erroneous person therefore is not presently convinced in his own conscience of his false way he may as the Antichristian party is be delivered up to believe a lie To call light darknesse and darknesse light Even as the distempered palate may call sweet things bitter So then though errours in Doctrine be stubble and trash yet they are not thought so by the Authors of them The Manichees called Manes Manicheus because he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they commonly commend their falshoods as the precious rare and unheard of truths of Christ Secondly When the Apostle cals these errours hay and stubble he doth not speak of fundamental errours neither but such as are consistent with and built on the true foundation They do not damne the Authour of them but they make his salvation difficult He shall be saved but by fire For as for those Doctrines that race up the foundations Peter cals them damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 Paul reckons them with Idolatries Witchcrafts and all the grosse sinnes that palpably exclude from the Kingdome of Heaven Gal. 5.21 Yea if an Angel from Heaven should bring such a Doctrine we were to hold him accursed Gal. 1.8 9. And all the faithfull are commanded Not to bid such an one God speed John 2. Epist As John the Apostle would not wash himself in that Bath where Cerinthus the Heretique had been So that these expressions of hay and stubble are onely for lesser errours But those that are in Folio as it were they are poison They are the venome of the red Dragon They are like the Plague that strikes dead into Hell quickly without a speedy recovery So that as all sinnes are not alike so neither are all errours And we are to make a difference between those that are fundamental Circa-fundamental and Super-fundamental as a man may so say As in sicknesses some are mortal and deprive of life immediately others are not so In the second place Let us consider why the Apostle cals errours by such names wood hay and stubble First Because of the vilenesse and contemptiblenesse of them Men if they did understand the Scripture and walk by that Rule would no more regard them than the straw under their feet as we say For as the true Doctrines of Christ were compared to gold because of their precious and excellent nature so errours are called stubble because of their base and vile nature In the Old Testament the names of Idols were names of contempt and scorn Baal-Phegor and Baal-zebub and thus here the sinfull opinions that men deliver are straw and stubble Secondly The Apostle describeth the Idolatry of the Heathens under this aggravation Rom. 1. That they turned the Image of God into an Oxe that eateth hay and truly all that love and delight in errours doe so They who should be after the Image of God delighting in precious and heavenly truths make themselves like the beast that eats hay Vitiated and corrupted stomacks will eat trash and so distempered minds and corrupted will receive falshoods Secondly It 's compared to hay and stubble for the levity and uncertainty of it What solidity hath a straw that is blown up and down with every winde Now the lightnesse and uncertainty appeareth in three things 1. It cannot abide the touchstone it cannot endure to be tried Straw cannot endure the fire The thief or he that doth evil hateth the light saith our Saviour John 3.20 Counterfeit and base coin cannot abide the touchstone whereas the Apostles when they preached they were willing to have their Doctrines tried by the Scripture and the Bereans are commended for making such an enquiry Acts 17.11 The Owls and the Bats cannot endure the day As soon as errour is detected it is confuted whereas the precious truths of God they grow more excellent and glorious by the trial of them The wheat loseth nothing by winnowing the iron by filing By all the errours and heresies that ever have been truth hath gotten the advantage As the ark was the more lifted up to Heaven by the waters 2. It 's uncertainty is seen in the divers shapes and moulds it hath denying and affirming As Tertullian of the Peacock Multicolor versicolor nunquam idem tamen semper idem Thus erroneous Doctrines are alwayes in new dresses in a new garb as they are necessitated by truth How often was Pelagianism interpoluted Therefore the Apostle cals the dealing of such persons who use to sow these tares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.14 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a slight jugling yea and bewitching Gal. 3.1 making such things to appear to the sense that have no subsistence Thus among the Arians both the Eusebiusses were in crafty and divers dresses sometimes for the Orthodox sometimes against them And Pelagius did four times change his opinion about Grace or rather his expressions At first he denied grace then he made nature grace then the outward preaching of the Word grace then granted the grace of remission of sinne Thus he did gratiae voâ—abulo uti ad frangeâ—dum invidiam So that herein the levity and uncertainty of falshoods doth appear that they are divers and strange Doctrines strange to the Word and divers and disagreeing among themselves 3. It 's uncertainty is seen that it doth never stay till God in mercy to his Church put a period to it Therefore false Doctrines are compared to a Gâ—ngrene 2 Tim. 2.17 you know that spreads and spreads till it hath even consumed the body And thus it is with errour it spreads from one to another and not only so but this young Serpent will grow up to a Dragon in time Arius una scintilla fuit was but one spark and yet he-set the whole world on fire Wicked men shall grow worse and worse one errour draweth on another When a man begins to tumble down the hill it 's hard staying ere he come to the bottom And therefore when thou once beginnest to wander from the truth fear thy self thou wilt presently be in a wildernesse yea thou wilt be like an Hazael in time Those opinions and blasphemies thou wouldst once have trembled and quaked at thou wilt excuse and defend Experience hath â—â—en too true but very sad of this in all ages of the Church Thirdly Errours are compared to hay and stubble For the uselesnesse and unprofitablenesse of them They are but fig leaves to cover our nakednesse and that will appear in these particulars 1. They do not truly inform and enlighten the mind Truth is light and doth inform and instruct the mind but all errours do bring more darknesse so that while they think they know more then they did they know lesse Hence they are said to be men of corrupt minds 1 Tim. 6 5. and deluded or deceived Oh what a dreadfull thing may this be for thee to think thou hast more light than ever when it may be thou art in more darknesse than ever To thinke thou art in a nearer way to
good sense against the general sense of many others and this doth exceedingly please ignorant people What opposition did Paul find by such that taught tast not touch not that brought in worshipping of Angels and left Christ the Head and all this was done under a colour of wisdome and humility Col. 2.23 Even as in Popery still they urge we must have the Saints and Angels Mediators to God for us for is it fit say they an inferiour person should go into the presence of a great King without the favourite Thus the Heathens argued of old and thus the Papists now these things carry a shew of humility and so those thousands of superstitious ceremonies and wayes of worship that have been brought into the Church they come under the name of zeal and devotion but observe the Scripture you shall see Baptisme the Lords Supper when purely administred although in a grave and holy way yet in such simplicity and plainness that there is not the least mention of the least ceremony or traditional worship that afterwards was introduced and this the Apostle meant when he said He was afraid lest the Serpent should beguile them from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ 1 Cor. 11.3 Oh that is a worthy place there is a simplicity in the Doctrine Worship and life of the Gospel and your minds are easily corrupted from this Thirdly If the Devil cannot yet scatter this little flock of Christ then he raiseth up all the power civil and ecclesiastical against it that he can Thus they were the builders Church-officers that refused Christ Mat. 21.42 Observe and you shall see the greatest persecutors of Christ and the Apostles were the Priests a Councel of them was called they were alwayes combining to put them to death so that a corrupt superstitious Ministery hath alwayes been the greatest enemies to Reformation and godâ—iness Heu Domine qui sunt in Ecclesiâ primi sunt impersecutione primi And therefore at our first Reformation the Protestants dâ—d truly affirm there could never be any Reformation unless they first began with the Court of Rome and the corrupt Clergy Sigysmund the Emperour said to one counselling to begin the Reformation à Minoritis yea saith he à Majoritis The Sunne in an Eclipse makes great corruptive alterations in sublunary things was the tradition and so a corrupted Ministery cannot but oppose and set against all those that discover and reprove their abominations and thereby are destructive to the souls of their followers Now with these venomed arrowes hath the Devil for the most part shot into the bowels of the Church But if he cannot do thus yet there will be a godly faithfull Ministery maugre all his malice Fourthly Then he steereth the clean contrary He will see how he can destroy mens soules by causing men to give them too much honour Even as Nehemiah's enemies that did oppose and do all they could to hinder the building of the Temple when they could no longer prevail by open violence then they proffered to build with them You have a notable History Act. 19.13 14. of vagabond Jewes that were conjurers who took upon them to adjure by the name of Jesus Thus you see the Devil when he could no longer work in his own name he works in Christs name And therefore Paul saith He transformeth himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 Now he cannot do that better then by abusing the repute of those that are eminent godly Teachers Let us consider How many wayes even by godly eminent men he may hurt the Church And First When he doth tempt and draw them away into any errour or falshood than their example draweth many after them The godlinesse and learning they have makes a way for an universal reviving of their falshoods We see this in Peter when he out of fear complied too much with the Jews confirming them in their superstition it 's said He compelled others to live as Jews Gal. 2.14 How did he compell them He did not threaten and use violence as Paul compelled Christians to blaspheme but his example meerly was so potent none dared do otherwise than Peter a Pillar of the Church yea Insomuch that Barnabas also was led aside by this dissimulation So that the Devil if he can no longer by the Chief-priest indanger the Church he will by the errours of one of the chief Apostles We might clear this in after ages by several instances especially Origen a man so famous for godlinesse learning and suffering for the faith of Christ that men thought it safer to erre with Origen than be in the truth with others What a great temptation did he prove to the Church as Lyrinensis doth excellently amplifie it He could do more hurt by one Origen than by many Marcionites or Manichees Secondly If he cannot corrupt their minds then he tempts eminent instruments in the Church to some failing in their lives to some unjustifiable practices that so their whole Doctrine may be condemned How circumspectly and warily did Paul walk that the enemies of the Gospel might not have wherewith to blaspheme Therefore our Saviour said The Devil had desired to winnow the Apostles Luke 22.31 In winnowing there is the purging of the wheat and the driving away of the chaff Now the Devil hoped for the later to find them but chaff as he thought by his temptations to make it appear Job was but an hypocrite and served God only for carnal ends And thus the Devil he labours to stirre up flesh and bloud in them as it was wofull in Peter to deny his Master whereby prophane persons might say who would care what Peter saith he in danger will lie and forswear his own Master Especially Judas was a fit instrument for him he used him to bring about the death of Christ so that Judas did as much hurt as all the Priests for he was one of Christs followers knew his way and for him to become Satans instrument this made much for the kingdome of Satan Not that Judas was once truly godly as some plead alate thereby proving the Apostasie of the Saints but in esteem and appearance he was for a while at least reputed of as a Saint Thirdly If he can neither corrupt their judgements or practices then he sets them up too high he maketh men in Christs room And this the Apostle doth so much argue against They have nothing but what they receive they are but instruments so as Paul spake in another case viz. of miracles asking the people Why do ye look upon us as if we by our own power had done this wonder The same may be applied to all ministerial successe It 's not Paul or Apollo doth enlighten the mind doth convert the heart See how much hurt the Devil doth the Church by the name of these instanced in One saith I am of Cephas that is of Peter Now the name and repute of Peter is that upon which all Popery is
then believe no longer as men Do not think or speak as men but as those who have God perswading you Secondly The Scriptures are only the foundation because they are the immediate verity or truth coming from God who is the first essential truth They have not only a Divine Authority but evident infallibility As God himself is Truth and is not like man that may lie So his Word is likewise Truth and cannot lie or deceive as the writings of men Therefore Psal 19. they are said to be purer than gold seven times refined And it 's said The Scripture that cannot lie or cannot be broken John 10.35 It 's an heavy judgement to be delivered up in matters of salvation to believe a lie It 's the spiritual curse that is threatned to those of the Antichristian apostasie 2 Thess 2.11 Now they must needs be thus punished that forsake the Scripture and build upon other foundations Seeing then the Scripture doth contain infallible truth onely and not one iota or tittle of that can fall to the ground and in all other foundations that may be laid there may be falsehood errour and grand Impostures Let then those hearers that are carefull to keep a good faith walk by this Rule Chrysostome said Never expect good from that man who is not searching of the Scriptures attending to the Scriptures It 's an heavy grievous sinne that in your family in your closets you do no more acquaint your selves with the Bible Take a Tree from the River side and plant it in a wildernesse what can you expect but a withering And thus it is if you take a man from the Scripture his seeming faith graces godlinesse will all presently vanish Thirdly The Scriptures onely are the foundation of faith because they are onely immutable and unmoveable They abide alwayes the same they are not subject to changes to perturbations of affections as men are Councils consisted of men carried by passions and interests Even in the Council of Nice and the four first Councils there were great sidings great animosities particular interests and parties and therefore unlesse we had an unchangeable foundation we must be mutable Camelions Now the word of God that is said To abide for ever whereas all flesh is grasse and the glory thereof fadeth away 1 Pet. 1.24 25. It 's called the eternal Gospel Revel 14.6 So then that which was three thousand yeares agoe is still true because the Scriptures are still the same There is no new Bible though there may be many new opinions and new Sects Aristotle commendeth the Government of a Nation by Lawes above the wils and arbitrary resolutions of men because Lawes are fixed and known And so it is in the Church of God that hath a known Law and Rule Therefore it is an hainous errour which the learned note in Cusanus though otherwise not a very bad man in affirming That the Scripture is to be interpreted Secundum currentem statum Ecclesiae according to the present course and exigency of the Church and therefore in some age those things are received which in another are rejected Lastly The Scripture is only to be laid for a foundation because this onely is strong enough to support and bear up in sad hours of temptation and dangerous times of persecutions Who would be cheated or distinguished out of the Truth by subtil Hereticks or scared and terrified by violent opposers Therefore we had need be built upon such a rock that can endure all waves How could the Martyrs have resisted to blood had not they had Scripture-assurance Luther had this temptation Tune solus sapis c. and nothing but the Scripture confirmed him Our Saviour quelled Satans temptations by arrows out of the Scripture quiver When a man comes to die may he not be assaulted about the truth of his faith whether he die not in heresie or damnable opinions and nothing but the Scripture can uphold him Now for the matter of Doctrine to be believed some men lay four rotten and weak foundations others may be reduced to this The first is that of the Papist The Authority of the Church and the Pope being wholly ignorant themselves but resting all on their Authority Bellarmine doth not blush to expound that place Behold I lay in Zion a foundation stone secondarily to the Pope Now although we grant That the Ministry of the true Church is very usefull and necessary as the instrument of our faith and the preservation of it In which sense it 's called The pillar and ground of the Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 yet it is onely a Ministry not a Magistry It 's a political Pillar upon which Edicts use to hang for Declaration of the Magistrates will not an Architectonical Pillar that beares up the house So that Austins speech is true I had not believed the Gospel had not the Authority of the Church moved me viz. by way of introduction and preparation As the woman of Samaria did to the Samaritans who at first believed because she told them but afterwards they believed for Christs own sake We do not believe in the Church as we doe in the matter revealed in the Scripture Therefore that ignorant implicit faith to believe what the Church saith is not a Scripture-faith faith of knowledge besides then every member must believe according to that Church he is of and seeing there are Churches against Churches there shall also be faith against faith The second foundation men lay is The Authority of the Civil Magistrate This is a meer political faith Many men have no other apprehension about Religion than the Laws of the Land wherein they live They matter not whether true or false whether acceptable to God or consonant to Scripture but this is commanded and this they do As Seneca said in his time He observed that Worship of their gods Non tanquam Diis grata but legibus jussa not as acceptable to the gods but commanded by the Lawes But the Apostles example is clean contrary for they preached a faith to be believed that was contradictory to that Religion which was established by humane authority and they resolve thus It 's better to obey God than man Act. 5 29. The third is Private Revelation and Enthusiasmes As the Papists on one side have cryed down the sufficiency and perfection of the Scripture so Illuminatists men fancying to themselves Revelations from God have also decried it making themselves above the Scripture A dangerous and damnable delusion Therefore the Apostle John bids us Try the spirits and that cannot be without the Rule of the Word 1 John 4.1 And Fourthly Another false foundation is Meer humane Reason There are many risen up that make Reason the Judge and foundation of all Doctrinal Points the Socinian especially hereupon they reject the Trinity the Divine Nature of Christ as being against Reason Now although rectified Reason be necessary as an instrument to revive the things of faith yet it
thus truly with thee if thou runnest into any excesse of ryot that the world greedily pursueth Thou hast made thy self like a Dunghill not Gods Temple Thirdly The Temple was full of external glory A magnificent place admired by Heathens And we see what weeping there was of the old men that the glory of the latter Temple was not like that of the former Ezra 3.10 Now the glory of Christians is likewise great but in a spiritual and heavenly way The Church is all glorious within Psalms 45 13. The Gospel that is preached is stiled a glorious Gospel 1 Tim. 1.11 And the Spirit of God The Spirit of glory 1 Peter 4.14 It 's promised That the glory of the second Temple should farre exceed that of the first Hag. 2.9 Now how was that made good not in any outward glory but because Christ in a spiritual manner did reform all those corrupt Doctrines and did sit as a refiner to purifie the Sonnes of Levi. This was glory to have the spiritual worship of God It 's true this is not the glory of the world which the Devil sheweth and so many do fall down and worship it but to a spiritual eye that judgeth spiritually these things are the greatest glory Who would think that the Preaching of of the Gospel deserved such a Title as a Kingdom and a Kingdom of Heaven The most sublime and transcendent perfection that can be Yet What is more ordinary in Scripture then to dignifie it by that Name Do not then account the glory of the Church to lye in goodly Edifices in glorious Ornaments in stately Images but in pure Doctrine Godly Government and an Holy life Such times are glorious times such Administrations use to ravish a godly heart David cryed out How amiable were the Tabernacles of the Lord of Hosts Psalmes 84.1.10 And one day there was better then many any where else And all because of the Spiritual enjoying of God in them It 's the excellency of a Pearl to be in its native lustre to paint that would disgrace it so it 's the excellency of all spiritual Ordinances and Institutions to be in their pure native appointment and to adde to them by goodly Inventions is but to disparage them Jesus Christ had no external glory yet to the Spiritual Believer Christ is precious as Peter saith 1 Peter 2.7 Fourthly The Temple was in a peculiar manner holy in respect of other buildings as the Apostle saith in the next verse Now when we say it was Holy we do not mean an holinesse inherent as Angels and men are holy but of Dedication and Consecration a relative holinesse being set apart by Gods special Command to such an use And therefore the Synagogues of the Jews neither our material Churches have such an holinesse as is to be shewed when we come to the 18 verse For that is a necessary point to handle to take of men from superstitious thoughts about holy places Among the Jews there was a relative or typicall Holinesse The Temple was an Holy Temple Jerusalem is called the Holy City yea every Jew is called an Holy person Mat. 4.5 and Gentiles are unclean as appeareth by that Vision to Peter Call no man unholy or unclean Acts 10.38 But of this more This is enough to shew that the Temple was peculiarly dedicated to God and had a relative Holinesse Thus all Believers they are in a spiritual manner Dedicated to God They are separated from the world and sinne They are not to live in the same wickednesse and impiety as men of the world do Oh Beloved What a strong Obligation is this to us all to live holily We are separated from the world We are not to have such thoughts such lives such affections as the world hath Procul O Procul esse prophani they would cry in respect of their heathenish Temples and this is much more true of the Church of God Moses was commanded to pull off the shooes of his feet because the place was holy Exodus 3.5 Oh much rather must thou pluck off thy sinfull lusts thy carnal pleasures For God is holy and the Ordinances are holy about which thou art conversant Fifthy Because of this relative Holinesse it was a Capitall crime to defile this Temple There were Porters set at the Gate to keep out all unclean things 2 Chron. 23.19 No unclean thing might be brought therein and so it is here because the people of God are a company joyned in such an holy manner for such holy ends Therefore they are commanded to cast out all unclean persons 1 Cor. 5. ult Here comes in the Necessity of godly Discipline and Excommunication which is meerly medicinal not vindicative for edification not destruction Thus the incestuous person an unclean vessel in this Temple he was to be cast out Cast out from among you that wicked person 1 Corinth 5. The Church should be like an excellent disciplin'd Army Therefore if any man walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorderly note such a man and withdraw from him that he may be ashamed 2 Thessalonians 3.11 14. 1 Corinth 5.7 the Apostle commands them to purge out the old leaven the wicked person that they might be a new lump a choice and holy company worshipping God in Spirit and Truth This spiritual Sword is in the Church as the temporal one in the Common-wealth Neither is this power given in vain but that men who do ill might be afraid In the Primitive times this godly Discipline was admirably executed as appeares by Tertullian and Cyprian but when this weeding-hook was laid aside or abused Gods Garden was runne over with weeds Lastly That which was the glory of the Temple and the life of it was Gods gracious presence From thence he did hear prayer there he accepted Sacrifices thence he commanded blessings His promise was that he would put his Name there and this still continued in Gods Church When two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be there in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 Though God be every where in the world yet his gracious presence is only in his Church This is the Closet or Privy-Chamber this is the Garden wherein he walks Now Gods gracious presence in his Church is discovered these waies First Here only are the Priviledges of grace Here only is Justification Adoption Sanctification This is the Pool of Bethesda wherein the Angel comes down Through all the world be Gods yet his Church is the place of his gracious favoures This is the Ark in which salvation only may be had There is no pardon of sinnes among Heathens God indeed doth many times differ his temporal judgments upon Heathens and he heareth their prayers and groanes as their natural desires even as he doth the young Ravens but their is no gracious answer of any Prayer nor any pardon of the least sinne Thus they are as some places of the earth where they say it is alwaies night Ice and cold alwaies
first from the Angels God spared not them but did cast them down into Hell and bound them in chaines of darknesse The Angels sinnes were sinnes of the mind they were intellectual substances and so heresies and their sinnes are much alike Do not then say Heresie is no drunkennesse no whoredome no bodily prophanenesse no more was the Angels sinne it was an intellectual sinne and yet for that they are perpetually condemned 2. The second instance of Gods Judgment is The Old World which God drowned with water All mankind had perverted its waies and even defiled the world and God washeth it with the waters of his Judgments So that the overflowing of heresies is like the corruption of the Old World Lastly He compareth them to the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrha whose sinnes were so great that God did rain Hell out of Heaven to be avenged on them Who then can excuse or plead for such defilements the sinners wherein are compared to those three who received the greatest expressions of Gods wrath most signally upon themselves Thus this Chapter is a Comment upon my Text. To open this Truth viz. God will destroy such a defiler First This is to be understood Conditionally unlesse that man see and bewail his errours and forsake them No doubt but Luther and many of the first Reformers who came out of Popery were great defilers of the Temple of God but when God did open their eyes and discover the truth then none were more zealous then they to make the Church that was a den of thieves an House of Prayer How often did Luther bewail that blindnesse and that damnable errour which was upon him in the time of his Popery and Melanâ—thoâ— also yet recovered from it So that this threatning is to be interpreted as all other places against any wicked man Ezek. 18.21 If the unrighteous or wicked man leave his sinnes he shall live God will not remember his former iâ—iquities Yea God many times taketh those who were once plunged into damnable waies and maketh them great Instruments to publish his truths As Paul once a blasphemous persecutor of Christianity afterwards a zealous prosecutor of it Austin once a damnable Manichâ—e afterwards escaping their snares was greatly instrumental to the Conversion of others from those damnable Opinions So that all those who lye in damnable heresies are not therefore desperate and hopelesse for the great Shepherd may reduce these wandering sheep Secondly It cannot be denied but that even a godly man may fall into ae damnable heresie and some time continue in it They may not believe some fundamentals in Religion for a while Thus the Resurrection of Christ is a main Pillar of Religion take this away and our resurrection and all our comforts fall to the ground yet many of the Apostles did not for a while believe it and generally they erred in this fundamental they took Christs Kingdom for a temporal one and looked for a temporal Restauration but yet the godly though at any time thus plunged into a damnable way have this difference from wicked men who are turned aside First There is a seed of grace within them which though for a while it lieth asleep yet at last will put forth it self He cannot sinne because the seed abideth in him 1 Joh. 3. As the spirits of Wine will at last work out all poison So that as a man who hath reason in him may be taught what he knew not when a bruit beast cannot because there is the seed of Reason upon which the teacher doth work So it 's here in a godly man there is the principle of grace and this spark will at last take fire though for the present it be much overwhelmed Secondly The godly though plunged into some damnable errour yet are under a Promise to recover them which will certainly take effect As Moses exposed to the water had his Mothers eye upon him to see he should not be drowned so though a godly man be plunged deep in evil waies yet there is Gods eye and Gods hand ready to deliver him If it were possible they should deceive the very Elect Mat. 24. If it were possible now what makes it impossible not the godly man himself Alas he hath so much ignorance pride and corrupt affections that by what reason they are plunged into any foul errour by the same they would alwaies continue therein and be for ever suffocated It 's only Gods gracious Promise He will leade them into the truth he will give them the spiritual Vnction Thirdly The godly mans heart is not commonly so obstinate and seared as the wicked mans is Those that brought in the doctrines of Devils into the Church are said to have a seared conscience 1 Tim 4.2 They felt nothing they did not doubt or suspect What if this be a damnable errour that thou maintainest What if thou art a means not only to damn thy self but many others No they are commonly men of a reprobate mind But the godly though grievously seduced yet sometimes they have struglings they have an holy jealousie over themselves they bewail their pronenesse to erre Even as it is in grosse sinnes the godly man sinneth not with that hearty and full consent that others doe A third thing to open this point is to consider a difference between the defilements of the Temple by false Doctrines Some are only in accessory and lesse prinpall things and such were those who built bay and stubble their errours were consistent with salvation He shall be saved but so as by fire But others are Fundamental destroying the very soul and essence of true Faith and true Piety Now the latter are such whom God will certainly destroy I know it is that Question which hath kept so many learned men like Abrahams Ramme in the thickets what are Fundamentals what points are necessary to Salvation and what not but though it be hard to parcell out the number yet that there are such the Scripture is plain in that it cals them first Principles and tels us of a Foundation which must be laid Of which formerly Fourthly In defiling the Temple of God here is great difference to be made between those that are the Seducers and the Seduced There was a vast difference between the rebellion of Absolom the head of it and such as followed him in the simplicity of their hearts Lyrinensis said That the Authours of many Heresies were damned whose Disciples or followers might be saved The Apostle Jude doth evidently make a distinction of persons that erre Of some have compassion making a difference Jude vers 22. Fifthly Church defilements make men further off or nearer to perdition as they enjoy the meanes and as they have opportunity to know better The Pharisees sins were so inexcusable because they had light insomuch that our Saviour saith If he had not come they had not had sinne Joh. 15.24 Therefore an Heretique after the first or second Admonition is to be
truly love one another because the Motive of it is the Image of God The cause of it is Gods command And the end of it is to do good temporal and spiritual to one another Hence this is called love in the Faith Tit. 3.15 and in the Spirit Col. 1.8 And therefore if the people of God at any time quarrell and strive one with another there is so much manifestation that their love was not because they were godly but for other ends For if so then because they are the Children of God still they are such as have grace They are such as God hath cast his love upon therefore thou darest not but love them still How darest thou but be reconciled with him to whom God the Father through Christ is reconciled The Apostle doth very frequently urge this duty of love and that without dissimulation knowing the corruptions and falsehood that would be even in the godly did they not take heed But as for the wicked the very Heathen said Amicitia nisi inter bonus esse non potest Friendship can only be upon grounds of goodness and honesty Therefore if you see any man agree upon evil grounds because others are wicked like themselves or for matter of profit or matter of pleasure here is no sure Concord But are as dogs playing together in the room while bones are cast amongst and then they snarle and fight with one another Take all the wicked men that are though they are never so great yet matter of pleasure or profit will presently divide them So that it 's no wonder if Herod and Pilate cannot agree unless it be against Christ Wicked men never joyn together unless it be to oppose godliness In the second place take notice there is a two-fold Striving or Contention First That which is good and laudable Thus Jude commands to contend for the Faith once delivered To be in an agony for it vers 4. And we must in our places strive and ever zealously quarrell with wicked men for the honour and glory of God Now though this Contention and Striving be not intended here yet I shall speak a little to it in the close because there are those who account all zeal and fervency for God to be quarrelling and making tumults As Jer. 15.10 Wo is me that my mother bear me because I am a man of contention Why so He reproved them for their sinnes He spake contrary to their carnal humours and thereupon he was thought to be the only troubler of the Kingdom But Secondly Their is a sinfull and ungodly Striving And that may be about a two-fold Object Either in Civil worldly things quarrelling and wrangling about them or in Religious matters Their is a desire in some to be cavilling against the Truth and to be gain-saying those Duties that are commanded or needlessly striving with idle Disputes that make not for godliness Of which the Apostle speaketh fully Tit. 3.7 A great disease in these times Now le ts briefly speak to both these And we will First Shew the Sinfulness of the Causes Secondly The Effects wherein they manifest themselves And Thirdly The Aggravation of the sinne The Cause in the general is That bitter poisonous fountain of corruption within every man Man by nature is a Spider a Toade He can spit nothing but venome He is a bramble that tears every one that cometh near him Thus Gal. 5. strifes and Contentions are made the manifest works of the flesh It 's not a doubtfull or an hard matter to determine whence they come All thy jangleings clamours and evil speakings they come from that gall and wormwood in thee James 4.1 Whence come wars and fightings He cals that strife amongst them a Warre Do they not come from the lusts that warre in your members See here There is no man striveth and brawleth with another but he hath a lust in his heart which striveth and fighteth against his soul Thou seekest to be wronged to undoe another but that anger in thy heart will undoe and damn thy own soul But the Particular Lusts are 1. Pride Where pride is there is Contention Prov. 13.10 A proud man he cannot but strive no more then fire cannot but set all on a flame where it is All the Divisions and Troubles that are either publique or private come from Pride Every man would have his will to be done Whereas humility and lowlimindedness that keeps all in peace and quietness The Chimny that is higher then other parts of the house puts out all the smoak and dark vapours and those sometimes that would exalt themselves above others they must needs evaporate their loathsome stomack against others 2. Ambition and vain glory Which comes near to Pride When men are ambitious for great earthly power or the high places in the Church this maketh many quarrels Absolom's ambition for the Kingdom what a terrible shake did it make in Israel This ambition is an huge Whale that quickly will swallow up all the good and welfare of others and it 's no less dangerous in the Church Have not the Divisions thereof been through the ambition and vain-glory of some who have inordinately loved applaus and many followers This hath alwaies been like a Sword in the side of the Church that hath brought out both blood and water 3. Malicious froward dispositions There are some of that rancorous turbulent natures that they cannot be quiet but in the disturbing of others Salamanders that can live no where but in the fire never at rest but when they are in brawlings or contentions that have not only their tongues as James saith but their hearts also set on fire from hell Jam. 3.6 As these are dangerous persons in a Kingdome for they do to it as the Devil to the possessed body throw it sometimes in the water and sometimes in the fire so they are also in Families and in Townes These are cursed men For as Peace-makers are blessed so strife-makers and quarrel makers are cursed men 4. Covetousnesse and sinfull love to the things of the world that makes men quarrel and brawl So that some say those two Pronouns Meum and Tuum make all the strife that is in the world an unjust covetous desire to have more than is thy own or lusting after other mens or discontent at thy own condition This makes thee fill the world with quarrels Lastly Impatience when men know not how with patience and godly wisdome to passe by many injuries and wrongs The Scripture bids us overcome evil with good and if a man strike on one cheek to turn another Luke 6.29 He doth not there forbid a lawfull resistance of evil before a Magistrate or a defence of his right but all private revenge and impatience of spirit whereby we are ready to resolve As he hath done to me I will do to him Oh no! Christ teacheth us a spirit of meeknesse of patience to pray for those that persecute and hate us Now the
up these eminent persons as heads of factions or that he did only by supposition attribute these things to themselves as may seem seem 1 Cor. 4.6 I shall therefore wave that Question and handle it when I come to consider these divisions in the heads of them and whether it be lawful for Christians to name themselves after the names of any men whereas then you see the Corinthians blamed for setting up these names though men of great worth and repute in the Church I observe That although it's the duty of people to have a great and high esteem of the Ministers of the Gospel yet they are not sinfully and inordinately to admire or rest meerly upon any mens persons You that are the sheep of Christ have a great duty required of you you are to abound in all love and ready submission unto the doctrine of your faithfull Shepherds and yet also not so to admire any person as thereby to be drawn into errours or falshoods they may possibly maintain The Apostle Jud. 12. makes one great cause of the errours these men followed he speaks of that they had mens persons in admiration That is when men love the truth for the persons sake not the person for the truths sake when men are of such an opinion or such a faith because those that they admire are so though they understand nothing in it whereas it is an excellent rule of Tertullian lib. de prescript Non fidem ex personis but personas ex fide dignoscimus This truth may much heal the disease of the times for men beleive much as they affect and admire and few have a sound mind and judgement to discerne of things that differ qui credit quod vult non quod est cupit errare but I shall speak little of this to this auditory Two parts there are in the Doctrine First That great and high respect is to be shewed to the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel Secondly Yet this respect must not degenerate into sinful admiration so as factiously to set up one Minister against another Let us consider the first part and here I shall not speak of that temporal respect and honour which Gods Word in several places commands lest by captious men we should be thought to plead for our own selves but for that spiritual respect and entertainment of the Ministery which is for your good not for ours people are apt to think if they come to hear us if they commend our Sermons that this is for an advantage No the powerfull receiveing of divine truths is for their good The wearied traveller that drinks of the spring by the way doth not benefit the fountain but advantageth himself now the spiritual respect or entertainment of the Ministery lieth in these particulars 1. Highly to account of the office and the work of the Ministery as being the divine institution and appointment of Christ in his Church Thus the Apostle Chap. 4.1 Let a man account of us as the stewards of Christ They are the officers set up in Christs house to give the food of life and God hath set in his Church pastors and teachers 1 Cor. 12.28 and Eph. 4.11 Act. 20.28 The Elders of the Church are said to be made overseers by God to feed the Church So that if any man set himself against the office of the Ministery to slight it or contemne it he doth immediately oppose the institution of Christ God hath set it and wilt thou endeavour to pull it down so that prophane and carnal men who argue against it know not what they talk of they consider not the Scripture nor the Word of God and if thy heart were not much hardened thou wouldst have an awfull reverence and fear of this divine office Even the very Heathens have exalted the office of their Priests that drew nigh to God and Aristotle well observeth that all religion yea and the notion of the gods themselves would be vilified when they that were imployed in that office were contemned 2. Your spiritual respect lieth in the hearing of the Word preached and the receiving the Word with all gladness of heart Thus Christ saith He that heareth you heareth me Luk 10.16 and therefore they are compared to Embassadours that do in Christs stead entreat you to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 Indeed prophane and ungodly Ministers or erroneus and superstitious Ministers they falsifie their trust they alter their embassage and therefore the Scripture compareth them to unsavoury salt that is fit for nothing but to be cast on the dunghill and God speaking of the corrupt Levites saith Mal. 2 3. I will spread dung upon your faces Thus God dealeth with those Ministers that walk unworthily but as for those that diligently and faithfully preach the Gospel such are to be heard and received withall joy How beautifull are the feet of those that bring the glad tidings of the Gospel Rom. 10.15 and there is nothing that God doth so much curse as the prophane rejecting of his Word and Ministery Jerusalem was quite off and there was no more remedy left for her when she refused the Prophets rising early and delivering the message of God to them 2 Chron. ult The tree that had often culture and cost bestowed upon it and yet barren was at last to be cut down and burnt in the fire so then as the Ministers are to pray God would give them an open mouth so you hear also open eares and open hearts Shall the advice of the Physician for thy body and the advice of the Lawyer for thy estate be accepted and not the advice of the Minister of God for thy soul Hence they are called guides Now what disobedience is it when they would guâ—d thee in the way of holiness they would lead thee out of the dangerous bogs and precipices thou venturest on yet thou will not follow Oh how will this cut thy heart one day that the Ministers of God would have guided thee in other wayes have lead thee to other actions but thou wouldst willingly fall in the ditch even into hell 3. You are not only to give them respectfull hearing and diligent waiting upon their Ministery but to obey and submit unto that work of the Lord which they enjoyn â—ou out of Gods Word Therefore twice in one Chapter Heb. 13.17 the Apostle calls on them To obey and submit themselves to such as watch for their souls and makes one of his Reasons this is good for you Prophane and proud men they are apt to scorn the truths we preach they will not submit to the doctrine we hold out but if they did rightly consider this is good for them how readily would they obey If therefore you become our living Sermons and turn the things you hear into practice though we shall rejoyce in it yet the advantage will be yours Oh then take heed how ye refuse to submit unto those things that out of Gods Word we enjoyne you If
them I rather think the latter because it 's used as a Name of honour If any man suffer as a Christian saith Peter 1 Pet. 1.3 Now this title Christian is of great importance Many are apt to say As they are a Christian when there is no reall Christianity in them For to be a Christian is as much as to be one anointed For as Christ was so called because annointed with all Graces in an unlimited manner so every Member of Christ is called a Christian because anointed with Graces Oh then thou that gloriest in that thou art no Heathen no Infidel no Jew but a Christian consider whether this be not a vain boast For is thy prophaneness thy wickedness thy impieties the anointing of Gods Spirit So that to have the reall power of Christianity is a difficult and straight work In after times the title Christian still continued And although they were sometimes called Cornelians from Cornelius Cyrillians from Cyrillus and Joannitae from John Chrysostome Eustathiani from Eustathius yet they did not own these Names And as Heresies began to rise up in many places some teaching one thing some another the Christian that kept to the true Faith that was constantly and universally believed in all the ages of the Church beginning from Christ and the Apostles times was called Catholique or universall in which sense he said Christianus mihi nomen Catholicus cognomen So that to be a Catholique was to believe that Faith which had been universally taught first by Christ and the Apostles afterwards by faithfull men in all ages And for the Papist to call himself a Catholique when the Roman Church hath so manifestly degenerated from the Apostolical and Scripture Doctrine and for them to make the Roman and the Catholique Church all one is as absurd as if a man should call London or England all the world The Papist therefore is no Catholique in a true sense because he cannot prove his Faith by the Apostolical Doctrine in the Scripture yea accuseth the Scripture as insufficient And some of their learned men have confessed that if they should try thir cause by the Scripture meerly it was gone I shall instance in one famous Name given to such who truly own Christ and his Truths and that is Protestants They were called thus not many years since in Luther's time whereas the Orthodox had got some indulgence for the profession of their true Religion and pure worship The Popish party did importune the Emperour of Germany to make an Edict at Worms and afterwards at Spires That no Religion should be publickly professed and owned but the Roman The Lutheran Party both Noblemen and others made a Solemn Protestation against that unjust Decree and ever since all that reformed from Popery have been called Protestants So that all those who have a compliance with Popery that admire their way in their heart or act by their principles cannot truly be called Protestants Thus you have heard the chief names by which Christians are called And still after no mans name And whereas Papists call us Lutherans Calvinists c. we indeed own Luther and Calvin and such men for worthy and famous instruments of Gods glory in their time but it is their calumny to call us after their Names It is true a man by way of difference or distinction he may say a Lutheran and Calvinist to denote some peculiar opinion but to own any man as an Author of our Faith or the foundation of Religion is not consistent with true Christianity There are pregnant Reasons for this First Because as our faith in regard of the efficient cause is the gift of God so the object and motive of it must be Gods authoriâ—y because he speaks and revealeth such things Humane faith is because a man saâ—â—h such a thing divine faith because God saith so Now see how carefull the Apostle was that the Churches faith should not be in humane wisdome but in the mighty power of God And so the Thessalonians received it not as the word of man but as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 The Apostle saith They had not dominion of their faith 2 Cor. 1.24 They were not able to make any Articles of Faith necessary to be believed You see then none may be called after men we are not their Disciples their believers for that which resteth on men is but an humane faith and we ought to have a divine faith Men indeed may be instruments to propound the things to be believed but the motive is a divine testimony because God saith so Solomon by his wisdome declared to which woman the childe belonged to but he did not cause the affections of the mother to the child So faithfull Officers of the Church may declare the truth of God but they cannot work faith in thee Secondly Therefore we may not be called after men to build on them because we are not baptized into any mans name and we are onely to professe those in whose name we are baptized into 1 Cor. 1.13 Paul doth powerfully urge this Argument why they might not say they were of Paul because they were not baptized into the name of Paul So then his Disciple thou art and his badge thou onely art to wear in whose name thou wert baptized and that is not into the name of a man but the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Thirdly The Apostle presseth another Argument Was Paul crucified for you Did Paul die for you 1 Cor. 1.13 His meaning is In him onely we are to believe who is able to make our reconciliation with God who hath wrought our Redemption for us And therefore it 's a very high sinne to build your faith on a man It 's to make him a Saviour it 's to put him in Christs room Fourthly Our Apostle urgeth a further Argument in the same Chapter He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord And Christ is made unto us Wisdome So all boasting in men is to be excluded as well as boasting in works Oh but what is the cause of so many errors of so many divisions It 's from boasting in men such a man and such a man and by this meanes the glory due to God is taken away Fifthly The Scripture makes it a great sinne in matters of Religion and the worship of God to be servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 Now what is it to be a servant of men when as bruit beasts we are wholly led at the command of others believe what they bid us believe worship with such worship as they command yet this hath been an universal sinne in all ages of the Church Men nuzzled in ignorance and pleasing themselves in their folly have without any judgement or information from Gods Word taken such a Religion and followed such a Worship as hath been imposed upon them Hence they have been sometimes of one Religion and sometimes of another because they have been servants to men and not Disciples of Christ
to the Gentiles And Rom 11. shews at large how that the breaking off of the Jews was the ingraffing of the Gentiles And thus if we consider those famous places where the Word was at first planted we shall see them for their barrennesse and unfruitfulnesse turned into a dung hill The seven Churches of Asia Where are they This Corinth What is become of it Those that would not obey Christ whose yoke was easie are forced to endure the iron chains and bonds of Mahomâ—t Rome in this Apostles time had her faith published over the whole world but is so apostatized that her Idolatry and Heresie is as much proclaimed Insomuch that the Epistle ad Romanos is now in or contra Romanos The Epistle to the Romans is an Epistle against them because of the grosse corruption of those main points of Predestination and Justification and other material points Thus you see how Gods administration is very various and dreadfull he gives it to one Nation and takes it from another It 's the judgement of some men That the Gospel will be taken from all these western parts of the world and given to the East Indies and other parts but how certain this is none can tell In these later dayes we hear not of any Heathenish Nation converted some glimmering light the Natives in New-England have received that is the most that hath been done lately For as for the Jesuites boasting of their conversion of the Indians the bloudy cruelty and horrible violence they have used deplored even by some of their own parties makes that but a fable It 's the opinion of all That Heathens and Pagans are not to be compelled to the true Faith because they are without the Church and she hath nothing to do with those that are without the Church Though Hereticks and such as are within may be compelled to the means of truth and salvation Why then in these later dayes Heathenish Nations do not receive the faith as in former times who can divine Only the fervour and zeal of propagating the Gospel is far lesse than formerly Insomuch that it is bewailed by a learned man Hornbeck that that injunction and command to go and preach the Gospel to all Nations is not enough laid to heart Fifthly In planting of Churches commonly their infancy and beginning hath been more pure and godly than the successive ages Take Rome in her nascent condition and their faith was eminent but in her crescent or growing estate she presently degenerated All Churches have been at first planted either by the Apostles themselves or Apostolical persons and they had purity of Doctrine and godlinesse of order and life onely then they were but few and obnoxious to persecution all which made them heavenly and holy but when they began to be numerous and prosperous and the meaning of the first planters was worne out then the Church grew not like her self One of the ancientest Ecclesiastical Historians Egesippus saith of a pure Virgin she presently became a Strumpet because of all that false and superstitious worship that crept into her Lastly Because of that pronenesse to degenerate and from gold to become drosse Hence God hath in mercy raised up Reformers and stirred up men with invincible zeal being full of the holy Ghost who have laboured to bring Churches to their first plantations and institution Thus the Jews a people planted by God yet many times so grosly corrupted through Idolatry and prophanenesse that the Governours thereof are called Princes of Sodom and Gomorrah Isa 1. Now to purge this fountain How many zealous Prophets did God raise up in his time And thus after Christs time when the wine of Gods Word began to be mingled with the water of mens inventions and all Religion was turned into a meer Pageantry as in Popery God then raised up Luther Melancthon Calvin and others by whose means Christ became known again Now there is a great difference between a plantation and a Reformation A Reformation doth not pretend to make new Churches to bring a new faith in the world as a plantation doth but only to file off all the rust that hath been by long custome upon the Church of God Plantation is to make Heathens and Pagans Christians but Reformation is to make degenerate Christians who have degenerated in their knowledge worship and life to make such remember their first inâ—titution such ignorance and prophanenesse was not at the first Vse of Instruction How much God may justly expect of us in England who have not only had a plantation of the Gospel many hundred years ago but after a deep apostasie a gracious Reformation also What manner of persons should we be Angli quasi Angeli it was said of old Certainly we should be so in respect of knowledge worship and godlinesse The Christian Faith was by some received long before we were called English for in the eight hundredth year after Christ Egbertus King of the West-Saxons having got all the dominion into his own hands almost made an universal sanction that the whole Nation should be called the English Nation being named Brittans before It is not my intent to enter into that Dispute of the learned who planted the Gospel in England As for the Papists who would make one Augustine to be our Apostle is so ridiculous that it cannot be believed for there were godly Christians already in the Island that refused him because he was a superstitious proud person saying The Spirit of God was not in him because there was not humility in him The Gospel was brought in here long before those dayes Some say Joseph of Arimathea Some say that Pudeus and Linus whom the Apostle salutes were Britains For Martial in his Epigrams mentioneth them as Britains This is clear that in Tertullians time the Gospel was spread in this Island and though unknown to the whole world yet the word of God found it out but to see our degeneration it may make us astonished especially in ignorance superstitious worship and prophanenesse Oh were we thus planted at first or were we reformed to be thus Do not many among us live like bruit beasts rather than Christians Setting aside the name what is there either for knowledg or life more than is in a meer Pagan or Heathen Oh the patience of God that should continue the Gospel thus long amongst us Was there more unworthinesse in Jerusalem in Ephesus in other Churches which yet God hath made desolate places Certainly we might well conclude That God would remove our Candlestick were there not a remnant that love the Gospel delight in it and labour to walk worthy of it How can prophanenesse and beastly courses be found amongst us when the light of God hath shined round about us Bring therefore forth fruit meet and worthy of such an heavenly plantation lest the same God that planted us do at last pluck us up For God he sometimes speaks to a Land to build it up and plant
and affections perswade their Hearers for it was about Civil and Moral matters about which men had understandings naturally able to perceive and wils naturally able to choose the things perswaded But Preaching is about those things to which man hath no understanding to believe nor no heart to receive But God must give the hearing ear and the seeing eye else we miscarry So you are not to come to Sermons as to humane Orations Your own understanding your own natural Parts are enemies and Adversaries to good and holy things of God There are two Parts of wisdome said Lactantius The former to understand what things are false 2. The second to know what things are true We are to be untaught undeceived before we come to know heavenly things So that all is of God both the Word to be heard and the Ear to hear Both the Word to be believed and the heart to believe In the next place Let us consider the Ends Why all increase must be of God only And that is To preach Humility both to the Preacher and to the People The Apostle carrieth it wholly for this end That he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. And That no flesh should glory in his presence First The Minister That Peter who had so many thousands converted by his Sermon that Paul who was so exalted by God that he might not be lifted up above measure For alas What have they done It 's God that gives the increase It hath been the rock upon which many have splitted themselves that they have had followers and admirers The Manichees said their Master did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pour out Manna The Donatists would swear By the head of Donatus as people do solemnly By God to shew how they reverenced him Now that man though greatly exalted by God may be humble he hath reserved all success to himself It 's not thou that hath made the blind to see or the lame to go It 's God that teacheth to profit And it 's said They shall be all taught of God Joh. 45. viz. Converted because man he gives the Ministry and outward service only Hence it is that God makes many eminent Preachers as he did some eminent Women go barren They see not the fruit of their labours they have spent themselves in vain They go Childless to the grave They cannot say Behold me and the Children whom thou hast given me Again Secondly It teacheth the People also to glorify God not to rest in the parts and gifts of men As Michal said Now God will bless me because I have a Levite in the house So we are apt to say Now we shall go to Heaven Now we shall have salvation because we have such Preaching It is not enough to be affected with and admire the gifts of Ministers They may ravish you they may greatly move you but you resting on these meerly find no success at all As it is said We do not know Christ after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 After humane considerations So neither are we to know the Ministry or preaching after such carnal respects That is admirable preaching that is an excellent Sermon which God makes spiritually to prosper in thy soul Thirdly Therefore God only gives the success that so we may seek and pray to him and do all those things that God may be pleased with We may easily provoke God to turn Bread into Stones and a pleasant Poole into a Wilderness Now that God may give increase do these things First Bewail by-past unthankfulness and unfruitfulness O Lord How often have I been an hearer How long have I gone to Sermons Yet What a barren wilderness is my heart I say bewail this For nothing provokes God more to curse the Ministry unto thee then unfruitfulness The ground that often receiveth rain and bringeth no fruit is nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.7 Why is Isaiah sent with that dreadfull Message Isa 6. To make mens eyes blind and their hearts fat that they might not be converted but because seeing they did not see and hearing they did not understand Secondly Love that Preaching which will more discover thy self to thy self Which will acquaint thee with thy own deformities As sore eyes are afraid of the light so many men have so much guilt within and live in so many secret corruptions that they dare not have the Word come with all its might upon them No wonder then if God bless it not with increase when thou lovest it not and bringest it not home to thee Can the plaister cure if thou art afraid to lay it to the sore They that are delivered up to Antechrist were so punished because they did not receive the truth in the love of it 2 Thes 2.10 Yea the very Heathens were delivered up to those unnatural lusts because they detained the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1. How then will God punish thee who hatest and kickest at those things that would convert thee Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth saith Paul Gal. 4.16 Those things that have the best operation have many times the unpleasant taste Oh say then let the Sermon smite me let it tell me of all that ever I did I shall love it the better Thirdly If thou wouldst have God give the increase come not prâ—possessed with thy own righteousness with thy own good heart Our Saviours preaching had no success though in him were the Treasures of all wisdome because his Hearers were those that justified themselves The humble he will teach his way Laodicea that thought she wanted nothing was furthest from cure Do not think I am well enough already I need no change Say oh my soul What art thou come hither for to day Is it not to see that evil and folly in thy flesh thou never perceivedst Art thou not yet to lay the very foundation of godliness It makes all out of order Use 1. Is it God that giveth the increase Then we Ministers are not to be inordinately cast down if people receive no diuine stamp on them If we water not If we plant not then wo be to us But when both is done yet if there be no increase that is our misery not our sinne God will give to every Minister according to his work not according to his success I have laboured more aboundantly saith Paul He doth not say he had success more then all others Did not the Prophets yea Christ himself complain for want of this spiritual increase It cannot but grieve us to see people damn themselves Yet How can we hinder a wilfull people from destruction Vse 2. To the people Sigh and mourn unto God in earnest Prayers for this increase How terrible will it be if the want of profiting be in your selves You do not what God would have you If the Patient distemper himself wilfully all the Physick in the world cannot cure him Know there is some heavy curse why after all the planting and watering yet God gives
Corinthians are said to have Christ amongst them because they had the Spirit of God in the gifts and operations thereof Vse of Instruction What manner of persons ye ought to be such who have a sure and a good foundation both for faith and godlinesse Look to what bottome you stand upon The reason given why stormes and tempests could not beat down that house is Because it was built upon a Rock Mat. 7.25 Especially try your selves by those fore-going properties do you under all temptations of troubles or errours stand like the rock in the midst of the waves whereas Christ said We must leave father and wife and children and houses and life to follow Christ Do ye not leave Christ to follow these Are you like the green leaves in the river The Locusts did not eat or consume and not the dried ones prepared for any falling off Doe ye shew the efficacy and lively power of Christ in your selves Oh if ye were branches in him how could such ignorance and prophanenesse be in many mens lives Eph. 4. The Apostle speaketh of knowing the truth as it is in Jesus How is that When the truths we believe make us put off the Old-man and put on the new when they are like coals of fire in your brest but the impiety and formality of most people proclaim they have not this foundation Verse 12. Now if any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble c. THis verse containeth a distinction of builders upon the foundation and they are of two sorts 1. Such who build gold silver precious stones 2. Who build wood hay stubble Now these are allegorical expressions and you may ask What is the plain meaning of them Some therefore of the Ancients understood by gold and precious stones godly and holy works And by hay or stubble evil and wicked works or as Austin inordinate affections and desires to earthly things preferring them before Christ It is true the same Author calleth this Text Vnus è difficilimis locis one of those most difficult places to which the Apostle Peter relateth But this his interpretation cannot be the meaning here partly because the Apostle saith Those that build hay and stubble shall be saved though by fire whereas those that live in wickednesse and inordinate love of the world cannot be saved under any notion whatsoever And partly because the Apostle restraineth his matter to those that are builders and they are Doctors and Teachers not to all believers Secondly Some by gold and precious stones understand the pure and solid preaching of the Word and by hay and stubble curious light and vain affectation of humane eloquence And indeed this is part of the Apostles meaning as appeareth by the sharp reproof of those Teachers for their carnal humane wisdom But Thirdly That which is chiefly the meaning is the matter they preach Gold and silver is the pure and sincere Doctrine that is agreeing with the foundation Hay and stubble are corrupt and sinfull errours which disagree from it He doth not by hay and stubble speak of such dangerous and damnable heresies that overthrow the foundation such are not saved though by fire but they bring upon themselves swift damnation 2 Pet. 2.1 but lesser errours and falshoods which do not overthrow yet are no wayes agreeable or sutable to the foundation As if you should set a glorious Palace with marble wals and pillars of gold and silver but then a wooden rooff and thatch covering with straw how ridiculous would this be Such is every mans preaching though he keep the foundation that addeth dissentaneons Doctrine thereunto We shall joyn the two last senses together the Matter and the Manner The truths of Christ preached in a pure and sincere manner this is gold silver and precious stones Whereas then you see the truths of Christ compared to these glorious and excellent things gold and precious stones From whence observe That the Doctrine and Truths of Christ are very precious and excellent The preaching of the Gospel is compared to a Pearl that a man sold all that he had to obtain Mat. 13.45 And indeed so must every heaâ—er do he must part with all his lusts his sins he must throw away all the earth he hath in his hand before he can receive this gold To open the Doctrine let us consider What is implied in this when the truths of Christ are thus called gold and precious stones And First The preciousnesse of them is hereby declared They ought to be esteemed and desired by us as much as the covetous man desires his gold and silver The truths of Christ are sometimes compared to milk for the nourishing vertue in them Sometimes to honey and the honey-comb for the spiritual sweetnesse and refreshment the godly find therein and sometimes to gold and precious stones because of the admirable excellency and worth in them Hence we are commanded To contend for the faith Jud. v. 3. to be in an agony Why It 's more worth than gold This made the holy Martyrs willingly die for it they thought it more precious than life they thought it no losse to be deprived of their own gold and silver to testifie to this and to propagate it to their posterity The Apostle cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That good thing committed to thee To you that believe Christ is precious saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.7 and so is every truth of Christs Secondly It doth denote the rarity of it It 's hardly and difficultly obtained Gold and silver is not so common as the stones of the street There are but few mines of gold to the mountains of earth And thus for the most part the Churches of God have been so corrupted with errours that very little gold did appear It was a rare thing to have any one truth of God made known In the Old Testament under many Kings Idolatry and Superstition had so prevailed that the book of the Law of God in Josiahs time was a rare thing and in Asa's time They had been without the Law and a teaching Prophet for a long while 2 Chron. 15 3. And in Popery not only the covering was thus deformed but the very foundations were shaken So that it 's not so easie a matter to obtain the truth that is found out with much prayer humility holinesse of life and industrious using of all means appointed by God There are few it may be none who though they build gold and silver do not also adde some hay and stubble So that this very expression Truths are gold are precious stones and they lie one by one called therefore uniones they say should teach us not to be confident not to rest in our own understanding Search the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 5.39 Some make it a metaphor from those that with much labour dig into a mine of gold So that the Scripture that is the mine where all the
gold and silver is there we must dig thence we must replenish our selves Teirdly There is implied the durablenesse and constancy of it Gold will not melt away in the fire or be consumed as hay and stubble will And thus the Apostle alludeth to afterwards He shall be saved so as by fire and the fire shall try every mans work He speaks of a probatory and not a purgatory fire that is afflictions or the light of Gods word shall burn all this stubble So that the truths of God they are so constant and abiding that when a man comes to be afflicted to be persecuted to be undone for the truth of God this will abide What is the chaff to the wheat Jer. 23.28 When a wind comes the chaff is blown away And therefore this should make all very carefull herein both Pastor and people God will have his fire there will be winds and tempests whether it be gold or stubble wheat or chaff then it will be discovered whereas divers and strange erroneous Doctrines they have not been willing to come to the fire Every Heresie in the Church went up and down like Cain trembling left every place of Scripture that met it should kill it Fourthly The truths of Christ are compared to gold and silver Because of the solidity and ponderosity of them they are weighty and heavy Whereas errors are compared to hay and stubble what is lighter than these And therefore such as give way to falshood they are said to be carried away with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4.14 as if they were so many feathers or straws Whatsoever opinion then is accompanied with vanity levity and emptinesse it 's not solid grave and substantial refuse that It is said Solomons ships they went for gold of Ophir and they brought home pearls Thus do many men they make us if they sought out the admirable and solid truths of God and they bring Peacocks empty gaudy flourishings of wit or curious opinions This is not the weighty and solid truth of God Fifthly They are compared to gold Because of the purity and sincerity in them The truths of God they have an holy simplicity and sincerity and therefore false Teachers are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2. to corrupt the pure word of God as hucksters do their wine David compareth Gods word to pure gold even seven times refined Psal 19 And hereby it becomes a very dangerous sinne for any to counterfeit it or corrupt it If among men their Laws make it a capital crime to counterfeit or clip their coin certainly God will account it no lesse hainous a sinne to do so with his truths As it's gold for sincerity so it 's compared to the water of life for its purity And as Isaac complained of the Philistims as the greatest injury that could be to stop up his wels with earth and it 's a matter of death to poison a fountain or spring where men use to drink so destructive and hainous a sinne it must be to infect the pure streams of the Sanctuary that people should thereby suck down their own poison Sixthly It 's compared to gold for the efficacy and choice vertue thereof Gold is not only of price and esteem but it hath it's powerfull operations in medicinal wayes against bodily diseases And thus certainly the truths of God are when received by faith they are mighty to the casting down of all the strong holds of sinne they are powerfull to overthrow the greatest oppositions Sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth John 17. Thus it 's said Psal 19. To convert the soul as the learned there interpret it is revive the soul to bring life again when a man by discouragements and dejections is even swooning away Oh then these golden truths of Christ they have a special influence upon the heart of a man to revive against faintings to dispel all distempers and to preserve against all languishings Seventhly They are compared to gold and silver For the usefulnesse and profitablenesse to all things Money answereth all things saith the Wiseman Eccles 10.19 Many outward comforts in this world may be had for gold and silver you may have friends food raiment Hence the Heathens made Pluto wealth a god because it wrought all things among men Clausum aur â custodit Jovem Horace spake of the covetous man He keeps his god in his chest And covetousnesse is called Idolatry Col. 3.5 Thus gold and silver prevail in the world And therefore Balaam to expresse his resolvednesse not to curse Israel said Though Balaak would give him an house full of gold yet he would not curse them But alas what are these to the truths of Christ They are profiâ—able for such things which material gold and silver cannot do Judas when tormented in in his conscience foa sinne What could his thirty pieces of silver comfort him Could that ease his conscience Give gold and silver to the damned men in hell will that comfort them There are many mercies that all the gold and silver in the world cannot help us unto but now there is no condition no doubt no affliction no want but the truths of Christ are very profitable unto The truth of Justification by faith in Christ Is not that more worth than the gold of Ophir What precious and powerfull operations hath it upon the hearts of the godly Eighthly The truths of Christ are compared to gold and precious stones Because they are able to enrich a man with all graces There is spiritual and heavenly wealth as well as earthly and temporal and the truths of God are of the first sort Thus the poor of this world are said to be rich in faith Jam. 2 5. And Christ became poor to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 not in outward respects or external greatnesse but in internal and spiritual riches Mark that counsel Revel 3.18 to the Church who thought her self rich and needing nothing I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich Oh that people were spiritual You see here is gold offered to all and he is indeed foolish that refuseth this There is many a man with gold and silver and much wealth in this world and yet is very poor towards God When our Saviour had declared that Parable of Dives and the eternal torment he had after his great pleasures he concludeth So is every man that is rich in the treasures of this world and is not rich towards God Luke 12.21 In the second place To build gold and precious stones on this foundation is not onely to preach sound and pure matter but this matter in a pure and exact way Now this golden way of preaching to be Chrysostoms and Chrysologues indeed consiâ—eth First In preaching of them after Scripture Authority when they are conveyed unto you as having the stamp and Authority of God The Prophets came with Thus saith the Lord and this like thunder may make the
this is a very deep and secret work but God will manifest it Policy is no policy if the design be not laid deep and secret Therefore Isaiah reproving carnal Politicians saith Woe to them that take deep counsel Isa 29.15 And in other places That cover with a covering but not of my Spirit God hath his time that he will discover the thoughts of the worldly wise to be vain he will make known all the secrets and crafty consultations against his truth and people and he will be avenged for all the Atheism and prophane boldnesse and hardnesse of heart such carnal policy hath been accompanied with For he said well That a Politician was a man that stood upon his head with his heels upwards shaking them against Heaven Well then it 's good for such to remember that â—very work shall be made manifest and when the storm ariseth those cob-webs will be driven away Sixthly Dissimulations and inconstancies in matter of Religion This is a secret work God will manifest Divines call it to be a Nicodemite He came to Jesus by night John 3.2 and durst not openly professe Christ for fear of the Jews There were some who have held That they might do any external acts of Idololatrical worship be at Masse say they believe any thing so that they keep their consciences and minds pure The Priscillianists are noted for wicked dissimulations herein In Ezekiel we reade the Prophet is commanded To dig through the wall to see the women and men committing their religious abominations in private Ezek. 8.8 Now God will bring this hypocrisie to light External profession is nectssary to salvation when the command requireth it as well as inward faith With the heart man believeth and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Rom. 10.10 So that in case of confession it is damnable not to acknowledge the truths of God God gives a great commendation of seven thousand in Ahabs time that had not bowed their knee to Baal 1 King 18.19 They would not dissemble that outward worship commonly there are never more subtil and secret shiftings then in matters of Religion But of that more in time In the next place Consider the aggravation of those sinnes that are secret and hidden For although to be an open bold sinner is in some respects a greater sinner than a close private sinner because hereby there is more dishonour to God more scandal to others and more impudency in the sinner which happily might be the cause of that speech attributed to Athanasius Vtinam omnes essent hypocritae Hence some are reproved for having an whores fore head that they were not ashamed when they had sinned that they bâ—asted of it yet in many respects these secret sins have terrâ—ble aggravations 1. It argueth a mâ—n hath more consciousnesse to himself that he doth not welâ— therefore he wouâ—d not have the world know Now when any man sins with a consciousnesse to himself that he doth sinne this is a bloody aggravation Tremble at this you who live in secret wickednesse Why doest thou keep it so close Why art thou so fearfull Why doest thou as Rachel make aâ— excuse to cover thy Idols All this argueth the more consciousnesse the more guâ—â—t in thee Thy conscience is awakened thou hast â—â—ruglings and convâ—ctions within thee this is to rebel against light this is to stop the mouth oâ—â—hy monitour thy conscience within which the very Heathen could say was a god to every man I tell thee sinning thus against conscience more have despaired than upon any other ground Oh they did thus and they lived thus but all this while they had a consciousnesse to themselves they should do otherwise This hath made them so deepâ—y possessed though happily upon false grounds that they have sinned against the holy Ghost 2. This secret sinning puts farre more respect and fear upon men than God Thou wilt be unjust in secret thou wilt be unclean in secret Why thou art afraid such men know it Oh thou wicked wretch Art thou afraid of the eye of a man and not of a great God Carest thou not though God see thee whereas thou wouldst hide thy self if man come near thee Thus thou art a coward to man but thou bravest it to God Thou doest in effect say Though God behold though God know though God be acquainted with it I matter it not Oh foolish and unwise Can man damn thee Can man fill thy conscience with terrours Can man bid thee depart into everlasting howlings Why then art thou afraid of man and not God 3. The more secret any wickednesse is it argueth the heart is more studious and industrious â—bout it how to contrive it how to bring it about Of all Davids sins that in the matter of Vriah the Scripture giveth the greatest bâ—and on it because it was done with such secrecie David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord save in the matter of Vriah 1 King 15.5 and premediation Mark Josh 7.11 how Joshua in Achans sinne observed the secresie and the dissimulation and craft used in it Oh that men and women would consider this thing God takes notice with how much craft and subtilty you commit your sins and none never know it Vse of Admonition Take heed of secret hidden sins God will one day manifest what thou hast been Oh it may be the world thought of all the men that lived thou wouldst never do such and such things but God knoweth thy down-sitting and uprising Whither can you flie from his presence Oh let every one then bewail the plague sore of his own heart When Christ convinced the woman of Samaria of the secret sinne she lived in she crieth out Come and hear one that hath told me all that ever I did John 4. Prevent confusion hereafter at the day of judgment by humble confession of all thy secret sins unto God and he will not then upbraid thee Every mans work shall be made manifest This Proposition hath been handled as a general truth and so is a thunder-bolt against all secret sins what they do in secret God will reward openly The more secresie the more guilt Now I shall consider this Proposition in its limited and restrained sense as it relates to false Doctrines to those that build haâ— and stubble where the very expression That it shall be made manifest denoteth That errour for a long time may go undiscerned it may have a counterfeit passe even hay and stubble may be thought gold The false Prophet may get Elijah's mantle and hide himself in it but it shall be made manifest first to the builder and then to the whole world To the builder it may be a manifestation for Direction and Illumination he shall see he was in errour he shall confesse he was seduced and built unprofitable stubble or a maniâ—estation of confusion He shall be confounded with shame when his nakednesse shall appear and like Adam shall hide himself because of
more A poor man thinketh a little summe of money great treasures For the day shall declare it c. This Text you heard containeth the proportionable Effects or successe which builders wise or foolish have in Gods house And the Apostle first layeth down a general Proposition Every mans work shall be made manifest which hath already been dispatched We therefore now proceed and for this manifestation the Apostle informeth us of the time first and then the manner how The time first in these words For the day shall declare it and of this at this present All the doubt is What the Apostle doth mean by the Day There are some understand it of the Day of death when every man receiveth his particular judgement he shall then know whether his building will abide or no. Others understand it of the Day of Judgement which is called the day of the Lord and that day by an emphasis Bellarmine indeed is positive in this because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used with an Article which signifieth the Day of Judgment but that is false For the time of the Gospel is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.12 The night is past the day is at hand c. So that we cannot close with this interpretation because the Apostle carrieth it all the way for this life while we are in this world as will be shewed when we come to explain what is meant by the fire We take therefore Day for no more than Time such a day hath God in his wisdome appointed for the blowing away all this chaff As we see a covering of thatch doth not ordinarily hold long but fire or winde ariseth and cosumeth all Thus the Septuagint sometimes render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time So that the meaning is Howsoever these errours and false Doctrines may continue yet time at last will discover the vanity and weaknesse of them The Grecian said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time was the Touchstone the trial of all things And the Latines say Veritas est temporis filia Truth is the daughter of Time The day will declare it that is time will make them manifest onely the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Day doth denote the appointed and set time which God hath for the taking of all such disguises whereas it is the clean contrary with truth The longer that lasts the more it is believed the sufficiency and evidence of it is the more entertained Now although we thus understand it of time in this world yet it cannot be denied but at the Day of Judgement there will be a full discovery of all the works and Doctrines of men Observe That God hath his time when he will discover the errours and falshoods of mens Doctrines A day shall declare it You have a parallel expression Their folly shall be made manifest and they shall proceed no further 2 Tim 3.9 he compareth false teachers to Jannes and Jambres as they did miracles like Moses for a while but at last their folly and sorcery were discovered So it 's here God will put a stop to the torrent of errours he will shew a great difference between his truth and mens inventions the one shall be received and the other rejected This Gangrene that spiritual Physician can stop from further contagion God that could stop the infection of the plague on a sudden that the arrow should kill no more at mid-day hath done this also wonderfully in his Church The day did declare Arianism Pelagianism Nestorianism and the like To enlarge this Doctrine consider these things First In that the Scripture cals the time of manifestation a Day wherein is light and the Sunne beams it doth excellently imply That all the while there are corruptions in Doctrine and Worship that time is a time of darknesse Let men never so much rejoyce in them and count them happy times yet the Scripture cals them dark times So that to take away the truths of God the pure worship of God is indeed Solem è mundo tollere to take the Sunne out of the firmament All the while the Church of the Jews was without the Law and the Prophet without true teaching of the Word of God they were in a worse condition than the Egyptians in their Egyptian darknesse for that hindred them onely in their bodily motions and outward accommodations but this tends to the destruction and damnation of soul and body The true Ministers of Gods word are compared to light and to salt Matth. 5 13. Nihil Sole sale utilius both are necessary and usefull They are called the Starres and it must needs be a dark night when no starres shine Since the Apostles times the Church of God hath many times come under such dark times that it hath been like the old Chaos when darknesse covered the deep Take we heed then of calling darknesse light there is a woe to those that do so Isa 5.20 as some do the times of Reformation the times of Deformation If these corrupt Doctrines which come from the prince of darknesse thou callest light as coming from the Father of lights Thou intitlest God to the Devils work and that is no mean â—in This should teach the godly what to think under the overflowing of errours to account them dark and sad times Secondly There are no foolish builders that thus deform Gods Temple but they are by Gods permission in his wrath and anger because men have abused his truth and waxed wanton under it therefore hath he sent the spirit of delusion and errours amongst men 2 Thess 2.10 For this you must know though God be not the Authour of any evil and it were blasphemy to ascribe sinne to him as the cause of it yet as a just Judge he doth not onely suffer but also order that heresies and corruptions shall be in the Church They are of the Lord by permission and ordination though not efficiency and approbation Thus in Deut. 13.3 If there arise a false Prophet I the Lord do it to try you And in Ahabs time you may reade of many lying spirits in the false Prophets yet they could not goe to delude such or such till God gave them leave 2 Chron. 18.21 Thus 1 Cor. 11. There must be heresies Why must there be so God to punish mens corruptions their pride their ignorance their wilfull abuse of his knowledge will suffer such things to be Though he hath a gracious end That the approved may be made manifest That as all the persecutions which have been in the Church were from God as a just Judge to exercise the patience of it So all the heresies and errours which have been were to exercise the wisdome and true faith of the Church So that howsoever times of overflowing of errours be dark and uncomfortable times yet to consider the cause is farre more uncomfortable for these came from mens corruptions and Satans instigations as also from a provoked God in Heaven who punisheth our former
unthankfulnesse and disobedience with corrupt ends and practices As it 's said Because men did not receive the truth in love God gave them up to believe a lie 2 Thess 2.10 So that it 's hard to say whether is more sad to consider the nature of the errours that dishonour God or the cause of them which is Gods anger against a people for barrennesse and unthankfulnesse God then hath his times when for the sinnes of a people he lets Satan loose and suffers this red Dragon to vent his dreadfull poison Thirdly As the corrupt errours of men came from Gods anger so in mercy he hath appointed times wherein he will purge and take away their drosse For these Church-burthens and Church-corruptions have been farre more heavy upon Gods people than State-oppressions Therefore the first thing that Gideon did who was raised up by God to be a Judge to deliver Israel from their cruel oppressions was to remove their Altars and all their Idolatry he began with God first Judges 6.28 And so when Moses had gathered the people of Israel into a body and they were capable of a Civil Government yet the first thing he doth is to prescribe them Lawes concerning the worship of God and in the Decalogue the first Table is for the Duties relating to God By this you see That corruptions in Gods worship and truth as they are greater sinnes than others they are talents when others are pounds so they lie more heavily upon the people of God they bewail them more Rome as it was Aegypt did not so much trouble the godly as it was Sâ—dome the Idolatry more than the cruelty offended the people of God This being so God among temporal promises of deliverance of righteousnesse and peace doth also comfort the godly with times of Reformation in his Church that this hay end stubble shall no longer stand to dishonour his building Thus God by the Prophet Isaiah promiseth To purge away their drosse and to take away their tinne from them Isai 1.25 which doth relate to their Church-sinnes their Idolatries as well as State-sinnes And by Ezekiel you have a glorious promise concerning Church-Reformation Ezekiel 36.25 as well as temporal He will give them to see their Idolatries so that they shall be confounded and never open their mouths Especially God hath those times when people shall be ashamed of their errours of their superstitions and shall never open their mouths again to plead for them or justifie them When they shall see the patterne of the Mount Ezekiel 43.10 You have a notable promise Malachi 3 3 where upon Christs coming there is promised a glorious restauration He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sonnes of Levi. Christ when he came into the world found all Gods worship grossely polluted all the Priests had defiled themselves Now this was one end of Christs preaching to purifie them to cleanse them from these defilements It 's true prophane and worldly men or meer Atheistical Politicians they make no matter about Gods truth they make advantage of any Religion that serveth a designe but this was the great worke of Christs Ministery to make a Reformation in Doctrine and Worship Though this was very unpleasing to corrupt men therefore it is said Who can abide the day of his coming It is even like a day of judgement to them It is observable what our Saviour saith as much to our purpose and parallel with the Text John 4.23 The hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth You see how God hath his houre his time and season for such a thing and then when that is come they shall worship God will so over-rule enlighten and perswade mens hearts that they cannot but yeeld Such an hour or time God had when we recovered out of Popery Then darknesse covered the face of the earth The Sunne and the Moone and the Starres were turned into blood The Officers of the Church who should have had light to instruct did cruelly and bloodily persecute such as did hold the truth Now though all the world was thus in darknesse yet when God raised up those instruments of his truth Luther Melancthon Calvin and others They were no more able to stop the spreading of the Gospel then they could hinder the Sunne from running its race Gods hour was come and then the eyes of men would be opened There were many persons before Luther's time learned and godly men that did withstand Popish errours that died in contradiction of them but yet the world was not awakened they did not thinke of coming out of Aegypt till Gods time was come Fourthly This Day of Gods revealing may be a long while as to our expectation God may suffer corruptions to cover all the body of the Church You may see onely chaffe and no wheat and this may be a long while so that the godly doe even languish under their expectations Thus in Elijah's time 1 Kings 19 14. to his knowledge and according to visible appearance he onely was left to vindicate the pure Glory and Worship of God And in what a temptation was he about it It 's true God told him He had reserved seven thousand that had not bowed their knees to Baal that did not communicate in Idolatry But what was seven thousand to all the people of Israel No more than the gleanings of the Harvest And thus also we might shew how in the Christian Church when errours had once got possession in it they were like the Jebusites and the wilde beasts in the Land of Canaan which could hardly be destroyed Donatisme lasted above two hundred yeares Pelagianisme and Arianisme though but sparkes yet kindled such a fire that it was not extinguished in many generations So that we may say of this time as Christ to the Disciples It is not for us to know the times and seasons when God will restore his Church to her purity That is enough which our Saviour saith Every plant that is not of my Fathers planting shall be rooted out Matth. 15.13 That is an excellent place compared with this Text God hath his time when he will root out all the plants that he did not plant in his owne Vineyard But how long it will be ere this day breake forth God hath not discovered to us These things thus explained Let us consider the Reasons Why God will have a Day to declare mens workes in matter of false Doctrines And First Because the truth of God is deare and precious to him Christ himselfe makes it one main reason why he came into the world viz. To beare witnesse to Gods truth So that Divines say Though Christs death in respect of God the Father appointing him to be a Sacrifice for sinne was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an attonement or expiation yet if you doe respect men before whom he made a good Confession as Paul saith 1 Timothy 6.13 So it
was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Martyrdome Christ died a Martyr as well as a Mediatour because by his blood he witnessed Gods truth You see then how deare his truths are to him And the Psalmist among other arguments useth this It 's time for thee Lord to work for men have made void thy Law Psal 119.126 And though it be but the least Commandment yet if any man shall teach men to breake it he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven that is he shall be none at all in the Church here as some expound and of Heaven hereafter Matth. 5.19 Know then that not only prophane lives but corrupt Doctrines do provoke God Secondly It 's necessary there should be a time because of the people who belong to Gods grace that they may see their errours and bewail them That they may redeem the time by pulling down their hay and stubble and building gold and silver Thus Luther and all the first Reformers alas they had a long time built hay and stubble till God opened their eyes and then they were as much for truth as once against it How could the people of God come out of Babylon if this day were not And if there be so much joy for reducing one straying Sheep how much more of wandering Shepherds Lastly In respect of men hardened in their errours that their obstinacy may appear the more That when they will not see though the day appear who then can justifie them Thus the Pharisees the proper builders of hay and stubble yet Christ tels them He came into the world that they might not see Their blindnesse was the more increased by his light Vse of Admonition To embrace those daies of light and Revelation which God brings into the world Do not dote upon thy own Opinions thy old corrupt Doctrines and Worship It 's no longer night the day appeareth It 's true such a day is very terrible to men who are wholly corrupted with their errours As Mal. 3. The Prophet speaking of his coming to purify the sons of Levi cryeth out Who may abide the day of his coming It 's as terrible you heard as the Day of Judgment to them Certainly to superstitious and idololatrical persons the day of Reformation is a terrible day They cannot abide the purity and holinesse of it Do not dispute but wisely observe when God causeth such daies to arise upon thee thy blindnesse will be the more inexcuseable Because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is We now proceed to the manner or Instrument by which the Day of God shall declare it and that is by fire This is the place that hath raised much fire of contention while Expositours differ about the interpretation of fire Austin as you have heard thought it one of Paul's hard places to be understood and is so modest that he professeth he had rather learn from others then dictate any thing himself This Text the Papists make the chief place for Purgatory therefore Bellermine lib. 1. de Purga cap. 5. is very large in the explication of this place calling it as difficillimum for tilissimum c. one of the most difficult places of the whole Scripture and yet most profitable because the Catholiques build their Ecclesiastical Doctrines on this place viz That there are venial sins and that there is Purgatory Indeed he doth in part Orthodoxly expound the fire in this verse saying Herein we do not dissent from Calvin and Martyr but he would establish it on verse 15. Of which in its time But it 's well that if there be such a fire it 's only of hay and stubble and will not last long By Purgatory fire they mean a severe punishment though not altogether so terrible as Hell in which place they go that are good for the main but yet have many sinnes cleaving to them from which they were not purged in this life If you ask for a text of Scripture some say It cannot be proved by Scripture but only it 's a Church tradition Others as Bellarmine labour to prove it by Scripture but by very obscure texts such as these are Now necessary things to Faith or Salvation are some where or other laid down plainly in Scripture But that this is only a probatory fire and not a a purgatory as they hold appeareth by this clear Argument They hold that only wicked actions shall come into the purgatory fire but the Apostle makes all actions good or bad to come under this fire The fire shall try every mans work If it be gold or precious stones it must be tried by fire as well as hay or stubble whereas purgatory fire is only for hay and stubble And this sufficiently clears the place from any such corrupt glosse which would build hay and stubble even from that very text that threatens fire to such Doctrine But it 's not enough to confute a false interpretation unlesse we give a true What then is meant by fire And First We will take it for granted though some think otherwise that fire is used in the same sense by the Apostle in these verses It 's revealed by fire The fire shall try Yet â—o as by fire Three times the Apostle nameth fire and it 's not likely that in so short a space he should use it in different senses Taking it therefore for one and the same fire let us consider how the Scripture useth the word fire and I shall not reckon up all the significations but what respects to this in my Text And 1. Fire signifieth the wrath and anger of God Why is thy anger kindled like fire And God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 2. For the Effect of Gods anger tribulations and punishment When thou walkest through the fire Isa 43 2. 3. It 's used for any thing that will try and examine That as the fire tryeth the gold but consumeth the drosse so whatsoever way God takes to examine that is fire Thus Psal 66.10 Thou hast tryed us as silver is tryed And Gods Word is said to be like gold seven times tryed in the furnace Psal 12 6. Especially Zechar. 13.9 4 More particularly it 's used for Gods Word because that doth try and discover all false waies Jer. 5.14 I will make my â—ords in thy mouth fire saith God to Jeremiah For fire hath light and heat in it both these try First Light Every thing that is manifested is manifested by the light Ephes 5.13 Secondly Heat Calor separat heterogenea Heat separateth the drosse from gold Now the Word of God is light and heat 5. Fire is used for temptations afflections The precious tryal of your faith by fire 1 Pet. 1.7 Count not the firey tryal a strange thing 1 Pet. 4.12 Mark 9.29 Every Sacrifice shall be sâ—ltâ—â—â—ith fire That is as some expound it Every man that would be acceptable to God he must have salt to season him and this
salt is the fire of afflection By these places you see then that fire signifieth in the general Gods severe judgment discovering and trying mens waies which are partly by his Word and partly by afflictions So that the Apostle continueth in his excellent Allegory of building Those parts of the house that are wood and straw are presently consumed by fire but gold and silver will abide This I conceive the genuine meaning only further take notice that the Apostle speaks in the Present-tense it is revealed but we translate it in the future because it 's usual in the Scripture to speak of a thing that shall be continued in the Present-tense as also to shew the certainty of it It 's also doubted to what this doth relate The day shall be declared by fire Some say the Lord shall be revealed in fire as 1 Thes 1.7 Others more probably the work of every man Doct. That God useth to bring people out of errours and false waies by his Word and Afflictions The Word to inform and Afflictions to prepare the heart Even as men out of their senses are kept in Prysons with hard usage so God to humble and tame such a people sadly afflicts them that they may hearken to his Word God made Aegypt an Iron-furnace to the people of Israel they lay under great oppressions that so Canaan might be the more welcome to them To understand this consider That though the word and afflictions both help to bring a man out of false waies yet farre differently For First The word of God is of it self sufficient in a way of light to inform and instruct and hath threatnings also to be like a goad in the side but afflictions of themselves do not inform do not teach Gods Word is able to reduce without afflictions but afflictions cannot do any thing without Gods Word Hence all that fire which is poured upon Idolaters and Heathens is like the fire of hell calidus but not luciâ—us because they have not the Word to guide them Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest thy word Psal 94.12 Should a man go through fire and water give his body to be burnt for any errour or superstitious doctrine all the imprisonments and burnings in the world could do them no good unlesse the Word go before Heretici sunt lapidandi argumentis è Seripturâ petitis Arguments fetcht out of the Scripture may strike down the greatest Goliah Secondly There is a difference between the Word and Afflictions because though afflictions have a voice as well as the Word and the rod speaks as well as Gods Word yet the word of God doth it distinctly and plainly afflictions in a general manner They tell us God is angry they tell us they come for sinne but why and wherein or what are the sinnes that Gods Word doth only inform us So that Gods Word hath the prerogative above afflictions Thirdly Though the Word of God be thus only able to instruct and convince being a perfect Rule yet that doth not exclude other helps especially the Ministry for Ministers are called the lights and guides So that the word of God is the light but it must be put on a Candlestick The Word of God will convince heretiques but in the hands of wâ—â— and faithfull Teachers Otherwise men through ignorance and corruption fetch their errours from the Word of God misapplied Which made Ambrose compare ignorant heretical persons using Scripture to little David in Sauls Armour it was more then he could weild and so instead of defending it did wound him These things being premised 1. Let us see How God by the word reduceth the wandering sheep 2. How by afflictions And First The word of God is instrumental to open the eyes to enlighten the dark understanding David doth wonderfully commend the Scripture for this use that it was a lanthorn to his feet and a lamp to his paths whereby he became wise and understood even more then his Teachers Psal 119. This is the EYE-SALVE For want of searching into the Scriptures it was they erred so grossely about the resurrection When Christ is promised to be as a refining fire Mal. 3. to the Sons of Levi how did he this but by the clearing of the Word from Pharisaical interpretations And Estius though a Papist thinks this place alludes to that of Malachi and indeed there is a great resemblance Secondly The word of God is fire to try mens works because it containeth all matter necessary to salvation So that when we believe hoc credimus quod nihil ultra credere debemus the Scriptures are said to be able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3 15. If nature doth not fail in natural necessities much lesse will the Scripture in supernatural These things are written that believing you might have eternal life Joh. 20.31 As God at first put all the light into the Sunne so he hath all necessary things into the Scripture The Word of God then will manifest and reveal both objectively in discovering that matter which is true and subjectively in preparing the eye to see which is more then the Sun can do Though that enlighten the medium yet it cannot give a seeing eye to the blind Thirdly The word of God will be a fire to try because it doth direct to all those means whereby we may come out of all errours As 1. It presseth humility not to lean to our understanding God will teach the humble his way Psal 25. Though such may a long while wander yet they will come back and then they are not ashamed to recant before the whole world Peter commends Paul for the wisdom given him of God 2 Pet. 3.15 and yet we know how Paul reproved Peter to the face as is related Gal. 1. This was great humility in Peter to love and commend the excellencies in Paul for all this Austin wrote his Retractations at the latter end of his age which argued great humility 2 The Scripture bids us love that truth we do know and so farre as we have obtained to obey and to walk according to that Rule Phil. 3.16 You heard last day That errours are not only mens sins but their punishments likewise Because men receive not the truth in the love of it they are delivered up to believe a lye Now then the godly are careâ—ull to prevent the cause thereof He that doth my will shall know whether the doctrine be of God Joh. 7 17. Foggy mists draw a cloud over the Sunne and so noisome affections they becloud the judgement 3. The Scripture directs to earnest Prayer That is the Key to open Heavens Treasury Ask and ye shall have If any man want wisdome let him ask it of God James 1.5 David though a great Proficient prayeth that God would open his eyes to understand the wonderfull things of his word Psal 119.18 Prayer must begin and Prayer must end all reading and hearing and all meditations To study
though all flesh and the flower thereof doth perish It 's true indeed Davids grace and Peters grace in the fiery tryal of sinne seemed to be quite extinct but they were as the trees in winter which have life in the root though no signes of life appear by fruit or leaves If therefore you see any who seemed to have been regenerated by the Word totally Apostatize and fall off take the Scriptures saying up They went from us because they were not of us Joh. 2.19 No true Starres can indeed fall from Heaven meteor's may Thus not only the truths we preach but even you that are Hearers ought to be our work and an abiding work The Apostle cals the Corinthians his Epistle to be seen and read of all men 2 Cor. 3.2 You are to be as walking Sermonâ— and no temptations or persecusecutions yea The gates of Hell are not to prevail over you Mat. 16.18 The forgetfull or unprofitable Hearer doth as much as lies in him to make the truths of God of no more durable operation then humane figments Now to this Doctrine there is an obvious and palpable Objection How can we say that the true and Orthodox building in Christs Church will abide all stormes Do we not read frequently that in the Church truth hath been condemned errour owned All those Martyrs that lost their lives for the truths of God were they not condemned as heretiques Hath not errour alwaies found more upholders then the truth Was not the Lord Christ condemned and that by a Council of the Priests and Elders of Jerusalem Was not the whole world turned Arrian And in our forefathers daies was not the Aegyptian darknesse of Popery covering the whole world Was not the Masse Transubstantiation and Image worship set up as the principal truths of God And are there not men that write the time will come when the Word Trinity Co-essential or Consubstantial shall be as much hated as Masse and Transubstantiation To this Objection we Answer That those matters of fact cannot be denyed and yet the Doctrine is true for those oppressions and overwhelmings of the truth were but for a while The truth of God did abide the fire even then and afterwards prevailed more then ever The Sunne for a while may be in an Eclipse and hidden by black cloudes but at last it's light doth prevail We do not say that in every place and at every time truth alwaies is extolled and errour condemned but in time it will be It 's with the truths of Christ as it was with Christ himself he seemed to be overcome by his adversaries he was dead and buried yet he had a glorious Resurrection and Ascension So that as God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption so neither will he let his holy Truths But as in Christ his bones by Gods providence were not to be broken the seat of strength so neither can the bones of Truth be The Apostle saith The Day shall declare it that is the time appointed by God 2. This abiding or decaying must not be judged by carnall reason but by the eye of Faith It 's enough that to the godly and Believers though but a few truth is acknowledged though the greater part of the world vote for an errour Christ himself was not owned for the Messiah but by a very few that had the eye of Faith the greater part denyed him To every mans eye the Sunnne is lesse then the whole world but to art it is farre bigger That therefore is said to abide the fire which indeed and to the eye of Faith doth so Wisdom is justified of her Children Mat. 11.19 3. We told you Though the day of Judgement was not principally intended yet we could not wholly exclude it neither And then the truth and sound principles of faith will abide when errours shall call for the mountains and hils to cover them Vse 1. Of Exhortation to us Ministers Seeing we are builders How behoveâ—lliâ— it to build such sound solid matter that will abide Oh that this Text were written in the heart of every one that undertakes to maintain or preach any thing in Religion It is a Babel or Jerusalem thou buildest and God will discover so at last But Secondly Of Instruction what you hearers should be such in whom the truths we preach should live and abide How can we say All flesh is grasse but the Word of God abideth for ever in your hearts Nay rather the Word and all preaching withereth as the grasse and the works of sinne and the world abide for ever with you Well know this that whatsoever we preach out of Gods word it is of everlasting abode it will go to the grave with you it will go to Hell or to Heaven with you Do you forget it never so much that will not forget you The Word will judge and condemn you And how can that be but because it will be alive and come forth at that great day against thee Verse 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire THis Text containeth the contrary event of the foolish builder to the wise We would think hay and stubble should be no such great matter that God would not much stand upon such small things But this Text will sufficiently inform to the contrary In the words then consider The evil worke supposed and the sutable Reward threatned The evil worke supposed is to be such that cannot endure the tryal but will be burnt If any mans Doctrine be hay and stubble which cannot endure the fire but will immediately be burnt Then there is a two-fold reward even resembling that of an hell There is Poena damni a punishment of losse 2 Sensus He shâ—ll be saved but so as by fire There is no difficulty in the former For though it may be thought to referre to the work yet it is farre more probable that it doth relate to the person whose work it is So that as metal cast into the fire loseth its dross and so cometh out lesse then it was thus it shall be with him he shall be afflicted yet so that it shall turn to his good But the later is much vexed And First You see the Apostle speaks not of fundamental Heresies such as are damnable in their nature and carry the party without repentance to destruction but of such as are consistent with salvation Learned men apply it to the Gnosticks the famous Heretiques of those times who did not deny Christ but superstructed many evil and sinfull Doctrines upon this rock or foundation In the second place They are such as make a mans salvation very difficult Even as you have an expression of a righteous man A righteous man is scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 For this phrase So as by fire is a proverbâ—al expression to denote the extream danger a man is in and yet escapes as those three Worthies in the fiery furnace
Thus Jude vers 23. speaking to this purpose of many people led aside with errours saith Save them with fear pulling them out of the fire They were in as great danger as a child fallen in the fire whom the father pulleth out with great fear and amazement Thus Joshua Zech. 3.2 is said to be a fire-brand pulled out of the fire that is delivered from great and imminent dangers The same expression is Amos 4.11 Ye were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the fire he speaketh of such who had escaped the pubâ—ick judgements oâ— God upon them This proverb the Latines and Gâ—ecians also have e slammâ cibum petere This being so clear we would wonder what should make the Popish Interpreters dream of a Purgatory fire for they hold Purgatory a real fire even as that of Hell but the Apostles expression is As it were by fire which denoteth a meer similitude and comparison Gods examination and judgement as also the Word and heavy afflictions these are the fire which he must go thorow Besides many of them hold That the Apostle speaks of the Day of Judgement when all mens works shall be examined and judged so that this fire must not be till the Day of Judgement whereas they hold Purgatory fire presently upon a mans death and so necessarily before the Day of Judgement So that Austin long ago farre more probably interpreted it of afflictions in this life Even as a Merchant in a dangerous tempest throweth away all his goods and â—oseth all that he loved to escape with his own life So shall it be with any man that builds unsound and false opinions when God shall awaken him by tâ—â—bulations he will be content to throw all away to lose all He will forsake all those Doctrines he was so dearly inamoured with that he himself may escape Now here may be a very profitable Question raised Whether there be any Doctor or Teacher in the Church of God yea or Church though never so reformed that doth onely build gold and silver and not some hay or stubble Answ To this onely in the general we say That setting aside the Apostles who were infallibly inspired and directed There is ignorance and sinfull affections cleaving to every man in part and so to every Church and therefore even the most excellent men and Churches have had their straw and stubble whereby even every mans salvation though never so eminent even on his Doctrines part not attending to his life is very difficult All the Fathers had their Navi their hay and stubble And this is true of all though never so eminent in after ages But from the first observe That every man will be altogether a loser in any errour or false way that he hath maintained He shall suffer losse Sometimes by false wayes men propound base carnal ends wealth riches honours and applause in the world sometimes they think of spiritual ends more comfort and peace of heart more enjoyment of God but what Doctrine or wayes are not of God a man is sure to be frustrated of his expectations if they have them for a while they will quickly vanish away as the crackling of thorns make a blaze but continue not In the first place we shall shew Wherein they shall be losers First If they thought by erroneous wayes to better themselves in an outward condition in this world in this they are sure to lose How many have turned from truth when persecuted to errours and false wayes only to have their lives and liberties and external comforts but in the issue have been deceived of all When the Turk so prosperously prevailed many Christians imbraced the Turkish Religion In Popery and times of bloody persecution men through fear and love of the world denied the truth asserted and maintained false Doctrines But what got they many of them Did not our Saviours Rule prove true He that will save his life shall lose it and he that will lose it shall save it Mat. 16.25 And doth not the Prophet Jonah tell us a good lesson They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy Joâ— 2.8 They that would worship Idols or go into superstitious wayes they forsake that very mercy God hath provided for them otherwise Oh that this were well thought of by those who think to better themselves by those wayes that are not of God! Secondly If they looked for honour and outward dignity to be applauded and esteemed this also they shall be losers in For by the judgement of those Churches or persons that are orthodox they shall fall from all that repute and esteem they had The Church of Rome was set up like an high Mountain Did not all the people of the Christian world when there were breaches in Religion look upon her like a brazen Serpent thinking to be heard presently The repute and authority she had in all mens consciences made the politick Popes triumph over all the great ones of the world thereby and enlarge both Civil and spiritual jurisdiction But when her Idolatries and errours were discovered How odious and abominable is her very memory Now it 's the Sodom the Babylon the Aegypt John speaks of So that howsoever errours may have great applause and glory for a while yet God in time will make them vile as dung As of those corrupt Priests in thâ— worship of God God said He would spread dung upon their faces Mal. 2 3. The Phâ—risees by their superstruction of hay and stubble they intended glory and honor of the people They did all things as men acting upon a Theaâ—re but when Christ came and preached the pure word of God and discovered all theâ—r vanity and hypocrisie then their esteem and honour fell immediately inâ—o the dust Mat. 5.19 Our Saviour speaking against false teachers saâ—th If any teach the breaking of the least commandment he shall be called the leâ—st in the kingdom of Heaven The kingdom of Heaven is the Church in this life as some expound And he shall be called the lâ—ast that is He shall be of no repute and esteem Thus the names of all the Heretiques that have lived are they not of unsavoury memory And though some had excellent parts and held many truths yet this dead flie falling into their ointment marred all Thirdly They lose all their ministerial labour and study they used in building such stubble And truly this losse should much affect every man whether Minister or private Christian Some opinions thou hast thinking them truths but they being errours all thy preaching for them writing for them all thy indeavour to proselyte others to thee thy going farre and near to make others of thy mind all this is lost labour It will not have so much reward as a cup of cold water given â—n Christs name will have A Wasp is busie and flieth up and down as well as a Bee but a Bees businesse brings honey a Wasps doth nothing but a sting Thus it may be thou art
for the most part is spiritual and supernatural and partly because as the Prophets and Pen-men spake or wrote as they were moved by the holy Ghost even to every syllable and word so the same Spirit of God is required though not in such a measure to the understanding of it Hence the Spirit of God is promised To lead us into all truth John 16.13 Alas the greatest men of parts and learning have many times been the greatest Heretiques and most ignorant of the Scripture because destitute of the Spirit Yet on the other side you must not runne into another extremity as if the Spirit alone without those helps God hath required would lead us into truth for that were to tempt God and to expect a miracle For give a Bible in Hebrew or Greek to a man though enjoying Gods Spirit yet he is not able to understand this or that Text without the interpretation of the language I have been more large on this because it 's necessary to shew with how much prayer and earnest application to the throne of grace the Ministers of God should addresse themselves to their work without the Spirit of God guiding and leading of them they are the ship that wants a winde yea though they have many excellent gifts and much humane learning They are but as a swift horse without a rider while they want Gods Spirit and the faster they runne the more they are out of the way So then put the Spirit of God and other helpes appointed by him together and then you will never split at any Rock Secondly As the gifts of the Ministry are thus efficiently from God So directively also they are from his Spirit The guidance and ordering of the whole Ministry is from the Spirit of God When Paul was resolved to go to some place to preach the Gospel he was sometimes forbidden by the Spirit and directed to go to others Acts 16.6 9. Thus in the word of God preached by the Apostles the Spirit of God did demonstrate it self because the Jews are said to resist it Acts 7.51 therefore though it was first dispensed to the Jews yet upon their neglect it was transplanted to the Gentiles And thus truly every Congregation every particular person may wonderfully observe the divine guidance of the Ministry that it should come to such a people and not to such that those who are unworthy and trample upon it as swine do the pearl should have it and many a poor hungring and thirsting people can never enjoy have or such a Ministry especially every godly hearer may observe a divine guidance of the Word in the matter preached how near and seasonably it comes to him The unbeliever that came to the Church ordinances saw his heart and thoughts so judged and discovered that he cried out Verily God is among you 1 Cor. 14.25 Thou sittest and wonderest how the Minister should fall on such a point how he should be directed to such a particular that doth so nearly concern thee this makes thee say Verily God is here Thirdly Which is the last and greatest The efficacy and spiritual benefit of the Ordinances and gifts of Officers is wholly from the Spirit of God Hence it is called the holy Spirit not only essentially as the other Persons are or by way of opposition to the unclean spirit the Devil but effectively because by way of title and Office as it were it belongs to him to sanctifie the gifts of the Minister and to make them powerfull in the hearts of the hearers So that although parts and abilities should be in the Officers choice and power yet the successe and benefit is not When Paul hath planted Apollo watered it 's God that giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3. And certainly if the Physician cannot give health the Gardener cannot make any fruit only disposeth and prepareth in these things much lesse can spiritual Officers in the Church cause the Word to open the eyes of the blinde or soften the heart of those that are hardened Thus we have seen how the Spirit of God dwels in the Church by reason of gifts only and to be more affected with this though that of Graces be more excellent consider First That the end of all these gifts thus vouchsafed by the Spirit is only to profit withall as the Apostle argueth 1 Cor. 12.7 They are not for vain oftentation neither are we to seek our selves by them but they are to be improved for edification Now that cannot be called profit which is onely to please the ear to tickle the fancy but what is to convince the conscience and change the heart and lives of men Oh that this were considered both by Minister and all people It 's spiritual profit that is to be looked at Hence the Word is compared to food which is not for the eye but the stomack The more usefull and profitable the gifts of any are either for instruction or reformation the nearer they come to their due end Secondly Consider the plenty of these gifts under the New Testament The Spirit of God inabled to all those gifts and graces in the Old Testament but because they were in a little pittance or measure therefore the Gospel is said to be The time of the manifestation of the Spirit So that it 's a great shame and sinne if both Ministers and people partake not more of the gifts of Gods Spirit than in the Old Testament and that so much grosse ignorance and beastly prophanenesse doth overflow is a great reproach unto the times of the Gospel Thirdly The variety of them is also very admirable The Apostle reckons up the diversity of them So that as it was an argument of Jacob's love to give Joseph a party-coloured coat Thus it is of Gods favour to bestow such diversity of gifts This makes the Church indeed to be in imbroidered garments Fourthly The wisdome of the Spirit is seen in that no one man hath all As all men have not the same face but some difference there is which makes Gods providence admirable in this particular So all have not the same gifts some are for the word of Doctrine some for the word of Exhortation and all this is that there being a mutual excelling of one another there might be no envy or schisme in the body Vse of Instruction What cause we Ministers and you people have to pray for this Spirit of God without which we preach in vain and you hear in vain As Moses said to God Vnlesse thou go along with us we will not go up O Lord if the presence of thy Spirit be not with us we cannot discharge those duties who is sufficient to preach Who is sufficient to hear Oh it should be like a sword in our bowels to think we feel no more of him in our Assemblies Arise O North winde and blow O South saith the Church that the spices may send forth their smell Cantic 4.16 Oh that the Spirit of God would thus arise
into the Temple The Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an elegant allusion The sinne and the punishment shall be both alike some have rendered it corrupt some vitiate others destroy This of our Translators is very good For seeing the truths of God and his Ordinances are pure then it followeth all errours and false Doctrines are a pollution as if you should put drosse to gold or cast mud into a pleasant spring Some Interpreters think the Apostle doth intend to an higher sinne then he named before For say they vers 15. he speaks of such false Doctrines that did not overthrow the foundation now such a man may be saved though difficultly but vers 17. he nameth such as strike at the very root and destroy the very Temple it self So that they make this the meaning If any man bring such corruptions of Doctrine as destroy the Temple of God overthrow Religion and make it no Church he shall not be saved at all There is no fire to cleanse him but to consume him Thus some But it 's more consonant to take the words more general and so they do better cohere And this destruction spoken of is to be understood unlesse he repent or pro subjectâ materiâ if it be onely hay and stubble then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before a destruction partial not total but if they be damnable heresies than they meet with a total destruction Observe That those men who defile the Church of God with corrupt Doctrines do highly provoke God to punish them The Text is an Argument à minori ad majus If the defilers of the material Temple did not escape Gods punishments as Athaliah for prophaning the Temple and Belshazzar the holy vessels of the Temple then much lesse shall they escape who pollute the Church of God by any such falshoods And we reade that our Saviour did in this shew his anger and wrought a miracle by way of indignation and another particular namely cursing the fig-tree In these two cases did Christs miracles tend to destruction or punishment all the other were full of mercy and healing For when they had defiled the Temple and made it a den of thieves twice our Saviour made a whip and scourged them out which Hierom doth admire as a greater miracle than any other our Saviour did that a man unarmed and contemptible should chase away such a multitude of men and in that matter of their profit making no resistance but barely asking By what power he did these things No doubt the City of Jerusalem was then guilty of many horrible and grievous crimes of injustice adulteries but Christ takes no notice of that but goeth presently to the Temple to reforme there and this is attributed to the godly zeal that was in him which did even eat him up John 2.17 For the opening of the Doctrine let us consider Why false Doctrines are a defiling why they are called corruptions For so in the Old Testament Idolatry is often called men are said to have corrupted their wayes by false worship and this will be good to take off that lovely painting and alluring dresse which some would put upon their errors and superstitions Now they are called defilings and corruptions First From the pure nature of Gods truth and his worship which falshoods do staine and take away the glory of You see the Apostle compareth them to gold and precious stone Now to take these and to throw them into the dirt is a debasing of them Gods word is said to be more pure than gold seven times refined yea more to be desired than fine gold Psal 19.10 Christ commends his Doctrine under the notion of living water John 4.10 the pure running streams of the brook Now all false Teachers they throw in mud and dirt to these as the Philistims did earth into those Wells that Isaac digged for his cattel Every pure thing is made impure when mingled with any thing of a more sordid and inferiour nature as gold with leade wine with water water with mud So then though men give glorious Titles and Names to their falshoods as excellent Truths glorious Lights yet indeed they are no more than defilements and pollutions Oh then how humble tender and carefull ought men to be Are the Truths and Ordinances of God by institution and in their original so pure Come not then with thy soul hands to handle such precious things Secondly They are called defilements and pollutions Because the truths and Church of God are not only pure but dedicated and appropriated to him as the only object So that they are holy as well as pure and in this notion the Apostle considers them So that it 's a sacrilegious defilement to take the Truths and Ordinances or worship of God and by thy carnal and sinfull imaginations to pervert them And here we may say in another sense Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit sacriledge Thou that art against Popery against the Idolatry of the Masse and other abominable things Doest thou sacrilegiously pervert the holy Truths and Ordinances of God by sinfull and corrupt opinions Certainly if this were believed men would not so prophanely dispute and dally in the holy things of God Thirdly Errours and heresies may well be called defilements Because they are a disease and so spread over the Church The Scripture compareth them not to every kind of disease but that which is most mortal and dangerous even a Cancer Thus Paul of Hymenaeus and Philetus Whose word eateth like a canker 3 Tim. 2.17 The Leprosie in the Old Testament of which Levit. 13. there is so much spoken is acknowledged by Divines to typifie heresie and errours and as that did infect and make the very garments unclean that they were to be washed or burnt so the Apostle alludes to this Jude vers 23. Hating even the garment that is spotted by the flesh See what thoughts we are to have of all errours and heresies we are no to touch the garment of the flesh that is we are not to come near such as it 's said Come out of Babylon because of her Church-corruptions and touch no unclean thing 2 Cor. 6.17 Thus you see that you are not only to take heed of defâ—â—ng your selves with errours but because they are a Leprosie a spreading filthinesse you are not to come near the temptations be as much afraid of such an one as of one with a plague sore running upon him That very phrase Whose word eats like a canker should much terrifie women who by seeming pretences are apt to be mis-led What a dangerous thing is a canker in thy brest But as soon as thou hast received any errour thou hast got a canker in thy heart So that if it were onely a pollution it was not so terrible but here is a killing disease with this pollution If therefore thou lovest thy soul flee from
was for his eternal torment They call such things the blessing of God and so indeed in themselves they are but to wicked men they are curses For as the godly mans afflictions come from Gods love Whom he loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12. so wicked mens mercies come from Gods anger Had God loved thee thou hadst had it may be more afflictions more wants and exercises Secondly Wicked men have not the world Because they are overcome by it the world hath them rather Therefore they are called as you heard the world as if their very souls as well as bodies were made of the dust of the earth whereas the godly have the world as if they had it not they have God and the world too they have Heaven and Earth too they do not prâ—â— the worse their duties are not the more thinne and distracted As Abraham and David these were rich and great men in the world yet if you reade Davids Psalmes you will finde his heart set on God above all these things Thirdly Wicked men have not the world Because they do not own and acknowledge God as the giver of all neither do they live to him but the things of the world are instruments to draw out their lusts to make them the more wicked They take the good creatures of God and abuâ—e them to wickednesse Therefore Rom 8. The whole creation is said to groan under them as being weary of them The very Air the very Earth is weary of them yea the timber in the house and the stones of the wall do witnesse against them they are by the things of the world made more wicked Lastly They have not the world Because they have not an holy contentation of mind They are not quiet or satisfied in their condition they have no true peace notwithstanding all their abundance and the reason is because they have not pardon of sinne and enjoyment of Gods favour with these and they are only blessed who are so Matth 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth You see the whole earth is promised to a meek humble contented spirit whereas a wicked man is compared to the Sea that is alwayes foaming and never lieth still The Vse is two-fold 1. Of Comfort and Exhortation to the godly Comfort in what distresse and strait soever thou art in Say not I have not this I want this I am poor and miserable for thou hast Heaven and Earth onely set faith on work This is the hand to receive those treasures This faith is not a fancy it 's not a foolish imagination but a real investing of thee with all things But it 's of Exhortation also to have the world for thy spiritual use Take heed of the wickednesse of it We have not received the spirit of the world 2 Corin. 4. Oh it 's an excellent thing not to have the spirit of the world but of God! Vse 2. Of Instruction To shew the power and miserable estate of the richest and greatest men in the world that want godlinesse none is so poor so miserable as they Thou sayest this is thine and that is thine Alas because Christ and the Promise are not thine nothing is indeed thine If they be thine they are thy poison thy destruction thy damnation and thus they are thine Or Life We proceed to the third thing in order and that is the several Conditions or Estates we are in Life is yours and Death is yours Chrysostome and Grotius after him limit this to the life and death of the Ministers in the Church If they live enjoying their liberties and outward comforts it 's for you If they die if they lose their liberties and lives it 's for the Churches sake As Paul said He was willing to be a Sacrifice offered up for the Philippians faith Phil. 2.17 This is indeed a truth but as the world is a general so there is no reason but that we should take Life and Death in as General a sense And indeed this limited one may well come under the first enumeration Paul and Apollo all are yours At this time we shall treat of Life The Scripture speaks of a three-fold Life 1. Animal which is in beasts 2. Humane belonging to men as rational And 3. Supernatural or an heavenly life which onely deserveth the name of it The other being but shadows and dying lives Now we shall especially speak of this humane life being perfected with that supernatural life Observe That Godly men do onely live or The Godly onely doe make a spiritual use of their life Life is only theirs 1 Pet. 3.10 He that loveth life and would see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil let him eschew evil and do good Here you see the only way to live and to have good dayes is to avoid all evil and imbrace all good Hence Christ John 6. cals himself The bread of life and he giveth the water of life none liveth till they be united to him We shall insist on these things 1. That only godly men live 2. That wicked men though in the midst of all their jollity yet the Scripture doth not account of them as living persons And First The godly man only liveth Because he is united to God and Christ the fountain of life David doth often style God The fountain of life Psal 36.9 And in his favour there is life And in the New Testament especially by John Christ is made the Author of all life He is therefore compared to the Head and to the Vine If the members or branches be separated from these they die and wither presently as John 15. This is so frequent an assertion that we need not dilate on it If not a member of Christ there is no life in thee Aut es in membris aut in humoribus said Austin Thou art either among the members or the humours of the body of the Church Gal. 3.20 Paul said He no longer lived but Christ in him and the life he lived was by faith in the Sonne of God What did not Paul eat and drinke and enjoy the common Aire as we doe Yes this he doth not call his life Oh they live who no longer live but Christ in them Thy sense thy carnal reason thy corrupt affections thy worldly inclinations these no longer live but Christ in thee and his graces Secondly Onely the godly man liveth Because he hath a spiritual and a new life added to his animal life For as the soul is the life of the body so grace is the life of the soul Hence our Saviour cals all wicked men dead men Let the dead bury the dead Matth. 8.22 That is a strange expression but very true No dead corpse is more destitute of life and apprehension than their souls are of any heavenly motions any spiritual hungrings or thirstings All the merry and jolly men in the world they are dead men if living in their sinnes Therefore among the Pythagoreans who kept strict
redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Seeing therefore that in Christ is all fulnesse and in us nothing but sinne and emptinesse no marvael if we be his more than our own Now this is of admirable comfort to the godly as well as it inferreth duty For seeing thou art Christs the Question is not in matter of Justification What thou art but what Christ is Not what sinne thou hast but what righteousnesse Christ hath Therefore if the Law come and demand perfect obedience say I am Christs If thy conscience accuse thee say I am Christs If the Devil tempt thee and arraign thee still say I am Christs To be Christs must needs answer all Objections Who shall impeach Christ Who shall accuse Christ So that it is an excellent evangelical life when we can by faith fill our souls with this assurance We are Christs Then as farre as the fulnesse and sufficiency of Christ will bear us out and bear down all oppositions so long may we be confident This is a great Gospel sinne that we live in our selves and upon our selves in our works in our righteousnesse or are slavishly dejected because of sinnes when humbled for them whereas we should live by faith in Christ as Christ dwels in our hearts by faith so we should dwell in him How is the Apostle ravished alwayes with the grace that comes by Christ The priviledges of Justification and Adoption and Sanctification that we have by him are to be more than meat or drink unto us Fifthly We are Christs Because we are wholly to be disposed by him in all conditions in all exercises and temptations For Christ being made a Lord and King over us he orders us in all things he ruleth and governeth us according to his will Sometimes he cals us to labour and worke for him sometimes to suffer for him Now in what ever condition or exercise we are in this should teach us patience and submission we should not think much of suffering for his Name Truth and Glory Our Saviour doth not think such a Disciple worthy of him that doth not love his father mother and life it self lesse than him Thus we see the Apostles and all the Martyrs because they were Christs their bodies their estates all they had they did not grudge to give all to him when he called for them Seeing therefore we are Christs he is our Lord all is in reference to him we should not repine at any labour or suffering for him Thou art worth ten thousand of us said the people to David thou shalt not any more endanger thy selfe in battel Thus shouldest thou say Christs Name his Truth his Glory is ten thousand times better than all my wealth or life it self But as we see God hath made all things for men the beasts of the field and the birds of the air are killed for man and there is no pity therein because they were created for this end and this is their perfection So are we made for Christ our wealth our health our estates our parts they are all to be sacrificed for Christ and this is the proper perfection of them this is the best improvement They doe then attaine that glorious end for which they were given us Oh how would this make us deny our selves and preferre Christ more that as God hath given him the preheminence in all things so we should Now in the next place let us consider Some Characters or Properties of such as are Christs And First They desire more knowledge of him more acquaintance with him they prize him above all worldly things Paul Phil. 3.8 accounts all things dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ The Church in the Canticles is inamoured with his beauty all which Song is to be understood spiritually of that spiritual fulnesse and excellency which is in him Hence the godly are said To have their conversation in Heaven because there is Christ whom they look for Phil. 2.31 Thus faith represents the Lord Christ in all lovelinesse and excellency So that the voluptuous man is not more taken up with the love of pleasures than the Christian is with Christ There are the treasures of wisdom and grace in him all which the godly soul is searching into 2. Those that are Christs they abhorre and have no communion with any sinne or wickednesse because that only Christ hateth Though we be poor and miserable Christ may love us but if sinfull then Christ abhorreth us 2 Cor. 6. What concord between Christ and Belial What agreement between light and darknesse Christ indeed conversed with sinners but it was as the Physician with diseased persons to make them better even to heal them and thus may we But no fellowship of approbation are we to have with the works of darknesse but rather to reprove them You may reade then in the very fore-head and life of many whether they belong to Christ or no. For would Christ defile himself with such ungodly wayes Oh blasphemy to think so Now he that is Christs he labours to be like him he hath his Image upon him They are said to put on Christ as men do a garment nothing but Christ appeareth in them and on them 3. Those that are Christs they live not to themselves but to him They please not themselves or others in a sinfull way If I should please men I were not the servant of Christ Gal. 1.10 Thou canst not give content to the world please them and please Christ too And therefore as Christ so Christians are alwayes hated opposed by the world It doth not look upon them as their own for then they would love them The Disciple must not thinke to be above his Master And truly no wonder at this for if Christ sought not his own glory and greatnesse but humbled himself in that despicable way of a servant how much more ought we not to exalt our selves but to be debased that he may be magnified Vse of Exhortation to those who are Christ's to be self-denying to take up Christs crosse to love him more than all they have for Christ is not for thee but thou for Christ as man was not for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for man and therefore the duties of that day were to yeeld to mans necessity so Christ and his Truth and his Gospel they are not for thy life or thy credit but these are for them Let then the lesse give place to the greater It 's not so necessary that thou shouldst be rich great and honoured in the world as that Christ and all things of Christ should be preserved How ungodly then is it to pretend Christ or make use of the Name of Christ for thy carnal advantages This is to make the head be under the feet Vse 2. Of Terrour to all those who live in the constant practice of wickedness they are none of Christs and so they have no portion in his blood no share in his mediation How miserably did Esau cry out because he