could not preserve knowledge unless it were received from his mouth by hearing It was commonly practised in the Synagogues after the reading of the Law in the time of the Apostles to exhort the people When St. Paul and his company went into the Synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia they were desired to give the people a word of exhortation Acts 13.15 How then comes it to pass that by hearing and preaching the Christian Religion is distinguished from the Jews which are common to both And why is the Law call'd the ministration of the Letter by way of distinction seeing the Gospel is written as well as the Law 'T is plain that these things are spoken not simply and universally of either but in relation to their beginning and first publishing to the world Because the Law was then given by writing though afterwards preached it is called the ministration of the Letter So the Gospel though afterwards written yet because it was then only preached by revelation of the Holy Ghost it is call'd the ministration of the Spirit That likewise which St. Paul speaks of the hearing of Faith and of saving men by the foolishness of preaching hath a peculiar relation to Christianity in the manner of founding it at first For certainly Preaching in it self was not in the eye of humane wisdom a foolish way to perswade but such as the wisest of them all used when they would perswade the people any thing they did it by orations and speeches which are of the same kind with preaching But if we look at that preaching by which the Christian Religion was at first introduced it had in the eye of humane wisdom something of folly in it For to introduce a Law or Religion to any people these two things among others are necessary That they give it in Writing that they might more certainly know what they had to do and that it be by such as have authority and power And this way God himself took in giving the Jews a Law for first he wrote it with his own fingers and then published it by the Ministry of Moses who was their leader and governour But for the introduction of the Gospel it pleased God to take a far different course that is to commit all to the preaching of a few poor despicable Fisher-men who were only private men of no authority and of whose Gospel they had no knowledge but from what was to be taken from their mouths And that when first preached was by some esteemed no better than a distemper yea plain drunkenness yet thus it pleased God to put the words of eternal life into these earthen vessels and by that means to make his own power known and by that folly to confound the wisdom of the world But for our preaching though it may have many times too good a title to foolishness in preaching yet not to the foolishness of preaching for those obstacles remov'd it is the ordinary way by which all knowledge humane as well as divine is communicated My meaning is that hearing now is to be looked upon as the common natural instrument to receive instruction and therefore no benefit to be reckon'd on from it but what is common to all other learning and knowledge that is by serious studying and diligently pondering the things we hear for if we trust to any secret sacramental mystical vertue in hearing that profit we should get by the Word we may lose by the Hearing Therefore take heed how you hear for this is a second way of putting Gods word under a Bushel There is another way which in part at least puts under the Bushel too when we confine it to the Sermon whereas that is of little use if Gods word be not in it they say The word is of as little if it be not in a Sermon which is a derogation to the goodness and bounty of Almighty God who hath dispensed his Divine Truth so many ways besides as First by Reading for though when Gods Word was preached only it could be only heard yet when it was a Scripture it might be known as all other Writings by reading also for this reason St. Paul sets Timothy to his Book 1 Tim. 4.13 Till I come give attendance to reading Search the Scriptures for therein you think you have eternal life and search we cannot unless we read them that by reading we may find the way to eternal life yea though all were to be done by preaching Reading is that too For Moses had in old time them that preached him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath-day Acts 15.21 Secondly By writing Gods Word works Faith in us if S. John was not mistaken when he said 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written unto you that ye may know ye have eternal life and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God Good writers are in their kind good Preachers Why then should any be scandalized at the Preacher that looks upon his Book where his Sermon is written Indeed if men now were to speak as the Apostles did as the Spirit gave them utterance it were a great mistake to look for him in a Book But if we as all must take Gods Word out of the Scripture and every Preacher if he be not too bold with God and his Auditors that he may speak from thence what is both true and seasonable prepares by writing that which he is to preach the Sermon is the same in the Pulpit that it was in the study and though the Preacher that looks in his Book be the worse the Sermon I am sure is not Thirdly We may receive the fruit of God's Word in the virtuous life and example of others for this St. Paul calls the holding forth the VVord of Life Phil. 2.16 That ye may be blameless the Sons of God without rebuke holding forth the VVord of Life i. e. it is visible and legible in all our actions and demeanour Thus a Man may be a Preacher of God's Word though he be not in Orders Yea Women that are forbidden to speak in the Church may thus convert their Husbands at home Likewise ye VVives be in subjection to your Husbands that if any obey not the Word that is 1 Pet. 3 1. when it is preached they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the Wife So powerful and effectual is God's Word that it works by example though in the weakest Vessels There be divers ways of preaching in the more proper sense besides the Sermon for preaching is either publick or private as we learn from St. Paul Acts 20.20 where he gives account to the Elders of Ephesus of himself That he had taught them publickly and from house to house Sure he did not make a formal Sermon in every house he came into but as occasion and opportunity was given by Conference he made known to them the Will of God Again Publick preaching is not all of a kind
immortal And as the nature so the desires of the Soul are unsatisfied here the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing nor the understanding with knowledg nor the heart with the best and choicest delights of it We are soon wearied and tir'd with what we have and are as thirsty of that we have not In our plenty as craving as others in their greatest wants The goods of this world are Hydropick all quo plus bibuntur plus sitiuntur They that have the greatest share and portion in them of Wealth of Honour of Power do not sleep the better nor are their bodies less comber'd with diseases nor their minds freer from vexations and troubles And therefore as the Saints I nam'd before did by what they willingly suffer'd here shew plainly that they sought another Countrey so by this is shewn as plainly that they had cause to do so Now here lies the fatal necessity of erring they seek a Countrey and City that is invisible and unknown to nature either what the state of that Countrey is or by what laws the Citizens thereof are to be govern'd And when we walk in the dark it is not strange we should lose our way A chief part of that way lies first in the knowledg and worship of that God who had prepar'd for them a City by what Sacrifices Rites and Ceremonies he will be serv'd How much of that may be had by nature we learn by those who were most likely to know but did not who were the masters of knowledge to most other Nations Rom. 1. for of such S. Paaul speaks Rom. 1. Who when they profess'd themselves to be wise as well they might in many other things yet in this of Gods worship they became fools For they turned the glory of the uncorruptible God Rom. 1.23 into the similitude and image of corruptible Man and of birds and four footed beasts and of creeping things The right way of worshipping God since reveal'd to us to be by Jesus Christ was not only unknown to them but to those to whom God had more peculiarly imparted himself Ephes 3.5 The mysterie of Christ Ephes 3.5 in other ages was not made known to the Sons of men untill he was reveal'd unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by his Spirit Yea it was unknown to the very Angels who when it was first reveal'd in a kind of admiration and curiosity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.12 desir'd to look the word signifies earnestly to pry into And that which the Angels of Heaven did not know certainly the sons of men could not The other part of the way to that heavenly Countrey in which we may naturally seem to have some skill the way of vertue that is in the stile of Scripture Tit. 2.12 to live godly righteously and soberly in this present world appeared to the very Heathen to be the only way to happiness Yet these natural impressions were so dim and imperfect both through Originaly corruption and the over-ruling power of passion and lust that of those things they knew they held the truth in unrighteousness even to the very perverting of the course of nature as the Apostle observes of them in the same place Rom. 1. Rom. 1. Besides many vertues they knew not which are the glory of Christianity as Humility Denying our selves Taking up the Cross Forgiving and Loving our enemies in their eyes looked more like follies then vertues and so they would have done in ours too if we had had no better guide then our selves to lead us By this we may see the necessity we have of Leading let us now see the accommodation we have for it in the Leader Our blessed Lord Jesus Christ a person every way fitted for the purpose both for his skill and good will He knew best the Heavenly Countrey whither we are going and the way to it for he came from thence from the bosom of his Father And for his good will to his own we cannot doubt they are the Sheep which he had purchased with his blood and by that had a just title to govern in what Lordly way of Secular domination he pleased yet chose that easie gentle way as Shepherds use to lead their Sheep And such he professed himself to be John 10.11 I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth his life for the Sheep and He made it good in every point while he was upon carth He went about doing good preaching the Gospel healing the diseases of the Sheep forgiving their sins till he came to the last and hardest work of a good Shepherd He laid down his life for his Sheep Yet his Pastoral care died not with him As he was a Priest for ever so he was a Shepherd for ever for after he had in person ascended into Heaven he took care for his flock that he left behind Him that they might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd And from thence gave gifts unto men some Apostles some Prophets Ephes 4. some Pastors and Teachers c. to continue still his Pastoral charge upon earth and they were the same persons which before he went he had designed for it and for the same reason that the Father sent Him Mat. 15.24 to seek and save the Sheep that were lost as appears in the preamble to the commission given to the Apostles Mat. 9.36 Mat. 9.36 When he saw the multitude he had compassion on them because they were dispersed and scattered abroad like Sheep having no Shepherd This commission indeed was only to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel while he was alive but when he rose again from the dead He renewed and enlarged it to the lost Sheep of all the world Mat. â—8 1â— Go and teach all Nations And as he assigned the persons sicut misit me Pater As the Father sent me so send I you Joh. 20.21 He Instituted likewise the office it self in all the points and parts of it 1. Go and teach all Nations baptizing Mat. 2â— 1â— c. there he gave the power of preaching and baptizing 2. He commands a perpetual memorial of his death in the Sacrament of his blessed body and blood Hoc facite 1 Cor. 11.24 c. 3. He gave them at the same time the power of the Keyes Joh. 20.23 Whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. 4. And before that in case of contumacy he gave power to excommunicate offenders If he will not hear the Church Mat. 18.17 let him be as a heathen and publican 5. He ordered them how and what to pray When ye pray say Mat. â— 9â— c. 6. He gave them power and jurisdiction over false Shepherds to expel them from the flock Mat. 7.19 Beware of false Prophets which come to you in Sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening VVolves These and the like are the parts of the Shepherds office And to all
invented by the Priests to get their living and according to the priviledge of Inventors they claim a Monopoly that they only may have the offering of that Sacrifice It is not strange that they who have not God in their hearts as the Prophet David speaks of those fools should have any sacrifice in their lips for him In this only I confess they are no fools If there be no God we need not trouble our selves about a Sacrifice but if there be a God let them take the fool again for Sacrifice is his due Never was any Nation so barbarous that fancied a Deity but thought it necessary to make some testification and acknowledgment of it by Sacrifice To these we may joyn the whole Herd of SECTARIES who are but a kind of godly Atheists When the late storm that raged amongst us brought with it those Locusts that over-spread the Nation though their whole business was to destroy yet of all most virulently the Publick Service of the Church And hence it is that in the practice of their devotions you shall find nothing that looks like the offering of a Sacrifice of praise for the honor of God But their meeting together is only to tell one another their dreams and ridiculous phansies belying the holy Spirit an hour or two and then depart And so I leave them And come to another sort of enemies whom I intend more particularly to call to an account and the rather because they seem to allow of a Publick Sacrifice of praise as far as a free Directory will go but for a set and stinted Liturgie as they call it they have it in abomination as appears by the heap of accusations they bring against it 1. That it is a polluted unclean thing 2. That it is a dead Sacrifice 3. A Book-service of the Letter and not of the Spirit 4. A Childish 5. Confused 6. Improper Impertinent service 7. A tedious service 8. A lame sacrisice full of defects And lastly A blinde one that edifies not All this dirt and filth they cast upon it is easily wiped off with a right understanding of this only general Doctrine of the Text That it is a sacrifice of praise to God for the honour of His Name First They say it is a polluted unclean thing taken out of the Popish Missal and Breviary But if it be truly according to the patern in the Text as ye have heard a Sacrifice of praise to God we need not be troubled through what hands it passed before it came to us For as we are not ashamed to confess that our Religion is not a new but Reform'd Religion so nor need we be ashamed to say We worship God not by a new but Reform'd Liturgie And so our Faith and Worship are both of a piece and both as old as the Text. Secondly They say it is a dead Sacrifice made up of empty Forms and Ceremonies void of that life and affection which is necessary in Gods service If there be that want of affection in our Prayers it is a fault lie where it may But certainly the Forms are not guilty of it It is injustice to require that in a Sacrifice which belongs only to him that offers it The Church that composed the Forms cannot create affection If we come to this Sacrifice and leave our hearts behind us I know where the blame must lie But you will say you do not accuse Set Forms for want of life in themselves but that by the continual repetition of the same things they be-dead affection in those that should have it And how I pray should that be If the sense of real wants and blessings which are always the same cannot keep up our affections how should a new set of words do it Can we imagine that God should be taken with variety and shift of phrases or that the affection that takes heat from them will render the service more acceptable to God And therefore when they complain that their devotion is tired with nothing but Almighty and most merciful Father in the Morning and Almighty and most merciful Father in the Evening and the same over and over again every day That complaint did never lie against the Jews daily Sacrifice which was a type of ours that there was a Lamb in the morning and a Lamb again at evening and the same over again every day in the year When our Savour at his last agony in the Garden three times retired himself from his Disciples to pray he used still the same form of words without any change St. Matth. 26.44 And who dares say he wanted ability to vary his prayer or can say he wanted affection though he did not For as St. Luke relates it He prayed so earneslly St. Luke 22.24 that his swet was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground and then sure there was no want of affection for when our zeal is at the hottest we do not use to swet at our prayers I go on to a third charge That Set forms instead of helping us hinder the Spirit by which we should pray The truth is Such as the Spirit may be and too often useth to be it ought rather to be bound with chains than left at liberty under a Form of Praying to Libel their Governors or whom or what they please to bring into hatred with the people But for the true Spirit of Prayer that cannot be tyed with words For they are utterly mistaken that think the Spirit of Prayer supplies any defect of words or phrases for that very Text of St. Paul whereon they ground it confutes them Rom. 8.26 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities But in what not in words for what the Spirit supplies are there said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not spoken at all or as we translate it which cannot be uttered What then doth it supply It maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered The true Spirit of Prayer consists in groans in zeal and fervency and that where it is will animate and put life into any Form of Prayer They who call Forms of their own making or borrowing con'd without Book Praying by the Spirit do both cheat the people and blaspheme the Holy Ghost A Fourth Objection is That it is but a Book-Sacrifice a Reading-Service which any child may do They complain it seems of case If God should require a harder thing of us as no doubt there are many harder things to be done do them we must The easiness lays the greater obligation upon us How ridiculous would this exception appear against the Legal Sacrifices A Butcher could kill and dress a Lamb as well as a Priest This is a false deceitful weight Gods service is not to be weighed by the labor of doing but by the relation to him for whom it is done And therefore King Solomon when by the advice of his Father upon his death-bed he call'd to account the chief Leaders in the rebellion
in want and contempt but to improve our industry to the best advantage both to our selves and others and may by that attain to some luster and splendor of riches honour and command to which no oppression or extortion or any lucky sin hath advanced us and that is though we have brought no corruption into the flesh yet we shall reap corruption from it This is a Doctrine which our daily experience abundantly confirms by the frequent turnings changes and vicissitude of things But that our desires should be so unchangeably fixed upon things so mutable must be some great delusion or in the Apostles phrase in a like manifest case a bewitching not to trust our own eyes in what we see every day But because though the World be full of Deceivers we are still the greatest deceivers of our selves let us take it upon the credit of others and those the wisest Kings Solomon and his Father David who may be the better trusted in this for that neither of them were any great enemies to the flesh Solomon when he had run through all the glories pleasures and delights of the world never any King drank deeper in that cup yet he at last wearied sate down to write a Book to teach others that all was Vanity and that is but another word to signifie Corruption And David as well of observation as experience I my self have seen the ungodly in great power flourishing like a green Bay tree I went by and lo he was gone I sought him and his place could no where be found Psal 37.36 And least we should think this the portion onely of the ungodly Psal 49.9 Wise men also die and perish together as well as the ignorant and foolish and leave their riches for others and it may be not that neither For riches saith the Wise man Prov. 23. make themselves wings and fly away from the owner And at another time the Owner too makes himself wings and flies away from them All things in the World are upon the Wing And it is a strange deceit the Prophet observes vers 11. And yet they think that their houses shall continue for ever And to give themselves a kind of Immortality they call them after their own names But they are oft times deceived in that too so far doth Corruption eat into all our designs The lewd people will be the Gossips and name the Child in despite of the Father and that little to his liking or honour We are not sure to enjoy that poor vanity to leave a name behind us upon that which cost us so much care and expense Lastly How well soever he speeds here and that the Glory of his house be increased yet this will be certain vers 17. He shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth neither shall his pomp follow him I do not think by this or any thing that can be said more to make you our of love with the flesh it is neither possible nor needful I shall only for a conclusion of this first part beg in the Apostles name that ye would not be deceived as all are who give more for a thing then it is worth To spend all our time and cost upon that which will be worth nothing or as ill no better then rottenness and corruption I make the more haste through this Field of the Flesh that we may stay the longer in that of the Spirit where our labour and tillage will be to better purpose for ye see the best that can be hoped for from the other is but to flourish as a Flower of that Field and that Psal 103.19 as soon as the wind goeth over it is gone Nullus flos nisi novus Corruption bloweth upon the most florid condition in it But the growth and increase from the field of the Spirit is incorruptible that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us 1 Pet. 1.4 for he that soweth c. When we see so great a Harvest and yet so few Labourers in the Field some strange delusion there must be wheresoever it lies we must confess the Apostles caution here was no more then needs Be not deceived God is not mocked For is it possible where so good wages are so few should set themselves at work unless they either mistrusted their pay Eternal Life and so mocked God that promised it or mistook the sowing and so deceived themselves Both these would deserve to be well considered but because they who have some diffidence of a life hereafter to come have not the confidence to say so I have not so much spare time as to spend in proving that which they will be ready to say they do not deny I shall therefore now endeavor only to undeceive them if it may be in the vain pretences they make to it in the sowing And here first it will be necessary that whatever else deceives them to see that a misunderstanding of the words give no occasion to it to know what this sowing to the Spirit is and how it comes to make a Title to Everlasting Life for there are no mean Competitors in the same Claim For 1. Christ is the Author of this life For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.4 And 2 Tim. 1.10 Our Lord Jesus Christ hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light 2. Another Competitor with the Spirit is the Gospel that is the immortal seed of this life Being born again by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 It is the Power of God to Salvation 3. Faith puts in to the same Claim The Just shall live by Faith Rom. 1.17 And 1 Tim. 1.16 St. Paul professeth that Jesus Christ had set forth him as a Pattern to all them who should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life Is there yet another way to Everlasting life by sowing to the Spirit It is happy for us that there is any way to it but yet we may be at a loss and confounded where there are so many To remove that fear we must know that all these are but several name of the same thing though in divers appearances and Phases as the Astronomers word is Christ the Gospel Faith and the Spirit do all relate to life everlasting Christ as the Author of it provided all things necessary to it The Gospel as the Register of all that is to be known or done to attain it Faith is our submission and obedience to the Gospel The Spirit is the publisher and preacher of it Ephes 3.5 The mysteries of Christ which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as it is now revealed unto the Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit And for this reason the Apostle expresly calls the Gospel the Spirit Gal. 3.3 For whereas they having already embraced the Gospel fell back to Circumcision and other rites of the Law severely charges them with folly Are ye so foolish having
to Life Everlasting but he that believes by a special mercy to him in particular his sins are forgiven or which is all one that he is elected for without that there is no remission The Faith of the Gospel they think is too general without life and common to the Devils who believe and tremble they are Believers and Quakers too and yet are Devils I cannot say how much of the Gospel they believe but by their trembling and their own confession to our Saviour Art thou come to torment us before our time that they believed the Article of the last Judgment that they shall be one day tormented for their sins By the way the Devils may shame them that have not learned so far in their Creed But notwithstanding this we must not be so kind to the Devils as to think they have the Faith of the Gospel because that works by love Circumcision availeth not any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love Gal. 5.6 I think no man hath so much charity for the Devils as to think they have any There is no reason therefore why the Faith of the Gospel should suffer for their sakes The word of Faith saith St. Paul Rom. 10.8 is that which we preach and that was the Gospel Our particular election may be written in the Book of Life in Heaven but it is no where to be found written in the Book of the Gospel True Faith is that which we preach saith the Apostle but this Faith of Election no man can preach for who can say and say truly of his own knowledge that I or you or any man by name is elected Now if this Faith cannot come by hearing what will become of our Sermons indeed of any thing that can be called Religion or Sowing to the Spirit for that leads us a way to Heaven through believing some mysteries we understand not through many a heavy and hard law of mortification and denying our selves whereas this Faith cuts off all that and may well go for sowing to the flesh For first in favour to this it shrinks up all the duties of the Gospel into Faith and then all Faith into one Article and that not in the Creed neither and something they pare from that too it works not as an act which we may call ours for that will prejudice Gods free Grace but as a relation to Christ and in the Logick Schools it is disputed whether Relations have any real being or no. And thus all hangs upon a Pins point and leaves not a Corn to be sown to the Spirit We may therefore conclude that this and the other Pretenders are all deceived mistake the Field of the Spirit which is the Gospel and sowe quite beside it It will be now time to enter into the Field it self and see what work the Spirit there sets us to It is a large Field and reaches as far as the Gospel indeed too large to be passed through at one time But this as a great Country may be seen in a little Chart. 1. One of the works and a chief design of the Spirit in the Gospel is a godly righteous and vertuous life 2. And a second is like to it A right Faith in the Mystery of Christ and Salvation 3. A third is a devout and reverent worship of God in Prayers Praises and Confessions 4. A fourth is a careful use of the auxiliaries of Grace Sacraments Fastings and other acts of Humiliation 5. Fifthly Then we have the adorning all these with comely and decent Ceremonies This last though far from the Heart of Religion is yet within the Body of it as well as the rest One thing more I have not yet named which seems at a farther distance from the great duties of the Gospel and yet hath the advantage above the rest that it is here expresly called sowing to the Spirit and what that is we shall learn from the Verse precedent where 6. The Apostle exhorts him that is taught in the Word to communicate to him that teacheth in all good things If there be any coherence in the discourse any reason in the rational Particle for For he that soweth unto the Spirit The communicating our Goods for the Gospel is true sowing to the Spirit This duty therefore together with those already named are all Sowing to the Spirit and have a joint tendency to life everlasting For the meaning is not that any of them apart make a full Title to it but according to their quality and degree carry us their part in the way towards it It is therefore but a piece of fraud and Sophistry to discountenance one duty by setting up a greater against it as the manner is that the main purpose of the Gospel looks another way And so run down one duty with another the less with the greater as Great Persons do their Inferiors This is not onely a Deceit but plain mocking of God who commands both and a setting him against himself I note this Fallacy in common that it be not made use of here on our particular to mislead us from the due regard ought to be given to the maintenance of those that minister in the Gospel though it be not the accomplishment of the great duties yet hath a remote influence upon all Set it in as low a place in Gods House as you please but for the Spirits sake let it not be turned out of dores I single out this duty from the rest that may deserve our care more and need it less It hath fewer friends to speak for it I confess but the true reason why I do it is because it was the particular occasion of the Apostles delivering this doctrine and in this I shall keep both a better measure with the Time and with the Apostles intention and it is a point too wherein we are as much deceived as in any Our worldly Goods by nature and kind are Carnal yet being sown to the Spirit become spiritual they are infranchised and incorporate into the Family and Retinue of the Spirit they alter their property not by imprinting any real indelible character into them as envy and ill-will objects but giving onely the respect that persons of low birth have when they are adopted or affianced into a more noble Stock When the Flesh serves the Spirit it is advanced above her condition the Volatile nature of the Flesh is fixed by the Spirit and helps to make up the title to everlasting life This is warrant enough for me to make a Suit and reward enough for those that grant it That for Gods sake and the Spirits when the Church Revenue comes into your thoughts to cast an eye if not of duty of compassion upon such miserable places where there is but too much necessity for it I can speak of my own knowledge that there are many hundreds of Parishes in this Kingdom where there is not so much yearly maintenance for serving the Cure as one of your Foot-men stand
he may deceive himself by his spirit he shall not deceive me The other way of the Spirits leading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. not by revealing any thing to us but by co-operating with us by fortifying the soul and the faculties of it to all supernatural actions by assistance of grace to inlighten the understanding to comprehend divine truth to inflame the affections with the love of it to support our endeavours in all difficulties and temptations To this assistance of the Spirit all the faithful have a right And though in this way the Spirit cannot deceive us yet we may be deceived in it because it never works but with us if we fail in what we are to do then that fails us And by this way not only private persons but publick Councels are governed To whom the Spirit doth not reveal the matter of their Decrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by way of co-operation assists their indeavours to find out the truth from the proper Topicks of it the Scripture and Antiquity for so all the force of their decrees depends upon the reason and grounds upon which they are made For if any Councel might pretend to that other way of revelation sure that first famous Apostolical Councel might Act. 15. But that did not otherwise determine the matter in controversy then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 15.7 v. 7. when there had been much debate and disquisition out of the Scriptures were the decrees made and sign'd accordingly It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us Verse 28. The Apostles and Elders were in joynt commission with the Spirit the same Lord that sent the Spirit sent the Apostles also and therefore no contradiction to be led by the Spirit and by the Shepherds too THE fourth and last leader which is brought in to avoid the Shepherds is the CONSCIENCE This is the Presbyterians strongest fort against Obedience If he can get his Conscience about him he thinks himself so safe that he may bid defiance to all Authority In the Commission of leaders I confess as I said the Conscience to be of the Quorum We are to do nothing without it and much less against it But then we must be sure we mistake not somewhat else for the Conscience Every disease and distemper of the mind causless scruple slight perswasion groundless fear is not the Conscience against which we are bound not to act The tender Conscience for which so much favour is pleaded may prove in some no better then a disease of the Soul a spiritual Splene For though it be good to be tender of offending God in any thing where it proceeds from the good temper and constitution of the soul which is the same constantly in all cases and is not affected or taken up for a purpose as the sturdy begger carries his arm in a string that it may be a Patent to beg and be idle You may know it certainly to be a disease if it comes upon us by fits and starts as to be tender of offending God when we obey men and not to be tender of offending God when we disobey them If they be not as tender of one side as of another as I never find them to be it is but a Paralitick Conscience that is dead of one side For tell him the Church commands it he presently shrinks and startles at it and well so for possibly he may sin against God But tell him on the other side that God commands obedience to those that rule over us it moves him not at all you may thrust a needle into his side and he feels it not It shews plainly the Conscience hath a dead Palsy on that side But a right and sound Conscience against which certainly we ought not to act is a constant and well governed judgment for not to amuse you as the manner is with frivolous distinctions and definitions of Conscience in this case the Conscience is nothing but every mans private judgment for he ought not to attempt the doing of any thing till he hath framed this judgment to himself that it is lawful for him to do it Now seeing our private judgment hath so great power and influence as to interrupt the course of publick it had need be a true and regular judgment As first It must not be arbitrary for that we think we have reason to decline in the publick Magistrate to govern by Will and not by Law Many a Conscience if it were well examined will prove to be nothing but will not judgement Every good judgment is upon a full hearing of the cause of both sides all evidences duly weighed and examined then resolves this is a Conscience against which we ought not to act though possibly it might prove to be erroneous yet for all that we must know that it doth not set us free from the guilt of disobeying our Governors And then this is all the benefit our Conscience will do us in case of error that it casts us into a necessity of sinning by obeying against our selves by disobeying against our Governors We shall do well therefore to take care that we make not every slight perswasion doubt or scruple a Conscience trusting to be discharged of our obedience by that which indeed binds it faster upon us for that is the very end and benefit for which is instituted the Pastoral charge that when we are so weak we can not safely trust our selves we may rely upon that unless we think it a good plea I am blind and therefore I will not be led I am weak and sickly and therefore I will not be rul'd by the Physitian Now to sum up all if not Reason nor Scripture nor the Spirit nor Conscience will discharge us of the duty we owe to the Church in the name of God let us not rashly fling away so great a blessing that in all our doubts and fears for our quiet and security we may have recourse to the Shepherds and Bishops of our Souls THis is the last point the Shepherds Flock or the Bishops Diocess the Souls of men And here we meet with another quarrel from the Presbytery That they may be sure to spoil the Bishops of all authority they take away their Diocess the cure of Souls that they may be Bishops sine titulo for Bishops they are not either of our bodies or estates And why not of our Souls Christ indeed the great Shepherd that purchased them may rule them but they are too precious for any other Shepherds to Lord over which they say is done by binding the Souls with Church-laws and censures which Christ hath set at liberty And thus they set up Christ against himself and Christian liberty against Christian duty S. Paul I confess doth earnestly press this point of liberty Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not intangled again with the yoak of bondage But what liberty It is not simply
care in the two parts of it and also make two Points of the Sermon VVhat we hear and How we hear 1. Take heed what But how can that be given in caution to the Hearer which is not in his power for it is wholly at the choice of the Speaker what we hear When the Ear is open it must hear what is spoken whether it be good or bad True if the Precept had been given to the Ear so it must be but it is given to the Hearer to him that hath an Imperium and ruling of that and all the other senses If the reason or will shall command the Ear will open or shut like or dislike It is not simple hearing the Sense it self is not capable of advice but mix'd Heb. 4.2 St. Paul gives the reason why the Gospel being preach'd to the Jews did not profit them because not mix'd with Faith in them that heard it It is not simple hearing but mix'd with a more noble part of the Soul that guides it And so to take heed what you hear is in effect to take heed what Faith and Credit you give to that you hear for so it follows in the Verse VVith what measure you mete it shall be measur'd to you the benefit will answer to the care measure for measure But what different measure can there be of that which differs not Gods Word is from everlasting unchangeable The grass may wither and the flower thereof may fade away saith St. Peter but the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you 1 Pet. 1. ult 1 Pet. 1. ult Though Gods word be one in it self yet that one hath been made known to the world in different ways and Degrees and so requires a hearing proportionable to them God who at sundry times Heb. 1.2 and in divers manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken by his Son And likewise that which the Son spake in those last days the days of the Gospel was in divers manners For first he spake by himself self in person Luke 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor That which he preached was certainly Gods word And when he left the world to go to his Father he sent the Holy Ghost from Heaven who in the mouth of the Apostles preached the same Gospel for those holy men spake not by the will of man but as they were mov'd by the Holy Ghost And therefore this also was truly the word of God 2 Pet. â— 24. And when the Church was thus founded by the preaching of the Holy Ghost for the propagation of it to all times after it pleased God to give it in VVriting in a Scripture and that by inspiration of the same Spirit which before preached it So as now we need not ascend to Heaven to fetch Christ down nor the Holy Ghost as some pretend to do to know Gods will but to receive it only from that Scripture Thus far we have the Word of God in Proper i. e. immediately out of the mouth of God and our hearing must be absolute for the matter we must say with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth But when it pleased God to commit the dispensing of that word to the Pastors of the Church for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes 4.12 Now the word of God was come into the hands of men subject to infirmities and error who may both deceive themselves and others And here our Saviours advice comes in season Take heed what you hear Before Gods word was in the Original but here only in the Transcript or Copy and some Copyings are more happy than others and come nearer the Original and therefore not all of the same value and esteem All Preachers are not to be heard alike nor all Sermons The word of God in them is so the water of Life that it often tastes of the mineral through which it runs and hath a tincture from the earthen Vessel that brings it and therefore not to be receiv'd with that measure of trust which belongs to the pure and proper word of God For take a Sermon at the best the most you can make of it is that it is Gods word only in a qualified sense because the Church intends it should be so and it is the Preachers judgment and opinion that it is so and possibly it may be so indeed But then because possibly it may not be so we had need take heed what we hear We learn from St. Paul that it was more than possible it was truly so then for he warns Timothy of Preachers that will strive about words to no purpose but to the subversion of the hearers 2 Tim. 2.14 And verse 16. By prophane and vain bablings do increase to more ungodliness And verse 17. Their word will eat as doth a Canker or a Gangrain for so the Greek word is and that 's a dangerous Disease and by all means possible to be avoided and especially to be taken heed of Thus it was in the early times of the Church we have reason then to look for worse after and so we of late times found it by sad experience Not only profane and vain bablings but Sedition Treason Rebellion were drest up and appear'd in the likeness of Sermons It is too plain we have but too much need of caution to take heed But alas what should private men do must they or can they call all Preachers and Doctrines to account The Scriptures indeed which are the undoubted Word of God would do it if well manag'd but how can that be hoped from every hand wherein wise that is learned men are mistaken and from whence every Sect seeks Patronage and perswades it self to have it What means is there then left by the help whereof we may take heed what we hear Truly none that I know but this still the Scriptures are the only infallible rule But how Not left loose to the prejudices and fancies of every man for then it will fall out as with those that look in a Glass in which every one sees his own face though not anothers the reason is because he brings his face to the Glass not because it was there before So every Sect sees the face of his own Religion in the Scripture not because it was there before but because his strong fancy and prejudice brought it thither he thinks he sees that in the Scripture which in truth is only in his own imagination But how then can we have any help from the Scriptures to take heed what we hear Not as Gods word lies diffus'd through the whole body of them but as prepar'd and fitted up in a summary and short form of wholsom words by such to whom the
care of the Church is committed If any shall think this a humane invention derogatory to the sufficiency of the Scriptures Let him implead St. Paul first who made the same use of it finding what mischief false Teachers had done charges Timothy with the care of it 2 Tim. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me This form he calls in the last verse of the former Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a depositum committed to his trust and for that very purpose that he might avoid profane and vain bablings and oppositions of Science falsly so called and that is plainly that they might take heed what they hear The same course was taken by the whole Church after considering how hard or rather impossible it was for every one out of the Scriptures to work out to himself an assurance of the knowledge of as much as was necessary to salvation and with that a consent with the rest of the faithful who are commanded to speak and think the same things which cannot be done but in a certain form of words Such a form 1 Cor. 1.10 if not the same with S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the Apostles Creed the use whereof hath ever since continued in the Church to be a help to take heed what we believe The same course was of later times held by divers particular National Churches who weary with the insolence and domineering of their Sister at Rome did suo jure uti and provide for themselves which sell out in a time when the world was filled with Controversies and Disputes of Religion That the people might not be carried about with every wind of doctrine that blew from all corners it was their care and wisdom to compose a form of wholsome words in their several Confessions to be a rule what to hear Now following our Saviours advice you have reason to ask With what measure of Faith are these confessions to be received for Quis custodiet ipsum custodem What credit must be given to that which must be a rule how far we credit others That we mistake not They are not to be received with that faith which is due to Gods word or any thing out of it as necessary to salvation but with such as wise men would give to the means of setling unity and consent in matters controverted as the title of our Confession imports that is That they are Articles of Peace not Articles of Faith They make no new Religion or new Faith This by the way gives an easie Answer to the Papists hard Question as they think Where was your Religion before Luther Where was your Church before the 39. Articles We do not date our Religion from those Articles The Church of England I grant is call'd so from their Confession but by an accidental denomination i.e. It is that Church which for preservation of unity and peace in it injoyns nothing to be taught or heard for God's Word which is repugnant to them in the particulars there mentioned But for the essential denomination of our Faith whereon Salvation depends it is the Faith of God's Word summ'd up in the ancient Catholick and Apostolick Forms as is evident from our Constitutions and Practice For when any is received as a Member into the Church by Baptisin the Laver of Regeneration no other Faith is required but that which is comprised in the Apostles Creed And when by a confession of our Faith and Sins we prepare to receive the other Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord our Faith is that according to the ancient Nicene Creed And in the Office of Visiting the Sick the Absolution a comfort at all times and most of all when we give up our Souls into the Hands of God is not to be administred but to those that make confession as well of their Faith as of their Sins and that Faith is only according to the Apostles Creed Thus are we born nourish'd and dissolv'd by the same Faith according to the ancient Catholick and Apostolick Forms A Faith of this age neither ought they to reproach nor we to be asham'd of To return to our particular Church Confession it hath another end and use they are Articles of peace and consent in certain Controversies to instruct and help us to take heed what we hear But it will not be so taken by all for the Churches Remedy is the Sectaries Disease who complain That by this means the liberty of the Spirit and of the Conscience are penn'd up in those Forms and which is a worse mischief if it were true a binding of God's Word which ought to be free But for that God's Word neither is nor can be bound The Forms are no more but the gathering together some of those Waters which flow all over the Scriptures into a stream to fit them for the ease and use of all But they say they take a better course to fetch all from the Fountain The Fountain indeed is purer but I see no reason why the Water should be purer in their Pitchers than in the Churches Stream seeing both claim immediately to the same Fountain They say again That these Forms are no better than snares to hinder many a painful Preacher of the Gospel They would seem careful to unbind God's Word but I see it is to set themselves at liberty As for painfulness in Preaching if it be not to some good purpose I shall not much reckon upon The Pharisees compassed Sea and Land Mat. 23.13 but it was to make Pharisees Proselytes of their Faction not of Religion Nay but they preach the Gospel The Gospel is a glorious Word but what Gospel A Gospel you may perhaps have enough of and too much S. Paul informs Timothy of perilous times to come 2 Tim. 3.1 when men will be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitors heady high-minded How think you comes it to pass that there should be such a general Apostacy was it not for want of preaching They had no Sermons or perhaps no great affection for them they were some cold hearers that were content with one Sermon a day No that was not the matter if we read on to the next Chapter we shall find they had hearing enough for they were such as heap'd to themselves Teachers and so had heaps of Sermons and affection for them too for they had itching ears What was it then They could not away with sound Doctrine but would have Teachers after their own lusts they had the Gospel in plenty but it was Evangelium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after their own lusts not of sound Doctrine But what is sound Doctrine S. Paul doth not say here because a little before he had given Timothy a form of it Keep the Form of sound words
any matter of importance to set down and consider whether it be his own business or no what Title he can make to it It is utterly a fault amongst us to think that no part of our business to consider whether it be our business or no. If a qualm comes over the stomack that we begin to grow Government-sick or that the Ceremonies and Superstitions of the Church offend us presently without further dispute what ever comes of it it is resolved we will have a better Government and a more pure and reformed Church That is commonly concluded before this be disputed No good Student will do so conclude without premises We must see whether it be our own business first how we can derive a Title to it We know that Government and Religion come both originally from God to which none can have Right but they to whom God hath set over and entrusted the Care and Charge of either Our part is to see by what mean Conveyance it comes from them to us If we have nothing to shew that either of them have been particularly committed to us we may safely and certainly conclude it is none of our business Every Student must observe a good method in his study whereof one Rule is To proceed a manifestis ad obscuriora Let him begin at that which is without question his own business Hath he done all that belongs to his proper place and Function which is certainly his own Or hath he a Family at home to govern that no doubt is his too Are his Wife and Children and Servants well ordered all as they should be S. Paul gives a charge to Timothy not to set a Bishop over the Church who hath not governed his own Family well Though some have not a Family without yet every one hath a Family within and a large one too To rule his passions and inordinate desires only ask a world of work and they will find it so when ever they set themselves upon it What a preposterous method and course is it to hunt eagerly after Liberty from some imaginary Pressure in Government or some poor Ceremony in the Church while in the mean time we are true slaves to some base vile lust within us Here we should begin to set our selves at liberty from our selves And this the method of Charity requires as well as the method of Art Charity begins always at home at our own business Tantumne ab re tua otii est tibi was well said in the Comedy Aliena ut Cures True Charity will find no leisure for other's work till her own be done If this method were carefully observ'd the world would be a great deal quieter then it is Study will be therefore needful in this case because otherwise unconsidering men are apt to be carried away with the fair shew of Zeal and Religion in reforming others they take it for a wrong from any that think not so of it But by considering well they will find they are disappointed of that hope for whatsoever sets them on work it cannot be true Religion that is not contrary to it self All Students know that One truth is not repugnant to another nor one vertue to another Religion doth not make men fools to employ themselves in that whereof there comes no good All we do in other mens business runs wast S. Paul 2 Thess 3.11 calls it idleness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working not at all but are busie-bodies busie and yet not work at all He says the same of his Widows of pleasure 1 Tim. 5.3 That they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idle and busie-bodies both He thinks that not worthy to be call'd business which is not our own And yet Secondly There is a worse matter in it than idleness It charges our account more than needs and there is no Wisdom in that for when the Conscience brings us in more work than either God or Man particularly requires though it be not our own of Duty here it will be our own in Account hereafter For the conscience of doing it makes it ours howsoever and so guilty both of it and all the mischeif that comes by it 'T is against Justice That doth suum cuique tribuere Justice lets every man enjoy his own He that takes upon him another mans business because he can do it better for that 's the great pretence to do that which is best may as well take another mans Purse because he will spend the money better I think we will hardly allow of that Justice 'T is against Hope that Christian hope which supports us in all our Sufferings and Afflictions Whereof when S. Peter 1 Ep. 4. c. had for the consolation of his Countrey-men scattered abroad pour'd out a plentiful measure v. 13.14 Rejoice in as much ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be reveal'd ye may be glad also with exceeding joy Ver. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you But presently in the very next words ver 15. he puts in an exception to busie-bodies they have no part or share in that consolation Let none of you suffer as a Murtherer or a Thief or a Busie-body They have as little right to the comfort in suffering as they had to the business for which they suffer Lastly As it disappoints them of the hope of that Mercy from God so it casts them into the snare of the Devil It was safe and wise Counsel the Apostle gives Eph. 4.27 Not to give place to the Devil He whose busie thoughts carries him abroad to pry into and meddle in others business gives place to the Devil in the mean time to enter in ransack and disorder all at home where there is none to resist him There is no better fence against the Devil than this si invenerit occupatos if he finds us diligently employ'd at home in our own business If for all this the medling Reformers of others would be thought the men of Religion and of the first rate too Let them know That it is of such a Religion as hath neither Prudence in it nor Charity nor Justice nor Hope nor Safety And when he hath weigh'd all these mischiefs that follow the breaking this Rule Let him in the next place consider the benefit that comes by keeping it At that I began and with that I will conclude This Lesson was set us of purpose by the Apostle to second and enforce the other of Peace and Quiet The best way to be quiet with others is to be busie with our selves It is the natural and genuine effect of it All discord and dissention must be between two either persons or parties and that which commonly kindles the fire is envy or some supposed injury now he that intends his own business only can give no occasion to others of either envy or complaint and so in
recompence of keeping to his own business he shall quietly sit under his own Vine and under his own Fig tree he shall have own for own Lastly Besides this outward quiet with others it will produce another within us the quiet and tranquillity of the Conscience without which outward peace may prove to some but a quiet passage here to eternal misery hereafter But this makes it a thorough quiet both sides alike within and without for it layes those busie unsatisfied thoughts within us which otherwise gives trouble both to our selves and others That when we see not or think we see not all things so well carried in the Church and Government as we could wish yet having gone as far to mend it as the line of our own business will reach and the farthest end of that is having peaceably mov'd for it and heartily pray'd for it we may with a safe and quiet Conscience leave the rest to God and those to whom he hath committed that Care and Charge whose proper business it is And as many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy from the God of Peace and Mercy To whom be all honour glory and praise for ever Amen FINIS A SERMON Preached before the KING AT WHITE-HALL Being the last Sermon preached at COURT By the Right Reverend Father in God BENJAMIN LANEY Late Lord Bishop of ELY LONDON Printed for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West end of S. Pauls 1675. Imprimatur Ex. Aed Lambethanis Maii 18. 1675. THO. TOMKYNS A SERMON Preached Before His MAJESTY AT WHITE-HALL GAL. vi v. 7.8 Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting BEfore we look into the particulars of the Doctrine of this Text we may from the Preface Be not deceived learn so much of the nature of it that we are either in danger to be deceived or in great danger if we should be deceived or both It will therefore be necessary first to implore the aid and assistance of Gods grace which is the best Guide to lead us through the intricate ways of Errour and Deceit c. The Text it self seems not at first sight to answer the expectation which the Preface hath raised of Danger to us It hath but one purpose but that is carried upon two Propositions One General That whatsoever a man sows he shall reap The other Particular of what shall be reaped from the Flesh or from the Spirit For the General I must confess it is a truth wherein few or none are deceived not any Gardener or Plough-man never so simple that looks to reap what he hath not sown God gave that vertue in the Creation to all living things to bring forth after their kind And our Saviour himself made use of it to a higher purpose we cannot gather Grapes of Thorns nor Figgs of Thistles So far we may possibly digest this truth in the General and fear not much to be deceived but when we come to Particulars where it touches our own flesh and spirit though it be as true as the General and must be so being contained in it yet because in this case it mixeth with our own Interest and Affection what we wish may not be true we are easily misled to think it so To this therefore at least the Caution in the Preface is proper and necessary though not in the General For this reason I shall lay that aside as less liable to fraud and bestow our care at this time upon this to which the Apostle directs his where we are in danger to be deceived He that soweth to the flesh c. And here our first care must be that we be not deceived in the meaning of the words which look so like a Description of the Day of Judgment that some Expositors have taken them for it and to be the same with that 2 Cor. 5.10 We shall all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ that every man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad I do not refuse this Exposition for any danger that might come by mistaking for it would howsoever lead us to a point of great consequence and not a little necessary for these times in which our beloved Liberty hath rifled so far into the Mysteries of Religion and digged so much about the Foundation that the House is in danger where they say all depends upon the report of others who know as little as our selves whether there be a Heaven or Hell or Day of Judgment or no. The detection of so dangerous a Deceit had been necessary if the occasion had been as fit I shall therefore leave it to other Texts which are more proper for it then this is knowing well that Truth receives not more prejudice any way then when it is set upon weak and uncertain Foundations Now the reason why I take not that sense in here is because the words will not fairly bear it If it had been sowing the sins and lusts of the flesh whereupon the last Judgment shall be given it had been clear for that but the words are to the Flesh and to the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so must have another meaning And as the Sowing so the Reaping also differs from that at the Day of Judgment for he that sowes to the flesh shall reap corruption and it will be hard to find Everlasting burnings in that word which naturally signifies no more then privation of Life or Being Now they that give themselves over all their lives to the lusts of the flesh without remorse would be content with this doom and hear no quit all scores with Dying if they might more of it What other sense then will the words more properly bear To the flesh and to the spirit imply rather the soil wherein they are to sowe then the seed and are as two Fields in which God sets all men to work Every one hath two Ploughs going one to the flesh and another to the spirit For the Flesh first it must be taken abstractly from the sins of the flesh though it be hard parting them as the best of us know yet we may consider them apart and so we saw them in our Saviour who took our flesh upon him that is our natural and civil condition of life he had all the infirmities of the one except sin and the burthens of the other he was born under the Law and paid obedience and tribute to the Civil Power This is that flesh which God hath given us as a stock to be imployed but upon account He hath not given us our natural lives to fling away at our pleasures by disorders distempers or quarrels Nor hath he put us here into the World into the societies of men to live
begun in the spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh The Spirit is the Gospel and the Law the Flesh they are so called Heb. 9.10 Carnal Ordinances and the reason why is intimated because they were temporal imposed upon them until the time of Reformation and no longer whereas the Gospel abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 Thus we see that Christ and Faith and the Gospel and the Spirit must all meet in the title to everlasting life if we separate and divide them we are certainly deceived it is a fallacy à compositis ad divisa dividing those things which the Spirit hath joyned together And by this we may trie and examine the sufficiency of their Pleas apart and divided First For those that make their title to life from Christ alone that they are Christians at large not to be tied up by any particular rules of Faith or Obedience that is to divide Christ from his Gospel against his own will who promised to reward them that forsook any thing for his sake and the Gospel he joins them both together Mark 10.29 and will not own them for his friends that do not all that he commands them John 15. and they shall find more Work-commandments in the Gospel then a fantastical name of Christianity Whilest by this means they think to avoid Schism they make one for they are Schismaticks upon record 1 Cor. 1.10 It is declared saith Saint Paul that there are divisions the Greek word is Schisms among you every one of you saith I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Cephas I am of Christ Is that a Schism to be for Christ Yes sure it is dividing of him for he adds Is Christ divided and how could that be but from his Apostles whom he had appointed to instruct them in the Gospel and had made them as it were one person with himself He that hears you hears me And thus was Christ divided What could probably be the cause of this separation from them but that they were not satisfied either with their Doctrine or severity of their Discipline sought to shroud themselves under the name of Christ not out of a great respect to him and his Doctrine which we may well presume could not differ but because it was a more plausible way to shift off their Authority by appealing from the Servants to the Master Much after this Copy do our Christians of the Latitude write They believe in Christ without a Creed they obey him without doing his Will they worship him no man knows how but every man as he likes and if he likes that better not at all As these are deceived by dividing Christ from his Gospel so secondly others by the same fallacie divide the Spirit from it So fully was the Mystery of Christ made known in the Gospel by the Spirit that St. John gives a charge that if there come any that bring not that Doctrine not to receive him nor bid him God speed 2 Joh. 10. This Doctrine serves not many mens purpose they must have other Doctrines and to credit them other Spirits too Every one will have a Familiar Spirit of his own to teach him But are we to look for no other Instruction from the Spirit but what is already taught in the Gospel that is to depose him of his Office from the time that the Gospel was first revealed and leave him no work to do after God forbid there are many other excellent Offices of the Spirit besides Revelation there is the Spirit of Sanctification whereof we have continual need to infuse all divine Graces and Vertues into us to assist and strengthen us in all our infirmities to lead us out of temptations troubles and dangers which every day surround us yet not to reveal anew what we are to believe or do which is already done in the Gospel And yet the Spirit will help us in that too For when any difficulty or contention arise about them we may and must pray for the Spirits assistance to clear our understandings by removing pride and prejudice that obscure it to inflame us with a true love of truth not to dictate and reveal or whisper any thing which is not to be seen in the Gospel as well by the eyes of others as our own But doth not the Spirit bear witness to our spirits that we are the children of God This can be no other but a private Spirit That this Text stand not in our way Rom. 8.16 we must distinguish not onely as I have said already the Spirit by the several operations of revealing and sanctifying So of the several kinds of bearing witness which is either proper by affirming or denying any thing expresly or improperly by proof and argument from the Nature and Incidents of the matter in question as Acts 14.17 God left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons Rain and fruitful seasons affirm nothing of God yet prove sufficiently his Godhead Power and Providence in governing the World Now the Spirit in both these senses doth bear witness to our spirits that we are the children of God without the help of private Revelations For if we speak of bearing witness properly the publick Spirit in the Gospel will effect that where it gives this testimony That whosoever believes repents and amends his life is the Child of God when our spirits can experimentally assume that we are so qualified then the Spirit in the Gospel beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God And if we speak of bearing witness in the other sense of proving by argument and reason then the Spirit of Sanctification working a real change in us a detestation of Sin and a true love and practice of Vertue and Godliness beareth witness to our Spirits that we are the children of God Here is therefore no place in this Text for private Revelations and I wish they had none amongst us for under colour of them every one will have a private Spirit though of his own making No Chymist can extract Natural Spirits out of any thing with more ease then they can Divine any vain Dream or Imagination nay any wicked devilish suggestion shall be an impulse of Gods Spirit It were happy for this Kingdom and Church if we could lay these Familiar Spirits No Schism in the Church no Mischief in the Commonwealth no Rebellious Practice which was not carried on by the conduct and impulse of these Spirits Thus by them they trouble the World deceive simple men and work despite to the Spirit of God There is yet another title made to Life-everlasting upon the same fallacie by Faith divided from the Gospel Faith hath been an unhappy word of contention but I shall onely take notice here of the insufficiency of the Plea of that Faith which by those that invented it is called Fides specialis misericordiae that no man is justified and by consequence hath right