The preaching of this truth is to take off those prejudices that doe too closely adhere even to such who are come out of that spiritual Babylon There is a causlesse and sinfull suspition in people that if the faithfull Pastours in Gods Church do indeavour a Reformation from the accustomed superstitions or evil and prophane disorders that through length of time have taken full and quiet possession they presently attribute this to carnal and corrupt ends they will not believe that these things are undertaken from pure and holy ends they will not be perswaded that the motive to these things is pure respect to Gods glory but that the Ministers of God have their carnal and sinister respects in all this either to get dominion or to advance themselves in one way or other Now although it may not be denied but that in perusing of Ecclesiastical History we may observe that carnal interest and humane respects were eminently dominative in Church-affairs yet God forbid that any should be given up to such a temptation as to think that there is no truth or fidelity in any When Lot did but courteously and civilly reprove the Sodomites for their high impieties see how wickedly they interpret this Genes 19. 9. He will needs be a judge over us They construed his endeavour against sinne to be nothing but usurpation Thus also Corah and his complices accounted all that Moses and Aaron did tyranny and pride Numb 16. 5. Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy c. Wherefore doe ye lift up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord. And we may see by many Apologies that Paul maketh the Galatians and other Churches could hardly be perswaded of his sincerity and love to them If then thou shalt once satisfie thy self with this that those Ministers of God who endeavour to bring a people out of their disorders and to make them conformable to Scripture-directions dare not look to themselves herein yea they goe against themselves and shew no fleshly wisdome at all but rather if they consulted with that they would let people goe quietly in the broad way to perdition as they have done If I say this be once believed by thee it will make thee with all alacrity and chearfulnesse to go along with them and encourage them in their work But it is the Devil that moveth upon that unruly sea of thy heart he putteth thee into many vexations and commotions whereas if the Spirit of God should rebuke both Satan and thy own corruptions thou wouldst with clamnesse reflect upon thy self yea reprove thy selfe saying Why should I be offended at those wayes which are for the good of my soule which make to the getting of knowledge and to the overcoming of those former lusts I have been intangled with which would have done mee no good but have destroyed my soul These things premised let us instance in some principles of fleshly wisdome that men have used and doe use in the matters of Religion And First This is the Proprium quarto modo as it were of all heretical persons To cover their falshoods with pretended Authority from the Scripture Now this is meerly fleshly wisdome to regard the Scripture no further then by the words and phrases thereof thou canst protect thy errours Not to go to the word of God as that Rule by which thou wilt stand or fall to give up thy heart and soul and all thy thoughts to be moulded and framed by that but having afore-hand swallowed down thy corrupt tenets then to go to Scripture to wrest and compell it as it were to speak for thee There is a great deal of fleshly wisdome in managing of false wayes but it is never more hainous yea and sacrilegious then when it doth thus prophanely and irreverently handle Scripture If we expostulate with the Socinian he will grant the Scripture words he will tell you he holdeth Christ to be a God that by Christs blood we have remission of sinnes but then come to ask him In what sense Christ is a God and in what manner we have remission of sinnes by Christs death then the poison of the Viper doth break forth So if we contend with the Pelagian Arminian and others about the injury they doe to the Grace of Christ they will tell you they are for Christ they doe owne all the Texts of Scripture that speak of grace But then ask what they mean by grace And how farre they extend the efficacy of grace then their deceit will appear So that it it is true of most Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They speake the same words but doe not thinke the same things Let then all fleshly wisdom be abhorred whereby we goe to the Scripture onely to apply the words thereof to our lies and so would father them upon the Spirit of God not that we love the purity and holinesse of the Scriptures but because we cannot be received with any approbation unlesse we bring our authority pretended at least from that Therefore it falleth out many times as Tertullian observeth When such erroneous persons can no longer hide themselves by scripture-Scripture-words that they directly fall to accuse the Scripture either to deny it to be the word of God or debasing of it as but a dead letter that so their corrupt hearts may be more believed than the Scripture it self Secondly A second principle of fleshly wisdome is To hide and conceale those monstrous births we have brought forth or else secretly and in a clandestine manner to acquaint others with them that so many weake persons may be infected before those who are able and skilfull had any opportunity to gain-say them 2 Pet. 2. 1. The Apostle Peter speaketh of some Who should privily bring in damnable heresies Privily because as the thief hateth the light seeing he onely comes to steale so do those who vent their false errours delight in secresie because the light will quickly manifest their falshoods As it is with Moles all the while they are under ground you can hardly take them but if once above ground then they are presently destroyed Thus all the while errours and falshoods creep under ground will not come to the light they are hardly discovered and stopped but when once found out then they are easily overcome Now all this is but fleshly wisdome to appear no where but in the dark to be alwayes hiding our selves under ground Therefore they are said 2 Tim. 3. 6. To creep into houses as thieves do by night they doe all things closely and secretly not willing to be brought to the light Whereas we have our Saviour professing the clean contrary concerning himself John 18. 20. I spake openly to the world I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jewes resort and in secret have I said nothing Thus the Ministers of Christ imitate him in an open publick way Not but that in times of persecution the Disciples of
He may justly expect Gods assisting of him with such qualifications of zeal and courage as are necessary to that work Thus the Apostle speaking of all the Ministers of the Gospel saith We have not received the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. It 's God that giveth us such a spirit where God calleth to an Office there he giveth suitable assistance For as it is with the general Call of Christians because God calleth them to holiness therefore he furnisheth every one with grace without which happiness cannot be enjoyed So it is in peculiar special Offices if in civil he gives Saul another spirit and much more in holy functions Hence he Isaiah's lips with a coal of fire from the altar Though Jeremiah pleaded he was a child yet God promised to enable him And when Moses did again and again excuse his inability to the Office God put upon him The wrath of God was kindled against him Exod. 4. 11. saying Who hath made mans mouth who maketh the dumb or deaf c Have not I the Lord If then God calleth he can give wisdom mouth and spirit such as none shall be able to withstand Oh then what a comfortable support is here When thou art dejected under the thoughts of thy insufficiency and weakness thinking thou shalt fail under the burden and prove a reproach to the Office Yet because God hath called thee thou mayest imbolden thy self thou mayest say Lord I cam not hither of my own will I am not in this place and Office by my own seeking but all is of thy will and ordering and therefore do thou own thy own servant Though I am weak thou art not who is the Father of Spirits but thou alone Therefore under all imperfections do thou runne unto God who hath set thee in that Office 2. As he may expect assistance so also Protection and Defence in all the dangers they are assaulted with For it cannot be but he that is called of God if he do the work of God zealously and impartially but he will raise up many enemies and find great opposition in his work Now as our Saviour told his Disciples of their danger That they should be haled before Rulers thrown into prisons and cast out of Synagogues yet he bids them Take no thought what they should say viz. not in a sinfull distrustfull manner because at that very time it should be given them what to speak Mark 13. 11. He doth not forbid a lawfull premeditating but that which is accompanied with slavish worldly fears and humane distrust as if the Spirit of God would not be ready to assist Doth not Paul reckon up the several dangers that he was every day in insomuch that his safety was every day miraculous Yet God delivered him out of all He prayed to be delivered from absurd and unreasonable men and God heard him Thus Jeremiah likewise he did undertake a very difficult Province he was to deal with Scorpions and tygers yet Jer. 1. 17 18 19. God bids him Not be dismayed at their faces for he had made him a defenced City an iron pillar and a brazen wall c. They might fight against him but never prevail This then is a blessed reviving when in the midst of all thy assaults all the troubles thou dost conflict with this man reproacheth thee that man revileth thee thou canst appeal to God O Lord Is not all this because I do the work commanded Is not all this because thou hast sent me and because I am an Embassadour in thy Name Certainly if David did so severely avenge himself upon the Ammonites for the injury done to his Embassadours No lesse wiâ—l God reward those who despise those he sends And therefore it 's one of the great wonders in the world That Christ hath maintained a Ministry in his Church for so many hundred years when all the malice and policy that could be devised hath been imployed to overthrow it Yea God hath in most ages still stirred up some with admirable zeal and courage to withstand the deluge of corruptions that were in those daies and though many have been violently put to death yet some have been wonderfully protected as John the Evangelist Athanasius and Luther 3. They may expect wonderfull success and fruitfulness in their labour For seeing God hath sent them and they come in his Name their labour shall not be in vain The Apostles though few were made salt enough to season the whole world At one Sermon Peter converted three thousand Rom. 15. 19. Paul tels us The Gospel did spread it self by his preaching yea some of Caesars own houshold became converts Thus doth the Lord wonderfully cooperate with his own instruments insomuch that Divines have a Rule Qualis vocatio talis successus yet this must be wisely understood for as in the Scripture many precious godly women went barren and had the reproach of not bearing children as Sarah and Hannah So many eminent servants of God though called by him and owned as it were by name yet have not had such success in converting of souls as others had Yea Christ himself did not convert so many as the Apostles Isa 49. 2. Christ speaks notably to this of this protection by God yet the little success he had So that it 's the Scriptures complaint of stretching out the hands in vain all the day long to a gain-saying people Therefore we are to distinguish of people for they are either such as never had the Word of God preached to them or such who though enjoying of it for many years yet have so universally apostatized that a Reformation is like a new plantation of the Gospel Now to such a people as these commonly the Word hath been successefull and multitudes have been caught in the Net of the Gospel Commonly at such seasons there hath been a preparedness made for the Gospel to run and to be glorified Thus you see the Romans Corinthians and many Heathenish places were converted from their Idols to serve the living God Thus also among the Jews when Christ came as a reformer to that apostate people he saith That the harvest was great but the labourers were few Luk. 10. 2. There were more to be converted but no instruments to do it and therefore he bids them Pray unto God to send labourers into his harvest As with ground new broken up there the labourer hath the greater hopes But in the second place There are a people that have long lived under the means of grace and have often resisted the Spirit of God in the Ministry Now for the most part there is very little conversion wrought on such Not but that Gods arm is as strong as ever and the Word is as powerfull an instrument and God doth approve of his Officers only the unworthiness and unprofitableness of the people have deserved that God should give them up to spiritual judgements and that no
attributed to the true God only and he alone is here said with Christ to be the Author of that Grace and Peace we have From whence observe That God alone can vouchsafe this grace and peace to his people This is part of Gods Regalia There are many things that the creatures can do as second causes but here God is the alone efficient We remain as it were in so many tormenting Hels till God cause his face to shine upon us Hence you heard God is called the God of peace and as it followeth in the next verse The God of all consolation As therefore God is the fountain of holiness so that there cannot be the least degree of holiness wrought in thee without it come from above thou hast no free-will or power of thy own to procure it So it is in matter of consolation and peace There is not the least drop of comfort can fall into thy heart to refresh it till God pour it into thee I shall briefly mention some grounds of this because it will be more largely handled in the next verse First God alone can give this grace and peace Because he was at first the maker of the heart he is the Father of all flesh and of all spirits Having therefore such an immediate dominion over the heart of man to put into it what he pleaseth to raise up what affections he will no wonder if he alone giveth comfort Elihu speaketh fully to this Job 35. 10. None saith where is God my maker that giveth songs in the night In the night when the soul may be most possessed with sad and dejected thoughts even then he can give songs and that because he is a maker That as he who maketh an instrument of Art the Clock or Watch he can make it strike when and how he pleaseth if there be any hinderance in the motions of it he can presently rectifie it because he made it thus it is with God he knoweth all the workings and turnings of thy heart he made every power and ability of thy soul and so he alone can fill it with joy or bitterness as he pleaseth Though our hearts be not in our power yet they are in Gods power and what he bids it think it thinketh whereas we have not our own thoughts and motions in our own power It is God therefore that made the heart who can make it peaceable and joyfull Secondly God alone must be the fountain of all grace and peace Because he alone is the person offended When we sin it is he that is provoked it 's his honour and his Law that is despised and therefore seeing not the creatures but God himself is chiefly offended till he be reconciled we cannot have any true and certain peace That as it is with a Subject who hath offended the Prince it lieth in the Prince his power only to be gracious and to give a pardon though all men in the Nation should give it him yet if not ratified and confirmed by the Prince whom he hath offended he looketh upon his condition as helpless Thus the foul troubled for sin though all the world give him peace yet that will not satisfie him his thoughts are daily What doth the Lord say Besides these as you see in David though he greatly offended and injured man being guilty of bloud yet he cryeth out to God Against thee thee only have I sinned and earnestly prayeth God would not hide his face from him Psal 51. Use of Direction To all contrite broken hearts who like that woman troubled with the bloudy flux have spent all they had upon Physicians that could do no good Thou hast thus many years been bowed down a stranger to all joy and peace look up to God more know he alone can give thee true joy For this reason we see David and others still making their addresses to God That he would make the bones that were broken to rejoyce that he would make the parched wildernesse to be like a pleasant spring for otherwise they are undone and miserable till he looks upon them Now then if God be the only cause of thy peace take heed how thou provokest him better offend all the world than God For the world though it rage and persecute thee yet cannot deprive thee of this peace but God hideth his face in a moment and then thou must needs be troubled Therefore do not think to get this grace and peace from thy own works and doings but imitate David who said He would hear what the Lord will speak Psal 85. 8. for he will speak peace to his people Thus we are to be attending more to the voice of God in his Word by his promises speaking to our comfort then to our own hearts thou wilt hear what thy own perplexed heart speaks or what the Devil speaks which alwayes suggest matter of terrour and diffidence and doest not hearken to what God by his Spirit through his Word speaketh to thee Only take the caution along with thee the Psalmist giveth If God have spoken peace take heed of returning to folly Sin may in that particular be well called folly for thereby we unsettle our souls we that had the quiet enjoyments of God and his imbracements of grace for some sin that pleaseth or tickleth but for a moment do cast our selves into darkness and misery So that then sin is especially folly when we have once experimentally tasted the good grace of God and then afterwards voluntarily chase it away by our own carelesness Oh how long mayest thou with tears and cries pray for light and comfort again ere thou canst enjoy it In the next place God is here described relatively a Father The word Father is sometimes taken absolutely as it denoteth God the Creatour and Governour of all things sometimes relatively as denoting the first Person in the Trinity Although the Socinian flight this distinction denying the Sonne to be called the Father unless once Isa 9. which they would wrest to another sense and that the holy Ghost is never called Father yea that the Father is never called Father in respect of the first creation of all things but because of his fatherly love and care to the things created yet these things might be cleared against them were it in our way so much Here indeed God the Father is named relatively and not so much from the first creation and making of all things as from the Covenant of grace whereby through Christ we are made his sonnes and what Christ hath by nature we have by grace So that the paternal relation here mentioned is more peculiar and sweet than that general one to all the creatures even wicked men who yet are preserved by him and like Ishmael have many gifts though they have not with Isaac the inheritance Observe That God is a Father in a more peculiar and special manner to those that do truly believe The Poet said We were Gods offspring who knew not
the Trinity but as assuming our Nature for otherwise the truth would be no wayes comfortable to us if the Sonne of God had not also been made man The Observation shall be the words in the Text viz. That God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Which truth shall be first explicated and confirmed Doctrinally and then illustrated Practically As for the Doctrinal part the Socinians they have raised up much dust and have obscured the point with their subtill heretical depravations For whereas the Church of God formerly did believe Christ to be the Son of the Father by eternal generation They deny this reason and assert some new ones of their own invention Yea and the Remonstrants also though they assert Christs Sonship from the Father by eternal generation yet they affirm also a second way of communication of this Sonship and that is By a gracious vouchsafing of supream power and glory to him So that they must acknowledge two filiations in Christ the one Eternal by that secret and ineffable generation the other Temporal or in time viz. A gracious communication of supream power and glory to him But this is false as is to be shewed But to explain this Consider First In the Scripture we read of four ways whereby a person may be entituled to be the Son of God and to have God his Father For as for that more common and general notion whereby God is said to be a Father in respect of Creation and so to all men Isa 54. 8. And the Apostle sanctifieth that expression of the Poet For we are his off spring we do not here meddle with And 1. There is a Sonne of God by Creation after the Image of God Thus Adam Luk. 3. ult is called The Sonne of God and the Angels also Job 1. 6. These are the Sonnes of God and have him for a Father because they they were at first created after his Image in holiness 2. God is a Father by gracious Adoption Thus all believers have received The Spirit of Adoption being thereby enabled to call God Abba Father 3. A Person is said to be the Sonne of God by communication of some power and office Thus our Saviour argued from the lesse to the greater That if they were gods to whom the word of God came viz. who were appointed by God to be Magistrates how much more was he God Lastly There is the Son of God by eternal generation and thus Christ is onely Hence he is called His only Sonne Secondly Take notice That Christ is called the Sonne of God only from one respect and that is because of eternal generation from the Father It is not my purpose to enter into a Dispute about this secret and unspeakable mystery This is enough for us to know That Christ is never called the Sonne of God or God said to be his Father but because of that eternal generation as the Apostle proveth Heb. 1. from Psal 27. Thou art my Sonne This day have I begotten thee which is so attributed to Christ that thereby he hath a supereminency to all the Angels who yet are called the Sonnes of God upon a gracious foundation Hence 1. Christ is not called The Sonne of God because he is predestinated to be the Mediator of his people 1 Pet. 1. 20. For he is not therefore the Son of God because fore-ordained to be Head of his Church but this latter doth presuppose and is grounded upon the former because he was the second Person in Trinity and Son of the Father therefore was he ordained thus to be a Mediator for his people 2. Christ is not called the Sonne of God because of his Incarnation or that wonderfull manner of the production of his Humane Nature in the womb Indeed some orthodox Divines and so Maldonate the Papist do grant That Christ was called the Sonne of God because of that extraordinary conception Luk. 1. 32 35. for the Evangelist seemeth to favour such an interpretation because when the Angel had said The holy Ghost should overshadow the Virgin Mary he presently addeth Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Sonne of God Now though these men hold Christ was called thus the Sonne of God because of that extraordinary and peculiar way of the production of his Humane Nature yet they acknowledge his Sonship by eternal generation also But it is well observed by other learned men That it is an impudent concession to the adversaries of Christs Divine Nature to grant Christ is ever called the Sonne of God but because of eternal generation And therefore that expression Therefore also c. is not an argument from the Cause but the Sign That extraordinary conception was not a Cause but a true and sure Sign that he was the Sonne of God and therefore it 's said He shall be called not be the Sonne of God which relateth to the manifestation and notification of it And no doubt the Angel doth allude the ninth of Isaiah where a Virgins bringing forth a Sonne is made a Sign of his being Emmanuel God with us For if this extraordinary conception had been a cause of this filiation he would rather he called The Sonne of the holy Ghost then of God the Father because immediately conceived by him Neither is that of Maldonate true excepting against this interpretation That a pure man might have been so conceived by the holy Ghost and it would not follow that he was God properly For besides that it is a bold assertion to say so we must take this extraordinary conception in its circumstances as it was fo promised by the Prophet and thus it could not agree to any but to God 3. Neither is Christ called the Son of God because of his sanctification and mission into the word as John 10. 35. Nor 4. Because of his Resurrection from the dead His eduction from the earth as it were a womb to life being like a new birth Nor 5. Because of his being placed at the right hand of God Heb. 1. 4. For although in those Texts Christ is proved to be the Sonne of God by his Sanctification and Mission into the world by his Resurrection and by his Exaltation yet not so as if these did make him to be a Sonne So that he was not a Sonne before but by way of declaration and manifestation When these things were done there was a plain discovery that he was the true and proper Sonne of God he was the Sonne of God from all eternity but none could so rise and be exalted but he who was so And therefore the Socinians who make Christ the Sonne of God by degrees by his Incarnation and first and afterwards more perfectly a Son in his Exaltation do most palpably wrest the Scripture The Summe therefore of this Discourse is That as Christ was called the Sonne of man only because born of a woman so the Sonne of God only because by eternal
perswaded this as a special help to premeditate on evils before they came Others they refused this as making a man miserable before he was so Others supported themselves with the thoughts of necessity and that it could not be otherwise But of all these we may say as Job to his friends Ye are miserable comforters and are of no more advantage then the rending of garments or pulling off the hair in grief which Bion derided in one as if a bald head would take away grief We therefore conclude That no Philosophers had the true art or grounds of comfort and that 1. Because they were wholly ignorant of Jesus Christ in whom alone is all the cause of comfort Therefore he is called our Peace and he is said to be the Prince of peace Foelicissimum est cui non est opus foelicitate and such an one is the man in Christ for he will never thirst more than hath drunk of that fountain No sinne no guilt no curse can be removed but by the bloud of Christ Insomuch that all their Philosophical precepts about comfort were as the influence of the Moon which doth rather rotten than ripen in respect of the Sunnes influence 2. They were without the Spirit of Christ the efficient cause of comfort Christ is the subject matter in whom alone we can have comfort and the Spirit of God is the efficient cause that doth alone give a comfortable and glad heart 3. They were altogether unbelieving of a Resurrection to leternal glory which is an admirable ground of all true joy This the Apostle presseth against immoderate sorrow about those that are dead Not to grieve as those that are without hope Lastly They were wholly unacquainted with the life of faith that is only instrumental to receive joy Use of Exhortation in all thy tribulations to look up to God in Christ for comfort Thou runnest to this creature to comfort and thou thinkest this and that condition would comfort thee but how can the chanel have any thing in it if the fountain doth not give it Say not it 's thy affliction so greatly to be aggravated that makes thee disconsolate No it is for want of Gods presence in it SERM. XXXIX What are these Apples which Christ refresheth his Spouse with Or what are those Scripture-grounds of comfort which support the hearts of Gods children under all their afflictions 2 COR. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation THere is no tribulation either for the kind or degree of it but God can and doth comfort his people therein It is therefore requisite to know what are those cordial comforts what is that balm and oyl by which he healeth the wounds of his afflicted ones For seeing Gods comforts do farre exceed all Philosophical remedies as much as the Sunne doth a Gloworm And Paul's admirable temperament I know how to abound and how to want doth infinitely transcend that so much celebrated carriage of Socrates who was noted to be alwayes Eodem vultu let whatsoever befall him It is very usefull to know what are these Apples of comfort as the Church calleth for Cant. 2. 5. And the rather this is to be done because many of Gods children are deficient in a three-fold respect about Gods consolations For either 1. They are in a great manner ignorant of what foundations and sure grounds they have of comfort They do not know what fountains of living water they may abundantly bathe themselves in They are as Elisha's servant who though there was a great host of Angels to help him yet he did not see them So that the Spirit of God doth not only illuminate us in the matter of duty but also in matter of comfort hence he is called The Comforter Or 2. Though they know many arguments of comfort yet their memory faileth them that in the very hour of their temptations in the midst of their furious assaults they forget what comfortable supports they might make use of So that it is good to preach of these principles of consolation that thereby we may be remembrancers to you and put you in mind of that joy which in the midst of your afflictions your corruptions and the Devils temptations are so apt to strike out As the Disciples were sometimes blamed for their forgetfulness they did not remember the miracle of loaves Thus also the children of God may often rebuke themselves and with David say Why wast thou cast down O my soul And why wast thou so troubled within thee Hadst thou thought on such a promise such a place of Scripture Hadst thou remembred such a precious and sweet truth the temptation had not prevailed so much upon thee Come we then to lead you up into the Mount of transfiguration let us see even in this life as farre as our narrow hearts can comprehend What are the good things God hath prepared for those that love him And First Take this for a foundation That God comforts only through and by the Scriptures He must enter into this pool that will feel these consolations descending upon him he must buy this field of the Scriptures that will have this pearl hidden there The Spirit of God is that indeed which doth efficiently reach to the soul and make it to receive comfort but the means by which or the harp as it were whereby the evil spirit of sorrow and dejection is removed is by the word of God So that as the Spirit of God doth powerfully change and alter the heart yet the word is organically and instrumentally used for that end So though the Spirit of God be the Comforter yet it is through the Word Hence the Apostle Rom. 15. 4. That we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And David doth not only admire the word of God because it fore-warneth of sinne quickeneth up to duty but also because it was a reviving comforting Word whereby he was kept from fainting and being utterly overwhelmed in his troubles And this is the more to be considered by the godly that so they may not be deluded by false joyes When the Devil is said to transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. that is into light of comfort as well as of truth There are false joyes there are comforts from the Devil as well as doctrines of the Devil The Papist hath his comforts The Socinian the Antinomian all these have a spirit of delusion in their joyes as well as in their opinion The Spirit of God doth first lead into truth before it vouchsafeth comfort But we detain you too long The first ground therefore of Scripture that may be had out of the treasury thereof is this viz. That all the tribulations we fall into they are precisely determined by God as a Father out of much love both in regard of the beginning of them the degree of them as also the continuance of them And if this truth be well rumiated and digested here is
Moral Patience Natural Patience I call that which cometh much from the constitution and complexion of their bodies they are more mild quiet and enduring of grief than others Moral patience I call that when men by wisdom and reading of moral precepts can harden themselves heroically to bear the tribulations up on them but Christian patience is that which comes from a regenerated and sanctified nature eying Gods glory his will and command only not regarding other sinister respects So that a Natural Patience a Moral Patience under thy sufferings will not advance thy salvation but that which is Christian You have a notable place for this 2 Pet. 1. 6. To patience godlinesse The Apostle doth there exhort to have the chain of graces linked together not to think it enough to have one grace unless he have all And therefore patience must be added to temperance for that requireth the denial of our pleasures the crucifying of our delights which cannot be without patience but then to this patience we must adde godlinesse implying that though we be never so meek so still so Lamb-like under our troubles yet if godliness be not added to this patient deportment if it be not from divine principles and to divine ends then our patience is greatly defective Look we therefore that when we quietly and patiently suffer it came from the grace of patience not from a counterfeit patience for this is not true gold and so will not enrich us This distinction being premised whereby a Christian may be inabled to know when it is Nature and when it is Grace that doth bear when flesh and blood doth suffer and when a divine Nature within him In the next place let us consider What goeth to the producing of this grace of patience for we cannot of our selves perform this duty of patience no more than a wildernesse can bringforth roses Therefore First The efficient cause of patience is God only The heart of man under any afflictions is like a wild bull in a net there is nothing but raging and repining under every exercise till God give a patient spirit Hence Rom. 15. 5. he is called The God of patience For what a wild unruly bedlam is an unsanctified man under any pressure upon him Like Cain he crieth out It is greater than he can bear Like Jobs wife he is tempted to curse God and so die Doest thou therefore under thy trials want patience Doth it grieve and sadly afflict thee to see thy self so passionate so impassionate Then let this make thee to run to the throne of grace improve this title God is the God of patience Say Oh God it is but speaking the word it is but saying Let there be patience and there will be patience How often have I resolved for patience How often prayed for patience and yet Lord my heart is tormented and tossed up and down like that Lunatick which could not be bound by any chains Not only my tongue but my heart are worse than unruly and savage beasts they may be tamed but this no man only God can tame it It 's God only therefore that maketh in us patience The grace of patience is farre above our power Tertullian wrote a Book of Patience but in the very beginning he apologizeth for himself why he should write of that subject which he had so little experimentally and practically attained unto and he excuseth it thus That he doth as those who are sick they delight to be talking and praising of health So I saith he who am Aeger caloribus impatientiae sick with feavorish impatient heats do delight to write of patience Thus do thou seeing it is more then of thy self thou art able to do The least tryal the least affliction is ready to heat thee with impatience pray to God importunately let him not alone till he blesse thee with this composed patient spirit Say with the same Tertullian Pereat seculum dummodo patientiam lucrifaciam Let the whole world perish so that God will give me patience Secondly As God is the efficient cause so the word of God that is instrumental The Word is like Davids harp to drive out this evil spirit So the Apostle Rom. 15. 14. That we through patience of the Scriptures might have hope When thy impatient flesh doth suggest this and that argument to discontent and repining Oh remember what the word of God saith It is for want of Scripture-consideration of Scripture-arguments that thy heart is so clamorous and unruly such a command such a promise would presently have made all calm and quiet The Heathen adviseth an angry furious man to look in the glasse while he is in those passionate fits that he may see how deformed he is made thereby but how much rather when thy heart hath boiled over with impatient repining thoughts art thou to recover thy self immediately and to look into the Word See what that faith what that requireth and then thou wilt be ashamed and abhorring thy self as a very beast Thirdly Afflictions themselves according to Scripture-expression they work patience also Thus Rom. 5. 3. Tribulation worketh patience Jam. 1. 3. The trying of your faith worketh patience Here you see afflictions are said to work patience but not of themselves it 's the power of God in and through them only as the beast accustomed to the yoke is more tame than at first so when we are constantly exercised with afflictions that they seem to be no new thing then through Gods grace we come to be more ready and willing in a patient enduring of them It is said of Christ himself He learned obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5. 8. not that he could grow properly in grace or be more obedient than he had been formerly but it is spoken in regard of experimental obedience he had the sense and feeling of it more than before but the adopted sons of God they do increase in obedience and patience by the things that they suffer Therefore thou who hast more afflictions than others it is a reproach to thee if they have not taught thee more patience and meeknesse than others Fourthly The exemplary or ideal cause of patience is God and Christ From them we have a most exact and compleat rule of patience Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is To be perfect is there to be patient for he had before instanced in the patience of God that even to the unjust he causeth the Sunne to arise and from this inferreth Be ye therefore perfect To be patient and that to enemies may be called perfection because this alone is taught in Christianity To love our friends is acknowledged a duty by all Nations but to love enemies is only professed by Christians Well then may we be patient under all the persecutions reproaches and vexations the enemies of God bring upon us For is not God patient towards them and yet they are more his enemies then
be said that the people of God do communicate with Christ in some measure as with his priestly and Kingly Office so with his Prophetical as if they were able to know the mind of God in many things yet we must take heed that such a principle doth not draw us into spiritual delusions For nothing is more ordinary even to a godly man then to take his strong affections and vehement conjectures for impulses and inspirations from God Paul in this trouble did absolutely conclude He should die he had past this sentence upon himself but God had determined otherwise I shall handle this truth more generally than the Text doth intend yet including that also And First Herein the heart of a good man doth deceive him in that he is ready to give such advise to others sometimes which he may apprehend is of God and yet it ariseth from humane perswasion only Those that are godly are constantly and judiciously to examine what is humane and what is divine in them what cometh from God and what from their own spirits Sad and miserable have the deceits of many been in this case No wonder it may be so with a godly man For it hath sometimes fared thus with those who besides the spirit of sanctification have also been endowed with prophetical illumination Nathan 1 Chron. 17. 2. bid David do all that was in his heart when he purposed to build an house to God but we see afterwards God did forbid it It is true there were in the Old Testament false prophets who did wittingly and willingly sinne pretending they had a word from God when it was only a lying spirit in them but of such we speak not Yea we read of a true Prophet of the Lord yet pretending a word from God when he did wilfully dissemble all that while 1 King 13. 18. For when a Prophet had command from God not to eat or drink in his journey This other Prophet perswadeth him to eat saying An Angel of God spake to him for that purpose Here was a great temptation to the former Prophet to eat it could not but work some scruples in him So that from this instance Divines do argue That it is lawfull for a man to goe against scruples But because the Prophet did not but was perswaded against Gods former command therefore he was severely punished But this instance is not fully to my purpose onely from that example we may see That the corruption in man inclineth him to make pretences from God to get the more credit Even as in Paul's time some pretended the Spirit and Revelations about the day of judgement But the example of Nathan is wholly to our purpose and therefore all that fear God are to pray for an exact judgement to discern between things that differ and that more in our selves than others For such is our self-love that we are difficultly brought to know the truth As a sensible object put immediately upon the sense hindereth it in its operations We see Paul very imitable in this thing 1 Cor. 7. in answering that case about marriage which the Corinthians had propounded to him Hence vers 10. 12. how carefull is he to distinguish between that which he had from the Lord directly and was his expressed will and what he advised as a faithfull Officer in the Church Not I but the Lord saith he Hence he concludeth his Discourse in a most humble and modest manner calling it his judgement onely adding I think also that I have the Spirit of God Though you must know that in all this Paul was acted infallibly by the Spirit he speaketh not as an humane Authour in this thing Secondly The godly are deceived when they have some prepossessed principles of errour in them and then think Gods dispensations are to abet and countenance them This hath commonly caused great mistakes whereby men have thought they had Gods approbation to their deceits We see this plainly in the Disciples this false principle they had imbibed that the Messiah would come as a temporal and external King to vindicate their Nation from all the bondage they were under Therefore when Christ speaketh of his Kingdome and his Glory when he speaketh of being exalted they apply all consonantly to their false principles Upon this mistake the sons of Zebedee come to ask Christ for the chiefest places of honour in his Kingdom and upon Christs Ascension in Heaven Act. 1. 6. when he had for fourty dayes together been speaking of the Kingdom of God to them Then they asked him Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome of Israel Here you see how much even the Apostles the first fruits as it were of the Spirit were decived But what was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what was the deceitfull foundation in this building Even a carnal and an erroneous perswasion about the temporal dignity and honour of Christ Take then much heed that the first concoction be not nought that there be not Laesum principium some principle received that thou must not so much as question the truth of it and then according to this thou makest many false and erroneous conjectures about Gods proceedings to thee Thirdly Then the godly are very apt to be deceived about Gods wayes to themselves or others when they judge of God after outward and humane appearance When they expect that God should do as some high and mighty Monarch of the world would do We see hom Samuel a man so highly proficient in the fear of God and all integrity yet when he came to choose out the man God had designed for the Kingdom how quickly he mistook and was at a loss 1 Sam. 16. 6 7. For when Eliab came into his presence he said Surely the Lords anointed is here But then observe how God did reprove his humane judgement when he said to Samuel Look not upon his high stature for the Lord seeth not as man seeth adding also the ground of it because man judgeth by outward appearance but God judgeth the heart It is true the godly have this promise that many things shall be manifested to them which to others the Lord will not reveal Psal 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Hence we have that notable expression to Abraham by God when he was purposed to destroy Sodome Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will do and one reason is because he will command his children and his houshold to keep the way of the Lord. We have likewise a very comfortable expression which our Saviour useth to his Disciples John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known to you From this it is that some eminently godly men have been endowed with a prophetical spirit and have used much boldness in prayer to
is an improper foundation for thy faith As thy faith is hereby a blind faith so thy comfort is but a blind comfort How greatly do the Popish Casuists perplex their people with such cases of conscience and about such superstitious things that they have only tradition for and that it may be not many yeares neither without any stamp or superscription of the Scripture Have not they comfort in their Penances in their Indulgences Will not their Friers and Monks not those slow beasts and idle bellies who from deluded principles of conscience do severely and austeerly mortifie themselves say They have the testimony of their consciences and make a bulwark from thence But where is the rule they go by Is it not tradition On the contrary side in another extream there is the Enthusiast who rejecteth the Scripture as a dead letter and doth adhere only to revelations to pretended workings of Gods Spirit to the manifest light within them Doe not these even boast in their joyes and ravishments Doe they not when unable to answer arguments flie to a light within them But what ground is there for this Is not the Apostles command That we should not believe every spirit but try them 1 John 4. 1. And how must that be but by the Scripture You see then that it is not conscience simply and alone but a Scripture-conscience that is the ground of comfort To leave that and to trust in our conscience is to make our consciences a Bible to attribute infallibility to our selves Now this Scrigture is not only a Rule for our conscience in matters of faith but also of manners of righteousnesse towards man Conscience must witness to thee not only that thou art in the true Religion but also doest walk in holy conversation It must testifie of thy righteousness towards man as well as of Religion towards God This was Paul's continual exercise Act. 24. 26. To have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man There are many voluminous Tractates of Cases of Conscience De jure justitiâ Of Righteousnesse towards man And although the Scripture doth not particularly decide Law-cases yet it layeth down such general rules that by them particulars may easily be decided if our hearts were not corrupt As for example that famous rule What you would have men do to you do ye to them Mat. 7. 12. Our Saviour after he had given religious precepts about prayer c. he addeth this to shew that Religion and righteousness must alwayes go together And Adrian the Emperour was so affected with this Rule saying He had it from the Jews or Christians that he commanded it to be written on the doors and gates of his Palace and before he would punish any offender would inform him of this Rule And our Saviour saith This is the Law and the Prophets A great expression Look then to thy conscience that it take the Scripture for a Rule in its adequate nature For faith and conversation this is no rule for conscience to go by Others do say every one is to look to himself but the word of God that must bear evidence to thee by thy conscience Secondly To the right guidance of our conscience in witnessing to us there is not only required the Word as a Rule But the Spirit of God to enlighten thy mind to receive the true meaning thereof Such are the powerfull delusions of Satan that when he can no longer dethrone the Scripture from its authority but men will appeal to that then he looketh about to advance his Kingdom by the Scriptures ill handled and wrested to corrupt opinions and by this means men are brought into a worse condition and more incurable then those who walk by no Scripture at all For if a man be delivered up to this perswasion that his opinions and wayes are allowed by Scripture warranted by Scripture what way shall we take to reduce him The Apostle Peter telleth us of some unstable and unlearned men 2 Pet. 3. 16. which did wrest the Scriptures to their own perdition And nothing is more ordinary which made Luther say That the Bible was the Hereticks book not in the sense the Papists do accusing it thereby of insufficiency and imperfection But for the dignity of it having such authority that every Heretick would gladly runne to this Sanctuary The Scripture then though a perfect Rule yet is not enough to guide our conscience unless the Spirit of God as is promised lead us into truth As the Sunne though never so full of light yet cannot guide a blind man We grant indeed that the Scripture is but a dead letter and of it self without Gods Spirit doth not enlighten the mind and convert the heart Only we say The Spirit doth this in and by the Scripture and that all mens consciences impulses light revelations and joyes must be examined and stand or fall according to this Rule Let this be granted and then we plead as fervently as any can for the work of Gods Spirit This must enlighten the conscience to be able to understand and believe the things revealed there Hence the Disciples could not attempt their office of publishing the Gospel without this assistance from the holy Ghost John 16. 13. he is said To guid them into all truth To guide them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this signifieth that they did not know the way or if they were in they would quickly divert into by-paths if this Spirit did not guide them When David said The Word was a lamp and light to his feet If we understand it effectually so that it did not only propound the light objectively but that also he was subjectively thereby illuminated this doth necessarily presuppose the work of Gods Spirit No wonder then if so many may be exceedingly acquainted with Scripture be ready with some Texts upon every occasion yet for all that be deluded with errours because they want Gods Spirit to enlighten them and instruct them thereby Let us look upon the Jews the sad dest object in the world at this day they have been so skilfull in the Old Testament that some could remember how many words and syllables were therein and that is read to them daily yet who more maliciously opposite unto the Lord Christ promised in the Old Testament than they are But the Scripture giveth a full reason thereof The veil is upon their eyes And long before there was such a prediction of this spiritual judgement upon them That seeing they should not see hearing not hear lest they understand and be converted Therefore to have a pure and true conscience we must be sure to pray and exercise our selves herein that the Spirit of God would direct us into the true sense and meaning of the Word which is to be expected in the holy use of those means which are necessary to find out the sense thereof For you must not expect that Gods Spirit will immediately reveal the sense of the Scripture without
other helps no more than he will make you understand Greek and Hebrew Know then it is a very sad and almost incurable condition when the holy Scriptures do become a snare to us when we suck poison out of these sweet herbs Although indeed we cannot from the Scripture get any hurt but our own corruptions procure it to us because we bring the Scripture to our ends and affections not them to the Scripture Thirdly To the having of a well-ordered conscience There is greatly required pure aims and intentions For although a good intention cannot sanctifile an unlawfull action yet corrupt intentions will blast and defile the best actions Insomuch that if we had the gifts and parts of the ablest men yea of Angels themselves yet sinfull aims would be like Locusts and Caterpillars to devour this hopefull fruit But oh the unsearchable hypocrisie and deceitfulness of mans heart even in this very respect How ready is every Pharisee every Heretick and Papist to appropriate this to themselves How often do we find them professing to the whole world that it is not any outward advantage any temporal emolument that they look at or regard but the glory of God and that therefore they have much rejoycing because of this But if the counterfeit will bring such peace what will the real and sincere intentions of a man do And certainly though a man be cloathed with never so much glory in the Church of God so that we are ready to say not only a greater than Austin or Chrysostome but even than Paul or Peter For some have cried up the heads of their parties as having greater gifts than the Apostles themselves Yet without sincere intentions they are but as a tinkling cymbal This therefore is the life soul and the all in a good conscience But that will come in more seasonably afterwards Fourthly To a right ordered conscience whose witness may be received and comfort taken thereby That there is required the inward sanctification and effectual renovation thereof So that till this be every mans conscience is like a man himself a meer liar There is no believing of it no trusting of it When it is said Jer. 17. That the heart of a man is deceitfully wicked or crafty and supplanting a man This comprehends conscience as well as any part else For you have heard that original sinne is in this as well as in other powers of the soul So that in these two respects the natural conscience doth alwayes fail For either it doth not witness that which is right or not to a right end Insomuch that though a natural man is not to gainsay or contradict his conscience yet nothing lieth upon him more than to have his conscience rightly informed or regulated by Gods word What is the reason you see every civil man every formal man so applauding himself in his good condition It is because his conscience is not a spiritual conscience a Scripture-conscience for that would make him abhor himself and flie out of the Sodome he was in For in most things the conscience doth not witness the truth at all but it doth flâ—tter and deceive thee How seldom doth it tell thee thou art the drunkard the hypocrite the neglecter of private duties c Or if it doth then it is to a false end either to drive to despair and to flie from Christ whose blood only can cleanse the conscience or else to quiet it again by some superstitious usages and non-instituted remedies And this is the reason why so few are brought out of the troubles of their conscience into an Evangelical and Gospel way Know then here is the root of all thy misery thy conscience being unsanctified lulleth thee asleep whereby thou rejoycest in thy condition when thou hast cause to fear and tremble SERM. LXXXVI Further Discoveries of what is required to a well-regulated Conscience with Distinctions concerning it 2 COR. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience THere remain more particulars to be insisted upon which are requisite to make a well-regulated conscience whose testimony you heard is the cause of such unspeakable comfort And First There is in a peculiar manner necessary the witnessing and sealing power of the holy Ghost to and with our consciences The illumination and sanctification of Gods Spirit is not enough to make our consciences speak fully and clearly so as to have rejoycing thereby unlesse the Spirit of God doth also bear witnesse with it Hence we have them both put together Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God And therefore you heard that Bernard understood this testimony of conscience in the Text of a Testimonium percipientis not Perhibentis but they are both included For our conscience cannot give any evidenâ—e and sure testimony of the grace inus unlesse inabled thereunto by the Spirit of God and this is called The work of Gods Spirit sealing and witnessing with our spirits The Text is very famous and greatly agitated in the controversie about the assurance of our sanctification and salvation Grotius and some others neglect the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would have it no more than simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the word is not any where so used the instances of Grotius are against him Rom. 2. 15. For Conscience there is said to bear witnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of God and so doth relate to his testimony We therefore conclude That the Spirit of God is here said to bear witnesse with our spirit only the difficulty is How this is done And 1. It is not done by any external voice and sound made in the air as Christ had when it was said This is my beloved Sonne Neither may we apprehend any immediate testimony by an extraordinary revelation as some have pleaded for but in a mediate way partly by exciting and inabling of our spirits to call God Father against that slavishness and servility which is apt to bear us down and partly by working in us those heavenly and holy qualifications by which we do certainly gather that we are the children of God Indeed the Papists make the testimony of Gods Spirit to be no more as applied to particular subjects though in it self they say it is infallible then a moral certainty by probable conjectures and signs But this is derogatory to the Spirit of God and taketh away all that Evangelical joy and holy boldness which we are allowed to have at the throue of grace This witnessing then of Gods Spirit is two wayes 1. Effectivè When it doth enable the conscience of man to cast off all legal terrors and tormenting fears and so in serenity of spirit to believe God is our Father And for this end it is called The Spirit of Adoption For alas take the conscience of the most holy man without this Spirit of Adoption How legal and timorated
right testimony of conscience within them they have seared stupid consciences or they have deluded ones that make them trust in other things then Christs blood Do not most men rest in this that their conscience telleth them they are baptized they are made partakers of the Ordinances of God and this is all the witness they have But the Apostle Peter layeth an Axe to the root of this 1 Pet. 3. 21. Baptisme saveth but then by a rhetorical correction addeth Not the putting away of the filth of the body but an answer of a good conscience It is generally thought to be an allusion to a Covenant or contract for so Baptism is wherein the person is asked Do you take God for your God Renounce the Devil and all the lusts of the flesh Now if a man can unseignedly and with a good conscience answer that he keepeth to baptismal ingagements this will save SERM. LXXXVII A Believer may be assured of the Uprightness of his Heart in the Performance of Duties What is required to such an Assurance 2 COR. 1. 12. That in simplicity and godly sincerity THe third part of the Text as it stands divided cometh under our consideration and that is the Declaration in particular of what was spoken in the General The General was The testimony of his conscience Now he sheweth the Specials wherein this is manifested and that is set down Positively and Negatively and Oppositely 1. Positively In simplicity c. 2. Negatively Not with fleshly wisdome 3. Oppositely But by the grace of God Before we come to the particulars and open the Greek words we must take notice of the certainty and sure knowledge Paul had of his sincerity For how could Paul glory and rejoyce in his sincerity if he did not know it yea so know it that his conscience with the Spirit of God did witness it to him And therefore this is one of those places that is brought in the controversie between Papists and us about the certainty of our being in the state of grace which Bellarmine indeed would enervate But his labour is in vain For what can be clearer then that Paul had a certain knowledge of his upright heart seeing he did make this publick testimony of it and take so much joy therein Neither doth Paul in this pretend to any extraordinary revelation as if he had some peculiar priviledge in this above others as when he was rapt up into the third Heavens but he avoucheth the testimony of his conscience which must be in an ordinary way From this we observe That a Believer may have a certain knowledge not only that he performeth those gracious duties God requireth but that he doth them with an upright and sincere heart Paul did not only know that he was diligent in preaching of the Gospel that he was faithfull in dispensing of the word of God but also that all this was done with faithfull and sincere respects We do not only know that we believe that we repent but that we do these things in the uprightnesse of our souls Bellarmine urgeth this much Though we do discharge the duties God requireth yet how can we know that we do them with an whole heart with a sincere spirit Many hypocrites say they are sure Yea saith he among the Protestants one is assured of his way and another of another Sect but we are assured that they are all deluded So that he concludeth Seeing all the Hereticks of this age boast of this certainty yet saith he even in their opinion many are deceived and in ours all are But we are to walk by the Scripture-light in this case And indeed this being a truth the knowledge whereof is obtained both by Scripture and experience the savoury work of grace and sense of Christs Spirit dwelling in us doth more to perswade of this truth then voluminous controversies This Question is best answered by diligent prayer and an heavenly life and therefore practical experimental Christians can speak more to this point then the most learned speculative Doctors unless they have a gracious broken heart as well as a learned profound head That a believer may be assured of the truth of grace appeareth by several examples and general assertions of Scriptures Examples as Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart 2 King 20. 3. In Job who though under sad temptations both from God and his dear friends who charged upon him hypocrisie yet he would never let go the perswasion of his integrity David how often doth he professe his love of God with all his heart Peter when Christ asked him again and again he answered Thou knowest Lord I love thee John 21. 17. As for those places which affirm this truth I shall name one or two John 14. 17. Ye know the Spirit for he dwels with you and shall be in you And vers 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you What is clearer then As where the Sunne is there is light to see it so where the Spirit of God dwelleth and worketh in a man there is an evident discovery of it 2 Cor. 2. 11 12. What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man within even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God that we might know the things freely given to us of God By this we see that as the soul by its rational powers doth discover and feel the workings of reason and understanding within it self so also by those supernatural principles of grace infused into it it is able to discern and feel the divine and heavenly motions of a supernatural life within him The first Epistle of John doth in many places speak of this knowledge whereby we perceive that God is in us and we in him But I intend not to enlarge on this subject Let us explain this truth and consider What is required to cause this certain knowledge in us that we are sincere and in a state of grace and so by consequent that we are justified elected and shall assuredly be saved And First There is required A firm assent and faith of the truth of Gods promises which are in the general revealed in the Word as such as these He that believeth hath passed from death to life By faith we have remission of sinnes through the blood of Christ Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven The promises also to such as do confesse and forsake their sinnes we are strongly to assure our souls of Yea not only the promises but the whole truths revealed in Gods word we are firmly to assent to by a vigorous faith For the lively actings of faith to its general objects do wonderfully conduce to the application of it to particular and special objects As men of quick animal actions are thereby more enabled to rational for seeing what is in
Hence it is that the Apostle doth exhort to a full perswasion of minde even in those points that were more controversal and disputeable Rom. 14. 5. How much more then are we to be perswaded fully in our minde concerning those truths that are fundamental and do so immediately concern our Salvation This uncertainty then this Yea and Nay in matters of Faith ariseth from a meer humane faith whereby we are carried out to believe these things upon no better grounds than the Turk doth his Alcoran Education custome and Universality This is the whole reason of our Faith whereas a Divine Faith is wrought by the Spirit of God as the efficient it is that which lifteth up the heart to receive the Word as Gods word Though Men have never such parts and understanding in the sense of the Scripture yet they cannot believe it unless inabled thereunto by the Spirit of God And again Divine Faith hath also a divine Motive the Authority and Testimony of God revealed in the Scripture so that we believe not because man saith so but because it is the Lord that speaketh Thus the Thessalonians chap. 2 13. are commended that they received the Word not as the word of men but as it was indeed the word of God Now then when a mans Faith is wrought by Gods Spirit and established upon Divine Autority then it becomes more immoveable than the Heaven and Earth for as God is alwayes the same his word is alwayes the same so is Divine Faith This then all are to labour for is even a full perswasion in their own minde about the truths of Religion to take heed of inconstancy and instability herein We see the Martyrs could not by any terrible menaces or fair Promises be drawn of from the truths of God they had embraced and was it not because they had a powerfull assurance of the truth of them from Divine Motives such as could not fail 2. In matter of our Conversion and Repentance for our sinnes it is very sad and dreadfull to shew Inconstancy To be Yea and Nay in this respect sometimes to mourn and complain of them and at another time to wallow our selves in the mire again how terrible is this But yet how frequently doth it fall out so what is this but to mock God and dally with our soules In times of afflictions or under quick convictions of Conscience to be then afraid of sin then to bewail sin then to resolve against sin but when this fear is over then to imbrace our Dalilah again There are few sinners but they come under this crime of Inconstancy in this respect for many do not alwayes continue in an obstinate sensless way they finde some thawings and meltings of heart with Pharaoh and therefore cry out that God is righteous and they are sinners and they resolve to let their Lusts go as Pharaoh did the people of Israel but they quickly change their Resolutions again Such therefore as finde these Yeas and Nays these ebbings and flowings let them seriously consider what an high provocation this Inconstancy is of God against their soules This unsteadfastness was often complained of by the Prophets in the people of Israel They were as so many Grashoppers that leap up on high from the ground but then settle on it presently again In their afflictions they cryed out of their Idols they called upon God but then proved like a deceitfull bow and is not this an Epidemical sin What is more ordinary than to be soul-sick to be conscience-smitten under some Sermons or some sad afflictions and fears but in all these things to have Reubens Curse upon their soules unstable like water upon which you make any impression but it receiveth none It s one of Solomons wonderfull things that leave no footsteps to be observed A ship in the Sea none can tell which way it passed Thus it is with many they sin and they repent and they repent and sin insomuch that when you see them overcome with their old lusts and passions would you think they were ever the men that prayed so that resolved so you cannot see the least footsteps of any such Repentance Now that all may be afraid of such lightness and uncertainty it is good to consider these Particulars First If there be reason at any time for thee to look upon thy sinnes as bitter and terrible the same will hold at all times Oh the time hath been when in thy thoughts such sinnes thou hast committed were intolerable the memory of them was as gall and wormewood Thou didst cry out take them away or that the Lord would pardon them Now do but consider Is there not the same reason still to think so Is sin grown any better Is it less damning Is it less sinfull to God then it was formerly Know then sin is not altered that is hath as terrible guilt as ever but thou art changed those convictions those powerfull Operations of the Spirit of God are not happily now upon thee they are witdrawn and thou art left to thy own natural corrupt self Remember then thy self saying The time was no serpent or toad was more odious to me than my sinnes the time was when night and day they were a burden and torment to me but now they grieve me not they trouble me not sin is not changed but I am changed 2. Consider this For thee to sin after such convictions and terrors doth admit of the greater aggravation because it is done against sense and experience of the bitterness thereof it s committed against more experimental and practical knowledg which maketh any sin to be exceeding sinfull Those senseless wicked men who run into all excess of impiety and have no troubles of heart they know not what they do they cannot tell whether it be a bitter and evil thing or no to depart from God They indeed hear the Word of God and the Ministers of God say that though sin be sweet yet at last it will bite like an adder and sting like a serpent they hear them say that the evil of sin is far greater than the evil of any punishment and torment but they think them words only they never had any experience or taste of any sech bitterness But it is otherwise with thee thou hast had wounds in thy heart the terrors of God have fallen upon thee The Law hath appeared in its accusing and condemning power therefore thou art the more inexcusable who wilt run into this fire when thou hast been burnt with it yea with this taste there hath been practical light and experimental knowleg and therefore thy sin is the greater a general knowledg of any thing is but confused and weak in respect of a practical and experimental one Hence wicked men are said not to know God because they have onely a general knowledg they do not practically improve this so as to love God to fear him and obey him If then thou hast been in the
too light and wanting But oh the horrible neglect herein who mattereth what the Scripture saith Who ordereth his life according to that Canon What art thou a drunkard by Scripture a swearer by Scripture Know assuredly that he which learneth not holinesse from the Scripture shall never find comfort from the Scripture that hath precepts as well as promises and without obedience to one we cannot reap any comfort from the other Secondly The other principle of a godly mans but efficiently is the Spirit of God enlightning and sanctifying by the Scripture The Word is the Rule the Spirit of God is the efficient cause The Scripture is like Christs garment the Spirit is the virtue and power of God communicated to the soul thereby Hence are those descriptions of a godly man that he is in the Spirit that he liveth in the Spirit walketh in the Spirit is led by the Spirit which must not be wrested to any immediate Revelations and Enthusiastical motions and thereby opposed to the Word but the Word is subordinate to the Spirit This is the pool wherein the Spirit of God descends and vouchsafeth healing to the soul therewith Now Chrysostome maketh this a great part of Paul's meaning he did not purpose according to the flesh that is he could not dispose of himself and his journeyes to come and go whither he desired because he was wholly at the command of the Spirit to be directed thereby For we read when Paul had a mind to preach the Gospel in some places he was hindered by the Spirit and so could not go but those directions of the Spirit and Revelations were extraordinary and for that present age of the Church and are not now to be expected The Spirit doth now enlighten sanctifie direct and guide us by Scripture-rules And hereupon it is that the godly are said to be led by the Spirit and to walk by the Spirit and this should provoke the godly to all holiness Oh is pride from the Spirit of God Is worldliness is envy is passion from the Spirit of God Remember alwayes from what Spirit it is that thou doest things The Apostles thought it a good zeal when they would have fire from Heaven to come and destroy the Samaritans Luk. 9. 55. but Christ rebuked them saying Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of Take heed then thy own Spirit or a deluding spirit be not the principle that moveth thee instead of Gods good Spirit Thus you see the two general Rules that we should order our lives by the Word and the Spirit whatsoever is not according to these is not suitable to Christianity Besides these general principles we may instance in some particulars that a godly man doth walk by and against which he dare not sinne As 1. To keep a good conscience towards God and man Paul professed he exercised himself herein Act. 24. 16. towards God therefore he taketh heed of any thing that may make his heart smite him he had rather have his peace of conscience than all the advantages in the world Hence in all things his Question is Will not this trouble my conscience Will not this disturb the peace of my conscience This is a blessed principle he keepeth close unto And then again in respect of man he keepeth an inoffensive conscience he lieth not he defraudeth not he injureth not he looketh to righteousness as well as Religion his principle is to be holy towards God and just towards man and in following this principle he aboundeth with joy in his heart he liveth chearfully and fruitfully and withall doth awe the hearts of the most desperate enemies to the wayes of God 2. Another principle is To make sure of his ultimate end for which God made him and the necessary means conducing therunto His end is glory and salvation hereafter The necessary means therunto is grace and godlines here while we are in this world so that while other men walk according to their several principles some will be rich some will have their honours others their profits his principle is to be godly here and saved hereafter Hence he giveth all diligence to these two things So that if you ask him Why are you sollicitous Why are you so carefull Why so often in praying so often in hearing It is he saith to obtain grace here and glory hereafter This I must have I dare not live and die without it for want of this principle men have such sluggish and dull affections to heavenly things A third principle is To live and walk with daily expectations of death and the day of judgment as if he heard alwayes that voice sounding in his ears Arise and come to judgement He desireth to have such thoughts of sinne as a man dying as a man arraigned at Gods tribunal would then have Death is certain nothing can exempt him from it and therefore he desireth to die daily to be preparing for these great changes In morte solâ non est fortassis as Austin observed In all things in the world there is a fortasse a may be Thou mayest be a rich thou mayest be a great man but we cannot say It may be thou mayest die it may be the time will come when thou shalt fall into the grave No this is without all doubt hence the godly mans principle is so to live that death and the day of judgement may be no new thing or terrible dreadfull thing to him A fourth principle is To judge sinne the onely or the greatest evil and godlinesse the greatest good If this were a principle in mens hearts to live by what reformed persons should we see every where This principle in thy heart would be like fire there if sinne be thought worse than any evil then poverty shame misery yea and hell it self better be any thing than a sinner How couldst thou give thy self up a servant thereunto Though it were a pleasing sinne a profitable sinne yet because it is a damning sinne thou wouldst runne from it thou wouldst say Oh this sinne though I love it though I am used to it yet it can never be good for me it will be the poison of my soul And then on the other side a godly mans principle is That godlinesse is more worth than all the great and glorious things of the world His soul longeth for it more than silver and gold he thinketh every rich man every great man a miserable man if he be not godly As Rachel cried Give me children else I die so give me godlinesse Lord else I am damned As Abraham did not so much rejoyce in his wealth and outward mercies because he was still childlesse so saith this man It is not earthly comforts Lord but grace that refresheth my heart let me be poor contemned rather than not godly Use of Exhortation To examine what are the principles you walk by There are but these two and they are contrary one to the other the principle
this and then from those conjoyned we may be able to finde out the nature of this obsignation for although our principall endeavour is to be made partaker of it yet it is very necessary in its kinde to know what it is Though it cannot be denied but many of Gods people may have it and yet not give the definition of it Even as they may beleeve and be regenerated and not happily be able to give an exact description of these things As many a man hath health may sleep well and yet is not able to tell you what health or sleep is The first Text which will afford much light to this we are upon is that famous place set like a beacon upon the mount and much agitated between Papists and Protestants in the doctrine of assurance Rom. 8. 18. where the spirit it self is said to bear witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God I shall not insist upon the controversies on this place either grammaticall or reall but take the positive truth plainly delivered Here the godly who all have the spirit of God first sanctifying and leading them on in all their waies whereby they are said to be spiritually minded are in the next place declared to have the spirit of God in another manner working upon them and that is to witnesse with our spirit So that the spirits Testimony is not single and immediate as when there was a voice heard saying This is my beloved Sonne No such Enthusiastical impressions and impulses are to be dreamed of but mediately and conjunctly with our spirits By it our consciences are so enlightned that we are thereby enabled to be perswaded that we are the Children of God for that you see is the object of the Testimony that is the matter witnessed that we are the children of God You see then here is no encouragement for the Popish doctrine of doubting nay when they go the highest allowing a moral certitude such which excludeth all fear to the contrary yet it doth not rise up high enough to this glorious priviledge spoken of For as with the spirit in Sanctification of us moral vertues came far short of the graces and fruit of the spirit So doth an humane perswasion from the sincerity of our conscience within us of this witnessing and sealing of Gods Spirit A second Text reducible to this is Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father This is nothing but the sealing in my Text only the words are 〈◊〉 of divine worth Because ye are sinnes Therefore none but the Sonnes of God have this priviledge Children of the devil cannot pretend to this Thou who art not born of God stand alooâ— off this doth not belong to thee As thou knowest not what it meaneth yea with Esau for thy moâ—sels dost prophanely despise this priviledge so neither doth God give such childrens bread to dogs or Pearls to swine Again God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne you see our Son-ship is built upon Christs Sonship our Son-ship of Adoption is established upon that Son-ship which is by nature in him He doth not speak here of that eternal mission of the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne but a temporal one bestowed on beleevers and he saith the spirit of his Son because by Christs death this spirit in its peculiar operation is as it were purchased for the godly For had not Christ made an atonement the Spirit of God could not have been given us either for sanctification or consolation Further This is sent into our hearts not into our memories or mindes only for the temporary beleever hath some superficial and vanishing perswasion of Gods favour towards him but it is sent into our hearts implying the full deep and through possession that it hath of the godly Lastly Here is the notable and glorious effect it maketh us to cry that is fervently confidently and boldly God Father Abba Father Some reade it indicatively in this sense God is my Father Some by way of wish and prayer it cometh all to one These are two words signifying the same thing teaching us that both Jew and Gentile is indulged this priviledge or else it 's germinated for assurance sake Oh then how unquiet and restlesse should the people of God be till they finde this work of the spirit of Adoption upon them Thou daily enquirest after the spirit in its sanctification of thee how it maketh thee more heavenly how it mortifieth thy lusts and dost mourn because thou dost not partake of it in a greater measure Why doth not thy soul also long after the fruit of this spirit of Adoption in thee Dost thou observe how it subdueth thy slavish fears how it inclineth thee to a filiall and Evangelicall affection towards God as a Father I tell thee thy life is never a Gospel-life till this be obtained As therefore these blinde men cryed Jesus have mercy on us though the Disciples reproved them and bid them hold their peace so also let it be with thee whatsoever temptations guilt and fears thy heart suggesteth to the contrary do thou notwithstanding boldly cry God my Father The third Text to illustrate this 1 Cor. 2 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God Here we see two principles opposed as contrary to one another the spirit of the world and the spirit of God and he who hath the spirit of God hath it for this end partly that he might know the things which God hath freely given him implying that without this spirit we could not discern of these things Even as if a man had not a rationall soul bestowed upon him he could not discern the things of reason but would be as a beast So did not God bestow his spirit upon us we were no wayes able to discern of those Gospel-mercies which are bestowed upon us He saith which are freely given us us in particular that we might not think he speaketh of the priviledges of the Gospel in the generall remission of sins and sanctification in the generall but as applyed to this and that subject So that if a man have no more than the spirit of the world if he have not as yet this spirit of God dwelling in him he is not a fit auditor for this truth If Aristotle thought not young persons fit auditors for his morall Philosophy how much more are we to judge every man though of never such abilities and parts yet if destitute of the spirit of God altogether incapable of this truth Therefore the spiritual hearers are only such who can give their testimony to these things There must be a spiritual life a spiritual foundation before there can be this spiritual superstruction A fourth Text is 1 Joh. 3. 24. and indeed that Apostle doth often
speak to this sealing of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of beleevers though in other terms This I have mentioned is pregnant for having said that he who keepeth Gods Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him Whereas it might be said how shall we know that he dwelleth in us May we not be deluded and deceived No saith he hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us and lest any man though living loosely and carnally should pretend to this spirit he saith They that have it keep his Commandements Thus doubtings and sinnefull diffidence is excluded on one hand and all carnal presumption on the other hand The last Text to bring in assistance to this truth shall be 1 John 5. 8 9 10. where the Apostle speaketh of three Witnesses on earth as he had before in heaven viz. water and the bloud and the spirit Now although there be many perplexed controversies about this passage yet I shall pitch upon that which is most probable without further disquieting of you It seemeth to be without doubt that the Apostle alludeth to the legall administrations wherein there was bloud for expiation and water for cleansing by which is represented justification and sanctification and these being wrought in us do evidently witnesse that Jesus is the Christ and Sonne of God We finding these glorious effects upon our souls cannot but acknowledge that Doctrine but because these are not enough of themselves seeing that sanctified and justified persons may be under great discouragements therefore he addeth the Spirit also It is true the same spirit is said to be a witnesse in heaven but that was because of the extraordinary and visible Testimony that it gave to Christ but here it speaketh of the witnesse it giveth on earth and that must be the sealing spoken off in other places for he saith verse 6. It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth having there also mentioned water and bloud Verse 10. he seith He that beleeveth on the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himself Thus you see that as God hath abundantly provided for the holinesse of his people by his spirit to quicken them up therein so also for the assurance and consolation of his children to establish them therein Oh how greatly are we indebted unto the Lord Jesus Christ who giveth us his Spirit not only to leade us into the truth and mortifie the deeds of the flesh but also to fill us with comfort and to assure us that we are the children of God So that it is the duty of the Ministers of the Gospel not only to improve the former truth but this also and to presse you upon the sealing work of Gods Spirit as well as the sanctifying Hath not the Spirit of God this Name given it to be called the Comforter John 14. and shall we divide the operations of Gods Spirit minding him as he is an holy spirit but not a comforting Spirit Having thus informed you what the Scripture declareth in this matter I shall give you a large and popular description of the nature of this sealing and the opening of the several parts touched therein will much conduce to the knowledge thereof The sealing of Gods Spirit may be described after this manner It is a supernaturall and gracious work of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of sanctified persons in a secret and unspeakable manner whereby they are confirmed and established in the Covenant of grace as belonging to them in particular by such means which God hath appointed thereunto that through the sence thereof they may daily walk more and more boldly joyfully and thankefully notwithstanding all discouragements to the contrary till they be made compleatly happy in heaven I have made this description the larger because I would take in every particular considerable about it as much as may be And First I give two Qualifications or Adjuncts to this work of Gods Spirit It is supernatural and gracious Supernatural and that if we respect either rectified nature or corrupted nature Rectified nature for Adam in the state of integrity though he was made perfectly holy yet he had not this Gospel-sealing no more then he was in Christ as a Mediatour for had he been thus sealed he would certainly have persevered and although Adam was partaker of the holy Ghost yet it was as he is the third person not as the spirit of Christ viz. purchased by his death for those that are his so that in this respect we may say this sealing is a priviledge above the nature of Adam while considered before his apostacy but then I call it supernaturall chiefly in respect of corrupted nature for as man naturally of himself hath no power to that which is gracious so neither to that which is comfortable and joyfull All the world all Ministers and Angels cannot powr one drop of this assurance and joy into thy soul unlesse the Spirit of God inable thee thereunto As it is supernaturall so it is gracious for this floweth from the former There is nothing in thee to deserve this establishing as Gods grace sanctifying found thee dead in thy sinnes so his sealing and comforting findeth thee in a guilty despairing way and therefore as God might leave every prophane man to wallow in his lusts and so let him perish thus also might he forsake every guilty conscience under the burthen of thy sinnes and suffer thee to be a Cain to be a Judas even to fall from an hell here into an hell hereafter So that not only by grace we are sanctified but by grace we are healed Blesse God for any establishment of soul against fears and doubts as well as for victory against any lusts It is meerly of Free-grace that we are thus sealed In the next place Secondly we have the generall nature of it with the efficient cause The work of Gods Spirit It is true in the Text it is said That God doth seal us and so whatsoever works there are ad extra from God to the creature they are all common to the three Persons yet there is a peculiar order and appropriation which the Scripture taketh notice of So that it is made the work of the Father to send his Sonne into the world It is made the work of the Sonne to offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sinnes And it is made the proper work of Gods Spirit to apply the benefits of Christs death to our souls therefore sanctification is attributed to the Spirit so also consolation and sealing thereunto Thus the Texts we mentioned formerly give all this work to the Spirit of God as in an appropriated manner doing this for us It is not then of our selves or of our own power that we can obtain this priviledge but it is wrought alone by Gods Spirit As we have no free-will to the grace of God so neither to the comforts God as he is called a God of all
if you ask Have all the sanctified persons of God this sealing Have none the sanctification of the Spirit but they must also have the witnessing of the Spirit I answer this Question because of great practical importance shall God assisting be handled by it self after the description hath been explained That which I shall here take notice of is That sanctification is necessarily presupposed to this sealing A great Prince will not set his seal to dung to make an impression there neither will God to an heart unsanctified For as in matter of Doctrine God will not vouchsafe miracles to confirm that which is a lie neither in practicals will the Spirit of God witnesse to that heart which is not made holy For indeed it should witnesse a lie in such a case informing such they are the sonnes of God when indeed they are the children of the Devil This order of Gods Spirits first sanctifying and then sealing is clear Ephes 1. 13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed Those eminent Divines who defined faith to be assurance making it the same with the sealing of Gods spirit are gravelled at this Text and therefore make this Objection If faith be assurance be the sealing how doth the Text say After we believed we were sealed To this therefore Piscator answereth not yeelding that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred Having beleeved as of a thing past but beleeving as in the present but there is too much forcing in this interpretation Others they consider of faith as it hath two parts Illumination of minde and fiducial assurance Now say they the Apostle meaneth by faith the former work of faith and so the meaning is After you were enlightned to know the truth you were confirmed and assured but that opinion making faith justifying to be an assurance that Christ is mine is justly refused It is plain then that when the Spirit of God hath in order of nature for in time they may be both together sanctified a man throughout whereby he is made a new creature then the Spirit of God maketh this glorious stamp upon him then he giveth him this seal as an honourable priviledge whereby he may know himself to be the Lords Even as in antiquity none might have seals but persons of honour and dignity So that the natural and unregenerate person is to stand aloof off thou hast nothing to do in this priviledge thou art not the man whom the great King of Heaven and earth doth purpose thus to honour We proceed in the Description and there we meet with the formal Nature of it wherein it doth essentially consist with the object thereof The Nature of it is In confirming and establishing the heart of a man For this is the chief and usual end of seals to ratifie a thing and to make it no longer uncertain and doubtfull And to this property doth the Scripture chiefly attend For whereas the soul though sanctified is apt to be in daily fears and doubts about Gods favour and grace towards it it fluctuateth up and down having no subsistency the Spirit of God cometh and consolidateth the soul inabling it to rest satisfied in this that God is his God that his sinnes are pardoned that he is become a reconciled Father in Christ And if you say Why do we not need the Spirit of God to do this Cannot we by our graces by our repentance and holy life sufficiently establish our own souls in peace No by no means we need the Spirit of God to comfort as you heard as well as to sanctifie and that for these Reasons First It is very hard for a man whose guilty conscience doth presse him and condemn him daily telling him that he hath deserved at Gods hands to be eternally tormented in hell not to thinke because God may doe thus that therefore he will do so In such terrours and affrights we look more to what we have deserved we look more to what God may do then what he will we are naturally suspicious and think the worst of God even as we doe to man If we have offended a man greatly and it lieth in his power to undo us we are never quiet we cannot but think when ever the opportunity is he will be avenged and therefore we dare not trust him Yea though we have given no just cause if others have taken up an unkind spirit towards us we expect nothing else from them but our ruine when it is in their power Therefore for all Saul's tears and good works to David yet he would never trust him Now although there be no cause for us to have such suspicious thoughts about God for he hath graciously promised that he will receive us insomuch as not to believe him herein is to give more credit to a man whose words many times satisfie us than to God who is truth it self yet the heart being guilty and full of fears doth work in this doubtfull manner about God How hard is it to bring the afflicted sinner to good perswasions about God and that though by promises and other wayes God hath so abundantly provided against such distrust Here then is the reason why we need the sealing of Gods Spirit we cannot perswade our selves but God will doe what he may do and what we have deserved And A second Reason followeth upon the former We can hardly be perswaded that the great and good things which we stand in need of God will ever bestow upon us who are so unworthy of them Can a beggars daughter be perswaded that a great King will marry her But here is a farre greater disproportion What will the great God of Heaven so holy so full of majesty look graciously upon me and not only forgive me my sinnes but advance me to eternal glory These things are very improbable Shall Joseph be freed not only from the prison but promoted to the greatest honour in the Land next to the King Who would have believed it And thus it is here the soul having low and humble thoughts of it self cannot be perswaded that the great God of Heaven will look upon such despicable wretches as they are 3. The way of evangelical confidence with the comfortable effects thereof are wholly supernatural And therefore no wonder if we need the Spirit of God to help us therein Not only holinesse and grace is supernatural but assurance and joy are likewise supernatural As we cannot pray without the Spirit helping our infirmities so neither are we able to call God Father If faith in Christ by which we are justified be supernatural then also is the comfort and peace flowing from the knowledge thereof As the Doctrine of the Gospel is by divine revelation flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto us that Christ is the Sonne of God so neither can flesh and blood enable us to the perswasion of this Mediator as loving me and giving himself for me Certainly if it be the gift of
God to have a dogmatical faith to be kept from heresie it 's no lesse to have this fiducial application with the sense thereof upon our souls Wonder not then if we make it the Spirits worke to have this assurance 4. We need the Spirit to confirm us because the flesh within us is full of objections and bringeth many plausible arguments against it Insomuch that what Bellarmine and other subtil Papists bring as Engines to demolish this foundation are very sutable to the corrupt heart For they think the heart is very deceitfull there is much hypocrisie I may think I do that for God which I do for vain-glory that I am humbled for sinne when worldly motives only afflict me Again flesh doth doth suggest there may be much unknown evil in thee thy heart may be worse than thou takest it to be Though the Sea seeme calme sometimes yet there are dangerous Rocks under the water and thus though outwardly there may appear much tendernesse yet there may be a rock in the bottome Furthermore the flesh may suggest Wilt thou be perswaded of Gods favour to thee in particular Is not this to enter into Gods secrets Is not this to climb up into Heaven in an arrogant manner Yea is not this the way to nourish security in thee and make thee presume of Gods favour though thy iniquities be never so many and grosse Lastly The flesh telleth thee of former sins thou didst once wallow in as also the present failings that thy own soul doth frequently condemn thee for Now are not these very plausible Do they not importune to diffidence And certainly these would overwhelme thee did not the Spirit of God overcome all and support thee against them Yea 5. We need the Spirit of God to seal us because the Devil is very busie and active in destroying this perswasion He knoweth that those who enjoy this priviledge walk with joy peace thankfulnesse with strength and activity in the wayes of God therefore to weaken them herein that their graces may wither he tempteth about their comforts that they may wither thus the Devil as he opposeth the Spirit of God in its holinesse called therefore the unclean spirit so he doth also in its comforting effects and therefore is called the tempter Yea 2 Cor. 2. we reade how active he was to have the incestuous person humbled for his sinnes even swallowed up with too much sorrow And do not many of Gods people feel this experimentally Doe they not see they should sink and fall into all horrour and despair did not the Spirit of God support Little doe the natural men of the world apprehend what the agonies and spiritual conflicts are which a tempted soul endureth in this case Lastly The Spirit of God must seal us because this assurance is not obtained in a natural way as if we had perfectly obeyed the will of God and therefore we merited pardon but it is by the gracious promises of God made to a believer though accompanied with infirmities Indeed if it were thus that we could purge out all sinne from our selves and be perfect in every good work then assurance would naturally follow as the Saints in Heaven because cleansed from all sinne cannot doubt of Gods favour but our establishment is more upon the promises of grace without us than any thing that is within us while we behold our own unworthinesse and are deeply humbled under it yet even then are we inabled to assure our selves of the grace of God towards us SERM. CXXXVI Of the Object Manner and End of the Spirits sealing 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us THe next particular considerable in this Description of the Spirits sealing is the Object about which it is conversant and that is said to be the Promises of Grace as belonging to a sanctified person in particular and herein doth the most expresse and efficacious effect of this sealing appear that it particularizeth the Promises of grace what is spoken generally that it doth bring home in a peculiar manner to our own breast What is it to hear of health if it be not thy health What of wealth if not thy wealth So what comfort is it to hear of a Christ if not thy Christ To know there are blessed and precious promises if they doe not belong to thee Doe not the Devils know in the general that Christ is a Saviour that there are excellent promises declared in the Word But they are miserable and wretched howsoever because not applicable unto them We may therefore divide Faith according to the object thereof First Into a general Faith whereby we are carried out to believe the whole word of God upon a divine motive whether it be the historical or comminatory part as well as the promissory Thus whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture though it be but an appendix to any History as that Sauls father had asses though we cannot call it an Article of the faith yet when sufficiently propounded to us then not to believe argueth a wicked and an obstinate spirit because we despise the authority of God and his testimony in that particular though but little Secondly There is a special Faith and that I call The worke of Gods grace for all faith is the gift of God whereby a man is enabled to believe the promissory part in the Scripture whereby he believeth this truth that Jesus Christ is a Saviour to those that believe in him And this the Papists yea and others too make all the faith that is required of us that this is it which doth justifie us but very absurdly Thirdly There is a particular Faith and that is When the Spirit of God doth enable us to receive Christ as our Christ to apply the promises as belonging to us in particular To say with Thomas My Lord my God And with Paul Galat. 2. Who loved me and gave himself for me Such a particular faith is not onely possible but a duty of which much excellent and profitable Discourse might be made but I forbear because I am to treat of it God assisting upon another account Therefore for the present you are to know that this worke of Gods Spirit in confirming and sealing of us is especially manifested in this particular and appropriating way of the promises of grace as our portion Therefore it is said to cause us to call God Father which implieth our peculiar interest and propriety in him Doe not then be discouraged from this Canaan because of the Anakims that are in the way Fear not to call God thy Father though thou findest many discouragements within thee The Devil would not have thee taste of this honey But I proceed and the next particular in the Description is the Manner how the Spirit of God cometh thus to witnesse unto us how we come to be sealed and that is said to be First By the meanes God hath appointed thereunto This is very observable
for hereby this gracious worke of God is differenced from all Enthusiastical delusions or from those prophetical extasies which the Prophets of God sometimes did partake off from that rapture Paul was in when he said Whether he was in the body or out of the body he did not know No we are not to expect such immediate operations of the Spirit upon us where the Spirit shall be both the efficient cause and the object also Neither may we hearken after some voice of Gods Spirit or immediate testimony within saying to us as sometimes a voice spake to Christ This is my beloved Sonne We may not expect that Christ should say to thee after some visible manner as he did to Mary Magdalen Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee We are not to hearken to such Doctrines that may presse for such a witnessing but we must give care to what the Spirit of God speaketh in the Scripture and so expect to have this confirmation and sealing by those meanes which he hath appointed Even as it is in the Doctrine of the Scripture it is the Spirit of God that doth fully assure the hearts of believers that it is Gods word But how doth it thus perswade the soul Not by any immediate testimony but by these implanted arguments therein as the holinesse of the matter the majesty of the style c. by which this undoubted perswasion is wrought in us Thus it is in this worke of sealing the Spirit of God though it be the efficient cause of it yet it is in such an order and way as he hath appointed For we must not thinke that it is suitable to the workings of Gods Spirit that we should have a blinde perswasion in us whereby we are assured onely we know not why and we are not able to give any reason that we are assured but because we are assured The Spirit of God attemperateth its operations to our rational nature But what are those meanes and wayes whereby the holy Spirit doth thus assure us They are either External or Internal External are two-fold First By the Sacraments in the right use of them the Spirit of God doth assure us Hence you heard the Sacraments are called seales neither may we thinke that Christ hath appointed these Ordinances in a barren formal and empty manner No God will accompany his owne Ordinance to the right receiver and therefore as truly as he received the bread and wine so truly is he also made partaker of Christs body and blood Whereas then the promises are indefinitely propounded the Sacraments they are particular applied and by these the Spirit of God doth assure us of our interest in the promises Secondly Another External way is By those notes and markes which are given of such to whom the promises doe belong The Scripture doth not onely declare the promises but characterizeth the persons to whom they doe infallibly belong Insomuch that he who findeth he doth truely beleeve and repent He that findeth he is made a new creature such an one may as undoubtedly conclude being enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God that the promises doe in particular belong to him as if he were named as if it were said Thou Thomas and Thou John thou art received into the favour of God So that this particular doth evacuate all those boasts and confidences which many may have of Gods love towards them seeing the marks and signs are not applicable unto them which the promises do require But these I call External There are Internal Qualifications by which the Spirit of God doth thus perswade and assure us not that they are a cause or that we are to put confidence in them but by them as signes and effects of Gods gracious love we come to be assured of the love it selfe As by the Rain-bow we come to be assured that God will not drowne the world again I shall not enlarge upon these having had opportunity from some passages in this Chapter to speak thereunto The first particular signe or marke by which the Spirit of God doth interest or seale unto that I shall instance in is The sanctified and savoury improvement of afflictions Such as are chastened from the Lord and taught by him these may unquestionably conclude Gods special love towards them Hebr. 12. Revel 3. The Scripture doth in those places abundantly evidence that whosoever is a sonne of God is afflicted by him Insomuch that he who hath no chastisements is to thinke that he is a bastard and not a sonne Now this is not to be understood of afflictions themselves meerly as so but as sanctified as working to our spirituall good And when they have this blessed fruit it is as comfortable an argument to be assured of Gods grace towards us as any may be thought on The Apostle maketh this a sure effect of Predestination Romans 8. 26. He did also predestinate us to be conformed to the image of his Sonne which is partly in suffering as he did that so we might be glorified as he was Look then with a more comfortable face upon afflictions than thou hast done Doe not flie from them with fear as Moses from his Rod when turned into a Serpent For when these doe worke to thy spiritual good when they are like fire to make the gold lesse drossie when they are like winnowing to purge the wheat from its chaffe then know this is an assured testimony of Gods favour Thou needest not say Who will goe up into Heaven What messenger will come immediately from God to perswade my soule of Gods favour towards me For the testimony is on earth it is neare thee doe not cast thy eyes from it Secondly A second signe or meanes by which we come to this sealing is The observation and experience of Gods gracious presence in us and with us whereby we are preserved from some and kept either from or in such temptations that might have undone us When we finde that grace accompanying of us which David prayed for Psalm 19. to keep us back from sinning As the childe of God hath the Angels of Heaven to take care of him they have it in charge to hold him as it were in their armes as a Nurse doth her little childe so is he also inwardly fortified by inherent grace to keepe him in his wayes to Heaven he hath habitual grace and actual grace and he hath preventing grace and co-operating he hath exciting and persevering grace Now that man who observeth how richly and mercifully the grace of God putteth it selfe forth in these several effects how often when he is ready to goe astray the grace of God seeketh him out how often grace prevented and excited him else he had beene swallowed up in such deepe gulphs of sinne he I say that findeth such prevenitng concomitant and subsequent grace of God he that findeth this Rock Christ to follow him with gracious effects as some say the waters out of
weakest believer as well as the strongest Christ to be prayed to for grace and peace Jesus Christ is a Lord. Of a threefold blessing spoken of in Scripture It is a Christians duty to be much in praising God What goeth to the making up a thankfull spirit Motives to be more affected with spiritnal mercies than temporal Motives to bless God for all his mercies God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Propositions explaining how Christ is the Son of God How Christs being the Son of God is the foundation of a Christians comfort God is a mercifull Father to all his children What is implied in Gods being called the Father of mercies Of the multitude of Gods mercies Of the variety of Gods mercies Of the Properties of Gods mercies Who are the fit objects of Gods mercies God is a God of all comfort to all his children What is comprehended in that expression God is the God of comfort What is implied in the word consolation How he is a God of all consolations Propositions obviating practical and doctrical objections about the mercy or comforts of God Of the Calvinists Doctrine concerning Gods absolute Decrees and how they stand with the mercy of God God not only can but doth comfort his children How God comforteth his people God is a God of comfort only to believers God will comfort his children in all their affliction whatsoever Propositions explaining the Observation Several sorts of soul or spiritual troubles in all which God comforts his children How God comforteth his people in outward tribulations No Philosopher ever had the true grounds of comfort Gods children deficient in a two-fold respect concerning Gods comforts What are these good things that God hath prepared for those that love him to comfort them What grounds of comfort the Scriptures afford unto us Psal 102. 13. How God comforreth his children in all their tribulations though they often may be disconsolate Comfort not absolutely necessary to salvation There is a two-fold joy direct and reflex Joy is either spiritual or sensitive and corporeal Gods spiritual works upon his people are not only for their own but for others spiritual advantage Of the distinction of the Schoolmen of spiritual Gifts 1. Gratiae gratis datae 2. Grattiâ— gratum facientes The Gifts of Gods Spirit are better distinguished into Dona Ministrantia and Sanctificantia Gifts are encreased by being improved What are those â—…ice things wherein more particularly we are to be serviceable to others 1. Humiliation 2. The Knowledge of God and true saith 3. Temptations 4. Consolations Those only can make fit applications to others who have the work of Gods Spirit upon their own souls A two-fold knowledge of spiritual things 1. Speculative and Theoretical 2. Practical and experimental This speculative and practical knowledge of spiritual things differ in the whole kind All knowledge that is accompanied with some kind of affections is not an experimental knowledge All experimental workings upon the soul are to be tryed by the Scriptures How our experiences are to be judged by the Word 1. Are they from Scripture rightly understood 2. Are they from the Spirit of God 3. Do they make thee more holy and humble Reasons confirming the Doctrine 1. They that have not this experimental knowledge they have no skill to cure others 2. They can have any sutablenesse of of pity and compassion 3. Because such only are found reall and in earnest 4. Because such alone are faithfull It is a special duty in a right manner to comfort the afflicted Propositions clearing the truth 1. There are two sorts of troubles 1. Spiritual and inward 2. Outward 2. The afflicted need the help of others to comfort them though themselves be never so skilfull in the comsorting others Reasons 1. Because remptations darken the judgement 2. Because the sense of their grief doth wholly possesse them 3. Because the most eminent when in troubles are subject to much unbelief and frowardness 4. Because the Devil is then most busie Lastly God hath appointed Ministers and Christians as a means to comfort others 3. The dispensation of comfort to the afflicted is either Charitativè or Potestativè 4. What is required to the comforting others in a right manner 1. Knowledge of the temptation and disposition of the person 2. The discovery of sin and then the application of comfort The same grounds of comfort that revive the heart of one godly man may do so to another too 1. There are both general and particular grounds of comfort What are the general grounds of comfort 1. All afflictions come from a Father 2. The end is good 3. The advantages that come from Christ Of the special and particular grounds of comfort The grounds of the point 1. Because all godly men are of the same nature 2. Because all have the same spirit 3. Because promises are made alike to all The sufferings of Christ abound in us What is meant by the sufferings of Christ What is meant by the sufferings of Christ abounding What be these sufferings abounding in us The true and faithfull owing of Christ is sometimes accompanied with great sufferings Propositions declaring the truth of the Doctrine 1. A Saints sufferings may be as extensive as his comforts 2. At some time their sufferings abound more then others 3. To suffer for Christ is very grievous to flesh and blood 'T is a glorious and blessed thing to own Christ in the midst of sufferings What it is to suffer for Christ 1. Ex parte Objecti 1. It must not be for any sin 2. It must be for the name of Christ 3. For righteousnesse sake 4. For a good conscience What are the qualifications of those who suffer truly for Christ 1. Faith 3. Spiritual â—ortitude and heavenly courage 4. Holy wisdom and prudence 5. Patience 6. An heart mortified to all earthly comforts 7. Pure and holy motives As our sufferings are for Christ so are our comforts by him How our comforts abound by Christ 1. Efficiently 2. Meritoriously 3. Objectively How many wayes Christ makes his comforts to abound to those that suffer for him 1. By perswading them of the goodness of the cause why they suffer 2. By sorewarning of their sufferings 3. By informing us of his Sovereignty and conquest over the world 4. By vertue of his prayer put up in that very behalf 5. By instructing them of the spiritual advantages which come from such sufferings God doth proportion our comforts to our sufferings Christ alwaies accommodates himself to the capacities of his people The mercies of God do often overflow Reasons 1. Because God in all his administrations doth still regard his own glory not our desert 2. Because of Gods faithfulnesse to his Promises 3. Otherwise God in his expressions of mercy would be exceeded by man 4. Because otherwise Gods glorious and in his afflicting could not be obtained Object Answ Why God often denies comfort in trouble 1. To teach us that comforts are his gifts 2.
disparagement to it The Scripture is in a style full of Efficacy and Majesty sutable to God who speaks it and therefore the very Heathen could say That Moses wrote his History like one that was of God And for the Method also that some are Historical some Prophetical some Moral all this is from the Wisdome of God Therefore it 's prophane arguing on Bellarmin's part who saith That if God had intended the Bible to be Rule of Matters in Faith it would have been put into some other mould like a Catechisme or some Body of Divinity But what arrogancy is this to prescribe to the Spirit of God And this may satisfie us in that Question made by some Why Paul did write thus in an Epistolary way Why it was by way of Epistles that he wrote rather than in another manner For although some give Reasons as Because it was the way of the greatest and most learned to answer to questions propounded by others Hence we have the rescripta and responsa prudentium Or because it 's a more familiar way and apter to beget love Hence Gregory called the whole Bible An Epistle sent from the Omnipotent God to Mankind Though I say these Reasons be given yet it 's best to acquiesce in the Wisdome of God Fourthly Christians should not willingly enter into those Disputes which are apt to be raised about the Authority of the Bible and how we come to know they are the Books of God Austin spake fully to this when he acknowledged that God had taught him that such were not to be heard who would say Unde seis hos libros c. How do ye know these Books to be from the Holy Ghost and that the Authours thereof were guided by him For this is the first principle of Christianity We cease to be Christians if we deny the Authority of them So that as in all Arts there are the prima principia which are not to be questioned and are indemonstrable So is the Scipture to Christians They are like the Sunne that is visible by its own light And indeed it would be a vain attempt to undertake such a proof to a Christian seeing nothing can be apprehended of greater Authority with him than the Scripture it self Therefore the people of God should stop their ears against all such Disputes For it was the Devils way of old to make Eve question the truth of Gods Word Yet In the fifth place Because the importunity of Papists and Heretickes yea and sometimes the Devil himself who doth assault Gods own children In this very point it is good to consider these particulars First That we have as great a testimony to believe that the Books of the Scripture were written by those holy men to whom they are ascribed as we have to believe any works were made by humane Authours That Plato's works were made by Plato that Tully's works were made by Tully thus that Paul's Epistles were made by him Yea we have farre greater reason for there were miracles wrought by most of those who wrote those Books which could not but confirm their Authority in writing whereas Plato and Aristotle these never wrought any miracles Now then if there were no more this is something That there is not so much reason to doubt of these Books as made by such men then of any humane Authour that ever wrote And as thou hast no doubts there so neither may any be made here But In the second place We must go higher for this is but an Humane testimony and so only begets an Humane Faith They introduce Humanity in stead of Christianity who affirm We believe that there was such an one as Jesus of Nazareth upon no higher motives then that there was such an one as King Henry the Eighth Therefore this principle once granted as it must be then it will necessarily follow That we must receive the matter therein as the word of God and not of man For this being their Writings and they therein declaring that they are sent of God and that their Doctrine is of Heaven it must necessarily follow That the ultimate motive of our Faith is that Divine Revelation and Authority appearing therein So that if this be cleared in an humane way that such men there were once and they wrote those things as the malicious adversaries who wrote against them do confess then they therein declaring of whom they come and from whence inabled we do no longer receive their works as we do humane works but as the word of God Humane Faith may make way for a Divine Faith but this Divine Faith cannot be ultimately resolved into it And if to this In the next place you adde The wonderfull Doctrine informing us about God and the way of reconciliation of a sinner with him as also the purity and holiness of the promises the excellency of the reward promised and the terrible threatnings denounced as also the fulfilling of predictions spoken of many years before the miracles wrought to confirm it the Universal Consent of all Christians in those Books except some doubt for a while about a few which was afterwards quickly removed as also the patient Martyrdom of many millions to testifie this truth These and other things may abundantly quell all those Disputes and atheistical reasonings that may rise in thy heart But that these may perswade thee Thou art earnestly to pray for the Spirit of God which alone worketh a Divine Faith in us in and through the Word without which though all those Arguments be spread before us yet we remain Atheists or Scepticks Use Is this Epistle then of Divine Authority Is it not so much Paul as God by Paul Take heed then of rejecting any duty or truth contained therein Among other passages take notice of that 2 Cor. 4. 15. He that is in Christ is a new creature old things are passed away all things are become new If this be received as a Divine Truth then what will become of you who yet lie in your old lusts and sinnes Is this Gods Word Oh tremble then thou that hast thy old rags upon thee None is in Christ but a new creature Is not this place enough to convert the whole Congregation Do ye need any more to cast off all your former impieties But how long shall we complain Who believeth Gods word SERM. IV. What an Apostle was Christ in the building of his Church used extraordinary Officers but did not follow the Model of the Jewish Government What were the Properties and Qualifications of an Apostle 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ c. THe next thing considerable is Paul's description from his Office and that is an Apostle He nameth his Office thereby to be received with Authority And that they might honour his Calling it being of great consequence for those who come in the Name of the Lord to be assured of their Calling The word Apostle is sometimes used more
largely for one that is sent and so in an eminent manner is applied to Christ himself Heb. 3. 1. Yea some say it 's used generally for any Messenger and they instance in Phil. 2. 25. where Epaphreditus is said to be the Philippians messenger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it seemeth by the Translation our Translators understood it but Salmasius doth vehemently contend pleading also the consent of the Ancients that it 's to be understood of an Apostle and that Paul never useth the word but of eminent and chief Officers in the Church so that he is called the Philippians Apostle because he was a special fellow-labourer with Paul in planting of that Church Therefore he distinguisheth of Apostles making two kinds of them and indeed the Scripture plainly insinuateth it The primary-Apostles those who were immediately called by Christ being twelve in number Or secondary and these were sent by the Apostles They were the Apostles Apostles For seeing that many came in at the Apostles preaching insomuch that they were not able to manage all things themselves they therefore assumed as assistants others whom they called Apostles Therefore 2 Cor. 11. 5. and Chap. 13. 11. we read of some that are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefest Apostles So that the name was given to others besides the eminent twelve And of these Salmasius and Illyricus understand that place Ephes 4. 11. where the Apostle saith God had set in his Church some Apostles c. that is say they some choice and eminent Teachers But Salmasius by these secondary Apostles seemeth to mean the Evangelists whereas those are distinguished in that enumeration It 's enough that others were called Apostles besides the twelve and that they were Coadjutors with them in the planting and propagating of the Gospel Now the Apostle Paul though he was none of the twelve immediately called by Christ yet because he had such an extraordinary Call afterwards by Christ while glorified in Heaven which none else had but he therefore is justly reckoned with the other and so accounted as the thirteenth Apostle Thus that which was of such exceeding rich grace and so extraordinary a priviledge to Paul yet he was not pussed up with it but 1 Cor. 15. 9. makes a new Greek word He was less than the least and looks upon himself as an abortive and one born out of due time Observe That Christ in the first planting of the Christian Church did appoint extraordinary Officers which he called Apostles That as God in the first plantation of the people of Israel when he brought them out of Aegypt and imbodied them together did guide them and provide for them in an extraordinary way which did wholly cease when they came to be setled in Canaan Thus did the Lord Christ in the beginning of his Church use many extraordinary things as Officers and Miracles which now have no more continuance though the advantage of these doth still belong to us For those very miracles though wrought long since and those extraordinary Officers are yet of spiritual influence That Christ did appoint Apostles and how appeareth in their first Institution of them Luke 6. 13. and Matth. 10. 2. and this he did of large bowels and compassions to those whom he would save They were sent as so many Embassadours to woe and beseech people in Christs stead to be reconciled with the Father He did not take a way by immediate inspiration and efficacy upon mens hearts as he might have done For he that could cure the dead though he were distant from them could also have poured his Spirit upon all flesh though bodily absent from him yet he was pleased to use this mediation of man as being more suitable and fit instruments for to work upon us To improve this Doctrine consider First That it is observed by learned men That our Saviour in the edification and building of the Christian Church did not follow the Jewish Church Government which was formerly appointed by God viz. by an high Priest and chief Priests with the Levites under them Therefore the Officers of Christs Church are not to be called Priests or Levites though sometimes the Ancients call the Elders and Deacons so but that is by allusion onely For as was said our Saviour did not propound that form in the Old Testament to follow So that all those endeavours which have been used to conforme the Church of Christ to the Jewish in Government and Ceremonial Worship as to have a Pope because an high Priest to have glorious vestments in the Worship of God because the Priests had this is to go contrary to Christ For indeed if our Saviour did follow any thing it was the Synagogues and their Orders Hence learned men shew That the chief Ruler of the Synogogue he had his Messengers to go up and down to the several Synagogues upon special imployment and these were called Thelichin Apostles So they had two sorts of Elders which were made by imposition of hands and they had Excommunication in their Synagogues Yea some say both Baptisme and the Lords Supper were taken as Rites from the Jews then in use for they had such an initiation of all Proselytes and when they took such in they took in their children also And so for eating of bread and drinking of wine Onely they adde That when Christ took up these he changed the nature of them They were Rites and Ceremonies before but Christ made them Sacraments But let the learned debate these things This is enough to us That Christ he did as the chief Head of his Church choose some whom he called Apostles for to beginne and propagate his Church Therefore in the second place consider That these Properties go to make an Apostle so that he could not be an Apostle who had not these qualifications As First It was necessary that he should have an immediate Call from Christ So ye read they all had Therefore when Judas was fallen from that Office the other Apostles did not presume to choose one in his room by themselves but they did solemnly call upon God who by lot gave direction who should be the man and then Paul as you heard he was immediately called by Christ from Heaven and therefore often saith He was not an Apostle of men or by men but wholly and solely by the will of God Thus as there were Prophets in the Old Testament and so also some in the New who were immediately inspired by God so there were such who also had an immediate Call from God and it was the consideration of this Call that did so imbolden them especially against all traducers and false accusers as appeareth by Paul himself in this Epistle But now you must know That though the Pastors and Teachers which in after ages have ruled in the Church had not such an immediate Call from God but mediate by man yet even they also are truly appointed of God Even
true Saints in gifts and graces despise and contemn such as are below them to judge them no Saints or not godly at all That there is such a disposition even in grown Saints appeareth Rom. 14. where the Apostle giveth several Rules to strong Christians especially That they judge not or despise him that is weak and one reason amongst others is Because God hath received him If therefore he be one whom God hath received for whom Christ died though subject to many weaknesses and infirmities take heed of contemning him Such a supercilious censorious spirit is farre from the Spirit of Christ who when he saw one not farre from the Kingdom of Heaven though not yet in it yet it 's said He loved him and encouraged him Hence in the second place This real Saintship is alwayes growing and ought to be more and more proficient continually It is an high delusion to dream of such a perfection that they are above Ordinances that they are of so full a stature in grace that one cubit cannot be added to them This is to let the Devil get thee up to the pinacle of the Temple and then to throw thee headlong into hell yet such sad delusions have been on some that coming to the Sacrament they have said They have had as perfect love as Christ himself But this is against the continual current of the Scripture which presseth to grow in grace to bring forth more fruit And 1 Cor. 7. to perfect holinesse in the fear of God Paul himself though a Gyant to us Dwarfs yet Phil. 3. Accounted not himself to have apprehended but forgat what was behind and pressed forward to the mark Cloppenburge a learned man thinketh That even Christ himself did feed and nourish his soul by meditating on Gods Word and that in the use of the Sacraments his faith was more confirmed for to go through that work of redemption for us This may seem hard to affirm of Christ who had the Spirit without measure But it is very true of every Saint on Earth though never so exalted and enabled by grace that he needeth the Ordinances that he is to perfect and fill up that vacuity and emptiness which is in him so that he may say with Ignatius when going to be sacrificed for the truth Nune incipio esse Christianus I do even now begin to be a Christian to be a Saint I am but a babe yet I am but a beginner yet Thirdly This Church-Saintship therefore doth consist with many imperfections and weaknesses so that we need a constant and daily remission of sinne through the bloud of Christ This is greatly to be observed because some have dreamed of such a perfection in this life that if not alway yet for some time we may be without any sinne at all and therefore they tell us of Saints in the Church which need no pardon or forgiveness as if to be a Saint in the Church and a Saint in Heaven were all one but our Saviour in directing all to pray for the forgivenesse of sin I say all that are to pray are to pray so doth plainly confute this And the Apostle John saith That if we say we have no sinne in us we deceive our selves and indeed we sinne in saying so And this is the more to be observed because the dear children of God think this title of Saint too glorious and great to apply to themselves who are compassed about with such infirmities How can I be called a Saint and yet so dull so sluggish so froward earthly and often disordered in heart But you are to know that though Saints yet we are not to be justified by our Saintship we need the imputed righteousness of Christ to cover the imperfections of our Saintship yea some have not lost their Saintship and yet have fallen into foul sins for a season David Peter and others did not cease to be Saints in those sad falls though their holiness was drawn inward and as the juice of the Tree in the Winter was hid in the root under ground but these Suns were not alwayes in an eclipse at last they did recover to their greater advantage in holiness and to be a pillar of salt to all other Saints Nor to be high-minded but fear Fourthly To be a Saint is a denomination from our conformity to the will of God as a rule of our lives So that if you ask What is it to be a Saint It is to be one born again by the Spirit of God making the word of God to be the rule of all his actions So that Gods Word must try whether thou art a Saint or no not thy own thoughts or the applause of others can make thee a Saint but thy life regulated by Gods Word The Papists cry up their Saint Francis whom they equallize to Christ in many things but his Saintship must be tried not by his voluntary poverty or strict observance of humane traditions but by a consonancy to Gods Word Thus who ever is cried up for a Saint still we must examine How doth the Word and his life agree Is he as it were a walking Bible Doth he will what that wils and nill what that nilleth And this further also may inform us That we are not to make a man a Saint because of a particular opinion in some way of Church-Government as if none could be Saints but of such an opinion For the word Saint denoteth One made holy by the Image of God restored in him though he may differ from another Saint in a Church-way For although it be our duty to study out the mind and will of Christ concerning Church-order and with his Institutions only we may expect his gracious presence yet such is the corruption and weakness upon the understandings of the best that though Gods Spirit will lead them into all necessary truth yet they may fail in some accessories and so one Saint may differ from another yea and write against another though such things do prove as Calvin said of Melancihons difference from him Pessimi exempli of very evil example and confirm the adversaries of godliness in their dangerous prejudices against it These things thus laid down let us consider Why all the fore-mentioned steps of a Church-Saint are nothing without the latter To be a Saint by the outward Covenant by dedication to God by outward profession and vocation Yea to be a Saint having some works of Gods Spirit on us unless we be born of God and so have holy Natures holy affections and an holy conversation it 's to be like the foolish Virgiâ—s who have lamps and those lighted but want oyl Let us therefore consider What may provoke us to be Saints indeed And 1. What matter of shame and reproach is it to have the name of a Saint only and nothing else Thy life not the life of a Saint thy words thy actions not the expressions of a Saint Is not this ridiculous even as
we take Peace in the same sphere with Grace and as that did relate chiefly to spiritual things so also must this Peace in the Text. By it therefore is meant the fruit of Gods grace and favour viz. a quiet serene and calm joyfull frame of soul arising from the sense of Gods peace through Christ whereby we walk comfortably boldly and not daunted under sinne afflictions or death it self A most blessed and choice mercy it is putting a believer into an Heaven while he is on this earth his heart keeping as it were a perpetual Sabbath and rest within So that whensoever the godly find diffidence fears disquietness perplexities troubles and dejections of soul all this ariseth because this peace doth not prevail and keep all under in our hearts This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Peace and tranquillity of spirit some philosophers especially the Stoicks did greatly aim at and accounted it the chiefest good but being ignorant of Christ and faith in him they took the shadow of it for the substance Observe That peace from God and Christ is earnestly to be prayed for as a special and choice mercy To have an heart so evangelically affected through the apprehension of Gods love as a Father in Christ that as the young child can sleep sweetly and safely in its mothers arms So can we as boldly and comfortably by faith throw our selves into the bosom of our heavenly Father Oh why are there such tormenting fears such tumultuous conflicts such warres and confusions in thy soul when such a priviledge as this may be obtained at Gods hand But to direct you to this Peace which is a spiritual Philosophers 〈◊〉 turning all into gold if we have this peace then they are afflictions of peace exercises of peace yea death is peace then This quiets and composeth all Let us first take notice of the nature of it briefly And First This peace lieth in the favour and grace of God so that his anger and wrath because of sinne is wholly removed For where Gods wrath is upon a man where his face is set against him that man hath no peace Isa 57. 21. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Therefore though wicked men are for a while in carnal jollity and in much security crying Peace peace to themselves as 1 Thess 5. 3. even then destruction shall suddenly surprize them The very Heathen could say of a wicked man That though he might be securus yet he was never tutus Though he might cast away all care and fear bidding his soul as Dives to take its ease yet he is never safe for in the midst of this security he heareth that dreadfull voice Thou fool this night thy soul shall be taken away Let then the wicked men tremble and quake like Belshazzar for they may see not one but many hand-writings not in a wall but in the word of God fore-telling them without repentance of their certain damnation This peace therefore begins first in Heaven and so descends into a mans heart God removeth his anger because of our sins he is become a gracious and reconciled Father and hence we have peace Therefore Rom. 5. 1. it is called Peace with God insomuch that if we had peace with all the Potentates of the world if we had peace with the world which yet Christs Disciples shall never have yet this is nothing to peace with God For how many have ventured to obtain outward peace as Spira and others by breaking this peace and thereupon have plunged themselves into a very Hell What peace can any in the world give thee if God cause his anger to break out against thee Secondly This peace as it doth consistin reconciliation with God so also it hath the sense and perswasion of this it brings a man to some comfortable knowledge and evidence of this For although Gods anger be removed our sins be forgiven and on Gods part all controversies are removed against us yet if we do not know this if we are not assured our hearts are us much troubled and disquieted as if God indeed were our adversary Hence it is that the Spirit of God is sent into our hearts enabling us to call God Abba Father For if we could not do so it would be as the Sunne though it casts forth glorious beams of light yet a blind man because he cannot see it it is all one as if it were midnight so unless the Spirit of God doth make thee to discern those gifts of the Spirit in thee as by the light of the Sunne we come to see the â—…e so also though God be our Father though we be his dear children yet if we are not assured of this still this peace is not in our hearts it must be therefore in Gods favour and our assurance of this faith Thirdly This peace therefore is not procured or wrought by our own strength If we would give ten thousand worlds when our hearts are seorched and burn like hell through the sense of Gods displeasure we are not able to refresh our souls with one drop of it That as all the men of the world are not able to make the Sunne arise if God forbid it Neither can the parched wilderness water it self till God prepare clouds to empty themselves upon it Thus it is with it â—…umble contrite heart praying groaning crying out for this blessed peace in soul Alas it cannot come till God command it Therefore he is so often called the God of peace Rom. 16 20. Heb. 13. 20. And peace is made the fruit of Gods Spirit Gal. 5. 22. Hence it is that the Apostle in this Text prayeth for it unto God as knowing the Corinthians can never have it unless it be given them from above This therefore should oâ—â— us of our selves think not to have it by any works thou doest think not outward advantages can help then to it No it must be by a lowly humble dependance upon God Descendendo in Coelum ascenditur Fourthly As it is wrought by God so it is purchased by Christ our Mediatour For although he be also the efficient cause of peace called therefore Isai 9. The Prince of peace and The King of peace Heb. 7. 2. yet he is chiefly called our peace because by him our peace is purchased Ephes 2. 14. Colos 1. 20. Hence it was that upon Christs birth those Angels sang Glory be to God on High and peace on Earth good will towards men So that had it not been for Christ living and dying to remove the curse of the Law from us there had been no more hope of peace for us than the Devils and damned in Hell Though with Dives we had called but for a drop of water yet the gulph being not removed between God and us we could not have enjoyed it It 's then a peace through Christs bloud we have it at a very dear price Hence Isai 53. The chastisement of our peace is said to be upon him
Father being able to say with the Church I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine And Cant. 8. 10. I was in his eyes as one that found favour or peace being conducted from one room of consolation unto another As therefore thou desirest to answer the Law of God in holiness and a godly walking so conform thy self to the Gospel by a peaceable and joyfull disposition The Apostle saith Rom. 10. 15. How welcome are the feet of those who preâ—ch the Gospel of peace And certainly there cannot be any truth in the world more precious and welcome to this indebted prisoner of sinne who groaneth under the burden of it then this year of Jubilee this year of peace and of a general releasment Matth. 10. 6. Our Saviour instructs his Disciples as they did go from house to house preaching the Kingdom of Heaven if they did meet with a Sonne of peace Peace should rest upon that house Oh that in our Gospel-Sermons we did meet with these sonnes of peace those hearers of peace that so it might rest upon them How can you be under the hot beams of this Sunne of righteousness displayed in the Gospel and yet be so chill and frozen with fear and unbelief How can ye be in the shop of this precious ointment and you not be full of the sweet savour of it Though the Antinomian abuse this precious Doctrine crying down the preaching of the Law and make all that do it to be legal Preachers Shall we therefore cry down a Gospel-disposition Neither of these is to be preached to the prejudice of the other SERM. XXVI A further Discovery of the Nature of true Gospel-Peace with the Effects of it and some Directions how to attain it 2 COR. 1. 2. And Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ WE are treating upon this admirable and unspeakable priviledge of Peace from God It is a Peace from God and it is a Peace with God You have heard several particulars going to the constitution of it there yet remain more In the next place therefore This peace here prayed for is a peace in heavenly considerations because our persons are justified our sinnes are forgiven therefore we have peace As Rom. 5. 1. there is an external worldly peace which the natural men of the world only desire let them live in peace and security let them have the good things of this world with the peaceable enjoying of them this is the utmost of their desire they think this is enough We see this notably Ezek. 13. 10 16. where the people desire such Prophets only that will prophesie of peace to them Peace is so loved that therefore wicked men do so extreamly hate the faithfull Messengers of God because they proclaim no peace to them they enform them of Gods wrath and vengeance against such now this cutteth them to the very heart They delight only in such peacemongers that though they go on in all wickedness and prophaneness yet you must tell them all is well sow pillows under their elbows that they may lie down in security Men that desire to sleep love not to hear any noise but the Peace in the Text is not bred from such base and low materials When the wicked man is deprived of his pleasure his profits then all his peace is gone but the godly doth many times partake in the most powerfull manner of this peace when they are in the most afflicted and wretched estate because this peace is within and upon spiritual grounds And therefore when the godly many times have most of outward troubles they do richly abound with this spiritual inward peace Hence it is that a gracious spiritual heart doth only prize it and pray for it The natural man not perceiving these things which must be spiritually discerned Secondly Whereas a godly mans trouble may arise several wayes this peace hath a proper antidote and cure in all these respects from what causes a godly mans disquietnesse and fears may arise from the contrary will his peace As for example a godly man is very frequently disturbed because of the sense of Gods anger for sinne because he is not reconciled such and such iniquities have provoked God to hide his face and this filleth him with all bitterness he will not be called Naomi but Marah but when this peace of God possesseth the soul then all these dark thoughts do presently flie away as when the Sunne ariseth the night is dispelled So that when thou thinkest of God and art troubled Thy meditation of him is not as Davids sweet but bitter this wholly ariseth from want of this peace for that will confirm and settle the soul in all references to God that will represent him to be a gracious reconciled Father Again A mans trouble may arise in his soul from the temptations and oppositions of Satan who when he cannot hinder Gods people in the exercise of their graces will in respect of their comforts So that as the Spirit of God is the Comforter one great work of his being to assure to enable to call God Father So the Devil he is the prince of darkness and he counter-works Gods Spirit As that is an holy Spirit sanctifying his people so he is an unclean spirit provoking to all sinne Again as Gods Spirit doth comfort and convince us of Christs righteousnesse being the Spirit of Adoption within us to deliver us from spiritual bondage and thraldome So the Devil he worketh oppositely to all this he filleth the heart with sad and unbelieving suggestions he endeavours to divide between God and us to make us afraid of him as being that severe Judge who will not in any wise be reconciled Thus he would perswade us that it is with us as it is with him and that there is no more hope for comfort and salvation for us than for him But this peace of God doth abundantly fortifie against this temptation also where this peace is the Devil doth not find the house swept and garnished but fortified and secured against him so that he cannot have any entrance This is the blessed effect of this spiritual peace that it overcometh the Devil he commonly entreth into the good tender heart by unbelief by fears by propounding doubtfull and anxious scruples and then draweth us into a wilderness farre off from God But this peace from God doth easily quench all his fiery-darts doth presently stop his assaults and maketh him not care for coming to us to graple with us while we have this spiritual armoury on In the third place Our disquietnesse doth many times arise from the reliques of original corruption within us The godly they find many sad discoveries and workings of the root of corruption within them They find that their hearts are not in such an uniform and heavenly way as they desire they often come short of what they endeavour after And seeing themselves thus foiled often by their lusts they begin to be full of
the grace of Adoption yet the Apostle confirmeth that speech because we are all his creatures but the good Angels and good men are the sons of God in a more endeared respect We shall not insist long neither upon this though the Scripture make it the treasury of all our consolation only we may briefly consider What it is to be our Father And First It implieth his spiritual begetting us by the Word For before conversion the Devil is our Father we may say Our Father which art in Hell if we were to pray to him as our Saviour told the Pharisees not Abraham but the Devil was their Father and all because we have his likeness upon us and his works we do But when God by his Spirit doth change us and make us to partake of his Divine Nature then we are sons Sonnes by Adoption and sonnes by Regeneration It is not then every one that God is thus a Father to he must have the Image of God and his likeness Therefore though many call him Father yet he is a Judge and an enemy to them because they are contrary to him in nature and actions Secondly As God is thus a Father in respect of a metaphorical generation so also in regard of all his paternal love and care to those that are his No bowels of father or mother are comparable to his Therefore the Prophet Isaiah makes his love to transcend the mothers love and that to her sucking infant Isa 49. 50. Insomuch that all our doubts and fears may presently be subdued if we consider he is a Father Why art thou so disquieted as if like Melchizedech thou were without father and mother Thou art afraid of hell and condemnation but will a Father do thus Again thou doubtest about many earthly and sensible comforts what thou shalt eat or drink and doth not our Saviour say Matth. 6. 8. Your Father knoweth what ye have need of Improve then the relation of a Father think what care love and bowels God hath put into thy heart who art a father to thy children thou never doubtest of thy affections to them but many times of their affections and dutifulness to thee And is not this fatherly affection much more in God Thirdly He is not only our Father but he sendeth his Spirit into our hearts to assure us of this and to be more affected with it Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. For whereas in nature there the child by a natural instinct is carried out to his father and to call upon him It is not thus in grace for when God is become our Father then we need the Spirit of God to assure us of this to make us believe it of our selves we should rather conclude he is our enemy and our Judge but this Spirit of God putteth a filial confidence into us Again it doth not only assure us but inableth us against all those doubts and jealousies we have to the contrary to cry Father that denoteth the soul is in a very great agony many objections and oppositions it hath but yet we are enabled against our hearts and against the Devils temptations thus to do Lastly He is a Father and therefore doth afflict us and chastise us for our good Insomuch that it is from his fatherly love to afflict us as well as to give us of his mercies and if as the Apostle urgeth Heb. 12. 9. We reverenced our fathers after the flesh when they chastized us how much rather our Father after the Spirit which cannot miscarry or erre in his afflictions upon us To this Doctrine let us adde the Extension of it Our Father Paul saith not my Father or the father of Abraham and such eminent Saints but our Father Observe God is a Father to the meanest and weakest believer as well as the strongest Hence our Saviour taught all the godly to say Our Father In this expression is implied First Appropriation and application It is not enough to acknowledge God a Father but we must bring this relation home to our hearts Our Father my Father and thy Father Secondly It implieth That God is so the Father of one believer that he is the Father of all the rest Earthly parents have sometimes so many children that they cannot provide for all at least so liberally but God can do as much for any one child of his as if he had no more his riches and inheritance is given to every one All his children are heirs and have as much as if there had been but one child Thirdly There is implied the unity and agreement of all believers amongstthemselves They have one Father why then should there be such divisions amongst them The Apostle Ephes 4. 6. urgeth this one God and Father of all one Lord one Spirit one God and Father These are brought as arguments of unity not meerly because they are one but one â—o believers All believers have but one Lord one Spirit one God and therefore are to manifest this unity Use From both the Doctrines joyned together of Direction with what Evangelical quiet and joyfull spirits we should live upon this divine truth Gods being our Father should be the Gospel harp to drive out every unbelieving and troublesome thought 1 John 1. 3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ Our fellowship it should be no new or strange thing to us SERM XXVIII Of the Dominion and Lordship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 COR. 1. 2. And from the Lord Jesus Christ WE are arrived now to the last particular in this verse and that is the second Principle or Cause of this Grace and Peace prayed for which is Jesus Christ So that the Lord Christ is here conjoyned with God the Father in bestowing of these spiritual mercies In the words therefore we have the Description of Christ 1. By his Name Jesus 2. By his Office Christ Both which we have already considered in the former verse There remaineth therefore the Relation by which he is represented to us and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord. Paul here prayeth for Grace and Peace from Christ our Lord as well as from the Father which is a sure and strong argument of the Divine Nature of Christ for it is God alone that can give these spiritual mercies if Christ were not truly God he could not give these divine priviledges And hence also it followeth That it 's our duty to pray to Christ seeing he is the Author of such mercies The blasphemous Hereticks of late have differed among themselves Socinus and Franciscus Davidis about praying to Christ The later denying it lawfull to call upon Christ in prayer The other granting in the New Testament examples of it as when Stephen said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit c. So that it is lawfull but yet he saith There is no precept to command it But no wonder at this seeing he holdeth That prayer in the general was never a duty
to take away his mercies that is the effects of his mercy not the attribute of mercy This you must diligently attend to because the effects of Gods mercy are more and less but the attribute in God cannot be so God is not more or less mercifull neither doth Mercy as an attribute oppose Justice as an attribute but the effects of Gods Mercy may be and are contrary to the effects of his Justice 3. We must distinguish between Gods general mercy and his special His general mercy is extended to all the creatures The whole world is full of his mercies Psal 33. 5. So his mercy is said to be over all his works Would the world subsist for a moment when the Inhabitants thereof are so full of rebellion against God were it not for his mercy All that we see we hear we taste we feel is nothing but mercy His special mercy is to rational creatures men and Angels and that again is two-fold More special and most special More special is the vouchsafing of the Gospel and means of grace both to the wicked and the good This Kingdom of Heaven is set open for both But then there is the most special mercy and that is vouchsafed only to the elect by which means they are converted justified and shall be glorified and of this it is the Apostle speaks Rom. 9. 15. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy Thus much may suffice for the Doctrinal information about this truth Let us in the next place take notice what is comprehended in this expression Father of mercies For this is a box of ointment to be opened and bestowed upon poor souls and while this glory of God doth pass by we can see but the back parts of it First When he is said to be the Father of mercies this implieth That he only giveth mercies and receiveth none So that as the father giveth being to the child but receiveth nothing of the child Thus God he is the Father of mercies because he is absolutely sufficient in himself he needeth nothing from any because then there would be a superiour to God And this consideration may greatly aggravate the glorious Nature of God in being mercifull in that he himself is like the Sun giving light but receiving none at all We cannot say of Angels they are the Fathers of mercies because though they be ministring spirits to serve us An Angel was sent to comfort Christ yet they need mercy as well as we The river needs the spring but the spring is the last and needeth not the river and so Angels and men they need mercy every way but God he needeth none only he is the giver of all It being more blessed to give than to receive even in this sense Secondly When he is called the Father of mercies it implieth The voluntariness and readiness in God to it Psal 103. Like as a father pitieth his children c. We do not intreat or hire a father to pity a miserable child his own bowels perswade him to it Now this is much more in God For as the Psalmist argueth He that made the eye shall not he see So he that giveth bowels and pity to parents shall not he much rather be mercifull So that as it is for holiness if all the holiness of men and Angels were put together it would be but a drop to what is in God So if all the mercy and all the compassions of all the fathers and mothers in the world were joyned together it would be nothing to God Oh what dishonour doth thy unbelieving fearfull heart do to this mercifull Father Thou thinkest he hath but the mercy of a man thou judgest of his bowels according to thy own no Gods mercie is as much above thy sinnes and miseries as his Essence is above thy being O nomen misericordia sub quo nemini desperandum But of that more presently Only when he is called a Father of mercies that denoteth the readiness in God and willingness in him and this is remarkable in Gods mercies over what is in mans our mercy is many times because the object miserable is of our own flesh and nature with us It moveth the heart to see one of the same nature with us to be thus miserable but God he is infinitly above man he hath no communion in nature with us and yet he is merciful Again Mercy amongst men is often because we have been under such miseries ourselves They that have the pain of the stone commiserate those that are in the like manner troubled because they know what it is Thus many eminent Ministers of the Gospel are exercised with soul-temptations and desertions that they may know how to mourn with bleeding bowels over those that are so tempted Thus the mercy of Christ as Mediator differs from the mercy of God as absolutely considered For he was tempted like us in all things sinne only excepted Heb. 4. 15. and the reason of this the Apostle giveth That he might be touched with a feeling of our infirmities Christ knoweth what the meaning is of every groan and every sigh that comes from a child in darkness crying out Why hath my God forsaken me Thus Christ as Mediator is mercifull in another way then God is yet this advanceth still the mercy of God that whereas his blessed and perfect Nature cannot know experimentally what it is to be miserable what it is to need mercy yet for all that his breasts are full and no womon is in greater pain to be eased of her burden then God to bestow his mercies Thirdly In that he is a Father of mercies a Father there is implied That he doth lay our misery to heart For although he cannot be passionately affected as man nor is sensible of our infirmities as Christ was yet this doth not hinder but that our misery is taken notice of as really so as to be succoured by him as if it were in the most compassionate Father that is That expression of God concerning the Israelites miseries under bondage is remarkable Exod. 2. 24 25. He heard their groaning he remembred his Covenant he looked upon his children he had respect or knew them See here ears eyes memory and mind all are affected with their trouble So Isa 63. 9. it is said In all their afflictions he was afflicted As then anger against wicked men though in God it be not the ebulsition of bloud about the heart or accompanied with a pale countenance yet it is more really and dreadfull in God than in man Therefore better have all the men of the world angry with thee than God So it is in his mercy in him mercy though it have not humane concomitants yet it 's more real operative and efficacious than all the mercifull fathers in the world is and thou hadst better have God shew mercy to thee than all the men of the world For In the fourth place when he is said to be the Father of mercies there
fit and ready to receive comfort For all the while thou art enlightned only and hast not an heart fitted to receive it thou art like Moses that saw the good Land of promise but he could not enter into it And thus indeed it falls out sometimes that when the mind is enlightned enough yet the heart is heavy They cannot delight and rejoyce in the promise they would gladly do it they heartily pray for it but their heart sinketh down like a stone within them Therefore God hath a further degree in comforting and that is by raising up the heart by making it ready to receive consolation For as God can humble the proud heart and soften the hard heart so he can easily comfort and revive the grieved heart Thus as it is in sanctification it 's not enough for God to illuminate the mind unless he also change the heart and make us to will and to do So it 's not enough for God to teach us our duty about comfort but actually to work the heart for it Hence 2 Cor. 7. 6. you have a notable Attribute given to God God that comforteth those that are cast down Isa 51. 11 12. See there with what command God speaketh That they shall have comfort They shall obtain gladnesse and joy So that as God is above the heart in conversion thus he is also in consolation He will comfort and what man or Devil can hinder it As in matter of grace God declareth as Omnipotency and Sovereignty when he saith I will take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh so in matter of consolation I will take away the grieved the troubled the despairing heart and give an heart of joy peace and heavenly rest of soul In the third place God doth comfort removendo prohibens by removing whatsoever is obstructive and destructive of comfort As 1. By chaining up the Devil who is not only an enemy to the graces but also the comforts of Gods people As the holy Ghost is a Comforter so the Devil is the prince of darkness a Tempter to unbelief to sad and soul yea and bodymurdering thoughts God therefore doth restrain him in his temptations in his sad suggestions For we see by Job's instance the Devil cannot go any further than he is licensed by God himself 2. God doth subdue not onely the Devil without but also that corruption within which doth vehemently incline to unbelieving vexing and tormenting thoughts For although a man naturally be in security in self-ease and carnal presumption yet when once awakened for sinne and feeling the terrour of the Lord thereby then we are as peevish as froward against the promises as ever formerly we were against the precepts Adam endeavours to hide himself from God upon his sinne We see in Cain and Judas what sad and dreadfull effects the guilt of conscience would work in every one did not God command those winds and tempests to be still Therefore God doth repress these and thereby we are more ready for comfort 3. God doth by his grace prevent and keep us from sinne he daily preserveth us from many sad falls which if plunged into we should presently chase away all our comfort When David was left and fell into those gross sins all his joy was immediately lost therefore he complaineth of his broken bones and prayeth for joy to be restored to him what horrour what hell would quickly be raised in thy soul every day every night upon every temptation Did not the grace of God preserve thee Spira lost all comfort by Apostasie And thus many Christians did in times of persecution in a great measure by their revolt though they recovered again Therefore little doest thou know how much God worketh for thy comfort by preventing such sins which would make horrible wounds and gashes in thy soul Lastly God comforts thee by delivering thee from all such Doctrines though taught by many of great and eminent learning which yet in their own nature tend to make the heart uncomfortable How wonderfully did God work for the comfort of Luther who professed the unspeakable tremblings and fears of soul he was in and being in captivity by the Doctrine of works as then tought in Popery he could have no comfort but often wished he had never been a man till God comforted him by delivering him from those false Doctrines Thus the Doctrine of the Apostasie of true Saints doth utterly dash all comfort from the believer he must necessarily be in miserable tormenting fears all the day long And so have we done with that immediate way of Gods comforting The Mediate way is by those means which he hath appointed to be as Conduits running wine for us And they are 1. The Scriptures David professeth much quickning and comfort he had by them So Rom. 15. 4. The comfort of the Scriptures They are a cordial a tree of life They direct to comfort exhort to comfort all such as are poor in spirit 2. The Ministers They are sons of consolation and comfort The Word they preach is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the joyfull noise Even the very feet of such who bring the glad tidings are said to be blessed They have a tongue of the learned to speak a seasonable word for such as are contrite in spirit They are not to quench the broken reed Though to the obstinate sinner we bring the hammer and fire of the Word yet to the broken heart we bring balm and oil Lastly God comforts by the Sacraments In them he doth peculiarly seal peace and comfort Therefore is the Lords Supper called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a giving of thanks Thus doth the Lord by these means abundantly provide for our consolation SERM. XXXVII That Believers only are the Subjects of the Comforts and Consolations of God 2 COR. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation THe next particular which followeth in order as the Text stands divided is the Subject whom God doth thus comfort and that is said to be Us who comforteth us that is both us believers in a general sense and us Apostles in a particular manner For they being like Uriah in the fore-front of the battel and more assaulted by the Devil within and enemies without they do need the greater comfort But we shall handle it in the most large sense and observe That God is a God of all comfort unto believers only For this Us in the Text is not only determinative to shew who they are into whose wounds God doth thus pour oyl but also restrictive to such and such only Indeed the wicked ones of the world may have comfort in outward mercies They may rejoyce in the good things of this life and this is acknowledged by Solomon To be a gift of God but these worldly joyes do become a sinne and a curse to them The Poet said well O miseri quorum gaudia crimen habet Their very joyes do become like wine to men in a feavor though refreshing
sinnes when repented of cannot barre off great consolations and indeed such need strong consolations for their great conflicts and agonies If Christ put not both armes under them they hardly keep from fainting away Mary Magdalen and Peter were in a special manner owned and comforted by Christ though they had deeply wounded their souls with sinne We see Paul though so notorious a wretch against Christ yet when converted God doth not upbraid him with former rebellions but in the number of those who have peace and joy he reckons himself and the truth is such are most humble tender and melting under comforts What Lord such a beast such a Devil as I have comfort What Lord I that might have been a Cain a Judas crying out My sins are greater than I can bear That like Dives might have begged for one drop of water to cool my scorching heat but have been denied Shall such an one have comfort and consolation SERM. XXXVIII How God will comfort his People in all both their spiritual and temporal Afflictions which all the Art of Philosophy can never do 2 COR. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation THe second particular in this Text hath been dispatched viz. the Subject whom God comforteth Us Apostles and believers in the general such onely have a right and interest comforts Why such onely have a right will be treated on more opportunely in the procedure of the verse We therefore go forward to the third part of the Text as it stands divided and that is the Object matter wherein this comfort is communicated to us and that is for the nature of it said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tribulation and for the extension of it all tribulation Tribulation The Greek word signifieth Such an affliction as doth even oppresse and squeeze a man as it were Hence it is translated sometimes persecution Act. 11. 19. The Churches afflictions are called persecutions to shew the voluntary malicious endeavours of her enemies who run up and down to seize on such as belong to Christ which implieth also that the godly did not rashly and sinfully put themselves into their enemies hands but that according to Christs command they did flee when their adversaries sought for them And this may be done in faith not in sinfull fear as appeareth Heb. 11. where some are said to hide themselves in caves and holes yet by faith But the word is commonly rendred tribulation having sometimes the epithete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to it as Mat. 24. 21. And the Latine word tribulation answers the Greek well which say some comes from the flail of the thresher that bruiseth the corn Or as others from thistles that are sharp and vexing Well the word signifieth such a tribulation as is bruising pricking sadly molesting Yet as out of the same root cometh the sweet Rose as well as the sharp prickles so from the same condition shall arise joy as well as grief Observe That there is no tribulation or affliction Gods people can fall into but God will comfort them therein The Text saith all tribulation let it be what it will be Do not say Every tribulation but mine Take heed of thinking thy dungeon is so dark that no ray or beam of this Sunne can come unto thee For as Paul argueth in another case Heb. 2. 8. In that all things are put under subjection to Christ it is manifest he left nothing that is not put under him So in that God comforteth in all tribulation it is manifest that there is no tribulation exempted or left out Take heed of that prophane Question Is God the God of the hils as well as of the valleys Think not that God is limited so as if there were some kind of water that he cannot turn into wine some stones that he cannot convert into bread But let us explain this And First God doth comfort his people in all tribulations for the several kinds of them The tribulations that may fall upon the people of God are of such different sorts that it is very difficult to number them as it is the sand upon the Sea-shore yet we may divide them into these two sorts The soul-troubles in the general or spiritual ones and the external or temporal ones In both these God will not leave his people comfortless Their spiritual troubles they may empty themselves into several chanels As 1. There is a soul-trouble arising in the heart because of Gods displeasure for sinne This trouble David doth sadly groan under many times and this is the greatest evil that the godly can grapple with When God hideth his face from David it 's neither his Kingdom or success or any great prosperity he hath that can be so much as a drop of water to cool his thirsty scorched soul Job also was in this troubled condition when he complaineth That the arrows of the Almighty did stick in him What comfort or joy could Job find in any thing in the world while God was thus frowning on him So that the soul in this case is most remote from comfort Bring him riches honours you do but as they that gave vinegar and gall to Christ for to drink you increase sorrow more yet at last we find both David and Job were comforted God could and did of that chaos and dark confusion they felt within them work much light and joy And certainly if there be any of Gods children that live and die without comfort having no evidence or assurance of Gods favour this is not because God cannot comfort or because God is not gracious and pitifull to such but because God seeth it best not to give comfort to such Seeing therefore it 's God that breaketh the heart it 's he that makes the soul tremble it is he that convinceth of sin and humbleth the soul under it So it is the same God only that can command comforts when he speaketh the word all sorrow and tormenting fears shall flie away as dark mists before the glorious light of the Sun Oh then let such dejected and overwhelmed souls remember the Omnipotency of God in comforting as well as in other things Say O Lord my heart would break and break again if I had nothing but men or Angels to comfort but I have to do with thee who art the Father of spirits and so canst put into the soul gladnesse of heart as well as grace A second spiritual trouble is The want of that sanctifying and mortifying power they desire against their lusts They find the reliques of corruption too prevalent their hearts are not in their own power They complain and say I command my hands and they move as I would have them I stirre my feet and they obey presently but when I charge my soul to be heavenly believing to be chearfull patient it doth not at all yeeld to me Paul Rom. 7. did in a most pathetical manner complain of this conflict and agony with him The
Lastly Here are Consolations And although these are of greater concernment in the particular to every Believer because the joy of the Lord is his strength hereby also he walketh thankfully and fruitfully yet let him take heed of being narrow and sparing in using them for others comforts For if thou art a Minister of the Gospel then thy work is not only to convert but to comfort not only to bring out of sinnes but out of fears and dejections Thus the Apostle at the last verse in this Chapter We are helpers of your joy Consider that not only what is acquired by study but what also is inspired by God into thy soul may be of admirable efficacy to others Though Christs Sermons and Parables were like a two-edged sword mightily dividing between true grace and hypocrisie yet Isa 50. 4. he expresseth his Ministry by this to speak a word in season to the weary and this he calleth the tongue of the learned We call it Learning to alledge the Ancients to be full of Greek and Hebrew to empty out the bowels of School-learning yea some are so simple as to account studied words and composed language rare Learning whereas speech is like the Arrow that is not commended for studs of gold or Jewels on it but if it hit the mark Thus that is Oratory which is most proper to effect the end of our speech To make the sinners weep the hard heart to tremble and the sad to be comforted You see it 's the tongue of the learned to do this Doth then God give thee comfort be not thou wanting then to support and comfort the feeble-minded It may be thou art a kind of a spiritual Dives full of consolations and thinkest thou hast store enough laid up for thee both to live and die with take heed lest some poor Lazarus would be glad of thy crums and thou dost not give to him SERM. XLII That those only can make fit applications of Spiritual things to others who have an Experimental knowledge of them in their own souls 2 COR. 1. 4. That we may be able to comfort those that are in any trouble THere remaineth a second Doctrine contained in the final cause why God comforts his people viz. That they may be able to comfort others From whence there is this Observation obvious That those only are able to make fit applications to the souls of others who have had the experimental working of Gods grace upon their own souls That we might be able implying otherwise there would not be that sufficiency and fitnesse in us which ought to be To discover this consider First That there is a two-fold knowledge of divine and spiritual things The one is speculative and meerly Theoretical when we know them yea and it may be give a sound and firm assent to them And such are all those learned men who are very Orthodox and wonderfully able to maintain the truths of Christ against all opposers whatsoever Such as these are God raiseth up many times as eminent Pillars in the Church But because this is not enough to salvavation therefore in the second place there is a saving affectionate practical and experimental knowing of truth whereby we do not only believe such things but by believing we do love and embrace the truths we know We do credendo amare we have a faith which worketh by love Now it must be confessed that the condition of those who are only Orthodox and no more is much to be pittied and lamented To write against Arminians and others about the work of Gods grace in Conversion and yet never experimentally to have this upon their own souls So to treat of Justification and Christ yet not at all to have the saving and sweet operations of these things upon their souls is greatly to be bewailed To be like the builders of Noah's Ark that proved a place of rest and refuge in the time of the deluge for others when they themselves had no advantage by it But it is no wonder that such excellent knowledge and of such admirable lovely use in the Church be not saving while it goeth no further because practice and doing is the end of all Theological knowledge If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13. 17. So that this experimental and practical knowledge of divine things is that which compleateth the former To know Christ so as to have him to know regeneration so as to be born again this is the glory of all knowledge Hence is that Commandement 2 Cor. 13. 5. To examine our selves to try our selves whether we be in the faith and in Christ or no. The latter word signifieth to make an experience or an experimental tryal of grace in us So that if you had a man who could speak like an Oracle in all the points of Divinity who was a very Miracle in respect of learning yet he is but a tinckling cymbal and speaks in the matters of Religion like a Parrot not rightly or fully apprehending of them till he hath inwardly tasted of the sweetnesse of them Secondly This saving experimental knowledge doth differ in its whole kind and is of another nature in a moral consideration from a meer Orthodox or bare speculative knowledge I shall not enter into a large dispute concerning the difference between illumination in a temporary believer although now we are not so much speaking of the habitus fidei as Theologiae which may be in learned knowing men and that which is in a true convert We shall suppose it for a truth from Heb. 6. That those who were inlightned yea and had some experimental workings of which a non yet they had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had not the things that hold fast salvation and therefore the Apostle hoped for better things They therefore so differ that take a man who doth only know divine things by Books by Sermons by reading of Authours and was not at all acquainted wih the Spirits effectual teaching by the Word and let him at last come to have these things set home upon him by an effectual demonstration of Gods Spirit let him know these things as the truth is in Jesus which the Apostle mentioneth Eph. 4. and he will then cry out acknowledging that he never knew any thing till then That he was in the dark that he had but a learned kind of folly that he spoke of these things as men do of Countries which they see in Maps only by a general knowledge having never travelled to see the Countries themselves There is such a fuller power accompanying this practical knowledge that the former was but a shadow to this substance Observe many men Do they not read the Scripture Do not they go from Chapter to Chapter But till it be the ingrafted Word in them they have the images and pictures of things not the things themselves In the third place That is not to be called
incestuous person whom sorrow had almost swallowed up as a whirlpool These that call for a drop of water as it were to cool their scorching souls and cannot have it To such as these we are to apply our selves with all tendernesse to comfort them as the Apostle exhorted the Corinthians For seeing that a wounded spirit is more hardly born than any outward misery whatsoever no wonder that in this case if ever we come with all comforting medicines to heal them and revive them We read the Lord Christ when he was in those agonies conflicting with the sense of Gods wrath that even he himself had an Angel to comfort him Must Christ the Sonne of God have an Angel sent to comfort him How much more then a poor wretched sinner ready to fall into hell with the burden of his sins This is fully represented by Elihu Job 33. 28. where speaking of a man chastened by the Lord and consuming away so that he doth even abhor to eat his bread If there come an Interpreter a Messenger one amongst a thousand that can shew to such his uprightnesse that make it evident to him that he is no hypocrite but the truth of grace abideth in him then his flesh shall be fresh as a childs he shall pray to God and he will be favourable and he shall see his face with joy See what a wonderfull change such a messenger may make he doth even raise him from the dead he that was pininig away is returned to his youth and this is for spiritual troubles Again in the second place There are outward troubles and it 's our duty to comfort such also and endeavour to turn their water into wine and of such troubles happily the Apostle speaketh chiefly in this Text. For although God be ready to fill their hearts with joy yet he will have this done many times by the help of others because we being members in the same body are to be accordingly serviceable to one another Hence in the second place Every one in trouble doth greatly need the assistance and help of others to comfort them Take the most godly Minister or the most able Christian who have been most eminent and successefull to comfort others yet when they have been tempted and cast down themselves they have not bin able to make use of those directions they have given to others As Physicians though never so able to help others yet in their own diseases they need the advice of others Insomuch that there is no Christian in any trouble can say I need not the comfort of any the help of any I can support and comfort my self well enough Thus Paul Rom. 1. 12. though so eminent an Apostle caught up into the third Heaven yet he did long to see the Romans That he might be comforted with them though that might be in respect of their graces to see this flourish as in other places Ye are my Crown and my Joy if you stand fast in the Lord. But howsoever we see job though so eminent yet not able to pour oyl into his own wounds he is without comfort and cannot help himself Now there are these Reasons Why those who are afflicted though never so able and gracious yea excellently skilfull to comfort others yet they themselves need help from others in their temptations First Because their temptations do darken and obnubilate their own judgements and so they are not able to see that ground and those arguments of comfort which others may It is with them as those who would behold their face in a broken glass or in muddied streams like those that look through a green glass they judge every thing green while judgement is kept clear though faith be weak yet still there is some support but then is the soul wholly cast down when the eye is become darkness when in stead of a Father it apprehends God a Judge when instead of beholding the gracious works of Gods Spirit in themselves they think they see nothing but hypocrisie and rottenness in themselves Oh now how welcome is such an one of a thousand who shew to that man his uprightness Secondly The most eminent in their troubles need comfort from others Because the sense and feeling of their grief doth wholly possesse them so that they mind nothing else Whatsoever it be that is a burden upon them with this they rise and go to bed and groan under it now another Christian is very fit to put them in mind of such promises to remember them of such passages in Scripture which their immoderate sorrow had wholly driven out of their mind The soul of a man cannot be intent to many things at once therefore the sense and feeling of its particular exercise taketh up the whole heart as if there were no Scripture no promise no balm in Gilead for any then to be a Remembrancer a Monitor you forget such a place you remember not what the Scripture delivereth concerning your condition or you do not think of what you have formerly Say with David I will remember the works of the Lord of old Thus I say even the most eminent are so apt to be sensible of what is upon them that they remember not such things as may do them good Thirdly Even the most eminent who are in any trouble they cannot so bear it but they are subject to unbelief to discontent to frowardnesse to many sad exercises of soul And therefore no wonder if they need the help of others to allay that evil spirit in them as Martha said Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died So mayest thou say Oh if such a Christian such a Minister had been with me I had not been so impatient I had not been so dejected We cannot be in exercises especially in spiritual desertions and the sense of Gods wrath but withall there will arise much sinne there will be froth and mud that our hearts will send forth In this boiling of the soul there will arise some scumme It is true in Christ although he was under those disconsolate desertions destitute of comfort yet all the while there was no sinne in him no grace was weakned though his comfort was abated his soul was like a glass with pure water in it all the moving and tossing of it up and down could not cause any filth or mud in it but it is otherwise with us our souls have mud a sinfull sediment in the bottome and no sooner are we tossed and moved up and down but this cometh to the top our corruption sheweth it self presently and therefore we need the prayers the advice of others yea rebuke sometimes because like Rachel We refuse to be comforted Fourthly Every one needeth comfort from others in trouble Because the Devil is then most forward and busie He is ready to accuse God to thee and to accuse thee to God He moveth in job's wife that he should curse God and die He
And the Fontal Cause of all who is said to be God Of this later we have said enough already We shall therefore at this time dispatch the former That comfort by which the Apostles themselves were refreshed by that did they revive others even those that were farre inferiour to them both in gifts and graces So that as by the same Sunne both the rich and the poor do see one finds the sweetness of the light as well as the other Thus also by the same grounds of comfort that any godly man may be supported all may be Observe That those grounds of comfort which revive the heart of one godly man may also do another That which is wine to make glad the heart of Paul will also exhilarate the hearts of others who believe in Christ That which is honey to one cannot be gall to another This truth hath its great practical use And First Let us consider That there are general grounds of comfort for all the godly in all their tribulations and there are special particular ones The general grounds of comfort are such that all the godly may make use of at all times be they Jew or Gentile bond or free eye or foot in the body of Christ there is no difference no exemption this fountain is set open Neither is it like the pool of Bethesda wherein the first only that stept in could be healed for here all are invited to drink first and last and that abundantly There are Catholicon comforts that let our diseases be what they will be these are proper to cure us There are some promises so full of general comfort for every condition that they are made for the meridian of every godly man Let us give you some summary draught of them As 1. That all afflictions do come from the love of a Father to such as believe So that although they be grievous to flesh and bloud and have a bitter taste yet they come from a sweet root These thorns do grow upon a vine These bitter streams come from a sweet fountain Now this ground of comfort belongs to all that have an unfeigned love to God Canst thou make out thy evidence of being in Christ Is thy name to be found in the book of life Then this comfort thou mayest apply to thy self be thy condition or quality what it can be thou mayest boldly take this cordial and it is as proper for thee as a David or Paul any of those who are pillars in godliness Heb. 12. 6. For whom he loveth he chasteneth So that you see here is such an argument of comfort that every member of the body of Christ may use 2. Another general ground of comfort is The end and fruit of afflictions As they come from Gods love so they are to subdue sinne to bring us nearer to God Hence afflictions are compared to the fire that purgeth away the dross to winnowing that driveth away the chaff to pruning that cuts off the luxuriant branches and makes the other branches more fruitfull They are given by Christ the wise Physician of our souls as heavenly physick and admirable remedies to crucifie to sinne and to quicken to righteousnesse If God denieth thee such outward comforts thou desirest know that this very denial is for thy good and darest thou say Lord let me have them though they damn me Let me not be afflicted though it will do me good Quid â—…sit vâ—l prosit novit medicus non egrotus Thus the Apostle Rom. 8. All things shall work together for the good of those who love God The Apostle also speaketh notably of these afflictions in respect of the issue of them as well as of the original whence they flow Heb. 12. 9 10 11. where a three-fold advantage is said to come by them 1. By yeelding to the Father of Spirits chastising us we live Tribulations therefore are the way to make us live spiritually here and eternally hereafter If it were not for afflictions thou mightst die and be damned They have prevented much sinne They have been like a file to the iron to get off the rust They have been like the plowing and harrowing of the ground to fit thee to bring forth fruit And 2. God is said to chastise us for our profit which is expressed to be That we might be partakers of holinesse Tribulations then are very profitable and advantagious things though flesh and blood can hardly say so It may be thy afflictions have done thee more good than all the mercies thou ever hadst And therefore under every exercise examine What profit have I got Wherein am I made more holy And then 3. At the 11th verse after the grievous and burdensome way of them for the present afterwards they will yeeld a peaceable fruit of righteousnesse The chastening doth but seem grievous and that for the present but afterwards it makes more holy which is said to be the peaceable fruit of it The soul that raged and fretted finding the benefit begins then in a peaceable quiet manner to blesse and praise God for it This is a General comfort Every godly man may say this belongs to me in my afflictions as well as to any other 3. Not to be too large here The benefits and heavenly advantages which come from Christ being ours these also are comforts in common There is no fiery sword to keep out of this Paradise Rom. 8. Doth not the Apostle conclude those great priviledges of Justification of Perseverance in that state of conquest over all spiritual enemies and that from such general grounds as all the people of God may claim to it Because Christ died and because Christ is risen because he hath given us Christ and how then not with him all things else Is there any believer so weak so contemptible that Christ did not die for and rise for Is there any to whom the Father hath not given Christ If so you see that what comforted Paul may comfort you It is a vain Position of Papists that Paul speaketh so assuredly in that condition because of an extraordinary revelation that he had that Christ was his for he grounds his perswasion upon those general arguments which belong to every godly man Christ then and his presence with all his benefits is a cordial to every believer This Sunne of Righteousnesse ariseth with healing in his wings to the least believer as well as the greatest The The Dwarfe as well as the Gyant may hold this pearle in his hand But In the second place besides such general comforts which are as some say of Manna answering all dainties and was to every mans palate that which he most delighted in There are special and particular comforts for special and particular temptations So that as every disease needeth a peculiar remedy so every temptation a proper comfort And therefore that special comfort will not serve one in his temptation which doth another in a different one And hence
it is that it is an art of arts and much heavenly wisdome is required to administer the proper comfort for such a grief This makes Casuistical Divinity which is applied wholly to rectifie and comfort a wounded conscience more difficult than Polemical is The afflicted soul hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its deeps and Satan also in their temptations hath his deeps likewise Insomuch that it is choice prudence to give the proper cordial and to find out the true way of comforting such yet though there be special comforts in special cases yet all the godly that are in like temptations may and ought to take the like comforts That which hath done any godly man good under such an exercise may do thee also good if thou art not froward and unbelieving In the next place let us consider Why those arguments which some godly men have found powerfull to comfort them should also be very conducible to others And First Because all the Godly they are as I may so say Ejusdem speciei They have all the same substantial sundamentall worke of grace in their hearts That as you see all men have the same specifical humane Nature though there be many individual properties and differences Thus all the godly do partake of the same Divine Nature They are all borne of God they are all become new creatures Although indeed for the manner of conversion and the degrees of grace as also experiences of Gods favour and love in these things there may be much variation yet in the main as they all have the image of God and so are like him So they are also like one another It 's the common faith it 's the common love it 's the common Image of God which they all doe partake of So that godly men though they may differ in their gifts in degrees of graces in their judgements and opinions yet because the Image of God is stampt on them all there is a likenesse and similitude between one another What one feeleth the other feeleth How one is affected the other is affected they understand one another they do as it were see themselves in one another We have an expression Prov. 27. 19. As face answereth face in water so the heart of man to man There is a two-fold exposition of this place and that contrary Some say it is brought to shew the falshood and deceitfulnesse of mans heart That as in water there is not a true representation of the face so one mans heart is not truly known to another Others they goe on the contrary As say they the face of a man and the reflexion of it in the water are alike so is the heart of man to man that is of one friend to another Therefore a friend is Alter Ego They have all things common one soul as it were and one heart Now if this be true of moral friendship that their hearts are fo alike how much more of the people of God who are all made one in the Lord cis not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 21. They are all but one Person their hearts must needs answer one another Let a godly man read David's Psalmes wherein he doth experimentally declare what the workings of his soul were will not a godly man say he speaketh his heart his doubts his complaints Seeing then there is the same fundamental work of grace in all no wonder if what is suitable to one is also to another Secondly Another ground of the Doctrine is From the samenesse and identity of that Spirit of God which enliveneth all and worketh in all For as it is with the body though it hath different parts yet all those are informed and animated by the same soul It is not one soul that informeth the arms another the feet but it 's one and the same soul that informeth all Thus it is also with all the people of God they may differ much in externals their condition their estate yea in internals also in illumination and sanctification yet it is the same Spirit of God that liveth and worketh in them all If therefore the same root give nourishment to all of them they all grow upon the same stock if the same spirit diffuse it self through all no wonder if what comforts one may also comfort another no wonder if the same promises revive one that doth another He said Homo sum nihil humani alienum c. He was a man and so nothing of a man was strange to him Thus thou art a believer a new creature and so nothing that is proper to such should be strange to thee If you say Seeing they are all animated by the same Spirit which is a Comforter then it would follow they are all comforted alike all have joy alike but experience confuteth that Two have the Spirit of God and one is comforted the other is dejected walking in darknesse so that you would say certainly the same Spirit is not in both The answer is Though the Spirit of God which is a Comforter be in all the godly yet it is a free agent he dispenceth this voluntarily as he pleaseth And again Though the Spirit of God in the godly encline to comfort yet it is in an ordered and appointed way If thou art unbelieving froward then thou resistest the Spirit of God within thee The Jewes have a Proverb Super maestum non cadit Spiritus Sanctus which in a good sense may be true As it is in matter of Doctrine so it is also in respect of Consolation All the godly have the same Spirit whose work it is to lead into truth yet what wonderfull differences in judgement may be amongst them that have the same Spirit yet they all hold the foundation because the Spirit of God doth communicate it self by degrees and in measure to one more to another lesse Thus it is also in respect of Consolation though they have the same Spirit of comfort yet the out-goings of this are in one more than the other And why should it seem a strange thing for all the godly under the Gospel to have the same Spirit seeing the holy ones under the Old Testament and those under the New are led by the same Spirit Whatsoever Marcionites of old and Socinians of late say to the contrary as appeareth notably 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of faith as it is written I believe and therefore have spoken we also believe and therefore speak so we also believe and therefore rejoyce Thirdly Another ground of the Doctrine is Because the main arguments of comfort promised in the Word are not upon personal considerations neither are particular priviledges but from that common reason which belongs to every believer Paul is comforted not because Paul not because an Apostle So David findeth God putting gladnesse into his heart not because a King not because a Prophet but because godly If therefore comforts Fundamental I mean are given upon a
threaten persecution yet from and in Christ he can abundantly rejoyce And indeed this is the wine the carnal man never drinketh of the honey he never tasted of The world is a stranger to this joy in Christ They rejoyce in riches in honours in worldly advantages but they know not what it is to rejoyce in Christ as our Mediator and treasure of all fulnesse Phil. 3. 3. They are said to be the circumcision who rejoyce in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh As therefore in the day time we see the Sunne only and no Stars Thus the people of God in their sufferings behold Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse and as for the Stars of the creatures they do not afford any light What made the Martyrs leap for joy Could they take any comfort from the world No that was an Aegypt to them a valley of tears so that it was in Christ only that they did rejoyce For want of the knowledge and experience of this it is that the unsound professor will deny Christ and his truth rather then suffer the losse of any thing because he feeleth more sweetnesse more pleasure in his goods in his pleasures in this world then he can do in Christ It is the gracious heart that can thus rejoyce in Christ In the next place Let us consider How many wayes Christ doth make our consolations in sufferings for his sake to abound And First Christ doth it by assuring and perswading of our hearts concerning those truths and righteous actions we do suffer for If comfort arise from suffering for Christ then the more assured we are that we do suffer for him the greater is our consolation If a man have great doubts in his heart whether he suffers for Christ or not Whether it be a truth or an errour that he is troubled for Whether he was a busie-body or not Whether he did keep within his calling and bounds or not If I say there be these hesitances and disceptations in his mind How can he have any comfort Therefore that our comfort may be full Christ giveth us the riches of assurance in our understanding Faith becomes the evidence and strong conviction Heb. 11. upon their souls insomuch that they know they are in the truth They know it's righteousnesse they suffer for Thus you may observe the Apostles in all the oppositions they met with from the world and all the malice of Satan yet never questioning or doubting whether they were deluded or no but were fully assured of those things they did preach Now this consideration is the more to be taken notice of because the sufferings for Christ in the latter age of the Church have differed wonderfully from the former For in the primitive persecutions their sufferings did arise from Heathens and Pagans it was for professing of Christ and opposing of Idolatry Now these things were plain here was no disputing But then in the after-ages of the Church when Hereticks got power especially when Antichrist was exalted and the Papacy lifted up with all strength then those that did persecute pretended Christ that what they did they did for the honour and glory of Christ and those who did suffer though indeed for Christ yet were reputed enemies to Christ And this is that which makes suffering for Christ to be a more difficult thing in these later dayes The Papists that have put to death so many Protestants defend themselves with these glorious Titles That they are onely the Church of Christ That Christ is onely amongst them That all who withdraw obedience from the Pope are out of the Ark out of hope of Salvation That it is service to Christ to root them out and therefore the Doctrines suffered for were not about the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ the Resurrection for which of old believers suffered from Pagans but about Transubstantiation the Universal Jurisdiction of the Pope the Infallibility of the Church the worshipping of Images and praying to Saints The Popish party pleading for these as allowed of by Christ The Protestant abhorring of them as Idolatry and also injurious to Christ Now on the Papists side was the whole Christien world almost all the learned men all the great men all the devout religious men they were zealous this way and the Martyrs they were but few comparatively many of them private men and women What a temptation was here to those that suffered How easily might they think what am I wiser than all Is it likely God would reveal that to me which he denieth to others more learned Besides they dispute they bring Scripture and Fathers May not I be deluded May not the Devil transforme himself into an Angel of light and so deceive me Truly such temptations would quickly have blown down the house had it been built onely upon sand but the Martyrs were established upon a Rock Christ gave them full assurance of those truths they lost all for and this made way for their great comfort This conviction then and assurance of faith wrought by the Spirit of God is that which is the root of our comfort whereas doubtings and fears would disquiet all It is true Luther speaketh of himself That he had many times such thoughts Tunè solus sapis Art thou onely wise What if thou art damned and drawest others to Hell with thee And when a grave Divine came to him complaining of this temptation That of the Evangelical Doctrine which he preached he could not find that Faith and Assurance upon his soul he desired which was a bitter trouble to him Luther upon the disclosing of this brake out saying I think God I have met with one tempted as I am tempted There were it may be some temptations and doubts sometimes upon the spirits of those who did suffer for there was flesh still remaining in them and the Devil was desirous to winnow them but yet the power of Faith and the evidence of Divine Authority in the truths they suffered for would at last like the Sunne break forth and dissipate those mists Therefore pray much for the guidance of Gods Spirit herein through the Word that thy comfort may be sure The Heretick that suffers because he hath a false and erroneous perswasion therefore he hath a false and a deceitfull comfort and therefore is but like one in a dream pleasing himself with great imaginations when he awakeneth poor and hungry but the true sufferer he hath joy and he knoweth his joy is good and upon â—ound grounds which never can be taken away Secondly Christ doth comfort by informing of us aforehand of all the troubles and sufferings which will necessarily accompany the true profession of faith in his Name Is not our Saviour often upon this subject Doth he not frequently fore-tell his Disciples what reproach and hatred they shall meet with Doth not the Scripture also in several places insist upon this point That all who will live godly must suffer many tribulations That the
off for ever Will he be gracious no more Thy tribulations are not eternal After thy wildernesse condition thou wilt be brought into a Canaan 2. We have the effect or end of such consolations which are vouchsafed to others especially the Officers of the Church who are like the mountains whose springs empty themselves into the valleys and that is two-sold Consolation and Salvation Of the former enough hath been said already We come therefore to the latter which is their Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have three words in the New Testament tending to the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour thus Christ is often called and his Name Jesus is because he doth save his people Christ is the cause of our salvation Then there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actual salvation Act. 4. 12. Yea this is applied sometimes to Christ himself metonymically Even as in the Old Testament David doth often call God his salvation Act. 13. 47. Christ is there said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For salvation to the ends of the earth Luk. 1. 69. he is called the horn of saluation that is a powerfull and strong Saviour Lastly There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not so much signifie salvation it self as the means and instrument by which it is procured and thus Christ as Mediator is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2. 30. Luk. 3. 6. Hence Ephes 6. 17. The helmet of salvation because it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may relate even to Christ himself as David calleth God his helmet and his shield c. As for the thing it self viz. Salvation that may answer the Hebrew word Peace which containeth a confluence of all good things The Heathens did so admire it that they built a Temple Deae Saluti to the Goddesse Safety though they understood only a temporal safety and therefore when they were saved or delivered from dangers they did offer their Sacrifices called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus they thought all their safety came from Heaven though corrupted with blind minds In the Scripture we read of a two-fold salvation A Temporal one and the Old Testament speaketh much of this salvation because temporal mercies were in a more plentifull manner vouchsafed to them not but that the godly looked for a spiritual salvation as Jacob witnesseth in his benedictory prayer before his death saying Gen. 49. 18. I have waited for thy salvation O Lord only spiritual things were not so clearly and plainly manifested as in the Gospel times Hence the Temple 1 King 6. 4. had windows indeed but they were of narrow lights This Salvation temporal is often in the Old Testament expressed in the plural number The salvations of the Lord because of the multitude and Frequency of them 2. There is a spiritual Salvation and this is sometimes applied to the Gospel and means of grace because they are instituted means to bring to salvation Act. 13. 26. It 's called the Word of salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the day of salvation Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation So that the very title which is given to the preaching of the Gospel should partly much affect and winne upon us who would not be saved Why should not all Congregations endeavour after a godly Ministry This is to bring in Salvation amongst them And partly it should terrifie all prophane atheistical men who delight in their lusts and slight the Gospel preached what is this but to refuse salvation What is this but to say Let me be damned I had rather with my lusts go to hell then without them to Heaven Every Sermon thou despisest salvation it self is rejected by thee But then 2. This spiritual Salvation is either inchoate or consummate Inchoate or Salvation begun is attributed to the works of grace in this life Sanctification especially Justification So Ephes 2. 5. and 2. 8. By grace ye are saved he speaks of Justification in this life and as that which is already obâ—ained 2 Tim. 1. 9. Justification is salvation begun though good works are otherwayes required to one and the other The Consummate or compleat Salvation is that in Heaven which is the Salvation so often promised in the Scripture and that is the Summum bonum and the ultius finis the mark all are to aim at The Scripture doth clearly describe that which the Philosophers did grope in the dark about having many several opinions about it That as our Saviour asked his Disciples Whom do men say I am And they answered Some John Baptist some Elias Now though these were holy men yet it was a dishonour to Christ to be accounted no more than a man Woe be to us if Christ had been no more than a meer Prophet Seeing therefore these did so mistake our Saviour asketh further But whom say ye that I am Then Peter answered The Sonne of the living God It was the Father not flesh and blood that had revealed this Thus if you ask What do the men of the world say Happinesse and Salvation is One will reply Riches another Honours but what do ye say who are more than flesh and blood who have the Spirit of God revealing things to you Even the enjoyment of God and Christ to all eternity this is Salvation this is Blessednesse This Salvation is that which we are to endeavour after in our whole life Better never have been borne and not saved What will it profit thee to have had a little pleasure a little greatnesse and honour in this life and hereafter to lose this salvation There are some places of Scripture wherein it 's disputed what Salvation is spoken of whether temporal or spiritual or both 1 Pet. 3. 20. Eight persons were said to be saved in the Ark. So 1 Pet. 4. 18. The righteous shall scarcely be saved The Arminian would bring that place 1 Tim. 4. 10. Who is the Saviour of all men to a spiritual salvation But that is absurd for he speaks of being an actual Saviour and that cannot be to wicked men for they are not saved therefore it is of a temporal preservation for even to wicked men he vouchsafeth daily salvations and deliverances Now it is plain my Text speaketh of a spiritual Salvation and that which is to come called eternal Salvation Observe That God doth by all his dispensations carry on and further the salvation of his people If others be afflicted if others be comforted all helpeth forward to the salvation of those that believe In this sense it is said 1 Cor. 3. ult All things are yours The Officers and Ministers of the Church life and death things present and things to come How are all these things a godly mans Even because they further his salvation by all these he promoteth the happinesse of his people Thus Paul knew Phil. 1. 19. that all his enemies practices yea their preaching Christ out of envy thinking thereby to afflict
sake The Romans boast of many such virtuous persons amongst them and for patient enduring of bitter torments what expressions do the Stoicks delight in They make all Philosophy to be in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sustine and abstine Now although by their rules they would teach a man to bear afflictions yet this is but a splendid sinne It 's from Christ onely we can be strengthned to such things And Paul Phil. 4. 12. saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am instructed as in a secret mystery to know how to abound and how to suffer need Wonder not then if you read of what fortitude and patience even to admiration Heathens have excelled in who yet were not strengthned by Christ for vain-glory and corrupt aims may make men contemn their lives yea and the Devil many times filleth such with boldness and presumption as we see in blasphemous Hereticks who have shewed great confidence in their death For as the Devil when he possessed the bodies of some persons filled them with more strength than naturally they had so that they have been able to break iron chains in pieces thus when he filleth the hearts of men by Gods just judgement with impudency and mad undaunted boldness they will willingly adventure any danger whatsoever The Devil hurrieth such into danger yea death it self as he did the swine into the sea Use of Instruction to all that fear God to humble themselves under every trouble God brings upon them to go out of themselves to acknowledge Gods strength onely Say O Lord if I had no more power than my own there is no cross I could bear I am such a bruised reed that I could not stand under any tribulation Therefore I cast my burden upon thee thou canst make me bear it though of my self I cannot urge God When thou feelest thy infirmities with that gracious promise Isai 40. 30 31. All shall lose their strength rather than the people of God What hath God given thee strength to love him to believe in him and hast thou no strength to suffer afflictions Be strong in the power of the Lord Ephes 6. 10. SERM. LXIV The natural fear of Death is not taken away by Grace What are the Uses of it 2 COR. 1. 8. Insomuch that we despaired even of life THis last clause in the Text is a further Aggravation of the greatness of this trouble which came upon him in Asia and it is from the Event or Consequent It was so great that he could not escape death The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath an emphasis in the Preposition and so is more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that doth properly signifie When a man is indeed doubting and full of debates within himself not well concluding what to do Joh. 13. 22. Gal. 4. 20. but when this Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added it denoteth such a perplexing that a man cannot any way evade out of it Therefore the Apostle you would think speaketh the contrary to this passage as we shewed he did seemingly to the former For 2 Cor. 4. 8. there the Apostle doth expresly say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used only there and in my Text. It may seem then a contradiction for the Apostle here to say He was without all help or means and there to say The godly never are But the answer is easie For when in the Text Paul saith He was without all help or means he meaneth natural and visible There was no outward way to help him Not but that God might deliver him in a way he did not see or apprehend and so indeed God did deliver him as appeareth afterwards Therefore when in that fourth Chapter he saith The godly are never so destitute as to be without help he meaneth so as to have neither divine or humane help Even as in the same place Paul saith of the godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are not distressed yet 2 Cor. 6. 4. he saith He was in necessities in distresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so 2 Cor. 12. 10. The word thus explained the summe of his meaning is That this trouble was so great that it brought him into such a straight that in respect of any humane help there was a necessity of his death and this fear of death did much afflict and assault the spirit of Paul Some render the word taederet so that Paul was even weary of his life as if he desired to die his trouble was so great Some with our Translators We despaired of life But Beza doth willingly abstain from that word therefore that which doth most express the significancy of the word is such a perplexity and doubting in his mind about his life that he could not see any wayes to escape he was like Jonah in the Whales belly out of which there was no visible way to be delivered So that the word implieth these two things 1. That Paul was very anxious about his life and was afraid of death 2. That flesh and blood did conclude there was no help for him because outwardly there did not appear any From whence we may observe this Doctrine That Grace though it be never so lively and active yet doth not remove the natural fear of death Grace doth not destroy nature This holy Apostle who is so confident of the love of God and can triumph in all distresses is yet afraid of death is yet very solicitous about the preserving of his life There is a natural fear of death because there is implanted in a man a desire of self-preservation so that to be without it would be a sinne And then there is a sinfull fear of death which ariseth from sinne or tendeth to sinne Now the grace of God doth at least in some measure conquer the latter but it cannot overcome the former Hence Jacob for fear of death we see him in a great straight upon his meeting with his brother Esau greatly praying to God to turn the heart of his brother and also studying to mollifie his spirit with presents he sent to him David likewise was very sollicitous in the preservation of his life when Saul did so bitterly pursue him Yea Hezekiah though he had the testimony of a good conscience and could appeal even to God That he had served him with an upright heart and in truth yet when the Prophet Isaiah declared to him that he must die it is said He wept sore Isa 28. 2 3. and at the ninth verse we have a description of the bitterness of his soul under those fears Yea the Lord Christ himself In whom was found no sinne yet we find him greatly affected with the fear of death And although he had a peculiar reason because he tasted of death for our sake and so did therein bare our sinnes conflicting with the wrath of God due to us yet there was included in this a natural fear of death They that
God as that known expression of Luthers Fiat voluntas mea Domine In Savoâ—â—râ—la likewise even Machiavil did acknowledge a Divine Spirit in him Many things he fore-told which came to passe and had bold accesse to the throne of grace as if he had been another Moses speaking to God face to face In his Homilies upon Micah he hath wonderfull assertions about his predictions But extraordinary priviledges and that in some cases onely must not be extended to all When the glory of God and the good of his Church is concerned God doth come with more familiar discoveries of himthan at other times But though this be so yet the godly are many times deceived in themselves and about others and that because they judge according to outward appearance Fourthly Then are the people of God apt to be deceived about themselves When they yeeld too much or give too much credit to the strong affections and raised zeale as they thinke for the glory of God In such particulars they have many times failed as men yea so as they have sinned thereby and offended God Thus Peter did exceedingly fail Matth. 16. 23. when out of his great affection to his Master he said Master save thy self What a severe reproof did his humane affections meet with Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things of God but of man Little did Peter expect such words for that which he thought was his good will if not piety to Christ The like also we find in those Disciples Luke 9. 55. when they would have fire come from Heaven to be avenged on the Samaritans because they would not receive Christ for there Christ gave them a check saying Ye know not what spirit ye are of They thought that to be a Divine Spirit they thought the same heavenly breathing and motion to be upon them as was upon Elias but alas they did not know what spirit it was We find also Paul deceived or at least forbidden in some passages which he thought greatly promoting the glory of God Act. 16. 6. Paul was forbidden to preach the Word in Asia which implieth a desire and an attempt in him to do it And vers 7. Paul essayed to go into Bythinia but the Spirit suffered him not And often he purposed to come to the Churches he had planted And although he saith in one place 1 Thess 2. 18. I Paul would have come to you once and again but Satan hindered yet Satan could not have hindered had not God permitted him So that though Satan hindered Paul sinfully yet God did hinder him justly and for wise ends Which instances shew what vehement affections the godly may have and that as they think for Gods glory when yet God disposeth farre otherwise So that as God may sometimes for just and holy ends let false prophets speak truth as Deut. 13. 1. a false prophet or dreamer may tell a thing which may come to passe and the Lord suffer this to tempt and try his people Thus Balaam though a wicked man and a Sorcerer did prophesie of the happy things that were long after to come upon Israel Yea the Philistims Priests and Diviners did by Gods special permission 1 Sam. 6. direct to such means about the Ark and order strange wayes about the milch Kine to discover whether their evil was of God or not and all this proved successefull As I say God may for wise and just ends suffer the Devils instruments to foretell that which is true and speak aforehrnd of things that shall and will come to passe so on the other side God may sometimes hide things from his own people yea his own Prophets so that they may not know them As Elijah told Gehezi The Lord had hid from him what the Shunamites grief was The people of God then are to walk in all humility and as they are not to believe every spirit but try the spirit of others so also they are not to believe their own spirit but to try that Fifthly The people of God are apt to be deceived about themselves thinking otherwise than indeed it is and that about the frames of their heart in respect of the workings of grace As Paul received a sentence of death upon himself so sometimes the children of God a more terrible sentence upon themselves even that they are damned that they are cast-awayes that God hath forsaken them that they have no true grace that all their Religion is but hypocrisie Even these sad decrees the godly in their temptations do receive in themselves but God doth not passe this sentence upon them neither doth the word of God it is their deceived and tempted heart Thus also it is for grace they many times are deceived thinking they can do those things for God which when put upon the trial they cannot As Peter thought Though all men should for sake him yet he would not Oh how little do the godly know of their hearts how mutable how contradictory to themselves And all because they think that is not in them which indeed is As there are dangerous Rocks in the Sea when you would think by the waters that cover them all were safe and harmlesse It was this made David so affectionately cry out Psal 19. Who can understand his errours Cleanse me from secret sins and thereupon prayeth Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sinnes Remember that in thy heart there are secret concavities and windings that it will put on many shapes and forms seeming an humble heart when it is proud an heavenly heart when it is earthly SERM. LXVII The People of God often pass false judgement upon the dispensations of God towards them The Reasons from whence this false judgement proceeds with Rules to prevent it 2 COR. 1. 9. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we might not trust in our selves WE have observed from the first part in this Verse That even the godly themselves are apt to be deceived about Gods dispensation towards them They make false conclusions because they erre in some premisses It remaineth that after some generall and remote instances we come to insist on that which the Text affordeth viz. That then the People of God are deceived when they judge of Gods dealings according to sense and humane helps not according to Gods power and his promise And with this deceit the Children of God are frequently overtaken How often do we find David in many of his Psalmes thus deluded what false conclusions doth he many times make about himself and his affaires and all this did arise because he limiteth God to his own thoughts and expectations if God remove not such impediments if his helps come not in before such a time then they conclude all is hopeless It is said of the people of Israel that they limited the holy one of Israel Isa 78. 41. And wherein did this appeare The Psalmist spake of it before viz. Can God furnish a Table in the
do attain it They take civility for godliness they take the outward performance of religious duties for godliness they take some sudden pangs and fits of devotion for godlinesse Thus they judge copper to be gold But In the next place if they do understand what it is to be regenerated how great a matter it is to be a New Creature then such is their self-love that they presently apply it to themselves and do believe they are such ones For this end is that duty so often commended To commune with our own hearts to try and search our own hearts For this end we are informed of the deceitfulnesse and desperate wickednesse of the heart that no man knoweth it that God only knoweth it Thou boastest of thy heart thou trustest in thy heart Ah poor deluded wretch thou knowest not what a sea of evil thy heart is till grace shine into that dark dungeon thou canst never perceive the loathsome lusts that crawl there Pray therefore to be delivered from this heart-trusting as from hell it self It is this that is the Beelzebub sinne This maketh thee shut thy eyes stop thy ears harden thy heart and therefore till this root be pulled up no preaching no Ministry can do thee any good For the first thing done by converting grace is to take away this trusting in our selves and in stead thereof to work an holy despair in our selves This the Spirit of God doth by convincing of sinne through the Law by this we see our selves a sinfull people and a cursed people we are also convinced of our impotency and insufficiency to help our selves By this we are convinced that it must be the righteousness of another even of Christ himself and not our own that we must appear in when we approach unto God Till therefore thou art in this heart-trusting way as long as this good perswasion and secure thoughts are in thy self thou art wholly out of the way to Heaven This is not the way to Christ if thou art not wounded the good Samaritan will pour no oil into thee if thou doest not judge all things husks and seest thy self ready to famish there will no entertainment be given to thee at thy fathers house Oh then that the Spirit of God would in a mighty and powerfull manner fall upon such sinfull considers that he would shake the very foundations of their souls For as long as this self-trusting a bideth in thee thy condition is incurable if the heart be deceitfull above all things why doest thou believe it above all things Thou believest thy own heart more than Gods word more than the Ministers of God No man doubteth of his heart none questioneth or examineth his heart and therefore cometh not to the Word preached to have that purged to have that cleansed but takes it for an undoubted principle that his heart is good already But how cometh it to be good When was it made good by nature it is full of evil and therefore it can never be sanctified but by the grace of God effectually working by the Ministry Secondly The Scripture instanceth in another object of sinfull trusting that is secret and close but also very dangerous and that is in the righteousnesse we conceit we have and this was the great pharisaical sinne This was the Camels bunch this made them stand in such immediate opposition to Christ that they rejected his Person and Offices They did not look upon themselves as sick and therefore would not admit of a Physician And oh that this sinne had been like Jonah's gourd that sprang up for a day only and presently was consumed but it is a sinne that passeth from one generation to another to put confidence in their own righteousnesse to seek to be justified by the works they do Doth not this reign in Popish spirits in all formalists in civil and moral men Do they not look to be saved to be justified by their works of righteousnesse and charity How often doth the Scripture thunder against this sinne And indeed well it may for it maketh our selves our own Christs our own Saviours It maketh Christ to die in vain Now how natural and imbred a sinne this is appeareth by the Jewes Rom. 10. 3. They went about to establish their own righteousnesse and would not submit themselves to the righteousnesse of faith Hence because this sinne did so reign in the Pharisees our Saviour spake that excellent Parable Luke 18. 9. concerning a Publican humbling himself and sensible of his unworthiness as being justified rather than a Pharisee He spake this saith the Text to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous And why doth our saviour make those blessed that mourn that are poor in spirit that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse but to shew in what a blasted and cursed estate they are who put any trust in the good works they do to be justified by them You see then by this how dangerous and damnable a thing that common sinne is which every civil every just and righteous man is apt to lean upon if his eyes were opened and his heart made tender he would not dare to eat or sleep or stay one night in it as good and safe as now he believeth it to be Thirdly Another object of this sinfull secret trusting is in spiritual or Church-priviledges or Ordinances that we have more than others This is also like the Psalmists plague which destroyeth at Mid-day thousands fall dead into hell because of this religious trusting in priviledges and Ordinances They trust in them not regarding what holinesse and godlinesse God doth require of them How palpably did the Prophet Jeremiah reprove this in the Jewes Jer. 7. 4. Trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple the Temple of the Lord are these but amend your wayes and your doings as vers 3. When the Prophet exhorts them to repentance and reformation then they plead The Temple of the Lord and the Ordinances This is so enticing a sinne that in the Christian Church many were perswaded by false Teachers That unlesse they were circumcised and kept up the Rites of the Ceremonial Law they could not be justified Therefore the Apostle speaketh excellently Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision which rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh When it cometh to this that thou doest not trust in Duties or in Ordinances but in Christ in them then art thou a true worshipper of God in the Spirit In the same Chapter Paul layeth upon his own heart what trust and confidence he once had in his being a Jew in being circumcised in his legal righteousness But when it pleased God to reveal Christ to him What doth he trust in these priviledges any longer No by no means for he accounts all things but dung and losse in comparison of that righteousnesse which is by faith in Christ Is not this likewise an universal predominant sinne amongst Christians Do they not
it had beene better if Gods help had come sooner if he had not deferred so long but this is as if the patient should take upon him to direct the Physician when is the fittest time for the administration of his medicinal helpe Fourthly The people of God aggravate their mercies By comparing them with others miseries I have health how many are in paines and exquisite torments I have sufficiency and fullnesse how many Lazar's are there that would be glad of the crummes that fall from my Table As those Lepers that were ready to be famished but unexpectedly met with full provision in the Syrian's Camps said We doe not well 2 King 7. 9. let us informe the Kings houshold For alas they were ready to eat their own children through the famine while these had all plenty In the same manner mayest thou reflect with thy self How many are there even of the deare servants of God that are naked hungry persecuted and destitute of all hope There is scarce any so afflicted or in a low condition but he may look upon others who are more miserable than he This therefore will greatly sharpen thy affections to blesse God When thou shalt compare thy mercies with others miseries especially if you doe consider it in spirituals How many thousands sit in Paganisme and know nothing of Christ How many lye roaring in hell for the same sinnes or lesse sinnes it may be that thou hast committed Thus if thou set thy self to aggravate the mercy of God from every consideration thou wilt finde the circumstances will increase upon thee as the widows oyl did and thou wilt see thou hast more cause to blesse Ood then ever thou didst apprehend at first If I say thou didst this thou wouldst no more complaine of the coldnesse and chilnesse that is upon thy heart Nothing doth so much dull the heart as resting in generals blessing God in generals Take every mercy as thou wouldst some Watch or curious worke of Art and view every piece every part or as those that hehold some admirable Image they are intentive to every part thereof to observe the beauty life and proportion thereof Oh it is this and this onely will draw out thy soul and make thee have rivers of water flowing from thee It is this that will make thee say with Elihu Job 32. 18. I am full of matter the Spirit within me constraineth me my belly is as wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles Thus five words of praise coming from an heart aggravating Gods mercy are more effectual then five hundred in a formal general way SERM. LXXV Privative and preventing Mercies are to be accounted of as Positive 2 COR. 1. 10. Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver IN this Text we have Paul celebrating the goodness of God to him in that extream trouble mentioned before wherein was observed First The holy thankefull temper of Paul studying to aggravate the mercy of God He leaveth out nothing unexpressed which may not make for the great exaltation of Gods goodness towards him There remaineth a second Doctrine which is That the children of God are to account of the privative and preventing mercies as much as positive Paul cals this deliverance a deliverance from such a death so great a death yet he was not actually killed he was onely in danger of it but because had not the mercy of God prevented death had surely seised on him Therefore this mercy of preventing death he doth judge to be as it were a positive deliverance from it That as we see God doth deal with his people He accepteth of a willing mind for the deed And Heb. 11. 17. Abraham is said to offer up his onely begotten sonne because it was in the immediate disposition and preparation of his heart he had done it had not God prevented it So it is here with the people of God Those mercies which keep off the dangers that are immediately issuing out upon us they take as if the mercy was it self positively done to them Divines have a saying Plures sunt gratiae privativae quà m positivae There are more privative favours of God than positive and this they apply to spiritual things And indeed if we consider how many sins God may keep thee from which others fall into how many temptations God doth preserve thee in which swallow up others we must needs acknowledge that we are no more able to reckon up these preventing mercies of God than we can count the stars or reckon up the sand upon the sea-shore That this truth may affect us and cause us more to imploy our thoughts in a thankfull way towards God concerning all that evil which might come upon us if God did not interpose Let us take notice of these particulars First That there are some mercies God doth vouchsafe to his people which do suppose evil to be actually come upon them As when Joseph was delivered out of prison Jonah out of the whales belly the Lord did not prevent which he could have done if he had pleased but suffered them to overtake those children of his Yea all the troubles which do befall the godly he could have prevented them if he had pleased He that can deliver out of them can also stop them from coming but God out of wise ends both relating to his own glory and the good of his people doth bring these exercises upon them Then on the other side There are mercies which do not suppose evil actually to come upon us but ready and prepared to fall on us if the Lord did not forbid That as we see it was with the Angel when he had his drawn sword and was ready to strike Jerusalem with the plague as well as other places the Lord did mercifully command the Angel to put up his sword Now no doubt but David did account this preventing mercy this stopping of the plague to be as great as if they had been delivered in the midst of it For in regard of the preparation to this judgement they were but as so many dead corpses So that the people of God are of too narrow and streightned a spirit when they look onely to what troubles they have been in and God hath delivered them Oh consider further how many might have fallen upon thee yea would certainly have bruised thee had not the Lord kept them off Secondly These preventing mercies do empty themselves in a two-fold chanel For they are either Temporal evils or Spiritual evils that these mercies do relate unto and thus preventing mercies do compasse us about all the day long what evil might not have fallen upon thee every moment This disease that casualty such a sudden and unexpected calamity Insomuch that thou canst not hear of any misery fallen upon any living but it also might have come upon thee Doth any sit mourning and wringing their hands crying out O ye that passe by see if
as it is said Davids heart smote him that is his conscience did witnesse against him and condemn him And because of that remorsus that regreting and displicency which conscience putteth forth Durand is singular in his opinion holding that the practical understanding is not the conscience only but the will likewise is included in it The Hebrew word Leb signifying the Heart doth also originally denote the sprinkling of the meal with leaven Thus the heart hath naturally some principles in it which are like leaven to it as speculative and practical axiomes concerning God and just and unjust In the New Testament likewise it is called the heart 1 John 3. 20. If our heart condemne us that is our conscience God is greater than our heart But no more of this here This conscience is here described by one special act it hath and that is To bear witnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word in the Scripture is commonly used for that publick testimony and witness which either God did give unto the Gospel by miracles and signes or men by their publick profession and attestation Hence 1 Cor. 2. 1. the Gospel is called the testimony of God because so wonderfully confirmed by him So to men it is applied Act. 4. 3. The Apostles with great power gave witnesse of the Resurrection of Christ and because believers by their deaths did give the greatest testimony to the truths of God hence they are called Martyrs and their death is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Martyrdome in a principal sense Hence some have expounded that place Heb. 11. 4 39. where we render it The Elders obtained a good report of their Martyrdome They were made Martyrs because it is the passive sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes the word is used metaphorically as James 5. 3. the rust of covetous and wicked rich mens gold and silver is said to be a witnesse against them But here it is used concerning the work of conscience within a man and is in other places compounded denoting some joynt-witnesse with another Romans 2. 15. Their conscience bearing witnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Rom. 9. 1. My conscience also bearing me witnesse The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though some think is not to be regarded yet it doth denote as most say a respect to God who is our Superiour and to whom our conscience doth attend and therefore called not Science but Conscience So that Gods witness and the witness of conscience are both conjoyned together yea seem to be but one testimony as it were Hence the very Heathens could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conscience is a God to every man Therefore Paul useth an equivalent expression in other places Rom. 1. 9. Phil. 1. 8. God is my witnesse Salmeron out of Bernard speaks of a two-fold testimony of the conscience Testimonium conscientiae perhibentis that which the conscience doth actively exhibit and Conscientiae percipientis that which it doth receive from the Spirit of God of which we read Rom. 8. 16. and in this later sense he understands it But we take both in viz. that witness which the conscience did actually give of Paul's sincerity But because this could not be done without the Spirit of God inabling thereunto therefore it is a witnesse received from Gods Spirit first and from that conscience is enabled to deliver it to us Now when so much rejoycing is attributed to the testimony of conscience you must take along with you who it is that speaketh thus The testimony of our conscience of Paul who was sanctified enlightned and guided by the Word otherwise there is a testimony of a deluded conscience of a secure conscience that speaketh peace when there is no peace and this doth not afford any true or solid ground of rejoycing it must be therefore the testimony of such a conscience which Paul had And so observe That the witnesse of our conscience rightly guided in acquitting of us is a ground of unspeakable comfort He that hath his conscience rightly clearing of him he need not care for all the accusations of the Devils in hell and wicked men upon the earth It breedeth confidence both towards God and towards men Towards God 1 Iohn 3. 21. If our hearts condemn us not we have confidence towards God and whatsoever we aske we receive of him This encourageth and imboldeneth in prayer And towards men As you see Paul justified himself by this when called before the Council and made to plead for himself Act. 23. 1. Yea the Heathens though they could never attain to a true spiritually sanctified conscience yet not to live according to the natural dictates thereof they accounted the only happinesse Nil conscire sibi was the onely thing that made happy And Hic murus aheneus esto Pindar called it The good nurse in our old age So great a matter is it to have the testimony of a good conscience void of offence for that is Mille testes more than all the testimonies in the world Seeing therefore men have such constant recourse to this witnesse within and their comfort is true or false according as that is guided Let us enquire first into the constituent or ingredient qualities of a rightly guided conscience And First There is necessarily required to a good and true testimony of our conscience That it take the word of God as a Rule to judge by to witnesse by to accuse by and to acquit by The conscience of a man is not the supream rule but an inferiour and therefore is Regula regulata as well as Regula regulans a rule to be ruled by an higher rule which is the Scripture To the Law to the testimony if they speak not according to this it is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. If a man pretend to never so much light within if he rejoyceth never so much in the light that he hath yet if it be not from the light of the Word if it be not examined tried and judged to be according to that it is but a false light a light that will end in darkness So then though conscience be a testimony yet you see that bath another testimony to be guided by though it be a Law in a man yet there is a superiour Law to that which is the word of God By this you may see what a rotten foundation they have to build their comforts upon who take up other rules for their conscience besides the Scripture These joyes are all but like the morning-dew Some make their rule in Religion to be the tradition of their Fathers The Papist doth so extoll tradition that they think that alone without Scripture is starre bright enough to guide us Paul's zeal while a persecutor seemed to be grounded much upon this because they were the traditions of his fathers And truly tradition is the greatest reason of most mens faith whether it be in a right way or a true But this
is it How slavish and unbelieving Hence is it that the people of God need so many instructions and informations Hence is it that they are often in prayers and groans unutterable ere they can truly and cordially call God Father They fear him as a Judge and flie from him rather as an enemy Even as if there be never such glorious and delightfull objects to refresh the eyes with yet if a man be in the dark he cannot take any pleasure therein Thus many of Gods dear children who walk with a tender conscience who are diligent in all the wayes of holiness yet have not this testimony of conscience to comfort them it is hid from their eyes only because the Spirit of God doth not enable them thereunto Now the Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 2. 17. It is the Spirit of God whereby we know the things that we have freely received of God 2. The Spirit of God doth witness unto us Objectively as I may so call it and that is by some effects and fruits of his grace upon our hearts by which we gather as by so many sure signes that we are in the state of grace and not hypocrites But because this will come in more fully in the ensuing particulars I shall only touch upon those effects by which the testimony of our conscience is rightly guided in witnessing to us And First By having a full and serious purpose to avoid all sinne as it shall become manifested to us As David professed That he did hate every evil way Psal 119. 104. He that doth allow and indulge himself in any known sinne cannot have the testimony of this good conscience It is true as is to be shewed there is no man living though never so holy but his conscience convinceth him of much sinne and many infirmities and this maketh him so highly esteem Christ and a Gospel-righteousness but yet it doth not witness to him that he liveth in the customary acting of grosse sinnes if it doth the Spirit of God never witnesseth with such a mans conscience that he is the child of God No if thou livest quietly without the smitings and condemnations of conscience it is because it is stupid and the Devil hath deluded and hardened thee for Gods Spirit witnesseth with our conscience and by this effect that we have a tender respect to avoid all known sinne Secondly Another effect is A zeal for the glory of God to honour him to magnifie Christ and to set up his Kingdome as much as we are able The more zeal and fervency men have had for Gods honour the more powerfull testimony of a good conscience they alwayes enjoyed As we see in this Paul in his whole ministerial course with what burning zeal did he flame forth continually and on the contrary so much remisness so much negligence and lukewarmness so much is the abating of consciences testimony Thirdly An holy confidence and boldnesse in our approachings to God And of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. The Spirit of Adoption removing our fears our unbelief and dejection raising us up also with an holy confidence and humble boldness doth hereby testifie with our consciences that we are the children of God Hence the more distrustfull fears the more tormenting doubts that we groan under the weaker and more feeble is the witness of our conscience yea if those prevail and are predominant then our conscience is set against us and witnesseth against us and then the child of God is in sad desertions when his heart witnesseth against him that he is an hypocrite that he did serve the Lord without integrity For though this be false yet till Gods Spirit remove this darknesse and fill thee with an Evangelical confidence thou art not able to hold up thy head Fourthly Another effect by which Gods Spirit witnesseth with our conscience is An unfeigned love to the brethren a delight in all those that love God Where this is that thou lovest godly men for their godliness sake this demonstrateth thou art born of God and hast the same Image in thee as they have And if thy love also extend to thy enemies if thou findest that thou canst pray for them that curse thee do good to them that revile especially thou pitiest their souls and wouldst be helpfull to them in the way to Heaven though they are enraged adversaries to thee and that without cause By this frame of heart the conscience doth give a full and precious evidence Fifthly In daily and faithfull exercises of self-denial in the wayes of God doth the Spirit of God greatly assure the conscience In sufferings for Christ in enduring the losse of name liberty and liâ—e it self for Gods cause is the clearest testimony of our conscience Hence the Martyrs had so much serenity of spirit such unspeakable consolations because they found they loved Christ better than all things As they gave a testimony to the word of God called therefore Martyrs so God also gave them a testimony within whereby they did glory in tribulations and triumph over all aduersaries We see that if men suffer in false wayes if they be Martyrs for the Devil if they die for that which is highly offending God they many times glory in the comfort they have from the testimony of their conscience Now if a deluded conscience if deluded joyes can do so much what shall not the Spirit of God do sealing and confirming his love to us by our patient sufferings for him Thus when happily the world doth witness against thee wicked men they condemn thee and lay many heavy accusations against thee as the false Apostles did here concerning Paul yet this testimony with in will answer all and God doth come in with fuller evidences of his love in such passages of self denial Lastly The Spirit of God doth witness to our spirit in this blessed effect viz. When we do with delight and joy meditate think and speak about heavenly things when the Ordinances of God are matter of pleasure to us David doth often proâ—efs what delight he had in the Ordinances of God how the word of God was more precious than gold more sweet than the honey-comb Now when the heart is thus affected to holy things that they find more joy as David professeth Psal 4. in the things of God then worldly men do in their corn and wine when these increase By this excellent heavenly temper the Spirit of God witnesseth with our conscience that we are the children of God But I shall enlarge no more on this because the Doctrine of Assurance will follow upon the next words We shall now lay down some distinctions to clear this truth to you because it is plain That many times the people of God being cast down with black thoughts that cannot say with Paul The testimony of our conscience is our rejoycing And on the other side many heretical pharisaical and self-deluded persons will at least outwardly boast
our estate For we see by the Popish objections yea and of many others against this way as if it did nourish security as if it were the great wisdome of God to keep every man in this life uncertain about his spiritual estate that so he may be kept in humility and fear I say by such plausible objections as these are a man hath made a good progress that can despise them all that is convinced it is his duty to press after this certain knowledge and also that God hath promised to give his Spirit to work this in us And that therefore if we complain of our fears and uncertain doubts we are to blame our selves who like the people of Israel do peevishly keep our selves in this wilderness if we consider those places which speak so universally that God hath given his Spirit to all those that are his sons whereby they are inabled to call him Father Is it not disputed Whether all that are truly godly have not this certain knowledge especially considering how the first Reformers went very high this way Hence is that expression of Calvin which may startle the Reader Lib. 3. Institut cap. 2. Sect 16. Verè fidelis non est nisi qui solidâ persuasione c. He is not truly a believer who being not perswaded by a solid perswasion that God is a propitious and mercifull Father to him from whose benignity he promiseth himself all things who doth not upon the confidence of the promises of Gods good will to him assuredly conclude of his salvation which he repeateth again But this will be better considered at vers 22. For the commands to this duty I shall only commend two places unto you 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your selves know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of an unsound mind that have no spiritual skill and experience to know what is of God in you and what of the Devil what is of the Spirit and what of the flesh and nature in you Here you see this duty is commanded and that earnestly with ingemination and the Greek words do signifie that the truth of grace and the life of Christ in us is not easily found out We must take pains and exactly distinguish the bottom may be copper when the superficies be gold There are many resemblances of grace which are not grace That expression of Calvins is true though so much abused by Papists Reprobi simili ferè modo afficiuntur c. Calvin Institut lib. 3. cap. 2 do Sect. 11. That even some reprobates are affected almost with the same experimental sense and feeling as the elect are and therefore they must have their senses exercised to discern between good and evil As the Gemmary by his skill can find the difference between true metal and counterfeit The second Text is 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Give all diligence This supposeth That the Christian who liveth carelesly and negligently who is not servent in spirit and vigorous in the actings of holiness is subject to many doubts and uncertain disputations about his estate Now it would be a vain exhortation to bid us Use all diligence for the attaining of that which is impossible This may suffice to shew it is our duty and truly we may be the more encouraged in the pursuance of this if we do consider the blessed and happy effects of such a certain knowledge of our selves For 1. Hereby we shall live With a quiet peaceable frame of heart David doth often professe the great tranquillity of his soul Ps 4. That he will lay him down and sleep because the Lord taketh care of him And Paul Rom. 8. doth confidently triumph That nothing shall separate him from the love of God in Christ This is an Heaven upon the Earth Oh the blessed estate of that man whose soul is alwayes on this Mount as it were of transfiguration This man is alwayes safe in the haven while others are tossed up and down with various temptations 2. This peace doth also breed joy and unspeakable comfort which the Gospel often doth speak of For want of this the people of God live not suitably to Evangelical principles They walk as if they were to be justified by the Law as if they were to look for righteousness by the Covenant of works whereas we are to consider that the Spirit of the Gospel is the Spirit of Adoption and that subdueth tormenting fears and overcometh disturbing doubts making him to rejoyce alwayes in the Lord. 3. This joy causeth Thankefulnesse filleth the heart and mouth with Hallelujahs unto the Lord. How can a child of God be thankfull for that which he questioneth whether it be in him or no The wonderfull effects of Gods grace converting of thee and discriminating thee from those millions of persons that on thy right hand and left hand fall into hell should overwhelm thee by amazing thoughts thereat But all this goodness and free grace of God is neglected not take notice of whilest thou sittest in the darkness and feelest no light Lastly This will be a great quickner of thee in the wayes of holinesse This will be wings and legs and all to thee The joy of the Lord is your strength Neh. 8. 10. If then thou complainest of thy barrenness thy deadness and lukewarmness in holy things examine whether this be not the root that lieth undiscernably under ground as it were that causeth all thy unprofitableness The Devil he labours to cut these Conduit-pipes that would convey all consolation to thee It 's against sense and experience to say This certain knowledge will breed laziness and carnal confidence as if the Sunnes beams would cause coldness No it cannot be Who laboureth more abundantly than Paul Who was more active in the wayes of godliness being like a spiritual Joshua subduing all the enemies of the Gospel before him And did not the love of Christ which he felt in his bosome thus constrain him Only take a Caution or two to prevent mistakes 1. This certain knowledge is never so glorious that it removeth all doubts and temptations neither is it alwayes permanent and abiding in us The people of God have their nights as well as dayes and the Devil is not only watchfull to deprive believers of their graces but also of their consolations Therefore be not discouraged if thou find the flesh combate against the Spirit in the way of comfort as well as of duty The second Caution is That although our constant and strict walking be not the cause of our assurance yet it is maintained and preserved in the lively exercise of grace To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the hidden manua and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which none knoweth but â—e that hath it
These are allegorical and allusive expressions to declare the assurance that God giveth to his but all this is To him that overcometh If sin prevail over thee if the world and the Devil entice thee off from God then expect not to have this mercifull refreshment as thou usest to have This assurance is like the manna that fell in the wilderness refreshing the Israelites in their extremities It is the hidden manna alluding to that which was kept in the Ark that might not be seen It is the new name that none knoweth but he that hath it So that it is the sincere practice of godliness that maketh us to believe this truth he that hath it cannot declare it to another when prophane scoffers ' by derision bid us demonstrate and prove that we have it This cannot be no more than you can perswade a man honey is sweet unless he do eat of it These Cautions observed then wrestle and strive with God for the Spirit of God that adopting and sealing Spirit Say Lord thou hast given me grace give me also the assurance of it How can I praise thee how can I glorifie thee while unbelief doth shut up my mouth SERM. LXXXIX Of the true Nature of Godly Simplicity and Singlenesse of Heart 2 COR. 1. 12. That in simplicity and godly sincerity c. HAving finished the general we now come to the particular wherein his conscience did give this good testimony and that is concerning his conversation in the world Of which in its time Which is amplified as you heard in the manner of it Positively Negatively and Oppositely Positively and that is set down in two words In simplicity and Godly sincerity Of the first at this time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar Latine addeth heart In singlenesse of heart for so we find it used in other places Ephes 6. 5. Colos 3. 22. But that is supposed in the word though it be not expressed Grotius speaketh of a Manuscript that readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Context is clear for this Now when he saith In simplicity by that he meaneth he did nothing craftily crookedly hypocritically deceitfully as Chrysostome interpreteth it in many synonymous words Varinus maketh the contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. almost the same words Chrysostome hath The word is often used for bounty and liberality as 2 Cor. 9. 11 13. because those who have a single plain spirit are hearty ready and free in all duties that are required It differeth from the next word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because that doth properly respect the aims and intentions of men in all their wayes although we are not to be too exact in making a distinction between them This simplicity is as much as sine plicis that which is smooth and plain that hath not many folds and coverings and so is opposite to that which is in the Old Testament called an heart and an heart a man that hath two hearts So that this is a most blessed temperature of the soul when its internals and externals are both alike when it s inwardly towards God what it outwardly pretends to be From whence observe That godly simplicity and singlenesse of heart doth afford much comfort The hypocritical and crafty self-seeking man that maketh use of God and holy things for his own advantage and interest hath never any solid true comfort He is compared to the rush that groweth in the mire and if plucked from thence quickly withereth Job 8. 11. An hypocrite will not serve God but where his own advantages do induce him for hypocrisie is large and so contrary both to simplicity and sincerity The Apostle doth excellently comfort himself in this and thereby appealeth to the consciences of the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2. 3. Our exhortation was not of deceit or guile neither used we flattering words or a cloak of covetousnesse nor if men sought we glory Oh the admirable simplicity that here we find in Paul's spirit Now it is necessary to consider the nature of this And First It floweth from an heart sanctified and truly regenerated No man but he that is godly hath this singlenesse of spirit Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull above all things The word signifieth the crookedness of it How ready it is to supplant us Jacob had his name from that root because he supplanted Esau about his birthright This is the heart of man by nature full of concavities secret recesses and holes as it were deceiving himself and others and therefore till grace doth make pure and we have truth in the inward parts all is but a lie in us Our Religion is a lie our goodness is a lie there is no solidity at all It is true indeed there is in some men a natural ingenuous candour they abhorre dissimulation and hypocrisie but yet this is onely one of Aristotles virtues which is indeed but a splendid vice For if the tree be not good the fruit cannot be If the spring be bitter so is the stream and so if a man be a thorn no sweet grapes can grow upon him This then we are to do to look to the bottom to search to the original Hath the Spirit of God made thee a new creature then thou doest become faithfull and true both to God and man otherwise we see what the Scripture speaketh of every one by nature that he is a liar Rom. 3. 4. Therefore till the heart be purified by grace there is no truth and soundness within Secondly This simplicity and singlenesse of spirit doth eye God and looketh upon his will as the motive of his duty The presence of God the omniscience of God whereby he trieth and searcheth the heart is frequently in his meditation It is the glory of God the honour of God that stirreth up his heart It 's not glory from men or pleasing of men which doth quicken him up For although we told you the next word signifieth purity of intentions yet one is so intimately connexed with the other that they cannot be separated singleness then of heart is remarkably seen in those motives that move his soul they are arguments drawn from God You see this fully comprehended in that exhortation to servants Colos 3. 22. where they are commanded To obey their masters not with eye service as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God They must look above Masters and Governours even to God himself Now we are all servants to God and therefore we ought the more diligently to have singleness of spirit towards him by how much he doth infinitely exceed all other masters And this particular doth likewise shew that all the moral ingenuity and verity which some Heathens have been famous for was but a glistering Glow-worm for they had no eye to God neither did they respect him but looked at their own glory and honour in all that they did Thirdly Simplicity of heart is essentially consisting in the fixednesse of it upon
a godly man can more securely make that wish than the Heathen who wished that he had a window in his breast that all men might see what he thought what laie in his heart This was great confidence For certainly if God should take a man as he did Ezekiel and make a man look into the secret corners of many mens soules we should see every day more abominations A man of this godly simplicity careth not if other men knew his heart because God whom he feareth more than man knoweth all the motions of his soul It is the complaint that God maketh of some by the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 29. 13. This people draw nigh me with their mouth and with their lips they honour me but remove their hearts farre from me This is to have a double heart such want this godly simplicity But oh the lamentation and bitter mourning that we may take up in this respect Have not most of our Congregations this double heart and this double tongue For what contrariety is there betweene thy religious approaches and thy ordinary actions Are ye not here to day as if ye were an holy people a repenting people as if you did owne and acknowledge the Lord in all his commands But what are you in your shops in your markets yea it may be in ale-houses and such places that doe foment iniquity What grosse double dealing is this with God You have a tongue to pray to God here and then you have a tongue to curse and swear after You appear here to day for the service and honour of God and then in the week-day you serve the Devil and the world What impudent hypocrisie is this Will God be thus grossely mocked by you What doth not God remember Is he an Idol-god Oh yeeld your selves up to that exhortation of the Apostle before Gods wrath consume you and you cannot escape Iames Chap. 4. 8. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded Your hypocrisie and dissimulation is so grosse and visible that did not the Devil exceedingly blinde you you could not but take notice of it it would rise up in your consciences and â—â—ing like a Scorpion Seventhly Simplicity of heart is seen in this That it dare not hide or cover any sinne or mince it and by distinctions lessen it as much as may be You heard simplex is sine plicis It is a metaphor from garments that have not folds in them you may see what they are Saul did exceedingly discover the guile of his heart when he did so mince his sinne to Samuel and did pretend sometimes necessity and sometimes religious respects to God whereas David though for a while he had too much of this double heart in him about Uriah's matter yet at last he confesseth all Psal 51. Against thee against thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight It was because the eye of God was upon him that he was so much troubled it was because he had used so much fraud and cunning in accomplishing his iniquity that he was wounded at the very heart therefore saith he Create in me a right spirit and thou desirest truth in the inward parts When a man once cometh to this simplicity of heart he will justifie God and condemn himself he will confesse to God hide nothing from him deal plainly with him not with Adam excuse or put it off to others he will say I am the man I charge my self with all that evil and all the aggravations of it that the Scripture requireth Eighthly Simplicity of heart maketh a man wonderfull free and willing in the service of God It doth not limit and stint his worke to God sutably to his own advantages but his Modus diligendi Deum est sine modo his measure is to put no measure Therefore all those who love not strictness zeale fervency and activity for God they discover much unsoundnesse of spirit Were thy heart single for God thou wouldst strive forward and forget all things that are behind This is the reason you heard why the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is many times used for bounty and liberality because he who hath a plain heart for God he doth not walk by politick rules and prescripts of humane moderation but conformeth to the rule with as much exactness and zeal as he can SERM. XC A further Discovery of the true Nature of Godly Simplicity both towards God and Man 2 COR. 1. 12. That in simplicity and godly sincerity WE are treating upon this special grace of simplicity which doth afford unspeakable comfort to him that enjoyeth it There remain more particulars to declare the nature of it And First Where this simplicity is there is an humble submission of the mind to the truths of God revealed in believing of them and an obediential resignation of the will to the commands of God without cavils and froward disputations In this particular the grace of simplicity doth triumph Although to speak properly simplicity and sincerity are not so much a distinct specifical grace as a qualification and modification of the powers of the soul and their operations In these two chanels of faith and obedience doctrine and duty simplicity doth greatly discover it self We can neither believe soundly or walk holily without this For the former it is plain that seeing the truths of Christianity are made known to us by divine Revelation and therefore are above reason though not contrary to it there is no such requisite to believe as a simplicity of the mind whereby we do acquiesce upon the authority of the Word never curiously disputing and cavilling how it can be This the Apostle calleth Captivating every thought 2 Cor. 10. 5. And herein Christianity differeth from Philosophy the later requireth science by disputes and discourses the former requireth an humble assent to the testimony affirming such a thing to be so So that we may say It 's the want of this simplicity of the mind that maketh so many absurd and damnable heresies in the Church What causeth the Socinian the Arminian but the want of this humility of mind It is said to be the Embleme of Nazianzen Theologia nostra est Pythagorica Our Divinity is pythagorical as amongst Pythagoras his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was enough to silence all disputes So much more ought this amongst Christians to quiet all disputations The Lord hath said it Christ hath spoken it Thus it is written But how sadly may we lament to see all Divinity turned into Quaerees and Utrum's videtur's quod sic and videtur's quod non How is this holy simplicity in believing laid aside and raâ—â—onal scientifical inquisitions advanced as if now the just were to live by reason not by faith as if reason were the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Certainly this maketh men so uncertain so inconstant they look not after faith which as the Schoolmen well say is
inflicted on the offenders Secondly This simplicity of spirit in reference to man is accompanied with ingenuity candour and truth His heart and his words his promises and his hands go along together And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of a transparent breast that doth abhor all lying cosening and a double tongue How carefull is the Apostle towards the end of this Chapter and something this Text is relating to that to clear himself from inconstancy and falshood as if he were yea and nay So that simplicity is accompanied with verity in affections and veracity in promises There is a conformity between the mind and words The Iesuite by his principles of equivocation calling it prudens defentio is farre from this simplicity the Apostle here doth rejoyce in Aristotle lib. 4. Ethic. cap. 17. maketh this verity to be a moral virtue though he saith the Greeks have no name for it he placeth it in the middle between two extreams the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a man doth boast and brag of such things in him which are not indeed Thus the Pharisee and the civil man yea Aristotle himself for all his moral Philosophy were guilty of this arrogancy attributing that to themselves which was not in them Simplicity giveth all to God nothing to his own power The other extream is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when men do dissemble the good things that are in them will not own them Aristotle maketh Socrates guilty of this Now it 's true there may be much hypocrisie in dispraising our selves and we may affect humility when thereby we exalt our pride So that the child of God which hath this simplicity is bound to acknowledge the good things God hath done for him and in him it is not pride but thankfulnesse to do so Paul did not arrogantly boast when he professeth his simplicity it was not pride to own his sincerity And this is necessary for the godly to be informed in for they are so jealous and suspicious of themselves that they dare not say they feel what they do feel If Christ should ask them as Peter Lovest thou me They would stand amazed not knowing what to say when yet at the same time all their trouble is because they love Christ no more and because they do not arrive at such a pitch of holines as they desire Know then as Aristotle by the light of nature so much more a Christian by the light of grace may conclude that it is a sin contrary to that simplicity that should be in us not to acknowledg what God hath done for us Thus Hezekiah pleaded the truth of his soul and Paul here and also in many other places professeth his uprightnesse of heart and abundant labouring for the propagation of the Gospel neither could they be charged with pride and arrogancy herein By which we see that as a man in the simplicity of his heart is carried out to the whole service of God so he doth herein take notice of and acknowledge the grace of God towards him Therefore it is our duty to observe and thankfully acknowledge the graces of God in us provided alwayes we avoid those particulars which Carthusian mentioneth Lib. 2d. dist in a verse that do alwayes pollute or puff up Ex se pro meritis falsò plus omnibus inflat 1. That we do not think we have these good things by our own power and ability 2. That it is not for any merit or desert of ours that God giveth us grace and passeth others by 3. That we do not falsly boast of such things as are not indeed in us 4. That we do not Pharisaically preferre our selves above others These four things do overthrow the very foundation of many popish principles From these things thus declared there is first an Use of Instruction by way of Corollary viz. That godly simplicity is not natural simplicity or meer childishnesse God for many ends causeth some to be born natural fools and ideots such are not excluded from salvation God may have his wayes unknown to us of reaching home to their hearts and infusing grace into them But this simplicity is that which doth consist in subduing the guile and hypocrisie that is in mans heart whereby we are prone to do the things of God for sinister respects and thereby lose our spiritual reward Again Much more doth this Christian simplicity differ from sinfull and affected simplicity when men by their lazinesse and negligence attain not to any sound knowledge in Religion How many simple old persons are there that have lived many years in this world and yet know no more than a child about the principles of Religion Yea every wicked man is often by Solomon called the simple one and therefore wisdome doth earnestly invite them to forsake this folly Thou that art apt to censure the generation of such as fear God as so many weak simple persons they are very contemptible in thy eyes Oh remember that all impiety is grosse simplicity You are the Devils fools for his bables you lose a crown of glory In Hell when it is too late you will then rage and rave to see what fools you have been when you shall see these despised ones received into glory and you cast into eternal torments Use 2. Of Admonition to all such who seem to walk in the wayes to Heaven who are often in hearing in praying often in the religious duties God requireth above all things look to the singlenesse of thy heart in these things thou wilt else have no glory from God nor true comfort in thy own conscience As Solomon said Whatsoever thou doest do with all thy might so whatsoever thou doest do it in plainnesse of heart looking up to God onely and remember though men see not thy carnal motives nor the crooked windings of thy heart yet the all-seeing eye of God beholds the very atomes as it were within thee How great will thy confusion be if at the day of judgement God shall reject all thy glistering holinesse saying you did it not to me in all these duties you served not me Even as God complaineth of those hypocritical Jews Zech. 7. 5. When ye fasted and mourned in those moneths did ye it to me even to me This want of singlenesse of heart respecting God only was that which made all their Religion abominable unto God SERM. XCI Of the true Nature of Godly Sincerity 2 COR. 1. 12. And godly sincerity THis is the second word wherein is positively expressed the manner of Paul's conversation in the world Although both the words tend to the same purpose yet simplicity doth more respect the frame and inward constitution of the heart and sincerity doth more denote the purity and integrity of our aims and ends in holy things In the expression we may take notice 1. Of the grace it self viz. Sincerity 2. The limitation or qualification of it
concerning me We may very well take in both together for the latter doth necessarily suppose the former they could not continue in their acknowledgement of his integrity unlesse Paul also did persist in his uprightnesse Now in that Paul saith He trusteth viz. in God that he shall be thus preserved you see the humble and holy frame of his heart he doth not put confidence in his own strength in his own gifts and graces but alone in God which might teach us That though never so godly yet we are to depend upon God alone for our perseverance in the way to Heaven But we have already spoken to this in the general That it 's the property of the godly to acknowledge the grace of God towards them in all things We shall therefore pitch upon another which floweth from both the interpretations joyned together viz. That hopefull beginnings in the wayes of Religion are not enough without a faithfull perseverance therein It is not enough for a man that runneth a race to set out at first with all speed and swiftnesse unlesse also he hold out to the end Neither doth it avail a Traveller to get up betimes and to beginne his journey with all haste if afterwards he loiter or come back again Now this falleth out too often very sadly in our course of Christianity many that were once first are now last Yea are now nothing at all but turned clear out of the narrow way into the broad way that leadeth to Hell and destruction Thus the Apostle upbraideth the Galatians Galat. 3. 3. For ginning in the Spirit and ending in â—he flesh are you so foolish saith he It is the greatest folly that can be For hereby all our former zeal all our by-past activity for God is forgotten all is in vain Have ye suffered so many things in vain as it followeth in the next verse And again it is extreame folly because we part with God for sinne with Heaven for Hell with honey for gall we lose our sweetnesse and fatnesse to become briars and brambles that are fit for nothing but to be burnt To enlarge this consider First That a man who doth first set upon the way of Religion who will become a Disciple of Christ must above all things look to his foundation well He must have a special care that he layeth a good beginning otherwise though he may make a glorious shew for a while his fall at last will be very great and terrible Therefore our Saviour knowing the hypocrisie and inconstancy of mans heart doth much presse this point and that to such hearers who did shew exceeding great zeal and forwardnesse in following after him witnesse the Parable of the several kinds of grounds that received the good seed Matth. 13. and Luke 8. The difference between the good and bad lay in this that one had a good and honest heart wherein the word of God had deep rooting The other had onely a superficial worke and therefore when hardship came could not endure So likewise the Parable of the foolish and wise builders Luke 6. 47. is expresly to this purpose that none should please themselves in hearing of the Word in publick duties and profession but look to their foundation to observe what all their duties and expressions are built upon For what is built only upon a Rock will endure when stormes and tempests shall arise It is necessary to instance in some of those particulars that will thus qualifie our beginnings For as in diseases yea and in sinnes the Rule is To looke to the beginnings So in another sense it is good counsel to observe what was the first beginning that ever brought you into the wayes of God How came you to leave off what was formerly done by you and to appear in a contrary way For in some sense we may say here not dimidium but principium est plus toto And First We are to look to our motives whether they were temporal external upon some outward advantages or whether holy and spiritual Christ had many followers because of the loaves There are many that know Christ after the flesh that come with the petition of Zebedee's children Grant that we may sit in thy Kingdome one on the right hand and another on the left thinking Christs Kingdome would be outward and glorious Now such as these will never continue It is but painting and near the fire it will melt It is but the morning-dew when the Sunne ariseth it will vanish away Oh then above all things look to thy motives Consider what it was that brought thee off from thy former wayes Was it from beholding a spiritual excellency in Christ and holy things Was it for godlinesse sake Then because Christ is the same and godlinesse is the same thou wilt also be the same but if to get the favour of men to get wealth to obtaine paces of credit and profit then thou art but a meteor compounded of terrestrial materials and so wilt be tossed up and down as any winde driveth thee A second thing necessary to look to in thy beginnings is to see That the workings of Gods Spirit make impressions deep enough that it have full rooting For Matth. 13. and in many other places we read of many common gifts of Gods Spirit bestowed upon men whereby they may make very hopefull beginnings they may be furnished with excellent gifts and abilities so as to be able to work miracles they may taste of the good word of God they may be enlightned they may believe they may receive the Word with joy and are not these great and rare things How few are there that attain to thus much They have not that common illumination nor those transitory affections whereby we may say they do for a season rejoyce in the light When therefore we begin to take the first step to Heaven we are to consider whether we have any more than the common breathings and inspirations of Gods Spirit whether we have more than gifts or abilities more than some bodily ravishments or extasies For all these do not necessarily inferre the new creature oâ— a divine nature within us Indeed we could not have these things without the assistance of Gods Spirit and therefore when carnal and natural men are partakers of these they admire them they take these for grace they never had such workings upon their souls before there is a vast difference in themselves as they find between what they were once and what they now feel and this maketh them very secure and confident but because a good foundation was not at first laid therefore many of such a frame of spirit going no further do greatly apostatize and are more taken with their opinions experiences and apprehensions than Christ dwelling in them they are affected with them and not renouncing all go out of every thing that Christ may be exalted and they debased Thirdly And I will instance in no more It behoveth those who are
because none believe enough none love enough none are heavenly enough Several wayes the best Hearers may grow First In the amplitude of their knowledg They may know more things in Christianity than they did for seing we know but in part 1 Cor. 13. this light in our mind may still encrease more and more not indeed in more necessaries and Fundamentalls for then none could be saved because still ignorant of some Fundamental or other but in the Additionalls and Superstructures which have also a special use and efficacy to carry on the work of Salvation Even a Godly man may live in many Errors in many sinnes and not know them to be so as we see in many Ages when clearer light hath discovered that to be Superstition and a dishonour to God which was accounted once the great onour due unto him When God dispelled the Egyptian darkness of Popery from of the face of the face of the Church their Image-Worship their Indulgences their vowed Obedience and poverty which were admired as such eminent acts of Religion were manifested to be contemptible as having no foundation upon the Scripture and also very injurious to the Offices of Christ and in how many things do the best of men still continue ignorant and therefore with David though he had more understadding than his teachers are to pray that God would open their eyes that they might understand the wonderfull things of Gods law Psal 119. 18 Davids eyes were opened yet they must be opened more all the scales are not fallen from his eyes and therefore the Apostle prayeth for those Ephesians whose understandings were already enlightened Ephes 1. 17. that their eyes might yet be more opened and that God would give unto them the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledg of him 2. By the Ministry they are to grow in the efficacy and experimental power of their knowledg For these two differ exceedingly men may grow much in speculative knowledg understand controversies in Divinity and dispute much about the Doctrines of the times that are agitated but unless a man grow in the savoury power of it he is but a tinkling cymbal if he do notgrow in the love of the truth if that knowledg doth not make him more pure more sanctified more reformed this will turn to his greater condemnation Therefore Tit. 1. 1. It s called the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness Savanarola Hom. 3. p. 29. bringeth a distruction of Divinity out of Aquinas to this purpose a man may know a thing saith he either per modum studii or per modum inclinationis men may know many things by way of study in Divinity and yet not have the least knowledg of them by way of inclination to love and delight in them May not a man have obtained much discoursive knowledg about Christ in respect of his Person and Offices as to be able to confute Arrians and Socinians yet be far from that heavenly inclination which Paul found in himself to know nothing but Christ crucified and to judg all things dung and dross in comparison of this knowledg That knowledg then which doth bring a savoury tast and experimental inclination to the good things we know that is to be imbraced that we are to grow in more every day He that knoweth a Country or a City by a Map cannot be so affected as he that hath really seen it 3. We may by the Ministry have a continued benefit in respect of the firmness and strength of our faith It is noted sometimes of the Disciples that upon some miracle that was wrought by our Sauiour that then they believed Not but that they did so before onely their Faith was then more strengthened and confirmed and truly this firmness of Faith this steadfastness of it is a precious Antidote against all fickle and sceptical Opinions Men do not grow in Faith but fancy and that maketh inconstancy in Religion How can a man be a Martyr for Christs truth now can he lose all he hath rather than deny it unless he have this quieting and satisfying work of Faith upon the soul Hence Faith is called Heb. 11. 1. The substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Those two words substance and evidence do denote the great power that Faith ought to have upon the soul Again this firmness of Faith is not onely seen in dogmatical Assent but in in fiducial Application of the Promises to our selves in which sense it is said twice or thrice The just shall live by his faith Such are the weak actings of our Faith so strong are our temptations so supernatural and mysterious is this way of believing that all have cause to cry out with the Apostles Lord increase our faith Lastly The best hearers need the Ministry for increase in Godliness to grow in grace more Thus the Apostle writeing to those whom he supposeth as converted already yet exhorteth to put off the old man and put on the new To be renewed in the spirit of their minde Epes 4. 23. 24. And our Saviour prayeth for the Apostles even in that Prayer wherein he acknowledgeth that they had believed and received the word of God That they were not of the world John 17. 17 That God would sanctifie them by his word which is to be understood of the progress therein There is no Doctrine so practically opposite to the Scripture as that of Perfection for every where the Godly are commanded to grow to be mortifying the body of sin to be perfecting holiness which were ridiculous Exhortations if we had already attained Perfection Hence we are compared to those who run in a race and therefore till death do not come to our prize Thus where the Minister may have little to do in respect of Conversion it may have very much to do in respect of Edification And the Godly are to Examine whether every Sabbath day the Minister doth not come with a new benefit a new advantage to them look for a new grace and favour in every new Sermon And so we proceed to the Use which is of Instruction What all people should look at under the Ministry Spiritual advantages spiritual light spiritual heat spiritual quickenings As where Christ went up and down he healed their diseased people so where the word of God is preached it should heal soul-diseases Thou art not to have the Pride the passions the worldly cares as thou usest to have but oh how rare are such Hearers who aimeth at this who prayeth for this in every Sermon he heareth Oh fear least some spiritual judgment upon thee deprive thee of this benefit If an Israelite had looked upon the Brazen serpent and yet not be healed If a diseased person had stepped first in order into the Pool of Bethesda and yet not have been recovered they would have been greatly troubled to see their hopes frustrated No less ought it to make thee grieve and tremble
mutable and inconstant principles he can never be serviceable to God for this debaseth him before men this maketh him vile and contemptible and thereby like a broken vessel that is of no use Fourthly It is a great sinne to be thus inconstant in our words because it 's an abuse of our tongue which the Scripture calleth a mans glory though some apply it to the soul now for thy glory to be a shame to have thy tongue accounted a lying tongue a double tongue a false tongue This is an aggravation of thy wickednesse Lastly As God doth threaten to punish lying and deceitfull tongues so he doth graciously encourage all such as are of sincerity in all their words and works A lying tongue is one of the seven abominations which God hateth Prov. 6. 17. as on the other side How mercifully doth God encourage some Isa 63. 8. for he said Surely they are my people children that will not lie so he was their Saviour So that if all these particulars be laid together we may see how necessary it is to adde righteousness to our Religion to be as Christ Whose lips were without guile in respect of God and man Oh this will afford thee great comfort this will assure thee that thy Religion was not hypocrisie It 's easier performing multitude of duties then to walk thus uprightly towards men they may be done with more ease to flesh and blood yea they may be the fuell to thy hearts-pride and self-applause but this tendeth really to mortifie sinne within thee and to cause thee to have respect to all Gods commandments SERM. CXI Of the sinfulness of Inconstancy and lightness in matters of Religion 2 COR. 1. 17. When I therefore was thus minded did I use lightness WE have treated of lightness and Inconstarcy as it was expressed in civil things whether in our words Promises or dealings between man and man This you heard was both a sin towards God and a reproach to religion yea unrighteousness and falsehood in these outward affairs are so great sinnes that many times they make the greatest wound in our consciences and Experience confirmeth it That when a man is converted to God and made sensible of sin the sinnes of his unrighteousness doth most trouble his conscience It is longest e're he get the pardon of these in his own soul and the Reason may be because such unfaithfulness in words and dealings are condemned by the natural light of our conscience Even Heathens have been able to judg such things great sinnes Now what is done against natural light that maketh a greater gash in the conscience Hence the Omission of those Duties which are meerly known by supernatural light is not so grievous to us as when an humble broken-hearted sinner is called upon to believe in Christ to rest his soul upon him for justification How hardly is such a contrite spirit brought to judge that unbelief herein is a great and heynous sin that God is provoked hereby That as much as lyeth in us we make Christ of none effect So that when such a wounded conscience can complain of its former unrighteous unjust and sinfull wayes it once lived in yet it doth not at the same time bewail that great sin of unbelief its frowardness and slavishness that it doth not receive Christ as a Saviour yea it rather judgeth it a duty to keep off from a Promise and to question whether Christ will receive such a wretched sinner as he feeleth himself to be By which we see what cause the people of God have to take heed of sin in this kinde for how hardly are they healed how long may it be ere thy conscience may be pacified thorough the blood of Christ But I proceed to a Second kinde of Inconstancy which is of a greater guilt because exprest in matters of greater concernment and relation even to God himself To be yea and nay off and on in matters of Religion this proclaimeth our wretchedness And First There is an inconstancy in our Faith When we do lightly and uncertainly receive the truths of God so that we are ready for one Faith one week and another Faith another week This is a very dangerous frame of soul when a man is not of a sound judgment neither hath laid a good foundation in Christian Religion but as the Apostle saith Ephes 4. 4. is like a childe tossed up and down with every wind of doctrine Such are called by the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3. 16. unlearned and unstable In the number of these light and inconstant persons we may reckon the Galatians when he chargeth them with their suddain Apostacy Gal. 1. 6. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you unto another Gospel They were ready for another Gospel for other Teachers who formerly had received the Apostle as an Angel of God yea as Jesus Christ This lightness also was manifested in some of Christs Disciples John 6. 60 61. who upon their misunderstanding of some passages in our Saviours Sermon judging them hard and absurd from that time went back from him and walked no more with him And truly are not these times a sad instance of the lightness and uncertainty of many men in the Doctrine of their Faith In how many mens Religion may you finde Yea and Nay How many are destroying that which once they did build Now nothing is more contrary to the nature of Faith than this inconstancy For if we do consider what the Nature of Faith is we shall finde that it doth so autoritatively bring the understanding into obedience of the Divine truth that it dare not give way to doubtings and plausible Objections of deceitfull men any more The Apostle Heb. 11. 1. giveth us a full description of Faith as to this matter of quieting and satisfying the soule for he saith It s the substance of things hoped for and ehe evidence of things not seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which hath but a meer apearancy as Meteors or rather as colours in the Rainbow and truly many mens Faith hath no subsistency at all it is only in their fancy Hence it is that there is almost a â—cepticisme introduced into Religion as was once into Philosophy But Faith doth consolidate the soul and establish it upon Scripture-grounds which are sure and unmoveable The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is applyed to a Demonstration that doth even necessitate the understanding to give assent to it so that it hath no power to refuse it Thus also it is when the soul believeth The spirit of God through the word so convinceth the heart that no demonstration in Sciences nor objects to sense can be more potent to perswade Oh then take heed of Inconstancy in Principles of Faith This will argue thou art built upon a sandy foundation that thou dost believe such Doctrines onely upon humane Motives and deceitful grounds
of the flesh and the principle of the Spirit and such as your principles are such are ye If thy principle be to be godly to live by the Word to save thy soul then thou art daily in these things thy heart is there thy life is there But if it be flesh that ruleth in thee then this maketh thee like a worm and a moal alwayes in the earth You cannot repent you cannot believe you cannot be saved while these principles abide in you for they make you prejudiced against godlinesse they make you neglect repentance Oh but when thou shalt lie howling and roaring in hell how wilt thou curse and bewail such principles These have damned me these have brought me to this place of torment I would not entertain other principles SERM. CXIV Of the kinds and sinfulnesse of Lying 2 COR. 1. 17. That with me there should be yea yea and nay nay IN these words is the sinne specified that would flow from those two evil causes named before viz. Inconstancy and corrupt principles They that are led aside by these must needs be liars and perfidious persons frothy and vain to whom no credit is to be given The Apostle therefore doth here remove the sinne of lying or saying one thing and doing another thing for such an unfaithfull false man can never be serviceable unto God by that uneven carriage of his he maketh himself uncapable of bringing glory to God and of edifying others Concerning the Greek expression and the interpretation of it there is great diversity amongst the learned That which troubleth most is the gemination of those particulars yea yea nay nay For we read it as a command and a duty Matth. 5. 37. James 5. 12. That our communication ought to be yea yea nay nay whereas the Apostle doth here speak of it as a sinne Some therefore do think that the gemination of the particle crept into the Text by the errour of the Scribes who finding it used in other places thought it should be here also and they are the rather induced to this because in the verse following the Apostle doth not use the gemination onely affirming Yea and nay Others they think that the Greek particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a note of negation should be supplied making it to runne negatively as if with me were not yea yea and nay nay But there is no necessity of running unto these harsh remedies for we may keep the gemination of the particles well enough as intending thereby a vehement affirmation and a vehement negation For so the Hebrews use to affirm vehemently by doubling the word And our Saviour often useth Amen Amen which custome also Heinsius saith is among the prophane Greek Authours And thus the sense will be very coherent I doe not inconstantly and carnally purpose things as if I should with great vehemency affirme one thing at one time and then with as great a vehemency deny it again at another time But then we must acknowledge that this differeth from those places above-mentioned Matth. 5. and James 5. for there the latter Yea and latter Nay is the predicate in the Preposition here it is the subject and Nay nay the predicate In those places also there is a respect had to our speech as opposite unto oaths but here is denoted only truth and constancy in our affirmations Chrysostome doth not read the words interrogatively and thereupon hath a peculiar interpretation implying the clean contrary to what we have said For he maketh the meaning to be as if Paul did deny he was constant or ought to be unchangeable he was not to have Yea yea nay nay but to be yea and nay as occasion served because he was not at his own disposing to go whither he would but was wholly guided by the Spirit of God and therefore when he attempted to preach in some places the Spirit of God suffered him not So that with this Authour Paul's intention should be to remove from himself such a constancy as if he were to dispose of himself and to hold to his own resolutions whereas he was wholly to follow the guide and motions of Gods Spirit But this seemeth not so proper The Apostle rather defends himself against the charge of lying and unfaithfull dealing he was not Yea and nay Hence some make the Latine word Naucus that signifieth a vain empty trifling fellow to come from the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of this more in the following verse Seeing then that Paul doth in this expression free himself from the crime of lying and saying one thing but doing the contrary We may observe That lying or contrariety between our words and words or words and actions are not beseeming a Christian neither are they consistent with godlinesse A godly man can be no more godly and a liar than godly and a drunkard than godly and a prophane person This sinne the Apostle maketh as a stream to flow from those two poisoned fountains of levity of mind and a corrupt carnal heart Now how inconsistent this is with the new man and the work of grace you have heard from Colos 3. 9 Lie not one to another seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds To be yea and nay is to be a lyar and sometimes as the Apostle supposeth here we may be very vehement and earnest in our yea's and nayes and then we are bold vehement lyars I shall not enlarge my self concerning the whole Theological matter that may be delivered about a lie but speak so much as will be for our practical improvement of this truth And First We are to take notice of this That there may be a lie materialiter and formaliter That is a material lie when we speak that which is untruth but yet we think it to be a truth or else we would not speake it But then that is formally a lie when we affirm that to be true which we know to be false and this is directly and properly a lie Some say the former is Mendacium dicere the other is Mentiri Now this latter way of speaking untruths is that which properly is called a lie and men do then formally lie when they speak that which their consciences doe tell them to be false yet in some cases when we speake those things that are untrue though we thinke them to be so we are not presently excused from sinne For in many things it behoveth us to have knowledge and a right information before we speak about them Hence the false Prophets are often called lyars who it may be thought they spake what was true being delivered up by the just judgement of God to believe a lie and therefore we must take heed of rashnesse and suddennesse in our words that we may alwayes speak that which is consonant to the truth both materially as well as formally Secondly We may distinguish of lies as they doe of oaths There are Assertory lies whereby we
our knowledg true when it is conformable to the thing it self but then is the thing true when it is conformeable to the knowledg of God So that herein is the Infiniteness and excellency of Truth as it is in God manifested above that which is in man So that man may well respectively to God be called a lyar There is no truth in him Now because truth as it is in God is invisible and the same with his Essence and we are never able to cown to know Truth but by God Hence we have the Scriptures given to the Church as the rule of truth All truth is from God whether it be natural or supernatural When any of the Heathens have found out Truth it was from God even as all fashood is from the Devil so that when the Godly do lye 't is from the Devils temptation the Father of lyes Thus when wicked and ungodly men have uttered truth it hath been of God Now because Supernatural truth could not be discerned but by Divine Revelation and pacefaction Hence it pleased God to make known in his Word What is that truth which will lead us to Salvation So that seing we are not able to behold truth as it is in God we must look upon it as it is in his Word for God is the hidden Truth as it were the Word is the revealed truth Therefore whatsoever is Scripture we may conclude of it as sure and firm Truth coming from the supream truth If then ye ask as Pilate did another way What is truth I answer thee The Scripture is truth No men are true any further than guided by Scripture and led by the Spirit of God accordingly Oh that therefore you did more aw your hearts with the truth of Gods Word If that say sin will be bitter in the latter end though it may bring profit and pleasure for a while believe it against all the wicked men in the world and say I do more believe this Text this Place of Scripture than all which the wickedness of men may oppose against it 3. In that God is true Herein he differeth from man and is thereby opposite to the Prince of darkness He differeth from man Therefore it is said Numb 23. 19. God is not as man that he should lye or Repent To trust in man is to lean upon reads Yea hence it is that because God only is Truth no pastors or Officers in the Church are to be believed any further than they bring the Word of God It was Christ alone God and man that could say I am truth Neither Austin nor Luther nor Calvin can say I am truth Not that therefore the Ministers of God are therefore to be laid aside because they are not infallible For God hath commanded us to hear them and to submit to them only we are not ultimately to depend on them The Church is called the Pillar of truth because she doth declare and hold out the Truth but she is not the Author of it We are then to conclude of all men that of themselves they have no Truth they need the Spirit of God to guide them therein And then hereby is an Opposition in God to the Devil As God is true so the Devil is the Father of Liés John 8. 44. when he speaketh of his own he speaketh a lye Now then consider how inexcusable every wicked man will be For on the one side Christ who is Truth it self he speaketh to the sinner to repent to reforme promising Everlasting Happiness to him Christ saith Thy sinnes have no pleasure no profit in them thou wilt finde them prove a lye to thee On the other side The Devil he tempteth thee contrary to Christ he telleth thee sin is sweet it is good and profitable to sin he biddeth thee follow the lusts of thy soul thou shalt not be damned for all that and now thou believest this Devil this Father of lies rather than Christ Oh how unsufferable is this how great is the Patience of God towards thee What hearken to the Devil before God But even thus Eve did at first she believed the Serpent more than God and thereby brought ruine upon her self and Posterity Oh that we could convince you enough herein that you may see with what madness and folly your sinnes carry you away while you listen to the Father of Lies who is the Adversary of your soules rather than Christ who mourneth over you saying Oh that such a sinner did know the things that maketh for his peace 4. From this truth of God Hence it is that we are so much commanded in Scripture to believe on him to trust in him and to depend upon him which indeed is a quiet and blessed life For what is that maketh thy heart like a Sea What is it that causeth one wave to rise up after another in thy soul Is it not because thou dost not depend upon this truth of God Were thy soul more assured here in the frame of thy spirit would be more joyfull Two Temptations amongst others there are wherein the soul cryeth out as in a Whales belly not knowing what to do◠whereas the confidence of Gods truth would presently satisfie the soul The first is In matters to be believed about the Doctrine that is delivered there For because that is wholly supernatural above our humane reason though not contrary to it hence it is that we have many fluctuations of spirit and our understandings are with difficulty captivated unto the Word of God Though these temptations about the Truths of Christian Religion are not incident to all the Godly and it is a special mercy to be preserved from them yet upon some they have come like a violent storm and therefore there is no way to stand disputing and arguing but to say God is true the Word is true I believe when I cannot dispute as one Martyr said But then a Second temptation which is like a continual thorn in the sides of the Godly is their Diffidence and distrust about the Promises of God They do not live and walk as if they were true So that never did any Heretick more subtilly cavill against the Doctrine of the Scripture than they do argue against the Promises of the Scripture Whether they be such as belong to the Church or to themselves To the Church when they read the Scriptures they finde such glorious and excellent Promises that they exspect she should alwayes have Halcyon dayes that her enemies should alwayes be vanquished but alas they finde experimentally the contrary They cannot see how Gods Words and his Works how his Promises and Providences do concurre together But the reason of this is from themselves They do not take a right way to understand the truth of God in this particular for these three Causes which commonly make the sense to erre about the Object although to speak properly the sense doth not erre but the judgment of a man discerning according to sence for
the forme of Church-administrations be altered we have publick prayer still and the same Scripture-matter that is to be put in prayer only the form is altered and so about the Sacraments onely the order may be altered If therefore this offend thee and cause thee to think that Ministers are light and inconstant it is thy own ignorance as if wine were altered because emptied into divers cups Yea it cannot appear out of good antiquity for many years that ever the primitive Christians meeting together in a Church-way for the solemne administration of Christs Ordinances ever had any publick Liturgy or set forme For as for those Liturgies that are fastened upon some of the Apostles they are justly censured as supposititious Let this then stop the mouth of such cavillers as aske Why is not the Crosse and other Ceremonies still used Why not the same form of Prayer For hereby the true Religion is not altered at all Now the reason why such inconstancy must needs be a reproach to Ministers is because hereby it is plainly discovered that they are not guided by the Spirit of God after his Word for the Word is the same and the Spirit of God is alwayes like it self When therefore men preach contrary Doctrines we may certainly conclude these are not in both guided by the Spirit of God but that they are carried away according to the imaginations of their owne heart When therefore men do not appeare as coming from God nor as having Commission from him all that they say is easily rejected They see no more than of a mutable changeable man in them Paul doth so often commend his Office with this character that it is of God and not of man whereas if thy administration be of man and not of God it will not bring honour or majesty with it Secondly It is not onely thus a reproach but also it rendereth a man uselesse it hindereth that other good and truth which may be in him Some report of Luther that he was convinced about his errour of Consubstantiation but yet thought it not wisdome to publish his recantation lest all his other Doctrine should be likewise called into question Certainly that was more carnal policy than Scripture-wisdome if it be a true report However there is thus much truth may be deduced from it That inconstancy in some truths though of never so small concernment is enough to bring all under examination Yet the people of God they are alwayes to remember this Caution that they labour for the full assurance of Gods truth so upon their own hearts that though they see many Ministers alter and change that they may remain immoveable It hath been a saying Optima fides laicorum And we reade of a Martyr though a woman who being converted from Popery by a Minister but revolting and denying the truth afterwards when this example was brought to her to make her change also she replied no for now she believed the truth not because that Minister said it but because Gods Word did confirme it SERM. CXIX Christ the Alpha and Omega of all Preaching 2 COR. 1. 19. For the Sonne of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by me and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not Yea and Nay but in him was Yea. THis verse containeth a new Argument for the constancy and immutability of Paul's Doctrine and it is from the object matter of his preaching If Christ be alwayes the same Christ if there be no new Christ then his preaching must alwayes be the same because he preached nothing but Christ So that in the words we have 1. The Object matter of Paul's preaching what were the contents of his Sermon not his own imaginations not the Jewish Rites and Ceremonies but Christ and he is described 1. From his two Natures his Divine The Sonne of God His humane Jesus which name was given him by the Angel 2. From his Office Christ The two Natures are united but distinguished there is aliud aliud there is not a confusion of them Again they are united into one person so that there is not alius alius In the next place you have 1. The Instruments that do thus preach Christ whereof Paul is set down as the principal by me 2. His associates and fellow-labourers Sylvanus and Timotheus Lastly Here is the Predicate or Property affirmed of this object matter thus preached was not Yea and Nay but in him was yea In all these parts we may find excellent substantial matter but I shall be the briefer in some of the Doctrines because I have handled them upon other occasions Let us beginne with the Object Matter the Sonne of God Jesus Christ was preached By Christ some here understand the Doctrine of Christ and give a Canon or Rule for interpreting Paul that sometimes by Christ we must understand his Doctrine so Ephes 4. But ye have not so learned Christ In like manner some expound that place Hebr. 13. 8. which is parallel to the Text Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever that is the Doctrine of Christ We may understand both Christ and the Doctrine of Christ the one is preached ut quod the other ut quo as they say Indeed some Expositors doe not make this an Argument from the Object Matter but à pari or majori if Christ Jesus was not unfaithfull was not uncertain and inconstant but whatsoever he promised he made good then neither are we his Ministers who are deputed to this Office by him But I rather go the former way proposed and then the first Doctrine is That Christ onely is to be the subject of all our preaching The Apostle argueth his Doctrine was alwayes the same and uniforme because Christ is so he never altered and changed now he preached onely Christ As therefore the subject of the whole Scripture is Christ The whole Word of God tends to the exalting of Christ So it ought to be with us the Ministers of the Word As Christ is in himself the Alpha and Omega so he should be in our whole Ministry him whom God intended to exalt we should also magnifie And to let you know that you doe not understand any thing rightly till it bring you to Christ there is no truth that you are simply to stay in but you are to follow this streame till it empty it selfe into the Ocean which is Christ When we preach of Faith of Repentance of a godly life these are but the ladders as it were to tread upon that you may lay hold on Christ To enlarge this truth we must take notice how or when Christ is preached And First When we declare that Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified at Jerusalem is the promised Messiah that he is the Person in whom all those glorious Prophecies that are mentioned in the Prophets are exactly fullfilled This is indeed the Fundamental Article upon which all the other Doctrines about Christ do depend
into nothing Thus it is with the promises recorded in the Scripture they all move and act as it were in him They all live and worke in him were it nor for his merit and his Spirit they would be but as empty words or as a tinkling cymball Therefore In the fourth place The Covenant of Grace which is virtually all the promises of God it is not onely called a Covenant and a Promise but a Testament likewise And that for this end because it doth necessarily relate to the death of the Testatour So that Gods promise is not to be conceived as when one man maketh a promise to another absolutely and without any thing intervening For here we have God indeed promising from his meer absolute goodnesse and mercy but then the execution of this cannot be without the blood of Christ so that all the force of the promise ariseth from the death of Christ The Apostle therefore argueth the validity of this Covenant from that which is amongst men Galat. 3. 15. A mans testament when it is confirmed cannot be disanulled or added unto how much rather then must the testament of Christ be confirmed for ever The Apostle doth excellently consider this Heb. 9. 15. For this cause Christ is a Mediatour of the New Testament that by meanes of death they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a testament is there also must of necessity be the death of the testatour By which it appeareth that the promises of God are established upon a sure and unchangeable foundation even the blood of Christ and therefore as sure as Christ died so sure will those promises of God be made effectual to thee Indeed if Gods promises were Yea and Amen according to thy workes to thy worth and dignity woe would be unto thee Yea though God doth require faith and repentance yet the promises are not setled upon these as a foundation but on Christ and therefore it is that our hopes our comforts can never be shaken The promises then of God have two Pillars to bear them up though one be enough The first is The immutability and verity of Gods Nature he cannot change he cannot lie The other is From the Merit and Efficacy of Christs death whereby the things promised are deserved and that at a dear rate even Christs blood Now then can any godly soule give way to unbeliefe to sinfull dejections seeing that God cannot lie and the blood of Christ cannot but obtaine God cannot deny himselfe neither can he deny his onely Sonne Therefore let the godly soule remember this Gods promise is not onely a bare promise but Christs Testament also Insomuch that all spirituall benefits are the fruit of his death and shall we thinke that blood will be shed in vain Shall we give no more to Christs Testament then we will to a mans But this Doctrine deserveth further enlarging SERM. CXXVII Of the usefulnesse and unchangeablenesse of the Promises of God 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen ALl the promises of grace you have heard are established upon two immovable pillars Gods unchangablenesse and the bloud of Christ To proceed from this followeth First That Deus absolutus as Luther was wont to say or Deus in praedicamento substantiae is a consuming fire and we are nothing but stubble before him it must be God as in praedicamento relationis as he is a God promising mercy unto us in Christ that is the ground of all our commerce and fellowship with him We are not to appear before God in confidence of our obedience to his commands but by faith in his promises insomuch that the only foundation we have to build upon in all our approaches unto him is Gods promise alone in Christ The godly soul is to look with as much or more chearfulnesse on that than Rahab could do on the scarlet thread held out as a commemorative signe to preserve her life were it not for this promise in Christ who could who might who dare draw nigh to God the Father So that it is through Christ that the way is opened for us to come unto God We may see this notably prefigured as it were in Gods dispensation with the people of Israel Exo. 33. 2 3. for when they had by their sinnes greatly provoked God the Lord denied his presence to go along with them I will not go up with thee lest I consume thee in the way this sheweth that such was Gods anger against their iniquity that he could not bear it It 's a speech taken from the humour of men otherwise the anger of the Lord is subject to his own power only this is spoken to shew what distastefull objects they were to him But though his anger be thus against them yet see what he promiseth ver 2. I will send my Angel before thee Here God would not go but his Angel now this Angel is Christ as appeareth Exod. 22. 20 21 22. where he is described as one in whose power it is to pardon iniquities with this addition for my Name is in him Observe then here a sweet Oeconomy or dispensation of Gods dealing with the people of Israel as a President to inform us about all mankinde God would not look upon mankinde neither would he behold as it were if he did he should immediatly destroy them all but he sends an Angel he sendeth Christ into the world and so in and through him he becomes propitious to us Now how little is this understood by Christians who do go to the promises upon their own obedience they think they beleeve they repent and in the mean while Christ is not all in all as if in our graces in our performances The promises of God were yea and Amen and not in God himself It is a long while ere the ministery of the Law hath any efficacy upon mens hearts ere they are sensible of the weight and the heavinesse of sinne ere they go bowed down because of this burden and when that hath broken them it is many times longer ere they are directed to an Evangelicall life ere they can tell how to make use of the proper remedy which is the promise of God in Christ for all their disputes and doubts arise from this as if the fullfilling of the promises were established upon themselves and not upon Christs bloud Truly if the humbled sinner were well instructed in this principle it would be like the rising of the Sunne to dispell all darknesse for either the promises are made good because of thy faith and of thy repentance or because of Christs bloud and atonement through that if because of the former then no wonder thou art no more quieted in thy minde no wonder thy heart is so full of fears for how weak is thy faith how strong and heavy is thy heart if thou must be justified by their worth thou art undone But then if Christ be
therefore should a Christian doubting whether the promises do belong to him do in that darknesse and perplexity which is upon him And first we grant That a Christian so exercised is not to ascend up to those high points of predestination or the universal redemption by Christs death We do not require of thee to ascend up into heaven as it were to search into the Book of life whether thy Name be written there and then to say the promise belongs to thee This absurd and preposterous course some would fasten upon those who hold the doctrine of Gods absolute election as if from that it did necessarily follow that no Christian humbled for sin might apply the promises till they first know whether they be elected or no. And again those that pleade for Universall redemption by Christ they think that unlesse that be received we cannot rationally perswade any humbled sinner to apply a particular promise to himself that Christ loved him and gave himself for him but no afflicted sinner is to run to any of these doctrines but is out of the sence of his unworthinesse to go as boldly to Christ in the promise as if none of those doctrines had ever been disputed by learned men For in the second place We are to make Gods commands and invitations the ground of our drawing nigh to the promise If then the Scripture be full of such gracious invitations to all that are hungry and thirsty to all that are humbled and debased under their unworthinesse to come and finde rest for their souls yea if the Scripture commands such as are poor in spirit with all holy boldnesse to draw nigh to the throne of grace then here is their warrant from this they are to encourage themselves so that the truly humbled sinner is only to hearken what the word of God commands Art thou one who findest thy self undone Dost thou fâ—el thy self to be a lost man then know it is Gods will and command to come unto him for pardon Thou art bound in conscience if thou wilt not dishonour God nor damn thy own soul to eat of this tree of life Never then perplex thy self about these thoughts whether the promises of God belong to thee or no for it 's plain They belong to such who are sick under the sence of sinne who are burthened under the weight of it and if the promises belong not to such as thou art they belong to none in the world and withall set this home upon thy soul that the longer thou keepest off from the promise the worse it is with thee the work of faith will be the more difficult the longer thou sufferest this wound to fester the more difficultly will it be cured The longer thou wandrest in this wildernesse the more hard it will be at last to enter into Canaan the longer the water is muddied the harder will it be to see the face For when all is done and thou hast disputed thy self out of breath thou must come to this at last even to lay hold upon the promise by particular application Shall Esther resolve to go into the Kings presence though no Scepter of Invitation were held out saying If I perish I perish how inexcusable then wilt thou be if thou drawest back when the Scepter is held out No wonder if Adam did run from God endeavouring to hide himself from his presence upon his transgression for as yet he had received no promise from God But how wilt thou pleade for thy self when the promise is indefinitely propounded to every one that findeth the need thereof This is certain it is inevitable ruine to run from the promise where wilt thou help thy self if thou flyest from it There is no other way but this Ark to escape drowning Therefore remember it is not disputing but resting of thy soul on Christ that will at last quiet thy spirit In the next place in that all the promises of God are thus Amen in Christ it followeth That they will never be altered and changed that they are more immovable than the Laws of Medes and Persians so that although David and others of Gods Children have sometimes sadly complained Hath the Lord forgot for ever yet this was from their imbecillity attending more to the dead womb of second causes than to Gods truth For God can no more break his promise than he can ceafe to be God and truly herein the heart of a godly man should greatly rejoyce The promises depend not upon thy strength upon thy perseverance upon thy good use of the opportunities enjoyed by thee but upon Christ alone How often hast thou as much as lieth in thee made the promises of none effect to thee but the promises keep thee and not thou the promises God cannot break his promise Oh pray to God for an heart that is yea and Amen as well as the promises say O Lord I would gladly have faith as firm as the promises I desire my soul may be Yea and Amen as well as they are Oh how full is the Scripture of sweet and comfortable promises But we are dejected and desolate not at all attending to them so that it is with us as Pythagoras fancied about the heavens viz. that they made most admirable musick in their motion but our ears through continuall use are stupified and hear them not To be sure the Scripture vouchsafeth excellent musick and ravishing joy to a gracious heart but that many times attendeth not to it But you may say If this be so that God breaketh not his promise how shall we understand that place Num. 14. 34 where God threatning the people of Israel for their murmuring against them and that their carcases should fall in the wildernesse then saith God ye shall know my breach of promise or as in the margin my altering of my purpose Here it should seem God may break his promise to this it may be answered if we follow this Translation that God speaketh of that particular promise about their entring into the land of Canaan which was conditionall if they did not rebell against him and so they not fullfilling the condition God is there said to break his promise But others render the Hebrew word otherwise as some translate it ultionem meam my revenge The Hebrew word Tenuathi cometh of Noah to break and as it is applyed to words and promises so also to other things and therefore the most genuine translation is abruptionem meam you shall know my breaking that is as some that disobedience whereby you have broken your selves from me or else which is most probable that breaking which I have made upon you because of your sins you shall know I have divided my self from you for your iniquites and this I conceive most genuine The Use is of Instruction would we ever have the promises of God fullfilled to us then the way is to get an interest in Christ the promises are fullfilled in him and therefore without Christ
glory than if there were no promise no grace no mercy and pardon Let not then the People of God have low thoughts of Faith No thou dost more in beleeving and bâ—ingest more glory to God thereby than thou couldest do by all thy other obedience Shouldest thou mortifie sinne to thy desire Shouldest thou dye a Martyr for the Cause of God thou wouldest not so glorifie God as thou dost by beleeving I know this seemeth very Paradoxall to the humbled sinner I know he is difficultly perswaded that by trusting in God he doth thus glorifie God but if thou understandest the Scripture-way then thou wilt quickly see as to beleeve is the most difficult duty so it is the most consequentiall for Gods glory And indeed what have other Duties admirable in them that Faith it self in the Promise hath not in beleeving the understanding is mortified in beleeving the will is crucified in beleeving the Heart and Affections are martyred So that faith maketh a man to be offered up as an whole burnt-offering unto God Use of Instruction That the onely way to make a man live a joyfull life in himself and a glorifying life of God is by faith in the Promises This is that Faith by which a just man is said to live so that thy doubts thy fears thy unbeleeving thoughts these bring a dishonour to God these reproach the Gospel-way these obscure the honour of Christ Let then the godly soul take heed how it giveth way unto such temptations if your own consolation if the glory of God be dear unto you then bolt out unbeleef No wonder if the devil that is so great an enemy to the glory of God doth assault your souls most in this if he have broken down this part of the wall what legions of other sinnes may not he bring with them For this reason many Divines say Sola infidelit as damnat which is not to be understood as if other sinnes were not meritorious of damnation yea and did actually damn only that opposeth the Physician that would heal us that refuseth the atonement that is made for us Secondly As the Promises are thus to be improved for Gods glory by beleeving so also attend to another effect which the Scripture doth inferre from them and that is to cleanse our selves to be every day perfecting holinesse For so the Apostle notably exhorts us 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having these Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit Promises are no waies incentives to sinne or encouragements to evil works No but a strong antidote against them Neither is faith in them a light superficiall assent swimming upon the heart as a fowl in the water said Luther but as water calefied doth no more manifest its own coldnesse but the heat of the water so doth faith fermentate and leaven the whole soul of a man that humane things do not so much appear as divine things in him As the Apostle expresseth the energy of it when he said I no longer live but Christ in me and that life is by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. Thou then that sayest all thy trust is in the Promises thou hopest in them for mercy and pardon Are they cleansing Promises purifying Promises Do they perfect holinesse every day in thee through the fear of God SERM. CXXIX Our Settlement and establishment in the faith of the Promises is the gracious work of God alone 2 COR. 1. 21. Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God THe Apostle having formerly spoken of his constancy and unchangeableness in the preaching of the Gospel lest this should be attributed to his own power he informeth them who is the fountain of this strength even God himself For the Apostle doth upon all occasions delight to exalt grace having experimentally found the mighty work of it upon his own soul Or we may make the coherence this The Apostle in the verse preceding spake of the certainty of Gods Promises in themselves they were in themselves Yea and Amen which is called certitudo objecti though some learned men think that it is not a proper expression Now in this Verse he cometh to the certitudo subjecti or to show whence it is that the children of God have this assured perswasion in their own hearts that they are true and constant whence it is that we are able to give our Amen as a note of confirmation to them and therefore in the words we may take notice of The blessed and happy Effect it self and that is 1. Confirmation he which stablisheth 2. The Subject of this us with you 3. The Object in whom in Christ 4. The efficient Cause of this is God 5. The Illustration of this Establishment by a threefold Similitude of anointing sealing and giving the earnest 6. By whom God doth this and that is by his Spirit as it followeth in the next verse So that in these two Verses is the proper seat of that excellent and precious Doctrine Which is The assuring and sealing of the Spirit of God that is given unto Believers But I begin with the First It is God that establisheth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though we render it now yet some make it causal for he that stablisheth us c. and that seemeth more probable The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Varinus maketh the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Adjective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. is made the same by Hesychius with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be shaken or altered this word is sometimes used of the Doctrine of Christ when that was confirmed and made sure by miracles or otherwise Mark 16. 20. Thus an oath is said to be the confirmation of the end of a strife Heb. 6. 16. or else of persons as here in the Text and Col. 2. 7. stablished in the Faith which being used passively denoteth that this strength and power we have cometh from God only That we of our selves are like reeds shaken with every winde It is the grace of God that maketh us pillars in his Church So that from the Text we may observe That our establishing and confirming in the faith of the promises is alone the gracious work of God Though the Promises be never so lovely and precious though never so profitable and necessary for us yet we are not able to rest our selves upon them but by the power of God strengthening us Our hearts do so quake and tremble with the consideration of our own sinnes and unworthiness that unless the Lord make it stedfast and immoveable we are tossed up and down like the leaves of a tree That it is God alone who doth thus preserve and confirm us is plain by that notable place 1 Pet. 5. 10. where the Apostle prayeth that God who had called them would make
grace so a God of all consolation and Gal. 5. Joy is the fruit of Gods Spirit as well as Faith Love and Repentance are in other places attributed to God But you will say It may easily be granted that a man being dead in sinne he needeth the mighty work of Gods Spirit to raise him up and to give spiritual life but doth it follow that he needeth the same spirit to establish and assure him of Gods love Yes no doubt but that the same Spirit of God which bringeth thee out of the gulf of thy lusts must also out of the gulf of thy doubts and fears It 's as impossible for thee to have comfort of thy self as grace of thy self And therefore you see the Scripture speaking of this twofold operation of Gods Spirit as being necessary to antidote against our twofold corruption and the grounds of this necessity of Gods Spirit are these First The heart of a man is naturally opposite to any thing that is spirituall Whatsoever is of God though never so desirable in it self yet meeting with our corrupt natures it findeth opposition therefore we cannot of our selves any more receive the promises though infinitely needing of them then we can obey the commands We cannot endure honey any more then gall The way of Gospel-joy is contrary to a troubled heart as well as Gospel-obedience to a secure carnal heart Secondly We need the Spirit of God to this sealing because that which doth oppose this is indeed nothing but the fruit of sinne running down another channel He that once lived in divers pleasures did continually grieve the holy Spirit of God Let this man finde the guilt of sinne Let the Law wound and sting him then he grieveth the comforting spirit of God by fears and doubts No wonder then if it must be Gods Spirit only that sealeth because that alone can remove the guilt within thee that only can take off these objections these discouragements that are upon the soul As God raised an East-winde that suddenly delivered Pharaoh from those Locusts that molested him this was miraculous none could do it but God so it is the Spirit of God that alone can take off the heavy burthen of sinne upon thee It is Gods Spirit alone that can overrule thy conscience that can pacifie it that can comfort it It is the Spirit of Adoption that maketh us cry Abba Father but more of this may come in afterwards SERM. CXXXV A further Discovery of the Spirits sealing the People of God 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us THe third particular in the Description of the Spirits sealing cometh to be considered and that is the subject thereof which is two-fold 1. Of Inhesion And 2. Of Predication First Of Inhesion so it is said to be the work of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of the godly For after this manner the Scripture speaketh He hath sent his Spirit into our hearts Gal. 4. 6. And in this Text He hath given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts By this expression is denoted that deep radicated and full possession which the Spirit of God hath upon the hearts of true believers So that hereby is excluded that vanishing and superficial perswasion which may be in a temporary believer of his interest in Christ As a temporary believer hath something like true faith like true joy and like true grace upon the soul so he hath also something like this sealing and like this assured perswasion upon his heart Therefore as the former is much disputed and it doth greatly exercise tender hearts viz. How they may know when they are carried on in the work of sanctification beyond those inchoate and imperfect workings which an hypocrite may have So this latter also doth cause great sollicitude and care of spirit in many gracious souls How shall they know their assurance is not a delusion is not a false perswasion arising out of an inordinate love to their own selves For the Devil doth not only transform himself into an Angel of light as light is taken for holinesse but also as it is taken for comfort Now amongst other characteristical differences this is one the perswasion of a godly man is more full plenary and powerfull Even as sanctifying grace entereth efficaciously into the heart so also doth this sealing grace whereas what hypocrites feel is in a confused general and flashy way neither is it drawn out upon permanent and enduring motives Although doctrinal characters given by the most able Ministers of the Gospel are not enough to make us find out this difference in our selves without a rectified constitution of the powers of the soul within unlesse we attain to that qualification spoken of by the Apostle Heb. 5. 14. who by reason of use or habit or perfection as the word may be rendred have their senses exercised to discerne between good and evil This Text is much to be pressed upon you For it is not every godly man at first that can separate the precious from the vile in his soul but there must be an habitual use of the senses this way Where mark also the Apostle attributeth to the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a metaphorical manner That as the taste when well constituted is able to discern between bitter and sweet the eye between white and black the ear between what is melodious and what is harsh and displeasing Thus the soul of a godly man being used to heavenly and spiritual things can know what is of God and what is of Satan or of nature in him For you must know there may be four principles of operations in us 1. Nature and that when polished with education and moral principles may appear very glorious 2. Satan insinuating himself as a subtil Serpent as an Angel of light imitating the works of God though he cannot efficaciously work the heart to any thing all that he doth is by suggestion and moving the imaginative and sensitive part of a man 3. There is the Spirit of God and that worketh in us either in a common way by gifts and assistance or by a sanctifying way Now is there not required much spiritual skill and experience to discern which is which of all these So that it is no wonder if he require these senses to be exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word from those who did exercise themselves in the Heathenish games and that naked thereby to fit and prepare themselves to be more agile and expedite for that service In this dispute therefore enquire not onely for doctrinal symptomes and signes of this sealing of Gods Spirit but heartily pray for these exercised senses in spiritual things The other subject is the subject of predication of whom it is affirmed that they have this sealing of Gods Spirit and that is sanctified persons We speak of adult persons for it is plain that infants though they may be sanctified yet because not having actual faith they neither have this sealing And
in his heart in somuch that an Angel was sent to comfort him This might make us wonder that God should not spare his own Sonne but it was necessary for our redemption for as he could not have wrought our reconciliation for us unlesse he had a passible body that could suffer death so neither unlesse he had a suffering soul by fears and grief though all without sinne It was Jobs case likewise to be without sealing for he could have no comfort in his heart while he complained the Arrows of the Almighty did stick fast in him while he was terrified with dreams and visions in the night Thus the Lord still doth exercise his soveraignty therein he withdraweth the light of his favour from many choice sanctified ones They wander in a wildernesse their lives are a burthen to them they cannot meet God in any ordinance as if they were become like so many rejected Sauls when yet the favour of the Lord is exceeding great to them only they perceive it not But then secondly On our part many times yea too often when the cause is that we have not this sealing We may thank our selves for bloaching the Paper so that no comfortable thing can be written upon it I shall instance in one or two waies how we come to keep off this sealing And the first is by falling into some grievous and grosse sinnes if such do drive away the naturall peace of a meer natural conscience as is plain in heathens how much more the supernaturall peace of a tender enlightned conscience Davids penitentiall Psalm 51. doth fully speak to this he there complaineth of his broken bones he prayeth to have joy restored to him all which argueth that by sinne he had lost all comfortable enjoyment of God That he was in a chaos and dark confusion and truly if there were no hell no damnation to threaten the people of God with to keep them from grosse sinnes This of Gods iron turnace to be cast into is enough to make our hearts tremble Oh the wofull condition that godly manis in who in stead of the spirit of Adoption he once enjoyed is now delivered up to Satan to be under his fears his black temptations No outward comfort in the world can then give him a drop of case Oh then come not near any grosse sinnes fly from the appearance of it for this sealing cannot consist with that Secondly Any carelesse and remisse walking though we do not fall into grosse sins is enough to put this Sunne into an Eclipse Any angry and bitter words to another will do it Any loose and wanton discourse may bring thee into this deep dungeon For so you may see Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the spirit by which yeare sealed But how is that done for so you may see the verse before by corrupt communications by unsavoury gracelesse words and then see the subsequent Verse Let all bitternesse all wrath and anger be put away Dost thou then complain thou hast not this sealing how can it be otherwise How many frothy foolish speeches hast thou How many angry bitter words come from thee If you hereby grieve Gods spirit no wonder that he leave thee to thy grief Thirdly By any inward security and secret self-confidence we may deprive our selves of this sealing For seeing this is a Gospel-privi edge a ray from the Sunne of righteousnesse it is only conveighed in an Evangelicall method Now all Gospel-dispensations are to the broken in heart to the poor in spirit to the humbled sinner renouncing all righteousnesse and worth of our own so that as it is in the work of sanctification no sooner hath a man any secret confidence in his own power but sanctifying grace in some measure leaveth him As we see in Peter when he said Though all men should for sake Christ yet he would not Thus it is also in the way of consolation no sooner doth a man begin to be lifted up within because he hath these comfortable refreshments but presently they are substrated from us Thus David did but say his mountain was established that he should not be moved and immediately God hid his face and he was troubled Psa 30. 6 7. Therefore that man who would enjoy this desirable priviledge must walk with a tender humble and yet an Evangelicall fiducial frame of heart Fourthly When we speak of Gods sealing you must rightly understand the meaning of it It is not as if thereby such a certainty were wrought in the soul that it doth exclude all fears and doubts No that is a proper priviledge to heaven as the flesh lusteth against the spirit in matter of sanctification so it doth also in consolation As therefore when the spirit of God sanctifieth on the spirits part grace is pure and perfect but on the subjects part which doth receive it so it hath much drosse and imperfection cleaving to it Thus it is also in this sealing though the testimony and witnesse on the spirits part be infaliible and undoubted yet as we receive it so there is much unbeleef and doubting adhering to us This sealing therefore and many fears and doubts may consist together because it is not absolutely predominant and prevalent only here is a conflict we are to strive against these doubts we are to pray against these fears till the Lord cause light to arise out of this darkness Therefore the godly may have this sealing and yet not attend to it nor perceive it because the corruptions of our heart are most perceived by us and we are so exercised by them that we do not consider what the spirit of God doth witnesse at that time This then maketh the godly think they have not this sealing at all because they have it not with that dominion as they desire to exclude all conflicts and troubles within and so as in respect of sanctification there is some grace under much corruption so there is also this certainty under many fears And if you say that it is a contradiction that a man should be assured and doubt also I answer No no more than that a man should be sanctified and yet have some corruption in him for they do not respect the same thing Certainty ariseth from the Promises of God set home by his spirit upon us ahd fears arise from the sence and feeling of our own weaknesses So that what the holy Apostle speaketh concerning the work of grace in him with the oppositian thereunto the good he would do he doth not and he findes evil present with him Thus it is here the sealing the assurance the comfort he would have he cannot obtain but the doubts and slavish fears which he hateth they carry him away captive Lastly Suppose a godly man hath not this sealing yet let him not limit God to the times and seasons he would but leave all to the merciful dispensation of a wise and righteous God Thou hast not assurance yet no more thou hast
he had confidence of abiding with them for the furtherance and joy of their faith where you see the more growth and encrease in grace the more joy and it is called the joy of faith because by beleeving we come to partake of this joy Let not then any people nourish prejudices in their hearts against the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel as if they endeavoured only to discourage men to fill the hearts of people with despair to drive them into meâ—ancholy and turn them out of their wits as prophane persons calumniate for our great work is to provide comfort for such as are fit Subjects to receive it That must alwaies be remembred oyl is for the wounded in soul this wine is not for such who are transported with feaverish lusts of their sinnes but if thy sinnes be a burthen to thee and thou hast cast them off then manna is prepared for thee in this wildernesse then a year of Jubilee is to be proclaimed to thee who didst mourn under thy spirituall debts But let us explicate this Truth And first There is a twofold joy a carnall and worldly joy whereby men delight in the pleasures of â—in and the jolly pastimes and customes that are in the world and there is a spiritual joy arising from Gods love in Christ whereby we are quickened to all holinesse with great delight now God forbid that any Ministers should be helpers of the former joy There have indeed been such unsavoury salt prophane Ministers of the Gospel whose work hath been to strengthen the hands of wicked men to preach peace and mercy to them while wallowing in their sinnes but wo to such Pastors and such a people These are sharply reproved in the Scripture for there alwaies will be such men-pleasers such daubers with untempered mortar as Jer. 6. 14. They heal the hurt of my daughter slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no peace Would you have such a Physician that should flatter you about the wounds of your body saying it will heal it will heal when thou feelest it to putrifie more and more Such spirituall Mountebanks the Prophet Ezechiel complaineth of also cap. 13. 10. They have seduced my people saying peace peace especially at 22. verse these wicked Prophets are said to make sad the hearts of such whom God would not have made sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked by promising them life Thus you see what an unfaithful Minister will do all that he can and dare he will uphold and encourage a prophane person and all that he can and dare he will uphold and discourage vex and grieve such who fear God and whom God would have comforted but such men in time meet with an overflowing storm and great hailstones fallling upon them as v. 11. which shall destroy them and rend the wall down they have daubed up Do not then think this is the joy we should help you in in your prophane pleasures in your superstitious and vain customes to encourage you no this were to deprive both our selves and you of true solid joy Hence in the second place We are to help the joy of those whose grace we have helped before Joy cannot be the first stone in Gods building grace and holinesse is first and then consolation The spirit of God is first a sanctifier and then a comforter So that many people take a preposterous method if they be sick they look the Minister should presently give them comfort there must not a word be said of their sinnes of the necessity of repentance this will make them despair Fond and foolish people why would ye be tickled into hell why would ye be pleased into damnation oh it cannot be that thou shouldst have comfort before godlinesse this would be to falsifie the covenant of God to abuse the seal of pardon applying it to him whom God doth still hold guilty Understand then Gods method and submit thereunto saying I do not expect comfort I would not have the promises of grace applied to me while thus obstinate and impenitent in my sinful waies but if thou art found godly then we are to comfort and to comfort as Isa 40. 1. again and again not giving over till that evil spirit of unbeleef be cast out And this spirituall comfort is seen in two particulars 1. Comfort under the guilt of sinne and truly herein we do a most acceptable work Then it is indeed the tongue of the learned when we speak a word in season to such afflicted spirits how ready and willing are the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel to bring the balm of Gilead to such persons how pittifull and compassionate because they know the terrour of the Lord God hath commanded us to be Messengers of peace and like Noahs dove to come with an Olive-branch assuring them that the waters are abated and oh that God would provide such comforting work for us It is very seldome to meet with such we have work enough to reprove the prophane to instruct the erroneous but how few do need comfort because their sinnes are a heavy burthen upon them In the 2. place we are to help the comfort of the godly in respect of their outward afflictions For they are more chastened than other men there is no godly man but God hath appointed a crosse for him yea sometimes many crosses together Now how necessary is it to have a faithful and wise comforter in such cases for alas our own hearts are full of discouragements and every thing is ready to appear more terrible than it is and the devil he is very ready to make the waters overflow more than they would do So that to administer comfort to such disconsolate persons is the best act of love and the most suitable alms that can be desired Seeing then that grace must be laid as a foundation for comfort Hence in the third place Before the Ministers of the Gospel can administer comfort to unregenerate persons they must necessarily use sharp and bitter means as preparatory there unto Neither are we then to be blamed or judged too cruell and austere but sinne is to be condemned as the cause of it It is your sinne that maketh all bitter things necessary When the Physician administreth bitter Physick which maketh thee exceeding sick is he to be blamed and not rather those peccant humours within us The ground must be plowed up and have its bowels as it were moved ere the good seed can be sown into it The wool must be carded and torn as it were in peeces ere it be made for a garment The stone must come under the hammer and saw ere it be prepared for the building And thus ere the heart of man be fit to receive Gospel-comfort it must be humbled and broken by the Law of God So that we are making way for your comfort even while we denounce the curses of the Law To preach of hell and damnation though it be grievous to you yet
for the future Considerations clearing the truth 1. Though we have oft had experience of Gods goodness yet every new trouble is ready to startle us 2. Though the promises be sufficient grounds for our trust yet experiences do much promote faith 3. 'T is a good way to keep the heart calme even to exercise trust in God for the future 4. The future good things that we are to trust in the Lord for are both spirituall and temporall Object Answer 1. There are motives to trust in God from both the personal and general priviledges of believers 2. What are the opposites to trusting in God 1. Presumption Signs of presumption 1. When we walk not by Scripture-light 2. When we are confident without a promise 3. When we separate the means from the end 4. When we use false means 5. When we think by our own strength to obtain grace and glory 2. Despair Whence despair arises 1. From low thoughts of God As 1. The power of God 2. The goodness of God 3. Of the merits of Christ 2. From wrong apprehensions about our sins 3. This grace of trusting in God cannot be expected to be perfect here 'T is our duty not to separate Gods power and goodnesse from the means required How God and the creature work together 1. All Gods spiritual mercies have many things concurrent before they be accomplished 2. The opposing of these requisites one against another hath bred much confusion and errour How we should relie wholly upon Christ and yet make use of the means and how we may know whether we do or no. 1. When we acknowledge whatsoever we have to come from Christ 2. When we attribute no merit or causality to the means 3. When we rest upon Christ onely for our justification 4. When we put no trust or confidence in the means 5. We dishonour God in the use of the means when we think we profit him thereby The most eminent in gifts and graces need the prayers of their inferiours Reasons 1. Because there is a more peculiar promise made to the prayers of many then one 2. Because the Church in Scripture is called a body whose parts stand in need one of another Use People ought to pray for their spirituall guides Considerations explaining the truth 1. 'T is an errour of the Socinians to say God commands prayer only in the New Testament 2. No merit or confidence to be put in our prayers 3. Ministers are to pray for their people and people for their Ministers 4. This supposeth the people to be both gifted and gracious 5. Many things there are which people are to desire of God for their Ministor 1. That they may be preserved 2. That their word may be suceesfull 3. That their gifts and graces may be quickned 4. That they may be saved Whensoever we have received mercies from God we are by praise and thankfullness to acknowledge then to him What is required to the praising of God 1. An acknowledgement that God alone is the Authour of all our mercies 2. Both the generall and particular acts of faith 3. Love to God 4. Heavenly mindedness 5. Chearfulnes Motives to praise God 1. 'T is an excellent duty in that we are so backward to it 2. It is called a Sacrifice 3. 'T is a debt due to God 4. The chief motive is thankfulnesse 5. A thankfull heart is the most proper disposition to Gospel dispensations 6. The neglect of this duty is an argument of a rotten heart Our ordinary temporal enjoyments are the gifts of God 1. The effects of natural causes are still the gift of God 2. The comforts that flow from moral causes are still the gifts of God 3. What we receive from men 't is still the gift of God 4. Whatsoever we have by the art and skill of others 5. Such things as come upon us without our care Reasons Why these are all Gods gifts 1. God is not necessitated to give them 2. We have oft forseited them by our sins 3. We are to pray to him for them Not only personal but publick prayers and praises are acceptable to God Reasons 1. Hereby the honour of God is more promoted 2. Hereby our love to one another is much quickened 3. God in a more especial manner present there 4. Herein the lively may prevail for the dull and indisposed Mercies vouch safed to the Ministers are to be accounted as Church mercies An holy rejoycing and glorying in the graces of God is lawfull What is required to our glorying in the gifts and graces we have received from God 1. An high esteem of our graces 2. A certain perswasion that we have them 3. Good grounds and Scripture-demonstrations thereof 4. The Spirit of God In what respect 't is lawfull thus to rejoyce and glory 1. As they are the fruits of Gods favour 2. As they bear up our hearts against all accusations either external or internal Wherein this rejoycing is unlawfull 1. When we rejoyce in our graces as if they were perfect 2. When we so rejoyce in them as so rest upon them 3. When we rejoyce in them as coming from our selves not God The witnesse of a good conscience is great ground of comfort What is required to a good conscience 1. That it witness according to the word of God 2. The help of the Spirit to instruct us in the true meaning of the Word 3. Pure aims and intentions 4. Inward sanctification What else is requisite to a well-regulated conscience 1. The witnessing and sealing power of the Spirit with our consciences How the Spirit of God doth not witness with our consciences How it doth 1. Effectively 2. Objectively What are the effects of the Spirit by which our consciences are rightly guided in witnessing to us 1. A purpose to leave all known sin 2. A zeal for the glory of God 3. An holy confidence in our approachings unto God 4. Love to the Brethren 5. Self-denial 6. Delight in heavenly things Distinctions concerning the testimony of our conscience 1. 'T is either particular or general 2. It witnesseth either perfection or sincerity 3. Conscience is either habitually enabled or actually prepared to testifie 4. The testimony of conscience is either alone or relating to Christ A believer may be assured he performeth duties with an upright heart What is required to a certain knowledg of our being in a state of grace 1. A firm assent to the truth of Gods promises and Word 2. A particular application of the promises to themselves What is required to an experimental discerning of our graces 1. An humble heart 2. A regular disposition in the soul 3. An holy fear 4. The help of Gods Spirit What are the hinderances which keep men from looking after an assurance of their sincerity 1. Self-fulness and presumptuous security 2. A prophane careless spirit 3. Carking carefulness 4. Despairing and discouraging thoughts Of Gods commands to get assurance The effects of our souls 1. A quiet heart 2. Spiritual
against Christ 2. T is the grace of God◠alone that can open this door 3. Sometimes Ministers are called to a people of small hopes 4. A Ministers hope of doing good should be guided by the Word Reasons why a Ministers hope of doing good should be matter of of joy to him 1. The End of his Ministry is accomplished A constant Ministry is necessary to every Church And that for these Ends 1. To informe against Errors 2. To reform the corruptions that are in mens lives 3. To comfort the godly 4. To edifie and strengthen them How believers may and are to grow 1. In knowledg 2. In the experimental power of their knowledge 3. In Faith 4. In Grace 'T is the duty of all Christians especially Ministers to lay out themselves for the glory of God 1. For all Christians 1. There is none but have talents to be improved 2. All lawfull actions may be improved for Gods glory 3. Christians should often meditate upon the ultimate end of all their actions 2. Especially it belongs to Ministers What is required to enable us to do all things for Gods glory 1 A converted soul 2 A publick spirit 3. Heavenlyn indedness 4. Fervency and zeal The office of the Apostle and ordinary Pastors differs in that the one had an universal the other a particular charge 1. The Apostles had commission to preach to all Nations 2. Yet the office of the Apostles did virtually contain all other 3. The Apostles had in their office something ordinary and something extraordinary 5. Though a Pastor is ordinarily to reside amongst his flock yet he is a Minister of the whole Church of God Where the Ministry hath wrought spiritually the Minister is esteemed highly Lightness and inconstancy is a great sinne and reproach to all much more to Ministers Of the sinfulness of inconstancy in civil respects As 1. When we are not consistent with our selves in our assertions 2. In our promises 3. In our affections Of the aggravations of this sinne 1. 'T is contrary to the nature of God 2. 'T is a reproach to men 3. Hereby a man makes himself unfit for Gods service 4. 'T is an abuse of our tongue 5. God threatens lying but encourageth sincerity Of the sinfulness of Inconstancy in spiritual things as in 1. Faith 2. In our Conversion and Repentance Motives against this Inconstancy 1. There is the same Reason at all times against sin 2. Sinnes after Convictions are the greater 3. This Inconstancy is a mocking of God and a dallying in soul-matters 4. It may justly cause God for ever to forsake thee 3. This Inconstancy is a great sin in Promises and Resolutions Of the Phrase according to the flesh which is taken for 1. The humane Nature 2. External Priviledges 3. Corrupt Principles Walking by carnal Principals makes men unstable and inconstant Principles of flesh 1. Covetousness 2. Ambition 3. Pleasing of men 4. Time-serving 5. Self-pleasing Of Principles 1 Herein men differ from bruit beasts because they act from inward principles beasts by instinct 2. Principles are either speculative or practical 3. All the principles of natural men are sinfull and carnal 3. Principles are oft hidden 5. There are principles of flesh even in our holy duties 6. The principles of the carnal and of the spiritual are contrary Of the principles of a godly man There are two general principles 1. There is a principle of knowledge viz. the holy Scriptures 2. The principle of his acting viz. the Spirit of God Particular principles 1. Alwayes to keep a good conscience towards God and man 2. To make sure of his ultimate end and the necessary means to it 3. Daily to expect death and judgment 4. To judg sin the greatest evil and godliness the greatest good Lying is not consistent with godliness 1. There is a material and a formal lie 2. There are assertory and promissory lies 3. There is a pernicious sporting and officious lie 4. Lying is a sinne of the tongue 5. They that would not lie must study the government of the tongue He that would govern his tongue must first cleanse his heart The causes of lies 1. Natural inclination 2. Want of dependance upon God 3. Our captivity to Satan 4. Covetousnes 5. Fear God is true God is true 1. There is a Metaphysical and a moral Truth 2. There is an increated and created truth 3. In that God is true he differeth from men and devils 4. 'T is because of Gods truth that we are commanded to believe and trust in him 5. The truth of God is the Foundation of all Religion and godliness Wicked men usually cast the Imperfections of the Minister upon the Ministry 1. A people may have an holy Zeal againg a loose scandalous Minister 2. A people are oft prone to take offence at the Ministers when yet 't is their sin 1. When they dislike that which may be of great use 2. When they are offended at his reproveing sin 3. When they cast the saults of the persons upon their Office and Doctrine 4. When they refuse the Ministry upon false Rumors and Surmises 'T is a great reproach for a Minister to be mutable and contradictory in his doctrine 1. All changes are not bad 2. But 't is a sin and reproach to change from the truth 3. Even such a change supposeth imperfection 4. No man but may know more than he doth 5. We must distinguish betwixt what is and what is not fundamental 1. We must distinguish betwixt constancy and pertinancy 2. Then is it a reproach to change when we change from truth The causes of inconstancy 1. Ignorance 2. Affectation of singularity and vain-glory 4. Examples We must distinguish betwixt essentials and circumstantials in Religion Christ only is to be the subject of our preaching When is Christ preached 1. When he is declared to be the Messiah 2. When preached as God-man 3. When preached in his person and his offices 5. When he is set up as the head of his Church The Lord Christ is the son of God 1. He is truly God 2. He is not the son of God as others are called his sonnes as 1. By Creation 2. By Regeneration 3. Because of their dignity 3. He is therefore called the Son of God because begotten from eternity of the Father 4. He was begotten of the Father 5. In these Mysteries we must adhere wholly to the testimony of the word 6. He is Antichrist that denies the Son to be God 7. The spirit of giddiness hath justly fallen upon these that deny Christ to be God Christ is a Saviour to his people What is implyed in Christs being a Saviour 1. That all mankinde was lost 2. What kinde of Saviour is Christ Even a spiritual one 3. He is an effectual Saviour Who is Christ a Saviour to 1. Some of mankinde 2. The repenting believing sinner 3. They are saved from 〈◊〉 and the world 4. Christs people 5. The saved are but few in comparison of the
temporal sense 2. He is not a spiritual Saviour only by example 3. He doth not actually save all 4. He is not a Saviour only habitually or upon condition 1. He is a spiritual Saviour 2. He is the sole Saviour 3. He is a full and sufficient Saviour Use Of Instruction Use 2. Exhortation Of the appellative Name of our Saviour Christ In what sense Christ is said to be anointed The Lord Jesus was anointed to be our Saviour What the title Christ implies Use 1. Of encouragement Use 2. Of Exhortation Christ as Head doth appoint all the Officers of the Church A two-sold Kingdom attributed to Christ in Scripture All Church-power radically seated in Christ Church-officers are properly servants to Christ This power of appointing Officers and Laws in the Church belongeth to Christ as King Use Exhortation 1. To Church-officers Church-officers are especially to take heed of 1. That they turn not their Office into matter of pride and earthly interest 2. Of Idleness Use 2. To the people Why Paul styleth himself An Apostle of Jesus Christ Those things are highly esteemed in the Church which are despised by the world As 1. The person of Christ 2. The Officers appointed by him 3. The Duties prescribed by him 4. The Priviledges of the Gospel 5. The due execution of Church-censures Use How many wayes the will of God is taken It is the meer will and good pleasure of God that calls us to any office or priviledge in the Church We have all Church-priviledges from the meer will of God There is a two-fold Call the one general the other particular both which come from God A four-fold distinction concerning the Call of Officers 1. Some are called only by the will of God not at all by the will of man 2. Some have their call of God but by men 3. Some are of men only not at all of God 4. Others have their call neither from God nor men In what sense Paul here saith By the will of God 1. It is more than his permissive will 2. It is not his angry and just will God sometimes doth justly send ungodly Ministers amongst a people 3. It was by the directing will of God not by chance 4. It implieth it was not Pauls merit but Gods will that advanced him to this office Concerning those who enter upon the Ministry only upon carnal and corrupt motives Use The truly godly though eminent in office and grace yet are humble in themselves and condescending to others Wherein the humility of the godly discovers it self to their inferiours Why those who are so exalted above others are yet so humble towards them Use There is a great deal of difference both in the persons that are converted and in the manner of their conversion Why God is pleased to call such different persons and in such a different way None are to rest upon their godly education but all are to search their own hearts to see whether they be wrought upon or no. Use The consent of Church-officers in matters of religion is of great use and moment What are those things that conduce to Unity amongst Church officers It is of great use to young to have the guidance of solid and experienced Ministers What the word Church is used for in Scripture What we are properly to understand by a Church in Scripture Gods call as the efficient cause of the Church is either external only or external and internal also The instrumental cause of the Church is the preaching of the Word The formal cause the solemn observation of Church communion Wherein consisteth the nature of Church communion Object Answ Why needfull to know the Marks of a true Church What things necessary to make a Note or Mark. What are the Notes of a true Church How the form of a thing may be a Note or Mark of it A Church is Gods people in a more special manner than others God amongst the most prophane people sometimes gathers a Church to himself A Church may be a true though defiled one What were the corruptions amongst the Corinthians How 't is lawfull for Christians to go to Law Some observations clearing the truth that a Church though defiled may be the Church of God Reasons shewing the truth of it The Church of God as a Church doth far surpasse all civil Societies and temporal dignities Reasons shewing the truth of it Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Why Paul writeth this second Epistle to the Corinthians It is very hard for the Church of God to keep within their proper bounds in Church-administrations It is a Ministers duty to use all lawfull means to promote the Church he hath relation to How the Apostle could call the Corinthians Saints when many of them were so foully polluted All that are of the Church are Saints by profession and ought to be so in their conversations What is comprehended under Church Saintship External holiness Saintship is not enough to bring us to Heaven without the inward renovation of the whole man Propositions clearing the assertion 1. There are degrees even in real Saintship 2. Therefore is real Saintship alway growing in this life 3. Church-Saintship though real consisteth with many imperfections 4. Holiness or Saintship is the conformity of the will of man to the will of God 'T is a great shame and reproach to have the name without the nature of a Saint 〈…〉 Saints may sometimes have just reason not to joyn themselves to a Church though it be their duty alwayes to endeavour it Reasons convincing it to be each Christians duty to be of a Church What are the causes that may justly excuse us from joyning our selves to publick meetings 2. Unlawfull grounds upon which some do 〈…〉 themselves to any Church-society 1. From corrupt opinions 2. From corrupt dispositions Use Of Instruction The soul of the poorest Saint is as much to be regarded as of the greatest Spiritual mercies are to be desired before temporal What are those things that peculiarly move the godly to preferre spirituals before temporals The Reasons of it The grace of God is to be desired before all other things Propositions discovering the nature of the grace of God What the grace of God implies How grace is called the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Who are fit subjects to partake of Gods grace without Rules how we may rightly understand and judge of the grace of God The Scripture characters of the grace of God Peace from God and Christ is earnestly to be prayed for as a very choice mercy Wherein this peace consisteth What are the principal causes of a godly mans fears troubles and disquietnesses What are the effects of this Gospel-peace Directions how to attain this peace Of the names attributed to God in Scripture God alone can give grace and peace to his people Reasons God is a Father in a more peculiar manner to those that believe what it is for God to be our Father God is a Father to the