to domineer over faith because it is onely a drawing from outward inforcement to the use of means Again it is not a ruling over faith nor a base slavery when men hear the Word of God opened directly and clearly when men shall perswade others according to their own judgment that this is so and when others shall yield There is some faith that may be called in some degree implicite faith and obedience that is not sinful but good and discreet As when men by their standing in the Church and by their experience and holinesse of life are thought to be men that speak agreeable to the ground of Scripture though they have not a direct rule and place of Scripture for it other mens conscience may follow what they say I have been directed by such men at such times that by reason of their calling have opportunity to advise But this frees it from base service that it must be with reservation till it appear otherwise by some place of Scripture or till better counsel may be yielded obedience to others with reservation and counselling with others this is no domineering because it is with reserving our selves to a further discovery and a further light That the Moralists use to call the opinion of an honest man where the Law speaks not it is much to be esteemed especially an honest discreet Christian when the Law of God speaks not directly then he that speaks out of conscience and some light he may perswade another man with this reservation till further light be discovered this is no domineering over faith I might take away many things that might breed a suspition as if we domineered over the faith of others when we do not But to come to shew you this positive truth what this tyranny over the faith of others is and where it is practised Those tyrannize over the faith of others that do equalize mens Traditions some Canons of their own with the Word of God and presse them with equal violence perhaps more because they are braâ—…s of their own brain Those that will devise a voluntary worship of God and so intangle people and tell them This you must do when there is no ground for it in the Word of God it is will-will-worship God loves willing worship when we worship him willingly but he loves not-will-not-will-worship when it is the device of our own brain how we will serve him As if a servant or a slave must devise how his Lord will be served what impudency is this if we consider what God is They tyrannize over peoples consciences that equalize their own dotages though they account them witty devices and their own inventions with the worship of God that jumble all together as if conscience were equally bound to any device of their own as to Gods Word Again those do tyrannize over the faith of others that think they can make Articles in Religion to bind conscience Those that think to free themselves from the danger of errour as if what they said were unfallible they tyrannize over others Those that for trifles excommunicate whole Churches because they hold not correspondency with them in their errours they tyrannize over the faith of others Those that withhold the means of knowledge that so in a dark time all their fooleries may be more admired As we see masks and such like overly things they must have the commendation of some light that is not so glorious as the Sun to win admiration of men so those that would win admiration of their fooleries they shut people as much as they may in darknesse that they may have their persons and all other things in admiration this is to tyrannize over faith and to hinder them from that that is the means to reform them better But who are guilty of all this We see what Church especially is guilty of this of domineering over the faith of others that is the Church of Rome The Councell of Trent equalizeth Traditions with the Word of God they divide the Word of God into the written and unwritten and under a curse they pronounce that all must be received with the same reverence And then they have devised a will-worship of their own and follow and force their will-worship with greater violence then the worship of God and they set Gods stamp upon all their fooleries to gain authority under the name of Christs Church and the Word of God they carry all Again you know they hold the Church to be infallible they hold the judgment of the Pope the man of sin to be infalible he cannot erre and hereupon whatsoever he saith it must bind conscience because he is in his Chair and cannot erre whatsoever he saith is the scope of Gods Word infallible And this is a fundamental errour as we call it a first lie a leading lie This is moving to errour this is the mover that moves all other errours under it For where upon is all the abominations of Popery justified They are iustified by this though they seem ridiculous grosse and blasphemous they came from the Church and the Church is virtually in the Pope An absurd Position that the whole Church should be virtually in one man yet that is the Jesuitical opinion and the Church cannot erre therefore it is good because these tenents come from him whose judgment is infallible That is the errour that leadeth to and establisheth all other errours under it it is the first lie And in lies there is a leading one goes under another they never go alone so this is the leading lie of all Popery that the Pope cannot erre by this means they domineer over the faith of others and make the people even beasts indeed But to see the indignity of this that the Pope cannot erre it is the greatest errour of all and the prevention of all amendment on their side do you think that they will ever amend their opinion when they hold this that is a block in the way of all reformation that the Pope can erre for deny that and you call all the fabrick of their Religion in question and grant that it stops all reformation on their side What reformation may we hope for on their side that hold this Position that they cannot erre Hence come all their treasons and rebellions they have some dispensation from the Pope and he cannot erre though he prescribe rebellion and treason Another opinion they have that the Church is the Judge of all Controversies in which the faith of men must be resolved at last but it is the Pope that the Jesuits mean Now this is indeed to domineer over the faith to make a man of sin to be a Judge over all points of faith and faith to be resolved at last into that into the judgment of the Church The Church hath an inducing power a leading power perswading to the belief of the Scriptures and to hear what God saith in his Word but
worthy pieces as a Monument of their graces and zeal for the publick welfare whether it be out of a modest sense of their own endeavours as being loath upon choice or of their own accord to venture abroad into the world or whether it be that being occupied and taken up with other labours or whether it be in a conformity to Christ who would not leave his Spirit till his Departure or whether it be out of an hope that their Works would find a more kindly reception after their death the living being more liable to envy and reproach but when the Authour is in heaven the work is more esteemed upon earth whether for this or that cause usually it is that not only the life but the death of Gods servants hath been profitable to his Church by that means many useful Treatises being freed from that privacy and obscurenesse to which by the modesty of the Authour they were formerly confined Which as it hath commonly falne out so especially in the Works of this Reverend Authour all which some few onely excepted saw the light after the Authours death which also hath been the lot of this usefull Comment onely it hath this advantage above the rest that it was perused by the Authour during life and corrected by his own hand and hath the plain signature and marks of his own spirit which will easily appear to those that have been any way conversant with his former Works this being signified for further commendation it needeth none I commend thee to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build thee up and to give thee an inheritance among the sanctified remaining Thy servant in the Lords work THOMAS MANTON A COMMENTARY upon the first CHAPTER of the second Epistle of S. PAUL to the CORINTHIANS 2 Cor. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the Will of God and Timothy our Brother unto the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. THe Preface to this Epistle is the same with other Prefaces Our blessed Apostle had written a sharp Epistle to the Corinthians especially reproving their tolerating of the incestuous person that his first Epistle took effect though not so much as he desired yet it prevailed so far with them that they excommunicated the incestuous person and likewise reformed divers abuses Yet notwithstanding it being a proud factious rich City where there was confluence of many Nations being an excellent Port and Mart-Town there were many proud insolent teachers which thought basely of St. Paul and thereupon he writes this second Epistle the scope whereof is partly Apologetical Exhortatorie Apologetical to defend himself Exhortatorie to instruct them in several duties as we shall see in the passages of it The general scope of it is this to shew That the Ministerial labour is not in vain in the Lord. The fruit of the first Epistle to the Corinthians is seen in this second the first Epistle took effect Therefore we should not be discouraged neither we that are Ministers of the Church or those that are Ministers in their own families as every man should be be not discouraged at unlikelihood there is alway some successe to encourage us though not so much as we look for in this world because there is a reprobate Generation that are alway set upon Cavilling and opposing yet some successe there will be as there was here A second thing in general out of the whole scope is this to teach us to vindicate our credit when the truth may be wounded through us as the Apostle stands here upon his reputation and labours to free and to clear himself from all imputations but especially he doth this by his life for that is the best Apology But because that would not serve it would not speak loud enough therefore he makes an excellent apology in this Epistle But to come to the particulars Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy our Brother THis Chapter is Apologetical especially after the Preface He stands in defence of himself against the imputations First that he was a man neglected of God he was so persecuted and oppressed with so many afflictions And the second is the imputation of inconstancie that he came not to them when he had made a promise to come This Chapter is especially in defence of these two In an excellent heavenly wisdome he turnes off the imputation of afflictions and inverts the imputation the clean contrary way and he begins with thanksgiving Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies the God of all comfort who hath comforted us in all our tribulations As if God had done him a great favour in them as we shall see when we come to those words For the Preface it is common with all his Epistles therefore we make it not a principal part of the Chapter yet because these Prefaces have the seeds of the Gospel in them the seeds of heavenly comfort and doctrine I will speak something of it Here is An Inscription and A Salutation In the Inscription there are the parties from whom this Epistle was written Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy our Brother And the persons to whom To the Church of God at Corinth and all the Saints in Achaia The Salutation Grace and Peace in the form of a blessing Grace and Peace From whom From God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul an Apostle c. In this inscription he sets down his office an Apostle and an Apostle of Jesus Christ. How Apostles differ from other Ministers it is an ordinary point St. Paul was called to be an Apostle by Christ himself in 1 Cor. 9. 1. Am I not an Apostle have I not seen Christ It was the priviledge of the Apostles to see Christ they were taught immediately by Christ and they had a general commission to teach all and they had extraordinary gifts All these were in St. Paul eminently And this was his prerogative that he was chosen by Christ in heaven in glory the other were chosen by Christ when he was in abasement in a state of humiliation Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ. By the will of God By the appointment of God by the designment of Christ For every man in his particular calling is placed in it by the will of God St. Paul saith he was an Apostle by the will of God not by the will of man This is the same word as is in the beginning of the Epistle to the Philippians In a word it teacheth us this first Observation That we should think our selves in our standings and callings to be there by the will of God And therefore should serve him by whose will we are placed in that standing Let every man consider who placed me here God if
strength of love of ours it is his own free grace and love which is shed by the holy Ghost and springs only from his own goodnesse and loving nature and not from us at all this is Grace It must be distinguished from the fruits of it as the Apostle doth distinguish them Rom. 5. 15. Grace and the gifts of grace There is favour and the gifts of favour which is grace inherent in us Here especially is meant the fountaine and spring of all the favour of God with the manifestation of it with the increase of it with the continuance of it He wisheth these things the favour of God with the manifestation of it to their souls that as God would be gracious to them so that he would shew his Grace that he would discover it and shine upon them and to that end that he would give them his holy Spirit to shed his love into their hearts This shining of God into the heart this shedding of the love of God into the heart is the Grace here meant Gods favour with the manifestation of it to the soul and with the continuance of it and the increase of it still Grace unto you As if he should have said I wish you the favour of God and the report of it to your souls that as he loves you through his Christ so he would witnesse as much by his holy Spirit to your souls And I wish you likewise the continuance of it and the increase of it and the fruits of it likewise for that must not be excluded all particular graces which are likewise called Graces They have the name of favours because they come from favour and favour is the chief thing in them What is the chief thing in joy in faith in love they are graces they cannot be considered as qualifications as earthly things in us they proceed from the grace and love of God and have their especial value from thence So I wish you the manifestation the continuance and increase of favour with all the fruits of Gods favour especially such as concern a better life The word is easily understood after the common sence Grace is the loving and free respect of a superiour to an inferiour the respect of a Magistrate to such as are under him such a one is in grace with the Prince we say we mean not any inherent thing but free grace So in Religion it is not any inherent habitual thing Grace but it is free favour and whatsoever issues from free favour This must be the rather observed this phrase against the Papists we say we are Justified by Grace and so do they what do they mean by being justified by Grace that is by inherent Grace we say No we are justified by Grace that is by the free favour of God in Jesus Christ so is the acception of the word But to come to the point that which I will now note is this that A Christian though he be in the state of Grace and favour with God yet still he needs the continuance of it He stands in need of the continuance of God St. Paul here prayes for Grace and peace to those that were in the state of Grace already Why The reason of it is that we run into new breaches every day of our selves as long as there is a spring of corruption in us a cursed issue of corruption so long there will be some actions and speeches and thoughts that will issue that would of themselves break our peace with God or at least hinder the sweet sence of it therefore we have continual occasion to renew our desires of the sence and feeling of the favour of God and to renew our pardon every day to take out a pardon of course as we have now the liberty to do so oft as we confesse our sins he is mercifull to forgive us and to win his favour we have need every day still still of Grace I list not to joyn in conflict here with the Papists concerning their opinion I will but touch it by the way to shew the danger of it They will not have all of meer Grace but Christians are under Grace while they are in this World as St. Paul saith all is Grace Grace still nay at the day of judgement The Lord shew mercy to the house of One siphorus at that day at the day of judgement Grace and mercy must be our plea till we come to heaven They stand upon Grace to enable us to the work and then by the work we may merit our own salvation and so they will not have it of Grace of gift but as a stipend a thing of merite Directly contrary to St. Paul Rom. 6. ult Eternal life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of gift The gift of God a free gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. So from the first Grace to Eternall life which is the complement of all all is Grace As for the New Testament it is the Covenant of Grace the whole carriage of our salvation is called the Covenant of Grace because God of Grace doth enter into Covenant with us He sent Christ of Grace who is the foundation of the Covenant The fulfilling of it on our part is of Grace he gives us faith Faith is the gift of God he puts his fear in our hearts that we should not depart from him And when he enters into Covenant with us it is of Grace and love It was of Grace that he sent Christ to be the foundation of the Covenant that in the satisfying of his justice he might be gracious to us without disparagement to his justice Of Grace he fulfils the condition on our part we are no more able to believe then we are to fulfil the law but he inables us by his word and spirit attending upon the meanes of Salvation to fulfil the Covenant And when we have done all he gives us of Grace Eternal life all is of Grace There is nothing in the Gospel but Grace therefore in the Ephes. 1. it is stood upon by the Apostle To the praise of the Glorie of his rich Grace From Election to Glorification all is to the Glorie of his Grace We ought to conceive of God as a Gracious Father withholding his anger which we deserve to be poured upon us by the intercession of Christ withholding that anger and the fruits of it And notwithstanding we are in Grace if we neglect to seek to God the Father if we neglect to seek to Christ who makes intercession for us then though we be in the first Grace still we are not east away yet we are filii sub ira sons under wrath we are under Anger though not under hatred Therefore every day we should labour to maintain the Grace of God with the assurance of it It is a great matter to carrie our selvs so as we may be under the sence and feeling of the Grace of God It
there is a presence of the Spirit that comforts As we see oft times a man is comforted with the very sight of his friend without discourse to a man indued with reason whose discomforts are spirituall for the most part in the soule the very presence of a man that he loves puts much delight into him What is God then the God of comfort his very presence must needs comfort Comfort is taken many other wayes but these are the principall to this purpose First Comfort is the thing it selfe there is comfort in every creature of God and God is the God of that comfort In hunger meate comforts in thirst drink comforts in cold garments comfort in want of advice friends comfort and it is a sweet comfort God is the God of all comfort of the comfortable things But besides the necessary things every sense hath somewhat to comfort it The eye besides ordinary colours hath delightfull colours to behold and so the eare besides ordinary noise and sounds it hath musick to delight it the smell besides ordinarie savours it hath sweet flowers to refresh it and so every part of the body besides that which is ordinarie it hath somewhat to comfort it Because God is nothing but comfort to his creature if it be as it should be he is God of these comforts the God of all comfort of the comfort of outward things of friends c. So he is the God of the second comfort of comfortable reasons and arguments for a man especially in inward troubles must have grounds of comfort from strong reasons God ministreth these he is the God of these for he hath given us his Scriptures his Word and the comforts that are fetched from thence are strong ones because they are his comforts it is his Word The word of a Prince comforts though he be not there to speake it though it be a letter or by a Messenger yet he whose word it is is one that is able to make his word good he is Lord and Master of his word The Word of God is comfortable and all the reasons that are in it and that are deduced from it upon good ground and consequence they are comfortable because it is Gods word he is the God of all And those comforts in Gods word and reasons from thence they are wonderfull in the variety of them there is comfort from the liberty of a Christian laid out there that he hath free access to the throne of Grace comfort from the Prerogatives of a Christian that he is the Child of God that he is justified that he is the heire of Heaven and such like Comforts from the Promises of Grace of the presence of God of assistance by his presence these things out of the Word of God are wondrous plentifull Indeed the Word of God is a breast of comfort as the Prophet cals it Suck comfort out of the breasts of comfort Isa. 66. The books of God are breasts of comfort wels of comfort Isa. 11. there are springs of comfort Gods word is a Paradise as it were in Paradise there were sweet streams that ran through and in Paradise stirred the voyce of God not onely calling Adam where art thou terrifying of him but the voyce of God promising Adam the blessed seed So in the Word of God there is God rouzing out of sinne and there is God speaking peace to the soule there is a sweet current of mercie runs from the Paradise of God and there is the Tree of life Christ himselfe and Trees of all manner of fruit comforts of all sorts whatsoever And there is no Angel there to keep the doore and gate of Paradise with a fierie flaming sword No this Paradise is open for all and they are cruell Tyrants that stop th is Paradise that stop this Fountain as the Papists doe As God is the God of comfort so he is the God of comfort in that respect But this is not enough to make him the God of comfort we may have the Word of God and all the reasons from thence from priviledges and prerogatives and examples and yet not be comfortable if we have not the God of comfort with the Word of comfort the Spirit of God that must apply the comfort to the soule and be the God of comfort there For there must be application and working of comfort out of Gods word upon the soule by the spirit the spirit must set it on strongly and sweetly that the soule may be affected You may have a carnall man he for fashion or custome reads the Scriptures and he is as dead-hearted when he hath done as when he began he never looks to the spirit of comfort there must be the spirit of God to work and to apply comfort to the heart and to teach us to discourse and to reason from the Word not onely to shew the reasons of the Word but to teach us to draw reasons from the Word and to apply them to our particular state and condition the spirit teacheth this wisedome And therefore it is well called the comforter I will send you the comforter The poore disciples had many comforts from Christ but because the Comforter was not come they were not comfortable but heavie what was the reason because the Comforter was not come when the holy Ghost was come after the resurrection and ascension of Christ when he had sent the Comforter then they were so full of comfort that they rejoyced that they were thought worthy to suffer any thing for Christ and the more they suffered the more joyfull and comfortable and glorious they were You see what a comfort is it is the things themselves and the word and reasons from it and likewise the spirit of God with the reasons and with presence sometimes without any reasons with present strength God doth establish the soule together with reasons there is a strengthning power of the spirit a vigour that goes with the spirit of God that joyns with the spirit of the afflicted person So whether it be the outward thing as reasons and discourse or the presence of the spirit God joyning with our spirit God is the God of that comfort the God of all comfort A comfort is any thing that allaies a maladie that either takes it away or allaies and mitigates it A comfort is any thing that raiseth up the soul The comforts that wee have in this life they are not such as doe altogether take away sorrow and griefe but they mitigate them Comfort is that which is above a maladie it is such a remedie as is stronger to support the soul from being cast down over much with the grievance whether it be grievance felt that we are in the sence of such a grievance as is feared when the soule apprehends any thing to set against the ill we feare that is stronger then it when the soule hath somewhat that it can set against the present sence of the grievance that is stronger
that he possibly could fuffer and he laid in the other balance the things that he had in hope and promise and he resolves all that I can suffer that should shake me off from my course it is not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed saith he if you balance both you will conclude this There are many things that may shake us in our Christian course St. Paul thought of all Satans snares I am not ignorant of his enterprizes saith he And then for the world that might cast trumperie in his way saith he I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me And for any thing that might happen to him he knew that the issue of all things should work for the best to them that love God he includes himself Rom. 8. saith he We know it before-hand we believe before troubles or evills come come what will the issue of all things is in the regiment and power of God and as he pleaseth all shall work for the best to those that love God and therefore as I am so I will be What should hinder if all things help me nothing can hinder me And then Saint Paul took this course he looked forward still Philip 3. I presse forward to the price of the high calling he forgat that which was behind and he resolved to go forward he had a mind to grow better and better alway and this comforted him that he should hold out to the end For it is the reward of a growing Christian to have a sweet sense of his present state of Grace in Gods favour and to hold out to the end Such a man is like the Sun that growes up still till he come to high noon-day as Solomon saith Saint Paul took this course he strove for perfection he had a crown in his eye a crown of righteousnesse and glory and that will not suffer a man to be idle and cold that hath such a thing in his eye Saint Paul to whet his endeavour not onely looked forward but to glory for as Christ looked to the glorie and despised the shame so Saint Paul looked to the crown and despised all his sufferings Then besides Saint Paul was conscious of his own sincerity for grace carries its own witnesse with it self as he saith here I know my conversation This is the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity and sincerity I have walked before you He knew that sincerity is accompanied with constancie and perseverance It is a rule that alway constancie and perseverance are companions with simplicity and sincerity I have begun in sincerity hitherto now I am sincere and have expressed to you the truth of my heart and of my courses and as I am so I meane to be therefore having begun in sincerity I know I shall end in perseverance and constancy Truth of grace is accompanied with constancy all other things are but grasse they are but shewes they will vanish but sincerity the truth of grace is a Divine thing The Word of the Lord that is grace wrought by the Word of the Lord that endures for ever Where there is truth of grace though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed there is perseverance to the end S. Paul knew this well and therefore he builds his trust on these things on these courses that he took We should all take the like course look to S. Paul's grounds and take his courses those be they that will hold out to the end Judicious consideration of all the difficulties to put into the balance what impediments we shall have from the world and what will be great to us when it is ballanced with the glory to come And withall to aime forward still as S. Paul did And take another course that he took likewise to depend upon grace continually he knew there was a Throne of grace open to him alway for the time to come as well as for the time past and present He knew that Christ in heaven was alway full of grace he knew he should not want in any exigent when he should go to him he knew that God would not destitute or forsake any of his Children them that he hath called to see the necessity of wisdome and of courage and comfort Let us do therefore as S. Paul was answered from heaven say His Grace is sufficient for us if not to keep us from all sin yet to keep us in comfortable courses to keep us in sincerity and simplicity the Grace of God is sufficient to bring us to heaven Let us perswade our selves that if we go on in Christian courses in that confidence God will give us grace to bring us to heaven This was S. Paul's confidence therefore he saith I trust you shall acknowledge to the end because I know that I shall continue in simplicity and sincerity to the end God will keep me I shall have grace to beg and he will give me grace for his gifts in this kind can never be repented of Let us take from S. Paul this course and this comfort This course to trust in God for the time to come to have constant resolutions for the time to come to cleave to God and to good courses Let us every day renew our Covenants in this kind and our resolutions to do nothing against conscience to go on in Christian courses let it be our constant course For as Gods Children know they shall continue to the end so it is wrought from resolution so to do and this resolution stirres them up to depend upon God by prayer that he would knit their hearts to him that they may fear his Name that he would give them Grace sufficient c. that he would establish their hearts as David prayes This resolution it drives them to prayer and to all good courses that God would stablish them in every good work in every good thought and desire and that he would knit their hearts nearer to him Resolve therefore every day in dependance upon God to take good courses that so whensoever any Judgment of God shall come or when the hour of death shall light on us it may not come as a snare that it may take us in good resolutions it is no matter how we dye in outward respects if we dye in good resolutions As we resolve so we are for our resolutions are full of will wishes and resolutions they carry the whole man with them and God esteems a man by his will For if there be impediments that are not impossible to man resolution will break through all God judgeth men by their resolutions Teach me O Lord thy Statutes and I will keep them even to the end I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Judgments every day take we these promises to our selves and bind our selves with them to God In vowes be chary I do not speak of them now I speak of purposes and resolutions alway take in
year as a good parenthesis in an unlearned and unwitty speech A good parenthesis is unseemly in a wicked speech and a good piece is unseemly in a ragged garment so their lives that make a good shew then and there are few that do so they are scarce among us men are such Atheists that there is not outward reformation but if there be if they give themselves leave to be Civill and to respect holy things a little time afterward they return to their loosenesse again Doth this patching out of a holy life please God No no I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Statutes saith David And S. Paul I have resolved to be so to the end I will be my self still So where grace is there is a resolution against all sin for the time to come If you entertain not this resolution to walk in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of your life acknowledge no benefit by Christs redemption and come not near the holy things of God This is the honest heart that the Scripture speaks of that receives the seed deep into it that hates sin above all miseries and ills and that loves grace above all other good things therefore if any infirmity come he can say it is against his resolution I purposed not this I plotted it not I do not allow my self in it here is an honest heart the Word is fixed deeply in such a heart it comes with an honest resolution If you come to the Sacrament and purpose to live in sin you prophane the holy things of God the Word of God will do you no good it will never take deep root to save you So much for S. Paul's resolution for the time to come I trust 〈◊〉 shall acknowledge to the end VERSE XIV As also you have acknowledged us in part that we are your rejoycing even 〈◊〉 ye are ours in the Day of the Lord Jesus YOu have acknowledged us in part now since you have repented for when he wrote the former Epistle to them they had many corruptions among them in Doctrine and in conversation about the Sacrament many corrupt opinions they had and in conversation they endured the incestuous man among them without casting of him out and many of them doubted of the Resurrection Now when he wrote the first Epistle it took a blessed effect in their hearts they repented and began to acknowledge S. Paul notwithstanding they were disasted of him by reason of the bad information of some presumptuous Teachers saith he now again You have acknowledged us in part that now we are your rejoycing c. Observe this which I touch by way of coherence It is a sign of a repentant man of a man that hath repented of his sins and is in a good estate to acknowledge him that hath told him of his sins to acknowledge his Pastor For a false heart swells against the reproof if the Corinthians had not been sound hearted they would never have endured S. Paul's sharp Epistle but now he tells them their own plainly as indeed it is a very sharp Epistle in many passages yet now they acknowledged him to be a good and gracious man a faithful Teacher Let it be a Trial of your estate can you endure a plain a powerfull an effectual Ministery More particularly can you endure a plain effectual friend that brings that which is spoken by the Minister more particularly home to your hearts It is a sign of a good heart of a repentant heart that would be better But if not it is a sign you have a reserved love to some special sin that will be your bane it is a sign your soules have not repented As you see after in another Chapter of this Epistle where he sets down the fruits of repentance And here is one sign Tâ—… have acknowledged us in part c. In the words First There is the thing it self acknowledgment Secondly the object matter of it That we are your rejoycing and you are ours There is a mutual entercourse of rejoycing And then the time is set down The Day of the Lord Jesus The second coming of Christ. To speak a little of Acknowledgment Acknowledgment is more then Knowledge for knowledge is a bare naked apprehension and acknowledgment is when the will and affections yield to the entertaining and the owning of the thing known As a father not onely knowes his son but acknowledgeth him a King acknowledgeth his Subjects and the Subjects their Prince It is not onely a knowledge of such men but an acknowledging of them acknowledging a relation to them So you acknowledge us that is in the relation we stand to you to be faithful and good Ministers and good men too What doth S. Paul mean by saying You have acknowledged us doth he mean himself No not altogether but you have acknowledged me in my faithful preaching of Christ to you Wheresoever the Minister is acknowledged as a Minister Christ is acknowledged For what are we We are but the Ministers of Christ no more nor no lesse Saith S. Paul Let a man esteem of us as of the Ministers of Christ. If they think of us more then Ministers that we can make and coyn things of our own they think too much of us If they think meanly and basely of us they think too little of us Let a man think of us as of the Ministers of Christ no more nor no lesse it is enough that they acknowledge us so as the Ministers of Christ. So they are never acknowledged but Christ is acknowledged by them for they have a relative office they are the Ministers of Christ. How shall we know then whether we acknowledge the Minister or no If we acknowledge Christ first by him How shall we know that we acknowledge Christ To acknowledge Christ God-man in his natures that we have a great deal of love to him that he would be born for us and a great deal of reverence in that he is God We must not think-of him but-with a great deal of reverence and meddle with nothing of him but with much love he is God-man God incarnate He acknowledgeth Christ in his Priestly Office that doth not despair that doth believe his full satisfaction to God and doth not mingle other things Popish satisfaction and Purgatory for venial sins He acknowledgeth Christs Priestly Office that goes boldly to God through Christs intercession-in heaven and boldly trusts in the satisfaction of Christ in the clamours of conscience and the accusations of Satan This is to acknowledge Christ a Priest in our boldnesse and liberty to God and confidence in our conscience of the forgivenesse of sins To acknowledge Christ as a King is to yield subjection to his Word and to suffer him to rule us To acknowledge him as a Prophet to be instructed and guided by him But now such as are ruled by their own lusts and by the examples of others and care
creatures in glory Consider with whom you have to deale him that ere long shall be wonderfull in his Saints Therefore come prepared come joyfully come faithfully come reverently and holy and you shall find a blessing answerable This I thought good to touch concerning the occasion of the Sacrament Ye are our rejoying At the day of the Lord Jesus Saint Paul esteemed of nothing but that which would comfort him at that day Therefore let us oft think of the day of the Lord Jesus Why what will make us digest labour and pains in dealing with the soules of others in doing good and being fruitful in our places The consideration of that Day there is a Day will come that will make amends for all and that is the day of the Lord Jesus And considering that there is such a day let us make much of the day of the Lord that is now left us what is that This day The Lords Day Revel 1. it is called The Lords Day And as I said labour to be acquainted with that Lord that must be Judge of quick and dead then The Lord hath a day now wherein we may be acquainted with him by hearing his Word by yielding obedience of his truth unfolded to us therefore let us make much of this day if we would have comfort at that Day Ye are our rejoycing in the Day of the Lord. VERSE XV. And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before that you might have a second benefit or Grace IN this confidence In this assurance in this perswasion I was minded to come to you That you might have a second benefit saith the last translation it doth diminish the strength of the word therefore go from the Text to the margin you have oft-times a fitter word in the margin Charis The word is pregnant in the Original it signifieth Grace if it signifie a benefit at all it signifies a benefit that issues from grace and favour benefit is a weaker word Grace though it be not so common is a fit word and reaches to the strength of the word in the Original to the meaning of the Apostle so it is better to read it so That you might have a second Grace Saint Paul in this Verse sets down what intention he had to come to them And likewise the end of his intention In the next Verse he sets down the manner how he would come to them Fourthly he shewes why he came not to them it was to spare them as he faith afterward Here in this Verse he shewes what his intention was My intention was to come to you In this confidence I was minded to come to you To what end That you might have a second benefit His intention is set down by the inward moving cause his confidence In this confidence I was minded to come to you I will speak of his intention and purpose of coming And of the end of it And in his purpose of coming of the moving cause his confidence In this confidence What is that In this confidence because I am assured that you are my rejoycing and I yours in the day of the Lord Jesus in this confidence that you will be so to me and I to you In this confidence Saint Paul had a good opinion of them The inward moving cause of S. Paul to come it was a good conceit of them It is good as far as possibly we can to cherish a good judgment and conceit of others Let others have as good place in our affections as possibly may be Why If they be good we wrong them else even in our conceit We do not onely wrong men in our speeches and actions but in our sinister judgments in the censures of our minds therefore we should have as good conceit of men as possibly we can in that regard And likewise because confidence and assurance that they have something in them that is good and it will be better with them after in the day of the Lord this will be a means to stir us up to deserve well of them Hope stirs up Will we have no mind to a thing that we have not hope of And likewise Hope stirs up endeavour And Hope keeps in endeavour What makes a man so long in endeavouring the good of others he hath some hope they are good and will be better So it stirres up our will the bent of it it stirres it stirres up endeavour upon will and it keeps us in endeavour when we hope for good at mens hands And therefore we ought not to cast off men especially those that are young for imperfections The Corinthians were weak and carnal as you may see in the former Epistle yet in this confidence that they had repented of their ill usage of S. Paul he was minded to come to them Persons that are the subjects of hope are not free from infirmities Novices cannot have that perfection that grown Christians have at the first Consider further what is of passion and what is of the poyson of nature consider what is of infirmity and what is of malice Consider what sins they have been longer accustomed to and how hardly such sins are suddenly broken off These considerations would mitigate something where we see any degree of goodnesse Oh this pleaseth now some vicious-disposed persons they think this makes for them Not at all what I speak is where there is any ground to hope well of S. Paul had some ground for he wrote a sharp Epistle to them and he saw they were amended on it he saw they yielded they acknowledged that is they reformed by his Ministery and by his Epistle So where we discern reformation that there is a willingnesse of amendment we must hope of such though they be sometimes overtaken And if they be overtaken we must construe it to the best the temptation perhaps was great and they were not watchful at that time the subtilty of the opposition and the malice of men was great and their caution was not so great thus we may construe to bear with them if upon the discovery of their fault they become pliable but otherwise if they arm themselves with malice and bitter poyson and resolve to be so still there is no hope no confidence of such Saint Paul's confidence here was with evidence from their carriage they gave him some cause to be so confident Therefore it is in vain to think that we are too censorious when we tell you of your faults that very conceit that you think bitterly and arm your selves with resolutions rather to vex those that inform you then to amend that which is amisse that is as ill a disposition as ill a state as can be We can hope for no good of such yet notwithstanding we ought so far to hope of them as nor to give them over as S. Paul saith 2 Tim. 2. To prove if at any time God will shew mercy to them to deliver them out of the
snare of the devil They are in the Devils snare yet we ought still to take pains with them for we know not whether it will please God at that time or at any time to have mercy on them and deliver them out of the snare of Satan If God bear with them we ought to bear with them as well as teach them but to have a good conceit of them when we see them maliciously bent against those that tell them of their faults we cannot If this be so It should be an encouragement for all those that are under others that inform and instruct them to give them some good occasion and ground to hope well of them You would have us hope well of you what ground do you give what is your company Shall we think you are good because you converse with those that are swearers with vicious and carnal company would you have us blind Charity indeed interprets the best but it is not blind What shall we judge of you by your outward demeanour and carriage that is oft-times scandalous and offensive when your speeches are filthy and corrupt joyned with blasphemies and oathes daring God as it were whether he will suffer you to carry it away unrevenged and unpunished or not Where this abominable corruption of heart discovers it self outwardly in the tongue how can we entertain good conceits of you You think we wrong you by not conceiving thus and thus of you what ground have we what hold have we from any thing that is in you or from you so to conceit Resolve on this there cannot be grievance offered to the Minister but you must reward ill to your own soules if you be not his joy it will be your sorrow you will have the worst of it And therefore study as much as may be to have the good hope and confidence of others This will stirre up willingnesse and stirre up endeavour as it did in S. Paul the good hope he had of them by their repentance and reformation and pliablenesse it stirred up his diligence they gained by it but I mean not to stand on that In this confidence that you will be my joy and I yours in the day of the Lord. I was minded to come unto you Saint Paul was minded to come unto them You see then That Personal presence hath a special power and efficacy Personal presence hath more efficacy then writing For there the holy things that are delivered they are as it were acted to the life Men are wondrously affected when they see gracious things delivered with life and feeling it hath a wondrous lively working Therefore S. Paul tells the Romanes Rom. 1. 15. that beside his learned and worthy Epistle he wrote to them he was desirous also to preach the Gospel to them But some object Reading is preaching say they Some kind of preaching But not that which the Apostle meant for then Saint Paul's Epistle was preaching some kind of preaching But I speak not to Sophisters but saith Saint Paul I desire to preach the Word to you by vocall teaching it hath a special efficacy It is wondrous good praying for others and writing to others but presence when the Minister is the mouth of God with them and to them their mouth to God to pray together with them and Gods mouth to speak to them this presence is of a wondrous efficacy therefore S. Paul saith I purposed to come to you It should stirre up in our hearts an esteem of the Ordinance of God of Preaching or else we sleight it with the prejudice of our our soules For doth God appoint it for any thing but for our own good There is a common Objection which because it is raised out of this Epistle and may be answered out of this Epistle I will answer Oh say some a lively voice hath not alway that Energy that operation that writing and reading have for we see S. Paul's Epistle was more terrible then his presence It is the Objection of men that content themselves in their own idlenesse wresting of such places as this Among the rest 2 Cor. 10. 10. say they His bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible but his letters seem terrible Therefore this is not alway true That bodily presence hath more efficacy then writing I answer briefly Saint Paul compares not here his bodily presence with his letters as if his letters were more efficacious then his bodily presence but he compares his mild dealing being present with his sharp dealing being absent his letters indeed were sharper then his presence But to take away such Cavils he tells them after that they shall know if they reform not that his presence shall be as sharp as his writings Let such a one think this Such as we are in word being absent such will we be when we are present We will be as sharp if you reform not in our presence as we were absent So he compares the sharpnesse of his letter with the sweetnesse of his presence It is not to be taken in that sense that his letters were more effectual of themselves then his presence for he saith the contrary You shall know that my presence shall be as sharp as my letter was Therefore it is but a Cavil to think there is more efficacy in Reading then in Preaching That you might have a second Grace I come now to S. Paul's end His intention and purpose was to come The end of his coming was to bestow a grace on them by his presence In general Observe here That Holy men are fel on work from holy moving causes and holy aimes Holy aimes are the winds that carry them to their businesse and they are the water that drive their Mill. I come with a holy confidence that you will be my joy here is my moving cause What is my aime in coming It is this to bestow a grace on you Holy men have holy aimes for holy actions they have holy grounds and holy moving causes When two men do the same thing yet it is not the same thing perhaps their aimes differ their moving causes differ Saint Paul comes here to do a good thing from a good end from a good moving cause In this confidence I was minded to come to bestow a grace on you Let us look in all our actions therefore to our moving cause and to our aimes And especially Ministers their aime it should not be for the fleece it should not be to gain respect or any advantage to themselves but to bestow some spiritual good thing As the Apostle saith Rom. 1. To bestow some good thing upon you some grace as he calls it This should be their aime not to receive good from them so much as to do them good Ministers are fathers they should have that tender disposition Parents do not think of receiving much they look to that in the second place that must be maintained but specially they look
there is a God and God is unchangeably true there would be nothing true in the world for all truth is therefore true because it is answerable to that exemplar truth that is true in God answerable to Gods conceit and decree of things This I observe the rather because it is a fundamental thing it doth wondrously stablish our faith in Divine truths when we know it comes from God that is true If we would seek for evidences of our faith then we must go within us and see what love and what hope what combat between the flesh and spirit there is but if we look for any thing to stablish our faith go out of us consider the unchangeable truth of God whose truth it is God as God creating a reasonable creature he must give him some revealed truth he could not be worshipped else How must we know this revealed truth whereby he will be worshipped by the reasonable creature for no man will be served by his servant as he pleaseth how shll we know these certain truths because they come from his nature God is true and as God is true so our word to you was not you and way that is it was true There is the same ground of the certainty of Evangelicall truth as there is of God himself to be true To add a little further in the Point consider the truth of God every way the faithfulnesse of God as it signifies in the originall as God is faithful Consider what relations God hath put upon him in his divine truth how he will be thought on And then bring those relations to his nature for there we must pitch at last What is he to us and how hath he revealed himself to us Thus and thus What is he in his nature So and so and there we must rest For instance The Lord hath made many promises who is it that hath made them he that is true and unchangably true there the soul rests in the nature of God But what relations hath he put upon him he is a God and a Lord and a Judge and a Father c. Now as he is God he is true therefore he will do all things that a true God should doe he will uphold his creature while he will have his creature continue he will give it life and being and motion And as a Lord he will do with his own what he list and it is not for us to contend with him why he will do this or that why he makes one rich and another poore He is Lord of all and a true Lord therefore we must give authority to this true Lord. And then as he is a Judge he corrects men for sin and rewards them for the good they do As a Judge sometime he punisheth them inwardly in conscience sometimes outwardly All the good we have is from this that he is a faithful and true God therefore there we must rest He is a true Judge he rewards every man according to his works whether they be good or evill And so in the relation of a Father he is a true Father he corrects when time serves he rewards and encourageth when time serves he gives an inheritance to his Children and hath pity and compassion on his Children when time serves He is a true Father Other fathers do this and that out of passion not out of truth and goodnesse but he doth So when we consider God in his relations consider of the attribute of his truth All truth in his Word comes from this God is true This truth is sealed by this that our truth to you our word to you was not yea and nay uncertain Gods truth is not uncertain and variable There is no shadow of change in him and his Word is like himself We say usually in the word of an honest man and that is something In verbum Sâ—…rdotis in the word of a Priest it was accounted in former times a great matter it should be so indeed In the word of a King is a great matter But when God saith in the Word of a God The Word of the Lord hath spoken so It is not yea and nay it was not flexible and doubtful because it is the Word of him that hath the command of all that he saith it is his VVord that is Lord of Heaven and Earth Now when he that saith a thing is the Lord of Heaven and Earth he is Lord of his own Word therefore what he saith is not yea and nay uncertain for he can make good what he saith There is the same ground of Evangelicall truth as there is of God himself to be true I will speak no more in the unfolding of the Point it is plain that God is true Is this true that God is true that he is truth it self then many things issue from hence It is a ground of many other truths It was the ground of all the Uses that S. Paul makes of the Word of God it is profitable every way I will name some principall to avoid multiplicity in a plain Point God is true and his Word is true hereupon the threatenings of God must needs be true even as true as God himself If this be so then unlesse we will make another Scripture another Word this Word is yea That Word that threatens sin that Idolaters and covetous and wantons shall never enter into the Kingdome of heaven Be not deceived saith the Apostle that Word is yea it is true God is true this must follow therefore that whatsoever he saith is true therefore his threatenings are true It is a truth that hath influence into all other truths whatsoever that which is prefixed here by S. Paul not onely as an oath As Gad is true so his Word is not yea and nay but certain but I say it hath influence into all other truths whatsoever threatnings promises directions all are therefore true because God is true Therefore those that shuffle off the threatnings and think they shall do well and blesse themselves Gods wrath shall smoak against them for God must alter his nature and his Word must be altered or else his judgments must stick on them to death and damnation without repentance If God should not be avenged on ordinary swearers and blasphemers if adulterers should live in such sins and ever come to heaven they must have another God and another Word of God this hath said they shall not enter into heaven that live in these sins If it be true as God is true what horrible Atheisme is in the hearts of men to think that God will change his nature though they do not change their course and that the Word of God shall alter though they will not alter what hope can prophane blasphemous persons have that make but a trifle of swearing when God hath said they shall not go unpunished and those that live in a filthy course when God hath said Whor emongers and adulterers God will judge without horrible
atheisme how can these men hope for favour from God when he hath sealed his Word with this that as he is true and truth it self his Word is true they shall never enter into heaven So again if this be true that God is true and his Word thereupon is not yea and nay it serves to comfort us many wayes When we are oppressed in the sense of sin If we confesse our sins he is merciful to forgive our sins he that is true hath said it whose Word is not yea and nay but yea trust to it If we doubt of perseverance for the time to come he that hath begun a good work will perfect it to the day of the Lord. He is yea and his Word is yea he is true and his Word is true Again hence for our judgment we learn this truth That the Word of God hath the same ground of truth as God himself therefore it is the Judge of all Controversies of all things questionable in Religion the Word of God is Judge because it is not yea and nay but yea and it is true as God is true And it is Judge of this controversie too whether it be the Word of God The question between the Papists and us is whether the Epistles and the Prophets be the Word of God or no whether is it or no I answer from Apostolical testimony S. Paul saith As God is true his Word is true the true Word of God and All Scripture is given by inspiration The Word of God therefore is the Judge of all Divine truths because it is most certain even as certain as God himself What are the properties of a chief Judge He must be true without errour authentical without appeal such as can from himself without a higher determine He must be infallible without perill of errour All these belong to Gods truth It is yea it is true without errour it is alway yea And then it is authenticall there is nothing higher but God himself whose Word it is and it hath the same authority that himself hath As God is true so it is true It is authenticall without all appeal we cannot go higher then God himself in his Word We cannot call God or Christ from heaven he hath left us his VVord and therefore it is to be credited of it self And it is infallibly true without danger of errour one depends upon another As God is true so our Word is true If God be true infallibly this issues by consequence that the Scripture is the Judge and infallibly true without danger of errour Hence we may know what to judge of that Romish assertion There are no other Judges in the world can be said to be yea alway Councels are not alway yea they are yea and nay what one Councell hath set down another hath reversed In the Councel of Basile the Pope was above the Councel In another Councel that is above the Pope So one Popes decrees thwart another The Popes are yea and nay and not yea for many hundred years they laboured to crosse and thwart one another So Councels and Popes are yea and nay and not alway yea Traditions of the Fathers are yea and nay and not alway yea they thwart themselves S. Austin the best of the Fathers to whom the Church is most chiefly beholding of all the rest he was yea and nay Doth he not retract He wrote a book of Retractations of his former opinions then he was yea and nay and yet a holy man That which is the Judge of controversies must be yea that is infallibly true authentically true that there be not a higher From all others from Fathers and Councels there may be appeal to Scripture but from Scripture to none because it is the Voice and Word of God All things else are yea and nay they are changeable and they may be so without prejudice to the being of them A Councell may be a good Councel and unconstant in many things Fathers may be holy Fathers and uncertain it is onely the prerogative of God to be infallible like himself unchangeable in his nature and his Word is like himself Hence likewise issues this That whatsoever agrees not with the Word of God which is not yea and nay is false and naught Therefore those opinions of the Church of Rome that say they cannot erre if they be not yea with this yea then they are not yea for onely the Word of God is not yea and nay but onely yea that is onely certain and true All other Religions that are not Divine are yea and nay Popery is not grounded upon the Word of God because it is yea and nay that is it is uncertain See how they crosse many wayes this Word of God that is alwayes yea and true as God himself is true Is it yea that they saw no Image of God and therefore they must make and worship no Image Nay saith the Church of Rome they have a nay for this yea they will make Images and worship them the Image of Mary and other Saints Yea saith the Scripture drink ye all of this Nay saith the Church of Rome they have a nay for this yea only the Priest must drink the wine Let the Word dwell plenteously in you is the yea of Scripture The Church of Rome hath a nay for this yea it is dangerous for the people to read the Scripture and therefore they are forbidden it VVe must pray with the understanding as well as with a good affection 1 Cor. 14. that is we must know how we pray it is proved at large excellently Nay understand or not understand so the intention be good saith Rome pray in Latine or howsoever there is their nay to this yea Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers is the yea of Gods Book therefore the soules of the Clergy and whosoever The Church of Rome hath a nay for this yea therefore their doctrine is bad for only God is true and his VVord is only not yea and nay but alway yea infallible therefore that which is contrary to it must needs be false If onely yea be true then that which is contrary to it must needs be false And likewise again if Gods VVord be not yea and nay that is not unconstant then whatsoever is unconstant and thwarts it self in contradictions is not Gods VVord Popery is full of inconstancy full of contradictions to it self First besides inconstancy and uncertainty it is full of contradictions it is yea and nay for a body to be in many places at once and yet a true body to be in a hundred in a million of places at once as they would have Christs body to be in the Sacrament here is to be and not to be a body and no body for it hath not the properties and quantity of a body for a body can be but in one place at one time here is yea and nay For Christ to be a perfect
Word of God To tremble at the Word of God as it is Esay 66. To tremble at it as men do at thunder The thunder is said to be the voice of God The voice of God shakes the Cedars of Lebanon so it is with the voice of Gods Word Shall the Lion roar and the beasts of the Forrest not tremble Shall God threaten for sins that we are obnoxious to and shall we not tremble at his threatenings Therefore howsoever we hear it as if it were yea and nay yet it is yea therefore let us not think to go on in sin and escape and do well enough No it will not be so he that thinks it is the Word of God he trembles at his VVord and hath answerable affections to all the parts of Gods VVord If God direct he followes if God threaten he trembles if he promise he believes if he command he obeyes he hath a pliable disposition to every passage of Divine truth or else we do not believe it What shall we say then of those that come not so far as the Heathen man did VVe know Felix when he heard of justice and temperance and judgment to come he trembled VVhen he heard of things that he was loath to hear that he should be called to a reckoning for the course of his life he trembled and quaked If we hear these things and live in a course perhaps worse then he and do not tremble where is our faith that the VVord of God is yea that it is undoubtedly true Let us therefore examine our selves what power and efficacy the VVord hath it is a VVord that changeth and altereth the whole man it transforms the whole man It is a VVord of life if we find it hath so altered and changed us we can from experience say it is yea And likewise from particular Promises if we observe Gods Promises made good to us if we find peace of conscience upon the confession of our sins we can say Gods VVord is yea If upon the committing of sin we find God punishing and correcting us we can say Gods VVord is yea and it is a bitter thing to offend God I find carefulnesse is the best course to please God he finds me out in my sins and it is a bitter thing to offend God This is the best way to say in truth without hypocrisie that Gods Word is not yea and nay but yea Thus we see this truth that God is true and what followes thence his Word is true as himself and not inconstant yea and nay Besides all this that I have said Let us make this Use of it not to think Gods Word to be too good to be true but yield obedience to it yield the obedience of faith to it in the Promises Here is a foundation for faith the foundation of faith is without us the evidences of faith are within us by love by purging our hearts and stirring us up to pray c. but the foundation is out of our selves here is a foundation and pillar for faith to lean on God is true and his Word is true and not yea and nay it is eternally true Therefore apply all the Promises in the Old and New Testament to thy self It was not yea to Abraham and not to thee Gods Promises of forgivenesse of sins were not yea to David and not to thee they were not yea to Manasses and not to thee but Gods truth is yea eternally yea Whatsoever was written heretofore was written for our comfort and we are now the Davids and the Manasses and the Abrahams of God we are now the beloved of God for every one in their age are as they were in theirs and as the Promises of God were yea to them and saved their souls because they trusted on them so certainly every Promise of God is a shield for those that will have recourse to it The Name of God is a strong Tower and his Word is his Name whereby he will be known in his Promises Have recourse to it on all occasions relie on the Word wrastle with him when his dealings seem contrary though his dealings with us seem to be yea and nay We have been Gods Children he hath assured us that we were in the state of grace but now he deals with us as if we were not his children he afflicts us he suffers Satan to be let loose on us to tempt us here flesh and blood is ready to say Certainly I am not Gods child can I be thus and thus followed as I am No no Gods gifts are without repentance Hadst thou ever grace God hath said it who is truth it self that his gifts are without repentance Build on it therefore if thou hadst ever any grace where he hath begun he will make an end Where he hath begun a good work he will perfect it to the day of the Lord. Therefore wrastle with God in all temptations when things seem contrary yet alledge Gods nature to him and his Word for both are true and one is true because the other is true He is true in his Nature and true in his Word and free in his decree whatsoever his actions seem to be yet Lord thou canst not deny thy self thou art unchangeable thou art truth it self And thy Word that hath promised regard and respect to humble sinners that repâ—…t and come to thee it is unchangeably true as thy self therefore Lord I will not leave thee though thou kill me as Job saith Here is a ground of wraâ—…ng as Jobâ—…d â—…d alledge the Nature of God and the Word of God against his dealing Let his dealing be what it will his Nature is true and his Word is true therefore his Promises are true which is a branch of his Word that if we repent and confesse our sins he will be mercifull to us Therefore let us not forsake our own mercy This will uphold us as in all temptations so in Divine temptations when God seems to forsake us so Christ himself our blessed head did we cannot have a better pattern when God left him on the Crosse and left him to his humane nature to wrastle with the Devils temptations and the pains of his body and the sense of his wrath My God my God why hast thou for saken me yet he upheld himself that God was his God still and so likewise in the former example of Job I say it is a speciall comfort that Gods Word is not yea and nay as I said it is not doubtful as the Oracles of the Gentiles the Oracles of the Devill but Gods Word is certain Whatsoever it was to any Saint of God heretofore it is to every believing to every humble afflicted soul now and shall be to the end of the world So much for that VERSE XIX For the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us by me and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him is yea IN the words the Apostle shews in particular
Parasites that when God calls them to stand for true causes what do they make their rule Not Gods constant yea but they bend and bow to opinion as if the opinion of any man in the World were the rule of their faith and obedience This is to make men and no men Is not the written Word of God the VVord of God Is not the law the law politike lawes I speak not of shall a man yield to mens opinion especially if the VVord do not warrant it shall he yield to any man living that is inconstant by his disposition There is truth which is certain that a man must maintain to the Death He is not onely a Martyr that maintaines Religion John Baptist was a Martyr that stood out in a matter that was not against heresie but for the standing out against Herod he did not yield as many thousands would have done in such a case Thou must not have thy Brother Philips wife it is unlawful Men ought to suffer for the truths of nature and not deny truth whatsoever because it is a Divine sparkle from God If it be any truth whatsoever it must be stood in because it is constant and it is the best thing in the world next to Divine and saving truth If this be so that the Gospel and Divine truth be yea and that the Church at all times hath been built on that and that whosoever is saved is saved by that yea Let us labour to have a faith answerable to our truth We say and distinguish well there is a certainty of the thing and a certainty of the mind apprehending the thing It is certain the Sun is bigger then the earth but you shall never perswade a simple Countrey-man that it is so There is a certainty of the object but not of the subject he will never believe it because it is against sense But now there must be both in a Christian. The Apostles doctrine the truth he doth believe the truth in the Scripture is yea that is it is certain and true and not yea and nay it is not flexible it is not as the Heathen Oracles were that is doubtful and wavering Let our assent be answerable to the truth let us build soundly on a sound foundation As a Ship that is to rest in the middest of the waves there is a double certainty necessary that the Anchor-hold be good in it self and that it be fastned upon somewhat that is firm if it be a weak anchor or if it be fastned upon gound that will not hold the Ship is tossed about with waves and so split upon some rock or other So our soules require a double certainty we must have an Anchor of faith as well as an object of faith we must have an Anchor of hope as well as an object For the object we may cast Anchor there it is Divine truth which will hold there is no doubt of that it is yea but then our Anchor must be firm our faith and affiance Let us labour to build soundly and strongly upon it It should be our endeavour continually to stablish our faith to stablish our hope that we may know on what terms we live and on what terms to dye Do but consider the difference between an understanding strong Christian and another A Christian that is judicious and understanding ask him in what estate he is why comfortable what is the ground of his faith why thus I live in no known sin I confesse my sins to God my doctrine is yea and I labour to bring my life to my doctrine Ask another What do you mean to live so loosely and carelesly why will you stand thus will you be content to die so perhaps he doth not know sound doctrine or if he do it is confusedly he doth not build on that rock on that foundation O let us labour to build stronger and stronger on the truth Our building strongly makes us eternal Gods truth is eternal truth because it makes us eternal Is it not a strange thing that man that is chaffe and vanity and smoak whose life passeth as a tale that is told that yet notwithstanding if he build on this yea which is certain and infallible the doctrine of the Gospel it will make him a rock a living stone it will make him eternal All flesh is grasse but the Word of God endures for ever What a comfort is this our life being a vapour and vanity and growing to nothing that the time will shortly come when we shall be no more no more in this world then to have Divine truth that will make us eternal Psal. 90. Moses a good man he saw men drop away faith he Thou art our eternal habitation from Generation to Generation What is the meaning of that That is We dwell in thee here in our Pilgrimage to Canaan we drop away but Thou art our habitation from Generation to Generation So when a Christian considers his life is uncertain all things are vanity that support this life yet notwithstanding I have a yea to build on the Divine truth The Word of the Lord endures for ever and it will make me endure for ever It is a Rock it self it makes me a Rock it will make me a living stone built on that foundation that all the gates of hell shall not prevail against my faith and hope What a comfort is this We have nothing without this Yea we are yea and nay and our happinesse is yea and nay we are so happy now as we may be miserable to morrow Let us labour to build on Divine truth which is like it self that in all the Changes of the world we may have somewhat that is unalterable that is as unchangeable as God himself As S. Paul here brings God himself As God is true my word to you was not yea and nay but yea So much shall suffice for that Verse I go on to the 20. Verse VERSE XX. For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen THis comes in after this manner My Preaching to you saith he was invariable and constant because Christ himself is alway yea if Christ the matter of my preaching be alwayes yea and I preach nothing but Christ then my preaching is invariable and constant How doth he prove the minor how doth he prove that Christ is alway yea All the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen Christ is invariable and my preaching of him was not yea and nay Christ is not yea and nay because all the Promises of God in him are Yea and Amen The Promises of God in him are Yea that is they are constant and in him they are Amen There is some diversity in reading the words But most constantly the best Expositors have it as this Translation hath it All the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen The literal meaning is this All the Promises of God in Christ are Yea that is they are
and catched nothing to what purpose should I cast it yet in thy Word in thy command I will cast it he obeyed and he drew so many that the net brake again with the fish So I say it is thy command Lord that I should go on in the duties of my calling that I should do that that belongs to me and in well doing to commit my self to thee as to a faithful Creator and a gracious Redeemer and to cast my self on thy Promises do what thou wilt you shall see then as the Apostle graciously speaks Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Cast your care on him for he cares for you I but when we have done there are so many imperfections cleave to that we do that they discourage us Why look the Promise is Yea and Amen for acceptance a cup of cold water is accepted offer that thou doest in the mediation of Christ God will pardon that which is faulty and accept that which is good So we have Promises of acceptance in Christ God will pardon and spare us as a Father spares his child Doth not a father accept the endeavour of his poor child and pardon his weaknesse when he cannot do as he would God looks on us as a Father on his children Therefore let us not fear this we have a promise of acceptance of what we do though it be weak and maimed and lame obedience If we cannot do as much as others yet bring two Turtles They that could not bring an Oxe a great sacrifice a lesse was accepted two Pigeons if thou canst not do as much as others a little sacrifice shall be accepted Oh that we had faith we might run through all the passages of our life justification sanctification perseverance for the time to come the duties of our calling the issue of our labours whatever you can imagine There is no passage of our life but our soules would be supported if we could think that these promises are Yea and Amen in Jesus Christ. There is no estate that we are in but there are Promises made to it we want no good but we have a promise of supply we are under no ill but we have a promise either for the removall of it or for the sanctifying of it which is better We may enlarge it likewise to posterity If the Promises in Christ be Yea and Amen that is true to us and to them that succeed us for as I said Christ is yesterday to day and the same for ever He was yesterday to our ancestors to day to our selves to morrow to our posterity Therefore saith Peter to the believing Jewes Act. 2. The Promise is made to you and to your children your children are in the Covenant and God is the God of thee and of thy seed For the Promises in Christ are Yea and Amen they are constant to us and to our children to the end of the world It is a comfort to parents that can leave their children no inheritance they leave them God in Covenant and he is a good portion I will be thy God for the grand promise is the promise of the Father Son and Holy Ghost God hath promised to be a Father and the Father gives his Son and the Father and Son give the Holy Ghost Well then God is the God of us and of our children he is the Father of us and of our children Christ is the Christ of us and them the Holy Ghost is the Spirit that sanctifies us and them Is not this a comfort to those that can leave their children nothing else that they leave them God in Covenant And this is a comfort for children if they have good Parents that they may say when they pray O God of my father Abraham And as David Psal. 116. I am thy servant and the son of thy handmaid I am thy servant my self and the son of one that was thy servant Is not this a comfort to a Christian to say I am thy servant and the son of thy servant therefore there is a double bond why thou shouldest respect me I cast my self on thee and I am the son of a believing father of a believing mother Oh it is a blessed thing to be in Covenant with God that those that can leave their children little else can leave them a place in the Covenant by their own goodnesse and faith Wicked Parents are cruel they damn their own soules and they are cruel to posterity Jeroboam hurt his posterity more then all the world besides for his sin God cursed his posterity They walked in the wayes of Jeroboam God many times will not punish men themselves but their posterity Wicked Kings God spares them themselves sometimes but he punisheth their posterity Jeroboam was spared for his own life but his posterity was punished when wicked men dye others applaud their wisdome they dye thus and thus c. and their posterity applaud their wisdome God therefore curseth their posterity walking in their wayes Jeroboam's children I say had cause to curse their father they had a prejudice in his example they thought him a very wise man that by setting up the Calves he could make such a rent but it turned to their destruction I say parents are cruel to posterity for God revengeth their sins on their posterity Let this be a strong motive to men to believe in Christ that they may leave a good posterity a posterity in Covenant with God Men are very Atheists in this point for they are more careful a great deal to leave them rich to leave them great then to leave them good and so they leave them a little goods perhaps but they leave the curse and vengeance of God with it I beseech you therefore enlarge this comfort that the Promises of God concerning all good things are made in Christ they are Yea and Amen to our selves and to all ours to our posterity Thus I have laboured to lay open a little to you the Promises you may enlarge them your selves Therefore take this course First consider your present estate if you would make use of this portion it is our portion our best inheritance are the Promises and indeed they are a good childs portion though the world take all from us though God strip us of all if he leave us his Promises we are rich men Therefore the Psalmist calls them his portion and his inheritance and indeed so they are because they are so many bonds whereby God is bound to us they are so many obligations And if a wretched exacting man think himself as rich as he hath bonds though he have not a penny in his purse He that hath a thousand pound in bonds thinks himself richer then he that hath an hundred pounds in money and he thinks he hath reason to be so because he hath good security Certainly a Christian that hath rich faith in the rich promises he is a rich man because he hath many
kinds of the promises whether to the promises for this life or the promises of Grace If they be promises of this life take heed we abuse not our selves in them There have been grosse miscarriages even from the beginning of the world will be to the end of the world in the false application of outward promises We see the Jews cryed The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Loed as if God had tied himself to that by a perpetual promise Trust not to lying words saith the Prophet you think you are Gods people and that he will alwayes keep you out of captivity challenge not temporal promises without reservation and subjection to Gods will as he shall see goood Babylon saith I sit as a Queen and I shall for ever So mystical Babylon in the Revelation saith I sit as a Queen till her Judgment and destruction come in one day because she trusted to her present temporal estate Let no man promise himself that that God doth not promise in his Word immunity from the crosse for whatsoever Promise of protection and provision we have all is with the exception of the Crosse remember therefore to construc the Promises aright Then again another rule about the Promises is That it is usual with God to perform them in a wonderful manner that men know not how he doth perform them notwithstanding take that for a rule How is that As Luther was wont to say Gods carriage is by contrary meanes he performs them wonderfully He promised Abraham a child but his body was dead in a manner first and Sarah's womb He promised Joseph to raise him up so high but alas the iron entred into his soul first He promised that Christ should come but all was desperate first The Scepter was departed from Judah So he hath promised that we shall rise from the dead but we must rot in our graves first He hath promised forgivenesse of sins that he will be mercifull to us but he will waken our consciences to see our desperate estate that we are forlorn creatures first and unworthy of any respect from him He hath promised us happinesse we that are Christians are the happiest creatures in the world yet in the sense and eye of the world for the present we are the most forlorn creatures that are yet he performes his promise with comfort here and at last will fully manifest his love to us So at the last his Promises shall be wonderfully performed God doth not perform his Promises according to humane policy he will not do thus because we look he should do thus and thus he will crosse our expectation and yet perform his promise Saint Paul looked to come to Rome but he thought not of coming to Cesar by whipping and perill and ship wrack Moses knew he should come to see Canaan did he think to have such a conflict in the Wildernesse alas he thought not of it God doth wondrous strangely perform his Promises by contraries he crosseth our imaginations and conceits directly and yet he is true of his promise Another branch of this is That though Gods Promises be Yea and Amen in his time yet he usually defers his promises for a time and why Among many other reasons To mortifie self-confidence to fit us for his blessings for except he deferred them we should not be fit for them he defers them that we may be fitted for them long before they come That we might mortifie self-confidence to see that he immediately and graciously performs his promise And in the mean time to exercise faith and repentance and desire and prayer therefore he defers them but yet they are Amen at last though he defer Gods time is better then ours he knowes better then we the Physician knowes his time better then the Patient Hereupon comes a duty consequently upon this dispensation of God if he perform his promises wondrously and unexpectedly and perform them in delay let thy duty be answerable to his dealing wait wait upon God tie him not to such and such courses he can transcend and go beyond thy imagination and do more then thou art able to conceive as the Apostle saith therefore wait his good time Hâ—… that shall come will come Stay Gods leisure prevent him not run not before him And as he doth things by contraries so when thou art in contraries look for contraries when thou art in fin and feelest it on thy conscience believe that he is made righteousnesse to thee he hath promised it it is Yea and Amen in Christ. When thou shalt be turned to dust in the grave believe that he will raise thy body this promise is Yea and Amen and as a pledge of it Christ is gone to heaven when thou art miserable remember the Promise thou shalt be glorious with Christ as he is glorious All his Promises are Yea and Amen in contraries believe contraries because in contraries he performs contraries and say as Job doth Though he kill me yet will I trust in him I know thou canst not deny thy self and thy Promises are Yea and Amen In the worst estate that befalls us let us learn to wrastle with God in the Promises and implead his Promises Why Lord thou hast promised forgivenesse of sins to them that ask it thou hast promised grace and mercy and favour remember thy promise thou canst not deny thy self thou canst not deny thy gracious promise thy Word is as thy self thou art Amen and thy Word is Yea and Amen onely give me grace to wait thy good leisure yet I will not let thee depart without a blessing I will hold thee till I have received a gracious answer as Jacob wrastled with him till he had the blessing Let us labour to answer the promise with our faith and labour to bring our soules to be like his Promises they are Yea and Amen though they be not presently performed let us constantly believe a constant Promise let us cleave to God let us have a Amen for Gods Amen Are the Promises Amen Amen let the soul say Lord So be it so it shall be I will seal thy Amen in thy promise with my Amen in my faith so let us have an Amen for Christs Amen They are all and will be all Amen in Christ in fit time all the gracious Promises will be Yea and Amen let our soules echo and say Amen For our faith must answer the Promises faith and the Promises be correlatives for the promise is not except it be applyed Let faith answer the promise let us labour to be established in the Promises in Gods Word Shall we have certain Promises and shall we waver and stagger Therefore let us complain Lord thy Promises are sure and certain as thou hast said what is the reason I cannot build on them Oh my unfaithful heart Let us condemn our unbelieving our lying hearts that call the truth of God into question and make that which is
that we may make likewise of the story of our own lives as well as the story of others for consider the former times why Lord thy Promises heretofore have been Yea and Amen thou hast delivered me from such and such dangers thou hast been so good and so good to me thou art not changed Let us store up experience out of the story of our own lives God is Yea and Amen and his Promises are Yea and Amen constant to all his Children and to their children and they are alike in all ages from Generation to Generation as Moses saith Psal. 90. Thou art our God from Generation to Generation for ever Thus we see how to make use of the Promises for Promises we must know are either directly to particular persons or implyed A promise made to any directly to any in particular is an implyed promise to me in the general equity in matter of grace and glory or the removal of some true misery what was made to Joshua is applyed to all the Church Heb. 13. that which was directly promised to him is an implyed promise to all that will make use of that example Again if so be that all the Promises of God be Yea and Amen that is certain and constant in Christ this should comfort us when men deal loosely with us and fail in their Promises whereon we have perhaps builded too much when men deal falsly with us And indeed there is nothing that makes an honest heart wearier of this wicked world then the consideration of the falshood of men in whom they trust Oh it is a cruel thing to deceive him that unlesse he had trusted he had never been deceived by thee it is a treacherous thing but this world is full of such treacherous dealing that a man can scarce trust assurances much lesse words But there are things thou mayest trust if thou have a heart concerning the best good there are Promises that are Tea and Amen there is a God that keeps Covenant it is his glory to do so from Generation to Generation Here is the comfort of a Christian when he finds falsenesse in the world to retire to his God and hide himself there And in the uncertainty of all things below in all changes as this world is full of changes now poor now rich now in favour now out of favour why what hath a Christian to cast himself on The Promises of God in Christ they are Yea and Amen they are promises that never fail They that know thy Name will trust in thee Psal. 9. what is the reason it followes Thou never failest those that trust in thee Therefore in the vicissitude and intercourse of all earthly things under the Moon that are like the Moon changeable let us stablish our soules upon that which is unchangeable and that will make us unchangeable if we build on it For the Word of the Lord endures for ever Esay 40. which is alledged by Peter 1 Pet. 1. All flesh is grass and as the flower of the grasse that is it fades as the grasse and as the flower of the grasse all the excellency of wit and learning it is but as the flower of the grasse but the Word of the Lord endures for ever How doth the Word of the Lord endure for ever Saint John expounds it 1 Joh. 2. A true Christian endures for ever by the Word of the Lord he that believes in the Word he endures for ever because his comforts endure for ever they are Yea and Amen his grace endures for ever Gods love endures to him for ever Therefore by building upon that which is certain we make our selves certain too when the Word is ingraffed it is S. James his phrase when it is ingraffed into our hearts it turns our hearts to be like it self it is eternal it self and it makes us eternal He that doth the will of the Lord abides for ever saith S. John The world passeth and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of the Lord abides for ever And the Word of the Lord abides for ever as it is in another place the one expounds the other that is we by believing and doing the Word of the Lord abide for ever To stir us up to rely constantly upon this Word the promises and the grace of God brought to us by the promises As I said before Shall we have certain promises of God that never lie and shall we not build on them What is there in the world to build on if we cannot build on this and yet the froward heart of man will believe any thing rather then Gods truth The Merchant man he commits his estate his goods to the Sea he hath no promise that they shall come again it is onely in the providence of God he hath made no promise for it The Husbandman commits his seed to the ground though he have nothing left of his seed and though he sowe in tears yet he commits all to the earth in hope of a return and yet he hath no promise for this but Gods ordinary providence that may sometimes fail Are we in such hope when we commit our seed to the ground and when we commit our goods to the Sea to the Waves and yet have not a promise for this but Gods ordinary providence which oft-times failes having not bound himself that it shall be alway so because God will shew himself the God of nature that he can command nature and shall we not trust him when we have his providence and his promise too when he is bound by his Promise when he hath made himself a debtor to us when the free God who is most free hath made himself a debtor by his promise and hath sealed his promise by an oath and by Sacraments Alas God hath made all things faithful to us therefore we trust them but we trust not him that hath made other things so and is so faithful to us Therefore let us build on these Promises in Jesus Christ. Now to direct us a little further to train our selves up to make use of the Promises of God in Jesus Christ Observe every day how God fulfills his promises in lesser matters Parents train up their children by education that they may trust them for their inheritance So God traines us up to believe his providence that he will provide for us without cracking our consciences by ill means will we not believe his Promises for these things and will we believe him for life everlasting no certainly we cannot therefore let us exercise faith to believe the promises for provision that he will not fail us not forsake us but be with us in our callings using lawful means for the things of this life Sometimes again take another method when faith begins to stagger for the things of this life quicken it with the grand Promises Will God give me life everlasting and hath he given me Christ are his
Promises in him Yea and Amen will he give me the greater and will he not give me the lesse Sometimes by the lesser be encouraged to hope for the greater sometimes quicken our deadnesse and dulnesse in believing the lesser with the undoubted performance of the greater Will God give me life everlasting and will he not give me provision in my pilgrimage till I come there undoubtedly he will Fear not little flock it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome saith Christ. They were distrustful for the things of this life Do you think saith he that he will not give you the things of this life that keeps a Kingdome for you Fear not Again when we hear any promise in the Word of God turn it into a prayer put Gods bond in suit as it were his promises are his bonds sue him on his bond he loves to be sued on his bond and he loves that we should wrastle with him by his promises Why Lord thou hast made this and this promise thou canst not deny thy self thou canst not deny thine own truth thou canst not cease to be God thou canst as well cease to be God as deny thy promise that is thy self So let us put the promises into suit as David Psal. 119. if it be his Lord remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust as if God had forgotten his promise Lord remember thy primise I put thee in mind of thy promise wherein thâ—… hast caused thy servant to trust If I be deceived thou hast deceived me thou hast made these promises and caused me to trust in thee and thou never failest those that trust in thee What makes a man faithful Trust to a man makes him faithful so when God is honoured with our trusting of him it makes him faithful Let us therefore put in suit his promises of provision and protection every day in the way of our calling and for necessary grace and comfort that he will not fail us in any necessary grace to bring us to heaven considering that he hath filled our nature with all grace in Christ. Again let us take this course when we hear of rich and precious promises that are made labour to know them What shall we have an inheritance a portion and not labour to know it Let us labour to know all our portion and to know it of those that search the Word of God to be glad to hear any thing concerning the priviledges and prerogatives of a Christian those that dig the Mines of the Scripture which is the office of the Ministers let us labour to know all our priviledges Let not Satan rob us of one priviledge Every promise is precious they are rich promises yet they are no more then God thought necessary for us he thought all little enough to stablish our faith let us not lose one we cannot be without one let us labour to know them And when we know them work them upon our hearts by meditation and shame our selves upon it say is it true are these promises so is it true that God hath revealed these things in his Word To whom hath he made them to Angels or to beasts No to men to sinners to men in the world to comfort them they are their provision their inheritance as David saith Psal. 119. Thy word is my inheritance and my portion they are sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb Are they so Do I believe this or do I not believe it Yes I do If I do can I believe them and be so uncomfortable Let us shame our selves do I believe the promises of life everlasting the promises of perseverance the promise that God will hide me in danger that he will be my habitation and my hiding place and do I look to unlawful means Do I live without God in the world as if there were no Promise what a shame is this There is a weaknesse in my faith certainly when a branch withers there is a fault in the root so there is a defect in the radical grace that it drawes not juice out of the promises as it should there is a defect in my faith therefore I will look where the defect is and strengthen my faith Thus we should shame our selves Can I hear these Promises and be no more joyful and be no more affected Can I use indirect means and yet believe that God is Al-sufficient to me in the Covenant Certainly I cannot Therefore let us come to the tryal to some few evidences that a man doth believe in the promises He that believes the promises of God in Christ to be Yea and Amen doubtlesse he will be affected answerable to the things promised saith David Thy Statutes they are the joy of my heart The Promises will be the joy and rejoycing of our heart He that can hear of promises and not be affected certainly he believes them not When a man thinks of his inheritance and of his evidences that they are clear that he shall enjoy it without suit or trouble it comforts him he cannot think of it without comfort Cannot a man think of a little pelf of the earth without comfort when he knowes he hath assurance to it and shall we think of heaven and happinesse and not rejoyce will not these be the joy of a mans heart certainly they will affect him When good things are apprehended by faith will they not work upon the affections certainly they will Again where the promises are believed they will quicken us to all chearfull obedience certainly if God will assist me with strength and comfort if I go on in his wayes and in the end of all give me life everlasting this will quicken me to all obedience Therefore those that go deadly and dully as if they had no encouragement here nor promise of glory after they believe not the promises For God doth not set us on work as Pharaoh set the children of Israel to make brick without straw but when he bids us do any thing he promiseth us grace and gives us his Spirit and after grace he gives glory If men did believe this they would go about Gods work without dulnesse and staggering so far as we are dull and stagger in the work of God so far our faith is weak in the promises of God Again as they quicken in regard of comfort so they purge in regard of holinesse for they make men study mortification and sanctification 2 Cor. 6. and the beginning of the 7th Having these promises Let us purge our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfect sanctification in the fear of God Having these promises So that the promises as they have a quickning so they have a purging power and that upon sound reasoning Doth God promise that he will be my Father and I shall be his son and doth he prcmise me life everlasting and doth that estate require purity and no unclean thing shall come there
certainly these promises being apprehended by faith as they have a quickning power to comfort so they purge with holinesse We may not think to carry our filthinesse to heaven Doth the swearer think to carry his blasphemies thither filthy persons and liars are banished thence there is no unclean thing He that hath these promises purgeth himself and perfecteth holinesse in the fear of God He that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure 1 Joh. 3. So these promises affect and quicken and purge And then the promises they do settle the soul because they be Yea and Amen they make the soul quiet If a man believe an honest man on his word he will be quiet if he be not quiet he doth not believe so much faith so much quiet Being iustified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So much faith so much peace Philip. 4. In nothing be carefull but let your desires be known to God in prayer supplication and thanksgiving and when you have done this The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall preserve your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus So where there is prayer and thanksgiving and doing of duty The peace of God which passeth all understanding will keep the mind in Christ and where there is not quiet and peace to preserve the heart mind there is neglect of duty before not committing our selves to Gods promises to build on them Again where there is a believing the promises there is not only a staying of the soul in generall but when all things are gone when all things are contrary that is the nature of faith in the promises Put the case that a Christian that is of the right stamp have nothing in the world to take to only Gods Word and Promises surely he knowes they are Yea and Amen It is the Word of God al-sufficient he is Jehovah he gives a being to his Word and to all things else therefore he hath the Name Jehovah therefore thinks the soul Though I have nothing yet I have him that is the substance of all things all other things are but shadowes God the Father Son and Holy Ghost are the substance that give all things a being and therefore I will cast my selfe on God here now is the Tryumph of faith when there is nothing else to trust to nay when all things else are contrary when it is faith against faith and hope against hope when there is such a conflict in a man that he sees nothing but the contrary here faith will shut the eye of sense and not look to present things too much though I see all things contrary though I see rather signes of anger then otherwise yet I will hope and believe in God for this or that Here is the wisdom of a believing Christian that believes the promises he will shut his eyes and not look on the waves on the troubles they will carry him away and dazle him but he looks to the constant love of God in Christ and to the constant promises of God his nature is constant and his truth is as his nature he cannot deny himself and his own Word when he hath made himself a debtor by his promise and bound himself by his Word Therefore in contraries say as Job Though he kill me yet will I trust in him True faith when it is in strength will uphold a man when all failes nay it will hold a man when all is contrary This our Saviour Christ in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen did excellently teach us by his own example For when all was contrary and our blessed Saviour felt the wrath of God which made him sweat drops of blood and made him cry out My God My God why hast thou for saken me yet here faith wrastled with My God my God still even under the wrath of God He brake through the seeming wrath of God into the heart of God Faith hath a piercing eye it will strive through the clouds though they be never so thick through all the clouds of temptation Christ had so piercing a faith it brake through all he saw a Fathers heart under an angry semblance So a Chistian triumphs by faith in oppositions to faith when all is contrary to faith yet notwithstanding he can say My God still This is an evidence of a strong faith in the promises Again an evidence of faith in the promises is faithfulnesse in our selves in our promises to God for surely the soul that expects any thing of God that he should be faithfull it studies to be faithful in the Covenant Psal. 25. All the wayes of God are mercy and truth All his dealings to his Children are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant For you know the promises have conditions annexed and where God fulfils his promise he gives grace to perform the condition to walk before him to allow our selves in no sin for if we allow our selves in any sin we perform not the Covenant on our part Now God will give grace to perform the Covenant where he will perform his own Therefore those that are unfaithful in their Covenant and yet think God will be faithfull to them it is presumption When we come to the Communion we think we do God a great deal of service but we must consider we enter into Covenant with God as well as he binds himself to us He gives us Christ all his blessings he reacheth forth Christ with all in him if we will receive him I but we bind our selves to God to lead a new life and to be thankful and to shew it in obedience And so in Baptisme we do not only receive in the Sacraments but we yield we bind our selves to God And we must be careful of what we promise to God as well as expect that which he promiseth to us if we expect his truth we must be faithful and careful of performing our Covenants to him Oh but how shall I do that saith the distressed soul I have no grace God knowes that well enough therefore he that promiseth he promiseth grace to perform the condition that is one part of the Covenant to give grace to fulfil the Covenant For he that saith If we believe and repent c. he will give us hearts to repent if we ask them he hath promised to circumcise our hearts to give us new hearts and to give us his holy Spirit if we ask him Why Lord thou knowest I have no grace in my self to fulfil the Covenant no but thou must perform both parts thou givest the grace and good thing promised and grace to keep the Covenant too therefore let none be discouraged Many things are required it is true but the things are promised that are required if in the use of means we depend on him by prayer For the promises are Legacies as well as promises what is the difference between a legacy and a
or are profitable to others p. 109 Gods children partake of the sufferings of others how p. 115 Suffering must precâ—…de comfort and why p. 117 c. Those that suffer as they should are sure of comfort p. 118 See more in Affliction Persecution Tribulation Suspition Mans nature is proue to suspition pag. 356 506 Grounds of suspition from whence it ariseth p. 357 506 c. Suspition what p. 357 507 How to arm our selves against suspition p. 357 How to know when suspition is evil p. 358 Suspition is more then fear lesse then judgment p. 507 Suspition makes the worst construction ibid. Why the Devill cherisheth suspition ibid. Mischief from Suspition ibid. Swearing What meant by the prohibition Swear not at all p. 376 516 517 To swear by none but God p. 515 Swearing lawful p. 516 517 Ordinary swearing condemned p. 376 516 517 518 Objections for common and ordinary swearing answered p. 517 c. Original causes of ordinary swearing p. 518 519 Motives against ordinary swearing p. 519 520 Means against ordinary swearing pag. 519 Ordinary swearers curse themselvse p. 518 T. Thankfulnesse IT 's the disposition of Gods people to be thankfull for mercies received pag. 16 We are to be especially thankfull for spiritual favours p. 18 Meanes to become thankfull p. 18 19 20 208 209 A carnal man unthankful why pag. 19 Motives to thankfulnesse pag 20 210 211 212 Not onely verbal but real thanksgiving is required p. 212 See Blesse Praise Tradition Popish faith is built upon Traditions p. 345 346 Treasury The Popes Treasury what p 107 The Popes Treasury confuted ibid. Christ is the onely Treasury of the Church ibid. Tribulation Gods Children are subject to Tribulation p. 47 60 74 See Affliction Persecution Suffering Trust. Gods Children are prone to trust in themselves why p. 137 138 Not to trust in any thing but in God p. 139 142 143 144 Signes of trusting in these outward things as riches c. p. 139 140 It 's a dangerous thing to trust in our selves or in the creature why p. 141 Popery to be detested because it teacheth men to trust to their own works satisfactions c. p. 142 We must not trust our own graces pag. 142 Creatures may be trusted to subordinately p. 144 145 Worldlings trust in the creature above God yea against God p. 144 How to cure false confidence or trusting in ourselves and in the creature pag. 145 147 To trust in God a lesson hardly learn't p. 148 God to make us trust in him is fain to cast us out of our selves ibid. God is the sole and proper Object of trust p. 153 God in Christ the Object of trust ibid. It 's a mans duty to trust in God pag. 154 Trials of trust in God or Signes whereby to know whether we trust in God p. 155 156 157 Helps or Meanes to trust in God pag. 158 Trust in God how to be exercised in great afflictions p. 161 Trust in God how exercised in the hour of death p. 162 God to strengthen our trust hath given us his 1. Promise 2. Seal 3. Oath 4. Earnest 5. A pawn 6. Seizin p. 164 Objection against trusting in God answered ibid. A Christian may trust or rely on God for the time to come p. 178 Trust what p. 321 See Confidence Truth Truth may not be spoken at all times p. 246. God is true and faithful how p. 379 Objection against this answered pag. 380 How to know the Word of God to be true p. 386 392 It 's a matter of comfort to believe the Word of God to be true p. 377 c. The Word of God or Evangelical doctrine is most true and certain p 392 V. Vain MInisters labour is not in vain in the Lord p. 1 Vehement Carnal men are vehement p. 371 Unbelief The heart of man is full of unbelief and can hardly be settled in the perswasion of Divine truth p. 485 486 Uniformity A Christian is uniform p. 317 Union There is a threefold Union viz. 1. Of Christ and our nature 2. Of Christ and his members 3. Of one member with another p. 116 W. Wait. GRounds of waiting upon God for deliverance from trouble or Motives thereunto p. 173 c. 426 Way It 's a commendable custome for Christians to bring one another on their way p. 355 Weak The weakest creatures have the strongest shelters p. 448 Will. Every one in his calling placed by the Will of God p. 2 3 The more will advisednesse and deliberation in sin the greater the sin p. 249 Wisdome Wisdome manifold p. 274 275 Wisdome what p. 275 Carnal or fleshly wisdome described p. 275 276 277 Why called fleshly Wisdome p. 276 All carnal men have not fleshly wisdome p. 278 Fleshly wisdome is where there is no simplicity nor sincerity ibid. Gods children not ruled by fleshly wisdom why p. 279 288 289 Mischief of carnal wisdom pag. 280 281 Carnal or fleshly Wisdom hinders our joy and comfort p. 287 288 Popery is founded on carnal Wisdom p. 312 How to avoid fleshly Wisdom pag. 368 369 A Christian needs Wisdome why p. 291 Wisdom may be had p 292 We should go to God for Wisdome pag. 292 293 God gives Wisdom for the things of this life p. 293 True Wisdom toucheth conversation p. 299 Word The Preaching of the Word accompanied with Gods Spirit is able to convert and change the most wicked hearts â—…hat be pag. 4 5 See Ministery Preaching It 's a matter of consequence to believe the Word of God to be true certain and immutable p. 377 c. The Word of God is the Judge of all Controversies p. 382 Christ the Word how p. 409 467 The Word of God is most true certain and infallible p. 392 How to know the Word of God to be true p. 386 392 See Scripture World Christianity may stand with converse in the World p. 267 Religion makes a man converse in the world untainted ibid. Wicked men called the World why p. 275 4 365 Y. Yea and Nay GRounds of Yea and Nay p. 371 Dissemblers are Yea and Nay all at once p. 372 All Promises and Prophecies are Yea in Christ p. 407 408 409 c. Trin-uni Deo gloria * 1 Pet. 4. 10. Ubi Vulgat dispensatio multiformis gratiae * Isai. 54. 12. Varia gemmarum genera propter varia dona quae sunt in Ecclesiâ Sanct. * Gallica mirata est Calvinum Ecclesia nuper Quo nemo docuit doctius Est quoque te nuper mirata 〈◊〉 tonantem Quo nemo 〈◊〉 fortiùs Et miratur adhuc fundentem mella Viretum Quo nemo fatur dulcius Beza * Tunc bene multiformis Dei gratia dispensatur quando acceptum donum 〈◊〉 ejus qui hoc non habet creditur quando propter eum cui impenditur sibi datum putatur Gregâ—…r moral lib. 28. cap. 6. God scatters his Saints why Quest. Answ. The Church hath its name sometimes 1. from the mixture in it 2. from the better
abuse Promises of this life 2. Gods Promises wondrously performed 3. God deferreth his performance To wait Gods time Believe contraries in contraries To have Amen for Gods Amen Complaint of Unbelief Faith in the Promises honours God Why God honors faith so much To make the Promises familiar How to make use of former examples What use to make of the story of our own lives Comfort in the false dealing of men To deceive trust odious Comfort in all changes in the world How the Word of the Lord endures for ever To rely constantly on the constant Promises To observe how God daily fulfills his Promises 1. For temporals 2. For spirituals Turn Promises into Prayers Labour to know the Promises Work the Promises on our hearts Evidences of believing the Promises 1. They breed joy 2. They quicken to obedience 3. They purge 4. They quiet the soul. 5. A staying of tâ—…e soul when all iâ—… contrary 6. Faithfulnesse in our Promises to God Quest. Answ. God gives grace to perform the Covenant God promiseth the things be requires Promises Legacies Covenant a Testament Threatnings of God Amen as well as Promises 7. Opposition of flesh and fleshly men Carnal men despise those that trust in Gods Promises To go to God in Christ to perform the promises How to think of Christ. All in the world nothing without Christ. Observ. Gods glory manifested in the Gospel More then in the Creation Our estate in Christ better then Adam's Glory of Gods Justice His Mercy Wisdome Power Truth To see Gods Attributes in Christ. To honour God by believing the Gospel Glory of God by the Ministery Observ. A double Amen 1. In Gods Promises 2. In our Faith Necessity of application Difference between faith and presumption Observ. Stablishing grace necessary Reason 1. In regard of our indisposition 2. In regard of oppositions Difference between true Christians and others Degrees of faith Observ. Christ the foundation of our stability 1. Our Judgment stablished in Christ. 2. Our Will 3. Our affections A Christians stability more then Adam's or Angels None are firm but Christians Observ. God onely can stablish the soul. 1. By shewing our misery and Christs excellency The ground of believing Gods Word Reason of Apostasie The reason of unfruitfulnesse The reason of Despair Spiritual knowledge necessary Observ. God will stablish us 1. Because he is constant All of Grace from God Ground of a Christians not falling away God stablisheth bâ—… working stablishing graces Fear Wisdome Faith Peace To value all good Christians The Spirit works as we are in the body Bond of communion of Saints Use. To give God the glory of our stablishing Strengthen radical graces 1. Humility 2. Faith 3. Knowledge Knowledge must be spirituall 1. Be acquainted with Gods Word 2. Take no scandal at those that shrink 3. Retain the truth in love 4. Practise truths â—…nown 5. Be frequent in holy conference 7. Pray to God to stablish us 8. Be spiritually poor 9. Hate lukewarmnesse Use 2. Examination of our stablishing 1. When it is grounded on the Word 2. When weak men overcome strong temptations 2. By freedome from base fears cares c. Examine our knowledge Examine our course of life None but a Christ an truly couragious in death 2. Desire of Christs coming Why God useth so many several words to secâ—… us What the Spirit is an Earnest of The Spirit an Earnest 1. For security 2. It is part of the whole 3. An Earnest is little to the whole 4. It serves the party receiving it 5. It is never taken away Observ. A Christian man be assured of his estate in grace All in the work of Redemption is for that end Christians not alike assured at all times Double act of saith 1. Direct 2. Reflect The reflect act may be hindred Naughty hearte content with a state of doubling Observ. Gods Children may be assured they shall held out to the end Grace and glory differ but in degrees Observ. Those that look to be happy must first be holy Observ. We may be assured from a little measure of grace The Spirit appears not in all graces at once A Christian is a mixed creature Use 2. To examine the truth of grace We may know grace is true though little 1. The soul mournes that it is little 2. Wait 3. To wait with Patience 4. Constancy 5. To purge our selves 6. Desire of accomplishment Cautions 1. When conscience is wounded 2. Have been carelesse 7. Growth in grace 8. Quieting of the soul. 9. True gold will endure the tryal 10. It will persevere Christians get strength by their falls To labour for assurance Earnest given for our sakes To labour against unbelief Earnest the work of the Spirit 1. He proceeds from Father and Son 2. He only can quiet the soul. How to know we have the Spirit 1. By life and motion 2. By transforming us 3. By Conflict 4. By supernatural obedience 5. It dwells in us 6. It mortifies sin 7. It leads us 8 It is a Spirit of adoption 9. It teacheth to pray 10. And to wait Directions to have the Spirit 1. Attend Gods means 2. Not to grieve the Spirit 1. By cherishing Lusts. 2. Obey the Spirit 3. Pray for the Spirit The Spirit makes impregnable No thankfulnesse without the Spirit No joy without the Spirit No willâ—…ngnesse to dye without it Parts of the Verse Observ. Mans nature prone to suspition Grounds of suspition 1. The infirmity of men 2. Guiltinesse 3. From Probabilities Suspition more then fear lesse then judgment Suspition what Suspition makes the worst construction Why the Devil cherisheth suspition Mischief from suspition Observ. To labour to avoid suspition Suspition a Canker That that is suspected is made unprofitable God labours â—…o free himself from suspition Christ labours to be freed from suspition Sin must be censured and judged Doctr. Gentle courses first to be used Reason 1. It is suitable to â—…ns nature Reason 2. To Gods disposition Reason 3. To the carriage of our salvation Reason 4. Gods course Reason 5. It is most successeful Reason 6. It is tasting Use. To deal gently with others Doctr. When gentle means prevail not severe must be used Reason Men must not spare that God may Against selfrâ—…spects in reproos of sin Use. People to be willing to bear of their sins How to prevent severity in others Vexation in hell to those that were cherished in sin Three-fold correction 1. Private admonition 2. Before others Definition of an Oath None but good men should take an Oath To swear by none but God Invocation in an Oath Imprecation Oath to be taken onely in serious matters An Oath must be 1. In Truth 2. In Judgment 3. In Justice Against equivocation An oath only in matters in determinable Oath lawful Ordinary Swearing forbidden Object Answ. Swearing without good life nothing Object Answ. Custome no plea for swearing Object Answ. Company no excuse for swearing Swearing ordinarily argues a vile heart Original of common swearing 1. Atheisme 2. Cherishing passion 3. Affectation 4. Shame Men should abstain swearing in love to the Kingdome For love to theâ—…r own sam lies Conscience of lessâ—…r oathes Ordinary Swearers curse themselves A Christians life a kind of oath Doctr. No man hath dominion over anothers faith 1. What it is not to have dominion over the faith of others What â—…ranny over the faith of others is Quest. Answ. The Church of Rome domineers over the faith of others 1. By Traditions 2. Will-worship 3. That the Pope cannot erre A grand lie that hinders their Reformation 4. Church Judge of Controversies 5. In the intentioâ—… of the Minister in the Sacrament Confession Satans malice to sit in Gods throne Popery would subdue all Use. To be thankful for freedome from this tyranny How to think of Popery Grounds of spiritual Tyranny Salvation termed joy why Doctr. 1. The state of a Christian is joy Nature teacheth it God gives matter of joy 1. Freedom from ill 2. The good they are brought to Reason 1. That God may have glory Reason 2. It makes active in doing good Reason 3. And able to suffer ill Reason 4. To encourage others Doctr. 2. The Word unfolded helps this joy To comfort what The Ministers helpers of joy 1. By shewing people their ill 2. By shewing the remedy 3. By advice Light Liberty Victory 4. By forcing it as a duty 5. In death Object Answ. Ministers trouble the joy of carnal men Object Answ. Private means will not comfort when publick are neglected Object Answ. The sorrow caused by the Ministery tends to joy Simile Object Answ. Simile Comfort what Use. To esteem the Ministery To open the case of our soules to spiritual Physitians Doctr. 3 Ministers but helpers not the authours of joy Simile Gods Spirit only specks comfort 1. He only knowes our hearts 2. He only can set down the soul. Use To look for comfort from the Spirit by the means Not to idolize the Ordinances why S. Paul varies the phrase Observ. Faith breeds joy 1 Faith takes away all that may discourage 2. It shewes Gods love in Christ. Pedigree of joy Use. To try if our joy be good 1. If it spring from the Word 2. It springs from faith 3. It is above discouragements or allurements 4. It is with humility Standing what meant by it Quest. Answ. Why our stand ing is by faith Four degrees of assent 1. Opinion 2. Knowledge 3. Believing 4. Experience How we stand by faith Quest. Answ. What faith it self stands on God our Father The nature of God Observ. The foundation of faith out of us Faith withstands opposition Quest. Answ. How we stand by faith when conscience is awakened for sin The firmnesse of a Christians standing If our knowledg of Scripture be not spiritual 1. We fall into sin 2. To despair 3. To Apostasie The Sacrament strengthens faith Faith the radical grace