogether happy in himself when he made the creatures It was not for that end that Eve was to Adam to be a meet help to him No it was his plentifull goodness for bonum quo melius eo magis diffusivum God is said indeed to make all things for himself he is the end of all but as Lessius the Jesuite expresseth it he is not finis indigentiae but assimilationis not an end of indigency as if he wanted any thing by us but an end of assimilation and perfection whereby he would reduce the rationall creatures to his own likenesse we may then with enlarged hearts admire the goodnesse of God in all his promises Hath the Lord promised to be gracious to pardon sin to sanctifie and subdue corruptions give glory to God in all these things Be like a David a sweet singer of the praises of God thou maist reade in every promise the glorious attribute of Gods goodnesse and bounty Secondly As we may see the glory of his goodnesse in promises so also the glory of his love We may there reade how great his affections are to us he layeth aside as it were his absolute Majesty his terrible greatnesse and condescendeth to deal with us in a way of promise he giveth us leave by this to have confident and familiar converse with him so that as it was the unspeakable love of God to become man for our sakes thus also it is to become in promise to us so that whereas the Majesty of God might affright us his commands and threatnings might amaze us Now his promises they give us encouragement and we are with Moses admitted as it were to speak to God face to face as one familiar friend to another he giveth us the key when he maketh a promise to come into his chamber of presence when we will or to go in his wine-cellar for all spirituall refreshments when you come with a promise you have a mandamus as it were for every door to open to you and to receive you in These promises
glory than if there were no promise no grace no mercy and pardon Let not then the People of God have low thoughts of Faith No thou dost more in beleeving and bâ—ingest more glory to God thereby than thou couldest do by all thy other obedience Shouldest thou mortifie sinne to thy desire Shouldest thou dye a Martyr for the Cause of God thou wouldest not so glorifie God as thou dost by beleeving I know this seemeth very Paradoxall to the humbled sinner I know he is difficultly perswaded that by trusting in God he doth thus glorifie God but if thou understandest the Scripture-way then thou wilt quickly see as to beleeve is the most difficult duty so it is the most consequentiall for Gods glory And indeed what have other Duties admirable in them that Faith it self in the Promise hath not in beleeving the understanding is mortified in beleeving the will is crucified in beleeving the Heart and Affections are martyred So that faith maketh a man to be offered up as an whole burnt-offering unto God Use of Instruction That the onely way to make a man live a joyfull life in himself and a glorifying life of God is by faith in the Promises This is that Faith by which a just man is said to live so that thy doubts thy fears thy unbeleeving thoughts these bring a dishonour to God these reproach the Gospel-way these obscure the honour of Christ Let then the godly soul take heed how it giveth way unto such temptations if your own consolation if the glory of God be dear unto you then bolt out unbeleef No wonder if the devil that is so great an enemy to the glory of God doth assault your souls most in this if he have broken down this part of the wall what legions of other sinnes may not he bring with them For this reason many Divines say Sola infidelit as damnat which is not to be understood as if other sinnes were not meritorious of damnation yea and did actually damn only that opposeth the Physician that would heal us that refuseth the atonement that is made for us Secondly As the Promises are thus to be improved for Gods glory by beleeving so also attend to another effect which the Scripture doth inferre from them and that is to cleanse our selves to be every day perfecting holinesse For so the Apostle notably exhorts us 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having these Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit Promises are no waies incentives to sinne or encouragements to evil works No but a strong antidote against them Neither is faith in them a light superficiall assent swimming upon the heart as a fowl in the water said Luther but as water calefied doth no more manifest its own coldnesse but the heat of the water so doth faith fermentate and leaven the whole soul of a man that humane things do not so much appear as divine things in him As the Apostle expresseth the energy of it when he said I no longer live but Christ in me and that life is by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. Thou then that sayest all thy trust is in the Promises thou hopest in them for mercy and pardon Are they cleansing Promises purifying Promises Do they perfect holinesse every day in thee through the fear of God SERM. CXXIX Our Settlement and establishment in the faith of the Promises is the gracious work of God alone 2 COR. 1. 21. Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God THe Apostle having formerly spoken of his constancy and unchangeableness in the preaching of the Gospel lest this should be attributed to his own power he informeth them who is the fountain of this strength even God himself For the Apostle doth upon all occasions delight to exalt grace having experimentally found the mighty work of it upon his own soul Or we may make the coherence this The Apostle in the verse preceding spake of the certainty of Gods Promises in themselves they were in themselves Yea and Amen which is called certitudo objecti though some learned men think that it is not a proper expression Now in this Verse he cometh to the certitudo subjecti or to show whence it is that the children of God have this assured perswasion in their own hearts that they are true and constant whence it is that we are able to give our Amen as a note of confirmation to them and therefore in the words we may take notice of The blessed and happy Effect it self and that is 1. Confirmation he which stablisheth 2. The Subject of this us with you 3. The Object in whom in Christ 4. The efficient Cause of this is God 5. The Illustration of this Establishment by a threefold Similitude of anointing sealing and giving the earnest 6. By whom God doth this and that is by his Spirit as it followeth in the next verse So that in these two Verses is the proper seat of that excellent and precious Doctrine Which is The assuring and sealing of the Spirit of God that is given unto Believers But I begin with the First It is God that establisheth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though we render it now yet some make it causal for he that stablisheth us c. and that seemeth more probable The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Varinus maketh the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Adjective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. is made the same by Hesychius with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be shaken or altered this word is sometimes used of the Doctrine of Christ when that was confirmed and made sure by miracles or otherwise Mark 16. 20. Thus an oath is said to be the confirmation of the end of a strife Heb. 6. 16. or else of persons as here in the Text and Col. 2. 7. stablished in the Faith which being used passively denoteth that this strength and power we have cometh from God only That we of our selves are like reeds shaken with every winde It is the grace of God that maketh us pillars in his Church So that from the Text we may observe That our establishing and confirming in the faith of the promises is alone the gracious work of God Though the Promises be never so lovely and precious though never so profitable and necessary for us yet we are not able to rest our selves upon them but by the power of God strengthening us Our hearts do so quake and tremble with the consideration of our own sinnes and unworthiness that unless the Lord make it stedfast and immoveable we are tossed up and down like the leaves of a tree That it is God alone who doth thus preserve and confirm us is plain by that notable place 1 Pet. 5. 10. where the Apostle prayeth that God who had called them would make
instances what weaknesse is upon the best if the Lord forsake them but for a while Peter was so confident of his immoyeablenesse that he thought though all others should deny Christ yet he would stand it out but how sadly did he fall to the great bit ernesse of his soul Thus the godly appear sometimes like Trees in the winter which though having some life in the root yet outwardly have no apparent difference from those that are stark dead and all is because they have not that establishing grace they use to have Let not then the strong man in grace glory in his strength nor the swift man in the wayes of Heaven glory in his swiftnesse and fervency for he is alone supported by the power of God Yea which is the more observable you may see them falling and staggering in those particular graces wherein they seem to be most corroborated Abraham is the Father of the faithfull and yet he discovered much carnal fear in Abimelech's countrey Moses was the meekest man upon the earth yet in what a froward passion when he struck the Rock which so provoked God that thereby he had onely a sight of Canaan and was not permitted to enter thereinto Peter is noted to have the greatest fervency and zeale of all the Apostles and yet how surprized with cowardize and sinnefull feare In these graces of all other you would not have thought they should stumble and and fall But behold how it is the arme of the Lord that doth beare us up Secondly This truth is demonstrated from those wonderfull dispensations towards his best servants Many are the temptations that they are assaulted with and all this is to shew their impotency to them to discover their infirmities to them that so they may be humble alwayes in their own eyes Thus Abraham and Jacob they were in constant exercises no sooner were they delivered from the Lion but a Bear met them one wave followed another And what was the end of all this but to keep them in continual dependance and waiting upon God David also was constantly in a wildernesse where no water was and Gods end herein was to make him see his salvation was in God alone Yea Paul himself though by the grace of God he was so preserved that after his conversion we read of no other extraordinary fall he had yet lest hereby as also from many other glorious priviledges he enjoyed he should be puffed up above measure 2 Cor. 12. he had the buffetings of Satan and a thorn in the flesh to make him go out of himself and to rest on Christ only So that Gods end in putting them upon these trials is to instruct them wherein or in whom their strength doth consist Thirdly That it is God alone who doth stablish the most holy will appear If you consider how great the power subtilty and malice of the Devil is who is set against them more than any others As Christ told his Apostles Satan had a desire to sift them as wheat Luk. 22. 31. Thus the Devil doth with the greatest violence oppose those that are more esteemed for gifts and graces than others These like Uriah stand in the fore-front of the battle for if they â—alâ— if they become a stumbling block and a reproach God is more dishonoured wicked men are more hardened then if many weak Christians should fall and therefore those that are remarkably godly they are to be so farre from high-mindednesse and self-confidence that indeed they are to be in the greatest fear and watchfulnesse for it is such as thou art the Devil aimeth at The trees full of fruit have the greatest violence made upon their boughs Now alas what is a godly mans strength to the Devils violent assaults and subtil insinuations if God did not strengthen him What defence hath a sheep against a roaring Lion Observe that reason expressed 1 John 4. 4. You have overcome Antichrist saith that Apostle but why Because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world In you that is emphatical It 's Christ dwelling in us that keepeth off Satans victorious power and all his instruments Thus also 1 John 5. 5. It is faith that overcometh the world which alwayes relieth on a power without us for faith as it is a grace doth not but as it receiveth strength from Christ As the Vine and Ivy are not supported of themselves but by those trees they lean unto Fourthly It is plain that God alone doth establish the most able believers from that providence of God whereby he many times leaveth such to themselves that in their own experience and acknowledgement of others they may see all help is from God alone This truth the godly are not alwayes so practically convinced of as they should be Hence they are apt to be puffed up sometimes with secret delight and complacency in themselves for which God doth leave them to themselves that they thereby falling may know what they are of themselves and what they are by the grace of God Thus it is noted of Hezekiah a man full of integrity in Gods wayes 2 Chron. 32. 31. God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his heart Even this good man did not know how base false and deceitfull his heart was and therefore God left him and we see the blessed effect of this mercifull desertion vers 26. Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart Is not here then a plain instance that God many times in much mercy leaveth the godly to themselves that so they may have full sentiments of this truth upon their hearts This also was the case of Peter who did not answer his name of a Rock in this case and had the Church been built on him as the Papists boast it had fallen all into pieces for it was Christs looking upon him that recovered him not any strength of his own But how cometh Peter thus to stumble and fall It was because of his self-confidence and presumption in his own power yea some have said that Christ left him meerly to himself not for any preceding sinne in Peter but only by way of meer dispensation that hereby an example of humility and holy fear might be left upon record to all ages But that Peter's sinne of gross confidence did deserve this graduall dereliction is more than probable only we grant that as God doth sometimes tempt so also forsake sometimes for sinnes antecedent sometimes from his meer soveraignty and holy wisdome thereby to teach man that which otherwise would not be acknowledged It is indeed a Rule that Deus neminem descrit nisi prius deseratur God forsaketh none that doth not forsake him which may be granted as true if we speak of a desertion by way of anger and punishment but of a desertion by way of mercy and triall or thereby to make way for greater dispensations of his glory so it is not alwayes true
viz. That he is one who feareth an oath Eccles 9. 2. A righteous man a good man and he that feareth an oath are synonymous expressions You see then what a fruitfull field we are plowing up but I shall not venture upon all the cases about Oaths which would require a great volume onely limit my self to my Text which containeth onely an assertory Oath not a promissory And indeed because it is the most formal and expresse oath that we meet with in the Scripture we must improve it according to the desert of it Two sorts of persons there are who have runne into extreames about an Oath First Such who out of a great reverence to God and because every mans word should be as good and as firm as an Oath have therefore wholly refused to use it To such we shall prove the lawfulnesse of it Yea the necessity and duty of it in some cases On the other extream are many prophane and wretched men who use these sacred Oaths in all ordinary discourse vainly irreverently yea sometimes arise to such high impiety and wickednesse as not onely to swear rashly and vainly but also falsly so as to forswear themselves and become guilty of perjury a sinne so contrary to the light of nature that Heathens have severely punished it And God doth seldome let such perjured persons goe unpunished in this world without some remarkable punishment For that terrible threatning will not prove false or a lie Zech. 5. 3 4. where a flying roll that is the curse of God is said To enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof But before we come to these particulars let us first consider of the nature of an Oath an assertory one especially for that is my subject what it is and we may define it to be First A religious calling upon God as a witnesse for the confirmation of any thing in doubt or controversie The Latines call it juramentum or jusjurandum which is all one though some would make a difference because that an Oath doth jus or lâ—gem dare it declareth the right and law as it were of a thing after which we are not to dispute any more Or else because it doth Jus dare Deo or because Jure introductum All Heathens concluding on this remedy by an oath against controversies as most expedient The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some make to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an establishment or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to constringe and bind because an oath brings a bond or strict obligation upon a mans soul Thus Numb 30. 2 3 4. In a vow which in this respect agreeth with an oath therefore it is added Or swear an Oath a man or woman are thereby said To binde their soule with a bond The Hebrew word is ordinarily Shebugna which they derive from Shebang the number of seven because an Oath useth to be amongst many witnesses and withall it is observed that the word to swear is used in Niphal a passive voice signifying thereby that a man is not to swear unlesse he be as it were solemnly compelled unto it Now this definition given of an Oath hath in it four parts The generical Nature the Form the Matter and the End 1. The generical Nature it is a religious calling 2. The Form upon God as a witnesse 3. The Matter which is doubtfull and controversal Lastly The End or the Effect as some dispute which is the confirmation of this For after Oaths there is to be no more arguing Hence Aquinas saith well That what first principles are in speculatives the same is an Oath in practicals Now as first principles are indemonstrable and none may deny them or goe to prove them so is an Oath it is an artificial argument to prove a thing indemonstrably And thus Aristotle defined That it was an indemonstrable argument or word without proof with a reverent and sacred use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhetorica ad Alex. cap. de Jurejurando Let us consider this definition upon which some Cases and Questions of Conscience are afterwards to be built And First We say It is a religious calling upon God Hence an Oath is the worship of God when a man sweareth in a right manner he giveth honour and glory to God believing him to be Omniscient and a searcher of the heart as also an holy Judge who will punish and be avenged upon all such who shall take his Name in vaine Hence it is reckoned in Scripture as part of Divine Worship Deuter. 6. 10. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt sweare by his Name So Deuter. 10. 20. Thou shalt cleave to him and swear by his Name Yea the whole worship of God is sometimes synecdochically contained in this action onely Isaiah 45. 23. To me every tongue shall swear Thus it is made a prophetical promise in Gospel-times That he who sweareth shall swear by the God of truth by which all Gospel-worship is intended Isa 65. 16. Oh how little is this considered by common swearers whose mouths are filled with daily oaths Doe you consider what an Oathis Doe you remember it is a solemne worship of God If God were an Idol yea a man you could not more abuse and despise his holy Name than thou doest Is this to worship God Every oath should be with holy fear and trembling at the Majesty of God But thou tramplest his honour prophanely under thy foot Judge ye how prophane you your selves would think men to be if they should be so vain and customary in other holy worship Should a man take the holy Psalmes and sing them as idlely and as vainly as he doth ordinary songs would you not call such a man a prophane man Prayer also that is a worship of God should a man in his prayer be no more reverent than in his merry tales or idle discourse would you not say such a man was a vile wretch Take the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Should a man receive that with no more reverence than he doth his ordinary food should he make no difference between the Lords Cup and a Cup of Ale at the Ale-house Would ye not gnash your teeth at such a man as an atheistical person And is it any lesse prophanenesse when you make oaths and your ordinary discourse all one The very word Sacrament was taken from an Oath as the learned shew What shall be done unto thee then thou swearing and cursing tongue Every trifle every passion setteth thy tongue thus on fire from hell Secondly Again I say It is a religious calling upon God For an Oath may be either pronounced speculatively and enuntiatively or practicè and invocativè practically and by way of invocation As for example when I reade this Text I call God to witnesse upon my soul while I doe so I doe not
Further the place into which they must depart is terrible beyond all expression into fire and everlasting fire Fire Is not that most dreadfulll Do not your hearts ake and tremble Do not your ears tingle at the naming of this punishment But if it be fire it may be quickly over the pain may be presently gone it may quickly consume to ashes No it is everlasting fire after thousands and millions of years it is still the same as hot to burn as at the first moment If God had said thou shalt lie roaring in hell flames till a thousand years are over for such and such a sinne not repented of might not this have prevailed with every man to leave the most pleasant and the most profitable sinne that is How much more when it is everlasting when there is no end Oh the change thou wilt then find upon thy self Then thou wilt cry out saying Was my hours pleasure my moments profit equal to these eternal torments Now say Whether it is better to sinne then to be damned Are thy lusts equivalent to all the torments of hell Lastly That is no little aggravation Prepared for the Devil and his Angels You see what companions you must have As much as you now defie the Devil you and he must lie down in the same flames The Devils will have no worse place than thou hast Now if this be so What a mighty alteration is here made The man that like Dives fared deliciously every day would have a drop of water to cool his tongue and cannot Oh that the Spirit of God would convince and assure you of these things Say now I am merry proud confident Now I follow my lusts my pleasures but will not the day of judgement then make a change Will not there be a sad difference between my present estate and that then Thirdly As to the godly man there will be a most happy and blessed change To see a Lazarus wiping his sores taken up into Ambraham's bosome What a blessed change is here The godly man hath his exercises from many considerations The world derideth and opposeth him afflictions from God crush him and press him down The Devil because he shall not have an hell hereafter laboureth he may have an hell here and from within there are lusts there are molesting motions to sinne which make him cry out Oh miserable man that I am But when this day shall come what man though he had the tongue of Angels is able to declare his happiness This man that was scorned is now blessed and honoured by all the wicked damned ones of the world Now they cry Oh that our case were like his Oh that our souls were as his shall be Now the Devil is trampled under feet and thrown into the Abysse into the deep where he was so unwilling to go to receive the full of his torments Now the spiritual warre within is put to a period and he doth all the good in as perfect and full a manner as he can desire to do his will and his power have the same bounds he can do what he would and he can will all that God would have him to will We read of blessed changes in this world of Joseph from a poor prisoner in the dungeon and in danger of his life to be exalted in the highest place of honour in Aegypt next to Pharaoh himself Of Mordechai who was designed to death and immediately made the man whom God would honour Of David from following the sheep and afterwards driven as a Bird from the mountain to be made a great King Yet none of these come up in the least manner to this great change Hence it is called The day of redemption Matth. 24. The day of refreshing and restoring of all things Act. 3. 19. for we must not limit that time to the destruction of the Iews only as some do Yea the godly are to look for and hasten his coming 2 Pet. 3. 12. as being the marriage time between Christ and his Church Therefore the Spirit and the bride say Come Revel 22. 17. It is for want of a lively meditation about this that the godly at any time sink under any temptations Is there any evil thou art exercised with that this day will not deliver thee from Is it not a day of redemption never to be in bondage any more either to sinne or misery Especially the Church under afflictions and persecutions is to fetch all her comfort from thence God will turn her sackcloth into robes of honour her dungeons into heavenly mansions Should not then the Church sit expecting his victorious coming more affectionately then Sisera's mother Iudg. 5. 28. did his return saying Why is his chariot so long a coming Why tarry the wheels of his chariots Luther speaking of this hopefull expectation that ought to be in the godly of Christs coming endeavoured to affect his hearers from the condition they were in at that time The Popish party did triumph over the Reformed boasting That Caesar was coming with a great Army that he would presently and speedily vanquish all the Lutherans Now saith he as you see they rejoyce and fill themselves with hopes of the Emperours coming so should the Church under all her pressures with the coming of Christ Fourthly There will be a mighty change as to mens judgements and apprehensions over what they have now There is never a wicked man would for an hour go on in his sins if he could have such thoughts as he will have at that day Oh that we could look upon sinne as we will then look upon it when God shall bid us Depart into everlasting fire And certainly if part of that terrour did work so much upon Iudas that he throweth away his silver crieth out He had sinned in betraying of innocent blood No wonder if when all the gall of Gods wrath be poured into a mans conscience he then crieth out of his sins gnasheth the teeth at them remembreth them with horrour which were once so full of sweetness and delight Go on then presumptuously thou prophane wretch believe no Scripture deride at all good counsel Say Give me my sins though I be damned yet remember this perswasion will not hold alwayes there will come a day when thou wilt as much loath and abhorre these lusts as ever once thou didst love them Oh that men could now behold their sins with that horrour and indignation as they will when they shall stand trembling at Gods tribunal Again men will have other thoughts 1. About the wayes of Godlinesse 2. About Godly men And 3. About Christ For false principles and mis-judging about these is that which maketh so many damn themselves To begin with the first about Godlinesse they think it is an hinderance to man if he were not so just and conscionable he might swallow down many a sweet morsel which he lets go Thus men are ready to think they fare the worse for godliness Oh but
when thou shalt see what that Heaven what that glory and happiness is which at that day godliness will give thee full possession of how quickly will thy thoughts alter Then thou wilt cry out Oh it is a mans riches to be godly it is a mans wisdome to be godly a mans profit to be godly though he did there by lose all this present world Again We are prejudiced against Godlinesse because it is not in honour and repute None of the great men of the wise men do much regard it Men of great estates and birth think godliness below their greatness that it is a dishonour a stain to their reputation to walk precisely and singularly to the wicked course of the world But in this also that day will make a mighty change when you shall see that then godliness is only enquired after Then the Question will be How hast thou lived How hast thou kept thy self unspotted from sinne Then thou wouldst give thousands of worlds for godlinesse That holiness and purity thou now laughest at it will at that day be only in request At that day there is no difference between Kings and peasants between the noble and base between the rich and poor but either wicked or godly sheep or goats that maketh all the distinction If Alexander plead he conquered the world If Craesui plead the multitude of riches If one saith he is an Emperour another he is a Nobleman a Gentleman these are absurd pleas at that day Art thou a godly an holy man This only will carry it Oh then remember you will have other thoughts of godlinesse than now you have It will be more in request and honourable esteem than now it is Whosoever he be that doth evil though the great Potentates of the world the Judge will then say Depart I know you not Lastly We are prejudiced against Godlinesse because we think it is too strict it requireth too much of us It will not allow us those pleasures and delights we might have Oh but at that day such a thought will presently vanish all the labour of my life thou wilt say is not worthy to one minute of this glory could I have been a Martyr every day it would not have been equivalent to this present happiness SERM CV A further Discovery of the great Changes that will be wrought at the Day of Christ's second coming 2 COR. 1. 14. In the day of the Lord Jesus AT this great day you heard there would be a wonderfull change upon the thoughts and perswasions of men to what they are now It is not so much what thy affections and apprehensions are for the present but what they be at that day Especially in three things this Change will be seen 1. About Godlinesse which hath been dispatched 2. About Good men 3. About Christ We come therefore to the second and that is the wonderfull change that wicked men shall then have in reference to those who live godly and dare not conforme themselves to the course of this world As First Such who separate themselves from the evil wayes of the world They are matter of reproach and scorne They are judged the fooles and the simple ones by all that live near them But at that day you will have other thoughts you will then admire their happinesse call your selves the fools and deluded ones wishing that it might fare so with you as it doth with them It is said of those noble Worthies Heb. 11. 38. That they had tryal of cruel mockings Yea David though a King Psal 69. 12. complaineth He was the song of the drunkards Thus you see what thoughts men of the world have of such who fear God as Michal did David They despise them in their heart But oh the wonderfull alteration that day will cause when thou shalt see those who were despised by thee honoured by God Those whom thou didst reproach to be blessed by God What a confusion will this be to thee Then you will cry out We fools and mad men judged their wayes folly and matter of scorn but with what unspeakable glory doth God honour them Secondly Another false perswasion they have about godly men is That they are Hypocrites that all they do is not out of love to God but for ostentation sake That it is not the glory of God but their own glory and advantage that they seek after Paul was so often charged with corrupt ends in his Ministry that he is compelled to make his Apologetical Defence to clear himself Yea Christ himself was judged by the Pharisees to be an Impostor and that he came of himself doing his own will and seeking his own glory which made him so earnestly deny it Iohn 6. 38. Iohn 8. 50. This is a sore evil upon the sonnes of men that because they have an enmity and hatred against the godly yet they cannot put this forth upon godlinesse as godlinesse therefore they represent the godly in such colours and lay such things to their charge that they may seeme to have just cause to vent their malice against them But at that day their sincerity and integrity will appear then all the world shall see that their hearts were upright their aimes and intentions sincere that what reproofe what holy endeavours they used for the recovering of men out from their sinnes was not out of hatred or any other ill principle as wicked men are now apt to judge but out of pure love and desire for their soules good Let not then evil and ungodly men take upon them to judge the hearts of others that is the prerogative of God alone neither doe thou judge before the great day of judgement Take heed of calling such Hypocrites and dissemblers of calling such Pharisaical and conceited whom it may be God will own at that day for his jewels for his faithfull ones If there be any Judas who followeth Christ because of the Bagge If there be any who believe in Christ yet love the glory of men more than of God they shall beare their burden The portion of Hypocrites in Hell is a double portion But let not all the Apostles be censured for a Judas Let not all be judged Hypocrites because he was so Remember that this day is a revelation of all things all the hidden purposes and counsels of mens hearts shall then be made manifest The Apostle giveth this exhortation to such as judged him 1 Corinth 4. 5. he sheweth them how little he regarded mans judgement for it is the Lord that judgeth Therefore they are not to judge any thing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of mens hearts and then shall every man have praise of God Is not this a full place to make thee afraid of all censures and hard speeches against such who professe godlinesse Let them alone to the Lord there is a day when all the thoughts