one after another Every minute is like the bodrags in the heart and braine of a man that are still accrewing fearefull shewes and signes of evill So that I protest by the rejoycing I have in the Lord Iesus I dye daily 2 Part. The Proofe Now I come to the second poynt which is the proofe of this For there is no man that would beleeve it because flesh and bloud cannot understand how a man should be dead and yet alive As the Poet saith As long as a man liveth whatsoever happen to him he is well breake a hand or a foot of him breake his bones and let him have life he is indifferent well But the children of God doe not judge so of these things For life is not to live meerely but to be in a good estate to be in a healthy condition therefore seeing the Apostle lived and had his being among men he being not now layd in his grave but conversing in our common element why then doth he say hee died daily Why even because of troubles and of cares It is true but because men would not beleeve how he should have such cares 1 By way of an Oath and how they should be the cut-throat of his life therefore now he interposeth his bond and it is a firme bond his oath which though it be but an imperfect argument yet is it taken of godly men for the strongest argument that is in Rebus humanis For things that are uncertaine are determined by the oath of an honest man and men take it for the most certaine truth that can be because an oath is a bond that gives testimony to the truth So the Apostle in this and in other places useth a strange kinde of reasoning drawn from the contrary and we are to beleeve him upon his Word It is true his friends and those that are sanctified will easily beleeve him but those that are without that are yet to bee wonne they are hardly to be perswaded Therefore for their infirmity and for the weakenesse of the Corinthians he puts his oath to it and sweares it is true I protest by the reioycing I have in Christ Iesus our Lord I dye daily Now you see the nature of the argument and if we consider it well it will appeare that the wisedome of God in the state of his children which is so farre above mans reach and reason that the Angels themselves can scarcely make a delivery of it For marke he had said before I dye daily and now he proves it by another thing cleane contrary by his rejoycing daily By the reioycing that I have in Christ Iesus continually by that reioycing that is alway with me by that reioycing I dye daily A strange thing that a man should have feare and care and yet be ioyfull too at the same time to dye and yet to reioyce or boast at the same instant for so the word signifieth to boast in the apprehension of a good thing to ioy in a singular measure for Ioy is the apprehension of a singular good in a singular measure that these two should be put together to say I reioyce daily and I dye daily this is a wonder which the Lord hath hid from flesh and bloud which he hath not manifested to the great ones of the world but to his little despicable ones even those that take delight in the kingdome of Christ By the reioycing I have in Christ Iesus our Lord I dye daily There is some variety in the reading of these words Some reade it by your reioycing and so that which I must honour our last translation hath it in the Margine by your reioycing some reade it or reioycing But there is no great difference for the sence comes all to one So Saint Ierome Saint Augustine Saint Chrysostome and Theophilact they read it by your reioycing But then on the other side there are a number of the Fathers that reade it our reioycing as Basile upon Psal 14. Athanasius and of later Writers Luther and Calvin Onely Beza holds with the Ancients and saith your reioycing making notwithstanding no difference in the Text or in the sence for saith he the Apostles meaning is by the reioycing that I have of you and by the reioycing that you have of me and saith Saint Chrysostome he calleth the proficiency of the Corinthians his reioycing as he saith 1 Thes 2. What is our crowne 1 Thes 2.19 and our reioycing and our glory are not ye And he answers his owne question and saith yes Ye are our crowne and our reioycing in the day of the Lord. This I take to be the more fitte and the more lively and fuller our reioycing rather than to reade it yours although it bee true it is the common Reioycing of Gods children they have all the same spirit and the same joyes yet a man may not lawfully sweare by that which is in another man but a man may sweare for himselfe Thus Saint Paul although he knew that the Corinthians were forward and full of the gifts of the holy Ghost and of ioy yet he had no reason to be so confident in them as to sweare by their reioycing Because a man knowes not what is in his neighbour he is not certaine he may iudge the best but he knowes nothing certainly and he were a mad man therefore that would sweare for that which he knowes not therefore the Apostle makes this oath not of the ioy or gloriation or boasting that was in the Corinthians but the boasting and gloriation of his owne spirit in the presence of Christ Iesus This I take to be the sence although it be true that the Apostle gloried much in his passions and sufferings at Corinth and he gloryed too for the preaching and successe of the Gospell this was matter of great gloriation and boasting yet it was the inward comfort and testimony of his conscience that made him sweare by his reioycing in Christ Others goe about to put it off with a kinde of Asseveration onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Bezae Annotat in locum that is another reading which Saint Ambrose followes and the vulgar Bibles and so the common translations at this day though they touch upon this and in a manner are weary of the other As if the Apostle should say for your glory sake But those that know the Greeke tongue they know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being not written with letters but like a halfe circle it is easily brought to be like the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Scripture may be read promiscuously with eyther of them in this place But this is against the tenent of all the Fathers of the Church which have still thought this to be an oath As Saint Austin writing to Hillary in his 89. Aug ad Hilla ep 89. Et lib. 3. de Trin. Epistle he proves it lawfull for a Christian man to sweare because the Apostle writes by an oath And
into all the parts of Christs mysticall body in all the parts of the world The communion of Saints is taught us here Christ is alike to every one Our reioycing mine in Asia yours in Europe mine in Ephesus yours in Corinth mine on this side the sea yours beyond the sea My reioycing or our reioycing in our common Lord and Saviour It is ours because Christ is ours because he is the Lilly of the field Cant. 2.1 and the Lilly of the valley he is the Lilly of the field not of the garden a garden is a private place reserved for the particular owner of it but he is the flowre of the field that all passengers may take him up and smell to his sweetnesse He is the Lilly of the valley who conveyes grace and sweetnesse and beauty and maiesty to all that approach him He rules in the midst of the seven golden Candlestickes because his vertue may be equally diffused as lines from the center to the circumference all concurring together in the center So all nations and people in the world have seene the salvation of God because they have met together in the center our Lord Iesus Christ By our reioycing in Christ Iesus our Lord. 3 The ground of this reioycing Here is the ground and foundation Christ Iesus our Lord. Christ is that fountaine from whence all streames If the old man worke death the new man shall worke life and we have put off the old man that we may put on the new that is that wee might be more invested with the one and lesse with the other By our reioycing in the Lord Iesus This common sunne which is the ioy of the world is sometimes ours and sometimes not ours When it riseth to us it sets in another place to another world of people The Antipodes have not the sunne when we have it and againe when they have it we want it because of day and night and intercourse of times For the sunne compassing the globe of the earth must of necessity by interposing the shadow make this difference so that the Sunne is not alway ours although it be the light of the world But the Sunne of righteousnesse is alway ours he is alway above our horizon alway beneath our horizon to the Antipodes as well as to us and to as many as the Lord shall call that Lord is the same he is the bright morning starre that was yesterday to day and for ever the same Heb. 13.8 Apoc. 1.8 He is Alpha and Omega By the reioycing that I have in Christ Iesus our Lord. And herein wee are to observe the causes of this joy for first he is Iesus and then he is Christ and then he is our Lord all this makes up the fulnesse of our joy If he were not Iesus he could not worke this miracle in our frayle tabernacles For as he is God he is called Iesus as he is man he is called Christ He is called Iesus because hee is a Saviour now man cannot save He is called Christ because he was annoynted and God cannot be annoynted It is the property of a man to receive annoynting from a higher thing This makes the fulnesse of our ioy for being Iesus he is able to conferre upon us streames of joy being the omnipotent fountaine of life all that we receive being from him from him we receive grace for grace as it is Ioh. 1. Ioh. 1.16 he being the fulnesse of joy from God the Father at whose birth the Angels sang Glory to God on high ioy on earth to men good will Luke 2.14 It followes therefore that hee is able to worke joy in the spirits of men that he can give light in darkenesse There is nothing difficult to him but his spirit can make all things lightsome he can make a man reioyce in tribulation and affliction as he is Iesus And then Christ that is annoynted Psal 45.7 for hee is annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes And what is that annoynting but the oyle of ioy and gladnesse that is that great fulnesse of ioy wherewith he is annoynted that it should not stay upon the head of Aaron or his beard Psal 133.2 but should runne downe to the skirts of his cloathing that all the body of the Priest should be filled with joy As our Saviour saith to his Disciples that when they came to a house Luke 10.5 they were to salute it and to say Peace be to this house When Christ comes once to a man hee brings joy he is that annoynted one he takes of that oyle of gladnesse and gives it to his fellowes that is to the followers of his salvation Lastly he is our Lord. Therefore he is a good Master and wisheth well to his servants he hath a horne of oyle and he poures it out that Amalthean horne of ioy and comfort and consolation for all the elect of God And hee is willing to doe it for us because we acknowledge him to be our Lord. Therefore we must examine our selves by this whom wee acknowledge to be our Lord. And we shall soone see the reason why we want this joy if a man be under the divell and acknowledge him to be his Lord he hath nothing to give him but misery and terrour and discomfort sorrow and distresse a man can receive nothing else there because he serves a bad Master but if thy Master be Christ the annoynted of God he shall bring thee ioy and peace of conscience and then certainly it will manifest it selfe It will appeare in thy countenance in thy words in thy patience in suffering with Gods Saints it will appeare in all the passages of a mans life that men may perceive that the oyle of grace is poured out upon him and is infused into him and it opens it selfe plainely and manifestly in every thing that passeth from him that is indued with the spirit of God Let us therefore labour which is the last poynt of the Text to preserve the force of this argument 4 The force of the Aâ—gument that we may be sure of our salvation and of our reioycing in Christ And if need be to protest and sweare it to lay it to pledge as a man doth his lands and estate When he would make a thing certaine he infeoffes a man in those things that are most neare and deare to him the best things that he hath So the best thing that the Apostle had it was his reioycing in Christ his comfort of conscience the peace of God which farre transcended his passions and sweetned his afflictions and made him reioyce in tribulation that comfort of Christ that hee had within in his spirit and from abroad by the proficiency of his Schollars to see them grow up in the feare of God in the knowledge of Christ in the profession of the faith this is the reioycing the Apostle speakes of I would that we all had this reioycing espeeially those that stand
Supper as that shall bee the Supper of the Lamb. Apoc. 19.9 Blessed are they that are called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb. I say the bidding to the supper of the Lamb is nothing else but the fulnesse of glory which the Lord shall invest his children with at his comming to judgement This trumpet shall call us to that supper to that banquet which shall be a continuall feast to last forever And for the trumpet of Tents the trumpet of Removeall it is manifest it shall bee so For there is no such removing in the world as that shall be For some men to remove to hell and other some to remove to heaven it shall be the greatest kind of progression that ever was taken So that this last trumpet hath an embleme or signification of that also And for the trumpet of manifestation we know it is that The Lord shall manifest at that day who are his and he shall manifest every thing tha◠hath been wrought were it never so close and secret it shall then bee brought to light And as the face of man or woman is knowne one of another by their aspect now so then the thoughts and secrets of the hearts shall bee mutually knowne and understood one by another That is the light that shall reveale all things it is that that shall manifest all things that is the trumpet of manifestation As Christ saith Matth. 6.2 Blow not a trumpet before thine almes doe not manifest it The manifestation of things indeed never comes till the end of the world and then every thing shall bee manifested Those things that are hidden from the eyes of men now either by the policy of men or by the connivence of God as there be many things that are though now they were never seene by any eye then they shall be manifest and laid open And for the trumpet of the Gospel this trumpet shall bee truely that for this trumpet shall bee the fulfilling of all the Gospel When the Lord shall gather by the last trump those whom he hath raised before by the trumpet of his doctrine by the holy trumpet of the Scriptures by preaching of the Word by the Sacraments them that hee hath rowzed by baptisme and by his gracious admonitions in this world he shall then bring upon them another sound which shall tend to the like effect to the same purpose to put them into glory which his voice had raised before unto the holy warre against the devill and the flesh and the world in this life So that this trumpet that wee here speake of is the miracle of all miracles it concludes all that was before it it comprehends all perfection that may be imagined It is a voice magnificall a voice angelical it is a voice terrible it is a voice that hath life in it a voice that shall give life It shall bee a voice so full of majesty as that all the world shall be taken with amazement and astonishment the best children of God shall not bee without feare saith St. Cyprian Cyprian at that day And saith St. Chrysostome Chrysost Woe is me when I thinke of that fearefull day For although we should bee so prepared for it Rom. 13.11 as that we should lift up our heads because our salvation drawes nigh yet saith hee I would see any Saint of God that dares looke there with a confident countenance For though our justification by Christ shall give us comfort yet love and feare shall bee mixed and mingled together a filiall feare shall possesse men in the hearing of the silver trumpet It must needs therefore be full of majesty and terror As St. Austin saith Aug. You know brethren that a trumpet hath not so much delight in it as feare and trembling having naturally a kinde of musique in it which makes the body to shake and shiver in the parts of it and that most of all separates a man from himselfe So shall be the voice of this great and mighty thunder which God shall give that it shall sound in the manner of this musicall instrument of this speciall instrument that gave the Law and that set forth the Prophesies and that was used at the solemne feasts It shall be full of majesty and full of comfort and joy and yet it shall bee with feare and terrour to the best of them that shall heare it For as the voice of God was so great when the Law was given that Gods owne people could not endure it Let not God speake unto us Exod. 20.19 but let Moses speake Let not God speake to us any more for then wee die for feare the chosen people of God were faine thus to say So at that day those that be the most sanctified although they shall bee full of joy in one respect that their redemption is consummate in Christ yet that joy shall consist in a mixture and mingling of feare For it is befitting Gods children as they love him so to feare him to feare him in love and to love him in feare to yeeld unto him all submission and reverence that they may bee reconciled and made one in those contrary passions feare and love which is a sweet union and reconcilement in the contemplation of one and the selfe same God To conclude therefore this point concerning this trumpet and what it is One saith That the trumpet is properly a priestly instrument a holy instrument for holy purposes But hee spake this above his clement Chrysost St. Chrysostome saith The presence of the Lord Iesus Christ is this trumpet this silver trumpet which shall passe through the world And St. Theophilact his scholler and follower Theophil hee saith This trumpet is nothing else but the will of God the command of God which shall runne thorow the world as it is said in the Psalme Psalm 147.15 the word of God runnes swiftly and fills all the world And St. Augustin in his Epistle to Honorius Aug ad Honoriū saith he In the name of a trumpet the Lord would have us to understand some most evident and rare thing And hee saith in his Epistle to Constantius Aug. ep ad Constantium not knowing what to determine of it In the last trump that is that signe which God shall give last to the earth whatsoever signe that shall be St. Ambrose Ambros thinks it is nothing but the comming of the Lord signified by the noise of a trumpet As Princes and great men and noble men when they come to a Towne have it divulged and manifested before they come by the sound of a trumpet So this same sound of this trumpet here spoken of is nothing else but the manifestation of the presence of the Sonne of God Genebrard Genebrard upon the Canticles saith The trumpets of God are of two sorts the one is paginall the trumpet of his word which is written clearly in this life The trumpet here is manifested
I assent to that which is written in the Gospel and because I hope for a reward at the resurrection therefore I give almes to my brethren I exercise works of charity and doe good to my fellow members because that one day I hope to be proclaimed a member of the Sonne of God Upon this work therefore followes all the rest this is that great worke of the Lord which is called The worke of the Lord by way of excellency All good things be the workes of God It is true but the worke the singular worke of the Lord is this whereby hee raised his Sonne from the dead the totall of our faith and resurrection the onely thing that makes us assured of salvation Rom. 10. If thou beleeve with thine heart and confesse with thy mouth that God hath raised Christ from the dead thou shalt bee saved saith the Apostle Behold the whole worke of salvation runnes upon this and though there bee other things required for hee that beleeveth must bee conformed to the glory of God which hath raised his Sonne yet the maine and chiefe point of a mans salvation is this that hee beleeve and confesse that God hath raised his Sonne Iesus from the dead and that he shall give life unto those that are dead and those things that were conquered hee shall make them more then conquerers This is that that saves a man 2. Part the degree Abound Bee abundant alway in the worke of the Lord. It is not onely necessary for us to worke the worke of the Lord but we must bee abundant in it God doth require of us an eminency for it is true that unto him that worketh by the grace of God that he hath received there is a commendation and a testimony due unto him yet notwithstanding if hee rest satisfied with his small measure hee cannot aspire to this dignity to partake of the conquest of Christ because he doth not abound in the worke of the Lord. Abound in the worke of the Lord that is bee abundantly able to comfort thy selfe in this matter of the resurrection and to comfort others that shall come to take comfort of thee The childe of God must abound as a River that keepes not the water that is in it for it selfe but disperseth it to the dry ground so the children of God must abound in the worke that they have by the Lord in the worke of charity in the worke of beliefe and apprehension of the Articles of their faith In every thing the Lord will have them abounding creatures In the first beginning it was the blessing of the Lord increase and multiply Gen. 1.20 we see of two creatures hee made a great world by that blessing upon it And as in naturall things much more in spirituall a man must increase and multiply he must not stand at a stay but abound and goe forward Hee must abound not to supererogation as the Papists would have it a man cannot be so abundant as to have enough for himselfe and others God knows he that hath the most hath too little for himselfe for it is the merit of Christ that must doe all For this is the meaning of the Apostle where he saith Bee abundant in the worke of the Lord that is that they should not content themselves with that measure that they had received there is more before forgetting that which is behind and pressing forward So that if a man have done that which is good he must not think that he hath done enough but he must goe forward in well-doing and not bee weary Whatsoever good worke the Lord hath in him to crowne and accomplish it with perseverance it is that that makes up all the graces of God and that is it which he saith here 3. Part. The extent Alway A grievous thing it is to bee set to worke there is no man can endure labour and worke especially the work of the Lord is hard and contrary to flesh and blood which is made easie by the grace of God but when a man hath begun he thinkes he may safely with a good conscience leave off after a short time and so he falls to be cold in his profession of those good things which formerly he contented himselfe withall Hee that hath beene in the service of God from his youth a long time hee thinks he may take some respite in his old age he thinks his earnestnesse and fervour and heat of zeale in his youth may admit some kinde of allay and his former zeale may be a sufficient defence for it A man that hath given to a poore man hee thinkes hee hath beene very beneficiall when hee hath given so much and hee bids him come no more at him hee hath done so much for him already When a man prayes when hee hath done his devotion in the morning he thinks whatsoever occasion comes hee shall have no occasion to pray till night And so in the course of al holy matters we grow weary of the service of God so the Apostle cuts this sluggishnesse away tells them he would have them be as a fountaine he would have them abound never to be exhausted never to be drawne dry as the fountaine runnes alway so the fountaine of grace in Gods children it runs continually To what purpose is it to give a poore man a peny to day and see him starve to morrow hee had as good give him nothing at all hee were as good have died to day it is but a dayes respite the charity of Gods children must bee perpetuall let them give as they are able but let them give continually let them pray continually let them reade continually let them meditate on the works of God continually let them rejoice let them give thanks continually let them approve the works of God continually let them satisfie doubting consciences continually let their fountaine be alwayes running let there be no stop in the fountaine of grace when it hath once begun let it goe on in a happy streame and flow unto all the inheritance of God I beseech you beloved be alway abundant in the worke of the Lord. This worke of the Lord the resurrection bee abundant in that and in all the rest of the works of the Lord because the Lord is alway plentifull to you in mercy so be you plentifull to him in good workes to draw this mercy of God upon your owne soules Now followes the reason of all and it is indeed a sweete contentment to every Christian man Knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. There is no signe more ridiculous and frivolous then the labour in vaine for a man to wash an Ethiopian for a man to wash a brickâ— for a man to take paines for that which is not worth his labour if it be atchieved or which he cannot possibly atchieve If their labour had beene such as this then the Apostle should wish them to their losse to their great
dammage and frustration But the Spirit of God doth not meane to set men a worke with a fooles errand to set men on worke without ensuing profit The blessed God that cannot lie to any man hee hath promised and assured that those that labour in him they shall not lose their reward The reason subdivided into 4. branches First then of the labour Secondly that it is not in vaine Your labour is not in vaine Thirdly why it is not in vaine Because it is in the Lord. Fourthly how we come to this You know this is so It is a thing that no man can make question of 1. The labour First of the labour It is true all the parts of religion are laborious and there is no man that takes such paines as a Christian doth When the great Conquerers of the world have subdued whole Nations yet the mastery was hard for them to atchieve over themselves that is the labour of the Lord but the labour that is spoken of here is chiefly to bee referred to three heads First to the Ministers of Corinth This labour is referred to 3. persons 1. Ministers you that preach the doctrine of the resurrection your labour is not lost therefore have a good confidence You preach that which is true you preach not lies and fancies but the doctrine that you preach that all men shall bee raised againe it is as true as God is true therefore you that are Preachers hold on be not dismaied whatsoever those Heretiques and adversaries goe about to cast against you and oppose you in your way Keepe the tenents of your profession hold on constantly for your labour is not lost the Lord shall make it good It is an idle thing for a man to stand in the Pulpit and tell nothing but lies to the people such a man deserves to be stoned to death for it to abuse the faith and to abuse the understandings of men to tell them things that God never meanes to doe And the Ministers of Corinth were men that were but Novices and there were so many hereticall fellows among them that they were not able to answer their sophismes and so they beganne to leave off their preaching of the doctrine of the resurrection because that was full of arguments and difficulties and they knew not how to evade out of it and answer their Opposers Therefore they began to give over that and take some other points but no saith the Apostle goe on with this doctrine let all the gates of hell open themselves they shall not prevaile against you It is the worke of the Lord and the Lords arme is higher and mightier then the powers of hell and that which you say the Lord will make it true in the time of the resurrection of the bodie whatsoever the gates and power of hell can make against it that is the first sense which Saint Basil S. Basil followes and indeed it is good and true Another sense is of the Brethren in Corinth that were of the common faith among them which were exercised in the Agonies of a christian life as if hee should say Brethren I understand you are by reason of this doctrine of the resurrection scoft at and laughed at they think you are fooles they imagine that such a thing as this is a meere dreame they account you creatures of another world and such as have a vaine beliefe and perswade your selves of these schismes which these new teachers have put into your heads and I see you have great troubles in your life and these troubles that you have by your persecution and troubles of conscience which are all sweetned by the Resurrection they are aggravated so that as I beseech my brethren that teach so also I intreat you that heare to abound in the worke of the Lord that as they preach and teach so that you may perceive this doctrine to be true although the world resist it never so much this is the agony of a christian life with Heretiques with Schismatiques with himselfe with the world This is the Agonie which a Christian is born unto which some of the Fathers take to be the labour here spoken of so St. Ierome Epiphanius S. Jerom. S. Epiphan and divers others follow that But that which I take to be the best is the sense which St. Austin and some others give S. Aug. which is this Your labour is not in vaine that is your labour of love Marke the Apostle there reciting all the Intellectuall graces of the Spirit of God 1 Thes 1.4 hee speakes there of the labour of love for there is nothing that hath so much labour in it as love although it be without paines if we regard the outward act and worke yet the imployment is great nothing is so laborious as love it is still doing good comforting those that are distressed bestowing somewhat to the poore out of that little it hath to spare it out of its owne mouth to give admonitions to the peevish to deale wisely with froward spirits A man were as good goe about to tame a wild Tigre as to tell men that are setled in evill courses of their faults yet a Christian must doe this so this is that labour of love the love of that blessed day the love to the time when a mans body shall be raised it makes him change his place remove his lodging it makes him spend his meanes it makes him doe all the good he can in this world because he hopes for the blessed resurrection of his body as the Apostle speaks Acts 20. For the hope of the Resurrection I am bound with this chaine This is that labour for wee doe not labour for nothing and indure all this toile and trouble but because wee looke for the resurrection of the dead This is that labour of love that wee must strive to finde in our selves that same unsatiable and unwearied labour that is still working still teaching without any intermission and although we be not called into the Vineyard of the Lord all at one time all at one houre but some at the third some at the sixth some at the ninth and some at the eleventh houre and though the worke of them be not all alike but some beare the burthen in the heat of the day and some are called at the evening yet we see all wrought untill the evening so long as they could worke So the labour of the Lord is never to be laid aside Luke 9.62 No man that puts his hand to the plough and looks back is meet And as our Saviour Christ saith Remember Lots wife Luke 17.32 But we must be constant as the greek word here signifieth a chopping labour a labour that cuts a man in pieces there is nothing that so divides betweene the sinewes and the joynts and the marrow as the labour that proceeds from true love and friendship And there is nothing that makes a man more settle himselfe
regard of this among the rest to have a care of the poore Gal. 2. Gal. 2. Wheresoever he came he did found and settle this constitution as strongly as any of the rest as that of faith so this of workes that those that had beleeved and received the Lord Christ into their hearts by faith that they should extend their hands by good workes to feed him and to minister to his members which are wanting here upon earth We have thus farre proceeded to shew what kinde of Gift or Present this was which the Apostle required it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fruit it is the corne they yeeld the harvest which Gods children which be his fruitfull field yeeld unto him It is the shot they pay which are invited to the supper of the great King And it is not cast away upon such as are unworthy persons but bestowed upon the Saints themselves that whereas God requires that we should helpe our owne flesh whether good or bad and we should imitate our heavenly Father which makes his light to shine and his raine to fall as well upon the uniust as the iust yet the Apostle recommends unto them not the common refuse of men whereunto notwithstanding they were bound by nature but a select company of Saints and such a company as were under persecution and that the most hot and sharpe persecution and trouble that was then to be found in the world for the Church of God never suffers so ill as it suffers from it selfe all civill wars and intestine discords being the greatest plagues that can he The Church of Ierusalem having received the law and the promises and glorying in their prerogative they could not therefore indure that a new religion should come and confront theirs and put that out of place but they sought by all meanes to beat it downe againe and by consequent no man could lift up his head but presently there were letters from the high Priests and Elders to cast him into prison to thrust that light under a bushell which God had set upon a Candlesticke to give light to the whole house And againe there was another cause of it by reason of the famine which Agabus prophecied of in the end of Caligula his reigne for which cause the Church of God made provision against that time of famine and scarcity Now the quantity that they should give it is not set downe but it is left to every mans disposition for the Church of God will not make charity compulsive but leaves it to the free-will in it selfe that it may be the more gratious and the better accepted with God but look whatsoever God had prospered them withall according as God had blessed them according as he had given them a good voyage in the affaires of the world according to that hee should not scant and balk the Lord but he that had received much should give much and he that had received little should give of that little according to the quantity and proportion so that was left to the conscience of every man And that this collection should be done in private that every man should lay up by himselfe by himselfe because there were no officers appoynted as then in the Church or because he might be defeated of it by trusting of others or because some had so little that they durst not bring it every weeke being so small but were to lay it up by them that many littles might make a mickle therefore they were to keep it till it might be a convenient summe that it might carry some shew with it in regard of this the Apostle bids them lay up by themselves And they must lay it up as a Treasure for as much as the Lord accounted of that in heaven he tooke account of that in heaven which they layd forth in earth and it was a treasure to them that when they should come to faile to faile of this life when they should come to dye when no friend should help and rescue them from the hand of death they may have some treasure in heaven that when they came into a strange country they might finde some treasure there they might have a banke there to give them refreshing As when a man is outed in England when he is outlawed or banished if hee can make an escape and can have a banke at Venice or at Amsterdam and can goe to his friends there and have somewhat laid up for him in trusty hands he is as well there almost as he is here So the Lord compares the passages of this life to those of a better life but we cannot deny nor doubt but that we shall be infinitely farre better there then we are here but yet we are loath to part with this habitation we would faine keepe this tabernacle of the body as long as we could although it be with hard conditions Now the Lord tels us to incourage us in our journey that all our good works all our Almes-deeds are sent before as a treasure they are laid up as a stocke of money in a faithfull hand not in a mountebankes hand but in the trusty hand of God which will repay us againe and will repay us with interest he that gives to the poore lends to the Lord upon interest so it is called in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Thesaurus a treasure to lay up treasure to lay up for to morrow to lay up for the time to come thus farre we proceeded Now we come to the next point in the Text The time of the collection which is what day what time he chooseth out for the setting apart of this portion of those that offered to the Lord and to his poore Saints and that is noted here to be the first day of the weeke Secondly wee are to note the incentives reasons and arguments to moove them to this because charity and the workes of charity are not easily perswaded men must be drawne to them by very attractive and forcible reasons and arguments such as may win though not constraine and force their piety His first argument is this the common example for these things we must propound them diversly and otherwise then they lye in the Text for order sake and for method of teaching For those things that are first in the Text are not alway first in order of time nor in order of teaching how will he therfore winne the Corinthians to give unto strange poore when they had enow of their owne he tels them there is an example for it the Churches of Galatia As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia so doe ye As if he should say I bring no new matter among you I put no burthen upon you which is not generall and common in all the Churches your brethren have gone before in other Countries which are poorer men and weaker every way in their fortunes then you therefore that which they doe which are poorer and more unable
you must doe it much more as being more blessed of God As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia so doe ye where we are to understand three things First the antiquity of the Church of Galatia Three things 1 The antiquity 2 Apostolicall authorâ—ty Secondly that the Apostle had ordained it hee commands it he counselleth them not to doe it but by his power Apostolicall he enjoynes them 3 The power of the Church Thirdly and lastly what is the force and power of this argument which is drawne from the authority of the Church what is the nature of it and how farre it must prevaile with all the followers of Christ For thus he argueth The Churches of Galatia doe this and if you doe it not you are in great fault and in danger of damnation for you must follow the example of elder Churches but they have done thus therefore you must doe so much more having greater meanes and better ability then they that is one motive Another incentive is this that he himselfe will come and that he will see to these things and that he will receive it at their hands and that hee will make a convoy for it to the place where it should be surely delivered which is a great argument for a man is very willing to part with his money if he be sure that it shall not be interverted that there shall be no falshood but that it may come to the hands of those for whom it is intended upon these termes it may be he will be reasonable willing to part with it Therefore for this he tels them that he will take an order and that order that shall be best liking to themselves for when he comes they shall appoint and choose certaine fit men that they may trust with money and indeed he that a man may trust with money he may trust him with any thing almost therefore they shall choose such men not as may be their owne carvers not such as shall seek to make themselves rich of other mens goods much lesse out of the poore mans stocke but such as shall be true and faithfull dispensers of that which is offered by them and these shall bee chosen by themselves because he was a stranger to them and they were strangers to him and not onely so but they shall commend them to the brethren at Ierusalem by their Epistle and if need were he himselfe would helpe to convoy it he would helpe to passe their blessing The last motive that he useth is this that he saith they shall carry your grace to Ierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calling that almes that they should give a grace as making them gracious before God and men as proceeding from the grace and good spirit of God as comming from meere grace not of constraint Every man desires to be gracious and to be reputed gracious the tythe of grace is the most honourable and the greatest thing that can be in the world especially of divine grace and such a thing is this almes deeds he calls it not almes he cals it not benevolence or a collection but he cals it grace They shall carry your grace to Ierusalem that is that gracious gift which the Spirit of God shall worke you to And the summe of all is this that he would have this done before he come lest they should be found too tardy if they should then fall a gathering when they should be a presenting and offering their gift for tardinesse and unreadinesse is a base fault in any man but most in Christians and in Christian duties most of all It was the fault of the foolish virgins which were tardy and lost the kingdome for it things must be done in season in due time so saith the Apostle lest it be to be made when I come I pray make it before as he saith in 2. Corinth 9. If the Macedonians that I shall bring with me when they come shall finde you making your collection you and I shall be both ashamed to see your unreadinesse in this point of Religion and devotion whereunto you should go with the formost I take this to be the summe and substance of the words read that upon the Lords day every man should repose and lay by himselfe of that which it had pleased God to give him and that he is pleased to give againe to the Church to lay by that he can spare and to do it upon consideration that other Churches have done it before him and that all the members of Christ are bound one to another and also because it was a precept and command upon the Church left by Apostolicall power and chiefly because the whole managing of the businesse was certaine to be conveyed by men of most knowne fame and experienced goodnesse and honesty Such as should be chosen by themselves such as should be confirmed by their letters commendatorie and all this the Apostle instances lest they themselves should not be found so ready and chearfull in the worke lest they should be lagging in their gift which should bee ready and willing to keep their credit especially in so good an action Of these things briefly and in order and but a word because I will not extend your patience beyond the time 1 The time of the collection First for the day the Apostle would have this done upon the first day of the weeke wee may take it for granted that it was the Lords day we will prove it afterward we will have it granted now The first day of the weeke the first of the Sabbath for all the dayes of the weeke were among the Iewes reckoned for Sabbaths so Sunday was the first and Munday the second and Tuesday the third Sabbath and so forth And according to this reckoning they all computed their time their moneths and their weeks among the Iews In which sence the Pharisee is to be understood when he saith I fast twice in the Sabbath that is twice in the weeke For the Sabbath being the great day and the principall of the seven it gives the denomination to all the rest and they be called the first and second and third according as they have their distance from that day So this first of the weeke it was the Iews Munday as it were it is our Lords day which immediately succeeded the day of the Passeover wherein our Lord Iesus lay in the grave and which was the first day of his resurrection and therefore is remembred throughout all Christian generations This was the time that the Apostle thought fittest for Christian men to lay aside their charitie to lay it up for the common treasure for the common stocke of the Saints for the poore Saints at Ierusalem It teacheth us that as all the works of mercie become the Lords day so especially this of almes giving it is a worke proper to the Lords day For therein we have both rest from labour representing unto us our eternall rest
in heaven and when a man is not cumbred with the labours of the world his minde is better and more easily induced to do good a man that is puzzelled about his worke he saith he hath other mattrrs to do then to attend a poore man he cannot be for him now he puts him off till another time and bids him come to morrow as the wise man saith Say not to thy neighbour Come againe to morrow Prov. 3. if thou have it now by thee A man being distracted with his businesse he takes his opportunitie and makes these excuses to answer God and his owne conscience with these or the like and saith he cannot now intend it he is otherwise busied But when hee hath a relaxation from his labour which is the proper fruit of the Sabbath the minde of man is made more gentle and more easily perswaded to do any good worke because it knows that therefore a man is lift up from the cares and troubles of this life to the speculation of heavenly things therefore he is the more easily perswaded to do the works of heavenly charitie and divine operation which the Spirit of God acts in the hearts and soules of all his children So that is one reason why the Apostle bids that this gathering should be on the first of the Sabbath because then men are at leasure then they are not cumbred with the world they are freed from peevishnesse and impatience which oft times hinders a poore man of an almes which if he had come when the partie was at quiet and rest he might have obtained 2 Reason The benefits received on that day Another reason is because of the benefits that we receive upon that day the commemoration of the blessings God hath vouchsafed us upon that day upon that day the root of life rose the Lord Iesus who rising againe from the dead hath opened to us a certaine gappe and hope of life everlasting the meditation of the good creatures of God the state of the Gospell cals us unto the liberty of the sonnes of God all the whole blessings of the Gospell be represented and accumulated unto us upon that day Therefore that was the fittest time to be thankfull to God for his mercies wherein God is most abundant in mercy to us that then wee should returne somewhat backe againe some small widdows mite some little portion to Gods children for all those infinite treasures we have received for this is all that God requires that we should give but something of his owne of some but the thousand part of some but the hundreth part this is all that he requires for that great store those mighty summes and infinite riches and treasures and masses of wealth he hath given us That we should make a little acknowledgement by giving some small sprinkling for all this That is another reason why the Apostle would have this collection be upon the Sunday wherin the memory of al the blessings of God upon body and soule are the goodliest in every thing therefore it makes men more prone and inclined to do some good for him that hath wrought so much good for them The third reason is Reas 3 The exercises of the day because upon that day the publique meetings were made where there was prophesie and preaching and praying and singing of Psalmes and holy revelations and instructions from heaven all which were as fire to kindle the zeale of a man to be for God and for his brethren and to joyne together the members of the Lord Iesus in a firmer conjunction then any other societie in the world If a man love a man abroad in the market he will love him ten times better in the Church if there be any pietie or any coales of love to kindle his affections elsewhere it will be much more in the Church where every word of God every Sermon every prayer every thanksgiving every Psalme that is sung brings some fuell to that heavenly flame Therefore for this cause the Apostle chuseth that time as being the most select and choise opportunitie for the conferring of that which God had blessed them withall upon the first day of the weeke that is upon the Lords day 4 Reason The Sacrament was th n received And lastly because that upon that day the Church was alway wont to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it was not with them then as it is with us now men will receive it when they list but every Sunday was with them a Sacrament day and oft times every day in the weeke but on the Lords day they never failed Therefore as a testimony of their thankfulnesse to God for the benefit of the body and bloud of Christ which was offered on the Crosse as a ransome and propitiation for all their sins they thought they were bound in conscience and they were easily induced and perswaded upon the receiving of the Sacrament to give something to the sacred and holy Saints that belong unto the Lord. And so indeed after our Sacrament we have still a collection in remembrance of that there it was according to the greatnesse of their spirits and the greatnesse of their meanes which were supereminent ours are according to our poore meanes and measure and according to the scantinesse of our affections which is every day colder then other For these reasons the Apostle requireth that these things should be done and layd up upon the Sabbath day For then men are best affected of all times if ever a man will give any thing he will give it then when he is at rest for God and when he is expressing his thankfulnesse to God for the great mercies that he hath powred upon him in all the course of his life then he heares the word that stirres him up to good actions then he joynes in prayer with the Church of God then he understands that God hath not spared the precious bloud of Christ much lesse therefore should he spare a peny a small thing to give for his sake that hath given his bloud for his redemption Thus wee see great reason why the Apostle appointed the collection to bee made at this time It is true the collection for the Saints is due and seasonable at all times but especially when there is the fairest and goodliest opportunitie and then it is likely to prove best when there are the strongest motives to worke men unto it Vpon the first of the weeke But now we must launch into a great Sea to prove this doctrine which I need not do for men that are setled But because these last times affoord a number of monstrous doctrines and this Citie especially is plagued with those Iewish Sabbatarians that would still retaine the Iewish Sabbath and can very hardly be drawne from it but in their conventicles they draw away Gods children and trouble them that are not able to give a reason of their faith let us therefore a little search into this
point for it the first day of the weeke were the Lords day when Sermons and prayer and communicating in the Sacrament were made and received It follows that the Church had changed the Sabbath day from the seventh day unto the eight and so we are to resolve our selves against these innovators how this might be done for assure your selves although we be well resolved in the thing and long experience hath taught us to be quiet and to settle our selves in the authoritie of the Church yet there is nothing that is of weaker authoritie then the change of the Sabbath and if these new Hereticks can prevaile with us in other things it is no marvell if they prevaile in this for there is nothing that is left upon so weake a foundation that hath so slender proofe as this which makes them to get ground upon unstable soules that are their hearers being a multitude of men where there is varietie of affections and imbecillitie of judgement and every man is carried away with every blast of doctrine as children to and fro no marvell if they have sowne such seeds of pestilent schisme by these contrary blasts which are every where studied Therefore you shall understand that the holy Apostles presently after our Lords ascention into heaven The Sabbath changed by the Apostles they did ordaine that the meetings of Christians for the Sabbath that those exercises should be upon the eight day of the weeke I meane upon the eight day from the creation upon the Iews Munday which now is called Sunday or our Lords day and those feasts that formerly were wont to fall upon any day of the weeke as Easter day which was kept according to the course of the Moone and if it fell upon a Wednesday or a Thursday or the like still it was Easter day the Passeover day the feast of sweet bread when the paschall Lambe was offered But the Apostles changed it that it should alwayes be on the Sunday upon the day of our Lords resurrection and Whitsuntide which followes after Easter being a moveable Feast and as Easter was still that was to be referred to it now the feast of Pentecost was referred by the Apostles to the Lords day the day of our Lords resurrection our Sunday And this was not the devise of Pius Pius the first Pope or Dicta the first Pope as some have imagined which was many yeares after our Lords ascention but it is certaine it was the ordinance of the Apostles themselves as we may see in two famous places for we have but two as Beza Beza saith well in Acts 20.10 Act. 20 10. and in this place In these two places we observe that liberty that the Lord gave to his Church 1 Cor. 16.2 to change the seventh day to the eighth And whereupon upon what ground did they take this liberty for we have no direct word from the mouth of our Saviour for it but they did it onely upon the revelation of the spirit of God and they had such firme arguments and reasons as might sway them against the common tenents of the Iewish slavery and bondage whereby they were tyed and bound to the observation of their Sabbath The first maine reason that the Church had for the changing of the Sabbath 1 To shew the prerogative of Christ it was to shew the prerogative of the Sonne of God which saith of himself The sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath also he is Lord even of the Sabbath Mark 3. Mark 3. Now therefore if he were Lord of the Sabbath then it lay in his power to change the time of the Sabbath the morall action he changed not that alway continueth we must have a day to worship God in we should worship God alway but the publique worship of God is the proper end and office of the Sabbath I but for the time why it should be upon the seventh day or on the eight day this was left in the Lordship of Christ being the Lord of the Sabbath which therefore could tell what he did when hee would rejourne the Sabbath to some other time where it might be a figure of some better signification therefore to shew the glory of the sonne of man the Church thought good to change the time of the Sabbath to another time 2 In remembrance of the work of redemption Secondly there was another reason as Athanasius Athanasius observeth upon those words of Christ All things are given to me of my Father he extends it thus far even to the change of the Ceremonies of Moses Law now saith he there are two great workes of God which are to be considered in their substance and in their ceremony The first is the worke of creation And the second is the worke of redemption wherin the world was recreated and made anew For the first the worke of creation the old Sabbath was instituted and ordained of God in remembrance of his worke for God rested the seventh day from all the worke that he had wrought and created in the sixe dayes before he rested the seventh day and blessed it and hallowed it for man to remember the workes he had created in the sixe working dayes and that man should also worke in sixe dayes as he had done and rest upon the seventh day for as the Lord had wrought sixe dayes so he saith sixe dayes shalt thou labour for all the life of man must be conformed to the example of Almighty God so now there being these two great workes the one of creation the other of redemption wee are to consider whether of these two are the greater and surely we shall finde the worke of redemption is a greater matter then the worke of creation When the Lord created the world by his omnipotent power he did but speake the word and it was done The Lord did but say let there be light and there was light Let there be a firmament and there was a firmament Let there be sea and land and there was presently sea and land and every thing else necessary But when he wrought redemption it was not done by a word but it cost the bloud it drew the bloud from the heart of his deare Sonne for it could not be done by way of omnipotency because it must be done by way of justice the justice of God must be satisfied which could not be satisfied but the sinner must loose his life which he had forfeited to God and God himselfe must doe it the person of God must take upon him the nature of man to suffer death for sinfull man that had deserved death everlasting this is the worke of recreation and redemption Now saith Athanasius these workes had their severall ages the worke of the creation was to be remembred untill Christ came to worke the worke of redemption and when he was come then the age of that was to passe away it was determined and terminate in Christ And now
and difficult is more easily atchieved and effected by the hand of God And he proves it out of Matth. 9.5 Mat. 9.5 where our Lord discoursing with the Pharisees when they had said who can forgive sinnes he askes them whether it were easier to say to the sicke of the Palsie take up thy bed and walke or to say thy sinnes are forgiven thee where our Lord clearely gives us to understand that it is a harder matter and a more powerfull thing to say thy sinnes are forgiven thee then to give limbs to him to walke and to take up his bed and goe his way For sicknesses are the punishments of sinne and the Lord removing that once he takes away the cause which is greater than the effect But although this be followed with so many so great and so worthy Interpreters yet me thinkes it hath no congruity with the purpose of the Apostle in this place for as I said before the Apostles meaning is not here to instruct us in the renovation of the soule of newnesse of life in holinesse and sanctification but to tell us of the resurrection of the flesh that is his chiefe argument the maine point he insisteth precisely upon Therefore to say to be baptised for dead is to be baptised for the name of a dead Christ it is too farre fetched and I cannot see how it can be brought in Therefore without prejudice to these glorious and goodly writers we proceed to further examination of these words There be some others that cannot indure what hath beene said before but they must devise trickes of their owne They say Saint Paul alludes to the Leviticall Law Numb 19. Numb 19. when a man had touched any dead carkasse he was to be cleansed before the even but suppose say they that the man dyed by casualty before night before he could come to the Priest before he could have gotten the matter of his purification what was then to be done Then say they his neighbour was to be cleansed for him and so they fall upon an opinion before named But what is their purpose certainly to bring in prayer for the dead because they thinke that as there was baptisme for the dead so there should be prayer for the dead And if the one fall to be so the other must needs be so too For I rather thinke that there should be prayer for the dead than that there should be baptising for them to speake in a sacramentall sence They doe it to bring in their superstitions of holy-water and sprinkling the graves and sepulchers and coffins of dead persons thereby to make them more pure before God and that which is more ridiculous that the Priest should undertake in times past and it may be now too in our times when he was sent for to a sicke body to give him the host and that the party were dead before he came he in the presence of the company was to eate it for him that was deceased and thought that that would be availeable to him for the forgivenesse of his sinnes and for the receiving him into heaven These things have no ground nor warrant neither in this Epistle nor in the old Law There is no such thing that there was any such purification by a proxie but it was alway done in a mans owne person and there was no friâ—nd admitted in any such action Therefore in that devise they make one lye to salve another as their custome is in other of their proceedings Further there is yet another opinion that saith that baptising for the dead it is meant of those that came and offered themselves voluntarily to afflictions and persecution And this is more neare the point for indeed in the Scripture it is a most usuall and common saying to call afflictions by the name of baptisme So Math. 20. Math. 20. Mark 9. Mar. 9. when the sonnes of Zebede come to our Lord and desire a boone of him requesting that one of them might sit at his right hand and the other at his left in his kingdome Christ answers them againe that they knew not what they asked And he proceeds further saith he Can ye drinke of that Cup whereof I shall drinke and can ye be baptised with the baptisme that I shall be baptised withall and they answer againe they could Christ tels them again that indeed they should drinke of that cup and be baptised with that baptisme but to sit at his right hand and at his left c. where we may see he speakes of the baptisme of fire and trouble and persecution That which is intended in those words the same also by comparison may be taught here and interpreted in this place They that are baptised for dead that is those that scorned their lives that cared not for them those that were ready to drinke the cup of Christ that were ready to throw themselves into danger for the glory of their Lord and Master To what end are they thus forward if there be no resurrection from the dead There be many things that favour this interpretation as the sequell that followes in the next words Where the Apostle saith why are we in danger or jeopardie every houre if the dead rise not as if he would bring the argument from abroad home to himselfe and then the sence of the place is this To what purpose doe men adventure their lives and cast themselves into apparant danger of death except they have a certaine hope of the resurrection to life and that that God that takes away their life now can give it them againe with advantage in the world to come This is true but whether it be fully proper or no to rest in this baptisme as absolute I thinke it lyes not in any mans power by any strong and full authority to determine It is true our Lord saith Luke 10. Luke 10. I have a baptisme to be baptised with and how am I pained till it be past Where he meanes in the same sence the baptisme of affliction For a man in affliction is as it were a dead man a man in prison as though he were in the bottome of the water in another element when there is persecution and trouble on every side But yet there is another opinion which shall be the last that at this time I will trouble you withall that is of Beza Beza and others that hold with him that all this that is spoken of baptisme here is not meant of any sacramentall washing but as the word is often used for a legall washing and purifying common and ordinary at the carrying forth of the dead as in Heb. 9. Heb. 9. there are many washings and the word is thus used in divers places in the Gospell As where Christ saith the Scribes and Pharisees when they come from the market they baptised their hands and they baptised their Cups and their Platters and Dishes It is the same word there and it signifieth
breeds So there is no ague that alway holds a man except it quickly dispatch him but there is some kinde of intervall there is some interim and space betweene one fit and another there is seldome in the world such a plague that still lyes as a heavy burden upon mens shoulders But the children of God are sure to have it so not onely to have dangers but to have one upon another Psal 42.7 one deepe cals upon another because of the noyse of the water pipes as the Prophet speakes they shall have feares without and terrours within the end of one evill is but the beginning of another succeeding evill Behold then your calling that whereunto you are called saith Saint Chrysostome we are set out for the purpose not onely to be vexed in this world but to be vexed continually That we cannot eate our meate nor drinke our drinke without vexation The Lord mingles our bread with teares Psalm 80.5 and our drinke with weeping It is the property of the wicked to feed without feare but even in our feeding and repast we are possest with feares and terrours Iude 12. And saith Saint Bernard Know thy portion know thy portion Math. 10.25 Oh Christian in the Crosse of Christ it was his case and it must be thine it is enough for the servant to be as his Master it is no reason he should be above his Master This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every houre is that which God requires at our hands if we doe good for him we must doe it every houre if we suffer ill for his sake we must suffer every houre The Crowne of all our actions and of all our obedience is this perseverance and continuance Every houre It is not for an houre or for some few houres of a day but all the time of our life we must be under the Crosse and have the hand of God to pound and bray and beat upon us to get out those sweet smelling spices of patience and godlinesse which the holy Ghost hath infused into us This is the tryall of a Christian to be every houre in ieopardy and to be more constant in suffering than his adversaries can be in tormenting to be so compleat in that panoplia the Armour of the spirit of God that so long as the world can strike he can indure the stroke and be greater at length than all his temptations It is the miserable condition of all our services they be not lasting We are weary of well-doing Galat. 6.9 when we are in prayer we are weary before we can raise our selves to any kinde of zeale in our hearts we have done before we begin When we are in meditation it is a wearinesse to flesh and bloud When we are doing of good deeds to Christ in his poor members we are weary and say come no more I have done so much and so much for you already These are the cut-throats of obedience This noysomnesse and tediousnesse and faintnesse of ours deprives us of all hope of reward Therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 6. Be not weary of well-doing for we shall receive in time Galat. 6.9 if we faint not he that gives every houre and moment to the service of God shall have an eternall houre that is of blessednesse and continuance of felicity in the power of God Almighty But as I said it is with this condition If we faint not we shall receive Implying that if we faint we shall not receive all our precedent benefits all our good deeds that we have done in former time if we hold not on they have no place or acceptance with God Perseverance is the Crowne of the graces of God to be every houre every momēt of time addicted to the glory of God it is the glory of Gods servants It is to no purpose to give a poore creature a small piece of money or some little meanes to helpe him if afterward seeing him in the same case and being as able to helpe him we leave him For his life still continues and as long as life and occasion continues so long must our charity continue or else it is to no purpose It were in vaine for a woman to nurse a childe a quarter or halfe a yeare if she doe it not till it be brought to some reasonable age and strength that it be able to helpe it selfe It is better not to begin a thing than not to finish it after it is begun for a man to lay a foundation of a house and not to be able to build it up is to make himselfe a meere mockery to the common people Luke 14.30 to say This man began to build and was not able to finish it as our Saviour saith so in the matters of God whether we doe good or suffer ill for his name it must either be continually done or else it is not done at all Luke 9.62 To looke backe when we have laid our hand to the Plow is to loose our reward He is a bad debtor that payes his debts by halves he is a bad servant that will doe but halfe his service that will not give account for the whole time his Master hath conferred on him and put him in trust withall So they must needs be accounted base sufferers and runnagate Souldiers that when they have once put their hand to the action for feare of danger flye backe The Lord takes up no such Souldiers Therefore let us pay God his service with a full hand for so his gifts deserve The blessings of God are so infinite that they deserve not a perfunctory service a kinde of time-service to be now up and now downe but as the blessings of God be eternall upon the soule of man so the service and the affections of man should be eternall to God againe This little short life that we have is our eternitie the eternity which God hath is unspeakable without end As God hath promised us life eternall ioy eternall blessednesse eternall so let us labour that all that we doe may be as much as in us lies eternall Let our prayers be eternall our devotion eternall our patience eternall our charity eternall There is nothing tending to the praise of God that should be for a short time but as his blessings and promises are eternall so we should stretch and extend our selves as much as may be to make our services eternall The glory of a Christian is constancie and perseverance he hath constancy against the number of the dangers that come and perseverance against the continuance of them This was the glory of the Apostle when he saith that he was in ieopardy every houre we wrastle with great difficulties the dangers are great and many therein we shew our constancie Againe we know they be long and durable or else we might the better beare them Every moment we are oppressed every houre of our life it waites upon us as a heavy burthen upon our shoulders And
in the Apostles place that they would Vse 1 follow his steps to have their reioycing in this one Lord and master to have no ioy in the world or in men in goods and profits in pleasures honours or in preferments which the world usually buyes and sels To have no reioycing in these but as they bee men that belong to God so let them reioyce onely in God And there is all the poynt of gloriation Therefore let not the rich man boast in his riches Ier. 9.23 or the strong man in his strength but let him that reioyceth reioyce in the Lord for it is he that executes iudgement and iustice and that sheweth mercy to those that reioyce in him as the Lord speakes Vse 2 Againe this must teach us to mingle these two together as the holy Apostle doth Reioycing and death we must labour by the study of pleasing Almighty God to keepe this sweet temper in us Wee are sure of the one but we must labour for the other I wonder not when I heare thee say as the Apostle doth here I dye daily for every man doth so there is not the most sensuall man but he hath a touch of death every day eyther by sensible misery or by the touch of conscience by bringing of his sinnes to his view That is incident to nature and a consequent of sinne to dye But what is thy reioycing what comfort hast thou in Christ This is that we should desire and call upon God continually for even to make this temper and mixture in us for the one is as necessarie as the other and God is as ready to give the one as our nature is ready to draw the other upon it selfe And this must be by this one meanes the making Iesus Christ thy Lord knowing no other Lord besides him no nor none against him nor none with him but that he may have the preheminence and be all in all as he is to his children in the world and shall be for ever in another world So thou must make him all thy ayme all that thou desirest all thy gloriation because thou must or canst desire nothing but it is seated in him To conclude with the time here is a modell of a christian mans estate death and life sorrow and ioy he is composed of such strange differences as the understanding of man cannot attaine unto But yet assuredly the Lord is never so heavy to him in iudgment but he is withall rich in mercy sorrow of heart shall never so surround him but he shall have the ioy of the holy Ghost to survive him As Saint Augustine Augustine saith upon that place of Paul Redeeme the time because the dayes are evill I saith he it is true the time in this world is evill but all the dayes that are in Christ are good dayes all the dayes of the Lord are good all the dayes of sinne are evill Let us sell them then he that redeemes parts with one thing to get another Let us sell these evill dayes in this world that we may get those good dayes in the grace of Christ And as Saint Gregory Gregory saith Good Iesus hee that hath thee looseth nothing and though he be in the midst of death yet he shall be recompenced with life although hee be in the midst and swallowed up with sorrow and deepe pangs of conscience yet thy spirit is there to remove that sorrow for though sorrow indureth for a night yet ioy commeth in the morning Psal 30. Psal 30.5 And in thy light wee shall see light thy wrath indures for the twinckling of an eye but in thy pleasure there is life for evermore This is the blessed state that every Christian is called unto and the Lord make it every one of our portions for Iesus Christs sake Amen FINIS 1 COR. 15.32 If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men what doth it availe me if there be no resurrection from the dead THis is now the conclusion of that argument which Saint Paul draws from his owne person For drawing his principall argument from the sufferings of the Church to prove the resurrection of the dead he begins first with the generall and then he descends to the particular and last of all he comes to the personall First the generall was verse 29. What shall they doe that are baptised for the dead Then in the next verse he comes to the Colledge of the Apostles and saith We also are in ieopardy every day And for his owne particular he protests he dyes daily in the verse before the Text. And now he comes to explaine this how it should be taken saith he If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men Because he had spoken of a thing unlikely and unusuall and unwonted and therefore it might be offensive to Atticke eares such as were at Corinth to say that he lived and yet was dead therefore now he tempers his speech and mitigates it by this exposition when he saith He received the sentence of death against himselfe for hee was cast to beasts to fight with them eyther indeed according to the letter as it was a kinde of punishment and torment that the Pagan persecutors assigned the Christians unto or by way of metaphore as many and most of the Fathers of the Church interpret it But how ever the force of the argument is all one For whether he were cast to beasts and suffered to take his weapons and to defend himselfe and so by the mercy of God to escape without hurt from them or whether he meane by fighting with beasts beastly minded men as the phrase of Scripture often insinuates the strength of the argument is all one For often times a man were better bee cast unto beasts then to men there being more mercy and lesse fury in the pawes of the very beasts than in the working braines of men and the malicious conveyances that they have in the world So whether wee take it for beasts literally or for men that were beasts metaphorically the force of the argument is equall For saith he if there were no hope of the Resurrection then I would doe as the world doth and I would say as they say I would accommodate my selfe to all mens humours I would be so farre from casting my selfe into such dangers as to sight with beasts or with beastly men as that I would seeke to recover my owne which I had once being a Pharisie I would live a quiet and peaceable life among my brethren as I did then when I was rather ready to doe others hurt than to suffer any I would much rather choose that state of life than thus to be plagued and plunged and drowned in misery if there were not a hope of a Resurrection but the vigour and life of that hope duls all the pangs in this world and sweetens the cup of affliction which else would eate out my very intrayles If
cast among them to strive and struggle with them to see whether God would favour his cause or no whether he were of a magnanimous spirit or whether he would yeeld and shrinke when he saw the beast come neare him from his faith or no. We cannot imagine that Saint Paul did this seeking to please the people to make himselfe a barbarous spectacle to them or that he did it to tempt God by offering his life to the beasts but he was throwne unto them and compelled to it And it was no disgrace for him then to yeeld to it being forced by the superiour powers So Calvin Luther and Beza are indifferent But many of the Ancients directly expound it according to the letter as that these beasts must be understood to be some kinde of Tygers Leopards or Lyons such things Saint Paul was exposed unto to try the constancy of his faith to try his prowesse and valour to see whether God would deliver him or no. I confesse the number of the Authors are so great and their authority and gifts so excellent as that I cannot deny but that this may be the true sence of this place But yet I rather incline to the other which Saint Chrysostome Saint Augustine Saint Cyrill Tertullian and divers other Fathers doe warrant to us as the best and most proper sence Namely that Paul fought with beasts at Ephesus that is with beastly men men of beastly conditions And there is but one thing difficult in it that is that the Apostle should forget that lenity of spirit in which he useth to speake and that Christ teacheth all men that they should not give an ill or a rayling word Whereas there cannot be a worse word given to a man than to call him beast Our Lord and Saviour Christ saith that he that cals his brother Racha Math 5.22 he that cals his brother foole shall be in danger of hell fire Now he that cals a man foole speakes farre more moderately and modestly than he that cals a man a beast For to call a man foole is still to call him man for there is nothing can be a foole but man or woman for it fals not within the compasse of beasts to bee wise or foolish but still when one is called foole hee is kept in the condition of a man but when a man cals a man beast he is out of the element and latitude of men and compared to a more base and degenerate creature But for this we must understand that our Lord Christ speakes there of the common talke and discourse among Christians and not of that Apostolicall authority not of that magisteriall reproofe that is in the Church and must be to the worlds end For every man may not speake alike a private man must not speake as the Magistrate doth nor every man must not speake as the Minister may speake in reprooving sinne and revealing the will of God And here we must conceive that this that the Apostle speaks it was by Gods spirit dictating it unto him he was the Prophet of God put in that place he spake it not from himselfe but from a greater Therefore to pitch upon this exposition If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus That is with men that had the faces of men but the condition of beasts For this is the common phrase and language of people when a man transcends others in bruitishnesse and cruelty in a base conversation they say he hath put on the beast he hath left humanity and is turned beast For it is mens carriage and conditions that distinguisheth them from beasts So we see the Scripture hath this peculiar phrase when the Prophet speakes Isa 56.10 Isa 56. of Prophets that would not Preach or that preached for gaine he cals them dumb dogs Phil. 3.2 and the Apostle Paul saith Beware of dogges whereby is meant such kinde of men as are prophane as Esau those that returne to their vomit of sinne to their former concupiscence and contemne and scorne all holy things Math. 7.6 yea and our Lord Christ saith Give not holy things to dogges that is to doggish men so the Prophet David often prayes unto God to deliver his soule from the Lyon from the Vnicorne from the Dogge from the Wolfe And so Saint Paul calleth Nero 2 Tim. 4.17 Lyon 2 Tim. 4. The Lord hath delivered me from the mouth of the Lyon that is from the Emperour Nero Luke 13.32 so our Lord Christ called Herod Foxe Tell that Foxe saith he I worke to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfect There is nothing more usuall in the Scriptures than this therefore I will not insist to prove or illustrate it any further It is an excellent thing which Chrysologus Chrysologus saith The Scriptures of God make no more account of a man to be a man after he fals to bruitish conditions but reputes him in his ranke among beasts as he is a beast of the field a beast for the slaughter The Scripture cals them divels in the fashion and habite and outward forme of men so our Saviour Christ tels us Iohn 8. Ioh. 8. of a generation of Vipers of a genealogy of divels Ye are of your father the divell saith he which wee know is not to be understood according to the letter but is to be referred to the absurd conditions of men Of which also the Apostle speakes 2 Thes 3.2 2 Thes 3.2 Pray to God for us saith the Apostle for what purpose That we may be delivered from absurd men men that have no nature in them that have no common straine of humanity in them but are altogether degenerated and metamorphosed into beasts pray for us to be delivered from them So that place being compared with this it is cleere If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus that is with men of bruitish natures men that cannot be contampred with at all men of no society but are given over to their fury and madnesse that have no more mercy in them than bruit beasts and must be let goe to their fury as a beast that doth what mischiefe it can without any limitation or respect To passe from this poynt We see what base dejection sinne hath brought on us we that thought to be equall to God Vse as God saith Behold Adam is become as one of us Gen. 3.22 we are now become as the beasts that perish Psal 59.20 as the Prophet David saith Man being in honour understood it not but it become like the beasts that perish Gen. 3.21 And as man fell to bee like a beast so God clad him in the skinne of a beast Our first great grandfather Adam had the skinnes of beasts for his garments to signifie that as they were turned beasts so God gave them an outward habite and vesture to shew them what inwardly they were become This should teach us still to have our eye on that
wofull calamity that sinne hath brought upon us to pray to the Lord to take these barbarous trickes from us and to teach us the true civility of his Saints even that honourable conversation that makes of beasts men and of men Angels and not of men beasts and of beasts divels as our condition is by nature 2 Tim. 3.13 The wicked prosper from worse to worse as the Apostle saith It is a strange phrase that they should prosper from worse to worse and yet it is true for the prosperity of the wicked is to his greater destruction It is the grace of God that exalts a man from a beast to be a man and from the state of a man to the state of an Angell And it is the basenesse of nature that brings a man from being a man to be a beast and makes him to creepe or to goe on all foure to whom the Lord hath given an upright positure and an erected countenance So much for the first poynt of interpretation I have been too long in it I will conclude the rest more briefely Second poynt Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to men or after the manner of men This is more intricate than the former and as I said wee ought not to misprize what the Church hath taught us but as dutifull children to see the variety of the gifts of God as they have flowed in the whole body of the Church from time to time This saith Beza Beza According to men it signifieth no more but according to the fashion of men as men use to fight with beasts to get the victory and to get themselves glory and reputation in the world what profit shall I have by this if there be no Resurrection So Beza thinks following the opinion of Ambrose and of divers others before him S. Ambrose But me thinkes this concludes and inferres nothing For a man might thus object against this suppose he went to fight with beasts as commonly men doe it is the condition of men to looke for the same reward that others have and the same glory that other men atchieve these men fought with beasts daily and they looked for their reward but yet they thought not of the resurrection of the body they dreamed not of such a thing as the bodies rising therefore the Apostle denyes that he went after the manner of men for vaine-glory or for an idle applause of the people or for any worldly gaine he had no such project but he did it onely for the hope of the Resurrection This exposition though there be somewhat in it is not close it is not the proper sence which the most and best follow Anselme Anselme hath another sence of it If I have fought with beasts after the manner of men or according to men that is saith he if my passions and sufferings were seene with the eyes of men all men that had looked upon me at Ephesus how I was troubled with those wicked men there they would have thought I had rather fought with beasts in humane shape then men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to mens iudgement they would rather have seemed beasts than men so that I call them not beasts simply my selfe but in the judgement of them that are my beholders and spectators that see my sufferings to see with what kinde of wits I was incumbred they would have judged them beasts and not men This is too farre off because the Apostle useth not this phrase in that sence elsewhere in any of his Writings Thirdly If I have fought with beasts after the manner of men that is if I have fought to death so Theodoret and Theophilact Theodoret. Theophilact As those men that used to fight with beasts they fought to death still for the manner was when they sent a malefactor or a man that was condemned ad certamen to the stage to fight with the beast if perhaps he came away the conquerour and slew the beast yet then the Executioner or Hang-man was either by sword or with a halter to strangle him and to make an end of him so that still he that fought with beasts hee fought to death for if he fought not to death with the beast yet he came to his death by man because the Iudge had doomed him to dye and though he gaue him leave to use his weapon to take armes and to defend himselfe yet when that expectation failed they did not fayle to take away his life another way so that then the Apostles meaning must be If he fought with beasts as men used to doe to fight to death that have death every way if they be cast naked and bound it is to death for they are torne in pieces if they be armed against the beast and prevaile over him and be not killed by him yet the law after tooke hold of them so that still they fought unto death This exposition seemeth to be favoured by that in 2 Cor. 1.8 2 Cor. 1.8 where the Apostle saith We tooke the sentence of death against our selves that is there was no way with us but one there was nothing but death presented to us the gastly face of destruction and desolation he speakes there as it is likely of this persecution But as I said before they fought not alway to death but some times for tryall and besides if Saint Paul had fought to death he could not after that have related this to us Therefore I come to the last opinion and as I take it the best because of some reverend translations to whom I incline more than to any thing which hath beene done in the Church these many yeeres which understand the end of it to be this After the manner of men that is to speake after the manner of men according as it is the Apostles phrase in many other places and a mans meaning may be the best knowne by his stile by observing his speech elsewhere a man may trace him the better afterward one place helpes to cleare another Now this in the Writings of Saint Paul is a common speech after the manner of men Rom. 3.5 Rom. 6.19 Rom 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I speake as a man And Rom 6.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 J speake after the manner of men and in divers other places I speake after the manner of men and although here be not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet here is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same forme and phrase he useth there and so the Apostles meaning is this you know men have a forme of speech to call malitious and cruell men beasts and according to that forme I speake for my Lord and Saviour otherwise would not give me leave to speake so out of my owne spleene out of my owne passion to call men beasts for they are all my brethren and all must be imbraced in the bowels of love and in long suffering and patience
and take heed to that our good manners be not corrupted But evill words corrupt good manners there is no such gangrene as evill words are to the good manners of men therefore we ought to avoyd and detest them for if they be evill words they will corrupt good manners these are evill words therefore we ought to take heed of them so the Apostle argues in these words certainly these are evill words and evill words corrupt good manners and good manners are the virginity of the soule and wee should keepe that inviolable Therefore for our life we must strive to avoyd these evill words as the language of the divell and not of men Be not deceived evill words corrupt good manners These are the branches of the Text. You must understand that some of the Fathers reade the Text otherwise for looke on the words and you shall see how the divers poyntings makes diversitie of lections for whereas presently before the Text the Apostle had said If the dead rise not againe some of the Fathers refer those words to this part of the sentence now read If the dead rise not againe let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye And indeed it may as well be referred this way as the other for it is taken from the common tenent of the Chapter If there be no resurrection which is still to be repeated upon every severall argument But our common reading is this If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men what availeth it if the dead rise not Now Chrysostome Chrysost Theophylact. and Theophilact reade it thus If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what doth it profit me and there they make a stop If the dead rise not let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye But this as you see is not greatly materiall onely I must note it for the honour of the Church of God to see the variety of that gift of interpretation for as I have often told you there is no gift more excellent in the Church then the gift of proper interpretation to know the sence of the Scriptures and to be able to deduce it to the right parts it is the greatest divinity that can be Although the common people understand nothing but that which concernes manners that which allureth them to good and feares and affrights them from their sinnes yet the especiall divinity is in the matter of interpretation But which way soever wee reade it eyther as a thing spoken with an high stomacke with an indignation Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye Or if we take it as a consequent if there be no Resurrection as Saint Chrysostome saith Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye the Argument is still one and the same But we follow the common exposition which all Translations follow that the words are spoken from a high stomacke the Apostle speakes in a holy impatience What should I doe fighting with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men if there be no resurrection If there were no Resurrection I would rather follow my cups as the Epicures I would know the things that belong to the pleasures of the world I would make me friends of all men I would offend no man in matters of faith and profession therefore it is onely the conscience to the doctrine of the faith of the Resurrection that bindes me to resist all men and to encounter with the beasts of the field to take whatsoever fals unto me by the providence of God rather than to betray this one poynt of my faith which is the chiefe of all the Resurrection of the body For the sentence that he brings in in the person of the Epicure speaking it is taken out of Isa 22.13 Isa 22.13 It was the voyce of those obstinate and rebellious people the Iewes in the time of that Prophet saith Isay here is nothing but feasting insteed of fasting killing of sheepe and slaying of Oxen. When they should have considered the judgement of God upon their neckes they fell to pleasures and were so farre from repenting and turning to God by contrition that they devised preparation for their bellies to satisfie their lusts Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye A base and detestable speech which the holy Ghost notes against those obstinate Iewes that when the Prophet would bring them to a serious consideration of their miserable estate then being returned from Babylon and that all was wasted round about them and they had nothing left but a poore ruined Citie yet notwithstanding they would not bee wonne to God but would fall still to their pleasures and drowne themselves in the cups of excesse that so they might drinke downe their sorrow as the wicked wretches of the world doe that have no other comfort in misery and affliction but to drinke and seeke to be merry to worke out the crosses and judgements of God by some worldly jollity Thus did Caius Marius Plutarch Plutarch saith of him that being a man of great affliction and misery in his latter dayes when hee saw there was no way for him to escape the hands of Scilla he tooke the advantage of his absence and gave himselfe to drinking and excessive courses to forget his misery and so indeed hee shortened his dayes And it is wondrous and remarkable that the Prophet saith in that place These things saith he are entred into the eares of the Lord of hoasts and they are most abhominable in his sight and whereas you say Esay 22.13 Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye As I live saith the Lord you shall dye indeed the plague shall not be taken from you till you be all consumed till you be all dead under the stroke of it It is the just judgement of God upon obstinate sinners that resolve to make merry when God cals to mourning that kicke against the pricke and strive against the hand of the Almighty that thinke to drowne the memory of Gods judgements in their cups at their tables The Lord shall worke the contrary upon such a man and he shall finde that he hath done himselfe no good by this but hath brought upon himselfe his owne just confusion For so it befell these they dyed indeed and this plague was not removed from them till they were all consumed Vse So we see by this now that the world is no changling The blessed Prophet Isay lived almost 700. yeeres before Saint Paul and in his time there was such a damned crew as this that uttered this speech against heaven against reason against the hand of God and against their owne consciences Afterwards when Saint Paul came into the stage of this world he findes a company of wicked men iust like the former By this we see that the world is ever drowned in iniquity it is alway like it selfe in evill till the hand of God
you you have an ignorance concerning God because you call in question his power in this mighty benefit the resurrection of our bodies And then lastly he concludeth with mildnesse and sharpnesse and mingleth both together I speake this to your shame As if he should have said partly I am ashamed that I have spent so much time and so much labour among you and yet still you are in such waverings as these and are no better perswaded in the omnipotent power of God But as I speake this to your shame so I would not have you despaire but onely to take shame of your fault and so be brought to Repentance I speake it not to bring you to a confusion eternall but to a healthy confusion a confusion that brings conversion that conversion may bring salvation by the mercy of God I speak it not to overthrow you but to waken you that have beene intoxicate in a deepe sleepe by the wicked communication of these men This I take to be the sence of the Text. To proceed in order There are three parts Division into 3. Parts First a counsell or exhortation Then a serious expostulation 1. An exhortation 2. An expostulation 3. An Increpation And lastly a forcible dealing by way of Increpation whereby he doth as it were by an holy violence compell them to enter into the wayes of God and to be reclaimed from their sinnes The first is contained in these words Awake to righteousnesse and sinne not 1 delivered And that First in figure and then In plaine speech The figure in these words Awake to righteousnesse The plaine words follow And sinne not The one interprets the other In the figure there are two things 1 There is an Act to awake out of wine awake out of drinke for so the word signifieth Then secondly there is the tearme and manner whereto they must wake Awake to justice awake to perfection not as men halfe asleep and halfe awake to turne on the other side and take a nappe but to wake fully and freely It is such a waking as a man may be expedite to worke in the function of his life whereunto all waking men are disposed Then in the plaine words or exposition hee shews likewise two things 1 First that sinne is the mother of all errour of all grosse and base communication 2 Secondly that by the grace of God if we work with the grace of God we shall not sinne that is we shall not sinne in that grosse manner as these creatures do Although all men be sinners yet if we will tender the grace of God that is in us we shall so live as that we shall not sinne according to that phrase of Scripture which is afterwards to be expounded namely not with a full consent not with a high hand not to continue in sinne not to despaire in sinne but we shall know that if we do sinne we have a Mediatour of our reconciliation we have a Mediator which is God and Man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Iob. 1.1 2. who is the propitiation for our sinnes Then in the second part in the exposition there are two things to be considered First he tels them of their fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a word that we cannot well utter in English nor in Latine it is hard to be exprest in both languages to be ignorant of God And then because he would not offend all the company for a fews sake he saith Some of you have not the knowledge of God And then lastly the Application of all to them he saith he speakes it to their shame that is either he was ashamed to spend so much time and labour to so little profit or he spake it to their shame as the common Text reades it I speake it to your shame But yet it is such a speech as is not uttered in a virulent manner to cast them away to make them despaire but to bring them home that they might know what they ought to do for the time to come These are the branches of the Text. Of every one of these as the Lord shall give assistance and but a word of every one because they are common obvious things First it is to be observed 1. Part. The Exhortation Awake c. that the Apostle invites them and cals upon them for waking and for such a waking as if he should speake to a sort of drunkards that were drowned in wine and drunkennesse which is as base a kinde of sleepe as can be For all sleepe naturall of it selfe is justly accounted a meere losse of time the brother of death the field of danger a thing that hath no profit in it that spends one part of our life to no purpose And yet we cannot live without it for the repairing and re-edifying and building up of our bodies againe that were consumed and wasted before with daily labour Now if the naturall sleepe be a loosing of time a loosing of our spirits and a subjecting of us to danger much more then is it in the sleepe of sinne that poysonous sleepe that comes by excesse and drunkennesse These of all other are most dangerous and most hard for a man to bee rouzed out of It is a common thing in Scripture to compare sinners to sleepers and sinne to sleepe There are divers sleepes related in the Scriptures The sleepe corporall of the body and spirituall of the soule The sleepe corporall of the body is either naturall or violent Naturall sleepe is that when the strength of man is weakened and abated and his spirits are againe renewed by a gracious mist and dew that is cast upon the body whereby the naturall spirits the vitall spirits and the animall spirits are refreshed and raised againe to their worke Violent sleepe is either by drunkennesse or disease When nature is overwhelmed by drunkennesse or by disease As by Lethargies or palsies which all worke unto death which is also called sleepe For our Lord Christ saith We go to Lazarus who sleepeth And those that dye in the Lord they sleepe This is naturall sleepe The spirituall sleepe the sleepe that fals upon the spirit of man it is of two sorts in Scripture The one is celestiall and good The other is infernall for hell and hellish purposes Cant. 2.7 The first is that sleepe of the Church I charge you oh daughters of Ierusalem by the roes and by the hyndes that ye wake not my beloved untill she please that is in the meditation of holy things It is a divine rapture whereby the Saints of God have communion and are made one spirit with the Lord. Cant. 5.1 This is called in Scripture a sleepe I sleepe but my heart waketh But that which the Apostle speaks of here is an infernall sleepe that tends to a sleepe of damnation As sleepie diseases nourish death in men and there is no more assured signe that a man shall dye then when he is continually sleeping that he
cannot rouse up his spirits to action so these infernall sleeps these sleepes of sinne they give a certaine evident prognostication that such a man shall be for ever damned in hell They have slept their sleepe saith the Prophet that is Psal 76 5. they are gone to their everlasting sleepe to hell where their sleepe is not a refreshing and refection as ours is but a continuall terrour with gastly dreames and apparitions that they were better not to have any being then to be in that fearfull manner Therefore the Apostle would teach us that the consideration of that infernall sleepe should worke us from this sleepe of sinne which unlesse we be awaked from we shall be like those in a Lethargie even in death and extreamly unable for any living actions Sinne is compared to sleepe for many plaine reasons I need not name them First as when sleepe is on men they know not what they do or what they say many idle words passe from them that they are not sensible of So a sinner whatsoever he doth all is sinne yet he knows not what he doth Therefore our Lord Christ upon the Crosse prayes Father forgive them Luk 22.34 they know not what they do Secondly sleepe exposeth a man to any danger He that lyes sleeping cannot defend himselfe the least childe that comes may cut his threat So a man that lives in sinne is exposed to all dangers that on every side waite upon him He is in danger of God he is in danger of Man in danger of the devill in danger of his owne humours and constitution in danger of every beast of every thing that comes neare him the least spider that is may confound and destroy and poyson him There is nothing so exposed to danger as a sleeping man much more as a sleeping sinner Therefore the wise man compares him to a man that is asleepe But where upon the top of a mast of a ship Prov. 23.34 in a storme of weather which losses the ship to and fro and he being asleepe there it is a thousand to one if he be not shaken over into the Sea So a man that lives in sinne he is asleepe in the middest of his enemies in the tents of those that hate him There is no securitie for a man that lives in sinne wheresoever he goes danger dogges him and he is exposed to the striking hand of God in every place Thirdly sleepe and sinne are compared together in the Scriptures because neither of them have any signification of life A sleeper is bound in all his sences there is nothing remaines in him but a little breathing and a few wilde affections in raging dreames and deepe phantasies So it is with a sinner whatsoever he doth is unpleasing to God His words are unsavoury his works are ungodly his example every where detestable himselfe odious to God odious to men odious to his owne soule The Scripture could not finde a fitter comparison to describe the infirmitie of the soule by which is sinne then sleepe And yet it is so much the more wondrous because the Apostle saith it is not simplie a sleepe but a drunken sleepe There is a great addition to it in that for the sleepe naturall is farre more easily to be recovered it reviveth and refresheth the body it leaves a sweet and easie touch and tincture behinde it But those fals and mischiefes that a drunkard gets in his sleepe he cannot so easily cast them off but they sticke to him many dayes after And that facilitie that a man hath in rising from his sleepe it is not found in a sinner except the Lord worke wondrously It is an easie thing to worke a man out of sleepe but it is an hard thing to awake a man out of his sinne Awake thou that sleepest Ephes 5.14 stand up from the dead bestirre thy selfe a small matter will not do it But by this it seemes Quest that there is in man free-will of himselfe to convert himselfe because the Apostle saith Awake and stand up thou that sleepest and recover thy selfe againe to thy owne minde and to thy former actions Is it in the power of man to waken at the voyce of man that as he cast himselfe into sleepe and into sinne so to awaken himselfe when he pleaseth Verily no Answ it must be the great God that must do it all the power in heaven and earth cannot waken a sleeping sinner untill God blow the trumpet T is God that gives his beloved sleepe And as it is he alone Psal 127.2 that gives the sleepe naturall so much more it is he that gives the waking It is a great blessing of God to bring a man that is out of this world as it were by dreames and phansies to bring him backe to living actions For a man that is sleeping is in another element in another world and they are farre from true life that are asleepe saith Plinie Plinie And certainly every life is a kinde of watching and therefore sleepe must needs be a kinde of dying it is the brother of death as the Poet saith Therefore the same Poet well signified it out of that glimmering he had from the Scriptures that God is the author both of mans waking and also of his sleeping For they make Mercurie to have a certaine rodde which was given him of Iupiter whereby he had power to cast asleepe whom he would and to waken others that were a sleepe when he would Hom. ult â—l as Homer Homer saith The meaning of this little learning they had in Divinitie was this that it lay in the hand of God for Mercury was one of the prime and chiefe gods among them when he would to give change of sleeping and waking and that none else could do it no not in naturall things But much more in the spirituall sleep is it impossible for any man to waken a sinner but he must be roused by the great God that permitted him in justice to fall asleepe but in the multitude of his mercie hee takes the paines to awaken him againe Quest But how is this done Answ We reade in Scripture of three chiefe and principall wayes whereby God awakeneth sinners The first is with a voyce And then with certaine pinchings And lastly with high clamours and cries The voyce is as that which came to Samuel When Samuel was asleepe 1. Sam. 3.4 the voyce of the Lord comes and called Samuel Samuel whereupon Samuel riseth and goeth to Ely being now beginning to slumber the voyce of the Lord rowseth him Thus God deales with men that have tender hearts and flexible mindes that come in at the first call of the Lord and returne home Such a man was David who is called a man after Gods owne heart 1. Sam. 13.14 Not because he had no sinne but because his heart was as waxe flexible unto God without any purpose to defend any sinne or to continue in any sinne Secondly another
way whereby God wakeneth sinners When he cannot do it with a still voyce then he useth jogging and pinching As those that will not be awaked with speaking or with calling easily on them we use to jogge them and to rubbe them and sometime to give them a pinch that by that meanes at least they may be brought unto watchfulnesse Thus God doth when he sends calamities and adversities when hee pincheth a man in his fortunes when he pincheth a man in his estate when he pincheth a man in his good name And these are stronger voyces then the former when he toucheth the body and flesh of a man as Sathan said concerning Iob Touch his flesh and thou shalt see what is in him Job 1.11 so God seeth especially what is in a man when he comes thus neere him then he begins to seeke the Lord then he begins to waken from that dulnesse and slumber that he hath contracted by his sinnes and he returnes with full strength of spirit and affection to God that he may not againe fall from him So that adversities are to be accounted as so many pinches and touches from the Lord and when adversities befall us in any part of our estate let us acknowledge This is because I am asleepe the Lord now sends this to rowse me Let me hearken to the voyce of him that calleth me and that will bring me out of this sleepie humour to my right sences againe Lastly another way whereby God awakeneth sinners is by strong cryes and clamours When adversities will not work then the Lord gives a man over to great and extreame persecutions of his own soule so that the conscience cryes out and the inward heart of a man misgives against himselfe that he is filled with feare and horrour that his bones waxe old with the disquiet of his heart Psal 32.3 and by reason of his roaring that he is troubled in soule and spirit as the Prophet David saith that he hath no part of sanitie or health in his members Psal 38.5 but all is turned to stench and corruption by reason of his foolishnesse This is that mighty clamour that God raiseth in the heart of a man and makes an allarum bell to sound to ring him home to God by force because gentle meanes will not serve the turne As for foolish men when they looke upon these pinches in the world they consider them as casuall matters a worldly man considers them as matters of fortune as accidentall things which he might have avoyded if he had beene carefull But now when the conscience of a man is troubled Prov. 18.14 a troubled spirit who can beare Then these inward clamours of the heart appeare outwardly in the countenance in the gestures and behaviours of a mans body As we see in Ahab himselfe the clamour of the murther of Naboth it so rung in his eares that it made him hang downe his head like a bulrush 1 King 21.27.29 and to go clad in sackcloth it made him so humble himselfe that God yeelded for that feigned repentance much pittie and commiseration in this life So much for the action Do you awake It is true it is Almighty God that must waken us and if we be not wakened by him we for ever slumber unto death For he that alway sleepes shall never rise againe it being the brother of death Therefore as that fellow said when he killed a sleeping man and came to answer the fact before the Emperour saith he I found him dead and I left him dead he thought it a sufficient satisfaction that hee was asleepe and therefore dead I say therefore although God must raise us by his owne power and it belongs to him onely to raise us yet when we have received the power of grace we can then heare the call of God and understand when he summons us and then we have power to rowse up our selves Not of our selves for all our power is from him yet wee have not received the grace of God so in vaine as that it should not worke For grace is of a working nature when it is once ingrafted and received Therefore let us take heed that we receive not the grace of God in vaine but let us cooperate with it 2. Cor. 6.1 and let us give that regiment and government to the graces of the spirit that we have received in the full extent and latitude of it By this meanes wee shall be capable of this instruction and exhortation when he saith Awake you A man must not say it lyes not in my power to awake it is God that must waken me let God worke it if he will and if he will not it is not my fault because I cannot do it This is absurd blasphemy For we have received a talent of God and if we will use it wee may bring it to his will and make it some way answerable to his command Therefore awake God hath done his part he hath called thee he hath pinched thee he hath raised clamours and cryes in thy conscience therefore hearken to his voyce resist it not hearken to him that calleth from on high and awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Now follows the manner how wee must awake and the tearme whereto Awake sufficiently which I take to bee the best sence It is true as Saint Chrysostome and Beza Beza saith A man were better be asleepe still Chrysost then to watch to wickednesse therefore the Apostle bids them wake to righteousnesse or else to sleepe still As Cato Cato was wont to say to his servants Either do some thing some businesse or sleepe againe So it is in the house of God a man were better not to be awaked then to spend his time idlely or to spend his time in mischiefe and wickednesse there shall bee lesse condemnation to a slumbring sinner then to an active sinner that runnes on in the functions of wickednesse and toyles himselfe in the divels service there is none desperate as he Therefore as Beza saith Awake unto righteousnesse that is the true watching A man awakes indeed when he awakes to worke when hee wakes to do the actions of a living man and so you you shall bee truly raised from the sleepe of sinne when you do the worke of righteousnesse For this is the tearme whereto God hath called you not to drowsinesse to a slumbering lethargie but to nimblenesse of spirit to be active in your operations But I take it the most true and sensible exposition is that which Saint Basil Basil gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Awake worthily that is Awake sufficiently competently to wake so as a man never intends to returne to sleep againe As Saint Austin saith upon that place Aug. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Behold saith he it is not enough for a man to wake but
to extend this point as in all other things to come with modesty For if men will still be moving of questions and never make an end the Apostle calls it doting about questions 1 Tim. 6.4 He that is not content saith he with these things but will teach other things he is sicke about questions he labours of a great sicknesse the sicknesse of the soule which is the greatest sicknesse that can be And so about the matter of Baptisme that we are now to celebrate the devill doth plie doubting spirits with many questions As how is it possible that water should wash away sinne That a tincture and touch of water should do this what is the grace that God conferres in Baptisme whether it be an inherent thing in the soule whether it be a habite that can be removed or not removed whether it be necessarily effected by the collation of Baptisme or no Such things should not trouble us but we ought to follow the ordinance of God and to know that hee that hath promised is able to performe it hee that became a sacrifice for mankinde and was a sweet smelling savour unto God for the sinne of man he alone was able and had power and authoritie to ordaine a Sacrament and to blesse it with all those gracious appendices to make it a passage unto life the seale of glory And therefore he hath given us his Word and we cannot seeke further We know that a Prince can make a Knight of the Garter by sending his George though it bee a Prince in France or in another Countrey and he never saw the man nor came neare him yet by sending his Garter he is invested into that Order So much more the great God of heaven and earth when he sends us these badges and symbols even the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper These are the seales and signes of our investing into this holy order and we cannot miscarrie in our faith in this we are sure these signes are never frustrate but they put us into that honour and they possesse us of that order which our Prince hath sent unto us And as a Prince that sends a pardon to a malefactour or that sends a letter of grace and honour and advancement we know that those letters are still efficacious and have their worke upon the person to whom they are sent Much more is the letter of Baptisme powerfull which is sent from God which is turned from a letter to a working instrument It is not idle and fruitlesse but is alwayes working to eternall life and it puts them into honour that he that was a meane man before is now advanced to high dignitie it follows upon him he is as sure of it in his person by meanes of that letter and conveyance as men are of any possessions in the world So that this honour that God gives to Christians by Baptisme it is true and permanent it is inherent it is really conferred upon him Therefore we are not to move doubts and questions upon it but in our holy faith to follow our holy God and to know that he is able to do whatsoever hee will Psal 135.6 both in heaven and earth and in the sea and in all deepe places And for the conferring of grace it is certaine that by the prayers of the people by the faith of the Church and the faith of the parents there is a measure of grace conferred in Baptisme too That is those three Cardinall vertues those three principall stems faith hope and charitie though they do not yet worke and appeare in the childe because it is weake and must come to age first yet as reason lyes hidde in the childe for divers moneths and perhaps for divers yeares before it shew it selfe by speech and conversing so these graces are actually and really in the childe although they do not worke till God give them their fulnesse and growth as the Lord hath appointed to every thing it s owne time and operation So much for the first question that is about the Resurrection in generall 2 The quaâ—ities of the resurrection The second is concerning the qualities of the bodies raised And herein the nature of man troubleth it selfe more then in all the rest So curious and so sickish to know what correspondence there sh ll be betweene man and man to know in what kinde of stature they shall rise in what colour they shall have what imployment they shall be ra sed for whether a childe shall rise as a childe whether an old man shall râ—se in his old age whether crooked and deformed men shall rise crooked and deformed whether a Prince shall rise in the qualitie of a Prince and a prâ—vate man as a private man S ch foolâ—sh things the weake minde of man doats upon The qualitie and manner being of all other things the most hard to be conceived It is an easier matter to perswade a man of the substance of the thing that there shall be a Resurrection then to perswade him of the difference and of the qualities of men at the Resurrection What sexes againe male and female and so as the Sadduces thought man and w fe and consequently a new love and concordance and generation of the world Thus the foolish heart of man conceives To this then let us give that answer to our selves and to all others that dare meddle with these hidden matters which the Apostle gives for wee can give no better Foole thou thinkest it is a great part of wit to devise these things but they are such as languish the soule they are fearfull decayes and defacings of the image of God Chrysost For saith Saint Chrysostome such a desire of questioning shall never be stayed any where it multiplies and rebounds still on a man and at last overwhelmes him Therefore the onely wisedome is for men to betake them to principles and fundamentall doctrines which are the â—nely things that God would have us to build on As for these curiosities they shall once appeare but not yet God hath kept them for another world We see the Lord is marvellous in concealing of his works in materiall corporall things What a while was it before America was found out and when Plato Plato said there was another world as bigge as Affrica the world laught at him And when other Philosophers affirmed it still they were laught at for their labour And Pope Vitellius deposed a Bishop because in his conference he said there were such a people as the Antipodes We see then how long the world was in grosse ignorance in things that are created in things that are obvious and common to sence We know by experience that it is but the other day since halfe the world was found out nay it is certaine that some part of the world lyes still hidde So secret doth God keepe his riches that when men have gotten all they can that they should know that there is
more behinde still so to fill the desires of men and to draw their affections unto him As it is thus in these corporall things which are with lesse labour found out still there is an infinitum a kinde of infinite labour and toyle in it that they are not found out but by the hand of God So many golden mines in the earth that are undiscovered so many precious things that are not yet revealed Much more must it needs be in those holy secrets those gracious things in heaven in the glorious Court above when the footstoole is so infinite and secret Psal 77.19 Aug. As the Psalmist saith his footsteps are not knowne Saith Saint Austin well If the steppes of his feet be not knowne how then shall the counsels of his head be discovered Therefore in these things wee must settle our selves and returne the foole upon our owne soules when we meddle with these deepe and secret matters wee know not a great number of things that are created the hearbes that are under our feet we know not the difference of them wee know not the qualities of them nor their natures and operations and shall we then mount up into heaven to see what is done there before our time The Lord will give it us in time if wee keepe our selves within the limits of modestie and restraine our selves within that compasse which hee hath commanded us Vse Secondly we learne out of this in that the Apostle cals him foole and cals these things foolish therefore we should not affect these things and give our selves over to them We learne what to judge of all curious Divinitie and dâ—scourses that it is rather a part of folly then any shew and remonstrance of wisedome And by this reason a great number of Students and Scholars in this Land spend their time meerly in folly 1. Tim. 6.10 As the Apostle saith It is science falsely so called they studie and imploy themselves that they may be madde with reason that is by following a kinde of sublime reason as they thinke they fall from reason and loose themselves Like the Philosopher that so long conversed about the mysterie of the Sunne that at the last he made a question whether ever there were a Sunne or no he knew not whether the light came from the Sunne or from any super-illuminating cause or no. The Lord blindes men that are too quicke sighted to search into things that hee hath not provided for them Such things there be indeed as Saint Austin saith Aug. there are certaine idle delicacies and dainties but they are not for us they are for no man to know that would worke out his salvation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 Lastly in that he cals him foole or madde man we see how lawfull and how necessary it is sometimes to use the authoritie of the Spirit to use the majestie of the Spirit in the Gospell to call them fooles that speake foolish things And although Christ forbid us to do it in our particular and private talke and he that cals his brother foole Mat. 5.22 is in danger of hell fire yet it is one thing what a common Christian may do upon a little sleight cause and it is another thing what the Magistrate or what the Minister of the Word may do upon an urgent occasion Gal. 3.1 Wee see Saint Paul cals the Galathians madde men and foolish men and this questionist here hee cals him foole Luk. 12.20 Yea our Lord Christ cals the rich man foole Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soul Mat. 3.7 And Saint Iohn Baptist Oh generation of vipers So that there is left in the Church a power and authority which must be used when there is occasion to draw the sword against contumacious rebels which will not be reclaimed by other meanes As Saint Ambrose Ambrose saith the preacher of the Word must be like unto the Bee he must have both a sting and honey And Saint Chrysostome upon this place saith he Chrysost he gives him a sharpe tearme but hee passeth by him quickly hee gives him indeed a poore title but yet it is a fit one He was afraid lest hee should cut him too deepe therefore hee would not stand too long upon him lest he should make him runne away For as a wise man will easily endure such a word as this from the mouth of a wiser so a man when he is followed and baited too farre he will kicke against the pricks and be ready altogether to cast off the reprehension Now we come to the demonstration That which thou sowest c. 2 The demonstration Here is the substance of the Answer to the first question the answer to the second follows in the next verse The Lord of his great goodnesse and mercie hath made the possibilitie of his owne truth apparant unto us in all the common actions of nature What more usuall what more ordinarie what more necessarie then the sowing of seed Now the seeds man if he do but mark what he doth when he imployes himselfe he shall easily perceive that God teacheth him out of his owne trade what he is to thinke of this great mystery To sow the corne in the ground we know that to flesh and bloud and common sence it is a meere losse of it and if wee had not seene it done before wee should conclude so Therefore there are some men that are celebrated as famous in the Poets for inventing this the casting of the seed into the ground from whence people thought there was no returning Indeed that conceit might be in barbarous rude Nations but it is certaine that this doctrine was taught unto Adam in Paradise and hath beene transmitted to all his posteritie Yet there are some Nations that to this day do not know the common necessity of sowing nor use it not they understand not the mystery the Lord hath so farre blinded them So it is in this sowing of the body In all judgement of flesh and bloud when the body is put downe into the grave into the coffin into the earth it seemes to be gone for ever and it goes from worse to worse till it come to dust and ashes the prime principles of our creation We ought to compare therefore these things together and we shall see how wondrous God is in the one and learne thereby how glorious he will be in the other The seed that is sowne it is quickened and hath life that vegetable life th t things of like nature have to grow againe and to bee greater to feed it selfe and to feed us also For God hath made the seed of a singular piercing qualitie that the lesser it is the more power it hath Therefore the mustard-seed which is the least graine whâ—n it comes up it grows to be a great tree For in these small things God sets forth his power oft times more gloriously then in greater matters And
of God it is able to bring forth all these This is the wondrous act of Gods hand that out of a blacke beane or out of a browne corne of wheat that the Lord should bring a new flower a greene livery the next Spring and that he should give it such a dew in the earth that it should come with such leaves and flagges about it that in many places they are faine to let their cattell eate it twice or thrice over for feare of too much rancknesse Not that the corne is indangered but onely they take away the superfluity of it so that still there remaines a profit out of that poore dry thing that seemed unsufficient to affoord any moysture This is the wondrous hand of God Vse And it teacheth us that it hath pleased him to hide for his chosen children such treasures of heavenly furniture and such possibility of bringing forth rare abundance that although the hunger-bitten beast of death or sicknesse or affliction or trouble or persecution in the world bite upon it and eate it severall times yet the corne grows still According to the conceit of the Greeke Poet of the goat that was eating and gnawing the vine hee brings in the vine thus speaking to the goat Apud Sueton. Although thou eat me to the root yet I will rise againe and bring forth so much fruit as shall make wine to cast upon thy carkasse when thou shalt be offered in sacrifice This is that glorious worke of the Lord which he cals corpus futurum the body that shall be which the Lord shall bring from divers changes As from putrifying in the earth to sprout and to take root downward then to shoot upward For so the Lord guides the thing as the blessed Prophet Isaiah saith Isa 28. the Lord gives the plough-man wisedome in his heart to do these things the Lord contrives the worke by his owne blessing that first it takes root downward and layes a foundation and as Saint Chrysostome saith Chrysost looke what the foundation is in houses which men build the same is the root in vegetable things that grow upon the earth they worke themselves a foundation to stand on The divers branches that wee see a tree to have it hath roots answerable it is a tree beneath the ground as well as above ground or else it could not stand against those blasts and stormes that come from the ayre So it is in the corne it hath an extensive varietie a great number of little branches and roots that stretch themselves in the earth to make it firme and solid beneath it were impossible else but it should be broken in peeces with every winde and storme and raine And then when God hath given it power to worke that way to make the foundation downward then it shoots upward and begins like a tender greene grasse that peepes out of the earth And that grasse is soone after covered with such a deale of grassie substance of flagges and leaves and in the middest of that flaggie part there ariseth that that must be the care the choise of all which God builds up by a strange Art and makes it consist because it is to rise to some height of certaine knots that every knot may be as it were a post or pillar to support the eare of corne and therefore as they bee nearer the earth so the thicker and greater they be That the flagges that are about it should come in to feed it and make the substance of the fruit that there should come of one corne thirty or forty it is the wondrous act of God called Corpus futurum The body that is to come 2 Mans part affirmatively What he soweth The next thing on mans part is affirmatively what he soweth bare corne that hath none of these things to see too saith Tertullian it hath not any garment of it selfe it hath not any leaves to cloath is about it hath not a foundation of any root it hath not any fence of a hawne or huske to defend it from the fowls of the ayre or to keepe off the injurie of the adversaries the beasts of the field it hath no tall and comely proportion but is as a dead forlorn thing that is given for lost in nature But when it riseth againe it comes up with the greatest interest that can be There is no usury in the world no interest in the earth comparable to that that comes of the earth Though mens gaines oft times be cruel and bloudy yet notwithstanding it never makes such a noble in come as this that a man should finde an hundred for one For so wee reade in the Scriptures of Isaac that the Lord gave him in one yeare an hundred fold Gen. 26.12 he received an hundred for one that he sowed that yeare whereby he was made admirable and honoured of all the countrey This is now that glorious hand that is called the body that shall be And so it is in the rising of the bodies of men For it is to no purpose for us to stand in the straw of the similitude but wee must rise up to the corne to the thing that is purposed the doctrine of the Resurrection The best man in the world when he dyes he must bee sowne in the ground his body is sowne as a bare seed as a bare graine it is divested of all the goodlinesse it had before when it lived and flourished in this world It had then many faire blossomes it had a goodly eare a tall stately position and positure above many of his fellows It was indewed as the highest topped corne in the field of God with riches with honour with strength and beauty and wisedome and moreover with spirituall graces But what are all these when a man must come to lye downe in the grave when he must be cast into the furrows of the earth when all these flowers and feathers must be plucked off then he must forget his owne honour he must depose and lay aside his riches being not able to carrie them with him Iob 1.21 For naked we came into this world and naked we shall returne It is the common sentence of all the graine of the earth and as the Apostle saith certainly 1. Tim. 6.7 as we brought nothing into the world so we shall carrie nothing out of it for bare corne naked corne must be sowed This must humble us and teach us Vse that all the while men live in pompe and glory and are compassed about with varietie of plentie and apparrell now the corne is in the flourish now the tree is in the spring or rather in the goodliest time of the yeare but there will a Winter come that will dash downe the leaves of the tree and make the fruit to fall off and will bring it to a dry sticke againe and make it as bare as ever it was goodly and flourishing before bare corne Secondly observe what this fruit is not the
live in sicknesse and at last to be swallowed up of death to come to rottennesse and putrifaction which is the naturall conclusion of all bodies that live in this world This course God hath appointed first and then upon this God will make his power glorious to bring the body from dust and filth and rottennes to be spirituall to bring it to sweetnesse and glory and beauty this is his order Therefore first they are naturall bodies miserable and weak and obnoxious and then the Lord will supervestire he will invest them with that glory and incorruption which is promised to us in Christ So much for that point the truth of the proposition and the order Now for the comparison of the two heads and fountaines they are laid downe 2. Part. The comparison of the two Adams as the causers of all this Why is this so that there is first the naturall and then the spirituall because God would have Adam the naturall man to come first and Christ the Spirituall man to come last that the one should be the first of men the other the last and that they two should carry the keyes of these closets and treasures the one of corruption the other of incorruption Therefore from them depends all the reason of the former proposition First it is to be observed that hee saith a man First in respect of their order and succession first and last and a man It is spoken of Christ that hee is a man as well as of Adam so that they were both men of the same nature and substance nay the second Adam was the sonne of the first For wee see St. Luke in his Genealogie Luke 3. Luke 3. brings Christ from Adam Which was the sonne of Adam which was the sonne of God So that Manicheus and Valentinus and Martianus have taught us blasphemous doctrines in former times and so have the Swenck-Feldians which have received their errour of late All these are from hence condemned For as Tertullian Tertull. saith Why is Christ called the second man except hee were as true a man as the first therefore of the nature of Adam was the Lord Christ made even by deduction of nature and by a line infallible to the Virgin Mary Although by reason of the sanctifying of the bloud of which his blessed body was to be made and because that there was no intervention of the help of man he is not to be ranked in the common generation of man-kinde for he was not borne as they that are borne of women that is after the naturall ordinary course but by the over-shadowing of the holy Ghost Therefore in this regard hee is greater and far above Adam but concerning the materiall part of his body which hee tooke of the Virgin hee was the son of Adam and so the second man or the last Adam not because hee was the last of all men Iesus Christ hath been many years since in the flesh but because he was to put an end to the state of all things that there should be no new state after the comming of Christ expected Before Christ there was the state of nature of the law of the separation of the Iewes and Gentiles there were divers kinds and degrees but now he is come all the former states of nature and the law are no more to be recapitulated and there is no difference between the Iew and the Gentile Colos 3.11 bond and free male and female but all are one in Christ Iesus Againe Christ is called the last Adam because he saith of himselfe Revâ—l 1.8 that hee is Alpha and Omega he is Alpha in respect of his Deity and he is Omega in respect of his humanity and hee is both Alpha and Omega both first and last in regard that hee is coequall and coeternall with God the Father For as he is God he is Alpha the beginning of all things created he is the first borne of all creatures Colos 1.15 and as hee is Omega he is the last conclusion and end of the Alphabet that there is no more state no more sacrifice no more law no more new to be expected in the world But that which a Christian is to betake him to he must have it in Christ or not at all and all other are deceived that seeke for any other name than that Acts 4 24. for there is no other name under heaven whereby we may be saved This is the first difference in their order The second 2. In respect of their places earth heaven is in respect of the places from whence they were descended The first man is from the earth earthly The second man is the Lord himself from heaven heavenly The places from whence they come are earth and heaven and there is no greater difference can be in all the things in nature Wee cannot say that there is any thing more distant than these two nor any thing more contrary than these two the one being the fountaine of light the other being the receptacle of darknesse The one being the spring of all actions the other being a meerely passive and dull substance The one being the cause impressive the other being the cause receptive The one being the originall and fulnesse of every thing that is good the other being participant as much as it is capable of it For so much as the supreame cause works upon it so much it is prospered by it The one being alway moving and stirring and whirling about the other being restive and not able to stirre out of its place There is nothing more contrary than heaven and earth and such is the deduction of these two prime causes But how was Adam earthly more then Christ Christ had a body of the Virgin and so he was of the bowels of the earth as well as Adam And how was Christ more heavenly and spirituall then Adam had not he a soule and spirit as well as Christ how can these things consist For the first you must understand that the Apostles meaning is where hee saith that Adam was from the earth that is as much as to say his chiefe powers and abilities were still inclined to the earth that he was fraile that hee was made in a condition to goe back againe to the earth that was his destiny and hee had a law imposed upon him to dig and delve the earth and therefore he is said to be of the earth Not because hee had not a soule from heaven for hee had a soule from heaven as well as Christ had but because he was drawne by his inferiour part by his body which was his earthly part because hee was drawne by that from the contemplation of heavenly things and had rather to take an apple with his wife than to follow the justice and uprightnesse of God because hee declined to the earth and base things and left the Creator for a poore creature and because hee left the unchangeable good
for that which is changeable therefore he is said to be unconstant base and earthly that is a simple poore base creature which made himselfe according to his prime originall and studied and gaped after the things of the earth out of which he was extracted He had indeed better things if he would have used them but he was so stupefied and drawne back to his inferiour part that hee was made like unto his first materialls the earth But the other was from heaven not because he had not a body from the earth but because to that body was added a glorious divinity and that his body was not a person as Adams was For if the manhood of Christ had been a person he must have beene lyable as all persons that are borne to condemnation but his was not a person but a nature united to the second person in the Trinity so that although there be two natures in Christ yet there is not two but one person and the actions that come from any man they are the actions of his person of the subject and not the actions of his nature For it is a man that speaks and a man that works and not the body of a man that speaks or the soule of man So therefore it comes to passe that the actions that come from Christ they are the actions of his person not of his humane nature but of his person and so they be the actions of God and man That is of that person in the Godhead that took the manhood unto it and so they are made the actions of an infinite merit and possibility Herein then is the difference that although Adam had a soul as well as Christ yet he had onely a living soule that could enliven no body but himselfe but the Lord had a Spirit that is the Deity it selfe which is able to give life which is the fountaine of life to all the world And although Christ had a body from the earth yet that body was not left unto frailty but was governed and sanctified and glorified by the beatificall vision of God and by the presence of the incorporate union of the Sonne of God So by this comes the difference between them the one was a man and nothing else but from the earth the other was more then a man God and man and so he is the Lord from heaven 3. In respect of their qualities The third difference is in their quality and condition which is noted in this word hee was a Lord. Therefore Adam came not as a Lord he came as a servant he was to serve in all purposes he came to till the garden to till the earth he came to eate and drink to beget children to be the father of a family Hee came into the world to increase and multiply as God commanded him Gen. 1.28 to replenish the earth These although they be faire courses and God gave a blessing unto them yet they be carnall and fleshly there is no respect of excellencie in these things they are matters rather of necessity for the present solace in this world then of glory But Christ came not for this purpose He came not to eate and drink but his meat and drink was to doe the will of his Father Iohn 4 34. He had no generation all his generation is a spirituall regeneration he came to doe God service these were the things he was exercised in Therefore he was the Lord from heaven This is the high prerogative of Christ There were many Angels that came from heaven as well as Christ but they came not as Lords but as servants as fellow servants Rev. 22.9 as in Rev. 22. when Iohn would have worshipped the Angel See thou doe it not saith hee I am thy fellow servant Heb. 1.14 And in Heb. 1. they are ministring spirits that serve for the salvation of those that are elect and chosen for the inheritance Therefore they came not downe as Lords but as servants And although we reade in Scripture of those that came downe as Lords as in the apparition to Abraham Gen. 18. he called the Angell Lord. Gen. 18.3 And the Captaine of the Lords Army that appeared to Ioshua though these came in the glory Ioshuah 5.14 and might of the Lord yet they were not that Lord as here it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord that came from heaven For that Lord is but one Lord Heb. 1.2 which is the Sonne of God to whom the Father hath given the inheritance of all things Heb. 1.2 hee is the heyre of all things and the Iewes themselves confesse Come let us kill him this is the heyre Mark 12.7 and the inheritance shall be ours Hee then is the Lord from heaven Adam came not as a Lord nor yet from heaven but one onely part of him his soul without any conjunction of the divine nature there came a changeable soule into a fraile body but Christ the Lord from heaven that is the Sonne of God as being Lord of hell and heaven invested himself in a strange and wondrous manner into the body and wombe of a Virgin and tooke that masse and lump of blood whereof his blessed body should be compacted and united it to himselfe and exercised the power of miracles and of gracious wonders and all parts of perfection in that nature and therefore he hath exalted our nature high above the Angels nature for he took not upon him the nature of Angels Heb. 2.16 but he took the seed of Abraham Lastly in their qualities they differ that as the first man came from the earth and is a servant so he is earthly There are two parts of man as the Philosopher saith there is the mind and the understanding that is the subtile and divine and fiery part of man whereby he is appropincate and drawes neere unto God in the similitude of his Image There is another and that is the grosse and materiall part Chrysost as St. Chrysostom expounds it that this earthly man is one that is dull and grosse and nayled and tyed to these things that are present whereas the other 2 Cor. 4.18 is heavenly and altogether upon the things that are not seene for the things that are seene are temporall but them that are not seene are eternall So then the one by his condition was still looking downward the other was all spirit and full of vigour full of life alway looking upward still unto heaven his conversation was also heavenly having given all his followers power to have their conversations there Phil. 3.20 Phil. 3. But our conversation is in heaven from whence wee looke for the Lord Christ who shall change our vile bodies and make them like unto his glorious body So this is the Comparison of these two heads which that I may conclude this point wee must observe very strictly For by that meanes we may be both able to keep out all contrary
that shall not sleepe that is they shall not die after the common maner of death And then for the second opinion the second sense that Reades it We shall all rise againe That is false for there are none that shall rise but those that were dead and because all shall not die therefore all shall not rise as I said before in the opening of the Text. So that this is the proper and true sense of the Text and it is that also which is in all the Greek Copies The other is onely in some old Latin Copies and is diversly taken and mistaken by the Fathers This therefore is the Apostles meaning We shall not all sleepe that is wee shall not all die after this order and maner of death but wee shall all bee changed Those that bee in their graves shall be changed to incorruption to immortality and life and they that never come to the grave shall bee changed another way which shall be semblable and answerable unto the death that wee have So that all shall be changed yea not onely the godly to glory but the reprobate and wicked shall bee changed to a dureability to indure the torment which the justice of God hath allotted to them for their deserts from all eternity This Reading therefore is that that we must rest in as being the most proper resolution of the Apostles mind who giving a reason of that hee had said before that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdome of God No saith hee they shall not inherit it but by a kind of change and mutation not after the fashion as we doe God hath reserved for them another kind of translation by mutation not by buriall and putrefaction as our bodies doe Now I come to the words The first thing is this that he saith Behold I shew you a mystery Mystery is a word derived from the Hebrew Mister or Mistar and it signifieth a hidden thing or else from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some would have it of shutting or closing of the eye because that all eyes are shut up and closed to the mysteries of God and it lies not in the power of any eye to understand the secrets of the Almighty Secret things belong unto God Deut. 29 29. but revealed things belong unto us and to our children saith Moses The Gospel is full of these mysteries and there is nothing so mysticall and hard to bee understood as these things concerning the renewing and reparation of the world For the things that bee done in common experience be nothing mysticall but those that we looke to by faith those things that we apprehend by hope they are all full of mysteries But the blessed God hath revealed them to his Apostles to S. Paul and to the rest and to the Ministers of his Word By reading the Scriptures he hath revealed that which is farre remote from the sense and understanding of any mortall and carnall man The mysteries of the Kingdome must bee revealed Behold I tell you a mystery The Lord hath told it me and I must tell it to you againe it is a thing that I am acquainted with by the Spirit of God which hath revealed it to mee It was once as strange to me as it is to you but God hath delivered it to me that by my ministery it may come unto you Behold I shew you a mystery The word signifieth three things in the Scripture as Chrysostome noteth One is when by an outward visible thing some other invisible thing is signified and represented So in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper where the water in Baptisme signifieth the precious blood of Christ and the wine and bread in the Lords Supper signifieth the breaking of the body and the powring forth of the blood of that emmaculate Lamb that was offered up for us Thus the Sacraments bee called holy mysteries hidden and secret things which the world cannot understand because they deride them because they doe not affect them but they are onely knowne unto the chosen ones of God In that sense the word is not here used for the Apostle speaks not of a mystery here by any outward thing to signifie some inward matter as in the Sacrament Another way mystery is taken for a partiall or halfe esteeme or conceit of any thing we speake of So in 1 Cor. 13. the Apostle tels us 1 Cor. 13.12 We see in a dark mystery wee see in a cloude wee see in a riddle in a dreame Wee understand in part we know in part As if hee should say All that we see in the providence and guidance of God here in this world is full of mystery some part of it wee know and some part wee know not so that the partiall knowledge of man because it attaines not to fulnesse it is called seeing in a mystery seeing in a darke view But neither in that sense doth the Apostle use it here in this place The third sense is saith St. Chrysostome when a man speaks something against the common sense and reason which the wisedome of man cannot attaine unto and reach nor would never have dreamed of And this is it which the Apostle speaks of here Behold I shew you a mystery that is I shew you a matter which you would hardly have conceived with your selves or that you will scarcely believe when I tell it to you I tell you that there are many men that shall never die nor never rise againe and yet they shall have their part of glory and be accepted and come to happinesse as well as you This paradox which is contrary to common opinion contrary to common sense and which is above the common reach and apprehension of man the Apostle calls a mystery in this place And hee hath great reason to put an ecce before it behold I tell you c. Vse To teach us that where any thing is mysticall in the Gospel and in the Scripture we ought to double our files to double our attention and to raise our spirits to hearken to that which is so secret For it is all our desires and it is naturally ingraffed in us to heare of newes to heare newes of State newes of the greatest importance Wee seeke we labour we travaile and wee sharpen one another to know what reports there are in the greatest importments Much more should wee be thus affected in the matters of God and of our owne salvation Therefore the Apostle satisfieth us and saith I will tell you you seeke for it and you long to know this you make many doubts and scruples in your hearts behold I will resolve you in one word The condition of the world that shall bee when Christ shall come it shall be farre different from this It is a mystery to tell you but it is infallibly true It hath been revealed unto me by the Spirit of God and I will open it to you the people of God And the
matter of this mystery follows We shall not all die but we shall all be changed The power and strength of death working unequally upon mankinde it seemes a great wonder and a mysterie indeed how that some should be happier than their fellowes to be exempted from this common law which is a Statute law Heb. 9 27. and It is appointed for all men once to die And how then are these become so happy to escape the common doome inflicted for the sin of Adam upon all mankinde surely to our common sense they are the happiest of all men even those that shall live in those dayes For we love our flesh so well that wee are loath to commit it to the ground wee are loath that dust should goe to dust and ashes to ashes but still wee would continue and be the last men upon the earth And this great ambition we have so truely and so radically in us that a man would give all that he had in this world not to be taken away till the world be taken away It is the greatest comfort of a mans life to be snatched and hurried away when the universality goes away It is a great comfort to have abundance of company in misery But for this the holy Ghost hath taught us Vse to settle our selves in patience the Lord hath appointed our severall times They are never a whit the more happy because they shall not die nor we never the more unhappy because wee shall die for life and death are all one to them that are planted in the Lord Iesus Christ For it is he that is our advantage he is our hope in death that wee shall attaine unto everlasting life And whether we shall come unto it by the way of resting and rottennesse in the grave or by a sudden and extemporarie change and mutation it ought to seeme all one unto us It is true if God should vouchsafe us that blessing to stand the last men upon the earth and to be the last generation it were a thing very plausible and that which we should desire but we ought not too much to settle upon it for the Lord hath made it a mysterie It is a mysterie when any man dies It is a mysterie in the generall and in the particular it is a mysterie when God calls any man unto him and wee must not wish contrary to the will of God but be content with that portion that he hath destinated unto us Our first parents because they were the authors of sin and transgression Adam and Eve the Lord hath given them the longest time of rotting they lie longest in their graves and they dwell in the pavillions and habitations of death the longest because they were the first authors of wrong to us In the later end of the world the Lord will incline in mercie because he hath been long in judgement in the judgement of death he will incline in the latter generations of the world and give them a taste of his mercy All things grow lesse by continuance and use as a raging plague and pestilence when it comes first into a Citie it takes away a number of people three or foure thousand in a weeke afterward the Lord allayes that rage and abates the disease that there are not so many this week as there were the week before nor so many the next week as there were this So in this common calamity as the world growes in yeares nearer the end of her time so her children that is the people of God which lie in their graves they have lesse time to lie The first authors of sinne when Gods anger was fierce and vehement they are condemned to lie longer in the dust to inhabit and dwell there At the last the plague of God shall begin to slacken and to abate it selfe and the anger of God shall be mitigated and mollified so that those that live in the last age they shall have the least time of sleeping in the dust But in these things we ought to make no difference for the patience that God indues his children with makes up this whether a man sleepe a thousand yeares or five thousand it is all one because God seasons their death with a meditation of the Resurrection and in the meane time inricheth the soule with the beatificall vision with the presence of his Majesty and with that joy that cannot be comprehended in the heart of man We shall not all sleepe Observe againe the Apostle speaks in the first person Wee he saith We shall not all sleepe and yet hee is asleep aswell as other men how then doth he say We shall not all sleep His meaning is to take upon him the person of the Church of God in generall and especially that part of the Church that shall survive when Christ shall come For St. Paul is done to dust as wee shall be and there is no difference in that part that went to the grave There is no difference but onely this that he sleeps in the Lord hee sleeps a glorious compasse and yet he saith We shall not al sleep Vnderstand that he speaks still of the â—ommon state of the Church and for that part of the Church which hee brings the argument for For now he brings his argument to answer an accusation or conclusion which might be made against his doctrine Some might aske him What shall become of those that shall be living at the comming of Christ Oh saith he I am of them although I die before that time yet I am of that number For the members of Christ are not distinguished by time but are all one Abel might have said Wee and Adam might have said Wee of the last end of the world This teacheth us how great the communion of Saints is that it is not broken by the entercourse of yeares time but that it still continues We shall not all sleep The blessing of God runs on still with perpetuity and that which is true to one generation is firme to another and that which belongs to one is common to all This is that communion of Saints in the strength of which the Apostle uttered this phrase We shall not all sleep as he doth oft times in his other Epistles We shall not doe this and wee shall not doe that Although the Apostle be dead and rotten 15. hundred years agoe yet he saith We shall not all sleep But we shall all be changed Still We as if he were one of the men Here he teacheth us another lesson that the Apostle was a man that still looked for the day of judgement He saith We shall all be changed It may be I shall be one of the men I know not it may be the trumpet shall blow while I live for the Lord hath reserved the time onely to himselfe the day of judgement is knowne to no man Nay the son of man as hee is man knowes not when Christ shall come to judgement Therefoâ—e I prepare my selfe
I look for my change as well as another man As Iob Iob 14.1 saith All the dayes of my life will I looke for my change So the Apostle saith every man must look for this that he may be prepared For perhaps I may be the last man perhaps the trumpet may sound to night before to morrow for there is no man knowes when the day of doome shall be It is reserved in the bosome of God alone and we are alway to looke for his comming because we know not when he will come whether at midnight Marke 13.5 or at the dawning of the day Therefore wee should alwayes be ready with our lamps lighted and our loynes girded that we may be prepared when the Bridegroome commeth to enter into the Kingdome Mat. 25. Thus the Apostle saith we shall be changed He speaks as if hee should be one of them although long since he were interred in the earth yet because hee knew not his owne dissolution or the destruction of the world when it should be therefore he had it in perpetuall memorie Wee shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed And what is this change 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how death is called a sleepe I have told you heretofore and I will not repeat it now We shall be changed that is in quality for so the word signifieth even an altering of the quality not a changing of the substance For the same body that suffered death for sinne the same body shall be glorified by the grace and favour of God As sin came upon it to doe it to death so the grace of God shall overflow it to bring it to life For where sin hath abounded grace shall super abound Rom. 14.20 If therefore the sinne of Adam were able to mortifie all to their graves much more shall the grace of Christ be able to quicken all his to life everlasting Therefore I say we shall be changed meaning as concerning the qualities not concerning the substance For that body which was once the Temple of the holy Ghost shall never cease to be the Temples of the holy Ghost and those parts that felt misery by Adams sinne they shall feele sweetnesse of grace by the bounty that shall be revealed through Christ Iesus our Lord. We shall all be changed This change how it shall be made and in what degrees I have partly spoken of it before The Apostle delivers it unto us when hee said It is sowne in weaknesse it is raised in strength It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption It is sowne a mortall or naturall body but it riseth a spirituall body It is sown in dishonour it riseth againe in honour These are the manners of the change which having heretofore stood upon I will not now repeat The change therefore shall be in those foure noble qualities which the Apostle formerly described unto us And this change shall be wrought by the omnipotencie of God upon a matter that wee would think could not indure such a strange operation as that is But the Lord is able to command light to come out of darknesse and hath wrought by meane things in the world the great impressions of his power Hee therefore is able to work upon this weak body and to set upon it the stamp of incorruption of glory of immortality and of strength Hee is able to doe it and his power will doe it according to his gracious promise We shall all be changed All we saith the Apostle chiefly this change shall be upon the Saints of God but yet it shall not be so restrained to them but that in part it shall extend to all men I told you in the opening of the Text that the Reprobates shall have their part in this change for their bodies shall be made uncorrupt and immortall but not to glory and beauty not to comfort and consolation as the bodies of the Saints shall but to extremity and misery Like as a brick which lies in the fire continually and is alway burning and yet never consumed or as that Axbestam which the Philosopher speaks of which is not consumed but is able continually to abide the fire so the bodies of those that doe â—ot feare the Lord and worship him the earthly tabernacles of theirs shall be made durable of paine but not capable of honour and glory They shall be made capable of no comfort and yet they shall not be spoyled and consumed by any paine and sorrow that shall lie upon them This change therefore Vse we must desire the Lord that it may be for the better and not for the worse That seeing there shall and must be a change of these bodies that it would please the Lord to change us from these frailties and miseries that we now live in to the blessed joy and hope which he hath called his children unto And that wee may be capable of this we must desire God to make a change of us in this life for the Lord shall change all things hee is the changer of us he is unchangeable himselfe all things else he shall change Psal 102. Thou shalt change the heavens and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy yeares never faile So that the Lord being onely immutable and the same for ever it is hee that works the change upon all things Wee see in the common course of our life what changes hee works in our ages hee changes childhood to youth and that to manhood and thence to old age A strange and various change In our Climates there is Winter and Summer there is day and night there is stormy and faire weather Wondrous changes bee also in matters politique and civill he turnes warre into peace he changeth peace into warre it is he that suffers Nation to rise against Nation all the changes in the world come from God So wee must imagine in our bodies that shall be changed that all shall be wrought by his owne hand Vse This must teach us first to desire God to make a happy change in our soules before hee make the change in our bodies For there can never be a comfortable change in any mans body except first there be a precedent and a president change in the soule For except the soule be changed from worse to better from wickednesse to holinesse of life it is impossible for a man to looke for a good change of his body where there is no precedent change in his soule Therefore while wee are in this life wee are to looke for this change If the Lord change thy soule from sinfulnesse to holinesse thou maiest bee sure thy body also shall bee changed to happinesse and immortality and glory If thy soule be not changed but thou art worse and worse verily thou shalt have a change in the Resurrection but it shall bee unto dismalnesse to fearefulnesse and to distraction so that a man had better never have beene borne than to be
brought to such a wofull change as that Therefore a Christian upon this must consider that as he looks for a change at that day in his body so hee must labour for this change before hand of his manners and conditions even to change his pride into lowlinesse to turne his filthinesse into holy obedience God expects such a change at our hands and we should make our prayer to Almighty God that he that changeth all things would take the paines to change us that in the middest of other things we might not continue the same desperate men but bee renewed in the spirit of our mindes and be changed into another man Ephes 4.23 To put off the old man and his wickednesse and to put on the new man Colos 3.9 10. which is made according to the image of God in righteousnesse and holinesse to change our apparrell and to put on Christ This is the true devotion of the Saints and that which they should spend the time of their life in Oh thou that changest all things Vse thou that changest the bodies of men at the end of the world after a miraculous manner I beseech thee change my fortunes change my state bring mee out of this wretchednesse and misery to a competencie Especially change my vicious estate that I may not rot and corrupt in it but that I may be brought to holinesse and righteousnesse Change the hearts of mine enemies that they may turne to mee Alter their hearts Prov. 21.1 thou which haste the hearts of men in thy hand and turnest them as the rivers of waters change the hearts of them Change thine owne countenance which art angry with mee for my sins Although thou change not in thy selfe yet in respect of me thou seemest sometimes to be pleased and sometimes to be angry When I doe well thou art pleasant to my conscience when I doe ill thou art as a Lion to me Psal 18.25 26. With the godly thou wilt shew thy selfe godly with the righteous thou wilt bee righteous with the perverse thou wilt shew thy selfe perverse Therefore I beseech thee change this misery of mine change it to happinesse change my sinfull state to a holy and blessed estate change my spirit which is addicted to the world and worldly things to spirituall and gracious intentions that it may intend onely the things that belong to thy glory and to my owne soules health God is the God of changing and though there bee no shadow of changing in him yet it is hee that makes all the changes that are in us Iames 1.17 both in this little world and in the great world about us Now I come to the last point a word of it because the time is past The time And the meanes The time In the twinckling of an eye And the meanes The blowing of a trumpet Therefore as my Text is short a moment of time so I will indeavour to speake of it in a moment as it were The Apostle saith all this shall bee done in a moment in the twinckling of an eye This is the greatest wonder of all the rest the mystery was never great till now that there should bee such a deale of worke done in so small a time A moment is nothing The word signifieth an atome a thing that cannot be cut into quantity a very punctum a moâ—e in the Sunne which no man can cut or divide it into pieces it is a thing that cannot bee distinguished So his meaning is to signifie unto us the shortest time that can bee For certainly wee must needs imagine that these great things must require some time For first of all when the Lord began to make the world hee tooke some time he took sixe dayes to make a distinction and division of the work Therefore also it is likely that at the later end of the world the Lord shall take some time although it shall not be so much as that was Secondly againe it is needfull that there should be some time because of the observation that Gods children must make of these actions For if all things should bee done in a moment and hurried up in a confusion the children of God should want a great part of their instruction and a great part of their comfort For this is one part of their delight and comfort to see how the world shall bee destroyed to see how the dead shall bee raised and themselves to see how their bodies shall bee changed to see how the Iudge shall come This shall bee a great part of their learning to understand these things and without distinction of time it is impossible but there would be a confusion wrought Therefore it is needfull that there should bee an interpose of time Therefore the Apostles meaning is not to bee thus taken that there shall bee no time in the doing of these things But his meaning is this that the time shall be so short that it shall not bee perceived or conceived to bee agreeable to so great an action The Lord shall doe it so speedily as if it were in the twinckling of an eye For the Apostle speaks here out of an earnest desire as hee doth in other Epistles when he would set forth a thing to the full hee speaks in a kinde of holy hyperbole in a holy excesse therefore hee saith it shall bee in the twinckling of an eye to signifie that the Lord shall doe it in such a trice with such quicknesse as it is past all the understanding of men or Angels that such a great thing should be done upon such a sudden So I take the twinckling of an eye to bee understood So to conclude the point Vse We learne that God works upon a sudden when he begins to work Therefore this shoulâ— comfort us that no man should despaire of his well-being with God For God is able to work upon the sudden he requires no time to work in He calls some men at one houre and some at an other A man that hath been a wicked liver all his life time perhaps threescore perhaps fourescore yeares hee growes desperate in the sight of his sinnes and thinks that all time is past for recovery No hee is deceived the Lord can work without time he requires none Hast thou so much life in thee as the twinckling of an eye hast thou so much time as a moment will answer to if there be so much there is hope still If there be but so much breath and life in a sinner that a man may say hee will not die till hee have twinckled his eye once if there bee but so much there is hope of mercy still with God But let us not doate upon this and thinke upon the twinckling of an eye or a moment but let us take every moment to come unto God For God works in a moment and which moment hee works in that we know not Perhaps this is our moment God calls us now Perhaps Gods eyes
twinckle now for our good Perhaps they will alwayes stand hereafter and never any more looke upon us Let it bee our wisedome therefore to take our moment of time wee know not how our time is laid up in the hands of God we know not whether God will give us another moment after this Let us therefore apprehend this while we have it and let the grace of God worke while it appeares to us and while the motion of the Spirit offers it let us imbrace it because we know not our owne time Indeed in â—he twinckling of an eye the Lord receives a sinner but whether we shall have so much time as the twinckling of an eye to repent in wee know not Let us therefore take our moment for there may be a moment of sudden destruction come upon us and there may bee a time to plague us before our eye can twinckle There may come a time to dazle our eyes to corrupt our understandings and to infatuate our senses before we can twinckle our eye As a man that goes under a rotten house the house falls and destroyes him before hee have time to look So the judgement of God like a mighty mountaine it may fall upon the head of a man and crush his braines and work his sudden destruction before he be sensible of himselfe Therefore let us in the feare of God take all time and let us tell our moments The Lord tels our times hee observes our moments let us take our times and seasons And if we be thus prepared the Lord can work upon us in a moment for he requires no time to work his great works but he brings them to passe in a moment in the twinckling of an eye FINIS SERMONS On 1 COR. 15. Of the Resurrection 1 COR. 15.52 In the last trump for the trump shall blow and the dead shall rise incorruptible and we shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality IT was a true senteÌ„ce of S. Ierom Ierome that God hath kept the greatest doctrines unto the last times and the chiefest and most marvailous things be reserved for the very last end of the world How the dead bodies should be raised How they should be raised in a moment in the twinkling of an eye How there should be such a mighty collection over all the world by the sound of a trumpet What the trumpet should be whether one or many Who should blow the trumpet who should sound it What should be the sense and signification which the sound of the trumpet should give And what should be the effects and operations that should follow after These are those wonderfull doctrines and strange mysteries which God hath reserved to the fulnesse of time to the very consummation of all things And although every one of us must be raised by the power of that trumpet yet until the time that we heare it with our eares we shall never be able to comprehend it in our senses it being one of those things that are hard of understanding and so hard as perhaps the very Angell himselfe that shall be set to blow the trump doth not yet know what it should be till he come to undertake his office Therefore I pray you that I may give you some more light to understand this darke and obscure Text let us consider some other places of Scripture which doe illustrate this In Mat. 24.25 26. Mat. 24.25 26. our Lord Iesus speaking of this same thing saith The sonne of man shall send forth his Angels with a trumpet with a great sound with a great noise and they shall gather all the elect from the foure windes from the one part of the heaven to the other part of it So that which the Apostle cals here the trumpet that shall blow and the last trump our Lord calls it the Angels trumpet for the Angels shall come in the mighty voice of a trumpet and shall make a collection of Gods people There is another place also that something sets forth this 1 Thes 4.16 1 Thes 4.16 where the Apostle saith The Lord shall come in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a great noise in the voice of the Arch-angell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the noise that sea-men make when they are weighing anchor or when they are doing any great matter about the ship they all give a noise together that their work and labour might meet in one This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or like the noise that Souldiers make when they goe forth with their Army against the enemy they come with a mighty noise to terrifie the enemy In that noise the Lord shall come downe He shall come downe with the voice of the Arch-angell and with the trumpet of God shall he descend from heaven and the dead in Christ shall be raised first So that out of these two places wee have some light added to this present place For Christ tells us that the trumpet shall be sounded by the voice of an Angell St Paul saith there by an Arch-angell But the Scripture useth no great difference of those for the word is used promiscuously oft times in the Scripture St. Paul saith it is the last trump to shew the difference of that from some other But that shall be the last because there shall be no more newes there shall be no more message from God to men any more And the Apostle saith in 2 Thes 4.16 2 Thes 4 16. he tells us it shall be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a certain generall navall acclamation and crying one to another to help forward the common work The generall salvation must be helped forward by the sides of men So the Lord expresseth it Although indeed he can doe it by himselfe hee can doe it by his word and there is no difficulty and hardnesse in the matter yet because the Lord would have us to conceive the mighty power and work of his right hand hee sets it downe by this As suppose a mighty army of men were setting forward and exhorting one another to break through the strong holds of the enemy or as those that are in a ship when they are about their necessarie affaires stirring up each other to shew themselves men In stopping of holes and leakes or in weighing of anchor or in hoysing up the sailes which is not the worke of one man to doe but of all Therefore the Apostle useth that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here now we begin to come to the manner how the Resurrection of the dead shall be made and how the persons shall be summoned And it shall be by the voice of a strange and wondrous trumpet that shall sound over all the world That as the Roman Emperors used to call their souldiers to fight by the sound of a trumpet and after by the drumme which succeeded the trumpet and is thought to be equall unto them so the Lord shall
then bring a mighty Armado out of the bowels of the earth which in the conceit of men were gone they were given as lost for ever But the Lord shall then bring forth such an infinite army as doth exceed the wit and conceit of man to imagine For our thousands we shall have millions nay for our single persons we shall have millions at that day And those that shall survive at the comming of the Lord they shall be but a handfull in respect of the mighty army which the Lord shall raise and remount out of the earth which shall then pay her tribute with which the Lord hath intrusted her Here therefore he shewes the manner how this shall be done and he shewes the great difference between the trumpet of God and the trumpets of men For though they be both taken in a simile from war yet there is infinite difference in thē The trumpet of man summons and calls onely those that are living souldiers it calls the living to be at such an houre present in the battaile to follow their colours and to keep their ranks But the trumpet of God cals the dead themselves by a strange sound It shall penetrate the bowels of the earth and shall speak unto dust and ashes which is dissolved to nothing to rise and come in presence before the Emperour to come before God Againe there is another marvailous difference When the trumpets of men sound then the armies gather together and kill and murther each other there is nothing but death and murther slaughter vastation and destruction But the trumpet of God it calls men to no death but to life and sense and glory and abilities So contrary is the Trumpet of the Lord to the trvmpet of man and yet it hath some similitude and diverse conveniences with it which that I may in order observe Division into 6. parts We will first consider what this trumpet is Secondly why it is called the last trump in respect and difference to some other And thirdly what this trumpet shall doe when it shall sound for the trumpet shall sound Origen Origen translates it well the trumpet shall trump so the Greek words have it That is it shall sound after one manner after the musick that God shall appoint to sound out of such a hollow long musicall instrument and what shall be the effect of it in the substance and the matter for it shall be a voice significant that men may understand it Fourthly the effect and operation of it that so soone as the trumpet shall sound over the whole world presently the dead shall rise incorruptible The very wicked themselves shall then be incorruptible as concerning the integrity and perfectnesse of their members but not as concerning the happinesse and joy which the children of God shall be possest of Fiftly the Apostle shewes us the reason of all this For saith hee it behooves it should be thus for it must needs be so It must needs be so both in respect that it is impossible for this corrupt body to enter into incorruption unchanged and because also that congruity stands with divine justice that that body which had been before corrupt should be invested with and put on incorruption that every man might take and receive his reward or punishment according as he hath done in this corrupt flesh Lastly we are to consider the sweet metaphor in the word to put on Where the Lord shews us that now wee have the rags of corruption upon our backs we have this flesh but instead of that God will give us that blessed garment that fine linnen spoken of Rev. 19. Rev. 19.8 that fine silke that is the justification of Christ which shall be unto us as the soul is to the body a perpetuall rich vesture to keep us from the wrath of God and to preserve us in eternall happinesse for ever Of these things briefly and inorder as it shall please God to give assistance 1 Part. What Trumpet this is First concerning the word here used a Trumpet That the word trumpet doth signifie either properly the instrument musicall for the gathering of men together or metaphorically something else that doth the like office every man easily understands But in which of these senses it is here to be used it is not easily determined For it is very likely that indeed the meaning of the holy Ghost is that there shall be properly a trumpet that shall sound a very materiall trumpet although perhaps it shall not be of the same matter and metall that ours is of yet notwithstanding it shall be some kinde of instrument that God shall prepare to make the like sound as a trumpet doth And that this is likely to be true the letter will carry it The letter must never be shunned except there be some kinde of inconvenience that will follow upon the literall exposition For where there is no absurdity or inconvenience wee are bound in conscience to expound the Scriptures in a literall sense and where it includes any absurdity wee are to leave the literall sense and to take another which is analogicall But here because the letter will carry it and chiefly because the Apostle repeats it twice it is a great argument that it shall be a true materiall trumpet For first the Apostle saith in the verse going before the last trumpet and then hee shews the effect of this trumpet it shall blow or sound Our Lord Christ useth the same word in Mat. 24. Mat. 24.31 and St. Paul expresseth the same in 1 Thes 4. 1 Thes 4.16 Therefore it is an argument that properly and truly it is to be understood a trumpet as we in our sense doe apprehend it although the matter and effects and use of it be higher then any trumpet in the world Againe another reason is this When the Law was given in Exod. 19. Exod. 19.16 there was a trumpet with a high shrill voice which increased more and more I demand what that was Surely it was not made of metall or any artificiall composition as those that we have yet the Lord made it in the clouds even the sound of a trumpet he made it more exact and perfect by his power than any man can doe by art and invention Therefore as then at the promulgation of the Law there was a true distinct noise of a trumpet sounding that the people perceived and conceived it to be the voice of a trumpet so likewise when the new law shall be given that is when the fulnesse of all things is come at the Resurrection of the dead there shall be a created voice which shall be loud and it is likely that it shall be a true materiall trumpet Notwithstanding perhaps not after the common frame of men yet it shall be so ordered as that a man may distinguish it and say it is the voice of no other instrument but of a trumpet Lastly it appeares by this in that the great
God is able to make one flash of lightning to shine from the east to the west in a moment and he is able to make one thunder to crack about in the ayre and all the ayre to continue it to the end of the hemisphere Therefore it is also most probable that the Lord shall make the noise and sound of a trumpet to be dispersed and diffused over the face of all the earth and not onely over the one hemisphere but over the other also where our Antipodes lie buried and doe looke for the Resurrection as well as we But although I think this to be the better and more sound interpretation because it agrees with the letter and because also it agrees with other Scriptures As that the law was given in Mount Sinai with the sound of a trumpet and that the gathering of the people also Numb 10.2 the convocating of of them was by the sound of the two silver trumpets Although these things leade me to imagine that it shall be a true materiall trumpet that God shall make that is of a matter of his although not of the same matter that mens trumpets are of but shall be a trumpet made after the wisedome and power of God yet the Fathers most of them goe another way They say it is a metaphoricall trumpet a trumpet by way of allusion Because great Kings and Lords and Princes have their trumpets goe before them to signifie their comming so the Sonne of God that shall come as a great King hee shall send his Angels before him that shall give notice of his comming and the Angels shall gather all together to the Iudgement seat and when they are gathered together to the Throne of Iudgment then the Lord shall come downe then the Iudge shall come So they will have the sound of the trumpet to be before Christ come downe from heaven And they have thought that from the top from the heavens unto the place where Christ shall sit to judge which shall be neare the earth in all that space the elect shall be gathered from the foure winds of the earth they shall be gathered into all that space of the ayre To understand this the better we are to remember what trumpets wee reade of in the Scripture that hence we may see what shall be the use of this trumpet we now speak of There was first a trumpet for counsell as we may see in Numb 10. Numb 10.2 The Lord bade Moses make two silver trumpets wherewith they might call the people together And when one of them blowed that was a token that the Elders should sit in Counsell about some matters of necessary concernment about the Army and people of God when one trumpet sounded single it was for matter of counsell There was another trumpet which was the trumpet of danger As when there was any great mischiefe any sedition or uproare in the tents or when the enemy made an invasion or when there was any plague or sudden judgement then both the trumpets The two silver trumpets which Moses had made were appointed to be sounded and then not onely the Elders but also all the people were to runne together at that common calamity to see what the matter was As if there were fire in any of the Tents both the trumpets were to sound and all the people to assemble together The third trumpet was the trumpet of banquetting or of feasting And that was in the moneth of September especially in which moneth Ver. 10. one of the feasts is called the feast of Trumpets There is also the feast of Tabernacles and the feast of Expiration in the same moneth yea and all the feasts and banquets that they had throughout the yeare they were to celebrate them by the voice of the trumpet the trumpet sounding now in a plaine tune or plaine accent The fourth trumpet was the trumpet of removeall when they were to remove out of their tents For alway when the tents were to remove at the first sound of the trumpet Verses 5. 6. the quarter of Iudah rose and marched forward At the second sound the quarter of Ephraim At the third sound of the trumpet the quarter of Dan removed And so these sounds of the trumpet were made not with a plaine tone with a common accent but with a descant For the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of which word Tarantara which is the proper voice of a trumpet is derived Therefore the best and most learned Divines turne those places Tantararizabitis according to the proper voice of the trumpet For they were to use descant and division and flexure when they were to remove from place to place Matth. 6.2 The fifth trumpet is the trumpet of Manifestation of which Christ saith Matth. 6. When thou givest thine almes blow not a trumpet that is make it not manifest to all the world neither be arrogant and vaineglorious of that thou dost but doe thine almes in secret let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth So that the trumpet of manifestation is a metaphoricall acception and according to that the Fathers expound this word here of a trumpet Isay 58.1 The sixt trumpet wee reade of is the trumpet of the Gospel of which it is said Isai 58. Lift vp thy voice like a trumpet be not silent but speak aloud Tell Iacob of his sinnes and Iudah of her transgressions This is that trumpet which hath blowne ever since the ascension of Christ and shall blow till his descension againe from heaven to Iudgement The seventh and last is the trumpet of judgement the last trump as the Apostle calls it Now in all these trumpets there is a reference to this one trumpet which wee are to speake of For it is certaine in this great judgement there is a trumpet of counsell the Lord himselfe shall enter into counsell with the blessed Persons in the Trinity hee shall as it were enter into counsell about the destruction of the world about the collection of his Saints about the eternall doome what shall befall them and how they shall bee And although the things are counselled of him before and hee knowes from everâ—â—sting yet it shall bee then published it shall be acted now As the counsell that a King gives for warre or other intendments which way hee may best invade the enemy and which way hee may best work his owne designes And so for the trumpet of danger in warre Now the Army of God shall bee summoned every where by his mighty command He shall gather his chosen and they shall stand at his right hand and hee shall collect by his power the reprobates to stand at his left hand and accordingly hee shall doome those his enemies Luke 19.27 Bring those mine enemies before me that would not suffer me to rule over them and slay them here before my face And it is the trumpet of feasting too For there was never such a
have been carelesse and negligent in his wayes before so God shall take the advantage and come upon them upon the Sabbath day and upon the Sabbath day at night when men use quietest and with greatest repose to lay themselves to rest It is the last trump And why is it called the last trump Because God will have no more messages to man When the trumpet hath sounded there shall be no more newes nor no more intercourse between God and man Till that trumpet sound there is a daily intercourse betweene heaven and earth the Lord sends us newes by his word he sends us newes by his Sacraments by his punishments and afflictions by his blessings and fatherly preservations The world is full of his gracious trumpets which are ever sounding either to make us better and to bring us from sinne or else to discourage and harden us if wee goe on in our ill doings Still there is an entercourse betweene God and man but when the last trump shall blow all such entercourse shall cease Those that have done well shall goe into life Mat. 25.46 and shall have the perfect vision of God without any more newes or message from God to them and those that have done ill shall goe into everlasting fire and shall have a continuall privation and absence of God without any hope of seeing his face any more This is called the last trump because that after the trumpet hath blowne there shall be no more change in the dealings and affaires betweene heaven and earth I see the time almost past 3 Part. What sound the trumpet shall give I come therefore to the next thing what the trumpet shall sound For if the voice shall be sensible then it must needs have some signification and must utter something that men must understand For it is not enough to say that it is a voice of a trumpet an inarticulate and generall sound and no word for it cannnot be so And though the trumpet of God shall sound it shall not be so dull but it shall have a more sweet and significant impression to teach men what they have to doe Therefore the Fathers have gone so farre as to expresse what words the Trumpet shall sound St. Ierome Jerome and some of the Fathers with him say the words that the trumpet shall sound shall be Arise ye dead and come to judgement Therefore saith hee I am so possest with this I am so possest with the assurance of this that to what place soever I goe if I goe to my study if I walke if I eate or drinke if I lie downe to sleepe whatsoever I encline my selfe to me thinks I ever heare in my eares the voice of the trumpet sounding Arise yee dead and come to judgement But the holy Father may seeme to speake rather out of a high straine of fervent zeale by allusion than of any certainty that the trumpet shall so sound Theophilact Theophilact saith the trumpet shall sound to this effect Draw neare for the Iudge is at hand the Iudge is before the doore prepare your selves As Isay saith The voice of a cryer Esay 40.3 Prepare you the way of the Lord make his paths straight This indeed is more agreeable to the Scriptures Iohn Baptist that prepared the way before Christ he was a type and figure of the Angell Gabriel that shall found the trumpet to prepare the way of the Lord and shall give a sensible and significant note what hee would have men to doe But this it is sufficient for us to point at because wee know not the certainty of it It shall be such a voice as shall give sufficient warning it shall be a voice that shall be sensibly perceived the intendment of it shall runne over all reasonable eares there is none shall be so deafe or so dull but they shall heare and apprehend the meaning of it But what word it is whether it shall be articulate or no it is not left for us to enquire after Howbeit wee honour the invention of the holy Fathers because they tend something to the rectifying of manners and for the stirring up of mens affections for this purpose 4 Part. The effect Now followes the effect and operation of it when the trumpet shall blow The dead shall rise incorruptible This is that wondrous effect that the trumpet of God hath this is the great difference between the trumpet of God and the trumpets of men For they worke death and destruction when they blow and sound to the warres but this trumpet of God shall sound to life and immortality But this shall not be in the power of the instrument but it shall have this force by the power of God and from the power of Christ unto whom God hath given all judgement and power to raise and to change the quick and the dead But what is this that he saith The dead shall rise incorruptible Some think it is onely meant of the Saints because all this discourse of the Resurrection as Beza Beza and some other Divines observe is restrained to the Saints But the former part of the Apostles discourse is more large and so also may this be taken that not onely the bodies of the Saints shall be incorrupt but also the bodies of the wicked But how Saith St. Austin they shall be in the fulnesse of perfection of the parts and members they shall all rise incorruptible they shall have bodies that shall never be obnoxious to corruption and destruction but shall last and indure in the fire for ever They shall have a braine and a wit that shall never be dissolved they shall have a memory that shall never forget their wickednesse and sinnes that they have done and the blasphemies they have committed against God and the abominable actions they have done in the tabernacle of this flesh They shall have the proportion also of men and women in their true frame and proper stature and not as being lame or blind or the like as perhaps some of them died But they shall be raised in the fulnesse and perfection of their members and parts howbeit it shall be so as it may most dispose them to eternall torments that they may be able to indure that is all the reason why God raiseth them uncorruptible that they may be able to indure the corrupting causes For those causes that seeme to corrupt any thing in the world as sorrow and feare and malice and vexation and torture of the flesh which a man would think in time would bring any thing to an end yet they shall not be able to corrupt them Therefore saith St. Austin Aug. though they shall be raised incorruptible yet after a sort they shall be corrupted by the paine and torment which they shall indure But how Not to be brought to a worstnesse or destruction but they shall have an eternall life to suffer misery Let us labour therefore Vse and desire of
was dead and buried and hee testified his mortality three dayes together by lying in the grave Therefore as Christ went this way and could not goe to heaven untill he had tasted of death first he must suffer and so enter into glory It followes therefore Luke 24.26 that all his members must second him and subscribe to that course which their Lord and head went and be content to be like unto him it must be with us as it was with him therefore this corruption must put on incorruption That is wee cannot come to that glory but by dying first we must die to live first we must be in our graves in stinke and filthinesse that wee may be raised to beauty and strength and perfection according to the glorious promise which God hath made in Christ Now the next thing to be observed is the triumph of the Church when this is done when this corruption hath put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on immortality when this blessed garment is once fitted when this vestment shall be once applyed unto these bodies as never to be put off again Then shall be fulfilled this saying This garment of incorruption and immortality that is this garment of glory and beauty wherein God shall invest his Saints it shall not be like these garments of ours that are put upon our outsides which cover onely our outward parts They touch not our intrailes they come not neare the heart but this blessed garment of incorruption it shall run through all the veynes of man it shall possesse him every where it shall be as the life is in all the parts of the body in every part there is life as well as in the rest It shall be as the health is it is the breath of heaven which runs through all the parts of the body if one part or member be sick all the rest are so too for company It shall be as the soule is in every part and substance of the bodie the soule is in all the parts of the body it is as well in the little finger as in the braine of a man And after this kind shall this garment be put on not as our cloathes which we put on and off not as our garments which keepe us warme in our outward parts and never touch our inward But this as the Spirit of God shall rule through the whole man there shall be no part nor no blood but it shall be uncorrupt there shall be no flesh in man but it shall be immortall There is no part but it shall be garnished and adorned with this rare and singular quality which shall run through the whole man and shall possesse him wholly and shall take that root in him as it shall be impossible for it to be extirpated for it is the glorious hand of God that shall plant them there and nothing therefore shall be able to supplant them Wee must put on incorruption And it shall be so put on as the sun puts on his glory never to put it off againe as the stars put on their light never to be eclipsed never to have their light taken from them Wee must not put on the robe and garment of immortality as Kings and Princes put on their gay cloathes and apparell Chrysost As St. Chrysostom saith when Kings and Princes goe to the bath on earth although they be never so gloriously apparelled yet when they goe into the bath they must put off their cloathes as well as other men and when they goe to their graves they must divest themselves and goe after the order of other men But the Saints of God shall not put on the cloathes of incorruption as a man that goes to the bath but they shall put it on as God hath put on eternity they shall put it on as the sun hath put on his light never to be darke They shall put it on as the moon and stars which have the same beauty and figure continually Although to us it seeme different and the light of the starres are not seene in the day time yet there is no hindrance in them they have the same coat on them The Saints shall have a garment like the coat and habite of the lillies of which our Saviour saith that Solomon in all his royalty Luke 12.27 was not cloathed like one of them their garments shall be so fit and so durable and so sweet and so naturall without any price without any cost The Lord shall then fit the garment to the party Making of garments requires great skill and much art for it is no ordinary thing for to fit a body truely with a garment or vesture But the Lord will shew that wondrous art in fitting this garment to our bodies in such a wondrous aptnesse in such a fitnesse and proportion and compleatnesse that in every part of mans body there shall appeare this beauty and this comelinesse this glorious apprehension of these heavenly qualities shall appeare in every part of man The Lord shall so fit the body that the garment shall glosse and beautifie and adorne the least part of the body Therefore let us lift up our heads Rom. 13.11 for our salvation drawes neerer then when wee first beleeved and let us delight our selves and labour to put on this new garment this blessed vesture that we all seeke so much after Wee are tired with these stinking cloathes Vse with these perishing vanities of the world Wee are faine to perfume them with sweet odours as the fashion of the times are now wee cannot indure the graine of our owne bodies but wee must perfume them with exotick and strange smels But that garment shall bee so perfumed it shall bee so amiable by the power of God that it shall need no other smell or perfume The curiosity of our dispositions cannot indure a garment a yeare together Shee is accounted a sordid woman that weares that garment this yeare which shee ware the last and shee is neglected and despised of her meanes and friends But the Lord shall so fit this garment that we shall still take delight wee shall have a holy pride in wearing of it and it shall still bee the better for wearing and have continually more splendor and beauty then when we first put it on For this mortall must put on immortality to all delight and glory to a lasting glory and a continuall glosse and beauty that shall never fade but still increase to the party that weares it Now let our appetites appeare in desiring of it When when shall it bee And so I come to the last point that I will trouble you with at this time When great promises are made all delayes are tedious Prov. 13.12 Hope that is deferred kills the heart of man therefore it is naturall for us still to call and urge for the time When Lord when why when this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on immortality when this
is done as it is certaine it shall bee done for wee have Gods word and promise for it wee have the appetite of the matter which still calls and cries to God for a forme and we have the Lord ingaged by example and president and by the head and first fruits Christ Iesus the head when this is done Then shall bee fulfilled that which was spoken As if he should say I speake not these things to you of my selfe and out of my owne Apostolicall authority which I might stand upon but I speake them out of the writings of those men that were illuminated by the same Spirit from the writing of the holy Prophets Then shall be fulfilled that which was spoken or written That word that word of grace that word of promise that word which is able to make the dead revive and the word is this that Death is swallowed up into victory Where observe First who wrote this And then the substance of the words Concerning the first the Apostle defends his authority from ancient times to teach us what we are to doe in like cases But this is a common obvious point I will not insist upon it Concerning the Author Isay and Hosea are alledged for it some holding with the one some with the other Certainely it is in Isay in the true intimation according to the word Isay 25.8 Isay 25.8 where God promiseth the people a deliverance out of the Captivity of Babylon He saith God shall destroy death for ever he hath swallowed up death for ever or to victory for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 netsahh may signifie both entrance into length of time or else victory Because victory properly respects the time and that is true victory which is not to be dashed nor daunted with any time that is the most perfect victory that is not daunted in any time So in this respect the word time and victory is taken in the holy Tongue for the same and that which the Septuagint here translates the one the Apostle in the Text translates the other Although indeed the Apostle follow the Septuagint yet they have another translation besides which is God shall swallow up death for ever So the Prophet Isays words I take to be the best and the fittest Hos 13.14 The other in Hosea is in Hos 13.14 where the verse following after my Text is repeated expresly but the words of this verse of my Text is not there to bee found Therefore this I take to be the word of Isay Observe now what the word is that hee useth for it it is full of life it brings men from temporall things to the expectation of things eternall The Lord speakes to them of a great feast that they should make after their comming up out of the Land the Apostle takes it to set forth the eternall feast For it is to no purpose to have these temporall things and to bee swallowed up of death and hell The Apostle teacheth us therefore what construction wee should make of the blessings of God in this life to extend them in a high sense They are never sweet till then The bread that wee eat should make us mindefull of the bread of heaven that is of the glorious presence of God which shall for ever delight us And the honours and preferments that wee have here except they signifie to us those glorious and stately seates of glory hereafter they are rather plagues and punishments then blessings By death there in the Prophet is meant the generall Captivity but the Apostle takes it for the death of the body To victory is the terme and manner whereto it shall bee swallowed But I should be too troublesome to enter upon them now FINIS SERMONS On 1 COR. 15. Of the Resurrection 1 COR. 15.54 Then shall bee fulfilled that word which is written Death is swallowed up into victory Oh death where is thy sting oh hell where is thy victory WHat is so weak and againe what is so strong as a Christian man saith St. Ambrose Ambros Hee is exceedingly weake because hee is subject to any temptation and incomparably strong because hee can triumph over death it selfe which is the triumpher over all mankind For what can he feare that is fearelesse of death and what is able to insult over him that can insult over that which is the last of all terribles which is the dissolution of nature Thus the Lord hath tempered in the same vessell great infirmity and great valour that hee might shew his owne strength for in mans weaknesse is Gods strength consummate The Apostle therefore to prove those wonderfull things which hee had said before that this corruptible must put on the garment of incorruption this mortall must put on the weed of immortality he doth now as it were bring into the minds of the Corinthians the present spectacle hee lifts up their hearts to view it as a thing acted and done before their eyes As he saith to the Galathians Gal. 3.1 that Iesus Christ was crucified before their eyes whom they never saw crucified but hee was so lively described unto them by his Gospel that he saith they saw it acted and saw him really crucified and all the passages of his death and passion So now he would bring the hearts and minds of the Corinthians to such a kind of contemplation as to see the Lord God raising up the dead and to see the dead putting on their new garments their new coat of immortality and incorruption He represents all to the eye and when hee hath so done hee brings in a kinde of insultation a verse that they were wont to sing in victories and triumphs 1. Sam. 18.7 As in the triumph of David over Goliah the women sang Saul hath slaine his thousand but David his ten thousand so the Saints of God as St. Chrysostome saith Chrysost Dost thou see saith he what a generous spirit is in the holy Apostle how hee paints before the eyes of the people this most noble and divine indowment this garment of incorruption and immortality and behold how he himselfe is rapt And in that most heavenly and strange rapture as a man inspired from heaven he insults over death lying under his feet and treads upon the head of him that treads downe all things else and cries over him Oh death where is thy sting oh hell where is thy victory This is the song of the Church and that song which the Saints of God desire with full contentment to sing and it is given to all them that are true hearted to the Lord to sing this song with a full resolution But when the time is come that it should be sung the weaknesse of our nature perhaps will not suffice to it For it is one thing for a man to bee valiant when he is in health and it is another thing when the fit and when the storme takes him then to appeare that which hee professed himselfe to be before
in his time yet at last hee shall fall and be conquered by the hand of Caesar and by his prowesse be outed both of his honours and of his life And Caesar himselfe in the height of all that glory that can come upon a man in this world there was never any before him or the like shall bee after him yet hee could not hold his state but he falls into the hands of Conspirators a sort of bloody murtherers that shall kill him in his Counsell-chamber so uncertaine are the smiles of this world that there is no victory constant but still she flies moves and changes her tent and tabernacle from one side to another therefore there can bee no boasting or bragging in these earthly and worldly conquests which hath made the wisest Emperours of the world after they have had a good gale of fortune as they call it after they have prospered a while for feare of crosse blowes after they have left their honours and betaken them to a solitary life to live in Monasteries lest they should have a foule end after such goodly and faire proceedings But in this case in this victory that wee now speake of there is no uncertainty there is no inconstancy to be feared Ianus Temple is shut for ever They had a custome among the Romans they worshipped a certaine god which they thought was the Lord and Tutor of their City which they called Ianus which had in Rome a great Temple the doores whereof stood open all the while they were in warres and shut in all the time of peace and they were so cumbred with warre for 800. yeares together that in all that time the doores of Ianus Temple were but thrice shut they were alway open to shew that the warres were open and therefore they gave their god leave to goe out and in to succour them or else they thought his arme could not reach his power could not extend to their ayde See the ridiculous and foolish vanities of the Heathen when the warres were ceased they shut the doores to keepe in their god there was no use of him then Now this Temple I say for 800. yeares was in all that time but three times shut First in the time of Numa Pompilius Secondly in the time of Tytus Maneus as Tytus Livius saith after the Carthaginian warre And thirdly by Augustus Caesar But when the time shall come when God shall give to this corruption incorruption and to this mortall immortality then there shall be for ever a cessation of warre The Temple of Ianus shall never more be opened it shall be shut for everlasting there shall bee no cause of warre but the people of God shall bee in perfect peace with the Lord and shall live under the defence of his protection they shall live secure for ever Plutarch saith when Philip King of Macedon had gotten a great victory at Cheronia hee wrote to Archimedes and hee used lofty speeches in his letter as being proud and puffed up with his late victory Archimedes replies to him no more but this Sir saith hee you write stately to mee in high termes and I partly know the reason of it but if you will take the paines but to measure your owne shadow you shall find that it is no more that it is no greater nor no larger then it was before your victory You were as great a man then and as many inches about as you are now And it is true in worldly things Chance as they call it is so variable that no man can tell how hee shall begin or how he shall end but in this victory which the Lord vouchsafes us in Christ Iesus it holds not for the victory that we shall have there shall make our shadowes greater and it shall make our persons more honourable and fuller of power and majesty 1. Cor. 15.44 For it is sowen in dishonour it riseth againe in honour It is sowen in weaknesse it riseth again in power The victory therefore that we have in Christ it is not like the victory that Philip the King of Macedon got that his shadow was no bigger then before but this victory in Christ is a great enlarger of man and of all the parts and faculties in him that hee is not like himselfe as hee was before no more then an honourable thing is like a dishonourable or a strong thing is like unto a weake Now to come to the Order Oâ—der of the words read unto you here the holy Apostle explains that which he had said before when hee insulted over death A man might ask what is the reason thou takest upon thee so much seeing death shall conquer thee as well as other men and thou must die as well as the rest that have gone before thee To give a reason therefore of it he shewes that it was no presumption or idle imagination of himselfe but it was a thing conferred unto him by the power of Christ and his Gospel For saith hee I have good reason to insult as I did I know when that blessed time shall come wee shall have no enemies against us If there should be any enemy it should be either death or sinne or the law But there shall be none of these and therefore there shall bee no enemy but a perpetuall end and issue of man for ever There shall bee no death for why because there shall be no sinne for the sting of death is sin and death cannot come upon man but by the wrath of God which is conceived for sinne which being taken away death must needs cease for the worke ending the wages must needs end and the wages of sinne is death But how will you prove that there shall bee no sinne Because there shall be no law for the strength of sinne is the Law and the Lord shall give that glory to the bodies that shall rise that they shall not need any Law but they shall be a law to themselves and every man shall love God and please God not by constraint not by the terrours of the Law and Commandement but from the ducture of his owne free-spirit that shall leade and conjoyne and make him one spirit with the Lord. Therefore that which the holy Apostle said before is most constant and true that because there shall bee no enemies then left therefore we may boast in the Lord our God which hath given us perfect victory over all our enemies and there shall be no enemie left because there shall be neither sin which is the grand cause the Arch-enemy of mankind for that is taken away by the righteousnesse of Christ who knew no sinne he that knew no sinne God made him sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God Mark it saith the holy Apostle that we might be made the righteousnesse of God When was Christ made sinne for us In this miserable life and when shall we be made the righteousnesse of God In that blessed life Therefore
victory that we have in Christ it were a fanaticall madnesse a ridiculous base delusion Therefore let them that are willing to comfort their owne soules against the day of trouble let them thinke that there is no comfort to bee had but in this victory and there is no comfort can bee had in this victory except they strive to be Victors and Conquerors in Christ to have a part in him and to fight as well as they may under his banner as long as they live in sinne that they seeke it and study it and mainetaine it and defend it let them delude their owne soules and deceive themselves which is the grossest and most fearefull deceit of all others for a man to deceive himsefe they may thinke they are Conquerers but they are the Devills vanquished ones they are his captives they are held in the Devils Irons God be mercifull to us for there is none that lives in sin but the poore miserable thiefe that lies in the dungeon is better then hee But this victory notwithstanding is the Churches and wee are of the Church wee are baptized wee are called to the knowledge of the misteries of the Gospel and God doth not call men for nothing hee doth not make his mysteries idle It is true therefore as long time as God hath vouchsafed us wee have still time to bee victors and though our soules cleave to the earth though they sticke to the pavement yet God can raise us out of the dust and make us equall with the Princes of his people as the Prophet David saith Psal 113. Therefore let us call to the Lord God and though wee find no strength in our selves nor no meanes nor will if there bee not so much as a will yet let him that hath the wills of men in his hand that hath the hearts of men in his hand and turnes them as the rivers of waters let him doe as it pleaseth him let him worke this for us that can worke nothing for our selves To whom bee praise and glory obedience and thanksgiving both now and for evermore Amen FINIS SERMONS On 1 COR. 15. Of the Resurrection 1 COR. 15.56 57. But thanks be to God that hath given us victory through Christ our Lord therefore beloved Brethren be stedfast and unmoveable abounding in the worke of the Lord alway because you know your labour is not lost nor in vaine in the Lord. THere is nothing more certain Note then that it is the portion of a Christian soule to fight and labour in this life present The Church is a militant Church a People that are alway at combat and conflict with the devill and with men and if these faile with himselfe too Saith S. Austin St. Aug. we would faine be freed from this fight from this continuall perturbation but the comfort that God hath given against it is that as we are called to a triall so the Lord assists us too in the day of Trouble and assures us of the victory that howsoever we cannot overcome all these enemies by any grace that is inherent in us but that we are often foyled and conquered yet we have another Meane to conquer them by that is by faith and the apprehension of the victory that the Lord Iesus Christ hath purchased for us over the devill and all these Adversaries and this victory can be given us but by one hand it lyes onely there to dispense that is in the hand of God which is the Lord of Hoasts and Armies It is he alone that enclines the battaile it is hee that weakneth the adversaries and that strengthens those that follow his colours when they are foyled hee raiseth up them that are fallen it is he that beateth downe Sathan under our feet that was our conquerour This spirituall conquest is of all others the most excellent for the rest as Isay Isay 8. saith They are gotten with tumult and with tumbling of garments in bloud But this conquest that we have in the Lord Iesus it was like a Lamb-slaughter in the day of Madian You know in the day of Madian what kinde of victory it was Gideon went out hee did nothing the Lord did all for him for still hee brought downe his troups from thousands to hundreds to three hundred and when they were to be set to worke they did nothing but onely clash their broken pitchers and the Lord wrought a great slaughter in the Hoast of Madian Such a victory is the conquest wee have in Iesus Christ our Lord he is still the victor that got the conquest without all appearance of second Causes without all union of forces and power in the world that God may be all in all In other victories there be many sharers that may claime a part in the conquest there is something belongs to the Generall some to the Colonels some to the Captaines some to the other Officers some to the common Souldiers There is no man but hee may claime a part in the common victory But in this victory that we have obtained by the meanes of Christ Iesus our Lord there is nothing that belongs to any but to God Therefore the Apostle saith Thanks be to God thanks be to no man thanks be to no Angell thanks be to no power that can be supposed to help us but the thanks and praise must rest in God alone which hath wrought all this for us As the Heathen Orator said to Caesar when hee had overcome his anger and had pardoned his Enemie In other warres saith he there is a communication of the praise of the wars it belongs to one as well as to another But in this victory which thou hast gotten over thy selfe Orat. pro Milone in giving and forgiving thou hast gotten the glory The like may wee much more truly say of God as the Apostle saith here Thanks be to God and to none but to him that hath given us victory for he alone with his owne hand and his stretched out arme Psal 94. hath gotten himselfe the victory as the Psalmist saith So Tertullian Tertul. speaking of this point in his fifth booke against Marcian Chap. 10. The Apostle saith he being well advised how the conquest comes to a Christian hee gives no thanks to any other God but him alone that put the word of triumph and insultation into his mouth That God that gave him power to say by way of triumph Oh Death where is thy sting Oh grave where is thy victory To that same God that gave him the word of triumph he returnes the word of thanksgiving and retribution of praise because it belongs onely to him If Marcians god as Marcian supposed hee had another god than that which is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ can tell mee such things as hee hath done or that hee hath published any such thing to the world as this I will account him the Father of mercy But till then I will account him Marcians Idoll
thrust us out of and we shall be well enough for we have Gods assistance to keepe us in that is the first instruction Then secondly be stedfast and unmoveable that is in respect of outward enemies which come with great violence in your open profession to displant and dislodge you Be not moved that is be not blowne away with every blast of doctrine be not shaken with every earthquake that sathan moves unto us be not removed out of your seat be not removed out of the point of that seat wherein you were set before for so the words are be not removed from the point including a marvellous perfection that a man must keep him constant to the very point of the place that he is in the devill oft-times seekes to remove men and although he cannot altogether remove them out of their place out of the seat of their holy faith and profession yet hee will remove them from the very point of their place he will make them dispute of some points he will make them doubt of some things hee will make them question somewhat No saith the Apostle suffer not any motion to come upon you not so much as the shaking of the place wherein you are the great mother the earth that beares us all when the wind which is in her bowels and concavities cannot break forth then the earth shaketh but the child of God must be stronger then the earth he must not be shaken although he shake concerning his obedience yet not concerning his faith which still is planted in the Lord upon the Cube Christ Iesus Behold here is the duty of Gods child those that are truely grounded upon Christ they must be like a house built upon a rock that when windes or weather come they cannot prevaile against it so strongly it is built that all the waters are broken against it but cannot downe with it Saith St. Austin While the waves of the sea threaten the ruine of the house Aug. they are turned into froth so while they seeke to ruinate the house of God which is like to the Mountaines of Ierusalem which stand fast for ever and cannot be removed It it like the Army of God that keepe their station This is the duty of every true Christian As for false hearts that will turne their religion upon every trouble and will suffer themselves by disputations to be brought from that to another way these have no part in the victory of Christ but they are foyled tumbled under by every temptation that Satan brings upon them for there is not any place for staggerers and cowards nor for any but those that apprehend truely this victory by a demonstrative faith in Christ There is no other meanes whereby they can lay claime to the victory of Christ besides this for by faith wee stand Rom. 9. and it is that onely which layeth hold on the conquest by Christ The next thing that he exhorts them to doe after they bee setled in the faith is that they bee carefull to extend themselves to good works Iam. 2. for faith without works is dead therefore hee saith alway abounding in the work of the Lord. Where we are to consider Division of the Text into 4. parts First the object the worke of the Lord. Then the degree of it abound in that worke Then the extent of it alway And the reason followes after Because you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. If your labour were in vaine I would not wish you to make any continuance in that course but because your labour is not lost therefore beloved brethren be stedfast and unmoveable in the worke of the Lord c. In the worke of the Lord. Every good thing may bee termed the worke of the Lord both in respect of the beginning from whence it comes and in respect of the reference and end of it to which it tends All good works are from God there is no good thing in us 2. Cor. 3.5 that is in our flesh Wee are not sufficient to thinke a good thought all is from God Therefore as there is no good thing naturally in us so there is nothing that is good that comes from us naturally but it is from the Spirit of God so they are called good in respect of the Originall from whence they come Every good gift saith St. Iames and every perfect worke also Iam. 1.17 is from him that is the Father of lights That is one reason why every good worke is called the worke of the Lord. Againe every good thing is called the worke of the Lord because it is referred to the Lord and is done for the Lord. Matth. 25. So whatsoever good worke is done to these it is done to me All is for him and for his glory as it is hee that gives the power of the worke so the effect and fruit of the worke is to be returned to him hee that gave the beginning of it hee also is to have the end of it So the worke of mercy is the worke of the Lord. This is true but it is not that worke of the Lord that the Apostle speakes of in this place The worke of the Lord is not every generall worke but some particular peculiar thing The Fathers therefore are in divers opinions but I will stand upon the choise and best of them Some thinke that the worke of the Lord here is the Gospel Abound in the worke of the Lord that is in the Gospel which Christ came to preach himselfe which he came to testifie and witnesse by his death and passion that is the worke of the Lord that glorious worke by the which we are all saved Be stedfast in the profession of that holy Gospel Another opinion of the worke of the Lord here is that it is the worke of charity to the poore which is true it is the worke of the Lord. But I take it the best and principall sense of the worke of the Lord in this place is the Article of the Resurrection Bee stedfast in the worke of the Lord that is be stedfast concerning the Article of the Resurrection for this is the worke of the Lord and upon this all the rest depends set up this and all the rest will follow take away this and all will fall downe If it were not for this our preaching were in vaine and your hearing were in vaine and all your labour lost as you heard before but you have not lost your labour as he saith in this verse therefore when he saith Be stedfast in the worke of the Lord his meaning is in the profession of the Resurrection of the body that Christ shall raise them by vertue of his resurrection bee stedfast in this worke And this worke doth not exclude the other workes but it drawes them in Because I beleeve that there shall be a resurrection therefore I beleeve the Gospel preached therefore I have faith in Christ therefore
friends to them that are inrolled to them especially is the benevolence of the Saints extended the Saints to the Saints fellow members to fellow members supplie the sap and nourishment one to another from their common head Christ Iesus And who be these Saints Surely the power of charitie is such by the sweetnesse of the Gospell that perswades it to this Who taken for Saints to thinke every man a Saint that we know not certainly to be a devill For there bee but two sorts of men in the world and if a man know not certainly that a neighbour or a man knowne to him is in the state of damnation he must be taken and judged to be in the state of sanctification and account him a Saint For there be Saints divers wayes There are Saints by birth 1. Cor. 7. Diversitie of Saints Now are they holy If it were not so then were your children unholy but now they are holy There is sanctification by the faith of the parents wherein all our children are borne and for which cause they are to be called Saints because they are borne of beleeving parents Secondly there are Saints by profession that is those that receive their baptisme and the Sacrament of the Lord Iesus Christ that make an open profession of his name those be Saints also And thirdly there bee Saints by calling when God hath brought a man to a change for he is a true Saint whom God hath changed and there is no man that can challenge to himselfe any hope or any comfort in the number of Saints but onely he that is changed from himselfe that doth leave and forgo his former vanities and betake himselfe to the obedience of God in Christ This is that wee call sanctitie of calling called Saints Saints by calling as it is in the first Chapter of this Epistle 1. Cor. 1.4 Fourthly and lastly there are Saints by Conversation and good works which are here principally spoken of Saints of God that suffer for Christ Saints of God that live according to the power of the Gospell Saints that professe Christ in the middest of persecuters these be chiefe chosen Saints of which the Lord makes that glorious army of Martyrs The noble armie of Martyrs praise thee Out of this number of those that are persecuted and suffer for Christ the Lord chooseth the most glorious number of Saints so these are the Saints that are spoken of that were at Ierusalem Concerning the collection for the Saints The Saints at Ierusalem were most troubled of all others in the world but because the name is not here mentioned I will but onely speake it to you in a word For there they had the high Priesthood there they had the Scribes and Pharisees that carried the wisedome of the world as they thought in their lippes The Priests lippes should preserve knowledge and the people should seeke it at their mouth They had the Law of God and his veritie the best law under heaven but they set themselves against the Gospell of Christ therefore the poore Saints had no such strong persecutors in any place as in that And besides Agabus in Act. 11. foretold that there should be a great famine which seemed now to be raised when the Apostle wrote these words it seemes the famine was then upon the land of Iudaea It is said that it came in the dayes of Claudius Cesar but it was spoken of in the dayes of Caligula the event of it was in the third or fourth yeare of Claudius Cesar Suetonius and Tacitus that write of that Emperour say that search was made by the Romans for all strangers and they were put forth of the Citie the famine was so great and Claudius Cesar made a haven which is now out of use but after that it was a famous haven which he made by digging a mouth out of the River Tiber by which meanes he brought provision into the Citie and made a passage for all the world at all times as Dio the Historian said This famine therefore which Agabus foretold was the cause why the Apostle wrote now to make provision for the Saints at Ierusalem for the Lord had sent an heavie hand of scarsitie among them Besides the persecution they indured and those two wofull events perplexed them wondrously therefore the Apostle desires that their charitie might abound to them as their misery had abounded So out of this we learne First that the Saints of God may want Saints may want and stand in need to be maintained The Apostle tels us that he was a petitioner for the Saints therefore the Saints be men that may be in want The Saints of God are very needfull here upon earth and it is a thing that I need not proove all experience confirmes it The Lord God is able to give them of the dew of heaven and of the abundance of the earth to make them lords of all the soyle the Lord of heaven hath promised them the blessings of this life and of another a better as the Apostle saith yet notwithstanding they want many times and stand in need of other men and haply of worse men then themselves are in the booke of God what is the reason of this Why the Saints are in want First because God would shew us that they be weaned from this world that they are greater then the world as Saint Chrysostome saith speaking to a Philosopher Thou knowest not how to master thy affections thou knowest not how to be in poverty and in disgrace but I will shew thee out of mine owne bringing up how we are able to beare these things and to contemne them So the Lord by this would shew that his children are of another spirit of an higher spirit which the world cannot comprehend but they can easily comprehend the world and cast it behinde them For they looke for a Citie whose builder and maker is God they expect the treasures of heaven which are reposed in the bosome of Christ therefore they scorne these things below they do not minde them but for the present necessitie Onely as Severus said of his souldiers that those were his best souldiers that were the poorest and when they began to grow rich then they began to be naught so in the schoole of Christ the Saints are trained up in povertie as the Poet saith if you will bring up a boy a yong man to be a souldier learne him first to endure povertie learne him to lye hard to fare hard to encounter all the hardages which nature it self can hardly beare and which these delicious fellows cannot endure to thinke of let them first master them and then they shall bee able to overcome their enemies And so in the field of Christ the Lord suffers his Saints to want not because he cannot provide for them nor because he doth not intend to help them for those that he will give heaven to will he not give them earth if it be for
the poore and so it is according to the advise of the wise man Give of that which thou hast If thou have but little doe thy diligence to give of that little and notwithstanding the great authority of that most holy father and the rest that hold with him I thinke there is no necessity of this consequence for I take it that God bindes no man to impossibilities I know this that there are many men whose meanes are so poore as that they are fitter to be receivers to take from others then to be givers and for servants it is certaine many of their meanes and wages are so slender as that they have scarce enough to maintaine their owne bodies Therefore seeing the great God that sets men to worke will never call them to a worke that is impossible he will not call men to a necessity of inconvenience to their persons and states but he would have men to consider their place to consider the state they are in Certainely the Lord doth not call to such a generall collection as that all should give but according to their place and ability Therefore I take it this universall Terme Every man is to be restrained to that which followeth according as God hath inabled him Now God hath not inabled every man therfore every man is not bound to make this collection It is true if you know him a man fit to be a receiver you ought to give somewhat but because there be divers sorts and rankes of men some God hath made to be givers and some to be receivers therefore I conclude that every man cannot be a giver because then the distinction of difference should be taken away The second member of the distinction should be taken away and there could be no receivers for one begger to help another it is impossible indeed by admonition and counsell one may doe it to another but by way of helpe and worldly support they cannot doe so therefore I take it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be referred onely to him that God hath inabled out of that superfluity and abundance God hath given him to give something to the poore Saints Now for the Act 2 The act he saith they must lay up they be words of exceeding comfort that he must lay it up as a thing never to be taken from him and hee must lay it up as a treasure he must lay it up as a thing that shall be of much advantage to him lay it up as in a treasure Citie lay it up as a thing against to morrow that is against future time because a man is still doubtfull of the future he hath for the present but he knowes not what he may need after therefore a treasure is laid up for a time he knowes not of for an evill time So then the holy Ghost would give us comfort in this that man that layes up for the poore he layes up treasure Matth. 6. Lay not up treasure here on earth but lay up your treasure in heaven And this treasure it must be made of the richest things either of iewels or of gold or silver because they be of most price because they are contained in the least roome a man makes no treasure of other fruits of the earth he makes not a treasure of corne or fruit but of gold and silver that is a treasure where much wealth may lye in a little compasse So the holy Ghost hath taught this for our comfort that that man that gives to the poore he hath great wealth in a small roome although thou canst give but little yet notwithstanding if thou give according to that which God hath inabled thee it is not the quantity of the gift but the quality and minde of the giver that is accepted with the Lord. He must lay up by himselfe Why by himselfe why should he not bring it to the poore mans box why should he not bring it to the Church-Wardens to the Overseers for the poore to the Collectors for the poore Because there were no such officers appointed then in the Church the Church was but young it was but then in the cradle and by reason that they were many of them poore men that could lay up but every weeke a little they would have beene ashamed to have brought so little therefore the Apostle bids them lay it up keepe it by them that many littles might make a mickle as the Proverbe is and that so many crums might come to be a whole loafe and then to present it when it was an acceptable gift when it might carry some shew with it But here we may see what was the wonderfull goodnesse and conscience of the Church in those times every man was his owne Lord Almner his owne Treasurer he laid up for God and for himselfe what he could well spare for the Saints of God he laid it up every weeke If the men of our times were put to this passage they would abate from it for their owne allowance and when their friends and acquaintance should come to them they would draw some thing from the treasure that they had laid up for God Let us be ashamed of these base and vile exorbitances and aspire as much as we may to that sincere zeale and affection that was in Gods people in former times which were true accounters to the Lord God and laid up every weeke what they could spare for the honour of God and for the good of his people at the command of the Apostles that they should be masters of it they layed it down at their feet when they called for it and they would never take any part from it for then the Apostles would not have trusted them with their owne for a man may be good this weeke and lay up somewhat for a good purpose the next week hee may be a drunkard and spend that he layed up before but they were still constant that which they had layed up and consecrated to the wayes of God they were as carefull in the keeping of it Let every man lay up by himselfe Vpon this Saint Chrysostome Câ—rysost worthily comments I pray thee good Christian know thy honour thy Church is thy house and thy house is made a Church by this meanes for that that is given to Saints they are holy goods they are holy gifts and the Lord hath made thee a Deacon to thy selfe behold thy great honour the Lord hath chosen thee to be a Deacon and a collector for the poore to be a Treasurer for the state of the Church Now then let us labour also for this perfection that whatsoever we vow to God whatsoever wee do to him that we keepe and hold it When a man is to go on a journey hee saith if God will send me well on my journey I will give so much to the poore this vow stands upon record in heauen the Lord takes notice of it when he comes home againe he forgets his vow and
never looks after the performance of it A man goeth by an Hospitall and saith he will give them somewhat when he comes backe againe and when he comes backe he thinkes not of it Imagine what you will although you forget it yet it stands on account in Gods booke hee will call you to a reckoning for it and if you sneake away and will not pay the shot the Lord will take it upon your bodies and soules in hell For you must not thinke to passe a vow to the Lord in a good mood for a good purpose but the Lord will take it and exact it at your hands Therefore let every man lay downe for himselfe God intrusts every mans selfe he trusts every mans honesty This should be a great comfort and a meanes to provoke us to be true to God Let every man lay by him in store For if every man should have brought it presently to the poore mans box it might have beene thought to have beene done out of a present passion and that he would have taken it out againe afterward after it was cast in if he might have had leave But for a man to be constant in it to let it stand by him a moneth or two moneths or a quarter of a yeare that hee saith and resolveth this they shall have whatsoever become of me I will not abate a penie of the stocke of God of the stocke of charitie when he saith Let every man lay up by him in store his meaning is that God will call every man to account if hee bee inconstant and forgetfull of his vow and promise the Lord will not let such a one escape As whatsoever God hath prospered him with 3 The measure First what is this that he must put apart whatsoever God hath prospered him with so we may turne it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod ei bene successerit s placuerit but the word is a rare word and therefore it is diversly expressed by Interpreters some say that which is fit some say that which hee thinkes good and these are true for there is no man herein compelled to do any thing but what he doth out of his owne heart of his owne free-will The Lord loves a free-giver a chearfull giver and hee will have no constraint Yet Expositors come not neere the glory of the word for it is a metaphor taken from Merchant-venturers that cast their goods into a bottome it may be halfe their estate sometimes it may be sometimes all and if God give them a good voyage they are made if not then they are downe the winde undone So it signifies a good journey or a good voyage you have the word twice over in the Scripture both before and after this In Rom. 1.10 saith the Apostle I pray to God continually if God would give me a good journey to come to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word is used here hodos a journey heodos a good journey As the Lord is pleased to blesse a man in his trade and course of life so the word is used in 3. Ioh. 2. Beloved brother I desire of God that thou mayest have a good journey that thou maiest prosper and be well and in good health as thy soule prospereth that thou shouldest have a good journey in all things So by these two places you understand what is the meaning of the word that whereas all the provision of the life present here is made upon casualties there is no man can tell when he sets up how the Lord will blesse him before the yeares end some runne bankrupt some againe get by the mercie of God the Lord sets up one and brings downe another Men in their trading here be as Merchant adventurers upon the Sea there is as great adventure on the Land as on the Sea and there is not greater danger there then here so when it pleaseth God that the ship comes well from the sea that it brooks all that it escapes all rocks and pyrats and comes home full fraught then all the neighbours rejoyce about it and shew their joy by shooting off peeces of ordnance for the great benefit they have received and give thanks to God by this merriment So when a Merchant man upon the Land drives out his Trade by his frugalitie and good husbandrie and by his just dealing keepes a good conscience to all men and the Lord raiseth him out of his 100. l. unto an hundred and twenty or more the Lord requires some custome to be payed some impost money there is some scot and allowance to be made Therefore I say we must pay this tribute it belongs it is due unto God For this good journey for this prosperous and good voyage he hath given thee out of this thou must lay up somewhat for the poore Saints Thou must reserve that which is fit for thy person what is fit for thy children and family God gives thee leave to doe this but thou must leave a remnant still for the poore according to the good iourney that the Lord hath given thee The Lord it may be hath multiplied thy hundreds to thousands thou must therefore remember the Lord thy God that hath given thee this great increase and abundance above all that thou couldest hope or conceit in former times for what was every yong beginner that now is growne rich let him say himselfe thou wouldest have beene glad of the tenth part of that that God hath enriched thee with and now the Lord hath multiplied and encreased thee oh let thy hand againe be inlarged toward God and abundant to him that hath so abounded in grace and mercy to thee and as the Lord hath given a man a good iourney a good way and passage a good trade and prospers him that he thrives in his calling so let him againe doe the workes of mercy for the God of mercy But these things that remaine are so full of matter and variety and I have beene so troublesome to your patience already that I must reserve the rest that remaines untill the next time The second Sermon 1 COR. 16.1.2.3 Now concerning the collection for the Saints according as I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia even so doe you In the first day of the Sabbath or of the weeke Let every one of you lay up by himselfe a treasure of whatsoever God hath prospered him c. THere is no point in all divinity that needs more cleare propoundiâ—g and more earnest prosecuting then this of Almes-deeds and brotherly benevolence For men are wondrously and by a strange motion of the spirit of God brought unto it against the current of nature every man thinking that that which is given is lost that it is cast away and there is scarse any man perswaded that he that gives to the poore lends to the Lord although it be a common speech in every mans mouth Therefore the Apostle being appointed by the Church of God to have a speciall
shew that now he had given the Sabbath a perfect rest for ever that there should be no more ceremoniall worke he had then fulfilled all the ceremonies the sinne of man was payd for and all the troublesome ceremonies of the law were abrogate and to shew that the Sabbath was ended he celebrated it in his grave and then upon the Munday the Iewes Munday the day of his resurrection hee rose againe to shew that ours must be an active life not in idle circumstances to passe it away in ceremonies as in the law but to remaine as an eternall Sabbath for ever we keepe a publique Sabbath to God though not in the same time and in memory of the same thing yet in the remembrance of a farre greater benefit 6 From the apparitions of Christ To conclude the point our Lord graced this constitution of the Church by his own presence most of his apparitions were upon the eighth day as wee may see in the Gospell that day that he rose still he glorified it with his presence eight dayes after he rose he came and shewed himselfe to his Disciples and the next day to Thomas and the rest of the Disciples and so for the time of 40. dayes that he continued on earth after his resurrection look how many Mundayes of the Iewes there was which is our Lords day so many apparitions hee made upon that day whereby they gathered that it was the will of the Lord and that hee meant to make that day glorious by his comfortable apparitions for still as I said his apparitions were upon that day he was absent all the weeke before hee appeared to none except it were to some few persons as Peter and Iohn but he made no publique apparition but onely upon the Lords day And upon this the Church of God was induced to make this change and we see it acted Acts 20.10 Acts 20.10 1 Cor. 16. and this chapter is a publique testimony of it and likewise in Rev. 1. Rev. 1. Saint Iohn saith I was in the spirit upon the Lords day which is generally taken by the fathers of the Church and by the Interpreters of the Gospell for this that we hold instead of the Sabbath day But because these kinde of people will never be satisfied except wee can answer their reasons as well as they can heare ours give me leave a little to goe forward in this poynt and heare what they can object for this Arguments against the change of the Saâ—bâ—th which thinke the Iewish Sabbath still to remaine in force I have spent the time against my minde and purpose therefore I will but name the chiefe heads of their arguments and refute them They conclude therefore that there is no certaine warrant for the changing of the Iewish Sabbath to ours 1 There is no written word for it because there is no direct written Scripture to prove it we have no Text of Scripture to worke it into us But for that we are to answer them Answ The Apostles in this guided by the spirit of God whatsoever the Apostles did being guided by the spirit of God their practise is a sufficient direction to us it is warrant enough that they have done it before us For so we have in many other things the practise of the Apostles to be a rule of our faith Christ not determining many particular things in the Church but leaving it to the discretion of the wise those that should be well furnished with knowledge for the directing of things in their places where they were therefore that which the Apostles did it was the act of Christ for they did it not of themselves but from a higher person from him that sent them Another reason they have and that is this 2 It is a part of the decalogue the decalogue or tenne Commandements are a perpetuall law but this is a part of the decalogue therefore this is a perpetuall law and the precepts that be in the tenne Commandements are all morall they are precepts that belong to all men to all times and places in the world Thirdly God is pleased to call the Sabbath an everlasting covenant God cals the Sabbath an everlasting covenant Deut. 12.16 I have made an everlasting covnant saith the Lord Deuter. 12.16 and in divers other places hee cals it a perpetuall covenant betweene me and my people Israel therefore it follows it must last as long as the world lasts and consequently it cannot be changed for then we alter the covenant of God 4 It was aucienter then Moses A fourth objection is this all the laws that are ancienter then Moses are immutable but this was more ancient then Moses law for it was given to man in paradise the Lord there by resting upon the seventh day did consecrate the Sabbath to be kept although some of the Fathers say as Iustin Martyr Iustin Martyr that they did not keepe it before the Floud but yet there was the institutioÌ„ of it therfore seeing it was a law given before Moses and before the fall of man it follows it is immutable and unchangeable because if there be any change it must be for imperfection and if there be any imperfection it must be for sinne and there was no sinne before the fall Therefore whatsoever was commanded before the fall was so perfect that it could not be altered it had no respect of imperfection in it 5 The cause of it is perpetuall And lastly the perpetuall cause of a law makes the law continue if the cause of it remaine the law must also continue and therefore there are many lawes that are made and abrogate againe because there is no use of them they were made in such a time for such things and the cause failing the law ceaseth but where the law hath a perpetuall cause there the law is in force to continue alway but the cause of the Iewish Sabbath continueth the meditation and contemplation upon the works of God and the holy operation of his hands this is the cause of the Sabbath and this alwayes continueth therefore the Iewish sabbath must continue These are the prime and chiefe grounds of their arguments I will answer a word to these and so conclude First in that they say the decalogue or ten Commandements is a law perpetuall Ans to Ob. 2. The Iewish Sabbath partly ceremoniall and bindes the consciences of all men It is true as farre forth as it is morall it doth but those parts that bee ceremoniall as the Sabbath is partly morall and partly ceremoniall and as it is moral it binds but as it is ceremoniall it doth not For the moralitie of the Sabbath is this to worship God in a publique service that wee are bound unto that which is ceremoniall that we should serve him upon such a day upon the seventh day rather then any other that doth not binde there is no part of moralitie in that that
is a lively hope made over to all the branches that they shall rise againe with the root It was graced by the manifold apparitions of Christ and confirmed unto us according as the Apostles had receiued it from the will of Christ to grace that day the eighth day with his apparitions It was confirmed unto us by the Apostle Saint Iohn who maketh mention of the Lords day hee was rapt in the Spirit upon the Lords day And by these two places Act. 20.10 and this present place 1. Cor. 16.2 The time prevented me that I could not shew you the authoritie from age to age and the concurrence of these two things which was the gathering of collections upon that day for the Apostle includes both these both that the day should be changed to the first of the Sabbath that is to the first day of the weeke And secondly that upon this first day of the weeke it should be a particular appendix of the Sabbath dayes worke to lay up somewhat for the Saints because then there were no such officers appointed in the Church therefore every man waâ— his owne Treasurer every man was his owne overseer for the poore to lay up by himselfe as Chrysostome saith this priesthood thy charitie and thy love to thy brother hath bestowed upon thee that a man should provide and ordaine by his owne hands till such time as the Church should provide overseers and collectors for the poore and Deacons that they should be every where as they were then at Ierusalem Now it may seeme a matter not worth the labour to prove this point concerning the time of the Sabbath if it were not that some phanaticall spirits in these latter dayes had raised such a mist and vapour to cloud this truth and to bring backe the Iews ceremoniall Sabbath which saith Gregory if any go about to do he must bring in the Iews sacrifice and so he shall derogate and destroy the bloud and sacrifice of Christ which was offered once for all Give me leave therefore a little before I come to the residue of the Text for indeed it is full of matter to shew you how the Church of God in the first beginning acknowledged this day for the true Sabbath of the Lord. And upon these grounds out of Scripture I need not do it I know among you that are fully perswaded but there are some men that do infringe the glory and purpose of this Text and contradict the Fathers even some of our late Writers that are otherwise worthy Interpreters of the word of God yet here they hold that the Apostles meaning is where he saith One of the Sabbath that it is not to be understood upon the Lords day but they thinke it may be any one day in the week Wherein it is a wonder that they should give such a scandall to the Church of God in weakening the arguments and the faith of the Fathers that were before us and to make us uncertaine what to adhere and cleave unto I spare their names because they are worthy instruments of the Gospell Onely I go about to refute and cast down their opinion which I will do briefly and by the libertie and licence of the time that I may make the shorter worke The first of the Sabbath the Lords day Therefore that this first of the Sabbath is the Lords day it is manifest by other places of Scripture whose consent make an absolute verity every where for the rule of Scripture is to expound one place by another In Matth. 28.2 The woman came to the grave upon the first of the Sabbath when as it shined up when the light shined up upon the first of the Sabbath then came the woman to the grave the same word is used there as there is here The first of the Sabbath which was the day of the Lords resurrection and not every day in the weeke but the eight day from the creation So againe more clearly in Mark 16.2 and vers 9. it is said there verse 2. the women came very early in the morning upon the first of the Sabbath or of the weeke And in the 9. verse it is said Iesus did rise upon the first of the Sabbath in the morning that is upon the first day of the week This phrase in Scripture alludeth to that in Gen. 1.7 the morning and the evening were the one day that is the first day for one and first in the Hebrew tongue are promiscuously taken which is in every one day of the Sabbath that is in every Sabbath or upon the Lords day or in every first day of the weeke which is the Lords day Then the authoritie of the Acts of the Apostles and this place and that of Saint Iohn which saith he was rapt in the spirit upon the Lords day The judgement of the Fathers for the obâ—ervation of the Lords day All these things be firme and true establishers of the point we have declared Now for the Fathers that they were all also of the same minde you shall heare Iustin Martyr Iustin Martyr Apolog 1.2 that lived an hundred yeares after Christ within an hundred and foure yeares after he saith in the second of his Apollogeticks In the day saith he that we call Sunday the day which the Heathen men called Sunday which is now our Sabbath day for the other day before was called Saturne day of Saturne which was the Iews Sabbath in that day saith he the congregation come together and there are prayers offered up to God and after the Sacraments are received there is a collection made every man layes up as much as his own good will is according to his own election and it is given to the superintendent or to the chiefe Minister of the place and he seeth the poore provided for with it he seeth it be bestowed upon them Tertullian which lived two hundred and foure yeares after Christ in his booke called Tertull. in sould Crowne Apolog. ca. 16. The souldiers Crowne he saith Vpon the Lords day wee abhorre fasting for it is a time of feasting with us And in his Apolloget Chap. 16. saith he If we give one day in seven to merrinesse and joy to joyfulnesse in the holy Ghost it is but all one as the Iewes do which give yet superstitiously the day of Saturne to idlenesse and meere superstition so saith Tertullian there is a certaine little chest in the Church and every man puts into it what seemes good to him if he can and if he will for there is no man constrained and this is done once in a moneth For the place could not endure that it should be done every Sabbath as the Apostle saith here upon every first of the Sabbath but because of the povertie of the countrey it was but once in a moneth that they brought their charitie for the poore Clemens Alexandrinus in the fifth of his Stromata Clem. Alexan. Strom. 5. Pâ—ato he brings a prophesie out of
of custome and dutie these men shame themselves infinitely and disturbe the order of nature and perhaps lay up a curse for their owne soules The last thing that I observe hence is this how will he make the Church of Galatia to provoke them how will hee bring the Corinthians to this how shall it be brought about The Corinthians might have objected and said What do you tell us of the Church of Galatia Have not we poore enow of our owne as we use to say now adayes we will give nothing abroad because wee have poore at home It is true a poore mans neighbour that is neere unto him ought in the first and principall place to be regarded no question of it yet there ought something to be done to the poore at large Now lest the Corinthians should say they would be at their choice and they would either do or they would not do and the Church of Galatia was of no power to prescribe them or their example was of no force to move them by way of necessitie The Apostle therefore tels them I did appoint So by this he shews that he came with full authoritie as speaking more authentically and more powerfully not by perswasion and counsell but by his Apostolicall authoritie which he had received by Christs command As I have appointed The Church hath power to dispose of mens goods We learne by this that the Church hath power to dispose of mens goods and yet this must be done in a gentle manner with a reservation of their owne will for the quantitie for in the quantitie it cannot say saith Saint Chrysostome thus much or thus much but must leave it to a mans owne conscience according as God hath inriched him but as I said before whensoever God hath given a prosperous voyage according as a man hath had a good journey in his trade so he must prosper Gods Saints according as God hath prospered him But for the maine point that he must give something it lyes in the Churches power to command that almes-deeds and works of charitie should be done that is as much in the Churches power as that we should keepe a Sabbath day that men should meet together and heare the word and administer Baptisme and the Lords Supper in the Church wee know these things the Church hath power to ordaine and constitute and as much power hath the Church to ordaine the collection for the poore for all come from one authoritie Therefore the Apostle saith here As I have appointed So then the Corinthians were bound not onely by the example of the Church of Galatia but by that Apostolicall power by that authoritie which the Apostles had received from Christ Feed my sheepe feed them with your prayers feed them with your preaching feed them with your exhortations feed them in giving them bread for the body feed them by your example feed them every way that may be helpfull and commodious to them Howbeit out of this we must not gather that the Church hath that fulnesse of power to impose what they list and to oppresse by way of exaction to thrust in upon the members of Christ what it pleaseth them No the Apostle gives no way here for annates he gives no way for Peter-pence nor for such kinde of collections for those were exactions and extortions against the good wils of the parties to the impoverishing of them that gave it and to the exceeding enriching of those that received it Therefore in such a case we must take notice how farre the Churches authoritie doth extend that is when it is to do good to them of Ierusalem for the Saints of Ierusalem for the good of them that want of them that are disabled by age or by nature or by misfortune to do good to them this is the will of God and this the Church hath power to raise out of a mans substance and there is nothing that is a mans owne there is nothing that he can say hee takes comfort in unlesse the poore man take part of it there is no pound that thou hast except the poore man have a quantitie out of it if it be but a farthing in a pound except he have something from it there can be no rest nor quiet to thee of it the Lord hath appointed unto men that as he hath blessed them so they should returne some tribute some acknowledgement to his poore members on earth As I have appointed in the Churches of Galatia This is the first motive I lay no new thing upon your shoulders no new burthen upon you but that which other Churches beare as well as you nay that which poorer Churches as that of Galatia which is not comparable to you beares the same burthen therefore I pray do you beare it It is the common taxation of the Church of God the collection for the poore the taxing for the poore it hath beene still a follower and a concomitant of the Gospell to have mind of the poore Saints it was the charge given to Paul and Barnabas Gal. 2. as a chiefe part of their office to be mindfull of the poore 2. Motive The safe carriage of it The second motive is taken from the faire carriage that shall bee in this matter for the Corinthians might feare when they had made this collection and should send it that it would miscarry for Ierusalem was almost a thousand miles off from Corinth take the neerest way that might be and there might many casualties fall out before it came there it might be taken by tyrants or they might be false among themselves so that they knew not whether ever it should come to the hands of them that should have it tendred them Therefore for that he saith he will see to it they shall be sure it shall be carried safe and sent to Ierusalem It is a great comfort and a great argument to stirre up mens hearts to do good when they know there shall be no fraud nor deceit in the conveyance of it it was that onely incentive that moved our forefathers to be so bountifull to the Church of God as they were that they went from the giving of almes-deeds to the building of Cels and Colledges and Monasteries and great Churches and goodly Pallaces a strange and wondrous height there was of pietie and devotion Indeed there was much superstition mingled with it there was much vanitie mixed with it but yet we may well thinke that if those men had ever thought of such sharkers as came after them to pull downe all and to make every thing equall with the ground they would have saved a labour and would never have beene so bountifull to the Church If they had thought that such a sort of intruders and ravenners would have taken the goods and the stocke of the Church and the stocke of the poore and have made such havocke of them not caring for the honour and respect of the Church But here for this the Apostle
the Text saith that they went presently as soone as they saw the vision they went forward to goe to Macedon knowing by certaine arguments that the Lord had called them there to preach the Gospel So from Troas hee went to Samothracia and from thence hee went the same day to Neapolis from thence he passed to Philippos c. Now in this first journey to Macedon the Apostle was intercepted and hindred that he could not goe through as hee purposed to doe as we finde in the story from Philippos he passed to Appolonia which were a company of people that were strangers carried and planted in a strong place in the confines betweene Thrace and Macedon From thence he came to Amphipolis from thence to Thessalonica where he stayed three weeks untill the Iewes persecuted him thence for his life and then he came to Berea which were most noble minded men which examined the Scriptures tried daily whether those things that Paul spake were the Word of God as we see Acts 19. Act. 19. From Berea the Iewes hunted him they came from Thessalonica with permission to take him wheresoever they could find him therefore the brethren conveyed him from thence to Athens and then he came to Corinth where he stayed 18. Moneths that was the first time of his being at Corinth where he conversed I say a yeare and a halfe At Macedon he was twice for the second time he went he passed almost by Dalmatia and Illiricum as he speaks in the Epistle to the Romanes and then hee came backe and thought to have gone to Corinth but newes was brought him that the Iewes would take away his life therefore he returned and could not come but hee desired the money to bee sent to him to Philippi by Titus which they did and so it was carried to Ierusalem and bestowed on the brethren But here is some difficulty Object For how could it be that their benevolence should be put off for so long a time a poore man must have reliefe quickly or else he perisheth this money that was gathered at Corinth either it must be conveyed upon the sudden or else the brethren at Ierusalem for whom it was destinate are like to lose life and state and all Answ But for this we must understand that the want was not so great it was not so urgent but that they could stay some time and so it was almost a year indeed before he dispatched his journey in going to Macedon and returning from Philippos and if he receive their benevolence and it be sent from thence there will be time sufficient for it to relieve them at Ierusalem at the time of Pentecost These things are needfull to be knowne although the common people cannot brook them because they think they edifie not yet it is no great matter as long as I follow the Text I am carelesse of all censures 2 Part. Macedonia what Now I come to the particulars of the Text hee saith hee will come to them when he shall come from Macedonia Macedonia it is a great and large country in the North of Greece it is now called Ronnelli and Albania in old time it was called Emathia and Emonia it is that country which is intimated to us by the name of Kittim Macedonia Kittim Gen. 10.4 or Kethim Gen. 10.4 The sons of Iavan were Kethim and Dodanim of Dodanim came the inhabitants of Rhodes or Rodanim and of Kethim came the inhabitants of the Isles and especially the inhabitants of Macedonia And though Macedonia be no Isle but a Continent yet it is adjacent and they were the mother of it and this word Kethim I stand upon the more because the Scripture hath many ambiguities about it In Dan. 11. Dan. 11. The ships of Kethim shall come against them that is against the Assyrian Kingdome under the Antiochees In Isay 23.1 Isay 23.1 Houle ye ships of Tarshish for Kittim shall make good this word that is Alexander the great King of Macedon shall make good this word for that which Nebuchadnezzar had done before him he did in a short time after him againe that is to the Iland of Tyre which was seperate from the sea by the span of two miles or a mile and a halfe both Nebuchadnezzar with the strong and indefatigable labour of his men and Alexander after him by his infinite high spirit brought it of an Iland to be a Continent and made themselves Lords of the place so that where he saith Houle yee ships of Tarshish for Kittim shall make good this word that is that prophesie that I give of it There shall come a man out of Kittim that is Alexander Alexander the great King of Macedon hee shall make good this that I have prophesied this is a plaine demonstration that Kittim is this Macedon And in Ezek. 27. Ezek. 27. saith he speaking of the ships of Kittim although the Iews alway understand it of Ciprus yet better judgements have and doe take it for Macedon because there was a city built there which was called Ketiem or Ketium for Livie Livius saith that Perseus Perseus the last King of Macedon hee gathered his people together at Ketium and it is an easie translation of the word as Suidas Suidas a learned man notes that from Kethim comes Macedon by appendix of the syllable Ma Makethim Makedon or Makethia so the name is very natural and agreeable with the first Originall Kethim This I note onely to shew you the congruity of these words which we meet with oft in the Scriptures I know that Kethim is more than the City of Macedon I know that the Macedons possessed Italie and built a city there and called it Kittie but it was called Kittim of that city in Macedon the Macedons I say possessed great part of Italie as all the parts about Apulea and Brundis Brundusinm which were for a long time after called Magna Grecia Great Greece This is that Macedon saith Plinie Lib. 5. Cap. 11. that was once the mistresse of the world This is that which overcame Egypt Plinâ— l. 5. c. 11. that was Lord of Asia this is that which wandred as far as India namely by the prowesse and strength of Alexander the great King of Macedon but saith hee the same Macedon is fallen to a low ebbe and shee that was the mistresse of the world by one of our valiant men Paulus Aemilius Paulus Aemilius was in one day sacked and he did sell and mortgage 72. Cities of it See saith he what great difference there is in the luck and fortunes of two men Alexander the Great and Perseus the last King of Macedon Alexander the Great won and purchased all Perseus the last King of Macedon hee lost all that was won before This is that country therefore that the Apostle purposed to goe to it was fallen from the glory of the world and now it was come to receive the glory
him that deserves it for it is neither in Paul that preacheth nor in Apollo that watereth nor in any second cause to open the doore of mens hearts being barred up by the malice of the devill and become infatuate and insensible that a man may beat aswell upon a flint stone as upon the doore of a mans heart till it please God to open it Therefore it must teach us to returne all praise to God Almighty and not to second causes And withall it teacheth us to desire of God which hath the key of David that openeth when no man shuts that it would please him to assist the passage of the gospell with the gracious assistance of his helping hand for indeed the Word is preached in many places where there is no doore open and yet it seemes that all the whole house is open When a man comes to preach the Church is open and the men present and yet there is a certaine occlusion a shutting up in the inward man in the heart that the Lord finds no entertainment there It must be begged at the hand of God therefore that as hee hath given his Word so to open the hearts of men to receive it that the doore of the heart may be open that Christ may be admitted This is that wee reade of in Acts 16. Acts 16. When the Apostles preached God opened the heart of Lidia As if he should say it was never opened till that time and then when the Lord opened her heart shee opened her hand in all liberality to the Apostles If you think me Gods child if you think mee to be Gods owne I beseech you come unto mee doe me that honour as to receive some benefit and favour for your maintenance from me And this is that which Moses saith to the people of Israel You had never your eyes open till this day nor you never had your eares open nor your hearts untill this day meaning that they were still in the middest of Gods miracles as men amazed or astonished and were not sensible they understood not what God did for them It is God that must open it is God that bores the eare as the Psalmist saith Psal 40. Psal 40. Bore my eares oh Lord saith the Prophet It is God that toucheth the heart It is God that moveth the tongue it is he that ordereth the invention it is he that must grace the elocution it is hee that works all in all Opening it comes not of man it is not of the wit of man or of the labour and toile of man but it is God that gives the increase A doore is opened A great doore Now for the quality and condition of this doore hee saith briefly that it is a great one and effectuall A great and mighty entrance makes roome for a great company It is no wicket it is no small posterne it is no little enterie it is no rist or crevice but it is a doore and that a great open doore that is the Lord hath given me such an opportunity meaning at Ierusalem as after I shall prove such a mighty doore is opened to mee at Ierusalem by reason of the concourse and assembly of the people there as that it seemes the Gospell shall be received in at broad gates all the gates and windowes shall be laid open to receive the Lord of life for where the great company of men are and where the great concourse of the world is to be seene there is also the best working for the Gospell of Christ it loves no paucities it loves not handfulls of men there is nothing more base to the Gospell than contemptible companies of people a great doore a great assembly gives incouragement to the speaker when there is a mighty number when there is a great multitude as three thousand men at Peters Sermon converted there is then a mighty doore opened when Christ shall have seaven thousand men follow him up and downe the wildernesse this is a mighty doore as for handfulls of men although God despise them not but where two or three be met together he will be present yet where there should be a doore open and there is but a wicket it is a matter of scorne and disgrace Kings doe not use to come in at wickets but at great gates and the King of Kings bids us not open a wicket but Lift up your heads ye gates Psal 24. and be ye lift up ye everlasting doores that the King of glory may come in even the Lord of Hoasts mighty and strong in battaile he is the King of glory Therefore it concernes us as much as wee may that we labour to make the company of Christ fair and full that wee make the doore large and spacious and wide that there may be roome enough for the Lord to come in Esay 40. Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight not strait or narrow but straight that is faire and even and there is nothing more disgracefull to the Church of God then when wee shall have the pues as many as the men and women and the walls for their auditors and chiefly that base and most wicked and ungodly fashion that is growne in Gentlemens houses they must have Sermons in their chambers at their fire sides at their boords end where a man must looke upon his auditors and can scarcely call them in the plurall number this is base and unacceptable to the Lord and these men seldome offer to open to the Lord these are they that make the course of the Gospell that it can have no prosperity that there can be no blessing upon it but rather it is turned to a shame and a curse and a meere frustration and yet the fashion is now to bring all our Churches into houses and the Patron must command the word and have it attend upon him like a dog at the table A great doore is opened But it is no matter how great it be if it be not effectuall An effectuall doore therefore saith he it was so too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Beza thinks it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so hee saith the meaning is that the gate was set up to the full it was wide open it stood not askance but the word it selfe and the copies hold it as I have read it an effectuall doore Quest Why how could it be great except it were effectuall Answ Yes there may be a great passage to little purpose for the gate where there is a high way lies or a thorow-fare it may be great but men runne along they passe through and make no residence they make no stay and so it is no effectuall way so when mens eares and hearts are open to receive Christ if they have no delight to keepe Christ when he is there but let him goe out again as in a thorow-fare here is no efficacy here is no power here is no foyson here is no profit comes of
they should have been the Preachers of the glorious Kingdome and doctrine of the Lord Iesus yet these were they that set themselves against it and their opposition was the most dangerous of all others and the most whetted and exasperated by extreame hatred for there is no hatred like the hatred of those that being nearest of religion yet agree not in religion there is no such hatred as the hatred of brethren when they fall out as we see in Cain and Abel upon the part of Cain for Abel was a meere patient So we see in other stories as that of Antiochus and Polinesus c. So in the point of religion when nature is once disturbed a man forgets himselfe to be that that he is and kindles his wrath against those that he should love and there is no wrath nor malice like unto that So it is between the Iewes and Christians compare all the world together and you shall finde among the Turks and Mahometans them that worship the filthy Idols no such hatred between them and their company although they differ in their sects nor you shall finde no such hatred between them and us as there is between Iewes and Christians A man were better a great deale to dwell under the Turke than under a Iew a man that is a Christian and a Iew had better to dwell under the Turk than under a Christian And why because they are domesticks they are men of one house for they must be brought in one day the Lord will make them children and bring the naturall branches that are stricken off and ingraft them and make the fulnesse of the Gentiles by them in the meane time they be of the same house with us and because of that their anger and malice is the greater so that their adverse power is more than that of the Turks or Sarazens And then againe if wee looke farther into the state of Christendome to those that professe Christ wee shall see no such hatred betweene Pagans and Christians as there is betweene Papists and Protestants because they are domesticks of one and the same house professors of the same Lord in common they have the same faith in the most things they agree in the same tenents but because they fall out and cannot be reconciled in other points therefore their hatred and malice is extreame one against another that a man had better dwell with a Iew than with a Papist and a Papist had better dwell with a Iew than with a Protestant because the nearer they come in religion the greater is the adversnesse between them And to goe farther among those that be Protestants there is no such hatred under heaven as there is betweene the Formalists and the Puritans there is no man in the world that knows the course of the world and hath experience in men but hee had rather live being a Formalist among the Papists than with a Puritanc and the Puritans give out in plaine termes that they had as lieve be subject to the Papists or to the Iewes as to the Formalists What is the reason because they are still domestici men of one house the Lords purpose being to set men of one house together by the eares so the Lord Christ protests Doe you think that I am come to send peace into the world I am not come to send peace but to set men at variance to bring a sword which comes to passe accidentally by mens corruption for otherwise the Gospell is a doctrine of peace but by mens corrupt mindes it comes to passe that that which was made for peace it is turned to war Saith he I come to turne and to estrange and alienate and alter the mindes of men the sonne shall fall from the father and the father shall forsake his sonne and the mother in law shall hate the daughter in law and the daughter in law shall be against her mother in law A strange kinde of opposition and the reason of it is this because as wee see in wars those that are called civill that are kindled in the bowels of the Common-wealth there is no hatred like unto that Civill warre is the worst warre that can be for it feeds upon its selfe it eats up its owne bowels whereas in forraigne warres there is some mercy there is some kind of moderation there may be some truce or reconciliation but civill war is full of bloud full of revenge there is no mean to stop that great streame of hatred that runnes there So it is in religion when men fall out when there is civill war among themselves that the houshold of God war one against another there is no hatred to that Therefore hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those enemies those that professe the same God the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob as we doe those that have the same Covenant those that look for the same Messias those that have the promises of grace the better promises of the life to come these are they that are our adversaries This is the strange strait and pressure that the Apostle was brought unto that he was not to fight with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men he was not to encounter with them that were of no learning hee had no promise nor no assurance of that he took to but he waged war with them that were of one house them that had claimed the house of a long time almost for the space of 2000. years them that God called his peculiar people this was the great adverse power These things therefore should teach us to call unto the Lord God that we may be the same men Vse of one mind as we are of one house To pray for unity that as he hath given his Word to be a common direction to all so it may be the common guide that it may be the sweet mistris unto us to conduct us in the way of life to please us all that we may be alike enamoured on it and that it may still seek to preserve its own purity for religion is the great mistris of the world if we fall out about that there will be more war about it than that of Troy for Hellene as Austin saith S. Aug. The Truth of Christ hath far greater beautie and is far more worth and deserves far more to be fought for then Hellene of Greece did In the body of man there is no greater danger than when the like humours of the body are striving one with another when the bloud and the choller are one against another for then there is an evidence and open sign and overture of destruction there being as it were all the banners of nature displayed to destroy it selfe So in the Church of Almighty God when learned men set thēselves against learned men and one great wit against another and every man seeks the destruction of his fellow then fall the mighty men of Iudah whereas if they would set themselves against
is so opposite but God can reclaime him This appeares by many examples in the Scripture Saul was a ravening Wolfe against the flocke of Christ hee came afterward to be a gracious Pastor and feeder of the flock of Christ Manasses caused the streets of Ierusalem to runne with blood afterward he came in and was a true convert to God These things are commonly knowne unto us for if sinners had beene desperate wee had never beene saved being all sinners We know by experience of our selves that there is no man desperate because the grace of God hath abounded to us wee know that the hand of God is not shortned but the same grace that enlightned us it will enlighten them in due time if it please him to call them Therefore in the middest of all hostile opinion we should still maintaine peace and a good hope of those that are our very adversaries God may call them and make them better if they be enemies now God may make them friends if he see good for the Lord can turn the hearts of men The hearts of men are in the hand of the Lord he turnes them as it pleaseth him Though they be professed enemies of religion the Lord can turne them there is no man so wild but the Lord can put a snaffle in his nose and a hooke in his jawes and bring him back againe there is no heart so stubborn but the Lord is able to make it yeeld he can bring water out of the flint stone and can make the wildernesse a standing well There is nothing impossible to the Lord the mighty Cedars of Lebanon are at his command although they stand so proudly as though they would stand there in despight of their Creator yet the Lord can dismount them and bring them low as the bramble of the field The mighty hand of the Lord works all things according to his power and according to his blessed will We must not therefore think peremptorily of any man we must indeed think him for the present to be wicked and ungodly and a vagabond as long as he is thus but still reserve our thoughts with a condition of changeing and hope for it for the Lord is able to change even the wild branches that are planted into the naturall olive tree that as they came in beyond all hope so the branches that are lopped off that a man would think could never receive juice or nourishment againe the arme of the Lord is able to plant them Iewes shall be called The Jewes that are the enemies of Christ they shall be replanted againe and set in their native stock and bring forth fruit in such abundance and glory as no nation under heaven shall be compared with the Iewes The summe of all is this A Christian must know that he hath to buckle in the world with adversaries he must not dreame of peace he must not promise quietnesse to himselfe but where he doth best there he must looke for most opposition hee must looke for the devill in the middest of his auditory in the middest of the Church where prayer and preaching is Where Iehoiada the High-priest stands at the Altar there sathan stands at his right hand and though the Angel say The Lord rebuke thee the Lord rebuke thee yet he will not leave his station for all that Therefore a man must take up his resolution and say This I will doe though all the powers of hell resist it or else he layes his hand to the plough and looks back and makes himselfe unworthy of the Gospell Simile It is the nature of Camomile the more men tread upon it the more and the better it growes so the Word and the Gospell of Christ it grows the better where there are more adversaries it grows never so well as when it is imbrued in bloud The bloud of the Martyrs being the seed of the Church The Saints of God are never so high in spirit nor never so well affected to salvation and to heaven as when they are most incumbred with stumbling blocks in the world happy is he that can leap over them or else passe by them for none shall be so happy as not to meet with them It was the condition of Christ and the Prophets before us and it shall be the condition of all after us Therefore we must desire God to sanctifie our adversities and that which shall oppose us for we are sure to have them onely let us desire God to turne them to good as all things work to the best to those that love and fear the Lord which the Lord grant unto us for Iesus Christ his sake To whom c. FINIS
the Word of God it is without life it is without efficacy without the consequent which of due belongs unto it This also as I said before the great God must worke to make that which is spacious and large of it selfe to make it effectuall that when the doore hath once admitted the King of glory that we may keep him there that we may entertaine him into our hearts that we may lodge him in our affections that wee may yeeld our selves unto him in all our actions and that wee may bring forth fruit in our lives and conversations that our faith within us and the Lord within us may work effectually without us This is that mighty effectuall doore which God must open and make it wide and large and great and effectuall and prosperous that God may enter in and dwell there for ever I should come now to the last part of the Text which is full of great and various matter I should be too troublesome if I should enter into it namely concerning the Adversaries that were there to shew what were these adversaries They were Iewes no doubt and such as had skill in the law of Moses for they were the chiefe enemies of Paul the heathen came in more easily because they thought it was a better religion that they taught than that they had already but the Iewes thought theirs to be the best religion therefore St. Paul found the most enmity and hatred among them in all places And likewise concerning the place where these adversaries were not at Ephesus as most Interpreters agree but at Ierusalem because there was the great feast of Pentecost kept there was no such number of men simply in the world there was no such number of men as was gathered at Ierusalem at the feast Three times in the yeare saith God you shall come and appeare before me In the Passeover in the feast of weeks and in the feast of Tabernacles And Iosephus makes a true record that there were nine millions at one Passeover in his time which is a number sans number not to be numbred but only that the Iewish Nation were scattered in the world and wheresoever they were scattered they had the conscience to come at the feast to pay their vowes and sacrifice to God therefore the sea being full of fish it was time for St. Paul now to cast in his net and it could not fall amisse but it would no doubt prove an effectuall doore and take that which came to hand and sure it was effectuall for hee took so many that his net was almost broken with the multitude of fish but these things I will not trouble you with at this time I have been too offensive to you already FINIS SERM. 7. 1 COR. 16.9 10. A great doore is opened and there are many Adversaries THe summe of that I have said of the travells of St. Paul concerning these places of Corinth and Ephesus and Macedon is this that St. Paul was for the space of three years at Ephesus and from thence hee was driven out by the conspiracy of Demetrius the silver-smith and his company hee went therefore to Macedon to visite the Churches that hee had planted before and being at Ephesus almost three yeares hee disputed dayly for the space of a yeare and halfe in the Schoole of one Tyrannus a Philosopher after that time hee never came to Ephesus more for although he had a determination to be there and to stay there till hee might have a convenient saile to goe to Ierusalem by the Feast of Pentecost yet the Lord that disposeth of all things would not suffer that to bee so but the Iewes having laid wait for him in the way as hee was to returne so the brethren gave him counsell to goe back againe by Philippos into Macedon and to fetch a Northerne course that so their land-wait for him might be disappointed in which journey he wrot this Epistle to the Corinthians as one purposing to come to them but he was hindered by the treason of the Iewes for at Corinth hee had beene before for the space of 18. Moneths and the reason why he was there so long was because God told him in Acts 18. Acts 18. that hee had much people in that city and afterward going to Ephesus and staying there the space almost of three yeares and being driven out by the conspiracy of Demetrius he went to Macedon to visite the Churches that hee had before planted there for you heard before that he had two journeys to Macedon the first by reason of the vision in Acts 16. there appeared to him a man of Macedon and said Come to Macedon and helpe us And then he could goe no further then Berea that noble City because the Iewes sent thither from Thessalonica to take him after he had beene there three weekes discoursing of the Kingdome of God So his friends brought him along to Athens and from Athens to Corinth and there hee spent 18. Moneths and from thence hee went to Ephesus and stayed there three yeares from Ephesus being driven by the conspiracy of Demetrius he went to Macedon to view the Churches hee had planted there and to goe no further in the Countrey then purposing to come to Corinth they told him of a treason that was plotted against him which both hindered his purpose to come to Corinth as also his going to Ephesus therefore hee sailed by Ephesus because as I said there was treason as that hee could not with a safe conscience cast himselfe into the danger without tempting of God and because he had a great desire to be at Ierusalem at Pentecost These things are plainly set downe in the Acts of the Apostles You shall see in Act. 20. Acts 20. how these things agree In the first verse as soone as this tumult was ceased that is that great tumult of the people when they cried Great is Diana of the Ephesians great is Diana of the Ephesians which Demetrius raised when the tumult was ceased Paul called the Disciples together and saluted them and went to goe forward to Macedon and comming into those parts hee intreated them and exhorted them with much speach and comming into Greece hee stayed there three moneths and hearing of a certaine treason that was laid for him by the Iewes as hee was to goe to Syria therefore there was a Decree made that hee should returne back againe by Macedon Now three verses after you have it that wee sailed after the day of Sweet-bread from Philippi and came to the brethren at Troas in five dayes c. where wee stayed seven dayes Now about the 15. verse of that Chapter St. Paul did saile besides Ephesus that hee might not spend time in Asia for hee made hast if it were possible for him at the day of Pentecost to bee at Ierusalem So hee sent from Myletus to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church and spake to them those rare and fatherly speaches as it
followes after in that Chapter Therefore of this wee are certaine that though St. Paul purposed to stay at Ephesus and to make his abode there yet the Lord would not suffer him so to do but he had purposed otherwise for him and he was not at his owne disposing but at the disposing of the will of God Now in these words read unto you in that hee saith there bee divers great and many enemies though a doore be open yet the enemies are great we are to consider Parts of the Text. First where these enemies were Secondly as a generall deduction that the Church of God can never want enemies and those that bee the Preachers of the Gospel they are evermore overwhelmed with enemies if the hand of the Lord interpose not Thirdly what kind of enemies they were the worst and most to be feared that is those that are most neare in the profession of the faith and the common religion those are the worst and most grievous enemies Fourthly the great alacrity of spirit that moved the Apostle to goe although there were so many enemies although there was so great and numerous a company that would dismay flesh and blood and would rather have made him have sought a corner and a cave to keep himselfe in a whole skinne but the spirit of the Apostle was otherwise hee would goe the rather because there was so many adversaries Fiftly that these although they were adversaries yet they were not to bee hated as direct enemies but onely they were enemies for the time for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Part. Where these adversaries were Concerning the first point the place where these enemies were I see it is the common consent of all Interpreters for the most part not one or two excepted that these enemies were at Ephesus and it seemes indeed most agreeable because hee saith he would stay at Ephesus and hee gives the reason why because there is a great doore opened that is there is a great facility or opportunity to gaine soules which is compared to a doore and besides there bee many adversaries to bee resisted whose mouthes must be stopped that is as it seemes in the same place at Ephesus therefore hee would stay there because they needed his presence I am loth to contradict the current of so many great worthy learned men yet notwithstanding it is free in the Church of God for any man to speak his minde as long as he speaks in termes of modesty I say therefore let them enjoy their owne exposition I cannot imagine that the Apostle should think his enemies should bee at Ephesus but at Ierusalem and although he speake not here of Ierusalem but of Ephesus alone yet presuming that Paul had a great and earnest purpose to bee at Ierusalem at the Feast of Pentecost and in regard that hee did neglect his friends and those places that he should have gone unto he sailed by Ephesus hee would not come there beause he would goe to Ierusalem and hee takes the first hint of it hee goes from Philippi at the day of Sweet-bread at Easter and hee would not come at Corinth nor at Ephesus it followes by just consequence therefore that all his intention was to keep the Feast of Pentecost at Ierusalem and that there was the doore and there were the enemies for a man that hath his minde upon one thing especially upon one maine project when he speaks of by-matters he speaks oft times confusedly but you must take him according to the great streame according to the current of his minde His minde was still to bee at Ierusalem to confound the adversaries of the Gospel Now although he saith he would stay at Ephesus his meaning is not that there were the enemies but he will stay a while there till such time as God would give him a just number of dayes that hee might saile from thence to Ierusalem by Pentecost to encounter with the enemies that were there Reasons that the adversaries were at Ierusalem So the first reason I have for it is the constant words of St. Luke Luke saith that hee had still a minde hee had still a desire to bee at Ierusalem at Reas 1 the Feast of Pentecost and therefore it was not his purpose to stay at Ephesus but onely some few dayes neither was it his purpose to decipher to the Church that his enemies were at Ephesus but at some other place Reas 2 Secondly another reason for it is this that those that were at Ephesus were bruit beasts rather then men they were not adversaries but beasts rather If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men 1. Cor. 15. In the Chapter aforegoing there was no dealing with Demetrius there is no dealing with worldlings with a man that understands nothing there is no glory to bee gotten in disputing with a simple fellow all the credit and glory comes to the Gospel by confounding of them that are wise the Ephesians were Idolaters they were beasts rather then men therefore his adversaries were not there so much as at Ierusalem Reas 3 Thirdly it appeares that hee left them and would come no more at them by reason of the tumult that was in the time of Demetrius that hee raised but he sayled by them and would no more touch there but sent for the chiefe of them therefore it seemed hee reserved himselfe for enemies and adversaries in some other place greater than that Fourthly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth those Reas 4 enemies that is those capitall enemies of the Gospell the Iewes the Ephesians were Idolaters and the Grecians and although they were adversaries too yet they were nothing like to the Iewes for the Iewes fought with weapons the Gentiles were like the Americans like the west Indians which are bare people without any weapons without any harnesse it is an easie matter to make a slaughter among them but the Iewes were armed at all points they had the Scriptures they had the Word of God against Christ they had the Law they had the promises they had the covenant of grace from Abraham they were the peculiar people of God there were no such adversaries as they therefore he sets them downe by a peculiar name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those adversaries that is those grand adversaries those adversaries that are sharp set against the word those dangerous men to be dealt with those are they that I would encounter with And lastly it appeares by the event for the event Reas 5 shewes that he singled them out for his adversaries that were at Ierusalem For whither went he did he stay at Ephesus did hee goe to Ephesus No the Text saith that he sayled by it And whither did he goe but to Ierusalem there to struggle and strive with the power of darknesse and to confound by his doctrine all the Iewes and all his opposers which although they took him