often wanting in the greatest both of knowledge and eloquence and oft yea most times accompanieth the most simple delivery of the truth in men having far lesse measure of the aforesaid gifts And this tryall taken from the power of the word heard must needs force every maÌ„ back to himself to examine himself if he will know how to judge aright of the preacher seeing his hart soul is the subject wherein the vertue efficacy of all preaching is to bee found For he is the most powerfull preacher who most stirrs and mooves the hart of the hearer unto faith and obedience so that a man needs not to go out of himself to looke to anie thing but that that 's in himself whereby to discern whether Christ speak or not in the preacher whom he heareth even as it s not so much colour or tast of the wine or matter of the cup whereout we drink as the felt virtue in our spirits refreshed thereby wherby the valour and vertue of wine is discerned both colour and tast though in a golden cup deceiving us As in matereall temples built of stone the more the windowes be painted the lesse is the light So in the true spirituall Temple of Christ those that are the lights thereof the more their preaching be painted with the intising words of humane wisdom and eloquence the lesse solid light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus is ministred by them to the harts of their hearers And thus much for the first point sett down by the Apostle Now followes the second vizt Touching those things wherein the Corinthians were to try and examine themselvs which are two First their faith 2. Christs being in them this last being the evidence of the first It is true that the words may be taken two manner of waies For these words If ye be in the faith may be either the condition required in those that shall try themselvs concerning the power of Christ in â—â—e ministry of those who teach â—â—em or then it may be takâ—n for the matter it self wherâ—â— they are to find out the evidence of Christs power in their â—â—achers In what sence soeâ—er we take it it servs for the â—postles purpose and yeelds â—â— great instruction In the â—â—â—st sence it teacheth us that â—hich is most true viz. That â—ntill a man beleeve hee can â—â—ue no right judgment of spiâ—â—tuall things it being faith â—â—â—ely that purifies the heart â—â—om all sinne and filthines â—esides that it remaines sure which the Apostle saith That â—he naturall man comprehends not â—â—e things of the spirit of God for â—â—ey are foolishnes unto him beâ—ause they are spiritually discerned â—ut the spirituall man discerneth all things Now no man can be a spirituall man but he that beleeveth Therefore justly doth the Apostle call faith the evidence of things that are not seen So that before a man can be able to perceave the spiritual power of Christ in anie manâ— preaching he must haue this faith else how can he perceavâ— or apprehend that which is invisible of which nature this power is Hereby we learne that it is no wonder that the Word of the crosse is foolishnes iâ— most part of men yea to all that perish as saith the Apostle For the arme of the Lord therein is not revealed unto them because they beleeve not the report of Gods messengers as saith the Prophet Esa For beleife and knowledg of the power of God in preaching are never seperate for which cause Christ himself giving the reason that â—is disciples loved him sayth â—hat they belieued that the was â—ome out from the father And â—gaine when in his prayer to the â—â—ther he hath set downe divers â—â—asons why he recommended â—hem to the father as that he â—â—d declared his name unto them â—ut they had kept his word that â—â—ey knew that all things which â—â— father had given him was â—â—m the father that he had given â—â—to them the words which the â—â—her had given him that they â—â—d receaved them and that they â—â—ely knew he was come out from â—â— father he subjoynd as the â—â—und and foundation of all â—s their knowledge that they â—â—eued that the father had sent â—â— The use hereof is first to â—â—ch us that faith is the only eie of the soule whereby its ablâ— truely to discerne the nature oâ— all spirituall heavenly things 2. It lets us see the miser able â—â— state condition of all infidels who are utterly deprived of aâ— ability to know or rightly tâ— perceaue the nature of God oâ— Christ of his gospell or hiâ— ministers yea also of themselves in any spirituall thing Lastâ—â— it teacheth us not to stumble â— the base account and contemâ—â— of the Gospell and ministeâ— thereof in the most part â—â— men in this age seeing pooâ— blind wretches being destituâ— of faith are not able to knoâ— these things nor to give aâ— right judgment of them or themselvs this either having or wanting of fayth in men the very cause of all differeâ— judgment of all things in religion and specially of things indifferent as may be perceaved by the Apostles words to the Romans Cap. 14 saying One man beleveth that he may eat al things and another which is weake eateth hearbs againe I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing uncleane of it self but to him that judgeth ought uncleane to him it is uncleane and againe hast thou faith haue it with thyself before God blessed is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth but he that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith and what soeuer is not of faith is sinne in all which words the Apostle attributeth knowledg and full perswasion of the indifferent use of all externall things as meat drink c. unto fayth and ignorance doubting to infidelity or weaknes of faith which giues us a cleare light to discern betwixt man and man in their judgment touching things indifferent in their use where it may be without scandall And abstinence from them where the use is scandalous for undoubtedly true faith where it is giues a man knowledg and full perswasion that ther is no difference betwixt one meate one garment or oneday and another c. in themselvs but where one day one meate one garmeÌ„t c. is esteemd above another or where ther is doubting of their indifferency and equall law fulnes in use as before there must needs be weaknes of faith which is a faith accompanied with much infidelity But leaving this sence of these words notwithstanding that it may be probably taken to be the Apostles meaning wee come to the other sence as being in most mens judgment the true meaning of the Apostle taking the words as a declaration of that wherein they shall try themselues viz. whether they be in the fayth or no according to which
sence the Apostles argument will follow after this manner If ye be in the faith ye must acknowledge the power of Christ in my ministry But by tryall ye shall find that ye are in the faith Therefore if ye try yourselvs ye shall finde the power of Christ in my ministry The confirmation of the second part of this argument viz. That by tryall they shall finde themselvs to be in the faith is to be taken from the last words of this verse which are indifferently to be used for prooving both the parts of tryall that is both that they are in the faith and that Christ is in them after this manner either by tryall you shall finde you are in the faith or that ye are reprobates But we trust ye shall finde ye are not reprobates Therefore we trust that by tryall ye shall finde yourselvs to be in the faith To speak then of this first thing wherein they are to try themselvs we haue two things to be marked in it First what it is whereabout this tryall must be in themselvs viz. faith Secondly what must be tryed concerning this faith viz. Whether they be in it or not Touching the first It s not without great reason that the Apostle setts down no other christian vertue whereby to finde out in themselvs the effectuall power of Christ in his ministry towards them but faith For all other operation of the ministry whatsoever be what it will be if it haue not faith accompanying it doth never prove that ministry to be the power of God unto salvation in those men for as saith the Apostle the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth by which sort of speech the spirit of God will teach us plainely that the ministry of the Gospell is not Gods power to salvation to those men in whom it neuer begetteth faith so that if any will rightly try himself whether the ministry of men be accompanyed with the power of Christ speaking in them to his salvation he is not to looke so much to any effect thereof in himself as to this vertue of fayth for all other effects may deceaue him as doubtlesse they doe many for experience teacheth that the Gospell and preaching thereof doth work many great effects even in the reprobate as wee see in Herod who feared Iohn the Baptist and heard him gladly and when hee heard him did many things yet in the end he imprisoned him put him to death Likewise even Symon Magus which used witchcraft and had bewitched the people of Samaria a long time by the force of Philips Preaching is said to haue beleeued and to haue beene baptised and to haue continued with Philip wondring at the signes and great miracles which were done by him and also upon the acknowledgment of his sinne in seeking by money to haue power to give the holy ghost by laying on of hands did earnestly entreat the Apostles to pray to the Lord for him yet notwithstanding al this he was euen then in the gall of bitternes baÌ„ds of iniquity for although it be said he beleeued it because he did make professioÌ„ of faith yet had he not this true faith whereof the Apostle here speaks which if he had had he could not haue still remayned in the gall of bitternes bond of iniquity And its manifest by the parable of Christ in the Gospell that the kingdome of heaven is like a draw net cast into the sea that gathereth of all kinde of things But as the Apostle sayth all men haue not faith 2 Thes 3 2. For many are called but few are chosen nether every one that calleth Christ Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven Mat. 7 21. It s evident by dayly experience that the Gospell worketh effectually in many to their conviction and in many also to their externall conversion outward profession of the true God and unto obedience in many things in whom notwithstanding it neuer wrought true justifyng faith whereby its evident that there is no tryall sound infallible to any man of Christs saving power by the ministry of the Gospell toward them except that which is taken from faith our devotion zeale holines profession and obedience will miserably deceaue us if wee buyld our trust on them for it is not they but faith alone that makes us the sonnes of God and truely justifieth us yea which is more euen they all are sinnes if faith be not theyr fountain for what soever is not of faith is sinne The use of this is principally to teach us what ought to be the principall scope and chief endeavour both of Pastors in preaching and of people in hearing that is that the one by preaching may work the other by hearing may receaue faith in their hearts without which al other things are nothing seeing ther is nether entry nor accesse nor continuance in grace but by faith alone for as saith the Apostle in Christ Iesus wee haue bouldnes and entrance with confidence by faith in him Ephes 3 12. And againe by him also through faith wee haue had accesse unto this grace wherein wee stand Rom. 5 2. And again for by faith ye stand 2. Cor. 1 24. This doth argue both preaching and hearing of manie to bee vaine fruitles whenas eyther is not chiefly intended to this end of beleeving for if a teacher work not faith by preaching whatsoever hee doe besides shall neuer saue the hearers And if a man by hearing attain not to beeleeving what ever other fruit he receaue shal but encrease his judgment for faith wrought by preaching is the true touchstone whereby both a preacher is tryed to haue Christs power in his ministry and a hearer doth finde the Gospell to bee the power of God to his salvation Now wee come to the next touching their being in this faith It s a common custome of the scriptures when they speake of the saving graces of God or of Iesus Christ in whom wee enjoy them sometimes to require them to be in us and somtimes us in them Concerning Christ the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that Christ may dwell in their hearts Ephesians 3. 17. And againe to the Corinthians he saith but ye are of God in Christ Iesus and Christ himself in the 15 of Iohn saith to his disciples abide in mee and I in you he that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Touching faith the Apostle saith to Tymothy that he desired to see him when he cald to remembrance the unâ—ained faith that was in him which dwelt first in his grandmother Loys and in his mother Eunice which he was assured did dwell in him also And here the Apostle willeth the Corintians to try themselves if they bee in the faith and againe to the Colossians If ye continue grounded and stablished in the faith againe as ye haue received Christ Iesus
this knowledge in his disciples as also why the world is destitute of it speaking concerning the spirit saying whom the world cannot receaue because it sees him not neither knowes him but yee know him because he dwelleth with you and shal bee in you Iohn 14 17. This place being conferd with the former two teacheth us 3 speciall things touching the estate of a true Christian The 1 is that they are not ignorant of the things of God nor of any grace or blessing spirituall given them by God in Christ the 2 is That all this knowledge is taught thē by the spirit of God which is given them remaines within them The 3 that both the gift of this spirit and knowledge by him proceedes from this that God hath not left us in the world nor in the estate of servitude bondage but hath taken us out of the world and by reconcyling us to himself in Christ hath made us his friends as Abrahā was The use of this is to convince the doctrine of the papisticall church of falshood whereby they maintaine that a Christian truely called can haue no certaine knowledge whether he bee in the estate of grace or not for if the Apostle urge the Corinthians by this speciall knowledge of their owne being in the faith and of Christs being in them to bee witnesses of the power of Christ in his ministry toward them it must necessarily follow that both they and all others called as they were must haue vndoubted knowledge of themselves that they are in the faith and Christ in them otherwise Christs argument before alleadged could not bee true when he saith that his disciples did know the spirit of truth because he dwelt with them and should be in thē which argumēt teacheth us thus much that the saints cannot bee ignorant of any gift or grace of God which dwelleth with them and is in them so that wee may Iustly concluded that a Papist houlding the former position for a truth must bee both faythles and gracelesse seing if eyther faith or grace were in them they could not be ignorant of them neither can they haue anie evasion by their old argument of the necessitie of some speciall revelation from God For this which we haue said before compared with the words of Iohn doth fully answer them saying If we receive the witnes of men the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnes of God which he testifieth of his sonne He that beleeveth in that sone of God hath witnes in himselfe By which words we are plainly taught that faith can never be without the testimonie both of those three which beare record in heaven to wit the Father the Word and the Holy-ghost nor of these three witnesses which beare record in earth viz. The spirit the water and the bloud and therefore that it must follow that everie true beleever hath a most undoubted revelation of his salvation and blessed estate in grace and on the contrarie that whosoever hath not this vndoubted warrant is faithles indeed seeing as saith the Apostle whosoever beleeveth in the sonne of God hath this witnes of the Father of the Word and of the Holy ghost which are in heaven of the spirit and of the water and of the blood which are in earth then which there can be no revelation of greater force to confirm the certaintie of ones salvation For if according to Gods owne law at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter shal be established how much more must a true beleeving christian know the certaintie of his salvation who hath it witnessed vnto him and that within himself by those sixe witnesses before mentioned of which none can lye and this is so much the clearer by that which Iohn in the same place speaketh ver 13 saying these things haue I written unto you who beleeve in the name of the sonne of God that ye may knowe that ye haue eternall life Whereby he utterly annulleth that blind argument of the Papists seing it enforceth thē eyther to confesse that they know they haue eternal life or then plainely to confesse that they beleeue not in the sonne of God for faith and knowledge of salvation are two unseparable adjuncts and ever such knowledge as is not builded upon a doubtfull opinion or conjecture but which is buylt upon the unfallible testimony of the six witnesses mētioned before Wee conclude therefore this point with the confortable use thereof to all true beleeving Christians viz. that they rejoyce always I say againe with the Apostle that they rejoyce always seeing their salvation is sure and that it s given unto them to knowe that it is sure Thus much for the Apostles argument for remooving of all pretence of ignorance Now followes the 2 point of tryall which is whether Christ bee in them or not but it s propounded in another manner then the first for touching faith he willd them to try if they were in it but this last he propounds as a thing which he would haue them undoubtedly to acknowledge and no marveil for the effects are more easie to be known then their causes now Christ he dwells in our hearts by faith and therefore wee can never have a true evidence that we beleeue untill we find that Christ is assuredly within us for this cause wee said before that this 2 point of tryall was the meane to know the former Moreover the Apo. subjoins this point unto his former argument whereby he remooves all pretence of Ignorāce purposely to teach us both whē and wherein it is that a Christian comes to know himself to bee in the faith and so receaves experiēce of the power of Christ in the ministry of the Gospell to his salvation whereof before wee spake wee will first somewhat consider the order of the Apostles words Wee see that in the first place he puts them to the tryall of their faith as being the evidence of the power of Christ in his ministry toward them to their salvation 2. In this examination he brings them to the acknowledging of themselves as the proper effect of true faith in all true beleevers 3. He brings thē to the acknowledgment of Christs presence in their hearts as the onely true testimony of the first proper matter of the 2. For if any man thinks he beleeves not having Christ within him he is miserably deceaved and if any man think he knowes himself to bee the child of God except he find himself and Christ united by faith pittifully abuseth himself by his owne judgment This order therefore of the Apostles proceeding teacheth us this lesson what way and by what meanes it is that wee come to the knowledge of the mighty power and outstreched arme of God in the ministry of his word to our salvation in the which 3 things are principally to be marked Our faith our selvs and that in our selves which makes us know our selves by faith to bee
A FRVITFVLL SERMON Made by the Reverend and Learned Mr. IOHN FORBES Pastour of the English Company of Merchants adventurers at Delft Published by some of his flock out of sincere affection for common good AT AMSTERDAM Printed by Richard Plater 1626. Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber A fruitfull Sermon upon 2. Cor. Cap. 13. vers 5. Proue your selves if ye be in the faith examine your selves know ye not your owne selves that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates IT is no vvonder that in all ages and especiallie in this sinfull profane age wherein wee now liue there hath beene and now is so great and universall a contempt of the blessed ministrie of Christ as of a base and Contemptible thing when an Apostle and such an Apostle as Paule had so much a doe to vindicate his ministrie from the Contempt base account therof amongst the Corinths notwithstanding that they had beene converted thereby and the sygnes of an Apostle had bene so powerfully wrought by him amongst them For if the weakenes and infirmitie of his flesh and outward estate worldlie did so blind the Corinthians eys that they could not perceave the divine power of Christs spirit in so weake a vessell what marveil is it that succeeding ages and this present fleshlie age judging according to the flesh of such as are far inferiour to Paule in grace doe not behould that heavenlie power which accompanyeth their ministrie The grief of this vanitie were easie to be borne if it were onelie the profane worldlings that did so seing no natural mā is able to discern the things of Gods Spirit But it s a more lamētable error when it falleth in such as profes the trueth and doe vphold this ministrie and reape the sweet and vnspeakeable fruits thereof to esteeme so baselie of that which is the power of God to their salvation if ever they be to be saved Yet this example of that church which was not inferiour in anie thing to other churches by the Ap. Paules paines amongst them so comtemptiblie speaking of him who was not in anie thing inferiour to the verie chief Apostles that his presence was base and weake and his speach of no value may serve to teach al ministers patience under the like crosse but withall as Paule who was glad when he was weake and they were strong did play the foole in boasting of him self for the defence of his authoritie power of his ministrie not because of anie ambitious desire of vaineglorie but onelie to procure their edification that by their contempt of his ministrie they should not frustrate themselves of the blessed fruit thereof even so the faithfull ministers of Christ in this age haue more then just cause with Paule to speake somewhat for themselves not vainelie for their owne creditie sake but onelie to prevent the like dāger in their hearers upon the like contempt of their ministrie knowing that the same causes still produce the like effects In doeing this as it is necessarie so it shal be sufficient to use no more Apollogie then is contained in this one verse of this text As being the strongest argument whereby not onelie Paule forced the Corinthians to confesse the mightie strength of Christ in his ministrie towards them but also whereby all true and faithfull Pastors must convince the conscience of their hearers that they are not reprobate Pastors The maine scope and force of the Apostles argument being punctuallie taken up is this You Corinthians must eyther acknowledge the divine vertue force of my ministry or thē ye your selvs must be reprobates but wee trust yee are not reprobates neither will ye have us think so therefore yee must acknowledge the vertue of our ministry Thus doth he reduce them to a necessitie eyther of acknowledging him not to be a reprobate minister but such an one in whom Christ did speake or then of acknowledging themselves to bee reprobate Christians without faith and without Christ the evidence of the truth and soundnes of his argument wee shall God willing manifest in the particular opening thereof For the cleare vnderstanding of the Apostles meaning wee are first to consider what hath gone before and how this verse dependeth or cohereth with the former Two arguments have beene used by the Apostle to shew why he behooved to manifest to the Corinthians the authority of his ministry in not sparing them at his comming againe The first was because they were lawfullie convinced of obstinacie having bene now twice or rather thrice admonished and therefore he behooved to proceed against them with sharpnes if they did not now repent before his comming even according to the law of God which ordaineth that in the mouth of two or three witnesses everie word shall stand The second argument was this They who having felt Christ to be mighty in them by my ministrie doe yet seeke a proof of Christ speaking in me must needs haue it in sharpnes to make them know me to be an Apostle of Christ But ye Corinthians do yet after your conversion seeke an experience of Christ speaking in me Therefore you must haue a sharper proof seeing ye acquiesse not in that which ye haue alreadie and reverence not my admonitions given you upon that proof which ye haue of Christs power in me To shew yet farther the equity of this threatning upon this ground he layeth downe an assertion of the power of Christ in his ministrie towards them affirming that Christ in his ministrie towards them was not weak but mighty in them and therefore this their doing was nothing but a tempting of Christs power in him even as the people of Israel in the wildernes after sufficient proof of the mighty power of God in Moses by the miracles wrought in Egipt by leading them safely through the redd sea which overwhelmed their enemies by the waters given them out of the Rock c. did notwithstanding of all these and much more tempt the Lords power desiring yet a farther evidence thereof by covering them a table in the wildernesse and giving them flesh to eate as though all the preceding wonders had been no sufficient proofe of Gods almighty power Even so the Corinthians having had sufficient evidence and testimonie of Christ speaking in Paul by his mighty working in thēselvs yet for all this did esteeme Paul but base and weak and his words of no value and so forced him to giue them a sharper experience of Christ speaking in him to their farther grief if upon this evidence past they would not reverence his words nor obey his warnings but would yet tempt Christ in him for a farther proof of his power Now before the Apostle prove this which he hath affirmed touching the might of Christ in them by his ministry perceaving the chief ground and cause of this their foolish judgment to be the weaknesse and poore estate of the Apostle in the flesh he first removed this
examination The 2 is the subject or persons whom he willeth them to try Concerning the action it is not onely a commeÌ„dable but also a most necessary duety to be observed of every man before he pronounce sentence or passe his iudgment upoÌ„ anie thing but speciallie upon the things of God his worship in his ordinances eyther in rejecting or admitting condemming or approoving for hereby wee are preserved not onely from that great sinne of sinistrous and rash judgement but also from that great follie that falleth in many of forsaking that which is for our good and embracing that which is for our hurt and so consequently are kept from doeing wrong both to our selves and others The truth hereof wee may evidently see in these Corinthians who dispised and contemned the blessed ministry of Paul who was the faithfull Apostle of Christ and did reverence and highlie esteeme the deceitfull ministers of Sathan onely because they neglected this examination and tryall and hereof also it coÌ„meth dayly to passe that many fall in that heavie sinne wherewith Christ upbraided the Iewes saying I am come in my fathers name and yee receave me not if another shall come in his owne name him ye will receave Happie therefore are they who follow the direction of the Aposile Io. In not beleeving every spirit but trying the spirits whether they bee of God or not For manie false prophets haue in former ages doe at this preseÌ„t shal hereafter goe out into this world The necessity of this action may yet farther be perceaued by the Apostles doubling of his exhortation saying Prooue yourselvs examine yourselvs whereby he inforceth them to this as a thing of great moment and most necessarie and therefore not to be neglected for it is the custome of the Apostles in things of this nature to use repetition that we may take them more deeply to hart and seriously practise them and surely there is not any one practise more necessarie in a christian then this of tryall and examination the neglecte whereof maketh many not onely to despise God his Gospell his ministers and his salvation all which they could not but highly esteeme of and desire aboue all things if once they would truly try and tast how good they are but also causeth manie in the ignorance of their owne estate either securely and proudly to boast of themselvs as children of grace when there is no grace in them or then in the miserable weaknesse of their owne hearts to deplore their lamentable estate as forlorne and forsaken of God whenas notwithstanding they injoy the solid testimonies of Gods favour towards them for this cause when the Psalmist would perswade men to seek after God and draw neare unto him he exhorteth them to tast and behold how gracious the Lord is whose goodnesse Peter also maketh to be the argument or condition either to perswade or to be required to moove men to desire the sincere milk of the word for questionlesse they that haue tasted and truly felte what is the goodnesse of God manifested by his word cannot but confesse with David that the Word of God is more to be desired than much fine gold sweeter also than the hony and the hony-comb For the very feete of those who publish peace and Preach good things are beautifull to all who haue felt the consolation of theire ministrye the truth whereof may be seene in the Galatians who as saith the Ap. himselfe did not despise the tryall of him which was in his flesh nether abhorred hiÌ„ whenas first he preached the Gospell unto theÌ„ through the infirmity of the flesh but upoÌ„ the falicity which they found in his miniâ—â—ry receaved him as an Angel of â—od yea as Christ Iesus so that if it â—â—d beene possible they would haue â—â—ucked out their eies and haue giâ—en them unto him For which â—ause the same Apostle when â—e willeth the Thessalonians â—ot to dispise prophesying immediatelie addes this exhortation to try all things keepe that â—hich is good as a meane to â—â—ing them to the loue desire â—nd estymatioÌ„ of prophesying â—or he knew that tryall and â—roofe would make dispisers â—o change their mind and â—ighlie to esteeme that which â—hey dispised before and this â—s the 1. Vse of the doubling of â—his exhortatioÌ„ The 2 use is to â—ew the Apostles assured confidence touching the certainty of that which he had affirmed of the mighty power of Christ in his ministry towards then when so earnestlie and instantly he urgeth them to the tryaâ— thereof in themselves referring the examination of the truâ— thereof to the same persons whâ— did seeke it in him For aâ—â— though the spirit of the propheâ— bee subject to the prophets yet noâ— withstanding the tryall whethâ—â— the spirits bee of God and whethâ—â— they speake in the evidency â— the spirit and power of God â— not is pertinent and belongeâ— in speciall maÌ„ner to the heareâ—â— whose feeling experience is thâ— most certaine testimony anâ— most infallible proofe of Chriâ—â— speaking in those ministeâ—â— whom they heare And therefore a Pastor may then moâ—â— justly boast of the power oâ— Christan his ministry when hâ— dare make his hearers his judges and refer himself to their tryall â—hich teacheth us also another â—â—sson to condemn that vaine â—rogancy foolish pride which â—ossesseth the harts of manie in â—â—ghly esteeming and vainely â—orying of their owne miniâ—â—â—y whenas the vertue valew â—ereof hath no testimony â—â—om the sence and experience â—f the hearers but from the â—ind conceyt of the teachers themselves For the Lord Iesus â—oth arme his messengers with â—e power and vertue of his â—â—irit from aboue not so much â—or their owne sake as for their â—earers in whom God will haue their ministry mighty powerâ—â—ll to cast down all strong houlds â—nd every high thing that is exalâ—â—d in their imaginations against â—he knowledge of God and to â—ubdue all their thoughts intents of their minds to the obedience Christ wee conclude therefoâ—â— this use with this warning to a preachers that seeing as theâ— are ministers the honour anâ— credit of their ministry coÌ„sisteâ— most in the power of God in â— towards others they doe nâ—â— glory nor boast of themselves iâ— respect of their ministry but according as the evidence of thâ— power thereof may be truelâ— testified by the conscience oâ— their hearers esteeming nothing eyther of their eloquence oâ— gifts of preaching how greaâ— soeuer they be in themselves wheÌ„ as they are without eyther force or power towards otherâ— seeing as sayth the Apostle Thâ— kingdome of God is not in woâ—â— but in power and therefore â—â— threatneth those false teacheâ— puft up at Corinth that when hâ— should come to try them he would take notice not of their words but of their power And this shall appeare more evidently by that 2 point which in this tryall is to bee observed who are the persons whom he willeth
the chidren of God And so by consequence wherein stands the chief proof that the word of God is Gods power to our salvation but in the consideration of these our faith is the point that makes the conclusion For without faith its impossible wee can bee or know our selves to bee the children of God But notwithstanding that which makes the infallible determination of being in the faith depends upon the presence of Christ within us without which all conceit of having faith is frivolous and vain The order then of our minds in searching our spirituall estats is this 1. Wee are to try and examine our selves whether wee know our selves to bee of God or no for he is not of God that knowes not himself to bee of God for according to the saying of Iohn he hath given us a mind to know him which is true and wee are in him that is true and wee know that wee are of God Iohn 1. Epi. 5. 19. 20. Secondly wee are to try if wee bee in the faith because wee never can know our selves to bee of God untill the time wee find ourselves to bee in the faith according to the saying of Christ Hee that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore heare them not because ye are not of God Iohn 8. 47. 3. For confirming our hearts in the knowledge of this 2. Point and so consequently in the full assurance of the first wee are to try if Christ bee in us without which wee can never assuredly know that wee beleeved and so consequently that wee are of God according to the saying of Christ speaking of the work of the spirit in those to whom he gives it at that day shall ye know that I am in my father and you in mee and I in you and againe in his prayer to God for his elect the glory that thou gavest mee I haue given them that they may be one as wee are one I in them and thou in mee that they may bee made perfect in one Iohn 17. 22. 23. And againe I haue declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loved mee may be in them and I in them Ibidem 17. 26. For which cause the saincts are called the habitation of God by the spirit Ephesians 2. 22. Whereupon the Apostle concludeth that if any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Rom. 8. 9. And this dwelling of Christ by his spirit in our hearts is only wrought by faith according to the saying of the Apostle I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he might grant you according to the richnes of his glory that you may bee strengthned by his spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by saith Ephesians 3. 14. 15 16. 17. By all which it evidently appeares when it is that a man knowes himself indeed to be the child of God and also wherein this knowledge consisteth viz. when he comes to a lively feeling and cleare sight that Christ is in him all other gifts and graces whatsoever being of no valew or force in the least to give any assurance or true knowledge to a mans soule that he is truely and effectually called by the Gospell to the estate of grace and hope of glory for then onely it is that the Gospell becomes the power of God to our salvation when as thereby Christ is formed in us according to the words of the Apostle to the Galatians saying my litle children of whom I trauell in birth againe untill Christ bee formed in you Cap. 4. 19. The same is confirmed by that speech of the Apostle to the Colossiaus wherein he discribes what is the riches of the glorious mistery of the Gospell amongst the gentills saying which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory Cap. 1 27. The use of this is to teach us that in vaine any man contents himselfe with any other thing whatsoever thereby hoping to be saved if he haue not Christ within him and that he himself know it for with out him nothing availes to salvation synce nothing can make a man the child of God but he aloue in so far that faith it self is not the true faith of Gods elect whereby the heart is purified and a sinner justified and saved except that by it Christ be brought in and made to dwell in the heart and that in such evidency that the beleeving man know that he hath Christ within him for its impossible that a man can haue Christ but that he must know that he hath him such is the liuely operation and supernaturall working of Christ in the soule where he is illuminating quickning and transforming everie man who hath him in the spirit of his mind and in pacifying comforting the conscience and in filling and replenishing the soule with the sence of Gods loue and hope of his glorie that never man could ever more clearely discern that hee hath a soule within him by the naturall effects thereof in his bodie then a christian may perceaue Christ to be within him by his proper effects before mentioned Out of this use we gather a second viz. That a man should sett himselfe to gaine Christ rather and aboue all things esteeming all other things but losse and judging all to be but dung for the excellent knowledg sake of Iesus Christ our Lord according as Paul did Philip. 3. 8. So as with the same Apostle he may sencibly know the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conform to him in his death ibid. ver 10 For as Christ himselfe saith What availeth it a man to win the whole world if he loose his soule Mark 8 36. But certaine it is that everie soule shall perish eternally hereafter which gayneth not Christ in this present life This yealds matter of just reproofe against the most part of men if not all who labour so much for the things of this earth which are but transitorie vanities and helpe nothing to their salvation and make so small account of gayning Christ for the inâ—oying of whom even when they are invited unto him will not forsake the smallest ease proffit or pleasure of this life but make light of him and goe their waies one to his farm another about his marchandize others take the inviters and use them sharply and kill them As Christ himself tels us in the â—arableâ— Mat. 22. 5 6. And â—e were to be wished that these were the worst sort of the dispisers of Christ though these be so bad that they shall never tast of the supper of the great King but there is another sort much more to be lameÌ„red who are lovers of sinfull pleasures more then of God spending the time appointed and sette for the purchase and gayning of Christ in abhominable filthines in chambring and wontonnesse in gluttony and drunckennesse in sport and unlawfull gayming and sinfull