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
sought not himself neither did he mind his own will or his own glory And certainly the higher the Office is the greater will thy account be and thy condemnation the heavier Oh the dreadfull account that is to be made at that day concerning this talent 2. Of laziness and idleness For the work is of great consequence The bloud of souls will speak more terribly than the blood of Abels body How severe was the master in that Parable of our 〈◊〉 to him who hid his talent in a napkin Luke 19. 20. he is called an unprofitable servant and must be cast into utter darkness Use 2. To you that are the people If we have our Commission from Christ then take heed how you reject the Word we speak from him The Apostle makes a comparison between him that refused Moses speaking and Christ speaking and saith How much forer punishment shall he be thought worthy of Heb. 10. 29. Every Sermon your condemnation will rise higher upon you Think not that our words will passe away No God saith by the Prophet They shall not return in vain for if it be not a saving and converting word it will be an hardning and condemning one No wonder if our Saviour spake one Parable to this very purpose and concludeth Take heed how you hear Mark 4. 24. The second thing observable from this relative consideration is That the Apostle intending to beget awe and esteem in the hearts of those he wrote unto he mentioneth his Office and from whom he had it An Apostle of Jesus Christ This was a greater glory saith Chrysostome then if he had styled himself any temporal Officer in the Civil State For he doth saith the same Father as if one next to the Emperour should write to a certain people giving himself that title of honour which was next to the Emperour Thus doth Paul The Apostle of Jesus Christ. This could not but astonish and startle all his opposers and enemies yet if you do consider with a worldly respect what Christ himself was and so any Officer under him you must judge it the most contemptible and despicable thing that can be that which a carnal man would have been ashamed to own for Christ himself was called The Carpenters sonne and bred up at Nazareth a most despicable place and his outward condition was so low that he saith He had not where to lay his head And as for his Apostles what repute they had in the world Paul himself telleth us when he saith They were accounted the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. Yet see how the Apostle glorieth in this title as that which might justly awe the consciences of those to whom he wrote From this observe That those things are of high account and respect in the Church of God which in the world are very despicable and despised As That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Luk. 18. So that which is abominable and loathsom before men is highly esteemed with God We might instance in many things First Christ who is the Head of the Church and the chief corner-stone yet he was rejected by those who by their Office was builders Yea Christ crucified was accounted foolishness to the Gentiles Insomuch that had not God promised Christ To give him the Nations of the Earth and had actually lifted him up above all principalities and powers We should have thought there would not have been one City much lesse one Nation especially not so many Nations adoring him as God We may truly say This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Christ is called by the Apostle The King of Kings and Lord of Lords which 2 Tim. 5. 16. Drusius saith was the Title and Style of the great Kings of Persia but who except the Christian would admire Christ more than the Persian King Therefore it was a wonderfull work upon those Wisemen of the East that they should come and bring such presents and worship Christ though an Infant whom they found in a mean place at Bethlehem and in the meanest place there but where God giveth spiritual eyes there is a spiritual excellency discovered where the world seeth nothing but contemptibleness Secondly For the Officers of Christ In worldly considerations how low and despised are they But to those who are spiritual and acknowledge the Order and Institutions of Christ they esteem them as the Stewards of God and the Ministers of Christ insomuch that it 's the cause of contemning Religion when their Office is despised Paul was so received by the Galatians as if he had been an Angel from Heaven Yea Christ himself They would have pulled out their eyes to have pleasured him And we see in the after ages of the Church how much the Ministers of Christ were had in esteem insomuch that it greew unto an excesse Now though the carnal worldly man beareth no such respect to them yet those who are led by Scripture doe highly esteeme them and that for their workes sake Thirdly The Duties prescribed by Christ they are such as the world condemneth either for folly or pusillanimity as Faith in Christ alone for salvation self-denial readiness to take up our Crosse To love our enemies to do good to those that hate us Are not these such things that the magnanimous and gallant spirits of the world do disdain Fourthly The priviledges and encouragements which Christ also inviteth with they are not such baits as will take in the world Psal 4. Who will shew us any good that is the vote of the world As for the light of Gods countenance justification and assurance of Gods grace these things they do no more esteem than the Swine doth Pearl Lastly The due execution of the Censure of the Church upon just grounds to cast out the impenitent sinner This the world contemneth but yet you see how powerfully it wrought upon the Incestuous person And Matth. 18. when our Saviour had said He that would not heare the Church must be like a Publican and Heathen lest they should despise this he saith Whatsoever ye bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Use of Exhortation To admire the power and wisdom of God who hath kept up Church-officers Church-ordinances in the world when there are no outward pompous motives to perswade thereunto SERM. VIII In what sense Paul saith of himself He was an Apostle by the will of God Shewing likewise how all Church-Offices and Priviledges come meerly from the will and good pleasure of God 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God c. VVE are now to consider the last particular in this Inscription as it is divided to us and that is the impulsive Cause or rather the Manner how Paul obtaineth this Apostleship which is said to be by the will of God Here is much comprehended in this expression for hereby is declared That it was
writeth to them as if all were Gentiles as Chap. 12. 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away to dumb Idols c. Hence the same Author saith That it was one Church collected of all the believers in that place Licet esse potuerint in eadem civitate distinctae ut it a dicam parochiae As for the notion of a learned man That the Jewish believers and Gentile believers did make two distinct Churches and had two distinct Bishops which he thinketh would salve some seeming contradictions in Ecclesiastical History that being of an heterogeneous nature to my purpose I passe it by Thus also the Church of Jerusalem is called a Church which yet by many probable Arguments seemeth to be more than one Neither may we think that Christ hath invested one single Congregation ordinarily with all Church power For that president and example of a Councel or Synod mentioned Act. 15. doth inform That there are to be Synods not only by way of advice but by power and that over particular Churches We proceed to the next thing considerable in this description of the Church and that is the efficient Cause the Church of God This distinguisheth the Church from all civil and meer political Assemblies For though the Earth be the Lords and the fulness thereof yet the Church is the Lords in a more peculiar and appropriated manner Sometimes the Church is named absolutely without any addition as when Paul is said to persecute the Church Sometimes it 's restrained to the place Thus the Church of Ephesus the Church of Laodicea but most commonly it is the Church of God or the Church of Christ Sometimes both are put together as 1 Thes 1. 1. To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in Jesus Christ So also 2 Thess 1. 1. And certainly if so be the Apostle considering us meerly as creatures maketh use of and sanctifieth that of the Poet For we are his off-spring how much more is it true of us as members of a Church Observe That a Church is Gods people in a more peculiar and special manner Though he be the God of the world yet in a more special manner he is a God of his Church The consideration of this truth may tend much to our spiritual edification For if we are of God how much should it humble us to see any thing amongst us that is of sin or the Devil Is ignorance or prophaneness of God so are humane superstitions of God But to open this let us consider what is implied in this when a Church is said to be the Church of God First therefore this sheweth That a Church is a supernatural Society it 's spiritual company of men So that a Church is not like a civil Corporation or like Kingdoms and Commonwealths which are by meer humane Institution and agreement though Magistracy it self it be of God but are supernatural and therefore it 's called the Kingdom of Heaven and Jerusalem which is from above so the Church is called Gal. 4. 26. even while it is here on Earth before it is triumphant in Heaven Now the Church is a supernatural Society many wayes in which respect it may be called the Church of God in a more eminent manner For in respect of its Efficient so God alone is the author of it called therefore Ecclesia because God by his Word calls them from their Heathenish Idolatries and practises making of them a Church Thus the people of Corinth when they were securely indulging themselves in all manner of impieties having no thoughts or desires to be a Church God by Paul calls them to be one Even as God by his breath caused the dry bones to gather together and to live or as at the day of Judgment God by the voice of an Arch-angel will raise the dead in the grave who have no life or sense in them Thus it 's the Lord that made Churches every where in the preaching of the Gospel It was the gracious work of God that found us out in Britain and made a Church to himself so that we are loca inaccessa to the grace of God and his Spirit though to humane power It is true indeed God is the God of the world he created Heaven and Earth with all therein yet though God did thus immediately create the world at first we do not say the creatures therein are Gods grace or that they have a supernatural being For it 's not enough to make a thing grace or supernatural that God doth immediately create it but that his power be in a peculiar and extraordinary manner and that for supernatural effects and ends Oh therefore how greatly should we be affected with the grace and power of God in creating to himself a Church out of the world He might have no more made a Church here or there in the Earth then he did in Hell and he that at first planted a curious Garden and put man therein is much more wonderfull in making of a Church to himself yet how bruitish and earthly are we We can bless God for the world and the comforts thereof that the Earth brings forth food for us that we have the Air to breath in the glorious Sunne to be a daily light to us yet we are not thus affected with Church-mercies and Church-ordinances David indeed upon the former consideration cried out Lord what is man that thou art thus mindfull of him c But we may much rather from these supernatural respects Secondly It 's supernatural in respect of the purchase given for them the price paid to make them the Lords For you must know upon Adams fall all mankind was excommunicated unchurched as it were and therefore cast out from Paradise and Gods gracious presence and hence it is that we are said naturally to be without God yea the Devil is said to be the god of the world Thus untill God makes us a Church we are under the power of Satan wholly and therefore to be cast out of the Church is to be delivered to Satan Thus then being fallen off from the Lord and now become the Devils in whom he reigneth we could not be purchased from this thraldom but by the death of Christ and therefore we are called the Church of Christ as well as of God because though conquered by Gods Spirit yet we are bought by his bloud and this the Apostle urgeth That therefore we are none of our own but are to live to him We are to be his peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 15. Thus it cost more to be Gods Church then to be the world at first for he spake and it was made but here Christ died and so it was purchased What a powerfull ingagement is this for all of a Church to walk holily What did Christ die that you should wallow in the filth of your sins What will you deny the Lord that bought you If thou wilt be ignorant and prophane
against God when grace comes to convert them Therefore let the Use be of Exhortation to all such who have felt this lively power of God raising them out of the grave of sinne who have been taught of God inwardly as well as by the outward Ministry with all joy and thankfulness be astonished at the free and unsearchable riches of Gods grace to thee How many doth God passe by of better parts of greater abilities of higher conditions in the world that might have done him more service and pitch his love upon thee Oh do thou abhorre all those presumptuous and proud opinions of Free-will and power to make Gods grace effectual to thee Do not bid such as bring such Doctrines God speed What doth not thy own experience doth not the wonderfull power of God upon thee subduing and overcoming thy heart when thou wast full of carnal prejudices and sinfull reasonings abundantly convince thee of this Let thy own heart and experience confirm thee more than all their subtill distinctions can unfettle thee But I pass from this and come to a second Observation which Calvin on the place takes notice of He calls it a Church saith he though it were so greatly polluted though both for Doctrine and practice there were such great disorders yet for all that he doth not unchurch it he owneth them still for the people of God though they were greatly to be reformed as to the Church administrations neither are his exhortations to the godly to separate and leave the Church-communions though thus defiled he giveth no command to such a thing but rather exhorts them all in their places to amend and reform To purge out the old leaven that was amongst them Therefore to forsake polluted Assemblies and leave them hopeless seemeth to be a great neglect of our duty we are rather to stay that by our abode and presence we may rectifie things that are crooked The Doctrine is That a Church may be a true Church of God although it be defiled with many corruptions several wayes As a godly man may be truly godly and yet subject to many failings Thus a Church also may be truly Gods Church the Body of Christ yet many distempers and sad confusions amongst them This truth is worthy of all diligent prosecution because many men though otherwise good out of a tenderness and misguided zeal may separate from our Congregations deny them to be true Churches and all because they see many things amongst us that are matter of grief and a great stumbling block to them This I confess is and hath been a sad temptation but a particular Christian is is not to excommunicate and unchurch a Church till God hath given a Bill of Divorce to it and hath cast it quite off An impatiency to bear any evil or disorders in a Church is not presently to be commended and yielded to to the utmost A Christian must have wisdom and a sound mind as well as zeal and a tender conscience Even the Reformed Churches did not wilfully and voluntarily depart from the Church of Rome but did stay to cure and heal Babylon untill they drave them away with fire and sword So that our leaving the Roman Church was not a Schismatical separation but a forced discession or departure from them But of this it may be more afterwards Let us for the present take notice of what corruptions and disorders were here at Corinth which yet he calls the Church of God And First Whereas the Apostle comprehends all Religion in these things Tit. 2. 12. Righteously soberly and godly Righteously in respect of religious duties towards God We may see how the Corinthians were blame-worthy in all And 1. For their sinnes of unrighteousnesse The Apostle sharply reproveth them for their contentions and quarrellings even so farre that they went to Law with one another and that in the Heathen Judicatories which was a great and grievous reproach to the Christian Religion How would the Heathens deride and scoff to see those that were Christians and out of appearance from love to heavenly things forsaking the world and earthly advantages thus to implead one another about meum and tuum about money matters or other civil rights to sue one another before Heathens Judges What could this produce but to make the Heathens say They talk of leaving all and following a crucified Christ but they will not abate of their earthly rights to one another not in the least measure Which did so grieve the Apostle that he conjureth them What have ye never a wise man to be an arbitrator amongst you Why doe ye not rather suffer wrong Nay they were so farre from such meek self-denying spirits that they rather did wrong and defraud one another Now see how zealous the Apostle is in this 1 Cor. 6. 1 2 3. he saith Dare any of you having a matter against another goe to Law Dare any of you supposing the Gospel the meekness of Christ the self-denial and contempt of earthly things with the scandal redounding to Religion would sufficiently awe their consciences Again vers 4. he tells them that the things pertaining to this life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for about them they quarrelled so much were so inconsiderable that they should appoint the least esteemed in the Church for to end such inferiour work Again vers 5. I speak it to your shame And vers 7. There is utterly a fault amongst you Thus you see that in matters of Justice between man and man there were great offences Only by the way let none gather from these expressions of Paul that it is unlawfull to go to Law or appeal to the Civil Magistrate to know his due right when that is detained from him For that is many times so farre from being a sinne that it 's a duty it would be a sinne not to pursue it as you see Paul pleaded his right and would not go out of prison when they had done it against Law till the Magistrates came to intreat him provided that there be those qualifications which Paul insinuateth 1. That this impleading be not before Heathens and Pagans who hate the Christian Religion 2. That we have such Meeknesse of spirit as willingly to suffer wrong did not the Gospel of Christ or the Law of the Land or the good of others require it of us And Lastly That we be willing to referre all our controversies to any just and wise arbitratours If these things be premised and yet unreasonable and absurd men will make a spoil and a scoff of men then both Religion and Justice calls them to defend themselves and it would be a sin to neglect it In the second place for Sobriety which is the expression of such graces as belong to our selves viz. Temperance and Chastity How grosly did the Corinthians offend here There were some that had repented of their fornication and uncleanness and for drunkenness some did presume to come to the Lords Table not
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
which yet David in every Psalm almost though never so cast down doth in some degrees and sparks as it were discover but here is nothing but disconsolateness yet this Heman was a godly man a Penman of some Psalms yea he was accounted one of the most eminent wise men that lived in that age for 1 King 4. 30 31. Solomons wisdom is said to exceed all others yea four wise men are instanced whom Solomon did surpass and this Heman was one Whereas then we are apt to judge such as want the sense of Gods comfort and go in a disconsolate manner fools and melancholly such as will go out of their wits You see here a godly man and one of the wisest men in Solomons times yet afflicted with the terrors of the Lord and can obtain no comfort This then being laid down as a foundation let us consider what is to be said to the doubt To answer the Objection you must know in what sense this is a doctrinal truth That God comforteth his in all their troubles and to that purpose observe these particulars 1. That comfort especially when we are sensibly affected and enlarged therewith is not of the essence of grace nor is it absolutely necessary to salvation It is indeed for the benè esse and is like oil to the wheels it doth wonderfully quicken and expedite the soul in wayes of holiness but yet a man may be in the state of grace and may have an unquestionable claim to Heaven yet for all that be destitute of such sensible comfort for these consolations do commonly flow from assurance of Gods grace and the sense of his love shed abroad in their hearts Now it is not this assurance that doth justifie us but it supposeth us justified already we may rest on Christ we may believe on him and yet want this faith of evidence as some call it while we have the faith of adherence and dependance Seeing therefore that this comfort is not an inseparable quality from a godly man we must then understand the promises of God for comfort as we do of other things which are separable from true grace God promiseth health outward peace long life yea of all outward mercies godliness hath a promise but yet the godly do not alwayes partake of these there are many of them sick weak poor and distressed though under such promises And the reason is because these are not necessary to salvation They are not required as Christ and grace is for then no godly man should be without them yea they may be an impediment an hinderance and therefore it 's a mercy sometimes when God denieth them Thus it is in regard of our comforts it is for our good to be sometimes without them God in much mercy suffereth his people to be in darknesse and to have no light So that you may no more wonder to see them sometimes without joy then to see them sometimes without the outward mercies of the world Yet you must understand when I thus compare these soul-consolations to bodily ones that I make them not of the same nature with temporal outward mercies as if they were no more spiritual than wealth or health are No I do not compare them in their nature but in their property of separability they neither are of the essence of grace nor of absolute necessity to salvation and herein they are alike otherwise these consolations they are spiritual mercies seated in the soul and have intimate connexion with the graces of Gods Spirit Gerson calls them Gratiae gratis datae and indeed they are the gifts of Gods Spirit and are highly to be prized yet as degrees in grace are of Gods Spirit but not necessary to salvation the truth of grace is but not every degree of grace for then no godly man could be saved that is weak in faith and in other graces Thus it is with this comfort in some respect They are gifts of God they are wrought by his Spirit yet so as that they do not necessarily accompany our salvation and in this sense you must understand the Doctrine 2. There is a two-fold joy which I may call a direct and reflex one The one is when we are carried with delight to that which is holy and good The other is when we know and feel that we are thus carried out joy is a fruit of faith 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable Now as faith acteth two wayes so also doth joy Faith acteth directly by going directly to Christ and then faith acts reflexly by looking upon this that I do rest on Christ Thus there is a joy that doth directly go to God and Christ by way of delight and enlargement being thus apprehended by faith Of such a joy in holy things Solomon speaketh Prov. 21. 15. The Prophet Isaiah also Chap. 64. 5. And then there is a joy flowing from the apprehension of this that we do delight in holy things For a man may rejoyce to find he can rejoyce in what is good a man may be comforted in finding that Christ and heavenly objects are matter of delight to him Now as it is with those two acts of faith the former which is the direct one that is absolutely necessary by that we are justified by that Christ is made ours by that we are in him and he in us but the latter is not of the same necessity It is no where said If ye know that ye do believe and if ye be assured that ye do believe but if ye do believe then ye shall be saved It would be sad with many of Gods children if none were justified but he that knoweth he believeth Thus it is also for joy joy in its direct acts it 's a necessary grace It is our duty to rejoyce in God and heavenly things as well as love them And indeed there cannot be any grace of love but there is also the grace of joy Hence Gal. 5. joy is made the fruit of the Spirit with other graces And Rom. 14. The Kingdom of Heaven is said to consist in righteousness and in joy in the holy Ghost So that there is a joy which being a grace is part of the new creature and there cannot be godliness without it as is our love so is our joy But then there is joy as a priviledge which as you heard ariseth from the knowledge of our being in the state of grace and this is communicable at Gods pleasure Those that have the most of Gods grace may for a time have the least of it in sense as we see in Christ himself So that we are to distinguish between joy as a grace and joy as a priviledge It 's of the latter the Doctrine is to be understood 3. Yet further The joy that Gods people partake of may be considered either as seated in the soul or as in the sensitive part The one is rational and spiritual The other is sensitive and corporeal For the
imprison and destroy those that do yet truly fear God This ignorance upon them though it may excuse in some degree and make them lesse sinners then such who do wilfully oppose and do despite maliciously against the Spirit of grace yet it doth not totally free them nay they are persecutours for all that as you see Paul acknowledged concerning himself Now such enemies as these are acted by religious principles but in a false way they commonly are more zealous and implacable than any other Paul because it was not any carnal advantage or profit he sought after but a meer zeal for the Religion he had by tradition from his fathers therefore did he pursue the Christians in such a bloody furious manner Tantum Religio potuit c. said the Poet Oppositions against the wayes of God from such who are zealous and devout in their false wayes are constantly more dreadfull and terrible than any others So that we are again and again to try what spirit we are of to examine Whether it be the true Religion indeed that we give our selves up to the profession thereof For if it be not the greater zeal the greater forwardnesse therein is but the greater condemnation and like the Traveller out of the way the more thou runnest the further thou goest from the true way But The second sort of enemies to the truths of Christ which are farre the more numerous part is of such Who are addicted to such a way and perswasion in Religion not because of any Divine worke of Gods Spirit upon them but because it suiteth with their carnal interest it agreeth with their external profit and therefore they cry out Great is Diana when indeed in their heart they say Great is their wealth great is their gain this is the Diana We may justly charge this upon Popery What was it that made Luther and the other Reformers so odious to the Popish party What made the Pope with his adherents to breath nothing but fire and sword Was it not because they touched the Popes Crowne and the Monkes belly Hence Secondly The faithfull Ministers of the Gospel meet with opposition not from the Pagans only that are without but from the sonnes of the Church which are within from those who professe the same God the same faith the same Christ with them And the reason is because many that professe Christ do so for earthly and carnal respects and such titular and counterfeit Christians as these cannot but hate those that are genuine The Apostle in the large Catalogue of his manifold sufferings reckoneth this up amongst the rest Perils from false brethren 2 Cor. 11. 26. Thus in Abrahams family there will be an Ishmael to persecute Isaac because one is of the bond-woman and the other of the free Think not then that the Pagan or Jew will become enemies to the powerfull preaching of the Gospel for every false Christian will Every one that followeth Christ onely because of loaves or with Judas becometh a Disciple because of the bagge Doth not experience confirme this that the prophane Christian doth as bitterly rage at and oppose the holy wayes of Christ as any Heathen would doe Thus the godly Ministers have trouble as it were from their own flock their Sheep sometimes becomes Wolves and Beares to them and with Ezekiel They dwell among Scorpions Ezekiel 2. 6. Thirdly The carnal interest and earthy sinfull respects are of divers sorts even as the creeping things that are produced from the earth are innumerable As 1. He knoweth Religion onely for carnal ends though it be the true one that turns the grace of God into wantonnesse That cryes up Gospel truths onely to encourage themselves in a licentious way As many of the mixed multitude went out with the Israelites from Aegypt yet kept their old and corrupt natures still So in the first Reformation many came out of Rome with the blessed Reformers many gloried in the name of Evangelici that they had shaken off the yoke of Antichristianisme but at the same time they did not cast off the yoke of sinne The first Reformers sadly complained of such that looked upon the Gospel as the casting off not onely the Popes Laws but Gods Law also as if to renounce the Images and Masse had been enough though in the mean time they did securely sleep in all wickednesse Now from such as these the Ministers of the Gospel have found as much unkindnesse and malice as from their Popish adversaries So that both ot home and abroad the Prophets of the Lord have been greatly afflicted These spots in our feasts these lovers of pleasures more than God these are they that have in all places withstood the power and life of godlinesse the holy Order and Discipline Christ hath instituted as if the liberty Paul bids us stand fast in were a liberty to sinne without controll and an indulgence in all licentiousnesse Such as these when they come into the warme Sunne when they have Summer an opportunity in their hand will discover that they are Serpents and will sting Tertullian apologized of old That the Christian Religion had her greatest enemies in Ale-houses and Brothel-houses and thus still the powerfull way of godlinesse is opposed by those monsters in Christianity that have the head of a Christian but the heart and life of beasts Mulier formosa supernè desinit in piscem Like those Locusts Revel 9. 6. that had faces like men but teeth like Lions and tailes like Scorpions Thus how many have the face of Christians but in heart in lives are beasts all over From these the Ministers of God have received much opposition 2. They know Religion onely after carnal respects who intend to enrich and to advance themselves by it take up the profession of it for no other end but to gain thereby As this Demetrius made him shrines not so much out of devotion to Diana as to increase his wealth Our Saviour knowing such a self-seeking disposition was predominant in many who proffered to be his Disciples he therefore prevents their Hypocrisie and Apostasie by telling them The Foxes have holes but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head and requireth it as a fundamental qualification That he who would be his Disciple must loue Christ more than father and mother and life it self Yea must not venture to winne the whole world if thereby he should lose his soul Oh take heed of this Judas this treacherous disposition in thee to be of the mind with those Paul speaketh of who supposed That gain is Godlinesse 1 Tim. 6. 5. Yea such are worse than Judas for he sold Christ but once thou doest continually and he was grieved and troubled for what he had done but thou though thou preferrest earthy things all the day long before Christ yet art not grieved in heart Well such as these are will in case of profit and advantage make all opposition against the preaching of
by himself Whereby the same Authour concludeth That there would be no blame or fault to be found with that man who should say Paul had as much grace here in this life as some shall have in the world to come But although we grant Paul to be among other Christians like Saul among other men higher by the shoulders yet that he did find the rebellion and corruption of the flesh debasing his best duties appeareth by his accounting all things drosse and desiring to be found in the righteousnesse of Christ Phil. 3. 8. So that while these endeavour to exalt the sanctifying grace of God in Paul they eclipse his justifying and while they advance his inherent righteousnesse they obscure his imputed righteousnesse Whether Paul then or any other eminent servant of God They all find a law of sinne within them rebelling against the law of the mind by which they look upon themselves as miserable captives and do groan for a perfect and full redemption by Christ Thirdly These two principles therefore not onely residing in them but acting contrarily it is very necessary in a Christian exactly to observe to what mother as it were the child doth belong To which principle thou art to attribute thy actions For the not duly dividing and separating here doth many times cause great confusion in the godly soul We see it many times in David's Psalmes that there are such different expressions sometimes of faith and joy and then again of diffidence and dejection that we would not think the Psalme was made by the same man we would think there were contradictions and all because sometimes it is the voice of Esau and sometimes the voice of Jacob as I may so say Sometimes grace speaketh and sometimes the filth speaketh In the Disciples also our Saviour taketh notice of this and thereby excuseth them saying The Spirit is willing Matth. 26. 41. Now although it is very necessary in all our practicals to go to the bottome to know what is of the flesh and what is of the Spirit yet in the matter of afflictions and our bearing of them there we are much more to attend to it For afflictions being grievous to flesh and blood draweth out the corruptions thereof very much So that the voice of the flesh is many times farre louder than the voice of the Spirit which maketh the godly ready to conclude that they are nothing but flesh that they have not the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them because they feel so much distrust so much diffidence and disquietness of heart within them More usefull particulars are to be insisted upon only for the present let those who truly fear God make this Use of the Doctrine viz. Not to conclude concerning their estate as if it were wholly carnal because they feel the struglings and motions of sinfull flesh within them let them not despair if they feel that they cannot alwayes keep up spiritual apprehensions about their afflictions if they cannot say I bless God for these chastisements I see the great advantage cometh to me by them Though they appear like anger yet they are indeed the effects of love If this be not alwayes the blessed and serene disposition of thy soul but thy flesh like Job's wife provoketh thee to charge God foolishly to be impatient and diffident remember that you have a two-fold self a carnal self and a spiritual self one saith one thing and another saith another thing It is as impossible to have a mans own heart free fâ—om divisions as it is for the Church of God That which faith saith is light flesh saith is heavy That which faith rejoyceth at flesh repineth at Thus it hath been and thus it will be with the generation of those that seek God SERM. LXII How the voice of the Spirit and the voice of the Flesh differ in Afflictions And why it is necessary a man should know them asunder 2 COR. 1. 8. That we were pressed above measure FRom the Explication of this passage we have observed That it is one thing what a godly man speaketh according to the principle of flesh and blood within him and another thing what he saith according to faith and the principle of grace And because this truth is of perpetual practical use let us a little more dilate upon it And First Let us instance in some discoveries whereby we may know when flesh speaketh and when the Spirit doth For these though contrary one to another yet are not discerned without spiritual illuminations and senses exercised to know things that differ And First The voice of flesh and blood in such kind of troubles is to make a final conclusion and sentence upon our selves That God hath forsaken us that we are cast out from his love Insomuch that did not the principle of grace in some measure withstand and at some times overcome these temptations the soul would be swallowed up in this whirlpool but let the godly know that this is not the voice of Jacob but of Esau The regenerate principle will not dare not give in such false testimony Isai 49. 14 15. Zion hath said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But in the next verse we see God expresly denying it and that not only he had not forsaken her but that he could not forsake her for his affections were more to her then any mothers to her sucking child The Church then was too hasty and precipitate she should have considered Gods Word before she passed such a peremptory sentence concerning her self Therefore when God saith one thing and thy heart another when the Scripture speaketh one thing and thy flesh another thing which is more to be regarded See this distemper likewise in Jonah Chap. 2. 6. Then I said I am cast out of thy sight Here the corrupt part in Jonah made quick his desperate work He was cast out of Gods sight but Nubecula fuit cito transivit it was a little storm it was presently over for immediately he doth as it were contradict himself and saith I will look again toward thy holy Temple So that it was with corruption and grace at this time as it was with Rebeccah in her child-bearing the first came out red and hairy but the second came out smooth and holding Esau by the heel Thus the first motion of Jonah's heart cometh forth red and hairy bloody and rough but then faith like Jacob followeth this Esau immediately and supplants it When therefore the godly do at any time find such motions and workings of heart as if their troubles were a demonstration of Gods desertion of them that if he loved them he would never let it be so with them rebuke these immediately and be as much affected as Hezekiah was when he heard Rabshakeh blaspheme God For indeed such thoughts do highly dishonour God and represent him otherwise than he is For the Apostle directed by the Spirit of God which searcheth the deep things of
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
the understanding was first in the sense the more expedite they are the more vigorous is the understanding Secondly There is required A particular application of Christ and the promises to our selves by faith For herein lieth the efficacy of faith when with Thomas it saith My Lord my God Or with Paul Who loved me and gave himself for me For as the seeing of meat though never so excellent and wholsome doth not nourish but the eating of it So the beholding of Christ revealed in the Word as a Saviour in the general doth not justifie and pardon but the applying of him to be my Christ and my Saviour For this reason faith is called Iohn 6. The eating of Christs flesh and drinking of Christs blood And the Sacrament of the Lords Supper doth require this particular applying act of faith and this is the foundation for our future knowledge till Christ be ours we cannot know he is ours till Christ be received by faith to dwell in our hearts we cannot perceive that he doth dwell there Happily then the Apostle Peter exhorteth us 2 Pet. 1. 5. To adds to faith virtue By that is meant the efficacy and liveliness of faith in receiving of Christ And then to this we must adde knowledge Knowledge is to follow this efficacious application of Christ Now this is the greater work of our faith as to our justification This is that which the Papists do so declaim against and for which Estius calleth us Specialistas Specialists But certainly this is the acting of faith that maketh us rich that bringeth Christ the treasure into our soul and it is this which the Devil doth so oppose in all the godly Hence are all those fiery darts of Satan all those sad and black aggravations of sinne whereby the soul like that woman with the bloody flux is afraid and trembleth to come directly to Christ It is that applying act of faith that the Devil so diligently would keep thee off whereas if thou didst but taste of this honey as Ionathan or rather plentifully fill thy self with it thou wouldst with much spiritual fortitude pursue and conquer all thy spiritual enemies This was the blessed truth that our Reformers rescued out of Popery being enabled thereunto by the word of God as a Rule and the experimental work of grace upon their souls as a sure witnesse to confirm them therein But this is not all Therefore to obtain this knowledge there is required an Internal sense and feeling of the fit frame of our heart whereby we perceive that we are such who do believe and do love God who do repent of our sinnes upon firme and pure grounds For unlesse there be this inward discerning of what is in us how is it possible to arrive at any certainty Now it is this that the Popish adversaries do most batter supposing it to be the weakest part in the Wall It is true say they we believe the Scripture that speaketh generally Whosoever believeth and repenteth shall have his sins pardoned But when you come to the Assumption But I believe I repent here you are subject to many mistakes here you may be deceived And certainly all hypocrites are deluded in this respect They make false applications to themselves through self-love they deceive themselves thinking they have good hearts when they have them not But this doth not inferre that the truly godly are therefore deceived no more then because an Heretick hath great confidence that he is in the truth yet is deceived it followeth that therefore the orthodox man is also in an errour Because men in a dream are deluded doth it follow that men cannot tell when they be indeed awake We must know then That as we have a certain knowledge by the bodily senses we are certain we hear we see So the soul in her immaterial operations hath a sense and feeling of them We feel we know we understand we love we delight These internal motions of the soule are perceived as well as the things of sense and to say we may be decived here and no truth can be discovered is to turn all knowledge into Scepticisme and to hold Nihil scitur yea that that also is not knowne That nothing is knowne And besides it is directly against Scripture No man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man 1 Cor. 2. 11. This then being laid as a foundation That a mans own spirit doth feel and percieve what are the motions thereof it followeth That when a man doth uprightly and sincerely love God and walk in his way he doth experimentally discern this he knoweth he believeth he knoweth he loveth God But that this may be done there is required First An humble broken heart and poverty of spirit whereby we are emptied of all our own righteousnesse renouncing every thing that is ours hungring and thirsting after Christ and his righteousnesse Every gracious heart that cometh to the knowledge of its sincerity hath this concomitant disposition there is an humble lowly broken spirit it feeleth it self undone and lost It feareth all that it hath done and therefore can rest no where but on Christ onely Now although many do deceive themselves many doe flatter and delude their owne soules yet where there is this frame of heart there will never be any miscarriage Secondly Besides this brokenness of heart there is required A regular and undistempered disposition in the soul For though the sense cannot be deceived about its proper object hence is that saying Non est disputandum de gustu We must not dispute about taste yet if the palate be diseased nothing is more ordinary than to judge that bitter which is sweet And this falleth out sometimes to the choisest people of God there are troublesome and disquieting temptations upon them they are in blackness and sadness Now in such a case we are no more able to know what we are than we can see our faces in troubled waters So that this due and prepared qualification of the soul must be alwayes present in the judging of our selves As in all faculties whether the intellective or visive if they have any impediment in their operation they cannot produce their convenient operations The understanding in a mad man and in a man fast asleep is wholly hindered in its workings So may the senses be either by some hurt upon the sensitive powers or by the indisposition of the medium or through the distance of the object Thus it is in the soul when sanctified there may be many distempers several impediments which may hinder it from passing a true judgement about its state and therefore the advise of Casuists in such cases is not to seeke for this assurance and evidence but to put forth acts of faith by meere dependance and recumbance on the promises of the Gospel Even as David and Job sometimes did For Job saith Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Job 13. 15. Thirdly This frame
not only apprehensiva but quietativa not only apprehensive but quietative it brings the soul to its center to its non ultra whereas reason doth but satisfie till a man come with a stronger and one argument like the circles in the water begets another So that whereas it was Iulian's objection against the Christian Religion as low and contemptible because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only believe yet this indeed is the glory of it this setleth and composeth when philosophical ratiocinations did carry them into endless contentions Therefore that is good counsel of Austins Noveris te esse fidelem non rationalem It is faith not syllogisms that brings an established mind in Religion It is true indeed Christianity hath her use of Reason and Arguments and there is an Habitus Theologiae whereby we do demonstrate the points of Divinity but this is when faith hath laid the foundation Fides facit argumentum non argumentum fidem as it doth in the liberal Arts Reason buildeth upon Faith not Faith upon Reason If therefore thou complainest of the diversity of Sects of the multitude of opinions that swarm every where there is no such way to escape splitting thy soul at such rocks as to pray for this godly simplicity of mind I say holy simplicity not a foolish popish blind obedience that is not faith The fool believeth every thing Faith hath alwayes an evidence and knowledge of the testimony though the thing believed may be above the comprehension But when truths out of the Scripture are with sufficient evidence held out to thee then simplicity is required to yeeld firm assent thereunto and not to dispute by humane arguments whether it can be so or no. Therefore the wisdome which is from above Jam. 3. 17. is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily to be perswaded As in respect of the objects to be believed and the instruments who propound it there is necessary Piscatoria simplicitas which is more than Aristotle's subtilty or his Minutiloquium as Tertullian calleth it So there is such an humble simplicity required on the subjects part who are to receive these divine truths I am the larger on this as being assured the best antidote against all heresies and the surest remedy to preserve from doctrinal Apostasie is this simplicity of mind But Secondly This simplicity is no lesse signally seen in the Will which is to cast away its contumacy stubbornness and propriety resigning it self wholly up to Gods command The Lord hath commanded it therefore I obey not disputing with flesh and blood whether this will be for my advantage honour or profit but the will of God boweth him into all ready compliance It is the Apostles advice Phil. 2. 14. Do all things without mumurings and disputings that ye may be sincere Here it is plain that sincerity is manifested when we willingly do our duty not murmuring and quarrelling at it Even as we read of Abraham though commanded by God to sacrifice his own sonne with his own hands when he might have had so many fair arguments against it yet he readily applieth himself to his duty and so when commanded to come out of his own countrey and to go he did not know whether yet he willingly obeyeth this is simplicity And so it was with Paul Galat. 1. who immediately obeyed the call of God Not consulting with flesh and blood whereas Saul because he did not obey in simplicity but waved the commands of God upon religious pretences his rebellion was accounted aâ— witchcraft not believing that Obedience was better than Sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. 22. Thirdly This simplicity is seen in an holy boldnesse to do our duty to be zealous for God to reprove sinne though there be never so many Lions in the way It is true the wisemen of the world call this simplicity indeed making it the same with folly Thus most of our Christian duties if fervently and zealously performed are nothing but folly and silliness to carnal policy But to appear for God and to own his wayes among a crooked and malicious people is an excellent mark of simplicity whereas hypocrisie measuring all things by its safety honour and profit becometh like the shadow to the body suâ—eth it self to every corrupt humour of others But this plainness of heart maketh us with David Psal 119. to speak of the Law even before Kings and alwayes to obey God rather than men So much shrinking from thy duty because of the fear or favours of men is so much want of simplicity Hence Varinus makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse and freedome Oh then pray exceedingly for this simplicity of spirit that will make thee constant bold and zealous for God! How often may thy conscience convince thee that sinfull fear or foolish shame or carnal affections have made thee not do thâ—se duties with singleness of heart as thou shouldst have done How many times hast thou betrayed the truth by sinfull silence How many times hast thou wounded thy spirit by holding thy tongue whereas this holy simplicity would have imboâ—dened thee It is true there is Christian prudence required also there must be the wisdome of a Serpent as well as the innocency of the Dove Discretion is the salt to season our Sacrifices and there must be this salt as well as the fire of zeal but we must look the Serpent doth not eat up this Dove that discretion doth not devour this simplicity Thus much of simplicity as it relateth immediately to God Now because the Apostle useth the word largely relating to his ministerial conversation as it did reach to men we shall take in briefly the consideration of that also And First Godly simplicity maketh a man inoffensive to men This simplicity maketh a man harmlesse and unblameable as to others Christs Disciples are compared to Sheep not to Bears for cruelty or Foxes for craft in doing mischief therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle saith I would have you simple in malice Rom. 16. 19. The leven that was forbidden in the Sacrifices did signifie malice and sourness So that where this simplicity is a man is wonderfull harmless is not injurious doth no wrong The word used in that place of Rom. 16. 19. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though it properly come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet some make it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if to say without horns The people of God are meek and lowly as it 's said of Jacob He was a plain man but Esau rough and hairy which may relate to their manners as well as bodily constitutions not but that they can be as bold as Lions in the cause of God Simplicity is consistent with zeal and courage for God Moses was the meekest man upon earth yet in the case of Idolatry and the peoples uncleanness how forward was he to have severe punishment
art one of Gods sealed people Fourthly Sealing is for the differencing and discriminating of persons Thus the Shepherd setteth a proper mark to know his own sheep by The Souldier he hath his proper badge and colours to discern what Generall he belongeth unto And in this sense though not principally the Sacraments are seals hereby we are acknowledged to be the Lords people and so differenced from all that are enemies and strangers to him but this is more remarkably seen in this spirituall sealing for thereby we are not only distinguished from the heathenish world but from every hypocrite in the Church of God Though many may go sar in profession in parts in gifts so as to be admirable in the eyesof others yet none have this sealing but the truly godly man Every gifted man is not this sealed beleever None hath this but the true childe of God The spirit of God doth not seal but where it hath sanctified Therefore Fifthly This sealing doth suppose the work of grace truly wrought in a man Sealing doth not make him godly properly but supposeth him so Thus Eph. 1. 13. after ye beleeved ye were sealed there was first the work of sanctification and then of obsignation It is true Zanchy upon that place maketh sealing to be the impression of grace upon the heart even as in sealing the print of the seal is stamped upon the wax and so farre we may yeeld that the encrease of grace and confirmation therein is a sealing of the spirit but yet to speak exactly this sealing is after the work of grace in the soul Even as it is in the Sacraments The externall signe or seal doth not make the promise but supposeth it so in this inward sealing grace is not thereby wrought in us unlesse it be in the further degrees thereof but doth confirm that which is in us and thus seals are to confirm contracts not make them as is to be shewed yet though it be not the divine impression of grace yet this seal is alwaies supposed God doth not set to his seal to a blank and hereby this sealing is distinguished from all carnal presumption and the delusions of Satan for the devil hath as it were his sealing he confirmeth and establisheth men in hereticall doctrines and they are ready to take this for the obsignation of Gods own spirit when heretiques give their bodies to be burnt professing they have much peace and joy of conscience Here the Kings Seal is conterfeited as it were They make a diabolicall delusion to be the holy sealing of Gods Spirit Thus as in sanctification there is the true work of Gods grace and a counterfeit that which doth resemble and is like it so in the witnessing and sealing of Gods Spirit there also may be a resemblance of it which yet is not that glorious priviledge indeed only as a man that is awake doth certainly know he is so and not in a dream though men in a dream imagine themselves to be awake when they are deceived Thus where the sealing of Gods Spirit is there the authority and light of it doth powerfully discover it self to be of God even as the Sun by its own light doth discover it self to be the Sun though they that think they have it may be deceived yet those that have it are sure they do enjoy it Hence Sixthly This sealing doth imply secrecy and privacy That which is closely reserved as Deut. 32. 34. Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures saith God Thus also Iob saith cap. 14. 17. his transgression was sealed up in a bag God did take speciall notice of it in time to punish it Now in this sense also we may apply this sealing of Gods Spirit It is very secret hidden and unknown and that in a twofold respect 1. The nature of it is a mystery and hardly unfolded Insomuch that as the lamb in the Revelation was found only worthy to open the seals Thus onely men enlightned by the Spirit of God and experimentally taught of him can savourily explain this Come to the Learned and most eminent men devoid of spirituall discerning and whose senses are not exercised evangelically who have not the Spirit of Adoption effectually working in them and they can no more speak with understanding to this point then Nicodemus did to the doctrine of regeneration He will say with those in the Prophet Isay cap. 29. 11. I cannnot reade this book for it is sealed But then 2. The secrecy of it is discovered because none know what it is but he that hath it As none knoweth what Parents affections are but parents none knoweth what love is but he that loveth So none know what this sealing of Gods Spirit is but he that doth partake of it Therefore this sealing is compared to other things Rev. 2. 17. to the hidden manna There was the manna that did fall from heaven of which all did eat promiscuously and then there was the manna hidden in the ark The godly man is said to eat of this It is likewise called the white stone which is a note of absolution and justification when accused and that with a new name upon it which none knoweth save he that receiveth it By this expression it is clear that the nature and efficacy of of this Sealing is understood only by those who enjoy it and therefore no unregenerate man is able to conceive rightly about it no more than a blinde man can about the Sunne yea the godly man himself though he feel it yet he cannot expresse it to another Even as we cannot expresse the life we live unto another we feel it but cannot describe it Lastly Which is the chiefest of all and most principally intended in this expression Sealing was to confirm and secure all contracts and bargains made amongst men Thus Ieremiah cap. 32. 10. when he purchased some land he had the evidence sealed In which respect some understand that place 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they understand not the foundation of an house because that doth not use to be sealed but a contract or bargain to which a seal is annexed but that is not so probable only in the generall seals are chiefly to secure and confirm and for this end it is that we have the Spirit of God sealing for the sense of our unworthinesse and guilt doth make us very propense to diffidence to distrust to continuall fears about Gods love to us and therefore as we need the Spirit of God to sanctifie us so also to witnesse and seal unto us which is more largely to be treated of SERM. CXXXIV Of Gods Spirit Sealing his People 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us WHat is comprehended in the expression of sealing hath been already declared I shall therefore in the next place consider of and compare some equivalent Texts of Scripture with
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