can be expected from a Church consisting of such Men speak of Houses where the Devils walk where spirits haunt men dare not dwell there I tell thee That a Family where ignorance and prophaneness is nourished is an house not only haunted but even possessed by Devils And how canst thou eat sleep and live in such a place Fourthly In the primitive times there were a rank of people that were called Catecumini as we said before Candidati or Competentes such who being converted from Paganism were not yet fully instructed in the matters of Religiâ—n and therefore they had time to get knowledg before ever they were admitted to Church-Communion And answerable to this there was a Catechist one whose work and office it was to instruct such before they were Baptized Thus you see how carefull in Antiquity they were that they might have no ignorant persons among them And certainly as in all Arts there are Principles which must be learned before they can come to Conclusions so it 's here in Religion And oh that we could see this Knowledge brought in amongst people To be a Christian is to be anointed and this Vnction teacheth us all things Joh. 2.20 viz. necessary to salvation Fifthly Principles of Religion largely so called are of two sorts either Corrupt Idolatrical and Heretical or true Sound and Consonant to the Scripture Now there are many in the world are too forward to infuse poysonous and dangerous Principles so great a matter is it to consider what men are seasoned with at first either privately or publiquely Thus many are infected with Popish and superstitious Principles many with erroneous and false Doctrines and these foundations being laid it 's very difficult ever to remove them As the vessel is first seasoned or the tree at first planted so it is likely to continue The Apostle cals those Jewish Ceremonies the beggerly elements Gal. 4.9 or Principles of the world Why so because the superstitious Teachers made them the first Elements the Principles the foundation of all and therefore they thought all Religion was taken away if they were removed And thus you have divers persons they have indeed some Principles of Religion but they are Popish and Superstitious such as put out the Knowledge of Christ and the Scriptures And It 's a two-fold labour as Socrates said to a perverted Disciple of his to teach them for they must first be untaught their erroneous Principles and then must be instructed in the truth Oh then look to this that thy Principles about Religion be not false ignorant and superstitious ones Sixthly The true Principles of Religion are reduced to severall heads and are both short and easie but necessary to be known The Doctrine about God and Christ and our selves which is the Credendum The Doctrine about Faith and Repentance which is the Agendum And about things to come which is the Sperandum About God we are to believe That he is and a rewarder of those that seek him About Christ This is eternal life to know Jesus Christ Joh. 17.2 and the holy Ghost for we are Baptized in his Name About our selves the desperate pollution of our natures the hainousness of sinne the aggravation of the curses of the Law The things to be done are Repentance which driveth out of our sins and Faith which driveth out of our own righteousness But because these are Divine Works therefore a man must be regenerated and born again And this Principle Christ insisted on to Nicodemus Joh 3. The things to come are The Resurrection of the Body The immortality of the Soul The Day of Judgment The Heâ—ven and Hell provided for the godly and the wicked These Principles are plain and easie not to flesh and blood but in respect of the manifestation of them They are laid down clearly in Scripture None without horrible impudency can deny them Indeed there are many sublime Disputes about the Trinity and about Christs Incarnation but these are not necessary to be believed by every one Oh then how great is thy ingratitude God hath made the necessary things easie and plain and yet thou art not acquainted with them If God had commanded some greater matter of thee If he had required all thy time all thy study thou wast obliged to have done it How much rather in things of so easie apprehension But now when we say These divine Principles are easie you must take heed of two mistakes 1. We do not mean that the divine Faith and Belief of them is easie to flesh and blood no but they are easie supposing the grace of God in respect of other particulars in Religion For otherwise To believe with a Divine Faith viz. by the Spirit of God inabling upon divine Authority which is only true Faith is the immediate work of Gods Spirit Therefore Faith though it be but Historicall and not saving is the gift of God When we desire a Knowledge and Faith of these Principles we mean not such a Faith as most men have a Faith of custom and humane education a Faith because they are brought up in such a Religion but upon Judgment and Knowledge grounded upon the Scripture That which is usually called the Colliars Faith To believe as the Church believes Is the Husbandmans and the Tradesmans and the rich mans and the poor mans Faith too much in the world So that as Christ saith His yoke is easie and yet also it is very hard Easie to the heart sanctified but grieveous to the unregenerate So it is here The Principles of Religion are easie and plain to the mind inlightned but they are either foolishness or absurdities to the greatest Scholar that is if hâ—s heart be not opened And thus Paul found himself derided and called a Babler amongst the Athenians 2. We do not mean that the bare saying of the Principles of Religian by heart and rote is the true believing and knowing of them As the Child is not said to be fed with milk unless it swallow it down and be nourished by it So neither can they be said to believe the Principles of Religion unless they do with understanding apply them and receive them into their hearts But this is all that most attain unto they can tell you God made them That Christ is their Saviour That they must repent of sinne But these things are by meer rote They learn them as formerly in Popery they learned their Prayers in Lattin they knew not what they prayed for so neither these what they do believe Now the Grounâ—s for Instruction in these Principles are First Because God accounts of no zeal nor devout affections if they be not the fruit of Knowledge Thus Christ told the woman that was so zealous for her Fathers worship Ye worship ye know not what Joh. 4 22. Though God once accepted bruit beasts as a Sâ—rifice to him Yet now saith the Apostle let 's offer up our selves a reasonable Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 The Jew had a zeal but
live according to the wayes ignorance folly and customes of the world They are to shine as lights amongst a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2.14 Pure Religion is said to keep it self unspotted from the world Jam. 1.27 All the wicked and ungodly wayes in it are not to defile and soil him As they speak of a River called Alpheus that emptieth it self in the Sea yet even in the very Sea it keepeth its sweetnesse and is not made salt and brackish as the waters of the Sea are They are in the world but not of it Hence Rom. 12. Be ye not conformed unto the fashion of the world but be transformed in your minds Here you may see who are men of the best fashion in a place not men of the greatest wealth honours or earthly dignity but who do not conforme to the fashion of the world that hath not the cursing swearing lying uncleannesse and all the works of darknesse that the world is said to lie in Let us improve this Doctrine and I know no truth a sharper sword to enter into your bowels than this For generally men think it a disgrace not to live as most men do what to grow so precise and strict as not to do as others do They are afraid to own such to be thought such Oh what Antipodes are such men to the Scripture Either lay down the name of a Christian or else live above what men of the world do As Alexander said to a souldier named Alexander Either lay aside his name or else do valiant acts Matth. 5. If ye love them that love you what singular thing do ye do not even the publicans the same Mark that there is a godly singularity and the people of God must be singular not do so or live so as most men in the world do The Apostle in this phrase To live as men or According to man may imply these things First Meer men have no divine faith in the matters of Religion wrought in them by the Spirit of God but walk according to the natural dictates of conscience and education and so are for that Religion which they have been brought up in and accustomed to whether it be right or wrong whether good or bad This our Saviour cleareth when Peter made that excellent Confession of Faith That Christ was the Sonne of God our Saviour graciously accepts of it and tels him Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this to him Mat. 16.17 So that then men walk as men in all matters of Religion when they have no more than custome or the countenance of the Laws of the Land where they live no more than flesh and blood hath made known to them Thus we see the Jews the Turks the Papists they all wilfully adhere to the Religion they have been used to and so many Christians believe in Christ upon no better grounds than they do in their falsehoods Be not then any longer such men and servants of men as the Apostle cals it that is to believe the truâ—hs of Religion upon humane authority humane motives That our Saviour meaneth when he bids us Call no man master on earth because Christ is the only Master Mat. 23.8 Not that the instruction and teaching of Church officers is to be rejected as some absurdly would inferre from those places for we are commanded to hear them and to enquire for the truth at their mouth only it 's not a divine faith till it be upon divine grounds Not as the word of men but as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 It 's a sad thing to consider how many walk as men in this respect being in matter of Religion without any eyes of their own as if another mans faith were to justifie them and not their own Secondly To walk as a meer man is to propound some outward inferiour comforts as the ultimate end and chief felicity of our souls Take a man as a meer man and the utmost end for which he labours and strives in this world is some earthly advantages Oh but what saith the Apostle of true Christians We walk not by sense but by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 And we behold not the things that are seen but the things that are not seen What made Moses deny all that earthly greatnesse he might have had in Pharaohs Court Who would have made such a choise as he did To suffer reproaches for Christ rather than the pleasures of Aegypt Why is this Because he saw him that was invisible and had an eye to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. See then Moses more than a man he propounds to himself as the greatest happinesse the enjoyment of God and communion with him And as the Sunne puts out the lesser light of the starres so this good in God obscured that in all earthly things Then therefore men walk as men when they look no further than the good things of this life riches honours earthly pomp and greatnesse and as for the enjoyment of God which is indeed the true end that they come short of Oh do not then walk as men any longer placing all your affections thoughts and desires in inferiour comforts Is this to have your conversation in Heaven Is this to sit with Christ in heavenly places Is this to make God your portion Is not this rather to have the Serpents curse upon you to lick up the dust of the earth and to mind earthly-things Thirdly To walk as meer men is to put confidence and hope onely in second causes and visible instruments not trusting the promise of God or believing his power that he reigneth and ruleth in Heaven and earth doing what he pleaseth This is not only to walk as men but as the wise men and most admired men in the world The Scripture brings in the thoughts of the wise men as if God sate in Heaven and did not judge all things as he pleased The fool hath said in his heart and that fool is every meer man there is no God Psal 14.1 No Judge no Governour Therefore they look only to instruments to second causes and they puff up themselves and grow insolent when they have these bladders to swim with As on the other side they sink even as Pharaohs hoast into despair when such outward props are taken away Know then that all thy dedejections cares and doubtfull thoughts either about thy self or the publick they argue thee to walk as a meer man Our Saviour doth excellently shame his Disciples for this when using several Arguments to the Disciples against their distrust and carefulnesse he tels them Such things the Gentiles and Heathens seek after Mat. 6.7 So that to walk as men is to be affected in our own particular or in the publick good as if there were no promise no God as if men were Omnipotent as if men brought about all things When Melancthon was often dejected about the affairs of the Church being prone to distrust and fears Luther told him That God had bound
or rankes soever To hear and depend upon the Ministry To wait at the gates of wisdome To obey and submit themselves to such guides Heb. 13. Let no man think himself too great or too wise and learned or too holy and godly These are soul-destructive waies For as it is a wo to us if we preach not the Gospel so it must be a wo to you if you hear it not For the same command that commands the diligent dispensing of this Word of life doth also command to the constant receiving of it Thus you see God hath commanded it It is not indifferent whether you will hear or no He hath not given any exemption to any Secondly As God hath thus commanded so he hath also graciously promised to go along with it So that the Word works by reason of the Promise God speaks a word of command to the Ministry Let it pull down sinne Let it build up grace And then it prevaileth against all opposition Thus when Christ gave his Apostles Commission to make Disciples and to preach to all men he encourageth them with this That he would be with them to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 Thus in this Chapter Paul plants and Apollo watereth but God giveth the increase So then God hath commanded this way those meanes and hath promised to be powerfull in them And therefore it 's God that sanctifieth God that begetteth us God that saveth by the Word As you see the Husbandman he prepareth the ground he throweth in seed but he cannot make it grow In the Apostles time and the first age of the Church how wonderfull and admirable was the Word in propagating Faith In converting men from their sinne and lusts And all because God was mightily with them Thirdly The Ministry is a meanes to beget Faith and Conversion as it is accompanied with Arguments to convince the understanding and Consciences of men as also with Arguments of terrour or joy to move the affections For this you must know that although the Ministry works not by any inward power as natural Causes yet it is very sutable to work upon men by propounding Arguments and Motives And these being powerfully set home by God make a wonderfull alteration by conjunction of the judgment So we may read of Paul that he did by severall Arguments prove and demonstrate that Jesus was the Cstrist So that they could not gainsay him Whereupon they did either believe or prove obstinate opposers If you aske then How comes the Ministry to be thus Instrumental The Answer is By a potent and strong conviction of the Conscience declaring Grounds out of the Scripture So that the Ministry is called the Candlestick which holds out the light The Word indeed is a two-edged Sword dividing into the inwards But there must be an hand to weild and govern it The word is an hammer but there must be an arm to strike it home And certainly it 's a wonder of wonders that people should be led in such captivity and slavery to their lusts that though they sit and hear and are convinced yet they believe not How often have we demonstrated out of the Word that thy lusts and dissoluteness are sinnes And how often at the same time doth thy conscience joyne with the Word that thou art convinced It 's thy case and thou art the man yet thou art obstinate and dost not reforme Doth not the Word bind thee up take away all thy cavils stop thy mouth thou hast nothing to say yet thou wilt be wicked because thou wilt be and so the Word is instrumental to beget grace because it worketh upon the affections by the Ministery There are Arguments of fear and terrour on one side there are Arguments of love glory and immortality on the other Now if humane Oâ—tours have been able to perswade their Auditours and Rhetorique hath made such changes in mens minds insomuch that some Heathens made Hercules so famous for strength the god of eloquence as if that were his his great might what shall we say of the Arguments and power of Gods Word which is above the hearts and consciences of men so that the Word workes faith and conversion by convincing the judgement and enflameing the affections As it is meanes or instrumental in this manner so there are these four Properties of this instrumental cause First The Ministery is the only ordinary way that God hath appointed either for the beginnings or encrease of grace For the beginnings Thus Faith is said to come by hearing Rom. 10.17 And God hath begotten us by his Word Jam. 1.18 And for the encrease Eph. 4. You may there see it is for the compleating of us in a full stature in Christ Thus as the ordinary way for a mans life is by outward food and sustenance so the ordinary meanes of all spiritual life is by the Ministery of the Word Indeed some propound particular cases as of Infants whâ— cannot hear or of deaf men or of some persons by unexpected calamities cast where no Ministery is to be had but we do not now speak of extraordinary wayes we know God did feed the Israelites with Manna from heaven when they could have no ordinary food but in Gods ordinary way unless thou expect a miracle the Ministery is the instrumental publique meanes Indeed the godly example of others and afflictions these may much prepare the heart but the Ministery that is the proper instrumental cause Secondly Because it 's the ordinary meanes therefore it 's the necessary meanes to which all are tied We cannot be without it if a man enjoy it not his soul becomes like a barren wilderness yea like a noisome dunghill Hence the Ministers are compared to those servants that distribute convenient bread to others As a house or family cannot be without bread so neither can the Church without the preaching of the Word The Ministery is frequently compared to rain the same word in its root for to rain and to teach and the preaching of it to the plentifull seasonable showers that came upon the parched ground so that as â— Land or Kingdome cannot subsist without the rain from heaven so neither people without these meanes Isa 5. When God commanded the clouds to rain no more upon his vineyard his meaning was he would take away the Pastor and the Teacher from them and then woe be to that land Thirdly This instituted means is very unlikely for such glorious effects to a carnalâ—â—ie Hereupon it 's very despicable and contemptible to humane reason The Apostle calls it the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 not that it is so indeed for â—t ' the wisdome of God to salvation but the Apostle calls it so according to the principles of humane wisdome For whether you do regard the matter or manner of preaching it 's both very unlikely ever to produce such effects The matter is high paradoxal incredible to flesh and blood The manner of delivering is plain without the
affected wisdome of the world without either miraculouâ— signes or scientifical demonstrations either of which would much perswade men Fourthly and lastly It 's the perpetual invariable means God hath appointed to the worlds end When the Ministery and Preaching shall cease then shall all this world with the things therein cease Thus Eph. 4. it 's there said to continue till Christs coming and Paul's direction about the Ministery must be kept till the coming of Christ The former dispensation is altered he hath taken away Priests and Levites the sacrifices and Altars but he will never take away Pastors and Teachers and Sacraments and these must abide as long as there is a Church on the world Vse of Examination It 's the Ministery this is the ordinary necessary appointed menans for faith and other graces Why then is it that it hath not been so to thee Oh it would be an heavy trouble to thee thou wouldst think God had some extraordinary jugement upon thee if thou couldst have no cloaths to warm no food to nourish thee no creature be that to thee for which it is appointed But behold a greater judgement then this no Ministery doth convert thee no Preaehing begets faith or repentance in thee In the Apostles times What multitudes were converted by the Word Yea in the first times of Reformation from Popery How many did not only receive the truth in their minds but grace in their hearts they were not only converted from Popery and superstition but from prophaness and impiety But now alas to whom is the power of God made known Certainly the Word is the same Gods arm is as strong as ever but men by their wilfull ignorance by their unthankfulness and rebelling against the light have sinned away the presence and power of God from the Ministery and then if God go not along with us Alas what can we do Oh that you who are hearers would deeply lay these things to heart God saith his Word is an enlightning Word a sanctifying cleansing Word Why is it not so to thee Why art thou no more reformed then where there is no Preaching no Ministery at all The same cursing swearing the same lusts pride covetousness and ignorance Is not all this because God doth not appear in his own Ordinances Oh men without hope How desperate is such mens condition for if the Ministery cure thee not what will cure thee Woe be to thee if the Word that is so effectual and operative to others be not also to thee Who is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed even as the Lord gave every man The third thing in order to be discust is the noble Effect whereof the Ministry is said to be an Instrumental Cause viz. Ye believed Faith is one of the most eminent Common-places in Divinity It 's the Sanctum Sanctorum in this spiritual building It s the fat in that spiritual Sacrifice we offer to God And because of the spiritual and most sublime nature of it it is least understood by the natural man I shall not at this time handle all the main particulars about it because the holy Ghost intends it not in this place Onely take notice that in stead of all the work of grace repenting reforming he nameth believing because this is Initial and Introductory to all the rest The word Faith or Believing is of a very large and fruitfull signification but it 's impertinent at this time to trouble you with it Observe That Faith is the great and eminent grace which God by the Ministry works in some hearers Thus upon Christ and the Apostles preaching still this is recorded And many believed Insomuch that Faith is said to come by hearing Rom. 10.17 The Scripture indeed sometimes speaks of faith as prerequisite to make the Word profitable Who hath believed our report And the Word profited them not because it was not mixed with faith Heb. 4.6 Here we see unbelief doth obstruct and hinder the savoury effect of the Gospel But that is finally in those that pâ—rish but in those that shall be saved God in his due time will by the Word preached work faith viz. enlighten their minds and open their hearts to entertain it To open this Doctrine Let us consider the Nature of Faith and that is usually said to consist in three acts whether they be all essential or some only I shall not here determine The first is Knowledge and understanding This is eternal life to know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 Yea it 's a strong and powerfull conviction of the mind Hence it 's called The substance and evidence of things Heb. 11.1 Believing in the soul is compared to the corporal seeing of the body To say a blind faith is as great a contradiction as to say a dark Sunne or a cold fire If it be faith it doth see the ground of its belief Indeed faith cannot comprehend the matter we believe the Doctrine of the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ are like the dazelling Sunne to our Bats-eyes but though faith cannot comprehend the matter believed yet it knoweth the ground why it doth believe in those places of Scripture and the testimony of Gods Word which saith It is thus and thus Oh then How farre are many from being believers For ignorance covers their souls as darknesse did the Chaos at the first The very principles of Religion the total ignorance whereof doth damn a man yet is like a veil upon most mens eyes Oh then consider that knowledge and understanding is the necessary way to let in faith or rather is a beginning and part of it If thou hadst lost thy eyes or wert smitten with corporal blindnesse How much would it affect thee But now thou hast unbelief and spiritual blindnesse yet it doth not break thy heart Say no more thou believest in Christ thou believest in God if thou knowest not what Christ and God is Though ignorant people are full of their devotion yet because it 's without knowledge and faith it 's as abominable as a Sacrifice without eyes Secondly But knowledge is not all How many Atheists are there that know much and understand the points of Religion yet believe not Therefore the second Act of Faith is to Assent to give credit to them as true and this indeed we mean and Scripture also means this most commonly when it speaks of believing the Word of God that is giving a firm and sure assent to it as true Hence that expression Faith is the substance Heb. 11.1 that is by faith we make those things that are future really subsist as it were in our souls as if present Thus Faith makes Heaven and Hell present The Apostle excellently describes it They behold not the things temporal or seen but the things eternal which are not seen 2 Cor. 4 18. Thus Moses is said to have an earnest eye of faith fixed upon the reward and that is an act
find the Lord in our Ministry that howsoever it have no virtue or efficacy to others yet it may have to you do these two things First Work with God in prayer that he would work with the Ministry Effectual prayer is the first wheel that sets all on going Prayer is the key of Heaven Hence the Apostle James speaks of a prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.16 working Whatsoever God will do he will do only to a praying people It 's like the Prophets arrow if that be stuck not in the ground thrice but often into Heaven so often will it bring glorious effects Now let this prayer be working two wayes 1. In the general That God would set up spiritual labourers in every Congregation Our Saviour taught his Disciples to pray That God would send out labourers into his harvest Matth. 9.38 Every particular Congregation without such a worker with God is like the world without a Sunne Wo be to them that are thus alone 2. Pray in particular That Gods work by the Ministers work may go home to thy heart Be exceedingly afraid that thy condition be not made like that of Sauls whom God would not answer any kind of way As Elisha struck the waters of Jordan with Elijahs mantle saying Where is the God of Elijah and presently the waters did divide and give way 2 Kings 2.14 Do thou say Oh where is that mighty God that wrought so with Peter and Paul and other servants of his Secondly Take heed of such sinnes as may provoke God not to be with the Ministry The word of God is not an hammer battering is not a fire consuming many times because of thy unthankfulness and rebellion The Jews did so long sin against God that he forsook the Temple and answered them no more there Thus a people may quickly provoke God to leave the Ordinances so that thou shalt find no benefit no power in them but even consume in thy sin Vse 1. Is the◠Ministry a working with God then it may teach Ministers First That they be not workers with the Devil And that is two waies either by bringing in the Doctrine of Devils all Heresies and false worship which are the works of the Devil Or Secondly That they do not sooth and flatter men in sinne as if they prayed that the Kingdom of darkness may come and not the Kingdom of God And Secondly So to walk as those that work with him Who is sufficient for this What holiness purity humility is required Vse 2. To the people Is it a working with God then lay aside all prejudice and cavils against it Neglect it not thou refusest the work of God upon thy soul This is the way wherein God will discover his power Secondly Wonder not if the Ministry hath many times wrought such powerfull effects that the blind see the poor are humbled the lofty cast down and mens hearts changed for God worketh with it Ye are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building The former part of this Text contained the description of the Office of the Ministers in the Church of God They were labourers with God This latter part describeth the nature of the people and the Church of God in what suteable relation they stand in viz. They are Gods husbandry they are Gods building Here is a two-fold Metaphor and the first that referreth to the comparisons the Apostle had used before of watering and planting Now answerable to this is Gods tillage the latter of building the Apostle prosecuteth in the following Verses Both these similitudes tend to the same thing yet they both have their peculiar signification likewise and emphasis The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both the matter and object that they are Gods field ager colendus as also Gods work about it we may put both the similitudes together and Observe That the people of God are his husbandry and building The Scripture doth delight to compare the Church to many similitudes all which shew the tende◠and dear respects it stands in towards God Sometimes to a wife sometimes to a body sometimes to the branches of a Vine at other times to a garden to a Vineyard and here to a field and an house Every one of these similitudes hath some peculiar respect which the other hath not and yet they all shew the near conjunction and relation they have to God They are excellent similitudes because they partly shew Gods tender love to us and partly they teach what holy and pur◠persons we should be to God So that here is both great priviledge and exact duty We will first handle these two similitudes joyntly and then severally Joyntly in that they are Gods husbandry and house It implyeth these things First The power and goodness of God in making them so A building is not of it self every body that seeth a house presently concludes the house did not make it self so if you see a field well husbanded plowed sowed and cloathed with goodly Corn we all know of it self the earth would not do so but rather its curse is to bring forth briars and thornes So when you see a people leaving the sinnes and superstitious Idolatry of the world walking according to the rules revealed in Scripture you must necessarily conclude this men have not of themselves they cannot have this by flesh and blood Hence God speaking of the Church of Israel said He planted a Vine Jer. 2.21 even as the pleasant garden of Eden was planted at first Thus the Psalmist speaking not of our natural but Church-Creation saith We are the sheep of his pasture he hath made us and not we our selves Psal 100 3. So then it is God that hath made us not only creatures but a people believing in him and worshipping of him Secondly It doth imply dominion and absolute soveraignty over us Even as the Master that buildeth the house appointeth what customes and orders shall be in the house the Husbandman appointeth what seed he pleaseth for the ground Heb. 3.6 Christ is said to be a Sonne over this house whose house the godly are he is there exalted above Moses who was a faithfull servant in the house of God and appointed what worship God commanded but Christ was over the house as well as over him that built it This point is of great consideration for how durst men in all ages have brought in such superstition such heresie such tyranny in the Church of God if they had remembred there is but one Master in the house of God one Law giver All Officers are but servants and not Masters Thirdly It denoteth propriety and interest that God hath a right to us that we are his and not our own The house is the owners he hath the propriety of it and therefore the Scripture is not content with these similitudes but useth these that declare a sweeter union and nearer as that of a wife to a husband that of the body to the head So that by
doubt may be raised How Paul can say He layeth the foundation which is no other but Christ as appeareth at the eleventh verse seeing God appropriateth it to himself Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Zion a foundation stone c But The answer is God layeth this foundation 1. By his Decree appointing Christ thereunto And 2. By his temporal mission of him into the world but Paul layed the foundation only ministerially and declaratively by publishing Christ to be the Saviour especially to those who never heard of him before It 's a special part of the wisdome and heavenly art of the Ministers of the Gospel to lay a good and sure foundation in the hearts of their hearers This Paul makes the principal part of his wisdome that he began with a good foundation If people are not rightly built upon this any tempest that ariseth will throw down all theâ—r Religion Our Saviour speaketh a Parable Luke 6.48 49 like to this of the wise builder and the foolish builder And although there it be meant of every particular Christian yet we may apply it to every Minister He that doth not build up his people upon sure and Scripture foundations they are like the chaff and straw that the wind doth drive to and fro There is no true faith no truâ— godlinesse no true hope of salvation where the right and sure foundation is not laid The point therefore in hand is of great consequence both to the Preacher and to the Auditor to consider what foundation his Religion and Godlinesse is fixed upon For the opening of this Consider that Divines do ordinarily make a two-fold foundation The one they call Fundamentum cognoscendi The foundation of our knowledge and faith in matters of Religion and this is the Scripture only We can lay no other foundation for matters of Faith but the word of God Non credo quia non lego said Tertullian of old And Secondly There is Fundamentum essendi The Foundation of the being or existence of all our glory and salvation and that is only Jesus Christ He is the foundation-stone and every one is to believe in him only for Salvation and Justification So that as God made two great lights for the world so he hath done for the Church the Scriptures and Christ This Doctrine is true yet Heb. 6.1 we there reade of more foundations than one for there are practical fundamentals as well as speculative I shall therefore not limit my self to this one foundation mentioned by the Apostle but enlarge my self to the necessary foundations in our Christian life and shew you the necessity of that wisdom which will build upon these fundamentals And although I am not ignorant That the Dispute about what are foundations or fundamentals in Religion and what not is very hard and difficult yet I shall instance in four unquestionable foundations which are the four main pillars that support our Christian building The necessary things of Religion are these four Either 1. The Matters to be believed 2. The Worship and necessary service of God 3. The spiritual Benefits and mercies Justification and Salvation 4. The things to be done by us in our way to Salvation All these are fundamental and necessary in their kind to salvation and therefore it behoveth every Minister of the Gospel to principle and settle his people in all these particulars For herein is the danger not of mens bodies or estates but their immortal souls We will begin with the first The foundation of our faith or divine assent in matters of Religion What is that which every man must build his faith upon What is the foundation he must lay there And that is the Word of God declared and written for our instruction in those Canonical Books of the Scripture When we come to believe the matters of our salvation the ultimate motive into which all is to be resolved is Thus saith the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of God hath spoken it It 's not antiquity universality or the laws of the Land or the tradition of our fathers that is the warrantable foundation but the Scripture only Thus Timothy is commended for attending to the Scriptures which are able to make him wise to salvation through faith 2 Tim. 3.17 18. So that although other things be required by way of helps and means as prayer interpretation of the Scripture Gods assistance the guidance of the Ministry yet by way of a Foundation or a Rule that is the Scripture only As God at first put all the light into the Sunne and the Starres shine by a borrowed light from it So God hath now put all supernatural light into the Scripture and all guides are to shine by that Hence it is so often compared to a light and a lamp unto our feet So that the Ministers of the Word do then lay a good foundation when in matters of Doctrine and truths to be believed they build them on the Scripture make them a Scripture-auditory a people that dare not that will not take any matter of faith but upon scripture-Scripture-grounds Thus those Bereans are commended for a noble and ingenuous people that compared what Paul preached with the Scriptures they then had whether it was consonant to them or no Act. 17 11. So that that people who know nothing of the Scripture are not instructed by the Word have not their faith their Religion from it all they offer to God is a Sacrifice without eyes they do believe they know not what Now that the written word of God is the only foundation of our Christian faith appeareth by these Reasons First A Christian faith ought to be a divine supernatural faith not a bare humane faith Now nothing can be the ground of a divine faith but a divine authority a divine Argument suggested by God himself Most men that call themselves Christians have no more than an humane faith in matters of Religion They believe thus because their parents did so because the Laws of the Land compell them to do so Thus they have no other grounds of faith then the Turks or Papists have for themselves but as copper is not gold so neither is this humane faith that holy and Christian perswasion which the Spirit of God through the Word works in man because revealed in the Word 1 Thess 1. They are commended That they did not receive the Word preached as the word of men but as indeed the word of God 1 Thess 1.13 So that whosoever hath an holy faith he must have a divine perswasion for this from the Authority of God that as an humane faith is because humane authority speaks it so a divine faith because God revealeth it in the Scripture But alas generally our people can no more look into these things then an Owl in the dazelling Sun How few are perswaded of the true Doctrine of Christ from this Divine Authority because God hath said thus God hath spoken thus Oh
moved so swiftly because the Spirit was in them Oh then as she said If thou hadst been here my brother had not died So doe thou Oh Lord if thy Spirit had inlivened me and moved in me I had not â—ad such dead duties such a dead profession Oh where is thy Spirit When will it breathe heavenly life and vigour into me Thirdly The Spirit of God doth enable us to kill and mortifie sinne Rom 8. If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh Through the Spirit There is no sinne so deare and beloved to thee so strong and imbred in thee that is as thy owne soule to thee but by the Spirit of God thou mayest mortifie it Never then be afraid of those great Anakims Oh thou cryest out I cannot believe I cannot be heavenly minded Indeed thou canst not but the Spirit of God doth lift up his people to these things Men by natural conscience may leave many outward sinnes but they doe not or cannot mortifie them this is done by Gods Spirit onely As onely by him they could cast out Devils from the possessed thus onely by him can they subdue such sinnes We see then why it is that so many resolve never to sinne again to be such beasts any more and and yet are overcome Alas they goe out in their owne strength against these Goliahs Oh therefore pray and againe pray for the Spirit of God! O Lord here is a lust or a sinne dwels in me as the Jebusite in Canaan I know not how to be freed from it gladly would I be heavenly I cannot I would be believing I cannot give that holy Spirit of thine unto me Pray thus for the Spirit of God more than for health life or any worldly advantage whatsoever Fourthly The Spirit of God doth bestow a filial and ingenuous spirit upon believers whereby they are carried out upon Evangelical and Gospel grounds in their obedience to God And this is a most precious worke to be desired more than all the world An heart with slavish feares is an hell where a man is a tormenting Devil to himself and the guilt of sinne is a gnawing worme that never dieth but Galat. 4.6 He hath sent his Spirit in our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father There is earnestnesse and a Gospel holy boldnesse Hence it is called The Spirit of Adoption Now how admirable and desirable is this when we through feare were subject to bondage to have this Evangelical freedome of Spirit The people of God should pray and seek for this Spirit of Adoption as well as of Sanctification This would be oyle to the wheel this would be wings and legs to thee Fifthly The Spirit of God workes comfort and joy in the hearts of the godly Hence he is called The Comforter John 15.26 As the Devil delights to keepe us in darknesse and feares therefore he had almost swallowed up the incestuous person with immoderate grief 2 Corinth 2. So the Spirit of God delighteth to turne water into wine Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of God Galat. 5.22 Yea it 's called Vnspeakable joy in the Holy Ghost Doe not therefore thinke that the Kingdome of Grace and Godlinesse lieth in a dejected spirit in a troubled soule No it 's in joy as well as in righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 Those doubts and sad thoughts that do lie like a burden and load upon thee came not from the Spirit dwelling in thee Sixthly That we may have this boldnesse and joy the Spirit of God hath another effect which is To witnesse and seale unto our spirits that we are the children of God Grieve not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed Ephes 4.30 The Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 Oh what a blessed life is this when all these works of Gods Spirit go along together teaching sanctifying and comforting This is the Mount of Transfiguration It 's good to be here Doe not think these things are too great and too good to be had in this life For if we be not wanting to our selves if we bring our cruises he is ready to pour in his oyl Seventhly The Spirit of God worketh wonderfull support and even glorious rejoycing in all afflictions and tribulations Then if ever it 's admirable to see what the Spirit of God doth in believers The Spirit of glory shall rest upon you 1 Peter 4.14 If you reade of the Martyrs burning at the stake if of the persecutions and torments they did with such invincible joy and patience endure it was from the Spirit of glory resting on them Alas we think if God should exercise us with such straits bring us into such troubles we could never bear them Oh consider there is Gods Spirit as well as thy spirit Lastly The Spirit of God doth worke the prayers of Gods people Rom. 8. It 's a Spirit of prayer and mourning he teacheth what to pray and how to pray for spiritual and heavenly things with zeal faith and importunity It helps our infirmities many sins and corruptions are apt to spoil our prayers he helpeth against them yea he worketh groans unutterable he moveth the very foundations of the soul and those prayers cannot but speed because the Spirit knoweth the mind of God All prayers are dead carkasses without the Spirit moving upon them Vse of Examination Try whether thou art one who hast the Spirit of God thus dwelling in thee Oh where is the man or woman that heareth us that knoweth the meaning of these things When Christ spake about eating his body the Capernaites had a grosse understanding therein but saith our Saviour The flesh profiteth little the Spirit giveth life John 6.63 If Christ said thus of his own body than how much rather may we say parts duties an outward Religion profiteth little The Spirit giveth life Rom. 8. Paul saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Thou speakest of Christ and thou hopest he died for thee see what the Scripture saith If thou hast not his Spirit thou art none of his Verse 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy THe Apostle in this seventeenth verse aggravates that Argument which before he had propounded viz. The temple of God wherein the Spirit of God dwels ought to be kept pure and not defiled by any corruptions of Doctrine or lives 1So that the Apostle makes all false Doctrines and corruptions in Gods worship to be a sacriledge And therefore in this verse he doth further amplifie the hainousnesse of this sinne wherein you have 1. The malum culpae supposed If any man defile the temple of God 2. The malum poenae proposed Him will God destroy For the sinne supposed If any man defile the temple This is an allusive expression to the custom among the Jews If any man defiled their Temple the crime was capital what accusations were brought against Paul because he brought in Greeks uncircumcised
first from the Angels God spared not them but did cast them down into Hell and bound them in chaines of darknesse The Angels sinnes were sinnes of the mind they were intellectual substances and so heresies and their sinnes are much alike Do not then say Heresie is no drunkennesse no whoredome no bodily prophanenesse no more was the Angels sinne it was an intellectual sinne and yet for that they are perpetually condemned 2. The second instance of Gods Judgment is The Old World which God drowned with water All mankind had perverted its waies and even defiled the world and God washeth it with the waters of his Judgments So that the overflowing of heresies is like the corruption of the Old World Lastly He compareth them to the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrha whose sinnes were so great that God did rain Hell out of Heaven to be avenged on them Who then can excuse or plead for such defilements the sinners wherein are compared to those three who received the greatest expressions of Gods wrath most signally upon themselves Thus this Chapter is a Comment upon my Text. To open this Truth viz. God will destroy such a defiler First This is to be understood Conditionally unlesse that man see and bewail his errours and forsake them No doubt but Luther and many of the first Reformers who came out of Popery were great defilers of the Temple of God but when God did open their eyes and discover the truth then none were more zealous then they to make the Church that was a den of thieves an House of Prayer How often did Luther bewail that blindnesse and that damnable errour which was upon him in the time of his Popery and Melanâ—thoâ— also yet recovered from it So that this threatning is to be interpreted as all other places against any wicked man Ezek. 18.21 If the unrighteous or wicked man leave his sinnes he shall live God will not remember his former iâ—iquities Yea God many times taketh those who were once plunged into damnable waies and maketh them great Instruments to publish his truths As Paul once a blasphemous persecutor of Christianity afterwards a zealous prosecutor of it Austin once a damnable Manichâ—e afterwards escaping their snares was greatly instrumental to the Conversion of others from those damnable Opinions So that all those who lye in damnable heresies are not therefore desperate and hopelesse for the great Shepherd may reduce these wandering sheep Secondly It cannot be denied but that even a godly man may fall into ae damnable heresie and some time continue in it They may not believe some fundamentals in Religion for a while Thus the Resurrection of Christ is a main Pillar of Religion take this away and our resurrection and all our comforts fall to the ground yet many of the Apostles did not for a while believe it and generally they erred in this fundamental they took Christs Kingdom for a temporal one and looked for a temporal Restauration but yet the godly though at any time thus plunged into a damnable way have this difference from wicked men who are turned aside First There is a seed of grace within them which though for a while it lieth asleep yet at last will put forth it self He cannot sinne because the seed abideth in him 1 Joh. 3. As the spirits of Wine will at last work out all poison So that as a man who hath reason in him may be taught what he knew not when a bruit beast cannot because there is the seed of Reason upon which the teacher doth work So it 's here in a godly man there is the principle of grace and this spark will at last take fire though for the present it be much overwhelmed Secondly The godly though plunged into some damnable errour yet are under a Promise to recover them which will certainly take effect As Moses exposed to the water had his Mothers eye upon him to see he should not be drowned so though a godly man be plunged deep in evil waies yet there is Gods eye and Gods hand ready to deliver him If it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Mat. 24. If it were possible now what makes it impossible not the godly man himself Alas he hath so much ignorance pride and corrupt affections that by what reason they are plunged into any foul errour by the same they would alwaies continue therein and be for ever suffocated It 's only Gods gracious Promise He will leade them into the truth he will give them the spiritual Vnction Thirdly The godly mans heart is not commonly so obstinate and seared as the wicked mans is Those that brought in the doctrines of Devils into the Church are said to have a seared conscience 1 Tim 4.2 They felt nothing they did not doubt or suspect What if this be a damnable errour that thou maintainest What if thou art a means not only to damn thy self but many others No they are commonly men of a reprobate mind But the godly though grievously seduced yet sometimes they have struglings they have an holy jealousie over themselves they bewail their pronenesse to erre Even as it is in grosse sinnes the godly man sinneth not with that hearty and full consent that others doe A third thing to open this point is to consider a difference between the defilements of the Temple by false Doctrines Some are only in accessory and lesse prinpall things and such were those who built bay and stubble their errours were consistent with salvation He shall be saved but so as by fire But others are Fundamental destroying the very soul and essence of true Faith and true Piety Now the latter are such whom God will certainly destroy I know it is that Question which hath kept so many learned men like Abrahams Ramme in the thickets what are Fundamentals what points are necessary to Salvation and what not but though it be hard to parcell out the number yet that there are such the Scripture is plain in that it cals them first Principles and tels us of a Foundation which must be laid Of which formerly Fourthly In defiling the Temple of God here is great difference to be made between those that are the Seducers and the Seduced There was a vast difference between the rebellion of Absolom the head of it and such as followed him in the simplicity of their hearts Lyrinensis said That the Authours of many Heresies were damned whose Disciples or followers might be saved The Apostle Jude doth evidently make a distinction of persons that erre Of some have compassion making a difference Jude vers 22. Fifthly Church defilements make men further off or nearer to perdition as they enjoy the meanes and as they have opportunity to know better The Pharisees sins were so inexcusable because they had light insomuch that our Saviour saith If he had not come they had not had sinne Joh. 15.24 Therefore an Heretique after the first or second Admonition is to be
34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth about those that fear him Oh how many preservations how many Providences do we constantly receive and never take any notice of Thirdly Gods Providential Preservation is two-fold either General which extends to all creatures or special and Particular that reacheth in a peculiar manner to the godly The general Preservation is in respect even of Beasts themselves Therefore Psal 36 6. David takes notice of Gods hand that preserveth man and beast Hence Mat 6. A sparrow so inconsiderable a Bird yet doth not fall to the ground without Providence It hath indeed been the Opinion of some yea some Fathers That the Providence of God doth not extend to minute and particular things But the Scripture is clear in this So that the least fly cannot move it self or the worm creep without Gods Providence It 's God then that preserveth the irrational creatures and that without any derogation to his Majesty for he cannot but do it because of his supream Perfection But then for the Preservation of man especially of Believers there his care is more singular and peculiar In this sense some expound that place The Saviour of all men especially those that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 Gods care to his people is notably discovered by our Saviours expression Luk. 21.18 where he saith Not one hair of our head shall fall to the ground Compared with Mat. 10.30 The very hairs are numbered So then the least danger cannot befall us without the Providence of our heavenly Father Fourthly Hence it is that all the dangers yea and death it self comes by Gods appointment No sooner or later nor no other waies then he hath decreed Thus David comforted himself that though his enemies plotted against him yet his times were in Gods hand and to God do belong the issues of death Psal 68.20 So that it lyeth not in the power of all thy enemies to kill thee when they will David did often acknowledge this That it was God who did preserve him in all his trouble For you must know that this is a truth in Divinity howsoever Arminians and others have arraigned it for false-hood That God hath set the term of a mans life immoveable beyond which he cannot live and to which he shall attain As also All the means bringing it about Even those things that seem to be the most casual and accidental Job speaks this truth evidently Chap. 14.5 God had appointed his moneths and his daies so that he cannot passe the bounâ—s Yet this is not to be understood as if hereby a fatal necessity were introduced that if he be sick he need not use Physick to prolong life Not upon that ground which the Stoick said Si fatale est ut convalescat fatale etiam est ut medicum adhibeat If it be the destiny to be well it will be the destiny to call for the Physician but because Gods Decree doth include in it the meanes So that we must say God hath appointed in the use of meanes to prolong such a mans life viz. Hezekiah's nineteen years longer It 's true the Scripture saith The wicked shall not live out half their daies but that is in respect of their hopes and expectations as also in respect of the ordinary course of nature Many men by their wickednesse do shorten their daies in respect of second causes Therefore do not sinfully fear this or that will kill thee for thy times are in Gods hand and he hath appointed the period of any godly mans life in much mercy because they have done their work and to preserve them from great evils to come These things premised let us consider the several waies by which God preserveth his people in safety And one remarkeable way is By restraining and keeping them from such counsels or actions that may bring death and danger Do we not see rashnesse especially drunkennesse and other vices which make men bold are the cause of many a mans death God therefore keeps his people in a sober and wel-advised way Why is it said That wicked men shall not live out half their daies but that the ungodlinesse of men doth bring them to untimely deaths Yea we read of that good King Josiah whose death was so much lamented that he brought it upon him by rashnesse and foolish temerity for he would unnecessarily go and fight with Pharaoh King of Necho and though he was so seriously advised to the contrary yet he would adventure to his ruine 2 Chron. 35. David himself by his own unbelief and sinne did bring himself into danger And in the matter of Achish when he was forced to feign himself mad but alwaies while he was in Gods way every thing prospered with him Therefore Gods mercy is especially seen to the godly in that he makes them keep within their calling and bounds and that is a safe way If you observe you shall find the greatest dangers befall men out of their Calling They go beyond their bounds and then they smart for it The Bird is safest while she is on her Nest Therefore when the Devil tempted our Saviour to throw himself down the Pinacle of the Temple he answered Thou shalt not tempt God Mat. 4 7. The Devil left out that passage Thou wilt keep him in all his waies A man must be in his Calling and doing his duty It 's true indâ—ed God for wise and just ends may bring suddain exercises upon his own people while doing their duty And God doth not alwaies keep them in safety violent death and other dangers have befallen them as well as the wicked but even then God doth order those passages for their good Secondly God preserveth them from those casual and accidental evils which arise so unexpectedly that no mans wisdome can prevent them God hath the supreme ordering and governing of all things even those things that we judge the greatest casualty and chance they are wisely determined by God In that passage where a man is supposed to be cutting of a tree with an Axe and the â—elve fall of and kill a man that accident is said to come from God and he is said to give such a man into his hand Exod. 21.13 compared with Deut. 19 5. Now consider how many thousand casualties happen in the world of killing of men of Houses and Towns burnt and herein we must acknowledg the goodnesse of God to us for that which hath befallen another might as well befall thee but that God prevents it Thirdly God preserveth wonderfully in changing and altering or working upon the hâ—aâ—ts of man so that though otherwise they would yet God so binds up their hearts that theâ— shall not do thee any mischief Did not Saul for many years together study to take away David's life yet he could not do it Was not Esau also purposed to kill Jacob yet God wholly changed his heart and that when he had a fair opportunity And how remarkeable is that passage of Jehoshaphat who
in vain are taken up in the New Testament as well as the Old And experience teacheth us That where Christ is preached and the Gospel in a glorious manner promulged yet it 's but dead preaching to many This voice doth not make them come out of the grave of sinne onely herein the Law and the Gospel differ that the matter of the Law pressed will condemn us none being ever able to fulfill it Yea the godly cannot do all things the Law requireth and so the Law is a killing letter to him But the Gospel that comes with a moderation where the graces of Gods Spirit are though weak and imperfect there through Christ their weaknesse is forgiven So that the preaching of the Gospel to a soul oppressed for sinne is like the year of Jubilee to poor servants and indebted prisoners Howsoever then the preaching of the Gospel is said to be the ministration of life and of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. yet that is not to be understood simply of it self but as accompanied with the power of God Hence the Gospel is said to be the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 the power of God not of man It 's not mans wisdome that our faith is grounded on Thus much for what the Apostle meaneth not What he positively meaneth or inferreth are First That it 's not in the power or choise of the Minister to make it effectual He cannot bid or command the Word to work as he pleaseth for then the guilt of all mens souls and the damnation of all would lie upon us As our Divines say to the Papists when they brag The Pope hath the Keyes of power above all things not only in earth but in purgatory Why then doth he suffer those souls to lie tormented there as he doth So it would be here Why are any damned Why do any lie in their sinnes if the Ministry by its own power could convert them No the Ministers of God they can only pray they can mourn and grieve in secret to see the miscarriage of the Word and the wilfull resolution in men to destroy their own souls they can mourn over the dead but they cannot recover them to life Secondly The Apostle by this intends that both the Ministers and the people should keep themselves in their due bounds The Ministers though never so eminent though never so much applauded by a numerous company of Disciples yet they cannot make one black hair white They cannot say of any people obeying the Gospel That we by our own power have made such believe It 's true they are said to be Fathers and to beget men to the truth but that is only instrumentally and metaphorically by external application of the Word not internal power for so we have onely one Father in Heaven Pride and ambition do easily breed in the most eminent parts as worms in the sweetest fruit but when they shall consider that they are nothing and God is all this is a good way to humble them and then the people hereby are also taught much moderation Some mens persons they are apt to admire Not such a man in the world Oh but what a great God is there in Heaven without whom this man is nothing This is spiritual Idolatry and that worship which is to be given to Christ only you give to instruments Lastly In making the Ministry nothing and God all The Apostle would have both Minister and people in their Ministry to have our hearts and eyes up to Heaven As the Bird after every drop of water it sips looks up presently to Heaven so shouldst thou Lord what the Minister hath spoken what he hath pressed oh set it home with a blessing Cause it to come like rain upon the new mowed grasse Oh the carelesse and prophane hearing that is every where This makes God give no increase you matter it not you believe not you tremble not under it you do not earnestly pray about it If a man have a leg or arm to be cut off oh you desire all you meet with to pray about it Why because it may cost him his life How much rather about every Sermon every Duty that is preached shouldst thou pray and again pray Oh it may be the damning of my immortal soul to miscarry therein Quest But how may we addresse our selves to hear and to the Ministry so that God may make them something to us Answ To be made something is when the Word doth greatly wound thy heart or comfort thee when it makes a noise and a pain at thy very bowels when it makes thee sick at the very heart when it makes thee cry out Oh me a wretched sinner what have I done Whither shall I go Ah wretch that I am In what a wofull condition am I plunged Sinne is on one side hell on the other the wrath of God above me and all the curses of the Law round about me Then it 's something then our words fall like hot burning coals upon your consciences you cannot sleep nor rove but tremble under it Now this will be done these wayes First Make it a real and conscientious matter to pray unto God to give increase As to the woman our Saviour said According to thy faith so be it unto thee So according to thy prepared prayer saith God this Sermon and this duty shall be blessed unto you As your cruise is fitted so will God pour in oil If we then complain that the Ministry works no more notable effects that it makes no more transcendent alterations judge whether the blame lie not on thy own self Prayer is that which moveth with God Prayer is that in which the Sermon rolled produceth sutable operations The Word of God is a two-edged sword but prayer maketh it penetrate that sets God on work and God sets his Word on work A man much in prayer is alwayes much in profiting As the Preacher is to pray Christ prayed much in the night as he taught much in the day so the hearer he also must pray much Secondly Exercise strong and divine acts of faith this will make the Ministry something to thee The Word profited not because it was not mingled with faith Heb. 4.2 or as some interpret because by faith they were not mixed as it were with the Word they were not incorporated into it and who hath believed our report Rom. 10. Faith is that which comes at first by hearing and then afterwards makes hearing profitable The Atheism and unbelief which is on mens hearts make the Word without efficacy such are prophane mockers As you see they despised the Prophets that often said The burden of the Lord the burden of the Lord. Men believe not the things preached to be Gods truth that they are Gods word that they will be made good whether they will or no they are living words and sure words and faith only layeth the first foundation of this spiritual building believe the threatning and thou darest
no more gainsay it Thirdly Lay aside all superfluity of naughtinesse Jam. 1 21. If Aristotle thought not a young man a fit Auditour for his Ethicks much lesse is a propane beast wallowing in his filth fit for the Word The ground must have all the bryars and thorns pulled up ere the seed sown can bring forth any fruit No lust no sinne lived in hath ears to hear When the Law was to be promulged what washings and preparations were there for several dayes together Thou that comest to the Ministry with all thy goar and filth upon thee thou art a loathsome and an abominable object Do men use to sow in bogs and quagmires So neither doth the Word thrive in men of loose and dissolute lives The Prophet in an indignation at the sinfulnesse of his people crieth out Hear ô Heavens and hearken ô Earth Isa 1.2 as if those insensible creatures would more attend than some men Vse of Exhortation Labour to find the Ministry something some great thing some terrible thing some comfortable thing to thee Oh how many are there to whom it 's nothing They make nothing of any Sermon they hear yea and people generally delight in such a Ministry that brings nothing to them They love not when it is like fire like a two-edged sword they love not when it troubles and disquiets them for sinne the more it 's nothing and passeth away as nothing the more contented they are Oh people prepared for destructon Oh people hated by God! For wherein doth God shâ—w his love more to a people then by causing the Word to be like fire in the bowels Those whom God loveth they find the Ministery efficacious and vigorous they find it to come with power and autority they cry out great is the power of the Lord. Oh how it searcheth how it tryeth how it convinceth how it conquers nothing an stand before it Verse 8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one THe Apostles scope is as you have heard to prevent factions and divisions both in Preachers and hearers to unite them together in love and agreement for which he hath used several Arguments And this eighth Verse beginneth a new Medium to prove the necessity of concord both among the Ministers themselves and the people What is said of men joyned in earthly power Erunt insuperabiles si inseperabiles the same is true both of the Officers and members in the Church of God Now the Argument the Apostle presseth is to this effect Those that are one ought not to be divided either by themselves or by their hearers But all the Officers in Godâ— Church whether those that plant or water they are one Therefore they ought not to be divided So that you see though there is diversity of gifts and employmenss yet they all agree in one it 's unity therefore among Ministers and the people that is made the ground of concord This would be a very necessary subject in these times of multiplyed divisions it being very hard now a daies to say He that watereth and he that planteth are one But I shall pass it over briefly in one Sermon Now this phrase They are one is not to be understood essentially as if they were one nature in which sence 1 Joh. 5. it 's said There are three that bear witness is heaven and these three are one Nor secondly are they one in respect of labour and worth No Paul laboured more abundantly then they all and as the starres differ from one another so do the Ministers of God in worth and ability Therefore the Apostle prevents such thoughts by the words appendant Every man shall receive according to his own labour Vnum sunt non individuo non gradu non donis non vocatione non autoritate non tempore non labore nec non maerore saith Baldwin on the place But they are said to be one in regard of the scope and end for which the Ministery is appointed viz. to gather a Church unto God and to build them up in saith and godliness Observe That although there is diversity and variety in the gifts of the Ministers yet they all ought to agree in one They are to have the same mind the same ends the same mouth Hence is that expression According as he hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were from the beginning Luk. 1.70 All the Prophets ever since the world began had but one mouth He doth not say the mouths but the mouth To shew there was no contrariety no opposition but all agreed in this Thus it should be the mouth of the Ministers of Christ they should go the same way one should not preach contrary to the other one should not destroy what the other affirmes Hence our Saviour did so earnestly pray That his Disciples might be one Joh. 17. For what a scandal and offence would it have been if they who were to be Teachers of the Word and to lay the foundation of the Gospel should not have agreed among themselves So that whereas the Apostle pressing unity Eph 4.4 5. doth reckon up several kinds of unities One body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one Baptisme so we may adde one Ministery so that divisions are a great argument of weakness and of errour foâ— truth cannot be divided is not contrary to it self as errour is not that unity is a note of the true Church as Papists plead who yet have little cause to boast of it especially not unity in matters that are not fundamental and necessary The Apostle supposeth that when he saith If any be otherwise minded the Lord will reveal even this also to him Phil. 3.15 To open this The Ministery ought to be one First In respect of doctrine and true doctrine that is the soul and life of all 1 Tim. 1.3 Paul layeth a charge that they do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach another doctrine Oh it 's a sad prognostique of ruine when some Ministers preach one doctrine as necessary to salvation others another now the true doctrine is revealed in the Word and whatsoever is another from that is not grounded there that is to be rejected Yea the Apostle would have us anathematize an Angel from heaven that should bring any other doctrine Gal. 1.8 And John would not have us so much as receive them in the house or bid them God speed 2 Joh ver 10 11. and who doth so he saith is partaker of all his evil deeds So then the Ministery ought to be one in respect of doctrine to preach one God one Christ one Faith one way to heaven for they are not to be inverters but keepers only of heavenly doctrine Keep that good thing committed to thy trust said the Apostle 2 Tim. 1.14 Secondly There ought to be unity in regard of their end and scope They all ought to shoot at the same mark which is two-fold 1. The glory of God to set up God and