Christ Wonder not but say they wanted the root which is Jesus Christ SERM. CXXXII Of the spiritual anointing which Believers receive from God 2 COR. 1. 21. And hath anointed us c. THat which the Apostle called Confirmation and Establishment the great and precious worke of God upon the hearts of his people is metaphorically declared under three similitudes The first is anointing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Priests in the Old Testament used by anointing to be inaugurated into their Office and sometimes the Prophets also as we reade of Elisha 1 King 19. 16. Hence Beza doth interpret this place of the Ministers of the Gospel as if by us were meant us Ministers For saith he he is asserting the dignity and excellency of the Ministry in opposition to those calumnies that were cast upon Paul and his Colleagues This interpretation of Beza's Stapleton doth greedily catch at and maketh use thereof to oppose Calvin who doth understand it of believers in the general But first Beza though he thinketh the Apostles meaning is principally of Church-officers yet he doth not gain-say if any shall understand it of believers comparing that place of Peter with this where Christians are said to be a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. Neither doe I meet with any Popish Commentator but Stapleton that doe expoundit of Ministers only From this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prove the Oyle or Chrisme that is used in Popery when they baptize children is ridiculous but we may speak more to that in the next verse where sealing is spoken of The Text of it self is plain whereas in the Old Testament Kings and Priests were set apart for their Office by an external anointing which did externally represent some inward power and virtue of God poured out upon them In the New Testament this is applied to the efficacy of Gods Spirit that is upon believers they have all though not a material one yet an invisible and spiritual anointing which is the grace of Gods Spirit in the soul for they are to the soul what oyl was to the body in the several effects thereof So that we observe All true believers have a spiritual anointing from God They are Gods anointed ones Thus Psal 105. 15. Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme Yea Habak 3. 13. all the people of God are called his anointed which caused Grotius though very absurdly to understand the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of Hebr. 11. 26. where Moses is said To esteeme the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt Not of Christ but the people of Israel as if they were the Christ or anointed one in that Text This will much gratifie the Socinian In the New Testament we have a notable place to confirme this Doctrine 1 John 2. 20. But ye have an unction from the holy one and ye know all things And vers 27. The anointing which you have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you Here is the anointing or ointment as some understand because anointing say they is a transient action and so passeth away whereas the Apostle speaketh of something permanent in us we may comprehend both Now it is good to mark the opposition for the Apostle having before spoken of the Antichristian party how that deluded many by specious pretences he cometh with an adversative But ye have the unction by that you are enabled to discerne betweene falshood and truth Yea so farre it worketh in you that ye need not any man should teach you that is say some not exclusively but comparatively for so a negative expression is sometimes used If there be not this unction from God all humane teaching is in vain So that as Calvin and others well observe he doth not speak here against the use of the Ministry as Illuminatists and others pretend For then why should the Apostle teach them in this Epistle while he saith They need no man to teach them Again the Apostle speaketh of the fundamentals and essentials of Religion as if he had said You are not so rude and ignorant as to be taught the principles for so all Christians growne up should not need a Ministry for plantation and a foundation but edification and further instruction Therefore because the Hebrewes were negligent herein how severely doth the Apostle reprove them Hebr. 5. and Chap. 6 Further the meaning may be Ye need not any other man that is of the heretical way should teach you you have received the truth of God from us you need not goe to them to be instructed Thus the Orthodox may say We have informed you in the sound knowledge of God you need not to go to Papists to Socinians for more light and truth By this Text we see that though anointing doth chiefly referre to the worke of grace yet it also comprehends knowledge for Oyle was used to keep up the light of their lampes and therefore Priests and Prophets were anointed So that this very expression is very noble and magnificent You are the anointed ones of God if you doe truly believe you have an unction from the holy one Now how will this title be applied to ignorant and prophane persons Have they this choice anointing May you not call a dunghill sweet ointment as well But to enlarge this excellent point we must First Know Who is the fountain of this spiritual ointment and the Text saith It is God John saith The holy one that is the Lord Christ who therefore hath his name Messias and Christ because he is anointed as the Head and then as from Aaron's head it runneth downe to his members he is the anointed Head and we the anointed Members Whether this anointing of Christ referreth to his Divine Nature or Humane needeth not to be disputed for it is certaine it belongeth to him as God-man Hence Isaiah 61. 1. Christ saith The Lord hath anointed me to preach the Gospel Acts 10. 38. God is there said To anoint Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power So that this anointing of Christ was in him as in us the cause of all that power and vertue we doe partake of Therefore when it is said Psalm 45. vers 7. of Christ Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest iniquity therefore God hath anointed thee with oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes That is not an argument à priori as if therefore Christ were anointed because he loved righteousnesse but à â—posteriori by way of signe and manifestation hereby it was made known that he was the anointed of God Thus the spiritual anointing of Gods people is the cause of all that fragrancy and sweet smell that is in their lives Secondly Let us compare the properties of material oyle with this spiritual anointing And First It was used as you heard in setting apart of Kings and Priests for their Office yea most things in the Temple were consecrated by the anointing of
passionate disposition But let all the children of God admire the grace and power of God that doth subdue all things to himself And though thou mayest not have that temptation or infirmity in thee which thou judgest in another yet thou mayest have another corruption of another nature So that the consideration of this should breed great love amongst the godly and every one be provoked to give glory unto the grace of God which is all in all The second Doctrine is gathered from the necessity if not of conversion yet of that which was almost equivalent to Timothy though enjoying very godly education And from thence observe That none are to rest upon their godly education under godly parents but they are to consider whether the work of Grace hath ever been wrought in them or no. Calvin as you heard thought Paul a spiritual Father to Timothy and that he was converted by his Ministry though of such excellent education and all agree That whatsoever seed of grace he might have in his younger years yet there was a more perfect and compleat informing of him by Paul Briefly to open this Consider First That it cannot be denied but that some may be converted from their youth that they have had the holy fear of God upon them ever since they were able to understand any thing 1 King 18. 12. Obadiah told Elisha He feared the Lord from his youth And thus John Baptist did partake of the holy Ghost while he was in his mothers womb and it is a most blessed mercy thus to have our spiritual and natural life together They are preserved from those wounds that others go halting with to the grave Yet In the second place They are not to rest upon this who have lived civilly from their youth and followed their good education For good Education is one thing and Regeneration is another thing The one is but external and maketh onely an outward Reformation but the other is internal and makes a spiritual change Mat. 19. 20. We read of one He had kept all the commandments from his youth who said he spoke according to his education and instruction For the Pharisees taught That the Law required no other obedience then what is outward Now he had kept himself from any outward pollution or gross transgression But we have a remarkable instance in King Joash 2 Chron. 23. 2. Jehoiada a godly man brought up that King in a godly manner and he did that which was right all the while Jehoiada lived but when he died than he hearkned to the counsel of others that were the means of his ruine Therefore consider whether thou hast any more then the remnants of good education upon thee in time of temptation thy rottenness will be discovered But Thirdly Grant that thou hast received grace from the very womb yet know That upon thy growing up the world will make a great change and alteration upon thee For they were but the seeds and initials of grace it 's the word of God that must further compleat and perfect thee Therefore that illumination and degree of sanctification which thou shalt be partaker of will be as it were a new thing to thee thou wilt think thy self to have been in the dark and to have known nothing comparatively to what now thou doest So that although we are not to puzzle and perplex the godly with the knowledge of the time when and where and how they were converted as if that were necessary yet we are to find that God made a change upon us we are not what we would have been by nature we find God making those tender plants or that little mustard-seed to grow up into a large and great Tree Use of Examination See what God hath done upon thy heart as well as parents It will be no sure argument to plead I had a godly father and godly parents I have been alwayes used to godly duties but search and again search whether thou art a new creature SERM. XI How much it concerns Church-Officers to agree in matters of Religion What meanes may conduce to it Universities and Nurseries of Religion of how great use they are to the Church of Christ 2 COR. 1. 1. And Timothy our brother c. WE are now to take notice of the second Description that Timothy is adorned with and that is a brother to Paul He is called a brother not in a large sense as all believers likewise are but because of a special relation he being also a Church-officer though in an inferiour degree to Paul And he styleth him brother not only from his humility and low condescension Of which already but also to shew his consent and agreement with Paul in all those things treated of in the Epistles As he calls him Brother so he often useth the compellation of a Sonne because he was not only the instrument either of conversion or further institution of Timothy in the wayes of Christ but because in the ministration of the Gospel Paul was a father to him directing him how to manage his ministerial imployment and therefore he writeth two Epistles to him which he doth to none else and all are to direct and guide him in his Office So that it was Timothy's great happiness to have such a Gamaliel as Paul was and to be brought up at his feet as he was at Gamaliels There are two profitable Observations deduceable First In that Paul calls him Brother hereby shewing their consent and agreement in the matter delivered We may observe That the consent and agreement of Church-officers in religious matters is of great use and moment If Paul should have written one thing and Timothy another or the clean contrary this might have occasioned great distraction amongst the Corinthians not knowing what to believe or which way to take Consent is so great a matter or unity that the Roman party makes it a note of a true Church although they cannot greatly glory in that note To understand this First There is a most perfect and absolute consent and agreement and that not only in matters of Religion but also in all civil ordinary things So that all the Officers of the Church have the same velle and the same nolle which the Heathen said was true friendship indeed Now such a consent as this is not to be expected in this life That glorious priviledge will be in Heaven where not only several sects and opinions shall cease but also there shall be no more diversity in their wils and affections The Apostolical Church could not be thus happy For we read of the Apostles twice contending who should be the greatest amongst them and this came from pride and carnal affections afterwards we read Act. 25. 39. of a paroxysme or a sharp contention between Paul and Barnabas which was so great that they departed one from another who before had been companions in a fruitfull manner to publish the Gospel of Christ If such spots can be found
from Christ and that having begun in the Spirit they would end in the flesh We might instance also in several other Churches But as the Father said elegantly We need not drink up the whole Sea to know whether the water be saltish a drop or two will suffice Secondly This may be demonstrated from the relation and comparison the Church is adorned with in reference to Christ It 's often compared to Christs wife now the wife continueth a true wife and is not to be deserted unless for Adultery which breaketh the conjugal knot otherwise though she have many sad infirmities which may make the relation bitter and uncomfortable yet it doth not unwise her The Church is also Christs body now a body is not forsaken by the soul though it be a sore body a leprous body a leper is a man though a leper It 's Christs â—arden now this may have many weeds in it and many things defile it yet it is not presently made a waste wilderness Thus it is with the Church of God she may have many failings in Doctrine and manners yet not be quite unchurched Thirdly From a godly man A true child of God may have sad falls as we see in Peter and David yet for all this not be quite excluded out of the Covenant of grace they did not lose their sonship even in those sad transgressions and will God be more severe to a whole Church than to one person Use of Instruction what a deal of prudence and wisdome is required in every godly man under Church-pollutions To know what to do to understand how to deport himself for this he must be guided by the Word and the advise of those that are faithfull on the one hand not to be stupid or careless much less complying and communicating with the Church defilements and on the other side not to be so transported with misguided zeal and impatiency against evil as there by to rend the Church causlesly and to sin our selves because others sin SERM XVIII The Preheminence of the Church of God above all Civil Societies As likewise concerning Paul's writing this second Epistle to the Corinthians how hard a thing it is for Churches to keep within their proper bounds and what great care Ministers ought to have to use all means lawfull to promote the Churches which they have relation to 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth THis clause hath been fruitfull for much spiritual and edifying matter I shall conclude it at this time There are three things more which are to be deduced from this subject And First Whereas you see that the Epistle is not directed to the Magiâ—â—â— or Civil Governours of the City neither is the least notice taken of their wealth oâ— external pomp We may observe That the Church of God as it is a Church doth farre surpass all Civil Societies and temporal Dignities The Apostle owneth nothing in this famous City but their faith their profession of Christ and subjection to him A Church is a supernatural Society for supernatural and spiritual ends where God is in a more special manner present and therefore though the civil Magistrate be also of God and civil Societies they are of him yet not in that peculiar relation as a Church is Thus the Psalmist saith Psal 87. 2. The Lord loveth the 〈◊〉 of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jerusalem that is the Assemblies of his people met together in holy Ordinances above all other their civil meetings though never so pompouâ— and magnificent Therefore it 's good to consider that in all the inscriptions which the Apostle 〈◊〉 to any Churches he doth not at all speak of any civil or temporal Dignities that the places where the Churches were had but only â—…on of their spiritual titles as a Church Saints Believers Beloved of God And certainly if we do truly consider things these Titles do as farre transâ—â—nd all civil glory as the Heavens do the Earth The Apostle writing to the 〈◊〉 in all that Epistle takes no notice of the glory of that City which was the Orbis Domina and which they usually called aeterna Urbs he mentioneth their faith which was known to the whole world Rom. 1. 8. not the Roman and warlike power whereby they were so terrible to all Nations It is good to consider this for how few Churches do esteem of or judge themselves by their Church consideration but by their civil respects As they are such a City such a Corporation glorying in their Liberties and Charters whereas the consideration of themselves as a Church should far more possess their hearts Briefly to understand this consider First That the Church and Commonwealth or any civil Society are two distinct things the Church is one thing and the State another thing In the times of Heathen Magistrates and while there was outward persecution by the civil Powers which then ruled it 's plain for the City of Rome and the Church of Rome in Paul's time were wholly different So at Corinth the civil Magistracy of the Town did not seem to be Christians the Corporation of the Town was not as I may say made a Church The Christian Religion was not at this time established in Corinth by the City-Laws and Government only many in Corinth were become believers So that it 's plain The same Corinthians as they were a Church lived by other Laws and by different principles then as members of the City of Corinth As he was a Citizen so he met in their civil Judicatories so he acted according to the Laws of the City provided nothing was against Gods command but as a member of the Church there so they meet with others in spiritual communion for holy and spiritual ends Thus it is in a State while they are generally Heathenish But some have doubted Whether if a Commonwealth become Christian then there is any difference there between the Church and such a Christian State Whether then they are not all one But certainly by the first Institution and plantation of Churches by Christ and the Apostles Churches were founded and imbodied their Officers imploiment and the end of their Society appointed without any relation to the civil State and Government where they lived And therefore a Christian State doth not civilly govern nor bear the Sword punishing with death neither are there supream Governours Lords or Noblemen in it as a Church for then these should be Church-officers and instituted by Christ a Justice of Peace is not of Christ as a Pastor in the Church Neither on the other side are the preaching of the Word the administration of Sacraments the exercising of Church-censures the effects of a Christian State but as a Church So that it 's necessary by Scripture to acknowledge these two a Church and the State as two distinct Societies though the same men may be members of the same Secondly It 's a most blessed thing when the civil State and Church are
though it be thy duty to humble thy self for sinne to confess and bewail thy iniquities yet it is also a duty To rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and till the heart be fitted by this joy thou canst nor bless God with that hearty affection as thou oughtst to do Psal 103. David saith Blesse the Lord O my soul and all within thee praise his holy Name All within thee You see to praise God is heart-work as well as lip-work all within us must move and be affected Thy heart cannot boil over as the Psalmist sometimes expresseth it unless this fire of joy doth inflame it Oh then know that a grieving disquieted soul cannot bless God it hinders you from that duty which the Apostle presseth Col. 3. 16. Admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts What an Heaven is such an heart where there are these spiritual hymns and psalms But alas how often is thy heart like an howling wilderness where the cries and dolefull sounds of unbelieving and distrustfull fears do torment thee Sixthly To blesse God there is required faith and a resting of the soul upon God as a reconciled Father Alas can the damned in hell bless God Could Cain or Judas bless God By no means because there is no faith there is no resting upon God as a Father Hence you see the Apostle addeth The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of all mercies To cursed and condemned sinners God is not a Father of mercies but of vengeance and fury a God of dreadfull judgments who is said to be angry with the wicked all the day long Hence David doth so often in the Psalms exercise those appropriating and applying acts of faith My God and my Tower my strong help and defence It was his faith that made him so thankfull For what is it to hear of Christ and all spiritual mercies by him if faith doth not apply them and make them my own And then we are stirred up to give God thanks for them insomuch that faith hath the greatest influence into our thankfulness Seventhly Faith of adherence is not enough to make the heart so throughly and affectionately thankefull as it should be unlesse also there be as some call it faith of evidence or a good and true perswasion that God is our God It 's the reflecting acts of the soul whereby it knoweth and is assured that God hath pardoned my sinne and hath forgiveth my iniquities that are like oil to the lamp of this duty David in some Psalms dependeth upon God and so many times the choisest of Gods servants they are supported to rest on him to build their hopes on Christ but then wanting this assurance not feeling this love of God shed abroad in their souls hence they are not fervent and zealous in these duties of blessing and thanksgiving as they ought to be Do you not see many of Gods people more forward to duties of humiliation and mourning more attending to self-debasement and self-abhorrency then they are to faith joy and blessing of God the one they are constantly in the other unless provoked and forced as it were they seldom accomplish Now this ought not to be so we are to rejoyce as well as tremble we are to put both together we are to bless God for pardon of sinne as well as confess sinne we are to rejoyce in giving of thanks as well as to humble our souls in acknowledging of our sinfulness Thou often saist Lord pity me Lord shew mercy to me but how seldom dost thou say O Lord I bless thee For thy mercy endureth for ever My heart hath been full of sorrow for sinne and now it is full of joy for the pardon of it I have prayed that my corruptions may be subdued and I bless God that prayer is graciously answered If you winne a mercy by prayer and do not wear it by praise you greatly offend God SERM. XXX Of Praising God and that for all but especially for spiritual Mercies 2 COR. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. FRom the method that Paul useth here and in the beginning of most of his other Epistles we have observed the Duty that lieth upon all the people of God to bē carefull and conscientious in this duty of blessing and praising of God which is as the legal ointment for the High-priest compounded of choice and sweet ingredients It 's an Angelical work to blesse God There remain further particulars that are constituent of this comfortable and profitable duty As First The heart that is duly fitted to praise God though it be thankefull for every mercy even the least mercy yet it keeps an order in its thankesgiving according to the dignity of its objects so that it praiseth God chiefly and principally for spiritual mercies and then secondarily for temporal mercies And this argueth the difficulty of this duty and that also only the regenerate and spiritual man can in a Scripture-way blesse God for he only doth preferre heavenly things above earthly When the Psalmist had spoken of outward mercies to a people Psal 144. 12 13 15. great mercies in sons and daughters rich abundance and plenty he corrects all at last Happy is that people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. So that you see all the outward desirable mercies that are are but in a subordination to Gods favour When thou art breaking forth after this manner I bless God for my children for my health for my outward contents Oh but above all Lord that I have any spiritual mercy that thou hast loved my soul converted me to thy self saved me from the evil wayes of the world in this my soul is overwhelmed So then as we see it is in matter of Petition Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven Thus it is also in Thanksgiving whatsoever heavenly mercy God hath bestowed on thee bless God for that in the first place Thus the Apostle doth praise God in a most divine manner Eph. 1. 3. Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Insomuch that this may be a good Touchstone of the truth of grace in thee whether thy soul be most affected and enlarged towards God for soul-mercies that thou canst truly say O Lord in that thou hast made me in a saving manner to know thee in that thou hast revealed thy Son to me I do more rejoyce in this and bless thee for it then if thou hadst given me all the glory of the world Doest thou see a natural worldly man boast in his riches in his birth in his greatness above others and knoweth nothing at all of Gods favour and spiritual mercy to his soul This is like a beast that is crowned with Garlands but yet prepared for the slaughter Canst thou say O Lord I judge all the outward mercies I have to be but husks and empty
them Secondly In this expression of Father of mercies is not only comprehended the multitude of them but the diversity also he is the Father of all kind of mercies God hath an unexhausted treasure of mercy Therefore the Scripture calls God rich in mercy Ephes 2. 4. Though God be rich in wisdom in power yet the Scripture calls him only rich in mercy as if herein he did most excell Now from this treasury arise all kinds of mercies Do not say God may by his mercy help me in this particular and in that respect he can give me bodily mercies but can he give soul mercies He can give private mercies but can he give publick mercies Yes we have too low and narrow thoughts of God if we limit him to any kind of mercy he can do the greatest as well as the least Let us instance in some kind of mercies As 1. There are common mercies and there are special mercies Common mercies are those the whole world is full of He maketh the Sunne to shine upon the good and the bad Therefore our Saviour presseth us To love our enemies because God is thus mercifull even to his enemies Is not the whole earth every Village every Town full of the common mercies of God How come so many to live to subsist upon his cost and charges Whence is it that all the people in the world are provided for Is it not from the mercy of God Lam. 3. 22. It 's the Lords mercies that we are not consumed That famine warre plague and other judgements do not sweep away all the inhabitants of the earth That the whole world doth not fall into ruines This is from Gods meer mercy That all are not roaring in hell it 's the mercy of God Now this common mercy is the more admirable if ye consider what kind of persons they are to whom he is thus mercifull even to his very enemies that hate God and if it lay in their power would destroy him that he should not have a being Oh the mercy of God that is continued to many a prophane beast and many a malicious Devil to what is good Why is it that every liar is not stricken dead with Ananias Why is it that every drunkard quaffing in his pots doth not see a terrible hand-writing in the wall against him Why is it that the earth doth not open to swallow thee up while thy mouth is full of cursing and swearing Is not all this from the mercy of God Oh how little doth this mercy of God lead you to repentance whereas it is vouchsafed to you for that end Let it not be despised because it is common For though God be thus often mercifull yet sometimes his judgements are terrible to prophane men They are suddenly destroyed while they are in their drunken fits and it is Gods mercy that what hath befallen others doth not also come upon thee but after thy impenitent heart Thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath Now is the day of mercy but then will be a day of wrath There are special mercies such as the godly are only partakers of To be called to be justified to be sanctified c. Oh what heart or tongue can express the happiness of those who have these mercies How sacrilegious are those Doctrines that do not make God wholly and solely the father of these mercies but they make themselves and their own free-will to be yoynt-fathers with God in these mercies But as Austin of old urged If I cannot make my self a man which is the lesser can I make my self an holy man which is the greater If there is not the least temporal mercy that thou canst procure by thy own power not a morsell of bread not a drop of water canst thou by thy own strength obtain the greatest of all Though it be said The sword of the Lord and of Gideon yet it cannot be said the vocation the justification by Paul and by Christ but Christ alone doth these things in us and for us though by his grace we are also sanctified and inabled to do that which is holy Again There are soul-mercies and there are bodily-mercies There are spiritual and there are temporal mercies now God is the Author of both We may sinne by unthankfulness for either of them if thou takest thy bodily-mercies as due thy health thy sleep thy preservation from daily dangers in this thou wrongest the goodness of God for if he take away his hand but for a moment thou canst not subsist And as for soul-mercies whether the natural ones of it as thy wit thy understanding thy fancy thy senses God is the Father of them Or the spiritual ones there he is much more if thou hast repentance faith assurance a gracious contented heart in every condition these are mercies of mercies but God alone is the Father of them Furthermore There are preventing or privative mercies and there are positive mercies Now the Rule is Plures sunt gratiae privativae quam positivae more privative favours than positive Did not God prevent what innumerable evils might arise every day to destroy thee When we pray for daily bread in that we comprehend all kind of outward bodily mercies so that if the Lords hand were not alwayes giving we could not abide a day Now seeing that by sinne we are made obnoxious to all the curses in the Law To be cursed at home and cursed abroad How manifold are Gods preventing mercies to us What evil might every day bring forth to thee What a sad night might every night be to thee if Gods preventing mercies did not compass thee about Lastly We might instance in private mercies and publick mercies But what hath already been spoken may abundantly confirm us That God is the Father of mercies In the next place Let us consider the Property of Gods mercy And 1. He is infinite in mercy as well as in other attributes So that this fountain can never be drawn dry he hath mercy enough for thee and me and for all the humbled sinners in the world If all the Nations of the world are but as a drop to him so neither are all the sins of the world but as a drop to his mercy No sins are too many or too great for Gods mercy And truly this consideration alone is that which doth revive and establish the drooping soul for if it were but the mercy of a creature if it were finite mercy that thou hadst to do with woe and again woe would be unto thee The Prophet Isaiah speaks fully to this Chap. 55. 7 8 9. where there is an encouragement given to the wicked To forsake his evil wayes because God will have mercy yea he will abundantly pardon or multiply to pardon and whereas the sinner might think Surely God will never do so to such an hainous and wretched sinner as I am the Prophet tells us Gods thoughts are not as our thoughts but as the Heavens are higher
a little yet inflaming and increasing the disease more So that these worldly joys being not universal nor pure and unmixed yea being the seed of eternal grief and torment therefore they may be well excluded from the name of joy and the Doctrine be truly asserted That God is a God of consolation onely to believers Let us explicate this truth And First We are to know That God doth not only vouchsafe grace but comfort also and delight to his people in the exercise of those graces He doth not only give bread that strengthens but wine that makes the heart glad Grace that carrieth us out to honour God to love him and live to him but comfort that is for our encouragement that is to sweeten and facilitate the heart in doing so So that if a man have never so much grace and holiness yet if he want this conlation as you see it was with Job with Jeremiah with David when Psal 51. he prayed so earnestly for the restoring of it again to him all his desirable things perish Christ himself under those agonies he conflicted with had an Angel to comfort him So that you see they are two distinct gifts of God to give Grace and to give comfort therefore the holy Ghost hath a two-fold work both to sanctifie and also to comfort yet though distinct God doth many times joyn them together yea there is some unusual impediment if joy doth not alwayes follow grace and that like Castor and Pollux they do not alwayes appear together Therefore Godlinesse is comprehended under the name of gladnesse in that expression Ps l. 45. 7. applied to Christ Heb. 1. 9. Thou hast anointed him with the oyl of gladness as Christ was so also are his members thus anointed with the oyl of gladnesse God then doth not only sanctifie and make his people holy but he also doth fill their hearts with joy and gladness Thus Acts 9. 31. They in the Churches walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost Only when we say That God giveth his people comfort as well as grace You must know the comforts are of two sorts Sometimes they are concomitant so that even in the very exercises of grace they find unspeakable joy and sweetness The very Heathens had some glimmering of this when they said Virtus was sibi ipsi praemium Virtue it self was a reward as well as duty because of the great tranquillity and contentation of mind that it brought to the soul Even as wicked actions have an immediate horrour and remorse of conscience accompanying them And then 2. There are consequent joyes which follow after the work is done as Paul found at the 12th verse This is our rejoycing the testimony of a good conscience So that a man of an ill conscience who hath stings from that though all the world applaud him yet he cannot have any true solid joy Quid proderit tibi non habere conscium habenti conscientiam The Martyrs they found concomitant joyes in their most dreadfull sufferings Act. 5. 41. The Apostles went away rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs Name They minded not their stripes nor their reproach and disgrace but they went away rejoycing not from hearing the Word from prayer from such holy Ordinances but even from scourges and stripes But in many other duties and services for God though for the present we may feel no joy yet there are subsequent joyes that may arise long after For as sinne may not sting for a while as we see in Joseph's brethren the guilt of their conscience awakened them many years after So the comfort of holy duties though for the present thou mayest not apprehend them yet sometimes or other God will revive them Secondly Although God giveth not only grace but comfort to his people yet we are not to serve him onely for comforts sake but for his own sake and that while he denieth us the brests of consolation to suck on yet we are as fervently and zealously to obey him as ever It is many times the sad complaint of Gods children that they want comfort and thereupon are dejected and discouraged they care not for praying for hearing they have no heart for the Ordinances and all because they find their hearts like a barren wildernesse full of howling beasts Oh when they have comfort then they can runne the way of Gods Commandments then they have fire in their bosome But when this is gone they become like a stone or a lump of earth But although it be true That the joy of the Lord is our strength Nehem. 8. 10. yet for all that it is too low and mercenary to serve him onely for comfort This is Amor concupiscentiae not amicitiae towards God The grace of love carrieth us to God so that we choose him and delight in him above all things that though he should not give us Heaven and everlasting glory yet we were to love him because he is the supream and most excellent good How much more than are we to serve God to be diligent in his work though we find not those experimental suavities upon our souls for the present Therefor thou art to deny thy self in this matter of joy when God dispenseth it to thee walk thankfully humbly and fruitfully under it And when in darkness in desolateness of soul yet let not thy soul abate in love and service to God The Stoick was so severe that he thought he could not be virtuous who did any virtuous action for the delight and sweetness that followeth it They would not have Virtus propter voluptatem but voluptas propter virtutem How much more should our Christianity teach us to preferre Gods will and his honour above all consolations If Job said Though he kill me yet I will trust in him then do thou though when thou askest for bread he give thee a stone when thou askest for fish he give thee a serpent yet still say I will own him as a Father honour him as a Father Christ when he was in those agonies and destitute of all comfort yet he did not refuse to accomplish the will of God Thirdly As God giveth comfort to believers so he doth it proportionably and sutably to their tryals necessities and wants Greater tryals need greater comforts greater temptations need greater consolations Thus the Apostle at the next verse As our sufferings abound so our consolation also aboundeth through Christ One drop of honey is not enough to sweeten the salt waters of the sea neither can small consolations equal great afflictions Hence the wisdome and goodness of God is most remarkable that he reserveth his comforts for such times and seasons when the soul doth most want them Now if ever the Lord must comfort else they shall be overwhelmed as in the time of our first conversion to God when our sins lie with all their weight upon our backs when we see nothing but terrour which way soever
we look we are in strong pangs and agonies of soul The Devil also taketh his opportunity then to cast in all his fiery darts Thus when the soul of a man is filled with fear doubts seeing no way but hell and damnation at such a time God comes in with his best wine then God delights to speak to the heart of such Psal 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul The Hebrew word signifieth perplexed thoughts like boughs on a tree intangled one with another that a man cannot part them such were his thoughts so intricate so enfolded one within another that he knew not what to resolve on what to determine yet the comforts of God did refresh his soul Thus new converts have many times more comfort then ever they shall have all their life time they needed them most then Again When the people of God have any great props and supports of comfort and joy taken away from them then commonly God comes in with more than ordinary comfort This makes him to be styled The Father of the fatherlesse and Judge of widows such who need help and comfort most When David was in danger of losing his life and Kingdom and that by his unnatural rebellious sonne Absolom when Shimei reviled him when he fled up and down with his Army with ashes on his head weeping and wailing as he went up the hill yet even at that time Psal 4. 6. he saith God had put more gladnesse into his heart then they could have in their harvest joy So the Disciples when they were to be parted from Christ he was not to be corporally present with them upon this how greatly did sorrow fill their hearts What should the sheep do without their Shepherd the Chickens without their Hen Yet saith our Saviour I will not leave you comfortlesse John 16. Christ would send his Spirit a Comforter in his room Thus you see Gods way when he taketh away the comfort of an Husband a Father a Friend he will be in stead of all these to us Those conditions which we thought would have broken our hearts he made even joyfull to us Lastly When God calleth his people to any high degrees of self-denial even to Martyrdome it felf then as their grief and fears would superabound so also their joyes ond comforts will be above them The Martyrs never felt such joy and delight in all their lives time as they did in a dark dungeon and in the flames of fire Therefore Gods children should not sinfully torture their souls with thoughts what if God should call them out to suffer to be imprisoned to be burnt at the stake Oh they should deny Christ over and over again prove wretched Apostates They must not judge thus according to their present disposition but remember that God will proportion strength and comfort to their exercises and give them Giants strength if he lay a Giants burden on them Fourthly God doth not only do good to his people in giving them joy but to shew how ready and willing he is the Scripture saith That it is a joy to God to do any good for us he rejoyceth to bestow his mercy upon us This is spoken after the manner of men to denote with what willingnesse he vouchsafeth his favours to us See what a wonderfull expression the Prophet useth Zephan 3. 17. while God is said to be in the midst of his people saving of them even because he doth thus he is said To rejoyce over them with joy to rest in his love and to joy over them with singing By this we see that while God giveth us grace and other mercies whereof joy is a chief one he himself rejoyceth therein Even as Aristotle observeth of a liberal man That he takes more joy in giving than he that receiveth the benefit can do in receiving of it God then giveth thee grace and joy not unwillingly not difficultly but he himself rejoyceth in making thy heart joyfull See a sweet place to confirme this also Isai 61. 5. At the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Fifthly This joy God giveth believers is a spiritual joy Worldly joy is like the culinary fire which goeth out if it have not daily fuell but this is like the elementary that needeth no pabulum but continueth of it self without such additaments Though friends die though the creatures break under us yet this joy abideth the same still It is a spiritual joy because seated in the spiritual part of a man most So that we do not speak here so much of a sensible bodily joy but of that which is rational and seated in the soul It is true when the soul is greatly affected by way of sympathy and redundancy it doth overflow even to the bodily part of a man also but the Subject wherein this joy is immediately and properly seated is in the soul and heart of a man Hence it is that the heart is so often said in the Scripture To rejoyce in the Lord which is the mind and the will Therefore as a godly soul may truly repent when yet it cannot shed bodily tears so it may truly rejoyce when it hath not a bodily gladnesse upon it So that as the Wiseman saith of carnal laughter that even in that the heart may be sad So also though in bodily sadnesse yet the conscience of a man may have great tranquillity and joy It is also a spiritual joy because the motives of it are chiefly from spiritual objects It 's joy in the Lord and joy in the holy Ghost Luke 10. 10. Our Saviour commanded his Disciples Not to rejoyce in that they could work miracles and cast out Devils but because their name was written in Heaven It 's spiritual also in its operations For whereas worldly joy enters into men as the Devils did into the Swine hurling them headlong into Hell This makes the heart more active more fruitfull It 's like the Spirit to Ezekiel's wings like the wind that made the dry bones gather together and live It 's like Elisha's fiery chariot mounting him up into Heaven whereas grief and sorrow are like the wormes that eat into the wood and devour the strength of it Lastly This joy is given by God to believers though formerly great and grievous sinners For we might think such as have been the chiefest of many thousands in sinning and blaspheming against God though God should have pity and mercy upon them yet he should never give them any comfort in this life You would think their former lusts pride uncleannesse and excesse of riot should be like a mill-stone alwayes about their neck They should go mourning to the grave never able to remove their sinnes out of their sight but thinking they pursue them as close every moment as Asahel did Joab to damn us Yet even to such after God becomes reconciled with them God it may be giveth more comfort than to others Great
are to take as if no other part of the spiritual armoury would do any good unlesse we had faith Ephes 6. 16. Hence when Peter was to undergo Satans winnowings which were chiefly by persecutions Christ saith He prayed that his faith might not fail him Luk. 22. 32. not his fortitude patience or zeal but his faith because this is the root the tree can never fail as long as the root is good It was want of faith made many in times of persecution sacrifice to Idols and deliver the Bible to be burnt It was want of faith made Spira fall into so great an Apostasie Thus faith is the chief grace that inableth to suffer for Christ This makes weak strong and Lambs Lions Secondly Another qualification to suffer for Christ is Love a grace not indeed to be exalted above saith but yet as necessary in its sphere where it hath to do as that is and as faith so this love required in every sufferer doth discover it self two wayes There must be hearty love to God and Christ for whom we suffer and there must be love to man yea to our enemies and persecutors or else we shall lose the advantage of all our sufferings The Apostle speaketh fully to this 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing And what charity is this Even two-fold First A love of God and Christ If thou sufferest because of force and necessity thou canst not avoid it this is not to suffer rightly It must be true love to Christ and his glory that thou preferrest his glory above all thy comforts even life it self And indeed this is the greatest expression of thy love to Christ when thou canst die for him as Christ discovered his great love in dying for us A man that doth not love Christ cannot suffer for Christ The second act of charity is To love our enemies our persecutours While they are railing we are to pray while they are persecuting we are to blesse and truly by this we are known to be Christs Disciples more than by enlargements or any miracles When one met with a Christian and falling upon him in a great rage beating and buffeting of him saying What great thing did Christ ever do The Christian replyed Even this that though you beat and abuse me yet Christ hath taught me to pray for you If therefore malice and a revengefull spirit be predominant in thee while thou sufferest Oh consider this is not to suffer as Christ did Thirdly There is required in him that suffereth for Christ Spiritual fortitude and courage No such enemy to this duty of suffering as worldly fears and pusillanimity of spirit Indeed there is a godly fear whereby we have an holy jealousie of our strength and therefore rest alone upon Gods power and this is an excellent preservative against Apostasie in the hour of temptation Many that have been exceeding fearfull have yet been more faithfull and stout in the hour of danger then those who have been more confident as many instances in the History of the Martyrs will evidence When Peter was so presumptuous as to say Though all men should forsake thee yet I will not He proved more cowardly than any So that there is a good humble fear whereby we renounce our own strength and this we are to preserve But then there is a carnal worldly natural and excessive fear this is to be mortified Now against this Christian courage is the proper help but this is the gift of Gods Spirit Therefore none can suffer for Christ but such who have the Spirit of God inabling them It 's a gift to suffer not only by way of honour but also by way of power Hence when Stephen and others were inabled to be bold against their adversaries they are said to be filled with the holy Ghost And thus Timothy is exhorted to be strong in the grace of God 2 Tim. 2. 1. and to endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Christ So Ephes 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might It is true Aristotle speaketh of fortitude a moral vertue despising deaths and dangers but he was ignorant of God and so giveth us a Gloworm in stead of a Star Pray therefore for this holy courage in the way of God Fourthly To suffer for Christ there is required An holy Wisdome and prudence For it is not Christian fortitude unlesse regulated by Christian prudence Discretion is the salt to season all our Sacrifices for to Sacrifices there was salt required as well as fire When our Saviour gave that admirable counsel Be wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves Matth. 10. 16. he sheweth what an excellent temper even ad pondus a Christian should be of The Serpent must not eat up the Dove yet a Dove-like temper must be accompanied with wisdome Courage to suffer without wisdome is like Samson without eyes and many times did more dishonour God then all sufferings did honour him Austin disliked the zeal of some who demolished the Heathenish Idols of their own private accord having no Authority thereunto The indiscretion of one Andas a Bishop setting fire on a Persian Temple where they worshipped fire as a god brought a sad and sore persecution and when the Bishop was commanded to build it up again at his own charges for his resusal he was put to death Now saith an Ecclesiastical Primitive Writer I discommend him for his imprudence in demolishing the Temple but I admire his zeal that he would die rather than rebuild it He then suffereth for Christ that hath prudence and wisdome to order his zeal so that he suffer not for his own folly but meerly for Christ Only this is a very nice point to distinguish prudence from carnal policy but that is not my work now Fifthly We are alwayes to remember Patience as that which is a special qualifier of every one to suffer You have need of patience saith the Apostle Heb. 10. 36. Therefore Heb. 6. 12. Faith and Patience are put together as those two which made the godly inherit the promises Rom. 12. 12. Patient in tribulation This holy patience is that which doth quiet and compose all the waves and storms of the soul it commands all diffident and unbelieving thoughts all murmurings and repinings to be gone Therefore it 's said In patience possesse your souls And Jam. 13. Let patience have its perfect work If therefore thou art called any wayes to suffer for Christ take heed of fretting of repinings of unrulinesse of heart for impatience argueth a want both of faith in and love of Christ The Martyrs were admirable in the patience they discovered under the most provoking torments they suffered as if it had been in anothers body and not their own Sixthly To suffer there is required a mortified heavenly heart as to all earthly comforts and relations not to know father or mother or life it self
behalf It is good to consider how earnestly Paul though so eminent and choice a man in holinesse doth desire the prayers of others and therefore when he had spoken of that confidence he had in God who as he had so also would for the future deliver him he addeth vers 11. You also helping together by prayer for us as if none of those great mercies Paul looked for could be brought forth but by the help of their prayers This then is that which maketh the godly desirous that others who fear God may know how it is with them what temptations they lie under what afflictions they grapple with that so they may have the effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man which availeth much Though the prophane deride and scoffe yet the prayer of any true godly man is greatly to be valued and much to be desired Secondly As such are thereby provoked to pray to God for them so when God shall mercifully deliver them and turn their afflictions for good then they will also be encouraged to blesse and praise God also in their behalf and thus more glory redoundeth still to God Thus also the Apostle vers 11. declareth That by the meanes of many persons thankes may be given to God on our behalf Thus you see no Christian is to live to himself but it is his duty to be praying to God for others and praising God in the behalf of others but how little are the people of God exercised in these communion duties How little zealous in prayer for others but farre more negligent in the praises of God for others When doest thou blesse God for the mercies deliverance vouchsafed to the afflicted Saints of God as if they were thy own This publick affection is greatly wanting in believers who do not consider they are of the body Thirdly By knowing the afflictions of others and their holy deportment under them thou mayest thereby learne patience zeal heavenly mindednesse and many other graces Afflictions are Gods schools and that whether on thy self or on others How much patience may we learn by the afflictions upon Job Thus James 5. 10 11. The Prophets who spake in the name of the Lord must be taken as an example of suffering affliction and of patience and ye have heard of the patience of Job How greatly did the waves of God passe over his head No Martyr as Chrysostome amplifieth it came near Job in all their sufferings and therefore the holy Ghost thought fit to have the History of Job recorded that all might know and learn by it Be not then a stranger to the sufferings of Gods people but inform thy self about them to imitate their graces to be encouraged to do the like when God shall call thee to fight his battels But you may say What use can be made from the preaching about such afflictions which Paul and the other primitive Christians suffered from Paganish and Heathenish enemies We have no Neroes or Diocletians neither are we called to prisons and Martyrdome To what purpose is it to preach of sufferings to those who live in all quietnesse and freedom What use or good improvement can we make of it Therefore it is necessary to answer this Objection And First By the same reason you may say To what purpose did the Spirit of God cause this Chapter to be written with many other passages of the like nature which treat of afflictions and that from Pagans Certainly though we be not for the present exercised as they are yet the record of this the Doctrine about this is of very great concernment Therefore Secondly Though thou art not called to be a Martyr or to suffer from such enemies yet there is none that will live godly but they shall meet with afflictions one way or other We read of no child of God without his tribulations None can come into Canaan but they must first go thorow a wildernesse They must first with Christ suffer and so enter into glory We told you that there are afflictions of divers sorts There are real and there are verbal afflictions Though thou doest not suffer in thy life and in thy liberty yet thou mayest in thy name and in thy outward comforts There is no man which liveth in a zealous lively manner for God and endeavouring to pull down the kingdom of Satan but the Devil and his instruments will raise opposition enough against him and therefore it is good to hear Sermons about sufferings for Christ For though thy troubles be not such great and bloody ones as the Martyrs have been yet thou art to drink part of this bitter cup The Lord he hath given thee a portion in these tribulations and truly there is not the least affliction befals us in the way of God but if God did not preserve us and keep us by his grace we should sinke under it The frowhe of a man the fear of a mock is enough to discourage us from our duty if God doth not corroborate us If therefore the world doth not hate us if that be not a professed enemy to us we may justly doubt whether we be the Womans seed or not rather the Serpents seed Seeing therefore thou hast thy tribulations more or lesse and that for righteousnesse thou mayest improve this truth for thy edification Secondly What though the Church of God meeteth not with persecutions and troubles from Pagans and Heathens yet those it suffereth from such who pretend to Christ and judge it special service of God so to afflict them have a sharper sting in them What miseries and bloudy cruelties have not many godly Protestants suffered from Papists who yet glory that they only are zealous for Christ that others are blasphemers and enemies to Christ and therefore ought to be punished with such severe censures Now may not such Martyrs and sufferers receive as much comfort as if they had been persecuted from Heathens Yea doubtless for in some respects their suffering is the greater and their constancy the more admirable When the holy Prophets were stoned to death by the people of the Jews that yet thought themselves to be the onely people of God this did not diminish but aggravate their glory The patience of Abel was more admirable in being slain by his brother Cain then if it had been by a stranger If therefore thy sufferings arise from such who highly pretend to the glory and truth of Christ Be not despondent for thy crown of glory will herein be greater than if it had been from open adversaries Hence it is observable how remarkably the Scripture speaketh of those who suffered by Antichrist Rev. 13. 10. Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints which is again mentioned Rev. 14. 12. A true Christian suffering from false Christians hath not the promises of God obscured or diminished hereby to him but rather enlarged for God considereth both from whom it is thou art troubled and the cause why and the
imprison and destroy those that do yet truly fear God This ignorance upon them though it may excuse in some degree and make them lesse sinners then such who do wilfully oppose and do despite maliciously against the Spirit of grace yet it doth not totally free them nay they are persecutours for all that as you see Paul acknowledged concerning himself Now such enemies as these are acted by religious principles but in a false way they commonly are more zealous and implacable than any other Paul because it was not any carnal advantage or profit he sought after but a meer zeal for the Religion he had by tradition from his fathers therefore did he pursue the Christians in such a bloody furious manner Tantum Religio potuit c. said the Poet Oppositions against the wayes of God from such who are zealous and devout in their false wayes are constantly more dreadfull and terrible than any others So that we are again and again to try what spirit we are of to examine Whether it be the true Religion indeed that we give our selves up to the profession thereof For if it be not the greater zeal the greater forwardnesse therein is but the greater condemnation and like the Traveller out of the way the more thou runnest the further thou goest from the true way But The second sort of enemies to the truths of Christ which are farre the more numerous part is of such Who are addicted to such a way and perswasion in Religion not because of any Divine worke of Gods Spirit upon them but because it suiteth with their carnal interest it agreeth with their external profit and therefore they cry out Great is Diana when indeed in their heart they say Great is their wealth great is their gain this is the Diana We may justly charge this upon Popery What was it that made Luther and the other Reformers so odious to the Popish party What made the Pope with his adherents to breath nothing but fire and sword Was it not because they touched the Popes Crowne and the Monkes belly Hence Secondly The faithfull Ministers of the Gospel meet with opposition not from the Pagans only that are without but from the sonnes of the Church which are within from those who professe the same God the same faith the same Christ with them And the reason is because many that professe Christ do so for earthly and carnal respects and such titular and counterfeit Christians as these cannot but hate those that are genuine The Apostle in the large Catalogue of his manifold sufferings reckoneth this up amongst the rest Perils from false brethren 2 Cor. 11. 26. Thus in Abrahams family there will be an Ishmael to persecute Isaac because one is of the bond-woman and the other of the free Think not then that the Pagan or Jew will become enemies to the powerfull preaching of the Gospel for every false Christian will Every one that followeth Christ onely because of loaves or with Judas becometh a Disciple because of the bagge Doth not experience confirme this that the prophane Christian doth as bitterly rage at and oppose the holy wayes of Christ as any Heathen would doe Thus the godly Ministers have trouble as it were from their own flock their Sheep sometimes becomes Wolves and Beares to them and with Ezekiel They dwell among Scorpions Ezekiel 2. 6. Thirdly The carnal interest and earthy sinfull respects are of divers sorts even as the creeping things that are produced from the earth are innumerable As 1. He knoweth Religion onely for carnal ends though it be the true one that turns the grace of God into wantonnesse That cryes up Gospel truths onely to encourage themselves in a licentious way As many of the mixed multitude went out with the Israelites from Aegypt yet kept their old and corrupt natures still So in the first Reformation many came out of Rome with the blessed Reformers many gloried in the name of Evangelici that they had shaken off the yoke of Antichristianisme but at the same time they did not cast off the yoke of sinne The first Reformers sadly complained of such that looked upon the Gospel as the casting off not onely the Popes Laws but Gods Law also as if to renounce the Images and Masse had been enough though in the mean time they did securely sleep in all wickednesse Now from such as these the Ministers of the Gospel have found as much unkindnesse and malice as from their Popish adversaries So that both ot home and abroad the Prophets of the Lord have been greatly afflicted These spots in our feasts these lovers of pleasures more than God these are they that have in all places withstood the power and life of godlinesse the holy Order and Discipline Christ hath instituted as if the liberty Paul bids us stand fast in were a liberty to sinne without controll and an indulgence in all licentiousnesse Such as these when they come into the warme Sunne when they have Summer an opportunity in their hand will discover that they are Serpents and will sting Tertullian apologized of old That the Christian Religion had her greatest enemies in Ale-houses and Brothel-houses and thus still the powerfull way of godlinesse is opposed by those monsters in Christianity that have the head of a Christian but the heart and life of beasts Mulier formosa supernè desinit in piscem Like those Locusts Revel 9. 6. that had faces like men but teeth like Lions and tailes like Scorpions Thus how many have the face of Christians but in heart in lives are beasts all over From these the Ministers of God have received much opposition 2. They know Religion onely after carnal respects who intend to enrich and to advance themselves by it take up the profession of it for no other end but to gain thereby As this Demetrius made him shrines not so much out of devotion to Diana as to increase his wealth Our Saviour knowing such a self-seeking disposition was predominant in many who proffered to be his Disciples he therefore prevents their Hypocrisie and Apostasie by telling them The Foxes have holes but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head and requireth it as a fundamental qualification That he who would be his Disciple must loue Christ more than father and mother and life it self Yea must not venture to winne the whole world if thereby he should lose his soul Oh take heed of this Judas this treacherous disposition in thee to be of the mind with those Paul speaketh of who supposed That gain is Godlinesse 1 Tim. 6. 5. Yea such are worse than Judas for he sold Christ but once thou doest continually and he was grieved and troubled for what he had done but thou though thou preferrest earthy things all the day long before Christ yet art not grieved in heart Well such as these are will in case of profit and advantage make all opposition against the preaching of
especially when we speake of spirituall mercies such as justification and reconciliation with God Aegid Coninck de arteb supernat de spe a Popish Writer maketh a threefold hope or trusting in God One he calleth Pelagian and that is when we rest upon God only because of our own merits and our own strength and this he doth reject as well he may for this is not to trust in God but in our selves A second hope he calleth Lutheran and that is when he trusteth only in the grace of God excluding all merits this also he rejects and thereby also the only hope the Scripture commends to us The third hope he cals the Catholick trusting in God and that is partly upon the grace of God and partly upon our own merits yet wrought also by the grace of God But to think of merits or to speak of merits when we come into the presence of so great and holy a God whose Law we break daily and in all our best duties faile exceedingly is to play the Pharisee and not the Publican who yet only was accepted with God The second way of trusting therefore viz. only in the grace of God excluding all our own strength is that which is approved of by the Word of God So that till we be sound in our judgement about this Point we cannot rightly trust in God In the next place a second main particular to cleare the Doctrine about this trusting is to consider the excellency of their grace that so we may thereby be the more exercised therein For 1. It is many times put for the whole worship of God because he that doth trust in God he will be sure to performe all those other duties God doth require Thus Psal 115. 9 10. when the house of Israel and Aaron are exhorted to trust in the Lord by that is meant the whole worship of God even as to fear God is sometimes also put for the whole service of God The excellency and dignity of the grace appeareth herein 2. It is therefore excellent because the Lord so delighteth to put us upon the daily practice of it Insomuch that whatsoever he doth for his people either in spirituall or temporall mercies they do obtaine it wholely by trusting What is that great way whereby we are justified before God how come we to obtain this blessed priviledge It is only by faith And what is this faith but a trusting and resting upon Christ alone So that the most noble and essentiall consideration in justifying faith is that it doth make the soul rest and depend on the Lord Jesus God would not justifie us by any other way by working by doing but by trusting which doth greatly demonstrate the acceptableness of this grace to God So also for temporall mercies that assertion twice or thrice used The just shall live by faith doth in part relate to those temporall promises which God maketh for the preservation and support of his people and now God will have these performed to such who wait on him who trust on him It is not the just shall live by love by repentance but by faith God therefore would have us wholly depend upon him for every mercy we have hence we are commanded to pray for our daily bread trust not in thy store or treasure trust not in thy labour and skill but be every day at the Throne of grace begging for every mercy thou desirest Oh but what dishonour is there to God in this respect Doth not the rich man look more to his revennues then Gods promise Doth not the Tradesman look more to his custome and his gaines then Gods power yea the labouring man is apt to trust in his health and strength as if he needed not to depend upon God all the while he hath that Sanitas pauperis est patrimonium a poore mans health is his patrimony his freehold and he is apt to make it his god to trust in What excellency then is in this grace when no mercy either spirituall or temporall can be obtained but by the exrecise thereof For the soul you must trust God and the mercies thereof for the body you must trust God and the mercies thereof And observe the deceitfullness of thy heart herein who trusteth in Christ for thy justification and salvation but art full of disquieting cares and feares about thy externall preservation and maintenance Oh foolish and unwise which is greater salvation then rayment and food and yet thou art perswaded God will do the greater but doubteth about the lesser 3. It is excellent because it doth indeare God to us and in a peculiar manner obligeth God to look to us For when the soul can say O Lord I renounce all other helps I trust not in any other support I leave all things to adhere to thee this doth in particular manner ingage God to look upon us as his own and so to defend us Thus David argueth Psal 16. 1. Preserve me O Lord for I trust in thee Psal 7. 1. In thee O Lord I put my trust save me so 1 Chron. 5. 20. it is said of the Sons of Reuben when they were in great distress yet the Hagarens were delivered into their hands because they did put their trust in God It is also attributed unto Hezekiah as a great and glorious honour to him 2 Kings 18. 5. That he trusted in the Lord God of Israel and Verse 7. The Lord was with him and he prospered Therefore the committing of our selves into Gods hands is a speciall way to secure us 4. The excellency of this grace is seen in the difficulty of it and transcendency to flesh and blood for if Aristotle could say homo was magis sensus quam intellectus more sense then understanding putting forth the acts thereof more then of reason we may say much rather he is more reason then faith The difficulty of it maketh the People of God oftner in distracting feares and carking cares then in any other sinnes David who professeth his trust in God yet how often tempted to difidence Asa a good man 2 Chron. 16. 12. is blamed that in his disease he sought not to God but to the Physicians It was lawfull for him to seek to them but because he rested wholly on them and not on God therefore is he thus taken notice of seeing then it s our duty to use meanes and not to expect that God will in a miraculous and immediate manner work all things for us Hence is the great difficulty in this matter so to use them as not to put confidence in them Alas all the Creatures all the second causes by their own power without Gods blessing could do us no good our cloathes would not warme us our food nourish us unless God command it Hence our Saviour saith Man doth not live by bread alone but by every word proceeding out of Gods mouth Matth. 4. 4. It is not then the Creatures it is not the conditions and
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
his deare Son You see what the condition of every man is till converted it is said to be under the power of darkness How unspeakeable is the misery of all unregenerate men who are thus the Devils prisoners bound hand and foot that they are not able to shake off any one sinne they are accustomed unto neither are they willing to be delivered They do not mourne and groane after a Redeemer how inlarged therefore should the heart of a godly man be when he shall see himself thus delivered the time was I could not give over my loose and wanton wayes I could not part from my prophane and wicked Companions the time was I hated such as feared God I could not indure any holy strictness any family-duties The time was when the cares of the world did lord it over me so that neither praying or hearing or any holy Ordinances had any influence upon me being so greatly inslaved to those earthly thing but now blessed be God the snare is broken and my soul like a Bird is escaped I can now run with delight in the wayes of God Oh how blessed a deliverance is this to be saved from thy former impieties to be delivered out of thy old blindness and wickedness Seest thou not in what miserable bondage many persons are intangled in by their lust They have some convictions some terrors upon their conscience they cry out oh that they could never fall into such sinnes again and yet upon every temptation hideously relapse again Augustine before his full conversion to God complained of this captivity exceedingly If therefore God hath delivered thee from thy former unregenerate estate if he have made thee a new Creature then know the goodness of God towards thee is more then ever can be comprehended by thee It cannot enter into thy heart to conceive of the fullness thereof But because this deliverance is not compleate and perfect in this life as appeareth Rom. 7. where Paul complaineth of a captivity still he was plunged into he breaketh out at last into that affectionate expression Who will deliver me from the body of this death Oh how blessed and happy will that day be when thou shalt have no more thornes in thy side or rather in thy heart no more Jebusite to disquiet thee but all sinne with the effects thereof shall be wholly dryed up 3. There is a spirituall deliverance in respect of the continuall temptations we meet with in this world to draw us to sinne and to make us turne the back upon God That we may alwayes have Gods protection herein we are taught to pray even as often as for our daily bread that he would deliver us from evi'l Luke 11. 4. and herein the Lord doth vouchsafe more daily deliverance to us then we can possibly apprehend Every condition every mercy every affiction would be a temptation to us to allure us to sinne did not the Lord daily deliver What is it that keepeth thee from the Apostacy of others and so from the wounds and gashes of Conscience which usually fall thereupon but the meer delivering mercy of God Thus you see in how many particulars God doth deliver his people but as the Doctrine is It is not enough for God to deliver once unless he doth it daily continually never withdrawing his arme from under us and the grounds of the necessity of continued mercy are these 1. Because of our utter inability and impotency to continue the same to our selves If the Lord doth bestow such and such deliverances on us leaving us afterwards to our selves that we by our own wisdome and power should preserve our selves Alas This would immediately prove a ruine to us for we can no more continue the deliverance then we could procure it at first he that hath delivered must be the same that doth deliver It s not God that hath delivered and then we who do deliver Humble thy self therefore thankfully under all Gods mercifull dispensations towards thee say O Lord I depend on thee for daily bread for daily grace for daily pardon for daily preservation The same infinite power and wisdome is required to uphold thy mercy as was at first to bring it to thee 2. This continuance of mercy is requisite not only from our naturall imbecillity but also our morall unworthiness So that though the Lord hath delivered once and twice yet we are apt to be so unthankfull and forgetfull that the Lord may deliver no more Oh how often do we forfeit the good mercies that God vouchsafeth us how often have we provoked him to take away his good gifts from us but it is his mercy it is his goodness to continue them unto us Every day thou dost enough to make God take away all he had bestowed upon thee Even as when he had made man who revolted from him and was plunged into obstinate wickedness it is said Gen. 6. It repented him that he made man and it grieved him at the heart an expression to humane capacity to shew how unworthy a Subject man was now become of all that love God had shown to him and maist thou not feare when thou lookest upon thy own barrenness and unworthy dealings with God that God doth repent that ever he thus honoured thee that ever he thus blessed thee that ever he vouchsafed such grace to thee and so take all from thee Take Saul for an instance how many personall favours did the Lord bestow on him but at last God quite forsooke him because of his Hypocrisie ane Rebellion If therefore we consider how forgetfully and wretchedly we walk under Gods mercy we may evidently see that if the goodness of God did not continue them as well as at first bestow them we should quickly be stript of all How many not persons only but Churches for want of the continuance of Gods mercies are of Gardens become a very Wilderness Is God to the Nation of the Jewes as to the Churches of Asia as he was once so that the demerit which is upon us after mercies received our not improving of them for God may provoke God after the good he hath done for us to bring all evill upon us 3. It is necessary the Lord should continue mercies and deliverances as well as at first vouchsafe them to us because our dangers our temptations continue They that renew their disease daily must also renew their Physick They that fall daily need to be raised daily Iterated troubles need iterated deliverances It is true there are some mercies that cannot be iterated any more the benefits of them may but not the mercies themselves Thus the Creation of the world was at first and it would be absurd to pray that God would create it So the Incarnation of Christ this was once done that it cannot be done any more Gods Predestination likewise of his people was from all eternity neither can it be iterated But then there are other mercies which are duely to be
of his love this riches of his grace should exceedingly melt thee it should be like fire that assimilateth every thing into its self now when this love like so many coales of fire is in thy breast it cannot be but that it will open thy heart and thy mouth wide to praise the Lord. This is our corruption we love the mercy it self but not God that giveth it we delight in the comforts that are bestowed upon us but do not rejoyce in God from whence they come If therefore thou findest thy heart frozen and dull thou canst not raise it up to bless God meditate much upon the love of God to thee so vile and unworthy 4. An heavenly heart is necessary to bless and praise God The praising of God is Angels works and the imployment of the glorified Saints to all eternity Praise is comely but it is from clean hearts and clean mouths We need the Spirit of God to inable us to thanksgiving as well as to prayer Psal 119. 7. I 'le praise thee with uprightness An hypocrite who giveth God glory by his mouth but reproacheth him by his life not only his prayer but his praises are abominable Hence Psal 50. ult it is said Who so offereth praise glorifieth God But lest you should extend this to every man See what is added And who so ordereth his conversation aright c. If a man praise God in never so melodious a tune but then there is no harmony nor order in his life this is a reproach to God We may benedicere linguâ when we do maledicere vitâ There is a real praising of God by exercised holiness as well as verbal by the tongue In the Sacrifices of thanksgiving Levit. 7. 10. Whosoever did eat thereof that had uncleanness upon him he was to be cut off By this is typified how unpleasing the praises of such are who live in their sins it is as uncomely as a pearl in the Swines mouth It is true God doth greatly condescend to accept of our praises for he hath millions and millions of Angels continually praising of him who have not the least blemish or spot upon them but yet he is pleased to take this Sacrifice at our hands In the Sacrifice of thanksgiving Levit. 7. 13. there was leaven allowed Junius observeth That whereas God allowed leaven in no other Sacrifice though Bonfrerius thinketh otherwise and that leaven only was forbidden so farre as to be offered but the common opinion is otherwise why then was leaven allowed only in this Sacrifice Hereby to teach us saith Junius that there is corruption and sinfulness in our best actions and that we need the righteousness of Christ that they be accepted of Even then in our praises there is matter of humiliation there is some bitterness yet through Christ we are accepted of But though all pollution cannot be purged out yet he that liveth in a wilfull way of sinning cannot give glory to God acceptably 5. He that praiseth God must do it voluntarily readily chearfully otherwise it is not worthy the name of praise As God loveth a cheerfull giver so especially a thanksgiver To praise God with an heavy lumpish unwilling heart is a contradiction to the duty in thy hand it is as if we should say a black Sun or a cold fire Lev. 22. 29 30. The Law about a Sacrifice of thanksgiving is that when they offer it it must be at their own will which argueth the readiness and willingness that ought to be in us at that time and then on the same day it was to be offered they were to eat it all up to leave none till the morrow whereas in other Sacrifices they might And this was to shew that he who would give thanks to God he must do it speedily he must not delay or put off So that by this you see a praising frame of heart requireth a most curious exact temperature It 's that Apothecaries ointment which belonged to the Highpriest onely made up of choice ingredients A sinfull heart cannot praise God and a worldly heart cannot praise God that wants wheels to its chariots wings to flie up with The Lark lifteth her self off from the earth ere she begins to sing And then a sorrowfull dejected heart that cannot praise God no more than a string in the instrument too much wetted can cause a melodious sound In the next place Let us consider the encouragements thereunto And 1. The excellency of this duty is apparent in that the heart is naturally so froward and opposite to it It may cause some wonder why the soul of a man should be slow to this work and commonly all are more in petitions then in thanksgivings Hence David Psal 103. though a man more exercised in this service than any one called therefore the sweet singer of Israel and who is not contented himself to praise God but cals upon all the creatures in Heaven and earth yea the most inconsiderable ones to praise God yet he finds some listlesness and slothfulness in himself see therefore how he prepareth and stirreth up himself as the Cock doth before his crow Bless the Lord O my soul and let all within thee praise his holy name His heart doth need calling upon his soul must be moved and quicknnd ere it doth his duty Conclude then certainly this duty is most excellent it is very pleasing to God because I am so backward I am never scarce in a praising temper one clog or other is upon me 2. Consider That the Scripture vouchsafeth it the name of a Sacrifice Heb. 13. 15. Where you have the duty commanded the time when and the manner how Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God and that continually As David said Seven times a day will I praise thee Ps 119. 164. It is a sacrifice and every sacrifice must have fire there must be zeal and fervency but by whom must we offer it it is by Christ so that he is the Altar upon which the incense of prayers and praises are to be offered to God By him we have both power and acceptance to praise God and in this sense all the people of God are called Priests and they have the sacrifices of praise continually to offer up unto God Hence to praise God is expressed Hos 14. 2. by rendring the calves of our lips 3. It is a debt that is due to God He that hath commanded thee to pray to him hath also enjoyned thee to praise him Yea this is all that God looketh for Thou canst not satisfie God for thy sins committed thou art not able to repair his honour and glory shouldst thou be damned a thousand times over yet it could not recompence to God according to what thou hast dishonoured him Therefore seeing this is the only debt God obligeth unto why should we not be more diligent in it If he had required some greater service of us and more terrible to flesh and blood ought
our estate For we see by the Popish objections yea and of many others against this way as if it did nourish security as if it were the great wisdome of God to keep every man in this life uncertain about his spiritual estate that so he may be kept in humility and fear I say by such plausible objections as these are a man hath made a good progress that can despise them all that is convinced it is his duty to press after this certain knowledge and also that God hath promised to give his Spirit to work this in us And that therefore if we complain of our fears and uncertain doubts we are to blame our selves who like the people of Israel do peevishly keep our selves in this wilderness if we consider those places which speak so universally that God hath given his Spirit to all those that are his sons whereby they are inabled to call him Father Is it not disputed Whether all that are truly godly have not this certain knowledge especially considering how the first Reformers went very high this way Hence is that expression of Calvin which may startle the Reader Lib. 3. Institut cap. 2. Sect 16. Verè fidelis non est nisi qui solidâ persuasione c. He is not truly a believer who being not perswaded by a solid perswasion that God is a propitious and mercifull Father to him from whose benignity he promiseth himself all things who doth not upon the confidence of the promises of Gods good will to him assuredly conclude of his salvation which he repeateth again But this will be better considered at vers 22. For the commands to this duty I shall only commend two places unto you 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your selves know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of an unsound mind that have no spiritual skill and experience to know what is of God in you and what of the Devil what is of the Spirit and what of the flesh and nature in you Here you see this duty is commanded and that earnestly with ingemination and the Greek words do signifie that the truth of grace and the life of Christ in us is not easily found out We must take pains and exactly distinguish the bottom may be copper when the superficies be gold There are many resemblances of grace which are not grace That expression of Calvins is true though so much abused by Papists Reprobi simili ferè modo afficiuntur c. Calvin Institut lib. 3. cap. 2 do Sect. 11. That even some reprobates are affected almost with the same experimental sense and feeling as the elect are and therefore they must have their senses exercised to discern between good and evil As the Gemmary by his skill can find the difference between true metal and counterfeit The second Text is 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Give all diligence This supposeth That the Christian who liveth carelesly and negligently who is not servent in spirit and vigorous in the actings of holiness is subject to many doubts and uncertain disputations about his estate Now it would be a vain exhortation to bid us Use all diligence for the attaining of that which is impossible This may suffice to shew it is our duty and truly we may be the more encouraged in the pursuance of this if we do consider the blessed and happy effects of such a certain knowledge of our selves For 1. Hereby we shall live With a quiet peaceable frame of heart David doth often professe the great tranquillity of his soul Ps 4. That he will lay him down and sleep because the Lord taketh care of him And Paul Rom. 8. doth confidently triumph That nothing shall separate him from the love of God in Christ This is an Heaven upon the Earth Oh the blessed estate of that man whose soul is alwayes on this Mount as it were of transfiguration This man is alwayes safe in the haven while others are tossed up and down with various temptations 2. This peace doth also breed joy and unspeakable comfort which the Gospel often doth speak of For want of this the people of God live not suitably to Evangelical principles They walk as if they were to be justified by the Law as if they were to look for righteousness by the Covenant of works whereas we are to consider that the Spirit of the Gospel is the Spirit of Adoption and that subdueth tormenting fears and overcometh disturbing doubts making him to rejoyce alwayes in the Lord. 3. This joy causeth Thankefulnesse filleth the heart and mouth with Hallelujahs unto the Lord. How can a child of God be thankfull for that which he questioneth whether it be in him or no The wonderfull effects of Gods grace converting of thee and discriminating thee from those millions of persons that on thy right hand and left hand fall into hell should overwhelm thee by amazing thoughts thereat But all this goodness and free grace of God is neglected not take notice of whilest thou sittest in the darkness and feelest no light Lastly This will be a great quickner of thee in the wayes of holinesse This will be wings and legs and all to thee The joy of the Lord is your strength Neh. 8. 10. If then thou complainest of thy barrenness thy deadness and lukewarmness in holy things examine whether this be not the root that lieth undiscernably under ground as it were that causeth all thy unprofitableness The Devil he labours to cut these Conduit-pipes that would convey all consolation to thee It 's against sense and experience to say This certain knowledge will breed laziness and carnal confidence as if the Sunnes beams would cause coldness No it cannot be Who laboureth more abundantly than Paul Who was more active in the wayes of godliness being like a spiritual Joshua subduing all the enemies of the Gospel before him And did not the love of Christ which he felt in his bosome thus constrain him Only take a Caution or two to prevent mistakes 1. This certain knowledge is never so glorious that it removeth all doubts and temptations neither is it alwayes permanent and abiding in us The people of God have their nights as well as dayes and the Devil is not only watchfull to deprive believers of their graces but also of their consolations Therefore be not discouraged if thou find the flesh combate against the Spirit in the way of comfort as well as of duty The second Caution is That although our constant and strict walking be not the cause of our assurance yet it is maintained and preserved in the lively exercise of grace To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the hidden manua and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which none knoweth but â—e that hath it
a godly man can more securely make that wish than the Heathen who wished that he had a window in his breast that all men might see what he thought what laie in his heart This was great confidence For certainly if God should take a man as he did Ezekiel and make a man look into the secret corners of many mens soules we should see every day more abominations A man of this godly simplicity careth not if other men knew his heart because God whom he feareth more than man knoweth all the motions of his soul It is the complaint that God maketh of some by the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 29. 13. This people draw nigh me with their mouth and with their lips they honour me but remove their hearts farre from me This is to have a double heart such want this godly simplicity But oh the lamentation and bitter mourning that we may take up in this respect Have not most of our Congregations this double heart and this double tongue For what contrariety is there betweene thy religious approaches and thy ordinary actions Are ye not here to day as if ye were an holy people a repenting people as if you did owne and acknowledge the Lord in all his commands But what are you in your shops in your markets yea it may be in ale-houses and such places that doe foment iniquity What grosse double dealing is this with God You have a tongue to pray to God here and then you have a tongue to curse and swear after You appear here to day for the service and honour of God and then in the week-day you serve the Devil and the world What impudent hypocrisie is this Will God be thus grossely mocked by you What doth not God remember Is he an Idol-god Oh yeeld your selves up to that exhortation of the Apostle before Gods wrath consume you and you cannot escape Iames Chap. 4. 8. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Your hypocrisie and dissimulation is so grosse and visible that did not the Devil exceedingly blinde you you could not but take notice of it it would rise up in your consciences and â—â—ing like a Scorpion Seventhly Simplicity of heart is seen in this That it dare not hide or cover any sinne or mince it and by distinctions lessen it as much as may be You heard simplex is sine plicis It is a metaphor from garments that have not folds in them you may see what they are Saul did exceedingly discover the guile of his heart when he did so mince his sinne to Samuel and did pretend sometimes necessity and sometimes religious respects to God whereas David though for a while he had too much of this double heart in him about Uriah's matter yet at last he confesseth all Psal 51. Against thee against thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight It was because the eye of God was upon him that he was so much troubled it was because he had used so much fraud and cunning in accomplishing his iniquity that he was wounded at the very heart therefore saith he Create in me a right spirit and thou desirest truth in the inward parts When a man once cometh to this simplicity of heart he will justifie God and condemn himself he will confesse to God hide nothing from him deal plainly with him not with Adam excuse or put it off to others he will say I am the man I charge my self with all that evil and all the aggravations of it that the Scripture requireth Eighthly Simplicity of heart maketh a man wonderfull free and willing in the service of God It doth not limit and stint his worke to God sutably to his own advantages but his Modus diligendi Deum est sine modo his measure is to put no measure Therefore all those who love not strictness zeale fervency and activity for God they discover much unsoundnesse of spirit Were thy heart single for God thou wouldst strive forward and forget all things that are behind This is the reason you heard why the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is many times used for bounty and liberality because he who hath a plain heart for God he doth not walk by politick rules and prescripts of humane moderation but conformeth to the rule with as much exactness and zeal as he can SERM. XC A further Discovery of the true Nature of Godly Simplicity both towards God and Man 2 COR. 1. 12. That in simplicity and godly sincerity WE are treating upon this special grace of simplicity which doth afford unspeakable comfort to him that enjoyeth it There remain more particulars to declare the nature of it And First Where this simplicity is there is an humble submission of the mind to the truths of God revealed in believing of them and an obediential resignation of the will to the commands of God without cavils and froward disputations In this particular the grace of simplicity doth triumph Although to speak properly simplicity and sincerity are not so much a distinct specifical grace as a qualification and modification of the powers of the soul and their operations In these two chanels of faith and obedience doctrine and duty simplicity doth greatly discover it self We can neither believe soundly or walk holily without this For the former it is plain that seeing the truths of Christianity are made known to us by divine Revelation and therefore are above reason though not contrary to it there is no such requisite to believe as a simplicity of the mind whereby we do acquiesce upon the authority of the Word never curiously disputing and cavilling how it can be This the Apostle calleth Captivating every thought 2 Cor. 10. 5. And herein Christianity differeth from Philosophy the later requireth science by disputes and discourses the former requireth an humble assent to the testimony affirming such a thing to be so So that we may say It 's the want of this simplicity of the mind that maketh so many absurd and damnable heresies in the Church What causeth the Socinian the Arminian but the want of this humility of mind It is said to be the Embleme of Nazianzen Theologia nostra est Pythagorica Our Divinity is pythagorical as amongst Pythagoras his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was enough to silence all disputes So much more ought this amongst Christians to quiet all disputations The Lord hath said it Christ hath spoken it Thus it is written But how sadly may we lament to see all Divinity turned into Quaerees and Utrum's videtur's quod sic and videtur's quod non How is this holy simplicity in believing laid aside and raâ—â—onal scientifical inquisitions advanced as if now the just were to live by reason not by faith as if reason were the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Certainly this maketh men so uncertain so inconstant they look not after faith which as the Schoolmen well say is
The preaching of this truth is to take off those prejudices that doe too closely adhere even to such who are come out of that spiritual Babylon There is a causlesse and sinfull suspition in people that if the faithfull Pastours in Gods Church do indeavour a Reformation from the accustomed superstitions or evil and prophane disorders that through length of time have taken full and quiet possession they presently attribute this to carnal and corrupt ends they will not believe that these things are undertaken from pure and holy ends they will not be perswaded that the motive to these things is pure respect to Gods glory but that the Ministers of God have their carnal and sinister respects in all this either to get dominion or to advance themselves in one way or other Now although it may not be denied but that in perusing of Ecclesiastical History we may observe that carnal interest and humane respects were eminently dominative in Church-affairs yet God forbid that any should be given up to such a temptation as to think that there is no truth or fidelity in any When Lot did but courteously and civilly reprove the Sodomites for their high impieties see how wickedly they interpret this Genes 19. 9. He will needs be a judge over us They construed his endeavour against sinne to be nothing but usurpation Thus also Corah and his complices accounted all that Moses and Aaron did tyranny and pride Numb 16. 5. Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy c. Wherefore doe ye lift up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord. And we may see by many Apologies that Paul maketh the Galatians and other Churches could hardly be perswaded of his sincerity and love to them If then thou shalt once satisfie thy self with this that those Ministers of God who endeavour to bring a people out of their disorders and to make them conformable to Scripture-directions dare not look to themselves herein yea they goe against themselves and shew no fleshly wisdome at all but rather if they consulted with that they would let people goe quietly in the broad way to perdition as they have done If I say this be once believed by thee it will make thee with all alacrity and chearfulnesse to go along with them and encourage them in their work But it is the Devil that moveth upon that unruly sea of thy heart he putteth thee into many vexations and commotions whereas if the Spirit of God should rebuke both Satan and thy own corruptions thou wouldst with clamnesse reflect upon thy self yea reprove thy selfe saying Why should I be offended at those wayes which are for the good of my soule which make to the getting of knowledge and to the overcoming of those former lusts I have been intangled with which would have done mee no good but have destroyed my soul These things premised let us instance in some principles of fleshly wisdome that men have used and doe use in the matters of Religion And First This is the Proprium quarto modo as it were of all heretical persons To cover their falshoods with pretended Authority from the Scripture Now this is meerly fleshly wisdome to regard the Scripture no further then by the words and phrases thereof thou canst protect thy errours Not to go to the word of God as that Rule by which thou wilt stand or fall to give up thy heart and soul and all thy thoughts to be moulded and framed by that but having afore-hand swallowed down thy corrupt tenets then to go to Scripture to wrest and compell it as it were to speak for thee There is a great deal of fleshly wisdome in managing of false wayes but it is never more hainous yea and sacrilegious then when it doth thus prophanely and irreverently handle Scripture If we expostulate with the Socinian he will grant the Scripture words he will tell you he holdeth Christ to be a God that by Christs blood we have remission of sinnes but then come to ask him In what sense Christ is a God and in what manner we have remission of sinnes by Christs death then the poison of the Viper doth break forth So if we contend with the Pelagian Arminian and others about the injury they doe to the Grace of Christ they will tell you they are for Christ they doe owne all the Texts of Scripture that speak of grace But then ask what they mean by grace And how farre they extend the efficacy of grace then their deceit will appear So that it it is true of most Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They speake the same words but doe not thinke the same things Let then all fleshly wisdom be abhorred whereby we goe to the Scripture onely to apply the words thereof to our lies and so would father them upon the Spirit of God not that we love the purity and holinesse of the Scriptures but because we cannot be received with any approbation unlesse we bring our authority pretended at least from that Therefore it falleth out many times as Tertullian observeth When such erroneous persons can no longer hide themselves by Scripture-words that they directly fall to accuse the Scripture either to deny it to be the word of God or debasing of it as but a dead letter that so their corrupt hearts may be more believed than the Scripture it self Secondly A second principle of fleshly wisdome is To hide and conceale those monstrous births we have brought forth or else secretly and in a clandestine manner to acquaint others with them that so many weake persons may be infected before those who are able and skilfull had any opportunity to gain-say them 2 Pet. 2. 1. The Apostle Peter speaketh of some Who should privily bring in damnable heresies Privily because as the thief hateth the light seeing he onely comes to steale so do those who vent their false errours delight in secresie because the light will quickly manifest their falshoods As it is with Moles all the while they are under ground you can hardly take them but if once above ground then they are presently destroyed Thus all the while errours and falshoods creep under ground will not come to the light they are hardly discovered and stopped but when once found out then they are easily overcome Now all this is but fleshly wisdome to appear no where but in the dark to be alwayes hiding our selves under ground Therefore they are said 2 Tim. 3. 6. To creep into houses as thieves do by night they doe all things closely and secretly not willing to be brought to the light Whereas we have our Saviour professing the clean contrary concerning himself John 18. 20. I spake openly to the world I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jewes resort and in secret have I said nothing Thus the Ministers of Christ imitate him in an open publick way Not but that in times of persecution the Disciples of
putting on the new man Austin wrote much against this way of lying And certainly seeing that words are appointed to signifie our mind to another if we pervert them to the contrary end to deceive them we doe overthrow the foundation of spiritual and civil societies It is one thing indeed not to reveale all the truth when not required or commanded this may sometimes be done but to deny the truth or equivocate this doth no wayes become those who with sincerity and not with fleshly wisdome are to propagate the Gospel If you say for all the Church of Rome hath used such carnal policy yet she continueth in her externall prosperity she is not blasted and crossed in her designes and therefore Bellarmine would take advantages of the Protestants by this If saith he the Church of Rome be so vile and impure as you say she is if she use all those unlawfull and ungodly wayes to keep up her glory then it 's the greater argument that her constitution is of God that all her craft and wickednesse hath not yet ruined her But to this doubt it is easily answered That by the Scripture we know it is foretold that he must prevaile for a long time in the Church and therefore their successe notwithstanding all their cruelty and craft is not to be any stumbling block to such who believe the Scriptures The third instance of fleshly wisdome to propagate Religion by is To indulge men in their lusts and sinnes that so the party which followeth them may be the more numerous This is fleshly wisdome in an high degree of impiety and yet in this also the Church of Rome hath beene notorious when other Churches have by their good Discipline cast out some offenders for scandalous impieties They have appealed to the Church of Rome in that case and she craftily laying hold on the opportunity hoping thereby to establish her Supremacy would like Absolom say to every one that came that his cause was good and by this policy in indulging and encouraging such licentious offenders whom other Churches would not endure as members At last with other politick devises she arrived to that amplitude of power she now glorieth in We might instance in other subtil forgeries as the corrupting or denying some Canons made in the Council of Nice thereby to translate the chief Patriarchship to her self a famous cheat and discovered most palpably to the shame of the Romane party of which there is much in Ecclesiastical Authours as also the pretence of Constantines donation a forged he like the rest This I shall insist upon as greatly considerable The indulging of people in prophanenesse as also in horrible ignorance that so they may rule without controll And how well were it if this fleshly wisdome were inclosed in the Romane Conclave Are there not too many in the Protestant Churches that out of a desire either to please men or increase their earthly advantages promote a promiscuous admission of all to the Lords Table making no difference betweene the clean and unclean This I confesse is the way to be applauded by the most This is that which will give best content to all This is accounted wisdome and moderation but Wisdome is justified of her children and the holy institution of Christs will be owned by those who worship God in Spirit and truth But this fleshly wisoome whereby we please all and indulge men in their lusts is seldome successefull but fire will come out of the Bramble when it doth not out of the Fig-tree to consume I meane even prophane and wicked spirits are many times stirred up by God to oppose such corrupt Teachers when the godly meddle not at all For God doth many times make use of the wickednesse of one ungodly man to torment another Yea Luther's first stirrings against the abuses of Popery were not so pure and sincere as afterwards when the light and grace of God came more upon him It is therefore a great duty incumbent upon the Ministers of the Gospel to walk sincerely by Christs rule in their pastoral exercises avoiding this fleshly wisdome which though it may seeme sometimes to prevent a mischiefe yet as it did to David doth afterwards plunge in a greater calamity And indeed going to carnal policy in Church-administrations is but like going to witches and wizards forsaking Gods way which never bringeth a perfect cure Fourthly Then is carnal wisdome used to propagate Religion When by it we propound carnal and selfish ends to our selves not the glory of God and advancing the power and purity of his Ordinances This is that which Paul doth principally disclaim I seek not you but yours saith he in this Epistle 2 Cor. 12. 14. And that they might be perswaded hereof he would take no maintenance of them but made use of other Churches that he might spare them yea sometimes working with his own hands How farre this is imitable by the Ministers of the Gospel now as many do upbraid them with this example of Paul will be clearly and fully evidenced God assisting in its time for we shall meet with this part of Paul expresly mentioned and insisted on by him in this Epistle But it is worth the observation that Paul by no way he took could escape the slander of a self-seeker For if in that case he had burdened the Church of Corinth the false Apostles would have calumniated him as using a cloak of covetousness and seeking himself But now because he will not do so see how this is interpreted as a carnal designe also for so he bringeth in their objection vers 16 Be it so I did not burden you but being crafty I tooke you with guile This was suggested against Paul they made this construction of Paul's not burdening them that he did this out of craft that they should think themselves the more ingaged unto him and so by this means he get the more dominion over them Thus what shall Paul do if he doth not take maintenance it is his craft and if he doth it is his craft By this instance we see how much we are to avoid all fleshly wisdome for do what we will it shall be charged upon us Only when we have this sincerity of conscience within to comfort and support us this will be a means to make us bear the slanders of enemies with greater alacrity Now as we said then we may certainly conclude we are guided by fleshly wisdome when our aimes in our ministerial way is either glory and applause which was the poison of the Pharisees duties or earthly wealth and external pomp which motives do easily creep in unlesse grace be the porter to keep the door of the soul We see even the Disciples themselves and that twice contending about superiority and once this was done when our Saviour was fore-telling them of his sad sufferings and how they should be scattered And truly this should much prevail with us to walk by sincere rules because nothing doth
found unprofitable and is adjudged unto a terrible doom that had but one talent and was negligent therin Would not Christ teach us by this that none should slight their mean and low estate thinking that such are poor and inconsiderable creatures as they are alas they can do nothing for God It is for Magistrates and Ministers for rich men or men in place and of interest to lay out themselves but God doth not look they should do any thing Oh take heed of this temptation If thou doest but set thy self to consider in this matter thou mayest find thy self in capacity to promote the glory of God and to further the Gospel of Christ in many particulars that thou art now negligent in This is our great sinne that none are contented with the several relations and conditions they are in One thinketh if he were in such a mans estate he could serve God better than he doth The private Christian thinketh a Minister can do it better A Minister thinketh a private Christian hath not the temptations and sad eares that he hath As Luther speaketh Comment in Gen. cap. 17. of himself how he thought other mens callings happier than his who endured so much envy and hatred for the Gospel They live without vexations their labour is sweet but I am exercised saith he with great dangers But we must take heed of impatiency and know we may all serve God and so be at last saved in our respective lawfull callings We would think the hands or feet were in a worse condition than the tongue for they are worn out with labour whereas the tongue doth taste of sweet and pleasant things and is not wâ—aried with pain and yet these partake of the same happiness with the body as the eyes or tongue do Secondly This you also are to understand that all the lawfull actions in your several callings may be improved for Gods honour as well as those that are in their nature religious and immediately applied to himself Our plowing and sowing our marrying and bringing up of children if done according to Scripture-rules please God in their way as well as religious duties It may be holy plowing holy sowing holy buying and selling as well as holy praying and holy preaching It is the Apostles command 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God In Popery there was an horrible mistake about this which was the cause of bringing in much superstition which made Luther as appeareth in his Comments on Genesis so often speak of the good pleasure that God taketh in the civil actions of our calling when done out of obedience to Gods command And indeed men are hardly perswaded that the doing of such things in our relations are serving of God whereas all such things done from good principles and to right ends are holiness as well as other duties Holinesse to the Lord is to be written upon all thy natural civil and moral actions as well as religious It is true here lieth the difficulty to do these ordinary actions of our calling upon holy grounds to eat to drink to labour that God may be exalted and not to make riches gain and outward blessedness the utmost end of all doings in this kind So that till a man be regenerated he is but a worm crawling upon the ground he cannot do any thing but upon humane motives And it is no wonder for such men in all their religious duties are but carnal and earthly whether they pray or heare it is not for the glory of God Custome formality and self-respects are the Locusts and Caterpillars that do devour our hopefull buds Therefore In the third place It behoveth every Christian often to meditate about the ultimate end of all his actions As the Heathen would have a man say to himself Cui bono for what good is this I do So much more should believers propound this to themselves I labour I take pains I rise early I go to bed late but to what end is all this What is it that my soul doth principally aim at in all these things If we had asked Paul saying Paul Why will you go to Macedonia He would have said to promote Christs Kingdom to have been beneficial to mens souls And then again Why to Corinth It was to carry on the work of the Gospel there Many did begin to fall off so that it was necessary there should be information and admonition And further Why do you go to Jerusalem It is to refresh the bowels of the poor Saints there By which you see that as the Heliotropium that flower of the Sunne doth follow the Sunne and openeth and shutteth according to the presence of the Sun and its absence Thus doth the heart of Paul wholly move after God divine considerations are the Loadstone that drew out his heart And indeed in all moral actions the end is first to be concluded Hence Aristotle in his Ethicks beginneth with the end of humane actions What is the white that all men are to shoot at What is the mark they are to levell at Whereupon some Divines likewise concluding that Divinity is practical and not speculative meerly that therefore the most approved and genuine method in all Systems of Divinity is first to begin with that end which all men ought to aim at in their whole life and that is known to be the glory of God and the salvation of our souls Now when a man hath fixed his end and resolveth upon that he doth all things proportionably and sutably thereunto Hence when a man acteth according to a Divine Rule If you ask him Why do you take such pains Why do you ride up and down and travail so much Why do you study and devour books His answer will be It is for Gods glory and the salvation of my soul Till therefore a man hath centered his soul upon the right end till his heart be constantly upon that he either propounds cursed and wicked ends to himself or at the best he maketh intermedious ends ultimate that which is the secondary to be the principal For it 's lawfull to take pains to be diligent in our calling that our family may be provided for our children be brought up it were an unnatural and great sinne to be negligent herein but then you must remember to make this a comma not a colon This must be your Inne not your home you must look beyond all these even to God and your souls This truth is so necessary that though we should preach six hundred Sermons about it to quicken you up in the meditation thereof it would not be useless But I am not now to insist upon it The sum is this He that would both in soul and body in health wealth parts and all he hath be imployed for God must often make this Question to his soul Oh my soul what is thy end in all these things What moveth thee to
eyes and see not ears and hear not such have mouths and speak not Now these whether absent or present it 's much alike Therefore this residence requireth a faithfull and diligent discharge of that weighty work constant preaching a faithfull dispensing of Ordinances And besides this publick Ministry as occasion doth require a more personal and private dealing with their flock that so no man might perish We read of our Saviour Joh. 4. that he did not despise a poor ignorant woman but though weary and wanting bread yet attended to her conversion saying It was his meat and drink to do his Fathers will People are not to interpret such private endeavours of their Ministers as too much busie-medling or affectation of dominion Yea it is your duty to go unto your Pastors of your own accord to enquire about the salvation of your souls no man needeth to teach you this in respect of your bodies or estates to go to Physicians and Lawyers Certainly were not these things more unto men than their souls they would have as much recourse to their Ministers Consider that place and set it upon your hearts Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts You see here our Office and your duty Oh then were men in more holy fear about their souls What if I have not knowledge enough to salvation What if I mistake godliness thinking it to be that which it is not What if I delude and flatter my own soul Oh let me go to those that are the wise Physicians of my soul Let me enquire so diligently so exactly that whatsoever I am deceived in it may not be in matter of my soul Fifthly Though a Paster is thus ordinarily to reside with his own flocke and above all things to attend thereunto yet he is in some sense a Minister of the whole Church of God and so is a debtour to the publick good thereof We must in every Minister distinguish of the habitual and aptitudinal disposition that is in him by his Office and the actual relation or exercise thereof It is true that a Minister is not primo per se made a Minister of the Catholick visible Church as some learned men think for then his principal and proper duty would be to attend upon the whole flock of Christ and not this or that particular one yet though he be not Pastor Ecclesiae universalis as the Pope doth arrogantly assume to himself yet he is Pastor in Ecclesiâ universali though he be not a Pastor of the universal Church yet he is a Pastor in the universal Church Hence when he preacheth or administreth Sacraments in other Churches than his own he doth it not as a private man but as a Pastor in the Church though not as a Pastor of that particular Church The reason why a Minister may put forth ministerial acts though not to his own people ariseth from that habitual disposition which he is put into by his Office So that to be a Pastor of a people is not like that predicamental relation ad esse which Logicians speak of as if when a people suppose should be all consumed by the plague suddenly that then a Pastors office doth wholly cease not only to them but to all other Churches but it 's rather under a transcendental relation having an aptitudinal respect to the whole Church of God But I am not here to dilate on this it is enough at present to know that a Pastor is not so limitted to his own flock as if he did not owe much also to other Churches yea he is many wayes to advantage others also by occasional preaching by publick assistance in solemn Assemblies by writing and many other wayes Thus they are to be like some full fountains which are able not only to water the proper channel it emptieth it self into but to overflow sometimes as Jordan did to the refreshing of others So that although a Minister is bound to prefer his own flock first and principally to attend to them as his own charge yet what by prayer direction and counsel and what with many other edifying wayes he is wholly to lay out himself for the good of others and to be as precious ointment which cannot be hidden but doth refresh standers by and strangers as well as those that bear it about or as musick doth not only delight those for whom it is purposely provided and who are at the charge of it but even others that are at a distance or meer strangers Is it thus then that Pastors are personally to attend to their flock Then let it be an Use of Exhortation to you that are the people readily to submit unto and entertain them in all their ministerial labours If we are to preach you are to hear if we are to reprove to admonish to instruct then it 's your duty to be willing in all these things Why then is it that many are so unwilling so froward and opposite to the Ministers of God in their faithfull discharge of their Office Are we from house to house from person to person as occasion may require thus to promote your souls good Why are people so averse to this They are not willing to be disquieted they would be let alone in their ignorance and prophaneness Thus we take more pains than we have thanks for They would like us better if we would meddle lesse if every man were left alone to his own self But though happily you may say to other private Pastors What have you to do to instruct us to meddle with us look to your own selves Yet you cannot say thus to those whom God hath set over you they must admonish reprove instruct whether you love them or not for so doing So that it argueth horrible negligence in people when the more lazy the more careless a Ministry is they like it the better They love no zeal no diligence no forwardness in such as watch over them And whereas the Devil goeth up and down like a rearing Lion to seek whom he may devour yet these are angry at the shepherds of their souls who would deliver them out of his paws If you were but sensible in what thraldom you are in to your lusts how difficult to get any bolts or fetters off from you as also how many oppositions are in the way to Heaven how hardly even a righteous man is saved then you would say all ministerial labours are too little to provoke thee in this way The second Use is of Admonition to the Ministers of the Gospel that they would look upon Paul as a special president to follow How ought it to quicken us up against all dulness laziness and wearisomness in our work when we have such an example as Paul before us How often may we blush and mourn to see our selves fall so short of Paul's diligence zeal and courage in
sense would be more properly said to erre if under such impediments it did not represent as it doth First One impediment in the sense is the two long distance of the Object from the eye to instance in this senfe As we judg the Sun less than the earth because of the vaste distance from us so that till a man take Astronomical Instruments and correct Sense by Art he misjudgeth about the Suns magnitude thus is it here When we go to judg of Gods Promises to us or his Church we finde not the truth of them because the wayes of God are too remote from us his thoughts exceed ours as much as the Heavens do the earth Therefore we must necessarily erre till we go to the Scripture that is as it were the Artificial Instrumennt whereby we are able to behold that truth in Gods proceedings which otherwise we could not A Second Impediment is the medium indispositum when the means of seeing is Indisposed as when we look upon a stick in the waters or the Sun through a dark cloud Thus many times when we judg of Gods proceedings according to his Promises we look through False mediums we think according to the Principles that men would do in the world as Luther said We would think that God should destroy Pope and Turk immediately but all this is because we look through an indisposed glass in this particular Lastly The eye cannot judg right of its Object when the visive faculty is disturbed when that is infested with any evil humors Thus the spiritual eyes even of a Godly man are in some measure vitiated and therefore are not able to behold that glory of God in carrying on the Affairs of his Church and by those very wayes which we would think tend to the destruction of the things promised by them he doth fulfill them for the wayes of the Lord are wonderfull to us in making good his Promises and commonly they are fulfilled by those means which seem contrary to them even as he cured the blinde man by mingling spittle with clay which he laid upon his eyes And thus the Godly soul may finde how God is true in spiritual Promises to his soul for he obtaineth comfort through desertions the way to Heaven he findes through Hell yea in sanctifying Grace he cometh to higher Degrees in Grace even by his Failings So true is that of Suarez Aliquando substractio gratiae est ad finem gratiae The end of Grace is accomplished by the gradual substraction and suspension of Grace for a time But I must not inlarge herein Lastly This truth of God is the foundation of all Religion and Godliness For if there were no truth in the Scriptures which are Gods truth if there were no truth in the Promises or Threatnings into what a Chaos and Confusion of wickedness would all men fall There would be no difference between Hell and this World So that Gods Truth is a Foundation of all Piety in these three wayes First The truth of God in his Doctrine delivered to the Church is the foundation yea the Essence and soul of his Church In this it doth differ from Jews Turks and Pagans yea from all Heretical Societies That she hath the truth of God and others not So that as the soulâ— keepeth the body from rottenness and Putrefaction Thus also the truth of God keepeth the Church from being only a Carkase or to have the Name and Title of a Church without the thing it self Secondly The truth of God in his Promises is the great supporter of the hopes of all the Godly By them alone they are enabled to walk with Peter upon the water and sink not because they believe Gods Promises to be true they do therefore renounce all unlawfull Pleasures and Profits they will not leave the fatness and sweetness of them to go to those bryars Thirdly The truth of God in his threatnings That is like a fiery sword to keep them from all evil They know those threatnings are true and that the World and the Devil prove lyars to all those that serve them therefore they awe their hearts with a continuall fear of them And certainly if every wicked man would remember this That Gods threatnings are true they will be made good no wisdome no greatness no power can resist him For how can the stubble withstand the consuming fire this would make them utterly forsake their sinnes But whether thou wilt believe or no Gods Curses will fall upon thee For there is this difference between the Promises and Threatnings The Promises many of them are not made good unto them unless thou do believe believe and thy sinnes are forgiven thee but the threatnings will be made good to thee a prophane sinner whether thou wilt or not Gods Word will have its effect though thou dost desire it might be false SERM. CXVI The personal failings of Ministers are oft cast upon the Ministry it self 2 COR. 1. 18. But as God is true our word toward you was not yea and nay THe next particular considerable is the occasion of that Transition which the Apostle maketh from the word of his Promise in particular to come to them and the word of his Preaching in the general The occasion is from that evill and malevolent Disposition which was in his Adversaries who from any either real or but supposed Imperfections in other things would presently burden his Ministry with it and thereby as much as in them lieth make Paul wholly useless in the Church of God Now because this is the continual stratagem which the Devil useth to make the best Ministry ineffectual and because it is the constant inclination of wicked men to do so therefore I shall pursue this Observation That there is a propensity in wicked and evil minded men to cast all the imperfections of the Ministers of the Gospel upon their Ministry and Doctrine To bring the Truths they Preach either into doubt or disesteem because of some failings yea though they be not real but supposed in their own Imaginations Thus the Adversaries of Paul they did captiously lay hold upon his Promise and failing as they think in that thereby they would render all his Doctrine and Ministry odious that thereby their falshoods and corruptions may have the greater success Thus the wickedness of ungodly men doth constantly bend to this that they may be hardened in their hearts against the Word Preached that they may fortifie themselves with some damnable Principles of others that so the message of the Lord may be rejected Now to illustrate this consider these particulars First That when a Minister either preaches false Doctrine or liveth scandalously or is lazy and negligent in his place then it is lawfull for a people to have an holy and wise zeal against such persons that they may be quickened up to their duties Neither is this to be an enemy to the Office of the Ministry or to endeavour the publique Dishonour of it
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
their earthly ends It is true when the faithfull Ministers of Christ do effectually move for the purity of Ordinances and the promoting of godlinesse among their people there are those who will maliciously traduce them for carnal and selfe-seeking ends as if they proceeded wholly upon subtilty and policy but the searcher of hearts witnesseth to their sincerity and so they comfortably proceed in Christs worke maugre all opposition It 's holy prudence then not carnal policy which must manage ministerial power Secondly When we require holy prudence and meeknesse we do not hereby exclude zeal as if a man should not with much fervency and ardour of spirit set himself for the truth of God as also against the kingdome of sinne and Satan No it cannot be heavenly prudence unlesse it be accompanied with this zeale As zeale must be with knowledge and discretion so must knowledge be with zeale They must be as Castor and Pollux alwayes appearing together which was represented in the Sacrifice which was to have salt as well as fire Thus Rom. 12. We are to be fervent in spirit serving the Lord. And it is the Lord Christ who said The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up Joh. 12. 17. Here is a notable example for all godly Ministers The zeale for Gods glory is even to consume them as it were as the fat of the Sacrifice was burnt in the fire to the Lord to which some think our Saviour doth allude in that expression We are to come in the spirit of Elijah even to be carried in a fiery Chariot And truly without this zeale for God a man is but a lump of earth It is true we must distinguish holy zeale from our owne passions and cholerick distempers but that which is the pure fire of Gods Spirit kindled in our hearts as it doth greatly conduce to Gods glory so it doth exceedingly tend to our own comfort Let therefore those be magnified for wise and moderate men let them be admired as so many Angels that live in a lukewarm and neutral way they will reprove no sinne they will provoke no man to frowne upon them but alas the issue will discover their folly Oh the throbs and pangs of conscience some have had when going out of the world for this very particular because they did not with more zeale and forwardnesse appear for God And on the other side that Minister who hath with faithfull zeale according to the words direction behaved himself in his ministerial labours though great ones have frowned at him though malicious people have vexed him yet he dieth full of comfort For they that are filled with the Spirit of God by zeal in their life time are many times filled with heavenly consolations in their death Lastly This holy prudence is not to be confounded with that sinfull man-pleasing which is in many indulging men in their lusts and hardening them thereby in their impieties Though the Apostle said 1 Corinth 10. 33. That he pleased all men in all things not seeking his owne profit yet that is not to be understood in sinfull things for in that respect he saith Galat. 1. 10. If he pleased men he should not be the servant of Christ but in lawfull things he did condescend to those that were weak and would not alwayes use his own liberty which he might being strong in judgement but this doth nothing advantage such who have a flattering complying way with men in their wickednesse like those false prophets of old that daubed with untempered mortar and cryed Peace peace to him whom God hath promised no peace This is highly offending God Yet how many are admired because they have the love of wicked and ungodly men that they can keepe in with them Whereas this is not because they have large parts but a large conscience and that which some make to be a very wise man is indeed to be a man without any conscience But I must not enlarge in this In the second place therefore we are to shew Wherein this holy prudence doth consist And First In discovering our love to their persons to be the ground of all our proceedings If we reprove them it is love if we admonish them it is love if we do not admit them to the dreadfull mysteries of Christ it is love Dilige loquere quod vis saith Austin Love and then say what ye will This made the Apostle use a sacred oath at this time to shew it was his love to them and no sinfull end that made him forbear his coming so great a matter is it to be perswaded that what the Ministers of the Gospel doe though it distaste and displease us yet it is out of their conscience to God and love to us Secondly Holy prudence lieth in this when we observe the fit seasons and opportunities for exercising our power which God hath given us otherwise if unseasonably administred it may doe more hurt than good It is special prudence to time it well in this sense it is good to be a time-server as some read that passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. applying it to this sense Abigail would not speak to her husband in his drunken senslesse fit Isai 50. 4. The tongue of the learned is to speake a word in season though that be chiefly to be applied to a word of comfort yet a word of reproof in season doth more good than ten thousand unseasonably spoken Such a word so spoken is said to be like Apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25. 11. wherein is implyed both preciousnesse and excellency as also delight and refreshment A fit word is called in the Hebrew A word upon the wheeles as some thinke because of the smoothnesse and readinesse of it to enter into the hearts of others Some render it A word with its two faces as looking on both sides which is the property of prudence and the next verse following sheweth how happy it is when a wise reproof and an obedient ear meet together such an obedient ear is more comely and glorious than any ear-jewel As then the Bee doth not every day but in fit seasons gather its honey so doth a prudent Minister of the Gospel Thus Solomon Eccles 12. 9 10. Because the preacher was wise he sought out acceptable words Some trees that blossome last are yet said to have their fruit first which sheweth that it is not the first or sudden speaking but the most opportune that doth the greatest good especially in reproof this is most necessary because it is said Genus quoddam Martyrii est c. It is a kinde of Martyrdome to take a reproof patiently Thirdly Our prudence is seene when we discerne of sinnes not judging little and great alike To excommunicate for lesser faults is saith Gerson To strike off a flie from a mans fore-head with a beetle The remedy is more dangerous than the disease They were grosse sinnes that the Apostle
their Religion but onely are perswaded herein by external motives very few being able to give a reason of the faith or hope that is in them which yet the Apostle Peter requireth of every man and woman 1 Pet. 3. 15. What reason have they but their fathers example and the Lawes of the Land So that it is meerly accidental that they do receive a true Religion for it had been Heretical and Idololatrical it had been all one to them they would have entertained it however But to this particular you must observe one Caution It 's one thing to speak of the Introductory and Preparatory means of faith and another thing of the ultimate and formal motive or reason why I do believe We do readily grant That the true Churches Ministery may prepare for a divine faith What is Paul and what is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believe saith the Scripture 1 Corinth 3. Thus Timothy had his faith by the godly education of his Mother and Grandmother Yea John 4. we reade of the woman of Samaria instrumental to bring many people to believe on Christ onely yet observe that expression vers 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves Godly Ministers then and godly parents may be greatly helpfull to us in true believing but then the reason and chief motive is from the Divine Authority of the Scripture declaring this truth We doe not believe in Ministers nor in the Church And thus you must understand that passage of Jehoshaphats Chron. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe the Prophets so shall ye prosper Believe in God ultimately but believe the Prophets ministerially So that it would be a fanatick presumption out of a perswasion that onely worketh faith thereby to cast off those usefull helps and means which he hath appointed for the producing of faith In the next general place we are to know That two things are necessarily required to the working of a divine faith The one Effectively The other Objectively The principle that worketh faith in us and the reason or motive thereof The principle that worketh faith in us is God alone None can make the heart of man to believe Scripture-truths but God onely Hence Faith is the gift of God so some are said To believe through grace Act. 18. 27. Is it not plain in the Pharisees notwithstanding they heard our Saviour preach and also saw his wonderfull miracles yet to them it was not given to believe or to know the mysteries of God but to others more unlearned and contemptible it was Hence it falleth out that the most learned men are many times most Atheistical or at least Sceptical and doubting in Religion Insomuch that we are to be importunate with God in prayer that he would both work and increase faith in us Hence Christ is said to be both the authour and finisher of our faith Hebr. 12. 2. It 's the mighty power of God so enlightning and enabling thee that thou doest adhere to the truth For how many specious arguments may be produced against the faith How mutable are many in forsaking the faith they once professed and turn Heretical So that it is a special work of Gods grace to make thee stand firme in the faith especially in times of temptation To be a pillar in the Temple of the Lord and not a reed shaken with every winde is a glorious preservation For it 's plain that it's fancy errour or humour that lead many in Religion and not this holy precious faith Again The second thing necessarily concurring to a divine faith is a Divine testimony it must be Gods word We must have the Doctrine from Christ else our faith is but an humane faith and so our Religion but an humane Religion The Thessalonians are commended by Paul That they received the Word not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God and when so received it effectually worketh in those that believe Alas what is the reason there is so little holinesse so little godlinesse It is because there is so little divine faith The truths we preach are not received as the word of God we look no further or higher than to a man in these things we doe not hear and tremble we doe not beleeve and tremble we rise not up with heart-reverence as Eglon though an Heathen did to Ehud when he said He had a message from the Lord. In the third place In that the true Christian faith floweth from such a divine principle and ariseth from such a divine motive Hence it is that no kinde of persons have an absolute Sovereignty over the faith of a believer and whosoever doe arrogate it to themselves they assume the property of the Almighty and most infinite God They arrogate to themselves the peculiar and incommunicable property of Christ which is to be the Head of the Church and a Law-giver in respect of any Doctrine Worship or Ordinances It is true there have been such especially the Pope of Rome who hath thus arrogated to himself setting himself in the Temple of God as God but the blasphemies of such have been written as it were in their fore-heads and hereby they are justly deemed to be a Political or Church-Antichrist as there is a Doctrinal Antichrist But we affirme That no kinde of persons can have dominion over a mans faith seeing it hath such a peculiar reference to God First Not spiritual and Church Rulers or Ecclesiastical Governours If the Apostles would not assume it who then may It is true there are several Texts in Scripture which command us to hear our Pastours to obey them to submit unto them to have them highly in esteeme for their workes sake Such as doe not hear them are to be accounted as Heathens and Publicans They are endowed with power to Admonish and rebuke sharply Yea where obstinacy is in sinners To cast them out of the Church But all this doth not arise to a Magisterial Domination over mens consciences And although they have power to binde and loose which God himself promiseth to confirme in Heaven yet all this is declaratively and ministerially onely How farre there is a decisive power in Councils to extinguish all errours and heresies is not here to be debated This is enough that as no particular person so no Councils though never so oecomenical can say we have dominion over your faith And Secondly No civil power hath dominion over any mans faith No Magistrate can make Articles of Faith can appoint another worship of God or other Sacraments than Christ hath appointed Faith is not Caesar's gift neither can any man believe Praecisè quia vult as Mirandula declareth meerly because he will How farre Magistrates have power in matters of Religion is greatly disputed and determined by the excesse in some and by the defect in others But however no Kings or Emperours can say
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
of their hearts all the purposes and intentions of the soule in holy duties shall be made manifest it shall then be discovered who was faithfull and who was insincere and wilt thou anticipate this day Little doest thou thinke how much such as feare God in truth doe bewaile that partial hypocrisie and insincerity which is within them how greatly they feare lest they should deceive themselves and doe holy duties for false ends and not out of pure respect to God himselfe Such then shall have praise of God and their integrity manifested before Angels and men Thirdly There will be a change of mens thoughts as to the godly In respect of their external estate and condition They have for the most part the evil things of the world when the wicked enjoy the glorious things thereof Are not afflictions troubles and miseries as inseparably following the people of God as the shadow doth the body Doth not our Saviour fore-warn his Disciples of the great trouble that they shall meet with in the world Doth not Paul himself say 1 Corinth 15. 19. If we have hope in this life onely we are of all men most miserable Of all men Because other men will follow the pleasures and profits of the world Other men will suck out the honey that is to be had in the creatures They will escape all misery and persecution by becoming any thing in Religion and thereby save themselves out of danger but as for the godly they are as sheep appointed for the slaughter all the day long Their tender conscience and feare to sinne against God putteth them into many losses and disadvantages which the men of the world can imbrace Now it being thus with them this doth exceedingly prejudice men against godly men Their outward condition is many times dangerous they seeme to be cast off even by God himselfe as if he did not love them or owne them for his and this keepeth off many from walking in the pathes of holinesse If the applause honour and great things of the world did accompany the power of godlinesse then all would strive to enter in at such a broad gate but because it is with them as with Christ they appeare with no external glory and lovelinesse upon them Hence it is that of all men they will not owne such or joyne to such But this great day will make you have other thoughts of their condition when you shall see their sackcloth taken off and robes of honour put upon them when you shall see these Lazarusses with no more sores on them or desiring crummes from the Table but placed in Abraham's bosome This will make you then to wish Oh that we had endured the same hardship gone through the same wildernesse seeing they have now arrived at such a blessed Land as they are In the third and last place The thoughts and apprehensions of men about Christ will be greatly changed at that day from what they have at present in two particulars especially First When Christ is offered now to us and we may be made partakers of him yet we refuse him we will not receive him we had rather have our lusts than Christ we love father mother and life it selfe more than Christ Such low thoughts have we of him now But oh the time is coming when Christ and onely Christ will be in request At that day he is happy who shall have an interest in Christ Those Gadarens that intreated Christ to depart out of their coasts regarding their hoggs more than he with what confusion will they behold him at that day We shall then see there is good reason for that Doctrine He that loveth father more than me or he that loveth life it self more than me is not worthy of me Matth. 10. 37. For happily flesh and blood may for the present say This is an hard saying who can beare it To love Christ more than father that begat me and maintaineth me from whom happily I may expect great and large gifts Or better than life which is above all earthly mercies Will Christ be as good as these to me Shall I not lose by loving him more than these But if a man consider what Christ is How he will appeare at that day How happy are they who can claime an interest in him Then they will see reason why Christ should be preferred above all Now we are for Barabbas rather than Christ Now Christ knocketh at the door to come in and we will not open to him But who is there then that would not cry out Oh let Christ justifie me let him sanctifie me let him save me Thus the stone that is now refused will be the head corner-stone Secondly Many deceive themselves in their thoughts about Christ apprehending onely love and willingnesse in him to save They never thinke of Christ but as a Saviour Though never so polluted by sinne yet they call him their good Saviour their blessed Saviour but at this day thou wilt then have other thoughts Thou wilt then see he can damne as well save he can be a Lion as well as a Lambe This mercifull Saviour will be a severe and just Judge Thus Revelat. 6. 16 17. you have the great men and rich men of the earth hiding themselves in Dens and calling to the Mountaines and Rockes to fall upon them and hide them from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Thus you see that your thoughts about Christ at that day will be wholly changed You that thinke onely of mercy that speak onely of mercy that look onely upon Christ as a Saviour What trembling will this be to you when you shall see him come as a Judge with ten thousand of Angels when you shall heare him pronounce his terrible sentence upon ungodly men then how will your hearts melt within you Then you will beginne to say within your selves Oh that we had not made an Idol-Christ that we had not fancied a Christ to our selves This is not such a Christ as we looked for This is not such a Christ as we expected Even as the Jewes looked for another Messiah then was indeed to come which proved their destruction So also many doe fancy to themselves such a Saviour made up onely of mercy at that great day And therefore whereas they promise to themselves peace they will meet with horrour and desolation And thus much for those particulars The next general Proposition is That there will be a wonderfull change upon mens thoughts in reference to Gods dispensations and his providence in this world Gods proceedings here below have beene the subject of many Heathens disputes Yea David and Jeremiah were ready to stagger and fall with the consideration of Gods various dealings in this world especially that particular went deep into them why God should let the wicked live in all prosperity and at hearts ease and in the meane while the