without marking or once considering whether they haue put on this faith as a garment to walk in and as an armour to fight in that they may see themselves in it cloathed both as their garment and adorning them and as an armour defending them for its manyfest by the doctrine of Iames that many boast they haue faith who yet doe not walke in it nor use it as a shield against sin and sathan therefore wee are never to esteeme the ministry of the Gospell to bee the power of God to our salvation for any light or perswation it worketh in our hearts inwardly excepte likewise it make us put on that light to walke in it as the children of light and arme us with it to fight against the prince of darknes and all his works For scripture and experience teach us that manie haue the lighte of the knowledg and truth of God within them boasting of it in words who yet in their deeds deny it doing as the Apo. speaks of the gentils who held and detained the truth in unrighteousnes and supprest it in their hearts because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull Rom. 1. 18. 21. And thus much for the first point of the tryall we should now speake of the second but that the Apostle doth stay us with an argument preventing an objection before he specifieth the second point of tryall which is the mean to know the former for they might haue said how shall we be able to know these things which thou willest us to try either that which goeth before viz. Whether we be in the faith or that which followeth viz. whether Christ be in us The Apostle to take away this pretence of ignorance and so to enforce them to acknowledg by this tryall of themselvs the power of Christ in his ministry towards them doth use this argument You must eyther by tryall perceave these things in your-selvs being christians or then ye knowe not your selves but its absurd that you Christians should not know your selves therefore you may easily try these things in your selves Of argument wee haue no more set downe but the second part yet so as in the manner of speech he leadeth us to the collection and gathering of the rest the words being these know ye not your selves as if he would say this wherein I will you to examine your selves cannot be hid from you if ye know your selves which knowledge of themselves he inforceth upō them by this his interrogation which implyeth as much as that it was not only a shame to thē but also an impossible thing not to know themselvs so insinuateth the conclusiō to wit that therefore they behooved to know these things where in he willd them to try themselves In this forme of the Apostles proceeding wee haue first to learne what backwardnes and untowardnes lurks in our nature stil in that wee are loath to acknowledge any thing whereby wee ourselvs may be convinced except confession bee wrested from us by forcible and unresistable argument wee being still inclind to use all sort of pretences to excuse and amongst the rest ignorance rather then by simple acknowledgment of the known truth to condemne our selves in any thing This vice did evidently appeare in Cain when God inquired where his brother Abell was who although he knew perfectly he had kild him yet used a shifting answere to the Lord first pretending ignorance and then bringing in an argument to convince God of unrighteousnes in requiring such a-thing at his hand in that he said he was not his brothers keeper the like wee see also in Saul when he was accused by Samuell for sparing Agag the King of Ameleck in strongly affirming he had performed the will of the Lord notwithstanding that he knew that the preserving of Agag aliue and reserving of the best of the spoile was direct contrary to the direction of the Lord whereby he was commanded to smite Ameleck and to destroy all that pertained unto them but to stay both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both Camell and asse 1. Samuel 15. The same also is cleerly to bee marked in Annanias and Saphira Acts. 5. And this same infirmity appeareth here in the Corinthians although not in the same manner nor measure of inquity In Cain Saul Ananias and Saphira it proceeded from profane and unsanctified hearts filled with malice pride and coveteousnes but in the Corinthians as in other Godly men it falleth through infirmity and negligence but never of obstinate malice or contempt yet still to bee acknowledged a great weakenes having always mixt with it some selfloue of our selvs which makes us rather to dissemble a knowne truth then to disgrace our selvs in any sort but leaving this wee come to thosethings which principally are to be marked in this argument of the Apostle which yealds us two things to our consideration the first is that a Christian who is caled out of darknes to the marvelous light of God hath amongst all others this great blessing that his eies are open to know himself which no man can doe till he be effectually called of God and haue receaved the spirit of truth whereby he is made able to discerne all things this knowledge of our selvs was known to bee a great vertue amongst the very heathen and was propounded to be followed as a singular vertue by the philosophers but never any of thēselves could ever attaine to it it being the speciall prerogative of those who are taught by the truth of God revealed in his word to haue this grace to know themselves according to that saying of Iohn wee know that wee are of God this whole world lyeth in wickednesse Iohn 1 Epist 5 19. And therefore is it that the same Apostle sayth concerning the elect that the annointing which they haue receaved of the father dwelleth in them and that they need not that any man teach them but as the same annointing teacheth them of all things and it is true and not lying The 2. thing which hereby wee learne is this That the calling of God to the knowledg of his truth giues to men in the knowledg of themselves the sight and knowledge of all graces that are given them of God according to that saying of the Apostle speaking of the unsearchablenes of the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him but saith he God hath reveyled them unto us by his spirit for wee haue not receaud the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are given us of God 1 Corint 2 10 12. Therefore is it that Christ calles his disciples no more servaunts but friends because as he saith the servant knoweth not what his master doth but vnto them he had made known all things which he heard of his father Iohn 15 15. And in another place hee shewes the reason of
thē to proove examine his words are proove yourselues examine yourselvs The question being of the power of Christ in Pauls ministry he referreth the tryall thereof to his hearers in themselvs which he would never haue done if the question concerning this power in all mens preaching were not to be decided rather by that which is felt by experience in the hearers than by any thing whatsoever in the Teacher Divers singular uses we haue of this poynt First touching the true knowledge of the nature of all spirituall things It must be taken from the tryall and experience which we have of them in onr selvs which is the true limits and bounds as well as the ground foundatiō of all true knowledg of God and all things belonging to salvation For how excellent and superemminently good soever they be in themselvs our mindes can rise no higher in apprehending and knowing them then the experience and sence is which wee receive of theire force and effectuall working in and upon ourselvs And this is true not onely in the supernaturall knowledge of God heavenly things but also in so far as nature it self can apprehend of God this is manifest by the Apostles words to the Romans when he sayth that which might be known of God is manifest in men themselves For which cause he justly concludeth the Gentiles to haue beene vniust detayners of the truth of God and therefore most justly punisht from heaven because knowinug God they did not glorifie him as God neither were thankfull For it is most certaine that there can bee no true judgement of these things that are spirituall and so no way subject to the apprehension of earnall sences but onely from the sence and seeling of our soules according to the measure of working whereby it pleaseth God by his spirit to make our soules sensible of his nature and goodnes which wee never can rightly esteeme of vntill by his blessed gospell begetting us again to a liuely hope of an inheritance immortall vndefyled and that withereth not he powreth in by his spirit aboundantly in our harts his loue and peace that passeth all vnderstanding neither can wee ever acknowledge the blessed word of God to be the power of God vnto salvation vntill that by experience wee find it to bee that which the Apostle describes it to bee in us viz. a living word mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and piercing into the devision of our soule and of our spirit the joynts the marrow and judging the verie thoughts and intents of our harte so that wee may justly conclude that no man hath any more true knowledge eyther of God the gospell or ministry thereof then so far as in himself he hath felt by proofe and experience their efficacy and working upon himself Moreover this teacheth us another lesson touching the true course of mens tryall in matters spirituall and specially of the vertue and power of any mans ministry it is apparent that the Corinthians did narrowly marke the Apostle himselfe in his outward estate and in his vtterance and eloquence in all which they externally found nothing in their carnal judgmēt but basenes weakenes and words of no valew but in the meane time they did not marke the mighty work of that weake mā by his seeming weake words in their owne harts inwardly which made them perverse and sinistrous Iudges of his ministry the vertue and power whereof is not to be discerned by ought that outwardly can bee perceaved eyther by the eye in behoulding the speaker or by the eare in hearing his eloquence but onely by the inward sence and feeling of their owne harts and spirits And this serves to correct two great vices in our judging first concerninge the persons and 2 concerning the matter Touching the persons its a common vice to bee busie in taking notice in judging of others but not of our selves whereas our mindes ought to bee still examining our selves not others for as sayth the Apostle who art thou that judgest another mans servant hee standeth or falleth to his owne Lord and not unto thee and the scriptures of God continually warne us to absteyn from judging of others and still to judge and tax our selvs least wee be judged and in judging others to begine first at our selves because thereby we shal be the more able to giue righteous judgment of others for as Christ sayth how can a man say to his brother let me cast out a mote out of thine eie behould there is a beame in his owne eie Mat. 74. For how shall a man see to cast out a mote out of his brothers eie unto the time that first he hath cast out the beame out of his owne eie For Christ himself shewes that with what judgment wee judge others wee shal be judged and with what measure wee meat unto others it shal be measured againe to us Besides that the judgment of others is not left unto us by the Lord but reserved unto himself and therefore the Apostle counteth it a very small matter to bee judged by the Corinthians or any mans judgment touching his fidelity in his ministry but this Apostle earnestly invites us to judge and examine our selvs and sheweth to the Corinthians that if wee judged our selves wee should not bee judged of the Lord with his temporall plagues as infirmities sicknes and temporall death by which the Lord did chastise the Corinthians for not judging and examining thēselvs before they did eat of the Lords bodie And this duety of not judging others but our selvs is the more carefully to bee observed by us because as we shall heare afterwards every faithfull Christian is able by the spirit of God given him to discerne of himself his spirituall estate aright but as concerning others although in the judgment of charity wee ought to esteeme well of all that professe Christ yea euen of those with whom wee refuse to converse for disobedience in them whom still according to the rule of the Apostle wee are not to esteeme as enemies but to admonish as brethren yet the infallible knowledge of their estate in Christ is only known to God who only knoweth who is his owne The 2. errour concerning the matter of our judgment is hereby likewise corrected wee see and perceaue this to bee a common folly in men to looke upon the person of the preacher upon his gifts and utterance and still to be censuring all men to bee eyther good or bad preachers according as they find them to satisfie or displease their judgment in their gifts of knowledge vtterance or eloquence and so often fall in a wofull errour in contemning the best applauding the worst whereas the matter of all true judgment of preaching consists not so much in the matter or utterance of the preacher as in the power of that which is spoken which power is
the Lord walk in him rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith In like manner the scripture speakes of loue of patience of hope of holynes of righteousnes and all other christian vertues The reason of this forme of speache in scripture is because of the double use and benefit both of Christ himself and all other spirituall graces in him The first use is of practise the second of preservation For the first these graces are necessarie to be in us to enable us to all christian duties who of ourselvs are not sufficient as of ourselves to doe so much as think any good according to that of Christe speaking of himself without me ye can doe nothing And touching faith it s said of the Apostle That without faith its impossible to please God Heb. 6. So that neither we ourselvs nor anie of our actions can be acceptable to God even although they be the actions commaunded by God unlesse beleeving we doe them by â—aith yea not onely are they not acceptable but it is impossible to us to haue any strength or ability to doe them according to Gods will without faith for that mighty power of God through Christ whereby we are made able to doe all things is not in any but in those that beleeve According to that saying of the Apo. praying for the Ephesians That the eies of their understanding might be enlightened that they might know what is the exceeding greatnes of Gods power towards us that beleeve cap. 1. v. 18 19. And again speaking to the Colossians he saith Wee are buried together with Christ in baptisme in the which we are also raysed together with him through the faith of the effectuall operation of God who hath raysed Christ from the dead cap. 2. ver 12. And therefore Iohn in his first epistle doth attribute our victorie over the whole world onely to our faith saying All that are born of God overcommeth this world and this is the victorie that hath overcome the world even our faith For who is it that overcommeth this world but he that beleeveth that Iesus is the sone of God 1 Ioh. 5. 4. 5. And the Apostle to the Hebrewes chap. 11 attributeth all the strength of all the children of God in doing good and obaying God onely to their faith through which faith as saith the Apostle they subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtayned the â—romise stopped the mouthes of â—yons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the â—rmies of the aliants the women â—eceaved their dead raysed to life other also were racked and would not bee delivered that they might â—eceaue a better resurrection and others haue beene tryed by mockings â—nd by scourgings yea meorover by bonds and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen a sunder they were slaine with the sword they wandred up and downe in sheepes skins and in goats skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented all which they did endure and suffer onely by faith by which they all obtayned good report It is clear therefore for such practises and all other obedience whatsoeuer it is necessary that a Christian haue faith in him without which he hath no strength eyther to doe oâ— suffer any thing to the glory of God his owne salvation 2. It s expedient that as he must haue faith in him for practice so he must be in the faith for his preservation for as nothing can enable him to doe good but faith so nothing can preserve him from all evill unto salvation but faith onely within the compasse limits whereof except he remaine enclosed he cannot avoyd evill therefore is it that the Apostle chargeth every one in the house of God that no man presume to bee wise aboue that which is meete but that every man bee wise unto sobriety as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith this measure of every mans faith being unto him the onely rule and just measure both of his actions and sufferings seeing whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne for which cause the Apostle defines the life of a Christian to bee the life of faith in the sonne of God Galatians 2. 20. Therefore for the better keeping our selves from all the assaults of sathan wee are commanded to put on as an armour given us from God these Christian vertues truth righteousnes peace hope and aboue all faith whereby wee may be able to quench all the siery darts of the diuell to stand against all his assaults Ephesians 6 10 11. And in another place wee are exhorted by the Apostle as the elect of God holy and belooved to put on the bowells of mercies kindnes humblenes of mind meekenes long-suffering loue c. And finally whatsoeuer wee shall doe in word or deed to doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus which is asmuch as to will us to doe al in faith Colossians 3 12 c. For as God doth not exercise his power in us to the prastise of good but by faith So doth he not imploy his power to keepe us unto salvation but by faith also as is plaine by the words of Peter saying that wee are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Ep. 1 5. Thus faith is both the power of God within us to strengthen us to all goodnes and the armour of God upon us to keepe and couer us from all evill For which cause as wee must abide in Christ and Christ must abide in us unto salvation So must wee also abide in faith and faith in us since Christ is neither in us nor wee in him nor liue wee in him nor he in us neither keepeth hee us nor wee him except by faith aloue Now the reason why the Apostle doth not will us to â—ry if faith be in us but rather if wee bee in the faith is not because both bee not necessary or that the one can possibly bee without the other seeing the union betwixt us and the graces of God in Christ is like to our communion with Christ himself for as he is in us and we are in him so are wee in his graces and gifts and they are in us even as he is in the father and the father in him but the cause moouing the Apostle to speak so is this because our finding of our selves in the faith is the most cleare evidence of the power of Christ in the ministry to our salvation for then it is effectuall when not onely it doth work faith in our hearts but also doth make us walke in it so that as in our knowledge will or affection inwardly even so in our deeds externally we manifest this faith Not going in any thing beyoÌ„d the measure of that faith which God hath given us and to speake the truth it is a wofull error in many Christians to satisfie themselvs with a conceyt that they beleeue