Bellarmine made more use of traditions then of the Scripture so the Papists plainly shew that they set more by them then they do by the written Word of God whilest they plead more earnestly for them and are more sedulous and copious in this controversie then in most do most rigorously presse them and more severely punish the neglect and transgression of them then of the expresse commands of God in Scripture as the profaning as they call it one of their Traditionary Saints dayes much more heavily then of the Lords own Day and a Priests marrying then the committing of fornication or adultery in this imitating not the true Israelites indeed but the degenerate Jews who made the word of God of none effect through their Traditions But Mat. 15. 3. ◠those who have been savingly taught as the truth is in Jesus abhor such blasphemies and by all their sweet words cannot be brought to relish their Traditions which as Irenaeus and other of the Ancients plainly shew have been all along the subterfuge of Hereticks and of which for many of them it is uncertain from whom in particular they first sprang and for all of them it is most certain that coming from men at best they are but fallible and that in continuance of time they may be much altered from what they were at first nor can Bellarmines four preservatives be able so to keep them in pickle as to prevent it And therefore although the Truth of God was delivered from hand to hand before Moses first writ the Law and that Christ delivered to his Apostles and they to others the Doctrine of the Gospel before the signing of the Canon of the New Testament which we grant and although the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 15. a place which the Papists much triumph in commandeth his Thessalonians to stand fast and to hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or his Epistle yet for all that they must give us leave to hold fast to the Scripture till they shall be able fully and clearly to prove 1. That there is the same use and need of Traditions now that the Canon of the Scripture is perfected as there was before 2. That there are now as immediate and infallible inspirations and manifestations of Gods will as there was to the faithfull before the writing of the Old Testament and to the Apostles before the writing of the New viz. Infallibly to direct about these Traditions and to correct in case there should be any failure or corruption Such extraordinary Manifestations we for our parts do not pretend to and that we cannot think that they are made to the Romish Antichrist it is not from want of charity but of ground of faith to believe it and indeed from sense and evident experience of the contrary 3. That for the substantials of faith and life for of eternall circumstantials I now speak not there be any such Divine or Apostolicall Traditions which the Apostles vivâ voce preached and delivered from hand to hand which were not for substance written in the Old Testament before Acts 26. 22. or not in the New Testament afterwards Many indeed of their Traditions which they obtrude are not as holding forth not Apostolical divine Truth but partly such errors and superstitions and partly such ridiculous fooleries as are not fit to be much lesse in the sacred writings much lesse in the sacred Writ But for what ever is necessary to be known or practised in order to salvation we must believe Irenaeus saying Quod tunc praeconiaverunt postea per Dei voluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt till Lib. 3. cap. 1. they be able to prove the contrary and mean while we are confident that this expression of Irenaeus in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt and yet more evidently that place to the Thessalonians which they so much urge where they are exhorted to hold the Traditions which they had been taught whether by word or Epistles fully evinceth that what is written in Scripture may be and is there called Tradition Such traditions and so written we allow to be within the compasse of this Form of sound Words but not first Humane unwritten or Popish forged Traditions Nor 2dly The Enthusiasts feigned and Divine Revelations Feigned Revelations These the Papists decry as loud as we Non enim novis revelationibus Deverbo Dei non scripto cap. 9. nunc regitur Ecclesia saith Bellarmine though by their favour they cannot so easily wash their hands of them whilest according to their Doctrine the last resolution of matters of faith is to be made into the determination of the Pope and that as infallibly directed by Divine Revelation as his Sycophants would flatter him So that thereby he is made the prime and greatest Enthusiast An artifice which seducers in all ages have made use of to conciliate the more credit to their delusions by intituling them to Divine Revelation I do not here speak of Numae's Aegeria or Mahomets Dove or the practises of other Heathen Founders of Commonwealths who out of craft and policy to gain more reverence and obedience to their lawes and government have deluded their silly people into a belief of their being appointed by divine inspirations But even in the Church of God the Apostles in their times gave warning of such as pretended the Spirit 2 Thess 2. 2. As also charge and direction how to try them 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 John 4. 1 2 3. 6. The Nicholaitans of old Swenckfield and the Familists of Germany in the former age and their spawn both in Old and New England in this age have been all for immediate Revelations with a supine nay a most scornfull neglect not onely of other studies and learning but even of the holy Scriptures also which to them is but a dead Letter a Covenant of works c. And before their new lights such shadows must fly away They are but History to their mystery and as the Papists in their way and Castellio in his so these in theirs make account that the Spirit revealeth to them higher and more hidden mysteries then the Scriptures teach or contain such indeed as are not onely besides and as they think above it but sometimes nay oftentimes quite contrary to it a most proud and dangerous delusion and therfore Austins watch-word Prolog ad Doctrinam Christianam in regard of such is Caveamus tales tentationes superbissimas periculosissimas the direct inlet of all corruption into the Church and confusion into the Commonwealth as other places have felt and the Lord grant that we who in this kind have already found so much may not yet feel much more Purest Primitive times have been defiled with them The darkest and blindest times have talked much of such visions In the times of in-breaking light and Reformation still a great noise of Revelation But for our better settling in the Truth know that Revelation we acknowledge and humbly blesse God
A GOOD DAY VVell Improved OR FIVE SERMONS Upon Acts 9. 31. Two of which were Preached at Pauls and Ordered to be Printed To which is annexed a Sermon on 2 Tim. 1. 13. Preached at St. Maries in Cambridge on the Commencement Sabbath June 30. 1650. By ANTHONY TUCKNEY D. D. and Master of St Johns College in Cambridge The land had rest and he had no war in those years because the Lord had given him rest Therefore he said unto Judah Let us build c. So they built and prospered 2 Chron. 14. 6 7. LONDON Printed by J. F. for I. Rothwell 1656. To the Right Honorable Sr CHRISTOPHER PACK Knight Lord Major together with the Honourable Court of Aldermen of the Famous City of LONDON Ever Honored THe ordinary excuse which many usually make for publishing their Writings by laying the fault upon the importunity of friends is grown so threed-bare that it is now almost past wearing and yet such is my poverty that I have nothing else wherewith to cover my nakedness in the putting forth of this poor piece now presented to you It containes a few Sermons all first preached in the Universitie but two of them afterwards at Pauls before You and the rest of that Honorable Audience which by the Order of your Court sent to me I was desired to Print how unwillingly I best know who should best know my own weaknesse and what course I took to avoid it My Lord you can very wel witness But seeing by your Honours Command they must come forth be pleased to understand that He who hath Naomies field must Ruth 4. 5. have Ruth also Those two which you are pleased to call for had their Fellows which they cannot part with And therefore as when Gehazi asked one talent of Naaman he bad him 1 King 5. 22 23. be content and take two So when you ask but for two I am more liberall and desire you to be content to take five or six not to patronize the Truth in them that is Gods which He will own and maintain but to expresse the sense of those obligations which your Honour hath by many favours laid upon me which have forcibly drawn me to this from which otherwise I had a very great aversation and if by the blessing of God hereby any further service may be done to him or his Church it will be the rejoicing of Your servant in the Work of the Gospel ANTHONY TUCKNEY Cambridge Oct. 10. 1655. A GOOD DAY WELL IMPROVED Act. 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied IT is accounted to be a bad 1. Sermon preached in Pauls July 16. 1654. sign if the sick man grow more sick after sleep but if better there are then some hopes of his recovery So here The Churches of Christ as to outward respects had been brought to a very low weak and sick condition by that Calenture or fiery tryall which had dispatch'd Steven Chap. 7. and afterward brake out and spread further to the persecution and scattering of the whole Church at Jerusalem Chap. 8. 1. And Saul still breathing out threatnings and slaughter did blow the coal to carry the flame as far as Damascus in the beginning of this Chapter but his Spirit was happily cooled in the sequele of it and with it the heat of that persecution and now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the like are called Chap. 3. 19. cooling refreshing times came from the presence of the Lord and so we finde the heat of the fever abated and the sick spouse fallen to her rest Then had the Churches rest and then if He sleep the Disciples concluded he would do well especially if upon it all proved better John 11. 12. as here it did for when they had rest they were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied And so in the Text we may observe these three particulars 1. The formerly afflicted and wearied Churches rest Then had the Churches rest c. 2. This crowned with two most happy Concomitants or consequents They were edified they were multiplied 3 Both these set out by two as happy means and causes of them viz. Their walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost Blessed flocks of Christs sheep that thus come up Cant. 4. 2. from the washing in the waters of affliction None barren whilest they are thus multiplied and all bearing twins in these two lovely pares walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost and so were both edified and multiplied And happy we if we could go in the footsteps of those flocks that Cant. 1. 8. seeing God in mercy hath begun to give us as he did them rest or as the word is Peace this peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not make us proud and petulant but that with them we may now more then ever walk in Gods fear and that fear not dis-spirit us but may be sweetned and animated with the comforts of the holy Spirit that so in stead of those many ruines and pullings down in our former blusters now in this fair weather we may begin to think of building up and edifying our selves and others in faith and love and whereas in our former wars men have been minished and sins and factions and furies have swarmed the true Churches of Christ and true Saints in those Churches and true Graces in those Saints may be now increased and multiplied This indeed would be even an heaven upon earth a new Rev. 21. 2. Jerusalem the vision of peace coming down from heaven A blessed remembrance of what was in those best and primitive Churches in the beginning of the Gospel and a more happy first fruits and pledge of what is now hastning on in the most glorious Churches in the end of it yea of what shall never be ended but perfected in glory I begin with the first blessing in those first words Then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria which need not much explication Then or therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calvin Beza Piscato◠Tyndal Numero plurativo quòd tum c. Erasm The Churches which some read Congregations in the plural number the Church in the first verse of this Chap. which was at Jerusalem upon the dispersion there mentioned became Churches one multiplying into many Had rest the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grotius in locum de jure belli c. lib. 1◠cap. 2. Peace for so they called the rest they then had from persecution as the Psalmist phraseth it rest from the dayes of adversity Psal 94. 13. Throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria That is throughout the whole compasse of Israels inheritance and
But mean while in those sad commotions and concussions the State came to have as little Rest as the Church when Country was destroyed of Country and City of City and one Neighbour of another so that there was no peace to him that went out or came in 1 Chron. 15. 5 6. but great vexation was upon all the inhabitants of the land Which also proved a catching fire and spread abroad and was blown over to other lands with such an heat as all the waters in the Seas between us could not quench but they were all on a flame so that we were encompassed not only as before by God and Nature we were with a wall of water but of fire too and this not as in the Scripture promise for our defence but Zech. 2. 5. threatning our ruine I need not tell you of the vastness of the expence of it to a Nation so much exhausted by former wars nor of the stoppage and loss of Trade which should have helped to have born that expence nor of those many other dangers and mischiefs which would have accompanied and followed the continuance of those wars so unnaturall as against our own bowels and so unchristian whilest with Brethren of the same Religion it was little rest which we then had and should in that way have had less But the God of peace hath in mercy at last quenched those flames and so calmed those storms that what was said of Asa's times is in some measure applicable to ours the land had rest and he had no war in those years because the Lord had given him rest 2 Chron. 14. 6. Which we are all with humble thankfulness to take notice of as His gift for it is He that maketh wars to cease He breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear asunder and He burneth the Charrets in the fire as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 49. 9. And therefore calleth upon enemies v. 10. and saith Vacate videte Be still and know that I am God as before he had done on his own people Come and behold the works of the Lord v. 8. it is his work and his mercy and therefore calles upon us for our duty which is 1. To eye and own and acknowledge God in all Vacate videte now that he hath in any measure given us rest that we may be vacant for God at leisure to consider of his doings and to see that in the still calme Sun-shine day which we could not so well discern through the storm and tempest For otherwise we shall be ready to be as Calvin noteth on that Psalm ignavi maligni in consider and is ejus operibus Either stupid carelesse and senslesse to take notice of any thing of God or perverse or malignant in making a false construction of all that what weaknesse folly and injustice of men which we have discovered in the late troubles we shall impute to God in which an humble and wary eye of Faith will plainly see divine power wisdome and righteousnesse And on the other side we shal be prone to ascribe this begun peace either to blinde Fortune or to the wisdom and policy of quick-sighted men which hath been spyed out for us by a more gracious all-seeing eye of God But a watchfull Christian will have a more wakeing eye than when God hath given him rest then to close it but will look up to heaven and say Deus nobis haec otia 2. And this with all thankfulness This Tertullus thought was little Acts 24. 2. enough for Felix because that by him they injoyed great quietnesse and that very worthy deeds were done to their Nation by his providence and how doth he flourish in his complement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we accept it alwayes and in all places most noble Felix how doth he flaunt it with his universals and superlatives with Felix who at most was but an inferior instrument of all that good to them if it had been true that he ascribes to him for Historians write the Josephus Antiqu lib. 20. cap. 6. quite contrary and his trembling whilest Paul reasoned of righteousnesse C. Tacitus Annal. 12. Ant. Felix per omnem saevitiam ac libidinem jus regium servili ingenio exercuit and temperance and judgement v. 25. plainly argueth that he was in his own conscience very guilty It was therefore most likely the Orators fawning flattery which gave him the thanks and praise of what he never deserved But without such fained glozing with what humble zeal and affectionate thankfulnesse should we receive from the hand of God who ever have been the instruments this so universall and superlative a mercy that for the present we injoy so great a quietnesse and that by his Providence all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such most worthy deeds and atchievements never to be forgotten but to be had in everlasting remembrance have been and to this day are done to this Nation A mercy 1. So great 2. Vouchsafed to a Nation so unworthy 1. How great the mercy is you may the better conceive if you will but think what a quiet harbour is in comparison of a troubled sea a calm after a storm to the mariner at sea and a quiet Psal 107. 29 30. Job 7. 2. Isa 32. 2. repose and rest in the cool shade to a tyred labourer or a sweltred travellour in a weary land which whosoever is carelesly senslesse of deserves with murmuring Israel to be brought back from Kadesh to the Red Sea again from a Canaans rest to be again ingulfed in a Red sea of warre and blood that so as God saith of 2 Chron. 12. 8. Israel they might know his service and the service of the kingdomes of the countries So if we know not the benefit and blessing of peace by our injoyment of it Judg. 8. 16. as Gideon taught the men of Succoth with the thorns and bryars of the wildernesse we may be made to know it by its contrary what health is by sicknesse and what the mercy and blessing of peace is by the misery of a continued or renewed warre What that may be we might by this time have learned by what in part for our shares we have felt too much and yet blessed be God that it hath been no more we as well as others have found it a Colluvies of all evill both of sin and misery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they call it the father of all you may wel ad mischief to make up the ense the Mat. 24. 15. with Luke 21. 20. very abomination of desolation abominable for the outrages committed in it and making desolate in the sad and woful effects of it And therefore by so much the greater is this our blessing of peace in that if we would let it it will bring all the contrary good with it the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text which importeth an uniting and knitting together and so the Apostle calleth it
fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost 2. An effectual argument to inforce it because thus doing will be the most effectual way and means to have the Churches of Christ edified and multiplyed I begin with the duty and first with the first part of it in those words walking in the fear of the Lord and the Note thence is this That when God vouchsafeth to Doct. his Churches rest and peace it is their duty then especially to walk in his fear And here I shall not need by way of explication to hint that 1. By walking is meant their diligent and constant practise and course of life 2. And by Gods fear Primarily and most properly is meant that sanctified affection or sanctifying grace both in the habit and act of it whereby out of a filial and ingenuous awfulness we are afraid to offend God by sinning against him And Tropically the whole Eccles 12. 13. Deut. 6. 2. 13. See Cartwright on Prov. 1. 7. worship and service of God of which this fear as it is one great and especial part so also it awfully commandeth and putteth us upon all the rest and withholds us from the contrary So that this their walking in the fear of the Lord was their diligent and constant course of obedience and service out of an awfull and reverential respect to him and an ingenuous and filial fear to offend him This was their practise when God had given them rest and it is the duty incumbent now on us when the like mercy is vouchsafed to us viz. now upon consideration of it to Heb. 12. 28. serve him with reverence and godly fear indeed it must be without unbeleeving and slavish fear of man Luke 1. 74. but with as much nay with more Reverential fear of God then ever for although perfect love casteth out fear 1 John 4. 18. yet in true filial fear there is as much nay more love then fear and so they who are said to fear God Psal 145. 19. are in the 20th verse immediately following styled such as love him To have fear and joy meet is a riddle to a carnal heart yet to rejoyce with Psal 2. 11. trembling is a peece of the mystery of godliness which Grace teacheth and a godly heart is acquainted with And especially upon the receipt of any greater mercy as at the Resurrection of our Saviour it is said of the two Maries that they departed from the Sepulchre with fear and great joy Matth. 28. 8. So in any other kinde of Resurrection wherein God pleaseth to raise us as it were from the grave such a sweet mixture of those seemingly contrary graces should be felt in our hearts and expressed in our carriages so as at the same time to rejoyce in his goodness Nehe. 9. 25. yet to fear him and his goodness Hos 3. 5. Slavish spirits may fear his greatness but a good heart will fear him for his goodness will fear when inlarged Isa 60. 5. and with such a Systole and Diastole doth it breathe and live This being a great part of that Tribute which our Soveraign Lord requireth for all his bounty and blessings And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God c. Deut. 10. 12. and which a soul truly subjected to Christ doth most freely pay from mercy takes an argument of fear There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal 130. 4. it saith Let us fear the Lord who giveth unto us rain and reserveth to us the appointed weeks of the harvest Jer. 5. 24. fear's him for plenty and fear's him for peace as in a peaceable Solomons reign when the mountains shall bring peace to the people Psal 72. 3. and so you might think to find them most secure it is added that they shall fear him as long as the Sun and Moon indure v. 5. the less that in their peace they fear their enemies the more they fear their peaceable King That in Solomon as a type fore-prophesied what should be under the more peaceable government of Jesus Christ and in this Text that prophecy was fulfilled for when these his best subjects had rest and were still even then they trembled walking in the fear of the Lord. But you will say Is fear consistent Quest with the security of peace or rather is it not an aguish distemper to stand quaking and trembling in the Summers warm Sunshine The Psalmist saith when the Sea-man when he Psal 107. 27. is tossed and reeleth to and fro and staggers in a tempest is like a drunken man but is it not right out drunkenness or rather madness to do so in a calme and when gotten on the shoare To which I answer It is so Answ indeed to do so out of a slavish or unbelieving distraction or despondency which yet the best of Gods servants are sometimes overtaken with yea and that sometimes when both for inward and outward man they have all cause of joy and an holy confidence and security But as the Schoole observeth Biel. there is a double act of a chast and filial fear 1. One when we avoid sin for fear of offending God and so of being in any measure separated or estranged from him and thereby of losing of any either measure or manifestation of that good which we injoy through communion with him And thus Austin Tractat. in Johan defineth fear to be Fuga animi ne perdat quod diligit 2. The other is an awfull Reverence of God not as to any fear in us of our loss of him but onely as in himself he is the most perfect and absolute good and so most worthy of all humble observance The first of these they truly say is only here in via whilest we are here travellers in our way because when we come to our journies end and confirmed in glory there will be no danger and therefore no fear of any such offence and loss and disjunction But the latter abideth yea is perfected in heaven and so is both of in via and in Patria I am sure both of them are or at least should be found in us whilest we are here in the way and that not only in the foulest but even in the fairest plat of it where we should not onely be afraid of Gods judgements Psal 119. 120. but also of his tenderest mercies not only in the time of our danger and trouble but of our greatest rest and security even then we should walk in the fear of the Lord and that upon a twofold ground answerable to that forementioned double act of this godly fear 1. In the time of our rest and peace we have great need to put forth the first Aâ—t of it in taking heed of offending God and so of being estranged from him because Then we are in the greatest danger of it 2. And as great cause we have Then also to put forth that second
Act of a Reverential observance of him as the greatest and chiefest good as having then strongest ingagements layd upon us and we thereby being put upon the strongest trial of our filial awfull ingenuity First in time of peace we have need to walk and to go armed with Gods fear not onely because of fear in the night but also by reason of the danger of the brightest day of prosperity and peace and that danger is double both outward and inward 1. Outward for in that sense we have something to lose and are not out of all danger of losing it It is true that through Goâ—s mercy with these Churches in the Text we have attained to some measure of rest from some of our former troubles which we conflicted with in the height and heat of our former wars but yet Fortunam reverenter habe me thinks may yet be to us a good Memento For as for your City the very sad fires which have so frequently broken out of late may warn you that all the sparks of Gods displeasure are not quite extinguished and me thinks call loud upon you in way of publick humiliation with Israel to meet together and draw water and poure it out before the Lord in prayers and tears which will be more effectual then all your Engines to quench such skarefires And for the whole land were we more setled then we are we are not as yet arrived at that everlasting rest which shall Heb. 4. 9. never be disturbed or interrupted And besides our present peace is but very tender and in a crazy condition At best whilest we are here in this lower Region clouds may Eccles 〈…〉 return after rain one misery and mischief after another yea after the brightest Sunshine A lightsome and calm day may and in a gloomy and stormy evening Isa 21. 12. Yea our Sun may go down at Noon Amos 8. 9. when we think it 's gotten up to its full height Nay in the morning Jer. 20. 16. when it's now but newly up for at that time of the day God rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah Gen. 19. 23 24. And all this may be the more possible if not probable Because 1. So unstable and inconstant are mens mindes and all our best outward injoyments a very shadow Psal 39. 6. 1 Cor. 7. 31. a Scheme a vain show that passeth away like the Sea which although it may be calm now yet may suddenly prove boisterous and tempestuous as soon as it shal be again blown upon But I shall not here inlarge on this Argument 2. So provoking may our sins prove that as they disquiet God so they may easily disturb and discompose our peace when we may think it best settled Hic Davus perturbat omnia as it is well observed Quo tempore maximè florueere Tribus decem eodem Hoseas praedicat horum internecionem Anonymi Annotat. in v. T. Cantabrig by one upon Hos 1. 1. that in the time of Jeroboam the second when Israel or the ten Tribes were then in the most flourishing outward condition even then for His and Their sins the Lord by that his Prophet threatens their utter destruction That first verse telleth you that he prophesied in his dayes and how sad and heavy that Prophesie was you may read in the sequel of it and yet how outwardly prosperous for the present he and his times were their story will inform you 2 Kin. 14. 23. ad finem And shall we as the Scriptures phrase is forsake Iob 6. 14. the fear of the Lord Upon it the Lord may yet so forsake us that our awlesse fearlesse miscarriages may produce most fearful miscarriages in our greatest concernments 3. And this the rather because God is wont to be very observant how we intertain newly vouchsafed or restored mercies and then proveth more than ordinarily severe in punishing our unworthy and unthankful receiving or abuse of them Partly the better to remember us of our former sins which before deprived us of them And partly to make us the more wary for the future that we do not in the like kinde abuse them Instances of which we have in his dreadfull proceeding against Achan at Israels first entrance Iosh 7. into Canaan Against the Bethshemites at the 1 Sam. 6. 19. return of the Ark. And against Ananias and Saphira in the first preaching of the Act. 51. to 12. Gospel The Lord in mercy grant that it may not be exemplified in us upon our unworthy returns for mercies newly either vouchsafed or restored to us However for the present it may be with us yet let us not say with Agag that the bitternesse of death is past and then take heart the more bitterly 1 Sam. 15. 32. to provoke God for the bitterest of the cup may yet be behind in the bottom And therefore let the man that is now recovering out of a sicknesse look well to himself that he fall not into a relapse and so quite overthrow himself which in that crazy condition of his is soon done whilest we stand let us not be high minded but fear Rom. 11. 20. even when we rest in peace let us walk in fear and trembling in our greatest security let us fear God for even then we lye at his mercy Outward and temporall danger then may be great But inward and spirituall is then especially far greater and therefore calleth for our more watchfull fear and circumspection Because if we shall be then so disingenuous and ingratefull as to provoke God by our sins our danger because Gods indignation will be very great And yet which is our both sin and misery then we are most subject to do so then as much nay more then ever to forget both our selves and him and so by our sins most bitterly to provoke him As the man after a vein opened at the turning of the blood is most subject to sink down into a swoon so we into sin upon the return and our injoyment of a lost mercy The thorny ground is choaked with riches and pleasures which could not with the stony ground be beaten off by persecutions and therefore our Saviours last and Mat. 4. greatest temptation was with the glory of the world and Joseph Gen. 39. was most put to it by the charmes of fleshly allurements who as to imprisonments and all other miseries was impregnable When peace and plenty is restored and continued God doth and we may know how prone we are to grow Loose upon liberty When the prison door is set open and we got out of the deep miry lane between the inclosures of the thorn hedges which kept us from starting out into the open Common how apt are we to run out of the way and so to lose our God and our selves together Job feared it Job 1. 5. in his children lest in their feasts they should blaspheme God and Agur feared it in himself lest in Prov. 30. 9
that hence 1. Upon the tryall we may be found faithfull and have this strong evidence made out to us of our ingenuity 2. We may in some measure answer to what is alwayes found in God and in such like dispensations viz. That there is greatest awfulnesse in his smiles and His is a dread when a most serene Majesty Dominion and fear is with Job 25. 2. him even when he maketh peace in his high places He never more kindly humbleth and aweth the creature then when he draweth nearest to it in a way of mercy So the Angels in heaven cover their faces when in nearest approaches they behold His and the penitent sinner is never more low and lowly on his knee then when he prostrateth himself at the throne of grace and God holdeth out to him the golden scepter God did so to Abraham in his ready granting his petitions and then Abraham in his own eyes was dust and ashes Genesis 18. 27. 3. That hereby also we may come to have a more sure and sanctified injoyment of this our peace and whatever other mercies are wrapped up in it which we may with more considence expect whilest this holy Fear stands Sentinel and is upon the watch against security pride wantonnesse and all those other excesses which Peace is subject to breed in our hearts as vermin are wont to do in standing waters which may corrupt it and at last again justly deprive us of it Which fitly leadeth me to the second part of this point which was that this walking in the fear of God in time of peace will be a speciall meanes of both edifying and multiplying the Churches of Christ as it was here in the Text which affordeth two other arguments more strongly to inforce this duty First that walking in Gods fear helpeth much hoâ—e edifying of the Church 1. Whether of the whole Church in setting and keeping up the Ordinances of God in their power and purity For so Noah moved with fear built an Ark Heb. 11. 7. And Nehemiah who was famous for building up Jerusalems wall was as eminent in Gods fear Chap. 5. 9. 15. and the like we read Acts 13. 16. That those that feared God gave audience to his word And had we of late more feared God we should not have dared so boldly and impudently to have profaned his holy Ordinances 2. Or of the particular members of the Church in grace and holinesse whilest they serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. and not only work out their own salvation with for and trembling Phil. 2. 12. but also do as much for others even save them with fear plucking them out of the fire Jud. 23. and thus by these means the Churches of God being edified They will also be multiplied according to that Isa 60. 5. Thou shalt see and flow together thy heart shall fear and be inlarged because the abundance of the sea shall be converted to thee and the forces of the Gentiles shal come unto thee expressing the great confluence of people to the Church upon the preaching of the Gospel as it was here when they walked in the fear of the Lord they wanted not company of fellow-travellers nor should we if we took the same course Partly by our carefull endevours labouring to gain strangers and enemies over to Christ And partly by our holy examples as the Apostle speaketh of 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Christian women winning them to God whilest they behold our chast conversation coupled with fear Whereas on the contrary our fearfull impieties fright away strangers from our communion are an offence to Jewes and Gentiles as well as to the Church of God The abominable practises of Christians are a stumbling block in the way to Jews and Turks and Infidels without as the unworthy and unchristian carriages of Professors are to those that are estranged from the wayes of grace within the pale of the Church And hence in part it is that the wayes of Zion mourn and her gates are desolate and the high wayes are unoccupied Lam. 1. 4. Judg. 5. 6. This was a great part of their lamentation then as being a fruit of the enemies violence in time of war but how much more sadly should it now be lamented by us when it is the effect of our most unworthy walking in these times of rest and peace we have rest as they here had but we do not walk in the fear of the Lord as they did and therefore it is that the Churches of God are not now as they were then edified and multiplied Which may shew us our sin and Vse 1 call upon us earnestly to be deeply humbled for it Let us therefore remember our fault this day for Gen. 41. 9. God hath been graciously pleased to come out to us in mercy and peace but we have forgotten to walk with him in reverence and godly fear Indulsisti Genti Domine indulsisti genti nunquid glorificatus es So the Vulgar readeth that in Isai 26. 15. He said it of that Nation and we may as fitly apply it to ours Lord thou hast increased or indulged this Nation thou hast indulged this our Nation with peace and plenty but nunquid glorificatus es art thou thereby glorified Nay gravatus es as Piscator readeth it and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used will bear it Lord thou art burdened and pressed by our sins as the cart is with sheaves In stead of walking Amos 2. 13. in Gods fear we are boldly and presumptuously risen up against God and that in most horrid blasphemies and mâ—st fearfull nay fearless daring ranting impieties Our rest hath made us secure and our plenty petulant nay rampant and that against God himself We do not say in our hearts Let us now fear the Lord our God who giveth us rain the former and the latter in his season and reserveth Ier. 5. 24. to us the appointed weeks of the harvest that establisheth peace in our borders c. Psal 147. 13 14. And therefore the lesse that we fear man the more let us now reverence and fear God No but our greater plenty serveth us the more to fulfill our lusts and occasioneth even our murmurings at his overflowing bounty which may constrain him to bring us to a low ebb in the turning of the tide that we may be punished with scarcity who rest not satisfied with his plenty and by our peace and rest we take the more liberty to look about for our selves and to oppresse others Such a requitall this is as if any in the time of our former straits should have told us that we would make in case God should deliver us we should have been ready to spit in his face and defied both him and it with Hazaels words but are we dogs that we should do these things 1 Kings 8. 13. But it appeareth now that our hearts are decâ—itfull above all Jer. 17. 9. things and desperately
as our Translators do The Comfort of the holy Ghost in which sense the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is mâ—st commonly taken in the New Testament it runn's more smoothly and is understood more easily and so I shall crave leave to take it and accordingly the meaning is that they conversing as in Gods fear so in the comfort and joy of the Spirit viz. which he worketh and maintaineth felt in their hearts and expressed to one another and to all in their lives they thereupon were edified themselves and were multiplied by the accession of others The Second thing therefore which we have now to do is to shew that as it was here with these happy Christians in the Text so it is incumbent on us now in this time of our peace to indevour to walk in the comfort of the holy Ghost This the Scripture elsewhere calleth the walking in the light of Gods countenance as Psal 89. 15 16. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound they shall walk ô Lord in the light of thy countenance and in thy name They shall rejoyce all the day That joyfull sound signifieth the presence of God with his people as the sounding of the trumpets did in the Law when they went out to battell When therefore Gods people hear and take notice of such a joyfull sound so that as Balaam said Numb 23. 21. God is with them and the shoute of a King is among them as over-mastering their enemies and giving them rest and peace then they are to walk and march on in the light of his countenance so as in his name to rejoyce all the day By it we should be able to do as much in the darkest night as Job saith when Gods candle show upon his head by his light he walked through darkness Job 29. 3. but with how much more joy in God when in a brighter day the Sun of righteousness shineth out in brighter beams of love and mercy In outward peace we should have inward joy and spiritual comfort in temporal Psal 18. 19. refreshments and when in times of peace we may walk abroad at large we should have hearts inlarged to walk as in the fear of the Lord so in the comfort of the holy Ghost First that this tcomfort Reas 1 may qualify that Fear and characterize and evidence it to be the fear of God when joyned with the peace and comfort and joy of the holy Ghost a slavish fear hath torment saith the Apostle 1 John 4. 18. and therefore no joy but in heavenly and more ingenuous tempers Godly fear and spiritual joy know the way how to meet and imbrace and uphold one the other Natural fear contracteth the heart but an holy fear inlargeth it Isa 60. 5. in those happier days of the Church it is said Thy heart shall fear and be inlarged when taken with a reverential awe and admiration of Gods wonderfull goodness then most inlarged in joyfull praises and thanksgivings So it is and will be most fully in heaven God no where else so reverentially feared nor no where so much rejoyced in and praysed such a blessed heavenly temper we should be aspiring to here below to fear God and his goodness Hos 3. 5. and to rejoyce in his goodness Nehem. 9. 25. together Then especially we ought to fear him that our joy may not prove light and wanton and yet even then to rejoyce in him that our fear may manifest it self not to be slavish but filial becoming such blessed children of so great and good a Father Thus first in times of rest and peace we should walk in the comfort of Gods Spirit to qualify that former fear Secondly to answer and to Reas 2 suite with our present peace and so it proveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a duty Eccles 3. 11. in its season which maketh every thing beautifull God expecting that his severall dispensations should be intertained with sutable affections and deportments In the day of prosperity be joyfull but in the day of adversity Eccles 7. 14. consider and as there is a time to weep so there is a time to laugh Eccles 3. 4. And what time more fit for that then when God smiles As it is said of the Jewes upon the restoring and settling of Jerusalems peace That they rejoiced because God had made them to rejoice Neh. 12. 43. The contrary hereunto is one kinde of taking Gods name in vain in crossing one of those ends which he intendeth in bestowing such mercies which is that we should serve the Lord with joyfulnesse and gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things Deut. 28. 47. and to delight our selves in the abundance of peace Psal 37. 11. which being neglected Gods end is frustrated and so his Name is taken in vain for that is in vain which falleth short of its end And therefore it is that there are so many and frequent commands of God to his people Israel to rejoice Deut. 12. 7 12. 18. 14. 26. 16. 11. 27. 7. before him in their Festivals and in every good thing which he gave them Deut. 26. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 16. 15. Thou shalt surely or onely rejoice Now this a sowre lowring either out of discontent or dejectednesse wholely frustrateth and takes out as to us the sweetnesse of Gods goodnesse by the bitternesse of our spirits For what good will a costly rich suite do on his back all whose bones are broken within and although it be never so fair weather above head yet deep foul way will make but uncomfortable travelling and therefore such uncomfortablenesse of spirit under such chearing providences is as sutable as a mourning suite on a marriage day or fasting on a Festivall or on a Lords day in the Die dominico jejunium nâ—sas ducimus Tertul. de corona Milit cap. 3. esteem of the primitive Christians It shutteth out clear day-light that we may mope in the dark and sendeth up foggs from a muddled heart to obscure the clear Sun-shine This Nehemiah forbad his people and would have them be of good cheer on a good day and told them that the joy of the Lord would be their strength Neh. 8. 9 10. God would have our hearts keep time with his hand when there is peace without would have aâ— answerable serenity within Job expected that his bed should comfort him Job 7. 11. and so they here in the Text when they had rest they walked as in the fear of the Lord so in the comfort of the holy Ghost And it s well said in the comfort Reason 3 of the holy Ghost that it might not onely be sutable to their outward peace but that it might also sanctifie it and spiritualize all the comfort and joy which they had in it For otherwise most commonly in outward peace and prosperity we are ready to take comfort enough and in some kindes and cases too much as we shall see more afterward in the application
we are very subject to make an idol of it as Israel delivered from Exod. 32. 6 Egypt made a golden calf and with them then to eat and drink and rise to play How easie a thing is it to over joy outward comforts and to forget God by looking too much on his lovetokens and so to spend and powr out our delight on the gift that there is none left for the giver as Nehemiah sadly complaineth of that people that although they delighted themselvs in Gods great goodnesse Nehem. 9. 25. yet they could not finde in their hearts to serve him in his great goodnesse v. 35. And on the contrary how hard a thing is it spiritually to rejoice in God when we have many temporall delights to intertain us as it is with a man to keep up his appetite and to taste as much sweetnesse in his food when he is used to a constant high feed as he did when he was kept to short pining commons In summer when it is warmest without we use to be faintest within To what a blesed height and strength of grace hath that Christian attained who can delight himself as much in God in more peaceable and prosperous times amidst all other delights as he did in harder times when he had nothing else but God to comfort him That man lives much by faith who by its hand can hang as much upon God in a promise when he hath many other staves of comfort to lean on and to support him as if he had none This hard lesson God was teaching Israel under the Law when in the beginning and ending of their harvest and other times of outward mirth and gladnesse He appointed them holy Festivals in which he so often as you heard called upon them to rejoice but still it was to be before the Lord as the Apostle would have us to rejoice again and again but ever in him Phil. 4. 4. As another Apostle when we are merry would have us sing Psalmes to keep our hearts in an heavenly tune Jam. 5. 13. And this lesson as hard as it is these prime Scholars in Christs School had happily taken out who could rejoice in God both notwithstanding all troubles and also In yea and above all comforts So we finde them eating their meat with gladnesse when under persecution Acts 2. 46. and here walking in the comfort of the holy Ghost in the midst of all those other comforts which their peace and rest did afford them Non inebriati sunt deliciis terreno gaudio sed freti Dei praesidio plus animi fiduciae ad Deum glorificandum sumpserunt as Calvin observeth upon the Text. They were not drunk with these outward contentments nor so immersed in the comforts which their peace brought them but that this oyl of gladnesse the grace and comfort of the holy Spirit did still swim on the top of all and was more to them as it was to David Psal 4. 6 7. then all corn and wine and oyl in their greatest abundance The comfort of outward peace they thankfully received and made use of but it was the comfort of the holy Ghost that they walked in this was their way and walk and the other but their viaticum without this comfort all other would have been to them as Jobs friends were to him very miserable comforters Iob 16. 2. but thorns to choak the word and intangle and pierce their hearts and like bird-lime have cleaved so fast as to have kept their souls from being upon the wing and so imbase and defile them that heavens light would not have been able to shine through those windows so all over besmeared with such filth As therefore sweetest honie stands in need of being clarified so do our peace and sweetest outward contentments by these more spiritual and divine comforts and joyes of the holy Ghost that our delight in them may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more pure and limpid and spirituall may not be as weights to presse us down to the earth but be onely as onus alarum as understeps nay as wings to lift and mount us up to God and so to enjoy him in them and above them not as crass earthy bodies to terminate our sight but as transparent glasses to transmit to our eyes and hearts the light of Gods countenance in the face of Jesus Christ This is right and as it should be when it is not meat but mercy that feedeth us nor other sweetest musick but a better melodie in our hearts that layeth us down to our rest as here in the Text they had Rest But it was the comfort of the holy Ghost that made their sleep sweet in giving rest to their soul according to that blessing which God would have put on his Israel Numb 6. 26. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and so give thee peace For these Reasons in our outward peace we should walk in the comfort of the holy Ghost which was the second thing propounded to our consideration in the handling of this Point The Third was to shew That this our walking in the comfort of the holy Ghost would much conduce to the Churches edifying and multiplying as we here finde in the Text that upon their thus walking they were edified and multiplied and this will here also afford two arguments to inforce this duty First then Christians walking in the joy and comfort of the holy Ghost will much help to the edification and building up of the Church We before heard that in fair weather without it is best to build our own houses and truly Gods house goeth up fastest when we have serenity within For whereas fear and grief and dejectednesse duls and deads the spirits weakneth the man and makes him unfit for any thing on the contrary The joy of the Lord is our strength a chearful spirit Nehem. 8. 10. of our own bringeth life and strength to our own work and proportionably the joy and comfort of Gods Spirit will help to Iohn 2◠4. make better riddance of his So we see that when the heart is inlarged the foot runs the wayes of Gods commandments Psal 119. 32. When the heavy-hearted proveth heavy-heeled and cometh fainting and lagging behinde a raised spirit inlarged with the comforts of Gods spirit as John overran Peter so He another that faints and despondes and Ilia ducit Such an one waiting on the Lord reneweth his strength and mounteth up with wings like an eagle flyeth strongly and swiftly runneth and is not weary walkieth and doth not faint or Isa 40. 31. rather like the blessed Angels who because they alwayes behold the Matth. 18. 10. face of God in one sense viz. in joy behold it also in another viz. As the eyes of a servant look to the hand of his Master as ready Psal 123. 2. prest to do his commands so they to mark the least intimations of Gods will and so presently and speedily to go about it