Of the Holinesse of the Material Temple p. 199 226 See Church Thoughts Thoughts not free p. 166 Evil thoughts shall be brought to light p. 166 Truth Truth of Christ precious p. 157 Compared to Gold c. ibid. Truth two-fold Increated and Created p. 182 The Effects of Divine Truths p. 183 V Vanity VAnity How the word used in Scripture p. 158 Unity Union Disunion Unity not a sure mark of a Church p. 41 In Ministers pressed in Doctrine fections p 98 The sad Effects of the contrary in Ministers p. 99 What people should do when Ministers are divided ibid W Watering WAtering by the Word what p. 82 Wisdome Wisdome Humane an enemy to the things of Christ p. 230 But a shadow compared with Scripture Wisdome p. 247 Contemptible folly before God ibid. True Wisdome but folly in the worlds account p. 239 Things to be believed hoped for and to be done are foolish to humane Wisdome p. 239 True Wisdome only in the Church or Christianity p. 243 Wise men Wise men How God delights to take wise men of the world in their own craft p. 254 The best of their thoughts vain p. 257 Wicked Wicked people spoken to p. 8 19 20 46 47 70 77 104 166 167. Wicked works though never so secret shall be brought to light p. 165 Workes All should do good workes p. 102 Doing good workes two-fold ibid. What to do a good work that God will accept and reward p. 103 Workers How Ministers are Workers with God p. 110 Why God will make use of them ibid. Worship Of the Worship of God p. 129 Word Word of God how that reclaims from sinne and errour p. 179 Of a durable nature p. 182 World World How it is the godly mans p. 275 Z Zeal FAlse Zeal p. 15 FINIS A CATALOGUE Of the Chiefest of those Books as are Printed FOR THOMAS VNDERHILL By Col. Edw. Leigh Esquire A Treatise of the Divine Promises in Five Books The Saints Encouragement in Evil Times Critica Sacra or Observations on all the Radices or Primitive Hebrew words of the old Testament in order Alphabetical Critica Sacra or Philological and Theological Observations upon all Greek words of the New-Testament in order Alphabetical By Samuel Gott Esquire Novae Solymae Libri sex Sive Institutio Christiani 1. De Pueritia 2. De Creatione Mundi 3. De Juventute 4. De Peccato 5. De Virili Aetate 6. De Redemptione Hominis Essayes concerning mans true Happiness Parabolae Evangelicae Latinè redditae Carmine Paraphrastico varii generis Morton His Touchstone of Conversion Mr Hezekiah Woodward Of Education of Youth or The Childs Patrimony The Lives and Acts of the good and bad Kings of Judah A Treatise of Fear A Thank-offering Mr Samuel Fisher A Love-Token for Mourners being two Funeral Sermons with Meditations preparatory to his own expected Death in a time and place of great Mortality Mr Herbert Palmer and Mr Daniel Cawdry A Treatise of the Sabbath in 4 parts Memorials of Godliness and Christianity in seaven Treatises 1. Of making Religion ones Business With an Appendix applied to the Calling of a Minister 2. The Character of a Christian in Paradoxes 3. The Character of visible Godliness 4. Considerations to excite to Watchfullness and to shake of spiritual Drowsiness 5. Remedies against Carelesness 6. The Soul of Fasting 7. Brief Rules for daily Conversation and particular Directions for the Lords-day His Sermon entituled The Glass of Gods Providence toward his faithfull ones His Sermon entituled The duty and Honours of Church-Rest Mr William Barton His Psalms His Catalogue of Sins and Duties implied in each Commandement in verse Mr Vicars Chronicle in four parts Mr Samuel Clark A general Martyrology or A History of all the great Persecutions that have been in the world to this time Together with the Lives of many eminent Modern Divines His Sermon as the Warwickshire mens Feast entituled Christian Good Fellowship Mr Kings Marriage of the Lamb. Mr Shorts Theological Poems The French Alphabet Jus Divinum Ministerii by the Provincial Assembly of London Mr Thomas Blake His Answer to Blackwood of Baptism Birth-Priviledge Mr Cook His Font uncovered Dr John Wallis His Explanation of the Assemblies Catechism Mr Austin's Catechism Mr Vicar's Catechism Mr Pagit's Defence of Church-Government by Presbyterial Classical and Synodal Assemblies Mr Tho. Pagit A Demonstration of Family-Duties Mr Anthony Burgess Vindiciae Legis or A Vindication of the Law and Covenants from the Errors of Papists Socinians and Antinomians A Treatise of Justification in two Parts Spiritual Refining Part 1. or A Treatise of Grace and Assurance Handling the Doctrine of Assurance the Use of Signs in Self-examination how true Graces may be distinguished from counterfeit several true Signs of Grace and many false ones The Nature of Grace under divers Scripture Notions viz. Regeneration the New Creature the heart of Flesh Vocation Sanctification c. Spiritual Refining the Second Part or A Treatise of sinne with its Causes Differences Mitigations and Aggravations specially of the Deceitfulness of the heart of Presumptions and Reigning Sinnes and of Hypocrisie and Formality in Religion All tending to unmask Counterfeit Christians Terrifie the ungodly Comfort doubting Saints Humble man and Exalt the Grace of God His CXLV Sermons upon the whole 17th Chapter of St John being Christs Prayer before his Passion The difficulty of and Encouragements to Reformation a Sermon upon Mark. 1. verse 2 4. before the House of Commons A Sermon before the Court Marshal Psal 106.30 31. The Magistrates Commission upon Rom. 13.4 at the Election of a Lord Maior Remes Cruelty and Apostasie upon Revel 19.2 preached before the House of Commons on the 5th of November The Reformation of the Church to be endeavoured more then the Common-wealth upon Judg. 6.27 28 29. preached before the House of Lords Publique Affections pressed upon Numb 11.12 before the House of Commons Self-judging in order to the Sacrament with a Sermon of the Day of Judgment A Treatise of Original Sinne. An Exposition with Practical Observations on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians The Godly mans Choice compared with the Natural mans and found to be transcendently the best and both being Characterized by their Desires and Delights this is clearly evinced That the Godly man is the only happy man even in this world Held forth in XIII Sermons upon Psal 4. vers 6 7 8. Mr Richard Baexter Plain Scripture-proof of Infant Baptism The Right Method for getting and keeping Spiritual Peace and Comfort The unreasonableness of Infidelity in four Parts 1. The Spirits Intrinsick witness to the truth of Christianity with a Determination of this Question Whether the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles do oblige those to believe who never saw them 2. The Spirits Internal witness of the truth of Christianity 3. A Treatise of the Sinne against the holy Ghost 4. The Arrogancy of Reason against Divine Revelation repressed The Christian Concord
foundation in the hearts of their hearers 125 Of a two-fold foundation Fundamentum cognoscendi the foundation of our knowledge and faith in matters of Religion viz. the Scripture And fundamentum essendi or the foundation of the being or existence of all our glory and salvation viz. Jesus Christ ibid Four unquestionable Scripture-foundations ibid. With a discovery of rotten foundations 127 Why it is such a sinne to worship God many wayes as man pleaseth 132 As a wise master-builder 137 Observ That it 's not vanity but a duty in some cases for the Ministers of the Gospel to magnifie and set up their Work and Office ibid In what cases a Minister may magnifie his work and office ibid. And another buildeth thereon 139 Observ That people are not to expect that Ministers should bring any other Doctrine than what is laid by Christ and the Apostles already ibid. The use of preaching notwithstanding the fulnesse of the Scripture 140 But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon 141 Observ The Ministers of God are greatly to take heed that they preach no other thing than what is already contained in the Scripture Or It 's a dangerous thing to put that sense and meaning on the word of God which is not the true genuine sense of it ibid. A two-fold building upon the foundation ibid Why Ministers must take heed how they build upon the foundation 142 Verse 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ 145 Observ That the Ministers of God ought to lay no other Foundation than Christ ibid. How many wayes Christ is to be preached as a foundation ibid. Reasons why he must be preached as the foundation 150 Objections and Doubts answered 153 How Duties are to be done and preached with relation to Christ 154 The great Advantages those have that are built on Christ 155 Verse 12. Now if any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble c. 157 Observ That the Doctrine and Truths of Christ are very precious and excellent ibid What the comparing them to Gold c. implieth ibid. If any man build hay and stubble 161 Observ That all errours and falshoods in Religion though not fundamental are no better than hay and stubble ibid Some Propositions about errour ibid. Why errours are called hay and stubble 162 Verse 13. Every mans work shall be made manifest 165 Observ That all the wayes and works of wickednesse though acted in never so hidden and secret a manner shall be made manifest ibid. What kind of hidden wickednesse shall be made manifest ibid. The Aggravation of those sins that are secret and hidden 168 Observ That all the hidden and secret wayes of false Doctrines God will one day make manifest 169 The Causes Nature the cunning subtilty in divulging them shall be made manifest ibid. For the day shall declare it 173 Observ That God hath his time when he will discover the errours and falshoods of mens Doctrines ibid. Errours are spiritual judgements the removal in mercy at Gods time 174 Why God will have a day to discover false Doctrine 176 Because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall declare every mans work of what sort it is 177 The interpretation of fire 178 Observ That God useth to bring people out of errours and false wayes by his Word and Afflictions ibid. Though the Word and afflictions are both helpfull yet differently 179 How wandring sheep are reduced by the Word ibid. How by afflictions 181 Verse 14. If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward 181 Observ That Gods Truths are of a firm and durable Nature notwithstanding any tryal or opposition whatsoever 182 Truth two-fold Increated and Created ibid Scripture-truths reduced to four heads 183 Verse 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer losse but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire 185 Observ That every man will be altogether a loser in any errour or false way that he hath maintained he shall suffer loss 186 Wherein they shall be losers ibid. He shall be saved yet so as by fire 189 Observ That even errours of judgement may endanger a mans salvation as well as ungodlinesse in practice ibid. The several kinds of corruptions of the understanding that indangers a mans salvation ibid. The Difference between errour and heresie with the grounds of the Doctrine 190 Observ That every godly man though never so eminent yet is very difficultly saved 192 Verse 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 193 Observ That the consideration of those Priviledges and Relations which all the People that professe God are put into would be a great Argument against all kind of Pollution ibid Some of the chief Titles or Relations which the people of God have 194 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God 197 Of the word Temple ibid. Observ That the people of God met together to worship him according to his way are the spiritual Temple of God 197 What there is in the Church allusively to the Temple 198 Of Gods presence with his Church 200 And that the Spirit of God dwels in you 201 Observ That the Spirit of God is God 202 The signification of the word Spirit when attributed to God ibid. That the holy Ghost is God and a person ibid. Why the holy Ghost is called Spirit 204 Observ That the Spirit of God dwels in his Church 205 What to have the Spirit dwell in us implieth in that phrase ibid. How many wayes the Spirit may be said to dwell in Gods people 207 The special works and effects of the holy Spirit in his Chruch 209 I. Gifts ibid. How farre the gifts and abilities of Ministers that are acquired by humane study and industry are to be ascribed unto the holy Ghost ibid. II. Sanctifying graces 209 Of the saving inhabitation of the Spirit 212 Verse 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy 216 Observ That those men who defile the Church of God with corrupt Doctrines do highly provoke God to punish them ibid Why errours are said to defile Gods Church 217 How God will punish Heretiques 219 A godly man may fall into a damnable Heresies 220 How a godly man erring differeth from a wicked man ibid. Errours are erroneous persons distinguished 221 Why God is so provoked with corruptions in Doctrine and worship ibid Him shall God destroy 222 Observ That eternal Damnation is the destruction of a man ibid. Of the punishment of losse sense 224 With the Aggravations of this punishment 225 For the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are 226 Observ The holy Temple of God under the Gospel is not any place though never so adorned or glorious but persons believing and worshipping of him according to his will ibid Verse 18. Let no man
whom no Dew fell Secondly You may ask If God onely give increase What means may we take to have God blesse us in this manner And First Do thou highly esteem and prize the Ministry God hath appointed expect not Gods increase where Apollo doth not water The Apostle you heard doth admirably joyn both these together mans Ministry and Gods Efficacy Think not then contemptibly and vilely of the means of grace But Secondly Lean not on it too much as if that of it self were able for any spiritual good He that watereth and he that planteth are nothing viz. comparatively and relatively to God We are apt to runne from one extream to another Some despise Ordinances and some relie on them and not Christ in them Christ said of his own flesh that it did not profit it was the spirit that quickned John 6.63 How much rather may we say it is not the Ordinance but the Spirit by it that doth quicken Thirdly Wouldst thou have God give the increase Fear then the miscarriage of it Be in daily trembling lest the Word should not prosper to thee Look upon it as the greatest judgement to hear and hear often and yet find no spiritual progresse The Apostle gives a terrible example and comparison in this case Heb. 6.7 and saith Such are nigh unto cursing Oh say Lord I tremble lest I am nigh to an everlasting curse because I find no increase Fourthly Make much of that which God hath bestowed on thee already To him that hath shall be given Mat. 25.29 The good hearer is compared to new born babes that greedily sucks down the milk 1 Pet. 2.2 Why should God give any more increase when thou hast abated from that former efficacy and vigour of grace We judge famine and decayes of trading hard and sad times but when God suffereth a spiritual decay and withering on mens souls this is more terrible Verse 7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase THese words are a Conclusion or Inference from the former Proposition They that plant only and water and do not give the increase they must not be rested on nor set up as Masters neither are factions to be made for them But thus Apollo and Paul and all the eminent ones do and no more Ergo. Therefore in this Conclusive Assertion let us consider 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate 3. The opposite Proposition The Subject is two-fold He that planteth and He that watereth You have heard these are such that lay down the foundations of Religion and afterwards build thereon This hath been already handled 2. The Predicate Is not any thing Any thing here as in other places signifieth no great thing it 's not able to do those things which the credulous Disciples are many times apt to believe And therefore when he saith They are nothing it is to be understood comparatively or relatively It is not any thing without God The Ministers of God are like Trumpets they make no sound if breath be not breathed into them They are like Ezekiels wheels they move not unlesse the Spirit move them They are like Elisha's servant whose presence doth no good except Elisha his spirit be there also Now although this verse and the former seem to contain no new matter yet as we must not think the holy Ghost hath vain repetitions or battalogies so neither will the enlarging of the same matter prove a needlesse repetition to you but I shall still amplifie it in new considerations Observe That the best and most able Ministry is nothing without Gods power giving the increase As in natural things the Sunne could not shine the fire burn without God the Authour of nature so neither in supernatural things can the Ministry enlighten or convert without God the Authour of grace You might wonder why the Apostle should in several verses presse this point But the necessity of it may justly challenge a frequent inculcation For even in our dayes we shall see that one main reason why Gods word doth not pluck up all sinne by the root and plant all godlinesse among a people it 's because men pray not to God seek not to God they provoke him by unfruitfulnesse by a prophane contempt of the means of grace and so he turneth even a garden into a wildernesse to them and bread into stones To open this First Let us consider What the Apostle doth not mean in saying The Ministry is nothing And First He doth not mean as if the Officers of the Church were not in their way and place necessary for then the Apostle in the same tongue should contradict himself for he saith We are workers together with God 2 Cor. 6.1 Yea this very Epistle might thereby be accounted nothing because though Paul wrote the Epistle yet it is God that giveth the successe unto it They are therefore in themselves the necessary institutions and means of grace And we are commanded to hear them to wait on their Ministry to submit unto them in the Lord. Do not therefore conclude from this the uselesnesse and unnecessarinesse of preaching Gods word For in other places when the Scripture speaks absolutely glorious and absolute effects are attributed unto it and it 's called no lesse than the Kingdom of Heaven And if there be so much ado for an outward Kingdome and earthly greatnesse how much rather should this be prized and received Secondly When the Apostle cals the Ministry nothing the meaning is not as if it were not sufficient in its kind to work those things for which it is appointed otherwise this would reflect upon the wisdom of God For as in natural things Frustra est illa potentia quae nunquam reducitur actum So in supernaturals also As we say the Sunne is sufficiently able to enlighten the whole world yet blind men would never get any good if the Lord did not open their eyes So it is here The Ministry faithfully discharged is sufficient to enlighten the minds and convert the hearts of all that hear No wickednesse so powerfull no sinne so rooted but that is able to conquer and remove it yet unlesse God mould the heart and give understanding they perish in their sinnes and take no warning Thirdly When the Apostle saith They are nothing This is to be understood of the Ministers of the Gospel and preaching of it as well as the Ministers of the Law and preaching that For you might say It is no wonder to hear Paul say That the Law is a dead letter that the ministration of the Law is killing 2 Cor. 3.6 but to have this true also that the Preachers of the Gospel are of themselves but dead and killing this seemeth very hard Now to answer this know That both the preaching of the Law and the Gospel if Christ do not enliven the Word are dead letters or dead preaching Hence those complaints of Stretching out the hands in vain and labouring
no Sunne beames to comfort and refresh Secondly Here only is the Foundation of all graces or the Mediatour by whom God is gracious to us As they say in Aegypt there is never any rain from Heaven so all that part of mankind which is without Christ partaketh not of gracious influences of Heaven God is a consuming fire to them There is no death of Christ no Ascention no Intercession no pleading for them they come into Gods presence without Beniamin Thirdly Only in the Church are such persons who are qualified for gracious Priviledges Here only is true Piety here only is Faith Repentance Here only men do in a right manner pray to God All those moral vertues and excellent endowments amongst the Heathens though gilded over were nothing but drosse Vse of Instruction Are the Churches of God thus Temples of God and should every one of us be thus in particular Oh then how holy how godly how orderly should all our Assemblies be What Jeremy can make Lamentations bitter enough to see how this Temple of God is made a dunghill How comes so much ignorance and prophanenesse to be amongst us Are we not places prepared rather for the Devil and his evil Spirits to dwell with us then Temples of the Holy Ghost Know this that your defilements are worse then those of Heathens and therefore it 's said Judgment should begin at the House of God 1 Pet. 4.17 And in Ezechiel's Prophesse The destroying Angel is commanded to begin at the Sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 Yet we sit and hear these things and do not fear and tremble Where is Gods gracious presence discovering it self How few are the men that have God and his Spirit dwelling in them but rather their souls are possessed with Devils Hence cometh that pride that malice that opposition unto all godlinesse Oh then let us so live that we may say Such men have God and his Spirit dwelling in them Be men affected with understanding of these things To see nothing but a man in you nothing of God yea to see nothing but a Beast or a Devil in you how contrary is it to that holy relation we stand in And that the Spirit of God dwels in you We have considered what that is to which the Church of Corinth is compared viz. The Temple of God what more is to be said of that will come in the next verse I proceed to the ground and reason of the Comparison Why they were the Temple of God and that followeth in the next words And that the Spirit of God dwels in you The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath many significations or uses in the Scripture Here it is Causall as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ye are In many other places it 's so used Jere. 42. Thou art angry And We have sinned i. e. For Joh. 2. they staid not there many daies and the Passover was at hand i. e. For. So here you are the Temple of God for the Spirit of God dwels in you Thus you see it 's a causall Inference In the Reason consider the Person described Secondly His efficacy or operation The Person described is said to be the Spirit 2. The Relation to whom the Spirit of God Thirdly The operation or effect it dwels in you The Greek word Spirit as the Hebrew Ruach is of a vast signification in the Scripture I know none more boundlesse but when attributed to God it signifieth either absolutely the Divine Nature common to the three Persons Joh. 4. God is a Spirit because of his most pure and simple essence 2. It signifieth the Divine Nature of Christ as when it is said to be dead in the body but quickned in the Spirit 1 Pet. 3.18 3. Sometimes the anger of God and the effects of his wrath Thus we read of a Spirit of judgment and burning Isa 4. And a Spirit of giddinesse c. Lastly Relatively for the third Person in the holy Trinity Baptizing them in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 And thus it 's used here because it 's called the Spirit of God Now this Texe doth two waies prove the Divine Nature of the Holy Ghost 1. From the Manner of argunig They were the Temple of God because the Spirit did dwell in them which could be no sound Argument were not the Holy Ghost God And 2. Partly Because Temples wâ—re built to none but God even as Sacrifices were offered to God only And this is so ingrafted a truth in nature and acknowledged so professedly by Papists that when they are charged for Idolatry in dedicating their Temples to such and such Saints they say Temples indeed are to be built only to God but they name such a Saint only for memorial not as a Person they dedicate them to But that distinction is a meer fig leaf if you consider their practice So that we have two Doctrines 1. That the holy Spirit of God is God 2. This Spirit of God dwels in the Church These Points will be very profitable For the first The Holy Ghost is God There have not only Heretiques of old as the Macedonians or of late in other Countries as Polonia and Transilvana Servetus and the Socinians but even some in this land very lately not only maintained privately but have published Books on purpose to prove the Holy Ghost not to be God of the same essence with the Father and the Sonne Indeed there was a long contention whether verball or real it 's disputed between the Greek Churches and the Latin Churches about the procession of the Holy Ghost whether from the Father and the Sonne also or Father only but no doubt at all about the Deity of the Holy Ghost I intend to handle this point Practically yet so as first Doctrinally to inform your judgments about the truth of it and that I may do it the more orderly you must know that those who have denyed the holy Ghost to be God have been divided into two waies Either First Such who have thought him to be no Person but to be an attribute or operation in and from God which in man we would call an accident So that as Gods wisdome Gods anger and power they do not make a distinct Person they say So neither doth this concerning the holy Ghost but is no more than the mighty power of God putting forth it self Secondly Others make him a Person yet not a God but in the fore-front of the Angels they make him the chief Angel as they say there is a Prince of Devils But the Scripture is very clear to overthrow those damnable Heresies And 1. That he is a Person not an attribute appeareth by all those personal operations that are given to him So that by what arguments we can prove God the Father or any man to be a Person by the same we may prove the holy Ghost to be a Person as that form in which we are baptized Into the name
of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 To be baptized into the name of one argueth that one to be a Person And how absurd would it be to say the Father and the Sonne are Persons but the holy Ghost is an attribute or operation So There are three that dear witnesse in Heaven the Father the Sonne and the Spirit 1 John 5.7 Three he doth not say three things but three viz. Persons as appeareth by the personal operations These bare witnesse in Heaven Some reade The Spirit of God descended in the shape of a Dove which plainly denoteth a thing subsisting not an attribute We are said To sin against him which must needs imply a person Thou hast lied to God Act 5.4 That which is here said to be God is called the holy Ghost vers 3. Thou hast lied to the holy Ghost And the sinne against the holy Ghost shall never be forgiven Matth. 12.31 Lastly There is attributed understanding and will to him Vnderstanding the Spirit of God searcheth the deep things of God and the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 And Will 1 Cor. 14. where he reckoneth up several operations Even as the same Spirit giveth to whom he pleaseth So that you see the Texts are so clear that were not men sadly forsaken by God they could not deny these things In the second place Let us prove that it 's not a chief spirit among Angels but in deed and in truth of the same Nature with God Now some choice Arguments to prove this may be reduced into these heads First The Name of God is directly and properly not metaphorically attributed to him Thus God is said to speak by the holy Prophets which have been ever since the world begun And if you ask What Person it is in the God-head 2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophets spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost So that the holy Ghost was that God who enlightened and moved all the Prophets that were from the beginning of the world Thus Acts 5.4 Why hath Satan filled thy heart thou hast not lied to man but to God Ananias he thought he had only to do with men but mark the opposition not man but God especially 1 Cor. 12.3 4. There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit the same Lord the same God Spirit Lord and God So that by what Texts we can prove God the Father to be God the same we can prove the holy Ghost to be God Secondly The holy Ghost hath those works attributed to him which do onely belong unto a God Such as God only can do as Creation Sanctification and Redemption and miraculous operations These things do demonstrate and prove a God Creation Psal 33 6. By the word of the Lord the Heavens were made and by the Spirit or breath of his mouth thâ—y were created Job 33.4 The Spirit of God made me Thus in the Creation at first The Spirâ—t moved on the waters as the Hen on the eggs giving vivifical influence For Redemption the holy Ghost concurreth to that in preparing and fitting the body of Christ and sanctifying it to be an oblation Hence Christ is said To be conceived of the holy Ghost which could not be an Angel for then an Angel would have been greater than Christ And secondly In the application of the Benefus of the Redemption to the godly The holy Ghost both applieth them and assureth thereof The Spirit of God that heareth witnesse with our spirit Rom. 8.16 And we are sealed by the holy Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 Thirdly In the works of miraculous operations So 1 Cor. 12. all those extraordinary and miraculous gifts are attributed to the holy Ghost Hence he is called The finger of God Luke 11.12 by which Christ is said to cast out Devils And on the Feast of Pentecost He descended in a mighty rushing wind and cloven tongues of fire filling all the Apostles with miraculous gifts Acts 2.3 4. Lastly The works of Sanctification Faith Repentance and all other graces are wrought by him Yea he is called The holy Spirit because that is his peculiar Office to work holinesse and to sanctifie men by the Ministry Now Divines say It is a farre greater work and argueth more power to sanctifie the natures of men then to make a new world yet this is constantly applied to the holy Ghost though not so as to exclude the other Persons in their order Hence likewise all the means of Sanctification viz. the Ministry and the gifts thereof are also given to the same Spirit Acts 25. Over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers Thirdly The attributes and properties of a God as well as the works of a God are also in Scripture given to the holy Ghost omnipresence filling the whole world Whither shall I go from thy Spirit None can flie from it Psal 139.7 His Omniscience in that he searcheth the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.11 His Omnipotency as you heard His Eternity called the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9 14. Though some understand that of Christs Divine Nature and being before the world in that he made it Unity with the other Persons These three are one So that having the properties of God he must needs be God Lastly The religious worship that is given to the Holy Ghost doth not onely argue he is a Person but a Divine Person equal with God And 1. We have the Angels giving worship unto him whereas John when he would have worshipped the Angel he is forbidden Worship thou God Revel 19.10 So that religious worship is only to be given to God And thus the Angels in that glorious vision sang Holy holy holy unto God Now it 's worth your observing that this vision is attributed both to the Father to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost To the Father that is without doubt Isa 6. for there he is described as a glorious Judge in all Majesty To the Son John 12.41 This spake Esaias when he saw his glory and spake of him viz. of Christ as the Evangelist applieth it Lastly To the holy Ghost Act 28.25 That men also are to give religious worship to the holy Ghost appeareth in their baptismal profession Being baptized into the Name of the holy Ghost As also by that form of prayer and blessing The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and communion of the holy Ghost sometimes â—sed in the Epistles Thus you see the Scripture clearly determining this matter of faith And if we cannot comprehend how there should be one God and three Persons eveâ—y one of them God and yet but one God you must remember That faith is the captivating of the understanding unto a meer tâ—stimony It 's not science but faith that Christians professe In humane things Argumentum facit fidem in divine things Fides facit argumentum Neither is it any wonder that we cannot in the creatures find an exact comparison to
represâ—nt this though many learned men ancient and later have used similitudes because there is no such thing as a God besides the true God And therefore Basil said well to the Heâ—etique desiring a similitude to represent the Trinity Da mihi alium Deum aliam trinitatem tibi ostendam Thus we have laboured to establish your faith in this necessary point Now I shall shew Why the holy Ghost is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit The word at first did signifie wind Why then doth the Spirit of God assume this comparative expression of wind Or rather Why is he called a Spirit Even for these Reasons First Essentially For the simplicity and purity of his Essence and this is common to every other Person for God is a Spirit Secondly Hypostatically For his personal propriety because he proceeds from the Father and the Sonne by way of spiration the manner whereof we cannot comprehend no more than the generation of the Sonne Thirdly Effectively Many wayes 1. For the Incomprehensibility of the actions of the Spirit John 3. The wind bloweth where it lists and no man knoweth from whence it comes so is the Spirit 2. The Diversity of his operations As the breathings of the winde is from several corners the Spirits dispensations have not been alwayes alike 3. For the Efficacity moving the hearts of men to love good to hate evil 4. For the Impossibility of resisting this 5. For the Necessity of it to every good worke as the winde is to the ship Vse Is the holy Spirit God Then take heed of that blasphemous scoffing which many carnal and wicked people are guilty of which is to mock at the very name of the Spirit If a sinne against the holy Ghost be unpardonable and doing despite unto the Spirit of grace leaveth a man in an impossibility of recovering How darest thou let thy heart and tongue be thus set on hell fire Thy body and soul is to be the temple of the Spirit Thy duties are to come from this Spirit and doest thou deride it Vse of Admonition Take heed of entituling thy own fancies and delusions to the Spirit of God For seeing the holy Ghost is God it must be a capital crime to make such sinfull fancies and thoughts that come from thy corrupt heart to flow from the holy Spirit of God If to counterfeit the publick Seal or Coin of a Land be a capital crime How great a sinne is it to â—ake thy sinfull and carnal affections as if they were the workings of Gods Spirit And that the Spirit of God dwels in you Two Propositions you heard were contained in these words First That the Spirit of God is God which hath been demonstrated Secondly That the Spirit of God dwels in his Church We therefore proceed to this second Doctrine And now to open this let us consider First What the phrase to dwell in the Church implieth Secondly How he dwels there As the Spirit of God is said to dwell in us so in other places God promiseth to dwell in his people 2 Cor. 6 16. And Christ is said To dwell in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 All which are not to be understood of any visible or local habitation much lesse comprehensive that we cold comprehend God for he is as he said one whose circumference is every where and center no where The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him but it is meant in a mystical and spiritual manner Now this phrase To have the Spirit dwell in us denoteth First The propriety that it hath to us that we are his possession as an house is a mans own where he is Lord and Master And this is worthy of consideration That we who once were the Devils he dwelt in us He ruleth in the hearts of the disobedient Ephes 2. have now him expelled from us and the Spirit of God taking us for his possession We pity persons bodily possessed that they foame and rore and are throwne sometimes into the fire and sometimes in the water but he who is a wicked man the Devil possesseth his soul more dreadfully he puts him upon anger malice upon unclean lusts and noisome filthy wayes and though many be of the Church visibly yet in regard of their own particular they are thus possessed by the Devil who hath their heart their eyes their tongues their whole body so that they seem to be a walking Hell So that herein is a wonderfull change when the Spirit of God comes and takes possession of a people who before were captives to Satan and led aside according to his will 2 Tim. 2.26 Secondly When it 's said The Spirit of God dwels in a people it supposeth That he doth fashion and prepare them for himself For every lodging is not fit for so noble a guest but as great men carry their rich furniture with them to have convenient lodgings so also doth the Spirit of God raise up a people by illumination and sanctification to be a fit habitation for him As they say Anima fabricat sibi domicilium The soulâ— makes the body so curiously organized and diversified for it's self to be in So much more doth the Spirit of God put spiritual life and quicken up our dead hearts that we may be prepared for the enjoyment of him It 's said The Spirit of God moved upon those waters Genes 1. that covered the deep when the earth was without forme or void Thus the Spirit of God doth take us out of our natural confusion and horrible darknesse and makes us comely with those ornaments he puts upon us So that as it is impossible to have the Sunne but withall we must enjoy glorious light So we cannot have the Spirit of God but withall many precious and heavenly gifts will be bestowed upon us Oh then how few persons how few Congregations can endure the lustre of this Doctrine What heavenly or precious jewels have they of Gods Spirit Thirdly When it 's said The Spirit of God dwels in us it denoteth The familiarity and condescending Communion that God vouchsafeth unto his children To dwell with one is an act of communion Hence 1 Peter 3.17 Husbands are commanded to dwell with their wives Our Savior expresseth this familiarity by John I will come in and sup with him and he with me Revel 3.20 So that what was spoken of Moses as so rare a priviledge He spake to God face to face as one friend speaketh to another in some kinde of sense though not after the same manner is true of every godly person Hence the Spirit of God is said to enable us to cry Abba Father Galat. 4 6. which though it suppose a filial reverential frame in us yet also godly boldnesse and confidence Hence he is also said To witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8. So that children being admitted to sit at their Fathers Table have that bread which dogs may not eat of They have
that Pearle which must not be cast to swine But who are the people that God doth thus honour How few are such favourites How many are amongst us that are not admitted with Moses to come to the top of this Mount They know not what Communion with God meaneth what those filial cryes of Abba Father are Certainly a rational man doth not more differ from a beast than a spiritual man doth from the best rational man that is That as a worme knoweth not what reason and arguments are the best so learned and able men without grace do not know what this enjoying of Gods Spirit and communion with God is we speak though not in an unknown tongue yet unknown matter to such men Fourthly In that the Spirit of God is said to dwell it denoteth A permanent and constant abode in his people For this you must know The Spirit of God is many times working where yet he doth not dwell There is a great difference between transient motions and constant mansions of Gods Spirit Hypocrites and reprobates have the former but not the latter They that wrought miracles had the Spirit of God moving in them but not dwelling in them Even Balaam in that prophetical passage about Israel had a transient motion or a blast of this Spirit but the Spirit of God did not abide in him Yea hereby Caiaphas being high Priest that year was moved to say what he did It 's expedient for one to die for many but yet he knew not what he said So that there is a great difference between the transient motion of Gods Spirit and his constant inhabitation Thus many not truly sanctified have the common gifts of Gods Spirit they have abilities in prayer enlargements some joyes all which are of Gods Spirit moving in them not dwelling in them And truly this is a dangerous Rock upon which many split themselves taking transient gifts of Gods Spirit for permanent graces sometimes they are hardly discerned as the Rockes that are under water But of this neccessary point more Fifthly The Spirit dwelling in us doth denote The intimatenesse and inward efficacy it hath It doth not onely dwell with us but in us which denoteth great intimatenesse Thus the Apostle often complaineth of the Law of sinne that dwelt in him Romans 7. because of the inward natural power of it that whensoever he would doe good evil was present with him It was alwayes at hand to infect and pollute So that by this is declared how powerfull and inwardly efficacious the Spirit of God is in his people Hence he is said To make intercession with groanes unutterable Romans 8.26 which could not be without a wonderfull secret and hidden deep working of the Spirit even in the depths and bottome of our souls Thus you have heard what the phrase doth imply Now let us proceed to shew How the Spirit of God dwels in his Church and afterwards Wherein his dwelling doth manifest it self For as original corruption is alwayes breaking out it 's not a dull idle sinne it 's Peccatum actuosum though not actuale So the Spirit of God is compared to fire because of the powerfull and active nature it hath in the people of God Fire doth assimulate every thing to it self Thus men filled with the holy Ghost are made exceeding spiritual endeavouring to make all like themselves Now several wayes we may consider of the Spirits dwelling in the people of God First There is an essential dwelling or a gracious dwelling by a special manifestation of more peculiar favours we doe not speak here of an essential dwelling for so the Spirit of God is every where Whither can I flie from thy presence Psal 139.7 Thus he hath the same divine Attribute as God the Father and the Sonne have Thus he filleth the whole world But we speak of his gracious presence Now how to make a difference between his essential presence and his gracious presence is impossible for men to expresse because our knowledge of God is onely apprehensive not comprehensive We see all the Schoolmen labouring to this very day to shew how an Angel is present and yet they have not waded out of those deeps Onely thus much we may in sobriety say That though the Spirit of God be every where yet he is said to be in his Church because of those peculiar and gracious operations which he produceth in them and no where else Even as God is said to be in Heaven though he be in Earth and no where else because there is a peculiar manifestation of more glory and power from him Thus then we are first to conceive of his presence But. Secondly When the Spirit of God is said to dwell in his Church it may not onely be understood of the gracious effects thereof but also of his Person likewise And this indeed I finde a very sublime and mysterious Dispute both among Papists and Protestants Whether believers are made partakers of the Person of the holy Spirit or onely of his graces According to many all those places where we are said to receive the Spirit or to be full of the holy Ghost they are extended no further than the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost But certainly many places as this in my Text are to be understood of the Person of the holy Ghost For it 's the Spirit as we shewed that is the same with God Now the gifts and graces of the Spirit are not the same with God So we are said to be a Temple of this Spirit and a Temple doth relate to a God and to a Person not to graces meerly So that we conclude that opinion to be farre more true and consonant to Scripture which makes us partakers even of the Spirit it self as we also are of Christ himselfe and not of the benefits onely that come by him But the Scripture layeth downe this in a transcendent and mystical manner and it 's by faith onely So that those who have fancied a transubstantiation into the God-head To be Christed with Christ and Godded with God or to be made the Spirit with the Spirit have thought of a physical and natural union as if a drop of water were poured into the sea where as it is onely a moral union even as the wife is made partaker not only of the husbands wealth but the husband himself yet not turned into his nature and this comparison the Scripture doth often use Lastly The Spirit of God dwels two wayes in his Church 1. In respect of wonderfull and miraculous operations 2. In respect of saving and sanctifying graces The former way the Church of Corinth was admirable you may reade 1 Cor 14. alibi of the plenty of gifts and divers operations amongst them so that they seemed herein to excell all other Churches yet in respect of the sanctifying graces they seemed to be very defective for the Apostle cals them babes and complaineth he could not speak unto them as unto spiritual so that
this later way of Gods Spirit as formerly you heard dwelling in us is most comfortable and most to be regarded though the other be more admired The former did especially belong to the Church in its first plantation Hence Acts 2. we reade of the accomplishment of that glorious Prophecy Joel 2. To pour out his Spirit c. but now these miraculous operations are ceased Vse of Instruction What Congregations and what manner of persons we ought to be To be meer men cometh farre short of being spiritual men we ought to be above sense and all humane principles Take the most refined men for morality and civility the choisest for all humane abilities yet without the Spirit of God they are no more than Adams body till life was brethed into him no more than those bones in Ezekiel till the Spirit of God gathered them together Oh that our Congregations consisted of spiritual men Paul complained He could not preach to them but as carnal The Spirit of God would lift thee up to other affections other desires As the Spirit took some mens bodies and lifted them up into the air so would it doe to the soules of men they had the Spirit of God who said Our conversation is in Heaven They had the Spirit of God that did look for the coming of Christ They had the Spirit of God who had prayed with groanes unutterable and who had joy unspeakable But oh we poor worms and not spiritual men cold clods of earth destitute of Gods Spirit And that the Spirit of God dwels in you We have heard what this inhabitation of Gods Spirit in his Church doth imply and how he may be said to dwell in us In the next place let us consider the special Workes and Effects of Gods Spirit in his Church For therefore partly hath he the name Spirit because of that power and efficacy he hath in the Church Hence he came downe in a mighty rushing winde and cloven tongues of fire So that he is called the Spirit internally and externally internally for his personall character whereby he proceeds from the Father and the Sonne Externally because of those admirable effects and demonstrations of his presence in the Church Now I shall not speak of these operations which he hath as God in creating and conservating of the world but what are more peculiar to the Church in which sense he is called The Spirit of Christ Romans 8.9 because Christ by his death did purchase such gifts and graces for his people the efficient whereof in an appropriated manner is the Spirit of God And First The very ministerial functions and abilities to discharge them are of the Holy Ghost in the Church For although Ephesians 4.11 it 's said That Christ after his Ascension and triumph over Death and Hell Gave gifts unto men Even as great Emperours when they ride in glorious triumph after a final Conquest over their enemies use to distribute large favours and many bountifull signes of honour yet because upon his Ascension he promised the Spirit of God in his absence as the divine Vicar of Christ therefore 1 Cor. 12. we find all operations and diversities of them attributed to the holy Ghost And Acts 25. the holy Ghost is said To make those overseers in the Church of Ephesus So that what Church-officers or what Church-ordinances or order we have and what Gifts and Abilities likewise there are to discharge them These are all of the holy Ghost and of the holy Ghost three wayes 1. In respect of their Institution and being For although it 's by man that such and such persons are elected and ordained to this or that Office yet the Office of it self is of the holy Ghost They are not the Institutions of men nor may men appoint some Church-officers which God hath not because their end is wholly supernatural As it 's said 2 Cor. 12.28 God hath set in his Church such Officers even as he hath set the Sunne and starres in the firmament so that all Officers lawfully called are of the holy Ghost either immediately as at the beginning or else mediately by the order and designation of the Church And as for their gifts it 's plain the extraordinary and miraculous gifts in the primitive times were from Gods Spirit The Scripture often attributeth them to it Only now it may be doubted Whether we can say that the gifts and the abilities that Ministers have now are from the holy Ghost because they are got by humane study and industry And is there any more required to understand the Scripture than any other humane Authour Plato or Aristotle Those cursed wretches Julian and Porphyrius who wrote against the Scripture they understood what they were so invective against yet it cannot be thought they were inabled by the holy Ghost Now to answer this even those natural abilities and humane indowments that men obtain by study are a gift of God they are a blessing which we see God giveth to some and not to other It 's Gods mercy thou art not a natural fool a mad man but when thou hast more understanding and better intellectual abilities than other thou hast a greater gift from God than others Hence in our very ordinary phrase we say such an one hath an excellent gift in his memory in his elocution c. And the Scripture is clear James 1.17 Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father of lights which is to be understood universally both of naturals and supernaturals And what hast thou thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4. Hence in the Parable all abilities whether gracious or natural are called Talents and are given by one Master That is the first thing even those excellent abilities which the greatest Heretiques and enemies to the Christian Religion had were of God though the sinfull use of them came from the Devil and their own corrupt hearts They were talents of gold and they made Idols of them 2. As the gifts and abilities Church-officers have are from God so the right understanding of the Scripture and believing the sense contained therein is in a more particular manner a gift of Gods Spirit For although the Spirit of God doth not give us the sense and meaning of the Scripture in an extraordinary manner viz. without the knowledge of the tongues the comparing of places together c. yet in and by these means the Spirit of God doth help us to understand the Scripture I do not here speak of a saving knowledge of the sense of the Scripture but a meer literal knowledge of the meaning thereof This is plain by the Apostle No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12 3 The very historical believing of Scripture truths is from the Spirit of God So that here is required a more peculiar and particular assistance of Gods Spirit in ministerial abilities for the opening of the Scripture then for any humane Authour because the matter
for the most part is spiritual and supernatural and partly because as the Prophets and Pen-men spake or wrote as they were moved by the holy Ghost even to every syllable and word so the same Spirit of God is required though not in such a measure to the understanding of it Hence the Spirit of God is promised To lead us into all truth John 16.13 Alas the greatest men of parts and learning have many times been the greatest Heretiques and most ignorant of the Scripture because destitute of the Spirit Yet on the other side you must not runne into another extremity as if the Spirit alone without those helps God hath required would lead us into truth for that were to tempt God and to expect a miracle For give a Bible in Hebrew or Greek to a man though enjoying Gods Spirit yet he is not able to understand this or that Text without the interpretation of the language I have been more large on this because it 's necessary to shew with how much prayer and earnest application to the throne of grace the Ministers of God should addresse themselves to their work without the Spirit of God guiding and leading of them they are the ship that wants a winde yea though they have many excellent gifts and much humane learning They are but as a swift horse without a rider while they want Gods Spirit and the faster they runne the more they are out of the way So then put the Spirit of God and other helpes appointed by him together and then you will never split at any Rock Secondly As the gifts of the Ministry are thus efficiently from God So directively also they are from his Spirit The guidance and ordering of the whole Ministry is from the Spirit of God When Paul was resolved to go to some place to preach the Gospel he was sometimes forbidden by the Spirit and directed to go to others Acts 16.6 9. Thus in the word of God preached by the Apostles the Spirit of God did demonstrate it self because the Jews are said to resist it Acts 7.51 therefore though it was first dispensed to the Jews yet upon their neglect it was transplanted to the Gentiles And thus truly every Congregation every particular person may wonderfully observe the divine guidance of the Ministry that it should come to such a people and not to such that those who are unworthy and trample upon it as swine do the pearl should have it and many a poor hungring and thirsting people can never enjoy have or such a Ministry especially every godly hearer may observe a divine guidance of the Word in the matter preached how near and seasonably it comes to him The unbeliever that came to the Church ordinances saw his heart and thoughts so judged and discovered that he cried out Verily God is among you 1 Cor. 14.25 Thou sittest and wonderest how the Minister should fall on such a point how he should be directed to such a particular that doth so nearly concern thee this makes thee say Verily God is here Thirdly Which is the last and greatest The efficacy and spiritual benefit of the Ordinances and gifts of Officers is wholly from the Spirit of God Hence it is called the holy Spirit not only essentially as the other Persons are or by way of opposition to the unclean spirit the Devil but effectively because by way of title and Office as it were it belongs to him to sanctifie the gifts of the Minister and to make them powerfull in the hearts of the hearers So that although parts and abilities should be in the Officers choice and power yet the successe and benefit is not When Paul hath planted Apollo watered it 's God that giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3. And certainly if the Physician cannot give health the Gardener cannot make any fruit only disposeth and prepareth in these things much lesse can spiritual Officers in the Church cause the Word to open the eyes of the blinde or soften the heart of those that are hardened Thus we have seen how the Spirit of God dwels in the Church by reason of gifts only and to be more affected with this though that of Graces be more excellent consider First That the end of all these gifts thus vouchsafed by the Spirit is only to profit withall as the Apostle argueth 1 Cor. 12.7 They are not for vain oftentation neither are we to seek our selves by them but they are to be improved for edification Now that cannot be called profit which is onely to please the ear to tickle the fancy but what is to convince the conscience and change the heart and lives of men Oh that this were considered both by Minister and all people It 's spiritual profit that is to be looked at Hence the Word is compared to food which is not for the eye but the stomack The more usefull and profitable the gifts of any are either for instruction or reformation the nearer they come to their due end Secondly Consider the plenty of these gifts under the New Testament The Spirit of God inabled to all those gifts and graces in the Old Testament but because they were in a little pittance or measure therefore the Gospel is said to be The time of the manifestation of the Spirit So that it 's a great shame and sinne if both Ministers and people partake not more of the gifts of Gods Spirit than in the Old Testament and that so much grosse ignorance and beastly prophanenesse doth overflow is a great reproach unto the times of the Gospel Thirdly The variety of them is also very admirable The Apostle reckons up the diversity of them So that as it was an argument of Jacob's love to give Joseph a party-coloured coat Thus it is of Gods favour to bestow such diversity of gifts This makes the Church indeed to be in imbroidered garments Fourthly The wisdome of the Spirit is seen in that no one man hath all As all men have not the same face but some difference there is which makes Gods providence admirable in this particular So all have not the same gifts some are for the word of Doctrine some for the word of Exhortation and all this is that there being a mutual excelling of one another there might be no envy or schisme in the body Vse of Instruction What cause we Ministers and you people have to pray for this Spirit of God without which we preach in vain and you hear in vain As Moses said to God Vnlesse thou go along with us we will not go up O Lord if the presence of thy Spirit be not with us we cannot discharge those duties who is sufficient to preach Who is sufficient to hear Oh it should be like a sword in our bowels to think we feel no more of him in our Assemblies Arise O North winde and blow O South saith the Church that the spices may send forth their smell Cantic 4.16 Oh that the Spirit of God would thus arise
in our hearts that our gifts may be successefull that our graces may flourish And that the Spirit of God dwels in you The first sort of the Spirits inhabitation in us viz. by Gifts hath been dispatched We now come to the more noble and excellent way which doth inseparably accompany salvation and that is the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit By which indeed we may gather That God dwels in us For as when Daniel could so wonderfully open and interpret the Kings dreames they said The Spirit of the most high God was in him So if you see a people heavenly mortifying sinne walking in close communion with God you must needs conclude the Spirit of the most high God is in that man It 's not nature or moral virtues could raise him up to such an high Pinacle as this is And before we come to the particular effects of Gods in-dwelling after this manner it 's good to observe the Emphatical expressions that the Scripture useth equivalent to this of dwelling in us As Rom. 8. there it 's called Being in the Spirit as here The Spirit is in us So there we are in the Spirit Now that phrase is very emphatical and doth denote that all our lusts and sinnes yea our very selves are as it were swallowed up and nothing but the Spirit of God works and moveth in us To be in the Spirit denoteth the great efficacy and powerfull dominion in us as men are said to be in sinne because they no longer live but sinne nothing but sinne doth appear so it should be with the godly The Spirit of God not flesh not corruption not carnal or worldly principles should appear in them As the Prophets in the time of their Prophesie were said to be in the Spirit in an extasie minding no earthly or worldly thing Thus ought we to be emptied of our selves and filled with the Spirit of God Therefore John 3. it 's said Whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit in the very abstract We have also Gal. 4 pregnant expressions To live in the Spirit to walk in the Spirit to be led by the Spirit Oh let such expressions as these make you ashamed to see so much of a man or carnal affections stirring in you What believer hath these things in the full power thereof But to the Particulars First The Spirit of God dwels in us after a saving manner in the general By way of sanctification of the Spirit soul and body even the whole man 1 Thess 5. This is the general Every man is all over unclean filthy polluted full of enmity to what is holy Now the Spirit of God that makes an universal sanctification of all these Hence by way of Office it 's called The Spirit of sanctification and the holy Spirit as Creation is appropriated to the Father and Redemption to the Sonne so Sanctification to the Holy Ghost So then as Christ in respect of his body is said to be conceived by the Holy Ghost there was a preparing and sanctifying of it for the Personal Union and the work of Redemption So the Spirit of God sanctifieth the soul of every godly man it makes every part and faculty prepared for holy Duties in an holy man for as the soul is the life of the body that can doe no vital action without it So the Spirit is the life of the soul and that can doe no spiritual action without it Oh then consider this all ye that heare and ponder it in your hearts Have you thus been conceived and borne of the Spirit of God Thy other birth will availe nothing though borne rich or noble Yea Couldst thou be borne a thousand times in a naturall way thou wouldst still be a miserable wretched man What is a good or ingenuous nature What are excellent and choice abilities if thou art not sanctified by the Spirit of God Doe not thinke these things are fancies and notions The Spirit of God may as well be called a fancy as his operations fancies But more particularly The Spirit of God dwels in a saving manner First By Illumination and opening of the darke minde of every man Every man is darknesse it selfe he cannot discerne of spiritual things revealed in the Word till the Spirit of God enlighten him Therefore the worke of Gods Spirit is great upon the minde and understanding of a man it convinceth the soul of a man of those things it never believed before John 16.9 of sinne it makes a man see the woefull and damnable estate he is in It 's so plaine that he cannot deny it he believed and judged no such thing once in him but now such light shineth in his breast that he is a very dung-hill a very hell to himself and then he convinceth of righteousnesse viz. a Gospel-righteousnesse by Christ Now all his workes all his good duties are dung and drosse all that Religion he put confidence in is abandoned by him the Spirit of God convinceth him of a glorious righteousnesse without him which onely is able to cover his nakednesse Againe Another special worke on the understanding is To teach to guide and leade into all truth We cannot say Jesus is the Christ without the Spirit as you heard 1 Corinth 12.3 Spiritual things must have a spirituall ability to discerne them It 's true he leadeth in and by the use of meanes appointed but yet he onely doth efficiently dispell the darknesse and worke faith to holy Truths So then we see it 's the speciall worke of Gods Spirit not humane ability to be directed into truth And we must not onely study Books but pray to God and take heed of such sinnes which may drive Gods Spirit from us for then we are as a wilde horse without a rider like a ship in the midst of the sea without a Pilot. Secondly The Spirit of God quickens and reviveth those graces that by Regeneration were infused to us compared therefore to the winde as the blowing of that makes the flowers of the Gardens to send forth their sweet smels So it 's here It 's not enough to have the habit and principles of grace within us but we need a fervent and vigorous actuating of them And therefore is the Holy Ghost compared to fire and hence that phrase To be filled with the Holy Ghost which is applied to the godly sometimes doth as learned men observe denote some actual and vigorous impression upon their hearts Their graces were now put forth in a lively vigorous way Oh this is a blessed life when a Christian is constantly filled with the Holy Ghost that doth actually make his heart fervent and burning in all its duties towards God! If this were the life of the godly man there would not be such complaints such feares such doubts Oh they cannot tell what to say to themselves They are dull heavy earthly Alas all this is because the Spirit of God filleth not thy heart if this were working thou wouldst be like Ezekiels wheeles that
moved so swiftly because the Spirit was in them Oh then as she said If thou hadst been here my brother had not died So doe thou Oh Lord if thy Spirit had inlivened me and moved in me I had not â—ad such dead duties such a dead profession Oh where is thy Spirit When will it breathe heavenly life and vigour into me Thirdly The Spirit of God doth enable us to kill and mortifie sinne Rom 8. If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh Through the Spirit There is no sinne so deare and beloved to thee so strong and imbred in thee that is as thy owne soule to thee but by the Spirit of God thou mayest mortifie it Never then be afraid of those great Anakims Oh thou cryest out I cannot believe I cannot be heavenly minded Indeed thou canst not but the Spirit of God doth lift up his people to these things Men by natural conscience may leave many outward sinnes but they doe not or cannot mortifie them this is done by Gods Spirit onely As onely by him they could cast out Devils from the possessed thus onely by him can they subdue such sinnes We see then why it is that so many resolve never to sinne again to be such beasts any more and and yet are overcome Alas they goe out in their owne strength against these Goliahs Oh therefore pray and againe pray for the Spirit of God! O Lord here is a lust or a sinne dwels in me as the Jebusite in Canaan I know not how to be freed from it gladly would I be heavenly I cannot I would be believing I cannot give that holy Spirit of thine unto me Pray thus for the Spirit of God more than for health life or any worldly advantage whatsoever Fourthly The Spirit of God doth bestow a filial and ingenuous spirit upon believers whereby they are carried out upon Evangelical and Gospel grounds in their obedience to God And this is a most precious worke to be desired more than all the world An heart with slavish feares is an hell where a man is a tormenting Devil to himself and the guilt of sinne is a gnawing worme that never dieth but Galat. 4.6 He hath sent his Spirit in our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father There is earnestnesse and a Gospel holy boldnesse Hence it is called The Spirit of Adoption Now how admirable and desirable is this when we through feare were subject to bondage to have this Evangelical freedome of Spirit The people of God should pray and seek for this Spirit of Adoption as well as of Sanctification This would be oyle to the wheel this would be wings and legs to thee Fifthly The Spirit of God workes comfort and joy in the hearts of the godly Hence he is called The Comforter John 15.26 As the Devil delights to keepe us in darknesse and feares therefore he had almost swallowed up the incestuous person with immoderate grief 2 Corinth 2. So the Spirit of God delighteth to turne water into wine Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of God Galat. 5.22 Yea it 's called Vnspeakable joy in the Holy Ghost Doe not therefore thinke that the Kingdome of Grace and Godlinesse lieth in a dejected spirit in a troubled soule No it 's in joy as well as in righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 Those doubts and sad thoughts that do lie like a burden and load upon thee came not from the Spirit dwelling in thee Sixthly That we may have this boldnesse and joy the Spirit of God hath another effect which is To witnesse and seale unto our spirits that we are the children of God Grieve not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed Ephes 4.30 The Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 Oh what a blessed life is this when all these works of Gods Spirit go along together teaching sanctifying and comforting This is the Mount of Transfiguration It 's good to be here Doe not think these things are too great and too good to be had in this life For if we be not wanting to our selves if we bring our cruises he is ready to pour in his oyl Seventhly The Spirit of God worketh wonderfull support and even glorious rejoycing in all afflictions and tribulations Then if ever it 's admirable to see what the Spirit of God doth in believers The Spirit of glory shall rest upon you 1 Peter 4.14 If you reade of the Martyrs burning at the stake if of the persecutions and torments they did with such invincible joy and patience endure it was from the Spirit of glory resting on them Alas we think if God should exercise us with such straits bring us into such troubles we could never bear them Oh consider there is Gods Spirit as well as thy spirit Lastly The Spirit of God doth worke the prayers of Gods people Rom. 8. It 's a Spirit of prayer and mourning he teacheth what to pray and how to pray for spiritual and heavenly things with zeal faith and importunity It helps our infirmities many sins and corruptions are apt to spoil our prayers he helpeth against them yea he worketh groans unutterable he moveth the very foundations of the soul and those prayers cannot but speed because the Spirit knoweth the mind of God All prayers are dead carkasses without the Spirit moving upon them Vse of Examination Try whether thou art one who hast the Spirit of God thus dwelling in thee Oh where is the man or woman that heareth us that knoweth the meaning of these things When Christ spake about eating his body the Capernaites had a grosse understanding therein but saith our Saviour The flesh profiteth little the Spirit giveth life John 6.63 If Christ said thus of his own body than how much rather may we say parts duties an outward Religion profiteth little The Spirit giveth life Rom. 8. Paul saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Thou speakest of Christ and thou hopest he died for thee see what the Scripture saith If thou hast not his Spirit thou art none of his Verse 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy THe Apostle in this seventeenth verse aggravates that Argument which before he had propounded viz. The temple of God wherein the Spirit of God dwels ought to be kept pure and not defiled by any corruptions of Doctrine or lives 1So that the Apostle makes all false Doctrines and corruptions in Gods worship to be a sacriledge And therefore in this verse he doth further amplifie the hainousnesse of this sinne wherein you have 1. The malum culpae supposed If any man defile the temple of God 2. The malum poenae proposed Him will God destroy For the sinne supposed If any man defile the temple This is an allusive expression to the custom among the Jews If any man defiled their Temple the crime was capital what accusations were brought against Paul because he brought in Greeks uncircumcised
had never seen him they had never known him If they had they would have been enammoured with him as well as the Church And thus when natural men wonder saying Why do these men thus pray thus mourn thus long after God Why is it that they are never satisfied but in him It 's a demonstration that this experimentall work hath never been upon thy heart If it had the spirit of Prophesie as I may so say would fall on thee also Thou wouldst admire the favour of God as well as they Seventhly Such only can desire the light of Gods countenance who have the Spirit of God working in them It 's that which maketh the soul go upwards We being like that man bowed down that Christ healed till the Spirit of God thus raise us up The holy Ghost came down in fire which denoteh the activty of it When fire assimilateth any thing into it self it makes it ascend upwards And thus when the Spirit of God converts and sanctifieth a mans soul it giveth it a contrary motion to what it had before Then it made provision for the flesh then it minded earthly things but now the Spirit of God hath raised it from the death of sinne That as you see it 's the mighty power of God which will make these bodies that are now corruptible heavy and pressing downwards to be immortal spiritual and so agile that they shall meet the Lord in the aire Even these bodies will be so transformed that they shall move in the air like Birds No wonder then if Gods Spirit is able so to work upon our hearts that they shall be constantly inclining to God And indeed none are to rest till they find God thus mightily prevailing upon them This excellent frame may be given by the Spirit and the Spirit is promised to such as ask for it Mat 6. Especially the Spirit of God as adopting enabâ—ling us to call God Father rebuking legall slavish feares and filling us with a filial and evangelical frame of heart Eighthly Therefore another Property of such who do thus highly esteem Gods favour is That they are diligent in Prayer and fervent in approaches to God Prayer is the ascending of the heart to God who is in Heaven The eyes lifted up argue what the heart should be Now Prayer is of this excellent advantage if spiritually and fervently performed that it carrieth up the soul to God and thereby God also manifests his loving kindnesse to his people Even as Moses upon his Communion with God had his face shine so gloriously that the people could not behold it and Christ himself upon Prayer had his countenance changed that his face did shine like the Sunne and his garments were white as snow So that such who esteem of Gods favour they are instant in Prayer They perform that duty with watching and attending thereunto which if so discharged then many consolations many irradiations of his favour are communicated to them So that a man diligent in Prayer is like the tree by the water side whose leafe will never fade Hence we have that encouragement No man seeketh Gods face in vain And no sooner did God command this but immediately David's heart yeelded to it Psal 7.8 Thy face Lord will I seek We cannot have it without seeking for it as that which is most precious and a very infinite Treasure And withall you see the encouragement God bespeaks it he saith Seek ye my face Lastly Such as prize the light of Gods countenance they walk closely with God and keep up strict Communion with him Slothfull and carelesse walking will never be blessed with this glorious advantage You read the Church was but once carelesse and negligent when Christ proffered himself and immediately Christ withdraweth so that though she runne up and down much perplexed to see the face of her Beloved again yet it cost her dear ere she could obtain it David began to have but some proud and presumptuous thoughts Psal 301.7 And God bid his face and then he was troubled You see a little thing a word a thought may do it Therefore those who desire to enjoy it they walk circumspectly lest they should do any thing that may make him angry with them Vse 1. Of Exhortation to Gods Children To keep up a tender mollified heart to take no rest till the light of Gods countenance shine upon thee Let not lusts passions or any thing be an eclipse between this glorious Sunne and you How can you live without this May not the Devil come with seven more tormenting Devils then ever if thou provoke God to withdraw his gracious presence To whom are woes To whom are sad terrours and perplexities of spirit but to such who cry out God frowneth on them Oh they feel his anger consuming of them Vse 2. Of Admonition to natural and unregenerate men To know there is a better good then ever yet they tasted Oh that thou couldst desire God as thou doest wealth and pleasures Is not the pleasant smiling face of some great Potentate a reviving to thee What endeavours for the favour of a great man who yet is mortal Will not this condemn thee at the Day of Judgment Oh how will the face of God be then esteemed of A Consideration of some false Grounds of a Perswasion of Gods Love We have declared already the Characters of such who can truly esteem the light of Gods favour let us now consider the condition of such who are mistaken herein and take that for Gods favour which is not And First There is the rich earthly or great man of the world He who aboundeth in all Prosperity and needeth nothing this man thinketh that Gods face is towards him in mercy They gather from all the mercies they enjoy that therefore God loveth them but this is a very dangerous mistake For 1. In the Scripture we read That chastisements and afflictions are sometimes an argument of Gods love and that God is never more angry then when he lets a mans waies be smooth and prosperous As it was with Moab because he was not moved often therefore he was setled upon the Lees. And thus in Hosea when God is angry in the highest manner then he threatens He will not punish their sonnes or daughters any more Hos 4.14 They therefore have little cause to boast in this That they are not afflicted as other men they are not in such bonds as others are For David Psal 73.6 did of old observe this That whereas the wicked of the world had all encouragements they had all temporal increase yet the godly were bowed down all the day long and that in those times when Promises of temporal abundance were in a larger way proposed to them If then the godly man had this measure in the Old Testamant no wonder if he meet with it much more in the New Testament where tribulations are made the Red Sea to go through into the Land of Canaan Hence the Apostle doth
sinnes provoke God to take it away All the world cannot give such a joy as this is Therefore Gal. 5.22 it 's called the fruit of Gods Spirit and often Joy in the holy Ghost Hence the Spirit of God is called the Comforter And God is stiled 2 Cor. 1.3 the God of all consolations because it is he alone that workes it Men may create the world as well as of themselves get such a joy as this Hence the people of God walk many times mournfully for the want of it And there is no Samaritan can put this Oyl into their wounds David cannot alwaies say God put such joy in his heart Yea he professeth the clean contrary sometimes That his soul was bowed down that he watered his bed with teares And Joh. was almost like a damned man in Hell But of the Reason of this desolatenesse we may speak hereafter It 's enough that this demonstrateth God to be the Author of all our joy And that as all the men in the world cannot make the Sunne arise in the morning did not God appoint it that natural course so neither are any able to bring this joy into their hearts Therefore in the second place The second discovery of this joy is from the manner of working it Thou didst put it into my heart That is an excellent expression It sheweth what dominion and soveraignty God hath over the heart He can as easily put joy into thy soul though afflicted though tempted though grieved with sinne as thou canst pour Wine into a Bottle He can with a word command waters to become Wine So that as the Orthodox maintain That Gods grace in converting the heart is irresistible it 's insuperable The heart cannot resist it with finall prevalency For à nullo duro corde respicitur quippe ad hoc datur ut tollat cor durum So it 's true also in spiritual joy The grieved heart the sad heart cannot reject it because it 's given to take away the sad heart Hence we read of the people of God the Martyrs and others that they have rejoyced under their tribulations more then their Persecutors did under all their abundance How was this possible but that God did so fill their hearts that no outward or inward misery could have any room there This should teach the people of God to walk so exactly that they may not on the contrary say God hath put more bitternesse into their heart then any can have in their worldly miseries For as the joy of God is more then all earthly joy so the sense of Gods anger and wrath causeth more sorrow and anguish of spirit then all outward calamities can do A wounded spirit who can bear Thirdly This Joy which God puts into our hearts followeth upon a true godly sorrow and mourning for sinne All the joy of thy heart which doth not flow from humiliation and deep sorrow for sinne it 's but a blaze it 's like the crackling of thornes And this is necessary to be observed for the Hypocrite who never had any true sound grace yet he may have some transitory joy So Mat. 13. They received the Word with joy And some rejoyced in John Baptists light but it was for a season only And thus many in some fits yea in some holy duties find a gladnesse and inward joy upon their hearts but this never had a true sorrow go before Before Paul was admitted into Gospel joyes he was striken to the ground and had a deep sense of his former guilt Therefore the Promise is Blessed are they that mourn for they shall rejoyce Mat. 5. Therefore as the Psalmist speaks concerning afflictions it 's true also of godly sorrow They that sow in teares shall reap in joy Many desire joy they are willing to hear of a Sermon that may cause gladnesse in their hearts but then they cannot endure the preparatory unto it They do not love the Law should wound them before the Gospel heal them But this is the nature of all heavenly joy it 's a daughter to godly sorrow Verus paenitens de peccato doler de dolore gaudet And this is it which makes godly joy so welcome and so precious because the heart was mourning and humbled before thinking it self unworthy of any joy in the least manner Though others might rejoyce yet not they This then is the method God takes First the Spirit of God is a Spirit of Supplication and mourning then it 's a Spirit of Joy and consolation Fourthly This joy which God putteth in the heart it 's from spiritual and heavenly motives Therefore the duty is so often called for to Rejoyce in the Lord And it 's called Joy in the holy Ghost It ariseth from Gods favour from Gospel-Priviledges because God is reconciled because sinne is pardoned because we are justifica through the blood of Christ So that the joy of a godly man and of a natural man differ as much as Heaven and Earth For what makes thee rejoyce at any time Is it some worldly pleasure Is it not some earthly content Is it not because such and such earthly advantages befall thee Thy heart is never cheerfull and merry but from such considerations Now how different and poor and contemptible are these to this heavenly Joy For the gladnesse of their heart ariseth from the love of God from an Interest in Christ from the consideration of eternal glory These sublime and spiritual Objects do ravish the godly soul So that the delights of a beast are not more inferiour to the delights of a man as a rational man then the delights of a man are to him as a Christian What the Apostle speaketh concerning the thoughts and words of a Child comparatively to a man the same is true also in respect of joy 1 Cor. 13. Children have their joy they laugh as Children they rejoyce in their Babies as Children but when they come to be men they cannot rejoyce as Children they cannot delight to play as they did when little Boyes Thus when thou art once made godly and hast tasted of more excellent Joy thou canst not delight in the pleasures of sinne nor in the greatest advantages of the world They are below thee Thou saiest to thy self when inordinately rejoycing in these things as she did but falsly to David Thou hast made thy self like one of the vile fellows to day The godly mans joy comes from an higher Spring then the worlds doth Fifthly Hence in the next place No man can have this spiritual joy but such who are regenerated and born of God Who have a spiritual and supernatural life We see in nature that according to the several kinds of life so there are several delights and proportionable thereunto the natural and animal life the rational life the sense hath its delights and reason hath its delght Thus when a man is born again he hath his joy and his delight Do not ye read often of David that professeth the Word of God
Happinesse p. 108 Houshold-Duties See Family House Gods People are his House p. 113 Of the Material House of God p. 117 See Churches Husbandry Gods People are his Husbandry p. 113 What that Implieth ibid. I Ignorance HOw the ignorance of people hinders the Ministry p. 2 Ignorance lamented and reproved p. 4 5 13 16 17 71 83 90 151 The Effects of Ignorance 16 Illumination Of the Illumination of the Spirit p. 90 Inconstancy Inconstancy in Religion reproved p. 18 Inducements Inducements to Holinesse p. 193 Infirmities Of the Infirmities of the Saints p 22 23 And why they are not quite freed from them p. 23 24 K Key OF the Key of Knowledge p. 9 10. Knowledge Knowledge of Principles necessary p. 15 Knowledge of the meaning of Scripture a gift of the Spirit p. 210 The duty of Growth in Knowledge p. 83 L Love LOVE praised p. 30 The only Motive of Love and Agreement is Godlinesse p. 33 Its Cause and End ibid. Live Godly men do only live p. 279 Wicked men do not live p. 281 M Ministers MInisters hindered by the incapacity of the People from Preaching many excellent sublime Truths p. 2 3 Wickednesse how hurtfull to the Church p. 54 What Prudence is requisite in their Preaching p. 9 10 In reference to the capacity of the Hearers p. 2 3 4. Work is two-fold viz. Teach Govern p. 9 10 Must divide the Word aright p. 9 Are not sinfully to be admired and how that is done p. 48 What hurt Satan doth by bad ones p. 54 In what cases they may praise themselves p. 137 Must preach no new Doctrine p. 139 Must preach Christ the Foundation p. 145 How Servants to the Church and how not p. 271 Faithfull seek not to win people to themselves but to Christ p. 63 May preach from a corrupt end or a good end ibid. And what those ends are ibid. Must not only plant but water p. 83 Cannot work grace p. 86 94 That is faithfull hath grounds of comfort under successelesse labours p. 89 Co-workers with God p. 109 How carefull they should be to lay a good foundation in the hearts of their hearers p. 125 How they should build upon the foundation p. 126 to 161 Ministry Ministry The ends and use of it p. 3 17 18 140 The great respect due unto it p. 46 Its successe from God p. 86 c. 94 Sufficient in its kind to effect its end ibid. The appointed Instrumental cause of Faith p. 67 How it is such a Cause p. 68 How not p. 67 The Properties of it as such a cause p. 69 How all are obliged to attend it ibid. How to profit by it p. 77 How blessed with increase by God p. 86 Is to continue to the end of the world p. 69 Why God will make use of it ibid. Ministerial Gifts Ministerial Gifts Why all not gifted alike p. 76 Though diversity of gifts yet all should agree in one p. 97 Whether from the Holy Ghost or no p. 209 The end of them p. 211 Merrit See Reward Members Members of the visible Church who p. 6. Distinguished ibid. Man Man according to man several significations of that phrase p. 42 To live as men what that implies p. 43 Meanes Meanes of Grace alwaies needfull to all p. 84 Manifest Manifest All sinne though never so secret shall be made manifest p. 165 N Name NAme Of peoples being called by the Names of eminent men in the Church p. 50 The Names that Christians have been called by in several Ages 50 c. What hurt the Devil doeth the Church by the Names and esteem of men p. 54 New New No New Doctrine to be expected O Order See Government Ordinances ORdinances The sinne of neglecting them p. 61 Officers See Ministers P Papists PApists as such have but a humane blind Faith p. 53 Perfection Perfectionists Confuted p. 8 22 Prayer Prayer for Gods Directing Ministers p. 12 Praise Praise In what cases Ministers or others may praise themselves p. 137 Preaching Preaching One manner of preaching censured and another commended p. 10 Presence Presence Of Gods presence with his Church p. 200 Pride Pride Of pride p. 34 Principles Principles of Religion first to be laid p. 13 Reduced to several heads p. 14 Are easie p. 15 17 Necessary p. 15 Priviledges Priviledges of the Church and every Believer p. 265 Are Obligations to duty 193 Profit Profit Rules or helpes to profit by the Ministry p. 77 88 93 96 112 Protestant Protestants agree in Fundamentals p. 41 Whence so called p. 51 Providence Providences All Providences for the good of the godly p. 286 Prudence Prudence requisite in a Minister in preaching such matter and in such a manner as is for the peoples good p. 9 Planting Planting the Gospel p. 80 Punishment Punishment of Losse and of Sense p. 223 224 Purgatory Purgatory An Argument against it from the great Text brought for it p. 177 Q QUarreling See Contention R Reformation REformation of the Church p. 81 175 Reigning-sinne Reigning-sinne That word explicated p. 23 Right Right or Title two-fold p. 264 Relation Relation-Duties p. 3 Reproof Reproof How to be performed p. 11 Riches Riches The Churches Riches ennumerated p. 265 Reward Reward two-fold of Debt and Promise p. 101 Of works p. 102 Essential and Accidental p. 105 Lawfull to encourage our selves in good Works from the promise of the Reward p. 150 Reward of Godlidesse in this life p. 106 In the life to come p. 107 The greatnesse of the Heavenly Reward and the vast disproportion that is between the Reward and the work p. 108 Respect Respect Of Respect to the Ministry p. 46 47 48 And how it may degenerate into sinfull Admiration p. 48 S Saints SAints How all things are theirs p 265 Secret Secret The most secret sinnes shall be brought to light p. 165 The Aggravation of secret sinnes p. 168 Self Self-seekers A lawfull self-seeking p. 105 Self-seeking in a Minister what p. 64 65 Sinne. Sinne Of the sinnes of the godly p. 12 Schisme Of Schisme and Division Civil Ecclesiastical p. 38 Its Nature and Ingredients p. 39 Its Causes p. 40 Slothfullness Of Slothfullness in Religion p. 13 Spirit Spirit How it works by and with the Word and the Ministry thereof p 86 The signification of the word when attributed to God p. 201 Its dwelling in the Saints p. 205 212 Its Effects in the Church p. 209 212 See Holy Ghost Spiritual Of a spiritual man p. 7 Strife Strife See Contention Strictness Strictness in Conversation how despised by the wise men of the world p. 241 Vindicated p. 241 Scripture Scripture A plea for its simplicity p. 233 Its sufficiency p. 139 The only Foundation of our Faith p. 126 Stedfastness Stedfastness in the Faith p. 83 T Temple TEmple The use of the word and its signification p. 197 Of Gods spiritual Temple p. 197 226 Compared to the material one p. 198 Believers joyned in a Scripture way are Gods Temple p 228
pure Worship because 1. God is greatly provoked by the contrary God may be provoked by sinfull worship three waies 2. Corrupt worship â—ends to the breach of Union between God and his Church 3. God looks upon corrupt worship as done to Devils 4. Men are prone to invent new worship Reasons to prove that all acceptable worship must have a Divine Command Quest Answ Of the foundation of practice The parts are 1. It 's directory Gods Word 2. The justifion of our persons 3. A receiving power from Christ 4. A renewed and sanctified nature Why we should be carefull of laying these foundations for every good action The â—oâ—ten foundations that men build upon in regard of practice Observ Of Ministers praising themselves In what cases Ministers may magnifie their Work and Office Observ Ministers are not to preach any new Doctrine The use of Preaching notwithstanding the fulness of the Scripture Observ Of Ministers building upon the foundation of Scripture by their preaching Gal. 3.15 A two-fold building upon the foundation Both the words of Scripture and the sense of Scripture must be attended unto Why Ministers must take heed how they build upon the true foundation 1. On Gods part 2. On the peoples part 3. On the Ministers part Directions to Ministers and people how to build aright upon the foundation Observ Of preaching Jesus Christ as the foundation How many waies Christ is to be preached as a foundation Reasons why Ministers are to lay no other foundation but Christ Object Answ Object Answ The great advantages which those people have who are built on Christ Observ What is implied by comparing the truths of Christ to gold and precious stones 1. In respect of the matter 2. In respect of the way and manner of preaching them Observ Errors not fundamental are hay and stubble Propositions to amplifie this point Why errors are called hay and stubble Wickedness in practice the fruit of errour in judgement Observ What secret sins shall be brought to light The aggravation of secret hidden sins Observ Hidden and secret wayes of false doctrine shall be made manifest What concerning errours shall be made manifest 1. The causes of errour shall be manifest 1. Pride 2. Ignorance 3. Hypocrisie 4. Ambition and affectation of high places 5. Discontent and imparience 6. Envy 7. Contemplative delight in a mans own notions II. The nature of errour shall be manifested III. The cunning subtilty in divulging them shall be manifested Observ That God hath his time for the discovering of errour Errors are spiritual judgements What is meant by fire The way God takes to bring people out of errour By the word and afflictions Which are both helpfull but differently in these respects How wandering sheep are reduced by the Word Object Answ How afflictions may help to reduce men from errour Observ Of the durable nature of Gods Truths Truth two-fold Increated and Created Created truths of two sorts Scripture truths reduced to four heads Truth willing to be tryed They grow more illustrious by the fiery Tryal The effects of truth also upon the heart will abide this tryal Object Qu. Whether any Ministers or Churches are quite free from building hay or stubble Observ Every man shal be a loser by what error soever he maintaineth Wherein they shall be losers Observ Errours in judgment may damn a man as well as a wicked life The several corruptions of the understanding that endanger a mans salvation The difference between errour and heresie The grounds of the Doctrin Observ The difficulty of salvation even to a godly man The Church is Gods Temple Observ Church Priviledges and Relations are great Obligations to Holinesse How the word Temple is used in Scripture What it doth signifie Of Gods spiritual Temple What there is in the Church alusively to the Temple Of Gods presence with his Church The significa of the word Spirit when attributed to God That the Holy Ghost is God and a Person That he is a Person That he is God Arguments Why the holy Ghost is called Spirit Of the Spirits dwelling in us What to have the Spirit dwell in us implieth The special works and effects of the holy Spirit in his Church Doubt Resolution Observ Of defiling Gods Church with errours Why errors are said to defile Gods Church How God will punish Heretiques A godly maâ—n may fall into a damnable heresie How a godly man erring differeth from a wicked man Errour and erroneous persons distinguished Why God is so provoked with corruptions in Doctrine and Worship Observ Of Eternal Damnation The punishment of losse The pain of sense The aggravations of this destruction Eternal Universal Inevitable Observ Of the Temple of God Of the Jewish Tabernacle and Temple Believers joyned in a Church way according to Scripture are Gods temple Observ Of humane wisdome what an hinderance it is to the things of Christ Carnal wisdom an enemy to the Scripture Carnal wisdom an enemy to Christian duties Observ Humane wisdome nothing to Scripture-wisdome Scripture-wisdome excels speculative wisdome Scripture wisdome excels the moral or practical wisdome of the world Observ True wisdome is but folly in the worlds account The things to be believed have these seeming follies The hope of a Christian foolish in the judgment of the world The duties of Christians foolish in the judgement of the world Observ That true wisdom is only in the Church of God demonstrated Observ All worldly wisdom is folly before God And that whether considered actively or passively I. Active foolishnesse How worldly wisdome is foolishnesse in a passive sense God turning all their wisdome into folly A two-fold humane wisdome viz. good evil Observ How God takes the wise men of the world in their own craft Object Answ Observ Of vain thoughts In what sense the Scripture useth the word vain Observ Of glorying in men How many wayes we may be said to glory in men in the general How many wayes we may be said to glory in Doctors and Teachers Observ All things are the Saints In what respects all things may be said to be the godly mans Why God made all things for the godly Object Answ Object Answ Doubt Answ Object Answ Observ All Offices are for the Church In what sense the Ministers are not servants to the Church against Brownists In what sense they are the Churches The end for which they are the Churches Observ In what sense the world is said to be a godly mans Object Answ Observ Godly men only live In what respects it is true that the wicked do not live Observ The generation of death In how many particulars death is a godly mans Observ Observ Observ In what respects a godly man is Christs Characters of such as are Christs In what sense Christ can be said to be Gods Observ Of the Natures and Person of Christ and of the hypostatical Union How Christ as a man and as a Mediatour is Gods The general Character of the godly and the wicked All good the creature affords should lead us to God the universal good All naturally desire felicity The perswasiâ— of what is the best good and which is chiefly to be desired is wonderfully diversifyed according to the several inclinations humours and conditions of men How hardly this sin is discerned untill a man be enlightned by Gods Spirit All have lost the Image of God which alone did elevate the soul And Original corruption is come in the room of it If the godly man is yet conflicting with this sinne then it must needs reign in an unregenerate man The common gifts and graces of Gods Spirit never cures this evil The point is proved from the nature of Conversion And from the restlesse and unquiet heart of every natural man Their very approaches to God demonstrate that they prefer something before him The creature is unable to help us in our greatest exigencies Immoderate love of the creature is inconsistent with the love of God Is's a wofull snare and temptation The Word is unprofitable to a man while he preferres the creature It is a tormenting sinne All the things thus affected are vanities It 's direct Idolatry It 's a debasing of a man Such as prefer the world before God cannot Pray The heart is too noble for the creature Consider that all that have over-loved the creature have experienced the vanity of it Consider the reâ—sâ—â— why God mingles gall with the Honey of every creature Consider how insufficient they are of themselves to help and comfort us Heaven and glory cannot be obtained without a preement and transcendent affection to all other things Consider how â— some Heathens and superstitious persons have trampled upon earthly things to attain a notable end What this phrase to lift up the light of Gods countenance upon a man implyeth I. Riches II. An untroubled Conscience is no Argument of Gods countenance 1. An untroubled Conscience may be a stupid seared Conscience 2. And may be accompanied with grosse sinnes 3. And without taking Gods way for the obtaining and preserving of it Causes of the eclipse of Gods face to the godly The nature of this joy How it exceeds all worldly Joy The wonderfull Effects of Faith in quieting the soul in Afflictions The Doctrine xplain ed. The Arguments by which Faith quieteth the Soul The Stoical Security The Mirth and jollity of most wicked men under Gods Judgements How it differs from a gratious Confidence God alone preserveth in safety I. II. God preserveth principally And by creatures instrumentally 1. Irrational 2. Rational men Angels III IIII. The several waies by which God preserveth his people in safety
Saviour to those that do not find themselves lost to commend a Physician to those that find themselves whole to pour oyl where there are no wounds is to pervert all order Ho every one that thirsteth saith our Saviour Joh 7.37 And Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden Mat. 11.28 The Spirit of God convinces the world of sin and then of righteousness Oh but how much unwise and unfaithfull preaching is there in this respect How many are there that strengthen wicked mens hearts and make them not sad whom God would have made sad That daube with untemppered morter that say to every prophane man if he do but cry Lord have mercy upon me Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee It 's this daubing and soothing up people in their wickedness striking out all fear of hell and damnation that makes them wallow like swine in their filth To such to preach no comfort but the Law and Threatnings but to those that are broken in heart a tongue of the learned is required to speak a word in season How carefull was Paul that the incestuous person should not be overwhelmed with grief 2 Cor. 2 And here is the more wisdome because Satans temptations are subtile and insinuating We are not ignorant of his devices of his schismes what false circumventions and appearances he will have Now How many are there that are not acquainted themselves with the depths of Satan that are no better Comforters then Jobs Friends were Christ himself was affected with all our temptations that he might know how the more feelingly to pity others Thus a Minister that hath himself been in the deep matters of God that hath himself been exercised with all kind of temptations he can only tell how to speak to the heart of another So that you see much wisdome is required in the giving of comfort Alas every sick man every dying man looks we should give comfort and they would have a word of comfort Oh but what hath thy life been What truth of grace is there in thee Have not some wicked men cryed out of their sinnes in fear of death and publique judgments as Pharaoh did Therefore we must take heed what we do we must not comfort whom God would not have comforted Here is great wisdome required A third part of his Doctrinal Key is To rebuke and reprove for sinne Now how great a skill is it wisely to reprove to have zeal and knowledge together Some must be reproved sharply Tâ—t 1.13 cuttingly We must not spare Thus John called some a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 and our Saviour Wo to ye Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites many times repeating that upbraiding of them These were obstinate impenitent Hypocrites Mat. 23.13 14 15. and little blows will not move them Others again are tender tractable meekness will do more than austerity So that there is scarce any thing requireth more wisdome than publique and private reproofs Men can so hardly bear them Genus quoddam Maritirii est reprehensionem patienter ferre It is a kind of martyrdome to bear a reproof patiently And Ministers are either apt to be too awfull and pleasing of men or else too boisterous or passionate So that the Shepherd of irrational Sheep have a farre more easie task then spiritual Shepherds of men especially in superstitious Customes in false waies of worship Here an Angels wisdome will scarce suffice What a trouble was that to the Church in her infancy about the retaining or leaving the Jewish Ceremonies The Questions and differences grew so hot that it had almost torn the Church in pieces The Council of Jerusalem was called about this many still Judaizing thought that if you took the observation of times and outward Ceremonies away you took away all Religion Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians and Rom. 14. is very diligent to inform them about this endeavouring to make them spiritual and to draw up their hearts from those beggerly elements Paul was circumspect how to walk in this slippery Controversie To the Jew I became a Jew 1 Cor. 9.20 Not that he was a dissembler or an Hypocrite or humoured them in their superstitious weakness but he took upon him all sweet affections he was as a Jew to a Jew as weak to weak he would consider them as if he were in their case Yea to walk in these Controversies was so hard that Peter gave great occasion of offence yea Barnabas was also laid aside for he did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which made Paul resist him to the face with this dissimulation Gal 1. Now if the Apostle was so industrious to root out the practice of those Rites and Ceremonies which yet God himself had once commanded how much rather should we those things which were brought into the Church without any command of God or warrant of Scripture but meerly by the will of man As for the other kind of Keyes Church-Government the wise managing of that is far more difficult then Political But I shall wave that as not so proper to this Text. Let us consider the Reason Why this Doctrinal feeding requireth such skill and Prudence And First Because divine truths are not to be managed by humane wordly wisdome but by spiritual wisdome As it 's God that teacheth people to profit Isa 48.17 so it 's God that teacheth the Minister to preach profitably Hence the word of wisdome is reckoned among the gifts of Gods Spirit 1 Cor. 14. and the Apostle saith We are not able of our selves to think a good thought 2 Cor. 2.5 as some expound it in the way of our Ministery we cannot think that which is good and profitable to mens soules without God Hence as of Christ the cheif sheepherd it is said the Spirit of wisdome counsell and understanding shall rest on him Isa 11.2 so it would be happy if the same Spirit proportionably did rest on inferiour shepherds I have caught you with an holy guile 2 Cor. 12.16 There are divine stratagems to win mens soules and if Aholiab and Bezaliel are said to have the Spirit of wisdome given them to build the material Tabernacle how much more do others need it to edifie this spiritual one Exod. 36.1 Seeing then the managing of holy truths is not had by humane prudence but by wisdome from above we must be Scribes instructed to the kingdome of heaven we are not born but made Preachers of the Gospel by God no marvel if this be so great a work Secondly Therefore is wisdome necessary in our preaching of divine things because the miscarriage of these precious truths is a farre greater loss then any earthly loss It 's pity for want of skill in any calling to miscarry in a mans wordly affairs but much more in heavenly there needs not only faithfulness but wisdome A wise and faithfull steward it is that makes five multiply to ten If the Prophet speaking of the Husbandmans skill about his several graines tithes and
doubt may be raised How Paul can say He layeth the foundation which is no other but Christ as appeareth at the eleventh verse seeing God appropriateth it to himself Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Zion a foundation stone c But The answer is God layeth this foundation 1. By his Decree appointing Christ thereunto And 2. By his temporal mission of him into the world but Paul layed the foundation only ministerially and declaratively by publishing Christ to be the Saviour especially to those who never heard of him before It 's a special part of the wisdome and heavenly art of the Ministers of the Gospel to lay a good and sure foundation in the hearts of their hearers This Paul makes the principal part of his wisdome that he began with a good foundation If people are not rightly built upon this any tempest that ariseth will throw down all theâ—r Religion Our Saviour speaketh a Parable Luke 6.48 49 like to this of the wise builder and the foolish builder And although there it be meant of every particular Christian yet we may apply it to every Minister He that doth not build up his people upon sure and Scripture foundations they are like the chaff and straw that the wind doth drive to and fro There is no true faith no truâ— godlinesse no true hope of salvation where the right and sure foundation is not laid The point therefore in hand is of great consequence both to the Preacher and to the Auditor to consider what foundation his Religion and Godlinesse is fixed upon For the opening of this Consider that Divines do ordinarily make a two-fold foundation The one they call Fundamentum cognoscendi The foundation of our knowledge and faith in matters of Religion and this is the Scripture only We can lay no other foundation for matters of Faith but the word of God Non credo quia non lego said Tertullian of old And Secondly There is Fundamentum essendi The Foundation of the being or existence of all our glory and salvation and that is only Jesus Christ He is the foundation-stone and every one is to believe in him only for Salvation and Justification So that as God made two great lights for the world so he hath done for the Church the Scriptures and Christ This Doctrine is true yet Heb. 6.1 we there reade of more foundations than one for there are practical fundamentals as well as speculative I shall therefore not limit my self to this one foundation mentioned by the Apostle but enlarge my self to the necessary foundations in our Christian life and shew you the necessity of that wisdom which will build upon these fundamentals And although I am not ignorant That the Dispute about what are foundations or fundamentals in Religion and what not is very hard and difficult yet I shall instance in four unquestionable foundations which are the four main pillars that support our Christian building The necessary things of Religion are these four Either 1. The Matters to be believed 2. The Worship and necessary service of God 3. The spiritual Benefits and mercies Justification and Salvation 4. The things to be done by us in our way to Salvation All these are fundamental and necessary in their kind to salvation and therefore it behoveth every Minister of the Gospel to principle and settle his people in all these particulars For herein is the danger not of mens bodies or estates but their immortal souls We will begin with the first The foundation of our faith or divine assent in matters of Religion What is that which every man must build his faith upon What is the foundation he must lay there And that is the Word of God declared and written for our instruction in those Canonical Books of the Scripture When we come to believe the matters of our salvation the ultimate motive into which all is to be resolved is Thus saith the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of God hath spoken it It 's not antiquity universality or the laws of the Land or the tradition of our fathers that is the warrantable foundation but the Scripture only Thus Timothy is commended for attending to the Scriptures which are able to make him wise to salvation through faith 2 Tim. 3.17 18. So that although other things be required by way of helps and means as prayer interpretation of the Scripture Gods assistance the guidance of the Ministry yet by way of a Foundation or a Rule that is the Scripture only As God at first put all the light into the Sunne and the Starres shine by a borrowed light from it So God hath now put all supernatural light into the Scripture and all guides are to shine by that Hence it is so often compared to a light and a lamp unto our feet So that the Ministers of the Word do then lay a good foundation when in matters of Doctrine and truths to be believed they build them on the Scripture make them a Scripture-auditory a people that dare not that will not take any matter of faith but upon Scripture-grounds Thus those Bereans are commended for a noble and ingenuous people that compared what Paul preached with the Scriptures they then had whether it was consonant to them or no Act. 17 11. So that that people who know nothing of the Scripture are not instructed by the Word have not their faith their Religion from it all they offer to God is a Sacrifice without eyes they do believe they know not what Now that the written word of God is the only foundation of our Christian faith appeareth by these Reasons First A Christian faith ought to be a divine supernatural faith not a bare humane faith Now nothing can be the ground of a divine faith but a divine authority a divine Argument suggested by God himself Most men that call themselves Christians have no more than an humane faith in matters of Religion They believe thus because their parents did so because the Laws of the Land compell them to do so Thus they have no other grounds of faith then the Turks or Papists have for themselves but as copper is not gold so neither is this humane faith that holy and Christian perswasion which the Spirit of God through the Word works in man because revealed in the Word 1 Thess 1. They are commended That they did not receive the Word preached as the word of men but as indeed the word of God 1 Thess 1.13 So that whosoever hath an holy faith he must have a divine perswasion for this from the Authority of God that as an humane faith is because humane authority speaks it so a divine faith because God revealeth it in the Scripture But alas generally our people can no more look into these things then an Owl in the dazelling Sun How few are perswaded of the true Doctrine of Christ from this Divine Authority because God hath said thus God hath spoken thus Oh
erre or be of this or that opinion is no great matter is as much as to say faith is no great matter the truths of the Scripture are no great matter It was well said of Austin Veritas Christianorum est incomparabiliter pulchrior Helenâ Graecorum The Christians truth is more lovely than the Grecians Helena for whom there was much strife Hence the Apostle commands us To strive earnestly for the faith once dâ—livered to the Saints Jude v 3. Thirdly They endanger salvation Because all errours come from a damnable cause Gal. 5.20 Heresies are said to come from the flesh as opposite to the Spirit and therefore are reckoned in the same Catalogue with grosse sinnes So that if you go to the first fountain you shâ—ll find errours in Doctrine and loosnesse in practice boâ—h came from the same ground they are both fruits of the flesh though they be different streams yet they are united in one â—pâ—ing Though they may struggle one with another yet both are twins in the same womb Oh what an antidote would this be against these soul-infections that are abroad to think that errours and ungodly practices come both from the same fountain They are all fruits of the flesh and therefore have a damnable cause Fourthly Errours in judgement endanger salvation Because they lead into sinfull and dangerous practices In Philosophy we are â—old of the great connexion that is between the understanding will and affâ—ctions Now the understanding that is the Sunne in this firmament and if that be in an Eclipse you know that evils are portended thereby The understanding is the counsellour and if that be corrupt the will and affections must be very sinfull and unruly Vse of Admonition To take heed we be not led aside with any errour or corrupt Doctrines You see death is in these things as well as in lusts yea if the mind be corrupt all else will be corrupt If the eye be dark the whole body will be dark Errours will breed loosnesse and prophanenesse of life They are a disease in the choisest part of a man and know it is not thy wisdome thy care can preserve thee It 's the Spirit of God through his Word that leadeth us into truth Christ is the truth the way and the life John 14.6 The greatest learning and knowledge will not keep a man learned men have been Heretiques but two things will especially keep us 1. Humility and lowlinesse of mind To such God giveth grace To babes and sucklings he revealeth himself And 2. An holy conformity to Gods will so farre as we know When we do not detain truth as a prisoner in our lives Doct. 2. Whereas you see an eminent Officer in the Church building but hay and stubble is yet hardly saved We may hint this Doctrine though not insist on it That every godly man though never so eminent yet is very difficultly saved If hay and stubble will put us to such danger what then will evident poison If these errours of the mind which are so hardly prevented what will the constant lusts and daily infiâ—mities even of all men Which makes the Apostle Peter say The righteous man is scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 Which although some understand of a temporal salvation he is very hardly delivered from those temporal afflictions that fall out in this life yet by consequence it reacheth to eternal salvation Hence is that command To work out our salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 Yea Paul who had one foot in Heaven yet he said He kept under his body lest while he preached to others he himself should be a reprobate 1 Cor. 9. ult Now the Grounds of these truths are First From the exactnesse and strictnesse that is in the way to Heaven Godlinesse is on the high hill as he placed virtue Strive to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13.24 Be in an agony yea how strait is it as in Matth 7 14 by exclamation few do enter therein To lay out the nature of a godly man or godlinesse from Scripture-rules would be almost like Tullies description of a perfect Orator or Plato of a Commonwealth Our Saviour speaking of the difficulty of a rich man to be saved that is one who trusteth in them as one Evangelist saith Mar. 10.24 The Disciples cry out Who then can be saved They do not say What rich man but who can be saved because every man hath something or other be trusteth in as well as the rich man in his riches Secondly The difficulty doth appear from that remainder and relique or corruption that is in every man which is in danger to break out Our Saviour bid hiâ— Dâ—sciples Beware of drunkennesse and surfeting though they seemed to be â—arre from it Luke 21.34 Paul how doth he mourn under the powerfull vigor of sinne still abiding in him Rom. 7. Yea the Apostle speaking of a combate in all The Flesh lusteth after the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh Gal. 5. So that by this means he is in constant danger of being undone There is heart against heart affections against affections c. Thirdly There are many afflictions and tribulations which God brings on his people and they do much endanger Did not God break out upon Aaron Eli David and Moses very dangerously as if he would have cast them quite off and therefore the Apostle brings in the difficulty of the righteous mans salvation upon that Judgement must begin at the house of God 1 Pet. 4.17 So that if we consider the tempests and rocks in the sea of this world it 's a wonder any can come to the haven Vse of Exhortation Be quickned up to more exact strict and diligent walking If Paul that knew how to abound and want and to do all things who was like a gyant running his race and yet hardly gets to Heaven Where wilt thou appear Hear what he saith I presse forward I forget what is behinde if I may attain to the prize of the high calling Oh then how inexcusable is thy negligence thy dissolutenesse Is thy life a striving an agony Art thou like one in a combate and conflict By this we may see the number of men that shall be saved is very few there are so few that strive that pray that work with fear and trembling that are violent for the Kingdom of Heaven and get it by force Verse 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you THe Apostle though he alter his Metaphor yet continueth in the same matter In the verses before he compared the Church of Corinth to a building here he sheweth what kind of building it is even a sacred holy building The Temple of God So that as in the Temple of old which was consecrated to God whosoever did bring in any unclean and unconsecrated things to the Temple he did pollute it and was to be punished thus all corruptions in Doctrine Worship or
we called an house of prayer In Solomons prayer 1 Kings 8.48 the captives of Israel carried into another Land are supposed in their captivity to pray unto God with their face towards the Land of Israel and also towards the Temple Fourthly But from this Temple to argue for such holinesse in our Churches Yea and with Bellarmine and others to plead for private praying in the Church more than in other places as if there were more holinesse therein and for the places sake to have more acceptance is unjustifiable by Scripture John 4.21 24. The time is coming when they shall not worship in this mountaine or in Jerusalem but they shall worship him in Spirit and truth There is no Jerusalem now nor any place like Jerusalem and now God would have us in every place lift up holy hands in prayer 1 Tim. 2.8 It 's therefore unwarrantable by Scripture to pray in a Church for the places sake to have the prayer the more acceptable as Bellarmine pleadeth And indeed because there is no such peculiar institution nor no such peculiar promise therefore there cannot be such a relative holinesse Private prayers in the Church though pretended not to be done for the places sake while we are at the publick Ordinances are also incongruous and unwarrantable partly because they are against the nature of private prayer prescribed by our Saviour When thou prayest shut thy door after thee Mat. 6.6 Private prayer must be done in a private manner and partly because the Church is for publick Ordinances We meet together in spiritual communion and while the society is singing for thee to be privately praying is unsuitable to the duty in hand where there ought to be one heart one mouth and consent Fifthly Because the Temple was so glorious and Gods promise was in a special manner made to it therefore the Jews put all their trust and confidence in this though their lives were full of wickednesse and grosse impieties yet because they had the Temple that made them think themselves happy Hence the Prophet severely reproveth them for it saying Trust no more in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these Jer. 7.4 Hence at last God was so provoked that he gave it up to idolatrous Heathens to be destroyed that a stone should not be left upon a stone For Hadrian the Emperor quite demolished it and in stead thereof built a place with a new name calling it Aelia and upon the gate set the Image of a Swine by way of scorn and derision to the Jews to whom that beast was unclean And thus truly God hath done with many glorious spiritual Temples under the Gospel Where are the seven Churches of Asia And where is the pure Church of Rome now The present Governours of that Church glory of their succession to their former Worthies Whose faith was spread over the whole world but they succeed them as vespae apibus Wasps many times do Bees or as night doth the day Lastly Our Churches therefore do not resemble the Temple an holy place dedicated to God but their publick Synagogues where they met together to pray and reade the Word and have it expounded Some find fault that we call this material building a Church but use of speech doth fully justifie this It 's an ordinary figure to put the place containing for the thing contained Thus it 's said All Jerusalem went out And Oh Jerusalem that killest the Prophets Mat. 23.77 which is meant of the Inhabitants thereof Thus we call a City or a Town the people of the Town But of this we have spoken formerly But though there is no such relative holinesse in these places as was in the Temple neither are the duties regarded for the places sake but the place for the duties yet there is a moral and civil decency or respect to be had to them as we do unto places appointed for solemn meeting and therefore are unfitly compared to barns or stables or to be polluted like them not because of any holinesse in them more than in other places but from a civil respect But these things only occasionally by the way The next main thing is That believers joyned in a Church way according to Scripture are Gods temple and that requireth these things First Purity and an undefiled life from the wicked wayes of the world Though they be in the world yet not of the world This is called pure Religion to keep a man defiled from the world Jam. 1.27 And we must not be conformed to the fashion of this world Rom. 12.2 We are to be as Lot in Sodome so farre from having fellowship with it that we are to grieve in seeing and hearing the evil deeds of others We are to be like the three Worthies in the midst of the fire and yet our hair not singed thereby Do not thou then judge of thy self as the Temple of God when thou art like a dung-hill thy heart is not a sacred Temple but an open Inne or Market-place all strange lusts may lodge in thee thou art to take Christ for an example not the world Secondly Dedication and giving up our selves wholly unto God Thy soul and body are to be one Temple onely thy soul is the Saxctum sanctorum there should only be admitted choice and sanctified thoughts and intentions Shall I take saith the Apostle the member of Christ and make it the member of an harlot 1 Cor. 6.15 Shall I take the Temple of God and make it a publick stew for all lusts As they said of their Temples Procul ô procul este prophani So do thou of all noisome and filthy sinnes As there were constant Porters to watch the Temple so do thou continually set a watch before thy heart and soul that no unclean thing enter in Thirdly Here is implied Vnion of the members of the Church together The Temple was not one stone or a few stones scattered up and down but exactly and curiously joyned together The Churches are compared to a body where there are several organized members and all usefull one to another Lastly Communion Not onely internal by faith and love which we have with Christ the Head and so with all the members For this communion is invisible but external in a visible society and fellowship one with another in the publique worship Hence they are greatly reproved That forsook the assembling of themselves together Heb. 10.15 Visible communion in Church-Ordinances brings much glory to God and great edification to our selves Vse of Instruction What kind of societies we should be who are Gods temple Gods house Gods Church What enjoyment of God What effectual participation of his presence The body by its senslesnesse doth quickly discover whether a soul be in it and the soul will quickly manifest whether God and Christ be in it if the Temple of God What holinesse and purity ought to be in our lives Oh this is the glory of the Church
work then they die to receive their wages And this certainly is very comfortable to all the children of God especially Ministers that God will give them their liberties and lives till they have done their work No man can stop Gods way and power no more than they can hinder the Sunne in running its race Why should death then be grievous to thee when God hath no more for thee to do here when thou canst be no more usefull to promote his glory Fourthly Death is the godly mans Because the meditation and thoughts of it are sanctified to him He liveth as one that expecteth it daily And although every one knoweth he must die yet we cannot have the sanctified knowledge of it without Gods grace Teach me to number my dayes saith the Psalmist Psal 90. that we may apply our hearts to wisdome And Paul I die daily Thus the Scripture bids us not put confidence in future things what we will do or whither we will go because our life is a vapour Jam 4 13. Oh it 's great proficiency in Christianity to live as a mortal dying man Alas such an one will provide for eternity not account any thing in this world can make him truly happy his heart is weaned from all worldly comforts and delights Thus that there is such a thing as death it is a great argument to the godly man to live with all heavenly and holy affections Fifthly Death is the godly mans Because he only knoweth how to dâ—e well as we told you Life was his Because he onely could tell how to live So death is his because he only knoweth how to die Simeon saith Lukâ— 2.29 Now Lord let thy servant depart in peace when he had taken Christ in his arms and seen his salvation Thus they only by faith lay hold on Christ they only have oil to their lamps they only are prepared to give up their accounts Oh it 's an art of arts to die well Few are so prepared and disposed that at what hour soever the Master shall come he shall find them doing his will It 's true many wicked men are not afraid to die they flatter themselves and can bid death welcome but it is their ignorance their boldnesse makes them thus they know not what it is do die upon what terms to appear before God and therefore do suddenly drop into hell Sixthly The godly man hath death as an advantage if you respect the time and season of his death His death is not only mercy but the time of his death is mercy The term of every mans life is appointed by God To him belong the issues of death Psal 68.20 Now God in great wisdom and mercy hath determined the time of thy death And although we cannot alwayes see how it is a mercy to die at such and such a time yet it is so The righteous is gathered from the evil to come Isa 57.1 as jewels when the house is on fire as cattel are driven into a refuge before the storm beginneth Hezekiah must not live to see all that publique ruine which was coming on Israel Thus though they die in their younger years it 's a mercy Hence the death of righteous men is accounted a sad prognostique of future calamities Lastly Even the violent death of Martyrdome which cometh by the cruel and bloudy oppression of implacable enemies that is theirs It 's a mercy a gain and honour The Apostles rejoyced that they were accounted worthy to lose what they had for Christs sake To you it 's given not only to believe but to suffer Phil. 1 19. If any man suffer as a Christian blessed is he for the spirit of glory shall rest upon him 1 Pet. 4.14 It 's the greatest honour that can be put upon thee Though it be matter of scorn and reproach with the world yet God and the holy Angels approve such As Christ is said to be exalted and glorified by dying so it is with his children Vse of unspeakable Consolation to the godly in their temptations and fears about death Oh that is terrible to thee thou knowest not what to do But why so If thou art one of the members of Christ who by faith art ingraffed in him this should be matter of joy Then and never till then doest thou beginne to be happy then thy bridegroom cometh to meet thee then the gates of Heaven are set open to give thee glorious entertainment if yet these things do not raise thee it 's because thou art not heavenly thou doest not by faith live on Scripture arguments Vse 2. Of Terrour to wicked men who must die and yet to die is onely losse to them They lose their wealth their friends their greatnesse all the mirth they had and then beginneth thy eternal woe Oh the very name of death and mortality should strike terrour into thee for this is the beginning of hell it putteth an end to all the comforts of this life Or things present or things to come We are now come to the last Enumeration of those several things which belong to the Churches treasure and that is all kind of events distributed according to their time either things present or future By present things some understand those gifts in the Church which were extraordinary of healing and such like cures and by future things the gift of revelation concerning things to come But this is too much restrained We rather take the largest sense and by present things understand all those events which for the present do befall us And by future whatsoever may in time come upon us So that this Text is a soveraign cordial to the godly whatsoever fals out they are sure to be gainers by Nothing comes amisse they are in a sure Ark while others float on the waters Observe That whatsoever fals out for the present to a godly man it is for his good Every day is in travel and brings forth some new thing or other Now as often as there is any new event so often is there a new mercy Our Saviour Matth. 6.34 saith Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof implying thereby that every day hath a womb as it were and it brings forth some affliction some evil or other and it is sufficient to the day we need not trouble our selves afore-hand Qui dolet antequam necesse est dolet plusquam necesse est yet the evil of the day is the good of the day to the believer A godly man may say he never had an ill day since his regeneration As we reade of a devout man who being wished a good day he said He never had an ill one in all his life And being asked How that could be He answered Every morning he laboured to conform his will to Gods will that what pleased God should please him and by this means every day was a good day to him Now the things which fall out may be divided into two contrary heads and you shall find both of